COVERwest Oct/Nov 2010

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010 £2.95 / € 3.75

welcome

Cover Photographer: Erica Irvine Photography Model: Judith Wilson Stylist: Delilah Hair: Shauna Kelly Make-up: Margaret Reihill Black coat by Libra from Style Boutique, Omagh Black waist belt from Classic Urban Wear, Omagh

COVERwest IS PUBLISHED BY

Unit 4-6, Enniskillen Business Centre, Lackaghboy Industrial Estate, Tempo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh BT74 4RL 0044 (0) 28 66328157 COVERwest MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Conlon ADVERTISING & MARKETING Patrick Conlon info@coverwestmagazine.com ADVERTISING DESIGN Jonathan Donegan design@coverwestmagazine.com

Over the last few months, the COVERwest team have been working tirelessly to bring you the first edition of our new glossy, which aims to bring you the very best the North West has to offer. Every two months, we’ll bring you the best in style, fashion, beauty and intriguing features.

We also have a feast of interior, motoring and gadget news to keep you up to date on what’s hot, and what’s not. Not sure where to stay or dine? Want to know the best places to socialise, the best events to attend? We’ve got it covered.

Our features, based on what smart women want, in addition to a host of compelling profiles on intriguing people in the North West, will ensure you’re kept entertained in the coming months.

In this, our first edition, we meet four inspirational entrepreneurial women, who have succeeded in defying trends and making their businesses flourish. We chat to Sinead Quinn about her rise to fame. We go out and about on the streets to see what everyone’s wearing on Street Style on page 18, and give you an update of this season’s wardrobe must-haves in Style Mistress. Our stunning local shoot showcases the best of what our amazing local boutiques have to offer…check it out on page 26. Ever wonder what it would be like to get inside the head of your man? That’s exactly what we’ve done on page 36 in our ‘What men think’ article.

With lots more features, fashion, food, social and wedding pages, we’ve got just about all the smart woman of the North West needs.

COVERwest…The North West’s lifestyle bible.

Patrick Conlon

Managing Director, COVERwest If you would like to feature your business in the magazine, contact me on info@coverwestmagazine.com or 0044 (0) 28 66328157. Been to any glitzy social events recently?

Send your pics to info@coverwestmagazine.com to have the event featured in the magazine.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

golden egg PRODUCTIONS LTD

www.goldenegg.ie GOLDENEGG PRODUCTIONS MANAGING DIRECTOR Patricia McCrossan EDITOR Jo Lavelle editor@coverwestmagazine.com ART DIRECTOR Linda Galvin images@coverwestmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS Diane Day, Nuala Lilley, Gordon Annan, Eamonn Campbell, Trish Holmes, Delilah, Léan Collins.

PHOTOGRAPHY Erica Irvine, John McVitty, Trevor Armstrong, Conor Lunny Upscale Marketing & Golden Egg Productions Ltd will not be responsible for, nor will it return, unsolicited manuscripts. Transparencies or prints submitted for publication are sent at the owner’s risk and, while every care is taken, Upscale Marketing and Golden Egg Productions Ltd cannot accept any liability for loss or damage. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Upscale Marketing and Golden Egg Productions Ltd. The entire contents of the magazine are the copyright of Golden Egg Productions Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Golden Egg Productions Ltd.

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contents OCT/NOV 2010

FEATURES & FASHION 7 Fashion Fix local fashion news from the North West

12 Women at the Helm bucking the trend

18 Style Spotting

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we take to the streets 24 You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet Sinéad Quinn 28 Get Glamorous our a/w style shoot 39 Infertility Basic Solutions 42 Fashionable Blogging the new trend 46 The Weighty Issue all you need is love 49 Fighting Fat Nuala Lilley on weight loss 50 Ageing and the Single Girl trials and tribulations 52 What Men Think the real low-down 56 The Style Mistress hot high street picks 58 Finding the Balance equality 60 Jewellery Delight top picks 70 Gadget Fix great gift ideas

BEAUTY 44 Beauty Ed’s Choice overhaul your dresser

INTERIORS 77 What’s New stunning interior ideas

78 Design Masterplan Gordon Annan’s top tips

82 The New Going Out gather a group and entertain

84 Get Energy Aware reduce energy costs

REGULARS

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62 Food Cooking with Neven Maguire 67 Wine Eamonn Campbells’s top tips 72 Motoring top tips & best buys 88 Tie the Knot who walked down the aisle lately

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All the fun of the market Knowing exactly where your food is coming from is just one of the many reasons to visit your local farmers’ market – and that’s a pretty good reason! Not only can you talk face-to-face with the farmer to find out exactly what, if any, chemicals were used in growing, but you can also be guaranteed that all the produce is fresh.

Farmers markets are often cheaper than big supermarkets, good for your local economy and great for the environment (no packaging). The Omagh Farmers’ Market is held on the first and third Saturdays of every month at Omagh College, Sedan avenue from 9am to 2pm, the Enniskillen Farmers’ Market is held on the second Saturday of every month from 9am to 1.30pm at Tesco’s Car Park and the Strabane Farmers’ Market is held at Score Site from 10am to 2pm on the last Saturday of every month.

What’s New and The latest news gossip from around the NorthWest

Rally School Ireland If you thought that rally car driving was just for boys, then think again. Rally School Ireland offers amazing driving experiences in a safe environment for everyone – men, women and even kids! Based in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan, you can spend a day on the purpose-built track pulling handbrake turns and reaching 0-60 in less than 60 seconds. There’s a huge selection of cars available and numerous course options to suit all needs. Why not throw your best friend a hen party to remember, or simply treat yourself to something you’ve always dreamed of doing. Right now, Rally School Ireland are offering all COVERwest readers €25 off when you book a full or a half day course so there has never been a better time. Just quote “Cover West 2010” when booking. For more information go to www.rallyschoolireland.ie Gola, Scotstown, Co. Monaghan 047 89098

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Simply Charming too opened it doors this September, giving women the chance to shop for themselves under the guise of shopping for their kids…ingenious! Kidswear is available for ages 0-16 and designer lines include Gant, Catimini, Tommy Hilfiger and Miss Sixty. Ladies labels include Charming, Soaked in Luxury and the fabulous Almost Famous brand. Check out too at 5 Regal Pass, Enniskillen 028 66320004

Breast Cancer Awareness Month October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection. Fundraising events will be held all over the UK and Ireland throughout October – why not get involved?

Information on what you can do to help is available from any of the leading charity organisations dedicated to fighting breast cancer. www.cancerresearchuk.org www.breastcancercare.org.uk www.pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk www.breakthrough.org.uk www.cancer.ie

what’s new Imagine a weekend of utter relaxation, which starts the second you drive through the acres of stunning woodland and greenery to arrive at the stunning Radisson Blu Farnham Estate, Cavan? Then picture kicking back and whiling away the hours in the sumptuous spa, followed by a refreshing tipple at the Wine Goose Cellar Bar. When hunger hits, head to the Botanica Restaurant for a delectable dining experience. A day at the Farnham is truly rejuvenating and exceptionally relaxing. Spend the following day discovering the 1,300 acres of unspoilt countryside, with its expansive woodlands and 7 kms of the most beautifully natural walking trails in the land, then head back to the estate and do it all over again. The ideal get-away for those looking for some r & r, with everything you need to make a getaway memorable, right outside your hotel room. Take a friend for a girlie getaway, or a romantic break with your loved one. A highly recommended getaway. www.farnhamestate.ie

FASHION FIX Local fashion news from around the North West

Winter Chic Faux fur and leather play a big part in the a/w 2010 Gerry Weber collection, available at the Gerry Weber instore shop at Sally West. Soft shades of brown and grey feature in this sophisticated European line of casualwear. Sally West, Main Street, Cavan Town 049 4373022

Thomas Sabo's autumn collection of designer silver jewellery features amethysts with marcasites. The deep rich purple is the colour of the Roman Emperors, it adds depth and majesty to your winter wardrobe Available at Bogues Jewellers, 19 Market Street, Omagh BT78 1EE Tel: 028 82243132 and Enniskillen 028 66322003

KOOKI

The Travelling Gourmet

The Lough Erne Resort and the Belle Isle School of Cookery are offering a two-day cookery lesson with a difference – the main one being that you’re not expected to cook for the first 24 hours. After arriving at the luxury Lough Erne Resort, head to the Catalina Restaurant for an exclusive dinner menu compiled by the acclaimed (and easy on the eye) chef Noel McMeel. The next morning it’s off to the Belle Isle School of Cookery where you’ll be left in the more than capable hands of another talented Irish chef, Liz Moore. Here you and your cookery/travel companion will learn how to cook eight recipes in a relaxed environment. Then what better way to wind down after a day in the kitchen than back at the Lough Erne Resorts Thermal Spa? Price of £650 for 2 persons sharing (£325pp) includes two nights accomodation with full irish breakfast, exclusive Neal McMeel evening meal and one day cookery lesson with Liz Moore. www.irish-cookery-school.com

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Cookies, cakes and all kinds of shakes! That’s exactly what’s on offer at the newly opened and aptly named ‘Kooki’ store, located on Enniskillen’s Belmore Street. In this funky new eaterie, the customer gets to design their own milkshake from a wide range of delicious ingredients. Add in some home baked cookies and it’s no wonder this place is already a hit with young students and working coffee-lovers alike. The interior is the ultimate modern comfort zone – a perfect place to relax while you decide between the caramel or the marshmallow shake. Call in and see for yourself at 48 Belmore street, Ennisillen, Co. Fermanagh or check them out online www.facebook.com/wearekooki www.kooki-co.com 07841 829768

Omagh Chamber of Commerce “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do”. That’s the defiant message that new Omagh Chamber of Commerce President Lorraine Griffin gave to chamber members at this year’s AGM. In the current economic climate it’s more important than ever to utilise the support network available from your local chamber, so Omagh Chamber of Commerce is holding a new members’/networking event on Thursday 21st October. If you would like to come along to this event or would like more information on becoming a member of Omagh Chamber of Commerce, contact Elaine Fyffe, Membership Officer, on 028 82249494 Ext 259 or mobile 07734389484. Email admin@omaghchamber.com website www.omaghchamber.com

Glitz Embellishments are a key trend this season and French Connection have captured the look perfectly with this sequin and bead embroidered shift dress.

Check out the a/w 2010 collection at Walker Clothing, Main Street, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh 028 68628707

Glamour Winter blues setting in? These Vivienne Westwood for Melissa beauties are guaranteed to add some glamour to your life. Stocked exclusively at Carino Boutique, Market Road, Omagh, Co. Tyrone 028 82252838 www.carinoboutique.co.uk

Desi Quinn Shoes Statement jewellery continues to be a hit this season…the bigger the better. It’s a great way to add your own twist and liven up a plain outift. The MINT accessory line has some excellent pieces!

MINT is available at Desi Quinn Shoes, Church Street, Enniskillen 028 66322163 www.desiquinnshoes.co.uk

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Lakeside Gem

Prepare to be greeted with sheer beauty and style at the four-star Killyhevlin Hotel.

Located only 1km from the historic town of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, the Killyhevlin Hotel is without doubt one of Northern Ireland’s best loved hotels complete with luxurious wedding facilities, Elemis Spa and exclusive Health Club. With the breathtaking backdrop of Lough Erne, a truly stunning wedding venue and an expert wedding planning team, the Killyhevlin Hotel is without doubt Fermanagh’s ultimate wedding destination.

The Killyhevlin holds a sterling reputation as an expert in turning Fermanagh wedding celebrations into truly magnificent events combining sumptuous menus, outstanding presentation and personal service. For anyone who has always dreamed of holding a fairy-tale wedding, why not arrive by seaplane. For those thinking of arranging a midweek wedding, the Killyhevlin will also gladly offer a 10% reduction on your chosen menu (subject to availability, terms & conditions apply).

Beautiful gardens and terraces with spectacular views of Lough Erne make the Killyhevlin Hotel perfect for both photography and champagne receptions which lend themselves to the air of romance, while the lavish Lisgoole Suite sets the stage for a truly elegant and stylish wedding. No matter how grand or intimate you wish your special day to be, the Killyhevlin’s highly professional standards of service will ensure your wedding reception will be inspirational.

All 70 spacious guestrooms and suites have been individually designed and decorated to an exceptional standard, giving a classically luxurious edge. Premier rooms and suites are available for that extra special treat, or alternatively why not book one of the lake view rooms, guaranteeing a spectacular view of Lough Erne and the gardens. The bridal suite oozes sheer luxury, with sumptuous furnishings and fittings and a Jacuzzi bath to enjoy.

Hotel guests can enjoy complimentary use of the luxurious Killyhevlin Health Club, complete with indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, fitness suite, sauna and steam room. Why not go that one step further and revive your senses with a treatment at the Elemis Spa, a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity quite unlike any other. The Spa will take you on an individual journey so that you leave with spirits lifted and fully rejuvenated for all that Autumn has to throw at you.

“Beautiful gardens and terraces with spectacular views of Lough Erne make the Killyhevlin Hotel perfect for both photography and champagne receptions”.

For further information on the Killyhevlin Hotel, to book a break or arrange a wedding appointment why not contact the Killyhevlin Hotel on +44(0)28 6632 3481 quoting “Cover West”or visit www.killyhevlin.com

fashion fix

Pretty in Pink Looking for a showstopping number for that special occasion?

This beautiful headturning cocktail dress is just one of many fantastic styles available from City Lady, Enniskillen 02866322353 & Newry 028 30250726

Vanilla Here at COVERwest we are loving the new range of knitwear from Stills – comfortable, chic and perfect for keeping you cosy this winter. Balance your outfit by wearing chunky knits with skinny jeans or pencil skirts. Stills and a host of other funky knitwear labels are available from Vanilla Boutique, 33-35 Church Street, Cavan 049 4372641 and Enniskillen 028 66327179

TRENDS: FIFTIES: Heels have lowered to wearable heights and a love affair has been rekindled with the femme 50s. If you need persuading that the ladylike heel is the coolest place to rest your feet, here it is.

BOOT-UP: There are some pieces that tick so many style boxes and these boots are just what every girl needs to tuck her skinnies into this winter.

