A Cosy Retreat Escape! Top Luxury Spas in Ireland: Cliff At Lyons.

Relax and rejuvenate in a picturesque setting:

Being a fan of both our built heritage and spa breaks, I was delighted to be invited on a Press Trip to discover the stunning new Spa and Wellness centre ‘The Well in the Garden‘ at Cliff At Lyons in Co. Kildare. The historic Cliff at Lyons is just a short drive from Dublin City Centre – approximately 45 minutes drive and you’re on your way to experiencing a little slice of heaven.

Nestled in the picturesque Irish countryside, just a short drive from Dublin City Centre, Cliff at Lyons is a historic village dating back to the seventeenth century that has been  lovingly and beautifully restored.

*Not sponsored.

The two storey structure houses three treatment rooms, a manicure/pedicure suite and a large relaxation space. The interiors mirror the lush green countryside and encourage visitors to reconnect and be at one with nature, relaxing mind, body and soul.

Upon arrival we were greeted with a prosecco reception and introduction to each treatment on offer including Nourishing Body Cream and an unbelievable Restoring Hand Cream jam packed with oils leaving skin visibly younger looking after only one minute! Results lasted throughout the day too with hydration levels piqued skin looked brighter and plumped. Incredible stuff.

*See the Picture Gallery below for images of what we tried from the Treatment Menu before choosing a treatment to indulge in.*

With an emphasis on naturally sourced oils, salts and scrubs and providing one of a kind relaxing and nourishing experiences from their treatment menu such as Hug of the Hands Massage, Hot Towel Head and Scalp Ritual and Peat for the Feet which I opted for! This Irish girl was intrigued…peat as a beauty treatment?!

My Treatment Selection:

Having opted for the Peat for the Feet pedicure treatment I was led into a cosy relaxation suite with three armchairs, metal buckets filled with warm water and various flower petals. I sank into the heavenly armchair with prosecco in hand as the pedicure of dreams began…

After a quick exfoliation, locally sourced natural Irish peat was applied to my legs and feet and massaged in to get the blood flow going and activate the ingredients in the peat to detoxify my skin and body. There is no scent, but the peat has a slight cooling effect when applied.

Legs and feet are then wrapped in hot towels to allow the peat treatment to activate and absorb into the skin further. A head massage is performed whilst this process takes place and by the time my therapist had finished, I was completely relaxed head to toe. The peat was then rinsed off with hot towels and body cream massaged into my legs and feet. My legs were left glowing and felt lighter and tighter than they had before!

My therapist then excused herself and left me alone with my thoughts for a few minutes to completely immerse myself in the wholly relaxing and pampering experience. Several minutes later I gather my thoughts and popped my shoes back on. Whilst waiting for my taxi, I retreated to the main relaxation space where I sank into yet another cosy armchair this time fireside, feet up on a poof and snuggled up with an Irish tweed comforter, another glass of prosecco in hand. Sheer bliss!

Picture Gallery:

Eateries The Orangery fine dining and Trellis for comforting, hearty fare.

We had a dinner of delicious comfort food in Trellis where you’ll find a relaxed, informal style of dining. Open to both resident and non-resident diners, people often drop in after a stroll along the banks of the Grand Canal or whilst on their way to seek out the grave site of Arthur Guinness located nearby in Oughterard cemetery!

I opted for the pan fried salmon from the menu that day, which came with crushed potatoes and asparagus with a citrus jus if I remember correctly, a tasty, ample portion that satisfied my hunger pangs for a long time after. The vegetarians amongst us were  reasonably satisfied with the veggie options on the menu to indulge in.

As always I would advise calling ahead to advise any establishment with dietary requirements you may have before visiting for a satisfactory foodie visit!

{Trellis – for relaxed, informal dining at Cliff at Lyons.}

{Lounge at Cliff at Lyons.}

{Window seat relaxation area at Cliff at Lyons.}

Needless to say no one on the Press Trip wanted to leave, with several of us planning a return at Christmas or when the temperature goes up in Spring!

Thank you so much to Cliff at Lyons for having me and for a truly memorable and  exciting, yet relaxing day. It was a beautifully indulgent treat, I truly welcomed the chance to discover the new Spa Retreat, to switch off from the world for a while and recharge my energy and nurture my creative flow. I’ll be back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time…

Gail. x

Photography: images 1st-6th & 9th via: Cliff at Lyons.

