I was lucky enough to have a ticket to see Dirty Dancing at the Grand Opera House, Belfast on Wednesday 30th July. 

Although I have seen the film it's not a show that would be top of my 'must see' list. However, as I took my seat in the centre of Row G I was open minded and prepared to be entertained.

The show benefits from a toe-tapping, singalong song list, including favourites such as the opening number 'Be My Baby', 'Hungry Eyes' and of course '(I've had) The Time of My Life'. From the moment the curtain rose the audience was treated to fabulous dancing and singing from ensemble and principals alike. The ensemble was vibrant and oozed energy, immediately engaging the enthusiastic audience.

The dialogue was rather indistinct at the start, and I found it difficult to hear clearly over the band, but thankfully this was quickly rectified. The first rate band was in an elevated position at the rear of the stage, but this worked extremely well, particularly during the scenes where the live band was integral to the story.

The success of any show hangs chiefly upon the performances of the principals, and Dirty Dancing is no exception. Roseanne Frascona as Frances 'Baby' Houseman gave a sensitive and honest reading of the role, devoid of schmaltz. Claire Rogers was a stunning and accomplished Penny Johnson, Wayne Smith gave a superb vocal performance as Billy Kostecki - what a wonderful falsetto he possesses! But the undisputed star of the show was Gareth Bailey as Johnny Castle. His performance was masterly and incredibly charismatic - a fact that did not go unnoticed by the female members of the audience who gave him a huge ovation, and showed their appreciation of his fine physique displayed only in a pair of boxer shorts! 

The smaller parts were ably handled, although I personally did not enjoy the interpretation of Mr Shumacher played by Mark Faith - I felt the supposed 'comedy' of this role was overplayed and was more cringeworthy than funny. However, this was my only small niggle in an otherwise enjoyable production, one that I would certainly recommend you see. 

Dirty Dancing is running at The Grand Opera House Belfast until 16th Aug, and is definitely not to be missed! Tickets are available from The Grand Opera House www.goh.co.uk

Do you have a place that you remember with fondness from your childhood? For me that place is the sleepy little village of Portballintrae, a stones throw from Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway on N.Ireland's North Coast. The name alone is enough to conjure images of family holidays of yesteryear and the faces of loved ones long since passed on. So it was with some trepidation that I made a return visit for a short break last week. I wondered if the Portballintrae of 2014 would live up to the Portballintrae of my memories, and if it was still a good place for a family holiday, thirty years on.

     

                                              Portballintrae and Runkerry Headland.

     

                                                      Portballintrae Harbour

In my memory the sun always shone on those family holidays, and Portballintrae did not disappoint in 2014. The sun shone and temperatures reached a sticky 28 degrees centigrade!

So what is there to recommend Portballintrae for a family holiday? Well there are three beaches - the harbour beach pictured above, the 'town beach' and the magnificent strand at Runkerry, just over the River Bush next to Portballintrae Golf Club. There is a large variety of accommodation available from self catering apartments and houses to B&B's, caravans and a hotel. Portballintrae is well situated - close to Bushmils, Coleraine and Portrush. And for golfers it boasts a beautiful links golf course, in some of the most glorious scenery that N. Ireland has to offer.

            Runkerry strand in late evening sunshine       

For families with young children the Harbour and Town beaches provide safe sandy beaches with rock pools and water sports such as kayaking and paddle boards available. For surfers the strand at Runkerry provides large breakers perfect for surfing, however, it must be noted that the beach shelves very quickly and the currents are extremely strong, so is not suitable for anyone who is not a strong swimmer. 

There is one large, bright and attractive hotel in Portballintrae, The Bayview. As the name implies the restaurant looks out over the bay, with floor to ceiling windows making the most of the spectacular view.

                                           The Bayview Hotel, Portballintrae

I had lunch in the restaurant, and although there was a good selection of dishes on the menu, I was rather restricted by the need for a Gluten free meal. 

      A little salad on the side would have really improved the look of my gluten free chicken option!

 

  The food was a little bland, and lacked colour on the plate, but tasted nice and was well cooked.

       

There are plenty of options for eating out or takeaways in nearby Bushmills. This rather quaint little town, home of the world famous Bushmills Distillery, also has a good variety of shops catering for everything a family might need on holiday - from buckets and spades for the beach to crafts and gifts in The Millhouse.

                    

                         Local crafts are available in The Millhouse, Main Street, Bushmills

                                         

     The Millhouse stocks local crafts, jewellery and even some children's knitwear and toys! Definitely   

                                                           well worth a visit!

And when you've had a look around why not take time to sit by the beautiful River Bush and watch the world go by!

              

No trip to Portballintrae would be complete without a visit to nearby Portrush, stopping on the way to take in the magnificent view of medieval Dunluce Castle.

    

                                      The spectacular ruins of Dunluce Castle

When you arrive in the busy town of Portrush, take time to visit the towns beaches - there are plenty to choose from.

                  

           This, the smallest of the town's beaches is right in the middle of the front next to the Arcadia.

Portrush is a big hit with families - it has superb sandy beaches, excellent restaurants and cafés - of which my personal favourites are The Ramore restaurants situated at the Harbour, (www.ramorerestaurant.com) and 55 Degrees North on Causeway Street, (55-north.com) just opposite the beach above!

There is also a wide range of water sports available, a selection of shops and for those occasional rainy days Barry's amusements provides plenty of entertainment of or children young and old!

So did Portballintrae live up to my childhood memories? Is it a good destination for a family holiday in 2014? I can answer a resounding YES to both. I had a wonderful break, and my only regret was that it was too short!

The Millhouse Bushmills can be found on Facebook - www.facebook.com/millhouseni

For self catering accommodation contact Causeway Coast Rentals www.causewaycoastrentals.co.uk

Accommodation including caravan rentals can be found at www.holidaylettings.co.uk/Portballintrae

and at www.golflinksholidayhomes.co.uk/Portballintrae.

Portballintrae golf club is called Bushfoot Golf Club, www.bushfootgolfclub.co.uk

The Bayview Hotel can be found at www.bayviewhotelni.com