Northern Woman May 2017

NORTHERN WOMAN

woman

NORTHERN

May 2017 £2.50/€3.95

The 5:2 MAY 2017

digital detox

Imelda May on heartbreak, healing & her new album

Local ladies IN THE RING

VOLUME 33

ISSN 1361-2735

NUMBER 5

9 771361 273013

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✱ UTILITARIAN WEAR ✱ DECONSTRUCTED SHIRTS ✱ BUCKETS & BACKPACKS

at Down Royal

Down Royal Racecourse

â„¢

at Down Royal

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Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th June Featuring richest flat race in Northern Ireland Magners Derby / Saturday 24th June

Day 1 / Friday 23rd June / first race 5:45pm (approx.)

Day 2 / Saturday 24th June / first race 2:10pm (approx.)

Magners Forbidden Flavours Best Dressed Lady Competition Cruise The Caribbean / Saturday 24th June with 3 nights in Miami / Departing 27 September 2017 Return flights from Belfast to Miami with British Airways 3 nights 4* Casablanca on the Ocean, Miami Beach / room only 7 nights on board MSC Divina / Cruise the Eastern Caribbean.

All-inclusive drinks on-board MSC Divina

Hospitality packages from ÂŁ60 Book now at www.downroyal.com #bestdressed #downroyal #magnersderby

CONTENTS MAY 2017

8 STYLE 8 SHIRT APPEAL This season’s hottest shirts 14 LUST LIST This month’s most wanted 16 BAGS OF CHOICE Backpacks, buckets and totes 19 WORK IT Utilitarian round-up FEATURES 27 IMELDA MAY Is Belfast bound 32 CLIMB THE CAREER LADDER Get noticed and get ahead 34 DIGITAL DETOX Take back your headspace 52 LOCAL LADIES IN THE RING NI’s female fighters BEAUTY 38 PRIME TIME Primer put to the test 40 #BEAUTY INSPO Hot off the catwalk 42 HERE COME THE BOYS The new beauty icons 44 ACCEPTABLE IN THE EIGHTIES Bigger, bolder, brighter HEALTH AND WELLNESS 49 TIME TO RUN Tara Grimes talks running 54 SHAPE UP Slim down for summer 56 IRIDOLOGY Tried and tested

Until Tomorrow Shirt, Australian Fashion Labels

4

Cover image from Stradivarius www.stradivarius.com

7 Credit: Stradivarius

Publisher Independent News & Media Ltd Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3GB T: 028 9026 4264

LIVING 59 SO LONG HYGGE Hello lagom 62 LESSONS IN GEOMETRY Seventies-inspired interiors 70 TREKKING TO EVEREST BASE CAMP How it’s done 72 LOCAL WEDDINGS

76 WHISKEY, ROCK ‘N ROLL Homage Charity Fashion Show 80 CULTURE VULTURE For all things arts related 82 DATES FOR THE DIARY 85 THE ALBUM Social pics 96 NORTHEN MAN 98 WIN A city break

Editor: Catriona Doherty Design: Robert Armstrong and Susan McClean Manager: Eileen Doherty Art Editor: Helen Wright Editorial Contributors Emma Deighan, Claire Craig, Davina Gordon, Lee Henry, Brendan Daly, Roisin Carabine, Kate Cody and Jane Irvine Independent News & Media © 2016. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of Independent News & Media.

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Welcome

Editor’s Letter

I

’m delighted to write this letter as Northern Woman’s new editor.

To begin I’ll tell you a bit about me. It’s fair to say I took the ‘windy road’ into journalism, by that I mean I trained as a secondary school English and Media Studies teacher first.

A few years into it, a friend of mine suggested moving to the Middle East for a year.

“It will be an adventure,” she promised, “one last blast” she said.

So off we went, one year turned into four a half and involved a career change. During a summer holiday trip home I rang up my local newspaper, the Inishowen Independent, and asked if I could come in and do some work experience. My first ever article was published and I was hooked! Journalism was the only job for me.

Following four months of hard graft teaching by day and writing by night, a position at Abu Dhabi Week magazine came up and I was lucky enough to get it. I travelled far and wide with work and highlights include reporting from the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh and wandering through the Lost City of Petra, Jordan.

Most recently, I wrote for a fantastic wedding title before joining Northern Woman. So that’s enough about me, now on to the magazine. NW readers will notice the publication has had a makeover. It features a lot more fashion than before - because well, we all like to look our best! From the deconstructed shirt to the cold shoulder, totes and backpacks, you’ll find it all and more in the May issue. With the addition of monthly feature ‘Lust List’ you’ll have no problem getting your hands on the very latest must-

haves, as everything pictured is available to buy locally.

In addition to looking good, feeling good is equally as important which leads me to our new Health & Wellness section, dedicated to the health of the body and mind. Every month we review an alternative therapy, starting off with iridology. And speaking of reviews the lovely ladies here at Independent News & Media have put primers to the test, and also try out three ways to slim down for summer. Find out how our dieters get on in the June issue (no pressure girls!).

And it’s not only NW sporting a sleek new look, Imelda May has never looked better. We catch up with the star prior to her Belfast and Derry/Londonderry gigs. In addition to that, we also bring you the very latest interior trends, inspiring stories, careers advice, beauty news, and the local events you won’t want to miss.

To celebrate the revamped Northern Woman, we have partnered with Victoria Square to bring you an afternoon of fashion and beauty on Saturday May 20 from 1 - 4. See you there!

Enjoy the issue, don’t forget to tweet or email us your thoughts and check in on our Facebook page for daily updates.

Until next month,

Catriona Doherty, Editor

Contact me at: c.doherty@independentmagazinesni.co.uk. Follow NW on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NorthernWomanMagazine.

Tweet us at: @NorthernWomanNW.

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STYLE

Credit: Oliver Bonas

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Style

Shirt Appeal A go-to workwear staple no longer, the shirt is spring’s must-have STRIPED It turns out our Dad was right all these years – a striped shirt is cool! Horizontal, vertical or a bit of both sewn together patchwork-style, anything goes.

Slouch Stripe Off Shoulder Top from Warehouse, £26

WWWR Runway Show New York, Getty

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Stripe Sleep Shirt from Simply Be, £20

Reconstructed Stripe Shirt by Boutique from Topshop, £75

Blue Striped Patchwork Shirt from TK Maxx, £16.99

Mixed Stripe Shirt from Warehouse, £39

B

Evelin Brandt Belfast: The New Season Collections have Arrived!

Bitte Kai Rand, Crea Concept, Cristina Gavioli, Evelin Brandt, Mos Mosh Jeans, Summum Woman and many more...

Evelin Brandt Belfast, Cadogan House, 322 Lisburn Road, Belfast. BT9 6GH Phone 028 9020 7020 www.evelinbrandt.co.uk Follow us on Facebook and Instagram #evelinbrandtbelfast

DECONSTRUCTED

Dubai FFWD, Getty Images

The deconstructed shirt is now leading the way as a fashion-forward wardrobe essential. Billowing bell sleeves, fronttie detail, deep cuffs and off-centre button fastening are just some of the updates designers have made to modernise the traditional shirt.

AMT Asymmetrical Stripe Shirt from ownthelook.com, £59.99

Studio by Preen from Debenhams, £50

Denim Stripe Shirt with Long Cuff and Open Back from ASOS, £35

Gingham Check Shirt from Bershka, £13.99

Bardot Blouse from Lipsy, £59 Linear Floral Shirt with Deep Cuff from Oliver Bonas, £49.50 (in shops July 2017)

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COLD SHOULDER The cold shoulder came to the fore in 2016 and is a trend that shows no sign of abetting, which is just as well because we love the look here at NW. Prepare to see lots of cut-out shoulders on distressed denim, snow white and gingham styles in shops this spring.

Red Stripe Cold Shoulder Shirt from New Look, £19.99

Sun Ray Frill Top from Oliver Bonas, £45

Mid Blue Cold Shoulder Denim Shirt from Simply Be, £28

AMT Off-the-Shoulder Collared Shirt from ownthelook.com, £49.99

10 West Street, Portadown, Co. Armagh, BT62 3PD. Tel: 028 3835 4907. Find us on Facebook • www.sitaramorgan.com

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DETAIL

New York Fashion Week, Getty

Think romantic ruffles, embroidered detail and colourful patches. Embroidery is having a serious fashion moment and can be seen in all variations, from just a touch on the collar or cuff to ornate patterns woven prominently on the front or back of the shirt.

Denim Ruffle Front Shirt from Simply Be, £35

Top tip

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Essentiel Antwerp Shirt with Sequin Detail from Peel, £146

Add a belt to accentuate your waist and ‘dress up’ your look if you are heading out straight after work.

Striped Shirt with Patches from Bershka, £19.99

Patch Military Oyster White from All Saints, £98

Embroidered Cotton Shirt from V by Very, £30

Alice Shirt from Chi Chi, £40

P Specialising in Mother of the Bride and Groom, Wedding Guests & Occasion Wear

Perfect Night 94 William Street, Lurgan 028 3834 2069

www.facebook.com/perfectnightlurgan

Lust List Northern Ireland buys –

this month’s most wanted

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Top, £174 and trousers, £185 by Summum Woman from Evelin Brandt

Top, £174 and trousers, £185, by Essentiel Antwerp from Peel

Sterling Silver Bespoke Crane Necklace from NI Silver Jewellery, £115 Pink Tie Waist Kimono Top by Label Lab from House of Fraser, £59 Dress by Gina Bacconi from Jourdan, £240 Peter Pan Collar with Red Lips and Lipstick Rhinestone Detail from By Sam Mercer, £20

Lace Skater Dress by Ted Baker from Victoria Square, £249 Freddy Jeans from Cuba Clothing, £55

Vintage Tie Dress from Next, £58

Washed Denim Jeans

by Sandwich Clothing from Jonzara, £85

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Backpack from New Look, £19.99

Rosie Leather Festival Backpack from Accessorize, £55

BACKPACKS ARE BACK Flinging on our shiny new backpack we are reminded of our school days, only this time around we are not weighed down by a tonne of books. The trick to pulling off the trend is to opt for a mediumsized style ; too small a bag and you will look like you are back in the nineties.

Icaro M Backpack from Furla, £405

BAGS

OF CHOICE

Tori Backpack Bag from Monsoon, £35

Backpacks, buckets and totes pack a serious style punch this spring

Dieberpalm Backpack from Dune, £60

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Woven Tweed Smart Zipped Backpack from Cath Kidston, £55

THINK BIG Basic, functional and fashion forward, an oversized tote will do everything from stash your iPad for meetings to carry your plane-essentials while on the move. For ladies who like to carry everything they own around in their handbag; the spacious tote is the one for you.

Mini Raffia Tote Bag from Dune, £55

Brighten yo

Perfect Tote Bag from White Stuff, £45

day ur

Nikki Sleek Two Tone Tote from Oliver Bonas, £42 (in shops June)

Ralph Lauren Runway at New York Fashion Week.

Holi Orange Large Tote Bag from Bimba Y Lola, £290

Slaven Vlasic, Getty

BUCKETS OF STYLE From fringed to embroidered, studded or plain, the bucket bag makes a refreshing change from the classic handbag and comes in an array of colours this spring. Choose brightly coloured, neutral or white for a bag that is on-trend and entirely functional.

play nd

yle for work a St

Bucket Bag from Bon Prix, £14.99 Uptown Beauty Small Blue Bucket Bag from Follie Follie, £155

David Buchan, Getty

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Hillsborough Castle The magniďŹ cent Hillsborough Castle, spectacular and truly unique events hrp.org.uk/hireavenue 0844 482 1905 Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

HRP's Hillsborough Castle Private - Northern Woman May 2017.indd 1

10/04/2017 16:42

Work

IT

Rock the utilitarian trend this spring; think streamlined silhouettes, oversized pockets, luxe jumpsuits and functional workwear-inspired pieces Shot on location at Titanic’s Dock & Pump-House, Belfast

Jacket from Evelin Brandt £209.90; trousers from Next £34; bag from Next £22

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Shirt from Evelin Brandt £249.90; top from The Rosh Collection £59; skirt from ASOS was £25 now £7; earrings from Next £8; belt from Next £18

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Shirt from Next £35; trousers from The Rosh Collection £219; earrings from Next £4

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Mac from ASOS was £50 now £30; top from River Island £35; trousers from Next £28; belt from Evelin Brandt £29.90; necklace from The Rosh Collection £69

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Shirt from ASOS £34; trousers from Next £38; bag from Next £30; shoes from Next £45; sunglasses from Next £12

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Photography Brendan Gallagher 07900 638365 brendangallagher.net Styling Eve Brannon – Fashion Stylist 07817 597067 www.evebrannonfashionstyling.com Hair Gemma Managh Styling Session 07535 975892 www.facebook.com/GemmaManaghStylist Makeup Samantha Weightman Make-Up Artist 07866 315279 www.samanthaweightman.com Model Naomi Kilpatrick @ ACA models acamodels.com Location Titanic’s Dock & Pump House www.titanicsdock.com

Mac from Next £65; jumpsuit from ASOS was £32 now £16; belt from The Rosh Collection £105; sunglasses from Next £12

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Feature

Why

Imelda May is no longer ‘crying black tears’ 27

BY CATRIONA DOHERTY

I

f you have ever had your heart broken you will have some understanding of just how painful that can be; a feeling Irish musician, producer and singersongwriter Imelda May knows only too well having split from her husband Darrel Higham of 13 years. She has channelled that emotion into brand new album Life. Love. Flesh.

Blood. Raw, heartfelt and soulful, it’s said to be ‘the most personal and intimately autobiographical album’ Imelda May has ever written. Ahead of her upcoming concerts in Northern Ireland we talk to the star.

Imelda May is set to headline the five-day City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival. The concerts coincide with the launch of her latest album that features the song Black Tears, which some readers may remember from Jools Holland’s Hootenanny special on New Year’s Eve. Later in the month Imelda performs at the Belfast Waterfront on May 27 and she took time out from her busy schedule to talk to Northern Woman.

‘What can fans expect from your Derry and Belfast gigs?’ we begin.

“I’m going to be doing mostly the new album with my band – there’s a few more of us now, and I will perform a few older songs as well,” Imelda replies with a strong Dublin lilt, “I can’t wait!”

When not on stage in Northern Ireland Imelda plans on not having a plan. She says: “I will see if there are any gigs on; there are always great gigs going on in Belfast.

I don’t get a lot of free time, probably just a couple of hours, but I love to ramble. I love not having a plan and seeing where something takes me as this always works out better for me and I always land on my feet.”

Love and life When asked what inspired the name of her new album Life. Love. Flesh. Blood the artist replies:

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“Everything. Everything… the title just makes sense for me for the album. It gave me hope. The words life, love, flesh and blood are in the middle of a song that I wrote for the album called How Bad Can a Good Girl Be. I sing of life, of love, of flesh, of blood. I wrote the album over the course of a year. When I’m writing I feel like I put all of my life into it. I have written about love in all its glory – the ups and downs. I have written about flesh and desire; we are all human. And I have written about family.”

