This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been

Whoop! Let's hear it for Friday!

We've all survived another week, and now a couple of long, languid weekend days of freedom stretch before us. Oh, and Hong Kongers, let's get a double whoop for that extra day of weekend deliciousness we're getting on Monday courtesy of the Brits handing HK back to the Chinese - I heart Hong Kong's neverending bank holidays!

The general theme in Miceland this week appears to be that if summer won't come to us, we'll have to go to summer... Mini Mouse zipped off to Portugal on Thursday and I'm off to Fiji tomorrow in search of some sun. Poor old Middle Mouse will be holding the fort while we're away, but we'll be thinking of her while we laze in our holiday hammocks...

When we haven't been smugly gloating to anyone who'll listen (and lots of people with their fingers in their ears), this week the Mice have mostly been...

Getting all wrapped up in stunning scarfs at the launch party of Era Ora's second collection of scarfs and pocket squares.

It's no secret that us Mice have a bit of a scarf obsession and we've discovered this week that we're pretty keen on pocket squares too... It seems a pop of silk tucked into the top pocket of a man's blazer makes him infinitely more George Clooney-esque and it just so happens that a pocket square doubles nicely as a neckerchief/ ponytail accessory/ makeshift bracelet for us... win, win!

So we were thrilled this week to discover the super fab, Era Ora, a Singaporean accessories label specialising in printed silk and cashmere scarfs and pocket squares. The new collection is inspired by creator and founder, Euny L's, travels with a bit of a surrealist twist, think old world maps and Dali meets Georgia O'Keeffe art prints. Let's just say from the second we clapped our eyes on the collection we were carefully planning how to get our mitts on every single piece!

 

 

 

We toasted the new collection on Thursday evening with champagne and cocktails at Boujis and left with a very, very long Era Ora wishlist...
 

If you want to bag yourself some Era Ora gorgeousness (frankly, who wouldn't?!) you can buy the new collection from various stockists in Singapore and Hong Kong (check the website for details) and for everyone else, everywhere else, visit the online store at www.eraorashop.com.

 

Meating Blue Butcher for an evening of food, wine and lots of fashion natter with the rest of Team Sassy. While I'm a big fan of it's Mexican sister restaurant, Brickhouse, I'd somehow neglected to give steak specialists, Blue Butcher a try until this week. All I can say is BIG mistake... HUGE! Blue Butcher is now firmly on the list of HK favs. 

We arrived and were ushered into a cosy private room complete with some lethally beautiful steak knife chandeliers glinting in the candle-light above our heads...

 

 

Over a couple of pre-dinner drinks we got down to some serious debate on all the most important issues of the day - the Valentino Rockstuds, Topshop Personal Shopping and sequinned blazers... Just as the volume in the room was reaching deafening level, the food began to arrive - cue a roomful of girls falling silent and descending on great plates of deliciousness!

 

We ate family style, sharing several starters and main courses between us. Each and every dish was mind-blowingly good but my favourites were the burrata and tomato salad and the veal cheek, sweet breads and truffle orzo. This is true comfort food - guaranteed to leave you groaningly well-fed! As we scraped our plates clean, the fashion goss recommenced with the ocassional short Instagram/Twitter/FB break...

We finished our feast on a sweet note with maple syrup tart and sugar whipped cream before rolling back down the stairs and onto Hollywood Road - Sassy girls are very clearly not buying into the "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" mantra...

I hear rumours that the truffle fries are life-changing. Nothing for it, a second date with this meaty hunk of a restaurant already in the diary...

Blue Butcher

108 Hollywood Road,

Central District,Hong Kong.

Phone: +852 2613 9286

Website: www.bluebutcher.com

Stopping to smell the roses... and the hydraengas... and the sea holly at my new favourite HK florists, Ellermann.

Nothing makes me happier than fresh flowers scattered around my flat - they brighten even the drabbest, dreariest days and make the house smell amazing. Until this week I'd always grabbed my Hong Kong blooms from the market and then cobbled together a pretty amateur hash of an arrangement as best I could. Gone are those days! This week I popped into Hong Kong flower boutique, Ellermann, a gorgeous little shop in Poho bursting at the seams with stunning flowers and candy coloured Pip Studio homeware. Floral fans this is absolute heaven and I warn you is likely to be your undoing...

I managed to avert my eyes from teapots, cups and saucers and tea towels and headed straight for the buckets of blooms. The lovely Ellermann ladies then asked me a couple of questions about my likes and dislikes and within minutes had whipped up a beautiful bouquet, wrapped it in dove grey tissue and tied it all up with a dusky pink bow. 

Four days on, and my flowers are still going strong.  Ellermann may be a bit more pricey than the market stalls but it's the perfect spot to pick up a present (which obviously includes self-gifting...). And I'm definitely heading back very soon for one of those teapots...

Ellermann
Ground Floor, 36 Tung Street,
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 2291 0388
Website: www.ellermanndesign.com

Scraping by on minimal sleep after developing a pretty chronic addiction to the awesome Netflix TV series, House of Cards. Yes, I'm well aware that I'm about six hundred years behind everyone else on this one, but given that I've only just discovered Homeland, I'd say I'm actually relatively ahead of the curve for me. With a stellar cast (Kevin Spacey is incredible) and nail-bitingly good storylines, it's pretty much impossible to press the pause button once you start watching. If you've been living under a rock or are equally slow as me at catching on to a good thing, I command you to get watching immediately!

