Folio190 by Sarah Malone

folio free take one!

bristol & bath

the west’s best lifest yle m ag

november 2010 l No. 190

plus l Party fashion l Gifts for all the family l Where to watch fireworks l WIN CHRISTMAS!

frame In the

From the North Bristol Arts Trail to the West's best galleries, a walk through Bristol and Bath's varied and enticing art scene

Beauty fashion food & drink health interiors people property what’s on l

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folio The best in the West

Home is where the art is

henever you fancy giving your living space a little freshen up what do you think of first? A splash of Dulux and an on-trend accent wall? Some new cushions artfully scattered on your comfiest sofa? Perhaps a new rug? But what about the pictures adorning those freshly made-up walls? A little jig-around of your artwork, and maybe the addition of a new work or two, can sometimes be just what you need to give a room a new lease of life. And where better to bag yourself a beauty than on one of Bristol and Bath’s many art trails where you can see a wide range of pieces from prints to jewellery via ceramics, glass and textiles, in a relaxed domestic setting. The North Bristol Art Trail – one of the largest community trails in the West – takes place over the last weekend in November and will see over 100 new and established artists in Cotham, Redland, Henleaze, Bishopston, Horfield, Montpelier, St Andrews and Westbury Park exhibiting their mixed media works in over 50 venues. It’s a great time to invest in a new work from an emerging local artist (and you could also do a spot of gift buying at the same time…). Read more in our feature on page 10. Talking of gift buying, we understand completely that it can be a daunting and sometimes stress-laden task, so we hope we’ve eased the burden somewhat with our guide, which begins on page 22. And for foodies we’ve got Christmas all wrapped up with our tick list of local shops just bursting with gourmet goodies, plus the loveliest eateries for a spot of pre-Christmas dining, page 43. Enjoy the issue Rachel Nott Folio editor

People 4 Bath Film Festival’s Philip Raby 6 The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon

Features 10 Steve Wright takes us on a colourful tour of the West’s best art galleries 18 Eugene Byrne gives us a local history lesson on the origins of Bonfire Night 22 Rachel Nott goes Christmas shopping

What’sOn 30 Theatre, Art, Film, Comedy, Music, Family, Exhibitions and Events

Food&Drink 43 Melissa Blease explores the tastiest gourmet gift emporia and neighbourhood eateries serving festive fare 53 Mike Gartside discovers mouthwatering Japanese fare at Noa 55 Melissa Blease dines in splendour at Charlton House 58 Seasonal recipe from celebrity chef Mitch Tonks

LifeStyle 63 Fashion Stylist Niki Whittle gets us prêt a party 67 Beauty Becky Davis visits Clifton nail bar Sparkles 71 Health Say goodbye to snoring 77 Education Taunton School 75 Motoring Bristol Audi’s parent company makes the top 250 80 Feature Simon Fry discovers Hawthorns Retirement Home

20 22

HomeFront 85 Crystal Clear Windows are our experts in the spotlight 89 Jack & Mack show us a few of their favourite things 92 Trish Gibson on how to prepare your garden for winter

Property 95 Harbourside developments Cover image: ‘Autumn Splendour’ by Norma Rowe. Norma will be exhibiting at the North Bristol Art Trail later this month. Ffi: www.northbristolartists.org.uk

Finale 98 Competition: WIN CHRISTMAS!

Subscribe to folio Just send a cheque for £20 (payable to Folio) to our Bristol address and you’ll get the next 14 issues sent to your home - the only way to guarantee you’ll get every copy of the West’s fastest-growing lifestyle magazine. folio Bristol 4th Floor, Bristol News & Media, Temple Way, Bristol, BS99 7HD tel 0117 942 8491 fax 0117 934 3566 email editor@foliomagazine.co.uk folio Bath Bath News & Media, Floor 2, Westpoint, James West St, Bath BA1 1UN tel 01225 429801 fax 01225 447602 Editor Rachel Nott Deputy Editor Mike Gartside Group Editor Dave Higgitt Production Manager Cath Evans Creative Director Lee Caple Design Team Joe Braun, David Myring, Sarah Clark, Sarah Malone Picture Editor Joao Barata Sub-editors Jo Renshaw, Patrick Hemming Publications Co-ordinators Emma Gorton, Ruth Wood Commercial Manager Becky Davis Advertising Simon Whitehouse, Nejla Unal, Ben Wright, Mike Swift, Adam Burrows, Danny Ford Distribution Dave Higgitt Ring us now for details of how to reach our 75,000 readers - and if you’re a reader, contact our advertisers now! Do please let them know where you read about their services. Thank you. Folio articles preceded by the words ‘Folio Profile’ have been supplied by a third party, and the information contained within them does not necessarily constitute a direct recommendation by the publishers. However, we only accept submissions from bona fide companies whom we know from long experience to provide quality goods or services.

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Contents 190.indd 1

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motoring motoring

Q&A

FILM BUFF AND CHAIR OF THE BATH FILM FESTIVAL PHILIP RABY HAS BEEN STARING AT THE SILVER SCREEN FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. HE PICKS OUT HIGHLIGHTS OF FESTIVALS PAST AND PRESENT wORDS melissa blease

hilip Raby has been chair of the Bath Film Festival since it was established in 1990. His shop, On the Video Front (Terrace Walk, Bath), is a mecca for film fans, and he also reviews films for Venue magazine and The Bath Chronicle.

What’s the Bath Film Festival all about? The BFF is a unique opportunity for film lovers to see a swathe of original and interesting films over a short period of time, many of which are previews that haven’t been seen before, or recent films that were never shown in Bath. In addition, we screen Silent Movie events with live musical accompaniment, film projects closely associated with the world of art, cutting-edge documentaries, and whenever possible - we invite film-makers to talk about their work. Essentially, it’s an all-you-can-eat cinematic extravaganza, with the emphasis on quality and variety. How has the BFF developed over its 20-year history? The very first festival was a small-scale, last-minute operation. We now have a team of people who are skilled in their own particular field, and a dedicated group of volunteers who make the festival run smoothly. We have the support of the local council and we’ve become an integral part of the annual festival calendar in Bath, but we still operate with a miniscule budget and rely on a huge amount of goodwill and generosity in order to make things happen - we’re always waiting until the very last minute to see what titles we can screen! In personal terms, what does the festival mean to you? I spend about 50 weeks of the year working for the festival - not full-time, but as an unpaid trustee. But November is payback time! I attend nearly all the events, either to introduce screenings or just for pleasure. For me, the biggest thrill is the sight of the queues of people outside the cinema flooding in when the doors are open, chatting enthusiastically with an excitement that just isn’t there at ordinary cinema screenings. There’s a buzz, a frisson of thrill, and I feel proud that all our hard work has created that momentum.

I’ve been watching films for 50 years, and the excitement generated at the screening of a new film is one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced. What have your most memorable moments from previous festivals? The two events that will always stick in my memory are the Silent Movies and the special appearances by film-makers. Our Silent Movie screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced, and Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings - which we showed in Bath Abbey - was unforgettable. As for film-makers, two of my favourites have been small-scale: Gideon Koppel came and talked about a gorgeous film he made, called Sleep Furiously, and on another occasion Patrick Keiller, an academic/filmmaker, talked about his project to illustrate parts of the UK with extraordinary footage from the late 19th century.

as the future George VI and Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist. Of Gods and Men is a French film based on a true story about a group of French monks in North Africa faced with the imminent arrival of Islamic fundamentalists, and Shiraz is a silent Indian film from the 1920s, with live musical accompaniment. I’m looking forward to Sing-along-a-Wickerman just because the idea is so barmy. And you must look out for the outstanding new British film Skeletons, for Freetime Machos - a documentary about the world’s worst rugby team (from Finland) - and Mary and Max, a very unusual animated film about two lonely people. All in all, it’s a very strong programme this year. Bath Film Festival 10-20 Nov. Ffi: 01225 463362, www.bathfilmfestival.org.uk

Which screenings and events are you most excited about this year? The King’s Speech is going to be huge: it’s an extremely fine film starring Colin Firth

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motoring motoring

Q&A

SINGER-SONGWRITER NEIL HANNON, WHOSE BAND THE DIVINE COMEDY PLAY BRISTOL THIS MONTH, HAS ALSO WRITTEN THE SCORE FOR THE BOV’S MUSICAL VERSION OF SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS wORDS simon fry

est known for hits like Something for the Weekend and National Express in the 1990s, The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon remains one of the country’s most innovative singer-songwriters. Earlier this year his cricket-themed spin-off project The Duckworth Lewis Method was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award while his score for the musical adaptation of Swallows and Amazons enjoys its world premiere at Bristol Old Vic next month. How did you first get into music? I watched what my two older brothers wanted to watch, which meant Top of the Pops from age two. I grew up liking the Human League and Elvis Costello, but at a young age ELO made the most amazing music I’d ever heard. I was moderately talented and played the piano to grade one but gave it up at 12. I’ve a nasty habit of being good at something but not putting in the work! I was obsessed with writing songs. What would you have done if you hadn’t been a musician? I don’t have a clue! I’ve had zero other jobs. After I left school it took one year to get signed by a label, which was more by luck than judgment. I’m not suited to manual labour, as I’m a small person and not suited to practical work - I burn the toast. I’m reasonably artistic so I guess I could have made wicker baskets in a local craft shop in Enniskillen.

