Picture Perfect !!

Disco group Village People on Hollywood Boulevard where they were honoured with the 2,369th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The camp 'legends' play Dublin's Tripod this Sunday, September 21st, hilarious !!

You've Gotta Roll With It !!

Dust off your leg warmers and tank tops, the roller disco is making a comeback !!

The Renaissance Rooms in South London's Vauxhall has single handedly revived the classic 80s phenomenon. Their thrice weekly roller disco nights have been a massive success. So much so that you have to book tickets in advance. I was there last month and it is the craic, I highly recommend it !! It's also a great workout for legs and bums.

Last night, the club was the venue for the Day-Glo Midnight Roller Disco, an event organised in aid of a charity in Oxford set up in memory of Thomas Waley-Cohen, who died from bone cancer in 2004 at the age of 20. Those in attendance included Price Will's girlfriend Kate Middleton, Dickie Branson's gorgeous daughter Holly, and Princess Eugenie, who as well as having to cope with such a horrendous name, also has to make do with those awful horsey looks she inherited from her mother !!

Desert Island Essentials

YSL Touche Eclat is among the most famous beauty products in the world. For those living under a rock, it's used to hide dark circles under the eyes and can also be used in emergencies to cover blemishes. Anywho, YSL is about to launch a men's version, Touche Eclat Pour Homme Radiant Touch, which will be available from September 28th.

Speaking of desert island essentials, I recently started using Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream for my weather-beaten lips. Created in 1936 to soothe skin, it became an instant success and there is one sold every two minutes in the UK alone !! Sleb fans include; Gisele Bundchen, Claudia Schiffer, Cate Blanchett and CZJ, who probably slathers it on the face of her granddad, sorry husband, in the hope that it will bridge the beauty gap between them. It 'aint a magic potion Cath !!

Frock me !!

Saturday October 25th will see the return of the ultimate charity fashion and music extravaganza as Dundrum Town Centre presents Frock ‘n’ Roll at The Round Room, Mansion House, Dublin 2, in aid of the Children’s Cancer Fund, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The charity event, which completely sold out last year, will be hosted by Off The Rails presenter Brendan Courtney, who will be joined by a surprise international co-presenter. The evening will take on a Tokyo Bordello theme, showcasing ‘pure hedonism’ from the world of fashion, music and entertainment. Tickets, which can be purchased by calling 1890 507 508, are priced at Euro 175 each or Euro 1,750 for a table of ten.

I was at it last year and it was one of the best events of 2007. Music, food and fashion, sure what else could one ask for !!

Superquinn unveils €45 water !!

Yes folks, a water that costs €45 per bottle !! 'Bling H2O’ comes in a frosted glass bottle encrusted with Swarovski crystals and is sourced from the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee (I'm sure that's where HRH Dolly Parton is from) at a depth of 800 metres and produced in limited quantities. It retails at €44.99 for a 750ml bottle (not even a bloody litre !!) and is part of Superquinn's new ‘World of Waters’ range.

The range of mineral and spring waters features 24 brands from around the globe and includes the Evian 2008 Christian Lacroix bottle, Karoo from Weltevrede Estate in Paarl, South Africa and Lauquen from the heart of Patagonia in Argentina.

Now, I like my water, in fact I have been labelled an 'aquaholic' in the past, but €45 for a bottle of water? You've got to be kidding me !! Water is water and I don't believe that one is better for you than others. Sure wasn't it only recently that 'scientists' announced that tap water is the best form of drinking water available?

Granted, there'll be people who will buy H2O Bling and refill them for dinner parties, but I actually think the bottle looks really tacky. I much prefer the Christian Lacroix bottle, a fraction of the cost at €5.99, which always adorn the tables of a Leavy soiree !!

At the H2O+ party in Residence

Delicious champagne and caviar canapes were the order of the night as skincare brand H2O+ held a party to welcome creator Cindy Melk to Ireland. Residence on Stephen's Green was the venue for the party and I have to admit that I have really warmed to the venue. It's undoubtedly one of the finest establishments in Ireland, but I initially voiced the opinion that it would be a stuffy place full of the 'place to be seen' crowd. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to realise that most of the 'place to be seen' crowd probably couldn't afford the annual membership for Residence, so instead the place reaks of old money sophistication.

