KITCHEN AID Margaret Kennedy of My New Kitchen is already working on projects for the new year, so now is the time to talk to her about lining up a makeover for your kitchen.
A veteran of the kitchen business, she is now a broker for dozens of manufacturers. Because she is not associated with any one company, she promises to give independent advice on what’s best for you. So, once she has figured out what you need from your kitchen (and your budget), she comes back with drawings, floor plans and specifications. Once you have settled on a design, she oversees the installation of the units and appliances. Call 01-2985544 or visit www.mynewkitchen.ie. Eoin Lyons
PANDABABY Tai Shan is just five months old and he has never said a word, but thanks to the internet, he's an international celebrity. He's the baby panda at the National Zoo in Washington, and his every move can be viewed online via the zoo's "pandacam". The adorable cub was born on July 9th and, as his webcam shows, he and his mother, Mei Xiang (pictured above just after her arrival in Washington from China five years ago) are both thriving. Visitors to the website can watch live footage of Mei Xiang and the increasingly adventurous Tai Shan, as they play, sleep or just hang out chewing bamboo. To see for yourself, go to http://animal.discovery.com/cams/pandavidr.html or check out the zoo's panda blog at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/. Tai Shan was given his name, which means "peaceful mountain", after 202,000 people voted in a naming contest. Tai Shan earned 44 per cent of the vote. Anna Carey
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE Not ready for giant solar panels on your roof? Take a baby step and catch some rays with the Solio portable charger. It is designed for iPods, but adapters for digital cameras and mobile phones are also available. The mini-windmill shaped panels sit in a sunny window for about 10 hours and can store the energy for up to one year. The panels fold up neatly so you can put a little sunshine in your pocket or bag and save it for later. It also comes with a wall socket for gloomy days when you want to take a bit of extra power with you on the move. The Solio is available from Cultivate Sustainable Living Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. €89.99. Nicoline Greer
GET ON COURSE If you've made a New Year's resolution to start a new hobby or learn a new skill, then it could be worth checking out www.nightcourses.com, a searchable database of every kind of course imaginable, all over Ireland. It's a great resource, whether you're hoping to try out something unusual such as dream interpretation, or you just want to find out about cookery courses or dance lessons. There are so many possibilities: you could learn a musical instrument, take up a new sport, or try out drama, art or creative writing. For something even more challenging, the site also has details on distance learning and professional courses. The only problem is that, with so much choice, you might find it difficult to decide what to do. Eimear McKeith
GET JARRED The jars of Filligans chutneys, jams, and dressings at The Fruit Place in Churchtown, Dublin 14 are so colourful they could be part of an interior design scheme. However, the brightly coloured products such as pink grapefruit marmalade and raspberry salad dressing contain no colouring agents or artificial additives. Sarah Moss, who makes the preserves in an outbuilding of the Donegal house she shares with artist Phillip Moss, has heard of people eating the peach and cardamon chutney straight from the jar. It's not surprising; its utterly more-ish quality recently won it a silver in the Great Taste Awards. The Fruit Place has gone through a transformation, from selling spuds 15 years ago, to meeting the current demand for things such as sweet peppers, celeriac, cheeses, oils, chutneys and spices. The Filligans range is also available from selected delis round the country, including Sheridans in Galway, In a Nutshell in Wexford and the English Market in Cork. Call 074-9551628 for more stockists. Nicoline Greer
A NEW YOU You may have plans to join a gym, go on a diet and reinvent yourself as someone healthier and fitter. But if your life is constantly hectic and stressful, then it might take more than a salad lunch and a run on the treadmill to sort you out. According to practitioners of the "Art of Living", many health problems are related to emotional wellbeing, and stress saps your body of the energy and nutrients it needs. The Art of Living technique takes a practical, holistic approach, and focuses on deep-breathing exercises that aim to improve your physical and mental health. Cultivate Sustainable Living Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, is running a five-day Art of Living course on January 18th-22nd. €250/€175. 01-6745773.Eimear McKeith
LA DOLCE VITA Cookery teacher and author Ursula Ferrigno will visit Cooks Academy in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin on February 28th to demonstrate recipes from her two latest books, Trattoria and La Dolce Vita. As well as being a passionate advocate of Italian cooking, Ferrigno is principal tutor to the Vegetarian Society in the UK, so her demonstration, while not excluding meat and fish, will include lots of original ideas for non-meat eaters. The demo runs from noon to 2.30pm and costs ¤60. Places can be booked online at www.cooksacademy.com or by calling 01-2145002. Marie-Claire Digby