BIBA beauties...!

When I hear the word BIBA I'm immediately transported back to my childhood, staring up at a chic black brocade jumpsuit that my mum owned and only wore on special occasions. In fact it's still hanging at home but now in my wardrobe just in case! Founded in the 60s, exploding onto the fashion scene globally in the 70s and revamped and relaunched in 2010 on the high street...this is the sort of regeneration that could only be executed by a truly iconic fashion brand. 

Handily, House of Fraser stocks the range and after checking it out online, I had to write a post about these fun and fabulous coin purses! They scream everything the brand stands for...chic, individual, fashionable and fun...I'm loving the combination of the vintage BIBA logo in chunky gold mixed up with the bold prints and colours...amazing! 

PLUS double whammy bonus...for some reason they are reduced from £39.50 to just £27.30...get one (or at that price, get all five) now!!! Also, for the ridiculously organised, aren't these just the perfect stocking fillers?!

All images via www.mybiba.com

Winter Warmers...

Winter has officially set in here in London, the clocks have gone back and you no longer see even an hour of daylight. You leave in the morning in the pitch black and as you pack your satchel for hometime at the end of the day, it's also dark...depressing! Even more depressing perhaps is that now's the time that you naturally pile on the pounds...exercise in these temperatures is a complete no go and cold crunchy salads are the last thing on the menu each evening - instead creamy mash, hearty stews, roast dinners and shephards pie are staples...basically anything fattening and carb filled unfortunately!

So as thoughtful as ever, we have come up with the best solution! One that will make you happy, takes zero energy (you need all you have to keep you warm!), makes you look good with the oversized, drapey styling and makes you feel SUPER cosy!! It can only be 3BM's cosy cashmere lust list of course!

Firstly if you are saving the pennies right now you may want to stop reading this post now...there is some serious cashmere candy coming up and it will stretch that overdraft limit considerably!

I became addicted after owning my first cashmere tracksuit from M&S - at £250 a pop they don't come cheap but they are definately worth it! The words 'Footballers' and 'Wives' might spring to mind when you hear tracksuit, however I only agree when worn in public with ugg boots! I on the other hand save mine for freezing winter evenings at home after a hard day at work when all you need is a comfy night wrapped up on the sofa with feel good TV, a glass of red wine and a bowl full of sausages and mash! Even better M&S presents you with a cashmere tracksuit that can be machine washed...perfection! Since then I have been sold and have my eyes currently peeled for my new cashmere capsule wardrobe...!

See our top picks available now...you know you want some...! If you're residing in hotter climates i.e HK, you may be on the beach now, but it will get chilly soon, and until then whack up the air conditioning until your teeth are chattering - there is ALWAYS an excuse when we're talking cashmere! 

First up, this gorgeous sleeveless cardigan, everything that cashmere should be - chic, beautiful and expensive...!

Image via www.net-a-porter.com

Michael Korrs, £545

My next must have, a tracksuit, loving the cuffed trouser...

Image via www.whistes.co.uk

Hoody £195 and Pants £195

Fifty Shades of Cashmere...leather, leather, leather...

Image via www.net-a-porter.com

Reed Krakoff, £750

Pretty pastel and cute...

Image via www.zara.com

Zara, £59.99

Sport Luxe eat our heart out...

Image via www.net-a-porter.com

Duffy, £275

An easy high street chuck-on, a must have for your everyday winter wardrobe...

Image www.warehouse.co.uk

Warehouse, £120

 Cosy and smart and super flattering....

Image via www.nicolefarhi.com

Nicole Farhi, £170

Mix it up with some hardware Moschino style...

Image via www.my-wardrobe.co.uk

Moschino Cheap and Chic, £289

An ever useful waterfall style - chic yet comfy...

Image via www.theoutnet.com

Iris & Ink, £175

 Casual deep V perfect with Skinnies...

Image via www.massimodutti.com

Massimo Dutti, £125


Don't say we're not good to you! Happy Shopping and Snuggling!

Monday Music from Ane Brun...

