When it’s snowy like this I always have some sort of secret fantasy of heading off to a lovely comfortable hotel in the countryside and burrowing myself under a duvet. Over the past year or so I have been incredibly lucky and experienced some amazing hotels in Ireland all in the name of research for Social and Personal’s Secret Address Book page. One that hugely stood out in terms of comfort, luxury and service has to be Doonbeg Golf Club. As soon as you walk into the turf fired reception you sort of slip into a kind of bliss.

The White Horses spa here is also incredible. I had what I could refer to as one of the best massages I have ever had with Shane Benn. He is a sports injury therapist and although I am not quite the active sportswoman my back was still in ribbons and he melted it back into place!

As you can see from below the rooms are insanely beautiful and they have the most comfortable beds imaginable.

T: 353 65 90 55600  E: info@doonbeggolfclub.com

I am just back from Berlin which is the most awesome city. Up with NY, LA and of course London it’s now one of my favorite places to go.

We were staying in The Weinmeister hotel which is a very cool hotel. This is a shot of me in front of the door. There’s loads of graffiti all over the place and some of it is insane.

If you are going my biggest recommendation is Gendarmen Markt which is basically a massive market with lots of craft, amazing food and superb mulled wine. I wandered around in a bit of a wine buzz on the Saturday but went back sober on the Sunday and it was still amazing, so you have my word!

I should begin a little file on Christmas present ideas seeing as that AMAZING time of year is inching closer.

One of the first few Christmas press releases that leaped out at me was about a pop up shop coming to Dawson street.  I haven’t ever actually been to The Village at Lyons however I have been to Carton House quite a few times and loved it!

Not that most people need encouragement to visit lovely places, or at least they shouldn’t really, but both destinations have come up to Dublin and are going to have a little pop up shop to showcase their fabulous-ness at 53 Dawson Street. Opening times for the Kildare Christmas Pop Up shop Nov 25^th until December 5th.  I believe there is also yummy mince pies and other Christmas type wares on sale.

x

And this is completely amazing.. click Here!

Music.

• Amoeba Music. 6400 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028.
• 323 245 6400. Such an extensive music store.. all you can hear is the clacking of people flicking through CD cases.

Fashion.

• Resurrection. 8006 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
• 323 651 5516. Vintage once again, really interesting once off pieces and some odd non fashion related nick naks.
• Decades. 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
• 323 655 0223. The real creme de la Creme of vintage..
• Kitson. 115 S. Robertson, West Hollywood, CA 90048.
• 310 859 2652.I adore this shop. Such an extensive jeans selection, all of Nicole Richie’s jewelery, which is lovely and so much to look through. I got a leather jacket here a while back that I wore a lot.
• BCBG Maxazaria Outlet. 8026 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
• 323 852 1481. Serious reductions, so if you like the label a must hit.
• Ron Herman. 8100 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
• 323 651 4129. Lots of lovely Alexander Wang. The only downside was overpriced Topshop, which is very boring coming from Ireland.
• It’s a Wrap! 1164 Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035.
• 310 246 9727. Clothes from film and TV sets, well worth a rummage.
• Penguin. 8215 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
• 323 655 0401. Very Preppy, clean lines and collars everywhere. Bright primary colours.
• Marc Jacobs. 8400 Melrose Place, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
• 323 653 5100
• Balenciaga. 8670 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
• 310 854 0557.
• James Perse. 8914 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
• 310 276 7277.
• Coco de Mer. 8618 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
• 310 652 0311.

Furniture.

• Cassina. 8815 Beverley Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
• 310 278 3292.

Art.

• Hamilton – Selway Fine Art. 8678 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
• 310 657 1711.  Here is where I saw and kind of fell in love with the Warhol Panda, see below.

Stationary.

• Soolip. 8646 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, California, 90069.
• 310 360 0545. The most beautiful (and expensive) cards and wrapping.

Books.

