Last Minute Mother's Day Breaks that Won't Break the Bank!

I get that March has crept up on most of us, even that Mother's Day was even more stealthy this year but fear not, you're not too late for getting a special Mother’s day surprise for your Mam. How about a few days away that won’t break the bank? You might even take the trip with her. Who said anything about a bowling ball gift? Not me!

I've come up with some belters for Mothering Sunday that will ensure you hold on to top sibling spot in your Mammy's affections:

Shop till you drop in Birmingham

You can bag flights with Aer Lingus for just €81.98pp, flying out Monday March 16th returning Wednesday March 18th. Then it’s just a short hop on the train into Birmingham New Street from the Airport. The Bull Ring has over 160 shops to choose from, so you’re bound to find something you want/need! 

If you want to stay right across the road from the Bull Ring so you don’t have to lug your shopping around with you, then I recommend the cheap as chips Travelodge Central Birmingham prices start at just €118 for 2 nights B&B for 2 people on amoma.com. That’s flights & 2 nights B&B for less than €300 for you & your Mam. Or you could push the boat out & book the Radisson Blu in Birmingham for €312 for 2 nights B&B.

London, West End Show

How about 3 nights in London with your Momma dearest so you can take in a West End show? Aer Lingus have flights to London Heathrow for €127.97pp Saturday 14th March to Tuesday 17th March.

I found a great centrally located Apartment to rent through ebookers.ie, just a 10 minute walk to Earls Court tube station. Go Native- Earls Court London has a rate of €261.78 for a one bedroom apartment for 3 nights for 2 people.

If you wait till after 6pm, go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square where you’ll get discounted tickets for West End shows that night. You could also have a look at a previous post I wrote about London with info on some swanky bars, to treat your Mam to a cocktail or two! 

READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

Dublin's Fair City

If funds can’t stretch that far or you’d prefer just to do one night away (I know with my Mam 1 night is sometimes more than enough!), The Castleknock Hotel & Country Club is the one for you. They have a fantastic Spring Evening Package at the moment which includes 1 night B&B for 2 people, a 4 course meal in their Brasserie Restaurant, full use of the leisure centre and 10% off spa treatments. All this for just €69pp, bargain, I think I might just book this one for myself!

Tell us, are you up to owt exciting this weekend? Will you be printing this and sticking it to the fridge in plain view of your kids/hubbie? Not that we'd condone that type of behaviour but DO IT! 

Suite Française - Movie Review

Who's In It?

Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Margot Robbie and Matthias Schoenaerts

What's It About? 

After France's surrender to the Germans, a German officer is moved into wealthy Madame Angellier and her step-daughter's house. The madame refuses to even look at the officer, while Lucille (step-daughter) falls in love with him.

Any Good? 

One thing I didn't expect to see from Suite Francaise was the Nazis to be portrayed as just soldiers and not monsters - kind of goes against every film/game/history lesson I've ever been in - it makes the movie stand out in the rip-off Romeus and Juliet (INCLUDING Shakespeare's) genre that is romance.

The film opens with a scene where Madame Angellier and Lucille are collecting rent from tenants on their land, Madame Angellier is cruel and bleeds the farmers dry(the usual), then out of NOWHERE a German bombing party hits the road full of Parisian migrants that the pair are travelling on - it was so sudden that I just looked at Ally like "what the?..".

Putin was a Nazi?

The random bombing kind of set the scene for the film - a lot of the usual romance crap with occasional breaks for pretty heavy stuff like manhunts and executions - but for some reason it seemed to fit well into the story. 

A lot of the romantic sections are odd too, like going from being disgusted with neighbours cavorting with the Nazis and then doing it yourself immediately- I get the feeling a lot of the book was cut out of the film.

While a lot better than the usual romantic crap myself and Ally masochistically put ourselves through, Suite Francais was actually not bad. While predominantly a romance movie, it does a 180 around three quarters of the way through and becomes a suspenseful murder/people smuggling film, and all the better for it. I'd certainly watch it for the Nazi scenes, or even just for their beautiful Hugo Boss uniforms.

Also, much like the Irish and Scottish, the French share their beloved England's accent, like all nationalities did pre-2000.

We'd be remiss not to include a link to the back story of Author Irène Némirovsky, read her stunning story and how these Novellas came to be HERE. 

Rating:     

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

It's been a looooooooong week - time for some unrustling - yes? 

1. People That List Their Occupation on Facebook as 'Full Time Wifey to...'

2. Stealth Photographers at Events

3. 'Call Me' Texts

4. 'Hey, Hun, Will You Retweet My Tweets 

About My New Business?'

5. 'Waist Trainers'

WOWeee that feels better!

Tell me, can you relate to any or all? 

What's been rustling your personal jimmies this week? 