What are your memories of Bristol and Bath? I remember recording [Divine Comedy album] Casanova in Bath in the middle of the summer when it was very hot. There were students everywhere and I was insane with lust! I also enjoyed narrating Peter and the Wolf for the Brunel Ensemble in Bristol some time ago. The Old Vic is one of the most amazing theatres I’ve been in. I hugely enjoy everything Aardman have done - and I’d do any voices they need doing! You turn 40 the day after your Bristol concert. How will you celebrate? I’ve racked my brains but I still don’t have a clue and remain open to suggestions.

There’s no cricket to watch so I guess I’ll have to look into go-karting. How do you find the world of fame? I attend many gigs in Dublin and I’m recognised because people expect you to be there but in the supermarket people look through you. Meeting famous people isn’t always desirable as they can disappoint, though I found Bono to be more Bonoish than I’d imagined. I was terrified but overjoyed to meet Scott Walker - I was 18 when I discovered him and it changed the whole way I worked. I once interviewed Bjork at a French chateau for music paper Les Inrockuptibles. It was the time of the 1994 World Cup and she saw the World Cup as a metaphor for sperm attacking eggs…

to staging the show, and as Willow has aged from four to eight, she’s now the perfect age for it. How do you think England will fare in the upcoming Ashes series? I’m looking forward reasonably positively although I’ve been disappointed before. I think England may just do it but it will be impossibly close. They have the best captain they’ve had in decades, so I’ll say three-two to England. Neil Hannon plays the Anson Rooms, Bristol on Sat 6 Nov. Ffi: 0117 929 9008, www.ubu.org.uk [click on ‘What’s On’] Swallows and Amazons 1 Dec-15 Jan, Bristol Old Vic. Ffi: 0117 987 7877, www.bristololdvic.org.uk

How did Swallows and Amazons come about? I knew I had to do a musical at some stage - people say my writing is suited to it. I bought the book to read to my daughter Willow but she was too young at the time. It’s taken five years from reading the book

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Voted in the Top 50 antique shops in Great Britain 2010 by The Independent on Sunday

OLD BANK ANTIQUES CENTRE 14-17 Walcot Buildings, Bath

Situated on the London Road (A4), just a short walk from the top of Walcot Street. Old Bank Antiques Centre is the largest retailer of antiques in Bath, without being stuffy and too grand. This is how antiques shops used to look: a hoarder`s paradise. fifteen dealers spread through lots of showrooms in four shops with everything from 17th century to 1970s retro. Experienced and professional advice is always available. Customer parking is at the rear, accessed via Bedford Street. Deliveries can be arranged anywhere in the UK or the rest of world, at cost price. Furniture restorer on premises. Open seven days a week and most bank holidays Visit our website: www.oldbankantiquescentre.com Tel: 01225 469282 & 338813 Email: alexatmontague@aol.com

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51-53 Westbury Hill, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3AD Tel: 0117 962 2599 • Email: info@kbdbristol.co.uk • www.kitchensbydesignbristol.co.uk

• ONE OF BRISTOLS MOST ESTABLISHED KITCHEN STUDIOS

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profile Rowan Dartington

Last month RD Director Sue Evans looked into building an investment portfolio. This month Signature Managing Director Andrew Morris explains the benefits of the Rowan Dartington Discretionary Service. ● In the past few articles we’ve covered an introduction to stockbroking, the services available and the concept of a portfolio. However, taking investment decisions and keeping up to date with market changes in the hectic schedules of everyday life isn’t always possible. In this article I will look at the Discretionary Managed service that Rowan Dartington offer, where we could take this burden away from you. Initially, you would meet with your dedicated Investment Executive to discuss your attitude to risk and future objectives, and then a portfolio would be designed to meet your investment requirements. With market and technological

volatility, timing and execution can be key in achieving optimal investment performance. Through a Managed Portfolio this can be achieved via an Executive making decisions instantly on your behalf, without the necessity for you to be contacted. Your Executive has access to the whole of market research and instant news on changing markets around the world and will update your portfolio accordingly. The additional administrative burden would also be removed, with corporate actions being dealt with on your behalf, full valuation and capital gains tax reporting (subject to a full history), income payments paid

Rowan Dartington & Co Colston Tower, Colston Street, Bristol BS1 4RD Tel: 0117 933 0006 Email: invest@rowan-dartington.co.uk Web: www.rowan-dartington.co.uk

directly to your account and a collection of dividends service. Online access will be available to your portfolio for when and if you would like to take a look at your investments. Contracts will be sent after transactions and reports, including benchmarking, performance measurement, transaction and cash movements, and portfolio valuations will be carried out. For more information on Rowan Dartington or on the Discretionary Managed services, contact your local branch, details of which can be found on the website. Rowan Dartington & Co Ltd is a member of the London Stock Exchange and is authorised and regulated by the financial services authority.

Sue Evans, RD Director

Andrew Morris, Signature MD

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feature

The bigger picture

These are fertile times for Bristol and Bath’s local art scene. Venue magazine art editor Steve Wright heads out on the gallery trail

ristol has recently been a stronghold for graffiti and street art, with a certain Banksy making the city world news on his return here last summer. In the past year or so, though, we’ve also noticed a fightback from more ‘traditional’ forms of art, with a slew of newer galleries – Lime Tree, View, Knifesmith – mounting a steady stream of intriguing, challenging and often beautiful fine art exhibitions. Alongside that, the city’s big players – Arnolfini and Spike Island for the conceptual and challenging stuff, Royal West of England Academy for the (generally) more established fare – continue to flourish. Bath’s golden cityscape has attracted artists for many years – no less a figure than Thomas Gainsborough set up shop here back in 1759, and artists including Walter Sickert and JMW Turner have also been active in the city. These days, Bath specialises in enterprising smaller galleries mounting consistently interesting shows of contemporary fine art. Rostra &

Rooksmoor, Bath Fine Art and Edgar Modern are all excellent places to keep an eye on, with their monthly exhibitions almost always offering up something of interest. Mauger Modern and Beaux Arts offer perhaps the most consistently interesting fare, regularly hosting some of the names making waves in the art world. And there’s a host of inspiring galleries tucked away in pretty streets, including bo.lee, The White Room and Adam Galleries. One of the star attractions of both Bristol and Bath’s art scenes is their neighbourhood art trails – weekends throughout the year when artists across a particular suburb throw open their homes and studios and invite visitors in for a look at what they’ve been creating. November boasts two of Bristol’s oldest, biggest and best trails. Totterdown’s Front Room returns for its 10th instalment from 19-21 Nov, and features a lantern procession, live graffiti, gigs and much more, as well as art exhibitions in dozens of homes, studios, community venues, pubs and more (see www.frontroom. org.uk). The following weekend, 27-28 Nov, brings the ninth North Bristol Art Trail (see

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feature www.northbristolartists.co.uk), with some 100 artists across the city’s northern districts (from St Andrews and Bishopston to Henleaze, Westbury Park, Redland and Montpelier) exhibiting paintings, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, jewellery, textiles, mosaics and glasswork. Bristol’s last art trail of the year, the North Bristol trail is the perfect place to shop for unique Christmas presents. You’ll also find a mountain of kids’ activities to keep the nippers happy. BATH GALLERIES Adam Gallery 13 John St. Ffi: 01225 480406, www. adamgallery.com • Compact gallery in one of central Bath’s quietest and prettiest streets. Monthly changing roster of solo exhibitions by established British and international artists. folio recommends Atrium Gallery The Podium. Ffi: 01225 443446, www. atriumgallery.com • Colourful, accessible prints, plus some affordable originals, by contemporary artists. Many of the artworks are expertly framed by the gallery’s award-winning Framing Workshop (www.theframingworkshop.com). Permanent exhibition Art of Bath features a comprehensive selection of images of the Georgian city (see www. artofbath.co.uk).

Bath Artists’ Studios Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Rd. Ffi: 01225 482480, www.bathartistsstudios.co.uk • Bath’s largest artists’ studios, housing studio space for 54 artists and staging regular exhibitions, events and classes. Next up: group show Extemplo (13-21 Nov), part of the Bath Art Affair. Bath Fine Art 35 Gay St. Ffi: 01225 461230, www. bathfineart.com • Friendly, dynamic city-centre gallery, specialising in high-quality solo and group exhibitions by established, mid-career artists from Bath and the region. Coming next: works by renowned artist David Brayne RWS as part of group exhibition Windows to the Soul (12-21 Nov).

