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Friday 31 May 2013

This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been...

This week us Mice have been adjusting and settling back into our normal daily routines after I shook things up last week by visiting Hong Kong for work and a little sister reunion! You'll be pleased to hear I had a cracking time and am going to share some of my adventures over the coming weeks starting with some of my shopping purchases below. Aside from missing HK Mouse and spending time catching up with Mini Mouse on all that I've missed out on in London, this week the Mice having mostly been...

Seeing sparkles thanks to Callixto, a jewellery brand boasting serious originality and flair. When visiting Hong Kong, Natalie and I stumbled across Icon, a cute little boutique store on Hollywood Road which was full to the brim of gorgeous clothes, bags and my favourite, jewellery. The Callixto jewels caught my eye straight away which is fitting considering the Greek meaning for Callixto is "most beautiful" and that they certainly are... 


Image via www.hk.lifestyleasia.com

Image via www.localiiz.com

Set up by Sasha Dennig, each and every piece in the range is sourced from far-flung places, with a focus on craftsmanship and great design. The brand represents Sasha's passion for travel, jewellery and all of the treasures she finds during her adventures visiting new places. There's something so lovely in the thought that each design has it's own unique story, so lovely that I just had to snap one up for myself! I opted for the below classic blue topaz solitaire ring set within a silver gold plated band - a lasting memory of the Hong Kong fun I had with the best big sister any girl could ask for...
 
 
Smiles all round thanks to Dylan Kendall's happy feet homeware. The next stop on our Hong Kong shopping spree was The 9th Muse and this is where I spied the Efeet collection basically homeware with feet... The whimsical design of the pieces can't fail to bring a smile to your face, which is why I bought one immediately for Mini Mouse. I don't know anyone else as obsessed as she is with cups of tea and novelty products - all in all a perfect pressie for the baby of the family...
 

The EFeet range boasts much more than just mugs, it extends to salt & pepper shakers, bowls, milk jugs, soap dish and candle holders - all with cuter than cute feet!


Images via www.redesignrevolution.bluelink1.wpengine.com

Itching to get our Mouse paws on the third Bridget Jones book which has been announced this week. Entitled 'Mad About The Boy' the book is set to go on sale on 10th October 2013 - 131 days and counting! The novel promises to move with the 'social' times and will see Bridget obsessed with the likes of Twitter and Facebook and she even gives internet dating a whirl! As the book title suggests Bridge is still very much the thirtysomething single woman who we all fell in love with 14 years ago when Helen Fielding's first book, 'Bridget Jones' Diary' was published. The only difference is she's a modern socially savvy woman and isn't afraid to admit it! 
 
 
In celebration of this oh so exciting news we've collated our top 3 favourite Bridget Jones quotes of which are guaranteed to make you smile and have you as excited as we are for the pending third novel...

'The only two men I will ever need, go by the names of Ben and Jerry'

'Find sensible boyfriend to go out with and not continue to form romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitment phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits or perverts'

'This is an occasion for genuinely tiny knickers'
 
Long live Bridget Jones!
 
As always, i'll leave you with a final Friday thought. The weekends to some are all about drinking, sleeping, socialising or maybe detoxing. For me they are all about...
 

Happy Friday all! May Saturday and Sunday be full of delicious weekend toast for everyone!
 
x
 
Thursday 30 May 2013

Seaside Girly Getaway : Lyme Regis

Everyone needs a home away from home and for a weekend in chilly December this charming little cottage in Lyme Regis offered us girls just the ticket...



Treating myself to a half day Friday, I caught a train to the sleepy costal town with my gorgeous school girlies - G&T's and M&S prawn dippers in hand to keep us going! We arrived early afternoon and let ourselves into our home for the next three days. We had organised the weekend in celebration of our good friend Kim's birthday so we had lots of secret squirrel decorating, cooking and baking to get on with. Kim was travelling up separately so we had a few hours to get the house into ship shape bday condition! That was made easy by the house offering everything we could possibly want and need - a spacious kitchen with a dining room table, a cosy lounge complete with a fire, two bedrooms and a sofa bed meaning everyone could sleep in comfort. 

