Sunday 29 November 2015

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?



L & B GIFT GUIDE 2015- Gifts for Her (or me!)






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?!




Friday 27 November 2015

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!




Advent 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!

Sunday 15 November 2015

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!

Sunday 8 November 2015

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