Beaux Arts York St. Ffi: 01225 464850, www. beauxartsbath.co.uk • Long-established Bath gallery showing work by major 20th-century painters, sculptors and ceramicists. Some very fine regular exhibitors. A quartet of artists exhibiting until 20 Nov includes Andrew Crocker, whose eccentric, quintessentially English paintings combine mysterious events and incongruous figures with panoramic expanses of sky and countryside. bo.lee gallery 1 Queen St. Ffi: 07970 492858, www.bo-lee. co.uk • One of the city’s more interesting galleries, with a definite leaning towards dark, often surreal and unsettling contemporary art. Forthcoming group show The Wood for the Trees (12-21 Nov, off-site at The Octagon gallery in Milsom Place) includes works by Paula Rego, Elisabeth Frink and Gavin Turk – and promises to ‘transport you into a dreamlike labyrinth where the walls tell stories and animals come to life’. Chapel Row Gallery Chapel Row. Ffi: 01225 480114, www. chapelrowgallery.com • Light, airy gallery-forhire just off Queen Square in the centre of town. Regular programme of contemporary art. Now showing: Ana Maria Pacheco (to 16 Nov), an Anglicised Brazilian painter whose recent works focus on ancient myths and the female form. Edgar Modern Bartlett St. Ffi: 01225 443746, www. edgarmodern.com • Colourful contemporary fare, often with an edgy, modern or playful theme. November features beautiful, luminous, liquid abstracts from Becky Buchanan (2-12 Nov), followed by Matisseand Cubist-influenced countryside, coast and urban landscapes by Heath Hearn (16-27 Nov). ICIA University of Bath, Claverton Down. Ffi 01225 386777, www.bath.ac.uk/icia • Bath University’s own artspace has a regular termtime programme of exhibitions and residencies with a strongly conceptual theme. Currently showing video works by Ruth MacLennan, examining how humans react to social, political and technological change.

Clockwise from top left: North Bristol Art Trail - 'Low Light' by Rachel Smith; Bath Fine Art - 'White Sand and Shallow' by Neil Pinkett; Beaux Arts - 'The Gift' by Anna Gillespie; Atrium Gallery - 'Anne Seated' by Robert Lenkiewicz: White Room Gallery - 'The Legend of Kokucho Meadow' by Tom Lewis folio recommends Milsom Place Off Milsom and Broad Sts. Ffi: 01225 789040, www.milsomplace.co.uk • Regular exhibitions within this stylish city-centre shopping and dining complex, both at Unit 17 and the atmospheric Octagon gallery. Coming next, a group show (12-21 Nov) features ceramics from Peter Hayes, Robin Welch and Ian Gregory, paintings by John Emmanuel and Peter Joyce, jewellery by Lynda Gregory and ceramic sculpture by Rachel James.

Museum of East Asian Art Bennett St. Ffi: 01225 464640, www.meaa. org.uk • Fascinating, bijou museum of East Asian art and culture, just off The Circus. Regularly changing exhibitions of historic and contemporary art, culture and artefacts from China, Thailand, Burma and surrounding countries. Nick Cudworth Gallery 5 London St. Ffi: 01225 445221, www. nickcudworth.co.uk • Monthly changing exhibition space for Bath painter Nick Cudworth. Some very decent fine art exhibitions of Bath cityscapes and local landscapes. folio recommends Peter Hayes Ceramics 2 Cleveland Bridge. Ffi: 01225 466215, www.peterhayes-ceramics.uk.com • Studio for this gifted, long-established Bath ceramicist, whose works are inspired by natural processes and the passing of time. Visit Peter’s studio on Cleveland Bridge, just off Walcot Street and London Road, or browse and buy works from the website. Open Studio as part of Bath Art Affair (12-21 Nov).

Rostra & Rooksmoor 5 George St. Ffi: 01225 448121, www. rostragallery.co.uk • Welcoming, informal city-centre gallery. Affordable prints, folio 11

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Jean Jones Gallery Lively and vibrant studio gallery

Original paintings, jewellery and framing service 13 Clifton Arcade, Boyceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Avenue, Clifton Village, Bristol, BS8 4AA

07926 196 978

www.jeanjonesgallery.com Min opening times: Tuesday - Saturday 10.30am - 5.15pm

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Sky Blue Framing & Gallery

Recent Somerset Artworks by David Brayne RWS

David’s exhibition continues until 20th Nov, followed immediately by our BIG CHRISTMAS MIXED EXHIBITION featuring some of our and your favourite artists; To name but a few - Quentin Blake, John Knapp-Fisher, and Mary Fedden along with new silk Screenprints by Susie Brooks and Jane Ormes. All artworks that will make perfect presents. We will also be participating in the North Bristol Art Trail on 27th & 28th November, and are of course always ready to frame artworks acquired elsewhere in time for Christmas. Finally don’t forget that we also have a fabulous range of DESIGNER JEWELLERY 27 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7PT Tel: 0117 973 3995 EASY PARKING NEAR WAITROSE

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feature paintings, ceramics and handmade jewellery, by a mix of established and emerging artists. Royal Photographic Society 122 Wells Rd. Ffi: 01225 325733, www.rps. org • The RPS’s regional HQ holds monthly exhibitions by recognised UK and world photographers. Victoria Art Gallery Bridge St. Ffi: 01225 477772, www. victoriagal.org.uk • The giant on the Bath art scene, with an impressive permanent collection alongside some high-profile visiting shows. Make time for current exhibition Shaped by War (to 21 Nov), a retrospective for the unparalleled war photographer Don McCullin. folio recommends Walcot Chapel Walcot Gate, off Walcot St. Ffi: 01225 477172 • This light, airy former mortuary chapel is a popular exhibition venue. Later this month, it hosts Dead Centre of Bath (27 Nov-10 Dec), a joint painting exhibition by yacht designer Pascale Reymond and Helena Howcroft, a painter with a background in fashion and textile design.

The White Room Gallery 31 Brock St. Ffi: 01225 331 500, www. thewhiteroomgallery.com • Contemporary art gallery stocking limited-edition prints by well-known names, plus a range of Bath scenes in print, photography and paint. BRISTOL GALLERIES Arnolfini 16 Narrow Quay. Ffi: 0117 917 2300, www. arnolfini.org.uk • Renowned contemporary arts centre down on the Harbourside, offering an always-intriguing roster of shows by international artists – strongly conceptual in feel. Make time for live art festival InBetween Time (1-5 Dec), when 130 artists from across the globe will create a breakneck programme of live and digital art, sound, dance, theatre and guerrilla works at Arnolfini and elsewhere across town. folio recommends

Clockwise From top: Arnolfini - Back to Back Theatre; Nails Gallery - 'Nightfall, Snowy Clifton Village 2' by Abigail McDougall; RWA - 'Red Drift 3' by Graham Crowley; Peter Hayes Ceramics 'Form' by Peter Hayes

Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery Queens Rd, Clifton. Ffi: 0117 922 3571, www.bristol.gov.uk/museums • Permanent collection of art and much more. High-profile visiting exhibitions, too – with, of late, a markedly more modern-art bent. The Bristol Gallery Millennium Promenade. Ffi: 0117 930 0005, www.thebristolgallery.com • Adventurous gallery in a large, light-flooded space down on the Harbourside. Bold, contemporary programming. November features an exhibition of rich, luminous, dream-like landscape paintings by Christopher P. Wood. Centrespace 6 Leonard Lane, off Corn St. Ffi: 07527 992087, www.centrespacegallery.com • Short, often experimental and thoughtprovoking exhibitions by local contemporary artists. The Glass Room Inside Colston Hall, Colston St. Ffi: 0117 922 3686, www.colstonhall.org • New gallery set up inside the recently refurbed music venue. Monthly changing exhibitions.

and very good for it. Part of the buzzing Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, a collection of galleries, craft shops, artisans and other (see www.christmasstepsartsquarter.co.uk). folio recommends Lime Tree Gallery 84 Hotwell Rd. Ffi: 0117 929 2527, www. limetreegallery.com • One of Bristol’s most inviting small galleries, with views of the Floating Harbour. Beautiful, atmospheric landscape painting – especially Scottish, Cornish and East Anglian scenes. Current Autumn Exhibition (to 30 Nov) features a range of landscapes, still lifes and figurative works from various gallery favourites. folio recommends Nails Gallery Lower Exchange Hall, Corn St. Ffi: 0117 929 2083, www.nailsaffordableart.com • This welcoming gallery at the entrance to St Nicholas Market shows work by up-and-coming local artists,

