My 21st Hawaiian Style

Last sunday, the 21st of August I turned the big 21 but if you've read my blog before you'll probably already know this, you can read about it here, and here ... turning 21 was something that terrified me but now that I'm 2 weeks into 'that age' I'm actually enjoying it. I had my party on Saturday the 20th and I have to say it was without a doubt the best night of my life.

As you may have guessed my party was Hawaiian themed so all guests were made to wear leis (the flowers around the neck) and everyone looked beautiful.  My prep work for the party started last May would you believe, I love party planning so I was literally in my element but slowly but surely things fell into place, booking hair and makeup, finding a Dj and the torture of finding a bloody dress but on Friday the real work began. Friday night when we headed to the pub to transform it into the beach, I roped in my two best friends Annmarie and Crellin along with with my cousin Stefan and within two hours everything was perfect I couldn't have been happier with how it turned out, I bought all my decorations in Party World in Waterford which is my favourite shop in the world and couldn't recommend enough, all the staff are so lovely and helpful and I also bought a few bits online so with everything the place looked unreal when that was done we then headed home to finish decorating the house...there was just no stopping us and eventually the time came to hit the hay before we faced our 7am start.

 When Saturday finally arrived it was literally all go, go, go and it was the funniest, most amazing day of my life. My morning began with a shower then it was time to curl the hair before the girls came and we set about our adventure. At half ten we headed to Carlow to get our makeup done by the amazing Triona Brennan who I would recommend to everyone. Whilst in Carlow I got to meet up with my college bff Tanya who I hadn't seen in months so already my birthday was off to a great start. Then the trip home the tunes were blared and we danced our way home, from Carlow it was to Waterford to collect my cake and oh my word... I got my cake made off Gracie based in Waterford, check out her page here, she is the most incredible cake maker I have ever come across in my life, just look at the cake she made for me. My bottom tier as you can see is incorporating my theme, with a little bottle of prosecco, the middle one is of my favourite place in the world The Foundry in Carlow and then the top is of course the moon. My friends even said it it's as if Gracie went into my head and knew exactly what I wanted, if you want a cake made then I honestly think you couldn't find anyone better than her.

 After the cake was collected it was onto Party World to collect the balloons and I swear to God I never got whacked in the head so much..... 

When we got back to Carrick that's when the stress hit in. I took out my hair rollers and disaster I can't even begin to stress how much of a disaster it was, tho fro was out in all it's glory so straight away it was straightened and re curled but it wasn't long until all was salvaged and I could breathe again. Then the breakdown began, the dress wouldn't pin in the right place, my mother wouldn't get in the shower and I was losing the plot, but it wasn't long until everyone arrived, drinks started flowing and I found my happy place.. who would have known it would be in a bottle of peach schnapps ey?! 

 At half nine the taxi's came to bring us to the pub and from the minute we arrived it was shots..shots...shots...shots...shots... and a lot of laughing and dancing!! All my family was there and my greatest friends on the planet. I never thought I could have so much fun but my God it was amazing. I got to catch up with all my cousins who I hadn't seen with a while, I got the most amazing cocktail off Paulene (the landlady) I got to dance to all my favourite tunes and the best part is that I got to sit and dance and drink a ridiculous amount of tequila with some of my favourite people on this planet. My biggest fear about having a 21st is that no one would show up but they did and the best part was that there was no one that I didn't like there and I had the best night of my life. From there it was time to hit the disco..and when it comes to the disco there's only 3 things I remember and that's tequila, salt and lemons.. I kid you not.

After the disco (around half 2) we decided to get a small group small being  and head back to mine to watch the Mcgreggor match, I won't lie to you and say I even knew there was a UFC match on boxing just isn't really my thing but with the boys adamant of having pizza and Mcgregor who was I to disagree?? Long story short, I didn't have the channel and the Olympics went on. Not that it was even watched or anything. I have to say that the after session on my birthday was my favourite part of the night, I was surrounded by my best of friends and it was the best feeling in the world. Mai, my bff from Carlow was down and having her there alone was the best present I could have asked for. A minor blip occurred when I fired my shoe at my mother but shur hey! at least it was a flat...or so I think it was!!

