Category Archives: Favourites

Favourites, Modern Life

7 Cute Irish Airbnbs To Visit Post-Covid

So we can all agree then, we took a lot of things for granted before Covid-19.

Some more deep and meaningful (like seeing your family and friends). Others less meaningful, but still hard (like travel).

Bleak news reports inform us that international travel will not resume until 2023 at this stage.

But that won’t stop us dreamers from believing that it’ll be sooner. And moreover, from venturing on to every travel website while we whittle our hours away in quarantine.

We’re all making a list. And checking it twice. Daily. Once Covid-19 decides to leave us alone, we’ll be up, up and away!

And after you’ve seen these 7 Airbnb castles and cottages, I’m almost positive it’ll be Ireland that makes it to the top of your list.

1. The King’s Castle

Photo from Airbnb

This castle is located in Galway (hello, Ed Sheeran) and has been around since the late 1400s (…just a casual 600 years).

It looks like something right out of a medieval movie set.

There are 4 guests allowed in the master bedroom fitted with 2 beds at the top of the castle.

Owners Peter and Eva say, “It’s not pristine, it’s not perfect, but it’s a real castle.”

Check it out here.

2. Drummond Tower

Photo from Airbnb

If you’ve ever wanted to have a whole entire castle to yourself (yes, daily), then this will be the one for you.

Built in the Victorian period of 1858, this tower has 4 levels with a kitchen area on the bottom floor, above that a living room (featuring an extensive book collection), above that a bedroom with an ensuite (and views of the country side) and a top roof level (featuring 360 degree views dreamy views, apparently perfect for stargazing).

Check the castle and its dreamy photos out here.

3. Cosy Self-Contained Cottage

Photo from Airbnb

Castles are lovely, don’t get me wrong… but there is something maybe even more lovely about an Irish cottage. They may not be anywhere near as grand but they’re cute and cosy and the perfect place for a cup of tea.

This cottage is located in the South of Ireland, near coastlines and paddocks. Check it out here.

4. Courtyard Cottage Cabins

Photo from Airbnb

If you’re wanting something cute, tidy and green, then these restored cottages are simply beautiful. There is not much to say about them other than you need to check out the photos for yourselves .

Close to gorgeous Irish beaches and great walking locations, each cottage is individually designed. Find out more here.

5. Masters Cottage

Photo from Airbnb

This one is for all of the Normal People fans. If you, like me, binge watched the stunning show during quarantine, then you will no doubt no longer be immune to the town ‘Sligo’ where Marianne and Connell go to school.

This cottage is gorgeous in its own right. It is a 2 story 150 year old stone cottage, perfectly suited for a romantic getaway. Check it out here.

6. The Gatelodge

Photo from Airbnb

Once you see the photo of the bathroom (read: bathtub), you will just know that this one is a winner. I believe it may even have TWO baths! It looks cosy and clean complete with a pot belly stove, floorboards, fireplace and grand, brown couches. Check it out here.

7. The Hobbit Hut

Photo from Airbnb

Also known as ‘Glamping,’ this little place is apparently a cross between living like a hobbit and camping. The owners say their earth covered house is nice and toasty, decked out with a wood fired sauna and hot tub. You can even use their wood oven for pizzas and fire pit for toasted marshmallows. A few of the amenities are communal, but it looks ultra cosy nonetheless. See more photos here.

Which one of these would you chose? A castle or a cottage?

Where would your dream post-covid holiday destination be?

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Favourites, Modern Life, Recipes

How To Create The Dreamiest Flower Wall

I love a fresh bunch of flowers. What I don’t love is the exorbitant price tag that often comes with it.

It’s hard to convince the people around me that they are a worthy purchase.

“They’ll just die,” is the common remark. And I know they do. But why dwell on the negative.

Let’s just celebrate them while they’re here with us, spreading their flowery joy all around the earth.

(That’s how I justify my occasional splurges anyway).

When I saw this post from @taramilktea on Instagram I was immediately obsessed, because there is now another reason to buy flowers.

View this post on Instagram

brought the outdoors indoors 🌸

A post shared by Tara Milk Tea (@taramilktea) on

Tara Milk Tea has created this flower wall by repurposing a bouquet of fresh flowers. She let them dry for three days and then, by the looks of things, taped them to her bedroom wall… and the rest is history.

