Scoop and Snap

Christmas always makes me smile. But this year, we'll be celebrating the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ differently because of the precious baby that makes our family complete. I already got the check list and I should start ticking every box. Christmas decorations are decided and will be sorted this weekend. Christmas dinner are being talked about. Though I need to  read more  about certain recipes to prepare for that day. Gifts are already chosen and will soon be wrapped. Places and friends to visit are listed. There's a lot to be prepared. I know I still have a lot of time. For now, I will enjoy the cold weather while looking at the Christmas photos of past years.

It's been 4 years since my husband and I visited Paris. Every place are unforgettable and every spot are truly beautiful. While reviewing my posts about our Paris trip, I noticed that I missed to tell a story about our last day. I'll try to recall it by just looking at the pictures we've taken. While doing that, allow me to share with you the links of Day 1 to Day 3 of such trip. It's Paris Sweetheart Day 1 It's Paris Sweetheart Day 2 It's Paris Sweetheart Day 3 Part 1 It's Paris Sweetheart Day 3 Part 2

Christmas holiday is fast approaching. In some countries, malls and houses are already decorated. While in other countries, the Christmas ornaments and decorations will be out after the halloween. Same thing goes in our house. I will wait for halloween to be over before hanging bits and pieces. http://www.christmasplace.com/ gave me an idea of using personalized ornaments and decorations. We will also get fresh Christmas tree this year to mark the coming of our bundle of joy. Besides, it smells good inside the house. We just have to remind ourselves that we need to buy it from vendor who offers retrieving them after the season. Otherwise, it will be a problem disposing them.  Aside from all the colorful things around the house, it is the right time to start buying gifts for family and friends. I started three months ago. That's late compare to others who started filling the sock first quarter of the year. Making a list is a great idea as it will help you not to forget

Kilkenny, Ireland is a very memorable place for me as it was the last long trip I had before I got pregnant. It is the home of a beautiful Kilkenny Castle built in 1195 by William Marshal, the 1st Earl of  Pembroke.  (Photo taken using iPhone) 

Wedding is one religious event I love to attend. All around the occasion, you can feel the love overflowing. They said that the bride is the center of attraction. Though, I don't think so, I can see that in some way. A bride may become very specific on what she wants on her wedding, same as the groom. There's a famous website where you can shop for some bride apparel, lingerie, gifts, favors, accessories, swimwear and shoes. You can even have them personalised as you wish. You can check   www.classybride.com   for more of these. 

Frequent travelling here and there allows you to witness different things and events. It is very common nowadays to see musicians playing instruments in busy streets in exchange for for some change. You can opt to give or not. But with the excellent display of talent, you can't resist to share pennies with them. I am a  musician's friend  and having said that I know that sometimes it's hard for these talented individuals to put the notes together especially when they are trying to showcase their own composition. This is the reason why I admire musicians around the globe.

Traveling around Ireland will not be complete if you did not get any souvenirs. During the month of March, sidewalk market such as the picture above is common. You can easily grab a piece or two for a very small price. There are also official shops where you can buy some other stuffs. Prices are not bad at all. Example €10 for 2 pieces of bags, hats or shirts They also have  custom tote bags wholesale  which you can buy for your friends back home. 

If you love to laugh and need some fun entertainment in your life, visit a comedy club like Chocolate Sundaes Comedy. You will leave in tears because of all the comical and funny jokes and acts that you have heard through the night.

Ready-made curtains are most preferred by customers as they can save time scrounging at textile stores and retail shops. Top choices for ready-made curtains are those that are made of voile. Voile are versatile because they are not only used in curtain making, but the cloth is perfect for making blouses, baby’s clothes, children and women’s apparel. Their design and prints are attractive.

Bratislava is a city that can be found in southwest of Slovakia. It is not just a centre of political and economic institutions. It is also a place where you can find loads of museums, theatres, galleries and universities.  Inspirational Cow in Bratislava

Music, Film, Comedy and I Love my City are the remaining categories at St. Patrick's Day Festival 2014. There's one category especially created to celebrate the Irish Language during the festival. It is called Gaelspraoi .

