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Monthly Archives: May 2017

There is nothing we love more than curling up in a knitted jumper with a cup of tea in our hands and our favourite scented candle burning.

This aesthetic has been pioneered by Danish cosiness concept, hygge, which is still going from strength to strength since its adoption by popular culture last year. 

Luckily, Penneys has us covered, paying homage to hygge with their latest homeware collection. 

From oven mitts to fairy lights and everything in between, we're ready to feel all comfy and cosy once the night sets in.

Faux sheepskin rug €10, Bronze lamp €8.00, Cushion €8.00, Storage bin €4.00

 Knit blanket €23.00, Rug €7.00, Cloth napkins €2.50, Bronze lamp €10.00

Tea lights  €1.30, LED fairy lights €2.50

Knitted storage bin €10.00, Bronze lantern €10.00, Over mitt €3.50, Table runner €5.00

Feature image: Pinterest

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Perhaps best known for playing James Bond, actor Roger Moore has died at the age of 89.

Taking to Twitter to share the heartbreaking news with the star's fans and followers, Roger's family released a statement announcing his passing.

"With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moor2, passed away today," read the post. "We are all devastated."

The typed statement photographed in the Twitter post paid tribute to the actor's life and the impact he has made over the course of the last 89 years.

"It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer. The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone."

"We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement."

"The affection our father felt whenever he walked on to a stage or in front of a camera buoyed him hugely and kept him busy working in his 90th year, through to his last appearance in November 2016 on stage at London's Royal Festival Hall."

After recalling that memorable night last year, Roger's children wrote: "Thank you Pops for being you, and for being special to so many people."

Tributes to the legendary performer have already begun pouring in as Hollywood comes to terms with the death of a much-loved and respected actor.
 

 

 

 

 

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We all have a million and one striped breton tops hanging up in our wardrobes.

It's seriously to the point where our washing line sometimes looks like the laundry of a Where's Wally reject.

But unfortunately, our go-to look might actually be bad for our health.  

 

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 According to researchers at University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC) in the Netherlands, there could be a potential link between looking at stripes and getting headaches.

Looking at static parallel lines could increase brain activity in some people, which sounds like it should be a good thing.

But actually, the activity can lead to severe migraines, and in some cases even seizures and epilepsy.

 

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‘Our findings imply that in designing buildings, it may be important to avoid the types of visual patterns that can activate this circuit and cause discomfort, migraines, or seizures,’ said Dr Dora Hermes, head of the research.

This discovery will be majorly inconvenient for future work outfits…

Feature image: Instagram / Rejanemode

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Iceland is becoming more and more popular with Irish wanderlusts, with the beautiful landscapes and gorgeous cities.

There are a few things you definitely shouldn't miss while in the land of fire and ice, and we have them listed right here. 

1. Northern Lights

Obviously the Northern Lights are a must-see when in Iceland, and there are a few key places you can go to witness the spectacular phenomenon. 

Some of the most popular places to see the Aurora is Landmannalauger, Vik on the south coast, the West Fjors or at the harbour in Borgarnes. 

2. Whale Watching Tours

There is so much marine life to be seen off the Icelandic coast, and a whale watching tour is a great way to enjoy an authentic experience.

With tours ranging from €50-€100 and a menagerie of animals to see including whales, seals and puffins, it's well worth the trip. 

 

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3. Gullfoss Waterfall

This famous waterfall is renowned for its glorious three-step fall, which gives the rushing river a unique look that is well worth the trek to see.

The waterfall is also an excellent point of activity, where you can embark on diving, glacier hiking and snowmobiling endeavours from. 

 

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4. Glacier Snowmobiling

One for the thrill seekers, gliding across a glacier on a snowmobile is an unforgettable experience.

There are a number of companies who provide the service, but one of the most popular departs right from the Gullfoss falls. 

 

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5. Appy Hour

When in Reykjavík, quite a few bars and clubs run their happy hour until midnight, and with Iceland not being the cheapest country to visit, the more bargains you can get the better. 

To cater to this, there is an app called Appy Hour which you can download to find the best deals in the city.

We definitely recommend downloading it before you go. 

 

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Looks like James Corden can add 'celeb beef mediator' to his CV as he expertly got to the bottom of one of Hollywood's most famous feuds last night.  

Katy Perry recently joined the actor/ late night talk show host as a guest on the hit Carpool Karaoke series, but it looks like James wasn't just there to sing.

