Weekend Loves: 'mini me' matching fashion; KeepCups; and Dragonterra adventures
Ortús Chamber Music Festival 2022 Curator Mairéad Hickey. Picture: Santiago Cañón Valencia
Fans of chamber music will be delighted to see the return of live events such as the seventh Ortús Chamber Music Festival, Friday, February 25 to Sunday, February 27, at venues in Cork city and county.
Co-founder and artistic director of the festival, Mairéad Hickey, will welcome classical musicians such as Fiachra Garvey (piano) and Siún Milne (violin) as well as international star violinist Fumika Mohri (Japan) and cellists Brandon Cho (USA) and Alexander Kovalev (Russia). Enjoy music by Dvorak, Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich and Irish composer Sebastian Adams.
At the request of her little girl Matilda, Irish designer Heidi Higgins has added some ‘mini me’ dresses to her clothing range this season.
Perfect for special occasions, the small collection of dresses is available for children aged 3 to 10. The ‘mini me’ styles feature the same fabrics used in some of the adult designs including a leopard print, a heart print and a polka dot style.
The dresses are made in Ireland in limited numbers and can be hand washed.
'Imogen' adult dress (€235) and kids dress (€125)
Over the past two years many of us have gotten into the habit of checking for our keys, our phones, and our masks before we leave the house. But what if we could get into the habit of checking that we have a reusable cup with us too?
With more and more cafes introducing a discount for reusable cup users, and some, such as Bread 41 in Dublin, being bold enough to do away with disposable cups altogether, it makes sense for coffee lovers to develop this eco-friendly habit that may not only save money but reduce waste too.
The KeepCup is sold in speciality coffee shops and eco-stores countrywide and the company has just been recognised by B Corporation as one of the 'Best for the WorldTM' for the recognition it has given to the concept of reuse.
The series by Donegal author, and mum of three, Louise Flanagan, proved a big hit with our mini book-reviewer who loved the Irish aspect of the stories and the fact that there’s a new adventure in every book.
This fantasy adventure series, aimed at readers aged 5 -10, follows Evan and Conor as they continue the quest their Grandad started as a boy. Lucy, the ‘wozlett’, guides them on their adventures to find missing dragon eggs and outwit a nasty wizard.
Printed in a large font with carefully pitched vocabulary and hand-drawn illustrations throughout, these books were written by Flanagan during lockdown to keep her daughter Lucy amused but have since been a hit with children, parents and academics alike.
RRP €6.50 each or €29.99 for a box set of six.
Looking for a treat that won’t break the bank? Then check out the new luxury chocolate bars in the Tesco Finest range by County Meath company Lir Chocolates.
The Belgian chocolate range includes a 64% dark chocolate bar and a dark chocolate peppermint bar. Those who prefer milk chocolate will love the Madagascan Vanilla & Sea Salted Caramel bar as well as the Belgian Milk Chocolate Orange bar.
It’s great to see these bars being made right here in Ireland and at a cost of €2 they’re an affordable treat amidst rising costs.
Audi has just launched a new podcast ‘Driving Progress’ hosted by author, academic and broadcaster Emma Dabiri who has recently been appointed Heimbold Chair of Irish Studies at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, USA.
The limited edition mini series features interviews with some of Ireland’s most well known personalities including Sonya Lennon, Paul Galvin, Rachael Blackmore and Garry Ringrose as they discuss their lives, careers, ambitions and how their passion fuels them to succeed in the future.
Listen across all podcast streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music.
After the death of denim during lockdown, fashion is flipping back to the iconic denim jean and River Island has featured musicians, artists and even furniture makers in their latest denim campaign.
There are some great new styles in the brand's latest Crafted in Denim range for men, women and kids. The women's styles come in a variety of leg lengths and waist heights so that there are lots of options when it comes to sizing.
Our favourite women’s styles include the drop kick flare and straight leg styles, while for men there’s a choice of skinny, slim and baggy styles in a range of washes and finishes including ripped styles.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
