You have not a care at the Adare.

The road has indeed risen to meet me, and the properties I’ve been lucky to stay in (and friends we’ve made, food we’ve eaten) have been spectacular. The food and drink are so good, in fact, that it’s a very good thing they don’t keep scales in the room! Operative word about food and drink here: fresh, pure, honest, and well presented. What the foodies in San Francisco wax poetic about (and celebrity chefs never stop talking about) is de rigueur over here. As I was told by many a GM: “In Ireland, we don’t talk about the food, we eat it.” Well said, and truer words were never spoken!

Room with a view: the gardens of Adare Manor

Adare manor is one of the top properties in the world, hosting presidents and world leaders, coining the term “Adare Style” negotiations, for informal negotiations between countries. The rooms are classic and Victorian: brocade, intricate woodwork and dark wood. The common areas are lit by candlelight and huge chandeliers, and hung with ancient tapestries, casting a majestic spell that is other world. The grounds are an Irish version of Versailles with sculpted gardens in the traditional “Big House” style of the last part of the 1800’s.

Our room is a Victorian masterpiece overlooking the topiary gardens, gargoyles perched right outside our window. I almost expect aristocrats in corsets and riding gear to come bounding by on horseback! Adare has been voted the 4th best golf resort in North America, the Caribbean & Atlantic, Ireland and Scotland in the highly prestigious Condè Nast Traveler Magazine “Top 100 Golf Resorts 2008 Readers’ Poll”. The romantic bar area, rendered in pink, red velvet, deep mahogany and vaulted ceilings harken to another time. In hushed tones, we recount our day over a Red Breast whiskey. The next day, breakfast is in the stone dining room with vaulted ceilings, a gourmet traditional Irish brekky: with puddings, eggs and rashers. Life is good….

Coastline, County Clare by Lahinch

Moving to the coast, we stayed in Lahinch, County Clare where pro surfers such as Fergal Smith shred the icy waves. Vaughan Lodge is a lovely 4-star country town house hotel, owned and operated by Michael Vaughan and his lovely wife Maria. The food is spectacular, fresh and exquisitely prepared, the room, modern and restful with sea breezes blowing in through the windows.

Breakfast of champions, pre-hike, Vaughan Lodge.

The traditional Irish breakfast (“a fry up”) is a belly buster of trad favorites like black pudding, and rashers that will hold you until dinner). Heaven is sitting by the fire in their wood paneled bar and sharing a pint. We went to a trad pub in town, the Claremont, where we were able to listen to spectacular fiddlers, and hear a group of old friends from the retirement home up the street sing much loved ballads. We made wonderful new friend named Amy Flynn, an Irish beauty in voice in demeanor (who doesn’t look a day over 60, although I’ll never reveal a woman’s age), and got hugs all around upon our departure. We met the nicest family of farmers, the McDermott’s of Galway, who specialize in Ireland’s best potatoes, on holiday. Michael and Amy, see you in SF!

Guinness by a graveyard - love black Irish humor!

We took a drive down the coast to Spanish Point in the rain and saw the gorgeous coastline in the intermittent rain and sunshine, and got to chase a beautiful rainbow (and possibly a pot of gold). Doonbeg, is a top spot for surfing, according to our new pals at Lahinch Surf Shop.

Irish charm starts with seeing things differently....

I’m going to space out the posts on Ireland because there are too many disparate, beautiful and magical places to show you, thanking Tourism Ireland. Slainte!

Quality assurance on behalf of the Guinness family.

Best Bridal Brow Arch

Your eye brow shape can change how the shape of your face looks. Knowing your face shape is the first step to creating your most beautiful look. A perfect brow is very important to a bride especially on their wedding day. It’s the frame of the face and one of the first things everyone looks at.

Get off the tour bus and discover Ireland.

No GPS required, Ireland is a breeze to navigate

...and if you do get lost, help is on the way!

Hi everyone, I’m on the best press trip ever thanks to Tourism Ireland for Destination I Do Magazine. Spoiler alert: My family is Irish on all sides, from Kerry and Cork, so I’m predisposed to love it. But I haven’t been back since my backpacking days, and other than staying in 5-star 12th century castles this time around, found it to be blessedly unchanged: the friendliness, the beauty, the people (and the pints). Everything looks new and fresh  and the

Barberstown Castle: owned by kings, lords, Eric Clapton and Ken Healy.

