Cherie's Place

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Nine

Before breakfast Mr C visited reception to see if his glasses had been handed in. They weren’t there so he headed to the bar to check if they were there, and was redirected to the concierge. Sure, enough the concierge was able to reunite Mr C with his missing specs.

After breakfast, we set off on another walk from the Rough Guide to Brighton, Sussex and the West Downs. This walk took us to East Brighton, away from the sea front, to see interesting architecture and Brighton Flea Market. We followed the walk the as far as the Marina and the nearby nudist beach before heading to the Volks Railway Station for our return journey.

Getting to the station proved to be a little difficult. Due to renovation works all the pathways down to the lower level where the station is situated were blocked off. Rather than walk a very long way round we decided to follow the example of a local jogger and scramble down a grassy bank.

The short journey on the Volks Railway was a fun, nostalgic ride. We had prime position on the front seat so we were easily able to enjoy the views. Back at the pier, we elected to walk along the beach stopping for another fish lunch. I ordered mini fish bits expecting battered goujons. What arrived was (glorified) fish fingers in bread crumbs not at all what I had in mind. And for some unknown reason Mr C had ordered me a portion of (unwanted) chips to go with them…

Next, we walked to the toy and model museum which was rather brief although the Pelham puppets, several of which I had owned as a child, brought back nostalgic memories. It was rather hot so we had a cooling drink at the railway station in Costa whilst Mr C completed (almost) the Metro crosswords. This gave our feet a chance to recover from all the pavement pounding.

We then walked through the lanes, enjoying the eclectic mix of shops and stalls, ending up in the Pavilion Gardens café where I had a slice of lemon drizzle cake. I made sure that the seagulls didn’t spot it with their beady eyes.

We returned to the hotel to freshen up before dinner and whilst getting changed I heard a lot of shouting and wailing which I initially thought was a child having a tantrum. It turned out to be a woman who was definitely unhappy about something. After a while the police turned up to talk to her.

We dined in English’s, which was one of the restaurants recommended to us by the lady who served us at the Volks Railway. She was right; it is a lovely place to eat. Even though it was a little windy the weather was warm enough to allow us to dine Al Fresco. I once again chose fish, this time ‘catch of the day’ which was seabass.

After dining we had one last walk along the sea front before enjoying a nightcap in the hotel. Our holiday was coming to an end and we were travelling home the following day.

Tags: Brighton, East Sussex, English's, Pavilion Garden Cafe, Toy and Model Museum, Vacation, Volks Electric Railway

2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 24th 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Eight

The breakfast room was a lot busier than it had been on previous days which led to the service being a little slower than usual. We were seated in a quieter area of the room, away from the hustle and bustle of the buffet area.

Mr C had decided that we were going to head out of Brighton for the Day. We chose one of the driving routes from the Rough Guide to Brighton, Sussex and the West Downs. We didn’t intend to stop at all the points of interest just a few that took our fancy.

Before setting off, we drove to Hove so that we could visit a cook book shop that was mentioned in another new book I have; The Extra Mile. I was slightly overwhelmed by the number of books in the shop and the genre I particularly wanted to browse was a little cramped with someone else also in the space so I left empty handed.

We set off on our driving tour stopping at Lewes to visit the castle and museum. I would have liked to linger a little longer in Lewes but unfortunately, we had a timed carpark ticket. We purchased a made-to-order sandwich in a local bakery shop which we ate in the carpark at Middleham Priory. We had intended to stop on our way there but hadn’t spotted any suitable places to pull over.

The priory is in an idyllic setting and we were able to get in free with our Historic Houses membership. The priory was really interesting with lots of historical interest. The room guides were a little over enthusiastic at times, not leaving us space to explore for ourselves. We were however shown how the Jacobean mechanical spit roast worked which was very interesting. The gardens surrounding the priory were also a delight.

By the time we had finished at the priory it was getting a bit late to continue on the driving route so we decided to take the quick route back to Brighton but not without a slight detour to see the nearby Wilmington Man etched into the hillside.

