Komedia's Millionth Ticket Approaches...

Fancy free entry to Komedia Brighton for the rest of your life?

Komedia Brighton has done the sums, counted the number of seats and totted up the ticket sales and the result is that they are just a few tickets away from selling their millionth ticket!

Golden ticket could be won in next 7 days!

Komedia co-founder and Director Colin Granger estimates the millionth ticket wiil be sold in the next seven days and the person who buys it is in for quite a treat, as they'll receive a golden ticket allowing them free Komedia shows for life...

With great shows such as the award-winning Krater Comedy Club each week, alongside monthly regulars such as Comic Boom, Tag Comedy and Bent Double as well as big-name touring comedians and bands all year round, we reckon that's a pretty fab prize!

Find out more about Komedia Brighton and search for what's on - if you buy a ticket in next 7 days you could be laughing for the rest of your life...

Sarah
VisitBrighton

Brighton Art

As some of our Twitter followers will know I've recently read 'Desperate Romantics' which was all about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - as it's Friday I think I can get away with adding a little picture of Rossetti from the accompanying TV series :)

Ooo lovely... Anyway when reading the book I was surprised to discover a couple of Brighton links as one of Rossetti's models - Fanny Cornforth apparently lived in Brighton and Edward Burne-Jones lived in Rottingdean and designed some of the stained glass windows in St Margaret's Church.

It doesn't end there though as today churches are not the only place to find artwork (although there is Fabrica which is an art gallery that used to be a church) as the North Laine area is full of Street Art including the famous Banksy piece -

ArtRepublic have encouraged people to put their artistic talents towards a good cause - StreetSmart homeless charity. At the end of last year they launched a competition asking people to send in their Street Art images and then the winning image which highlights the UK homeless problem will be sold as a limited edition print through the artrepublic galleries in London and Brighton and online at www.artrepublic.com, with all proceeds going to StreetSmart. In addition the image will be turned in to a gigantic paste up, the size of a two-storey building in London and Brighton!

The winner will be announced at the end of the month and you can see the five shortlisted entries on the ArtRepublic website.

Finally here's a funky new photography website, just type in 'Brighton' and enjoy...

Charlotte

Alternative Valentines Day in Brighton

Well - we know lots of people don't always like to go with the flow in Brighton.

So as Valentine's Day is fast approaching, we've come up with a Top 10 alternative list for something a wee bit different to do in Brighton on the big day.

1. Get chic with Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's at The Duke of York's. Then enjoy a romantic dinner in town…


2. Take a llama for a walk! 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.


3. Discover the Philosophy of Love at the Brighton Science Festival, as Science writer, Richard Robinson, takes a humorous look at the bewildering stages of love.


4. Explore St Margarets Church in Rottingdean featuring beautiful stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones, then go for a yummy cream tea.


5. Enjoy some romantic music from Sussex Symphony Orchestra and help your local hospice.


6. Visit She Said or Lust for a special cheeky treat for Valentine's night!


7. Indulge your sweet tooth at Scoop and Crumb – with 50 varieties to choose from you’ll be spoilt for choice. Pick from a from a Pink Lady, a Bachelors Kiss or a Really Fruity Sundae...mmm.


8. Have a smooch in Quadrophenia Alley, a location in the cult film Quadropehnia. To find Quadrophenia Alley, walk along Prince Albert Street to the Town Hall. Walk past the town hall & turn right into Little East Street. Beyond a set of nineteenth century cottages, turn left down a winding unmarked alleyway marked 'To East Street'.


9. Enter a Mixed Doubles Valentines Tournament at Yellowave Beach Sports and find some love in the air...


10. Pretend Valentine’s doesn’t exist and go out on the 13th or 15th February instead! Search our What’s On section for some anti Valentine's inspiration…

We've also got some great Brighton Valentine Break ideas too if you're looking for a romantic getaway...

Enjoy!

Sarah

VisitBrighton

Forget Blue Monday we've got a Chocolate Festival!

Apparently today is the most depressing day of the year. I'm not going to go into the reasons why as I'm sure you can work that out for yourselves. But my argument would be it's only depressing if you decide to focus on these negative things.

