tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70665688327586253092024-03-08T19:34:34.257+00:00Penneys To PradaPenneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-55632666321743734022022-10-13T19:43:00.003+01:002022-10-13T20:36:10.704+01:00Copenhagen Travel Guide - What To Do, Where To Eat & Where We Stayed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSci5nTGpYRxxLZRGyWh6qwgaqPsVAE4O6yMoTv5vM70X-KzDUKuYSt7skLmZ4TQ0tFeweZU5qAV13IL4vYpCFMIp6QKe3ctRcoLk-c2pKc6oP-SoARDIBsO6CcJDNWLHh0Ky02zMCuuUpbfvMtXADF4wI7MXCZAOBfrsnJTGpJcnBrXyDeHIAZe8Zkw/s1242/Tezza-1541-min.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSci5nTGpYRxxLZRGyWh6qwgaqPsVAE4O6yMoTv5vM70X-KzDUKuYSt7skLmZ4TQ0tFeweZU5qAV13IL4vYpCFMIp6QKe3ctRcoLk-c2pKc6oP-SoARDIBsO6CcJDNWLHh0Ky02zMCuuUpbfvMtXADF4wI7MXCZAOBfrsnJTGpJcnBrXyDeHIAZe8Zkw/s16000/Tezza-1541-min.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Copenhagen is a city that's been on my 'Places To Visit' list for years now, so I'm delighted to have finally gotten to go there. While I will say it wasn't my most favourite European city that I've been to (Amsterdam, Budapest and Bruges would probably be my top 3), we did have a lovely weekend, and if you're planning a trip there soon, I have some great recommendations for you!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjxVKqODJ7dmdPira8Z7qtM8uCxQq-ziR5gjkhjxGXLi1yGs65vsPuk9CfuPowuCmM5LSK3z99npNwlyYbhCQlcbUA19Xr4WknIDWwmSJX979WivLtmh6uFirYvVEZm5UbV6tq63bgeQOMEh3jLOHUMzzpqOjoDhSteK7onUX5YdiJFys4liScRh3fw/s3781/Tezza-9259-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img alt="25Hours Hotel Copenhagen" border="0" data-original-height="3781" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjxVKqODJ7dmdPira8Z7qtM8uCxQq-ziR5gjkhjxGXLi1yGs65vsPuk9CfuPowuCmM5LSK3z99npNwlyYbhCQlcbUA19Xr4WknIDWwmSJX979WivLtmh6uFirYvVEZm5UbV6tq63bgeQOMEh3jLOHUMzzpqOjoDhSteK7onUX5YdiJFys4liScRh3fw/s16000/Tezza-9259-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxTi20642_JHshIuuuuogvlGGpD5E4K7joW5BjUexnAPUgPHcm8YUTKiTV_TjfacaVJ80UAE80IOPNULjcVNKYk-ndP3LoYPnFvFq2NpLhieMvjgVU2RJu2N44F8dbEHB_r4TSSFIEiYGtvGyIawtHfLPj0Cv0hbKYh465M9gZewBZpZ7En2andPQbA/s2268/Tezza-1578-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="2268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxTi20642_JHshIuuuuogvlGGpD5E4K7joW5BjUexnAPUgPHcm8YUTKiTV_TjfacaVJ80UAE80IOPNULjcVNKYk-ndP3LoYPnFvFq2NpLhieMvjgVU2RJu2N44F8dbEHB_r4TSSFIEiYGtvGyIawtHfLPj0Cv0hbKYh465M9gZewBZpZ7En2andPQbA/s16000/Tezza-1578-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHziy7aHYa6PCLGWcUjfxJINmLBpac9VubHu-_GcGHbl3jUq5w_iiBBBBWB1JNeKZGCgqFgUn139bKRfbkEDYU8F-CZ-P0R_d9SxreRyAJQpax8a3ELPStTuoBOYsOXk7oHRq_noTkRmw6BSwXnKnDM_psfpv11w8Iub72cen-atxzyVzR_1znyLY5A/s3780/Tezza-2958-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHziy7aHYa6PCLGWcUjfxJINmLBpac9VubHu-_GcGHbl3jUq5w_iiBBBBWB1JNeKZGCgqFgUn139bKRfbkEDYU8F-CZ-P0R_d9SxreRyAJQpax8a3ELPStTuoBOYsOXk7oHRq_noTkRmw6BSwXnKnDM_psfpv11w8Iub72cen-atxzyVzR_1znyLY5A/s16000/Tezza-2958-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMuJnY9sR39MmRNEVdYqUiPQ3MYIKoBZ5x9msD6XJ65GOtwThrqu7Y1NkODEX06twr5Mx9jJz7q97B3cWZ1mqTmoe3-pk1x2nVAs4bHGSbgCxL7qMx-P6FfCBm5zYyueSAgjwGTPGPOgrdCl4b2D6l5wl5WoGRavfXMde_q5ttfUXjoW3WL5g3aQGJw/s3780/Tezza-4777-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3025" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMuJnY9sR39MmRNEVdYqUiPQ3MYIKoBZ5x9msD6XJ65GOtwThrqu7Y1NkODEX06twr5Mx9jJz7q97B3cWZ1mqTmoe3-pk1x2nVAs4bHGSbgCxL7qMx-P6FfCBm5zYyueSAgjwGTPGPOgrdCl4b2D6l5wl5WoGRavfXMde_q5ttfUXjoW3WL5g3aQGJw/s16000/Tezza-4777-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Where We Stayed: <a href="https://bit.ly/3ReihqZ" target="_blank">25hours Hotel Indre By</a></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I couldn't recommend <a href="https://bit.ly/3ReihqZ">25hours Hotel Indre By</a> enough if you're planning a trip to Copenhagen anytime soon. It's right in the middle of the city, the decor is absolutely gorgeous, and I think it's excellent value for money. We booked a large room, and had the most amazing floor to ceiling windows. The room even had underfloor heating, although it wasn't cold enough to use it yet. A big comfy bed, a lovely rainfall shower, and USB sockets beside the bed, it ticked all of the boxes for what I'd consider a perfect hotel room. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><a href="https://bit.ly/3ReihqZ">The hotel</a> offers a breakfast style buffet, with the usual European breakfast options of cold meats, cheese and bread, but as the hotel is home to a NENI restaurant location (a fantastic chain of restaurants that serve the most delicious eastern Mediterranean food), there was also mango hummus and fresh olives in the buffet too. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">One of our favourite parts of the hotel was the happy hour that takes places in The Boilerman Bar at 5pm daily, where delicious highball cocktails are free for guests of the hotel. There was also a record room, where you could pop on a record and sit back and relax. Like I said, I truly do recommend this hotel, and as <a href="https://bit.ly/3ReihqZ">25hours Hotels </a>have quite a few locations around the world, I'll definitely be booking another of their hotels soon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXzYfR8A-auvG7BucZdbcDcW9Y3tpT8L3BwkRipk8GdC3n0gUz-ZiQ6kp2wM05CWrKnTD-2nT9FsaVmTrZLNxoPvb127lPb0gJ8W67o0KYm2FBiKyUDHwFCpHc2e72EH9XrYm-E7o79pGBnLDP-bklHLb-eZQFShY8vah91UEZ0M2gcZ3Igonxua3Ew/s2837/Tezza-6233-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="2268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXzYfR8A-auvG7BucZdbcDcW9Y3tpT8L3BwkRipk8GdC3n0gUz-ZiQ6kp2wM05CWrKnTD-2nT9FsaVmTrZLNxoPvb127lPb0gJ8W67o0KYm2FBiKyUDHwFCpHc2e72EH9XrYm-E7o79pGBnLDP-bklHLb-eZQFShY8vah91UEZ0M2gcZ3Igonxua3Ew/s16000/Tezza-6233-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfMyOVkibLR0-83Wt-W4Ohmlio9MN3Uo09GvaD9Fd6_zq6sj9YocIVcchgzQL7_uMgUPEdzvD5g9_nybUMXq2fyvJYxzPr1IYy1H9z80NgLZ0JpOM5s3yHehYVBWHbfkHbsFjIdX9Nh3fj7NgFmKIn0u1kndoEHaxdZgXJXo2WggAh8XO93Wse1OxSg/s3024/Tezza-3887-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfMyOVkibLR0-83Wt-W4Ohmlio9MN3Uo09GvaD9Fd6_zq6sj9YocIVcchgzQL7_uMgUPEdzvD5g9_nybUMXq2fyvJYxzPr1IYy1H9z80NgLZ0JpOM5s3yHehYVBWHbfkHbsFjIdX9Nh3fj7NgFmKIn0u1kndoEHaxdZgXJXo2WggAh8XO93Wse1OxSg/s16000/Tezza-3887-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOmVqZGf0dKUQANozDe9CWwsr4ITgfdJAy-JYC-52aAGojB5PtCFJll169kT82TBSoxXFCY_tHzNcOCUFE__jGRm4eZ29NBw_lEMhA0Mwy7uLjxjujA5fQUjiHypB6nQE7P3_GpLv3ZtG4FBzQGiRpDSWV4Vf89BudYuKf8POFUysWZx0oQdIK4j4SA/s1553/Tezza-3442%202-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOmVqZGf0dKUQANozDe9CWwsr4ITgfdJAy-JYC-52aAGojB5PtCFJll169kT82TBSoxXFCY_tHzNcOCUFE__jGRm4eZ29NBw_lEMhA0Mwy7uLjxjujA5fQUjiHypB6nQE7P3_GpLv3ZtG4FBzQGiRpDSWV4Vf89BudYuKf8POFUysWZx0oQdIK4j4SA/s16000/Tezza-3442%202-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWa0I-BaLsuACawrEPg040lngLRhf0kRKiYsJEKcRaAiRCMVzVZrvWki0lQds2Pvcp6DDRm9Gdpxl-VzFZyBEi2YDZeA7GMRAdOCKrfxg9lG-FyvWmnP1I8B2K0TST8m03y2J20zIaEsxbZGIYp-f9F12XaKc_XcJk0wiHEXu9C4at-bKIuSYXER75Q/s3024/Tezza-6318-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWa0I-BaLsuACawrEPg040lngLRhf0kRKiYsJEKcRaAiRCMVzVZrvWki0lQds2Pvcp6DDRm9Gdpxl-VzFZyBEi2YDZeA7GMRAdOCKrfxg9lG-FyvWmnP1I8B2K0TST8m03y2J20zIaEsxbZGIYp-f9F12XaKc_XcJk0wiHEXu9C4at-bKIuSYXER75Q/s16000/Tezza-6318-min.JPG" /></span></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: trebuchet;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Where To Eat: </span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">There definitely isn't a lack of great places to eat in Copenhagen, but one thing I will say is that when everyone goes on about how expensive Denmark is, they aren't lying. Now, nothing was extortionately priced, but overall, things were a good bit more expensive than most European cities. It's hard to give an exact example but I would say when you convert the prices over to euro, everything has at least €3-4 added onto the price compared to what you'd pay in Dublin. Anyway, enough on that, below are some of the places we ate that I'd highly recommend saving for your next trip to Copenhagen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br />- <a href="https://cantinacph.dk/home" target="_blank">Cantina</a>: I'd seen quite a few people recommend Cantina for delicious Italian food and it didn't disappoint. Anywhere with burrata on the menu is good in my eyes, and the rigatoni was also delicious!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br />- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apotek_57/?hl=en">Apotek57</a>: There's certainly no shortage of coffeeshops or bakeries in Copenhagen, and I think Apotek57 had to be my favourite. Amazing filter coffee (that was the only hot coffee option, and I appreciated the simplicity), and delicious baked goods, it's definitely one to pop into.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br />- <a href="https://laneta.dk/n%c3%b8rrebro.html" target="_blank">La Neta Nørrebro</a>: So some of you may have heard of Mikkeller, who make delicious beer, but they actually also have quite a few different restaurants (from ramen to tacos), and La Neta is one of those. My favourite food will always be Mexican, and I have to say, La Neta was one of my favourite taco places I've tried in quite a while. I'd highly recommend ordering the Chillakillers!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">-<a href="https://warpigs.dk/">Warpigs Brewpub</a>: Another of Mikkeller's food offerings is Warpigs. This place isn't one for vegetarians or vegans, so I apologise in advance, but if you love rock/metal music, smoked meat and good beer, then Warpigs is the place for you. Served in a canteen style, this is a great place to go and try out lots of Mikkeller and Warpigs beers (they have loads of taps in the walls which is really cool), and eat good old southern American barbecue food.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzQNeu_orAvMAYYL6MRvd64SO50Bqw-sFhS6y5icss3exSRYvAhrpmlQkqej1_-lOz7_SgwrZN5SZZJua_JKsxlBN3s05DB8gzDcZUF7DpW0nOaKVGmflkYoP55fpZeKkq1uXlEAP4ZWZXHUluxAr_KONbciYxiceOPcLH7gY7aUyB1P17nOGJAwZcg/s1242/Tezza-4486-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzQNeu_orAvMAYYL6MRvd64SO50Bqw-sFhS6y5icss3exSRYvAhrpmlQkqej1_-lOz7_SgwrZN5SZZJua_JKsxlBN3s05DB8gzDcZUF7DpW0nOaKVGmflkYoP55fpZeKkq1uXlEAP4ZWZXHUluxAr_KONbciYxiceOPcLH7gY7aUyB1P17nOGJAwZcg/s16000/Tezza-4486-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nU33aRZDhbRFfCjqGe_bdhkK21g3PPmmjayrOo6L4LujsaNvwKwPtAgV6VTkpf_pEOnZE50eqddbAfU0kVyj4wnlp7xkWbIZA4zastEwj8DHXDGicd8etcFV8d38-NPa_gGcTq4GLNYggRxuEiQJ5ihw5Fd4rjhi_ulwtAddzQ7JzKlQIF3Rn9Ea8g/s1553/Tezza-7724-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nU33aRZDhbRFfCjqGe_bdhkK21g3PPmmjayrOo6L4LujsaNvwKwPtAgV6VTkpf_pEOnZE50eqddbAfU0kVyj4wnlp7xkWbIZA4zastEwj8DHXDGicd8etcFV8d38-NPa_gGcTq4GLNYggRxuEiQJ5ihw5Fd4rjhi_ulwtAddzQ7JzKlQIF3Rn9Ea8g/s16000/Tezza-7724-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrt7lXptStiJhLwOOYgxdavBZJhLDJl7-VqcKFLdcFjPbD2_avhmqWMExrzglG5Rgvq7oAuksVcQpBYCgUd7TfIrdP--Gkv7-bQtOfqt34h-ofJ1wK2toL-hxBnGZsr-MWgOkZtB5ktEdzb6Lit90tGb5eXXe3HrkUNHDPghfSl61h_eR5_jVKmwDew/s1242/Tezza-1541-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrt7lXptStiJhLwOOYgxdavBZJhLDJl7-VqcKFLdcFjPbD2_avhmqWMExrzglG5Rgvq7oAuksVcQpBYCgUd7TfIrdP--Gkv7-bQtOfqt34h-ofJ1wK2toL-hxBnGZsr-MWgOkZtB5ktEdzb6Lit90tGb5eXXe3HrkUNHDPghfSl61h_eR5_jVKmwDew/s16000/Tezza-1541-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Things To Do: </span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Usually on weekend city breaks like this I'd have a jam packed itinerary with a schedule for all the sights we're going to see each day, but as this trip was for my birthday, I wanted to take it a bit easier than usual and just enjoy the city. We did see quite a few cool things though, so I'll pop them below for you to take note.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">- <span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://arhoj.com/" target="_blank">Studio Arhoj</a>: A visit to Studio Arhoj is a must when in Copenhagen. You can actually see the colourful glass mugs and ornaments being hand-blown in the back of the studio which is very cool, and the designs are just so bright and lovely. A great place to get some gifts to bring home with you, or even just treat yourself!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="text-align: center;">- <a href="https://www.forsvaret.dk/da/side/kastellet" target="_blank">Kastellet</a>: This was probably our favourite thing that we saw whilst in Copenhagen. It's an amazing fortress that you can walk through, and you'll find a picturesque windmill to the left hand side. If you walk through </span><span style="text-align: center;">Kastellet to the north gate, you can then walk around to the famous Little Mermaid statue and back towards the city. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="text-align: center;">- </span><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/planning/nyhavn-gdk474735" target="_blank">Nyhavn</a>: The famous harbour is definitely worth having a stroll along, we even stopped for a drink in one of the bars on the left hand side as there's lots of outdoor seating so you can people watch until your heart's content.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4i7YSJ9cfqtaHRUZiS_OwjVTorjMuwzD2yxzkYX9DTi6JxfyveREPhQ3HNlfhwkHzCASmVAFBERMU8A4c9UJ3-m3vf5OX0GDresqfVhgn8rr1ojVY0WdetPUfhzHF_rsZlkZOX3B4u1vUVrZlvxyu95IaVsjf1DgpEdx1Qm5E1zx6I8aoBIyjHRVvw/s1242/Tezza-0134-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4i7YSJ9cfqtaHRUZiS_OwjVTorjMuwzD2yxzkYX9DTi6JxfyveREPhQ3HNlfhwkHzCASmVAFBERMU8A4c9UJ3-m3vf5OX0GDresqfVhgn8rr1ojVY0WdetPUfhzHF_rsZlkZOX3B4u1vUVrZlvxyu95IaVsjf1DgpEdx1Qm5E1zx6I8aoBIyjHRVvw/s16000/Tezza-0134-min.JPG" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">So there we have it, my definitive (not really) travel guide to Copenhagen. It's a fairly compact city, so we actually didn't use public transport all that much, but they do have a very handy app called DOTs that you can download and buy a travel pass on that works on pretty much all of their transport, and also includes journeys to the airport. I hope you've found this helpful, and if you are heading to Copenhagen anytime soon, enjoy!</span></div></div></div></div>Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comCopenhagen, Denmark55.6760968 12.568337127.365862963821158 -22.5879129 83.986330636178849 47.7245871tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-58391948895979755622022-09-21T20:11:00.006+01:002022-09-22T08:18:32.491+01:00A Few of My Most Recent Favourite Hotels - The Hoxton Southwark, Hotel MOTTO Vienna, The Mayson Dublin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5mfZrGp5t-1B8tZXbi4FNmSlUy7vgvCwVwLTVSy8bfzaZBH-MjvLdfeRR5W7_Yatwj3MPHURAH5Z0u4r4VCS50w4BZvV1VOVpVgMJ6wveb6mCd1lYb91lVQ3IiPTA4jRwCYT3gEDaPNZai5wB8fJ73FzdpYnSYqmkYddHvgsDynwaVX5uXpMz2nQdw/s3157/17C8EB39-F26A-4EAE-9979-10F028909045-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3157" data-original-width="2526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5mfZrGp5t-1B8tZXbi4FNmSlUy7vgvCwVwLTVSy8bfzaZBH-MjvLdfeRR5W7_Yatwj3MPHURAH5Z0u4r4VCS50w4BZvV1VOVpVgMJ6wveb6mCd1lYb91lVQ3IiPTA4jRwCYT3gEDaPNZai5wB8fJ73FzdpYnSYqmkYddHvgsDynwaVX5uXpMz2nQdw/s16000/17C8EB39-F26A-4EAE-9979-10F028909045-min.JPG" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Long time, no blog post is an understatement. It's been over 2 years since my last blog post, and while I'm not entirely sure if blogs are still a thing people enjoy, I've certainly missed writing posts, so I thought I'd revive this little corner of the internet, and what better post to come back with then a roundup of a few of my most recent favourite hotels. There's nothing I love more than finding a gorgeous new hotel, and these three really impressed me, so without further ado, here they are...</span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_1-wBXNTeJwQIT19gUOnWAaWKiehfcL8_-ZIHbBf3rxTroEDFk9jDy4UQ77BR6EMyXSfDBM8A0d1RXz6YnGteE8YVs-nhHzHXm6RFLGld-PNSTQ1CZ74UQySxjch33CIGQW49-hlxDpNEsjgtUHN3LUioPoDImF_csB2TPzOBa1LF3jYmXKWy1CdBQ/s3781/F344F61C-7828-42D5-A323-2D42FE1E7CFF-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3781" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_1-wBXNTeJwQIT19gUOnWAaWKiehfcL8_-ZIHbBf3rxTroEDFk9jDy4UQ77BR6EMyXSfDBM8A0d1RXz6YnGteE8YVs-nhHzHXm6RFLGld-PNSTQ1CZ74UQySxjch33CIGQW49-hlxDpNEsjgtUHN3LUioPoDImF_csB2TPzOBa1LF3jYmXKWy1CdBQ/s16000/F344F61C-7828-42D5-A323-2D42FE1E7CFF-min.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><a href="https://bit.ly/3qU77gk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hotel MOTTO, Vienna</a>: </span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">We visited Vienna for the first time back in March, and during my research for the trip I came across </span><a href="https://bit.ly/3qU77gk" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;" target="_blank"><b>Hotel MOTTO</b></a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">, a boutique hotel with gorgeous interiors and the perfect location (it actually sits right on top of a metro stop). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRKFL91j2owQKNKE89Xl15jhc9Ur7E1VEIqkQGT-LLUjYw-bTJ9UcKpTFTCI2RZWryD04zAjHxNGLGlB7Sxa0L_1if3_QPX-MPHpxyOXT0ozbnpOQY4_uBVNiMaZ0msK1kTp5bUMSmycYpLTBNaVPIqEPjzXrtuc6AoaBhPdimxlK1psHvkDgrc9PMA/s3024/1-min.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRKFL91j2owQKNKE89Xl15jhc9Ur7E1VEIqkQGT-LLUjYw-bTJ9UcKpTFTCI2RZWryD04zAjHxNGLGlB7Sxa0L_1if3_QPX-MPHpxyOXT0ozbnpOQY4_uBVNiMaZ0msK1kTp5bUMSmycYpLTBNaVPIqEPjzXrtuc6AoaBhPdimxlK1psHvkDgrc9PMA/s16000/1-min.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>Location: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span>Hotel MOTTO is located in the </span></span><span style="text-align: center;">Laimgrube neighbourhood of the city and is just on the corner of the main shopping street, '</span><span style="text-align: center;">Mariahilfer Straße', which you can walk down (for about 15 minutes) to get straight into the heart of the city. Even though it's quite a busy street, with lots of people shopping and walking about during the day, the hotel rooms are lovely and quiet, which is great because while it's nice to be in the thick of it all, I still like a quiet hotel room. As I mentioned above, an entrance to the </span><span style="text-align: center;">Neubaugasse metro stop was just under the hotel, which we found very handy for hopping on the metro to get around the city.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lcNt8I4nkFzjViN2H84QWhtFtF0B7hiJ3EtBTrNM_ss22KKOtM3ZCbVUsxoGUIXIHTHo8ayTE4YVdRTk9c-BxPnVOY-9NKcQM1dyRFurzXjZsWb5yH2tQO64xOqlU3SsAwypB8iUIbxNFj8Ipv2rBgfwAcr2VKTA4Twx-QV8LMV5fN6UC2b5CbKpVQ/s3024/2-min.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lcNt8I4nkFzjViN2H84QWhtFtF0B7hiJ3EtBTrNM_ss22KKOtM3ZCbVUsxoGUIXIHTHo8ayTE4YVdRTk9c-BxPnVOY-9NKcQM1dyRFurzXjZsWb5yH2tQO64xOqlU3SsAwypB8iUIbxNFj8Ipv2rBgfwAcr2VKTA4Twx-QV8LMV5fN6UC2b5CbKpVQ/s16000/2-min.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; text-align: left;"><b>The Room:</b> </span><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I booked a Deluxe room, and as soon as I opened the door, I instantly knew it would be one of my top 5 most favourite hotel rooms that I've stayed in. Every little detail had been thought of and perfected, from gorgeous printed fabric that covered the headboard and wardrobe, to the most stunning claw foot bathtub. Speaking of the wardrobe, it was nice and big, with more than enough hangers (something that's so rare in hotels these days), so we were able to fully unpack and also store our suitcases in the wardrobe too, and since we were there for 4 nights, this was ideal. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>Overall:</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">We had such a great stay in <a href="https://bit.ly/3qU77gk" target="_blank"><b>Hotel MOTTO</b></a> and if you're thinking of booking a trip to Vienna, then I'd highly recommend staying here. There's a restaurant on the top floor with incredible views, and I think since we have visited they have opened their rooftop bar too. Every single member of staff we encountered could not have been more helpful or friendly. Make sure you also check out MOTTO Brot, the bakery attached to the hotel, they do the most delicious pastries and breads!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6BTk4OyXLD5DFA211_pVkcNPMFgzYOkHAlZvSw81zIzWP4i9uoLtxfusnXctaNRJv3OHBzuIKGQUi01B5uhow6TbuDX0t_Iuw3dMNeyoJuMpmilUu2F-Lnq1sPWXU6pjJfYyiWc9c-dRz7EsrsAsCyWjf0fdTYdqfjql5jHaXU-iGj9p9aGB_F8cWQ/s3781/E6C33B30-496C-47A3-A56A-5850F2F0429B-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3781" data-original-width="3025" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6BTk4OyXLD5DFA211_pVkcNPMFgzYOkHAlZvSw81zIzWP4i9uoLtxfusnXctaNRJv3OHBzuIKGQUi01B5uhow6TbuDX0t_Iuw3dMNeyoJuMpmilUu2F-Lnq1sPWXU6pjJfYyiWc9c-dRz7EsrsAsCyWjf0fdTYdqfjql5jHaXU-iGj9p9aGB_F8cWQ/s16000/E6C33B30-496C-47A3-A56A-5850F2F0429B-min.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><a href="https://bit.ly/3S5kbva" target="_blank">The Hoxton Southwark, London</a>: </span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am a big fan of The Hoxton hotels, and having stayed in the Amsterdam location for my birthday last year (a trip I will definitely have to write a post about soon as I have so many more recommendations to share), my expectations for the Southwark location in London were high. Thankfully, it did not disappoint and lived up to all of my expectations of The Hoxton brand. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZyQ68swakpS8XkQsM7jyuIeT1M9MAR2dh-QR_PFNqXt9mQD0cg5ZPYVfcLo8qn49y9SzJQsz0i-R196mUEI7fFl7mxCbdJKP7cp85R9PJMo3U2GL1V-ZIgZczaXYPb_B5iVbYL_7lnMui8MwCetTyazLwyiV20siUO4INE-Obi807vro1IcSMRh4Hw/s3708/AA386BC1-7170-46AB-A53A-EADDD188D865-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3708" data-original-width="2966" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZyQ68swakpS8XkQsM7jyuIeT1M9MAR2dh-QR_PFNqXt9mQD0cg5ZPYVfcLo8qn49y9SzJQsz0i-R196mUEI7fFl7mxCbdJKP7cp85R9PJMo3U2GL1V-ZIgZczaXYPb_B5iVbYL_7lnMui8MwCetTyazLwyiV20siUO4INE-Obi807vro1IcSMRh4Hw/s16000/AA386BC1-7170-46AB-A53A-EADDD188D865-min.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div></span><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>Location: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">When I was first looking at booking <a href="https://bit.ly/3S5kbva" target="_blank"><b>The Hoxton, Southwark</b></a>, I wasn't sure if it would be central enough, and if we'd feel like we were miles from the heart of the city, but with Southwark tube station a 2 minute walk from the hotel, it was actually perfect. It's also only a 10 minute walk along the Thames to the Millennium Bridge (and of course the Tate Modern and The Globe Theatre in that area too), and less than a 10 minute walk to Waterloo Station which we took advantage of and got the train over to Staines to go to Thorpe Park for the day). Long story short, I think it's the perfect base for a trip to London!</span></span></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXrAQ0zw8k7qh3o21NWMmjwLe4hDAi4K8lUYmvykXTqdH7Kr_hUTLoEztmEfL1cqBe0-YXlWrlrtrvCgIq7cWq8NaHOxuGYqMiWbsyo3g2G2T8WvR7c-qysbRrkXvHOL9KnciDUUMIqdNwNvyP9Y6t88TYC4jMtnRgbaNuvTUnEeSKP8vHfwKm_ZhVA/s3024/3-min.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXrAQ0zw8k7qh3o21NWMmjwLe4hDAi4K8lUYmvykXTqdH7Kr_hUTLoEztmEfL1cqBe0-YXlWrlrtrvCgIq7cWq8NaHOxuGYqMiWbsyo3g2G2T8WvR7c-qysbRrkXvHOL9KnciDUUMIqdNwNvyP9Y6t88TYC4jMtnRgbaNuvTUnEeSKP8vHfwKm_ZhVA/s16000/3-min.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>The Room: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">Like with all of The Hoxton hotels, the room was gorgeous, with wood paneling on the walls, clever use of space, a nice big smart tv and a rainfall shower. We booked a Cosy room, which was a little small, but perfect since we were out all day anyway, but one thing I will say is that in hindsight, I would definitely have booked the room up from that (Roomy). We are very used to our king sized bed at home, so the queen sized bed in the Cosy room felt just a tiny bit too small, but that's just personal preference I guess! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Overall: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">As I mentioned above, if you're looking for the perfect base for your trip to London, and love a laid back, chill hotel vibe, then <a href="https://bit.ly/3S5kbva" target="_blank"><b>The Hoxton, Southwark</b></a> is perfect. There is a seafood restaurant on the roof of the hotel called Seabird, which has the most incredible, almost 360 degree views of the London skyline, and while we didn't eat there during our stay, I have only ever heard rave reviews about it. