NW October 2016

NORTHERN WOMAN

woman

NORTHERN

NEW LOOK NEW YOU

OCTOBER 2016 £2.50/€3.95

SAMINA DORNAN OCTOBER 2016

ON FINDING LOVE, WOMEN’S HEALTH AND HER FAMOUS STEPSON JAMIE

YOUNG MUMS’ TOUGH CHOICES Living with the Angelina Jolie cancer gene GLITTERING CAREER Suzanne Lunn talks jewellery, travel and life

VOLUME 32

LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY Restoring a coastal gem in Co Down

FALL FOR FASHION

VELVET CRUSH HOT COLOURS FLOWER POWER HOW I BEAT ALCOHOLISM Top model on getting sober for her son LONG AND STRONG Growing trends for tresses

WIN

A SHOPPING TRIP TO GLASGOW

NUMBER 6

Gorgeous GLAMOUR

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

Contents ALISON CANAVAN

ROSANNA DAVISON Happy and healthy P74-77

Top model tells us how motherhood helped her to beat drink addiction P24-29

ROUTE TO RETRO P74-77

Inside October Publisher Independent News & Media Ltd Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3GB www.northernwoman.co.uk T: 028 9026 4264 Editorial Consultants Gail Walker Yvette Shapiro Design Consultant Heather Byrne Manager Eileen Doherty Art Editor Helen Wright Graphics Raymond Esteban Production Manager Stuart Gray Editorial Contributors Helen Carson Una Brankin Stephanie Bell Alicia Clarke Pat Burns Marie Foy

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

SPA BREAK COMPETITION Win a stay at Farnham Estate P84

PEOPLE

Your new look Monthly Northen Woman

8 DR SAMINA DORNAN Leading women’s health specialist talks about love and stepson Jamie 22 SUZANNE LUNN A dazzling career in the jewellery business but family comes first

Coastal living: Inside the stunning family home in Co Down P 68-72

FASHION

HEALTH

DESTINATIONS

14 AUTUMN’S BEST BUYS Four pages of the latest looks to take you through October

62 TOUGH CHOICES Two young mums with breast cancer gene share their stories of hope

64 BIG APPLE BARGAINS Head to NY for Black Friday shopping treats

37 FIRST STOP RETRO STYLE Get on board with new season’s Sixties inspired designs

LIFESTYLE

86 NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS Our guide to shopping and family fun in Coleraine and the beautiful North Coast

44 FOR THE LOVE OF TWEED The weft and weave of traditiion that never goes out of style

68 AT HOME ON THE SHORE The McAnli family open the doors on their coastal retreat

BEAUTY

78 FRUIT OF THE LAND Enjoy Harvest recipes made with the best of Northern Ireland produce

52 LET DOWN YOUR HAIR Celebrities setting the style for longer, luxurious tresses, whatever your age

SOCIAL

56 FACE THE FACTS The essential guide to all that’s good for your skin this Autumn

95 WEDDING BLISS Three couple share their big day

Tough choices: Joanne Clarke P 62

REAL LIVES 80 STAR QUALITY Michelin chef Danni Barry on cooking, eating and celebrating 112 A DAY IN THE LIFE Entrepreneur and mum of four Debbie Craig talks about family and business

Do you want to tell your story in Northern Woman? Contact us by emailing: info@northernwoman.co.uk #northernwomanmagazine

www.facebook.com/ NorthernWomanmagazine

@NorthernWomanNW

Northern Woman 3

EVELIN BRANDT BELFAST

The New Season Collections Have Arrived!

Evelin Brandt, Cadogen House (opposite M&S), 322 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GH T: 028 90 20 70 20 www.evelinbrandt.co.uk

EB32 NW.indd 2-3

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram #evelinbrandtbelfast

9/7/16 9:07 PM

Style

NORTHERN WOMAN

woman

NORTHERN

NEW LOOK NEW YOU

Helen Carson selects the pick of the High Street

OCTOBER 2016 £2.50/€3.95

SAMINA DORNAN

OCTOBER 2016

ON FINDING LOVE, WOMEN’S HEALTH AND HER FAMOUS STEPSON JAMIE GLITTERING CAREER Suzanne Lunn talks jewellery, travel and time with family LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY Restoring a coastal gem in Co Down

FALL FOR FASHION

VELVET CRUSH HOT COLOURS FLOWER POWER TOP MODEL’S DRINK HELL A journey of addiction and healing LONG AND STRONG Growing trends for tresses

WIN

A SHOPPING TRIP TO GLASGOW

VOLUME 32 NUMBER 6

Gorgeous GLAMOUR

welcome to our new look

Cape coat, £150, Laura Ashley

October issue

With the new season comes a new look at Northern Woman. And a new focus on impressive women whose journeys are heartbreaking, uplifting and inspiring.

We meet Dr Samina Dornan, who combines a career at the top of the medical profession with family life that includes her Hollywood star step-son, Jamie.

You’ll be inspired, too, by the noholds-barred account of a journey through alcoholism to healing by international model Alison Canavan.

Young mothers Joanne Clarke and Ciara McKenna, both facing life-changing decisions about their health, tell us their stories of bravery and hope.

Our love of fashion knows no bounds this Autumn as we focus on the key trends to take you through October’s crisp, cool days and glamorous dark nights.

And we’ll guide you towards the latest make-up looks as you leave the summer behind and prepare your skin for the rigours of winter.

Snuggle up at home this month with the cosy Scandi look, and take a tour of the perfect seaside family retreat on the shores of the Irish Sea. It’s harvest time in the NI Year of Food - don’t miss our recipes celebrating the best of local produce and check out what’s on in the world of food this October.

Northern Woman, your essential guide to Autumn.

6 Northern Woman

Tally ho!

Sweater, £10, shirt, £14 and coat, £25, in store at George

RURAL CHIC

trends we love ... the bomber jacket

Boots, £34.99, New Look

You don’t have to be to the manor born to channel the country-heritage look being debuted at Belfast Fashionweek on Friday, October 21.

Stylish brand George will bring the country to the city with its elegant rural collection. Expect ridinginspired tweeds, silhouettes from the Forties and Fifites, fur-trimmed gloves and cool dungarees.

NEW SEASON ...

ACCESSORIES

Bomber jacket £50, Next

Bag, £29.50, M&S

Bag, £29, Accessorize

Boots, £24.99, deichmann.com

a

t

Style

arrivals and the must-have cover-ups

this month

what’s hot Trousers, £110, coat, £349, sweater, £65, loafers, £159, Hobbs

NEW SEASON ... COATS

Coat, £90, Very

Coat, £120, dress, £38, boots, £75, River Island

Coat, £249, purecollection.com

Top, £129, coat, £179, trousers, £119, Hobbs

Biker boot, £85, M&S

Coat, £30, blouse, £12, trousers, £13, shoes, £12, Primark

Coat, £25, Primark

Northern Woman 7

Cover story

She’s a leading consultant in women’s health with strong views on her patient’s rights, wife of the Belfast surgeon Jim Dornan and glamorous step-mum to heartthrob Hollywood star Jamie. We catch up with the amazing

DR SAMINA DORNAN

The top gynaecologist tells us how she found love and weighs into the abortion debate Interview by Una Brankin

S

he’s the most feminine of feminists, possibly the most glamorous of obstetricians, and the cherished step-mum to a Hollywood heart-throb.

Her husband has spoken of how lucky he was to find her, after his first wife died at 50, and her patients praise her ante-natal care in loving terms. So, one might expect Dr Samina Mahsud Dornan MD MRCOG to be mightily impressed by herself.

But she’s the opposite. Not only does she care deeply about her patients, she worries about the rest of us women here, whom she feels are being denied their sexual and reproductive rights. (She even offers to help an acquaintance of mine when she hears that his wife has cancer.)

And she is as close to her husband’s three children as any birth mother, evidently thrilled to bits over the phenomenal success of the

8 Northern Woman

Photographs by Brian Morrison youngest, the now world-famous Jamie Dornan.

“I’m very, very proud of him, and also sad for him,” she reflects. “It may be a strange thing to say but I often feel how wonderful it would be if his mum was alive to see all this. You can never replace a mother, no matter how good a parent you are.”

She’s speaking from personal experience, having lost her Persian mother, a former fashion designer who died at 30 from septicaemia, following a routine operation.

“My mum was beautiful, slim and tall, and I missed her a lot,” she adds. “I have that in common with Jim’s kids, although they were mostly grown-up when I met them first.”

Now in her late forties, the charismatic medic is looking back at that time - around the turn of the millennium -after a long week at work as a consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist in specialist maternal fetal medicine at the Royal Maternity Hospital, and at her private

practice on Belfast’s Lisburn Road. Relaxing in the luxurious home she shares in Cultra with Jim Dornan – widely known as ‘the baby doctor’ throughout his obstetrics career - she is warm, with an easy, hearty laugh, and extremely attractive: she has prominent curving cheekbones and beautiful exotic eyes, courtesy of her Middle-Eastern parentage. Born in Kohat in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan in the late 60s, her father, a retired civil engineer and politician, hails from South Waziristan in Afghanistan.

She met the suave Jim, now 68, at a medical conference in Dublin, after a few years working in Cork and Limerick in the late 1990s.

“My uncle had encouraged me to come to Ireland after I qualified - he said the Irish were friendly and supportive,” she recalls in deep tones and that peculiar, yet appealing, eastmeets-west accent. “I arrived in Cork one winter night in the late nineties and I must confess I

Cover story

❝❝

We made the decision not to have a baby and we’re very happy. We love being grandparents. I do love their tiny hugs

Lucky in love: Samina Dornan and (right), with her husband Professor Jim Dornan ➤

Northern Woman 9

Cover story ➤ didn’t feel then the love and warmth that I feel

now for Ireland!

“I met Jim later, when he was a guest speaker at Dublin’s Four Provinces Institute of Obstetrics convention. I had never heard a speaker so accomplished in all aspects.

“He was sensitive, intelligent, humorous and totally on the side of women. I wanted to grow up and be like him! I came to Queen’s University for a higher degree and here we both are, sixteen years later. And now, he’s so full of life – and love – it’s me who seems to be the older one in the house.”

Describing Samina as “amazing”, Professor Jim Dornan was introduced to the then trainee obstetrician by a match-making friend, within a year of the tragic death of his wife, Lorna, from pancreatic cancer. A former nurse, Lorna apparently always knew her husband - who admits to being “quite useless” on his own would move on after her death, but gave him a black-list of women he wasn’t allowed to marry.

“An obstetrician friend in Limerick knew that I would like Samina and sent her along to the conference I was speaking at in Dublin,” he recalled during the launch of his memoir, An Everyday Miracle, in 2013. “She’s my type - long dark hair. And so I was very, very lucky indeed.”

Both admit it took a while for Jim’s children, Liesa, Jessica and Jamie, then only 17, to get used to their father having a new partner, but Samina successfully forged a genuinely friendly rapport with the girls and a more maternal relationship with the younger Jamie, encouraging him to go to London to pursue acting and modelling.

“I remember one day, about 12 or 13 years ago, talking to Jessica and she was angry about something,” Samina recalls. “She said: ‘You’re frighteningly like my mother!” and walked out of the room.

“Well, I thought: ‘that’s a compliment’, even if it was an angry compliment! We do have fights, don’t all women? Women are territorial.

“But I get on very well with the kids, as I do, incidentally, with my own step mother, who is very gentle. She missed me when I moved to Ireland. The kids still love to come home here - that’s the best evidence of a good relationship.”

The couple married in 2002. When they met, Samina was about to take up a post in a hospital near the border, so it wasn’t much of an upheaval to move from there to Belfast.

The new Mrs Dornan hired a personal trainer to get Jim off the sofa, where he’d flop, exhausted, after a day’s work, and used her flair for interiors to refurbish the family home.

Then,after two years of married bliss, she and Jim decided to try for a baby.

Their plans were to come to a halt, however, when Jim was diagnosed with leukaemia.

“So, we decided to revisit the idea after his treatment,” Samina explains. “He took the necessary measures before the chemotherapy and afterwards he was very supportive and said ‘let’s go for it, if you want’.

“But I realised suddenly, he’s been through a lot, he has kids and he’s very busy - as am

❝❝

I - and I thought, ‘do I really want this?’ I don’t HAVE to have it all.

“So, we made the decision not to have a baby and we’re very happy. We enjoy being grandparents – we have five grandchildren now.

Though I am not a very handson grandmother, as you can imagine from my schedule, I do love their tiny hugs.

Because I spend so little time with them I do try to bribe them more, especially the ones living close to us.”

She confirms that Jim is doing well, thanks to the advances in the treatment of cancer, and is pleased to say that he still does all the cooking at home. She learned to cook – along with horse-riding and poker – in her youth, but doesn’t enjoy it, preferring the “therapeutic” nature of cleaning. Her real passion is her ante-natal practice, where she has noticed the increase in women giving birth in their forties – she even had a 56-year-old patient recently.

“She had twins, after IVF outside of Ireland – most go outside the country for IVF,” she says, matter-of-fact.

“Some might judge her for that but people didn’t used to live to 90 and beyond in the past.

“They expected to die not long after 60 and not live a long and prosperous life. It’s my job to give women the best possible care, whatever their age.

“There is a slightly higher risk for a pregnant woman in her forties but as far as I have experienced, there isn’t any need for alarm. It is best to have kids in your twenties but the world has changed and women want to have their careers. Clinics must provide the best care necessary.”

Last year, Samina accused former SDLP leader and GP Alasdair McDonnell of undermining her profession, when he said that doctors cannot predict when a foetus has a lethal abnormality, while stating his party’s opposition to abortion in cases of lethal abnormality or rape.

Currently, a termination is only legal in Northern Ireland if a woman’s life is at risk or if there is a risk of permanent and serious damage to her mental or physical health, while the Department of Justice has recommended allowing abortion in ‘lethal abnormality’ cases.

The issue and the confusion that surrounds it has caused Samina “much pain” since she qualified in London in 2009 as a consultant in maternal fetal medicine.

“My job often is to deal with mothers and partners with the most wanted and loved pregnancies, but who have been given the life-shattering news that their baby has an abnormality which may or may not be lethal,

There are too many grey haired men who aren’t from a background where they can understand and provide women’s rights

10 Northern Woman

Power couple: Samina Dornan; with her husband Professor Jim Dornan, and (below), the couple enjoy a night out with actorJames Nesbitt

but is a life- changing abnormality for all involved.

“I come across all kind of responses, and in my experience, the responses have little to do the people’s religion and beliefs.

Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and those of no traditional belief all have similar reactions.

Some, probably most in Northern Ireland, feel equipped to carry on with the pregnancies, and

Strictly fundraiser: Samina and dance partner UTV’s Marc Mallet, (right and top), in a charity evening at Titanic Belfast.

“My husband Jim is sensitive, intelligent, humorous and totally on the side of women.

Here we are 16 years later. He’s just so full of life and love”

we totally support them, but some don’t. It is my job to inform them of their choices as per the General Medical Council good medical practice guidelines.”

Once a mother or couple has made an informed decision, and Samina, in her role as consultant has performed the appropriate physical and mental health assessments, it is her medical, ethical and legal responsibility to

facilitate that decision. In her strong opinion, the proposals by human rights groups and the previous justice ministry, that abortion should be based on the finding of ‘fetal fatal anomalies’, are fundamentally flawed.

As she is at pains to explain: “By definition, it means the foetus is going to die in the womb.

Well, this can never be guaranteed. Also, termination should not be because we don’t like

the look of the foetus or the number of days or months and the number of breaths that the foetus/baby may or may not take.

“This is asking doctors to play God. The Northern Ireland judges have got it right so far, when they have universally said that the termination should only be for maternal reasons and each decision will have its unique circumstances, and so it has to be a decision reached between the mother and the appropriate clinicians who work day and daily with pregnant women and the newborn, and within the law.

Period.”

Her views earned the wrath of the pro-life lobby when aired in the BBC documentary, Abortion – Ireland’s Guilty Secret. She broke down in tears when expressing her desire to keep her patients safe, when they are faced with a decision to make on abortion. She went on to say that it is almost as hard for a doctor to work independently in Northern Ireland as it would be in Afghanistan, due to political interference, and compared the approach of the anti-abortion lobby here to the ideology of the Taliban. ➤ She knows what she’s talking about. In late

Northern Woman 11

Cover story 1980s, as a college student on a year out, she worked with the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees in Afghan refugee camps, helping women displaced by the AfghanSoviet war, to earn a living by developing home making crafts.

“Though I never lived in Afghanistan, we did go for holidays to our tribal area where my father was a respected royal,” she recalls. “There is now huge deprivation and few opportunities for the youth to get secondary, never mind tertiary, education.

“My father always said that neglecting that region after those young raw local boys were first trained to fight for the Russians, and then for the Americans, was a huge mistake which the following generations would rue. And he was so right.

“But before the Taliban almost inevitably did arise, the whole region was amazing. Jim and I have a place in Connemara and much of it reminds me of that beautiful wild and wonderful Waziristan. That is why Connemara feels like home from home.”

Samina’s father, Babajan, got his civil engineering degree and PhD in Southampton, having been the first person from his region to obtain higher education in the west. He went on to serve as a cabinet secretary for water and power in Pakistan.

She has two brothers, who run a thriving food outlet in Islamabad, and two sisters, one the chair of the Seattle University School of Business Studies, the other a teacher and a mother.

“Education and especially that of girls was very important to my father,” she remembers. “We could ask for anything and do anything as long as we got good grades.

“I actually wanted to be an F16 pilot but Babajan refused to encourage me in that direction. I’m still a bit cross with him about that! He did drill into us, wherever you go, go with all your heart.

“And so when people in Ireland ask me where I am from, my immediate response is always, ‘what do you mean? Can’t you see the Rose of Tralee in my heart, the sheer determination of the Cliffs of Moher in my manners, and the skills which come with the kiss of the Blarney Stone?’

“But then I realise that the accent gives it away.”

Back when Samina and Jim were courting, their relationship was given the thumbs-up by her mother-in-law-to-be, a religious woman who respected Samina’s liberal Muslim upbringing and her affinity with Christianity.

Her spirituality and belief that life begins in the womb after about six weeks, when a heartbeat can be detected, do not, however, conflict with her support for a woman’s right to choose.

“There is apparently such confusion in Northern Ireland around sexual and reproductive rights of women, to such an extent that all of our mothers are just not getting all of the care and attention for dealing with their problem pregnancies. Let’s just say, that while

12 Northern Woman

The Irish are beautiful people, they are open and family orientated, just like in Pakistan

Work life: Dr Samina Dornan with patients and (right), with her husband Professor Jim Dornan at the Maypole Clinic in Holywood where she specialises in maternal fetal medicine

we have some good politicians, I really feel that it would be wonderful if more young women could be involved in solving women’s issues.

“I feel that there are too many conservative, grey haired, grey suited men who just aren’t naturally from a background where they can understand and provide women’s rights. They should stand aside and stick to areas they know about.

“It is a bad time in Northern Ireland for women. In my stay here for the last 16 years, I definitely feel we have gone backwards when it comes to Northern Ireland women accessing their entitled sexual and reproductive rights..

“I do have huge respect for many religious people and their obvious self-satisfaction with their position is intriguing to observe,” she adds.

“I am OK with that, as long as they don’t push their religion and beliefs unnecessarily on others.

I personally prefer a more universal humanist view of life that embraces all peoples’ creeds and religions.”

It’s easy to get lost in conversation with Samina, who is generous with her time. I tell her I can see the family resemblance between Jamie and his first cousin twice-removed, Greer Garson, the radiant star of the classic 1940s Hollywood movie Mrs Miniver.

Cover story

Samina reveals some of her best beauty secrets 1. What are your must-have skin care products?

I have to have face oil, Huile Voluptueuse by YSL. It is extremely good for the skin.

❝❝

I’m very, very proud of Jamie.

The kids love to come home here . That’s the best evidence of a good relationship

2. What type of facials or skincare treatments do you have regularly?

Do you know, that I can safely say that I have been to the most expensive spas in the world - but expensive does not always mean quality. The best massage and facial I have ever had is given by Kerry in Omeya spa in Bangor.

She is fab.

Family first: Samina Dornan. Right, her famous step-son Jamie Dornan and his wife, actress Amelia Warner.

Inset, Jamie and his father, Jim

3. Do you take any supplements or follow a particular diet for well-being?

When I eat I try and eat healthily. During the day I am so busy that I sometimes miss lunch. It is not a good thing to do and so I end up eating small amounts, but frequently. Jim is in charge of food in the house and so you should be asking him this question!

4. What is your beauty secret, and have you any good tips?

I wish I had a knew the secret. I do believe that excessive weight gain is a beauty killer.

My grandfather used to say that all women are beautiful, it’s just that some are more so than others.

“Oh yes, it’s the Dornan nose and chin,” she agrees with a laugh. “Then I think all Irish people are quite alike. The Irish are beautiful and they are open and family orientated, like in Pakistan.”

As well as the property in Connemara, Samina and Jim own a farmhouse in “warm and wonderful Pakistan”, where they sometimes bring their friends from these shores, and, of

course, the younger Dornans. Ever in the mould of the proud Irish mammy, Samina heaps praise on Jamie’s latest two films, Anthropoid and Jadotville.

“The role in Anthropoid is very much Jamie – it sums him up,” she concludes.

“It’s very much the role he would have chosen for himself and I’d encourage everyone to go to see Jadotville – we saw it at the Galway Film Festival.

“It’s set in the Congo, which was the only war the Irish fought under the United Nations. It makes you feel very proud of being Irish. It got a standing ovation – go see it!”

5. Which make-up products could you not live without?

I could not live without make-up - period.

Anything would do to cover my face. My eldest grand-daughter, Delphine, likes watching me putting on make-up and she likes to try some herself but ssssh. Her mother is not to know!

6. Would you ever consider Botox, fillers or cosmetic surgery?

Absolutely. A girl needs to look her best and whatever that requires, I will try. I do think that women need to be very careful about Botox and fillers, as too much of such stuff can take the natural smile and shine away. Also be careful of the quick and cheap fixers. Your face is the mirror of your soul, so don’t cover it in rubbish, but rather, let it shine.

