Cinderella in Brighton & other festive goodies

Like a bit of festive action?

Then get yourself down to the Theatre Royal Brighton for their new production of Cinderella. I was lucky enough to get a free ticket last night, not to mention a rather delicious piece of white chocolate Choccywoccydooodah Royal Palace cake (I got a bit of the turret) and you really can't beat a Christmas musical extravaganza in the run up up to the festive season (and beyond).

The production has taken on a musical production theme this year, so expect lots of singing and dancing, visual wizardry, sumptuous set, glamorous dresses and some top West End performers (don't worry you'll still get the chance to boo).

Oh and there are a couple of real life ponies too, so the kids will love it! A really magical experience.

Cinderella runs until Sunday 17th January at Theatre Royal Brighton.

More festive things to do in Brighton

Or for more festive inspiration to light up your tree this Christmas, why not check out:

• Brighton Christmas Day Swim
• Royal Pavilion Ice Rink
• Get Your Skates on at Brighton Centre
• Holiday on Ice Energia
• Christmas Tree Festival at Brighton Sea Life Centre
  
• Santa’s Powerboat Ride with Sussex Voyages Boat Trips - available over the Christmas and New Year period, including Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. Call for details and to book. (Please note trips start in Eastbourne)

A very Merry Christmas from VisitBrighton.

See you in 2011!

Boxing Day and beyond

With all this build up to Christmas Day I often find that Boxing Day feels a bit flat, I think the risk will be even higher this year as it falls on a Sunday and as Douglas Adams said Sunday afternoons are the long dark teatime of the soul.

Fortunately here in Brighton & Hove there will still be lots of events taking place on Boxing Day and throughout the last week of 2010. So here are a few suggestions of things to do from Boxing Day onwards:

• Go skating - Brighton currently has two ice rinks so you can either skate indoors at Get Your Skates On at the Brighton Centre or outside at the Royal Pavilion's Christmas Ice Rink.
• i leave my mark - take a walk along Hove promenade and take part in this unusual charity event. Leave your mark on one of the city's iconic beach huts and help raise money for local children's charity Winston's Wish.
• Christmas Tree Festival - All around the Sea Life Centre there are a variety of Christmas Trees which have been decorated by local businesses. On Boxing Day the centre will be open til 8pm (including mulled wine) when the trees will be judged by a panel of experts. When you're there make sure you look our for the trees by Brighton Pier, Brighton Body Casting, The Oriental and of course our very own LoveBrighton tree.
• Rum Tasting - the bar at Hotel du Vin will be hosting a special rum tasting evening which is sure to warm the cockles as your tastebuds are taken on a tour of the Caribbean.
• For a magical treat why not take the family to see Cinderella at the Theatre Royal Brighton? This fairy tale musical tells the classic story of Cinderella as you've never seen it before.

Royal Pavilion Ice Rink at night image credit - Robert Leighton

Charlotte

Brighton Rock 2011

If you didn't know already (where have you been!?) Brighton Rock was remade on location in Brighton and Eastbourne last year.

Starring Helen Mirren and Pete Postlethwaite, the re-make of Graham Greene's novel is directed by Rowan Joffe and transposes the action from the 1930s to 1964, amidst the imfamous clashes between Mods and Rockers.

Pinkie is played by Sam Riley, who played Joy Division singer Ian Curtis in Control and the film is currently due for release in February 2011.

The film has already had great reviews from festivals its shown at, so we thought we'd share the sneak preview below to get you in the mood for the real thing in February...enjoy!



For more on films made and set in Brighton and Hove, check out our Brighton on Film section and Brighton Movie Map.

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Comedy, cocktails, coffee and a celebrity chef

For a change this week my life has been quite busy…involving lots and lots of shopping, a Christmas night out in Alfresco, laughing until I cried watching Ross Noble at The Dome, having drinks with friends, discovering another ‘only in Brighton’ coffee shop, testing cocktails in a trendy hotel, visiting the Brighton Ballroom in Kemp Town and… ahh yes I forgot to add…having lunch with Heston Blumenthal… didn’t even have a chance to watch the final of X Factor!!

Tuesday night was the VisitBighton Christmas night out…starting at Hove Kitchen on Western Road which is acclaimed as the place for ‘eclectic dining in the hub of Hove’. It was what I could imagine as somewhere perfect for a Sunday roast. After loosing the Big Brighton pub quiz we moved onto Alfresco where we enjoyed our Christmas inspired dinner after exchanging secret Santa gifts.

Then on Wednesday night, after eating in Pho and testing the cocktails in merkaba at myhotel we headed to the Brighton Dome to see Ross Noble. I was constantly checking we were on time as I was nervous from watching his past stand ups where all late comers were ridiculed by Ross throughout the show… if we had to speak he would recognize our accent… and being probably two out of only three Geordies in there it would have been mortifying being part of the show!

I had the tickets to the Ross Noble 2010 'Nonsensory Overload' tour for what seems forever!! He honestly was one of the best comedians I have ever seen… he just talked absolute nonsense and jumped from one point to another then another and another within minutes of each other which left us hooked, confused and in fits of laughter!!

My coffee shop of the week is the Marwood coffee shop which is hidden away in a corner of Ship Street; it was a discovery through a meeting but I have already been back. I loved it as soon as I walked through the door, the quirky manikin hand handle while closing the door just made it! It had a brilliant vibrant, arty atmosphere… it was just what I would describe as ‘typical Brighton’ the tables were made from old doors, a washing line hung throughout and the walls were adorned with an odd collection of photographs from around the city. My favourite of all of course had to be the discovery of the owl that lived in the fridge just on the shelf by the sparkling water! Oh how I love Brighton!!

I have always believed Sundays were made for long sleeps, this week however was an exception, one I didn’t really mind waking up early for…I acted as PA (even having my own radio!) when Heston Blumenthal was filming on Brighton Pier for a new program that will be shown as part of channel 4’s Fish season. They wanted a destination that captured the iconic seaside… Brighton Pier, how perfect! Filming was done throughout the day all along the Pier, a fish and chip van was also set up on the forecourt where he made punters experiment and taste a new sustainable species of fish - Atlantic Wolffish - that was found when in Iceland for the programme. I was made to try this monstrous fish’s cheek, tell him my verdict (it was actually really delicious!) then hold it through its head while SJ gave it a kiss…all in the name of TV (aired in January).

