Resonate • 31 October 2023

Samhain: Digging Up the Celtic Roots of Halloween

The shadowy intersection where the realms of the living and the dead meet looks different, depending on our cultural point of view. Folklore, religion and local customs will dictate how we honour our dearly departed. Even Halloween, wherever it’s celebrated, can take many forms. As its birthplace, Ireland has a particular claim to creepy fame.

Resonate • 26 October 2023

Mind Your Language: Bridging the Communication Gap

Anyone who has done a bit of travelling — and hasn’t mastered every language spoken on the planet — will have come up against the occasional inability to understand the local people, or to be understood by them. But even when it proves tricky, communication is still a powerful tool that unites us.

Resonate • 3 October 2023

Keeping it Real: Authenticity in Travel Writing

“Be yourself – everyone else is already taken.” This ode to authenticity is quite clever, just the kind of thing a famous wit like Oscar Wilde would write, and a quick internet search turns up thousands upon thousands of results saying that it is indeed his. But there’s only one problem: we have no evidence he authored it.

Resonate • 24 August 2023

The Joys of Staying Close to Home

It might seem strange for the editor of a responsible travel platform to advocate less travel at times — but by sticking close to home, we discover that the small worlds around us can be at least as rewarding as any great adventure or grand tour.

Resonate • 9 August 2023

Sausages and Shamrocks: An Emerald Isle Breakfast

[co-writer/uncredited] It’s Sunday morning in Ireland: I’m awakened by the smell of something delicious happening in the house, as mouthwatering breakfast aromas float down the hallway and up my nostrils. There’s definitely a fry in my near future. I jump out of bed drawn by that intoxicating prospect, already salivating.

Resonate • 26 July 2023

Have We Lost Our Cool When It Comes to Travel Hotspots?

Searing heat waves have been breaking all known high-temperature records in popular northern summer holiday spots. Is this finally the moment for us to reconsider our approach to travel planning?

We can no longer pretend that there isn’t a climate crisis, treating mass tourism to warm-weather destinations like business as usual...

Resonate • 28 June 2023

Leave No Trace

Dawn is breaking over the New Forest in southern England; we step lightly through the serene landscape, wanting to leave no trace of our having passed this way. It’s July, a warm morning with mist swirling in the rays of the rising sun, cuckoos calling, and spiderwebs glittering in dewdrop diamonds. As I walk with my companion, there’s a movement across the clearing and a small herd of red deer emerges from the trees.

Resonate • 20 June 2023

Breakfast in a New York Minute

City hustle and bustle doesn’t come much more hectic than that of New York; you only need to stop and stand still for a moment during rush hour to appreciate the torrent of activity whooshing past. All this haste demands a speedy feed to match, and nothing says morning in Manhattan like a bagel grabbed fresh, hot… and fast.

Resonate • 22 May 2023

Community Includes Everyone

What is a community? It’s many things to many people, but by definition, it’s a unified body of individuals. They can be brought together by similar interests, shared goals, common characteristics or identity; or simply through proximity.

Resonate • 17 March 2023

Architectural Contrasts, a Literary Legacy, and First-Rate Food in Dublin, Ireland

Divided into the Northside and Southside by the River Liffey, Dublin’s fair city of nearly 1.5 million is home to a third of Ireland’s population. You can feel the brisk tempo of this busy capital — with its vibrant arts and culture, upsurge in restaurants, and classical Georgian neighbourhoods bumping up against rapidly changing areas like the Docklands. Local expert Emily Cathcart says there’s always something to see in Dublin when you know where to look.

Historic Hotels of Europe • 10 December 2022

6 sparkling ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve

Once Christmas has come and gone there’s still loads of festive fun to be had in European cities. The lights are twinkling, streets are bustling, and many markets carry on with a New Year’s twist. On the night itself, dazzling entertainment is designed to keep you carousing well into the wee small hours of January 1. Here are some top spots to ring in 2023 in Europe…

ALHAUS • 4 November 2022

Preserving a slow art form

In an age of mass production and instant gratification, these handmade pieces take time and patience to create. Are La Manufacture Cogolin’s bespoke, artist-designed rugs the ultimate ‘slow’ art form? Managing Director Sarah Henry thinks so: “For sure it is a long process! We spend quite a bit of time on the design development and the transformation of a two-dimensional drawing into a textile piece. Most often we do one or two rounds of samples when developing a collection or working on a fully