Instead, he took the opportunity to get to the bottom on the singer's infamous feud with Taylor Swift. 

"There's a situation," Perry said. "Honestly, it's really like she started it, and it's time for her to finish it." 

 

Only in LA #katyperry #carpoolkaraoke

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If you don't' know by now, their public feud stems back to a mix up with some backup dancers and a miscommunication between the pair. 

“I tried to talk to her about it and she wouldn't’t speak to me.” Katy says in the video.

It is widely believed that Taylor wrote her hit single Bad Blood about her beef with Katy, and now fans have speculated that Katy's new track Swish Swish is a response. 

"I do the right thing any time that it feels like a fumble," Perry says. "It was a full shutdown and then she writes a song about me, and I'm like, OK, cool, cool, cool, that's how you want to deal with it? Karma!"

''It's all about karma, right? I think personally that women together, not divided, and none of this petty bulls–t, women together will heal the world." 

James then rather lightheartedly asked the singer if she would be prepared to "remove the beef from the grill" if Taylor approached her. 

Katy agreed "100%".

James then took us back to what Carpool Karaoke is all about when he turned the radio up and Roar began to play. 

Check out the video below. 

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We put down irregular periods to many things.

Being stressed out at work. Having a bad diet. Being sick.

But, it turns out that a pretty common syndrome can be the cause of irregular periods, and you don't even know you have it.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, can cause your time of the month to be erratic, or in some cases, prevent the arrival of your period.

PCOS can't be diagnosed by just one simple test, but there are various signs and symptoms that could help you identify it.

As stated above, absent or irregular periods could be an indicator, as well as weight gain, acne, excessive hair and infertility.

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But don't be alarmed if you recognise some of these symptoms, because you're not suffering alone, and there are many ways to treat it.

Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine told Women's Health that between five and 10 percent of menstruating young women display symptoms of PCOS.

Another doc, Mamta Mamik, M.D., an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai told the publication that "one of the conundrums is whether or not you develop PCOS and then gain weight or gain weight and then develop PCOS. Probably, both can happen.”

If you are overweight, Mamta advises you to create a balanced diet and exercise plan for yourself.

“Weight loss really helps to normalise the abnormalities,” she says.

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She further explains that if you have any other symptoms, including infertility or diabetes, go straight to your doctor to get checked out.

Your ob-gyn can order blood tests to be carried out which can signal if you have an abnormal level of sex hormones in your body, or high levels of testosterone. 

If you think you have PCOS, Mamta assures that “in general, the treatment is quite straightforward."

If you're not trying to get pregnant, the contraceptive pill can be a great option as it controls the levels or hormones you produce, as well as controlling the outcome of your eggs.

However, if you do see a little baba running around in the near future,  your gynaecologist can give you medication called Clomid, which starts you ovulating. “Success rates are quite high," Mamta assures.

Everyone is different however, so if you believe you have PCOS, talk to your doctor or gyno, and they can advise the right course of action for you.

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Summer is here, and we're ready to give our interiors a little bit of a lift to go with the bright and airy season. 

Luckily, one of our favourite homeware havens Zara Home is giving us just that with their new collection.

Check out a few of our favourite pieces: 

 Pillow covers €22.99Place settings €15.99, Mug €6.99, Rug279.00

Pink cushion €22,99, Bed set €45.99, Rug €99.99, Green cushion €22.99

Candelabra €39.99, Chalice candle €9.99, Elephant candle €19.99, Floor cushion €69.99

Photo frame €17.99, Wall mirror €69.99, Glass pot €22.99, Ceramic vase €29.99

Tree candle €11.99, Bell bulb lamp €59.99, Coral lamp €99.99, Round table nest €149.00

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According to emerging reports, a 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last night's terror attack in Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that the individual was arrested in the city this morning.

"With regards to the ongoing investigation into last night’s horrific attack at the Manchester arena, we can confirm we have arrested a 23-year-old man in South Manchester," they said in a statement released to the press.

Earlier reports suggested that the individual responsible for the attack on Ariana Grande concert-goers at the Manchester Arena died by suicide at the scene, however, confirmation that he had been working alone had not been offered.

Speaking out about last night's atrocity, British Prime Minister, Theresa May, condemned the actions of those responsible and insisted that terrorism will not win.

"The terrorists will never win and our values, our country and our way of life will always prevail," she said outside Downing Street following a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee.

The current death toll stands at 22.
 

 

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After a long day at work, there is no better feeling than dropping a gloriously scented bath bomb into a tub of hot water and having a good soak.