Every March of every year, the whole country of Ireland is celebrating the St. Patrick's Festival. It is one event popular not only in this country but also in other part of the world like United States and United Kingdom. 

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. Shops are now full of many green goodies and costumes. But what I'm truly excited about this event is the outstanding parade with different bands from different part of Ireland and even from other countries as well. Oboe Modern by By Hustvedt 

An empty bedroom can be converted from an unused space to a relaxation retreat. With a bit of imagination you can totally revamp the space and turn it into something useful. Extra space is highly sought after by most homebuyers so your renovations will probably give you a good return on investment too.

Limousines can be exhilarating and make the night a whole lot more exciting, but they can also be expensive. It can be hard to determine what is the best time to rent a limo and when is the best time to not. A limo in Chicago can provide you with the transportation you need to make your night one to remember.   Shop around and ask for different price quotes to see what is most affordable for your particular circumstance. Learn about the different services that they offer and if any of them are right for you. You can consult with a professional about locations, times, and pricing before ever making a commitment. If a company is forcing you to pay a fee before working out any details, do not rent from them, for it is highly unprofessional. Here is a little guide as to what events limos would be an acceptable way of transportation. Limousine for all occasions

Cliff walking is one my favorite thing to do during summer and spring here in Ireland. Aside from enjoying lovely breeze and sceneries, it's the best time to practice photography. I can't actually wait for summer to come as the cold weather nowadays is truly restricting me to go out. So for now, I'll just have to look at our photos of places we enjoyed visiting during lovely days.   Greystones Beach

Everybody loves a limo ride. Whether it’s for your wedding, to ride to a concert, or to go to prom, you have probably noticed that limousines are pretty costly. If you’re looking for Ontario, CA, limo service that is affordable, keep reading for some tips that can help save you money, including how to get quotes, styles of the vehicle to choose, and how to search.

Howth is a marvellous place found north of Dublin Bay. There are plenty of things you can do around this small village. You can start with a very nice cliff walking with magnificent view of the Dublin Bay.  Howth Summit  

The city of Barcelona is located in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia. There are many architectural landmarks in this city by the Mediterranean sea. Sagrada Familia Cathedral

All year round, you can find a great festival event to enjoy in Ireland. Most of them are music events which will surely keep you alive day and night. 

So you’ve arrived in Marrakech, the symbolic city of Morocco and you’ve brought along a fortune of cash to spend on local souvenirs, gifts, ornaments, clothes and all sorts of different products. There are plenty of different shops to explore in the vast hustle and bustle of the city so you don’t want to leave any stone unturned. From local products to tattoo parlours, you’ll be sure to find a wide range of wonderful things to invest your spending money in. If you’re wondering where to start spending, take a look at the following popular items to spend your money on in Marrakech. By Feliciano Guimarães from Guimarães, Portugal (DSC_4050.jpg  Uploaded by tm) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Every time hubby and I plan a trip whether locally or internationally, we always include a short trip to local restaurant with live music. Doing this made simply completes our day as we got more relaxed and entertained.

Name of Holiday                     Holiday Type              Date                 Weekday        

Are you waking up groggy despite getting the recommend eight hours sleep? Are you eating healthy, exercising and avoiding screen time before bed but still find your tossing and turning till the wee hours? Does your recurring back pain have you at your wits end? Ever considered that your mattress might be the problem? Think about it. If you’ve been sleeping on the same bit of foam for the better half of the decade, it’s a great indicator that it’s time for an upgrade. A mattress is an integral part of our lives and is the key element in ensuring that we have a full and uninterrupted night’s sleep. There’s nothing worse than waking up from a slumber not feeling rejuvenated or refreshed, therefore it’s simply not good enough buying the first and cheapest mattress you lay your eyes on. After all, you spend a fortune decorating your home with the latest technology and furniture that costs an arm and a leg, why wouldn’t you put the same financial effort into ensure a better quality of lif

Newgrange is one of the oldest structure that can be found in Ireland. It was constructed around 5000 years ago. They say, it was in fact oldest that the famous Stonehenge of Great Britain. From the side view, you might think that it is round in shape but  on the top view it ooks like a big kidney bean.  Newgrange

Luggage is an incredibly difficult issue to manage. The ability to keep all of your possessions in the right place without causing them to weigh you down of cause difficulties in carrying is a rare thing. There are a number of different schools of thought on how to pack, what to pack and what to leave behind to make the journey liveable. However no matter your packing strategy things begin with picking the right luggage set. Here are some tips. morgueFile free photo by kolobsek

Killruddery Gardens display loads of statues in different spots. For aesthetic purposes, they really made the whole place very interesting. Though it could have been more interesting if there's some notes about certain piece. Nevertheless, my tour of the gardens got more pleasing to the eyes because of these pieces in every corner.

