We love sushi. But when we think back to the first time we had it, we were trying to be cool and sophisticated about it but, to be honest, we weren’t completely sold on the idea of eating raw fish. Of course, this all changed once we actually tried it. Now we can’t get enough of the stuff. However, as much as we love it, sushi isn’t one of those things that we feel confident enough to whip up for dinner. Whenever possible we’re keen to expand our cooking repertoire, so we wanted to share this, the Sushi Workshop!

At Tellallmyfriends, we’re offering you the chance to develop your sushi-crafting skills as you learn the tricks of a trade from a master sushi chef at the best sushi restaurant chain in the United Kingdom (and beyond). You’ll be taught about the rich history of sushi, before getting hands on with the key ingredients: fish, rice, and vegetables. From there, it’s all about the crafting: hand rolls, inside out rolls, and rice filled rolls wrapped in delicious seaweed. Anyone who’s familiar with sushi knows just how finely crafted each individual piece is, and by the end of your lesson you’ll be ready to wow your friends with your prowess. You’ll also be given a rolling mat and the recipes you used to take home, so there’s no excuse for not practising and making sushi to impress in no time!

The Make Your Own Sushi school is available either specifically for their London restaurant or for their other locations nationwide. This experience is perfect for anyone who loves to cook, anyone who wants to broaden their views on cooking and food, for anyone looking for a taste of the orient, or anyone looking for a great taste!

Let’s face it. We can go on about a car’s handling, whether or not it guzzles petrol, or if it can fit the kids and the dog in the backseat. We can talk about how it’s really easy to handle, which is important when you’re trying to squeeze into the tiny parking space. But sometimes, these issues just melt away into insignificance. For example, when you get behind the wheel of a MONSTER TRUCK!

Weighing in at 8 tonnes, this beast of a machine boasts 7.5 horsepower requires you to climb a ladder just to get inside! The Monster Truck is called Grizzly and when you get behind the wheel you’ll see why! But it’s not just about the raw power with The Ultimate Monster Truck Driving Experience. It’s also about learning how to properly handle a vehicle of this size and horsepower. After a practice lap you’ll be taught how to manoeuvre Grizzly into a coned garage…in reverse!

But that’s not all! After another practice lap just to make sure you’re fully comfortable with the monster truck, you’ll drive directly over two saloon police cars!  Channel your inner Schwarzenegger or Stallone and enjoy your action movie moment!

Forget about the school run or trying to beat the traffic home from work, and feel the power of The Monster Truck! If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush or a driving experience with a difference, or if you’re looking to fulfil a childhood dream, Tellallmyfriends can’t recommend this enough!

We all suffer from a great deal of everyday stress. We cram ourselves onto crowded tubes and buses, we desperately try to beat the traffic, we staying late at the office to catch up on work. Basically, not are we insanely over-stressed, but we’re all rushing so quickly from one place to the other that we’re prone to missing the quieter, simpler pleasures of life.

So why not take a break from the rat race and discover the historic beauty of Leeds Castle in Kent on a Segway, that strangely joyous piece of modern technology. What is a Segway, you ask? Well, Segway riding is an experience like no other: a high-tech piece of machinery that’s exciting to use and relaxing to ride. As you travel through the beautiful surroundings of Leeds Castle in beautiful Maidstone, you can enjoy the sensation of breaking your routine with an often hard-to-find vehicle in one of England’s most historically beautiful locations. Built in 1119, Leeds Castle has a rich and varied history, whether you’re interested in medieval battles, or its use as a hospital during World War II, or if you’re a Doctor Who fan (one of the classic serials was filmed there!).

Tellallmyfriends currently have this experience is a 2 for 1 offer, which means that you can take a special somebody with you on this relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle. The leisurely pace of the experience means you can take in the lovely views while enjoying the company of your significant other, or catch up with a friend. If you’ve never had a segway ride before and you want to get out of the city and into the countryside, this experience is perfect for you.

We all want to try new things. In fact, we’re pretty sure that “Try new things” will be near the top of  most of our of New Year’s Resolutions lists . Well, maybe it’s time to try something completely different. If you’ve ever asked “What is zorbing?” or “What do you mean, let’s go sphereing?”, then it’s time you checked out the craze that’s sweeping across the country like a crazy adrenaline broom.

Sphereing, or Zorbing as it’s sometimes known, is a deceptively simple idea. The basic premise is that you’re put inside a large, see-through, inflatable ball before being rolled down a hillside.  It’s a combination of a high-speed adrenaline rush and that disorientation of not knowing which way is up.

