Circus Master

So this is what i got when i went down to the Circus closing down sale last week. Sad time for them, great bargains for me. Green silk draped back Marjan Pejoski dress for €50 and i got this sweet little wooden doll pendent for €25.




I would have put up a picture of me in this dress but it's very cold at home today so i'm keeping my dressing gown on.

-Catherine

Love

This House of Fraser pearl cuff, very Chanel-esque. This one is Mimco and it's £60 but there's another version mentioned in The Irish Times Essence magazine this week that's only €14. Bargain.

-Catherine

New Favourites

Lately I am all about new favourites-new favourite people, music, pubs and as of yesterday my new favourite jeweller. I was down in Kilkenny visiting a friend and popped into the Castlecomer Craft Centre just outside the city. It's a really nice little place where the workshops are combined with a small front of house shop where you can have a browse but chat away to the different jewellers while they are making their pieces.

There was one in particular that really stood out. I have a weakness for pearls, i find them endlessly fascinating and pretty so when i saw that Carl Parker specialises in tahitian (black) pearls i got very excited indeed. He has one a number of competitions, one of which being the Tahitian Pearl Trophy by Perles de Tahiti in 2006 and 2008. His style is quite modern while also maintaining a classical edge, so it's just modern enough. Many of the pieces are also very affordable as he uses 9ct gold to keep the price down.

-Catherine

Finally...

American Apparel's first store in Dublin will open it's doors at 10am tomorrow morning. It is the world's biggest AA and will stock all the usual as well as some of their California select vintage. After my first trip to Ikea earlier today i am really looking forward to popping in tomorrow and topping off my exciting retail week (i got a lovely new chair in Ikea for only 20 notes-home decoration swoon). I am particularly excited about trying on all the new micro-mesh stuff.

I also cannot help but be very curious about who will be working there, and if they can get me a discount.

-Catherine

Bright Lights, Big City

Photo of H&H Bagels from the New York Times.

I am off to New York for a few days in September and as it's my first time i welcome any suggestions on places to shop, eat (i am so excited about the food, loads of bagels and pancakes-yum yum) and hang out. I'm not too bothered about the usual stuff like the Empire State Building, but if any you guys have any suggestions for things to do that are a little bit different, it would be much appreciated.

-Catherine

Public Image

When i think of Clarks, i think of those great little devices they used to use to measure my feet whenever i needed a new pair of patent Mary Janes when i was little. But unfortunately i haven't owned a pair of those Mary Janes since my mom stopped buying all my clothes. Clarks was just one of those shops that seemed a bit old-fashioned and boring. That was until there image revamp in 2001. Nice (comfortable) shoes and a good advertising campaign have allowed the company to maintain there position, along with Reebok and Nike, as one of the biggest shoe brands in the world.

As i have recently started back in a job that requires me to stand for long periods of time, i needed a pair of shoes that were comfortable and pretty. And hey presto, for only €27.50 (reduced from €70) my lovely new Clarks Mary Janes. They really are the most comfortable shoes i have ever owned.

-Catherine