Cherry Pick of the Week: Kygo ~ Firestone ft Conrad Sewell

Isn't it just as well that the Leaving Cert starts this week because Firestone is a song that needs the feeling of sun on your skin for maximum enjoyment. We all know the state exams bring guaranteed scorchers, right?

I'm adding this to my Summer Spotify playlist because A) it's a joy & B) I still haven't been able to cancel the shagging thing!

What tunes are you loving as the summer months approach - I'd love to know!

San Andreas - Movie Review

Who's In It?

Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Paul Giamatti, Alexandra Daddario, and Dwayne Johnson


What's It About?

After a few earthquakes along the San Andreas fault line, the entire plate decides to shift and pulls the east coast of America off the continent. 

Any Good? 

This film is what would happen if you crossed 2012 with bad cliche romance and even WORSE effects - I had never seen a film that had worse practical effects than CGI before this, but now I see the use of bad CGI as opposed to bad practical effects.

From the outset the characters were a bit eh, as was the child's toy helicopter they used instead of just flying a real one, but seeing The Rock gurn at Mr. Fantastic while he did his best Jeff Goldblum impression was still the best part of the film. The moment it totally turned though was when the nice guy at a high pressure interview with the daughter had a bad English accent.

A much prettier sight

The entire movie was just a literal rip-off of 2012 with worse acting and the worst love story possible. British boy meets main girl and saves her life, falls in love, then The Rock skydives out of a plane and punches a window for a while, AND THAT'S IT. Even Paul Giamatti couldn't work with the script, and you could see he reaaally tried his best. If you're thinking of going to see this, PLEASE watch and support Mad Max instead - the world really wants that sequel. 

TL;DR - your mother fell over.

Rating:

Win It! 5 of the First Bioderma Goody Bags to Celebrate Their Irish Launch!

Irish social media was ablaze last week and not without good cause... No, not just the referendum but the long awaited, much celebrated news that French brand and creators of Holy Grail Micellar Water, Bioderma is coming to Irish shores! Because we couldn't possibly allow that news to land without serious fanfare, we've teamed up with the cult favourite brand to exclusively bring FIVE of you lucky ducks a prize that money just can't buy - well not yet anyway. 

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Sells 1 Bottle Every 3 Seconds Worldwide!

For years now we have begged, borrowed and stole space in our loved one's French luggage to get our Bioderma fix but not anymore as independent pharmacies are set to stock the beloved brand from this June onward. I'll pop up a list of stockists as I receive it but for now, if you'd like to be among the first in the country to get your mitts on some just follow the seriously simple steps below: 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

There were times this week that the jimmies went into maximum overrustle - it's just as well it's Thursday eh? In no particular order of arsery this week: 

1. 'Baby on Board' Car Stickers

2. Colleagues Shouting into Their Phone 

á lá Dom Joly...

3. My Blank Canvas F20 Falling Apart on 1st Wash - THE THIRD IN A ROW!

4. Diesel Eating Something Suspect on our Walk & Emitting Noxious Fumes for the Rest of the Night!

5. Not Being Able to Cancel Spotify!

If you can help with one or all of the above or indeed if you want to unrustle some of your own jimmies - LEMME KNOW!

Smashbox Fireball Matte Be Legendary Lipstick! (& a wee Smashboxpark plug!)

If you were following me ANYWHERE on social media this past weekend you'll know that I spent the most incredible two days with Smashbox in London, checking out their pop up shop, Smashboxpark in Boxpark, Shoreditch. A definite highlight of that entire trip has to have been discovering one of their newest Be Legendary lipsticks in Fireball Matte. 

The most stunning fiery orange/red, National Makeup Coach for Smashbox (& all 'round good egg) Janine Bird admits to shedding a little tear at its sheer perfection: 

This ultra luxe formulation glides on and settles to a silky matte finish. It boasts Vitamin C, E and shea butter for a nourishing, non drying long lasting lipstick like nothing else I've tried. And boy does it last, check out Smashbox MUA Carolina Bicudo's (pictured) after shower shot!

