Compiled by Nicoline Greer
FUNGAL, NOT FRUGAL Snuffle for truffles this September in Urbania in Le Marche region of Italy, with the help of Luigi, a local professional truffle hunter. The hills around the medieval walled town of Urbania are famed for their black and white truffles, which have been hunted there for centuries. In Italy, they use dogs because they don't eat the truffles, unlike their be-trottered friends. Truffles aren't called "Black Diamonds" for nothing: they were over €1,000 for a kilogram last year. Truffle hunting is strictly regulated by the Italian government so you can only do it from September to November. The truffle-hunting holiday is run by British company Taste Italia, which organises cookery, language and art holidays in Italy. (00-44-1268-711445, www.taste-italia.com)
A MERRY DANCE Ever taken photographs in a nightclub? Those overexposed shots of bleary-eyed friends flailing around the dancefloor - don't usually make it to the mantelpiece, do they? Far better to leave these things to the professionals, such as photographer Brendan Duffy, whose exhibition From Disco to Disco is running in Traffic, Middle Abbey Street, as part of the Budrising music festival. Duffy has made dance music his subject since the mid 1990s, earning commissions from Mixmag and Ministry of Sound, among others, for his striking images from clubs in Ireland, Ibiza and Berlin. This retrospective exhibition tells the story of a generation growing up; for all its images of friendship, freedom and frenzied partying, it also possesses a certain poignancy. Drop in and see who you recognise. From Disco to Disco, Traffic, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, until July 29th. Belinda McKeon
BEST FOOT FORWARD Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI) is looking for entries to its annual soccerfest. There will be other sports as well, such as cricket, whose popularity is being revived among the new Pakistani community. They are also hoping to have a celebrity team headed by Ireland's comedians and fashionistas. High-heels and football - there's a first. Teams cost €200. The festival will be on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th September at the DIT grounds, Grangegorman Hospital, Dublin 7. Telephone Frank Buckley on 087-2445154; see also www.sari.ie.
PEACE OF CAKE Good mood food is what you find at Govindas on Aungier Street, Dublin. The café/restaurant is running courses in Hare Krishna vegetarian food, taught by an Indian lady called Katyayani Mataji. Each session involves a reward of eating the fruits of the session's labour, which includes curries, samosas, vegetable subjis, dahl, pakoras, gulabjamons, and breads such as chapattis and naan. Hare Krishnas make their food with serious devotion - it's food to peace out with. The course starts on Sunday week and runs for the following four Sundays. The four-week course costs €60. From August 1st, 3-5 p.m. To book phone Govindas (01-4750309) or e-mail praghosa.SDG@pamho.net)
KNIFETHROWER Rory Conner probably won't read this, because he never reads anything that is written about him. "If you do, you begin to think you're fabulous, and that's not good," he says. There are lots of people who do think his handcrafted knives are fabulous, however. He initially taught himself how to make knives about 15 years ago, but went on to learn from one of the masters of the crafts in California, Bob Loveless. Conner makes all sorts of knives for kitchen work, fishing and sailing. He says he also gets occasional requests from witches for knives. Before he started to sell them, he used to scrounge the steel from wherever he could - recycled bits of cars or old kitchen knives. You can visit his workshop, but ring to check he will be there first. He also does re-sharpening, re-serrating and repair of knives and all kinds of cutlery. From €50. Yellow Craft Shop, Ballylickey, Bantry (027-50003, handcraftedknives@eircom.net)
KEEP ON TRUCKING The Big Bang multi-media event in the Digital Hub next Saturday promises a line-up of "electro pop, demented gothic country 'n' Irish, otherworldly music, laptop improv, metal, classical guitar, boy/girl indie pop, electronica, combustible post rock and more." Eeek is there no limit to obscure musical genres? There will also be sculpture, installations and paintings. The day/night event is a fundraiser for the Art Truck - a truck that can open out into a stage and gallery space, which will tour the country. The Big Bang, July 31st, The Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin 8. 2-11 p.m. Tickets: €13, from Road Records, Fade Street; Selecta Records, Crow Street; Tower Records, Wicklow Street; and Red Ink Books in Temple Bar. See also www.blackfort.org
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOO It's a year since Temple Bar's Cow's Lane became a shrine to a world of clothes at the Fashion Market. To mark its first birthday, all of the stallholders will be offering up to 50 per cent off selected stock next Saturday, July 31st. Nearly everything is handmade and of original Irish design. The outdoor section of the market has more foreign-made things, from Brazilian jewellery to Italian shoes. Oh, and there are fitting rooms as well. The market is open every Saturday 10 a.m.-5.30 p.m.
... LATIN STYLE The Cow's Lane folk will be making Brazilian- style costumes for a hip-shaking carnival that is also taking place in Temple Bar next weekend. There's free street entertainment, and you can see Latin legends for just €15 (plus booking fee), such as Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Salsa Celtica and Havana Ché. Tickets from www.ticketlord.com and 0818-220050, or from: Big Brother Records, Crow Street, Carbon Records at Urban Outfitters, Cecilia Street, and Temple Bar Properties information office.
... AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE Photos printed on canvas have a trompe-l'oeil quality that makes viewers unsure whether they are looking at a photo or a painting. Áine Teahon and Mark Byrne discovered the technique while travelling in Australia, where they honed their skills as plant and flower photographers. They have now set up Purple Productions, printing their own beautiful plant images, as well supplied photos. See their own photos on www.purpleprodcutions.com, or send them your prints and they'll Photoshop them up and send you a sample before printing the image. Their work is also on display in the Cow's Lane Market, Temple Bar West, every Saturday, and in the IFSC market every Wednesday lunchtime. Contact them on 087-2811067. Canvas prints from €50 for 10x10 inches.
Additional reporting Conor Goodman