Monday's Words of Wisdom,

Phrase of the Day

I would really love to go back and study Irish so I can speak it fluently. I'll probably never get the time but I found this really cute way to learn an Irish phrase a day.

Go to http://www.gaelchultur.com to click on a video where you can hear and to see today’s phrase.

Gaelchultúr’s Irish language evening classes for adults will commence next week (24-29 September 2012) in the following venues: Dublin, Carlow, Cork and Limerick. They will also have Live Online Classes available worldwide for the first time. They are offering one month’s free subscription to a ranganna.com course to everyone who books a night class this autumn.

The Intensive Course in Written Irish will begin Saturday, 22 September, and their next Irish Language Course for Hibernia Applicants will start 11–13 October.

Eolas/Information: www.gaelchultur.com  | eolas@gaelchultur.com  | (01) 484 5220  | 1890 252 900

Maybe next time!

Roald Dahl

Today is apparently Roald Dahl day.

 

Once his English teacher wrote in his school report "I have never met anybody who so persistently writes words meaning the exact opposite of what is intended.”

 

This simple fact justifies my existence…

 

 

ÖRSTED Rug, high pile - IKEA

ÖRSTED Rug, high pile - IKEA: IKEA - ÖRSTED, Rug, high pile, The rug is made of pure new wool so it’s naturally soil-repellent and very durable.The dense, thick felt pile provides a soft and warm surface for your feet and also dampens sound.

650e - sigh

Fashion Night Out

After a few unsuccessful minutes of trying to find out if Fashion's Night Out was happening in Dublin on their American website I gave up.

Luckily this AM I received a email from Brown Thomas confirming that they will holding an official Fashion's Night Out event and use it to launch the Dublin Festival of Fashion, Thursday, 6th September from 6pm to 9pm.

 

As an official partner of Fashion's Night Out Brown Thoms Dublin will join over eighteen countries including fashion capitals London, Paris, Milan, Moscow, New York, Tokyo in hosting the world’s biggest fashion and beauty celebration.

 

Here is a sample of what events are on in-store!

 

Thursday 6th September

DJ Maura Murphy

Beauty Hall 6pm to 9pm

 

Become a Vogue Cover Star!

Be styled by our experts and photographed by fashion photographer Neil Hurley

for your very own Vogue cover to take home with you.

Accessories Hall 6pm to 9pm

 

Irish Designers CREATE

Irish Designers Pop Up Collections

Level 1

 

The Style Edit

featuring New Season Trends

Fashion Shows, Level 2, every half hour 6pm to 9pm

 

DJ Michelle Doherty

Level 2 6pm to 9pm

 

Saturday 8th September

Become a Vogue Cover Star!

Be styled by our experts and photographed by fashion photographer Neil Hurley

for your very own Vogue cover to take home with you.

Accessories Hall 1pm to 4pm

 

Arnotts are also getting in on the action in their Accessories Hall from 6pm. Grab a glass of bubbly, sweet treats, goody bags or even pick up a lucky dip scratch card for a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

ABOUT FASHION’S NIGHT OUT

Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) is an unprecedented global initiative originally created in 2009 to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence and boost the industry’s economy during the recession. On Thursday, September 6, 2012, in response to overwhelming demand, Fashion’s Night Out will return to New York City and cities across the country to highlight fashion and support retail with exciting events that include designer appearances, celebrity guests, fashion shows and musical performances. Purchase items from the 2012 FNO collection and a portion of the proceeds will go to the New York City AIDS Fund in the NY Community Trust. In the United States, the program is a collaboration among American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company and the City of New York. For more information, visit http://www.fashionsnightout.com/or FNO on Twitter at @fnonyc (#FNO).

 

Monday's Borrowed Words of Wisdom

The Pub Hub

A new breed of savvy socialisers (a name I totes stole from Prosperity)?

I just got a text message from my phone network asking me to download .. a great night out in the palm of my hand. Ever their obliging customer I did indeed download The Pub Hub.

Britvic Ireland has worked in conjunction with Belfast Digital Agency Tibus and Simply Zesty to develop the Pub Hub app. This app is meant to use that geo-location jazzy to find the best food and drink offers near you, either by venue, location, nearest offers, or latest deals.  And it totally works. If Britvic wanted to come and kill me they would now totally have my location…

Content on the app is a bit sparse. Or maybe there aren’t actually that many pubs left open anymore. In the city centre I have a good amount of choice but at home in Castleknock not a lot of pubs show up. The deals I’ve noticed are just their normal run of the mill stuff. Maybe a unique “Groupon” style deal would have been a better option – like a redeem a food platter for X yoyos with this code might work better.

