It's hard to believe it's been eight years since we last saw Mad Mel take the lead on screen. That's not counting his apology with Diane Sawyer on ABC News over anti-Semitic remarks made while DUI in 2006, of course. Mel has kept busy, co-writing and directing Apocalypto and The Passion of the Christ, but here he puts his actor hat back on.
In Edge of Darkness, Mel plays Boston detective Craven whose daughter is murdered at the front door of his home. Initial leads on the case suggest an enemy of Craven's meant to target him, but cooly dismissing this claim and following his hunches, Craven sets about finding Emma's killer and there's something just not quite right about that Globex Corp on the hill...
Oops did we say Globex? No, we mean Northmoor, although it's easy to see why you might confuse the two. Northmoor is an unintentional (we're assuming) parody of the Hank Scorpio-led Globex corp in The Simpsons. In Edge of Darkness, questionable CEO Jack Bennett welcomes Craven into his layer like the nobel man welcomes his guest... Scorpio! Sorry, couldn't resist.
Edge of Darkness is essentially a parody of a parody. The Simpsons parodied James Bond, and Edge of Darkness parodies The Simpsons. It's of little surprise to learn that director Martin Campbell also directed Golden Eye and Casino Royale. The film ticks some of thriller boxes: meeting in underground car park scene - check!, snappy one liners e.g. "welcome to hell" - also check!, but for the most part is comedic - a Sony laptop turns on in seconds!
Worth seeing to hear Mel Gibson say "Give me the skinny" alone. Oh, and he loves german beeeeeeerrrrrrrrr!
Before hibernating to record their next single, Talulah Does the Hula bring their upbeat vinyl to this month’s State Social for a special DJ set. We spoke with the band ahead of the set to suss out what to expect and to put to bed mounting speculation over whether the band’s male member would bring some of his shit-house/shit-funk. All is revealed below, so read on dear reader.
What are you expecting from the State Social?
JESSIE: DJing is a guilty pleasure of mine and it’s even better when you’re doing it with mates so I’m really looking forward to it. Should be a bit of fun, you guys might have trouble removing us.
MICHAEL: State Social? It sounds like a soiree that government officials would attend, so hopefully it’ll be like that. With break-dancing.
What should we expect from you guys?
JESSIE: Most of our new tracks are sounding really disco-tastic these days, so that might be a sign of current influences.
MICHAEL: Expect nothing and you are bound to be pleased/break-dancing.
What kind of music will you playing?
JESSIE: Considering we’ll only be spinning vinyl, more than likely some upbeat stuff circa 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
What is your style of DJing?
MICHAEL: I still have vinyl decks from when I was younger. I went through a phase of DJing at mates parties because we couldn’t get in anywhere. I’ve still got all the records; they range from shit-house to shit-funk. Needless to say, I won’t be bringing them along.
JESSIE: Definitely a “Can’t Mix Won’t Mix” type of DJ, mixing is for douchebags. I DJed for years before the band stuff kicked in, it’s all dried up lately though. Wanna gimme a job?
Can you give us any teasers of potential playlist?
PAULA: Love ‘A House Is Not A Motel’, James Fountain ‘7 Day Lover’, Plastiscines ‘Bitch’, Jonathan Richman ‘New England’.
What are your guaranteed floor fillers?
PAULA: Womack & Womack ‘Teardrops’.
JESSIE: It’s hard to go wrong with Toni Basil’s ‘Hey Mickey’.
No-one’s dancing – what’s the plan?
PAULA: Mike will breakdance. That’s not even a joke.
Ever cleared a dancefloor?
PAULA: Myself and Ceeva DJed at Antics one night. Ceeva put on a particularly downtempo Adam Green song and went to the toilet, leaving me with 50 teenagers staring blankly at me. Then they all promptly legged it for a smoke. Understandably so.
MICHAEL: Every night.
Any tracks you’d never ever play?
PAULA: Lady GaGa. I don’t get it. I mean she looks great, but you may as well be listening to Cascada or something.
Since you’re supporting Power of Dreams soon, will you be sneaking in any 90s choons?
