Another year over - farewell 2018

2018 has been a good year for travel, both for pleasure and work in my role as a TV make up artist. I hope it's been a good one for you too. 

I cherish my trips and I also love looking at other people's photos and being inspired to go to places I hadn't even thought of.

Although I love summer and being by the sea, I also love winter - but not too long please - and the beautiful lights on display in the darkest days leading up to Christmas. It's lovely to cosy up by the fire with my gorgeous dog Scout and watch a movie or hang out with friends.

I'd like to thank you all so much for continuing to read my blog and particularly to those of you who have supported my fledgling business and bought my HQ beach bags for your vacations.  It means a lot! I trust you will continue to enjoy using them for your next jaunt and beyond. Also big thanks to my make up colleagues who have bought the HQ make up station mats.  

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and good health and happiness for 2019. See you next year!

My last ever ATP World Tour finals for Sky Sports

Up on top of the O2

I have just finished working on Sky Sports' last ever tennis event, the ATP World Tour Finals, for the foreseeable future. Maybe one day it will come back but for now the global giant Amazon has taken it on.

I was fortunate to be asked to do my first ATP back in 2009. In those days we had a tiny studio and even tinier make up area if you can call it that. It was a set up on a chair outside the studio with limited lighting. I shared the space with the lighting director, an air conditioning unit and spare camera kit - luckily we got on.

Eventually we moved across the way to a larger studio and I was able to secure a little more space (although not much) with better lighting. I would do Annabel’s hair and makeup at the hotel in the comfort of my room and do the guys at the location.

We had two sessions per day which always seemed to run over giving us a slap dash break for dinner and then a rush to get to a news cross down on the court side, then another dash to the fan zone for the evening show opener. The Evening sessions would often overrun and we’d be lucky to see our beds before midnight. We've also had some great guests over the years including Peter Fleming, Boris Becker, Judy Murray, Pat Cash, Jamie Delgado, Lleyton Hewitt, Lindsay Davenport and Marion Bartoli, to name just a few.

Marcus, Annabel and Greg

Last year the fan zone area disappeared due to the construction of a shopping centre within the O2 dome which opened this year as the Icon Outlet. No more running to various locations with indigestion. For our last 8 days of broadcasting they cut the screen time for the presenters giving us an altogether much more relaxed experience with a proper meal break every day. This was also probably the first year we didn’t overrun on any matches – most were done in 2 sets.

On our last day, the presenting team, a producer, cameraman and I had the opportunity to walk over the top of the O2 to film the opener for the finale. We couldn't have asked for a better day. If you ever get the chance to do it, I would highly recommend it. Safety is obviously the primary concern so we had to watch a video, wear all the gear including safety harness and boots before embarking on the 15 minute climb which begins with a flight of stairs. The view from the top was amazing – albeit blowing a bit of a gale up there on the day. The descent felt a little harder as there are no stairs on the other side and quite a steep drop on the last bit to negotiate. We had a very experienced team of guides to help us along the way and never once felt nervous or insecure.

Annabel transformed

Back on the ground again, we had to prepare for the final show. Annabel's windblown hair and make up had to be redone and Marcus and Greg groomed for the camera.

After a decade of epic finals, it was a fantastic way to end our last show watching a relative newcomer, 21 year old Alexander Zverev beat the number 1 Novak Djokovic in 2 straight sets.

The end of an era, I will always treasure my memories from the US Open and the ATP World Tour and will miss working with such a fab team of people.

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We stayed at Novotel Canary Wharf, just one stop away on the Jubilee line.




 

Three days on the Suffolk coast with the Holiday Hound

Scout enjoying a swim

Generally when I think of the beach, I think of hot summer days lazing on a sun lounger and going for cooling dips in the ocean. I also think of walking along a beach on darker days, rugged up against the cold wind. Both of these scenarios are equally appealing to me for very different reasons.

