Perfect Short Break – San Sebastian (Donostia) North West Spain

A little travel taster from guest blogger Carey Hawkins who has just returned from a short vacation!

San Sebastian (or Donostia to the locals) stands on the edge of the Bay of Biscay, just a few miles from the French border. With stunning architecture, stylish Spanish women and wonderful food, it really is a people watcher and foodie’s paradise!

The gorgeous Concha bay is surrounded by dramatic cliffs which can be reached on one side by an amazing Victorian built ‘Funicular’ – a sort of steep cable railway - and there are two clean, golden sandy beaches to choose from, all within a 10 minute walk from the city centre.  The old town is filled with amazing bars serving the famous Pintxos, similar to Tapas and equally delicious and many Michelin starred restaurants can also be found amongst the cobbled streets.  

I would recommend San Sebastian as a great place to visit for couples, single travellers or families.  There are also plenty of activities for the little ones – a state of the art Aquarium, miles of golden sand and a retro ’70’s style fun fair.

Carey stayed with her husband Tom and 3 year old daughter Isabelle at the Irenaz Resort Hotel Apartamentos http://www.irenazsansebastian.com/ 

Greek Island Hopping

Now that summer has officially ended I thought I would reminisce in summers past for inspiration. I remember a lovely holiday some years ago when 5 of us flew to Athens at the end of August and chartered a sailing yacht to cruise the Peloponnese. One of our party held a skipper's licence, two others had crewed before so we didn't have to hire any extra help. We had two whole weeks of fabulous weather, including some days of very little wind when we were forced to use the motor to get to our next port of call. 

It seems like all of Europe is visiting the islands in July and August. This if fine if you enjoy the busy environment but for those who value their privacy and are looking for a more unique experience, these are definitely not the months.

Hydra

The winds can be quite strong during mid summer - the 'Meltemi' is the NW wind which can blow for days and make your voyage quite unpleasant so we were lucky but in any event our skipper was quite experienced and had encountered heavy gales before so we felt reasonably safe. I'm not the best sea-farer as I suffer from motion sickness but after the initial day of hanging over the back of the boat, I soon got used to it and acquired my sea legs with only the odd day of sea swells putting me off balance again! Our route took us around Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses.  All beautiful islands, particularly Hydra. We would often find a secluded bay where we could spend the day and sometimes the night, hop in the tender and find a nice little taverna to have dinner.

The harbours can get quite crowded so you often have to 'park' in rows and step over other boats to get to the shore!  You can replenish fuel, water and empty the waste tanks at these moorings then stock up on your supplies and explore the islands or just take a day out to laze on the beach and do nothing if you choose!

I'm now looking forward to some pre-Christmas sun in just a few weeks .. top up the tan and those vitamin D levels before we plunge into another predicted icy cold winter!

Eat. Drink. End Hunger!!

What a great way to end a fabulous vacation in New York .. enjoying a gastronomic blow-out at the New York City Wine and Food Festival ... Eat. Drink. End Hunger!  The event I attended was entitled 'The best thing I ever tasted between bread' based on the prime time series of the same name and took place in the Highline Stages on West 15th Street in the Meatpacking District.  It was essentially a sandwich heaven hosted by Duff Goldman, the rock 'n roll chef of Charm City Cakes and star of the Ace of Cakes on the Food Network.  All were mouth watering creations ranging from grilled cheese to meat and mushrooms, spicy chicken biscuits, lobster rolls, bacon-apple-dill combos and pot roast style Italian beef to name just a few. There were a few wines to try along with Liptons iced tea varieties and a particularly outstanding concoction of thyme infused lemonade.  And if you didn't already have enough to eat after sampling all of these goodies, at the end of the line was a Sweetstreet stall with a selection of desserts to die for.  My personal favourite was a cheesecake wrapped in a thin pancake, which I am guessing was delicately deep fried and dusted in cinnamon sugar .. a close second was a peanut butter and jelly cupcake .. so typically American!

After such a satiable feast it was all we could do to try to walk it off a little by following the Highline, stopping for a caffeine hit and doing a little retail therapy ... finally ending our day with a drink at the Rooftop bar of the Gansevoort Hotel where the views of the Hudson River and surrounding areas are quite spectacular!

