SilentMode

For anyone stuck without Argos' BFF Rewards Card, it looks like this: These should have been given with a Friends set purchase, as stated in the promotion details, but in reality you'll have to fight with the staff to get hold of one. The gifts are either a drunks tumbler with pouch, or an "exclusive" shoulder bag - both for kids.

Sure, I'll have a go... Just throwing some ideas out to the wind. 1. Golfer 2. some kind of sports mascot 3. Referee 4. Secret Agent 5. Teacher 6. Female Ninja 7. Fairy 8. Yodeller 9. Chef 10. Air Stewardess 11. Skydiver 12. Shakespeare-like figure 13. Strongman 14. Tribal warrior 15. Aladdin 16. Gardener.

I've only got the three reviewed ones, not sure whether to go for the others before a possible clearance. But thank you.

"Help Stephanie to patrol for pets on her cool quad bike!" Previous reviews 3065 Olivia's Tree House - 8/10 3188 Heartlake Vet - 7/10 3931 Emma's Splash Pool - 8/10 3932 Andrea's Stage - 6/10 No red carpet required: I am back to give one more review of one of the new Lego Friends sets, going five for five. Tonight it's the turn of the remaining Friends character Stephanie, in her Pet Patrol set. The resemblance to Paradisa seems to come to a head from the outset, although Paradisa had never involved wheels and tyres of that size... Apologies in advance for the quality of photos. Stephanie's Pet Patrol Set 3935 Release year: 2012 RRP: GBP 9.99 / USD 9.99 # of parts: 73 # of figures: 1 Links: Brickset Lego S@H More pictures in my Brickshelf folder. Promotional image (render) No group of female friends would be complete without the archetypal blonde, whom legend has it has the most fun. I didn't really have any opinion of this set when I first saw it in the shops, other than it looked a bit too small for 9.99. It's also a little shocking to see that a GBP 9.99 set, for the first time I can recall, is selling in the States for USD 9.99 (which works out at around GBP 7 at today's prices). So will we end up crying over price differences? Let's find out, with a box of [insert preferred brand name] tissues to hand just in case. The Box The back of the box The picture of the quad bike on the back looks incredibly similar to the one on the front; the difference is at the back with the positioning of the bunny, the grille brick and the carrot. We can also see Stephanie - the featured Friends character - feeding the bunny at its penthouse. Compared to the other sets I've reviewed, the back of this box just screams "no frills". Having bought this set from Argos, I now have four of the promotional BFF stickers - now I just have to find the BFF book and find out what I can get for them. To scale Stephanie rather enjoys posing to show herself at scale, and it looks like she's dressed up especially for the occasion. The Contents We still get two small bags, barely containing anything at all, and the instructions. There's nothing else; no large plate, no DSS, no nothing. But already we can see a few parts in eye-catching colours. Whether or not you're aware there's only 73 parts in the set, we're probably asking ourselves; what on earth did I pay for? But let's keep our spirits up. Stephanie in all her dismembered glory. Her torso is one of the few available that has sleeves, and resembles the top of a gymnast's outfit. We just can't fail to notice that blonde hair, either. Stephanie Our final guest is Stephanie, who is generally described as a social butterfly (read: won't shut up). According to her official profile, she likes outdoorsy activities and healthy cupcakes, and aspires to become a journalist. Her friends say she's too controlling, which quite frankly I'd have a hard time not believing. We'd also suspect that she'd be the high school cheerleader of the group, and maybe develop more quickly than the others. First thought: it's a little unusual seeing her in a light blue torso, and we'll see why shortly. For some reason her outfit doesn't look like it's composed very well; those shoes don't match the torso at all.</projectrunway> Otherwise, she certainly looks the part of a young whippersnapper - she would definitely be in her teens. As we can see very clearly, her hairpiece has two holes for accessories: one on top and one on her left side. In fact... Remember Sophie from Heartlake Vet? It turns out that she and Stephanie have the exact same hairpiece, just in different colours. They also appear to have the same head, and near-matching outfits. Putting Stephanie together with the other main Friends characters (Olivia couldn't make it to the shoot; rumour has it she's stuck on top of the Tree House) highlights something that didn't sit well - all the characters have very similar faces, with the only differences being eye colour, open/closed mouths (and in Andrea's case lip colour) and the presence of Mia's freckles. Although the hairstyles help to distinguish the different characters, I would have liked to see facial designs closer to the illustrations on the boxes. Anyway... Minifigure with Stephanie's hair Speaking of social butterflies, Angineryka's back (yay - not) to model Stephanie's hairstyle. The blonde colour makes her look less Monica Lewinsky, but it still adds weight to her face. The minifigure hair on Stephanie isn't a particularly good one, to the point that it doesn't even suit a minidoll. However, it was provided as a demonstration. Some other blonde minifigure hairpieces These were the four I've tried, and I'm not sure any of them work very well... For the time being we'll give her the usual rubbery hair. New colours Two of the six new colours in the Friends theme are introduced in this set. We've already seen the Medium Azure parts (right), which have appeared in a few of the other reviewed sets. The parts on the left are in what BrickLink now officially calls Light Aqua; a pleasant blue-green colour that has to be seen to be believed. Thanks to the Disney Cars sets, none of these parts are exclusive to this Friends set - but more useful Light Aqua parts can be found in the Café, and of course with the accessories in Heartlake Vet. Greenery Lime is a silently dominant colour in the Friends theme, and this set has no less than seven very noticeable Lime parts. But to balance it out, we also have some green bamboo bricks and a 2x2 in Green, and some Bright Green plant elements. Put together, Lime isn't so bad after all... I just don't like the proliferation of Lime parts compared to the other