Brighton.co.uk - loving life in Brighton and Hove

Sunny Brighton!

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Definitely very spring like today in Brighton!

A weekend of fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:09:00 +0000

No snow fun for us in Brighton this weekend so a dose of ethical fashion will definitely lift the spirits, help save our pennies and the planet, and support local business.

Saturday and Sunday is the Red Mutha fashion fair for colourful, customised, recycled clothing and accessories by local designers, great for gifts and one off bespoke items that no one else will have.

The message from Red Mutha is:

Loads of cutting edge designers/super cheap red mutha goodys/pink minx cafe with seated area/all day djs/violet venom cheeky lucky dip...this time for the first time a childrens play area with toys/dress up/colouring competition so you can bring your kids and let them play while you browse!..Come in out of the cold and hang out...remember to be local and shop local!!Suport your local designers!

On Sunday I shall definitely be going to Frock Swap at Art Junky, organised by local fashionistas the Frock n Roll Stylists...

Sort out your clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories you no longer want - and get them ready for the frock swap this Sunday. Come along from 11 to drop your stuff off - get your golden ticket - then have a wander round Art Junky to explore all it's weird and wonderful offerings - come back half an hour or so later - and swap swap swap! If you have nothing to swap, you can still buy the clothes from £2.

Red Mutha Fashion Fair @ Fabrica Gallery, 40 Duke Street BN1 1AG
Frock Swap at Art Junky @ Phoenix Brighton, 10-14 Waterloo Place, BN2 9NB 11am-4pm

Snowmen on Brighton Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:46:00 +0000

Well the snow has pretty much all melted here in Brighton, secretly I'm hoping we'll get more later this week, but a quick check on BBC weather confirms that it will just be rain (booooo). Anyway, here's a cheery reminder of our snow fun earlier this week, thanks to Tariq Jung of Brighton Marina House Hotel for his great snowmen on the beach photos...

Brighton Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:32:00 +0000

It's not often that we get such amazing snow in Brighton so here are a couple of pics I took on my way in to work...

The Cool Art Guide to Brighton

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:12:00 +0000

Brighton has long been a haven for artists and art lovers of all persuasions but never before has it been so "cool" as it is now with a thriving scene of contemporary, urban and graffiti art.

Right next to Brighton.co.uk hq is the new innovative gallery space Visual Imprints, currently running the Off the Wall Show, with works from some of the UK's hippest artists. Having also hosted a couple of "Draw on the wall" nights, where Visual Imprint residents and local aspiring artists were invited to draw all over the gallery walls, Visual Imprints is definitely worth a look in.

Ink d is without a doubt another of Brighton's coolest galleries. Also a printing studio it boasts the newest collectable contemporary, urban and graffiti art and sells works by the well known artist Dan Baldwin, amongst others. Ink d is now showing "Stencil History X" that charts the origins and history of street art.

Rarekind, open since 2002, is possibly the best UK gallery for graffiti/hip hop influenced art. You may remember Rarekind appearing on Channel 4's "Faking It" series where a posh art history student managed to fake it as a convincing graffiti artist under the tutelage of Rarekind owner David Samuel. Brighton.co.uk thinks Rarekind is great and is proud to see it's art commissioned on buildings throughout the city.

Brighton.co.uk's favourite and very cool artists to look out for include Brighton based:Pinky, Pam Glew and Ben Allen

Rain? Who cares, get out for some great music this weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:06:00 +0000

Rain rain go away...so the weather doesn't look like it's going to ever improve so I'm going to buy a cagoul and get out for some good times this weekend.

Brighton is hosting Loop this weekend, which is described as a "Celebration of Digital Culture" and is further testament to the fact that Brighton is possibly THE hub for music and digital arts in the UK right now.
See the website at www.loopbrighton.com

The One Love Festival at Herstmonceux Castle Estate where I shall be sploshing around in my wellies is also on this weekend and promises to be the "most distinctive festival of the summer calendar". With a mix of reggae, dub, chillout and deep electronic music and plenty else to do such as an art trail, Mbira workshops, yoga, treetop boulevard market and sound systems dotted amongst the wooodland, in true English spirit I'm going to get out and enjoy myself whatever the weather!
See www.onelovefestival.co.uk for more details

View from the office

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:06:00 +0000

...well almost. For those of us lucky enough to work a hop, skip and jump away from Brighton beach, here's how it was looking today.
Just checked the weather forecast and looks like rains coming in again, but at least we had summer for one day this week!

brighton.co.uk blog now availble for your mobile

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:09:00 +0000

The Brighton.co.uk blog is now available for your mobile! Click the blue mobile button on the top right of the page to see how the blog is viewed on a mobile device.

Mobile users can click on the button when they arrive at the blog to read the blog in a friendly format. Automatic redirection will be added shortly!