Northern Woman 13

Style

Four page fashion special on the new season’s hottest looks top trends

Skirt, £25, Next Dress, £19.99, New Look Shoe, £24.99, New Look

Preen, Winter 2016/17

Shorts, £49, Monsoon

Shoes, £40, Next

Plush velvet Indulge in our latest crush with opulent looks in every colour

Skirt, £55, White Stuff

Dress, £16, George at Asda Maxi dress, £30, F&F at Tesco

Jacket, £79, Per Una, Marks & Spencer

Dress, £149, Jigsaw Clutch, £28, Wallis Boot, £79, Topshop Coat, £95, Topshop

Boots, £49, Dorothy Perkins

14 Northern Woman

Top, £6, Primark

➤

Style

Four page fashion special on the new season’s hottest looks

Jacket, £30, F&F at Tesco Skirt, £75, Topshop

top trends

Top, £160, House of Fraser

Alexander McQueen Winter 2016/17

Laura Biagiotti Winter 2016/17

Decorative detail

Jacket, £45, Miss Selfridge

Boot, £125, Dune

Brocade, beading and bejewelled glamour for day and night

Dress, £45, Very.co.uk

Top, £38, Next Bag, £32, Accessorize Jumper, £35, Miss Selfridge

Skirt, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Dress, £80, Next

16 Northern Woman

Shoe, £85, Dune

Dress, £75, Topshop

➤

Blous £40, V co.uk

White Bicycle, 59 High Street, Holywood T: 028 9042 8435 www.facebook.com/The-White-Bicycle www.whitebicycle.co.uk

Style

Four page fashion special on the new season’s hottest looks top trends

Skirt, £28, jacket £55, Glamorous.com

Coat, £349, Hobbs Marc Cain Winter 2016/17

Rochas Winter 2016/17

Fresh floral

Bright and bold Autumn blooms Jacket, £49, Miss Selfridge

Dress, £39, M&Co

Blouse, £40, Very. co.uk

Blouse, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Skirt, £22, Vero Moda at House of Shoe, £32, Fraser Dorothy Perkins

Dress, £49, Miss Selfridge

Dress, £16, George at Asda

18 Northern Woman

Blouse, £35, Evans

Prom dress, £90, ➤ Very.co.uk

13 MAIN STREET, BALLYNAHINCH, CO.DOWN BT24 8ND T: 028 9756 2471 OPEN TUES – SAT 9.00am – 5.30pm

Style

Four page fashion special on the new season’s hottest looks

top trends

Blouse, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Jasper Conran Winter 2016/17

Michael Kors Fall 2016

Dress, £69, Linea, House of Fraser

Tory Burch, Winter 2016/17

Colour code Bold is best with bright rich hues

Sweater, £28, Next

Dress, £29, Mco

Coat, £75, Dorothy Perkins Shorts, £39 La redoute

Dress, £60, Debenhams

Skirt, £35, Next

20 Northern Woman

Dress, £45, Red Herring, Debenhams

Top, £35, Topshop

Style

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

Northern Woman 21

A Woman’s Work

Suzanne Lunn has been surrounded by diamonds all her life. She’s marketing director of the Belfast retailer Lunn’s the Jewellers What’s your job?

Marketing director of Lunn’s the Jewellers. I look after all of our advertising for the Lunn’s and Portfolio of Fine Diamonds brands, and that of our partners in Northern Ireland, such as Patek Philippe, Rolex and David Yurman. I also organise promotions and client events. I joined the business full time in 2007 as marketing manager and became marketing director in 2012.

Describe your typical day I live in Edinburgh and commute to Belfast a couple of days a week, working remotely the rest of the time. It makes for a rather ‘varied’ day! As exclusive agents for a large number of the world’s finest watch and jewellery houses, there is always something new to see, especially in the last few months of the year as we look towards Christmas. It is also a great opportunity to catch up informally with our sales team.

I am currently working on the Lunn’s Lunch With An Old Bag for The Prince’s Trust that will be held on Friday 18 November. I am part of a committee of amazing, tenacious ladies or “Old Bags” as we’re officially known, to raise as much money as we can for The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland.

I try to keep admin for when I am working at home, I will also join internal meetings by FaceTime but I prefer face to face meetings particularly where visuals and creatives are being discussed. It’s much easier to be in the room. A couple of times a year, business will take me away to London and Switzerland

22 Northern Woman

Dad told me I’d have to work ten times harder to prove myself in the family firm where we meet our suppliers to do our buying and discuss strategic plans.

What makes a good day at work?

Thankfully, there are a lot of thrills in our business. It’s very satisfying to create a campaign and to watch it go live and know that it touches people.

It’s wonderful when you find exquisite watches and jewellery for the store that take your breath away. The sort that makes you feel like a child on Christmas Eve! But without a doubt it is knowing that someone’s experience of shopping at Lunn’s has been fabulous.

Regardless of spend, a visit to Lunn’s should be an absolute pleasure from beginning to end.

What are your biggest challenges in this job?

It’s a universal truth that time and the lack of it is one of greatest challenges of modern life. Ten day weeks would be useful once in a while!

How did you get started?

As a little girl, I used to adore going into work with my Dad on a Family flair: Suzanne Lunn and brother John, and (top), her father Peter Lunn

Saturday morning - I suspect I was more of a hindrance and less of a help, but I’ve fond memories. I loved spending time with many of our team who would happily tell me the most enchanting stories about where a particular gemstone came from, let me watch diamonds being set or show me how to wind an antique pocket watch.

Later, I spent many Decembers wrapping lots of red boxes and helping out on the sales floor.

Lunn’s was a huge presence in our lives, while we grew up, as family businesses often are. They tend to be a little like a member of the family – always there. Both my brother John (our managing director) and I were told by Dad that we would have to work ten times harder to prove ourselves.

I wanted to spend time doing something independent of the business before joining it full time. I spent four years working for a FTSE 250 recruitment company in Edinburgh during the ‘boom years’, a very different industry to the world of jewellery and a baptism of fire. It was great time in the economy and I learned a lot very quickly.

Where did you study?

I graduated from Queen’s University with a BA in joint

A Woman’s Work

Diamond life: Christine Bleakley models over £1m worth of jewellery from Lunn’s Belfast store. Below, some of the new collection of diamond rings

❝

honours in European Studies and History of Art. I then completed an MSc in Business at Heriot Watt in Edinburgh.

Your best piece of career advice for a young woman?

I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on the importance of relationships. It is something I wasn’t taught academically but I am very aware that many of the wonderful opportunities we have had as a family business have come to us because of the relationships we have. Patek Philippe, the finest watch makers in the world, made us a unique clock to celebrate our 60th anniversary, something they had only done once before for a retailer in Beverly Hills and have followed it up with a unique enamelled watch.

How do you dress for work?

I play it safe with classic, well-cut pieces, perhaps a dress or jacket and trousers. Nothing too formal but something that will allow me to show off a little jewellery and a nice watch. I’m a big fan of David Yurman’s jewellery and his approach to layering it - it can look stunning and enhance a dress.

I keep my weekends simple to balance the chaos What’s your life like outside of the working week work? and love lazy lunches Very simple. Our weekends balance the chaos of the working with friends and week. I’m married to Chris and have two wonderful cheeky boys: family Will & Max who are six and two years old. Our weekends revolve around them and Will’s many sporting activities. We love spending lazy lunches catching up with friends and family. When we’re in Belfast together, which is never often enough, Chris and I love to eat out at Deanes, James Street South and Ox. We’re spoilt for choice. It’s lovely to see Belfast thriving and we always have a long list of what we want to do when we’re there but we never quite get it done!

17 Charlemont Street, Moy, BT71 7SL Telephone: 028 8778 9955. Find us on Northern Woman 23

Interview

Addiction ripped my soul apart but now I’m celebrating my new sober life Like tragic Erin Wilkinson from Londonderry, top model Alison Canavan struggled for years with alcoholism and depression. She writes about the journey she took to heal her pain

A

life without alcohol: That sentence used to cause such turmoil and internal panic, I would go and drink. Sounds stupid, or maybe even funny to some of you, but in reality, for a lot of us, the thought of ‘forever’ can be and is quite scary. Anyway, I needed drink to chat to people; for confidence; to have a personality; to be creative; to have friends; to be accepted; and my job revolved around it. I would use it to take the edge off, to cope with a tough day. I would drink to reward myself after I had worked hard, or worked out, or just because it was Friday, or Monday, or lunchtime, or after work! We drink to celebrate weddings, christenings, birthdays, births and deaths, so, as you can see, there is always a reason to have a drink.

When a reason didn’t

24 Northern Woman

Photographs by Kip Carroll present itself, I would make it up. I could convince you pretty easily that black was white, or vice versa. That’s the thing with addiction — it tells you lies, and you repeat those lies to anyone who will listen. Addiction rips you apart at your soul level; the very essence of your being dies.

Using becomes a way of being happy — or, at least, happier than being sober, which is not hard.

Overall, it’s a vicious cycle that lures you in with false promises of fun, and spits you out with nothing: no self-esteem, broken relationships, arguments, memory loss, lost belongings, wasted days, anxiety and depression.

Today, I am celebrating 20 months of sobriety.

They are words I never expected to say and mean; after all, I had tried so many times before. They are words that have taken me this long to write, for fear that I might drink again. The past few weeks have really tested my sobriety like never before. James, my five-year-old son, was in

a near-drowning accident on holidays, and then our luggage and belongings were stolen on the way to the airport in Spain. But the real truth is that my sobriety will always be tested every day by something called life if I let it, as life is challenging at the best of times. Learning to live in the real world without crutches to lean on is really the biggest challenge of all.

For most of my life, I numbed myself with drink. It was easy. I was a model, and partying was more normal than not partying. I was in pain, and it was my pain relief. I suffered from depression and anxiety from an early age, and during my teen years just getting up could be a struggle. I didn’t think this was unusual, though; I just thought everyone had to give themselves a good push to get through the day.

When I started experimenting with drink, it was blissful. I felt high and alive, and all my cares and troubles just faded away. The next day was always horrible, but then again my days could be horrible anyway, so the high was worth it.

Very often, I was the one being carried

Model life: Alison Canavan who has bravely overcome her addiction to alcohol. Left, Brenda Shankey and her younger sister Erin Wilkinson, who died recently after years of alcohol and drug addiction

Northern Woman 25

Interview ➤ home from discos and nightclubs, and I would spend the next 24 hours throwing up and laughing about it with friends. We’d joke about how many shots we could drink, and boast about our alcohol intake as if it was a measure of our madness. And the madder you were, the better.

‘Party Ali’ became a real identity: “Invite Ali; she’s great fun and she’ll stay out with you all night”. I was never short of friends or invitations when I was abroad modelling, and it was glamorised to such an extent that it was completely normal to drink all the time — at lunchtime, on catalogue trips, and backstage at fashion shows. The modelling industry today is vastly different to 20 years ago. Back then, it was a case of anything goes.

I would have regular blackouts, and although they terrified me in the beginning, I’m ashamed to say I got used to them. As I got older, they began to scare me, not terrify me. I lived in New York City by myself, and there were mornings I wouldn’t remember where I was, or who I was out with. I was too embarrassed to ring around, and I would sit nervously waiting for a message from one of my friends that might shine a light on the night before.

I tried to stop drinking many times, and succeeded for days, weeks and even months

❝❝I was modelling abroad and

back then it was completely normal to drink all the time at a time. I periodically fooled myself and I fooled those around me. I got angry when anyone commented on my lifestyle, and defended it at all costs — after all, everyone else was doing it, too. I sat in AA meetings for years listening to other people’s stories, but I was still in denial. “I’m not as bad as them,” I would think, and go out and get wasted again, not remembering where I was or how I got home again. It is a miracle I am here today.

I lived in constant fear of having to live in the real world with real feelings. I had never done it, and I didn’t know how.

I constantly tried to play the balance game, and I didn’t fit the stereotype of someone with a drinking problem (whatever that is).

I could stop for months at a time and not drink during the week, but I had to ask myself: was I controlling my drinking or was my drinking controlling me? Every morning, I would wake up, look in the mirror and hate what was staring back at me. I always felt dirty and guilty. I was a pro at faking it. It didn’t affect my looks enough for me to stop. Maybe if it had, I would have stopped sooner.

I got away with it, you see. I was able to party, go to work and pull off a great modelling shoot and then go home

26 Northern Woman

to die. I prided myself on never, ever missing a day’s work, until one day I did — and then it happened again. I slept it out on a number of occasions, or should I say passed out and didn’t wake up. I remember my mum and her cousin coming to visit me in New York, and I went missing for a day and night, partying.

Mum was sick with worry, as a girl had been murdered on 84th and Central Park West, one block from my apartment. But it wasn’t the first time I had acted so selfishly and done this.

I promised never to do it again, and I would argue stupid things, like I was only having fun, and I was with good people. As a mother myself now, I can only imagine the pain and worry I caused my mum through the years, and I can still remember her sad face that day; it is etched into my memory forever.

I

lost my dad 17 years ago, but even back then, he knew there were warning signs. He often cursed my job choice, and asked me to sit down for a chat.

He told me if I ever felt things were a bit out of control and I needed help, that I could always come to him. The irony being that when I lost him, I drank more than ever to help get me through it.

For me, alcohol was like staying in a bad relationship. There were many warning signs early on, but I ignored them. Passing out, blackouts, hospital visits ... our relationship survived them all. “Wow, you can drink a lot,” people would say, “It must be because you are Irish.” Living abroad, this was like a badge of honour.

The more I drank, the more I needed to drink, and this is the danger. I would drink to cope with anxiety, especially in social situations, and, in the short-term, this worked, but the next day was filled full of fear and regrets for money spent, and the embarrassing things I did and said. I ended up in relationships with enablers, who told me I had a problem, but then happily poured alcohol down my neck when they wanted to drink themselves.

When I became a mum, I thought I had figured things out — after all, I only had the odd glass of wine during my pregnancy, so I obviously didn’t have a problem.

And then I breastfed with no drink.

But it crept back up slowly — in fact, it had probably never gone away. A glass of wine was used to take the edge off in the evening; to cope with a stressful day; to help me socialise and enjoy dinners — but most of all, it was used to help me escape. But behind the facade I was a scared single mum who was lonely, and drink was my friend.

But it was a friendship based on secrets and lies. It robbed me of my dignity, self-esteem, health and happiness. I finally decided I wanted to be fully present in my life, as I was exhausted from escaping and piecing things back together the day after the night before. I was sick of having the fear, sick of punishing myself, sick of trying to feel better but only succeeding in feeling worse. Overall,

Interview I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

My journey into true sobriety, however, was only beginning and I began to realise that when life happened — which it does every second of every day — I had no crutch, and I actually had to feel feelings and work through my problems.

There were days I used to long for just a glass of wine in the evening to take the edge off or to de-stress. I needed a blow-out once in a while, people kept telling me, but this time, for the first time in 20 years, I didn’t give in, and I haven’t since. I spent a year changing my thought patterns — the brainwashing that I have had for my whole life. Jason Vale’s book Kick The Drink — Easily! is a horrifying look at the truth about our real relationship with alcohol. I now know that a blow-out would only put me back where I started, and I’m trying to move forward.

I never truly thought I could break the cycle through the years, so I tried to control it. But deep down I was scared that this was bigger than me. I regularly cried, beating myself up for being such a weak loser. Annoyed and guilty that I couldn’t just be normal, and have a drink and a chat and go home. It’s a vicious cycle of self-abuse, low self-esteem and getting wasted to escape that, but, in the end, I always ended up in tears at 3am, regularly crying in nightclubs, and never wanting to go home. I was a complete nightmare to be out with.

As the years went on, my friends became impatient and annoyed. Once I had one drink, there was no talking to me, they said, and I wanted to party until the bitter end. I told myself it was OK as it only happened once a month, but that soon moved to once a week, and then the girls were calling in for a glass of wine in the evening. They could stop at one, but I couldn’t. The few weeks before I gave up were a mess. I went away with my friend Karen, and again went missing, to a party. She was so worried, but her kindness and compassion in helping me to confront my drinking has helped me to stay sober, and that goes for all my true friends.

In the beginning, I was a hot topic of conversation, which killed me. I would hear ➤

I was a pro at faking it ... drinking never effected my looks enough to stop me doing it again Northern Woman 27

Interview ➤ all the gossip back; you always do. “Give her time and she’ll fall spectacularly off the wagon and end up in Lillie’s [nightclub]”; “She won’t survive Christmas”. These same people tried to hug and kiss me when I met them at work events, and told me how proud they were.

I learnt a lot about people last year. I learnt a lot about friendship, truth and honesty. I was lucky enough to be studying and writing a book in 2015 because, let me tell you, the phone never rang. Every single time I went out, all anyone talked about was my drinking.

I have spent the past few years working hard on myself, and it’s a daily job, but worth every second. My unexpected pregnancy six years ago not only humbled me, but it gave me a life, a real life where I now understand that all we have is right here, right now. James forced me to be present, to heal and to dig deep to a really scary place that I would probably never have visited otherwise. I peeled off the very painful layers that I have covered up with years of addiction and pain.

I feel things now; I don’t numb them. And as hard as that is, sometimes it’s necessary. I was so scared, like a frightened child, afraid of everything. What will I say to people? How will I stand? Where will my confidence come from?

Will I have a personality without Party Ali?

❝❝I am only ever a few small

steps away from addiction and I have accepted that with grace The truth is: it’s damn hard in the beginning; it’s like becoming a baby again — helpless and vulnerable, learning to crawl and then walk. Not long after I gave up drink, I was at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards, and my friend Karen came with me for support. To the outside world, I was in great form, but inside I was crumbling with anxiety. As we sat at the table, I had a massive anxiety attack — my legs were like jelly, my palms were sweating and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack and pass out.

Karen talked me through it, quietly telling me I had been here before, and I knew it was anxiety, and that I would get through it.

It took her about 30 minutes of talking me around, and then she said, “The last award is over, let’s get up and leave”. I did, and when I got into my car I fell apart, and said, “I can’t do this”, but Karen said, “Yes, you can. The worst is behind you, and next time will be easier”.

28 Northern Woman

Good balance: Alison enjoys meditating as a natural way of keeping healthy. Below, as a young mum with her son James

Becoming a mum forced me to be present, to heal myself and dig deep

Xxxxx xxxxxx people who love and support you. It is one of the most important things you can do for your confidence, self-belief and health Alison’s and well-being on your journey. new wellness Deep down, I had always known book for mums, that, some day, the road to giving which is called Minding up leads to a town called Nowhere.

Mum, is published by I have always been a spiritual Gill Books. Her website soul seeker, and my life had been is alisoncanavan.com running on parallel lines for many years. I have been meditating since my late teens and attending retreats all over the world with many great masters and teachers, but my unhealthy lifestyle would pull me back in and I wanted to fit in.

I never thought it was possible to feel good naturally, but now I feel more alive each day than I ever have before.

I wake up every day with a heart full of gratitude and appreciation for what I have, and who I have become. I’m excited for my future, and for what lies ahead, and I feel free. I do believe James was my angel and the catalyst that really started my true inward journey of healing, but what I realised along the way was that you have to make these decisions for yourself. Not for your parents, partners, children or friends, but for you. You must find that place deep inside of you that knows you are worthy and worth it. This takes time, patience, hard work and perseverance.

L

oving yourself is not vain or egotistical — it’s an essential part of living a happy and fulfilled life.

When you fill your tank and engine with kindness, compassion and love for yourself, you have so much more to give to others.

I no longer beat myself up, and I can’t believe the way I spoke to myself for so many years. I have a rule now, and I try and catch myself when I start a negative rant. I think to myself: “Would I say this to a friend” If the answer is no, then I try not to say these things to myself. I’ve learned that if I wanted my life to be better, then I needed to step up to the plate, show up and bring a better me to the table each day.

I’ve also learnt to stop the blame game, because I wanted to grow, face myself and live a happy life. Blame, to me, is not taking responsibility for your own path and your own destiny. I was always blaming my mood or actions on what someone else said or did, but in reality I am the only one with that power. We’re all a bit like junkies looking for our next fix from life, and when things don’t go our way we blame everything and everyone around us, but rarely do we look within and work with ourselves.

We keep looking for balance in an imbalanced culture by doing things like drinking too much to take the edge off, and then taking painkillers in the morning to get up and get through our day.

Then we go on cleanses, retreats and holidays to fix us, but they don’t, because real wellness is a daily job, and something that needs to be worked on everyday.

What I have learnt since becoming sober is that professionally and personally, I have soared.

I sleep better, and I’m in control of every aspect of my life. I feel things now, and although it’s uncomfortable at times, I also feel the depth of positive emotions, too. I’m more present in my everyday life, and I now know that you don’t

have to drink to have fun. I’ve discovered I have a personality without alcohol, and the clarity in my life is incredible.

I’ve learnt that being happy comes when you realise how extraordinary the ordinary things in your life are, and that without inner peace and contentment, you have nothing in this life. The richest man will still be poor.

Now, I have so much light in my life, I feel free. Every day I can live without feeling like I’m drowning or pushing against the tide. To all addicts out there: I never thought I could do it, but it is possible. It tore me apart; I was emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. I was walking around dead most days. I covered up my feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem for years with alcohol, but no more. I now have freedom, passion and a life without chains.

I am only ever a very small step away from addiction, and I have accepted that with grace.

Today I feel free, blessed and incredibly grateful.

I am a work-in-progress and always will be, as we all are. On my card for my book launch, my sister Laura wrote: “strong, sober and published author”. Each one of those words are words I never thought would be used to describe me, but we are all capable of so much more than we imagine.

Every day I wake up and say thank you. Then I meditate, and write in my gratitude journal. As our brains are primitive and primed for survival and not happiness, happiness is our job, and one I take very seriously. I have many great daily happiness habits that work for me.

Meditation and mindfulness are certainly

having their moments, but I would really urge you to not view them as a temporary fad because, in my opinion, they need to become a natural part of our day, exactly like eating or drinking.

We are moving too fast and it’s coming at a high cost for us, personally and professionally.

We are distracted, uneasy, unhappy, unsettled, anxious, depressed and ungrateful. We live in a world of instant gratification, wanting more and more, quicker than ever before. Round and round we go, getting dizzy from the craziness that’s called modern life.

