TRIPS - Almost on the way home :)

(Versión en Español)

Only 2 days left before we start our moving-trip from Ireland to Spain. Today is the last day with internet connection as tomorrow we will close all the supplies (gas, electricity and internet), so we will be ready to leave on Tuesday.

As we will have the touring caravan with us, we will drive pretty slowh (around 70-75km/h). We're not on a hurry and we prefer to go slow and safe; as we also have our two dogs with us and we need to stop to feed them and let them move a little.

The plan is the following:

Tuesday, 29th May.
- Departure from home in Cork (IE) at about 15:30.
- Arrival to harbour in Rosslare (IE) before 19:30.
- Boarding Ferry at about 20:30.
- Ferry Departure at 21:30.

18 hours sailing from Rosslare (IE) to Cherbourg-Octeville (FR).

Wednesday, 30th May.
- Arrival at about 15:30 in Cherbourg (FR).
- Departure by car from Cherbourg (FR) around 16:30.
- First stop after 360km, around 21:40, just after Nantes (FR).

Thursday, 31st May.
- Second stop after 334km, around 02:55, close to Bordeaux (FR).
- Third stop after 472km, around 10:10, after Perpignan (FR).
- Fourth stop after 463km, around 17:15, close to Burriana (ES).
- Fifth stop after 327km, around 22:25, in Murcia (ES) to visit a dear friend.

Friday, 1st June.
- Fifth stop after 248km, around 02:55, close to El Ejido (ES).
- Arrival to El Puerto de Santa María (ES) after 426km,around 09:30.

Total distance from Cherbourg to El Puerto: 2630km (slow speed + all the stops it's around 41h on the road).

On Friday, as soon as I have internet I will publish something on Facebook to let the friends know we arrived home safely. :)

Soon I'll update the Trip section with some nice pictures of the journey. ^_^

¡See you soon!

WEDDINGS - The choice of the Wedding Gown

(Versión en Español)

For the majority of brides, the choice of the gown is really important and it certainly is for many reasons. The main one is obviously because your wedding day will be a moment that you will never forget and you must feel beautiful, beloved and happy with yourself.    

When you are walking down theaisle to your soon-to-be husband and all the guests look back to see how wonderful you are, you will be able to smile and feel comfortable. It doesn't matter whether you are using a dress, an amazing neckline, a mini-skirt or trousers, as long as you feel confident and be yourself.

FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND

Finding the perfect gown is not easy at all, unless you know exactly what you are looking for. You have to keep in mind several factors:

1. Budget: Be realist and set a fixed budget to spend on gown, shoes, accesories and jewelry. Depending on that budget you will be able to create a list of shops where the price range matches; also always inform the salesperson about the budget to avoid any misunderstanding.
2. Colours of the wedding: Each wedding has its own colours, and everything will rely on that including flowers, invitations, decoration, gown, bridesmaids' dresses, etc. Always choose beforehand the colour scheme that you like the most and follow that pattern. **Once the gown is chosen, ask for a sample of the fabric and embroidery to show it to the florist and baker; this will help the creation of both the floral decoration and the wedding cake.***
3. Date and Location of the wedding: The day, time and location of the ceremony and reception are very important; you have to keep them in mind when choosing the dress because you don't want to be cold nor hot. You also have to keep into consideration the etiquette for your ceremony in case of religious or civil occasion.
4. Your body: Let's face it, we all have different bodies and that has an influence on how good a dress looks on us. Always bring some friends with you to the shop to check the pros and cons of the dresses.
5. Type of wedding: Formal or informal, number of guests, themed wedding, etc.

The choice of the wedding gown should be done 4 to 8 months before the event; remember that the dress will need alterations to adjust to your measurements and needs, so the more time you give the tailor, the best results you will get, avoiding any stressy situation.

