Category Archives: Travel

The Garden Route: The Where to Go

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Our plan for three days on the beach was for some down time before the early starts on safari. On route we stopped in Swellendam which I’m not going to cover here as there is little to say. If you’re taking the inland route then there are many places you could stop to break the journey (Oudtshoorn is another possible, famous for it’s Ostritch farms and caves,) but we totally fell for the Hotel we stayed at Shoone Oordt which was a definite highlight. Swellendam provided the perfect place to do nothing, without feeling guilty that we were missing things that we should see.

We arrived in Plettenberg Bay in the late afternoon and after checking in to The Grand and taking some comedy snaps of me, princess-and-the-pea style on the huge bed, we headed down to see the beach. Plett is a beach resort through and through but is also a great stopping off point to explore the nature orientated area surrounding Plett, Knysna and Wilderness, in the heart of the garden route. We originally planned 2 nights in Knysna and 2 in Wilderness but you can easily drive between them all and I think that Plett is best located Beach wise too, although all of them have lagoons and coastal spaces.

After a walk on the beach we went to The Table for a chilled out dinner of Pizza cooked in their huge wood fired oven and then spent the rest of the evening totally chilled on the sofa with a DVD.

The one thing I wanted to do in Plett was to visit Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness centre. I had found out from seeing Pete’s cousins honeymon photo’s that you could visit the centre and participate in a sunset or sunrise Cheetah walk. Being a huge cat lover this was beyond exciting for me and I had been looking forward to it all holiday so we decided to book in on our first afternoon for the Sunset walk.

After a morning on the beach we headed to the centre. The Cheetah Walk and Wildcat combo costs R660, by far the most expensive thing we did whilst there, (about £50) for three hours. We arrived at three for a guided tour around the cats and animals that live there, rescued from various places and sadly unable to return to the wild. We saw a Leopard, Serval, Caracal, African Wild Cats, Baboons, Honey Badger and of course, the Cheetah’s! I wasn’t expecting it but they take you inside some of the enclosures as you walk around and I found it quite nerve wracking with even some of the smaller cats; they are after all wild animals.

When we came to the Cheetah enclosure they seemed huge and as the ranger entered the enclosure they swarmed around him purring loudly – both thrilling and terrifying all at once. He turned and motioned us to come in one at a time and I almost died. I don’t know how I thought it was different walking a cheetah on a harness and being amongst them without one, but I was terrified, almost too scared to enjoy it.

After the tour we headed back to the information centre for a safety briefing and then back out to meet our Cheetah, a beautiful boy called Dhosa before we headed out on the walk. It was pretty much, ‘the cheetah’s walk you’ and we almost jogged along to keep up with his unrelenting padding pace as he patrolled his territory. It was completely breathtaking, awe inspiring, humbling, exhilarating and terrifying, all at once but about half an hour in I managed to start relaxing and really enjoy it.

Pete even sat down with him and we got some incredible pictures. I loved every second, despite being such a scaredy cat. That night we ate in the hotel restaurant The Grand Cafe and poured over our photo’s marvelling at what an incredible experience we had just had.

For our final day we took it really easy, staying by the hotel plunge pool in the morning, having a massage with our complimentary spa credit and spent more time on the beach where we stayed to enjoy the stunning sunset and moonrise before dinner.

We ate at the beachside cafe, Lookout Deck, sharing a huge seafood platter and enjoyed eating outside in sight of the ocean and lapped up the beachside vibe.

Our final day in the area was on route to Tsala and we wanted to make the most of our night there so planned to get there shortly after check in. There’s so much to do in the area however that we decided to visit Birds of Eden and Monkeyland. For less than £20 you get entry to both (next door to each other) and can join a guided tour of the 10 different species, including Apes, primates, lima’s and even tortoises. I’m a bit scared of monkeys after getting rushed at by them in the past but they were busty getting on with tree-life so it was great to watch them. It was Pete that wanted to see the birds – housed in a gigantic free flight netted aviary and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it – we saw so many beautiful birds with amazing colours, including my favourite flamingo’s!

Our afternoon was spent absorbing our incredible treetop room at Tsala and chilling by the plunge pool then enjoying dinner at Zinzi, the hotel restaurant ready for our Safari experience yet to come, which I am saving for next week.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures folks :)

Love,
Rebecca
xo

More South Africa travel posts:

Stellenbosch: The What to Do

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It was a complete fluke that we ended up in Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s many wine regions, on my birthday, but very fortuitous! It should have taken around 40 minutes to reach from Cape Town but we got stuck in traffic and arrived at the hotel after lunch. We were bowled over by how welcoming and tranquil the River Manor was and they very helpfully suggested to us the first vineyard we visited as we wanted somewhere to have a lovely birthday lunch.

We arrived at Guardian Peak in the nick of time just before they finished taking lunch orders at half past three, after driving through beautiful wine country in glorious weather and it was worth the trouble we had finding the turn off. An all glass restaurant looked out over the mountains around Stellenbosh and some of the most incredible views I have ever seen, all in full autumnal flush of golds and reds and orange and green. I really had to pinch myself that I was spending my birthday in such incredible surroundings. The Guardian Peak restaurant served bistro style food and after stuffing ourselves we settled down in the bar/lounge for a wine tasting. As we were driving Pete made use of the spittoons provided and we did the full tasting of a white, a rose and 6 reds – definitely too many for my palette as I barely drink any red but it was a fun way to spend a birthday and costs next to nothing at around £3 each!

