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 Zoë 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!
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Swapping is the new shopping by Andrea McVeigh
Swapping is the new shopping! Even Hollywood A-listers are at it! Lindsay Lohan was the guest of honour at a clothes swapping event held by Visa, the credit card people, in London this summer. But us Northern Irish gals have got in on the act too.
The Blick folk, who work out of a shared space for creative types on Belfast's Malone Road, held a skills swapping party recently, and a few weeks back I held my own book and clothes swap party at home.
The idea is to get a group of mates together and bring all your old books and clothes along - anything that still has some life left in it, but that you no longer need or want. Then put all the items down and let everyone be free to take their pick. It's also known as 'swishing' and it's all the rage in London these days. Try it yourself - me and my friends had a great girly night, a few drinks and a lot of laughs. You'll have a fab night and could even bag a new wardrobe without spending any money - how's that for credit crunch shopping!
You could even get everyone to donate some money and then give it to charity - and with Breast Cancer Awareness Month taking place this October, what better excuse do you need to get swapping!
Talking of books, a big event in the local publishing calendar takes place mid-month with the launch of Gerry Kelly's autobiography. The talented UTV talk show veteran hosted The Kelly Show, live on Friday nights on UTV, for no less than 17 years - so he's got some great stories to tell!
Known both locally and nationally as Northern Ireland's own 'Mr Chat', he's had a fascinating life - I had the pleasure of working for him on the Kelly Show a few years back and I know what a great man he is. And boy, he can tell a great story too! This is one book I can't wait to get my hands on. I'm not even going to wait until Christmas (or for a book swap party!) - I'll rush out to buy it as soon as it comes out!
October is certainly shaping up to be a busy month as Belfast Fashionweek also takes place mid-month. I love seeing the latest styles on local models and I know that I'm not alone - ticket sales keep rising every year that it runs and tickets for most of the shows usually sell out soon after they go on sale. I love the 1970s-style boho fashion looks that are filling the rails this season so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for some hot style tips during Fashionweek too.
Besides all the fab launches and social occasions taking place over the coming weeks there's another reason to celebrate autumn too - great telly! I'm currently glued to Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evenings and have shouted myself hoarse cheering on local girl Christine Bleakley, the talented and extremely glamorous co-presenter of BBC1's flagship The One Show. As cheerful and friendly in real life as she is on TV, our girl Christine deserves to win - so get voting!
With Ugly Betty on Fridays, the airing of Little Britain USA, also on Fridays, and Strictly on Saturdays, that's my weekend viewing sorted. I'm also a big movie fan too, and I was lucky enough to catch a preview of How To Lose Friends And Alienate People, recently. Starring Simon Pegg as an inept British journalist who lands a job at a fashionable New York-based magazine, it's based around the real-life experiences of gaffe-prone British writer, Toby Young. It's also one of those British movies you wish they'd make more of - funny, clever and fast-paced with lots of laughs, snappy dialogue and great acting.
The Blick folk, who work out of a shared space for creative types on Belfast's Malone Road, held a skills swapping party recently, and a few weeks back I held my own book and clothes swap party at home.
The idea is to get a group of mates together and bring all your old books and clothes along - anything that still has some life left in it, but that you no longer need or want. Then put all the items down and let everyone be free to take their pick. It's also known as 'swishing' and it's all the rage in London these days. Try it yourself - me and my friends had a great girly night, a few drinks and a lot of laughs. You'll have a fab night and could even bag a new wardrobe without spending any money - how's that for credit crunch shopping!
You could even get everyone to donate some money and then give it to charity - and with Breast Cancer Awareness Month taking place this October, what better excuse do you need to get swapping!
Talking of books, a big event in the local publishing calendar takes place mid-month with the launch of Gerry Kelly's autobiography. The talented UTV talk show veteran hosted The Kelly Show, live on Friday nights on UTV, for no less than 17 years - so he's got some great stories to tell!
Known both locally and nationally as Northern Ireland's own 'Mr Chat', he's had a fascinating life - I had the pleasure of working for him on the Kelly Show a few years back and I know what a great man he is. And boy, he can tell a great story too! This is one book I can't wait to get my hands on. I'm not even going to wait until Christmas (or for a book swap party!) - I'll rush out to buy it as soon as it comes out!
October is certainly shaping up to be a busy month as Belfast Fashionweek also takes place mid-month. I love seeing the latest styles on local models and I know that I'm not alone - ticket sales keep rising every year that it runs and tickets for most of the shows usually sell out soon after they go on sale. I love the 1970s-style boho fashion looks that are filling the rails this season so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for some hot style tips during Fashionweek too.
Besides all the fab launches and social occasions taking place over the coming weeks there's another reason to celebrate autumn too - great telly! I'm currently glued to Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evenings and have shouted myself hoarse cheering on local girl Christine Bleakley, the talented and extremely glamorous co-presenter of BBC1's flagship The One Show. As cheerful and friendly in real life as she is on TV, our girl Christine deserves to win - so get voting!
With Ugly Betty on Fridays, the airing of Little Britain USA, also on Fridays, and Strictly on Saturdays, that's my weekend viewing sorted. I'm also a big movie fan too, and I was lucky enough to catch a preview of How To Lose Friends And Alienate People, recently. Starring Simon Pegg as an inept British journalist who lands a job at a fashionable New York-based magazine, it's based around the real-life experiences of gaffe-prone British writer, Toby Young. It's also one of those British movies you wish they'd make more of - funny, clever and fast-paced with lots of laughs, snappy dialogue and great acting.
Blog by Andrea McVeigh
Some guys have all the luck - Belfast’s metrosexual males have a fabulous new place to hang out and be pampered.
It’s the Man at Partners male grooming salon adjoining the fab Partners Hair salon on Castlereagh Street in the east of the city - and it has local ladies green with grooming envy! Its owner, Paul Meekin, spotted a gap in the market and realised that there was a huge potential for a new, exclusive male grooming salon, offering everything from massages and facials to hot shaves and haircuts.
Paul says it has already proved to be a hit with shy guys who prefer the atmosphere in traditional male barbers, where there are no women around, as well as with blokes of all ages who are keen to try out some of the new pampering treatments on offer. One of the most talked about treatment on the Man menu is the Mankini wax - also called a ‘Boyzilian’ and it’s the male equivalent of the female Brazilian or bikini wax. And despite what you may think, it turns out that several local guys are keen to try it out and have already booked in for their Boyzilian - but I'm naming no names!
The salon itself has been gorgeously designed with style-conscious males in mind and features lots of masculine dark woods and chrome fittings. But if you’re one of the female of the species, don’t worry, just pop next door into Partners for an equally luxurious time. I nipped in recently for a wash and blow dry and was treated to a manicure while I was getting my new look from the salon’s owner and master cutter, Paul Meekin, himself. Next time I go I plan to try a massage in one of the calm treatment rooms.
I'm not long back from my Alaska cruise and I'd thoroughly recommend it! We breezed through Terminal 5 at Heathrow on the way there and back and enjoyed really comfortable flights with British Airways to and from Vancouver, where the cruise departed from, even bagging seats with extra legroom, which made the flight even better. The food was top-notch, the cabin crew were friendly and when we weren't eating we watched back-to-back movies - bliss! Usually I dread long-haul flights but these were comfy and quick - we'll definitely be flying BA again!
Our trip took in a cruise around Alaska’s Inside Passage with the brilliant cruise company Holland America Line, onboard its elegant and superbly-equipped ship, the MS Ryndam. The ship offered all the facilities you’d find in a five-star hotel, including a gym, several high-class restaurants, a library, a coffee shop, several bars, a shopping gallery and a spa, where I treated myself to a pampering facial.
All the stops along the route were amazing too and I really fell for the wide open spaces, fresh air, friendly locals and awe-inspiring scenery of Alaskan towns and cities such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. The tour excursions were awesome too - my hubby and I went on a helicopter ride and walked across a glacier, hired a Harley Davidson and went on a motorcycle tour around Ketchikan, winding between sea and forest on Alaska State Highway 7. Ray, our leader on the Harley tour, told us all about the history of the area and we made new friends in the form of the other riders in our multi-cultural tour group - Peter from Yorkshire and seasoned American bikers, Doug and V. My other half and I were the only Irish people to take the tour that summer, so at least we’ll be remembered.
I was tempted to stow away and stay onboard for another week but duty called back home, in the form of work. One treat to look forward to though - and it’s all in the name of research, of course! - is the Marks & Spencer autumn/winter fashion show that’s taking place in Dublin at the end of September. A group of Northern Irish fashion writers will be heading down with the chic PR girls from Anderson Spratt to check out the hottest looks for the coming season - and stylishly showing those Dublin gals what fashion is all about!
It’s the Man at Partners male grooming salon adjoining the fab Partners Hair salon on Castlereagh Street in the east of the city - and it has local ladies green with grooming envy! Its owner, Paul Meekin, spotted a gap in the market and realised that there was a huge potential for a new, exclusive male grooming salon, offering everything from massages and facials to hot shaves and haircuts.
Paul says it has already proved to be a hit with shy guys who prefer the atmosphere in traditional male barbers, where there are no women around, as well as with blokes of all ages who are keen to try out some of the new pampering treatments on offer. One of the most talked about treatment on the Man menu is the Mankini wax - also called a ‘Boyzilian’ and it’s the male equivalent of the female Brazilian or bikini wax. And despite what you may think, it turns out that several local guys are keen to try it out and have already booked in for their Boyzilian - but I'm naming no names!
The salon itself has been gorgeously designed with style-conscious males in mind and features lots of masculine dark woods and chrome fittings. But if you’re one of the female of the species, don’t worry, just pop next door into Partners for an equally luxurious time. I nipped in recently for a wash and blow dry and was treated to a manicure while I was getting my new look from the salon’s owner and master cutter, Paul Meekin, himself. Next time I go I plan to try a massage in one of the calm treatment rooms.
I'm not long back from my Alaska cruise and I'd thoroughly recommend it! We breezed through Terminal 5 at Heathrow on the way there and back and enjoyed really comfortable flights with British Airways to and from Vancouver, where the cruise departed from, even bagging seats with extra legroom, which made the flight even better. The food was top-notch, the cabin crew were friendly and when we weren't eating we watched back-to-back movies - bliss! Usually I dread long-haul flights but these were comfy and quick - we'll definitely be flying BA again!
Our trip took in a cruise around Alaska’s Inside Passage with the brilliant cruise company Holland America Line, onboard its elegant and superbly-equipped ship, the MS Ryndam. The ship offered all the facilities you’d find in a five-star hotel, including a gym, several high-class restaurants, a library, a coffee shop, several bars, a shopping gallery and a spa, where I treated myself to a pampering facial.
All the stops along the route were amazing too and I really fell for the wide open spaces, fresh air, friendly locals and awe-inspiring scenery of Alaskan towns and cities such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. The tour excursions were awesome too - my hubby and I went on a helicopter ride and walked across a glacier, hired a Harley Davidson and went on a motorcycle tour around Ketchikan, winding between sea and forest on Alaska State Highway 7. Ray, our leader on the Harley tour, told us all about the history of the area and we made new friends in the form of the other riders in our multi-cultural tour group - Peter from Yorkshire and seasoned American bikers, Doug and V. My other half and I were the only Irish people to take the tour that summer, so at least we’ll be remembered.
I was tempted to stow away and stay onboard for another week but duty called back home, in the form of work. One treat to look forward to though - and it’s all in the name of research, of course! - is the Marks & Spencer autumn/winter fashion show that’s taking place in Dublin at the end of September. A group of Northern Irish fashion writers will be heading down with the chic PR girls from Anderson Spratt to check out the hottest looks for the coming season - and stylishly showing those Dublin gals what fashion is all about!
