It’s not long now until the Culture Night is back!

This year, on Friday 24 September, a staggering 132 venues will be welcoming late evening/night visitors across Dublin. In order to run the event successfully, the Temple Bar Cultural Trust is currently looking for volunteers to help out as:

• Guides on the Culture Night buses
• Assistants at Information Points
• Assistant stewards with the outdoor events
• Assistants at the Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre

If you would like to get involved please download an application form and forward to volunteer@templebar.ie or contact 086 041 2613.

Sure it was raining this morning but the sky is clearing up. In Ballsbridge across from the RDS, life’s astirring with stands set up to greet throngs of fans and visitors of both Leinster and Ospreys. The blue flags in support of Leinster is evident (hey, home ground, of course!) in the neighbourhood, and soon enough the pubs in the area will fill up with excited fans.

This is our last chance of the season to win a silverware of some sort. After a disappointing Six Nations campaign, and crashing out of both Leinster and Munster in Heineken Cup at the semi-finals, we want a victorious game of the Magners League Grand Final! Let’s give Malcolm O’Kelly a triumphal sent-off before his retirement!

Goooooooo Leinster – come on boys, you can do it!

The initiative of Dublin : One Book, One City is back and this year’s selection is Oscar Wilde’s only novel – The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The list of events organised in conjunction with the initiative is impressive, from theatre performances to novel readings, from walking tour to self-portrait workshop. Many of them have free admissions, often booking not necessary.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story and don’t think you have the time to read the book (but hey, a whole month, surely there are some time you can spare?) you can check out the movie Dorian Gray which came out last year, starring Ben Barnes, Colin Firth and Rebecca Hall. It was a pretty good one in my opinion.

Have you checked out the Love Lab over at Science Gallery? Participated in the survey and tests? Contributed your face for the construction of the reputedly most beautiful average face? Or attended either the speed dating or scientific blind date event? If so, what’s your verdict?

Anyone who hasn’t yet drop by should do it now. The exhibition is winding down, with many of the once-off associated events over now – but there’s still the Kiss and Make Up body casting event tomorrow, which will be interesting to attend.

Love Lab ends next week, on Friday 12 March 2010. So go on, measure your love temperature there.

There have a lot of grumbles of late, of laws and regulations that many deem frivilous and a waste of resources, whereas there are other more important issues which should be tackled but seem to have been sidelined to goodness know when. (Since I haven’t personally look into the matters discussed, I won’t cast an opinion over them just yet.)

One of the latest introduction is that of speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour in city centre area. Really? The whole city is going to be crawling. Not to mention, there are already plenty of stretches where it’s unlikely for vehicles to be going over 30km/h, and in general, road safety in the city centre has been good. Road accidents are more likely at places where there are long stretches of empty road ahead, which tempt some drivers into speeding and being careless. But in city centre? Additionally, the Garda resources are already limited and now they have to be stretched further to monitor really small speed discrepancies? And the government in general will also have to spend more money to put up the speed limit signs everywhere? Many opined that this brings on board more cons than pro argument. For now, I’m inclined to agree.

Recently, a blasphemy law was also passed, and I’m afraid I still haven’t quite get the point as to why this is necessary despite the changes in the faces of the society. How much time was spent debating the points of this legislation which can be better used to sort out other problems, such as harmonising public transport ticketing system, or improving health care, or fight against anti-social behaviour? PZ Myers, on invitation by Atheist Ireland, will be speaking at Buswells Hotel tonight, at 7.30pm, on this issue. The public is welcome and the entry is free.

Do you think these laws are unnecessary and wasting tax payers’ money? What’s next that’s going to be on the list of more frivilous laws?

Things are a little crazy busy on our ends, but that’s not excuse to leave this blog unnattended for too long. Several things have caught our attention in the last couple of weeks, so here’s a quick digest to keep you in the loop.

