We've finally found the perfect outdoor cinema trend that is DESPERATELY needed on Irish land: Hot tub theatres.
Some absolute genius had the idea to combine hot tubs and watching movies, and we owe them so much for that wonderful conception. God bless them.
Organisers Tub Life have created an event where Londoners can test out the Hot Tub Cinema for real this August, but Dublin is normally about 20 years behind the England capital.
The cinema event of the century is scheduled to take place on August 31 from 6pm to 9pm, and we're contemplating booking our flights now, before Brexit goes and ruins everything for us.
Film fanatics will be able to strip and dip into relaxing hot water while enjoying whatever classic is playing on the big screen, with a cheeky bevvy. No skippy dipping allowed, sorry to disappoint you.
Tub Life wrote on the event page on Facebook: "Tub Life is coming to London and we’re bringing our hot tubs with us! Expect performers, hosts, BBQs, round-the-clock tub service and the biggest portable screen in the UK."
"Note: the scheduled date is preliminary as we’re currently finalising the few remaining details to this event. Click ‘Interested’ to be notified with more information," they concluded.
They'll confirm the exact location for London at a later date, and will also be visiting Maidstone, Liverpool, Chester, Brimingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Newcastle.
Who knows, they might even pop up in Dublin this summer if the demand is high enough, which it totally will be. Start the petition today lads, shall we?
It's happened to many of us…we're travelling to the most Instagram-able spots in the world, yet there's nobody to take photos of us in all our cultured glory.
Whether it's Niagara Falls, the Colosseum of Rome or the white sand beaches in Bali, sometimes a great candid is all we crave. Why waste the opportunity?
If your own significant other can barely hold a camera, or if you're a single solo traveller, finding somebody to capture us at our finest moment can be tedious at best.
Not all of us have a John Legend to work his magic on the lens for the sake of our followers:
Luckily for us, specialist tour operators Roma Experience are now (hilariously) offering an Instagram boyfriend to follow you around all day and get those #travelgoals snaps you've always wanted.
They spotted a gap in the market, that's for sure. Their timing couldn't be better, seeing as social media is playing a massive role in the lives of global youth.
Instagram is even acting as an influential factor in choosing a travel destination, with a ludicrous 40.1% of millennials deeming the site an important factor when considering a holiday. My God, what have we become?
The Roma Experience's 'boyfriend of Instagram' is sure to be a sell-out, offering the unsung heroes of 'likes' to women (and fellow men) from every corner of the world. Bless them.
The Instagram Boyfriend has become an obsession in its own right, with countless pages dedicated to the men who play their part in giving a partner the PERFECT shot for the feed.
The wonderful service allows travellers to hire a profesh photographer to join them on their tour for three hours, taking pictures of them around some of the most picturesque Italian sites the gorgeous country has to offer.
You will then be emailed the iconic new pictures of you at your fiercest, fresh and ready for the gram. Or just your fridge?
The service is an additional €350 on top of the price for the full-day tour of Rome, but can you put a price on insta-worthy images? Hell no. It's 2019, this is our lifestyle now people.
Roma Experience’s Full Day Tour of Rome and Vatican City costs from €643, including all entrance fees, and private transfer from the city centre to the Vatican. The photographic service is an option extra, priced at €355.
Finding the perfect getaway can be a challenging business; you want to feel at ease, relaxed and replenished, but where can you find a spot with the perfect amount of privacy mingled with life-changing views?
Well, this tree hotel in the northern Swedish forests offers rooms perched among the pines with an awesome aesthetic landscape to boot.
It's essentially something straight out of a dream, with different room types like the Bird's Nest, The Cabin and the UFO (legit a flying saucer).
Each of the seven available rooms are all modern variations of tree houses designed by Scandinavian architects, which allow you to bond with nature in the lap of luxury.
The Tree Hotel is so private and remote that you have to fly all the way from Stockholm to the Lulea Airport, and then the hotel organises for a car to collect you, or for a train journey.
You can totally disconnect and enjoy the natural lifestyle, as well as possessing that crucial WiFi in case you need to post an emergency Instagram of your incredible surroundings. Oh. it also has HEATED FLOORS and towers.
There's also a gorgeous restaurant on the property which makes sure to serve only local ingredients. Daytime activities include dog sled tours, ice fishing and photography walks.
You might need to tap into your savings to afford this one, however. Prices range from about €113 to €680 per night, depending on the time of year and type of room.
Maybe add it to the bucket list, or find a sugar daddy to help you out (joking…joking…)
If you struggle to muster up ANY enthusiasm for Kylie Jenner’s lip kits and think you’re more likely to find a highlighter in a pencil case than a makeup bag, you’re not alone.
