The AIM Escape Room

At The Amazing Blog, we love to have a good bone-chilling themed challenge! Readers may remember last year we were ‘Trapped in a Prison Van’  here, and if you are like us enjoy this thrill of the game, then the AIM Escape Rooms are for you!

HQ of AIM Escape Rooms

This East London based adventure spot has four different ultra-realistic ‘rooms’ with various difficulty levels, so if you or your children fancy being spies, then Spy Heroes would be ideal for you where you all go undercover. Then in Patient Zero 2150 is where you are battling a global bio-threat, otherwise, humanity will cease to exist – one of the challenges is to see if you can hold your breath for 60 seconds!  The spookiest has to be The Psychopath’s Den, perfect for those who love a spin-chilling experience or lovers of horror movies – because here you are part of it. Or there’s the Hangover-Deja Brew for those wanting to experience what happened the morning after the night before … However, this is ONLY for Adults 18+!

The Psychopath’s Den

Are you feeling the adrenaline rush already? Then hurry to get locked up one of the themed hi-tech adventure rooms, and become a player ready to escape the room by solving a series of their puzzles and riddles. These 60-minute nerve-wracking experiences are perfect for friends and family get-togethers or as a great ‘ice-breaker’ for even a date!

Patient Zero 2150

BTW, if you don’t pick up on clues and fail to escape on time….. you will be doomed. Ha! Fear not, the staff will be watching over you and provide you with some guidance without spoiling your fun.

Of course, before entering the room in the first place you need an appointment, which can be made via an online booking system. Decide on the number of people (between 2 and 5) and select your time slot. AIM Escape Room is open 7 days a week. Prices start from £25, but it depends whether you select a peak or off-peak ticket. It’s worth checking the website from time to time as you may be lucky enough to stumble across some discounts. You can get the tickets and all the information here. Bonne chance!

Trapped in a Prison Van

If like us at The Amazing Blog you prefer your challenges to be slightly more hardcore and with a greater sense of jeopardy, then Trapped in a Prison Van could be just the ticket for you … You must be a group of at least 4 (maximum 8), and your mission, should you wish to accept it, is to escape from the prison van which is taking you for sentencing (likelihood of life imprisonment) and head for freedom somewhere warm and away from all those pesky law abiders who would do you down!

This is the latest offering from Trapped - the team who have brought various immersive escape adventure games, from fleeing the clutches of a zombie, to the potential horrors of a 90s club, but each with the authenticity of staging and props to give each player a true sense of the drama. The premise we have here is that you and your gang have been found guilty and are en route to your final moments of freedom before being 'sent down' … for good. Can you work together and escape, or do you prepare for handing everything over for a less than flattering outfit, gruel for nosh and a mattress of straw?

You can book tickets from £30 here but it is worth keeping an eye open on the website for possible discounts on offer and the relevant codes. Timings run from Monday through Saturday. It’s also worth checking on the terms and conditions, as they do offer the option of joining a larger group if you are a total of 4 - perhaps an interesting way of making new friends or indeed cellmates, should you fail in the whole point of the mission!

Spirit of Summer Fair

If you’re a regular reader of The Amazing Blog, you’ll know that we’re always looking for products and events that are different and stylish. We love discovering boutique brands and smaller companies and sharing them with all you lovely subscribers, so we of course have to tell you about the Spirit of Summer Fair that’s happening next weekend!

From the 16^th to the 19^th of May, you can visit the Spirit of Summer Fair in Olympia, London, a perfect day out to discover new trends and creative ideas for the home and garden. You can spend the whole day wandering around the variety of over 200 handpicked boutiques, for inspiration on all things home and garden - and best of all you won’t be able to find these stylish picks on the high street! The quirky brands on show at the fair are great for anyone looking to find whimsical additions to their homes and gardens, or handmade decor that no one else will have.

At the fair you’ll also be able to participate in workshops, inspirational talks and food and wine tastings. Experts from Jo Malone will speak about the launch of their new room scents, you can take inspirational design tips from Nina Campbell, and also speaking is master perfumer Roja Dove. We know we'll be stocking up on Rhodes to Heaven's 'heavenly' natural beauty products and adding to our Summer wardrobes with Louise Sandberg's gorgeous kaftans. With workshops, stalls, and talks for everyone, the Spirit of Summer Fair is great for an afternoon or a whole day, with friends or family.

So whether you're looking for inspiration for your home, garden, or both, be sure to head over to the Spirit of Summer Fair next weekend. It’s open from 10am to 6pm each day, and tickets are available online or on the phone. Don’t miss it!