Celtic Moment

Posts Tagged ‘Ideas’

 

North Wales is a beautiful part of the world with appealing mountains and fascinating valleys. From the mountains the land descends to the coastline of the Irish Sea, and this makes the region an ideal place for holidays. Holidays North Wales is a very interesting option if you are looking for a bustling holiday spot with incredible natural beauty.

 

The beauty of holidays North Wales is best expressed in Llandudno, which is one of Wales’ most longest surviving and famous tourist destinations. Adored by all ages, the splendour of Llandudno owes mainly to its unique geography, as it has two beautiful beaches – one at its north shore and the other at its west shore. The north shore is mostly occupied by the large number of hotels occupying it’s promenade whereas the west shore is a lot calmer and more peaceful, with a nature reserve occupying the Great Orme headland that overlooks both beaches.

 

Tourism is the main industry of North Wales and a lot of money is spent yearly on advertising attracting visitors and informing them of holidays North Wales. The most ringing endorsement for holidays in North Wales has come from travel writer Bill Bryson, who was quoted to say that Llandudno is his “favourite seaside resort”.

 

Holiday accommodation for a family can be easily arranged at from a number of the hotels, guest houses or self-catering cottages at North Wales. There are also a lot of family attractions at the region ranging from the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay and a number of Steam Railways around Snowdonia and Llangollen to leisure centres in most of the major towns and festivals such as the Victorian Extravaganza in Llandudno every May and the Wakestock Wakeboard & Music Festival in Abersoch. The unique geology of North Wales make it popular for a number of outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, fishing, golfing and mountain biking. I’m sure you will find something to do in North Wales that you will enjoy.

 

There are a lot of things to see and do when you are on holidays North Wales. Some of the spectacular things to see at North Wales include the castles at Conwy and Caernarfon (amongst others!), art galleries that reside in many country houses in the area, museums for all interests, and country gardens such as Bodnant Garden. You can meander through the valleys of the region breathing the spirit of the fresh air, stroll along the region’s coastline remarkably open and unspoiled coastline enjoying the beauty of the sea and visit into the excellent restaurants in the area and enjoy some fine Welsh and foreign cuisine. There is all this and more to enjoy with a holiday in North Wales!

 

Now that you have finally decided to take the plunge, the next question is where should you spend you special day? From a cozy little chateau in France, to an intimate inn in the upper part of New York, all the way to a museum in San Francisco, here are ten of the most romantic places in the world to spend your wedding. If you are thinking about a destination wedding, these places are breathtakingly beautiful!

Legion of Honor located in San Francisco, CA: This is truly am amazing place to get married. It has views of the city of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. This building is known for its remarkable architecture and art. Natural beauty surrounds this spot and will leave your guests dumbfounded.

Central Park, New York City: Situated in the midst of a bustling city, Central Park is beautiful in any season. It is filled with flowers, formal gardens, fountains and intimate grottos.

Columbia Gorge Hotel: This hotel is situated in Oregon between the Columbia and Hood Rivers. It is unique in that it sits above a 208 foot waterfall. This country hotel features excellent cuisine, amazing scenery, charming hospitality and comfortable accommodations.

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn: If you are looking for an intimate wedding, this historic in located in Sudbury, MA is the perfect spot. It has a charming clapboard chapel, gourmet food, antique furniture and exudes charm. This is a honey of a spot to tie the knot!

Chicago Botanic Gardens: This is known to be one of the top botanical gardens of the United States. This garden can provide you will many options to have a romantic wedding. The Rose Terrace is a sight to behold! Your guests will truly enjoy themselves on this terrace and the fragrance of flowers will rise up from the adjacent gardens.

Le Chateau deEsclimont: This charming estate is not located very far from Versailles, France and is located only about 45 minutes from Paris. The chateau is situated on an enchanted lake amid an estate of some 150 acres. Your guests will be able to get their fill of fishing, hiking, riding horses and much more. This is an ideal spot for a destination wedding.

Wave Hill, New York City: This historic estate has a lovely view of not only the Hudson River but of the Palisades. You will be able to exchange wedding vows in the gardens, have cocktails out on the terrace and then have dinner and dancing in the estate’s Armor Room that has beautiful cathedral windows and vaulted ceiling.

Inverlochy Castle: This is by far one of the great Scottish castles. You will find it amid the glens and lochs of Fort William, Scotland. You and your guests will enjoy the period decor, the ambiance of being in a castle, the gourmet cuisine and much more.

Mauritius, Indian Ocean: Can you imagine saying I do on a white sandy beach on an island located in the Indian Ocean? You will be able to spend your first night as a married couple in an air-conditioned bungalow that has five-star luxury service. You have found a little piece of Heaven when you go to Mauritius to have your wedding.

Marriage Island: Located in Texas, Marriage Island is known for its picturesque colonial architecture, lovely scenery and beautiful trees. It is very romantic in December when the trees are outfitted with more than 100,000 twinkling lights.

No matter where you choose to have your wedding, you will surely find that one of these spots will strike your fancy. There is something for every budget. Here’s hoping you have a blissful wedding.

