Monday's Moments - 14/07/14

Hello and Happy Monday! If you're new around these parts and Google Analytics is telling me that a whole haype of you are - big waves to you *waves maniacally*. 

Monday's Moments is where I take a little time out to be grateful for the little things. I choose five Moments from the previous week that mean I'm kicking Monday Blues in the tuckus and feeling pretty good about it too. 

As ever, I'd love you to get involved, whether it's leaving a comment below, tweeting your Moment or just taking a mo to smell the roses and realising we all have little things to be thankful for. 

Without further ado: 

1. L'Oreal Colour Trophy 2014

Last Monday saw the cream of the Irish hairdressing crop descend upon the Convention Centre in Dublin for the Annual L'Oreal Colour Trophy Awards. Hosted by Off The Rails duo Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon, the atmosphere was electric (and the tunes pumping) as we were treated to breathtaking high fashion shows punctuated by awards. 

I was thrilled to be one of the few press peeps invited again this year and the things I learned are thus: 1. L'Oreal NEED to set up a Spotify playlist of their tunes from the night. 2. Hairdressers, en masse are the craziest bunch of people I've ever had the pleasure to be around and 3. I need peach hair. Like yesterday. 

2. Fizzy Pop FTW

Photo courtesy of Sharon's Insta Hurr 

While at a very dignified and lovely Aureilia Skincare event in SpaceNK this week I happened to bump into these two lovely lasses: Dena & Sharon. Normally one to leggit home of a school night, when 'fizzy pop' was mentioned after several glasses of SpaceNK champers, I threw caution to the wind and tootled along for 'one'. 

Several 'ones' later we had set the world to rights and cultivated some serious six packs with ALL of the guffaws at silliness. See these two? They're seriously alright so they are. Here's to saying yes to school night fizzy pop more often! 

3. Game. Changer. 

This here is about to change the way you use Instagram forever. One of my most serious Jimmie Rustlers is typing out the perfect caption, complete with a bajillion tags, hitting publish and realising there's an error. No, it's not life or death - it's more serious than that. 

Never again shall I have to curl my lips at Insta posts, raging. Yisser welcome. 

4. It's A Small World After All! 

In the second of my 'fizzy pop' adventures this week, I was delighted to catch up with one of my favourite people in the beauty world and now in the real world too, Vivian from L'Occitane. Whenever we get together, I learn something new and amazing about her and we laugh like old pals catching up. 

This rendezvous' exciting reveal? Not only is she planning on taking part in a 10k run in Ethiopia for charity, not only is her gorgeous Tuscan friend, Cecelia (who joined us for a natter) a seriously kick ass chick that works her butt of for Concern all around the world but Vivian's husband also has a claim to fame. Vivian's husband is the master chef behind Bunsen Burger! 

Now THAT'S a small world. If you haven't sampled these burgers yet, get your behind to Wexford St TODAY - tell the chef his wife is an absolute doll while you're there - I'm sure he knows it but it never hurts to remind a guy. I'll have to head back there myself, ya'know just to be sociable like *drools*

5. My Bastille Day Baby Is Nearly 

Not a Baby Anymore

You might join me in wishing this little gickball a HUGE Happy Birthday. That's right, my teeny, tiny baby that arrived to this world in 36 minutes flat but has been taking his time ever since is 17 today. 1. 7. 

He's just one year away from joining his brother in adulthood. I know it sounds cliché but WHERE have the years gone? Days seemed endless when they were babies but holy cow I don't ever remember envisioning saying 'Yeah, they're 17 and 18'. This man child has given me more grey hairs and crows feet than I can ever repay him for through accidents, illnesses and guerrilla warfare at home but I wouldn't have it any other way.  Now to spend the day chasing him aboot the place trying to give him a birthday noogie *hides in his wardrobe*

So c'mom, what's one thing you're grateful for today? 

What's your Monday's Moment? 

Monday's Moments - 07/07/14

Good morning, Monday, you sexy muddafuppa. There's something about the burgeoning sunshine each and every day this past while that makes it easier to see the bright side, both literally and figuratively. 

It's been a fab week 'round these parts with schemes, plots and shenanigans working out beautifully but these here? These are the five Monday's Moments that mean blues aren't welcome here today: 

1. Hurts So Good

Before we flew back from Wales last week my Bro & Sis in Law very kindly set me up an appointment with their Osteo/Sports Therapist in Swansea. You might have heard me whinge on about 3 slipped discs I cleverly acquired last August but it has seemed like a never ending recovery (YAY, Irish healthcare!). 

While Mandy, henceforth forthwith known as Fists of Fury, pummeled me to within an inch of my life, she also performed a little feat of magic. Managing to break down scar tissue around my spine and relieve the pressure on my nerves and sciatica. 

Once the intense pain and involuntary Tourettes died down, my back and hip feel better than they have in eons. I'll have to continue treatments here, but for now, I'm all about the Mr Soft impressions. Cheers, Mand!  

2. You're in My Blind Spot, Bub!

Nope, this isn't me but our very own Travel Expert, Corrina pictured with her youngest and her second youngest. She sent this pic of Cillian in her 'blind spot' and I couldn't help but guffaw at my desk. He could be plotting all sorts down there :')

3. Waga For His Mama

While recuperating from the above serious assault this week, I found it very difficult to do even the most basic of tasks. Aaron was heading to the centre and I promised we'd have lunch when he got back. 

When he walked through the door with a humongous bag of ramen goodness & Miso soup for both of us, the only thing that stopped me lepping on him right then was my limited range of motion. I'm not sure if I intentionally raised such an awesomely thoughtful dude but I'm totally going to claim it. He warms an Irish Mammy's cockles daily. #RealTalk. 

4. Random Acts of Stranger Worrying

While heading to Groove Fest this weekend (AWESOME btw), I met the Sis on Jervis St to grab a Luas up to the Dart. I was at the ticket kiosk as she approached but it was being a bitch and refusing cards. As I fed all of my change in, I turned to Corrina to ask if she had a euro. 

An elderly gent, whom I hadn't even realised stood between us, patted down his front and his pockets and said 'I'm so sorry, Love, I use my card, I don't'. Have you ever squeezed a stranger with gratitude at a Luas stop for being a legend before? Because I have and it was goooood. 

5. London, BABY!!

And finally, I managed to get to see her nibs this weekend so could hand over her belated Birthday pressie. We're going to London, Baby!!

Now with the cat out of the bag, we can start planning together what we want to do. There'll be shows, beauty stops, shopping, ALL of the eats and hopefully some cheeky meet ups too. If you've any recommendations for shenanigans, do please leave a comment below. I've never gone to The Londinium and not had something new to see or do. Not ever. *Squeals!!*

So tell us, what's making you Happy today? There's got to be something brightening your day just a little bit or even a hell of a lot?!