FUR TRIMMED BOOTS: for that country cool look, who would have thought fashion could be so comfy?

So ladies, inject a touch of individuality to this season’s wares and check out Sloan’s fab new autumn/winter collection. See in-store for details.

John J. Sloan, High street, Enniskillen, 028 66322363

Elegant Lady New in store at Elegant Lady is French label CarlOpik. Perfect weekend wear with fabulous prints and versatile tunics - call in and check it out at Elegant Lady, Main Street, Lisnaskea 028 67721399.

Style Omagh Couture@Style is now open at Style Omagh. The studio on the first floor of this long established fashion outlet offers a unique private area where you will get expert advice and personal service when shopping for that special occasion. In addition to exclusive collections from the likes of Pause Café, Aria and Paul Brail, there’s also an extensive selection of bags and accessories sourced from Paris. To avail of this full service shopping experience go to Style Omagh, 9 Bridge Street, Omagh, Co Tyrone 028 82247808

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Women at the Helm Diane Day meets four business women who are bucking the trend and making the recession work for them.

JENNI TIMONY Involved in business since the age of 19, Donegal entrepreneur Jenni Timony (now 35) was never going to let a little thing like the recession stop her furthering her career.

A finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 amongst other achievements, her last venture Doolittles (a cafe and pre-packed sandwich business based in Donegal town) sadly became a victim of the economic climate last October. But Jenni has since picked herself up and started up Exponentially.ie, a dedicated b2b online directory aimed at connecting Irish businesses to drive growth through bartering, expanding their customer base and utilising their spare capacity.

“Businesses can really see the value in trying new initiatives, such as bartering their services to drive growth in recessionary times,” says Jenni, who is due to launch Exponentially.ie early this month (October). “We operate on a membership basis and the idea of paying for services such as perhaps tax advice or web design with their spare time really resonates with our members.

“The current economic climate sadly caused the demise of my last business so I know firsthand how tough things are for Irish business people. I think that survival is the benchmark for success this year for a lot of businesses, including mine.”

Jenni put almost 10 years into Doolittles and readily admits that going through the liquidation process was an incredibly painful time.

“On the plus side, I have had a really interesting and varied business career and there have been lots of highlights,” she says. “I’m pretty proud of my ability to go into an entirely new industry (technology / online), to learn very fast, change my outlook and hopefully use the wisdom of failure that I have gained.

“Business is my passion and my strong belief and experience is that people do business with people, not powerpoint presentations or slick catalogues.”

A female in the traditionally male dominated world of business, had Jenni ever encountered any opposition? “My father taught me that I could do anything I wanted,” she responds. “The idea of a glass ceiling never entered my head and I have been really lucky to have avoided any dinosaur men in business.”

So what advice would she give to other budding female entrepreneurs? “Ideas area a dime a dozen, even good ideas. An idea is nothing without execution. So stop finding reasons why you can’t and just make the decision to focus on it and go like mad!

“Make sure your family and friends are supportive and take all the help you can get. I think if you carefully choose the right industry to enter, with a low cost base and scaleable potential, it’s a great time to start a business.”

Contact Jenni at jenni@exponentially.ie Twitter @frankleyjenni Photo by John McVitty

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feature TERESA O’LOUGHLIN Not content with one business (a marketing consultancy and training business called Think 6) Co Fermanagh entrepreneur Teresa O’Loughlin started up a second last year – a schoolwear business, Classroom ID. The married mother of three, who lives near Garrison and also has an office in Belleek, admits: “Having your own business is like having another child in the family. It’s a 24/7 job, it demands your constant attention and if you take your eyes off it, it can start getting out of control.”

Teresa got the idea for Classroom ID when, as a parent, she was looking for a uniform supplier. “Our local nursery was struggling to find one and I had already identified an embroiderer who was interested in working with me,” explains Teresa. “Now, after only two years we already supply a number of pre-schools across Fermanagh and would like to grow to become one of the leading suppliers of embroidered school wear in the region.”

A firm believer in the power of networking, Teresa was awarded ‘Network Member of the Year’ last year by Business Women’s Network Northern Ireland and is about to embark on a Female Entrepreneur and Leadership programme with the University of Ulster. “Networking is a great way to make business connections and attending networking events is a valuable exercise for any business,” she says.

“My advice to others? Get networking. Look for or create

ANN RUDDEN

Master chocolatier Ann Rudden knew she could make mouth watering chocolate creations but could she turn her passion into a viable business?

Starting from scratch with a product no one knew was one of Ann’s biggest challenges. “Brand identity is all important,” she says. “I needed to get my product on the shop shelves and I needed it to sell. It takes time to establish that.

“A lot of work went into our brand development and I deliberately chose the name ‘Aine Hand Made Chocolate’ because ‘A’ comes first in the alphabet.

“It was quite a struggle to get the necessary finance to set up the business too. In 1999 I lived in rented accommodation, with no credit record and no collateral. I went to lots of banks but none of them would look at me.”

Luckily for Ann, backing was eventually forthcoming from someone who shared her vision and Aine Hand Made Chocolate was launched. “Our hand-made chocolate is made using only the finest, purest, natural ingredients and has won 25 Great Taste Awards (the fine food ‘Oscars’), 13 of them gold medals. It has also been endorsed by food guru Rick Stein and the influential Bridgestone Guide.”

Ann now services the Irish and UK market with plans to expand into Europe, supplying wholesale, to restaurants and hotels, and to chocolate lovers online and at her showroom in

opportunities and if you need help ask for it. I joined the Network for Enterprising Women over three years ago and out of this I have acquired some great customers, some good suppliers and some brilliant friends and associates.”

Has it been difficult building up her businesses while raising a family? “In the early days I had three children under the age of four,” says Teresa. “I was very lucky with my childcare as I had the most fantastic childminder. It was difficult but you get through it somehow.

“My husband Richard is very supportive and takes on a lot of jobs than many husbands wouldn’t. I have a good life balance most of the time now and when it gets really busy I know Richard is right there with me to help with the children and household chores.”

Juggling a busy home life and work, Teresa says she finds that the main challenge of running her own businesses is having to do things like bookkeeping, delivering the work and so on by herself.

“Working on your own can be lonely sometimes,” she admits. “But the biggest thing is how satisfied I am in the work that I do. If I’d known it would be this much fun I would have done it a long time ago!”

Contact Teresa on www.think6.co.uk, email think6@gmail.com www.classroomid.co.uk email classroomid@gmail.com

Photo by Trevor Armstrong

Stradone Village, Co Cavan.

“Looking back on it, I was probably quite naive, believing I was going to earn millions in a short space of time,” says Ann. “My expectations were really high but the reality was different.

The first four years were tough. I had to pay back the loan, pay wages, manage cash flow and find the money to keep things going. I started out with no business experience and no customer base.”

Ann was also trying to manage her business around the needs of a husband and four children under the age of eight.

“You definitely need to be organised and focused,” she says. “I work normal hours but I manage to pack more into those hours. When the kids were away one week I found I was able to work on until seven or eight o’clock in the evening and it meant things were less frenetic.

“But from a young age I always wanted to own my own business and had always been interested in food and baking. You think you know everything when you are young. My advice to anyone starting their own business is to take as much advice and free help as you can get.

“It’s been a hard learning curve but the business is expanding and I love what I do. I wouldn’t swop it for the world.”

Contact Ann at www.chocolates.ie <http://www.chocolates.ie> , email info@chocolates.ie Photo by Trevor Armstrong

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PAMELA KELLY An avid fan of the BBC TV programme Dragon’s Den, Co Tyrone entrepreneur Pamela Kelly would probably have spent more time gazing critically at the sparsely furnished den than looking at the famous dragons if she had ever had the opportunity to pitch her business ideas on the show.

Pamela, you see, is an interior designer and two years ago started up her own business CoCo Interiors in Dungannon.

“I love Dragon’s Den,” says Pamela. “And although I would never have gone on TV myself, if I could have had the help of any of the dragons it would have been James Caan. I read his autobiography a few months ago and he is a great inspiration. I admire that with his wealth he gives something back and is hands on with charity work, rather than just donating a wad of cash.”

With many years experience in her chosen field, including training with Channel 5’s House Doctor Ann Maurice, Pamela now has her own showroom with designer fabrics & wall coverings, curtain poles, soft furnishings and lighting, with plans to expand by opening another showroom in 2011. As Northern Ireland’s only qualified House Doctor she also offers home consultations.

Her business background is following a family tradition.

“My grandfather began a successful wallpaper and paint business, retailing from two shops and wholesaling across Ireland to

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Photo by Trevor Armstrong

other shops,” explains Pamela. “From the age of eleven I worked in one of the shops at weekends and during school holidays. When I left school I became more involved, working my way through the various departments so that I had experience in telesales, despatch, delivery and accounts and then running one of the shops myself.”

Now with her own business, Pamela finds every day is different. “Some days I spend all day with clients back to back, choosing fabrics and wall coverings. Another day I could be bogged down in paperwork, checking prices, doing PAYE, or VAT – the unpleasant side of business! Another day I could be up to my eyes in new stock that has to be priced and displayed.

I never get bored.”

Asked what she found was the most challenging aspect of setting up and running her own business, Pamela readily admits: “It was the financial aspect – leaving a full time salary and company car behind and investing my savings on the unknown.

“After that, getting a balance of work life with my social life can be very challenging but I go to work with a big grin on my face every day.

“I do like to challenge myself on a regular basis in my personal life too. I took ice skating lessons last year and I want to learn body boarding or surfing next!”

Paula Mallagan – Omagh Jacket: Dunnes Stores Dress: Tempest Shoes: Carino Shoe Boutique Bag: Carino Shoe Boutique

Grace McCabe – Monaghan Trousers: Tesco Bag, Shoes and Leather Jacket: Sally West, Cavan

COVERwest takes to the streets to check out the style on our streets

Style Spotting Photos by Conor Lunny

Kim Burke – Cavan Jacket: River Island Shoes: Office Favourite Brand: River Island

James Byrne – Cavan Suit: River Island Shoes: Clarkes Favourite Brand: Quiksilver Roisin O’Connor Hannigan – Cavan Jewellery: Pennys Cardigan: Pennys Boots: McDonaghs Shoe shop Favourite Brand: Sandwich

Sally Lavelle – Cavan Coat :Dunnes Stores Scarf: Quinn and Donnelly Favourite Brand: Quinn and Donnelly Style Icon – No-one. I wear what I like

Gemma Cartwright – Omagh Cardigan: M&S Top: Warehouse Shoes: Primark Hairpiece: Miss Selfridge Necklace: Awear Bag: Guess at Menarys Favourite Brand: River Island

Gillian Forde – Omagh Jacket: Topshop Top: Topshop Sandals: Topshop Favourite Brand: Topshop

Dawn Millar – Omagh Jacket: Topshop Top: Topshop Jeans: Primark Shoes: Primark Bag: Urban Outfitters Favourite Brand: Topshop

Bernice Laird - Omagh Top/Dress: Guess Shoes: Next Bag: H&M Favourite Brand: Spanish Brands and Guess

FASHION INNOVATION AWARDS 2011 The Fashion Innovation Awards honour the work of new and innovative Irish fashion designers from Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. This year, we’re calling on all upand-coming designers to take part in the competition, which will culminate in an awards ceremony in Galway in April. Last year, over 33 designers showcased their creations and battled it out to win the prestigious awards. Last year’s award winners, Eilis Boyle, Mark Burke, Colette Porter and Laura Gilsenan have gone on to achieve great things. To take part in this year’s event, log onto www.goldenegg.ie or contact Patricia on patricia@goldeneg.ie 00353868045518.

NWRC DERRY STUDENT FINALISTS

Winning designs from Emma-Kate Cummings, Oliver Doherty, fijlkjdfljgld

Tara Mc Cauley and Jade Martine Maria Roberts all of Northwest Regional College, Derry Designs by John Rocha

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The year was 2002 and local girl Sinéad Quinn was working at a bar in the small town of Irvinestown in County Fermanagh when a friend told her that auditions for a new BBC TV talent show were being held in Belfast.

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

BY DIANE DAY

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The show was ‘Fame Academy’ and Sinéad had just got the break she had been looking for. She finished second in the contest and within a week of leaving Fame Academy had signed a £1 million, five album record deal. Her debut single reached number two in the UK singles chart, a follow-up went to number 19 and a self penned album reached number 48 in the UK album chart.

Singing in a musical production of ‘The War of the Worlds’ in 2007 she came to the attention of Lulu who liked her voice so much she invited Sinéad to be her support act for a festival gig in Chichester the following year.

In 2009 she formed her own group Sinéad and the Dawnbreakers with her husband Paul Stewart (of The Feeling), performing earlier this year at ‘The Little World’ festival in the chic French ski resort of Meribel alongside best friend Sophie Ellis-Baxtor and The Feeling as well as other top bands and DJs from Europe.

“We’re gigging like mad,” says Sinéad, “and have just recorded a couple of new songs in the famous RAK studios in London.”

With her roots very much still in Fermanagh, Sinéad tries to get back every six weeks or so for a “home fix” and had fans lining the streets when she married her rock star boyfriend Paul at the Sacred Heart Church in Irvinestown in 2008 at a wedding attended by Sophie Ellis-Baxtor and other music industry figures, with the reception afterwards at Markree Castle in Sligo.

“Paul and I love Fermanagh,” says Sinéad. “The scenery is amazing and I’ve really come to appreciate it more every time I come home to visit. It was brilliant growing up in Irvinestown, only three miles from Lough Erne where as a child we spent lots of time in the summer.”

Growing up in a musical family, Sinéad always had her heart

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set on being a singer. Her mother Philomena sang in a band Philomena and the Dawnbreakers and it was in homage to her that Sinéad took the name for her own band. Her father Gerry was also a well known musician, playing with bands like Brian Coll and the Buckaroos and The Quarrymen. “Their influence on me as a youngster has played a major part in the kind of music I listen to and write,” says Sinéad, who describes her band’s style as rockabilly/country. “I grew up listening to music with great story telling lyrics and watching and listening to my parents has been so important to me as a songwriter as it’s where I learned my craft.

