Courgetti!

Yes, you read correctly this post is about Courgetti....a play on the word Spaghetti! I have read so much about Courgetti lately that I REALLY wanted to buy a spiralizer to try it for myself. I'll be the first to admit that I love gadgets and buy things and very very quickly forget about them......I also asked a friend who had bought one what she thought and she hasn't used it that often soooo this time I decided to try Courgetti with a simple kitchen peeler! I was so surprised that it actually tasted so delicious.....ok it doesn't taste like you're eating spaghetti but it's very nice. I fried a few pieces of garlic in olive oil...then added the peeled courgette and added pepper, cherry tomatoes, basil, feta and a pinch of salt.

Unbreakable - The Mark Pollock Story

I absolutely love hearing and watching inspirational real life stories. I find them extremely fascinating. How some people can overcome extraordinarily struggles and hardship is such an inspiring trait and it's a life lesson for us all.

Last weekend I went to see 'Unbreakable - The Mark Pollock Story' in the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin. There was even a live Q&A after the film with Mark, his fiancee Simone George and the film maker, Ross Whitaker. 

I had heard about Mark at a recent Trinity Science Gallery exhibition called 'Fail Better'. Along with many famous explorers and scientists, Mark's story was outlined beside Christopher Reeve’s wheelchair. The main message was to highlight the failed notion of rehabilitation; that the wheelchair 'compensates for our inability to walk'. The text on the wall beside it was powerful; 'There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only those with unexpected outcomes'.

In brief, Mark is an Northern Irish athlete and motivational speaker. He became legally blind at the age of 22. He was the first visually impaired person to reach the South Pole in 2009. Wow! A tragic accident in 2010, after a fall from a 2nd floor window left him paralyzed from the waist down. He is now exploring spinal cord injury recovery in conjunction with robotic technology.

I won't tell you anymore....go see it for yourself!!

How can we help in the cure for spinal cord injury your ask???

• Sign up for Run In the Dark Dublin (5km or 10km...go on sure do the 10km!! Yikes I better dust off my runners!) on 12th November at 8pm. There are races also on in Cork, Belfast, London and Manchester. 100% of your entry fee (€27) received goes directly to the The Mark Pollock Trust.
• Contribute to his trust - http://www.markpollocktrust.org/

Follow Mark's Blog - http://markpollock.wordpress.com/

Pixi - Glow Tonic

I still remember the day, over a year ago now, my sister heard I was heading to London and asked would I pick her up a bottle of 'Pixi Glow Tonic'. I was very familiar with the makeup store Pixi, off Carnaby Street, but I had never heard of this product. I soon found out all the beauty gurus online were raving about the stuff. Niamh followed a lady online called Caroline Hirons and she had also recommended it. I am now a HUGE Caroline Hirons fan...verging on total fangirl....she once tweeted me and I nearly had a mini heart attack! Crazy?? NO..she is truly amazing when it comes to skin care.

Sorry, going off tangent (this happens me, I can't help it, get used to it!) so obviously being the great sister I am I headed off into the centre of London after work (did I really need much persuading...hmm not so much). The moment I turned the corner onto Fouberts Place, off Carnaby Street, I instantly saw a sign saying PIXI GLOW TONIC IN STOCK. I was delighted. I had read online how it would come into the store and literally be sold out within hours. I was thrilled that it was in stock. I picked up 2 bottles (obviously I had to try what big sis was trying!!) and off I went.

Pixi Glow Tonic is an exfoliating toner. Don't worry I hadn't heard of toners being 'exfoliating' either before this point. When I used to think of a toner I would think of a water substance to help remove the makeup left after cleansing. Ohhhh so wrong. 

The bottle says 'tones, smoothes & refines skin texture. Gently exfoliates to remove dead skin cells, revealing healthy glowing skin. Alcohol free'. It really does what it says. And the alcohol free part is great as I used to use Cliniques toner and I would nearly get tipsy while applying it. It has Aloe Vera and Ginseng so the smell is lovely too.

A bottle of 250ml retails for £18. It's now also available in Libertys department store. 

Still not sold in Ireland :( but online ordering from Pixi is an option (they used to not even sell it online....gold dust i tell you...gold dust!).

(Yes....I need another bottle very soon)

Helly....x

October Calendar Quote

A few years ago, while living in Australia, my sister gave me a pocket size monthly diary as a Christmas present. Ever since I have been addicted to having one! The brand is Kikki K. When I visited her in Sydney in March 2013 I got to visit the ACTUAL Kikki K shop.....it was amazing!!!! I've always loved stationary and this shop has it all!!! The diary is literally my life. It really keeps me so organised.

Along with my 2014 (get ordering online Niamh---I expect a 2015 one also) diary she gave me a small desk size calendar (I think the lady in the shop gave her a few as she bought so much stuff!!). The calendar has THE cutest monthly quotes. Really inspirational. I especially love Octobers quote.....

(FYI-I'm wearing Essie Fiji in the above picture!!.....go to the below post if you are confused/interested!!!)

So here goes......from tomorrow I'll do one thing every day in October that scares me!! It was my friend Colm's idea, after I posted it in our what's app group he suggested I blog about it.....love this idea Colm!

It may be even small things but still will be interesting to see!!! No better way to get out of my comfort zone eh??? Wish me luck...

Helly....x

Essie - Fiji

For the past 6 months I have had, what can only be described as, an unhealthy relationship with Essie nail varnish, in the colour Fiji. I absolutely LOVE the stuff! I've lost count of the number of bottles I've bought. I blame my friend Alana if I'm honest as she always has lovely painted nails, especially pale colours. 

Essie Fiji gives a really nice fresh look to your nails. I was never one to do much with my nails but now I literally feel naked when they aren't painted!! It's very pale pink so be warned!....it's nearly verging on off white, i promise it doesn't look like tipp-ex though.

Unlike other nail varnish Essie has a thick brush so it's much easier to apply. You do need 2 coats of it though - nobody likes looking at streaky nails!!

A dupe would be Barry M in the colour Rose Hip.

Essie can be hard to find in Dublin but Mc Cabes Pharmacy in Dundrum Shopping Centre always have a great stock. 

It retails for €9.99.

Helly....x

Healthy Breakfast

I've been on blogger.com since 2009......I love following all sorts of people from beauty gurus to DIY tips so 5 years later I'm finally getting around to writing my 1st post :) wish me luck.....

Ingredients

• 1 orange, squeezed
• 1 apple, sliced into small pieces
• Handful of raisins
• Porridge oats

Juice the orange into a bowl and then add the oats accordingly. You don't want a wet consistency.

Mix in the chopped apple and raisins and leave in a bowl overnight. I prefer to leave in the fridge but it's up to you! 

Overnight the orange juice soaks into the oats and they are softened. It's actually the best way to eat oats - uncooked. 

It's also a great breakfast for on the go...I put the mixture into a container and bring it with me to work :)

Helly....x