Stellenbosch was a highlight of the trip for us as it had a very young vibe, being a university town. That evening we were able to walk to dinner (the hotel was only about 2 minutes walk from the main drag, Church Street) and the only problem was choosing somewhere for dinner. We fancied something casual and settled upon a Lebanese grill Manoushe, (on Andringa Street, off Church Street) overseen by the big personality that was the Lebanese owner and chef. The portions were HUGE and we could easily have shared the kebab and flat bread dishes but it was great to eat something different.

For our second day, after breakfast in the sun we took advice from the hotel staff who were endlessly helpful in recommending wineries. After a walk around Stellenbosch admiring the public art installations and Cape Dutch architecture we ended up choosing our own wineries, but the best recommendation we received was to visit the weekly food market (Slowmarket) that ran at the Oude Libertas winery on the edge of town each Saturday. I’d highly recommend a visit there to anyone visiting and I’d even go so far as to suggest timing your visit so you can go. The market operates year round and is full of local organic and gourmet food growers and chefs selling their produce fresh, or artisan street food made in front of your eyes. Wineries are part of this and you can buy wine and wander around drinking it too, listening to music and browsing the craft stalls. We ate an italian flat bread creation, Pete drank homemade lemonade and I sipped MCC (see below) in the sun absorbing the atmostphere.

After lunch we set off to visit a couple of wineries. There is a ‘wine bus’ called the Vinehopper which we initially planned to get but it only visits certain vineyards and after our experience of all the reds the previous day I wanted to go somewhere where I would enjoy the tasting. We chose Viliera (famous for Method Cap Classique or MCC, which is sparkling wine produced in exactly the same way as Champagne, but which can’t be called ‘Champagne’ because it’s made outside of the Champagne region in France,) and Waterford, where they do a wine and chocolate paired tasting.

All the vineyards are beautiful but slightly different and at Viliera we didnt have to pay anything for the tasting of 6 different MCC’s: an organic, a light (9% alcohol), a rose, 2 traditional blends and their flagship vintage which we sampled in the shaded courtyard and chatted with the owner. You can actually look out for Viliera in M&S if you want to try it! After a self guided tour of the cellars where the wine is made (where we learned all about how MCC is different to other sparkling wines,) we headed for Waterford.

The Wine and chocolate pairing is clearly a big draw to Waterford but the estate itself is incredibly beautiful and well worth a visit – it costs R40 (about £3) for 2 reds and a dessert wine paired with a spicy, salty and floral flavoured chocolate. Even though I don’t like red I loved the flavours that they produced when combined and the beautiful courtyard we sampled them in, around a fountain inside the Winery itself.

That evening we ate at Apres (corner of Church and Mill Street) where we had a fabulous steak. This place was also very casual and was full of people watching local team rugby on the big screens which added to the feeling that we were experiencing local Stellenbosch.

Here are a couple of pointers for visiting the wineries in Stellenbosch in case you’re planning a trip:

  • There are LOADS of vineyards (although not all make wine from grapes they have grown, instead buying them in,) so take advice on where you want to go thinking about the type of wine they focus on, the direction they face (some are sunnier in the morning or afternoon so worth timing your visit) or perhaps going to one where they allow you to take a picnic or have a restaurant on site (not many do) to enjoy with your wine.
  • The tastings are very cheap (£2-4) or free. There’s no pressure to buy and you’re not rushed. We did buy 2 bottles at Guardian Peak, a bottle of bubbly in Viliera and 2 of the dessert wine and chocolate at Waterford, (some as gifts) but they’re often very cheap too.
  • Although I’ve focused on wine in the sun(!) they all have fireplaces and lounge area’s that I imagine would make for a lovely tasting environment in colder months.
  • Not all the wineries have restaurants but most offer a cheeseboard or similar snack if you want to eat with your wine and all offer a spittoon so you can drive and taste them. You are also encouraged to ‘pour’ ie – pour away the wine once you have tasted it, as they provide quite big glasses each time!
  • The wineries are spread out but not far from Stellenbosch centre – Viliera was the furthest we travelled at around 15-20 minutes outside of Stellenbosch. It had been suggested to us to hire a bike and cycle to some of them but looking back, although it would have been an option as there are plenty closer to town, it also would have been quite limiting not to mention tiring!

We just loved Stellenbosch and I would definitely go back if we were visiting Cape Town or even transiting through again, as it’s so close. It’s hard to find anything wrong with wine and beautiful scenery!

The next day we headed off to Swellendam for a one night stop before we went to Plettenberg Bay so I’ll be back with the next instalment tomorrow!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

Cape Town: The What to Do

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Welcome to South Africa week readers! I’m going to be sharing what we did on each of our main stops (see here for our hotels and route) plus a couple of additional South Africa related fashion and lifestyle posts. There may be more than one each day so do come back and as always, if you have any recommendations related to the post, please do comment and let everyone know!

Let’s get started with our first stop, Cape Town, where we spent the first three nights of our trip.