Let me introduce you to the larger than life slightly cuckoo Norwegian singer songwriter, Ane Brun. She now resides in Sweden but in the past has set up house in Barcelona, Oslo and Bergen living a colourful life or which majorly influences her music. 

Image via wwwanebrun.com

The song I want to share with you on this dark blustery Monday morning is the all singing all dancing 'Do You Remember'. Released back in May 2011 and taken from her fifth album, this song is brilliantly eccentric, surreal and more like a theatre production that a music video! That's enough from me, watch and make of it what you will. It's weird yes but strangely addictive...

If the craziness of the above isn't to your liking then check out the below, a stripped-down acoustic version of the same song...

Happy Monday you lovely lot! 

x

The Calm Gallery: Keep Calm and Shop, Shop, Shop...

As the nights get colder (or if you're in Hong Kong, less humid...) somehow everyone seems to come over a touch more homebody. When it's bitterly cold and wet outside, a Saturday night out seems much less inviting than curling up on the sofa under a blanket with a big glass of wine and a good film. When you finally unchain yourself from your desk each evening and it's dark outside, heading out doesn't even cross your mind, all you want to do is scurry straight home as fast as you can, put on your pyjamas and have a huge mug of tea.

And if you're going to be spending more and more time there in the coming months, it's surely the perfect point to spruce up your snuggly little nest so that it's even more inviting on those long, chilly winter nights. Six months' supply of hot chocolate, a onesie and a super soft blanket are basic winter supplies, but if you want to go above and beyond that, there's no better way to give your home a little lift than with a visit to the very lovely online print boutique, the Calm Gallery.

Set up back in 2007 by husband and wife team, Lucas and Hayley Lepola, the Calm Gallery is an online gallery featuring prints and homeware by a group of artists and designers from around the world. Head over the website and prepare to want every single piece of the unique array of prints, tea towels and postcards on sale. A mish mash of pithy, witty messages, clever typography and beautiful illustration with a generous dollop of vintage charm, Calm Gallery has curated a collection of pieces that would give any room a bit of zing and sparkle. 'Buy me', you can hear them whisper, 'I'll make your house just that little bit more fabulous'...

A to Z of London Print by Laura Seaby
£28 (unframed)

Tea Revives You Tea Towel by the Lepolas
£9

Russian Doll Red Print by Hazel Nicholls
£47.50 (unframed)

Chat Print by Double Merrick
£40 (unframed)

Dandy Lion Print by Chase and Wonder

£40

Face the Music Print by Lene Bladbjerg
£40 (unframed)

I Love You by Three-Sixty Press

£42 (unframed)

New York Print by Dominic Clifford

£50 (unframed)

Images via: www.thecalmgallery.com

Label Lust: Clover Canyon

Love digital prints? Credit card a little overstretched for Erdem, Peter Pilotto and Mary Katranzou? Let us introduce you to your new favourite label, Clover Canyon.

Images via: www.clovercanyon.com

Launched in 2011, by LA-based designer Rozae Nichols, the label is known for intricate digital prints in vibrant brights and is pitched at a fairly accessible price point (think high end highstreet price tags).

We were first introduced to the label about a month ago by the super stylish Blair Eadie of Atlantic Pacific who posted a series of photographs of herself rocking the Clover Canyon Baroque Rose Neoprene dress.

Images via: www.atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com

We fell head over heels at first sight and immediately started working out where we could get our Clover Canyon fix. We're pleased to report that the label is stocked by a variety of our favourite online stores including Shopbop, Revolve Clothing and Net-a-Porter.

Want to make sure you're kitted out in all the best Clover Canyon next season? Well hop right over to Moda Operandi where you can snap up pieces from the S/S13 collection until next Thursday 1 November. 

Well that's Saturday sorted! Happy Shopping!

This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been...

Another week had zoomed by and we are now officially only 8 weeks and 5 days until Christmas - seriously scary stuff! HK Mouse is making us feel super guilty with her new regime of strict Bikini Fit bootcamp... crack of dawn wake ups and high-protein diet! We London Mice on the other hand have been in a world of launch parties, scrummy canapes and zero excercise. We really must unearth those boxing gloves and get cracking with the pre-Christmas party diet!