But how do we start to change this pattern, this endless cycle that we can’t seem to break free from?

We must train ourselves to slow down and even stop at times throughout our day. I now write myself a ‘prescription for life’ to replace all the pills and prescriptions from years before. It goes something like this: Be grateful; Check in with yourself; Breathe; Live with joy; Meditate; Eat well; Move your body; Laugh with friends; Love fearlessly.

My life lessons have been vast and in very different settings and very much outside of what we consider the norm, but if I can change my life, anyone can and today if you ask me do I believe in miracles, I would say, “Yes, I do” because I’m living one.

Northern Woman 29

Belfast Fashion Week

Get set for the fashion e

SHOW SCHEDULE DATE

TIME

DESIGNERS & RETAILERS

Thursday 20 Oct

8pm Designer Boutiques & Local Designers

Featuring collections from top Northern Irish designers and independently owned boutiques, Thursday 20 October will see the catwalk come alive with style from FASHIONWEEK favourites Blush Boutique, Grainne Maher: Vault, Jourdan, Nor Lisa, Diamond Dolls, Deux Cara, Sands & Hall (formerly known as Cocoon Luxury Wear) and Spoilt Belle Boutique as well as newcomers in the form of accessory brand Zohara, alongside designers Laura O’Hanlon Millinery, knitwear brand ONA by Agne, plus recent fashion graduate Vijeta Lal in the Designer and Designer Boutique show.

VENUE: BFW HQ AT 11A BRUCE STREET Ticket Price: £20 or £30 FROW Tickets: 02890246609 or via links on www.belfastfashionweek.com

Friday 21 Oct

8pm High Street Heaven

Style proceedings will continue with the High Street Heaven show on Friday 21 October, bringing the latest looks from the nation’s biggest and busiest high street stores including Next, Remus Uomo, Marks & Spencer, Oasis, DV8 Fashion and not forgetting everyone’s favourite lingerie brand Boux Avenue. Alongside these names fashion favourites George at ASDA will return plus an amazing range retailers from CastleCourt, including Designers at Debenhams, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins among others.

VENUE: BFW HQ AT 11A BRUCE STREET Ticket Price: £20 or £30 FROW Tickets: 02890246609 or via links on www.belfastfashionweek.com

Saturday 22 Oct

10am Little Women

Teaming up with Little Women to deliver a positive body image seminar for 7-10 year olds as part of their ongoing life development programme for young girls.

VENUE: BFW HQ AT 11A BRUCE STREET For more information, follow @littlewomenni on Facebook.

Saturday 22 Oct

12-8pm People’s Catwalk

The new People’s Catwalk, in which individuals can join the catwalk and spend the day living life as a model – with hair and make up applied by the experts, catwalk training and a photoshoot with a top fashion photographer, plus the opportunity to walk the FASHIONWEEK catwalk at the end of the evening in the Ju-Tox blogging event.

VENUE: BFW HQ AT 11A BRUCE STREET People’s Catwalk Participant Cost: £80 – including photos & all training To book call BFW HQ on 02890421509 or email: cathy@cmprireland.com

Saturday 22 Oct

2pm-4pm Sushi Saturday “The Director’s Cut”

See Opposite

Saturday 22 Oct

8pm Ju-Tox Blogging Event

Ju-Tox blogging event “Let’s Talk Business, Beauty & Blogging” hosted by James Butler (AKA James Patrice) [more info to be released but this event includes food & drink and a fab fashion show!]

VENUE: BFW HQ AT 11A BRUCE STREET Ticket price: £34.99pp To book call BFW HQ on 02890421509 or email: cathy@cmprireland.com

Sunday 23 Oct

2pm-5pm Style Sunday

See Opposite

Tickets for all catwalk shows are on sale (£20.00) at Belfast Welcome Centre box office.

T: 02890246609. There are also a limited number of front row tickets for £30.00.

The price includes a generous goodie bag as well as a refreshing West Coast Cooler and, of course, the fabulous fashion. For more information on the event and links through to all the participant retailers, log on to www.belfastfashionweek.com

32 Northern Woman

Belfast Fashion Week

event of the year...

Ireland’s largest and most established fashion event, West Coast Cooler Fashionweek, celebrates its 12th year and 22nd season this month.

In 2004, Belfast Fashionweek exploded onto the style scene with an array of events that showcased the very best designs from favourite high street retailers, designers and boutiques. Over the years, the catwalk has come alive with collections from retail giants including Topshop, Designers at Debenhams, French Connection, Whistles and Jigsaw, as well as leading international designers like JW Anderson, Helen McAlinden and many more.

The multi-award-winning event was the first of its kind and is key date in the diary of fashionistas from Belfast and beyond.

This autumn’s schedule brings with it for four days of fantastic fashion from 20-23 October, with nightly catwalk shows, an array of fabulous fringe events, including Style Sunday, the new Ju-Tox blogging

Sushi Saturday Fashionistas regularly flock to the uber-chic Sushi Saturday event, hosted at Belfast’s leading Asian-inspired restaurant Zen, in Adelaide Street. The perfect event for those who cannot make the catwalk shows, this “Director’s Cut” showcases the best looks from across all shows at Belfast FASHIONWEEK, while guests enjoy West Coast Cooler cocktails and a generous Asian afternoon tea. Fear not, if raw fish is not your thing – there are curries, honey chili chicken and plenty of other favourites on offer too. Whatever way you describe it, this is the perfect afternoon out for the girls – and you can book in tables of twos, fours, sixes or eights – so get your glam on and get booking!

Ticket price: £30pp including a welcome

event, plus a positive body image seminar for young girls in association with Little Women and a brand new ‘People’s Catwalk’ event on Saturday 22 October, which allows anyone to join the catwalk and experience a day in the life of a model.

Director Cathy Martin said: “With a whole host of fabulous fashion events for all ages and stages in life, plus amazing international sponsors including West Coast Cooler, Senna make up, ALFAPARF Milano Professional Haircare and DS3 as our official car partner, Fashionweek is truly leading in the fashion game!”

The full show schedule and tickets are available online at www.belfastfashionweek.com or alternatively from the Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609.

cocktail and Asian Afternoon Tea (all dietary requirements catered for) as well as the show.

To Book: Call 028 9042 1509 or email cathy@ cmprireland.com

Style Sunday This AW16 the FASHIONWEEK schedule will close, as always, in sumptuous style with the flagship Style Sunday luncheon at Deane’s at Queen’s on 23 October. This glamorous four course gourmet luncheon, which is run in association with Blush Boutique and in support of Action Cancer, accompanies trend forecasts, a mini fashion show and mini masterclasses from FASHIONWEEK’s hair and make up partners ALFARPARF Milano (represented by hair legend Paul Stafford) and Oonagh Boman’s School of Make Up using Senna Cosmetics.

Deane’s at Queen’s chefs will deliver a delicious meal while guests enjoy designer fashion from Blush boutique in Belfast as well as accessories from Stella and Dot. To Book: Call Deanes at Queens on T : 028 9038 2111. £45pp including a welcome cocktail, a glass of wine, and a delicious 4 course lunch as well as the show and a generous goodie bag.

Fast Fashion from DS The super stylish DS from Citroën is the official car partner for Belfast FASHIONWEEK - and with its sleek lines and chic interior, this world-class model joins the fashion elite at Ireland’s largest fashion event. Watch out for the flash mob ‘car walk’ happening during FASHIONWEEK in the city centre.

Northern Woman 33

Advertorial

Sixty reasons to celebrate at McCalls of lisburn

O

ne of Northern Ireland’s longest-running fashion retailers has several reasons to celebrate this season.

McCalls of Lisburn has not only been nominated for a prestigious national award, but it also happens to coincide with a very special anniversary of the landmark menswear store.

Recognised widely as the industry’s most highly-respected accolade, the Drapers’ Awards celebrate the best in fashion retailing and this year their roll-call includes McCalls of Lisburn for the coveted Independent Menswear Retailer UK & Ireland category. This is the third time that the three-generation, family-run business has been nominated for such an industry standard and the entire McCall family is hoping that this will be a case of “third time lucky” as 2016 has also marked their sixtieth anniversary of trading.

Robert William McCall opened his gentleman’s outfitters on Lisburn’s Market Street way back in April 1956 and it became an instant favourite with the fashion-conscious men of County Down and beyond. When he retired, Robert’s two sons Mervyn and Percy McCall took over the running of the store. Three generations later, it is still very much a family concern, continuing to go from strength to strength in the capable hands of Mark, Chris, Jill and Alastair. And now, even a fourth generation is getting involved as Kirsty works part time on the online side of the business and some of Robert’s younger great-grandchildren spend their school holidays working in the store.

Although McCalls boasts an extensive collection of global menswear labels which can rival any multi-national chain, the fact that it is a family business with World Host status means that a warm welcome and a personal, friendly service is absolutely assured when customers drop in.

On trend designer labels include Gant, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Ted Baker, plus an exciting addition for this season, Farah Vintage, which is a heritage brand with a modern look and feel. A huge collection of contemporary suits is available to buy and also to hire for weddings and special occasions. Suiting brands include Magee, Carl Gross, Tommy Hilfiger and Remus Uomo, among others.

To celebrate the store’s landmark sixtieth year, the team paired up with fashion photographer Khara Pringle and locally based models Cameron Kelly and Carlos Djalo to showcase a selection of looks for the new season.

Director Alastair McCall said of the new collections: “This season we have a number of new trends starting to make an appearance. Although there are still plenty of popular blues and greys we have striking shades of Peacock, Bordeaux and Apple Red making their mark. In shirts, neat design details such as dots and prints are adding a point of difference and the Oxford shirt has returned for Autumn; while a new type of highstretch jersey denim is coming through in our

20-24 Market Street, Lisburn BT2 1AB Tel: 028 9267 5111 Email: info@mccallsoflisburn.com Web: www.mccallsoflisburn.com

34 Northern Woman

jeanswear ranges. Trousers continue to be more narrow and slim-fitting than in the past, while solid-colour two-pieces worn with contrasting waistcoats and the resurgence of checks are the way forward in suits this season” Of course, to see the McCalls’ collection in its entirety, customers can call into the destination store at Market Street Lisburn, while a huge selection is also available to view online at www.mccallsoflisburn.com

Xxxxx xxxxxx

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LISBURN & FORESTSIDE TEAMS!

PRIZE-WINNERS AT THE L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY UK 2016

Northern Ireland Regional Winner Stephen Hanna with Model Ruth Ferguson and Host Nick Grimshaw

Mizani Award Winner Alanda Patrick with Assistant Thomas Hillan and Model Helen Sugan

GET YOUR OWN PRIZE-WINNING HAIR AT A SALON NEAR YOU

Abbey Centre S/C Tel: (028) 908 609 01

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The Quays S/C, Newry Tel: (028) 302 631 33

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www.petermark.com

60109146 PM_NI Colour Trophy Awards_Northern Woman A4.indd 1

01/09/2016 12:15

Style

This month we want...

Too much is not enough this Autumn as designers go all out on florals, embroidery and gothic looks

Dress, ÂŁ250, Matthew Williamson for Debenhams

... to dazzle with style 36 Northern Woman

Xxxxx xxxxxx

Route to Retro Sixties inspired looks to transport your style into the new season

Coat, £59.99, Vogue Jumper, £20, Next Pinafore, £29.99, DV8 Hat, £8, Dunnes Stores Sock, £3.50, Topshop Boots, £79, Topshop

Coat,£59.99, £59.99,Vogue Vogue Coat, PoloNeck, Neck,£16, £16,Bon BonMarche Marche Polo Trousers,£10, £10,Primark Primark Trousers, Bag,£25, £25,Next Next Bag,

Xxxxx xxxxxx Coat, £129.99, Monsoon Blouse, £10, Primark Pinafore, £10, Primark Hat, £9.99, Quiz Socks, £2.50, Dunnes Stores

Coat, £35, Bon Marche Polo Neck, £20, River Island Skirt, £49, Monsoon Bag, £29, Accessorize Bow Clip (on bag), £4, Claire’s Accessories Tights, £3 (for 3 pack), Primark

Xxxxx xxxxxx

Coat, £59.99, DV8 Dress, £28, River Island Turtle Neck, £19.99, DV8 Cap, £16, River Island Boots, £44.99, Quiz Bag, £30, Clarks Key Chain, £5.99, Quiz

Coat, £65, River Island Jumper, £22.99, DV8 Skirt, £30, Next Tights, £3 (for 3 pack), Primark Socks, £3, Primark Loafers, £50, Clarks

Photographer: Khara Pringle www.kharapringlephotographic.com Styling: Eve Brannon info@evebrannonfashionstyling.com Make-Up: Paddy McGurgan @Make-up Pro Store Belfast Hair: Joanne O’Neill 028 2765 7571 Model: Gracie @1st Options Location: The Red bus Company 028 37552082 rory@theredbuscompany.com

All available from

Fashion

AUTUMN SPA EXPERIENCE

Oh, Go On... Spoil Yourself!

Autumn Spa Experiences available from £99 per person For Reservations The Spa at Culloden on 028 9042 1135 The Spa at Slieve Donard on 028 4372 6166 hastingshotels.com

Northern Woman 43

Style

C

harlotte and Patrick Temple from Donegal are fifth generation tweed aficionados.

At 33 and 31 respectively, they wear and talk about tweed in a

very contemporary way.

It’s quite a family heritage to get behind and drive. Patrick was a marine engineer while Charlotte was in the Irish army and led a battalion in Liberia aged 22. But both joined the family ‘firm’ which has a rich history and heritage.

Magee was established in 1866 and was originally a small draper’s shop in Donegal, buying and selling handwoven tweed. The owner, John Magee, was a cousin of the current generation’s great-grandfather, Robert Temple, who had the wisdom to buy the business in 1900.

Now, 116 years later, it’s a fourth and fifth generation business run by chairman Lynn Temple with his daughter, Charlotte, as director of retail and design, while his son, Patrick, is CEO of Magee Weaving.

Charlotte’s army career was, she laughs, “the perfect training for clothing and design.

I joined the army just after school and I spent my time in the Curragh and in Liberia in west Africa. It was after that, when I was in London, that I was really inspired by retail and different brands and that triggered me to go back into the business.

“I genuinely wasn’t thinking about coming into the business. It was not something that I would have thought would be my ultimate career, but London definitely changed that.

It’s funny how things go. For me, my army career definitely was about leadership, management of people and organisation. I found being in a uniform for four years really quite soul-destroying because it zaps your personality a little bit.”

For centuries, itchy, rugged, hand-woven tweed was the uniform of the peasantry and they dyed wool from the household sheep with brews of lichen and moss. It morphed into the performance attire of the sporting

HOW TWEED BECAME CHIC From the uniform of peasants to the darling of couturiers, tweed has been transformed over the years. Its resurgence i s good news for companies who never falter in their love of weaving the warp and weft, writes Bairbre Power 44 Northern Woman

Style

The producers: Magee Weaving

❝❝

We are still maintaining all the HERITAGE from the past while obviously bringing tweed forward to a CONTEMPORARY market

Clockwise from left: Charlotte and Patrick Temple with their father Lynn; some of the modern Magee tweed fabrics; and Irish designer Simone Rocha’s modern metallic, glistening tweeds in her AW16 collection

gentry and popped up everywhere from golfing to the hunting/shooting/fishing set.

It was Parisian couturier Coco Chanel who gifted tweed an iconic look when she used textural blends for her signature suits with collarless, edge-to-edge jackets. In Ireland, a brace of leading Irish designers, from Elizabeth James of Cork to Irene Gilbert and Ib Jorgensen, looked to interesting Irish tweeds in shades of green with flecks of orange and more recently aqua, to dress Aer Lingus cabin crew.

Nowadays, tweed has a contemporary cachet in the fashion world and is fast becoming the fabric du jour for lots of haute couturier fashion designers who order bespoke textural fabrics where the warp and weft are woven using a variety of different kinds of yarns and threads.

This AW16 couture season, Irish tweeds with raw edges and delightfully uneven salt and pepper blends and random twills are being used by high street giants and couturiers alike.

Chatting with Patrick Temple, I enquire: “Did I read that Magee Donegal tweed is on the walls in Ralph Lauren shops?”

“You could have, you could have, I’m

saying nothing,” is his amused, polite reply. Non-disclosure agreements are the norm in the high-end couture scene but I can assure you that lots of those couturier catwalk shows you see from the US, Japan and Europe this season will feature Donegal tweed.

“Where we would see tweed today is not where people would have seen tweed in its traditional sense, which was the grandmother’s coat that might have had some bright colours in it, was also quite rough and maybe not that luxurious,” explains Patrick. “Today, what we do is much more luxurious. It is a much cleaner product, it is much softer.”

Interest in Magee modern-day tweeds is immense. Woven with heritage influences they don’t look like tweed in the conventional sense and the luxury yarns create a very sophisticated product. Was it always presumed that Patrick would go into the family firm?

“I was always very keen to go into it and I worked there when I was younger. I suppose

when you are brought up in something, it is naturally very close to the heart. I worked beforehand in marine engineering in the field of wave energy and alternative energy before coming into Magee’s two years ago, into clothing first and now, weaving.”

While the fashion focus is big at Magee - they are expanding their womenswear offer and have opened a flagship store on Dublin’s South Anne Street - homeware is expanding and their bigger herringbones and the Donegal designs lend themselves nicely to interiors, says Patrick.

Hand weavers still play a part in their workforce of 50. The traditional tweed market as we knew it of old is very small now, Patrick concedes. “It is much more an urban, sophisticouture market and we are still maintaining all the heritage from the past while obviously bringing it forward to a contemporary market.”

In Co Down, Mario Sierra is running the Rostrevor-based Mourne Textiles with his ➤

Northern Woman 45

Style

❝❝

My thing is that I want these FABRICS and tweeds to be seen and not get lost in the archives.

It’s the combinations that I love ... the TEXTURES, the colours

mother, master weaver Karen Hay-Edie. It’s a third generation passion for tweed. The company was founded by Karen’s Norwegian mother, Gerd Hay-Edie, a truly pioneering woman who by an accident of war came to settle in Ireland in 1947.

Mario paints a fascinating picture of growing up in the studio with the hypnotic sound of the clack of shuttles.

“It definitely feels like textures are back,” says Mario, who studied textiles and worked as a sound recordist, before joining the family business five years ago. From their heyday when top Irish couturiers like Sybil Connolly and Sheila Mullally and interiors brands like Robin Day and Conran were commissioning products, business slowed down. The weavers were let go and Karen kept things going with workshops after the tourist buses stopped calling.

Gerd had chosen Carlingford Lough because it reminded her of Norway, being almost like a Fjord, but when the Troubles broke out, tourists were not thick on the ground on the border.

Mario explains how five years ago, his mother said, “I think I’m going to have to stop now”, and it was at that point, he said, “OK, it’s my turn now, can I get involved?”

“My mother has been passing on a lot of the skills she used when she ran the workshop in the ‘60s and ‘70s and she has been the link between the old and the new,” says Mario, who splits his time between Ireland and London.

“I really wanted to find new sources for the yarn and together, we sourced new suppliers and had new yarns spun specifically for us. There was a lot of going into the archives, pulling out the yarns that were not available any more and having them re-spun specifically for our designs.

We really did go right back to the sheep.”

Discussing his approach to the business as a third generation participant, Mario says, “I didn’t want to design by default and use what was available in the yarn store. I wanted to bring in new yarns and fibres and they needed to be softer. All of our tweed is made with merino so they are very soft, unlike old tweeds which were coarser yarns. The merino used in

46 Northern Woman

The producers: Mourne Textiles

our tweeds is not Irish but it is spun traditionally at Donegal Yarns and they are fantastic.”

In their archives, the family have fashion garments made by Sybil Connolly using Gerd’s tweeds, especially her tactile ‘shaggy dog’ tweed about which couturier Connolly declared, “I can honestly say that I never believed that such an exciting effect could be achieved in a handloomed fabric!”

The good news is that this fascinating tweed is still available to order from Mourne Textiles today. Sybil Connolly also used Gerd’s open weave, ‘mended tweed,’ so named because people thought it looked like mended socks.

Fashion critics were enthralled and one wrote: “The threads are enormous, the weave as clumsy as bad darning, but the fabric that looks so primitive is cunningly subtle and soft.”

Showing the courage to take his heritage into the future, Mario has also been on the receiving

Mario Sierra, grandson of the Mourne Textiles founder, Gerd Hay-Edi. Below, his mother master weaver Karen Hay-Edie

end of love from interiors firms. It’s history repeating itself.

“Furnishing fabric is a new thing that we are bringing back. We have done a lot of work with the Danish furniture company Carl Hanson, which will be coming out this month, and on the homewares front, we have furnishing fabrics, and blankets and cushions made from couture tweeds.

“Because people are less likely to buy a length of fabric to make their own clothes, I’ve been finding other ways to use the tweed so people can still have them in their home and can actually see them.

“My thing is I just really want these fabrics to be seen and the designs to not get lost in the archives. It’s a huge part of the business.

I just really want the archives not to just be in my house, I want them to be out there so people can see and use the designs because I think they are stunning. A lot of the designs that we do are very basic, simple weave structures but what I personally love about the fabric is the layering of the colours and how the colours relate. It’s the combinations that I love, the textures, the colours and the yarns,” says Mario.

The opening of Avoca’s Belfast store in Arthur Street was a bonus for Northern Ireland shoppers who love the retailer’s signature colourful tweeds and fabrics. The company’s named after the village of Avoca, Co Wicklow, where the Pratt family bought an old mill in 1974.

In a £50m deal last January, Aramark acquired the Avoca company, with the exception of The Mill in Avoca which has been retained by the family.

Avoca is continually devising new blends of tweed and wools and next January it’s introducing a new fashion label called Florence’s Mill, named after Ivan Pratt’s 10-year-daughter.

The roll of generations in Ireland’s tweed story continues.

