WHAT: Two new restaurants have opened, which are worth checking out. Restaurateur and chef Kristan Burness, a familiar face on the Dublin restaurant scene, just has opened Nero XVII in Cabra, Dublin 7. Burness says, “I really wanted to create somewhere that focuses on the most important things – the best ingredients, cooked authentically, at a really affordable price point. I love Italian classics like carbonara made fresh with bacon and egg on fresh linguine, a simple pizza topped with the creamiest mozzarella and juiciest tomatoes. We want Nero XVII to be known for the best Italian and Gastro style food – and somewhere you can afford to become a regular.” nero17.ie
WHERE: Mackenzie’s is a casual dining experience in Dublin’s Silicon Docks. The menu is inspired by American classics, and the dining room features an upturned rowing boat on the ceiling, giving a nod to its location. An open kitchen on the back wall of the restaurant adds a touch of theatre to the room. With the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre a stone’s throw from the restaurant, there is a pre-theatre menu on offer from Sunday through to Thursday, serving favourites from the menu for €25.95 for two courses and €29.95 for three courses. For a drink and a quick bite, there is space at the bar and at the pizza counter. mackenziesdublin.ie
WHEN: In 1900, the National Gallery of Ireland received a bequest of 31 watercolours and drawings by JMW Turner from the English collector Henry Vaughan. Vaughan stipulated the watercolours be exhibited every year, free of charge, for the month of January, when the light is at its weakest. “Turner: The Visionary” is currently on display and in addition to Turner’s watercolours, the exhibition features over 20 artists inspired by him. Artists such as William Leech, Evie Hone, Paul Cézanne and John Singer Sargent, are from the Gallery’s collection, with many watercolours not having been seen in years. Some recent acquisitions by the artists Basil Blackshaw and Kyffin Williams will also be included. nationalgallery.ie
WHY: “Tune In” is the name of Helen Steele’s new collection of athleisure wear which has just landed at Dunnes Stores and is perfect for those of us who have signed up for fitness classes. The eye-catching, colourful collection in aqua and purple tones, consists of leggings, t-shirts and rain gear and celebrates tuning in to inner strength. The theme is worked via a retro television sign, when there was no signal resulting in a temporary glitch. Helen has taken inspiration from this idea, encouraging the wearer to simultaneously tune into their inner strength and tune out from all the outer noise that might distract them. www.dunnesstores.com
HOW: Still not got the hang of dry January or a sensible eating plan? Then the “Ultimate Detox Treatment” at The Spa at The Shelbourne might be a step in the right direction. It’s both restorative and pampering and begins with a refreshing matcha green tea and an invigorating coconut-oil back scrub, followed by a Superfood facial, designed to restore moisture and nourish dull skin for a visibly more radiant complexion. The treatment finishes with a Swedish lymphatic drainage massage for back, neck and shoulders. This Ultimate Detox is an 80-minute treatment and is available for €155 per person. www.theshelbourne.com
AND … If you read our “Ageing: Pro vs Anti and Everything in Between” feature on “skinterventions” in today’s issue of THE GLOSS, you’ll have read some of Teresa Tarmey’s words of wisdom. London-based Tarmey is one of the most influential skin experts – Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Naomie Harris are just a few of her devotees. And this weekend she is in Dublin at The Westbury on January 11 – 12 holding exclusive skincare consultations. She will be consulting and treating between 9am-9pm on Saturday, and from 9am-5pm on Sunday. If you book to buy her microneedling kit €350, you will get a 40 minute facial which will include a lactic acid peel to brighten the skin, microneedling (you can decide the level of treatment) and LED, along with a full rundown on how the kit works. To book a space email bookings@teresatarmey.com