What's Making THE GLOSS Team Smile This Weekend

Here’s what we’re up to this long weekend …

All products featured on thegloss.ie are selected by our editors. If you buy something through affiliate links on our site we may earn a commission.

Whether you want to mark St Brigid’s Day, enjoy a new restaurant experience, try a new recipe, a new series or a new book – not to mention treating yourself to some retail therapy! – the first long weekend of the year is finally here.

@houseofhackney

Aislinn Coffey, Style Editor

I’m looking forward to visiting old friends in London. I’ll be based near Hackney, so a trip to Broadway Market is a must: Saturday is the key day to visit for fresh food stalls, vintage clothes and lifestyle boutiques (Retrouvé Vintage, Artwords Bookshop, Aesop) and amazing street food (Fin and Flounder, Floris Bakery).

Then a 15 minute stroll to Shoreditch to visit SCP (one of my favourite modern and mid-century modern interior stores), iconic modern maximalism store House of Hackney (Irish-owned) and then to Aro Archive to browse its edit of high-end Japanese, Belgian and French designer pre-loved clothes and accessories.

SEE MORE: Be Fashion Conscious By Shopping These B Corp Certified Brands

Patricia Marinho, Art Director

Nothing makes me happier than going for a walk on the weekend and stopping at a nice café. This long weekend, I’ll head to Søren & Son to read I Capture the Castle and swing by Hopeless Botanics to pick up a new houseplant.

I love candles and incense, so I’ll likely stop by Dervish Bookshop & Holistic Centre too, then get cosy making soup I’ve been learning from The Happy Pear book. I’m also really looking forward to seeing I’m Still Here at the Lighthouse Cinema, which has three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Sarah Macken, Contributing Editor

I’m going to see A Complete Unknown at the Stella Cinema. It’s getting mixed reviews, but will be worth it for the music, fashion and Elle Fanning-Timothée Chalamet combination. At home, I’m rewatching Mad Men and I can definitely say it’s as good a second or third time around. Don Draper in Palm Springs and Hawaii with the rich, retro colours is exactly the kind of escapism that’s needed.

On that theme, I’m reading Leave The World Behind, the apocalyptic psychological thriller by Rumann Alam (with a movie of the same name starring Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke). I recently devoured Didion & Babitz, the new biography about the revered female writers Joan Didion and Eve Babitz on the 1960s scene in California, who were the ultimate frenemies.

It’s all about romancing the every day, lighting Neom candles while baking scones (I used this Ballymaloe recipe) to have for elevenses with oodles of butter and jam, and a cup of tea: glorious.

Penny McCormick, Contributing Editor

Smooching around an antiques or thrift shop to add to my collections of swans or floral paintings is an integral part of any weekend. My latest find was this little beauty; she was hiding in my local Habitat for Humanity shop.

As a Janeite, I’ll be watching Miss Austen and, weather permitting, I’m also hoping to plant a few primulas and pansies to add some colour to my storm-ravaged garden. I’ll also visit the wonderful Ballyrobert Garden in Co Antrim to see its stunning snowdrop display, which includes 200 varieties of this humble little flower. I love how Monty Don describes snowdrops in his book My Garden World, “The fragile beauty of their nodding white bells is imbued with a sense that all is fundamentally well with the world …”

This spring, other gardens on my list to visit with notable collections of snowdrops (and great coffee shops!) include Mount Congreve in Waterford, Burtown House in Kildare and Altamont Gardens in Carlow.

SEE MORE: Sara Dolan From Mount Congreve Gardens Lives In A Pretty Gardener’s Cottage

Amy McDonnell, Assistant Digital Editor

Fabulous family is flying in from London (seven girl cousins!) for the long weekend, so I’m looking forward to eating at Glas Restaurant, going Claddagh ring shopping at New Moon or The Collective for other unique pieces and trawling vintage shops along the way at The Big Vintage (to check out their Claddagh hoops), 35 Vintage and LOOT.

I’m ticking off my cinema watch-list: I saw We Live In Time and Babygirl recently, so A Complete Unknown is next (with the soundtrack also available on Spotify). A trip to a sauna could be on the cards – Helios has become a regular haunt or the new Barrel Sauna is an option. In my downtime, The Wardrobe Department by Elaine Garvey transports me to the world of London theatre’s costume department.

SEE MORE: 10 New Books To Read This Month