caters for Appletini lovers and Guinness drinkers alike. Guests can avail of spa treatments at the Ross's sister hotel, the Killarney Park Hotel, and as for golf lovers, well, where to start? There are at least 13 top golf courses and links in the general area, and throw in the general craic to be had on nights out in Killarney, it's not hard to see why this Kerry town is fast becoming our favourite place to visit.

www. theross. ie Tel 064 31855

DECORATE FOR someone who has a background in media, floristry isn't the next obvious career step, but Ruth Monaghan of Appassionata Flowers in Sandymount Dublin 4, says that there are certain similarities.

"I always loved the production of an event, hence even now we do a lot of production work, except the medium is flowers and I love the buzz of that."

Monaghan left her media job and went travelling for three years with boyfriend Ultan, who she married this summer. After toying with the idea of interior design, she investigated the floristry market at home and found that it hadn't moved on the same way that it had in the UK.

After a stint in flower school and a period of working in McQueens, the legendary flower company in East London, she set up Appassionata two years ago, which specialises in unique and beautiful arrangements, and business has been booming (or should that be blooming? ) every since.

Ultan, a former camera/soundman, came on board, and the company now employs two full time staff. Christmas is obviously an exceptionally busy time for them but the orders don't necessarily ease off during the rest of the year.

Appaassionata handles corporate contracts for restaurants for example, as well as weddings, functions, private dinner parties and special gifts. The flowers, in the main, come from Holland, simply because there aren't enough grown here in Ireland, although they will use the Smithfield market as a supplementary measure.

This year, Monaghan says people have returned to a classic Christmas look, but not when it comes to wreaths. "They're asking for them to be sprayed silver or gold. People want to funk up their doorways but they want a traditional look inside, " she says.

Their bestseller at the moment is a mirrored cube, filled with roses and wrapped up to look just like a Christmas present.

Monaghan keeps her eyes open when looking for inspiration. "I actually tend to look at more fashion and interior magazines than flower ones and I try to keep up what's happening in those areas."

7A Londonbridge Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4.

www. appassionata. ie Tel: 01 6602089

PAMPER It's now generally accepted that organic food is the only way forward and once you start thinking about what you put in your mouth, you then start to wonder about what kind of chemicals are in your washing up powders and your shampoosf Natural makes sense when it comes to skincare, and cult German brand Dr Haushka, which has been around since the '60s, uses only pure ingredients, which are not tested on animals. The products take a holistic approach to skincare, working with specific conditions as opposed to skin types, helping it to become balanced and glowing. We like its Rose range a lot. It smells luscious and glides onto the skin, and the Rose Pamper Pack ( 68) is what Santa should bring all good girls this Christmas.

Available from www. drhauschka. ie and from pharmacies and health shops nationwide.