Over The Hilda

A press drop of iconic Maybelline mascaras brightened up a blustery day in March. It is 50 years since the launch of Maybelline’s iconic Great Lash mascara. I am always on the hunt for an incredible mascara.  This is particularly difficult the older I get as the lashes become more brittle. Well everything does, I

I am a big fan of shopping in boutiques because I love the personal service you get there. Department Stores are great but they do lack the personal touch. Nothing beats a boutique, where the owner has personally chosen her stock. I shop a lot in Malahide and have written before about some of my

‘Borrowed from The Boys’ is Emma’s prompt for this month’s ‘Style Not Age’ group. It is true that we have adopted many items of men’s clothing as our own, over the years. Trousers are the most obvious item, I suppose. POTTED HISTORY OF PANTS When you look back at women’s fashion through the centuries it

Thank goodness for the telly and particularly Netflix. We watched three wonderful series recently which will keep you entertained during the time that we still have to spend in LOCKDOWN. And you know there is only so much walking, yoga and reading that a person can do. And I am not into baking! So here

This post was one of my early posts  7 years ago, so I thought I would republish it, as I had some additional information. I still drink this every morning. But, now I use a straw to drink it on the advice of my dentist Dr Sarah Flannery at Seapoint Clinic. I had some wonderful

Have you heard of Transient Global Amnesia? Well, last Friday I had an episode of Transient Global Amnesia, or TGA as it is more commonly known. It lasted  approximately two hours. And it obviously terrified me and frightened my family. But I do not remember any of it. WHAT HAPPENED? Graham tells the story… Friday

Faux Leather is the theme of my ‘Style Not Age’ group this month.  I have some faux leather in my wardrobe, my most loved being my Spanx suit (below) which you have seen before. But for this month’s challenge I decided to bring out my much-loved faux leather biker-style jacket (below), bought a few years

I have read some really interesting books recently. Lockdown has given me the opportunity to read more than usual, as golf courses are closed and my social life is severely limited. We are staying at home like most people. This month, I have reviewed some books that reflect life during certain historical periods. The first

THE BEGINNING Graham and I started our journey in love on Valentine’s Day 40 years ago. It all began on a hockey tour with our club Lorraine H.C. which was based in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. Both of us were single since the previous December and we had already been flirting a bit in the clubhouse

Gin has had very bad press for years because it was considered to be a drink that made you sad or depressed, or maudlin. Now there’s a word that has gone out of use! I never found it so and, in fact, when I started drinking Gin in my early twenties, I found that it

Loungewear has obviously become much more popular since the pandemic. Why? Because we are spending more time in our houses. Many are working from home and so the more formal work dressing has gone by the wayside. CASUAL WEAR It is true that casual dressing had been creeping into the workplace anyway. It started with

‘Reading gives us some place to go when we stay where we are.’ Reading has been an escape from the pandemic, where I can lose myself in other worlds. I have not read as much since I was at college. When I was teaching and raising a family, I was mostly too tired to read

We have watched a lot of telly recently. Yes, we did binge watch much of what I recommend. My memory is not what it used to be and I prefer not having to wait a year to watch the next series.  And there is some seriously good viewing out there. I know many of you

Goodbye 2020 I believe that most of us (probably everyone) are happy to see the back end of 2020. Personally, it has not been all bad as we welcomed our third grandson on my birthday on December 9th. And we managed to get through the various restrictions including the FIRST LOCKDOWN without too much difficulty.

Our ‘Style Not Age’ collective shows what we wear when we are ‘out and about’. In my case, I have been living in casual clothes. I presume most of you have too.  In Dublin (Ireland), we have been in and out of various levels of restrictions since last March. We had a brief reprieve for

Now, more than ever, we need to make sure that we have strong immune systems. There has been plenty of evidence to suggest that supplementation with Vitamin C and Vitamin D has an impact on keeping us healthy and in fighting Covid-19.  Regular readers know that I have been championing Vitamin D for years. Check

I have been using some new products from an Irish brand SKINICIAN for the past few weeks. The products were gifted and specifically chosen for my ageing skin. As my regular readers know, I like to try a new brand for at least a month before I write a review. Sometimes I do not make

This post was first published in 2017 and again last year,but there has been a lot of discussion about Vitamin D and the role it could play in helping fight the Covid-19 virus recently, so I have decided to give it another airing. I have provided more up-to-date links. In researching this post, I have

GOTHIC ROMANCE Emma’s theme of Gothic Romance is perfect for Halloween Week. I am more of a Romantic than a Goth in my style but I did enjoy the challenge. It certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone. I chose a local graveyard for my backdrop, within my 5k radius in a really beautiful

I feel blessed to live in Malahide with its abundance of natural amenities, one of the most outstanding being Malahide Castle and Gardens. I tend to walk along the coast most days or around Paddy’s Hill if I want a climb. But I always head to the ‘Castle’ when the coast is too raw and

ZOE AND ME Last week, I had the opportunity to test-drive the all-electric New Renault Zoe. I know I am no Rosemary Smith (one of the brand ambassadors) so I was pretty chuffed when Renault asked me if I would like to put it through its paces. Those who know me know that I prefer

We have had so few occasions to get dressed up in the last 6 months. My summer dresses were particularly neglected and I spent most of my time in more casual and leisure clothes. Social occasions were mainly outdoor barbecues. And with Irish weather being so unpredictable, I always went for trousers and layers and

GG and I spent a night recently (gifted) at Castleknock Hotel in Porterstown, near Castleknock, Dublin. WELCOME A few days before our visit we received an email in which the procedures/guidelines in place for safety were explained and laid out. From the moment we entered the large and airy foyer at Castleknock Hotel, we felt

ELLA & JO ‘LIMITED EDITION’ ORANGE BLOSSOM HYALURONIC  SKIN MIST Do you use a facial mist? It has been a necessary addition to my beauty routine for years, particularly so as my skin ages.  I use it to prep before make-up and to refresh my skin.  When I was sent a bottle of Ella &