“Sweet, crazy conversations full of half sentences, daydreams and misunderstandings more thrilling than understanding could ever be.”

Wednesday was a sister day! My biggest sister, Becky, has spent the best part of the last 5 months on a beach in the sunshine in India running a yoga retreat. She arrived home last week and on Wednesday popped down to Brighton to see me.

We spent the day pottering, eating, drinking and laughing - the perfect way to catch up!

First we went to Lewes. It's a gorgeously quaint town in Sussex, fully if cobbled streets, boutique shops and cafes and some very cute green spots. We wandered down to Southover Grange which in summer will be the perfect picnic spot - blossom trees, formal gardens and beautiful flowers. It was fun exploring a new town so close to uni (Lewes is about 10 minutes away in the car) and having my sister there to do if with was perfect as she knows all the good spots!

She took me to the most amazing little shop: Wickle. Situated on Lewes high street, the boutique sells everything from homewares to fabrics; gifts of every description to clothes; to children's toys, clothes, accessories and most importantly of all cake!

And then on for coffee and cake at the Flint Owl bakery. Gorgeous breads, pastries, brownies - I could have tried everything but felt that I should hold out for lunch. The tables are long and wooden, filling the middle of the shop. We sat down next to two old ladies who discussed the ways of the world with us in great detail - the problems of second marriages and how different young people have it these days. I think they knew our entire family lineage after all the questioning and before they left to go exploring!

Next, it was on to Middle Farm. About another 10 minutes down the A27 the farm is fairly typical. Farm shop, animals, restaurant. You know what they're like. Only this one was special, it makes and sells cider. Mmm cider. One of my absolute favourite things!

Wandering through the grounds you reach a fairly non descript shed. The real reason for the visit!!

You can try everything! Help yourself to a tasting cup and off you go!

We giggled about the names: glass of Suicide anyone?

And this one was definitely the most delicious in my book - East Stour Blackcurrant Cider. Basically alcoholic Ribena - what's not to like?

You buy the cider in plastic containers that you fill yourself.

Double Vision Perry it was!

And finally we headed to the Ram Inn for lunch. Post cider of course. Recommended by friends I was really looking forward to sampling the menu!

The food was delicious. We went for the Chargrilled Asparagus and Spring Onion Salad, served with green olives and leek tapenade, and the Portobello Mushrooms in Polenta Toast with warm baby spinach and truffle oil to share, with a portion of chips on the side for good measure!! Such delicious food and I will definitely be heading back again to sample some more of the mouth watering menu!

Such a perfect way to catch up with my sister and always lovely to visit and explore new places on the doorstep! Roll on summer and long afternoons in country pubs.

Macaroons, slot machines & far too many seagulls!

After a week of being in bed with flu, Saturday was a sunny day and my housemate Helen and I decided that we needed to get out and enjoy it. Brighton really is at its best when the sun shines!

We began by trekking up the hill to Kemp Town, a bohemian part of Brighton, filled with boutique cafes, quaint pubs and more charity shops than you can imagine! Right at the top of the bigbigbig hill is one of my favourite cafes, the Real Patisserie and Bakery. There are three branches of the patisserie, but the Kemp Town one is by far my favourite, tucked away at the top of St George's Road, with a single long wooden table in the middle of the shop; perfect for breakfast. We went for the macaroons. £1 each and incredible. I think I'm quite the macaroon connoisseur (basically I'm a bit obsessed!) and these really are good. 

Macaroons, and other yummy goodies. I'm gonna admit that I couldn't resist the last piece of sundried tomato, pesto, pine nut and roasted red onion pizza - amazing!

Helen had never had a macaroon before so after 21 years I decided it was time to change that and I think that she was convinced!! It was such a gorgeous day that we decided to take out our goodies and wander down to the seafront. We walked past the gorgeous town houses and the best balcony - imagine having breakfast with a view of the sea everyday. I would be out there wrapped in blankets, no matter what the weather I think!

We wandered along the promenade, considering how much nicer the beach is when it's not covered in half naked tourists but contemplated that we really should make more of an effort to somehow end up by the volleyball courts whenever possible to watch the beautiful boys playing. Brown, beautiful boys has to be one of the best bits of summer, and perks of living by the beach no?! 

Somehow, we ended up on the pier, playing with the slot machines. I completely regressed back to being ten years old and on cold English beaches with my parents for winter weekends away and loved every minute of it! Managing to resist the bucking bronco and rides was a challenge but somehow we managed to stay vaguely classy but we just about managed it and headed home to walk up in bed until the heating came on! The perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday.