This Week The Mice Have Mostly Been...

Wowza what a week, now let's all shout...

...because it's finally the weekend! Another five days have sped by in the blink of an eye and we now have a blissful couple days dedicated to fun!

At London Towers we're in serious holiday countdown mode, so our weekend is all about outfit building, last minute sit-ups and a beauty shopping spree to get us prepared on all fronts!

When we haven't been imagining ourselves sinking into a plush sun lounger placed around a sparkling azure pool, a cocktail in hand with the sun rays warming our skin, this week the Mice have mostly been...

Checking out our new local Dolls House Islington! We mentioned it a few weeks ago in our 2015 hotlist and the opening night finally arrived last Friday!

It was everything we wished and hoped for...and more!!

The venue...a great space set over three floors: a cocktail bar and DJ on the ground floor, two rooms for private hire, the Library and the Drawing Room, on the second floor (but still open to the public if not) and finally the Ballroom, AKA   restaurant, on the third floor.

House of Wolf who previously occupied this space had a pretty cool interior, however, a few walls have been knocked through here and a glitter disco ball's been added there and Bob's your uncle...one super cool hangout that Islington badly needed!

Adam and Katy are the married couple behind this amazing brand and have literally put every waking hour into getting this project ready. Long nights with sledge hammers, marker pens and cocktail sampling have taken place and I can 100% vouch that every minute spent was definitely worth it!

Of course, there are dead dolls house trademarks everywhere - each walls is adorned with Katy's beautiful marker pen illustrations (if you frequented the Hoxton bar you'll instantly recognise these), they have transported all the china dogs from Hoxton (the previous membership policy requested a bottle of spirit, a bunch of flowers or a china dog as a gift for a members card) and they now sit pride of place in a vintage cabinet on the second floor corridor and there is of course, one almighty disco ball chandelier that the 80s would be proud of!

The drinks...you're in for a serious treat let me tell you! They've bagged ex Honey and Milk cocktail king Dominic B, who ensured we were as far away from dehydrated as humanly possible! There's a short but well rounded cocktail list (they do a mean Pisco Sour) but I'd strongly advise handing all control over to the bar, they know exactly what they're doing. We advised gin was our favourite spirit and got hooked on The Clover Club cocktails - fresh raspberries, gin, a dash of sugar, lemon and egg whites - D.E.L.I.S.H - not be missed!!!

We got so carried away supping our Clover Clubs that we totally forgot to check out the dedicated espresso martini bar! A huge error as word is, it serves up nine varieties of our favourite tipple...a clear reason to return immediately!

The food...we decided food was a must if our last visits have been anything to go by, so we trotted up to the third floor to bag a table. The Ballroom is a beautiful space - high ceilings, huge windows letting the light stream in, stripped wooden floor boards, exposed brick, vintage-esque mirrored walls, brushed gold tables set off vibrantly by the turquoise and textured dogstooth seating and of course home to the almighty disco ball!

The menu is short and sweet and does exactly what's required! Simple British food cooked well and the Instagram pictures I've spied of the Sunday roast look pretty delicious as well! I had the steak which had a great chargrilled smokey flavour with pretty awesome duck fat chips - perfectly crisp with fluffy middles! (Make sure you go rare on the steak as the char grilling means it's more on the cooked side!)

Come 11 / 11:30pm the tables are cleared and the room is transformed into a members only attic. The music's cranked up and the craziness begins!! Oh and the best bit..they've bagged a late licence so you can party away until 4am!

The music...I can't say I can pin point one song from that evening but I can tell you it was fun, fun, fun and that there was lots of dancing and many cases of 'ahhh I love this song' - always a great sign!

All in all, an opening that had huge expectations from us and didn't disappoint! A buzzy yet laid back vibe clearly instilled by the amazing team and practically vertical Adam - who by the way is one super cool host, his main aim : to make sure everyone is having a fabulous time! It's one of those rare places that you'll walk in, instantly see a friendly face and be laughing within seconds with a drink in hand! 

Beware...you will NEVER leave sober!!!

Keep your eyes peeled as word is another two venues are in the works and will be opening their doors within the year, first up Peckham in April...eeeeeeee!!!

Giggling away typical girl style to the much hyped 50 Shades of Grey!

So, critics may have pitched the sex scenes as suitable for Harry Potter fans and criticised the leads for zero chemistry but I beg to differ...we had a great time!

Middle Mouse and I gathered a couple of our girls and headed down to The Electric in Shoreditch for a spot of Malbec, Christian Grey and salted caramel chocolate - literally LOVE this cinema!

Let's be honest, it was never going to win any oscars, but Jamie Dornan plays the role of uber-rich, tortured Grey believably and lets not forget how incredible hot is he...every girl was swooning! Dakota Johnson was likewise perfectly cast for the innocent, eyes as big as saucers Anastasia Steele...and to say there was zero chemistry...?! No, it's not porn and the most cringeworthy parts were excluded but who wants to go sit in a public cinema and have to watch through your hands?!

If you and the girls are after a fun film with some laugh out loud moments (if you've seen it already I'm talking the toast biting scene!) and some steamy action from one HOT man then it's worth a watch! 

Right Peace out my friends and have a fabulously fun weekend!

The Mice x