Scones, Stoolball and Soggy Socks: a Trip to Steyning

Alright, so the 'soggy socks' part is an exaggeration (I wore boots) but when I went to explore Steyning with a friend last Saturday, it was a pretty soggy day!

Steyning (pronounced 'stenning') is a sussex town with a ton of old architecture and a lot of cute little shops, both on the main street and in Cobblestone Walk, which hosts a number of 'sheds' where independent traders sell their wares.

It even has its own museum! I would have made a separate post about the museum, as it counts towards a goal on The List, but no photography was allowed inside, which wouldn't make for a very visually interesting blogpost.
I did, however, see the Steyning man, a vamping horn, and have memories of school PE lessons dredged up by the presence of a stoolball post! (And if you want to know more about those things, you'll have to go to the museum).

After exploring in the prevailing drizzle, we took shelter in Cobblestone Tea House, a really quaint little cafe, and obviously a very popular one because it was still packed after lunch time!

Of course, cream tea was on the menu, so it was cream tea that I had! A fine way to round off a trip (and a pretty good way to finish off a blog post).

Weald & Downland Living Museum

In my June Roundup, I promised a post about my trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum, and here it is!

This post will mostly be photos; I worked hard to whittle it down to just 10 from the 200 I took!

Dad and I went to the museum on Father's Day, as they were hosting a wood fair. The day was utterly roasting hot, which made it a glorious day for taking photos, but not so much for being outside...
...which meant the coolness of inside these historical buildings was very pleasant!

To call this place a 'museum' is actually a bit of an understatement. This 40 acre site is home to more than 50 historical buildings that have been painstakingly taken apart and rebuilt at the museum. Altogether the buildings showcase a 950 year history of rural life in Britain. They also have a pretty nifty, brand spanking new visitor centre, including a shop and cafe, which I believe opened this year!

Glazed and Fired

After learning to throw a clay pot during Brighton Fringe last month, I eagerly awaited the time when my sister and I could collect our fired pots from the Painting Pottery Cafe.

We were in Brighton today, so popped in to collect them!

This time, I got a photo of my sister's pot, too. Hers is the heart-shaped one--I think it's really cute!

I'm pleased with how mine looks after being glazed and fired, too. I keep picking it up and looking at it, quietly amazed that it's something I actually made! Though I'm a creatively-inclined person, pottery has always looked rather difficult, so it's nice to have a memento of something I've tried out and not done too badly at.

After trying out pot throwing, I'd definitely recommend it as an activity to try if you're looking for something new!

Unleashing My Inner Viking

Today, I went to the South of England Show, which I've written about before. Last time, I managed to complete a goal whilst there, and this time I managed to complete another one!

095. Throw an axe

I'd added this goal to the list thinking it was unlikely I'd get to do it unless I went to one of those activity days that are on Groupon sometimes (the same goes for 094. Fire a bow, to be honest).

So when I saw a stand doing axe-throwing, I had to have a go!

Out of the 9 throws I got for my money, I managed to hit the target with the wrong end of the axe a few times, took a little chunk out of it once, and finally with my last two throws, I hit the target!

They weren't the best of throws, but I did hit the target at least! I suppose that given enough practise it's easier to get the hang of. If I get a chance again, maybe I'll try throwing one-handed instead, as I think I could get more power behind it that way (two-handed throws, as I did today, allow for more control).

Also, since the rifle range was there again, I had a go...

I did better than last time, getting all the shots in the black. Yay!

The Accidental Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Brighton Fringe Festival is nearly over, and Thursday hailed the last of my Fringe Doings this year. This time, the show was Tobacco Tea Theatre Company's performance of The Accidental Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. As my parents are Sherlock nerds, they came too.

The performance was held in the same pop-up theatre as The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I wrote about a few weeks ago.

The premise of this play was that Sherlock Holmes unknowingly murders his own client, and sets about to solve the mystery of who did it. But between Watson's rent worries and Moriarty's scheming,
nothing is as straightforward as it seems, which leads to a hilarious and farcical show full of plot twists, wit, and excellent characterisation!

Really enjoyed this play; it was a great way to round off Brighton Fringe!

A Cellar Full of Clay

You may remember that last year, sister #1 and I painted pottery skulls for my birthday.

