What a beautiful day we had today in Hastings! Bright blue sky, sunshine, no cold wind and, for this time of year, mild temperature. Such a day can not be wasted inside so we set off. We took Milton for a walk in the Country Park and as a bonus, bumped in to two of our neighbours, Tom and Marie, so walked with them. It was glorious up there.
I knew, thanks to a local Facebook site, that the Pavilion Restaurant on Hastings pier had a special vegan menu for Veganuary so we headed there for lunch.
I always enjoy walking along the St.Leonards and Hastings’ promenades.
The Pavilion Restaurant is near the entrance to the pier. I had never been in before but will definitely be going again.
Thank you for supporting veganuary.
I am not sure why I have not been in here before.
It was much nicer than I expected and a very pleasant place to sit and have a drink or food.
We had both. Soya milk latte for me.
I knew I was going to have the ‘Fish’ and chips because that had been recommended. I actually want to try everything on here.
I also had the cauliflower salad which I really liked but was not sure about the gloopy blobs of dressing. The dressing texture was a bit wallpaper pastey and the flavours indistinct; a vinaigrette would have been better. But all the salad ingredients were really good and I enjoyed it.
The ‘fish’ and chips. WOW. WOW. WOW. Amazing. Wrapping the tofu in seaweed makes it taste as if it’s from the sea. The tartare sauce was good. And the chips. Oh my, some of the best I have ever had anywhere. Obviously not the best choice for a diet but a lovely treat and this was my only meal of the day as I fasted before and afterwards.
I highly recommend the tofu ‘fish’. And the chips. Really excellent.
I did leave a piece of ‘fish’ and some chips because I was full. I could easily have eaten them but I didn’t need them.
After a really lovely lunch we walked along to the Old Town as we had a birthday present to buy for someone special. It’s always a pleasure, pottering about in the Old Town. These cute plants were for sale at Reste on George Street.
Time to head home.
I fasted for most of today and have walked 13,666 steps and I am happy with that.
I have been following a feasting and fasting routine which works well when I manage lots of fasting. It’s obviously not so good when I tip the balance too far towards feasting, as I did last week!
I make my solution very weak or it makes me feel nauseous. In 700ml water, I add 1/4 tsp of each. I have 2 of these a day.
It has to be Pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt. The white salt people usually eat has been stripped of its minerals and it best thrown away.
I relaxed quite a bit today and enjoyed it all. No feeling guilty in Hastings today. I work hard and deserve a rest at the weekend.
I wanted to take Milton to Pett Level today as he hasn’t been on a decent walk all week and I like the beach at Pett during low tide. Rebecca and Beryl came with us which was lovely.
Both the dogs like the beach and their little noses were going crazy.
The sun nearly came out but not quite.
Low tide exposes lots of rock pools and sand to walk on so we can walk round the cliff end, but at a long and safe distance from the cliffs as there have been several rockfalls here recently.
I enjoy the different textures and colours on a beach. One minute you are walking along a large expanse of compacted sand.
The next you are wading through rock pools.
We walked along this rocky platform.
It is thickly encrusted with sea shells, such as mussels.
It was beautiful at Pett Level today. Very cold and very beautiful.
The dogs in their fur coats didn’t seem to mind the cold at all.
The coldness drove us back along the beach towards the car.
There are a lot of trees on the beach here.
What a strange creature!
Plus groynes, in neat rows.
The warmth of the car was a delight. We hadn’t gone far before we came to a fabulous shop selling a huge range of local veggies, fruits and salads. Not much was in plastic which is great.
I bought a whole head of kale and it’s huge.
Aww, aren’t they cute?
By about 4pm I was ready to have my first (and only) meal of the day. I made some kale crisps with some of this huge head of kale.
I cut the kale off the tough stems and cut it in to bite sized pieces. I washed and dried it thoroughly and then massaged some olive oil in to each leaf. I placed the oiled kale on a baking tray, sprinkled lightly with salt and baked in the oven (180) for 10 minutes.