Style

MODERN

TWIST

‘Artisan’ navy throw/wrap, €79.95 and herringbone woven Donegal tweed coat in navy and cream with wooden buttons, €299.95

➤

The AW16 classic collection from Avoca displays a strong sense of taking products in a new direction, with the use of neutral and denim tones and new fibres such as cashmere and Donegal tweed, writes Bairbre Power Northern Woman 47

Style ‘Juno’ wrap/throw made from Donegal yarn, in colours inspired by the gorse. Pictured here in large size, £102.95, but also available in a smaller size, £63.95

‘Arctic’ denim blue check lambswool car coat, €349.95, available in two sizes, S-M and M-L ‘Circus’ large lambswool throw, £79.95, also available in a smaller size, £45.95

48 Northern Woman

Style

‘Century Regency’ 100pc wool coat, available sizes 1-5 (small to extra large), €299.95. This coat was inspired by an original Avoca throw given as a wedding gift over 100 years ago and a customer gave it back to the Avoca Mill so they could produce a modern take on it

Left: ‘Dakota’ waterfall fringed wool coat, €199.95

Products available from Avoca’s 11 stores nationwide and online, avoca.ie

Northern Woman 49

Style for men

The urban cowboy rides again, so mix city threads with country cool

Essential update

Male order

Trench, £124, Superdry

Jacket, £90, sweater, £22, trousers, £40, pumps, £32, Next

On the sound system ...

RJR.John Rocha coat, £150, Debenhams

Bomber jacket, £39.99, New Look

Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones, £229.99, amazon

Trousers, £15, F&F at Tesco Belt, £20, Next

50 Northern Woman

weekend wardrobe

Van Morrison Keep Me Singing, £9.99, Amazon

Mac, £90, sweater, £32, joggers, £24, pumps, £32, Next

Jeans, £35, Next, Watch, £225, Links of London, Shirt, £19.99, New Look and Hammond & Co boots, £100, Debenhams

Vive! le Punk

by Paul Stafford

Haircut: Paul Stafford Colour: Aidan Bradley Photographer: Lee Mitchell

world suddenly became aware there was a Belfast Punk scene that already had its own players: bands like Stiff Little Fingers, Rudi, The Outcasts, Protex and, from Derry, The Undertones. For us, The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers, with Punk anthems like Teenage Kicks and Alternative Ulster, were like the Beatles and the Stones of our local Punk scene. Northern Ireland was a major player on the international Punk stage.

Belfast needed Punk. Like all subcultures in NI, it was an escape from the grey, miserable backdrop we lived in. It’s been suggested Punk, Rockabilly, Mod, etc broke down the sectarian borders among a disenchanted youth; tribal allegiance to music, clothes and culture was much more palatable than bombs, bullets and historical religious or political hatred.

These Punks cut their own hair, wrecked it by over-bleaching at home and even used glue to make it stand up. The look was aggressive,

40 years of attitude:

uncompromising and out to offend. But Punk

Belfast’s infamous Godfather of punk,

was never really about image, although it

and the man behind such bands as the

seems that way now. It is actually an attitude

Undertones, Terry Hooley, once quipped:

and one that I love. Attitude is ageless, unlike

‘New York has the haircuts; London has the

a haircut or a pair of trousers, you can wear

trousers. But Belfast has the reason.’ And

attitude forever.

he wasn’t far off the truth.

It is 40 years this year since Punk

Four decades after the Damned’s New Rose Belfast still has Punk on its streets –

bulldozed its way, spitting and swearing,

kids with just as much reason to rebel, who

into the public consciousness. There had

have their allegiances to their music ideals

been rumblings underground from the early

and beliefs, like their cousins the Mods.

1970s from teenagers who were bored,

These cool, young Punks are sophisticated,

angry and ignored, but then came the Sex

blogging, writing and using social media

Pistols, the Ramones and, finally, in October

to strengthen their global tribes. My muse

1976, the first Punk single, New Rose by the

Kez is the very embodiment of Punk 2016

Damned. Taking pride in their limited sing-

– bright, clued-in, socially conscious and,

ing and musical abilities, they outraged the

most of all, brutally individual. Kez and the

tabloids, but I was hooked.

anniversary of Punk inspired me to revisit

It wasn’t until a year after the Damned’s

this movement, and, as a tribute, create my

single that Punk really burst on to an unsus-

own, modern take on the quintessential

pecting Belfast. The Clash arrived in the

Punk look made famous by originals such as

city to play a sold-out concert at the famous

Jordan, Soo Catwoman and all the mixed-up,

Ulster Hall. The gig was cancelled minutes

beautiful subversives of the past 40 years.

before they were due to go on stage and in

Vive le Punk! And Mr Hooley? Belfast had the

typical Belfast fashion a riot broke out. The

reason and now it has the haircuts.

Beauty

Autumn haircare special

Hair flair: top stylist and hairdresser Keris Weir in her Lurgan salon

Multi-award winning hairdresser Keris Weir from Lurgan is bestknown for winning The Great British Hairdresser. She has styled some of the world’s most glamorous women, from Kate Moss to Nicole Scherzinger – and now she’s going to share some of her insider knowhow with you 52 Northern Woman

W

hen should a woman go for the chop? The answer used to be very simple: either when she had her first child or turned 30 – whatever came first. After those landmarks it was time for her to be a fully-fledged grown-up – and that meant a short, easy-to-manage hairstyle that didn’t take hours to style and, er, left plenty of time for housework.

Long flowing locks were, well, just inappropriate. And, weirdly (and in the way only womankind can be punished) they were deemed as both too girlish and very ageing at the same time. In other words, a complete style no-no.

But how times change – and rules get broken! Now, many of the world’s most glamorous and powerful women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond delight in showing off their incredibly luscious locks.

Model mane: Elle Amal Clooney (38) may Macpherson (52) be an international lawyer but her career has proved no bar to having a cascade of beautiful dark tresses (which incidentally

also look great on the red carpet next to film star husband George).

At 44 and a mum-of-two, Queen Letizia of Spain makes the most of her long brunette mane on the world stage, from a sleek, poker straight business-like style for meeting visiting heads of state to a sleek updo to show off that tiara at those royal banquets. Mother-of-four Queen Rania (46) of Jordan is another foreign royal who works this look perfectly.

Closer to home, our very own Duchess of Cambridge’s mane is arguably her best feature.

Kate (34), who is mother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, may occasionally find the wind plays havoc with her crowning glory on engagements but there’s no sign that it’s likely to be off with her hair any time soon.

Of course it’s not surprising that former supermodel turned businesswoman and mum-of-two Elle Macpherson (52) should be able to still carry off her long blonde locks, yet what’s truly amazing is just how well she and other older women such as Jerry Hall (60) really rock this vibe. Jerry, who has four children from her marriage to Sir Mick Jagger, looked fantastic when she said ‘I do’ at her recent wedding to media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

While all these ladies may have been blessed on the follicle front, there are numerous other women in the public eye who make no secret of the fact that they get a little help from hair

Beauty

Long story

Once a no-no for women over a certain age, now flowing locks are stylish and a status symbol ... and you can have them too!

Royal chic: Queen Letizia of Spain (44)

Blonde waves: Jerry Hall (60)

Cutting edge: Victoria Beckham (42)

Stunning style: Duchess of Cambridge (34)

Big and bouncy: Amal Clooney (38) ➤

Northern Woman 53

Beauty ➤

also stocks the Jen Atkins range of clip-ins – she is stylist to the Kardashians and her clipins really are top of the range in quality and price, plus the hair has Keris a lifespan of about is a Northern Ireland nine months.

Hairdresser of the Year and All So there you Ireland Hairdresser of the Year three have it...the times. She is also a British Hairdressing long and Champion, British Bridal Champion, British Ladies Cut & Blow-dry Champion and Goldwell short of Master Colourist. She also helps women coping extensions. with hair loss as a result of treatment for cancer, Top tip. via the Macmillan Centre at Craigavon Hospital. Always use a You can call her at MG Hair Boutique, tel 028 sulphate free 3832 5543 to get an appointment at the salon shampoo with which is located at 153e Union Street, extensions. In Lurgan. You can see examples of my salon we have Keris’s work on her Facebook our very own brand page, Keris Weir but my high street fave is L’Oreal Ever Pure (RRP, £3.99, right) Sssh! Given that extensions can be pricey and some people may feel they just don’t suit their lifestyle, try L’Oreal Elvive Fibrology thickening shampoo, (left), and conditioner.

This really does add oomph.

Dry your hair upside down, High gloss: Nicole smooth it our, backcomb gently ) (38 then add a little Schwarzkof er ing erz Sch volumising powder – thicker locks in a flash!

extensions. Victoria Beckham, darling of the New York and London runways, regularly updates her style with a little help from extensions. The mum-of-four even tweeted a picture of herself getting ready for a charity gala with her extensions visible in the background.

So if you want to go to greater lengths but are either too impatient to wait until your hair grows or you know that your locks are frankly never going to look that luscious all by themselves, then perhaps extensions are for you.

As you’d expect it’s an area where there has been great innovation over the past few years, and there is a wide choice available. Some are better suited to thicker hair and other types work their magic on thinner hair. The range includes pre-bonded, sew-in/weave, microbead and tape-ins. Getting extensions is a big step so it’s important that you go to a professional hairdresser fully-trained in fitting – and removing – them. Believe me, in unqualified hands extensions can go badly wrong and I have had some women come to me in despair after their hair has turned into a matted and tangled mess. Happily, if you consult with a professional and look after them once they’re fitted, then you should have no problems.

And if you just want some occasional glamour – say for a big night out – then why not consider clip-ins. They can be fitted in a few minutes and removed just as quickly. The ones I use in salon come from the Beauty Works range - fans of it include Our Girl star Michelle Keegan and Nicole Scherzinger, (right). The same company

Hair Loss

Hair loss, medically referred to as alopecia, can have many different causes and symptoms Pattern Hair Loss Male pattern hair loss is the most common form of alopecia, affecting half of all men by the age of 50. Male pattern baldness is hereditary, linked to having too much of a certain male hormone.

Pattern baldness can also affect women, causing hair to thin on top of the head. It’s not known if female pattern baldness is hereditary and the cause are less well understood. aLoPecia areata Affecting one or two in every 1,000 people in the UK, alopecia areata causes patches of baldness about the size of a large coin. It can occur at any age but mostly affects teenagers and young adults. In most cases of alopecia areata hair will grow back in a few months, however some sufferers go on to develop a more severe form of hair loss. Alopecia areata is caused by a problem with the immune system. It is also believed that some people’s genes make them more susceptible to alopecia areata. scarring aLoPecia Also known as cicatricial alopecia, scarring alopecia is usually caused by complications of another condition. In scarring alopecia the hair follicle is completely destroyed and hair won’t grow back.

anagen affLuvium The most common cause of this type of hair loss is the cancer treatment, chemotherapy. In most cases hair loss is temporary and hair should start to grow back a few months after chemotherapy has stopped. teLogen effLuvium This is a common type of alopecia where there is widespread thinning of the hair rather that baldness. This can be due to hormonal changes, emotional or physical stress, illness, changes in diet or medication. In most cases hair will stop falling out and grow back within six months. tricHotiLLomania Trichotillomania is a condition where the sufferer feels compelled to pull their hair out. This is an impulse control disorder, a psychological condition where the person is unable to stop themselves from carrying out the action. They will feel an intense urge to pull their hair out and growing tension until they do so. After pulling their hair out they’ll feel a sense of relief but later feel guilty, embarrassed and ashamed.

soLutions At The Natural Hair Company, hair loss solutions are tailored towards anyone coping with the physical effects of hair loss. Sadly all ages can suffer and we cater for everyone. Over the past couple of years we’ve witnessed a significant increase in teenage girls coping with alopecia and mature women experiencing hair thinning.

The main conditions we deal with include genetically thin hair and all forms of alopecia, including female pattern baldness and trichotillomania. We work with a lot of cancer patients during and after treatment.

Our solutions are all detachable which ensures the health of the scalp and natural hair. It also gives the client control of the situation, allowing them to choose when and where to wear the headpiece or wig. There is a wide choice of either synthetic or human hairpieces wigs available. Custom made pieces are also available for any client wanting an exact fit, colour, texture or length.

We offer a free consultation in private where we thoroughly discuss each client’s situation and help them decide on the best solution for their individual needs.

For more information please visit www.naturalhaircompany.com

54 Northern Woman

Natural Hair Company is a Multi-Award Winning Salon with titles including Ulster Salon of the Year two years running. The team specialize in Colour Correction and Bridal Hair teaming up with Natural Beauty for Make-Up, you can get the complete look under one roof.

We also provide specialist services dedicated to help and support clients who are experiencing hair loss.

Complimentary File & Polish for all new hair clients For appointments or more information please call

028 9260 5597

www.naturalhaircompany.com

028 9260 7224 Find us on

Beauty

Skin saviours

Perfect and plump with these hydrating potions LABEL LUST For those on the hunt for dewy skin then it’s time to pack this product in your beauty arsenal.

Dermalogica has assembled an army of ingredients into skin boosting Phyto Replenish Oil, a feather-light facial oil which Dermalogica restores the Phyto Replenish skin’s natural Oil, £56.20, barrier. dermalogica.co.uk Expect a healthy, luminous glow with this oil which shields against environmental stressors, smoothes fine lines and locks in moisture, too.

Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream, £25.50, Boots, House of Fraser, Debenhams

PRIME TIME No7 Airbrush Away Primer, £16.50, Boots Get ready for your close up with this well-priced primer which is proving something of a beauty sensation.

Packed with hyaluroinc acid moisture locking spheres, those craving a A-list look will fall in love with this cream which puts pores, fine lines ad wrinkles into soft focus.

Movie star looks without the celebrity price tag. a selection of tactile pieces in honeycomb textures and pebbledash prints; a mixture of green, red and blue hues in styles you can wrap and layer this season. www.cosstores.com.New Look, newlook.com

Best buy

WE LOVE

23 Carat Gold Moisturiser, £25, Iconic London

Pure Marine Active Hydra Oil, £18, M&S

Good golly Get Miss Willoughby’s gorgeous glow Bobbi Brown Autograph Pure Miss Holly!

Eye Opening Luxe Multi-Blusher in Soft Coral, £12.50, M&S

No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Daydream, £9, Boots

56 Northern Woman

Mascara in Black, £23, House of Fraser Natural kajal eyeliner in Black, £3.95, Benecos Natural Cosmetics

Beauty

Sweet

scents for fall

Cooler days are on their way and your scent should follow suit. Sarah Young introduces some of the season’s best

S

ome of the best things about the new inspired a trend for sensual scents, with Jean season are the smells that come with Paul Gaultier, Paco Rabanne, Burberry and Calvin Klein jumping on the sensory bandwagon. it, from smoky bonfires and damp As a reinterpretation of the original scent, Jean leaves to wafts of spicy cinnamon.

Paul Gaultier has launched Classique Essence Blustery weather calls for heady, (EDP 50ml £64, theperfumeshop.com) with more decadent aromas as lighter perfumes are added hints of precious wood and spicy ginger replaced with warming scents to suit the mood as well as a new shape bottle in laser cut glass. of the season.

Paco Rabanne bid Lady Million Prive (EDP Luckily, a slew of new fragrance launches 30ml £39.95, fragrancedirect.co.uk) means that there’s plenty to choose from as a more hypnotic, deep and but these aren’t the typical mysterious oriental version of the original, musks we’re used to. while My Burberry Black (EDP Loewe is releasing its first fragrance 30ml £42.30, johnlewis.com) under the helm of its Magherafelt-born contains notes of candied creative director JW Anderson. Woman roses and a base of amber 001 (£81.50 loewe.com) interprets the and patchouli. For Calvin Klein, aftermath of a first intimate encounter Deep Euphoria (EDP 30ml £38, between two people, blending zesty boots.com), brings a completely notes of tangerine with creamy vanilla new composition to the table and fine-grained sandalwood. with rose, white peony and “This is a very personal project for Christian animalistic musk. me,” said Jonathan Anderson. “I want the Louboutin Christian Louboutin’s fragrance to feel credible, an organic extension of what Loewe stands for today.” Trouble in Trouble in Heaven (EDP 80ml Heaven £215.00 ,selfridges.com) is There are a host of fragrances full of at the top end of the market contrast, including Viktor & Rolf’s BonBon and aims to celebrate woman Couture (50ml, £79. boots.com) and Miss and her desires.

Dior Absolutely Blooming (EDP 30ml £49.50, Sticking to the same scent seems so boots.com). These new interpretations see wide of the mark considering the amount sweet smelling classics seasonally defined by of new launches on the market. their woody undertones. Floral notes such as So why not build the ultimate fragrance orange blossom and peony are juxtaposed with blonde tobacco and white musk offering a more wardrobe with an autumnal offering to match the changing weather ahead. intense, stronger version of their originals.

It’s time to make new scent choices for fall.

The changing weather seems to have

Clockwise from top: Calvin Klein’s Euphoria, Loewe’s first fragrance 001, Christian Dior’s Miss Dior and Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million Prive

*** COMPETITION TIME ***

! A trip to GlAsGow N I W

QUESTION To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

I

t’s the biggest and most fashionable shopping destination outside London, and we are offering Northern Woman readers the chance to win a fantastic two night stay in Glasgow for two people, with dinner and flights included.

You’ll stay at the chic Abode Hotel, located in a coveted spot in the heart of this vibrant city for two nights bed and breakfast and dinner on one evening. This classic Edwardian townhouse is within walking distance of the city's main shopping area,

the Style Mile, and an array of bars and art galleries making Abode Glasgow ideal for your city break.

Enjoy a sumptuous 3 course dinner for 2 at Teller’s Brasserie in the stately Corinthian Club, set in architectural elegance in one of Scotland’s most breath-taking venues and offering a selection of exquisite bars, dining, nightclub and casino experience. We’ll also include a city sightseeing tour to take in the classic architecture and unrivalled museums the city is famous for.

* Terms & Conditions Apply Subject to availability. Dinner at Teller's Brasserie valid from the Market Menu or A la Carte menu. Travel subject to availability until end of March 2017, with the exclusion of the period between 1st December 2016 and 2nd January 2017. Flights are from a Northern Ireland Airport.

What is the main shopping area in Glasgow often referred to as?

To enter, email: competitions@northernwoman.co.uk with your answer plus your name, address and daytime number.

Closing date: Monday 24 October 2016 * Terms and conditions apply.

Beauty

The

A

bsorbent ingredients are what we want for our skin, we want nutrition, we want vitamins and

minerals delivered to the skin, we want antioxidants to protect against premature ageing. We want skin plumping essential fatty acids that help smooth out fine lines and we want our skincare pure.

Holos Skincare is luxurious plantbased aromatherapy skincare and is the creation of Niamh Hogan who says that “plant oils are naturally anti-ageing, they help replace lost fat and lock in water keeping the skin healthy and youthful”.

This holistic brand’s use of essential oils make for an excellent range for your home pamper session. It’s skincare that gives you healthy vibrant skin and a LOT of feel good.

If you haven’t tried Holos Love Your Skin Anti-ageing Facial oil, you need to!

Available in selected Pharmacies in Norther Ireland and on www.holos.ie

black stuff

Plastering your skin with something pitch black may seem wrong, but the benefits of charcoal are undeniable.

Katie Wright scrubs up with the ingredient of the moment

I

f you thought charcoal was only useful for starting barbecues, think again. The black stuff is the beauty industry’s hottest ingredient right now, but we’re not talking the same bricks you buy at B&Q. Activated charcoal is produced with a special heating technique that causes the substance to become porous, meaning it can be used to trap chemicals.

“The first time I saw charcoal was in a Korean doctor’s consulting room, he used it to purify the air,” says Katalin Berenyi, co-founder of Erborian. “Then I saw it in Korean spas. It lined the ceilings of the steam rooms and was used to trap impurities.”

It can do exactly the same for your skin, which is why we’ve seen heaps of new product launches with charcoal featuring high up on the ingredients list.

This is beauty at the coal face...

STRIP, PLEASE

Activated charcoal absorbs oil up to 200 times better than any other ingredient, meaning not only do Biore Charcoal Pore Strips, £9.49, (right), for six at Boots, suck out all that nasty stuff from your pores, they leave skin feeling less greasy too (www.boots.com)

THE MULTI-MASKER Ella & Laura (Maureen Martin Models)

60 Northern Woman

A real all-rounder, Odacite Synergie Immediate Skin Perfecting Beauty Masque, £47,

CultBeauty, combines charcoal and clay to minimise pores, fruit acids to exfoliate and enzymes to target hyperpigmentation (www. cultbeauty.co.uk)

SEND POLLUTION PACKING Designed to counteract the effects of pollution, Clinique City Block Purifying Charcoal Cleansing Gel, £18, (right), uses bamboo charcoal to draw out impurities, while glycerin leaves skin feeling soothed and moisturised (www.clinique. co.uk)

STUCK IN THE MUD

A satisfyingly thick gooey green, BareMinerals Dirty Detox Skin Glowing and Refining Mud Mask, (right), £32, is best painted on with a brush, allowing its four types of clay and charcoal to get to work for 15 minutes, before removing with a flannel for an instant brightness boost (www.bareminerals. co.uk)

PORES FOR THOUGHT

Part of the new charcoal range, Good Things Pore-fectly Clear Face Scrub, £4.99, Boots, (bottom right), harnesses the oil-absorbing

Beauty

Introducing Beyond Skin Clinic Odacite Synergie Immediate Skin Perfecting Beauty Masque, available from cultbeauty.co.uk

Left, Erborian Black Soap, and cleansing brush,available from erborian.com

active alongside willowbark and milled rice particles, providing a thorough exfoliating experience (www. boots.com)

THE SOAP STAR Black soap? No, really, Erborian Black Soap, £13, and Cleansing Brush, £18, when dampened and used together, produce a light, purifying foam that dissolves make-up and grime. And you can buy the pair for just £24 (www.erborian.com)

STOP THOSE SPOTS

Bringing together tomato-derived antioxidants and activated charcoal, Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask, £12, BeautyBay, (left), will help combat spots (www.beautybay. com)

GLOBAL GLOW

Formulated with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills, Japanese green tea and fair trade Kenyan tea tree oil, The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Face Mask, £15, sloughs off dead skin gently, the chunky 100% vegan mask soothing even the most sensitive skin (www.thebodyshop.com)

A Deeper Understanding of Skincare

W

elcome to the first edition of a new column from Beyond Skin Clinic. Based in Belfast City Centre, the clinic provides advanced aesthetic treatments including laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation and injectables. All our treatments are carried out in a registered facility by experienced professionals.

