Italy 2019 – Tuscany

Home from our two week family holiday in Tuscany and as promised here is all the info on where we stayed and what we did, for those interested. Be warned its long! 😉

We spent one week inland at Sarteano then a week at the beach in Giannella near Porto San Stefano and ended with one night in Rome – to show the kids – who basically cared less!

We flew Ryan Air to Ciampino Airport Rome and then we hired a car from Centauro. It took as long to get the car sorted as it did to fly to Rome! The bus that takes you to the car rental only comes sporadically so we sat in the baking heat for nearly an hour till it finally arrived (suppose that’s what you get when you search Car Rental and filter “price low to high” 😉) Anyway, we finally picked up our little Fiat 500L and hit the road – the terrifying road.

The drive to Sarteano is about 2 hours, main road most of the way and yes the drivers are insane. Two grannies in front of us having the lols, chatting to each, high fiving, weaving all over the place, but hey, having the best time!

Sarteano is up on top of a mountain and be warned google maps does not like Italy – it’s like they took a siesta when it came to recording the smaller routes. So when we reached the town – first gear all the way up those hills – we couldn’t find the campsite. Then it started lashing and then some thunder and lightning. Sure why not. But still that was grand compared to Paul’s entrance into the town. One road was blocked off and Sat Nav was sending us miles away so Paul, in a very unlike Paul way, drove through the road closed sign. Well – he drove straight onto the street closed for that evening’s annual jousting festival. The road was all sand, hay bales and stadium steps. 3 angry angry Italian men leapt up from the pub, raced to the car, shouting, hitting the car, all the Italian curse words, one guy was missing a finger, even though he was pointing it at us. Anyway, we were told to carefully, carefully turn around and get the F off of their beautiful sand road – so off we went – leaving the trail of tyre marks behind. Paul was a wanted man.

We eventually checked into the parc with Eurocamp https://www.eurocamp.ie/campsites/tuscanycentralitalyelba/in018-parco-delle-piscine/ataglance.html and into our 3 Bed Mobile (Espirit). Anyone who follows me knows we love mobile home holidays, we have been doing them since Amy was 2. They are not for everyone but we just love the relaxation and the fact that a lot are off the main tourist tracks so you get to see some beautiful places, like Sarteano. It is picture perfect. A real pretty medieval style village with narrow cobblestone roads built around the beautiful castle that sits on top of the hill.

You can walk into the town, which is what we always want to do when looking for a mobile park location, and the food – AMAZING! Great value too. The town is really small and quaint but has plenty of restaurants. Our favourites were La Locanda dei Tintori, Chiostro Cennini (beautiful setting), Da Gagliano and Santa Chiara – the absolute best. Best dishes all holiday in the garden of an old monastery with spectacular views and sunsets. The truffle pasta is unreal and the caramalised pineapple with cardomon icecream. Delish. Drinks in the town square are lovely with free nibbles which are so good – parma & melon, mozzarella & tomato, nuts, crisps, olives. Beats a packet of Tayto.

I didn’t cook in Sarteano, usually do, but the food was so good and so cheap it made sense to eat out….I also knew I would be cooking at our next stop.

The parc is really well located to explore nearby places like Sienna, Montelepuciano (all the vineyards) and it a good base, but you need a car, and nerves of steel. We did one day trip on the only dull day to Saturnia, the natural hot springs. It is worth a visit but its fair drive. It would have made more sense to visit it from our second location. The area has lots of hot springs around and pretty much everywhere you look there are stunning hill top towns with castles. Very Beauty and the Beast 😉 San Casciano dei Bangi is 20 minutes away and is beautiful too.

The parc is small but I like that and you are not on top of one another. There are three large pools including a kids pool with slides, a big playground, sports and activities every day. There are also cooking courses in the mornings. We all did one and learned to make spinach and ricotta ravioli and you get to eat it too with wine, perfect lunch. There is a restaurant and bar onsite, but the town is so near we just strolled in each night. The supermarket is just outside the campsite too, so everything you need is there. The pools have views of the mountains on one side and then the castle and the town on the other.

We did a tour of the town one day – kids moaned from start to finish, standard, but Paul and myself enjoyed it and there is wine tasting at the end 😉 You get to go into the castle and walk up to the viewing point. Spectacular. All free as well!

