Vanessa Austin Locke: 28 reasons why Brighton rocks

“I’ve never discovered who dresses those windows but I always want everything in them”

I’ve been known to give Brighton a hard time. I’ve called it lazy, lascivious and a bit of a cultural black hole, full of so much potential and opportunity – opportunity to lay on the beach instead of getting things done. But that was before I was ripped from the wanton womb. For the next few months I’m going to be writing to you from the other side of the country and I’ve found myself making a mental inventory of the things I’m going to miss about this strange ‘city’. I’ve shared the list below in a bid to make amends with the anarchic-turned-shabby-chic town-turned-city that has bewildered me for so many years…

1. Hot chocolate with Grand Marnier at Café Delice.
2. My garden. Oh, my garden.
3. Yoga with Yogi Stu (smarter than your average Stu) at Dynamic Yoga.
4. My incredible neighbours – now dear friends; a proper urban family is rare and I’ve had the most amazing community.
5. Running along the seafront past the bandstand that my best friend Mike Macfarlane helped to resurrect.
6. Steak et Fritz at The Dorset which also doubles as my office. Big hug to all the staff there.
7. Tea at The Mock Turtle where my dad used to take me when I was a little turtle.
8. The window dressings at Tribeca in Bond Street – I’ve never discovered who dresses those windows but I always want everything in them.
9. The sofas on the balcony at The Duke of Yorks. Naturally.
10. Men that know how to lead at The Mesmerist.
11. The allotments round the back of the big house at Stanmer Park.
12. Rock-pooling at Blackrock.
13. Having my family nearby.
14. Three-day parties at Lizzy Bishop’s house with the Brighton Fashion Week crew.
15. Cupcakes from Angel Food Bakery.
16. Sitting on the edge of my bathtub over-looking the garden and smoking menthol cigarettes with a glass of brandy and Smog on the iPlayer. (I quit smoking a year ago – best thing I ever did. Miss it every day.)
17. Hula-hooping with Ella and Casey on the seafront.
18. Picking elderflowers with Jen and making elderflower champagne.
19. Evenings playing volleyball at Yellow Wave
20. Days out at Charleston Farmhouse and Middle Farm with my mama.
21. The Spiegeltent at festival time – I’ve had some wild nights in that tent.
22. Woodvale Crematorium in springtime (if you ever want to get out of town in town it’s the most amazing escape.)
23. Gary the Pirate aka Gary Goodman who is always in every pub I go into and who is currently illustrating a children’s book with me.
24. The Public House Bookshop. This little gem closed quite a few years ago now and I missed it then but I miss it even more now I’m a grown-up.
25. Gar’s – best duck in Brighton and the loveliest hostess.

26. Northern Lights Bar where I met someone special.
27. The boys at Art Schism, and especially Steve aka Entropy who gave me the most beautiful one-off print when I left town.
28. My little cat Gideon, who’s staying behind to guard you all while I’m gone. Don’t worry – he’s a more fearsome beast than I am.