The Budget is announced in Government Buildings but food, glorious food is being served at a party across the road. Peter MacCann, general manager of The Merrion Hotel, is hosting a party to celebrate news that the hotel has recently won two major awards - the AA Hotel of the Year Award and the RAC Gold Ribbon Award.
For canapes: there's sushi, with green mustard and pickled horseradish and crab, lime and ginger filo cup; not to mention fig skewers wrapped in prosciutto, as well as pink grapefruit avocado and papaya in a corn cup. The list goes on. The main course includes pan-fried foie gras with carmelised apple on brioche, mini Beef Wellington with horseradish sauce and roast turkey roulade with a thyme and orange farce, and more besides.
As to desserts: On the Town, in the interests of investigative journalism, feasts on white chocolate, caramel truffles, yule logs, panetone, stollen and mince meat parfait. It's Christmas.
Those in attendance include Patrick and Louise Guinness, of Furness Hall, in Naas, which is currently on the market for £4 million; Sir Ivor Roberts, British Ambassador to Ireland; designer Louise Kennedy; and the slim French restaurateur, Patrick Guilbaud. Meanwhile, down at the Viperoom Theatre Bar and Club on Aston Quay, another Christmas party is kicking into gear. The venue is celebrating its first year in business. Santa, wearing Aramis aftershave, is greeting us all at the door, having just come in from his grotto in Dun Laoghaire, he says.