Tropical Popical

Hello lovelies!

I've hurt my back recently :-(  pretty badly in fact... As a result, some of the normal activities became a bit of a challenge - like putting my socks on or doing a pedicure or even getting out of bed. So I thought: "why not pamper myself a bit and have someone else do stuff for me?" Well, I can't get a personal servant to put my socks on but why not go somewhere and get a pedicure? :-)
I did a bit of research (honestly, I pretty much don't leave the house without "doing a bit of research"...) and found this place on the web:

http://tropicalpopical.com/ 

Well, if you're into a serene, quiet, "body and soul" kind of pampering, Tropical Popical is probably not the best choice. If, however, you want a fantastic, professional mani/pedi, done in a happy and sunny atmosphere - this is the place to go!

A little clip to give you a feel of the place :-)

It had to be done - the Dublin Lady ;-)

The decor is fantastically over the top with "more than a dash of kitsch", as stated on their own website; even just walking into the place is like an instant pick-me-up. And you get a choice of beverage, one of them being a Lilt served in a coconut cup :-) I'm not a fan of Lilt but it seems like anything tastes better from a coconut.

You might have noticed they're a bit obsessed with the flamingos... Wonderful!

I went for a Gelish (http://gelish.com/) maxi pedi package (ah, why not live a little...) which includes a scrub and a mask. It was done very professionally and efficiently. The staff is there if you need them but never too much "in your face", just the right amount of customer care; for an introvert like me, it is actually quite torturous having to go through a lot of small talk ;-) so I appreciate the space I was given in Tropical Popical.
Most importantly, the place looks very clean and well organized. It hits every spot and I couldn't recommend it enough!  I'll definitely be coming back (and not just because the Gelish pedi needs a special soak off...) as the whole experience was definitely worth the time and the money (I paid €70 but they have cheaper options too, starting at just €7 for a simple polish change) :-)

Happy new toes

 P.S. They also offer a MAN-icure, a special package for men :-)
2P.S. There is a Disco Bar too, where you can get disco-diva-ready every weekend!

http://tropicalpopical.com/discobar/

Well, that's it for now. See you soon!

Domo.

Domo's Closet

Hello there, how are you?

Today I'm going to share a few of my "outfits of the day". I must say I've been really loving the neon trend which is... well, pretty much everywhere. So here we go:

Top and Trousers: GAP // Shoes: Michael Kors // Bag: Ted Baker // Leaf Pendant: Forever 21 // Watch: Tommy Hilfiger

I had something like that when I was four (the onesie, that is) and I thought I'd never ever wear one again - well, surprise! :-) I found these two in Tesco (!) and I think they're fab (no matter how much slaggin' I get from my partner...)

Dress: H&M // Jacket: Penneys // Shoes: Dune // Bag: Promod

 

Confession - I'm totally a bag lady... This is only a FRACTION of my collection :-O

Brown Michael Kors // Pink Ted Baker // White Accessories

I've been looking for a strapless bra for a while, one which wouldn't slide down after five minutes of wearing it - and voilà, found one in Wonderbra; how Wonderful! ;-) It feels a bit tight (and no, I didn't buy one that's too small, I tried it in different sizes) but it does stays put, at least on my chest. It's a bit pricey but I also think it's a good investment. And Debenhams has them on sale right now, for €34.50 :-)
http://www.debenhams.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10052_10001_152010617285_-1

And for dessert - a few pairs of shoes and pieces of jewelery: 
 

Dune

Aldo

Michael Kors

Pink tassels and Leaf: Accessories // Blue Necklace: Aldo

That's all for today, see you later!!!

Domo

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Running, part 2 - Running Gear

Hello my dears! :-)

In today's post, I thought I'd share a few pieces of info about my running gear. 

I'm not one of the "big-important-look-at-me" runners (not yet, anyway ;-)), who have all the best shoes, the most aerodynamic and expensive clothes and are very serious about their running. 

