Monday, 10 October 2022

Mantis a new, very colourful and Cutthroat card game

Mantis is a very new, very colourful and Cutthroat card game of rainbows and revenge!

It's perfect for Christmas parties is suitable for ages 7 and upwards and is suitable for two to six players.

Average time of each round takes ten minutes to complete.

So, what are the rules of this stunningly colourful game?

1) Steal

or

2) Score

Sounds simple! Sounds fun! So, what do players have to do? You collect matching sets of cards. You steal cards from your opponents. Feel pretty good about things. 

Then find yourself being outwitted and outsmarted by your opponents and watch as they steal those cards back.  

Then maybe start feeling not so good about things.

What next? Enjoy the emotional rollercoaster that you are on until the game finishes and you, or one of your opponents, wins!

It's a great name for family game nights and also for a grown up game night when all the children are in bed!

Included in the pack is a Mantis comic created by The Oatmeal and the opportunity to have a whole heap of Mantis fun!

It's created by those fun folks behind the game Exploding Kittens.

https://www.explodingkittens.com/collections/all. It costs £19.99.


New for Christmas from Jones the Grocer

Jones the Grocer is launching a new seasonal menu and roast turkey and lamb packages for pre-booking.

The seasonal offers are unveiled in a Holiday Special of the quarterly Body & Soul magazine

Jones the Grocer launches its Holiday Special Body and Soul magazine featuring a delicious new menu and Thanksgiving and Christmas Turkey, and Lamb Roast Packages.

The new edition of the magazine will be your ultimate guide to the festive season, with pages and pages of inspiration to get you in the festive mood – from celebratory roast and table spread options, to exquisite gifting, delectable ingredients, easy recipes, and super-cool party hosting ideas. Bringing the best of what Jones has to offer, it is wonderfully packaged in a 43-page guide that you can pick up from any of the Jones stores or view the digital version.

Festive Roast Turkey and Roast Lamb Packages for Pre-Booking

For over ten years Jones the Grocer has been bringing a touch of magic to festive celebrations with their traditional roasts. 

The Thanksgiving and Christmas roast packages are cooked to order and easily booked online. You can place your order and select the collection date and timings on Jonesthegrocer.com via their online booking link. Priced at AED 795 there are two roast options which serve up to 8 people.

Festive Roast Turkey

A perfectly seasoned roast turkey with sage and apricot stuffing, cranberry sauce, rosemary and juniper-infused gravy. This can be upgraded to a silver, gold, or diamond package. This offers a choice of delicious accompaniments to enhance the festive table. 

Options include duck fat roast potatoes, honey-glazed parsnips, sauteed brussels sprouts and roast baby carrots, cauliflower cheese, and beef sausages wrapped in bacon. Additional selections include sweet treats such as house-baked cinnamon, apple or pecan pies and hand-selected artisan cheese and meat boards to make any celebration just incredible.

Roast Lamb

A slow-cooked Aussie lamb shank with rosemary, garlic and juniper gravy.

New Holiday Special Menu at all Jones the Grocer Stores

Jones the Grocer have been cooking up a lovely seasonal menu, with delicious classics such as a Crab and Welsh Rarebit for breakfast, a hearty and creamy Roast Butternut Risotto, a Sage and Apricot Chicken Supreme and an epic burger to beat any burger in the UAE, called the D&G Burger (pictured left). There is also a Cinnamon Fizz thirst quencher and a decadent Valrhona Hot Chocolate with S’mores which melts away like a dream with every sip (pictured top right).   

Browse Jones the Grocer’s Holiday Special, Body & Soul seasonal menu here. For more information visit Jonesthegrocer.com.

https://www.jonesthegrocer.com/downloads/6332a4c40d46f122Body_Soul_Magazine_Q4_Web.pdf.

That's Food and Drink: Hocus Pocus Platters

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24 Days of Reading this Advent

Rare Birds Books launches a new look advent calendar following sell out success in 2021!

Chocolate advent calendars are so last year! This year Rare Birds Books we are ushering in the festive period with a new era of advent calendar, one that offers romance, suspense, thrills and spills.

Highly anticipated since its immediate sell out last year, home of female writing, Rare Birds Books has re-designed and re-launched its best-selling 24 Days of Reading (£50), a new way to celebrate advent.

To play along, you just need to open each day as normal, discovering an invitation to a new world behind every door, a secret blurb ready to take you on a journey. Each of the 24 descriptions corresponds to one of Rare Birds Books favourites from the past year, including 10 book club picks and 14 brand new titles; so, whether you’re a subscriber or a book worm, there is a story for you!

At the end of December, you choose your favourite four blurbs and using your personal code, redeem them for the four physical books! A gift that just keeps giving, the books will be despatched from 28th December onwards, meaning you will be able to start 2023 with a host of new reading material.

With postage included, this is the perfect early present for the bibliophile in your life. And for those vivacious readers, don’t panic, your book choices will be revealed before you complete your redemption, meaning you can confirm you haven’t got any duplicates.

Pre-orders begin in September for guaranteed copies, with all calendars begin shipping in November. They will be available to purchase online via the website, in store and at Stylist Live weekend.

So, which story will you choose for yourself this Christmas?

https://rarebirdsbooks.com/products/the-rare-birds-books-advent-calendar.

Mind you, why not get them some chocolates, too? Because I always find that books and chocolate go together so very well!

Lift yourself this Christmas with LIFT

The countdown to Christmas is on the way, and we all know what that can mean! 

There aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done, lacking in energy from the shorter days and the colder winter nights and then of course, the parties! 

Also, late nights and hangovers can be part and parcel of the festive party season. So how on earth will we survive all this? With LIFT, that’s how!

