Portrush and the Giant's Causeway .. work and play

The Ruins of Dunluce Castle at sunset

I love going somewhere new, and Northern Ireland is relatively new to me. I have been to Belfast before but didn't see much of it as I had gone there for a flying visit on a job. Years ago I crossed the border from the South to Enniskillen but that's as far as my travels in this part of the island of Ireland had gone.

This year in my role as a make up artist, my colleagues and I were tasked with looking after the on-air talent for The Open championship at Royal Portrush for the Sky Sports Golf channel.

Portrush Harbour

We flew into Belfast airport and drove the hour or so to Portrush in County Antrim. It is a beautiful part of the country with loads to see along the way, so we were fortunate enough to find a little free time to see some of it during our visit. We stayed right in Portrush town about 10 minutes walk from the golf course, which meant we were able to walk to the harbour area for a meal or a drink after work. 

The weather was changeable over the few days of the preview shows and championship days and of course we had to be prepared for anything! We had an Open Zone which was under cover but out on the course there was none so wet gear for the crew and umbrellas for the presenters were essential. We were warned in advance about summer in Northern Ireland!

Before our real work began on the tournament, we decided we absolutely had to visit the Giant's Causeway so we went directly after work one evening. 

We were lucky as we made it before the rains were due. Being high summer the light lasted way past 10pm at night. It was about a 20 minute drive from Portrush to Bushmills and we were able to park in the car park at the Causeway Hotel which is right next to the Visitors Centre. It had closed for the day but it was still possible to walk the half a mile or so to the ancient basalt columns by the sea. There were a few people there but not enough to spoil the many photo opportunities we had to capture the stunning natural beauty of this area.

Back to work the next day and we battled with the elements ranging from brilliant sunshine to wind and driving rain. I had some gorgeous men's grooming products to try and had great success with them.

Preview show

Murdock London

All the men's hair needed to look good for the outdoors without looking overly styled and Murdock London Sea Salt Spray worked wonders on our male guests who needed a little help controlling their hair. The Sea Salt Spray adds volume and texture and gives a slightly matt appearance which is just right for live TV on location. Used on damp hair I blowdried it off into the intended style and finished it off with Texture Paste using my fingers. Perfect for Nick Dougherty's short hair and Paul McGinley's quiff which seemed to grow in height as the week went on!

Another great addition to my make up kit was Balmkind Alpine Rose & Lysine lip balm with SPF 20. When you're stuck outdoors as we were, this was perfect for keeping lips hydrated and protected from the sun and wind.

Storm clouds approaching

Despite the changeable conditions, it was a lot of fun being ferried around on golf buggies to various locations around the course. Extra layers of clothing were on standby and my trusty Rain's Long Jacket and Backpack mini were perfect companions to my wet weather kit. How to stay dry and look relatively stylish whilst feeling like a drowned rat.

The winner Shane Lowry

The final day was most certainly the worst of the weather, with the howling wind and at times horizontal rain, so it was wonderful to see an Irishman, Shane Lowry beat Tommy Fleetwood to win the claret jug amidst a jubilantly raucous home crowd.


The 149th Open 2020 will be held at Royal St. Georges in Kent, England.

Crete Part 4 - Chrissi Island

The end of our glorious week in Crete was approaching. With just one full day left we joined an excursion to Chrissi Island. I hadn't even heard of it till relatively recently when a work colleague told me about it and suggested I go if I had the time.

Not one to miss an opportunity, we asked the travel rep at our hotel to help organise a day trip for us. We were picked up by a cab that drove us to Agio Nikolaos where we joined a coach which transported us to Ierapetra on the south coast. There we boarded a packed ferry for the one hour journey to Chrissi Island.

We had a smooth crossing as it was a fine day with not too much wind and upon arrival on the south side of the island the masses starting heading north for the 10 minute walk to the famous Golden Beach. We opted to stop at the beach bar for a cold drink and a bite to eat before going. There was a grill bar serving fresh souvlaki which was perfect with a cold beer and we stayed about half an hour before our pilgrimage to the beach. The island looks like a lost world of gnarled trees and bushes and is a protected eco system. There are a few signs which ask that you please leave nothing but your footprints.


