Whistlestop tour of Brighton...

When the mice were nippers, a trip to Clacton-on-sea to see Granny and Grandpa came a close second to the magical feeling of Christmas Eve and thinking you heard a faint jingling of the bells on Father Christmas' sleigh overhead! A bucket and spade, a stripy towel and a colourful beach wind breaker were all you needed to ensure the weekend went swimmingly. Oh, and a doughnut or two coated in way too much sugar to be devoured wrapped up in a big towel on the beach with only each other for warmth. 

Image via www.tom-holmes.com

Well a few weekends ago, I decided to re-live those distant beach memories and headed to Brighton with a few friends. I really can't understand why we hadn't made the effort sooner, with the trip taking a mere 50 minutes direct from Victoria. 

Check out my Brighton suggestions of where to sleep, eat, shop and soak up the atmosphere below...

Stay at the charming and super affordable boutique art hotel on Brighton's seafront, Artist Residence. The hotel has just 15 rooms, each one designed by a different local street artist. Ours featured weird and wonderful urchin-shaped paper art scattered across the walls, all handmade and hand painted. Other rooms feature more urban graffiti style art or childlike graphics.  

Overall the hotel was clean, comfortable and pretty basic but full of sweet little quirky touches that couldn't help but make you smile ... the entrance wall was covered in stickers from previous guests displaying personal likes and loathes about the accommodation. Brave and honest which made me like the set up all the more!

Art Residence

33 Regency Square

Brighton

BN1 2GG

01273 324302

Start the day with a brisk stroll along Brighton's spectacular seafront. There is something about the West Pier's frail outer structure that I find so sadly beautiful. The remnant of what used to be, but a lasting memory of something great. It looked particularly stunning when we were there with the sun out and the sea sparkling...   

Lunch at the champagne and oyster bar, Riddle & Finns. A seriously scrumptious fish restaurant that has people queuing round the block. We were lucky because it was mid-week and drizzling outside so we managed to nab a table for two with no waiting time at all. We scanned the menu umming and ahhing for a good while trying to come to a joint decision of what to order as everything sounded divine. We eventually ordered and devoured the following:

* Potted shrimp with wholegrain toast
* Pan fried tiger pawns cooked in garlic butter, paprika and lime
* Pan fried Brighton scallops with chorizo and chilli
* Monkfish cheek tempura with a ginger and peanut dipping sauce 

Riddle & Finns

12b Meeting House Lane

Brighton

BN1 1HB

01273 323008

Shop till you drop at women's fashion boutique, Tribeca. You are guaranteed to snap up some serious seaside style at this little gem which stocks Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno and Sass & Bide to name just a few...

Tribeca

21 Bond Street

The Lanes

Brighton 

BN1 1RD

01273 673755

Soak up Brighton's general wonderfulness! Fill your lungs with fresh sea air and open your eyes to the many smiling people, rows and rows of sweet little  shops and enjoy the laid back seaside feeling of never being in a rush... 

Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside

I do like to be beside the sea!

I do like to stroll upon the Prom, Prom, Prom!

Where the brass bands play:

"Tiddely-om-pom-pom!"

So just let me be beside the seaside

I'll be beside myself with glee

And there's lots of girls beside,

I should like to be beside

Beside the seaside!

Beside the sea!