Our flight arrived in around midday and once we had got the car, bags and made the short (~30 minute) drive to our hotel in Camps Bay, the weather had started to go off a bit. We had checked the forecast and were expecting rain for about 24-36 hours from this point so weren’t too disappointed and decided to take in some culture by visiting the South African National Gallery. It turned out this was a great choice as the gallery was hosting a photographic art exhibition about Apartheid which was a great introduction to a time period I didn’t know much about – particularly how recently many of the laws that persecuted black South African people were introduced. The gallery also happened to be right next to Company’s Garden and the Botanical Gardens which we wandered through on-route to Long Street (just a couple of blocks across) and The Grand Daddy Hotel for a celebratory first-day-of-holiday cocktail on the roof under the heaters with blankets and Airstream caravans! It was cold but we were happy and as the weather really moved in we chose a local Camps Bay steak house and grill (which I think is a chain,) called Hussar’s for dinner that evening. We feasted on steak and a burger and enjoyed one too many glasses of brilliant South African wine :)

It’s worth noting that we could have spent quite a bit more time in museums – the District Six museum, The Slave Lodge and South Africa Museum all looked interesting and are very inexpensive to get into. (The gallery was R30/£2)


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On Day 2 we were beholden to the weather as the rain with high winds continued  - some of the activities we had on our to-do list like Table Mountain and Robben Island were weather dependent. We decided to make a day of driving down to the Cape of Good Hope and around the Atlantic peninsula which although a wet experience, was a great day and I’d highly recommend it. The weather was quite appropriate as the rugged coastline was pounded by huge waves and racing clouds.


The Cape of Good Hope marks the point where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet and warranted a photo stop before we went to Cape Point where there is a chequered maritime history due to the stormy Cape seas. There is a little museum marking these events, 2 lighthouses (one old and a newer one lower down making it more visible through the omnipresent fog,) and a funicular to take you to the top if you don’t want to walk.

There’s also a nice restaurant and a cafe where you can grab a snack or longer meal and I imagine that would have had an epic view for lunch if the weather had been better. After a warm-up coffee we headed up the Indian Ocean side of the penninsula through Simon’s town to Boulders beach.

Boulders Beach is famous for its African penguin colony – they’re called Jackass Penguins as they make a donkey-like hee-haw noise during the mating season (which we were there during) and apparently in the summer months they swim in the sea with beach goers. We watched them from a viewing deck and wandered down to another beach along the boardwalk with huge boulders and crystal clear turquoise sea as the weather started to brighten up.

By the time we reached our final destination Kalk Bay, the clouds were breaking and we sought out Live Bait for dinner.

Part of the harbour wall, you look directly onto the ocean, harbour and coastline and the seafood we ate there was not only the best but the cheapest we had all holiday. We feasted on a huge seafood platter that cost less than £25 and headed home just before sunset then hung out at the hotel that evening, warming up in our huge bath.

On our final full day in Cape Town the weather was still cold but perfectly sunny so we were able to visit Robben Island and go up Table Mountain. We drove to the V&A Waterfront area and parked before going to the Nelson Mandela Ferry Terminal to board the boat. It was an eventful 30ish minute trip as the sea was still rough and we were rocked a lot but there were amazing views back to Table Mountain and Cape Town!

Your ticket includes the ferry and then two tours. The first is a bus tour by a local Capetonian who told us all about the history of Robben Island – far from being just a prison it has also been a military base and a leper colony. The second part was a tour by a previous political prisoner who details what life was like as a prisoner whilst guiding you through the eerily empty and foreboding prison, including Nelson Mandela’s cell. I was a little unsure how that would be and anticipated it to be harrowing and uncomfortable but our guide stuck to a matter of fact style and covered the daily life and I think I actually would have liked to know more.

After disembarking the boat we grabbed a sandwich at the V&A and had a quick wander around the waterfront. If I’m honest this wasn’t an area that was for us. It was clearly the tourist centre and not representative of Cape Town at all, but it was busy, safe and very jolly with street performers and a fun atmosphere.

By late afternoon we drove back to Table Mountain – you can climb up along several paths of varying difficulty and I think it takes around 2 hours from the car park which is already a good way up, but we opted for the very fast cable car. It only takes about 5 minutes and revolves all the way up. We were told it would be cold at the top but it really was freezing. We were lucky it was clear though with amazing views in front to Table Bay, and left and right over the Cape Flats or the Atlantic coast down to the Cape of Good Hope. There are short, medium or long walks at the top, (which don’t take as long as they say they do) and we spent some time watching the famous ‘tablecloth’ of cloud coming over the top inland, then magically disappearing as it fell onto the Cape Town side.

We were too cold to stay for sunset and headed back to the hotel then chose a place that I had had several recommendations for called the CodFather. They have a great sushi bar and then a fish counter where you choose your fish for dinner but we were warned it was overpriced (we felt) for what it was – especially the prawns, and if I went back I would simply stick to the sushi which was brilliant. We did however very much enjoy our seat by the fire and it was busy with a great atmosphere even though most places were quiet due to the cold weather.

Our final day was my birthday and we woke to even warmer sunny weather. We were due to leave and keen to get to Stellenbosh, but decided to head down to the beach at Camps Bay as we hadn’t had much chance to enjoy it. The beach was glorious – white sand, crashing waves, blue sea. We sat and watched surfers then walked the beach admiring the dramatic back drop of table mountain before heading off for Stellenbosch.