 My best memory from my birthday??? It was without a doubt waking up on the floor at seven am looking around and seeing my four favourite people passed out around me and for me that's exactly what life is all about. 

If someone asked me would I recommend them having a 21st party, well .. HELL YES!!! - There isn't one night of my life that I'd like to relive again more than my birthday, but what I learned about everything is that even though I go OTT with the planning, and stress levels went through the roof if you have great people around you that's all that matters isn't it? Well it certainly did for me!!

 I got some of the most amazing presents too, some of the most thoughtful gifts in the world, a new phone, driving lessons, jewelry and the cutest little teddy bear that says' I love you to the moon and back' from Mai, my friends know me so well and it's fantastic!! 

One of the greatest presents I did receive was off my bff Crellin of the most attractive Munster rugby player since Conor Murray and Mike Sherry...Francis Saili, I'll just leave this here..

Yeah I know, there are no words... Francis Saili told me to live it up.. yep, yep!!

So on that attractive note I may end this blog post I just wanted to let you know how my birthday went, turning 21 may feel like the scariest thing in the world but ever since I did in a strange way life has just improved.. I think 21 will be a good year ;) 

 Thanks so much to everyone who came to my party, gave me lovely presents or wished me happy birthday!! Absolute Legends!! 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR JACK DERGES

Jack Derges is fresh out of Albert Square having spent six months working alongside the Mitchell sisters on the nation's favourite soap Eastenders Jack who played Ronnie's daughter Danielle's brother Andy Flynn was out for revenge and brought so much excitement to the square I could hardly stand it...who was he? was he going to kill Ronnie? did he really love Roxy? he was the most mysterious lovable character to ever grace our screens and from speaking to Jack yesterday morning he's as lovable as Andy (just minus the weirdness)...even though which one of us has the cutest dog still remains a mystery
             Monty Vs Mursher
 I couldn't believe my luck when I was told I'd have the opportunity to interview Jack so I wrecked his brains on Eastenders, his career, acting, rugby and of course lots of other things. Have a read below and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it.

It's by no surprise Jack is no stranger to the television screens having been on Channel 4's Humans but acting wasn't something Jack had his eyes on from the very beginning with a keen interest in sport growing up Jack told me he always thought he would become a PE teacher, or a rugby player but 'he wasn't really good enough' his words, not mine! but slowly but surely got into acting through a friend of the family
'' A really good friend of the family came to me and said 'to me you are an actor' and from that it ran it's course and she unlocked the potential in me. I liked being the centre of attention at the time so it seemed right. Apart from going to college in Devon it was all natural progression for me''

Jack attended drama school for three years uprooting his life from a small town in Devon to the capital city London where he began television and film studies with a friend ''It's three years full on training so you really do unlock your potential, in the third year it's when you're put in front of agents and casting directors it's hard work 
 I got picked up by an agent, just started auditioning and the rest is history really''

Thinking back to when I was in college (I studied media and public relations in Carlow) I loved going out, so much so that the local nightclub 'The Foundry' became my best friend on a Wednesday night but obviously moving to London didn't come cheap and Jack had to work his back off just to survive living there but that doesn't mean he didn't have the craic and live it up ''My best mates who were doing sport science in Uni only had about 12 hours a week so spent a lot of their time with cans of strongbow but like I said I was in drama school and it was school, 9 to 5 everyday but obviously we were living for the weekend''
Coming from a small town I relate to Jack on the moving to a city isn't as cheap as you'd think and for the first few years he would practically work seven days a week to make his passion and lifestyle work '' Living in London you have to be able to support yourself, I was working in Hollister on Saturday's and then in a restaurant on Saturday and Sunday evenings before heading back to school on the Monday so it was very full on'' 

