Mod Love: all the single ladies

Are you dreading spending February 14th alone or even worse still, curled up on the couch watching "The Holiday", seventh time around, and wishing you were Cameron Diaz? Are your best friends are all hooked up, and out with their other halves being wined and dined?

Fear not, there is still time. Over a year ago, I was paddlin that boat. So, here's (in brief) what I did.
I joined an internet dating site.

Now, before you scoff at it as I first did - and think, I'm not that desperate - there was method in my madness. First of all, where else can you sift through thousands - and I mean thousands of eligible ( I use this word loosely) men, all SINGLE and find the man of your dreams? Again, a loose term as you will soon find out. Internet dating is a whole new ball game, one we will discuss another day. 

As for today, all I want is to empower you to just put yourself out there, just as I did and go for it. Do it now, right now,  cyber wink, text him, message him on Facebook, walk right up to him and ask him out !

Or....
take the plunge and hit the dating sites. There are so many to choose from, so a bit of research is advised. The main ones are free to join so even if you are a little shy at first, it costs nothing to go online for a look! You will be up and running in no time.

However you do it, wherever you do it, make sure you come back and tell me all about it in the comment box below. I'll be waiting. 

If not, The Holiday is a cracking film and Jude Law is a perfect date in my eyes!

Image credit: 1.Tea Shafie flickr 2. Unknown

Mod Gift Guide: what she really wants for Valentines

Forget the flowers, surprise her with some heart shaped balloons. Deliver them to her office, or fill the house with them for an unexpected surprise.

Make her something nice. If you are planning to cook , add some sweet heart-shaped roast potatoes as a special side.

Go retro and bring back the mix-tape. Order one of these USB mix-tapes (they really exist) filled with all her favourite smoochy love songs.

You cannot go wrong with cup-cakes. Buy them, make them, or even better, get her a voucher for her favourite bakery too, so she can pop in for more on her lunch-break.

A personalised print like this one from Coulson Macleod. Each piece is individually handmade in the U.K. Check out their Top Ten Designs for Valentines Day. You can have your print personalised by adding the name of your Valentine, a quote or line from a favourite song or poem.

Love her iPhone as much as she does, and get her one of these cute covers from Marc Jacobs.

Breakfast in bed in a cute vintage tea-set. Check e-bay and order today or pop into your local charity shop.

Don't forget a cute card. Bonus points for adding a lovely love-note.

For the busy mamas, Peace and Quiet. Organise a day just for her. Splurge on a spa-day, a voucher for her trusted beautician or hairstylist, or just take the kids away and allow her a day to herself. Remember, this means dressing and feeding kids, and whisking them away early so she can get ready and eat breakfast in peace, and under no circumstances call her to ask if she will be back in time to make dinner.

(P.S. Don't forget to send him the link or casually leave this page open somewhere he can see.)

Coming soon: a Mod Mob gift-guide for the guys.

Mod Travel:romantic hot-spots

What could be more romantic than a last minute weekend getaway. I have hand-picked two of my all time favourites for you and your Valentine. First up, beautiful Bruges.

Steeped in several centuries of history, the city of Bruges is a magical feast for the eyes. Lined with cobbled streets, buildings bursting with character and a maize of canals and bridges, plus this small city is home to numerous bars and restaurants. What more could you ask for.

Belgium is famous for it's extensive selection of fine beers, delicious chocolate and did I mention the shopping ? The market place in the centre is a great place to start a walking tour and soak up the atmosphere. The Belfry tower stands tall here and you can catch a horse and carriage ride from right outside.

Travel Tip: I enjoyed talking the Eurostar from London. Breakfast included, so we arrived refreshed and ready for a cold Duvel.

Travel Must: When we arrived we hired a bike for two days, which costs around 12 euro per day. It is the best way to avoid the crowds and explore the city along the banks of the canals.

Hidden Gem: Open since 1915. Cafe Vlissinghe. (It really is hidden!) After a long breezy afternoon, this was a perfect pit stop for lunch. The bike ride home was interesting after sampling some of the local Brugse Zot beer.

What to wear ? Take inspiration from this Belgian fashion blogger.

Must Have: Romantic Street Map of Bruges from theydrawandtravel.com

If I could beam myself anywhere for Valentines weekend it would be here.

What about you ? 

Where would you love to getaway to ?

Image credit: 1, 2,4. My own shots. 3. Inbruges.co.uk
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Have a beautiful weekend

Have a beautiful weekend everyone. Do you have exciting plans ? Emma is jetting off with her love to the gorgeous Alpe D'Huez in France to hit the slopes. I'm sure there will be plenty of stolen kisses on the chair-lift and lot's of snuggling during apres-ski. I am also planning to hit the slopes here in New England, however, I will be joining the ski-mice on the local junior slope for my first lesson. I am already pitying my poor posterior. 

Thank you all so much for your support so far. We have had lots of fun this week, and are looking forward to checking in with you all on Monday for the first of our Valentine travel specials from Emma.

Keeping in line with our Valentines theme, here is a fun link from Lovehearts to play around with over the weekend. It even has a love meter.....

see you soon,


Emma and Brenda x




Image credit:unknown via Pinterest

Mod Home: string lights

I'm a sucker for string lights. I love the dreamy glow they give a room at night, and it pains me to take them down after the holidays. If I had my way, they would be a permanent fixture in our home. 

For Valentines night, what about hanging them in the bedroom, kitchen, or anywhere around the house if you plan on staying in. This article from Apartment Therapy explains how to do it right, to create a magical atmosphere.

Cheap....yes. Tacky.....maybe. Romantic.....
what do you think ?

Image credits: 1. Wedding Sparkle 2. 16 House 3., 4. Apartment Therapy 

Love Mod Mob

Welcome to Mod Mob. We are so glad you are here, and that we are finally ready to reveal our little labor of love to our friends on Facebook the world. We are launching Mod Mob just in time for Valentine's Day and we have painstakingly researched and compiled a whole two weeks worth of love- themed posts, guaranteed to make you swoon. From now until February 14th, this is the place to be for all things Valentine.

So whats it all about ?

Well, we have been missing each other, Em and I. That pond has a nasty habit of getting in the way of our drunken nights out together, mind you (ahem), age may have a little something to do with that too, but early one morning on a Facebook chat, we had a real light-bulb-moment. Lets start a blog ! 

I have been blogging away over at 3 Irish boys for ages now, and Emma had a brief fling with blogging until the delete blog button accidentally and abruptly put a stop to that. So here we are together again in a very 21st century way at Mod Mob. It's just for fun, a way to stay connected, and rather than getting the knitting needles out, a nice new past-time for the thirty-something girl.

(vintage knitting -flickr)

From Mod Mob, you can expect some regular features such as mommy, foodie, travel, design, and relationship stuff. Emma will be sharing her insider expert knowledge of the travel world and is prepping to dish the dirt on her dating experiences, after suddenly finding herself single at 30. I have been harboring a six-year addiction to design and food blogs, and am bursting to share an extensive collection of recipes and favourite occasional chairs and cushions. After that, whatever's on our minds or takes our fancy. We do want you to join in, we do not take it too seriously, but we are passionate about our passions, and promise to do our best to keep you comin back.

So spread the love, and love Mod Mob this Valentines season. Share us with your friends, like us on Facebook, or sign up to follow the blog via e-mail, or become a face on the page follower. That's it, you are excused for now, but make sure to check in tomorrow for the first of our Valentines- post-fest.

Ciao for now,

Emma and Brenda.