Anyway, I digress. The party was great and the usual heads were there, no one of real interest, apart from Brendan Courtney, who it is always a delight to chat to. The charismatic host was recently unveiled as the new presenter of Off The Rails and I'm looking forward to seeing him in action when the show returns to Rte 1 on Wednesday September 24th.

Good Oral !!

September is Colgate Oral Health Month, which is aimed at promoting awareness of the benefits of good oral health. For more information and oral hygiene tips, log on to http://www.colgate.ie/


As a nation, we don't have a very good reputation for our Hampstead Heath, but there really is no excuse for poor dental hygiene. Brushing twice a day, using a decent mouthwash and flossing after meals can make all the difference, not only to our oral health but also to our coronary health.

Evita comes to Dublin's Gaiety Theatre

You Must Love Me! Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical masterpiece Evita opens at the Gaiety Theatre from September 15th – 27th. West End performer Louise Dearman will be taking on the role of the extraordinary Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine president Juan Peron, who, from young and ambitious beginnings, gained enormous wealth and power during her ultimate rise to sainthood. It's worth a look but don't expect the usual glitz and glamour associated with a musical, this ones laden with political and historical undertones !! www.gaietytheatre.ie

Style in the City

Fashion diary date! September sees the inaugural Style in the City fashion event, which takes place in Dublin’s Merrion Square from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th September. The event features fashion tips, pampering, catwalk shows, make-up advice and much more. One of the main highlights is bound to be irritating fashion duo Trinny and Susannah's Style Academy, an up close and personal demonstration of their 'foolproof' formula for fabulous dressing and making the most of what you’ve got to look. For tickets and more information, log on to http://www.styleinthecity.ie/


Those two dickheads would make me run for the hills, but the event is bound to attract throngs of women in desperate need of some style advise !!

Erin Brokovich coming to Dublin !!

I'm a little bit excited about this one because I love a good rags to riches / bleeding heart story !! Renowned campaigner and activist Erin Brockovich, subject of the 2000 Oscar-winning film of the same name, will address an audience at University College Dublin on Saturday, September 20th. The event is being held by organic dairy Glenisk to celebrate Ireland’s National Organic Week, which runs from September 15th – 21st. Tickets for the event are available from www.ticketmaster.ie or by calling 0818 719300. Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the GM-free Ireland Network, the NGO which campaigns to keep genetically modified organisms out of Irish agriculture and food.

Ok so it's hardly glam stuff but I'd put money on the fact that she's fascinating to listen to and will have the audience enthralled by her stories. I can't wait !!

A Woman's Right to Shoes !!

Carrie Bradshaw once said; "The fact is, sometimes it's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun." Quite right! And for every woman who has looked longingly at Ms Bradshaw's fabulous shoe collection, rejoice! The genius who created all of her most beautiful footwear arives in Ireland this autumn. Yes, for the first time in the world, outside of his own shoe stores, Manolo Blahnik opens his shoe boutique in Brown Thomas Dublin in October. Hoo-rah !!

At the launch of the Boddles Wonderland collection

Earlier this week, I attended the launch of the Boodles Wonderland collection at the British Ambassador's stunning residence in Sandyford. It was a very British affair as a handful of guests sipped tea and nibbled on pretty cupcakes, and I couldn't help but be absolutely awe-struck as I viewed the gorgeous collection of one-off jewellery pieces.

Most of the 14 pieces cost in excess of €100,000 and it's difficult not to think, especially when holding a diamond ring worth nearly €500,000, that the cost of some of these pieces could buy you a decent-sized house !!


The collection, nearly half of which has already sold, will be on display in the Boodles store on Grafton Street for the rest of the month. It will then be brought back to the London store, where the remaining pieces will inevitably be snapped up by some very rich fans of bling !!

The Three Remaining Golden Girls: Where Are They Now?

With the news of Estelle Getty's death, I got to thinking (how very Carrie Bradshaw of me), where are the other Golden Girls now and what have they been doing since the show ended in 1992? So I consulted with my good friend Wikopedia and thought I'd share my findings...

Betty White
White won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for the first season of The Golden Girls and was nominated every year of the show's run. When Bea Arthur left in 1992, White, McClanahan and Getty reprised their roles of Rose, Blanche and Sophia in the spin-off The Golden Palace. The series was short-lived, lasting one season.