Grant Bradley Gallery St Peter’s Court, Bedminster Parade. Ffi: 0117 963 7673, www.grantbradleygallery. co.uk • Innovative, good-quality modern painting and photography, often with a local theme. A light, airy gallery with prints and books aplenty on sale, plus cafe seating. From 6 Nov you’ll find an exhibition of paintings, photos and handicrafts by the people of Kolkata, India. Guild Gallery 68-70 Park St. Ffi: 0117 926 5548, www. bristolguild.co.uk • Hundred-year-old shop and gallery with a range of 2D and 3D shows by local artists – plus a vast array of contemporary arts and crafts for sale. Here Stokes Croft. Ffi: 0117 942 2222, www. thingsfromhere.co.uk • Kooky gallery-cumshop with a strong comic/punk/poster-art bent. Funky, off-centre, affordable stuff for sale. Knifesmith 11 Christmas Steps. Ffi: 0117 927 7749, www.knifesmith.co.uk • Bijou city-centre gallery fulfilling its mission to show ‘edgy, challenging, beautiful and subversive work’. Somewhere between fine art and street art,

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“Breton Girl” by Steven Lindsay

Autumn Exhibition

84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

23rd Oct - 30th Nov

Tel 0117 929 2527

Free parking outside

www.limetreegallery.com

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feature

Clockwise from top left: Lime Tree Gallery - 'Black Boat, Hebridean Harbour' by David Smith: The Photo Gallery 'Cone Squish' by Christina Anderson; Fizz Gallery 'Venice - Santa Maria' by Les Matthews; Soma Gallery 'Traffic Bug' by Graham Carter; Spike Island 'Ionosphere' by Charlie Tweed; Sky Blue Gallery 'Between Ash and Oak' by David Brayne

many of them specialising in views of Bristol. Limited-edition screenprints and giclée prints, ideal as affordable gifts. Before Christmas, you’ll find new work by best-selling artists including Tom White, Rebecca Howard and Abigail McDougall. folio recommends The Photo Gallery Photographique, 31 Baldwin St. Ffi: 0117 930 0622, www.photographique.co.uk • Fine-art photography gallery showing work by local, national and international photographers, and encouraging learning around the subject of photography through events like artist talks, workshops and portfolio reviews. Regular open exhibitions show work by emerging photographers. Coming up: Landscape (6-17 Nov), an exhaustive survey of contemporary landscape photography. folio recommends Royal West of England Academy Queens Rd, Clifton. Ffi: 0117 973 5129, www.rwa. org.uk • Huge, prestigious gallery with year-round exhibitions. Its annual autumn Open Exhibition (showing until 12 Dec) is fabulous: a vast group show featuring some 500 works across all media, from both professional and amateur artists. You’ll find a host of well-known names from the South West art world (Paul Brason, David Cobley, Ben Hughes) as well as the names to watch over the next few years. folio recommends Sky Blue Framing & Gallery 27 North View, Westbury Park. Ffi: 0117 973 3995, www.skybluefineart.com • Friendly gallery and framing workshop (winners of last year’s Fine Art Trade Guild Framing Award), and a great place to find limited-edition prints by the likes of Quentin Blake and Mary Fedden RA. Exhibiting until 20 Nov is Somerset painter David Brayne, a regular at the Royal Academy Summer Show.

Snap Lower Park Row. Ffi: 0117 376 3564, www. snapstudio.org.uk • Fresh, funky gallery and printmakers’ collective. Screenprints, artists’ books, textiles, greetings cards and more, all produced on the premises. folio recommends Soma Boyces Ave, Clifton. Ffi: 0117 973 9838, www.somagallery.co.uk • Limited-edition

original prints by printmakers and illustrators at this funky Clifton gallery, now in larger premises opposite its former Clifton Arcade home. SOMA’s Christmas Show (from mid Nov) features pieces by papercut artist Rob Ryan, printmaker Graham Carter and others. Plus textiles, jewellery and artists’ books. folio recommends Spike Island Cumberland Rd. Ffi: 0117 929 2266, www. spike-island.org.uk • Vast former tea-packing warehouse, now home to several large galleries and dozens of artists’ studios, including students from UWE’s Creative Arts faculty. Spike’s annual Open (May Bank Holiday) is a highlight of the Bristol art calendar. Showing until the end of this month is Wealth of Nations, a group show featuring contributions from a global family of artists; and Charlie Tweed, a British artist whose video works are fictional reports from a future dystopia.

View 159-161 Hotwell Rd. Ffi: 05603 116753, www. viewartgallery.co.uk • Monthly exhibitions showcasing some of the brightest and most adventurous talent currently working in Bristol and beyond. Like Bath’s bo.lee and Bristol’s Knifesmith galleries, View is especially strong on narrative, subtly unsettling modern painting.

OUT OF TOWN folio recommends Fizz Gallery 65a Hill Rd, Clevedon. Ffi: 01275 341141, www.fizzgallery.co.uk • Stylish gallery on Clevedon’s thriving Hill Road shopping district, supporting local, national and international artists, designers and makers – some emerging, others established. Next up is a solo exhibition for renowned West Country artist Les Matthews (to 20 Nov), featuring originals and limitededition prints documenting his recent travels to Venice. Works start from £120 (framed).

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Talk of the Town This month sees the first-ever Bath Art Affair, a raft of exhibitions and events at galleries across the Georgian city. Thirty galleries have programmed exhibitions, and there will also be live music, events and talks, all presenting the best Bath has to offer art enthusiasts, collectors and newcomers alike. Work by some of modern art’s biggest names, from Royal Academicians past and present to cuttingedge contemporary artists, will be on view and on sale: you’ll find pieces by Elisabeth Frink, Paula Rego, Banksy, Damien Hirst, John Eaves (pictured) and Peter Blake at galleries around town. The Affair is the debut venture from the newly formed Bath Galleries Group. A collaboration between the city’s art galleries and dealers, BGG aims to celebrate Bath’s visual art culture to an international audience. “Positioned between the two important art centres of London and St Ives, Bath has one of the greatest concentrations of galleries outside London,” says Jemma Hickman, director of bo.lee gallery. “Buying art here doesn’t involve steamy trips on the Tube - all the galleries can be reached within a short stroll around this walkable and wonderful city. From international ceramicists and bespoke jewellers to large-scale bronze sculptures, photography and video, Bath’s art scene has so many hidden gems to offer.” Bath Art Affair 12-21 Nov. See Bath galleries listings above for more info, or visit www.bathgalleriesgroup.com

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feature

Remember, Remember...

Floods, cock fighting, riots, barrels of burning tar… Eugene Byrne tells the fascinating tale of the West’s Bonfire Nights through the ages

he story so far: Guido Fawkes and a group of fellow Roman Catholic conspirators have been foiled in their fiendish plan to blow up king and parliament. The plotters are executed with exceptional savagery by a nervous English government headed by the paranoid, unloved - and Scottish – King James I. We’re pretty sure that the very first Bonfire Night anywhere in Britain took place in Bristol, on 5 November 1607. Two years after the plot was foiled, Bristol’s civic leaders decreed a celebration, paying for a big bonfire. There weren’t any fireworks, but quantities of gunpowder were let off for the amusement of the crowds. It’s also possible that the local youth amused themselves by kicking around barrels of burning tar. (What do you mean, ‘Health and safety…’!) A demonstration of loyalty to James I and Protestantism was good politics. Sucking up to the king could earn the city fathers a lot of favours. But that was only the half of it. Records suggest that Bristolians already had a regular knees-up on or around 5 November, with drinking, dancing and various ‘sports’ involving cruelty to animals (bull-baiting, cockfighting, goose-squailing, etc). The council wanted to turn this rowdy and potentially rebellious event into an orderly and controlled civic occasion. The reasons were all the more urgent in 1607. A tidal wave and floods inundated huge areas of the Bristol Channel coast that year, killing hundreds of people and destroying crops. Many Bristol merchants were ruined by flooding of their cellars, and food was expensive. The council was importing rye at huge cost to prevent food riots and starvation. A Bonfire Night would be a cheering distraction. Every town and village in England followed Bristol’s example. Indeed, it soon had to be celebrated by a law that remained in force until 1859. But not to be outdone, Bristol started having two big fires every 5 18 folio

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BRIDGWATER CARNIVAL Nowhere in the West of England has a richer Bonfire Night tradition than Bridgwater, where 5 November used to be marked by parades, firework displays and, later, patriotic tableaux on farm carts. To this day, Bridgwater’s annual carnival is one of the most spectacular events, with different carnival clubs around the town competing to win prizes for the best floats – or ‘carts’ as they’re still known. The parade ends with a show of squibbing – huge fireworks held on poles. If you’ve never seen Bridgwater Carnival, you really should. Ffi www.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk If you can’t make it, the carnival visits other Somerset towns over subsequent nights. But the Bridgwater show is the best. This year’s Somerset carnivals are on: Fri 5 Nov, Bridgwater; Sat 6 Nov, North Petherton; Mon 8 Nov, Burnham-on-Sea; Wed 10 Nov, Shepton Mallet; Thur 11 Nov, Midsomer Norton; Fri 12 Nov, Wells; Sat 13 Nov, Glastonbury; Mon 15 Nov, Weston-super-Mare. All start at either 7pm or 7.15pm. Ffi www.somersetcarnivals.co.uk