After dealing with the fish brains that I had left on my hands…lots of anti bacterial hand wash, we all went for lunch, yes me and my new ‘bestie’, one of the most famous chefs in the country sitting in Palm Court on Brighton Pier enjoying fish and chips, just chatting!!

After the excitement of the day when we had gotten over being excited about being on TV we went to the Brighton Ballroom to see the ‘award winning’ Knock2bag comedy night. I really loved the Ballroom and could imagine it would be a brilliant place to see a gig but didn’t really get the comedians that were on, it was a lovely night but I spent most of it confused about what was going on, not understanding Paul Foot’s jokes!

So all in all this was quite a busy week, definitely in serious need of a nap and catch up of the X Factor final!

Until next time…
Hope everyone has a Happy Christmas
Sophie

Brighton Earth 350 Official Video

If you took part in the Brighton Earth 350 event donned in a yellow or blue mac a couple of weekends ago, you'll no doubt remember the sub zero temperatures!

Which actually made the event all the more poignant, as 2000 turned up anyway to play their part in the stand against climate change.

If you were there (or even if you weren't) here's a great video of the event. The guys behind the film were given exclusive rights to be the official camera crew and the footage was used on CNN and BBC last week.

You'll even get to see how they mapped out the sculpture of King Canute designed by Thom Yorke of Radiohead. Well worth a watch.



This video was filmed for Earth 350 and B2 events in association with flycreative

www.350.org
www.b2events.co.uk
www.flycreative.co.uk

To find out more about Earth 350 and their campaign against climate change visit their website or check out their official Flickr page.

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Snowday Sophie

Due to being snowed in at home in Newcastle last week I had to have some snow days up home. That meant I didn't have time to explore all the ‘Christmassy’ (if that’s even a word!!) events in the city.


Before I left I did however manage to have a peek at the gorgeous Christmas grotto that is in the Churchill Square Shopping Centre where I started my present buying mission.

On the Tuesday the comedian John Bishop was on at the Brighton Dome. This was the first time I had been into the Dome; I have to say I was pretty impressed as soon as I walked through the door by its grandness. This was his ‘Sunshine Tour’ and as he isn’t really that well known he seemed to be grateful for the large amount of people he classified as ‘those who took a gamble on him actually being funny’. The audience were laughing out loud the whole time, my favourite bit of course were his reactions to the cringe worthy hecklers shouting out completely irrelevantly and his totally northern reaction to the couple that turned up late; one called Phellula and the other who busked for a living. My face being in agony from smiling and laughing so much, was a good sign of a winning comedian and a definite recommend for you to see him from me! I also have to say he defiantly has to be related to Bez from the Happy Mondays!!


You will have to wait until Monday to see how John Bishop compares to Ross Noble, who I have had tickets for what seems FOREVER to go see tomorrow!

Last week we also had dinner at the New Steine Hotel, Bar & Bistro, we received a charming welcome from Mr Herve Guyat, the director, and had faultless service from Mr Stephane Gaucher, who is the general manager of the hotel. We were wined and dined within the charming atmosphere while fully enjoying the evening. I would like to thank them for both their kindness and hospitality.

That’s all from me this week. I know I have been boring; I haven’t even had time to catch up on X Factor!

So goodbye until next week…enjoy the snow!!

Sophie

Santa Saturday / Scissor Sunday!

Looking for some inspiration for next weekend?

Howabout a Santa Saturday /Scissor Sunday?

Well someone had to say it, so we thought it might as well be us...

Brighton Santa Dash takes to its festive feet this coming Saturday (11th), with 100s of Santas running along Hove seafront in aid of charity. Entry is just £12, which includes race entry, Santa suit and bespoke medal.

Then on Sunday, Scissor Sisters, one of the biggest names in pop, are doing a last minute matinee performance at the Brighton Centre, following the cancellation of their show last week due to the snow.

You can still grab tickets for the Scissor Sisters at their matinee performance for just £30 from:

• Ticketmaster online
  
• Brighton Centre Box Office on 0844 847 1515.

And if you really want to get clever with the aliteration, you could always pack in some 'seasonal skating' too at the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink...!

Enjoy!

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Things to do in Brighton to beat the snow

Let’s be honest, most of us love the white stuff don’t we! Until it gets all slippy that is and it becomes a bit of a pain to go out without good reason.

So if you're starting to get cabin fever from staying in, or working at home, we've got 10 ideas to get you out and about in Brighton and Hove this weekend.

Enjoy!

• Browse for unique art and gifts at Brighton Christmas Artists Open Houses
• Get skating on the Brighton Royal Pavilion Ice Rink
• Catch Santa’s Tickly Tale at Iambic Art Theatre (kids 3+)
  
• Take a sledge out into the countryside around Brighton and Hove
• Catch a film at the snugly Duke of York's Picturehouse as part of CINECITY
• Have a laugh with the Calendar Girls at Theatre Royal Brighton
  
• Check out the Beyond Beach Hut Advent Calendar
• See the new Capturing Colour Exhibition: Film, Invention & Wonder at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
• Do some Christmas shopping at the Sussex Beacon Christmas Fayre at Fabrica
  
• Take some snowy snaps and share them on LoveBrighton's Facebook page!

Hope that inspires a little and whatever you do this weekend, stay warm!

Oh and to be on the safe side, for events & shows, you might want to check they are all definitely going ahead on the day - just in case!

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Hove Christmas Shopping Event - Postponed

UPDATE (3/12/10): Unfortunately due to the current weather conditions and concerns for visitors safety this event has now been postponed. However for anyone who does make it to Hove tomorrow some of the shops are still offering discounts please check our Winter Offers page for special offer details.

For today's blog post I will hand you over to Maddy Carr to tell you about a Christmas Shopping event happening this weekend.

Suddenly everyone is talking about Christmas and looking anxiously at the terrible first draft of their Christmas shopping list! OMG - what to buy Aunt Flo this year – and how to afford it?!

Brighton is known as a great place for shopping, but do you know about the great shops in Hove? Some brilliant lifestyle shops, a great farm shop and specialist sports shop have recently sprung up in Church Road, whilst George Street offers you pressie solutions with jewellery, fabulous glass and accessories, as well as health foods (well, some of us try...) and party make up, wigs and costumes to get your inner child in the John Travolta spotlight!