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAb1xk9jIM5cFFoDYGyI8ebBTRrlap3RIPqNdDjmFe9U88j8Z-fCk75-DmdPRhYVoOIU8O6u6rSGBOAIDLJ7J8sOI57ZmGWVq8bhP-fG4QAP6ZRhh6WB-6Ml8uTK8GoLnpoVx1-42GfIeqHFMDMwPAKz2QyRdBe1B41VEaOmjBEpty7vMXmKTsdMH5Q/s3780/DA5E580D-3AD5-4600-9A70-8FFDF7403A46-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAb1xk9jIM5cFFoDYGyI8ebBTRrlap3RIPqNdDjmFe9U88j8Z-fCk75-DmdPRhYVoOIU8O6u6rSGBOAIDLJ7J8sOI57ZmGWVq8bhP-fG4QAP6ZRhh6WB-6Ml8uTK8GoLnpoVx1-42GfIeqHFMDMwPAKz2QyRdBe1B41VEaOmjBEpty7vMXmKTsdMH5Q/s16000/DA5E580D-3AD5-4600-9A70-8FFDF7403A46-min.JPG" /></a></div><br /></span><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: small;"><a href="https://bit.ly/3LvdW1s" target="_blank">The Mayson, Dublin</a>: </span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">Back in June I was lucky enough to be invited by <a href="https://bit.ly/3LvdW1s" target="_blank"><b>The Mayson</b></a> to stay in one of their beautiful Townhouse Suites, and 3 months later I am still thinking about how beautiful the room was, and how much I miss their heated outdoor pool!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1fdOV7KuoPRoyEHIXqfAPgnXivIE8H7W_VQDAoQKmkkGO81MacRHBPOjB7Ewaz3dnTTwSJnR5Gs4WwOHiaeUxBa592lWzPuZOEbMCzj0xxep5G0Cl5ni9TbrNvzHLA6btHfX-o2pGzHTv3_49CKtLkL0dAPIIbY9GrzDops2bdr-qpNIa77To3-GZw/s3024/4-min.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1fdOV7KuoPRoyEHIXqfAPgnXivIE8H7W_VQDAoQKmkkGO81MacRHBPOjB7Ewaz3dnTTwSJnR5Gs4WwOHiaeUxBa592lWzPuZOEbMCzj0xxep5G0Cl5ni9TbrNvzHLA6btHfX-o2pGzHTv3_49CKtLkL0dAPIIbY9GrzDops2bdr-qpNIa77To3-GZw/s16000/4-min.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>Location: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Mayson is located right next door to the 3Arena in Dublin, so it's the perfect place to stay for the night if you're going to a gig there. We actually went to see one of my favourite bands, Foals, in Fairview Park the night we stayed which was less than a 10 minute drive away, so it was ideal for us. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>The Room: </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">I adore the 'heritage' style of interiors, and <a href="https://bit.ly/3LvdW1s" target="_blank"><b>The Mayson</b></a> gets it spot on with their Townhouse rooms. There were so many details in this room that I want to recreate in my own bedroom. The copper roll-top bath had to be one of my most favourite features. All of the rooms in The Mayson have a Dyson hairdryer, a turntable (with records in the lobby that you can choose from and bring up to your room) and a Marshall speaker, and I think it's the details like these that really set this hotel apart from others in Dublin city. There are also Warehouse rooms, which have more of an industrial, NYC kind of vibe, and I think the next time I stay in The Mayson, I'm definitely going to book one of the Warehouse Suites.</span></span></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuA1OVOgKNaTlLd8AZbrA-1n47bDhrTa6zHRVwBGKBtolZVHK8ex7B3RTc9buc4XHpLpAHfSZzwckfN-mCcDqq_3CRXFaKOs3RysoV6zC16zqtrR0oXkbv0-_bLhNPdUG5H8m5YdOqD2WSTxAeaPIuuHlFfrNxPI7Ym78OPThxrpniPiY__vA0WCVIA/s3024/5-min.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuA1OVOgKNaTlLd8AZbrA-1n47bDhrTa6zHRVwBGKBtolZVHK8ex7B3RTc9buc4XHpLpAHfSZzwckfN-mCcDqq_3CRXFaKOs3RysoV6zC16zqtrR0oXkbv0-_bLhNPdUG5H8m5YdOqD2WSTxAeaPIuuHlFfrNxPI7Ym78OPThxrpniPiY__vA0WCVIA/s16000/5-min.png" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>Overall: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;">I think one of my favourite parts of <a href="https://bit.ly/3LvdW1s" target="_blank">The Mayson </a>has to be the heated outdoor pool and sauna. We checked out of our room and headed down there for a few hours of relaxation and it was pure bliss, I honestly could have stayed there all day. We also ate dinner in Elephant & Castle, one of the restaurants in the hotel (there's also </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Ryleigh’s Steakhouse on the roof of the hotel too), and I finally got to try their famous chicken wings and they did not disappoint. If you're heading to a gig soon (and like myself, don't live in Dublin and have to drive almost 2 hours home afterwards), then I'd definitely recommend treating yourself to a stay here. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81JcqjuGLOr_MCPHtMiwbZISjR8XZcT98H90ZVvpFFHXcxwsg2627BElzehxM9vvwykH5j8lsWKs0oYspGHM9wywZ4Om6uhNejR2i7-1pBvcVyWrLNoPB2XsJYDplM7v1U2dXpuLMdiuY6msru4nITi4cU4iyldUced8Z7gFHPiM-GOyu22jDuMNNbA/s2837/D614B5A6-D4A4-4B15-A866-4D1AA417F2F9-min.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="2269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81JcqjuGLOr_MCPHtMiwbZISjR8XZcT98H90ZVvpFFHXcxwsg2627BElzehxM9vvwykH5j8lsWKs0oYspGHM9wywZ4Om6uhNejR2i7-1pBvcVyWrLNoPB2XsJYDplM7v1U2dXpuLMdiuY6msru4nITi4cU4iyldUced8Z7gFHPiM-GOyu22jDuMNNbA/s16000/D614B5A6-D4A4-4B15-A866-4D1AA417F2F9-min.JPG" /></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well it only took me over 2 years to actually write a new blog post, but we did it Joe! I hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully it's not another 2 years before I write the next one. If there's anything you'd like to see in particular on here (be it city guides, or book reviews etc), then please do feel free to pop me a message over on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/penneystoprada/" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a>! Thanks so much for reading.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""Didact Gothic", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 1px;">(This post contains affiliate links.)</span></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comLondon, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-13963734353916431292020-06-09T15:00:00.005+01:002022-08-28T00:08:24.090+01:00Top 10 Places To Stay In Ireland This Summer - Irish Staycation Recommendations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgdbEoizVfJ3Pb6PkJ-qnEZae4BWXndjyHvuaQb_y-4P6uZF3Cf0axcZLEjJk-38mCcZ4IxBuYAqyT2-lxiH_fS5j_-73umKBgz9i75OMDOEHHpMPvb6zVQHiZcrM_w_C6RuHtqXT5Pzg/s4032/IMG_3287.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgdbEoizVfJ3Pb6PkJ-qnEZae4BWXndjyHvuaQb_y-4P6uZF3Cf0axcZLEjJk-38mCcZ4IxBuYAqyT2-lxiH_fS5j_-73umKBgz9i75OMDOEHHpMPvb6zVQHiZcrM_w_C6RuHtqXT5Pzg/d/IMG_3287.PNG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Summer 2020 might not be everything we'd hoped for/imagined, lots of us won't be travelling abroad like we had planned to, but all is not lost! We're very lucky to live on such a beautiful island with the most gorgeous beaches, mountains and lakes. Today I thought I would share some of my top picks of places to stay on the island of Ireland in case any of you are looking to get away for a bit of a 'staycation' this year (trust me, I don't like that phrase either, but it is very apt isn't it?). <span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Below is a list of my favourite Irish hotels, and if you'd like to read more in-depth reviews about them, be sure to check out the <a href="https://www.penneystoprada.com/search/label/travel" target="_blank">travel section</a> of this blog for those. I've also included a link to my top picks on Airbnb if you're more into the idea of having an entire place to yourself for a few days, which is exactly what I'm doing for the August bank holiday down in Kenmare, and I can't wait! Obviously every hotel will have different opening dates and procedures, so be sure to check with the individual hotels if you are booking something. So, without further ado, here are my top picks for a good old staycation in Ireland this summer.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uxlZemnJYR0-YX2HB9mm0-ghUuHsnQpsrA6R1JvfKz_0zcKckDpIo_WTdBEEXBjQyLkZDjfKPafySENCyn5Xwk4kFNfqHE1vOgqEPcUdMN84Lw2F8_W0iFgaFpU1WKe9L-k36ej_EV1L/s1306/Room-41-Manor-House-Web-Res.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uxlZemnJYR0-YX2HB9mm0-ghUuHsnQpsrA6R1JvfKz_0zcKckDpIo_WTdBEEXBjQyLkZDjfKPafySENCyn5Xwk4kFNfqHE1vOgqEPcUdMN84Lw2F8_W0iFgaFpU1WKe9L-k36ej_EV1L/d/Room-41-Manor-House-Web-Res.png" /></a></div><div><h3>1. Lyrath Estate Hotel - Kilkenny</h3></div><div>A roundup of my most favourite Irish hotels would never be complete without the <a href="https://www.lyrath.com/" target="_blank">Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny</a>! I have been lucky enough to stay in this gorgeous hotel a good few times and it's just perfect every time. It's one of those hotels that feels tucked away from everything, and so calm, and yet the lovely city of Kilkenny is just minutes down the road. The food is always impeccable, the spa facilities are heavenly and most of all, the staff are always so friendly and welcoming.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAr1LZ4gsnIrn47s-A20J89Nuvz9hgQ3SeoLCPmJirGxNTb4Z3ja9imHA6m4pPW_iU3X-oRFBYRLRVgKbr91EMXLAeGM3bk9aeHmOmSxv2SwL9VkfCIwV5I3Go7hq6UbPyDio5YyQM_JW_/s796/10346447_810545785645952_1889500786271211316_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAr1LZ4gsnIrn47s-A20J89Nuvz9hgQ3SeoLCPmJirGxNTb4Z3ja9imHA6m4pPW_iU3X-oRFBYRLRVgKbr91EMXLAeGM3bk9aeHmOmSxv2SwL9VkfCIwV5I3Go7hq6UbPyDio5YyQM_JW_/d/10346447_810545785645952_1889500786271211316_n.png" /></a></div><div><h3>2. Druids Glen - Wicklow</h3></div><div>Next up is another hotel tucked away from the world in the beautiful Wicklow mountains. <a href="https://www.druidsglenresort.com/" target="_blank">Druids Glen</a> is one of those hotels where I wanted to go back as soon as we were in the car driving home. It's only a 30 minute drive from Glendalough, a must-see if you've never been before, and I'd highly recommend doing the Spinc walk for the incredible views above the lake.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69bMfOXtfZBpFYKOaKaofUIDQGo6gInM60uaRQsX4wVGxn48tlLLnIdgKeq2cNdfC1oyl9eszUE7f-eF2FDU5pZe_Ztib-w9PJGrPl4yTAD2XYAC-1ZQrDw2_06QfKmIC4KGcrYF7hXwE/s1434/Bedroom-Maldron-South-Mall.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69bMfOXtfZBpFYKOaKaofUIDQGo6gInM60uaRQsX4wVGxn48tlLLnIdgKeq2cNdfC1oyl9eszUE7f-eF2FDU5pZe_Ztib-w9PJGrPl4yTAD2XYAC-1ZQrDw2_06QfKmIC4KGcrYF7hXwE/d/Bedroom-Maldron-South-Mall.png" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">3. Maldron South Mall - Cork City</h3><div>If you're more of a city break person, then the <a href="https://www.maldronhotelsouthmall.com/" target="_blank">Maldron South Mall in Cork city</a> is one of my favourites! Right in the heart of Cork city, only a few minutes walk from all the restaurants and shops, the Maldron South Mall is beyond handy. It's only newly renovated and everything is finished to such a fabulous standard, but it won't break the bank either with extortionate prices which I think we can all agree is very welcome.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckojS_Z3qDaUvtkH_rCfD_I6mUqX6wxPQ19p_uICfgOOaE_heiMNcVf4KM6PHmMubD23ST5tF7-XgxkXSX7wAWDgOZv8FvBOchmFPUcO-a1SBHHpHJgoFNmJIuFCAaukgd67gx1YKqUdv/s746/deluxe_room1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckojS_Z3qDaUvtkH_rCfD_I6mUqX6wxPQ19p_uICfgOOaE_heiMNcVf4KM6PHmMubD23ST5tF7-XgxkXSX7wAWDgOZv8FvBOchmFPUcO-a1SBHHpHJgoFNmJIuFCAaukgd67gx1YKqUdv/d/deluxe_room1.png" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">4. Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort - Ballymena</h3><div>Whenever anyone asks me what the best 'spa break' I've ever been on is, my answer is always <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/" target="_blank">Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort</a>. Galgrom has a huge 'thermal village', with outdoor hot tubs, lots of different saunas and even a snow cabin for the very brave. When we visited Galgorm, we didn't even book actual spa treatments, but instead spent hours floating between all of the different hot tubs, saunas and heated beds and it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before! Galgorm is also a 45 minute drive from the Giants Causeway and the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge and only 30 minutes from The Dark Hedges road for any Game of Thrones fans. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrjhqsh6BMy8dqlvoOhLfWTsxl9xmejjhInvdRqSeYiTZYRY_0n8XMDVZuaE7SWIpdupRM2gTMIWdGsGmU4Nmwb1eXDyNaIsPFaZ6IIGlRShARHdLGSm2oZMWSvFDw3NHUGfpkq0ore1C/s1080/101496943_2932260766899693_5348222559789776896_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrjhqsh6BMy8dqlvoOhLfWTsxl9xmejjhInvdRqSeYiTZYRY_0n8XMDVZuaE7SWIpdupRM2gTMIWdGsGmU4Nmwb1eXDyNaIsPFaZ6IIGlRShARHdLGSm2oZMWSvFDw3NHUGfpkq0ore1C/d/101496943_2932260766899693_5348222559789776896_o.png" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Finn Lough - Enniskillen</h3><div>Our most recent trip, just before all of this pandemic craziness kicked off, was to <a href="https://www.finnlough.com/" target="_blank">Finn Lough</a>, which was like escaping to a completely different world altogether. Finn Lough is most well known for their bubble domes (pictured above), but we actually stayed in one of their Waterside Cottages and we will definitely be visiting again as soon as we can. Finn Lough is one of those places that you can go and completely switch off from the outside world. There are bikes that are free for guests to use, and their Element Spa Trail was an absolutely incredible experience. </div><div><br /></div><div><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGtiX9m3U5KHb1pmCn9LvMqWSADizLDFUGecSX-biokOrI_Tsr4DaMYqEKA82QQanilGs5pyRBUZMDlAVjOynWG-BAwyH61eqemzqGE9t8sowEXJZgKAwKSzvWrc4I52ZhJT7cd5s148X/d/The-Mont-Suite-1920x1370.jpg" /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">6. The Mont - Dublin</h3><div>Another one for the city break lovers is <a href="https://www.themonthotel.ie/" target="_blank">The Mont</a> in Dublin, a recently renovated hotel that has such a cool vibe, an incredible in-house Italian restaurant, and the most adorable French Bulldog called Monty who is more than happy to greet you every single time you come into the hotel lobby. The Mont is right around the corner from The National Gallery of Ireland, so when we stayed there for my birthday last year, after breakfast we had a wander around the gallery and it was the loveliest way to spend a Sunday!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweuxyrT7bA3seNPuaKwxOupfLhE42zrikoIk6rRp5hFTlgn_rVAgn4UOpvMcietyNqi70Epmb1E2bAVV5ojNopcQBL8Vf9fWleYWUVXgB4GTi0GjDJSvBXqOua6GvvH5kgEj3T-qNqwTk/s796/3_bedroom_lodge__3_.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweuxyrT7bA3seNPuaKwxOupfLhE42zrikoIk6rRp5hFTlgn_rVAgn4UOpvMcietyNqi70Epmb1E2bAVV5ojNopcQBL8Vf9fWleYWUVXgB4GTi0GjDJSvBXqOua6GvvH5kgEj3T-qNqwTk/d/3_bedroom_lodge__3_.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><h3>7. Lusty Beg Island - Enniskillen</h3></div><div>It's been almost 4 years since we stayed in <a href="https://www.lustybegisland.com/en/" target="_blank">Lusty Beg</a> and yet Dara and I still talk about how much we loved this trip. You actually have to get a short ferry ride from the mainland to Lusty Beg Island, which helps it feel like a whole different world even more. There are lots of activities on the island, like clay pigeon shooting, off-road driving, archery, canoeing, and even power boating, as well as a spa so there is something for everyone! Lots of the accommodation can fit at least 4 people and are self-catering, so perfect if the whole family is going.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgkYDncZwBk0yJh0q1UoEDm6Fv1QcW9xOt7f4FHIT1veO2ukrIBaQ1IGffdu2q0lK8fbZvBHxOdD_NEJfLSRW2ffdklBbHmf6Mdj-j8zvQdYaXwakzorsjUQy0tPCaWLiFbGL-699y3YZ/s1920/junior-suite.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgkYDncZwBk0yJh0q1UoEDm6Fv1QcW9xOt7f4FHIT1veO2ukrIBaQ1IGffdu2q0lK8fbZvBHxOdD_NEJfLSRW2ffdklBbHmf6Mdj-j8zvQdYaXwakzorsjUQy0tPCaWLiFbGL-699y3YZ/d/junior-suite.png" /></a></div><div><h3>8. Westport Coast Hotel - Westport</h3></div><div>If you're looking to explore more of Ireland's gorgeous coastline and maybe visit Achill Island (which I would highly recommend), Westport is the perfect place to base yourself and <a href="https://www.westportcoasthotel.ie/" target="_blank">Westport Coast Hotel</a> is the hotel I'd recommend! With lovely big rooms, an incredible view of Croagh Patrick from the restaurant and a brilliant pool and spa, it's the perfect hotel to get away to, relax, and also explore.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6tNdbCQO-IYEOo2M8XVC5PVEIsrNYX4RS2_sRkBONDT419wmWTkKUZJAGx5zhaq-udomJPJPdI7UlB9kGhEDwWioD4JpYLhg69qZJh8GC82LaJGNovk172UOnxVLQrWoXSQIfXwkj1VE/s1911/small_double_-_mirror_room_view.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1911" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6tNdbCQO-IYEOo2M8XVC5PVEIsrNYX4RS2_sRkBONDT419wmWTkKUZJAGx5zhaq-udomJPJPdI7UlB9kGhEDwWioD4JpYLhg69qZJh8GC82LaJGNovk172UOnxVLQrWoXSQIfXwkj1VE/d/small_double_-_mirror_room_view.png" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">9. The Wilder Townhouse - Dublin </h3><div>A boutique townhouse in the heart of Dublin city, <a href="https://www.thewilder.ie/en/" target="_blank">The Wilder</a> is a real hidden gem. Since it's not a huge building with hundreds of rooms, there's a lovely, intimate vibe in The Wilder and although it's only a 15 minute walk from Grafton Street, the area it's in is quiet and peaceful. The decor in the hotel is stunning and every little detail has been thought of, even down to the Irish made treats that are available in the rooms.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">10. Airbnb</h3><div>If you've been following me for a while, you might know that I'm a bit of an Airbnb fan (to say the least) and as I mentioned at the start of this post, I've booked a gorgeous Airbnb in Kenmare for the August bank holiday weekend which I am so excited for. Airbnb now have a new feature that allows me to share some of my saved places on one page, <a href="https://bit.ly/3hf7N9Y" target="_blank">so here are my top picks for Airbnbs in Ireland</a>, if you prefer to have your own place to completely relax in! <a href="https://bit.ly/2TQOtWz" target="_blank">You can also get up to €41 off your first Airbnb trip by signing up through this link</a>, and I'll also get some Airbnb credit too which is a win win!</div><div><br /></div>
<div><script async="" src="https://www.airbnb.ie/embeddable/airbnb_jssdk"></script><div class="airbnb-embed-frame" data-id="16279" data-view="a4p_search_embeddable"></div></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Honourable mentions:</h3><div>There are a few hotels/places to stay in Ireland that I haven't yet visited but were either next on my list to visit (like <a href="https://www.sheenfallslodge.ie/" target="_blank">Sheen Falls Lodge</a> which I was just about to book right before lockdown), or were highly recommended to me, so I thought it only fair to include some of those here too.</div><div><br /></div><div>- <a href="https://www.sheenfallslodge.ie/" target="_blank">Sheen Falls Lodge</a> - Kenmare</div><div>- <a href="https://ardmoreglampingpods.ie/" target="_blank">Ardmore Glamping Pods</a> - Ardmore</div><div>- <a href="https://www.faithlegg.com/" target="_blank">Faithlegg Hotel</a> - Waterford</div><div>- <a href="https://www.armadahotel.com/" target="_blank">The Armada Hotel</a> - West Clare</div><div>- <a href="https://www.themontenottehotel.com/" target="_blank">The Montenotte Hotel</a> - Cork City</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope this post will be helpful to those of you who are like me and are dying to get away even just for a weekend! </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks so much for reading.</div><div><br /></div><div>Emer x</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070223.949085863821153 -42.2663202 80.569553536178844 28.0461798tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-35584548846121646672020-03-31T18:51:00.001+01:002022-08-28T00:08:33.402+01:00What I've Been Reading Recently #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Reading has always been the best form of escapism for me and I know we could definitely all do with a bit of that at the moment, so here's what I've been reading recently if you're on the hunt for something new to read!<span><a name='more'></a></span><br />
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Usually, I read books on my phone but about a month ago I got an urge to read a real book, because nothing quite compares to the feel of the pages between your fingers does it? Or the smell of a new book for that matter! I ordered a couple of books on Amazon, and I have to say, I've enjoyed reading them far more than I usually would enjoy reading a book on my phone.<br />
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Before we get into the books that I've read recently, I thought I'd mention a few places that you can get books, since I know a lot of us are on lockdown and aren't popping out to the shops very often.<br />
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- Your Local Library / Borrow Box</h3>
Now obviously I know libraries are currently closed, but lucky for us this genius thing called the internet exists and it offers us endless possibilities! Irish libraries have teamed up with an app called Borrow Box, which lets you log in using your library card details, and "borrow" books and read them right there in the app. If you aren't already a member of your local library, don't worry because I haven't been a member for a few years, and I was able to rejoin super quickly online and I had downloaded Borrow Box and "borrowed" my first book in a matter of minutes. You can find your <a href="https://www.librariesireland.ie/" target="_blank">local libraries info here</a> and <a href="https://lgma.iii.com/selfreg" target="_blank">sign up using this form</a> and they have changed the requirements so you no longer need to finalise your membership in your local library. After you've signed up, they give you a library barcode, then you set your own PIN and this is how you log into Borrow Box. I do have to give full credit for this information to my Mum though as she has been onto me for months to try it out and share it with people so thanks Mum!<br />
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- Online</h3>
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Now I know a lot of people aren't ordering things online at the moment whether it's due to trying not to spend too much on unnecessary things, or not wanting to add to the work that delivery/post men & women have to do, but I thought I'd share a few places I would usually order books online, so that maybe once things are back to normal, we can enjoy real, physical books again! The first site is actually an Irish company called <a href="https://www.kennys.ie/" target="_blank">Kennys.ie</a> and at the moment they won't be processing orders until after the current government restrictions have been lifted, but it's nice to support them all the same and they have some of the cheapest prices for books! The second is <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a> which is still shipping as far as I know and again, they have really great prices for books.</div>
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Now all of that is out of the way, let's get onto the books I read (and enjoyed) recently shall we?!</div>
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1. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Dowling - 10/10</h3>
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I promise I don't give books a 10/10 very easily, but this was one of those books that I could NOT put down and wanted everyone I knew to read it asap so I could talk to them about how crazy it was and how good the plot twists were! I don't want to get too into it as I'm afraid I'll ruin it, so to keep it brief, it's about a husband and wife who have an unusual hobby to keep their marriage interesting!</div>
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2. The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen - 8/10</h3>
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Sarah Dessen is an author I have been reading for years, so this was a bit of a nostalgic read for me and I really enjoyed the break from the usual thrillers I read. The book is about Emma Saylor, who returns to the lake where her late mother grew up and learns about the side of the family she never knew. Like in most of Sarah's books, there's some first love thrown in there, a bit of family drama, and it's just one of those easy reads that can hit you right in the feels. </div>
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3. The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine - 7/10</h3>
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Another great page-turner, and although I was able to guess the plot twist fairly early on, I still very much enjoyed it. The book is centered around Dr. Kate English who "has it all" until her mother is found dead and who killed her is a big mystery. Again, I don't want to say too much for fear of ruining it, but if you like a "whodunnit" type of story with a few good twists, this is a great read.</div>
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4. The Guest List by Lucy Foley - TBC</h3>
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I'm actually only half way through this book, but wanted to include it as I know lots of people read Lucy's first book 'The Hunting Party' and enjoyed it (myself included). From what I've read so far, The Guest List is very like Lucy's first book and uses the multicharacter format, which sometimes I find hard to keep up with, but then again it does make for a multifaceted story. This book is about a wedding on a remote island off the coast of Ireland where something goes terribly wrong, and a body is found. I'll be sure to update you on my Instagram story once I've finished reading it!</div>
