Design Loft @ Powerscourt Estate

Design: 1. Triona McCarthy and Aisling O'Loughlin; 2. Emer O'Leary of Me & Emee.  (Pix. AE)

Shopping for beautiful hand-crafts and original Irish design, from jewellery and accessories to home-wares, takes an interesting twist this month with the opening of The Design Loft @ Powerscourt Estate, an exciting new retail concept.

The brainchild of entrepreneur Sinead Buckley Quinn, the spectacular gallery at Powerscourt House, Co. Wicklow, will house a collection from ten different local designers, artists and makers each month in a ‘rotating pop-up shop’.

The store was officially opened by Senator Feargal Quinn, who spoke about his passion for retail and praised the new business venture.  He was presented with a gift of Killiney Arts bone china, created by artists Simon Hoe and Blaithin Quinn, who are among the initial artists ‘in residence’ at The Design Loft.

Among the guests were Aisling O’Loughlin of TV3, with her young son Patrick.  She lives on the grounds of the nearby Kilruddery House and was looking forward to the Groove music festival that was taking place at the historic estate.  Triona McCarthy attended with her mother Margaret, they also didn’t have far to travel as they were enjoying a relaxing break at Druid’s Glen.

Milliner Sarah McGahon was there and is one of the designers stocked.  Sarah Slazenger, whose family own the Powerscourt Estate, welcomed the new addition to the house.  She manages the 1,000 acre estate and is responsible for the ongoing development and growth of the business.

The retail offering at the Design Loft is carefully selected with quality design and originality paramount in the selection process. Designers will also regularly be on hand to meet visitors and discuss their work.

www.designloft.ie

 

BooHoo

BooHoo: 1. Kelly Byrne and Katie Curran; 2. Ailsing Quinn and Roz Purcell; 3. Elizabeth Cardwell. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

It’s the go-to fashion portal for the style conscious, boohoo.com is a shopping destination for women and men, providing countless looks for any occasion and on a budget. The popular e-tailer hosted a sneak preview of its upcoming style at 15 Stephens Green recently and many fans came to experience the threads up close.

boohoo.com offer current trends 24/7 including Military, which dominates the season with khaki inspired pieces.  A staple in every winter wardrobe the military coat has a sharp silhouette and details such as gold buttons are decorative and on trend.  

Classic Heritage embraces tradition and folklore with check fabrics and quilted jackets with corduroy details throughout; and luxurious Baroque with rich velvets and embellish­ments give a glamorous feel to an outfit.  With delivery to Ireland taking just 2-3 days there’s no excuses, log onto boohoo.com now!

Cult Film Club

It’s a Cult: 1. Barry Madden and Emma O Sullivan; 2. Sinead Farrell and Ollie Smith; 3. Lottie Ryan. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

Following on from the highly successful screenings of cult classics Reservoir Dogs, Snatch, Alien and The Usual Suspects, the Jameson Cult Film Club returned to Dublin with an electrifying screening of the iconic musical comedy, The Blues Brothers (out on Blu Ray now).

The Jameson Cult Film Club were on a “mission from God” to transport the audience straight into the world of Jake and Elwood Blues and they delivered! Dublin’s Vicar Street was unrecognisable after it was transformed into the Joliet Correctional Centre.  Guests lucky enough to have secured their parole release were ushered from the Jail under the watchful eye of ‘armed’ prison guards whilst Jake and Elwood infiltrated the crowd to promote their one night only performance in the Palace Ballroom.

Smooth Jameson and Ginger cocktails along with authentic prison rations were served throughout the evening while DJ Aidan Kelly took to the decks after the screening.  Enjoying the experience were rugby players Devin Toner, Isaac Boss, Jack McGrath and Leo Auva’a, actor/director David Coffey along with Sean Munsanje, Lottie Ryan, Carl Shabaan, Frances Ustanga and Harry Crosbie.

For the uninitiated, Jameson Cult Film Club is all about watching your favourite cult films at spectacular screenings, staged to transport you into the film’s universe. This is a free event for movie fans, so for details on the next Jameson Cult Film Club event, keep an eye on www.jamesoncultfilmclub.ie.  

Wine & Dine

Wining: 1. Iian Plunkett and Amy Curran; 2. Karina Finnegan, Joanne Bannon and Emily O’Callaghan; 3. Grainne Duffy and Corinna Hardgrave. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

Foodies joined award winning Australian wine brand, Jacob’s Creek in the historic surroundings of Tailor's Hall, Dublin for the launch of the Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ Roadshow .The roadshow will visit Cork, Galway and Waterford during the month of April.

For one night only, 50 guests in each location will be given the opportunity to take part in a free wine tasting masterclass and delicious dining experience, which will encourage them to ‘See Beyond The Label’ and discover the true character of the wine and food on offer.

