Listen to: 'Johannes' by Cocos Lovers

This incredible band dropped out of the blue blue skies of Kent and landed on a stage at a tiny little village festival last year...
Sitting and people-watching, I spotted this talented group long before they took to the stage. Couples entwined, children ran about, and a slightly bohemian air danced above them, so I wasn't surprised when they took to the stage and arranged a plethora of instruments: Violin, Tenor Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar, Flute and Ukelele were lifted out carefully and tuned.

African inspired, deep-rooted, harmonic folk sounds resonated as Cocos Lovers got into the swing of the set. Each took their turn to sing, harmonise and chant, the instruments combining to create touching melodies. Soon, everyone began humming along, and then clapping and dancing in time to their infectious rhythms. The mix of tuneful upbeat new folk sounds, with heartier, traditional folk tunes and instruments has made for something inspiring. I am hooked, and I want to be a part of their band.

The band have performed at Bloody Awful Poetry events in London, and have so far supported Mumford & Sons, Alessi's Ark and Fionn Regan amongst others. They have also performed at Secret Garden Party and Greenman Festival, and this year are set to do the same, as well as performing at Glastonbury this weekend, and Lounge on the Farm in a few weeks time.

Look out for Cocos Lovers this year. Their debut album, 'Johannes' is out on Smugglers Records, and their new album is set for release this year. It's called 'Elephant Lands'.

Have a listen here: http://www.myspace.com/cocoslovers

Go see: Every Day is a Good Day! John Cage @ The De La Warr Pavillion

Whilst trawling charity shops in Bexhill for cups and saucers, the large white (art deco-style) building that perches on the edge of the sea caught my eye. The De La Warr Paviliion has exhibited a number of inspirational artists over the years, and this exhibition surrounded and interpreted the work of John Cage (musician, artist and philosopher). Cage is most widely recognised for his works entitled: 4'33" which is a series of three movements, played without hearing a single note. The content supposedly revolves around the engagement of the audiences with the sounds that they hear and create whilst participating in these 'movements'.


So, the De La Warr came up with A Nod To Cage, which includes work from Yoko Ono who worked with the man himself, some newly commissioned works from Shelley Parker and Charlie Hooker, and six students from Brighton University and Sussex Coast College. The exhibition covers the whole of the De La Warr - Gallery 1 showing the handiwork of John Cage, and suitably named Every Day is A Good Day. Drawings and watercolours are arranged in sporadic fashion across the long hall. Based on the order of I Ching, fostering the beliefs of the artist, the works are distributed at random, and so a guide book is provided to help navigate your way through the show.

There is a grand piano sat atop one flight of stairs, playing notes on it's own accord - depicting the effects that sound has as it enters and leaves our bodies.... a camera on a long, wooden arm which faces towards a projection wall, showing a film of two dancers at either end of the camera. One a ballet dancer, moving in her way, and one a tap dancer, responding in hers. It was moving, and tempting to jump up and swing the camera around! All relate to the concepts of sound that Cage discovered, shared and explored.

It's also a place to chat to people openly and freely. The staff are very passionate about the works that they exhibit, and clearly put their heart into their research and happily share their knowledge if you are keen to hear it. It was a day for meeting people, as two other young people crossed my path from polar-walks of life to my own, opening my eyes and heart to the way that they experienced the world...

Check out the De La Warr line-ups here: http://www.dlwp.com/ and make sure you take a look at the LIVE PROGRAMME. Alan Carr and Mogwai coming soon!

Go visit: Oxford for Art, TRUCK & Meadows

Recently, I took a trip to Oxford, learnt to punt on the River Isis (the Thames), walked through meadows filled with wild horses to cross the city, and stumbled across galleries, such as Modern Art Oxford and the Ashmolean.

Modern Art Oxford is spacious and interesting, and also quite hidden which adds to the initial appeal. On entering, the shop is there to greet you, and it really is quite a wonderful little treasure trove. They've picked out the finest, arty cards and postcards, some great tote and hessian bags, and jewellery from the likes of Tatty Devine. Check out the mustache cufflinks/ necklace if you haven't already! http://www.tattydevine.com/boutique/index.php

There's a lovely cafe, which sells homemade cakes and the infamous, glorious, Monmouth Coffee - and the area is dotted with woodblock tables (designed by Richard Woods) in primary colours, with beanbags to lounge in. It's light and bright and all very tempting, and there's free wi-fi if you've got work to do, or need to plan your next stop!

