Brighton up #BlueMonday

Allegedly today, Monday 16th January, will be the most depressing day of the year. There are a number of factors involved such as Christmas memories are fading but we still have a couple of weeks until payday. And of course, it's raining too!

However we've decided to blow a raspberry in the face of Blue Monday so grab your brolly and get down to Brighton as we have plenty of ways to Brighton up your day (come on, it had to be done!).

While the Pier looks stunning on a sunny day, you know it'll be quieter today so you'll be first in line for the arcade games and the doughnut stall. Plus you get some dramatic scenes of the sea when it's wet & windy. Or why not relive your youth at the Brighton Toy & Model Museum? Tucked away under Brighton Station this gem is home to a plethora of vintage toys and model railways.

The Painting Pottery Café

In the last couple of years colouring books for adults have become increasingly popular as a way to be creative and to enjoy a moment of calm, so why not take it a step further and visit the Painting Pottery Café? Select your item of pottery and the helpful team will supply you with paints and brushes so you can start decorating. 

The Open Market. Photo by Light Trick Photography

If you fancy a spot of shopping then head over to the Open Market to peruse the independent, local traders. You'll find clothes, arts, crafts and plenty of food, I've heard the falalfel is amazing and I can personally recommend McStrong's Pig 'n' Mix.

The South Downs. Photo taken by Light Trick Photography

The rain is supposed to stop this afternoon so another great way to ditch the blues is to grab a pair of walking shoes, hop on a bus and head out for a hike in the stunning South Downs countryside. 

For more ideas go to www.visitbrighton.com/bluemonday. Let us know your favourite ways to beat the blues in Brighton & Hove.

Charlotte

Looking back at Snowdogs by the Sea #brightonsnowdogs

Happy New Year everyone! Of course we should be looking ahead to what's coming up in 2017 (don't worry we will do this soon!) but before we do I couldn't resist a final post about Snowdogs by the Sea.

Just in case you somehow missed it, last year the city played host to Snowdogs by the Sea, a very cute sculpture trail featuring 45 Snowdog sculptures. Each sculpture was individually designed and they appeared at various sites across Brighton & Hove. Apart from being adorable the Snowdogs were also raising money for The Martlets hospice.

Bobby now lives at Balfour Primary School

We were delighted to be a part of the campaign and were proud to sponsor the official trail app. The figures are in and we were thrilled to see that the app was downloaded nearly 8,000 times and the QR codes were scanned 125,253 times! Plus the #brightonsnowdogs had over 11 million impressions!

While these figures are impressive the result that really blew us away was the amount raised for The Martlets.... (drumroll) a whopping £337,700! This is a fantastic achievement so well done to Sarah and all the team who worked so hard to make the event a success.

Bella will soon be found at her new home on West Street.

On a personal note it was lovely spotting the sculptures around the city, particularly seeing how happy they made everyone. I am pleased to report that three of the pooches will be staying in Brighton - Bella was bought by her sponsors One Family so she will be positioned outside their offices on West Street. Bobby is already in place at Balfour Primary School and Process Pup will also be staying but we don't know where yet...

Process Pup will be staying in the city - location tbc

If, like us, you wish you could see them all again one last time then sit back and enjoy this...

Don't forget it isn't too late to donate so you can either text SDOG16 to donate £3 or donate an amount of your choosing using the online form.

Charlotte