November - one by the High Cross in the old city centre (the junction of Corn Street, Wine Street, Broad Street and High Street), and another by the mayor’s house. It also became traditional for the oldest scholar from the Bristol Grammar School to stand on one of the Nails in Corn Street on 5 November and deliver a speech in Latin to the mayor, who would then reward him with a gold coin or two. This tradition continued until 1780. Bonfire Night often reflected the political and religious fault-lines and concerns of the time. Above all else, it was a celebration of English, Protestant ‘liberty’, of freedom from foreign oppression. So, in 1745 for example, there was a particularly big 5 November bonfire on College Green in celebration of the failure of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite-Catholic rebellion. Down the years, the Guy flung on top of the fire would often represent some hated politician, foreign potentate (Louis XIV, Napoleon, etc) or even reviled local councillor as much as Fawkes - ‘the only

man ever to enter parliament with honest intentions,’ as a joke of much later times would have it. The mayor and Corporation would also attend a service at Bristol Cathedral every 5 November to give thanks for the deliverance of the country from treason and popery. Church dignitaries and city fathers would then repair to the mansion house for a slapup meal and several toasts denouncing Catholicism. But at the 1828 service, the Reverend Sydney Smith gave a sermon that scandalised the whole country. He preached the ‘rules of Christian charity by which our opinions of other sects should be formed’. At this time Catholics weren’t allowed to practice openly and were banned from holding public office, and toleration was a hot political issue. Smith’s closely argued plea for toleration turned him into a national celebrity overnight and most antiCatholic laws would soon be repealed, but the more reactionary members of the Corporation were spluttering into their Madeira for weeks afterwards. Most years, of course, politics didn’t come into it much. Fireworks such as rockets, squibs and ‘St Catherine Wheels’ had made their appearance by the 18th century. By the late 1700s, the more wellheeled citizens were holding private fireworks parties in their gardens. Dr Steve Poole, director of the Regional History Centre at the University of the West of England (see: tinyurl.com/3an3m2z), and an expert on working-class life in the area in the 18th and 19th centuries, says that things began to change in the 1830s. The City Fathers, terrified out of their wits by the 1831 riots, sought to control crowds that respectable citizens considered altogether too rowdy. “The concept of ‘rowdiness’ really tells us more about the objections of the middle class to popular culture than it does about the actual behaviour of the people they were targeting,” says Poole. “Bonfire Night had always been about the celebration of constitutional liberties and as such had been tolerated in the 18th century as an inclusive and fairly robust night of crowd activity, bonfire lighting, squib throwing, and the burning in effigy of unpopular local authority figures. That sort of thing simply wasn’t to the taste of regulationfixated Victorians.” People weren’t any more restrained in elegant Bath, he says. “There was nothing

particularly genteel about workingclass Victorian Bath. Many of the annual Bonfire Night conflicts fought out in 19th century English towns can be seen as objections to the interference of the new police with customary public freedoms. The assault upon Bonfire Night was typical of that, irrespective of locale. Some of the pitched battles fought along the London Road between young working-class men and the Bath police during the 1870s were more fearsome and bloody than any of the skirmishes witnessed on Bristol’s Kingsdown in the same years.” And the rest… you know. Baked potatoes, treacle toffee, penny for the Guy. And the fact that Bonfire Night is now being overshadowed by Halloween, trick or treating, and fright masks. Despite the high price of fireworks, this year we’ll spend more than twice as much money on Halloween as on Bonfire Night. It seems that nowadays a mostly American autumn festival has more appeal than commemorating the failure of an attempt to assassinate the country’s entire political class 400 years ago.

FIREWORK DISPLAYS Bath Rotary Club Firework Display Thur 4 Nov, Recreation Ground, Bath, times & admission TBC. Ffi: www.rotary-bath.org.uk Bangless Bonfire Nights Thur 4 & Fri 5 Nov, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Guthrie Rd, Clifton, Bristol, doors 4pm, fireworks 5pm, £5 adult/£4 child/£15 family. Ffi: 0117 974 7300, www.bristolzoo.org.uk • Small-kidfriendly display without too many loud noises. Advance booking advisable. Great Western Round Table Downend Fireworks Spectacular Fri 5 Nov, King George V Playing Fields, Downend, Bristol, BS16, 6-8.30pm, £5 adult/£3 child/£3 adv from various Downend shops. Ffi: www. downendrt.co.uk • Two fireworks shows the earlier one for small children - plus kids’ entertainment and Star FM Roadshow. Profits to local good causes. No sparklers, fireworks or alcohol, please. University of Bath Fireworks Display Sat 6 Nov, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2, times & admission TBC. Ffi: 01225 386612, www.bathrag.com • Huge, traditional Guy Fawkes event for all the family, organised by Bath Uni Students’ Union. Caldicot Firework Spectacular Sun 7 Nov, Caldicot Castle, Monmouthshire, times & admission TBC. Ffi: 07736 874844, www. caldicot.com/fireworks • Hugely popular annual event, with fireworks launched from the castle keep and lots of other familyfriendly fun. For more up-to-date listings, see the 29 Oct and 5 Nov editions of Venue, Bristol and Bath’s what’s on magazine.

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gift guide

Sent

with love

Gift list as long as your arm but nothing springing to mind? No problem. Rachel Nott has Christmas all wrapped up

His

Scrubs up well Got a nu man to buy for, or an old one for that matter, who could do with a bit of sprucing up? Treat him to some vouchers at Bath’s top-notch hair and beauty salon Frontlinestyle where he can choose from a raft of treatments, from a sleek new haircut to the full ‘hero’ package: for £90, you get relaxation in the steam capsule, a full body and scalp massage, facial and nail treatment!

Apple of my eye Whisper-thin and light as a robin’s feather (well, almost), iPad (from £429 including Wi-Fi) is the latest designer baby in Apple’s techno playpen. Light enough to carry with you anywhere but with a large multi-touch screen, iPad allows you to check and reply to emails, view whole web pages at a time, flick through photos, read an iBook, listen to music, choose from around 200,000 apps to download, and more. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it…

Picture perfect Hard drive full of snaps that never see the light of day? Give those gorgeous family photos the limelight they deserve with this slinky digital photo frame by Sony. You can even view HD videos of the little darlings on here, too… XR100 Sony digital photo frame £229.

Apple Store Southgate Place, Bath, 01225 487000 & 11 Philadelphia St, Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0117 900 3450, web: www.apple.com/uk Bloomsbury Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0117 927 6556 & 15 New Bond St, Bath, 01225 461049, web: www.bloomsburystore. com Frontlinestyle 4-5 Monmouth St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 478478, www.frontlinestyle.co.uk Harvey Nichols Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 916 8888, www.harveynichols. com Sky Blue Framing & Gallery 27 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 3995, www. skybluefineart.com Sony Bristol Sony Centre, Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 922 5850, www.sony.co.uk

Off the cuff Brighten up button-less cuffs with these quirky Pantone cufflinks (£34.95 a pair) from house of style-savvy cool Bloomsbury. As you’d expect, they’re available in a rainbow of attractive colours to suit your shirt, or just your mood…

2 contacts

A dog is for life This charming image of man’s best friend enjoying a nice long soak is just one of a range of beguiling canine images on sale at Sky Blue. The gallery also stocks a fantastic range of other artworks suitable as gifts, from famous names such as Quentin Blake, Eric Ravillious and John Knapp Fisher, to up and coming talents such as Susie Brooks and Jane Ormes. After a Walk by Stephen Hanson is available in a beautiful mount, ready to frame for £258, or framed for £340.

All wrapped up Paul Smith’s trademark stripes will add a welcome pop of autumn’s rich colour palette to classic dark winter coats. Crinkle scarf, £75, from Harvey Nichols.

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gift guide Hers

Spa and away Pamper that special someone with vouchers to Bristol’s best-kept secret, the Relaxation Centre. They’ve got indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a tranquil garden and an impressive menu of treatments - treat her to a spa day or speedy afternoon session (prices from £19).

Light as a feather Alex Monroe has yet again created these fun and fabulous feather earrings (£125 from Diana Porter), a nod to the nature theme that’s so on-trend this season. The perfect gift for any fashion-forward girl who likes to get noticed.

Foxy lady A witty take on the fox fur, this scarf will bring a smile to anyone who likes to mix fashion with a great sense of humour. Lambswool fox scarf, £46, by Donna Wilson, on sale at Soma Gallery in your choice of orange or grey.

Holly and the ivy For a quintessentially English Christmas, anyone would be delighted to receive a gift designed by ceramicist par excellence Emma Bridgewater. At Gems of Clevedon you’ll find mugs, candles, tea towels, cake tins, gift bags and gift boxes, plus lots more. Pictured here: one pint mug £21.95, half pint mug £16.95, baby star mug £11.95, set of three candles (boxed) £30.