Track Black Tears tugs the heart strings right from the opening verse with poignant lyrics: Black tears One will fall for every good year Rolling down my face Inside I’m dying Outside I’m crying black tears Commenting on the song Imelda says: “You wear eye makeup, you bawl your eyes out and mascara runs down your face.

I was having a difficult time and I came

µµI sing of life, of love, of flesh, of blood∑∑

home and looked in the mirror and that’s what I saw, black tears dripping down my face. Most women will have had their hearts broken, guys too, but they won’t know what it is like to have black tears unless they wear mascara!”

To those who are going through a breakup at the moment Imelda has the following advice: “Make sure you keep your family and friends close to you and lean on them. It’s really tough, even if it is for the best it’s

still hard. It was important for me that my daughter was happy. Keep busy. Pull yourself together. Write it all down – it’s cathartic. I started to run, I don’t kill myself running or anything – I stopped to walk when I felt like it, but it is good to get out and it gives you headspace and time to yourself. I also found wine helps and shopping!”

Continued on 30 ➤

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What’s next?

Those difficult post-breakup days are behind Imelda now and she has planned an action-packed year ahead. The singer is in hot demand and she tells NW of her schedule touring Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Europe and America later this year and reveals she is itching to put pen to paper again. She says: “I’m ready to write another album now although my manager might have a heart attack when I suggest it,” she breaks off laughing.

“I have no idea what my next album will be but I absolutely love not having a plan.

For this album I had no plan and it was very liberating following my heart and following my gut.”

Imelda may not have had a plan in place but she did have some input from famous friend; U2 frontman Bono.

“Bono has been really, really good,” Imelda enthuses. “We sang together at the 3Arena in Dublin and it was a fabulous experience. I had a great time and it was a real thrill for me. We met up again at a charity gala in Africa when we were seated at the same table and Bono said, ‘If you ever need a hand get in touch – I know how crazy it gets writing an album. If you need advice give me a shout’. So I did and Bono was very good at advising me. I said I wanted to create art and he advised me on that.”

µµBono said, ‘If you need advice give me a shout’. So I did.∑∑ The new do Known for her rockabilly style and signature blond quiff, the singer looks almost unrecognisable with her blunt fringe and more demure appearance. And the reason behind the dramatic change of image...

“I just felt like a change. Nobody wants the same haircut for seven years or to be stuck in a rut. My life is changing and this is reflected in my new look. I needed to have a change musically and I needed to have a chance of hair too. With the quiff I didn’t feel like myself any more and I wanted to feel like me.”

‘A new look, a new album… what about a new man?’ we ask. ‘Are you dating anyone at the moment?’

Imelda hesitates for a suspiciously long time before replying: “I might and I might not be. I’ll see where this leads. I’m not planning on running off into the sunset. I was married for a long time. I enjoy being taken out for dinner, it’s nice…” She laughs and trails off, her lips are sealed it seems.

We have no idea who Imelda’s lucky dinner date is but one thing we are certain of is – Imelda May is a star on the rise. n

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17 Charlemont Street, Moy, BT71 7SL Telephone: 028 8778 9955. Find us on

CA RE ER LA DD ER Climb the

others how amazing we are in our chosen fields.

From an early age, we’re taught to put our heads down and work hard to get top marks, but while dedication will always stand us in good stead for getting ahead, we need to do more.

BY JANE IRVINE

Confidence is key According to a leading Northern Irelandbased HR consultant, we need to be increasingly vocal about our skills and talents to get where we want to be in the workplace. Emer Hinphey, co-founder of Belfast-based Talent Development & HR consultancy Think People, says confidence is key when it comes to career success.

“Culturally we are not as good at showcasing our achievements as some other nationalities,” Emer begins. “The Americans have a reputation for being more competent in asserting their capabilities. We seem to have humility built in to us, but we must learn to say what we’re good at. It’s simply about positioning it in a way that doesn’t come across as arrogant.”

hen your selfworth goes up, your net worth goes up’, according to the man behind the legendary Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Mark Victor Hansen, and he should know having made millions from the inspirational self-help books.

Yet often we don’t value ourselves enough to make even the smallest inroads to career progression. Ask for a pay rise - forget it. We’d rather plod on, weighed down with an ever-increasing workload than risk being told we’re not worth it.

Women are traditionally less likely to sing their own praises than men, and if you add in the typical Northern Ireland reticence and inbuilt preference for hiding our lights under bushels, you can see there is a job of work to be done in showing

Impostor Syndrome Emer continues, “There is a universal issue in that people do suffer from so-called Impostor Syndrome. It’s more prevalent among females and takes the form of a fear that one day somebody is going to catch us out. It all comes down to developing confidence in our capabilities, and we need to work on testing why we have these issues around our confidence and challenge ourselves on their validity.”

This modern-day afflliction was named

by Amercian psychologists who described it as a feeling of ‘phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement’. Sound familiar? If it does, then take some comfort in the company you’re keeping. Emma Watson, J-Lo, even Meryl Streep are reported to have confessed to not feeling worthy enough to do the job they’re in and live in fear of

How to get noticed and get ahead in the workplace

‘W 32

being ‘found out’.

Ridiculous a concept as Imposter Syndrome may sound, it’s very real, and unfortunately most of us will have some level of self-doubt about our abilities at different stages during our professional lives.

Prepare to succeed While there’s no substitute for hard work, often it’s not enough to secure our goals.

Preparation, says Emer, is everything.

“When it comes to discussing advancement at a senior level, you can’t go into the meeting winging it, with the hope that you’ll come across clearly, assertively and making your point well.

“It’s like any other influencing strategy in that you need to sit down, work out what it is you want to get and establish what your red line is. What will you not go below and what is your highest aspiration? Once you’ve established these points, then you need to get a strategy around why someone should give you that promotion or pay rise.

“Think about it from their perspective

and not yours. What value will you add and what problems of theirs will you solve?

Write it all down and go over it as often as you can, testing it with people you respect and who will challenge you to see if you are positioning yourself right for your audience and for the outcome you’re looking for.”

µµHard work will only get you so far∑∑ Network Perhaps even more challenging than shouting about our successes and believing in our abilities, is the requirement to network, yet it’s a crucial part of getting to where we want to be professionally, according to Emer, who says meeting and engaging the right people can make all the difference.

“In my experience people always talk about the value of networking and as my career has progressed I’ve realised that it’s

fundamental to success. You may want a network which is based around personal development, or you may seek a mentor network of people to support and advise you.

“Go out to events to try and establish contacts who might give you your next opportunity or refer you to others. However one of the big mistakes people make is to only undertake networking within their comfort zone.

“You have coffee with people you know quite well, but you need to evaluate what you’re getting out of it. Is it helping you in your business or giving you opportunities?

“Technology has transformed our networking capabilities, however while LinkedIn and other social media platforms have their place, our society operates on a face-to-face level.” Emer concludes, “In this part of the world we still like to see ‘the cut of someone’s jib’, the glint in their eye and the tone of their voice, which makes networking on a personal level an invaluable tool for making contacts who could make the difference to your career.” n

Pay rise please So you are ready to take the next step in your career and you know you deserve a higher paycheck at the end of each month – you will need to do a little groundwork to get what you want. Ask yourself, do you have the following…

✔ A clear understanding of what you want and what you have to offer An awareness of how to remove obstacles that are impacting on your performance A good understanding of how others see you A challenging and realistic career plan Determination to succeed A network of contacts that you have built up

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BY JANE IRVINE

Y

Digital detox Take back your headspace

34

ou wake up, you check your phone, and that’s before you even get out of bed. Sound familiar? If it does, you’re not alone. Recent research by mobile researcher Dscout found that the heaviest smartphone users click, tap or swipe on their phone 5,427 times a day. That’s the top 10 percent of phone users, but the rest of us still touch our phones 2,617 times a day on average.

With increasing smartphone interaction our lives are being lived online more than offline, so is it time for digital detox?

According to social media expert Conor Shanley, we simply don’t realise just how much time we’re spending on our phones.

“It’s something we do without even thinking,” says Conor. “Whether it’s text or WhatsApp, you might not really care about what you’re reading but you’ll still scroll through for fear of missing out.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves, as we feel compelled to feed back and post details to be social. Even though what appears on social media feeds like Facebook tends to be a polished unrealistic version of what life is actually like.”

Take stock As we become increasingly connected to our digital life, Conor advises taking stock of the amount of time spent on your phone and the number of devices you use on a daily basis.

“The average person will check their phone before they even get out of bed, then go to work and sit for eight hours in front of a screen while periodically checking their phone beside them.

“We need to keep track and see how

much time we’re spending. Ironically there are apps we can get to monitor our usage giving us a snapshot of how long we spend staring at the phone every day. The total time can be a surprising figure, as a percentage of your day. Watching TV, sitting in front of a computer, time in front of your phone… it all adds up to around 10 hours or more a day staring at a screen. We’re doing it without thinking about it.”

Go cold turkey It’s hard to go cold turkey but ask yourself could you go for a day without bringing your phone to work? 15 years ago people would have said that wouldn’t be an issue, whereas now they feel disconnected and separation anxiety kicks in.

Going cold turkey may seem extreme, but Northern Woman reader Ciara Sheils says it gave her a freedom she never expected to experience.

“Whilst on a yoga and detox retreat in India I was advised to also do a digital detox and I couldn’t believe how liberating it felt!

I left a landline contact with my family which made things easier.

“I put my mobile in the drawer and didn’t look at it for 10 days,” says Ciara, “giving myself more time to appreciate and enjoy my surroundings.”

Ciara says it’s hard to quantify the direct effect of her switch-off as she was also doing yoga and doing clean living, but she has since made changes to her online activity and has even deleted the Facebook app off her phone. She encourages others to look at ways of limiting their device reliance.

“I would totally recommend leaving your phone outside your bedroom at night to charge and bring back the old-fashioned alarm clock,” she says.

Once you’ve established over usage, it’s time to look at how you can limit time spent online. Conor says it’s all about making small adjustments and doing it in increments.

“If you are the sort of person who can’t go five minutes without checking your phone, start off by only checking your phone once every 30 minutes, or once an hour,” he advises.

“Ban devices from the table at mealtimes, - this is especially important for children, who are even more digitally immersed than we are. The average teenager sends 3,400

electronic messages from their bed!”

This terrifying statistic reflects our growing reliance on, and preference for digital communication as opposed to real-life social interaction. By the whole family cutting back on device time, healthy alternatives to digital addiction will soon become apparent.

“The more time you spend offline, the more benefits there will be. You’re more likely to engage with the people around you, get outside and exercise. You’ll discover you have more time for other things such as hobbies and spending time with the children as opposed to sitting in front of a screen,” Conor adds.

Unfriend or unfollow?

“Being on Facebook for up to ten years, we’ve added lots of people as friends and liked pages that might be relevant at the time but that we no longer care about,” Conor points out.

While defriending can have an impact on real-life relationships, Conor says hiding feeds is a good way to minimise clutter on your newsfeed. As someone who professionally monitors and moderates up to 10 Twitter feeds daily, he recommends only looking at the ones that are giving you value. Everyone else can be unfollowed.

“On Twitter you can unfollow pages easily, and it’s good to do this on an ongoing basis. There are tools I use for Twitter such as manageflitter.com which allows you to log in, analyse all the people you follow and see if they’re active or quiet, aiding you in the decision to unfollow or delete.

“There are also fun things we can do in social situations like phone stacking. When meeting friends for drinks stack phones on the table and the first to reach for their phone has to buy a round.”

There’s nothing like a financial penalty to keep you on target for minimising your daily digital activity, and making the break from excessive screen time can only be of benefit to ourselves and the people we should be interacting with.

5:2 digital detox Between smartphones, television and social media – it can seem impossible to get away from our screens. This is where the 5:2 digital detox comes in. Named after the famous 5:2 diet where you limit calories for

two days a week - the idea is to give yourself a complete break from screens of any kind for two days out of seven. A break will give your frazzled brain time to recover and enable you to rediscover your social skills.

To take up the 5:2 challenge choose any two days out of the week where you will go technology free. Obviously the weekend is best if you have an office job. As a general rule if you have to wonder if something ‘counts’ as technology then it does - sorry, that snazzy Apple Watch has to go.

Prior to the digital detox plan ahead, for example if you rely on Google maps then work out a route beforehand. You can use your phone for phone calls but switch off your emails, social media, WhatsApp and so on. App cans be deleted easily from your device and reinstalled later.

Be sure to tell your friends what you are doing so they don’t think you have disappeared, or better still get them to join you when you are together. If you fall off the wagon start again; even spending just a half-day technology free is better than nothing. Best of luck! n

Detox apps to help you break free from your phone Digital Detox Challenge for Android gamifies the tech diet by setting you challenges and pitting you against other users on the leaderboard.

Moment on iOS can tell you how much you’re using your phone, including the number of times you checked in per day and how many hours you spent using it.

ShutApp - Digital Detox has a timer that blocks apps for a certain amount of time.

Cold Turkey is a productivity tool for Microsoft’s Windows operating system that allows you to block apps or websites with a pre-set schedule that won’t be fooled by you changing the system time or shutting it down in the task manager.

Focus Lock is a free Android app that blocks social networks for a pre-set amount of time. There’s the option to just block specific apps according to which ones you’re using most.

Kitchen Safe is a time-locked jar which allows you to set the timer for anything from one minute to 10 days and once it’s closed, it stays closed, even if you take the batteries out. It works just as well for cookies as it does for devices!

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Exclusive Cup Fitting Lingerie Swimwear Beachwear

BEAUTY

Grizas, image courtesy of Evelin Brandt

37

Tried & Tested

Prime time

The experts explain why priming makes perfect

D

o you use primer before applying foundation? If not, you could be missing out a vital step in your beauty regime.

“Finding the perfect primer is essential for anyone looking for a flawless, long-lasting makeup application,” says Eimhear O’ Kane, Senior Makeup Artist at Inglot Belfast, Castlecourt. “The purpose of a primer is to create a protective barrier between the skin and the makeup. Primer also helps to smooth out the appearance of any fine lines on the face, fill pores and prolong the makeup.”

Dr. Om Prawarisa founder of OM Skincare describes primer as a ‘blanket for the skin’ that creates a smooth surface. She shares her do’s and don’ts for priming: ✲ If you are using a primer without any added skincare benefits I would recommend using a moisturiser before applying your primer as this helps to create an even finish. ✲ Wait a few minutes after you apply the primer before putting on your makeup. ✲ For a smooth, even finish, apply the primer with your fingers. ✲ Look for a primer with an SPF, it’s so important to protect the skin against UVA and UVB rays.

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Quick Fix, Hydra Charged Complexion Prep Priming Spray from Urban Decay, £23.50 I very much liked the fact that it’s a spray rather than a cream, as it’s quick to use in the morning.

When first sprayed on the skin, it felt a little sticky but within seconds the stickiness disappeared leaving my skin soft, hydrated and slightly firmer.

The coconut scent unfortunately is overpowering and although I am not adverse to the fragrance of coconut it was too strong for me.

