As Rye slides into the New Year on a flood of rainwater, Heidi Foster has a relaxing start with a raffle prize, a return visit by old friends, and a burst of lindy hopping:
I was very lucky to win a raffle prize for The Rye Retreat (Cinque Ports Street) and the day before New Year’s Eve spent a delightful couple of hours in their aromatic environment. I was treated to a wonderful massage by Courtenay and subsequent hair treatment, all very relaxing. I know it was free for me, but the ambience, facial, the lovely fragrances and head massage before wash and dry is well worth paying for.
On New Year’s Eve, several of us were lucky enough to celebrate in the Tuscan Kitchen restaurant in Lion Street with Jenny Vinter and Franco Bochiccio, who were sorely missed when they left Rye about two years ago to go back to Italy.Now back they delighted us with their special brand of food delights, and fantastic and delicious courses that seemed to go on for ever accompanied with excellent wine – and which included fish dishes with nuts/feta salad, different meat offerings (which I didn’t eat) and a special salmon dish for vegetarians.
I am sure I speak for everyone who was there – it was a very special culinary evening with friends and we can’t wait for the Tuscan Kitchen to open its doors again on a regular basis later this month, run again by Jenny and Franco.
On Sunday night I ventured out of Rye for my first music event of 2016 when some of us joined the 1930s/1940s Swing Dance party with ‘The Cinque Ports Lindy Hoppers” at the Winchelsea New Hall.
They have been teaching and performing since 2001 and lucky visitors to the August 2015 Rye Jazz Festival may have seen their performance in the forecourt of the Kino in Lion Street.
Four young French musicians, The Swinging Dice, gave their all and few could resist the dance floor. Lindy hop is an American dance that evolved in Harlem, New York City, in the 1920s/30s alongside the jazz music of that time.
Apart from boogieing the night away, it was a joy was to see everyone dressed up in 1940s gear and doing the Lindy hop – an amazingly energetic dance with precise steps, turns and twirls which both partners are in tune with and looks mesmerizing. A very enjoyable start to 2016. Wishing all Rye News readers a good year ahead.
[Editor’s note: Readers unsure about what happens in Tuscan kitchens can visit www.bbcgoodfood.com and similar sites which have Top Ten lists. These seem to include various uses for all kinds of breads, soups like acquacotta and ribollita, and some street food like lampredotto which sounded off-putting – and may not feature in restaurants. Much, though, will seem familiarly Italian.]
Photos: Heidi Foster