Back at the hotel we chilled out in the room before dining in Caslingo Italian restaurant. Mr C had particularly wanted to include an Italian restaurant as one of our meal out choices. All the waiters were great and especially attentive after Mr C chose a Gavi as the wine of choice. We found out that one of the waiters was from Sicily and his family owned a restaurant there and their house overlooked the sea. It brought back memories of our Sicilian adventure in Taormina which was our last holiday abroad before travel restrictions. The meal was finished off with a tot of refreshing Limoncello.

We returned to the hotel where we got chatting to a couple of ladies, one of whom was a night club owner whose business had been affected by lockdown. This led to a political discussion about lockdown, climate change and electric cars, etc. It was an interesting conversation but I think I preferred the more uplifting memories of Sicily.

When we arrived back in our room Mr C realised that he had lost his glasses again…

Tags: Brighton, Caslingo Restaurant, CookBookBake, East Sussex, Lewes Castle, Middleham Priory, Vacation, Wilmington Man

2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 23rd 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Seven

After breakfast we walked along the beach front in the direction of Hove taking in some of the points of interest in another walk from the Rough Guide to Brighton, Sussex and the West Downs. We walked as far as the iconic beach huts before it was time to retrace our steps to the Brighton i360.

We waited for the pod to arrive and were advised to join the front of the queue so that we would be able to get a seat if we wished. There was a party of young school children in the fluorescent yellow jackets that were also joining the tour. The talk was interesting; one of the facts we learned is that you cannot see France from Brighton as it is below the horizon. It goes without saying the views from the top were amazing.

We descended from the giddy hights and once again walked along seafront in the direction of the Sea Life centre which we planned to visit next. We stopped to have a shared portion of fish on the pier. The service was rather slow and the fish was nothing to shout about. As we were eating, we spotted someone being dive bombed and chased by seagulls that were trying to grab a wrapped sandwich he was carrying.

Afterwards we had a drink in the Café bar attached to the Volk’s Railway Station. We had a lovely chat with the lady who served us and she gave some interesting ideas for restaurants that we might try.

Whilst we enjoyed the Sea Life centre especially the jelly fish and the tunnel with the sharks swimming around us, we left slightly disappointed by the experience.

We strolled along the seafront taking a detour to Waterstones for cake and refreshment then returned to the hotel to chill out before dining in the Salt Room. This restaurant, which specialises in fish dishes, is in the Double Tree by Hilton which is the hotel next door to the Grand. We had a table on the terrace which was surrounded by flower tubs. It was a delightful setting and the food was delicious.

By the time we had finished eating it had dropped a little chilly so we returned to the warmth of our hotel bar for a nightcap.

Tags: Brighton, East Sussex, Hove, i360, Sea Life Centre, The Salt Room, Vacation

2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 22nd 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Six

It was our Silver Wedding Anniversary so we opened our cards and prezzies then went downstairs for breakfast. Before heading out for the day we took photos of us posing on the balcony with the sea in the background. We had intended to get a professional photographer to take some photos of the occasion but none of photographers we approached replied to our messages.

I opened up my tripod to find that it was no longer fit for purpose. When I extended the legs, the clips broke off one by one. It was a good job I had my sturdy GorillaPod with me. It easily clung to one of the hotel chairs at just the right angle to get some nice photographs.

After the photo opportunity we walked to the Royal Pavilion where we were able to get discounted tickets due to our English Heritage membership. On the outside, the Pavilion is Indian in style whereas the inside has a Chinese influence. The inside is even more ostentatious and extravagant than the outside.

When we had finished our tour of the Pavilion it was time for lunch which we had in the Pavilion Gardens Café. I chose an egg and tomato sandwich which I prefer over the more usual egg mayonnaise. After I had finished a seagull attempted a duck and dive from behind me with his eye on a crust that remained on the plate. He was unsuccessful in his attempt.

Next, we visited the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. It is currently housing an exhibition ‘Out of the Ordinary’ displaying the work of the photojournalist Roger Bamber who was from Brighton. The exhibition was well worth the entry fee alone, his photography is outstanding.

We returned to the hotel where Mr C ordered a bottle of Prosecco to enjoy in our room whilst we relaxed before dinner. We had eventually come up with a Plan B dining option; the nearby Coal Shed.

