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Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
I spent a beautiful day in Dublin - it reminded me why this is one of my favourite cities
A stay at The Leinster hotel provides an opportunity to reconnect with a favourite city as we take a walk through the patchwork of neighbourhoods in Dublin's vibrant centre. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Leinster is a new luxury lifestyle hotel in an old part of Dublin. A 55-bedroom purpose built property - planners required the building to be sufficiently beautiful to fit with its long established surroundings - the boutique hotel opened on St Patrick's Day weekend last year, signaling a readiness to join the next generation of hospitality venues redefining the Irish welcome in the capital. From the rooftop restaurant, Jean–Georges at The Leinster, you have sweeping views down Mount Street to the outline of Merrion Square, a charming, quintessentially Dublin scene of uniform red brick buildings with colourful doors. The balcony to the rear of the stylish rooftop dining room gives a backstage view of Georgian Dublin. In 1998, U2 singer Bono took a horse and carriage ride through these streets for the music video for the Dublin band's song The Sweetest Thing. The view takes in a patchwork of lanes and snippets of broad avenues between the Grand Canal and the focus of the city centre, around Grafton Street and Dame Street. It's a great vantage point to start the day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I lived in Dublin for 12 years, working for magazines that chronicled the life of the city. I moved back home 11 years ago but take the opportunity to return as a visitor when I can. I like the fact that people I know are often where I left them, that Dublin remains a patchwork of villages across its sprawling footprint, from the bay to the mountains. I admire the independent spirit that has driven the food and drink scene to new heights and the traditional bedrock of longstanding bars and restaurants that are immune to fashions and the passage of time. Before I have sat down to breakfast, I've already met someone from my Dublin days. Rosie Gogan Keogh is sitting in the sunshine with her husband Greg Spring, they own Hen's Teeth, an independent cultural events and wedding venue in Blackpitts, Dublin 8, that's become a focal point for young creatives in the city. Visit for coffee, cakes and Japanese sandos. The rooftop restaurant, Jean-Georges at The Leinster is the first Irish venture by Michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and the centrepiece of the hotel's hospitality offering. It offers a fusion of Irish, French, and Southeast Asian cuisines, using locally sourced ingredients and has become a popular part of the local food and drink scene. On the ground floor, guests can enjoy The Collins Club, a glamorous lounge named after interior designer David Collins, offering cocktails and light bites. The hotel also features a boutique gym, a thermal suite with a sauna and steam room. I order an Irish breakfast - two fried eggs, bacon, sausage, black and white pudding, grilled tomato, portobello mushroom, beans and toast. It reminds me how much I miss Irish bacon in my daily life. Other popular items on the morning menu include French toast with Wexford strawberry compote, soft scrambled eggs with Irish cheese or buttermilk pancakes with berries. Ireland's tánaiste - deputy prime minister - Simon Harris is on a neighbouring table enjoying eggs Benedict. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dublin is one of the most walkable cities in Europe, a close knit collection of neighbourhoods that can be reached by a stroll. The city centre itself has the older origins of Dublin around Christchurch, the tourist trap of Temple Bar, shopping landmarks on Grafton Street and O'Connell Street with cool pockets of streets to explore around South Great George Street and Henry Street. There are walks alongside the River Liffey and the Grand Canal. Interesting neighbourhoods with their own personality, like Ballsbridge, Ranelagh, Rathmines and Smithfield are easily negotiated on foot, something that I valued when I lived here but really appreciate as a visitor. The Leinster lies on a quieter stretch of the centre but within a few streets you are right in the heart of things. Leinster House, the Irish parliament is close by alongside other landmarks of significance like the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Museum of Ireland and the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts. A short stroll brings you to some of the finest pubs you will find on the island of Ireland - notably O'Donoghue's on Merrion Row with its long association with Dublin musicians. My own meander back into Dublin takes me through Merrion Square with its Oscar Wilde statue and onto Westland Row, on the eastern edge of Trinity College. Ulysses, the