Weekend Wanderings - Latitude Festival

As regular readers know we are a family of festival lovers, with many yet to be visited and favourites already on the calendar.  Continuing my Weekend Wanderings sojourn around the Suffolk countryside it seems only right to mention Latitude.  About an hour north along the Suffolk coastline from my house, set in the beautiful grounds of Henham Park, our sleepy county hosts the festival filled with cultural treats.  Alongside big acts headlining the main stage smaller tents play host to poets and other literary performances, comedy and more initmite gigs from lesser known bands and performers.  For me it is these smaller tents that make any festival more magical, discovering new acts and not wading through huge crowds to get a glimpse of whomever is on stage.  

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Whilst Latitude plays host to the plethora of Suffolk and Norfolk teens it is also a great festival experience for families too.  Infact the Kids Area could be considered a festival in itself!  With a jampacked programme of creativity, arts, crafts, music and science this year promises to delight families again.  Whether you want to learn to extract DNA from a banana with the DNA Splats, celebrate the bards big birthday and watch the Oxford Pocket Theatre interpret Shakespeare's plays for the younger audience or enjoy some puppetry and pizza with The Italian Job.  As the sun goes down over Henham Park, families can head to the Kids Area for a family disco, circus performances and on Saturday night children can join the parade.  This is just a tiny sample of the programme for children and families at Latitude this year.  For more information please visit the Family page.

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As our own children have got older the music line up has become an important part of festi-family holidays.  This year Latitude welcomes The Maccabee's, Bears Den, Squeeze, Laura Mvula and New Order, to name a small selection.  A personal favourite for me is the BBC Radio 6 Music Stage, showcasing music from a multitude of different genres and hidden among the canopy of trees the Sunrise Arena welcomes new acts embarking on their first steps into the wonderful world of the music industry.  

So whether you are sans family or not, Latitude promises a fabulous weekend in Suffolk this year.  

More details of this years line up and tickets are available at www.latitudefestival.com .

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

Weekend Wanderings - Aldeburgh

With so much of the Suffolk coastline within a thirty minute drive from our house, we like to regularly head to the beach, whatever the season.  So I thought it would be fun to share some of our favourite places and beaches.  Kicking off with the pretty coastal town of Aldeburgh.  Houses painted in pastel shades complimented with brighter coloured doors and window frames can be seen from the beach.  Heading up little lanes from the shingle leads to an eclectic mix of independant stores alongside the likes of Joules and Jack Wills.  For us a trip to Aldeburgh is not complete without a visit to the sweet shop which sits next door to the fabulous ice cream shop, with a vast selection of over thirty flavours.  On chillier days a bag of chips from one of the best fish and chip shops in Europe is a must.  

The summer months see an influx of tourists, indulging in the cultural attractions of this pretty seaside town.  With the Britten- Pears Foundation being housed in Aldeburgh there is a strong musical theme to summer days, including a great one day festival along the prom, which Amber has performed in.  For the foodies amongst us there is plenty of choice with delicious dishes served at Regatta Restaurant or one of the hotels on the seafront.  Alternatively there is a good selection of cafes along the high street.

Moving away from the high street, head along the prom to the RNLI museum, boating pond or bowls green, heading towards Thorpeness.  Head out on to the shingle to the little sheds selling fish caught that day and then look out for the shell sculpture by Maggie Hambling.  On warmer days we like to settle down near here on the shingle, enjoy a paddle and a picnic.  But cooler days see us head back to the car or wrapped up warm for a stroll along the coastal path to Thorpeness.  

Be sure to pop back soon for more Weekend Wanderings.  Please drop me a line if you would like to contribute to the Weekend Wanderings series.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

Weekend Wanderings - Snape Vintage and Makers Market

With warm sunshine on a Bank holiday weekend the girls and I decided to head off to Snape Maltings for the Vintage and Makers Market.  Always on the look out for a retro addition for the house and with Lucy's growing love of vintage this seemed like the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning.  Stalls filled with fabulous vintage clothes, retro furniture, vintage niknaks and beautiful hand crafted jewellery and artisan pieces offered plenty of choice.  Lucy brought some more records, as she is preparing for create a wall of album sleeves. so the bargain basket was perfect for this.  

The Vintage and Makers Market is a regular addition to events at Snape Maltings, so if you are lucky enough, like us to live nearby or are heading to the beautiful Suffolk Coastal region for a weekend or holiday, then be sure to pop by.  Dates can be found on Deben Events website aswell as details of other Vintage and Contemporary Markets. 

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
xo