Film in Brighton

I watched the film Genevieve again last night. I do love it. It's one of those old British gems I just can't get enough of. It's just so funny and depicts the battle of the sexes perfectly. If you've never seen, check it out - I don't think it will disappoint! If you want to own a copy, it's available to buy on the VisitBrighton Eshop.

As you probably know, it's all about 2 couples who indulge in a race against one another in their respective 'old crocs' on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Great fun. And if you're interested in Brighton's film history, you might also like to check out our Brighton on Film page.

Following on from this I then found a great film on You Tube showing the Veteran Car Run from the 1950s - its well worth a look if you like a bit of nostalgia. And it reminded me of Genevieve too!



And if you love film, don't forget it's the Brighton Cinecity Film Festival at the moment. Loads of lovely filmic fare to get you going. I actually won 2 tickets to see a Polish film last night and the office rudely suggested I was probably the only person to have entered. What a load of old heathens.

Has no-one else seen the Dekalog or the Three Colours Trilogy!? They are just the most fabulous films (oh alright, you may need to be a teensy weensy bit art housey to like them!)

Happy viewing...

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Brighton is the top destination for young people

I don't know about you but I'm not very good with cold weather, in fact I would like to hibernate but as I can't I resort to wearing umpteen layers including some gorgeous thermals and basically just whinge, moan and be miserable. However there will be no whinging from me this week as we've had some news that has helped to warm the cockles...

Brighton & Hove has just been named the Best Destination for Young People at the British Youth Travel Awards, wahoo and hooray to us! Organised by the British Educational Travel Association (BETA), the awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of outstanding companies and individuals operating within the youth travel market.


In case you are wondering the happy chappie clutching the award is our Marekting Manager, John, and he certainly is pleased :)

Charlotte

Romance in Brighton

As I mentioned last week that I was compiling a list of the Top 10 romantic things to do in Brighton & Hove, I thought it only fair that I share the results with you. Oh and thanks to Baroque for the image, the ring is called 'Hook my Heart'

1. Impress your lover with a cultural treat by booking a box for two at the Theatre Royal Brighton to see the classic Swan Lake


2. Nothing is quite as sensual and romantic as a massage, apart from a joint massage at The Treatment Rooms complete with soft music and candlelight


3. Hire a moped from Vroom by the Sea and pretend to be Jimmy and Steph from cult classic 'Quadrophenia' as you zoom along the seafront


4. For a special treat for Valentine's night visit erotic boutique She Said, need we say more…?


5. Get wet and wild at ORB360 as you roll down a hill in a 12ft orb filled with 30 litres of water


6. Oysters are well-known for being an aphrodisiac so a meal at Riddle and Finns Champagne and Oyster bar will get temperatures rising!


7. If you feel taking a dog for a walk is too passé then how about taking a llama out instead? Couples can take a special Valentine's Day walk at the Ashdown Forest Llama Park


8. If you fancy a trip to the movies but are worried about getting a numb bum then take your loved one to the Duke of York's as they have cosy sofas for two so you can snuggle up and enjoy the film in comfort


9. For those whose sweetheart has a sweet tooth to match Scoop & Crumb has the answer as they have a special Sundae menu with 50 varieties to choose from so you might decide to have a Pink Lady and a Bachelors Kiss or you might prefer to share a Really Fruity Sundae


10. If all this talk of romance has made you think about popping the question or if your lover just can't get enough bling then visit Baroque Bespoke Jewellers

If you are planning a break then see our Romantic Brighton section for my Top 10 tips on where to stay

Charlotte

Make it so

Last night the cast of The Wizard of Oz switched on the Christmas Lights in the Lanes, and while I think it's great that the Theatre Royal has decided not to do a panto this year and has instead decided to do the classic musical I have to admit I am more excited about their Spring programme.

I am particularly looking forward to seeing Waiting for Godot starring Sir Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart (oh for the less geeky of you who are wondering about the title of this post 'Make it so' was Patrick Stewart's catchphrase in Star Trek: The Next Generation). It should be a fantastic night out as I don't really see what could go wrong when you have two fantastic actors in a classic play, although I might get distracted imagining them doing the whole show dressed as Magneto and Prof Xavier from X Men!

However that is not the only thing we have to look forward to as other highlights include classic musicals Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, HMS Pinafore and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. If you are not a musicals fan then don't worry you could go and see the timeless love story Brief Encounter or Gethsemane starring the Olivier award winning Tamsin Grieg who telly fans will know from Black Books and Green Wing. There are laughs aplenty in Totally Looped (Mock the Week meets YouTube!) and Boeing Boeing plus stand-up comedy nights with Ed Byrne and Stephen K Amos. You can also see Richard E Grant in God of Carnage and Edward Fox and Claire Bloom will be starring in Lloyd George Knew My Father.

