Festival Essentials

I've never been to a festival before, so I'm trés excited about going to Electric Picnic next weekend, the weather forecast says there's little or no chance of rain, the line-up just keeps getting better and better, and I've already practised putting up my tent; it wasn't as difficult as I imagined (granted I had some help from the family but it still went up in one piece)!!

Now comes the tricky part though...what to wear & what to bring with me. As the Irish weather is so notoriously unpredictable, I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. At the same time, I don't want to over pack and have too many options...that just makes it's more difficult to decide what to wear! So I've made a list of what I imagine to be festival staples, but I'd appreciate input to let me know if there's anything I'm forgetting or anything that more practical than what I have!

1. Straw trilby hat - great to cover up unwashed hair, may be robbed by overzealous boys and could blow away in a gust, but I think the benefits outweigh the costs here.

2. Denim shorts - perfect festival attire, although the forecast said it's going to be a chilly 10 degrees, so maybe tights to wear under them would be handy, or just jeans which would be warmer altogether?! Hmm...

3. Wellies - even if it's not raining I think I'll just wear them for the whole weekend!

4. Rain jacket.

5. Oversized sunglasses - protect eyes from the sun & hide tired/red/hungover eyeballs ;)

6. My favourite scarf, as scarves are the most versatile accessory on the planet.

7. An big hoody for warmth.

8. A bumbag/small across body bag to keep essentials in.

The picture below shows what's in my 'Definitely Bringing Pile'.

I'm getting excited now just thinking about packing! The scientist in me really wants to make an itinerary so I know exactly which band I want to see, where they're playing and when, but I won't (way too geeky ha)...I guess you can take the girl out of the lab but never the other way around!

Rachel xxx

Nail Paints by BarryM, Fashion at your Fingertips...

For me, fashion doesn't just mean clothes and shoes. It encompasses everything you're presenting to the world, to help describe yourself & how you're feeling. It can therefore include accessories (such as bags, shoes & jewellery), a hairstyle, or even a particular shade of nail varnish.

Speaking of which, I have a soft spot for BarryM Nail Paint, it's cheap, the colours are fabulous, and it dries really fast! I've attached a picture of all the BarryM varnishes I have at the minute, the newest & my favourite is Mushroom (far left) - THE nail colour of the year. Plums, reds and greys will all be big in the coming Autumn/Winter 2010 season, but pastels or brights can lift an outfit on an otherwise dreary Dublin day in Winter.

What are your favourites? Is there any other brand out there that can challenge BarryM for the 'Best Varnish' title? He'll be hard to beat!

Rachel xxx

Lab Pet Peeves...Most Annoying Tasks

I always said I'd post light hearted and positive posts, but since it's Friday the 13th and several things have already gone wrong for me today...I'm going to make a list of the most annoying/mundane/monotonous tasks in the lab that I wish I could get someone else to do for me! (That's a bit of a fib - I don't mind doing these things, but they always have to be done at the most inconvenient time so perhaps 2 spare arms to help me get them done would be the best solution).

1. Aliquot-ing.

2. pHing buffers.

3. Washing 2 units of platelets (don't ask).

4. Refilling tips boxes manually (one by one).

5. Searching in the -80 freezer for a box/sample that you know you left at the front on the left in the middle shelf but somehow mysteriously it has moved/vanished.

Let me know your least favourite lab tasks that are trivial or boring-but must be done for a fully functional and operational experiment/laboratory!

Rachel xxx

PS I feel a lot better after that rant-blogging can be cathartic! And I also have to say that I love my job & I wouldn't change it for the world...but seriously, a few spare arms would be very very handy once in a while ;)

Top 5 Shoes-Designer & High Street

I had a bad PhD day today (we've all been there); my experiment worked, however I don't have enough of my sample...so instead of letting my head explode with stress & calculations all evening - I've decided to have some relaxing down time & to browse through pretty shoes to make myself feel better!