I love to get away at any time of year, but particularly in the autumn before a long stint of work and the lead up to Christmas. Now that I have a dog, I like to use this break so I can take him too. I decided that the beach would be just perfect given that the crowds would be gone and he could run freely and have a swim if he fancied it. He absolutely loves the water.

The coastline of the UK has many options but I wanted something within about a 2 hour drive away from London. I chose Aldeburgh, a town which has inspired artists and writers and most notably composer Benjamin Britten. 

Virginia Woolf once dismissed it as a “miserable dull little sea village”, and that’s what locals want you to think – for they know it’s anything but.

I had been a few times before and loved it. Dogs are allowed on most beaches in Suffolk with restrictions from May through September on the most popular ones so it seemed the right fit.

Sunset - Hazlewood Marsh

I found a delightful place to rent through the Rural Retreats website. They have a lot of dog friendly self catering properties on offer and as I had used them before I knew I'd find something reliable and suitable. We were based in a one bedroom ground floor apartment overlooking the Hazlewood Marsh and only a few minutes away from Aldeburgh town and beach. It was the perfect retreat - peaceful and serenely quiet - a home from home. The sunsets over the marsh were simply beautiful.

We were extremely lucky with the weather. It could have gone either way at this time of year and I didn't particularly mind which way - it is what it is - but it was gloriously sunny and clear which made the cold temperatures that much easier to bear.

Scout loved the beach which was devoid of people until later in the day - he even went in for a swim until a wave broke over him and he body-surfed to the shore. I'm not sure he knew what hit him and although it didn't stop him, he was a bit cautious after that!

Our exploring took us north a few miles to the beautiful Suffolk town of Southwold. We walked from the pier along the beach towards the centre of town. Here there were families, children and dogs playing in the autumn sunshine. There are a number of iconic British beach huts along the sea front, all brightly painted and decorated. These are available to rent in the summer and as expected booked up well in advance. During a day at the seaside, a beach hut is the perfect place to shelter away from the midday sun or to change out of your wet bathers before enjoying a well-earned refreshment! 
 
We had lunch at the Sole Bay Inn, right next to the Southwold Lighthouse, which is open to visitors on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays between 2-4pm. I didn't think it was quite Scout's thing so we walked into town and back along the beach again.

The sun went down by 4.30pm each day so we always got back to the apartment before it got dark. We had a large garden to access which was great for Scout and he had more than his usual share of exercise. In the evenings we catered for ourselves and relaxed in front of the fire watching movies on Netflix. 

The next day we went north again and just a few minutes away to Thorpness. It was quite windy and the beach was deserted. Scout was in his element once more, in and out of the water and didn't seem to mind being wet and windblown. 

It was our last full day and we knew of dog friendly pub, the Plough and Sail, in the town of Snape Maltings and made our way there, although we didn't end up staying as the outside area was not to our liking on the day. That's not to say I wouldn't go back. Right next door was a cafe with outdoor seating in full sun so we opted to have lunch there instead. The town is located in an 'area of outstanding natural beauty' on the River Alde, and I would really like to go back there again. 

After checking out of our accommodation on Sunday morning, we went back in to Aldeburgh to give Scout his last run on the beach. I think he knew we were leaving as he didn't want to come back when called.
We also wanted to go back to our favourite find, a little cafe (sadly the name escapes me) just off the seafront down a little lane towards the High Street and opposite the Garage Gallery. They served delicious Mozzo coffee which I had never heard of before and looked forward to it everyday.

A long weekend break can be as good as a week off. It's great to get out of the city and your regular life to experience something completely different, yet still keep a little normality of that life in a home away from home. I think a few more of these may be on the cards.


 
 

Work and Play in Paris - from La Golf National to the Eiffel Tower

Paris - aka the City of Lights. It's been a few years since I have been to this city so I was happy to be going back, albeit for work. My first trip was many years ago in my 'gap year' then back and forth in subsequent years for long weekends and day trips on the Eurostar.

I had already done a lot of the sightseeing in these previous visits - climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre (although it's so vast you can never see it all), Musée Rodin, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur - the list goes on. It's an easy city to walk around and of course there's the shopping. My favourite is the Galleries Lafayette and Sephora. What self respecting make up artist could resist going there!

