Electric Dreams At The Towner, Eastbourne

Time to get in some culture, innit. A couple of weeks ago I visited the gallery my sister works at - the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne - for a club-style evening event. Themed around 'Electric Dreams' and neon electronica, it was a party inspired by the Kelly Richardson: Legion exhibition. The exhibition is still on and FREE - it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. Richardson layers photographs she has manipulated into eerie, almost mystical worlds of enhanced colour and odd perspective. These are projected onto huge screens, with natural soundtracks ... the effect is very ghostly and atmospheric, it immediately triggers a mood change even if you are not into very conceptual modern art. All of the works in Legion are about the environment - in one, a 'ghost' stag walks into a strange, misty forest. Sometimes he is there, sometimes he isn't... he leaves a trail of smoke behind him, like a memory of an extinct animal that used to walk in the woods.

Barbara Hulanicki Back To Brighton Video

Vintage Brighton recently sent me this amazing interview with Barbara Hulanicki, founder of Biba. As you can imagine, given my tastes in vintage, I couldn't wait to watch! Barbara trained in Brighton and returns here to reminisce about her inspiring times here.

There are some fabulous moments about how Brighton has changed, being an independent woman, family life and guiltless fashion...



The video was created by Visit Brighton to celebrate the upcoming Barbara Hulanicki exhibition, 'Biba And Beyond'. You can be that I shall be going and shall blog my experiences too.

Vintage Nation

This past weekend was suprisingly busy, considering most of us had only three days to recover from the overwhelming decadence and flag waving of the one before! There was lots and lots on offer for fans of vintage, indie and rock, from a very muddy Download festival to upmarket city vintage sales. Now I'm never one to turn down the opportunity to be festive, but I am no longer of the age when sitting up to my neck in mud to see a hundred bands (many of whom I will struggle to recall later) is relaxing and recreational. So when Charlotte of Tuppence Ha'Penny invited me to join her at Vintage Nation in Brighton I grabbed my purplest maxi dress and hopped on down to the seaside.

The Seaside.

Tramp Vintage Winner

Hello y'all! Hope you've all have a terribly decadent and luxurious Christmas. And there's one final present waiting under the tree, the prize from my seasonal Tramp Vintage giveaway!

The random name out of the hat is... (drumroll)...

Mellysocks!

Congratulations and I hope you enjoy partying the nights away with your lovely bag in 2012.

Tramp Vintage Giveaway

Brrrr. It’s chilly outside and we all need a boost in beating those winter blues and staying simply fabulous.

Tramp Vintage in Brighton are a fantastic place to source wonderful, vibrant, vintage clothes and accessories to chase away boring wardrobe days, whatever the weather!  With an emphasis on quality and varied items which can be worked into both a purist and a mixed-era wardrobe, they are sure to have something to please:

“Tramp vintage boutique specialises in rare and beautiful vintage clothes and accessories from the 1920s to the 1980s. We are situated in the eclectic North Laines area of Brighton, just down from the station on Trafalgar Street.... Fashion always looks at its past for inspiration but since July 2010 Tramp has been looking the other way around - eyeing the catwalks for current trends and finding the equivalent pieces, unadulterated by the 21st century. Its not designer-led, rather what fits for the current season with an emphasis on colour, style, shape, fit and material.”

...and they have kindly provided this fabulous bag for a giveaway:

To be in with a chance to enter this delightful prize all you need to do is:

 -Follow Perdita’s Pursuits (@perditaspursuit) and Tramp Vintage (@tramp_vintage) on Twitter;

-Tweet out this message: “RT and follow @tramp_vintage and @perditaspursuit to #win this #vintage #handbag! http://perditaspursuits.blogspot.com/2011/12/tramp-vintage-giveaway.html”

The giveaway will be drawn on 20^th December – so get tweeting to win! Don’t forget to comment below to let me know you’ve tweeted...

Tramp Vintage

http://www.twitter.com/tramp_vintage
http://www.facebook.com/trampboutique
22 Trafalgar Street
Brighton BN1 4EQ

"I Come Alive Outside The M25"

Am oasis of calm and simplicity, what many of us city dwellers need right now. I don't have to explain why, it has been done elsewhere and I find the whole thing enormously stressful and triggering to the brain-toad of anxiety, so I won't.

