L & B Gift Guide 2015- Gifts for Her (and me...)

It's that time of the year where we are spending something little (or a lot!) on our loved ones. This is a gift guide of things that I would be (very,very!) happy to see under the tree!

What would you like under your tree on the 25th?

1. iPhone 6s 64GB Rose Gold (Apple)

2. Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot (Brown Thomas)

3. Gucci Guilty (Boots) - free gift with purchase!

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (Easons)

5. UGG Scuffette slippers (Brown Thomas) - currently 20% off!

6. ElectiQ slow masticating juicer (Amazon)

7. LookFantastic Beauty Box subscription (Look Fantastic)

9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator (Cult Beauty)

8. Comme des Garcons leather wallet (Net-a-porter)

10. Olympus Pen E-PL Camera (Very/ Currys/ PC World)

11. LOVE bracelet pink gold (Cartier) - a girl can dream right?!

Advent Calendars

Before you do the traditional route this year and opt for standard milky chocolate shapes in your advent, have a look at some of the tasty options below...Gin fanatic? Growing a beard? I'm totally lusting over the Lancome Luxe advent calendar- a great way to try out new products!

You still have a few days left... but if your already sorted, save this post for some cheeky ideas for 2016! Advents that were a SELL OUT this year were this beard oil calendar, this this craft beer calendar and this beauty calendar!

1. Lancome Luxe Advent Calendar (Brown Thomas- the actual value this advent is outstanding and great way to try new products without committing to buying them in full size!

2. Yankee Candle Advent Calendar (Boots)- because who doesn't love a yankee candle!

3. Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar (Boots)- satisfying that man's obsession with all this Lego and Star Wars.

4. Gin Advent Calendar (Selfridges)- we all know someone who is a bit fond of the oil booze...

5. Tea Advent Calendar (Amazon)- great way to try out different flavours!




Happy Friday!

Foodie in Berlin

Ev and I visited Berlin at the end of October. We had been meaning to visit the City for so long having loved Munich last year! And Berlin did not disappoint....and surprisingly (I kid, I kid!) food became the focus of our entire trip. The restaurant scene is sooo good in Berlin- totally affordable and a total international affair- you literally have every type of cuisine on your door step!

A lot of the restaurants we went to were in our local neighbourhood and were in walking distance of our beautiful 1920's esque hotel- HOTEL AM STEINPLATZ (I could write a post solely on the decor in this hotel- it was magnificent!).

Here are SOME of the gems we found;

- Turkish Market Maybachufer (v.V. reasonable)- 10999 Berlin, German 

So the Turkish Market is located along a canal and had all your standard fruit and veg stalls, nicknacks and middle eastern tokens (there is a HUGE Turkish community in Berlin!)- but also has some of the yummiest food stalls. We stopped at one of the busier stalls and picked a selection of treats- filo pastry filled with spinach and cheese,cauliflower patties and flatbreads. We had baklava and tea and coffee and we also stopped at a juice stall and picked up pomegranate juice- I have only had the fruit as a whole, but having been craving this juice now since I have tried it- it was soon good!

- Mar y Sol (mid price/Spanish Tapas) - Savignyplatz 5, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Based in the Savignyplatz area- We actually went twice to the restaurant because we enjoyed it so much. We stuck to the tapas menu because generally we like to try a bit of everything rather then be stuck to one plate! The mixed olives, the goats cheese and figs, the Serrano ham plate and spinach croquettes are highly recommended! If you go at the weekend- be prepared to wait if you don't book! The restaurant is huge, yet it was packed!

- Buddha Republic (mid price/Indian) - Knesebeckstr. 88, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Wow that tandoori dishes here were soon good! I love Indian food (yes I'm a proper Brit!) and we are short on Indian restaurants in Ireland so was delighted when we found this gem! We shared the mixed plate- which wasn't your standard pile of fried battered spice nothingness but a lovely tangy salad, creamy yoghurt, spiced prawns and vegetable bahji. I went for the tandoori chicken in a buttered coriander sauce and Ev went for Tandoori tiger prawns- both meats came out the traditional stick and we mopped up the whole meal with naan and pilau rice. Safe to say, I needed to be rolled into bed that night!

- Bier Kudamm 195- Currywurst and Champagne

Yep, you read that right! Saucies and bubbles- an unlikely combination but after reading about this famous please and partial to a glass of bubbly (hey my blog has brut in the title after all!) we had to try it! We were super skeptical but this place HAS to be tried- yolo and all that....