The verdict: A great quick fix product that does what it says in the spray! My complexion did look more radiant, smoother and well hydrated. SB Flawless Brightening Primer from Barry M, £5.99 The primer has a lovely texture, it felt silky and smooth although I have very sensitive skin around the T-zone and this product aggravated my skin in this area. Initially there was a very strong chemical smell from the product. The primer is a purple colour and it blends into the skin easily. I found that my makeup stayed in place very well after use.

The verdict: I would not recommend this primer to anyone who has sensitive skin. ED Under Makeup Base from Inglot, £18 This Inglot primer had a creamy texture and it was easy to apply. I find a lot of primers drying on the skin but not this one. My makeup blended well, I liked the even finish and my makeup definitely lasted longer than usual. Make UP Base has a SPF 20 sunscreen which means it’s a good product to bring on holidays as it protects from UVA and UVB rays.

The verdict: Overall I was impressed and I would buy it again. AB Invisible Finish Primer from OM skincare, £42.50 I have quite sensitive skin but I am pleased to say the Invisible Finish Primer didn’t irritate my skin whatsoever. The product is tinted so it could be worn on its own or under foundation. The consistency is creamy and I found that my makeup definitely stayed put longer.

The verdict: One of my colleagues commented that my makeup looked lovely on the day I tested this primer. At £42.50 it’s more expensive than my usual one, however I would treat myself as I loved everything about it. CD

CONSIDERING COSMETIC SURGERY? If you are considering any type of cosmetic surgery procedure be sure to speak with the experts. River Medical is the leading specialist in cosmetic surgery in Northern Ireland.

Q&A

with Aoibhin Cronin

Registered General Nurse at River Medical.

What is the most common cosmetic surgery procedure?

The most common procedure is Breast Augmentation surgery, followed by liposuction and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

What about size, what is the average increase?

The majority of our patients go from an A cup to just a C cup. We’re talking a subtle increase in volume, a more feminine shape and most importantly, natural looking results.

Is breast reduction common?

The majority of breast surgeries are indeed augmentations but an increasing number of women are electing to undergo reduction, uplift and asymmetry procedures. Not a lot of people are aware but less than 10% of women have identical sized breasts.

What about face lifts?

Facial surgery is indeed on the rise. Patients can expect incredibly sophisticated and discrete results. A facelift is often performed in conjunction with other facial aesthetic procedures, such as a brow lift, forehead lift or eyelid surgery. An added bonus of a facelift is a nice lift to the neck which patients naturally love!

Do you see many male patients?

Interestingly, blepharoplasty or “eye lid” surgery is increasingly popular with men as they tend to be prone to “hooding” of the eyes in particular and eye lid surgery can really give a fresher, less tired appearance. Again, it’s a subtle look our patients are after.

What is the recovery period after surgery?

Naturally it depends on the surgery and everyone recovers differently but for Breast Augmentation surgery for example you can expect to take between seven and 10 days off work. If your job is physical you may need more time. We like our patients to stay in hospital over night to be monitored and then after they attend post-operative appointments back at our Lisburn Road clinic. Our aftercare is 24/7

93 Malone Road Belfast BT9 6SP

and lifelong should you ever need us. Naturally we go through all of this at consultation stage, well before surgery.

What is your opinion on travelling abroad for surgery so called “medical tourism”?

My personal opinion is please don’t travel for surgery. A surgery, whether cosmetic or otherwise is a surgery after all. You need to ensure you are in the safest and most experienced of hands and have the best medical aftercare available to you in the unlikely event of any complications.

What sort of questions should would-be patients ask a provider?

I would say to friends or family, ensure your Surgeon is a “Consultant Plastic Surgeon”, and qualified to the absolute highest level. I would also ensure that your surgery takes place in a fully accredited hospital and that you stay overnight. Aftercare is also incredibly important.

Ask your Surgeon how many procedures he has done – ask plenty of questions, these are just a few examples, when it comes to your health, cutting corners is never best practice.

River Medical has relocated to the Malone Road in Belfast.

To book a private and confidential consultation contact River Medical on 028 9560 7585 or visit www.rivermedical.co.uk

“The majority of breast surgeries are indeed augmentations but an increasing number of women are electing to undergo reduction, uplift and asymmetry procedures.”

028 9560 7585 info@ rivermedical.co.uk www.rivermedical.co.uk

Xxxxx xxxxxx Credit Lisa Maree Williams, Getty Images

Mark

Trending – beauty looks hot of the runway

Paris Fashion Week.

Credit Pascal Le Segretain,

BY CLAIRE CRAIG

Getty Images

Bronzer from Max Factor £9.99

New York Fashion Week. Credit Kris Connor, Getty Images

Illuminator from Tom Ford, £63

Get the glow

Fresh, dewy skin was a big feature on the catwalks this season. While a good skincare routine is the key to achieving the perfect base, the latest highlighters can help you cheat your way to a flawless finish.

New York Fashion Week. Credit Neilson Barnard, Getty Images

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Probiotic HydraGlow Cream Oil from Glowbiotics, £47

Chubby Stick Highlighter from Clinique, £19

Xxxxx xxxxxx

Just peachy Perfect for spring summer this super flattering shade works well on lips, eyes, cheeks and nails. From deep corals, to earthy terracottas and delicate apricots, peach is as versatile as it is easy to wear.

Teamed with lightly bronzed skin this pretty hue works equally well for a day or night time look.

Mango Orchid nail poish from Mavala, £4.95 Peach Pop cheek colour from Clinique, £16.50

Blusher in Soft Coral

True Coral Lip Colour from Tom Ford, £40

from Autograph at Marks & Spencer, £9.50 Saoirse Ronan.

Credit John Phillips, Getty Images for BF

Topshop

Feline fine Eyeliner is more artistic than ever this season. From feline flicks, to graphic outlines, patterns and rainbow coloured ticks, the eyes have it. Go graphic and sketch lines across your lid, wing it with a 60’s inspired classic or trace your lash line with a slick of colour. You’ll need a steady hand but there’s a good reason why beauty editors are dubbing this eye-catching look ‘try-liner’ - practice makes perfect.

Paris Fashion Week.

Credit Pascal Le Segretain, Getty Images

Eye Defining Pen Razor Sharp Liquid Eyeliner in Junkshow from Urban Decay, £17

from Tom Ford, £45

Waterproof Eye Liner Pencil in Gold from Clarins, £17.50 Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen from Clinique, £19

Chromaline, Primary Yellow from MAC, £16.50

41

There’s a new wave of beauty icons taking the blogosphere and mainstream media by storm. Brace yourself, here come the boys…

BY KATE CODY

W

hat do L’Oréal, Maybelline, and Covergirl all have in common? Well, in addition to cosmetics that can be found in most homes and billion dollar turnovers, they’ve also all included male ambassadors in their mainstream advertising campaigns.

These makeup-wearing Generation Z men are making a big impact on this female-dominated world, and at the same time are helping to challenge and change people’s perceptions of who can and should wear makeup.

It all started for these guys on social media where you can find plenty of male makeup powerhouses with millions of

Tim Owens

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followers and subscribers. Take professional makeup artist Angel Merino as an example.

Angel has 1.3 million people following his immaculate face on Instagram. His signature look is high gloss perfection, with plenty of highlight. This guy’s level of skill is serious and what better way to show it off than by demonstrating this on his own face, complete with fashionable stubble – manicured to perfection of course.

Just as talented is Tim Owens. Tim, or Skelotim as he is known online, takes the unique approach of matching his makeup to his snacks. This is my kind of man.

You’ll find Skelotim showing off his skills on YouTube, to over 50,000 subscribers. A personal favourite video is the surprisingly sultry Doritos-inspired tutorial, I’ve never seen anyone work orange quite as well! His YouTube channel is worth a visit.

It was only a matter of time before the momentum created by internet superstars like Angel and Skelotim made blue chip brands sit up and take notice. Diversity in the fashion and beauty industry is not a new debate, with many high-end fashion brands and media outlets being criticized for their lack of diversity. Only last month Vogue received backlash against the cover of their ‘Diverse’ issue, for ‘not being diverse enough’ in their choice of models, in terms of ethnicity and body shape.

But things are starting to change.

L’Oréal was the first beauty brand off the

mark to feature a male model in a colour cosmetics campaign, for its #YoursTruly True Match foundation. The brand commented that the 23 models picked to feature in the campaign, spanning the skin colour spectrum were considered to be the ‘most influential and inspirational ambassadors for diversity’. Gary Thompson, beauty blogger and makeup artist who featured in the campaign, has said that he feels that public perception has shifted in the last five years and he feels much more accepted by society as a man who chooses to wear makeup.

Then came COVERGIRL naming James Charles as their first male ambassador, featuring on their new So Lashy mascara campaign alongside music and blogosphere stars. 17-year-old James first started wearing makeup and posting on Instagram as a means of self-expression.

Last but certainly not least of our male make up models to be snapped up by a big brand, is Manny Gutierrez, the new face of beauty giant Maybelline’s That Boss Life campaign, promoting Big Shot Mascara.

With a massive three million followers on Instagram and two million YouTube subscribers, he is a force to be reckoned with. Manny made the decision to trade in medical school for makeup and hasn’t looked back since These self-titled ‘beauty boys’ are bold, brave and beautiful, tackling a female world head on, and we can’t help but wonder how long will it be before we’re comparing foundation and concealer notes with the boys at the watercooler at work? n

Health

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I originally started the oil because of my fibromyalgia, the difference in my pain levels are staggering. I am not pain free and never expect to be but, I can move around, using two walking sticks now down to one, the stiffness in my joints has reduced to less than half I had. The depression that plagued me has started to lift, the swelling in my legs has started to go. The shoulder pain that crippled me is now only a dull ache in my right shoulder. Still have pain in my neck and top of the spine but it’s only early days.

Why on earth are the NHS messing about! This is the wonder “natural” drug that could help so many people.

A superior quality ImproveMe CBD Cannibas oil, with life changing results!”

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cosmetech

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Mild to moderate incontinence Urinary urgency Vaginal laxity Pelvic prolapse Dryness Sexual dysfunction

THERMIva®, a new non-invasive treatment, is now available in Northern Ireland at Cosmetech.

“THERMIva® offers a non-surgical solution to many common gynaecology problems that can arise after giving birth. Rediscover your younger self today” - Professor Jim Dornan MD (Hons) FRCOG FRCPI

Contact us today to find out more about the procedure and our prices.

028 9042 3200 frontdesk@cosmetech.co.uk

Beyond Skin Clinic

A Deeper Understanding of Skin Care 5 Signs Your Skin Needs a Chemical Peel

E

very day your skin works hard protecting you from harmful ultraviolet rays, changes in climate, pollutants and other elements that do damage. But over time you’ll start to notice the signs of wear & tear. So what are the key signs that our skin is begging us for a bit of TLC? Here are the top five signs it’s time to head for a skin peel: 1. YOU DON’T RECOGNISE YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR It’s that moment when you feel sympathy for the person you’ve just caught a glimpse of in the mirror, before you realise that the reflection is yours! This person looks tired, their skin is dull and everything just seems to hang sadly from the frame of the face. This shock factor is the wake-up call that a revitalisation is required. Skin peels reduce uneven textures, reaffirm lacklustre elasticity and tighten slack, visible pores.

2. FINE LINES AND WRINKLES ARE TAKING OVER You spot that the fine lines and wrinkles, that were once only noticeable when you closely inspected them in the mirror, are having a maturing effect on your face. Whilst we can’t grind growing older to a halt, we can deceive our years by reducing the appearance of lines and creases, effectively stopping the clock on ageing skin. Radiant, younger-looking skin is just waiting to be revealed, using safe and natural ingredients.

3. ACNE OR RECURRING BLEMISHES ARE BRINGING YOU DOWN Scarring caused by persistent breakouts can deal a serious blow to confidence levels. It can feel like a constant drain on our ability to ‘just be’. Acne is caused by a number of factors, including an over-production of oil from the sebaceous glands, leading to blocked pores. The active enzymes contained within skin peels exfoliate, to remove dead skin cells from the face and body, and act as a deep-cleaning agent to get to the root of the problem.

4. PIGMENTATION HAS LEFT ITS MARK Pigmentation is caused by exposure to the sun’s damaging UV rays leaving unsightly dark spots on your skin. Sun spots and pigmentation such as this are the result of changes to the normal production and distribution of melanin. A broad spectrum SPF can help to prevent further damage occurring, but for areas that are already showing the tell-tale signs of harm, a skin peel works through the damaged layers, leaving flawless skin in its wake.

5. YOUR DAILY REGIME IS NO LONGER ENOUGH You’ve been hitting the ‘Cleanse Hydrate Protect Repeat’ routine for too long and your skin deserves a well-earned treat. Exfoliators, cleansers, and moisturisers are effective at keeping our complexions and dayto-day niggles managed, so if you invest in a routine that incorporates these products on a daily basis, you are already providing adequate care. But who ever said that ‘adequate’ yields outstanding results? The magic really occurs when we dig a little deeper and give our pores a real pampering.

The skincare consultants at Beyond Skin can help choose the right peel for your particular skin type. Treatment starts from just £60 per session.

Book a consultation today and give your skin the reboot it deserves.

www.cosmetech.co.uk 3fivetwo.com

PART OF THE 3FIVETWO GROUP BECAUSE LIFE MATTERS

14 College Street, Belfast. T: 028 9033 3858 • www.beyondskinclinic.com

43

Acceptable in the Eighties

t Get lo

Bigger, brighter, bolder

BY CLAIRE CRAIG

T

he eighties are having something of a renaissance this season. We’re talking big hair, bold eyes and bright blusher - this isn’t for the fainthearted. Models at the Marc Jacobs’ Resort 2017 show strutted the catwalks with candy coloured, crimped hair, heavily made-up eyes and lashings of glitter while both Kenzo and Chanel took blushing to the extremes, sending models out

44

Paris Fashion Week.

Credit Pascal Le Segretain. Getty images

with streaks of pink over cheekbones and eyelids.

Madonna, Debbie Harry, Boy George and Cyndi Lauper to name but a few, this is the era that sparked more style icons than any other. But if you’re not brave enough to go full blown Dynasty then fear not we’ve gathered a palette of highly wearable products to help ease you into your colour chameleon transition, because it’s time to go back to the eighties. n

Topshop

Glitterama 1. Glitter Pot from Topshop, £5 2. Mermaid Glow Highlighter from Lottie London, £5.95 3. Hold On Hairspray from Phil Smith, £4 4. BadGal waterproof eyeliner from Benefit, £17

Get the look

1

Bright blusher the Get ok lo

1

2

3

4

1. Lip Palette from Sleek, £8.99 2. Powder Blusher in Full Fuschia from MAC, £19.50 3. Pigment Pot in Hi-Def Cyan from MAC, £16 4. Rouge Edition Velvet gloss in Pink Pong from Bourjois, £8.99 5. Watercolour Blush in Trip from Daniel Sandler, £15.50

2

3

4

5

the Get ok lo

Bold eyes New York Fashion Week.

1

2

1. Ultimate Shadow Palette from NYX, £16 2. Full Spectrum Eye Shadow Palette from Urban Decay, £43

Credit Albert Urso, Getty Images

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In a tangle about what to do with your tired tresses as hazy summer days (we hope) beckon?