The effect is so gorgeous and something that could easily be re-created.

I’ve read hanging the flowers upside down in a a cool, dark place for a few weeks is the best way to dry them. Spray with a bit of hairspray, and voilà!

Dried flowers can last for years, so long as you treat them with care, avoiding direct sunlight, wind and keep them away for humidity.

Let me know if you re-create this dreamy flower wall (or just use it as a successful excuse to buy the damn flowers!).

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Favourites, Modern Life

The Equation For The Ultimate Cosy Day (At Home)

If someone asked you to define ‘cosy,’ what would you say?

I think it is a feeling. Perhaps even an instinct.

You’ll just know when something is cosy.

Modern culture has recently adopted the Danish term ‘Hygge.’

Defined as ‘a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being,’ this popular trend just proves how much the world is loving feeling cosy and warm.

While it is subjective and individual to each person, here are a few ideas if you’re wanting to inject a little bit of glowing-yellow warmth into your cold, blue day.

1. Lighting Candles

Day or night. Summer or winter. You can never have enough candles. The bedroom, bathroom, lounge room and kitchen should each be filled with multiple cosy flames (while always ensuring appropriate air flow and ventilation, of course).

Ecoya’s Sweet Pea & Jasmine candle has been my favourite scent for the longest time. Think sweet pea and Australasian white jasmine mixed with uplifting notes of watermelon and cucumber. You can find it here.

View this post on Instagram

Sweet Pea… If you know, you know.

A post shared by ECOYA (@ecoya) on

2. A Hot Drink

To make your cosy day the cosiest of all, you will need to have multiple hot drinks. Cups of tea during the day and of course, a nice cup of hot chocolate at night.

3. Running a Bath

Having a bath is one of the most relaxing things you could do. While some people may disagree, I would argue that is only because they have not done it right. You’ll need a book, a candle, a bath bomb, water set to the perfect temperature and at least half an hour to an hour to soak and wrinkle up.

4. Comfy Clothes

Forget tight, restrictive pants and t-shirts, life should be all about baggy, comfortable outfits. Always. You want to be able to move and feel free. Not exactly pyjamas, but something pretty close to that. I’ve been loving these.

5. Chicken Soup

There’s something about chicken bone broth soup that equals the exact equation of cosy for me. It may have been the fact that my mum would always make it for us in the winter (as would my nonna). It’s the perfect thing to cook and let simmer all day long. Recipe here.

6. Binge-Watching Telly

We’re almost too lucky to have so much choice for what to watch. Your cosy day needs a cosy show (or three). I’ve been watching Younger on Stan. I didn’t know I was a binge-tv-show-watcher until now.

What is your equation for the perfect cosy day? Let me know!

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Favourites, Viral This Week

Good News: A Teary Surprise For 94 Year Old Ken

Each day there is plenty of good news pouring through the cracks of the dark stream of news simultaneously flowing.

Just like this.

Thistleton Lodge in the United Kingdom uploaded this post to their Facebook page on April 18 2020 and it has gone viral (for all of the right reasons).

In the post the retirement home say, ‘We know our residents are missing their loved ones at this time but let’s not forget those who sadly aren’t here with us anymore.’

Ken would take a photo of his late wife to bed with him each night. When one if his caregivers found out, they decided to surprise him.

‘Today, one of our lovely staff Kia Mariah Tobin gave Ken a pillow with his beloved wife on who we also cared for. Safe to say we all shed a tear with Ken today,’ the post says.

Ken’s reaction to the surprise is so beautiful and shows just how much we all mean to one another in this world.

Staying up to date with the good news of the world is equally, if not more, important right now.

Follow @goodnews_movement and other accounts like it to ensure you do.

Have a happy, good day.

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Favourites, Modern Life

The Lighter Things Of The World: A French Château

As we scroll our instagram feeds on a Monday night (and Tuesday night and Wednesday night and Thursday night etc), there is the possibility of us stumbling upon tiny little sparks of joy.

And in the current global climate, any kind of inspiration is welcome.

This is the post that I fell in love with last week.

