Off to Bonny Scotland……in luxury
Casting my mind back about 20 years, I remember a boat journey from Belfast to Liverpool travelling overnight where your cabin consisted of some wooden boards with blankets and entertainment was watching the adults play poker machines while chain-smoking. In short, it wasn’t good. But my, how times have changed! When offered the chance to check out the new super- dooper Stena Superfast VII ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan, I literally jumped at the chance!
The ferry boasts not only a super fast sailing time of two hours and 15 minutes but it also offers a Plus Lounge with complimentary lovliness in many forms, a POD lounge, free movies and an onboard Nordic Spa! Having been there for the old style horrendous sailings of my youth, I thought it only fair to bring my Mum along for some pampering and to check out how times have changed on the high seas.
Upon setting sail we made our way to the Stena Plus Lounge (priced at £16) where an array of hugely comfortable chairs and chaise longues were in place to help us enjoy the view. Taking a seat we could then enjoy a range of complimentary snacks, magazines and of course beverages – yes, even wine! Now in the past I wouldn’t have been a fan of paying extra for upgrades, however, I am now a complete convert! I know I will snack and consume a tipple or two on any journey so it really works out at very good value!
When we could drag ourselves away from the comfort of the lounge we were able to explore and found a huge amount of entertainment on offer. Across the various levels there was a free cinema, free wifi, duty free, a POD area offering games consoles and ipads, a Curious George kidzone and of course the piece de resistance – the Nordic Spa! We were able to enjoy a Jacuzzi, sauna and head, neck and shoulder massage while gazing out over the Irish Sea, which was just beyond relaxing.
The décor and layout are fantastic and there is so much to do on board that the journey is a mini-break in itself and is a perfect start to any trip across the Irish Sea. I will definitely look forward to the next sailing. My only complaint… with all this to enjoy, maybe Stena could make the sailing a little longer? ;)
For information check out this page
Peek – a – Boohoo at Belfast Fashion Week
Belfast Fashion Week came and went with a bang, leaving fashion followers across the province with a long list of ‘most wanted’ garments and styles to see through the sunshine seasons of Spring and Summer. The catwalk shows finished on Friday night with a glimpse at what is going to be on offer on the high street and headlining exhibitor Boohoo.com invited me along for a pre-show preview of what Spring Summer 2012 will look like at their online store. Needless to say, I was a tad excited!
Within seconds of clocking eyes on the new lines while they still hung from their hangers, I was grinning like a Chesire cat as I realised I needed no further proof that Spring has well and truly sprung! Pastels are a big part of the new season’s trends and I welcome the pretty pinks, lollipop lemons and bubblegum greens with open arms in all their playful styles. With crop tops, coloured demins and longer length skirts the look is cute and fun – just what we need after a long winter!
If being bolder is your thing, there is plenty to choose from as graphic prints are huge. Leopard print is still a fashion favourite but it’s moved away from the traditional colours and is going bright and of course, what would Spring be without a few scattered floral patterns? Even tie dye is jumping into the mix but it’s grown up bigtime since the 90’s and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised! Throw in our brand new style for the season, ‘Sports Luxe’ and you really do have something for everyone. Forget ‘smart casual’, we now have ‘smart sporty’!
Checking out the Boohoo.com wares on the catwalk brought the pieces to life and I could easily see how so many of them went together to offer a complete look and it was exciting to see so many versatile yet stylish pieces come from the high street. I went straight home to log on and start shopping and was literally open mouthed with shock at how affordable this e-tailer really is! With complete outfits for under £50 and with the added bonus of shopping from your sofa it’s an absolute winner for Spring Summer 2012.
Visit www.boohoo.com to check out all styles featured at Belfast Fashion Week and more!Girl Friday Guide Goes Wild!!
Ever wondered if you could cope if you were stranded in the wilderness with only the land and natural resources to provide your food, shelter and heat? I was challenged by the NI Survival School to spend a day with them and learn the basics of staying alive in the wild outdoors!
I accepted the challenge and set a date for a Saturday, where I would meet my instructors, Paul and Andy in Carnfunnock Country Park outside Larne.A common misconception is that you have to go abroad to learn these skills, when in fact we have everything we need right here in NI for anyone to get to grips with the ‘Bushcraft Seedling’ course I would be partaking in and any other courses on offer by NI Survival, of which, there are many!
Survival skills have been something of a recent occurance on our TVscreens and well known modern day on screen ‘survivors’ include Ray Mears and Bear Grylls. Having seen this pair in action, I wondered what challenges lay ahead of me – would I be constructing a sail boat with little more than a pen knife or straining water through my wellies?
The answer is no, but the skills I did learn were much more fun! We began by making fire, starting with the type of kindling used to start and sustain a fire then we moved to lighting the fire by two methods; the bow drill method, whereby friction causes small wood shavings to ignite or the flint method, where sparking a flint and causing a spark to jump and catch fire will get the temperatures rising around your camp. This was fascinating and needless to say, I felt like a proper cave woman – rar!
