I moved to London 19 years ago, and I have been living in the South East of the city for over 15 years. I am happy here, but more and more I feel the need for a change, new adventures and places to see and experience. Perhaps, I am not ready to go back to Spain yet, so moving elsewhere in the country, preferably by the coast could be an option. I am nervous about leaving the city, but at the same time, I need some proper fresh air, to be nearer nature, open spaces and the Sea.


I first went to Hastings 10 years ago with my family on a little holidays day trip, it was boiling hot and sunny. I remember having fish and chips by the beach and feeling as if we were the only Spanish people in town. Over the years I have been going for day trips and staying with friends, but it is being only lately that I have felt like this part of East Sussex could be my next home.

I enjoy the long walk that connects both towns, on a sunny day it is perfection, on a windy/rainy one is a bit of a hell. The new pier, perfect stop for a view of the coastline, coffee and rest. Betty the dog (belongs to my friend Leah), she is my new super cute friend, she loves playing with my trainers, eating treats and resting on my lap,  if I could I would have a dog, another few cats, and maybe a rabbit too...

 

Below, St. Leonards Gardens; despite the many times I have visited Hastings, I never made it to this area, but last week I had the opportunity to walk and get to know the place better. I LOVE around here, a flat in Maze Hill, Dane Rd, Gensing Gardens, would be very good thank you very

Because dreaming doesn't cost money, and it is my favorite hobby. I have put together a mood board to help me visualise my future home. My budget is very small, and although prices in Hastings are nothing like in London, they are going up very very quickly. A couple of years ago, I could have afforded a gorgeous flat, (I was not ready to move), but now I will be lucky if I manage to get a little decent 1 bedroom somewhere...

I am tempted to get a ready to move in place, or a bigger place that needs lots of work, money, time and energy that I don't have right now. In any case, I keep dreaming ans searching...I picture myself living in a simple white flat, I hope warm and comfortable too. 

Art prints and bespoke handles - chocolate creative | Dining Table - another country | Chairs - Hay/ Clippins | Bespoke handles - chocolate creative | wall tiles - Mandarin stone

There is a gorgeous 1 bedroom flat in this building (top picture), ready to move in, love the area, but it is too small for Missi and I, plus I would need some extra space for family and friends visits. (below pictures) the different architecture you can find in the old Town of Hastings. 

The process of moving out of London has started in my mind, I can see it more and more as a real possibility. I still hesitate whether or not I should go back to Spain for good, or stay in the UK, if so, where? Is Hastings/St. Leonards the best option? Would I be able to afford a decent place to call home? Would I feel very lonely, leaving behind many friends and the big smoke? Time will tell...wish me luck!

Gathered Cheer Social trip to lovely Faversham

On Saturday the 11th, I took a train together with some very nice girls – Lynne, Sarah, and Ruth for our little trip to Faversham to meet Kate and get to know her new town. I have been there several times, and the more I visit the more I like it. This trip was organsied by Ruth Garner, as part of her Gathered Cheer Social.
I find very important to meet up with people who appreciate the same things as I do, when you work on your own, and spend too much time in your studio, it is good to meet with nice people, share ideas, experiences, dreams, etc…I make a priority to meet up with friends, go to networking events, socialise with new people, sometimes I join a walking group, some others I go to press events, design shows, etc…

Kate gave us a little tour around Faversham, together with Hannah, who lives there too. We explored the town center, the farmer’s market, antique shops, admired the very old English architecture, and walked across the town through the brewery area to the creek. We were blessed with a summery weather, while it was raining back in London, weird English weather...

The Blue shed

The highlight of the day was ‘tea time’ at Kate’s allotment. She had prepared a delicious homemade choice of cakes (her mother baked them) and teas, that we all happily ate while admiring the little blue shed, which Nikalas (boyfriend) has built with so much love.

Kate and Nikalas Shed is the best little house I have never seem. He built it out of scaffolding wood planks. It is such a cosy and pretty space, Kate spend hours in there working on her drawings for her pattern collections. Their allotment is pretty impressive too. They grow veggies, fruits and flowers. They have created the perfect place for relaxing, being creative and entertaining family and friends. I went away with some ideas for my garden, which I will be working on in the next few weeks.

There is an old lady living in the cabin (below) by the creek, all year around. She seems to have it all very organised, cooking area, laundry hanging area near by, etc...I like the romantic idea of it, but I wonder how cold it may get in Winter...

We ended our day at The Yard cafe, a very pretty place in town, for a delicious lunch, and some relaxing time before heading back to London.

Thanks Kate for having us, and to Ruth and Lynne for organizing the gathering, it was a very beautiful trip in great company! 

 Photos by me

SEVEN SISTERS CLIFFS WALK AND A FITNESS CHALLENGE

Las Saturday I joined a nice group of people and headed to the East Sussex coast. The plan was to walk from Seaford to Eastbourne along the Seven Sisters cliffs. The total walk is 14 miles, and I must admit that I struggled a bit, specially some of the paths, going down the hills is not my favorite thing to do…but we all managed the walk well and arrived to Eastbourne, where a nice fish and chips was awaiting for us.

We took the train from Clapham Junction to Seaford, and then started to walk towards the cliffs. We first stopped at Exceat for lunch (there is a pub you can sit outside). and later on stopped at the Birling Gap (national Trust). A very nice place for resting, enjoying the beach/sun, and some nice cream tea. Oh yeah that break/stop was much needed, by them my legs were quite sore…You can also take a bus from there to Eastbourne, as there are around another 6 miles to finish the walk.

This was a tough walk (lots of up and down hills), but I am glad I went along, as the landscape is impressive and I really enjoyed the nature, scenery and fresh air very much –things you need when living in a big city, such as London. The weather was perfect, (very windy, but you actually appreciate it on a very sunny day), and the company was great! 

Get outside and explore the world, discover new places and do things you really like and enjoy. Life is more than just paying the bills! Thanks Lynne for inviting me along, where do we go next?

 

Photos by me