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5. The Chain by Adrian McKinty - 10/10</h3>
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I picked this book up randomly in the supermarket a few weeks ago and I'm so glad I did! It was absolutely thrilling the entire way through and had me completely on edge at parts, so much so that I had to take a few breaks. I borrowed it to my Mum as well who loved it too! The book is about a kidnapping chain, where if your child is kidnapped, you must then kidnap another child to get them back, and it really explores people's morals and just how far they'll go to protect their family.</div>
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6. The Dilemma by B A Paris - 10/10</h3>
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B A Paris is one of my absolute favourite authors and I urge you all to read her other books too. Most of her other books are quite thrilling and very suspenseful and while The Dilemma definitely is a page turner, I found it surprisingly emotional, so much so that I had a little cry when I had finished it, which I can tell you doesn't happen very often when I read! The Dilemma is another multicharacter book, told from different viewpoints and it also flips back and forward in time too, which keeps it nice and interesting. The book centers around Livia's 40th birthday party and a secret she has been keeping from her husband, and that's pretty much all I can tell you without spoiling it!</div>
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If you have any book recommendations then I'd love to hear them! For anyone on Good Reads (a handy site to find books and keep track of what you've read/want to read) <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/71327756-emer-rutherford" target="_blank">this is my profile</a> so feel free to add me as I always keep it up to date with what I'm reading/have read. I have also just posted an <a href="http://bit.ly/PTPBookIGTV" target="_blank">IGTV video chatting through these books</a> so check that out too!<br />
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Thanks for reading, and I hope you're all doing okay in this crazy time,<br />
Emer x</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070252.1815457 -7.2714317 52.3370937 -6.9487087tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-46428518629092800582020-02-11T19:23:00.001+00:002022-08-28T00:08:54.082+01:00My Favourite Way To Spend - Revolut (AD)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: "maven pro"; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Revolut but as always all opinions and thoughts are honest and 100% my own.</i></div>
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This is a blog post I am very excited to share with you because I am working with Revolut as one of their Pioneers, which if you've followed me for a while you'll know I am the BIGGEST Revolut advocate, so getting to work with them is a dream come true! If you haven't already checked out the first blog post I wrote last year about why I love using Revolut so much <a href="https://www.penneystoprada.com/2019/08/how-i-spend-money-whilst-travelling.html" target="_blank">you can check that out here</a>, and it covers a lot of the basics and lots of the general features available to all users of Revolut. You can also get a FREE Revolut card by signing up with this link - <a href="http://bit.ly/39qUq1W" target="_blank">bit.ly/39qUq1W</a>.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div>
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In this post today I wanted to cover a bit more about Revolut's Metal cards, and why I think everyone should have one, as it's something I get asked about quite a bit. If you want to know what's included in the Metal plan, why I have had it for over a year and how it's helped a family member during a medical emergency, just keep on reading!</div>
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So to start with the basics, <a href="http://bit.ly/39qUq1W" target="_blank">Revolut's Metal</a> plan is €13.99 a month, and while that may sound like a lot, wait until you've finished reading this post before you make your mind up as to whether it's worth it or not. Included in the Metal plan are benefits like:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"> A free UK bank account (very handy when shopping on sites like ASOS and River Island where you can spend in pounds to save yourself some extra money).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">No fee ATM withdrawals of up to €600 per month (which is going to be very handy when AIB and Bank of Ireland sell their ATM networks and charge you a fee of up to €3 for even taking out €10).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Overseas medical insurance (you can find more detail on this further down).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">SmartDelay, which gives you free lounge passes for you and up to 3 friends if your flight is delayed by more than 1 hour.</li>
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The list goes on and on, but those are some of the main benefits that make me love Revolut Metal so much. It just makes my life easier, and makes spending money much simpler, not that I need any help with that anyway and best of all, you get a cool card made from metal that always catches people's eye when you pull it out of your wallet!</div>
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Something that I didn't touch on in much in my first blog post about Revolut (because it was only a new feature available at the time) is using your Revolut card via your phone, Apple Watch, or even your FitBit (I have the FitBit Versa and my card is loaded onto that). This is probably one of my favourite features of Revolut, because my traditional bank account (which I am looking into closing and just moving everything to Revolut) doesn't have Apple Pay capabilities. I must admit, I am quite careless with my wallet, always leaving it in random bags, or jacket pockets, and so many times I am out and about and need to buy something, and since my phone is basically surgically attached to my hand at all times, I can just double click my home button, and voila, up pops my card and I can pay via the contactless bit on the card machine! A handy thing to know about this is that there isn't the usual €30 tap limit when using your card via Apple Pay.<br />
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And lastly the thing that makes the<a href="http://bit.ly/39qUq1W" target="_blank"> Revolut Metal</a> beyond worth it, is something I wasn't even properly aware of until recently, and that is the Overseas Metal insurance that is included with your Metal plan. Usually I would be fairly dubious of things like this, and would always have my own travel insurance up to date just in case, but recently, my cousin Elsie who also has Revolut Metal, was travelling and had a pretty serious medical emergency which meant she had to spend some time in the ICU and a also had to be accompanied by a flight doctor on her journey home.<br />
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Of course this cost a lot of money as she was in Canada at the time. In fact the total was something close to €40,000 and thanks to her having <a href="http://bit.ly/39qUq1W" target="_blank">Revolut Metal</a>, every single thing was included and they took such good care of her, even organising a car to pick her up from the airport once she landed in Dublin to take her home, and it just made such a scary experience that bit less stressful. So for me, regardless of the other extra perks like free ATM withdrawals up to €600, and free lounge access in the airport, Revolut Metal is beyond worth it just for the reassurance that knowing if something awful did ever happen whilst I was travelling, I would be completely covered and wouldn't have to worry about the financial burden of the crazy medical bills you can get in other countries.<br />
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You can sign up to Revolut now to get a FREE card through this link - <a href="http://bit.ly/39qUq1W" target="_blank">bit.ly/39qUq1W</a>, and once you have signed up, you can choose which plan you'd like to go for, whether it's the Standard, Premium or Metal plan.<br />
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Thanks so much for reading,<br />
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Emer! xPenneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-50710792868384692462020-02-02T19:46:00.003+00:002022-08-28T00:09:13.241+01:00Paris Travel Guide - What To Do, Where To Eat & Where We Stayed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in October, Dara and I finally took a trip to Paris, and it was everything I'd ever dreamed of. Paris for me was always one of my dream cities to visit, but one I'd just never gotten round to actually visiting. Before our trip, I was slightly worried that it might just be a very over hyped destination, and that we'd find it too touristy with not enough soul, but luckily it was the opposite of that, and it truly is one of the most enchanting cities I've ever visited!<span><a name='more'></a></span></div>
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I wanted to share one of my travel guides on this beautiful city in case any of you are currently planning a trip there, or are thinking of visiting, but be warned, this will be a long post because I enjoyed absolutely everything we did, and almost every place we ate. Keep reading to find out what to do, where to eat and also where we stayed in Paris.</div>
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What To Do:</h3>
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There's so much to do and see in Paris that I feel like you'd need an entire month to really explore the city properly, but I do have a few specific recommendations that you should try to fit in. Unfortunately we didn't get out to the Palace of Versailles as we got the open days mixed up which was a shame as it's somewhere I've always wanted to see, but hey, it's just another excuse to go back</div>
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<b>1. The Eiffel Tower</b></div>
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Obviously I have to mention the most iconic symbol of Paris first! Now of course you don't have to go up the tower, and can just admire it from a distance (one of the best view points for this is shared further down) but honestly it's an amazing way to see the city of Paris from way up high. A tip I'd have is to book your tickets online as much in advance as you can. I booked ours a few weeks beforehand and the only available times were in the evening, which wasn't a bad thing at all because the city lights were stunning, but it's just something to keep in mind. You can also just turn up on the day to the Eiffel Tower and queue for tickets, but if you're on a short weekend trip like we were, I'd book online to save time so you can fit more in.</div>
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<b>2. Louvre Museum</b><br />
Another iconic place in Paris is the Louvre, home to some of the most famous pieces of art in the world. I won't lie, one of the reasons I was most excited to visit the Louvre is because of the film Angels & Demons, but also because I would finally get to see the Mona Lisa in real life. A great little tip to know is that lots of the main attractions in Paris are free if you're under 26 years of age and from a country that is part of the EU, so both Dara and I could visit the Louvre completely free of charge. I could have spent days wandering around this vast museum, being completely awestruck by all of the famous pieces of art that I'd only ever read about in books or seen in documentaries, but of course we only had a few hours, so we studied the map and found the main pieces we wanted to tick off our bucket lists, which of course included the Mona Lisa. Don't be put off by the huge queue to see the famous lady that never seems to subside because it does move quite fast, and it's so worth it to see this enchanting painting up close.<br />
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<b>3. The Arc de Triomphe</b></div>
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I know this list so far has been quite obvious, but sometimes when you're visiting a new city it can be tempting to not visit the most popular attractions for fear that they're overhyped and not worth the queue, but we found in Paris that all of the top things to see were so worth it, and I think the Arc de Triomphe was one of my absolute favourites. Again, because Dara and I are both under 26 and from an EU country our tickets to climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe was free. The view of Paris from the top of the Arc was absolutely spectacular, we could see so much of the city, even as far as the Sacre Coeur. I'd definitely recommend timing your visit for around sunset as you have a perfect view point for the light show on the Eiffel Tower which happens every hour, on the hour for 5 minutes as soon as it gets dark.<br />
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<b>4. Wander The Beautiful Streets</b><br />
Paris is one of those cities that you can just wander around and stumble across something beautiful at every turn. It can be very easy to just jump on a metro to get around the city quickly but if you have the time, I'd definitely recommend walking as much as possible just so you can soak it all up. There's 2 places in particular that we visited that aren't exactly big tourist spots, but definitely ones to check out. The first is Galeries Lafayette, which is just a fancy department store, but the location at '40 Boulevard Haussmann' is one of the most stunning buildings I've ever seen, and of course all of the gorgeous designer pieces are nice to look at too. The second is Rue de l'Université, which ends right at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Even though it's just a street, with the Eiffel Tower right in the back round, it looks like something from a fairytale. We rented some of the Lime electric scooters that lots of European cities have now and explored the streets around the Eiffel Tower and along the river Seine and it was gorgeous!<br />
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Where To Eat:</h3>
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Before travelling to Paris I had heard a few people say that it's a very expensive city when it comes to food and eating out, but I think any city can be expensive unless you've done a little bit of research. Eating in new places is one of my favourite things about travelling (any excuse right?) so I always look into the food options and make note of a few places I'd like to try before I get there. Also, because Dara and I always usually stay in an Airbnb when we travel (<a href="https://www.penneystoprada.com/2018/10/a-guide-to-airbnb-how-to-find-best.html" target="_blank">find out why we love it so much here</a>), and we always get an apartment to ourselves, we have a kitchen and tend to not eat out for every single meal which definitely helps to not completely blow any budget we may have set. With all that being said, we did find a few gems in Paris that weren't a rip off and served delicious food, so here they are!</div>
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<b>1. Trying The Local Delicacies</b></div>
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This isn't a specific recommendation because the place we tried escargot and some other typical French dishes like croque monsieur and French onion soup wasn't great, but when in France I think it's only right to at least try the dishes they're so famous for. I'll admit, I was not a fan of the escargot at all (although I think it might have been that they just weren't the best quality) but it's something I've had on my bucket list since I studied French in school, so I did it! I'd maybe recommend googling the best places to try escargot, instead of just popping into a random cafe like we did!</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/pizzeria-popolare" target="_blank">2. Pizza Popolare</a></b><br />
Part of the <a href="https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/accueil" target="_blank">Big Mamma</a> group, Pizza Popolare has been a restaurant I've heard a lot about. It was super busy when we visited, and we had to queue for about 15 minutes before being seated but the food was well worth the wait. Classic Italian food, full of flavour and very reasonably priced. The restaurant had a great atmosphere too and if you're a cheese lover like me, you NEED to get the Big Star Burrata dish, it was heavenly!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-S3jLNLysji1IlkOgd1tUhXXKBYUV5WeNOXIDUsk3ZVlrqm3IK1Kbg2HbqcS4QzZS6zsL2bsl-ZRqNU8lYBVz-forMLvl4OYa46YRWEjDYFDczM8DfwZgAxeOw9vueOQIJHPutUcdGnb/s1600/IMG_7626.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-S3jLNLysji1IlkOgd1tUhXXKBYUV5WeNOXIDUsk3ZVlrqm3IK1Kbg2HbqcS4QzZS6zsL2bsl-ZRqNU8lYBVz-forMLvl4OYa46YRWEjDYFDczM8DfwZgAxeOw9vueOQIJHPutUcdGnb/s1600/IMG_7626.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://holybellycafe.com/" target="_blank">3. Holybelly</a> </b><br />
Like Pizza Popolare, this was another restaurant that we had to queue at for quite a while to get a table, but I'd heard only rave reviews about Holybelly's brunch and I am nothing if not a complete sucker for some pancakes and good coffee. I couldn't fault one thing about our brunch to be honest, the staff were lovely, the food was delicious and the coffee was strong. Since I don't eat eggs, sometimes brunch can be a bit limited for me, but Holybelly had a good few side options that I could add, like a sausage patty and hashbrowns and I loved it all!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWyYGqYaqJi6R6MozdwYFsH8TbmCC5S1e6HiSXx2m09TNnAi6Xntlb5qOFAAALzZIE2tsI0Rxb0lR7YUBsd8KFDllyuSWPCx9XD0WX4lV_maUgmIHz4KFYVbVgpNbcFFVfSNrUElNN5jd/s1600/IMG_7615.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWyYGqYaqJi6R6MozdwYFsH8TbmCC5S1e6HiSXx2m09TNnAi6Xntlb5qOFAAALzZIE2tsI0Rxb0lR7YUBsd8KFDllyuSWPCx9XD0WX4lV_maUgmIHz4KFYVbVgpNbcFFVfSNrUElNN5jd/s1600/IMG_7615.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>4. Lindt Shop - Paris Opera</b></div>
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Technically this isn't actually a restaurant, but if you have a sweet tooth like me, then you absolutely must check out the Lindt Shop which is right across the road from the Paris Opera house, and also right down the road from the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann location. They have a cafe in the shop where you can get all kind of Lindt inspired drinks, including a cup of pure, melted Lindt chocolate straight from a tap they have running, which is a chocoholics absolute dream. They also have every flavour of Lindt chocolate in the shop that you can think of so if you want to bring home a gift for a chocolate lover, this would be a great place to checkout. </div>
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<b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/circusbakeryparis/?hl=en" target="_blank">5. Circus Bakery</a></b><br />
I have Instagram to thank for this find, because Circus Bakery really is a little hidden gem. A very simple, small bakery, but they bake easily the best cinnamon buns I have ever tried. The bakery is located down a little street just across the river from the Notre Dame, and there's another famous bakery just up the street called Odette which apparently serves the best choux pastry and are famous for their little choux pastry cakes.<br />
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<b>Where We Stayed:</b></h3>
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Finally, if you're planning a trip to Paris and want a recommendation of where to stay, <a href="https://www.airbnb.ie/trips/v1/85ff0204-bc81-4ff6-9314-4cf6a6b5d258" target="_blank">here's the link to the Airbnb we stayed in</a>. It was in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, so not super central, but with a metro right down the road it was super easy to get around and it worked out at only €73 a night which is super cheap by Paris standards. Or if you want accommodation nearer to the city, and want to save some money, you can sign up to Airbnb and save €30 off your first trip, and €11 off your first experience when you <a href="http://bit.ly/2Ol3BZn" target="_blank">sign up through this link</a> (I'll get money off Airbnb if you sign up too, so it's a win win). If you'd like to know more about why I rave about Airbnb so much and use it for all of my trips you can find my blog posts about my <a href="https://www.penneystoprada.com/search/label/airbnb?max-results=6" target="_blank">Airbnb experiences here</a>. </div>
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So there we have it, I think that might just be one of my longest blog posts in a long time, but Paris is easily one of my favourite cities that I have visited so it deserves all of the airtime. I hope you enjoyed this post and that it will be helpful to any of you who are planning to visit the beautiful 'City of Lights' anytime soon. </div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Emer x</div>
<br />Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comParis, France48.856614 2.352221900000017748.6894645 2.0294984000000178 49.0237635 2.6749454000000177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-84159401527935762382019-12-01T20:12:00.000+00:002019-12-01T20:12:43.692+00:00The Perfect Subscription For Book Lovers - BookBeat (AD)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Maven Pro"; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by BookBeat but as always all opinions and thoughts are honest and 100% my own.</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsqU7KqrmKr6LRf3HYDE4OZ5A1F19J4oSyWPnlB4or5lhdF0VeQEF4W-aNE6ccHxI46RYQWKxim25XVBH2-psKqXO9JKk77u-O4xZarOf8bdm4AYJ0tGeiR8iq-MOXGPnfPo6Bdpmgk09/s1600/IMG_5639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsqU7KqrmKr6LRf3HYDE4OZ5A1F19J4oSyWPnlB4or5lhdF0VeQEF4W-aNE6ccHxI46RYQWKxim25XVBH2-psKqXO9JKk77u-O4xZarOf8bdm4AYJ0tGeiR8iq-MOXGPnfPo6Bdpmgk09/s1600/IMG_5639.JPG" /></a></div>
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If you've been following me for a while, you might have guessed that I'm an avid reader and my one of favourite things to do is to get completely lost in a book for hours on end. I know lots of you are also book worms, so when BookBeat got in touch to see if I'd like to try out their service, and share it with you all, I was very excited. I was even more excited after I'd been using BookBeat for a few weeks, because it's exactly what I've been looking for, and I think lots of you are going to love it too!</div>
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So what is BookBeat? Basically, the best way I can describe it is that it's like Spotify, but for audio books! Unlike other audio book services where you pay per audio book, with BookBeat you simply pay a monthly subscription fee, and you get unlimited access to thousands of books.</div>
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If you're as excited as I was when I first heard about BookBeat and want to try it out for yourself, </div>
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<a href="https://www.bookbeat.com/ie/pennystoprada" target="_blank"><b>you can sign up for a free trial here</b></a>, and enjoy unlimited audio books for an entire month!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwMHmiARDq3O7mDb9pEF-7O6CxiyoS9liQyzITC1XXIm1KVucFmYsNR3rN8xGgapyShARyq1OvGZnXUqK9m6N0c5MXhchnmeDBizrljahmuQhw2t4dd8cQWzjcqy_rsXbwzlbT7fbMrZL/s1600/11F40E3C-E01E-4E08-9CC0-DCE2FF68D6DD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwMHmiARDq3O7mDb9pEF-7O6CxiyoS9liQyzITC1XXIm1KVucFmYsNR3rN8xGgapyShARyq1OvGZnXUqK9m6N0c5MXhchnmeDBizrljahmuQhw2t4dd8cQWzjcqy_rsXbwzlbT7fbMrZL/s1600/11F40E3C-E01E-4E08-9CC0-DCE2FF68D6DD.JPG" /></a></div>
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With BookBeat you can even download your audio books which makes it perfect for listening to them whilst flying and you can also add the books that you want to listen to, to a list called 'My Books'. It makes it very easy to keep track of what you've listened to, what you want to listen to, as well as how much of each book you've listened to, which is great because I often forget about books I've read, and I'm halfway through before realising I've already read the book! BookBeat also has a handy sleep timer setting, so if you're listening to a book before bed, you can set it to stop playing after a certain amount of time so you don't miss anything while you're asleep. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37DbPPWVYsx9O3x0CM4EN0_jLH5Qg7Zslw2g_GVFsM_fS0BXCIb6Anu6EWPBfJn1BPx2dJ8suqJH6l0xzW4Kzf80II6AJ74nc9rjBxSTUh8d4geMC71uOpeQfxfc7j12Gjw5JKIVHWgBo/s1600/1F71C5B1-95B1-4FF4-A083-A8B3E88A7278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37DbPPWVYsx9O3x0CM4EN0_jLH5Qg7Zslw2g_GVFsM_fS0BXCIb6Anu6EWPBfJn1BPx2dJ8suqJH6l0xzW4Kzf80II6AJ74nc9rjBxSTUh8d4geMC71uOpeQfxfc7j12Gjw5JKIVHWgBo/s1600/1F71C5B1-95B1-4FF4-A083-A8B3E88A7278.JPG" /></a></div>