Our staff are experts in their respective fields and over the coming months will be sharing their knowledge with Northern Woman readers. In this regular feature we’ll be discussing a range of skincare issues, from blemishes to botox.

At Beyond Skin it’s important that we don’t just treat our clients, but educate them as well. We’re always happy to answer any and all questions that arise. If you have a concern or query about any skincare issue please get in touch at contact@beyondskinclinic.com.

Clinic Manager, Gillian Lowe, answers some of the most frequently asked questions around laser treatments: Is Laser Treatment safe?

Since 1962 cosmetic lasers have been used for the treatment of scars, varicose veins, birthmarks, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, hair removal, and much more. There are thousands of clinical studies conducted on cosmetic lasers and their effective use in many skin concerns has been proven many times over.

Provided a laser treatment is given within the specified guidelines and with the proper diagnosis of a trained expert, the results and side effects are almost always predictable and controllable.

Does it hurt?

The sensation of laser flashing over skin has been described as 'a hot flick'. You may feel a little discomfort but the treatment is not painful. Any slight pain will be very short lived and not be an issue once treatment has finished.

IN AT THE DEEP END

Does laser hair removal really work?

If your hair is dark, then the answer is yes! Unfortunately laser hair removal is not effective on red, blonde, grey or white hair. We always recommend a course of 6 sessions per area, spaced 6-8 weeks apart but some people will notice a considerable reduction after only 3-4 sessions.

GENTLY DOES IT

Are all lasers the same?

No, there are many different types of laser machines on the market. At Beyond Skin we use a Cynosure® Elite+™ and are the only clinic in Ireland who do. This advanced technology combines two lasers in one machine allowing us to treat all skin types safely and offering versatility in treatment options.

Delivering deep cleaning in record time, Biore Self-Heating One Minute Mask, £8 for four, Tesco, heats on contact with water, helping to open pores and allow the all-important charcoal to suck out the nasties that cause spots (www.tesco.com) Charcoal cleans, green coffee beans deliver antioxidants, and coconut oil soothes - Frank Body Creamy Face Cleanser, (right), £15.95, takes away make-up without stripping your skin or blocking your pores. (www.frankbody.com)

14 College Street, Belfast. T: 028 9033 858 • www.beyondskinclinic.com

Northern Woman 61

Health

Two brave Northern Ireland womentell Marie Foy how they faced up to discovering they are carriers of the BRCA cancer gene

C

Two courageous young Northern Ireland mums have made huge decisions which are both life-changing and inspiring.

Joanne Clarke (39) and Ciara McKenna (31) made the unenviable discovery that they are carriers of the devastating BRCA mutant gene, which dramatically increases their chances of getting breast and ovarian cancer.

At the moment the only way for them to lower their risk is preventative surgery to remove their breasts and ovaries – the route taken by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, who also has the gene and brought it to public attention.

But rather than dwelling on their shocking news, both women have been pragmatic. They say it was not a difficult decision to make and that the most important thing is that they live long and healthy lives and see their children grow up.

One worry for both women though, is that the rogue gene may have been passed on to their daughters and sons. And for that reason they have given their full support to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland’s new In Pink campaign to help fund research into BRCA at Queen’s University Belfast.

The charity is appealing to local people and businesses to hold In Pink events during October, breast cancer awareness month.

As Ciara says: “The work Cancer Focus NI funds is not only saving lives now but is creating hope for our future generations.”

Joanne, who is from Newry, has BRCA 2 and has already had a double mastectomy.

She is married to Adrian (43) and they have two daughters, Anna (12) and Ellen (9). Joanne is adamant that more research into the condition is needed and urges people to help Cancer Focus NI raise cash for this important cause. “I found out I had BRCA 2 almost by accident.

My mother was adopted so she had no idea what

62 Northern Woman

The inspiring young mums who have made life changing decisions like Angelina Jolie

❝

If I hadn’t found out I had the gene my children might not have found out if they are carriers until it was too late Joanne

Joanne Clarke, 39 Happy family: Newry mum Joanne Clarke, and (above), with her husband Adrian and two daughters Anna and Ellen

her family medical history was. She had three unrelated breast cancer diagnoses at the ages of 51, 55 and 64. The third time, unfortunately, it had spread to her liver. She was terminally ill and had a lot of treatment ahead of her,” Joanne says.

Initially Joanne was refused for testing for the harmful gene mutation because she couldn’t provide any family history and because her mum was over 50 when she first had cancer.

Later, in 2013, she was referred back to genetics experts purely because she wouldn’t give up asking for the test.

“By then my mum had passed away but thankfully she had blood taken, which is extremely important, that had been kept in storage in the genetics department. I don’t know what made me, but both my genetics counsellor and I pushed for mum’s blood to be tested. This

Health ago his sister explained to Siobhan and me about BRCA after she discovered she was positive. We sisters went together to have our blood tested. I’d already decided that if it was positive I would have the surgery. To put your family, your children through losing you is unthinkable” she says.

“Although we were aware that we had a 50/50 chance of being positive, we were really doing it so that we’d be eliminated and move on with our lives. We were both very shocked at the result,” she admits.

Ciara and Michael already had three boys but it was very important to them to finish their family before Ciara went ahead with the surgery. Before she became pregnant with Ethan she had been going for regular MRI scans and checkups to keep an eye on things, but she was racing against the Ciara clock.

“While a little girl would have been lovely, I was relieved and thrilled to have another boy. If our boys If you’d like to organise an IN Pink event, are carriers I feel I don’t have to worry Busy life: Armagh quite as much about their health. Men get your fundraising pack at mum-of-four Ciara Ciara Mckenna, 31 can be at greater risk of breast cancer www.cancerfocusni.org, call our with her baby Ethan and prostate cancer because of the fundraising team on 028 9066 3281 or email fundraising@cancerfocusni. gene but it isn’t as risky for them as for women. It makes me feel org. Among the events the charity is organising is a fun Pink Colour Run at a little less guilty that I may have passed the gene on to them,” Ciara but hopefully they was done as part of a research programme, Victoria Park, Belfast, on Sunday, confesses. will have much which took a year, and it proved to be positive October 30. If you’re worried about “You never know how things will better options than for the BRCA2 faulty gene.” cancer call the Cancer Focus change over the years. Hopefully by the me when they are It was only after that that Joanne was tested NI free Nurseline on 0800 time my boys are having families there older. and found positive. “I strongly feel that in the 783 3339. will be many new developments that could “That is circumstances it shouldn’t have been so difficult perhaps eliminate the gene or stop it causing where the research for me to get tested and the criteria need cancer, which is where Cancer Focus NI’s comes in. It’s my generation and to change. If I hadn’t found out I had the research programme comes in. my children’s generation who will gene, my children might not have found “Since learning I am BRCA1 positive, every benefit from new discoveries. out if they are carriers until it was too bump and lump I find fills me with dread,” It is the only way to stop this late, which doesn’t bear thinking about.” she continues. “One time I thought I’d spotted devastating gene from being The operations didn’t stop there. In dimpling on my breast and flew into a panic. passed on so I appeal to everyone October 2015 Joanne had her fallopian It turned out just to be stretch marks, but I to help Cancer Focus NI raise tubes removed – she wanted to keep suffered a great deal of stress and worry over funds for research this October.” her ovaries as she didn’t want something so simple.

Ciara, a receptionist from to go into early menopause “The worry in your head is unbelievable. It Armagh, is married to and a double mastectomy in takes over your life, and that’s no exaggeration.

Michael (35) and they have December 2015.

I don’t want BRCA to have that power over four boys, Kian (7), Ryan “It wasn’t a difficult me, I want to control it. Advances in medical (5), Marc (4) and Ethan decision to make – not after technology allow me to take control, and I feel (five months). seeing how my mum fought that surgery is the best way forward for me.”

Both Ciara and her sister the disease for so long. If she Now, a few years down the line, Ciara reveals Siobhan Conlon (29), who had known she had the faulty that she still thinks about the harmful mutant is expecting her first baby, gene she would probably still gene every day but says it no longer consumes both have BRCA 1, which be here. her life, although she knows she has a tough increases their chance of “I made the decision for time ahead, she thinks of the goal and now feels cancer by 85%. Ciara is now my husband and also my ready to take the necessary steps. planning to have a double two girls as well, I wouldn’t “It’s because of fundraising for charities mastectomy and her ovaries want them to watch me going like Cancer Focus NI that researchers can do removed as a preventative through that. And of course their amazing work and give people like me the measure.

I want to be around to help options that we have. I am very optimistic that “I inherited the them grow up, they are still so in the future there will be many more wonderful BRCA 1 mutant gene young,” she says. developments too, so I’d urge everyone to get on from my father, who “There is a 50/50 chance I board and do their bit for the Cancer Focus NI died in a car crash have passed it on to my children In Pink fundraising and awareness campaign. when I was three and he Role model: Angelina Jolie , who has the The more people who know about BRCA the was just 21.

BRCA gene, has raised public awareness more lives will be saved.”

“About four years

❝❝

I don’t want BRCA1 to have that power over me. I want to control it and I feel that surgery is the best way forward for me

Northern Woman 63

Travel SET THE MOOD

The sales frenzy after American Thanksgiving Day in November has crossed the Atlantic. But as Nicola Brady discovers nowhere does bargains better than NY

There's an air of giddiness in the changing rooms of Diane von Furstenberg.

I'm trying on a classic black wrap dress, and wondering if I've gotten the wrong end of the stick, price-wise. I ask the assistant if the 50pc discount really is taken off the lowest price, making my £300 dress just £38, when a half-naked woman pops her head out from behind a curtain.

"Honey, this sale is insane," she quips.

"Just buy it all!"

Black Friday is notorious. The day after Thanksgiving, shops slash their prices (and shoppers trample each other). But combine a city break with some top-notch outlets and you can score serious bargains, without the stampede.

Simon Shopping Destinations has two outlet malls within a short hop of Manhattan: The Mills at Jersey Gardens and Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.

Like Gossip Girl’s fashionista Blair Waldorf (played by Leighton Meester, right), I took my credit card for a workout.

Shopping savvy in the Big Apple

INSIDER INTEL

The most important thing to know about Black Friday is that most sales start a few days early. I went to The Mills the day before Thanksgiving, and the sales were already in full swing, with stores offering additional discounts - often 50pc. Neiman Marcus is a good option for multiple labels in one store - I saw an Alexander McQueen dress for £531, down from £1,518, and some Jimmy Choos for just £111.

Thanksgiving Day itself is the best day to shop, however.

I went upstate to Woodbury Common and blitzed the Levi's, Converse and Banana Republic stores, while most locals were still eating turkey. It stays open all Thanksgiving night, too.

TOP TIP

Start by sitting down with a coffee and a map, highlighting the shops you want to hit and planning your route. With over 200 stores apiece, you need to approach with military precision... this is something you can do before you travel, pinning your targets on Google Maps.

GUILTY PLEASURE

With all the excitement of Black Friday, don't forget to enjoy the American Thanksgiving experience itself. After my shopping spree in Woodbury Common, I stayed at The Thayer Hotel (thethayerhotel.com), a country spot that serves up an incredible Thanksgiving feast. I gorged on turkey, beef and ham, as well as mashed potatoes, candied yams, gravy and all the trimmings. It's got Black Friday deals, too.

If you're in Manhattan on Thanksgiving

64 Northern Woman

morning (Saturday, November 24), the Macy's Day Parade is the hottest ticket in town. People queue all night for a top viewing spot, but if you meander up to Central Park as the parade begins, you can clamber up a rock and watch the top of the balloons float by. This year's parade is the 90th anniversary edition. See social.macys.com for more.

GLITCHES

GET ME THERE

❝

Nicola flew with Aer Lingus (aerlingus. com), which flies from Dublin to New York JFK and Newark airports. United Airlines flies direct from Belfast to Newark. We found return flights over Thanksgiving for £398 return.

The Mills at Jersey Gardens (simon.com; 651 Kapkowski Rd, Elizabeth, NJ) are 30 minutes from Manhattan (or a five-minute shuttle from Newark Airport).

Woodbury Common (premiumoutlets.com; Central Valley, New York) is an hour away, with buses for both running from Port Authority (42nd & Eighth Ave; from $42/£32). See nycgo.com for more tips on travel in New York.

Combine a city break with some top-notch outlets and you can score serious bargains without the crowds

Understandably, things can get busy on Black Friday, and after about 11am the crowds are often overwhelming.

While clothing and shoes are tax-free in New Jersey, that pesky 8% will always be added to your bill in New York.

SAVE THE DATE

over the world to stock up on pre-Christmas bargains, so get your flights booked quickly.

This year Black Friday falls on November 25th when many retailers open from dawn to midnight. Bargain hunters fly in from all

Dubai Where shopping meets serenity.

Dubai is a shopper’s paradise.

From ancient souks to luxurious shopping malls, you can count on bargains galore. With breath-taking surroundings and glorious sunshine this shopping trip is sure to leave you feeling relaxed and fulfilled.

Call to book 028 9073 6526 September 2016 - May 2017 5 Days & 3* Accomodation

From

ÂŁ499pp 9078

Living

The latest Danish export is taking the interiors world by storm—andwe’reallsettobe happierforit.AbiJackson cosies up to find out more about the stylish look

I

t’s not long since the Danes transformed our TV habits.

Scandi style has been steering our fashion choices for the best part of a decade, not to mention the Copenhagen foodie weekends and Northern Lights trips now topping our dream holiday wishlists. Now, another Danish export is emerging — and this time it’s our home decor that’s being given the Nordic treatment.

Hygge — pronounced ‘Hoo-guh’, if you’re wondering (don’t worry, nobody’s really sure how to pronounce it) — is already all over the blogosphere.

Expect to see hygge-themed books taking pride of place in bookshop displays this autumn, and you may already have caught Meik Wiking on Pastel shades: Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch explaining how it Faux fur cushion, £14, M&Co works and makes us feel.

So what exactly does it mean? As Wiking explains in The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way To Live Well, the English language does not have a direct translation for ‘hygge’.

Chances are, though, most of us are already well acquainted with the concept — we just didn’t know the Danes had a name for it.

That internal glow you get when you turn the big light off, light a candle and snuggle up to watch an old movie with a steaming mug of hot chocolate? Hygge. The way stripping off those constricting work clothes and pulling on some super-soft joggers and bed-socks somehow soothes your soul as well as your knot-filled limbs? Nice bit of hygge right there. And the ultimate hygge? Curling up with a cheese board and your favourite red wine in a cosy, sheepskin-filled cabin, crackling fire, snowing outdoors...

It’s all about harnessing that feel-good factor, not only through mindset but through our approach to everyday behaviours and rituals, and creating ambience and comfort in our surroundings.

There have been a few attempts to define hygge, including, as Wiking notes, ‘cosiness

66 Northern Woman

Snuggle up to

SCANDI

Nordic charm: Woven bark lantern, £10,, faux fur throw, from £60. Faux fur cushion, £22. brushed cotton bed set, from £25, Next. Left, Helena Christensen, Danish model and photographer

of the soul’, ‘the art of creating intimacy’, ‘cosy togetherness’ but how would he best sum it up?

“I think the essence of it is the pursuit of everyday happiness,” says Wiking. “Trying to build a little pleasure and gratitude into your daily routine. That’s my favourite definition of hygge.”

As CEO of Copenhagen’s Happiness Research Institute, this is a subject he’s studied extensively, as well as something he practices.

He says he’s not surprised

hygge’s in the spotlight, though the rate at which the trend’s booming is “overwhelming”.

Here in the UK we arguably already have a fair few ‘hyggelig’ traditions. Chatting over a long Sunday roast with loved ones, cosying up in a country pub on a cold day, and everybody appreciates the mood-soothing simplicity of a candlelit dinner.

So how do you get the hygge effect at home?

It’s easier than you think; make your pad a sumptuous sanctuary with candlelight or soft focus light bulbs in the first instance. There is nothing more comforting than a flame so an open fire or wood-burning stove provides the perfect backdrop in which to unwind.

And there’s no need to splash out on ornate

Living

o

Tartan trend: Chair, £379.99, Argos

I

Light up: Emma Bridgewater Starry Skies star candle, £14.95, Daisy Park

Cool glamour: Linea white stripe faux fur throw, £120, House of Fraser

Soft finish: Austrian sheepskin rug, £137.50, amara.com

Cuddle up: Faux fur hot water bottle, £29.50, M&S

Sweet treat: Hot chocolate maker, £40, Debenhams

Hot toddy: Mug, £16, amara. com

bleached wooden furnishings to recreate the nordic effect, one of the most affordable ways to tap into the Danish form of cool is to drape tactile throws in faux fur alongside comfy cushions in velvet or felt.

Don’t forget to pay attention to curtains to pull across practical blinds — the latter of which can look cold and let in too much light.

Meanwhile, indulgent softunder-foot rugs help a weary body relax — curling your toes into the deep pile is a sure way to help stress slip away.

Over-sized sofas and armchairs add to the

Reindeer glow: Candleabra, £30, Debenhams

general away-from-it-all feel as you put your feet up and bunker down for some serious chill-out time.

And if you don’t have a real fire why not try some fragrant tea lights to recreate the right kind of ambience... and let those worries drain away.

Hygge it is then.

The Little Book Of Hygge: The Danish Way To Live Well

by Meik Wiking is published by Penguin Life, priced £9.99. Available in bookshops and online.

Wrap up: Faux fur throw, £15, Matalan

Perfect scents: Green Fig & Cedar thick diffusers, £22, Iconic London

Northern Woman 67

Living

To the Donaghadee

LIGHTHOUSE Transforming a rundown former lightkeeper’s house into a bright, modern family home has been a labour of love for Rosie and Gareth McAnli Photographs by Peter Morrison

T

he Bangor couple first fell for the idyllic coastal location of the quaint Grade B2 listed property, which sits right beside the beach on Donaghadee’s Warren Road.

Although a little worse for wear and in need of complete renovation, Rosie says they relished the challenge of bringing new life to the house even though it involved completely gutting it and redesigning the back to accommodate a new extension.

After a lengthy planning process due to the listed status of the house which dates back to the late 1800s, they managed to achieve their dream within just six months, moving in three years ago.

The result is a charming and bright family home which reflects the historic beauty of the original house while bringing it up to date with luxury contemporary finishes.

Rosie (40), a lawyer, and Gareth (43), a food scientist, are both thrilled with the final outcome and have enjoyed an idyllic lifestyle walking the beach every night with their children - four year

68 Northern Woman

“We have restored the old parts of the house and we were keen to keep the original features”

old Kitty, two year old Maisie and new addition to the family, seven month old Tom. The newly-extended house now boasts a ground floor drawing room; a magnificent open-plan bespoke handmade painted kitchen with granite work tops which is open to a casual dining room with vaulted ceiling; a family room, utility room, bedroom and wet room. Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a large modern bathroom.

A priority for the couple was to retain the historic integrity of the house by restoring as many of its original features as possible.

Says Rosie: “When we saw the house we fell in love with it. My husband is a sailor and liked the fact that it was beside the sea and we both love period features.

“It was a challenge restoring it and we had to completely gut the whole property. The kitchen and bathroom was very run down and it was all a bit of a mess. We took the back off the house and rebuilt it to create the new kitchen, a third bedroom and a wet room.

“A big part of the challenge was restoring the old parts of the house and we took out all of the original fireplaces and restored them and put them back in.

Living

Table talk: Gareth and Rosie with their daughters, from left, Kitty (4) and Maisie (3)

Spacious dwelling: clockwise from top, the exterior; the modern kitchen and the scenic view from the house; and the family at their beach hut ➤

Northern Woman 69

Living

Clean lines: contemporary furnishings with a relaxed homely style

➤ “We also kept the original sash windows and had

them resealed.”

The couple also painstakingly stripped back the old pitch pine wooden window shutters, as well as an original wooden dresser in the living room which they brought back to its former glory.

Says Rosie: “Gareth did a lot of research into how to get the best out of the wood and had to remove layers and layers of oil to restore them.

The dresser had hundreds of coats of varnish on it over the years and he stripped it right back and oiled it and it is really beautiful.”

The kitchen in the property is very special and the couple had a clear idea of exactly how they wanted it to look and tracked down a local cabinet maker to create the bespoke hand painted solid wood units.

They had to seek special permission to knock through to the family room which allows them to enjoy the sea views from the kitchen while also keeping an eye on the children at play while they cook.

70 Northern Woman

“The living room is my favourite room as it is a grown up space” Rosie was delighted with the result: “We really loved the look of the kitchens made by London company Plain English and we were lucky to find a cabinet maker who was able to make similar bespoke cabinets which we painted in Farrow & Ball Wedgewood Blue.

“It is a really good quality handmade solid wooden kitchen and we love the big family dining table with its Irish oak top. We wanted light granite for the worktops to try and keep the space light and airy.

“With the floor we wanted to mimic the cottage rustic feel and bring the outside in and try and make the courtyard an extra room.

Living

Outdoor fun: Clockwise from top; Gareth and Rosie with Kitty and Maisie; cool pastel colours used in a bedroom; a treasured bookcase; and the couple enjoying their seaside retreat

➤

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Living

Coastal life: Gareth and Rosie with Kitty and Maisie outside their property.

Below, the spacious terrace

“The courtyard is designed to have a lovely Mediterranean feel and is a great play area” ➤ “The courtyard has been a really lovely space for the children to

play in and it was designed to have a Mediterranean feel and we put in big doors which we can open up and barbeque out there and use it as an extra room.”

Overall the house has a lovely pared back style with a neutral palette of colours mainly chosen from the Farrow & Ball range.

Rosie’s favourite room is the living room where the family tends to get together at weekends and she is delighted with her tartan corner sofa from Sofa Works.

She says: “I think it has to be my favourite because it is a grown up space. We have the family room as a play room for the children and then on Saturday night we all get together in the living room for movie nights and lovely hugging family time.

“The view is also magnificent and I have sat and watched a snow storm move from Scotland to the Copeland Islands across the sea until it reached us, it is really wonderful.”

Outside the house is just as delightful with a front garden in lawns which leads to a privately owned lower large sun terrace where the family eats as often as the weather permits.