Make do and mend Bath’s hub of creativity The Makery offers oodles of fun blended with practical skills in a cosy, bright environment on artisanal Walcot Street. There are tons of workshops on offer, from upholstery to printmaking, children’s clothes to curtains, but we’re rather loving the look of the very popular knicker workshops (£40 for a three-hour workshop, including materials). Gift vouchers are available in £5 denominations, valid for six months.

Choc shock The usual box of chocolates gets an interesting new treatment in the form of this edible chocolate flowerpot! Tucked away inside you’ll find a selection of exquisite handmade chocolates produced by artisan chocolatiers Holdsworth. Blue chocolate flowerpot, £18.50, from Bristol Guild.

6 contacts

Bristol Guild 68-70 Park St, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 926 5548, www.bristolguild.co.uk Diana Porter 33 Park St, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 909 0225, www.dianaporter.co.uk Gems 49 Hill Road, Clevedon. Ffi: 01275 343656 The Makery 146 Walcot St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 421175, www.themakeryonline.co.uk Relaxation Centre 9 All Saints Rd, Clifton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 970 6616, www. relaxationcentre.co.uk Soma Gallery Clifton Arcade, Boyces Ave, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 9838, www.somagallery. co.uk

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for giving and living... Est. 1976

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gift guide

Teens

1 2

Mr Happy Brighten up breakfast and teatime with a range of funky Mr Men and Little Miss mugs, £7 from Bristol Guild. Heaven scent King of couture Marc Jacobs brings his design flair to fragrance in the form of this exuberant flower-topped scent bottle, which will look fabulous on any girl’s dressing table. Lola by Marc Jacobs gift set (£48 from House of Fraser) includes 50ml eau de toilette, 10ml eau de toilette and body lotion.

3 4

Flower power Protect your iPhone in style with this funky case in Cath Kidston’s Electric Flowers print… £24.95 from Cath Kidston.

Look who’s talking The new gadget that every teen (and would-be-teen) can’t wait to get their hands on! With funky new features such as FaceTime (video chat), two-way camera, super-crisp graphics, HD video and Game Centre for starters, you’ll be popping one on your own wish list, too… iPod touch from £189, from the Apple Store.

Spelling bee Spell out your child’s name with these attractively imperfect handcarved, sanded wooden letters. Made by Indonesian craftspeople using traditional skills, the letters are made using fast-growing sustainable albesia wood. Wildwood letters, £5 each, from Luma.

Count me in Not only does this rather swanky arm candy give you the time, date, alarm and stopwatch functions, it also packs in a rather nifty calculator, too. Handy for those quick-fire arithmetic sessions… Timex watch, £75, from Urban Outfitters.

contacts Apple Store Southgate Place, Bath, 01225 487000 & 11 Philadelphia St, Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0117 900 3450, web: www.apple. com/uk Bristol Guild 68-70 Park St, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 929 1874, www.bristolguild.co.uk Cath Kidston 3 Broad St, Bath, 01225 331006 & 79 Park St, Bristol, 0117 930 4722, web: www.cathkidston.co.uk House of Fraser 13 Milsom St, Bath, 0844 800 3704 & Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0844 800 3710, web: www. houseoffraser.co.uk Luma Milsom Place, Bath. Ffi: 01225 444218, www.lumadirect.com Urban Outfitters Southgate Shopping Centre, Bath, 01225 787499 & Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0117 929 3221, www.urbanoutfitters. co.uk

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Come and see us at

BRISTOL

INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL 4th-5th SEPTEMBER 2010

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the west’s best lifest yle m ag

july 2010 l no. 186

plus summer fashion for kids l weekend breaks just an easy car ride away l fabulous family days out l win tickets to les Mis at Bristol's hippodrome

The West’s best restaurants, top chefs, and their favourite recipes

Published by

Sponsored by

Cover & Contents.indd 1

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with us l

Razor Spark Scooter

inside

l hanham

folio serves up a glamorous batch of recipes created specially for you by the south west’s top-name chefs, with wines carefully selected by matthew Clark l

Variety of Poi available

our essential guide to the best local shops in bristol and bath

Beauty fashion food & drink health interiors people property what’s on 186 cover FINAL.indd 1

august 2009 l no. 175

top shops

Signatures.. Come dine xxxxxx

the west’s best lifest yle m ag

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Court gardens in a fortnight supremes’ mary wilson friendly places to eat

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To advertise in Folio contact the sales team on 0117 942 8491

39a Cotham Hill Bristol BS6 6JY tel: 0117 9745010 e: info@kitestore.co.uk

hers Gift vouc le b a il a av for that ift special g

ADULTS DANCE CLASSES

Strictly ballroom and Latin classes for beginners In Clifton - Tuesdays and Fridays 7.30-8.30 In Kingswood - Thursdays 7.30 - 8.30 Ask us about our improvers classes too!

WEDDING FIRST DANCE LESSONS WE HAVE RECENTLY TAUGHT OUR 500th COUPLE! CHILDRENS DANCE CLASSES

Strictly ballroom and Latin (from age 6) Hip Hop & Street (from age 4). Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in Clifton or Kingswood We also offer group dance classes for friends family or colleagues, hen parties and teambuilding

To Book call Michele on 07711 197288 or email michele@dancefactorybristol.com

Do you have an idea or design ready but don’t have the facility to print at home? We may have the solution. We are running a one day class specifically for printing cards and wrapping paper. You need to bring your designs printed out in black on white 80gsm paper up to A3 size maximum. We will expose your screens and take you through the printing process. Because of the limited time you will be restricted to a one or two colour design but we will provide the cards, metallic paper, wrapping paper and high quality gold & silver inks to add a Christmas sparkle to the work. This is a new course workshop but it promises to be a very popular so book early to avoid disapointment.

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gift guide Kids

Story corner These lovely handmade Scottie dog bookends are made from reclaimed wood in rural England and will make a delightful addition to any child’s bookshelf. Also available, bunny and elephant bookends, £34.50 a pair from Luma.

Splish, splash, splosh! Totally waterproof, this fetching ladybird raincoat is bound to get loads of wear this autumn/winter. Perfect for puddle jumping and wintry walks in the country! From gorgeous children’s clothes emporium Up to Seven, £26 in sizes 18 months to age six.

Roar talent Little kids will love tearing round the house on this ride-on wooden T-rex. Press his ear to hear him roar! Junior Rex £30 from Joules. Hobby horse with neighing sound effects also available.

Cheep and cheerful We all enjoy the satisfaction of creating things ourselves, and kids will love making this cute little bird to hang on the tree. Buttonbag Make Your Own Birds Activity Kit, £10, from John Lewis.

Wonder wheels A wonderful classic-looking doll’s pram (£65 from Dinky Inc) made from highquality birch veneer and fitted with wooden wheels and rubber tyres. The perfect wheels for treasured teddies and dolls. Comes assembled and ready to roll.

Keep on Trunki-ing! From towering infernos to the ultimate pet-up-a-tree cat-astrophe, with the unflappable Freddie the Fire Engine Trunki (£39.99 from Dinky Inc) at his side your little hero can calm any crisis. Complete with helmet and axe, no adventure will be too big or  too small! Freddie comes in the cheeriest of fire engine reds, with yellow and blue stripes, complete with silver detailing. His straps and wheels are midnight black and don't forget his glittery blue headlamp horns!

3 contacts

Dinky Inc 138 Whiteladies Rd, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 1255, www.dinkyinc.co.uk John Lewis The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 959 1100, www.johnlewis.com Joules 10 Argyle St, Bath, 01225 445745 & Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol, 0117 929 4309, www.joules.com Luma Milsom Place, Bath. Ffi: 01225 444218, www.lumadirect.com Up to Seven 10 The Podium, Bath. Ffi: 01225 422333, www.uptoseven.co.uk

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Christmas

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26/10/2010 16:58:03

what’son film

Reel life l November’s a good month for local film fans. First up, there’s the Bath Film Festival, the biggest and most long-established film fest in the region. Spread across a number of the city’s venues from 10-20 Nov, the programme (still not entirely finalised as we go to press) promises the only provincial preview of the Colin Firth-starring The King’s Speech (pictured) - an intriguing period drama about George VI’s succession after his brother Edward chose to abdicate. Other treats include smouldering George Clooney in Anton Corbijn’s The American, Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Kazuo Ishiguro’s dystopian drama Never Let Me Go, and the final chapter of Stieg Larsson’s blockbuster Millennium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. Unlikely highlights include a hard-to-imagine Singalong-a-Wickerman led by the

film’s director, Robin Hardy, and Freetime Machos, a comedy about a farcically cack-handed Finnish rugby team. The second silver screen smorgasbord is the Encounters festival of international short film.

