Jo’s Girl About Town

Yes, it’s almost time to wrap up the April issue here at IMAGE HQ, but we still make time for some fun. Here’s what I’ve been up to the with the team this week!

Playing dress-up

If you haven’t heard of Helen Cody before now, then listen here. The designer can only be described as the Irish equivalent to Grace Coddington – her brain dreams up dresses that make you want to forget your adult life and live out your childhood dreams of being a princess. Helen works from her studio, so it’s a rare and wondrous thing to be able to see and touch her work in person. if you do one thing this weekend, make it your business to get down to Drury Street and visit her pop-up shop in Industry. You won’t regret it.

Irish music FTW

Last week’s Meteor Choice Music Prize was so much fun and an amazing reminder of the seriously excellent music coming out of our tiny isle right now. There were the biggie nominees obviously – Hozier, The Script, U2 – but actually, the real excitement came from the live performances by bands like The Minutes, The Riptide Movement and James Vincent McMorrow, whose performance was so mesmerizing there wasn’t a dry eye in the house – both male AND female eyes, mind you. Irish music WIN.

Speaking of music ?

When I tell you that seeing Lionel Richie at the 3Arena was a life changing experience, I am not kidding. We all know Lionel as this:

But the 65 year old put on such a brilliant show that I thought the arena would combust when he broke out Dancing On The Ceiling. Our experience was made really sweet, as we got to experience the very VIP treatment: the Three Concierge Desk and 3MCs reception, VIP Kaleidoscope bar, where we had pre-show drinks and light bites via table service, plus the best seats in the house at the show. Being able to recover after Lionel with a nightcap in the lounge, leaving (after the crowds) and hopping straight into a taxi outside has actually ruined me for life – I’ll never be able to enjoy a normal gig experience again. Membership to the club for Birthday/Christmas present, anyone?

Top-secret new places to eat

There are so many incredible eateries opening at the moment that I can barely keep up, however, here are three in Dublin that I’m really excited about:

Fish Shop in Smithfield is poised to be a great, big, savage-feed of a place. Chunky chips and battered fish with lashings of salt and vinegar, if you please.

Posh nosh will be to order at Nick Munier (of Pichet) Avenue, set to open at the end of the month on Temple Bar’s Crow Street.

From the cooks that brought you 777 and Dillingers, our sources tell us that downstairs at Super Miss Sue is soon to open as an Italian joint. Already drooling. Keep an eye on the Dillingers Facebook for details soon.

Keep tabs on Jo on Twitter at?@jo_linehan and?instagram