That’s where I’ll leave you readers, until tomorrow!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

South Africa: The Where to Go

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Now I’m back from South Africa I want to share all the details of the holiday with you all. I really want everyone who might not be sure about it as a holiday option (just like I had my reservations) to know how incredible it was. I also hope with your additional comments and recommendations this series of posts will become a great resource for those of you planning future trips. We’ll start with today’s post and then next week is going to be ‘Africa week’ :)

I’m going to start this series with a preface. Firstly, this was not a budget holiday… Pete and I had always wanted to do SA and as a result decided to blow the budget. We figured that safari (although probably not the rest of our itinerary) was a pre-children experience, or at least a no-go until they are much older, so our choices are perfect for a push-the boat out holiday or honeymoon, but I have included some alternatives we spotted too and hope readers will chip in with their finds and recommendations.

I’m going to start, as is tradition, with our route and hotels, in case you’re planning a similar trip. Here goes!


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The need to know:
As an aside, we flew with Emirates, Manchester – Dubai – Cape Town, a 20 hour trip but actually very painless. We arrived at Manchester airport at lunch time, ate a normal lunch there and then got the Airbus A380 to Dubai lading at about 10pm our time. We had dinner at Carluccio’s in Dubai airport and then boarded about 1am our time to fly to Cape Town, promptly going to sleep and waking about 8.30am the next day (our time,) and landing 3 hours later due to the time zone being only an hour different.

Secondly, many of these places are booked through Mr & Mrs Smith. We use them because they give excellent customer service, often have offers on, you get freebies in every place you stay (Smith Extras) and collect points, which for us usually equates to a night or two away in the UK yearly. Contrary to popular belief they aren’t more expensive than other agents and will often match a competitor price too.

1. Atlantic House, Camps Bay, Cape Town (3 nights)
We were told Camps Bay had a foodie, younger vibe than Cape Town centre and didn’t want to stay at the touristy V&A Waterfront. In the end there was a storm while we were there which meant the beach was a no-go for the first couple of days of our stay but I still preferred it to inner-city Cape Town. Don’t be fooled though, security is as high and you still can’t walk to restaurants at night. The hotel itself has only a few rooms – more of a luxury house, and we were there with only a couple of other rooms occupied so it felt like having a luxe home to ourselves. There’s an honesty bar, a view of the bay and huge tubs and beds… what more do you need?

Alternative: We also looked at this place in central Cape Town, on Long Street. If you like quirky, this place had it by the bucket load (we stopped by for cocktails) and Airstream caravans on the roof if you fancy it – The Grand Daddy Hotel, Cape Town

2. River Manor, Stellenbosch (2 nights)
Booked through Trailfinders, I was looking forward to this place the least but the photos online didn’t do it justice at all and the staff were fabulous. It had true colonial style, but what made it was the safety of Stellenbosch – if you’re visiting be sure to book somewhere in town and then you will experience the rarity of being able to walk to dinner even in the dark, and back.

3. Schoone Oordt, Swellendam (1 night)
We toyed with making two costal stops at Wilderness and Knysna but Pete’s cousin and his wife had done the same route for a honeymoon and enjoyed Plettenberg Bay, so we opted to go there. On route we thought we would cut inland, for no other reason than that it looked pretty and the M&MS review was great. Our expectations were exceeded. Swellendam is a historic, sleepy town and we basically parked ourselves by the pool for an afternoon. We got an upgrade and loved the hotel – rooms are not in the historic house, but purpose built suites in the grounds so are very private.

4. The Grand Cafe and Rooms, Plettenburg Bay (3 nights)
This was our planned beach time to just unwind from the hectic schedule we had planned before, and recharge prior to early starts on safari. We chose Plettenberg Bay instead of Wilderness and Knysna but in truth there’s not much between the three areas. Plett is a little busier and closer to a lot of the thing to do locally though and from driving through each, I think Plett centre is closer to the coast. A quirky north African inspired hotel, artfully styled with a cool bar/restaurant and bay view, we had the most incredible room (5) with a seating area where we watched a DVD one night, a bath in front of the shuttered window and the beds were so high you needed a step to get into it at night – fantastical and fabulous is the best description. This was the closest we came to a ‘big hotel’ as they have branches in Camps Bay and Cape Town, but cocktails were still only R45 (£3.20) and I’d definitely consider it a boutique bolt hole.

5. Tsala Treetop Lodge, Knysna (1 night)
Who doesn’t want to stay in a tree house? This was a good example of us getting more out of being with M&MS – although bookable elsewhere, we got a better rate, points and free bubbly, so worth using them as the agent. This was 10km inland so although we really wanted to experience it, we also wanted to be by the beach and opted for a single night of tree-top luxe after our beach break. It was a total budget buster but really incredible and I’m so glad we went – I wish we had stayed a second night and the restaurant’s food was also top notch. (Note: We paid almost half the rack rate because we booked closer to the time of staying too so it’s worth hanging on.)

6. Eagles Crag, Shamwari, Eastern Cape. (3 nights)
I’ll expand a bit more on our safari choices in my post on Safari holidays soon, but for now, this choice was also booked through Trailfinders, although not one of their listed properties. It’s worth noting we booked a special offer where we made a negligible donation (about £15 each I think) to the park for conservation projects and accessed a cheaper deal. I found this on their website then got Trailfinders to book it for us. I wanted a full on ‘plunge pool amongst the jungle/savannah’ experience and couldn’t be bothered with malaria tablets for just three nights so we chose the Eastern Cape with it’s malaria-free safari parks instead of Kruger.

