There are some cafes that are recommended to me by friends, others I just happen to spot as I cycle around town and a few that I hear about on the grapevine. Joe’s is one that I’ve been meaning to visit for some time now with friends and family raving about its charm and great food. In between house visits, as part of my new property copywriting venture, I deduced that Joe’s was equidistant between my last appointment of the afternoon and home. Unless you’re familiar with the streets around the Port Hall area of Brighton the cafe is is a bit tucked away but it is definitely one worth seeking out.
I was told that Joe is no longer and the new owners are a family combo of Dan and Jane who are husband and wife along with Lynsey who is Dan’s sister. They sensibly decided to keep the original cafe name as it had such a strong following.
The bold turquoise walls set off well the reclaimed wooden tables and chairs reminiscent of those in my primary school dinner hall. There’s a profusion of fresh herbs growing in zinc pots around the room and stacks of old wooden crates filled with all sorts of goodies. Breakfasts are still the principal item on the menu and at £5 including tea or coffee sounds a good deal.There are plans to make use of the patio garden area out at the back which would be a great spot to sample one of their famed breakfasts.
The new owners are keen to use local suppliers of top quality sourcing their bread from the Real Patisserie, sausages, black pudding & bacon from Natural Farm, free range eggs from Holmansbridge Farm, juice from the award-winning Wobbleggate, pies from Magnificent Magpies Pies and cakes from the wonderful Brighton Cakery.
I was too late for the breakfast menu but thoroughly enjoyed my warming bowl of home made tomato and basil soup with fresh bread. Afterwards the spread of cakes caught my eye and I opted for the banana and walnut muffin which went down a treat with a mug of tea.
Miles Franklin an Australian writer titled her autobiography ‘ My Brilliant Career’ swiftly followed by ‘My Career Goes Bung’. Sometimes I feel as if I go through this process in one week, sometimes in the course of one day, so bountiful are the peaks and troughs as I carve out my new line of work. The trajectory is on the whole upwards so I should keep the faith. For the new cafe owners Dan, Jane and Lynsey I wish them all the best for success in their new business and if there is any justice Joes’s Cafe should continue to do very well indeed.
Whenever I visit Charleston I always make sure it’s a gorgeous day so that I can enjoy my tea and cake in the folly garden. The main Outer Studio cafe is indoors but there is a small walled garden through to the back where you can easily pass some time admiring the plants and flowers in this lovely secluded little spot.
After walking over the Downs for a good few miles starting from Bishopstone station and continuing along the Old Coach Road at the foot of the Downs some refreshments were in order. The cafe inside has whitewashed walls and a blackboard listing the cakes of the day which were all under wraps to ward off the wasps. Sitting on ceramic cake stands atop tables covered with colourful Bloomsbury style flower prints, the choice of cakes was just about right to easily make up your mind. A vintage record player filled the interior with smooth jazz notes while we placed our orders.
Outside water lilies float on the small pond in the centre of the gravelled walled garden with a statue of a naked figure looking as if he’s just about ready to leap in. All manner of foliage and summer flowers surround this central feature with colour and perfume. With seating of just a few tables set out here it was fortunate that the rush had just finished and we were able to choose a place in the shade. The pear and almond tart was perfect with my pot of tea and the chance to sit down and rest a while was welcome.
Later I took a walk around the larger cottage garden in full bloom and bursting with flowers and fruit. Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, the founders of the Bloomsbury group, lived in the farmhouse from 1916. They redesigned the garden in a style with more than a nod to the Mediterranean with mosaics, box hedges, gravel paths and ponds. It’s lovely to walk around and to come across secluded areas each with their own feature. Like the corner with the female torso with bright flowers bursting forth from it.
The Bloomsbury group were all about bringing together like minded writers, painters and intellectuals of the time and were fortunate enough to have such a beautiful house and garden to welcome them to. Most years I hold a summer garden party at home as an excuse to bring all my different strands of friends together. Even though many have never met before they usually all get on surprisingly well and it’s rewarding to see new connections being made.