The food and service were excellent, although I felt a little overdressed for the surroundings. During our meal we had been trying to place the accent of the waiter who served us. I had him as being from Australia or perhaps New Zealand but it turned out that he is from South Africa.

Rather than seek out another potentially dodgy pub we returned to the hotel and enjoyed a post-dinner wine in the relative calm of the hotel bar.

Tags: Brighton, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, East Sussex, Me by another, Memorial, Royal Pavilion, Royal Pavilion Garden, Self Portrait, Silver Wedding Anniversary, The Coal Shed, The Grand Hotel, The Royal Pavilion, There's Always One, Vacation

8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 21st 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Five

We were greeted at the entrance to the breakfast room and taken to a breakfast table which was in the Cyan restaurant just outside the main breakfast room. It was a lovely quiet location with a sea view. The greeter showed us to our seat and explained how the fully self-service buffet worked. The hot and cold food choices were excellent.

After breakfast we set off on our chosen walking route from the Rough Guide to Brighton, Sussex and the West Downs. Our route took in the sea front, The Lanes, The Pavilion and the Railway Station and the Volks Railway Station. I was a bit surprised by Mr C’s reaction on seeing the Pavilion for the first time. He laughed!!! Not at all what I had expected.

During our walk we stopped for lunch at Brand 16 in the Lanes, Duke Street, a place that serves luxury toasties. We had enjoyed a refreshing drink there the previous afternoon on our initial walk around Brighton.

We returned to the hotel to chill out and recover from our 8-mile walk. Once again, we had hoped that we could dine in the hotel’s Restaurant Cyan but we were informed that it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. We elected to dine in the hotel’s grill bar which they kept pushing. The food was good quality but not exquisite. I chose the fish option but the sides and sauces didn’t quite work to perfection. The service was not as attentive as we would have expected from a hotel of the Grand’s calibre. Whilst we were dining, a fight broke out just outside the hotel entrance area which the duty concierge skilfully dealt with.

The fact that the hotel’s main restaurant, Cyan, was not open on Tuesdays meant that we wouldn’t be able to dine in the hotel for our anniversary meal the following day. This meant we needed a plan B.

I chose a more appropriate skirt for walking for walking along the windy lanes of Brighton in search of a pub that Mr C thought had potential for a good pint of beer. The previous evening my skirt was light and flyaway so I had to hold on to it to preserve my dignity. We arrived at the chosen pub to find that it was Karaoke night. Not at all what Mr C had in mind. He quickly located a potential alternative but soon after we arrived, he didn’t like the atmosphere and would happily have moved on again. I felt quite comfortable there and didn’t pick up on any negative vibes. We returned to the hotel where I took a nightcap up to the room to enjoy whilst writing the days adventures into my holiday notebook.

Tags: Brighton, East Sussex, Grill Bar, The Grand Hotel, There's Always One, Vacation

2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 20th 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Four

We enjoyed one last breakfast before checking out of the Norfolk Arms ready to travel to our next destination; Brighton.

I succumbed to the temptation and called in at the Wildlife and Wetlands Centre to purchase a pair of binoculars. I tested them out again eventually settling on a pair that I thought would be best for my needs. I had to wait a short while to purchase them due to a long queue of visitors booking in for a day in the wetlands.

Next, we visited the nearby Bignor Roman Villa; a large Roman courtyard villa discovered by George Tupper when he struck a large stone whilst ploughing his farm in 1811. The villa has some interesting and unique finds.

By now it was time for elevenses so we set off for a nearby village. We never arrived in the village due to being repeatedly drawn back into, what we started to call, the Bury triangle. Instead, we ended up at Petworth just in time for lunch. The eagle eyed will realise that Petworth is in completely the opposite direction to Brighton. The National Trust carpark for Petworth House was full so we left and parked next to the deer park hoping that there would be a lunch opportunity there.

We weren’t disappointed, we found the delightfully named ‘Toast Me Up’ tucked away in one corner of the car park. It was perfect and my toasted sandwich was delicious.

After lunch Mr C headed off towards the coast thinking of a coastal drive towards Brighton. Mr C chose to include Bognor Regis in his itinerary. When we arrived, it was every bit as bad as I thought it would be. Next town along the coast Littlehampton where once again we elected not to stop and continued inland straight to Brighton.