February Faves ft Elemental Herbology, Estée Lauder, Maybelline, Max Factor,Molton Brown, Philosophy, Skechers & YSL !

February, February, FEB-RU-ARY - that's a very weird word to say innit? Thankfully it wasn't a weird month, beauty wise, with some serious faves coming to the fore. 

1. Fudge Urban Powder Styler: €6.33 Here

A more purse friendly option than my HG Bumble & Bumble Prêt-à-Powder (€30), this Fudge Urban offer has been saving my bacon dry shampoo and volume wise this year. The fine powder is sprinkled into the roots of dry hair and after rubbing in (and getting over the weird sticky sensation) it gives serious OOMPH. I've been applying it to freshly blow dried hair and not only does it give me great body, it doesn't change the colour of my hair or itch my scalp as dry shampoos can tend to do. 

2. Elemental Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Body Scrub: €32.64 Here

A tropical mix of essential actives and bio-oils, Carlsberg don't do body scrubs but if they did, it probably wouldn't be a patch on this stunner. Papaya, sea salt & sugar provide the scrubbiness with macadamia & Buriti oil providing the unrivaled, nourishing softness. A boon for self tanning prep or post care or skin simply in need of a Spring lift. I apply this thick scrub before I step into the shower and continue my ablutions before washing off. You're looking at at least three days of asking yourself 'Is this new skin?!'. Blahhdy love it!

3. Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose: €22 Here



I've waxed lyrical about Molton Brown's new baby, Rhubarb & Rose already here and I'm not ashamed to say we're already half way through the bottle. Easily my favourite release of theirs in quite a while (and there's been stiff competition) this sudsy wash smells exactly like rhubarb & cream sherbets of yesteryear. 

If you're a fan of the tart pink stalks then you need this in your life and on your boddeh. STAT. I also have it on good authority that a Rhubarb & Rose candle is about to launch. THRILLED!

4. Estée Lauder Little Black Primer: €24.50 HERE 



You'll find my gushings for Lauder's Little Black Primer HERE but I guess the fact that since it's now gone on sale and I've bought one for both my Mum & a friend should really be testament too. It's a very simple idea, stunningly executed and should you be in need of a little lash lift, or indeed a waterproofing wonder then you need look no further. 

5. Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes: €11.49 HERE

You'd have to be living under a particularly large rock not to have seen these marbled beauties from Max Factor taking over the blogosphere. Available in 6 flattering shades, Makeup Artist Pat McGrath lauds them as a new era in colour contour. She's not wrong. I've been using 3 shades interchangeably with my large kabuki as I would a bronzer and I can't count the compliments I've had on my skin. 

There have been justifiable comparisons made between the Creme Puff blushes and both Hourglass Ambient Light and cult favourites Milani, they're very, very similar. A fabulous addition to any makeup stash, you need one of these affordable pots toute de suite. 

6. YSL Volupté Tint-In-Oil: €27 HERE



Should you follow me on any social media at all, you'll be well used to my fawning over the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oils. I've a full review HERE including swatches of the entire line. Everything I hoped a lip oil would be, despite receiving Peach Me Love here as a pre drop Press Sample, once the line launched I dashed out and bought another two too. Again, that's a serious beauty blogger testament, especially considering the €27 price tag. With Mammy's Day coming up, I don't know a Mammy alive that wouldn't love once of these nourishing, flattering, lip plumping oils. 

7. Philosophy's Time in a Bottle Serum: €70 HERE

I won't often recommend a product with as spendy a price tag as Time in a Bottle unless it's life changing. Time in a Bottle is life changing. The high potency vitamin C activator is added to the serum before use, ensuring the freshest, most potent possible active ingredient. Let's be honest, even the sciency feeling of that alone would've sold me at first. 

The difference it's made to my skin over the past 8 weeks though is visible and that's why I'll be buying this again, regardless of price. For any age and any skin type, my newly plumped, softened and brighter visage and I legitimately recommend this with all our might. 

8. Maybelline Sensational Mascara: €11.99 HERE

You may have missed my comparison between Maybelline Sensational and current mascara must have Roller Lash from Benefit. You can read all about that HERE but suffice to say Sensational is every lash as good, if not better than its much, much more expensive counterpart - so much so that I happily gifted Roller Lash to my Mam, safe in the knowledge that I had Maybelline. Offering curl and lift with zero smudging or flaking, this inky black mascara is a definite fave and will be for quite some time. 

9. Skechers Serengeti Trainers: €73 HERE

These light weight, memory foam insoled trainers have literally changed the way I walk. Like literally. I had been managing 4-6k every other day at lunch day in work but, hand to god, these have gotten me out the doras more days than not. They genuinely feel like I'm wearing nothing at all ( a la Sexy Flanders) and the breathable mesh means not only are they comfortable, regardless of the distance traveled but also that I've no fear of storing 'em in my desk drawer between walks. My colleagues and I thank you, Skechers. We thank you very kindly indeed. 