 London holds such a strong place in my heart with it being my good aul pops hometown and for Jack straight away he knew this was the place for him 'I wasn't nervous moving to London, I knew it was the next stage of my life most people say you get homesick when you go to uni but there wasn't a sense of that for me. 
 Growing up where I grew up in Devon it was a rat race to see who could get out not because it was bad but because you wanted to move on, moving to London has always been the aim'' 
   Personally growing up in a small town I know whenever I'm away from my home the smell of pig sh*t will straight away remind me how great my hometown of Carrick On Suir is (I know, wonderful how the smell of shite reminds me of home) but it wasn't until Jack was away from home that it made him realise how much he loved it ''I never thought I'd appreciate being back and seeing the hills and clear sky at night when I grew up there I did not appreciate any of that but I certainly do now'' 

In March this year Jack took on one of the biggest soaps and began working with BBC's Eastenders which is

probably what he is now best known for working along side The Mitchell sisters, stalking Ronnie and falling for Roxy and getting a right aul clobber from Jack Branning a whole experience which Derges will never forget,
'' There's no great story to how Eastenders came about, it's just another job but I changed agents just after I did humans and we do auditions all the time it came at the right time but with something as big as Eastenders a lot of other things come with it like you have to have social media training, you're briefed on how to deal with certain fans it was just one of those things that came at the right time and it would involve me in a big storyline so I thought it would be perfect'' 

''It was one of those jobs that really took me by surprise, I wasn't nervous but I felt like I was in a surreal environment for my first few days it was really fast paced. You're shooting four shows a week but you just have to crack on with your work.
 The first thing that got me was first going on the set I was with Leo who played Linford we were casually walking up to set and then suddenly I'm on the square and we were mid conversation and I had to stop them like 'sorry I need to take this in'. 
 It looks smaller than you think it would, it's kind of like a small toy town'. 


 Things can change so quickly in terms of the scripts and on one occasion this was experienced when Andy's final scene with Stacey Slater was added in ''You get given your script three or four weeks in advance so I've never really had much of a change but how it was going to plan out was with Andy and Ronnie going on a roller coaster of emotions and the last scene was supposed to be between me and Ronnie when she gave Andy her pendant but the writers came to me and said they were working on a little scene between me and Stacey and the final added scene with Stacey wasn't supposed to happen.
 Would there be a return to Eastenders though??? Well 'never say never I'm aware that I haven't been killed off so we'll see what happens' ;) 

 Swapping the Albert for the live stage is what's next as he hits the West end something Jack cannot wait for '' I'm so looking forward to working on the stage, It's so important for actors to mix up their work. I feel very, very comfortable on stage probably more than when I'm on screen'' 

Dogs...Dogs...Dogs...Dogs if you read my blog or know me at all you'll know one of my biggest loves in my life is my spaniel mixed retriever Mursher, she's my baby but imagine having a dog more popular than yourself, well that's exactly what Jack must face day in and day out.

Monty The Mini Dachshund who you can follow here has  over 37,000 followers on Instagram and gets more attention than you, I, and Jack put together ''It make me very proud haha and jealous I use Monty's page to try flog the Soap insiders awards I try get the dog community to support me.

 I started it by taking little cute pictures of him and social media is a weird thing, there are brands who get in touch wanting to send food, collars, toys and whenever any brand writes to us they start the message with 'Hi Moty' like do you realise he can't reply??? haha he pays for himself -we've got a celebrity right here' 

Do you ever think about your life and say 'hmm if I was a movie who would play me?' well I didn't until the

other day and it got me thinking, who would play me?? a short blonde girl with an Irish accent? it's near to impossible to choose so I put Jack on the spot and made him choose and you've got the exclusive here if Jack Derges life was turned into a movie he would be played by.... James Norton 'he's one of those actors I've recently noticed and I really admire his work''