My favourite's at the minute are super high platforms or wedges in nudes, tans and blacks, perfect for wearing with skirts, dresses, jeans or shorts - shoes need to be multifunctional or else it's not worth splashing out in my opinion.

I've put together a list of my top 5 shoes at the minute: High Street & Designer. Let me know if you like them, if you agree or disagree with the order they're in, or if you have any favourites that I may have overlooked. If I can afford to buy one of the High Street pairs in the next 3 months I'll be delighted! And the designer pairs will be mine one day...even if I have to sell my car to get them ha ;)

PS. Topshop's new shoe collection is absolutely amazing...

High Street

1. TopShop: Willow Stripy Wedges in Off White (Image above)

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&langId=-1&storeId=12556&catalogId=33057&parent_category_rn=208542&categoryId=209958&productId=1848397

2. Next: Mink Platform Court Shoes

http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/women/shoesandboots/39/1?extra=sch&n=women&pid=706-928&exclude=00E00|00ED00&returnurl=/shop/attheel-heel-gattgender-women-cat-shoes-cat-boots-0%3fx%3d1%26nxti%3d0%26nxtv%3d0&bct=%26quot;Shop%20By%20Product%26quot;%26nbsp;%26gt;%26nbsp;Heel%26nbsp;%26gt;%26nbsp;Women%26nbsp;%26gt;%26nbsp;Shoes%26nbsp;%26gt;%26nbsp;Boots

3. River Island: Platform Caged Sandal in Black

http://xml.riverisland.com/flash/content.php Women: Footwear: heels/wedges/clogs Item 17

4. TopShop: Wisteria Chiffon Tie Wedges in Black

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&categoryId=209958&parent_category_rn=208542&productId=1637870&langId=-1

5. TopShop: Pancho Cut-Out Peep Toe Sandals in Tan

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=true&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&categoryId=209958&parent_category_rn=208542&productId=1827673&langId=-1

Designer

1. Brian Atwood: Farrah

http://www.brianatwood.com/collection/index.html

2. Christian Louboutin: Fortita in Black Silk with Black Lace

http://www.christianlouboutin.com/#/the_collection/Spring%20Summer%202010

3. Jimmy Choo: Aston in Powder

http://www.jimmychoo.com/sandals/aston/invt/104astonnap/

4. YvesSaintLaurent: 105mm Sandal Gold Metallic Leather

http://ysl.com/us/en/index.aspx Collections: Women: Accessories: Shoes

5. Christian Louboutin: Studio in Black Leather and Silver Studs

http://www.christianlouboutin.com/#/the_collection/Spring%20Summer%202010

Rachel xxx

Choosing a PhD

After your undergraduate course finishes, it can be tough to decide where you want to go next. I decided to carry on studying with a PhD, but there are plenty of other options. I graduated from University College Dublin in 2007 with an honours degree in Biochemistry, my class was quite small, and out of the 14 of us, over half decided to do PhDs. Other options are further study in another area e.g. a Masters in Business, teaching, working in industry etc.

If you're contemplating a PhD, this is my advice to you: make sure you have a passion for science & research, it's not an easy road but it's well worth it if you give it your all.

I was given some fantastic advice when I was trying to decide where to do a PhD and in which area of research, here's an overview of what you should look for:

1. PubMed the PI and others in the lab. It's vital to join a lab that are publishing, and publishing high quality research in good journals.

2. Make sure there are at least 2 or 3 active PostDocs in the lab-they can help you with all of your experiments, they know the ropes & can give you brilliant advice which will save you a lot of time when it comes to optimising things.

3. Look for a lab affiliated with a good institution or university, try to find out the funding body and ask lots of questions-will the grant cover me for 3 or 4 years, will there be opportunities to travel to conferences etc.

4. Try to get paid as much as you possibly can; a PhD is tough going, long hours, repeating experiments over and over to try to get them to work, a lot of the time having no results and having to persevere-which can be quite tough on your spirit. Working a huge amount of hours every week for less than minimum wage may seem like a huge no no for some, but it is worthwhile, the creative freedom and opportunities academia afford you are brilliant. Just ask about salary and see what they can offer you.