Lift contains a fast-acting, measured dose of glucose, which is easily and rapidly absorbed into the body to give you that additional level of energy and putting you in control when you need it the most.

The range includes:

Shots – these fast-acting glucose shots are available in Very Berry or Zesty Lemon & Lime Flavours, £1.60

Chews – just as fast-acting as the shots, the chews come in four delicious flavours including Very Berry, Zesty Lemon & Lime, Juicy Raspberry and Tangy Orange. They are available in 10s, £1.25 and 50s £3.80

Lift Glucose shots and chews are available from Amazon, Asda, Boots, Lloyds Chemist, Superdrug, Tesco.

Get ready to party like a pro with Lift Glucose this festive season.

You can learn more, here https://www.liftglucose.com.


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The ultimate gift for Christmas is Relaxation with Spabreaks.com


From the ultimate relaxation gift vouchers to at-home-spa gift sets, Spabreaks.com has the perfect present for everyone on your Christmas list

Spabreaks.com gives the options of two types of gift: gift packages or monetary vouchers.

With all gifts, Spabreaks.com offers a range of optional gift sets to accompany the voucher, from aromatic candles to skincare sets.

With the continued stresses and distractions that 2022 has engendered in us, many of us are looking for ways in which to unwind & relax as we get closer to the festive period. With Spabreaks.com’s range of gift ideas, it's definitely the perfect time to treat someone you love with the relaxation and wellbeing benefits of spa.

Be it an overnight spa break, a spa day or a gift voucher that allows your loved ones the flexibility of choosing where and when to make their get away, there's definitely something for everyone and for all budgets with Spabreaks.com’s wonderful gift options.

Spabreaks.com offers two types of gift voucher, which can be redeemed at over 450 spas across the UK:

GIFT PACKAGES

These packages give you the chance to tailor your gift to include all the specifics: the spa, the treatments, and whether you have lunch, afternoon tea or stay for dinner. You choose the spa and experience; they choose when they'll get to use it.

MONETARY VOUCHERS

A sum of money, selected by you, which can be used towards any of Spabreaks.com’s experiences, offering total flexibility and give your recipient the freedom to choose how they spend it. Monetary vouchers are available from £30.

Vouchers are easily bookable online and offer 12-month validity, so voucher holders can choose when they want to enjoy their gift. And this ensures they get to indulge in their spa experience at a time which suits them. 

In a bid to help spread the cost of Christmas for customers this year, all vouchers bought from the 24th October will have an extended validity period that will run through until the 24th December 2023.

Looking to tailor the spa experience perfectly to each person on your list? Spabreaks.com has a range of gift packages at incredible venues across the country like:

Doubletree by Hilton Chester Hotel

Enjoy a one-night bed and breakfast stay at this manor house hotel set in 12 acres of landscaped grounds. With abundant space, groups will love the fine chances for dining and social time, but don’t forget to factor in time at the luxury Club and Spa!

Its 14 treatment rooms mean it has ample space for larger groups, plus a pool, steam room and rasul, which are fun to enjoy with family and friends. 

After a restorative massage or facial, make the most of the poolside loungers before planning how to enjoy yourself next. Offer includes a three-course dinner in the Garden Room & Terrace from a Table D’hôte Menu and 4 hours use of the spa facilities. From £88.50pp. More information here https://www.spabreaks.com/venues/doubletree-by-hilton-chester-hotel.

Rena Spa at Leonardo Royal Tower Bridge Hotel

With Tower Bridge and the Tower of London on your own doorstep, there’s plenty to keep you busy with sightseeing, but when you’re ready to indulge in some serious relaxation time, Rena Spa is an oasis of calm. Elegant facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, next to which you’ll find a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna to spend time relaxing in. The spa is all about pampering, so you can expect to find an indulgent treatment menu to choose a range of beauty and holistic therapies from. Offer includes one-night bed and breakfast stay, a choice of 1 x 25-minute treatment, a bottle of Prosecco on arrival and 2 hours use of the facilities. From £103.50pp. More details here https://www.spabreaks.com/venues/rena-spa-at-leonardo-royal-tower-bridge-hotel?package_id=20893#offers.

Shangri-La, The Shard

Dip your toes into Europe's highest sky pool with a mid-week staycation in the city and the sky. This  provides you with an unparalleled view of the city from a Deluxe City View Room, your day starts with a buffet breakfast for two in TĪNG restaurant. 

Make the most of your getaway with access to the hotel’s legendary infinity sky pool, as well as relaxing in the sauna or working out in the gym, all located on the hotel’s 52nd floor and open until 6pm. 

Treat yourself by adding a treatment to your stay, either in the spa or in your room for extra comfort. You can also add dinner and drinks to your stay at one of the hotel’s array of restaurants and bars. 

Whether you fancy a tipple in Europe’s highest hotel bar, GŎNG, tucking into Asian cuisine with classic British gastronomy at TĪNG, or enjoying a local craft beer or Aperol Spritz at Bar 31, there’s something for every palate. From £465pp. More information here https://www.spabreaks.com/venues/shangri-la-the-shard-london.

If you’re unsure of the recipient's favourite spa, or what they might enjoy, book safely in the knowledge that the equivalent monetary value of the voucher can be used towards an alternative experience of their choice.

With all gifts, Spabreaks.com offers a range of optional gift sets to accompany the voucher, from aromatic candles to skincare sets – all of which will allow recipients to enjoy a spot of at home relaxation as they eagerly await their upcoming spa experience.

With a range of gifting options and an array of wonderful spas across the UK, giving the relaxing gift of spa is easy this Christmas with Spabreaks.com.

For more information or to book visit www.spabreaks.com or call 0800 043 6600.