It's very common nowadays to see a person or group perfoming on street. Some of them sing and play instruments. I've seen different people with their instruments. Sometimes  those instruments looks very nice and really prestine like the  clarinets at guitar center .  You can truly feel the passion of the performer in every note. People who performs on the streets do it for different purposes. First is to promote their album, second is to showcase their talents in exchange for few coins. And third to solicit money for charity.

Inside the vicinity of Killruddery House and Gardens, the real catch, the French Classical Gardens. A French garden named Bonet designed the fine gardens in 1680s. He was the same gardener who worked at Versailles in France. View of The Killruddery House from the backyard 

During non-busy days, hubby and I love to go to bar or some restaurant to enjoy few drinks and to listen to very good live music. We are so amazed with the great performers. Not only they can sing well but also they can play their instruments brilliantly. I noticed that performers used certain tools to make their instrument can be heard well and perfectly. I wonder if performers use tools like golden cello mad professor  to make their instruments sound so perfect. 

Killruddery House is located just south of Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. It is very near to the Little Sugar Loaf Mountain in Bray. This very great place was rebuilt in 1651 since the original house was burned six years earlier. The 2nd Earl of Meath built the house and it has been under the family for years.  Killruddery House

If you already have a skateboard and some great skating shoes, you may not think that you have any use for a skateboard shop. Of course, it’s nice to stay on top of the trends, and who doesn’t want to add to their skateboard collection? Still, too many skaters don’t take advantage of the many resources available at their local Atlanta skateboard shop. If you don’t frequent it often enough, you will miss out on the many deals, potential new friends, and information that could be very helpful to you about skating.

England is a very lovely country filled with amazing structures. In London alone, different spots captured the hearts of the tourists. I for one fell in-love with the famous Tower Bridge. You probably heard about it in a nursery rhyme, "London Bridge is Falling Down". This symbol of Victorian London was completed in 1894. It consists of two Gothic towers which basically holds the mechanism to raise the roadway. In doing so, large ships are then permitted to pass through between the towers.  Tower Bridge at daytime

It is quite possible that you thought there would be more time to ride your Triumph in Charlottesville. However with the country in the middle of a deep freeze, it is time to put that motorcycle into storage until the next season. Unfortunately, you may not be equipped to store your motorcycle out of the elements. For those cases, you will want to find a full-service company that can help you get the most out of your motorcycle.

Hubby and I didn't get chance to go out of the country last year. But we were blessed to see different beautiful places around Ireland. This 2014, we hope to visit other counties of Ireland and if God will permit some places outside the country.  So many great things are sure to come this year. I can even see a very tight schedule for me and my husband. But as always, we can find time to make room for short trips here and there. Traveling is such an amazing way to unwind and enjoy what we've worked so hard for.  Places we hope to visit this 2014 Portrush , Northern Ireland Ring of Kerry , Republic of Ireland Re-visiting various places around Ireland Palawan, Philippines Might be re-visiting Boracay, Philippines Spain Switzerland Singapore Hongkong As I said, so many things will happen this year. I am not sure how can we visit all these places. We must monitor our time religiously. But I really hope that we can push the Switzerland trip, not to buy  a ra

When there's nothing much to do at home and there's no scheduled trip somewhere, our feet will only lead us to three spots; city centre, park or shopping centre. Strolling on the busy streets of Dublin is pretty cool as different shops have interesting displays on their windows. While roaming around the park, allows me to appreciate nature even more. I know, shopping centre is not a good idea when you don't want to hurt your pocket. But window shopping won't hurt either.  Just want to share with you few things we came across during our recent city trips.