Inspiring Brighton

When I think back of the two days my friends and I spent in Brighton, what pops into my head first is that Brighton is a town of contrasts; rows of elegant Georgian terraces, hip young people in colourful outfits, skating between the buses in the crowded city centre, old ladies in pink cardigans sitting behind a slot machine and the splendour of  George IV Royal Pavilion, that just blows you away. I loved it! Walking through the lanes, looking at the shop windows and the people that pass you on the street.

We stayed at Whitburn Lodge, which I can recommend to you.
The Bed & Breakfast is situated in a quiet street nearby the seaside. It has lovely rooms. They are not big, but beautifully decorated. The owner Louise is very friendly and gives you lots of advise on shops and places to visit. She also cooks a delicious English breakfast!

Louise advised us to go to Snoopers paradise (Kensington Gardens 7-8) which we loved. It's shabby, ramshackle, a mix of quirky and kitsch, but just perfect! A real treasure trove, full of vintage clothing, Art Deco ornaments, porcelain, glassware, old postcards, 1960s and 70s furniture etc. I enjoyed walking along the stalls, seeing what was on display and picking an old black and white photograph and some porcelain cups and plates out myself. One of my friends found an amazing 1950s ball gown.

When you are in Brighton, love vintage and snooping, just visit the shop. I know you will love it!

I am off once more. This time to Budapest for a long weekend, to meet two dear blog friends. So very exciting!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Love,

Madelief x

Quince

 

You will probably call me a fool, posting about a flower shop before I post about the gardens and places I visited in England, but this flower shop was far from ordinary. I simply had to share it with you first.

While walking through The Lanes in Brighton, some beautifully arranged spring bouquets caught the attention of me and my friends. What struck us most was the the use of seasonal wild flowers and  classic and timeless blooms, like roses, peonies and lilacs. All loosely arranged in vases, modern or antique or in a simple enamel cup. Much thought was given to the colour palette.

While searching the internet later, I found out that the shop owners are two London florists, who managed the flower shop at Liberty's. Well, that makes sense!!

While oohing and aahing outside, the friendly shop owner asked us in to have a look. We were amazed. Although tiny, the flower shop had lots of atmosphere. There were beautiful antique pieces on display, from small vases and jugs to one off pieces of furniture.

When in Brighton, do visit. You can find Quince on 2 Nile Street.

Before I am off to the kitchen preparing Rhubarb pie for tomorrow, I would like to thank you for your kind comments on my last post. I enjoyed reading which spring flowers are your favourites. Please excuse me for not leaving many comments myself this week, but the attraction of the garden is too strong to resist. How I cherish the beautiful weather we are having in Holland at the moment :-)!

Wish you all a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the sun wherever you are.

Love,

Madelief x

 

May garden

After five lovely days in England, I arrived home Sunday afternoon. My friends and I had a good time, visiting gardens, walking around Brighton and Tenterden and catching up with each other. Although we had some showers, great part of the week was pleasant. The temperatures mild. Perfect for spending outdoors.

I haven't sorted out my photo's yet, so I hope you don't mind waiting a little bit longer before I show you which gardens and places I visited and and what I brought home with me.

Today's photo's were taken in my garden just before I left for England. You can see I have lots of Aquilegia's in the front and back garden. My Alliums were almost in bloom, so were my corn flowers and geranium Wargrave pink. One of my favourites at the moment is the lilac phlox 'Clouds of perfume'. The abundance of colour, the smell and the fact that it lasts in a vase for more than a week makes it just perfect for me.

What's your favourite flower in bloom at the moment?

The little bunch of flowers in the enamel jug consists of Bluebells, Spanish hyacinths, phlox Clouds of perfume & Cow Parsley.

Happy Wednesday!

Love,

Madelief x

Orange and rhubarb cake & vintage finds

It's in the shops for a short period of time only, but when it's there I take my chance and put the long red stalks in my cart.  

Rhubarb. My family and I love it's distinctive and unique flavour. A big bonus is, that it's rich in vitamins too. Normally I use rhubarb in compotes and crumbles, but this time I decided on an orange rhubarb cake. It turned out to be a good choice. It was probably one of the best cakes I made lately: fresh, moist and not too sweet. I can recommend it to you. If you are interested in the recipe, you can find it on this blog.

In today's post some of the things I found at the flea market in Delft on Queens day: a blue tin, a glass bottle, two Blue Danube cups, a green 1960s vase and a blue tin deux chevaux. The total price of my finds was less than seven euro. How much fun can shopping be!

Next week I will be taking a short holiday. I am off to Kent and Sussex to enjoy the English countryside, see some gardens and catch up with the two dear friends that accompany me.

Wish you all a happy week!

Love,

Madelief x