Smashbox Fireball Matte - REFUSES to budge!

Twice now I've sported this stunning shade and it's true what they say about people treating you differently when you're wearing a strong lip. There's an undeniable confidence in powerful colours such as Fireball, even more so when you can be confident that, once applied, it's not going anywhere. 

Janine recommends taking your time with Fireball application for maximum longevity

Apply over your favourite red lip liner for application perfection, or, as Janine suggested, over Fuchsia to bring a whole new dimension to this show stopping shade. 

Heather Jackson: Smashbox's Artistry & Education Coach ROCKING Fireball Matte

What make we of Fireball? Will you dare to wear? It joins the Be Legendary lip lineup this month at €21. Available from Smashbox counters nationwide & online from Boots & Arnott's. 

Should you be in the vicinity of Shoreditch though, do be sure to drop by Boxpark before they close in mid June. The Smashboxpark pop up is about as perfect a brand fit as I've seen in a very long while! You can even grab an aprés makeover selfie in some of the most amazing lighting available, as evidenced by Youtube beauty pal Melanie Murphy below: 

Melanie Murphy Perfecting Her Selfie Game at Smashboxpark, Shoreditch!

Our Welsh Adventure – Boy’s Day Out

This week we are concluding our Welsh Adventure, you can catch up with our adventures thusfar HERE. This time it was the boys' turn to choose where they want to go for their day out. After much consideration & deliberation (as evidenced by Cillian above) they finally chose to spend the morning at Caerphilly Castle & Castell Coch. Clever lads.

Caerphilly Castle occupies over 30 acres, it’s the biggest castle in Wales & the second largest in Britain. Built in the 13th Century by Gilbert de Clare using the “walls within walls” system of defence. It’s the most complete Castle still standing today with a series of moats & islands. 

Our little ones absolutely loved it as there were lots of rooms to explore & vast rolling lawns. The Great hall is simply stunning. There have been a few TV shows filmed here including Dr Who & Merlin, my son thought it was amazing that he recognised Constable’s Hall. 

They have a great gift shop where we stocked up on armour & swords, just in case! Admission is £4.75 Adults, £3.60 Children or a family ticket is £14.25 for 2 adults & all children in your party. Pay & display parking is just 200 meters from the castle, so ideal if you've hired a rental to explore. 

Caerphilly Castle

Less than 15 minutes away is Castell Coch which was also built by Gilbert De Clare in 1267. There has been a castle on this site since 1081 but it has been raised, rebuilt & remodelled a couple times, the castle standing today was completed in 1891. Castell Coch looks like something straight from a fairytale with a working drawbridge & three towers with conical roofs. 

The interior includes The Keep, The Kitchen Tower, The Well Tower, Banqueting Hall, Lord & Lady Bute’s bedrooms & many more rooms. Most of the original furniture that was removed from the castle has been recovered & reinstated in the castle. 

Admission is much the same as Caerphilly Castle but if you are planning on visiting a few Castles you’d be better off buying the Explorer Pass on sale at most Castles. A 3 day family pass is £36.80 which gives you access to over 25 historical attractions. Parking is free; they also have Tea Rooms, A Gift Shop & Picnic Tables.

Castell Coch

Just a short hop away is Cardiff Bay, so we headed there for a spot of lunch. We were thrilled to find it was a hub of activity with lots of shops, restaurants, bars & visitor attractions to choose from. Never mind a day, you could spend a week here & not get bored. 

The boys had a big decision to make & The Dr Who Experience lost out to Techniquest an interactive science & discovery centre. The afternoon whizzed by with the children having a blast in the exhibitions, planetarium & science theatre topped off with oodles of hands on science. 

As Techniquest is a registered charity you can choose to make a donation with your admission price, we did & paid £25 for a family pass, 2 adults & 3 children, Under 3’s are free. There is paid on street parking nearby.

