You should all be recieving your Weekenders on a more regular basis now as the distribution has been reallocated. I have style and interiors pages in this Friday free sheet, yet I very rarely publish any of the stuff from that here.
So, here is a piece from the interiors/ property page I had last week. I did have a little rant, but hopefully it will start some sort of debate on this topic.
I hope you enjoy it....or read it!!
FORGET LOCATION...TRY NEGOTIATION
Relocation, relocation, relocation…when commercial rent becomes too much.
Commercial rents in the city centre are, quite frankly, ridiculous. Rents are high here because of location, they say. That’s a given, considering the state of most of the buildings. But what happens when you are not keeping an eye on the market, and business people realise that the location factor is slowly slipping away form the allure of renting there. Let’s all have a little think, for a moment, on the future of our city centre.
1. Landlords, who roam unregulated, hike up prices to multinational company level, but can’t provide the storage or access a multinational company would require.
There is also little, if any, car parking for loading or unloading, which means customers and businesses alike head for the industrial estates.
This makes location null and void for businesses who need space.
2. High Street is renowned for it’s good looks and charm, but most buildings have only one access point, which is the shop’s front door. This restriction alone stifles cheaper rents for offices or services that don’t require shop frontage , and stops the ground floor business from easing it’s expenses through subletting.
3. Location location etc, but businesses don’t close because you try to charge too much rent, they just take themselves elsewhere. In an age of new media, location isn’t everything.
4. I understand if a landlord must cover their own mortgage, but, unfortunately, rents covering the mortgage amount will soon be a thing of the past. There is a slow down coming to the property market, investors will be dumping a lot of their holdings in the Summer, so all of you landlords with places sitting empty and idle because your rents are too high now, just imagine how long they will be sitting empty when surrounded by a deluge of competing properties.
5.You may think that people should pay for the privilege of a nice location, and charge accordingly, but remember, that businesses also need to pay rates, wages, suppliers and service providers, and still make somewhat of a living.
6. Recognise the reason why people continue to rent in the city centre, footfall. When those feet are spread out amongst the new shopping centres, and driven out to sprawling industrial estates, then all you are left with is sentimentality, and a business who pays extraordinary rent for the reason of a sentimental location, will not be a tenant for very long. They will not be a business for very long.
7. I’m all for survival of the fittest, I don’t think we should mollycoddle and massage little businesses that are then unprepared for the real world, and fold quick sharp. Don’t think I’m here asking for leniency, and a little helping hand etc. What I’m saying is this, you can’t attract the big boys to play on High Street, Rose Inn Street, William Street, John Street, James Street, Kieran Street, any street in the city, so stop charging like you can. Let them go and pay the exact same money for a unit four times as big , modern and equipped as the one you are offering, half a mile outside the city. You need to recognise that your market is changing, and ask yourself, are you ready to negotiate?
The fact is, unless something is done soon to entice good, strong, long term businesses to our city centre,
before the new shopping centres or expanding estates do so, Kilkenny City Centre is going to become a ghost town. It’s not up to me to try and fix it, I’m just here to point it out to the people who can......
(A little note to businesses who wish to rent, you would never offer the asking price on a house for sale without negotiating, so why accept whatever the landlord wants without trying to work on the price. The new rule of property, forget location, try negotiation.)
Monday, January 29, 2007
MODELS
A quick note for all of the models, writers makeup artists etc that came to the career evening, we are still working our way through you all. Please don't think we have forgotten about you. We aim to feature as many of you as we can, and will be in touch soon.
We are currently completely revamping our business, which doesn't help, as we are between studios, but trust me, it's for the best. We will hopefully have a brand new studio very soon.
As for the style fair, well, it seems like we will get it done, but there is a lot of work involved, and it isn't easy. I will keep you up to date here.
Thanks for your patience.
x
We are currently completely revamping our business, which doesn't help, as we are between studios, but trust me, it's for the best. We will hopefully have a brand new studio very soon.
As for the style fair, well, it seems like we will get it done, but there is a lot of work involved, and it isn't easy. I will keep you up to date here.
Thanks for your patience.
x
Goodbye Liadán Carrickshock/Liadino Carrinido/ Leah Carri
Very sad day for many of us in Kilkenny, as Leah Carri, a blow in from Waterford, is blowing further afield, and relocating to Australia.