All other photography: Gail O’Connor.

Sightseeing Dublin with a Difference: The Lost Fashion History Tour.

Taking the opportunity to be a ‘Tourist in my City’ is one of my favourite ways to continuously explore the city I was born in, the city I call home, Dublin. There is an abundance of things to do here including some fantastic tours and I have been digging around looking for some speciality gems to bring to you!

The Tour:
The last weeknd of July saw me seize the opportunity to finally indulge in a gem of a tour that has long been on my “to do” list! The ‘Lost Fashion History Tour of Dublin’ run by Fashion Historian Ruth Griffin takes visitors through you guessed it, Dublin’s Lost Fashion History delving into and celebrating Dublin’s stylish past. Ruth sets about highlighting Dublin as a ‘Fashion Destination’ from the get-go, introducing attendees to the rich heritage and Irish fashion influence of the day from Georgian times through to present day.

{Pictured: in the National Gallery of Ireland – painting of Lady Lavery wearing a head scarf thus starting a fashion trend in Ireland.}

Fashion Moments on Merrion Square:

The tours typically take place on Saturday afternoons at various times throughout the year. They take in several areas of Dublin city uncovering their lost fashion signifigance. I opted for the Merrion Square tour. Our first fashion encounter on the tour was the National Gallery of Ireland. Here we learned of Lady Lavery’s influence on fashion trends in Georgian Dublin.

Who is Lady Lavery you ask?

The wife of renowned Irish portrait painter Sir John Lavery,  Lady Lavery saw her image grace the £50 note of the Irish Free State established in 1922 when her husband was commissioned to produce an image of the female personification of Ireland. Her image remaine on notes in ciirculation until the 1970’s and she remained as a watermark until 2002 when the Euro currency became legal tender in Ireland.

A stop at Dublin treasure Swenys Pharmacy is included on the tour. Featured in James Joyce’s Ulysess and described in great detail, (a description that stands to this day) this historical hub is now run by volunteers who preserve the shop as it was in Joyce’s time. Expect second hand books and daily readings of Joyce’s works. You can also pick up some lemony soap which made the shop famous, all proceeds from items sold go towards the preservation of this literary landmark.  Here we enjoyed a back story to the store and a tune courtesy of PJ (left of picture below in white pharmacist coat) that was popular in Joycean times. This stop proved a popular spot on the tour!

{Pictured: Ruth reading an excerpt from James Joyce‘s famed book Ulysses. The excerpt focused on Joyce’s detailed description of ladies fashion at the time Edwardian in style.}

{Pictured: PJ of Sweny’s Pharmacy Dublin giving us a rendition of a Joycean tune which was sung at the time of James Joyce.}

{Pictured: infamous Leopold Bloom‘s ‘Lemony soap‘ still sold in Sweny’s to this day.}

{Pictured: Statue of Oscar Wilde, overlooking his former home in Dublin.}

{Pictured: Ruth regaled us with tales of Jackie Kennedy embracing and indeed wearing, Irish Fashion  – on the doorsteps of the former home of renowned Irish Fashion designer Sybil Connolly.}

{Pictured: Renowned Irish designer Sybil Connolly sporting a green felt ‘leprechaun’ hat (now seen as offensive terminology) upon her arrival in New York just days before St. Patrick’s Day – nevertheless her wearing of this style of hat started a fashion trend in the U.S.}

{Pictured: a Sybil Connolly dress – 1950’s Dublin.  FUN FACT: Jackie Kennedy wore a Sybil Connolly piece for her White House portrait.}

{Pictured: ‘The Three Lives of Irish Linen’ by Sybil Connolly.}

Giving it Welly:

We rounded off the tour with exclusive access to the Duke of Wellington‘s House, located in the stunning 5* Merrion Hotel, Dublin. The Merrion Hotel consists of 4 townhouses combined to house hotel accommodation, one of these town houses formerly home to the Duke.

{Pictured: Bust of the Duke of Wellington located in the Merrion Hotel, Dublin.}

The Duke of Wellington, a military man tired of tasselled military boots, redesigned the boots in leather and streamlined the look of them with a tighter cut to the calf. Later this streamlined version became the rubberised version we are familiar with today.