I started off with a pair of Skechers Go Run 2 shoes, which I got ages ago more for walking than actual running. They are comfortable and, just in case I didn't enjoy running, I didn't want to invest in an expensive pair of Nike's or Adidas.

(I don't think these exact ones available anymore; there are Skechers GoRun 3 though, at  approx. 93 euro)
www.skechers.com 

My clothes are mostly from Penneys. I have two sports bras, two pairs of calf length leggings and a few simple, airy t-shirts (and some cow socks :-)).

I'm not exactly large in the chest area so I thought I wouldn't need a sports bra. My friend Joan, however, advised me to buy one anyway as they make exercising more comfortable no matter what size you are. I must say, she was right :-)

www.primark.com/en-ie/whats-new

The leggins are not too bad, although the pink ones tend to slip off down your bum so you feel like you constantly have to hike them up...

Once I realized that running can be addictive (when my back was sore, the one thing I really missed was not being able to go for a run...) and I would stick to it, I decided to invest in some good shoes. I went to Elverys in Artnotts, in Dublin city center. They happened to have a great deal going on: buy one - get one half price. And since good running shoes will set you back at least a 100 euro, this was very helpful - as was the staff, who seemed very knowledgeable and eager to find a product you'd be happy with. 

I tried three pairs of shoes, all size 6 but all feeling differently, and went for Adidas Boost and Nike Air Pegasus+ 30 . I also bought two pairs of Nike running leggins (Nike Legend Women's Capri), one calf length, one long.

www.elverys.ie

I must say that the shoes made a huge difference. They're extremely comfy and airy, and definitely make running more enjoyable (I'm convinced the bright colors play some part in it too :-)) The trousers are great too, especially the little pocket at the back where I can put my key and an ID.

Overall, there are items worth investing in, like the shoes, and others which you don't need to spend much money on, like the bra or the t-shirt. In terms of the bra, however, I must admit that it's a bit easier for me as my cup size is A, sometimes B; it's more difficult to run with larger "wobbly bits", whether it's your breasts, thighs or other body parts. I haven't run in the rain either, so I don't know how good the t-shirts will be when the conditions change. For the moment - I'm still exploring running and simply having fun with it :-)

That's it for now, hope your weekend was great!. 

Next week - nutrition, pre- and post-run.

Domo.

Things that make me go WTF....

So I decided to have a regular series of posts entitled "Things that make me go WTF..." Generally,  I'm not judgmental, but sometimes I come across a person or a piece of info which leaves me slightly "shaken".

For my first post in the series, I've chosen to write about something I recently heard on the radio: apparently, some mothers sell sex in order to pay for their children's communions. A recent Garda operation ('Operation Kerb'), which focused on Dublin's sex trade, revealed that some of the women involved in it were doing it to raise up to a thousand euro to fund the costly event.

It's wrong on so many levels, I'm not even sure where to begin... I'm an atheist myself but I understand, that the first holy communion is supposed to be all about the spiritual evolution of the child. It is a sacrament which brings them even closer to church and its community; it is the very first time they actually become one with the body of Christ, by admitting it into their own body. It seems, however, that the spiritual has been replaced by the commercial, as nowadays the main goals of the communion is to get the biggest bouncy castle, to have the best "party" and to collect as much cash from family etc. as possible. With the average amount of money for this event reaching 700 euro (according to Ulster Bank), and the rather tough general financial climate, it's no wonder people look for "alternative" ways of covering the bills.  Forget the spiritual, it's all about showing off, whether you have the money or not. But prostitution...? How wrong is that!?

 m.princessdresscompany.com
www.thejournal.ie
www.vanillabeanbakery.ie 

WTF?!

Domo

Insta - Domo

Hello!

Hope your week is going great!

Mine generally is, maybe apart from a horrible back pain which appeared suddenly. It's really bad, like nothing I've had before (I can barely move, it's ridiculous) - but life goes on and I'm sure it can be sorted. 

I thought for today's post I'll be a little lazy and just share some of my Instagram pictures, why not :-) Enjoy! (I hope...)