We then headed back home via a SA Airways flight from Port Elizabeth, picking up the Emirates route in Jo-Burg, via Dubai then Manchester.

So what do you think readers? Any additions you would have made here or hotels you can recommend?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

PS. It’s worth noting that Hermanus (about 1-1.5h east of Cape Town,) is one of the best land-based spots for whale watching but we didn’t make the trip as the best time is between June/July and November, hence our inland route above.

My Month: April

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This month is a tale of two halves. As you read this I’m travelling back from 2 weeks in South Africa, (remember when I started planning back in January?) I have so much to share from the trip but for now will whet your appetite with a few Instagram snaps. The first half of the month follows, with my usual and far less interesting exploits ;)

As always, the links in the list go back to posts I have written that correspond to the snaps (if you want to catch up,) and you can follow me throughout the month on Instagram @rebecca_norris on your phone, online or there’s a feed on the right hand side bar here on Florence Finds :)

  • My Travel Outfit for the plane: spots and stripes, layers and flats.
  • Cocktails on the roof of The Grand Daddy Hotel, amongst Airstream caravans
  • A long way from anywhere, at the Cape of Good Hope
  • A rainy day outfit for walking and sightseeing on the Atlantic peninsula.
  • The view from our Camps Bay Hotel
  • African Pengins at Boulders beach
  • Just one selection of amazing seafood we enjoyed.
  • Table Mountain, from the ferry to Robben Island
  • My very apt lion birthday card (from Paperchase) from Pete :)
  • Birthday outfit
  • The view from Table Mountain
  • Camps Bay beach
  • One of our hotels on route to The Eastern Cape
  • Meeting the Cheetah’s at Tenikwa – a trip highlight.

  • Making macarons with my sister and enjoying nights out over Easter, with Francesca again.
  • Re-wearing my Whistles Wisteria print dress for a (cold) early April wedding with tights and sparkly shoes (see it worn here and here also)
  • Mixing animal prints in my new favourite outfit – worn for the Style Me Vintage Weddings book launch in London.
  • Animal print points with my blue lace skirt (and Pete getting in on the footwear action!)
  • The Style Me Vintage Weddings launch
  • Breakfast in Hoxton
  • New reading material, courtesy of Gemma, pre-holiday.
  • Purchases from & Other Stories
  • Trying out my new boots and my go-anywhere dress for dinner one night.
  • New art (that I bought pete for his birthday) framed and ready to hang, starting off our new gallery wall.
  • Outfits of the day, trying to bring colour into cold days.

How was your April readers? Are you looking forward to May with all it’s bank holidays and the promise of warmer weather?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

A Getaway Challenge…

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Over the weekend, Michelle got in touch with me and asked if I would share this with my readers so she could pick your collective, (and may I say, brilliant) brains. It struck me as a holiday challenge common to many people and that your many recommendations would be a brilliant research for many a year to come. Please do share your suggestions and links in the comments below. Here’s what she needs folks:

Hello Florence Finds readers,

For the past three weeks I have been trawling the internet trying to discover the undiscovered. Seeking out that little gem of a place that ticks all our boxes when it comes to the Mr and I’s summer holiday. We don’t consider ourselves a fussy pair, but this exercise has highlighted to us that perhaps we are.

I am usually pretty good at researching but this one has me stumped, perhaps it’s because I’ve already discovered some amazing places throughout Europe and visited many in the past, perhaps I’m looking for too much, I’d like to think I’m not though. These past 12-months have been hectic for us both, there have been a lot of life issues to deal with, we’ve come out of the other side stronger people but we’re a little frazzled from it all. Hence investing so much time and energy into finding the right place for us to totally CHILL OUT.

So it’s with this in mind that I’m reaching out to you, the stylish and in-the-know readers of Florence Finds for a helping hand, I’d much rather take a solid recommendation from one person, than a sugar-coated version from the masses, or worse still from a cleverly written sales brochure. (Being a marketeer myself I can smell the BS a mile off)!

So please ladies (and gents!) take a read of my hitlist and if you know of anywhere, have heard of anywhere or visited anywhere you think would fit the bill, then please drop us the details in the comments box below. I promise to keep you updated as to where we end up choosing and ultimately what it was like.

Summer Holiday Hit List

Travel date: End June – into July

Duration: 7-10 days

No of People: 2

Vibe: Total relaxation, lazy days spent lounging on the beach, reading a book, listening to music, heading to a local restaurant/beach shack in our swimwear for a long lunch, followed by more snoozing on a sunlounger and chatting until sundown. We want white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, I NEED to feel the sand between my toes and the salt in my hair. In the evening we’d have the option of staying sandy and salty, playing cards and sipping cocktails, or we’ll slap on some lippy (well I will anyway!!) and head out for dinner.