For now though, a whistle stop tour of the week just gone, this week the Mice have mostly been...

Devouring Panda sushi and cocktails at Jimmy Choo's latest collaboration launch with contemporary artist, Rob Pruitt. This particular capsule collection is super wacky and colourful, not at all what we expected from Jimmy Choo. On paper the range is all wrong with way too much going on, we're talking colour clashes, fabric combo mash-ups and superimposed graphics. Sounds ghastly doesn't it? Well, prepare to be amazed, in the light of day it's randomly hot!

Aside from getting a sneak peak of the bonkers collection, we also got the chance to learn more about the partnership with Rob Pruitt ... he emerged on the NYC art scene back in the 80s drawing attention to himself by producing fun and thought-provoking art pieces. He has a particular penchant for pandas, colour and out-there prints which is evident from the Jimmy Choo designs ... every shoe is lined with a cute panda loving print, rainbow bright hand-finished soles and there are even some show stopping angel and devil Swarovski encrusted panda clutch bags. Apparently the angel and devil duo symbolise the split personality of the Choo woman!

Bright colours and pandas were a running theme throughout the night. Check out the cute sushi and colour-popping cocktails below...

In celebration of the collaboration, Jimmy Choo has created a fabulously fun video that takes you on an eye opening journey inside Rob Pruitt's subconscious...

The collection is available to buy now and ranges from £195 to a whopping £9,500!

Last but not least, check out our Jimmy Choo Rob Pruitt photo booth snaps below. Look at middle mouse loving the wind machine effect in the fourth picture, sadly mini mouse had her locks swept up in a high-top bun so she spoilt the outcome somewhat...!

Chomping on POP Cakes - the fabulous Pruitt for Jimmy Choo launch party also introduced us to these little beauties from Cake Pop Princess! Tray upon tray appeared chocka block full of the fabulous customised cakes on a stick. Not just boring dry sponge with sickly sweet piped icing, but cute little lollypop-esque balls of heaven! When you bite into them you are met with truffle brownie-like consistency encased in a crisp chocolate shell - we had to stop ourselves from grabbing the whole lot from the passing plates!

The perfect solution to send as a unique birthday treat, bring as a dinner party gift, offer as an apology or accompany congratulations... what we're saying here is any excuse...just make sure you're there when they arrive so that you can get a piece of the action too! What's even better is that they come in an array of flavours - chocolate, choc-mint, choc-orange, choc-coconut, carrot, lemon & white chocolate, and rich chocolate with fruit cake and brandy... YUM! Custom orders are Cake Pop Princess' speciality, all you need to do is drop Bianca an email and let her know your requirements - check out the gallery section on the website and our Jimmy Choo pics below!!

Ripping open our first ever JolieBox which, if you haven't heard already, we won as part of our Highly Commended prize at the Cosmo Blog Awards! I still get ridiculously excited at the prospect of post, especially parcels and even better when it's a smart black box embossed with JolieBox knowing full well that it's jam-packed full of beauty products just for us!

JolieBox is a members only beauty club founded in Paris back in 2011 which soon expanded to Spain and the UK. You subscribe to the website for a fee and in return every month you receive a little black box full of surprise products! A sort of beauty lucky dip! Each package includes a mixture of well known brands such as OPI, L'Occatine and Korres and unknown names just waiting to be discovered.

This months we unwrapped eight little gifts - dont worry HK Mouse we're saving you your fair share!

In detail we got....

* Jason Bee Healthier lip balm stick

* Ritessens velvet cleansing milk

* LOV organic herbal tea

* Moa The Green Balm

* Iroisie Soin Parfait ulitmate BB cream

* Wen cleaning conditioner 

* Nail Girls nail polish in gold

* Twistband hair tie 

And on that note, we're off to go and relax, pamper and trial all our new beauty potions! Catch ya later gater!

