30 Glossy Things To Do, See, Read & Buy In September - The Gloss Magazine

30 Glossy Things To Do, See, Read & Buy In September

From premieres to poetry towns, theatre trips to tasting menus, and from auctions to arts festivals, it’s going to be a busy month ahead …

Get writing tips from Cecilia Ahern

The Dublin Book Festival, which takes place in November, has a trio of early events which will be streamed online from Rathfarnham Castle to enjoy at home. The first is Cecelia Ahern in conversation with Sam Blake on Saturday, September 4 at 7pm. This event celebrates the release of Ahern’s new novel, Freckles (Harper Collins), apparently a book about discovering who you are, and growing into your own skin. Ahern will discuss writing Freckles, what inspires her, and life as one of the biggest selling modern authors. Tickets priced €20 include a signed copy of Freckles delivered to your door (event-only tickets are also available); www.dublinbookfestival.com.

Be inspired by Michelin-starred chefs

Taste of Dublin 2021 returns to the Iveagh Gardens from September 1 – 5. Chefs including Michelin starred additions, have been added to the line-up for 2021. Jordan Bailey of two-starred Aimsir, JP McMahon of Aniar, Galway and Jess Murphy of Kai, Galway join Taste stalwarts Rachel Allen, Kevin Dundon, Aoife Noonan, Holly White, Kevin Thornton and many more. Other additions include Instagram favourite cookalong hosts Eric Matthews and Trisha Lewis as well as Euro-Toques Gareth Mullins and Gráinne Mullins. Tickets priced from €20 (excluding booking fee) are on sale now; www.tasteofdublin.ie.

Learn more about the Yeats family

The National Gallery of Ireland’s newest exhibition – “Jack B. Yeats: Painting & Memory” – will open on Saturday, September 4 and is the largest exhibition of Yeats’s oil paintings in 50 years. From his earliest forays into oil painting, Yeats was unusually reliant on memory and retrospection. Memories of childhood in Sligo inspired many of his works, and particular motifs – music and horses prominent among them – recur in his paintings. In this selection of 84 oil paintings, Gallery visitors will view places and people Yeats remembered, his observations of humanity, and reflections on life and loss in his later years. As part of the interesting activities planned around the exhibition, do sign up for an eight-week online course with art historian Jessica Fahy to learn more about the Yeats family. Tickets go on sale on September 1 for the course, which takes place on Thursday evenings beginning on October 7. Learn about John Butler Yeats, an extraordinary portraitist; his daughters Lily and Lolly, who helped found an Irish arts and crafts guild; and his sons William and Jack, one better-known as a poet but with ambitions to be an artist, and the other who remains perhaps the best-known Irish artist to this day. The course will also examine the work of Anne Yeats, granddaughter of John, a versatile artist who, like the rest of her family, played an important role in the art world in Ireland; www.nationalgallery.ie.

Dip into some poetry

Poetry will be the beating heart of community life in 20 “Poetry Towns” across Ireland from Adare to Wexford from September 10 – 18. In fact, a Poet Laureate has been appointed for each participating town. If you want a recommendation of new poetry to read, do pick up Tomorrow is Beautiful by Irish verse-novelist Sarah Crossan. Says Crossan, “Reading, and specifically poetry, has guided me through the dark days of this pandemic and I cannot wait to share these word-cures with as many people as possible.” Crossan has chosen poems from established poets such as Langston Hughes and Emily Dickinson as well as from contemporary poets while creating new work herself. Also of note are new anthologies by American poet Amanda Gorman. This month Gorman is publishing a children’s book Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem and the poetry anthology The Hill We Climb and Other Poems; www.poetrytown.ie.

Take a flower arranging course

The Crate is launching some flower arranging workshops on September 9 and 16 at its new Dublin-based flower studio. Claire and Steph, the dynamic young founders of The Crate, will share their approach to freestyle floral design, discuss seasonal flowers, share tips and tricks and ensure an evening of collective enjoyment. The price (€80) includes tuition, seasonal flowers, vase and refreshments. The Crate also has a new dried Autumn Bunch, €40, or Wreath, €60, in russets, chestnut reds with soft wild grasses, pampas and birch which are available for delivery nationwide; www.thecrate.ie.