greens. New handlebar This new handlebar part was designed specifically for Friends figures/minidolls - unfortunately, unless gripped in a very unnatural fashion, they're incompatible with minifigures. Something like this for minifigures is sorely missing, but the current handlebar - while a pain to use in Lego Digital Designer - will do for now. Daisy the bunny This is Daisy: a bunny that only Stephanie can see, and the only living thing in Heartlake City that shares her penchant for nosiness. While I dislike the facial print, the bunny actually has a nice shape to it. There's a modding challenge for you. (There is a difference between rabbits and bunnies/hares - see this page for info.) Stars of the show Really, there isn't much to pick from this set, but here's my selection. It's an opportunity to pick up an inexpensive carrot, as well as some plant stalks - and while we're here that Light Aqua plate isn't bad either. If you're into building your own vehicles and things for Friends, the handlebars will come in very useful. The Build A bush? Seven parts go into making this bush, and the best thing I can say about it is... it gives us those plant parts. I would rather have two of the plants in the Splash Pool set, although this bush would be better suited to the outdoors. Daisy's penthouse My initial thought was that rabbits live in hutches or in burrows... but Daisy is a bunny, and an invisible one that only Stephanie can see, to boot. So Daisy deserves a very special house - a penthouse. Pretty much the only thing you can do with this penthouse is position Daisy onto the jumper plate, and maybe place the assembled carrot into one of the flower plates. It's a nice small build; one you could probably use with the puppy or the kitten if you so choose. The quad bike Here's the meat of the set, to the two veg above. The bike starts off with this base - watch those instructions carefully. I've never had to use those mudguard parts myself, but we get a general idea of the bike's shape. Strap on a fairly meaty engine, because when it comes to patrolling for pets we don't play. But once we add the wheels and tyres to this thing, as well as the handlebars, worry starts to set in. We know about women's liberation and all that, but should we really be letting this teen jump on something that looks that powerful? Seriously, it looks like it has a kick - but it's a testament to the designer's vision. One of the biggest talking points about the Friends sets (overlooking the feminism rubbish) is the idea of having someone stand on a quad bike. I'm sure people ride standing on real quad bikes, although it might be ridiculous to be standing that high on one! But short of designing an actual bike part for mindolls, I'm not sure there's anything that could be done - other than to have a different vehicle. Here's Stephanie threatening girl power, as she models the Stephmobile. The tiny-a** trailer For some reason the final build in this set is a very small trailer that hooks onto the quad bike. We've seen on the back of the box that it's used for transporting the yellow grille brick (resembling hay) and the carrot, but you can also make an invisible bunny hang on for dear life inside it. Alternatively the bunny can sit on the yellow jumper plate at the back of the quad bike. The completed set Believe it or not, this is it. Stephanie decides to impress Daisy by revving the engine on the Stephmobile, trailer in tow, while she waits for her call. She can't wait to get that thing moving. Leftovers As with Andrea's Stage, four small parts remain - but they're actually useful parts. Hold on to those plant parts. The Verdict The strength and playability in this set lies in the quad bike itself, minus the trailer. The only girly thing about it is the colour scheme; it works just like a City vehicle and it's just as swooshable. Whether or not you're bothered by the minidoll having to stand on it, the handlebars make sure it stays in place - although the hook plate might come loose, as it usually does. You could easily adapt it for minifigures by adding minifigure-specific handlebars or a steering wheel, if you wanted. Although not as desirable as the hedgehog or perhaps the horse in Heartlake Vet, the bunny will probably be one of the more popular Friends animals, and it won't cost as much to accumulate more than one. I don't like the face print, but then I'm not the target audience. The set as a whole is underwhelming: not just because of the part count and price, but the generally poor choice of parts. Yes Light Aqua is a newly introduced colour, but I thought there should have been more of it included in the quad bike design than just three parts - especially with so few parts in the set. Emma's Design Studio - probably my highest rated Friends set of the ones I have right now - had an incredible selection of parts and colours at the same price, and even Andrea's Stage represented. I also think that Stephanie is best accumulated with the less expensive Bakery set, or the more expensive Convertible set, as the outfit in those sets looks a lot nicer. I'd basically say that this should have been a polybag/impulse set with just the quad bike and the minidoll. Everything else is a nice to have, including the bunny, but unnecessary. Design: 5/10 A great job was done on the quad bike's design, but everything else looks like it was built from a Lego store's grab bag (not a bad thing, but not at this price). Build: 7/10 Only the quad bike posed a small challenge, being the most detailed build, but everything else was fairly straightforward. Parts: 4/10 Nothing really special about the parts selection; only three Light Aqua parts in the set makes the colour redundant. Hate to say it, but Stephanie was also underwhelming as a minidoll. Playability: 6/10 The quad bike is good to play with on its own, as a starter vehicle for minidolls. Price: 3/10 At GBP 9.99, no way would I purchase this again. It should be (IMO) just the bike and Stephanie for 4.99 - no premiums. Based on these scores, Stephanie's Pet Patrol gets a 5/10. How dare you exist as a Lego set... just kidding. To Lighten the Mood "What?! Henry hedgehog's escaped from Heartlake Vet? And is being chased by a carniv... ca... c... whatever, like a dinosaur?!" "Come on Daisy, we've, like, got our first ever call! To the Stephmobile!" "You wanna, like, sit up front, huh? Like, hold on tight! Here we go!" vrrrrOOOOMMMMM... "...wasn't me."

