BARBADOS

“Year round sunshine and average temperatures of 30 degrees, Barbados is always a good choice, says Nadia El Ferdaoussi.” From my recent article in the Irish Examiner. Read the full feature here.

SUMMER NIGHTS

We’ve been threatening to have a 5th Floor Collective BBQ in Vicki’s garden (of truth as we renamed it, or #GOT which can get a bit confusing) since probably summer of 2015. So we set a date and commit to making it happen come rain or shine. It was a great excuse to welcome back our pal Kate from London too!

I popped in Dealz on Moore St. (my favourite branch!) to get all our summery outdoor bits earlier in the week. I was able to pick up pretty much everything bar booze and meat in one go. Disposable BBQs – because who likes cleaning the real deal? – light up lanterns and batteries, pretty paper plates, plastic cutlery and napkins. Then there were the little lace covered candle holders and citronella tea lights, gorgeous stained glass bottles with cork stoppers (for €1.50!!) and plastic prosecco glasses because we’re a bit clumsy at the best of time. But if there’s one thing we’re good at it’s swilling prosecco. And then came the snacks; Thai rice crackers, pistachios, giant bags of black pepper crisps, prawn crackers, the whole nine yards. It’s kind of hard to believe everything is only €1.50 in Dealz, I left with three massive bags full and only spent €40. I actually threw in some ponchos for Electric Picnic, an inflatable banana and dolphin (for my 30th birthday pool party in Tenerife, obvs) and travel size refill bottles for my trip to Prague. God, I love a good bargain! That place really is a one stop shop. 

The disposable BBQs were foolproof but we still managed to burn the sausies while we were busy gossiping, not that it stopped us eating them, mind. And the adult-friendly fizz flutes came in handy during a particularly boisterous game of Cards Against Humanity later! At least it was easy to clean up since everything was disposable. 

I bought skewers and stuff for s’mores, which we forgot to make in the end and I’m still raging. Dealz stock the Freeist sugar free products and they’re only €1.50 too, those speciality things can be so pricy sometimes! 

Thanks for having us over Vicki! And thanks for the collaboration Dealz (check out their store finder here). 

This is a sponsored post, all view are as always my own.