Enjoy these new releases at the cinema

Look out for Annette – a mad rock opera with Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard who play a showbiz couple in trouble. There are moonlit cycle rides, a knockout performance by a wooden puppet and Cotillard turning into a sea monster. After many false starts No Time To Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga will be released on September 30 with Rami Malek (of Bohemian Rhapsody fame) as the baddie and Daniel Craig in his last role as 007. Gilgamesh, which was shot on location in the west of Ireland, premieres on Sunday, September 12 at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. The short 22-minute film will be followed by an interview with director Noeline Kavanagh and playwright Marina Carr. There will be three screenings throughout the day. Tickets are free and will be available to book online via the Town Hall Box Office from 10am on Thursday September 2; www.tht.ie. On Thursday, September 16, the film will receive its UK premiere at the London Irish Centre. For tickets and information, visit www.londonirishcentre.org.

Read these new books

Make room on your coffee table for some engrossing new fashion tomes – from Christian Dior: Destiny by Marie-France Pochna, Flammarion, published on September 7 and Louis Vuitton: Extraordinary Voyages by Francisca Matteoli, Abrams, published on September 16. Of course, you will have pre-ordered Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You, but also of note is The Magician by Colm Tóibín (Viking) in which Tóibín explores the life and work of Thomas Mann. Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall (Michael Joseph) is an enthralling family drama set in suburbia where all is not as glossy as it seems. Oh, William by Elizabeth Strout (Viking) is the new novel from the Pulitzer prize-winner. Sebastian Faulks’ Snow Country (Hutchinson) is set against the build-up to WW2. Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Shuffle (Fleet) is a heist novel set in 1960s New York. Don’t turn a page without lighting one of Jonathan Anderson’s relaxing new candles for ambiance. The Loewe Home Collection at Brown Thomas is inspired by Anderson’s childhood in Northern Ireland and combines the idea of a Victorian apothecary with eleven scents including Luscious Pea, Beetroot and Cypress.

Enjoy This Tasting Menu

Having attended the last “Boyne Valley Tasting Dinner” at Station House Hotel, Co Meath in August, I can definitely recommend this superb evening in charming surroundings. If you haven’t been to Station House Hotel in Kilmessan, it’s a mere 40 minutes from Dublin and is definitely one of those hidden gems at which we excel in Ireland. The family-owned hotel has had a facelift too so there are plenty of stylish ideas to steal – from the exuberant use of colour, pattern and texture to the mix but don’t match ethos. As for the food, it’s outstanding. During the tasting evening the nine courses will be paired with wines from Il Borro (the Ferragamo-owned vineyards no less) finishing off with a smooth Currach whiskey. Dinner is €80 per person (€120 with drinks). Why not check in with the “Wine, Dine & Stay” offer from €200 per person including breakfast the next morning; www.stationhousehotel.ie.

Get Your Jewellery Valued

If you’ve had some heirloom pieces in your jewellery box and want to know their value, then do book an appointment with Bonham’s specialist Jemima Chamberlain-Adams, who will be in the Dublin office from September 7. These appointments for valuations are without obligation to sell; www.bonhams.com.

Try on #Secondhand September for size

The concept of “Secondhand September” is not new, but this year the sustainable fashion website Thriftify hopes to amplify the importance of shopping preloved online for secondhand fashion as opposed to supporting the fast fashion industry. Thriftify is giving its followers a chance to win a staycation if you tag your #SecondhandSeptember Thriftify finds on Instagram. At the end of September they will pick the best outfit and award that shopper with a staycation at the stunning waterside retreat of Redcastle Hotel, Donegal. Just simply tag your pieces on Instagram; www.instagram.com/thriftify/.

See the Eileen Gray exhibition

Irish architect Eileen Gray is enjoying a revival – an exhibition curated by London-based Irish designer Richard Malone opened this summer in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin where Gray built her famous E-1027 Villa – now refurbished and reopened to the public. The show travels to the National Museum of Ireland this month. Gray has always been loved by the fashion world: Elsa Schiaparelli was a client, while YSL bought her work in the 1970s. Also of note, Claridge’s is behind the opening of the Maybourne Riviera in Roquebrune which contains a respectful nod to Gray – a ten-minute drive from her villa; www.museum.ie.

