Interview: The Cheek of it School of Burlesque and Cabaret.

Photo: Tigz Rice Studios | FB
The thing that I love about hen dos is just how varied they are. I've already heard so many interesting stories about different activities to do, some of which I would never have thought of (sausage making is the weirdest so far!). I've been hearing lots about burlesque parties lately - it's something of a growing trend, but I also think there are a lot of misconceptions about it too.

So when The Cheek Of It offered me the chance to find out a little bit more about their Burlesque School, I was super excited to do a little interview and share it with you guys. So over to Felicity Furore...

1. Hello! So could you tell us a little bit about The Cheek of It?
The Cheek of It! School of Burlesque and Cabaret is based on three words; empowerment, inspiration and fun! We think everybody should have a bit of glitter in their knickers! We were founded in 2007 by Zoe Charles, or Lady Cheek if you catch her onstage, with the aim to make the world a little bit cheekier!

2. What kind of classes and courses do you offer?
We run Showtime beginners and Spotlight advanced burlesque courses throughout the year, with a big graduation show at the end – and our Cheekettes just keep getting better and better! Every Wednesday we have a mid-week wiggle at Pineapple Dance studios in London, and we're always sending out our hen party teachers to glamorous locations!

3.Are they suitable for people who’ve dabbled in burlesque before or squarely aimed at beginners?
They're suitable for anyone. I'd happily join in one of the parties even now. It's all about letting go, having fun with friends and feeling awesome, no matter how much experience you have.

4.I know people will be wondering... do they have to take their clothes off?
Not unless they really insist! We do have a striptease portion of the party, but this is generally limited to either scarves or gloves. I have a stash of lovely long black silky gloves that make you feel sultry and seductive the moment you put them on, let alone begin to take them off! I like to focus on creativity, learning about all the ways you can take the item off while thinking about your character. Sexy, cheeky or cheesecake pin up, a mere glove peel can speak volumes!

5.Do you find people are nervous about doing burlesque classes or does it vary?
It varies a lot! People can have very different perceptions of burlesque, and it can take a moment to get across the notion that it's not all about being overly sexy and getting your tassels out! We have a few warm up tasks that tend to help people relax, let their guard down and just have fun! But of course, there are some who are raring to get going before you can even say 'shimmy'!

6.Can you give us any information about how much your classes cost?
There's a few different options with regard to cost, depending on whether you'd like to have the party in your own home or if you'd like us to find you a venue. Parties are very competitively priced, especially when you consider we cater for groups up to 25 people! Parties are from £250 for a two hour workshop including a cheeky gift for the bride-to-be.

7.Is there anyone you wouldn’t recommend your classes to?
Not at all, I believe that everyone can use a little extra shimmy and sparkle in their life!

8.What do you think people take away from your burlesque school?
I am a great believer in the power of burlesque to inspire and empower. Having been with the Cheek of It from the very start, I know from personal experience what an amazing effect it can have. I even remember my first class with Lady Cheek, and how my confidence grew right from my very first shimmy! If people go away from a class with a warm glow, a cheeky grin, and an extra slither of confidence, our work is done.

9.Do people need to bring anything to burlesque classes?
It's good to wear something you feel fabulous in. I also find that bringing a pair of heels or other fabulous shoes really does help bring out that all important showgirl strut!

10.How did you/your colleagues get into burlesque?
I began burlesque after graduating and moving back home. I went to an arts university and missed being around creative and theatrical people. Alongside that and my addiction to both glitter and beautiful lingerie, it seemed to be the obvious path to follow! After a few classes, I got completely hooked and here I am, glad to report that my since the start burley journey, I have met many wonderful, inspiring, creative people, not to mention expanded my collection of sparkly underwear!


Questions? Comments? Check out The Cheek of It on Facebook and Twitter or you can Facebook or tweet Felicity.

20 Perfect Mr & Mrs Questions

Even the super classy hen dos that I’ve been to have had a Mr & Mrs game. For those scratching their heads, Mr & Mrs entails asking the groom a list of questions about the bride beforehand. The bride then has to predict his answers. It's up to you whether the groom answers the questions about the bride, about himself, or both. At the last hen do I organised, we went both which was hilarious. Especially question 8.

