Galway Irish Crystal -- Yes, please!

Crystal vase displayed like true works of art!

More lovely pieces

Amaaaazzing grand chandelier displayed as you walked in - I want one for my house!!  :)

I discovered a true Irish gem yesterday...Ci's mum and I took a quick drive up to Galway yesterday and popped into Galway Irish Crystal.  If you are ever in Ireland you have to make a stop here.  The place is just amazing and it is like a museum when you walk in, complete with a grand staircase and decadent chandelier.  Check our their website www.galwaycrystal.ie

The UK's version of "Jersey Shore"

The cast of "The Only Way is Essex"

The "Snookie" of the show - Amy Child

So I have to let you all in on a little secret...the Jersey Shore isn't the only place that breeds over-tanned, buff-bodied, uber-entertaining 20-somethings.  Thats right, you heard me, there is a new phenomenon that hit tellies over here and it is called "The Only Way is Essex"...a docu-series that follows the real life antics of five attractive Brits as they live it up in Essex (east edge of London).  Unfortunately the show is pretty crap, as the producers tried to go for more of a scripted, "The Hills" version, instead of the gritty, raw genius that is "The Jersey Shore".  But, the show has potential, especially thanks to cast member, Amy Child, who is basically the "Snookie" of the show.  She single-handedly makes the show interesting and funny with her random comments and lack of a filter.  Maybe next season they will get it right...fingers crossed.

My X Factor Fav - Cher!!

This girl is INSANE...and she if def my top pick to win X FACTOR! This vid is of her most recent performance for Elton John night. Cher has attitude, talent and tons of swagger!!! She is only a teenager and I am making an early prediction that Simon Cowell will be scooping her up and throwing her into the U.S. music market. She is like a better version of Fergie, sans the Black Eyed Peas.

From Hollywood to....KILRUSH!

Pic of the town..so cute

Aerial view of the Kilrush Marina

Gorgeous view of the Kilrush bay and rolling hills 

Life has changed considerably for me since I arrived here in Ireland to call this lovely country my home...and one change in particular is the change in scenery.  No more traffic jams, parking lots on the 405, smog, and all the other joys of living in a concrete jungle (oh Los Angeles, I will always hold a dear place in my heart for you)  And now, I wake up every morning to the the fresh Irish countryside!!!  Right now Ciaran and I are staying in the adorable town of Kilrush, where he grew up.

Kilrush is a proper Irish town nestled on the scenic west coast of Ireland.  It is peaceful, quiet and cozy.  My favorite thing to do is throw on my jacket, grab my umbrella, pop into the coffee shop to grab a latte (sadly, there are no Starbucks nearby..oh what I wouldn't give for a pumpkin spice latte right now!!) and then stroll aimlessly through the town.  They have adorable little clothing boutiques, shoe shops, bakeries, and everything else in between.

The Ugg Loafer...Is this the new ugg?

Ok, so I am the first to admit that I am a repeat offender when it comes to Uggs.  I have been rockin' them since the stone ages...well maybe not that long, but the point is, they have been my go-to shoe for ages, simply because they keep my feeties nice and warm.  But lets be honest gals, they are NOT figure flattering.  Which is why I decided to retire my uggs once and for all, until.....I stumbled upon these little gems, Ugg tassel loafers!  I love the idea of the sophisticated loafer with a little surprise twist....cozy ugg fur on the inside.  Its so funny, now that I live in Ireland I have to be more practical when it comes to fashion.  I can't buy a pair of flats and expect to rock them with no socks in the dead of an Irish winter...darn it.  These loafer uggs will definitely be on MY Christmas list.  What do ye think?

X Factor Obsession

Confession:  I am absolutely and utterly obsessed with X Factor...and I am not alone.  Here in Ireland and the UK it airs LIVE every Saturday and Sunday nights and let me tell you that almost everyone is planted somewhere near a telly so they can catch all the action!  I can't quite put my finger on why I am so addicted.  Is it the quirky, interesting and not to mention uber-talented contestants, adorable judges (specifically Cheryl Cole), or the balls-to-the-wall, genius productions every week courtesy of creative director, Brian Friedman?  I'm going to say its all of the above and then some.  The show has all the right ingredients for success and to all my American pals, you have a real treat when Simon brings the show stateside soon!!  Stay tuned for some vids of my favoritas!

Cozy brunch at Doonbeg Golf Lodge

Had brunch Sunday with Ciaran's sis and her family at Doonbeg golf course just up the road from Kilrush (where we are staying at the moment!).  The lodge is spectacular and stunning to say the least.  The restaurant has  a cozy fireplace, fab bar and breathtaking views of the greens.  It is a must if you are planning on visiting Ireland!!!  Check out their website...DOONBEG WEBSITE.  tip.  if you want to get in the mood for Christmas, check out the Christmas page :)

My first Irish Blow Out...and a little curling wand

My hair post blow out

Babyliss curling wand - apparently you can scoop one of these up at Boots!

Today I went with Ciaran's mum to the hairdressers...she got a color done and I got a blow out!  ahhhhh how good it felt to get pampered!!  The stylists was so sweet, she even styled it a bit with some random loose curls.  She used a handy little curling wand like this one.  The cool thing is this is not like your ordinary curling iron, instead it gets small towards the end, so you dont get big poodle curls all over your head.  Instead you get natural yummy curls.....HEAVEN!!

Is that a tractor?

