Tag: Brighton

Visit Brighton

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But NOT right now. It is not itself (and, of course, we all know why).

I love this city – my home for nearly half a century.  Normally so tolerant and accepting, there is now an edge of suspicion. We are forced to be unwelcoming  – I do understand why we turn away tourists at the station. There are unsettling incidents  – I don’t understand why we need three police ( two clearly NOT socially distanced!) to move on one lone adult sitting by himself on a deserted sea front….we are not talking Bank Holiday crowds here…

I think of myself as a very law-abiding citizen. But I have never felt more like marching onto the (totally empty) beach and sitting down on the pebbles. Just because.

I won’t. I’ll watch the sea from my windows. I’ll be grateful for the private gardens we are so privileged to access.

And look forward to this!IMG_5639

Almost over…

 

But still got ten tickets left for Brighton Festival events this weekend – 8 for a family outing to BOAT for lunchtime picnic/outdoor Shakespeare – the Tempest this year – and a couple for Medea, Written in Rage. Not at all sure what to expect for this one, but it is apparently ‘different’ and much hyped!

I may already have mentioned how much I appreciate living in Brighton…?!  I came to the University of Sussex from small town Berkshire a zillion years ago and, despite the definite problems in the City (housing, drug-related, traffic and parking…) it is such an open minded, creative, quirky, vibrant and simply beautiful place that we have never left. I am lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time in rural France now, but cutting ties with my City by the Sea is just not going to happen.

Anticipation

Friday night : Brighton gearing up for a sunny weekend!

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The picture below is a shot from one of my windows, about 7.30am. The view has been changed rather dramatically over the last couple of years – first by the famous i360 tower (known locally as Brighton’s giant loo roll holder – at a cost of £46 million!), then by the curious wind farm (£1.3 billion) – you can see this section on the horizon if you zoom in. I am sure it will be a useful resource – but I fear sunrise and sunset on a clear day will never be quite the same…

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And the anticipation? Well, the FESTIVAL of course! Starting at the end of next week. I’ve booked quite a bit. More to come.

Snow fire!

IMG_2902This might have been my best birthday present ever. A kitchen fire, contemporary with the house, to be lit whenever it snows. We light the drawing room fire every day in Winter, but this one is a special ritual – it is, in fact, too hot for comfort with the oven on… Note my little granddaughter’s ‘ducks’ currently centre stage! And overhead we have this splendid creation from daughter number 2:

IMG_2893Shame my photo isn’t quite so splendid – sorry, but I am improving!