The beer is blessed by a higher power at Castlemartyr (the bar is built in a former church!)

rain isn’t as bad as they say. I’ll let the pictures do the talking over the next two weeks, and will post as it happens. Barberstown Castle, Castlemartyr Resort, Adare Manor and Vaughan Lodge are superb and  wildy different, and the drive between them hasn’t exceeded two hours, (making Ireland the ultimate road trip for a destination wedding or honeymoon). My favorite part about staying in a castle, a resort, a manor, and a lodge is that all the venues have intriguing yet different points of view, adding dimension and texture to your trip (and avoiding the “Ground Hog Day Syndrome,” or, day-after-day blur of staying in the same place). On the drive in between resorts you’ll be rewarded tenfold, as Ireland is gorgeous: castles on the side of the road, and quaint villages to stop for lunch or explore.

Castlemartyr's Kerry Gold, potatoes, whipping cream, enough said.

Look for more expanded posts in early Sept, as I’ll be diving in with detail on all the venues, and our Spring Destination I Do issue will cover the trip in depth. At each venue, I’ve made some lovely new friends and plan on keeping in touch with them all. But that’s vintage Ireland: I’m still friends with people I met here 20 years ago! Heading out to Ballinalacken Castle in Doolin for dinner, trad music and pints. See you in Galway at the hippest hotel in town, the g, in a few days. Slainte!

• DO NOT throw things at a flight attendant but DO write a complaint letter. Sure, you might feel like it when that 150 year old flight attendant gives you a scowl, but it will generally just get you into trouble if you throw something at her. If you have a beef, get the flight attendant’s info and write in to the airline afterward to complain.
• DO ask for help with heavy bags, but DO NOT expect help. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Most flight attendants won’t help you lift a heavy bag. It’s either an airline concern about paying workers comp or it’s not in the contract. Some flight attendants will still try to help, so it can’t hurt to ask, but don’t expect much.
• DO ring the call button when you need something, but DO NOT ring it every five minutes. Some flight attendants will try to tell you that the call button is there for emergencies. That’s a load of crap. It’s there if you need something from the flight attendant. Now, if you happen to need something every five minutes, you’re likely to get some dirty looks and a scolding. Nobody needs something every five minutes.
• DO NOT get up when the seat belt sign is on. I know, I know. You’ve been bouncing around for ages and you just need to pee, but you should try to hold it as long as you can. The pilots will generally only keep the sign on when there’s a threat of turbulence (though not always). You remember hearing about those flights where people break their neck when a plane hits turbulence? That is almost always someone who didn’t have a seatbelt buckled when it should have been. Don’t be that person. Flight attendants don’t want to have to scrape you off the ceiling.
• DO say “please” and “thank you.” You’d be amazed at what a little common courtesy can do. Flight attendants are out slinging drinks and throwing peanuts all day long, and a lot of people aren’t very friendly about it. Just a simple “please” and “thank you” along with a smile can do wonders.
• DO not yell at the flight attendant for all the problems you have with the airline. You’re finally winging your way to Omaha after a 3 hour delay and a missed connection in Chicago. This airlines sucks, right? Well, don’t yell at the flight attendant for it. Do you think he had anything to do with the delay or missed connection? Nope. I know he’s an easy target since you’re in a metal tube and he has nowhere to hide, but there’s nothing he can do from up there anyway.

If you’re flying for your wedding or your honeymoon, the last thing you want is to be tied up with flex cuffs and humiliated in front of your groom. Just be nice, have some common courtesy, and enjoy the ride.