All around a good idea well executed. I totes want a rum and club orange now?

Bucketlist - Party Bus...

Spotted in Carpenterstown this weekend - WANT

Dance Break

Shuffle...

The Apparition

Getting terrible reviews but looks scary enough for me!

Marie Claire 100 Best Workwear Staples Top Picks

H&M single button blazer

Mango wool coat

Topshop ribbon tie blouse

Miss Selfridge lace ribbon tie shirt.

Tall ships and tiny bunnies

When your not expecting it on a misty morning its quite the ghost ship

On closer inspection it wasn't.

Blogger in Residence

Check this out Blogger in Residence

Dundrum Town Centre is searching for a Fashion ‘Blogger in Residence,’

They want someone who is style savvy, bargain hunting, fashion conscious, and trendsetter.

With an impressive array of prizes including a Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone, €1,000 Dundrum Town Centre Voucher, a transformation from Toni & Guy, a luxx Michael Kors bag, spa package from the Clarins Skin Spa and one-on-one make-up masterclass lesson and lunch with Benefit make-up artist Mark Rogers, and last but not least a Samsung Galaxy Tablet I'll sure as hell try to be!

Tune Tuesday

Ooh Jedward you always make me smile. I feel like a proud Mama Bear seeing yeah sing in tune and playing instruments...

Monday's Borrowed Words of Wisedom...

I will follow you into the dark - Recording Project

Click here!  I will follow you into the dark - Recording Project

So a few weeks ago my boyf got a pretty shiny new microphone to record his music on for soundcloud.

I was drafted in for it's first rodeo! to test out how its sounds (with a rabbit mixing the sound).

Check out his page!

http://soundcloud.com/chrisledwidge

And sure while your at it my page...I won't be subjecting people to my terrible singing voice but hopefully I will be uploading different interviews and radio shows from through out the years.

http://soundcloud.com/sharon-casey

Sunny weekend Summary

Arrow

John Barrowman has joined the cast of "Arrow" which got rave reviews at Comic Con. Lookiing forward to this hitting Sky One in the fall.

Still haven't seen the last series of Torchwood out of respect to Ianto!

Apex the Film

http://vimeo.com/47642950



Check it out Evanna Lynch is in a zombie movie! Sorta perfect! It's called APEX the film. Follow @APEXthefilm for more info.


I didn't expect to see anything until her appearance in Sky's ""Sinbad and "the upcoming film in Scotland I can't remember the name of" she is cast in so its a treat. She will also be playing Luna Lovegood in a AVPSY no doubt hitting youtube at snails pace after leakycon.


I do really enjoy her tweets and it sounds like she is really having fun post potter. I feel a crazed need to champion her after interviewing her for KISS. She was just so nice and her story is very inspiring. Actual journos I know echo that sentiment so she will go far.

Wouldn't she be a great Vampire Slayer (not that any non whedon remakes should be allowed)


Also I've a cat called Luna so there you go!


Also there is a version of Radiohead's Creep used in the trailer by Carrie Manolakos.

Some puppies I know...

Marc Jacobs Shoes = soon you shall be mine!

Pretty Shiny Things

I recently experienced a paradigm shift. I need to make a few points about myself for you perhaps to understand.

As the youngest sister I grew up in hand me downs leggings and oversized jumpers renown for always wearing a baseball hat. College was a mixed bag. I won’t lie I often wore my PJ’s and an aran jumper to class (that’s how you snag a man girls).

Never without my trusty baseball cap...

My BOI/ Daily Mail days were plagued by comments on my striking resemblance to Ugly Betty. There was a pair of red glasses and poncho involved so really I was fair game…

Ugly Betty Era

A toy boy when I was younger I’d very little interest in makeup and clothes. Anything I really liked I was never allowed leave the house in (Hawaiian shirts are cool okay?) and everything else depressed me.

I moved out of home over 10 years ago and I always know I’m home when my Mother remarks that it wouldn’t hurt to wear a bit of make up as I arrive like a crumpled piece of paper off the train.

For my job interview for KISS I borrowed a fabulous pair of designer shoes and got fake nails. Once I got the job I quickly reverted to natural state - flats. I mentioned in to my boss after to see if she noticed (or minded) that the well dressed lady at the job interview turned out to be just a sloth. She told me no - she had seen me snot myself in those borrowed designer shoes from her office window directly after the interview. She was under no illusions.

So where is the paradigm shift? It happened today as I told someone that Denim on Denim was actually a trend (though we agreed not everyone could pull it off) and that I was looking forward to A/W as there is an emphasis on textured looks (gonna rock that aran jumper like a mofo) I suppose the influence of working in a glossy magazine for four years has left its mark on me. I just didn’t notice until I left.

