I went out for dinner last night with a girl from work and we spent hours and hours talking about everything under the sun! It was such a treat to make new friends who have such excellent taste (and who are heaps of fun as well!) so I owe today’s post entirely to my new friend and colleague Janet.

So what has dear Janet inspired me to write about? Her hen party! You see, she’s getting married next week and her best friend threw her the Hen Party to end all Hen Parties. It sounded like such a blast, I can’t believe I missed it! The bride’s maid got everyone together for a crazy dance-a-thon that was entirely FAME themed! Can you imagine?? Hundreds of people took to the streets all dressed up in their finest FAME gear and dance, dance, danced the day away! The girls are all perfectly coordinated and they are definitely going to “bust a move” on the big wedding day! They even got to be in a video:

How much fun! I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that Thriller dance…

I need a gift for my uncle’s birthday. Any ideas? I want to get him something fun that he hasn’t done before.

Lindy

Dear Lindy,

Believe it or not, more people ask about Gifts for Uncles than any other kind of gift over here! At least I have a little bit of experience in the area

The two most popular gifts for uncles are definitely (1) sailing lessons and (2) flying lessons. It really does depend on what kind of guy your uncle is! If he loves to be outside, grappling with the elements and testing his mettle against the high seas then sailing is really the best choice. On the other hand, flying lessons are enormously popular with people with all kinds of interests – -  and it suits everyone who has ever wanted to try something different! They’re both loads of fun and I’d highly recommend them as the best gift options. Do have a quick look at the video below (related to the flying experience) so you get an idea of why this is so popular!

Hope that helps!

Stacey

My sister just emailed me with this AMAZING deal and I thought it would the perfect thing to share with you here on our gift ideas blog.

It’s a fashion makeover and photoshoot for one (she bought it for her daughter, the lucky fish) and it’s been reduced by a massive 50% for a limited period only! It’s only £12.50!

Here’s a video of two people having a makeover and photoshoot… I love it that you can see what you’re actually going to be doing before you get out your credit card

I’ve done a photoshoot and makeover myself and it was a fabulous experience, I’d definitely do it again. The best thing is that you always have a few really nice photographs handy for the family albums or those niggling friends who want to do scrapbooking. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that my facebook profile picture is fab-u-lous!

Hi Stacey. I’m looking for a gift for my brotherwho has recently moved to the UK. He’s really quite into bungee jumping but I can’t seem to find any bungee jumping locations or schools here in London. Do you know of any? Or know of anyone who might? I really need some input here! Look forward to hearing back from you,

Bailey

Dear Bailey,

I, like you, have an adrenaline-hungry brother who is always keen to try out crazy things like bungee jumping! So, luckily, I have an answer to your question! Now it’s just a matter of your budget and your brother’s preferred bungee experience. Here are a few of my brother’s favourite locations (he was oh-so happy to rattle off lists when I got him on the phone, so I’ve tried to narrow them down a bit by activity type):

1.  The 160ft Bungee. This is the ’standard’ bungee experience, and is easily accesible within London.

2. The 160ft forwards and backwards bungee. This is a variation on the standard bungee experience … your brother will get to jump forwards and backwards off of the highest heights! I can’t imagine jumping backwards!!! But, that being said, my brother says it’s quite an adventure!

3. The crazy indoor bungee experience. The name says it all! it’s a thrill-a-minute, non-stop crazy bungee jump that takes place inside an enormous warehouse. Expect flashing laser lights, dry ice smoke and a range of other special effects! This is on my brother’s to-do list and is not for the faint-hearted!

I hope this helps you!

Do let me know how it all goes,

x Stacey

Help! I’m getting married and I CAN’T DANCE!! Well, that’s not entirely true: I can dance, but I want to do something special for my fiance I’m looking for a dance package for us, can you help?

Ella

Dear Ella,

Congratulations on your up-and-coming wedding celebration!

If you’re looking for a dance taster package then you might take your fiance out for a night of ballroom dancing! You’ll get to whirl around with expert instruction and it won’t break your bank account either!

If you want something a bit more exciting then why not indulge in salsa lessons for two and get things sizzling, or  go all out for a specialised wedding dance lesson package? That way you’ll be able to spice up your dance moves and get everyone involved too!

It’s a super idea to perfect your moves and get them spot-on for your big day … especially if you’re going to have a videographer!

Good luck, have a wonderful weekend and a fabulous wedding! Let us all know how it goes!

x Stacey

Hi Stacey, I’m looking for a good gift for my best friend’s birthday but I’m restricted to a budget. Can you recommend an experience that is super cool but under £50? I know that’s a bit of wishful thinking but I do hope that you can help me!! Thanks a bunch, Richard

Richard, Hi, thanks for your email!

I have two fabulous suggestions for you, I hope you like them!

First up: a Crazy Cliffhanger Adventure! This is my brother’s favourite fun activity, filled with crazy outdoor adventures like abseiling and rock-climbing. It’s really quite adventurous and is the perfect gift for the adrenaline-seeking, outdoors-loving kind of person. And, it’s on special: it was £56.00 and it has been reduced to £49.00 which means it fits very comfortably into your budget! My brother and his friends do this adventure activity quite often because it’s just a matter of booking the experience, showing up and getting dirty; no fuss, no additional equipment, etc.

