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Yearly Archives: 2019

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Valentines Day is around the corner and if your knicker drawer is looking kinda tatty, fear not.

Lidl have swooped in to save the day with a stunning range of fabulous bras, pants and the rest.

Esmara Lingerie is perf for a treat for yourself to buying someone a pressie because how could resist their selection of luxurious lace and silk style pieces?

Not us.

Available in 159 stores nationwide from Thursday, January 31, thanks to Lidl, you can look smokin' but your bank account won't suffer for it.

Lace thongs, €3.99

These intricate lace and elegant silk style lingerie are seriously timeless in their shapes and colours.

Mixing and matching won't be a problem as the things, briefs and bras all come in different colours and styles. 

Lace bra, €6. and lace briefs, €3.99

If you would rather something else than matching underwear why not opt for a lace bodice?

It's available in cream, black and a striking combination of black and white.

There is also a gorgeous silk style kimono that comes in black, pink, plum and silver – we LOVE it.

Silk style kimono, €9.99                                     Black lace bodice, €7.99

Lidl is also doing a stunning selection of Valentines flowers, on sale from Saturday February 9 – and we ADORE the roses. 

Keep things classy with a single red rose for €3.99, go big with a dozen large headed roses for a tenner or splash out on the more extravagant blooms like the Deluxe exclusive rose bouquet priced at €29.99 the Deluxe 100 red roses for €34.99.

All this and more will be on shelves in 159 stores nationwide from Thursday January 31.

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During my twenties, I spent a year and a half travelling the world, from India to New Zealand, Australia to Vietnam, Thailand to USA. 

No, I didn't win the lotto: my friend and I were travelling like poor backpackers, finding accommodation for less than 5 quid a night and eating for as cheap as we could. We saved for a few months beforehand, took on some small jobs along the way and managed to make it all work.

One of my fondest memories of this incredible trip is the two times I went to the Full Moon Party, on the island of Ko Phangan in Thailand.

If you are planning on going in the future, I have some advice for you.

 

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1. Do book your accommodation beforehand

For my first Full Moon, I arrived on Ko Phangan one day before what we had originally planed. We thought that the place that we had booked would have a room for a us anyway.

Of course they didn't. The whole island gets fully booked a few days before the D-day. We ended up sleeping in the laundry room of the hotel. That wasn't fun. 

2. Do not jump on the fire ropes

After a few glasses of naughty water (booze lads, I mean booze), it might look tempting to give these big jumping ropes a go and literally play with fire.

One of our friends did it and ended up in hospital for days with severe burns. You don't want to do that. 

 

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3. Do not buy the cheapest alcohol

At the Full Moon, the alcohol is purchased in colourful plastic buckets. For about a fiver, you can get pretty much any alcohol and mixer you like, but if you feel a bit fancy, mojitos and cocktail are also available for a few more quids. 

Whatever drink you decide to get, do not, I repeat, DO NOT get the cheapest unbranded whisky or vodka on the list. The difference in price isn't worth the utter pain you will feel the following day.    

4. Do not go into the water

Feeling a bit warm? Want to go for a quick dip? Sure, you are on the beach after all! 

A midnight bath during the Full Moon is a big no-no. Without getting into too much details, people use the sea as toilets and all you will end up doing is covering yourself in human excretions of all sorts. I'll stop here. 

The famous buckets

5. Wear your flip flops

As you can imagine, the beach doesn't remain clean for very long when thousands of people turn it into the world's biggest dance floor. Glasses, cans, and many other hazardous objects end up in the sand and you don't want to step on them. 

6. Don't bring anything of value

This one might seem pretty obvious, but better safe than sorry. Bring the minimum you will need for the night, enough money to enjoy yourself and get a tuk-tuk home, but don't bring a wallet, passport, expensive clothes or a pricey camera. 

 

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With all these simple precautions, you will probably spend one of the most amazing nights of your life, meeting strangers and dancing like there is no tomorrow. Enjoy it!

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Is there anything better than the run up to an engagement? The nerves, the excitement, the planning, and the selecting of the ring.

Traditionally, in male-female couplings, it is anticipated that the man will pop the big question – and it seems that expectation isn’t going anywhere quite yet.

