oh i do like to be beside the seaside

So the Dream (temp) Job has come to an end, so I round up my peoples (Fi, Maria and the tot) and decide to head down to Brighton for the day (where I haven't been since I was 10). The weather's been so-so in the preceding few days, and we wake up the morning of the daytrip to slate grey skies and continuous rain. So far so bad. No one is amused. We pick up Maria and Tayo from Shepherd's Bush and hope for the best...

By the time we pass the sign welcoming us to West Sussex, there is more blue in the sky than grey; as we park in Brighton along the marina, the sun is starting to come out.

We head straight into the Sealife Centre (initally to use the toilets), and many fish and stingrays, one Amazon exhibit, some sharks and a wicked giant turtle (plus one mega tantrum from Tayo) later, we emerge to blazing sunshine and clear blue skies. Hurrah!

Food is on the agenda so we walk the couple blocks up to Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack for lunch. I read a review of this place years ago in a newspaper, and it stuck with me as I realised I had gone to primary school with the owner's daughters, and Momma Cherri (or Cherita as I remember her by) frequently helped out with school drama productions and the like. I mentally filed it away for future use; now we're finally here, I suggest it to Maria, who apparently is familiar with Momma Cherri from Saturday Kitchen. So there we head. We're given a nice big table and there are plenty of toys for the tot. We each order a homemade lemonade (yum) and lots of food - a meatball sub, grilled catfish, hush puppies, cornbread (drool) and mac & cheese for Matteo. The food is all incredible; Tayo seems to prefer cornbread to actual substantial food but I'm happy to eat his mac cheese for him while he throws cucumber on the floor, hoovers up the corn bread, and flirts with Momma Cherri's very cute granddaughter.

All a little happier now are sugar levels are raised (we skip dessert, holding out for hot donuts on the pier later) and wander up to the Pavilion (what amazing buildings) then down to the pier. Fi and Maria are hunting for "saucy" postcards for their boss, we're all on the look out for donuts; we wander round the fairground (no takers for any rides, though I am quite tempted - as always - by the rollerghoster). Fi keeps going on about some milkshake shop she went to last time she was down visiting friends who are at Sussex Uni so we venture back into town, donuts in hand.

We get lost in the Lanes - she has no idea where this milkshake place actually is, so I make her call her friends. By the time we find it, there's a sign saying 'Back in 5' so we wander some more. Luckily when we return it's open so we get these apparently legendary shakes... and then Fi tips half of hers over Tayo, while trying to give him a sip. The poor kid sits there staring at her, at the half cup of milkshake all over his hoodie. Then politely asks for some more. Can't deny a sweet tooth... One quick change of clothes later, and we're all feeling the effects of sunshine, sea air and lots of food so head back to the car. While some lucky toddlers are passed out within about five minutes of being back on the road; some of us have to do the drive back and forget to get on the M25 from the M23 and have to navigate back through Croydon...