Seagull Recommends 08/12

Hello and welcome back to Seagull Recommends! It's very nearly Christmas, and our team have nearly done their Christmas shopping. Don't worry if you haven't though, because we have some excellent suggestions down below.

If you come across anything coming up in the city that you think we should know about, let us know!

🎶Gigs: Gecko's going to be at Down to Earth Coffee Shop on Thursday, and we think you'll love him. We first saw him at a Sofar Sounds in Southampton, and were instant fans: expect to hear songs about pig fugitives, feminist fairytales, and a very sad one about Laika, the first dog who went to space (tickets).

🎭Theatre: At St George's Kemptown next Friday, Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra's Brass Quintet and Pip Torrens are putting on A Christmas Carol. Two performances to choose from, one at 6pm and one at 8pm, with mulled wine and mince pies, natch (tickets).

🎁Pop up shop: The Pop-Up Club has returned to Dukes Lane, providing a platform for more than 30 local retailers to sell in-person. Handcrafted and eco-friendly gifts, cards, ceramics, homeware, jewellery, artwork, kids prints and clothing are available: our editor was very excited to see dinosaur socks until she realised they were for children, but she did get some gingerbread person earrings instead which she was delighted with. There until Christmas Eve, it's open from 10am until 6pm Monday to Saturday and 11am until 5pm on Sundays. Big thanks to The Pop-Up Club for inviting Team Seagull to its Christmas party last night, we had a blast!

🎄FemFestive: Next Sunday (we're telling you now because this will sell out), the team behind FemFest are putting on a day of camp Christmas fun to raise money for FemFest 2024. Taking place at The Actors, the day starts with a Christmas Crafternoon from 2-5pm: craft supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own project! As the sun sets, the festivities continue upstairs at The Actors with the FemFestive Cabaret. From 7pm to 9:30pm, the lineup consists of host Drag King: Dad, Selena Mersey, Lucy Andrina, Su Mi, Gaylien De Mars, and Mitzi Fitz. Get your tickets here!

🛍️Christmas bazaar: Platf9rm is hosting an independent Christmas bazaar tomorrow, with goods from Wag and Wool, Onyx Studio, My Skin Feels, Calavera Club, and more. Enjoy a festive tipple, Christmas crafts, meet Santa, and enjoy the smooth tones of saxophone music while your gifts are wrapped at the gift wrapping station. It's at Hove Town Hall from 12pm-7pm, and entry is free!

💡Light Up The Lido: This Friday and Saturday, join Saltdean Lido to light up its neon sign for the first time since it was turned off on the outbreak of WW2 in 1939, when the original neon-lit sign was taken down and lost. Now, 84 years later, the sign has been recreated, and the building will once again be illuminated in time for Christmas! Enjoy lots of festive food, drink, with carols from Brighton Swing Choir (on Saturday only). Santa might even pop in… (tickets).

☕️Drink: Get yourself into Trading Post in Kensington Gardens (or Tradey P in Kenny G as Team Seagull like to call it), cosy up on the sofa and enjoy one of their winter drinks. We particularly love the gingerbread latte and the orange hot chocolate. Friend of The Seagull, Xav, said:

Is this for Seagull Recommends? I had the pumpkin spiced hot chocolate thing with an abundance of cream which is very good for the festive season. But you cannot beat a Nutella latte as long as you're not allergic like certain members of the Seagull editorial team.

🍷Mulled wine: The mulled wine at The White Rabbit pub is genuinely the only mulled wine our editor has ever liked. She liked it so much that she swapped her glass of mulled cider with Xav's glass of mulled wine. She then bought a round in though, so that made up for it. £5.45, a bargain!