And that's all from us this week! All that remains to be said is - let's get the weekend rolling baby...

x

The Mice

Fruity Fashion : Pineapple Trend

We're all brought up to follow a healthy diet inclusive of the all important 5 a day - if I'm being honest I normally opt for fruit over veg to fulfil my daily quota ... mango madness with a passionfruit side vs steamed cabbage with a couple of courgettes = no competition! But, what happens if you have a manic day ahead of you packed with back-to-back meetings and hundreds of emails to get through? How do you find the time to get your dose of fruity goodness? Well this is where the latest tutti-fruity trend comes to the rescue - pineapples! If you don't have time to consume the goodness then the next best thing is to rock the goodness in fashion form...!

Over the years the supermarket fruit aisle has been a common source of inspiration for many designers. We had Stella McCartney who added a dash of zesty citrus chic to the catwalks...

 

 

Then there was Prada going nanas over bananas... 

 

But this season is all about the pineapple! 

Us Mice have searched high and low to bring you the most juicy, fruity finds - from sun dresses to accessories to house trinkets and even present tags ... you name it, we've found it! Enjoy!

Lee Renee pineapple necklace - £89

Reverse Sun In Dress from ASOS - £45

Sophie Lume embroidered pineapple iPad case - £224

Pineapple gift tags by McDonough & Davies - £2

Moschino Cheap & Chic Pineapple chain bag - £413

Rose and Grey Pineapple jar - £18

Miguelina: This Way to Boho Beach Goddessness

Us Mice may be in the office this week, but our minds are very much on the beach. A white sand beach lapped by a turquoise sea where an icy Mojito is just a finger snap away and Goldroom is playing on a constant loop. 

Packed in our fantasy cases is an abundance of boho loveliness. We're talking vast quantities of delicious pieces snapped up from our fav new gypset e-boutique, Cavan, along with a heavy sprinkling of luxe boho amazingness from our current label obsession, Miguelina.

If you haven't come across Miguelina yet, we're guessing your beach wardrobe is still lacking that perfect little floaty white dress... If you need a flavour of Miguelina style, look no further than the 2013 Lookbook. Skim through these photos and tell us you're not reaching for your cowering credit card to book a long weekend in Ibiza/ Tulum/ Ubud...

Images via: www.miguelina.com

Want in? Of course you do...

You can stock your suitcase via the Miguelina online store or alternatively via Net a Porter, Shopbop or L-Atitude.

Here's our pick of the pack...

Miguelina Paola Cover-up Dress
£167.40

Miguelina Beverly Short Silk Chiffon Dress

US$280

Miguelina Leyla Cover Up Dress

£101.63

Miguelina Jessica Cover Up Dress

£243.17

Miguelina Melissa Cotton Gauze Dress

US$295

Images via: www.shopbop.com and www.miguelina.com

 

The 3BM Kitchen: Caponata Aubergine Stew

We've made it to late June, have passed the longest day of the year and are now on our way to darker mornings and evenings. This year Summer has officially been skipped in the UK, I have barely had a chance to get my wedges, Josa dresses or straw fedora out, but instead spend the majority of my time in skinny jeans and a leather jacket! Believe it or not Autumn ranges are winging their way out onto the high street ready for us to start stocking up all over again! 

 

This calls for one thing only....a perfect transitional summer/autumn recipe of course! After a fantastic weekend being bridesmaid at my best friend's wedding, I was feeling particularly weary, tired and very much in need of a bit of chilling after a ridiculously early Monday back at work. The one thing getting me through the drawn out day, was knocking up a hearty bowl of deliciousness alongside a big glass of red wine! 

I bring to you 3BM's new favourite dish...Caponata Aubergine Stew. I saw this recipe on Emerald Street (Stylist Magazine's trusty website for everything fabulous) and immediately clicked on it -  super easy, bursting full of Mediterranean richness and reasonably healthy! Tick, tick and tick! Another bonus is how versatile this beauty is....keep it simple or add chicken or lamb and serve it up with salad, rice, cous cous or even warm crusty bread...anything goes! The perfect recipe to cook a big portion of and then swap it up throughout the week with different combos for a tasty lunch or dinner in an instant! 

Ingredients - Serves 4

 

2 aubergines (500g), cut into 1cm cubes
2 tsps salt 

2 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp finely grated dark chocolate
50g sultanas 

2 tbsps baby capers
50g stoned green olives, sliced
Mint to garnish
 

1. Put the aubergine cubes in a colander and add the salt. Leave to drain for 30 mins, rinse and pat dry.

 

2. While the aubergine is draining, heat half the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, celery and garlic and fry for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and simmer for a further 5 mins.

 

3. Add the balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of sugar, chocolate, sultanas, capers and olives. Simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat.

 

 

4. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and then fry the aubergine for 5 mins until golden. Add to the tomato sauce. Return to a simmer and cook for 10 mins then remove from heat. Sprinkle with ripped fresh mint - this seriously makes a difference and adds an amazing finish to all the flavours!

 

Now all that's left to do is to ladle into pretty bowls, pour a couple of large glasses of wine and gobble it all up while dreaming that you're somewhere sunsoaked and beautiful in the Medditerranean...