*Review: I was invited to review Martinhal Cascais, but all opinions are my own* I put my book down on the lounger and turned my face to the sun, pausing for a few seconds to appreciate the moment – to appreciate sitting by a pool in Portugal, with nobody to look after
Are you and your friends like me and my friends? We stay in touch on WhatsApp and Facebook. We grab coffee when we can, and we have really, really good nights out when we find a date that suits everyone. But we haven’t been away together since our hen parties a very
We spent our first wedding anniversary wandering around Rome, eating pasta and drinking wine, and asking strangers to take our pictures in pre-selfie, pre-smart-phone days. We spent our second wedding anniversary sitting in Shanahan’s, eating steak and drinking wine, and praying we hadn’t forgotten to bring our voucher. Our third
Colouring outside the lines. Slipping beyond the boundaries. Leaving schedules shivering in the morning chill as the plane takes off for sunnier places. Forgetting the routine that wraps up the day during the rest of the year. That’s the theory anyway. But as soon as we arrived in Spain, I realised boundaries were up for
Have you ever been the last one to read the book everyone’s raving about – The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl maybe? Going to Cambrils Park in Northern Spain was a bit like that for me – at least a dozen people had told me how fantastic it is,
Once upon a time, booking a trip meant googling and trip-advisoring and searching and checking and reading every single review on the internet before finally deciding on what we hoped would be the perfect spot. But now, there’s no time for researching, and short-cuts are required, so my new modus
Back when I had two-under-two, I found that going anywhere further than the local shop was a challenge. Actually, even going to the local shop was a challenge. So when the smallest was nine weeks old, and the biggest was a whopping 23 months old, we were understandably nervous setting
For five years in a row, we took the ferry to France, then last year, for the first time since having kids, we braved getting on a plane, and we did it again this year. Throughout the journey, I couldn’t help comparing flight and ferry in my head, so in
Sitting on the deck at half past midnight, I can hear Killing Me Softly wafting across the campsite, to the background sound of waves washing up on the sand. I’m finishing a glass of red wine and thinking about closing my book. The candle flickers in the darkness, and I
Bank holiday Monday morning. I checked the weather on my phone. Cloudy, rainy, and real-feel 5 degrees. I checked the weather through my window. Bright, sunny, and the illusion of warmth. Window trumps phone. Day-trip weather. I suggested Glendalough, everyone agreed. We’d need to be quick though. The last time
Eight years ago, I went along to the Saturday Night Show in RTÉ, and came away with a one-for-everybody-in-the-audience night in a hotel. So we duly booked our night, and headed off to Clane with our then seven-month-old. We weren’t quite sure how staying in hotels with babies worked, but
Summing up your life in eight photos of happiness – it’s kind of irresistible. I’m an obsessive photo-taker and have been since I got my first camera from Santa about thirty years ago, so when Lady Nicci gave me the opportunity to try this post, I was immediately in. Well, immediately plus
I made a list. I had to. Otherwise the summer would slip by in a blur of rain and groceries and the occasional overcast barbecue, and suddenly it would be September 1st. If we were going to do some day trips, I’d need a list. So I wrote down some
Two years ago, the world’s media watched as Prince William strapped his newborn son into a car seat for the first time. He appeared to be nervous, and understandably so – every parent knows the daunting task that is the first fumbling foray into the world of car seats. And
Two things we didn’t consider when we booked our holiday this year: 1. Italy can be very hot in July (subsequent raised eyebrows and “Italy in July? With small kids? Really?” comments did hammer this home) 2. Our campsite, Norcenni Girasole, is inland – way inland – sitting prettily in the hills
A package arrived. Excitement was high. One child almost fainted, such was her need to see what was in the big cardboard box. “Relax,” I said, “It’s probably something boring for dad, or for me.” Secretly hoping it was for me. I opened the box. Four heads peered in. “It’s
We are being very brave this summer; we’re getting on an actual airplane with all three kids. We’ve never tried it with three before, and we may never try again either, depending on how it goes. But in a bid to see something further away than a ferry journey allows, we’re
If you’re looking for a weekend break in a city with easy to follow street signs, smooth, well-kept pavements, graffiti-free buildings, a simple subway ticketing system, and taxi drivers that stay well within the speed limit, then I’d suggest that you give Lisbon a miss. But if you don’t mind
We’re getting braver. This summer we took five day-trips. Not too adventurous and not too far from home, but a step-up from last year. Baby-steps – or toddler-steps as the case may be. So here’s a quick review of five destinations – all within an hour of Dublin: 1. Clara
My first holiday as a parent was a bit of a shock. I remember looking forward to it, thinking that it would a relaxing, sun-filled, restful ten days – a few glasses of wine, some nice dinners, and lots of sleep. Oh and reading – a great chance to catch