PAULA: Maybe a bit of 90s Britpop… Yeah, I’m really looking forward to that gig. I was a big fan when I was in school. None of the rest of the band have a clue who they are though, which is the funny thing. Ceeva was too young I think, and the rest of the band didn’t grow up in Ireland.
Any songs to bring out the zombie romantics?
PAULA: Right Said Fred ‘Im too Sexy’. That’s what you meant, right?
Sure. What is the most embarrassing record in your collections? Assuming it’s not Right Said Fred…
JESSIE: Our band has a high threshold for shame, so there’s probably nothing we’d get embarrassed about.
Guilty pleasures?
PAULA: Girls Aloud, La Roux, Rogers & Hammerstein.
Most pretentious record you own?
PAULA: For some reason, I always put on this John Coltrane record when I’m having people over. Which in itself isn’t that pretentious, but it seems like it, especially when the next record that goes on will probably be Girls Aloud.
First single and album you ever bought?
PAULA: Single – Frankie Goes To Hollywood ‘Power of Love’. Album – Five Star, Between The Lines.
JESSIE: My first Cassingle was Iggy Pop ‘Candy’. It’s hard to know my first album as my Mom had a fabulous record collection in the 80s that I have since acquired.
If State readers comment below with requests, would you consider ‘em?
PAULA: No. We only get an hour. Stop hogging our glory.
The State Social #2 takes place on Wednesday, 24 February, Downstairs at Shebeen Chic, 4 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2. Featuring DJ sets from Talulah does the hula, Phil Udell and Loreana Rushe. And breakdancing from Michael. From 9pm. Free entry.
To be fair, the lads (and lass) at Cobra Starship lay their cards on the table from the outset. With purple bubble writing on the album case reading ‘Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We’re Famous’, it’s safe to assume they don’t take themselves too seriously. And why would they? Hot Mess is an album about being bad and partying. Hard.
A first listen to Hot Mess induced a ‘cringe’ face, not seen here since Wentz’s wifey Ashlee Simpson, hillbilly danced on Saturday Night Mime, er, we mean Live. Some lyric samples; ‘I treat her bad, she loves me good’ and ‘We were hanging in your basement eating pills and falling in love’- now imagine these coupled with cheerleader chants, keytar synths, cock rock solos and vocodered vocals. You get the idea.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect to hear Cobra Starship accompanying a house party/overdose scene in Channel Four’s ‘Skins’ some time soon. Or they might pop up in Gossip Girl, since Leighton Meester who plays Blair, pops up for guest vocals on ‘Good Girls Go Bad’. With Wentz’s Fall Out Boy reportedly on permanent hiatus, Cobra Starship could easily fill the dead emo space left by the band. They are pretty similar, only with added synths and tongue in cheek. Lying somewhere between Gossip and !!! lie this glorified tribute act. Hot Mess should be taken at face value. It is fashion and it’s fun, but equally its sequined neon splendour seems forced. Expect them to be big on Spin 1038.
After receiving a link to a ‘too good to believe’ coupon, giving two mains for €15 at any Milano, a visit to the Dún Laoghaire branch was swiftly arranged. Arriving with a companion on a Thursday afternoon, the restaurant on Harbour Square was quiet enough with only one family and a few other couples dotted around the room.
Thankfully, we weren’t seated right up next to another table to make the room appear busier from the outside, a tactic that makes for an uncomfortable dining experience. Rather, we were seated alone at a small table and before coats were off were asked for beverage requests. Ordering a glass of the house white (a pinot grigio €6.35) and a Coca-Cola (€3.05), we perused the menu. I settled on the Tricolore to start (€7.50), a thin rosemary dough topped with buffalo mozzarella, guacamole and roasted tomatoes, while my companion ordered bruschetta (€6.35).
The Tricolore is part of the new Francesco Mazzei menu which is advertised with mouth watering images in a booklet on each table. The intro arrived on a slate tile with a pizza cutter, while the dough was crisp and flavoursome and the guacamole perfect, the mozzarella was piled high and tasteless. My companion was let down by the bruschetta, announcing ‘I wasn’t expecting a boat of bruschetta’, the plate hosted a large mound of dough swimming in oil and topped with both red onion and seasoned tomatoes. The Moby Dick of bruschetta was tasty, although quite filling for a starter.