{Pictured: Delicious Fish & chip supper done ‘The 5* Merrion way’. Good sized portions, reasonably priced for a 5* location.}

The tour wrapped up in the majestic 5* Merrion Hotel where most of the group said their goodbyes and disbanded. A few of us remained and enjoyed after tour drinks (not included in tour price) with Ruth and relived the tour whilst having the craic!

The tour gets a big two thumbs up from me, I cannot recommend it enough. Packed full of historical knowledge and fashionable facts, the tour takes about 2 hours to complete and is a lovely way to while away an afternoon in Dublin. I thoroughly enjoyed it as did my Mom who accompanied me and we’re already looking forward to the next one! With tours priced at just €15 p/p visitors and locals alike will no doubt enjoy! You can visit Ruth’s website for more information and if you book a tour remember to tell Ruth I sent ya!

Until next time…

Gail. x

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

Santorini Vibes and a Goddess Glow: Summer Style Inspiration!

{Santorini Vibes: shades of blue and pops of white, taking fashion inspo from the picturesque, hillside vista of Santorini, Greece.}

When a colour palette compels you to blog about it…

As a writer and blogger I find inspiration in everything. From nature, to a conversation, to trend forecasting in Fashion/Beauty etc – however when a colour palette inspires you to write an article on it you know you’re obsessed and you may as well give in and do it!

Santorini Vibes:

If I can’t go to Santorini, I’ll bring Santorini to me – taking inspiration from the islands colour palette in particular the white and blue hues associated with this Greek island!

Into the blue:

{Postcards from Santorini: The Santorini hillside vista that inspired this post.}

I can’t get enough of this colour palette…

I’m talking every shade of blue, paired with white for the ultimate holiday mindset. From washed out denim and cobalt to pastel and Santorini Blue (yeah I totally just made up that name) but you know the one, that blue that conjures up images of deep blue rooftops that majestically overlook an equally blue sea signifying a beaming beacon of relaxation, and an unequivocal Greek island experience of an island way of life of a by gone era. Coupled with white washed, glistening walls this colour palette simply screams summer and the blue and white sun soaked hillside, has immersed itself in my fashion subconscious and seen me dress in island blues on repeat!

Stripes, prints, block colours I’m loving it all – mixing and matching within the palette, block colours of white and blue with prints and stripes in the same hues – adding the odd pop of colours such as yellow, orange, nude, navy and tan to compliment the look.

The Goddess Glow:

These white and blue hues are off-set for me by a gleaming golden glow to the skin lending a bolder, crisper look with added “pop”, to any outfit! I get the ultimate grecian goddess golden/bronzed glow from a new release in the tanning world which I have been trialling lately!

I rarely sit in the sun in the summer months to “get a tan” and if I do you can bet your bottom dollar I’m smothered in Factor 50 because well you know, who needs the wrinkles? Especially nowadays, when self tanners have come such a long way!

The Tan of Choice:

I’ve been trialling *B BOLD Smart Mousse Tan for about 4 weeks and I have to say it never fails to give me major Mediterranean Island/Tropical vibes when I wear it. #vibes #thefeels

The colour pay-off with this tan is unreal. No really. From sunkissed glow to golden hue to a deeper bronzed tan, this tan is perfect to achieve any depth of tan you wish! It’s a one stop shop, making it perfect for travel – the high performance of the tan is a pleasant surprise and it is a welcome addition to the self-tanner market here in Ireland.

Look out for the FULL review on *B BOLD Smart Mousse Tan coming very soon!

All the usual suspects in fashion have variations on this summery palette and in an array of textures – such as Primark, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Marks and Spencer, Zara, H&M and Savida to name just a few.

There you have it, some summer style inspiration in the form of colours and textures in various hues of blue for a fashion colour palette that’ll take you through summer feeling like you’ve been to far away climbs even if you haven’t! My summer capsule wardrobe sorted.

Now all I need is an actual trip to Santorini…although it’ll probably be more like somewhere in the west of Ireland! I’m not complaining though, after all I’m channelling those Santorini vibes…

What is your favourite colour palette for summer? What inspires you when choosing pieces for your summer wardrobe? I’d love to know!

Thanks for stopping by guys!

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
*Post contains PR sample – All views/opinions on the product are mine as always! .