Coffee, take-away, curry and, er, salads… In each issue, we ask the good people of West Hill and Seven Dials for their shout outs for the finest finds in town. And they’re a discerning lot; check out their haul at https://westhillwhistler.com/feedback, and have your say on the Facebook West Hill Whistler page.

This month, as the Christmas season approaches, we’re looking at the best places to get your preloved clothes. 

It’s almost time to go out and get your glad rags as West Hill and Seven Dials begin to decks their halls. But hang about a minute. We’ve got a planet to save, and new clobber is a massive waste of water and energy. According to local baby clothing rental, superlooperlife.com, we have enough clothes on the planet right now for the next SIX generations, while 350,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year. Renting, swapping or buying preloved clothes is the answer, and Brighton’s finest foragers have shared their best finds waste-free-wardrobe in this month’s Feedback 

While the local Objet d’ials and Salvage and Sawdust have always got some top vintage in store, West Hill’s Lou Gasparelli has been further afield. 

“Oh my… This is right up my alley!” she writes in response to our Facebook post. “I did a recce of Portslade and Portlandia shops recently and found some gems! Harlem was an eye opener, then the charity shops like St Vincent in Portland Road and Cats Protection in Beaconsfield Road are both top notch and curated at next level to most. Highly recommended. Age UK in Boundary Road is superb and the Scope £1 shop also well worth a look”. 

Closer to home, Rebound on the beach and Preloved in Fiveways are everyone’s favourites. Vanessa at Preloved is as much a find as a personal shopper as the delightful designer pieces she parades on her Instagram account.  

Rebound is under the Arches on the beach by the West Pier and has new designer arrivals every day. Check out reboundstore.com and @rebound on instragram for sale items and the weekly Sunday ‘drops’. 

Trafalgar Street is teeming with vintage shops. The Dressing Room, All About Audrey, Jackalope for the GEN Z crowd, and newcomer New Wave Exchange. Alana says she’s inspired by sub cultures although Bowie fans might find themselves particularly at home.

Hang on, Lou’s back: ‘Oh and you MUST mention Fleurie in Lewes’ Needlemakers. She’s exceptional. I picked up a Ghost skirt in there recently for £10 on the sale rail. She’s had such a tough time these past two years. When I’m local, I pop in for a quick squizz and come out two hours later. An absolute gem and someone who really knows a thing about quality clothes.” 

Amanda Murphy agrees: “I bagged many bargains from Fleurie when I lived in Lewes.” 

Chloe Bullock who is a sustainable interior designer and queen of vintage clothes recommends CircleofStyle.com, a styling subscription service to make shopping second hand stylish, easy and fun. Chloe loves her monthly box ‘I’m very hard to please me with my button phobia, tallness, attraction to black and avoidance of animal products, but I’m enjoying being part of it.”

OCTOBER

Coffee, take-away, curry and, er, salads… In each issue, we ask the good people of West Hill and Seven Dials for their shout outs for the finest finds in town. This month, as the rain and sun play tag throughout the summer holidays, we’re sipping the best cocktails in the best bars. 

BBC Sussex radio queen, Allison Ferns says you can’t beat a Tiramisu Martini at The Grand where founder of Brighton Gin, Kathy Caton can also be spotted supping a BG Negroni. She also recommends The Plotting Parlour, where she suggests “a Gibson to channel one’s inner Queen’s Gambit!” But her Brighton Gin Top Tip goes to Gung Ho! on Preston Street. “They do super imaginative and downright delicious cocktails – including a great Southside with our Seaside Strength.” 

Queen of the Hall Lou Gasparelli had some fabulous margaritas at Tlaloc, the
cool new Mexican by the i360. “Their drinks menu and cocktails are amazing. Service is fabulous, attentive and accommodating. Great view over the sea. There is a 3-5pm happy hour, with some beer and mezcal deals. They also have aperitivo brunch on a Sunday.” Lou, who clearly knows her cocktails, also suggests The Bronze and Black Dove for some fine choices and cool vibe.

