Reclaim Your Lunch Hour!

by Eleanor Fitzsimons, Katherine Clarke & Nicola Reddy

A recent survey revealed that 21% of Dubliners take no lunch break at all, while a whopping 70% of us eat “al desko.” For those who did venture out, the average length of the lunchtime break was just 38 minutes. Come on folks! Lunch is for winners. Besides, a midday break increases your productivity and helps to keep your stress levels down. Tell the boss when he makes a face as you get your coat. Here is our guide to reclaiming five fun hours a week.

See a play Bewley’s boasts Ireland’s only permanent venue for lunchtime drama. When doors open at 12.50pm, audiences are welcomed with a generous bowl of soup and a sandwich. Performances last under an hour and there is an emphasis on new Irish writing, comedy and lesser-known works by established authors. Rose Henderson’s Ruby Tuesday runs from April 6th-26th – the tale of a middle-class woman and her cleaning lady, Ruby, who calls in on Tuesdays. Get it? Or for a musical interlude, ‘A Tribute to the Ladies of Jazz’ will be on from April 4th-6th. 086 8784001, www.bewleyscafetheatre.com

Smile at buskers If you were in Barcelona, you would stand and watch the dancers, fire-breathers and even those pointless fellas who just paint themselves green and stand there. But here, you shove and elbow your way through the crowds, sternly mumbling about the ridiculousness of it all. Today, give them a chance: you might be inspired.

Have a nap The Japanese swear by it. Find a comfy corner of the boardroom/janitor’s closet and take a power nap. No more than 30 minutes, mind – at that point you’ll enter a sleep cycle that you won’t be able to finish, so you’ll feel groggy for the rest of the day.

Catch a concert Broaden your cultural horizons with a quickie concert (they begin at 1.05pm) in the magnificent National Concert Hall. This month, cabaret singer Derby Browne performs Italian Café music on the 4th, Nyle Wolfe’s Hymn to Love is on the 18th and acclaimed soprano Anna Devin will sing on the 25th. In summer, outdoor recitals are held in the Iveagh Gardens. Have lunch in the Terrace café if you have time. 417 0000, www.nch.ie

Do some Yoga Hatha is a gentle, flowing style of yoga designed to flex and tone the body and soothe the mind. It’s ideal for anyone who feels a bit stressed. The Elbow Room (332 North Brunswick Street) runs drop-in lunchtime classes from 12.45-1.45pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at €12 a session. All levels are welcome. Nearest Luas stop is Smithfield. Grab a smoothie in Fresh afterwards. 677 9859, www.the-elbowroom.com

Have a Pedicure As the fashion for open-toed shoes and sandals dictates that tootsies are now exposed to intense scrutiny, we really need to sort them out. A number of luxury salons and spas offer a ‘medical pedicure,’ or ‘medicure.’ Despite its surgical-sounding name, this is a non-invasive treatment designed to prettify our poor neglected feet. The version offered by Heavenly Spa in the Shelbourne costs €60. 661 7665

Give blood One in four of us will need a blood transfusion at some point in our lives, but only three per cent of the population are blood donors. The process takes about an hour. Eat lunch beforehand. Afterwards, while enjoying the free Taytos and Guinness, bask in the glow of self-sacrifice and have a great excuse for not doing much work in the afternoon. Worth it for the free pencils and ‘The Owner is a Donor’ bumper stickers alone. 474 5000, 1-5 D’Olier Street, www.ibts.ie

Play scrabble It’s so hot right now. Before you take the plunge, learn all of the two-letter words – yes, you’re going to be that person. If you’re in a hurry, go for Boggle instead; if you’re ready to fight to the death, try chess. On a nice day, go for an adventure to Herbert Park with a set of boules. Play Frisbee in Trinity.

Sunbathe Eventually. Good places include Merrion Square, the Garden of Remembrance and Iveagh Gardens. Or else climb over the gate in Fitzwilliam Square (no heels) or befriend a (smug) local. They all have keys.

Go to a Poetry Reading Voltaire said, “Poetry is the music of the soul and, above all, of great and feeling souls.” All great and feeling souls should check out the Out to Lunch poetry readings every other Friday at 1.15pm in the lovely surroundings of the Irish Writers Centre on Parnell Square. This month, enjoy the lyrical works of Louise C. Callaghan on the 11th and PJ Brady on the 28th. Hop into the Chapterhouse Café next door afterwards for some hearty fare. Admission free. 872 1302, www.writerscentre.ie

Have a Swim Nothing like a lunchtime swim to splash away your troubles. From noon to 2pm, there are two lanes in operation at the Markievicz Leisure Centre on Townsend Street for each of three speeds – casual, slow and fast – in the 25-metre pool. You can also relax in the sauna or work out in the gym. Bring a 50-cent coin (refundable) for the lockers. A swim costs €5.50. 672 9121, www.dublincity.ie

Get some botox Amaze your world-weary colleagues and beat ageism in the workplace by losing 10 years in one hour. The Body Clinic offer quickie injectable fillers to magic away those unwelcome frown/laughter lines – prices start at €275 for one area of the face. Don’t be surprised if your boss greets you with the words, “You look amazing, have a pay rise.” Fridays only. 633 9900, www.thebodyclinic.ie

Research your birthday Head up to the periodicals section of the National library on Kildare Street and ask for microfilms of newspapers from the day of your birth. Photocopy them for 50 cent a page, or have one of the nice blokes do it for you for just €1. Also makes a handy, thoughtful (and very cheap) present.