Central park has just as much buzz as the rest of Manhattan albeit in a more spacious setting. The park is a massive patch of green space in the heart of the city and the New Yorkers come here to jog, cycle and play baseball with typical zeal and earnestness. After all this is their small slot of time and space to exercise and they’re going to make the most of it. Then there are the horse and carriage rides and the bike carriages too taking tourists on trips around the park’s inner route adding to the general throng. All of the city, as well as the park, has an air of familiarity about it somehow, probably because New York has been the backdrop to so many films and TV series.
A morning visit to The Met, which sits on the east side with its breathtaking views over the park from its roof garden, satisfied any cultural urges. A more prosaic need was to find a cafe for lunch. There are a few cafes dotted around the park and after getting slightly lost in this vast area with its woods, rocks, tiny paths, reservoir and turtle filled lake we came upon Le Pain Quotidien. This is an artisan bakers with a great array of tasty sandwiches and pastries. The outside terrace is perfect to take in the Manhattan skyline behind a foreground of trees. The park’s huge perimeter mean that you can’t hear or see the traffic on the nearby Avenues.
For observing a different side of Manhattan, a prime spot on the cafe terrace held my attention for ages. From young Latino girls pushing their privileged charges about in their prams while mom is out working to the young women in their gorgeous designer shift dresses immaculately poised and groomed with their Chanel handbags hanging effortlessly over their arm. Preppy boys actually exist, coiffed and sporting dashing blazers with the requisite brown brogues and straight legged chinos direct from a J Crew advert.
I remember reading in Alain de Boton’s wonderful Art of Travel about a philosopher who liked to just sit at train stations or ports rather than traveling through them himself. It was more about sitting and observing and imagining the stories about all the lives moving in and about the scene before him, thereby saving himself all the stresses and discomfort of travel. I can identify with his point of view and observing Manhattan life from the parks, High Line walkway and cafes were some of the best parts of my trip.
Spotting what I thought looked like a film shoot just a short way away I wandered over to see that it was Kevin Bacon doing a jogging scene for an upcoming Warner Brothers production. So my impressions of New York being like some huge film set are not so off target. Real life will seem very tame on my return home.
Manhattan is amazing. It’s like a film set with its iconic tall buildings, the ubiquitous yellow cabs and of course the New Yorkers themselves with their verve and style. Just around the corner from where we were staying on the Upper West Side we found this great little bakery. The colours are cream, pistachio green and pink to match the sweet confections produced within. The staff work tirelessly around the clock in the open kitchen mixing, stirring and baking everything fresh. The counter is heaped with an incredible array of fresh cupcakes, round cakes, tray bakes and muffins.
My choice of walnut, apple and cinnamon muffin was packed with fresh fruit and delicious. But really it’s all about the cupcakes with the PB&J – Peanut butter cake with grape jelly filling and peanut butter cream being the September special and the most requested. Sitting there watching the customers come in and line up along the long counter to order their cakes was endlessly fascinating. The New Yorkers are loud, brash and completely entertaining. The style was smart casual and being Manhattan most also carried a carrier bag filled with freshly bought purchases from the nearby designer stores.
Outside towards the sidewalk the Upper West Side area was heaving with life. On the wide Columbus Avenue yellow taxi cabs, cyclists and trucks were all vying for space. Calling down a cab the New Yorker has to venture into the middle of the road with arm stretched up pleadingly as the yellow cabs hurtle by downtown.
Getting your travel reading just right is quite a skill. .Recommended by a friend, The Love Affairs Of Nathaniel P. was perfect for a Manhattan trip. The lives and loves of 30 something New Yorkers is excruciatingly examined with wit as sharp as the tailoring of an Upper East Side woman’s clothing. Here this group of friends living in the micro bubble of the Manhattan literati angst over their relationships and their privileged lives. You don’t have to read this book while in New York but having the vibrancy of this city around stokes the atmosphere even more. Life imitated art at the Magnolia when I overheard a conversation which could have come straight out of this Manhattan relationship bible: She asks’ Do you have a girlfriend?’ With the reply from him ‘No, I just have lots of girls I date.’ Adelle Waldman, the author, had clearly been listening in to more than a few conversations before crafting her astutely written tale.