Whatever the causes of strife and stress, there is indubitably a big bucks market in relaxation. But for those of us with a lot more common sense than cash, calm can be found in many a place - wherever there is something beautiful, some exercise or something to remind us of happy memories. These places are rarely expensive and I have found many in my home city of London (check out my museums posts for my winter favourites). In summer, the weather sometimes enables me to get into the old bomber and escape to the country.

Review: One Broad St B&B

Guess what? I’ve been trolling round Brighton again, drinkin’ cocktails and  convincing His Lordship that we so need that hamburger shaped telephone from Cyberdog. (Him: “You’re a grown woman with a management role in a respected profession who claims to want a tasteful home with a hint of 60s charm...” Me: “But it’s a phone shaped like a haaamburrrger...”).

In between these deep and meaningful marital conversations, we mostly were sleeping at One Broad Street, a fab little place which bridges that gap between B&B and boutique very nicely indeed.

Heads Up: £50 Vintage Spend Contest!

...Hi y'all, just a quick heads-up! I was reading the fabulous Vintage Brighton blog and discovered a new vintage store and a fantastic competition. One which involves showing off, vintage fashion and a potential £50 first prize.

The contest is hosted by a new vintage store Wooden Hill Vintage and there are two ways to win!

• For the £50 ( credit note) prize: tag them in a picture of yourself wearing vintage on Facebook or send them a picture via Twitter. You can be purist, head-to-toe or simply wearing vintage accessories: however you choose to wear vintage fashion for your style. Then, get 'likes'- winning is simply a case of getting more 'likes' than anyone else! (Hint: the picture above might be on their page soon... very like-able, isn't it? Tee Hee).
• For the £20 (credit note) prize: simply promote them by mentioning/linking back on Facebook or Twitter. Simples, as the TV meerkat sayeth.
• Their Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/WoodenHillVintage - their Twitter ID @WoodenHillVntg.

Bon Chance, vintage chums!

Pub Review: The Office

Another pub review from Brighton. Decadent, I know. Please do read on to the end, as well as finding out about a favourite North Laines pub you'll also get to see a picture of a giant prawn holding Union Jack bunting. Which, I think you'll agree, is worth a few minutes of anyone's time.

The Office is a modern pub located in Sydney Street, a popular shopping area in Brighton's eclectic North Laines. It attracts a mixed crowd- families, students, couples and work groups all mingle in the bar and small garden (to the rear). Decor is rather 'woody'- plenty of pine, beige and cream - it gives a neutral effect. Some might find this unoriginal however in an area where some shops and cafes cynically crank up the novelty factor or niche themselves into clique territory, having this rather plain decor is a boon as it encourages the mixed crowd and relaxed atmosphere. The personality of this pub results from its staff, drinks, food and music- which speak for themselves.

More Markets, Fleas & Peas Pottage HAWT: Brighton Thrift #2

Being in Brighton for the best part of three days, a-thrifting-we-did-go, and not merely at Snooper’s. We also discovered a wonderful street market that runs on a Saturday, in Upper Gardner St behind the main drag of the North Laines.

Indoor Flea Market- more info further down this post!

It was rather eclectic and to some extent it gave the imaginary impression that people had opened up their homes, as doors and windows were open onto the warm street, filled with stands both professional and casual, craft-based and second hand.

Amongst the stalls I counted there were:

• Several local produce stands (cheeses, cupcakes, baked goods etc’)
• Military ephemera
• Many, many bric-a-brac stands
• Handcrafted jewellery and knits
• House signs and other architectural salvage
• Old technology (cameras, gramophones, sewing machines)
• Vintage clothing
• Magazines and books
• Toys
• Craft supplies (ribbons, antique buttons and the like)
• Antique packaging
• Art and 60s kitsch
• Second hand jewellery and accessories

Being, as they were, individually manned and outdoors, the atmosphere was more relaxed and less intently bargain-hunt based than in Snooper’s. There was chatting, and more of a local/regular visitor vibe to the place. One stand in particular caught my eye, selling silver by weight: this meant that items of no artistic merit or age were cheap, but anything of more interest (such as a 20s cigarette case) were truly bargainious! I eyed up a 70s enamel owl pendant… lovely husband went back and bought it when I wasn’t looking (even though he views owls with suspicion due to their large eyes: 'owls judge, fish don't judge...' hmm). What a nice man he is!

The owl of judgement

For rainy days- and indeed any days you fancy more rummaging, there is also a permanent indoor flea market (click here for Yelp reviews of The North Laine Antique & Flea Market) in the street, so there’s shopping to be done all year round! For details, you can also head to their Facebook page.

