Food, Glorious Food!

Ok so I do realise that I come across as being a little obsessed with food. This is because I am. So I have decided to write a short blog post about food just so I can get it out of my system and display some lovely pictures I took. You see, recently I have become a little fanatical about taking pictures of food, especially if it's well presented. I'm not really sure how it all started but I fear that it is spiraling into a quirky obsession.

So without any further ado, may I present (drum roll please):

The food of Eastbourne!!

Malteser Madness Sundae ( I did share it!)

Relaxing with a cup of gunpowder vanilla tea

So the girls in the cast got together for a lovely dinner at a local Italian restaurant. They had 3 course set menu for about £12 and wow…what value for money! We had no idea that the food would be so beautifully presented and delicious. And the portion sizes were uncharacteristically large for a ‘set menu’ meal. I guess that’s what happens when you get out of London…

Of course I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t of had a classic fish and chips at least ONCE when I was by the seaside. So I went to the famous Harry Ramsden’s, which claims to serve the best fish and chips IN THE WORLD. Hmmmm not so sure about that but it was pretty good for £7! Definitely not everyday dining though…

The other night the lads of the cast had a lovely, sophisticated dinner party at their place and Alyssa made a delicious creamy tomato chicken and pasta dish. Ah, how spoilt we are!

Eastbourne Food Rating: 8/10. For a small town there was quite a lot of choice when it came to dining out and I was particularly impressed with The Plantation, a cafe that specialised in loose leaf tea (a pot was only £1.90). Also, I know that I keep mentioning the sundaes but the choice was unbelievable and is definitely a contributing factor to this high score. They will indeed be sorely missed! (But my waist line will be thankful).

Next stop...Woking.

Presenting…The Eastbourne Awards!

So…my special time with Eastbourne has come to an end. Three weeks have passed and now I’m back in London for a fun filled week of rehearsals before we open the show in Woking! Time certainly does fly…

So the time has come to offer a summary of my lovely experiences in Eastbourne and present some awards.

Best place to ‘hang out:’ It could be no other than the wonderful Favo'loso. I like to think of this place as an ‘all round diner.’ You can really get everything that your heart desires. From amazing sundaes, to baked potatoes, baguettes and lovely pots of tea. It is lovely and spacious with indoor and outdoor seating and located literally a hop, skip and jump from the theatre door. Cast members could be found here at ANY time of the day.

Most unusual sighting: The giant seagulls that think they have the same rights as human beings.

Things to avoid: The mobility scooters and walking frames

What I’ll miss most of all: Eating those amazing ice cream sundaes!

A Must Do: Strolling along the beach

Least favourite thing: All that blue rinse!

Favourite Sign:

Such important news in Eastbourne

Most impressed with…the way the Chinese have made their mark on this sleepy seaside town. They have their own little Chinatown happening! Awesome.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Overall, a lovely seaside town to hang out in, good choice of shops and eateries but sometimes the generation gap is just too wide!

Oh I do like to live beside the seaside...

London, I Love You

So I know that this blog is primarily for writing about places in the UK that I’m touring to, but I just couldn’t help but pause for a moment and revisit the city closest to my heart: London. I made the decision that whilst I was rehearsing in Eastbourne I would commute back to this wonderfully crowded, expensive, polluted city on the weekends, and let me tell you I have not regretted that decision.

You see, the fresh seaside air, giant seagulls, friendly people and amazing icecream sundaes is good for a while. Actually to be exact, it is good for five days in a week. The other two days are best spent back in chaotic London…dodging the crowds, cursing the tube and trading in the sound of seagulls for honking buses. This might all sound a little crazy…but then again, you have to be at least a little crazy to move to the other side of the world and exchange dollars for pounds; sunshine for grey.

I have a love/hate relationship with this city. I think that everyone does. There is no doubt that it is a difficult place to live. There is a heaviness that comes with living in one of the biggest most exciting places on earth. The lack of sunshine certainly does not inspire you to get out of bed in the morning and if you find yourself on Oxford Street anytime between 12pm-6pm you actually begin to contemplate murder. But then just as you want to throw your hands up in the air and give up, the sun comes out for one beautiful second and people smile at you on the street and you realise why you are here. There is nothing quite like a walk along the beautiful (if not dirty) Thames in the sunshine, looking out at Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral, and passing by Shakespeare’s Globe. Nor is there anything more delightful than strolling down the architecturally stunning Regent Street or watching the street performers and opera singers in Covent Garden with a SNOG in hand.

But most of all, it’s the people. A wise person once said to me that it’s not the city itself that matters but the friends that you have in it, and I can say with absolute confidence that I am surrounded by the most generous, loving friends anyone could ask for. And THAT is why I come back to London on the weekends.

Even BEFORE my train had departed Eastbourne I knew I was to have dinner on the table when I arrived home and a weekend of catchups with wonderful people.

