As many people do, I love to photograph doorways, door knockers, and other architectural details. Here are a few lovely doors in Rye, East Sussex.
Still dreaming about Rye, and the lovely place I stayed for three nights, Jeake’s House. It took about five minutes to walk to cobbled Mermaid Street from the train station. I was welcomed warmly and shown to my pretty room. Jeake’s House is perfectly situated for easy walking around Rye. It’s just around the corner from Lamb House, and close to St Mary’s Church and Rye Castle/Ypres Tower.
The house is beautifully appointed and my stay included a delicious, hearty breakfast each morning in the gorgeous dining room.
I am looking forward to my next trip to the UK and Rye, and would certainly stay at Jeake’s House again.
This is one of my favourite photo series from my trip: some of the lovely details of Rye, East Sussex. You will notice that more blogging time will be dedicated to Rye than any other place I visited (Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire is a close second!). There are three more posts in the cue after this one! Not a day goes by that I don’t think of this town!
What a glorious time I had in England last autumn! My travel companion chose some beautiful places to visit; stunning towns and villages I will always remember. In the last week of my visit, I traveled on my own to a little town in East Sussex. It was a town I knew about and had longed to visit, a town known for its literary history and outstanding beauty. I left Brighton on the train the morning of October 18 and within two hours I pulled into the station in Rye. I stepped off the train and my heart swelled to bursting. Within 5 minutes I was at the door to my accommodation, Jeakes House. Being in England gave me the feeling of being home, Rye, even more so.
For three days I wandered the lanes and paths, enjoying every vista, every shop. I visited Lamb House, a National Trust property, former home of Henry James. I saw sunrises and sunsets. In between the wandering, I got caught up on my painting projects and blogging.
And there was a cream tea or two! The Cobbles was outstanding!
I would happily live in Rye, and will be looking for opportunities to spend a lot more time there in the near future!
I was so excited to have an unexpected night in Brighton near the end of my month in England last October. It was very nice to be beside the seaside, and explore this interesting and artsy town. A quick train ride from Brockenhurst brought me right into town and just steps away from the hotel I found near the station: ibis Brighton City Centre. My room was clean and comfortable, and I had a nice view of the town.
As soon as I had dropped my bags, I headed out to explore the town and find the iconic pier. Brighton Palace Pier, opened in 1899, is an amusement park featuring rides, carnival games, entertainments and restaurants/food stalls. It also offers a lovely view back towards Brighton, which became a fashionable seaside resort in the Georgian era.
I also had a bit of time to explore the Royal Pavilion, The Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, and The Lanes (a car-free area filled with shops and restaurants).
The food theme for my 12 hours is Brighton was FUN! I met the lovely owners of a wonderful Belgian fries shop called Befries, had a big soft ice cream on the pier, and enjoyed a very nice pizza from Very Italian Pizza.
All around an exceptionally fun time was had. I would love to spend more time in Brighton!
A quiet and gentle Yuletide Season has come and gone. The gift of a head cold on Christmas Day forced me to rest for a week, which I needed. We ate great food, completed a puzzle, watched our favourite festive films, and took some naps.
Victoria was, as usual, decorated and filled with festive cheer. There was no snow this year, but the winter rain made way for many bright clear days.
We enjoyed two amazing Holiday performances: the Victoria Symphony‘s Christmas Pops concert, and local jazz heroes The Tom Vickery Trio playing the Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas Suite at a private party in Chinatown.
And now a new year ahead, filled with possibilities! I will be completing the stories from my autumn trip to the UK, and continuing to work on the art projects which that trip inspired.
Wishing you all the best year ahead!
xx
I spent a few days in the New Forest National Park area of Hampshire, staying in a cottage in the charming town of Brockenhurst. Throughout this region, the ancient practice of commoning still takes place. Farmers are allowed to let their livestock roam free and graze on common land. Just outside our cottage was a green space where we saw cattle, horses and donkeys every day.
I enjoyed one of the best cream teas of the whole trip at Rosie Lea Tea Room. The scone was tender and delicious, and the service was exceptional.
We spent one day in Lyndhurst – a short bus ride away – which is another charming town, filled with interesting shops and a perfectly old-fashioned candy shop.
Lyndhurst is home to Saint Michael and All Angels Church. Built in the 1860s and designed by William White, it is an exquisite Arts and Crafts building with a beautiful fresco by Lord Frederick Leighton and windows designed by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Charles Kempe. The grave of Alice Liddel can be found in the yard.
Walking in the New Forest was the highlight of this part of the journey. Perfect calm, delicious air, horses and cattle, and a lovely pub lunch. I found an excellent map at the post office in Brockenhurst, pinpointed the nearest pub, and started walking. Trail markers kept me from getting lost.
My usual: cheese and chutney sandwich and a half pint of Guinness!