Musical Inspirations and Beauty 'Saloons'

I know I've spent a lot of time in New York City of late but for those of you who visit every now and then or have never been there is a lot on offer that's a little different to what you would normally expect.  New York like London is home to many theatres and productions .. the choice is varied and almost limitless!  It stands to reason then that there are talented actors, singers and dancers who aren't always in regular work.  From this talent pool there are many who work in bars, not necessarily as bar attendants but as performers in their own right - playing piano, singing and creating shows of infinite variety.  I attended one such show last night in a bar at 343 West 46th Street, in the heart of the theatre district "Don't tell Mama Piano Bar and Cabaret".  There is a regular slot in one of the rooms out the back called "Hole-o-matic" which features Michael Holland (currently doing the orchestration and vocal arrangements for the upcoming Broadway revival of Godspell) and Karen Mack. They perform medleys of well known songs chosen at random by members of the audience from a roladex on each table at the start of the evening. I couldn't put it better myself so I extracted a review written by Darron Cardosa which reads as follows ... 


"... expect lush vocals and comic mayhem in what is always a spontaneous and one-of-a-kind musical experience. The show is an all request evening so each week the performance is completely original. The two sing medleys (or "mash-ups" for you Glee fans) of songs from the 70's and 80's and each one is creatively arranged by Holland. Some of the songs are solos, some are duets, for some he plays the piano for others the guitar...but all of the songs are great. Holland and Mack explain that neither one of them ever knows the complete lyrics to any one song so their only choice is to do bits and pieces of a lot of songs."


There is no cover charge and the only stipulation is that you buy a minimum of 2 drinks per person ... and I should warn you that the cocktails are quite lethal!!! When the show was over we moved into the main restaurant/bar to hear some more music and grab a bite to eat. Such a fun night and thoroughly recommended if you like that sort of thing!

The Beauty Bar

Another great idea which will probably catch on everywhere if it hasn't already is the "Beauty Bar"  situated at 231 E14th Street and at other locations around the US .. quite literally a Bar which was originally a Beauty Salon 40 years ago! A lot of the original features are still visually intact (although of course not in use) and you can even have a martini and a manicure for $10!  Whatever next??!!

It all happens in New York!!

Sunrise after the storm

The New York US Open experience is now over for another year .. and what fun it was!!  The flip flops made an appearance on the practice courts just so they could prove they were there!  
With Hurricane Irene making such an impact just prior to it all starting we imagined we would be delayed and out there longer than we expected, (which we were) but nature is a strange thing and by Sunday evening you would hardly know anything had happened in that part of the country aside from a few twigs and leaves scattered around the place.
We had fabulous weather for the first few days, hot and humid (which always makes it feel hotter than it is) and we battled with hot studio lights, shiny faces and unruly hair! (The Sally Hersberger range of hair products was a great find .. works amazingly well on curly flyaway hair .. I'm even using it on myself now!) Then it all changed and rained incessantly for two days which we knew then would definitely set us back at least an extra day. Our make-up and green room under the studio was wet where the water had seeped through overnight and I spent some time mopping up and making it useable for when the presenters arrived. (Luckily I had kept my kit off the floor!) The cover on the overhang at the end of the studio had filled with water too and started leaking into the back of the set so it was eventually removed and we were without it for the second day of rain which then brought about another set of problems .. wet chairs, presenters getting spray on their jackets etc etc  ... oh the joys of location shooting!  

Guest presenter Boris Becker 

It had stopped raining when it was finally replaced and they got the air conditioning sorted out and mostly it was problem free after that. The weather remained warm and sunny with just the threat of an occasional shower or two but generally things went ahead as planned for each day. The on-site catering was pretty good and we had a great choice of food every day. 
We also had great guests, great tennis and long hours but it was a wonderful experience. I had to use the subway system when it was raining because it was nigh on impossible to get a cab .. a 10 minute power walk, 5 stops on the 6 train downtown and able to get the bus to the grounds which took on average around 25 minutes on a good day.


