The theme for Week 5 in The Gallery at Sticky Fingers is... 'Outside your front door'.
I live in Brighton, now. But that wasn't always the case. We used to live in a suburb of East London, which had absolutely no appeal, aesthetically or otherwise, but was handy for the commute into London. Also it was within mine and ex-hubbys, at the time, extremely limited budget.
We've lived in Brighton, my OH and my 4 children, for 10 years now and I truly, honestly would not want to live anywhere else, ever. Why would I? We have the the beach, the sea, the Pier, the most amazing shops in 'The Lanes', not to mention all the stunningly beautiful Regency architecture, 'The Pavillion' oddly beautiful... All within a 15 minute walk. There is an abundance of Arts, Dance, Music and Sporting Festivals, both mainstream and alternative, to enthrall and capture the imagination of everyone, from the most conservative palate to the downright outrageous. It's just as likely I'll be sitting having a drink or a meal in a bar or restaurant next to a bunch of 6ft transvestites, as a mum with 2 toddlers in tow. I did a shop at Safeways, in St James St, at the same time as cast members of the 'The Lady Boys of Bangkok' also happened to be shopping, and hardly an eyebrow was raised, not a twitch.
So for me, one of the main reasons I love Brighton so much, is the sense of openness it gave and continues to give my children. To be who they want to be, to express themselves in a way they choose and not be afraid, to reach and push a little further, in an environment which upholds acceptance and tolerance as an everyday way of life.
Of course, that's not to say that there are not lots of other places where this would also hold true, but nowhere have I seen it in such abundance as Brighton.
Now, I suspect you were expecting lovely photos of all the above places...
No, this week I've taken the theme literally. This is a panoramic view from our loft windows, of the road in which we live. The windows actually face east and west, but the pictures are of north and south.
The last photo though, is as the theme suggests, right outside my front door...
Please click on the photos to make them larger, and then click again if you want to see most of Brighton in all its glorious detail...
Enjoy, as I constantly do...