“I always wanted to be a singer and never had a back-up plan. The first time I ever sang in public was a senior citizens’ party when I was four. I remember it clearly because I was so nervous but the feeling I got and the audience applause when I finished made me never want to do anything else.”

Sinéad went on to sing in school and church choirs and at local festivals, later becoming well known in dance halls all over Ireland and in England, Scotland and Wales “earning a good living and seeing loads of exciting places”.

After attending college in Derry she went to Hull University where she got a degree in Music Technology and also found time to sing at various gigs, both solo and in bands.

Career highlights so far? “I’ve had quite a few but two that stick out are having a number two hit in the charts with my song ‘I Can’t Break Down’ and singing ‘Ireland’s Call’ for the Irish rugby team before they beat Scotland in Murrayfield in 2003.

Having 60,000 fans at the match singing with me is a memory I will never forget.”

Now, with the Dawnbreakers by her side, Sinéad is looking forward to carrying on writing and performing the music she is proud of and enjoys. Her love of sounds from the ‘50s and ‘60s shines through in her song writing, which has its own unique contemporary twist and one of her ambitions is to go to Nashville. “I’ve been talking about going for years so I’m really going to make it happen in 2011,” she says. “When I was young we always watched ‘The Grand Ole Oprey’ on TV and it would really fulfil me musically to sing there one day.”

Unfortunately, Sinéad’s husband Paul is unlikely to be on stage with her. “He’s the drummer in the band at the moment but it’s only temporary. I’ll have to replace him very soon as his own band The Feeling are releasing their third album in the New Year.

It’s great having Paul in the band because he’s a very musical drummer and is a wonderful music arranger. I know I’m biased but I do think he’s the best drummer around and I will really miss having him in the band.”

Ever the professional however, Sinéad admits she already has someone in mind to replace Paul – but only on stage!

“We would love to start a family of our own some day and look forward to spending more time in Fermanagh in the future,” she says. “It’s just a beautiful county and I’m always very proud to tell people where I’m from and hope they visit.”

For find out what Sinéad and the Dawnbreakers are up to next visit www.sineadandthedawnbreakers.com

Get Glamorous Make like an old-school glamour queen with luxurious long flowing dresses and sequins, or funk it up with leathers and cute kitten heels.

Grey maxi dress ÂŁ285 from City Lady Boutique, Enniskillen. Accessorised with a grey ring ÂŁ22 from She Boutique, Omagh

Patterned silk maxi evening dress £245 from Coco Boutique, Enniskillen

Brown printed dress and matching jacket by Inspirato £725 from Vanilla Boutique, Enniskillen and Cavan.

Shoes by Linar Elegance £39.99 from Sloans, Enniskillen.

Silk belt stylist’s own Flower Ring £14 from Carino Boutique, Omagh.

Navy and Bronze sequin dress by Fee G £235 from She Boutique, Omagh Bronze shoes by Marian £115 from Carino Boutique, Omagh.

Grey Dress with black skinny belt by Ted Baker £179 from Graham Womenswear, Enniskillen Blue patent bag by Ted Baker £75 from Graham Womenswear, Enniskillen Neckpiece by Laurel £110 from Vanilla Boutique, Enniskillen

Red dress by Fee G €254.95 from Helen’s Boutique, Cavan Bracelets £23 and cuffs £29 from Carino Boutique, Omagh Black high heels with diamante details £139 from Carino Boutique Floral dress £79.99 by Firetrap from Classic Urban Wear, Omagh Lilac shoes with black heart detail by Vivienne Westwood £88 from Carino boutique, Omagh Silk belt stylist’s own Grey wool corsage £10 from Carino Boutique, Omagh Neck piece £33 from Carino Boutique, Omagh Purple wool gloves by firetrap £29.99 from Classic Urban Wear, Omagh

A Career in Modelling

J

udith Wilson, a former Miss Northern Ireland (2008) who has a wealth of modelling experience, from catwalk shows to the Miss World stage, is offering girls with an interest in modelling a chance to pursue a career in the industry.

Judith will teach you how to walk, pose and strut your stuff on the catwalk, as well as sharing her inside tips on how to succeed, giving you a deeper insight into the modelling world.

What is included? Once expertly styled by the hair and make-up team, well-known industry photographer Erica Irvine, will create a bespoke photoshoot for you, leaving you with a confident portfolio of images supplied on CD to help launch you on your way.

LATEST NEWS Judith Keys, from the very first class of the modeling school, has been crowned ‘Miss Earth Northern Ireland’. Well done Judith and good luck for your trip to Vietnam from all at Team JW.

‘MODEL OF THE MONTH’ Check out the ‘Models of the Month’ so far on the school’s website photogallery on www.jwschoolofmodelling.com. They are Alana Elliot, Leonacha Brosnan, Natasha McCann, Nicola Roycroft and Kerrie-Jayne Taylor. Well done girls! They are now in the running for ‘Model of the Year’ to be presented at the exciting awards night in 2011. Watch this space!

Julianne Elliott - A JW School of Modelling Attendee comes 3rd in the Prestigious Miss Northern Ireland Final Well done Julianne on this great achievement from all at Team JW!

BERNIE ALLEN HAS JOINED TEAM JW Sunday Life columnist and fashion writer Bernie Allen has joined Team JW. All shoots will be styled by Bernie with clothes being supplied by local retailers to create some amazing looks! Bernie has worked on GMTV fashion shoots and was behind the scenes dressing models at London Fashion Week.

MISS NORTH WEST 200 Team JW are delighted to announce that JW School of Modelling Attendee Julianne Elliott is Miss North West 200 and is therefore through to the prestigious Miss Nothern Ireland Final in the Europa Hotel on Monday 21st June 2010.

FACE OF DV8 Animal print dress by People Market £77.50 from Walkers Clothing Company, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh Black leather jacket by Gerry Weber £345 from Style Boutique, Omagh Black leggings £15 from She Boutique, Omagh Ankle boots £119 from Carino Boutique, Omagh Watches £100 each by Storm from Walkers Clothing Company, Irvinestown Silver bangle £55 and bracelet £100 by storm from Walkers Clothing Company, Irvinestown

Alana Elliott, JW School of Modelling Attendee is through to the final of ‘Face of DV8’ - Well done Alana!

Next class January 2011. Vouchers available for Christmas gift. Contact Judith on 0044 7872615925 www.jwschoolofmodelling.com

“In half of infertility cases, it is the man’s sperm that is preventing fertilisation due to lifestyle factors.”

THIS MONTH’S FASHION SHOOT BEHIND THE SCENES

Photography: Erica Irvine, Erica Irvine Photography, 69 Blackhill Road, Fintona, Co. Tyrone, 0044 77481 48879 www.ericairvine.com Stylist: Delilah Fashion Stylist & Personal Shopper 353 (0) 87 63 91 956 delilahfashionstylist@gmail.com www.delilahfashionstylist.com Hair: Shauna Kelly, The Hair Depot, River View House, Mountjoy Road, Omagh Co. Tyrone. 0044 28 82251280 Make-up: Margaret Reihill, Body and Soul Beauty Clinic, 4 Nugents Entry, Townhall Street, Enniskillen, Fermanagh 0044 28 6632 4005 email - bodyandsoulmargaret@hotmail.co.uk Model: Judith Wilson, Judith Wilson School of Modelling judith@jwschoolofmodelling.com www.jwschoolofmodelling.com Furniture props provided by Henry’s Carpets & Furniture, Main Street, Fintona 0044 28 82841952

INFERTILITY basic solutions

It’s a tough one to digest; you’re fit, healthy, have never looked better. Your diet is balanced, you’ve quit the cigs and wild nights out are a thing of the past. Like it or not though, the body clock has been ticking away behind the scenes, and you just might be one of the thousands of Irish couples having problems conceiving.

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ith one in six couples having problems conceiving in Ireland, infertility is obviously a very real problem and is becoming more and more common. But there are steps that can be taken before panic sets in and you head down the IVF route.

Zita West, the famous UK-based ‘fertility and pregnancy guru’ who runs the Zita West Clinic in Central London, believes that getting to know your body – and having more sex – are key.

“Many couples who are looking to get pregnant overlook the basics so they go down the route of looking at absolutely everything else – diet, nutrition, etc but they’re not having as much sex or they don’t really understand when their fertile time is. The reason for that is that many women have been on the pill for many years and they have no idea about their natural cycles.

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he mistake that a lot of women make is that they try to get the pill out of their system and there’s research to show that your best time to get pregnant is when you first come off the pill. Also, women need to get to know their cycles when they first come off the pill – when their fertile time is, when their secretions are at the peak of the month.”

“The first thing to do if you’ve been on the pill for a long time is to really understand what’s going on in your cycle. Many women think they ovulate on day 14 of their cycle if they’ve got a 28-day cycle; but some women ovulate earlier in their cycle, some women ovulate later, so understanding your body is key. Women also don’t realise that there’s a window of opportunity: five days leading up to ovulation and a day after, so it’s not just about having sex when you think that ovulation is about to occur. Having it in the lead-up is very important and your secretions are key to your fertility. So really registering when they’re occurring at the time of the month will give you a good idea when ovulation is going to occur because those secretions form little channels for the sperm to be able to swim up.

“Your best time to get pregnant is when you first come off the pill.”

“Many women focus on ovulation, when in a way they should be thinking about the man’s sperm; if it’s good and healthy, it would last three to five days. So if you’re having sex at least three times a week, you’re ensuring that there’s plenty of sperm in the reproductive tract waiting for the egg when it ovulates, because the egg only lasts 12 to 24 hours,” says Zita.

While it’s a fact that infertility is increasing, mainly because women are leaving it later to have babies, studies show that in the last decade or so, the trends have been shifting so that infertility is now 50/50 between females and males. Now in half of infertility cases, it is the man’s sperm that is preventing fertilisation due to lifestyle factors such as alcohol, cigarettes and drug use – all of which affect the sperm.

F

or those couples having problems conceiving, it can mean a lot more than just making a few lifestyle changes; it can have a very deep and sometimes devastating effect on relationships.

“Very often there’s a lot of pressure on a couple that are trying naturally and I think if it’s not happening quickly, women do start to get into a panic and usually, it’s at a time when all your friends are trying to conceive as well so that makes it more difficult. And usually the pattern that occurs is that a woman will buy all the books and vitamins and she wants her man to follow suit and give up everything as well. And then there’s enormous pressure on a couple around the middle of the month or whenever there’s ovulation to have sex and very often I see many men who’ve got erectile problems as a result of that and really, they’re young men that it shouldn’t be happening to, but it’s the pressure.”

So if you’re one of those women who doesn’t plan on having children immediately, but would like to be well prepared for when you decide to start trying, Zita recommends a few lifestyle changes to put you on the right road.

Firstly, quit smoking and reduce your alcohol intake, then make sure you’re taking a good multi-vitamin and mineral that contains Folic Acid, in addition to taking Omega 3 DHA, an essential fatty acid. Learning to relax is also really

“Women have been on the pill for many years and they have no idea about their natural cycles.”

“A woman will buy all the books and vitamins and she wants her man to follow suit and give up everything as well.” important; yoga is great, as is meditation to help you unwind and relax.

Zita, as well as being a midwife, nutritional advisor, author and consultant, is also an acupuncturist and cites this as being extremely beneficial in assisting with fertility issues.

“We use acupuncture a lot at the clinic for somebody who is trying naturally, and for couples that are going through IVF. It helps release beta-endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones so it helps with stress. Studies have also been done to show that it helps with blood flow so it helps with blood supply to the uterus and the ovaries.

It helps around ovulation, and there have been studies to show that it helps with IVF; many women in the UK have acupuncture before and after transfer when their embryos are put back.”

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ith a team of over 30 gynaecologists, The Zita West Clinic is the largest integrated clinic in the UK specialising in all aspects of reproductive health. Zita has just set up an affiliated network of acupuncturists in Ireland. All acupuncturist members of the network have received training in Zita’s unique holistic approach to achieving optimum reproductive health, as well as the diagnostic processes and treatment protocols followed at the London clinic.

To find your nearest Zita West Affiliated Acupuncturist, log onto www.zitawest.com.

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Fashionable Blogging

BY LÉAN COLLINS

Fashion blogging has been quietly bubbling under the mainstream fashion scene for quite some time now, but of late it seems that anyone worth their fashion salt has gotten themselves their very own fashion blog.

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too have hopped on the blogging bandwagon; posting my ‘looks’ on the ‘collective fashion conscious’ that is Lookbook. This site is perfect for those looking for a commitment-free blog, as the kind people over at Lookbook have already taken care of all the boring stuff, so it is just up to the lucky few (membership is by invite only) bloggers to post ‘hot’ looks at their peril.

But Lookbook is just one of an endless array of fashion blogs to be found online. Type ‘fashion blog’ into Google and you will receive a massive 92,100,100 results. Yes, fashion blogging has definitely arrived, but the question is, how is it influencing our fashion experience?

With the increasing popularity in online media, it is no surprise that “Type ‘fashion blogging has taken on a life of its own. blog’ into Once upon a time, going online was Google and you almost a privilege; nowadays it’s hard to imagine how we ever survived sans will receive a Internet. More people than ever are massive logging on, which is happy days for all of those bloggers out there. Once unknown 92,100,100 fashion addicts playing dress up in their results.” bedrooms are now being planted firmly in the spotlight. Take Tavi Gevinson, the 13year-old wonderblogger who has become a front row fixture, popping up at shows around the world for designers such as avant-garde Japanese mastermind, Yohji Yamamoto. Tavi’s blog is now one of the most widely read online fashion websites, making this once unknown American teen, with her neatly bobbed hair and penchant for glasses, the equivalent of fashion royalty. Think Anna Wintour, only pintsized. Other bloggers such as Susanna Lau of Stylebubble fame are receiving similar recognition, and with her recent recruitment to the British style bible that is Dazed & Confused magazine, is it any wonder that so many of us are flocking to set up fashion blogs of our own.