With the arrival of their third child the couple has reluctantly decided to sell up, but the plan is to stay in Donaghadee and hope to find another “project” by the sea.

Check it out at www.johnminnis.co.uk

72 Northern Woman

Fine view: shuttered windows

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Health

Former Miss World Rosanna Davison – daughter of the Irish singer Chris de Burgh - never looks less than fabulous. But the model, actress and nutritionist tells Emily Hourican that she sometimes struggles with her weight

I

Body beautiful: model Rosanna Davison works hard to stay in shape

74 Northern Woman

’m sure it is pathetic to take comfort from the fact that even the naturally slim and beautiful need to work at their appearance, but it is also only human.

And so, when I hear Rosanna Davison - formally crowned the most beautiful woman in the world in 2003 - admit “I have to work very hard to stay slim and toned, and especially as I get older, as my body would love to be bigger than it is”, I feel a bit like cheering. At her honesty, and at the sheer normality of it all. And at the fact that she isn’t just making this stuff up to allow the rest of us to feel better, but is speaking from tricky experience.

“I put on weight very quickly after our wedding in 2014,” she says. Rosanna is married to businessman and model, Wesley Quirke. “I had been so disciplined all year in the run-up to the celebrations. I had focused on removing refined sugar and alcohol from my diet as much as possible, and had really wanted to look and feel my very best on the big day. But once the wedding was over, I felt that I could relax and enjoy all the foods I had banned myself from eating.

“So that’s what I did! I ate all the high-carb food I had denied myself. I ate desserts, drank wine and enjoyed sugary cocktails every day.”

The result? “I put on weight so quickly during the honeymoon that most of my clothes were too tight by the last few days of the holiday, and I had to wear baggy T-shirts and shorts. When we arrived home again, we had to go to a good friend’s engagement party, and there was only one dress in my wardrobe that would fit me, and the zip on it kept popping open all night!”

As for how that made her feel, again, Rosanna is commendably honest. “It definitely did affect my self-confidence, to the point that I avoided going to social events because none of my clothes would fit me.”

She also manages to keep a sense of perspective: “I appreciate that plenty of people go through periods of weight gain, whether from medication or childbirth or many other reasons, and my story probably sounds insignificant in comparison.

Health

I’m not preaching about healthy living but it works for me and makes me happy ❝❝

Good living: Rosanna Davison enjoys a healthy eating plan

“But body image and body

confidence are so individual, I have to work and when you’re not feeling very hard to stay slim your very best, it can affect rest of your life. In my and toned. As I get older, the case, gaining a stone pretty my body would love to be quickly was a huge knock to my self-esteem, as I bigger than it is. My will- hadn’t really struggled with my weight that much up power is very strong until then.” when I have a goal in Being blessed with plenty of grit and determination, she mind tackled the problem head-on. “My willpower is very strong when I have a goal in mind,” she says, “so I knew I would manage it. It took me about eight weeks of healthy eating and regular exercise to really start feeling good again.”

But the lessons learned have lasted, and indeed underpin her latest book, Eat Yourself Fit. “My entire approach now is about achieving balance and never feeling deprived of the foods you enjoy. The book is packed with healthy meals, but there are also plenty of desserts and sweet treats, all made without refined sugar, and using healthier ingredients.

I’ve experienced what happens when you deprive yourself and binge afterwards, so balance and being kind to yourself are key.”

There is advice on how, and why, to give up refined sugar; tips for workout motivation; the case for weight training; possible reasons for food cravings (the body’s desire for magnesium, for example, often gets translated into what feels like a chocolate craving; a yen for fizzy drinks can mean you lack calcium), along with advice on attitude overhaul - how to look on workouts as desirable ‘me’ time rather than oh-god-I’ve-got-to-go-to-thegym time, and how to enjoy living and eating healthily so that it doesn’t feel like a ‘diet’ or denial.

“I’m not a preachy person. I think leading by positive example is a good thing.

I personally try to avoid sugar, dairy and wheat, because my skin is triggered by eating too much dairy and sugar, and I have found over the years that I function better without them. But I would always say to everyone to figure out what works best for you.” ➤

Northern Woman 75

Health ➤ The book, she says, “is focussed on fitness

foods, everything from the best foods to boost muscle tone, the best foods to boost your body’s ability to burn fat, foods for before a workout, after a workout, easy hacks to getting more nutrients into your body. I encourage people to take control. It’s about giving people the tools, the recipes, the ideas, to take control of their own health and fitness.”

She is also pragmatic. “This needs to fit it into your lifestyle. There is no point spending half your wages on superfoods when you can’t afford it, and there are so many great foods that are inexpensive. I think it’s a bit of a myth, this ‘superfoods’ thing; I would say to families, or students on a budget, buy the big bags of dried pulses, nuts and seeds; make stews, casseroles, curries in huge batches.”

She also, refreshingly, recommends sourcing produce in the fruit and veg aisles of the big discount supermarkets.

So what motivates her? “I’m not trying to save the world,” she says. “It’s just about the difference you can make to someone’s life. The feedback I’d get from people after, say, six months - ‘I feel better, I’m sleeping better, my energy is better .’ I get hundreds of messages, people telling me, ‘I’m eating better’; ‘I’ve managed to clear up problem skin’.

“That’s huge, to think you’ve inspired someone to make the changes or motivate them, give them that little lightbulb moment.

It’s great. I feel I’m making a difference to people’s lives.”

So in comparison with modelling something that has been described as a faintly narcissistic profession - does she find her new career more rewarding? Rosanna, however, is far too experienced and savvy an interviewee to go making odious comparisons. “I wouldn’t model that much it’s more appearances and brand-ambassador work, and I really enjoy it. I’ve been so lucky over the years. This is different. It suits my frame of mind at this stage of my life.

“The modelling I did in my 20s was perfect for then. I was out, meeting people, going lots of places, travelling; it was very fast-paced, exciting. Every day is still different for me, but I’m more settled now. I’m married, I’m at home, I’m not in nightclubs all the time. I don’t know when the last time was . . . you lose the interest.

Last night, we were just sitting there on the sofa, with the dogs, perfectly happy.”

What about the ways in which her relationship with her own body has changed, since studying nutrition?

“I have no idea what I weigh. I haven’t weighed myself in a long time. You can tell, for most of us, by the size of your favourite jeans, whether you feel bloated. I try to tell young girls, it’s so normal for your body and weight to fluctuate, depending on hormones, on the temperature outside, what you’re

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Lady in red: Rosannas shows off her new look on the red carpet.

Below, with her famous father, singer Chris de Burgh

eating. It’s something you learn over time as well.”

I ask her to characterise the relationship with her husband, Wes Quirke, and the answer surprises me a little, mainly because Rosanna, experienced interviewee as she is, normally errs on the side of caution, choosing to be diplomatic and slightly reserved.

But in response to this question, she says frankly, “We’re totally crazy about each other.

We’ve been together 10 years this year. We’re best friends; we love spending time together.

We’re obsessed with each other. We’re joined at the hip and do everything together”.

And, she hastens to add, “We’re equals as well. There’s no inequality; there’s no dominant partner. Household tasks are evenly divided. He’s very easy-going, and a very

positive person, which is brilliant. He refuses to speak negatively about other people, or have any negative influences in the house, which is great. He’s a great person to live with.

He’s relaxed about things, which is a good influence on me because probably in the past, in my 20s, I was more highly strung. Sort of anxious, worried. I used to be a big worrier.

He’s definitely calmed me down.”

Fundamentally, Rosanna knows what matters. “Do what you want to do for you.

Be proud of yourself. I’m just living a life that I’m happy with and that I’m proud of and I enjoy. There you go,” she laughs.

This is not a ‘new’ Rosanna. She is entirely consistent with the person she has always been - thoughtful, conscientious, hard-working but all the same, there is something admirably open and honest there, that looks very much like contentment.

‘Eat Yourself Fit’ by Rosanna Davison, is published by Gill Books. You can read Rosanna’s advice on health, fitness and nutrition at rosannadavisonnutrition.com

Health

My healthy eating plan that helped get me in shape for my big day If you’re a bride-to-be or aiming to get in shape to feel great for a holiday, party or big event, then you will want to feel like the best version of yourself when the big day arrives.

For my own wedding in the summer of 2014, I didn’t want to lose weight, but I did want to feel lean, toned, confident and healthy. I focused on the following body-confidence tips in the lead-up to my big day, and they really helped me to look and feel my best.

AVOID REFINED SUGAR Found in everything from biscuits, cakes, crackers and baked treats to sweets, ice cream, cereal, jam, yogurts, chocolate, soups, pasta sauces, breads and fizzy drinks, refined sugar is one of the most damaging foods for your skin and body.

If you regularly eat sugary foods or add sugar to hot drinks, then try to wean yourself off it in plenty of time before your wedding day, holiday, party or important event, as it takes around 21 days to break the habit and really feel the benefits. Get used to reading labels in order to avoid added refined sugar and other processed ingredients. All my recipes are free from refined sugar, are fibre rich and are designed to stabilise blood-sugar levels.

BANISH BLOATING FOODS

Feeling bloated? There may be a large number of reasons why.

Constipation can be an issue for many people, and is undoubtedly one of the main causes of bloating.

However, eating a diet high in fibrerich plant foods and drinking more water can make a big difference.

For many women, it’s simply hormonal and an annoying symptom of that time of the month. For others, it can be a result of eating too quickly and gulping in excess air, not chewing food correctly, eating foods that

your body may find difficult to digest and is sensitive to, or the carbon dioxide in fizzy drinks.

My recipes maximise your intake of fibre. If you do suffer from bloating, then keep a food diary to try to find a link between the foods you’re eating regularly and when you feel excessively bloated.

DRINK ALCOHOL IN MODERATION

Alcohol is not a friend to your waistline. It can trigger stomach fat to build up around your mid-section, because it’s quickly absorbed into your bloodstream and deposited in the stomach area. It may cause you to gain many unwanted pounds, due in part to the hundreds of extra calories in sugary cocktails and mixers, while wine and beer are also high in sugar and calories. But alcohol itself is a simple sugar, which hits your bloodstream fast and causes insulin levels to increase, encouraging fat storage.

Drinking alcohol may also slow down your metabolism because the liver prioritises the metabolism of alcohol before it can process energy from the food you have eaten. So for a certain period of time, it may actually prevent your body from burning fat efficiently.

DAILY GREENS

I speak at length about the importance of consuming abundant leafy greens, as, calorie for calorie, they’re the most nutritionally dense type of food that you can eat, packed with fibre, minerals and protective phytonutrients. Many people find it easier to ingest them in smoothie or juice form than in a salad, which is why

Rosanna’s top body boosting tips ...

you’ll find a number of green-smoothie Happy couple: Rosanna recipes in my book. with her husband Wesley Enjoying blended Quirke greens really helps to boost your complexion, hair growth and encourage a flat stomach.

WEIGHT TRAIN

I’ve spoken about how effective weight training (left), is for both men and women, especially if you’re trying to tone up and shift some body fat before your wedding day or a holiday. I increased my workouts and upped their intensity in the lead-up to my wedding, to help me feel my most strong and confident.

It’s obviously important to train all your major muscle groups each week, but as my dress had a full skirt and a fitted waist with my shoulders and arms on show, I placed plenty of focus on training my upper body. I made sure to train my chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps and back each week, and did plenty of Pilates to strengthen and lengthen muscles and improve my posture.

SLEEP TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM

It’s not always easy to get your full requirement of sleep each night, especially with work, family or study demands. But if your aim is to maintain your weight or lose a few pounds, then getting enough sleep each night is really important for a healthy and properly functioning metabolism.

It’s pretty normal for sleep-deprived people to find that they gain an extra few pounds without changing their diet, as a lack of sleep can lead to various metabolic issues.

It can cause you to burn fewer calories, run into problems with appetite control, and experience an increase in cortisol levels, which encourages the body to store fat around the middle.

One of the best and easiest things you can do to boost your metabolism is get enough sleep. Sufficient sleep for most people tends to be between seven and nine hours.

Northern Woman 77

Food

Enjoy the Fruit of the Land It's Autumn - that golden time of the year when we celebrate all that's great about our local produce. Food NI is helping us to mark October with these delicious harvest recipes

Apple Galette Serves 8 Ingredients Pastry • 125g plain flour • Pinch salt • Pinch sugar • 85g butter • 4 tablespoon • Cold water Galette • 4-5 apples, peeled and cored • 25g butter • 100g caster sugar Sauce • 500ml apple juice • Apple peel and core (see recipe) Method 1. For the pastry combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Keep the butter cold and cut into 1cm, dice and fold in (you can use a mixer). Add in the water and bring all together but do not over mix.

Wrap in a ball in cling film and flatten and place in fridge for 60 minutes. Once refrigerated take out unwrap and let it soften at room temperature.

2. Peel and core the apples, leaving the core and peel to side for the sauce.

3. Quarter and slice the apples thinly as possible and as uniformly as you can get them. Roll out the pastry into large circle about 30cm. Place pastry onto grease proof paper and onto baking tray. Arrange the sliced apples onto pastry making sure they overlap, pinch the sides of the pastry casing so they do not fall out. Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 200 degrees C, remove galette from fridge. Melt the galette butter in a pan and brush over the apples and pastry. Dust with the caster sugar and place in oven for 45 minutes.

5. As this bakes make the sauce by placing the core and peel into saucepan, add in apple juice and place over medium heat for 20 minutes stirring.

Strain and place sauce back onto the heat and reduce by half for about 10 minutes.

6. Remove the galette once golden and place on rack to cool. When ready to serve pour over sauce.

78 Northern Woman

Bramley Apple

Co Armagh is known as the Orchard County because of its many apple orchards. The apple is thought to date back over 10m years ago, to the days of Saint Patrick. He's credited with planting an apple tree at the ancient settlement of Ceangoba, east of Armagh city. The Armagh Bramley is our favourite local apple and is famous all over the world.

Food

Lough Neagh Eel

Lough Neagh is home to the largest commercial wild eel fishery in Europe, exporting 650 tonnes of eels a year. Leading chefs in Britain and Ireland are increasingly using the eel in top restaurants, leading to a revival for this Northern Ireland delicacy.

s ng f gh

Potatoes, Smoked Lough Neagh Eel and Apple Serves 4 Ingredients • 250g potatoes • 1 Granny Smith apple • 1 lemon • 150g smoked Lough Neagh eel • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley • 2 rock oysters • 200ml Broighter Gold rapeseed oil • 2 egg yolks • 1tsp English mustard • 1 tsp sliced spring onions • Coriander shoots and Broighter Gold to dress

Method 1. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water. Peel and leave to one side. Peel and core apple.

Cut into pieces and mix with lemon juice and salt.

2. In a blender add egg yolks, mustard, parsley and oyster.

Blend to smooth paste, gradually adding rapeseed oil to make a mayonnaise.

3. Slice potatoes, dice eel and assemble on plate with apple and mayonnaise. Finish with shoots and rapeseed.

Northern Woman 79

LIVING

SEAFOOD CELEBRATION

My food ...

Danni Barry

Loaves and Fishes Ballywalter Park Ards Peninsula 9 October Part of Seafood Week, this event will be held at the ancestral home of Lord and Lady Dunleath.

It will include masterclasses in local seafood cuisine and traditional bread-making delivered by well known chefs, with recipes available.

Visitors can taste food from 20 producers. www.nigoodfood.com

The Irish Chef of the Year, Co Down’s Danni Barry, is the only female chef in Ireland to have a Michelin star. The 30 year old from Mayobridge is head chef at Deanes Eipic We put restaurant in Belfast top Belfast chef in the culinary spotlight, and find What is the meal you out what’s on her will always remember? fter achieving the personal foodie Michelin star last menu September, myself and the guys

Q A

in the kitchen went to celebrate at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London.

The experience was first class. Great day.

QA

What was your defining food experience?

I’m not sure if I’ve had just one. At different stages of my career I’ve had moments that I’ve thought, ‘I really love this, I’m going to keep cooking’. I’m always looking forward, excited to see what happens next.

What is your comfort food?

Potatoes! It’s so stereotypical and I have been teased all over the world about them, but I genuinely love them.

My daddy grew them. A meal of boiled new season potatoes, like Dublin Queens, with lots of real butter and salt, and maybe even a fried egg, is the best.

Q A

What is your best hangover cure?

Get up quickly so you don’t think about it too much! A nice cup of hot tea,

80 Northern Woman

a full breakfast and a good laugh about the previous night’s antics does the trick.

QA

What do you drink?

I’m fond of Guinness, red wine or a gin.

If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be?

This would be hell. I’d have to have potatoes, of course, and chocolate, and maybe eggs as they are pretty versatile. How boring, though.

Q A Q A

SHOW TIME FOR FOOD LOVERS

Q A

What was the first dish you ever cooked?

Growing up watching Ready Steady Cook taught me how to make a bechamel sauce and proper custard, so these were the first things I tried to cook.

Fine cuisine: Danni in Deanes Eipic restaurant.

Below,celebrating an industry award

your October NI food diary

QA

How important is food to you?

It’s my livlihood, so it’s pretty important! I also think it’s important that people know where their food comes from, how to cook it and how to grow it.

Q A

What are some of your favourite restaurants?

Macau in Belfast is a favourite. Obviously, Deanes Eipic is where I’m allowed to cook, so I like it there. In Dublin, I love Chapter One, Forest & Marcy and the GreenHouse, and Loam in Galway.

Also, the Ledbury in London.

QA Q A

What is your guilty pleasure?

It would have to be really cheesy toasted sandwiches.

If you decide to eat healthily, what’s your regime?

I cut out bread and do a tea-tox to flush out the badness, and drink lots of water.

I’ll cook Asian-style broths which are light but still have great flavour.

BBC Good Food Show Waterfront Hall, Belfast 14-16 October Three days of foodie heaven with mouthwatering produce, the latest kitchen gadgets and live cookery demonstrations from TV favourites Paul Hollywood, James Martin, John Torode, the Hairy Bikers and local star Paul Rankin, (inset). The Tasting Theatre will be the place to taste and learn from top wine and food experts. From brewers to bakers, deli owners to distillers, the Producers’ Village will play host to a wide range of artisan food stalls packed with speciality produce from all over Ireland and the UK. www.bbcgoodfoodshownorthernireland.com

RESTAURANTS SERVE UP A WEEK OF SPECIAL TREATS Belfast Restaurant Week 8-16 October Eat and Drink Belfast Restaurant Week will celebrate the best local food and drink on offer.

Belfast’s eateries will showcase the passion that goes into making, cooking and serving up top class fresh local produce. The city’s vibrant restaurant scene offers everything from Michelin Star fine dining to exciting bistros, gastropubs and quirky restaurants. There will be bespoke menus, special offers, from breakfast to express lunch, classic afternoon teas to sumptuous evening dining and everything in between. www.visitbelfast.com/food.

VISIT WEEKEND MARKET WITH TEMPTING FARM FOODS TO TRY Inns Market, The Inns 75 Saintfield Road, Belfast 29 October This farmers’ market is held on the last Saturday of every month and has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, plus over 20 food producers including Broughgammon Farm, Passion Preserved, Cherryvalley Farm, Indie Fude and Harnett’s Oils. www.facebook.com/innsmarket

Food Food

Potato, Asparagus and Mussel Broth Serves 4 Ingredients • 1.25 litre/2 pints 4fl Oz chicken stock • 300g/11oz potatoes, peeled and sliced • 150g/5oz pearl onions, peeled • 16 stems asparagus, trimmed • 600g/1lb 6oz mussels, cleaned • 75g/3oz butter • Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan. Add the potatoes and cook until nearly tender.

2. Add the pearl onions and cook for a further two minutes.

Add the asparagus and cook for another two minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

3. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Simmer the stock until the volume of liquid has reduced by one-third.

5. Check the mussels: if any are open, give them a tap on the work surface and if they don't close, throw them away. Add the clams to the broth, cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until all the clams are open.

6. Whisk in the butter, then return the vegetables to the pan and warm through. Season with salt (if needed) and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Serve the broth in bowls with crusty bread.

MORNING

ALL AFTER MORNING DAY DINNER ROAST ROAST

Mussels

Mussels have a reputation for being difficult to cook, but this is just not true. The hardest part is the washing. Place them in cold water (they should close: if they don’t, you should throw them away). Scrub any dirt off the surface of the mussels and remove the beard with a small knife. If you can get this down, you will have no trouble — and they take minutes to cook.

STRENGTH STRENGTH STRENGTH

Full Full bodied bodied Medium coffee coffee, with bodied rich a silky, with in flavour smooth bright coffee finish notes

Image courtesy of National Museums Northern Ireland.

Image courtesy of National Museums Northern Ireland.

www.robert-roberts.co.uk

Northern Woman 81

Living

New events

WE’RE SINGING ALONG TO ...

As Halloween approaches there’s no need to be spooked by Ghost The Musical at the Grand Opera House until October 15 (from Oct 11).

The Ulster Operatic Company is in fine voice recreating the best-loved scenes and songs from the famous Nineties movie, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.

The supernatural tale with more than a dollop of pshyic fun thrown in will have you on the edge of your seat.

Visit goh.co.uk for details. Tickets cost £14-£29.50.

WE’RE GOING TO SEE ..

Artist Susan MacWilliam uses her considerable creative talents in her latest exhibition to explore the world of the paranormal and all things psychological.

Modern Experiments at FE McWilliam Gallery and Studio in Banbridge until late November offers a comprehensive showing of her work to date.

In her latest outing she uses video to investigate and interpret paranormal phenomena such as mediumship, ectoplasm and clairvoyance.

You can catch this until November 26, Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm.

Go see

GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Emily Blunt stars in the big screen version of Paula Hawkins best selling book The Girl On The Train this month. The taught thriller focuses on divorcee Rachel who becomes fascinated by a seemingly perfect couple she watches during her daily commute.

But when something shocking happens, she becomes entangled in the mystery which unfolds.

Unmissable.

WE’RE READING...

Just when you thought you’d heard the last of Hogwarts most famous wizarding pupil.. hot off the presses is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition.

This beautiful book now has the drawings of artist Jim Kay to tell the story in visible brilliance. A hardback version costs £15 from Amazon.