Just around the corner in Blatchington Road party clothes, kiddies festive footwear, and household goods abound.

Discounts, offers, freebies – and a Funfair!
Make sure you get over to Hove this Saturday (4 December) for a brilliant day in George Street. The shops are going overboard with their 2-4-1 offers, free gift wrap, mince pies or balloons - and the Rockinghorse Charity Shop is giving away a free teddy if you spend a fiver!

Us girls just love shopping and won’t be defeated by that present list, but if the dads have had enough there are pubs and cafes galore, and the children can stamp and scream until you give in and buy a ticket for the carousel rides or a candy floss!

Samba and Swinging Santas
Come down between 11am and 12 noon to catch the Silver Sounds Samba Band – or grab a chair and watch the “Santas of Swing” – Tony and Jackie of Bal-Swing Jive will be togged up in festive gear to swing their way through the day.

Hey Big Spender – win £100!
One lucky customer on 4 December will win £100! The person that spends the most in a George Street shop on the day in one transaction will win £100. All customers have to do is ring Hove’s Town Centre Manager or e-mail with the subject: 4 Dec £AMOUNT with their contact details to enter the competition, and of course, an original proof of purchase must be provided before the winner can receive those hundred smackers!

Don’t forget to put down your shopping bags for a break at 3pm when the At Your Service Awards will be announcing the winners who have been chosen for their excellent customer service. One month’s free bus travel across the city will be awarded to the winning voter.

Shops in other Hove streets will also be putting on special festive offers for the day – so make sure you do your shopping in Hove.

To enter the competition, contact: Maddy Carr, telephone 01273 735442, or e-mail: maddy.carr@btconnect.com

See you there.

Earth 350 King Canute Sculpture - Brighton, UK

A huge thumbs up to all the hardy peeps who donned their black or yellow Earth 350 macs on Hove Lawns on Saturday for the King Canute 'live' sculpture.

It was bloomin cold, which made the success even more heroic & showed how strongly people in Brighton & Hove feel about climate change. More than 2,000 people braved the chilly climes to form an image of King Canute designed by Radiohead lead-singer Thom Yorke.

A social comment on the dangers of ignoring climate change
The public art display was designed to send a climate warning to political leaders in the run-up to the UN Climate Talks in Cancun. According to legend, King Canute set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt, only to be soaked by the ocean’s waves. Just as Canute realized his own arrogance, Earth 350 aim to show how world leaders today must realize the dangers of ignoring climate change.

The image of King Canute was designed by Yorke and Stanley Donwood. The picture also appeared on the cover of Yorke’s album Eraser.

From King Canute to Icelandic polar bears
The Brighton event was one of over a dozen similar displays taking place as part of 350 EARTH. The image of King Canute was joined by a giant sun in South Africa; a polar bear on an Icelandic glacier; a scarab in the Egyptian desert; an eagle in Los Angeles, plus many more.

Brighton & Hove pledge to reduce carbon emissions
The Brighton-Hove event also had the backing of Brighton & Hove Council, who spearhead a city-wide coalition of organisations and businesses that form 10:10 Brighton & Hove. All have pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by 10% in a year by simple, achievable measures.

For more on Earth 350 visit their website or check out more images on their official Flickr page.




Sarah
VisitBrighton

Christmas at the Royal Pavilion

The weather is chilly, the lights are twinkling and there are only 4 weeks (& 1 day) to go until the big day so I think it is safe for me to talk about Christmas.

This year the Royal Pavilion will be hosting a wide range of events to get you feeling the Christmas spirit. Unless you've just come back from Mars you should be aware by now that for the first time there is a real ice rink in the grounds of the Royal Pavilion which includes a pop-up restaurant from Due South. I was fortunate enough to visit it the other day, the setting is truly magical and, as to be expected from Due South, the food is scrumptious :)

However this is not the only festive event taking place as on the 10th and 11th December the Royal Pavilion will be hosting Oriental Christmas Banquets. If you have ever wondered what it would have been like to dine in the specatular Banqueting Room then this is the event for you. You will be welcomed by Regency costumed characters and then the evening will include a welcome drink in the Great Kitchen; a guided tour of the ground floor rooms; carols in the Music Room plus a Chinese banquet buffet served in the Banqueting Room. So for a truly memorable Christmas dinner book your tickets now, but book quickly as Saturday night (11th) has virtually sold out and tickets for the Friday are selling fast. Tickets can be booked online through the Royal Pavilion's website.


But wait there is more! From Sunday 19th - Thursday 23rd December Father Christmas will be at the Royal Pavilion taking residence in the Red Drawing Room. Every child that visits him will receive a gift and will then be able to join a fantasy tour of the palace where they may even get to meet the Prince Regent so why not join in the fun and wear your best fancy dress outfit? Advance booking only so book now to avoid disappointment.

So if those events don't get you feeling festive then I doubt anything will!

Charlotte

Brighton & Hove Beach Hut Advent Calendar

Got your advent calendar yet?

Personally, I’m quite partial to a picture of an angel with a massive chocolate behind it, but for the real piece de resistance of advent calendars, how about a Beach Hut Calendar!

Yep – I did say beach hut.

Throughout December, beach huts along Hove seafront will be opening their doors to reveal a festive display as part of a giant seafront Advent Calendar.

AND, thanks to the lovely peeps at Choccywoccyddodah, this year the Beach Hut Advent Calendar will contain chocolate every night. Yum.

Now in its third year, each night a different beach hut will open its doors to reveal a festive installation.

So why not pop along, check out the displays and indulge in a mince pie and some mulled wine in the run up to Christmas?

Simply refer to the BEYOND website to see which beach hut will open on which night.

More about BEYOND and the Beach Hut Advent Calendar
The beach huts are organised by BEYOND, which creates opportunities to explore spirituality through a variety of creative activities. Look out for their events on the last Sunday of every month or find out more on their website at http://www.beyondchurch.co.uk/.

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Time flies at VisitBrighton

This is my first month over…time working at VisitBrighton is disappearing so fast! I am even getting used to living like a normal person and seeing seven o’clock twice in one day…it really is far more productive!