Monday, 15 September 2008
THE event season - By Andrea McVeigh
THE event season has started up again, with the re-launch of Canvas art gallery on Belfast's Stranmillis Road and the Raspberry Beret relocation party (the fab vintage fashion store has moved from the city centre to Bloomfield Avenue in east Belfast) both taking place recently.
But the highlight of September has to be the Ulster Tatler's own People of the Year awards.
This is the inaugural year of the awards ceremony, which is being held in association with House of Fraser, and which has been launched to celebrate and reward inspirational local people - of which there are many!
There's an abundance of brilliant, talented people in Northern Ireland, as I found out recently when I was asked to be one of the judges for the awards.
There are numerous trophies up for grabs, covering everyone from brides to businessmen, sportsmen to chefs, and all the shortlisted nominees really deserve their place in the final.
I was on the judging panel for two of the categories - and the consensus among the judges was that everyone who had made it onto the shortlist deserves a prize.
Unfortunately, there can only be one winner in each category but I know that I, along with the rest of the judges, had a hard time debating the merits of each nominee.
The beauty of the awards, which will be handed out in Belfast's Waterfront Hall in September, is that it was down to Ulster Tatler's own readers to send in their nominees, so this really is an awards ceremony 'for the people'.
Along with the Canvas and Raspberry Beret parties, another highlight of the month was the catwalk preview for the Autumn/Winter collections at House of Fraser.
The clothes were all gorgeous and, thanks to House of Fraser and the gorgeous clothes on show, I've already planned my new season wardrobe, which will be full of tartans, purples and luxurious fabrics.
Style-spotter Katrina Doran was making lots of notes at the fashion show too. She's the Editor of www.sugahfix.com, which bills itself as a guide to life and style in Belfast and beyond.
The site recently marked its one millionth hit, just three months after it launched, and Katrina told me how thrilled she is that local women are logging on to find out the latest fashion, shopping, beauty, travel, style spotting and entertainment news.
Sugahfix was responsible for the recent poll that gained so much attention in the Press recently, in which UTV's own silver fox Frank Mitchell was in the top three of the most attractive grey-haired men in the world, as voted for by Sugahfix readers, after George Clooney and James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan!
I must confess to especially liking the travel section of Sugahfix.com - because I contribute to it! And, being the inveterate traveller that I am, I'm currently planning my Christmas getaway. I know it seems like Christmas is a long-time away, but there are actually only around four months to go until the big day, and those months will fly by!
My hubby and I try to get away every year at Christmas because there's nothing like spending the festive season soaking up a different culture - in the past we've eaten noodles in Tokyo on 25 December and counted down to New Year's Day in San Francisco.
This year we'll be spending Christmas Day onboard one of the fabulous Star Clipper tall sailing ships on a cruise around the islands of Tahiti. It's our dream holiday, and when we looked into it, it proved to be very accessible, once you fly to LA, all you have to do is head on to Tahiti (not exactly a hardship!), where the Star Clipper ship sails from.
We've been on Star Clipper ships before and loved the fact that they're more intimate than those mega-ships that carry thousands of people. And the prospect of spending Christmas Day onboard a masted clipper ship in one of the most beautiful areas on earth was one we couldn’t resist. Apparently, the cruise is popular with honeymooners, but since I'm already hitched, we'll turn it into a second honeymoon!
Before that though, we're off on a very different trip - an Alaskan cruise. From Alaska to Tahiti via Northern Ireland - we vowed to make 2008 our year of travel and we're certainly sticking to our resolution!
But the highlight of September has to be the Ulster Tatler's own People of the Year awards.
This is the inaugural year of the awards ceremony, which is being held in association with House of Fraser, and which has been launched to celebrate and reward inspirational local people - of which there are many!
There's an abundance of brilliant, talented people in Northern Ireland, as I found out recently when I was asked to be one of the judges for the awards.
There are numerous trophies up for grabs, covering everyone from brides to businessmen, sportsmen to chefs, and all the shortlisted nominees really deserve their place in the final.
I was on the judging panel for two of the categories - and the consensus among the judges was that everyone who had made it onto the shortlist deserves a prize.
Unfortunately, there can only be one winner in each category but I know that I, along with the rest of the judges, had a hard time debating the merits of each nominee.
The beauty of the awards, which will be handed out in Belfast's Waterfront Hall in September, is that it was down to Ulster Tatler's own readers to send in their nominees, so this really is an awards ceremony 'for the people'.
Along with the Canvas and Raspberry Beret parties, another highlight of the month was the catwalk preview for the Autumn/Winter collections at House of Fraser.
The clothes were all gorgeous and, thanks to House of Fraser and the gorgeous clothes on show, I've already planned my new season wardrobe, which will be full of tartans, purples and luxurious fabrics.
Style-spotter Katrina Doran was making lots of notes at the fashion show too. She's the Editor of www.sugahfix.com, which bills itself as a guide to life and style in Belfast and beyond.
The site recently marked its one millionth hit, just three months after it launched, and Katrina told me how thrilled she is that local women are logging on to find out the latest fashion, shopping, beauty, travel, style spotting and entertainment news.
Sugahfix was responsible for the recent poll that gained so much attention in the Press recently, in which UTV's own silver fox Frank Mitchell was in the top three of the most attractive grey-haired men in the world, as voted for by Sugahfix readers, after George Clooney and James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan!
I must confess to especially liking the travel section of Sugahfix.com - because I contribute to it! And, being the inveterate traveller that I am, I'm currently planning my Christmas getaway. I know it seems like Christmas is a long-time away, but there are actually only around four months to go until the big day, and those months will fly by!
My hubby and I try to get away every year at Christmas because there's nothing like spending the festive season soaking up a different culture - in the past we've eaten noodles in Tokyo on 25 December and counted down to New Year's Day in San Francisco.
This year we'll be spending Christmas Day onboard one of the fabulous Star Clipper tall sailing ships on a cruise around the islands of Tahiti. It's our dream holiday, and when we looked into it, it proved to be very accessible, once you fly to LA, all you have to do is head on to Tahiti (not exactly a hardship!), where the Star Clipper ship sails from.
We've been on Star Clipper ships before and loved the fact that they're more intimate than those mega-ships that carry thousands of people. And the prospect of spending Christmas Day onboard a masted clipper ship in one of the most beautiful areas on earth was one we couldn’t resist. Apparently, the cruise is popular with honeymooners, but since I'm already hitched, we'll turn it into a second honeymoon!
Before that though, we're off on a very different trip - an Alaskan cruise. From Alaska to Tahiti via Northern Ireland - we vowed to make 2008 our year of travel and we're certainly sticking to our resolution!
Andrea McVeigh's Blog
There's an abundance of brilliant, talented people in Northern Ireland, as I found out recently when I was asked to be one of the judges for Ulster Tatler's own People of the Year awards.
This is the inaugural year of the awards ceremony, which is being held in association with House of Fraser, and which has been launched to celebrate and reward inspirational local people - of which there are many!
From sportsmen to chefs, businessmen to brides, there are numerous categories on offer - I was on the panel of judges for two of them - and the consensus among the judges was that everyone who had made it onto the shortlist deserves a prize.
Unfortunately, there can only be one winner in each category but I know that I, along with the rest of the judges, had a hard time debating the merits of each nominee.
The beauty of the awards, which will be handed out in Belfast's Waterfront Hall in September, is that it was down to Ulster Tatler's own readers to send in their nominees, so this really is an awards ceremony 'for the people'.
There's no award for 'recently launched online women's magazines in Northern Ireland', but if there was, Katrina Doran and Niamh Larkin would be up for a trophy.
They're the two local women behind www.sugahfix.com, which bills itself as a guide to life and style in Belfast and beyond. They also recently celebrated the site's one millionth hit, just three months after launching it online, and they're thrilled that local women are logging on to find out the latest fashion, shopping, beauty, travel, style spotting and entertainment news.
Sugahfix was responsible for the recent poll that gained so much attention in the Press, in which UTV's own silver fox Frank Mitchell was in the top three of the most attractive grey-haired men in the world, as voted for by Sugahfix readers, after George Clooney and James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan. Katrina and Niamh are another shining example of the wealth of talent we have here in the province.
I must confess to especially liking the travel section of Sugahfix.com - because I contribute to it! And, being the inveterate traveller that I am, I'm currently planning my Christmas getaway. I know it seems like Christmas is a long-time away, but there are actually only around four months to go until the big day, and those months will fly by!
My hubby and I try to get away every year at Christmas because there's nothing like spending the festive season soaking up a different culture - in the past we've eaten noodles in Tokyo on 25 December and counted down to New Year's Day in San Francisco, and loved every minute of it.
This year we hope to spend Christmas Day onboard one of the fabulous Star Clipper tall sailing ships on a cruise around the islands of Tahiti. Sounds fabulous doesn’t it! In fact, it almost sounds too good to be true, but when we looked into it, it proved to be very accessible, once you fly to LA, all you have to do is head on to Tahiti (not exactly a hardship!), where the Star Clipper ship sails from.
We've been on Star Clipper ships before and loved the fact that they're more intimate than those mega-ships that carry thousands of people and the prospect of spending Christmas Day onboard a masted clipper ship in one of the most beautiful areas on earth was one we couldn’t resist. Apparently, the cruise is popular with honeymooners, but since I'm already spliced, we'll turn it into a second honeymoon!
Now that summer is almost over, there are more and more fab events taking place locally including the re-launch of the recently-refurbished Canvas gallery on Belfast's Stranmillis Road. Another date in the diary will be Belfast Fashionweek this Autumn, during which time local fashionistas will be out in force to see the best examples of local, national and international style. With the gloomy recent weather and horrendous flooding affecting everyone's mood, it's something glamorous and stylish to look forward to during the weeks ahead!
This is the inaugural year of the awards ceremony, which is being held in association with House of Fraser, and which has been launched to celebrate and reward inspirational local people - of which there are many!
From sportsmen to chefs, businessmen to brides, there are numerous categories on offer - I was on the panel of judges for two of them - and the consensus among the judges was that everyone who had made it onto the shortlist deserves a prize.
Unfortunately, there can only be one winner in each category but I know that I, along with the rest of the judges, had a hard time debating the merits of each nominee.
The beauty of the awards, which will be handed out in Belfast's Waterfront Hall in September, is that it was down to Ulster Tatler's own readers to send in their nominees, so this really is an awards ceremony 'for the people'.
There's no award for 'recently launched online women's magazines in Northern Ireland', but if there was, Katrina Doran and Niamh Larkin would be up for a trophy.
They're the two local women behind www.sugahfix.com, which bills itself as a guide to life and style in Belfast and beyond. They also recently celebrated the site's one millionth hit, just three months after launching it online, and they're thrilled that local women are logging on to find out the latest fashion, shopping, beauty, travel, style spotting and entertainment news.
Sugahfix was responsible for the recent poll that gained so much attention in the Press, in which UTV's own silver fox Frank Mitchell was in the top three of the most attractive grey-haired men in the world, as voted for by Sugahfix readers, after George Clooney and James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan. Katrina and Niamh are another shining example of the wealth of talent we have here in the province.
I must confess to especially liking the travel section of Sugahfix.com - because I contribute to it! And, being the inveterate traveller that I am, I'm currently planning my Christmas getaway. I know it seems like Christmas is a long-time away, but there are actually only around four months to go until the big day, and those months will fly by!
My hubby and I try to get away every year at Christmas because there's nothing like spending the festive season soaking up a different culture - in the past we've eaten noodles in Tokyo on 25 December and counted down to New Year's Day in San Francisco, and loved every minute of it.