Despite the taboo of a woman asking a man to marry her finally being banished from our society, it seems that for most, the traditional romantic elements of a proposal are still important, with 98% of male respondents to a survey by Fields the Jeweller saying that they are the ones who asked the question.

95% of women in male-female couples echoed this, saying 95% of the time that their partner had got down on one knee.

When it comes to cost, almost a quarter of respondents said they spent over €2000 on an engagement ring, with a similar number spending over €1000. This amount is very close the average spending on an engagement ring in the UK based on a recent study.

Less than one fifth of respondents spend €4000 or over on this special purchase, while one in ten will spend less than €1000.

Lets talk time frames – is there ever a ‘right’ time to get married after falling in love?

Irish people seem to prefer to leave some time between the engagement and their wedding day.

Over 50% of respondents waited over 2 years to get married, with one quarter waiting over three years.

Less than one quarter of respondents got married within 12 months of getting engaged.

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We adore the Insta Queen and all-round mega babe that is Emma Louise Connolly, so news that her latest collab with Nasty Gal has landed pretty much made our (pay) day. 

Emma Louise has teamed up with Nasty Gal to create a Spring edit – one of the trickiest trans-temperature style periods.

From pastel suits to black organza sleeves, there is a lot to appreciate in this collection: 

Suit jacket €54.00, Suit pants €34.00

To start, this corduroy suit is desk to disco perfection. 

The relaxed tailoring makes it perfect together with a white tee, or dressed up with a bralette and heels – or rock the suit as separates. 

The little white dress has swiftly taken over from it's black counterpart as the throw-on-and-go garment of choice for Insta's it-gals. 

Emma Louise styles hers with striking white cowboy boots, but we like it with white Stan Smiths and a beige trench coat for summer dates. 

 Top Notch Crinkled Satin Shirt €34.00

TBH this shirt will work harder for your wardrobe than you ever have – it's versatility and nod to a vintage vibe landed it on our selection of top picks. 

The silk accents make it look like it far surpasses it's 30 quid price tag in expense, and we're picturing it tucked into every pair of work trousers we have, along with being thrown, open, over a bikini come summer holidays. 

 Zip It Through Denim Boilersuit €81.00

Utility is one of 20129's top trends, with the functional boiler suit coming through as a top contender piece from the trend, and Emma's collection. 

Rather than sticking to a tradition neutral, Emma's popping blood orange shade is giving us serious 70s vibes. 

Roll up the trouser cuffs and add sneakers and a white turtleneck underneath for an edgy look. 

Chase Me Leopard Belt €16.00

While we're DECEASED over this sheer, balloon sleeve blouse (seriously, how stun would it be with denim shorts for a festival or a silk skirt for evening wear) – it's the belt that's stealing our attention. 

Leopard print is still a hit for 2019, but in more subtle elements such as this 60s print belt. 

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We could easily spend hours lusting over all of the stunning homes on Airbnb – especially during the dreary throws of January.

Luckily, Airbnb has revealed which of their stunning properties has accumulated the most wanderlusting likes on Instagram over the past 12 months. Unsurprisingly, the most popular community-generated images were dominated by breathtaking views – because who wants to look out the window of their holiday home if there’s no view to see?

While we’re used to seeing Mauritian water villas and NYC skylines on the travel-grams of the trends, Airbnbs most popular property is actually based much further afield…

10. The Triangle Siargao – General Luna, Siargao Island Philippines

A-framed cabins were a big hit with Airbnb’s Instagram followers in 2017 and they show no sign of waning in popularity.

With over 45,000 likes, this shot taken by @thetriangle.siargao perfectly encapsulates the authentic, rustic jungle vibe.

9. Exclusive Villa with Private Dock – Piano di Sorrento, Italy

Italy makes makes it’s memorable mark with this sweeping view of the Amalfi Coast.

The image, taken from the terrace of a cliffside Home on Airbnb, was shot by @lizbedor and has already garnered over 49,000 likes – and it’s not surprising that stunning Italian destinations will crop up four times on this top 10.

8. Incredible Apartment & Views Pool – Perledo, Lake Como, Italy

There’s no such thing as a bad view of Lake Como.