This year Paris was host to The Ryder Cup, a biennial men's golf competition between Europe and the United States. My job in this major sports production was to look after all the on-air talent for the UK broadcaster along with my colleague who shared the workload. The majority of my 8 days was spent on site at Le Golf National, but I was fortunate enough to have a full day and two afternoons off so I took full advantage.

The Palace of Versailles was relatively close to where we were staying so it seemed the obvious place to start. It was a beautiful autumn day and being a Monday the Palace itself was closed but there are acres of gardens, walks, sculptures and fountains to see, all free of charge.

The Orangery is most impressive .. To stock the Orangery, Louis XIV gathered all the orange trees from the royal houses and acquired a large number of new trees from Italy, Spain and Portugal. It was considered good manners at the time for courtiers to gratify the King by offering him their own orange trees. They were transported with such haste (even in the middle of winter) that many expired on the way there, but the Versailles orangery was soon able to boast the largest collection in Europe.

Most of the fountains which were built in the 17th century have been or are in the process of being restored and are spectacular. Unfortunately they weren't on when we were there but it gave us an opportunity to see just how magnificent they are.

On the first of my two afternoons off, my colleagues and I decided to go on a cruise on the River Seine. We had been up since 3am but sleep could wait! We hopped on the Metro at the end of the line at Pont de Sevre M9, which was an adventure in itself, working out where to change from the Metro to the RER C at La Muette/Boulainvilliers which would then take us to Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel. This was where we could pick up a boat trip for a one hour cruise costing €14 with a glass of champagne for an extra €7. We were lucky we were on a relatively small boat which wasn't crowded so it was a very relaxing, pleasant trip, taking in twenty three landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and the Grand Palais to name but a few. We finished off with a light dinner before returning for some much needed sleep before our next and thankfully last 3am start.

Our second afternoon off was spent local to our hotel at Pont de Sevre. There is a large and beautiful park nearby which we wanted to explore. The Domaine National de Saint-Cloud was just a few minutes walk away and just at the entrance we noticed the Musée National de Ceramique so we decided to take a look inside. We did not know what to expect and paid the €8 entrance fee which included an exhibition called Forces de la Nature. The three Norwegian artists featured Kari Dyrdal, Torbjørn Kvasbø and Marit Tingleff produced interesting large format works of contemporary tapestry and ceramic pieces. I was particularly impressed with the tapestries - the scale and the vibrant colours - I'm so glad we went inside.

Once outdoors again, we continued our walk through the park, ascending the winding road to the top where we had amazing views of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was a beautiful autumn day and as we wandered through the woods, we discovered a bridle path that led us towards a view of the fountains and gardens below.

Meandering down the hill we
stopped at a little café at the bottom where we had tea. Fortunately for us there were no more hills to negotiate. After another brutally early start that morning, we were pretty much ready to head back to the hotel and our beds on the now flat area of the park, along the beautiful tree lined pathway.

The week almost over, we went into the last day of work and the final day of the Ryder Cup. The atmosphere was fantastic, with fans from all over the world cheering their respective teams on. Europe came out the victors this time, winning the cup back from the USA.

All that was left to do was pack up and prepare for our respective journeys home the following day. Thank you for your hospitality Paris!

Merci et au revoir Paris ... Jusqu'à la prochaine fois.

Weekend break in Berlin

I've recently had a great weekend break in the City of Berlin. This is another one to tick off my bucket list as I've wanted to go for absolutely ages.
Usually at this time of year my pal and I head off to Milan to do our winter wardrobe shopping which we have done for quite a number of years, but this year we decided to do something different given that brands and shops are global and the exchange rate unfavourable at the present time.

Seasonal shopping for me has also become less important. If I want something I go to my local boutique which stocks quirky independent brands or I shop online. Times have changed. Don't get me wrong - I love Milan and will continue to visit when I can.

