MS Fun

IT: 1. Natalie B. Coleman and Lornan Weightman; 2. Niamh Kirwan, Lorraine Keane and Mike Hughes. (Pix. Paul Kelly)

Microsoft recently showcased a range of device and services personalised and designed for consumers and the way they live, helping them get things done easily and effectively.  Joined by a number of familiar faces from the world of sport, fashion, travel, food and family the showcase at the Medley venue highlighted how Microsoft devices and services can enhance the things that matter most to users.

Samsung Young Designer

Style: Brendan Courtney and Aisling Kilduff; 2. Alex Ludwig; 3. Sarah Lennon and Lavinia Gallagher. (Pix. BME)

Claire Lynam from Ratoath, Co. Meath who studies in NCAD won the overall Samsung Young Designer of the Year 2013 from an impressive shortlist of 12 designers.　 Claire’s prize package included a Samsung Galaxy smartphone; Samsung Galaxy Note tablet; a Samsung NX 300 camera, an exclusive portfolio shoot with renowned fashion photographer Barry McCall and PR representation from Limelight Communications.

The judging panel consisted of top Irish fashion photographer Barry McCall, the Design Centre’s Aisling Kilduff, fashion editor of the Sunday Independent, Constance Harris and General Manager of Samsung IT & Mobile Ireland, Gary Twohig.

Guests at the VIP reception sipped on Baileys and dined on bespoke fashion inspired canapés. The awards were hosted by one of Ireland’s leading fashion couples Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney. Also in attendance was Alexander Ludwig, star of the Hunger Games movie, Samsung DFF Ambassador Darren Kennedy, stylist Maria Fusco and fashion blogger, Emily O’Donnell.

DFF 13

Fashion Fit: 1. Anne Marie O'Connor and Darren Kennedy; 2. Aoibhin Garrihy and Aoibheann McCaul. (Pix. Samsung)

TV presenter and style icon Laura Whitmore jetted in to Dublin city centre to officially launch this year’s Dublin Fashion Festival in association with Samsung.   Organised by DublinTown.ie, the fashion festival will run next week, from the 5^th to the 8^th of September. 

As this year’s official face of the festival, Laura Whitmore will return to Dublin town in September to take part in the packed DFF programme, which will unite fabulous fashionistas, chic city-slickers, and an eclectic mix of fashion retailers under the DFF umbrella – with more events, more participants, more special offers, live fashion events and in-store activities than ever before!

DFF in association with Samsung aims to put the fun and theatre back into shopping and socialising in the city centre by offering daytime catwalk shows, fashion parades and tailored events in bars, restaurants and special venues.  The festival will return to Dublin’s streets from Thursday the 5^th to Sunday the 8^th of September and will bring together over 100 retailers, including the city’s nine flagship retail stores - Brown Thomas, Stephen’s Green SC, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Arnotts, Clery’s, Ilac SC (incl. Debenhams), Jervis SC, Marks & Spencer, and Penneys.

One of the festival highlights last year, the Creative Quarter Fashion Show, will return again this year and feature the very best of Irish designers, vintage and one-off fashion pieces sourced from the Creative Quarter area (Clarendon Street to South Great Georges Street).  New this year is the Young Designer Fashion Event – a convention and competition which will celebrate the best in young Irish design.

Keep an eye out for show-stopping fashion moments – from spontaneous Fashmobs to a full sized Samsung ‘selfie’ photo-booth and roving DFF style teams making Dublin even more beautiful.  A new feature this year will see the Samsung DFF Beauty Bus  touring the city, decked out in latest mobile devices and notebooks – shoppers can stay connected in style while the on-board DFF beauty team offer makeovers, hair styling and goodie bags.

Three courses

Eat up: 1. John Torode and Elaine Carey; 2. Emma Kenneally. (Pix. RS)

It was anchors away for Three Ireland’s cook-off last night as two of Ireland’s top amateur chef’s battled it out in front of a live audience. Medley venue on Drury Street played host to the food and fish fanatics and on deck to captain the journey for Ireland’s Best Fish Dish was celebrity chef extraordinaire and Masterchef UK star John Torode.

It was all aboard as entrants from all over Ireland submitted their tasty recipes to Three Ireland’s competition; a celebration of the mobile network’s latest All You Can Eat Everything offer for Bill Pay customers, in the weeks leading up to the live cook-off. Submissions were judged on technique, ingredients, creativity and presentation by top Irish food writer Ross Golden-Bannon and celebrity chef Andrew Rudd.

Food-lovers, food stylists and food bloggers joined Manuela Spinelli, Giovanni Trappitoni’s translator and Elaine Carey, CCO of Three mobile and Dragon Niall O’Farrell for the competitive cook-off. 

Only one fish fanatic could take home the title and that was Hugh Sweeney from Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal who cooked up a storm with his winning Smoked Donegal Salmon and Spinach Lasagne with Lemon Cheese Sauce.  Sweeney netted himself the grand prize of the ultimate foodies weekend away for two in The Cliff House Hotel, Waterford, worth €1,000 and a brand new Samsung Galaxy S4 handset.

Art App

1. Paola Defant and Denise Ryan / 2. Ewa Krupa and Julianne Morgan, pictured at the Hennessy reception at the National Gallery of Ireland to celebrate the Treasured Sheets exhibition and launch the NGI Masterpieces multilingual app.

(Pix. MOS)

The Dining Room

Fine Dine: 1. Martina and Robbie Fox; 2. Derry Clarke and Andrew Rudd; 3. Eimear Kenny and Kevin Thornton. (Pix. BME)

TheDiningRoom.ie is Ireland's newest and best destination for foodies, showcasing and celebrating our great restaurants and restaurateurs.  With restaurant spotlights, top celebrity picks and plenty of weekly opinion and advice on food and wine from a range of regular and guest contributors, TheDiningRoom.ie will also offer exclusive tasting menus and offers.

The recently launched website, from the people behind Pisback.com, promises to give visitors all the information they need, whether they are looking to dine out in some of the country’s best restaurants or dine in with exclusive recipes and video tutorials from top chefs, such as Derry Clarke, who hosted the launch event at his L'ecrivain restaurant.

Guests at the lunch included Andrea Roche and Roz Purcell, Rosanna Davison, Kevin Thornton, Andrew Rudd, Eva Orsmond, Robbie and Martina Fox, as well as food critics Ernie Whalley and Tom Doorley.

www.TheDiningRoom.ie