On Wednesday, August 18th, Nombe Restaurant and Sake Sommelier Gil Payne invite you to experience the amazing sakes of the Miyasaka Family of Suwa, Nagano, makers of the Miyasaka and Masumi Brand sakes. This 10th Generation sake clan has the distinction of having their own proprietary yeast declared a landmark classic yeast (Number 7) by the country’s national brewer’s association, and this yeast is widely used by sake makers throughout Japan. The quality and craftsmanship of Masumi’s sakes is truly exceptional, and we are proud to display them with the following special dishes prepared by Chef Balla:

Grilled Ribeye with Sake-Kasu
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Shiso
Dried Grilled Squid
Marinated Hearts of Palm

Masumi’s Nanago, Yuedomo, and Yamahai Ginjo will be featured, in addition to the Miyaska Yamahai 50 brand. We will also have a secret welcome sake to greet diners coming for this special pairing. The cost is $50 per person inclusive, and reservations can be made via OpenTable. Visit www.nombesf.com for further details.

The Space Needle, Seattle, the Edgewater: perfection!

How much do I love the Edgewater? Let me count the ways!

May 30, 2009: The mister and I throw on hipster cocktail gear, head to Pier 67 and score a dockside table at Six-Seven, overlooking Elliott Bay inside the Edgewater, where gigantic antler chandeliers, exposed timber, floor-to-ceiling windows, sparkling candelabra, and an overall ‘mod meets lumberjack’ design sensibility screams ‘rustic luxe.’ Enjoying gingeritas, mohitos and live music, we watch a fuchsia sunset over the Olympics. Executive Sous Chef John Roberts whips up decadent lobster mac and cheese and Penn Cove mussels. The Beatles stayed there and so should you! Check out some of the hip trends in wedding that are happening in the Pacific Northwest, courtesy of the Edgewater!

Sleek, rustic meets mod by Elliott Bay

The economy may have put a cramp in some people’s style, but certainly not local brides at The Edgewater Hotel, located on Seattle’s sparkling waterfront. There, brides are going ultra luxe – though not in the usual ways. Rather than spending big bucks, brides are getting a luxurious feel through the use of gold tones throughout and by utilizing vintage styles and themes – taking inspiration from vintage Hollywood and shows like “Mad Men.”

Weddings are also shifting from summer to fall, which is naturally filled with the gold tones found in falling leaves and the abundance of the harvest. The cooler weather also means that furs are making an appearance, from elegant stoles and wraps to fur petticoats.

The Edgewater, Seattle’s only waterfront hotel, is the perfect match to this new ultra glam style. With sparkling waterfront views and grand spaces, like the Olympic Ballroom, brides can easily go from princess bride to Hollywood starlet with The Edgewater providing the perfect Northwest-inspired “set.”

The Edgewater Hotel’s Wedding Trends:

• Gold Reigns Supreme – Gold has become one of the hottest tones to use. It’s no longer about silver, gold has taken over. Gold is warm, inviting, elegant, old world. It has become a staple in jewelry, table decorations, flatware, and even vases and dresses.
• Fall-ing in Love – Autumn/Fall is now the TIME to get married. With the recession, people feel that fall weddings are less expense, and are therefore finally getting married during this wonderful time of year. With fall colors, autumn leaves and the abundant bounty of the harvest to use for appetizers and distinct dishes – it’s created an entire new wedding style featuring antique bronzes, fur petticoats, dried flowers, and red apple centerpieces.
• Brides Become Starlets – Old Hollywood and circa 1920’s speak-easy glamour have come back again. The use of cracked leather, red lips and long thick silk dresses are reappearing. Think cigars, scotch, and Big Bands.

You can catch a glimpse of The Edgewater’s wedding spaces and a few photos by visiting http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/ (click on Weddings at the top of the page).

Magical drug store diva W-day look!

Brides are spending so much on their weddings that the last thing a bride wants to worry about is cutting back on their wedding day makeup. Your wedding day is a day for you to shine and when you walk down the aisle you want to know that your makeup will be just as flawless as the carats on your finger. Bridal makeup is just as important as the wedding dress, the wedding photos and the wedding cake. So how do you look as fabulous as a Hollywood celebrity on your wedding day, but on a budget? My favorite budget makeup is L’OREAL PARIS cosmetics.

