This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been...

Micettes - I have major news ... It's only frickin Friday again...

Let the champagne corks fly and the dream of weekend lie-ins commence - my two most favourite things!

So this week has been a bit of a balancing act - too much work to get through paired with too much social temptation ... so we did the only thing we could do and burnt the candle at both ends! We worked like billy-o by day and drank like billy-o by night. As always we also managed to make time for a spot of beauty maintenance and fashion purchasing. So without further ado, This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been...

Treating our talons to a touch of shellac sparkle! Some of you will know that we're shellac addicts through and through ... two whole weeks of non-chip, super shiny nails is enough to turn any girl riggggggght?! The Mice are super tight with the NYK1 team (see our full review of their shellac starter kit here) and we're lucky enough to be gifted new season colours every now and then - latest additions to our line-up include fire engine red and cutie-pie coral. This time round we were also treated to a set of 12 spangle glitter pots so we could put our nail art creative skills to the test and that we did! You’ll be happy to hear we didn’t go cra cra and embellish every nail, instead we selected each ring finger and dressed them up to the glitter nines! Subtle sparkle is definitely the way forward...

Giving into shoe-temptation and flexing our credit cards as far as they will go! Do you remember last week, we shared our latest shoe obsessions? See here if you missed it. Anyway, for HK mouse it was Sophia Webster's J Crew holiday shoe collection and for me it was Valentino's Rockstud ankle boots. Well i'm happy to share the fairy shoemother AKA fairy MasterCard worked her magic and HK and middle mouse lived happily ever after...

 Here's a snap of us both rocking our new found loves...

You know what they say...

Or is that just what we say?!!!

Regardless ... that's it for another week. Have a fantabulous weekend and...

Lots of Love

The Mice

xxx

3BM Christmas Gift Guide: Luxe Pampering

Following Hong Kong Mouse's festive start to the week yesterday, I thought I'd stick with the 'Holidays are coming' theme and share my pamper gift guide!

There's nothing nicer than receiving a gorgeous gift set of indulgent products to spoil yourself with at Christmas. I always think that a great present is the sort of thing that you wouldn't buy for yourself, something that's a real treat. When I was growing up it was ALL about Body Shop gift sets - going back to school in January I was pretty much a walking Dewberry, with the odd day of White Musk thrown into the mix! Nowadays I'm partial to gift sets with a little more of the luxe factor and there are lots to choose from out there - see my pick of the best below...

The White Company - White Lavender Cracker Gift Set - £25

Presented beautifully in a crisp white cracker shell with lilac tie bows at either end, this is the ultimate Christmas cracker in my opinion! And the luxe doesn't stop at the packaging, this little crackerjack is concealing some serious beauty bang - a cuter than cute mini candle, thick body lotion and a sweet smelling shower gel. The added bonus is that there's no need to wrap the little beauty as it would look super pretty sitting underneath the Christmas tree or even nestling proudly in between your knife and fork at the table on Christmas Day...

 

True Grace - Christmas Noel Home Scent - £20

Twinkling fairy lights, advent calendars and festive carols all add to the Christmassy cheer throughout December, but what about the smell of Christmas? Don't waste time and energy trying to conjure up that festive fragrance naturally because I know a brand that has captured it and bottled it... True Grace! The True Grace Christmas Noel Home Scent is a scrumptious concoction of pine, cedarwood and amber - a single spritz and we guarantee you'll feel as though you've been transported to a snowy corner of lapland... All I can say is how did I not know about this festive little secret earlier?!

ESPA - Sleep Couture Gift Set - £55

I'm a bath baby through and through - I have one almost every night before bed and it's near impossible to coax me out once I'm submerged! Now there's abslutely no hope thanks to ESPA - this indulgent box of sleep-inducing goodies boasts a soothing bath oil, body oil, aromatic spray and scented candle all laced with Sandalwood, Frankincense and Rose Geranium. Simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G...

 

Now you just need to decide who's on the nice list this year and get gifting (probably also not a bad idea to subtly leave this window open as a little hint for passing friends, family and colleagues...)

London's Beauty Pitstop: Cucumba

Whilst the rain pelted down this weekend, Middle Mouse and I knew there was only one thing for it...a nice relaxing massage to drift away to thoughts of sun, beaches and cocktails! Basically exactly what HK Mouse was up to on her long weekend off - she even sent us picture evidence just in case we didn't believe her...!

There are so many beauty salons in London that it actually makes it harder to pick, as always give a girl more than two options and you're in for some trouble! I love the super relaxing Sanctuary Spa however this definitely works more as a day out than a quick weekend pit stop; the Cowshed salons across London are once again luxury to the max however be prepared to flex that MasterCard and similarly treatments at The Berkeley Hotel are every bit as extravagant and stylish as the iconic hotel itself! It's safe to say it's not hard to find luxury beauty in London but it's tricky to find some that doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

If, like me, you aren't quite at the stage where amputation is acceptable, then check out our new urban beauty gem, Cucumba! 

