Happy New Year from Brighton

Well, having watched that rather clever chap Ricky Gervais in Extras last night, I'm so uber horrified by anything even faintly fame related that it's thrown my whole New Year's Eve out the window. (If you didn't see Christmas Extras it was a scathing attack on fame and the lengths (or depths) we'll go to get it in whatever form.)

I'm a right old bah humbug at New Year and usually take pride at sitting in with a glass of vino and the telly rather than shelling out on the cost of a small country to get inside a sweaty club that usually costs £2.50 on any other day of the year. But now I can't watch telly because it will be full of famous people wishing each other a self congratulatory happy new year and Ricky Gervais might pop up and shout 'you avving a laugh'. And is it me or does Jools Holland do something weird whereby he's on EVERY channel at once? Or maybe all my channels are tuned to BBC 2 and I never usually notice? I don't generally watch telly. Anyway, that means I'm going to have to go out. Oh dear, I feel nervous already...

So, living in Brighton as I do, what's going on then? Oh come on, you knew I'd get it back to Brighton eventually - tis what this blog is all about after all...

So, if like me, you want to go and shake your booty (or in my case probably a stick at the first person who pours beer on me) and have left it all to the last minute, we've got a few little Brighton New Year ideas for you. Being Brighton and all, there's lots going on, so why not do something different - howabout some live comedy at the Komedia or cheeky cabaret at Brighton's Joogleberry Playhouse?

Whatever you get up to, hope you all have a great New Year.

See you in 2008...

Sarah

Swish Waves......

.......swish....wish....wash.....splash!! Well when I told Richard on our shift at the Visitor Information that I was going out for a bit of Vitamin D and a breath of fresh air, I hardly expected to be as refreshed as I am now! Just goes to show you never know what may happen to you just round the corner in Brighton!
I had 20 minutes so instead of getting caught up with the tempting sales I dashed down the seafront to admire our fabulous seaside with the sun shining ever so brightly over the tumbling, energising waves, quietly chuckling away to myself, watching people getting a gentle spraying whilst teasing the waves on the stone jetty, you know the one with my two favourite seafront sculptures, the Kiss and Hamish Black's 'Float'..... (you see am getting sidetracked already!) ..... and swish .... wash .... splash!! .... there I stood soaked in lovely salty water!! I couldn't quite believe it so I stood in shock with my mouth wide open until I realised it was filling with salty wash....mmmm nice!! Anyway so before I knew it my time was up and I made my way back to the inviting warm office to dry off!! Needless to say everyone had a good chuckle at me as I dripped in....:-0)

Moral of the story is ..... you never know what is going to liven up your day in sunny Brighton!!

Yours a bit drier now and a Happy 2008 from us at the Visitor Information Centre, come in and see us when you are next here!!

Karen

Stars of St Petersburg Ballet

Working at the Visitor Information Centre in Brighton is never dull. You get to hear about all the interesting events and happenings in the City. The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre are performing at the Dome over Christmas and when the details flashed up on our all singing all dancing Theatre Ticket Booking System (which goes under the name of ENTA) I quickly booked myself two tickets for a Gala evening of Ballet. The Dome Theatre (in case you have never visited) is an impressive concert hall, once the Royal Stables of King George IV, and recently refurbished to modern standards. Equally impressive was the performance of the St Petersburg Stars who seemed at times to defy gravity as they danced round the stage. My companion enjoyed the excellent bar facilities and a perfect evening was rounded off by the cancellation of our late train home. C'est la vie! The Dome hosts a wide range of musical events so it's worth keeping an eye on the VisitBrighton website or calling in at the Visitor Information Centre (next to the Royal Pavilion Shop) for the latest hot information from ENTA.

Richard

10 Things that make Brighton Christmassy

I know it’s a bit late but there’s still 4 days to go! Can you do better?


1. Brighton Pier.

2. Resident Nick Berry. Didn’t he have a big Christmas number one with Every Loser Wins?

3. Unique shops. Making sure you can get Grandad something very very special.

4. Donatello’s giant polar bear. Its massive!

5. Brighton Square’s Christmas lights.

6. The Royal Pavilion.

7. Theatre Royal’s panto. This year they’ve lit the whole building pink

8. Julia Finch at VisitBrighton – only known to us I know, but she deserves a mention because she’s been celebrating since November!

9. Burning the clocks.

10. Ballet at Brighton Dome.

For more on all the above see http://www.visitbrighton.com/

Nick

Recycling in Brighton

As it's the festive season and all that, if you're thinking of buying, or have already bought, technology type gadgets, such as a new mobile phone or computer, remember to spare a thought about what you, or those you're giving to, might do with the old stuff. Have you thought about recycling it?

If you do, you'll be doing the planet a big favour, as a lot of electronic equipment contains rather yucky toxic chemicals, which can pose health and environmental risks, particularly in landfills where toxins can leak into the soil and ground water. So next time you go to throw that old mobile phone in the dutstbin, try and remember to think again. And if you think I'm writing this from atop a huge glowing halo - I'm really not. I recently dismantled an old hoover and tried to disguise it in the communal bin in various bin bags. It didn't work, of course. So, next time, I shall be more responsible, feel far less guilty and the dustmen will dislike me less...

Here are a few links that might help:

Find out more about electronic waste
Guide to mobile phone recycling in Brighton
Recycle your mobile phone with Oxfam
UK computer recyclers

And if you're looking for some local Brighton based recycling outlets, we've got some in the Recycling section of our VisitBrighton Green pages.

Happy recycling!

Sarah

Brighton bus and train combined tickets

Well, I seem to be on festive fire today and have been told to wind down like everyone else, but I think I've had too many of Finchy's brownies and am on a mad sugar surge of productivity.

So imagine my excitment when we received a very good question indeed from one of our regular VisitBrighton blog readers... The rather lovely Mrs Barrow from Hove wanted to know whether there is a combined bus and train ticket for Brighton. Well, guess what there is! It's one of those things people just don't seem to really know about and its really great value...

Its called the PLUSBUS ticket and is available to visitors who wish to combine train and bus travel. Simply ask for a PLUSBUS ticket for Brighton when buying your train ticket and you can make as many journeys as you like on all local Brighton buses on the day your ticket is valid. And with Brighton offering a rather fab award winning bus service, the PLUSBUS ticket offers a great way to get around town, as well as save money.

Find out more about it on the 'By Train' section of our Travelling to Brighton page.

So, thanks to Mrs Barrow for asking the question. She's ever so helpful - she's always giving us feedback and advice on all manner of things...!

Sarah

Sign up to VisitBrighton RSS News Feeds

As the Pointer Sisters once said 'I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...'
However, whilst I'm hopefully not about to lose control, I must say I do like it!

Like what, you ask!

Well, whilst the rest of you are winding down and getting windy from too many mince pies, we've been getting busy with RSS feeds. Not a repetitive strain condition, I might add! No, rather, a lovely little 'simple syndication service', so visitors to www.visitbrighton.com can sign up to receive notification of all spanking new VisitBrighton news stories in their news readers.

If at this point, you're as confused as everyone outside of the marketing team seems to be here, you can find out all about RSS on our RSS new feed Help page. Then simply pop to the VisitBrighton homepage and click on the little orangy button and Bobs your uncle and Fanny's your aunt! Well, you'll have an RSS feed link anyway. And you'll also have your fingers right on the pulse of what's going on in Brighton in the New Year...

And if one more person dare asks me if you're supposed to get lots of code when you click on the orange button I shall personally ban Christmas....bah humbug!

And on that note, Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Sarah