The plan for the first night was to cook up a birthday storm to wow Kim on her arrival and that we did. To start we whipped up scallops with chorizo and pea puree. For main course we went for our failsafe favourite - Jamie Oliver meatballs with mozzarella and scummy homemade tomato sauce. To finish we made Nigella's larger than life chocolate Guinness cake. We had also snapped up a magnum of Moet champagne to toast the birthday girl and her 28th year!




Happily stuffed and champagne fuzzy, we settled in for a night of booze fuelled games and girly chit chat - the perfect Friday evening to start our lovely seaside weekend!

Saturday morning arrived all too quickly after stealing a few hours sleep. Up we jumped (or rolled, head in hands) and pulled on our outfits ready for the next chapter of our Lyme Regis adventure...
 

To clear our heads we opted for a brisk walk along the seafront, hand in hand we happily moseyed on down to where crowds were forming and some action was quite clearly happening ... it was only the annual Christmas pudding race! We were met with locals dressed in Christmas fancy dress racing each other egg and spoon style with the egg replaced with a Christmas pud - genius! 



 
After our festive seaside fun and frolics, we were all left with rumbling tummies and a urge for some afternoon booze so off we trotted to Hix Oyster & Fish House. I had been super excited to check out this much-hyped seaside delight for a while - any restaurant of Mark Hix's is guaranteed to be an experience if Tramshed is anything to go by. 
 
 
First thing to note is Hix is perched in prime position high up looking back at the picturesque coast. The restaurant sits loud and proud in the form of a wood and glass shack-like greenhouse - seaside chic through and through! Up we trekked following a winding pathway looking back at the stunning view below as we went...
 
 
Upon entering the space, I was struck by the plain and simple intertior. Not flashy in the least but light and airy with a few standout touches like the floor to ceiling windows wrapped around the front of the restaurant offering stunning panoramic views and the oak ceiling beams dressed with a seagull and neon art installation. Nothing groundbreaking but it didn't need to be - the views and food are the main selling points of this restaurant as far as i'm concerned so why meddle with the other details and detract from that?
 


Next up - the food! I had read reviews and heard grumblings from locals that the restaurant was overpriced for what it was. In reality, yes, if you were a local the prices would shock you in comparison to what you'll pay elsewhere but for an out of towner who knows the Hix empire well I didn't find this at all. We started off by ordering a round of Brownsea Island rock oysters with a side of Champagne! The oyster shells came loaded with shallots and vinegar and were quite simply delish...
 

 
The scrummy food didn't stop there - we stocked up on starters and mains and had a taster of each dish! My favourites had to be the Lyme Bay fish soup and the fish house pie - no fuss comfort food but oh so tasty!

 
 
I also learnt that the late celebrity TV chef, Keith Floyd, had his last meal at this very restaurant. The below handwritten note from the chef graced one of the wooden pillars within the restaurant - sad but a lasting reminder of Keith's last super...

 
We rounded off our girly afternoon with a trip out to the restaurant's outside decking area where we captured shots of a beautiful double rainbow stretched out before our eyes - the perfect backdrop to end our perfect day! 
 

Hix Oyster & Fish House
Cobb Road
Lyme Regis 
DT7 
01297 446910
 
Suitably full AGAIN we walked home to our sweet little cottage and settled in for a cosy night by the fire with red wine, cheese and our film of choice, 'Magic Mike' - utter perfection! 
 
Before we knew it, Sunday had rolled on in bringing us to our final day together in this charming seaside town - sad faces all round. We decided to push that thought to the back of our minds, and make the most of the last few hours we had left. Before we could think straight we needed to fill our hungry tummies again so off we headed to The Town Mill Bakery. Pure organic gorgeousness in every sense, it's slogan sets the tone perfectly ... 'a place to gather' - my most perfect home away from home that's for sure!  