But the outlook from Alistair and Vicki’s apartment high above the village of Varenna is hard to beat. Beautifully captured by @sssoph90 and garnering almost 50,000 likes, this view is truly incredible

7. Vintage Design and Contemporary Art – Trastevere, Italy

An urban view this time, and another Airbnb Plus Home made the grade in this year’s review of most liked listings on Instagram.

In seventh position and amassing over 50,000 likes, the image taken by @jonisan is the only urban view to make it to this year’s top ten

6. The Boat House – New South Wales, Australia

Unless you’re an expert swimmer, the only way to reach Susan’s house on the Hawkesbury River is by boat.

The shot, taken by @sarahlianhan, captures the magic of the Home’s splendid waterside setting and has clocked up over 55,000 likes.

5. BEAUTIFUL RIAD Marrakech – Morocco

With just under 60,000 likes, this poolside snap taken by @theresatorp really evokes the spirit of Marrakech.

After a morning spent weaving through the town’s charming souks, this shaded traditional courtyard is the perfect spot to relax and cool down.

4. Joshua Tree Campover Cabin – Joshua Tree, CA

The fourth most liked image on Airbnb’s Instagram account in 2018 was also about rural vistas. This 1950s renovated Airbnb Plus cabin sits on over 22 acres and was the perfect place for @alalam100 to enjoy unobstructed sunrises and sunsets from the comfort of his own bed.

The image was liked over 65,000 times.

3.  Willow Treehouse – secluded, unique, romantic – Willow, NY

This shot, taken from inside a strikingly modern treehouse near Woodstock in New York state, has been liked an impressive 70,000 times.

Taken by @cristinarnieto, the image offers a tantalizing glimpse of an idyllic woodland setting that has made the treehouse Home such a hit with its many guests.

2. Lazzarella Room in Old Mill – Amalfi Coast, Ravello, Italy

The romance of Italy is perfectly captured in this photo taken by @jugglesatparties from the dining room of an old mill turned Home in Ravello, Italy.

Looking out over a heavily forested valley, a mere stone’s throw from the Amalfi Coast, it’s easy to see why this photo amassed almost 90,000 likes.

1. LUC 22 Boutique Alpine Retreat – Queenstown, New Zealand

The most liked photo on Airbnb’s Instagram profile in 2018 shows a bathroom like no other.

With almost 110,000 likes, this stunning Lake Wakatipu panorama, taken by @chachi86 from inside his Home on Airbnb, was a clear hit among lovers of a bathtub soak with a view.

 

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Since You became the murder series du jour over on Netflix, the Internet has been awash with fan theories and opinion s- one of which has rustled a few feathers. 

Joe, the show's protagonist, played by Penn Badgely, is a murderous sociopathic stalker, but his behaviour has been romanticised by some viewers of the show. 

Penn has previously opposed the idolisation of Joe, tweeting 'He is a murderer' in response to fans thirsting after his character. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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However, he had not intended for his combatative tweets to go viral. 

'I hadn’t thought about it, and when I did it I wasn’t thinking about it as a strategic move,' he told The New York Times of his tweets.

'I didn’t intend for it to go viral in this way; the whole point is for us to have an elevated conversation about the themes of this show.'

'What I ended up doing after a few of those tweets went viral was follow some of the users I quote-tweeted, and DMed them just to check in,' he said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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His DM-sliding led him to discover that he had misinterpreted at least one of the You-viewer's sentiments.  

'So I actually had a lengthy conversation over DMs with one woman, and she correctly pointed out that I had sort of misinterpreted what she said.'

'She was talking about why she was so charmed by me, the actor, rather than by the character of Joe.'

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Gwyneth Paltrow is in hot water after a 2016 skiing accident left a retired optometrist with a concussion and broken ribs. She is now being sued for reckless skiing by 72-year-old Terry Sanderson.

The Utah man has also accused Paltrow of fleeing the scene after crashing into his back, screaming as she did it. Local Utah news station KUTV, Sanderson is also claiming Paltrow was "out of control".

A lawsuit has now been filed against the Hollywood actress; according to court documents, Sanderson said, "Paltrow got up, turned and skied away, leaving Sanderson stunned, lying in the snow, seriously injured." Yikes.