What’s more, you have several different options to choose from. There’s the Harness Sphereing, which straps you into the sphere. There’s Eclipse Sphering, in which the sphere is darkened for maximum disorientation. Then there’s Aqua Sphereing (water zorbing), which will find you rolling about in the bottom of the sphere in a pool of water as you speed off down the hill!

If you’re looking for an adrenaline experience with a difference, this high-speed, disorienting ride will leave you wondering what on earth just happened to you and ready to go again! Not for those of with delicate stomachs, then, but thrill-seekers should definitely check out this weird and wonderful experience.

Are you looking for something a bit different to give as a  present this year? We tend to think of Christmas as a sedate, chilled-out holiday where we all park ourselves on the sofa and eat until we can’t think any more before falling into a food-induced deep sleep. So how about waking that special someone up and adding a bit of adrenaline this festive season with a helicopter Thrill Flight?

If you’re anything like us, you don’t have much cause (or opportunity) for jetting about in a helicopter in your day-to-day, but with this fantastic 50% off deal we can get you up into the air for a heart-racing thrill flight. This experience is designed to demonstrate the appeal of helicopter flying; combining sight-seeing with the rush of high-speed flight.

The experience starts in the scenic English countryside before your helicopter rockets into the sky and heads towards the city. Choose from six locations and view your city from the air as your expert pilot shows you just what this aircraft can do.  In a six mile circuit, the pilot will push the speed up to 150 mph, all while pointing out the historic landmarks of your chosen area. How’s that for multi-tasking?

There’s nothing quite like getting a completely new perspective on something you thought you knew, not to mention the adrenaline rush of leaving the ground behind and speeding above the rest of the world. If you’ve never flown in a helicopter before, this is a great opportunity to get a taste for it while seeing what the city looks like from the air. We’re sure that once you’ve tried this Thrill Flight you’ll be checking out Tellallmyfriends looking for more helicopter experiences to try!

1. Dinner and Theatre Evening in London for Two

There are few evenings out better suited for couples than seeing a brilliant West End show. Choose from a wide selection of classics like The Woman in Black, Dreamboats and Petticoats, and Blood Brothers and new favourites like Legally Blonde. This is perfect for couples wanting to celebrate with a night out in London’s Theatreland!

2. Lovers Flying Lesson with Lunch and Champagne Package

Experiences are always better when they’re shared. With this fantastic experience, one half gets to take control of the plane while the other demonstrates how much they really trust their partner! Take to the skies with your special somebody and celebrate the day with some complimentary champagne.

3. Deluxe Afternoon Tea for Two at the Marriott

This is a classic, quintessentially British, couple’s experience. Experience a delightful afternoon tea with your partner at one of eight beautiful four-star Marriott locations, with sandwiches, pastries, and, of course, wonderful, wonderful tea! Escape from everyday stress with this refined treat.

4.  2 for 1 Indoor Skydiving

Get an adrenaline rush with that special someone and check out indoor skydiving. This experience lets you and your partner experience the thrill of freefall in the safety of Airkix’ 170mph wind tunnel. If either one of you’s feeling a bit nervous you can relax and enjoy the experience knowing that your other half will have to do it too!

5. Full Day Cooking Course for Two

1. Supercar Driving Experience + Passenger ride and 4X4

Everyone dreams of owning an high-powered supercar. Well, while he doesn’t get to take them home, if you give him this experience, he gets his choice of five fantastic machines to speed around the racetrack: Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche, or Audi R8. He’ll get four laps to show what he can do behind the wheel of his chosen car.

2. 2 for 1 Airkix Indoor Skydiving

For anyone who wants to experience the thrill of 170mph winds without worrying about jumping out of a plane, this indoor skydiving experience is a must. This thrilling experience is perfect for thrill-seekers who are on the look out for a good deal: As a two-for-one offer, you’ll get to go too! You also get a free DVD of your flight, so you can see exactly what your faces look like at 170mph.

3. Segway Tour of Leeds Castle

If he’s looking for a break from the city, and doesn’t fancy getting behind the wheel of a supercar or stepping into a wind-tunnel, he might well be interested in a Segway experience. The unique feeling of riding a Segway is combined with a tour around beautiful Leeds castle. It’s also another one of our wonderful 2 for 1 offers, so you both can enjoy this scenic, relaxing experience.