- Enoteca L'Angolino (v.reasonable/Italian) - Knesebeckstr. 92, 10623 Berlin, Germany

We went here for lunch and both chose the lunch menu of the day- which was a starters, main and an espresso for €12. First of all, I loved the fact that they wrote espresso instead of coffee as the third part of the meal, because it should only ever be an espresso that is drunk as a coffee after a dinner! We went for the salad and soup and both chose the seafood pasta that was done al dente to perfection and not in an over bearing creamy tomato sauce- it was perfect! We wanted to go back for dinner on our final night but it was closed (Sunday seemed to be very quiet generally in then whole of Berlin!).

-  Lon Men's Noodle House (v.V.reasonable/Asian-Taiwanese) - 33 Kantstrasse, Berlin, Germany 

We stumbled upon this gem on our first day in Berlin- where we were just starving and wanted a quick lunch. This place pretty much kick-started our entire food coma! The place is a tiny, family run restaurant- think communal tables/lack of decor/awesome smells! and we had the most amazing noodles/dim sum and tiny plates of deliciousness! Totally recommend this place in area that is FULL of Asian restaurants and soo CHEAP!

- Eiffel (high price/French gourmet) - Kurfurstendamm 105 | Kurfürstendamm 105, 10711Berlin, Germany

This was our Anniversary dinner meal and the only place we actually booked- everything else were walk in's! The price was a bit more upmarket, but it was well worth the price. I had scallops for starters and tuna and wasabi mash for my main, Ev had tuna tartare for starters and veal for his main. Perfect place for an intimate dinner and a treat!

Absolutely marvin right now after writing this post! Happy Sunday!

Wedding Bells

No...I'm not engaged lol! Just a wee post on a (very!) short weekend away for my cousin Sabrina's nuptials to Mohammed in Morocco...I had the pleasure of celebrating Sabrina's & Mohammed's marriage at the start of October in Casablanca. 

(The bride & groom; Sabrina and Mohammed)

Weddings in Morocco are an experience...! A totally lavish affair, with plenty of food, music and costume changes! Yep- I did say costume changes! The bride wore 4 dresses that night!

Sabrina and Mohammed are both muslim, and in Morocco, alcohol is generally not served at weddings- so this isn't your typical wedding you might find in Ireland- but truth be told, I have always had more fun at a Moroccan wedding then an Irish one, primarily because of the lack of alcohol I think... (gaspppp!). Reception usually commences late in the evening, and the several course meal starts around 11.30pm- there is always a live band, several entertainers and the bride and groom arrive raised in the air on ornate chairs. The experience is un-real...I have posted a few photos below that feature my family (how stunning are my younger sisters?!)

(My three sisters and I and our male cousins; Omar, Amine and Mouad)

(Bride (Dress number 3!) & Groom)

(Sabrina arriving on a raised chair!)

(Dress number 4!)

(Me and my sisters with my Dad!)

Short but sweet, but such a fantastic night- I wish Sabrina and Mohammed a lifetime of happiness together!

On another note, I wore a Kaftan inspired dress (that had cute pastel horses over it!) by Lost Ink. 

They are a brand that feature on ASOS and actually found them through one of my favourite blogger/social media influencers- Lydia Elise Millen. She wore the dress for a wedding, featured it on her snapchat and I couldn't believe me eyes when I seen the price tag- utter bargain for a dress I know I can wear again at home! You can find the exact dress here (click the link)! 

Happy Shopping and hope everyone ha x

Beijing Diary Part 2

Thursday 27th May:

So one of the reasons I decided to visit China was because my boyfriend was working abroad for the world athletic championships and it was one of the places I wanted to visit him while he was away (great excuse for a holiday eh?!) I spent Thursday day visiting the grounds of the Bird's Nest (where the olympics was held). The stadium is unreal! The architecture, the lighting around it (especially at night!) and the surrounding function areas are so cool- especially the water cube! Not going to lie, I hit a slump Thursday afternoon and I wasn't sure if this was due to jet lag hitting in, so I crossed any plans of list and decided to make full use of the hotel amenities that I hadn't used already! So as well as a delicious breakfast and daily refilled complimentary mini bar- Hotel Eclat also offers an amazing Afternoon Tea between 2-5pm full of quiches, Parisienne cakes and....a sweet cart! Yep, a whole sweet cart, that I (unashamedly!) helped myself generously too many times. The Hotel also offers Happy Hour between 6-8pm, so Thursday evening was spent with way too many glasses of Brut and a very full tummy!

Friday 28th May:

Tiananmen Square, Shopping and Food (yes more food!) Day! I really didn't plan to do shopping in Beijing. Cheekily, I booked a four day stopover in Dubai on the way home from China so was hoping to save a few pennies from my usual shopping antics that I engage in while on holidays- but clothes are SO cheap in Beijing and you really can haggle! I picked up an amazing baby blue suede jacket for €8 and a few tops in tiny shops that are littered across the city!