The skiing instructor who allegedly witnessed the incident has blamed Sanderson for causing the accident, but Sanderson is insisting that the instructor is lying and refrained from helping him while injured.

The man apparently suffered a brain injury and four broken ribs, and said Paltrow "accepted no responsibility" and abandoned the Deer Valley Resort.

 Sanderson recalled "feeling very sore, and my brain felt like I'd been injected with novocaine, I don't know how to describe it,” he said at a recent press conference.

He has decided to sue Paltrow for $3.1 million. In a statement, Paltrow denied the claims through spokeswoman Heather Wilson; "This lawsuit is without merit and we expect to be vindicated."

The lawsuit maintains that the instructor skiing with Paltrow and her family filed a false incident report saying Paltrow didn't cause the accident.

Deer Valley Resort spokeswoman Emily Summers stated that the resort, which is also being sued, can not comment on pending legal matters.

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RTE News anchor Caitriona Perry has revealed that she is set to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet.

The 38-year-old announced that she was expecting her first child on Twitter.

She wrote, ''To all the eagle-eyed @rtenews #SixOne viewers who have been in touch…you are correct! I am expecting some ‘news’ of my own later this year.”

The former Washington correspondent then received many well wishes from her friends and colleagues.

Her co-anchor Keelin Shanley said, ''We’re all delighted Caitriona – v exciting – congratulations”.

Catriona spent four years working as RTE’s News and Current Affairs Correspondent in Washington before she and Keelin took over Six One from Brian Dobson and Sharon Ni Bhain.

Huge congratulations to Catriona and her husband on this fantastic news.

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Kate Hudson has something to say about her comments on raising daughter Rani ''genderless.''

The 39-year-old had spoken to AOL when she said that she and her boyfriend Danny Fujikawa were planning on bringing up Rani Rose with a  "genderless [approach]." 

The actor took to Instagram to straighten out her comments.

She wrote, ''Recently someone asked me something along the lines of if having and raising a girl is different from boys. My response was simple. Not really.''

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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She continued, ''This whole click bait tactic of saying I'm raising my daughter to be 'genderless' is silly and frankly doesn't even make sense."

Her post went on to say that, ''I raise and will continue to raise my children, both my boys and girl to feel free to be exactly who they want to be. To feel confident in their life choices and feel loved and supported no matter what."

She added, ''I just try to raise my kids to be good people with the best tools to face this big crazy world. And if they grow up and identify with something different than what others want to identify them as…Mama's cool with it! I keep it simple cause we all know raising kids is anything but!''

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Kate also made the point that she felt the question of gender was a bit old-fashioned as she believes that, ''not all girls want to be a princess, some want to be king."

Rani is Kate's first daughter and first child with boyfriend Danny.

She also has two sons from previous relationships – 15-year-old Ryder with ex-husband Chris Robinson and seven-year-old Bingham with ex-fiance Matt Bellamy. 

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Picketing officially began this morning for the nurses' strike, which is only the second time in 100 years that the group have carried out work stoppages.

According to The Journal, three-quarters of Irish people support the nurse's 24-hour strike, which is being carried out over an apparent recruitment and retention issue.

Nurses and midwives across the county will be out on the picket line today, fighting for pay and better working conditions at hospitals and private clinics nationwide.

Nursing unions are seeking pay parity with other health service grades, such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has announced that talks which were held at the Labour Court on Monday night did not lead to any breakthroughs.

The INMO has over 40,000 members, and announced the strikes earlier in January. Over 90 percent of members which were polled voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot held in November.

According to nurses, increasing their pay is the only way to retain nurses, and this would improve working conditions, as well as the recruitment and retention crisis among members.

The government has expressed it's concern over pay rises for nurses outside of the broader public sector pay agreement reached last year, and has refused to give in to the nurses' demands.

The strikes have gone ahead after the Labour Court claimed it would not intervene in the dispute in a formal way, as the government are anxious that other industries will also request pay rises if the nurses obtain their requested 12 percent rise.

A Claire Byrne LiveTheJournal.ie poll of 1,000 adults by Amárach Research found huge support for the nurses' action, with 74 percent of participants expressing agreement with the 24-hour strike. 

Only 17 percent said no, while 9 percent were unsure.