I did manage to get a bit of shopping done too .. the stores stay open late on a Thursday and Friday and some stay open all the time. Duane Reide which is a large pharmacy chain selling everything from make up to food stay open 24 hours!  There's one on almost every few blocks!   And despite my gruelling schedule I still managed to get to a friend's birthday celebrations at a new restaurant in the West Village, Fatty Cue which is South East Asian barbeque cuisine, although I was late and missed the food! Another little find was a bar in the neighbourhood where I was staying, Brandy's Piano Bar on 83rd street. It features live music every night until 3am.  You are encouraged to request songs and sing along although it is not karaoke! Every so often a jar gets passed around so the piano player can get paid!  A great way to end an evening!


I also managed to squeeze in a visit to a FNO event at Saks Fifth Avenue with some NY friends after work last Thursday.  The store was buzzing with people, in fact the whole city was packed with fashionistas with it being New York Fashion week!  Everyone eager to collect as many samples and photos with designers and models as they could. There were DJ's on every floor pumping out club music at high volume.  It was all a bit much for me after a long day so my friend's 16 year old daughter and I bailed and got a cab home .. however, I did manage to score a few samples for myself!
  
I have visited New York many times but this time I really felt like I was living there .. buildings and surroundings became very familiar and I feel more in touch with the city than ever before .. and I still love it!!  I don't think I will ever tire of it. I am back there next week for a well needed few days off but New York is never a holiday .. it's a vibrant place with lots to do, a city that never sleeps.  I guess Irene was a bit of a blessing in disguise for me .. two days of being indoors with nothing to do but relax before the onslaught of over two weeks of twelve hour days without a break .. I have returned home absolutely shattered but extremely grateful for the opportunity I have just had.

I Love New York!

Lexington Ave

I have always loved New York even before I ever saw it for real! I remember as a child seeing a picture of the Empire State building and deciding there and then that I would go one day! Countless visits later and here I am actually working here! Ok it's only for a couple of weeks but I'm having the experience and loving it. Maybe it's not for everyone but I am a city girl and I love the buzz ..  for me NYC has an energy like no other place I know.
Hurricane Irene came and went without too much of an impact on the city itself so I finally managed to get out of the apartment on Sunday afternoon and head down with the crew to check out our studio location in Queens. Apart from no public transport and most of the shops being closed you would have been unaware that there had been a storm if you didn't know better. It was slightly eerie as there was hardly any traffic on the roads and I had the quickest cab ride back into Manhattan ever. By evening the skies were clearing to reveal a beautiful sunset and by Monday morning a crystal clear day dawned with a sunrise to match! The city pretty much returned to normal very quickly.


Work has been good .. a lot of teething problems on the first day but as each day comes and goes it gets better.  We struggled with the lighting and heat in the studio on the first day meaning lots of blotting and powdering of faces but now the air-con is sorted (well as best it can be in a semi outdoor studio!) and it's a lot better! Heat and humidity have played havoc with the curly hair of one of our presenters but we've tamed that now with a great product I found by Sally Hershberger .. Hyper Hydration .. 'rehab for stressed out locks'.  At only $12.50 for 150ml it seems like a bargain to me!!   I'll let you know more about it as we go along and see how it performs over the next few days!


Our bus (which takes us to and from Flushing Meadows) dropped us back in midtown on Lexington and instead of getting a cab straight 'home' tonight I decided to walk the 40 blocks uptown while it was still light and warm.  I stopped into Bloomingdales and had a wander around the bag department .. did a little price comparison and a lot of drooling then the myriad of make up brands appeared before me!!  It really is make up heaven there!!  I was quite restrained and only allowed myself to buy some Kiehl's travel sized products .. Creme de Corps (my fave body moisturiser) and the Superbly Smoothing Argan Shampoo and Conditioner (also in 75ml sizes) .. they have obviously listened to their customer's suggestions!  So nice to have all your toiletries in containers under 100ml - perfect for your carry on luggage!!
When I came out of the store it was already dark, so I headed up Third Avenue, past groups of people and couples sitting in little restaurants, cyclists, yellow cabs beeping their horns and the odd enraged driver shouting obscenities at the workmen digging up the road blocking a lane and imagined that this would be what it would be like if I actually lived here .. not so different from London really!  For now I think I will just continue to visit and experience the best New York has to offer .. that way I hope I never get tired of it.

