Monday, June 4, 2012

UCD covered walkway

I really like the site http://builtdublin.com/ . It has some great photos and I particularly like this article which makes you look differently at parts of a building you might either miss or even have considered to be ugly.
bd-ucdwalkway-3bd-ucdwalkway-1
Lisa Cassidy tells us "In 1964, Andrzej Wejchert won an international competition for UCD’s new campus at Belfield. A key element of his proposal was the covered walkway, a linear element unifying a campus that would be composed of standalone buildings by different architects, constructed at different times as the university grew.
There’s approximately 600m covered by the walkways, running between the original science building (Downes Meehan & Robson, 1964) and the restaurant (Scott Tallon Walker, 1970). Their primary function is, of course, shelter in a crap climate, but they also define a path and a core to the university, putting the pedestrian route at its (original) heart. It’s a simple device and it still works.
A centre line of columns supports a waffle slab, with smoothly rounded corners on the coffers. Waffle slabs have a better strength-to-weight ratio than their flat equivalent, retaining a form that allows for strength in two directions, and they also have a visual effect of texture in light and shadow. At the edge of the slab, there’s a strip of chunky exposed aggregate that’s extremely beautiful from close up. The exposed aggregate and the waffle differentiate the upper layer from the pavement, while the columns match the paving well enough to seem like part of has just projected upwards."

Olympic Torch continues Irish tour

The other exciting sporting event is of course the Olympics. The torch was in Belfast yesterday and will be in Dublin on Wednesday.
From http://www.irishexaminer.com/ "The Olympic Torch will visit the Belfast slipways where the Titanic was built today as it begins its five-day relay through the North before arriving in Dublin later in the week...Former Olympic championMary Peters, who won the pentathlon in 1972, carried the golden lantern through a packed Belfast City Airport after it landed from the Isle of Man...The torch will also travel to 2013 City of Culture Derry and Dublin..Among sporting figures expected to carry it in Ireland are Olympic boxing medallists Wayne McCullough and Michael Carruth, who will take part in the handover at the border.

Other highlights will be a celebratory event at St Stephen's Green in Dublin city centre on Wednesday... Celebrities taking part in the relay will include television personalities Zoe Salmon, Patrick Kielty and Colin Murray.

Dublin streets become F1 track

Dublin was transformed on Sunday. I had full intentions of going but the rain and generally being knackered from being in town all day on saturday changed my mind. The pictures looked fab though and we went over the stand on the train on the way home and it looked great. A great day out for petrol heads.

From http://www.irishexaminer.com/ "An estimated 110,000 people attended the Bavaria City Racing Dublin motorsport demonstration today, despite an unseasonably cold downpour. The event transformed Dublin City centre into a spectacular race track.More than 70 vehicles were involved in the demonstration, including former F1 world champion Jenson Button who wowed the crowds in his Vodafone McLaren F1 car. " 

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Dublin Aunts - Heartbreak Reputation (Drop Out Orchestra Remix)

dublin aunts“Heartbreak Reputation” is the debut original single of Dublin Aunts, aka Xavier Millis and Adam Padayhag. It’s an laid back funky disco groove that has serious summertime vibes.



Herb Alpert "This Guy's in Love with You" Video 1971

Heard this as intro music to the excellent production last night of "She Stoops to Conquer" at Smock Alley Theatre and thought, what a great song that is. Hadn't heard it for ages.

lemon cupcakes -simple but pretty

Lily's lemon cupcakes
  • 140g unsalted butter , softened
  • 100g caster sugar
  • zest ½ lemon
  • 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • 140g self-raising flour

FOR THE BUTTER CREAM ICING

  • 85g butter , softened
  • 175g icing sugar
  • zest and juice ½ lemon
  • sprinkles or sweets , to decorate
  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 12-hole bun tin with cake cases. Beat butter and sugar until soft, add lemon zest. stir in eggs, then fold in flour .Divide between the cake cases. Bake for 18-20 mins until golden and springy to touch.  Cool on rack.
  2. Butter cream icing. Beat butter until  really soft. Gradually beat in icing sugar, lemon zest and juice. Spread on top of the cakes , then decorate with sprinkles or sweeties.

Book recommendation hearsay

The Innocents by Francesca Segal


This retelling of The Age of Innocence sets Edith Wharton’s classic in modern London among cloistered, upper-class Jews. A debut novel, Segal’s book has been getting raves for its elegance and subtlety.