Whitstable at Sunset

And here are some pictures looking along the coast from Whitstable as the sun went down. 

Whitstable

January 3rd was a very nice day here in Kent so we decided to take a trip along the coast to Whitstable.  When I was young, Whitstable used to be a place where you might stop for an ice cream along with a bit of sea food for the old folks but in the recent past it has had something of a renaissance.

So, we stopped off at Pumpkin Patch on the way to buy the children some brightly coloured trousers and body warmers, along with some Lelli Kelly wellies so we wouldn't feel out of place, renamed them Tarquin and India for the day and off we went.  Shunning the Costa Coffee, Zizzi and Prezzo (Whitstable must have arrived), we found a nice chippy (to be traditional, and then felt ill for a few days with all of the fat) and had a stroll along the beach.  Very pleasant ambling along with partner-for-the-day Tara-rara, whilst Tarquin and India threw stones into the sea.  Whitstable seems to have a few new buildings along the sea front but they have been kept in the style of some of the fishermans' cottages that you can rent for as little as £700 a week.  Marvellous, on the beach, 50m from the sea, people walking right past your bedroom window...

Here are some of the beach front buildings (just in case you're interested).

Whitstable is a very nice little seaside town, so if you want fresh seafood and somewhere away from the usual amusement infested towns on the Kent coast, pay it a visit.

Turner Contemporary Margate

As last week was half term we decided to go to the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate where there was an exhibition of Alex Katz's work.  Its full of very bright colours and is elegant in its simplicity, quite child-like in a way and makes you think "I could do that", but...

You're not allowed to take photos so here are some images from the Turner Contemporary Gallery's website.  Its worth a visit if you are down that way although I expected it to be a bit bigger, only three exhibition spaces upstairs and one of those was with works from recent art students.  After the Turner Gallery you should venture into Margate itself, the amusement arcades, a trip to Morrison's.  Remember Brian Glover in An American Werewolf in London: "Stay on the road, keep clear of the moors..."

  

The Turner Contemporary Galley on Margate seafront looking like a fish packing house from this angle.

On the land that once housed Benbom Bros. and then Dreamland Amusement park Tesco want to build a superstore!  On the seafront.  Read more at 

http://www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1325&Itemid=111 

Now whilst Margate may not be the most attractive of seafronts in a couple of areas and the 1960s style Arlington House could do with pulling down, do we really need our Victorian style beaches blighted by a Tesco when there is already a Morrison's 200 yards away and another Tesco Extra 2.6 miles away?

Small Family Garden

The brief for this garden was to create a low maintenance family garden with all year colour, somewhere to sit and eat, and to also keep the shed and the vegetable planter.  The soil gets quite claggy in the winter as it is generally clay and is in the flood plain area near Ashford in Kent so planting had to be appropriate.  The client was happy with the design and the garden was built by Outdoor Creations once again.  I will upload some photos of the finished garden when I get some.

Terrace Design Photos

I have been sent some photos of the terrace area that has been built by Outdoor Creations and I thought I would share them with you.  I am very pleased with the result, as is the client, so big hugs all round!

 All photos by Graeme from Outdoor Creations.