• This week, running from Monday 9th November to Saturday 14th November, Take Your Seat is bringing arts and theatres back into your life. Book for tickets to shows of your preference, and you’ll be offered some promotional tickets (if not free!) to other shows at a later date, therefore doubling up your fun evening out. They also run daily competitions so sign up for it today and who knows, you could win them and be heading out to a play or a musical next.
• Fancy a little bit of a geeky event? Look no further, head out the door tonight to the Mercantile for The Alchemist Café event at 7.30pm, where a discussion of “memory traces” and the role they play in shaping our sense of self and form the instint for survival. My former lecturer, Prof Ciaran Regan, will be taking on the hot seat for this discussion.
• There’s a relatively new gourmet food market every Thursday, from 11.00am to 2.30pm, at the banks of the Grand Canal next to Mespil Road (just off Upper Baggot Street). Pretty good timing and location really, considering there are quite a number of offices around the area, and the workers sure could do with a bit of a change for their lunch goodies from the usual sandwich and coffee from the shops nearby.
• Given the grip of recession, it is never pleasant to read about the bleak economic outlook faced by Irish youths of today, where unemployment for those under 25’s is about 1 in 4. If Ireland is as perceived – no country for young men – how long will it be, before they leave the country in search for a better future? A drain of human resources is not desirable for a country that is trying to pull itself out of this financial hardship.
• It has been claimed, that the internet brings people closer and forges intimacy. But how close can become too close? So much so that it’s not only a ground for stalking, it’s bringing cyberbullying to a whole new level. Scary.
• Love cooking and interested in cooking demonstrations? Arnott’s is organising a few demo sessions, while promoting the cookware/kitchenware from Siemens Home (Saturday 14th November) and Judge and Stellar (Wednesday 18th November and Thursday 19th November). And there will be reductions in some of these gears too.
• Since when does Christmas come round so quickly? I’ve barely dragged my winter clothes out, and already I’m seeing light fittings being put up all over the city, and this Sunday (15th November) the festive lightings at Henry Street and its environs will officially be switched on at 4.00pm. There are also other family fun events organised throughout the day, and check this link for further details.

I’m sure plenty of people are looking forward to the first World Cup qualifier match between Ireland and France this Saturday (14th November). Can we pull it off in this home game? Fingers crossed. Goooo Ireland!

TEDxDublin meets Science Gallery’s What If… next Thursday, 12th November, at 7.30pm with a series of talks by Kate Coleman, Mark Leslie, Tom Hadfield and Simon Dennehy. (Note: another speaker is due to be added to the list too, and line-up is still being finalised at the time this article is being typed up.)

Who are they, you ask? Here’s the information from Science Gallery’s TEDx page:

Kate Coleman, Founder of Right to Sight

Kate Coleman is the founder of Right to Sight – a unique collection of world experts from corporate, eye care and government sectors with the specific goal to eliminate preventable blindness in the world. The next phase of this project is to roll out a training simulator built on Microsoft games software and using two Wiimotes, that will help student surgeons practice the surgical techniques used during cataract operations by performing virtual surgery on a computer-generated eye.

Mark Leslie, Managing Director of Martello Media

You’re probably more familiar with the work of Mark Leslie and his team at Martello Media than you might think. This team of architects, writers, museum experts, exhibition designers, graphic artists, filmmakers and computer programmers, work together to design unique interactive experiences are most recently responsible for the award winning designs at Guinness Storehouse, Cliffs of Moher Centre and the WB Yeats Exhibition at the National Library.

Tom Hadfield, Creator of Soccer.net and heading up the Le Whif Project

Tom Hadfield created Soccernet, a sports Internet company that was sold to ESPN for $40 million when he was 17 years old. Two years later, he and his father were able to raise millions of dollars to launch the education website Schoolsnet.com. Tom is currently working for The Labo Group in Paris where he heads up Le Whif. Le Whif is a revolutionary new way of eating chocolate – by breathing it! Imagine, chocolate without the calories.

Simon Dennehy from Perch.ie, Ergonomic Furniture for Primary Schools

Simon Dennehy’s work on ergonomic furniture for primary schools is aimed at rectifying the fundamental problems associated with the current selection of school furniture being used in primary schools in both Ireland, and globally. Currently, very few credible design solutions exist.

