Return of the Sea Life Centre

Last week one of the city's major attracions - The Sea Life Centre - reopned after being closed over the winter for major refurbishment and renovation. This year the aquarium celebrates its 140th anniversary and the relaunch includes a new Behind the Scenes tour and the Jellyfish discovery.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the launch event and it really does look amazing. Of course there are still all the great fish & sea creatures to look at but the refurbishment work has really highlighted what a stunning example of Victorian architecture the building is.The photo below doesn't do it justice but at least you get an idea of the archways, to get the full effect you'll just have to go and see for yourself ;)

Of course the underwater tunnel is still a highlight, and even though I've been through a few times now it is still amazing to stand and watch as Lulu the giant turtle glides over your head. And the new Jellyfish centre is good fun although I couldn't help thinking it looked like the jellyfish were living in giant lava lamps, all that was missing was a bit of disco music.

We certainly missed the aquarium when it was closed so it's great to have it back looking better than ever. So make sure you pop in the next time you're here.

Charlotte

Up on the Roof at Embassy Court

Our Flick winner for March was Kate Benjamin aka CardiganKate with a stunning shot of Embassy Court. So read on to hear from Kate about her winning photo... 

I am lucky enough to be Brighton born and bred (I know, I'm a rare kind!) but I still marvel at all the new experiences that the city has to offer.

I'm an amateur photographer(I'm a freelance graphic designer in the real world), so I try and take my camera with me whenever I think there might be a chance of a good shot. Having been up on Embassy Court's roof about 5 years ago with only a tiny camera phone I knew that the tour would be a great photo opportunity. It also happened to be the Brighton Marathon that day, and as you might remember, we were incredibly lucky with the weather; clear blue skies and a light wind.



We were lead on the tour by Cara Courage, one of the Embassy Court volunteer guides and all round Brighton Arts and Architecture guru (and also the subject of this photo). Her knowledge about and passion for Embassy Court make the tour both engaging and fun. Her personal stories of the building's history and the opportunities to visit parts of the building you'd never normally see make it an unmissable experience.

If you've done the Sewer Tour and been on the wheel then this should definitely be the next stop on your 'places to see in Brighton' list!

They're running tours during the Fringe and run tours on a monthly basis until October. You can find out more about Embassy Court's amazing story at their website www.embassycourt.org.uk

Some of my graphics work is being featured at an Artists' Open House during May. You can find me at 21a Brunswick Square along with other Brighton photographers and makers including LomoKev, Chris Harrison and Alex Bamford.

Kate Benjamin  
www.katebenjamin.com

Brighton Interactive Video Map

Brighton & Hove is a great city - we all know that. It's compact too, making it a great place to wander around. But many people (especially visitors to the city) often aren't aware of the fantastic 'city villages' dotted around.

So to help people get a feel for these eclectic areas, we've just launched a new Interactive Video Map to enable visitors to 'virtually' explore the city and get a flavour of these diverse areas. From Clifton to Kemptown, we really hope it will encourage people to get out and explore the areas for themselves.

There are 8 videos to choose from and explore:

• Hove
• The Cultural Quarter
• Beachfront
• The Lanes
• Brunswick Town
• Kemptown
• Clifton
• North Laine. 

Check out the Interactive Map here and see Brighton & Hove in a whole new light...

The videos all have music, so make sure you have the sound on if you have it!

Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Sarah
VisitBrighton

A hidden gem

My last post was about some of the talented artists creating waves today however artwork in Brighton is not all contemporary, as you can also find some stunning pieces by old masters and not just in the art galleries...

Last week a couple of us were invited to visit St Michael & All Angels Church in the Montpelier area of the city. Before I talk about the church itself I have to say that Montpelier & Clifton is a beautiful area of the city, even though it is only a few streets away from the main shopping area it has a tranquil atmosphere. Plus being uphill you do get some fab views across the city and down to the seafront. To find out more why not have a look at the video on our new interactive map (shameless plug!)

Anyway back to the church... It is appropriate that the church has two names as it is actually two churches in one as the original church was not big enough.

But how does this relate to art? Well inside the church are some stunning stained glass windows by pre-Raphaelite artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris as well as some by Ford Madox Brown and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.