My instructors then took me on a tour to find edible items offered up by the green surroundings and coastline. This proved highly fruitful and I was amazed by the amount of plants and shrubbery that are not only edible but tasty too! Many of these plants give off flavours you would recognize – onion, garlic and even wasabi!
We chomped along the way and gathered materials and plants to make a meal at our camp and headed back to prepare fish (using our only essential item – a knife), construct cooking and eating utensils from natural materials and maintain a fire. Not a bad days work for a girl who usually has her meals ready prepared from the local supermarket!
I won’t spoil the surprise by telling the contents of our two courses but if you’ve ever wondered what a limpet tastes like cooked up with our plant version of garlic butter and wrapped in a Sorrel leaf, I can tell you it’s a lot tastier than you think!
So, whether it’s a full on week of survival training you’re after or just a knowledge of how our natural habitat can sustain us, Northern Ireland Survival School will give you the skills you need to survive in the ‘wild’ outdoors and enjoy it at the same time. Go on, try it – go wild!!
Check out www.nisurvival.com for full details.
GF x
ReThink waste, ReVamp your wardrobe!
19th – 27th November marked The European Week for Waste Reduction and Alyson McElroy Jones (founder of The Fashion Souk) teamed up with Rethink Waste NI and the DOE to offer a series of free workshops across NI showing students and young people how they could turn their unwanted pieces of furniture and textiles into something new and useful. Tons of old clothes, material and furniture are thrown out every year across the country and replaced with new items, leaving our landfills heaving. Luckily, we're starting to catch on that old items can be given a makeover and restored furniture, vintage clothing and recycled arts, crafts and textiles are being showcased at fantastic events like the Fashion Souk, which is always packed!
I've always admired the pretty restyled pieces at these events but secretly always wanted to know how to do it myself, so I went along to one of the 'Rethink, Revamp, Restyle' workshops taking place in Belfast City Centre, ready to learn from the experts! The workshop lasted for two hours and was hosted by artist Jenny Simon, who was going to show us how to make some new things from old jumpers! Jenny was sporting a skirt and some leg warmers made entirely from previously loved jumpers and her skills were impressive! We were given free reign to decide what to make with mittens, leg warmers, arm warmers, cushions and hot water bottle holders all doable options.
There was sewing and sequins, ribbons and thread and lots of ladies (and one boy!) concentrating hard on their masterpieces. Of course, the best thing about this activity is the opportunity to design and create something entirely unique and perfect for yourself – or someone else! The pieces created that evening were fantastic and many looked really professional – not bad for a 2 hour workshop! Here's the pic of my creation – a pair of mittens made from a jumper! Not quite Stella McCartney but at least now I have the basics to restyle my old clothes and textiles! Next time I'll give furniture restoration a whirl! Thanks guys!
The Merchant Boot Camp Challenge
In normal circumstances the only time I am out of bed at 6am on a weekday is for a flight to somewhere sunny or because the batteries need changed in the smoke alarm and it's screaming the house down i.e. it doesn't happen without good reason! But, despite this, on a Friday morning in October I woke to the sound of alarm bells and set off not just to exercise, but to attend Boot Camp before work! Two big scary words! The challenge was to complete circuits and a city centre run with breakfast thrown in before heading off to start my day at 9am; the venue was the stylist Merchant Hotel, in Belfast City Centre.
As the sky was still dark, a team of us assembled in the rather cool rooftop gym and started some circuits. We worked our way around a series of different stations and woke up each part of the body with two of the Merchants' personal trainers, who were not at all scary like I imagined personal trainers to be! Perhaps I was thinking of drill sergeants? Anyway, before I realised it, I was wide awake and ready to go! From the large glass windows I could just see the buttery light seeping through the clouds and starting to illuminate the city – the perfect time to get out for our run!
As we sprinted over the Lagan Lookout en route to the Odyssey I had to take a second to check out the spectacular view that was on offer as dawn broke over the city, it was simply beautiful! I had warmed up well by this stage and was able to appreciate having such services from a city centre gym, making it so handy to attend a workout bootcamp session then head into the office around the corner. After finishing a lap of the Odyssey and heading back over the bridge my breath was well and truly taken away – from both the view and the exercise! Back at the hotel I freshened up and took advantage of some of the lovely breakfast on offer for boot campers before heading off to work. I felt energized and ready to take on the world – what a great start to the day!
More details of The Merchant Bootcamp and membership details are on offer at www.themerchanthotel.com
Queen's Comedy Club
Always game for a laugh and in need of a mid-week pick me up I went along to the Queens Comedy Club at Mandella Hall on Wednesday night. With comedy clubs drawing up images in the mind of small cramped bars and a red faced stand up struggling under the spotlight, I was really impressed by the set up in the large hall where a huge amount of seating was available both on the floor and in the balcony areas and there wasn't a struggling comedian in sight! In fact, the comedy was first rate and it was easy to see why the place was jam packed!