Scott Schumann of the hugely popular blog The Sartorialist, takes a different approach to fashion blogging. Instead of posting pictures of himself, although he has been known to do this on occasion, he chooses to act as the fly-on-the-wall photographer, capturing the exquisitely stylish individuals of cities such as Paris, London, Milan, New York, and more recently Dublin. Scott presents us with images of ordinary people, going about their daily routines, but with an almost ethereal elegance. His blog has become so popular that there is now a guide entitled ‘Oh Snap! How To Get Shot By The Sartorialist’, a tongue-in-cheek look at how to get photographed by the man himself. Tavi, Susanna, and Scott are the future of fashion media; their fresh attitudes and inimitable eye for style mean that they will be long coveted in the fashion world. And all of this because of a blog!

Perhaps the appeal of Tavi and Susanna, and the many inconnus of The Sartorialist, is that they are average Joes like you and me. We, like them, take great pleasure in embarking on shopping sprees and coming home for that all important personal fashion show in front of the mirror! The only difference is that most of us don’t photographically document our new looks. But thanks to Tavi and Susanna’s blogs, and indeed Scott’s, we now get to see fashion on a more relatable level; there is no five million dollar photo shoot involved, no seven foot tall model, no airbrushing, no lighting, no Mario Testino or Patrick Demarchelier. This is fashion at its most pared down.

And in an age where seemingly everyone aspires to be an Amazonian goddess, people like Susanna and Tavi offer us, the real people, a reassurance that fashion savvy comes in all shapes and forms, from youth to old age, and it doesn’t take being on the cover of a magazine to be considered stylish. We, that’s right you and me, are the new cover girls of the fashion industry. All that’s left to do is strike a pose!

“Tavi, Susanna, and Scott are the future of fashion media; their fresh attitudes and inimitable eye for style mean that they will be long coveted in the fashion world.”

beauty

Tired? me? After a summer of good living and late nights, a little more help is now needed in the under eye department. Under eye bags and dark circles are one of the most difficult signs of tiredness or overindulgence to conceal, so the new Clarins Instant Light Brush-on perfector might just be your best buddy in the coming months. With illuminators and perfect concealing without that overdone look, this is one of my season’s make-up staples. €27 Stockist: Body and Soul Beauty Clinic, 4 Nugents Entry, Townhall Street, Enniskillen.

The Diamond, Donegal Town, Donegal

Stockist: Lancome: Erne Pharmacy (£16/€30) 12 Church Street, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh 028 66322291

EYE BRIGHT Bathe eyelids in a ray of light with Lancome’s new Ombre Magnétique.

The creamy texture of these absolute treats, which come in three shades, melts onto your lids giving lasting power and a perfectly even shade. This Urban Silver shade is a first-of-its-kind highlighter - just apply a touch on the inner corner of the eyes to brighten instantly.

Morning Mission Tired of using your tired old shower gel? Molton Brown’s sensual paradisiac pink pepperpod body & shower (£17/€22) is absolutely divine.

Apparently it “awakens your energy banks”, for me, it’s just a pretty nice start to the day.

If you’re passing Brown Thomas in the next few weeks, pop into the Molton Brown counter for a complimentary ‘paradise found’ hand & arm massage.

YOUTHFUL GLOW Want to take years off? Reach for a pinky blush shades to lighten and brighten your face for a youthful touch. Try the Armani Blush duo in two shades of shimmering pale and dark raspberry - it’s light, pretty and perfect for an autumnal glow. €40 www.strawberrynet.com

GUILT-FREE PAMPERING – Fancy a pampering that you won’t feel guilty about splashing out on? Pop in to the Body Shop any Saturday and have your make-up done by one of The Body Shop’s top make-up artists, treat yourself to a 15-minute mini facial, or simply indulge in a relaxing hand and nail massage.

beauty editor’s choice

LASER WITHOUT THE PINCH CLINIQUE’S NEW REPAIRWEAR LASER FOCUS WRINKLE AND UV DAMAGE CORRECTOR £ IS A SERUM FORMULATED TO WORK DAY AND NIGHT TO REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF LINES AND WRINKLES AND HELP PREVENT UV DAMAGE.

Give your dresser an overhaul this autumn with the season’s top beauty picks.

Stockist: Molten Brown, 16 Donegal Square North, Belfast 028 90246674

AWAKENS YOUR ENERGY BANKS

Bad hair day?

One day we all wake up and realise that our hair needs a lot more care than it used to (like the rest of us!).

New Redken Time Reset helps to repair years of damage while combating and preventing the five signs of ageing hair change in texture, diminished density, dryness, dullness, and fragility or breakage.

Stockist: Debenhams (£35/€48) Check www.debenhams.com for local stockists

Cashmere mist Donna Karan’s Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude (€72) is a mix of heady sandalwood, ylang heart and jasmine, and the airy and light white amber and skin musk. This is a unique and soft scent ideal for the autumn.

Redken: Scissor Sister (Shampoo £10.95/€16.80, Conditioner £12.55/€18.60) 17 Main Street, Camlough, Newry Co. Down 028 30838993

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COVERwest

HANDBAG ESSENTIAL If there’s one thing I can’t do without, it’s a really decent hand cream; too thin and your hands are still left dry, too gloopy and you stick to everything. I usually splash out on hand creams, but from the moment the new Dove Visible Effects Hand Cream €3.29 landed on my desk, I was a convert. Love the smell, the texture. It softens perfectly, leaving no residue… a star product Stockist: Dunnes Stores

(£3.29/€3.29) Cavan Main st Co. Cavan

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The Weighty Issue Why is it that so many women have so little love, so little compassion, for the only body they’ll ever have? COVERwest investigates.

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ur bodies have been with us since the beginning of our existence – they’ve gone from the gorgeous childish chub to the little girl leanness to the 15-year-old puppy fat stage. They’ve taken us through our hedonistic twenties, borne kids, given us pleasure, comfort, satisfaction. Looking good is important to the majority of us; we want to look good, we want to be attractive, desirable. And while we might allow ourselves to feel nice when we’ve lost a couple of pounds, when we’re wearing a cute dress, and when we’ve been ‘good’ that week, what about the other six days of the week when we just feel like ourselves?

So many women view their bodies as the enemy; something they’re constantly trying to control, contain, repel. We scold our bodies for being rounded, our thighs for having cellulite, our breasts for being too big or too small. When we’re not feeling great about ourselves, we stuff ourselves with ‘bad’ food (for a ‘bad’ body), as if we weren’t feeling bad enough. We punish ourselves with unrealistic goals and punish ourselves when we don’t achieve them.

I’m generalising, but there is not one woman I know who believes, or who will admit, that she is happy with herself, her shape, her body. It’s easy to

blame society, or the media, or men for women’s warped view of their bodies, but is it not our own responsibility to take the power back?

Views of what constitutes a good body have undoubtedly changed from the curvaceousness that was cherished in the 50s, to the lean and mean which is now revered over the more meaty among us.

Something else that was accepted as the norm in the 60s and 70s were little bellies and cellulite (think a scantily-clad Barbara Windsor jiggling about the place in the Carry On movies). Not much of a chance these days of seeing a woman with such credentials finding her way onto the small screen as a desirable woman in today’s anti-cellulite society. But when the reality is that most women look more like this, why can’t we just accept the things we can’t change and change the things we can?

Let’s face it – being obesely overweight has never been attractive. Flab has never been attractive. And why should it be? It’s unsightly, unhealthy, and it’s covering up your true form. But that’s another issue – just where do you draw the line between curvy and overweight? I’ve asked numerous guys to comment on this issue and they seem to differ hugely in what they consider to be curvy. One particular guy I asked seemed to balk at the word ‘curvy’, saying it’s just a

feature “We punish ourselves with unrealistic goals and punish ourselves when we don’t achieve them.” pretty word for being fat. When I asked him to define fat, I think ‘rolls’ were mentioned, so I’m guessing he had a large lady in mind, and that wasn’t to his taste.

Others think that curvy is slim, but not skeletal. But men, like us, like aesthetically pleasing bodies; they don’t have to be tiny, just healthy looking and relatively firm. And while it can be quite a depressing thought, that’s life, who said it was fair?

Where we’re are concerned, it’s all too easy to look around and see our men dribbling over a picture of a stunning stick-thin model, feel inadequate, and instantly want to lose a stone. But the model probably walked onto the shoot looking pale and pasty and about as sexy as a toad – that’s real life. Welcome on stage the makeup artists, lots of tan, lighting, hours of touching up.

And then of course there’s the airbrushing, which, believe me, can work wonders. And what have you got?

An illusion. Most men worth their salt will know that.

And we all like to dream. We women are just as guilty of dreaming; it’s just that we might not be as obvious when checking out a hot guy.

In reality, real men love real women and everything that comes with that. Most men find confident women appealing, especially those who are also confident about their bodies, and all the little imperfections. I remember an ex of mine saying he loved a certain part of my body, because I loved it myself. It was the first time I had any awareness that confidence inspires confidence. Do you ever notice how if you are feeling particularly attractive and loving yourself, or indeed, a particularly part of your body and your partner just can’t keep his hands to himself? – the power

of self-love. Or what about those times when you’re feeling particularly unattractive and your repellent attitude is somehow transferred onto your partner?

So many women I know are on a constant battle to lose weight, and out of all of them, I can’t ever recall even one woman saying, ‘I’m happy; I’ve reached my goal, now I can just focus on other, more important things’. Just how long does this self-punishment go on for, till you’re 40, 50, 60?

I recently found an old diary from when I was 14 or 15 and with each entry, there was a little mark at the top of each page with a different weight goal on each entry.

As I was documenting my weight, how much I had to loose, how long it would take me to loose it, I would also discuss with myself how great I would feel, how happy I would be, when I reached my goal. But it hadn’t started there either; I remember, at 12 years old, eating nothing but rivita and apples because I desperately wanted to be 7 stone. That was in the 80s; there’s a lot more pressure today.

I’ve never really been overweight by more than say half a stone, but there’s never been a time in my life, since I became aware of my body, that I’ve been completely happy with it, even when I’m at my ideal weight. Like most other women, I feel I could always look better, be thinner, be more toned.

Really, in a perfect world, we would look after ourselves, accept and love the way we are, enjoy life, enjoy our bodies, and just stop obsessing... what will it take for women to make peace with the female form?

Fighting Fat

BY NUALA LILLEY Have you ever found that while counting calories and performing high aerobic exercise may lead to weight loss in the short term, eventually the weight goes back on again and perhaps more besides? That’s because the secret to successful and permanent weight loss lies in building muscle rather than stripping it. Muscles are the fat burning centres of our body and the more muscle we have the more fat we burn. The science really is that simple! This means that working out needs to include weights, as well as aerobic exercise such as walking, running, cycling, cross training, rowing etc. While aerobic exercise may increase our metabolism, weight bearing exercise ensures that fat burning continues long after the exercise is over. Each pound of muscle can burn up to 100 calories per day, so a few extra pounds of lean tissue can make a huge difference to successful weight loss.

Our muscles are built from the protein we eat. Feeding our body extra protein in conjunction with weight bearing exercise will further enhance our ability to build muscle.

Try to incorporate protein into each meal - beans, lentils, pulses, eggs, fish, turkey, chicken breast, and other lean meats all represent good protein sources. If you find it difficult to incorporate protein into your diet three times per day then consider taking a protein drink daily.

While the slimming supplement market is saturated with products, there are a few nutrients that may be very useful in helping with weight loss.

L-Carnitine - Fat is burned inside the muscle cells for energy, especially during exercise. However, fat cannot get into the cells unless it is carried by carnitine. Carnitine combines with fat in the bloodstream and drives it into the muscles for burning. The more carnitine present in and around our muscles, the more fat burned during exercise. Combining it with CoQ10 could be especially useful for improving fat burning and energy production during exercise.

CoQ10 is a nutrient that is involved in the actual process by which we burn fat for energy. It helps the muscles to burn more fat, especially during exercise. This in turn releases more energy for exercise and the process becomes a cycle that results in an increasing stamina and a leaner body.

CLA may help lowers the number and size of fat cells in the body which results in a decrease in body mass. CLA works in conjunction with exercise and is a great supporting supplement to any slimming and exercise regime.

These recommended weight loss nutrients are only useful if we are putting in the effort of diet and exercise alongside them. If you suffer from a particular medical condition or are taking any conventional medication, it’s always best to check that they are suitable for you before purchasing.

Nuala Lilley is a pharmacist who specialises in the field of natural health. Contact her at Nature’s Health Shop in Enniskillen nuala@natureschoice.eu.

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Ageing and the Single Girl

BY TRISH HOLMES

Courtney Cox has let the side down. Her new show, Cougartown, is an attempt to detail the tribulations of the older single woman, as if any of us needed reminding.

It’s hard enough to be over 35, single, and live in a small city held ransom by twenty somethings in short skirts and high heels without Cox subjecting me to a CSI style forensic investigation of her excess elbow skin on a weekly basis.

A

27? There seems to be a country crisis in available single men over few weeks ago, I was talking to a good-looking guy in a 35, so it’s no surprise older women start looking at younger men. pub. Up close I realised he was considerably younger than Only now, not only is she competing with younger women and me, maybe by five or seven years. While he asked me thinking seriously about the 2 for 1 special down at the laser questions, all I could think about was him thinking about my clinic, but also opening herself up to a vile age. He had a brilliant view of the wrinkles around my eyes; there was that grey showing "I moved my lips from label with a vague definition. It’s not enough be more aware, more together, and, for the right at the top of my fringe. I moved my lips side to side to take the to most part, more successful. The barometer of from side to side to take the emphasis off any beauty is stuck firmly on youth. Cue the wrinkles around my mouth. I was standing up emphasis off any male writers in Hollywood. straight and sucking in my stomach, afraid I wrinkles around my misogynistic All this youth worship may be down to might pass out. There was no room left in my head to muster up any sort of normal intellimouth. I was standing making babies. Theories have long been bandied around that fertile women are most gent response. He was a gentleman, it has to up straight and attractive to men. For every Helen Mirren be said, and he was very kind at dismissing there are a hundred Penelope Cruzes. Even me. When I finally got the hell out of there, I sucking in my the hourglass figure, a revered symbol of was struck with one major concern: am I a stomach, afraid beauty, is thought to be a predictor of high cougar? hormone levels, which in turn increases the The big cat predator is code for an older I might pass out." likelihood of getting pregnant. The push to woman who goes after and sleeps with reproduce is so important and engrained that by the time a younger men. Cougartown’s humour is the locker room variety, woman hits 40, hasn’t had a kid or two and is still single, there’s and its female characters are obsessed with how they look, being an assumption that there’s something wrong with either her single, and sex. The show seems less interested in the realities of womb or her head or both. Then so-called relationship experts being female and more like a warm-up to a mud-wrestling match. tell us we’re just too damn picky and we’d better lower our expecNo big surprise: its two main writers are men. Cougartown seems tations if we want to find a man, which doesn’t say much for to be the mutant child of Desperate Housewives and Sex and the what the experts think of the men. So we’re not young and fresh City, both of which have teams of writers (Sex in the City’s were faced anymore, probably not fertile and less attractive because of mostly women). I don’t expect Cougartown to be bone dry, but it, and either we drop our standards or date a younger man to the the opportunity for exploration and reflection seems to have gone chorus of distant snickering from the peanut gallery. We are the way of Cox’s integrity. And it begs the question exactly who is damned if we do and damned if we don’t. being preyed upon.

