Always....

So if someone asked you the above question, the first name of a soft drink, or any drink for that matter, would likely be Coke or Coca Cola. London's design museum celebrates 125 years of Coca Cola's branding and redesign over the past 125 years.

DRN







How great are these coke bottles by the way? Available now at Dunnes Stores and probably other supermarkets, almost too pretty to drink... But if you do they'd make great vases...

DRN

Wide Open Spaces

I don't know why but I have such an obsession with big tall open spaces, I think it might have something to do with the fact that Im 6'3, but I am in love with tall ceilings, fabulous massive bay windows, when it comes to interiors the bigger the better. And sure in the winter my heating bills will probably be massive, but just think how amazing some of these rooms would look filled with sunshine...

DRN

Street Artists...

Swiss artists Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann take streets, overpasses, soccer fields and other open public spaces and transform them into abstract paintings and a giant scale. It's literally street art.

You can see more of their unique and huge work HERE...

DRN

New Chef. Still Little.

So UK fast food chain Little Chef has gone and got itself a little makeover. If you are not familiar with the brand, it would be similar to Mother Hubburbs here in Ireland. Anyways Little Chef first came to my attention when celebrity chef/kitchen wizard Heston Blumenthal was asked to revise their menu as part of a Channel 4 series. The results were apparently a great success as Little Chef are planning on opening 9 new restaurants this year.


Along with their new menu, Little Chef has undergone a major design transformation, lifting the old and dated styles, to fun and modern eye catching packaging and branding.

One of the most exciting, and in my opinion, the most ballsy concept are these giant pop art like, neon signs which well be placed outside a number of the new chains. Coffee, Ketchup and lollipops are all synonymous with family eateries, so why not broadcast that on a huge scale.

I have to admit I never ate in Little Chef when I lived in London, but if was to ever pass one by on my next visit, Im pretty sure id be drawn in by this bold and creative new design direction.

DRN

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Mary, Mary quite Extraordinary!

I was devastated to find out that one of my favourite up and coming designers, Mary katrantzou was in Dublin for IMMA's 20th anniversary, and I had missed her. Always one step behind it seems. Her work was being shown along side 20 other Irish artists and designers as part of an exhibition curated by Brown Thomas entitled The Art of Fashion, which runs until the end of October this year. From Monday Mary's amazing pieces will be transferred to the windows of Brown Thomas Dublin, where they will be on display for two weeks, for the whole city to enjoy...

DRN

Bits and Bobs

Oh I do like looking at pretty things...

DRN

Images via the fabulous Creature Comforts

Spaghetti Western

Lindsey Wixon looking amazing in the latest issue of Vogue Nippon, shot by everyones favourite sleezebag photographer, Terry Richardson...

DRN

Rubba Dub Dub...

Just a typical Saturday for the McMahon household. Yesterday my Mother, younger Brother and my Dad (who organised the whole event) went down the Fergus river, in Ennis, Co. Clare, in a bathtub...

The Idea all came about after we remodelled the bathroom at home, and we were left with a bathtub out the back, and typically my Da being the well, MacGuyver type, decided that something should be done with the tub, rather than bringing it to the skip.

And so something was done with the Bath. Barrels were attached, the plughole was plugged and a charity was decided upon, posters were done up, collection cards were handed out, and yesterday everything fell into place, and the day was an amazing success.

We had a great turn out of supports and local politicians, lots of well wishers and people gave so generously. The charity that was the event was organised for was The Irish Heart Foundation, who recently helped out a family friend, it was was nice for things to come full circle, and being able to give something back to a wonderful organisation.

Afterwards there was an excellent (and delicious) BBQ in Mickey Kerin's pub in Ennis, and we had music too, and it really was a great atmosphere and an excellent night.

I have no idea what my Dad has planned next. He been a community activist for the past ten years, and after ever event he says this is the last one. But it never is. I am hoping he will at least take the Summer off, and put his feet up, cause if anyone deserves a break after TEN YEARS of organising events and OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO RAISED (YES, €100,000!!!) for some really deserving people and charities, it is him.

DRN

My parents. Just a typical Saturday then...