82 Northern Woman

You need to be quick to catch the last few days of David Hockey: I draw, I do at the Mac which finishes on October 16 in the Tall Gallery from 10am to 7pm.

The new exhibition is the first significant presentation of the artist’s work in Ireland

Living

this month

All the top events and go-sees to have a fun-filled October. By HelenCarson

what’s happening WE’RE ENJOYING...

See Belfast like a visitor and sit down to Sunday Afternoon Tea in the opulent surroundings of the Titanic Suite. Go all Kate Winslet and enjoy some five-star service with finger sandwiches, classic scones with Cornish clotted cream, cakes and exquisite eclairs served alongside a range of tea.

upgrade and swap a brew for a glass of Prosecco or champagne (costs extra).

Visit titanicbelfast.com/ whatson for the latest Sunday Afternoon Tea sittings and menu.

Go visit

With Afternoon Tea from £24 person, this is one treat you don’t have to be a first class passenger to sample the posh treats.

There is also the option to

PEDAL POWER ...

There’s never been a better opportunity to give cycling a try than when Ciclovia Belfast pedals back to the city later this month.

Some city streets — from Botanic Gardens to the City Hall — will be car free on Sunday, October 30 from 9am to 12 noon so it’s perfect for cycling novices to give it a go.

With the huge success of the Belfast Bikes and stars like Jennifer Aniston (above), and Elle Macpherson loving their two-wheeled transport, maybe it’s time to saddle up for the free event.

Along the way there will be entertainment including bike docks, music and more.

WE CAN’T WAIT FOR ...

Get your Pixiwoo fix in the shape of this stylish coffee table book, Face out later this month. The YouTube channel found fame for its make-up tutorials and no-nonsense approach to trying and testing cosmetic brands, quickly becoming the go-to place online for beauty junkies.

Pixiwoo was founded by Sam and Nic Chapman in 2008 as a way to educate women of all ages in the art of make-up.

Now, they have compiled their extensive knowledge into one book, Face, £20, from amazon. co.uk on October 20 or pre-order now for £13.

The covetable illustrated book is brimming over Bobbi Brown with tutorial pictures as well as beauty advice, Luxe Lip Color, techniques and top tips on how to get the perfect £25, House of look.

Fraser

Style queen: Kim Kardashian loves online make up tutorials

Beauty bible: Face by Pixiwoo is go-to guide for celebrity looks

Northern Woman 83

*** COMPETITION TIME ***

Enjoy a gEtaway to Farnham !

N WI

EstatE golF & spa rEsort

QUESTION To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

S

pend a couple of days away from it all at Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort in Cavan. Located in the heart of a magnificent estate just 3km from Cavan town, Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort is a contemporary and stylish hotel, full of country charm and character, surrounded by natural beauty among acres of rolling countryside.

One lucky Northern Woman reader and a guest will enjoy a two night stay in the beautiful Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort.

Wake up each morning after a restful night’s sleep and enjoy the delights of a Super Buffet Breakfast. Spend the next two days enjoying everything Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort has to offer. From Afternoon Tea, to picnicking in the woodlands on the

magnificent grounds of the estate or a round of golf on the stunning parklands course, there is something for everyone at Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort.

Spoil yourselves in the serenity of the world-class destination health spa where you can enjoy full access to the indoor/outdoor infinity pool, water mint thermal suite, relaxation rooms and gym.

Farnham Estate Golf and Spa Resort brings centuries of the very best of traditions of hospitality and natural beauty and blends them with contemporary comfort and service, creating a destination unlike any other in Ireland.

If you are not lucky enough to win on this occasion or for more information visit www.farnhamestate.ie.

How many Kilometres is it from Farnham Estate Golf & Spa Resort to Cavan Town?

To enter, email: competitions@northernwoman.co.uk with your answer plus your name, address and daytime number.

Closing date: Monday 24 October 2016 * Terms and conditions apply.

Competition

*** COMPETITION TIME ***

!

N I W

afternoon Tea for two at

TiTanic BelfasT

S

tep back in time to a period of luxury, elegance and 5-star service and win a special autumnal Titanic Afternoon Tea for two at Titanic Belfast. Set in the opulent surroundings of the Titanic Suite featuring the stunning replica staircase, this Afternoon Tea experience is not to be missed.

Christmas at the Fitzwilliam

Enjoy a fabulous menu featuring a delicious selection of finger sandwiches, classic scones with Cornish clotted cream, mouth-watering orange, lemon and almond cakes exquisite éclairs and macaroons! No Afternoon Tea would be complete without the tea itself, choose from a selection of blends, including Titanic’s luxury loose leaf Thompson’s Tea, served in replica White Star Line crockery. To book, visit www.titanicbelfast.com.

2016 Christmas Brochure Now Available from Reception and Online Christmas Lunch from £26.50 per person •

Christmas Dinner from £35 per person •

Festive Cocktails in The Bar •

Imaginative Christmas Events from £25 per person •

Gift Vouchers - The Perfect Christmas Gift •

Festive Overnight Stays

QUESTION

•

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

Where was the Titanic designed and built? a) Belfast b) Liverpool c) Southampton

Now taking Bookings!

For further details contact our Events Department T. 028 9044 2080

To enter, email: competitions@northernwoman.co.uk with your answer plus your name, address and daytime number.

Closing date: Monday 24 October 2016 * Terms and conditions apply.

* Terms & Conditions Apply Tickets are for 2 adults. Prize is non-transferable. Subject to availability.

No cash alternative. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Afternoon Tea is served on Sundays only.

Must be used before 27th November 2016.

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Xxxxx xxxxxx

All Roads lead to It's the thriving destination that draws tourists and shoppers all year round . Stephanie Bell finds retail therapy and family fun in North Antrim

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XxxxxPlaces xxxxxx Favourite

the North Coast

‰

Favourite places

Creative talent abounds with stunning images by specialist wedding photographer Catherine MacKenzie

BOOK YOUR NEXT COASTAL BREAK AT THE PORTRUSH ATLANTIC

T

➤

New name, same warm welcome Discover friendly local restaurants, pubs and a vibrant nightlife. Portrush Atlantic Hotel is centrally located and convenient for dining, shopping and major attractions including Northern Irish Game of Thrones filming locations including Cushendun Caves, Murlough Bay and Ballintoy Harbour. We are also on the Causeway Coastal Route.

As a guest of ours you can expect Flat-screen TV | Free Wi-Fi | Safety-deposit box | Continental buffet breakfast | Room service.

New á la carte menu We’re the ideal venue for a your next coastal break!

Our restaurant boasts semi private dining space for up to 40 people with marvellous views over the Atlantic ocean. The restaurant also hosts weekly live music and entertainment from the best in local and national acts!

Book your table today!

88 Northern Woman

he natural beauty of the North Coast has long attracted visitors from all over the world, as well as thousands of local people every year.

While most of us think of its many top tourist attractions, like the Giant’s Causeway, the area also boasts some of the province’s best hotels, eateries, family attractions and shops.

You can’t beat the personal touch and quality offered by locally-owned independent stores and these unique retailers are at the heart of the shopping experience in the North Coast’s towns and villages.

Talent also abounds in the area and someone whose reputation has spread, not just across Ireland but the world, is specialist wedding photographer Catherine MacKenzie.

Catherine, who lives in Castlerock, runs her own studio in Coleraine where she is known for her adventurous and creative work.

With experience as a fashion photographer, Catherine brings a fresh approach to her wedding photography. She says: “My wedding photographs are fashion inspired and I don’t rely on natural light, which means I can light any situation and create whatever I want.“I like to try and do something slightly different with my photographs. I’ve had a lot of foreign customers who have connections here and come over to get married and I am always thinking outside the box.”

No visit to the North Coast is complete without dropping into Moores of Coleraine - one of the largest independent department stores in Northern Ireland.

The landmark building in the centre of the town is loved as much by visitors as it is by locals.

The huge 43,000 sq ft lifestyle store offers an extensive range of brands including womenswear, menswear, children’s clothing, accessories, and the popular beauty and home department.

Also in Coleraine, local jeweller Silverspirit is renowned for its huge range of gold and silver pieces.

Opened by Sonia Chopra 10 years ago, it is well known in the area and caters for a wide variety of budgets and tastes, with costume jewellery items starting at just £10 and more expensive diamonds running into thousands of pounds.

Whether you want to treat yourself, find something to finish off your new outfit or buy a special gift for a loved one, Silverspirit will have something to suit.

Coleraine is also renowned for its fashion and boasts one of the finest menswear stores in Ireland.

Ken Young has been trading in the town for 36 years and has a clientele from all over the province.

The shop offers a range of classic and edgy designer labels, catering for the fashionable man of all ages.Among the many top brands are Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Boss Red Label, Green Label and Orange Label, Armani Jeans, Circle of Gentlemen and Stone Island.

This season the company has added to its range with the introduction of the popular designer label Paul & Shark, as well as a range of Jeffrey West footwear. Another shop which draws the crowds to Coleraine is Rightprice and Fishbowl ➤

Favourite Places ‰ Gifts. Following on from another successful summer sale, Rightprice is making way for lots of new and exciting furniture, flooring and giftware collections. The company strives to keep ahead of key trends which are reflected in the beautiful showroom.

With the addition of the giftware department, Fishbowl Gifts the store has become a one stop shop for flooring, furniture and accessories.

Many gorgeous items are now available in Fishbowl, including ranges from Ashley Wilde bedding and the new Maxwell & Williams pottery range.

Last month, the North Coast proved to have a passion for fashion when it pulled off its first major designer fashion show. The Cirque was staged in the famous Barry’s Amusements in Portush.

The sell-out show, which raised almost £10,000 for three local charities – Samaritans, Cancer Fund for Children and Women’s Aid - was organised

by Coleraine’s Cindy McKendra who also staged a highly successful show in Belfast’s Crumlin Road jail last year, raising £6500 for the Action Cancer.

Cindy was amazed at how successful the show proved on home ground, with designers from all over Ireland eager to show their collections Marie-Claire Ferguson

Gypsy mixed shot is the range from Maxwell Williams

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Grey vases from Parlane available in Fishbowl Gifts

and tickets selling out well in advance.

Production company LFFX streamed the show live on their website with an incredible 170,000 views from as far away as Kenya, Australia, America and Canada.

Tailor Joshua Kane, who dresses stars including Russel Brand and Jennifer Saunders, sent a selection of his latest designs for what was believed to have been the first showing of his work in Ireland.

Among a host of local talent who showcased their work was Una Rodden, milliner Marie Claire Ferguson and top Dublin designer Claire Garvey.

If you're visiting the region with the family in tow, you'll want an action-packed trip to

the popular Jet Centre in Coleraine. With something for all the family, day and night, you can enjoy a visit to the Movie House cinema, let the kids have fun in the soft play area, enjoy a game of bowling or compete against each other on the 18 hole mini golf course. The centre has also just added a pool room.

Brand new this year is mini-bowling which features shorter lanes and smaller bowling balls, making it suitable for players of all ages.The centre’s traditional 14 lane ten pin bowling has been completely renovated with all new floors, seating and décor as well as a new party room.The mini golf course is flood lit so you can also pop in on evenings ‰

Baker Fleamarket range of dining and occasional furniture

Where good taste is always in fashion!

Stockists of all the leading brands

Bedroom

Dining

Living

Flooring

Bed Linen

Giftware

instore at

Gifts & Soft Furnishings Giftware Cookware

Interest Free Credit Available

Bedding Tableware

Glassware Accessories

Free Delivery & Assembly Available

Bushmills Road, Coleraine

Tel: 028 7034 4482 • www.rightprice.co.uk /RPColeraine - Follow us on Facebook for exclusive offers and competitions

M A K I N G Rightprice Northern Woman Full Page Oct 2016.indd 1

Y O U R

H O U S E

A

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 9am - 5.30pm Late night Thurs until 8pm

H O M E 12/09/2016 21:02

Favourite Places

Bridgene Mullan

Mango Pangu

Deirdre McCrystal

Gordon Donaldson

Shauna Fay

Grainne Maher

Cirque Fashion Show

Claire Garvey

Nor Lisa

Sara O'Neil

Rockport School A Learning Adventure

Small class sizes

OPEN DAY Sat 1st October

‰ for a game of golf.

If you fancy a break on the North Coast to try out all of the area's attractions, check out the Portrush Atlantic Hotel.

Centrally situated in the seaside town it offers easy access to all the attractions that Portrush and the surrounding area has to offer. The hotel also provides free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour front desk and facilities for disabled guests.

The North Coast is not just about summer holiday: it's an all year round destination, perfect for an Autumn getaway.

Joshua Kane

Excellent academic results Individual pastoral care Preparation for 11+, Common Entrance and Sixth Form entry

10.30am-12pm

Drop in - no appointment necessary

SOME PLACES STILL AVAILABLE INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL, 3 - 18 Rockport School, Craigavad,

Una Rodden

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Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0DD

silverspirit traditional & contemporary jewellery, gold engagement rings and wedding jewellery, silver & rose gold jewellery, branded watches, fashion jewellery & giftware

Unit 3, Diamond Shopping Centre, Bridge Street, Coleraine. BT52 1DR t: 028 7032 7880 e: silverspiritjewellery123@hotmail.co.uk ...location is across from Rocco cafĂŠ

NEW AUTUMN COLLECTIONS

Hugo Boss Tommy Hilfiger Strellson Armani Eduard Dressler Circle of Gentlemen 1 like no other Stone Island Paul & Shark 7 for all Mankind Polo Ralph Lauren Jacques Britt

15-17 RAILWAY ROAD COLERAINE T: 028 7035 1300

E: youngfashions@btconnect.com

Northern Woman 93

Fashion

Stack rings, £29, Jigsaw

Timeless Sterling Silver Cuff, £375, Links of London

Bling it on with layers of chains, bracelets, cuffs and chunky rings

Stack ‘em high

Ring, £15, Accessorize

Ring, £90, Folli Follie

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Chain bracelet, £80, Folli Follie, right, Rihanna the pearly queen

Cuff, £14, Freedom at Topshop

Bracelets, £12, River Island Mother Of Pearl necklace, £14, Freedom at Topshop

True Love Stories

The beautiful wedding albums of three Northern Ireland couples

‰

Wedding Wedding

Match Matchmade made online for for City City Wedding Wedding Match madeonline online for city wedding Elayne Elayneand andLouise LouiseMcClenaghan McClenaghan

EE

layne and Louis met four years layne and Louis met four years ago dating site, Plenty ago onon thethe dating site, Plenty of of Fish.

A month later, they had their Fish.

A month later, they had their first date in Belfast's Metro Bar and first date in Belfast's Metro Bar and their future was sealed. their future was sealed.

In September last year, couple In September last year, thethe couple visited Madrid and decided they would visited Madrid and decided they would like married.

Instead buying like to to getget married.

Instead of of buying engagement ring, Louis and Elayne anan engagement ring, Louis and Elayne went shopping watches and rowed went shopping forfor watches and rowed a a boat lake in Retiro Park. boat onon thethe lake in Retiro Park.

The night before their day, The night before their bigbig day, they stayed together in the Crescent they stayed together in the Crescent Townhouse, ready and headed Townhouse, gotgot ready and headed offoff their photographs taken in the to to getget their photographs taken in the Cathedral Quarter.

Ahead time, Louis Cathedral Quarter.

Ahead of of time, Louis and Elayne surprised some their and Elayne surprised some of of their guests in The Apartment Bar before guests in The Apartment Bar before thethe wedding ceremony in Belfast City Hall wedding ceremony in Belfast City Hall Elayne’s daughter, Brooke, was Elayne’s daughter, Brooke, was bridesmaid and chose own dress, bridesmaid and chose herher own dress, while Louis and Elayne created their while Louis and Elayne created their

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own rings, which they describe own rings, which they describe asas a a wonderful experience. wonderful experience. guests attended ceremony 4242 guests attended thethe ceremony and celebrated with couple and celebrated with thethe couple at at lunch in AM:PM. A further guests lunch in AM:PM. A further 5050 guests arrived evening reception arrived forfor thethe evening reception in in Treehouse AM:PM. The only thethe Treehouse at at AM:PM. The only thing that went wrong was that there thing that went wrong was that there was much food!

However it didn’t was tootoo much food!

However it didn’t waste couple ensured gogo to to waste asas thethe couple ensured thethe leftovers were donated a homeless leftovers were donated to to a homeless shelter. shelter.

The couple chose Marie Curie name The couple chose Marie Curie name cards with yellow daffodil cards with thethe yellow daffodil pinpin in in memory Elayne’s dad.

They aimed memory of of Elayne’s dad.

They aimed to to keep their day simple, casual and keep their bigbig day simple, casual and local and enjoyed spending it together local and enjoyed spending it together from start finish.

It was easy going, from start to to finish.

It was easy going, and truly happy. funfun and truly happy.

The honeymoon is scheduled next The honeymoon is scheduled forfor next Spring: four days in New York before Spring: four days in New York before a a cruise in the Bahamas. cruise in the Bahamas.

Wedding

Finishing Touches Bridal gown: Cameo Bridal, Ballymoney Bridesmaid dresses: Miss Selfridge Groom & groomsmen suits: Jasper Conran, Debenhams Rings: Handmade at Ember Jewellery, Belfast Flowers: Marie Cafolla Flowers Hair & make-up: Tamara Tott Makeup Photography/video: Camille Watson, Pure Pictures Cake: Homemade

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Wedding

Pair make Sporty Sporty thePair perfect Pairmake make Match the theperfect perfectmatch match

aron Samuels Sarah Sarahand andAaron AaronSamuels Samuels

anuary this omplaining r. Aaron, rs, went ticks to ced that he he bag of ed to get ring and

arah and ch Parish front of 140 ds. Ready 20 ule, Sarah wasn’t

e touches ding hearthurch which s mother. mic sheep f the church.

O

The day was themed around thein January this n a cold night couple's interests: hockey, rugby and year Sarah was complaining diggers. The bride and groom were about the weather.

Aaron, thrown into the for a lineofout her air boyfriend five years, went and there was a hockey stick guard outside to get coal and sticks to of honour outside thefire. church.

The light the He announced that he diggers evenhad made an appearance found something in the bag of for the photographs at then Inch Abbey. sticks and proceeded to get The coupledown met through on one knee with a ring and Ballynahinchpropose.

Rugby Club where Aaron played rugby Sarahlater, Sarah and Sevenand months worked in theAaron bar. At themarried reception were in Inch Parish at Clandeboye Lodge, Aaron’s Church, Downpatrick, in front of 140 teammates ensured the dance of their family and floor friends. Ready 20 was full all night.

Overahead 50 rugby minutes of schedule, Sarah players encouraged everyone to she wasn’t was frustrated that dance together, including Sarah’s allowed to start early!85 year old GrandaThere and eight old touches weremonth homemade niece. Late into the evening, Sarah throughout the day including heartprovided flipshaped flops for all those cushions in the church which suffering from wearing heels were made high by the bride's mother. all day in order to make sureand theceramic sheep Bales of straw dancing didn’t stop. decorated the outside of the church.

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The day was themed around the couple's interests: hockey, rugby and diggers. The bride and groom were thrown into the air for a line out and there was a hockey stick guard of honour outside the church. The diggers even made an appearance for the photographs at Inch Abbey.

The couple met through Ballynahinch Rugby Club where Aaron played rugby and Sarah worked in the bar. At the reception at Clandeboye Lodge, Aaron’s teammates ensured the dance floor was full all night. Over 50 rugby players encouraged everyone to dance together, including Sarah’s 85 year old Granda and eight month old niece. Late into the evening, Sarah provided flip flops for all those suffering from wearing high heels all day in order to make sure the dancing didn’t stop.

Wedding

Finishing Touches Bridal gown: Naomi Bridal, Ballynahinch Bridesmaid dresses: Naomi Bridal, Ballynahinch Flowergirl dresses: Marks and Spencer Groom & groomsmen suits: A F White, Newtownards Rings: Murray & Co, Belfast Flowers: Watson’s Flowers, Ballynahinch Hair & make-up: Makeup – Leigh Crawford Hair – Studio M, Ballynahinch Photography/video: Photography – Keith Wilson Photography, Video – Hatch Wedding Films Cake: Pat Wilson Cakes, Killough

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Wedding

Farming couple enjoy special day Sarah Sarah and and Darren Darren Wilson Wilson

I

n November 2014, after six years of dating, Darren presented Sarah with flowers and got down on one knee to propose.

This summer, they married in Tullyveery House, Killyleagh, Co Down.

Darren and Sarah opted for a vintage, rustic theme with a farming twist.

There were “the farmer wants a wife” invitations and themed signs from Lily Annabella, including phrases such as

100 Northern Woman

“Udderly in love” and “Hi ho my derio, the farmer got a wife”. Sweetheart Vintage Weddings decorated the venue to continue the theme.

For Sarah, the best part of the day was the moment she walked into the living room in her dress and saw her Nanny’s face light up. Suffering from dementia, it was only when her Nanny saw Sarah in the dress that she knew what was happening.

Sarah’s nephew, who has just turned two, kept guests entertained. Although it was a wet day, spirts were definitely not dampened and everything went according to plan.

If given the opportunity to go back and do it all again the couple wouldn’t change a thing. A last minute booking on the week of the wedding meant that Sarah and Darren jetted off to Vilamoura in Portugal for a week’s sunny honeymoon.

Wedding

Finishing Touches Bridal gown: Rosa Clara Bridesmaid dresses: Naomi Bridal, Ballynahinch Groom & groomsmen suits: Kelvin Graham, Ballynahinch Rings: H Samuel, Lisburn Flowers: Charlotte’s Web Floristry, Newcastle Hair & make-up: Michelle Hunt MUA and Cara Brown, Ballynahinch Photography/video: William Studio Photography, Ballynahinch, Groom's Uncle - videography Cake: Friend of the bride – Joanne Hilland

Northern Woman 101

Motoring

Safe, Stylish driving for all the

European Europeandesign designflair flairfrom fromcar cargiants giantsPeugeot Peugeotand andFiat Fiatasasthey they

In the driving seat

T

he latest Peugeot 2008 has been updated, re-styled and features enhanced specification. It has an even more assertive and appealing SUV design, including new wheel arch extensions, new vertical front grille and scuff plates.