It’s an essential part of any hen do, really, and the best part is that it can be completely tailored to suit the bride. It can be risqué or sensible, high or low tech. I’ve been at hens where the groom’s answers have been played on a DVD, and others where it’s just on a piece of paper. It can involve alcohol (e.g. the bride doing a shot every time a question is answered incorrectly, the hens doing one when it’s answered correctly) or it can be more laid back. It's always totally awesome, though.

Here are my top 20 questions for Mr & Mrs...

1. If your partner were a superhero, who would they partner be?

2. If your partner could be a wild animal, what would your partner be?

3. What would your partner grab in a fire?

4. Marmite. Does your partner love or hate it?

5. Would you partner prefer to wade through cold custard or shower in cold baked beans?

6. If your partner could be anyone famous, who would it be?

7. If your partner could have any superpower what would it be & why?

8. What does your partner think your partner bra size is ?

9. Who is more likely to deal with a spider?

10. Who will be the partner most hungover after the wedding?

11. What is your partner’s best joke or impression?

12. Which celebrity does your partner have a crush on?

13. If your partner were a music festival, which one would they be?

14. If your partner were a manufactured pop act, who would they be?

15. If your partner were a Star Wars character, who would they be?

16. Who does most of the cleaning?

17. What would be your partner's dream date?

18. What colour are your partner's eyes?

19. What's your partner's shoe size?

20. What did you do on your first date?


If you've got any more awesome questions, please share in the comments!

13 Gloriously Tacky Bits of Hen Do Merchandise

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Fittingly though, it's because I've been ensconsed in hen do organisation and wedding cake making! For a single girl, weddings sure do form a large part of my life. It's cool though, because I bloomin' love them.

The last hen do gave me serious inspiration, so there will be a bounty of posts coming soon. For now I wanted to share my pick of the best hen do accessories. There are lots of different types of hen dos out there - there's the tacky, old fashioned hen, there's the classy hen, there's the crazy themed hen and the hen that doesn't even seem like a hen. I've been on most of those kinds but I have to say that I find the tackiness creeps in. Even if you're not the type of girls who want to prowl the streets in matching outfits with willy shaped accessories, a little bit of cheesiness never seems to go amiss. So even if you're only looking for a little bit of tack, some of these might help...

1. Cowboy hat 2. Bride to Be Glasses 3. Garter 4. Balloons 5. Bunny Ears 6. Willy Straws 7. L Plates 8. Pin the Tail

9. Mini Hen Hats 10. Bride to Be Kit 11. Sparkly hat 12. Ring headband 13. Bunny Ears set

Don't forget though, if you've got some pound shops near you, trawl them first. Poundland has pink sparkly cowboy hats, the 99p store has 4 tiaras for a pound. Their stock is changing all the time - they are my top tip for hen do purchasing!

Finally, if this whole post made you cringe, don't worry. I'll be doing a post on the best non-tacky hen accessories at some point, too!

14 Easy Cocktails

I personally think that cocktails are an essential part of any hen do. Or any day of the week, really. Cocktails – basically essential for getting me through life. Now, obviously the best way to have cocktails is for some handsome man (or lady) to spend ages mixing and muddling and shaking and serving it on a little square napkin but that’s not always possible. So for when you are just hanging out – say, AT A HEN DO – here are some of my favourite cocktail recipes that you can make at home.

All of these are cocktails that you literally just pour, stir and drink. No fuss, no muss. Great in jugs, too!

Woo Woo
The last hen I went to, the bride drank this in copious amounts. As I haven’t been able to go near Archers since I was a teenager, I can’t really vouch for this recipe. But if you like that peachy devil drink, you’ll probably like this.

• 1 shot Peach Schnapps e.g. Archers
• 1 shot Vodka
• Cranberry Juice, to taste.

Ferrari Jack
I think of this as kind of a blokey cocktail. But I’m a very girlie girl, and this is one of my favourites, so I don’t know what I’m talking about. Probably that it’s a cocktail that boys will like, as well as girls.

• 1 shot Amaretto
• 1 shot Jack Daniels
• Coke, to taste.