Full to the brim of feel good unfussy charm, this bakery knows what is it and isn't afraid to say NO which sets it apart from others in the area. A few examples include ... they ONLY make bread the old fashioned way, they don't serve Coca Cola but instead fresh apple juice because there is an apple orchard closeby, they don't sell marmalade only local jams and will continue to do so until oranges are grown in this country. Fierce in its conviction yet sweet in its reasoning.  



The space is open plan, decked out with long wooden benches lined up inviting everyone to sit down and enjoy fresh food together family-style. It's very much about helping yourself ... grab a soup bowl and ladle out pipping hot homemade soup, load your wooden board up with fresh bread, butter and jam galore or indulge in a giant slice of buttery apple pie! Whatever floats your hungry hippo boat. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
The place is oozing with character - Shipton Mill flour sacks grace the kitchen floors and origami bird decorations strung from the ceiling... 
 


While away the time by chatting to friends, staff and other customers or flick through the weekend supplements and sit back and watch the bakers hard at work in the kitchen lovingly preparing your grub! 
 
Within the bakery they have a little shop too which sells only what they have made as a business, usually left overs from what they've made too much of that day. They're no sell-outs either - they don't supply their produce to any other retailer or business as feel that would be a move over to the dark side. Another aspect I love about this little set-up.  


The Town Mill Bakery
Coombe Street
Lyme Regis
Dorset
DT7
01297 444035

Next on the agenda - a spot of shopping at Ginger Beer. This little gem brings together a mish mash of eclectic vintage and modern contemporary items offering something for everyone. The majority of the items stocked are made from natural materials and the vintage goods are sourced from all over Britain and Europe. I had my eye on a gorgeous croquet set which was from the Edwardian era but reasoned with myself upon reflection that the rainy British weather doesn't often lend itself to a spot croquet...! 
 

Ginger Beer
12 Broad Street
Lyme Regis
Dorest
DT7 3QD
01297 444443
 
Last but not least we rounded off our Sunday morning with another stroll along the seafront breathing in as much seaside air as our lungs could take! A super weekend with super friends, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of grimy London. Go! Now! Everyone needs Lyme in their life!
 





Wednesday 29 May 2013

If You Like It Then You Should Have Put A Pin In It...

We're Three Bad Mice, and we have a confession to make... we're Pinaholics!

If you suspect that you may be too, take this short quiz to find out the truth...

1. Do you lose time from work due to pinning?
2. When you wake up in the morning do you have an instant urge to pin?
3. Have you ever had large blocks of time pass in a blur as a result of pinning?
4. Do you pin to escape from worries or troubles?
5. Do you pin alone?

Answered yes to two or more of these questions? Welcome to the club! You have a Pinterest addiction bordering on the obsessive...  

Answered no to all of the above? Or even (whisper it) haven't even heard of Pinterest before? 

What is wrong with you??? 

Seriously, you need to get yourself over to Pinterest and sign up immediately!

Pinterest has just kicked off its Pin It Forward UK Campaign - a month long chain of posts from 300 bloggers preaching about the joys of pinning in a bid to convert as many non-pinners as possible... So here's our love letter to our favourite way to while away every last spare second (and more than a few non-spare seconds when we should really be blogging/doing chores/working)...

For the uninitiated, Pinterest is basically a fabtastically amazing, virtual scrapbook. Use it to compile your summer wardrobe shopping list; use it to keep you motivated to get your lazy butt into the gym every morning; or just use it to gather together anything and everything that's pretty, glittery or unicorn related...  

We've been Pinterest obsessed for far too long! We blogged about it last year and since then our love has gone from strength to strength. We now have a board where we pin mouthwatering things we want to eat, a board where we pin far flung places on our travel to do list and a board where we pin photographs that make us want to grab our SLRs and get snap happy...


But by far our favourite, is our 3BM Words board. This is where we pin quotes, typography and random musings that inspire us, make us laugh or just make even the darkest, greyest days a bit more sparkly. So, just in case today is ranking a little on the drab side for you, here are a handful of our word pins that'll hopefully give you a bit of much needed bounce...






 

 



Fancy joining in the fun? Head over to Pinterest and sign up here.