This year, for her birthday, we went to The Painting Pottery Cafe and learnt to throw pots!

They have potters wheels set up in their bright and airy cellar, and after a demonstration of how to make a basic pot, we were able to take it in turns to make our own! My sister and I were in the second group to have a go, and were joking to each other that our pots were going to look terrible because we'd never done this before.

As it happened, my pot turned out pretty well!
My sister managed to damage hers, but the instructor was quick to fix things so she could continue, and her pot ended up looking really cute--she made the top into a heart shape! It looks like really expensive, and hasn't even been fired yet!

The workshop was well-taught, instructions were easy to follow, and the staff were friendly and helpful (and endlessly patient, considering they're going through the same procedure with novices hundreds of times this month!)

The Painting Pottery Cafe are running 50 minute long classes throughout Brighton Fringe, though have taster classes throughout the year, too. If you're local to Brighton, it's worth checking them out if you're looking for a fun and new thing to try.

We had fun with this workshop, and can't wait to collect our pots once they've been fired!

Silent Disco and Serenading Diners

Yesterday, a friend and I embarked on a silent disco walking tour, a Brighton Fringe event run by the most excellently lycra-clad discophile, Guru Dudu.

The tour sounded suitably ridiculous for my tastes, so I was eager to get tickets and find out what it was all about!

As it turns out, it's about making a complete tit of yourself in the middle of a crowded city, and having a ton of fun in the meanwhile--all whilst listening to some funky tunes.

Armed with headphones and after a quick 'happy yoga' session, we were off through the streets of Brighton, ocassionally stopping for a mini danceathon, or to serenade unwitting diners at outside restaurants with a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, or casual evening picnickers (who sang back, and were possibly a little squiffy).

It also involved frolicking through the Pavilion Gardens to the sound of the Kate Bush classic, Wuthering Heights, stalking through the streets to Everybody (Backstreet's Back) and a fashion parade to I'm Too Sexy.

Of course, no disco is complete without some Abba, which led to the playing of Voulez-Vous and lots of pointing and exclaiming, "Ah-ha!" at random passers by.

Part walking tour, part disco, part flash mob, this was one of the most fun and ridiculous things I've done in a long time! Though I'm naturally a shy, introverted and socially awkward person, it was impossible not to get into the swing of things when there are a good 30-40 other people also making utter tits of themselves, all in the name of disco!

100% Would Do Again.

Wilde at the Warren

On Saturday, a friend and I went to see Box Tale Soup's production of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is one of the shows I've booked to see at this year's Brighton Fringe.

Performed at the fringe pop-up site, 'The Warren', this performance had more puppets than it did human actors!

I did wonder what it might be like, since that there were so many puppets, but it turned out to be thoroughly engaging, incorporating some aspects of dance/physical theatre, and of course those dry, witty quips that Wilde was known for.
The set and costuming was simple but effective, the puppets looked neat and the actors were on good form--two of the cast played several different parts, including the voicing of the puppets, and it was easy to distinguish the different characters.

It might be easy to pass off a play involving puppets as being 'something for kids' but this certainly wasn't.
This was the first time I've seen a performance of this story, and it's been a while since I read the book. The play was not only a good memory-refresher, but really enjoyable!

I'd recommend going to see it, but in my slow-poke manner I've ended up posting here after their performances of it are finished--but they are back with a performance of The Wind in the Willows in June (which is more child-friendly).

Brighton Seafront Photography

As I mentioned the other day, I recently took a trip into Brighton to take some photos, mostly along the seafront between Palace Pier and the beach huts in Hove.
I uploaded one as part of my 365 Project, but here are some others from that day.

Though I am usually guilty of snapping away merrily without thought, I put more consideration into my photography this time.

A lot of my shots were pretty run-of-the-mill; I'm pretty sure everyone who has been to Brighton has taken photos of the skeletal remains of West Pier! Years ago, I took a similar photo to the one above, which entirely by accident ended up looking over-exposed to the point of being black and white. I tried to create a better version of it in the image above, with intentional overexposure and just a hint of colour.

Besides the typical shots, I tried to capture things I would normally pass with a second thought, such as the reflections in puddles on the promenade...