And it's not just the windows, make sure you check the columns as carved into each pillar are figures ranging from musical notes to miniature Indian pavilions. Each carving tells a story as when the church was built a lot of the parishioners would not have been able to read.

So I would definitely recommend a trip up to Clifton Hill for any art lovers.

Charlotte

Talented Brighton

There seem to have been a few Brighton artists hitting the headlines recently. First up was Sarah Pager who has an exhibit at the contemporary art gallery Towner in nearby Eastbourne. Sarah's creation is a chocolate toilet so it is not really surprising to see that it has caught the attention of the media. Although I can't help wondering if the buyer will display it or eat it?

Also in the news this week is Pascal Anson, another Brighton based designer. Pascal's artwork has been used on the first of BA's new aeroplanes to mark London 2012. The winning design is based on a dove as the bird is not only a symbol of peace but was also used in ancient Olympics to send Games reports to outlying villages, in other words the first version of Twitter!

And finally... Also announced this week is the very exciting news that two of the city's top cultural venues will be working together later this year as The Duke of York's Picturehouse will open a three screen cinema upstairs at the Komedia. Sticking with the arty theme of this post, the other news is that local artist Jamie McCartney has been commissioned to sculpt a new pair of legs for the venue in keeping with the iconic pair at the Duke of York's.

Work on the new venue will start in the summer with a view to opening in December 2012. Follow @dukesatkomedia on twitter for all the latest updates.

So all this just goes to prove what talented and creative people we have living & working in Brighton!

Charlotte

A Grand night out

One of our mantras here at VisitBrighton (yes that's right, we have mantras) if not the mantra is: "think like a visitor". It was with this thought in mind that I checked-in to The Grand hotel this weekend. I should point out that I don't actually live in Brighton anymore so this was not quite as frivolous as it sounds!

We had booked a standard room and I was slightly concerned that this might actually mean small, however I needn't have worried. Here is a picture of the room, the one on the left is from my phone camera and the one on the right is the promotional image:


While of course The Grand's image is much better quality, this comparison does show that it is also a true depiction of the room ie they haven't used clever angles to make it look bigger then it is. Of course you can also see that the decor is a little dated but I have to admit I thought it added to the olde world charm of the building which includes uneven hallways.

We all have different ways of measuring the quality of a hotel room but I'll give you a quick rundown of what made it for us. First of all as you can see from the photo the bed was huge so that was already a big tick. There was also the obligatory tea & coffee facilities complete with shortbread biscuits so we can tick that off the list as well. Being a luxury hotel I am pleased to confirm that bathrobes were included; as well as a bidet and rather bizarrely we had not one, but two, iron & ironing boards - I didn't think I looked that rumpled at check-in! Also in the bathroom we were very impressed with the Pecksniffs toiletries which smelt gorgeous. Although there was another added luxury which I wouldn't have thought to put on the list - a heated bathroom mirror so that it doesn't get steamed up while you're in the shower. Impressive eh?

As you must have guessed by now I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at The Grand, I won't wax lyrical for too much longer but I have to add that the breakfast was delicious too, I just wish I'd been staying longer so I could have tried more of it.

So thinking 'like a visitor' I would happily recommend a stay at The Grand for anyone looking for a taste of luxury without breaking the bank.

Charlotte

Turner returns to Brighton

There have been lots of exciting goings on in the Cultural Quarter this month as a couple of weeks ago the Royal Pavilion launched their new exhibition Charlotte, the Forgotten Princess. This fascinating exhibit depicts the life and tragic death of the Prince Regent's daughter. When the princess died in childbirth at just 21, the public reaction was similar to news of Princess Diana's death and yet oddly now she is all but forgotten. As a fellow Charlotte the fact that really interested me was that Princess Charlotte would have become Queen instead of Victoria which would have given us the Charlottian era. Which I think as a certain ring to it!

After learning all about Princess Charlotte take a stroll across the gardens and visit the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery which also has an exciting new piece to view. A Turner watercolour entitled Brighthelmstone will go on display in the museum on Saturday 31st March and this is the first time the painting has been on public display in 100 years.

As you may have guessed by the name, the artwork depicts Brighton from the sea and includes the Royal Pavilion. The painting will be at the museum until 22nd April, then it will become the star attraction at a new exhibition at the Royal Pavilion next year.

So make sure you pop down to the cultural quarter soon to catch these exciting new additions.

Charlotte