• Book Soup. 8818 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, 90069.
• 310 659 3110.  There was also a cool looking secret bookstore to the left as you leave this shop. It was closed when I was there but apparently has first edition Salinger and other wonders…
• Bodhi Tree Bookstore. 8585 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
• 310 659 1733. This is a seriously extensive health, spirituality bookshop that has a sort of calm hippy feeling. Just up from Urth Cafe which is also equally healthy and hippyish.
• Borders. 1501 North Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028.
• 323 463 8519. Although a chain and not considered conventionally cool I love getting a pile of magazines and sitting in a corner in a bookshop like this as no one notices, or cares..

Food..

• Al Gelato. 806 South Robertson, Los Angeles, CA 90035.
• 310 659 8069. Open 10 AM till midnight, gorgeous ice cream and amazing Italian food..
• Loteria. 6627 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90028.
• 323 465 2500. Really good Mexican food and a great atmosphere.
• Trader Joe’s. 8611 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
• 310 657 0152.  This is a chain like Fresh and Wild in London and is so lovely just to wander through. They also have amazing electrolyte charged water that was very cool.
• Cecconis. 8767 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
• 310 432 2000. A sister of the London restaurant, this place oozes class and sort of 1930′s style…

I did a feature on cool places to go to in New York for Styletonic. I was lucky to get there after Christmas and can’t wait to go back..

You can check it out in my work section tomorrow and also by clicking ‘Magazine’ once you go through here..

I’m off to Cork for the weekend in pursuit of all things fit and healthy on a bootcamp weekend in Fota.

Green fields ahoy..

Edinburgh was very much an eating amd drinking affair. We saw some cute shops but the below list of places I went and would totally recommend is more about staying in from the cold, catching up with friends and getting quite drunk…

Kakao by K, A super cute shop on 45 Thistle Street. She makes her own jewelery which was lovely and very reasonable. 0131 226 3584.

Covet, Gorgeous leather bags and wallets. A few nice bits of jewelery although more up-market then Kakao. 20 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1EN

Aubin and Wills, preppy but yummy toff college student-esque gear. I loved a lot here. The flanel shirts were awesome. 49 Hanover Street. 0131 225 9231.

Urban Angel, A gorgeous, cozy hideout for organic comfort food. They had an elderflower drink that I was obsessed with and drank so much of. We came for lunch and essentially didn’t leave for 3 1/2 hours! 121 Hanover Street. 0131 225 6216.

Bramble, 16A Queen Street. 0131 226 6343. The coolest cocktail bar I have been in in ages. Have The Saint, I had 3 and they were wonderful. Arrive early as seating is totally limited. This had a very New York vibe to it as I tend to think anywhere with exposed brick does, but it is very cool and almost makes getting wasted seems very civilized!

The Living Room. 113-115 George Street. 0131 226 0880. This is a great buzzy bar and restaurant with so much atmosphere. It is perfect for dinner if you want the night to take off and you’re in the mood for shouting across the table, harassing the waitor and that kind of nonsense that seems fun after a few drinks. Amazing Eton Mess also.

Coco Chocolate, 174 Brunsfield Place, 0131 228 8670. A handmade chocolate emporium if ever there was. This boutique like cafe/shop had the latest issue of Vogue and all the Sunday papers for me to leaf through whilst I sipped my gorgeous hot chocolate and had an amazing You-simply-HAVE-to-try-it brownie.

Hawes Inn, 7 Newhalls Road, South Queenferry, EH30 9TA, 0131 3311990. If you are lucky enough, as I was, to have a lovely friend who wants to drive you a little bit out of the city this is a perfect little set down area. A completely old school mix of roaring fires, fish and chips, a couch I sank into and a seaside view. Have the Prawn Tempura and the Fishcakes. The little Inn above was sweet and as my friend acknowledged, Perfect for an affair, not that I would encourage that sort of thing but it had that hideaway vibe to it.