So I ballsed it up because I was too self-conscious of my age.

The alleged rule of determining how low can you go in the dating he cougar label is essentially just static to defer from the game is to halve your age and add 7, which in my case is 23. real question here: do women have a sell-by date? It seems Who makes these rules? How young is too young? What if the the residents of Cougartown think we do. guy I talked to was 31, does that make me a cougar? What about In places where women don’t have equality, their main role is to

T

bear children. Despite our success in obtaining equality, this idea persists as an underlying current. Negative media caricatures and the unreal obsession with youthful physical perfection propagate the idea that once a woman has reached a certain age, she’s an old maid or over the hill. The Elizabethans feared older unmarried women, the Victorians pitied us, and now it seems we’re ripe for ridicule. Rather than concentrating on the positives of what we have and what we’ve achieved, we’re encouraged to focus on what we’ve lost, what we are not, and what hangs in the balance.

The physical ideal is represented predominately by young woman, actresses, or models; most often all of the above. These careers depend largely on looks and the women who choose them are almost obliged to undergo Botox, plastic surgery, or the odd rib removal. But in the everyday world looking good is different from looking young. Most people become more confident, self aware, and happy with age, and nothing is more attractive than that. Wrinkles: be damned.

“I ballsed it up because I was too self-conscious of my age.”

feature Love & Marriage

WHAT MEN THINK…

Love them or hate them, men can be as hard to read as War and Peace. Alexia McInerney attempts to get inside the minds of men to find the answers to burning questions she just had to ask.

You might be on the dating scene or considering marriage, but either way you’ll want to know what’s going on inside his head.

First dates seem to be romanticised by our men, many of them having a clear-cut idea of the perfect first date.

Dinner was a common theme (proving that the way to a man’s heart really is through his stomach), although not first choice for some. “Anyone who goes on dinner dates early on is crazy,” says Ben, 30. “Two hours sitting across from someone you barely know is just too much.” One interviewee suggested doing, “some activity of interest to avoid a conversation that gets too deep or involved”, which got me thinking about uncomfortable subjects.

For any of you who are fresh out of another relationship, the lure to discuss your ex can be tempting, but be warned, this won’t go down well with your date. One 28-year-old said, “Unless it has some relevance or is an interesting anecdote, it would mean she’s carrying some baggage and alarm bells would go off. Loud ‘impending stress’ alarm bells with red flashy lights.” Darragh, 31, agrees; “I would have no problem calling it a night if she was continuously going on about them.”

A common problem for us ladies is what to eat on a dinner date. Salad that sticks in our teeth, spaghetti that splatters sauce over our clothes, steak that mutes us for ten minutes while we chew through another mouthful?

Whatever you decide to eat, being picky or nonchalant about your food can be off-putting to most men. One man suggested that if a woman avoids her food it’s a sure sign she can’t cook while another interviewee suggested that it showed “a lack of self confidence or an extreme obsession with self image”. Damien, 25, says, “Sharing a meal is important in a social sense, so if you’re not eating, to me you are being anti-social.”

Paying for the meal was a touchy subject for our men, opinion being split down the middle. One interviewee says he would feel “cheated” if his date expected him to pay in full and that she’d “pull the equality card whenever it suited her”, while others wouldn’t mind and thinks that “men should pay for this” or “as long as I was the one who asked her out for a meal”.

If eventually love leads to marriage the men seem enthusiastic if a little pragmatic. Hugh, 32, says, “Weddings are great. But I do think people should be sure it’s what they want. More and more young couples are splitting just after getting married”. Others feel a little more let down by the event. “I feel that too much effort goes into the organisation and not enough attention is paid to actual real meaning of the ceremony,” says one interviewee, while another feels strongly about the commercial aspects of today’s weddings, saying, “They have reached saturation point. An intimate expression of love has been mostly replaced with a gift delivery system and a vulgar ceremony designed for a bride’s bragging rights”.

What about the diamond engagement ring; surely that’s set in stone? “Diamond rings are unnecessary,” says one man, “buying a big diamond ring that you can afford is

less romantic than buying a plain gold ring that you can’t.”

But Darragh sees it another way, “It’s tradition and a symbol of your love and commitment to your other half,” he says. Damien adds, “A diamond ring is important. The size of the diamond is another thing.”

And finally, what does love really mean to men? “To share a deep bond”… “When someone brings out the absolute best in you and vice versa”… “It’s a life line; it has a powerful effect on physical and mental health” and, “It means spending the rest of your life with the one who you love and care about,” are some of the many optimistic responses, proving love is not lost among our lads.

Home So enough with the romantics - what about ‘forever after’?

Living with a man can be a blessing or a curse, but let’s admit, at times the feeling must be mutual.

Although most of us women enjoy the freedoms of the 21st century, what do our men think of the arrangement in modern homes compared to, say, 50 years ago?

“I think it’s a good idea for the mother to stay at home when the children are young,” says Graham, 32, “but women deserve a career just as much as men and I would support whatever she was happy to do,” and one man agrees saying, “I’m all for my partner working if she wishes to do so but I’d prefer if she wasn’t away from the kids too long as it gives them a stable upbringing.” Others are more black and white about it; “Traditional values are long gone and thankfully so. Women can contribute to society as much as men”. One young man told the story of how a friend’s mother had waited beside the table until the husband had finished eating before serving herself. “That’s a horrible ideal to have,” he says.

As it turns out, these men are willing to put their money where their mouths are as most cook in the home, a large proportion claiming to be the main chef of the house.

When asked why he cooks more than his partner, Keiran, 29 claims, “Because I’m good” and when asked, Hugh responds, “I enjoy it”. What about the dishes? “That’s what the dishwasher is for!” he laughs.

Décor is traditionally seen as the woman’s forte but is it still the case now? Most of the men feel it is a mutual decision while others feel they’re in control. One man is more diplomatic; “My wife did it and I love it,” he says. Albert, 46, sings his wife’s praises for her choice of home accessories, saying “I love the scented candles my wife buys, especially vanilla.” What about candles that cost over £200?

He doesn’t hesitate; “A waste of money”, he says.

“Sharing a meal is important in a social sense, so if you’re not eating, to me you are being anti-social.”

feature When it comes to money management we all have our differences, but what are the differences between the sexes I ask. Graham seems uncertain, “Most of what women spend their money on is ridiculous - shoes, bags, designer labels. I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman or understand what goes on in the female mind, maybe they’re very competitive about looking the best of the best.” For Ben it’s more straightforward, “I think if they’ve earned it, they can spend it as they like. Most women I know are good managers of their money.” Another is sympathetic to our position; “A continuous bombardment of advertising has made it impossible for females to choose alternative lifestyles other than those imagined by glossy magazines and fabulous TV shows.” And if they happen to buy a better car than you? “Hypothetically, if we were married and had no children and I was the sole earner, I would expect to own a better car, not for one-up manship or anything, just because cars are my thing,” says one man, while another admits there would be a “slight hint of jealousy”.

Retail therapy aside, what about another type of therapy…gossip? “I love it,” says Harry, 40. “I like to listen to whoever can spin a good story; it’s not a ‘just for the women’ you know.”

From socialising to sympathising, how supportive are our men when it comes to that time of the month? “PMS stands for Pack my Suitcase,” laughs Padriag, 47. “Only joking of course! I like to help my wife where I can. If she asks me to stay out of her way I usually oblige, taking the kids with me.”

“It’s lousy but it can be entertaining watching women attempt to walk in their shoes especially after a few”

Style & Grooming Are men really looking for perfection or are they happy with the real us? A common subject among us ladies is to fake it or bake it when it comes to tanning, and for the men it seemed to be a universal no for the bottled stuff. “I hate it,” says John, 33. Others agree; “If I have to avoid touching off her for fear of getting tan on my clothes then we have a problem,” admits one interviewee, while another is more observant, “Usually the hands, elbows, feet and behind the ears are a dead giveaway.” Keiran is a fan for all the right reasons saying, “Nothing wrong with it, healthy skin no matter what colour would probably look better.”

Another universal ‘no’ for the men is hair on our legs.

“Few things can compare to the feeling of gliding your fingers across silky smooth legs. Touching hairy ones – not good,’ says one while others simply comment, “It’s a bit

gross” and it’s “not a good look”. Some do admit that it’s “natural” and we’re “only human”, but only as an afterthought.

Back to shopping, I ask the men what they think of bags that cost over £1,000. “It’s mad; it’s just a stupid bag,” says John. Others agree, “I think there are people out there with too much money. It makes no sense to me.

I wouldn’t be involved with someone who would waste that much money on something just to hold your phone and make-up in,” and “I’d rather spend the money on a holiday” are some of the negative responses. One man is more understanding, “I’m sure the feeling women must get going out with her £1,000-plus bag is amazing and for that alone, it’s worth every cent - who cares that it only cost five bucks to make?”

Speaking of mad purchases, how do the men feel about women wearing shoes they can’t walk in? “To be honest I find it funny,” says Cian, 25. “They should know better but if they don’t, it’s their own fault. Their friends should tell them they look like idiots,” he continues. Another interviewee comments it’s “unattractive and makes them walk like a duck”. It seems these shoes can bring the sadist out in our men. “It’s lousy but it can be entertaining watching women attempt to walk in their shoes especially after a few,’ says one man. What about fishnet tights, are they really attractive? “Depends who’s wearing them,” grins John, 49.

As for aging gracefully, opinion is split down the middle. While some intone “dye, dye, dye” when it comes to grey hair, another says, “healthy grey is better then damaged yellow”. Most preferred to leave the decision up to the individual.

And cosmetic surgery? “I don’t agree with it, God made you the way you are, no need to change,” says one man.

Most agree with it to a limit but are concerned about excessiveness; “maybe some people think they’ll find happiness if this is bigger or smaller and then when it doesn’t really fulfil them they believe they need more work done and for a finish they don’t look good at all,” says one man.

And finally what do our men think of the plus size versus size zero debate? Most found plus size poster girl Crystal Wren attractive but it was a resounding no for Beth Ditto. “Curves are far more appealing than looking starved and unhealthy, however I wouldn’t be too partial to Beth Ditto, she clearly wears clothes that don’t suit her body shape” says one man, although another admits, “plus size girls are not for me, I’m not ‘fattist’ but I have to draw a line.” When I ask about size zero, most men are negative, one man saying he would be “scared of breaking them”, but surprisingly the likes of Nicole Ritchie and Renee Zellweger, one-time size zeroes went down quite well with our interviewees.

And my ultimate burning question: Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? Our men here in the North West seem to be both naughty and nice with preferences being an even 50:50.

The North West on the Web Going on a staycation and looking for the best places to stay, shop and dine?

Or simply looking for the best businesses in your area? We’ve compiled a list of the best websites in the North West to take the work out of your search.

Fermanagh

Derry/ Londonderry Tyrone www.derryvisitor.com

www.flavouroftyrone.com

This is a must if you are visiting Fermanagh with a host of info on shopping and local events/businesses. Also use

With so much to do in this city, from shopping, wining and dining, to sight-seeing, this site will help you plan your perfect break.

A fabulous guide to everything that’s currently going on in Tyrone, with a range of slideshows showing you the best that Tyrone has to offer.

Sligo

Leitrim

Monaghan

Cavan

Stunning scenery and tranquility, with a host of top entertainment when it takes your fancy, Sligo is the place to go.

Check out everything it has to offer on this website.

With a great search system and this user-friendly site gives the low-down on where to stay, what to do, and where to have fun in Leitrim.

A one-stop-shop for everything the tourist and local needs to know about what the Monaghan has to offer such as unspoiled landscape, wildlife and lots to do for both local and visitor alike.

The simple and clean design of this site makes it a pleasure to use. Find out what this stunning county has to offer at the click of a mouse!

Donegal

www.donegaldirect.ie

This website offers a great range of information about Donegal, with its abundance of entertainment options, breathtaking scenery and unbeatable hospitality.

www.sligotourism.ie

www.thebestof.co.uk/ regional/fermanagh

www.thebestofenniskillen.com (recommended by the locals!).

www.leitrimtourism.com

www.monaghantourism.com

www.cavantourism.com

{FASHION FORECAST}

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The

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Perfect for smart workwear. www.wallis.co.uk

Style Mistress

The Camel coat:

BY DELILAH

Every woman should

From modern simplicity to beautiful embellishments, fabulous aviators to new city maxi...this season’s instant wardrobe updates.

own a beautiful coat.

This season it’s all about simplicity and quality. So invest in a camel coat like this

COLOUR:

Debenhams one, the

Blast your wardrobe with

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The chunky knit comfort and chic, and a great item for rest or play

The cape: autum/winter’s most coveted cover-up. Try it over a maxi dress or skinny jeans and boots. To balance the look go for skinny bottoms.

Necklace from French Connection www.frenchconnection.com

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Lace top by Next www.next.co.uk

Military: Add a leather belt to soften the look.