Tell us, are you a lover of any of the above? What took top spots in your February Faves this year then? Do feel free to pop in a link should you have posted about them and I'll be sure to check it out. 

The Heritage Golf & Spa Hotel Killenard - So Close Yet So Far from the Elusive Five Stars

There's not many among us that don't love a bit of five star luxury when it comes to a hotel escape, especially when a five star hotel provides an experience that lives up to that accolade. When it came to The Heritage Golf & Spa in Killenard, things happened to be a mixed bag. 

Sue & I were lucky enough to escape for a night away last month. We wanted somewhere close to Dublin & Kildare as we didn’t want to travel too far for just one night away. A decent Spa was also top of the requirement list so we could relax & unwind. I had been gifted a Spa-Ireland voucher so I also wanted to use that. 

The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort in Killenard, Co Laois was chosen as, on paper, it fulfilled all of our requirements. We paid €140pp for 1 night B&B, Dinner & a champagne cocktail, 2 hours use of the thermal spa was also included in this rate.

It’s best advised to book your dinner in the Arlington Room to avoid disappointment, so we did just that. We both opted for steak & I have to say it was the best presented and tastiest I’ve had in a long, long time. Sue commented that it was the nicest she's had anywhere, ever. We paired it with a delicious Chilean red, there is plenty of choice on the wine list with prices starting at a very reasonable €25.50 per bottle. 

The staff in the restaurant were friendly, efficient & knowledgeable about the dishes on the menu. A 5 course set menu is €45 with a surcharge of €5 for steak. I highly recommend the Arlington Room if you are looking to treat that someone special. I will be going back just for the steak alone! The Arlington is open for dinner 7 days a week from 6:30pm.

After dinner we went to the bar for a few cocktails to unwind & chat. Service wasn’t the best unfortunately and just not on a par with the treatment we'd already enjoyed. We waited over 20 minutes after asking the Assistant Bar Manager could we order a cocktail. 

Having lost hope of him coming back, I spotted the bar tender had returned and went to the bar to order. He was indeed full of apologies for the delay and informed us that, despite champagne cocktails being part of our package, they're not available and whipped up two of the tastiest Singapore Slings we've had. In fairness staff seemed inundated with a full bar so we retired to our room after just the one. 

We had a stunning view of the golf course from our room on the second floor. The room itself was gorgeous, understated luxury. The large bathroom was well stocked with fluffy towels and luxury toiletries to be used with the walk in shower or the most decadent roll top bath. 

We had two of the softest double beds with equally soft pillows, it felt like I was sleeping on marshmallows. It made for a wonderful first full night of sleep since having my son last October.

Breakfast is served back in the Arlington room, which was particularly dark with drawn curtains and doors, though the sun was splitting the stones outside. Unfortunately the cooked breakfast wasn’t as appetizing as hoped so I went with a fresh fruit salad and Sue opted for waffles & berries, which went down a treat.  

After breakfast we headed up to our room to don our robes & slippers to go to the Spa for the morning. There is an underground tunnel from the hotel to the spa which is accessed via lifts using your room key card. While we were staying the tunnel is undergoing renovations so it was quite cold & damp for the 5-6 minute walk from the lift.

There was a fiasco with our room key not working in the lift at the other end of the tunnel so we ended up having to walk the distance back to find the lift wouldn't accept our key card either, we eventually exited through the tunnels emergency exit to the car park. Believe me it’s no fun when you are in a car park in nothing but your swimwear & a robe when its -3 degrees. On the way back it happened again & our room key wouldn’t work, we met another lady there who was having the same problems since the previous day. 

We later suggested that a simple intercom or open phone line at point of entry to the spa would have saved our 20 minute debacle and our sub zero, half clad car park appearance. While the spa itself is a perfect little oasis, I can only imagine that many a trip has been marred with that simple omission. 

Speaking to the General Manager at check out, he accepted that some issues are in need of attention. He attributed the gaps in service to the hotel having been in receivership for 5 years (which has unfortunately been the case in many of Ireland's luxury hotels) but he assured us that a new owner had taken charge and there are big plans afoot for their 10th anniversary in June. 

We were advised that the hotel would be back up to 5 star standard by then, unfortunately that's really not much help to guests in the interim. If you are looking to book a stay, I'd maybe hold off a couple of months so you can enjoy the full 5 star luxury that I'm sure The Heritage can offer. If you have a special event coming up though, dinner in The Arlington Rooms is worth the trip alone.

Have you stayed in The Heritage before? How did you get on? We'd love to know!