FROM the days when you'd be lucky to get a packet of peanuts in a pub, bar food has careered off in the other direction. Most drinking establishments now serve up all manners of exotic cuisine and soakage in the form of a warm goat's cheese and chorizo salad is as likely an accompaniment to your Guinness as a packet of Pringles.

But the problem commonly experienced is that there can be a chasm between what the menu promises and what the kitchen can deliver, leaving you wishing you'd stuck with the peanuts option. People eating in pubs and bars don't want overly ambitious, mucked-about-with food.

They'd prefer good, seasonal, simpler fare made from quality ingredients, which is where the concept of the gastro pub in the UK evolved.

South William, a new bar which has opened on 52 South William Street, Dublin 2, isn't positioning itself as a gastro pub per se, but it's got the food thing sussed with its simple and brilliant pie menu. It includes a bacon and cabbage pie; a bean, avocado and cheddar version, as well as mutton and artichoke, and duck confit and red cabbage, all wrapped up in mouthwatering pastry and served with a side salad.

But enough about the pies;

the venue itself is pretty cool too. Brothers Mark and Conor Breen have done a great job in transforming what was formerly Mischief into a relaxed and stylish bar and they plan to introduce sweet treats in the New Year to attract the afternoon tea trade.

Yet another reason why South William Street has become the hangout destination of choice.

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ROMANCE is far from dead if the figures for Irish nuptials are anything to go by. Whether love or the SSIAs is propelling it all, expect to attend a good many ceremonies in 2007.

Claire Taaffe, former deputy editor of Business and Finance and Sarah Ryan, former editor of Irish Wedding and New Home saw a gap in the magazine market for the Irish girl who is budget-conscious, wants to be inspired by the catwalk and how it transcends to the high street, who knows her brands and knows what she wants.

In response, they set up Wedding Belle this autumn, a high-end glossy wedding magazine they believe is relevant to the modern Irish bride.

Published four times a year (Euro6), it's notable for its beautiful shoots, high fashion alongside high street alternatives and practical tips.

"We want to attract readers who would have never dreamt of picking up a wedding magazine before, who don't want to go down the traditional route, " says Taaffe, who has found that the big Irish wedding hasn't gone away and the expense hasn't put people off, although it's no longer a given that the parents will pay.

Many are opting for the wedding abroad option because it's less expensive and it also provides a different format than the usual.

Others are also choosing to go down the registry office route, followed by lunch for family and close friends with a big party in the evening.

"It's not half as expensive and you don't offend anyone by doing it like that, " she points out.

And dress-wise, what can we expect to see gliding down the aisle in 2007? Lace is going to be very big, according to Taaffe. The new issue is out now.