The Mice xxx

Eyelash Extensions: Boudoir Lashes

Obsessions are never a good thing and I always have one, whether it be a hot boy, the Mulberry Lily bag, the Siren Monica Vinader ring or the Charlotte Olympia Dolly shoes...it can safely be said that all of them set you back a fair bit (the boy in patience not cash hopefully!) and are continually on your mind until you get them! 

My new obsession...eyelashes! 

Image via: http://pinterest.com

Not my own as they are short and stumpy (I seriously got lumbered with the Skoda of lashes) but individual eyelash extensions! Being born with what can only be described as baby spider legs, all I have ever wanted is long, luscious ones to flutter! I am definitely totally over stick on false eyelashes, they come away at the corners half way through the night and end up half way down my cheeks, creating an Ab Fab Patsy after too many glasses of Bolly look! 

Image via http://tha-one.com/absolutely-fabulous 

So when the eyelash extensions craze began I was jumping straight on that bandwagon! However my first experience at Browhaus in Covent Garden wasn't the best...I asked for a more natural look so I didn't trot on out of there channelling Jordan but instead I walked out looked exactly as I did when I walked in, except £60 lighter! Understandably I wasn't happy so I went back the following evening to ask for more lashes. I was rudely referred to as 'the girl that wasn't happy' and swiftly told I got what I asked for so the addition of extra lashes would take my complimentary infill they offer with every full set....great! After that they proceeded to add a few more and finished by smothering my lashes in glue so they were rock hard and hurt like hell most of time...cue a red eyed streaming look....HOT!

I vowed there and then to stick with my stumpy natural lashes and just be happy, at least I wasn't in pain any longer and didn't resemble a rabbit with myxomatosis! However, then came along Asma at Boudoir Lashes...a totally different experience!

Firstly, located in the smart Becca Boutique just a quick walk from South Ken tube, the shop was super easy to find. Secondly, this isn't your usual beauty salon, you feel totally spoilt from the moment you step through the door into the spa-like, chic space. Everything is very cool, minimal and luxurious, with a section at the back of the shop dedicated to photo shoots adding to the vibe. Asma, the creator of Boudoir Lashes and all round beauty genius, was immediately out to meet me and got straight down to business with her no fuss attitude. The 90 minutes that the lash application takes zoomed by as we gossipped away about everything...how Asma started her business, plans to open a Boudoir salon of her own (she is fully trained in everything beauty and is already doing lashes, eyebrow threading and waxing at Becca) our 3badmice blog and of course 'Rpatz and Kristen Gate'! I'm usually one that finds hair appointments boring and a strain to keep conversation flowing but Asma was so easy to chat to and didn't take herself too seriously, making the whole experience a breath of fresh air.

The outcome....beautiful fluttery lashes! Even given my previous experience with lash extensions, I wasn't worried this time, as I knew that Asma does the lashes for Made In Chelsea (I'd watched an episode the week before paying close attention to the girls' lashes which looked fab!) But even so, when the tape was pulled away and I saw my new lashes for the first time I was thrilled with the way my eyes looked (apart from the fact that they were a little sleepy and hungover...). Absolutely no glue in sight, light, with a slight curl and best of all, they don't hurt a bit. If i didn't know better I wouldn't even know that I had lash extensions. That's until i look in the mirror and flutter of course!

Conclusion....I would recommend Boudoir Lashes in a heartbeat, a week on and I'm still really happy with them, I am starting to get super sad at the prospect of them falling off - as I say a new obsession is born and I'm pretty positive I can't justify not going back for more! If you're planning on getting fluttery too, my advice would be to pick wisely - not all lash extensions are created equal...bigger companies may be cheaper, but you get a run of the mill, rushed experience and may well not be blown away by the end result. Whereas Asma tailors the whole experience to you which means that you get top notch lashes that suit you and which are super comfortable....trust me you won't be disappointed!

See my before and after piccies below....don't laugh at the pre stumps and I apologise for the poor quality but it is very tricky to photograph your own eye!!

BEFORE..... 

AFTER....