It didn’t cook evenly so maybe a longer cooking time and a lower temperature would work better. It still tasted good though,
I also had a bowl of stir fried mushrooms, spinach and tofu with almonds and sesame seeds.
That was enough and I do not feel hungry.
We had a lovely Christmas Day and Boxing Day at my sister Holly’s in Chichester. We ate and drank and made very merry and also enjoyed walking in the Witterings, indoor fireworks and delicious and healthy food (as well as lots of Christmassy treats).
New Year’s Day was spent packing away decorations and burning the Christmas tree and then walking along the beach during a glorious sunset.
Looking West is so different to
looking East during a sunset.
The first sunset of 2018 was a good one.
I then had to work all week which was fine actually as I think quite a few people had extended holidays so trains and coffee shops etc were not too busy. When I say “all week”, it was only a three day week for me.
My happy place.
It was sunny and beautiful but don’t let that fool you.
It was freezing! Come on Milton, get down to the sandy bit.
My plan to walk along the sand back to the car was foiled by the volume of water pouring from the storm drain outlet.
Sorry old boy, we need to turn back and return by walking along the path.
One cold and sunny walk was not enough. I dropped Milton at home and went to Bodiam where I walked round the castle with another lovely friend, Lucy.
I was too busy chatting to take any pictures until we got back to the car. I recommend the walk around Bodiam Castle as it is beautiful and half of it is beside a river.
Lunch was mainly vegetables, with some Linda McCartney spinach and mushroom “sausage” rolls which were very tasty. I personally wouldn’t choose such food products but I am feeding a teenager and the compromise for eating all those vegetables, are that he has something he enjoys too. 
I steamed some cauliflower, tender stem broccoli, carrots, courgette and green beans over the pan I boiled the potatoes in. I stir fried onion, mushrooms and savoy cabbage with lots of pepper and fennel seeds. Yum.
This afternoon we went to the Jerwood Gallery with Rebecca to catch the last day of Paula Rego’s ‘The Boy Who Loved The Sea And Other Stories.’ The sky was amazing as we walked in to the gallery.
I have never been upstairs in the gallery before (I didn’t know it had a second floor).
This window provides a lovely view over the boats moored on the beach and out to the sea.
It was interesting.
A simple supper of a persimmon, blueberries and coconut yogurt.
Good eating, mainly plants in their natural form and over 16,000 steps of walking in beautiful spaces with lovely people.
and roasted the reds: peppers and tomatoes with fresh thyme and also some chickpeas seasoned with smoked paprika. No oil added.
Enjoyed with some new potatoes. All free and speed foods with no syns.
It was sunny but with rain forecast for the remainder of the day so we took Milton (our dog) in to Hastings Country Park for a walk. We walked from the car park to the Fairlight side of the park. It was a delightful walk with interesting skies as they were a mixture of bright sunshine and heavy clouds rolling in.
I usually make this with chick peas but I had run out so used pinto beans. I prefer it with chick peas but this was good enough and I have a portion in the fridge, ready to take to work tomorrow.
Knowing I will be returning home from London tired and hungry, I have prepared some easy meals to have in the week. I made a sweet potato and red lentil soup and a lentil ragu/bolognaise sauce. I will eat all the soup this week but only half the lentil ragu, so I put the other 2 portions in the freezer for another week.
Dinner was a large stir fry made with onion, red pepper, mushrooms, courgette and spinach. Flavoured with soy sauce, chillies and a ladle full of the sweet potato and red lentil soup.
All free and speed food apart from the 1 tbsp oil I used for the stir fry (6 syns).
On Saturday evening, Lara and Harvey came with me to Rye. I was in the procession for the bonfire event and they were going to watch which I was really delighted about. We had a few drinks outside a pub.
Rye is a very pretty town. All the pubs and restaurants were busy and people were enjoying themselves, including us.