We drove straight to our hotel, the Grand, arriving at the drop off point in front of the hotel. We were greeted by 3 suited and bowler-hatted concierges. Mr C was directed to park his car and, before I could get out of the car, the boot was unpacked and they had whisked Mr C away along with our luggage. When he returned to the car, one of the concierges explained how to get to the car park and back to the hotel.

When I eventually got to the room it was WOW! All that I hoped it would be. We left the bags in the walk-in luggage area and went for a stroll around Brighton before returning to freshen up before dining in the French-styled Bistro du Vin. We had intended to dine in the Cyan restaurant at the Grand but we found that it closes early on a Sunday.

We had a brief visit to Weatherspoon’s before taking a leisurely stroll along the seafront back to the hotel for a nightcap in the bar.

Tags: Arundel Wildlife & Wetlands Trust, Bignor Roman Villa, Bistro Du Vin, Brighton, East Sussex, Petworth, Sunset, The Grand Hotel, The Norfolk Arms, Vacation, West Sussex

4 Comments CherryPie on Jun 19th 2023

Filed under Anecdotes, Arundel & Brighton 2023, Holidays

Arundel & Brighton – Day Three

Straight after breakfast we walked the short way to Arundel Castle arriving 15 minutes before it opened. We took advantage of a nearby bench to soak up the early morning sunshine whilst we waited.

After purchasing our tickets, we walked around the gardens which included a new water garden that Mr C wasn’t very enamoured with. I thought it was lovely as were the rest of the gardens and features.

We also visited the Fitzalan Chapel which is the chancel of the church of St Nicholas. The chapel which has a peaceful atmosphere is divided from St Nicholas’ knave and transepts and contains tombs of the Howard family.

We completed our tour of the castle gardens just in time for lunch which we enjoyed in a window seat in the castle restaurant.

By the time we had finished lunch, the castle and keep were open. We made our way up the stairs to the rooftop of the keep. The stairways were every bit as narrow as I remembered them. This time I had sensibly used a small rucksack rather than a handbag (which I struggled with last time). I climbed the last few stairs using all four limbs (no hand rail to hold on to). With my rucksack on my back, I had the image of me being a turtle proceeding slowly up those last few steps. The views from the rooftop were well worth my inelegant ascent.

Descending from the keep, our route took us through the castle where both of us had forgotten some of the rooms leading us to enjoy the castle as if we had not visited on a previous occasion. I knew that one of my favourite items from my previous visit was no longer there; a set of gold rosary beads carried by Mary Queen of Scots at her execution. The rosary beads (unique and meaningful in their location) along with other items had been stolen on a targeted hit.

Our tour of the castle and gardens complete, it was time for afternoon refreshments. We found a café with a sunny location overlooking the river Arun where we enjoyed refreshing drinks and shared a piece of lemon cake.

There was just enough time for us to visit Arundel Museum which showcases the town’s local history before we returned to our hotel to chill out.

Once back at the hotel, we found that our hotel room had not been fully serviced for the second day running. The first day our tea and milk supplies had not been replenished. This was easily fixed by a phone call to reception. However, today we arrived back at the room to find that the bed had not been made and the bathroom seemed not to have cleaned and serviced.

We had a glass of bubbly on the hotel terrace before dining at the Swan Hotel which is a Fullers Pub. The food was lovely but Mr C found the atmosphere uncomfortable so after dining we returned to the Red Lion where once again, we were treated to live music but the atmosphere was also somewhat lacking…

We decided to relocate to the hotel bar for a nightcap. I was delivered a short measure of wine which I made sure was rectified. Shortly after this other customers arrived and were told the bar was closing soon but they were welcome to come in for a drink. The bar wasn’t scheduled to close for at least 30 minutes!

The lady serving was giving off big vibes that the customers were an inconvenience to her. Maybe she should remember that if it wasn’t for the customers, she wouldn’t have a job?

Tags: Arundel, Arundel Castle, Arundel Museum, Fitzalan Chapel, Me by another, Norfolk Arms, Portrait, There's Always One, Vacation, West Sussex

8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 18th 2023

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