This year we hope to spend Christmas Day onboard one of the fabulous Star Clipper tall sailing ships on a cruise around the islands of Tahiti. Sounds fabulous doesn’t it! In fact, it almost sounds too good to be true, but when we looked into it, it proved to be very accessible, once you fly to LA, all you have to do is head on to Tahiti (not exactly a hardship!), where the Star Clipper ship sails from.
We've been on Star Clipper ships before and loved the fact that they're more intimate than those mega-ships that carry thousands of people and the prospect of spending Christmas Day onboard a masted clipper ship in one of the most beautiful areas on earth was one we couldn’t resist. Apparently, the cruise is popular with honeymooners, but since I'm already spliced, we'll turn it into a second honeymoon!
Now that summer is almost over, there are more and more fab events taking place locally including the re-launch of the recently-refurbished Canvas gallery on Belfast's Stranmillis Road. Another date in the diary will be Belfast Fashionweek this Autumn, during which time local fashionistas will be out in force to see the best examples of local, national and international style. With the gloomy recent weather and horrendous flooding affecting everyone's mood, it's something glamorous and stylish to look forward to during the weeks ahead!
Friday, 8 August 2008
Blog by Andrea McVeigh
I made my catwalk modelling debut recently, not that I think Kate Moss would lose any sleep if she knew! It was for a charity event, the Uber Chic Look Good Feel Better fashion show, held in Belfast's Ramada hotel at Shaw's Bridge and organised by the fabulous Marcus Hunter Neill. Marcus is a local entrepreneur and fashionista who stole the show from Noel Edmonds when he appeared, a few years back, as a contestant on Deal Or No Deal. He's also been on UTV's L8 and Live series and has his own radio show on Feile FM.
He's also behind the local launch of a new beauty brand called Uber, which is a favourite with celebs such as Charlotte Church and Coleen McLoughlin, and he recently took over the local running of a brilliant charity called Look Good Feel Better. It's a cancer support charity that provides free makeover sessions for groups of women affected by cancer and its visible side-effects, such as hair loss. As well as getting a goodie bag filled with free products, women can come together and enjoying a pampering day filled with make-up tips.
So that was the reason for the fashion show, which featured eight 'real women' as models, including me! There were tall and short, young and mature, skinny and plus-size women in our group, and that was the whole point - to show that real woman are beautiful and special, each in their own way, and that we don’t all need to fit in with some random idea of what's attractive.
Unlike the reputation that supermodels have, there was no cattiness backstage - in fact, we all bonded brilliantly and had a real laugh doing the show, even though our hearts there thumping and we were filled with nerves before we took to the catwalk. Once we mastered our walking, we were fine. Yes, you read that right - walking! It's not as easy as it looks, not when you're on a catwalk, walking in front of 350 people. It's all to do with sashaying, turning, pausing - and trying not to trip!
Once we got past our initial nerves we all had a great time - and we made new friends into the bargain and helped raise money for a brilliant charity that really does make a practical difference to women's lives. Not a bad night's work - and it was great fun too!
One of the boutiques which lent clothes for the show was Beverly Hills on Belfast's Bloomfield Avenue. I've also made a friend in its owner, Sheila. It's funny how fate and fashion can throw people together! Anyway, she sells amazingly beautiful ball gowns and 'occasionwear' dresses for women going to formals, weddings, cruises and days at the races. It's a little piece of Hollywood in the heart of east Belfast and without the La La Land price tags!
With the weather being so bad and no prospect of any holidays on the horizon, I'm making the most of Belfast's newest cinema, the Odeon in the Victoria Square complex. With a cinema, shops, restaurants and even apartments, the development is like a mini city in its own right.
The screening room I was in to see The Dark Knight, the new Batman movie, was huge, and accommodated hundreds of people. Being there felt like the old days when I used to go to the Curzon on Belfast's Ormeau Road with my mum, dad and big brother and you had the choice of sitting upstairs or down! The Odeon isn’t quite that big, but the sheer size of it was impressive.
I loved the movie too, even though I'm a girl who usually prefers romantic comedies! The late Heath Ledger was brilliant in it and even though it's a bit of a lads movie, specialising in special effects and sci-fi technology, the cinema was filled with women. Come to think of it, the film did star the gorgeous Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart. Maybe that's why so many women had turned out to see it!
He's also behind the local launch of a new beauty brand called Uber, which is a favourite with celebs such as Charlotte Church and Coleen McLoughlin, and he recently took over the local running of a brilliant charity called Look Good Feel Better. It's a cancer support charity that provides free makeover sessions for groups of women affected by cancer and its visible side-effects, such as hair loss. As well as getting a goodie bag filled with free products, women can come together and enjoying a pampering day filled with make-up tips.
So that was the reason for the fashion show, which featured eight 'real women' as models, including me! There were tall and short, young and mature, skinny and plus-size women in our group, and that was the whole point - to show that real woman are beautiful and special, each in their own way, and that we don’t all need to fit in with some random idea of what's attractive.
Unlike the reputation that supermodels have, there was no cattiness backstage - in fact, we all bonded brilliantly and had a real laugh doing the show, even though our hearts there thumping and we were filled with nerves before we took to the catwalk. Once we mastered our walking, we were fine. Yes, you read that right - walking! It's not as easy as it looks, not when you're on a catwalk, walking in front of 350 people. It's all to do with sashaying, turning, pausing - and trying not to trip!
Once we got past our initial nerves we all had a great time - and we made new friends into the bargain and helped raise money for a brilliant charity that really does make a practical difference to women's lives. Not a bad night's work - and it was great fun too!
One of the boutiques which lent clothes for the show was Beverly Hills on Belfast's Bloomfield Avenue. I've also made a friend in its owner, Sheila. It's funny how fate and fashion can throw people together! Anyway, she sells amazingly beautiful ball gowns and 'occasionwear' dresses for women going to formals, weddings, cruises and days at the races. It's a little piece of Hollywood in the heart of east Belfast and without the La La Land price tags!
With the weather being so bad and no prospect of any holidays on the horizon, I'm making the most of Belfast's newest cinema, the Odeon in the Victoria Square complex. With a cinema, shops, restaurants and even apartments, the development is like a mini city in its own right.
The screening room I was in to see The Dark Knight, the new Batman movie, was huge, and accommodated hundreds of people. Being there felt like the old days when I used to go to the Curzon on Belfast's Ormeau Road with my mum, dad and big brother and you had the choice of sitting upstairs or down! The Odeon isn’t quite that big, but the sheer size of it was impressive.
I loved the movie too, even though I'm a girl who usually prefers romantic comedies! The late Heath Ledger was brilliant in it and even though it's a bit of a lads movie, specialising in special effects and sci-fi technology, the cinema was filled with women. Come to think of it, the film did star the gorgeous Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart. Maybe that's why so many women had turned out to see it!
Friday, 11 July 2008
Blog by Andrea McVeigh
July has arrived. But can we really call this summer? Today alone, there's been rain, sunshine, clouds and strong winds. That's all four seasons in one afternoon! The only thing missing was snow! Hopefully, the weather will improve over the coming months because it's not just getting me down, but everyone I know too. We're all grumbling about the miserable weather. Like the old joke says, my two favourite days in Northern Ireland are Christmas and summer!
Even though the temperature isn’t hotting up that much, my social life is. It's been the season of concerts recently, with some huge names hitting Ireland, north and south, and I've been lucky enough to see not one, but five, musical legends in action. First up was Leonard Cohen, who played an open air gig in the grounds of Dublin's 17th century Royal Hospital Kilmainham (now home to the Irish Museum of Modern Art). It was the 1960s folk scene survivor's first tour in 15 years and it was a magical night, even if it did pour with rain!
Back in Belfast I caught another living legend and another artist whose music defined the 1960s. Lou Reed was in town to perform his entire album, Berlin, from start to finish. I've been into Reed's music since I was a teenager, and I'm glad to say it was a fantastic gig. The subject matter is a bit dour and serious, but the show was like a piece of theatre.
The following night's concert couldn’t have been more different - Dolly Parton! The Backwoods Barbie put on a brilliant show, and I was up and dancing to all the big hits, including Jolene and 9 to 5. I didn’t know I knew so many words to Islands in the Stream, until I caught myself singing along to all the verses!
I also caught The Police at Stormont - an arresting performance if ever there was one (pardon the pun!) and most recently, I caught Kylie in action. The Aussie pop princess's show was an amazing spectacle, filled with dramatic stage sets and elaborate costume changes.
Summer is when Belfast really seems to come alive, rain or no rain. The Gourmet Burger Bank on Belfast's Malone Road hosted its official launch recently, and the wine and burgers were flowing. It's a fab spot and the weather, for once, was quite nice, so lots of people chomped down on their free mini burgers while they chatted outside.
Another celebration came in the form of the first birthday party of The House bar on the Stranmillis Road, where the champagne and Guinness flowed and guests enjoyed an outside bar and barbecue, along with cocktails and canapés.
The House, which is renowned for its delicious cocktails and expert mixologists behind the bar, recently launched its new cocktail menu and I must admit, I'm enjoying working my way through it.
The House is regular haunt for me, because I'm lucky enough to have bagged a job DJing there every Saturday night, and have been doing so for the past year now. The music is a mix of soul, funk, Motown, disco, R&B, chart and 80s - and whatever else gets the party started! Next time you're out and about call in and say hi - one of the nicest parts of working the decks is getting to meet so many of the chatty, friendly people who go there. And feel free to ask for a request. Unlike some DJs who insist on doing their own thing, even if no-one is appreciating their playlist as much as they are, if I have it, I'll play it!
Even though the temperature isn’t hotting up that much, my social life is. It's been the season of concerts recently, with some huge names hitting Ireland, north and south, and I've been lucky enough to see not one, but five, musical legends in action. First up was Leonard Cohen, who played an open air gig in the grounds of Dublin's 17th century Royal Hospital Kilmainham (now home to the Irish Museum of Modern Art). It was the 1960s folk scene survivor's first tour in 15 years and it was a magical night, even if it did pour with rain!
Back in Belfast I caught another living legend and another artist whose music defined the 1960s. Lou Reed was in town to perform his entire album, Berlin, from start to finish. I've been into Reed's music since I was a teenager, and I'm glad to say it was a fantastic gig. The subject matter is a bit dour and serious, but the show was like a piece of theatre.
The following night's concert couldn’t have been more different - Dolly Parton! The Backwoods Barbie put on a brilliant show, and I was up and dancing to all the big hits, including Jolene and 9 to 5. I didn’t know I knew so many words to Islands in the Stream, until I caught myself singing along to all the verses!
I also caught The Police at Stormont - an arresting performance if ever there was one (pardon the pun!) and most recently, I caught Kylie in action. The Aussie pop princess's show was an amazing spectacle, filled with dramatic stage sets and elaborate costume changes.
Summer is when Belfast really seems to come alive, rain or no rain. The Gourmet Burger Bank on Belfast's Malone Road hosted its official launch recently, and the wine and burgers were flowing. It's a fab spot and the weather, for once, was quite nice, so lots of people chomped down on their free mini burgers while they chatted outside.
Another celebration came in the form of the first birthday party of The House bar on the Stranmillis Road, where the champagne and Guinness flowed and guests enjoyed an outside bar and barbecue, along with cocktails and canapés.
The House, which is renowned for its delicious cocktails and expert mixologists behind the bar, recently launched its new cocktail menu and I must admit, I'm enjoying working my way through it.
The House is regular haunt for me, because I'm lucky enough to have bagged a job DJing there every Saturday night, and have been doing so for the past year now. The music is a mix of soul, funk, Motown, disco, R&B, chart and 80s - and whatever else gets the party started! Next time you're out and about call in and say hi - one of the nicest parts of working the decks is getting to meet so many of the chatty, friendly people who go there. And feel free to ask for a request. Unlike some DJs who insist on doing their own thing, even if no-one is appreciating their playlist as much as they are, if I have it, I'll play it!