WANTS

  • Small boutique hotel or self-catering option – something stylish with cool design features / a considered interior space that feels luxurious yet comfortable. If it is a hotel then absolutely no more than 20 rooms and somewhere that is adult not child-friendly.
  • Within easy reach of an airport – less than an hour would be preferable
  • Within walking distance of local restaurants and bars – nothing fancy and definitely nothing where the menu is translated into all the European languages. We’d be happy with little shacks some nights, something a little more upmarket others, as long as the food is good (fresh fish, grilled meat, salads: typical mediterranean fare) and there MUST be decent wine on offer.
  • Europe – although I’m even considering looking at Mexico and the Caribbean now as I’m struggling to find my gem in Europe, but this is our preference
  • Within walking distance of a beach – If not walking distance then at least a short taxi ride away
  • Reasonably priced – this isn’t a holiday for extravagances

DON’T WANT

  • No Union Jack shorts in sight. This is where my snobbish tendencies rear their ugly head. I’ve done the whole holiday resort, clubbing til dawn thing in my teens and early twenties. I’ve been all over from Ibiza to the Canaries to Cyprus to Southern Spain. It was great at the time but now makes my skin crawl thinking about THAT kind of holiday.
  • Anywhere that’s full of tourists
  • We definitely don’t want to have to hire a car
  • Anywhere that requires a formal dress-code for dinner each evening
  • To be paying 15 Euros for a cocktail.

Places we’ve been – We’re keen to discover somewhere new to us both

  • Bay of Naples / Amalfi Coast Italy – this was our holiday last year and we loved it
  • Majorca – Many family holidays spent there over the years
  • Southern Spain – Almeria, Granada, Marbella
  • South of France: Cannes, St Tropez etc
  • Portugal – Algarve
  • Party holidays: Ibiza, Canaries, Cyprus
  • Egypt

So what do you think readers? The images here come from my recommendation to Michelle, the Aethrio hotel in Oia, Santorini. I’ve been to Santorini 3 times now, first backpacking as a student with Pete, then since with him again, then my Mum and sister. The last 2 times we stayed at the Aethrio, an old factory converted into a hotel. It’s enclosed behind Oia’s high white washed walls off a tiny cobbled street (there are no cars or roads in Oia after the main square’s drop off point) and time stands still here. Several rooms and suites are scattered around the property with a pool. It doesn’t over look the Caldera, but a high up viewing terrace does – perfect for vino or gin from your own fridge. It’s a simple place where time stands still and if you want to shut out the world, rest and recharge, this is your place. (It doesn’t have a beach although there’s one a taxi ride away on the otherside of the small island but there’s a tiny harbour down a million steps. It’s also not a design hotel, unless you count blue and white as a design statement, and Santorini isn’t cheap but there are plenty of Italian influenced places and fresh seafood spots where you can eat cheaply.)

Now it’s your turn readers!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

Girl About Town: Eat, Drink and Sleep Dublin Guide

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I constructed this post on the basis that there are two long weekends on their way (thank god!) and you lovely ladies might be looking for an idea for a weekend break.

I made a trip to Dublin in December to visit my cousin Jo, who is currently residing (and occasionally studying) at Trinity College. We managed to pack a lot in to three and a half days but I thought I’d make a suggestion for a place to stay, a place to drink, a place to dine and an activity and then open the floor (what is the blog equivalent in that saying? Keyboard?) for your suggestions as I’m sure there are many of you that know the city well.

So let’s kick off with Where we stayed:

We chose the Trinity Capital Hotel as it was directly opposite Trinity College where my cousin lives. We originally booked it, on recommendation, for logistical ease but it turned out to be a great choice.

The styling is eccentric and it felt like a cross between an early 20th century safari lodge, a Lewis Carroll book and, well, I can’t find any other word for it than imaginarium, really. The lobby and reception areas are filled with (faux) animal skins, gigantic chaise longes, racks of vintage luggage and super-sized arms chairs in sumptuous jewel-coloured velvets. The deep purple walls are adorned with beautiful maps, old and new, every pillar and alcove glitters with tiny mosaic tiles and gilded frames.

Matching black and white baby grand pianos sit in the middle of the lounge, huge mirrors invite you to walk down corridors that don’t exist, gargoyles of what looked like the cast of The Life of Pi perched on the roof outside my window and life-sized camel statues were waiting patiently for the summer to return so they have some company in the central courtyard.

It was one quirky hotel and I loved it! Such a great choice and I’ll definitely be going back. For a twin room in December it was approximately €150 per night, it’s walking distance to all the main areas of the city and, if you catch the bus from the airport to the city centre, it’s a stone’s throw case drag from the bus stop. We paid €12 per person per day for the breakfast buffet and I feel that it was worth the money for the selection and convenience.

We drank quite a few pre-drinks and nightcaps in the hotel as well, as the lounge sofas were just so squashy and inviting. The list isn’t extensive but the cocktails were reasonable for a city centre hotel bar and were tasty.

It’s also worth noting that my aunt, upon check in, was upgraded to a suite. Apparently the check in system picked her at random that day (they do one a day as standard), so that’s one to hope for, if you visit!

Another recommendation was La Stampa, but it was a bit out of my budget for that weekend. Has anyone stayed there? Was it worth a visit?

Where we ate

On our last night, after a trip to the theatre, we followed a recommendation to try The Pig’s Ear and we weren’t disappointed. We arrived at the hot pink door under a black and white striped canopy (how much did I love?) quite late in the evening but the staff were more than accommodating in finding us a table and talking us through the daily offering.