Magnolia have five stores in Manhattan all open right though the day to usually 10pm at night. The store was featured in an episode of Sex & The City. So, if it’s good enough for Carrie and the girls then it’s definitely good enough for me.
The Crumpetty Tree takes its name from a nonsense poem by Edward Lear and overlooks the verdant foliage from the south side of Palmeira Square. Lots of natural light streams through the distinctive bow window and there’s an easy going feeling about the place. Angie owns and runs this great little deli and it very much got her stamp on it. There’s a mismatch of wooden chairs and tables all topped with fresh flowers giving a relaxed feel, set off with the bold black and white tiled flooring. Unsurprisingly trees are featured in the decor with some tables illustrated with a bespoke branch design and the rear wall is highlighted with a quirky motif of tree-perched squirrels and birds. Stacked on muted green shelves are local chutneys, jams and deli treats. There’s additional space with sofas and a table seating around six in an adjoining space towards the back.
Being a cafe-deli there is a good choice of fresh produce and tasty morsels if you’re stopping by for something filling all presented in the deli counter. Some home made specials include caramelised onion, roast vegetable and feta tart and mushroom, leek, potato and blue cheese pie. Then there’s also the sandwich menu and picnic boxes to tempt you with everything as fresh and sourced as locally as possible.
I was enjoying a pot of tea with my mate Karen who organises the meet up group Fresh Air . It was through one of her workshops that I first came across the cultural historian Roman Krznaric whose book I have just finished reading. ‘The Wonderbox: Curious Histories of How to Live’ is the sort of book that I wish I could have read when starting out on adult life. From relationships, making a living and discovering the world to breaking conventions, it’s packed full of wise ideas prompting reflections on the path you’ve taken and opening your eyes to a different manner of living.
The Crumpetty Tree may have a nonsense name but it’s got its roots in the right place. What better place to meet a friend to catch up and chat about life while enjoying the sunny ambience.
Appropriating the branch copy of The Times I sat down with my pot of Darjeeling and took a good look around. I know it’s considered positive to be informed about what is going on in the world but as one war tails off another one starts in yet another far flung country. As one horrendous train accident starts to fade in our memory then along comes another tragic coach disaster. A few years ago I decided to read a lot less magazines and newspapers and to spend most of my reading time on books instead. Moreover, recently I’ve noticed that after a stint of listening to the news on the Today programme on radio 4 I begin to switch off and pick up on where I last left off on my current novel instead. Escapism or realism, you make your choice.
There used to be just the roastery at Gladstone Villas now there is an adjoining branch of Small Batch both just down the road from Hove station. The cafe has that industrial look that Small Batch favour with corrugated aluminium around the serving area but tempered by the oak counter and fresh flowers on each table in a clear retro milk bottles.All the seating is of their trademark
high stool variety upholstered in khaki green set around four high tables. Though there are also some huge coffee bean bags on the floor but I wasn’t sure if they were just being stored there or if they were for sitting on. Being so close to Hove station it’s got a different feel from the other branches being more a passing through sort of place rather than one to get comfy in but still with the usual buzz.
Their bespoke crockery adds a personal touch and even though they pride themselves on their coffee they haven’t forgotten their tea drinkers. There are around a dozen different loose leaf teas to choose from all coming served in a cafetiere type teapot with free top ups for thirsty customers.
I watched the rain lash down outside from a metal grey sky. Given the recent heatwave the cool breeze, brought on by the change in climate, wafting in through the open door was welcome. I turned to the pullout section of the newspaper for a bit of light relief from the hard news. I’ll opt for escapism every time whether it’s being lost in a great book or taking time out at a new branch of Small Batch
I’ve never been to Barcelona but I’ve seen images of the amazing Gaudi mosaics and artwork that abound there. As I’ve got older I seem to have much less of a travel bug than I had when younger, preferring home comforts to new exploration. Nowadays a lot of my travel is done vicariously either through books or films and sometimes I get to feel as if I have actually been to a place so well is it portrayed. I’m thinking here of the Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona When the filming and photography are this good do you really need to physically go there too?