After watching The Hangover again and again it was essential to see if ‘Alan’ (Zach Galifianakis) was going to be as funny in his new film ‘Due Date’ so I went down to the Marina to check it out. There were definitely some Laugh out Loud moments (I couldn’t bring myself to use ‘LOL’ there) and the ‘Sophie cackle’ definitely revealed itself! It was total stupid humour that is easy to watch and will definitely leave you smiling!!

While working on the Pier I had a meeting with Jenifer of My Brighton & Hove at the Brighton History Centre in the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. I only had a chance to look briefly at its content but was very impressed. Next week I will arrive earlier so I can explore.

On Thursday the Christmas lights were switched on by Marilyn Monroe look-a-like Laura Nickson, it was hosted by Juice FM. There was a crowd gathered to see what was going on at East Street and a cheer once the lights were switched on. With appearances from the pantomime Cinderella and handing out of mince pies it really began to make the city feel festive.

After watching the Christmas lights I attended ‘As camp as Christmas’, an event where Jeremy Hoye and Dave Pop’s new jewellery collection was launched. The event took place in the shop on Ship Street, which opened in 1994; their décor was very Brighton, it reminded me of under the sea, with the wave inspired 3D ceiling, mermaid statue and submarine style windows where the collections are on show. Their collections are made up of bespoke items made by their own jewellers to accurately suit their customer’s needs. They are today recognised as being one of England’s leading contemporary jewellers.

My favourites included the charm bracelets with the magic carpets, the entire compilation of the kings and queen collection and most importantly the 18 ct yellow gold Russian doll. It opens to reveal a scroll that can be engraved with your own personal message and is encrusted with black diamonds and rubies, defiantly something I wish I could add to the top of my Christmas List, let’s just hope Santa is feeling generous this year!!

Doing this blog presents me the perfect excuse to eat out instead of having to cook for myself; we decided to try Gars Chinese Restaurant, which we enjoyed a really tasty meal.

This week I discovered yet another one of Brighton’s own quirky coffee shop, Redwood Coffee House, a perfect place to hide from the winter weather. Placed at the bottom of the Lanes its cosy décor and snug seats along with the stacks of books provide the atmosphere that you could stay in for hours! With the mixture of cakes, music and books offered this was a perfect Sunday afternoon find.

I spent the weekend in Birmingham visiting one of my best friends Es for her birthday, I had a great weekend catching up and having a good old gossip trying out her favourite places, meeting friends and having a girlie night out.

But by the time I left she had already decided she wanted to visit Brighton and I have booked her in into HotelSophie to do some Christmas shopping and enjoy doughnuts on the deckchairs on the Pier (hopefully in the Snow) who could resist?!?

Goodbye until next week...Sophie.

Brighton 350 EARTH project

Fancy being part of a live sculpture created by Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame?

Part of 350.org’s EARTH project, the live sculpture will be formed in Brighton on 27^th November with the help of 2000 volunteers and will be viewable from space!

Where: Brighton, UK

When: 11AM Saturday November 27, 2010

What: A recreation of the legendary King Canute, trying but failing to command the ocean, created by Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) and Stanley Donwood.

What you need to do to take part:

To take part simply join our Brighton Earth 350.org Facebook Event page where you’ll find details of how to sign up or if you're not on Facebook go to the 350org Earth website.

Please note:

• The first 2,000 people that RSVP will be guaranteed a spot in the Thom Yorke sculpture. (The remainder will be placed on a waiting list.)
• All participants must arrive at 11am and be able to stay until 13hr on Saturday November 27, 2010.
• Participants must please wear all black since your body will literally be the "paint" that makes this drawing.
• Please also be sure to dress warmly, bring rain gear (just in case) and water. Everyone will be provided with a black poncho/mac.
• Please also note that we will create the human sculpture even if it rains and is stormy, since weather is a central character in this art piece. Yes, this sounds mad but since we're recreating the story of King Canute it works.

More about 350.org’s EARTH project

This November 20-28, 350 EARTH launches the world’s first ever global climate art project. In locations across the globe, citizens and artists will create massive public art installations to show how climate change is impacting our world. Each art installation will be large enough to be seen from space.

In the UK 350 are working with Thom Yorke from Radiohead, to design and create a giant image that will have aerial photographs taken of it, as part of a group of works that can be seen from space.

Brighton has been selected as one of the 18 iconic locations across the planet to take part in the project.

Sign up to take part NOW!

Join our Brighton Earth 350.org Facebook Event page where you’ll find details of how to sign up for the live human sculpture or if you're not on Facebook, go to the 350org Earth website.

Sarah
VisitBrighton

MADE10 - Brighton's Design & Craft Fair: 19-21st Nov

This week MADE10 takes place and so today I am going to hand you over to another guest poster - Jon Tutton - to give you the insider's guide to the Design & Craft Fair...

MADE – Brighton’s Design and Craft Fair is now five year old, and is a continuation of the Brighton Art Fair, founded from our desire to help promote innovative makers and designers and to champion the best in craft and design. Pretty much that's what has happened; we've been able to attract some of the best makers in the country and the show has always been very well attended with many visitors using MADE as their main opportunity for buying unusual, beautiful Christmas presents that can't be found in the usual High Street shops or just taking the opportunity to browse the beautiful work and buy for themselves.

This year we're looking forward to seeing; Barbara Keal's animal hats, made from felted wool sourced from the Downs; Kate Fishers ceramics inspired by the colours and shapes of the sea and landscape of her home in East Anglia and the quirky silver and the acrylic jewellery by Helen Noakes featuring characters trapped in resin - swimmers in a ring or a polar bear in a frosty white bracelet.

There’s a lot to see (110 stands) and everything exhibited is designed by and mostly made by the makers. All prices are catered for from notebooks, mugs and teatowels at the lower end of the price bracket to furniture and silverware at the upper end.

Over our 5 years we've finally seen the fusty image of 'craft' starting to change - more people are 'making' themselves, knitting on the bus into work or altering or making clothes. More people are appreciating the design and craft skills of makers and many people are turning their backs on mass-produced objects opting instead for objects that carry the personality of the maker.

MADE10 has again teamed up with Brighton and Hove Museums to fund a £1000 award to purchase or commission innovative work to go in Brighton and Hove Museum's collection.

For more information please go to www.made10.co.uk

Sophie's third week in the city...

This week was too cold, like always in winter I prefer to hibernate indoors with films and a nice cup of tea, I would definitely recommend Russell Brand’s Get him to the Greek as well as the new series of Gossip Girl that I have enjoyed catching up on!