Read on…

Hot locks for summer

BY DAVINA GORDON

N

W has combed through the hottest hair trends of the season and picked the brains of a top local hair stylist to bring you summer styles that are wearable and refreshingly, all about being you. In fact, SS17 was much less about trends and more about the individual ethos of the wearer. So, with that in mind, here are three trends which you should be rocking this summer…

The new real Let’s start with a look that proudly parades itself as raw, real and yet powerfully feminine. Across the four fashion cities, models sported hair that was understated and shouted female empowerment.

Multi-award winning hair stylist Paul Stafford says, “The themes for our

46

Hair by Paul Stafford, Amy Cartwright and Aidan Bradley; styling by Sara O’Neill; makeup by DJ Griffin; photography by Lee Mitchell for Alfaparf Milano

Swinton and Debbie Harry latest collection stem typify this movement. Less from a shift in both extreme examples are Kristen fashion and hair from Stewart, Katy Perry and the conventional and Miley Cyrus. mainstream stereotypical “Our collection embraces concept of beauty to a the spirit of rejection: more individualistic and rebellion. The haircuts and authentic aesthetic. Hair colours invoke an eighties is more raw, less groomed and early nineties vibe with and has a personality in undercuts, strong colour and keeping with the wearer.”

Annie Lennox-style military Paul continues, “This crops. global movement can be “Conversely, natural seen in fashion campaigns, movement is on trend. Hair film, art and music and is an almost punk revolution Kristen Stewart. Credit Dimitrios that is freed of conformity and stiffness - the opposite of where the role models are Kambouris, Getty Images a blow dried do, and lots of individuals who reject beautifully splashed colour for anarchy and conformity of the female form. Die hard drama.” mavericks like Lady Gaga, Madonna, Tilda

New York Fashion Week. Credit Slaven Vlasic, Getty Images

stole the show at Topshop Unique, while at Vera Wang, shiny, natural curls added sophistication to their collection. Tone this look down by wearing hair wavy with a wet look. Think tousled bed hair or sexy beach hair and you’re pretty close. Be sure to use a sea salt spray for the perfect scrunched up look.

Loose, weekend-vibe waves were seen at Max Mara. Hair at Roksanda was supremely shiny, but undone, made all the more organic with a zig-zag natural parting. For a more stylised look, take inspiration from Mimi Wade whose models wore Hollywood glamour meet punk styles.

Fringes were formed out of baby curls,

combined with messy finger waves for a tough, edgy look. For a more modern, punky look, add interest to long wavy hair with bright extensions in any of the primary colours.

For a strong, no-fuss day through to evening look, sweep curls into a low pony.

If you’re blessed with naturally curly hair, don’t waste your time straightening it, accentuate, don’t tame your curls - more is more. If you do need to reach for the curling irons, remember to curl away from the face for a gorgeous angular flick away from the eyes that’s so Charlie’s Angel.

Whether you go big barrelled waves or tight spirals, wear your curls with pride. n

Fashion Week Instanbul.

Credit: Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images

Braided lady Hairstyles come and go but braided hair is an ancient beauty technique and has had a number of different interpretations this season. The key is to be individual and wear it your way.

Intersperse fine plaits through long, loose hair or if you’re feeling creative, get more intricate with an elegant plait bun, as seen at Erdem. While this style is gorgeous on its own, you can make buns even prettier with a thick black ribbon tied in a bow. A more sophisticated version of the plait bun was seen at Gucci, giving a nod to a Grecian goddess. An interesting point to note - in the first century, the more elaborate the style, the more it indicated a woman’s wealth.

Alexander McQueen models sported wispy plaits and loose wavy hair that can only be achieved by plaiting hair first… and waiting… so worth it. A more extreme plaited look is cornrows which amazingly, date back to 3500 BC. Think three or four tight plaits that married into a low chic bun.

If you want to emulate a more carefree look, then you can’t go wrong with hippy inspired locks. Baja East showcased this sultry seventies-style look with ease. Of course, this sexy, tousled look isn’t quite complete without a bohemian bandana.

All about curls The obsession with curls continues this season, with the emphasis on texture and bouncy waves. Bold, brash eighties-style curls paired with severe side partings

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Halle B Getty Rita O Getty

Health & Wellness

48

Time to

N Tara Grimes

ever before have we seen such an onslaught of people taking up running, with running clubs popping up in every village and town in the country. It makes total sense though. Why? Well, it’s accessible to everyone, it doesn’t require an expensive gym membership and can be done anyplace, anytime, anywhere!

It seems a natural starting point for a lot of people who are looking to lose some weight.

The added benefits also include better mental health, increased energy and if you join a club it’s a great way to make new friends.

I ran with Strabane AC as a youth and Sperrin Harriers as an adult, and I have to say I have made some fantastic friendships that have lasted the test of time. Sport certainly brings people together. If it’s something you thought about trying but neglected as you thought it was only for fit people, then please think again. I train a lot of runners both amateur and elite to help improve both performance and body composition. Let me fast track you with a quick guide to successful running for fitness and fat loss.

Inspired by the ‘grand stretch in the evenings’ and all those Belfast marathon runners pounding the pavements, we’re taking up running. Nutrition and fitness coach Tara Grimes explains how to get started...

BY TARA GRIMES

run

How to begin Start walking for an amount of time that feels comfortable; anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Once you can walk for 30 minutes easily, sprinkle one- to two-minute running intervals into your walking. As time goes on, make the running intervals

longer until you are running for 30 minutes straight. I strongly advise using a running app such as the free ‘Couch to 5k’, or joining a local club that has specialised Couch to 5k programmes for beginners.

Health concerns Some discomfort is normal as you add distance and intensity to your training, but real pain isn’t normal. If something feels so bad that you have to run with a limp or otherwise alter your stride, you’re probably injured. Stop running immediately and take a few days off. If you’re not sure, try walking for a minute or two to see if the discomfort disappears. If it doesn’t disappear consult your GP. What to wear Running doesn’t require a lot of investment in gear and accessories, but you have to have a good pair of running shoes. Unlike all-round trainers, running shoes are designed to allow your foot to strike the ground properly, reducing the amount of shock that travels up your leg. They’re also made to fit your foot snugly, which reduces the slipping and sliding that can lead to blisters. When I started to increase my mileage I went to Pure Running in Belfast where the trained staff fitted me with a pair of trainers correctly suited to my feet and style of running.

If you are afraid of getting injured, my advice is to avoid injury by avoiding the ‘terrible toos’; too much, too soon, too often, and too fast with too little rest.”

Continued on 50 ➤

49

Get your diet on track Many people take up running to lose weight but find they actually put on a few pounds.

I speak from experience; ten pounds of experience to be precise. When training for a marathon I put on an extra 10lbs in weight. ‘Sure I can eat what I want,’ I thought. ‘I’m torching calories,’ she said, ‘I need to carb load’! Nope, none of that was true. I’ve learnt loads since then and now I successfully guide my own clients who add running to their fitness regimes to drop a few pounds. Let me share the truth with you and cut through the nonsense and myths associated with running for losing body fat. It’s very easy to overestimate the amount of calorie burning work you do in your run and just as easy to underestimate the calories in the biscuits or ice-cream you consume after dinner, as a reward.

Balancing act Think before you eat to find the right balance between your running and your diet. As a general rule you burn approximately one hundred calories per mile, so a three-mile run would balance out the calories in one Mars bar. Also, it’s very common to feel hungry directly after a run. This is because your body’s energy stores have been reduced and they must be replaced. Opt for foods that are high in protein and have a small amount of carbs;

50

that will help you rebuild your muscles as well as replace the energy used.

Set the record straight Keeping track of your food and activity for a week is a good way to evaluate your habits.

Be aware that an average woman needs about 2,000 calories a day, but this will vary slightly depending on many factors such as age and level of activity. Use MyFitnessPal to track your calorie intake, record every morsel you put into your mouth and don’t cheat. Also log your exercise, how long your run was and at what pace/speed. Do this for one week and it will prove to be an accurate guide to ensure you are not working harder instead of smarter.

Food for thought Treats are tasty, easy to find and often seen as a reward for hard work, but it is really worth comparing the calories in a treat with the effort needed to burn them off.

Food

Minutes running required to burn off

Mars Bar (280 cal)

30

Crisps (192 cal per 40g)

20

Can of Coke (225 cal per 500ml)

23

Flapjack (300-400 cal)

30-40

Lucozade Sport (140 cal per 500 ml)

14

Banana (medium, 97 cal)

10

If you are running in a bid to get leaner and you are struggling please contact me on Facebook at Tara Grimes Fitness or visit www.taragrimesfitness. com. I can provide a tailored nutrition programme for runners to eliminate excess body fat which can also increase your times too. n

Tshirt from Zara, £15.99 Nike Training Free TR6 Trainers from ASOS, £90

Red Herring Active from Debenhams, £16 Floral Print from Bershka, £19.99

WND Tee from Primark, £2.50 Printed Sport Leggings from George at Asda, £12

Red Herring Active from Debenhams, £16 Puma Ignite V2 Running Trainers from ASOS, £85

RUN WITH IT Workout wardrobe updates – because a girl has gotta look good crossing that finish line

Modern Cotton Bralette from Figleaves, £27

Ladies Leggins from H&M, £19

ELLE Sports Bra from MandM Direct, £9.99

Pink Shorts from H&M, £12

Floral Top from Bershka, £14.99

The Resort Bottle from S’Well, £35

Printed denim backpack from Deichmann, £17.99

Shades by Converse from Specsavers, £99

51

Female FIGHTERS

BY EMMA DEIGHAN

Sport is a male-dominated world and no sport more so than the combative division. NW salute the local ladies who are literally fighting back through blood, sweat and tears…

Lauren La Roux Cruickshank

Lauren La Roux Cruickshank

TV, “but it wasn’t the cool thing for a girl to do” she told NW. “When I stopped caring what people thought I started to watch wrestling again. My boyfriend and I went to a local show run by Pro Wrestling Ulster in Belfast and they offered us the opportunity to join their training school. We started

Leah McCourt

to watch Bruce Lee movies when I was younger.

“MMA fascinated me with the level of athleticism and skill needed to compete. I started going to the BJJ classes and ended up making my MMA debut in the Ulster Hall in June 2014.”

Such is the training demands for a world professional, Leah can be found in the gym every day of the week bar Sunday. Her weekly schedule combines morning and evening sessions which can cover running, grappling, boxing, yoga and MMA sparring.

Reflecting on her very first fight three years ago, Leah admits that she was, “thrown in at the deep end, I was so nervous I had no idea what was going on,” she continued. “I felt a lot of pressure on me as I was the first female fighter.”

Outside of the ring Leah loves to hang out with her six-year-old daughter Isabella, and support Mencap NI and Active Community Network as their ambassador.

Coalisland lady, Lauren is a professional wrestler who gives the WWE personalities bound for the SSE Arena this month, a run for their money!

Her interest in wrestling stems back to childhood when she watched the sport on

She NI’s answer to Rhonda Rousey and at just 24 years old, Leah McCourt, is inspiring women around Northern Ireland to sit up and take notice of the benefits of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

With her engaging smile and soft composure, it’s hard to believe that Leah can be so fierce within the MMA setting.

The world title-holder (IMMAF World and European Champion, IBJJF World and European Champion, NAGA Champion, ADCC British Champion, Judo black Belt, BJJ Purple Belt – we could go on), started her own conditioning classes in Belfast recently to create a gateway for women to work their way into the sport.

“I started judo at a young age and competed for around five years,” she said.

“After I had my daughter when I was 18, I started training in a Muay Thai and MMA gym. I quickly fell in love with MMA as I had always loved all martial arts and I used

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training in February 2014,” said Lauren, 27, who competed for the first time in Dublin for Fight Factory Pro Wrestling.

“It was a mixed tag team match. Two guys and myself against two other guys and another girl. We were the bad guys. I remember getting booed so I know we did our job right!”

Today Lauren loves to entertain and put on a show ‘that matches the guys or is considered to be better’. “So many people don’t regard women’s wrestling the same way they do men’s wrestling and all we want to do is prove them wrong. We have done so on many occasions,” continued Lauren.

Wrestling may be the most eccentric and outlandish of the combative sports out there and Lauren is quick to admit it.

“When people find out that I wrestle they say I’m crazy and they’re right,” Lauren agreed. “I have always said that anyone who steps into a wrestling ring has to be a little crazy. Wrestling is tough, both mentally and physically. For someone to willingly throw themselves onto their back or to fall flat on their face, you have to be a little crazy. It’s extremely tough but so rewarding.”

Leah McCourt

Órla Clarke

µµI want to get my black belt by the time I am 40. Only one woman in Ireland has achieved this∑∑

Ùna Quinn

Ùna Quinn

Ùna Quinn, 35, from Mullaghbawn, Armagh entered the world of combative sports at a relatively late age.

It was during her mid-twenties when she admittedly became ‘fitness obsessed’ and strived to find more challenging workouts.

“I came across mixed martial arts. I found an MMA gym and started doing fighters circuits there,” she said. “The coaches saw my determination and talked me into trying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I’ve

Lisa Kearney

Judo champ Lisa Kearney was catapulted into the limelight when she represented Ireland in the Olympic Games. Lisa has also won numerous medals including a bronze

Lisa Kearney

never looked back,” she revealed.

Today she competes in IBJJF tournaments, the most prestigious in the game and won a hat trick of successes last year; IBJJF European Champion 2016, IBJJF Rome open champion (weight and absolute) 2016 and IBJJF London Open Champion 2016. Ùna suffered at the hands of nerves in her very first competition but today relishes the opportunities that came from that inaugural fight. “It was in England,” she continued. “At that stage there were probably only a handful of girls training in Ireland. I literally could have cried with nerves but I thought I’ll just fake it ‘til I make it and I started to enjoy it. I lost the final to a girl from Birmingham who I have trained with since. This sport allows you to make friends all over the world and I’ve trained in Brazil, America and Denmark.”

Balancing motherhood with a full-time job and a demanding physical hobby is something many women would struggle with but Ùna says she thrives on the challenge. “I have a four-year-old son and a husband who I spend every other minute with. It is a juggling act with work, family and sport but I like to stay busy.”

“I want to get my black belt by the time I am 40. Only one woman in Ireland has achieved this level and nobody from the North yet,” Ùna concluded. NW have no doubt Ùna will succeed!

at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She was at primary school when she entered combative sports. It wasn’t an easy start for Lisa. “I remember losing every fight I had for a year,” Lisa recalled.

Twenty-nine-year-old Belfast woman Órla Clarke was inspired by her boyfriend Cormac to enter the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just four years ago. Since then she has competed in competitions in Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal and has won four gold medals, two silver and one bronze.

“Aside from that, BJJ still continues to be my personal therapy session!” said Órla.

“An extra bonus is that I’ve made lifelong friends. It has done wonders for my mental and physical wellbeing and gives me so much more enjoyment than simply going to the gym. I honestly can’t remember my life without it.”