My second recommendation would be to treat your friend to a winning indoor skydiving adventure. This is sooooo  much fun, I can’t recommend it enough! The only downside to this is that it ends up being quite addictive and you just want to go time and time again! But that’s not necessarily a bad thing now is it? This is a thrilling and fun activity and it also fits neatly into your budget – it’s a win-win situation.

I hope that one of these is the perfect gift for you!

x Stacey

If you’re looking for the perfect wedding gift for a cute couple then I must recommend this amazing couples makeover and photoshoot which I found on a half-price sale! At 50% off, it’s only going to set you back £39.00 which is an absolute bargain for such a stunning wedding gift! The lucky couple will get to sit down with a professional make-up artist for a quick discussion of the look that they want to achieve in their photoshoot, and then they’ll head out to the studios for the most unforgettable time! They can take with up to four outfits to change into on the set so they can really diversify their new photo album! This is a great engagement gift or wedding gift and will make a fabulous addition to a truly unique wedding photo album! The best part of this experience is that it really makes you feel like you’re extra-special, and who better to share with than your partner and best friend?

Spoil your dad on his special day by giving him the ultimate in golfing fun: 18 holes at a championship Marriott! I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews when it comes to the Marriott greens, and although I’m not much of a golfer myself, I know that my dad would love the opportunity to take some time out, get his clubs out of the garage, and head down for 18 holes of pure golfing pleasure.

Whether it’s your dad’s birthday, a special occasion, or if you’re looking for a reason to spoil him, this golfing experience is just up his street. I love that you can choose your preferred venue (ideal for my old fuss-pot!) – including all of the championship courses – and that you can have a lesson with the pro if you want one. It might be a nice idea to get two of these vouchers and to try out golf for yourself (unless, like me, you’d rather enjoy a sojourn at the 19th hole while dad finishes up!).

Good Monday Morning to you all out there! What a lovely weekend I’ve had! I’m as pleased as the cat who has just managed to get the bowl of (clotted) cream.

As you can guess, I just had the most magical Afternoon Tea at the County Hall Marriott. It took me a little while to get into the building (I was following Google Maps and it led me to the aquarium instead!) but once I did find it, it was literally like walking into a fairy tale palace! The architecture has that old-world resonance (which is no surprise considering that the first foundation stone was laid in 1912 by King George V!) You walk through this amazing arch way and then you get to the entrance hall where you are greeted by a delightfully friendly porter who will point you in the right direction. The interior is all deep red and brown, and very lush. You can’t help but feel like you could be enjoying the company of royals and dignitaries!

The afternoon tea was really a spectacular affair and the staff were brilliantly helpful. You really admire them all dressed up in their perfect uniforms, serving tea and scones like they’re straight out of the Regency period! But here I am getting carried away with the look of the place when I should be talking about the amazing scones, the delicious tarts, cakes and mousse and not to mention the spectacular sandwiches! And to top it all off, their Darjeeling tea was simply scrumptious. I can’t recommend this enough.

I went with a friend of mine who probably would have rather been watching the football, but we had an amazing time catching up and discussing his new job and gossiping about old friends But perhaps the thing that struck me the most was that there were so many tables full of ladies … it was like all the girls got together to chat over the most delicious treats in London! This is a fantastic treat to share with someone special and an even better adventure to share with your best girlfriends! If you really want to spoil them, treat them all to  a divine day out at the Marriott. If, like me, you meet up with your girlfriends once a week to catch up, why not schedule your weekly tea in this amazing location and make the most of it? This special deal is four couples or ‘groups’ of two so that you can get the best deal.

Guys, trust me. If you’re looking to spoil a special lady in your life then there are two very powerful, very emotive and very convincing words that I need to share with you. Now listen carefully and take notes. Are you ready?

Afternoon Tea.

With brownies, scones, cake slices, sandwiches and don’t forget the clotted cream! Yumma! I know I promised to try and write posts about adrenaline adventures and sporting activities this week but I’m afraid the wintery traditions haven’t quite left! And this is all brought on by a delicious e-mail somebody special sent me inviting me to afternoon tea for two! I simply can’t wait!

The only down-side to our booking is that it is rather late in the afternoon, but that’s down to us booking two days before at one of the top destinations around! London County Hall Marriott, here I come! It shall just have to be a very late lunch (or an early dinner). Either way, I’m not complaining! And while I’m nattering away – have you seen the County Hall Marriott? It’s like a palace! I could get used to that kind of treatment.

I’m really looking forward to this! It’s going to be so indulgent that I’ll definitely have to hop into a kayak (read yesterday’s post to see what I’m talking about) and have a good row! So, guys out there, loyal readers and stumble-uponers, treat the special person in your life to an afternoon tea for two and set the mood for an indulgent bonding moment with luxuriously decadent tastes and treats. You’ll never look back.