Enjoy Galway International Arts Festival

The festival is underway and runs until September 18. The centre piece is John Gerrard’s “Mirror Pavilion, Leaf Work” a striking three-sided structure with the roof clad in reflective mirror. The artwork is powered by sustainable energy sources and can be found in the historic Derrigimlagh Bog, Connemara (also the transmission site for the first transatlantic radio signal from the Marconi station in 1907 and the landing place for Alcock and Brown’s first transatlantic plane crossing in 1919). Also worth seeing is a trio of immersive films at Galway’s Commercial Boat Club from September 7 – 12 inspired by the Irish language writing of Máirtín Ó Cadhain, Pádraic Ó Conaire and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill. These films capture the emotional journeys of migration. First, we are on a pier in Casla, Connemara as a mother silently says goodbye to her first born, off to America and never to return, a piece based on Máirtín Ó Cadhain’s devastating short story, An Bhlian 1912. Next, we’re on a mountain top as a woman emigrates back home from England, a troubled past behind her, inspired by Nóra Mharcuis Bhig by Pádraic Ó Conaire. We finish in a therapy room, as a modern woman faces into the trauma she’s inherited from generations of displaced women, out of sorts and far from home in their own living rooms, inspired by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill’s collection of poetry The Assimilated Merfolk. For the full programme of theatre, music and visual arts events, visit www.giaf.ie.

Learn more about whiskey

Whiskey enthusiasts are invited to travel to Midleton Distillery from the comfort of home for its new Virtual Irish Whiskey Academy. Hosted by International Whiskey ambassador and academy tutor Tommy Byrne, participants learn about the craft that goes into creating whiskey and what sets Irish whiskey apart from other world whiskeys. As part of the experience, participants will receive a Virtual Irish Whiskey Academy Kit. This includes samples of four premium Single Pot Still Whiskeys – Green Spot, Redbreast 12 Year Old, Powers John’s Lane Release and Midleton Very Rare Barry Crocket Legacy. Participants will also receive four tasting glasses, a notebook and pen, the Irish Whiskey Academy Summary Book and a digital certificate of completion. The Virtual Academy Experience is priced at €95 per person: www.irishwhiskeyacademy.com.

Sleep Better in “Sleeptember”

Back to school or the office can upset sleep routines. Enter sleep expert Tom Coleman, who is fronting a media campaign focusing on the restorative power of good sleep. He is sharing tips with dream analyser Ian Wallace on www.deskelly.ie. I can also recommend a trio of new products. Voya’s Lavender and Camomile Pillow Heaven, €9, is a potent blend of camomile, vetiver, patchouli, lavandin, and lavender. A little goes a long way but anytime I use it I sleep the whole night; www.voya.ie. Health & Her’s Self-Heating Sleep Masks and its Aromatherapy Sleep Balm €12 were developed with Irish nutritional therapist, Shona Wilkinson, and can be used by all ages. After a long day staring at the screen I find the Self-Heating Eye Masks, €15, very soothing. They use air-activated warmth – each mask gently heats to help relieve tension, soothe tired eyes and ease eye strain; www.healthandher.com.

Going to London Fashion Week?

If you are popping over for London Fashion Week from September 16 – 21, why not stay in style. Two new hotels include The Lost Poet – a chic four-bedroom townhouse on Portobello Road, Notting Hill. Guests will find modern art, bold wallpapers and bespoke furniture juxtaposed with antique trinkets and reclaimed wood panelling created from old school science labs; www.thelostpoet.co.uk. More understated is NoMad London which took over a listed building previously The Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station. The 91 rooms and suites preserve and incorporate much of the original architecture into their design. It’s ideally situated near one of THE GLOSS team’s favourite haunts – Petersham Nurseries Delicatessen and Cellar; www.thenomadhotel.com. If you’re popping over to London, why not take in The Tragedy of Macbeth at the Almeida theatre. It stars Saoirse Ronan (recently placed in The New York Times’ top ten of 21st-century acting greats) and Scottish heartthrob James MacArdle. Yael Farber directs; www.almeida.co.uk.

Update your tablescape

Are you planning a dinner party to catch up with friends about their summer staycations? If you want to refresh your home with small, cosy details such as vases, tableware, napkins and candles check out Søstrene Grene’s new collection in stores from Thursday, September 16. Among the many wonderfully inexpensive items available in this season’s collection, the popular teddy chair returns in a new colour, and there’s also a lovely new pouffe in the soft teddy fabric, which comes in two sizes. I have my eye on the new rattan butler’s table – a versatile piece that could work in any room; www.sostrenegrene.com.