When you’re looking for a cafe with a little outdoor terrace with a Spanish feel and one that’s tucked back from the buzz of the North Laine then you’d do well choosing Inside Out. At the corner of Kensington Place and Gloucester Road there’s one of those quieter corners with an elevated decking area where if you’re lucky enough to get an outside table you get to sit in the shade and watch the world go by. The terrace’s walls sport a colourful Gaudiesque mosaic in bright hues of red, green blue and yellow. There’s an artful railing and a touch of greenery which all added together make this one of Brighton’s great outdoor spots that hint of of that great Spanish city.
Inside the mosaic theme continues 
on the tables with cool tiled flooring and bold white walls giving a summery Mediterranean feel. Retro styled chairs are another quirky touch but it’s the mirror to the back of the cafe, that inspired the cafe’s name, that’s the feature to check out. The loo is just behind the mirror and only those that venture here will find out what freaky revelation is to be discovered. It’s worth a visit for this alone.
Meanwhile out on the decked terrace we tucked into some superb roasted vegetable wraps and mozzarella melts all amply garnished with tortilla chips, sour cream and chive dip and mixed leaves and cherry tomato salad. British summers may not match those of the Med but it was just about warm enough to sit outside. Maybe it’s time to get out my copy of The Food of Love by Anthony Capella to experience a balmy week away in Italy for a bargain price and to be transported straight there.
I’m sure I will still take the time and effort to travel out of my comfort zone here at home now and again but in the meanwhile I will continue my itinerary of vicarious traveling including just popping into a Brighton cafe and using my imagination.
Us townies have a particular view of the countryside. The green space beyond our city boundaries we see as for leisure and recreation. For centuries the countryside was a place of heavy labour and food production, and still is, but to a much smaller proportion of the population. To stride out along time-worn pathways and through ancient tiny villages is to converse with the narrative of the landscape.
Not far from Hampden Park station we took a steep path signposted to Jevington. The climb was worth the exertion with fabulous views from the top near the old trig point overlooking Eastbourne and the coast. You could see the Brighton & Hove bus number 12 trundling along the Beachy Head road in the far distance. An easy downhill followed along the well worn track of the South Downs Way into the sleepy valley below and the village of Jevington. When I come across places like this I often wonder if I really am living in the crowded south-east so as the setting is so peaceful and deserted. A picnic stop by the centuries old church in shade of a beautiful tree in full pink blossom set us up for the next few miles of walking.
Just one more climb up out of the 
valley passing woodlands pungent with sweet wild garlic. Then we crossed over Lullington Heath with its golden yellow gorse bushes in full bloom, one of the last remaining heathland areas on the Downs. Downhill again towards the village of Litlington sitting in yet another tranquil valley and on spotting the church spire from the top of the hill we knew we were reaching the end of our walk.
Apart from the feel-good factor of being in the great outdoors, the other reason for all this rambling was Litlington Tea Gardens. These quaint tea gardens were established around 150 years ago and still retain much of their Victorian charm. The large gardens are surrounded by mature trees and have loads of little nooks and crannies so it’s worth having a bit of a look around before choosing your spot. As well as the tables and benches on the lawn there are plentiful summerhouses surrounding the gardens providing bountiful private seating areas.
Litlington are proud of their cream teas and home made cakes. We sampled some of their chocolate cake and apple and blackberry pie with ice cream washed down with pots of tea served at the table on huge trays. Its the perfect spot on a sunny day. Litlington also have a nursery, crystal shop and gift store all worth a browse before catching the Cuckmere Valley rambler bus back to Berwick station for the return train to Brighton.
I’ve just finished reading That Summer at Hill Farm by Miranda French which tells brilliantly through fiction the dichotomy of living in the Sussex countryside and it’s not all rosy down on the farm. The countryside will always remain for me a place for walking and cycling and not for living in as I’m a city dweller at heart. Though I love to know that the rural idyll is just on my doorstep.