While many will consider a tour of England a vacation packed full of activities and attractions it is possible to visit England and come back more relaxed and rejuvenated than when you left. There is no reason why you should not visit many of the idyllic hostelries, hotels and spas while on your England tour. The country has many fine establishments that can totally relax you and even provide a sense of romance for couples. Here are some original accommodation ideas for those visiting England.

England is a country full of castles that you will see on your tour, it is now the case that you will find it possible to stay at some of these majestic locations. Staying in an English castle will transport you back to the time of knights and courtiers, giving you a glimpse of how the wealthy lived centuries ago. Wherever your tour of England takes you there are castles that have rooms available. In the north there is historic Lumley Castle that overlooks the River Wear as well as Durham’s county cricket ground; what more could be more relaxing? The south also has some fine examples that should form part of your accommodation whilst on your England tour, Amberly Castle is over 900 years old and this history will surround you as you stay the night, pampering you with fine cuisine and ultimate relaxation.

If castles are not your cup of tea there are plenty of unique locations at which to stay the night while on your tour. The sheer array of quality accommodation is astounding. Some may want to consider staying in a converted prison in Oxford, lovingly restored while retaining some of its original features. If the prison sounds inhospitable why not try staying in a lighthouse on the magical coast? There are a number of converted lighthouse cottages and even lighthouses that make interesting and original accommodation choices. Another option while on your tour is to stay in one of the many converted windmills that dot the sublime English countryside.

Naturally England has a wealth of quaint bed and breakfasts that make ideal stopping points while on your tour. These locally run homes give the tourist a true idea of the culture of England. Of course, you will receive a warm welcome, a comfortable bed and a full English breakfast to die for. A good B&B will enable you to get to know the owners and in many cases is like staying with family or friends rather than tourist accommodation. While you may just want to remain in bed and enjoy the pleasant surroundings of your room, the lure of the beautiful English countryside is hard to resist. Undoubtedly you will enjoy your stay, it is sure however, that you will be itching to continue your tour and see as much of this magical country as you can.

If you would like to predominantly use self catering accommodation, there are many fine cottages in England that can provide you not only with a bed, but the quintessential English countryside experience. What could be more relaxing than snuggling up with a loved one, sitting next to a roaring open fire giving it the occasional stoke? Whether staying during the winter or summer a cottage retreat makes an ideal base to tour a specific region and visit the various sites.

So whatever you reasons for embarking upon a tour of England, consider these unique and interesting accommodation ideas. Avoiding the generic chain hotels will make your vacation that more special and more enjoyable for you and your loved ones.

When the weather heats up, the last thing you want is to be spending hours in a hot kitchen!  But with a little meal planning, you can produce an array of inspiring summer dinner recipes, as well as summer picnic recipes, summer dessert recipes and healthy breakfast recipes.

Make the most of simple chicken recipes

Instead of roasting one chicken, do two oven baked whole chickens at the same time – one lot of washing up, but a number of chicken leftover meals.  This month, the  chicken is roasted with a garlic, orange and rosemary rub.  This can be oven roasted or cooked on the barbecue.  There are three great recipes for leftovers:  an updated version of Chicken a la King, with roasted red bell peppers and toasted almonds or a Chicken and Pasta Bake.  Then there is a delectable Phyllo Triangles recipe filled with chicken and nuts.  Still in barbecue mode, there is a great Chicken Kebabs Recipe.  

Give Vegetable Salad Recipes a new spin

Get creative with salads and fresh seasonal produce.  There are two spinach salad recipes:  one a Spinach Salad with Feta, Beetroot and Toasted Almonds (with Basil Dressing) and the other is a Warm Spinach Salad with Slivered Lamb and Roasted Butternut.  You need very little lamb steak for this recipe.  Similarly, you need a small amount of steak for the refreshing Beef Stir Fry Recipe – the bulk of the recipe is made up with healthy vegetables, so it is light and nutritious.

Start the day with Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Start your day with a Raspberry Smoothie Recipe or a Corn Muffin Recipe (this is also great with a barbecue).  For a more decadent breakfast, you could serve Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

Have some Summer Picnic Recipes up your sleeve

Again, Corn Muffins are ideal for a picnic.  And what about Baked Scottish Eggs or Chicken Liver Pate?  A Roast Vegetable Quiche or Meatball Sub Recipe? All are easily transported and make a change from the usual sandwiches.

Summer Dessert Recipes

What would summer be without ice-cream?  And more specifically ice-cream by way of Cassata Cake? You can make the most of summer berries by incorporating raspberries in the Easy Apple Crisp Recipe.  And, of course, there is an easy Fruit Salad Recipe.

You can download your free meal plans and recipes at June Meal Planning.  Save money, time and your sanity!

I was on the lookout for the perfect gift for my best friend Mike’s 50th birthday and was astonished when my cousin Maxine suggested Celtic jewellery. Mike is one of those ultra mens men, into rugby and football but too old to play now. A round of golf and propping up the bar at the end of the game is about his limit.

I said no way and laughed when Maxine made the suggestion. Mike is so cave mannish he won’t even use mens deodorant and only uses aftershave when he’s on a promise with his wife Rita. I could imagine the look on his face if I bought him a Celtic pendant or ring – it doesn’t bear thinking about!