5. Don't be blinded by keywords e.g. cancer research; ask what techniques will be used and what access will you have to other labs, patient samples and equipment etc. It's a necessity to become a well-rounded scientist who can apply themselves to many tasks in any area, therefore you don't want to be doing the same thing over and over for 4 years-ask if there's room for manoeuvre and who your potential collaborators will be. Develop your repertoire of techniques and experiments, this will enable you to work in any lab anywhere in the world. Your PhD is training to be an independent scientist, therefore approach ideas simply, cover all your bases and work from the bottom up, ticking all the boxes as you go.

A PhD isn't easy, but it's enjoyable, hugely rewarding, exciting and each day is different from the one before, you're solving problems logically each day and helping the world to understand how we all fundamentally work...and at the end of it all, I get to call myself Dr. Rachel...what more could you want, right?! ;)

If anyone has any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Rachel xxx

Strawberrynet

As well as fashion (and science) I absolutely love make up and using different skin care products to maintain my skin. My favourite brands are Dermalogica for skin care, and MAC, Benefit, Philosophy & Barry M for make up. Strawberrynet has amazing offers & discounts on premium make up & skincare brands. Warning: You will not be able to visit this site without purchasing at least 3 things!

The fragrances are wonderful too, and are at such reasonable prices, I promise you'll find value for money. I'm currently wearing Lola by Marc Jacobs. I also love Calvin Klein In 2 U and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb is another of my favourites.

Finally they have every hair care product you could imagine-too many to list my favourites!

With the improved pricing & delivery service, it's the only place to shop online for hair and beauty products.

www.strawberrynet.com

Rachel xxx

Mulberry's Amazing Handbag Collection

Looking through Look Magazine this week...my favourite page has to be ALL THE DRESSES from the Mulberry party in LA, everyone looks amazing, I wish I could fill my wardrobe with Mulberry pieces! Dresses, skirts, tops; everything made with beautiful luxe fabrics and in flattering understated colours. And as for the new it handbag 'The Neely', well I haven't gotten over my lust for 'The Alexa' or 'The Lily' yet...right now I'd settle for any of the above! A girl can dream...

Rachel xxx

PS I have the links attached for my favourite handbags on the Mulberry site below.

http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5484/4299/category/ -Alexa Handbag

http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5484/4782/category/ -Lily Handbag

http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5484/4776/category/ -Neely Handbag

Travelling to work in a different Lab

I'm off to Amsterdam this Sunday to work in another lab for a week as part of a collaboration study. I'm really looking forward to it now, I've never been to Amsterdam and it's always great to get experience and see how things work in a different environment outside of the one you're used to.

I'll be there for the world cup final on Sunday evening, how cool is that?! The atmosphere in the whole city will be electric to say the least. Come on Holland!

Now I've just gotta get my presentation sorted (have to give a 30 minute overview of my work to the lab group). But I also have to pack. Hmm which shall I do first?! Priorities...

Urban Outfitters Sale

I'm not a huge fan of sale shopping as it's usually too crowded & manic, but I absolutely love a bargain!
The Urban Outfitters sale is fantastic-so many fabulous things reduced to at least half price, if not further.
I got 2 cardigans today-both draped and lose; one a pale grey & the other a black leopard print. I also got a beautiful blue/purple/grey long chiffon blouse for €24.99 which I can't wait to wear out this weekend-I'm thinking of teaming it with dark denim shorts & huge tan chunky heels (weather permitting of course)!
My best find of the day, however, was a gorgeous navy waist belt with a lovely big gold clasp on the front...for €7! Waist belts are my absolute favourite accessory, they can totally change an outfit and are super flattering.
Let me know if you've gotten any great deals in the sales, and get yourself down to Urban Outfitters pronto, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Rachel xxx

My favourite magazine

http://www.look.co.uk/

Love this magazine for celebrity gossip & fashion tips.

Let know your favourites!