Flickering from the projectors of the Arnolfini, Watershed and Cube from 16-21 Nov, this year’s six-day run includes the relaunch of the competitions Animated Encounters (animated films) and Brief Encounters (films of 90

seconds or less). One to watch in the Animated strand is a celebration of graffiti in animation, including rare CCTV clips apparently capturing Banksy up to his notorious spraycan mischief. Andy ‘Gollum’ Serkis drops in for this year’s BAFTA Brief Encounter, there’s a chance for you to be part of The Longest Hand-Painted Film in Britain, and Encounters 2010 also brings 3D short films to the fore for the first time, with the premiere of the animated reindeer adventure Flight Before Christmas in among the none-too-short shortlist of some 200 films being screened from all over the world. Bath Film Festival 10-20 Nov. Ffi: 01225 463362, www.bathfilmfestival.org.uk Encounters 16-21 Nov at Arnolfini, Watershed & The Cube, Bristol. Ffi: www. encounters-festival.org.uk

event

shop till you drop l Believe it or not, Bath Guildhall Market lays claim to the title of oldest shopping venue in the city, having traded on the same site for the past eight centuries. Today the market’s elegant honey-stone buildings throng with a colourful clutch of 20 or so stallholders. For the houseproud and the hobbyist there’s haberdashery, hardware, electrical goods, tools, china, teapots, brooms, bins, bags and buckets. For the epicure, traditionally packed leaf teas, ground coffees, fine cheeses, locally produced ham and bacon, artisan bread, cakes, vegetables, delicatessen delights and old-fashioned sweets, not to mention the pet food. Partygoers, pranksters and patriots will find fancy dress, jokes, novelties, cards,

balloons and flags of all nations. For fashionistas and high-fliers, there’s fine jewellery, wraps, pashminas, shirts and luggage. Those in need of a haircut can purchase a secondhand paperback and read while awaiting their trim. Both shoppers and non-shoppers alike can sample coffee and crepes at the retro diner, or a full English breakfast, lunch or wicked bacon sarnie in the cafe. And look out for the Guildhall’s annual Christmas Market (opens 25 Nov), jostling through three heated marquees. Meandering through while you munch on mince pies is the perfect way to get your Christmas shopping done. Bath Guildhall Market High St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 460808, www. bathguildhallmarket.co.uk

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Shock tactics Texas Campfire Tapes, replete with a backing track of crickets, campervans and low-level conversation – was top of the independent charts by the end of the year. “England is where everything that is Michelle Shocked ‘The Artist’ began,” she admits. “It’s wonderful to go back to that crowd, look at each other, and go, ‘My, how you’ve grown!’” Returning to tour Soul of My Soul, an album every bit as passionately marked by love and anger as the first, it’s a relationship with plenty of growth left yet.

l The world of the charismatic Michelle Shocked was introduced to the world at large via her debut longplayer in 1986: Dallas, Texas, her birthplace; the army bases where she spent her earliest years; Austin’s underground folk scene; San Francisco punks; activist squatters in New York; fellow patients at the psychiatric hospital to which she was committed by her mother; and English producer Pete Lawrence. Deeply impressed by the fingerpicking guitar playing and graceful singing employed by the volunteer holding musical court during an ad hoc gathering at the Kerrville Folk Festival, he recorded the whole thing on his Walkman. Back home, the tape found its way to Cooking Vinyl Records. The resultant release – The

Michelle Shocked plays The Thunderbolt, Bristol. Thur 4 Nov. Ffi: 0117 373 8947, www.thethunderbolt.net

art

family

parents on parade l “We’re living with two vampires. They won’t be happy until everything around them is as dead as they are…” There can be few better ways to lure recalcitrant teens into the theatre than with the parent-bashing Blowing, a tension-fuelled, darkly comic, award-winning play written by acclaimed young Dutch playwright Jeroen Van Den Berg (and translated into English by Bristol playwright Rina Vergano). As their delusional mother’s 45th birthday brunch gets underway, cracks behind the family’s ‘perfect’ image begin to appear. How will teenagers Tom and Jessica cope as their parents’ deceit and idiocy threatens to brainwash them for ever? And will the whole pantomime end up on YouTube? Find out in this dynamic new production by London theatre companies Fanshen and Company of Angels for young audiences aged 11-plus. And be prepared for some sideways glances on the way home. Blowing Tue 9 Nov, The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath. Ffi: 01225 448844, www. theatreroyal.org.uk

due north l Alongside the huge range of artistic output to admire, the North Bristol Art Trail provides a fascinating look behind a great many doors that are usually closed to the public. This year the Visitors’ Centre at HMP Bristol Prison joins the Trail, displaying an exhibition of work by learners from the prison’s education department. The Trail also brings the usual cornucopia of creative endeavours from 100 or more artists, such as Gluttony (pictured), Mary Collett’s timely contemplation on avarice. North Bristol Arts Trail 27-28 Nov, dozens of venues across north Bristol. Ffi: www. northbristolartists.org.uk

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november diary For full details of entertainment and events in Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and the surrounding areas, Venue magazine, the region’s only comprehensive what’s on guide, complete with features, interviews and local news, is available, weekly, in all good newsagents. Film 5 NOV Another Year The light chuckles of Happy-Go-Lucky evaporate as Mike Leigh returns to more familiar territory. You know: misery and despair, unhappy families, class tensions, unfulfilled lives… Ruth Sheen and Tom Broadbent play a middle-class London couple whose friends and clients include a lonely alcoholic woman and an obese alcoholic bloke. 5 NOV Due Date Road trip comedy in which Robert Downey Jr is obliged to share a ride with aspiring actor Zach Galifianakis in order to get home in time for the birth of his child.

There will be blood… Hermione puts up a brave fight as JK Rowling’s unstoppably popular wizard franchise nears its dramatic conclusion with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. See Film

26 NOV London Boulevard Keira

Knightley and Colin Farrell star in a romantic crime thriller about an ex-con who falls in love with a reclusive film star and finds himself in a duel with a vicious gangster. 26 NOV Monsters Ultra-low-

budget District 9-style sci-fi flick from Brit director Gareth Edwards, set six years after an alien invasion of earth. 12 NOV You Again Romcom

19 NOV Uncle Boonmee Who

5 NOV Jackass 3D More dumb and painful stunts from Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and co – this time in glorious 3D.

starring Kristen Bell as a career women who discovers that her brother is about to marry the girl who made her life hell in high school. Naturally, she sets out to destroy their relationship.

26 NOV The Girl who Kicked the

5 NOV Let Me In US remake of ace

16-21 NOV Encounters Festival of

Swedish vampire flick Let the Right One In. Cloverfield director Matt Reeves is responsible, and US reviews have been surprisingly positive. 5 NOV Police, Adjective Ultra-

slow Cannes Jury prize-winning crime drama. 10-20 NOV Bath Film Festival See picture story • Various venues, Bath (01225 463362, www. bathfilmfestival.org.uk)

international short film. See picture story • Arnolfini, Watershed & The Cube, Bristol (www.encounters-festival.org.uk) 19 NOV The Virginity Hit A bunch

of teenagers record their virginal buddy’s desperate attempts to have sex, their resultant video becoming a YouTube sensation. 19 NOV Harry Potter and the

about first love, directed by Rob Reiner.

Deathly Hallows: Part 1 First bit of the spun-out concluding episode, already odds-on to be the secondbiggest box office hit of 2010. You’ll have to wait until July 2011 for the last bit, mind.

12 NOV Skyline Space aliens

19 NOV Chico & Rita Forties-set

come to gobble up mankind (ie Americans) in a sci-fi action flick from – oh dear – the directors of AVPR: Aliens Vs Predator Requiem.

animation in which a budding pianist and his young chanteuse lover hit the jazz-bebop scenes on their way from Cuba to New York.

12 NOV Flipped Teen romcom

of those fake trailers included as part of the Grindhouse doublebill.

Can Recall His Past Lives On his deathbed, Uncle Boonmee recalls his many past lives in Thai director Apitchatpong Weersethakul’s Cannes Palme D’Or winner. Hornets’ Nest The concluding part of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy was filmed back-to-back with The Girl who Played with Fire by director Daniel Alfredson and kicks off pretty much where that film left off, with Lisbeth recovering in hospital and awaiting trial for three murders.

26 NOV The American Control

director Anton Corbijn’s Hollywood debut is an adaptation of Martin Booth’s novel about an assassin (George Clooney) hiding out in Italy for one last assignment. 26 NOV Machete Splendidly

grizzled former jailbird Danny Trejo gets his first big starring role as the eponymous doublecrossed hitman in Robert Rodriguez’s reportedly ultra-gory slice of Mexploitation, which also features Bob De Niro, Jessica Alba and Steven Segal (as an evil drug lord) and which originated as one

26 NOV Unstoppable Denzel

Washington stars in Tony Scott’s thriller about a runaway train packed with toxic chemicals that’s about to make a horrible mess of a US city.