The mains arrived perfectly timed from the starter, we both opted for pizza. I, the American Hot (pepperoni and jalapeno peppers) and my companion, the Il Padrino (torn chicken breast, char grilled Italian vegetables and roast tomatoes) - two mains for €15. The American Hot was plentiful of pepperoni but very scant on jalapenos, my companion certainly made the better decision - the Il Padrino was sublime, the chicken juicy and the vegetables cooked firm, not mushy.
We finished things off with a giant Toffee Fudge Glory (€6.95) and two scoops of Gelato, one flavourful pistachio and one pod heavy vanilla (€4.85). The total bill of €50.50 was delivered by our attentive and
efficient waiter. Although the final bill ended up being more than we expected on our 'bargain' meal, we can attribute that to our greed, but considering we both had 3 courses and a drink, €50 was good value.
The two mains for €15 offer is available any day (bar Saturdays and Valentine’s Day) until March 7th 2010 - get your voucher here. But seriously, who would pull out a coupon on Valentine's anyway?
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we hit the streets of Dublin to hear some the capital's worst dumping stories...
Neil Caffrey, Blanchardstown I once texted an ex after a romantic weekend together to say I loved him. The text back read 'Sorry, I'm just not interested'.
Stephen Stewart, Malahide When I was 17, I went down to Malahide beach to meet my mates. My girlfriend was there kissing some other guy.
Constantin Popa, Romania She sent her mother to tell me. So, I asked her mother out for coffee. She said no.
Laura Curry, Glasnevin I just left the country. The hardest bit was saying goodbye to his cat.
Jenny Kilday, New Zealand Breaking up with my first love was the worst. I was still in love with him.
Sarah Meyler, Terenure One of my friends got a text that said, ' I was going with the flow but the flow just stopped.'
Christina Daly, Stepaside I dumped a boyfriend over the phone because he was too clingy. He said it was the cruelest thing I could've done, but I had been tempted to just text him.
Sylvia McArdle, South Circular Road I brought him to the cinema, whispered in his ear... and left.
Luke Collins, Bray The best way is to score someone else in front of them. Alexander Jones, Clontarf I called my ex 'ugly' and watched her walk away.
Hazel Boundy, London I've been married for 40 years, so I'm not really qualified to answer that one!
Deirdre Flynn, Rathfarnam I texted my friend bad things about guy I had a date with. Only I sent it to him by mistake.
Joern Huelsmeier, Harolds Cross I've been dumped by email. It's not too bad as you don't have to respond right away.
Selenge McClave, Phibsboro I faked my address on the walk home after a date. He couldn't find me again.
Playwright Tom Kilroy tells up about Christ Deliver Us!, a play inspired by a 19th-century German tragedy that tackles abortion, rape and suicide, and which gets its world premiere at the Abbey this month.
What did you take from Frank Wedekind's 'Spring Awakening'?
It started out as a straight adaptation, but as I went on it moved further and further away from the original and eventually become an Irish play rather than a German play. The central story is about teenagers in a very repressed society, and I reset in Ireland in the 1950s, my own schooldays.
When did you write it?
I finished writing it during these rehearsals. I was still writing when we were rehearsing. it was originally written six or seven years ago but I went back to it again. I think I improved it.
How are rehearsals going?
They're going very well. I like to leave the actors alone and stay away from the rehearsal room while they are trying to work it out creatively themselves. I think it gives them freedom. It's a chance for me to work with young people, We have a brilliant young director, Wayne Jordan and some wonderfully talented young actors, boys and girls. That's been a great pleasure for me.
Tell us about the main characters.
Mossie and Michael are buddies, Michael gets involved with Winnie and they have a relationship, so it's a love story as well as everything else. Although it's a tragic love story. Mossie is one of these characters who's very vunerable, sensitive and troubled with a very unhappy family background. So the story is essentially the three of them.
