How’s your festive spirit level? Non-existent or overflowing with mulled wine? Now the lights are up and the temperatures are down, it’s all starting to feel a lot more Christmassy out there. It may still be only November, but with most of the winter fairs kicking off this weekend, Xmas tree farms opening, light trails starting up, and mince pies in the bakeries, we reckon it’s time to give in to the fun. Let’s go…
Get festive at a winter fair
This weekend sees the festive and makers’ fair season kick off in earnest and we’re very happy about that. We’re spoilt for choice with the first of Paper Daisy’s winter markets in their new venue, the huge coal storage shed at the lovingly restored Victorian British Engineerium in Hove (Saturday and Sunday; 10.30am – 4pm; free; no dogs). Paper Daisy always have a great line-up and they’re able to really go to town here, with over 100 indie makers and food/drink producers over two floors, plus live embroidery and art sessions over the weekend. Next up is Silver Spur makers’ market (Saturday; 10am – 4pm; free; dogs on a lead allowed). As well as excellent stalls from an eclectic array of unique sellers across jewellery, ceramics, art and more (such as Little Papa Dolls’ House, Rarebit Design, and Silver Spur herself), you’ll also find five pre-loved clothing stalls, one of which will be (wo)manned by yours truly. Come say hey! The first of Brighton Open Market’s Christmas Makers’ Markets kicks off on Saturday, too (10am – 5pm; free; dogs allowed), bringing gifts and decadent foodie treats (Honey Cake by Mary and Fika to name a couple) to the indie marketplace. Head over to beautiful Firle for the Charleston House Designer and Maker Fair, featuring over 30 carefully curated local and indie makers, including gorgeous Brighton perfume boutique Soliflore (Saturday and Sunday; 10am – 4pm; from £5; dogs on leads only allowed in the walled garden, shop and café). They’ll have a pop-up cafe selling festive treats and also wreath-making workshops (book in advance). It’s worth making a day of it with a visit to the gorgeous modernist house and gardens, too. Finally, round off your Sunday with a visit to Exeter Street Hall for their Christmas craft market (11am – 4pm; free).
Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November; various times and locations
Eat, drink and be merry French-style
Beaujolais Nouveau day was Thursday, but cosy community pub The Stirling Arms is continuing la fête into the weekend. There might not be fireworks like you’d see in France every year on the day the first bottles get released, but the Hove pub is going to town on all things French. They’ll be serving up dishes like pork rillette, coq au vin and crepe suzette all weekend, to be enjoyed with a bottle of this year’s new red, obviously, while the Sozzled Somm will lead a wine tasting on Saturday (5pm – 7pm), followed by a night of French-themed disco and funk. End the weekend on a chilled note with French-inspired jazz classics on Sunday evening from 7pm. Santé !
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th November; various times
3 Stirling Place, Hove, BN3 3YU
thestirlingarms.pub
Check out Brighton’s newest restaurant
We’re blessed with plenty of great new restaurant openings in Brighton, but we were very excited about this one as it ticks all our boxes, over-delivering on style AND substance. It’s the third Pearly Cow in the UK (after York and Margate) and we’re telling you now this seafront restaurant is going to be the hottest ticket in town. We were lucky enough to be invited along to a preview where executive chef Andrew MacKenzie (ex The Salt Room, The Restaurant at Drakes and Gleneagles) cooked up an absolute storm with creative and indulgent dishes celebrating local Sussex produce. There were zero misses here, but must-trys include the restaurant’s namesake Pearly Cow (beef tartare with Exmoor caviar and oyster cream), a succulent 45-day salt-aged fillet steak with bone marrow butter, and a light-as-air raspberry, pistachio and white chocolate trifle, easily the best we’ve ever eaten. It’s predominantly a steak and seafood restaurant – but veggies and vegans aren’t forgotten, the wild mushroom and farro risotto with British truffles, for example, is a decadent delight. And, to celebrate their opening, they’re offering a free glass of Chapel Down fizz to anyone lunching with them or eating between 5pm and 6pm (until 6th December). They’re also starting Taco Thursdays – tuck into two tacos and a margarita for £15. Get a table while you can!
Opens Friday 22nd November
123 Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2FY
pearlycow.co.uk
See a night of gloriously camp cabaret
Sister Brandy Bex has abandoned the wards again to bring her unique charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent back to Ironworks Studio for the sixth edition of her popular charity cabaret extravaganza. You’ll be treated to six cabaret, comedy and drag performers, including Aaron Marshall, Felix Le Freak, Aurora Starr, and Brandy Bex herself in all her sexy, sweary glory. But it’s not just about you having a great time (although you will), ticket sales support charity Nurse Lifeline, which provides mental health support to nursing and allied professionals – inspired by Brandy’s real-life alter ego, nurse Aiden.
Sunday 24th November; 8pm; from £15 (£50 gets you the plush two-seater sofa ‘royal box’)
Ironworks Studio, 30 Cheapside, Brighton, BN1 4GD
Get tickets
What else?
Greek restaurant Nostos in Hove are hosting a Christmas edition of their Big Fat Greek networking-meets-food and music Club with the ever-fabulous Cherry Bomb performing (Friday; 5pm; £55). Run and Rave are back with a festive version of their high-energy Friday run – Christmas hats at the ready (7pm; £7.99)! After the 5k, head back to Bison Beer for drinks discounts and a DJ. Local comedy rock band The Brown Stripes (or, in their words: “probably Brighton’s finest toilet-based comedy rock two-piece”) are playing at The Eddy on Friday (8.30pm; free). The huge Brighton Vintage Kilo Sale is at St Bartholomew’s on Saturday (11am – 5pm; from £2) and, if experimental music is your thing, then check out the Machine Learning night at The Brunswick in Hove (Sunday; 7pm) where six artists will be getting, you guessed it, experimental and ‘noise-mongering’ with new material and equipment. Or at the other end of the spectrum, get connected at Atomic Kirtan‘s night of multi-faith mantra-singing, dancing and meditation (Saturday; 7.15pm; from free).
Coming up next week
There are more charity dinners on the menu next Wednesday and Thursday with the Social Society and Badger Supper Club collab – this time, it’s all about Thai food. Head to the launch of a new beer, a Welsh red ale, at Kemptown’s Hand Brew pub next Wednesday. Robin Goch is the latest Art You Can Drink collab between the indie brewery and Welsh actor and musician Iwan Rheon. More supper clubs! Next Wednesday also sees Brighton Gin and Forgotten Cuts team up for a supper club (£70) in support of food education charity Prept (formerly Table Talk Foundation). Seed Talks are hosting a talk by vet Dr Bowen, helping us understand the psychology of our overlords and ladies, the domestic cat. Volume 3 of Basics, a stripped-back soul music and poetry night, is returning to the cosy Folklore Rooms next Thursday (7.30pm; £13.20). The previous two editions sold out quickly, so we’d get on this one sharpish. And next Friday, there’s a Reclaim the Night protest, meeting at Brighton station at 6pm, to make the streets safer for women. Afterwards, head along to Zest Wine Club for a Christmas wine-tasting with festive snacks (7pm – 11pm; £30).
Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line at hello@brightontheinside.co.uk.
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