rate Westin super fare: The Exchange restaurant at the Westin Hotel oozes elegance and boasts superb food to match wines complement which dishes, and our server didnt disappoint, recommending an exceptional full- bodied shiraz to go with his steak, and a not-too-dry chardonnay for my sea trout. The bill totalled 65 a steal for borderline perfection, my only grumble being a tepid gnocchi and his the limited set menu. But then hes a fussy eater. Lucy White The Westin, Westmoreland Street D2. Tel: (01) 645 1318. www.thewestindublin.com ME, ME, ME... Inside the minds of celebrities WORLD Jos Feliciano ART REVIEW Francis Bacon: Terrible Beauty Tuesday, November 3, 2009 metrolife 13 Blind since birth, singer and guitarist Jos Feliciano was born in Puerto Rico, although his family settled in New York when he was a young boy. The geographic placement is key to his work: when New York, the birthplace of salsa, felt a boom in folk music, Feliciano combined the two worlds in one person. His second release, 1965s A Bag Full Of Soul, established the template, as Feliciano subjected a new generation of standards to sensual samba and fiery flamenco rhythms. His signature song is, of course, Light My Fire, which was actually a bigger hit in 1968 than the Doors original. The title became more of a request than Jim Morrisons imperious demand, Feliciano slowing the music down to build to a climax of passion and intensity. He has since pursued a dual career, with alternating albums in English and Spanish. A three-time winner of Best Latin Performance at the Grammy Awards, he has achieved far greater success on the Latin-American market. With the excitable yips and mariachi horns securely in place once again, his soulful voice is well suited to address the perennial themes of love, hate, jealousy and desire. Mike Butler Tonight, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace D2, 8pm, 45 to 58. Tel: (01) 417 0000. www.nch.ie To celebrate the centenary of the birth of the great nihilist Francis Bacon, The Hugh Lane Gallery has assembled this massive archive of material, much of it from the artists studio. Abandoned canvases, finished and unfinished works, photographs and other flotsam and jetsam from his home and work space in Reece Mews fill almost two floors and make for an interesting showcase. Head straight to the first floor if you want to see some striking completed works. Untitled (Half- Length Figure In Sea) comes from a collection owned by Damien Hirst and is a murky, seldom-seen masterpiece, the figure of the title all but obscured by expressive navy brushstrokes. Portrait Of Henrietta Moraes with her contorted, fleshy visage dominating the left- hand side of an otherwise yellow canvas is perfectly executed. As is the superb portrait of Bacons last lover, John Edwards, the troubled sitter painted on a cane chair against a black and olive background, throwing a creepy, flesh-coloured shadow. Elsewhere, the abandoned slashed canvases which fill an entire room and hint at Bacons indefatigable quest for perfection, are probably more of interest to art historians than casual gallery-goers. Photographs of the artist taken in Paris in 1962 when President Georges Pompidou opened a retrospective of his work at the Grand Palais are particularly poignant given Bacon had only just received the news that his lover George Dyer had committed suicide. In many he puts on a brave face but in at least one he is separated from the crowd, heartbroken. Bacon would, of course, transmute this suffering into art with a series of powerful triptychs showing Dyers final moments. Unfortunately, the absence of works from this series or indeed any major Bacon pieces make this exhibition something less than essential. Daragh Reddin Until Mar 7, 2010, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North D1, Tue to Thu 10am to 6pm, Fri & Sat 10am until 5pm, Sun 11am to 5pm, free. Tel: (01) 222 5550. www.hughlane.ie Today: Jo Brand, from her recent autobiography On growing up: One adage that was very much adhered to in our house was that it wasnt good not to finish your dinner, because of starving children in Africa who would be only too pleased to get their hands on our semi- regurgitated parsnips. On her first kiss: It was at a party and I was about 12. I had hooked up with this spotty young man whose name escapes me. I didnt fancy him but had decided my first kiss was something to get over and done with, a bit like your first smear. On having a fashion makeover from Trinny and Susannah: The resulting outfit was f***ing hilarious: a creepy, brown two-piece suit with a fairly tight top with a plunging neckline... and a long, flared skirt and ridiculously high-heeled, uncomfortable shoes. You cant run in high-heeled shoes and I think there are plenty of times when a woman needs to run. On her first job as a nursing assistant at a residential home: We strayed into sitcom territory, as the elderly gardener was partial to displaying his genitalia to any female under the age of 70. On her first audition for acting school: We were asked to mime playing a musical instrument. Most people chose something sensible, like a clarinet or a violin, but I plumped for a church organ. There I was, banging away like a mad woman when suddenly our two auditioners said: Right, will you now fold up your instrument and put it on the floor? How do you fold up an organ? On her first year as a stand-up: I worked with a wide range of different comics at the time: Julian Clary no different to today; Eddie Izzard terrible when he started. Poor old Eddie, it became a standing joke: Eddies died again. Jo Brands Look Back In Hunger is published by Headline, priced 24 OurWorld intheClassroom THE IRISH TIMES irishtimes.com LearnAboutOurWorld ThesecondOurWorldintheClassroommagazinewillappear inTheIrishTimesonTuesday,November3rd. Thismagazine,producedbyIrishAidandTheIrishTimeswillhelp primaryschoolagechildrenlearnmoreaboutourworld. Inthisissuelearnabouthungerinourworld,meet MemorySolomonfromMalawiandfindouthowtoenterthe IrishAidOurWorldAwards. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html