Brighton and Hove

Posted on August 3, 2011 | 6 comments
Brighton Coastline

Brighton Coastline

With the return of summer weather this past weekend, Kevin and I visited Brighton & Hove to experience an English coastal town and to enjoy the sun.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Street Musicians

The Lanes

The Lanes - Shopping Area

Brighton & Hove is located on the South coast of the UK—about an hour from London by train.  It is a lively place with a Bohemian vibe, offering tons of shopping, museums, arts & culture and, of course, a pier…

Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier

…And Brighton Pier definitely serves up the kitsch—arcades, amusement park rides and loads of people.

Brighton Beach

Brighton (Rocky) Beach and Pier

Although the coastline is lovely, Brighton Beach is one of the rockiest we’ve ever seen.  It will toughen up your pretty feet!  Ouch!

The Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion

A highlight of our day-trip was the tour of the Royal Pavilion.  The Royal Pavilion was King George IV’s palace.  With its Indian-style structure and its lavish Asian-themed interior complete with dragons on crystal chandeliers, this palace is unlike any other we’ve seen. (No photography is allowed inside—too bad!)  George IV enjoyed hosting parties here and loved to impress his guests.  The massive kitchen displays a menu dated 18 January 1817 and lists the 100 dishes offered at one of his grand affairs.  (It would have been fun to be on that guest list!)

Pavilion Grounds

Royal Pavilion Grounds

The Pavilion was sold to the town of Brighton by Queen Victoria in 1850 and it soon became a tourist attraction.  The beautifully manicured grounds are widely used by townspeople and visitors alike.  We ended the day on a bench enjoying the view above as well as (the much-needed) sun.  It was a great day.

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Cartier International Polo

Posted on July 27, 2011 | 2 comments


Cartier International Polo
This past Sunday, Kevin and I attended our first polo match at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor for the Cartier International Polo.  This year Brazil faced England to compete for the Coronation Cup.  England won 8-6.

It was a great day—mid-70s with sun!  (We’ve had a long stretch of cloudy, rainy weather lately so this was a welcomed change.)  We dressed up, packed a picnic and enjoyed the experience (saw Christie Brinkley too).

Here’s the day in pictures…

Marching Band

Marching Band

Young Polo Players

Young Polo Players

Dog Pack

Pack of really happy dogs

Before the match began, we watched a parade around the polo field.  First came the marching band, then the young polo players and then the cutest pack of happy dogs (fox hunt?), followed by…

Team Brazil's Showgirls
Team Brazil’s Showgirls.  (Carnival anyone?)

Mounted Umpires

Umpires Awaiting Play

Team England

Team England

Team Brazil

Team Brazil

Brazil's First Goal

Brazil's First Goal

Changing Ponies

Changing polo pony without dismount...that's talent!

Divot Stomping

Divot stomping at half-time...or maybe just socializing.

Here’s to another memorable experience!

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Glasgow, Scotland

Posted on July 22, 2011 | 4 comments
Bagpiper

Bagpiper

Our long weekend in Scotland began in the Highlands and concluded in the city of Glasgow.  We only spent one quick day in Scotland’s largest city but made the most of it—with lots of kilts and bagpipes too!

Glasgow Architecture

Glasgow Architecture

Architecture

New and Old Architecture (Clock Tower at Glasgow Grand Central Hotel in background)

Awarded the UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999, Glasgow is known for its distinct architectural styles from Victorian to Art Nouveau (or “Glasgow style”).  We spent most of the day wandering around admiring the fine workmanship.

Glasgow School of Art

Glasgow School of Art

One of Glasgow’s most famous architects was Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) who is celebrated for his contributions to modern architecture and the Art Nouveau movement.  Several of his buildings can be found throughout Glasgow, including his famed Glasgow School of Art which is still a working school.

City Chambers

City Chambers

Built in the 1880s, City Chambers is the headquarters of local government.  It is located on the east side of George’s Square—Glasgow’s main square.

Former Stock Exchange

"Building" - "Mining" - "Engineering"

“Building”, “Engineering” and “Mining” are inscribed under the three circular reliefs on the former Glasgow Stock Exchange building in Nelson Mandela Place. These three industries once made Glasgow flourish.  (Why don’t they make buildings like this anymore?)

Armed Forces Day Parade

Armed Forces Day Parade

Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day

It was Armed Forces Day in Glasgow and we had a front-row spot to view this colorful, Scottish parade.  Loved it!

It was quick day (and a quick post) but such a great trip.  We hope to return to Scotland soon.

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The Open Championship

Posted on July 19, 2011 | 1 comment

The Open

This past Saturday, we attended The Open Championship at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England.  It was a foul weather day with strong winds and rain, but we braved the elements to watch some of the best golfers in the world compete for the Claret Jug.  We saw Tom Watson, Ricky Barnes, Rory McIIroy, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen and Jim Furyk to name a few.

We left the tournament earlier than expected with rain-soaked jeans and soggy shoes, but it was time to get dry.  Oh, well…you can’t control the weather (especially here in England).  Nevertheless, it was a great experience.  Congratulations, Darren Clarke!

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