/ Georgina Does

Top tips for driving the Amalfi coast

Monday, 3 April 2023

Sweeping views, mountain roads and picturesque towns perched on the cliffs. If like me, Instagram has persuaded you to take a trip to the Amalfi coast this year, then driving is a great way to explore it properly.

Renting a car gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace and discover hidden gems off the beaten path. Apart from that, I was looking forward to the warm afternoons cruising along the coastline with the roof down and the wind in my hair. Our cute little fiat 500 provided me with just that.

After four days of exploring, I've put together a list of top tips and things to know for your next trip!

The drive itself is quite a feat - luckily for me, I wasn't the one doing it. The coast can be very challenging with hairpin turns and steep drops the whole way along so a small car is best.

Roads get very narrow and whilst the Italians don't like to stay in their lanes, you'll have to get used to overtaking otherwise you'll be stuck behind tour busses all day. This becomes especially tiresome once you realise they insist on hooting every time they turn a corner.

A convertible is a great choice as it adds to the fun and provides a great way to enjoy the warm weather. Our Fiat 500 was perfect because its extended sunroof style meant we were well protected from the wind.

Parking wasn't a huge problem in low season. We found as you start getting into the towns like Positano, there were big car parks everywhere. They can be expensive if you stop off for a long time - we paid €6 per hour - but it was money well spend to have the car local and safe whilst we explored.

Don't forget to stop for refreshments. Lemon stands are a common sight and not only are they a great way to experience the local culture and cuisine, they also provide some incredible sightseeing opportunities. The vendors we met were all friendly and knowledgeable and a freshly squeezed juice break was much appreciated.

Finally, our car had no aux, which was initially devastating but after some playing around, we stumbled across Radio Ibiza (at 107.00) which provided the perfect vibe. Just an FYI.

Monday, 6 March 2023

I love the gym, I do, but if I stick to the same workout for weeks on end, I often get bored so instead, I like to change it up. I will do everything from the classic gym workout and yoga classes, cycles, runs or even a little session with my kettlebell at home. Each activity requires a totally different outfit so in collaboration with Brooks Running, here, I'm going to run through what I like to wear for each.

Running outside

Whether it's the treadmill or the street, running requires a high-impact sports bra so I always start with that. Shoes are also important here, so I use proper running trainers as they are much gentler on my joints, particularly my knees.

Gym

My gym uniform involves as little material as possible because I hate getting sweaty so a pair of shorts and a sports bra is a combination that works perfectly for me. I love my Adidas running shorts and have the same pair in a few different colours which I wear on rotation - usually paired with converse or another flat soled shoe as they work best for lifting.

Yoga

Granted, I do my yoga at the gym but it is far different from my time there usually. I do yoga for my mind, more than I do for my body so it's about being as comfortable as possible. It's also one of the few times I will ever wear leggings to work out, for two reasons. Firstly, it's much slower and less cardiovascular so I get cold and secondly, loose and short shorts are less than preferable when waving my legs in the air.

Cycle

I don't go on huge cycles anymore but I do enjoy cycling along the river on a sunny afternoon. This is another time I'll wear leggings, assuming it's not too warm outside, just because I'll get covered in mud otherwise. Along with that will be a big sweatshirt, which often comes off with a crop top underneath, and of course a helmet!

Home

Home workouts are my most frequent activity and most varied in what I wear. I have a kettlebell, so I often use that in front of the mirror when I don't want to go to the gym. I usually just grab whatever's nearby for these, so it varies. I do, however, make sure that I wear shoes for my home workouts as I find my shins always start to ache otherwise.

Tuesday, 20 December 2022

We went to Jersey for a lazy spa weekend but after my fill of massages, saunas and long boozy lunches, we decided to go for a little explore on our last afternoon.

We soon found ourselves wandering around Mont Orgueil Castle.

It was a cold and windy afternoon so I took my new coat with. It's the Expedition Down Parker from Land's end and I picked the black one with grey fur lining the hood. With sealed seams, rib knit inner storm cuffs, and down insulation, it did a great job at shutting all of the elements out, protecting me from the cold, the wind and the rain.

We had a look around the old building and then grabbed a jersey cream cone to eat by the seaside. It was a lovely end to the trip!

*Gifted Jacket

Monday, 28 November 2022

Thanks to a very good Instagram marketing campaign, I have been excitedly waiting for this place to open for months, so as soon as the email dropped in my inbox, I made a booking for opening night.

Bacchanalia, located just on the corner of Berekley Square and Mount Street is a Greek/Italian fusion restaurant and Richard Carings newest culinary venture.

I'm very glad to have been although in short, I'm not sure I'll be be in a rush go back the same way I have been with some of the other restaurants nearby.

The restaurant design looked amazing in the photos, with huge sculptures and a Sistine Chapel-style ceiling but in reality, it seemed a little.. faker than I'd have hoped. I was also a bit sad that they weren't able to accommodate my request for a table on the main floor because 'there were lots of press coming in' who they needed those tables for.

The bar downstairs was great, as was the atmosphere so we spent some time there before heading up to our table on the balcony floor which had a much quieter vibe. The design was strangely familiar to the set up at Annabel's, another of Carings places but the cocktails were very unique so I'd definitely come back for those.

I ordered a MAENAD which was gin based with raspberry and eucalyptus, and very rich and creamy thanks to the addition of white chocolate, Greek yoghurt & egg white. We also had to try the KARPOUZI just because of the description. Basically, sold to us as somewhere between and Aperol Spritz and a greek salad, this one was created with watermelon, and feta infused vodka.

Food and drinks were just a little bit more expensive than the other places which I think was a little unnecessary, but we did enjoy everything.

When it came to food, we decided on a classic burrata, a steak tartare with a nduja twist and my favourite, unsurprisingly, was the octopus. I love octopus and this was I exception, paired with some Greek pulses.

On to the mains, we had a plate of pasta that whilst good - it's hard to go wrong with truffle - was pretty average and decided against a proper

main dish and dessert, unheard of for me. Nothing really took my fancy, apart from the tirimasu dessert, although I didn't fancy taking a £35 risk on that.

So, in conclusion, I'd most definitely pop back for a drink. The sparkling bar, and the cocktail list impressed but in terms for the food I think it was just a little too expensive to get excited about again.

Friday, 11 November 2022

Femme Luxe recently gifted me some new outfits and here's where I wore them:

I wore this square neck, red dress on Halloween - paired with some devil horns and simple black heels. We were actually just going for dinner, rather than any big Halloween event so I thought it worked nicely as a subtle nod to the holiday.

Food was at Coya; we had the tasting menu, which is full of my favourite dishes like some of the ceviche's and the chocolate orange churros. After that, we went for a wander in search of drinks and came across Bagatelle, which was absolutely buzzing on a Monday evening. You could see people dancing on the tables from the street so that’s where we ended up!

This one shouldered top is one of the best things I’ve gotten from Femme Luxe. It’s a deep maroon colour so great for the winter months and it fits me perfectly. The single sleeve is made of a floaty, chiffon material which gives the piece great movement, and the length cuts off at just the right place. I wear it a lot, but recently, paired with high waisted, black, skinny years and boots, for a celebration dinner at Isabel, which meant delicious food and a more champagne that I'd like to admit.

After my fourth vaccine earlier this week, I took a nap and woke up with intense steak cravings, so we booked a table for STK that eve and I went for another Femme Luxe piece.

This ribbed bandeau top came as part of a co-ord with wide leg trousers - which also gets a lot of wear - but for a wintery evening out, I like to pair it again, with my black skinny jeans and converse for a more casual look.

*Gifted clothes.

SLIDER