To request a reservation at these special culinary events, logon to facebook.com/jacobscreekireland

Say Cheese: 1. Alma Solera & Paul Donnelly; 2. Tara Fay; 3. Deirdre Callaghan & John Minihan. (Pix. Kieran Harnett)

Kildare Village, one of the Chic Outlet Shopping villages run by Value Retail, hosted an event to launch an exhibition featuring 27 images by renowned Irish photographer John Minihan. A host of guests were treated to champagne and canapés as they browsed the iconic photographic works from the world of fashion, art and film, from Andy Warhol to Yves Saint Laurent.

This collection of truly iconic photography is the most comprehensive show of John’s work to date. Visitors including Richard Power, Annemarie Boyhan and Deirdre Callaghan were treated to images from the beginning of John’s career back in 1962 to his most recent portrait shot of Shane MacGowan, whom he photographed only last month.

All that glitters...

Jewel: 1. Sarah White and Julianne Relihan; 2. Caitriona Hanly with her mother Imelda Hanly and sister Tara Hanly; 3. Annemarie O’Connor and Jessie Collins. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

Designer Catriona Hanly launched her new range of Art Deco jewellery in style at her beautiful studios in Mount St, Dublin. Catriona looked resplendent in a creation from her new Marie Antoinette collection, due to launch next month, as she greeted her guests and talked them through her gifts range on display in the French inspired surroundings.

Enjoying the sumptuous and stylish surroundings were Off the Rails producers Denise Dunne and Caty Greene, celeb agent Donna McGarry, author Valerie Pierce, fashion writer Annemarie O’Connor and stylists Cathy O’Conner and Maria Fusco.

Leaving behind Versailles, Catriona is busy with preparations for an upcoming party at that she and her pal David Battye will be hosted at Kilronan Castle, Roscommon, in February. The theme is the Beautiful and the Damned from the roaring '20s. Wear your best Art Deco if you’re going.

Skating in a Winter Wonderland

Ice, Ice Baby: 1. Sadhbh Kelly Cahill and Ciaran McKay; 2. Kirsteen O'Sullivan; 3. John Hayes and Katie Kelly. (Pix. Kieran Harnett)

A host of Irish celebrities including Lorraine Keane, Bernard Dunne and Lisa Murphy attended the opening night of 7UP Winter Wonderland, Ireland's newest and largest free-to-enter Winter Park, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin.

7UP Winter Wonderland is the first event of its kind and scale in the country and featuring Ireland's largest covered ice rink with a dedicated children's rink, a Christmas circus, cosy bars & cafes, foods and crafts market stalls, and rides and attractions for all ages. The Winter park is open until the 8th January 2012. A multi-generational Christmas attraction, it is anticipated that the event will boost visitor numbers to Dublin from both home and abroad.

Getting ready to Exchange

Cocktail hour: 1.Eva Hoan and Jennifer Crowe; 2.Steve Turnbull and Caroline Connor; 3.Niamh Henry and Clare O'Grady. (Pix. Paul Sharpe)

The next big Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project is nearly upon us and this year Ireland has been teamed with Thailand. In preparation for the global event Smirnoff recently hosted a cocktail masterclass with international mixologist Kenji. Guests at the evening in the Grafton Lounge were encouraged to mix up their favourite tipples and to even invent their own.

The winner on the night though was easily the Smirnoff Bangkok Collins created to celebrate the Nightlife Exchange Project and inspired by the tastes of South East Asia. For anyone who has visited Thailand, the Bangkok Collins will remind you of some of your favourite Thai places and includes traditional Thai ingredients that will makes you want to experience the Thai culture for yourself.

Tickets for SMIRNOFF Nightlife Exchange Project are now on sale exclusively through the Smirnoff Ireland facebook page www.facebook.com/smirnoffireland, for just €10 each. Guests at the event in the CHQ Dublin this Saturday night can expect to sip on delicious drinks, enjoy the best of Thai food and dance to the hottest global entertainment and international music acts including, Australian dance sensation the Potbelleez, Fourplay DJ’s and DJ Gordo. Be there.

Diary Date

Pop-up restaurants have become hugely popular of late and a recent spin off has been the emergence of dining clubs. One of the best on the scene is the Sett Food Club and this weekend it hosts two evenings.

On Fri & Sat nights lucky diners are in for an imaginative and delicious 6 course gastro treat at a secret location in Dublin city (Saturday evening will be a special Miloti production). Places must be reserved, it’s about €30 and b.y.o.b. ... http://www.settfoodclub.com/ for details.

Pop up Art

Arty: 1. Gianina Jimenez and Siobhain Feehan; 2. Katie Tsouros; 3. Niamh Parkinson and Adam Sherry. (Pix. Kieran Harnett)

KTcontemporary is back. After the Summer break and as part of the Dublin Contemporary 2011 Circle Programme , Katie Tsouros of KTcontemporary has opened another exciting exhibition "ArtNow" at her pop up space in Donnybrook Village, Dublin 4.

For this exhibition, KTcontemporary will present the work of a selection of newly emerging artists based in Ireland. Representing the pulse of the contemporary art scene, this exhibition embodies the future of visual art practice within this country, bringing an eclectic mix of varied media and diverse subject matter together to demonstrate the challenging and engaging work being produced today.