It’s not all fun and games however as Órla will readily confess that nerves lurk heavily while waiting to compete: “Once you actually begin, the nerves disappear and you remember that the main reason you are there is to have fun.

“I fit a lot into each week but I always do things that I love,” Órla added.

Órla Clarke

“The first competition I won a gold medal at was during the Ward School of Judo inter schools competition and it give me the confidence I needed to start winning medals everywhere I went after that.”

Her hard work has paid off. Developing new strategies, improving her confidence and focusing on seven to eight training sessions a week has seen her succeed on the mat. “Determination and focus is key to staying ahead of the game,” continued Lisa who ensures she has a healthy diet to complement her arduous workouts.

“Nutrition needs to be on point as it’s a weight category sport. Typically I would have lean meat, plenty of veg and some complex carbs. In terms of mental training I regularly use visualisation, stay aware of self-talk, and I use music to prepare my mind-set for a tough session.”

Lisa juggles part-time studies and catching up with friends, and is adamant that ‘recovery time’ is always written into the diary. Right now the judo champ is giving training priority before competing again. ÷

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SHAPE UP Our trusty volunteers try out three ways to slim down for summer

A

family wedding, big birthday or beach holiday could be just the incentive you need to adopt a healthier lifestyle and lose a few pounds this summer. The season is almost upon us and we wonder, ‘What could be achieved in four weeks?’ Northern Woman’s three volunteers; Sylvie Brando, Sonia Armstrong and Eileen Doherty take up the challenge to find out.

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Meal delivery programme

✲

“I chose the Feed Me Company’s meal delivery programme as, rather than just trying another diet that most probably won’t work for me, I’d like to change my entire eating and lifestyle habits,” Sylvie begins. “I am now ‘officially overweight’ according to my BMI, and believe me, I calculated it over and over again, just in case somewhere along the line the figures got muddled up.

“I hope by joining this healthy eating programme it will change my attitude to

food. I hope it will improve my digestive system, sleeping pattern and energy levels so I’ll lead a more active life again.

Shedding a pound or 20 would of course be the ultimate icing on the cake… that’ll be the cake that I won’t be allowed to eat!

“I’m ready for this challenge and have no doubt that it will improve my life. Bring it on!”

FEED ME COMPANY “Our meals are free from grains, refined sugars, dairy and legumes,” explains

Exercise and diet

✲

Sonia Armstrong’s says her decision to follow a healthy eating and exercise programme with Believe Fit was a ‘simple’ one to make. “Diet combined with exercise is the healthiest way to Sonia Armstrong lose weight, plus the programme will train me to make better lifestyle choices,” Sonia explains. “I currently go to exercise classes at Believe Fit twice a week but this only maintains my weight as I like my food too much! Belinda always offers dietary advice during classes so I wanted to explore this more and get her input on eating healthier long term.

“I would like to shed a few pounds and lose body fat; ideally I would like to be a dress size smaller in four Lara Higginson Feed Me Company owner. weeks’ time. I do have a big birthday “We don’t use chemicals, preservatives coming up – I would like to say it’s or processed ingredients. Our team of my 21st, but clearly not! The birthday chefs pour their culinary expertise into will be my motivation. I would also producing restaurant-quality meals from like to become fitter, and have better simple ingredients. Food is delivered twice muscle tone and strength.” weekly, fully portioned and ready to pop in the microwave.

“A Paleo plan is based on the belief that BELIEVE FIT our digestive systems haven’t evolved “Before starting the programme I met to process foods such as grains and with Sonia to get a clear picture of refined sugars. Our bodies can struggle to her goals,” Belinda explains, “I had a metabolise many modern foods and eating close look at her diet and after careful more primitively has huge benefits, from consideration I have advised a low fat loss to increased immunity, consistent Glycaemic Index (GI) plan of action. energy and reduced irritability.

I have encouraged Sonia to eat little “At Feed Me Company we are mindful of and often, to choose low GI foods, and every decision made in the kitchen, from to eat lots of protein. Her job is quite ingredients to cooking techniques and food sedentary so given this, I advised handling.” protein was going to be of more value to her as a source of energy than carbohydrates and it will also speed For more information visit: up her metabolism. www.facebook.com/TheFeedMeCompany “Sonia has been made aware of how critical daily activity will be and she knows she should attend as many studio classes as is possible. Given she works full time and is the mother to small children, we both knew how challenging this may be. When she is not able to attend she will do some exercises at home such as the basic plank, basic squat, and interval training at her stairs.”

Sylivie Brando

µµ I am ready for this challenge.

Bring it on! ∑∑

For more information on Believe Fit visit: www.believetransform.com

Sylvie Brando

Eileen Doherty

Food optimising plan

✲

“I chose to follow the Slimming World programme because I have heard lots of success stories from family and friends,” says Eileen Doherty. “I want to lose weight as I have never been heavier than I am now and I need to lose weight for health reasons. I’m hoping I will have lost at least half a stone by June following the programme.

“Another incentive is my sister’s wedding in November – I would like to lose weight for that. This is my first time to try Slimming World and I am looking forward to getting started this weekend.”

SLIMMING WORLD Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan works by basing meals around ‘Free Foods’. These are foods that are low in energy density and satisfying, which means you can lose weight without feeling hungry. They include fruit, vegetables, potatoes, rice, pasta, eggs, lean meats, fish and many more. When you eat Free Foods to satisfy your appetite, you naturally make healthier food choices and slim beautifully without having to count a single calorie. Members are also encouraged to gradually become more active and receive support to make changes which become healthy habits for life. You’ll find more healthy food ideas and a world of group support when you join your local Slimming World group.

For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Find out Sylvie, Sonia and Eileen get on in the June issue of Northern Woman. Best of luck ladies! n

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Tried & tested

PROFILE:

Iridology

Northern Woman takes a look at iridology

BY CATRIONA DOHERTY

looking at their iris is a new one on me - so how did it come about?

ridology is an alternative medicine technique based on the study of the iris; the coloured part of the eye. It works on the premise that the iris can be examined to assess the patient’s health.

Practitioners match their observations to charts which divide the iris into zones believed to correspond to specific parts of the body.

If you look closely at your eyes in a mirror and then at the iris of a friend or family member, you will notice varying patterns and colours. Like fingerprints, no two are exactly alike. Because the iris structure is so unique, iris scanners are being used by airport security systems to recognise an individual’s identity.

Using the iris to recognise an individual’s identity is something I am familiar with, having had my eyes photographed by an immigration officer at an airport recently. The concept that someone’s health can be determined by

History lesson Iridology research dates right back to the 1600s when a doctor first noticed changes in the eyes of his patients when they became sick or injured. Fast-forward to 1861 when Hungarian physician Dr. Ignatz Von Peczely is said to have officially discovered iridology. As a young man, Dr. Ignatz observed an owl that had just broken its leg, he noticed a black streak formed in the owl’s iris at the time of injury. After the bird’s leg healed, Ignatz noted the black line changed colour. Later as a physician, he treated a patient with a broken leg and to his surprise he spotted a black streak in the exact same place as the injured owl’s iris. Ignatz became intrigued by the possibility of a link between illness and eye markings. Through studying his patients’ eyes he became convinced there was a connection and he went on to write a chart that mapped the iris-body connection. Iridology evolved from there. n

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En route to my first ever iridology session I admit to feeling a little dubious. However reflexology springs to mind; I’ve tried that in the past and was amazed by what the therapist could tell me about my body simply by touching my feet, so if the feet can act as a ‘map of the body’ then why not the eyes too?

Sal Hanvey from Natural Health NI begins the session by asking questions about my health. Once the questionnaire is complete it is time for my ‘eye photo’. Sal asks me to open my eyes wide and focus on one spot while she snaps a picture on her iPhone.

She zooms in on the photo and looking over her shoulder all that I can see is, well, my eyeball! However Sal clearly sees a lot more than that. ‘Do you have issues with tonsillitis?’ she asks pointing to a tiny fleck towards the top of my eye. I suffered from recurring tonsillitis for years.

Studying the pictures, Sal says: “You have pain along your neck and left shoulder, but your right side is fine.” Now she has my attention, she is spot on and I ask how could she possibly know that. Sal zooms in on the photo of my left eye and points out a very slight indent or groove on the upper part of my iris and explains that area corresponds to the neck and shoulder areas. The other one (corresponding to my right side) does not have that mark.

Following the session I receive a detailed report via email. According to it I am in good health but there is always room for modification or improvement, for example Pernaton Gel has been recommended to ‘help with inflammation and aches and pains’. A B12 test carried out by a doctor is advised to check my levels because I was a vegetarian for almost five years and ‘the outer iris boarder shows that there may be a slight deficiency’. Interesting!

For more information visit: www.naturalhealthni.co.uk. Cost £75 per session.

Competition

COMPETITION

A pampering package for two at Win The Spa at Galgorm

T

o celebrate our relaunch issue Northern Woman and The Spa at Galgorm have teamed up to offer our readers the chance to win a luxurious pampering package. The prize includes: • MLX Quartz Bed Treatments • Thermal Spa Village access • Lunch in Gillies Bar & Grill Exclusive to the Spa at Galgorm, is the first state-of-the-art MLX Quartz Treatment Bed in the island of Ireland. Derived from the ancient Greek concept of psammo therapy (hot sand therapy), MLX Quartz is the modern version of a unique treatment which is guaranteed to dissolve tension.

Simply answer the following question: What is psammo therapy?

How to enter: Email your answer to: competitions@northernwoman.co.uk before 5pm on Friday 26 May. Competition terms & conditions apply.

The prize is valid for two guests, to use Sunday to Friday only.

The prize is subject to availability and is valid for six months from the competition closing date.

galgorm.com Rugby Board Signage.indd 2

20/01/2017 09:00

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LIVING

Image credit: Cole & Son wallpaper, Houseology.com

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Dulux

So long hygge, hello lagom

BY ROISIN CARABINE

L

ast year saw a big hoo-ha over ‘hoo-gah’ – AKA Hygge. And when the word entered the Collins Dictionary, it seemed its cultural domination was complete. Now, hot on the trail of the Danish concept of cosiness and nurturing, a new Swedish trend is set to challenge how we live, shop and even eat.

The more easily pronounceable lagom - ‘la’ as in ‘bar’, ‘gom’ as in ‘prom’ – has already spawned lifestyle blogs, interiors collections, as well as a fashion range, is the name of a Korean beauty brand and the title of a Bristol-based magazine celebrating people and places with a good work-life balance. Converts to the trend are known as ‘Lagomers’.

So what’s it all about and how do we get it? Roughly translated, lagom means ‘just the right amount’, not too little, not too much – basically everything in moderation.

One of the core ideals of lagom is sustainability. Last year Swedish furniture giant IKEA launched its Live Lagom project, with the help of the University of Surrey and sustainability charity Hubbub,

Touted as this year’s new design crush, the latest Scandinavian trend promises a simpler, harmonious and balanced way of living, while saving money too. aimed at promoting sustainability by using less power, less water, creating less waste and recycling more. IKEA provided 125 households with £500 vouchers to invest in things like LED lightbulbs (LED lightbulbs are known to use about 85% less energy than regular lightbulbs), shower timers, energy efficient appliances, rechargeable batteries, clothes dryers and clever storage containers. It encouraged participants to draught-proof their windows and doors (doing this can save up to £35 a year in bills), turn down their thermostats by one degree (saving a cool £60 annually) and turn off appliances instead of leaving them on standby (a saving of £30 per year).

It may sounds like a lot of hard work

but Aileen McCreadie, IKEA’s Live Lagom Project Manager UK & Ireland, says that even the smallest changes can make a big difference. “Lagom is about living a more sustainable, healthy and cost-cutting life at home without any dramatic upheaval and without denying ourselves anything,” Aileen explains.

Given our penchant for excess, lagom feels very timely for 2017. We could all do with more balance and a certain modesty in our lives. Okay, it’s not something we can achieve overnight, but knowing that even the smallest of changes can make a big difference, has to be worth the effort. So we say go on, live a little lagom.

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Living

1

ASSESS “Look around your home and ask yourself, ‘is this just the right amount for me?’ Lagom is about creating balance and harmony, but it’s how you interpret what works for you. Think pared-back, beautiful but functional with flair,” says architect Grainne Cumming of Fämily. For the two-year-old Northern Irish/Scandi practice, made up of Grainne’s husband Alasdair and brother-in-law Jamie, the guiding principles of lagom act as a framework for their design. The trio are currently working on a lagom-style ‘Stuga’ new build in Belfast that addresses the whole life-work balance in a sustainable setting.

8 ways to lagom

2

MODERATION IS KEY “Resist hoarding and excess: whether it’s food, fashion or furniture, don’t overindulge. We tend to appreciate things more when quantities are limited,” says London-based interior designer Cathy Phillips, internationally recognised in all things lagom.

3

ECO-FRIENDLY ETHOS “Edit your home’s palette to include just a few key colours - think warm neutrals, taupe, muted greens and pinks - for a simple, elegant scheme,” says Phillips. Avoid rich, deep colour tones. Paint that is eco-friendly and wallpaper that is responsibly sourced (think Farrow & Ball) adheres to lagom’s sustainable ethos.

4 5

GO AU NATUREL When choosing fabrics opt for natural cottons, linens (Sanderson UK has just launched a lagom collection of linen-mix plains), and wools.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK Choose home accessories that you truly love that will stand the test of time. This look is not disposable. Take time to check labels and research materials.

“Lagom is about celebrating the beauty of

Jenny Bond Interiors

craftsmanship,” says Paula Mearns, Head of Business Development at LagomDesign. co.uk; a contemporary greetings cards and gift shop that sells hand-picked, beautifully designed products by independent designers and artisans.

6 7 8

UPCYCLE As for furniture, upcycle or buy second hand. If buying new, spend money on a well-designed piece that will last – think multi-functional or made from renewable materials.

DECLUTTER AND REHOME If you don’t want something, sell it or give it away to friends or a charity shop. Gumtree, Freecycle and the Furniture Re-Use Network are good places to start.

Jenny Bond Interiors

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GREEN FINGERS Be more self-sufficient by growing your own food. Herbs are surprisingly easy to grow from seeds in pots or window boxes. Why not get involved in one of Belfast’s free community gardens and take home the fruits of your labour. Visit belfastcity.gov.uk for more information.

Life as a Lagomer

W

ant to know what life as a Lagomer is really like? Food, travel and lifestyle bloggers, Nial and Helen Toner from Newcastle, Co. Down signed up to IKEA’s project last year with the aim of reducing their food waste, finding new storage solutions and cutting down their energy consumption.

“To be honest it was difficult at the beginning due to our habits and daily routines, but it’s now become a way of life and we don’t even think about it,” says Helen. For anyone thinking of taking the plunge, Helen advises reaching out to people who have embraced the concept before and, “encourage friends and family to do it with you, as you’ll learn so much from others. Also be sure to focus on one or two areas at a time instead of trying to make a number of major changes at once.”

Read all about Helen and Nial’s experience on their blog Pikalily.com where they’ll also be blogging on the progress of their new-build which will incorporate lagom energy-efficient design features and a vegetable garden.