It’s so easy to get distracted from what you want to do each day. I’ve just spent an hour or so browsing through the Guardian’s bookstore and then ordering a load of books recommended on the site from Brighton and Hove libraries. This is a bit of an austerity measure on my part and of course a way of supporting my local library service too. As I read on average a book a week then add to that number the books I start and decide not to finish that’s around 150 books a year. At say £8.00 per book new that would come to around £1,200 a year. An expensive pastime but as most of them are sourced from my local library, at a reserve charge of 50p each time, and the rest bought in charity shops and a few borrowed from friends I save around £1,100 a year.
Another money saving tip is to go to the Llama farm and just visit the cafe. I do have a soft spot for llamas as they are very cute. So combining the two, a cafe with llamas? When you enter the first thing you’re aware of is the pan pipe music of South America as you walk through the gift shop. The scarves and bags are made from the most incredibly soft wool but you have to be very determined and continue headlong direct for the cafe.
The cafe has wonderful views 
over the Sussex Weald being on a high point at the edge of the Ashdown Forest. There’s a patio and lots of outdoor seating but with the sharp easterly still blowing we decided on a table indoors. The colours are warm yellow and terracotta with light natural wood seating. The food is simple and all home made. I tucked into a warming and tasty butternut squash and vegetable crumble with salad while my fellow llama lovers went for the baked potato options, all very reasonably priced. There are Llama shortbread biscuits to continue the theme and some quirky Llama baked bites with the mantra ‘ One mammal’s mission to rid the world of boring snacks.’ The South American theme is evident in the ceramic vases on each table and the shelves of ornaments.
Suitably replenished we walked back through the gift shop again on the way out and marvelled for the second time at how soft the wool was and got distracted by the jewellery, pottery and musical instruments. We even spotted some llamas grazing outside. It’s probably worth the entrance fee to go and have a proper look at the llamas and alpacas but for this visit anyway the cafe for lunch and the browse around the gift shop was sufficient novelty for the time being.
Life offers many wonderful distractions from cafes to llamas and books to lunch. Some of them can save you money while others are worthwhile just for themselves. The trick is to combine these elements and make for an austerity rich sort of life.
Follow Tom the Llama on twitter at Llama Tom
Find out more about the Llama Park
A change of scene always gets your mind moving, changes your perspective and gives you a chance to mull over new ideas. We’d spent an invigorating day’s walking along the stunning Holkam beach from Wells-next-the Sea to Brancaster Staithe along the Norfolk coastal path. Huge, wide open skies and miles of dunes backed by pine forests. All very different from my usual stroll along Hove promenade. Though with one main similarity, a tea stop at the end.
A chance to sit down and rest our weary muscles and drink some tea was top of the list after an exhilarating day in Norfolk’s great outdoors. Though strictly a small hotel, bar and restaurant The White Horse also does a fine pot of tea. The indoor setting reflects the natural vista beyond being all driftwood mirrors, comfy wicker furniture and with a colour scheme of dreamy washed out blues and creams with a dash of sun burnt red. The seating area looks through the conservatory restaurant facing directly northwards over the vast area of fens and marshes. Over the late afternoon the tide gradually came in lifting up the small wooden boats from the mudflats and changing the view out entirely. The music was as mellow as the gently shifting seascape outside making this stop a very chilled out one indeed.
I’ve been reading The Job Delusion, 
a book written by a fellow Scot and now Brightonian like myself. Kevin eschews the notion of jobs bringing financial stability to our lives and instead embraces the idea of personal financial freedom. There’s loads of ideas to mull over and I agree with lots of the suggestions the book describes. Time to move on my life another step, in a bolder direction. In the meanwhile I can sip on another cup of tea as the tide slowly flows in closer still. But not for too much longer as it’ probably about time to act and make the life changes happen.
We stayed at the wonderful Deepdale independent hostel
Cafe Dharma 