Through the haze of delicious scents and choruses of 'can I help you with anything?' that populate a Lush store, we almost always head straight for the precariously stacked, rainbow-hued corner which houses the bath bombs, so we like to think we're a bit of an expert when it comes to a Lush bath. 

That's why we weren't hugely surprised to discover that one particular bath bomb is the ethical bath product company's best-selling product. 

The Intergalactic Bath Bomb takes the top spot, with one being sold every 10 seconds, and 3.5 million sold across the globe last year. 

Lush describes the magical blue bomb as taking a trip through the beautifully coloured cosmos.  

'Invite the cosmos into your bathroom with this sexy, interstellar bomb and become the guardian of your own galaxy.'

'An awesome mix of refreshing peppermint and neon colour sends your mood rocketing, while popping candy takes you on a trip around the Milky Way.'

We're pretty sure we have one of the bad boys at home, so we know exactly what we'll be doing this evening. 

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Public Wi-Fi networks are an absolute godsend. 

They act as our lifeline to the outside world while travelling or even just when the 4G  is down. But have you thought about the potential risks these open networks might pose to your privacy? 

A new security report has warned of the potential security dangers of connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. 

According to the study, networks in cafés and coffee shops are particularly “high-risk” due to their popularity and convenience.

Cyber criminals are using public networks to target people and access their private data without them even realising.

A report from iPass claims: “Wherever there is an unsecured public Wi-Fi network, there is the threat of attack.” 

“However, coffee shops are seen as the most dangerous public Wi-Fi venue of all.”

The extensive research involved 500 IT decision makers from the UK, US, Germany and France found airports and hotels to be other potential high-risk areas.

“Our research shows that man-in-the-middle attacks are considered to be the greatest mobile security concern of using public Wi-Fi hotspots (69 percent),” the report explains.

“This is when a hacker secretly attacks the data flowing to and from the Internet to the mobile device.”

It's believed that the hackers behind these sort of cyber attacks can intercept communication between two parties without either of them noticing. 

Vice president of engineering at iPass, Raghu Konka says: “Cafés and coffee shops are everywhere and offer both convenience and comfort for mobile workers, who flock to these venues for the free high speed internet as much as for the the coffee.”

“However, cafés invariably have lax security standards, meaning that anyone using these networks will be potentially vulnerable.”

So, next time you're enjoying a coffee and a thorough Facebook scroll, remember to be aware of the potential threats. 

 

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Heading Stateside for a J1 is a right of passage for young Irish students, so if you have been holding onto hope of doing one, now is your chance.

There are still a number of the coveted Visas left for this summer for the on the J-1 Summer Work and Travel (SWP) programme.

The catch is, applications must be submitted by the end of this month, so you better get cracking. 

Last February, the Embassy announced that Ireland had been allocated an additional 2,600 J1 Visa slots for this year. 

'The U.S. Embassy in Dublin is fully committed to the success of the J-1 programmes in Ireland,' reads a statement from the embassy.

'In addition to the popular Summer Work and Travel program, Irish students can participate in the Camp Counsellor, Au Pair, and Intern programmes.'

'The Embassy is working with Irish government representatives as well as U.S. and Irish program implementers to ensure Irish students continue to benefit from the J-1 program.'

There are a number of rules in place for J1 hopefuls, including having proof of employment before heading to the US. 

Feature Image: Kinder Travel Guide

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The 1975 were playing a gig in Detroit, Michigan when the lead singer Matt Healy gave a heartfelt speech about the Manchester attacks.

The band frontman, who is from Manchester, spoke his mind about the attack, labelling the targeting of kids as 'bulls**t.'

'I’m bored of nationalism and I’m bored of racism. It’s over. Nationalism, religion, all these regressive things, they’re over. We can’t carry on in the way that we’re carrying on,' he said. 

'We’re from Manchester and where we used to hang out, the actual place that we used to hang out, someone put a bomb in there tonight and then killed a bunch of kids that were going to a f**king show in Manchester.'

'I don’t need to be educated on f**king anything to say that that’s bulls**t.'

'I don’t know what it’s in the name of, so I apologise if it’s not in the name of religion, if it’s not in the name of nationalism, but these are things that keep happening and I’m f**king pissed off about it. And I’m sorry.'

The attacks occurred last night at an Ariana Grande concert in the Manchester Arena, killing 22 and injuring 59.

Children are among those confirmed dead.

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