Charity Sale

Sunday, a day of rest, relaxation and respite, well that is unless you decide to hold a charity fundraiser which is exactly what we at Siopaella decided to do on Sunday 29^th of June. All charity items were priced at just €3 and all proceeds will go to animal welfare. Having three weeks to plug and advertise the event on all social media platforms meant the day was a total success, but I’ll get to that later.

 Queuing outside our Crow Street store

The whole process began the night before when the charity stock was brought from our little, and I mean little, charity room in our basement. We had gathered so much stock for this sale that in the months prior, Ella and Steve used their own house as storage. Of course they had Louis and Raquel’s permission as we all know they are the real bosses.

 

Steve with boxes of clothes

The boxes and bags were hauled over to Crow Street. New rails were put up and stock was moved around. Once everything was hanged and balloons were blown up we called it a night and headed home for some beauty sleep before the big day.

 

Setting up the night before

The next morning I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed. I headed downstairs in my pyjamas for some scrambled egg and toast in preparation. I sat down with my tasty brekkie and couldn’t believe when my phone buzzed after receiving a tweet on the Siopaella Twitter page. It was a tweet from a woman having her cup of coffee, in the rain while queuing up in order to het first entry. What was even more surprising was that when I eventually got ready and arrived at Crow Street, this woman who had tweeted wasn’t even the first in line.

 

Simon, Vaari, Clare, Jackie and Armelle - the early risers

These early risers were rewarded with rocky road, brownies and cookies. I’m sure after two hours spent queuing a sugar hit went down a treat (pun intended). Our competition winners entered the store ten minutes earlier and to say that it reminded me of an episode of Supermarket Sweep would be an understatement. The countdown soon began and the eager bargain hunters began streaming in.

Eileen handing out treats

 The queue was endless as due to health and safety we could only allow a certain number of people in the shop at one time. It became a “one in, one out” system and I’d be lying if I said the power of being a bouncer wasn’t any fun.

 Vaari with her three bags of bargains

There were great bargains to be had with some lucky customers picking up Moschino, Prada and Louise Kennedy all for just €3 a pop! The queues lasted until around 3.30pm. More goodies were added throughout the day and we even had treats for these late comers (we love everyone equally).

 

Chaos ensues

The buzz in the shop was second to none as people waited patiently at the till and for the fitting rooms. All those years spent learning our 3 times tables had eventually paid off. Thankfully though a trusted calculator was on hand for those who bought more pieces than our little coffee fuelled brains could manage to multiply.

 Finding hidden treasure

At 4pm we had an in store auction. Pieces included DVF, See by Chloe, Marni and even a pair of Chanel sunglasses. All bids started at €1 and we are happy to report that no fist fights broke out…although there were some close calls. We eventually shut our doors at 5pm and let out a deep sigh of relief. The day was over and it was our most successful one to date.

 

Lovely couple with their bags of goodies

The remaining items were donated to the MS Society in Trim so the clothes our lovely customers and consignors donated will continue to raise much needed funds.

 

Twitter winner - Brid Cannon

 Afterwards we decided to treat ourselves to some chicken wings and beer in the chicken wing heaven that is Elephant and Castle (if you haven’t tried them then shame on you).

Feasting time

All in all we raised €3,300 and this will be used to better the lives of animals in Ireland. We really could not have done it without your support, and for that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Louis and Raquel also thank you for helping their furry friends (woof),

Ciara x

Counting the money

THANK YOU!!!

#FIVEONFRIDAY

Another week, another five amazing events to share with you! J

A Dog’s Life Charity Sale

Comfy clothes? Check! Hair off the face as not to impair vision? Check! Coins at the ready…..GO!!