You never know when you will see a tractor in Ireland...and I love that!  Seriously, we were driving behind one for a while the other day and then I saw this one parked up on the side of the road when I took a stroll through town today.  Ciaran and I actually saw this red one the other day too!  The farmer parked it in the lot, hopped out and went in to get some bits from the supermarket.  Priceless.

A proper Irish Dinner

Ciaran's mum made a proper Irish dinner tonight and it was INSANELY DELISH!  What you have here folks is roast beef, peas, cabbage and TWO forms of potatoes....that is mashed and roasted...and all drenched in yummy brown gravy.  This is a very typical Irish meal with tons of yummy veg...all washed down with a glass of wine.  Here is a quick run through of the meal if you feel like making it for Sunday tea (that is what they call dinner here sometimes!)

IRISH ROAST BEEF DINNER

• Beef rib roast - cover in cooking oil and roast in tin in oven for 2 to 3 hours...make sure you have your oven hot before you put it in!
• Roast potatoes - peel potatoes, boil them for 10 minutes and then put them in roasting tin with beef.  Keep an eye on those suckers and turn over so they don't burn on one side.
• Mashed potatoes - boil potatoes and then mash with butter, milk and salt and pep -- no brainer!!
• Boiled Cabbage - cut up cabbage into small strips and then wash.  Then boil in water for twenty minutes...add butter for some flavor when done and voila!
• Peas - the ones out of the can will do just fine!
• Brown Gravy - add some off the roast beef drippings to a brown gravy mix.

Then pop it all onto the plate and drizzle all with gravy and you will yourself an proper Irish Roast Dinner!  Buen Provecho :)

P.S. I love you!

I literally watched this movie ONE WEEK before I met Ciaran in a pub in San Diego. Just thought I would share. And for those hopeless romantics out there...please, please watch the film if you haven't already. It is amazing!! Although Ci says Gerard Butler does an awful Irish accent, but lets be honest, no one is listening to what he is saying, right girls?! ;)

Batiste Dry Shampoo. A.K.A. MIRACLE PRODUCT!!

So I hate washing my hair, especially since I have to blow dry it here because letting it air dry in Ireland is out of the question.  So when a friend recommended I try this dry shampoo I was over the moon.  It smells out of control, it makes two day old hair look FAB and it isn't too pricey!  It is pretty much GENIUS!  Too bad you can't find it in the states :(  Check out their website for Batiste Dry Shampoo

Double Rainbow on the River Shannon

One Rainbow, and then....

TWO...Double Rainbow Baby!

We were taking the Shannon River Ferry over to see Ciaran's sister in Killarney and while we were waiting to drive aboard, a lovely Double Rainbow appeared.  Tthought I would share...just another gem courtesy of the lovely land of Ireland.

BTW...The ferry takes you from County Clare to County Kerry, and it is a whole lot quicker then going around through Limerick city.  The ferry ride takes about 20 minutes and you can jump out of your car and head up to the upper deck to get some fresh air or even catch a glimpse of the Shannon Dolphin.

The Shannon Ferry - view from the top deck

The Best Commercial Ever - Rapping Farmers

This is a tv commercial that comes on over here and I am absolutely in LOVE with it...i almost peed my pants the first time I saw it. true story :) I have watched it 10 times since.

A traditional Bailey's Coffee - Irish Style!!!

The perfect Bailey's coffee

As if I couldn't like coffee even more, I found a way to make it even tastier!!  A yummy Bailey's Coffee.  I love curling up next to the fire and sipping on one of these.  Here is a quick recipe to make a traditional Irish style Bailey's Coffee.

• Bailey's Irish Cream 
• Coffee, brewed or instant (we use the instant here and it tastes great!)
• Fresh whipped cream (add a little vanilla to the heavy whipping cream when you are whipping it up

Add a shot of the Bailey's to the cup off coffee and then finish with the fresh cream.  Serve in a wine glass for an extra treat!

On a side note, they are coming out with a Hazelnut flavor of Baileys and I can't wait to sample it!  Check out the Bailey's website for more tasty recipes and fun!

Stormy Days

Eyes closed tight as gusts from the Atlantic whip at my back.

It has been so stormy for the past few days here...like seriously it hasn't stopped blowing since Monday.  This is my first taste of the Irish storms...up until now it has been nice and pleasant.  Ciaran and I took a drive out to Doonbeg golf course to take a walk on the beach.  It was all I could do to stand still long enough for Ci to take this picture (I didnt even manage to keep my eyes open...oh well).  While we were out there we saw SWANS in the ocean...that's right pretty white swans paddling around in the surf.  Apparently they stay at the ponds on the golf course and venture into the ocean to grab a bite to eat.

Ireland or bust!

At LAX all set to go...LOVE my new suitcase that I scooped up at TJ Maxx last minute BTW

The view from Ciaran's sister's house in Killarney.

A little over a month ago I took the biggest leap of my life and hopped on the plane with my adorable Irish boyfriend to begin my new life in Ireland!! To say I was nervous would be an understatement, I mean come on, I was leaving my old life in sunny southern California, and jetting across the pond to the unknown...I was scared out of my mind!  But I was even more excited. 


I met my Irish boyfriend two years ago at a bar in San Diego.  He was on holiday with his buddies, I was out with my girls at a hen party (bachlorette party for my Americans), sparks flew and as they say the rest is history (lets be honest after I heard that Irish accent, there was no turning back)....after many skype hours logged, virgin atlantic flights, and a stint living in California together, here I am...smack dab in Ireland and LOVING every single second.