Out & About

He was accompanied by his family - his wife Miriam and his four children Denis Jr., Maureen, Sean and Tara - and the honor was well deserved.

Houndstooth Bar and Restaurant (at 8th Avenue and 37th Street) had its grand opening last Saturday night.

The evening was a blazing success with the cream of Irish business guests attending the VIP party.

Dairmuid Hogan from Global Excess Partners was seen with a lot of elegant models on hand and mixing it up with the other guests that notably included Des O'Brien from Langan's Broadway Restaurant, who came over from his own busy establishment to show his support.

This was a packed event - as I said with lots of very important guests and there's so many to mention: you had Ted Tracy who's well known in the Irish Community, and Tom Duffy the famous golfer and charity fundraiser (that man was every where meeting and greeting; good on you Tom).

Sammy O'Connor,  the owner of the Stone Street Bar & Restaurant, was seen chatting to the coffee man himself Pete Scalley; I wonder who was selling what to who since they are both the best in the business when it comes to selling.

Also seen were James O'Malley and his lovely wife Lelia Ruckenstein  (who is a big President-Elect Obama supporter and very proud of it too) and close by was the Chairman of Global Excess Partners Richard Meyer.

We also met with Mary Pat Thurston who is also a partner in the company, where was Ciara Nolan I wonder?

Snow Patrol's Gary Litebody and Nathan Connolly are two backers of Houndstooth along with Nicholas Cohen and Kevin McKenna.

As soon as you have a chance, you really have got to check it out and while you're in the neighbourhood, pop across the street to the very famous Stitch (which was voted the best after work bar in New York).

This Wednesday, The Voxys (a Dublin and New York-based  band that are going places) are playing at the Crash Mansion on the Bowery at 10pm. Try not to miss them as we've heard a lot of very good reports about them.

Russian billionaire  Roman Abramovich paid a visit into the East Village's Soccer headquarters Nevada Smiths on Saturday. Abramovich is #15 on Forbes 2008 list of the World's richest people and he is also the owner of the English Premier League's Chelsea Football Club. Jack Keane must have been very happy.

Mr Abramovich sat downstairs in Chrissy Macs lounge bar with his stunning girlfriend Darya Zhukova watching the Chelsea vs. Bolton league game which Chelsea won 2-0, so he was a happy camper and posed for pictures with the club supporters and with Nevada Smiths staff members.

With Christmas just around the corner, the shoppers are in full swing, so try not to forget your bartenders and waitresses as they work very hard to make everyone comfortable as soon as they walk in the door whether they're sitting at the bar or eating in the restaurants.

I am sure you have seen all those nice bright Christmas painted windows in every part of the Tri-State. It is none other the that Kerry woman herself Noelle Clancy - she never stops.

Seen around town last Thursday were Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson who paid a courtesy visit to Mayor Mike Bloomberg and also visited the New York Stock Exchange; they must have some money, huh.

We also met Martin Whelan at the Houndstooth bash who hopes to open a new St. Andrews at 46th Street just off Broadway

As you know, Martin also  has Maggie's Place, Stout, Fats, and The Half Pint and close to his side was his partner Noelle Mooney who was looking great as always.

Celebrity photographer James Higgins is at most events and he was again snapping all over the place at the Houndstooth grand opening.

See you all next week.