After a week here we drove to Giannella, a small spit on the coast 2 hours away. Paul found an Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17584997) and it was right on the beach – that’s why he picked it as I’m obsessed with being near the sea and waking up to our own beach, so for a week I was able to pretend I lived this life.

The house was very rustic all dark woods and interiors, which wouldn’t be my style but it was very laid back & authentic I suppose. The views though! The views – that is what this house is all about and bar sleeping we spent 99% of the day outside. There are loads of outdoor spaces and full outdoor cooking facilities so we spent each day pretty much sitting at the main table eating and looking out to sea – brekkie, lunch & dinner. Addictive and so calming. The sunsets are SPECTACULAR!! And the morning beach with no one on it and that sound – heaven. The most chilled I have felt in a long, long time. Spent many hours just starring out at the sea – glass of Rose and tunes, simple but perfect. The water is so safe as well – so shallow for ages and its warm as well. There was an outside shower and loo too so sand wasn’t dragged into the house. The stars at night – no words – I have never seen anything like it because it so dark. Thought I saw shooting stars the first night – loads – till Paul was like, bats Yvonne, they are bats, put your glasses on….nah think I’ll leave them off thanks. Few lizards, toads and a squirrel too and giant flying bee moth things gave us a nightly scream but suppose you can’t get that close to nature without bumping into a few new friends. Also Paul was bitten by the mozzies. They don’t like the taste of me. Savage him. We had a few night time swims and lay on our backs floating looking at the stars. Nothing like it.

You would need a car here too and there are loads of places to explore. Porto Santo Stefano is nearest town – picture perfect and the lights of the town can been seen at night from the house. Pozzarello is the cove nearby where we went snorkelling. Canelle is another stunning cove but the drive to there, jaysis! – a sheer drop one side of the car – my side – so I was gripping the door handle the whole time and nearly sitting in Pauls lap. Add in the fact that the car went in first gear and the alternative route Paul took back – I’m surprised we are still married! He only turned back when we all started howling and the road turned into a dirt track, one lane wide with “Danger, sheer drops both sides” – ah now c’mon!!!!! Needed a double dose of Rose that lunchtime.

There are two other spits as well – Orbitello which is much bigger built on the lagoon with Flamingos, and the Dunes is another spit. I preferred Gianella. There is also another port nearby Port Ercole.

There are no restaurants you can walk to really only one beach bar “Il Tramonto” – but it’s a beautiful bar! Amazing sunsets with nibbles and Aperol and a lovely restaurant too – not the best food we had but if you just order pizza and the fried mixed fish, wine and views it’s all worth it. Paul and myself strolled here a few nights alone – for some kid free sanity and left Amy minding the boys. It’s a 1km walk along the beach and so relaxing – after a relaxing day you need some more relaxing 😉

The highlight of this trip was the boat trip to Il Giglio the nearest island. It’s like a postcard. Pink houses, blue seas, all so so pretty. We jumped off rocks, snorkelled and had a delicious fish dinner in La Vecchia Del Pergola. This was everyone’s favourite day trip.

You could do a lot more exploring but we get lazier as the holiday goes on so just read, swam, ate, drank on repeat.

On the last day we decided to bring the kids to Rome for one night only. Paul found another Airbnb just off Campo Di Fiori and so 5 minutes from Piazza Navona (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14051319) He found overnight parking in Giulio which was perfect so we could ditch the car. The Airbnb was perfect and a bargain too. Very clean and a great location to explore although the kids were so not bothered by this part of the trip. Just wanted Wifi!!! Anyway we ate lunch and explored – Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps – kids whined – its soooo hot, we’re tired, the usual. That night we ate in Campo di Fiori. The Taba Café is a nice spot and they do an amazing cheese meat sharing platter. Then we had dinner in Mercato Hostaria – it was grand. We didn’t get the best food in Rome – although beside the car park I spotted a Michelin Restaurant “Per Me” – looked so good – but with no kids 😉

There was a storm that night and it rained the next day so we had a quick brekkie in Café Peru – yum custard and chocolate croissants – and then did bus tour. Again, kids not impressed – why do we bother!!!! The only want pool/sea, food and ice-cream. That’s it…oh and wifi!! Anyway, we persevered. They saw the main sights and we got off at the Colosseum and had lunch nearby – it was gross – the only bad meal of the holiday and then we drove back to the car rental and home. So safe to say Paul and myself will save the city breaks for the two of us – kids can stay home! The amount of times I was screaming – “why don’t you appreciate where we brought you?!!!” “give mommy and daddy a break!!” “can you stop moaning for 2 minutes!!” “no you are not getting anymore ice-cream” “let’s get another drink Paul”