On Wednesday I went to the sold out Mystery Jets’ gig that was held at Concorde 2 which is a popular music venue in the city. This tour was to promote their new album ‘Show me the Light’.

Thursday seemed to be like any other day working at Brighton Pier, being splashed in the face by a crashing wave while staring at the, in my opinion, mental characters who were running into the waves as a photo opportunity. Until over my head flew a kite surfer that managed to clear the pier and land safely on the other side! If you haven’t done so you really need to check out the video. It was definitely something I won’t be trying…I thought I was brave just walking up the pier in that wind!

After early Christmas shopping on Saturday we tested out the Royal Pavilion's first ever outdoor Christmas ice rink, with its impressive background, that definitely distinguishes itself from the one I am used to back home in Sunderland’s Mowbray Park. As I normally fall over my own feet on a daily basis on flat ground I thought best not to try skating on ice as I would definitely multiple times be ending up on my bum! Even without taking part in the actual skating the night made me feel all Christmassy along with the Coke a Cola Christmas advert that appeared while watching X Factor confirming that Christmas has officially begun!! (38 Days 16 hours to go if you were wondering…)

Sophie

FAIR's second anniversary

Today I am going to hand over to a guest blogger as one of our local shops, FAIR, is celebrating its second anniversary today....

As I wandered around the North Laine in the early nineties, I realised immediately there was something extra special about the Brighton retail scene.

I spent my teenage years in 1980ʼs Buffalo, NY selecting amazing clothes from the 50ʼs and 60ʼs in huge warehouse charity shops. Coming to Brighton, clothes were bright and shocking and the second-hand scene was thriving - arguably even ahead of NY vintage.

With not a lot of money in my pocket, there seemed nothing better than to walk around and check out the shops (as well as lets be honest, the other shoppers!). A feast for the eye, and full of wonderful style, quirkiness and creativity, some of the independents here happily remain the same as they were when I first arrived.

Three of my personal favourites are Rin-Tin-Tin for a laid-back look at retro, Appendage with its amazing array of Brighton creative genius, and Infinity Foods where food shopping has never been healthier, and a happy air of community camaraderie mixes with the Brighton cool.

I never imagined then that one day Iʼd be lucky enough to own a shop in the same area that I fell in love with all those years ago.

Here I am checking out our summer recycled sari stocksold at one of our summer markets.

My name is Siobhan Wilson, owner of FAIR. For those of you who are yet to discover us - we are at 21 Queens Road strictly speaking on the northern boundary of the North Laine. From Brighton Train Station walk on the right-hand side down Queens Rd and you will see our window that we like to think is inviting and distinctive. (If you reach the Clock Tower, youʼll know youʼve gone too far!)

We cater for people that love great clothing, but who also love life, respect other people and care for the environment. We choose only the things that we believe Brighton customers will appreciate too! The refreshing difference is that everything we stock is Fair Trade.

Itʼs true - the customers who choose to shop at FAIR choose to wear beautiful clothing, enjoy the comfort of sleeping in organic cotton bedding, customise with lovely accessories and jewellery, pamper themselves with beautifully scented toiletries, delight in gifts, cards and wrapping paper that are all lovely in their own right. And even more wonderful when they stop to consider the products are all hand crafted by people living in poverty working to earn a better life for themselves and their families...Our customers make a positive impact with every purchase!

I personally visit some of the groups which make some of the items we sell. I can see potential purchases first hand, and then work with local designers who help refine designs that we know our customers will appreciate. Other products we stock are made by groups that people close to me are working with. We also select designer labels whose credentials meet our high standards, both in terms of their design, intrinsic value and Fair Trade practice. And yet ʻweʼ are a tiny team of just three.

Any day of the week thereʼs a lot we do that we are passionate and excited about, so weʼre always keen to celebrate...!!

Today though, is a special day for us here at FAIR - itʼs our second anniversary of trading. Yay!! So thanks to the VisitBrighton Team for letting us share our delight on Monday 15 November 2010 with you, and thanks for reading my LoveBrighton guest blog.

Hereʼs our ʻbirthday cardʼ to invite you to receive 10% off at FAIR in November & December. You may see this card soon in and around places in Brighton (and Hove) that we love. If so, please bring it along to receive your discount. Or print off this page. Naturally the discount doesnʼt apply on our gift vouchers or our charity cards. Nor in conjunction with another offer.

Hope thatʼs given blog readers another reason to LoveBrighton.
Come and live fair, love fair, be fair!!

Kite surfer jumps Brighton Pier

Only in Brighton! Well actually they did it in Worthing earlier in the year but hey ho!

Here's the kite surfer video from the lovely guys at Fat Sand, who were tipped off about the kite surfer yesterday (being such avid cool kite surfer dudes themselves) and popped down with their trusty camera to film it.

Enjoy! Oh and please don't think about trying this! VisitBrigton don't condone any form of activity that may cause harm to you or others. This guy is a real professional and the pier don't want anyone landing on the super booster that haven't paid!




For more on Fat Sand visit www.fatsand.com.

Or if you fancy having a go at kite surfing yourself, check out Hove's Kitesurfkings.

Sarah

Another week living down South…

After an introduction of what my role as marketing assistant would incorporate, Monday lunch break was spent in Paperchase looking for stationery to make my desk more my own. Once all my pens were in order I set down to do some work. Not long after I was informed we were going to an event at Terre a Terre, which was voted best restaurant in Brighton & Hove in the 2010 Foodie Awards. The event was to launch their participation within ‘Street Smart’ which is where restaurants are asking customers to add a voluntary £1 per table in November and December and the money raised will help the homeless. The restaurant had previously participated last year helping raise an impressive £450,000.

On visiting the city I had always been intrigued by the Duke of York’s Picturehouse, to see what all the fuss was about. Then I understood, watching The Social Network in what felt like someone’s front room was definitely more appealing than sitting in a generic cinema screen. The look of the cakes available tempted me far more than that of the standard plastic nachos!!

Thursday night was spent late night shopping, as I of course needed a warm coat, seeing as I had the idea that it was always sunny in Brighton!!