View this post on Instagram

On the cusp of midwinter – day 18 🍁🎄💕

A post shared by Château de Gudanes (@chateaugudanes) on

Since seeing this post, it has become my phone wallpaper and has left me with a deep longing to stare at it for longer than necessary every time I check the time on my lock screen.

I have completed some research on the property and my love is expanding.

It is called the Château of Gudanes and is located in France, near the Spanish border.

The Water’s family from Perth, Australia have taken it upon themselves to complete the restoration of this gorgeous French Château.

And it meets meets all of the cosy vibes.

View this post on Instagram

Bonjour tout le monde 💕

A post shared by Château de Gudanes (@chateaugudanes) on

If this doesn’t leave you wanting to book a plane ticket to France and head straight to a Parisian local real-estate shop to see if you can afford your own French Château, then I don’t know what will.

We’ll have to wait for this health pandemic to be over. (Oh, and a winning lottery ticket)

In the mean time, we can just stare at these pictures as we change our phone’s wallpaper in a monthly rotation featuring the following pictures.

Check their instagram account here. @chateaugudanes

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Favourites, Recipes

A Quick and Easy Açai Bowl Recipe

Laying down in bed for a proportionately longer amount of time than usual, eating endless bowls of pasta and drinking a few too many hot drinks is dreamy, don’t get me wrong.

But so is the feeling of going for sunny walks and filling your body with deliciously healthy snacks.

It’s true that the store-bought Açai Bowl is often marked with a high price tag.

And while this is usually enough for me to say no, today I decided it was time for an isolation treat. So I walked down to my local market and splurged.

It was glorious.

And best of all, you can make it from home.

Here is a tried and true quick and easy recipe:

Blend…

  • 1 and a half packs of frozen Açai berry puree. (I usually buy this one)
  • Half of a frozen banana and half of a fresh banana
  • Coconut water

…together in a blender. Then top it with:

  • Peanut butter
  • Granola
  • Strawberries, blueberries and banana
  • Dried coconut flakes
  • Coconut yoghurt
  • Mint

The bowl I bought today had a sneaky little chocolate down the bottom, similar to a Freddo.

It was the ultimate surprise and I don’t know if it was intentionally or accidentally there, but the combination was beyond (and I would recommend this if you’re feeling like you deserve a treat).

And there you have it. Your cute little bowl of berry goodness.

Enjoy!

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Favourites, Modern Life

The Lighter Things Of The World Pt. 1

The world is a little scary at the moment. We’re forced to stay inside, we can’t visit our grandparents and there is no way we can consider the possibility of travelling to NYC any time soon.

Plans, dreams and goals all need to take a back seat.

But that doesn’t mean our happiness does. Tiny, joyous sparks of light are among us.

Here are some of the lighter things of the world for me.

Peaches

My uncle dropped some peaches over that he grew in his garden. They’re yellow, endlessly juicy and perfectly furry.

I don’t think I would be able to go on if I didn’t have access to fruit. And this week, peaches are my life source. Delicious.

Social Media

Don’t get me wrong, I know that social media has the potential to take away some of your joy – especially when it gets you feeling a bit like this:

The photograph in this image is by French photographer Antoine Geiger.

But there’s something about social media these days that just feels a little bit different. I think it’s the fact that we are all united by this historic moment. And watching Hilary Duff and Zoe Sugg discuss how they’re surviving this period of quarantining is inspirational and comforting.

Also keeping in touch with family and friends on snapchat, messenger and FaceTime is appreciated now more than ever.

Packed To The Rafters

This is a show that I used to watch with my mum and sister on school nights in the summer. It’s an Aussie classic featuring a suburban family and their issues and drama are the perfect distraction through this. You can watch it here.

Immortali-T Chai Rooibos tea

I first sipped this tea when I was still attending uni in person. It was on a lunch breach at the local tea shop and it was divine. With rooitea, aniseed, ginger, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, this tea is perfectly matched with milk and honey. I noticed it at my local market so I will be attending ASAP (when on the grocery shop run) to get my fix soon. Suss here.

Jane Eyre

I just started this book on the weekend and am only on Chapter 4, but I am excited to keep reading this one. Bring on days of reading. This is the thing of quarantine goals.

What is making your world feel lighter these days?

Share below!

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