Located on Poland Street just a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus underground, it couldn't be handier whether it be a post work stress release, a reward at the end of a very tough shopping trip or a convenient way to incorporate beauty maintenance with a girlie catch up! 

They cover everything from waxing, massages, manicures, pedicures, facials, eyebrows and even nail art, tanning and lashes! Their treatments are split into categories all based on duration, starting from £9.50 Under 10 minute 'Top-Ups', £14 10 minutes 'Quick Fixes', £23.50 20 minute 'Pitstops', £33.50 30 minute 'Cucumba', £48 45 minutes 'Deluxe' to £65 60 minute 'Supadupa'. The pricing is fantastic value for London and the fab location makes popping in a convenience rather than a labour. 

The ambience in the salon is friendly and upbeat with Ibiza chill out soundtracks humming in the background. In terms of decor we aren't talking ultimate luxury, more urban chic meets paired back simplicity. We both opted for the 30 minute back, neck and shoulder massage and left feeling fully relaxed and ready to face Oxford Circus whilst dropping that impatient, frustrated 'Londoner on a mission' approach! Be aware this only lasts the remainder of the afternoon, they aren't magicians after all!! 

Cucumba

12 Poland Street

London

W1F 8QB

+44 20 7734 2020

Hen-Tastic House...

Feeling like you need a break but can't afford an expensive hotel and flights abroad? Fear not we have another addition to 3BM's little black book of UK getaways! We've blogged about our top 4 tried and tested properties, written a Mice Advice for unusual escapes, had a guest post on a Scottish retreat and today we bring you a review of the perfect country hideaway for large groups/parties. Believe me, finding a house to rent for more than eight people, not too far from London that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is a challenge!  

The task in hand was to organise a hen weekend for one of my best friends along with her two sisters. We were given clear instructions that it had to be close to Suffolk and not too far from London, sleep a guest list of nineteen and the weekend had to entail some surprises! The hen was swiftly taken off of all emails (much to her annoyance) and off to work we went!  

After weeks of searching, discounting hundreds of options for being located in Devon, Scotland and locations too far afield, and falling in love many times, only to be disappointed when we discovered our dream holiday houses would completely blow our budget, we got within spitting distance of another only to have it snatched away at the last minute by another party! When we were just about ready to throw in the towel, one of the Hen's sisters struck gold...Scaldbeck House. 

This beautiful home is set in Morston in Norfolk, a two hour drive from London, less so from Suffolk and a short hop, skip and a jump from the coast. With nine bedrooms, a separate out house (AKA the perfect party house!!) and beautiful interiors, it seemed to be ticking all the boxes. I immediately sent an email to the owner, and waited with bated breath, praying our dates were free and we could all afford to stay...thankfully my prayers were answered and before I knew it, I had us all booked in!

A few months later and we were pulling up to the beautiful residence with a super fun-filled weekend ahead of us. The owner, James, and his wife popped in to see us, explained the BBQ and a few key essentials for the weekend and very kindly left us a scrumptious home-baked lemon drizzle cake and a welcome hamper. We were then left to our own devices with lots of exploring in the 9 amazing bedrooms and wowed by the number of fridges, dishwashers and toasters one house could hold!  

A Sainsburys delivery, some bunting hanging and lots of BBQ marinading later, we were eagerly awaiting our guests' arrival in the outside courtyard, catching some glorious rays with a few glasses of cava! 

The next morning we thought a large plate of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and bucks fizz would ease the hazy heads in the largest of our dining rooms! Although the table didn't seat eighteen we made it work no problem....again there is no shortage of chairs in this house! If that didn't do the trick then the arrival of two beauticians from the local salon Beauty-Next-the-Sea certainly did!

Bang on time, the girls arrived and set up in the out house - they had thought of everything...massage tables, towels, blankets, assortment of oils to pick from, every nail colour you could wish for, relaxing music and they'd even drawn up a timetable so we knew when to drop by for our pampering slot. The girls were lovely, still friendly and bubbly even after four hours of repetitive treatments and very understanding to a few last minute tweaks in the schedule - a bride's prerogative! They were also an absolute steal with an OPI manicure costing £10, a back massage £19 and an Elemis facial £25!

As we each had our thirty minutes of pure relaxation, us bridesmaids and some helpers were busy preparing an afternoon tea fit for a queen!  

Before you could say Vera Wang, our chef for the night Will Going had arrived (flowers for the table and all) with his waitress Geanette. I would definitely say that hiring a personal chef is a must for anyone organising a weekend for a large group, as it takes the stress and panic out of at least one night. You can truly relax without constantly thinking of timings, quantities and washing up!