Amaretto & Cranberry
Technically this isn’t a cocktail, as cocktails have to have 3 ingredients to qualify. It is super yummy, though. Try it!

• 1 shot Amaretto
• Cranberry Juice, to taste.

White Russian
I love creamy booze but I also don't recommend mixing it with other types of booze. That way sickness lies.

• 1 shot Vodka
• 1 shot Kahlua
• Milk or cream, to serve

Black Russian
Way more up my street than White Russians and easier to make! Exactly the same as above, but instead of milk/cream, use coke.

Sangria
An awesome way to utilise cheap red wine. And it's got fruit in it, so it's healthy!

• 3 parts red wine
• 2 parts orange juice
• 1 part lemonade
• Fresh fruit slices to serve

Pimms
Fruit! Healthy! Not just for summer, either - try Winter Pimms with hot apple juice and a dash of rum, or instead of mixing with lemonade, mix with Prosecco. Classy and boozy.

• 1 part Pimms
• 3 parts lemonade
• Fresh fruit slices to serve

Sea Breeze
A classic drink - again, not my favourite (I hate grapefruit!) but it's super easy and popular.

• 1 shot Vodka
• 1 shot Grapefruit
• Cranberry Juice, to taste

Tequila Sunrise
Grenadine makes drinks look fancy, but is really inexpensive. Even though this has tequila in it (source of many a terrible hangover), this is quite a refreshing fruity drink. Well. Depending on how much tequila you use.

• 2 shots tequila
• Dash of Grenadine
• Orange Juice, to taste

Sex on the Beach
Oh, this takes me back to Lloret de Mar, 2001. Archers. Never again.

• 1 shot Vodka
• 1 shot Archers
• Equal parts Orange and Cranberry Juice, to serve

Kir Royale
Champagne cocktails seem posh, but can be pretty reasonably priced - let's face it, we really mean Cava or Prosecco when we say champagne, don't we?

• 1 shot Cassis
• Champagne, to taste

Gin Buck
Mmmmm, gin. Ginger ale is super warming - good for a winter hen!

• 2 shots gin
• Ginger Ale, to taste

Jäger bombs
I hear this drink is popular with the kids. I haven't tried it - I KNOW. But I don't like Jager or Red Bull, I feel I am not its target audience.

• 1 shot Jagermeister
• Red Bull, to taste

Punch
So, you've got a random collection of booze... and juice. Throw it together, call it punch. WIN.

Why not ask all your hens to bring a different spirit and mixer so you don’t get any doubles? Then hold your own cocktail event. You can even take it in turns making up jugs of cocktails and passing them around – an excellent way to spend an evening, don’t you think?

Location Spotlight: A Brighton Hen Do

Welcome to the first in my Location Spotlight series. There are tons of places all over the UK (and the rest of the world) that are perfect for hen dos, and so the aim of this monthly feature is to give you some tips on holding hens all over the shop based on my own experience and that of my friends.

First up is Brighton. I went to a hen do there a couple of weeks ago, which is actually what inspired me to start this blog! Brighton is MADE for hen dos. You can't move for pink cowboy hats. For real. We ran into several when we were out and about - including a group in awesomely hideous 80s bridesmaid dresses. LOVE that idea!

I think Brighton is so popular because it's a very liberal city. It's also very easy to get to - around an hour on the train from London (and Gatwick is on the same line). The only downside is that it's pricey - London prices for drinks and reasonably priced hotels/apartments are hard to find. It's doable though - and because it's such a vibrant place, you don't necessarily need to spend as much on activities as there is tons to do.


Where to stay
Brighton is very popular and so accommodation books up fast. In the summer you're looking at a 2 night minimum stay pretty much everywhere and even the shabby B&Bs are £100 a night. Book in advance, if you can! Here are some options, though...

Self catering: We stayed here - it sleeps 10 and was just off the main high street. It was perfect, I highly recommend. From £60 a weekend, based on 10 sharing.
Another friend is staying here which looks awesome. From £70 a weekend, based on 17 sharing.

Hotels: The Hilton is lovely (amazing breakfast!) and right on the seafront. From £94 a night.
On a smaller budget, Travelodge is just off the seafront and is from only £23 a night (depending when you book) and the Premier Travel Inn is from £53 a night.