Boudoir Lashes (BECCA Boutique)

91a Pelham Street

SW7 2NJ

info@boudoirlashes.co.uk

www.boudoirlashes.co.uk

07957 567 181 / 0207 225 2501

On the 3BM iPod: Chet Faker

When I first moved to Hong Kong there were a whole host of things I expected to miss - my friends and family, Marks & Spencer food, PG Tips, walks in the country in wellies and wooly scarves,  Marmite, the Sunday Times (Style) and cosy pubs with roaring fires. 

And then there were things I didn't realise I'd taken for granted in London until I got to Hong Kong and realised that they were missing - helpful, cheery taxi drivers, good TV stations, walking without sweating and most of all, live music.

In London, if I liked a band I could pretty much be certain that within the next few months they'd be playing somewhere in London. If I'd wanted to, I could have filled every night of the week with various gigs and concerts. From Justin Timberlake and Katie Perry at mega venues like the O2 to Hot Chip and Newton Faulkner at the Brixton Academy and even a brand new band I'd heard a lot of buzz about on a handful of music blogs at some random pub in Kings Cross. To top it all off, every summer London's spoilt with weekend long festivals in parks around the city featuring stellar line-ups, food from Borough Market's finest and plenty of Pimms.

In Hong Kong though, it's a slightly different story. Every now and then we get a big name act passing through HK for a few days en route to Japan or Australia. Tickets cost upwards of seventy pounds each, we all flock to the soulless exhibition centre out by the airport and once we're inside the venue we're told that we must remain seated during the show for health and safety reasons. Not ideal. And festivals? Pretty much non-existent. Except that is for Clockenflap.

Established in 2008 by three guys who felt that Hong Kongers deserved at least an annual opportunity to listen to great music, Clockenflap is a two day music festival with a line-up that's gone from strength to strength each year.  Last year's headliners included Santigold and The Bombay Bicycle Club and this  year it's already been announced that Alt-J and Azealia Banks will be playing. I snapped my tickets up quick sharp as soon as they went on sale and I'm already thoroughly overexcited for the first weekend in December when Clockenflap hits HK...

The artist I'm most excited about seeing this year is 3BM fav, Lucy Rose (who we've given lots of blog love to here and here). But coming in a close second is an artist I hadn't even heard of until I saw the Clockenflap line-up. Chet Faker, a solo artist from Melbourne will be joining Azelia, Lucy & co on the Saturday. If you also haven't been introduced, here's a little sampler of the Chet Faker amazingness that I currently have on repeat...

Chet Faker - I'm Into You

Chet Faker - No Diggity

Chet Faker - Terms & Conditions

If you enjoyed that little taster and you'll be in HK in December, make sure that you book those Clockenflap tickets pronto! 

Clockenflap
1-2 December 2012
West Kowloon Cultural District
Tickets are on sale now:
Adult Weekend (early worm): HKD590 (limited availability)
Adult Weekend (late worm) HKD690 (limited availability)
Adult Saturday: HKD390
Adult Sunday: HKD390

New York Food Scene...

Another day another blog solely about food - yes if you hadn't already noticed, us mice are a little obsessed with good food ... we'll have to change the name of the blog to '3FatPiglets' soon! 

So the New York food scene is today's hot topic. It's not all mammoth burgers, street food trucks and giant pretzels, the Big Apple boasts some seriously amazing restaurants. As with any city it's always a job finding the real treasures especially when there are so many options to choose from ... 23,499 in NYC to be exact! Well with a bit of pre-trip research and the help of some top notch recommendations, I had the pleasure of dining out at three AMAZING restaurants which i'm going to share with you all...

Top of the pops for me was ABC Kitchen on lower broadway. The restaurant is organic in everything it does from its recycled paper menus to its locally sourced delicious produce. The vibe is laid back too with low-hanging soft lighting, beautiful wild flower arrangements and the waiting staff all sporting Converse-style trainers. The detail in this place is what really struck me...the white washed sanded floor boards, the hand crafted wire light fixtures and the clay rustic-style plates and dishes. Stunning. Oh and how could I forget to mention, the restaurant in based in the ABC Carpet & Home department store which means you can combine great food and shopping! What could be more perfect?!