Monday, 16 June 2008
Blog By Andrea McVeigh
Hello from the high seas! So far this week, I’ve woken up to a different view every morning - from the sights of Lisbon to the scenery of northern Morocco - eaten in a Marco Pierre White restaurant, worked out in the gym while enjoying amazing panoramic views, met children’s character Noddy, taken in a West End show, gambled in a casino and soaked up the Mediterranean sun while sipping cocktails on the balcony of my cabin. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m currently on a cruise, in particular, a fabulous Riviera Romance maiden season voyage onboard the P&O liner Ventura, which launched in April this year. The daily shore excursions are just one of the highlights of the trip, but with a theatre, nightclub, spa and 11 different places to eat onboard (including The White Room restaurant, from culinary legend Marco Pierre White) my hubby and I could quite happily live on board, never mind simply stay here for two weeks. Noddy, by the way, is here for the children, but it has to be said, he’s gone down a storm with nostalgic adults like myself, too.
We left for our Med cruise just a week after coming home from Singapore and Australia, which led my husband and I to think that maybe we’d started to live some bizarre Truman Show-style reality TV lifestyle without knowing it. We’re living like millionaires, only without the requisite bank balance! But late last year, we designated 2008 our ‘year of travel’ and we’re staying true to that aim.
The night before we left for Southampton (from where the liner set sail), I got invited to a champagne dinner in the Four Winds’ Ink restaurant - one of my favourite restaurants. How could a gal say no to that? Needless to say, I didn’t! It was for one of Ink’s Gourmet Evenings, which are held every couple of months or so. The events are always themed, with creative, five-course menus and different wines for each course plus an expert guest speaker talking diners through the various different vintages. This was the first time they’d had a champagne theme, so I’m glad they thought of me when the prospect of that invitation came up! We had the pleasure of sitting with Teresa and Susan from Wine Inns, as well as local photographer extraordinaire Bill Smith and Belfast-born, New York-based movie actress, Geraldine Hughes - who starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky Balboa. Down-to-earth, charming, funny, intelligent and interesting, you couldn’t get a nicer silver screen star than Geraldine. The Gourmet Evenings are starting up again in September, after a summer break, and I highly recommend them. You may not always spot a Hollywood celeb there, but you’ll have a great time nonetheless!
By the time I get back home, a new fashion era will have started in Belfast, with the relocation of Topshop from Donegall Place to the new Victoria Square centre. “Meet you outside Topshop” - I must have said that thousands of times, and had it said back to me an equal number of times, over the years. In the days before mobile phones and texting, you had to arrange a meeting place in advance and stick with it. And so I spent most Saturday afternoons during the 1980s standing outside Topshop waiting to meet up with friends, before we did our circuit of the city centre, checking out the shops, the scene and the boys! The Donegall Square branch of Topshop opened in August 1980, so it would have marked its 28th anniversary in that location this summer. And throughout The Troubles, when few big-name High Street stores wanted to open in the city, and when some of those that did soon closed again, Topshop was always there for us. The new store promises to be bigger and better but I’ll always be nostalgic for those teenage Saturdays standing outside Toppers, waiting to meet up with my mates. Like my friend Katrina, Editor of online magazine Sugahfix.com, quipped, “before there were mobile phones, there was Topshop.”
We left for our Med cruise just a week after coming home from Singapore and Australia, which led my husband and I to think that maybe we’d started to live some bizarre Truman Show-style reality TV lifestyle without knowing it. We’re living like millionaires, only without the requisite bank balance! But late last year, we designated 2008 our ‘year of travel’ and we’re staying true to that aim.
The night before we left for Southampton (from where the liner set sail), I got invited to a champagne dinner in the Four Winds’ Ink restaurant - one of my favourite restaurants. How could a gal say no to that? Needless to say, I didn’t! It was for one of Ink’s Gourmet Evenings, which are held every couple of months or so. The events are always themed, with creative, five-course menus and different wines for each course plus an expert guest speaker talking diners through the various different vintages. This was the first time they’d had a champagne theme, so I’m glad they thought of me when the prospect of that invitation came up! We had the pleasure of sitting with Teresa and Susan from Wine Inns, as well as local photographer extraordinaire Bill Smith and Belfast-born, New York-based movie actress, Geraldine Hughes - who starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky Balboa. Down-to-earth, charming, funny, intelligent and interesting, you couldn’t get a nicer silver screen star than Geraldine. The Gourmet Evenings are starting up again in September, after a summer break, and I highly recommend them. You may not always spot a Hollywood celeb there, but you’ll have a great time nonetheless!
By the time I get back home, a new fashion era will have started in Belfast, with the relocation of Topshop from Donegall Place to the new Victoria Square centre. “Meet you outside Topshop” - I must have said that thousands of times, and had it said back to me an equal number of times, over the years. In the days before mobile phones and texting, you had to arrange a meeting place in advance and stick with it. And so I spent most Saturday afternoons during the 1980s standing outside Topshop waiting to meet up with friends, before we did our circuit of the city centre, checking out the shops, the scene and the boys! The Donegall Square branch of Topshop opened in August 1980, so it would have marked its 28th anniversary in that location this summer. And throughout The Troubles, when few big-name High Street stores wanted to open in the city, and when some of those that did soon closed again, Topshop was always there for us. The new store promises to be bigger and better but I’ll always be nostalgic for those teenage Saturdays standing outside Toppers, waiting to meet up with my mates. Like my friend Katrina, Editor of online magazine Sugahfix.com, quipped, “before there were mobile phones, there was Topshop.”
Monday, 26 May 2008
Down Under
By Andrea McVeigh
Well, I did it, I climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Not by myself, of course, and not without a fully-trained BridgeClimb leader, in the shape of the highly personable Bernie. But I did it. I made it to the top, 134 metres above Sydney harbour, with only a few wobbles along the way (the lower bits are actually the worst, I found. Once you get onto the bridge itself, it’s so secure, so wide and the arch is so gradual, it’s not at all scary). Just to be totally corny about it, I have to say it was the ‘high point’, in more ways than one, of my trip to Australia.
From our fabulous room in the Shangri-La hotel, in Sydney’s historic Rocks district, I could look out and see the bridge every day (our fabulous view also included the Sydney Opera House, for good measure, so I’d thoroughly recommend the hotel if you ever make it to Sydney). It was a few days after we arrived before I got to climb the bridge, so the anticipation made it even more worthwhile.
BridgeClimb, Sydney, has been running for ten years and so far, more than 2 million have done the climb. And it got me thinking - why can’t we do something like that in Northern Ireland? We’ve got the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which is an amazing - and truly terrifying for some - tourist attraction. But how about climbs or official tourist trips up Samson and Goliath, the shipyard cranes in Belfast? Just a thought - but you never know, in 10 or 20 years time it could be the hottest tourist attraction around!
My Australian holiday is almost over, which is a shame, as I’ll miss the easy-going lifestyle, the beaches, the super-friendly people and the weather. We arrived in Sydney to temperatures of 20C a couple of weeks ago, only to be told by some of the locals that they considered this cold! It’s currently their Autumn, but to us, after barely surviving the Belfast winter, it felt like a heatwave!
On the way back we stopped off in Singapore’s island resort of Sentosa (again staying in a Shangri-La hotel and again highly recommended) where I enjoyed the most unusual spa treatment I’ve ever had. It was at the Fish Reflexology spa, next door to the hotel, where hundreds of tiny Turkish fish nibble the dead skin off your feet. Once I stopped shrieking and laughing (it tickled a lot!), it turned out to be the best spa experience I’ve ever had.
Still, my return to Belfast is well timed, as I’ll make it home in time for the launch of the hotly-anticipated Sex And The City movie. My thoughtful hubby bought me the DVD box set of the TV series for Christmas, so I’ve been re-watching the entire show and reacquainting myself with Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, and their assorted men friends.
The film is set to be the movie highlight of the year - if not the decade - for a generation of women who saw in their Twenties and Thirties in the company of the four New York sassy lassies. From Manolos to Cosmopolitan cocktails, the TV show has shaped popular culture - for women at least. I can’t see too many boyfriends and husbands pouring into the cinema to see it - unless they’re there under duress!
And on the subject of Manolos, Northern Ireland has its own shoe designer to the stars, Anita Flavin. I’ll be going to her Minette shoe party next week, which is being held the night before the SATC preview - talk about perfect timing! - at the FASHIONWEEK offices in Belfast. All the fashionistas will be out in force to celebrate the work of this fabulous designer. Who needs New York when you’ve got events like this in Belfast! Move over Carrie!
Well, I did it, I climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Not by myself, of course, and not without a fully-trained BridgeClimb leader, in the shape of the highly personable Bernie. But I did it. I made it to the top, 134 metres above Sydney harbour, with only a few wobbles along the way (the lower bits are actually the worst, I found. Once you get onto the bridge itself, it’s so secure, so wide and the arch is so gradual, it’s not at all scary). Just to be totally corny about it, I have to say it was the ‘high point’, in more ways than one, of my trip to Australia.
From our fabulous room in the Shangri-La hotel, in Sydney’s historic Rocks district, I could look out and see the bridge every day (our fabulous view also included the Sydney Opera House, for good measure, so I’d thoroughly recommend the hotel if you ever make it to Sydney). It was a few days after we arrived before I got to climb the bridge, so the anticipation made it even more worthwhile.
BridgeClimb, Sydney, has been running for ten years and so far, more than 2 million have done the climb. And it got me thinking - why can’t we do something like that in Northern Ireland? We’ve got the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which is an amazing - and truly terrifying for some - tourist attraction. But how about climbs or official tourist trips up Samson and Goliath, the shipyard cranes in Belfast? Just a thought - but you never know, in 10 or 20 years time it could be the hottest tourist attraction around!
My Australian holiday is almost over, which is a shame, as I’ll miss the easy-going lifestyle, the beaches, the super-friendly people and the weather. We arrived in Sydney to temperatures of 20C a couple of weeks ago, only to be told by some of the locals that they considered this cold! It’s currently their Autumn, but to us, after barely surviving the Belfast winter, it felt like a heatwave!
On the way back we stopped off in Singapore’s island resort of Sentosa (again staying in a Shangri-La hotel and again highly recommended) where I enjoyed the most unusual spa treatment I’ve ever had. It was at the Fish Reflexology spa, next door to the hotel, where hundreds of tiny Turkish fish nibble the dead skin off your feet. Once I stopped shrieking and laughing (it tickled a lot!), it turned out to be the best spa experience I’ve ever had.
Still, my return to Belfast is well timed, as I’ll make it home in time for the launch of the hotly-anticipated Sex And The City movie. My thoughtful hubby bought me the DVD box set of the TV series for Christmas, so I’ve been re-watching the entire show and reacquainting myself with Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, and their assorted men friends.
The film is set to be the movie highlight of the year - if not the decade - for a generation of women who saw in their Twenties and Thirties in the company of the four New York sassy lassies. From Manolos to Cosmopolitan cocktails, the TV show has shaped popular culture - for women at least. I can’t see too many boyfriends and husbands pouring into the cinema to see it - unless they’re there under duress!
And on the subject of Manolos, Northern Ireland has its own shoe designer to the stars, Anita Flavin. I’ll be going to her Minette shoe party next week, which is being held the night before the SATC preview - talk about perfect timing! - at the FASHIONWEEK offices in Belfast. All the fashionistas will be out in force to celebrate the work of this fabulous designer. Who needs New York when you’ve got events like this in Belfast! Move over Carrie!
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Street Smart
Name:
Laura McAleer, Lisburn
Occupation:
BA Hons Graphic Design student at UU
Where did you get the outfit you’re wearing today?