See our parent websites for info on what's on in Brighton:
www.brighton.co.uk
hotels.brighton.co.uk
magazine.brighton.co.uk

Om Bar brings chilled out vibes to Brighton

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:07:00 +0000

On a damp and dreary summer's evening it was a pleasure to have been invited to the opening of the Om cocktail lounge bar.
The bar is located on a rather unassuming street so it's a welcome surprise to step into it's vibrant but tranquil environment. It's bamboo and Asian decor and blissed out tunes create a chilled atmosphere, perfect for relaxing with a gorgeous cocktail (my favourite was a particularly fragrant concoction involving chilli).

The Om bar is located on 5 Steine Street, BN2 1TE. See the website at www.ombrighton.co.uk

Win tickets to the Colgate Max White Hed Candi party at the Honey Club

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:24:00 +0000

Head on over to the Brighton Magazine for a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the Colgate Max White party at the Honey Club on Friday 25th July.

You will be greeted at the entrance to the Honey Club by Colgate Max White glitter girls and led into a sparkling white haven of decadence - with Hed Kandi controlling the decks, this is one night you won’t want to forget!

See the Brighton Magazine for details.

Brighton rated as one of the top ten beach cities

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:59:00 +0000

So summer is here (not that you'd know) and it's great to know that Brighton has been voted by AskMen.com as one of the world's top ten beach cities along with Miami, Rio, Barcelona, Cape Town, LA, Mumbai, Venice. Not bad eh?

We always knew that Brighton is a pretty cool place, but where do you think the best beach cities in the world are?

Kettlebells come to Brighton and Hove

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:45:00 +0000

If you happened to be passing Hove lawns yesterday evening you might have witnessed the rather strange sight of several people swinging large balls of iron around.
Slightly amusing it may seem but apparently the next big thing to hit the fitness industry is these same balls of steel - the kettlebells!

According to Brighton personal trainer and kettlebell fitness guru Christian Vila "Kettlebell training takes us back to learning how to use our bodies better, as one unit. Because you are using so many muscle groups, you burn many more calories than conventional gym exercises. You’ll be burning up to 1,500 calories per hour when you become proficient in the various exercises. Compare this to 400 calories when running on a treadmill for an hour! Furthermore you’ll be boosting your metabolism, so you’ll continue burning fat for up to 36 hours afterwards"

If you're in any doubt as to the effectiveness of a kettlebell workout then cast your mind back to the super-toned actors in "300" who used kettlebells to atain those rather amazing physiques!

More information on kettlebell training can be found at: www.brightonkettlebells.co .uk

Sound City: RadioReverb & Sonic Arts Network Bring Expo 2008 To Brighton And Hove

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:07:00 +0000

From a Brighton and Hove Albion installation at Churchill Square, a wiki-conference at Brighton University, a performance at Jubilee Library and a ‘Sonic Picnic’ day in Pavilion Gardens .... Expo is three days and nights of people enjoying, playing, discovering and listening to sonic art.

Read the full article over at the Brighton Magazine

Sonic Arts Network

Radio Reverb

The Brighton Magazine Photo Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:19:00 +0000

The Brighton Magazine Photo Gallery is up and running with a selection of photos covering music and cultural events in Brighton. Prints are available for purchase through the website.

Photos are by Andy Sturmey of brightlights-darkroom.com

Your Big Sussex Week - explore the wonders of Brighton

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:00:00 +0000

Your Big Sussex Week, from Monday 16 to Sunday 22 June, will be giving local people the chance to explore the wonders of Brighton and Hove at discounted rates.

There are over 100 businesses involved this popular annual event, including The Royal Pavillion, Orb 360, Theatre Royal as well as Regency, Graze and The Neo Hotel. It promises to be a week of discovery, activity and fun from wildlife to gardens, stately homes to fun fairs, local produce menus to mid-week breaks.

Read the full Brighton Magazine article here.

Bloomsbury Street Open House

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:51:00 +0000

One of the best things about the May festival is undoubtedly the Open House Trail. With so many to visit you want to be sure not to miss out on the best.

One not to miss is Bloomsbury Street that is exhibiting work by over 10 artists including Brighton favourites Anna Tilson, Ken Eardley, Liz Toole and Nigel Peake who currently has a collection at Habitat.

The range of work on show includes ceramics, urban screen prints, contemporary paintings, jewellery, vintage crockery mosaics and knitted accessories. For a full list of artists see the Bloomsbury Street website.

12 Bloomsbury Street
11am - 6pm
every Saturday and Sunday in May
Cake also available!!

Brighton Folk: Pinkyvision

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:28:00 +0000

Psychedelic skulls, fresh prints and paper magic on the beach brought to you by the incredible Pinkyvision experience.

Having recently relocated to Brighton, Pinkyvision has exploded with a whirl of electric colours in East London, Berlin, Seattle, Brighton and for The Big Chill, Dior, Justin Timberlake and Darth Vadar (o yes)!

Pinky's first Brighton show was at Toy Life in June last year and you might recognise his work from elsewhere in Brighton.

