Once a month treat in work

We have a great little "scheme" in work where once a month a masseuse is brought in and you can book in with him. It costs €20 - the company pay €10 and you pay the other €10 - so it ends up costing yourself just a tenner for a half an hour massage.  Sure that's for nothing. I find it very humourous that it is all set up in our stationary cabinet :-)   But once you lie down on that table and close...

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Let's get an Irish woman in space!

Lynx deodorant are currently running a competition/a space academy to send someone to space.  By "someone" I mean a person who is not trained as an astronaut currently. We have an Irish woman in contention for this prize.Norah Patten is lecturer from Limerick qualified in aeronautical engineering. It's really really easy to vote - 2 seconds I swear.Vote here! &nb...

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Thrift store bargain!

Yesterday was a nice bright sunny day in Dublin.   I met Enid for a Starbucks in Harcourt street and from there we strolled along Camden street.  Camden street is a quirky little street - alot of antique furniture shops, hardware shops, burrito bars and Charity shops (what we call Thrift stores here in Ireland).  Enid found me a cute little green and black boucle jacket for work.  It was €7 (approx $9) - there are no...

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Carrick Cottage Dips

Enid & I went to the Ideal Homes expo in the RDS yesterday.   One of the best things I saw at it was Carrick Cottage Dips.The product is an all natural, no preservatives seasoning that you add to natural yoghurt or mayonaise to make a dip. You can also use it as a marinade. It comes in a nice simple brown paper little packet - see above near the lady's arms.In front of the packets of the producs were bowls with samples for tasting.There...

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Dillingers again

Enid & I popped into Dillingers again on Saturday.   It was 4pm so it was after an after lunch, and before dinner little snack for us. We got a small bowl of chili each and a portion of chips between us.  Enid had a diet coke, I had a vodka and diet coke. It was as good as ever.  I seriously looooooove this place. &nb...

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Smart Car Gathering - ongoing work

I have posted before about a Smart Car gathering that Enid and I are hosting July 13 in the Phoenix Park. We are doing trojan work trying to get as many cars as possible involved.  We are publicizing on facebook and discussion forums etc. But most of all we are keeping an eye out for Smart cars around Dublin and leaving a note on their windscreen for them.  Hopefully we will see them on the day! Do you live in Ireland? ...

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Dillingers, Ranelagh

I looooove this place.  It has recently been renovated - it was cool before and it is even cooler now. Staff were extremely friendly extremely efficient. Really good vibe in the place. And most importantly great food! Because it was a Tuesday evening Enid and I just ordered a small plate each:   Enid got the chili and cornbread - the chili had a mix of minced beef and shredded beef with a nice kicky flavour. The cornbread...

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Price increase...grrrr!

The Marks and Spencer "dine in for two" has increased in price. It used to be €12.50.Now admittedly I used always think it was almost too good of a deal at €12.50, but a €1 increase is a little hard to swallow (Pun intended!)I think €12.95 would have been a better price to go to. They could end up losing customers over a euro.  Edit:Okay so from their facebook page I can see comments from other customers and replies from M&S.  ...

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Weirs of Baggot Street

There is a lovely shop on Baggot Street called Weirs.  While technically is a hardware shop it has a very large children's gift section. It's pricing is funny (but good!).  It has items that are very expensive, but equally has a lot of items that a child could spend their pocket money on. Here is a section of their stock below. Painting apron/pinafores.  How sweet.Seriously, how adorable are...

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Bonjour!

While out on a lunchtime walk with the two HR ladies from work we came upon this "construction" on top of a bus stop in Baggot Street. This was our initial view and we were actually like "what the heck" We walked around the bus stop to get a better view and it made us laugh and laugh. Really brightened up our day!So to Cuisine de France I say Bonjour! Et MERCI beacoup! &nb...

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Old Cadbury's ad - what a treasure!

Pearse Street Train Station has been undergoing renovation.  And in the process it seems that an old Cadbury ad has been uncovered. How cool is this?In my opinion it is a fabulous piece of social history.I love the antithesis of the old sign and the big modern sign. I really hope Pearse Station/Cadburys decide to leave it on display.  IF it was my train station I would make this a feature - I'd put a big chunky silver or...

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Boston Marathon

Shocked.  Appalled.  Horrified. Angry.  Sad.That poor little innocent boy who died.  And the young woman who accompanied her friend to cheer on her friend's boyfriend.  And all the other people who suffered attrocious injuries.  Friends and families of all involved.  My heart goes out them a...