Bonfire night this year can only be described as ‘unique’ as I went to Lewes, which held what seems the ritual of celebrating the ancient tradition of Bonfire, even being credited the ‘Bonfire capital of the world.’ Only on arriving at Brighton station I began to see the scale of the event, rows and rows of people in warm looking hats ready for a winter storm. Throughout the station I could feel the excitement of the night ahead.

After shuffling out of Lewes station following the crowds, amazed at the amount of whizz, bang, pops in the air we ended up outside the Garden Arms, watching only what I can comprehend as a scene out of the film League of Gentlemen. For the whole parade I was in awe…never before had I seen anything like this, all I could see were burning crucifixes coming from the distance.

There was fire, flashes, bangs, costumes, dancing, laughter and screams (most of all from me!). After watching the array of characters walk up and down the street at least three times we were just about ready to speak to each other, but all we could ask is if this was actually ‘real life?!’ Then sure enough there was a loud bang very close by leaving the woman in front of me with a wet hat and me without a drink.

After a long walk around the town…multiple times, we seem to be prone to becoming lost in any given situation. We arrive at Cliffe, one of the bonfire sites where this year there was an effigy of the current Coalition government where David Cameron was holding Nick Clegg upon puppet strings. All in all the night was ‘an experience’ that only I could obtain while living in Brighton and of course I am already excited for next year!!

Saturday
After walking around Lewes all night our legs decided Saturday had to be spent as a lazy day…so wandering through the lanes, testing out coffee shops was in order. After having brownies and hot chocolate in Komedia we had the energy to move on through towards the seafront, only to be stopped by a magician who impressed me with a Darren Brown taught card trick.
After exploring we went to dinner in Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant. As it was a Saturday night and my friend Lauren had come down from Leeds to visit, we thought it was compulsory to take her to the sites of the Brighton Pubs…

Sunday
As the vintage car rally from London to Brighton was on we walked through the Preston Park entrance and watched the cars as they drove to the seafront on our way to the station to catch a train into London. It was great to visit the capital but it was good to get back to my new home by the sea.

Sophie

Brighton Beach of the Dead IV

If you were out in Brighton on Saturday you'd have been hard pressed to miss the multitude of zombies roaming around the city! Only in Brighton we always like to say here...

Alas, I missed the actual march, but I was 'attacked' by so many zombies at White Night, I was getting into the zombie vibe with the best of them.

Well done to everyone who took part - there were some incredibly realistic 'dead people' walking around the city, arms outstretched in true zombie style. George A Romero would have have been proud methinks.

Anyway, check out our slideshow for some pics of Beach of the Dead IV. If you dare that is...



Check out our What's On section for lots more great Brighton and Hove events coming up in the city...

Sarah

Sophie's First Day at VisitBrighton

Just a quick note to introduce myself…I am Sophie the new ‘inexperienced’ blogger for LoveBrighton (apologies now for any mistakes made!!)

Currently I am an International Tourism Management Student from Leeds Metropolitan University on Placement in industry.

So…this year means breaking away from ‘student life’ this means actually doing more than the odd lecture, partying and lots of sleep that I have grown accustom to!

My time spent in Brighton will include a placement, working within the VisitBrighton Marketing department two days a week as well as the three days in the offices of Brighton Pier where I am planning on doing just a little bit more than eating doughnuts and ‘testing’ out the rides!

As a ‘Geordie’ coming from the North East I am pretty far from my comfort zone so I believe there is a lot of exploring to be done! For years I have visited the city for short holidays and day trips but never ventured further than the Pier or the seafront so definitely need to find myself favourite places to shop, a distinct skill of mine, places where are best to eat, a quirky coffee shop where I can spend Sunday mornings reading magazines or anything I should be doing or visiting to ensure I make the most of living in what seems to be the most energetic city I have been to!

This blog will be a description of what I have done or will be doing within my time in Brighton, hopefully giving details of my ‘exciting’ life as I become an adopted “Brightonian” Any comments and ideas on places or events that are a ‘MUST’ will be much appreciated!!

You can keep up to date with what I am getting up to by following the ‘Sophie in the City’ blog posts.

Sophie

Halloween in Brighton

Ever had the urge to dress up as a zombie? Well now's your chance. From zombies at Beach of the Dead to White Night and Halloween Balls, why not check out these Halloween ideas for some gruesome fun...?


Brighton Zombie Walk by Jonathan Stewart

Beach of the Dead IV - 30 October Now in its fourth year, the annual Brighton Zombie Parade begins at 3pm from Brighton Station and ends 2 hours later on Brighton seafront.

Sussex Beacon Halloween Ball – 31 October
B Movie Horror meets Halloween at The Sussex Beacons Fancy Dress Ball.

Halloween Party at Hotel Pelirocco – 31 October
Join one of the funkiest hotels in Brighton for shockingly ghoulish music and an Acoustic set from the Invisible Dead. Mw ha ha ha.

White Night - 30 October
A fantastic array of night-time cultural events and ‘happenings’ across the city to mark the end of British Summer Time. This year’s theme is ‘Illumination’ and major attractions including the Royal Pavilion stay open into the wee hours.

Halloween 3-a-side Tournament - 31 October
Throw on your costumes on for the annual Halloween 3-a-side tournament at Yellowave Beach Sports. Winning prizes for the best individual and team costume. Early entry is recommended as this one always gets booked up. £30 per team.

Preston Manor Ghost Tours - 30 and 31 October
Tour Brighton’s most haunted house on the creepiest nights of the year!
Friday 29, Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 October at 7–8pm. Repeated 8.30–9.30pm & 10–11pm. £12 per person, please book in advance.

Brighton Rock presents Halloween Party - 30 October
Do your best grusome boogies at this fancy dress party, plus bands, at the Hydrant.

Revenge Kinky Dangerous Halloween Ball - 30 October
The Biggest clubnight for Brighton and Sussex LGBTQ societies, dress up and get gory across 2 floors of ghoulish décor. Run by students, for students, expect the unexpected, plus pop to electro and drum n bass, alternative and dubstep.

For more ideas on things to do in Brighton, check out our What's On section.

Happy Halloween!

Sarah

VisitBrighton Win Best Destination Marketing Award

Well, it's not everyday that you get to meet a stig and win a top accolade from Tourism South East, but last Thursday was one of them...

Up for Best Destination Marketing Award at The Beautiful South Awards, the VisitBrighton marketing team donned their glad rags and jumped aboard their salubrious carriage ( a Brighton & Hove bus) for Mercedes Benz World in Surrey.

