Charcoal Grill

Is it just me or is every café and restaurant known for something? Like having the best hot chocolate or being the best place to go for a hangover cure?

I'm finding recently that I'm hearing this a lot about places in Galway, and I'm dying to try them all out to see if it's true!

My first stop was Charcoal Grill to see of their doner burgers really live up to their name.

This casual restaurant is nestled up in Mary Street in Galway, which is perfectly located so it's never too packed, but also near enough to shop street to swing around there when the craving hits. It's also a popular spot for clubbers to go after a night in Electric or Halo.

I've been told many times to try the doner burgers there, which are only €2.50, so after my friend mentioned she'd kill for one the last day, we decided to venture up there.

We ordered one each, plus some chips to share (which would've fed an army). A chat with the lovely waitress shortened our wait for the food, which wasn't too long to begin with. The food itself was simple: a burger bun loaded with strips of lamb, mine covered with garlic mayonnaise, lettuce and cheese. But it tasted SO DAMN GOOD!

I'm not a fan of burgers or lamb.. or chips... but I finally understand the hype about these burgers. If you haven't tried them yet, what are you waiting for? You're wasting precious time!!

That's all for now!

Blog change!

Hi everyone!

So quick update, I've decided to take a little bit of a different approach on my blog.
It's been mentioned to me several times recently that I always seem to know the best place to find a hot chocolate or the cosiest pub to have a few pints at on a certain day. I've picked up a lot of this from word of mouth, but I'm starting to try all these places out for myself as well, so I thought I'd take you all along on the journey.

So basically, I'll be reviewing little cafés and restaurants, and maybe some tourist attractions. I'll also be writing about any little gems or spots I find (which explains the name) that I love.

I might still include some of the usual lifestyle posts, but I will be basing a lot of it around my new finds.

That's all for now,
Fi.

Best pizza in Galway - The Dough Bros

Happy Friday everyone!

This week felt so long, but finally the weekend is here. Time to relax, snuggle up on the couch and watch endless episodes of Gilmore Girls (Yes, I'm just that cool). But first, I have to tell you about my favourite pizzeria in Galway, The Dough Bros.

After raving about this place numerous times, I finally convinced my parents to come along with me today to try it out. The verdict? They loved it as much as I do. And how couldn't they? Between the laid-back atmosphere, the friendly staff and the best pizza I've ever tasted, it's impossible to find something wrong with this place.

So I can't remember what this pizza was called, but it was basically a ceaser salad on a pizza, and it tasted so damn good. Dad got the Posh Pepperoni, which had jalapenos and rocket leaves and all that good stuff on top. The pizzas are served on baking trays, which I love as it really adds to the character of the place, and they really aren't too expensive.

Unfortunately we didn't pick the best time to come in, as it was Friday evening, just as schools were closing, so there were two tables of leaving cert students on either side of us. What's with leaving cert kids and having to be so loud? (Disregarding the fact that I was one last year...)

But anyway, there you have it guys, my favourite pizzeria in Galway. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a quick feed in a really relaxed spot, and the best pizza around.

Did I mention the pizza tastes amazing...?

That's all for now, thanks for reading!

Empties - Products I've used up

Today I thought I’d talk about some products I've used up and give my thoughts and opinions on them. Sorry about the bad quality of the photos, the sun kept making surprise appearances throughout my mini photo shoot. Typical, right?

First up is the Rimmel ‘Wake Me Up’ concealer in the shade ivory. I loved this for concealing and brightening up under my eyes, and although I used it quite often for concealing blemishes and imperfections, it was a little light for that. I've already repurchased this, and would recommend it as it didn't dry out my seriously stubborn, sensitive skin. This can be bought at Boots, Dunnes, Penneys and most pharmacies for about €7.

Next up is the Maybelline ‘Great Lash’ waterproof mascara. I loved this as the wand is small, which I usually hate, but it worked great with this formula. It added length and volume and separated my lashes nicely. The wand is also the perfect size for the bottom lashes. This is €7.50 and available at Boots, Penneys and most pharmacies.

I bought the Revlon Colorstay foundation for normal/dry skin, although I have oily/combination skin, because I heard the formula was better. I really liked this, it had medium coverage that could be built up, it didn't dry out my skin and it also didn't look oily. The only flaw with this foundation was that it looked a little orange on me, as I was wearing it during the winter and I’m super pale (the shade was 150 Buff). Another thing that got on my nerves was the fact that there isn’t a pump on it, so there’s still some product left in it that I can’t get out. But since my skin is so hard to please, and this foundation worked well for me, I will be repurchasing it. After all, beggars can’t be choosers! This is available in Boots for about €18.

The ‘Love Lettuce’ face mask by Lush is amazing. This one was recommended to me for my skin type. I’d leave this mask on for about 10-15 minutes, and then gently scrub it off. The almond shells in it scrubbed away any dead skin cells and left my skin feeling super soft. It’s about €8, and I got about 3-5 uses out of it, which is perfect since it’s meant to be used within 3 weeks of purchase because it’s made with fresh ingredients. I've already repurchased this, and will definitely buy it again the next time I'm near a Lush shop, which unfortunately isn't very often.

I've been blessed with hair that doesn't need much maintenance so I don’t use many products other than shampoo, conditioner, and occasionally heat protectors. This Organic World Moroccan Argan Oil was part of a gift I received last year, and I absolutely loved it! I’d just apply some to my hair after washing it, comb it through and dry it. It left my hair feeling soft and looking shiny and healthy. I will most likely repurchase this, when I figure out where I can buy it!

Lastly, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. I know, I know, I cheated for this picture; that is a brand new unopened bottle, so I'm defeating the purpose of an empties post. But I can explain! Cetaphil products are sometimes on offer in Boots, and when they are I stock up, so this is a new bottle I had laying around. This cleanser was recommended to me by my dermatologist. It’s a creamy cleanser that doesn't foam up, and it leaves my skin feeling really clean and soft. It has helped keep my skin under control for the past two years, so I’ll continue to repurchase this. It’s available in Boots and some pharmacies for about €15.

That’s all for today. Let me know if any of you have used these products, and what you thought of them?

Thanks for reading. x

My First Post

Hi there!

So it's finally here, my first blog post! (Cue nervous laugh)

It'll be a complete mixture, from fashion and beauty, to music and recipes, and everything in between.

I'm a normal Irish student who has way too much time on her hands... shocker, right?

I hope to post every week or two, so if there's anyone out there actually reading this, pop back in a few days and hopefully I'll have something else up!