It’s that time of year again By Julie Hayward
I’ll give you three clues, first clue, what looks like a year’s supply of washing and dry cleaning,has been draped around the Clock Tower; talk about airing your dirty washing in public;second one, people wandering the streets of Brighton wearing strange outfits – ok nothing unusual in that you may say, but there are a few more flourescent wigs around than usual, and it’s raining – on the children’s parade – you’ve guessed , it’s the start of the Brighton Festival.
Brighton’s always jam packed with things to do but suddenly it’s overflowing with even more exciting , diverse activities and of course it all gets kick started with a good old British downfall of the wet stuff. I predict fun, games and brollies from now until the end of May.
Starbuck’s, like a lot of life, is full of contradictions – a big corporate company, yet the feel of the Starbuck’s in the North Laines is that of a friendly local cafe. Their customer service is good, regulars that go there, include an elderly gentleman who sits by the window everyday, painting customers portraits with a bit of calligraphy thrown in, is treated by staff like an old friend. He’s provided with water for his paints and is on first name terms with all the people who work there and he gets his drinks brought over to him as he’s unsteady on his legs. But the ridiculous idea of asking customers their names and in some cases, how their names are spelt so they can be written on their takeaway paper cups, whilst a queue is steadly growing, is ridiculous, it brings to my mind the saying ‘familiarity breeds contempt’. But all is forgiven when I sink my teeth into their toasted fruit bread oozing with butter, it’s excellent value at £1.60.
Where did all the lonely people go before the coffee culture was invented? Probably the local library and yes they and the homeless do still gather in libraries but coffee shops are another place to be amongst people in the warm, sometimes steamy atmosphere of clinking cups and the background hum of music and chatter, all for the price of a cappuccino.
