Blog Feed: Breakfast In Bed: Rowan Stanfield's Brighton Blog

Great Escape 2012 - Tips for First Timers

Published on 2012-05-09 13:25:00

It's almost time for the Great Escape Festival - my annual fix of musical discovery and quintessential Brighton jollity. This year I have completely failed to do any prep and find out what bands I might want to see (despite having access to Digby's handy Spotify playlist), which almost makes it more exciting, and means I have absolutely no preconceptions.We are the Physics, photo by Emma Swann on FlickrIt also means I can't offer you my hot tips for which bands are a must-see. But as a seasoned [..] > read more

Sinéad O'Connor Live at St George's in Kemp Town, Brighton

Published on 2012-03-14 16:47:00

Ever since I was a surly teenager in Doc Martens, I have loved Sinéad O'Connor. Unlike many other, image conscious, pop stars, the striking singer has never been afraid to speak her mind, stick two fingers up to the world, or wear her heart on her sleeve - and has always been a great inspiration to me. Her first album, The Lion and the Cobra, came out in 1987, when I was 13. Back then her songs of angst and heartache spoke to my hormonal psyche, and I was drawn to her rebellious, free-spirited [..] > read more

Robin Hood at the Devonshire Park Theatre

Published on 2012-01-14 06:55:00

As has been the tradition for the past few years, on Thursday I went to see the Eastbourne pantomime in the final week of its run, followed straight afterwards by the crew's spoof version. This year's show was Robin Hood, an unusual choice, and all the better for it. Apart from the first panto I worked on in 1992 (Robinson Crusoe), it's felt like a never-ending cycle of the three favourites - Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella, so it was nice to see something more original, especiall [..] > read more

TV Review: The Fades on BBC 3

Published on 2011-11-01 15:49:00

I don't often wax lyrical about TV shows, largely because I don't have a TV and am therefore limited in my viewing, but something excellent that I came across recently via iPlayer was The Fades, described as a fantasy horror series. Having been disappointed with Being Human, True Blood and other potential Buffy successors in that vein, I didn't have high hopes, but was intrigued enough to give it a go. I'm glad I did. In just six episodes, the Fades managed to dispense with a whole lot of tired [..] > read more

Pass It On: Brighton's Having a Maker Faire

Published on 2011-08-19 14:18:00

I've been pretty busy lately, what with looking after my poorly husband (he's got a slipped disc), working non-stop (and loving it), entertaining several boisterous nephews (and loving them) and helping to promote the upcoming Brighton Mini Maker Faire (probably the coolest event ever to happen in Sussex). I've got lots of news to blog about, including a brilliant festival I went to last weekend, but am probably not going to have a chance to write anything decent until the autumn.So this is just [..] > read more

That Comedy Thing at the Lamb, Eastbourne

Published on 2011-06-16 14:21:00

Back in May I blogged about some of Eastbourne's upcoming cultural offerings, into which I was planning on throwing myself wholeheartedly as part of my reintegration strategy since moving back in December. So far, it's been a mixed bag of events. The > read more

Things to Do In Eastbourne This Spring

Published on 2011-05-04 15:39:00

Since moving back to Eastbourne from Brighton in December, I've been working hard to re-establish my roots here by making the most of local life. I do miss being able to step out of my house and virtually straight into any number of appealing restaur > read more

March Madness: Too Busy to Blog

Published on 2011-03-27 11:38:00

March is nearly over and I find have completely failed to write about any of the recent cultural, culinary and societal diversions that have been pleasantly propelling me out of hibernation and into spring. So before another month goes by without a p > read more

Penguin Cafe at Brighton Dome

Published on 2011-02-21 15:50:00

In 1997, so the story goes, Ant had tickets to see The Penguin Cafe Orchestra in Manchester, but his hopes of seeing them live were dashed when founder Simon Jeffes died suddenly of a brain tumour. A couple of years later, when Ant and I started dati > read more

The 90s Eastbourne Nightclub Hall of Fame

Published on 2011-01-25 14:17:00

Being back in Eastbourne has stirred a lot of long lost memories, especially when I keep bumping into old friends and reminiscing about our misspent youths here. The other morning I was sitting with a friend on the train into work, attempting to reca > read more

Things I Love About Eastbourne #2: The South Downs

Published on 2011-01-04 13:33:00

True, the South Downs are not exclusive to Eastbourne, stretching as they do all the way from Beachy Head to the River Meon valley in Hampshire. And indeed I have spent many happy Sundays exploring the downland around Brighton, from Castle Hill at Wo > read more

Things I Love About Eastbourne #1: The Marine at Christmas

Published on 2011-01-02 14:10:00

Now that I'm settling back into Eastbourne life after fifteen years away, I'm actively seeking out all the things I missed about the place during my Brighton and London years. As well as being a bit of a nostalgia kick, it also helps stave off any po > read more

My Favourite Songs of 2010

Published on 2011-01-01 11:25:00

More than photos, diary entries or spoken anecdotes, music is the most dependable keeper of memories; a song has the power to conjure a lost moment from the dusty archives of the heart and brain, bringing it into vivid life once more. For the last fe > read more

Ten Years in Brighton: A Retrospective

Published on 2010-12-03 05:04:00

On Monday I am moving back to Eastbourne, after a decade of living in Brighton. Most people, when I tell them this, look at me in a puzzled way and ask "why would you want to do that?". Or politely lament my departure whilst clearly thinking the same > read more

Legally Blonde the Musical, Starring Sheridan Smith

Published on 2010-11-14 09:52:00

I have never seen Legally Blonde the film, nor do I have any particular desire to do so, but when I heard the hype around Legally Blonde the Musical, I was intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. In fact it was Ant who first suggested we go and > read more

Brighton White Night 2010

Published on 2010-11-01 16:49:00

Brightonians don't exactly take much persuading to dress up and stay out all night at the best of times, but for the last few years White Night has given us an offical excuse to celebrate the art of noctural recreation. A free festival that takes pla > read more

Robyn at the Concorde 2

Published on 2010-10-30 04:35:00

I go to a lot of gigs, mostly in seedy pub function rooms or muddy fields at festivals and that's the way I like it. The last time I went to a genuine pop concert was back in 2008, when Neel persuaded me to go and see Kylie at the O2. It was certainl > read more

Middle Farm Apple Festival 2010

Published on 2010-10-26 14:07:00

You know autumn's arrived when Apple Festival rolls around. It always seems to be the event for which everyone finally relents and digs out their winter coats and hats and sturdy boots for a stomp around Middle Farm. And even though the sun does tend > read more

Waving at Strangers from Trains and Other Childhood Joys Rediscovered

Published on 2010-10-13 15:46:00

I was travelling back from a meeting in Guildford today, getting frustrated by technology (Macs. Argh.) and staring out of the window, when suddenly I was seized by a compulsion to wave at passengers on a passing train. I can only assume that my inne > read more