Leah, a newsreader in KCLR96fm, film critic for the Kilkenny People, part time Mexican, has somehow been swayed to move to a beautiful hot country to be with her buff, succesful Australian doctor.
Tough call.
We know it's not like many years ago when people tripped off and never returned and couldn't afford to call. We know you can come back, we know we can go over there, I am aware of emailing, texting, skype and all the biz, but we will still miss your little head around the place.
Still though, you cant stand in the way of true love. Mental high five on the hot country factor.
See you dahn undah.
xx
Leah, a newsreader in KCLR96fm, film critic for the Kilkenny People, part time Mexican, has somehow been swayed to move to a beautiful hot country to be with her buff, succesful Australian doctor.
Tough call.
We know it's not like many years ago when people tripped off and never returned and couldn't afford to call. We know you can come back, we know we can go over there, I am aware of emailing, texting, skype and all the biz, but we will still miss your little head around the place.
Still though, you cant stand in the way of true love. Mental high five on the hot country factor.
See you dahn undah.
xx
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Emma Holohan for Style
SHARP SUITER Wednesday 24th of JanuaryBlack Jacket - €67.50 (sale) Bel Air in Goods
White Shirt - €90.00 Coast in Goods
Pencil Skirt - €45.50 (sale) Bel Air in Goods
Black 60 denier tights - €2.50 Penneys
Satin pumps - €40.00 (sale) Faith
Lace Gloves and hairpiece from a selection in H&M.
Styling Hair and Makeup : Blanaid Hennessy
Model : Emma Holohan
Photography : Eoin Hennessy
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
********STYLE QUESTIONNAIRE******************************
I have devised a leeeeetle questionnaire, all about you and your style. If you would like to appear in the Kilkenny People Weekender, and are comfortable with writing all about yourself, then please fill in the Q&A.
All you have to do is text me your email address to 083 303 8133, or email it to me at blanaid@ehp.ie.
I will then send you the questionnaire via email. Fill in, return, with photograph of yourself for publication, and that's it!
Look forward to hearing from you,
B
All you have to do is text me your email address to 083 303 8133, or email it to me at blanaid@ehp.ie.
I will then send you the questionnaire via email. Fill in, return, with photograph of yourself for publication, and that's it!
Look forward to hearing from you,
B
On the subject of tracksuits......
As I mentioned in “Make time for colour”, I have a special type of tracksuit, which is black. As for tracksuits themselves, I leave them for the gym. I am not going to give out about tracksuits, as I know there are women who would be lost without the day time equivalent of pyjamas, and I don’t want to make you feel bad.
However.
There are so many beautiful clothes and designers in the world, so many fits that will suit your figure so perfectly. When I feel like tying the duvet around me and rolling into work, instead of reaching for a tracksuit, I pull on a pair of flat boots, and my special camouflage clothes. No, I don’t mean horrible combats and jungle gear, I mean clothes that feel nice no matter how crap you feel. The can be loose or layered, black or dark green or any subtle colour you like, but they don’t make you feel over or underdressed, but decent.
One of the main reasons women wear tracksuits is that they are too tired to make any effort, so would rather make none at all. In their mind, it would be better that someone just thought they looked rubbish , rather than make an effort and for that person to still think they look rubbish.
A lot of people also don’t want to be noticed at all, and a tracksuit becomes an imaginary invisible force field that makes them blend into the crowd.
Just stop now, enjoy yourself, get into a different kind of tracksuits, find clothes that suit your shape, enjoy the fun of dressing up a little, and your confidence will grow.
The funny thing is, that with a little practice, you will know when you pass your old tracksuit wearing pals, that it took you as much effort to look lovely today, as it did for them to roll into that tracksuit.
That’s a nice feeling.
However.
There are so many beautiful clothes and designers in the world, so many fits that will suit your figure so perfectly. When I feel like tying the duvet around me and rolling into work, instead of reaching for a tracksuit, I pull on a pair of flat boots, and my special camouflage clothes. No, I don’t mean horrible combats and jungle gear, I mean clothes that feel nice no matter how crap you feel. The can be loose or layered, black or dark green or any subtle colour you like, but they don’t make you feel over or underdressed, but decent.