Holidays with kids are a mixed bag aren’t they. We had some epic meltdowns. Matthew is the classic “are we there yet child?” followed by the day one “can we go to the pool now, can we go to the pool now?” “someone play with me” “I’m bored” “I hate reading”. Then after 24 hours he adjusts and chills a bit. Day 3 there is always some blow-up – kids picking away at us and then something minor happens like Luke spills water all over the table and I lose my mind!! (Luke spills or knocks something over most days so usually I’m grand – but there is always that one night “HOW MANY TIMES DID I SAY TO LEAVE THAT GLASS ALONE?!”

But it has got easier and 2 out of 3 kids read now – bonus! Over the years the kids refused to do any kids camps – always stayed with us, much as we tried, but we did always put them down for a siesta and then bed in the evening early so Paul and me could chill but now they are with us all the time but it’s nice and it’s a whole lot easier than bottles and nappies and buggies. Its mad though how time flies. Amy is nearly 16 so not sure how much longer she will want to sit around with us playing cards or spot the intro – the basic Melinn nightly entertainment. There is a lot of bonding! Which probably leads to the fights but sure if you can go on holiday and not have meltdowns who even are you?!

Also, my holiday wardrobe – basic. Brought wedges and heels – never wore. Flats everyday. Lots of shorts and a few wrap dresses and THE worst holiday hair ever and I gave up on makeup after about day 3….but it all felt good. Who cares! Penneys bikinis were a disaster – offensive – wore them as best I could then binned them…you would need a full body wax to get away with wearing them. Dunnes bikinis were very good.

So think that’s it. Hopefully its useful to anyone thinking about Italy. The food, the weather the scenery, it’s a hard place to beat. Did I mention the food……?

All the videos are saved to two highlights on instastories http://www.instagram.com/ystyleireland

 

 

 

 

San Sebastian September 2018

So on Thursday last we went to San Sebastian to celebrate 18 years married. I had heard so many good things about this spot & have to say it didn’t disappoint. This is long & no fashion tips but might be useful if you’re planning a trip.

We flew into Bilbao & then it’s a 1 hour 15 minute bus ride to San Sebastian.

Weather was amazing, didn’t expect it to be so good. We just brought hand luggage so walked to our accommodation from the bus stop. We stayed in the church square and the pensione was grand but very very basic. Good location & we only slept there but if the weather wasn’t good or you wanted more luxury then our place was too basic!

We got changed and walked to the old town & towards the Aquarium. We had a beer then went to the beach and got in for a swim. Baltic and my knicks did come off with the first wave….Penneys bikinis are not made for a lashing, be warned.

Then we went for a quick pinxtos in Valles near us. Was grand. We were only learning. We got better!

That night we went to Nestors. Amazing steak, huge but so tender and full of flavour, rubbed in garlic. Tomatoes and green peppers too. This all sounds so basic. Trust me. It wasn’t! This place is a must! Red wine excellent and not expensive.

Then we went to Loco Polo for an ice cream lolly that you dip into a sauce and nuts of your choice. Very yum.

The next morn we had breakfast of giant brioche toast with apricot jam. Again, this sounds like nothing great but you just have to try it, so so good! Light, not too sweet, the best toast ever.

We hired bikes & then cycled round the coast and walked up to Monte Urgull. A lot of steps but a bar at the top! Well actually not the top top but as far as we went, the mountain had me at “bar”. You never get that reward in Ireland! Views are unreal!

Then we went back down and had lunch in La Rampa just beside the pier and aquarium. Excellent. Fresh tuna and squid and rosé, in the sun.

We cycled to the opposite end of the bay & then came back to the beach there and chilled, Paul swam, I met an Egyptian moustached student who played Karen Carpenter tunes, it was all bizarre but so good. I never knew there was a college here, some spot to be a student!

That night we cycled back into the old town. Word of warning. Do not cycle in the leopard zara shirt dress. I caught it all in the back wheel and was one rotation away from it being ripped from my body. Paul rescued me in a ….”why are you wearing this to cycle” way….eh sorry Paul I didn’t bring my night-time lycra collection!