The Access, Active and Allure levels are complemented by the new sporty ‘GT Line’ model. This desirable trim level is already a very popular choice on other key Peugeot models and adds a sporty theme to the car.

The Peugeot i-Cockpit is unique to the brand and embodies the driving characteristics of the 2008, being agile, intuitive and safe. The compact sports steering wheel offers precise steering and improved manoeuvrability while the 7” multifunction colour touch screen puts all the functionality at your fingertips. In addition, the head-up instrument panel allows driver information to be accessed without taking the eyes off the road.

Grip Control - an adapted traction system - gives the 2008 its versatility on all types of terrain. It is combined with Mud & Snow (All-Season) tyres. The new 2008 is also equipped with MirrorScreen, based on MirrorLink and Apple Carplay, along with the reversing camera, Active City Brake and Park Assist - a rarity in this segment. The Euro6 engines offer both good performance while remaining fuel efficient. Four versions are ‘Best-in-Class’ in their segment, including the 1.2L PureTech 130 S&S (stop and start) 6-speed manual which is one of the best sellers in the line-up.

The extensive 2008 SUV range comes in

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four trim level choices: Access A/C, Active, Allure and GT Line with prices ranging from £13,615 to £20,565 (on-the-road) The engine choice includes three PureTech petrol units (82hp, 110hp & 130hp) and three Blue HDil (75hp, 100hp & 120hp).

Peugeot are currently promoting attractive retail consumer offers for customers of the new 2008 SUV who can benefit from finance offers with 4.9% APR across all models.

Customers will also benefit from an £850 customer saving on new 2008 SUV (exc Access A/C) and an additional £350 Dealer

deposit contribution if the customer chooses Peugeot Passport or Just Add Fuel schemes.

A Peugeot Passport finance package with a customer deposit of £1,000, on a new 2008 SUV PureTech 82, results in monthly payments of £211 for the Active and £237 for the Allure model. Customers choosing Peugeot’s ‘Just Add Fuel’ all-encompassing, 3-year finance package on the same model will have a monthly payment of £241 for the Active and £268 for the Allure model, and the ‘Just Add Fuel Telematics’ finance package is also available for 18 year olds and above.

Motoring

family with new look favourites unveil unveilnew newmodels modelsthat thatwill willprove provepopular, popular,writes writesPat PatBurns Burns

T

he all-new Fiat Tipo hatchback and Station Wagon have just gone on sale. The new C segment car offers exceptional roominess, high specification, robust quality and outstanding efficiency, not to mention its stylish Italian flair.

The new Tipo hatchback is deceptively roomy, being capable of accommodating three six-feet-plus adult passengers in the rear - thanks to class-leading legroom and outstanding headroom. Its boot capacity is also best-in-class with a volume of 440 litres, while the Station Wagon version adds an additional 110 litres of boot space which, at 550 litres, is also class leading.

In terms of the model range, both the hatchback and Station Wagon will be offered in three trim levels.

The entry-level trim level is equipped with air conditioning, remote central locking, front electric windows, body-coloured door mirrors with electric adjustment, six airbags, DAB digital radio, chrome door handles, split rear seats, a front seat centre arm rest, USB and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel remote controls. The Station Wagon adds rear

electric windows and longitudinal roof bars.

The mid-range trim level adds a five-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, rear power windows, LED daytime running lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, rear parking sensors and cruise control.

The price for the mid-level trim is £1,000 above that of the equivalent entry-level Tipo, thereby simplifying the range structure and making it easier for customers to choose the best Tipo for their needs and budget.

The top trim level, which is priced just £1,000 above the equivalent mid-level version, builds on the specification of the mid-range Tipo but adds satellite navigation with TomTom LIVE services including HD Traffic, climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, rear view camera, driver’s side lumbar support and a chrome pack all as standard.

The engine range comprises five engines in total. There are three petrol engines, a 1.4-litre 16v producing 95hp and 127Nm, a 1.4 T-Jet turbo petrol with 120hp and 206Nm and the 1.6-litre e-TorQ engine producing 110hp and

152Nm (combined exclusively to a six-speed, torque converter automatic transmission) and two turbo diesel engines – a 1.3-litre MultiJet II producing 95hp and 200Nm and a 1.6-litre MultiJet II with an output of 120hp and 320Nm. The entry-level 1.4-litre 16v Fire is equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. It is capable of accelerating to 62mph in 12.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 115mph. The official combined cycle fuel economy figure is 49.6mpg for both body styles and their CO2 emissions are both 132g/km. Prices for the 1.4 hatchback start at £12,995 and prices for the Station Wagon start at £13,995, just £1,000 more than its hatchback equivalent.

The top diesel engine in the range is the 1.6 MultiJet II 120hp unit and in the Tipo it is combined with a six-speed manual gearbox or FIAT’s new DDCT six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The top speed, official combined cycle fuel consumption figure and CO2 emissions are the same for both bodies – 124mph, 76.3mpg and 98g/km respectively.

PrĂŠt-Ă -party

s and Dougla Claire n Taylor Kathry

Heather Burnside and

Joanne Taylor and Samantha Miller

k

n McCormic

e and Kathry

Leona Jardin

Rhonda Lynn

Cirque Comes to Town This month, Barry's Amusement Park played host to the eagerly anticipated Cirque Fashion Show. This iconic venue was the perfect backdrop for the event. Hailed by many as the fashion event in the North Coast calendar, the event was attributed to the wonderful hard work of Cindy McKendry and Stephanie Quigley. The fashion show was an eclectic mix of top local designers who creatively showcased their A/W 16 designs and was stylsihly modelled by the gorgeous CMPR models. Hosts for the evening were Sarah Travers and Alan Simpson. The event was a huge success and raised almost 10K for charities, Simon Community, Cancer Fund for Children and Women's Aid. Alison Rankin and Sindy Stewrat

Linda Ferguson and Jill McClelland

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Jill Peterson and Ciar McCambridgea

Louise McIlreavey and Corin Campbell Arlene Halliday and on????????????

Audrey Worthingt??

Kea ???the ???r???

Hea ??nie and Toni Furtado

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Prét-à-party John and Clare

Stefan Rodgers and Tracy Hall

Leckey

The Right Worshipful Mayor Councillor Brian Bloomfield MBE and Mrs Bloomfield

nn

rson iara dge

l

ynn Tyndal

Alan and L

Derek and Pamela Patterson

The Vintage Rooms Launches in Hillsborough As Hillsborough’s iconic Plough Group of bars and restaurants approaches its 36th year of business in July, brothers William, Richard and Derek Patterson, who currently employ 220 people locally, have launched their newest venture, The Vintage Rooms. Marking an investment of £500,000 and the creation of 15 new full and part-time roles, The Vintage Rooms will serve as the only lounge bar experience in Hillsborough and its opening was celebrated by local businesspeople and suppliers.

ey

Angela Kiley, Wendy Carson, Rachel Reid and Suzanne Kelly

Northern Woman 105

Prét-à-party

Aisling Gallagher

d Brenda Shankey an Oonagh Boman

Aisling Higgins and Eve Brannon

Christine Jo

nes

Belfast Fashionweek Thursday 18th August saw some of Northern Ireland’s top media, influences and bloggers gather for the launch of West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK’s Autumn/Winter 2016 season. Returning to BFW HQ, Bruce St, Belfast attendees were treated with a trends presentation showcasing some of the latest fashion from the events participant high street retailers, designers and designer boutiques accompanied by top tips from make up artist Oonagh Boman and hair stylist Brenda Shankey. Guests enjoyed a refreshing West Coast Cooler as FASHIONWEEK director Cathy Martin hosted the event, joined by co-host and Cool FM presenter Rebecca McKinney whilst decoding the bustling schedule for the season ahead.

Joanne O'Hagan and Lau

ra Blair

Philippa Boyd and Julianne Wootton

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Zoey McComb

Kerry Burns

and Donna M

cCabe

ey

tl Karen Ba

Lauren Arthurs

PrĂŠt-Ă -party

Ciara Noble

ees

and Sally R

Daphne and Jonny Gibson

Kalissi Opens its Doors Gillian Monteith and Daphne Gibson, two ladies from the Fermanagh area, recently launched Kalissi, a new ladies fashion boutique in Church Street, Enniskillen. Media, fashionistas and clientele were invited to an exclusive preview launch and were treated to a drinks reception, along with special discounts offered on the evening. They also had the opportunity to view the eclectic mix of fashion brands for both the young and the more mature customer at affordable prices. Holly Nixon, World Senior Rowing Champion 2016, will be the store's brand ambassador.

Daphne G (Proprie ibson & Gillian M tors of K alissi Bo onteith utique)

e launch

Guests at th

David Morrison & Gillian Monteith

Ella (Maureen Martin Model)

Ella and

Laura (M

aureen M

tin Models)

artin Mo

dels)

Ella and Laura (Maureen Mar

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Prét-à-party

d herty an Edel Do unphy D in Mart

Laura Jackso

n and Mark Ja

ckson

t and Michael Bes Janet Best

Peter McCabe and Sandra McCabe

A Festival of Fun In Hillsborough

Francesca Sofley and Brian Sofley

Paul MaGuire

and Lesley M

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aguire

The 24th Hillsborough International Oyster Festival got underway on Saturday 3rd September with a fun-packed day of activities and attractions including the Turkish Airlines World Oyster Eating Championship, the Phoenix Natural Gas Soapbox Derby, and the first Northern Irish heat of the British Street Food awards. Crowds also enjoyed live entertainment, a marquee filled with treats from local producers, and lots of children’s games and activities at the oyster fun fair.

Shannon Graham and Andrew Carbery

Many Keery

and Nigel Ke

ery

Colin Shirlow and Carole Shirlow

John Lecky and Claire Leckey

Adrian Morga

n and Maggi

e Morgan

Prét-à-party

Alun Friswell and Clare Boyd r

e ina Cald s and T

Andrew and

illiam

Abby W

, Gemma Loui

Emer Dooris and Kathr

yn McKeown

All Aboard The Pizza Express!

Chris Hughes, Joris Minne and Claire McKee

Clodagh Rice

son

Linsey Harri

se Bond and Sa

ra Neill

There has been much hype about the two new Pizza Express restaurants that have arrived in Belfast, and before they opened to the public on 09 September, select guests were invited to jump on board ‘The Pizza Express’ to experience the two new restaurants in St. Anne’s Square and in Ballyhackamore.

Before hopping on board, guests were treated to an array of appetisers, Prosecco cocktails and the all-important dough balls at the Bedford Street restaurant, which celebrates 20 years of business this year.

The first stop on the tour was Ballyhackamore Village, where at the outlet on the Upper Newtownards Road, guests

a Corry

Colin and Ann

Conor and Lauren Ho

gan

sampled every pizza, pasta, salad and risotto on the menu, as well as trying their hand at dough tossing!

The Ballyhackamore restaurant is inspired by the local area; the special C.S Lewis wall is a tribute to the literary genius who hailed from the area, and the nods towards The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe are discreetly positioned throughout.

Back on The Pizza Express, courtesy of McComb's Coaches, and guests were whisked to St. Anne’s Square where the staff had created a dessert heaven, with every dish available presented in miniature form. The wine was flowing and the craic was ninety!

k Glover

rong and Mar

Sonia Armst

Northern Woman 109

Books THE WONDER

BY EMMA DONOGHUE HarperCollins, £11.99 Review by Susannah Butter

Must read

E

mma Donoghue is best known for Room. This claustrophobic account of a kidnapped woman and her son narrowly missed out on the Man Booker and the Orange prizes in 2010, and was adapted into a film starring Brie Larson. Since then, Donoghue says that she is “mostly known as the locked-up children writer”.

In The Wonder, she’s stuck to Room territory, with a tense account of a lonely woman keeping watch over a bright girl in confinement. But unlike Room, The Wonder is set in the past, which gives it a gothic feel.

The story begins with a slow journey out of London to the middle of rural Ireland.

It’s the 1850s and the country is in the grips of the potato famine. Nurse Lib Wright has been sent to investigate the mysterious case of Anna O’Donnell, an 11-year-old girl who has apparently managed to survive without food for four months.

In a close-knit Catholic community where superstition rules, Lib stands out as an independent thinker, recently widowed and liberated by her lack of family ties. Trained by Florence Nightingale in Crimea, she believes only in empirical evidence and is desperate not to be outwitted by a snub-nosed child.

She rigorously logs Anna’s details as Nightingale taught her to, turning away tourists who have come from as far as Canada to meet the child and clashing with villagers desperate to believe in a miracle. But after a few days the nurse-turned-detective becomes plagued by concerns that something sinister is afoot.

Donoghue, who was born in Dublin, has a good understanding of the beguiling-yet-hostile Irish countryside as well as the prejudices of the people who live there. She was inspired by around 50 cases of so-called “fasting girls” between the 16th and 20th centuries, and chose the 1850s because that decade predates the identification in 1874 of anorexia nervosa as an illness.

Her sparse descriptions of Anna’s body

Set against backdrop of the Famine and full of suspense, Emma’s new book is wonderful read Emma Donoghue, best-known for Room, has penned a new novel that willhaveyougrippedtothelast page breaking down are unpleasant to read, as are the sections about her parents, who are floundering, having already lost a son. Their motives are unclear and Lib projects her own emotions onto them.

Being alone all day with a starving girl also means Lib becomes acutely conscious of every bite she eats, sourced from a community with meagre resources. Cold buttered griddle cakes and peaty eggs are momentous meals when consumed in front of abstemious Anna.

Lib’s own story is a gripping subplot. She glosses over a dead husband and sister, which

calls her reliability as a narrator into question.

But she is likeable, especially when a charming provocateur journalist exposes the conflict between the professional veneer she’s worked so hard to acquire and her softer side.

The novel does feel slightly unbalanced, with the first two-thirds building momentum through evocative description and dialogue and all the action packed into the end. But Donoghue’s skill as a storyteller remains undented. This is a clever, satisfying novel that reels you in, asks questions and sustains the suspense until the big reveal.

Two desperately damaged people learning to love each other THE LESSER BOHEMIANS

BY EIMEAR MCBRIDE Faber & Faber, £16.99 Review: Johanna Thomas-Corr When Eimear McBride won the Bailey’s Prize for Women’s Fiction for her debut novel, A Girl is a Half Formed Thing, in 2013, it was seen as a vindication for literary fiction. Here was a writer whose idiosyncratic prose style (an attempt to capture thoughts just before they become formatted speech) and heavy themes (sexual abuse, terminal illness) had scared off all the

110 Northern Woman

major publishers. McBride spent nine years trying to get the book published before a tiny press in Norwich agreed to take it.

It turns out that she spent six of those years writing The Lesser Bohemians, a stirring love story about the relationship between an 18-year-old Irish drama student and a 38-year-old semi-famous English actor. Set in mid-Nineties London, McBride’s second novel is as fearless and febrile as her debut. At its heart is a swoonily old-fashioned romance between two damaged people. Imagine Jane Eyre crossed with the less murdery bits of Last Tango in Paris in the context of claustrophobic rehearsal rooms and Camden

bedsits. We follow the girl through her first year at acting school, and our heroine is an innocent who has suffered childhood sexual abuse and is now looking for sex on her own terms. In the end, she entrusts her virginity to a charismatic older actor whom she meets in a bar. An ex-junkie estranged from his family, he has all the rough charm of a modern-day Rochester. And while they bond over film and music, it’s sex that becomes their primary means of communication, a way of achieving intimacy without having to put their private traumas into words. But the truth can only be withheld for so long and in an unforgettable middle section, the actor confesses his disturbing past.

Books

8 OF THE BEST ...

psychological thrillers to read this Autumn

Need a new fictional fix? With Girl On the Train hitting the big screen this autumn, Bianca Barratt takes a look at the best new psychological thrillers being released

1. Interference by Amelie Antoine Amazon, £6.99 In prize-winning French author Amelie Antoine’s new thriller, Gabrieland Chloe are the perfect young couple. But when Chloe tragically drowns, devastated Gabriel is left to contend with her suspicious death. Photographer Emma provides a shoulder to cry on, bearing a striking resemblance to Chloe in more ways than one.

Busy life: Armagh mum-of-four Ciara with her baby Ethan

Spine chilling: award-winning Irish writer Emma Donoghue

Is Jilly’s new read an odds-on favourite?

MOUNT!

BY JILLY COOPER Bantam Press, £20 Review by Tory LynePirkis

J

illy Cooper, British queen of the bonkbuster and national treasure is back with her latest novel Mount!, which sees the highly anticipated return of the horsey heartbreaker Rupert Campbell-Black. And while Rupert is once again setting hearts aflutter across the country, it’s the horses that are getting most of the action, as Mount! is set in the world of horse breeding and flat racing. Rupert, pitted against old enemies Isa Lovell and Cosmo Rannaldini, is in a race to win leading sire — with Rupert determined that his prize stallion Love Rat will be crowned.

Left at home juggling the family while Rupert’s off chasing winners around the world, his darling wife

Taggie falls into the arms of Jan, the exceptionally handsome and utterly charming carer of Rupert’s wayward geriatric father Old Eddie, while setback after setback on the racing track make Rupert’s dream seem ever more impossible. Cooper writes characters that you can really root for, despite the fact that she never disguises their faults, from Rupert’s infidelity and impetuousness to Taggie’s doormat saintliness, Cooper’s message is clear: we’re all worthy of love and it will come to us in the end.

Mount! is quintessential Cooper, with horses and dogs having as big a role in the action as the people. Fans will be thrilled with the return of many of Cooper’s bestloved characters, culminating in a huge party which reads like a who’s who of her best novels. Cooper’s writing is so ineffably joyful and uplifting, one hopes that, given her huge readership, Mount! will jolly well cheer the nation up.

2. The Secret

by Katerina Diamond Avon, £6.29 Follow DS Imogen Grey as she tries to solve the case of the missing Bridget Reid. Both have dangerous secrets that they are desperate to keep but the truth will out in the end.

Diamond is the master of gripping literature, so this is bound to be a novel that you won’t be able to put down.

3. Exhume by Danielle Girard Thomas & Mercer, £8.99 Dr Annabelle Schwartzman has escaped a difficult past to become the chief medical examiner for the San Francisco Police Department. She is used to seeing the murder victims laid out on the table but in her latest case, she can’t get over the deeply troubling fact that the victim looks just like her.

Follow Girard’s fascinating protagonist as she faces her worst fears to catch the killer.

4. Tell Me No Lies by Lisa Hall Carina, £7.99 The problem with fresh starts is that the past always catches up with you in the end. In this psychological page-turner from Lisa Hall, you really can’t trust anyone.

5.Killing Kate

by Alex Lake Harper, £7.99 There’s a serial killer on the loose in Kate’s home town. All the victims look alike and they all look a lot like Kate. After returning from a post-break up girls’ holiday, Kate feels she is being watched. You’ll find it hard to sleep when the lights go out.

6.The Beautiful Dead

by Belinda Bauer Black Swan , £7.99 Belinda Bauer is the connoisseur of crime novels. In her latest instalment TV crime reporter Eve, is in desperate need of a career-saving story. Upon befriending an exhibitionist killer, you’ll be left wondering what lengths Eve is willing to go to to get a murderous scoop.

7.The Girl Who Lied by Sue Fortin Harper Impulse, £7.99 This eerie novel tells the story of two former best friends.

When Roisin discovers Erin’s secret, she mysteriously disappears. Plagued by old resentments and lies, this duo are bound by their ill-fated friendship.

8.The Watcher

by Ross Armstrong HQ, £12 Lily loves to bird watch.

Because she lives in a built up area, sometimes her hobby turns to people watching too.

When she sees a suspicious occurrence that leads to a neighbour’s death, Lily knows it’s up to her to uncover the truth. But as she gets closer to doing so, she realises that her own life is now in danger.

Northern Woman 111

Last thing

A day in the life of What’s your typical day?

Debbie Craig

It varies between completely organised and absolutely chaotic, with constant challenges thrown in. School mornings start off quite manic once all four of the children are up.

My son, Nicholas, who has autism, is our personal alarm clock. He and I have breakfast together first and we make the most of the peace and quiet. I’ll maybe get a quick look at my emails. Then everyone else gets up. With just one bathroom, it’s definitely a challenge.

I get them dressed, fed and the three eldest off to school.

Some days my one year old Super-busy daughter, Hollie, will go to entrepreneur tells the babysitter and I’ll get stuck into working on the us how she uses her business, Limejar. Other tech skills to help days she’ll be dragged along to endure various business kids with autism meetings. Depending on the stage I’m at in the development process I’ll be busy coding and writing the software, fixing bugs and adding new features. Some days I’ll be out meeting prospective users to get advice and ideas and run any new features past them for input.

At the end of the workday the madness of homework begins. I like to get this out of the way early so we can have a stressfree dinner and enjoy some quality time together.

Once the kids are in bed, I tidy and do the laundry, then work on the business for another few hours before going sleep.

Tell us about Boop?

It’s an online website platform for parents, educators and healthcare providers that seamlessly links up with a fun and engaging app solely for the child.

It bridges the gap in communication between home, health and education, with the aim of helping young people with autism to reach their full potential and making it easier for them to understand their world.

How have you raised funds for your new venture?

I have received proof of concept funding from Invest NI. This helped create the foundations and begin creating the structure for the software.

My company was also a participant on the Propel business management program which has supported me through training sessions and mentoring.

How do you find time for yourself?

I don’t tend worry about getting time for myself. I am enjoying the fast-paced life at the moment. I cherish the time I have with my family and like to make the most

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Learning together: Debbie Craig with her son Nicholas who has autism

of my free time by doing fun things with them. I do get sporadic nights out with friends as often as I can.

What makes a really great day?

Spending time with the kids to do something fun is always great. Knowing that I have done something really worthwhile is a great feeling, too, so I like that I am working

towards creating something that will make a difference.

If you could have a different career?

I wouldn’t change my career for the world.

This is definitely where I want to be in life.

Each day brings new challenges and I learn something new. There is an incredible feeling of satisfaction from knowing you have built something from the ground up and even more so when people love what you’re doing. I would like to become a visible role model to inspire young women to persue a career in tech. I would love to mentor someone just starting out, especially a young mother.

CH ANG ING the way we look

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