One of my biggest passions in life is rugby, Munster rugby particularly and as a lover of all things sport one of Jack's biggest passions also is rugby ''I was watching Usain Bolt until four o'clock this morning acting is my work, but sport is my life''

For any aspiring actors out there Jack's advice to you is 'Its all on the individual, I get asked by my old drama school to go back and give talks but I remember when I was in school getting talks from actors and they would give this blanket advice and the minute you start saying what you should and shouldn't do the individual starts to adhere to some type of rules.
 Some people will really learn from the training by finding what works for you but there are certain people who would not benefit from that at all and if they have the confidence in them to be able to hold themselves on casting calls well then it could be a waste of time and money.
 I couldn't say exactly but the biggest piece of advice I could give is to go and speak to people in the industry try and get through to influential people. People that are seriously interested in acting should go speak to an actor, speak to a casting director and say 'look this is what I want to do' what do you think and they could want you straight away.''

And on that note my interview with the lovely Jack Derges has come to an end, over the past few years I've interviewed so many amazing people who I look up to and admire and I can truthfully say I've never enjoyed doing an interview so much with a person, it was a bundle of laughs and I'm still pinching myself..
Huge thank you to Jack for taking his time out to speak with me and to Amber for arranging the interview for me. I genuinely hope you enjoyed this little post x

21 Years On This Planet✌

The month of August is always special to me and that's for one reason and one reason only and that's because it's my birth month. Out of all my birthdays this year is the most important one yet because I turn the big 21 and Oh My God I am still in disbelief.
 With my lack of filter on nights out and tumbles I take it's a miracle I've even made it to 21 but now that I have (well Sunday week I'll have made it) it's making me look at my life in perspective and it's the weirdest feeling I've ever had.
When you turn 21 you're a grown up, an adult you're supposed to be independent and adulty but me??.... I still put tea in a bottle, I've never tried a tomato and I've, to this very minute no idea what I'm going to do with my life yet here I am another year older another year bolder and ready to fill you in on my little bits of knowledge I've picked up on over my years.

I don't know if it's the old age that's got me thinking but I remember last year when I turned 20 and had a full on breakdown, the fact the girls wrote 'halfway to 40' on every single card I received broke my heart, and I mean shattered it!! Something that really affects me is getting older, it's something I can't explain to you just yet as it's something I'm still not after fully coming to terms with or why it upsets me so much but it's something that's always got me down and now that I've reached this milestone I'm going demented looking at my life as a whole it's as if I was writing a book and dear Lord there have been some events...some good, and a lot most definitely not!!

I think one of the best things about having a blog in particular a lifestyle blog is I get to document certain events that have taking place in my life be it as small as meeting my dream man Conor Murray ;) or something as life changing as moving to Carlow they're part of what has made me and I feel so blessed that I have these stories wrote down to look back at when I'm in my sixties and maybe even share with my grandchildren.

To be honest with you I haven't had the most exciting life I wish I could say I have but truthfully I haven't. I grew up in a small town in South East Ireland and from a young age friendship meant everything to me, living
in an avenue I was always surrounded by at least ten friends and if there's one thing I can pride myself on it's being a loyal friend. I've had friendships come and go but I've always managed to hang on to the ones that were the most important and as I grew older I realised it's not quantity but quality that matters.

The old school Beg girls and new girls.
(Eirin, Annmarie, (me), Crellin, Leah, Simone and Kayla)

Even though I wasn't exactly 'born and raised' in Carrick Beg (I was born in Waterford Regional Hospital) I've lived in Carrick all my life, I took my first steps here, spoke my first words here, drank my first drink here, had my first night out here, had my first love here, spent most of my life in education here I've done everything here and as much as I've said over the years I hate living in this small town it's my favourite place on earth and I'll never put down this town.
  I've said it before education was never for me, I didn't like school at all I mean I loved the social aspect but school book, studying, exams I hated it all but throughout everything I knew my one passion in life was media and that's what got me through everything, spending as many days of my school holidays as I could in Beat 102 103, sending thousands of emails and getting as much advice as I possibly could about the industry.
 Here I am almost 21 years on with a degree in broadcast journalism and presenting and being a college dropout from a media and public relations course.
 I moved to Carlow last September where I studied Media and PR and lasted five months before I decided I was dropping out.  Living in Carlow was one of the most craziest experiences I've ever had and it changed my life, I changed as a person and I don't know if it was the best thing to have ever happened to me or the worst, either way I wouldn't change it for the world.

