Thursday 20 November 2008

Blog by Andrea McVeigh

They say travel broadens the mind - but it's playing havoc with my body clock! I'm just back from a trip to Korea and am still on Asian time - that means eating breakfast at tea-time and going to bed at 8pm!
I wouldn’t have missed the trip for the world though, because I discovered a beautiful country with a fascinating history and welcoming, friendly people. I even took part in a 'home stay' programme and stayed with a Korean family overnight, and was treated to their hospitality and delicious home-cooked food, all while I got a real insight into their lifestyle.
My trip to the DMZ - the demilitarised zone - near the capital Seoul, was particularly fascinating. It's the area between South and North Korea and you can only get to it on a pre-organised tour, as it's heavily guarded with soldiers from both sides, but it was a day I'll never forget.
Seoul is a lively, bustling, fast-paced city but there are pockets of serenity in the Buddhist temples and lush green parks you'll find all over the city. I also travelled out of Seoul to the bustling southern port of Busan, Korea's second biggest city, as well as Andong with its traditional folk village and Gyeongju with its impressive national museum. Korea is one of Asia's best-kept secrets but hopefully it won't be that way for much longer - I loved it and I'll definitely make plans to go back.
In the meantime, when I'm not trying to catch up on my sleep, I'm making the most of being back in Belfast.
I'm a bit of an art buff, so I was happy to discover homegrown talent in the form of Holywood-based artist Dawn Whalley. Her work is filled with imaginative and enchanting imagery and she unveiled her latest works in Holywood's Whalley Gallery recently to great acclaim. Check it out if you're in that part of the province and you could find yourself going home with a brand new painting for your wall.
With Belfast Fashionweek week taking place all thoughts are currently on style this month, and another local name to watch out for is fashion designer Zoƫ Boomer, who was born and brought up in Belfast but now lives in London.
She caused a stir at Dublin fashion Week recently with her fluid, floaty creations in sumptuous chiffon and silk.
She also counts Madonna and singer Natasha Bedingfield as fans of her work, which is pretty amazing when you consider that Madonna, in particular, has the worlds top designers at her beck and call. So the fact she rates a local gal shows just how special 25-year-old Zoe's designs are.
Of course the biggest fashion parade of all could be seen at the recent Ulster Tatler People of the Year Awards - everyone looked fabulous! All the men looked dapper in suits while the women were stunning in every type of ball gown and formal dress. I got loads of compliments about my long black and gold dress from Beverly Hills on Bloomfield Avenue, and I felt like quite the starlet! In terms of dressing-up, it was definitely Northern Ireland's answer to the Oscars! It was a real occasion to get the glad rags on and a great time was had by all. It really was the social event of the year - roll on next year's awards!