Note: If your curvy like me, prepare to ask for a way bigger size then normal. I'm considered really big compared to the the petite asian ladies- so all my labels are much bigger then what I would take back home!

Tiananmen Square was also visited. It's a large square that separates the Forbidden City off but is surrounded by vastly (and I don't use that word lightly!) communist government buildings. It's a typical tourist spot- but worthy of an 1 hour of your time.

Note: You need i.d with you to access this area- in fact your passport should be on you at all times! This might seem strange in Ireland or the UK, but it often common to have identification on you in many other parts of the world.

I also visited Wangfujing snack street- a maze full of yummy (and safe!!!) street food where you can find everything from fried scorpions, to sweet dumplings to asian bean drinks! Food and drinks are incredibly cheap in China. I way over-estimated the amount of money to bring over- and if you were on a very tight budget or let's say bag packing and city hopping over Asia- you could easily eat on a budget of around €20 a day from street snack stalls.

Saturday 29th May:

Today was Antique Market day at PANJIAYUUAN MARKET, which runs 7 days a week but from 4.30am-6pm on Saturdays. I got there just after lunch time (due to my love affair with the rainforest shower in my hotel room that I literally spent an hour under!!!) but that was plenty of time. I was advised that not everything is actually antique, so if your coming to buy some gems, you would really want to know what your looking for. I just knew I wanted some Foo Dog statues as I really wasn't fussed if they were antique or not. The Chinese have an ability to turn something brand new and make it look like it's about 100 years old and vice versa...lol! Come prepared with a budget and a notepad and pen. No body speaks english, but every body talks numbers and they want to do business with you. I scanned the whole market first and made notes on items I liked (I didn't show my keenness too much!) and then returned back after. Be prepared to haggle and have fun! Don't give in too easily- if you look foreign they will charge you way more then the actual price. Put it this way, my Foo Dogs statues were triple the price the first time I asked...

There are subways and buses right next to the market, but to be honest, taxi's were so cheap in Beijing, that they were the only mode of transport that I used.

Saturday evening was really my last formal dinner so I decided to go all out and visit a Duck restaurant and order the whole shebang! Yep, one whole duck to myself! The affair is rather splendid...the chef comes out with the cooked duck and cuts it infront of you and and one of the hosts then demonstrates the various accompaniments with it; the sesame bun being paired with a bit of raw ginger mince, some duck and hoisin sauce and the pancake + duck paired with traditional spring onion and cucumber but also some melon. I literally had to be rolled into a taxi and then into my bed! Major food coma!

Sunday 30th May:

Last day in China. I had evening tickets for the final day of the championships so spent the morning and early afternoon at the 798 District (an art district) that was once occupied by the Germans during the World War and is full of converted armoury factories into art galleries. The 798 district is amazing and pretty much free! Some of the galleries charge a ridiculously cheap 1 yuan entry (14cent!) but most are free and you have the opportunity to see Asian classical and contemporary art work. Lunch was in one of the cool vibe eateries there too. There are also some (rave reviewed) coffee shops in the district, but I didn't come to China for coffee so wasn't really interested in that!

                                             

Sunday evening was spent in the Birds Nest at Row 4 (15ft from Mr Bolt himself receiving his relay medal!) and myself and Ev spent the rest of the evening in the Beer garden near his hotel feasting on as much asian food that would last me until I choose when next to return...

Monday morning was a very early start (3am) to catch the red eye flight to Dubai where I impulsively chose to extend my holiday and stay a few days. I got a few mails asking for recommendations on Dubai on what I thought of it...so hope to do one of those posts soon!


Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Yas x

Beijing Diary Part 1

Sunday 23rd May:

I don't really like complaining about travelling when I'm so lucky that I get to go away, but there was two sets of flights to be taken before I would arrive in Beijing- around 18 hours of flight time, plus a stopover in Dubai Airport! So I really hoped my journey would be comfortable enough that it wouldn't off set my week in China. I flew with Emirates (make sure you sign up with the sky rewards programme and you can exchange your points for future upgrades or in my case free tickets to see Arsenal play!) and boy were they pleasant! My only gripe is that they make you walk threw business to the peasants section (lol! I joke I joke!). DXB is huge and there is a serious amount of Duty Free shopping to be done. My three inflight essentials are as follows; this Body Shop overnight vitamin e serum- I take off all my make-up as soon as I board for long flights and put on a layer of the oil all over. Ok, I may look a bit funny to my fellow passengers but the air in the aeroplane is so bad for your skin, I like to give it a good treat! My knitted socks- like these from ASOS (for the cold aircon...) and The Economist- my own bible! I don't really sleep on planes, but there was plenty of films and food (#fatlife) that kept me occupied...