And of all that wasn't enough the programme also includes Spongebob Sqaurepants in The Sponge who could fly. All together now - Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? ...
Ok then I think I'd better sign off now before I embarrass myself any further

Charlotte

Love is in the air

In the world of tourism, Christmas is old news and we are starting to plan for Valentine's Day. I am currently putting together a list of the Top 10 romantic things to do in Brighton & Hove, between us we have come up with a few suggestions, including Llama walking! But if you have any then please do let me know. Although if you are already feeling as loved up as the two chaps pictured below then check out the Romantic Brighton section of our website



And while we are on the subject of romance I have just heard some very exciting news, Wallace and Gromit are going to be back on our screens for Christmas Day in a brand new short film - A Matter of Loaf and Death (they are now running a bakery). Not only does Wallace find romance in the form of Piella Bakewell but even Gromit gets in on the action when he meets Piella's poodle, Fluffles!


Charlotte

The number 5

Well, firstly a massive thank you to Ms Barrow for keeping the blog going over the last month, whilst I have been drowning in creating the new VisitBrighton website.

Hope you like it, we certainly do... If you haven't seen it yet, check it out at www.visitbrighton.com.

Now - onto other things - did you know that on this day in 1959 Britain's 1st quintuplets were born in a London hospital? No, neither did I! I'm far too young!

Anyway, it got me thinking about the number 5! And what with the looming recession, what better than our Top 5 budget things to do in Brighton:

Brighton Budget Top 5

Check out VisitBrighton’s special offer section for some great exclusive deals on hotels, attractions and things to do.

Visit off season. Lots of hotels offer reduced rates during the winter months, so you could bag a bargain. You’ll also find you’ve got much more of the city to yourself.

Buy a combined Royal Pavilion and Sealife Centre ticket from the Visitor Information Centre and you’ll save a packet.

Visit our Brighton fun for free and cheap eats pages. You’ll be surprised how much you can do and eat in the city without breaking the bank.

Come by train - Southern trains offer a £20 group save ticket for up to 4 people in the Southern area.

You'll find lots more ideas in our Budget Your Brighton section.

We do sometimes get sand on the beach

It is a well-known fact that Brighton & Hove beaches are not sandy however a couple of times a year the tide is low enough to uncover some sand and while some people might celebrate by taking a romantic stroll or by building a sandcastle there is a group of people who decide to cycle along the beach.

Local film maker Evan Pugh has made a short film following 10 people riding along the beach from Hove to Brighton Marina, so have a look and see if you'll be tempted to join in next time. Although I should warn you that a couple of people have decided to ride in the nude! Can't think why though, it must chafe a little, oh well whatever makes you happy. Anyway if you are tempted then it looks like the next time that the tide will be low enough will be Wednesday 11th February 2009 although this might change so check their website to make sure.


Just before I sign off, just want to say thanks to my Grandad for letting me know about this video :)

Charlotte

PS Following on from Evan's comment below you can vote for the video at: current.com

Brighton Festival news. Yes already!

While most of us are just starting to get our heads around the fact that Christmas is galloping towards us, some people are already looking ahead to 2009.

The Brighton Festival may seem a long way off given that it does not start until May but they are already putting the wheels in motion as they have just announced that Turner prize winner Anish Kapoor will be the guest artistic director. I'll be honest here and admit that I had not actually heard of him, however after John had derided me he then insisted on showing me a picture of some of Anish Kapoor's work and I must say I am now just as excited as John is, I mean imagine something like this in Brighton & Hove:

Apparently a number of Kapoor's works will be presented across the city and they will be the inspiration for the whole programme of events, how exciting!

Charlotte

New website and let's see if we can make Sarah blush...

We are all extremely excited as after lots of hard work our brand new website has gone live today, wahoo! So do please have a look at www.visitbrighton.com and let us know what you think....

There is not much point my sitting here trying to describe how delightfully lovely the site is as you can go and see that for yourself. So instead I will say that while these last few weeks have been a bit frantic, hectic and a lot of hard work it's been great to see everyone pulling together and getting involved.

And while it definitely has been a team effort and everyone has contributed to us getting to this point (including yours truly) I have to single out our Mistress of all things webby - Sarah. We have barely seen the poor love these past couple of weeks as she has not only had to project manage the design and development of the new site but she also had to create all the content for it, no mean feat given that there are over a 1000 pages and while we think of it as one website you actually get 6 for the price of 1 as VisitBrighton also has micro sites for Media, Conferences, Learning English, Groups and our local Partners. Crikey!

However assuming there are no major glitches things should calm down a bit for Sarah and I'm sure she will soon be back on the blog to share her witticisms with you all once again, although hopefully she will have a holiday first!

Anyway I will now hand over to Sir Cliff who has a message for Sarah and everyone who worked so hard on the website....



Charlotte