This video is an introduction to EIU Lanes. It’s about my goals for this semester in regard to communicating my brand in a cross-platform promotional effort.

One day in Shanghai, I found my way to a little artist neighborhood, Tianzifang, and suddenly felt like I had stepped into a different city–or maybe not a different city, but a different Shanghai, where the old buildings and traditions had not been torn down relentlessly to feed the voracious appetite of capitalism. Built in the 1930′s, the buildings were some of the only “old” buildings remaining in Shanghai, two-story, brick; the lanes were narrow and quiet, and they meandered like a maze. Here was a place where I could imagine people from a different generation wandering through the same cobbled lanes I wandered through, the voices of children who are now old, ducking around corners laughing and narrowly dodging a cuff on the head from an irritated grown-up. The shops were quiet, and seemed private. There were only a few people, instead of the huge throngs everywhere else. I bought most of my souvenirs here–they were more real than I was able to find elsewhere.

In one shop, I found this scarf, and dozens of others like it, only each one unique. So many colors, and mish-matched buttons and pompoms on each one. I wanted to get a nice scarf for my sister Kusems, since the scarves reminded me of Anthropologie, and my sister loves Anthro. It was a difficult decision, which scarf to buy. I gave this one to her for her birthday.

Then my sister moved to Australia. I’ve mentioned before, every time my sister moves (and she does seem to move a lot), she has to down-size and I get all her cute stuff! Happily, I took the scarf off her hands.

My favorite thing about the scarf is that it’s very long and wide. It can be a scarf wrapped around my neck, but it can also be a shawl. When I wrap it around my shoulders, it’s almost ample enough to cover me like a cardigan. I’ve even thought about putting a little snap on the scarf so that I can wrap it across my chest and snap it in place.

Anyway, I was thinking it would be fun to make these scarves myself, but I don’t knit and don’t really want to learn. But if someone else, like my sister Kusems (*cough–hint hint*) knitted a scarf and then I made fabric-covered buttons and pom-poms and sewed them in, we’d be in business.

The order of the photos has got muddled and so shall the order of the descriptions. Here are some geese at a small farm in Gundleton:

Snowdrops on Goscombs Lane:

Two bulls at the farm. The lighter one dominated and soon walked in front of the other, blocking his view of us.

Pigs in the barn and a curious goose:

The cows were eating what looks like watercress:

A wet and muddy horse:

Many plants were pushing through for spring, the green so bright. Here’s some moss that also seemed to have a glow on:

A pair of donkeys:

I think this was called Clivedon. Totally old school bungalow:

A place called The Coffee Tavern. No sign of it being a cafe:

Greening signposts:

A thatched cottage at Bighton Dean:

The Three Horseshoes Public House. Proper old school again Also known as The Three Osees:

The Old House at Bighton. Digging the windows:

Pines at Bighton Dean Lane:

Looking west from Bighton Lane:

I’m not sure which house this is. Perhaps Bighton Manor:

Windybanks Cottage in Bighton:

There’s no ‘r’ in Bighton:

City Magazine / Summer 2012

Long gone are the days when booking your annual two weeks in the sun meant a trip down to your local travel agent, usually with a long wait spent trawling through brochures and available flights before you found that perfect getaway.

Thankfully, things are now much easier.

While many still might prefer the high street route, the internet has thrown open a world of opportunity, all available at the click of a button. It’s through this, and the advent of cheap flights and special offer websites, that we’ve seen the rise of the city break.

Fancy a couple of days away? No problem. There’s budget breaks in Prague, sun-drenched luxury in Barcelona and serious retail therapy to be found in Paris. But it’s not all about the continent; some of the best breaks can be found much closer to home.

Want history and culture? Fine dining? Good shopping and lively nightlife? Or how about close proximity to the coast? If you want all of the above, add Norwich to your list of places to visit. Situated in the heart of Norfolk, the city offers a rare blend of historic interest and modern sophistication.

If history and culture are at the top of your agenda, Norwich ticks all the right boxes. With over 1,500 buildings within the city walls, including more medieval churches than any other city north of the Alps, there’s plenty to keep you busy.

At the heart of Norwich tourism is Norwich 12, a collection of listed buildings, which includes the castle, Anglican cathedral, Great Hospital, Halls (St Andrew and Blackfriars), Guildhall, Dragon Hall, Assembly House, St James Mill, St John the Baptist Roman Catholic cathedral, Surrey House, City Hall and The Forum.