After The Golden Palace was cancelled, White guest-starred on a number of television programs including; Ally McBeal, The Ellen Shoe, That 70s Show and Malcolm in the Middle. She received Emmy Award nominations for her appearances on Suddenly Susan, Yes Dear and The Practice. She won an Emmy in 1996 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, appearing as herself on an episode of the John Larroquette Show. She has also lent her voice to several cartoons including, The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy.


In December 2006, White joined trash soap The Bold and the Beautiful in the role of Ann Douglas, the long-lost mother of the show's matriarch Stephanie Forrester. She now has a recurring role in ABC's Boston Legal as calculating, blackmailing gossip-monger Catherine Piper.


Bea Arthur
After The Golden Girls, Bea Arthur made several guest appearances on television shows and toured with her one-woman show. She made a guest appearance on an Emmy-nominated episode of Futurama as the voice of the Femputer, who ruled the giant Amazonian women. How apt !! She also appeared in an episode of Malcolm in the Middle and was nominated for a guest-star Emmy for her performance.

In 2002, she made a triumphant return to Broadway starring in Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends, a collection of stories and songs based on her life and career. The show was nominated for a Tony award for Best Special Theatrical Event, but lost to Elaine Stritch At Liberty. This year, Arthur was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.


Arthur was married twice, first to author Robert Alan Aurthur, and second to director Gene Saks, with whom she adopted two sons Matthew and Daniel. She lives in LA and has an apartment in New York City and a country home in Bedford, New York. She also has a sister who lives in Montreal.


Rue McClanahan
Rue's post Golden Girls career is a little patchy. She made the usual guest appearances and did a few forgettable movies, but in May 2005, she took over the role of Madame Morrible in the hit Broadway Musical Wicked, for which she received mixed reviews. She received positive notice from the New York Times, who said, "The former Golden Girls star Rue McClanahan, dressed in flamboyant kimono-like costumes, is doing maaahvelous things with vowel sounds as Madame Morrible, the flamboyant headmistress of the witches' school. She steals scenes with a flip of a hand."

A lifelong animal-rights advocate and vegetarian, McClanahan was one of the first celebrity supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 1997 and survived with the help of cancer expert Dr. Larry Norton and her sixth husband, the much younger Morrow Wilson. She also has a son, Mark Bish, from a previous marriage. Her autobiography, My First Five Husbands, was released last year.


In June 2008, The Golden Girls was awarded the 'Pop Culture' award at the Sixth Annual TV Land Awards. Betty White, Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan all turned up to accept the award.

Golden Girl passes away

Golden Girls legend Estelle Getty, who played sharp-tongued Sophia Petrillo in the award winning comedy, has passed away at her home in LA at the age of 84.

Born Estelle Scher to Polish immigrants in New York, Getty married New York businessman Arthur Gettleman (the source of her stage name) in 1947, and they had two sons, Carl and Barry. The tiny actress was always evasive about her height, acknowledging only that she was 'under 5 feet and under 100 pounds.' She is survived by her sons Carl and Barry Gettleman, brother David Scher and sister Rosilyn Howard.

I'm a huge fan of American comedies, and while I love the likes of Friends and Will and Grace, nothing makes me laugh as much as the Golden Girls. I have every episode on DVD, but just like Sex and the City on Paramount, you can't beat sitting down to watch a couple of random episodes of The Golden Girls on Living TV on a Saturday or Sunday morning. What would we do without Living TV? There'd be no America's Next Top Model with Tyra (it's all about ME!) Banks, no Britain's Next Top Model with Lisa (I only got this gig cos I slept with Clooney) Snowden, and there'd be no So You Can Think You Can Dance with Nigel (I wish I was Simon Cowell) Lythgoe.



Anywho, back to The Golden Girls. The show aired for the first time on September 14th 1985 and ran until May 9th 1992. The four stars of the show were; Bea Arthur, who played dorothy Zbornak, Betty White, who played Rose Nylund, Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux and of course Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo.


The sitcom was originally conceived by NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff, whose inpiration came from a visit he made to his elderly aunt one day. He saw how she and her next-door neighbour, who was also her best friend, interacted with each other. Despite their constant bickering and arguments, they were still the best of friends, and loved each other. He thought that would make a great premise for a TV show, and so The Golden Girls was born.

The Golden Girls won several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice. All four stars won at least one Emmy each throughout the series' entire run. On August 28th 1988, Estelle Getty won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in The Golden Girls.