One of these, perhaps? http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?G=3977 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?G=3977b http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?G=3977c http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?G=3977d

Well darn, I've also done a review of this set just last night! But I'll say what I've said in that one; this is one of the weaker sets in the line-up IMO, but the Andrea minidoll and some of the odd-coloured parts makes it worth getting one. Funnily enough I'd also picked up on the Alicia Keys reference.

"Make Andrea a superstar with her stage!" Previous reviews 3065 Olivia's Tree House - 8/10 3188 Heartlake Vet - 7/10 3931 Emma's Splash Pool - 8/10 It's your boy SilentMode, aka the Review King (just kidding!), with yet another Lego Friends review to help tie up loose ends. Thanks to all the other reviewers who've stolen my thunder reviewed some of the other sets (particularly Olivia's House) so I didn't have to. Andrea's Stage Set 3932 Release year: 2012 RRP: GBP 9.99 / USD 9.99 # of parts: 87 # of figures: 1 Links: Brickset Lego S@H More pictures in my Brickshelf folder. Promotional image (render) I'll be honest from the outset: I've been very apprehensive about getting this set, because of all the Friends sets available at the time this one looked particularly weak. I've also noticed other people shying away from reviewing it on Eurobricks! It's one redeeming feature, however, is that it's [currently] the least expensive way to obtain Andrea: LEGO's very first minifigure-scale brown-skinned human female figure as far as I know. I already have Andrea in a different outfit as I'd bought the City Park Café, but I'm going to keep an open mind about this particular set. Is it as bad as I think it is? Or will I be pleasantly surprised? Let's find out. The Box The back of the box Today's featured Friend is Andrea, shown here both on stage and playing the piano; in the music industry that would be classed as being "multi-talented". All of the Friends have their own similar-sized sets, as shown at the bottom, and these all have the regular-shaped boxes. Argos' "BFF" promotion With the BFF offer mentioned in the Tree House review: apparently the "BFF Loyalty Card" is given with the purchase of Friends sets from Argos, although I've not ever had one. There's allegedly a selection of gifts to choose from when you've attached four of these stickers to the card, which you'd then send to a freepost address. More information hidden on the Argos web site. To scale One of the long sides shows Andrea to scale, and what exactly she'll look like. Other than that, there's nothing much else to the rest of the box. The Contents With 87 parts in the box, now I'm starting to see why they don't show the part count on Friends set boxes! But let's see what we have inside. Our usual configuration of two small bags, separate plate and the instructions. The oversized bags have done another good job at cushioning the parts inside. The instructions have also fared well. In probably the only environment safe enough to stare at women's bits, here's the pieces that make up Andrea. Her nose isn't nearly as pronounced as it is on the box; actually, up until now, I'd overlooked the fact that the minidolls have noses. Andrea Please welcome Andrea to the show... (applause) Andrea, as highlighted in the description and in her official profile, is a passionate musician and dancer - and is destined to join the ranks of Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna and all those other people who can't sing. But hey, all of a sudden that nose just became more visible! While I'm not a fan of those shoes (whatever they're called), I quite like the designs of the torso and pants - nothing too fussy or detailed. It's just a shame that her choices of clothing are very limited, compared to the other Friends - even Hispanic Emma. There is another brown female figure in another set (the beauty studio), but I'm not sure if they're the same colour. Andrea marks a turning point in the availability of non-white fleshie female figures, but I wonder how popular she'll be with the target audience? Minifigure with Andrea's hair Angineryka returns once again to model Andrea's hairpiece, which slightly turns on the masculinity but gives her a very full head of hair. Rather predictably, Andrea is modelling the S2 Disco Dude's hairpiece in exchange, as it's the closest thing I have. (and I know some of you were curious.) Andrea's hairpiece has two holes for accessories: one on top and on her left side. Andrea with Emma's hair For a good alternative look, switch Andrea's hairpiece for Emma's. Weaves are all the rage, you know. The hunt for a suitable minifigure hairpiece I've tried a handful of minifigure hairpieces on Andrea, because generally I think they look better on minidolls than minidoll hair does. My pick of them is the long braid hairstyle, for some unknown reason. Fellow singers Andrea is joined by her "idols"*, singing sensation** Bryknii (the S2 Pop Star) along with chart rival and singer-songwriter Saima Gaines***. * SilentMode does not condone the worship of celebrities or any other flesh-and-bone entity. ** Bryknii can't sing. *** Saima Gaines doesn't write her own songs. Let's get back to the parts... Purple There's a joke somewhere about black people and the colour purple, but I'm not a comedian. You will find, however, a total of five parts in the new Medium Lavender colour, and two round corner plates in Dark Purple. Not sure how useful the arch pieces will be, but the tile and plates are very welcome. Welcome returns While not brand new colours, making a very welcome return in this set are some 1x2 tiles in Bright Light Yellow (currently exclusive to this set) and some 2x4 tiles and 1x2 and 2x2 bricks in Magenta (the 2x2s and tiles also being exclusive to this set currently). I don't think I've ever had a Bright Light Yellow part. Printed tiles No DSSs (dreaded sticker sheets) in this set; we have two printed tiles. If your name is actually Andrea, it's your lucky day. Stars of the show Seeing the other parts on offer, these are the ones you will probably not be buying from my store if I ever part this set out. There really isn't much to choose from, but if like me you collect 2x2 bricks, you'll definitely want the Magenta ones. Rather generously we're also given three black skeleton legs, and - if you've missed them from S2 - two minifigure-sized microphones. The Build Four not-so-challenging builds await us in this set... The boom box This is a very simple build of just four parts, and... it just ain't right. First of all, it looks ghastly! Second of all it looks way too long, even for a minidoll. Thirdly, who else was thinking she should have one of these instead? I'll take the point that the set's boom box has a CD player on it, while this one only has a cassette player. I just think that LEGO missed a trick here, and if the CD player was the issue then something else could have been used; perhaps a printed tile representing a disc walkman, or a music player. That's your challenge, children. The stage This little thing right here is the stage, complete with stage lights and an interesting build for a microphone stand, using one of those arm pieces. Although it looks more like a fragment of a stage, it offers more versatility then a full one; if you're setting up a large scene, for example in a night club or comedy store, you can position it almost anywhere. Of note: the transparent yellow studs are meant to go the other way round on the hooked plates, but I've done them this way because I think they look better. The entrance If we want proof that Andrea is no amateur, she has her name in printed tile lights above the entrance. People have come from miles around to see her perform - yet she has a tiny stage to perform on! To me, the entrance is a nice little prop to have, that demonstrates one or two building techniques: namely the use of non-rectangular parts to create different shapes, both on the outside of the model and inside to create the arch and the curtains. I'm lost as to what purpose those tan pieces serve, as opposed to 1x2 plates; I'd suspect they were included just because they could be. This picture also highlights the visible differences between Red and Magenta parts, as well as how the curtains were built. The piano There are a lot of piano designs and builds on the Interwebs; I myself had a go at making one when I first started out here. So it may come as a surprise that LEGO settled on this design... or not. They probably didn't want to fall foul of copyright infringement, especially as there's at least one piano design on LEGO CUUSOO right now. Anyway, when you take that into consideration, it's not such a bad design. If anything it's probably too small for performance use, and resembles more of a toy piano. I also think that 2x4 Magenta tile deserves more than to have someone's butt on it, even if it is a minidoll's. A black skeleton leg also serves as a microphone holder on the piano. The completed set Because of the scale of the different parts, this set feels a lot more like dolls house equipment than a Lego set, and there's plenty of room for expansion. It also became apparent that the microphone stand is a sneaky substitute for Andrea not being able to hold a microphone to her mouth! Andrea also plays the piano, as shown on the back of the box, but here I've given her a pianist to help her rehearse. It might be possible, but it's no fun setting up an entire event by yourself. Leftovers We're not actually supposed to have the 1x4 plate; it goes at the back of the boom box. I guess I was that much unimpressed with it that I'd only used the three parts. Anyway, for 87 pieces in the set four spare parts isn't that bad. The final step in the instructions confirms that the second microphone is a spare. By the way, Gewinne!th says "RAWR!" She couldn't be here today, but she's the same size as in the Splash Pool set. Fun with the set Andrea is about to go on stage for her very first performance in a major venue. For the last two months she's been taken under the wing of highly successful performer Saima Gaines, who has been coaching her for a shot at the mainstream. Andrea: "I'm like so nervous! I've never performed in front of so many people!" Saima: "You'll be fine, girl! Just remember everything I've taught you." Andrea: "But what if I, like, totally mess up?" Saima: "Trust me, you won't mess up. I've been through this myself, and I know you're gonna bring the house down!" Andrea: "... Okay, I'm ready!" Saima: "You go, girl!" Announcer: "Please welcome to the stage our very own amazing talent: Miss Andrea." Maybe it's not such a bad thing that the legs are joined...! The Verdict I've had the opportunity to build and examine this set, and while it's not as bad as I'd initially thought, I still think it's one of the weaker sets of the Friends theme launch - it's certainly the least desirable of the sets I've reviewed thus far. It does have its good points. A draw for me is the inclusion of the Bright Light Yellow tiles and Magenta parts, and of course the Andrea minidoll - most of which you can't get anywhere else. The stage entrance is probably the most impressive of the set's builds, and the one that easily stands on its own. As mentioned previously, the set itself lends itself to expansion. It shouldn't be too hard to extend the piano, for example, add backing singers (maybe some of the other Friends!) or build a bigger stage; the foundations have been provided. The main problem I have is that, even though the layout is flexible, it really should have been a larger set at a higher price point. Regardless of how far along Andrea is in her career, she deserved a bigger (and perhaps taller) stage, perhaps twice as wide. It would have also been nice to have some company, perhaps someone on the piano or a backup singer. As it is, the set does fit together but it's just too... amateurish. The alternative at the same price point could have been a different musical environment, such as a studio booth - or even just a large stage with a microphone. Design: 5/10 The entrance looks like the most well-designed build in the set, and some props go to the piano, but even the Splash Pool trumps the overall design. The boom box was a very low point IMO. Build: 7/10 Fairly quick and no real problems with building, and no tricky techniques - just a few small parts to contend with. Parts: 6/10 Apart from the Magenta 2x2 bricks and Bright Light Yellow tiles, this isn't desirable for parts; many more Medium Lavender parts can be scavenged from the Tree House set, and other sets at this price have more useful parts. Maybe worth getting for the minidoll if you're collecting them. Playability: 7/10 There is playability - have Andrea performing live on stage, at the piano or making an entrance - but at some point that stage will be way too small. Price: 6/10 Not the most painful LEGO purchase I've made, but I wouldn't do it again - certainly not at RRP. Based on these scores, Andrea's Stage gets a 6/10. If you don't hear from me again, the feminists got me.

