Christmas Shopping in Brighton

With only just over a week to go until Christmas Day why not book yourself a last minute break to Brighton so you can finish off the Christmas shopping and then relax and look forward to the big day?

As I mentioned earlier in the week if you're coming down this weekend it's the Brighton Christmas Market but whenever you come you also have all the shops of the Lanes and the North Laine to be explored so if you're still stuck for present ideas you're bound to find something even for the most awkward of family members!



Although with over 300 shops it may all seem a bit daunting, so here's a couple of suggestions to get you started:

• Last - Beautiful homemade shoes that your feet will love.
• She Said - Erotic boutique (don't think I dare say more then that!)
  
• Lavender room - perfect place for men who are stuck for ideas of what to buy the ladies in their life
• Papillon - Beautiful gifts for the home
• The Antique House - unsurprisingly they sell antiques!
  
• RING - contemporary jewellers where if you don't fancy anything in the window you can go in and design your own
• First Light - Is one of your friends a photography fanatic? You'll find the perfect gift for them here
  

I hope this has helped but you if are still wondering why you should do your Christmas Shopping in Brighton then luckily our colleagues in the council have asked some locals this very question:



There are 5 videos to get you in the festive spirit so to see the rest of them go to the Brighton & Hove City Council page on YouTube.

Charlotte

Brighton top for Christmas shopping

Did you know around 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners? We're all a bit bonkers really aren't we? Saying that, my cat Tallulah went on feline strike last year when I failed to buy her usual cat stocking - she didn't purr for a week and depending on where I was in a room she would re-position herself so her slightly raised bottom was firmly directed at me.

So this year I shall be buying her an extra specially LARGE cat stocking with lots of cat nip in to bribe her with. Partly because I quite like a bit of cat nip myself - a quick whiff and I'm flying around all over the shop. Its the perfect excuse for knocking the Christmas Tree over...

Anyway, if like me you're a bit of a sucker for pet's pressies, there's a marvellous pet shop in Brighton called Pamper Me Pet, which caters for all us mad folk who like to buy our beloved pets a gift. My best friend, who earns far more money than is frankly healthy, could probably have re-raised the Titantic for what she shed out on her new kittens. But then she did call one of them Penrose Tennyson after an old film star, so is clearly a miaow short of a kitten anyway.

Pamper Me Pet has everything from jewelled collars, leather collars, casual collars, leads, harnesses, beds, bowls, booties, perfumes, nail polish, bows, treats and toys...phew. And they even do a grooming service.

So, if you want to get festive with your felines this year, check them out. And if you don't have pets or are just a bit more sensible than me, Brighton has just been voted one of the top 5 cities for Christmas shopping so you should come and have a bit of a shop anyway...

Right, well I'm off to get Tallulah a diamond encusted cerise pink jewelled collar this lunchtime. Ooo, she's gonna love me. Happy shopping!

Sarah

Baroque Rocks

The usual motley three witches AKA Charlotte, Liliana and Richard were invited to the first birthday party of Baroque Jewellery in the Lanes, a collaboration of several talented designer makers. The design of the shop is amazing with dragon wallpaper inspired by the Royal Pavilion, display cases made specifically for their work and even a contemporary chandelier made of black porcelain fronds .... wow!!

We were taken round by one of the designers who showed us the workshop on site and the gorgeous jewellery some of which was inspired and indeed used natural products such as feathers and slate to cast their pieces. All the designers together offer a diverse yet cohesive mix of styles from traditional to contemporary, and prices range from around £100 to £10k. The evening was sponsored by Tuaca and scrumptious food from Maugherman's Deli also in the Lanes, we particularly loved the baby stuffed peppers with cheese, they were to die for darrrrrling!

The drink flowed and was served by the cute barman who can normally be found at Blanch House or the Hanbury club and he shakes up a mean Tuscan Mule.

So if you are looking for that special gift for a loved one look no further and take yourself down to Baroque Jewellery, an Aladdin's cave of inspiration. To see exactly what we are talking about go to their website http://www.baroquejewellery.com/

Glass of Moet anyone?

Well I wasn't supposed to be drinking anything stronger than the odd nettle tea this week, but then I got invited to the opening of Toast. And since Toast is a new champagne and champagne accessories shop in Church Road Hove...well, I thought it would be rude not to. And anyway, its only champers, I can say no. Seriously, I can. No, really!

Well, you know, it was really weird because when someone asked me if I'd like a glass of Tattinger, with nasturtian soaked in vanilla and rhubarb, the devil grabbed hold of my tongue and I bellowed YES far louder than was strictly necessary. 4 glasses later my colleague Richard and I were still chowing down on nasturtians ( I think we ate a whole bouquet between us) and scrummy Audreys chocolates, whilst waxing lyrical about civil partnerships with a rather lovely couple we bumped into.

All in all it was rather a splendid way to spend a leisurely 2 hours after work and the shop really is unique and is the only one of its kind, well...anywhere... Its got all the major champagne houses on board and you can even get a hamper made up! The owners are really enthusiastic and friendly too and have made the place so stylish it just makes you want to crack open a bottle as soon as you step inside.

Perfect for those elusive Christmas pressies, just think think how well it will do on Valentine's too, when all those naughty boyfriends (and girlfriends) in Hove leave the gift until the walk home...

The Toast of Brighton & Hove officially opens on 9th November. Pop in and have a look and maybe treat yourself to a bottle....or 2.

Just don't take me - I'm back on the nettle tea...

Find out more about Toast

Sarah

Fat but not frumpy!

Just when I thought being 7 months pregnant meant abandoning all efforts to retain a certain 'je ne sais quoi', I have discovered the joys of Simultane!

No sign of the uniform mumsy pastel hues of pink and light blue that adorn preggie 'boutiques', oh no! Vivid splashes of reds, golds and sea green, which artful drape your bump, in a way in which the designers could never have imagined when pattern cutting for their size zero mannequins.

And, if I need to justify myself, (which I do!) clothes can be worn post birth for that trendy yummy look that Brighton mummies do so well.

All I need to do now is to work out how to intercept the joint bank statement...!

Julia