A quick change and a G&T later, the door bell rang once again and in walked Chris, a fireman from Cambridge who was our butler in the buff for the next three hours! You can't have a hen weekend without a naked man can you....?!

After much heckling of the butler (and Will the chef for that matter!), we chomped our way through delicious canapes of quails eggs, lamb shoulder with tatziki sauce, asparagus wrapped in Parma ham, smoked salmon on rye bread and honey and mustard sausages from a snazzy bread chest! All the while our butler ensured we were topped up with prosecco, gin cocktails and wine...perfection!

Dinner was just as delicious, we had a menu of pan fried chicken breast with pea and mint puree, herb crushed new potatoes, seasonal veg and a tarragon cream sauce. Followed by a lemon posset for puds...everything was devoured and enjoyed by all!

After waving goodbye to the butler and the chef, we were once again left to our own devices with an abundance of games and wine to amuse us! Its safe to say there were a few sore heads the following morning but without a doubt a great weekend had by all. Thank you Scaldbeck House...we loved you and wish you were our own...one kettle, toaster and dishwasher just doesn't seem enough now?!

Perfect Girls' Night in to Kickstart the Weekend...

It's a new year our Miu Miu purses are empty (bar all the supposedly 'dry January' secret bar receipts), it's cold and snowy outside and a heavy MasterCard envelope is winging it's way to our letterbox.  Trips to Cowshed for a massage, dinner at Bistrotheque and lychee martinis at Lounge Lover are very much off the cards for now.  The 3BM solution (and how I will be spending tonight) is....a girls' night in!

My perfect ingredients…

1. Massages - Henrietta Malet the mobile masseuse - she's lovely and does amazing swedish massages. No need to cram yourself onto the hot, grubby tube afterwards as she comes to your home and charges from only £33 for a 30 min back massage (other options are also available, just check out her website). She does discounted deals for groups too.

2. Cocktails - Make sure you have the following to make the most fabulous cocktails - 1 shot of gin, 1 shot of elderflower liqueur (M&S sell a great one but if not, any other will do, just top up on the gin...), fresh mint and a little tonic water, mix all together in a martini glass and enjoy!!

3. Magazines - Stacks of the latest issues of your favourite magazines are a must-have to catch up on the celeb gossip and update your wish lists, my favs….Vogue, Grazia, Elle, Glamour, Heat and Look.

4. Yummy Food - very important! If you're feeling lazy and want an easy option give Rosa's a call and order in some DELISH Thai! Otherwise for a homemade option this one never fails….Jamie Oliver Meatballs - we always add mozzarella to the top before putting in the oven, naughty but amazing!

5. DVDs - A box set is always a winner to while away the hours with the girls whilst drinking and eating your way through a feast. My current favourites - Entourage, Greys Anatomy (hot men galore…. I'd rate Alex, Steamy and Dreamy all up there!) and if all else fails Sex and the City or Dirty Dancing.  Or if you're after a girlie film put on Crazy Stupid Love - Ryan Gosling will NOT disappoint!

6. DIY Beauty Treatments - Some serious pampering is also in order….face, feet and hands!

Face….Origins Out of Trouble face mask is one of my favourites (£19) - my skin looks great the next day and it feels like it is literally pulling out all the toxins (even better whilst sipping a gin & elderflower cocktail as it then becomes guilt free!)

Image via www.origins.co.uk

Followed by Botanics Organic Super Balm (£5.10) - really hydrating and perfect for this winter weather!

Image via www.boots.com

Feet - after visiting a salon on Kings Road for a much deserved stiletto pedicure, Melissa and I have have become obsessed with Callus Peel Foot Treatment. You can order online and carry out the treatment yourself at home for a fraction of the price! (Top Tip - wear gloves otherwise your hands need serious work afterwards!) Soak feet, apply callus peel packs (in gloves) and cover feet in clingfilm, leave for 15 mins, remove with the foot tool provided with the starter kit. You'll be amazed all hard skin disappears and you are left with SERIOUSLY baby soft feet in minutes and minimal effort is required.

Hands - First things first Eve Lom Cuticle Cream (£16) is top of my list...

Image via www.evelom.com

Follow this with Sanctuary nail oil and then a base coat (a serious must so that nails don't get stained by bright colours). The nail varnish itself - although cheap and cheerful I don't think you can beat Barry M - brilliant, on-trend range of colours that are pretty long lasting and chip free for days at only £2.99.  My fav shades are Fuchsia and Red Wine. Lastly my biggest beauty nail tip is Seche Vite topcoat (£5.50) - it's amazing, super shiny and thick but dries nails really quickly…giving the look of a professional manicure - invest now, you'll LOVE!

Image via www.seche.com

7. Cava and Gossip - Finally….. stock up on serious amounts of cava and let the girly gossip flowwwww!

ENJOY….I know I will!