Crackbird and ANEWSPACE

I got Dan to take a few photos of my outfit today on the new camera before heading for lunch to Crackbird and then checking out some of the sales (expect a post on what I found soon). If you haven't been to Crackbird yet and find yourself around the Dublin area within the next month then I implore you to go there. It's one of these newfangled "pop-up" restaurants (not that anyone understands what that means) but it is "flying the coop" as they've put it, i.e. closing, at the end of January! If you like chicken and are looking for a quirky place for lunch or dinner then this is your only man. Prices are pretty reasonable, as reasonable as you'll get city centre anyways, and it's located on the, yes I'm going to say it, uber cool South William Street.

While you're there actually you should check out ANEWSPACE street art gallery across the street that have an extensive collection of Irish and International street art prints as well as originals and some cool nik naks too. My ever so cultured brother brought me there and we have both bought pieces since; him from his own money, me on the other hand not so much as I am still a poor student though I one day do hope to pay all my debts back when I become an engineer for NASA and am the first person on Mars.......yeah, one can dream.

In case anyone's wondering, I haven't been asked to promote either of these places, I just think they're cool and it's a nice way to spend an afternoon if you are that way inclined. 

outfit

jumper, ring- Primark/Penneys

Shirt- Jennyfer (France)

leather shorts- Forever21

boots- Carvela

bag- Bags4Life (vintage)

P.S. I still haven't quite gotten the knack of the new camera but I'm working on it. I've also decided to do more outfit posts, cos apparently people like them, but intermingle these with snippets of interesting things to do around Dublin along with random ramblings from my mind. I hope that's alright.

Another year over, and a new one just begun...

I'm not a girlie-girl, and those who know me will know this. I never played with dolls really as a child, Barbie being the exception cos she's just great and yes I do have a collection of collectable editions at home, but that's another day's story. By dolls I mean the Baby Born typed things, you know the ones that were like "real-life babies". I had a Baby born, but it spent much of its life under my bed where it still lives to this day; call child services, I know.

Although I'm not a girlie girl, I was never a tomboy either, keeping to the female past-times like ballet rather than football or the like. This mix I suppose you could say comes across in the way I dress. Though I might be more comfortable in a denim jacket and a pair of men's brogues, I can't but help myself enjoying a good sparkly dress for big occasions. This sparkly side of mine came out on New Year's Eve when I donned this Baroque style sequined dress from Topshop and even scraped my hair off my face for once in an attempt to look "made-up". 

Of course I couldn't be all girlie and so coupled the dress with my double-finger cross ring, also from Topshop, to make the look a bit......I don't know.... rockier let's say.

Happy New Year guys!

Penny Loafers, no socks.

I've had requests to go back to the old style of "outfit posts" that I used to do so what better time than New Year's Eve to change my ways and start something new.....well, old really but you get the idea.

disco pants- American Apparel

penny loafers, necklace, ring- Topshop

bag- Lulu Guinness

shirt- Primark/Penneys

P.S. I'm still a bit clueless with my new camera so any advice on how to take good outfit photos with a Canon EOS1100D would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Saturday Playlist

Taking a break from writing a report on the die forging process of connecting rods to bring you my Saturday Playlist. 

"The Lovecats"- The Cure

Hadn't heard this song in ages but it came on the radio today on the way to the gym and I was reminded how much I like it so I thought I'd put it into today's playlist in the chance that you too might also enjoy it.

"Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties"- Man Like Me

Made famous by the Ikea ad, and I cannot tell a lie, this is where I too first heard it, but do not let this take away from the fact this is a (dare I use the word) "funky" tune.

"I Know You Know Me"- The Tease

Keeping with the theme of songs made famous by ads, here's another one for you. I can't right now actually remember what the ad was mind you, which I suppose shows the success of the song over the product it was meant to be advertising!

"Video Games"- Lana Del Ray

I know I had her in last week's playlist but I feel this song deserves a spot on the list as not only is it in the charts and thus widely liked, it is a nice break from the fast paced, dancey, "popular music" that's been abundant over the past few years. Lady Gaga I'm talking to you. Hopefully people are seeing sense and beginning to change their musical tastes for the better, not that I'm in any position to judge mind, I am going to see Westlife in June.

And on that note...

"Lighthouse"- Westlife

Out of place with my other music choices? yes

Controversial? most definitely

Good song? Well, I'll let you be the judge of that.

Being from Westlife's hometown it's difficult not to love the lads and listen to their Greatest Hits album on repeat with the girls while preparing for a night out; a night out where you in fact bump into said lads in your local pub might I ad. Okay so you may not like them but you cannot deny their insane success and even the most cynical among you might swallow your pride in admitting they've made quite an impact on the music industry. 

You can keep your underground Brooklyn indie bands thanks, I like to support the locals.

Get a new camera....

...take loads of close-up photos of things in hi-def and think you're a professional photographer.

On Christmas Day...

And so this is Christmas.... and thus ends my advent posting. 

I hope Christmas was good to you all as it was to I. I got an SLR camera so you can expect some pretty mediocre attempts at artistic photography up here in the near future. As for now, three "super-cool" photos taken on my phone with vintage effects aplenty.

 Enjoy!

Christmas Presents

selection box

TopGear annual

Classic Christmas Collection

Adopt a Meerkat

Westlife tickets

Canon EOS 1100D

Merry Christmas to all, 

and to all, a goodnight.

Saturday Playlist

Hope everyone's having a lovely Christmas Eve! I'm curled up on the couch by the fire relaxing as one should be at this time of the year. Nonetheless I am here to bring you this Saturday's playlist without fail!

"Born to Die"- Lana Del Ray

Okay so maybe I'm a bit late jumping onto the old Lana Del Ray bandwagon and although I do prefer her debut song "Videogames"(I know she had an album before so I'm using debut in this context to mean "first song to be widely known"). I chose to put this song into my Saturday Playlist however due to the fact she's wearing a jacket pretty much the same as my Ferris Beuller one I posted about here. 

Girl's got style.

"White Winter Hymnal"- Fleet Foxes

Listened to this in the car driving home yesterday with my brother. I know the song but never knew it was Fleet Foxes. I generally don't know song names so really I shouldn't be writing about music......alas.... The wonders of the internet ay?! Giving people with no clue about a topic a sense of entitlement to write about it as though the were an expert.

"Karen"- The National

Over a year ago Dan put "Aligator" and "Boxer", two of The National's albums on my iPod and I was immediately hooked. I chose Karen for this Saturday Playlist as it puts me in mind of the character Karen from Californication. That said, if you've never watched Californication, go do it.

"Cemetery Gates"- The Smiths

This is my favourite Smiths song. It has a different kind of upbeat feel to it I feel compared to the usual somberness,  or "like sandpaper to the ears" as one of my friends once noted, associated with The Smiths. I guess you can't please all of the people all of the time!

"Lounger"- Dogs Die in Hot Cars

Great band name. Great song. Great dance.

(I know this isn't the actual music video but I thought these guys deserved to be included in my list for their efforts)