We had booked a seat on a coach with one of the drumming groups so we were there early as they have to be dropped off before the roads close. Having spent rather a long time enjoying one of the local pubs, I left Lara and Harvey so I could go and join the procession. I was walking as a member of Hastings Borough Bonfire Society. Here they are.
I joined the procession and was given a flaming torch to walk along with. Thousands of these are made, by hand, by volunteers, for the processions.
Off we go – wheeeeeeee
It was loud and colourful and hugely enjoyable.
I was hoping I would recognise the spot I had left Lara and Harvey at because it all looked different with the streets packed full of people.
I believe about 60 members of HBBS were in the procession at Rye.
We wear jumpers in the Cinque Ports colours, a jerkin, a hat (some say it should be pirate but all kinds of hats are worn), black trousers and long red socks.
Luckily Lara spotted me before I walked past and took these pictures of HBBS and
yours truly.
After walking through the town we entered the bonfire site. When all the bonfire societies were in the site, we lit the fire by throwing our flaming torches at the huge bonfire.
Then the fireworks began.
The fireworks were fantastic.
It looked stunning though, as the town shone golden in the late afternoon sunshine.
Eventually the photography assignment was finished and we came home where I retreated to my sofa, initially with an ok snack of nuts, dates and hot tea, but as I was so cold and so tired, I gave in to Harvey’s request and we had pizza for supper.
I went for a coffee at Rebecca’s afterwards and stayed a while, sketching and chatting while she worked on some ceramics.
I went home for lunch and was pleased to have some leftover Nasi Goreng for lunch. I added some extra spinach and cabbage when I warmed it up and served it with sprouted seeds for additional nutrition . This is mainly free and speed foods (rice, smoked tofu, onion, butternut squash, aubergine, green beans, chilli, spring onion, coriander and Thai basil) but I did cook the Nasi Goreng with oil (I estimate 1 tbsp so 6 syns).
We walked down via the West Hill; a lovely walk with gorgeous views.
The shop went on and on.
We ended up on George Street and this one of my very favourite shops – reste. I managed to resist buying anything today. 
By the time I got home I had walked over 10,000 steps!
My Dad would not be impressed at me using a packet gravy but as a vegan, it is much harder to make gravy properly! I enjoyed my very simple supper of boiled potato and green beans, steamed carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts. 3 syns for the gravy.
We began walking along the Firehills towards Fairlight but then realised we should be heading West so looped round and changed direction.
Those clouds !
These were taken about half an hour before sunset.
Beautiful.
We considered sitting and watching the sunset from this vantage point but it was actually quite chilly so we continued walking.
Unless we stopped to take photos that is!
This dear old dog hates stairs and had to be enticed down these but he made it and then enjoyed walking around in the woodland area.
The fluffy clouds turned pink and the sky around the setting sun glowed yellow and orange.
It was beautiful and even though it was not the blaze of glory I hoped for, we had yet another spectacular walk in this delightful Country Park.
The sky was very pink over Dungeness as we walked back to the car. None of these photos have filters added and only minimal editing, usually just adding a little light to show the detail of the land. No editing at all in this picture even though it looks as if it has been edited.
I did well with exercise today. The walk in the Country Park contributed to the 8,000 + steps I have walked today and the steps and hills to the 44 floors I have walked up and down.
Well I hope it did me some good because it tasted quite unpleasant.
While I had the juicer out I decided to juice a pineapple that looked past its best but having eaten some as I was chopping it up, I realised it was perfect for eating so I juiced half and ate half. Delicious as it was very ripe.
For lunch I needed to finish an avocado I had been given on Wednesday. It was a homegrown gift from my friend Andrew who visited and who kindly brought me one of his avocados he had grown. I knew it was coming so the day before, when I had been in London, I bought some decent bread in Borough Market. It was amazing and Harvey and I loved it.
Simple but tasty enough.