The play has been tagged as highlighting the hypocrisy of a society under the thumb of the Church...
It's a play that was written before the Murphy report, but I see it as a play behind the clerical scandals. It's not about sex abuse, it's a play that deals more with physical abuse. There was a great deal of physical abuse in schools when I was growing up, so it has that. It's about the hypocrisy of church and state in dealing with young people.
And you've written a play about William Blake? Yes, I've written it, but it hasn't been produced. It's a difficult play to do, again it's a large scale play. It's about his relationship to his wife, she was a remarkable life. She was an illiterate person but she understood this strange man that she was married to. It's about their relationship more than anything else.
'Spring Awakening' was made into a musical, any plans yourself?
Ha ha! Musicals? Well I don't know about that. Spring Awakening was a rock musical, I didn't see the musical version but I know about it, and it's very successful apparently.
Christ Deliver Us runs at the Abbey Theatre, Abbey Street, Dublin 1 from February 16 - 13 March.€38/€28, abbeytheatre.ie
With exec producer Oprah Winfrey at the helm of the publicity drive, potential audiences for Preciousmight expect O-style subject treatment - downtrodden people overcoming stuff, redemption, spirituality. The trailer only adds fuel to these expectations. But there's no self-affirmation or inspirational positivity to be found here. The truth is, it's bleak. Really bleak.
The film opens on an unruly classroom in Harlem 1987, at the back sits poker-faced Claireece Precious Jones. With a glazed expression Precious reveals little to the world around her but we are afforded access to her thoughts via voiceover. Between daydream and reality, we soon learn that our hero is sixteen, pregnant for the second time (by her father) and now, suspended from school.
Aswe are given snapshot of her homelife -cats, grease, abusive mother, - we get an insight to the litany of physical and emotional abuse that Precious is subjected to. Fantasising a new life, Precious attends an 'alternative' school to help her illiteracy and attempts to build a support system around herself.
The film's story obviously has emotional appeal, but it refuses to take the easy road and pull on the heart strings with guaranteed tear jerker cliches, as you might expect. The trailer sets you up for a film of slow motion and montages, but this is not the case, and aside from one or two comments from teacher Blu Rain, Precious is neither preachy or patronising.
Its grim social realism is broken only with short bursts of fantasy, which can be jarring but thankfully become less frequent as the film progresses. This conflict of genre is a bold move by director Lee Daniels who has taken several risks with Precious. In terms of talent, the mix of newcomers, typecast and slated actors seems like a move destined for failure but it somehow works.
Gabourey Sidibe makes her debut as our hero with a low key performance that is restrained and pitch perfect. Elsewhere, it's easy to see why M'oNique won the Best Supporting Actress gong at the Golden Globes for her powerful portrayal of Precious' mother Mary, a surprising turn from the actress better known for her sitcom roles. The casting divas Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz was a gamble that paid off with understated but strong displays from both.
For the most part Precious makes uncomfortable viewing, but it is genuine and surprising. Just don't see it if you're feeling a bit blue.
Armed with a Ford Zephyr, a Contax II camera and his wife Jean, amateur photographer and businessman Charles W. Cushman chronicled Americana in vivid colour from the 1930s to the 1960s. Travelling the length and breath of U.S., Cushman witnessed and captured key changes in the modern age. His images of abandoned buildings in former mining towns, Texas cotton farms and crowded ghetto streets formed a visual slide show of mid-century history and society. In the sixties the couple began travelling to Europe and in June 1961, the Cushmans arrived in Dublin.
At the time Elvis Presley and Del Shannon topped the pop charts and The Capitol Showband toured America during lent season, when the Irish ballrooms closed. Cinema goers in Ireland saw 'The Misfits', 'Victim' and 'Whistle Down the Wind' in one of the fifty cinemas of Dublin city and its suburbs. 1961 also saw John F. Kennedy become president of the United States, Ireland applied for full membership of the EEC and Telifis Eireann launched at the end of 1961 with an opening address on New Years Eve from Eamonn De Valera. This was the period captured by Cushman's Contax II.