Family style seems to be very common in NYC, where you share as a group which we did for our starters and desserts at ABC. I'm a big fan of this as I am partial to suffering with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) when it comes to food, this way you get a taster of everything, omitting the dreaded food envy feeling! 

So lets move onto critiquing the all important food. To start with we demolished portions of Heirloom tomato toast, roasted carrot and avocado salad with crunchy seed and sour cream and last but not least pretzel dusted calamari, mariana and mustard aioli - wow what a way to start...

Next up - main course! We were given the sumptuous choice of...

* Homemade ricotta ravioli, herbs and tomato sauce
* Slow baked hake, summer squash and nasturtium vinaigrette
* Grilled chicken, corn and tomato salad, watercress and chilies

I opted for the ravioli and it was quite possibly the best of my life...

The dessert was then wheeled out and boy oh boy what a pud! Sundae with salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts and popcorn, whipped cream and chocolate sauce... 

If that wasn't enough we were also treated to a cookie plate with a lemon ricotta bar with blueberries, choco chip cookie, marshmallow bar and a ham filled cornmeal shortbread...

ABC Kitchen

35 East 18th Street

New York

NY 10003

(212) 475-5829

Up next the Wythe Hotel, boutique sensation in trendy Williamsburg. Housed within a restored industrial building, the hotel is packed with tons of character and design spirit. We ate at the Reynards restaurant which was superb. Its interior was rustic in appearance with exposed brick walls, intricate muted mosaic flooring and cast-iron columns and piping. 

We had heard that the hotel's rooftop city view was to die for so tried with all our might to persuade the hotel manager to let us up there but apparently you need an appointment. To be honest, I wasn't very impressed with the way in which this was handled, the manager was rude and stand-offish leaving a rather sour taste in our mouths. The food however didn't disappoint so I shall focus on that!

We didn't stop for a full blown meal but instead ordered some picky bits to satisfy our rumbling tummies.

The devilled eggs were to die for...

As were the apples, ricotta and sage honey pudding. At face value the dessert seemed like an odd combination but not at all, the flavours complimented each other beautifully - yumsters infact! 

Wythe Hotel

80 Wythe Avenue

Brooklyn

NY 11249

(718) 460-8000

And last but by no means least... Acme.

Refurbished and re-opened in January of this year, Acme is only for the seriously cool. This restaurant holds a lot of history, 20 years to be precise, previously a Southern Cajun restaurant now of Nordic cuisine. The sign above the restaurant still remains the same though which adds to its overall charm - a lasting memory of the former joint if you like. Expect to wait weeks for a table though as this is the hot cake in NoHo right now!

The food - winter cooking through and through. You know the type to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, coupled with a giant glass of red and all's good in the world! 

Whilst we waited for our food to arrive, we passed the time sipping on a seriously strong but oh so good, 'Fair Lady' cocktail made up of aperol, gin, lemon, st germain, honey, orange bitters and champagne.  

Image via photo-hungry.com

So onto my favourite subject - FOOD! We opted to eat family style again so we could try a bit of everything. Here's what we went for. Apologies in advance for not getting any snaps, the restaurant was so dark...

To start:

* Country toast with nectarine, caramelised onion, brie and honey

* Market salad with walnuts and blackened lemon

* Salmon tartare in a jar with pickled vegetables 

* Heirloom Tomatoes with pickled watermelon and flowering herbs

* Lobster with wild mushrooms and sweet corn

* Pan-roasted bass with pickled green tomatoes, cardamom and vanilla

For our main course:

* Chicken and eggs with new potatoes

* Rib-eye Steak, glazed carrots and dill

Puds:

* Beer and bread porridge with salted caramel ice cream

* Goat and sheep's milk sorbet with pepper rose and mint

My conclusion... to start there was a clear winner, the Salmon tartare for sure, next up the chicken and eggs combo and to finish, there wasn't really any competition, the the porridge won hands down! There are no words that can truly sum up how mind blowing this dessert was!!!

Acme

9 Great Jones Street

New York

NY 10012

(212) 203-2121