Participating artists include Patrick Hough , Erica Hoyne , Myra Jago , Lisa O'Donnell , Dee O'Shea, Mara Sola and David Upton who have all been selected for their new and exciting talent.

KTcontemporary is a unique initiative in contemporary art dedicated to exhibiting work by young, exciting, graduate artists and offers a platform to showcase up-and-coming Irish and international artists and aims to promote authentic art by serious artists who have a real future in the art world.

The gallery aims to offer affordable art that is backed up by an intelligent artistic process and provides an opportunity for people to give vital support to young careers and integrate with the contemporary art world.

EP11

Picnicers: 1. Rob Macnaughton & Glenda Gilson; 2. Irvine Welsh and Beth Quinn; 3. Gerry Quinn & Aoibhin Garrihy; (Pix. Kieran Harnett)


Some are declaring it the best Electric Picnic ever, and it certainly was a great one. While the weather was a mixed bag the festival goers really appreciated the sun when it did shine and made the most of things when it lashed rain.

The MindField arena was a particular hit throughout the weekend and record numbers attended various events staged in the space, with the Science Gallery, Leviathan and the Arts Council stages noted as particular favourites. Another year older, but are we any wiser? Old questions, new arguments, inspired talk, brilliant ideas, great company, ways forward, hope and renewed energy and all of it terrific fun.

Among those performing at MindField were Booker Prize winners John Banville and Roddy Doyle, Nobel Laureate Jerry White, RTÉ’s Sean O’Rourke and fiery London rapper Kate Tempest as well as Bob Geldof, Miriam O’Cllaghan, David McWilliams, Nick Kelly, Dylan Haskins, Irvine Welsh, Paddy Cullivan, BBC DJ Annie Nightingale, Michael D. Higgins made for a veritable smorgasbord of cultural talent.

The BACARDí Get Together arena returned to Electric Picnic in true festival style. The legendary arena provided a perfect place for music fans and VIPs alike to soak up the festival atmosphere together. With a beautifully designed set, an elaborate production, an eclectic set of DJs, the BACARDÍ bats and of course the highly skilled bartenders who created delicious cocktails all weekend; it really was the place to party at the Picnic.

Some of those spotted enjoying cocktails at the BACARDÍ area included ska and reggae group Toots & the Maytals, comedian Barry Murphy, Andrea Roche and her boyfriend Rob White and Irish footballer Sean St Ledger.

Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch, Melanie Morris, Derry Clarke, Amy Huberman and the Hardy Bucks were also spotted on the festival site throughout the weekend while Claudine Keane was a notable absence this year. The glamourous blonde, now living in LA, was always a regular at EP as her grandmother lives in nearby Stradbally.

Emporio Peroni

Ciao: 1. Triona McCarthy & Vivi Ponti; 2. Liz Dwyer & Aengus McCarthy; 3. Laura Mannion & Brenna Cooper. (Pix. Jason Clarke)

This year Italy celebrates 150 years as a unified nation. In celebration of this landmark anniversary, Peroni Nastro Azzurro celebrated Italian Style with the launch of Emporio Peroni at 37 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2. The fashion forward were well represented with Chloe Arnold, Corina Gaffney, Cathy O’Connor and Elaine Scully among the crowd.

At the launch party Peroni beer, together with renowned Italian-Irish fashion stylist Aisling Farinella, celebrated la dolce vita by co-ordinating an intimate fashion show featuring iconic and contemporary Italian designer looks. Up-and-coming Italian designer Vivi Ponti flew in for the launch to preview Vivetta, her SS12 collection.

Cryptic Dining

Wine & Dine: 1. Lucy Byrne & Brian Egan; 2. Clodagh McKenna; 3. Amanda Kavanagh & Alan Maher. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

For four nights only in The Crypt at Christchurch Cathedral, a select group of 30 guests each night were given the opportunity to take part in a masterclass wine tasting and delicious culinary dining experience courtesy of Jacob’s Creek. The lucky attendees were encouraged to ‘See Beyond The Label’ and discover the true character of the wine and food on offer.

Using only their senses as a guide, guests were taken on a gastronomic rollercoaster as wine expert David Whelehan conducted a wine tasting masterclass experience. He revealed classic wine tips like how to understand a wine label and how to identify a Chardonnay from a Sauvignon Blanc. He also conducted a blindfolded wine tasting to help guests develop their sense of smell and recognise the aromas of different wines.

Top celebrity chef Clodagh McKenna delighted guests with a unique menu to match the wine on offer, creating a delicious three course dinner menu, including a starter of fresh crab salad from Ted Browne’s in Dingle, Irish wild Atlantic salmon for main course and a delicious cheese board of Irish artisan cheeses from Sheridan cheesemongers.

Incidentally fans of Clodagh McKenna are in for a treat as she is introducing her ‘Homemade by Clodagh’ brand to all the restaurants at Arnotts department store. The take-over is already complete, with significant investment in refurbishment and staff training to follow for the restaurants over the coming months. Customers are already getting a taste of the ‘Homemade by Clodagh’ offering, with preview dishes for the new menu being introduced as daily specials.