ALHAUS • 6 October 2022

Past and future meet at Carton House

After driving through the peaceful countryside, I approached the imposing 18th century building and sprinted through the deluge to be greeted by a surprisingly 21st century entrance—a new addition created as part of an extensive multi-million Euro refurbishment project completed in 2021. Welcomed with a warming cup of tea as I was drying out, I had only just settled into a comfortable velvet-upholstered sofa in the reception when Martin appeared. After the inevitable discussion of the weather (a

ALHAUS • 6 October 2022

Open House Dublin

The stories behind the Irish capital’s streetscapes unfold each autumn in an architectural celebration. From well-established Georgian classics to gleaming new steel-and-glass upstarts, 100+ guided tours, films, exhibitions and events across the city span built heritage and modern urban design over three jam-packed days.

ALHAUS • 1 October 2022

ALHAUS No. 84 | Architecture+Design

Full digital edition of the October 2022 Architecture+Design issue, as commissioned and edited by me. Featuring an exploration of the built environment around us with a mix of stories about designers, architects, festivals, exhibitions.

ALHAUS • 1 September 2022

The future of green building has arrived at Chelsea Barracks

A revival of gracious garden square living combines architectural tradition, 21st-century style and impeccable green credentials. If you’re wondering where to find the actual lap of luxury, it’s on a former military site tucked between Sloane Square and the River Thames. Situated on 12.8 acres, as its name suggests Chelsea Barracks was originally built in the 1860s to accommodate two infantry battalions. After being out of public reach for more than 150 years, with the troop housing long gone, it’s transforming into one of the city’s most exclusive addresses.

ALHAUS • 4 August 2022

Afternoon delights: teatime in Dublin

As Henry James said, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” The quiet hum of conversation, crisp white linens, delicate fine china and gleaming cutlery—what could be nicer than a ‘proper’ tea with all the trimmings?

ALHAUS • 4 August 2022

The peculiarly delicious imagination of Janice Poon

Having set the table for many film and television productions, acclaimed food stylist and writer Janice Poon is perhaps best known for the gory, gorgeous NBC series Hannibal. In getting to know Janice, ALHAUS uncovered stories of food fakery and fantasy on set, served up with an entertaining anecdote or two from her eclectic career.

ALHAUS • 1 August 2022

ALHAUS No. 82 | Food+Drink

Full digital edition of the August 2022 Food+Drink issue, as commissioned and edited by me. Featuring a mix of stories about producers, creatives, new faces, cherished brands and memorable food and drink experiences.

ALHAUS • 30 June 2022

Building the future of business travel at Accor

Having joined Accor—the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest worldwide—as the travel landscape was dramatically changing, two years later Sophie Hulgard is focused on where we go from here. “We are in the midst of a fast recovery with the world opening up, normality returning and people travelling once more. It’s been a rollercoaster!”

ALHAUS • 2 June 2022

The colourful past of the rainbow flag

How an age-old symbol became the modern embodiment of diversity and liberation. Though you may have thought it’s a relatively recent invention, the rainbow flag has popped up repeatedly in various forms throughout the centuries, each with its own vibrant meaning.

ALHAUS • 5 May 2022

Lyre’s: impossibly crafted, utterly distinctive

Popping down to the local pub isn’t an option for workmates separated by oceans. With an ALHAUS group get-together in the works, research into social lubricants suitable for delivery to our respective doorsteps began. Not all of our team members drink alcohol and not all products we considered are widely available. Enter Lyre’s Spirit Co. and their ‘impossibly crafted’ alcohol-free line of spirits.

ALHAUS • 7 April 2022

Stillgarden: the spirit of innovation in Inchicore

With its own botanical garden on site, Stillgarden Distillery mixes science, community and nature to create drinks with a difference. The seeds of innovation that co-founders Viki Baird and Pat O’Brien have planted have already blossomed into prosocial success.
ALHAUS spoke with Brand Manager Aideen Hannigan and learned how Stillgarden has been shaking up spirits in the heart of Ireland’s capital.

Visit Dublin • 25 March 2022

11 Stunning Stops on the Dublin Coastal Trail

A city by the sea, Dublin’s long coastline is dotted with unexpected experiences and outdoor activities. The Dublin Coastal Trail highlights these hidden gems, running from Skerries to the north of the city down to Killiney in the south. By navigating the DART rail line to the Trail’s featured spots, it’s easy for explorers to find castles, beaches, heritage and more.