2018. Potential candidates must be an IKEA Family member (get signed up today, if you’re not one already), live 20 minutes’ drive from the store and be active on social media as you’ll have to blog about your experience.

Want to get involved?

IKEA is recruiting this July for a new crop of customers to take part in the next Live Lagom project, which concludes August

As part of its Home Furnishings Festival, Live Lagom workshops will also take place, for Family members, from 10 June to 9 July, focusing on fermenting, upcycling for winter, growing your own food and making curry in a hurry using an induction hob. ■

Beaufort

Lagom-up your interior Sit comfortably on this 1950’s-inspired Olivia Acapulco Chair made from metal and woven rope, from Oliandgrace.co.uk, £120.

Let the light in with this Muuto Under The Bell Lamp made from PET polymer felt with a rubber cord, from Maven, £595.

This 3-Piece Self-Watering Plant Pot can look after your plants while you’re away on holiday, available from IKEA, £15.

Layer up and add warmth with this 100% Woven Cotton Jacquard Throw by Anna Backlund for House of Rym from Eclectdesign.com, £55.

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Living

LESSONS IN

GEOMETRY The ‘70s-inspired geometric trend has been given a very modern revamp and is everywhere and on everything. Think bold, colour-pop prints, graphic textiles, metal geo-industrial furniture and subtly shaped ceramics

BY ROISIN CARABINE

Geometry isn’t all polygons, squares, triangles and pentagons. Keep calm and hexag…on with this bang-on-trend mirror.

Triple Geo Mirror from Marks & Spencer, £149

Make a style statement underfoot with these gorgeously graphic handmade tiles in modern green hues.

Handmade Encaustic Tiles in Alvito, 20x20cm, from Fired Earth, £224.70 per square metre

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For a space that packs a design punch without overpowering, accentuate one wall with an eye-catching mural.

Made to measure geometric wall mural by Twisted Pixels at Wallsauce.com (price depends on size, image and quality of paper)

Geometrics don’t solely have to present themselves through bold print. A subtle take on the trend can be equally impactful.

Lantern from the Butterfly Home collection

by Matthew Williamson from Debenhams, £38

Stay on point and on trend by faking it with clever designer-inspired buys.

This light may be cheap but it’s also cheerful.

Standing Wire Light from Primark, £5

Sculptural in design and opulent in finish, this gold and marbletopped side table is a clever combination of geometry and minimalist industrial chic.

Mica Side Table from Oliver Bonas, £195

Less is more when it comes to geometrics.

A well-chosen pendant in a modern material is enough to make an impact.

Crease Pendant Lamp in Copper from Cuckooland.com, £95

Up your home’s geo glamour with style-statement textiles in bold colours and edgy patterns.

Geometric Bedding from TK Maxx, £38

The geometric trend works equally well in more traditional homes. For an elegant, sophisticated look mix lots of geometrics in varied scales, but co-ordinate through colour and materials.

Living collection by Christiane Lemieux from House of Fraser, Cleo 3-door Sideboard, £825; Hexagon Tea Light Holder, £20; Hexagon Candle Holder, £18; Geometric 5x7 Metal Frame, £20; Opal Glass Vase, £45; Casey Tall Contrast Vase, £62; Casey Contrast Bud Vase, £28

Throw some shapes in the kitchen with these simple storage containers featuring classic geometric designs in muted hues.

Geometric Ceramic Canisters from George @ Home, £5 each

The geometric trend is perfect for adding colour to a home. Give your bedroom a cheap and instant update with some great value bedlinen.

Green Geostripe Bedset from Next, £26

Take the trend outdoors and add a splash of drama to your decking with geometricinspired furniture.

Copa Outdoor Dining Chairs (set of two), in citrus green from Made.com, £149

Incorporate the geometric look effortlessly into your home by accessorising with simple, understated pieces like this classic white vase.

Lorraine at Home, White Dolomite Vase from JD Williams, £12

Dip your toe into the trend by personalising a block colour sofa with a few bold, wellchosen geo print cushions.

Geometric Design Cushions from TK Maxx, £12.99 each

Update a tired sofa or one chair in a modern geometric print. Unify the look with a neutral backdrop and simple accessories.

Olin Chaise in Malan Weave from Marks & Spencer, £429

Go big and bold outdoors and perk up your plants in oversized hexagonal planters.

Faceted Small and Large Planters from Habitat.co.uk, £75 & £85

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Shades of Grey From the darkest slate to the palest pewter, grey is this year’s go-to colour.

Take inspiration from Belfast’s Obel penthouse and embrace the grey days

BY ROISIN CARABINE

Versatile, luxe and very liveable Dull, dreary and drab, it isn’t. This look uses a grey on grey scheme to maximum effect to create a balanced, contemporary interior.

The secret is in the styling.

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FUSE DIFFERENT SHADES When decorating with one colour, the key to making it work and going grey gracefully is to play with different toning hues from the same palette. Here mid-tone grey painted walls and brownish-grey, woven silk textured wallpaper provide the perfect backdrop for bespoke blue-grey sofas and soft furnishings and charcoal accessories.

This colour combination takes its cue from the views of the city skyline and the industrial area the apartment faces onto.

CREATE BALANCE Grey works best when balanced with neutral colours and materials. Stone surfaces, wooden flooring and a painted white ceiling help to anchor the look of this

THE INTERIORS EXPERT

The contrasting dark grey kitchen units give the open plan space sophistication – disappearing when not in use while still being functional.

Caroline says µµGrey can look cool and contemporary, minimal and even country. When choosing the right shade, consider the direction of the room and assess the amount of natural and artificial light.

The size of the room will affect your colour choices too.∑∑

open planned kitchen/living/dining room, adding warmth and interest.

ADD INTEREST WITH PATTERN When using grey or any base colour consider adding pattern to give the room detail. This scheme combines the most subtle mix of patterns in its cushions, throws and footstools to pack a visual punch without overpowering.

LIGHTEN UP Use lots of different light sources, like spotlights, table lamps, task lights, floor lamps and natural light to create a layered lighting scheme. This gives a more flattering look and avoids any unwanted shadows.

Continued on 66 ➤

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Grey is the perfect colour combo for a sophisticated and grown-up bedroom Going grey needn’t be bland or boring.

The success is in the detail. Keep the look fresh and interesting with tactile textures and add lots of layers.

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ADD LUXE WITH WALLPAPER For walls that wow make a statement with textured paper. The master bedroom features a grey metallic mesh paper embedded with black shell stones while the guest bedroom is papered in a blue-grey and amber seagrass to complement the view from the bed over Belfast Lough.

LAYER UP Avoid the scheme from looking too samey by layering lots of different feels of grey.

Dress the bed with crisp white linen, sumptuous silk cushions and gorgeously plush velvet throws, cosy up floors with luxurious carpet and add tactile interest with shagreen bedside lockers.

PICK AN ACCENT COLOUR Avoid a full on grey scheme looking dark and heavy by adding accents of burnt gold tones and bronzed metallic hues. In the master bedroom burnt gold and black mirrored bedside lockers and sculptural

Get ahead with an upholstered headboard in plush velvet. Go for a deeper charcoal shade to add interest and depth to the scheme.

Phase 3 at the Obel is launching soon. Register your interest online at obelbelfast.co.uk or with selling agents Fetherston Clements.

Caroline Fletcher is an interior designer and director at Bowman Design Company, specialists in bespoke interior design and interior architecture for private clients, developers and hoteliers. www.bowmandesigncompany.com

bronze bedside lamps provide a welcome relief.

REFLECT AND DIFFUSE Grey can seem a little scary and overwhelming but dark hues can be easily softened with the addition of large mirrors and mirrored accessories to reflect the light.

Simply styled windows in voiles or sheers will help diffuse light while also providing privacy. n

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Recipes

Yummy Recipes ✸Gluten Free Fish Cakes

K

elkin Ltd. has been providing wholesome, delicious foods in Ireland for almost 40 years.

It’s our mission to make the healthy choice the easy choice!

We believe that, for all of us, our health and wellbeing are the most important things we have, but we understand that looking after and maintaining them is not always easy.

We are committed to producing healthier food options to enable you and your family to lead fuller lives. We believe the key to a balanced diet is to enjoy good food in moderation. We don’t suggest that you cut treats out of your diet, rather we recommend keeping them to a minimum and in order to lead a truly balanced lifestyle, you should include physical activity as part of your everyday routine.

We hope you will enjoy these recipe suggestions as much as we enjoyed creating them.

For more ideas and inspirations why not check out our website www.kelkin.ie/. We are also on FB , Twitter and Youtube.

Serves 4 339 calories per serving

Quick & Easy Making your own fish cakes is quick and easy, made with tinned fish of your choice and gluten free bread. Deliciously tasty you may go back for more.

Ingredients 110g tinned salmon (tastes great with tuna too) 1 tablespoon fresh coriander 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 2 small eggs 200g breadcrumbs made from Kelkin Free From Brown Bread Pepper for seasoning 2 tablespoons of cornflour 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil

Method 1. Add the tinned salmon, all of the breadcrumbs, herbs and one egg into a bowl and mix well together. If the mixture is too wet you can add more breadcrumbs. Season with some pepper.

2. Divide the mixture into eight little balls and flatten into fishcakes.

3. Then place the cornflour, breadcrumbs and other egg into three separate bowls.

4. Coat the fishcakes in the flour, then the egg and breadcrumbs and set aside.

5. Heat the rapeseed oil in a frying pan and then fry the fishcakes for about three minutes on both sides.

6. Serve with a large cool crisp green salad or your favourite green vegetables.

✸Low Fat Lasagne Serves 4 364 Calories per serving

Delicious Italian Pasta There is no need to pre-soak our Lasagne Sheets but if you prefer you can blanch them in boiling water for five minutes.

Ingredients 2 cups of chopped vegetables 1 medium onion chopped finely 1 clove of garlic 1 cup of spinach 2tsp light olive oil 1 cup of low fat ricotta cheese 1 jar of Kelkin Pasta Sauce Kelkin Gluten Free Lasagne 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated

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Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Saute onions, garlic and your favourite mix of vegetables in light olive oil.

3. Add our Kelkin Pasta Sauce.

4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the spinach.

5. In an oven proof dish start with a layer

of tomato sauce followed by lasagne sheets and ricotta cheese. Repeat this until the sauce is used up. Top with mozzarella and cover with tin foil.

6. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C, remove foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Recipes

✸Pasta and Feta Cheese Salad ✸Pasta Sauce 367 calories per serving Serves 4 A serving size is about 300g

Serves 4 336 Calories per serving

Simply delicious…

Made in minutes this recipe is refreshingly tasty, mixed with the sweet taste of pears and delicious cool feta cheese. Pack in a suitable container for taking on a picnic or serve warm as a summer lunch option or a side at a barbeque.

Ingredients 200g Kelkin Gluten Free Penne 1 pear – shave into thin strips with a vegetable peeler 12 cherry tomatoes cut in half 200g rocket leaves 2 scallions chopped finely 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 200g feta cheese crumbled 1 tablespoon of Kelkin Sunflower Seeds

Method 1. Cook pasta as per instructions. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the pasta.

2. Add the leaves, tomato and seeds to the pasta and stir through.

3. Add the feta cheese and top with the pear shavings and it is ready to serve.

✸Penne Pasta Dish with ricotta and Orange

Ingredients

Serves 4 361 Calories per serving

Bursting with flavour…

The reason we love to use Penne Pasta for this dish is the way the sauce gets stuck in the tubes so the pasta is bursting with flavour, literally!

Ingredients 400g of Kelkin gluten free penne 150g ricotta cheese 80g of spinach leaves 3 tablespoons of Kelkin orange juice 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds 50g of cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Method 1. Cook pasta as per instructions on the pack.

2. While the pasta is cooking combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, seeds, tomatoes and juice together.

3. Once the pasta is cooked and drained stir the ricotta and orange mix through the pasta.

4. Serve immediately for best results from the ricotta cheese sauce.

90mls olive oil 150 g chopped spring onion green part 1 tin of chopped tomatoes Passata 500g* 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon basil chopped 1 tsp of ground oregano 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper to taste If you want a hotter sauce you could add some red chilli peppers

Method 1. Heat olive oil in sauce pan and sauté the spring onions just until soft. Add chopped tomatoes and passata.

2. Stir in the seeds, sage and basil. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve over Kelkin Gluten-Free Penne or Kelkin Gluten-Free Spaghetti.

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Trekking to Everest Base Camp It’s more doable than you think

BY BRENDAN DALY

T

his is as close to the top of the world as I’ll ever get.

Standing on a rockstrewn glacier that carves its way through a desolate moonscape, I see a mound of granite rocks covered in knotted, multicoloured prayer flags. In front of them, the words ‘Everest Base Camp’ are daubed in charcoal.

I’m halfway through a 13-day wonderland trek among the world’s highest mountains.

Encircling me are soaring, snow-dolloped Himalayan peaks that, in the distance, seem to radiate a blue sheen. Jutting against the tip of the glacier is a towering frozen waterfall. My 120km hike, following the famous trail from Lukla in northeast Nepal to the foot of Mount Everest and back again, is a story of mesmerising valleys and peaks.

Starting at an altitude of 2,840 metres and climaxing at 5,364 metres, this definitive Himalayan trek is a bucketlist trip and it’s easy to see why. The adventure began with a 40-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. As monkeys scampered over the frantic terminal in the Nepalese capital, I took my place in a 16-seater plane destined for one of the world’s most daunting airstrips.

Shortly after my first glimpse of the majestic mountaintops, the plane began

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Trekking the Himalaya Mountains

its nerve-racking descent onto what looked like a tongue of tarmac – a 500m runway culminating in a blank mountain wall.

Welcome to Tenzing-Hillary Airport!

On the trail, the first thing that strikes me isn’t the dramatic scenery or the pure air: it’s the crowds. About 35,000 visitors trek in the Everest region every year, including more than 10,000 in the peak month of October.

Queueing behind trekkers, it can – especially near the start of the trail – feel like walking down a busy street. Despite the volumes, however, I see virtually no rubbish. Recycle bins, housed in stone shelters, fleck the trail.

The opening days of this lodge-to-lodge

trek assume a gentle rhythm as the trail snakes through villages and pine forests, past Buddhist shrines and stone panels carved with prayers, and across swaying suspension bridges. The dominant sound is the clamouring of the thunderous turquoise rivers that cut through the vertiginous gorges.

Four magnificent peaks Surprises come thick and fast. A few days in, for example, I turn a corner of the trail and suddenly four magnificent peaks – all above 6,000 metres – constellate in front of me. Ironically, Mount Everest is probably the least commanding of the mountain views along the trail. From this angle,

The Himalayan mountaintops

Three Must-Do’s ✶TAKE A BREATHER

After getting your first view of Everest and a stinging 90-minute ascent, you reach Namche Bazaar (3,400m) – the capital of the Sherpa world. With a population of about 1,500 and shops selling outdoor gear, cafes serving Himalayan Java coffee, and, of course, an Irish pub, it’s ideal for a rest day.