Describing his work as a "vision [that] takes in the city and the sea, pattern and shape and you and me, it’s art for everyone", you're best taking in the full story at the Pinkyvision website

Buy work from the Pinkyvision website or Ink_D

Brighton restaurants hit the top spot

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:15:00 +0000

We reported last week that Brighton was the top UK city for Music and this week it seems our restaurants are also top spot! OpenTable has announced that Brighton’s Momma Cherri restaurant has made it into their Top 10 Booked Restaurant List. Momma Cherri shot to fame on Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen TV programme in 2005 and quickly became a popular Brighton eatery.

OpenTable is a world wide dining network that allows you to search for availability in real-time and reserve a table instantly. Other Brighton restaurants in the OpenTable network include The Arrogant Frog, The Meadow, and the Saint Restaurant, Food for Friends, Blanch House, Indian Summer, Camelia Restaurant @ South Lodge Hotel and Sevendials.

Now there's no reason to miss out on a table at one of Brighton's finest restaurants!
Need a place to stay on your visit to Brighton? Check out our Hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts in Brighton listing.

RadioReverb: Fifty Non-Stop Hours Of Celebration & Fund-Raising

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:27:00 +0000

RadioReverb has been broadcasting on FM for twelve months and is preparing to celebrate in style.

Its ‘Up & Out’ breakfast team are to mark the event with a big, gay, caffeine fuelled, sleep depravation experiment.

Presenters Cat & Chris will attempt to broadcast for fifty hours non-stop from Brighton and Hove’s only community radio station.

That’s 3000 minutes - equivalent to 180,000 seconds of unique broadcasting. Now that’s what you call a big breakfast!

Read the full Brighton Magazine Article.

Brighton is the top for music in the UK

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:38:00 +0000

Well, we always knew that Brighton was the best for everything anyway, but it has now been declared the top for music in the UK by Internet radio station Dandelion Radio.

If you're wondering how this was worked out, Dandelion Radion say "The formula used is to look at the number of bands/artists from the town who gained an entry in the festive fifty (run for many years by John Peel, and since his death by us at Dandelion) and compare this with the size of the town's population at the last census. From this, we can generate a ratio that, Brighton's case, works out at 1:10,330, as Brighton has produced 13 entries from a population of 134,293. Its nearest challenger, Oxford, has a ratio of 1:13,001."

Check out Dandelion Radio for Mark Whitby's Brighton show that will be streaming throughout the month.

The Purple Cow is Back

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:58:00 +0000

The Udderbelly will once again be throwing it's purple legs (and errr uders) in the air this May. Returning for a second year to the Old Steine, a stones throw from the seafront, the fantastic Udderbelly and its sister venue the Udder Place have just released their programme of events for this years month long Fringe Festival. See our Brighton magazine article for a run down of what we can expect.

It seems that the Spiegeltent will also be back this year, after much negotiating over a place to host it, it will now be located at St Peter's Church.

One Love: A Festival To Eclipse All Others

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:12:00 +0000

Event organisers have announced plans to host the UK’s first festival to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of one of the world’s greatest ever rock gigs.

One Love, a magical, three-night music festival, will take place from the 15th – 17th August, in recognition of the anniversary of Bob Marley’s infamous 1978 One Love concert.

Read the full Brighton Magazine.

Need a hotel for festivals in and around Brighton this spring/summer?

Shopping at the Lanes Market

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:15:00 +0000

The Lanes Market is a unique shopping environment, comparable with Brick Lane’s Sunday Upmarket or Portobello Road, if you're looking for a one-off item of clothing or original piece of artwork you won't be disappointed.

Not only can you buy some cool items made by local designers, but you also get to meet the people behind the products, a major draw for many shoppers.

And if all the shopping gets too much you can relax in the café, which will be serving up sandwiches, homemade cakes, fresh juices, and hot drinks.

Now in its second year, The Lanes Market has grand plans for 2008.

Read more about the Lanes Market in our Brighton Magazine article.

Celebrity Support for the Barking Mad Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:49:00 +0000

A group of dog lovers from Brighton & Hove have set up an online petition in opposition to plans to ban their dogs from the city’s beaches and other open spaces. The petition that was only started 10 days ago, now has over 800 signatories including local celebrity Zoe Ball, Celia Barlow MP (Hove & Portslade), Caroline Lucas MEP and twelve of the city’s councillors.

Read the full Brighton Magazine story here.

Plastic Bag Free Week

noreply@blogger.com (Brighton.co.uk) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:57:00 +0000

March 1- 8 is plastic bag free week in Brighton and Hove and the council is hoping that shoppers will use environmentally friendly reusable bags instead of the free ones given out by the supermarkets.
With the ongoing rubbish problems in Brighton this can only be a good thing and just requires a shift in our shopping habits to make the difference...I've started to always keep a reusable cotton bag in my work bag so when I stop at the shops on the way home I don't have to use a plastic one. It's a simple small effort that could make a huge difference if everyone did the same.

More information on Plastic Bag Free Week:

Plastic Bag Free Brighton
Transition Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove Council