Hasta La Ideas

Seven memorable stops on a recent trip to Dublin

On our recent visit to Dublin we encountered a hospitable community recovering from the economic downturn with a resurgence of fashion, food and boutique hotels. Here, we share seven of the most memorable stops we made along the way.

Indigo & Cloth

When asking around for shops carrying the best independent fashion in Dublin, the name Indigo & Cloth came up more than once. Tucked into a subterranean space on South William Street, the modern, minimalist boutique carries menswear and accessories by Our Legacy, Oliver Spencer and S.N.S. Herning, as well as a smaller selection of womenswear. Owner Garrett Pitcher flexes his creativity on various other projects about town, collaborating on the original label design for Kilbeggan Whiskey and working with the editorial team at the Dublin fashion magazine, Thread. Pitcher is currently working with the other merchants on the street and surrounding blocks to name their shopping district South William Quarter.

Paula Rowan

Employing traditional techniques, Paula Rowan makes her hand-stitched gloves from the finest quality lambskin, deerskin and suede with silk and cashmere linings and embellishments like buttons, zippers and fur. Rowan’s Dublin boutique is located in the quaint Westbury Mall just steps from the bustle of Grafton Street. In addition to the local flagship, she currently operates the “Glove Pod” pop-up in the Westfield Shopping Centre in London.

Bow

In the sunlit atrium of the Powerscourt Centre, Wendy Crawford, Margaret O’Rourke and Ellis Boyle stock Bow with a diverse range of Irish designers. In-store finds include cashmere and silk arm warmers, bows and loop scarves by Eilis Boyle, gold vermeil jewelry with lace, pearl and semi precious stones from Momuse, hats from Electronic Sheep hats and a prime vintage selection.

Dylan Hotel

Located in a building that was once a nurse’s home in a quiet neighborhood in Dublin 4, this family-owned boutique hotel is walking distance from some of the best shopping and restaurants in the city. Each room is uniquely and playfully decorated, and the downstairs lounge features a custom library in which every volume, from the classics to David Beckham’s autobiography, has been bound in pearly green covers. Dubliners go to the Dylan for cocktails, romantic meals and celebratory overnights, and the property marks the city’s only boutique hotel included in the Mr. & Mrs. Smith collection.

3FE

These two coffee bars from three-time Irish Barista Champion Colin Harmon provide Dublin with expertly prepared pour-over coffees and espresso drinks in a low-key atmosphere. Serving single origin coffee from Has Bean, the tasting menu reads like an exploration of flavors, with coffee, espresso and cappuccino brewed side by side with the same beans. 3FE started as a small set-up on the front porch of the Twisted Pepper building and has since taken over the pub space and also opened a shop on Lower Grand Canal Street.

Clement & Pekoe

In this tiny shop on South William Street, their signature sleek black tins of loose-leaf teas, herbs and tisanes line the far wall. In the store, they serve tea and hand-poured single origin coffees with a selection of light pastries. Part of the new South William Quarter community, Clement & Pekoe is frequented by the local merchants and shoppers in the know.

L Mulligan Grocer

A self-described eating and drinking emporium on Stoneybatter—a street once considered pretty desolate for a modern locavore pub—L. Mulligan Grocer uses locally sourced ingredients to update classic Irish dishes. The extensive, familiar menu includes organic blood pudding, bangers and mash, scotch eggs and fish ‘n chips, as well as vegetable stews, fresh salads and seafood. The “Libations” list features more than 100 whiskies, Irish craft and imported beers. Also know for their popular quiz nights and beer tastings, it’s often hard to get a table but always worth the wait.

From coffee presses to customizable pens, office-friendly gifts for colleagues

At the end of the day, these are the people we spend most of our time with—show them the proper appreciation for the countless Internet videos they share throughout the year.

Jeeves & Jericho

Based in Oxford, contemporary tea company Jeeves & Jericho offers fresh and unique flavors for loose-leaf tea aficionados. The tea’s retro packaging brings down the formality, and looks good tied with a bow in the office grab—hopefully, they’ll share. 20g packages sell between £3-£8 (about $5-$13 USD) at Jeeves & Jericho.

Coffee Press

For the coffee drinker with high style standards, the original French press Bodum Chambord will surely impress. This polished 17-oz version makes up to four cups, so it’s a sophisticated way to get over-caffeinated in the new year. The French press sells for $37 from Cooking.com.

Parafernalia Falter 2D Pen Kit

For a more hands-on work mate, the Parafernalia Pen Kit will get them through the afternoon lull in the office. Assemble a custom pen using any of the tools in the package, with a metal base that can be molded into any of the available shapes. It’s an item with no real purpose save for the satisfaction it gives the crafty cubicle-dweller. The Parafernalia Pen Kit is available at Cult Pens for £21 (about $33 USD).

Stress Paul

Meet Paul, the ultra-squeezable, squishy stress-relief ball. Certainly there’s someone in the office that could use a blob on their desktop to grab at a moment’s notice—think of it as the ultimate remedy for never-ending conference-calls and impossible bosses. Get it at SuckUk for £7.50 (about $12 USD).

Function meets design in a service exclusive to Phillips de Pury

Behind gregorysung’s understated O Tea design lies more than a year of research and development to produce a supremely functional tea service that combines cool-to-the-touch surfaces with a drip-less pot and cups sized with the hand in mind.

Aside from its deeply thoughtful construction, the set is beautiful. Korean porcelain experts and Italian master wood artisans crafted by hand each hand-cast-porcelain vessel and oil-polished walnut base for an elegantly minimal presentation. The complex subtlety of gregorysung’s design is based on what the press release describes as the “traditional Korean approach to objects and activities: appreciation for the natural state of things while gently creating formality within.” The tiniest flourish comes in the cup’s rounded bottom, which requires the proper placement on its stately little base to stand upright. And, while the outside of the matte-finish cups remains unglazed, up close one will discover a shimmering pearl glaze on the inside.

O Tea is available exclusively through the Shop at Phillips de Pury & Company in New York and London. Those who wish to coordinate purchase online can view pieces and click here.

Stunning simplicity in a container highlighting the beauty of vertically-cut wood

Deceptively simple looking, a single Karmi tea canister can take artisans over a year to complete. Manufacturer Syosen, based in Yamanaka (a region known as much for its traditional lacquerware, as for its natural thermal baths), crafts their products following a half-century-old lathing technique. Carving a perfectly-rounded cup or bowl involves precisely thinning the wood, followed by several rounds of lacquering (clear in this case) and extended drying times to ensure a bone-dry core. The technique leaves the natural beauty of the vertically-cut wood grain exposed, creating a muddled elongated effect.

The extensive Yamanaka process came to rise during the Edo period along with the art of the tea ceremony thanks to the area’s bohemian inhabitants (including the father of haiku Basho Matsuo), drawn there by the hot springs. The Syosen canister even takes its name from the Basho principle of haiku that mandates “only local.”

All this heritage makes for an heirloom-quality vessel representing some of the best principles of Japanese product design. Carved with perfectly-spaced, finely-engraved rings, the thermos-like container will stand up to everyday use while preserving the contents within. The result of the intensive processes and highly-engineered lid, interior air quality keeps loose tea and spices (or anything needing a fresh and dry space) at the ready.

The full range of Karmi tea canisters shown above can be seen at the Syosen website. Family-run “eco boutique” Beklina sells the light wood edition for $220.

Cappuccio e ciambelle? La trovate qui.
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