When we got to the beach it was quite busy and almost every inch of limited shade was taken although we did find a little enclave under some trees. 

I checked out the beach and the sea which was crystal clear but the sand is quite gritty, consisting of tiny broken shells and course sand. There are many pebbles and rocks to navigate until you are able to swim. The easier part of the beach was so crowded we stayed away. I wish I had brought my aqua shoes so I suggest if you go they would be very useful. 

We stayed for a while but decided to go back to the beach near to where we arrived. It was less crowded and we were able to get loungers and umbrellas for €5 each to shield us from the baking sun.

After a few hours on the island we returned the same way we had come. Another wonderful day to remember.

Back at the hotel again, we went to the pool bar and had their gorgeous Pina Coladas for our last night at the Royal Marmin Bay. As I mentioned in my previous post, our final dinner was a return visit to the Samurai Sushi Bar. I had tempura soft shell crab with a salad - if you like seafood this is a must for you.

Day 7 arrived and we had all day free until our flight home that evening. We took full advantage of the pool, had lunch at the pool bar and of course I had to have one last Pina Colada which became my favourite of the trip. It's not usually a drink I would choose but they make the best here and it's so refreshing. A bit like a fruit smoothy!


7pm and time to leave, our transfer coach arrived and off we went. We had an interesting ride back to Heraklion and saw some beautiful places and more amazing views. But the piece de resistance was an amazing sunset as we neared the airport. A fabulous colourful farewell from the island of Crete and a holiday to remember.

It's my second visit to Crete and there's so much more to this island, it's ancient past and it's beauty. Without a doubt I'll be back again soon.

ευχαριστώ - efcharistó - thank you Crete for your generous warmth and hospitality.

Crete Part 3 - Plaka Village

Half way through our wonderful week in Crete called for another little excursion around the area. This time we took a walk north along the main road to the village of Plaka. It was about 25 minutes in total but such a scenic walk with a surprisingly charming village at the end. There are tiny churches everywhere on the Greek islands and this one pictured on the right is clearly part of the Domes of Elounda hotel complex judging by the colour of the render, the dome and the newness of the structure. You can see the island of Spinalonga in the distance.

The first thing you notice as you turn into Plaka is the myriad shades of greens and blues everywhere. Not only the buildings but the clothing, jewellery and pottery and of course the sea and sky. The feel of this village was entirely different to Elounda town. It felt like somewhere a little bit special to me, like somewhere I could actually live. It was busy in a small way but quietly getting on with it. We wandered past tastefully laid out souvenir shops and stopped for an iced espresso on the main street running parallel to the sea.

We browsed some of the shops on the waterfront and found the restaurant we were looking for The Carob Tree or Charoupia in Greek. It's a gorgeous restaurant with outdoor seating across the road set around a Carob Tree. It's not on the seafront but this is definitely a plus when there is a cool breeze at this time of year. The decor is an eclectic mix and we sat in a cool shaded area for lunch. The choice of food was so fab and delicious we decided to reserve a table for dinner that same night.

After an afternoon at the beach we returned as planned later that evening and started with drinks on the seafront before heading to the restaurant. Once again we had a delicious meal with local wine and the value for money here has to be mentioned too. Good food at a very reasonable price, great atmosphere and super friendly staff. I definitely recommend this to anyone visiting this area.

Day 5 was a 'rest day' lazing by the pool and generally doing absolutely nothing in true holiday style. 

As the evening fell we decided to go back to Plaka and find somewhere to eat on the seafront. We chose Captain Nikolas Fish Tavern where just the night before a wedding was being celebrated. We shared a freshly caught seabass baked in packed salt which they filleted for us thankfully. It's the best seabass I've ever tasted. A melt in the mouth taste sensation, it was absolutely delicious. 

Along with the gorgeous evening light and view of Spinalonga island, it was the perfect choice for us. I think we all fell a little bit in love with Plaka.

