Wish List: Cocktails and painting

The items that caught Esther N McCarthy's eye this week

This week's must-haves and most wants.

Glass Candle

We love the news that the oldest candle makers in the world, Rathbornes, are collaborating with internationally-acclaimed Irish artist Al Maser, to create a bespoke limited edition fragrance collection. Combining Maser’s unique signature striking colourful graphic style with a hand-poured glass candle made with 100% natural wax of beeswax, rapeseed, and coconut with up to 80 hours burn time, the collection also includes reed diffusers. The Limited Edition Maser X Rathbornes will launch exclusively at Brown Thomas Dublin and www.rathbornes1488.com From November, the collection will be available from the Kilkenny Shop, Nassau Street and Meadows & Byrne selected stores.

New Frangrance

A perfect scent for autumn, Narciso Rodriguez introduces Narciso eau de parfum Cristal, the newest fragrance in the collection. With more than 85% of its ingredients from natural origin, this is perfumer Natalie Gracia-Cetto's first collaboration with Narciso Rodriguez, brings her expertise in working with naturals, as well as her vision for a more sustainable approach to perfumery. "I strongly believe that the classics of tomorrow must also be nature-conscious. As perfumers, we now have the opportunity to create fragrances with ingredients that use less energy, consume less resources, and have a lower environmental impact," she says. The fragrance is available now from all good pharmacies and department stores nationwide, prices from €61 to €107.

TK Maxx have released their Christmas lookbook and the homeware sections are divine. Lots of dazzling decorations and cute stocking fillers. See www.tkmaxx.ie for more. 

Act of Giving

Everything's gone digital these days - even charity. Irish fundraising platform, iDonate.ie, is making the act of giving easier than ever before with the launch of Crowdfunding Pages. These pages are for more personal than commercial causes such as medical treatment on behalf of a family member or financial support for a family facing tragic circumstances. Check out  iDonate.ie to find out more. 

Tech Lovers

Thinking of a gift for the tech-lover in your life? Irish company, PAIR Mobile, offers a range of items, including preloved phones that come completely refurbished with at least 90% original brand parts intact and only premium, Grade A parts are used for any restoration. All preloved phones are backed up with a free 12-month warranty. Examples include the iPhone 12 64GB beginning at €599, or €799 for the iPhone 13 128GB. Visit www.pairmobile.ie for more information. 

Drinking Yoghurt

On the Kitchen Shelf this week, we have Yoplait's fruit and veg drinking yoghurt. Pictured here at the launch is our own columnist, champion athlete Derval O’Rourke along with Mia Wilde, Jamie Kennedy and Charli Burke Taylor. It's got carrots and beetroot, plus it keeps for up to eight hours out of the fridge - handy for the school lunches. Available nationwide and FYI, they're offering a ‘Love me or your money back’ offer trial.

Pillow Gift

Gift of the Week this week is the luxury of a good night's sleep - well, we'll start with the pillow and go from there. Woolow has just two ingredients- wool and Fairtrade cotton which means that you sleep on a comfortable, sustainable material which is completely breathable. The theory is it makes for a much more restful, temperature-controlled sleep. It keeps you warm in summer and cool in winter. It's also anti-allergy, dust-free and eco-friendly, the Woolow Gift of Sleep contains an award-winning Woolow natural wool pillow (48 x 74cm), a Lavender aromatherapy sleep spray (50ml) and a sachet of fragrant dried lavender. It costs E85 from  www.woolow.com. and I actually really love that it comes in a cardboard presentation box that you can pop in the recycling bin. 

Painting and cocktails

Oooh, two things I love painting and cocktails! There's some novel events coming up in Cork, in association with Tanqueray gin. No painting experience is necessary, all the materials are provided - all you need is to be up for some fun!

On arrival, you’ll be treated to an easy on the (painting) palette Tanqueray gin cocktail. There'll be an artist there to inspire, support, and advice - you might even surprise yourself mix up a masterpiece. There are three venues in Cork to choose from: Electric in the city on November 3, The Imperial Hotel in the city on November 24 and The Arches in Mallow on December 8. Places are limited so advance purchase of tickets is essential at  https://www.paintbythepints.com/tanqueray