Here is where a glam girl begins:

To create the glamxurious look I used the following items:
• L’OREAL PARIS Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base
• L’OREAL PARIS Studio Secrets Professional Color Smokes Shadow in Blackened Smokes
• L’OREAL PARIS HIP High Intensity Pigments Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, Black
• L’OREAL PARIS True Match Blush in Baby Blossom
• L’OREAL Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black
• L’OREAL Colour Riche Lipcolor in Sea Fleur

So when thinking about being on a budget, don’t be alarmed!  Selecting makeup from a drugstore can be advantageous for your look and your purse and still make you glamxurious on your wedding day.

Credits

Makeup by: Celebrity Makeup Artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis
Photo courtesy by: Beebe Tran of Studio Tran Photography

About

Brandy Gomez-Duplessis is also a L’OREAL Paris Pro-Makeup Artist. Brides can book Brandy in New York, Miami, and New Orleans. Brandy will be in New York working Fashion Night Out & Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in September. Follow Brandy  on Twitter and read all of her glamxurious tweets.

Superchic at Supperclub SF with Nancy DeLos Reyes

Hey Anti-Brides, my friends at Supperclub are always pushing the envelope when it comes to finding under the radar fashion and culture and bringing it to you on a school night, no less. Highlighting the work of fab designers (and friends!) like Melissa Bolin of Kittyandrews.com or my girls at Dark Garden in SF, Supperclub is more than a nightclub and restaurant, they are practically channeling the de Medici’s as SF Patrons of the Underground Arts. It is my distinct pleasure to give them a shout out about tonight’s fashion show/dinner party. Cozy up to a warm mattress (and date), sip a delightful libation, and let the show begin!

When: August 3rd, 7:00pm-12:00am

Where: Supperclub, San Francisco
657 Harrison Street
Dinner Reservations: 415.348.0900

What: Superchic

Cost: $25.00 if you mention “Anti-Bride” at the door or when you call to make reservations!

The Deets:

This is a one of a kind event at Supperclub, where fashionistas, photographers, designers, social influencers in social media, and models come together for a 3-course dinner, photo shoot, hair and makeup demonstration, catwalk fashion show and special performances.  Guests are able to take a peek at what goes on behind the scenes of a fashion show because everything backstage is done upfront. They are able to watch runway models get their hair and makeup done for the show and see the creative work that’s done to complement the theme of the fashion collection. Guests are even encouraged to take part as a model in a professional photo shoot. Bringing the runway to real way is what Supperclub does best (with a cocktail and a bit of sparkle and spackle!)

Featured Designer:
Nancy DeLos Reyes, born in Taegu, South Korea and raised in Stockton, CA. Ever since childhood, she’s always been drawn to experimenting with a variety of artistic mediums. Taking fashion courses at San Joaquin Delta College inspired her to pursue a career in fashion. She moved to San Francisco to study fashion design at the Academy of Art University. She loves finding inspiration from subjects ranging from art history, architecture, nature, psychology and even things that some people might not consider “runway worthy” or tend to overlook. Anything can be a source of inspiration; the best part is finding it.

In the spring of 2009, her senior collection “Helical” was selected among the 1200 graduating students to participate in the school’s annual graduate Spring Fashion Show. That same year, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design.

Nancy currently lives in San Francisco.

Heavenly Hibiscus Royale cocktail

Part 1: Elegant, chic and reminiscent of 1950’s glamorous affair, champagne (or in this case, sparkling wine via Napa Valley) cocktails instantly makes your Bridal Shower Brunch a special soiree. Tie the venue, cuisine and personality of the bride-to-be with your designated luscious libation.

For example, if the couple is honeymooning in Hawaii the Hibiscus Royale is unique tribute to the getaway. Or if rose colours adorn the upcoming nuptials then that cocktail can showcase the tone of the upcoming festivities. Whatever way you go with your cocktail choosing, one thing is for sure, don’t miss the opportunity to pop a bottle of bubbles and cling your champagne flutes together in celebration of the soon-to-be-bride.

Below are some of my favourite sparkling cocktail recipes provided by Domaine Chandon, a Napa Valley Winery and one of the most romantic wineries featured in my book Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples. Chandon has brilliantly put together beautiful descriptors and charming concoctions that showcase their award-wining sparkling wines.