I picked up my dress (£15) from a vintage shop in North Wales, cardigan (£30) in Warehouseand Miu Miu bag on eBay. I bought my shades (£20) in Accessorize and my sandals (£20) are from Topshop.
How much would you spend on clothes each month?
Between £300 and £400.
Who are the best and worst dressed celebrities?
I enjoy looking out for what Victoria Beckham will be wearing next. Worst? Kelly Osbourne is just too grungy.
What are your favourite high street shops and designers?
My favourites are Topshop, H&M and All Saints. Designer-wise, it’s got to be Balenciaga and Fendi for dreamy bags.
How would you describe your style?
I mix and match depending on my mood. I can go from maxi dress to baggy jeans and still keep it girly.
What has been your worst ever fashion mistake?
A long, multi-coloured, vertical stripe jumper worn with brown cords and pink trainers.
What has been your best bargain?
A Fendi Spy bag from eBay.
Street Smart
Ulster Tatler hits Belfast city centre to check out what’s hot in the style stakes.
Name:
Cheryl McHenry, Belfast
Occupation:
Administration, Flagship Media
Where did you get the outfit you’re wearing today?
I bought my dress (£35) from Mango in London, my shoes (£15) from New Look and my bag (£10) from Primark. I picked up my shades (£20) in River Island and my Guess watch was a birthday gift.
How much would you spend on Clothes each month?
About £200 - even though I know I shouldn’t!
Who are the best and worst dressed Celebrities?
I love Nicole Richie’s versatile look. Worst? Britney Spears is just horrendous.
What are your favourite high street shops and designers?
On the high street, Topshop and River Island. On the catwalk, I love Vivienne Westwood’s take on girlie chic.
How would you describe your style?
My style’s quite simple. For nights out I would team dresses with high heels for a bit of glitz.
What has been your worst ever fashion mistake?
A pair of shimmery tights I wore to a club a few weeks ago. They started to glow under the UV lighting!
What has been your best bargain?
A white silk shirt I picked up in Paranoid, which was reduced from £75 to £10.
Land of the Pharoahs
Andrea McVeigh explores the amazing wonders
of cairo, egypt.
Nothing quite prepares you for seeing the pyramids at Giza, on the outskirts of sprawling Cairo. Ever since I can remember, I’ve known about them, read about them, seen pictures of them and heard about the myths and legends that surround them. Built as tombs for the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, the pyramids, and the Sphinx which guards them, have captured the imagination of people around the world for more than three thousand years.
It’s hard to take in the scope of Cairo’s history. It witnessed the origins of civilisation, the rise of the Greek and Roman empires and the establishment of Christianity. And here I was, standing under the blazing Egyptian sun, so close I could touch the Great Pyramid - the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence. It was an amazing moment. I went to bed that night feeling privileged to have seen them, but also unable to quite take in all in.
Even as I gazed at the River Nile from the balcony of my room in the Sheraton Cairo Hotel Towers and Casino, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Cairo is now easier to visit since the launch, last November, of bmi’s new route to the city, proving invaluable for both business and leisure passengers.
If you can, go business class, with its lounge access, priority boarding, menu choice, dedicated cabin crew, complementary bar and, most importantly on a four-and-a-half-hour flight, 50 inch seat pitch (although economy is spacious too!).
Depending on when you go, Cairo can be hot (temperatures passed the 40˚C mark in April), humid, chaotic, noisy, intense, smoggy, friendly and hectic. Venture out in a taxi and you’ll feel like you’re in a giant dodgem car adventure, while pedestrians trying to cross the road take their life in their hands. Yet you’ll also see many lush, green parks and beautiful plantlife - this is a city just bursting with life, in all its forms (the population is around 19 million, and that doesn’t include tourists!)
For this reason, it’s a good idea to hire a guide to escort you around the main tourist attractions. Our female guide, Asmaa, was a joy to be with, as she escorted us around the city and told us about the fascinating history of each new place we visited. Her joy at being able to share her culture with us was infectious.
As well as visiting Giza, I saw the ancient burial ground at Sakkara, 30km south of Cairo, which features the world’s oldest standing step pyramid, as well as the ruins at Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt (the best way to visit these sights is on an organised tour).
Cairo isn’t nicknamed the ‘city of a thousand minarets’ for nothing, and a visit to the mosque of Mohamed Ali in the citadel of Saladin is another must (women must cover their shoulders, and everyone must take off their shoes, in respect of the Muslim religion). With its largely alabaster exterior, it’s truly beautiful and offers amazing views over the city.
The Egyptian Museum, with its huge collection of sculptures and antiquities, including those from the tomb of Tutankhamun, is another attraction that should be on your itinerary while a tour of old Cairo, with its churches and historic synagogue will both amaze and delight you.
Culture of an altogether different sort can be enjoyed on a dinner cruise. We went on the Nile Maxim and were treated to a show featuring singers and a belly dancer, a buffet meal and views of the skyline at night, while upmarket cuisine is served at the luxurious Mena House Oberoi Hotel, the home-from-home for visiting VIPs, such as Tony Blair.
Another ‘must see’ is the Khan El Khalili bazaar, the place to go for tourist trinkets, where vendors shout at you from every direction trying to tempt you with their wares and where haggling is the norm.
By luck, I stumbled upon an oasis from the intensity of the market, in the form of Lehnert & Landrock, a bookshop and gallery in an indoor mini-mall on El Moez Ledeen Ellah Street, the first main street of the souq. Established in 1904 by two European men, it’s filled with prints of old photographs of the region, taken from the early 20th century, which make beautiful, classy (and inexpensive) souvenirs. Ask for the manager, Mohamed, tell him Andrea sent you and enjoy a cup of mint tea!
To round off my trip, I went back to Giza for one of the music and light shows that are held, in English, every evening. As lasers and lights lit up the pyramids and a booming voice narrated the history of the ancient world, I had to pinch myself again, it was all so magical.
Fact File
bmi offers a daily direct service from London Heathrow to Cairo with connecting flights from Belfast City Airport. Fares start from £352. Visit www.flybmi.com for schedules.
Mena House Oberoi Hotel,
El Rubbaeyat Restaurant,
tel: 0020 33773222.
Cairo Sheraton Hotel Towers
and Casino, tel: 0020 33369700.
Nile Maxim floating restaurant, tel: 0020 27374833.
These boots are made for walking
Ulster tatler’s Laura Slade investigates the latest craze in footwear - mbt shoes - and discovers real comfort and style while doing so.If you watched the 2008 London Marathon you could not help but notice the six Masai warriors who took part and their fantastic posture. I always felt my own posture was ‘normal’ but after watching the Masai warriors I realised my posture was poor in comparison. So when I was offered the chance to try out a pair of MBT’s (Masai Barefoot Technology) which are renowned to improve posture, I jumped at the chance.
The MBT shoe dates back to a discovery by Karl Müller who during his stay in Korea suffered from backaches and would often walk barefoot over rice fields whenever he was in pain. He found this eased his pain amazingly quickly and in an attempt to understand this extraordinary finding, he came across the secret of Masai.
The Masai are members of a group of people in eastern Africa who constantly move from place to place and are renowned for their excellent posture. They rarely experience joint pain and by going barefoot on natural ground which can be uneven, they are forced to keep their balance.
On many reviews it states that the MBT shoes have been known to improve posture, relieve pressure on joints and the back and are very good for exercising muscles, therefore I was keen to get hold of a pair.
I must admit after reading reviews about this shoe I was a little nervous about whether I would be able to get used to this ‘phenomenal’ creation. Would I find it hard to get my balance? Would my posture improve? These were some of the many questions racing through my mind.
Upon my arrival at Blackstone Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic in Moira I was warmly greeted by Kay McLorn, the Practice Principal of the clinic. Kay’s warm and professional manner instantly put me at ease and I felt in safe hands. Firstly Kay measured my feet to see what size I would need as MBT shoes have been found to be quite different in size compared to regular shoes. I decided on the Mwalk Silver MBT, a casual design as I exercise on a regular basis and felt these would fit in well with my daily routine.
Upon my first step in my new MBT shoes I found the sensation was very strange but in a good way. I could not believe my feet were in shoes! They were so comfy and springy, it felt as if I had cushions under my feet. I instantly began to relax and was excited at the thought of going out and about to really put my MBTs into action. The synthetic leather and single-layer mesh allows durable wear which can keep your feet warm in winter and cool in summer. The tongue of the shoe is padded and the collar prevents rubbing so you do not experience discomfort sometimes associated with new shoes.
However, at first I noticed my balance was not as good as it usually is. The soles of these shoes encouraged me to test my balance and there is a rocking sensation I experienced for the first few days until I found my balance. However, this was expected as the MBT makes a point of forcing its wearer to balance and straighten up whilst walking to improve posture and acts like a shock absorber to relieve pain.
The first few days in my new shoes went well. I only wore the shoes for 2 hours a day the first week as I had been advised by Kay to break myself in to this new style of shoe. I decided to be brave a week later and attempt a long distance run, something I do on a regular basis. I was gradually getting used to walking in my shoes but running was a whole new experience. I was pleasantly surprised as you can really feel your legs working, a similar sensation to running on sand but without the pain. The next day I could feel the muscles in my legs feeling tauter and more toned and knew these shoes really were working.
After a week I was beginning to get used to the balance and running in them. Even walking up stairs is a workout in itself as you can really feel it on your calf muscles and thigh muscles, these shoes are fantastic.
After wearing my MBTs for a month I am a firm believer in them. They are renowned as the world’s smallest gym and I feel this is very true. I feel my posture has improved immensely and my legs are becoming more toned. MBTs are a must for anyone that suffers body pains or aches or anyone who wishes to tone up. I really would rate these shoes 10/10 for comfort and effectiveness.
Do I think the hype surrounding these ‘phenomenal’ shoes is well deserved? Definitely! If anything there is not enough hype surrounding this genius invention.
For more information visit www.swissmasai.ie, www.blackstonephysio.co.uk or email blackstonephysio@tiscali.co.uk
The Allure of the Big Screen
Paul Harron discovers a recent book on Hollywood’s Irish connections published by Appletree Press.
LALA-Land’, ‘Tinseltown’, ‘Dream Factory of the World’ – just some of the names ranging from the derogatory to the infatuated coined for that famous stretch of land in the hills above Los Angeles synonymous with celebrity, hedonism and, of course, film-making. The big white cut-out letters which spell out Hollywood have become iconic, but in fact they originally spelt out the longer ‘Hollywoodland’ and were put there as a marketing ploy by an Irish American, John Roche, only later to be shortened to ‘Hollywood’, advertising not just a place but an industry and even a lifestyle.
Holywood’s associations with Irish men and women stretch back further and go deeper than that. In fact, the development of the place – and much of LA and its waterways – owes much to a pioneering Irish immigrant, William Mulholland, an engineer who is immortalised in the famous Mulholland Drive.
THE MOVIE MAKERS
As the authors of Emeralds in Tinseltown say, Mulholland prepared the way in the West for a new type of American adventurer who would follow railroads from the East: the movie makers. Many of these film folk were Irish and among them was a young man from County Meath called Owen Moore, Ireland’s first movie star and director. He starred alongside Mae West in She Done Him Wrong, for example, and went on to marry the actress Mary Pickford from whom he was later divorced – she went on to marry Douglas Fairbanks thereby becoming one half of ‘the king and queen of Hollywood’ partnership in the 1920s.