You’ll be hard pushed to see them all over a couple of days, particularly if you want to see everything else Norwich has to offer, but it’s definitely worth making the effort. Alternatively you can hop on a City Sightseeing bus to take in many of these historical landmarks.

Our first port of call, after a lazy walk along the River Wensum, was the Cathedral Quarter and ultimately the Anglican cathedral. This is celebrated as one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe, founded in 1096 and built using Normandy stone shipped over from Caen in France. The cathedral, which is free to enter, boasts the largest cloisters in England, the second tallest spire in the country and over 1,200 carved stone roof bosses. The interior is just as impressive; the scale is vast and some of the stonework is intricately detailed.

Norwich Castle is one of the finest Norman secular buildings in Europe. From the 14th to the 19th centuries it was used as a county gaol before being converted to a museum in 1894. It now houses the Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery and contains an extensive collection of archaeological finds, art, ceramics, silver and natural history. The keep is well worth the entry – it’s a stunning example – and if you visit with the family, there’s plenty of interactive exhibits to keep the kids entertained.

Elsewhere, Dragon Hall is a fine example of a medieval merchants trading hall and a great window into the life of Norwich over the ages. Dating from around 1430, the building has undergone extensive restoration and reopened in 2006. The Assembly House is also worth a visit; a Georgian building designed by architect Thomas Ivory, it incorporates the original layout of a previous building, the medieval college of St Mary in the Fields.

Elm Hill, just a stone’s throw from the river, is not one of the Norwich 12 but should be high on your list of places to visit. As the oldest street in the city, its cobbled streets and attractive half-timbered Tudor houses are a nod to old England. Quaint doesn’t even cut it. It’s now home to lots of shops, antiques and tea and coffee shops, including The Window Coffee, said to be the smallest coffee shop in the world.

A walk up Elm Hill brings you to the heart of Norwich’s retail centre, a destination in its own right. The city is proudly one of the UK’s top ten shopping destinations and features a delightful blend of old and new.

The Norwich Lanes are a perfect example. The jumble of cobbled streets and narrow alleyways are juxtaposed with cutting edge independent designer boutiques, cafes, bars and restaurants; it all works so well.

Elsewhere, the brightly coloured awnings of Norwich market, which has recently undergone a makeover, have been standing on the same site – in the shadow of City Hall – for over 900 years. It remains the largest open air, six-day market in the country.

Perhaps a little known fact is that outside of London’s Oxford Street, Norwich is the only place to have four national department stores as well as an independent one. The latter is Jarrold (situated opposite the market), which has been a family-run store since 1823 and has twice won UK Independent Store of the Year. Jarrold has a great range of designer fashion, beauty and homeware, as well as a couple of cafes/restaurants for a little respite.

The ‘new’ element of shopping in Norwich is reflected in its two malls – Chapelfield and Mall Norwich.

Chapelfield is the newest addition, having opened in 2005. Merging into the rest of the city centre via Marks and Spencer, it also houses a flagship House of Fraser as well as many recognisable high street brands such as H&M, Zara and Boots. The terrace, which also offers the option of alfresco dining, is home to the likes of Wagamama, Carluccio’s, Yo! Sushi and ASK Italian.

If you’re a culture vulture, you’ll be impressed with the city’s offerings, from theatre to art and music.

Notable venues include the 250-year-old Theatre Royal, which is the largest in the city and hosts a mix of national touring productions, while the Norwich Playhouse is one of the most modern performance spaces of its size in East Anglia, seating just 300 people.

The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, which was designed by Sir Norman Foster and opened in 1978, is home to sculpture from Henry Moore as well as works of art from Pablo Picasso and Edgar Degas. Admission is free and a visit is recommended just to see such a striking building.

Another notable structure is The Forum, which, as well as housing the Millennium Library, provides a venue for exhibitions, concerts and events.

Part of Norwich’s charm also lies in its close proximity to the broads and the Norfolk coast; Great Yarmouth, Sheringham and Cromer are 30-40 minutes away by car. We visited the latter on a typical British summer’s day – gale force wind and driving rain – finding time to visit the Victorian pier and try their famous Cromer crab.

Mike Schuh reports.

It happened Tuesday morning on Liberty Road and Lockwood Road. A bus and a car were involved.

Bus 5414 was going to Woodlawn Middle School. Police tell Eyewitness News about 30 children were on the bus at the time of the accident.

