TVI AND THE TRUTH ABOUT LAST YEAR

The past year has been an exceptional one in the city for many people no doubt. Credit to Brighton and Hove for keeping its head in 2012 when so many lost the keys to their own front doors. Businesses folded and some lucky ones only changed hands. Absolute has begun a change after being taken up by Pinnacle Publishing. The new guard has toasted the continuation of this magazine with the Christmas bumper edition and the festive PR party in December at Havana Spoon. I got to meet the new faces behind the fortunes of the magazine and catch-up with some of the city’s now established event makers and business shakers like Brighton Fashion Week’s Liz Bishop full of wonderful news of this year’s design showcase and Pieter Grobbolar of the luxurious Concordia Dental.

In conversation with Absolute’s new MD Alan Prior and its editor Ian Trevett I found out that this column is much talked about and widely considered as ‘interesting’ across a wide section of Brighton. Readers either enjoy or dislike it with the main criticism being that it is ‘all about me’. Well, it is PJ’s Socialite Diary. It is about me, my take on the city and what people, events or businesses come to view on my radar. Write about what you know as they say. So PJ’s Socialite Diary will rarely be about quantum physics. But I can safely write a few words now about Brett Mather’s new kitchens at The Cow on the site of the old Tin Drum in Seven Dials. Fabulous, fresh and funky. I’ve mentioned the talents of Brett before, he who used to head up the kitchen at the Stoneham and who still holds the keys to the cookers at Hop Poles. Brett continues his expansion in the city with a cosmopolitan menu at The Cow that also features a wholesome and splendid traditional Sunday roast. You can judge a kitchen by a Sunday roast and The Cow’s kitchen with Brett at the helm is set to shine for some time to come. Do peruse this new pasture.

Last year began with my successful legal battle with the individual with whom I undertook a series of PR events and who quite blatantly defrauded me and others definitely establishing a low point from which I began 2012. All of my friends and most of my professional colleagues know of the person(s) and the outcome and thankfully the dark deed doer has been socially obliterated and like a cow a metaphorical bell rings from a certain neck warning the honest among us of their approach. The year progressed with my being taken up as a member of the Russian touring tribute band Melodies of Boney M with who I shared many a jet, tour van, motorcade and stage, a set of experiences that marked the past year up as truly memorable and one that I will be forever grateful for. And now with the international release of Brighton Babylon, my first novel of four (so far), to be published by London’s Dynasty Press Ltd., I hang up my singing and dancing glad rags and begin 2013 brandishing a smile and holding a pen as Brighton Babylon begins its adaptation to TV as a comedy drama series. With David Donno and the folks at Dynasty Press I host the official launch of the novel at Naked Eye Gallery at Farm Mews, Hove on February 17^th. The guest list closed in mid December but if you stand outside you might get a glimpse of the city’s funset and hear just one last tune from me and Melodies of Boney M if I can convince my tour mates to belt out Daddy Cool for you. Happy New Year 2013 Absolute Brighton readers and advertisers!  

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