SHOPPING TIME

Even if the first thing that comes to your mind is the actual shopping, that's not the only option. For your dress you might consider different options:

1. Bridal retailer: You can visit several bridal retailer with well-known brand gowns, where models are fixed but can be alterated for you. ***For this kind of shops, appointments must be made in advance. Call before hand and organize several visits in different shops on the best dates for you.***
2. Outlet Bridal reatiler: The craze for Outlets is really nice as they offer out of season gowns for low prices (some even around 250-300€). Outlet does not mean bad quality, but always be sure that the shop offers alterations and that the gown is in good conditions.
3. Tailor: You can have the gown tailor-made for you, with your own design. It's a brave choice, but remember to allow more time for the dress manufacture.
4. Vintage stores: Another movement is the craze for Vintage shops, and let's face it, some period gowns are simply wonderful. Take really care of the fabric and handle it with love.
5. Rentals: It's one of the cheapest options and you mustn't worry about taking the gown to the laundry to preserve it properly in your closet for years. If you don't mind recycling and reusing then this is your option; you might find beautiful dresses even if they cannot be altered to your needs all the time. Be careful to not stain the dress.
6. Borrowed: Maybe some relative would be really happy to lend you her dress; if you like it and feel good with it, then it's a really nice and emotional choice.

CONTRACT & DEPOSIT

Be sure in advance that the price includes all the alterations; read the payment, cancellation and refund conditions before signing it. The great majority of stores will ask you for a deposit so always ask for a bill and proof of payment; additionally check that the shop is in good economical situation and that it will be on the wedding date.

Furthermote, check the number of fittings included in the price and the most important thing: the date of delivery.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

- Be firm with your budget.
- Choose first where and when the wedding will be held.
- Bring your friends/relatives with you to the shops.
- Wear fitting and comfortable underwear (try to wear a strapeless bra so you can try different kind of necks).
- If you have some ideas about the wedding or the gown itself take the pictures or drawings with you to make it easier.

As there are so many different types of gowns, necks and colours... in this link you can get an idea of all of them: (under construction).

SWEET - Crispy Fruit-Yo

(Versión en Español aquí)

I know, it's a weird name... I created this recipe and it had no name at all; but once working in Night Shift some co-workers decided to prepare dinner to share and well...you have to name the dishes to make a menu. ^_^

It could be classified as a Semifreddo, it's really sweet. :) It's simply perfect for Summer!

Pics are old and made with my phone so the quality is actually low. As soon as I'm back in Spain I'll make new and better quality pics.

Ingredients

- 1L of Natural Greek Yogurt.
- 1kg. Fresh Strawberries (frozen ones are fine too but the result won't be that good).
- 3 Bananas
- 1 Pack of Digestive Cookies or Tea Butter Cookies.
- 3 Tbsp of Nutella (more if you have a sweet tooth like me)
- Sugar (optional).

Steps

1. Take 500gr. of Strawberries, 1 Banana and 750ml. of Yogurt, mix them together; the result should be a creamy smoothie. Try out the mix, it should be kind of sour to make the dessert special, but of course, if you wish to add sugar then now it's the perfect time to.

2. Use the remaining Yogurt (250ml.) to cover the tin, cover absolutely every inch. ;) The good thing about Greek Yogurt is that it is creamy so it won't melt so much as a normal Yogurt.

3. Now create a first layer of Cookies; over the Cookies put the half of the remaining Strawberries and Banana (sliced). You'll need the other half in a moment.

4. Divide your Smoothie in three portions, use the first one to cover the layer that you just created out of cookies and fruit.

5. Repeat the same with the second layer (using what's left of the fruit) and put the Smoothie over it.

6. The third layer is different, this time only cover with Cookies.

7. Now take the amount you want of Nutella and put it in the microwave to warm up. Depending on your microwave power it'll take more or less, in my case it takes between 40-60 seconds. The Nutella has to be almost liquid... DON'T GET BURNT! Please be very careful.

8. Spread the Nutella all over the last Cookie layer.

9. Cover with the remaining Smoothie and put the tin in the freezer.

Leave it in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Take it out about 15-25 minutes before serving or it'll be impossible to cut through the chocolate and cookies. :)

Hope you really enjoy it, as I have a sweet tooth I really loved it!

This is me

Yes, this is definitely me! :)
As my profile says, I'm crazy, lively, indecisive, ...definitely a dreamer, a big dreamer!!!
For some people having one dream is more than enough... for me, one dream is just the beginning. I might not accomplish them all, but well, it's worth trying!

I was born in Italy in 1987, after 10 years we moved to Spain... in 2010 I moved to Ireland for a job, and now, two years and a half later, I'm moving back to Spain, in just 5 days. :) I'm really excited!

In this blog I'll be posting everything I like the most: Cooking, Travelling, Weddings, DIY and Languages!!!

It might take a while before I can really make this work properly as I won't have internet connection in the next couple of weeks, but hey, I'll be back! ;)

I guess this is enough for an introduction...I must start translating my Spanish blog here!

Luna M. =)