While the rest of the world pry open palettes and have conniptions over contour techniques, the less interested among us remove the rubbery gunge from our pharmacy-bought foundation and power on.
And while it might seem like no big deal, it’s actually incredibly confusing to hear friends and family members gush over items that you don’t even know how to use.
Here are just ten things any girl with zero interest and zero skills in makeup department will know to be true.
1. You need a degree from NCAD to perfect the contoured look.
"Is the brown stripe meant to go here or here? And where will I put the cream stripe?"
2. You think hysteria over Kylie Jenner's lip kits is the end of humanity as you know it.
"You're joking right now, right?… Are you crying over lipgloss?"
3. Primer is nothing but a swizz and you won't be falling for it any time soon.
"€30? Thanks, but I'll be slapping on my €3 moisturiser as usual."
4. You replace makeup as it runs out, and not because a reality show star has released a new line.
"But don't you already have 13 of her glosses?"
5. You don't think you have enough face for the amount of products you've been advised to wear.
"My face will literally enter the room five minutes before I do if I add another layer, lads."
6. You thought you had cracked it when you splashed out on an eyebrow gel.
"Ladies, it's like mascara but for your BROWS."
7. Your makeup routine takes you 15 minutes and that's when you've used every single item in your makeup bag,
"I swear to God, I tried. I looked up a tutorial and everything."
8. You're not loyal to any brand, and you generally snap up a mascara if it's on special offer.
"Plastic wand? What would I care?"
9. Bristles stick to your face because you haven't splashed out on new brushes since your Debs.
"Yeah girls, cos I'm gonna spend €40 on a bloody brush?!"
10. You secretly wish you could get excited, and sometimes wonder if you're missing the cosmetic gene.
"Oh my God, have you guys seen the new palette by… oh, forget it. I can't fool yee."
If you've spent much of your life desperately trying to make your hair seem thicker, longer or more volumised, then you'll know that this mission is an ongoing one.
Having hair that resembles blonde dust or a barnet that breaks at the hint of heat is not for the faint-hearted.
It takes grit and determination to power through your mane mishaps especially when the rest of your crew are boasting barrel curls and rocking real-life ringlets.
If you have hair which REFUSES to grow or are, shall we say, a little sparse on top then you'll know ALL about the following struggles.
1. The bun bother
What looks like an effortlessly sexy way to keep your hair off your face makes YOU look like Miss. Trunchbull from Matilda.
"It's like a Malteaser on top of a beach ball, girls."
2. The grease glitch
When your hair is particularly fine even at its best, a little grease or light rain can actually make you look like you have a comb-over.
"I swear I could count the strands right now."
3. The straightening situation
You KNOW you're not doing yourself any favours, and yet you still insist on burning that crispy hair of yours to an actual cinder with the straightener.
"I can't help it. It's force of habit!"
4. The kissing conundrum
In the throes of passion, your significant other may have attempted to run his hand through your hair…only to find out you pretty much don't have any.
"Only do that after a salon blowdry! I've told you before!"
5. The parental pity
Like any Irish mammy, yours is just FULL of reassuring words and woe betide anyone who disagrees with her.
"You've fine hair, but LOTS OF IT, dya hear me?"
6. The fringe fuss
When you've got fine hair (but lots of it) you need to keep round-the-clock surveillance on your fringe.
"I swear, if I don't comb it every 20 minutes it starts looking like a barcode."
7. The patience problem
There's a special place in hell for people who tell you that your hair would just grow 'if only you left it alone'.
"You make me sick."
8. The hair hope
Every so often you'll land upon a product that SPEAKS to you, only to have your hopes dashed after the first application.
"Fooled again, girls. Fooled again."
9. The endless envy
Other girls covet each others bums, tums and boobs, and there you are salivating over every wave in that random stranger's hair.
"Honestly, I nearly reached out and touched it."
10. The nonstop negotiations
If you have to have one more argument with your hairdresser about the amount she's allowed to take off, you'll be forced to call the police on her.
"It's like she's robbing me blind every time I see her."
He captioned his latest snap, dated New Year's Eve;
“Proud of Ella for becoming a PAT dog this year. Animals can provide a sense of calm, comfort, or safety and divert attention away from a stressful situation and towards one that provides pleasure.”
He shared photos of at least eight other dogs, among his own pet family includes a gorgeous Golden Retriever, a black Labrador, and multiple Cocker Spaniels.
“The ever growing pack,” James captioned the snap, adding a paw print emoji for good measure.