On Sunday, we were up bright and early, in spite of a night of the deeply odd dreams only cider-in-the-sun-followed-by-burritos can bring. Off we went to Pease Pottage Giant Boot Sale. A fantastic sale due to its size, facilities and location (just off the M23, en-route from London to Brighton- and next to the service station for post-shopping-Costas n' cake). Pease Pottage has a great variety of boots, the majority being personal stands with attic bric-a-brac. There are also plant stands, food stands, general new goods and even a guitar manufacturer. If you are on the hunt for proper antiques, get in on an 'early bird' ticket at 7am (the princely sum of £1) - but for most of us, the standard 50p gains entry between 8am-2pm and there are plenty of bargains to be had. Their facilities are also good: there's a designated cafe area (with seating) and two blocks of toilets. Parking is ample and free.

From the 70s to the early 50s...

Right. After that I bet you think I was all rummaged out, but no- I managed a haul of some very vintage cooking leaflets (MoF old!) at my local May fair. Then I was all shopped out. But never fear, there is more to tell, and with more fun and frolics into the bargain- two more pubs and a hotel to review, some outfits and more...watch this space!

Late 40s to early 50s: 10 minute recipes is for women busy due to
juggling their war jobs and having husband home! 

Yep, a Ministry Of Food Cut-This-Out-And-Keep slip!

The McDougall's book is advertised in the Good Housekeeping one!
Never mind the owl, the lamb man scares me...

Snoopin’ At Snooper’s Paradise: Brighton Thriftathon Part 1

Were you a bright young thing the 90s? Does any word beginning with ‘sn’ end in ‘Snoop Daw-gy Daaawwwg…’ in your head? No? Oh well, just me again.

Today’s posts cover second hand and vintage in Brighton, both at the famed Snooper’s Paradise and in some newer, less well known venues. I even have hot news about a secret squirrel of a new boutique that’s not widely known online… shhhhh…

Review: The Pump House Brighton

A slightly different post, as suggested by His Lordship. I do like a good pub, and I do hate a bad one - thus, my beloved husband suggested, I should add more diverse pub reviews to my blog. Most useful for those of us who cannot afford cocktail bars and swanky restaurants every day, and full of vintage, rock, kooky or mainstream charm, natch.

I'll start us off with two Brighton faves, simply because I spent this weekend in the rigorous and lofty pursuit of treats and shopping in said city. The first, a new favourite. I must admit that in the many, many years I have been spending time in Brighton I have always avoided this one as I assumed it would be tourist hell. I was wrong. I admit it. Such a snob.Just as there is no Englishman like an ex-pat spending his days in Spain, there is no gosh-aren't-the-tourists-making-it-rowdy than a friends-and-family return visitor.

Partial Closure Due To Planned Engineering Works

... This is part of our ongoing commitment to improvement - we apologise for the delay and recommend taking another blog to your destination.

Not much to post today on the old weblog: exam season is upon us and I have no time to pursue pursuits until all is done and dusted, so my posts may be sporadic over the next month.

Top blog, top bloke

I'm one of those terrible London-ites who decamps to Brighton at the drop of a hat and clogs the place up. In my defence, I am like a Brighton 'auntie' having a sibling who lives and works there. Anyway, my final link of a day of links (and I always thought I wouldn't DO that when I blogged) is to The Seafront Diaries, a little bit of sunny Brighton in my inbox daily. I only discovered it recently but Jason's kind response to one of my comments reminded me of just how many nice people are out there in Blogland. Enjoy folks!

Eccentric Curator

A friend of mine, with whom I used to work, once passed a fun afternoon by philosophising about what job we would all do in a parallel universe. You weren't allowed to pick your own - it was what management peeps call a process of '360 degree evaluation'. We weren't being lazy whilst we should've been working neither, honest Guv- it was what pedagogical peeps call 'an exercise in creative critical thinking'.

Chill Out and Carry On

Post 2 of the day - so, I've touched on my weekend activities, which are ostensibly the entire purpose of this blog. Stupid afternoon's work cutting off stupid lunch break followed by stupid, stupid traffic on the way home.

Baby it's cold outside (and inside)...

Feeling chilly? It's my lunchtime and, due to 'inclement weather' I find myself trapped in my office! Argh.
Time to add my now overdue update on weekend activities...

I managed to get to (and back from) Brighton safely, thankfully. Whilst there I visited a few places old-and-new, ideal for a cold wintery weekend...