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Two of my most favourite recent reads are on BookBeat, The Girls In The Garden by Lisa Jewell and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, so if you're looking for inspiration, then definitely check these two out, and if you do, let me know what you thought of them! As you can see above, I've also just finished listening to The Family by Louise Jensen on BookBeat and it was fantastic, a great one to listen to if you love lots of plot twists and surprises!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREMLCq97cizfQnu8oZWigsFo4rPLKyJsmXkvJEObUE2xIXZBSvzytAILMpeIvv5eAhM9Bs1iVo3cv0ZqxNx_2Ov4_8FdndAbm-HFW9WQsqkq1o8C1fqixuEBHUs_U-VO2R1P6JGSccNE7/s1600/IMG_5641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREMLCq97cizfQnu8oZWigsFo4rPLKyJsmXkvJEObUE2xIXZBSvzytAILMpeIvv5eAhM9Bs1iVo3cv0ZqxNx_2Ov4_8FdndAbm-HFW9WQsqkq1o8C1fqixuEBHUs_U-VO2R1P6JGSccNE7/s1600/IMG_5641.JPG" /></a></div>
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BookBeat makes it really easy to find new books to read, with an inspiration page with trending books, selected new releases as well as the latest best sellers. You can also explore your favourite type of books with the categories page, which is very handy for someone like me who tends to stick to the same genre/style of book (I know, I need to branch out a bit more).<br />
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Like I said at the start of this post I was very excited about BookBeat because it's exactly what I've been looking for. I can now listen to books on my drive to and from work, while I work out, or even when I just want to lie on my bed with my eyes shut after a long day, it's a book lovers dream!<br />
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I also think BookBeat is extremely reasonably priced too, for only €14.90 a month, you can have access to unlimited audio books, which is why I became a regular subscriber after my free trial had ended.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post, and remember you can get an <a href="https://www.bookbeat.com/ie/pennystoprada" target="_blank"><b>entire month's free trial by signing up through this link</b></a>. It's not affiliated or anything, just a great way for you to try out a brilliant service!<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
Emer xPenneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-39630292019214998512019-08-16T14:34:00.000+01:002020-02-09T10:57:45.141+00:00How I Spend Money Whilst Travelling - Revolut Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well here's a blog post I've been meaning to write for almost a year now, but as they say, better late than never! As you can probably tell from a quick glance at my blog/Instagram, I LOVE to travel, and I also like to shop, but sometimes, if you're travelling to a country with a different currency than you're used to, it can be a bit daunting/stressful, so today I thought I'd share what I use to spend money whilst I'm away.<br />
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I know lots of you have probably already starting using Revolut, and if not you've definitely heard of them, but I do still get people asking exactly why they should get an account and how it all works so hopefully this post will be helpful for anyone still on the fence. I've also included some screenshots of my own Revolut app to help explain some of the features for those of you who haven't used it yet.<br />
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At the moment, Revolut have an offer on where if you <a href="http://revolut-for-pioneers.ngih.net/rKDk5" target="_blank">sign up through this link</a>, they will give you a free card (I think I paid €5 for mine a few years ago).<br />
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So why is Revolut so good and why do so many people rave about it? Well there are a few reasons why I love it:<br />
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<li>No charges for paying in a different currency.</li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is probably my most favourite part of using Revolut, becomes it comes in handy when I'm travelling to a country that doesn't have Euro as their currency. Basically I just pay with my Revolut card like I would back home, and that's it. Revolut will work out the exchange rate, and they actually have it on real time so it's very accurate, and there isn't a charge for paying in a different currency like there would be with some other more traditional banks. It's made travelling so much easier because now I don't need to go and change money before I travel as I hate carrying cash anyway. As you can see from one of the screenshots below when I was in Poland, on the app, when you spend money in a different currency, it will show you how much it cost in your own currency (mine is obviously euro) and how much it cost in the currency you paid in. Very straight forward and simple, I love it!</span></span><br />
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<li>Budgeting</li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A feature I haven't looked into a huge amount yet is the budgeting feature in Revolut. There is an option to view your months spending by catergory, which is good, so I can see if I need to cut back on my shopping, or excessive taxi use, but they also have a feature where you can set a budget each month and even set budgets for each category, like shopping, restaurants and transport. This is great if you are trying to be more conscious of your spending and I just love the breakdown of my expenditure in this simple form, it definitely helps me think twice!</span></span></div>
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<li>Instant transfer</li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Another super handy feature of Revolut is the instant transfers between Revolut accounts. By now, literally all of my family and friends have a Revolut account because I bang on about it so much, so whenever we go out for meals or trips, splitting the bill is so easy because I can just send my portion straight to whoever is paying. They actually have a specific bill splitting feature that I need to use more often where you can create a bill, so say €50 total, and then invite your Revolut contacts to pay their half. Super easy, and instant too, unlike some bank transfers that can take days.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now depending on what bank you're with, you might have this already but unfortunately I think most Irish banks are a bit behind with the times so my traditional bank account still doesn't have Apple Pay, but not to worry, Revolut does! This means that when I lose my wallet (which I'm afraid to admit happens far too often) I can simply double tap the home button on my phone and up pops my "virtual" Revolut card and I can use contactless payment to pay. Honestly paying with your phone feels like we've finally made it to the future!</span></span></div>
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<li>Saving is very easy.</li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you find you struggle to save, then this would be a very good feature for you! Revolut have these things called "Vaults" that you can set up to save money in, almost like a virtual piggy bank. They also have the option to round up your spare change so that each time you use your Revolut card, they'll round it up and put the difference into your vault automatically for you. You can also set up a certain amount to save each day/week/month too, so for example I have it set up that I put €10 into my vault every week. </span></span></div>
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So that's a bit about Revolut and why I love it, and if you've been on the fence about it, or unsure what it was all about, I hope it helped you! I've been using it for over a year and a half now and I really couldn't recommend it enough. If you do want to create a Revolut account, remember that you can get <a href="http://revolut-for-pioneers.ngih.net/rKDk5" target="_blank">a free card by signing up through this link</a>!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post, thanks so much for reading!<br />
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Emer x<br />
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Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-53923927529954682372019-06-12T17:03:00.000+01:002019-06-12T19:11:11.353+01:00The Thing No One Tells You About Moving In With Your Boyfriend - Simba Mattress Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Disclaimer - The mattress featured in this post was gifted to me by Simba but as always all opinions and thoughts are honest and 100% my own.</i></div>
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I've just checked and my last blog post was publish in FEBRUARY?! Honestly where does the time go? In my <a href="https://www.penneystoprada.com/2019/02/lets-catch-up.html" target="_blank">last post</a> Dara and I had just moved in together and it was all very exciting. We've now been living together for 4 months but it honestly feels like 4 years. Anyway, enough rambling, today I wanted to talk about something that I've been extremely excited about, a mattress... I know that it may sound ridiculous to you to be excited about a mattress but this is not just any mattress, it's a hybrid mattress and it's kind of changed my life.<br />
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When Dara and I first moved in together, I brought my old double mattress from home and we had a hand-me-down box spring bed base. I am not exaggerating when I say that when Dara sat on the edge of the bed to put his socks on, I was almost bounced out of the bed. Obviously this didn't make for a great nights sleep as anytime either of us moved even just the slightest bit, the other would be woken up. I am someone who values their sleep so it was a bit stressful trying to get used to sharing a bed every night anyway, let alone dealing with the added hassle of not having the best bed/mattress set up. That's what no one tells you when you move in with your other half, it's all well and good to live together, and don't get me wrong I absolutely love it, but there's definitely an adjustment period and a lot of bad nights of sleep.<br />
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So obviously you can imagine my absolute joy when <a href="https://simbasleep.ie/" target="_blank">Simba</a> got in contact and asked if I'd like one of their mattresses to try out. I was already doing my own research into these online mattress companies who deliver their products in handy boxes and have all sorts of cool technology built into their mattresses to ensure the best quality of sleep and <a href="https://simbasleep.ie/" target="_blank">Simba</a> was easily the top rated and recommended company I had looked into.<br />
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Simba's mattress is made up of five layers (which you can read more about on the image below because I definitely couldn't do all of the technology and features justice) and they also feature 2,500 unique conical pocket springs which individually adjust as you sleep. The only way to describe what it feels like to lie on this mattress is that it feels as if you're being hugged by it, it's so supportive and not too squishy like some memory foam mattresses can be.<br />
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We've had the mattress for just over a month now and I wanted to wait that long before I reviewed it so that I knew exactly what I thought of it. Basically, I think this mattress is easily my most favourite thing I have ever owned. Sounds dramatic but I can't describe my love for it any other way. I actually don't like to travel now because I'd much rather be at home in my own bed. Dara's the same about it too, every night when we get into bed we both sigh happily at how comfy it is. It's made a huge difference to the quality of my sleep too which is the really important part. I wake up feeling very well rested and since I wear a FitBit which tracks my sleep very accurately, I can actually see that the quality of my sleep has improved and the amount of times I wake up at night has drastically decreased.<br />
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The combination of memory foam and the 2,500 springs mean that Dara could be jumping all over the place beside me in bed (which he often does, does anyone else's partner twitch like mad in their sleep?!) and I wouldn't feel it at all. The top layer of mattress is also designed to help with temperature control which again is brilliant for me because Dara is like a radiator a lot of the time so the Simba mattress keeps me nice and cool.<br />
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One thing I will mention, because as you all know I am nothing if not honest, is that there was an odd smell from the mattress for the first couple of weeks. Dara didn't notice it too much but I'm very sensitive to smell and there was a musty sort of smell coming from the mattress. I got in touch with Simba (who have an excellent and very helpful customer service team may I add) to ask if this was normal and they assured me that this was totally normal and nothing to worry about.<a href="https://help.simbasleep.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005169769-Will-the-mattress-have-a-smell-when-I-first-open-it-" target="_blank"> It's apparently called "off-gassing" and happens with lots of mattresses that have memory foam in them.</a> So if you do get a Simba mattress and you're a little worried about the smell at first, it's all good and it just needs a bit of airing out.<br />
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Simba have a whole range of mattress sizes in both EU and UK sizing, and we went for the <a href="https://simbasleep.ie/products/mattress" target="_blank">UK King size (150x200cm)</a> and that bit of extra room in bed compared to the double size has also made a massive difference to how much easier it's been to share a bed now so if you can size up, I'd definitely recommend it. The dream would be to one day have a bedroom big enough to fit a bed where I could have the Emperor size (200x200cm, I know, how massive is that?) but for now, this king size bed is absolute heaven!<br />
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Never did I think I'd write such a long and in depth blog post about mattresses but here we are! I did warn you in the beginning of this post that I was seriously excited about this mattress and hopefully the info in this post has helped to explain why. Of course I couldn't share all of this without getting you all a little discount too in case you are also on the hunt for a mattress <a href="https://simba.mention-me.com/m/ol/ke6dv-pennys-to-prada" target="_blank">so if you sign up here, you will get £75 off your mattress</a> which isn't too shabby of a discount at all!<br />
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I hope this post was helpful if you are on the hunt for a new mattress and like always if you have any questions feel free to pop me a message over on Instagram!<br />
<br />Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-484225701425059942019-02-21T20:09:00.000+00:002019-02-21T20:09:40.944+00:00Let's Catch Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I feel like I've been seriously slacking when it comes to blog posts over the last couple of months so I thought why not do a little life update/catch up post for anyone who doesn't follow me on Instagram and or might not keep track of my every move (honestly, I wouldn't blame you, I'm not that interesting). I'd like to do more of these chatty kinds of posts, so do let me know if you like them, or if they bore you to death, feel free to let me know that too!<br />
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The biggest life update I have for you is that I got my first proper 'adult' job after finishing my degree last May which is very exciting! I'm halfway through my second month and it's going very well with lots of exciting plans coming in the future. I do like to keep a certain degree of my life private so I won't be shouting who the company I work for is from the roof tops, just because I don't think it's relevant to my blog and I'd like to keep the two separate, but I will tell you that my official title is "Social Media Co-Ordinator" and if I could have come up with my dream job, this would probably be it!<br />
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The second big exciting life update that I have is that Dara (my boyfriend) and I have moved in together. It's something we've been trying to do for about a year or so, and I am delighted that it's finally happened, although I totally underestimated just how much effort (and money) was involved in moving out for the first time. Things I've always taken for granted and never really thought twice about like Wifi, electricity and even which pots and pans are good quality are now all I think about and I feel very grown up indeed.<br />
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A few weekends ago we made a trip to IKEA to buy everything we needed for the new house and I finally understood the cliché joke about couples and making it through an IKEA trip without breaking up. On our previous trips to IKEA, we were only picking up the odd thing here and there, but on this last trip we had a full on list of things we actually needed and it was definitely the least fun IKEA experience I've ever had. At one point in the lighting section I very nearly had a meltdown because we couldn't agree on which wall lights we wanted... I mean really? Wall lights? It was at that moment that I realised we were officially fully fledged adults!<br />
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That weekend wasn't all bad though as on the Friday night we went to see one of my absolute favourite musicians, <a href="https://benhowardmusic.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ben Howard</a>, in the 3Arena and he was as incredible as always. Unfortunately lots of the audience seemed to only be fans of his first few albums which he didn't play, so there was a lot of talking within the crowd which kind of ruined the atmosphere but I enjoyed the gig nonetheless.<br />
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That night we stayed in <a href="https://www.thewilder.ie/en/" target="_blank">The Wilder Townhouse</a> which I'd seen on Instagram and had instantly fallen in love with the decor and vibe. I was surprised at just how close it was to Stephen's Green/Grafton street too and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a very central hotel in Dublin that's beautifully decorated and does a delicious breakfast (avocado on toast just wins me over every single time). One thing I would say is that if you're driving to <a href="https://www.thewilder.ie/en/" target="_blank">The Wilder</a>, there is limited parking and we had to park on the street for a while so it's just something to keep in mind.<br />
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We also took a trip to Budapest in the midst of all the moving madness which was definitely some bad planning on my part but we loved it nonetheless. It's such a beautiful city, one that really surprised me as I had zero expectations of it going over there, but I'll save all that for a proper blog post about our trip so stay tuned for that!<br />
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So my life for the past month or so has just been full of lots of change which for a Libra like myself is just terrifying but I've been trying to not freak out too much. I'm hoping now that I'm getting settled both into my new job and house that I'll have a bit more time for blogging again because I really have missed this little creative outlet of mine.<br />
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Thanks so much for reading and I promise I won't leave it as long until my next blog post!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-25666885945422137872019-01-11T14:55:00.000+00:002019-01-13T11:36:59.144+00:00How I Travel On A Budget - 5 Tips That Have Helped Me Travel For Under €200 Per Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my most asked questions on Instagram is always about my tips on how to travel on a budget and just how I've been able to get most of the trips I've been on (<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search?q=gdansk">Gdańsk</a>, <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search?q=prague">Prague</a> and <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search?q=bruges">Bruges</a> to name a few) for under €200 for at least 2-3 nights. I am finally getting round to writing this post with my top 5 tips and hopefully it'll be helpful for those of you who want to see the world, but don't fancy having to take out a loan every time you travel!<br />
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1. Do your research. </h3>
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My first tip is probably a very obvious one, but it's one that helps me save the most money. Each year I like to come up with a list of cities that I'd like to visit and then I hop onto Google and spend a few hours scoping each destination out. The most important things to take not of are when the location is busiest with tourists, because this will obviously affect flight and accommodation prices. Another thing I look up is the weather, because usually a trip will be cheaper if it's during the colder months, for example our trip to Budapest in February is working out very inexpensive because it'll still be quite cold and not everyone likes to travel to colder climates. <a href="https://google.ie/flights" target="_blank">Google Flights</a> (the only website I ever use to find flights and to get flight price comparisons) also has a feature that lets you put in the dates you'd like to travel on and shows you the world map with the price of flights to pretty much every city in the world for those dates. This is another very handy way of finding out where is cheapest to travel to at certain times of the year.</div>
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2. Track your flights.</h3>
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Like I mentioned above, <a href="https://google.ie/flights" target="_blank">Google Flights</a> is the only website I use for finding flights. I know lots of people love other sites like <a href="https://www.skyscanner.ie/?" target="_blank">Sky Scanner</a>, or <a href="https://www.kayak.ie/?ispredir=true" target="_blank">Kayak</a> but for me personally I find Google Flights nice and straight forward to use. One of the best features I've found on there is the ability to turn on price tracking for a flight you're looking to book. I will never book a flight on the first day of researching it as flight prices go up and down all the time. I like to track the flight price for a week or so, and see if there is a trend in the price change. Each time there is a change, Google will send me an email and lots of the time this is how I get super cheap flights because I know straight away if there has been a price drop. There are lots of articles online with advice on which days/times of the day are cheapest to get flights, so that may be something to look into, but for me, I just stick with my price tracking on Google Flights.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NOALFm6ZNihZrJ-RpP3xAhECyuCprMOtWHGNUTvjX797TtMV4-2gMAHmiaG904vQ-3d2NVzd0QbMRBScivKC_WDNyFs7QHbF8wJuMfAr4p7qHqIYzZwTMzGntE8ZlgvBJ5s4b1HT6eKx/s1600/BudgetTravel1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NOALFm6ZNihZrJ-RpP3xAhECyuCprMOtWHGNUTvjX797TtMV4-2gMAHmiaG904vQ-3d2NVzd0QbMRBScivKC_WDNyFs7QHbF8wJuMfAr4p7qHqIYzZwTMzGntE8ZlgvBJ5s4b1HT6eKx/s1600/BudgetTravel1.jpg" /></a></div>
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3. Look into Airbnb as well as traditional hotels.</h3>
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If you've read any of my previous <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search?q=airbnb" target="_blank">posts about Airbnb</a> or if you follow me on Instagram then you're probably sick of me harping on about Airbnb and how much I love it, but seriously, if you want to travel on a budget, Airbnb should be your first port of call. It's definitely where I've saved the most money for our trips, with our Airbnb in Prague only costing €56 per night (in quieter months it's only €35 per night) for an entire apartment which was half, if not a third of the price of hotels in Prague and we had so much more space than we would have had in a hotel room. I have a whole blog post about Airbnb and the tips I have called '<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2018/10/a-guide-to-airbnb-how-to-find-best.html" target="_blank">A Guide To Airbnb - How To Find The Best Places To Stay</a>' so if you want any more info on Airbnb then definitely give that one a read. If you haven't used Airbnb before, you can get <a href="https://www.airbnb.ie/c/emerr61?currency=EUR" target="_blank">€30 off your first trip if you sign up through this link</a> and for every person who completes a trip using my link, I'll get €15 travel credit so it's a win win for all! I'm not in anyway sponsored by Airbnb by the way, anyone can share their link with their friends to get them money off, and €30 is a nice little discount to get on already cheap accommodation!</div>