We saw an exhibition by Slovakian artist Roman Ondak which aimed to 'transfer real life experiences into the context of art'. The first room showed 'Time Capsule' revolved around the incident in San Jose where 33 miners were trapped for 69 days. Set in a large space, the work evoked a sense of claustrophobia and fear, replicating the device that pulled the miners from the mine. The second work, 'Stampede' - 'reflects the movement of people through spaces'. Walking into a dark room, you are faced with a projection of the same room that you have entered, filled with hundreds of people.

See: www.modernartoxford.org.uk for more information on upcoming exhibitions.

The gallery also run talks from artists & writers, exhibition tours, live performance, residencies, film screenings, oh - and they sell a cool beer called Plot 16: The Fermenting Room in the cafe. It's grown and made by artists in residence on their allotment, hence the name.

One last word - make sure you visit the TRUCK record store if you go to Oxford, these are the guys who set up and run the festival, and it's always a pleasure to visit a good music store, with high-quality records from years gone by, and the new ones from J. Mascis, Bon Iver and co.

Pubs to visit:

Turf Tavern (down a crooked path, lovely little beer garden)
The Perch: Across the meadow, past the river, down a path that bears twinkly lights after dark - and sells a range of Gins, with Cucumber dont-chya-know!
The Bear: Tiny, tiny pub - sporting over 2,000 ties... all framed and covering walls and ceilings. It was the tradition of the old Landlord to cut off the the bottom of scholars/ pilots ties (if he liked the look of them) promising them a pint-in-the-wood for their wares!

For breakfast:

Try Bleroni Cafe in the Jericho District for either a very tasty, not too naughty full-english, or a huge bowl of toasted muesli, yoghurt and banana, and a darn good cuppa.

Place to stay: Zanzibar Hotel, St. Leonards-on-sea

Well well well, how could I forget to mention this one! The Zanzibar Boutique Hotel sits on the edge of the sea, down in St. Leonards - a sparkling little white-washed abode which emenates the most laid-back atmosphere. No pretention, just a little bit of comfort, and the most incredible sea-view!

If you're lucky enough to visit when they are painting the walls - you get a pretty good discount, and up on the third floor rests the Manhattan Suite. You have your own staircase... which leads to an open-plan, attic-style appartment with huge windows that open out to let in a cool sea-breeze and a big, sometimes moody ocean. I won't give everything away, because there are so many nooks, crannies and gadgets to explore... but the duke box was by far the highlight of this adventure.

The staff at Zanzibar as so friendly, making you instantly feel at ease and at home. There's an honesty bar, an interesting garden, some really beautiful design and decor, and an incredible breakfast!!

Up the road, just off of Norman Road (a five minute walk from Zanzibar) is St. Clements restaurant (as mentioned in previous post). The food is exquisite, and although a little on the pricey-side of town, it's not extortionate, and if you've got a spare bob-or-two and fancy a really good, hearty meal cooked by a great chef who trained at The Ivy - then do it!

St. Leonards is well worth a visit, and if you're planning a weekend treat away from it all, it's a haven of activity, culture, sea, great food and mystery. From ladies wheeling cats down the promenade in their buggies, to deleicious food, dukeboxes, plunge-baths and G&T's, you will, I'm sure, have a great time.

Look here: http://www.zanzibarhotel.co.uk/ and here: http://www.stclementsrestaurant.co.uk/

Morning Campers! : Sleep in a Yurt beneath the stars

Sleeping in a yurt is like snuggling up in the best 'den' you ever made in your nan's front room. They are little (or big) self-sufficient dwellings in and amongst the tweeting birds and rustling trees...

Baskets of blankets, a Wood Burner, cooker, coolbox and tea-lights are all provided for you - as well as all the cutlery and a big futon to nestle into as the night cools down... All you need is some food, a few books, a pencil and paper, a scrabble board, some wine (or Crabbies) and someone lovely to share it all with (if they are early risers and like putting the kettle on in the morning, even better!)