✶TAKE HIGH TEA

Sitting at 3,880m, the Hotel Everest View is one of the highest in the world. From the luxurious hotel’s terrace (open to anyone, not just guests), sip a lemon tea as you gaze on three of the world’s highest mountains: Nuptse, Lhotse, and, of course, Everest. See hoteleverestview.com.

✶DIVINE INSPIRATION

Tengboche Monastery is the largest in the region. After trekking to 3,860 metres, it’s soothing to observe the monks’ prayer rituals and ceremonies as they chant the scriptures.

The monastery hosts Mani Rimdu (usually held in October or November), the most important Sherpa festival.

Everest Base Camp

the entrancing Ama Dablam (‘Mother’s necklace’), with two long ridges on either side of its peak resembling a mother’s arms protecting her child, looks higher than Everest. It becomes a glorious constant in the skyline for the early parts of the trek.

Excusing the Himalayan mountaintops, Dingboche carries strange echoes of Connemara: it’s a village with thick stone walls and small fields of planted potatoes.

Although I felt slight symptoms of altitude sickness earlier on the trail, it is from Dingboche, standing at 4,410 metres, that they become more pronounced.

I’m travelling with an organised tour and most of us experience some symptoms.

For me, it’s a mixture of headaches, sleep disturbance and breathlessness that means walking slower than normal.

Every few hundred metres, the trail seems to weave its way through a Sherpa village and I’m curious as to whether the locals resent this parade of trekkers and their crews. But Psang, our head guide, insists that the jobs tourism generates offer villagers a welcome alternative to primitive farm work. Either way, virtually every village building along the trail is a shop, restaurant, or lodge aimed at trekkers.

As we approach Base Camp, I see stone memorials honouring those who have died on the mountain – offering a poignant reminder of its dangers. In 2015, a massive earthquake triggered an avalanche at Base Camp that killed 18.

This trek isn’t for mountaineers – it’s for anyone with an average fitness level. We walk for four to six hours (roughly 10km) a day and, apart from the altitude symptoms, it’s relatively easy.

Local lodges We stop for lunch in restaurants and stay in lodges each night. Typically family-run, the lodges are simple stone houses that sell snacks and WiFi. They become more austere – sub-zero bedrooms, no running water – around Base Camp. These are where we take evening meals (usually featuring rice, noodles or chips) and, to stay warm at night, congregate with fellow hikers

µµThis trek isn’t for mountaineers – it’s for anyone∑∑ around the lodges’ prized possessions: yakdung stoves. The altitude and lack of light pollution make the trail ideal for stargazing, too – stepping outside my lodge at night, I can see the brilliance of the Milky Way, shooting stars and even the red glow of Mars with the naked eye.

After reaching Base Camp, on day eight of 13, I expect that the return trek will be an anticlimax. I’m wrong. In contrast to the barrenness of Base Camp, the return feels like the classic Himalayan experience: with searing mountain peaks as a backdrop and golden eagles gliding through cloudless blue skies, we walk on a rocky switchback trail that skirts steep V-shaped valleys, passes brightly painted Buddhist monasteries and takes me through effervescent rhododendron forests flaunting their autumnal colours.

Everest is far from the only show in town. n

✶WHAT TO PACK

Bring hiking boots, base layer shirts, a warm fleece, a waterproof shell and a 40-litre daypack. As toilets don’t have toilet paper provided, carry it in your daypack. Take a book for long evenings and consider bringing Diamox; a prescription medication that reduces the symptoms of altitude sickness.

✶WHERE TO STAY

Lodges are provided along the trail on escorted tours. In Kathmandu, the Hotel Yak & Yeti is a relaxing shelter from the citycentre chaos, set on the grounds of a former palace. The spacious rooms and huge buffet breakfast are the perfect antidote to stark trekking lodges.

✶GETTING THERE

Brendan travelled to the Himalayas with KE Adventure Travel on the Everest Basecamp Trek tour. It costs €2,060pps (approx. £1,757), includes all internal transport and is full board.

Flights are extra but the tour operator can arrange these.

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Mr & Mrs Kingsberry Photography by Francis Meaney

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t was love at first sight for Megan and Martin Kingsberry. “I didn’t want our first date to end,” Megan begins. “I came home and Mum asked how it went and I replied, ‘I’m going to make him my boyfriend.’ As soon as he was officially my boyfriend I told her, ‘I’m going to make him my husband’.” Sure enough fast forward two and half years and Martin popped the question.

The couple chose Drenagh House as their reception venue after Megan came across it on Facebook. “I was always in awe of the stunning weddings they hosted,” Megan enthuses, “everything about our day was planned with this magnificent Georgian mansion in mind, from the stationery to the dress. The venue itself has a Downton Abbey feel about it which I tried to replicate with my wedding dress – with its intricate detailing it was the epitome of 1920’s glamour.”

The bride wore a Maggie Sottero gown from Pronuptia Bridal accessorised with a cathedral veil.

Instead of bridesmaids Megan opted to have three very special flower girls instead; her nieces who wore dresses from Monsoon.

Martin’s favourite memory from his wedding day is of watching Megan walk down the staircase, “She took my breath away,” he recalls.

The newlyweds are both looking forward to honeymooning later in the year, “so we can drag out the wedded bliss that bit longer,” Megan jokes. n

Venue: Drenagh House, Limavady Wedding dress: Pronuptia Bridal, Belfast Groomswear: Red Groomswear, Belfast Flowers: Marie Cafolla Flowers, Newtownards Makeup: Heather Allen Makeup, Portavogie Hair: Sharon Watson Hair & Makeup, Dunmurry Decor: The Wedding Room, Coleraine

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Mr & Mrs Crawford Photography by Elaine Hill

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lana Taylor and William Crawford met at a Halloween party, Will was dressed as a mermaid and Alana was wearing a zombie outfit at the time. They went on their first date to the cinema back in January 2011 and fell for each other quickly. “I had a feeling very early in the relationship that we were meant to be together as we just seemed to seamlessly fit together,” Will says.

Will proposed on Alana’s 30th birthday while the couple were on holiday in Amsterdam and the pair set the date for January 14 2017.

Alana looked stunning in a Ronald Joyce dress from Pronuptia accessorised with a handmade velvet cape by Una Rodden Couture.

The lovebirds had their first dance to Follow You, Follow Me by Genesis. “We wanted something that represented how much we both mean to each other, and that the love was as equal on both sides; the words ‘I will follow you will you follow me’ really summed this up for us,” Alana says.

Will adds, “I constantly look back at our first dance. I’m not ashamed to say I replay the song on a weekly basis and it brings me right back to that moment each time.”

Alana’s favourite memory of her day was when Will surprised her by playing the saxophone with his dad. Unbeknownst to Alana he had been practising in secret for months.

The couple honeymooned in Indonesia and Dubai. n

Venue: The Merchant Hotel, Belfast Wedding dress: Pronuptia, Belfast Groomswear: Focus Menswear, Bangor Bridesmaids: Divinity Bridal, Lisburn Cake: Made by the bride Flowers: Flower Bay, Belfast Makeup: Jillian Gregge, Lisburn Hair: Exclusive Hair Company, Dunmurry

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orthern Woman is excited to announce that we are the official media partner of Homage Charity Fashion Show. The fashion extravaganza will showcase leading designers Una Rodden, Shauna Fay, Chloe Duggan, Una Burke, Claire Garvey, Bianca Elgar and many more. Post-show none other than The Undertones, Tim Wheeler from Ash and Jasmine Gardiner will perform live, and partygoers can also enjoy a sundown session with Alan Simpson.

With Creative Director Cindy McKendry running the show, you can be sure of an unforgettable night out.

Cindy organised previous high-profile fashion events; Symphonic and Cirque which took place in Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast and Barry’s Amusements, Portrush. This year’s event will take place at yet another iconic location – The Old Bushmills Distillery, Antrim. All proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of charity ambassador Sarah Travers’ late father Ian. “Alzheimer’s is far reaching, touches many lives and is such a worthy cause,” says Cindy. “Homage Charity Fashion Show planning is well underway and we are delighted with the response so far. There are designers travelling to the North Coast from as far as London to showcase their collections. The Old Bushmills Distillery is such an iconic location and the team have been absolutely amazing to work with. It will be a unique night of fashion, rock and roll, and of course whiskey.”

Tickets go on sale next month (June). For more information visit: www.facebook. com/homagefashioncharityshow

Whiskey, rock ‘n roll A date has been set for Homage Charity Fashion Show Saturday 4 November 2017, and this year’s theme is Whiskey, rock ‘n roll 76

Photography Catherine MacKenzie Model Sarah Kennedy and Jake Woods from CMPR Styling Cindy McKendry and Marie Claire Ferguson Hair Karen Harkin from Harkin’s Hairdressing Makeup Lisa Cunningham and Rosie Pritchard Art director Lulu Myles Designers involved in the shoot Bianca Elgar scarves, Chloe Duggan Design, Taylor Yates luxury bags, Shauna Fay, Una Rodden Couture, Marie Claire Ferguson Millinery, Astrobohemia London , Young Savage Vintage Show sponsors LSFX Productions, Airporter, JKC Specialist Cars, Moores of Coleraine

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In the June issue of

woman

NORTHERN

Sizzling swimwear Get your dream job Beach babe hair Beauty reboot

PLUS… Interiors, relationships, health & wellness, reviews, local events, and lots more

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Sign Up, Save a Life, SUpport a friend

The Bra Walk 2017 is back! Join us on Friday 16th June as Action Cancer’s The Bra Walk, sponsored by SuperValu NI, returns for a fun and energetic 10k walk to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Taking place at Belfast City Hall from 6.30pm early bird registration is now open. Sign up TODAY and help us raise vital funds to support Action Cancer’s cancer awareness, prevention, detection and support services.

Action Cancer offers free breast screening to women aged 40-49 and 70+; health checks to men and women aged 16+; counselling and complementary therapies to children (aged 5+) and adults; and health promotion in schools, communities and workplaces. These services are delivered regionally throughout Northern Ireland and from the charity’s Big Bus which visits 235 locations every year.

We are encouraging everyone taking part help us by raising at least £80 sponsorship, the amount it costs Action Cancer to provide a mammogram. We know that it is vitally important to detect cancer at an early and treatable stage, and your support could be life-saving for a local woman.

By getting involved in this special sponsored walk you will not only be guaranteed a fun-filled evening, but also an amazing sense of achievement at having raised vital funds for Northern Ireland’s leading, local cancer charity.

Last year Action Cancer screened almost 11,000 women for breast cancer and with your help will to do the same in 2017-18. So why not put on your Pink Wig, Tutu Skirt and Feather Boa and join 800 walkers at Belfast City Hall for The Bra Walk 2017.

For more information, or to register, sign up TODAY online at www.actioncancer.org, call The Bra Walk Team on 028 9080 3344, or email thebrawalk@actioncancer.org

Folk star Heidi Talbot is set to perform at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival

Culture Vulture Lee Henry talks all things arts related

✲ MUSIC

Spring has finally sprung, and to mark the occasion my playlists have become increasingly bright and breezy, particularly with the inclusion of the forthcoming debut album from Joshua Burnside.

Written and recorded during a creative sabbatical in Colombia, Ephrata is due for release May 5 on Quiet Arch Records, and it’s a lush, beautifully produced leap forward for Burnside, who originally turned heads with his 2013 EP If You’re Goin That Way. The second single from the album, Blood Drive, is laidback and uplifting, echoing the acoustic aesthetic of José González, and it’s been a constant for me these past few weeks.

Elsewhere on the album, Burnside plays with exotic, electronic sounds, just right for sunny drives along the coast. Go get Ephrata, or listen in on Spotify. It’s another fine example of the incredible musical talent that Northern Ireland currently has to offer.

✲ BOOKS

In literature, a new publication from Jan

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Carson is always greeted with anticipation in the Henry household, and the latest from the Belfast-based author provides a perfect accompaniment to Burnside’s South American odyssey.

See Kieran Hodgson at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival

Known for her magical realist flights of fancy – best encapsulated in the critically acclaimed novel Malcolm Orange Disappears and honed in follow up shortstory collection Children’s Children –

Carson returns with a compilation of flash fiction published by Emma Press.

In 2015, having set herself a 365-day challenge, Carson began writing ultra-short stories on postcards and delivering them to fans across the country. The resulting tall tales featured all sorts of weird and wonderful characters and themes and were gobbled up by her growing army of admirers.

The best of the bunch are included in Carson’s new compendium, Postcard Stories, published May 30 and designed to be read in fits and starts. I can’t wait to get my hands on it, and with the prospect of a complementary Radio 4 documentary also on the cards, 2017 could turn out to be Carson’s year.

✲ THEATRE

To celebrate Big Telly Theatre Company’s thirtieth birthday, the longest established professional company in Northern Ireland returns to stages across the country in May with an interesting adaptation of Jane Talbot’s novel The Faerie Thorn.

Originally published by Blackstaff Press in September 2015, The Faerie Thorn is a bewitching collection of dark, devilish stories set in a wonderfully realised world governed by a ‘fairy mafia’. Talbot has updated some of the stories for Big Telly’s stage production, giving fans of the book an added incentive to purchase tickets, and has also written lyrics set to music by Garth MacConaghie.

Directed by Zoë Seaton, The Faerie Thorn tours Northern Ireland throughout May, visiting everywhere from the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen to the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn, and promises to be

See comedian Bridget Christie at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festvial

a highlight of the theatre world in 2017, perfect for families and those with a passing interest in all things gothic.

✲ VISUAL ART

It’s always encouraging when new galleries open in Northern Ireland. Arts funding is still very much under threat, with austerity cuts on going, yet the good folks at the Nerve Centre in Derry have somehow managed to establish Nerve Visual Gallery in Ebrington’s 8081 Workspace building despite the shortage in subsidies.

More impressive, they have filled it with eye-catching, through-provoking work since doors opened earlier this year. The space, of course, is perfect for it, having been originally designed to play host to the Turner Prize during Derry’s year as the inaugural UK City of Culture back in 2013.

The Nerve Centre curatorial team are making the most of it. Previous exhibition, Future Artist-Makers, revealed how European artists are embracing the latest digital fabrication tools, such as 3D printers and laser cutters, to make intricate, accessible work, and the current exhibition is equally strong.

The Jill Todd Photographic Award Exhibition is an annual show named in honour of the late County Down artist who sadly passed aged 23 from bowel cancer after graduating with a First from Edinburgh’s Napier University. It runs until May 14 and includes frankly breath-taking work by last year’s winner, Mads Holm – a must see for photography fans in search of something fresh to pass the time until the Belfast Photography Festival comes around in June.

✲ FESTIVALS

Jill Todd Photographic Award Exhibition

May is, of course, brought to festivalgoers by the letters C, Q, A and F, and this year the Cathedral Quarter will come alive to the sounds of The Divine Comedy, the comedy of Bridget Christie, the words of Eimear McBride and more from April 27 to May 7.