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4. Pack light.</h3>
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What's the point in going to all the effort of getting cheap flights and accommodation if you're just going to pack way too much and pay what are in my opinion extortionate baggage fees for checked or overweight luggage? I always travel with just a carry on suitcase and a backpack/tote bag no matter where I'm going or how long I'm going for. If you pack smart, you really only need a small suitcase like a carry on anyway. I do have a two blog posts about my packing tips and how to pack light, one is called '<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2017/03/the-streamline-wardrobe-how-to-pack.html" target="_blank">The Streamline Wardrobe - How To Pack Light</a>' and the other is called '<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2017/09/how-to-travel-with-just-carry-on-travel.html" target="_blank">How To Travel With Just A Carry On - Travel Tips & Tricks</a>' so hopefully they will be helpful!</div>
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5. Plan your trip and budget.</h3>
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The final tip I have is to plan your trip and budget accordingly. I'm a planner anyway so I love this part of organising a trip, but it really does help to save you money as well as time whilst you're exploring a new city. The first thing I'll do is research the general price of restaurant meals, if the city has any kind of transport cards that last for a couple of days (a great money saver) and if there are any tourist cards like the iAmsterdam card that will give you free or reduced entry to lots of attractions. Then I like to get a good idea of the restaurants we would like to try out and how much it'll cost, how much transport around the city will cost, and how much the attractions we'd like to visit and sight seeing we'd like to do will cost. That way, when I am actually on the trip, I won't be stressed about money at all and won't come home and realise that I've spent triple what I'd intended on spending. Of course I don't stick to the budget 100% of the time, because I am travelling and enjoying the experience, but it does help to have a fair idea before you go.</div>
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I hope these tips are in some way helpful and that they'll help you save some of your hard earned money on your future trips! As always if you've any extra questions, just pop me an email or an Instagram or Facebook DM and I'll get back to you. Thanks for reading!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-62357761465720461842018-11-28T17:54:00.000+00:002018-11-28T18:08:07.993+00:00The 5 Make-Up Products That I've Been Loving Lately<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUTpNv30hSRr0cFANLuzFrVlACrIGuiJlpiZD3p7utpX1CiPwMIhG-6Kr3GTIQi4VWD4dSew27B34zyppbAkZLDeDUbkrLFMJJr1w2OvMcvlhCTvIOX0bcTAFKK3cUXDochw1qRlvqs0N/s1600/MakeUpFavourites.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUTpNv30hSRr0cFANLuzFrVlACrIGuiJlpiZD3p7utpX1CiPwMIhG-6Kr3GTIQi4VWD4dSew27B34zyppbAkZLDeDUbkrLFMJJr1w2OvMcvlhCTvIOX0bcTAFKK3cUXDochw1qRlvqs0N/s1600/MakeUpFavourites.JPG" /></a><br />
I feel like it's been an age since my last beauty post, but to be honest, when it comes to beauty products, and especially make-up products, I stick to what I know works and that's that! With that in mind, I thought I'd share the products that I've found myself reaching for the most over the past couple of months, a little favourites type of post if you will. Some of these products I've actually used for well over a year and have repurchased, whilst others are more recent additions to my make-up drawer, but all of them take top priority spaces in my make-up bag (especially when I travel) so it's safe to say I consider them very good indeed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPsk6qD0v2qanCT1NGBvpHSpImahHZsYnJYQk0djbjFNk_0mKQO2C2ThYftYFegJQGniGJdelftZyWdMHhjoulEfZMLq6nbAkcu_RzafomYLhRV8ENfwf7Pobwlf5yOUNcXhhRjxswVbw/s1600/MakeUpFavourites1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPsk6qD0v2qanCT1NGBvpHSpImahHZsYnJYQk0djbjFNk_0mKQO2C2ThYftYFegJQGniGJdelftZyWdMHhjoulEfZMLq6nbAkcu_RzafomYLhRV8ENfwf7Pobwlf5yOUNcXhhRjxswVbw/s1600/MakeUpFavourites1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">PS Brow Sketch Eyebrow Pencil</span></h3>
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<span style="text-align: start;">First up is probably one of my top make-up products ever, and it only costs €2.50. I often get complimented on my eyebrows, which is both a weird but flattering compliment to get, and asked which products I use in them so I'm always delighted to share this little gem. This brow pencil from Penneys is almost identical to the Benefit Precisely My Brow pencil but is only a fraction of the price. It's a super small pencil, so it makes it very easy to give your brows a nice neat shape and fill them in without it looking like you've used a sharpie. I also find the staying power is amazing too and every time I'm in Penneys I'll buy at least two of them because I live in fear of them being discontinued! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CCQ8ZlZUZsfPDObAcM2ku3uyrL2hUb24-zbma_KdGRGyZmzwnb3CG5xRDDYurYWw-Eh1JbDxn918FB5VNmxn9-RGHmCabyveDv7BhoEe0rdptMZSAooSsnRbUjLJu8cveUFaBeC6xG6l/s1600/MakeUpFavourites2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CCQ8ZlZUZsfPDObAcM2ku3uyrL2hUb24-zbma_KdGRGyZmzwnb3CG5xRDDYurYWw-Eh1JbDxn918FB5VNmxn9-RGHmCabyveDv7BhoEe0rdptMZSAooSsnRbUjLJu8cveUFaBeC6xG6l/s1600/MakeUpFavourites2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.fuschia.ie/products/minx-quad-wildminx.html?filter_set[]=46" target="_blank">Fuschia Makeup Minx Eyeshadow Palette</a></h3>
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I've been lucky enough to travel a good bit this year, and have gotten really good at slimming down my make-up bag considerably to allow for a few more outfits than I need, so palettes like this one from <a href="https://www.fuschia.ie/" target="_blank">Fuschia Makeup</a> have been so handy. This palette is so compact I can actually fit it in my purse, and it has all of the colours I need, since I only ever do a matte, neutral kind of eye look (to be honest, that's all I can do without looking like I've been playing in my mother's make-up drawer). These shadows are super pigmented and blend really well, so even a total eyeshadow rookie like myself can get on well with them! Fuschia Makeup is also an Irish brand, so not only can you look fab with your pretty eyeshadow, but you're also supporting a local company which I love.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr37PrSZ8K9LseFmG7BpcaSX1Yhh0gIu1S1Tpy6zG1fHqfB36GD5D4XHptSUYtRzYjqDIdPAPTQWdBKA-Xmty339m7WHMQQiKwlgCv1cE8jXldDIsEobLsvb-9uF7kA_OaTSaY4LmL9Nrw/s1600/MakeUpFavourites3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr37PrSZ8K9LseFmG7BpcaSX1Yhh0gIu1S1Tpy6zG1fHqfB36GD5D4XHptSUYtRzYjqDIdPAPTQWdBKA-Xmty339m7WHMQQiKwlgCv1cE8jXldDIsEobLsvb-9uF7kA_OaTSaY4LmL9Nrw/s1600/MakeUpFavourites3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.foleyschemist.ie/product/flormar-terracotta-blush-on/" target="_blank">Flormar Terracotta Blush-On in Pink Bronze</a></h3>
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This is another make-up product, like the PS Brow Sketch, that I've been using for a few years now and have repurchased it once or twice, so that's how I know the love is real. I actually used to be somewhat scared of blush, since I have naturally red rosy cheeks anyway, but thankfully I realised it gives a bit of life to my face after I've applied my foundation! I find this blusher from Flormar in the shade Pink Bronze is the perfect colour for me when I'm a little paler in the winter. Since it's got a mix of lighter pinks, darker more warm pinks and a bit of gold too, it gives a lovely wash of colour to the face without being too much. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUph6dLmGQJxWX2FyHywukOHeerRPObi5taLSIKJCoTtVsVVaMyjsCVCl44pkmIYnqDXzeH0MATboW_g6ikhghD5U7W95RXERAP5Ung6hDDH2TMWZklC9HYHr3z1o-nMyiQxu5rl2tIhrr/s1600/MakeUpFavourites4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUph6dLmGQJxWX2FyHywukOHeerRPObi5taLSIKJCoTtVsVVaMyjsCVCl44pkmIYnqDXzeH0MATboW_g6ikhghD5U7W95RXERAP5Ung6hDDH2TMWZklC9HYHr3z1o-nMyiQxu5rl2tIhrr/s1600/MakeUpFavourites4.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/2AcXKn" target="_blank">NARS Climax Mascara</a></h3>
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If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/penneystoprada/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> (if not, come over and say hi), then you might have seen that I was lucky enough to work with NARS in promoting the new Climax Mascara. This is honestly the best mascara I've ever used, and I like to think of myself as a bit of a mascara aficionado so trust me when I say I have tried hundreds! It's lightweight, so you barely feel it on your lashes, but it gives amazing volume and so much length. I've actually had people ask me if I was wearing false lashes when all I was wearing was the Climax Mascara so if that's not a testament to how good it is, then I don't know what is. Another thing I love about it is that it's easy to take off, so there's no scrubbing of your eyes, but at the same time, it lasts all day without any smudging or flaking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v1c97h8hKcPwtBh6IAsYO_SmqaefZ9RqG49CUjNuOlGDdJtbekTsxQ5oDHMGNhmMdeem8Xa9MFkL-cDrDrPicgr37Mf10cSgZ_sNtH399EoxXXU4O863_V6JXDNZmDnDJjau1V59wJ0h/s1600/MakeUpFavourites5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v1c97h8hKcPwtBh6IAsYO_SmqaefZ9RqG49CUjNuOlGDdJtbekTsxQ5oDHMGNhmMdeem8Xa9MFkL-cDrDrPicgr37Mf10cSgZ_sNtH399EoxXXU4O863_V6JXDNZmDnDJjau1V59wJ0h/s1600/MakeUpFavourites5.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/Ko7xEX" target="_blank">Too Faced Peach Kiss Lipstick</a></h3>
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I've always been a matte lip girl, so much so that I stopped wearing traditional lipsticks and just stuck to matte liquid lipsticks, but these Too Faced Peach Kiss lipsticks have made me fall back in love with creamy, comfortable lip colours! They're part of Too Faced's Peaches & Cream collection so they smell good enough to eat and they're so creamy that they just glide onto your lips, but at the same time they're nice and matte and long wearing. My favourite shades so far have been 'Sex on the Peach', 'He's With Me', 'Disrobed', 'Got Peach?' and 'Chill Pill'. I described 'Chill Pill' recently on my Instagram story as a nude-y red, which might sound ridiculous but that's exactly what it is, a nice neutral, muted red shade which is perfect for day to day wear as it isn't too in your face if you know what I mean?</div>
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So there we have it, the 5 makeup products that have been my go-tos recently and haven't let me down yet! What are your most reached for beauty products? Have you tried any of the ones I've mentioned in this post? </div>
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As always I hope you enjoyed this post, thanks so much for reading! Emer x</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-75096568532200961162018-11-12T16:39:00.000+00:002018-11-12T16:39:01.265+00:00Escape To The Wicklow Mountains - Druids Glen Resort Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-zRA2OAlUc4jXvk_es8uqOR0kgmetRF6Hmvoka6-l3lD7cgN652dcdukZoEk2gle-qg-42i78cMNocPNiJyviJH_IeId9b6dwlrjvZbIui3WYJEqA8RIFn6neVhfZ65ZSQLmrw_brC38/s1600/DruidsGlenReview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-zRA2OAlUc4jXvk_es8uqOR0kgmetRF6Hmvoka6-l3lD7cgN652dcdukZoEk2gle-qg-42i78cMNocPNiJyviJH_IeId9b6dwlrjvZbIui3WYJEqA8RIFn6neVhfZ65ZSQLmrw_brC38/s1600/DruidsGlenReview.JPG" /></a></div>
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Isn't that just one of the most stunning views from a hotel window that you ever did see? It's certainly the best view I've ever had from a hotel room and I could have sat there all weekend looking at all of the autumn leaves! This past weekend myself and Dara headed up to Wicklow for a bit of R&R and were lucky enough to be guests of <a href="https://www.druidsglenresort.com/" target="_blank">Druids Glen Resort</a>, a hotel that I'd already heard such amazing things about. It took us about 2 hours to drive up from Waterford, and even the drive itself through Wicklow to the hotel was stunning. Upon walking into the hotel lobby, straight away I fell in love with the decor, and how bright and open the hotel was. It also helped that at the reception desk there was a warm non-alcoholic apple cider that was literally the most delicious, soul warming drink I've ever had (I actually need to find out the recipe)! Since we arrived just before 3pm, we expected to have to wait a little for our room as check-in wasn't until 4pm but to our delight, our room was ready and waiting, and it did not disappoint! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTolOCwbxIp4Yzk1oeN7uXxbzHpsCz3ts2C0uC_kLtI5MC0cWtz7NYusUqq-qmutzchHyA9_ZeIkYu5Yq0mBWG9PFm0XzfMitmdrNifHBXbJhJFAg0z6J4XFhW42EXTMgtJH4k-4uOoFag/s1600/DruidsGlenReview2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTolOCwbxIp4Yzk1oeN7uXxbzHpsCz3ts2C0uC_kLtI5MC0cWtz7NYusUqq-qmutzchHyA9_ZeIkYu5Yq0mBWG9PFm0XzfMitmdrNifHBXbJhJFAg0z6J4XFhW42EXTMgtJH4k-4uOoFag/s1600/DruidsGlenReview2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXhMqPF7-h9YgKYSQqXVdLTPRhG7U_bztZG99A5sdKcXy8aYPAMmtgVqhos1RlQz57tasHJJlHLv0s43M7BaNxqLc1RjBWzMqnOet6RKOSVEduLd-3dbhnHO3axbnkAN0fogIKHlxIYnC/s1600/DruidsGlenReview3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXhMqPF7-h9YgKYSQqXVdLTPRhG7U_bztZG99A5sdKcXy8aYPAMmtgVqhos1RlQz57tasHJJlHLv0s43M7BaNxqLc1RjBWzMqnOet6RKOSVEduLd-3dbhnHO3axbnkAN0fogIKHlxIYnC/s1600/DruidsGlenReview3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The Room:</span></h3>
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Originally we had been booked into a Superior King Guestroom which we were so excited about but just a few days before our stay, I got an email to say we'd now be staying in the Executive Suite and like I said above, it did not disappoint! After we'd checked in, we headed up to the third floor and found our room which had double doors, and I don't know about you, but I've never stayed in a hotel room with double doors. Upon opening those doors, we walked into the suite's sitting room which had an open fire already burning and I just totally fell in love. It was so cosy and welcoming and exactly what you'd want for a relaxing weekend away. As well as the fire, the sitting room had a comfy little couch, a table and chairs and a big tv, which would be perfect for a movie night.</div>
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Then from the sitting room/lounge, there are sliding double doors into the bedroom. The bed was gigantic and super comfy, and again had an incredible view out of the window at all of the gorgeous scenery. I loved that the decor of the room had a bit of a countryside vibe to it without it looking dated at all, it was fresh whilst still feeling homely and cosy. The bedroom also had a huge tv which allowed us to plug in a USB stick so we watched a movie after dinner. Between the bedroom and the bathroom there was a dressing table and an impressive coffee machine set up with lots of nespresso pods and also a walk in wardrobe which had some slippers and the best robes I've ever worn. They were towelling on the inside but soft and fluffy on the outside and I definitely considered taking one home with me!<br />
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From the little dressing room area you then walked into the bathroom which had a double sink and a separate bath and shower which I always love because for some reason having a shower in a bath always makes me feel like I might fall over, but maybe I'm just weird! The best part about the bathroom was that there were L'Occitane en Provence toiletries which I was very impressed by as it's a gorgeous brand and their products smell amazing. The bath even had little tea lights and holders for the ultimate bath time experience and anyone who knows me at all knows I love ALL of the candles when I have a bath, so I thought that was a nice little touch and something I haven't seen in a hotel before.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
The Food:</h3>
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While Hugo's in Druids Glen holds 2AA rosettes for culinary excellence, and I have no doubt that the food is incredible in there, myself and Dara like a much more relaxed, casual kind of dinner (yes, we are 5 years old), so opted for dinner in the newly refurbished <a href="https://www.druidsglenresort.com/dining.html" target="_blank">Garden Rooms and Bar</a>. The menu in here was right up our street, and certainly didn't disappoint. The restaurant itself was also so well decorated, with blue velvet booths, gorgeous wood flooring, dark marble tables and mood lighting so good we felt like we were in a top class restaurant. I ordered the sweet potato chips for starters whilst Dara had the kofti kebabs and for mains I of course had to order the pizza and Dara ordered the burger. The best part by far was dessert, where I had the chocolate tart, but instead of having it with the mascarpone it should have been served with, I instead asked to have the toasted banana ice cream with it that I saw came with the sticky toffee pudding (which is what Dara ordered). Let me tell you, it was heaven in my mouth! I also have to mention Kevin who served us because he was so friendly and chatty and made us feel right at home.</div>
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After such a lovely meal the night before, I had no doubts that breakfast wouldn't disappoint and I was right. Breakfast was served in Hugo's which was again decorated so well and was lovely and bright. The breakfast was a buffet (my favourite) with a little twist. They had an omelette station where you could pick what you wanted in your omelette and they would make it right there for you. Now I actually don't eat eggs so I didn't try this out but they also make pancakes at this station too which sadly I didn't realise until we had finished our breakfast and I couldn't fit another bite.<br />
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One thing I have to mention as well is that Druids Glen is just a 30 minute drive from Glendalough, although it felt much shorter because we drove through such stunning countryside. If you've never been, Glendalough is one of the most breathtaking places I've been to in Ireland and Dara and I did the Blue walk, which took us right up to the top overlooking both lakes. Definitely a bit of a trek to the top, and much harder than I thought it'd be but so worth it so if you're thinking of staying in Druids Glen, definitely pencil in a visit to Glendalough too!<br />
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Druids Glen also has amazing leisure facilities and a spa that I actually had a good few messages from people recommending it on Instagram but between us wanting to be lazy and chill out for a bit and then our visit to Glendalough we didn't get a chance to check them out, but what better excuse to stay there again eh?<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this little look into the <a href="https://www.druidsglenresort.com/" target="_blank">Druids Glen Resort</a> and a big thank you to them for having us this past weekend, it was just what we needed!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWicklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland52.9862313 -6.367254300000013252.3740448 -7.6581478000000134 53.5984178 -5.0763608000000131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-10743686937854267842018-11-06T12:18:00.001+00:002018-11-06T12:19:38.272+00:00The 5 Staple Knits We All Need In Our Wardrobes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time of year when all we want to do is wear our pyjamas, or clothing that is as close to pyjamas whilst still being socially acceptable to wear in public. The evenings are dark, and anything that will keep you cosy is a god send, and knitwear is the perfect solution for all of the above. The other day whilst I was reorganising my wardrobe, I realised I could categorise my knitwear into 5 key groups, so I thought I'd share them since it's knitwear season after all!<br />
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1. The Roll Neck</h3>
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This is probably my favourite category, I mean who doesn't love a jumper that'll keep your neck nice and cosy?! Now if we were going to get really specific, this category would have like 3 subcategories, like turtle neck, oversized roll neck etc, but let's just keep it top level shall we? Roll necks literally go with EVERYTHING in the autumn/winter season. I love to wear the thinner kind under dresses and with skirts, whilst a good chunky cable knit roll neck is perfect with jeans.<br />
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<h3>
2. Chunky Knits</h3>
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Another style of knitwear I love is the chunky knits (like the one in the feature photo for this post). I always make sure to buy my chunky knitwear a little oversized otherwise it can make me look quite boxy and not in a cute way either. Chunky knits are so easy to throw on with jeans, or leggings for a really comfy vibe. Also, so long as the knit isn't super chunky, I think they look very cute tucked into a denim or corduroy skirt.<br />
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<h3>
3. The Statement Knit</h3>
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Usually knitwear isn't the focal point of an outfit and is just there to first of all keep you warm, and second of all to compliment the rest of the outfit, but there are some jumpers out there that are the perfect statement piece of an outfit. I'd wear most of these with a super simple outfit, like a pair of black jeans and a black leather jacket so that the jumper can do all the talking.<br />
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<h3>
4. The Knit Dress</h3>
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A new favourite of mine recently has been the knitted dress. I always thought they would make me look super bulky, but I've found that if you get a thinner knit they can actually be super flattering. I've found a few in Penneys recently for €16 and they were roll neck too so the comfort level was a solid 10/10. I think I love knitted dresses the most because it's literally an entire outfit all in one easy to throw on piece. Before the cold weather arrived I was wearing them bare legged with trainers, but now a pair of tights and boots work perfectly.<br />
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<h3>
5. The 'Goes With Everything' Knit</h3>
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This category probably takes up about 60% of my knitwear collection because they're just so easy to style. Usually a neutral or a black, they'll go with pretty much any outfit I own and are perfect if I want a more laid back, simple outfit. This section is a good one to invest in because they're timeless and you can wear them year after year. At the moment, I'm actually thinking about buying some higher quality knits for this category because I know they'll stand the test of time and will be worth the few extra euro.<br />
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What's your favourite type of knit? Or do you think I've finally lost the plot for categorising my knitwear?! If you are looking for some new knitwear, you can click on the photos about and shop my favourite knits that are available on the high street at the moment. I hope you enjoyed this post, thanks so much for reading!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This post contains affiliate links. It won't cost you any extra if you choose to buy something through these links, it just means that I get a small percentage of commission for finding these fab bits and sharing them with you. You get to shop till your hearts content, and I get some shmoney to help fund my own shopping addiction, it's a win win really.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-20319097570544123792018-10-30T19:38:00.000+00:002018-10-30T19:38:33.588+00:00How I Got Past My Fear Of Flying - Tips To Make Flying Less Stressful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A quick glance at my blog and Instagram will tell you that I love to travel and have been very lucky in that I've actually travelled more this year than any other, but what you might not be able to tell is that I am a very nervous flyer. I haven't always been scared of flying though, when I was younger I travelled a good few times to America, and never really even noticed that I was almost 42,000 feet in the air. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've become rather scared of flying which isn't ideal as travelling is my absolute favourite thing and almost all of the places I want to visit require a plane journey of some kind. Since I'm never one to let things hold me back, I've come up with a few little tricks that help me to get through the flight without completely panicking and thinking that we're all going to die. I'm finding that every new flight I go on, the less nervous I feel and who knows, maybe I can even train myself out of this fear of flying!<br />