Looking through his posts that offer an insight into his Scotland life, three main themes which emerge about the future Queen Consort's little brother are; animals, selfies and celebrity cameos.
Many candid family moments are also on display, such as those from charity events with Pippa and even some images of his ex-girlfriend Donna Air.
James also features chickens, birds and even a little white lamb on his unreal page. We wanna see the royal lifestyle we can never afford, TBH.
Iconic whiskey distillers Jameson are making a final call for college graduates to apply for its renowned 2019/20 international graduate programme.
The programme is known globally for offering world-class experience and two international placements, but they've claimed that the latest candidates need one thing; 'Serious character'.
The grad programme has been running for an outstanding 27 years, and gives graduates the chance to fulfil their personal and professional potential while working with an Irish brand with worldwide influence.
As a Jameson International Brand Ambassador, your office could be anywhere when you're on the move. With 50 markets on offer, it's an amazing opportunity to build a serious career. Our only requirement? SERIOUS CHARACTER. Show us you have it and APPLY NOW: https://t.co/f2aCujkaVepic.twitter.com/17tx6rocIK
— Jameson Graduate Progamme (@JAMESONGRADPROG) January 4, 2019
The successful candidate will be working on the international stage, and are supported by a competitive benefits package, multi-award winning training and development programme and a global support network.
The leader of Jameson's programme, Sinéad D'Arcy, commented that;
“The Jameson International Graduate Programme is a truly unique programme offering graduates three-years’ experience in a marketing role, in one of over 50 countries across the world."
"Every year we look for driven, charismatic and creative graduates, from a range of diverse backgrounds, to serve as brand ambassadors in cities across the world," she added.
Over 400 countries to date have completed the infamous graduate programme alongside Jameson since it began in 1991.
Alumni of the Irish distiller's programme have progressed to high quality roles internally and externally in over 33 cities, and Jameson maintains its role as the fifth most popular graduate employer in Ireland according to gradireland.
If you want to kick-start your career, why not start now? Applications for the 2019/20 Jameson International Graduate Programme close on Wednesday 16 January 2019 at 1pm, so get on it.
Prince Harry’s days of partying are well and truly behind him. The dad-to-be decided to give up alcohol as a mark of respect to pregnant wife Meghan Markle, and now he has made another major changed to his diet.
It is understood that the Duchess of Sussex has encouraged Harry to follow a healthier lifestyle.
As part of the new regime, Harry can’t drink tea or coffee.
According to the Express, the lifestyle changes have had a major impact on Harry’s health and wellbeing.
A source told the publication that he is a lot more relaxed than he used to be: “Considering he’s been a pretty brutal drinker since he was a young teenager, it’s quite an achievement.”
They added: “He was always fidgeting and on the go, always looking for the next thrill. He was a great laugh but it was always very full on.”
He is no longer the wild, booze-loving prince he once was, “Now his new regime doesn’t make him the most entertaining party guest in the world, but he’s definitely more chilled and relaxed.”
Since marrying the former Suits actress, Harry has been living a healthier life. “All she [Meghan] did was show him there’s another way to live and he’s become a huge fan. He eats well, doesn’t poison his body, exercises, does a bit of yoga and is a lot happier.”
When you've just started dating somebody, and then the festive season comes around, the whole present debacle can be pretty awkward if it goes wrong.
Whether it's their birthday, Christmas day or just to show them a token of your appreciation (*wink*), if you get them the wrong gift, you can really miss the mark.
You want to show them your best side when it comes to gift giving, so we've put together a group of gifts that are quirky, fun and niche.
They're essentially impossible not to love, no matter who you're dating right now.
Have a browse, and try not to buy them all. Or else just buy them for yourself instead….(sorry not sorry)
This may be the beauty product we've all been waiting for…What are our two favourite things? Pizza + glamorous eyeshadow = pure, unadulterated joy.
Yep, that's the truth. Glamlite Cosmetics have changed the make-up game by creating a pizza-themed vegan eyeshadow palette, and it's absolutely unreal.
The cruelty-free, vegan beauty giant have described the Pizza Palette as; “The world’s most ‘delicious’ palette, fresh out of the oven and ready for delivery!”
What's even cooler, if that's possible, is that the creator received hateful messages about her weight insinuating that she 'ate too many pizzas'.
She then decided to carry out the greatest clap-back second only to anything Chrissy Teigen has ever done, by creating a PIZZA-themed palette which sold out in under 48 hours.
