Compiled by Nicoline Greer
TEENS AND PROTEINS Garth and Marc McColgan have grand plans for the maligned youth of today. Their Food Active summer camp is taking teenagers' tastes beyond fizzy drinks and crisps. The brothers have been teaching transition-year students the joys of fresh food since 1996. On these courses, teenagers learn to prepare food and get to know what they are eating. Blindfold tastings awaken senses of taste and smell and show them how to really enjoy food. This year, there will be an opportunity to see food beyond the supermarket shelf, as they go foraging for food, and then cook and eat it. And the sports programme will work up an appetite for it all. Now booking for one- and two-week courses (EUR220 and EUR395) for boys and girls aged 11-17 in June-August. St Conleth's College, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. www.foodactive.ie, info@foodactive.ie or 086-8066111.
ON THE TABLE Elements, designer Pat McCarthy's new range of tableware for the Kilkenny shops in Dublin, Galway and Killarney was inspired, he says, by fabric, and has transported him into new territory in every sense. A trip to New York where he saw "amazing" Japanese bowls gave him the idea of creating a range of ceramics that was less ornate than traditional Irish domestic pottery, but still drew on Ireland. The four colours are those of the landscape, a turf brown, an olive green, a speckled cream and a vivid blue prompted by his experience of experimenting with washed denim in Magee of Donegal. The shapes include tall, tapered bottle-style vases (look great with grasses), large platters, pasta dishes and breakfast bowls "for casual dining", he says. The collection was developed with the technical assistance of the Oak Leaf pottery in Kilkenny, near where McCarthy now lives. "I very much wanted texture, not flat surfaces, so we did a lot of glaze testing and settled for reactive glazes which give surface colour and texture," he says. From EUR9.95 for a cereal bowl and EUR14.95 for a dinner plate, up to EUR44.95 for the tall vases. Deirdre McQuillan
BE A HAS-BIN Today marks the beginning of World Environment Week, so why not celebrate by stocking up on a few Minimax Recycling Containers. These ultra-practical bins take the hassle out of going green and come in all shapes, sizes and colours. They're perfect for storing glass, cans, plastics, Tetra Pak, paper and food tins, while the lockable lids mean there are no messy spills. Stylishly designed, they stack neatly in even the tiniest utility space - there's even a dinky compost bin for all your green waste. The bins are priced from EUR6.50, and distributor Waste Separation Solutions will deliver from one to five bins nationwide for a delivery charge of EUR9.50. Just fill them up, empty them at your nearest bring centre and give yourself a pat on the back for keeping another load out of landfill. Waste Separation Solutions (0506-41868), www.wastess.com. Róisín Ingle
SEA FOR YOURSELF Surf's up next weekend at Tramore, as the Irish Wildlife Trust and T-bay Surf and Wildlife Centre celebrate the UN World Oceans Day from June 11th to 13th. Beach art with artist Mary Gregory, kite surfing, sand sculpting and family surf sessions, along with treasure hunts, and dolphin-watching are among the free events. There will also be seminars, guided walks and mud banks and touch pools where visitors will come face-to-face with Tramore's marine creatures. The Irish Surfing Association is also encouraging people to organise beach clean ups on the 12th. See www.isasurf.ie for their guide on how to do it. And to get you kitted out for the action, there are usually second-hand boards and wetsuits for sale, and even the odd snowboard, on Surfing Ireland's website, www.surfingireland.net. Another way to cut down on costs - and to meet people - is to post a message on the lift-sharing section of the website and share the cost of getting to the beach. SurfDock also has a good range of second-hand wetsuits and boards and often has good sale deals. Children's wetsuits start at EUR30 and adults' at EUR50. SurfDock, Grand Canal Dockyard, South Dock Road, Ringsend, Dublin 4 (01-6683945).
MAKE A MIDSUMMER Start planning a midsummer party for June 21st like those northern Europeans, who celebrate with an outdoor bonfire. While we won't have a midnight sun, the longest day and shortest night is the perfect excuse for a party. For inspiration, catch Barabbas's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Veronica Coburn and designed by award-winning artist Niamh Sharkey. It runs at Project , Dublin until June 12th, then visits Longford, Dún Laoghaire, Portlaoise, Kilkenny and Tallaght. See www.barabbas.ie or call 01-6712013 for dates.
THE HEART OF FASHION Fashion graduates sometimes create beautiful but utterly unwearable garments. Not so at the Irish Heart Foundation Fashion Awards, where young fashion graduates are designing with the "chic thirty-something" in mind. This event is renowned for being an important showcase for budding designers. The winner will receive a prize of EUR3,000, a Waterford Crystal trophy and advice from Lyn Mar for a period of six months. The judging panel includes top names in the fashion industry including Peter O'Brien, Mary Gregory, Lyn Mar and Marc O'Neill. The Heart Foundation Fashion Awards and charity lunch takes place at the Leopardstown Pavilion on Friday. Tickets: EUR100, from the Irish Heart Foundation (01-6685001).