The Irish stars of Hollywood are described in fascinating detail by the authors, Steve Brennan – international editor of the entertainment daily The Hollywood Reporter – and Bernadette O’Neill – an Irish stage and screen actress, film historian and founder member of the IFTA. They take a roughly chronological approach, breaking the book up in chapters which are either thematically- or personality-based. Rex Ingram – originally Reginald Ingram Montgomery, the Dublin-born son of a clergyman – was one of the first to head across the Atlantic in the early twentieth century and take up directing, his first big box office hit for Universal being Black Orchids set in pre-Revolutionary France. He later went on to team up with Waterford-born Pat Powers, one of the founders of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company (later Universal Studios) and directed the renowned The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse starring Rudolph Valentino.
Other early Irish names were Cedric Gibbons, the Oscar-winning art director behind the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, and other films such as Little Women, An American in Paris and Somebody Up There Likes Me. People ‘down here’ liked him too – as well as the Oscars he was awarded the award for distinguished achievement for art direction in 1950 by the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors.
Swashbucklers and stars of particular interest to Northern Irish film buffs, perhaps, is one of Hollywood’s most colourful Irishmen, Errol Flynn. Although actually born in Tasmania he like to be referred to as Irish when he was at the peak as the movies’ most infamous swashbuckler. His father Theodore Thompson Flynn was a popular professor of Zoology at Queen’s University, Belfast. Flynn, whose autobiography was entitled My Wicked, Wicked Ways (which just about says it all) shot to fame in Captian Blood in 1935 and went on to play action-hero roles in The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Dawn Patrol, Gentleman Jim and Against All Flags, which co-starred Maureen O’Hara and Anthony Quinn. Flynn finds himself in two chapters – one covering the Irish cowboys, another honing in on ‘Holywood’s glorified missus’, Greer Garson. Born in County Down, Garson was a reluctant émigré but was eventually attracted by the thought of the Californian sunshine adding ten years to her life (as Louis B. Meyer promised it would) and went on to become one of Holywood’s most enduring and respected stars (think, for example, Goodbye Mister Chips). She felt she was typecast as prim and proper and is pictured in the book battling the prim role in the embrace of Errol Flynn in the film That Forsythe Woman.
There are inevitably detailed and lively chapters on characters such as Gene Kelly, Maureen O’Sullivan and – ‘Holywood Screen Royalty’ – Maureen O’Hara and Grace Kelly. O’Hara – born Maureen FitzSimmons in Ranelagh, Dublin, in 1920 – went on to become particularly identified with the cult classic The Quiet Man, while Grace Kelly, the epitome of beauty on screen and star of film classics such as High Society and Hitchcock’s Rear Window, To Catch a Thief and Dial M for Murder, was the daughter of an Irish-American millionaire and of course went on to become real royalty through marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. Her elegant features grace the cover of the book.
NEW GENERATIONS
Richard Harris’ life is covered well, from his early career and films such as This Sporting Life through to the acclaimed Jim Sherridan film The Field in which he played Bull McCabe. Harris had a reputation as a rebel, but thought that his epigraph should really read ‘he was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad’. His life story heralds the final chapters of the book marking the new generation of Irish-linked Holywood stars. These hot commodities include Colin Farrell, Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Roma Downey and directors Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan.
Emeralds in Tinseltown is an enjoyable book – one which can be easily dipped in and out of. There’s plenty of eye candy in the wealth of good archival photographs and film stills, and it’s attractively designed with nice little touches like the distinctive running images for each chapter. Anyone with an interest in films and Holywood and its Irish connections in particular will enjoy it. It’s not a definitive reference book (and it’s a slight shame that there’s no index) but it is packed with facts and interesting tit-bits that will please the film buff and those attracted to the glamour and allure of the big screen and its big stars down the years.
Emeralds in Tinseltown – the Irish in Holywood by Stephen Brennan and Bernadette O’Neill is published in hardback by Appletree Press (ISBN 978-1-84758-048-1) and widely available from local bookshops. For further information visit www.appletree.ie
LALA-Land’, ‘Tinseltown’, ‘Dream Factory of the World’ – just some of the names ranging from the derogatory to the infatuated coined for that famous stretch of land in the hills above Los Angeles synonymous with celebrity, hedonism and, of course, film-making. The big white cut-out letters which spell out Hollywood have become iconic, but in fact they originally spelt out the longer ‘Hollywoodland’ and were put there as a marketing ploy by an Irish American, John Roche, only later to be shortened to ‘Hollywood’, advertising not just a place but an industry and even a lifestyle.
Holywood’s associations with Irish men and women stretch back further and go deeper than that. In fact, the development of the place – and much of LA and its waterways – owes much to a pioneering Irish immigrant, William Mulholland, an engineer who is immortalised in the famous Mulholland Drive.
THE MOVIE MAKERS
As the authors of Emeralds in Tinseltown say, Mulholland prepared the way in the West for a new type of American adventurer who would follow railroads from the East: the movie makers. Many of these film folk were Irish and among them was a young man from County Meath called Owen Moore, Ireland’s first movie star and director. He starred alongside Mae West in She Done Him Wrong, for example, and went on to marry the actress Mary Pickford from whom he was later divorced – she went on to marry Douglas Fairbanks thereby becoming one half of ‘the king and queen of Hollywood’ partnership in the 1920s.
The Irish stars of Hollywood are described in fascinating detail by the authors, Steve Brennan – international editor of the entertainment daily The Hollywood Reporter – and Bernadette O’Neill – an Irish stage and screen actress, film historian and founder member of the IFTA. They take a roughly chronological approach, breaking the book up in chapters which are either thematically- or personality-based. Rex Ingram – originally Reginald Ingram Montgomery, the Dublin-born son of a clergyman – was one of the first to head across the Atlantic in the early twentieth century and take up directing, his first big box office hit for Universal being Black Orchids set in pre-Revolutionary France. He later went on to team up with Waterford-born Pat Powers, one of the founders of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company (later Universal Studios) and directed the renowned The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse starring Rudolph Valentino.
Other early Irish names were Cedric Gibbons, the Oscar-winning art director behind the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, and other films such as Little Women, An American in Paris and Somebody Up There Likes Me. People ‘down here’ liked him too – as well as the Oscars he was awarded the award for distinguished achievement for art direction in 1950 by the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors.
Swashbucklers and stars of particular interest to Northern Irish film buffs, perhaps, is one of Hollywood’s most colourful Irishmen, Errol Flynn. Although actually born in Tasmania he like to be referred to as Irish when he was at the peak as the movies’ most infamous swashbuckler. His father Theodore Thompson Flynn was a popular professor of Zoology at Queen’s University, Belfast. Flynn, whose autobiography was entitled My Wicked, Wicked Ways (which just about says it all) shot to fame in Captian Blood in 1935 and went on to play action-hero roles in The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Dawn Patrol, Gentleman Jim and Against All Flags, which co-starred Maureen O’Hara and Anthony Quinn. Flynn finds himself in two chapters – one covering the Irish cowboys, another honing in on ‘Holywood’s glorified missus’, Greer Garson. Born in County Down, Garson was a reluctant émigré but was eventually attracted by the thought of the Californian sunshine adding ten years to her life (as Louis B. Meyer promised it would) and went on to become one of Holywood’s most enduring and respected stars (think, for example, Goodbye Mister Chips). She felt she was typecast as prim and proper and is pictured in the book battling the prim role in the embrace of Errol Flynn in the film That Forsythe Woman.
There are inevitably detailed and lively chapters on characters such as Gene Kelly, Maureen O’Sullivan and – ‘Holywood Screen Royalty’ – Maureen O’Hara and Grace Kelly. O’Hara – born Maureen FitzSimmons in Ranelagh, Dublin, in 1920 – went on to become particularly identified with the cult classic The Quiet Man, while Grace Kelly, the epitome of beauty on screen and star of film classics such as High Society and Hitchcock’s Rear Window, To Catch a Thief and Dial M for Murder, was the daughter of an Irish-American millionaire and of course went on to become real royalty through marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. Her elegant features grace the cover of the book.
NEW GENERATIONS
Richard Harris’ life is covered well, from his early career and films such as This Sporting Life through to the acclaimed Jim Sherridan film The Field in which he played Bull McCabe. Harris had a reputation as a rebel, but thought that his epigraph should really read ‘he was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad’. His life story heralds the final chapters of the book marking the new generation of Irish-linked Holywood stars. These hot commodities include Colin Farrell, Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Roma Downey and directors Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan.
Emeralds in Tinseltown is an enjoyable book – one which can be easily dipped in and out of. There’s plenty of eye candy in the wealth of good archival photographs and film stills, and it’s attractively designed with nice little touches like the distinctive running images for each chapter. Anyone with an interest in films and Holywood and its Irish connections in particular will enjoy it. It’s not a definitive reference book (and it’s a slight shame that there’s no index) but it is packed with facts and interesting tit-bits that will please the film buff and those attracted to the glamour and allure of the big screen and its big stars down the years.
Emeralds in Tinseltown – the Irish in Holywood by Stephen Brennan and Bernadette O’Neill is published in hardback by Appletree Press (ISBN 978-1-84758-048-1) and widely available from local bookshops. For further information visit www.appletree.ie
Friday, 16 May 2008
Andrea Mc Veigh
I have, on my fireplace, two beautiful 'thank you' cards. One of them was sent to me by the sister of a friend, both of whom I'd invited to a party (more about the party later). It was the first time I'd met Fionnula and it was a lovely gesture for her to send me a card. So much so, in fact, that I was tempted to send a thank-you-for-the-thank-you card! It's a trend I've noticed, in this era of texts and emails - the return of the greetings card. It's a delight to get them through the letterbox, when you’re more used to bills, junk mail and flyers. Last month I received even more, including some unexpected 'thinking of you' cards from friends. I send them myself, my favourite being a 'George Clooney' card for my GC-obsessed friend Jacquie with the scribbled note, "I saw this and thought of you". And a few years back I was thrilled when my friend Sonja sent out 'thank you' cards for her birthday presents. The post-birthday thank you note is something I hadn’t thought about since childhood, but it's a tradition I now aim to keep up.
It's good to know that in these busy times, people still take the time to seek out pretty cards, write a note, find a stamp and post it. It takes such a small amount of effort yet means so much. You should do it yourself. Next time you see a nice card that makes you smile, buy it and send it to someone you love - it'll make their day.
But back to that party. It was an Uber Pamper Party, and I'd not heard of them either until my friend Marcus Hunter Neill told me he'd bought the Uber rights for Belfast and Co. Down. You may remember Marcus form his star-turn on Deal or No Deal when he totally stole the show from Noel Edmonds! He's since turned up on UTV and, as well as his media career, he also works in property development and management - he's a busy man! Pamper Parties are like Tupperware parties but with skincare, beauty, hair and tanning products instead of sandwich boxes. You get a group of female friends round and an Uber rep will come and give you all mini-facials and you can buy the products you like at the end of the night. It was great fun and it's certainly a craze that's sweeping the province (you can call Marcus on 07717 229880 to organise your own party).
I could do with some more pampering after my trip to Cairo on behalf of Ulster Tatler (you can read my travel feature on the city in an upcoming issue of everyone's favourite glossy magazine). Not that the trip was in anyway bad - far from it. Cairo is an amazing city, vibrant, busy and fascinating and I had a fantastic time. I don’t know why I didn’t visit years ago. But boy, was it hot. It was difficult to get a proper temperature reading during my all-too-brief stay, but there were rumours it reached around 45C degrees on some of the days I was there. That's hot!
It was amazing though, seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx, up close and personal. I even went inside one of the pyramids to see one of the burial chambers. Getting inside involved bending over from the waist and almost-crawling along a narrow passageway. Even though I was only one of many people making their way through the tunnel, I felt like an adventurous explorer entering the temple of doom, when I eventually made it into the chamber. Just call me Indiana McVeigh!
The next time I write I'll be in Sydney, on a long-awaited holiday to Australia, so I'll be able to share my news about this fascinating place. I also aim to take part in one of the organised climbs up the Sydney Harbour Bridge - even though I'm afraid of heights! Maybe that Indiana McVeigh nickname isn’t so inappropriate after all!