Members of the public have been requested by the HSE only to attend emergency services in hospitals if it is totally necessary.

Liam Woods, HSE national director of acute operations, commented; “We would appeal that patients would only attend the emergency services if absolutely essential."

In emergencies, there will be an emergency response, and any patients whose appointments or surgeries have been cancelled will achieve priority in the weeks following the strike.

The INMO has also said that further strikes will take place on the February 5 and 7, and then February 12, 13 and 14 if an agreement cannot be reached. 

Feature image: Limerick Leader

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January has almost drawn to a close, and if you managed to maintain your healthy eating resolution, fair play to you. 

You weren't alone, with Deliveroo seeing a 63% increase in the number of healthy orders made to offices for lunch across Ireland, particularly in Dublin and Cork. 

According to data accumulated by the foodie app, certain careers enjoy particular cuisines the most: 

Work in Finance? You might enjoy a standard lunch.

Deliveroo found that accountancy employees order classic sandwiches and wraps, while their investment services counterparts are a tad more adventurous, enjoying halloumi and grain salads, focaccia and artisan sandwiches. Swit swoo. 

Business and Consultancy workers tend to like a protein packed lunch with lean meats. This sector orders mainly from modern Greek restaurants.

Tech workers seem to enjoy the taste of Asian cuisine, ordering mainly Japanese foods such as sushi, ramen and noodles.

Advertising and Marketing employees are focused on a vitamin-infused breakfast, ordering double the amount of juices and smoothies versus any other profession.

They also favour brunch over lunch ordering egg pots, avocado toast, acai bowls or yoghurts, often in bulk for those morning meetings.

Engineering workers on the other hand, crave a good carby Italian to get them through the afternoon, ordering the most pizza and pasta out of all the professions. Delish. 

According to Deliveroo, those working in the Law sector make the most amendments to their lunch orders and love a good salad, just add extra chicken, remove the bread and give them extra sauce.

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PrettyLitttleThing have gifted us with yet another gorgeous collection from TV presenter and BBC Radio One DJ Maya Jama.

The stunning and versatile 'It Girl' is modelling the brand new collaboration, and BOY are we impressed with the new drop.

There's snakeskin, vinyl trenchcoats, faux fur jackets, zany prints, bold colours, relaxed urban tracksuits with chunky trainers and curve-hugging outfits; something for every body.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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She's a definite style goddess, and this is a sequel that's not to be missed. The second collection has some seriously sizzlin' pieces that we need in our wardrobes A-to-the-SAP.

Maya Jama worked alongside the brand's in-house team to design another sure-fire sell out collection, with a whopping 82 pieces available in sizes four up to 24.

Maya's personal style is immediately recognised, and the perfect lewks are combined with on-trend transitional pieces that merge streetwear with night attire. Think comfy but sexy:

We are DROOLING over the PVC pieces, as well as those gorgeous accessories to match, like berets and faux fur handbags.

Speaking on the PLT x Maya Jama second collaboration, the radio DJ said;

“I was so overwhelmed at the response and support for my first collection with PLT. It did so well that I couldn’t be more excited to unveil my second. Once again, it’s a total reflection of my character and personal style."

"I’m always on the move and so I’ve designed this collection for every girl, from size 4-24, so they’ve got the perfect look from day to night.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The 25-year-old is currently dating UK grime artist Stormzy, and features on the brand's new podcast, PLT: Behind Closed Doors.

The collection includes athleisure feels, sporty separates and oversized sweater dresses, paired with chunky trainers by day and over the knee boots by night. Nail those cool but comfortable looks with Maya Jama's range.

They've also got teddy bear tracksuits for the ultimate snug feel, but we are DYING to get these three pieces especially:

A pink suede jumpsuit, Aaliyah-style 90s denim wide-leg trousers and matching zip-up crop top, and a VINYL trenchcoat. These will grab attention for all the right reasons, trust us.

In conclusion:

Look= Served.

Wig= Snatched.

Head= Scalped.

If you want to immerse yourself in fashion that makes you look and feel good, don't play by the rules this season and check out Maya Jama's collection. 

These clothes will hug you in all the right places, we've already added all 82 pieces to our carts. (Zero self-control)

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