I'm a little teapotThe British may have beaten us with their fondness for afternoon tea, but it turns out the Irish are second in the world when it comes to drinking char.
Statistics suggest we each get through 1.5kg of tea a year. With this staggering figure in mind, a multimedia exhibition has been launched at Jerpoint Glass Studios, in Co Kilkenny, to celebrate our tea-drinking prowess. Teapots presents a collection of quirky creations all inspired by the vessel of the title, including jewellery, paintings and glass sculptures. Among the pieces on show are a Royal Staffordshire teapot painted by the artist Róisín Leadbetter and a healing teapot from the craftsman Geoffrey Healy. The glass teapots pictured below are by Jerpoint Glass Studios and cost €100 each. For these and work from other artists and craftspeople centring on the teatime theme, head to Jerpoint Glass Studios, Glass Attic Gallery, Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny. Ah, go on. You will, you will, you will . . . Fiona McCann
Fashion city
As part of Dublin Fashion Week, in March, Brown Thomas ran a designer mentor programme, for which BT directors Stephen Sealey and Shelly Corkery met 14 up-and-coming Irish designers to discuss their collections and offer advice. Up for grabs as part of the programme was the opportunity for three of the designers to showcase at Brown Thomas in Dublin, alongside more established collections. From next Monday until August 26th you can check out the autumn-winter collections of the winners: ultra-feminine couture from New York-born Dublin resident Jennifer Rothwell, handmade knitwear and crochet pieces from Tipperary native Tim Ryan and jewellery from Vivienne Walsh. The next Dublin Fashion Week begins on August 27th. www.dublinfashionweek.com. Michael Kelly
Face lift
You could be forgiven for doing a double take next time you stroll down Dublin's main thoroughfare. Clerys, the grand old lady of O'Connell Street, has had a makeover, and its sleek glass exterior perfectly complements the street's new, modern European style. The cosmetics hall is bright, airy and inviting, with all the existing brands still here, with the addition of some newcomers - Origins, Benefit, Smashbox and Shiseido - plus Dianne Brill's first outlet in Ireland. A dedicated department for natural and organic products, Mind, Body and Soul, stocks top names such as Nuxe (check out the legendary Huile Prodigieuse), Dr Hauschka and Ren. Phyl Clarke
Busy hands
We've rediscovered the 1970s fad for customising jeans in our house. We started by going to the Dún Laoghaire branch of Hickeys, which always has a basket of cut-price Italian buttons and trimmings. We bought colourful embroidery thread, large-hole needles and other bits and pieces for less than €10. The fun we've had has rescued us from boredom on rainy days - as the children transform cheap jeans from Dunnes and Penneys into works of art. Fabric markers are great for this, too. Another plus: when school restarts, the children will know how to sew on their own buttons and name labels. Kate Holmquist
Doggie dough
The moment dogs have been waiting for is finally here: they have their own bakery. Mo Chara, based in Clondalkin, in west Dublin, is baking dog biscuits that are just as delicious as human food - or so we're told. The wheat-free biscuits use only natural ingredients, without the addition of rendered meat products, artificial flavourings or preservatives. And they've been tested on both canine and human connoisseurs. Flavours include apple and cinnamon, vegetable and cheese pizza, herb and garlic, banana and molasses, and carrot cake. The treats double as functional foods, with key ingredients shown to benefit dogs' health. See www.mochara.ieor call 01-4577598. Kate Holmquist
Household hints
Mrs Beeton's advice on how to manage our homes has become sadly dated, leaving an empty space on every well-stocked bookshelf - and generations of helpless women floundering in her wake. Cue The Woman's Book: Everything but the Kitchen Sink, the 21st-century woman's handbook to guide her through the minefield of modern life. For she who is required to know everything from Nobel Peace Prize winners to the offside rule, and who must be as au fait with camping paraphernalia as with dinner parties, Francesca Beauman has compiled this collection of random information as lists, diagrams, pie-charts, quotations and useful advice, such as how to say "no thanks, leave me alone" in Russian. Fiona McCann
Arty party
With the aim of providing a vibrant mix of art and artists, at affordable prices and in a user-friendly atmosphere, Gerard O'Grady of the new Artworks Gallery, in Stillorgan, Co Dublin, reckons he has the right mix. Situated next to Brambles cafe, the gallery is a bright, glass-fronted rectangle with seating provided. Varied, original work by 25 artists can be purchased for as little as €150 for a watercolour. The gallery gives the artists a higher than usual percentage; in turn, the artists have kept their prices attractive.
An artist, O'Grady was careful in his choice of exhibitors, many of whom are well known, both to himself and to art-lovers, and the resulting mix is a colourful body of work with a broad appeal. Artists include Laurence O'Toole, Simon Meyler, Anthony Pilbro, Peter Knuttel, Kate Beagan, Joan Mallon, Rosemary Thompson and Gill Evans. O'Grady's work, which is also for sale, includes Quiet Morning Bulloch Harbour. Artworks Gallery, Stillorgan Shopping Centre (first floor), Co Dublin, Monday-Saturday, 10.30am-6pm, 01-2888870. Kate Holmquist
Chukka queens
Ladies take note: no longer is it sufficient merely to date a polo player. These days any lass worth her riding crop aspires to play herself. And, for female polo players from far and wide, Ballyhenry in Co Wicklow is where it's at this summer - and where the Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa International Ladies Polo Tournament kicks off next Friday. Players from Ireland, Britain, the US and Argentina will battle it out over three days for the Mackay Cup. Now in its eighth year, the event is a chance to witness the sport of kings played by queens, and all for a good cause: funds raised will go towards the Bubble Gum Club, which organises events and trips for children with life-threatening illnesses. See www.bubblegumclub.ie. Fiona McCann
Fash pack party
Applause all round for the genial Robert Doggett of the Trocadero restaurant in Dublin, without doubt one of the best and most welcoming managers in the country and with a fantastic memory for names. Troc regulars are many and tend to be loyal for life: take the stylist Catherine Condell pictured left with Doggett, creator of many a smart fashion spread for this magazine and snazzy fashion shows across the country. She threw a great birthday bash for her friends and family last weekend at the restaurant which was overflowing with swells: designers Peter O'Brien and Mariad Whisker, actors Ingrid Craigie and Liam Cunningham, photographers Barry McCall, Alan Betson and Tom Lawlor, plus make-up artists, hair dressers and jolly folk galore. Ms Condell's photo was added to the restaurant's hall of fame. Mr Doggett, take a bow.