Surprisingly, Estelle wasn't the oldest out of the four, in fact she was actually the second youngest !! Betty White (born January 17th, 1922) was the oldest, followed by Bea Arthur (May 13th, 1922), then Estelle Getty (July 25th 1923). Rue McClanahan, saucepot Blanche, was the youngest of the four, born February 21st, 1934.


The theme song, 'Thank You For Being a Friend', was originally a number 25 chart hit for Andrew Gold in 1978. The show's version is a cover sung by Cynthia Fee.

9 to 5: The Musical !!

Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, yawnin, stretchin, try to come to life. Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin, out on the streets the traffic starts jumpin and folks like me on the job from 9 to 5... Workin 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin, barely gettin by, its all takin and no givin, they just use your mind and they never give you credit, its enough to drive you crazy if you let it...

Yes folks, 9 to 5: The Musical previews on Broadway on March 24th, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre, following a tryout at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Joe Mantello directs a cast that includes Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, Allison Janney and Marc Kudisch.

HRH Dolly Parton wrote the stage musical's song score and admitted in a recent interview that she hasn't seen many Broadway musicals, but that she "absorbed just enough of the things that I had seen through the years to know how to make it bigger or littler... So I knew just enough, but not enough to screw me up!"

I'm not terribly excited at the the news of a stage version of 9 to 5, I love the song but I thought the film was quite boring and really rather silly. But anything Dolly puts her hand to musically is bound to be a huge success and will no doubt hit London's West End in the near future.

Chocs Away !!

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Temple Bar Cultural Trust will hold their first ever Chocolate Festival from July 25th – 27th. The three day festival of tasty events will feature free treats in a celebration of all things chocolate. Learn how to taste chocolate, distinguish the different types and what to look for in a high quality chocolate, or visit the Chocolate Fair at Meeting House Square to taste a variety of handmade chocolate from around Ireland. Pick up your free Golden Ticket and bring the kids to watch Charlie & The Chocolate Factory under the stars at Meeting House Square’s outdoor screen. www.templebar.ie

Charities reject page 3 girl donation !!

One news piece that has really pissed me off recently is the story that Irish Page 3 model Claire Tully, who will raise at least €5,000 by taking part in RTE's Failte Towers reality show, cannot find a charity to accept her donation. A charity rejecting a generous, legal donationon? What a crock of shit !!



She initially offered the money to the Marie Keating Foundation but they turned her down because they don't want to associate themselves with Claire's chosen career path. A spokesperson for the Marie Keating Foundation said, 'There has to be a stand taken around certain issues.' A stand? Since when did one of the country's major cancer charities start campaigning for moral rights? This is shortsighted nonsense. Claire Tully is a Trinity College graduate who happens to have a great body and has chosen to make a bit of money out of it by becoming 'Ireland's first Page 3 girl'. Fair play to her I say. She should be allowed to donate that money to whoever she chooses and they should graciously accept said donation !!



I completely understand that these charities don't want to upset breast cancer sufferers but I don't think they're looking at the bigger picture here. This money will go towards vital funding that all charities need. Would the Marie Keating Foundation turn down a generous donation from Jordan / Katie Price because she made her millions from getting her boobs out? In my opinion, a charity is there to raise money and accept ALL donations, unless the money was gained through illiegal activity.



Further developments to this story were that Claire, whose mother and grandmother battled breat cancer, was instead going to donate her money to Galway's National Breast Cancer Research Centre. I heard at the weekend that they have now also refused the donation.



Every cloud has a silver lining though and Claire can hopefully take relief in the fact that all of this publicity is guaranteed to raise her profile and she now stands a good chance of raising far more than the €5,000 minimum when Failte Towers starts later this year. I'll certainly be backing her !!

New lingerie range to hit Topshop next week

Fifi Chachnil's lingerie collection for Topshop launches next Wednesday July 23rd. Nude, navy and scarlet bras and knickers with delicate rose bud-bows have a 1950's pin-up feel and prices range from €22 - €60

Hamley's toystore to open in Dundrum

I'm a big kid at heart so I'm more than a little excited about this little piece of news...

World famous toy emporium Hamley’s have announced that they will open in the Dundrum Town Centre later this year. The children’s store, a famous landmark on London’s Regent Street, will be located in the new section of the popular shopping centre, just down from Harvey Nics.