Day Two .. Solitary Confinement!!!

Hurricane Irene has now held me captive, on my own for nearly two days!! I can't imagine what it would have been like without tv, internet, email, skype, facebook, twitter etc etc .. how lucky are we in the twentyfirst century to have all these means of communication at our disposal!! I could probably even shop if I cared to - don't have to set foot outside the apartment. I can watch anything I like on tv .. (although as you can imagine I have hurricane watch on all the time in the background!) ... in fact I got through a couple of movies yesterday, read magazines, books .. physically talked to friends and family on the phone, Viber and Skype. Thanks to Irene I actually have had to have enforced downtime .. something I don't take the opportunity to do often enough. And I'll have to do it all again today!! 

My view

The wind is thrashing the rain onto the windows, howling around the building. Every now and then I hear little creaks which suggests how forceful it is at times but I get the sense that it is nowhere near as powerful and damaging as the tornados that ripped through some states earlier this year.
I'm also taking a rough guess that the planned visit to the studio and site this evening will probably not go ahead?  Not so much Flushing Meadows but flooding meadows perhaps!!

Watch this space ....

Home Alone New York .. waiting for Hurricane Irene

Thanks to the threat of Hurricane Irene making it's way up the east coast of America my travel plans had to be changed so as to arrive a day earlier... and thank goodness as the airports here are all closing today and I would never have made it.
I started out having a leisurely day off yesterday, doing a few last minute things before getting packed for my trip.  I had most of my make-up kit organised as I had spent some time breaking it down into a smaller one (always difficult .. who knows what you might need right?) the day before.  I was still doing laundry when the call came in asking me if I could get on a plane asap.  Luckily I'm not one to panic and it does pay to be a little bit organised in advance for such eventualities.  I had spent days working out my pack list in my head so I got myself into gear and threw everything I needed (and more, just in case!) into the largest piece of luggage I have!  The baggage allowance is 23kg per piece and I think I just scraped in by the skin of my teeth!  Well now I'm bringing wet gear, boots etc when it's supposed to be hot hot hot - and I'm going to be here for more than 2 weeks!
My guardian angel was definitely on duty yesterday .. my cab picked me up in good time but it was raining and being a Friday AND a bank holiday weekend every man and his dog was trying to get away.  The traffic was horrendous and I almost resigned myself to missing my flight as it was the last one of the day. Then it was like the parting of the Red Sea .. the sun came out, the traffic eased and I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5 fifteen minutes earlier than planned!  Sometimes things just work out.  I tried to check in at one of the self help booths but it wouldn't check me in .. an assistant came to help, did it all for me and upgraded me in the process!!  Result!!!  Quite made my day.

Peridot and Graphite

I really like Terminal 5!  Spacious, nice shops, restaurants and everything runs smoothly. And true to form I headed for the make-up counters to see what extra goodies I would 'need' ... couldn't resist another new Chanel nail varnish .. this time in Quartz. The sales assistant told me that Peridot is now sold out!! Quell horreur!!!  Glad I've got mine!!
Because of the upgrade I got fast tracked on to the plane .. found my little compartment with the chair that reclines to a flat bed.  Oh bliss .. I've always said as I've walked enviously past these before that one day I would have the experience .. now I've been spoiled.  Not to mention that your bags come through first on the carousel!  The immigration line was the shortest I've ever known (through in 5 minutes) and the experience is just so much more enjoyable.  I'll just have to work harder!!
I'm up early .. it's looking very grey and misty outside (it was still 24C/75F at midnight last night) and Irene is set to attack the city with force later today. The show I'm working on has been cancelled - for now anyway - and I will be stuck in my ivory tower (39th floor) on my own as my friends are away till Monday.  My phone is charged, I have supplies of food, torches, batteries etc. Let's hope the power doesn't go out otherwise I'll be doing my workouts on the stairs!!

Weekend shopping in Milano!

I've just returned from the annual girls' shopping expedition to Milan which began in the year 2000!  As usual the weather was hot and sunny - if slightly humid - but that never deters us from bypassing the last of the summer sales and concentrating solely on acquiring our new wardrobe from this coming winter's new collections.  Judging by the weather back in London at the moment it won't be long before I get a chance to wear my new things!! 