Although little is known of intricacies of the Cushmans' visit, we know they arrived on a British European Airways flight and visited Arklow, Drogheda, Dalkey, Glendalough and Avoca. However the bulk of Cushman's photographs focused on Dublin's city centre, particularly College Green, Dame St, O'Connell Brige, Dublin Castle, South Great George's St and the spectacular views from room 519 in the Shelbourne.
The pictures printed across these pages show a very different Dublin from what we know today. From a motorist's point of view, you could drive down Grafton Street, you could nestle your Morris Minor or Austin Devon up beside Henry Grattan on College Green and your Ford Prefect or Austin A40 next to Daniel O'Connell on O'Connell St. Clampers weren't even a twinkle in their mothers' eyes.
As a cyclist you wouldn't have to worry about being clipped by a car if you were riding inside this swarm of beige on Dame St. Over on Georges St, it looks like little has changed at The Long Hall while the red and white flags hoisted outside Cassidy's celebrated the visit of Prince Rainer & Princess Grace of Monaco. The royals' visit caused chaos as an estimated 30,000 people took to O'Connell street to try get a glimpse of the couple, who attended a ball in the Gresham Hotel on the 12th June. It was the beginning of an exciting decade which saw many other famous visitors to Ireland including Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, The Rolling Stones, Jayne Mansfield and The Beatles. Sadly, Cushman himself never returned.
See the entire Cushman collection at:dlib.indiana.edu/collections/cushman
As far as robots go, C-3PO ranks up there with the most annnoying. Imagine waking up to, 'R2, you shouldn't be so polite,this little rebel is going to be late.' Nag nag nag. So it comes of little surprise to learn that C-3PO has never had a solo career in the alarm clock industry. R2D2's, on the other hand, is going from strength to strength. It began with the 1977 original C3PO and R2D2 alarm clock duo, but R2 later ditched the dead weight for a collect-the-labels promotion with 7UP in the nineties. Argos are selling this similar model, although bigger and with clearer projection for €34.84. Argos, Parnell Mall, The Ilac Centre, Dublin 1.
2. Clapperboard Clock
Ever wake up feeling like Tom Cruise? Nah, us neither. It's at least 11am before we start talking to bottles and jumping up and down on the sofa. But with this clapperboard alarm clock you can feel like movie star every day. The LCD clock wakes you up with an alarm that can only be silenced with a swift snap of the clapper – shrill yelling of “action!” is optional, but recommended. You'll be out of bed before you can say, “I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.” €49 B Cool Gadgets, Unit G15A, The Pavillions Shopping Centre, Swords, Dublin. 8075742.
3. JML Colour Touch
If forever-in-our-hearts 'Changing Rooms' (RIP) taught us anything, its that accessories are a handy way to bring character to any blank room. Team JML were also listening and the proof is in their new Colour Touch alarm clock (€5). The two leading features are in the name - it can change colour and it turns off if you touch any part of it. But it doesn't stop there; there is also a calendar function, temperature display and a countdown timer. It's being sold as the everyman clock. The ad shows two children gleefully pouring over it in a tent as Mr JML tells us, 'Even the kids can take their clock on their little adventures!' Chuck out that DS then. Heatons, 200 The Park, Carrickmines, Dublin 18. 2943160.
4. Clocky the Runaway
'Toys for Big Boys' listed this renegade wheelie clock as one of their 'Top Ten Essential Gadgets' late last year. On a list that also included the Slanket, it's no mean feat. Clocky is a runaway alarm clock that puts an end to multi-snoozing. You can set yourself to a limit of snoozes from 0 – 9 minutes, depending on how your self discipline is - or how optimistic you're still feeling about 'the new you' post-new year. Clocky will jump up off your nightstand and run away beeping and booping droid-like until you get up. The manufacturers claim Clocky can jump 3 feet, which means in animal terms Clocky is an armadillo. www.pressieport.ie €49.99
5. Dekad
Ikea don't give us a nostalgic spiel about the timelessness of the Dekad clock or the romance of rituals. They just lay out the facts. Swedish style. They point out it's 'good to know' the clock should be wound every 24 hours. The clock frame is steel, the face is paper, the backing is plastic, the front is glass and the handle is aluminium with a powder coating. That's all you need to know really, oh and it's pretty. €4.99 IKEA, Margaret's Road, Ballymun, Dublin 11. 1890 987 938.