The Chandon Hibiscus Royale

Throughout history, flowers in winter have always been a luxury. This sparkling cocktail, made with edible hibiscus petals, lends a note of extravagance to any party. Hibiscus has been used to make herb teas for thousands of years, and is safe to mix with foods and beverages. A drop of rose water adds an extra floral note.

Ingredients

1 Hibiscus flower (wild hibiscus flowers in syrup). Made by the Wild Hibiscus Flower Company of Australia; available at Whole Foods.
½ tbsp syrup from the jar of wild hibiscus flowers
1 small drop of rose water
Chandon Blanc de Noirs

Instructions
Combine Hibiscus flower, syrup and rose water in a Champagne flute. Top with Chandon Blanc de Noirs and serve immediately. Suggested glassware: Champagne flute.

About Autumn

For more on Autumn Millhouse and her book Romantic Napa Valley, An Insider’s Guide for Couples, click here.  Autumn Millhouse is an award-winning travel writer who specializes in wine, food and romantic getaways. She is also an international trekker who has wined and dined across the globe from Barcelona to Beijing . A self-proclaimed “hopeless-romantic” and author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, Autumn also has a bi-monthly column called Love Vines published in Napa Valley Life Magazine. She resides in Napa Valley where she cultivates her wine and food relationships with top chefs, winemakers and a slew of other foodies. Besides, sniffing, swirling and sipping wine daily, Autumn is currently working on her next travel book Romantic Sonoma Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples.

We heart her new logo (and her!)

As we write about often on Polka Dot Bride, we value the personal touches that make your wedding uniquely yours.

So many weddings come across our desk that we are in the wonderful position of seeing many different styles of wedding from so many different areas of the world. Each of those weddings of course, have a special meaning to that bride and groom, but the ones that catch our eye particularly, are not the ones that have all the glittery, trendy touches (although they are beautiful too!), but the ones that have a unique heartfelt element that brings a lump to the throat.

As an observer on the ‘outside’ of that wedding, it will be that special ‘something’ that draws us into the couples’ day. Sometimes it’s unfathomable, sometimes it’s tangible – but it is always palpable.

It is easy to become caught up in having all the ‘right’ things at your wedding, because it is ‘trendy’. It is harder to buck the trend, be totally yourself and not be concerned about what other people think. It is, after all, YOUR day, and there are not ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’ in doing it YOUR way. Yes there are certain rules you must follow e.g. getting the marriage license, but heck, we all know those rules!

But if you want to put pink, purple and orange spots together as your theme, because they are your favourite colours, who is anyone to judge! If your Dad wants to sing you his special childhood song to you in his off key voice,  or Grandma wants you to wear her lavender perfume, because she wore it on her wedding day, Aunt Maisie wants to make the wedding cake – does it really matter what anyone else thinks?

There are weddings that are styled to within an inch of their lives, with not a colour out of place, and every element of the wedding oozing perfection. But although these weddings are often a feast for the eyes, they also, (from an ‘outsiders’ perspective, looking in) well….a little bland. We don’t see the photos of the heartfelt touches, (if there are any at all) or of the crazy shenanigans behind the scenes. Those are the things we will giggle at in the years to come, or we’ll cry whenever we smell that lavender!

Now that’s what’s important to us all isn’t it? The laughter, the sentiment, the unbridled joy! The warmth of family and friends who want to contribute to make this day extra special for you. When you look back at your wedding day on your thirtieth wedding anniversary, it will be the people you remember, not whether the bonbonniere were perfect.

About

Polka Dot Bride is Australia’s premier wedding blog and is read by thousands of brides worldwide. Polka Dot Bride is ranked within the top 20 Australian Women Bloggers and #53 out of the Top 100 Australian Bloggers as of June 2009. Polka Dot Bride has a passion to provide information on the latest trends in weddings, and inspirational and creative ideas for the Australian bride.
Ms Polka Dot’s aim is to create a fun, informative, and stylish blog that is engaged with, and inclusive of, its readers. She writes a daily feature on the blog that includes new ideas, real weddings, fabulous finds and the beautiful and the inspirational. Polka Dot Bride readers are stylish and savvy; they want to make their wedding stand out from the crowd. Ms. Polka Dot’s aim is to inspire brides and grooms to create the wedding of their dreams.