Learn to play the guitar Walton’s New School of Music offers a course, Introducing Guitar for Adults, that’s a lot of fun – after ten weeks, you’ll have a good grasp of the fundamentals and should impress your friends with a couple of tunes. Classes are held on Wednesdays from 1pm-1.45pm and the next 10-week course starts on April 16th. Afterwards, take you and your guitar for a prawn sandwich in Simon’s Place across the road. €120. 478 1884, www.newschool.ie

Flirt No need to eat alone anymore! www.lunch.ie offers a gentle introduction to blind dating. Look through the profiles of women and men in Dublin, then sign up – for free – to make a date or post your own message. Since it’s just coffee or a quick lunch, you’ll have ample time to decide if you want more, but won’t be stuck out for hours if things go wrong. Many of the Lunchies are just looking for someone to have a chat with, to jazz up their boring lunchtimes. But beware of the madsers, like ‘Vitaly’ from Minsk: “I am with good humour, ex swimmer, make sex very good, honest and kind guy. I never hurt you, so as to boast in pub about my success. I do not love much eating, but i like pepperony and cheeze.” Free

Have an ice cream in the Green. Make sure it’s a waffle cone from Forte’s in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre (avec strawberry bits). Although this works best with a group of same-sex friends, you can also fly solo. Bring a blanket and a copy of the New Yorker, Vanity Fair or Heat – whatever puts the cherry on your sundae.

Hear a handel Aria For one day only! As part of the Dublin Handel Festival there will be a free performance of the great man’s arias in St Patrick’s Cathedral at 1pm. It’s all thanks to the ‘Opera in the Open’ team, which includes Sandra Oman and Nyle Wolf under director David Wray. April 16th, www.templebar.ie

See your mum Yes, you’ll be subjecting yourself to the jibes that only a mother can provide, but there is an upside: you won’t have to give up your weekends to the cause, you’ll build up brownie points, and, most importantly, she will come bearing gifts of shampoo, scented hankies and the like. She’ll probably buy you lunch too.

Go to a free gig Live gigs normally cost a bomb. You stand for two hours being elbowed by the skinny jeans brigade, and, frankly, since the smoking ban most venues stink. Chew on some bitesize rock during your lunch hour with free in-store performances at Tower Records on Wicklow Street. Coming up: April 4th at 2pm, Rings; April 12th at 1pm, Shiversaint; April 17th at 3pm, Wallis Bird; April 25th at 1pm, Bright Light Fiasco. www.towerrecords.ie

Pray If you’re an atheist, a trip to the Clarendon Street church offers a few minutes of reflection in one of the quietest spots in town. If you’re a believer, the reward (eternal life) is greater still. Mass is on weekdays at 12 noon and 12.45pm. Head into the lovely Café Bell for some homemade quiche and tea afterwards. www.clarendonstreet.com

Go armchair travelling Posh travel companies are identified by the lack of signs for cheap, last-minute deals to destinations prefixed by ‘Costa.’ If in doubt, the poshness can be verified on entry by a quiet, uncomfortable atmosphere, and the surly looks you get from the staff. Enter, pick up some brochures, leave, make your way to the Shelbourne, buy a sandwich and flick away. Picture yourself looking svelte and bronzed on a beach in the Indian Ocean.

Go georgian Escape the pressures of the 21st-century office with a trip to 29 Lower Fitzwilliam Street, the faithfully-restored home of a middle-class Dublin family of the late-1700s and early-1800s. Compare the opulence of these delightful surroundings to your suburban shoebox and ask, “Where did it all go wrong?” Finish up with a light lunch in the basement coffee shop. Open Tuesday to Sunday, €6/€3. 702 6165, www.esb.ie/numbertwentynine

Unearth your vouchers We all have a drawer in which we stash the vouchers we get at Christmas and plan to use at a later date. Sweep the dust off and spend them: if you don’t see anything you like, just buy presents for friends. While you’re at it, take all the overpayment receipts you have from Dublin Bus and get your money back at the O’Connell Street HQ. www.dublinbus.ie

Make a chugger’s day To be relentlessly ignored and avoided is a tireless job for someone who is only trying to help those less fortunate. Make a charity worker’s day, have the chats and at least entertain the notion of donating. Remember: no good deed is selfless – you will feel smug and self-satisfied every time that two euro comes out of your bank account.

Plan a slap-up dinner If you spend most of your time at the desk looking forward to your next meal, you might as well make it a good one. Research recipes online and run around the fancy shops buying your ingredients.

Do a city tour Go on one of Pat Liddy’s walking tours or hop onto a tourist bus for an hour – you won’t get to finish it, but we bet you’ll learn something. There’s also the marvellous 1916 Rising tour, which leaves from outside the International at 11.30am daily. www.1916rising.com, www.patliddy.com

Get measured for a suit Or for the ladies, a bra. For the former, choose your tailor carefully, as he’ll hang on to your measurements for a future commission. We recommend Hackett on South Anne Street – classy. For the brassieres, you can go anywhere, since they’ll reveal their findings at the end of the fitting: the ladies in Marks & Spencer are particularly lovely.

News yourself RTÉ’s News at One is a lunchtime must; by far the best current affairs radio slot of the day. Sean O’Rourke is the key to its success – articulate and wonderfully old-school, he has a vast background knowledge and a nose for a good story. He’s dogged, and not just for the sake of it. Spot the current affairs junkies walking around town with their earphones in, assisting O’Rourke with the occasional heckles... Listen live, www.rte.ie

Comments

[Ali]

brilliant article!

[Spice me up playise]

This kind of article has appeared in The Dubliner on two occasions over the years. Where's the mag's orginality gone eh? Weep.

[Nicola]

Hi Spicy. This article is actually from a couple of years ago. I don't think we had done anything on the subject before or since... But apologies if I'm wrong! Thanks, Nicola from The Dubliner

[salman khan]

i usually play guitar in my free time