Four children were transported to nearby hospitals complaining of back pain and bumps and bruises. All injuries are believed to be minor.

Fifteen children were led to another bus which pulled to take them to school.  The remainder were picked up by their parents at the scene of the crash.

The driver reported to police that the morning sun glare was a factor in the crash.

Police say the bus was stopped, had its lights flashing and stop arm extended at the time. The bus driver was getting ready to pull away.

The driver of the car was given multiple traffic citations.

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I had been looking in every store I passed for gloves. I promised myself not to buy a single thing until I found a good pair, because walking home holding a bag meant I couldn’t keep my hand in my pocket. It’s quite cold enough out there as it is. I’d seen several very nice leather pears now for upwards of £40 that I obviously had to pass on. I normally don’t mind paying a little more for quality, but that’s a lot more and gloves are an item I can never seem to hold on to.  I finally bought a pair for £10, still more than I intended, but I felt like I was running out of options. Of course, the next 5 stores I walked into after that all carried cheaper gloves. That’s my luck.

I had ended up back in the Lanes today. My plan was actually to walk to the train station in back, so that tomorrow I’d know my way and how long it would take. Tomorrow I’m hopping a train to London, to spend the day with an American friend of mine named Jolie. She’s been living in London with her husband for the past few years.

But I had a very good reason for changing my plans, which I really wasn’t very excited about in the first place. The route is pretty straightforward and there’s not a lot to see between my house and the train station, it had just seemed like a thing to do. Anyway, I made a friend today. I explained earlier my crossing the street philosophy, and the result of it is that I’m essentially always crossing with other people. This one chap looked friendly enough, so while we were both crossing the street I struck up a conversation. His name is James. He’s actually from Spain, but both of his parents are English so his accent is British. (I’m still not actually if people here call their country Britain or England, or when to use which term, so I’m just making it up as I go). As it turns out, we’re both living on the same street now. He goes to the University of Sussex, so it was especially good I’d run into him. I’m visiting there on Monday, and had no idea that it was in a different town. James says it’s a pretty easy 20 minute buss ride.

He was headed to the cinema in the Lanes, one of the oldest movie houses in Britain and still operational. It’s also quite distinct in appearance…

Which left me wandering around the Lanes. Like I said, it’s the time of year that everything seems to be on sale. There were lots of cute places and as I said before, a lot of cute clothes. A lot of cute shoes. And a lot of great everything. It’s the artsier part of town. I found one shop that seemed to be made for my Mom and I. Everything in it seemed to have either a bird or a horse on it. Perhaps I shouldn’t have packed so much in the first place. I might have to get some real rainboots while I’m here. There are also lots of cute coffee shops, tea shops, little cafes and bakeries that I’d like to get around to trying. The best part is that most of the streets seem to be pedestrian only, so I can forget my intense fear of English traffic while I’m there.

It started to get darker and colder, but since I’d found gloves I wasn’t as worried about making it home by dark. I realized that I was pretty near Harry Ramsden’s, the place my roomie had recommended as the best Fish n’ Chips in town. I had definitely been in England far too long for not having tried any fish and chips yet, so I walked over. On the way, I started wondering if fish n chips in England was like barbeque in Kansas City–everyone has a different opinion on which one is better, and all turn out to be very different. It’s definitely something I don’t mind investigating over the next 5 months.

It was late for lunch by most standards (although certainly not mine or my Dad’s) and early for dinner, so I had the place almost completely to myself. Of course, I was sat next to the one other occupied table in the entire restaurant. It was really cute, but they were clearly not going to serve their fish wrapped in newspaper. That, along with the ketchup on the table, made me wonder if this wasn’t really the authentic experience. But I suppose they do have to cater to those darned American tourists, too, and this did have the ringing endorsement of some authentically British people.

It came down to the Haddock or the Cod for me, as those were the two most classic. At Aixois we prefer cod, but the waiter recommended Haddock so that it was. It came with the choice of garden peas or mushy peas. “What are mushy peas?” was about my 20th question by this point, but the waiter was very patient. “Well, they’re peas… that have been mushed.” I went with that. When in Rome…

When my food came, I’d completely forgotten about the mushy peas conversation and had no idea what that green stuff was on my plate. Was it guacamole? Had I somehow accidentally ordered some kind of Tex Mex fish n chips? Was it for dipping? Would I look like an idiot if I started dipping my fish n chips in it and it wasn’t for dipping? What else could it be for? At the last moment before plunging one of my fries deep into the mysterious green goop, it dawned on me. Mushy peas! Got it. Everything was delicious. I ate my fries with malt vinegar. About half way through I really wanted something sweeter and the ketchup began to sound very tempting, but I was determined to do this the proper British way.