The palette features 18 stunning 'toppings' to choose from, and colours to match. The names range from earthy emerald shades of 'Basil' to the shimmery gold of 'Pineapple', and even metallic purple 'Red Onions'.
This woman is a genius. The product has also been JEFFREE STAR APPROVED, which is no easy feat.
If you haven’t heard of Dylan hotel, you are sorely missing out. The Irish-owned five-star boutique hotel is renowned already for it’s red brick Victorian building, lavish decor and high-quality food, as well as it’s amazing proximity to the Irish city centre.
Tucked into a side avenue near Baggot Street, this gem is still relatively private despite it’s location, as if the building itself is housing a treat only a special few experience.
Dylan Barhas everything going for it, but we decided it was high time for us to try out their brand new Christmas afternoon tea menu: Spice and All Things Nice. We felt we deserved some five-star treatment, especially since the cost is only €45 for great service and even better food.
The design of the hotel is immediately striking; while it may be aesthetic Victorian brick on the outside, within the building is modern, contemporary design. We were seated by the fireplace by incredibly attentive staff, and after perusing their extensive afternoon tea menu, our eyes were swiftly on the prize: Christmas cocktails.
Their limited edition cocktail menu is inspired by the magical spices of the festive season; ginger, nutmeg, clove, star anise and cinnamon. It’s pretty mouth-watering stuff, if we do say so ourselves. Seeing as we value journalistic integrity, we had to taste as many as possible. *winks*
We definitely weren’t disappointed; their Winter Wine Warmer is an extravagant version of mulled wine, except far, far classier. Made with a mix of homemade citrus, star anise and clove syrup added to classic Merlot, the twist on the aromatic Christmas drink of the gods goes down a treat.
TheFestive Pudding cocktail is a reimagined version of the classic winter dessert, made with allspice Guinness syrup, fresh orange and lime juice, old fashioned bitters, eggs whites and of course, Irish whiskey. Any connoisseurs of whiskey will adore this drink, trust us, it has a kick.
Next up on our list was the Apple & Cinnamon Crumble, made with Zubrowska vodka, goldschlanger, apple and lime juice, vanilla infused honey and topped off with a cookie crumble rim. Talk about being in heaven, the Dylan mixologists were infusing the atmosphere with subtle yet heartwarming Christmas vibes.
For those with a sweet tooth, chocolate appreciators can enjoy the Polar Express either hot or cold. Created with Hennessey V.S., Bailey’s Frangelico, and chocolate and vanilla cream, you’ll be rolled out of the place after one (or five…) of these.
Other divine drinks on offer include the Zenzero Negroni, which has the highest alcohol content so brace yourselves, and Before Santa’s Here for another whiskey.
Last but by no means least, their Summer in December is a rum and gingerbread syrup blend for a summer mood with a winter cheer, and they also include their version of an Irish coffee; the Dylan Christmas Coffee mixed with their secret spice syrup.
The designated drivers can also try a range of mocktails which are as good as the real thing. Dylan Bar also has refreshing bubbly, for any Prosecco queens out there, and a variety of tea and coffees. Heaven is a place on earth, and it’s located at Eastmoreland Place.
With all of these gorgeous drinks, we had almost forgotten about all the luscious cakes and sweet and savoury treats coming our way. Almost. They served us the carefully crafted food on a three-tiered plate, and we had a try of their spiced scotch egg, turkey and sage pie with cranberry chutney and pulled ham on granary bread and brie and cinnamon spice apple.
The savoury selection was delicious, and we couldn’t leave without trying their sweet and subtly spiced buttery homemade scones and indulgent desserts. Pistachio slices, gingerbread cupcakes topped with whiskey icing and a meringue snowman with chocolate and nutmeg mousse were just a taster of what we were offered.
Sitting by the fire, breathing in the mulled wine and eating our weight in macaroons, we realised that we honestly need this lifestyle 24/7. It’s extra, it’s lavish, it’s Christmas magic, and everyone deserves a treat like afternoon tea at Dylan Bar. Don’t miss out, it’s only offered until the New Year so snap up a reservation while you can.
Enjoy the Spice & All Things Nice menu in the Dylan Bar until January 1 2019.
Call 01 660 3000 to make a reservation or email reservations@dylan.ie to have your Christmas injected with the warmth of festive food and drink.
On November 29th, Deborah Ross of The Times wrote what can only be described as a SCATHING article about influencers which began like this;
"I have a dream. It is not a big dream. I am not Martin Luther King. I only do dreams on a small scale, so it is a small-scale dream and my small-scale dream is this: might there be any way we could do a find and replace on the word “influencer” so it is replaced by “detestable freeloader” wherever it appears? So we all know what, in fact, we are dealing with."