It’s that manic time again in Siopaella HQ - our Dog’s Life Charity Sale is this Sunday June 29^th. With over 500 items at €3, ranging from designer goods to high-street heaven, it is a must have shopping experience for all fashion lovers. Starting at noon, our Dog’s Life Charity Sale is an amazing day to give back to those furry babies who sadly don’t get their much deserved hugs and kisses unlike our own sweet Louis and trusting Raquel. Check out our Facebook page for more info and may the odds ever be in your favour. J

The Dublin Pride Parade

For the past two weeks Dublin has been covered in rainbow pride and we LOVE it! Running from June through to July, Dublin Pride has provided various exciting events throughout the city. From highlighting the history of LGBT pride within Dublin, ‘Singing in the City’ performances by Various Voices, Wilde art exhibitions and even to the old-favourite, bingo. Thanks to Dublin Pride, the city has a new lease of life and appreciation. All the amazing work and contributions come together in the Dublin Pride Parade this Saturday 28^th. We certainly will be embracing the rainbow goodness that afternoon!

Temple Bar Food Market

The Temple Bar Food Market is THE place that ‘foodies’ (like us) dream about. An entire Saturday afternoon could be spent experiencing and admiring the various treats displayed throughout the market. Based in Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square, just a street over from our Temple Lane shop, the Temple Bar Food Market is a must see, smell and taste. With so much variety and zest provided, it will have you counting down the days until the next Saturday!

Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival

Need an escape from the city this weekend? Then grab your Raybans (have you seen the incredible vintage range in both shops?), throw in a bucket and spade and head to Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival this weekend. Based in the beautiful Bundoran, Donegal, the three day music and surf festival is the perfect weekend to literally put your feet in the sand, let your city worries wash away and enjoy those feel good vibes. 99’ cones with raspberry syrup would be a must!

Dublin Castle – Chihuly in Dublin

Dale Chihuly’s exhibition, ‘Ulysses Cylinders’, is on display in Dublin Castle from June 19^th – August 23^rd.  Chihuly is an extremely talented artist who creates vibrant and beautiful glass installations and chandlers. For this particular exhibition, Chihuly has teamed up with painter, Seaver Leslie, to create a truly stunning collection. If you've fallen in love with our chandeliers from Siopaella home ware, (Ciara’s post) then the Chihuly exhibition is a must see due to its craftsmanship and imagination. 

Siopaella Homewares

A New Adventure

Over the past couple of weeks something rather new and exciting has been happening at Siopaella and before you start guessing, no it’s not a new puppy for the shop although I think Mr Louis and Mrs Raquel would make fantastic parents…actually on second thoughts, no, no they definitely would not and I’m sure anyone who has met (or been humped) by Raquel would agree!

  

Instead (you better not be disappointed), it’s the introduction of our home wares line which means both you and your home can be decked out in beautiful, one off Siopaella finds. At the moment the majority of our home wares are sourced from the souks (that’s the Arabic word for market) in Morocco. Our stock includes beautiful leather poufs, handmade brass pendant lights, glass candle holders and more.

 These Arabic pieces remind me of Disney’s Aladdin, in fact we even have a magic carpet although we do not encourage trying to fly on it and in doing so may be harmful to you and or others around you. My favourite thing about these Moroccan pieces is that they bring another world and different cultured beauty that is so difficult to find in Ireland straight to your home.

There are also vintage Pepsi and Coco-Cola crates that are fabulous for storing jewellery or for creating an original book case. The ideas for the crates are endless and we at Siopaella love coming up with different ways to display and use these rustic pieces.

Speaking of rustic, the vintage train lights are so rustically rusty that they have transitioned into little treasures. They are ideal for hanging up outdoors and becoming the perfect candle holders. Allow your friends to become green with jealousy as they eye up your new (yet incredibly vintage) train lights at your summer barbeque (which we will of course be invited to).

Our aim is to expand more into home wares as this was a real love and old hobby of Ella’s when she lived in Vancouver. If there is anything you would like to see introduced to our home ware line please do let us know although we can’t promise we will ever find a real life magic carpet but we will never stop looking.

Ciara x

Frockadvisor App Launch at Siopaella

Frockadvisor App Launch:

On Thursday evening we at Siopaella opened our doors to host an event with the rather fabulous Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon. While prosecco was drank and giggles were had the aim of the event was to spread the word about the darling duos new app; Frockadvisor. It’s an app not only for boutiques like us at Siopaella but also for you and me, customers on the Irish market who love buying quality and buying Irish.

The app allows you to discover the Irish market through “fotocons” (a word they coined themselves and are very very proud of). 