Thank you for the review! I had the chance to pick this up last week, being one of my most anticipated 2012 City sets. I've so far resisted because it just looks too plain on the box, and it still does after looking at the pictures. It might be worth picking up eventually, however, for the female's torso. I also agree that they ought to have used clear windows! This might be a set that lends itself very well to modding, I think.

I'm not Hinckley, but I appreciate your compliments! For now I think all the Friends sets that are out have been reviewed; if there's any missing I might have time for one more.

They are indeed; passed on them twice myself. You'll find them on the shelves.

I'd give them a shipping cost with either Airsure or International Signed For: not only for proof and compensation, but it will scare off anyone who's not serious about buying.

I missed out on the discounted Winter Toy Shops, so as revenge I bought the last two Mill Village Raids from Westfield Stratford. I was also caught off-guard by the presence of 1x8 tiles in white at Westfield London's PAB wall.

I wouldn't mind; I've yet to book a room, and I don't know which hotels are near the venue. But just as long as you don't snore! While I'm here: it's a shame Cecilie won't be there this year, she and her crew ill be missed.

No such luck with the mothership (it's still £29 here), but ASDA at Clapham Junction has the smallest PotC set (the one with the globes and bottles) at £4.99, and the Marina is down to £22. Those are the only two noteworthy things I've spotted.

Darn, I was going to do this one next! I also had some concern about the sandwich with no meat in it; even if I were a girl I'm not sure I'd make a habit of eating those. But I guess that's how they stay so thin! Other than that, I think this is a particularly good set.

Really really good effort, stand tall and showcase your images!

It is surprising that the Spartan and Zombie didn't make the cut, seeing how they made a lot of AFOLs wet with anticipation, but personally I'm amazed (and pleased) that the Gorilla Suit Guy did - not just because I have a couple of them but I saw them being popular from the beginning. Assuming these were the top five figures, it probably shows different tastes between AFOLs and KFOLs.

It has, unfortunately... generally people have been too busy to get together. But I'm always game, whenever the opportunity arises.

Mill Village Raid was sold out online, but I was lucky to pick one up today at a Lego store, still discounted. (charlieboy - is that all? )