Yikes. To add to the drama-fest, YouTuber and Blogosphere's Influencer of the Year 2018 Melanie Murphy has responded.
We have to say, Murphy makes some noteworthy points;
Starting off her 13-minute YouTube video with a cool "Okay Deborah, calm down", she proceeds to explain the hypocrisy behind Ross' points with a level of clarity which is hard to deny.
Ross essentially slated influencers in her article, describing them as 'detestable freeloaders', essentially people who deserve to be hated because they receive complimentary items and give nothing in return.
Murphy responds by issuing the point that the media in general is funded by advertising and marketing, for example, on the bottom of Ross' article had a sponsored post, without which the article possibly would never have been read.
Promotion and marketing absolutely surrounds us, from celebrities such as David Beckham for Adidas, Beyoncé for Pepsi, Justin Timberlake for McDonalds, Jessica Simpson for WeightWatchers, Brad Pitt for whatever cologne he's feeling that day, Julia Roberts for Lancôme, Hannah Witton for PlayStation, Holly Willoughby for Marks & Spencer etc etc.
It's inescapable. However, just because they receive free objects doesn't mean that they give nothing in return.
The issue which Murphy takes with Ross' article is the sheer hypocrisy as well as the generalisations which she makes. She places every influencer in the same category, when many of them promote noble causes such as LGBT+ charities and organisations, cruelty-free and paraben-free beauty products, health foods, nutrition, sexual health organisations, disability and accessibility rights, chronic pain activists, and more.
Jameela Jamil's i_Weigh movement has become hugely successful, and empowers people to weigh themselves on their overall worth as a person rather than their body mass index. Jamil suffered from an eating disorder for years, and now uses promotion and Instagram to create a unified group of people who value and respect themselves. She also is a major campaigner for banning airbrushing.
Melanie Murphy claims that every successful creative has the support of brands behind them, and receive freebies. Many of them self-fund their projects, and use the money for other causes, others simply give away any freebies which they receive.
Murphy also points out that just because they gain complimentary products does not mean that those people aren't extremely hardworking. Many influencers balance their life online with their family and a side-job.
"95% of what I show, what I wear, I pay for myself," she claims. Through advertising and word of mouth, companies can use influencers for their branding, but this doesn't undermine the level of thought which goes into choosing which brands to work with.
Murphy works with Always pads to talk openly about periods, Barclays, who sponsor Pride, a show which explores bisexuality, PicMonkey, Wella for hair dyes which work against allergies, Holland and Barrett for cruelty-free health and nutrition products.
Numerous influencers and their agents are hugely picky about who they work with, the brands must make sense for the influencers for them to collaborate with them.
"I'm always so bloody proud of my paid-for content, always. The money these brands pay me enables me to write a novel and work on more artsy things like short films which I invest in myself but don't get money back."
According to the Youtuber, the media wouldn't survive without branding and advertisements. From YouTubeads to websites, podcasts, radio, television, newspapers and magazines, advertising is saturated in our industry.
For Deborah Ross to call followers of influencers 'morons' is entirely unfair, from Melanie's point of view;
"Under-researched drivel such as this which contributes to the negative rhetoric that surrounds bloggers and influencers, thousands of hard-working people. Some of which juggle a family or another job."
Many believe for Ross to declare that influencers have done nothing to merit this lifestyle is flawed and reductive, Murphy herself demonstrates a great engagement because of how she chooses brands to work with;
"I never try sneak anything in, I'm never shady. I am lucky and I'm very grateful, I don't swan around."
Lastly, Murphy places emphasis on the fact that YouTubeis a community which supports one another, they collaborate and shout each other out and lift each other up. In the journalism industry, there is minimal collaboration and no support between competing publications;
"You sit and write and you get aid to do that, there was a time where people would scoff at your job and say that that's not a real job. We actually support each other. You're not going to see The Times supporting an article from another publication."
She describes the loneliness which perpetuates society, and how YouTube can be used as escapism, or for self-help, for comedy, entertainment, advice or even just to connect;
"A lot of people are lonely and it's a beautiful thing to be able to connect with people through words through a lens. Families are smaller, the Church has collapsed, community has gone to shit. I feel like through my monthly blogs I encourage people to connect with their real-life friends and family"
As Murphy points out, building a following of thousands or millions doesn't just happen for no reason.
'Detestable freeloaders' aren't just empty vessels of advertisers; they're entertainers, they're singers, actors, writers, comedians, models, creatives, editors, lighting experts, agents and so much more.