Where to eat
There are tons of restaurants in Brighton, but these are some of my favourites:
Smokey's - BBQ is having a moment, but who can complain when it's this good? Huge portions, hen friendly!
Foodilic - An awesome buffet of tasty salady bits - amazing if you need some goodness after boozy badness.
Lucky Beach - mindblowing pulled pork, incredible burgers
JB's Diner - amazing diner food and boozy milkshakes
Fish & Chips on the beach - you can't not, can you?

What to do
Head to the pier for old fashioned seaside fun. There's a huge arcade on the pier and loads of rides. Or just go for a paddle, if the weather is good.

Pole dancing classes are super popular for hens now. I did it once - in Brighton - and was shockingly bad at it. No upper body strength, you see. You can do it at Bar 76 (more on that below) or book through here. But do a google - there are loads of places that offer it. It's a lot of fun, even if you're rubbish like me.

Bar 76 is a bar that seems to be designed for hen dos. They do activities such as dance classes, cocktail making and themed movie nights. We did the Coyote Ugly dance class, which is a 2 hour lesson in the day, then VIP treatment back at the bar in the evening before performing the dance ON THE BAR in front of everyone. One for the more confident of hens, but even the shyer ones amongst us loved it.

Cabaret & Strippers - A friend of mine is going to a hen do at Adonis Cabaret soon. If you want to go full on tacky and traditional, this looks PERFECT. Strippers are way more acceptable since Magic Mike, right?

Shop - Brighton is AMAZING for shopping. The Lanes are full of awesome independent shops, but if you venture towards Churchill Square you'll also find high street heaven. I don't think I've ever left Brighton without a new dress.


Best bars
Riki Tik - Reggae and cocktails
Bar 76 - Hen do heaven
The Black Dove - Great decor and yet more awesome cocktails
The Bee’s Mouth - Amazing live music
Twisted Lemon - Cheap & cheerful
Oceana - It's not big, it's not clever. But it does have a light up dancefloor!

If you have any questions about Brighton or any more suggestions, let me know in the comments!

Top 5 games to play on hen parties

It's not a hen do without games. Even if you're having a quiet, non tacky hen do, you'd be surprised at how much a few silly games can break the ice. One of the aims of hen dos is for the bride's besties to get to know each other, and it means that at the wedding, you'll all be a bit more bonded. A bit of healthy competition will do wonders for that.

Here are my favourite top 5 games that will be completely at home at tacky or non tacky hen dos. The great thing with all of these is that they're as naughty or clean as you want to make them - so can be tailored to the bride, or the hens - ideal if the bride's mum is in attendance!

1. The wedding dress game
In teams, hens have to make a wedding dress (modelled by one of them) out of toilet roll and anything else they can find lying around. You can also supply coloured tissue paper, foil, bedsheets etc. The bride picks the winner. I recommend putting hens in teams with people they don't know well - this one really brings the competitiveness out!

We were robbed.

2. Mr & Mrs
A classic! Beforehand, get the groom to answer some questions about the bride. She then has to guess his answers. If she gets them wrong, you could always have her do a shot. If you've got anyone technical amongst your hens, you can always get them to film the groom and play his answers on a DVD, but good old paper works well too. Here's a link to some good questions (but at some point I'll compile my favourites on here!)

3. Memory game
This was a really lovely one, and can be as rude or as clean as you want. Every hen brings an item - wrapped up - that relates to a story about them and the bride. She then has to open them all in front of everyone, guess who it's from and tell the story. You can go emotional, funny or rude (the rude ones were the funniest, obvs).

4. The play dough game
This is a great one to bring out when waiting for food at a restaurant or over drinks. Pick three or four hens to wear blindfolds and sculpt something out of playdough in 2 minutes. What to sculpt? The possibilities are endless, but male and female parts are always a winner...

Not my handiwork!

5. Pass the Parcel
Any kids party games will work a treat, actually - drunken musical chairs, anyone? For pass the parcel, include dares in between each layer and you can even make the person doing the opening do a shot. The present inside can be anything you want - booze, chocolates or even something more risque like a sex toy!