Fashionably early, we quaffed a couple of drinks and got our picture taken with a stig. You try talking to a man in a suit with a visor - you can't see or hear him - its most disconcerting. Especially when you are asked to move, like I was, because the photographer couldn't see 'the suit'. Ur yeah, thanks for that.

Anyway, after a rather scrummy dinner of locally sourced food and drink the awards began. Brighton were up for quite a lot of awards and the Destination Marketing Award was up almost last! Kept quiet with petit fours and local wine, the award approached and the Gold Award Winner was, ahem, drum roll please...VisitBrighton!

John our Marketing Manager and me secretly love going up on stage so we didn't need much encouragement to run up to collect the award from the BBC's Nicholas Owen and Mike Bedingfield from Tourism South East. In fact we were so chuffed we forgot to watch our overhead video that we had slaved so laboriously over.

Oh and it was at that point that John and I were quite glad we hadn't followed through on the bet to swap clothes. I.e. me in a DJ and John in a dress.

A great night was had by all and in all seriousness, this is a fantastic recognition of what we do. It shows we must be doing something right and it feels great to know we're at the top of our game in the South (and hopefully further afield too!).

Congrats to John for heading up our small but deadly team and also congrats to all the winners and nominees on the night including:

• VisitBrighton - GOLD WINNERS - Destination Marketing Award
  
• M's Cycle Hire - GOLD WINNERS - Sport Tourism Award
• Theatre Royal Brighton - SILVER AWARD - Outstanding Customer Service
  
• Yellowave - SILVER AWARD - Sport Tourism Award
• ORB360 - HIGHLY COMMENDED - Best Tourism Experience
• Brighton Marathon - HIGHLY COMMENDED - Sport Tourism Award

You can see all the winners on the Beautiful South website.

Here are a couple of pics from the night.

Sarah

Beach Tennis

There really is no such thing as an average day in our office as we end up having to do a variety of weird and wonderful things, which is why on a fresh October morning I found myself heading down to Yellowave to play beach tennis!

Perhaps I should try and offer some sort of explanation.... A few weeks ago we started working with a local tennis holiday organiser - Pure Tennis Holidays - in order to arrange a press trip for some European journalists from Tennis magazines. Kasia from Pure Tennis Holidays had been doing some research into Beach Tennis which is apparently very popular in Italy and America but it is currently not available in the UK. We agreed it would be very exciting if Brighton could be the first place in the country to host the sport.

Working with Katie at Yellowave, Kasia managed to source the equipment and arranged a taster session. So here is a group shot of the first people to play beach tennis in the UK (should probably add a disclaimer to say as far as we know). From L - R: Kasia Chmielewska - Pure Tennis Holidays; Damo Sulc - Yellowave; Alastair Williams - International Tennis Federation; Julie Pullen - Pavilion & Avenue Tennis Club Head Coach:


And here are a couple of action shots starting with our Marketing Manager John really going for it!







I have to confess I am not naturally the most sporty of people but I genuinely really enjoyed it, it's good fun and the sort of game that anyone can join in and have a go at. Although next time I play I'll have to try and a) return more balls and b) return them inside the court! Anyway we'll let you know what happens and if Beach Tennis does take off remember you saw it here first...

But in the meantime if we've put you in the mood for some beach sports fun then check out www.yellowave.co.uk to see the range of activities already on offer including a ghoulish fancy dress Halloween tournament.

Charlotte

Another reason to visit Brighton

One of our lovely hotel partners - Brian Snow of the Avalon - e-mailed me to ask if he could write a guest post as he feels there is an attraction near the city that some visitors may not realise is so easy to get to from Brighton. So here's Brian to tell you more...

People come to Brighton because of the sea. And alongside beach life, the City is one of the most diverse cultural centres in the UK. Add to that the thriving restaurant and club scene and you have the perfect place for a break – almost!

There’s something else on Brighton’s doorstep and if you’re not looking out to sea it can only be inland - the South Downs National Park.

In just over 10 minutes by car or bus from the bustling city centre you can be striding up a chalky ridge to some of Southern England’s most glorious scenery. There are rare plants, birds, ancient fieldworks and burrows, beautiful flint cottages, thousands of sheep and little villages nestling in valleys with stunning old pubs in which to rest and get refreshed.

Tom and I have taken afternoons off from the Avalon to walk the Eastbourne to Alfriston stretch, then the Alfriston to Newmarket Inn (A27 near Lewes) stretch. Virtually all stages along the first half of the South Downs Way (about 50 miles) are reachable in a day, there and back, from Brighton by public transport or by car. Some accommodation providers such as ours will lend you maps and can suggest walks / transport. It’s also a great place to take your dog if he or she is on holiday with you (but remember to respect the livestock!).

Then in the evening, instead of staying miles from anywhere, you can return to the city for all it has to offer.

Thank you Brian for today's post and if you have felt inspired you can found out more about the South Downs countryside on our website or by chatting to our lovely visitor information centre staff.

And for more information about Brian's guest house the Avalon go to: www.avalonbrighton.co.uk

Simply the (Brighton) Best

Hooray! We’ve got Brighton Racecourse, Brighton Dome and of course Brighton Pier; but now we’ve got Brighton Best! No, for once I am not just bragging about the fact Brighton is the best city as I know you are all aware of that fact by now ;). In actual fact the title of today's post refers to a new beer which was officially launched in the city last night.

Brighton Best is a local beer in every sense in that it has been produced by a Sussex brewery - W J King - and has been brewed especially for, and only available in, Brighton & Hove pubs. But while it has been made and is sold by local people of course visitors are very welcome to drink it too!*

I didn't make the launch event last night and so I haven't had a chance to try the new brew yet, however when I asked my manager John for his review he declared that it was “really lovely – a great tipple” Thanks John for your “expert” analysis however I can't help feeling it is somewhat lacking so instead here is a quote from Head Brewer Ian Burgess: "Colour is light to golden amber. The aroma of Brighton Best combines an astonishingly complex blend of floral hop to light malt with a hint of crystal malt. The mouth feels clean and well balanced with a lingering after palate." Now that's a proper review!

Brighton Best is a light ale which can be enjoyed all evening and of course by buying a pint or two you'll be supporting local business which is great news for everyone. Cheers!