The Wowow campsite is really well organised, so they've set up some lovely big sinks to do your washing-up in after a good hearty risotto! When we were there, they were building a pizza oven in one of the fields... getting everyone together (if you want to) a couple of nights a week to eat delicious home-made pizza in a beautiful open field...not bad eh!

If you fancy stretching your legs during the day, there's a trail through the forest and over a big field which leads to a pub with a very enthusiastic landlord!! (Avoid the fishcakes... but enjoy your well-deserved pint!)

All-in-all, Yurt-ing is a magical experience, there is something about it's shape and the quietness of the surrounding fields and trickling rivers that takes you to a land of Zen. Even in torrential rain, as we discovered, there is still room for fun and laughter.

Have fun!

Check out: http://www.wowo.co.uk/

Place to visit: Hastings Old Town

Dotted with a couple of lovely rustic shops (Gone Tomorrow & another which you will see, it's a couple of doors down) selling everything from beautifully hand-picked pieces of old furniture & fabrics to wonderful old fireplaces, Hastings Old Town has some quirky shops, restaurants, a sea front, museums and walks to experience. Just try and make sure the sun's shining when you set out on your adventure... Hastings in the rain ain't so pretty!

If you get hungry, there's a wonderful little bookshop that also serves traditional Thai food. One Thai lady, in a very small kitchen cooks up a beautifully fresh meal for you and friends to enjoy, whilst you sit amongst the old books full of stories old and new. You can take your own booze too - which is quite a treat out of London!
The Dragon is also a winner for a good meal! You will find the Dragon at the end of George Street, which is the first part of the Old Town.

Moving on up on to Croft Road (left at the end of George Street) - there's a tasty Organic Bakery called Judges, which sells lovely bread in all shapes and sizes, and some great old fashioned cakes and slices! From iced Bakewell tart to Gingerbread men, it's a treat! Aside from the bakery, there's a whole range of delicious delicatessan too.

Also up this street, there are a few lovely eateries and bars - Porters and Harris's to name a few. And then there are some really great vintage clothing and furniture shops, proper old antique shops with reasonably priced picture frames (and all the other wonderful little finds), and the Electric Palace cinema, which shows a huge range of films from month to month, old and new. It's decked out with old red-velvet theatre chairs, and gives a sense of going back in time...

On top of that, there's also an art gallery being built at the moment, The Jerwood - which is on the seafront and going to be amazing.

Nearby Bexhill is home to the De-La-Warr Pavillion, and St. Leonards-on-Sea is another, very interesting little place to go and see. Norman Road holds an excellent (so I've heard) market, and there are some wonderful cafe's and again, the seaside is so calming. St. Clements restaurant also resides on Norman Road, and is renowned for it's exquisite menu. Affordable (in the day time) and frequented by many these days, the chef moved down from London where he worked as a chef in a top restaurant.

The beach, on a sunny day - is seriously stunning. Once you've sat yourself down on the (orthapaedic) pebbles, with or without a bag of chips and look out to sea, with the silhouette of the old pier glittering in the distance, you can't not feel a sense of belonging. Hastings is a seaside town without the pretention of the big towns like Brighton and now Whitstable... it's a bit rough around the edges, and that's why I, and I hope you, like it.

Beautifully odd: Shack-up in a Shepherd's Hut

Ahhh the feeling of Summer has taken my mind back to sleeping, nesstled away in a field or forest in a Shepherd's Hut: Fire lit outside, bottle of red wine warming against it, and woodburner puffing out warm woody smoke from the little chimney. You can wile away the hours in the peace and quiet of the beautiful Sussex Countryside... cooking and drinking, walking (along the river, to the castle, or to the pub!) and reading - all in the comfort of a transformed Shepherd's Hut, comprising of two double beds (it's a bit like a campervan in that you can turn the kitchen table into a bed!) a hob, sink, tea, coffee, woodburner, comfy seating area covered in brightly-coloured, hand-made cushions... and a little ladder that takes you up to the second double bed. Your 'fridge' is outside, and is filled with ice packs to keep food chilled, and there are logs-a-plenty to keep your fires stoked! If you like to do things a little differently, and enjoy creating your own comfort... check these out! http://www.original-huts.co.uk/index.php/gallery/

Also: The duvets are so thick and snuggly, and the linen is all clean, fresh and beautiful!