The menu was short but full of tasty dishes served in inventive ways and it was such a cosy setting it almost felt like we were eating at an old friend’s house. The best bit however was when I ordered a cup of tea at the end of the meal. I didn’t think there was a way to be inventive when serving tea. I was wrong! Too cute…

Where we drank:

Jo used the months leading up to our visit to trial a number of bars to take us to, one of which was 37 Dawson Street. This was by far my favourite drinking establishment of the trip. In the same style as the hotel, it was full of quirky artefacts with bemusing drawings and crazy taxidermy adorning the walls, vintage furniture upholstered in a patchwork of clashing colours and a neon sign proclaiming that “All is not what it seems”.

It seems that there is now a cocktail list available but when we visited, they were operating on the basis of “tell us what you like and we’ll make you something you love”. They were however more than happy to make us some classics as well. We drank our concoctions by a heart shaped fireplace, watched over by a giant moose head (that was wearing a giant red nose in honour of the festive season when we visited) before heading to the theatre and it was a fabulous way to start the evening.

We tried to book in for brunch the following day but sadly they didn’t start serving until after our flight check in time. So I suppose there’s another reason to go back. I hear they do an excellent breakfast martini…

What we did

I already mentioned in a previous post that we caught a train from Dublin to Belfast to visit the Titanic: Belfast exhibition, and of course as it was my first time in the city, I just had to pay a visit to the Guinness Storehouse, even if just for the free samples, the advertising display and the views of the city.

However, I think my favourite tourist activity was the walking tour. We try to book one whenever we’re in a city for the first time, and we normally use Sandeman but this time we signed up with a local company that my aunt had used on previous trips. Historical Walking Tours are led by local history graduates and they demonstrate a real passion and knowledge for their subject. I’m ashamed to say I know little to nothing of Irish history so the three hours we spent walking the city were fascinating and went some way to alleviating my ignorance. The tours start at the Trinity College front gates and take in all the major sights including the old Parliament House, Temple Bar, City Hall, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral.

Next time I visit I hope to see Kilmainham Gaol and there may have been mention of a Leprechaun Museum... hmmmm.

So Findettes – are any of you planning a weekend break in May? If so, let us know where and it may be our fellow readers have some recommendations.

Victoria
x

PS! Find Victoria over on her blog Sugar Plum Slipper or on twitter @VictoriaHale.

Recommended: Liverpool

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As I was brought up by the sea, I have found that the older that I get, the more landlocked I feel, longing to see the sea. Often, weekend breaks (particularly where we live with the Peak District, Wales and Lake District all close by,) are focused on historic cities or rolling countryside, yet I prefer a town I can get dressed up for, culture to absorb and a coastal influence, so en route home to Southport for Easter, we spent a day and night in Liverpool. When I was growing up, Liverpool was where I would venture for decent shopping and many a family day out was spent at it’s Albert Docks, but so much has changed since then it’s worth another look now. Liverpool gets a terrible rap whether it’s for the accent or sweeping generalisations about the people which are outdated and (like so many other stereotypes) ignorant. I’m proud of the city and I hope my little round up will encourage you to consider visiting and enjoying it – there is something for everyone.

We started off at the newly built Malmaison Hotel. Overlooking the river, it’s in a regenerated area that previously hardly existed and perfectly located next door to the Liver Building for walking along the river front into central Liverpool. I’ve mentioned the great deals you can get in most Malmaison hotels and we took advantage of a Room, dinner and cocktails for two offer, for just £99 and you can park next door for 24 hours for £10.

The next morning, after a Mal breakfast feast we bundled up (Liverpool is ALWAYS cold, due to the bracing wind off the Mersey,) and headed off towards our first stop, the Albert Docks. In 2008 Liverpool was European Capital of Culture and has been vastly regenerated as a result. We walked past the new Museum of Liverpool in it’s incredible purpose built building (free to visit) towards the Albert Docks which house the Maritime Museum (focusing on the city’s naval history and strong links to the slave trade triangle between Africa, Liverpool and the Caribbean,) The Tate Liverpool and where we were headed, The Beatles Story. I’m not a huge Beatles fan, but Pete is and wanted to see it, plus from a cultural perspective it’s an interesting take on an era. Our tickets were £12.95 and we spent about 2 hours going around with the audio guide. It was a little repetitive in places but a must for a fan, I would say.

Other cultural attractions in the city include The World Museum (a more traditional museum with egyptian mummies, dinosaurs and a planetarium,) 2 cathedrals and performances at the Liverpool Empire and St Georges Hall.

For me Liverpool was always a shopping destination and the shopping area was very disparate from the Albert Docks. The creation of the new Liverpool One shopping centre and surrounding sleek glass arcades and streets now house shopping to rival Manchester and you can literally cross the road from the Albert Docks and be there straight away. There are also restaurants and an Odeon cinema. After a quick Pret lunch we headed into the shops for a bit of a spree and ended our day walking back along the river front to pick up the car and head back to Southport. You can also explore nearby Mathew Street for a boutique area and lots of musical references as it was originally the site of the famous Cavern club.

Our Liverpool adventure didn’t end in Southport however. On Easter Sunday we drove back to Crosby to walk on the beach and see Antony Gormley’s Another Place. A public art installation, it consists of 100 life sized iron men positioned along 3km of coastline and up to 1km out. As it is an estuary, your experience of the men varies according to whether the tide is in or out and many of them are partly or completely submerged at different times of the day, particularly when we visted at the spring high tide.