Then I remembered…

Last week I visited Brown Thomas just to say “allo” to a pair of Marc Jacobs ballet pumps. They’re €215 for ballet pumps? That’s actual stupid? And yet…they will be mine…

Last weekend when I cleared my boyfriends clothes out of the wardrobe and stuck them in the spare room. I needed more room for clothes. Not just clothes but shoes and handbags too. While my makeup is stored is 4 different boxes on my dresser full of knickers.

In fact the last time I when home I spend the train journey applying makeup and wore heels. My Mother said I looked well!!!

 

I mean I still don’t iron, I own lounge pants and am generally covered in cat hair but it turns out Ugly Betty was very fashion forward.

My sudden ability to apply liquid eyeliner and turn around an outfit which can be described "elegant" honestly scares me. The thought that there is such a vast improvement and yet I often wander out in public like that crumbled piece of paper scared me more.

What's going on in my life that makes me actually care about Victoria Beckham's new optical line? That I spend hours on pinterest or researching manicures online?

Being better groomed - presentable is on my to do list but does that mean I'm giving up on the idea of being myself? Style I suppose is a form of expression but what would those 215 quid Marc Jacob shoes be saying about me?

My style has always been uniquely me. I wouldn't want to lose that for universal approvable but God why do I want those shoes...

Somehow this is all so much more than me wanting pretty shiny things.

Via Les Evictions?

I really found it interesting the lack of compassion in the comments online surrounding the eviction yesterday of a 63 year old woman and a 71 year old man from their house in Killiney.

I don’t know the exact details of the case but personally I think it’s wrong to evict pensioners. Is that ageist? Foolish idealism? Or just respect for my elders?

My thinking is whatever the bank or the couple say regarding the others’ terrible attempts to solve the situation their both probably a little bit right. Do I suspect the bank would aggressively chase the owners  of a valuable property rather than one with none? Maybe not them give as much room to manoeuvre? Yes I do. Do I think this couple made bad investments (probably on Anglo’s advice) and mismanaged their finances? Clearly in hindsight yes they did. They aren’t the only ones.

Does it matter they happen to be seemingly well off? Everyone else seems to think so. Yes they have other houses worth XYZ however, they aren’t worth XYZ if no one is buying. While you have someone renting them at least you can put that money towards their individual mortgages. That doesn’t give you a place to live or money to pay your own mortgage. Lawfully they could evict their tenants for a place to live but let’s be honest that’s not good practice. You know you can live in a big fancy house and still not afford a to heat it or put food in the fridge.

People have argued they broke the law so it’s fair they were evicted. Well when you stick to the absolute letter of the law feel free to throw the first stone. However, if you’ve ever jumped on the luas for just one stop without paying please go hand yourself in at the nearest Garda Station. Actually I’m wrong because that’s a criminal act. This particular case wouldn’t of been seen at the criminal courts because it’s not. It would have been through the commercial courts hence why Garda was there but didn’t act when the gentleman in question was manhandled. Myself I’d prefer if Garda’s time was better used then supervising bailiffs.

At the end of the day these two people worked hard all their lives and now they are living on the street outside their home. They no doubt over the years they gave back to their local community, charity and most importantly to the Irish exchequer. If you’re in 60’s or 70’s this isn’t your first recession. It’s the hard work of the generations that came before us (I’m 27) that meant I could get a good education, enjoy a better standard of living and avail of better opportunities. This generation are still contributing today. I don’t ever want to take that for granted.

We won’t get out of this recession without common sense and compassion.

Cupcakes, Coasters and Chocolate: 10 Valentine’s Day Home Goods You’ll Fall For

Cupcakes, Coasters and Chocolate: 10 Valentine’s Day Home Goods You’ll Fall For

The bride wore blue « Nathalie Marquez Courtney Photography

The bride wore blue « Nathalie Marquez Courtney Photography

Nathalie was my editor in KISS though I often referred to her as my President or Mother Nature. She is one of the world's most naturally talented peeps!

When she is not ensuring the next generation has heart, morals and ambition through KISS she takes a mean photograph.

This is a beautiful wedding and a beautiful blog post. Enjoy!

A Winter-Themed Shoot & a Bride with Purple Hair

A Winter-Themed Shoot & a Bride with Purple Hair

You had me at purple hair. I love the Rock n Roll Bride Blog.

Senakah - Human Relations

Aw my foxy sister Caroline is in a music video!

What Makes a Good Wife...and Am I a Bad One?

What Makes a Good Wife...and Am I a Bad One?

Read it purely for the "floordrobe" mention.

Photography Credit: Dita Von Teese for Instyle, USA, February 2011