Monday 24th May:

I arrived in Beijing at around 3pm,  but the baggage carousel and Visa control took about 2 hours!
NOTE: If travelling to China, you will need a visa which can be easily obtained for the Chinese Embassy. Forgery in Currency is also  rampant- make sure you exchange from a reputable source- and for Irish travellers, it was roughly 1euro- 7rmb/cny.

I had a car booked already (thank god!) with my hotel because I didn't want to have to deal with transport after flying for so long. I checked into the most amazing hotel- Hotel Eclat and if i'm honest, done very little for the evening. I had a stroll around the area I was staying in and had the yummiest noodle soup for dinner! I'm a big foodie (I eat anything!) and planned my China trip solely around food! Hotel Eclat is a pricey hotel, but you get what you pay for. I only chose the basic room- but it came with a complimentary mini bar (that they re-filled daily), an electronic massage chair, nespresso machine, Afternoon tea, Bose speakers and 3d TV, Happy Hour (with BRUT!!!!! :)) and the most amazing art collection. Apparently, the hotel and it's accompanying shopping mall is owned by a very wealthy art collector who believes that the public should see art for free! It was such a treat to have breakfast with some Salvador Dali artwork every morning!

NOTE: English ISN'T spoken widely but if you have everything you need to know written down in Chinese- you get by really easily- I screen-shotted all my addresses, phrases etc and made an effort to say hello and thank you in the local language. It really does go a long way...


Tuesday 25th May:

I booked a 2 hour treatment in Dragonfly , which is based in the Kerry Hotel building- and pretty sure I fell asleep drooling on the bed. I definitely recommend a massage after long flights just to get the circulation back flowing through your body. My massage worked out about €65 euro which for 2 hours is an absolute bargain. I lunched in what ended up being one of my favourite gems- Honolulu Cafe- Parkview Shopping Centre and gorged on Dim Sum, mixed greens and Iced Tea. That evening I had booked before leaving Ireland a private cooking class @ Beijinger Kitchen with the most amazing host- Carlyle. He runs a low-key cooking experience in a traditional hutong dwelling. We started the evening by visiting the local food market and picking the ingredients we would cook with. We headed to his kitchen and I was introduced to the chef who would teach me three dishes; minced beef dumplings, Kung Po chicken and sautéed Kale. The whole thing was so superbly organised and I had such a fun time. I was worried about it being only me with the chef and Carlyle- but they are so friendly and we had such a laugh (mostly at my lack of cooking skills and inappropriate nail extensions lol!) that I felt totally comfortable. The whole evening cost around €100, but that was because I was by myself. If you book with a partner or a group, it works out to be much cheaper! Carlyle's Food Experience is totally recommended- visit his site here.


Wednesday 26th May:

Ev (my bf) was actually working in Beijing for the World Athletic Championships, so on his time off we trekked a part of the Great Wall. No words or pictures could do the wall justice It was surreal. And the views were so incredibly beautiful! Anyone thinking of visiting the wall in China- do! It's totally worth it but most definitely a work out. Wear appropriate shoes- the steps are uneven, be prepared to sweat (I was beetroot red for most of it lol!) and take a really good camera with you. We booked a tour ticket- which covered transport to and from the wall and tickets. But there were plenty of other travellers who organised everything themselves...it really depends on what you want and your budget!

We later lunched in the a food market and had garlic and chill oysters (cooked!) and an unnecessary amount of mixed noodles... #fatlife

Part two of my Beijing Diary coming up soon...

Autumn Wishlist

Is it just me or have the shops got the most amazing pieces in when you are the most broke?! Ugh! I'm so obsessed with the following pieces that I am seriously considering selling my body for them...no really I am! I tried on the Zara checked caped coat during the week and spent a few hours debating how I could buy it there and then lol! I love capes and could totally justify adding to the collection...

Links for items:

Leather Brogues (Zara) || Checked caped coat (Zara) || High neck tunic by Love (Topshop) || Pom Pom bangle by River Island (ASOS) || Snake print shirt dress (River Island) || Black lace up boots (River Island) || Chambray layered shell shirt (River Island) || Suede embossed croc purse (ASOS) || Boiled wool culottes (Topshop) || Unicorn print iPhone 6 cover by Skinny-dip (Nasty Gal) || OPI nail polish (Beauty Bay)



Happy Shopping x