Joyce's 'Dubliners': the city as character

I went to this exhibition and enjoyed it. It's quite small, at the bottom of the small gallery on the 1st floor (Gallery 1) but worth the visit.
It's on until the 15th July in the National Gallery (Clare street entrance) and is free in."This exhibition brings together sixteen atmospheric works from the Gallery's collection. It features paintings and watercolours by Walter Osborne, Rose Barton, Jack B. Yeats and William Orpen which give a sense of the city of Dublin as a character in itself."

National Gallery of Ireland,
Merrion Square West, (Entrance on Clare Street), 2, Dublin.
http://www.nationalgallery.ie/

Terrifying French children's books - in pictures

Ha ha! very funny article in The Guardian today about scary french children's books. a selection below;



(The Thief of Lily!!! Yes truly!)
to see more go to; http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2012/may/30/terrifying-french-childrens-books-in-pictures

Edward Hopper

The art of Edward Hopper set to Benny Goodman swing


I found this today on my web trawlings at uk.phaidon.com

Halloumi and lentils with lemony soy dressing

I saw this in my friend's Hello magazine and thought that it looked perfect for a dinner party starter.
For 4 ,Preparation and Cooking: 10 + 60 minutes
Ingredients:
· 3 small beetroot, peeled and quartered
· 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
· 1 tbs  Soy Sauce
· 2 sprigs fresh thyme
· 200g puy lentils
· 250g halloumi cheese, sliced
· Mixed salad leaves
Dressing:
· 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
· juice ½ lemon
· 1 tbs Soy Sauce
1. Drizzle beetroot with balsamic and Soy Sauce, sprinkle with thyme then roast in an oven preheated to 200c / 180c fan for around 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile cook the lentils over a medium heat for 15-20 mins until cooked through but still retain a bite, drain and set aside to cool.
3. On a pre heated griddle pan cook the sliced halloumi for 1-2 mins per side.
4. Meanwhile whisk the dressing ingredients together.
5. Dress the lentils with half of the dressing reserving the rest for the salad leaves.
6. Serve with the halloumi, sliced beetroot and salad leaves

Bono to join Suu Kyi on Dublin stage

From http://www.irishtimes.ie/

"
Bono will join fellow aid campaigner Sir Bob Geldof in a special tribute event to honour Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The U2 frontman will present the Nobel Peace Prize laureate with Amnesty International’s prestigious Ambassador of Conscience award at a public concert in Dublin next month...Ms Suu Kyi has agreed to attend the Electric Burma event the day after delivering her acceptance speech in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991.
The lifelong democracy campaigner is expected to address a crowd of supporters outside the Dublin venue on the night...
The concert will take place at 4.45pm on Monday June 18th in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Grand Canal Dock. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am priced at €25

Orange prize 2012

So, Madeline Miller has won the Orange Prize 2012 with Song of Achilles.

I must say, I am a bit disappointed. I have read all the books on the longlist and I left this book half way through-I just got a bit bored.
Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding, Foreign Bodies by Cynthia Ozick, State of Wonder by Ann Patchett,  There but for the by Ali Smith and The Submission by Amy Waldman would have made my shortlist and I can recommend them all as good reads.

Small Lives

This exhibition running at the National Photograhic archive has been running since last August and is coming to a close at the end of June. It is definitely worth a visit.
 
National Photographic Archive,
Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, 2, Dublin.
tel: +353 1 6030200 (information)
email: info@nli.ie
web: http://www.nli.ie/