Anyway we did a tapas crawl that night….and the leopard buzz is much calmer here….only met two twins. We went to Sirimiri for iberico secreto, patatas bravas and some anchovy thing….Paul loves anchovies, too much.

Then we did Fuegro Negro….was ok, had tuna, peppers, onions. Had better.

Next we did Borda Berri…very good, very loud, very crazy. Just go in strong. Don’t faff. Order beef cheek and creamy risotto. Both delish. Loads of craic in here.

Then we went to the cheesecake spot La Vina. Two slices. One Plate. Plenty and so good!

We had a drink in the square after, then bed.

The next morning after brioche brekkie we cycled to the far side again and got the tram up to the top of the mountain. It’s pretty spectacular up there. Amazing views & if you have kids with you there is a really pretty fun fair up at the castle too. We also walked round Mirimar Gardens. We went back for lunch at the pier and had monkfish and hake and rosé in Marinela Igeldo.

Then we got the boat to the island Santa Clara about 20 mins away. It has a little beach and bar and is perfect. We got in for a swim and had a beer and the views every which way are all wow. Paul tried to make some Kilkee comparisons….I blame the beer or sunstroke!

That night we did Txepetxa for their speciality of anchovy on toast with spider-crab cream, it’s yum and the white wine that’s everywhere, Txakoli, it’s poured from a height, no clue why & it tastes grand….prefer red or beer 🍻

Then we went to Tamboril for a hot tapas of mushrooms, very nice.

Atari next, for the octopus, it was good but not wow….a lot of chewing ha. Good fun spot though & really nice buzz outside on the steps opposite. A load of you said to try the creme brulee here too but we ran out of food time. We went to Gandarias after for Solomillo. So good. Then ice creams….kinder bueno icecream my new favourite. Then bed.

There are so many more tapas places to try & lots of Michelin star places & posher restaurants too. It really is foodie heaven. Great gin too! You can do gourmet tapas trails as well but we just got the bikes & a list of recommended places & did it our way. We stayed mainly around La Concha beach & the Old Town but there is a surfer beach too with huge waves.

This morning we walked the promenade & beach & had brekkie at La Perla, great spot & views. Then we had an early lunch at Ni Neu. Then home.

It’s an amazing place. Has it all really, beaches, walks, fabulous food, all the shops you want, stunning scenery, safe bike lanes, perfect for kids too. It’s just pretty perfect. We did no shops, same as NYC, I’ve no interest when I’m away, I just want to eat and chill. If you love shopping though you will love it here…lots of designer shops but also Zara, Sephora etc

We got amazing weather for the end of September which was a bit of a fluke. If it wasn’t as nice it would be better to be staying somewhere a bit more plush. We went budget style and it all worked out but if you want more of a treat some of the hotels at the beach are just fab! Definitely the best city break we have ever done 💞

Florida Family Trip June 2018

Home yesterday from 2 weeks in Florida, feel a bit jet-lagged but gotta type while I remember everything. It was pretty amazing. I posted pics of our trip to Instastories but promised to do a full blog post when I got home for those interested. So the usual, if its not for you no need to read – its long. Ill be back to fashion tomorrow.

This was our first time doing Florida with the kids & to be honest I wasn’t mad to do it – mainly the thoughts of the parks in the heat and the cost! It ain’t cheap! Amy begged, Paul buckled & the trip was booked. In fairness to Paul, he did everything, booking & research & my friends sent me their information on Orlando, where to stay, eat and how to do the parks. It is pretty overwhelming if you have never gone before.

Our plan was to stay 6 nights in Orlando and then hit the beach at Naples for 9 nights. The journey to get there was epic! We went American Airlines to Charlotte and then a connecting flight to Orlando to save a bit of money. If money not an issue – go direct!! Or else fly into somewhere you might want to spend a few nights in and then head to Orlando.

We rented a car from “Thrifty” which was good value until they add in prepaid daily toll charges and GPS – they were practically the price of the car again and not needed. The toll is so cheap so we shouldn’t have bothered with that extra cost. Paul had downloaded the maps to his phone but if you don’t have them or don’t want to pay data roaming charges then you will need GPS – otherwise goodnight, one wrong exit and who knows where you are. There was a lot of “Jaysissss” outta me! I like to co-drive 😉

We stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages on International Drive. Massive room, bit retro in style but still very nice – and we were never really there. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, jacuzzi bath, kitchen, balcony, & couch area and utility. The grounds and the pool all lovely, plus its so central to everything.

