ICA magazine finalist in high-profile style competition
The magazine has beaten off some stiff competition and is a finalist in the Best Customer Magazine and Best Magazine Design Team categories.
Mary Connaughton, director of editorial and production at Ashville Media Group, which publishes the magazine, says everybody’s thrilled.
“It’s a real validation of the hard work that goes into producing the magazine,” she says, adding that being short-listed reflects the quality of the magazine and its value to ICA members.
In the foreword to the just-published second issue, ICA president Marie O’Toole says it has been eagerly awaited.
“We received a lot of positive feedback after the first issue last May. [The magazine] is an excellent showcase of what we do best in ICA.”
The current issue features show-stopping party looks for a night on the tiles, storage tips to rein in the mess ahead of your guests’ arrival for Christmas and an interview with author Patricia Scanlan.
In the food section, An Grianán chef Len Johnson shares his recipe for fruit soda, while an article on spices explains what goes with what – allspice with apples, coriander seeds in curries and stews.
Eight spices are covered – “buy in shops with brisk trade where the jars won’t have been sitting on the shelves for months”.
The fashion and beauty section highlights woolly jumpers (‘a fresh take on knitwear), winter warmers (great coats) and ‘bossy boots to stomp around in all winter’.
For those who want no truck with the cleaning, cooking and chaos of Christmas at home, there’s an article on the 12 Stays of Christmas.
This showcases unusual hotels/accommodation, with each – according to the writer – suiting different personality types and interests.
So whether you want to switch off, love animals, are upwardly mobile or an outdoorsy type, see yourself as an eco warrior, history buff or lone wolf, there’s something for you.
Places highlighted include Grouse Lodge, Co Westmeath (for the musician), and Mullarkey’s Chalet overlooking Ardmore Bay (romantic break).
Meanwhile, if you’re Christmassing at home, the health/mindfulness section carries 10 tips for stealing me time, some slightly cheeky: sending the family to hand-deliver your cards means they “catch up with old friends while you sit back with the good chocolates”.
This manoeuvre can earn you 45 minutes, while you could get 15 minutes out of inventing a friend in need. “What a coincidence that next door ran out of milk precisely [when] the dishwasher needs emptying”.
//issuu.com/ashvillemedia/docs/ica_winter_2015_online.