In a world of Topshop dresses and Zara skirts being worn in every pub and club, having the ability to shop the Irish market exclusively and being able to put up photos of what you are looking for is so refreshing.  I’m a girl that likes my clothes to be different. Since working at Siopaella I have started to buy more one off gems that come through our doors. Going out on a night out wearing these gems I feel a sense of pride and confidence, not only because I enjoy the thrill of shopping for these one off pieces but also because I’m supporting Irish businesses. However, when I come in from a day off work and see what one of the girls has nabbed, it makes me feel like I've missed out on that item (you should know fights are common in Siopaella HQ due to us all wanting the same items). With this app, you never miss out. It’s shopping on the go, whether you are on the bus, in the bath or cuddled in bed with your cat (just my average night).

The event began when Sonya and her smile (my goodness the woman has a beautiful smile) arrived in our Crow Street store. Steve then popped open the first bottle of prosecco (my favourite sound after a long day of work). Soon after Brendan came bouncing in carrying a bottle of champagne, a definite way to become our bff – yes Brendan is our new bff, don’t be jealous!

Sonya and Brendan then presented the app to our guests who quickly reached for their smartphones to download it. The pair and their fabulous team were on hand to answer any of our questions about the app and to iron out any issues we were having with it. A lot of oohs and aahs were said as they very patiently helped the more tech-illiterate of us (cough, me, cough) but I can seriously vouch for the clarity and simplicity of this app.

After more prosecco and even a bit of shopping, the guests began leaving and we began clearing things away. On a high from the event myself and two of the other girls decided to go out and chat about the night in a local pub. It was goodbye to the fancy prosecco and hello to the plain, old fashioned pints (we really do try our best to be as glamorous as possible).

Waking up the next morning was a snap back to reality as the heels were left at home and lunches were packed. A little fuzzy headed we cycled, walked and got the bus to work dreaming of our next event but until then it’s back to cat cuddling in bed …or until Brendan brings us out for cocktails. As our new bff he better not let us down ;)

Ciara x

#FIVEONFRIDAY

#FIVEONFRIDAY

Here are five of our favourite obsessions this week which had us all ‘oohing’ and ‘aahhing’ in Siopaella HQ

Body and Soul 2014

Body & Soul Music and Arts Festival launches this weekend in Ballinlough Castle, Co. Meath. The three day festival which runs from the 20-22^nd June is a delightful combination of music, visual arts, dancing underneath the stars and of course covering yourself in glitter. With musical performances by international acts such as Goldfrapp, Of Montreal and Tom Vek, alongside Irish’s acts, Young Wonder and September Girls, this weekend just screams endless summer nights!

Honest to Goodness Cafe

Only a stone’s throw away from our Crow Street Shop, Honest to Goodness Café is our first choice when we are looking for delicious and guilt free YUMMY food.  With a variety of fresh salads, sandwiches and smoothies, it makes eating healthy ooooh so easy and ooooh so tasty.

Frock Advisor

Siopaella was thrilled to host a Frock Advisor event this past Thursday (blog post to follow). The charming and fashionable, Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney, extended the opportunity for Siopaella and some of its customers to gain insight into the launch of their newest fashion forward app; Frockadvisor. Working with various other boutiques and fashion lovers around the country, Frockadvisor allows for a greater interaction between fashion suppliers and fashion admirers.

Merrion Square

Although, we all do LOVE the hustle and fast paced environment the city provides during the summer months, sometimes our Siopaella staff crave nothing more than some open space and fresh air (we do actually like the outdoors – crazy I know). Thanks to the beautiful location of Merrion Square, picnic blankets and lazy Sundays are within reach. Check out the friendly open-air art gallery held every Sunday in the Square from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Antique Quarter – Francis Street

Whether they come in the form of clothing, crafts or home ware, finding hidden treasures is a common past-time for all of us in Siopaella.  The Antique Quarter on Francis Street is an ideal place to rediscover old gems and admire revived furniture. Deemed as Dublin’s answer to Portobello Road, London, the Antique Quarter provides hours of endless roaming and discovering.  

What are your #fiveonfriday favourites? J