famous novel by Dublin writer James Joyce features a long wander through this area on 16 June, 1904, and many of the buildings and landmarks remain the same. Look around and you see a city comfortable with its history but in an ongoing cycle of reinvention. I recognise many of the bars and restaurants I see but there are new additions on an ongoing basis. We walk up Dawson Street, by Dublin's Mansion House, the Lord Mayor's residence, towards St Stephen's Green with its gardens in full bloom. Grafton Street with its grand shops and street musicians takes me closer to the part of the city I'm most familiar with. When I lived here, South William Street was coming alive with new bars and restaurants, some of that same energy is now centred around Fade Street, Drury Street and Exchequer Street. There's more to come, Ciaran McGonagle tells me, with new openings on the way. Ciaran owns Mani Pizza, part of a new wave of openings that are keeping Dublin's food scene vibrant. Make sure you try their Roman-style pizza, its spectacular. See also Fade Street Social by chef Dylan McGrath and cool bistro with cocktails hangout Coppinger. There's time for a pint of Guinness in the calm and timeless surroundings of Keogh's pub before we return to The Leinster. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad PT Over lunch in The Collins Club I hear plans for how The Leinster fits into the wider plans of Irish hospitality company The Dean Hotel Group. They are working on opening a new hotel in Munich and one in Miami. In Dublin, they have submitted plans to triple the size of The Clarence, formerly owned by Bono and The Edge of U2 and a celebrity spot during the Celtic Tiger era. If approved, new bedrooms and spaces for dining and events in a six-storey extension if the plans are given the green light. We pass The Clarence as we skirt passed Temple Bar on our way to the Guinness Storehouse to continue our tourist experience. It really is a world class attraction, an immense interactive space within St James' Gate Brewery that tells the story of the famous stout while also bringing together strands of Irish history. Pouring a pint here at the home of Guinness gave me enormous satisfaction. Being presented with a fresh one in the glass enclosed Gravity Bar at the top with sweeping views of Dublin was also pretty great. This is a fantastic point to stop and take it all in. Before returning to the hotel for dinner, I make a pilgrimage to the hidden gem beer garden at Toner's, one of the great gathering spots after work on a Friday - this is where I had my farewell drinks before moving away. There, I catch up with some friends and I hear more about the restaurants that are leading the charge these days - Variety Jones, Etto, Forest Avenue, Bastible, Spitalfields, Amy Austin and Lottie's. Some I know well, like Pichet and Chapter One, continue to excel. There's some tips for cool places that locals love - Hang Dai, 777, Kicky's, Masa, Big Romance, O'Regans and Love Tempo. I meet Trevor White, director of The Little Museum of Dublin and a passionate advocate for his city. His museum, a must visit attraction if you visit the city, tells the social and cultural hsitory of Dublin through everyday items donated by members of the public. Since it opened its doors in 2011, the museum has accumulated more than 6,000 objects which it has curated to tell an offbeat, quirky and personal history of the capital. As I turn the corner to return to The Leinster, RTE broadcaster Abie Philbin Bowman flags me down on his bike - we worked at The Dubliner magazine together. He recommends you visit the independent businesses that have turned Capel Street into a thriving part of the city centre to the north of the Liffey in the last decade. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad PT Having completed my tour of the Irish capital, reaffirming a connection to a city I love, it's time to find a table on the outside terrace at Jean-Georges' restaurant to finish my day as I began, on the rooftop of The Leinster. The sun is just starting to come down and there is a golden light as I enjoy their signature egg toast and caviar with a martini. Dinner is Rock Hall Irish squid; Lambay Island crab spring rolls; steamed wild sea bass with wild garlic, potatoes and herb salad. You can expect an imaginative and expertly executed menu served in a luxurious retreat if you stay here. I return to my comfortable room with its botanical headboards, cherry red sofa, classic styling and modern artwork. Dublin has a way of changing while staying the same. It's a city that looks familiar to me while still being in a state of flux. The fundamentals stay the same - the character of the people, the landscape of Dublin Bay, elegant enclaves like Sandymount and Howth, the essence of the warm welcome - but even if you think you know the Fair City, there is still something new to discover. The Leinster is a great place to start.