4. Honda Formula 4-Stroke Powerboat Experience

If he’s looking for an experience with a bit more throttle, we reckon he’d love this Powerboat Experience. The Honda Formula 4-Stroke Championship is the world’s largest, most exciting powerboat competition, so imagine how much fun he’ll have behind the wheel of one of these competition-ready machines! He’ll even get to take on an offshore racing circuit.

5. Full day of paintball plus equipment for 10 players

Or, if you’re still stuck for ideas, you can give him the classic lad’s day out: Paintball. This special offer is a great deal, as he can get a ten man team together to lock and load and get ready to take on the enemy. Paintball’s been a classic “for him” experience for ages, and with good reason: It’s awesome fun!

Gift 1:  Green and Black’s Chocolate Making

OK, we use any excuse, but Christmas does mean chocolate. This year, why not give the box of Celebrations a break and treat her to the ultimate in chocolate making. Working with the finest Green and Blacks chocolate, she’ll learn how to create delicious chocolate recipes, and she’ll get to take her creations home. This experience is also available for two so you can join in the fun!

Gift 2: Bannatyne Spa Day

If she doesn’t have a sweet tooth, how about treating her to a day of relaxation at a Bannatyne spa?  Everyone deserves a day of pampering, and the massage therapists and beauty specialists at Bannatyne are the very best at what they do. The package includes a facial and a manicure, plus as a two for one offer she can bring a friend along. Or you, if you ask nicely.

Gift 3: Next Top Model Makeover and Photoshoot for TWO

Let her look and feel phenomenal with this great makeover and photoshoot package. This half-day experience includes a moisturising treatment, a professional make-up application, dry-hair styling, and finally the professional photo-shoot! She’ll get to bring along the outfits she wants to be photographed in, and take away a complimentary 5×7 print to remember the experience.

Gift 4: Tea Tasting and Blending

If you’ve seen her get bored with the same old tea bags, we suggest that you treat her to a tea tasting and blending experience with the master of the tealeaf Alex Probyn. She’ll learn about the history of tea, what goes into creating a great cuppa, and she’ll have the chance to create her very own blend, which will be packaged and delivered to her.

Gift 5: Thrill Flight

If she’s looking for something with a bit more adrenaline involved, we recommend this helicopter thrill flight. With a choice of six locations, she’ll be whisked up into the air to marvel at the stunning surrounding landscape! If she’s never been in a helicopter before this 150mph experience is the perfect introduction.

Last week, the Tellallmyfriends team went to check out master tea blender Alex Probyn’s Tea Tasting and Blending experience. We get through a heroic quantity of the stuff here at the office. From green tea to bubble tea to good old-fashioned English tea, we love it all, so you can imagine how excited we were to learn from the master. We couldn’t wait to learn how to make tea, and we’re talking loose leaf tea here, not your everyday teabags! It was a wonderfully educational and magically delicious three hour experience as we wrapped our tastebuds around some incredibly tasty blends, discovered how to slurp properly to get the maximum amount of flavour, and learned just how rich and varied the history of tea is.

We also got the chance to create our very own blends, and ours arrived at the office today! Here’s a photo of what we’re calling “John’s Rooib-ust Peppermint Flush” It’s got 40% Rooibos tea, 45% Darjeeling tea, and 15% Peppermint tea. We’re pretty sure it’s going to be awesome! If you’re looking to buy tea online, why not take the next step and check out Alex Probyn’s Tea Tasting and Blending and he’ll help you blend your own tea to figure out which combination is best for you! It’s also available as an experience for two so you can take a friend or a special someone along to share the fun! Then you get to relive the experience when your own tea blend arrives in the post a few days later. Show your friends and family what you created. Here’s John with his fantastic creation!

We hope everyone had a great Halloween and got their best costumes out! On the 29th of October the fantastic charity Mad4Africa hosted their annual Halloween party/fundraiser. Every year, they hosts a spooky seasonal costume bash and a raffle for charity to raise money for their cause. This year, the money went to the Kiyonza Professional Training Centre in Rwanda, which Mad4Africa has put a great deal of work into renovating and better equipping to allow students to learn  skills which will help them towards a better and more sustainable future. This year, Mad4Africa raised almost £2000!  Tellallmyfriends donated a prize to their raffle, a 30 Minute Treatment plus FREE Cream Tea at Hillmotts. If you like the sound of that, check out our pampering section at the site for more fantastic spa and treatment deals. Here’s a picture of the lucky winner below!