So let's try and be more positive shall we? It's the start of not just a new year but a new decade which means lots of exciting things to look forward to. There are lots of fantastic events coming up in Brighton & Hove this year but the one that's really caught my eye is - The Chocolate Festival

Anyone who knows me will know that like a lot of people I have a bit of a soft spot for anything to do with chocolate. The Festival is on for 2 days on the 20th & 21st March from 10am-6pm and best of all it's free! The festival will be taking place along New Road which will be chock full of stalls dedicated to chocolate (did you spot the pun?) There will be kits so that you can make raw chocolate at home plus drinking chocolate, bars, truffles and even some savoury treats.
So to get you in the mood here's a picture of delicious chocolate cake courtesy of our freinds at the Angel Food Bakery:


So there's something to look forward to. But if you still need an antidote to 'Blue Monday' then why not head over to the Theatre Royal tonight to see Spike Miligan's Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall

Charlotte

West Pier Time Lapse

West Pier Time Lapse, originally uploaded by misschippy.

Well i got a lovely, sturdy new tripod today to replace my old one which used to rather like swaying like a sunflower in the slightest of breeze..

So I got myself down to the West Pier in a bid to create my first time lapse, something i've wanted to do for ages.

And here it is...

Whilst it might not stop the world whilst everyone takes a look - it did work! So I reckon I'm going to do some more in a bid to improve my old time lapsing skills - light caught me out a bit on this one and got exposure wee bit awry, although actually quite like the effect.

If you'd like to join me on my Brighton time lapse journey, i'll be posting more here...

And if like the artier perspective on Brighton you might want to check out our Brighton Lomo photos too.

Sarah

How to go global...

Well, we knew Sarah, our illustrous web editor, had done some stirling work since being at VisitBrighton - new website, lots of social media shennanigans and some lovely search engine rankings - but we didn't realise her reputation had gone global...

http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1263218729463RA97

We reckon this is viral marketing at its best.

We've been trying to conjur up something like this for ever - but hey ho. All credit to the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation.

Incidentally, we'd better tell Sarah she's gone global - just incase she doesn't know yet:)

Enjoy...

Charlotte
VisitBrighton

100 years of the Duke of York's

I know it's January and therefore it is meant to be cold but I am fed up with all this snow and ice, I mean it's just getting silly now.

Which is why I've decided to write about a lovely cosy event that will hopefully help to warm us all up. 'How can an event be cosy?' I hear you ask (actually that's a fib I can't hear you at all but I think you know what I mean!) Well anything to do with the Duke of York's Picturehouse makes me feel cosy as I imagine myself curled up on one of their comfy seats or even one of the sofas on the balcony.

Anyway this year is the Duke of York's 100th anniversary as the picturehouse first opened its doors on 22 September 1910. So you can expect lots of exciting events throughout the year and to mark the start of this special year there will be a rare screening of the Brighton set film Penny points to Paradise on Sunday 17th January at 1.30pm.

I'll be honest with you here and admit that I have never actually heard of this film which is surprising given that it is based in Brighton and stars The Goons ie Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. The basic outline for the film is that Harry Secombe wins some money on the pools but decides he still wants to holiday with his friend Spike Milligan at their usual seaside B&B but he brings his winnings with him in his suitcase. At the B&B there are a variety of nefarious characters who are after his money.

Although I don't think the plot really matters all you need to know is that the film features The Goons being silly in Brighton :) Which sounds like a great way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Charlotte

New Year, New You

Well as we all struggled back into work this morning I wonder how many people have already given up on their New Year's Resolutions? ;)

Being the lovely supportive people that we are we have decided to help you keep those resolutions with the launch of the New Year, New You section of the website. Including top tips on places to eat healthy and where to go to get a new look. Also don't think that going to the gym is the only why to shake the Christmas puds as there are some great activities you can try to help you get fit and have fun!

Although we realise some people already eat healthily, get plenty of exercise and our happy with their look. But perhaps 2010 is the year you decide to learn something new such as photography or how to cook sushi or you could learn more about yourself with a colour therapy session?

So if you are feeling inspired then book a break in Brighton to help you get the best possible start to 2010.

Charlotte