Go for brown or Khaki for a casual look, or black or navy for a more sharp effect. www.monsoon.co.uk

Embellishments and metallic: More is more! Add that bit of bling to sex up your wardrobe.

Tunic Top from Miss Selfridge www.missselfridge.com

Booties by Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.com

Delilah, fashion stylist and Add a bit of sparkle to your wardrobe with this skirt from New Look www.newlook.com

personal shopper. www.delilahfashionstylist.com

feature

FINDING THE BALANCE In a world where lines have been blurred to such a degree that practically anything goes, just how are we finding a balance in an unbalanced society?

COVERwest throws that ambiguous word ‘equality’ out there…

E

quality is a relatively new word, and not one that was tossed about willy-nilly until the 90s. Few will disagree with the fact that equality, in the broad sense, is a hugely positive new norm for society, in terms of social, educational and employment rights. But just how equal do we want to be to the opposite sex?

So we know we want equality in the workplace. We want shared housework. We want shared responsibility for the children.

But after those major issues are dealt with, and you get down to the nitty gritty of day-to-day living, just where does the term equality sit with us?

For example, if you’re lying in bed with your husband and you hear a noise downstairs in the middle of the night, are you going to tell your husband to sit tight while you stalk down the stairs, baseball bat in hand, in a bid to protect your family? Probably not. Chances are that no matter how much of an equalist you are, or like to think you are, you will still accept, and expect, certain behaviour within a relationship. No matter how far we want to escape from the fact that we are primal beings, the fact of the matter is that we are humans - men and women, who are both different creatures. To become an equalist, do we have to ignore that fact across the board? Or is there a little leeway in the equalist’s rulebook to make concessions for this?

Janet, 32, a radio producer believes that while equality is essential in these times, there are some basic human laws that still need to be adhered to. “There are differences between the sexes that should be honoured and respected. At the end of the day, we are men and women, different sexes with different needs – so men like to be treated like men and women like to be treated like women. So for a guy to feel like he might be considered sexist for pulling a chair out for a woman, or opening the door for her, or going to the bar; that’s just wrong. There’s no harm in being a gentleman – and women love it, and likewise there’s no harm in a girl having some decorum and being a lady.”

Thirty-five-year-old Laura, a stay-at-home mum thinks that the “little things”, like a man bringing a girl flowers, or men holding the door open for you should always be a basic part of the man/woman relationship. “But when it comes to work and making decisions in the home, I think it should be equal. It’s very difficult to define it; each couple has to define it themselves. I think there’s still ‘men jobs’ and there’s still ‘women jobs’, like taking the rubbish out for instance. But I do think it’s more of an individual thing than an actual sexist issue.”

Daniel, a 32-year-old lab technician agrees that while there shouldn’t be differences between the sexes on the “bigger things”, he believes in little nods to the opposite sex.

“I’m all for equality; I think that there are differences and I do tend to buy into the whole chivalry thing, but that’s more to do with smaller things like opening doors and gentlemanly behaviour.

But the equality side of things I completely agree with. There shouldn’t be differences on the bigger things. I know guys who have said that when they get married, their wife is going to stay at home. I don’t agree with that at all. And I definitely think roles are more equal than in the past. Now responsibilities tend to be shared more due to increased financial pressures, in addition to women’s push for equality; so it’s less accepted that ‘a woman’s place is in the home’, as would have been the case in the past.”

feature

One of the positive outcomes of this change in roles from a male perspective is that there is less pressure on men to be the ‘strong silent’ type like in the past, suggests Daniel. “The changing role of women in society has had a lot to do with that, I think. That men are no longer expected to be the dominant sex or the sole provider has meant that roles are now more balanced than in the past. I don’t think that it’s easy to generalise about the roles of men and women but these days there is more of an expectation that things, be it income or minding kids etc. be shared.”

Jack, 38, an engineer thinks that men’s role in society has changed very little over the years. “Although the female role has changed significantly, I think the traditional man’s role is still pretty much there. In the vast majority of families, the man is the primary breadwinner. While I think the title ‘head of the house’ has been consigned to history, there is still quite a lot of pressure on the man to be the provider.”

Does he feel pressurised by expectations, be they a manly role or the more new age man? “I think some men put themselves under tremendous pressure, but they only have themselves to blame, as they try to live up to a macho image. Some men are obsessed by image and the trappings of success. You only have to take the Celtic Tiger years and see how some men were preoccupied with having a better car and/or helicopter than their peers. Image and appearance have become much more important to men than in the past, but I don’t feel that there is pressure from society to conform to an image,” adds Jack.

“That men are no longer expected to be the dominant sex or the sole provider has meant that roles are now more balanced than in the past.”

Entrepreneur and mother, Edythe says that equality has never been an issue for her. “I want to have the choice to work if I want to, but I don’t want to be at the front line of a battlefield – does that make me a non-equalist? I don’t think women belong in those roles but I think if she wants to be, then that’s her choice.

As far as I’m concerned, I still like a chivalrous manner in a man. I want a man to be a man, and I want to be a woman. Generally, women still want to be treated like women.”

With a society full of dos and don’ts and social faux pas and an incessant watching of Ps and Qs, maybe a focus on what works for individuals and the people in their lives is more important than what society tells us is the right, or wrong way to think.

COVERwest

59

The stunning Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Lady.

Price available on request from Mercers Jewellers Ltd, 5 High Street, Enniskillen 028 66322119

McCallions The Fusion Collection at McCallions, Letterkenny presents a modern twist on the classic Claddagh design. This beautiful sterling silver line features rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants ranging in price from €72-€225. Available now at McCallions Jewellers, Courtyard Shopping Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 0035374 9127467 www.mccallionsjewellers.com

Martina Hamilton Martina Hamilton is one of Ireland’s leading producers of contemporary Irish jewellery. Her distinct award winning international brands, which include Spirit Of Ireland, The Cat And The Moon and The Martina Hamilton Collection, have been designed and handcrafted by a team of master goldsmiths in her Sligo studio.

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Jewellery Delights A quality piece of jewellery in silver or gold is timelessly elegant. Here is our pick of favourites from local jewellers...

living Get in gear for some cosy living this season.

Lovelinks For those who like to create their own statement piece, Lovelinks is a modern and versatile twist on the classic charm bracelet. Love link charms are handcrafted in sterling silver and are available in many styles incorporating Murano glass, letters and numbers, enamel and pearls or even cubic zirconia. The new autumn 2010 range adds over 30 new links to this already extensive collection. Colours for this season include rich blues, pastel greens, bright yellows and rich autumn oranges, complemented by pretty sparkling white and blacks. Sets of 6 murano glass links £89.75 (1 link free) and sterling silver bracelets from £28.95, Lovelinks by Aagaard are available from The Goldmine Jewellers, Prospect Court, Omagh 028 82247746

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COVERwest

TASTY TEMPTATIONS NUTRITIOUS, TASTY AND MOORISH, NEVEN MAGUIRE GIVES US A TASTE OF HIS SEASONAL FAVOURITES

Crispy Bacon Salad with Black Pudding and Poached Egg Serves 4 This lovely, light salad is packed full of flavour. Don’t be tempted to overcook the black pudding – it needs no more than a minute on each side. The egg on top is also delicious fried.

Ingredients 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 175g (6oz) black pudding, skinned and cut into 1cm (½in) slices 4 rashers of dry-cured bacon, rind removed 1 tsp wholegrain mustard ½ tsp runny honey 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 4 eggs (as fresh as possible) 175g (6oz) mixed baby salad leaves salt and freshly ground black pepper crusty bread, to serve Directions

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the black pudding and cook for 1 minute on each side until tender. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen

paper and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Snip the bacon into thin strips into the frying pan, then increase the heat a little and sauté for 3–4 minutes until sizzling and lightly golden, tossing occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Pour 2 teaspoons of the vinegar into the pan, being careful of any spitting fat, then turn up the heat and scrape the sediment in the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze for about 30 seconds until almost all the vinegar has been boiled off. Stir the mustard into the reduced down vinegar along with the honey and then pour everything into a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To poach the eggs, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the remaining vinegar to the water, season with salt and reduce to a very gentle simmer. Carefully break the eggs into the water and simmer for 3–4 minutes until just cooked but still soft on the inside. Carefully remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper, trimming away any ragged edges of white.

Meanwhile, place the salad leaves in a large bowl. Break the black pudding into pieces, scatter them over the salad with the bacon, then drizzle with the dressing. Toss lightly to combine and arrange on four plates. Top each plate with a poached egg and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Herb-crusted Turbot with Potato Purée and Chive Velouté Serves 4 If turbot is not available, use brill or halibut instead.

Ingredients For the turbot 50g (2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs 15g (½oz) mixed herbs (e.g. basil, flat-leaf parsley and tarragon) 4 x 175g (6oz) turbot fillets, trimmed and skinned 1 egg yolk, beaten 15g (½oz) butter 4 small vines of cherry tomatoes Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the chive velouté 40g (1½oz) butter 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped leek 50g (2oz) white fish trimmings (from turbot is perfect) 100ml (4fl oz) Noilly Prat or dry Martini 100ml (4fl oz) fish stock 100ml (4fl oz) double cream pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp snipped chives For the potato purée 1kg (2lb 2oz) floury potatoes, peeled and quartered 75ml (3fl oz) double cream 75ml (3fl oz) milk

Directions

Place the breadcrumbs and herbs in a food processor and blend until the crumbs are green and fragrant. Season the turbot on both sides with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Brush the fillets with the egg yolk, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs in a thin, even layer. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to allow the crust to set, loosely covered with cling film. Cook within 4 hours.

To make the velouté, melt the butter in a saucpan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and leek and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the fish trimmings and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring. Pour in the Noilly Prat or Martini and simmer for about 5 minutes until almost all the liquid has gone. Pour in the stock and cook for about 3 minutes until reduced by half, then stir in the cream. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for another 3–4 minutes until the sauce has slightly reduced and thickened. Season with salt and add cayenne pepper to taste. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard the fish trimmings. This can now be left to cool. Keep in the fridge, covered with cling film, until needed.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, then bring to the boil. Add a pinch of salt, reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Drain well and mash until smooth. Heat the cream, milk and butter together in a small pan. Gradually beat into the mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

To cook the turbot, place a tiny knob of butter beside each fillet and arrange the tomato vines around the edge. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the topping is crisp, the fish is just cooked through and the tomatoes are beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, pour the sauce into a pan and warm through gently, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice and chives. Keep warm, then pour over fish.

Neven Maguire Award-winning chef Neven Maguire began cooking at 12 years of age in the kitchen of the family restaurant. In 2003, Neven took over the business as Head Chef and Proprietor of MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion, Co. Cavan and undertook a major refurbishment of the restaurant and guesthouse.

Neven has published seven recipe books to date. The most recent two, ‘Neven’s Food from the Sun’ and ‘Home Chef’ have been accompanied by 13 part TV series. Neven is currently preparing to film his next TV series for RTE.

Coconut & Lime Meringue Pie Serves 6-8 Ingredients For the pastry 100g (4oz) butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for greasing 175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting pinch of salt 50g (2oz) caster sugar 1 egg yolk ½ tbsp double cream For the filling finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod 175g (6oz) caster sugar 400g tin of coconut milk 4 tbsp cornflour 4 egg yolks 50g (2oz) butter, softened For the meringue 2 egg whites 100g (4oz) caster sugar whipped cream, to serve Directions

To make the pastry, place the butter, flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and blend for 20 seconds.Alternatively, you can rub together by hand. Add the egg yolk and cream and blend again or mix until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the pastry will be tough. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Grease a 20cm (8in) round, fluted, loose-bottomed flan tin, of 3cm (1¼in) in depth. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and use it to line the prepared tin. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork, then chill for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6. Line the pastry case with foil or non-stick baking paper and a thin layer of baking beans. Bake ‘blind’ for 15–20 minutes, then take the pastry case out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4.

Carefully remove the beans and the foil or paper from the case, then return it to the oven for 3–5 minutes until lightly golden.

While the pastry is blind baking, make the filling. Place the lime zest and juice in a saucepan with the vanilla seeds, sugar and coconut milk, then heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

Mix the cornflour in a small bowl with 4 tablespoons of cold water, then stir it into the coconut mixture. Bring to the boil and cook for 2–3 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and then allow to cool slightly.

Finally, beat in the egg yolks and butter and return to the heat to cook gently for 6–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the filling into the pastry case and allow to cool completely.

Once the filling is cool, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. To make the meringue, place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar a spoonful at a time to make a stiff, glossy meringue.

Spoon the meringue on top of the filling, spreading it out evenly to make sure it forms a good seal with the pastry edge. Swirl the top of the meringue with the tip of a knife and bake the pie for 15 minutes or until it is lightly golden and crisp on top.

wine

A Match Made in Heaven Autumn at Why not escape to Fermanagh for a well-deserved autumn break at the heavenly 4* Killyhevlin Hotel!

The spectacular scenery surrounding the hotel is set to turn to lush shades of copper and bronze, whilst the elevated views overlooking scenic Lough Erne remain as captivating as ever.

and fully rejuvenated for all that autumn has to throw at you.

The Killyhevlin’s “Autumn Escape” allows guests to enjoy two nights midweek bed and breakfast (sunthurs) with a sumptuous 4-course dinner from only £89.50pps (subject to availability, excludes holiday periods, valid until 23rd December 2010). For Located only 1km from the historic town of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, the 4* Killyhevlin Hotel those lucky readers of Cover West, the Killyhevlin is without doubt one of Northern Ireland’s best loved is offering an exclusive complimentary Lakeview upgrade when they book this fantastic offer quoting hotels and offers guests the perfect place to getaway “Cover West”. from it all. Guests can enjoy complimentary use of the luxurious Killyhevlin Health Club, complete with indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, fitness For reservations please contact the 4* Killyhevlin Hotel on +44 (0) 28 66323481 quoting “Cover suite, sauna and steam room. Why not go that one West”. step further and spoil yourself with a treatment at the Elemis Spa, a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity quite unlike any other. The Spa will take you on an individual journey so that you leave with spirits lifted

Wine is a fantastic accompaniment to food but some combinations are better than others. We look at different aspects of wine and food matching to help you get the most out of your meal. BY EAMONN CAMPBELL The only golden rule with wine and food matching is that when matching wine to food, make sure you like the wine and the food. If you don’t like either, then you’re unlikely to enjoy the combination. It sounds obvious, but many people get bogged down with trying to find the perfect match and lose sight of simply enjoying the wine and food.