"Have some fun in the sun with Emma’s Splash Pool!" Previous reviews 3065 Olivia's Tree House - 8/10 3188 Heartlake Vet - 7/10 This is SilentMode, aka that guy, with yet another Friends review. This time we're going to take it back to basics - no animals, no risk of incorrect colour names/references, and no new moulds other than on the Friends figure - with one of the smallest sets on offer at present. And all of a sudden Brickset now has part counts... Emma's Splash Pool Set 3931 Release year: 2012 RRP: GBP 4.99 / USD 5.99 # of parts: 43 # of figures: 1 Links: Brickset Lego S@H More pictures in my Brickshelf folder. Promotional image (render) This is currently the least expensive way to get one's hands on one of the new Friends figures (which apparently is officially called a minidoll). There are a few more sets of a similar size listed on Brickset, but at the time of writing this and 3930 are the ones available. In today's episode we join a fully-clothed Emma in the hot tub - which turns out to be a very small pool. The Box The back of the box The back of the box, given that it's so small, simply shows our featured, literally green-eyed Friend Emma. One thing we'll be pleased to know is that, despite the anatomy of the figure, she fits rather well on the sun bed. The long side Instead of a minidoll to represent the scale, strangely we have a picture of the ice cream sundae. I suppose it was the only thing they could really use, as even rotated (as with the larger sets) there wouldn't be enough space to show the figure. We also wouldn't want people getting any compulsions to steal the figures from the boxes. The short side This picture's here to show what I'd mentioned in the Tree House review: that smaller Friends sets don't have the curved edges on these sides. To make up for it, they have the dark purple curves to give the same impression. The Contents Bearing in mind that again the part count isn't shown on the box, we're probably curious to see what the box holds. Open it up! My theory over the oversized bag acting as padding seems to be confirmed, in which case I suppose it's forgiveable - even for only 43 parts. As we'd probably expect from the pictured model, there's a very colourful assortment of parts waiting in the bag, just begging to be released. The instructions book has been folded to fit inside the box, but remains surprisingly crisp. As has become customary, here are the minidoll parts in all their glory. The head seems to have the same basic features as the other Friends, resembling Sophie from the Vet set but with green eyes. Well, as everybody knows, all Friends figures look alike. Emma Please welcome Emma to the show. (applause) Emma says she's fed up of being in the shadows, while her friends Olivia and Mia get all the attention - so she's turned to swimwear modelling to turn heads! Actually that's not too far off the mark: Emma's official profile states that she's into modelling, and is a budding fashion designer. First thing's first: I'm going to suggest that Emma is meant to be of Hispanic origin. Look at her head on the back of the box! I don't have any problem with her being Hispanic, or from any other part of the world, because it shows diversity on LEGO's part. One interesting thing that I haven't seen mentioned, amongst all the controversy, is that the Friends line-up of minidolls are "fleshies"; three of the five main figures being Caucasian, and probably for the first time ever (outside of Duplo) we have a brown-skinned female in Andrea. This must have been an important issue in the development process, otherwise we might be seeing yellow figures again. However, Emma's minidoll parts are the same colour as those on Mia and Olivia, despite her darker appearance on the box and on the Friends web site. It might be because it would be easier to produce her in an existing colour rather than create a new one, or that there isn't that much of a difference. What would be interesting is if (or when) someone kicks up a fuss about Andrea's limited interchangability with other minidoll parts. Second point: If the set's meant to be of a small pool, I would have preferred Emma to be in a swimming outfit rather than plain clothes. I personally don't know anyone who gets into a pool (or a hot tub) in their clothes, because I'm not that crazy. Perhaps a one-piece would have been considered too racy (no pun intended). Having said that, I particularly like the torso design. Emma with minifigure hair, 1 Here's Emma with her minifigure equivalent hairpiece - and once again I prefer this to the one she comes with. Three for three! Plastic on plastic just seems right. Emma with minifigure hair, 2 For an interesting alternative, try using the S3 Hula Dancer's hairpiece on Emma. No need for a flower accessory, if there is one. Minifigure with Emma's hair Emma's hairpiece turns Angineryka into an 80's rockstar throwback, at least from the front anyway. This is the first Friends hairpiece I've seen that actually masculinises a minifigure. Also of note: Emma's hairpiece has holes on both the top and back for any accessories you come across. This set doesn't come with any. Girly-coloured parts Seeing as there's so few parts to deal with this time, let's focus on the brightly-coloured ones: those in Bright Pink, Lime and the new Medium Azure colours. Even if you disagree with the theme itself, these sets are becoming a great way to pick up parts in these colours - but again, how can we put them to use in MOCs? That's up to the builder, and I'm still figuring it out. Stars of the show Also an okay set to pick up for those round flower plates, in Bright Light Orange. The inclusion of the goblet, transparent blue panels and the bamboo brick are reminders of the similarly-sized Paradisa sets from way back when. If I ever stumbled across an open box of this set in a department store, these parts probably wouldn't be in there. As a side note, as some people have already noticed, LEGO has gone back to using white outlines on black parts in the instructions, as it should blooming well be. They were outlined in black, and made a shade very similar to Dark Bluish Grey, in the instructions for the Winter sets I'd reviewed a while ago, which made things awkward. The Build This time around the set is divided into three builds, all of which go together to create the scene. The plant An incredibly simple but effective build using only four parts. If you have trouble figuring out how to build this from the picture... I don't know you. But seriously, the combination of bamboo plant and flower plate makes a very nice little plant - or it could even be a cactus. The sun bed Another simple and clever build, and not a SNOT technique in sight. The flower on top of the parasol is unnecessary, but you can add it or take it off depending on what suits you. Emma fits perfectly on the sun bed, as was shown on the back of the box, and depending on where the light hits the parasol you can even see the shade. The use of a 2x4 plate to join the table and the bed, rather than having used four stud pieces for the sun bed's legs, was a great idea. How many people would have done the latter? The flower plate fit surprisingly easily into the goblet, to form the ice cream sundae shown on the box. But we only get one in this set; how are we going to "serve up cold ice cream to the girls"? Don't even think about having them share - I'm still trying to forget the one time I saw it happen. The splash pool/hot tub Splash pool my foot; even if there aren't any controls to be seen, this is a hot tub in my book. Again, this is a very simple build, and the use of panels rather than bricks ensures there's enough space for a minidoll to sit inside it. But even just for one minidoll it looks very small - a lot of other parts would be required to extend it so that the other Friends can join in. This model probably serves as a tutorial for new builders in making curved shapes. If you don't like the colour scheme you can always make one completely out of white parts, or perhaps a combination of white/grey/blue/tan. The completed set As you can see, all three models go together to make a small scene, and there's nothing out of place. Add some more plants, either from more of this set or made from parts in your collection, and you can have part of a health spa. Add another figure and you can simulate a day at the beach (because I'm sure Emma feels lonely). Having seen the review, I think this would suit the back yard of Olivia's House. Just remember, SilentMode says it's a hot tub. Leftovers As we'd expect from such a small set, there's not much left to put in our collections - but another flower plate is always a bonus. The back of the instructions shows a much smaller but no less intimidating Gewinne!th, who has been confined to less than half the vertical height of the page. Her power level is sufficient to levitate her side of the book! Fun with the set Even if it is a small pool, right now it's a jacuzzi. The verdict Even if this is one of the smallest Friends sets available right now, I think it's worth the price of entry. It works out at around GBP 0.12/part if you go by that figure for value, and a very easy way to obtain useful Bright Pink and Medium Azure parts if (like me) you don't. It is also, as mentioned above, currently the least expensive way to obtain a minidoll by retail. At GBP 4.99 this collection of parts doesn't feel like a rip-off. Given how well this set stands on it own, it could have been designed as an extension of Olivia's House, or any of the other larger sets for that matter - even the Vet. Imagine the Tree House with its own pool or hot tub! It essentially means that you don't really have to buy the big expensive house to have somewhere for the Friends to hang out. Having said that, the Friends are obviously not meant to exist in isolation, so anyone collecting these sets will probably be stumped as to how to extend the pool to fit more than one minidoll. It could be left up to the recipient as a challenge, whether they'd stick to the colour scheme and design or not. Or maybe, given the direction this theme is going, each of the Friends can have their own pools! Apart from that one issue, It's hard to find fault with this set. What to do with all those Emma minidolls, should one decide to purchase multiples, is another thing altogether. Design: 9/10 Even I'm not sure how to extend the tub without things getting messy, but otherwise it's a complete scene and a very impressive design for only 43 pieces. Build: 10/10 Virtually foolproof, and evidence that you don't need countless SNOT techniques or hundreds of little pieces to put something impressive together. The sun bed's construction was a valuable lesson. Parts: 8/10 Not as much Medium Azure in this set, but the parts that are in the set are useful ones. A little less Lime would be an improvement. Playability: 6/10 On its own or part of a larger scene, there's a few things that can be done with the set - but unless we're using minifigures that pool will eventually be far too small. Price: 8/10 I'd say it's worth the retail price for what's inside, but probably not worth buying multiples (more than two) for your own use unless it's discounted. Based on these scores, Emma's Splash Pool/Hot Tub also gets an 8/10, and one of these: And on a completely coincidental note, I'm off to take a bath. Stay tuned for more. Reviews.