We bought the 14 day 3-Park Universal Pass before we left as its better value and even if you only go a few days it still works out better than a daily pass. We did Studios the first day after a trip to IHOP for brekkie – massive portions – the theme of the holiday. We did the pool in morning then hit the park around 2 and it wasn’t as mental busy as I thought. There was a bit of moaning from Matthew about being scared and Amy being bored of anything that wasn’t a thrill ride so yes I lost the plot as the moaning steadily inreased!!! First holiday meltdown, day 1. To be expected I think. We threatened that was it!!! No park tomorrow or for the rest of the holiday….the usual! They piped down. We had mexican, a beer and then a turkey leg in the park – not the best combo but had to try the turkey legs. They are huge, but not the best “in-between rides” snack.

We all calmed down a bit after day 1 and day 2 was better. Did Islands of Adventure and everyone preffered this section of the park and in better humour. Again we went from around 2 to 9 and then had dinner in Bubba Gumps in the park. The thrill rides here are brilliant, the water ones & the Hulk. Harry Potter is amazing!!! Think the “Forbidden Journey” was everyones favourite and didn’t scare the absolute shite out of me. Its like you are on a broom flying with 3D effects.

Day 3 was Volcano Bay. My favourite! It’s the water park section of Universal. We lasted till lunch then rain came so some rides closed so we headed back to chill at hotel and went to dinner in Benihana that night, a tepenyaki grill you can walk to from hotel. Really nice but pricey, or maybe its just wine makes everything add up.

Day 4 we did Buena Vista Outlet and Vineland in the morning. Buena Vista has loads – Under Armour, Nike, Tommy, Ralph, Converse but no Victoria Secret or Pink – is life worth living!!!! We then did Vineland which I preferred as had Kate Spade at really good prices and makeup, perfume as well as loads of brands, but the boys were done! Cue more moaning & then messing – turned around to see Matthew wearing a pink MAC lipstick all over his face. Time to go.

We did lunch at The Outback Steakhouse. Yummy brown bread to start and food all good – just massive! The Bloomin onions – also yum! Then we went back to Volcano bay from around 4 to 8 and that was great craic. Not too busy or too hot. The family hoop rides are a great laugh.

For our last day we decided not to do Disney as our kids are that bit older and once Matthew decided he wasn’t scared anymore he became a rollercoaster maniac, all about the thrill ride. So we decided to go to Busch Gardens. Its animals and really big rides. I backed out of 4 as too scared but kids loved it, this was their favourite park. Food their was pretty gross but hey what’s another burger. Then we were done on parks – and I think even Paul was delighted. If we had more time Im not sure we would have done anymore parks. We wanted to take a trip to see Celebration and Winter Gardens but just no time.

We drove to Naples the next day to an Airbnb Paul found. He did good. We had no idea what to expect but Naples is AMAZING!! Stunningly beautiful. We stayed in 707 Briarwood and the host in Dora. I was in love with the house. The décor, the kitchen island, the pool, the super oganised towel closets and spice drawer. I did start to pretend it was my new American life!

In Naples we basically took it down a notch and chilled. It is a gorgeous place. The houses are WOW down near the beach and the beach itself is paradise. Sunsets on the beach are unreal. Postcard style. 5th Avenue and 3rd Street are full of lovely restaurants and shops and lots of posh people with fancy cars and golf carts – we were taking the tone down ha. Matthews GAA top was not the look of the evening – more white chino and stripe Ralph shirt.

We did a mix of eating in and eating out. All the food we had here was good. Osterio Tulia & Molto, both on 5th very nice. Also Bha Bhas and Chops recommended but think without the kids. Hob Nob too for drinks. Tommy Bahamas and Sea Salt both on third were also on list but ran out of time and need to book places at weekend. Naples Beach Hotel has a really nice bar to watch the sunset in too and have a beer & barfood & people watch. Tacos & Tequila is really good value and soooooo tasty! Especially the happy hour margaritas. The only really gross meal was Olive Garden. It’s a chain and it was just not good – too salty too greasy. We did Cheesecake Factory too – its nice, huge huge menu and again big portions…no one could finish their cheesecake but we got doggie bags so all happy.

