may 2006
Big fruit
After almost a week of absolutely vile weather (cold, lashing rain, gale force winds, dark skies at noon), today the weather forecast was marvellously, miraculously, totally wrong. The forecast rain never materialised; instead we had blue skies, warm sunshine, and a gentle breeze.
As I’ve said before, when you get good weather here, you run with it. I went for a three-hour walk today, starting along the seafront to Hove (almost Shoreham, actually), then cutting inland to the centre of Hove itself, an area I had never explored before. And, wow. Hove is like Brighton, but quite a lot nicer, in terms of having much wider roads with trees everywhere, and street after street of fantastic houses and apartment buildings, from art deco beauties to international style cubes (some of which are actually pretty impressive).
In many ways, Hove reminds me of Vancouver, specifically the West End, where I was living this time last year. Both areas evidently experienced a surge of building in the middle part of the last century, resulting in a large number of quite stylish apartment buildings facing each other across broad avenues. The overarching feeling is one of space and order. Both areas are by the sea, with the water visible at the end of every street that runs perpendicular to the seafront. And both areas have an abundance of small, friendly, independent coffee shops and restaurants.
If I stay in Brighton, I really think I will move to Hove. It has all the amenities of this city at close hand, but without all the messiness and bustle of the Brighton end. It feels like somewhere you can relax and grow, rather than just a place to live.
Next time I’ll carry my camera and take some photos to illustrate what I’m trying to say. All I had with me today was my phonecam, which I used to take this photo:
The weird thing is, this guy wasn’t standing outside a grocery shop or something, doing a promotion. He was dressed like this on the pavement of a residential street, just standing there. Still, it takes all sorts!
23 may 2006 ~ 16:54 
Going Blank Again
Thighs Wide Shut has a trailer for the upcoming movie of Strangers With Candy, one of the best TV shows ever. If you have never seen it (I don’t think it ever aired in the UK, but I may be wrong), it’s about Jerri Blank, a 46-year-old high school freshman. It hilariously spoofed American “after school special” TV shows, with their moral-based and often über-cheesy storylines.
I did not know that the character of Jerri Blank was based on a real-life reformed drug addict and prostitute, Florrie Fisher, to whom Jerri, played by Amy Sedaris, bears an uncanny resemblance.
We may have to wait for a DVD release here in the UK, as I doubt it will be released in cinemas here. In the meantime, you can check out three songs from the movie. I can’t wait for this … as Jerri says, “I'm as moist as a snack cake down there!”
17 may 2006 ~ 13:42
I am a camera
Having a mobile phone with a built-in camera is so great. I use it all the time to take quick and dirty shots of interesting or amusing things I see around town, or of things I want to investigate further later. No need to carry a notepad to write things down, or lug around a full-sized camera. The quality isn’t great, but who cares?
I saw this CD display at the Virgin Megastore at Churchill Square in Brighton. Rather ironic, really, considering that The Magic Numbers both look and sound quite a lot like The Mamas and the Papas.
Lately I’ve noticed a lot of tagging around town that doesn’t consist of people’s (nick)names, but rather their email addresses. Very interesting. I wonder if they want random strangers to email them? I guess there's only one way to find out.
Robbie and I saw this vase at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery a couple of months ago. It’s a British design from the 1930s, I believe. Wonderful.
This van belonged to some kind of electrical company, if I remember correctly. Internet Explorer, anyone?
Hmmm, a photo of a “non-photography day” flyer on a wall. I’m not sure how I framed this so badly, but the top bit said “Celebrate the moment, don’t document it”. Interesting idea. Here’s the website.
English hip hop! I say, ol’ chizzap, check it!
It’s both a shame and a shock! I’m shocked! They should be ashamed!
10 may 2006 ~ 11:07
Those lazy days of summer are here
Yes, I have been rather absent, I know. The weather finally turned (relatively) good, and I’ve been spending as much time outdoors as humanly possible. In England, you take the good weather when you can get it!
I spent two warm, sunny days last week on the beach in front of my apartment. It’s nice to walk out the front door, and just a few minutes later be sitting on a towel on the beach with a good book and a bottle of sunblock. The sea is still pretty darn freezing, but I did go in up to my waist one day. I do like to be at one with nature.
With May also comes the Brighton Festival, the largest arts festival in England (the UK’s - in fact, the world’s - biggest is the famous Edinburgh Festival in Scotland). At the same time, there is also the Brighton Festival Fringe, which may very well be bigger than the official festival. There’s a vast amount of stuff going on all over the city: theatre, music, performance art, comedy, literature, lectures, exhibitions … but this walking tour leapt out at me from the catalogue for some reason:
Intriguing. I expect some of them are rather more well-travelled than people realise.
So far, I’ve hit some of the public art and photography exhibits, but in the coming weeks I hope to get to a play or two, and go to as many open house art shows as possible (as much to inspect the interiors of the houses as to view the art). None of the musical acts lined up really grab me, I’m afraid to say, although Patti Smith is playing … hmmmm. I’m sure that will have sold out already.
There’s still about an hour of daylight left, so I’m heading out for my third walk of the day!
8 may 2006 ~ 20:31