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<b>1. Pretend you're not even on the plane.</b><br />
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This might sound ridiculous but bear with me as it's the tip that has helped me the most with flying. Get yourself an eye mask and a good pair of headphones or earphones and just completely tune out the fact that you're flying. I find that when I can't see or hear the plane, I'm a lot more relaxed and not overthinking every little sound, or watching out of the window as the plane turns. The headphones I have actually have something called Active Noise Cancellation which basically creates an "anti noise" to combat the sound waves from external noise so it's almost completely silent with the headphones on. This does an amazing job of getting rid of the plane's loud engine noises and I find myself falling asleep almost instantly on flights, which brings me onto my next tip...<br />
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<b>2. Go to sleep. </b><br />
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This might sound easier said than done, especially if you're super nervous about flying but if you can get your head down for a bit of shut eye it helps the flight just fly by, if you'll pardon my pun, and you'll wake up at your destination relaxed and well rested. I used to always get a coffee before I flew as my flights were usually quite early in the morning but I found it was keeping me up for the entire flight and if anything, making me a lot more anxious too. Now, I just get a water in the airport, wear a nice comfy outfit and pop on my headphones and eyemask the minute I get on the plane and usually I can drift off pretty easily.<br />
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<b>3. Watch a film or a tv show or read a good book.</b><br />
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I am going to preface this tip by saying do not watch a scary film on a plane, even if you're not that scared of flying because last month I very nearly boxed the man sitting next to me straight in the face after jumping out of my skin watching a horror movie... With that being said, like the other tips in this post, I find if I can't sleep, watching a film or a tv show is the next best thing to help me zone out and it also helps the time to just fly by too. If you have Netflix they have a very handy feature where you can actually download movies and tv shows onto your phone/iPad/tablet to watch whilst you're offline, so I always download lots to keep me occupied. The same goes for reading a book, it helps me to focus on the story I'm reading rather than the fact I'm on a plane.<br />
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I know most of these tips are just distraction methods and don't actually combat the actual fear itself but I've found that by flying enough times and not being completely terrified, it's actually helping me to overcome my fear, so hopefully these tips will help you too! What are your tips for overcoming a fear of flying?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-55144854809425439192018-10-14T11:48:00.000+01:002018-10-14T11:48:40.729+01:00A Guide To Airbnb - How To Find The Best Places To Stay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m4dNEprKRL2ELMHtTG4QNK_Ijf1cVTgQIAsQclRnnBtvVeZkR8yy0FH1LoB9LQPXVX8lNSfERNHPdjn7QNAgHvT00tBI1DfZHpeebauXwiiPKrUugoNm9dQrrWWTpMA6lPk6mQn4rLSn/s1600/AirbnbGuide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m4dNEprKRL2ELMHtTG4QNK_Ijf1cVTgQIAsQclRnnBtvVeZkR8yy0FH1LoB9LQPXVX8lNSfERNHPdjn7QNAgHvT00tBI1DfZHpeebauXwiiPKrUugoNm9dQrrWWTpMA6lPk6mQn4rLSn/s1600/AirbnbGuide.jpg" /></a></div>
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Even though I only used <a href="https://goo.gl/T7RF97" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> for the first time back in March, I like to think that I've become very good at finding the best places to stay in, for the best prices and it'd be rude of me not to share some tips on how to do that, right? While I absolutely love staying in hotels, there's nothing quite like having your own apartment to stay in when travelling to a new city. It gives you the option for cook, and just generally gives you a lot more space than a regular hotel room would. Even better, if you're on a budget but still love travelling, you can pick to rent a private room in a house or an apartment rather than an "entire place" like they call it on Airbnb and sometimes this can be up to a third cheaper than a hotel would be. You can read my first post about Airbnb and <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2018/05/our-first-airbnb-experience-how-we.html" target="_blank">what we thought of our first experience here</a>, and if you want some tips on how to find Airbnb gold, then just keep on reading. I must also preface this post by stating that nope, I'm not working with Airbnb to promote them (although I'd definitely love to do that), I just genuinely really love this way of finding accommodation for travelling.<br />
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1. Make Use Of The Filters</h3>
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When you first use Airbnb it may be a little confusing as it just throws a big old list of places to stay at you. I always filter first, and then start to look through the list so that I'm not looking into apartments or rooms that don't have what I'm looking for. For example, if you're looking for a place to stay for 4 people, make sure you put that option into the bar of filters on the top of the screen. Or if you are on a budget, use the price filter to set how much you're willing to spend on a place to stay. I will often go into the "More Filters" option and check options like "hairdryer" because no matter how light travel hairdryers are, I need that extra space in my suitcase, or "wifi" for obvious reasons. This helps to cut down on the list of places that are available for your trip and should help the decision process be a lot easier.</div>
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2. Use The Map To Your Advantage</h3>
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As well as the list of accommodation, Airbnb also has a handy map on the right hand side of the screen that I always use to find the best places to stay. If you're looking to stay right in the middle of the city, make sure you zoom in on that area so that only the central places to stay are shown, or if there are a few sights that you want to see all in a particular area, you can use the map to choose an Airbnb that's closest to this area. The map can also be used in places like Croatia (which I'm currently researching for a possible trip) to find Airbnbs with amazing views of the sea, so it's definitely a good tool to use.</div>
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3. Superhosts Are Where It's At</h3>
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We've only recently come across this tip but it's one that I would say is an essential if you want to have the best Airbnb experience. Superhosts are hosts that are highly rated, very responsive to messages, and a very reliable, so just all around good eggs. On the "More Filters" section there's a toggle you can click to only show Airbnbs from Superhosts so if it's your first time using Airbnb and you're a little sceptical as there are some horror stories out there, then I'd definitely click it just to have peace of mind. </div>
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4. Always Read The Reviews</h3>
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I'm sure this tip is a bit obvious but every time you stay in an Airbnb you have to leave a review afterwards and when I am looking up places to stay, I will always read a few of the reviews to get a good idea of what the Airbnb is actually like to stay in. Reviews are great for letting you know if the Airbnb is in a busy area, if there are any good cafes near by, how well the Airbnb actually fits the description given on the website etc. The <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2018/05/our-first-airbnb-experience-how-we.html" target="_blank">apartment that we stayed in on our trip to Prague</a> was chosen purely because of the reviews as lots of the people recommended the area for it being so close to public transport and also recommended the host as she provided a local travel guide which came in handy.</div>
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5. Self Check-In Makes Everything Easier</h3>
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Another new discovery for us with Airbnb is self check-in which we had on <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2018/10/gdansk-travel-guide-what-to-do-where-to.html" target="_blank">our most recent trip to Gdańsk</a>. Self check-in means that the Airbnb either has a key lockbox, smartlock, keypad, or that you can pick up a key from the building staff (which is what we did). I love this option because having to organise a specific time to pick up the keys with your Airbnb host can be a little stressful especially if you're trying to navigate a new city or if there are flight delays. Self check-in means you can arrive anytime you want (as long as it's after the designated check-in time) and you don't have to worry about keeping in contact with your host.</div>
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Those are the main tips I'd have that have helped me to find the Airbnbs that we've stayed in and so far we've stayed in some gorgeous apartments so my track record is pretty good! I know I probably sound like a broken record but honestly Airbnb is one of the best things I've ever discovered as it's allowed myself and Dara to travel to new cities without breaking the bank. For any of you who have never used Airbnb before, <a href="https://goo.gl/T7RF97" target="_blank">you can get €30 off your first trip if you sign up through this link</a> and for every person who completes a trip using my link, I'll get €15 travel credit so it's a win win for all!</div>
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I hope this post was helpful to anyone who hasn't used Airbnb much before and of course if you have any more questions about it, just pop me a message. Thanks for reading!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-527235239597038602018-10-10T16:11:00.000+01:002018-10-10T18:31:40.301+01:00Gdańsk Travel Guide - What To Do & Where To Eat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Poland is a country I've always wanted to visit, but never really knew what to expect. Last week, myself and Dara visited Gdańsk for the first time and let me tell you, when I say it was nothing like I had imagined, I mean that in the best way possible. There are so many reasons as to why I loved Gdańsk, from how cheap the food was, to how gorgeous the city is and how friendly the people were. We loved it so much that we're now dying to visit lots of the other Polish cities with Kraków being top of the list. If you've ever thought of visiting Gdańsk and want to know more, or if you already have a trip to this gorgeous city planned and want some inspo, then in today's post I'm going to share where we ate and what we did, so I hope you enjoy!</div>
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Where We Stayed</h3>
First of all I'm going to share the link to the gorgeous <a href="https://goo.gl/v5Qepy" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> that we stayed in because it was such a bargain (only €53 a night including the service fee) and so many of you wanted to know the details. You can find the apartment <a href="https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/23346123" target="_blank">here</a> and if you're looking to book a trip to Gdańsk I couldn't recommend it enough. We were just a few minutes walk to the centre of the Old Town, an even shorter walk to the World War II museum and about a 10 minute walk from Gdańsk's train station. You can also sign up to Airbnb <a href="https://goo.gl/v5Qepy" target="_blank">through this link</a> to get €30 off your first trip which is always handy!<br />
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Where We Ate</h3>
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If you've been following me for a while, or have read any of my other <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search/label/travel" target="_blank">travel blog posts</a> then you'll know that I love to experience different countries and cultures by eating ALL of the food (any excuse, right?). Much to my delight, food in Gdańsk was seriously cheap. We're talking less than €20 for a meal for myself and Dara, including alcoholc drinks. Most of the time in Ireland it'd be €20 for just one person so we were delighted! Not only was it cheap, the food in Gdańsk was delicious too.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.originalburger.pl/" target="_blank">1. Original Burger</a></b></div>
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The first restaurant I found whilst researching places to eat for our trip was Original Burger. If you look a good burger, and even better fries, then I'd definitely check this place out. It was only €6.50 for a burger with two sides and it was absolutely delicious. The desserts looked incredible too but sadly I was way too full after my main course which is a very rare occurrence! It was so good that we almost went back on our last day in the city but we knew we needed to try some of the pierogi (Polish dumplings) so had to give it a miss.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.pierogarnia-mandu.pl/" target="_blank">2. Pierogina Mandu Centrum</a></b></div>
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Like I mentioned above, we really wanted to try pierogi, which are basically dumplings stuffed with all kinds of things. I didn't know if I'd like them or not, but now as I write this post, the cravings I have for them is unreal! Pierogina Mandu has a huge menu, with both sweet and savory pierogi to choose from. I also ordered their baked pierogi too as our waitress said this particular one tasted like a hamburger and I kid you not, it tasted exactly like a Big Mac and I was fascinated. In hindsight we should have just ordered 2 plates to share as the traditional pierogi come with 10 dumplings and the baked ones came with 8. We were so full after our main course that again, we couldn't possibly fit in any of the sweet pierogi but I guess I'll just have to go back to Poland to try them!</div>
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<b><a href="http://manekin.pl/11/gdansk" target="_blank">3. Manekin</a></b><br />
This restaurant is a little bit outside of the city but right near a train station so we went there for lunch on our way out to Sopot. Before I get into what we thought of the food, I will mention that we waited a long, long time for our food to arrive, which wasn't ideal as we were starving and wanted to get out to the beach. It was super busy and when we were leaving there was a queue for about 10 people waiting to be seated, so do keep that in mind if you want to try it out. With that being said, the food was incredible. Manekin is basically a pancake restaurant, they have every single type of pancake imaginable, with savoury options as well as sweet. I ordered the lasange pancake and it was delicious and then for dessert I had the apple fudge pancakes which very nearly put me into a food coma. Again it was very cheap, only €18 for the both of us and we both had a main and dessert as well as a couple of drinks!<br />
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<h3>
What We Did</h3>
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<b>1. Climbed To The Top Of The St. Mary Church Tower</b></div>
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For some reason, every time Dara and I travel somewhere new, we always find a tall tower of some sort to climb to the top of. After climbing to the top of the St. Mary's Church tower, I have now decided that I am not doing this anymore as I am way to afraid of heights. The view was absolutely stunning, and if you're not afraid of heights by all means go for it. If you are a bit nervous, I actually wouldn't recommend this one as the last section of the stairs to the top just felt so dodgy and I ended up having a mild panic attack which wasn't ideal. It is a killer leg workout though, but yeah, my tower climbing days are over.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmberSkykolowidokowe/" target="_blank">2. AmberSky Wheel</a></b></div>
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Lots of people recommended that we check out Gdańsk's version of the London Eye and I'm glad we did because the view was amazing, especially as we went just as the sun was setting. It was only €12.99 for the two of us and it lasted for about 15 minutes. Obviously with me being a total scaredy cat, I was a little nervous especially when it stopped to let someone on and we were at the top, but I mean it was a brilliant way to see the city so it was worth it. It's just across the river from the Old Town and right next to the PURO hotel which has an amazing roof top bar so it's the perfect excuse to go for a nice, relaxing glass of wine afterwards!</div>
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<b><a href="https://muzeum1939.pl/en/home" target="_blank">3. Museum of the Second World War</a></b><br />
Visiting this museum was one of the things Dara really wanted to do whilst in Gdańsk and while it was of course very sad, and hard to read and see lots of the terrible events that occurred during World War II, it was a fantastic museum and very interesting to walk around. There was some kind of offer on so that it was half price admission which was 20 złoty (about €4.60) for the both of us. I must admit that it was upsetting at points to learn about the awful details of the suffering imposed by Hitler on the Polish people but the museum presented all of the information so well, and in lots of different formats such as videos, photos, displays of artefacts and even mock streets of what Poland would have looked like in the 1930s, that I would really recommend checking it out.<br />
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<b> 4. A Day Trip To Sopot</b><br />
Since Sopot, a cute town on shores of the Baltic sea, is only a 20 minute train journey from Gdańsk, we thought it'd be rude not to check it out. The beach was gorgeous and there's a huge pier that you can walk down and what looked like some sort of pirate ship at the end of it that I think you can go out on. If you're visiting Gdańsk for a couple of days and want a break from the city, then a day trip out to Sopot is a brilliant idea and the best part is you can stop off and get pancakes in Manekin!<br />
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So there we have it, that's what we got up to and where we ate on our trip to Gdańsk. If you have anymore questions about this wonderful city then just pop me a message either on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/penneystoprada" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/penneystoprada/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and hopefully I can answer them. Thanks so much for reading!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comGdańsk, Poland54.352025200000007 18.64663840000002954.05595670000001 18.001191400000028 54.648093700000004 19.29208540000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-29574548988715547572018-09-24T15:18:00.000+01:002018-09-24T19:59:46.307+01:00The Comfiest Bed I've Ever Slept In - Midlands Park Hotel Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ready to hear all about a hotel that offers not only a luxurious, relaxing stay with delicious food but also won't break the bank like some other hotels might? Myself and Dara spent the past weekend as guest of the stunning <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/" target="_blank">Midlands Park Hotel</a> and I was so excited to share this gem of a hotel with you all that I actually started working on this blog post as soon as I got home from our trip to Portlaoise! When I mentioned on my Instagram story that we were heading up to the Midlands Park Hotel, straight away I had at least 5 messages all raving about the hotel, which actually doesn't happen too often so I knew we were in a for a treat. Kelly's Steakhouse was also mentioned a few times which had Dara and I very excited for dinner as we had booked in there for 6pm. Upon arrival to the hotel (which was only just over an hour and fifteen minutes away from us which is a nice change from lots of hotels in Dublin/Cork) we were greeted by such lovely, friendly staff which is another thing that the people messaging me on Instagram had mentioned. </div>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Room:</h3>
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We stayed in one of the hotel's suites which are actually located in a separate building to the main hotel but are still connected to the hotel by a walkway meaning that it's a nice, quite area. Our suite was room 505 or the Glenbarrow suite and honestly, it was the most incredible hotel room/suite that I have ever had the pleasure of staying in. Firstly it was HUGE, with really high ceilings, a massive window and so much space that Dara and I were joking that we could happily live there 24/7 and not feel cramped! The room was gorgeously decorated, with a rich purple colour scheme, plush carpets and even a chandelier. Like the title of this post suggests, the bed was the comfiest bed I have ever slept in, it was like sleeping on an actual cloud and I woke up feeling so well rested. Even Dara, who struggles to get a good nights sleep anywhere but his own bed slept like a baby which really says something. </div>
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Our suite also had a sofa in front of a huge tv which to our delight had Netflix so of course we ended up watching pretty much all of season 2 of Ozark. The hotel does have a pool and brilliant leisure facilities which I actually packed a swimsuit especially for, but in the end we just loved our room so much and the fact we could totally kick back and relax in front of the tv that we didn't end up making it down to check it out, but I think sometimes you need a nice, totally chilled weekend right? </div>
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As if the huge, comfy bed, the giant tv and sofa weren't enough, the Glenbarrow suite also had a walk in closet, a coffee machine, a separate toilet and the most magnificent bathroom. The bathroom was one of the things that had me saying "Wow" as soon as we walked into the room as it has a glass wall shower feature so you can see straight into the bathroom through the shower from the main bedroom room. The shower itself was actually a double rainfall shower so you could have a shower side by side with your other half if you wanted to. There was also a big bath in the bathroom which had a very cool water faucet (I think that's what you'd call it anyway) and some gorgeous toiletries from Rituals which were a real treat. This suite really did have every single thing you could want or dream of in a hotel room and the best part is that the price of the Midlands Park Hotel suites aren't that much more expensive than what you'd pay for a regular double room in some other hotels that I've stayed in. Particularly if you can stay on a week night, it's seriously good value for money. While we didn't experience the hotel's other room types, I can only imagine that the quality of them was just as good as our suite, and they are even more budget friendly if that's what you're looking for.</div>
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The Food:</h3>