Irish Examiner
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Solar power: ten ways to bask in the summer sunshine
Once we switch to holiday mode to bask in the sunshine, there's no need to compromise on style. This summer, it's all about relaxed silhouettes infused with personality. Think floaty kaftans in bold palm prints paired with oversized sunnies and neon accessories for an elevated take on beach-bum chic. GET THE LOOK: Match your holiday vibe with the vibrancy of this colourful co-ord, as seen at Del Maar X River Island. Match your holiday vibe with the vibrancy of this colourful co-ord, as seen at Del Maar X River Island. Neon Bracelet, €55, Love Beth #ieloves: Glow Up: Neon accessories are made for girls who want to have fun in the sun, €55, Love Beth. Lemon & Chilli Dress, €49.95, Zara Lemon Drop: Inject some zest into your summer dress with a patchwork of playful prints, €49.95, Zara. Beach Kaftan, €14, H&M Palm Beach: Dress with ease while shooting the breeze in a palm-print kaftan, €14.99, H&M. Beach Tote Bag, €35, Costelloe + Costelloe Pocket Friendly: Mixed Bag: This trusty tote will keep you in style from the airport to the beach, €35, Costelloe + Costelloe. Embroidered Hem Shorts, €28, V By Very Pure Shores: Style with an oversized shirt over your bikini for an effortless beachside look, €28, V by Very. Pink Elongated Cat-Eye Sunglasses, €29, & Other Stories The Sweetest Thing: Sorbet shades bring a sweet touch to your poolside style, €29, & Other Stories. Red Gigham Bikini, €240, Hunza G Red Hot: Turn up the heat on your swimwear with a sizzling hot bikini, €240, Hunza G. Denim Sliders, €89.95, Salsa Jeans True Blue: Slide into vacation mode with a double helping of denim, €89.95, Salsa Jeans. Crochet Top With Flowers, €39.99, Mango Craft Work: Bring the laid-back vibe of boho-chic to the beach, €39.99, Mango. Read More Desire Lines: Savida brings the style, Kathryn Thomas' Pure Results heads for Kilkea
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘We're not monolithic:' Nia Long, Larenz Tate reflect on Love Jones, Black films
Still shots from the film 'Love Jones' displayed on the screens Saturday inside the New World Center in South Beach as scores of people danced to the sounds of Cameo, Strafe and a host of R&B favorites before transitioning into the romcom soundtrack. With sultry sounds of the 'The Sweetest Thing' filling the room, Nia Long and Larenz Tate sauntered into the room, almost floating, with matching white outfits and black shades before the pair essentially picked up where they left off as if we were seeing Darius Lovehall (Tate) and Nina Mosely (Long) continue their story in the iconic film. It was that magnetic chemistry between the two long-time friends that flowed into their conversation with Access Hollywood reporter Scott Evans, discussing their bond, the chemistry behind the iconic film, some of the challenges they faced and the importance of showcasing Black love on screen. 'It's very easy to kiss these lips,' Long said, complimenting co-star Tate, eliciting laughs and cheers from the crowd. The duo's history with ABFF dates back to its inception, when they were honored at the first festival. At that time, as Evans told the audience, ABFF founder Jeff Friday was at Sundance when he saw Love Jones win the Audience Award. 'I remember meeting Jeff, and what I remembered is I hadn't seen anyone so excited about Black films, Black people who wasn't a filmmaker,' Long said, as an image of her at her first ABFF showed. 'It was such a beautiful thing to see.' 'This is a place that nurtures, inspires and loves on us,' she added. RELATED: Larenz Tate comes to Miami to talk about 'Love Jones' But for as much as the film is a cult classic, it was deemed a flop by industry standards, Long underscored, having had a budget of $7 million yet only earning north of $12 million during its original release. It remains the only film from director Theodore Witcher. 'We still had to prove to studios that black love was important,' she said. 'We still had to prove that Black people could come and support us, not in killing each other or in gang violence.' Long said she doesn't knock those films – she and Tate have starred in 'Boyz N The Hood' and 'Menace to Society' respectively – but emphasized 'the core of who we are when we take care of each other is love.' Tate noted the film also didn't have the best marketing and oftentimes decision makers didn't look like them. 'We didn't have a Jeff and Nicole Friday that would understand, because they know us, they know the audience,' he said. 'We didn't have that advantage.' Still, he said, it opened doors for the breadth of Blackness to be shown in films such as 'Soul Food' and 'The Best Man.' 'We're not monolithic,' he said. 'We have a story to tell.' READ: Black Film Festival spotlights Black storytelling with a made-in-Miami film One scene that helps fuel that is when Darius, played by Tate, is speaking with his friend Savon, played by Isaiah Washington, and tells him that Nina could be 'the one.' 'It's an example of Black men being vulnerable,' Tate said. 'You got a chance to see vulnerability from us and you didn't get a chance to see that often.' Perhaps the most palpable experience from the film is the chemistry between the Long, Tate and their co-stars and the desire to stay in the moment to hold the audience's attention. Such was the case when Long got her hair wet at the end of the film against her wishes. 'I didn't want to take the audience out of the moment,' she said. But beyond their on set chemistry, Long said Tate made her feel comfortable on set even after breaking the ice with a kiss during some rehearsal time before they began filming. Long of course obliged him as he went 'whole tongue.' Still, she said Tate made her feel comfortable on set, doting on the gentlemen that he and his brothers, Larron and Lahmard, are. 'For Black women, the most important thing for us is to feel safe,' she said. 'He made me feel safe.' That respect was particularly needed when Nia had to confront a director of photography who spoke to her crudely between takes during an intimate scene with Tate. 'He said, 'Nia, can you move your ass over to the right?'' Long said. She swiftly shot back: ''This is not a…porn,'' Tate recalled. 'Always have empathy for the artist,' Long said. 'Treat the actor with respect and treat the woman with respect.' As for where their characters might be in 2025, Tate said they're soulmates: 'Whether they're together, not together…they haven't forgotten each other.' Long said Nina and Darius have a connectedness: 'You can still live and love each other exactly where you are and you're still connected,' she said. 'And you know, at some point in time you can circle the block and it's still going to be good.'