Celtic jewellery was out of the question, so my search for something different began. As Mike has been a good friend since our school days I wanted to buy something pretty special for him. I was really flummoxed, no point in going down the cosmetic route and Mike doesn’t read much so books or book tokens were out of the question.

I looked at golf related gifts, but unless I bought something gimmicky there wasn’t anything that he really needed or would use. I like my gifts to be useful as well as different, no point in buying something that is not wanted or used.

I searched the shops in town for 3 hours and ended up with nothing but sore feet and disillusionment. There were plenty of gift packs for men – they are gearing up for Christmas earlier than ever this year – but they were just overpriced and nothing special.

When I got home I sat back comfortably on my sofa, lap top on knee, coffee at my side and searched the Internet. There was a lot more choice than in the shops – you could say that I was spoilt for choice. So much choice I still couldn’t decide what to get for Mike’s birthday present.

Out of interest I keyed ‘mens Celtic jewellery’ into a search engine and was totally astonished at what I saw. Unique, intricate, gorgeous designs that looked really special to me.

I loved the unique Celtic jewelry designs so much that I was keen to buy but then I pictured Mike wearing a Celtic bracelet, pendant or ring and just couldn’t do that to him unless as a joke gift before the main present. There was a neat dress watch with a Celtic bracelet, but I knew that Mike’s wife Rita had bought him a watch for his last birthday.

Then I clicked on a link and found exactly what I was looking for. A few weeks earlier I’d seen him at the pub and he’d been grumbling about it being cold on the golf course and it was in the middle of an English summer! With winter coming on it was a good idea to buy him a gift that he could enjoy, was useful and kept him warm whilst playing his favourite game.

That special gift idea was a hip flask with an intricate Celtic cross adorning the side. Brilliant! I knew that Mike would love that. Filled with his favourite brandy it would keep him warm on a cold English winter or summers day.

I also bought Mike a Celtic design key ring and fob and an early Christmas gift for myself – a really gorgeous pewter and malachite Celtic bracelet. The prices for Celtic jewellery are unbelievably low for such beautiful workmanship and the designs have special symbolic meanings.

I am wanting to get my mom a gift that has all of her grandkids birthstones in it. She doesn’t wear jewelry and anywhere I look that’s all that I can find is jewelry using birthstones. Something she can put in her house or anything like that?? Any Ideas or website that you know of would really help.

Recipe book with quick and easy ideas for meals.
350 recipe ideas for busy people.

I was desperately searching for the perfect gift for my friend Mike’s 50th birthday and was astonished when my cousin suggested Celtic jewellery. Mike is one of those mens men, into rugby and football but too old to play now. A round of golf and propping up the bar at the end of the game is about his limit.

I said no way and laughed when Maxine made the suggestion. Mike is so cave mannish he won’t even use mens deodorant and only uses aftershave when he’s on a promise with his wife Rita. I could imagine the look on his face if I bought him a Celtic pendant or ring – it doesn’t bear thinking about!

Celtic jewellery was out of the question, so my search for something different began. As Mike has been a good friend since our school days I wanted to buy something pretty special for him. I was really flummoxed, no point in going down the cosmetic route and Mike doesn’t read much so books or book tokens were out of the question.

I looked at golf related gifts, but unless I bought something gimmicky there wasn’t anything that he really needed or would use. I like my gifts to be useful as well as different, no point in buying something that is not wanted or used.

I searched the shops in town for 3 hours and ended up with nothing but sore feet and disillusionment. There were plenty of gift packs for men – they are gearing up for Christmas earlier than ever this year – but they were just overpriced and nothing special.

When I got home I sat back comfortably on my sofa, lap top on knee, coffee at my side and searched the Internet. There was a lot more choice than in the shops – you could say that I was spoilt for choice. So much choice I still couldn’t decide what to get for Mike’s birthday present.

Out of interest I keyed ‘mens Celtic jewellery’ into a search engine and was totally astonished at what I saw. Unique, intricate, gorgeous designs that looked really special to me.

I loved the unique Celtic jewelry designs so much that I was keen to buy but then I pictured Mike wearing a Celtic bracelet, pendant or ring and just couldn’t do that to him unless as a joke gift before the main present. There was a neat dress watch with a Celtic bracelet, but I knew that Mike’s wife Rita had bought him a watch for his last birthday.

Then I clicked on a link and found exactly what I was looking for. A few weeks earlier I’d seen him at the pub and he’d been grumbling about it being cold on the golf course and it was in the middle of an English summer! With winter coming on it was a good idea to buy him a gift that he could enjoy, was useful and kept him warm whilst playing his favourite game.

That special gift idea was a hip flask with an intricate Celtic cross adorning the side. Brilliant! I knew that Mike would love that. Filled with his favourite brandy it would keep him warm on a cold English winter or summers day.

I also bought Mike a Celtic design key ring and fob and an early Christmas gift for myself – a really gorgeous pewter and malachite Celtic bracelet. The prices for Celtic jewellery are unbelievably low for such beautiful workmanship and the designs have special symbolic meanings.