The men are strangely haunting and spooky, meant to represent ‘the individual and universal sentiments associated with emigration – sadness at leaving, but the hope of a new future in another place.’ You’d be best driving here (probably 15 mins from central Liverpool or less, and there are directions, or public transport information here. We were lucky as it was sunny but wrap up whatever the weather to avoid freezing on the beach!

Have you ever visited Liverpool or have I encouraged you to plan a trip today? If you happen to be a Liverpool local and have any recommendations, for sightseeing or eating/drinking, do leave a comment below!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

Regent Street 24/7

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Oxford Street is the place that seems to get the most mentions when it comes to London’s shopping scene, but I have always preferred Regent Street. It’s the place that I always make a beeline for when I head south as it houses some of my favourite stores that you simply can’t find anywhere else. So when I was approached by the Regent Street Online hub to share my favourite stores on Regent Street it was easy to accept.

The  Regent Street Online hub has everything you need to plan a trip; Check on your favourite stores, special discount days or events and restaurants located there. Get involved via Regent Street 24/7, the social media hub which groups Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other social media activity. Just sign in with your prefered social media account and join the community!

My favourite feature has to be the community page of listed stores and each of their social media access points – find your favourite store on Pinterest and tweet them when you buy something!

I’m hoping you guys might be able to also share your favourite haunts in the area and perhaps a new find for me to stop at next week when I’m in the big smoke! So here are my must-visits on Regent Street, where are yours?

1. Top of the list – Anthropologie. I love this store and when it finally came to the UK it was worth a visit to London in itself. The interiors accessories, books and jewellery are incredible – I lose hours in there every time I step over the threshold. Fortunately there are lovely sofas for Pete to park himself on and wait. ;)

2. Zara Home. Similar in style to Anthro, but at a price point more reminiscent of its fashion sister, Zara Home is my first stop when I want a fresh take on interiors and well priced luxe or world inspired accessories.

3. Banana Republic. Now we have one in Manchester I can get a fix sooner, but for years the Regent Street store was a go-to destination for me for work wear, costume jewellery and bags.

4. With all this shopping you’re bound to work up an appetite and my first stop is always the Regent Street Food Quarter. If you’re new to London and want to meet friends or eat something more substantial for lunch than a Pret sandwich, this is the place. Along Heddon Street, this little route detours off the main drag onto a pedestrianised street lined with restaurants and bars – equally good for a post shopping cocktail. I like Tibits, but Aubaine is also a favourite and The Living Room is always a reliable choice.

5. Another brand reaching our to Regent Street from the U.S. is Coach and I love that buying a handbag here means you won’t see it on everyone’s shoulders.

6. Finally, a newcomer and a soon-coming. & Other Stories, the new store from founder’s of H&M and COS promises the former’s well priced fashion forward staples, and the latter’s streamlined aesthetic, so I’ll be checking it out next week and reporting back. And need I mention the soon-comer? J.Crew, I cannot welcome you to Regent Street soon enough. ;)

So now it’s your turn. Where’s your favourite Regent St hangout?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

*This post is sponsored by Regent Street Online.

Dream Destination: Easter getaways

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When I came back from holiday a week ago I descended into the worst post-holiday blues I have ever exerienced, for no particular reason. Thankfully the prospect of another holiday isn’t too far away and I’m keeping busy planning our trip to South Africa, but if we hadn’t been, I’d have been snatching the 4 day weekend over Easter and making a break for the seaside.

I thought it would be fun to round up some of the most amazing stays I’ve spotted around the UK that still have availability for Easter in case any of you were planning a break and looking for inspiration. All have been chosen for their spectacular settings and stylish interiors. If not… when it comes to bank holidays, there’s always May!

1. Merlin Farm Eco Cottages, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall – iescape.com
Sleeping 2-4, these cottages look stylish and are situated on my favourite beach in Cornwall, Mawgan Porth (where The Scarlet is.) I think this would be perfect for friends – at £200pn you could splash out on dinner in any of the nearby fabulous restaurants in Padstow or at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, just down the road.

2. Kaywana Hall B&B, nr Dartmouth, Devon – iescape.com
If you love modern architecture this B&B bucks the trend for chintzy B&B’s in Devon. Based on the original building by renowned 1960′s architect Mervyn Seal, it’s a blast of fresh design amongst estuary air and modern style, only a 10 minute walk into Dartmouth. (£150pn)

3. Coillaibus, Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland – iescape.com
These new build eco cottages in the wilds of Scotland look ridiculously inviting amongst some of the most inspiring coastal scenery in the UK. With stylish interiors of Ercol furniture and specially commissioned tweeds, you’ll almost be tempted not to try the hot tub. The isolation looks so inviting. £220pn, the cottages sleep 2-4 in 2 doubles or a double and a twin room.

4. Llety Bodfor Hotel, Cardigan Bay, Wales. MrandMrsSmith.co.uk
During trips to The Drawing Room, Pete and I have really fallen in love with Wales. Pembrokeshire is high up on my list of places to visit on our own fair shores, but Cardigan Bay is a little closer for us and still looks very beautiful with the village of Portmerion nearby and all the outdoor activities that Snowdonia has to offer is the Coast becomes a little too bracing and blustery. £375 for 3 nights 29th to 31st March.

Are you tempted readers? Are you going away this Easter break?

Love,
Rebecca
xo