Over The Hilda

MY WEEK Hello everyone. We have not really had anything more than a taste of summer in Ireland. But I remain hopeful that some consistent warm and sunny weather is on the way. Meanwhile, I take pleasure in playing some golf, meeting up with friends and doting on my grandchildren. It is important that we

I have been reading, but I realise that I have not shared my best reads with you since last year. Life has got in the way, my friends. And perhaps I have been lazy, preferring to read rather than write. But I have three books for the holidays to share with you. We travel the

My birthstone is turquoise, though I also have the rare and expensive tanzanite as a second option. I was doing a little research and here is what I found. ‘Reminiscent of the sky and sea, turquoise is a potent protective stone that can get rid of negativity and represent self-realisation, inner calmness, creativity, stability and

Porto is the perfect city for a short break. We travelled with Travel Department in mid-May and it proved to be the perfect time to visit. I was delighted to accept Travel Department’s offer of a press trip. And, of course, GG (Gorgeous Graham) had to come too. Travel Department Regular readers know that I

When ‘The Beauty Spotlight Team’ asked me to join them in contributing to their weekly group posts, I initially declined. But then I read some of their posts and was impressed. We are so far behind the U.S.A. in both beauty and aesthetics. It would be lovely to learn about products and treatments before they

‘What, this old thing? Oh, I have that for years’. I know that I, for one, have used that phrase on many an occasion. Sometimes it is used to hide a new purchase. Other times it just rolls off my tongue if I receive a compliment. Gail chose this month’s ‘Style Not Age’ theme and

Hello, my friends. I am feeling positive as we enjoy the holiday weekend. And I hope you are too. I have lots of happy news to share with you. We need to celebrate when we can, don’t we? And count our blessings. GRANDDAUGHTER As many of you know, we have three wonderful grandsons – Logan

The colourful Iris Apfel, who reached a milestone 100 years last August, is our inspiration for this month’s ‘Style Not Age’. It was my turn to choose and her collaboration with H&M launches today. So I thought it would be fun to take our inspiration from this style icon. WHO IS IRIS APFEL? Even if

I recently visited Nicola O’Byrne at The Skin Nurse Clinic for a Scarlet RF Treatment. Nicola is passionate about the work she does and has worked within Dermatology medical clinics since 2001, latterly at The Beacon. A founding member and former chairperson of DANAI ​ (Dermatology Aesthetics Nurses Association Ireland – www.danai.ie ) she acts as

The Brows are back in town.  Got my new PhiBrows at The Dublin Makeup Academy. And I am HAPPY OUT. My eyebrows were (until I had my Phibrows done) a total disaster. Years of overplucking (why, oh why, did I do it?), menopause, ageing, stress, you name it all played havoc with my brows. I

Choosing your favourite handbag is like saying you have a favourite child. So, there will be no ‘handbags at dawn’ here! I love them all! I love a crossbody if I am shopping. I like a clutch for a dressier event, though I do have a clutch with a strap which I also use for

The Hardiman Hotel is the perfect place to stay if you are visiting Galway. LOCATION Dominating the southern end of the city’s Eyre Square, The Hardiman Hotel is right beside the train station and bus depot. We travelled down by train and had a most pleasant journey. How trains have changed in recent years.  There

Visiting Seville, while we were staying in The Algarve in Portugal, was surprisingly easy…just a two and a half hour drive from Faro and we didn’t even use the motorway. We arrived in time to check into our hotel and grab a quick lunch before we met our guide for the afternoon. As you can

Tomorrow, the 1st of February 2022, is the beginning of the Chinese New Year and will usher in the Year of the Tiger. So, Emma chose ‘The Eye of the Tiger’ as her theme for our ‘Style Not Age’ group. THE YEAR OF THE TIGER The Year of the Tiger is the third of 12

Happy New Year. I have been so lacking in energy, mojo, initiative (call it what you like..) to actually get up off my butt and write a post. Well, I suppose I would have to sit down to write it. But you know what I mean. Anyway, I think I have got my act together.

What will you be wearing on New Year’s Eve? Well my ‘Style Not Age’ friends are here to help. The theme set by Jacqui this month is the perfect LBD.  Will you be partying the night away or having a quiet dinner with friends? In the current climate, it is more likely that you will

Skincare is personal…yes, but I want to share with you some of my favourites over the past few years. FACIALS BESPOKE BEAUTY, DONNYBROOK When I can, I love having an in-salon facial or treatment.  For those of you in Dublin, I can highly recommend Elaine Butler Doolin of Bespoke Beauty in Donnybrook. I have regular

Normally at this stage of the year I would have had plenty of opportunities to wear my festive finery. Christmas season would be in full swing. But unfortunately, with Covid numbers being so high in Ireland, all of my Christmas lunches, dinners and afternoon teas have been cancelled. And that was before the latest variant

A few weeks ago, at the beginning of November, we spent a lovely week with friends in Quinta Do Lago in the Portuguese Algarve.  Lisbon is the only other part of Portugal that we have visited and we absolutely loved the city. This time we were staying in the Fairways Four Seasons Resort just twenty

Bone Health has been in the news recently because of World Osteoporosis Day. I am aware of it for many reasons: 1 Following a diagnosis of osteopenia in 2016, I decided to do some research and educate myself. 2 I followed that up by writing a blog post about how to look after our bone

Skin Cancer, Spain and Fake Tan sound like odd bedfellows. Well, you are right. I just threw them together in a post. But there is a tenuous connection. Because I was going to Spain, I tried yet another false tan. And a few days after I returned, I was having my cancerous lesion removed. SPAIN

Well, the days are darker and temperatures have fallen, so it is time to get our cosy coats out. When socialising changed with the start of Covid, my friends and I met for coffee outside. We have continued to do that, so a warm puffa/padded coat is a necessity. Coats are my one weakness! Do

‘BOOKS GIVE A SOUL TO THE UNIVERSE, WINGS TO THE MIND, FLIGHT TO THE IMAGINATION AND LIFE TO EVERYTHING’ – PLATO Books have the power to take you to other worlds, other times.  Recently, I have been to the court of King Henry VIII, to Poland during World War 2 and to The Russian Court

Anna chose ‘Pretty in Pink’ as our Style Not Age theme this month and I struggled a little as I have very little pink in my wardrobe. I do love this pink coat that I have had for years. Is it powder pink or blush pink, or insipid pink? The label is Bastyan and I