Lastly, thank you to the very lovely Charlotte of The Tea Drinking English Rose for the super sweet Pin It Forward introduction yesterday. 

And now it's our total pleasure to introduce tomorrow's Pin It Forward blogger, fitness goddess, Julia, of the awesome Julia's Fitness Blog. Hop over to her Pinterest profile for some serious fitspiration!

Happy Pinning!
x
The Mice 

Tuesday 28 May 2013

3BM's Summer '13 ESSENTIALS...

The bank holiday has whizzed by and somehow we're already back at work slaving away... to make it all worse, it's a long month, so it feels like years since we last had that payday buzz and scrimping and saving has well and truly set in! 

Whenever I have no money I constantly see beautiful, beautiful things... whenever I walk past a shop, flick through a magazine or browse a blog, there they are... beautiful, beautiful things... This month has been no different, so to make sure I don't forget my lust list and in an attempt to bring you down with me, I though I'd share my current collection of everything we all NEED in our life and wardrobe this summer!


1.
Charlotte Olympia's Cosmic Collection is a new capsule range of birthday shoes and clutches, representing each one of the zodiac signs. The shoes are cute little suede pumps each in a different colour for each sign, with a love heart front emblazoned with the relevant symbol. The other prong to this awesome little collection are the perspex box clutch. Got your zodiac pumps? How about snapping up the matching simple rectangular clutch with the your birth symbol on the front...classy yet super fun! What better Birthday present for your bestie? And if we're self gifting (why not?) it would definitely be rude not to snap up both!



Leo Pumps, £495
Image via www.charlotteolympia.com
 
Virgo Clutch Box, £695
Image via www.charlotteolympia.com
 
Taurus Pumps, £495
Image via www.charlotteolympia.com
 
2. Balenciaga Knuckle Rings are my total heaven, worn on every finger creating a layered effect...chunky yet still pretty! I am head over heals in LOVE! I have scoured the Internet to see who sells these beauties online, but I think the only way for us to get our mitts on them is to purchase in a Balenciaga store, prices start from $245.

Image via http://2.bp.blogspot.com/

3. Topaz Prada Cat Eye Sunglasses, fabulously retro and ridiculously bling, there's nothing not to like about these babies! These quirky cat's eye shaped Prada sunglasses comes with a dusting of Topaz stones in both tortoise shell and black...my number one essential for Summer '13!

Image via www.johnlewis.com, £325

4. Dinny Hall 22k gold Vermeil Tusk Cuff, I love its simplicity and versatility - wear it loose and jangly as a wrist cuff or push it on up as upper arm adornment. I can imagine this looking beautiful against sun kissed skin with a floaty white summer dress but just as good with an edgier backdrop of ripped denim shorts and a simple vest! Another Summer essential...there are just TOO many!

Image via www.dinnyhall.com, £220

5. Chanel Espadrilles have to be the best creation ever, comfy, cool but also ridiculously chic. We've seen holiday souvenir espadrilles come and go in the past, but these beauties are definitely here to stay...beautiful is an understatement. You can't buy them on line but bag yours at your nearest Chanel store, for circa US$400.

Image via https://lh3.googleusercontent.com

Image via www.todayimwearing.com

Image via www.lolitaabrahamfashion.com

Image via www.lolitaabrahamfashion.com
 
6. Hipanema Bracelets are the definition of cool! Brought to us by two French girls who met while backpacking in Brazil, these stunning pieces take inspiration from all the colours they saw on their travels. If you've ever despaired at your inability to stack your wrist, this is the answer to all your bracelet prayers! Brazilian glamour without the pain of putting each piece on every day - instead of tying on individual pieces, these bracelets are joined together by a super simple golden magnetic clasp! One hundred percent Ibiza chic guaranteed to add fun to any outfit!
 

Image via http://m.notonthehighstreet.com
Can be purchased via Hipanema website, €85

To fund all these I need to win a small fortune (and possible a trip to Paris and New York as they're not all available online), but I'll be an extra good Mouse if I can have just have one, 
pretty please...?!