Pigsy Art - Christmas decoration

A couple of days ago I came home to find a little parcel in my post.  I wasn't expecting anything so I was pretty excited to find out what it was - there really is nothing like getting a parcel is there?!

 

When I opened it I found a beautiful Christmas ornament and a letter signed by Pigsy.

I follow Pigsy on twitter and had shared a competition which of course I instantly forgot about once I had done so :-)

 

This is a very cool Christmas decoration - of a (Pigsy) stylised angel.  I think it's too cool to just use at Christmas and I have it hanging in my window where I like the juxtaposition of its street art look and feel, versus the grandeur of the Irish Government Buildings.

Pigsy is the alter ego of my brother in law, and award winning architect Ciaran McCoy.  I just adore his work and I've been threatening to buy a painting of his for a while now.  I know I will at some point but for the moment I guess this little piece will have to do me. 

 

Check out Ciaran's website here for more examples of his work.  And also you should check out his twitter as he runs competitions from time to time so you might be lucky enough to get your hands on a piece like me too!

 

 

Sunday brunch

It's been a fun weekend - after college on Saturday I met up that evening with some friends for our Book Club night.  "Book Club" - which also could be called Wine Club!

 

Then on Sunday Enid, Alice and I met up for an impromptu brunch - arranged late on Saturday.  Alice has recently moved house and lives much nearer to Enid and I now so she cycled in to my place.

 

We have spoke about how in November when we are in Key West we will drink breakfast cocktails every day so I figured we'd have a practice run today.

I made espresso martini's which Enid and Alice found a little too kicky (a little too much vodka?) so to counter this I added a little Baileys which made them more smooth and creamy.

 

We then went to our usual brunch spot of the M&S restaurant on Grafton Street.  The food is just ok there, but it works for us for sitting and chatting for a few hours - particularly if we get one of the nice booths.

I had the smoked salmon bagel which was nice.  Afterwards I had a craving for something sweet so I got this Red Velvet cupcake which looks divine doesn't it.  I should have read the description of it properly.  It was filled with raspberry jam (bleugh) which I do not like.  And the cream cheese topping was very bitter. So it was not for me!  I'll know better in future.

Dress shopping

Both Enid and I bought dresses over the weekend.  Both nice in different ways I think.

 

I bought this in "& Other Stories".

I had been looking at it before Christmas - the 1960's style is always a favourite of mine.  And so when I saw it reduced at 55% off I had to have it!

Enid bought this beauty (modelled by moi!) in The Kilkenny Shop.  It is for a city wedding she has coming up in May and she was delighted to find it now and be sorted. She just needs a nice pair of nude shoes to finish it off rather than the black I'm wearing in this photo. 

 

That is apparently me finished shopping for a while.  According to my wardrobe co0ordinator (mam) I have enough evening wear dresses. The only dresses I am to buy to now are work dresses she says.

Time out in La La Land

 

This morning I spent two magical hours in the cinema watching the beauty that is "La La Land"

 

It was amazing.  Completely and utterly exquisite.  Beautifully done with every last detail spot on.  Perfectly directed, perfectly shot, perfectly choreographed,  perfectly acted, sang and danced by the two perfect leads.  I think you are getting the picture here!

It has a wonderfully old fashioned feel to it, yet it is slick and modern at the same time.

 

I cannot recommend this film enough, 

Go and see it on the big screen where it deserves to be seen, and then buy it on DVD and watch it over and over again (as I intend to).  I intend buying the soundtrack on vinyl too.

 

I hope it sweeps the Oscars!

 

 

Blonde on brown

This has to be one of my favourite photos of Enid and I ever.  You know that phrase "I remember it like it was yesterday", well about this pic, it's true. 

We are sitting at the bar of Caroline's on Duval Street in Key West - it was coming close to the end of our holiday and we had gone to the bar specifically for a drink to meet with our friend who worked there on the bar, he has (young) twin daughters so twins was always a topic of conversation when we chatted.  It was cool and relaxed and we were both happy, and this photo captures that.

 

Anyway the reason I am posting it is my hair colour.  For a while now I've felt my hair is a little flat and colourless.  And while the photo above IS from maybe 10 years ago (eek!) and we are tanned from the Key West sun when I look at it it always make me think of going back to some blonde.

So on Friday I took that plunge!

My hair stylist Lau seemed happy with the colour as he took about a million photos of it!

I am pretty happy with it too.

 

It looks a bit lighter here.  To be honest it is probably even lighter in real life...  And probably lighter than I intended.  But you know my hair, it grows crazy fast.  I never panic about a hair cut or colour I don't like.

Ta-dah!

 

 

Off Beat Donuts

Donuts have got really popular in Dublin in the last year or so, and one of my favourite shops is Off Beat Donuts.

 

Their boxes of 12/24 etc fit perfectly in the carrier of my bike which for some crazy reason gives me an extraordinary feeling of happiness.  It obviously does not take much to make me happy eh!

Their flavours are just getting better and better.  Bottom left iced white and red is their red velvet which they now fill with an awesome vanilla cream.  They do the most incredible "Ferrero rocher" donut with a chocolate and hazelnut topping and an actual Ferrero rocher sweet in the middle!

 

This January I have not been great on avoiding carbs (the donuts above) and as I type I am eating pancakes in Starbucks.  I won this voucher above in a competition before Christmas...I think it's time I gave Karl that call.

New year sales

New year and some nice little bargains picked up in the New Year sales!

 

Do you remember I posted previously about this stunning dress that I saw in Dunnes before Christmas? 

 

Well I got it online at 60% off!

It doesn't look that special hanging up here does it?!

But this is it when I tried it on before Christmas. 

How great is this? 

 

Just need somewhere to wear it now...am sure something will come up, and when it does I have this perfect dress ready and waiting!

 

 

**************************************

 

And the other bargain buy in the New Year sales was plane tickets to Key West.  Alice, Enid and I are booked and set for the big trip in November! 

We will fly into Miami where we will do the cool drive down to the Keys.  And then nothing more to be done then just relax in paradise.