The number of tickets available to the event is very limited and they’re available exclusively to members of Science Gallery. They will go on sale today (5th November) from 12noon (Irish time) at this link – you’ll need to be signed in as member to access the page, and ticket costs €7.50 each (a departure from the previous and inaugural TEDxDublin which was free of charge).

If you’re not already a member of Science Gallery, it’s not too late to sign up for it and it’s free, so why not? Besides, do you know that with this free membership, you can get a discount when you drop by the Flux Cafe for some food and coffee? Not to mention free wifi connection when you’re at the Science Gallery as well. They’re perks you should take advantage of!

“The 12-step chocoholics program: NEVER BE MORE THAN 12 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE!”

I am in agreement with Terry Moore. Anyone who knows me, knows of my love for chocolate. Mind, I’m not a choco-junkie per se, because even I am not living such decadent life to be eating them every single day.

But I have a deep appreciation for chocolate. I am willing to try new flavours and concoctions in a heartbeat (chocolate with chilli and peppercorn, anyone?). I have travelled just to attend chocolate fairs (EuroChocolate in Rome, Salon du Chocolat in Paris – twice!). I pay some crazy amount of money for small nuggets of chocolatey goody when I think it’s worth it (and I’m afraid it happens a tad too often).

Last year, a colleague who was out of idea what to get me for Kris Kindle ended up giving me – no prize for guessing correctly – voucher to Butlers Chocolate.

Chocolate (picture taken at Salon du Chocolat in Paris)

So I’m excited. I’m excited that Temple Bar Chocolate Festival is back. There are free demonstrations (but ticketed, so ring up to book your place), truffles making and chocolate tasting workshops, chocolate beauty treatment (also free and booking essential), and I could go on and on. Just have a look at the full programme here.

The Temple Bar Chocolate Festival runs from Friday 30th October to Sunday 1st November. In conjunction with the festivities, No Grant Gallery is presenting an exhibition entitled “Come with me and you’ll see a world of pure imagination”. It opens ahead of the festival, on Thursday 22nd October and will close on Tuesday 3rd November. The exhibition is free and no booking is required.

Ah, chocolate… yes, I’m eating some right now. Lindt Ecuador 75%. Smooth and delicately sweet for a dark chocolate. Nyom nyom.

My, has the weather turned nippy or what? It feels distinctly autumnal, to wake up to darker sky as the day shortens and as I look out the window, the leaves on the tree are turning into shades of red and orange and all the hues in between. Meanwhile, Is it raining in Dublin? has been telling me for days that no, it’s not raining, but it IS cloudy.

An email from a friend though provided me with a little pick-me-up – the Dine In Dublin Restaurant Week is back on Monday week! So from Monday 12 October to Sunday 18 October, there’ll be much to be indulged on the gastronomy front. Wheee!

Similar to the concept of Dining by DART just a few weeks ago, a list of participating restaurants have set out 3-course menus with tea and coffee for either €25 or €30. All you need to do now is look for the place(s) that catch your fancy and book a table. (I do wonder if l’Gueuleton will take reservation seeing they normally don’t.)

Something new for Dine In Dublin this time round is participating hotels that gives 10% discount on the lowest quoted accommodation rates. That’s pretty sweet, especially if you have visitors coming to see you during the event period.

Now, where shall I go? I have eaten in a fair few of them, and would like to try something new. Is there any restaurants on the list that you’ll highly recommend?

Interested in architecture? How would you like a peek into buildings that you normally would not have access to? Not only that – you will also be given guided tour and plenty of information to satiate your quench for details.

Open House Dublin.

Organised by the Irish Architecture Foundation, Open House Dublin is back, and this year will run from 8-11 October 2009. Still some time to come, I know, but as some buildings/events require pre-booking, to get some heads up about it and to have some time to plan things over is good, right? And what’s nice is, they’re all free of charge!

Here’s how it works. Have a look at this complete programme – and you should see the day(s) when particular buildings would be open for visit. Click on the name to get further information. The colour code will tell you what type of building that is, i.e. if residential, or cultural, or commercial etc.

You will also see right away which are those which pre-booking is required. Pre-booking starts today (28th September), and operates on a first come first serve basis. They may be done online.