Clare Mann says “Burnt Orange do very gorgeous tequila cocktails. I think the
one I had was called El Torre made with tequila, apricot liqueur and hibiscus syrup. Also the blood orange margaritas have a great kick on the upstairs terrace of Rockwater.” 

Jess Moriarty suggested a Margerita at the Brighton’s legendary Bar Valentino, but her shout out for the Plotting Parlour was seconded and some by the cocktail cognoscenti. Harry Hillery recommends its Deutsche75. “It has Monkey 47 gin (the best), bitters and Champagne.” 

Chloe Bullock recommends Sage Against The Machine. Jake Smith says “L’Atelier du Vin in Seven Dials gets my vote.”
And Clare Bowers “divides my time between Burnt Orange’s cocktails and Twisted Lemon.”

Coffee, take-away, curry… in each issue, we ask the good people of West Hill and Seven Dials for their shout outs for the finest finds in town. Have your say on the Facebook West Hill Whistler page. This week… We’re looking at the best salads! (Oh, I know… Don’t worry – next time we’ll do vodka or somesuch)

And so as the sun begins to shine, this month we’re looking for the best SALADS in West Hill, Seven Dials or a walk or a bike away. Now, the editor of The Whistler may think that salads are dull (and he does), the garnish, not the main story, but once you’ve watched a saladista in action anywhere from Toronto to Turin, Lebanon to LA, you know that it’s so not a bit on the side. And the neighbourhood nods in agreement. So here’s the best Buddha bowls and mezze in town, the Vietnamese, octopus and beetroot salads, all tried and tested by our very own locavores.

Kate Langdale votes  for Tutti Fruti at the Dials; ‘they do amazing salads and they’re open again!’ she says.  Paula Beesty agrees. ‘Can I give a shout out to Tutti Fruti who inspired me to love beetroot in a goats cheese salad? It’s yummy. The lady that makes them is a genius salad maker, I even like her broccoli salad; she must have a secret ingredient because I usually dislike broccoli!’   Jo Shakey takes hers on the bus to the Dyke. ‘The selection is amazing and full of flavour.’

Tom Ormeroddly was so compelling about the octopus salad from Latina that the editor commissioned a profile piece about this Portugeuse treasure of the Dials (below). ‘JJ Waller agrees.  The salads at the Portuguese are tasty, plentiful and reasonably priced.’ Kate Langdale and Maxine Lambert are with them. ‘Latina at the Dials does a delicious mixed salad box and amazing squid salad with choice of tortilla’ said Kate. ‘All home-made and prices are really reasonable too!’ 

But life doesn’t stop at the Station for Westie Diallers, and heading into the North Laine is where you’ll find Rebekah Kortokraks’ favourite. ‘Helm Ston on Pelham St does amazing salads’ she told us.’ It’s Brighton’s best secret cafe. The food is made by the chef who originally created Bills’ menu He does delicious healthy cakes too. He created the Lewes Bills’ menu, and those amazing cakes they had. His cafe is less stodgy and carby than Bills’ food though.

Louise Gasparelli was so persuasive about the salads at Gardener Café (other dishes are available) that the ever-hungry Gull About Town was even alerted. ‘It offers a fabulous range of Buddha bowls’ said Lou, ‘and it’s pay as you feel and saving food from being thrown way, so a win win with so much great feedback. You have to try it!’

Joe Murray led the food march down to London Road and into the Open Market for some of the best international selections you can find. ‘Sunbirds’ veggie mezze is one of the finest and best value meals in town’, he said.  Kirsty Hewitt says ‘Kouzina in the Open Market does brilliant salads and mezze.’ Deb Bee voted Smorls in the Open Market the ‘Best Salad Plate in Town’.

Even the centre of town got a nod with Foodilic a local favourite. And on the beach, Zest, the Vietnamese at the recently opened Shelter Hall, has loads of salad options according to Kristy Hall. ‘It looks great!’