* VisitBrighton supports responsible drinking at all times.

Charlotte

Horses Brawl at Brighton Early Music Festival

The Brighton Early Music Festival starts later this month and so for today's post we are handing over the reigns to guest blogger Adrian Lever the guitarist with Horses Brawl to explain what goes on behind the scenes when organising an event during the festival....
So the Brighton Early Music Festival gig is fast approaching and its an exciting time for us at Horses Brawl, as we're venturing into a new project that has its debut at St. Bartholomew's Church, Brighton.

The story of the project goes back to spring this year when our idea of an extended line-up became reality with the news that the Arts Council grant we'd applied for was 'in the bag'. Brilliant news!!! .... But now we had to make it happen.

Because of the nature of the way we work - magpie-ing tunes from all over Europe whether folk, medieval, renaissance or baroque, borrowing phrases, repeating fragments, changing notes, playing two tunes on top of each other to create new 'pieces' - everything develops out of improvisation. There is no score, no defined orchestration, so it all had to be dreamed-up.

The original idea that was pitched to BREMF was a 7-piece line-up that would consist of lots of medieval fiddles and an extra guitar. A few brainstorms later and we'd arrived at (quite literally!) a paired-down version, with me and Laura (Horses Brawl) and Arngeir Hauksson and Rebecca Austin-Brown of the Bardos Band on guitar/lute and recorder/medieval fiddle respectively.

The idea was that both mine and laura's instruments had a double, and with some effective arrangement we could achieve a much more expansive sound with only two extra players. This line-up was then duly sent to BREMF to go in the festival programme...

...but things are never quite that simple!!

We were still hearing other sounds in our heads. Maybe we were just going mad? Or maybe we needed all those fiddles after all.

We wanted a snappy, powerful and concise sound. But we also wanted to explore some sonic landscapes, timbres and textural effects that weren't quite possible with the quartet.

Cue Alexis Bennett (The Early Music Experiment, Dufay Collective) and Jim O'Toole (Joglaresa, La Serenissima, English Touring Opera). Both fiddlers have wide experience playing early, folk and contemporary classical music, and were up for jumping on board and delving into some sonic experiments with us.

So, a 6-piece was born, and we were getting closer to realising the sounds in our head ... except we didn't feel they were satiated just yet ... Cue the gongs!

Through her Performance Masters at the University of East Anglia, Laura forged links with the Sonic Arts department and entered that whole sound-world, creating pieces for solo recorder and computer using Ganassi-style improvisation, and commissioning a piece for tape, voice, electronics and recorder quartet.

Her partner, Andre Bosman, and friend Alex Sanders were both on the course and we knew they'd be on the right wavelength when it came to adding the extra sonic effects we were looking for. We'd watched Alex's band 'Transcept' using gongs to great effect, and decided that was the way forward.

So the two gongs jumped on board, and we've been working at a mix of rhythmic and textural bowing and soft beaters to give eerie sparkle to some of the slower material and some dramatic depth to some of the faster pieces, completing the 8-piece Brighton line-up.

The whole group will come together on the 17th of October for an intensive day rehearsal at Raveningham church, Norfolk, for fine tuning (and lots of other tuning - around 50 strings altogether!) and getting the whole thing to really gel.

I'm really excited to hear it all together - a culmination of lots of organising, work ... and fun! Also to hear how the various pieces reflect the moods and seasonal rituals we've identified them with for the Harvest Queen programme.

The program consists of brand new material for our forthcoming album and some pieces from our last album 'Wild Lament'. We reflected on all the music and came up with the concept, which takes themes, rituals and personal journeys from points around the whole yearly cycle with the harvest as its axis as fundamental in sustaining life throughout the year. Each musical piece reflects a piece within this cycle.

St Bart's has an amazing acoustic that is both immediate and clear and at the same time richly reverberant, so I think it'll be the perfect place to debut the new project- and at one of our favourite festivals! I hope to see you there.

Horses Brawl and their extended line up perform Harvest Queen at St Bartholomew's Church, Ann Street, Brighton, 7.30pm on Sunday, 24th October. Tickets: £6-£15 from www.bremf.org.uk (no fee for etickets) or Brighton Dome Ticket Shop: 01273 709709 (£2.25 transaction fee)

Brighton Photo Biennial 2010

It's the launch of the Brighton Photo Biennial tonight and I'm getting quite excited about sneaking into some private views. Well not sneaking exactly, we have been invited!

It looks really stunnig this year, so I thought I'd do a quick roundup of what's in store.

What is Brighton Photo Biennial?
The Biennial is the UK’s leading festival of international contemporary photography. For its fourth edition, Brighton Photo Biennial 2010 presents 'New Documents' this year, guest curated by the internationally renowned photographer, Martin Parr. Which is quite a coup in itself as a well as a reflection of the gravitas of the event.

Its the first ‘frame free’ photography exhibition
'New Documents' will also be the world’s first frame free photography festival. Yep, that really means no frames. So it'll be interesting to see how all the photos look.

What's on show?
The 2010 Biennial will be informed and inspired by the diverse communities and contexts of Brighton & Hove.

'Queer Brighton' at the Lighthouse
There are loads of exhibitions, but personally I'm really looking forward to the Queer Brighton exhibition at the Lighthouse, which will document the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities of Brighton & Hove, exploring a range of experiences including the mundane activities of everyday lives.

With such a diverse and long standing lesbian and gay community its surprising no-one has done this before really, so it will be great to see the outcome of the project.

'New Ways of Looking' at the old Co-op building
I'm also looking forward to the New Ways of Looking exhibition at the old co-op building. Having seen 'Before I Sleep' as at the co-op building during the Brighton Festival, it will be really interesting to see how they've used the space of this slightly jaded but incredible building and all its quaint nooks and crannies.

Check out our roundup of the key photo exhibitions or visit www.bpb.org.uk for full details. Brochures are also available from the Brighton Visitor Information Centre.

Brighton Photo Fringe
This year, the Photo Biennial will also be supported by the Brighton Photo Fringe, which will bring together a city-wide festival of exhibitions and events that runs alongside the main Biennial.

Both the Photo Biennial and the Brighton Photo Fringe run from 2nd October to 14th November, so you've got loads of time to explore everything on offer.

Enjoy!

Sarah
VisitBrighton