I'm going to say this set is worth an Average; there are some very cool techniques involved (such as the use of garage doors for the shower) and the final build looks okay too. I personally wouldn't buy one but it has a rather good selection of parts.

Help the animals back to health at the Heartlake Vet! Previous reviews 3065 Olivia's Tree House - 8/10 This is SilentMode with the second Lego Friends set review. It turns out there are at least 14 sets in this first wave, and some of the sets I've planned on reviewing have already been by other people. For the time being let's look at today's selection, which is one of the more expensive sets in the line-up. Both of the smaller reviewed sets have received a welcome reception, but how will something more pricey fare? Heartlake Vet Set 3188 Release year: 2012 RRP: GBP 39.99 # of parts: 343 # of figures: 2 Links: Brickset More pictures in my Brickshelf folder. The second largest of the current Friends sets. I have a soft spot for hospitals, as even though I haven't owned a hospital-themed set, I remember playing Theme Hospital with its awesome soundtrack. This particular set, however, is for animals. We've already seen Olivia's dedication to animals in the last set, so let's see what this one has to offer. The Box As with the other Friends sets, there is no part count anywhere on the box. At the time of writing there's also no part count on Brickset, but you can find out by looking in the LEGO catalog or on the S@H web site. Don't bother manually counting; you'll always be wrong. But seriously: if this is by design, it would be interesting to know what was behind the decision and what difference it makes. Back of the box Again showing the play features of the set, this time Mia the redhead is revealed to be the featured Friends member. We also have a glimpse of some new animals, including the Friends horse, and some rather unusual accessories. The back of the model This is what we'd hope to have by the end of this build, from the back. There's a very real danger of the horse wandering into the main building, but as long as that cart is in the way the customers should be safe. To scale One of the long sides of the box shows the scale and appearance of the featured Friends figure. The other sides have the usual warning about choking on small parts, and small pictures of the completed set. The Contents From the weight of the box, we'd expect there to be quite a few parts to play with inside. Here they are... The first half of the contents includes bags #1 and #2, which both have fairly large bricks and parts, but also have a lot of space in them. Perhaps the extra space also serves as padding for when the box is transported? We also have a very useful 16x16 plate in Bright Green, and an 8x16 and 16x16 plate in the new Bright Light Blue colour. Already we have a reason to purchase this set - the two Bright Light Blue plates are exclusive to this and another Friends set (the café). Included in the above picture is the individually-wrapped Friends horse, complete with evil side stare. More on the horse later. The second half of the contents includes bags #3 and #4, with smaller but more colourful parts, along with the instructions. Bag #3 contains the hedgehog. The Dreaded Sticker Sheet (DSS) Tucked inside the instructions is this sticker sheet, full of designs inspired by the 2012 Olympics colour scheme. I don't use sticker sheets when building sets anyway, but I'd be very concerned about using stickers in these colours on a model. Then again, maybe young girls like bright fluorescent stickers. The designs for these stickers also appear to have been inspired by manga! The figures Not one but two Friends figures in this set, which means a small range of torsos, hairpieces and legs to interchange. There's not much difference between the two heads: the only ones I can see are the eye colours and presence of freckles, and also that one has an open mouth. Mia and Sophie Please welcome Mia and Sophie to the show. (applause) Without even looking at Mia's official profile, I could tell she was either a vegetarian or vegan. Whether or not it has anything to do with being a redhead, whenever there's a group of girls there's always one vegetarian/vegan, it seems. Sophie (left) is a supporting character in this set: she runs the vet (which is suggested by her outfit), with occasional assistance from Mia. To be honest, she doesn't look much like a veterinarian; she's missing a white jacket (reference picture). As someone will invariably request: here I've switched the hairpieces between the two. All of a sudden we actually notice Sophie. In both cases Sophie is visibly older than Mia, which is strange given that they have the same proportions. Initialy I thought it had something to do with the face, but it seems to be the hairstyles - Sophie looks younger in this picture than the previous one, while Mia has gained a few years. Hairpieces on a minifigure Mia's hairpiece on our generic female minifigure, whose name is now officially Angineryka. Note, in a clever moment of inspiration, how I've given Sophie the minifigure equivalent of the hairpiece - proof that compatability goes both ways. I think the minifigure version looks better than the rubbery Friends one on both figures. While Mia is trying on the S2 Pop Star's hairpiece, Sophie's hairpiece turns Angineryka into a Monica Lewinsky minifigure - for the genuine article use it in conjuction with the S1 Cheerleader's head. I don't particularly like this Monica hairpiece, simply because it adds age and width to both a Friends figure and minifigure head. It does give off a 60s vibe, however, and it might be useful for that purpose. Finally, Mia tries on Olivia's hair. If you don't like the hairstyles of any of the Friends characters, you can always change them. For now I think they're fine with the hairstyles they come with. The animals The set introduces three new animals, all designed for the Friends theme. Most anticipated was the hedgehog, which is officially in Tan with brown paint on the body. I'm not really sure why it was so anticipated, as I think it just looks okay, but it's an unusual choice of animal given that we've seen so many dogs and cats in other sets. It is able to sit on two studs, so you can place it on a large plate with no problems. More importantly, this is currently the only set you can find the hedgehog in. Both the puppy and the horse are in BrickLink's Dark Orange. The puppy also sits on two studs, and while it looks far too cutesy for my tastes, it's a big improvement on the Tree House's kitten. The horse is a much smoother and more realistic design than the minifigure horse, and while I'm not really fussed about horses I think it looks good. Although the shape of the mould is generic, the eyelashes suggest that this particular horse is female. We're given a curved brick and a 2x2 plate - both in Dark Orange - to fill the 2x2 chunk taken out of her in the packet. As for how to utilise the horse... ...you can have a Friends figure stand on it, or remove the filling to simulate riding it (which is probably why the gap is 2x2 rather than 1x2)... ...or you can give your animal friends a ride. One important thing to note here is that, unlike minifigure horses, the Friends horse is in one piece - so there's no bending of the neck. If it wasn't for this limitation the Friends horse would be perfect, but I still prefer it over the minifigure