See you at Adams

It’s a fact universally acknowledged that we are all much more au fait about timed auctions and placing bids. Who else spent lockdown lusting over digital catalogues? Three more of note this month are from Adams. “Homan Potterton – A Lifetime of Collecting” is first up on September 7. Potterton was the youngest ever director of the National Gallery of Ireland and this auction comprises old master paintings, Irish art, engravings and furniture from his homes in Dublin and France. On September 14 is the “Fine Jewellery and Watches” auction – expect exquisite cocktail rings, brooches and earrings – why not pop in and try some on! The finale is the “Important Irish Art Sale” (which is currently consigning) held on September 29; www.adams.ie.

Participate in Dublin Fringe Festival

Dublin Fringe Festival’s 27th edition, from September 11 – 26, has been created around the theme “Superflux” – “a surging flow of possibility brought about by the energy of change”. There will be over 160 performances in 16 venues. One of these events is “Masterclass” by Brokentalkers featuring American choreographer, circus acrobat, dancer, writer, storyteller and comedian Adrienne Truscott; www.fringefest.com.

Add some colour to your home

Make sure you are first in line for Ikea’s much anticipated collaboration with fashion and textile designer, Zandra Rhodes, which launches on September 1. The bold “Karismatisk” collection, named after the Swedish word for “charismatic”, channels Rhodes’ confidence and charisma via 26 bright products. Standout pieces include the iconic “Frakta” bag as well as a glamorous snake printed cushion cover, bold floral rugs, busy pre-cut fabrics, vases and statement lamp shades. With the collection, customers can mix and match; Karismatisk is all about having fun with home furnishings and letting an optimistic outlook shine in our spaces; www.ikea.ie.

Book an autumn getaway

If you are a savvy saver then investigate the Flynn Hotel Collection, which has announced its “2021 Autumn Sale” from August 31 – September 7. Snap up a luxury break for 20 per cent less at The Imperial Hotel in the heart of Cork City, or the 18th-century Old Ground Hotel in the centre of Ennis, which is the perfect base to explore Clare’s best attractions, or at The Park Hotel in the harbour town of Dungarvan Co Waterford, and at The Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny, which is set on 40 acres of beautiful parkland. All staycations booked during the autumn sale can be taken from September until April 2022; www.flynnhotels.com.

Attend a premiere

The Abbey Theatre is presenting the digital premiere of This Beautiful Virtual Village by Lisa Tierney-Keogh – a witty adaptation of her award-winning play This Beautiful Village (2019). The innovative adaptation sees a lively residents’ association meeting happen via Zoom and reflects the current realities of social distancing and lockdown living. Directed by David Horan, tickets are on sale now from www.abbeytheatre.ie.

Get a new work tote

Peelo’s best-selling “Simple Tote” is updated this season in an array of beautiful colours from Ibiza blue to Kelly green and textured snake embossed leather contrasted with nappa leather stripes. Says founder and designer Julie Peelo, who is celebrating one year in business this month, “I adore the easiness of this tote, it closes with a magnetic button and can be worn under your shoulder making it stylish and easy to wear. With my textile background I’m passionate about textures and the versatility of leather. For AW21 I wanted to create lots of texture and so I’ve introduced two new luxury Italian leathers, a croc embossed leather in hunter green and burgundy and a snake embossed leather in jewel tones of burgundy, navy and olive green”. I’m sold – prices range from €30 to €295 and the range is available in store in Kilkenny Stores or online at www.peelo.ie.

Book into a new spa

World Wellness Weekend is from September 18 – 19. I suggest celebrating it with a relaxing spa treatment. On my radar is The Glo Spa & Wellness which opened at Gleno Abbey Hotel & Estate this summer and can be enjoyed as part of the hotel’s latest seasonal package “Autumn on the Estate” (from €760 for two adults sharing). This is two nights of luxurious accommodation with complimentary drink on arrival, à la carte breakfast each morning in The River Room, a four-course meal aboard the Pullman Restaurant and an express treatment of choice at the boutique spa, plus access to the private Abbey cinema; www.glenloabbeyhotel.ie.