Cardiff Bay

So there you have it some of the highlights of our 10 day break in Wales, we went to lots more places but I’d be here all year telling you about them! 

Currently both Irish Ferries & Stena Line have a Kids go free offer so there has never been a better time to pack up your car & head across the Irish Sea for a fun filled family break in Wales.

Have we piqued your interest in God's country? Do let us know!

Monday's Moments ~ 25/02/15

What a week, what a week, WHAT A WEEK!!

There's been some incredible happenings 'round these parts, this week especially. Some plans set into motion, some opportunities grabbed with both hands but most importantly a new dawn, a new day and who among us isn't feeling good?!

To name but five Moments of this past week that I'm beyond grateful for: 

1. Both Gorgebags taking part in the Aviva #bringyourboots campaign. 

Look Out for Them on a Tellybox Near You Soon!

2. My Baby Graduating Secondary School!

3. Dashing to Vote Before My Flight, as I Repinned my Yes Badge the Chap Behind Me Motioned to My Bag & Asked if I Needed a Lift. I Did!

4. An Incredible Two Days Spent in 

London Town with Smashbox UK. 

5. Returning Home to a Nation that Made Equality History by Popular Vote! 

Tell us, what Moments mean you're giving the Monday Blues the old heave ho this week?

Cherry Pick of the Week: OMI ~ Cheerleader!

Oh, you were looking for the sound of the summer? BOOM there ya are now!

Can NOT get enough of this OMI tune, whether it be discreet shoulder dancing on public transport when I hear it or full on, not a bone in your body, Jamaican grooving when out on the tiles. Without doubt, it's going to be ginormous this season here & abroad. 

Doesn't it make you wanna book a hollier? Wait, you've already booked yours, haven't you? Come on, sicken us, where are you off to?

Tomorrowland - Movie Review

Who's In It?

Raffey Cassidy, Britt Robertson, George Clooney, and Hugh Laurie


What's It About? 

When trying to sabotage a NASA launch pad deconstruction, Casey Newton is arrested and released later that night. With a pin that transports her to another world, she tries to get back to this better future.

Any Good? 

The opening credits of this film named Brad Bird as director and listed his best such as The Incredibles and Finding Nemo as his past works, which really set a high bar for Tomorrowland - one which it couldn't reach even with its jetpacks.

One film that this reminded me a lot of was Sharkboy and Lavagirl (take that for what you will) with the way it was so clearly directed at children at first. Teenager fighting the man and the government but it gets so preachy near the end; like Birdemic Bridge Troll preachy.

Filename: Get_Off_My_Bridge.png

I noticed a lot of the film was "influenced" from other Sci-Fi media, it had things like the Infinite Improbability Drive from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy built into a Bioshock transport capsule that brought you to Vancouver from Mass Effect 3 - when I noticed it was a lot of references the film got a little better for me.

Add skyrails for Tomorrowland

Not much to see here for anyone over the age of maybe 15, but below will absolutely ADORE it, the end is built perfectly for them. What felt like budget actors instead of the ones they wanted resulted in odd acting in some places and a 25 year old woman (who CLEARLY looked it) as a teenager. After seeing it in 2D I can tell it was made for 3D, so pack off the communion kids to see it with their heavy pockets as of late and they'll love it.

Rating: 

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

I have to hold my hands up here, after a tough couple of weeks once more everything is coming up Millhouse and that's AMAZE! That doesn't mean, however that jimmies have remained unrustled. I mean people are still people, right?

1. Dublin Bus Moving Their Stops with 

No Notice or Signage!

2. 'Do You Not Have Enough Makeup?'

3. Breaking a Nail Less than 30 Minutes after a Fresh Manicure!

4. Teenagers When College Breaks for Summer

5. Ladies Being Turned Away from the Cannes Red Carpet for Not Wearing Heels!

Tell us, what's been rustling your jimmies this week, huh?

