Off out to windy Bray, Co. Wicklow we were last Wednesday evening, for the re-launch of Barracuda. Why re-launch we hear you say? Well, everyones fav entertainment bon viveur, Robbie Fox, has taken the place over and put his mark on it. A few cosmetic changes - new curtains, new menu and the like - promises to boost the once flagging seaside eaterie.

Spotted on the night were all and sundry from Robbie's other haunt, Renards. They included Cindy Caffola, Amanda Brunker, that cool-cat Tony Fenton, TV3's Lorraine Keane and model Glenda Gilson, who was with Simon Arnold. No sign of Helen Cody though (Simon's ex).

Also on the same night was the opening of a door....sorry we mean another trendy bar in the capital. This time it's on Harcourt Street and it's imaginatly called d-two. Still waiting for our party people to come back with a report.....more anon.

While we're the social scene, SPY, our fav pitch-black-lodsa-candles den, was host to the Westlife (why does an Irish group have a .co.uk website??) chaps yesterday where they were shooting their latest video. Rather down heel venue for a pop video shoot we thought.

Has our steady advise been taken seriously? It seems that d'Side Magazine has not closed completely, but has in fact been taken over by that white knight publisher Mike Hogan of Hoson Publishing. Hogan, who already runs WHO Magazine and In Dublin, recently rescued G.I. (Gay ireland) from John Ryan. Hurrah for d'Side and all that is cool.

Unfortunately though, IQ Magazine has folded. The 'mystery investor' decided not to invest leaving many people out of jobs and owed money. Staff are said to be disgusted at the way in which they have been treated throughout the debacle.

Maybe Mike would like to lend a hand?

The weather has been so nice that we have been sitting in the sun during the day and cooling our sunburnt bodies by night.
However, some devastating news that reaches us is that....

a) d'side Magazine is no more. Editor Melanie Morris has decided to call it a day. Don't know about you, but it was the defining bible of all things cool that moulded us into the uber-stylish we are today. Take note...resurection would be a great business idea.

b) Wanderlust is no more. The ground breaking internet/dating/travel show is not getting another series here in Ireland. While the bidding war may still be going on to sell the format around the world, producers Tyrone seem to be tired of it here. Or perhaps a suitable presenter could not be found to fill Brendan Courtney's shoes? Now that he is off being the new male Cilla Black on ITV2's Blind Date (and with other offers from the BBC in the pipeline), Wanderlust is but a distant memory.

Yes, it has been confirmed that Tara Lee has left Bellefire. It has been claimed that she suffered terribly from homesickness and was also fed up with the tough schedule. We also hear that up to 6 record companies are courting the now threesome, with a deal being finalised in a couple of weeks time. The group and their management have decided not to replace Tara.

We had a plesant lunch in the newly opened Vaults bar / venue / place last week. Being touted as something new and never seen before - isn't every new place? Officially opened in July, it seems that everyones fav store, Brown Thomas, has already gotten in on the act. We hear they have booked the place well in advance for their Summer, Autumn and Winter collection shows.

On a different note, we hear that Tara Lee has decided to leave Bellefire, as a result of the band being dropped by their record label, Virgin. Look out for future updates.

A great deal of bad press for Dublin's celebrity hangout Lillies Bordello recently. The club were ordered to shellout over €27,000 to a couple after, what the press described as, a 'commando style attack' on an unsuspecting couple. Head of security Dino Vidan, who was to have instigated the assault, was keeping a low profile on Saturday night, despite the club being packed to capacity (the 'members lounge' seems to be open to any T, D or H these days). Ever glam club boss Valerie Roe was undeterred and put on a brave face. Oh well, life goes on in clubland.

Actually, while we're on the subject, heres a bit of a rant....Spy has had a makeover of sorts by its owner John Reynolds. The VIP lounge now resembles an old country house without electricity, such is the darkness and the multitude of cheep and tacky night light candles. Awful.

Staying in is the new going out - well, on a Saturday night anyway!

So it seems the rumours that the Sunday Independent's Gayle Killilea has been approached by Ireland on Sunday have been true. The journalist, who is going out with artist Graham Knuttel, famed for gossip has recently been trying to turn her hand at serious hard hitting interviews. We did hear that an offer of around 100,000 euro had been made to her but we dismissed this as pure fantasy. After all she is only 'The Blonde'. Or is she?