A lovely way to spend a Saturday morning is to shop locally in Birkdale village and surrounding area.

I paid a visit to R. TEARE BUTCHERS ON LIVERPOOL ROAD opposite St. Johns Road and on the corner of Lyndhurst Road.

It was like stepping back in time to be served in such a civilised manner by gents with white trilby's on.

Whilst I waiting to be served I noticed that they knew every person in the queue and were happy to provide any cut of meat that was required.

I staggered out with bags of mince for my freezer and gorgeous plumptious chicken breasts, I also bought just one chilli beefburger to try which they assured me would be delicious so watch that space!!

Do give them a visit.

R TEARE BUTCHERS LIVERPOOL ROAD, BIRKDALE.

Each year the fabulous SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW just gets better and better.

I went to the Gala Dinner Preview which was a wonderful evening, I had the opportunity to leisurely walk around the floral marquee's and view the displays at their very best and they were just breathtaking. This was followed by a sumptious dinner and entertainment.

The weekend weather overall was kind and the atmosphere was lovely as visitors were able to sit out on the lawns drinking Pimms.

The variety of exhibitors were extremely varied and ranged from NWPL Heating & Plumbing promoting renewable energy, to FletcherHill and Yaffe FusionArt showing their fabulous portraits, to Janey who was demonstrating her very colourful sarong's which were so versatile.

Of course I was drawn to the Food area which certainly didn't disappointed, the kippers that were smoking before your eyes were so tempting, I resisted as I didn't think the smell would go down well during tea in the hospitality marquee!! However I did buy a jar of Mr. Vikki's Chilli Jam which I know from experience is delicious.

I nearly gave in to buy a pan which is nonstick and has a removeable handle making it versatile enough to use on the hob AND in the oven. I was advised to wait a few weeks when an even improved pan will be launched and I can purchase on line www.berghoffgb.com

So all in all it was a great weekend and I am sure that DAVID JACKSON the CEO will be very thrilled with the results.

SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW

Should you be looking for a light, floral, easy to wear perfume then I can highly recommended CHIC by CELINE DION, and WILD MEADOW by Kate Moss.

They are both really lovely and the sort of fragrance that you can keep in your
handbag and use often.

My daughter and teenage grandaughters are both hooked on them which proves
how versatile they are.

BOOTS SOUTHPORT
www.boots.com

Although its only August, to me it feels as though the summer has come to an end and thats when it becomes a struggle to know what to wear. Tee shirts are too summery and sweaters are too wintery.

Well the clever Primark chain have come up with some inbetween tops which have long short sleeves, The one I spotted is in black knit and has the most stylish beading on the shoulders which just bridges the gap and feels more cosy. There are quite a range of these tops in different styles and colours.

Jewellery and scarves are once again in abundance and hard to make a choice!!

As I was about to leave I spotted some great greeting cards with no message inside which are really funky and useful.

PRIMARK
LIVERPOOL.
www.primark.com

Before I even arrived at this lovely hotel I was impressed by the excellent signage from the Motorway which meant i arrived relaxed after an easy journey from Southport.

Thornton Hall is an impressive building in beautifully manicured grounds with a gazebo on site and a grand function suite which makes it a very popular venue for weddings.

The spa has absolutely everything one could wish for, lovely swimming pool, jacuzzi, hot tubs, gym and great treatments on offer. I opted for a manicure and my varnished nails were still unchipped after one week, so thank you Jennie. There is also a fabulous relaxation room where you can be cocooned in lovely changing colours.

Another good idea is that adjacent to the spa, overlooking the lawns, is a great bistro with an interesting selection of snacks and afternoon tea, where you can continued to relax with newspapers on hand.

The formal dining room "The Lawns" is beautifully appointed with chandeliers, wood panelling and a very impressive fireplace.The food, which was served very effiiciently by a great team, was mouthwatering. I have never before had a savoury pannacotta, this was sweetcorn flavoured and was delicious,it followed with grilled sea bass, and the dessert I opted for was Eaton Mess.all of which were perfect.

The bedrooms/bathrooms are very well equipped with internet access and parking is available right outside the rooms which was excellent.

I left after my overnight feeling so relaxed and well looked after by ALL the staff and can't wait to return.

THORNTON HALL HOTEL & SPA.
THORNTON HOUGH.
0151 336 3938
enquiries@thorntonhallhotel.com
www.thorntonhallhotel.com

I had heard from so many people that Bistrot Verite in Birkdale village was very good that I couldn't resist paying a visit to taste the food for myself.