6. BeoTime
BeoTime is the Bang & Olufsen alarm clock that is visually more like a futuristic wand. Designer Steffen Schmelling was apparently inspired by Mozart's The Magic Flute and the conflict between light and dark within it. You can choose to wake up to the BeoTime Chime, radio station or piece of music – whether that's Mozart or Miley Cyrus. The best bit is you can use the flute/wand/clock to control other Bang & Olufsen appliances like the TV, loudspeaker or lights. Although, this assumes you have a gaff full of expensive B&O a/v equipment. You can't play it like a flute though. Bang & Olufsen, 6 Bachelors Walk, Dublin 1. 2602404.
7. iPod Dock
We couldn’t make a top ten alarm clock list without including an iPod docker. You can get thousands of pointless iPod compatible accessories these days, including the iStethoscope, iBreathalyzer and iTable, but an iPod alarm docker is actually useful. This Gear 4 CRG-70W has a compact minimalist design with detachable speakers which can be positioned around the room or in the base tray. It will charge an iPod or an iPhone and gives you the option to wake up the iPod, radio or a buzzer. We don’t recommend leaving ‘Time’ by Pink Floyd to prompt you out of bed.€59.99
HMV, 65 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. 6795334.
8. Pink Floyd Twin Bell
You can’t call Pink Floyd sell outs for bringing out an alarm clock. After all, their homage to time on Dark Side of the Moon called er, ‘Time’ gave antique alarmclocks a significant airing in its lengthy introduction. This little beauty is a classic twin bell with quartz accuracy, the face picture is the lake postcard that came as an insert with the album ‘Wish You Were Here’. Floyd fans might prefer to wake up to an actual song but when you consider the lyrics of Time which include “one day closer to death, every year is getting shorter”, it’s probably best you don’t start your day in complete despair. Also avail in Led Zeppelin. €24.99
Asha Boutique, 212, St Stephens Green, Shopping Centre, Dublin 2. 4781396.
9. Sony ICF-C205
This is the alarm clock we imagine Zac Morris would’ve used. Ok so the ‘Saved by the Bell’ theme tune doesn’t sell it very well, he did miss the bus after all. But we reckon it was because he spent too much time giving himself ‘a look’, so it wasn’t the alarm’s fault. This Sony ICF-C205 is retro in a seemingly unconscious way. It boasts an FM/AM analogue tuner, 0.7 inch green LCD, a single alarm and a sleep timer. There’s no bells and whistles here (excuse the pun) but it’ll wake you up with the radio. Maybe even in time to do ‘the sprain’ with Lisa Turtle. €19.99
Peats World of Electronics, 25 Parnell Street, Dublin 1. 8727799.
10. Disney Princess Glow Time
Who better to persuade little girls to go to bed than Sleeping Beauty? This alarm clock is a nice alternative to a poisoned apple. The face changes between day and night according to when you set the sleep and wake alarms - Sleeping Beauty represents night naturally, and Cindarella represents day. Go Glow’s aim is to help form a sleep routine and this is really its only function. It is not an education tool to help learn the time - it doesn’t even have a minute hand. But it might buy you a few more minutes in bed. €23
Hamleys Toys, Pembroke District :: Level 1 Unit 51, Dundrum Shopping Centre, Dublin 14. 2924900.
I love The Iveagh Gardens on Hatch Street. It’s a gorgeous Victorian park. We play rounders there in the summer, its loadsa fun.
Eating
My favourite restaurant in the city has got to be Millers on Baggot Street; their gourmet pizza are obscenely delicious. I also love Copperinger Row; they’ve a great selection of tapas.
Food
I’ve recently started cooking at home, I’m beginning to get good at it but I’m not quite there yet. I make these cheese masterpieces where I have four different types of cheese. I go to the Harcourt Street food market and the market by the canal by Baggot Street, where I stock up on all my cheeses. I also love Fallon & Byrne; they have an amazing cheese deli.
