Brighton, UK, in pictures.

Last Saturday, my brother and I decided to hop a train to Brighton (about an hour away from London, UK). The closer we got to the coastal city, the sunnier it became. Needless to say, we were very glad we picked that day.
When we got to Brighton train station, we were directed out, which my brother and I found strange; it made us wonder what was going on. We found out soon enough: gay pride! That also explained why the train was packed with gays and lesbians *facepalm*

We checked out a little stretch of beach to kill time before the parade started. My brother was looking for gems, and I was snapping some pics - including the one above.

My brother and I had fun watching the parade, people (and their pets) and enjoyed the sunshine, too. It was a short parade, but a nice one. When it was over, I noticed I was hungry (I had a small breakfast). Arnold knew of a place and we walked to it: my brother is currently dating a (Dutch) girl and took her to Brighton for a few days before I came over. It was obvious he was familiar with the surroundings, so I totally trusted on him to show me all the good places. I like the fact that Brighton is small and compact, and everything is within walking distance.
My brother took me to a little health food place (he said he spotted body builders who went to the place for their (proteine) shakes). Lunch was fresh and delicious!

My brother knew of a place where they have pedis with fishes, so I decided that was our next stop. It was an interesting experience! I'm glad my brother warned me to not take my feet out the tank once the little fish start nibbling away: it tickles. I opted for a 20-minute-pedi (time flew by!), after which our feet got a quick shower, and we were given some citrus smelling lotion to rub into them. I can't remember my feet being so smooth ever - like a baby's bum.

After walking around the narrow streets, my brother took me to a little place called "Naked" for some delicious tea. It's one of those places that locals know of, but tourists walk by. I had excellent rose tea with a slice of freshly baked slice of apple walnut pie. My brother had some kind of tea emperors in the olden days used to drink - with a bag of crisps. Then it was off for more exploring.

Kemp Town (a little neighborhood) aka Camp Town started to the right of that building. No surprise, eh?
My brother and I actually found an Indonesian restaurant! I'm not sure why it's called "Shop seven" - "Resto seven" would have made more sense to me. I liked the little bilingual sign that said they were closed (tutup - open is "buka").

You know how time flies when you're having fun. That Saturday flew by like a little breeze! Before we knew it, it was time for dinner. I mentioned a place called Terre a Terre before flying out to London, UK, and he said he had several meals there (it's his favorite restaurant in Brighton - and now it's mine, too) so it wouldn't be a problem to take me there for a bite.
He recommended the tapas, which we shared. The food was absolutely delicious! As was the cocktails: I had a Salty Dog, my brother had a Raspberry Kir.

I scream for this ice cream

Originally posted on August 23rd, 2008.



If you're lactose intollerant like me, check this out:



[Snag a coupon and this little guy could be all yours, you cheap bastard!]

A host of new coconut milk-based vegan ice cream approximations have hit the shelves lately. On the West Coast, we have an especially wide selection: there's Maggie Mudd in San Francisco and Coconut Bliss in Eugene, Oregon. They're great for anyone looking to trim a little soy from their diet (seriously, who couldn't benefit from that?) - but until recently, they've been a pricey specialty affair.
But the new flavors from Turtle Mountain's So Delicious Purely Decadent line (based out of Oregon) are the most widely available, the least tummy-achingly decadent and very affordable. A pint of Mudd will set you back about $5, while Coconut Bliss clocks in closer to $6. They're tasty, but S.D.'s is more accessible - creamy, but not too sweet (made with agave, not sugar!), though perhaps a little coconutty for some. (If you're looking for a seriously decadent dessert that'll knock you out for a good hour and a half after you've inhaled it, you'd best look elsewhere.)
The cookie dough and mint chip versions can be a bit disappointing. They're tasty but you can taste the coconut-milk base, and they're overall not as rich as I want those flavors to be. The vanilla bean and coconut ones, on the other hand, are orgasmicly good - or so I've been told.
Mix a serving of vanilla with some fresh cut fruit to cut down on total snack calories and foodie guilt. And then go out trick your favorite omnis because seriously, this stuff ain't no Tofutti. They'll be shocked. Then sweet-talk them into buying another carton for sharesies.

A pint will set you back less than $3 at the Park Slope Food Co-op, but more like $4 at Whole Paycheck - though S.D. has some generous coupon offerings on their Web site. It comes in vanilla bean, chocolate, coconut, mint chip and cookie dough varieties. They're up for the VegNews Awards (vote for SV, too!) against Mudd and Bliss. Just so you know.

Update: the Purely Decadent chocolate is yum!