The Metro newspaper makes every commute a little more enjoyable. The happiest people in the train…read moreor on the bus are those who have something to read. Instead of just staring out the window at the same old scene, reading helps pass the time. Metro is designed to give you all the important news in one commute. Given out free at most transportation stations, its readers can get all their sports, entertainment and city news in one go. Although most of the pieces are fluff and poorly written, the paper still remains popular with urbanites. After all, you can't knock something that's free!

You'd be a fool not to love the Metro. It's like a newspaper written for twelve year old girls. As…read moreopposed to page three, they have adorable pictures of adorable rodents like Meercats and Pandas doing adorable things like poppong out of a cupcake or mummifying themmselves in pink ribbons on a bed of sunflowers. Instead of real news, they have entertainment news about heart-throbs Chase Crawford and Zac Efron. They also do some sport. Which isn't really in keeping with the twelve year old girl thing, but ya can't win 'em all. But this over-simplified news is actually a stroke of genius, because the Metro is distributed during the commuting rush of about 8am, when ones brain is still defrosting and you can't handle a decision more complicated than blueberry or chocolate muffin for breakfast. So bring on a kitten falling into a paddling pool of melted chocolate, because it's far too early to deal with real news.

S+P is one of Ireland's leading monthly social magazines, dahling…read more Full of the latest fashion, events and social happenings from around the country, this glossy mag is never missed by the ladies who lunch and the latest up-and-coming 'it' girls. Its audience would definitely be the wealthier of the Irish folk and is bought by every hairdresser in the country, as clients love to have a look and 'see who's in it this month.' It's complete fluff - you wont be finding any hard hitting articles in it - but if you're happy looking at 'celebs' posing with champers in their hand at the latest book launch, private members club or horse racing meet, then you wont want to miss it.

Think of S&P as a printed Bebo for Ireland's upper classes…read more Sure, this slick glossy is an excellent reference for style and trends seen only here, and the empire is expanding with Living and Wedding editions... but those society pages seem to get the most attention. I think it's got something to do with the fact that most of S&P's readership appear in those party snaps. There Snochta, Osin and Fiacra are captured in all their style-making glory, grinning for the camera and raising their champers. How very... very. Spot a group of girls flipping through the latest issue and at least one of them will probably be in there somewhere.

I find that I keep forgetting this is here, even though I must have used it loads and loads of…read moretimes. Obviously my internal map of the city solidified about 10 years ago and anything new since then seems strange. This spar is newish, but not so new to excuse my constant forgetting that it's there. It's actually a really handy spot as there isn't much else on this road other than bus stops so it's a great place to pick up something you need on the way to your bus. It's also a pretty big store so they have an array of items from the usual newsagent stuff to groceries and wine. Although I do think their grocery selection could be bigger considering the size of the store - it's not really a good place to get something for dinner.

Just because your shop is located on a street which is one of the main routes for the buses coming…read morethrough the city is no excuse for your over the top price's , take my advice and walk over O'Connell bridge towards Abbey Street to the next Spar and check out the difference in price there, People as the ad states every little helps

The main bookstore is OK and a walked right by the Irish souvenir section. What I really…read moreappreciated here was the relatively extensive magazine selection of which I picked up a Guardian Weekly. I didn't see much in the Stationary Department of which the Eason Nassau branch nicely provided later in my trip.

The Daddy of the Easons family, or at least the overgrown steroids pumped son. This place is huge,…read moreand seems to answer the eternal question: "what would Dunnes look like if they sold books?". There are other features though, other than feeling like a Dunnes. Like the classics section in the basement, where you can track down pretty much anything. They also sell schoolbooks there....whoo! Moving on swiftly, the ground floor is crammed with all the latest best sellers as well as any magazines you could possibly want. Even my own personal favorite "Air Rifle Monthly".

I think the Irish Times is a complete snooze fest. I know that's a bit of a controversial thing to…read moresay as it is a very high regarded newspaper, but I'd never read it by choice. It's just very fuddy duddy and boring and it makes me want to fall asleep frankly!

The best broadsheet in Ireland by a mile. Maybe two. The Irish Times is without a shadow of a doubt…read morethe top of the league. It has refused the temptation to bow to tabloid pressure (á la the Indo), nor has it sacrificed its quality for sensation. In the ongoing debate of the Independent vs the Times, I'm a Times girl through and through. However, that's not to say that it doesn't have its flaws. The manic obsession with bad news that seems to be an Irish trait is continued within its writings, as its wholly Irish-biased reporting (in that the 'World' section has maybe 2 pages dedicated to it, in comparison to the 10ish pages given over to more parochial news). Not a bad thing per se, but certainly not where to go for a world-wide perspective. On the other hand, they do have some very interesting staff writers, my favourite of which, Ruadhán MacCormaic, gets some interesting assignments.

This review is about the corner shop in the Iilac shopping centre…read more 'Hello.' 'Hello.' 'Do you blow up balloons?" 'Yes.' We both smile and look at his balloons. 'Fantastic. Will you blow up my balloons?' 'No.' 'What?' He smiles. 'No.' 'Why the hell won't you blow up my balloons?' 'I do not know, I just can't.' He smiles. 'What the hell is your problem?! There is nothing wrong with my balloons! Other shops have had no problem blowing up my balloons.' 'I am sorry but I will not blow up your balloons.' 'OK you are really starting to piss me off now, so let me get this clear in my head. You blow up balloons?' We both look at his balloons as he smiles & I scowl. 'Yes.' 'You blow up other people's balloons?' 'Yes.' 'But you won't blow up my balloons?' 'No. They will blow up.' 'I told you that they will not blow up, they are able for helium.' 'No I am sorry.' It took every ounce of my being not to buy a knife and slash all his bloody balloons. Seriously... What the hell?

This mysteriously named newsagents always had way too much space on its hands. They used to fill it…read moreup with all manner of zaniness, like internet cafés, pay phones and a novelty sized greeting cards area. Thankfully, Subway have come along and taken the issue out of their hands. That's how much extra space there was, enough for a whole restaurant to cohabit comfortably. It does seem as though Subway are wearing the pants now they've moved in together. The giant pink 'No.8' sign is relegated to one window and now it declares 'Subway' over the door. We told you he was a good-for-nothing, chauvinist-pig, No. 8, but you wouldn't listen would you?

Local newsagents on Baggot Street, it does the usual stuff but seems to be the one newsagents in…read morethe area where you can get everything from lotto, to topping up gass/esb cards as well as bags for the local city council bin collection services. Staff aren't your friendly eddie's so in/out of here in 1 min is usually the order. But yes, if you're after utility service tops ups, etc... This place is it!

I used to buy the Sunday Tribune every week because it always had good journalists/news/features in…read moremy opinion. But then they started changing all the sections around and then changing them again. They launched a new magazine to go with paper each week, but it soon disappeared - because of recessionary cutbacks no doubt. But it put me off buying it I have to say and I rarely get it now.

Holy amazing bookstore, Batman!!…read more This place is huge and stacked with books both used and new. Plus, upstairs is a plant shop and a cafe. The prices are great, and I found a few books that are hard to find in your average bookstore. Moreover, their organization and categorization is perfect, it virtually brought me to tears. Lastly, the service is friendly and nice. If you're a book lover, just go! Enjoy!

We had a goal to visit almost all bookstores in Dublin on our trip, and this one was our favorite…read morestop. Prices are reasonable, and they have a wide selection of both new and used books. I could have stayed an entire afternoon browsing their shelves.