I have loved Hamley's since I was a child and I still pay the magical store a visit whenever I'm in London. I hope they emulate the fun and excitement of the London store by placing product demonstrators everywhere and ensuring there are always plenty of toys and gadgets to play with.



What's more, popular chicken chain Nando's will open next door to Hamley's when the new quarter opens in October. Not as exciting as a world famous toy store but wait until you try their famous Peri Peri chicken, homemade coleslaw and Peri Peri fries, hangover heaven !!

Lacroix Sweetie, Lacroix !!

Mineral water just got a lot more chic with the introduction of the Evian designer bottle, which was created by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. The limited edition is adorned with a coppiced lace pattern, which provides the bottle with a classic frosted feel and is reminiscent of the flora that can be found at the French Alps. €6.49 from selected supermarkets.

Duracell to host free music party in August

Duracell Ultra will host an end of summer party at new Dublin music venue The Academy on Abbey Street on Thursday August 28th. Live music from special guests and top Irish DJ’s will entertain the crowd on the night and dancers, flame throwers and stilt walkers will perform while guests enjoy pizza, beer and wine. A great little thing Duracell do at their events is a battery exchange, where you bring along your old batteries and they replace them with new ones, free of charge.

Free tickets are available at; on www.pigsback.com

Homemade Mojitos !!

They say that staying in is the new going out. I'm not too sure about that, but for those, like myself, who like to enjoy a cocktail or two in the surroundings of their home space, or indeed a girly get together before hitting the town, Bacardi recently launched the Bacardi Mojito Set, which includes everything you need to make the perfect Mojito. I love it !! The pack is - very reasonably I think - priced at around €35 and is available from leading supermarkets.

July issue of Social & Personal on shelf now

Just thought I'd post a little reminder... The July issue of Social & Personal is on shelf now. The latest issue features Ireland's Top 100 Sexy Legs List, an interview with George Clooney, Terry Keane's last words, Summer Style, Yacht Hotties, Social County Galway, Diary of a Diplomats Wife, Spa blah, S&P Style, Personal Shopper, Hollywood Gossip, Mens Health & Grooming, with, you've guessed it, moi,. Plus travel, style, beauty and much more!

Enjoy !!

Thanks a million for the music !!

I just couldn't resist the chance of seeing Mamma Mia again at the Maltesers Irish premiere in The Savoy Dublin last night. I didn't think it was possible, but I enjoyed it even more the second time round. There was less distraction as I wasn't on the constant look out for A List faces, so I was able to enjoy the movie even more.

The Irish audience seemed to enjoy it more than the UK audince, so much so that at one point there was a group of young ladies dancing and singing in the aisles. Go on ya good things !!

My standout memory of the night was the reaction to Pierce Brosnan's SOS performance, I actually thought the girl next to me was going to burst something, her bladder perhaps.


My sister Derbhal accompanied me to the premiere and we both agreed that if they had accidentally hit the play button again at the end of the film, we'd have sat there and watched it all over again !!


Those in attendance at the Irish premiere included Laura Woods, Carly Butler and Ray Shah, who bravely introduced the film and got the audience going with his energetic banter.

At the World Premiere of Mamma Mia in London

I was beyond excited when I was invited to the world premiere of Mamma Mia at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. I have never seen the stage show and, although I like some songs, I wouldn't call myself a big ABBA fan, but I had heard from my movie buff pals that the film is amazing. And boy is it amazing !!




I literally laughed from start to finish as the fantastic cast belted through popular numbers like Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes it All and Money Money Money. I like to call it a face-ache movie; one of those films where you want to stop smiling because it's beginning to hurt, but you just can't.



What's especially brilliant about Mamma Mia The Movie, and what separates it from big screen musical adaptations like Hairspray, is that the cast aren't the best singers and dancers. Pierce Brosnan singing SOS is one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time and I was nearly wetting myself watching his facial expressions as he tried his damnedest to hit the high notes. What would Moneypenny say !!


The star-studded cast includes Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and the always-wonderful Julie Walters. Even the usually irritating Colin Firth failed to irk me during this 90 minute musical bonanza, all set on a beautiful Greek island around the wedding of the local hotel owner's daughter.




Love is a strong focus of the story but this is far from a story about young love, it's an uplifting tale about the relationship between mother and daughter, a movie that says you're never too old to have a happy ever after. And if you're Meryl Streep, you're never to old to sing Dancing Queen whilst bouncing on a bed and throwing your legs all over the place. What a legend !!