Blog The Oriental Brighton

Both residents and visitors to Brighton are aware, our seagulls are a fascinating and terrorising feature of the seafront. With their morning screeching adding to many a hangover, and their daredevil raids depleting BBQs across the city, had Alfred Hitchcock spent more time in Brighton, I suspect The Birds may have starred seagulls instead of crows.

Entering into bird warfare, we here at the Oriental have just employed our Scare-Gull, a half metre tall Owl Decoy we have named Oscar. Owls being one of the only predatory birds seagulls are known to avoid.

After an afternoon spent positioning Oscar on the roof last week, we have definitely and happily noticed less Seagulls. I remain sceptical at long term peace however, mostly because though Oscar is a stately 22 inches tall, some seagulls here are the size of a medium sized dog, with the lofty arrogance of a well fed house cat.

Lets all hope Oscar survives the Summer.

Being new to Brighton, I have felt it is my professional duty to try and visit as many of the numerous places to eat, drink, go out and be entertained as I can. Though trying to get close to Catherines knowledge of Brighton is going to be tough, not to mention expensive…

Early this weekend (May 1st) I celebrated the 10th anniversary of a friends 19th birthday, by having brunch with some of his friends. One of our group was woman named Emma; who is in Brighton with the circus group Nofitstate, whose perfomance Tabu is part of the Fringe Festival.

The birthday boy choose to take us to ‘Bills’, a bustling eatery in the North Laines, that also serves as an organic greengrocer of sorts. The Brighton ‘Bills’ property (there is another in Lewes) is oddly understated from the outside, though inside, with the the towering shelves filled with bottles, jars, cans and other food stuffs, the rustic tables and chairs, and brightly dressed and friendly staff, you can quickly see why this is such a popular place.

The food was fantastic, and eagerly catered for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. I had a Moroccan spiced tomato, chick pea, garlic and shallot soup, which was delicious, and unfortunately - you will understand why later - very filling. Then I enjoyed a peppered steak sandwich, piled high with roasted vegetables, which led to the inevitable hands vs knife and fork debate… (manners eventually beating hunger)

Why was a filling starter unfortunate? Because the cakes at ‘Bills’ are a marvel both on the eye and on the tongue. Words really cannot explain how spectacular these confectionary creations are… can chocolate and fruits and sugar really look like that? I did steal a small bite from one of our parties plate, but could not have managed much more. I look forward to my next visit, and may just start with dessert.

Food/Drink     4     Service     4     Atmosphere     5

Bills
The Depot, 100 North Road, BN1 1YE
www.billsproducestore.co.uk

(Have you eaten at Bills or is there somewhere you recommend? Why not leave a review, comment or message)

After Emma (and the birthday boys) glowing recommendation, I finished off my Friday night at the nofitstate circus production of Tabu.

It was unbelievable!

Truly astounding, I feel a little naive, as if maybe all modern Circus is like this, but I have been assured, its not. There are no seats, no ring side, it is a promenade performance and the acts happen above, in front and within the audience. Get there early if you enjoy audience participation. Stewards direct and protect you from getting too close to the action, but the performance still feels intimate.

I won’t write much for fear of ruining it for anyone looking at going. I will say, if you speak Italian get me some revenge and speak back to the Italian man! Oh and watch out for the tiny lady who is without a doubt the darling of the show, and what a clown should truly be!

The classic trapeze, wheels, fire eating, hula hoops, tight rope walking (check out her shoes!) are all given startling twists. I think the most dramatic was something called a Cradle where the acrobatics drew shocked gasps and applause from the audience.

Dark, Dramatic, Hilarious, Energetic and Unmissable. Tabu’s only real problem is that with so much action going on all around you, you are guaranteed to miss something, which I fear is going to be a metaphor for the entire Brighton Festival.

It is on until May 10th and if you are already booked during this time or wish to make a booking and would like us to organise tickets for you, just give me a call.

Food/Drink   n/a (though there is a bar)    Service  n/a    Atmosphere   5  (electric!)

Tabu: My Fear and Yours
www.nofitstate.org
08448 480910

(Have you seen this Show, or would you recommend one to see? Why not leave a review, comment or message.)

The Brighton Festival celebrates its 43rd year in 2009 and, as always, unveils a sensational programme of exciting events. The Festival, with a reputation for innovative and creative performance, is the biggest and boldest multi-arts festival in England. Brighton Festival is also delighted to welcome Turner Prize winning artist Anish Kapoor to the newly created role of Guest Artistic Director for 2009 with a number of his works presented across the city throughout the Festival.

With 26 premieres and exclusives, including 7 events commissioned byBrighton Festical, plus 11 free outdoor events, this year’s Brighton Festival promises three weeks of serious fun.

www.brightonfestival.org
Tickets and Info: 01273 709709

Along with our superb rooms and delicious breakfasts, our staff are what make the Oriental one of the finest boutique guesthouses in Brighton. So perhaps introductions are in order.

Catherine - The Proprietor - has lived in Brighton since April 2004 and has a wealth of local knowledge about the area, so feel free to pick her brain. She also speaks un tres mauvais François.

Michael - The Manager - brings friendly, service with a smile, from Downunder. As well as a New Zealanders fiercely competitive streak to Concierge. If you need tickets, reservations, flowers, movies, gym access etc, well you get the picture.

Alex - Our Brazilian Bartender and Receptionist - loves making cocktails, so feel free to ask him to create something special for you.

Nathalie - Long suffering girlfriend of Catherine and Brittany’s answer to Cybil Fawlty. She is on hand to help out in a variety of roles and is a native French speaker.