Ten per cent of wine and food matches make truly great combinations, ten per cent don’t work at all. While 80 per cent of wines go okay with 80 per cent of foods. The key is if you like the wine and you like the food, there’s only a small risk that it will be a really bad combination. But if you don’t like the wine or the food, you will not like the combination.

With wine and food matching it is one part science and two parts magic.

Exclusive Cover West Reader Offer…

Sunday to Thursday, 2 nights B&B & 1 Dinner

From

£89.50

WIN...

Win a midweek Autumn break for two at the 4* Killyhevlin Hotel including evening meal.

For your chance to win a luxury mid week Autumn break for two people sharing, including two nights bed and breakfast and a sumptuous 4-course dinner just answer the following question?

pps*

Book now quoting “Cover West” and receive a complimentary Lakeview upgrade. *Subject to availability, excludes Holiday periods and is valid until 23rd December 2010.

How many guestrooms does the Killyhevlin Hotel have?

(Answer can be found at www.killyhevlin.com)

Please email info@killyhevlin.com for other seasonal offers quoting “Cover West” or log onto www.killyhevlin.com Send your entry with your email address to: Killyhevlin Competition Cover West, Unit 4/6 Enniskillen Business Centre, Lackaghboy Industrial Estate, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, BT74 4RL

Match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine.

The key guideline is to match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine. That is, there’s no point matching a delicate white wine with a hearty stew. The white wine will be lost in the weight of flavour from the stew.

Similarly, a huge heavy wine such as a Barossa Shiraz with a delicate seafood dish will result in the flavour of the fish being lost.

Salty food and tannic reds are a bad combination

Salt tends to highlight tannins. While some tannins are enjoyable, many people like food combinations that mask tannins rather than highlight them. As a result, tannic wines and salty dishes tend not to work.

Acidity and salt work well together

Acidity and salt lift wine and food; together they create a freshness.

Proteins soften tannins

Proteins found in meat, cheese, broth and stock cut though tannins like a hot knife through butter. More technically, the proteins bind to the tannins rather than react with our tongues, softening the wine.

Acidic wines work well with oily and fatty food.

Acidity cuts through oily dishes, providing a refreshing sword cutting through the fat and oil of some food. For example, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Champagne goes well with fish and chips.

Dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert.

Your mouth will become accustomed and de-sensitised to tastes and aromas quite quickly. So if you are having a very sweet pudding, you will quickly become used to and expect the rich sweetness. If you then drink a wine that is not as sweet as the desert, it will taste incredibly dry and even a dessert wine that is less sweet than the food will taste relatively dry. So, for a successful combination, make sure the wine you are drinking is sweeter than the food you are eating.

Hot spicy dishes can be cooled by sweeter styles of white wine with refreshing acidity.

Sugar and sweetness in the wine can be used to soften the effects of hot food, while wines with acidity encourage the development of saliva to cool the mouth. Be very wary of tannic wines, as the heat in spicy food often accentuates tannins in wine

Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh Telephone: +44(0) 28 6632 3481 www.killyhevlin.com | info@killyhevlin.com

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competition

The COVERwest Feature Writers’ Competition Think you’ve got what it takes to be a magazine feature writer?

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OVERwest Magazine in association with Goldenegg Productions, is running a competition for fledging writers in a bid to find the best of the North West’s writing talent. All you need to do is submit a feature of work of no more than 1,200 words, on whatever subject you choose.

Over the next few issues, COVERwest Magazine will publish our favourite competition entries from that month, all of which will go forward as shortlists for the competition.

Shortlisted story writers will also be in with the chance to become regular contributors to the magazine.

The winner, who will scoop a six-month freelance publishing

contract with the magazine, will be announced in an upcoming issue.

To consider…

• All entries to be no more than 1,200 words • Pictures/ photographs can also be submitted with the article • Writing style and tone will be taken into consideration, as will punctuation, grammar etc.

• Deadline for competition entries is February 14 2011 • All entries to be sent to the editor, Jo Lavelle at editor@coverwestmagazine.com

Apple iPad store.apple.com Starting from €499/£429

Samsung Galaxy S €489/£499.95 on pay as you go Carphone Warehouse, Letterkenny Shopping Centre, Letterkenny, Donegal 1800 719998 Carphone Warehouse, Erneside Shopping Centre, Enniskillen, Fermanagh 0870 1421523

Sony Bravia LCD TV £399 Reilly’s, Enniskillen 028 66323445 www.reillysofenniskillen.com

Canon EOS 10MP Digital SLR Camera Argos www.argos.co.uk £349.99

Fujifilm Camera £69.00 McElwaine Electrical, Enniskillen 028 66325153 Domestic Appliance Centre, Omagh 028 8224 3601

Gadget Fix Searching for the perfect gift? We’ve selected some of the best gadgets available in the North West and with everything from clock radios to wi-fi enabled phones, there’s something to suit every budget.

Happy shopping!

HP Laptops Curry’s Starting from €600

Phillips 7” Portable DVD Player £99 Hayes TV, Cavan 049 4375200 Domestic Appliance Centre, Omagh 028 8224 3601

Argos Clock Radio £4.49 Argos www.argos.co.uk

PS3 Move Starter Pack €59.99/£49.99 GAME www.game.co.uk

Sony CX115E Camcorder £469.99 McElwaine Electrical, Enniskillen 028 66325153 www.mcelwainegroup.com

motoring

Best Buys

Looking for a new car this year? Check these out for fit…

WESTERN CARS 5 TOP TIPS FOR TROUBLE-FREE MOTORING THIS WINTER. MAKE SURE TO CHECK: 1. Lights: Switch on all lights including; sides, full beam, indicators, brakes and fogs. It’s recommended to have another person on hand to help you with this.

2. Wipers and Washer level: Lift up your front and rear wipers to check for rips, tears and signs of wear. Then lift the bonnet to locate washer bottle and top up with water and some screen wash; this helps to prevent the water from freezing up.

3.Tyres: Check your tyres are at the correct pressure.

Examine each tyre for signs of wear which gives a smooth appearance or signs of steel protruding. Get replaced immediately if you see signs of wear.

4.Coolant: Lift bonnet and look for a small plastic container with a pink or green liquid and ensure it’s at the correct level indicated on the container.

5.Oil: Lift bonnet to locate the oil tank. Pull up the oil dipstick and ensure the level is at the correct mark indicated on bottom of stick. If at low, top up with oil.

Western Cars will offer you a complete Winter Check free of charge by simply calling in or contacting the service department on 02866 321966

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Auris 2010

On sale in the UK from February, the new Auris 2010 sustains these core family hatchback values, but will also attract new customers who will appreciate marked improvements in style and interior quality and a more refined driving experience.

The new Auris 2010 features a series of exterior design changes which give the car a stronger Toyota family brand image and a more energetic and individual appearance. Customer feedback has influenced Toyota in the extensive improvements it has made to the interior in terms of quality, materials, ergonomics, comfort, storage and visual appeal.

AYGO FIRST

Since its launch in 2005, the Toyota Aygo has shaken up the A-segment, combining its cheap-to-run qualities with plenty of character and driving appeal. Now Aygo has been made an even more attractive prospect, with an even more efficient engine, new feature models and some mild styling tweaks.

The most important changes are under the bonnet, where the 1.0-litre VVT-i engine – a class winner in the International Engine of the Year award two years running – now benefits from the application of Toyota Optimal Drive technologies. This increases its efficiency even further, improving fuel economy to 62,8mpg

(manual, combined cycle) and bringing CO2 emissions down to a new low of 106g/km.

Compact on the outside, but big enough inside to carry a quartet of six-footers, Aygo couldn’t be simpler to hustle around crowded city streets.

Speed-sensitive power steering and a wheel-at-each-corner design make tight parking spots simpler to tackle, while optional Multi-Mode (M/M) transmission means clutch-free gear changes – a real boon in urban traffic.

Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 was the inspiration for a new market segment for compact SUVs when it was launched in 1994 and it has proved an enduring success ever since.

The Toyota Verso is a no-compromise choice for compact MPV customers. It is true to what the term MPV stands for – a multi-purpose vehicle – but doesn’t ask the motorist to make sacrifices where style, comfort, quality and driving pleasure are concerned. Combining practicality and safety with desirability, Verso appeals to customers who want and expect more than just a functional car.

The interior features an improved Easy Flat-7 folding system for the five rear seats designed to be even easier to operate. Special attention was paid to improving accommodation for all rear seat passengers, with significantly more room behind the third row of seats for load carrying.

Toyota Optimal Drive technology has increased engine power, while at the same time achieving reductions in emissions and better fuel economy. A six-speed manual transmission is featured as standard.

motoring

The Hyundai ix35 The ix35 offers the best of all worlds

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oupe looks, SUV style, MPV practicality, hatchback costs ...just a few of the things attracting us to the new ix35. Add to that new engines and transmissions that give hatchback-like running costs, design that challenges convention, technology that beats anything else in its price range and an appeal that transcends traditional sales sector and you’ve got one attractive car. the ix35 builds on an impressive SUV heritage, which has seen Hyundai continually feature in the top five brands for such vehicles across Europe. Yet despite its SUV breeding, the ix35 isn’t a straightforward Tucson replacement. Rather, it’s an entirely new breed of car. It takes the more popular aspects of its predecessor and combines them with attributes that will make it appeal outside the

WIN! One Ferrari Driving Experience Course – Half Day and One Porsche Driving Experience Course- Half Day in Rally School Ireland Monaghan New Ferrari Driving Experience and Porsche Driving Experience at Rally School Ireland Monaghan To enter : call 00353 (0) 47 89098 or log onto our website www.rallyschoolireland.ie or email us on info@rallyschoolireland.ie

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conventional SUV sector. It takes up the same amount of space on the road as a C-Segment hatchback and has prices to match. This makes it certain to appeal to customers who would normally consider a Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra or VW Golf. Despite the compact size, the ix35 can rival an MPV for practicality. The boot space is larger than a Ford C-Max, for example and there are plenty of family-friendly features to keep parents and children happy and comfortable. Designed, developed and engineered in Europe at Hyundai’s state-of-the-art R&D centre in Ruesselsheim, Germany, the ix35 draws many of its styling cues from the ix-onic concept car, first seen at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. It introduces styling cues, such as its hexagonal front grille, that will go on to appear in future Hyundai models. Also new are a 1.6-litre GDI petrol and 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engine, along with a newly-developed six-speed automatic transmission which will also appear in other Hyundai models. Priced from only £16,495 on-the-road, the ix35 range has equipment levels that no rival can even dream of matching. The entry-level Style model is less expensive to buy than a basic Ford Focus, yet includes such features as 17-inch alloy wheels, ESP, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, heated front and rear seats, electric heated door mirrors with integrated LED-type side repeaters, leather steering wheel and gearknob, reverse parking sensors and a trip computer. The Premium model is even more comprehensively equipped, with 18-inch alloys, a double-length panoramic glass sunroof, automatic headlights, chrome door handles, chrome interior trim, cruise control, dual zone climate control with humidity sensor and Ioniser, electric folding door mirrors, front windscreen wiper de-icer, keyless entry with engine start/stop button, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers, part-leather upholstery and roof rails, plus optional leather seats, touch-screen sat-nav and a reversing camera.

John Armitage Monaghan Bros, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh 02867721354 www.monaghanbros.co.uk

home Make your house a home with our ideas for your interiors

Luxurious carpets

Kingston Carpets of Enniskillen is Fermanagh’s leading carpet retailers with over 200 rolls of quality carpets and vinyls in stock from all the leading manufacturers. It also stocks a huge range for modern and traditional rugs and hall runners. It has recently became an agent for Nourison, a world leader in hand carved wool carpets and rugs. The Nourison ranges are unrivalled in quality and design. Visit the new website www.kingstoncarpets.com where you can order free samples online or call instore at Kingston Carpets, Ely Place, Forthill Street, Enniskillen. 028 6634 2727

CLASSIC BEAUTY Porsha Stone boasts the largest selection of mosaic and marble stone in Ireland. The company distributes a wide selection of natural stone products including marble travertine, stone sinks and accessories for both residential and commercial use. Porsha Stone add timeless elegance and classical beauty to any home.

Come and visit the showroom today to ensure the best price, quality and choice in the whole of the Northwest. Porsha Stone is located in Kesh Co. Fermanagh 028 6863 2200

HEAVENLY HEAT So many people are replacing their electric fires with wood burning stoves, and here’s why: Gas and electricity prices are soaring, meaning wood burning stoves are a cheap way of running a domestic heating and hot water system. Burning wood produces significantly less carbon emissions than burning fossil fuels and commerciallymanufactured wood chips and wood pellets are made from recycled waste, so a wood burning stove is better for the enviroment. Installing a woodburning stove has a very positive effect on your home’s BER rating, which may effect its rent or resale value in the future. You can’t beat a real fire on a cold winter’s day. Check out the large selection of wood burning stoves in Mullen Domestic of Enniskillen www.mullendomestic.com 028 66325278

NATURAL BEAUTY Biscay by Mark Webster is a contemporary furniture line containing bedroom, dining and occasional pieces. This beautiful collection, made of solid oak and oak veneer, marries sleek, modern lines with a classic material and will look stunning in any new home. The full Mark Webster range is available at The Oaks Furniture and Interiors, Enniskillen, Co. Femanagh 028 66347734 www.theoaksfurniture.com

Design Masterplan

BY GORDON ANNAN OF ANNAN INTERIORS

Fancy turning your house into a home? Follow Annan interior’s seven success essentials to ensure your makeover is an interior design masterplan.

Firstly clarify your objectives, irrespective of whether you are doing only décor in one or two rooms or the entire house.

worth phasing the work and thereby spreading expenditure to achieve a quality result.

What do you want to achieve by doing the work?