horse. I'd be very surprised if this horse didn't appear in other sets in the future, perhaps in different colours. The Parts New colours In addition to the Bright Light Blue and Medium Lavender seen in the Tree House set, we have one more that appears in this set: BrickLink calls it Medium Azure, and it's visibly lighter than Alien Conquest's Dark Azure, which was introduced last year. Particularly if you were into Alien Conquest, Medium Azure could be a very useful colour in the future, since Dark Azure mostly appeared as minifigure parts. The S6 Surgeon's torso and legs are also Medium Azure. The two Medium Azure round bricks have some kind of animal print on them, possibly representing pet food. This would be an odd choice of colour for a food container; I'd suspect it's for some kind of powder to make animals smell fresh. Friends accessories Here's the first introduction to Friends accessories: little bits you can add to the figures and even the animals to make them more appealing. BrickLink has decided on Light Aqua for the colour name. These are all counted as one part, as with the new flower parts. Here to model the accessories on a Friends figure is Sophie. Unlike with minifigure body wear parts, the stethoscope can be applied without having to take off the head. One thing the Friends figure makes [widely] possible is the option of having a hairstyle with or without accessories, as is demonstrated. Given that Friends hairstyles can be worn by minifigures, this opens up new possibilities; there are currently only two minifigure hairstyles that allow the addition of hair accessories, and even then the only real option was the tiara. I'm sure this feature's going to be popular with the target audience, because how many of them buy clothes and accessories for dolls (and perhaps even new dolls for their clothes and accessories)? Angineryka shows how the Friends accessories can also be used by minifigures. Be warned that the handles seem to be slightly thicker than on other elements, but they do fit. Most of the accessories, including the clipboard and nurse's hat, are far more suited to Friends figures - but the ones pictured here go particularly well with minifigures. Glass parts If you're a fan of transparent parts, this picture might float your boat. We have no less than seven glass panes for door frames, and four of the Trans Light Blue panels (which appears to be a new variation for 2012, although it appears as an alternate part in the last police station). Tiles Lime features very prominently - I'm not a huge fan of Lime, but at least these are mainly 1x3 tiles. The rest are very useful for one's other exploits, particular the White 2x4s. New flower parts As with the Tree House, we're greeted with some of the new flower parts in the Friends theme. This time they come in Bright Light Orange, which means there's now a little variety - but most people I'd imagine would want red roses. Stars of the show My pick of the entire set, minus the large plates (which speak for themselves). Twelve 1x4 SNOT bricks in Tan. Seven glass panes. A metallic silver dish. But probably most impressive of all are some of the accessories on offer: these are just a sample of the official parts we were sorely missing. Having said that, most of this selection could be obtained from other sets, perhaps for less of an investment. While the animals will probably be the main focal point for most people looking at this set, I wouldn't want more than one of each. The Build The puppy cart Te small build before the main event, similarly to the cat basket with the Tree House. The design is reminiscent of Paradisa; there's a similar build in set 6403 where it serves as a pram. This cart is used for transporting Mia's puppy, but we also saw it being used earlier for serving the horse carrots. Simple but effective. The vet, part 1 The beginnings of the main building, focusing on the exterior. Those frames with the bars across them work very well as multi-paned windows; I would never have considered using those frames before now, but I think I'll start doing so. (Fun fact: at the vet's grand opening ceremony they had a giant dog perform a hurricane kick, which is how the sign got that paw print. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise.) Fish tank This fish tank build is genius; I'm going to steal/adapt it for my own ends at some point. Normally one would apply some stickers to the outside of those blue panels, used to simulate the contents of the fish tank. There's no way I'm going to do so, particularly with those colours. Instead it might be more impressive to somehow place a decal or sticker inside the tank. X-ray machine Inserted into the building, along with the fish tank, is an x-ray machine. Again a sticker would be placed on the transparent panel to indicate it's an x-ray machine, but without it we can pretend it's something technical. More machinery Another clever little machine, making use of a "space arm", goes in the back corner of the building. I don't know exactly what it does - perhaps it gives your favourite pets a secret blend of 13 herbs and spices? Rumour has it that a fryer is on its left, but because that's where the building cuts off we'll never know. Again, this machine can be anything you want it to be. The rest of the inside The rest of bags #1 and #2 fill the room with a front desk, some more equipment (including some weighing scales), and a special bed for our stray hedgehog. It certainly looks like the inside of a vet, albeit on a much smaller scale, and even with all the equipment it looks like there's enough space for figures to move around. Adding foliage Similarly to the Tree House's instructions, you'll end up adding the new flower parts in different sections - yet they are grouped together in one step. The first time you'll be presented with all 20 pieces, but only two butterflies are added. Basically this is an indicator to get these parts ready to add at any time. The second time, from out of nowhere, 12 more parts are added. At least in this set you can tell which parts to add and where. That leaves six pieces, all of which are added to... The vet, part 2 The second part of the building is home to the horse, who has been christened Ray Harryhorsey (even though it is officially female - I probably should have guessed from the pink stable door). This section can stand on its own, or be paired with the main building to create the "super-vet". The back of the horse unit, where the horse hasn't finished all its hay. Any ideas what that vial above the door is? Actually, I'm a little confused as to why there's a door leading into a closed-off section. It looks like it's meant to be a feeding area, but there's barely enough room for the horse to face in that direction (hence the use of the 1x6x5 panel as a wall). Interestingly, the trough is where some of the accessories are stored, according to the instructions. Government funding is obviously no issue for Heartlake Vet: gold taps for horsey water. The completed set The two sections side by side, as pictured on the box. Put together it looks like a big building with room for expansion, but you'll have to line them up carefully. I'm actually not a fan of the odd offset bewteen the two buildings. If they're meant to be arranged side by side like this, I think they would have worked better as one big model, or at least have some way of connecting the two buildings to hold them in