I was not disappointed it was like walking into a french bistro and everything about the interior made me feel happy, it was cosy, lovely music, fabulous staff who could ask for anything more.

Good food I suppose was the main attraction and that certainly was great. The extensive lunchtime menu made it difficult to choose from, eventually I ordered"Creamy smoked haddock & Spinach Gratin which was absolutely delicious.

It was served in a terracotta dish and was made up of deliciously mild smoked haddock, chunks of hard boiled egg in a wonderful sauce topped with green breadcrumbs which the delightful young waiter explained was mixed with parmensan cheese and lots of green herbs.

The dessert menu was so tempting but I couldn't do justice to anything more so I finished with coffee and have promised myself I will return to try a creme brulee or eton mess both of which looked delicious.

BISTROT VERITE BIRKDALE VILLAGE
01704 564199

If you are looking for a spa with a difference then PORTLAND HALL SPA is definitely the one to try. The building itself is unique in that it was a Synagogue and it still has the wonderful stained glass windows and tranquil atmosphere.

The first thing that struck me was the lovely relaxing sounds that were being played throughout the building.

There is a huge variety of treatments to choose from and you can spend an hour,a half or full day in the spa.

It caters for couples, groups of friends, or just time to be on your own, there are relaxing lounges to just be and read,

They offer pamper packages which include a welcome drink, robes, towels, slippers and use of the candlelight spa pool, sauna and can be tailored to suit both men and women.

Reiki, reflexology and hairdressing are some of the additional services that are provided.

Do have a look at the website for further information.

www.portlandhallspa.com
info@portlandhallspa.com

Over the last few years I have tried almost every brand of lip gloss but have found the majority of them really sticky which has annoyed me.

Well for once the advert T.V. by Cheryl Cole was absolutely correct, this L'Oreal Glam Shine is the best,. Its easy to apply ,definitely non sticky, and stays on really well.

It has a smooth texture and a lovely fragrance as well and the range of colours are fabulous so I am a happy girl.

BOOTS SOUTHPORT.
www.boots.com

When I announced to my friends and family that I had decided on a city break the guessing began would it be Barcelona, Madrid, even London? When I announced that my choice was Liverpool some 40 mins away there were gasped of amazement!!

I drove through and booked into the very lovely MAL MAISONdown by the river and my very comfortable room had amazing views of the Pier Head and the wonderful buildings surrounding the area.

Liverpool has changed so much since I lived there some 30 years ago and it was good to have time to wander, have a ride on the Big Wheel and a tour on the yellow Duckmarine which is a unique 1 hour amphibious tour of the city. I strolled around Albert Dock and took in some culture at the Tate.

Dinner in the restaurant at the MAL MAISON was a very interesting affair. The design was very modern and young very efficient staff were great.
Value for money is top of the list.

Fiona, the sommellier, took such pride in showing me her "wine room" and giving me a tour of the private dining rooms. The Boudoir which can be used for private parties, is dark and intimate with a beautiful chandelier, and the other dining room which has views right into the very modern kitchen and is complete with plasma screens was also lovely.

The all important highlight was the food, scallops which were served on a bed of cucumber were really fresh and delicious, and the main course of Swordfish served with a tomato olive and caper salsa was to die for.

I resisted a dessert although the sweet menu was extensive as I was off to a cocktail party at the home of AMANDA MOSS who is the editor of LIFESTYLE MONTHLY which was a fabulous evening and was filmed by MTV showing all the beautiful people of Liverpool.

After my evening back to the MAL MAISON and an interesting feature is a yellow submarine which is suspended from the ceiling and can be seen from each floor.

All in all a very interesting and enjoyable city break to be recommended.

MAL MAISON LIVERPOOL

www.malmaison.com

IF YOU DO A JOB YOU LOVE, YOU WILL NEVER DO A DAYS WORK IN YOUR LIFE!!
Quote from Fiona.

I am a firm fan of Thierry mugler fragrances, from Angel to Cologne, and now with the brand new "Womanity".

The packaging itself is amazing, the box is full of detail and there is a code that you key in to register your fragrance. There is also a lovely taffeta pouch so that you can protect your refillable bottle if you take it out in your handbag.

Womanity is a woody sweet and savoury eau de parfum. It is also refillable and ecologically-responsible fragrance.

As well as the fragrance, the body lotion and shower gel is also delicious so treat yourself.

Broadbents Southport.