As you can tell, I didn’t like it at all. I think I’m going to have to go back though, and give it another try… just to be sure.

I sat facing the window, with a nice view of traffic and the Brighton Pier, watching the sky grow dimmer. I decided to have coffee and dessert, to give myself as much time to soak in the warmth before the long cold walk home. The temperature seems to fall fast around here, and unfortunately it was pretty cold inside Harry Ramsden’s. They serve their cheesecake here with cream–not whipped cream, just cream cream. It was an interesting combination of textures, and made the cheesecake seem almost soupy for a second each time you took a bite. It was pretty delicious, but more than I could eat after that enormous lunch. (“Do you want standard or large?” the waiter had asked me when I ordered the fish n chips. Ha! Is there a small?) Fortified by my coffee and armed with my trust gloves, I made the walk home.

So today was a very good day… and tomorrow is London, if I can find the train station.

Best leave the bike behind for the afternoon!

So, work sent you home after you spent an extra hour getting there in the morning and an extra hour and a half trying to get back – that’s a whole five hours of your life you’ll never get back.

As the snow gathers pace it’s tempting to head home and curl up indoors watching people buying and selling half rate antiques on the tv. But in Brighton there are plenty of delights awaiting to warm the soul.

Normally on a Friday lunchtime many of the pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes are loaded with lunch hourers and rowdy weekend drinkers preparing for a big night by the sea. Not when it’s snowing! Like the shops in the lanes, many of the pubs were not even half full. We headed into the Black Lion (Black Lion St) where we were welcomed by friendly bar staff, who were ready with numerous recommendations for food and drink, and cosy candlelit tables. Having eaten at the black lion before we knew there was plenty of tasty yet affordable pub grub on offer and we weren’t disappointed. We started with a well-stocked antipasti starter between four of us followed by a variety of tasty sandwiches and burgers – the Black Lion burger always goes down a treat!

Pretty sure the snowman was following us

In between pubs, the snow splattered beach was a must see. The roaring waves and glowing lights of the pier made for some great photo opportunities, although we soon began to lose sensation in our fingers and toes – so we headed back inland along London Road to the North Laine Pub (Gloucester Place).

Boasting its own microbrewerey on site, the North Laine offers some good quality beers. It soon became evident that this was where the people of Brighton were heading – it was mid afternoon and the place was heaving. We ordered a round of hot drinks – alcoholic hot drinks. The apple one was particularly delicious and took the edge right off the icy feeling from outside.

mmm indeed!

Once the evening began to draw in we headed back to the Lanes through the Pavilion Gardens to the trendy Bohemia Grand Cafe (Meeting House Lane). We were swiftly seated by the waiter and provided with the standard bowl of popcorn (great ploy to keep people drinking!!) and the extensive drinks menu. A round of flamboyant (but expensive) cocktails seemed to be in order whilst we watched the wintry world go by outside.

Before calling it a night, one last drink in The Cricketers (next door to our first venue!) was required. The Friday night crowds had gone into hiding tonight so we headed straight to a table by the open fire to sup on a soothing pint of ale or 3.

So next time it snows in Brighton, and you get the urge to shut the curtains and put on your slippers, remember there are plenty of warm and welcoming pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in town ready to warm your cockles!!

Read More … INTELLIGENT MOTORWAY (bilingual blog)

© Italian Tutorial, 2012. All rights reserved.

My personal favourites are Carlton Terrace Mews, Royal Terrace Mews, Circus Lane and Dublin Meuse. They’re conveniently located within walking distance of each other so exploring them makes for the perfect leisurely weekend adventure.

Just a few of the things that make these Edinburgh secrets so pretty are the chimneys, multi-coloured doorways and windows, potted plants and the overall super safe and cosy vibe. You get the feeling everyone knows everyone here. They’re like wee villages in the heart of Edinburgh where no one’s going to pinch your laundry if you leave it out overnight.

If you know of any mews and lanes I simply must explore, point me in the right direction won’t you? Thank you.

Written and Narrated by Chakresh Surya
Recording and Mixing by Sufi