It's good to know that in these busy times, people still take the time to seek out pretty cards, write a note, find a stamp and post it. It takes such a small amount of effort yet means so much. You should do it yourself. Next time you see a nice card that makes you smile, buy it and send it to someone you love - it'll make their day.
But back to that party. It was an Uber Pamper Party, and I'd not heard of them either until my friend Marcus Hunter Neill told me he'd bought the Uber rights for Belfast and Co. Down. You may remember Marcus form his star-turn on Deal or No Deal when he totally stole the show from Noel Edmonds! He's since turned up on UTV and, as well as his media career, he also works in property development and management - he's a busy man! Pamper Parties are like Tupperware parties but with skincare, beauty, hair and tanning products instead of sandwich boxes. You get a group of female friends round and an Uber rep will come and give you all mini-facials and you can buy the products you like at the end of the night. It was great fun and it's certainly a craze that's sweeping the province (you can call Marcus on 07717 229880 to organise your own party).
I could do with some more pampering after my trip to Cairo on behalf of Ulster Tatler (you can read my travel feature on the city in an upcoming issue of everyone's favourite glossy magazine). Not that the trip was in anyway bad - far from it. Cairo is an amazing city, vibrant, busy and fascinating and I had a fantastic time. I don’t know why I didn’t visit years ago. But boy, was it hot. It was difficult to get a proper temperature reading during my all-too-brief stay, but there were rumours it reached around 45C degrees on some of the days I was there. That's hot!
It was amazing though, seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx, up close and personal. I even went inside one of the pyramids to see one of the burial chambers. Getting inside involved bending over from the waist and almost-crawling along a narrow passageway. Even though I was only one of many people making their way through the tunnel, I felt like an adventurous explorer entering the temple of doom, when I eventually made it into the chamber. Just call me Indiana McVeigh!
The next time I write I'll be in Sydney, on a long-awaited holiday to Australia, so I'll be able to share my news about this fascinating place. I also aim to take part in one of the organised climbs up the Sydney Harbour Bridge - even though I'm afraid of heights! Maybe that Indiana McVeigh nickname isn’t so inappropriate after all!
Friday, 25 April 2008
Face Off
By Andrea Mc Veigh
Yesterday, I threw a sheep at a friend who lives in Australia, bought a round of drinks for pals in Dublin and Toronto and showed my recent holiday photos to mates across Northern Ireland, all at the same time and I didn’t even have to leave my house.
Of course, I didn't physically do all those things. I did them virtually, through Facebook, which I'm now addicted to, since signing up last December. Not a day goes by when I don’t itch to check out what my online friends are doing, what daft quizzes they've taken and what virtual gifts they've given me. I love reading their witty 'status updates', finding out who is on holiday, who is hung-over and who is glued to their computer screen like me!
For those who left technology behind circa the introduction of the pocket calculator, Facebook is a social networking site. For those au fait with the MySpace generation, Facebook is like Bebo (the cyberspace hangout of choice for many teens), but for older people. It's a generation thing - my nephew and niece, at ages 21 and 18, would be lost without Bebo but don’t see the appeal of Facebook at all, probably because on Facebook you'll find correctly spelled words and proper sentences!
But be warned, it's easy to spend a whole morning updating your profile and writing to friends before realising you haven’t actually done any work/taken in the washing/fed the baby and that your boss is ready to fire you/your washing has got soaked in the rain/your baby is not happy! I'm old enough to remember the days when there were no mobile phones, no e-mails, no texting and, if you wanted to meet a friend, you had to make an arrangements in advance and stick with them, or else leave them standing in the rain outside your chosen destination while you rushed to catch the last bus into town. I much prefer today's way of doing things!
I'd also be lost without the Internet. I'm not long back from a trip to Lithuania, and before I went I was able to check my hotel bookings, source restaurants, look for shops and see if there were any concerts on worth going to over there, leaving me free to really hit the ground running once I got there. Lithuania itself was a revelation. It's not a place I'd really thought much about before, but it's gaining a reputation as a destination for medical tourists and spa fans. In fact, there a whole city, Druskininkai (which I wasn't able to pronounce no matter how hard I tried!), which is filled with spas and health resorts.
Some of them are former sanatoriums, which were used when the country was part of the USSR (it gained independence in 1990) and it's also famous for its health-promoting mineral water and therapeutic mud. Needless to say, I came back relaxed and refreshed after several lovely treatments. But home in cold, rainy Belfast, with the phone ringing and lots of emails to reply to (modern technology does have its downsides!) it didn’t take long before my stress levels started to rise again!
But I always like to have a holiday to look forward to - I wouldn't be able to get through the day without a wee day-dream about foreign shores - so I can't wait until I go to Cairo next week. I'll be writing a feature on this fascinating city, home of the pyramids, for Ulster Tatler magazine on my return - so keep your eyes peeled for that. I think I may pass on the camel-riding opportunities at Giza though. I've never really got on with camels - they scare me for one thing, and if you get up close, they don’t always smell that good! But, in the interests of investigative journalism, I may be willing to give them a second chance. Wish me luck!
Yesterday, I threw a sheep at a friend who lives in Australia, bought a round of drinks for pals in Dublin and Toronto and showed my recent holiday photos to mates across Northern Ireland, all at the same time and I didn’t even have to leave my house.
Of course, I didn't physically do all those things. I did them virtually, through Facebook, which I'm now addicted to, since signing up last December. Not a day goes by when I don’t itch to check out what my online friends are doing, what daft quizzes they've taken and what virtual gifts they've given me. I love reading their witty 'status updates', finding out who is on holiday, who is hung-over and who is glued to their computer screen like me!
For those who left technology behind circa the introduction of the pocket calculator, Facebook is a social networking site. For those au fait with the MySpace generation, Facebook is like Bebo (the cyberspace hangout of choice for many teens), but for older people. It's a generation thing - my nephew and niece, at ages 21 and 18, would be lost without Bebo but don’t see the appeal of Facebook at all, probably because on Facebook you'll find correctly spelled words and proper sentences!
But be warned, it's easy to spend a whole morning updating your profile and writing to friends before realising you haven’t actually done any work/taken in the washing/fed the baby and that your boss is ready to fire you/your washing has got soaked in the rain/your baby is not happy! I'm old enough to remember the days when there were no mobile phones, no e-mails, no texting and, if you wanted to meet a friend, you had to make an arrangements in advance and stick with them, or else leave them standing in the rain outside your chosen destination while you rushed to catch the last bus into town. I much prefer today's way of doing things!
I'd also be lost without the Internet. I'm not long back from a trip to Lithuania, and before I went I was able to check my hotel bookings, source restaurants, look for shops and see if there were any concerts on worth going to over there, leaving me free to really hit the ground running once I got there. Lithuania itself was a revelation. It's not a place I'd really thought much about before, but it's gaining a reputation as a destination for medical tourists and spa fans. In fact, there a whole city, Druskininkai (which I wasn't able to pronounce no matter how hard I tried!), which is filled with spas and health resorts.
Some of them are former sanatoriums, which were used when the country was part of the USSR (it gained independence in 1990) and it's also famous for its health-promoting mineral water and therapeutic mud. Needless to say, I came back relaxed and refreshed after several lovely treatments. But home in cold, rainy Belfast, with the phone ringing and lots of emails to reply to (modern technology does have its downsides!) it didn’t take long before my stress levels started to rise again!
But I always like to have a holiday to look forward to - I wouldn't be able to get through the day without a wee day-dream about foreign shores - so I can't wait until I go to Cairo next week. I'll be writing a feature on this fascinating city, home of the pyramids, for Ulster Tatler magazine on my return - so keep your eyes peeled for that. I think I may pass on the camel-riding opportunities at Giza though. I've never really got on with camels - they scare me for one thing, and if you get up close, they don’t always smell that good! But, in the interests of investigative journalism, I may be willing to give them a second chance. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Spring has Sprung by Andrea McVeigh
Spring has sprung. Or has it? It's hard to tell with the schizophrenic weather we've been having. Some days, the sun is shining and I'm full of the joys of spring, while other days it's blowing a gale, pouring with rain and the sky is looking thunderous, as is my face. On my reckoning, winter has already lasted for around 36 months (given that we totally missed out on a decent summer last year), and I've had enough. I hate the rain and the cold weather, the rain, the grey skies, dark nights and the rain. I really, really hate the rain. What's worse, I hate it when people say they love winter. As soon as August eases into September, they start rhapsodising about wrapping up warm in woolly jumpers, knitted scarves, hats, boots and proper coats. Smothered in around 40 layers of hot, itchy clothing everytime I leave the house, I look and feel less like Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago and more like the Michelin Man. I've had enough! Bring on summer!
The best place to be when it's miserable and wet outside is tucked up in the cinema with a jumbo carton of popcorn. So far though, I've only made it to see three films this year. I started off my cinema going this year with Sweeney Todd, which I liked apart from the singing and the gore, which pretty much sums up everything about the film. Then I caught The Other Boleyn Girl and I loved it, mostly because I never thought I'd fall in lust with Henry VIII - until I saw him being played on the big screen by Eric Bana! Most recently, I saw 27 Dresses, a total chick flick with a predictable story line, but filmed with wit and style, and a huge wardrobe budget! Of course, the film I can’t wait to see is the Sex And The City movie. I was given the DVD box set for Christmas and I've been working my way through all the episodes since then (even though I saw them all the first time around), so I'll have got myself up-to-date again by the time the film opens in May. Who cares what the script is like? It's set to have everything a movie should have - shoes, clothes, cocktails, a fabulous New York setting and yet more shoes and clothes! I've got a date with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha and I can't wait.
With my outings to the cinema being few and far between, I've been glued to the small screen, mostly watching Ashes To Ashes, the follow up to Life on Mars, on BBC1. Sadly, the series has now finished, so my Thursday night dates with DCI Gene Hunt (actor Philip Glenister) have come to an end. Set in 1981, the music and fashion is fabulous and, even though I'd hate to live with the sexist, rude, racist, bullying cop in real life, on TV he's my absolute hero. The weird thing is, I'm not the only woman who thinks so. At a recent party a group of us 'Gene genies' confessed that there's something about the big Neanderthal brute that we just love! It seems we've all been imagining ourselves careering around corners and doing high-speed handbrake turns in Hunt's Audi Quattro with him. Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?
One thing I must do soon is go up on the Big Wheel at Belfast's City Hall, or the Belfast Aye as it's been dubbed. One of the many things I love about Belfast is the irrepressible humour of us locals and our ability to bestow a nickname on just about anything. In addition to the Belfast Aye, I've also heard it called the 'Ball at the Hall', the 'polo mint' and 'the big ring thing'. They're all definitely much funnier than just calling it the Belfast Wheel. I love the way you can see it peeking above the skyline when you're driving around the city and I hope they keep it there permanently. It's great for tourists and great for the people of Northern Ireland. I've been on the London Eye and the big wheel in Manchester city centre but, naturally, once there's one on my very doorstep, I somehow don’t get around to going. People tell me the best way to try it is to go at night so you can see the city all lit up. If I could get Gene Hunt in one with me I'd be there like a shot!