Bars
I obviously go to WAR every Friday in Spy because that’s my night. I love Seomra Spraoi, which is a kind of speakeasy off Mountjoy Square that’s really cool. I also really like The Bernard Shaw, The Button Factory and Twisted Pepper.
Shopping
It was Circus but Circus is closing so I’m in a rage about that. I like shopping in Lucy’s Lounge in Temple Bar because it’s one of the only good vintage stores in the city. I also go to Indigo & Cloth on South William Street, BT, American Apparel and Topshop and Brown Thomas are always deadly.
Ups
The best thing about Dublin is that it has a great community element to it. No matter where you go you seem to know some body. I think there’s a lot of creativity going on in the city right now, which is amazing.
Downs
The shopping isn’t that great, it can be very expensive and the selection isn’t that good. There are not many interesting boutiques, it’s all quite generic. Also, people who wear fake tan and pile their hair up on top of their heads like a bird nest with black panda eyes.
Area
I love Portobello, all the Victorian terraces are really beautiful, as well as the Powerscourt Townhouse. I think what they’ve done with the docklands on the Southside it’s really great. The Grand Canal Theatre is the most amazing building.
Sports
I don’t do sports, are you on drugs? I watch the odd rugby match in the pub, but it’s more of a social thing.
Heroes
Andrea Horan is my Dublin hero, she is a gay icon. She does loads of shows around Dublin and when I was really young, she took me under her wing. She’d be one of my heroes. I know Senator David Norris isn’t from Dublin, but he’s an honorary Dublin man and he is an incredible person. I like Ivanna Bacik too, she’s sexy.
Villains
The drinking laws are absolute villains, they are scourge to the city. Also taxi drivers who don’t know where they going, they drive me nuts.
Hobbies
I don’t really have any hobbies. I kind of just work and dance. Just rounders in the summer, I don’t think anyone has the time for hobbies these days.
Press
I am an avid of The Sunday Times and I love reading The Sunday Independent for its hilarity. The Life section is gas, especially the Day in the Life. I read Una Mullally’s column in the Tribune, that’s always brilliant. Magazine-wise I read Social and Personal, Image and The Dubliner, obviously.
Music
I really like Simian Mobile Disco and I’m an unashamed Britney Spears fan. She’s been brilliant especially since she had the break down. On my iPod at the moment are Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy and Chromeo, Madonna and Marina and the Diamonds.
TV/Radio
Spin 1038 play the really trashy pop that I love. It’s my guilty pleasure. I also like the Alison Curtis show. On TV, I’m obsessed with Glee and True Blood. Summer Heights High is the best show ever - Mr G is like ecstasy. I also Coronation Street, I was devasted when Blanch died.
A basement office lit by fluorescent bulbs seemed like an inappropriate venue to road test a MarvinGaye album. Commonly linked to songs for sexy times in Valentine's day polls, I assumed it was for some sort of topical tie-in. An assumption quickly dismissed when I was handed 'What's Going On'.
The opening title track set me straight, talk of pickets lines and picket signs situates the album immediately in its social/political concept, as it explores poverty, war and prayer.
Although released by Motown Records it doesn't fit the usual Motown mould, what with it being a conceptual album with social commentary and all. Liberal use of flute, jazz piano and soft strings in 'Right On' makes it the stand out track, clocking in an epic seven and a half minutes.
But as Marv says himself in the sleeve notes: "[i]f you like the artist well enough to buy his or her album, you don't have to be told how groovy it is, or which tunes you should dig, or how great his or her majesty is."
Not recommended for seduction. Unless you're trying to seduce a hippie.
We've all been there. Pressing your back against the closest wall to your web endowed neighbours, about the peruse the delights of thedubliner.ie only to be blocked by the words 'Security Enabled Network'. The jerks had finally cottoned on. What to do? As the saying goes there's no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as free internet access, read on as The Dubliner shares the best Wi-Fit mooching spots in the city.