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If you've been following me on Instagram for any amount of time then it's probably very obvious that I seriously love food, so when lots of people were messaging me telling me how good the food in the Midlands Park Hotel was, specifically in the Kelly's Steakhouse, I couldn't wait to try it! <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/kellys-steakhouse.html" target="_blank">Kelly's Steakhouse</a> is right next to the hotel, and actually right below where our suite was. We had looked up the menu beforehand and it all sounded very delicious. I love when a menu has 3 or 4 different options that I'd love to try, although it does make deciding what to order that bit trickier because I'm very indecisive especially when it comes to food! I ordered the nachos for starters, 'The Smokey' burger for mains and the Rocky Road Hot Pot for dessert and Dara had the Caesar salad to start, the very interesting and exciting 16oz Hot Rock Sirloin of Beef for mains and the Warm Chocolate Fondant for dessert. After we had finished our meal we both agreed that it was one of the best we'd ever had. Every single bit of food was delicious and so well presented and we thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are planning on visiting <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/kellys-steakhouse.html" target="_blank">Kelly's Steakhouse</a> then I'd definitely recommend trying out the Hot Rock Sirloin of Beef. It's served on a volcanic rock that's been heated to 420 degrees so you can cook it exactly how you like it. Of course I had to try some of Dara's beef purely for the purpose of this post of course and I can attest to the fact that it was seriously yummy. </div>
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Breakfast in the <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/" target="_blank">Midlands Park Hotel</a> was much like our dinner the evening before and didn't disappoint. There was a continental buffet with lots of pastries, fruit, cold meats and delicious blueberry muffins and then there was a breakfast menu so you could order whatever you wanted from the kitchen. Unusually for me, I didn't go for the Belgian waffles that would usually tempt me but instead had the traditional Irish breakfast and a lovely Java Republic cappuccino which was a nice surprise because I love good coffee. We were both pleasantly surprised at how fast our breakfast was served after we had ordered especially since we'd gone down for breakfast at 10am which is always when it's busiest. Again, like with the rest of our stay, the staff were so friendly and really attentive.<br />
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Reading back over this review it almost sounds like the hotel has paid me to rave about it but I can promise you that's not the case, I ain't that easy to buy! We genuinely enjoyed our stay in the <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/" target="_blank">Midlands Park Hotel</a> so much and I couldn't recommend it enough. It's so lovely to find such a stunning hotel that I can recommend to you all knowing that it's on the more affordable side of things because we all need to treat ourselves to a break sometimes, right?<br />
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One thing I will mention just so this post isn't all me gushing over how much we loved the hotel is that parking is only included for guests who are staying on a B&B basis and is only covered from check-in at 4pm until check out at 12pm. For the time you spend there outside of that, you will have to pay for parking as the hotel doesn't own the carpark right next door, but that's the case with lots of other hotels that I've stayed in so it didn't bother us too much and certainly didn't taint our view of the hotel at all.<br />
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Thanks so much for reading this review and if you're looking for a lovely break away, I hope you strongly consider the <a href="https://www.midlandsparkhotel.com/" target="_blank">Midlands Park Hotel</a>! A big thank you must also be said to the wonderful staff at the hotel for making our stay so pleasurable and to the hotel for having us as their guests.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comPortlaoise, Co. Laois, Ireland53.0328123 -7.29879329999994352.994621800000004 -7.3794742999999432 53.0710028 -7.2181122999999427tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-74187156971530647372018-09-20T20:17:00.000+01:002018-09-20T22:48:16.024+01:00What's On My Autumn/Winter Fashion Wish List?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Autumn is officially here and I'm more than a little excited about all of the clothes that come along with it! While I absolutely love summer and the sunshine, I much prefer autumn/winter style and all of the cosy knits, coats and colours that go hand in hand with the colder months. If only we could have summer weather all year round but still be able to wear all of the cosy clothing too, right?!</div>
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I feel like this year especially all of our favourite shops have pulled out all the stops when it comes to A/W fashion and there are so many things that have caught my eye over the last couple of weeks, so I thought it only right to share them with you lot! <a href="https://goo.gl/UM6FjQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">H&M</a> (who currently have 50% off and <a href="https://goo.gl/JDGxfT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">River Island</a> in particular are playing an absolute blinder with their new stock, with so many gorgeous knits, and coats so we'll all be lovely and warm and oh so stylish over the next few months.</div>
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I'm sure you can tell from the photo above as well as the bits on my wish list below that I'm very much in love with anything that's in the gorgeous burnt orange shade that seems to be super popular in the shops lately. Whether it's a faux leather skirt, a bag, a jumper or even a pair of boots, if it's a deep shade of tan/orange, I need it. Now, I think that's more than enough waffling from me, because I'm sure a lot of you don't care at all about my favourite colour for clothing and just want some shopping inspiration so here you go! </div>
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What's your favourite piece from my wish list? Do you love all of the autumn/winter style or do you prefer summer clothing? I hope you enjoyed this post and if you were looking for some A/W inspo that you found it!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post contains affiliate links. It won't cost you any extra if you choose to buy something through these links, it just means that I get a small percentage of commission for finding these fab bits and sharing them with you. You get to shop till your hearts content, and I get some shmoney to help fund my own shopping addiction, it's a win win really.</span></i>Penneys To Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06302093071998801271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-25127403775461740472018-09-03T20:00:00.000+01:002018-09-04T12:57:22.335+01:00Actual Spa Heaven - Galgorm Resort & Spa Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You know when you hear so many rave reviews about a hotel and you think to yourself, "Surely it can't be as amazing as they're saying, it's only a hotel after all"? Well that's exactly what I thought when I heard people going on and on about <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/" target="_blank">Galgorm Resort & Spa</a> until they very kindly invited myself and Dara up to stay for this past weekend, and let me tell you, all of those people were right, it is absolutely incredible! Even when I asked on Instagram for recommendations for things to do around the Ballymena area, so many people advised me to just stay in the hotel and enjoy it and it wasn't until we actually got to the hotel that I understood what people meant. The <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/" target="_blank">Galgorm Resort</a> literally has it all, with 4 restaurants to choose from, huge grounds, a thermal village you could easily spend a week in and even a blow-dry bar! </div>
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The Room:</h3>
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Let's start with our room, shall we? We stayed in one of the <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/deluxe-rooms.html" target="_blank">Deluxe River View Rooms</a> which was absolutely huge and looked out over the Thermal Village and the River Maine. As our room was a deluxe room, there was actually a separate check-in desk where they even had little canapes and flavoured water for us on arrival which I thought was oh so fancy! The rooms in Galgorm have such a lovely, cosy, almost heritage style decor with wood details and tartan accents which I loved. The mini bar in the room which had bottles of Pepsi, Fanta, 7UP, wine and larger was complimentary as were the little snacks (sweet potato crisps and biscuits) that we found on the desk area. </div>
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The room had a very cool gadget called the 'Suitepad' which had all of the information about the hotel that you may need, including menus for the restaurants etc and it also gave you the ability to book spa treatments and order room service which I thought was very handy! There was also a rather large tv in the room but unfortunately we had forgot to bring our Chromecast and the tv didn't have Netflix capabilities so we settled for watching the new series of Ozark (who else is obsessed?) on Dara's laptop instead. I'm sure watching Netflix in your hotel room wouldn't even cross most people's minds so the tv wouldn't be a problem, but I just said I'd mention it if you're like myself and Dara and I who love to be lazy in the evenings!</div>
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Just like the main room, the bathroom was huge too with a massive walk in, rainfall shower, a gorgeous bath and a sink that had a very handy mirror with LED lights. My absolute favourite part of the bathroom had to be the Aromatherapy Associates toiletries. When I say they smelt like absolute heaven I promise I am not over exaggerating. I love when a hotel has top quality products in their bathroom and I actually didn't even use the shampoo and conditioner I had packed once because the Aromatherapy Associate shampoo and conditioner left my hair so soft and shiny! As I type this I'm also looking up the body lotion they had in the bathroom too as it smelt so delicious (lavender oil and ylang-ylang make the best combination) and left my skin so soft and moisturised that I totally need it in my life!</div>
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The Food:</h3>
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Like I mentioned at the start of this post, Galgorm has 4 restaurants all with quite different cuisines so there's something to suit everyone's taste. There are even two different options for breakfast and since we stayed for 2 nights we got to try them both, all in the name of research of course! Lots of the <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/offers.html" target="_blank">offers that Galgorm currently have</a> include dinner so you can have a super relaxing break away and not have to leave the hotel at all, which sounds like heaven doesn't it? Obviously I can only give my opinion on the food and restaurants that we tried, but I've had lots of people say that they really loved all of the other restaurants in the resort too, which is always good to hear!</div>
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On our first night in Galgorm we had dinner in Fratelli, their Italian restaurant located just outside next to the main building of the hotel. I am a self confessed pizza fiend and was very excited at the thought of eating my body weight in carbs and I certainly wasn't disappointed! I had the mini dough balls with garlic and parsley butter to start and I could honestly have eaten 4 plates of them, they were that tasty! Then for mains I had the Salsicia Piccante pizza which again was delicious but just a little bit too spicy for me because I'm a total whimp when it comes to any kind of spicy food, and that was totally my fault for ordering a pizza which literally has the word "spicy" in it's name! </div>
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If you've read any of <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search/label/hotel%20review?max-results=6" target="_blank">my previous hotel reviews</a> you'll know that the breakfast is one of my favourite parts of staying in a hotel, especially if it's a buffet breakfast! There are two options for breakfast in Galgorm. The River Room breakfast is a set menu with a continental buffet served in the gorgeous River Room conservatory and then there's a buffet style breakfast in Gillies restaurant. We had breakfast in Gillies on our first morning and my eyes were definitely bigger than my belly, but if you go to a buffet breakfast and don't eat way too much then what's the point?! They had everything you could possibly want for breakfast including a pancake station, and I have to say even the quality of the fried food like the sausages and rashers was top notch. </div>
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Then on our last morning in the resort we had breakfast in the River Room just because I wanted to see the difference and try both of them out so I could report back on which I'd recommend more, but to be honest the breakfast in the River Room was just as delicious as the buffet breakfast in Gillies. I think it depends on what kind of atmosphere you're after, as the River Room was so lovely and quiet and chilled out whereas breakfast in Gillies was busy and lively. I ordered the crepes with poached pear, clotted cream and pistachio crumble in the River Room as well as some rashers and sausage on the side because I just love a bit of sweet and savoury. They also had the continental breakfast buffet too so it was nice to have some fruit and yogurt too. All in all I was very impressed with both breakfasts and their coffee was delicious each time!</div>
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The Spa & Thermal Village:</h3>
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I've definitely saved my favourite part of the <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/" target="_blank">Galgorm Resort & Spa</a> for last and I could go on and on about how much I loved the thermal village for days! The thermal village in Galgorm really has to be seen to be believed, and then you'll need a whole day to try out all of the features. There's a sauna with views of the river, so many jacuzzis, a whole thermal suite with lots of different health benefits, a snow room, the comfiest water beds that are impossible not to nap on, a hydrotherapy pool and even heated seats that looked out onto the river. We were honestly blown away by the sheer size of the thermal village and spent the majority of our time in Galgorm either napping on the water beds and heated seats, or enjoying the steam rooms and saunas until we had big, tomato-like faces!</div>
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One of my favourite parts of the <a href="https://www.galgorm.com/spa.html" target="_blank">Thermal Village</a> was the Sanarium which was basically a sauna with a lower temperature than usual sauna's. I could have stayed in there for hours, it was just so peaceful! Another part of the thermal village that I loved was the heated seats that they had next to the main pool and also outside the hydrotherapy pool. They were the perfect way to dry off after a dip in the pool and there were quite a few times I found myself dozing off on them. If you're feeling a bit peckish from all of the relaxing, the Elements cafe in the thermal village is the perfect place to pop into as they do things like soup, paninis and even cocktails if you feel like treating yourself to one! We both had a delicious tomato soup which came with bread and the best butter I've ever tasted and it was a lovely little break from our day of relaxing. </div>
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I must mention as well that Galgorm Resort & Spa is just a 40 minute drive from the Giant's Causeway and a 30 minute drive from The Dark Hedges (for any Game of Thrones fans). We headed up to the Giant's Causeway after breakfast on Saturday and stopped by The Dark Hedges on the way back to the hotel and were back with enough time for a lovely few hours back in the thermal village!</div>
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If you're looking for a super relaxing getaway, then I couldn't recommend Galgorm enough. Every member of staff we came into contact with was so friendly and helpful, the hotel itself was so peaceful and chilled, and even though it was a very busy weekend with a few weddings going on, not once did we feel like it was crowded. If you're looking for a base to explore some of the sights in the North, or you just want to get away for the weekend and not have to leave the resort at all, then Galgorm Resort & Spa is definitely one to consider. </div>
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A big thank you to Galgorm for having us as their guests this past weekend, and although this stay was complimentary all opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are 100% honest and my own because what's a blogger's opinion worth if they aren't honest, right?! I hope this review was helpful, and if you have any questions about our stay do let me know. Thanks so much for reading!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comGalgorm, Ballymena 54.860561999999987 -6.3294065999999729.338527499999987 -47.63800059999997 80.382596499999991 34.979187400000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-6115224259432805032018-08-28T18:19:00.001+01:002018-08-28T18:19:38.032+01:00Pestle & Mortar - Is This Irish Skincare Brand The Real Deal?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's chat about skincare today shall we? I feel like it's been ages since I last wrote a beauty/skincare blog post. Today I want to give you a little run through of Pestle & Mortar, an Irish skincare brand that I first heard about back in 2016. I've done a similar blog post to this about the brand The Ordinary (<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2017/08/the-ordinary-skincare-is-it-worth-hype.html" target="_blank">which you can read here</a>), so do let me know if you like this overview of brands and my opinions on their products!</div>
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Anyway, back to Pestle & Mortar. The brand was started by Sonia Deasy, a mother of five who wanted a simple but effective skincare routine. When beginning the brand, she, along with her sister who has a degree in biochemistry, followed Sonia's less is more approach to beauty and I think that idea definitely paid off. Pestle & Mortar is a straight to the point, no nonsense skincare brand that doesn't make you feel lie you need google every single ingredient in their products. </div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/cuiqok" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pure Hyaluronic Serum</a> </h3>
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The first product I ever tried from Pestle & Mortar was their <a href="https://goo.gl/cuiqok" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pure Hyaluronic Serum</a>, which is designed to target fine lines, dullness and dehydration. I've actually managed to misplace the bottle, which is why it isn't in these photos, but it's a product I'd definitely recommend everyone to try, no matter what age or skin concerns you may have. If you want to get super science-y hyaluronic acid is a carbohydrate occurring naturally throughout the human body that has the ability to attract and hold a lot of moisture so the idea is that by giving your skin a helping hand with some extra hyaluronic acid, your skin can hold more moisture and fight any dehydration. Pestle & Mortar's <a href="https://goo.gl/cuiqok" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pure Hyaluronic Serum</a> in particular has a low molecular weight so your skin can absorb it easier too and it will penetrate deeper into the skin.</div>
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<br /><a href="https://www.pestleandmortar.com/product/balance-spritz-80ml/" target="_blank">Balance Spritz</a></h3>
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The <a href="https://www.pestleandmortar.com/product/balance-spritz-80ml/" target="_blank">Balance Spritz</a> is Pestle & Mortar's latest product and one that I've been loving this summer as it's so refreshing! Skin pollution is something I've been hearing a lot about lately and lots of brands have been coming out with anti-pollutions sprays and serums, which makes sense because there is lots of nastiness floating around in the atmosphere that can be harmful to our skin. The <a href="https://www.pestleandmortar.com/product/balance-spritz-80ml/" target="_blank">Balance Spritz </a>from Pestle & Mortar contains deep sea Irish magnesium, amino acids and herbal extracts to make sure your skin is protected and hydrated and it even helps to balance sebum productions which is great if like me you've got oily skin!</div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/xrRvi9" target="_blank">Recover Eye Cream</a></h3>
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I always thought that eye creams were just for ageing skin and that at 22 I didn't need to bother with them until I learnt that a good eye cream can actually reduce the appearance of dark circles! No matter how many hours of sleep I get at night I always have that constant shadow under my eyes and I've found that the <a href="https://goo.gl/xrRvi9" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Recover Eye Cream</a> really does help to reduce how dark and noticeable they are. This eye cream contains an active ingredient called Palmitoyl tripeptide-5 which stimulates collagen production making this eye cream great for anti-ageing purposes too!</div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/QLn5Rh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Superstar Retinoid Night Oil</a></h3>
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One of my top two favourite products from Pestle & Mortar has to be their <a href="https://goo.gl/QLn5Rh" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Superstar Retinoid Night Oil</a>. I've only been using this bad boy in my skincare routine for about a month now but it's made such a visible difference in my skin already. Retinoid or retinol are basically fancy names for Vitamin A, and are an absolute god send for skin for many reasons. Vitamin A can unclog pores and reduce pore size, tighten up the skin, improve uneven skin tone AND help to get rid of any texture so your skin is super smooth. Basically it's a miracle worker and the <a href="https://goo.gl/QLn5Rh" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Superstar Retinoid Night Oil</a> contains two types of retinol and is blended with cold pressed grape seed oil (another amazing ingredient for your skin) so really I wish I could just bathe in this oil.</div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/Q34AF6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Renew Cleansing Gel</a></h3>
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After I had tried Pestle & Mortar's hyaluronic acid, the next product I tried was their <a href="https://goo.gl/fXm2pw" rel="nofollow"><span style="text-align: center;">Erase & Renew</span> Double Cleansing System</a> which contained a cleansing balm (which I'll talk more about below) and this <a href="https://goo.gl/Q34AF6" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Renew Cleansing Gel</a>. The idea behind the double cleansing system is that you'd melt off your make-up with the cleansing balm and then use the cleansing gel to leave your skin really clean and fresh. I also love using the <a href="https://goo.gl/Q34AF6" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Renew Cleansing Gel</a> in the morning too as it's not heavy on my skin and just leaves it feeling squeaky clean and ready to go. The gel contains papaya and mango fruit enzymes which improve your skin’s texture and tone and will also tighten pores!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbExCNZAe1A9_FbPUT6g4l_zvYfs_lZWJH47C07tYoGdWrP20p6xX696h9wHP9FjDHPSftJDxxLM0qdu2fbNviR5M5ztXsd6Z2qPKcUmy1lBGnyhAFeD80UTNB4uSOpEcV4zErxGLCrIz/s1600/Pestle%2526MortarReview4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbExCNZAe1A9_FbPUT6g4l_zvYfs_lZWJH47C07tYoGdWrP20p6xX696h9wHP9FjDHPSftJDxxLM0qdu2fbNviR5M5ztXsd6Z2qPKcUmy1lBGnyhAFeD80UTNB4uSOpEcV4zErxGLCrIz/s1600/Pestle%2526MortarReview4.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/Kh8pQ9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Erase Cleansing Balm</a></h3>
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You know how I said the <a href="https://goo.gl/QLn5Rh" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Superstar Retinoid Night Oil</a> was one of my top two favourite products from Pestle & Mortar? Well this <a href="https://goo.gl/Kh8pQ9" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Erase Cleansing Balm</a> is the other! Usually a cleanser is just for taking off your make-up and if it does that well then you're happy out, but the Erase Cleansing Balm takes off your make-up (and does an amazing job at it too) but it also leaves your skin feeling incredible. It's actually hard to describe just how good this cleanser is, but it leaves my skin feeling so bright and clear, almost as if I've put on a brightening mask of some sort. Of course it's absolutely packed with so many good ingredients for your skin so I really shouldn't be so surprised at the visible difference it gives. Unfortunately since it's so bloody good and everyone seems to love it as much as I do, this cleansing balm is sold out at the moment but if there's one product you try from this blog post, this has to be it!</div>
