Your February Half Term Fun in Eastbourne!

We're here to help with the all important planning for half term, providing you with ideas for indoor and outdoor activities to keep children of all ages entertained and happy this February!

The Llama Park at Forest Row is great for outdoors fun whilst enjoying some of the wonderful four-legged creatures of the world. Home to herds of llamas and alpacas, reindeer, Spanish horses and Jacob Sheep, the Llama Park is currently offering 2 for 1 on admission, with a voucher redeemable on VisitEastbourne. The park also offers Llama walks, for those children who want to take the lead. 

The half term will see the first visits by lovable characters, Hello Kitty and the Fat Controller to Drusillas Park, the UK's best small zoo! The Fat Controller will be back running the Thomas and Friend's Railway on 17 February, whilst Hello Kitty fans can meet the Japanese kitty in her Drusillas house, having a souvenir photo taken, on 18 February. 

On Wednesday 18 February, take the children to Towner for the morning to watch Japanese animation Ponyo. This is a free screening of the animated underwater adventure which tells the magical story of a curious young goldfish on her quest to become a human. Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, this is sure to entertain aspiring young mermaids and mermen.

If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise... Not quite the woods, but Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters Hotel are hosting a Teddy Bear's Picnic for children and their bears on February 18 at 12-2pm. A picnic will be provided for all children for the price of £7.50 - a seaside picnic not to be missed!

For the more active children Tennis in the Park, at Gildridge Park are holding a Tennis Holiday Camp. Suitable for both beginners and more advanced tennis players, children will learn new skills and improve on existing ones in a fun and relaxed environment. And for parents, relax in the Love All Cafe with delicious breakfast, lunch, snacks, hot and cold drinks served all day long.

It might be half term, but it doesn't mean that children's learning has to stop. The Observatory Science Centre in Herstmonceux has a fun interactive afternoon workshop; 'A Hearty Work Out' for children aged 6-9 on Tuesday 17 February, in which they will learn all about how the heart works to keep them alive. The creative workshop will have them making their own stethoscopes, learning how to check their pulse and making yummy heart melting chocolates.

Enjoy some Disney magic on stage in 'Aladdin JNR' at the Royal Hippodrome, telling the story of 'street rat' Aladdin, as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine and fights with the evil Jaffar for her hand in marriage. Catch an afternoon or evening performance between 18 and 21 February!

For more half-term attractions and events go to the Visit Eastbourne half term page!

Time 2 Change with Visit Eastbourne

The age old tradition of making New Year's resolutions originated in Ancient Rome. Janus, the two-faced god who looks backwards into the old year and forwards into the new, made promises at the beginning of each year as how to live in the twelve months ahead. 

At Visit Eastbourne we're taking on the philosophy of Janus and celebrating everything that Eastbourne has to offer, old and new, to inspire visits to Eastbourne and help you to change your lifestyle this year.  

Over the next four weeks we'll be bringing visitors and residents of Eastbourne ideas, offers, competitions and motivational blog posts to help you all make the most of the facilities, services and most importantly, the beautiful natural surroundings which Eastbourne boasts, in order to help with making those all important positive changes in 2015.

The Orchid Rooms; for relaxation

We believe in making well-rounded changes to your lifestyle, as there are many areas of life which could often benefit from a spruce-up. 

The Green Almond, Vegetarian Buffet

Health, fitness and well-being are vital to enjoying a happy life, so we'll be focusing the first two weeks of our 'Time 2 Change' project on highlighting the best places in Eastbourne to help with the January detox, to relax and rejuvenate and to get back on the right fitness track. As well as the best eateries in town to get delicious healthy food and drink from, and ideas for sporting challenges to help set that achievable goal.

For those of you who are looking for changes in other areas of your life, we'll be spending the second fortnight of the project bringing forth ideas of places to discover, visit and explore in and around Eastbourne. There are some extremely pretty and peaceful areas in Eastbourne and we want to guide you there to discover the beauty for yourself. 

Hampden Park, Eastbourne

It's not only exploration and adventure which can enhance your life, starting something new can be a very fulfilling way to make a change this year. If you're looking for a new hobby, to learn a new skill, ways to be more creative or maybe just to meet new people, we'll be giving ideas on how and where to do this in Eastbourne in January, February and in the rest of the coming year.

So, if you're looking for ways to change or improve your lifestyle this year, look no further than Eastbourne. 'The Sunshine Coast' provides the weather and beautiful setting, and we'll provide the motivational ideas to help make 2015 your most well-rounded and positive year yet. 

Happy New Year from the Visit Eastbourne Team!

A Grand Ol' Christmas Recipe: Delicious Chocolate Chestnut Cake

The Grand Hotel Eastbourne's, Head Pastry Chef Carlos Dantas, has shared a delectable Christmas recipe with us. So we're spreading the love and sharing the recipe for all to read... and try.


Why not put your baking skills to the test this weekend and try making your own Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake? What's more, it's a Gluten Free recipe, so it's perfect for the special dietary requirements of your guests (or you, if you plan on scoffing the whole thing yourself).

Carlos' Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake

Ingredients

200g Dark chocolate (70%)
250g Unsalted butter
250g Chopped cooked chestnuts
200ml Milk
225g Sugar
4 Large eggs (separated)

Method

1. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a low heat until mixed.
2. In a food processor, mix the chestnuts and the milk into a puree.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and 125g of sugar to a light fluffy consistency.
4. Whisk the egg whites with 100g of sugar.
5. Mix the chocolate sauce with the chestnut puree, then fold in the egg yolks.
6. Gently, next fold in the egg whites to retain volume.
7. Lightly grease an 8-10 inch baking tray.
8. Pour in the mixture and smooth the top.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes (it should be firm but not hard to the touch).

To make a Ganache topping, mix 100g of chocolate with 125g of double cream and 50g of butter. A tablespoon of Rum is optional, although highly recommended by Carlos!

We've still to try baking this tasty-looking cake ourselves, but we're going to have a Visit Eastbourne team bake-off to see who can make the most delicious Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake; we may even get Carlos over here to be the tasting judge.

Share your photos of your attempts at baking this Chocolate Chestnut treat with us on Twitter @VisitEastbourne or Facebook, or share some of your own special Christmas recipes.

If you don't fancy baking, but would love to indulge in some yummy delicacies made by Carlos, then you can book a table in one of the two Grand Hotel restaurants and have a yourself a merry little Christmas treat!

Happy Baking!