1. Dylan Bar in The Dylan, Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4.
If you're looking for five star treatment with free Wi-Fi, look no further. Despite its hyper modernity, the Dylan bar is deceptively comfortable and for those needing quiet time, it's relatively kiddie free. As of last month, the new bar menu offers soup of the day for €5.95. Disclaimer: By 'five star' we mean luxury, not the flamboyant brother and sister singing group best known for their 1986 hit 'System Addict'. The Dylan Bar, Eastmoreland Place, Dublin. 6603000, dylan.ie
2. The Market Bar, Fade St, Dublin 2.
This old sausage factory is now best known for its tapas, but the real USP of The Market Bar for Wi-Fi moochers is that it offers a heated and covered beer garden. Admittedly it's more of a beer cavern, but it means you can eat tapas, have a smoke and use your dry laptop to go online. Result. Tapas plates start at €8 and the outdoor tables are relatively wobble free. The Market Bar, 14 Fade Street, Dublin 2. 6139094, marketbar.ie
3. McDonalds, Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin 1.
Alongside Grafton street, this little eaterie was one of the first McDonalds to open in Ireland back in 1977. Now open 24 hours, this branch also houses a McCafe following refurbishments that saw the gaudy cream and pinks being replaced by dark wood and fast broadband. With the Euro Saver menu expanding to include €2 coffee and €1 hamburgers, one question still baffles, does anyone have the apple bags instead of fries? Anyone? McDonalds Restuarant, 50 to 51 Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin 1. 8720050, mcdonalds.ie
4. Green Nineteen Cafe, Camden Street, Dublin 2.
Shepard Fairey's stencil portrait of Obama, that's the 'Hope' poster to you and me, greets visitors to this Camden Street caff. It's a pretty ambitious first impression, but the attention to detail in all aspects of Green Nineteen just saves it. The wide tables can fit laptop and a lunch comfortably and the Soup of the Day comes in at €4. We also like that the menu points out Tap Water cost €0. Green Nineteen Cafe, 19 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2. 478 9626, green19.ie
5. Stir Cafe in the Maldron Hotel, Smithfield, Dublin 7.
Smithfield Plaza is surprisingly scant for free Wi-Fi opportunities. But through extensive research and common sense we have learned, where there is a hotel, there is generally free Wi-Fi. Smithfield's Maldron hotel houses the Stir Cafe & Bar, although the decor is a bit clinical and the atmosphere formal, the Wi-Fi is reliable and speedy. Soup of the Day €4.90 or soup and any sandwich for €6.99. Maldron Hotel, Smithfield, Dublin 7. 485 0900, maldronhotels.com
6. Insomnia, IFSC, Dublin 1.
All Insomnia cafes with the flying cup logo above the doorway provide free Wi-Fi for customers, we like this one for simultaneously web browsing and people watching. Nearby neighbours Starbucks have a card systems for internet access but it's instant connection in Insomnia. Hosted by Eircom, you won't be able to access piratebay.org but you can console yourself with their famous Lily O'Brien's Hot Chocolate (€3.10). Insomnia, IFSC, Dublin 1. 6720320, insomnia.ie
7. Bia Bar, Lower Stephen Street, Dublin 2.
Bia Bar does food as the name suggests, but it also does free Wi-Fi as the name does not suggest. A lunchtime visit sees some solitary suits eating lunch and few laptops lingering about. Noticeably and most interestingly, there is a couple having 'the talk'. It seems like a good venue for it, quiet but not too quiet, discreet and without harsh lighting. If you're feeling particularly callous, you could use the Wi-Fi and dump them on Facebook. Soup of the Day €3.95. Bia Bar, 28-30 Lower Stephen Street, DUBLIN 2. 4053653, biabar.ie
8. Cafe Bar in The Morrison, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1.
Paul McCartney might not approve, but the leather couches and armchairs in the Cafe Bar are worth the visit alone. With plenty of natural light, you won't do your eyes too much damage and if you look past your laptop the view of the Liffey can be soothing. The Dubliner's patented 'Soup of the Day' index, sees it come in a hefty €6.95, but remember those chairs. Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1. 8872400, morrisonhotel.ie