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So there we have it, my little round-up of one of Ireland's top skincare brands that has been featured in the likes of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Vanity Fair and has won countless awards. The title of this post which I must admit is rather clickbait-y (I apologise) is "Is This Irish Skincare Brand The Real Deal?" and to answer my own question, yes, I think Pestle & Mortar is absolutely the real deal and definitely deserves all of the hype and attention they've been getting over the past few years!<br />
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P.S, here's a little treat for anyone who made it to the end of the post! This blog post isn't sponsored by Pestle & Mortar at all, and they didn't even know I was writing it until I sent them a preview of it earlier today but they have very kindly given me a discount code for you to use! If you'd like to try any of their products you can use the code 'emer10' to get 10% off which is better than a poke in the eye isn't it?!<br />
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Have you tried any of Pestle & Mortar's products? Which one is your favourite? Also, if there are any other skincare brands you'd love to see a run through similar to this one of, please do let me know and as always, thanks so much for reading!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comMurcia, Spain37.9922399 -1.130654400000025837.8921129 -1.2920159000000258 38.0923669 -0.96929290000002588tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-76776265631371057312018-08-02T16:55:00.000+01:002018-08-08T16:56:00.723+01:00Even More Dam Good Food - Where To Eat In Amsterdam #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Back in May, myself and Dara went on our second trip to our favourite city, Amsterdam, and of course we ate all around us. There are so many amazing restaurants and cafes in Amsterdam that even after being there twice, we've only scratched the surface. Since my first Amsterdam food guide was so popular last year, I thought you may like another one with some of the new places we tried and loved on our trip. If you haven't already seen the first Amsterdam food guide, <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2017/03/dam-good-food-where-to-eat-in-amsterdam.html" target="_blank">you can read that here.</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.bullsanddogs.com/van-woustraat/" target="_blank">Bulls & Dogs</a></h3>
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First up we have that glorious creation you can see above. <a href="https://www.bullsanddogs.com/" target="_blank">Bulls and Dogs</a> do some insane hot dogs, with seriously imaginative toppings but the main reason we checked it out was for their "Freakalious Milkshakes". Now be warned, these milkshakes are not to be messed with and we struggled to finish one between us, but man was it delicious! Since we were in Amsterdam we decided to go for the 'Dutch Cookie Wookie' milkshake that was stroopwafel inspired and so delicious! We went to their Van Woustraat location which is in the very cool De Pijp area not too far from the Rijksmuseum and Oosterpark.</div>
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<a href="http://foodhallen.nl/foodhallen/" target="_blank">Food Hallen</a></h3>
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If you're a foodie (I'm sorry I know some people hate that word, but hey, that's what I am), then I strongly advise you to check out Food Hallen. We didn't make it there on our first trip so it was top of my list of priorities for our second trip. Basically it's a very cool food hall, filled with lots of independent food stands that serve the most delicious food. I could have honestly spent an entire day gorging myself and trying every stall, but the ones we actually got to try were Shirkhan, a stand that served delicious curries and The Rough Kitchen, which serves straight up dirty BBQ food (there's no other way to describe it if I'm honest). Food Hallen would be a great place to go if you're with a group of people who all like different kinds of food, or if you just want to try a little bit of everything.</div>
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<a href="http://thebreakfastclub.nl/" target="_blank">The Breakfast Club</a></h3>
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You've probably heard of The Breakfast Club already as they have quite a few locations all over the world. We tried out their Wibaustraat location as it was just a few minutes walk from our hotel (<a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/2017/03/the-coolest-hotel-volkshotel-review.html" target="_blank">Volkshotel, aka one of my favourite hotels ever</a>) and it definitely lived up to all of the hype I'd heard about it. I had the Blueberry Cinnamon Pancakes with lemon mascarpone, bacon syrup, bacon crumble and they were truly scrumptious! I also found that even though The Breakfast Club is always super busy, their prices are still fairly reasonable which is nice because sometimes a fancy stack of pancakes like that could cost well over €15 which is just a little bit too ridiculous for me.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHC2GKB1hs7XvmMpYpzwBqFU6f9RmiJ7zpCpgVC8ECgKbSG5od54SENAy-ds-lL9wDjSDj8FzqwsRh6oRFr_Q9lZpLVZXPLY1f7AL-pj8e8DZG2KbQxQz4bXFHmP2eAwlh2uMJeZjZepR/s1600/305CD435-E54C-4D57-B48E-C71FDCCA26A3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHC2GKB1hs7XvmMpYpzwBqFU6f9RmiJ7zpCpgVC8ECgKbSG5od54SENAy-ds-lL9wDjSDj8FzqwsRh6oRFr_Q9lZpLVZXPLY1f7AL-pj8e8DZG2KbQxQz4bXFHmP2eAwlh2uMJeZjZepR/s1600/305CD435-E54C-4D57-B48E-C71FDCCA26A3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://coffeeandcoconuts.com/" target="_blank">CT Coffee & Coconuts</a></h3>
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Another fabulous place for breakfast, brunch or lunch in Amsterdam is Coffee & Coconuts. They do dinner as well, but since we were there early in the day, I can only vouch for their brunch menu. Like Bulls & Dogs, this is also in the De Pijp area, right near the Heineken Experience. We went here for a late breakfast/early lunch on our last day in Amsterdam. As I'd eaten my body weight in sweet treats and pancakes for the entire trip, I opted for a savory option which is usually very unlike me, but it was delicious! I got the New York Deli Sandwich which was bursting with flavour and was quite possibly one of the biggest sandwiches I've ever eaten. I also had to try their Coconut Coffee which was made up of two shots of espresso, coconut milk and agave and was so refreshing</div>
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<a href="http://the-butcher.com/" target="_blank">The Butcher</a></h3>
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If you're into burgers, then you definitely need to check out The Butcher if you're ever in Amsterdam. We went to their Albert Cuyp location, which is again in the De Pijp area (it's probably the best part of Amsterdam) but to be honest I'd recommend going to their Nine Streets restaurant instead, as the one we went to was tiny, and there was only about 8 seats. Small seating space aside, the food in The Butcher was super tasty and I loved the novelty of being able to see our burgers being cooked on the grill right in front of us. </div>
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If you haven't seen my other blog posts about Amsterdam and are heading there soon, or even just thinking about visiting, <a href="http://www.penneystoprada.com/search/label/amsterdam?max-results=6" target="_blank">make sure you check them out here for lots of tips on things to do and places to eat.</a> I hope this post is helpful and if you're heading to Amsterdam soon, enjoy! </div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comAmsterdam, Netherlands52.3702157 4.895167899999933152.2150437 4.5724443999999327 52.5253877 5.2178913999999335tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-31635151838095694272018-07-24T16:11:00.001+01:002018-07-24T16:48:18.560+01:00What I've Been Reading Recently #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's start something new, shall we? I love to read, sometimes if I'm seriously into a book I'll read it in a day, and I also love recommending the books that I read and really enjoy to other people, so I thought why not start a little book recommendations series on this blog? Most of the books I read can be grouped into the thriller genre I guess. I love a good page turner, something that has me dying to know how it ends. If you read Gone Girl, or Woman On The Train (which I think we all have at this stage) then you're sure to like the books I recommend, and if anything, some of the books I've read recently are actually a lot better than those two!<br />
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The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine - 9/10</h3>
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I had to put this book first on the list because it's by far my most favourite book that I've read recently. It's got a juicy story line, I mean who doesn't love reading about a good old gold digger trying to steal someone's husband, and it's got a plot twist that I never saw coming which is something that very rarely happens these days! Here's a bit about the book from Good Reads: "Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent."</div>
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The Woman In The Window by A.J Finn - 8/10</h3>
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The Woman In The Window comes in at a close second in terms of suspense and twists. This book had me totally immersed in the story, so much so that I could clearly picture all of the characters and settings. Here's what Good Reads says about it: "Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYQgdg2rZOutdp7a7iZfn2hQJoVi8HUa3C4ZDLEuXl-DGrR_0U5t5Ow_pjP1442r3ap-n1BwL_ic414zE06HS9W2TDcAcG_Tcdhfy8XhgeY2QaOTIalcRsKz4m5cVYJWbeaC5DwJNRsTr/s1600/ReadRecently4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYQgdg2rZOutdp7a7iZfn2hQJoVi8HUa3C4ZDLEuXl-DGrR_0U5t5Ow_pjP1442r3ap-n1BwL_ic414zE06HS9W2TDcAcG_Tcdhfy8XhgeY2QaOTIalcRsKz4m5cVYJWbeaC5DwJNRsTr/s1600/ReadRecently4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh - 7/10</h3>
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The only reason I've given this book 7/10 is because I felt as if the ending was slightly rushed but I still very much enjoyed it and it kept me guessing for a good majority of the book. I've read Clare's other books, I Let You Go and I See You (both of which I'd recommend reading too) and I love her style of storytelling. Here's a little blurb from Good Reads: "The police say it was suicide. Anna says it was murder. They're both wrong. One year ago, Caroline Johnson chose to end her life brutally: a shocking suicide planned to match that of her husband just months before. Their daughter, Anna, has struggled to come to terms with their loss ever since. Now with a young baby of her own, Anna misses her mother more than ever and starts to question her parents’ deaths. But by digging up their past, she’ll put her future in danger. Sometimes it’s safer to let things lie…"<br />
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The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen - 8/10</h3>
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The Wife Between Us is one of those books that when the twist hits you, you actually need to double back a few pages to figure out what has happened and how you could have guessed it so wrong! If you loved Girl On The Train and Gone Girl then you'll definitely love this one. Here's a little summary from Good Reads: "A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement. You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves. You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her. You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships. Assume nothing."<br />
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Bring Me Back by B A Paris - 9/10</h3>
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Like Clare Mackintosh, B A Paris is another author whose books I've read a few of. I think her book 'Behind Closed Doors' might just be one of the best books I've read in the past year and 'The Breakdown' is also another brilliant thriller that's full of suspense. Back to the book in question, 'Bring Me Back' is about a girl, Layla, who goes missing, her sister Ellen and her then boyfriend who is now engaged to her sister. I dare not say any more for fear of ruining the brilliant twist in this book, but again, it's another brilliant page turner. Here's a little more about it from Good Reads: "Finn and Layla are young, in love, and on vacation. They’re driving along the highway when Finn decides to stop at a service station to use the restroom. He hops out of the car, locks the doors behind him, and goes inside. When he returns Layla is gone—never to be seen again. That is the story Finn told to the police. But it is not the whole story. Ten years later Finn is engaged to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Their shared grief over what happened to Layla drew them close and now they intend to remain together. Still, there’s something about Ellen that Finn has never fully understood. His heart wants to believe that she is the one for him...even though a sixth sense tells him not to trust her."<br />
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There we have it, five of the best books that I've read recently, I hope they're helpful recommendations if you are looking for something to read. Do let me know if you liked this post, and if it's something you'd like to see regularly and of course if you have any book recommendations of your own, please send them my way as I'm always looking for something new to read!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comWaterford, Ireland52.2593197 -7.110070199999995652.1815457 -7.2714316999999955 52.3370937 -6.9487086999999956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-45651362927659820992018-07-19T10:08:00.003+01:002018-07-19T11:38:46.993+01:00The Denim Co-Ord Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Panic buying outfits is usually a total no-no, right? Well for the last few events I've been to, panic buying an outfit has actually worked out well for me. For example on Tuesday I ran into Topshop on Grafton street a few hours before an event and found the fabulous polka dot co-ord that you can see me wearing above. You can get <a href="https://goo.gl/cHNAxj" target="_blank">the skirt here</a>, and <a href="https://goo.gl/g6NJdn" target="_blank">the jacket here</a>. This time, not only did panic buying result in an outfit I loved wearing, but it has also ignited a co-ord obsession that I fear will never die. When I got home from Dublin yesterday evening, I spent more time than I'd like to admit scouring the internet and falling in love with so many co-ords so I thought I'd share them with you today.</div>
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First up is the leopard print version of my polka dot co-ord from Topshop. I very nearly bought this one instead, and am still very tempted to buy it still as I just love leopard print, no matter how tacky some may think it is! The thing I love the most about all of these co-ords is that you can wear them together, or break them up into separate outfits and wear them with different things. So many outfit options and possibilities!</div>
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Next we have this gorgeous pink corduroy number from Missy Empire. Until about a year ago I would never dream of wearing an all pink outfit, but now it's actually one of my favourite colours to wear, especially this dusky, "millenial" pink shade that's so popular now. The skirt also comes in yellow and black colour too, it's just a shame they don't have the jackets too because that yellow set would be so fab.</div>
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Leopard print co-ords seem to be everywhere and it looks like different coloured leopard print from the usual brown shades are very popular and while it might take me a bit outside of my style comfort zone, I kind of love it! These sets from the Pretty Little Thing X Maya Jama collection are sure to make you stand out from the crowd anyway!</div>
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Honestly I could sit here forever writing all about the co-ords that I love and all of the reasons why I love them, but for those of you who came to this post purely just for some inspiration or an excuse to shop, here are all of the co-ords that I've spotted and fallen in love with so enjoy!</div>
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I think the reason why I love the denim co-ord so much over the other types of co-ords that are out there is because I can wear them all with my slogan t-shirts. It's a really simple and easy outfit to put together, but if you have a brightly coloured or printed co-ord, the outfit looks like so much more and I love that! I hope you enjoyed this post and do let me know which is your favourite co-ord.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post contains affiliate links. It won't cost you any extra if you choose to buy something through these links, it just means that I get a small percentage of commission for finding these fab bits and sharing them with you. You get to shop till your hearts content, and I get some shmoney to help fund my own shopping addiction, it's a win win really.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comDublin, Ireland53.3498053 -6.260309699999993453.0463133 -6.9057566999999933 53.6532973 -5.6148626999999935tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066568832758625309.post-11307079088959298122018-07-10T20:11:00.000+01:002018-07-10T20:11:09.314+01:00Trying The New CND Shellac Luxe System - The Future Of Gel Polish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsHNN1-UKMNvrcdaqfiuk9zEdb7YQpqyIG3FHgMd3ME0j4mqVameye5sZEQg1tbMhJqqEPc_bA8ZF7eHTIOx7x2bdY6Zk3phpDNEXd2lsEwvF2_DKdsauiUmFgqEfN0wMe4Yn8IgMrwDv/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsHNN1-UKMNvrcdaqfiuk9zEdb7YQpqyIG3FHgMd3ME0j4mqVameye5sZEQg1tbMhJqqEPc_bA8ZF7eHTIOx7x2bdY6Zk3phpDNEXd2lsEwvF2_DKdsauiUmFgqEfN0wMe4Yn8IgMrwDv/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let's talk about nails shall we? I feel like it's been an age since my last beauty related post so I am very excited to chat all about CND's latest innovation, the Shellac Luxe system. For those of you that follow me on Instagram, or even Facebook, you'll know that I love the Vinylux polishes from CND, so when I was invited to go to London to try out the new Shellac Luxe system, I felt very lucky indeed. </div>
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Just to be clear before we get started though, I am under no obligation to write this blog post at all, and I'm certainly not being paid to tell you about the new system. Yes, CND were incredibly kind to bring me to London, but I am sharing this post because the Shellac Luxe polishes and the innovations that have come with them got me all kinds of excited and I couldn't wait to tell you all about them! Maybe it's a little sad that nail products have me so excited, but who cares?!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxHg7MOH0WAMZToKhhIKSTz9Cct2m71wIZ91-EusCbzNgDOPij-E5apirnK1z0x5AdM8UoCr15oA4kTuzm5faohsmCOCgFit1ummQdxSyzQ_uERB4LZZci6gHX3Ehr4YagsW5JCWBND01/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxHg7MOH0WAMZToKhhIKSTz9Cct2m71wIZ91-EusCbzNgDOPij-E5apirnK1z0x5AdM8UoCr15oA4kTuzm5faohsmCOCgFit1ummQdxSyzQ_uERB4LZZci6gHX3Ehr4YagsW5JCWBND01/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe1.jpg" /></a></div>
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From spending time yesterday with Jim Nordstrom, who co-founded CND along with his wife Linda it is clear that CND are a brand who really care about their products and their customers. So much research and testing goes into creating the best possible products and I think the Shellac Luxe system really shows that. They have created a new shellac that is much healthier on your natural nails, and is designed so that it only takes 60 seconds to remove it and no buffing or scraping is needed to remove any left over product because there isn't any!<br />
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As <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mariannewman/?hl=en" target="_blank">Marian Newman</a>, a world renowned nail tech who has done pretty much anyone you could name's nails, explained to me, the Shellac Luxe polish is formulated so that there is more room within the formula than with a normal shellac for oils to reach the natural nail bed, meaning that the Shellac Luxe polish won't dry out your own natural nails at all, and if anything will keep them much stronger and protected whilst maintaining their health.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGZU99_4VcHY7jhavuv6T3-EhkYIjvoP9LzNkLrndPmTVSwCCyu5bpUHZdAWWQSeX6A438FnMB680dTwq72N3uA0MVWPeO96cG15Bjq6Ru5dcxIAUkC_Din1ks3v9Pv8pjg6jNYlg6076/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGZU99_4VcHY7jhavuv6T3-EhkYIjvoP9LzNkLrndPmTVSwCCyu5bpUHZdAWWQSeX6A438FnMB680dTwq72N3uA0MVWPeO96cG15Bjq6Ru5dcxIAUkC_Din1ks3v9Pv8pjg6jNYlg6076/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe1a.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj5GqSe7FnR7op_DWKbwVZf33CRjiRKWJ-SvFS3yfuagq_IRpmKU0-1MQ5AYkHOxsamwbh-SQZ5ZVmR0QyG3Rj76lUAGaaHD-Qj-3wGU4FYDiMw2H82OE7cM9M8N5G05wkQnhunASCd_g/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj5GqSe7FnR7op_DWKbwVZf33CRjiRKWJ-SvFS3yfuagq_IRpmKU0-1MQ5AYkHOxsamwbh-SQZ5ZVmR0QyG3Rj76lUAGaaHD-Qj-3wGU4FYDiMw2H82OE7cM9M8N5G05wkQnhunASCd_g/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe3.jpg" /></a></div>
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We got to try out the Shellac Luxe polishes in the gorgeous <a href="http://dryby.co.uk/" target="_blank">DryBy salon</a>, somewhere I've wanted to visit for so long since one of my own favourite bloggers, Victoria from <a href="https://www.inthefrow.com/" target="_blank">In The Frow</a>, gets her nails done there religiously. There are 65 shades in total in the Shellac Luxe collection, and with me being so indecisive it definitely took me a while to settle on the shade I wanted but in the end I went for 'Charm', a gorgeous coral colour that makes me look hella tanned!<br />
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When having my nails done, it was pointed out that I have what's called "delamination" which is a fancy word to say that the top layer of my nails were peeling. Unfortunately I wasn't blessed with the strongest nails in the world, and I am definitely not the best at looking after them either. When I was chatting to Marian, I asked her what would be her number one tip for good nails and she said that applying a nail/cuticle oil at least once a day is essential. I actually have a bottle of the <a href="https://millies.ie/products/cnd-solar-oil" target="_blank">CND Solar Oil </a>that I've shamefully only used once or twice so now I am going to make it my mission to apply it at least once a day and make a habit out of it. Strong, healthy nails, here I come!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzam9VfkPd0R71-A-HMoQCZo3m73cVWI7WWvHEigRQEiZfZkdP5KXx2M2ky3jmg5RrwDajEsHg8spPQbfGVKAMGpzPoQWNgoPMzVlN-19NooooKR2dL8D_zvYQMorHA-ZVVKtGHMuiyFmb/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzam9VfkPd0R71-A-HMoQCZo3m73cVWI7WWvHEigRQEiZfZkdP5KXx2M2ky3jmg5RrwDajEsHg8spPQbfGVKAMGpzPoQWNgoPMzVlN-19NooooKR2dL8D_zvYQMorHA-ZVVKtGHMuiyFmb/s1600/CNDShellacLuxe2.jpg" /></a></div>
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The girls at <a href="http://dryby.co.uk/" target="_blank">DryBy</a> did such a fabulous job on our nails, I love the shape of mine, they're so neat and chic and I think that this shade 'Charm' will be so popular for the summer, especially since it makes tanned skin just pop. I'm looking forward to seeing how well the Shellac Luxe polish lasts, since it's promised to give at least 14 days wear and I can be quite hard on my nails.<br />
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Since Shellac Luxe is a shellac/gel treatment, you will have to go to a salon to try it out, but what a good excuse to treat yourself to a little pampering. If you'd like to try the Vinylux polishes from CND which don't need to be cured using a UV lamp, then you can find them online on <a href="https://millies.ie/collections/cnd-creative-nail-acadamy">Millies.ie</a> or in salons that stock CND.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this little introduction to CND's newest product and of course if you've got any more questions about it just pop me a message on Facebook or Instagram and I'd be delighted to help. Thanks so much for reading!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comDryBy, London51.517637 -0.1420694999999341225.9956025 -41.450663499999933 77.0396715 41.166524500000065