There will be more posts on games coming in the future - please let me know if I've missed your faves in the comments!

8 things you should do first when planning a hen do

So, one of your besties is getting married and you don’t know where to start on the hen do. Don’t worry, love – I’ve been there. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Talk to the bride
I firmly believe that most of the hen do details should be a surprise, even if you’re not planning anything dramatic. But you firstly need to have a chat to your bride-to-be and get an idea of what she wants. Hen dos can be so different. Does she want a tacky hen? Pink cowboy hats and willy-shaped everything? Or does she want something low key? Does she want to go out? Does she want a stripper? Does she want a weekend away or just a night? You don’t have to tell her everything, but get an idea.

2. Run the guestlist past the bride
Most brides will actually give you a list of people to invite, but if not, just make sure you haven’t missed anyone off. Most people have a big group of friends and then a few extras – work buddies, people from uni or school – the last thing you want is to forget someone crucial! Or, worse - invite someone that you really shouldn't have.

3. Decide on a date
Ask the bride for some possibilities, then email all your other hens to find out what everyone can do. Book them in EARLY, before you commit to anything else. The last thing you want is to have to cover someone else’s costs if they can’t make it. Doodle is a great website for getting everyone's dates together.

4. Communicate with the bridesmaids
Assuming that the bridesmaids are doing the planning (although it’s not always the case), you need to make sure you communicate regularly. Make sure you’re all doing your bit, make sure one person isn’t paying for everything, make sure you’re all in this together.

5. Don’t turn down help
If one of the hens attending wants to help, but isn't part of the bridal party – let them help. You’ll be glad of it! And you might get some good insight, especially if you’re going away to somewhere one of them has been before.

6. Work out a budget
It’s incredibly easy to get carried away when planning a hen do, especially if you’re going away. £100 accommodation for a weekend may not sound too bad, but when you add activities and food and drink onto that, you’re looking at a lot more. Plus transport. Try and keep everything, minus spending money, under £150. Obviously it depends what you do, but use that as a guide and make sure all your hens are happy with it. If you let them all know early, you can also get their money in instalments – much friendlier on everyone’s wallet. You may even be able to take their spending money that way too, meaning no one incurs any extra costs when they’re there.

7. Don’t change your plans for one person
Sometimes one person can’t make the hen do, and that’s gutting. But if ten other people can make it, unfortunately you have to go with the majority. If you let one person change your plans, then you’ll keep changing your plans and won’t get anywhere. Unless that one person is the bride, obviously.

8. Don’t overplan
I know, this kind of contradicts point 1-7. But what I mean is, don’t schedule in something to do for every minute of the day. Allow time just to chat, or chill. Or sleep! Nobody wants a weekend that’s go-go-go all the time – people want to rest, too. My favourite part of all the hen dos I’ve been to is when all the hens have just sat together and gossiped and cackled. (If I ever get married, I’m pretty sure that’s all I want to do. Big house + wine = awesome.)

Also, if you’re organising a night out then allow a good two or three hours to get ready, too. It sounds like a lot, but you’ll need them!

Hello!

One of the things I’ve realised as I’ve got older is that I’ve got a lot of friends. Like a LOT. I’ve realised this because suddenly I spend almost every weekend going to weddings or hen dos. Well, that’s an exaggeration – but this year I’ve got five weddings on the cards. It’s not becoming uncommon to go to four or five a year… plus the hen dos.

I’m not complaining though – I actually really love weddings, and I really love hen dos. But I’ve gone to so many hens, and I’ve organised a fair few of them, that I thought it might be worthwhile compiling my experiences somewhere. A big reason why I blog is to share things and provide a resource for people, and with so many more people planning weddings right now, I feel like there’s no time like the present.

 So this is my new blog project – primarily about hen dos, but with a few wedding titbits in there too. I’m not an expert by any means – nor am I married! But hopefully this blog might help you if you’re planning a hen do.

Every month I'll be featuring stories from real life hens, inspiration for activities, games, dares, location spotlights, etc. I haven't been everywhere and I haven't done everything so if you want to contribute, please get in touch! If you're at all interested, I'd love for you to get involved.