The best place to be when it's miserable and wet outside is tucked up in the cinema with a jumbo carton of popcorn. So far though, I've only made it to see three films this year. I started off my cinema going this year with Sweeney Todd, which I liked apart from the singing and the gore, which pretty much sums up everything about the film. Then I caught The Other Boleyn Girl and I loved it, mostly because I never thought I'd fall in lust with Henry VIII - until I saw him being played on the big screen by Eric Bana! Most recently, I saw 27 Dresses, a total chick flick with a predictable story line, but filmed with wit and style, and a huge wardrobe budget! Of course, the film I can’t wait to see is the Sex And The City movie. I was given the DVD box set for Christmas and I've been working my way through all the episodes since then (even though I saw them all the first time around), so I'll have got myself up-to-date again by the time the film opens in May. Who cares what the script is like? It's set to have everything a movie should have - shoes, clothes, cocktails, a fabulous New York setting and yet more shoes and clothes! I've got a date with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha and I can't wait.
With my outings to the cinema being few and far between, I've been glued to the small screen, mostly watching Ashes To Ashes, the follow up to Life on Mars, on BBC1. Sadly, the series has now finished, so my Thursday night dates with DCI Gene Hunt (actor Philip Glenister) have come to an end. Set in 1981, the music and fashion is fabulous and, even though I'd hate to live with the sexist, rude, racist, bullying cop in real life, on TV he's my absolute hero. The weird thing is, I'm not the only woman who thinks so. At a recent party a group of us 'Gene genies' confessed that there's something about the big Neanderthal brute that we just love! It seems we've all been imagining ourselves careering around corners and doing high-speed handbrake turns in Hunt's Audi Quattro with him. Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?
One thing I must do soon is go up on the Big Wheel at Belfast's City Hall, or the Belfast Aye as it's been dubbed. One of the many things I love about Belfast is the irrepressible humour of us locals and our ability to bestow a nickname on just about anything. In addition to the Belfast Aye, I've also heard it called the 'Ball at the Hall', the 'polo mint' and 'the big ring thing'. They're all definitely much funnier than just calling it the Belfast Wheel. I love the way you can see it peeking above the skyline when you're driving around the city and I hope they keep it there permanently. It's great for tourists and great for the people of Northern Ireland. I've been on the London Eye and the big wheel in Manchester city centre but, naturally, once there's one on my very doorstep, I somehow don’t get around to going. People tell me the best way to try it is to go at night so you can see the city all lit up. If I could get Gene Hunt in one with me I'd be there like a shot!
ITALY UNCOVERED
In a first of a two part series frank McGreevey investigates the wealth of wines available in italy.
After years in the doldrums, Italy as a supplier of tasty wines seems to have turned the corner. Italy as a holiday destination is a very attractive proposition.
From Sorrento and the off-shore Capri in the south, to Rome and its historic sites in the middle and then Tuscany on the knee and on to Piemonte in the North West and Veneto in the North East. Include a benevolent climate and all the attractions and Italy is a holidaymaker’s paradise and a virtual vineyard from end to end.
With its sexy leg and high heeled boot Italy must be the best known map outline in the world, so I am attempting to use that outline (from toe to thigh) or South to North for the purpose of illustrating Italy’s lesser known wines and where they originate.
Sicily
Sicily is not one of Italy’s quallity wine regions but is nevertheless a large producer and exporter of tasty reds and whites, to cities like London and New York, where there are large populations of Italian ex-pats. Possibly Sicily’s best known wine product is Marsala (a fortified wine) much loved by chefs as a base for sauces.
In my young days (just a few years ago) Pork Marsala would have featured on every hotel menu in the country.
Puglia (on the heel). This is hot Italy, home of grape varieties Negromara and Primitivo, also known as Zinfandel in California where it is currently all the rage. Primitivo, or Zinfandel, produces a huge full bodied high alchohol red wine but, because of the heat and very ripe fruit, it can produce tasty wines similar to high quality Shiraz from South Australia. Winemark, our local off-licence chain, have these two Puglia grapes in a very tasty blend
Canti- Negroamaro/Zinfandel IGT Alc 12.5% £3.99.
Lazio
Lazio (with Rome as its centre). Back in the 60/70s this region was supplier of bland Frascati to the Trattorie of Rome, but is now on the up again with fresh clean Trebbiano/Malvasia blends.
Abruzzo
This is the region behind the knee of Italy - home of the grape variety Montepulciano, which produces a soft easy drinking red wine. Montepulciano is also a town in Tuscany but there the grape variety would be Sangiovese.
Saint Orsolo Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo DOC is currently on offer at Winemark for £4.59.
Marche. If you like your white wine in fancy bottles this is the region to look out for. Verdicchiodei Castelli di Jesi is the most famous wine of this region. Produced in the attractive green amphora shaped bottle, it is a dry white wine well worth seeking out.
Tuscany
Tuscany, the best known region for holidays and wine - Chianti. Now readily accessable from Ireland by Ryanair- Dublin /Pisa in just a couple of hours. Chianti is probably Italy’s best known (least loved) wine.
Everybody of pre 70s vintage will have had at some stage a Chianti wicker flask bottle as a decoration or doubling as a home made light holder. Present day Chianti is a modern red wine -grape variety Sangiovese.
The heart of the region is Chianti Classico, between the cities of Sienna and Florence. Medium bodied red wines with good tannins are the trademark of the Classico centre.
Winemark- Chianti Classico Castelani 2005 £7.99
See our May issue for part two of this feature.
Go West
Ulster Tatler’s Catherine Corr dines at the Quaywest Wine Bar & Restaurant in Londonderry.
Quaywest Bar & Restaurant is situated alongside the river offering panoramic views (if you get a seat beside the window) of the Foyle and the east bank of the river. As my companion and I hadn’t been to Derry for a few years we decided to stay the night in a hotel just around the corner from the restaurant. I was amazed at how many other eateries have sprung up in this part of the town centre - a real sign of a city on the rise. The waterfront walk is a real asset to the maiden city - although it was a little cold in early March!
On our arrival in Quaywest we were warmly greeted and offered the option to sit in the bar area and enjoy a pre-dinner drink or go straight to our pre-booked table. We decided on the latter and were escorted up the stairs and handed over to the waiting staff for the evening. The interior of the restaurant had a warm and welcoming feel and the presence of a mirrored wall behind the bar gave a feeling of vastness and allowed us to keep an eye on everything that was happening in the restaurant!
As it was a Friday night the restaurant attracted couples, families and groups of people who all seemed to be having a great time and preparing for the weekend. The atmosphere was warm and friendly with the staff doing there upmost to make customers relax and enjoy their dining experience.
When the menus were delivered, we were informed of the specials that evening and left to peruse at our leisure. A short time later our waitress returned and asked for the drinks choice. Myself, being a big fan of the red wine, was delighted to see a vast choice and after some time and advice I settled on the Casa Silva Reserva Shiraz from Chile, this choice was packed full of spice and black pepper flavours and accompanied by soft sweet tannins offering a beautifully balanced wine.
One thing that did preturb me about The Quaywest menu was the limited choice of starters on offer (but after asking I believe that is about to change in the next few weeks, with more choice being offered).
The three choices were soup, garlic bread or the Quaywest platter to start. We opted for one platter and one soup. The platter offered a choice of garlic mushrooms, chicken drumsticks, nachos and king prawns. This proved a good choice to nibble on with the prawns coming out on top closely followed by the garlic mushrooms. The soup was very tasty also and the accompanying fresh bread was a great compliment.
Onto mains, the selection here is quite vast offering a great choice of chicken, fish, steak and vegetarian choices. My partner opted for the Quaywest 12oz Sirloin Steak with choice of sauce and the chunky fries. The steak was a little tough and lacked in flavour. It was requested well done but my friend felt it may have been over-cooked slightly, although the fries and the peppered sauce were excellent. I decided on the Crispy Half Roasted Duck with caramelized orange sauce along with champ. What a good choice, the duck was succulent and fell off the bone, the sauce was most enjoyable and the champ was soft and fluffy. A delightful main course and a great combination!
Other main courses to choose from were marinated lamb with mustard seed, saute potatoes, mint pesto and roast gravy, the Quaywest Thai Chicken Curry with coconut milk & basmati boiled rice or Seabass with roast garlic and sweet pea cream sauce.
The dessert menu was a little too much for me after my main but my partner was tempted by several of them; the Classic Italian Tiramisu served with Espresso Syrup, the locally made Profiteroles with chocolate and anglaise sauces or the Vanilla Ice Cream served in a tuille basket with fresh fruit coulis and chocolate stick. After much deliberation he finally settled on the classic Banoffee Pie served with fresh cream, which he described as beautiful. The consistency of the dessert suited his palate very well and that was testament to the little left on his plate!
All in all our visit to Quaywest was very enjoyable. It has something for everyone including coeliac and vegetarian options. The ambience created led to a very comfortable relaxed dining in the heart of an exciting up and coming city. The staff were excellent and had great knowledge of the menu. If you’re in the north-west see what this great eatery has to offer.
Our meal of two starters, two mains, one dessert and wine came to £54.35.
Fact File
Quaywest Restaurant & Wine Bar
Boating Club Lane
Londonderry
Tel: 028 7137 0977
4 star rating
Unparalleled beauty and performance
Bob Hume reviews the Maserati Quattroporte executive.
Maserati has a strong tradition of sports car building and has fused their technology and sporting pedigree into a luxury saloon. The Executive GT Automatic is the flagship variant of the luxury four-door five-seater Quattroporte.
Styled by the famous Italian automotive designer Pininfarina, this car takes design cues from the ‘70s. There is a retrospective and nostalgic look to the rear quarter of the Quattroporte; the ‘C’ pillars and boot area are reminiscent of some of the sports saloons of thirty years ago. The front end and grille are aggressively styled and the combination of all of the curves and muscular lines, combine to make the entire car a boldly styled and achingly handsome form; this was further accentuated by the dark grey metallic finish of the Maserati press car.
Austere
The photo shoot took place in the austere setting of Newbridge Demesne, County Dublin with kind permission from the Dublin City Council’s Michael Ryan; a location which truly befitted such a beautiful and luxurious marque. During my stay in Dublin, the big Maserati drew admiring stares from pedestrians and fellow road users alike; one wide-eyed taxi driver even drew me into a conversation about the Quattroporte when I stopped beside him at a set of ‘lights – even jokingly offering me a swap!
The Maserati was astonishingly quick from standstill and through the automatic gears, especially on the tighter-geared and more throttle-sensitive ‘sport’ mode, roaring to the national speed limit with incredible urgency accompanied by a spine-tingling roar. On back roads, the car belied its size and seemed to be ‘on its toes’ and quick to react; this is mostly thanks to a remarkably good multi-link ‘Skyhook’ suspension set-up and highly developed geometry.
Fantastic
The 4244cc V8 multi-valve engine will propel almost two tonnes of Italian luxury from rest to 60 MPH in 5.6 seconds, beating several of its direct rivals. Keep you right foot down and the Quattroporte will reach a maximum speed of 167 MPH. Under heavy acceleration there is a spine-tingling symphony from the big V8, it’s almost a melodic sound to car fanatics like me. Whilst other luxury saloon manufacturers seem to have tried their best to hide the sound of the big, high-performance ‘V’ format engines, Maserati seem to celebrate and accentuate this inspiring sound.
This is a luxury car from a famous super-car car manufacturer; a beautifully finished, comfortable and beautiful luxury saloon. It will deliver you to your destination deftly and quietly but if you choose to you can make the Quattroporte bark and roar and it will cover a lot of ground with all the drama and excitement of a super-car.
The new luxury car market in Northern Ireland has developed dynamically in the last few years and demand for the luxury car segment has grown disproportionately to the rest of the market. This is an obvious indicator of the growing economy, however one effect is that certain luxury cars have become more common than you would imagine - to the extent that hardly any of them fail to turn heads any more. For the same money, or even slightly less, you can get yourself something very different and something that shows you’ve actually put a bit of thought into your choice.
Fact File
Sole Maserati dealership in Ireland:
Ian Sinnamon
Charles Hurst Specialist Cars
Boucher Road
BELFAST
Tel: 028 9038 3511
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