 To this day one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through was the death of my father when I was 12 years old. It's something I never really speak about but when writing about my life it's something I can't leave out and even though it was an awful thing to have happened it made me become so strong in my ways and it's always made me want to live everyday to the max.
  I suppose when you look at your life it's easy to focus on the negatives and maybe even edge on self pity at times but everyones story is different and that's what's so interesting about life and the reason I love dealing with people so much.

 I know from message I've received that a lot of young girls under 17 read my blog and what I'd love to tell these girls is that your life is what you make it and as cliché as that sounds it's something I strongly believe in.
 If I think back to when I was sixteen I believed in myself and I went above and beyond working my back off to get as much experience as possible I was making things happening, doors were opening for me and the opportunities were coming in however when I went to college, gave up on working hard all I cared about was going out on a Wednesday night my career took a stand still, the most important thing to me down the drain and it's only now I'm trying to get that back.
 I feel like as much as I feel like 'an aul wan' turning 21 it's the perfect age to get yourself back on track and with an exciting meeting lined up for Wednesday I feel as though my luck is changing already!!

One thing I learned in my years???? - Life goes on, no matter what happens it goes on and on and on and everything gets better.
 If you have a bad day then don't worry because the next day will be better, it's a fresh start every time that sun comes up it's a new start and that's what I love.
 I'd recommend just living in the moment, making the most out of every opportunity that's heading your way and remembering that life is what you make it!!

As for now, well my main focus is getting my feet back into the media industry and of course getting ready for my birthday party Saturday week which you can read about here ;-)
Even though I wish I could stay 20 forever things change, birthdays come and go and I just wish all the best for everyone of my readers ✌

Lynda Xx 

River Island Hump Day Cheer Up

River Island are always right in there with the newest fashion trends and the new strappy over t-shirt look has left me obsessed and eager to get my hands on.
 I first came across this look last Sunday morning at a garage when I spotted a lady out and about wearing this cami top dress and I thought it was the coolest outfit I've seen in awhile.
I get most of my fashion inspo from people on the streets and have done all my life, I take no shame in it if I see a person who's style I love I will take a mental note and base my style around it, even girls on nights out if I like your style I will tell you (unfortunately for me on nights out I will probably tell you if I don't too...zero filter!!)

With my 21st birthday quickly approaching I've spent hours upon hours scrolling through the internet, and marching from shop to shop looking for the perfect dress and as expected ...no hope but I did stumble upon this perfect cami top from River Island which costs €30.
If you need a little hump day treat then I think this is the perfect 'to me, from me' and I'll quickly be following in your footsteps ;) I hope you like this top as much as me!!

You can get your hands on this top in all River Island stores or online by clicking here.

Happy Hump Day ;-) 

Man Crush Monday - Francis Saili

Thanks be to Jaysus Monday has almost come to an end and with last Monday being a bank holiday this one hurt like a mother....but hey look it's almost done and one thing that's gonna get me through the rest of this day/week is a good aul man crush Monday and this week is non other than the best looking man in Munster, rugby player Francis Saili.

The All black star signed to Munster last season and I remember the day Munster signed him well, even though I'm a Munster fan I promise I ain't being biased when I say that the Munster team are the best looking team on the planet and as much as I usually stick to good aul Conor Muray and Mike Sherry Francis Saili is without a doubt the biggest hunk on the team and has made my Monday that little bit better...