Tea by the Sea

Whilst on a photography-focused wander along Brighton seafront last week, I stopped off for refreshments at Brighton Fishing Museum Coffee Shop, which I'd failed to notice back when I went to the museum itself.
This turned out to be an error, because they sell tasty tiffin traybake!

Though the coffee shop doesn't have any indoor seating, it does have some little tables and chairs out the front, and some cushions on the wall between the coffee shop forecourt and the main walkway for the seafront.

The winter air was chilly, but the sun that day made it pleasant to sit out and enjoy the sea (and the sound of the guy running the coffee shop playing the ukelele!)
Next time I'm along the seafront and want tea and cake, I know where to go!


Eating at this coffee shop brings me another step closer to reaching my goal of eating at 30 places I'd never eaten before. Previous the new-to-me places can be found on my goal #36 tag.

Bigger on the Inside: Horsham Museum

Today I ended up at Horsham Museum and Art Gallery, which I'd stumbled upon one Sunday (when it was closed).
From the outside it looks pretty small, but once you get past the door, there is a lot to be seen, with many different permanent collections alongside their temporary exhibitions.

Compared to other local museums I've been to, this one turned out to be up there among the best!

The museum is a real aladdin's cave of rooms, each dedicated to one or two of the collections on display, with a couple of gallery rooms (which currently have temporary exhibitions by current artists).

Charity Zipwire

If you squint, you'll see a tiny pink dot on the top corner of this building.

That's me.

About to ride that zipwire to raise funds for Blind Veterans UK, a charity that supports those who have served in the Armed Forces and are living with sight loss.

Now. You might remember that 'Ride a zipline' is one of the goals on The List...

However, it was an incredibly challenging goal, because I am not a huge fan of heights, and the thought of leaping off a building attached to some ropes seems utterly insane even now.

But when I saw an advert for the event, I thought it was a great opportunity, as it was for a very good cause. So not only was I able to do something I wanted to try, but I was able to raise funds for a charity at the same time!

Thanks to the wonderful people that sponsored me, I was able to raise £205 for this fantastic charity! 

This is my happy-but-questioning-my-sanity face.
Happy that so many people donated
Questioning my sanity over doing this!

Zipwiring is a memorable experience. 

Only once were we on the roof did I realise how high it was, and honestly, the most terrifying part of the whole thing is sitting down on the edge, hooked up to the ropes, and knowing a guy was seconds away from pushing me off the edge.

After the push, there was the rapid descent down the wire to the ground, which was pretty awesome--it made being pushed off the roof totally worth it! ;)

Though I was  nervous, I wasn't going to let it beat me, not when so many people had donated to such a good cause!
Not to mention, the lady who went down the line before me was in her eighties--if she could do it, so could I!

Overall it was a great experience. I was one of some 180 people who participated, and Blind Veterans UK hopes to raise over £10,000 through the running of the event. Am keeping an eye on their Facebook page to find out if they update with a total raised!

Dodging the Rain in Arundel

On Saturday, I went to the town of Arundel, Sussex, with a friend.
We'd planned it for ages, having looked at the different places to visit on the town's website.

...it rained. All day.

But that didn't stop us from ambling around, taking in the sights, albeit from beneath our umbrellas!

Look At My Dumplings!

Last Saturday, after the sewer tour and the exhibition at Fabrica, I stopped for something to eat at Kokoro on Western Road.

They have several restaurants, and I've been itching to try out their food!
(By the way, the building has pies on it, because it was previously a pie shop. It's also a Pokestop!)

A lot of the food is already on a hotplate and ready to be served, but I had to be That Person who wanted something different.

I had Chicken Gyoza Udon (gyoza being a type of dumpling) and though I had to wait for it to be made, it only took five minutes!
It was worth the wait, too, as it was really tasty!
The portion size was just right for a lunchtime meal, and I sat upstairs on one of the seats overlooking the shopping centre. It was peaceful!

I enjoyed eating here, and will be going back another time to try out more of their menu options. There's a katsu curry there that I have to try.