We went to two other beaches nearby Clam Pass & Barefoot Beach. Still preferred the one nearest to us, just down a bit from Lowdermilk Beach. Really quiet and no high rises. Barefoot worth a visit though for the unreal houses on the private 2k drive down to the beach. Never seen anything like it. Naples Pier also beautiful. Everything is basically!

The only trip we did was with Captain Greg on the Everglades – its brilliant! We booked with Speedy AirBoat Tours and its about a 50 minute drive from Naples but worth it. They fly through the mangroves at high speed and talk you through the area. Loved it.

To get home we drove to Miami just to see if for a few hours and grab lunch there. Its a mad spot! The drive alone to get there with 6 lanes of traffic at high speed nearly had us divorced! We ended up missing bridge to Miami Beach and ended up on Dodge Island – apt! We saw the beach, ate and people watched. Some vibe there, totally different to Naples.Then we flew Miami to Heathrow and then Dublin. All in great form here today 😉 😉

So anyway, I hope this is useful for anyone planning a trip. For me, I wouldn’t go back to Orlando. I shop so much as part of the day job that even the outlets didn’t call to me and the boys had zero desire for any shopping. Amy loved it though. My favourite part was Naples and the kids said the same too. They LOVED the parks but think the downtime and pool in the house meant everyone got a chance to properly chill and that was best bit. No Fortnite on the playstation was bliss as well. We are only home a few hours and the rage and screaming has started again – hate that game!

We had wifi but I only loaded up a few pics to stories each day so the break from social media and the shops was so needed. Its not a cheap holiday and eating out is pricey with tips and drink but I do think its been our best family holiday yet. Also its sooooo humid! 35 degrees on average but aircon saved us. You also need a car – would love to walk to restaurants more at night but wasn’t really an option. Only affected “Poor Paul” though – he is still traumatised by his many failed attempts to get onto the Pink Flamingo Float. It exploded in the end.

Our summer trip to NYC

This is the post I get asked to reshare the most on Facebook so I thought I would pop it up here so I can link to it easily and maybe some of you might find it useful. We went to NYC for the first time ever in July 2017 to celebrate our 17 year wedding anniversary and me turning 40. Here’s the post…..

What we did in NYC…..its long so be warned! If you’re not planning a trip, skip this post!
We stayed in The Hugo in Soho. Really nice spot on Greenwich Street & corner of Spring Street. Very laid back & loads of good restaurants. The hotel has an amazing roof top bar as well, views out over The Hudson.
We arrived in at 3 on Friday & changed & walked the highline, loads of you recommended & well worth it. Headed to The Standard roof top bar for a drink, more great views & retro 70s vibe in the hotel. Then we went to the White Horse Tavern & after The Spotted Pig….delicious food & lovely cosy setting.
On Saturday we walked Brooklyn Bridge & had the best breakfast of the trip in Almar in DUMBO. Avocados are basically everywhere. We walked round the park there & then back, fantastic views of the city & skyline. We kept walking to the 911 Museum. We didn’t do the guided tour just walked round ourselves. Very somber but had to be part of our trip. Then hit Century 21. I got nothing
🤣. Paul got a few bits but I wasn’t feeling it. We did the Staten Island Ferry after. It’s free & gives you great views of the Statue of Liberty. The walk back to our hotel through Battery Park & all along the waterway was really lovely. Would definitely recommend this too. Bit too much walking that day but it’s a great way to see the city. The Nikes were needed!
That night we did Beauty & Essex, everyone raves about it….now the food was delicious, I just thought it was too loud & buzzy & I didn’t love the street as much as other areas. I am officially a Granny. The mini cronuts for dessert though were delish.
Sunday we took the subway to Grand Central Station. Just beautiful, really worth it. Breakfast after was across the road in Pershing Square, amazing pancakes! We walked 5th Avenue…..now that blew me away, loved it. We went into St Patrick’s Cathedral & did Top of the Rock, unreal views of the city & no major queues, staff were all super friendly. We had lunch in PJ Clarke’s, excellent. Subway is great way to get around & not scary like I thought….too many 80s movies ;-). Dinner that night was L’Artusi in Soho…our favourite meal & really lovely atmosphere. Lots of locals.
On Monday we went into Times Square….too manic for me…told you Im a granny. We had brekkie in Juniors, nice but other places better. It was just massive….after we were both like “I can’t believe we ate the whole thing”…..we said that a lot.
Then we picked up bikes & cycled Central Park and had lunch in The Boathouse….wow! Just like the movies & food was fab, again! Expensive, but at this stage we realised everything was! We hired a boat for an hour, good laugh, so so sweaty & a few crashes but no one overboard even though I had a strong urge to just push Paul in. There’s a swimming pool too in the park! Never knew that…so bring togs, we debated trying to get in with our undies but I’m guessing that would be frowned upon 🙂
We went to Gotham comedy club that night….some comedians good, some terrible but that was funny too. We were supposed to go to Tao but I reckoned it would be too loud for me….is this 40?? ….so we went to Morandis, delish Italian & ate outside people watching. Could people watch all day long.
On Tuesday we did the waterway near Battery Park again for brekkie. Tried Pain le Quotidien, a chain, but it was excellent. More avocados & eggs. Lunch was in Extra Virgin in Soho on the street in the sun just watching people go by, food superb again. Not one bad meal. Then we got bus to Coldplay in Jersey. I have no words other than AMAZING. Took all night to get home & my sandals fell apart but we made new friends..from Lisbon, Brooklyn & Cavan….of course. Ate a burrito on the curb at 2.30am, classy.
Wednesday morn we did Chelsea Market…..so many food choices. Amy’s Bread….wow! The food excited me more here than any clothes shopping. That & the views. We had lunch later in a little Sicilian on Spring Street called Piccola Cucina. Delicious again. I’m gonna miss the food but my skinny jeans won’t. It was a struggle putting on long pants yesterday & my ankles are now cankles after the flight.
My shopping haul….pathetic. NARS blusher, a tan cross body bag & crest teeth whitening strips. But I do know I love NYC, way more than I thought. I kind of thought it would be overwhelming or something but it wasnt, it was so doable! Just bring Nikes & loads of money…..tip tip tip….two drinks 50 dollars, breakfast 50 dollars….
There was no Aldi