 I could talk about how gorgeous Saili is all day but what good is that going to do? I'll just have to show you... don't worry you're very welcome ;)

I honestly cannot think of a better way to start the week can you? ;)

Happy Monday!!! 

Why I Love Autumn And You Should Too

Autumn is my favourite season without a doubt summer is over rated, winter is too cold and miserable but Autumn it's the perfect season. I don't know if I can actually put into words my perfect 'day feeling' like you know a day that like feels ...perfect??? I'd say I've lost you but take away doing anything during that said day like not what you're at it's just the feeling and atmosphere of that day you get me????

Well, my perfect 'day feeling' is in October, early morning with bright blue skies, sun blaring and breathing fresh cold air...that is my perfect day feeling and to me that's what Autumn is all about.

After someone recently asked me 'what's so great about Autumn anyway?' I easily listed off every single thing great about my favourite season so here are 13 reasons why I love Autumn and you should too. 

Number 1: Scarves, Hats and Gloves

One of the best things about it being Autumn is that it's finally cold enough to wrap up and get cuddly. I adore scarves and must have at least 57 different colours in my wardrobe just dying to get worn. 

Number 2: My Birthday

IT'S MA BIRTHDAY, IT'S MA BIRTHDAY!!

One of my favourite things about it finally reaching Autumn is that on the 21st of August every year it's my birthday and normally I hate becoming that one year older but with turning the big 21 this year I'm so excited that it's finally my birth month. 

Number 3: Halloween 

One of my most favourite things in the world is Halloween, ask anyone I am obsessed and Halloween is the greatest day of the year. Being honest if Halloween was in Summer, summer could possibly be my favorite season but it's not it's in Autumn and I love it.

Number 4: Bonfires/ Fireworks

Okay....this is controversial becuase I am terrified of fire but when it comes to Halloween I love a good bonfire, there's also nothing I love more than being out strolling around on an Autumn night and hearing fireworks exploding in the sky. As much as it seems to be dying out these days they're strong Autumn loves for me.

Number 5: The Colour

To me the world just gets prettier in Autumn, the leaves turn golden they fall the sun seems brighter the air is crispy everything just looks so so pretty and no one can deny it. 

Number 6: Smell Of Wood Fires

When I get the smell of a fire burning wood the first thought that comes into my head is HALLOWEEN!! It's one of my favorite smells in the world and there's nair a wiff of it in the air spring or summer so you have to love Autumn for that reason alone!! 

Number 7: Comfort Food

Autumn is all about those real home comforts, pies, soups, stews anything that will warm your insides out thoroughly after a day outside is the perfect food for Autumn. 

 Tying in with our number 8 is also - Hot Drinks - Hot chocolate on a daily basis, bottles of tea...hot whiskeys ;) ;) ;) 

Number 9 - Pumpkins 

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins--- my favourite things in the world are pumpkins!! How can you not love them? Every year I make a big day out of going pumpkin shopping, I get the girls and we head over to the main street to pick the ripest, biggest, most perfect pumpkin that you can buy.

 Then there's the carving, the playing with their insides the overall appearance of them.. I just love them!! 

Number 10 - Cold crisp morning walks

I love morning walks as it is but when it's early in the Autumn with cold air and mist then I'm the happiest girl on the planet, I love strolling along, ipod on, kings of leon playing...oh the dream.

Number 11 - Rugby 

YES - We all know one of the only bad things about summer is the fact the rugby season comes to an end but what happens in September??? rugby is back and weekends are planned around Thomond Park, oh and those Munster hunks are back on the television. 

Number 12- Countdown To Christmas

WAHHEYYYY- Yes you know it's true you can finally officially start counting how many Fridays to go before the big man comes down the chimney!! 

Number 13 - Out We Go

And on the last note one of my favourite things about Autumn is that it gets dark an hour earlier, and when it comes to a Saturday night that just means you get to go out an hour earlier.. whoop whoop!! 

And there you have it 13 things I love about Autumn and you should too..