Enrol your teens in a boot camp for young filmmakers

Cinemagic Dublin is running an online programme hosted by film professionals for new entrants and aspiring filmmakers aged from 15 upwards. This Cinemagic Dublin Boot Camp takes place over five consecutive evenings from September 6 – 10 and includes masterclasses and seminars with professionals who will provide insight into the industry in a range of disciplines, including locations, sound, editing, directing and screenwriting. To book a place visit www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Participate in a Supper Club

The best dining experiences have often been described as theatrical. The Chef Supper Club, which debuts this month, promises to be cinematic pairing quality ingredients with high-production virtual experiences to recreate the atmosphere and thrill of luxury dining without leaving your home. Each kit arrives within 24 hours of each event or can be collected directly from The Chef Supper Club in Blackrock. Diners are invited to choose from three experiences; “Bring the Restaurant Home”, “From Scratch” and “Potions”. Chefs taking part include Ciaran Sweeney, Grainne O’Keefe, Mike Tweedie, Killian Crowley, Enda McEvoy, Ahmet Dede, Haleigh Whelan, Aishling Moore, with sommelier, Cathryn Bell. Chef Ciarán Sweeney will be hosting a “Bring the Restaurant Home” experience on Saturday, September 11 at 7pm. The former head chef at Forest & Marcy, Dublin will be showcasing his menu live from his kitchen at the Olde Glen Restaurant in Glen village, Carrigart, Donegal where Ciarán now resides. To find out more visit www.thechefsupperclub.com.

Celebrate Culture Night

This national “moment” on Friday, September 17 connects everyone to cultural activities locally and nationally and is spearheaded by the Arts Council in partnership with local authorities and cultural organisations throughout the island. If jewellery is your thing then Designworks Studio in Cork is hosting an event for goldsmiths and jewellery designers with demonstrations about contemporary handcrafted engagement and wedding rings. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to create your own. Pop into The Fumbally Stables in Dublin’s Liberties to learn about various weaving techniques (and why there are no cows in Cow Parlour!). In Kildare town, leather atelier De Bruir will be welcoming visitors to view the collection of leather bags and accessories being handmade by Garvan de Bruir, and perhaps even try out some of the tools. Just some of the many events being planned; www.culturenight.ie.

Pass the prosecco!

Belfast’s Merchant Hotel is hosting a month-long “Festival of Prosecco”. This annual event is a firm favourite with fans of the fizz. In the opulent surroundings of The Great Room Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, guests can enjoy Valdo Prosecco tasting flights or choose a cocktail with a twist from a speciality cocktail menu. A limited edition Prosecco Afternoon Tea will also be available to book midweek (Monday-Friday), with each guest receiving a complimentary glass of Valdo Origine Prosecco. Berts Jazz Bar and The Cloth Ear have also created their own list of Prosecco cocktails for the festival and ticketed events will take place across the hotel’s bars and restaurants. These include a Battle of the Bubbles: a Champagne vs Prosecco evening on the hotel’s Rooftop Garden, a Prosecco Masterclass in the Champagne Lounge and a one-off Prosecco Supper Club in Berts Jazz Bar; www.themerchanthotel.com.

Celebrate IMMA’s 30th birthday

Opening on September 24, IMMA presents the second chapter of “The Narrow Gate of the Here-and-Now” a new Museum-wide exhibition showcasing the IMMA Collection to celebrate 30 years of IMMA. “Chapter Two: The Anthropocene” considers the present geological era in which human activity has become visible as a dominant and destructive influence on earth. Expanding the focus on rising sea levels, heat waves and species extinction, the exhibition looks at the temporalities and underlying structures of the Anthropocene. The exhibition will include new artworks acquired by the IMMA Collection in 2021 shown for the first time. Admission is free, but tickets should be booked at www.imma.ie.

Send a friend a gift box

Croia Ireland has launched its own range of stylish gift boxes, called “The Croia Collection” containing all Irish made products. To date, Croía has signed up over 180 Irish suppliers from small businesses to larger well-known brands and in the process has curated at range of over 1,000 select products including jewellery, homeware and decor, beauty, food and drink, Irish designer clothing, artwork, and cards; www.croiaireland.com.

Main featured image: Monsoon AW21

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