One of the main reasons women wear tracksuits is that they are too tired to make any effort, so would rather make none at all. In their mind, it would be better that someone just thought they looked rubbish , rather than make an effort and for that person to still think they look rubbish.
A lot of people also don’t want to be noticed at all, and a tracksuit becomes an imaginary invisible force field that makes them blend into the crowd.
Just stop now, enjoy yourself, get into a different kind of tracksuits, find clothes that suit your shape, enjoy the fun of dressing up a little, and your confidence will grow.
The funny thing is, that with a little practice, you will know when you pass your old tracksuit wearing pals, that it took you as much effort to look lovely today, as it did for them to roll into that tracksuit.
That’s a nice feeling.
Make time for colour
I have discovered the joy of black, which is a terrible thing. It is the stylist’s equivalent of a tracksuit, when you have a fairly hectic day of path stomping, fittings and meetings, a selection of black will always look good, no matter which way you throw it towards your body.
However, black can become addictive. In your wardrobe, it seems as though all colourful clothes creep behind their duller counterparts, pushing forward the darker shades for your selection. I have to break the cycle, and 2007 is the year to do this.
I’m not one for trends, but if they are decent, then we must succumb, and this one is very much okay.
We will definitely see a return, a burst if you like, of colour on the fashion scene come Spring/Summer, and, although we are a little fearful of the black being peeled form our back, it will be time to accept a little brightness into our lives.
The secret to adding colour is this; easy does it. Don’t go from soft muted shades to dazzling brilliance, if you are a soft muted shades kind of person to begin with, it will feel completely foreign and wrong. Look to New York, where ladies of a certain standing have hectic yet stylistically competitive lives, learn from them, see how they wear lovely basic colours, nudes, tans, creams, browns, greys and blacks, and then add interest with oversized red beads, a turquoise bag, a dinky yellow hat and so on.
This is the secret to not only colour, but dressing.
Invest in beautiful basics, the capsule wardrobe. White shirt, black trousers, tan pencil skirt, cream coat, black coat, little black dress, little tan dress, white vest, tan vest, black vest, beige jumper, plain, simple, classic and effective.
Now the colour, invest in one dazzling coat, a tapestry of colour, and wear it with your black dress and a giant red ring.
Pair your decent black work suit with a green satin shirt, mix a little chunky turquoise with your tans and browns.
You see, you can go a little crazy with colour, but you don’t have to look like a Sony Bravia ad. Restrain yourself, while indulging little, but remember, too much of anything, whether black or colour, is never a good look.
However, black can become addictive. In your wardrobe, it seems as though all colourful clothes creep behind their duller counterparts, pushing forward the darker shades for your selection. I have to break the cycle, and 2007 is the year to do this.
I’m not one for trends, but if they are decent, then we must succumb, and this one is very much okay.
We will definitely see a return, a burst if you like, of colour on the fashion scene come Spring/Summer, and, although we are a little fearful of the black being peeled form our back, it will be time to accept a little brightness into our lives.
The secret to adding colour is this; easy does it. Don’t go from soft muted shades to dazzling brilliance, if you are a soft muted shades kind of person to begin with, it will feel completely foreign and wrong. Look to New York, where ladies of a certain standing have hectic yet stylistically competitive lives, learn from them, see how they wear lovely basic colours, nudes, tans, creams, browns, greys and blacks, and then add interest with oversized red beads, a turquoise bag, a dinky yellow hat and so on.
This is the secret to not only colour, but dressing.
Invest in beautiful basics, the capsule wardrobe. White shirt, black trousers, tan pencil skirt, cream coat, black coat, little black dress, little tan dress, white vest, tan vest, black vest, beige jumper, plain, simple, classic and effective.
Now the colour, invest in one dazzling coat, a tapestry of colour, and wear it with your black dress and a giant red ring.
Pair your decent black work suit with a green satin shirt, mix a little chunky turquoise with your tans and browns.
You see, you can go a little crazy with colour, but you don’t have to look like a Sony Bravia ad. Restrain yourself, while indulging little, but remember, too much of anything, whether black or colour, is never a good look.
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