place. I'd assumed the latter would be the case from the box art. And here are Mia and Sophie outside the vet, with the puppy. It's obvious that Mia is a volunteer at the vet, but is the puppy her pet or a patient? Hey, it's your set; you decide. I'm going to assume it's a patient she's grown accustomed to. Leftovers Not the kinds of extra parts I'd expected, but a surprise nonetheless. I'm not even sure I'm supposed to have that many round plates. There is actually one Green flower plate that was supposed to be here, but I'd misread step 20. There is also probably meant to be a Dark Pink one, but I must have lost it. Back of the instructions, 1 This page reveals there are at least 14 preliminary Friends sets, of which I have six (for reviewing and part collecting purposes, thank you). It also serves as a checklist, as well as a handy guide to the actual figures you'd get with each set. Back of the instructions, 2 A map of Heartlake City: possibly a play on Salt Lake City, and the newest alumni of the Cringeworthy Saccharine Fictional Place Names Group, joining such legends as Sweet Valley High and Summer Bay. One wonders if some of the places depicted on this map will turn up as future Friends sets, if the theme does well. Possible areas include the lighthouse, the pier (or something to do with boats) and perhaps a school. One also wonders how many male figures will turn up in the theme, given that the city has a multitude of pink houses and heart-shaped features. Even the plane near the mountains looks a little... odd. Back of the instructions, 3 The five members of the Friends, doing what they all like to do individually. Which is your favourite? Back of the instructions, 4 Gewinne!th is back bigger than ever, having just gotten a promotion. Actually she's roughly the same size as Gewinne!son on a similar-sized instruction book, but quite frankly I don't know who's more menacing. Fun with the set Just another regular shift at Heartlake Vet... *dinglingling* "Welcome to Heartlake Vet, how may I help you?" "Nurse Sophie, I'm wondering if you can help me - my pet Rufie is very tetchy, and I can't get him to keep still." "Why don't you bring him in, and let's see if we can't fix the problem?" "Um..." The Verdict This was a very neat build, and it was quite surprising to see so few pieces go into such a large but detailed building. It's very reminiscent of a doll's house, especially because of the colour scheme, the basic equipment and the specialised figures, yet it has the charm of a Paradisa set - this is probably what we'd be seeing if that theme was around today. The selection of parts are the set's greatest strength: there seems to be a mix of elements from different themes that go into making the building, and there are plenty of parts that could be put to use in MOCs and other areas. There's that little hedgehog and the other animals to add to one's collection, which depending on your taste for animals might find their way into minifigure worlds. Two Friends figures in the set is a bonus, but at this price point should be expected. I'm particularly excited about the accessories, none more so than the pen. I've actually been developing a pencil accessory through 3D printing (shown below, albeit slightly rushed): But while the official figure-sized pen is very welcome, I'm concerned about how widely available it and some of the other accessories will be made. Apart from the issues with placing them while building the set, my worry was that the fact these accessories and flowers are all classed as <i>one part</i> respectively might limit the sets they're included in, as well as their colours. It might not be possible to include the the pen, for example, without including all the other, medical-based accessories. I for one would like to see some of these new parts - especially the pen - in other colours, and in other themes, <i>and</i> in greater quantities. There is hope, however, in the fact that the syringe features on its own in the new Dino theme, as well as having been included with the S1 Nurse and the S6 Surgeon minifigures. Maybe the pack of accessories, like the tool and plume wheels, is what counts as one part. One thing that's missing, given how the set is shown on the box, is a way to keep the two sections of building connected. A simple connection with two Technic bricks and a pin would have done; it's what they do with modular buildings, and there was certainly room for it in terms of part count and space. But apart from with the paw print sign on the main building, Technic parts haven't really been used in the theme. Design: 7/10 A very good use of different shapes to create the building, particularly the curved bricks at the front. The inside of the main building isn't too cluttered, but a little more could have been done with the smaller (horsey) building's interior. Build: 8/10 Nothing difficult about the build; it was very interesting watching the progression of both sections of building, particularly as it's a clean design. Parts: 7/10 A good selection of parts to use in MOCs, but for that purpose there's not really anything (apart from the Medium Azure parts and the accessories) you can't get anywhere else. Perhaps not worth purchasing the whole set just for one or two specific parts. Playability: 8/10 A "super-vet" or a small vet + stable: the choice is yours. The accessories, the machinery and the various containers of things give the figures plenty to do. Price: 6/10 I can't help thinking it's on the high side, particularly for less than 400 parts (even with new colours and moulds); GBP 29.99 would be a different story. Based on these scores, Heartlake Vet gets a 7/10. Watch out for in the sales. A public service announcement from Heartlake Vet This is an urgent appeal on behalf of Henry the hedgehog. Henry was found in the park, curled up into a ball to keep warm, and surviving on a diet of grass and insects. In the summer months he's even forced to drink water that falls from the sky. All that has changed, thanks to Heartlake Veterinarians. Heartlake Veterinarians gives animals like Henry the hedgehog a second chance at life, thanks to their state of the art facilities here in Heartlake City. Our team of trained, highly-paid volunteers give them the food they need to survive, such as our Friday special of foie gras sandwiches on a bed of royal vegetables, served with an animal-friendly Grey Poupon, complimented by our unique blend of Jersey cow milk and triple-filtered spring water. They make sure animals have clean, silk-lined bedding to sleep in, with their own private rooms individually air-conditioned and heat regulated, and have access to 1000 acres of private land, protected 24 hours a day by the best security in the country. But they can't do this without your help. Please ensure the safety and well-being of Henry, and others like him, by giving just $2000 a month. Thank you.

+1 to Scubacarrot by the way!

As a former Animation student, my hat is off.

Tesco should have S6 minifigures now; I picked a few up from my local store. They still have plenty of S5 - both S5 and S6 are £1.97. Tesco also has the Alien Conquest mothership at £30, but ASDA has it for £29. If you have a double points voucher I'd recommend getting it from Tesco, otherwise ASDA is the place. I'm not a huge fan of it but it's very good for tiles. And finally, grab bags are back again at Westfield London, though they mostly contain PAB regulars.