Next up .. Crete Part 4 - Chrissi Island

Crete Part 2 - Spinalonga and Elounda town

Our holiday underway and drifting into the slower pace of the Mediterranean, we came across the private boat tours offered via our hotel. We decided to take a two hour cruise later that day around the bay and the island of Spinalonga. Skipper Giannis tailors the trip to suit his clients and charges by the hour so you can go as a couple or a small group and decide how you want your trip to be. 

We met Giannis down at the jetty at the hotel beach. We were welcomed on board the 45ft motor yacht and set off on our journey towards Elounda town. We skirted past the town and back around the far side of the bay towards Spinalonga. There were a couple of larger boats docked there with tourists visiting the island, which has a long history dating back centuries and once served as a fortress occupied by the Venetians and Ottomans. In the early 20th century the island became a leper colony. It is now unoccupied apart from the visitors it gets on a daily basis. 

We did not stop there but instead sailed around the island getting some good views of the old fort. As we came back into the bay, the wind calmed and we anchored in some relatively shallow waters for a swim and some drinks and fruit offered as part of our trip.

We casually cruised back towards the mooring past the village of Plaka, Blue Palace and the Domes of Elounda hotels and had a late lunch at the beach bar.

What started as a slightly overcast windy day morphed into a beautiful sunny afternoon - perfect for being on the water followed by a refreshing glass of wine and a Greek salad on dry land.

Dinner that night was at the other restaurant at our hotel the Samurai Sushi Bar. They employ a qualified Japanese sushi chef and the food was delicious. It's not all sushi but a mixture of Asian foods which should appeal to all tastes. The restaurant staff were very welcoming and helpful with choices of dishes and wines. It's also so lovely to watch the changing light of evening over the bay. We loved it and chose to eat there again on our last night.

After breakfast on Day 3, we caught the local bus into Alounda town to see what was on offer there. It's a small fishing town with restaurants, souvenir and artisan shops and little beaches - not particularly bustling but neither overly quiet. 

We found a place to have lunch of the traditional kleftico and afterwards walked along the waterfront past many more places to eat and drink and taking in the beautiful view before heading back to the hotel.


As we'd had a substantial lunch we passed on dinner and went for drinks instead, which worked out quiet well as there was a tasting of olives, and other Cretan products in the bar that night.

So far the week was everything we wanted and more. The pace of life here is something to aspire to not to mention good company, gorgeous weather, tasty food and views to die for.

Next up .. Crete Part 3 - Plaka

Crete Part 1 - finding Elounda

The warmth of Crete is not just about the weather. The people are known for their welcoming nature and hospitality and even arriving at our hotel at the late hour of 2am was no exception.

Our annual girls holiday started with a late lunch at the airport and everything seemingly running to plan. The flight was due to arrive in Heraklion around 10.30 that night and we hoped to be in our beds by around midnight. However, a glitch involving a luggage discrepancy before our departure meant we lost our slot and left 2 hours later than planned. Something to know about hand carry luggage is that if you asked to check it at the gate and are given a luggage tag, do not remove it and try to get away with carrying it onboard. It will invariably throw the bag tally out and cause a disruption which creates all sorts of issues with the handlers, not to mention the passengers and crew who are also subjected to the delay. Thankfully, the person who did this owned up but the damage had been done.

Arriving so late we at least got through the border control relatively quickly and met with our friendly transfer driver who drove us to Royal Marmin Bay, Elounda about an hour away from Heraklion. We were dropped off around 1.30am and met at the bottom of a steep hill by a night porter with a buggy which took us up to reception. He was very welcoming and presented us with fresh lemonade while we wearily filled in our details. Needless to say all we wanted to do was sleep and to wake up to sunshine and a great view.

It was amazing to throw open the curtains and look out over the bay that first morning. Even though it was looking a little cloudy it was beautiful and pleasantly warm. To the south we could see the town of Elounda, about a 25 minute walk or a 10 minute bus ride away. Luckily the clouds disappeared as the day progressed. It could only get better and it did. 


