Friday Feeling

Doing Friday: 1. Ciara Donnelly and Declan O'Toole; 2. 98 FM's Dermot and Dave; 3. Cici Cavanagh and Amanda Man. (pix. Kieran Harnett)

Apparently Dublin Does Fridays like nowhere else in the world and it was certainly a hive of activity last Friday as new campaign to celebrate the sociability of Dublin pubs - kicked off in The Bank on College Green. Guests, including 98FM's Dermot and Dave, Tom Dunne and Jennifer Maguire gathered to put the working week behind them with awell-deserved after-work drink with friends and colleagues.

Dublin Does Fridays runs until 30th March in pubs across the city and suburbs with an invitation to give our world-class pub scene a boost by filling it with people who are the heart and soul of Dublin. Also tune in each week to Snug TV on YouTube, a special online show fronted by Jennifer Maguire, which will be recorded in selected Dublin pubs round the city over the next nine weeks.

Get involved by visiting www.dublindoesfridays.ie

Dirty Dancing

Hey Baby:: 1. Anna Daly; 2. Ruth Scott; 3. Claire Moore and Danielle Moyles. (pix. Brian McEvoy)

Dirty Dancing touched down at Dublins Grand Canal Theatre this week with Phil Michael Jones as Johnnie and Charlotte Gooch as Penny, while Emily Holt plays Baby One of the most successful tours in West End history, having broke box office records in 2006 when it opened in London with advance ticket sales of over 15 million euro, the show has since played to over 1 million people receiving nightly standing ovations.

Among those on the red carpet on Thursday night were Miriam Ahern, Jenny Buckley, Gay Byrne, Sinead Desmond, Joe Duffy, Glenda Gilson and Karen Koster, as well as George McMahon and Mairead Farrell. The show continues at The Grand Canal Theatre (soon to be the Bord Gais Energy Theatre) until Saturday 25th Feb 2012.

Haywire

Haywire: 1. Pauline Wrenn and Zoe Spowage; 2. Karl Shiels; 3. Sinead Kennedy and Kate Van Buren. (pix. Brian McEvoy)

The much anticipated new action movie Haywire had its Irish premiere screening recently and with many scenes set in Dublin it’s sure to be a hit here. Starring Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender as well as Channing Tatum and Antonio Banderas was mainly shot in Ireland in early 2010.

Among those attending the first night screening were Mary McEvoy, actors David Pearse, Karl Shiels and Ned Dennehy, model Carmen Castro and RTE presenter Katie Van Buren.

So SABO

Strike a pose: 1. Jo Mullane and Vikki Tadross; 2. Emma Waldron; 3. Harald Winzer and Rozanna Purcell. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

THOMAS SABO launched its new Sterling Silver Collection Spring/Summer 2012 at Dublin’s Westbury Hotel to an admiring assembly of guests. Stunning Irish model and Roz Purcell showed off the new collection while Managing Director of Thomas Sabo, Harald Winzer commented on how pleased he was to be in Dublin for the launch.

The name of the new collection is ‘Glam & Soul’ and reflects the identity and history of the brand. Influences of Jazz and Soul have imbued a modern beat into the new collection and it’s recognised as a reinterpretation of the greatest THOMAS SABO iconic pieces including the skull, starfish, cross and the winged heart.

THOMAS SABO also presented the ‘Special Addition’ collection line for the very first time. With its motto “Create your own pieces of jewellery”, the Special Addition collection comprises 44 pendants, five new bracelets, as well as a range of brand-new necklaces with matching earrings and rings.

Sundance

The Sundance Film Festival launched last weekend and takes place until the end of January in Utah in the US. 2012 marks the first year that Grey Goose has been an official partner of Sundance, one of the most high profile film events in the world. To celebrate the association, Grey Goose opened the Grey Goose Blue Door.

Over five nights the Grey Goose Blue Door pop-up club hosted a series of premiere parties for movies being screened at the festival. Guests in attendance included Ireland’s very own Cillian Murphy, whose new film Red Lights also starring Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver and Elizabeth Olsen was shown at the Grey Goose Blue Door. Also in attendance was Eve Hewson (pictured, left with sean Penn), daughter of Bono and Ali Hewson, who stars along Sean Penn in This Must be the Place, which also premiered at the festival.

Spring into BT

Strike a pose: 1. Laura Whiston; 2. Sarah Rickard and Katie Grannell; 3. Gillian Brett. (Pix. Leon Farrell / Photocall)

Brown Thomas hosted an exclusive preview of its Spring Summer 2012 Collections. Spring predicts a bright and colourful fashion future, with designers tapping into their feminine side for inspiration. Emerging from this womanly pursuit is a whimsical yet elegant imprint. The dress remains fashions big story, with ‘Ladylike Glam’ its sartorial headline.

Little steps to spring

Spring: 1. Rebecca Idrisa and Constance Harris; 2. Louise Spotten and Lisa Brady; 3. Grace Fox and Courtney Smith. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

Despite the fact that we’re still within the throes of winter (mild and all as the weather is) it’s good to look forward to sunnier times. Littlewoods Ireland hosted a preview of its 2012 Collections at a special invite only fashion show in Fallon and Byrne in Exchequer Street recently.

Guests arrived to a summer themed room, complete with its own sweetie bar, while models Sinead Noonan, Michelle Lima and Ursula Byrne strutted their stuff in spring / summer pieces. The compere on the evening was stylist to the Cathy O’Connor while the guests numbered Maura Derrane, Sybil Mulcahy and Sean Munsanje among them.

P.S. Let’s hope Fallon & Byrne weathers the storm of financial examinership and remains the beacon of gastro goodness that it is...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0112/breaking29.html

Peaches & Cream

Peachy: 1. Sarah McGovern and Sinead Sanderson; 2. Joan Mulvihill and Ailbhe Lee; 3. Jenny McCarthy and Martin King. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

Sinead Sanderson of Peaches & Cream lingerie boutique in the Hibernian Way threw a party to celebrate the opening of her new improved and expanded store.

Since opening in 2006, Peaches and Cream has had numerous high profile customers through their doors such as Ali Hewson, Amy Huberman, Grainne Seoige and many more. A recent project saw Peaches & Cream fitting Holly Carpenters underwear for the Miss World Competition.

Big Maggie

(Pix Brian McEvoy)

Opening Night: 1. Charlie Murphy, Sinead McPhillips and Sarah Greene; 2. Aoife Hannon; 3. Mairead and Dave Egan.

Druid Theatre Company is currently on tour with John B. Keane’s Big Maggie. Money, land and secret sex make for a riveting story in this one of John B. Keane’s most popular plays with well known actors including Aisling O'Sullivan as Big Maggie, Keith Duffy and John Olohan leading a cast of eleven of Ireland's leading dramatical talent.

Shocking for its time – the play premiered in 1969 – the portrait that Keane painted of the dark side of Irish family life seems now to be eerily prescient.

From the 18-21 January the play will visit the Hawk’s Well Theatre in Sligo will mark the venue’s 30th birthday. In 1982 it was a Druid production of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare that officially opened the venue. Big Maggie will also return to Galway from 24-28 for a further five performances before returning to the Gaiety for a final showing.

Commenting on the tour, Druid’s Artistic Director Garry Hynes said: “Touring is in Druid’s DNA. It’s great to be back on the road again, this time with a cast and crew of 18, and in particular with this much loved play by John B. Keane.”

http://www.druid.ie

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.