My journey began on Thursday morning with a slight delay of an hour and fifteen minutes when we were waiting to taxi onto the runway at London City Airport. Another aircraft had broken down and was blocking our exit so we just had to sit and wait just offside the runway until it had been checked and removed.  My connection in Zurich was tight but I managed to make my flight to Lugano with a few minutes to spare - no time even to stop for a coffee!  Lugano is only a 25 minute flight away, but I swear I could feel the speed this time .. it felt like we had been catapulted onto a roller coaster as we hit some clouds and bumped around for most of the journey and landed with a thud in Lugano as if we had been slammed to the ground by a giant hand.  But hey, we made it safely so I was glad to be getting off that baby and heading into the terminal to pick up my bag. Those small planes always worry me slightly but once you're on board you just have to hand over control of your life to the pilot and whatever the universe has in store for you.  I'm always grateful to land safely!!


(You may wonder why I go to Lugano if the ultimate destination is Milan.  I have a friend who lives there and Milan is an hour away.) 


Friday morning we were up early and heading to the station to catch the train to Milan.  It's a lovely trip .. the track follows the shores of Lake Lugano, a beautiful body of water surrounded by picturesque mountains where you can camp, water ski, fish and sail .. then on to Chiasso, which is located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, Como and final destination Milano Centrale Station.  From there it's a quick Metro ride to the centre of Milan .. the cost only €1 .. a bargain considering what it costs just to ride a bus in London! 


Most European cities have almost everything that we have in England now due to the larger retail chains expanding onto every inch of the globe .. we're not interested much in these shops but only the one's which are still unique to Italy or parts of Europe.  It's much more fun to buy something that no-one else has so hopefully my acquisitions will be a little different from my friends' and colleagues'!


Managed to get hold of the new Chanel nail colours duty free in Zurich airport on the way home and I can confirm that they are absolutely stunning!!  I bought Graphite and Peridot .. gorgeous metallic shades with silver and gold tones .. the new long wear luminous eye shadows are also rather beautiful!  I also bought the Illusion D'Ombre in no. 4 Epatant .. it's a smooth as silk, soft sparkly luminous powdery cream which comes with a small angled brush to line above and below your lashes if you like - simply devine!!


Tom Ford also has a new make up collection!   My personal favourite is bound to be the new Brow Sculptor which comes in a pencil form not unlike the Smashbox Browtech to go.  The difference is that this pencil comes with a brush and a precision sharpener (more like a shaver) within the casing ensuring a perfectly fine application.  Can't wait to check out the whole range!  I already lurve his fragrances!


Back in rainy London .. it's always good to come home to something familiar!! Getting ready now for New York and trying to decide what to take .. I don't think I will get much time to shop on this trip! 


www.chanel.com
www.smashbox.com

The Hill that Breathes - Tuscany

It's a beautiful description isn't it .. the hill that breathes .. in fact it is a real place situated in the hills of Tuscany, Italy.   A friend of mine went there a couple of months ago and highly recommended it as she had a great time and met some lovely people. 

The Hill is essentially a centre for yoga and alternative holidays so I thought it may be an idea to think about if you are looking for a break away next year with something a little different in mind, particularly if you are planning to go on your own, although it would be just as well to go with a friend or partner.  The weeks run Thursday to Thursday and the nearest airports are Ancona and Bologna and they will arrange transfers .. Ancona is 90 minutes away and Bologna 2 hours .. or you could choose to go by train to Pesaro then take a taxi.  Hiring a car is also an option.

The courses provided this year included a week with the Barefoot Doctor, Yoga and detox (various styles of yoga to choose from) and F**k It weeks which tend to sell out months in advance!  In their words Realizing that things aren't so important; taking things less seriously; and making life more like a game and less like hard work (yes, saying 'F**k It').   

The holidays start from €895 per-person, per-week (see each holiday week for price) and the price includes shared accommodation, full board and classes.

There is a Day Out on a Monday for guests to visit the beautiful surrounding areas, when there are no classes.

Their website provides all the information you could possibly need from programmes of events to FAQ's and everything in between.


www.thehillthatbreathes.com