The Black Box, The MAC, the Golden Thread Gallery and other venues will play host to all sorts of arts events when the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival gets up and running, with Singalong Wickerman and the Belfast Bred food tour sure to be top of many folks’ lists. Plenty to be sunny about this spring. ■

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Dates for the diary Emma Deighan scans the diary for the top dates in May to get you out and about... ✲ Ladies Night at Fratelli’s, Saturday Night Fever, May 2 Italian food and retro movies – sounds like the perfect combo we think. This is one of a series of Ladies’ Nights at Fratelli’s where guests can enjoy a main course, glass of wine, mini dessert buffet and a private screening of the hit seventies movie Saturday Night Fever. Get your Travolta on and hit the town after.

✲ May at the Waterfront Hall Belfast’s Waterfront Hall is sure hitting all the high notes this month with a massive lists of dates to suit all ages, tastes and interests. Grabbing our attention is Lord of the Dance (May 2), Magic of Motown - The Reach Out Tour (May 11), Billy Ocean (May 13), Cranberries (May 17), and our very own cover interview Imelda May’s gig (May 27) to name just five of many brilliant nights out.

The Cranberries

✲ WWE Live at the SSE Arena, May 6 If you like your ‘combative’ and overtly theatrical sports then get the family down to WWE at the SSE Arena where you can

catch some of the wrestling world’s biggest names in action. The line-up includes Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, The New Day, Sasha Banks, Sheamus, Charlotte, Gallows and Anderson and many more.

Tickets are priced from £25 to £132.

✲ Annie Kids at The Grand Opera House, May 6 Support your own this month as students from Belfast Voice and Dance Academy come together to act out one of the bestloved musicals of our time. Annie KIDS features everyone’s favourite little redhead on her first adventure. Tickets cost from £11.75 to £13.75.

✲ Spring Picnic Twilight Market at St George’s Market, May 9

Afternoon tea treats

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Food, culture and a bouncing atmosphere is the main pull at the Twilight Market at St George’s Market. We heart everything about this place because it tells a story about NI’s independent retailing but also brings authenticity and craic. Expect live music, chef demos, local food and drink producers as well as arts and crafts. Strictly over 18s after 9pm.

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Girls’ day out

Imelda May

✲ The Vamps Middle of the Night Tour at the SSE Arena, May 10 They entered the musical sphere in 2013 and are about to release their third album.

With hit singles ‘Can We Dance’, ‘Wild Heart’ and ‘Last Night’, the four musicians are set to impress with their new work as well as those tracks they’re loved for. A genre that will appeal to the teens as well, tickets for this gig are priced from £14.50 to £54.50.

✲ An Evening with Sir Michael Parkinson at The Grand Opera House, May 17 The tables have turned on the king of interviews, Michael Parkinson, as he comes to Belfast to engage in conversation with his son Mike. For over 50 years Parky has interviewed some of the world’s high profile personalities. The event is a unique opportunity to get an intimate, entertaining and informative look at his remarkable journey from a pit village in Yorkshire to the top of those famous stairs. Tickets cost from £23.25 to £31.25.

✲ Afternoon Tea with Benefits, May 20 The Mal Maison is Belfast’s original hotel

with style and flair, and proving that is still the case is its series of Afternoon Teas with Benefits. Think all the treats of a typical afternoon tea, champers thrown in and a makeup masterclass with Benefit and a £10 voucher to boot.

✲ The Beach Boys at SSE Arena, May 20 It’s hard to believe The Beach Boys and their buoyant pop vibes have been around for 50 years and are still going strong. Back with the hits that made them the iconic act they are today are Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who along with Jeffrey Foskett, Brian Eichenburger, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten continue the legacy of the iconic American band. Tickets cost £44 and £50.

Get your Travolta on

✲ Rural Ulster and American Weddings, Ulster American Folk Park, May 27-28 The Ulster American Folk Park always makes for a fun-filled day out for all ages and this is one event that will get you thinking. Set in the 1800s the rural Ulster wedding takes visitors on a journey from courting, to the church and on to the wedding feast. In the New World you can join the wedding party in pioneer America complete with old-time music and dancing in the Pennsylvania Barn. Performances take place at 1pm and 3pm each day.

Normal pricing applicable.

✲ Micky Flanaghan at the SSE Arena, May 24-25

✲ Elvis at the Everglades, May 28

We all need a little humour in our life and the razor sharp observational wit of London act Micky in his An’ Another Fing… tour is sure to give you the dose of laughter you need. Tickets are priced at £30 and £35.50.

Fancy a bit of the King of Rock and Roll?

Take yourself to the Everglades Hotel and catch Jim ‘The King Brown’ bring the legend that was Elvis to life. Tickets are priced at £15. n

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THE

ALBUM 85

Competition

Cather and Cla

COMPETITION

Win!

A meal for four at La Taverna It’s Belfast’s newest venue and one lucky Northern Woman reader has the chance to win a meal for four at La Taverna on Belfast’s Great Victoria Street.

Savour the wine, enjoy mouthwatering sharing plates and soak up the ambiance.

Simply answer this question:

On what street is La Taverna located?

To enter

Email your answer to competitions@northernwoman.co.uk before 5pm on Friday 16 May. T&Cs: The prize is subject to availability and is valid for six months from competition end date. Pre-booking is required.

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Nikki La Alastai and Sus

Colin Jo Rebecc

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Laura Payne and Oran Kane

Michal Rothe, Rhea McCarthy and Stephen Cheah Jeff Merideth and Keith Mitchell

Catherine McKernan and Claire Steele

Nikki Larkin, Alastair Dickson and Susie Brown

La Taverna at Fratelli Belfast The top floor of Fratelli Belfast on Great Victoria Street has been redeveloped into La Taverna @ Fratelli and the new venue was unveiled on Friday 7th April. La Taverna is a brand-new Italian-style wine bar offering sharing plates in a rustic-themed space complete with a bespoke free standing bar table. Attended by figureheads in the hospitality industry as well as local personalities and the media, the launch night went on into the wee hours.

Elaine Kelly and Orla McIlwaine

Neil McVeigh, Linda Graham and Stephen Fullerton

Photos by Press Eye

Colin Johnston and Rebecca Robb

Tara More, Trish Tweedie, Louise Nicholl and Jacquie Walsh

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WCC Style Squad

Ashlee Coburn

West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK returned in April for a sold-out, four-day fashion festival with an array of stylish events across Belfast. The style extravaganza kicked off at Life Church with the return of the sell-out designer and high street runway shows alongside popular fashion fringe events Sushi Saturday at Asian favourite Zen, as well as Style Sunday. Budding new events included the stylish Lavazza Coffee Style Saturday brunch at Robinson & Cleaver offering the ultimate fashion showcase.

Emma-Jayne Mooney

Emily Hancock

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Johanna Spencer-Boyd

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Rebecca McKinney

Sheena MacAuley

Molly Jeffrey

Brenda Part

Tiffany Brien Tiffany Brien

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Katherin Farries

Cathy Martin & Valentina Jordan

Aly Harte

Victoria Square Spring Carnival Weekend

Rebecca McKinney

To celebrate the launch of the Victoria Square Spring Carnival Weekend, top media and bloggers were invited to a sneak peak of the hottest new season trends in the centre’s iconic Dome. Hosted

by Victoria Square’s resident personal stylist Katherin Farries, guests were treated to food by Wagamama, Yo Sushi and Nando’s and cocktails

by The Perch. UsFolk were on hand to provide portraits on the night.

The Victoria Square Carnival girls

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Katie Andrews, Joanne Lyttle and Katie Bryce

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Spring Summer trends from Victoria Square

Gerry Lavery and Ashlee Coburn

Katherin Farries and Avril Keys

Roscoe Watson

Guests enjoying the night

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Lisa O’Kane, Ryan Neill, Matt Owens and Lynsey Jess

Joanne Bloomer, Julie Moore and Rachel Clarke

Mark Lawther, Janine Montgomery and Catherine Berry

Fainche McAnespey, Claire Hill, Brian Martin, Anna Holmes and Catriona Armstrong

Mark Lawther, Barbara McKernan and Paul McGarrity

Chartered Accountants Ulster Society The Chartered Accountants Ulster Society Young Professionals event ‘Managing Your Online Brand’ sponsored by Van Rath Recruitment took place at the Life Centre, Belfast last week. Guest speaker Paul McGarrity of Octave Digital taked about the Google footprint, creating quality online profiles, and using social media professionally; top tips for influence and engagement.

Photo credit: Press Eye

Mark Riley, Rachel Smith, Rose Goodall and Caroline Bingham

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Paul McGarrity, Chris Fleming, Sinead FoxHamilton and Rory Moynagh

Laura McFarlane, Jessica Grieve and Jackie Kearney

Paul McGarrity

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Parson’s Nose reopens A new gastronomic experience has arrived in Northern Ireland with the reopening of Parson’s Nose, bringing exciting new smoking hot flavours, textures and aromas to the award-winning Hillsborough dining pub.

The family favourite gastro-pub reopened its doors with a significant £500,000 redevelopment that includes an internationally sourced wood-fired oven. The oven is a centrepiece in the enticing new menu. On opening night guests were treated to slow dough pizzas and delicious wood-fired fish cooked by the award-winning chefs at Parson’s Nose.

Event attendees

Conor Hogan & Inga Norvilyte

Lynne Crowther and Danny Millar

Event attendees

Parson’s Nose menu

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Harp’s Pure Here mural launch Carl Frampton and Dean Kane

Pictured at Harp’s ‘Pure Here’ mural launch in Hill Street are artist Dean Kane from Visual Waste and local boxing legend, Carl Frampton who have teamed up with Harp lager to unveil an iconic new piece of street art in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, celebrating the people, sights and humour unique to the city. The street art showcases a number of the best-loved bits of Belfast including The Albert Clock, the H&W cranes and a lot more besides.

Harp’s ‘Pure Here’ mural launch in Hill Street and Harp Bar

Claire Lorimer, Jill Cunningham, Marianna Smyth, Carl Frampton, Jeanette Levis, Dean Kane and Emma Greene

Jeannete Levis, Carl Frampton and Dean Kane

Carl Frampton

Dean Kane, Carl Frampton and Emma Greene

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Marie and David Lavelle, Jen Kennedy, William and Helen Purcell The Friel family - Jamie & Anita with Jamie, Elliot and Scott Leanne Porter and Johnny Doherty

Aelish Galbraith, Brid Doherty, Pauline Kelly, Jacqueline Mcelhinney and Martina Long

007 Charity Ball The 007 Charity Ball in memory of Michael Galbraith was held in the Halfway House, Donegal. The fundraiser was set up by Michael’s family; Aelish, Anita, Michelle, Frances, Eilis and Michael. As an architect Michael worked in association with the selected charities. His family felt it a fitting tribute after his untimely death to give something back in his name and the ball was the perfect way of remembering his fun personality as it reflected everything he loved in life. Over ₏90,000 was raised.

Frances, Breege, Michael, Aelish, Anita, Michelle and Eilis Galbraith

Michael, Eamon, Charlie, Eunan, John, Lawrence and Damian Mc Daid Colette Grant and Michelle McLaughlin

A Northern Man Why Lee Henry is lost for words

L

Proud dad Lee Henry with his son Patrick et’s talk about periods.

To me, as to many, they are inescapable, unavoidable. The bane of my existence, to be quite frank about it. Around every corner, looming large on every horizon, it seems, I catch sight of them. Fast approaching. Signposted on billboards.

Quite literally.

‘On Sale…. This Week Only!’

Four instead of the requisite three. God help us all. It’s really not that difficult, people. Google it. Look it up in an encyclopaedia. Proof it. Ellipses have three full stops. Three not four. Period.

How these types of grammatical errors make it past marketing teams and line managers and chief executive officers, who otherwise never miss an opportunity to pull up a colleague or find offence, all the way past finance and off to the printers is beyond me. What other things are they slipping up on?

I work with words. They are my bricks and mortar, my bread and butter. I’m obsessed with them, as I am the punctuation that joins them together, creating order from chaos.

So when I drive along country roads, walk down city streets, browse a menu or read my boy a children’s book, my subconscious is always on the lookout, scanning and skimming for mistakes, inconsistencies, superfluous full stops.

Some may brand me a pedant. I’m proud of

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it. In a world of alternative facts, of mainstream linguistic anarchy, us pedants are important. Bigly.

It is the nitpickers, the hair-splitters among us, who will ensure that the dim do not inherit the earth. Although recent efforts have sadly fallen short…

Last month, to my literary delight, a hooded ‘grammar vigilante’ took it upon himself to correct a host of misspelled shop signs in Bristol. One of those signs amended had previously read Amys Nail’s. If such savagery does not leave you wishing for an asteroid impact, I don’t know what will.

On the other hand, I applaud those who understand language and play with it. Alliteration, rhyme, pun all have a place in our public discourse.

For Cod & Ulster was a particular favourite.

My wife, Mairead, agrees. We met, after all, while working in a library. Though we consider ourselves grammar Nazis, for want of a more palatable phrase, we do, however, embrace slang.

TS Eliot had it right: ‘For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.’

How excited we were, then, when our threeyear-old boy Patrick recently created a new word of his own. He had let one rip, as children do, and we were all creased over laughing when, unable to locate the word ‘fart’, he took the description upon himself. Noise-poo is now very much a thing in the Henry household.

It even includes hyphenation. Proud is not the word. n

Wear your thoughts ON YOUR SLEEVE Say it loud and proud with a graphic print or slogan tee

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1 1. Charcoal Hangover T-Shirt from Next, £10 2. Black Sacred Tour Printed Longline T-Shirt from New Look, £12.99 3. Grey USA Slogan Print T-Shirt from Blu Inc, £9.99 4. Printed Slub-Cotton T-Shirt from Mango, £17.99 5. Print T-Shirt from Bershka, £9.99 6. Setting Sail Tee from White Stuff, £25 7. Yousuns Are Doin My Head In from Norn Iron Tees, £17.99

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Competition

WIN a city break Northern Woman have teamed up with The George Hotel to offer readers the chance to win a fabulous two-night break to this luxury hotel in the heart of Limerick City.

Located in O’Connell Street, The George Hotel is a luxurious four-star boutique hotel that boasts an eclectic mix of contemporary style and comfort.

With a chic art-deco interior inspired by leading boutique hotels worldwide, The George Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore all that Limerick City has to offer. From shopping til’ you drop, cultural tours, fantastic nightlife and entertainment, there has never been a better time to visit the city.

Celebrating 10 years’ in business this year The George Hotel is giving you the chance to win a two-night stay in one of the stylish bedrooms with views over the city. Enjoy a freshly prepared breakfast on both mornings, and dinner on the night of your choice in the hotel’s famous Italian eatery - Da Vincenzo Food & Wine Hall.

Visit www.georgelimerick.com or call +353 61 460400 for information on all the fantastic offers available at The George Hotel.

TO ENTER Simply answer this question:

How many years has The George Hotel been in business?

Email your answer to: competitions@northernwoman.co.uk before 5pm on Friday 26 May. T&Cs: The prize is a subject to availability, is non-transferrable, and excludes Bank holidays, Christmas and New Year’s dates.

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The

SPRING Collection 3 nights from £285pps 2 nights from £185pps 1 night from £115pps Includes breakfast and dinner each evening.

Valid from 1st April.

Call 028 4372 1066 or visit hastingshotels.com

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15/03/2017 10:43