We arrived in Berlin on a Friday morning and bought a €2.80 ticket for the bus into the city. We checked into our hotel Leonardo Berlin Mitte which was located centrally right by the River Spree and within walking distance of everything.


We had already booked a free tour by Sandemans so headed down to the Brandeburg Gate to meet our group. The tour covers a great deal (see below) so be prepared for a lot of walking in the 2.5-3 hours it takes. This is a great introduction to the city if you have never been before.

Brandenburg Gate

Site of Hitler’s bunker

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Checkpoint Charlie

Gendarmenmarkt

The Berlin Wall

Pariser Platz

Luftwaffe HQ

Bebelplatz

TV Tower

Book burning memorial 

Humboldt University 

We had Martin as our guide - he's a native Berliner and was extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the history of his city. Although this tour was free, the guides do accept tips but this is by no means obligatory.
The tour ended at the Humboldt University but the city is easy to navigate and when in doubt there's always Google maps!

My friend knew of a bar nearby where we could sit and enjoy a cocktail after our long walk. The bar was Newton, named after Helmut Newton a German/Australian fashion photographer, with a cool retro décor and a huge wall of his giant photographs of naked ladies in stilettos. Don't be put off as these women are not glamour models but strong supermodel types tastefully photographed, and the cocktails were great!


The next morning we mooched around some shops and booked ourselves on yet another tour - the Alternative City tour - which again was around 3 hours (cost €14) and not all walking. You need a day transit pass for this one (cost €7) as we hopped on an off the S- and U- Bahn trains to get to some of the locations.


 

Street art, graffiti and Berlin’s alternative districts

Development of a unique art and nightlife culture after the fall of the wall and reunification

Protests, riots & demos

Controversy, gentrification and urban development

East Side Gallery

Tips on cultural activities, restaurants and nightlife

Life in Berlin today through the eyes of your guide

It was a fascinating insight into the lives of Berliners during the time behind the iron curtain right up until the fall of the Berlin wall and beyond. Our guide Susan, a bubbly Canadian now living in Berlin was also extremely knowledgeable, with a masters in Classical Archaeology and an interest in art and modern history. It was interesting seeing Berlin through her perspective. I highly recommend this tour and I suggest some good walking shoes for this one!

Clocking up near on 25kms of walking over the two days we really needed to put our feet up, relax and enjoy a beverage somewhere fabulous so we opted for the lobby lounge bar in the Adlon hotel right by the Brandenburg Gate. We stayed for dinner, unwilling to walk another step! A perfect way to end the day.


The stores aren't open on a Sunday but many of the museums and public buildings are so we took a walk along the River Spree towards Alexanderplatz to visit the DDR Museum which is located opposite the beautiful Berlin Cathedral. If you book online the cost is €5.50-€8.50 or drop in on the day €9.80. We didn't have to queue and you can do the whole interactive experience in around an hour or so. It was so interesting and poignant to see how people lived. 

The permanent exhibition of the DDR Museum introduces its visitors to the history of everyday life in the DDR and the realities of life under Socialism. Visitors are invited to extend their knowledge of a wide range of topics through engaging directly with historical sources. We do not hide all of our exhibits behind glass, but encourage our visitors to touch, hold and interact with a range of objects and installations.

After the exhibition, we stopped for lunch then made our way to the airport and our flight home. A great long weekend in an amazing city that I definitely plan to return to in the not too distant future.

 

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Next stop .. Paris and The Ryder Cup with the day job.

Back to high summer in New York City

In all my many visits to New York, I have pretty much covered every month and every season and can honestly say that as much as I love the summer, the heat and humidity in this city can be quite brutal and best avoided if possible. Hence native New Yorkers leaving in their droves for the country and the beach during the hottest months of July/August.

Shopping in Soho

My primary reason for going at this time this year was to go with my friends to their beach house in East Hampton for a long weekend and subsequently spend time in the city as well, living as they do.