The unpredictable Irish summer - made better with an iced coffee :-)

Work OOTD

Selfie! :-)

I love cows...

Domo.

Running, part 1 :-)

Hello lovelies!

Hope your weekend was great!

Mine was, although for some strange reason I woke up at 4am on Sunday (after going to bed at 12:30am...) Since sleep didn't seem to be an option, I decided to go for my daily run. I wrote before how amazing it is to ocasionally surprise yourself and my journey into running definitely fits this category. Every time I go out there, I seem to be able to run a bit more and for a longer stretch of time. My heart rate calms down quicker and my breath is more steady. Overall, it's an activity I'm really looking forward to! (unlike the prospect of having to work out at the gym...)

The cow doesn't go running with me but she likes to sneak into some of my pics... ;-)

I've recently read an interesting article about running in "Cosmopolitan Body" (No. 6). It's entitled 'I'd love to run, but...' and covers all the most common excuses we give ourselves when contemplating shifting our bums off the sofa and getting out there. I can definitely relate to some of them, especially the first one: "I'm not fit enough". I always hated running (even as s child) and blamed it on my lack of stamina. After the first proper run, however, I realized that I'm fitter than I thought I was. Besides, it doesn't have to be all about running, you can walk a bit and run a bit, whatever you're able to do. Cosmo recommends a walk:jog ratio of 3:1 - "(...) briskly walk for three minutes [or between three lamp-posts] and run the fourth" ("Cosmopolitan Body", p.56) And if undermining all our excuses wasn't enough, we also get a list of reasons why running is good for you: 

1. It makes you happy (I can vouch for that!)

2. It helps you sleep

3. It reduces stress

4. It strengthens your immune system

5. It improves your skin

("Cosmopolitan Body", p.57)

   www.cosmopolitan.co.uk

So there you have it - no excuses and a list of pros :-) Let me get one thing clear, however - your very first run (especially if you haven't been working out for a veeeery long time, like myself) will feel awkward and embarrassing. You'll think that everybody is looking at you, at your less than perfect body and at how tired and out of breath you are. But let me get another thing clear - in reality, NOBODY CARES and very quickly you won't either. Chances are, they will actually envy you the courage and resolve. So go out there and have fun! :-)

Domo.

P.S. I'll do a separate post on running gear :-)

Coffeeee!!!

Hello, how are you?

Let's talk coffee today :-) As a child, I could never understand what adults saw in coffee. "A few" ;-) years later, I don't  understand how someone can live without it... I'm totally hooked! But I'm also very particular about my coffee and won't drink it just anywhere. I make coffee at home every day (I don't necessarily want to spend €2.50 plus daily on my favorite beverage) and from time to time have it out in town. This is what my mornings look like:

:-)

So far, I can say that the best, and I mean the best, coffee you can get is in Terrazzo Italia in Powers Court Shopping Centre. Their espresso is divine - smooth, strong and not a hint of bitterness. They also have amazing authentic Italian food but since this post is about coffee, I'll cover that some other time :-)

Another place I can recommend is La Corte in the Epicurean Food Hall. The whole place is actually one of my favorite spots in Dublin, always buzzing with activity and offering food from all over the world. La Corte's coffee is delish, especially their cappuccino.

If you're looking for a refreshing, iced form of coffee, then Starbuck's is the place. The have recently released a Coconut Mocha Frappucino which is simply amazing! Actually, it's probably a bit too tasty, I'm not sure how many of those I've already had... The only thing stopping me from buying it nearly every day is the price - €4.50! :-O

(couldn't resist posting this... ;-))

Two of the three places I mention are Italian - and it's not a coincidence since Italians really know how to make amazing coffee! I do, however, also love Turkish coffee, especially served with sugar and orange water. And don't even get me started on the coffee I had in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina!!! It's served with sugar cubes, which you can dip in the coffee, suck on and eat :-) I will do a separate post on how to make this coffee at home. For the moment, that's all.

Bosnian coffee, I miss you....

Domo.