On a similar food-related note, on the way home I stopped in at an Asian food/snack shop that I'd not been into before, and ended up buying this:

Chrysanthemum Tea!
I hadn't had it before, so decided to give it a try.
The flavour seemed pretty strange to me, in fact I ended up drinking water afterwards to wash the taste away!
It wasn't terrible, but I won't be drinking it again.

Inadvertently, in drinking this drink, I completed a goal from The List:

044. Try 10 foods/drinks I’ve never tried before

Hurrah!
I can't believe it has taken me over two years to complete this goal!
You can read about the other food and drink I've tried for goal #44 by looking at my goal 44 tag.

Eat Here. No, Seriously. Eat Here.

So, you know how you get those blog posts pop up where the blogger is so excited to tell you about the latest, greatest product they have been paid to write about discovered?

This is not one of those posts.

But seriously. I am so excited to tell you about this place (and spam with pictures).

Okay, rewind to Saturday. It was my friend Sara's birthday meal, and a bunch of us went to MEATliquor in Brighton.

Walking in, we're greeted by a kickass mural behind the desk a spaceman and arm-wrestling dobermen! Glowing and surreal, it made stepping across the threshold like falling down a rabbit hole into another time and place!

This is not a place you'd go for a quiet meal. This bar & restaurant plays music - good music - and they play it loud.
But really, when Beastie Boys' Intergalactic is blasting out when you walk in, you know you're onto a good thing.

Usually when I write about the places I've eaten, I don't bother taking photos of the decor beyond a quick interior shot, but MEATliquor was too full of photo-worthy things...

Up the Downs

Yesterday, I went into South Downs Garden Centre at Hassocks. Now, beyond a couple of cacti and some stunted chives, I don't do gardening.

But I wasn't there for the garden stuff.

Instead, I headed into the Heritage Centre (where I've previously eaten some tasty cake) and for the first time checked out their Mezzanine Gallery.

The current exhibition is Up the Downs, an exhibition that features images of the South Downs National Park, created by several different photographers.
I found out about this exhibition through instagram, as I follow one of the photographers whose work was included.

I went there with little information about the exhibition, and expecting a random selection of scenic, postcardy shots...boy was I surprised. (Not to mention delighted!)

On Target

I think the last time I fired any sort of gun beyond a water pistol was when I was about nine years old and on a school trip to an activity centre. We piled into the little rifle range and took it in turns to fire at paper targets, and I ended up being the second-highest scorer in my group (the highest was this kid who was a total gun fanatic).

I'd always wanted to have another go, so when I saw a rifle range set up at the South of England Show (which I blogged about recently), I happily handed over £2.50 for the pleasure of firing little bits of metal at a piece of paper. Yay! 
Firing these as a novice is harder than it looks. The sights are tricky to get used to, and being something of a weakling when it comes to arm muscles, I found it difficult to keep the crosshairs on the centre of the target as I was firing.

Despite that, it was fun, and in doing this activity I was able to cross a goal off The List:

085. Fire a gun

 ....Alright, I admit it, I edited one of the goals on The List, so that I could check it off.
I guess that's kind of cheating, but also something of a reality check.

085. Go clay pigeon shooting

Became

085. Fire a gun

Which is actually a suggestion made ages ago by Marcy at Too Timid and Squeamish, but I never added it because it was too similar to the original goal 85.

Why I changed it:
Mainly, I'm not really interested in trying it anymore.
Then there's the fact it costs money (not too much, but enough) and the places that offer it are all a bit out of the way, meaning I'd either need to pester someone to drive me, or pay for a taxi (which is never cheap) just to get there. Which really is too much money and effort for something that I'm not in a mad rush to do.
Therefore, I broadened the scope of the goal.

The rifle range (which I didn't think to take a photo of, or get the name of, because I was on an 'I Did Something Different!' high) was enjoyable and I was tempted to return for another go, but by that point the place was packed!


As for how well I did?

I think I did pretty well! Especially considering I'm a left-hander who was shooting right-handedly!
It was fun to have a go at, and if I see a stand like this again, I'll probably give it another go.

There are Two Types of Horses...

Two years ago, I blogged about the South of England Show, a county show held in Ardingly, Sussex, that I have been going to with my parents and sisters as long as I can remember! I went last year, but it seems I didn't blog about it for some reason!
But it's a great day out, and always worth a mention!