This place draws us in on the way home from the station. It's always brimming with gorgeous stuff we just have to have and perfect presents for people who have everything. For those of you who can't easily access the shopping delights of North Laine, Brighton, visit their online shop for serious purchasing pleasure. www.thelollipopshoppe.co.uk
Oh, how I love Etsy. Beautiful things to buy from clever crafty, arty people from across the globe. Makes Christmas shopping a pleasure. You can even get people to bid to make special items for you at a fixed price... one woman put up her entire Christmas shopping list ("present needed for 13 year old obsessed with the Olsen twins, $30", etc). Now that is great customer service. www.etsy.com
Profiled in the Guardian today, this research looks at 12 schools that have managed to buck the national trend in the attainment levels of their white, working-class students.
School of Everything has a great philosophy... they believe that learning is personal, and starts not with what you 'should' learn but with what you're interested in. So they're building a tool to help anyone in the world learn everything, and teach anything, how and when suits them - by putting people in touch with each other, not with institutions.
We've spent our first Summer in Brighton and are loving it. The bus ride along the sea front to get to the station at 6.30am is a pleasure and we have enjoyed many hours watching the kids throw stones and climb on the groynes. Thanks to the Kennedys of Peckham for keeping their sea canoe in our garage :)