Find a designer with which you have good two-way communication

Good colour schemes and dramatic soft furnishing are futile if the space planning is not well thought-out. This includes furniture layouts and the fundamentals of the spaces linking together.

Keep your thinking of the ‘nice bits’ of the soft furnishing and colour schemes to their proper position in your master-plan – the end, since interior decoration is really only the latter part of the interior design process. In other words, try to apply a systematic approach to the whole thing, starting with common sense responses to what will work for you.

Know your approximate budget

This is very important. For example, a contemporary restrained style requires a high standard of detailing and quality furnishing if it is to be convincing; subsequently, it can be more expensive to create a minimal look than a rustic look – which is more forgiving on workmanship standards and detailing. It might be

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Personal recommendation is often a good start here, particularly if you like what you see in another home. Another effective way in Ireland (north or south) of doing it is to contact the professional body The Interiors Association www.theinteriorsassociation.ie.

There you will actually be not only able to find accredited designers in your area, but select one for the level of service you want such as décor only, or full planning and project management etc.

You may think you can do it yourself but qualified and experienced designers not only have the flair and skills required but often many years of a build-up of good contacts for products and trades people. In fact, designers often have many facilities ‘in house’ such as curtain making, furniture fitters etc and even regularplumbers and electricians on hand. Designers are lateral thinkers and you need to be open-minded about early concepts since as the end of the day, their job is a vision of the finished result before it starts!

interiors Have a look at Terence Conran’s ‘The House book’ – the early chapter entitled ‘A Taste for Simplicity’ gives an insight into the criteria behind good design and how the level of integrity in design schemes is a good yardstick for success evaluation. Designers don’t try to re-invent the wheel by designing and getting furniture made since more effective alternatives, often with a higher quality and finish, are already available. This is where you can really use a designer’s sourcing contacts and abilities.

Address elements which will require ‘surgery’ first eg lighting design

This is crucial and I alluded to it in the first point of the masterplan. Lighting design (even for one room) should really have a drawn plan as part of your/your designer’s instructions. Money is only well spent on furnishing if there is strategic lighting to show it off.

This could include dimming, concealed lighting, accent lighting, all of which are key to mood setting. I find myself continually preaching that lighting design is inextricably linked with interior design. Indeed, it should be planned as soon as you know the general interior design.

Other elements need to follow on from that both in terms of selection and when they happen on site – such as sanitary ware and tiling. Sometimes, the obvious has to be stated – these elements can involve long lead times apart from the fact that they need fixed on site long before the curtains are hung!

Bring all the elements together, both those above and the colour schemes/finishes/details, and make decisions on them The traditional way a designer presents this is a mood board; this is still very relevant as an expedient overview of the style and flavour of the scheme. Depending on the type of project, drawings are a help and these should be to scale – not necessarily computer-generated.

This point is the ‘nitty gritty’ of the scheme and the point where professional project organisation still won’t make a scheme work if the style or theme is not to your liking.

Firm up on the procedural plan and get all the elements costed

You need to do this before any work commences. Depending on the scale of the job, an architect may even be involved or other

professionals, but most interior design re-furb or new build interior schemes can have costings collated by interior designers who can then project manage if required.

Advance quotations are vital to avoid costly extras and ensure smooth implementation on site once started.

Flavour evaluation – in advance!

This is really a virtual tour and you need to talk it through not only with your designer, but with those who will be experiencing the interior…probably your spouse and /or family before work (battle!) commences.

Most of all, embrace the experience and enjoy the journey as well as the result!

GORDON ANNAN – Annan Interiors Ltd As principal of Annan Interiors, Gordon Annan has some thirty years experience working as an interior designer since graduating from Belfast College of Art & Design. His flair for a very purist design attracts clients from all over Ireland and the Annan Interiors showroom in Enniskillen is a real appetite whetter for those inspired by good design. The clarity and strength of his work is at its best in the modern home punctuated with his very established contacts with Europe’s top designer brands.

Annan Interiors Ltd, 6 Portland Business Park, Tempo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh BT74 4RH www.annaninteriors.com 028 66340055

interiors

The New Going Out The term ‘staying in is the new going out’ has never been more true than this year.

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Furniture and accessories from Bo Concept

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hile those weekly trips to your favourite restaurant may be put on hold for the time being, it shouldn’t mean that your social life suffers with it. With a little imagination and effort, you can turn your own home into an entertaining haven, meaning you can still have all the fun, while being smart on the financial front.

To start the ball rolling, firstly chat to your friends and come to some kind of an ‘entertaining rota’ agreement.

Let’s say you all meet up in a different house once every three weeks or once a month; this means you’re not left with all the hard work, it means a change of scenery, and it means your social life is still kept afloat at a minimum cost.

Do up a budget and stick to it; a great night’s entertainment doesn’t have to cost the earth. With some smart planning and shopping around, you could easily put on a fantastic spread for well under £100.

Don’t leave everything until the last minute – do up a menu, something simple. Remember, it’s the company that counts so something tasty, easy and unpretentious will be as much appreciated than something fussy and expensive. Then shop around for the best deals; splurge on the meat – then you can be a little more frugal with the rest. Make the desert yourself – people always appreciate a bit of home cooking; you could make this the night before the meal. Wines can either be bought in bulk and used for additional dinner parties; there are great deals on at the moment in many of the local wine stores, or head to your local supermarket.

With the food organised, ambiance is next on the list. So many people underestimate the power of good lighting – get it right and the ambiance is made, get it wrong and people will be squirming uncomfortably in their seats all night without knowing why. Two or three low lit lamps always work well – as long as the guests can see their food, you’re usually safe but as a general rule, the dimmer the better. Candles are a must on the table also, all the better if you can scatter them throughout the room, or indeed throughout the house.

“Dinner party music should be background music, so just about audible.”

Burn a couple of scented candles for an hour or so before guests arrive, especially in the bathroom.

Have a cosy and relaxed area set out for when the guests arrive. Drink should be in hand and guests should be nibbling away on some olives or veg sticks and dips within five minutes of arriving. Keeping guests entertained and comfortable while you buy some time in getting dinner ready is invaluable. A half an hour to an hour is usually sufficient time to allow guests to chill out and work up an appetite before dinner is served.

The house should be warm, but not too much so, it’s a good idea to turn off the heat just before guest arrive – drinks, combined with dinner and ten people in a

room tends to get temperatures rising anyway. Keep guests topped up with drinks at all times, but remember to keep the water jug topped up too!

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usic is of essence. Something soft and melodious usually works well. Dinner party music should be background music, so just about audible, and never so loud that you find it infringes on conversation. Cuban, Spanish and French-style traditional music always works well.

Have it on auto so you don’t have to keep rushing over to change the CD. The bathroom is one place you can, strangely

enough, wow your guests. Leave plenty of candles lighting here so that guests do not have to turn on lights. A bunch of flowers in the bathroom is a lovely touch, and with the essential crisp white hand towels and some deliciously scented soap and hand cream make for a really pleasant bathroom experience.

While there’s nothing like a great party that goes on well into the wee hours, a few dinner parties like these and guests will start to avoid such nights to avoid the dreaded next day. While you want the night to be fun, try to go for a nice, relaxed, sophisticated evening where guests leave at a reasonable hour with a nice memory of the night…they’ll thank you for it the next day!

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ow more than ever people are veering towards renewable energy sources that are constantly being replenished through the cycles of nature.

The benefits include savings on electricity bills, reduced CO2 emissions, secure and stable energy supply for the long term, plus many more.

But what exactly are our renewable options? Options include solar energy (sun), wind energy, water energy (hydropower, wave and tidal energy), geothermal energy (heat below the surface of the earth and biomass (wood, waste, energy crops).

Solar Energy: The most obvious sign of just how popular solar energy has become is evident from the amount of solar panels popping up on rooftops around Ireland. The panels can provide around 60 per cent of the annual hot water requirements for homes and buildings. The system works through a solar water heater that produces hot water by transforming sunlight into heat through the panels. The heat is stored in a large hot water cylinder so that it is available when you need it. The great thing about solar panels in Ireland is that it converts both direct and indirect sunlight into heat, so it even works on a cloudy day.

Another way to make the most of the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural heating abilities is by passive solar design. What this means is that if you are building a new home, certain passive solar design principles such as facing a house south to capture the maximum sunlight, can help to reduce energy bills by ten per cent. There are many solar energy specialists who can advise you on the best solar options for you, whether you are at the pre-building stage or own an older house.

Get Energy Aware Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention had shifted towards renewable energy sources long before the recession hit our economy. COVERwest looks at the opportunities that now exist for homeowners to make use of these resources and reduce energy costs.

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Wind Energy: Since we are quite literally a rock in the middle of the ocean, Ireland has ample amounts of wind energy that can be tapped into. More and more households are turning to wind turbines, which are grant-aided to a certain degree, and are an alternative souce of energy. The sun heats the earth unevenly, creating thermal air pockets. In order to achieve equal temperatures around the earth, these air pockets move about the earth as wind. The energy that travels in the wind can be captured and converted to provide electricity.

This type of energy is a clean, sustainable energy source, without the emission of greenhouse gases.

Geothermal: Geothermal or ground source heat pumps are another form of renewable energy that is ideal for the Irish climate. The pumps collect heat from solar energy in the ground and are an excellent energy source for underfloor heating in particular.

With running costs much lower than conventional heating systems, geothermal pumps are ones to watch if you are seriously considering going the green route.

TOP SAVING HOME ENERGY TIPS HOT WATER You would be amazed at what you can save in a year when you turn your hot water cylinder thermostat to 60°C/140°F. LIGHT BULBS Save a considerable amount each year when you fit an energy efficient bulb. If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then replace it with an energy-saving equivalent – which will use around a quarter of the electricity.

KETTLES Heat the amount of water you really need and if you're using an electric kettle, make sure you cover the elements.

New build with solar panel awning.

Biomass: Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass. The process of photosynthesis is an integral part of the bioenergy system. The photosynthesis process uses solar energy to combine carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with water and various nutrients from the soil to produce plant matter – biomass. There are different types of biomass used to provide bioenergy including wastes streams, recycled wood, agricultural residues and agrifood effluents, manures and separated household waste and sewage sludge. When biomass is upgraded, it is transformed into biofuel like wood pellets. More and more Irish people are opting for wood burners as an alternative to peat and coal to heat their homes with grants available to upgrade systems easily and efficently. A modern wood burning stove can achieve efficiencies of up to 80 per cent, compared to only 20 to 30 per cent for a traditional open fire.

Grants: With pressure mounting on the government to reduce

the country’s emissions, programmes are available for households which contribute to the initial investment cost of installing a renewable energy heating system. The Greener Homes Scheme (Phase 2) provides grant assistance to homeowners who intend to purchase a new renewable energy heating system for either a new or existing home. The scheme is administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) and its objective is to increase the use of renewable energy and sustainable energy technologies in Irish homes. Check out www.sei.ie for more information on the grant schemes and for information on renewable energy sources.

Building Energy Rating (BER): The EU has identified that improving the energy efficiency of buildings will help countries comply with the emissions targets of the Kyoto Protocol. As part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate, which is effectively an energy label, will be required at the point of sale or rental of a building, or on completion of a new building, or on completion of a new building.

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HEATING Cut ten per cent off your heating bill by turning the thermostat down by just 1°C. TELEVISION, HI-FI AND COMPUTERS Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set.

Standby can use as much as 10 per cent to 60 per cent of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on. Also, don't forget to turn your computer monitor off, as it too wastes electricity if left on.

KITCHEN APPLIANCES When buying new appliances like fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines, ensure that they have a high energy rating.

TUMBLE DRIERS Tumble driers use up a lot of electricity so try and avoid using them. Instead, opt for washing lines or airers.

FRIDGES/FREEZERS Don't leave the fridge or freezer door open, this means the fridge uses more energy to cool itself back down due to the cool air lost opening the door.

INSULATION Upgrading loft and, where possible, cavity insulation, will save energy in your home by reducing energy losses through the building fabric.

Belthan & Paul tie the knot

Belthan and Paul Mc Cann were married at St Patricks, Milltown Cavan Slieve Russell on 6 June 2010.

Photos by Conor Lunny, conor@lunnyimaging.com

Karla and Chris tie the knot Karla & Chris Moore were married recently in Castle Upton.

The reception was at Wild Duck Inn, Portglenone.

Photos by Conor Lunny, conor@lunnyimaging.com

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Rupert and Lianne tie the knot Lianne Harding & Rupert Lugg were married in St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Libellaw in Kilhevlin on 3 of August 2010.

Photos by Conor Lunny, conor@lunnyimaging.com

Ryan and Diane tie the knot 30th August 2010 Diane and Ryan Wilson were wed at St. John's Church of Ireland, Fivemiletown Corick House, Clogher Photos by Erica Irvine, www.ericairvine.com

Cheryl & Alan tie the knot

Cheryl Henry and Alan Veitch were married 17th July 2010 Christ Church of Ireland, Maguiresbridge.Their reception was held at the Killyhevlin Hotel.

Photos by Erica Irvine, www.ericairvine.com

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weddings

Olivia and Richard tie the knot Olivia and Richard, pictured following their cermony at St Aidans Church, Butlersbridge. Their wedding reception was held at the Radisson Blu SAS Farnham Estate Hotel, Cavan

Colette and James tie the knot Colette & James on their wedding day pictured on the grounds of the Radisson Blu SAS Farnham Estate Hotel, Cavan

Denise and Derek tie the knot

Photography by Finbarr Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue www.odonoghuephotography.ie

Denise & Derek were recently married at St Aidan's Church, Butlersbridge.

They held their reception was held at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan.

The perfect fit Pictured on the grounds of the Radisson Blu SAS, Farnham Estate.

Siobhan & James tie the knot The girls kicking up their heels up. in the grounds of the Slieve Russell Hotel.

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Siobhan & John take some time out after their wedding ceremony at Crom Estate before joining their guests at the Cavan Crystal Hotel

Niall and Siobhan tie the knot

Nicole & John tie the knot

Siobhan & Niall were recently married, with their reception at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan..

Nicole & John were recently married with their reception at the Radisson Blu Farnham Estate Hotel, Cavan.

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