Dior Tie Dye Collection Summer 2015 ~ The Cherry Picks ft Pink Sunrise, Coral Sunset & Cosmic Pink!

We've established I'm a beauty addict, right? The last 4 years of writing & pining about beauty haven't gone unnoticed I'm sure. Even with that level of grá though, there's still something a little bit special about a product (or two, or three) that haunt my thoughts until I possess it. Case in point: Dior Nude Tan Pink Sunrise & Coral Sunset blushes. Can I get an A.MEN!?

Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Limited Edition Tie Dye Blush Pink Sunrise €57 Here

I mean. Do I even need to? One glimpse at the tie dye beauty of Pink Sunrise and I was hooked. While our Travel writer, Corrina, has always been a Dior fiend (to the point of her credit card company calling her after a splurge in Vegas) but I was never bitten by the brand bug. That all changed when I saw the Tie Dye collection. 

Dior Pink Sunrise Nude Tan Tie Dye Blush, to give it its full title is as beautiful a blush as I've seen. A stunning array of mauve shimmer, smokey pink matte, tan matte & white shimmer, the world really is your lobster with application here. Concentrate your brush on the colour you'd like to see more of or swirl that sucker for the most beautiful rose pink effect. Ideal for paler skin tones and work day looks. 

It was only when I brought myself to actually use Pink Sunrise that I realised the colours are not spray on, they're right the way down to pan so swirl to your hearts content and just one blow will bring back it back to its former glory. It really is a thing of beauty. So much so that Coral Sunset haunted my ever waking minute. These blushes are seriously spendy at €57 but they're also limited edition - the two words that can strike fear into any makeup lovers' heart. 

Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Limited Edition Tie Dye Blush Coral Sunset €57 Here

Again. Just look at it. I erred when picking up Pink Sunrise because even though I am eternally drawn to peaches and corals, I genuinely believed that Coral Sunset would be more suited to a darker skin tone. I was wrong. 

Here were talking almost fluorescent orange shimmer, candy orange matte, warm coral matte and, again white shimmer highlight. It. Is. STUNNING. Application is exactly as with Pink Sunrise but I find you can build blush more easily with Coral Sunset. Not only that but I've even managed to forgo highlight when sporting these summer stunners. 

Just a word on the brush for application, you're given a densely packed kabuki for application and to be honest, it's the only let down of these blushes and this collection for me. The brush itself is far too small to create the airbrushed effect you're after with colours like these and I've found can concentrate the pigment and make the blush difficult to work with. It's a huge shame, as when paying luxe prices you'd expect luxe accessories. As travel contour brushes though, they're perfecto. 

Dior Diorskin Nude Tan Limited Edition Tie Dye Blush Coral Sunset Swatch - Pink Sunrise Swatch

Last but not least of my Cherry Picks from this collection is one of their limited edition lippies in Cosmic Pink. Again I couldn't pass up the design. Each of the four shades has a predominant colour with a contrasting colour in the CD logo that runs right through the bullet to give the shade an extra dimension. Cosmic Pink was made for me. 

 

Dior Cosmic Pink

The main bullet is a dusky pink with hot pink shot through. When it comes to spending serious sheckles on lipstick then I'm always sure that it's a colour I'll wear again and again (I'm not that blinded by beauty). You best believe I'll be wearing Cosmic Pink to the very, very last. From the iridescent heavy weight Dior tube to the moisturising bullet within, I love everything about this lipstick. Everything. 

DIOR Dior Addict Lipstick- Tie Dye Edition Cosmic Pink: €35 Here

While I appreciate this collection and Dior as a brand are on definitely on the high end of the spend spectrum, I truly believe these pieces are worth it. Whether it's a present for a special someone or a celebratory self gift for your very self, I'd highly recommend you get to see Dior Tie Dye before it inevitably flies off counter.   

What make ye of this collection? Are you tempted?