Then this happened! A vegetable pakora and some other naughties also happened. I have no idea why but they did.
So I collected my dog and we went for a walk along the beach, at low tide and in time for sunset. I needed to walk some of those calories off!
Hastings is being packed away for the winter.
These were taken at around 4 pm and it was very quiet along the sea front.
The sky was very dark and dramatic.
Sunset was restricted to a bright pink strip under the large grey sky tonight.
It was low tide so we walked along the hard sand.
The seagulls were congregated around the sewage output.
They flew away as we approached which is unusual for Hastings seagulls.
I wanted to walk up to the pier. I love the pier, both walking under it and on it. I was delighted earlier this week when the pier won the prestigious RIBA Stirling prize for the UK’s best new building. Earlier in the year the pier was awarded the best pier in Britain by the National Piers Society (NPS).
I like the reflections in the wet sand.
This should definitely be the location of a murder or serious crime in a drama series. It would be a brilliant location.
I walked under the pier and towards West St. Leonards.
The big sky and the colours in both the sky and on the sand were beautiful.
As we walked West we could see the lights in Bottle Alley and the seafront properties, all reflected in the wet sand.
My feet were wet by now so we walked in to Bottle Alley and headed back to the car along the seafront.
At home I made a supper of vegetables: mashed potatoes, steamed cauliflower, carrots and brussel sprouts, stir fried red onion, cabbage and spinach with gravy. Enjoyed with a glass of wine,
I ate in front of the TV as I was home alone.
As I was enjoying my meal I was invited over the road to watch some fireworks which I did. That somehow involved more wine and crisps and then I had more again when I returned home. So I will write off today’s syns and do much better tomorrow.
I spent the whole day at home today. I made a smoothie for breakfast out of cashew nut milk (HEX A), spinach, cherries and bananas. It looks grey and unappealing but it tasted fine.
I excelled myself at lunch time with a quick and easy, nutritious and delicious salad. 5 boiled salad potatoes, mixed salad leaves, celery, cucumber and tomato with a chick pea salad.
In the chick pea salad was obviously chick peas (about half a can), 1 tbsp Vegenaise (4 syns), cornichons, pickled beetroot and sauerkraut.
Everything was seasoned with freshly ground black pepper. It was delicious.
For supper I made us both a burger.
I added 2 slices of this Violife “cheese” (3 syns per slice) to each burger and popped it back in to the oven to melt a little.
I placed the burgers on a pumpernickel roll and served with ketchup.
This was tasty and we both enjoyed it. I should have added green salad leaves but I had none in the fridge and really did not fancy going in to the dark and cold garden to pick any.
I made a mistake with the rolls. I have had these pumpernickel rolls several times and they are really delicious but unfortunately they contain milk. So I will not be having them again and I am cross with myself for not reading the ingredients before.
I meant to take a photo of everyone but the tea flowed, the chatter never stopped and time marched on so by the time I took my phone out some of the local lovelies had left. Then this lot wouldn’t pose properly!
We got there in the end. That was a very pleasant 3 hours.
We managed to time our exit to see the most spectacular sunset.
These two were taken at Hartley Dyke.
This one was taken at least half an hour later outside Waitrose in Hawkhurst so it was a spectacular and long sunset.
In the evening I did not do well. I have done far worse but I did have a large bag of popcorn and then three slices of wholemeal bread, with humous and tomatoes.
I was hungry when I came home. I had a banana, followed by a slice of wholemeal bread with half an avocado and a tomato.
Followed by a second slice spread with Vitalite and peanut butter.
Lunch was very simple; half a baked sweet potato with 1 tsp Vitalite, mixed lettuce leaves, cucumber, radishes, pickled beetroot and sauerkraut with 1 tsp Vegenaise.
After lunch we took the dogs to the park.
In the evening we went to the Old Town to go on a Ghost Walk. Instead of driving down we walked so on top of my swim I also walked nearly 14,000 steps today so I am happy with that.
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