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My dad's first motorbike - funny/cool story

When my dad was about 22 he purchased a motorbike. He would have been involved with motorbikes from a very young age and all his brothers had motorbikes etc.  But this was his first "own" bike so he always counted it as his first bike proper. Here are some photos of him on the motorbike - a Yamaha 650.  This was taken outside a garage where dad worked.  The story I believe, is that a young photograper from Neil Campbell-Sharp...

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Ireland - the perfect country for a hot tub

The more I think about it, the more I am coming to the realisation that while hot tubs are really common in (for example) America and not at all common in Ireland that just doesn't make sense. Hot tubs are HOT.  Most of America has hot weather.  They don't need more hot.Ireland is cold(ish).  Particularly this year - longest bloody Winter ever!!!  We need hot. Hot tubs are actually nicer in cold weather.  One of the most enjoyable experiences I ever had in a hot tub was about eight years ago in Galway...

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Marks & Spencer - new dessert menu?

Yesterday afternoon I took a trip to Marks & Spencers to get something nice for Saturday night dinner.  I tend to only shop in Marks & Spencers for weekend treats as it is a little bit outside of my budget for my day to day shopping.  Although, as much as I wish I could afford to shop in Marks everyday, it does make the weekend all the more of a treat when we have something particularly nice. For dinner on Saturday...

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Prawns Pil Pil

I adore Prawns Pil Pil so when I saw this recipe in a magazine I was just browsing through in a shop I quickly snapped a pic! The recipe is by Chef Eric Mooney from Asador on Haddington Road.  Asador is very near my work and I pass it on my daily walk at lunch.  I always think there are fabulous smells coming from it.  This recipe and the lovely photo below makes me want to visit there to EAT! This recipe looks very simple...

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Blooming fabulous!

I called over to my friends apartment in Ballsbridge yestersday afternoon.  Tara is six months pregnant and blooming as you can see! I bought her a teeny gift of this teeny baby gro.  And THEN....do not ask me how this happened, it was just one of those nights.....we had fun by me trying on her divine wedding dress! It made for alot of hilarity and some great photos!How amazing is this dress!Posing with a glass of champers...

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Smart Car Rally Dublin 2013

My sister Enid has a Smart car. It's a fun little car and people smile at it wherever she drives!  In 2011 we organised a little event of a meet up for Dublin Smart owners - check out the photos of the event here. It went really well and was a fun day out, so we are now planning another one for this year in Dublin. (In 2012 we attended the Belfast meet up). We have a facebook page and today we announced the plans for the 2013 rally: Planning has started for Smart Car Rally Dublin 2013! Shaping up as follows:...

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Urban Fox!

Today I saw a fox in Dublin CITY!  Yes in the city!!I have always heard rumours about a fox's den in Dublin but I always pictured it being somewhere near O'Connell Street for some reason.  He not so much ran across the road, I would actually describe him as gambolling across the road.  He did not seem scared of the traffic yet he was also neither overly brave in his surroundings. Unfortunately I was too...

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Tom Cruise is in Dublin!

He is staying in the Merrion Hotel which is only just around the corner from where I work.  I won't lie to you I was tempted to take a trip around at lunchtime!  The Merrion Hotel is very popular with film stars and musicians when they come to Ireland - Bruce Springsteen stayed there when he played in Ireland during the summer.  I'd recommend you click on to the hotel website - switch on your speakers, they seem to have...

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Three scissors, two forks and a spoon

I cleaned my bedroom from top to bottom today.  I found 3 scissors, 2 forks and a spoon under the bed.  I had been wondering why I could never find a scissors, there's the answer to that now anyway.There are articles on the internet giving tips on how to clean your bedroom.  My personal tip is to do it in 30/45 minute stints.  Clean for 30 minutes, watch Oprah for 30 minutes, clean for 30 minutes, watch Oprah for 30.  All done in two hours and you feel like you've been watching Oprah all afternoon! LolThere is something...

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Vacation Planning Time!

 My family and I are planning a big holiday to Key West in June of this year! When we go to KW (and we go alot!) we normally stay in a beautiful "conchy" cottage called Bahama Breeze.  It is the perfect place for groups of two or four people; good size bedrooms, hot tub (fun!) and margerita mixer - I love a cocktail on the deck in the evenings. This year because we are a bigger group we are looking to get a bigger house. ...

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