There's always tons to do in New York. There are of course the sites - many of which I have done before - and countless galleries, museums, theatre on and off Broadway and activities going on all the time. You will never be bored there. The summer heat is draining so it's a good idea to plan your days with that in mind. Like most other major cities, there are also the shopping areas - my favourites are Soho, The Village and the Meat Packing district.

I usually stay uptown with friends and the nearest subway station used to be a few blocks away. There is now a brand new line called the Q which serves the east side from 96th Street to the west and south all the way to Coney Island - so much more convenient than before. I was in the city for a week, so I bought a weekly metro pass for $32 + $1 for the card, for unlimited travel on the subway and buses. This card is valid for a year and can be topped up to suit. If you prefer to travel by yellow cab, there is now an app called Curb so you can easily request and pay for cabs without the need for cash or credit cards. So quick and simple.



Self Portrait in
stained glass micro mosaic

One thing I loved about the new subway line was the sizeable works of art on display in the stations. One of the four artists was Chuck Close, a photorealist artist, painter and photographer. He was commissioned by the Arts for Transit and Urban Design to provide 12 large scale portraits for the 86th Street subway. The works are phenomenal and well worth seeing.

I do like an exhibition and went along to the Met or the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"

“Heavenly Bodies” is the largest exhibition ever offered by the Met’s Costume Institute and was organized by its curator, Andrew Bolton. It runs from its dedicated downstairs hall to the Byzantine and medieval galleries and into the Lehman Wing; it then continues at the Cloisters, the museum’s serene home for religious art in Upper Manhattan. Most of the designers here were or are Catholics, including historical figures like Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent, and active designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. Credit New York Times

I loved what I managed to see but unfortunately didn't get to the other locations to see the rest of it. It finishes on October 8th so if you love fashion I'd recommend you go.

Another day I hopped on a bus and went across town to the New York Historical Society on Central Park West and 77th Street. I went specifically to see "Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes" which was very interesting. There is a wealth of history on show here and well worth putting aside some time if you are interested in American history. There is also a stunning collection of Tiffany lamps on display.

It was a beautiful day so I decided to walk home through Central Park, watching people cycling, rowing on the boating lake and walking their dogs. I walked right up by the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir which stretches 10 blocks from 86th to 96th Street. I came out of the park just north of the iconic Guggenheim museum.

I opted not to join the seemingly mile-long queue in that heat and headed home for an ice cold drink.


I ate at a number of great restaurants - a new one on the West Side I liked was Ousia described as Greek focused Mediterranean cuisine.

I had to try a grilled watermelon salad from the set menu to start which sounds a bit weird but was absolutely delicious and refreshing despite being a warm dish. My cocktail was called Far West Side, a mix of Vodka, Mastiha, Lemon, Cucumber and Mint.  I'd like to try and make it myself!

One evening was spent with friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's a vibrant, trendy neighbourhood with loads of street art, shops and restaurants. We had a fabulous view of Manhattan from the roof terrace of my friend's apartment. How lucky is she to have a view like this!


Equally how lucky was I to see an amazing sunset like this from where I was staying. Who doesn't love a sunset - they are always beautiful, always different.

Other things I did ..  went to the movies one afternoon at Lowes AMC Movie Theater at 84th street. It was a hideously hot, humid day so the only thing to do was grab an iced coffee and sit in the uber comfy recliner chairs in the air conditioning and relax and enjoy the movie. I went to a matinee off Broadway to see Wicked, and on my last day enjoyed a manicure, pedicure with back massage at Nirvana Nails. The perfect precursor to a long flight home.

Another amazing holiday under my belt, I flew home safely on the Lady Stardust, Virgin Atlantic.


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Recommended restaurants ..

Extra Fancy  302 Metropolitan Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 - American

Luna Rossa  347 E 85th St. NY 10028 - Italian

Ouisa 629 W 57th St. NY 10019 - Greek/Mediterranean

Maz Mezcal 316 E86th St. NY 10028 - Mexican

5 Napkin Burger 2315 Broadway, NY 10024 (and other locations) - American

Burger and Barrel 25 W Houston, Soho NY - American