Perhaps it was this thought that led to the feeling of joy I experienced when I disembarked at Victoria station, or as I sat on the stuffy tube playing solitaire on my iphone. When I stepped out and smelt the dirty air at Stockwell, I actually smiled and thought, ‘Hello London, I’m home.’

Even my favourite homeless black man was waiting for me! He often sits outside Stockwell station with very few teeth, a Jamaican doily hat and a huge smile on his face, strumming one chord on his guitar and sporadically composing songs. That man will sit there all day and all night…sometimes I’ve come home at 10pm or 11pm and he’s still there, strumming and smiling away yelling ‘God bless you’ to the people who put money in his hat (and let me tell you, there ALWAYS seems to be money in his hat…maybe that’s why he’s so happy?)

Today as I passed Mr Toothless Singing Man with my brand knew wheelie suitcase, I couldn’t help but break into my own smile. That’s the thing about London, just when you least expect it it sneaks up on you and offers you such a simple, unexpected gesture that you can’t help but fall in love. I know that there are many more beautiful, safer, cleaner places than STOCKWELL, yet today as I strolled past the government housing, walked under permanent scaffolding and glanced at the young man sitting on his dirty front stoop drinking beer and looking out onto the main road, I felt a sense of love for this place that I call home. I saw it in a way that is only possible to those who leave and then return. And that will be my life for the next year…leaving and returning, leaving and returning. They say home is where the heart is, and for me, right at this moment my heart is right here, in good ol’ London town. J

On Carnaby Street, this man was randomly dancing in 70's clothes?! And THIS is why I love London.

A Bit About Eastbourne...

So for those of you who don't know, Eastbourne is a smallish seaside town just south east of Brighton (which is a holiday destination, famous for it's carnival on the pier and rocky 'beach.') Eastbourne is a lot less touristy than Brighton (in other words, not as much going on) and there tends to be a rather large aging population (I have never seen so many walking frames and mobility scooters in all my life). However, despite this I actually feel quite a substantial amount of affection for this unassuming seaside gem. The town centre isn't particularly big but there still is everything one could want; A large Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer (my favourite store in the UK) and for clothes there's a Primark and even a Topshop! I also found myself wandering into a department store yesterday with very cheap leather handbags and swarms of elderly people. I suddenly felt like I was back in Asia, bargain hunting amongst the crowds....although thank goodness, this crowd wasn't quite as pushy!

And speaking of Asia, chinese culture has by no means been forgotten. In actual fact I was highly impressed with the number of chinese restaurants and even acupuncture and traditional medicine on the main drag leading to the beach. When I went into a store to buy some 'footsies' I swear the lady behind the counter was from Hong Kong...I was SO CLOSE to speaking some Cantonese but alas, nerves got the better of me. :( I must say though, it is refreshing to know that if I do get tired of the 'Englishness' of it all, I can easily escape into 'Mr Hau's Oriental Express' for some dim sum. Best of both worlds I reckon!

Another thing that I have noticed in Eastbourne is the incredible value for money. Perhaps I'm simply not used to being out of the 'Big Smoke' that is London (and let me tell you, you notice

just how polluted London is after you've been in the fresh sea air!) I actually passed a pub that serves traditional English roasts for only £2.99! Incredible.

I must say though, what I am enjoying most of all is the feeling of being back in Suburbia again. There is something so comforting about walking into an Arcade that has all the staple shops, but very little choice. There is a smell in there that is universal, whether you're in the UK, Australia or even Asia. It's difficult to put your finger on but when I'm in those arcades dodging the phone stores on my left, the cheap hair salons on my right and the mobility scooters that seem as though they are trying to run you down, I feel as though I am home.

And so it begins….First Stop: Eastbourne.

First week of ‘nun life’ and let me tell you, it is strenuous! I had no idea that becoming a stage nun could be so difficult. Firstly I was required to try on my lovely habit (which I looked SMASHING in). Next was a meeting with my fellow ‘sisters,’ which we did over tea and biscuits and finally there was some delightful Latin chanting. All in all, a productive work week…(3 hours in total).

So I was left with 21 hours to myself. Hmmm what should I do during my ‘work day?’ Well, turns out there are many important things to do for a soon-to-be nun in Eastbourne. When one finds oneself by the seaside on a sunny day or two, one must partake in VERY important tasks:

Sunbathing

Tossing a football carelessly with friends

Icecream

Photo taking

General frolicking.

So that is what I have managed to do so far. I have met a lovely group of people all with varied accents (even Scottish, my favourite!) and I have now undertaken the very important job of ‘getting to know them.’ You may laugh, but seeing as we are going to be travelling together for the next YEAR I feel that it is very important to begin the socialising and character analysis nice and early. Don’t forget that drama is what we all do for a living so I’m sure there are some exciting times ahead. J

For now I think we’re all just enjoying each other’s company and focusing on the tough work ahead. Ah, the joys of being an actor. Is there anything more divine?