Why didn’t I think of this, and patent it! For years I have been struggling with backless bras and strapless bras and then when ‘revealing the straps’ came in, I thought, problem solved.
Now of course we have the rather revolutionary backless and strapless bra, fully padded and with reliable adhesive to cling to your skin. Like all brilliant ideas, it is simple but the answer to a maiden’s prayer, or should I say, that of a rather full on, middle aged, life juggling Mumpreneur like myself. (A rather flattering rendition recently awarded!).
It really does go with everything, T-shirts and tops for the day, and evening wear of course, and creates the illusion of fabulous jugs, which we all aspire to.
If you are more of a traditionalist then it is still good to be properly fitted, and many of the John Lewis stores still do a rather comforting and confidential bra fitting service. They cater for maternity, post op and bog standard, and their prices are still ‘never knowingly undersold’. See John Lewis lingerie
A few years ago I was greeted by a rather lovely elderly assistant who had an immaculate appearance as she had been trained in the old fashioned way, and as she measured me reassured me that to ‘keep my man’ this was the way to go, adding the reason for divorces these days was that women had lost ‘that little secret’ of beautiful underwear. I didn’t like to disillusion her having been recently separated, so agreed wholeheartedly. But I did buy a stunning set of bra and panties, which set me back a hundred or so quid, but I still have and wear to this day.
In spite of their recently iffy PR, M & S still have some fantastic lines in lingerie, and you really can’t go wrong with their expertise in the underwear department, and their range is still good. Book a fitting online, and there is no pressure to buy, but you will probably find a bra you like as the choice and prices are good.
We know that many of our readers like a sip of bubbly and often opt for Prosecco, but for those seasoned connoisseurs, there is nothing quite like the flavour of the produce from the revered regions of Champagne itself, in Central France
For those of you who have a ‘bestie’ and want to go on a ‘Patsy and Eddy’ weekend, or wish to share a memorable break with your other half, Grape Escapes will organise it for you.
One word of advice though, and we don’t want to be a Party Pooper, but make sure you drink plenty of water, and pace yourself throughout the stay, as you really want to relish every moment of this amazing holiday, and remember it when you get home! Have fun!
The delightful Champagne region remains our most popular destination, but what makes it so great? In part, it is because the region is so easy to get to. It is accessible from central Paris in just 45 minutes using the high speed rail line linking Paris with eastern France. Charles de Gaulle airport is even closer with a journey time to Champagne of 30 minutes on this line. For our UK customers, it is situated less than 2 ½ hours’ drive from Calais making it the UK’s closest premium wine region.
Other reasons include the recently UNESCO Classified picturesque hillsides and valleys, covered in vines and forests and the sense of history associated with the region. The city of Reims is home to no less than four UNESCO World Heritage sites, including one of the finest gothic cathedrals in northern Europe where 25 kings of France were crowned. It was on the front line in both the first and second World Wars, and is also where the formal surrender was signed at the end of World War II. However, all of these reasons tell only part of the story. The main reason remains the world-famous wine.
As the leading specialist organiser of Champagne tours with over a decade of experience, they offer a huge selection of Champagne tours to suit all tastes and budgets!
Their friendly team would love to hear from you on +44 (0) 1920 46 86 66 or at info@grapeescapes.net to discuss your requirements and suggest suitable packages, Here are some of our favourite Champagne tours, which are also available to book online at Grape Escapes
If you can’t find what you are looking for on their web site, they will be thrilled to put together a tailor-made itinerary for you. Just get in touch!
One of their recent clients commented:
‘Reims as a city was a delight to encounter and a very pleasant surprise. The hotel was perfectly situated. Both Marco and I learnt a tremendous amount about the production and history of champagne and thoroughly enjoyed every second from the moment we left home. Even the weather was kind to us.’
Ballydehob – A Pub, A Castle and A Movie Star by Dee Anderson
As the whole world is speculating where Harry and Meghan will go for their MiniMoon, Ireland has been whispered, as has Botswana.
Although Botswana is a favourite of the newlyweds, they could not go wrong by visiting Ireland, which is much nearer and gives the guarantee that they will be greeted with a true Irish welcome.
It reminds me of when I was on my way to a friend’s birthday bash in Dublin a few years ago. Gary Whelan was then starring in a TV series called Ballykissangel, and his lovely wife Gabe had thrown a surprise party for him in Dublin, inviting the entire cast and close friends.
We all had to be careful that he didn’t spot us in the town of Dublin, so I decided to drive over with another guest, and he suggested we stop off to see a writer friend en route in a little town called Ballydehob.
I went with the flow on this occasion, and we ended up arriving as dusk was setting in. My friend Sam suggested we meet up with his friend in the little town itself, as he knew the area, and so we stopped off at a bar in the centre of town, to the cheers of the locals – not at our arrival, but for the local violinist and his magical musical abilities.
It was an amazing night, and it was a fight to stay sober as the drinks were lined up on the bar as a welcome to the new girl in town, namely me.
But we eventually left the pub to be ferried by the local driver, who then ventured to drop off all the locals who lived in farms and houses dotted around the outskirts of the area.
The next couple of days were filled with joyous adventure as we explored the town and found two sisters, both in their nineties. They were unmarried and had opened their family house as a shop and a bar, and were still humping beer barrels from the cellar. They had letters from the Kennedys and Clinton on the wall, and I was speechless with reverence for their charismatic charm as they cracked jokes and sent one another up with skilful Irish banter.
We then drove out to Kilcoe Castle a mile or so away, which is owned by Jeremy Irons and his wife Sinead Cusack, and to the little fishing village nearby which is idyllic.
The home cooking in the local cafes and restaurants were second to none, and the very raison d’etre of the locals was to feed us up as much as possible with the local produce and exquisite cuisine, which left the UK in the shade food-wise, as far as I was concerned.
I was sorry to leave Ballydehob and go to Dublin, although the birthday party there was amazing and was full of fabulous food, celebrity guests and brilliant musicians, and we all partied into the early hours of the morning.
It certainly was a party fest like no other, and if Harry and Meghan are going to Ireland for their MiniMoon, they will love every minute, as it holds a magic like no other place on Earth.
Why not visit the Ballydehob website and plan your trip
September 29, 2026 1899 Sir Billy Butlin 1913 Stanley Kramer 1916 Trevor Howard 1931 Anita Ekberg 1935 Jerry Lee Lewis 1942 Ian McShane 1943 Lech Walensa 1946 Patricia Hodge 1956 Lord (Sebastian) Coe 1968 Luke Goss 1968 Matt Goss 1970 Emily Lloyd
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