Family Holiday this year to France!

So, got a lot of messages about our trip to France & staying in a mobile so here goes. This was a last minute holiday for us, only decided to go in July. We flew Ryan Air to Nice (yes one hour delay going out and even more of a delay on the way back. I will not rant. I will not rant). Anyway that was the only moan I have. As it was a late flight we stayed one night in the IBIS airport hotel and then hired car next morning. We had booked it ahead of time with Gold Car – really good value, about €150 for the week for a medium sized car. I just found them on Google so was dubious, but all good .

The drive was just over an hour and after initial shouting from me as co-driver….watch it, watch it, slow down, speed up, did you see that? what’s that noise? All was grand. The campsite we stayed in was called Domaine des Naiades in Port Grimaud with Eurocamp Holidays. It’s a medium sized park with a pool, 2 slides, restaurants and bar and full entertainment and kids clubs (for kids who will go…ours have just never gone!!!! Much as I have begged and bribed). We stayed in a two bed Vista mobile with pull out bed for Amy and air-con and decking. Air-con is a must!! We learned that the hard way a few years ago when we all melted.

We haven’t been to France since 2011 and these mobiles have had a makeover…..a grey makeover. So on trend! Really clean as well and the welcome pack was better than I remembered. All the mini essentials to get you started, tea, coffee, olive oil, washing up stuff, biscuits, pringles…..and wine! The only thing we forgot were the tiny swim trunks!! I should have remembered. France likes them tight! So had to go buy 3 pairs for Paul and the boys. Pauls were offensive, I think we didn’t get the sizing right ha! but the whole pool was wearing them so be warned its Willy Watch/Penis Patrol poolside

Our kids are 13, 10 & 8 so no baby pool anymore but it’s there. They spent the time on the slides and jumping in the deep end, it’s very deep. The also had a full on inflatable obstacle course one day, like wipe out – brilliant! I overexposed myself. Great laugh. The Eurocamp team are really friendly and helpful too, there all the times….even when we had a “I can’t find a corkscrew” emergency.

The food onsite was really good, especially the Pizza Blenti. The chef has won some pizza awards apparently. All the food in the area has a bit of an Italian influence and loads of seafood.