We were treated to a sketch group, 'Foil, Arms and Hog', a Dublin based trio of lads who entertained from the minute they bounced on stage. Using minimal props and a bit of music these guys had us in stitches with their antics and left us in awe of their version of The Eurythmics 'Sweet Dreams' composed entirely from Microsoft computer noises. Yes. Computer noises. I really hope to see more of the lads and found their own unique brand of comedy really refreshing.
World renowned and firm favourite Kevin McAleer was the headliner for the evening and proved his reputation to be correct judging by the hysterical laughing that rang through the hall. Kevin's simple, effective, dry style went down a treat as always. Throw in a mix of Colin Murphy as compere and a brand new stand up trying out his act for the first time and you really have an awesome selection box of comedy goodies, all for the small cost of a fiver! You couldn't beat it with a big stick! I'll certainly be back and I highly recommend anyone with a sense of humour to check it out! Here's a wee video of the brilliant Foil, Arms and Hog, I guarantee it won't be long before you see these guys for yourself!
Launch of Belfast Fashion Week
I was treated last week to a sneak peak of what you can expect to see on the catwalks in Autumn Winter 2011. I am of course talking about the launch of one of the biggest events in the social calendar for fashion lovers across the province – West Coast Cooler Belfast Fashion Week! In it's 12th season, the show's have really put Belfast on the map and why not? We're a fabulous fashionable bunch!
The elegant and stylish Merchant Hotel was the perfect venue for the eager press, retailers and die hard fashion fans to get a taster of the trends that will be hitting our very own runways and I can tell you, they don't disappoint! You can expect to see block jewel colours like ruby reds and emerald greens; we'll be mixing it up with masculine tailoring and recent trends like feather and fur trims are also making a come back – great recession busting news for those of us who still have many trimmed items of this sort gracing their wardrobes!
Those going along to the runway shows can expect great things from our local designers and boutiques if the preview is anything to go by. Una Rodden and Grainne Maher to name but two will be returning with more of their beautiful and unique designs. If you haven't had a chance to visit some of the gorgeous boutiques that have been popping up around the province, like Candy Plum, Sarah Jane Boutique and Rebecca Jane, fear not, the designer boutique evening will offer you a selection box of fashion in terms of local boutiques – all the best in one place wrapped up in a bow!
The hard work and creative vision of organizer Cathy Martin and her team mean that show goers not only get a jam-packed fashion sandwich but are never disappointed in terms of venue. The underground car park shows of previous seasons have been rumored to inspire other Fashion Week organizers further afield to think a little outside the box in terms of their own show planning! This season being no exception will see the world famous Europa Hotel opening it's underground event space to play host to some of this years runway events. The shows will run over fours days from 13th to 16th October and I for one can't wait! Make sure to snap your tickets up fast as this is always a sell-out event!
Girl Friday xx
Oxegen: A Festival First
As a lover of events, music and open air fun it's surprising I haven't been along to a festival sooner, but this weekend marked my first festival experience as I packed my wellies and headed off to Oxegen, one of Europe's largest open air festivals held in Punchestown, Co. Kildare.
Being a festival first for me, the appeal was the choice! Being used to buying a ticket for one performer and then faced with the option of The Script, The Strokes and Calvin Harris all at the same time (and that was just Friday night), it was simply mind-blowing! There is also pretty much always someone performing on one of the stages from 2pm every day so it's a constant music feast with something for everyone.
It was easy to see why Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas have earned legendary status in the music world with their high-energy performances and amazing stage shows. One of my favourites, The Strokes, simply blew me away and others like Noah and The Whale surprised me by their performance by being so bloody good. It's only by seeing some of these talented folks live delivering note perfect performances that you can appreciate just how good they really are.
Having all day to enjoy the music and atmosphere means BBQs, beer (enjoyed responsibly of course) and banter in the build up to the headliners – a great experience for music lovers. With the likes of the mighty Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Swedish House Mafia and not to forget old-school favourites, like House of Pain performing all in one weekend, it was a real lucky bag of goodies as far as I was concerned. Now I've finally made it along to one of these gigs, I would say it won't be the last time!
For all of you yet to experience a festival, I've made a little checklist of useful tips..
- Wellies or waterproof shoes are an absolute must. No-one else is worried about your footwear but after 10hrs in soggy shoes, you will be.
- That weird umbrella hat you purchased as a laugh is actually a great investment and perfect for situations like this. Failing that a roll up waterproof jacket is lightweight and means you don't need to run for cover when the rain appears.
- Eating three hotdogs followed by two beers and a donut isn't a good idea before riding the upside down swing at the funfair. Enough said.
- Look at the schedule and plan which acts you want to see as it's easy to get caught up in the atmosphere and then find out you have missed your favourite band.
- Stick together, avoid too much alcohol and keep your valuables out of sight or preferably leave them at home. Lecture over, have fun!
Girl Friday xx
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