The breakfast area was situated right by the pool and the staff couldn't do enough for us. Although it was a buffet of every type of food you desire, they were on hand to serve coffee, juice and anything else we wanted. I chose a plate of fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt and chopped pistachio nuts, which I then had almost every day afterwards. Definitely my kind of breakfast.

We gravitated towards the pool after breakfast. A lovely quiet haven with ambient background music and again the staff were super friendly and helpful refusing to let us lift a finger. If you wanted an umbrella up or down they were there. A drink from the pool bar? Don't get up we'll bring it to you. Nothing was ever too much trouble. 



We had a light lunch at the pool bar and booked a table for dinner at one of the restaurants on site, Poseidon. We were given a table which maximised the view of the beautiful bay as the sun went down. The service and food was fantastic. They have a good wine selection with some great locally produced ones on offer. One that we all really liked was a Greek Rose, Nautilus, created by growing imported vines from France. It has a blush appearance and the taste is similar to any that you would get in Provence and very reasonably priced too.

Day 1 all but over we looked forward to gently slipping into proper relaxation mode and of course getting out and about doing a bit of exploring at our leisure.

Next up .. Crete Part 2 - Spinalonga

My Milan

I have been going to Milan - usually late summer - since the year 2000 when a friend invited me for a girls' shopping weekend. That first trip was so exciting and an eye opener. There were so many individual boutiques with names I'd never heard of and of course the major brands all enclosed in a relatively small area in the city with prices way cheaper than any in London. As you can imagine we went crazy buying our new winter wardrobe and I still have my ankle boots from Miu Miu plus a few other items from that time. Quality and design is timeless. As each year passed, my haul got smaller with Italian brands becoming more global and prices evening out. We still continued to go as an annual ritual becoming more discerning with our buying and instead enjoying each other's company with an espresso or prosecco and watching the world go by.

2018 was the first time we missed going and went to Berlin instead. This year we decided to reignite our affair with Milan and go back in late spring, this past weekend as it happens, for a completely different experience and it worked out very well.

Apart from the fact that it rained for most of the weekend we had a fab time. We stayed at the Park Hyatt Hotel right in the centre of Milan, a few steps from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. We got a great rate deal which enabled us to stay there and it was such a pleasure. Everything you would expect from a 5 star hotel, our bathroom was large enough to swing more than the proverbial cat.

Friday evening we had a cocktail and snacks at the Mio Lab bar in the hotel, and met up with my nephew who is in Milan for 3 months with a model agency. We had dinner at Ravello 18 a few minutes walk away which has a small menu of reasonably priced seasonal local dishes. 

Saturday was spent shopping in and out of the rain, mostly at our favourite brands for clothes, Marella, Max & Co and Penny Black and Sephora and Kiko Milano for make up. We had lunch at Granaio Caffe and Cucina, a delicious asparagus risotto with a glass of prosecco.


After more shopping we sauntered back to the hotel late afternoon to put our feet up for an hour before venturing down for pre dinner drinks at Mio Lab bar again with it's beautiful glass blown ceiling lights looking like space ships hovering overhead. We tried the Red Ginger martini. A mix of vodka, lime, ginger and raspberry it was sublime. Drinks are always accompanied with a small slate of pintxos, olives and nuts included in the price.

We had been recommended to go for dinner at Langosteria known for it's fabulous seafood dishes. I had Linguine con aragosta, pomodoro confit e basilico which is simply fresh ribbon pasta and lobster with a tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious! This restaurant is very popular so reserving a table is essential.


Strolling back to the hotel after dinner we went past the Duomo looking stunning in the evening light and the shop fronts with their beautiful windows more elegant and stylish than they appear in daylight.

Back at the hotel for the last night of our weekend, we watched the end of the Eurovision final in all it's camp glory place Great Britain undeservedly at the bottom of the pile. 

In our usual fashion, we spent Sunday morning at the Rinascente department store searching out last minute finds before our journey home. We had lunch with an obligatory glass of prosecco at God Save the Food Piano -1 (Lower Ground Floor) Design Supermarket.

Our love of Milano restored after more than a year away, I'm certain we'll be back again very soon.