The beach is about a 10 to 15 minute walk away as is the town of Port Grimaud. The beach is lovely, soft sand and nice bars and restaurants. The town though, wow! It is so picturesque. Like a mini-Venice. All piers and canals and houses with decking onto the water. It’s like a scene from a play or something. Green shutters, pretty chairs, quaint side streets and a church and the square for the market. Loads of massive boats as well for the rich! We took a trip to St Tropez one of the days. It’s just 15 minutes away by boat. Another stunning place, full of the mega rich and their boats. It was nice for a visit and to see all the shops and pretty side streets. Missoni, Diane Von Furstenburg etc all high end and the boats and cars high end too! Was good to see it all but I liked the calmness in Port Grimaud.

We didn’t do much else really as only a week so just chilled. Drove to another beach L’Escalet Plage to snorkel one of the days and kids loved it. I loved it too (after initial coughing & spitting & drama). We read books, drank wine, ate cheese. That was the goal. The kids loved it and I think holidays are getting easier now they are older. We did Cambrills last year and Belle Italia the previous two years and I have to say this has been my favourite. It was the right combination of park size, walk to the town and beach, good food and beautiful scenery. It depends what you are after as a family and what ages kids are too. Being in a mobile is not everyones idea of a holiday but we love it! My parents used to take us years ago and they are still the best memories. I find it way more relaxing than a hotel or apartment and it is good value, especially if you have more than 2 kids. It’s really back to basics and you can just let it all hang out and completely relax. I have a couple of friends who did it based on me saying it was fab and they hated it! (It did rain though & they all wanted to kill each other ha) I have others who just love it and go every year now, even back to the same place. So it depends on what you are after in a holiday, but we “heart” mobiles…I’ll get that in a t-shirt

Full details on the site are available here: http://www.eurocamp.ie/campsites/rivieraandprovence/rv053-domaine-des-naiades/ataglance.html

Well used to my lenses now!

It’s been over a month since I was given a trial set of Alcon daily disposable contact lenses “DAILIES TOTAL1®” to try out.

So what’s my verdict? Honestly I’m delighted. I wear them most days now especially when shopping with clients. I have got a routine going and am much more confident at putting the lenses in and taking them out. I’m much faster now and not as anxious as I was at the start.

They are very comfortable and I really love not having to wear my glasses and look out through the frames all the time. I’m most excited about ditching my prescription sunglasses and buying a pair I actually like!! Chanel, Ray-Ban, Prada. Decision decisions 😉

To get your free trial of DAILIES TOTAL1® contact lenses, head over to http://www.wearlenses.ie

 

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Tis the season to sparkle!!

So party season is pretty much here already and its not even December!! So much sparkle in the shops and here are some of my favourites for the festive season!

This gold jumper is €60 from Oasis.

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This black t-shirt with sequin sleeves is €25 from Savida at Dunnes. Fab with leather skirt or trousers. Even gorgeous with black skinny jeans and heels. Easy.

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This full on sequin black top is from Warehouse for €46 and Oasis have similar for €50 (I got it) and there’s a skirt to match – so it looks like a dress when worn together – clever.

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This subtle sparkly top from Savida at Dunnes is €40 and is very Balmain-esque 😉 Perfect for understated glam.

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Finally I spotted this sequin top in Penneys for €10 and love it with the burgundy fur. The fur also comes in navy. Gorgeous. Love sequins and fur – a little sprinkle of both – all perfectly acceptable this time of year. Enjoy X

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New Arm Candy

Morning girls! Finally got my hands on a Cluse watch ?. Just love it. From Willow. Comes in beautiful grey too & other options. The wallet the watch comes in is just gorgeous too, pretty vintage vibes. €89.95. Nice pressie for someone or for you ?.

I love the simplicity of this watch. Just enough gold and cream to add a bit of elegant bling to any outfit. New favourite piece of arm candy 😉

http://www.willow.ie/p/cluse-la-boheme-gold_white-gold-metallic-/178974cluse3cluse2cluse1

 

 

Leopard. Its a love hate thing ;-)

OK leopard print splits the vote. A lot think….cheap, nasty, Bet Lynch. I think…it depends how you wear it. Its easy to add an accessory like a bag, scarf, shoes, for a pop of print. It gets trickier when it comes to a statement coat. I think the key is to keep it classy. Wear all black underneath. Black leathers or skinnies and a black fine knit jumper or polo – Zara always stock these. Over a black dress is another option. Take some inspiration from the fashion goddess Kate Moss. Forget Bet Lynch!!! I love this one from Gallery at Dunnes Stores for €60.

http://www.dunnesstores.com/gallery-leopard-coat/view-all/dunnesstores/fcp-product/2510250?colour=animal

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