A Festive Spin on the Brighton Wheel

And so this is Christmas (as John Lennon once said). Ok, well, so this is ‘nearly Christmas’ to be technically correct – but anyway it got us thinking about our top tip for an alternative thing to do in Brighton that doesn’t involve carols, shopping, grappling with the crowds or mince pies (much as we like carols, shopping and mince pies).

After a bit of heated discussion, we plumped for the rather stunning new(ish!) seafront landmark that is the Brighton Wheel – or the ‘Eye in the Sky’ or ‘Seaside Eye’ as its already affectionately known by some.

Enjoy panoramic views of Brighton's landmarks and coastline
With not a mince pie or bauble in site, the Brighton Wheel stands an impressive 50 metres above sea level and offers fantastic panoramic views of the city.

You can jump aboard a glass gondola pod for just £8 (£6.50 for children), where you can enjoy a stunning view of the city's landmarks & coastline, as you rotate not once but 3 times...(so if you miss anything you’ve got 2 more chances!)

Each gondola holds up to 6 adults and 2 children and is even licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies if you fancy getting hitched.

Brighton Wheel Opening Times
The Brighton Wheel is open 7 days a week from 10.00am - 11.00pm (boarding gates close at 10.45pm). So why not treat yourself to a festive spin this Christmas? The Brighton Wheel is open on Christmas Day from 11.00am - 6.00pm.

Of course, you can visit the wheel at any time of year – you can fnd out more at www.brightonwheel.com.

For more ideas on festive things to do check out our Christmas in Brighton section.

Merry Christmas from everyone at VisitBrighton. See you in 2012!

Sarah

November's Flickr Winner!

Greeting Ladies and Gentlemen!
We have another fantastic Flickr winner! November’s ‘Love Film LoveBrighton’ competition had some stunning entries and we chose the winning image below because of the many film references within it. There’s Dirty Harry, Batman and a feel of the Goodfellas/Godfather-esque about it. We also love that this black and white image is of the North Laine and its vintage, second-hand shops.


The photo was taken by TBell0307 who has written about his image and his photographic inspiration:

I took this photo in the North Laine, Brighton which is one of my favourite places to photograph.

I am a big fan of street photography, taking it and looking at other peoples work. The North Laine is great for this as it has such a diverse range of shops and people. I like to spend a couple of hours there just photographing people going about there daily lives.

I have been into photography for about ten years now and use both film and digital. I love using black and white film and have even built my own dark room.

Our talented winner has won vouchers to spend at independent arts studio and shop LMNOP, as well as their beautiful 2012 Risograph Self Motivation Calendar. The calendar is a result of a competition for illustrations inspired by ‘Self Motivation’, with an aim to self motivate its users. It is colourful and creatively folded, and would make a wonderful addition to any Christmas stocking.

We hoped you’ve enjoyed this month’s competition winner, but remember that you can upload all your pictures of Brighton to be entered into December’s competition: ‘Love Christmas LoveBrighton’.

Peace out peeps

Siobhan

Shadi Danin

Wednesday night saw the launch of the newly refurbished and fantastic Shadi Danin Medi Spa in Hove (70 New Church Road). We are delighted that they have just become VisitBrighton Partners (Thanks to Jo Brooks PR for recommending us). As soon as I arrived I was ushered upstairs for a dreamy Thai Head and Shoulder massage in a spacious, candlelit room, very calm and peaceful. They do full body Thai massages as well which I hear are amazing too.

Then it was back downstairs to be shown the Japanese Taizen Bath (the only one in Europe). The bath is full of tiny stone ’SGE’ (Super Growth Energy) balls which are soaked in very hot water then drained. When heated these stones emit the same life-giving energy that we receive from sun and the earth. So we all rolled up our trousers and plunged our feet into the hot stones for 20 minutes, the result was amazing, I felt afterwards like I was walking on air; to immerse your whole body in this treatment must be heavenly! It is also very good for reducing body fat, reducing pain from injuries or other aches and pains as well as getting rid of all those nasty toxins.

Finally, much to my trepidation, I was persuaded to have an Obagi facial treatment (skin peal) unbeknownst to me being carried out in an upstairs room by a good friend!! Having stopped laughing nervously I faced the truth and went for it, stinging at first I thought ooooh noooo I don’t like this, but after a few minutes and some cooling lotion this subsided and my skin did feel amazingly smooth, a bit tingly but OK. Phew!

So, all in all Shadi Danin Medi Spa is a wonderful place, offering all kinds of treatments, one we didn’t try was the water tank that you run in (holding weights!) save that for another time!

For more information on all their treatments go to: www.shadidanin.com

Richard

Vanessa Redgrave Joins 2012 Brighton Festival

And the Guest Director for the 2012 Brighton Festival is...drum roll please...Vanessa Redgrave!

Yes, the people at Brighton Festival have done it again. Following on from renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor in 2009, Brian Eno in 2010 and Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2011, the legendary stage, screen and television actress and doyenne of the performing arts takes the Guest Artistic lead in this year's festivities.

A much loved and respected leading light of the acting world, Vanessa Redgrave rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Since then she has made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway and starred in more than 80 films. She is also a prominent political activist.

Keep your eyes peeled on the Brighton Festival website for special events featuring Vanessa Redgrave, plus the whole festival lineup.

Personally I can't wait - I'm especially looking forward to the new project from dreamthinkspeak - The Rest Is Silence - a textual and visual deconstruction of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Brighton Festival takes place every May conjuring up a spectacular medley of classical music, innovative theatre, contemporary dance, groundbreaking debates and striking visual art and film. This year's Festival will run from the 5 - 27 May 2012, alongside the Brighton Festival Fringe.

You can join the Festival on Facebook or follow them on Twitter for all the latest breaking news.

Or why not check out our Festivals in Brighton video for a taste of why Brighton is the place to be in May.

Enjoy!

Sarah

Coast to Coast

The city is well known as a haven for foodie fans so the arrival of a new restaurant or bar is always exciting, especially when you get both in the one venue!

Coast to Coast has recently opened at Brighton Marina and is an American restaurant & bar so we popped down to check it out. We were there for a cocktail masterclass and so we didn't sample any of the food although we did see some plates coming out and the smells were getting us salivating.

So when we arrived we headed straight to the bar area. Andy Pearson from the BBC's Saturday Kitchen has been involved and the end result is that this is a proper bar with comfortable booths creating a relaxed atmosphere. In a lot of restaurants the bar seems to have been added as an afterthought and so you just have a quick drink before going to your table, whereas here people are welcome to just pop in for a drink or stay and eat too.

While Coast to Coast is an American restaurant, Andy was keen to stress that this is not simply a gimmick but that every detail has been inspired by America and what Americans enjoy. Therefore you won't just find American brands behind the bar but international names that Americans enjoy drinking. However the most important thing he was anxious to get right was the quality of service. All staff have been rigorously trained in the art of mixology and can happily recommend drinks to customers so if you're not sure what you fancy they'll be able to help.

We had a great evening and will definitely be back again although I think next time I will have to treat myself to some food as well.

Charlotte