SOUNDS THROUGHOUT NOV Jazz at

Future Inns Another cracking month of live jazz and occasional blues in a sophisticated setting. See website for full line-up • Future Inn, Cabot Circus, Bristol (0845 094 5588, www.futureinns. co.uk/jazz-club-bristol)

2 NOV Brian Kennedy An intimate

setting for the hugely popular Irish singer-songwriter • Tunnels, Bristol (0117 929 9008, www. thetunnelsbristol.co.uk) 3 NOV Stornoway Folksy, would-

be rugged Oxford boys reap the rewards of an excellent choice of band name • Anson Rooms, Bristol (0117 954 5830, www.ubu. org.uk) 4 NOV Michelle Shocked See picture story • Thunderbolt, Bristol (0117 373 8947, www. thethunderbolt.net)

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what’son 6 NOV The Divine Comedy Arch, bittersweet, ultimately charmsome and beautifully orchestrated pop • Anson Rooms, Bristol (0117 954 5830, www.ubu.org.uk) 8 NOV Tom Paxton Dryly funny US folkster, as vital now as in his early 1960s salad days • St George’s Bristol (0845 402 4001, www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk) 9 NOV Goldfrapp Electro-

poppers tour the 1980s FM sheenrecalling album Head First. • O2 Academy Bristol (0117 927 9227, www.o2academybristol.co.uk) 19 NOV Caitlin Rose Exquisitely

voiced, Nashville-hailing countryfolker • Fleece, Bristol (0117 945 0996, www.thefleece.co.uk) 24 NOV The National Peerless

pliers of what used to be known as ‘literate pop’ • O2 Academy Bristol (0117 927 9227, www. o2academybristol.co.uk)

3-13 NOV Blythe Spirit Alison

16-20 NOV Ivan and the Dogs A

Steadman stars in Noel Coward’s sharp supernatural comedy • Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose (01225 448844, www.theatreroyal. org.uk)

story of survival on the streets of Moscow, told through the eyes of a young boy • Bristol Old Vic, King St (0117 987 7877, www. bristololdvic.org.uk)

5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 & 27 NOV

16-27 NOV 86,400 Seconds A

Jesters Comedy Club Quality stand up from four top circuit comedians • Metropolis, Cheltenham Road, Bristol (0117 909 6655, www. jesterscomedyclub.co.uk)

5, 6, 12, 13, 20 & 27 NOV Krater

Comedy Club An evening of quality stand-up, food from River Cottage and a clubnight afterwards • Komedia, Westgate St, Bath (0845 293 8480, www. komedia.co.uk)

7 NOV Jimmy Carr Sharp-tongued funnyman presents his new tour, Laughter Therapy • Colston Hall, Colston St, Bristol (0117 922 3686, www.colstonhall.org)

THEATRE, COMEDY & MUSICALS

9-13 NOV Under Glass A series of

UNTIL 6 NOV Bristol Jam 2010

10-13 NOV The Ghost Train

Spontaneous spray of world-class comedy, theatre and music • Bristol Old Vic, King St (0117 987 7877, www.bristololdvic.org.uk)

Spend a spooky night in a Cornish railway station waiting room • Mission Theatre, Corn St, Bath (01225 428600, www. missiontheatre.co.uk)

1, 15 & 22 NOV Mark Olver’s

unusual cabaret performances staged in large glass boxes • Bristol Old Vic, King St (0117 987 7877, www.bristololdvic.org.uk)

Comedy House Homegrown funnymonger Mark with two special stand-up guests each night • Metropolis, Cheltenham Rd, Bristol (0117 909 6655, www. jesterscomedyclub.co.uk)

10-13 NOV Silent Laughter

2-14 NOV Crocosmia The

winning Irish funnyman presents new show Crooked Man • Comedy Box, Hen & Chicken, North St, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www.thecomedybox. co.uk)

orphaned siblings try to make sense of the world through ‘cake puppetry, romantic slide shows, and ingenious bulb experiments’ • Brewery Theatre, North St, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www.tobaccofactory.com) 2-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-27, 29-30 NOV & 1-4 DEC The Sound of

Music The hills are alive, with Connie Francis as Maria • Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade (0844 847 2325, www. bristolhippodrome.org.uk)

3 NOV Jeremy Hardy Sharp socio-

political stand-up • Tobacco Factory, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www.tobaccofactory. com)

Slapstick silent movie silliness live on stage • Rondo Theatre, St Saviours Rd, Bath (01225 463362, www.rondotheatre.co.uk) 11 NOV Tommy Tiernan Award-

14 NOV Winter Revels Some of

the UK’s best-loved actors return for a night of performance and song to raise money for the redevelopment of the Old Vic • Bristol Old Vic, King St (0117 987 7877, www. bristololdvic.org.uk) 15-20 NOV Monty Python’s

Spamalot Daft but deliciously funny musical from the skewed mind of Eric Idle • Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose (01225 448844, www.theatreroyal.org.uk)

play based around one patient fisherman’s unusual vigil on a lonely Victorian pier • Brewery Theatre, North St, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www. tobaccofactory.com) 18-20 NOV Utopia Unlimited

Bath Gilbert & Sullivan Society romp through G&S penultimate musical comedy • Mission Theatre, Corn St, Bath (01225 428600, www.missiontheatre.co. uk) 19 NOV Oh Whistle… Robert

Lloyd Parry performs two of MR James’s classic ghost stories • Rondo Theatre, St Saviours Rd, Bath (01225 463362, www. rondotheatre.co.uk) 22-23 NOV Lee Mack The BAFTA-

winning stand-up is back by popular demand • Colston Hall, Colston St, Bristol (0117 922 3686, www.colstonhall.org) 23-27 NOV Seven Brides for

Seven Brothers A whirl of dance, song and romance from the Bath Light Operatic Group • Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose (01225 448844, www. theatreroyal.org.uk)

Wednesday 03 November NEIL COWLEY TRIO £14 Thursday 04 November ELIZA CARTHY & NORMA WATERSON - THE GIFT BAND £18 Friday 05 November ASAF SIRKIS TRIO £7.50/ £6.50 / £8.50 Door Saturday 06 November SOUL STATION BAND AND THE STOCKINGTOPS £10 / £13 Saturday 13 November KATE WALSH £10 Friday 19 November SPIRO £12 /£10 Friday 26 November AFGM BAND + SUPPORT THE IDIOT SAVANTS £8 / £7 / £9 Door Saturday 27 November MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC AND DANCE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA £8/£7 BUFFET £5 Sunday 28 November NICK HARPER £10 / £11 Friday 03 December TIM RICHARDS TRIO £8 /£12 Thursday 09 December JON GOMM £5 / £9 Thursday 16 December THE FAKE THACKRAYS £10 / £11 Friday 17th December THE OLD DANCE SCHOOL £5 / £6 Saturday 26 February MOISHE’S BAGEL £12 / £15 Chapel Arts Centre Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR www.chapelarts.org 01225 461700 Arts Cafe - Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5.30

23-28 NOV 1984 Powerful stage

adaptation of Orwell’s dystopian nightmare • Tobacco Factory Theatre, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www.tobaccofactory. com) 24 NOV Jim Jefferies Plain-

speaking Australian presents new show Alcoholocaust • Komedia, Westgate St, Bath (0845 293 8480, www.komedia.co.uk) 24-27 NOV Jason and Medea The

Argonauts’ tale retold amid 1960s gangland London • Bristol Old Vic, King St (0117 987 7877, www. bristololdvic.org.uk) 24-27 NOV Dr Faustus The very

modern themes of greed and materialism are wrestled in this dark tale of one scholar’s dealings with the Devil himself • Rondo Theatre, St Saviours Rd, Bath (01225 463362, www. rondotheatre.co.uk) ➜

EVERY MONDAY Groundswell open mic night EVERY THURSDAY Pepper your Leopard EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Top live DJ’s playing the best sounds around. Open until 2am. EVERY SUNDAY Comedy Cavern (see comedy listings for details). HAPPY HOUR 6.30-7-30pm HOUSE DOUBLES £3.50 FREE WI-FI . SKY SPORTS ON HD SCREEN POOL TABLES IN THE CELLAR BAR Food served daily from 11am-9pm. Serving Vegetarian/Vegan foods. 20% discounts on food to students with NUS card. 15 George Street, Bath, BA1 2QS 01225 424 104 // www.theporter.co.uk

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november diary 26 NOV Ministry of Burlesque’s

High Tease Victoriana and saucy variety-show thrills. Fancy dress strongly encouraged • Komedia, Westgate St, Bath (0845 293 8480, www.komedia.co.uk)

26-27 NOV Pete Johansson Honest

anecdotal Canadian stand-up • Comedy Box, Hen & Chicken, North St, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www.thecomedybox.co. uk) 29-30 NOV Chris Addison The star

of The Thick of It returns with more mischievous stand-up comedy • Tobacco Factory, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www. tobaccofactory.com)

ART & EXHIBITIONS RUNNING ON 1-31 NOV Across the Board Oil

paintings and prints from Nick Cudworth, reflecting his interests in subjects as disparate as the landscape of Bath, Vermeer, anatomy and rock ‘n’ roll • Nick Cudworth Gallery, London St, Bath (01225 445221, www. nickcudworth.com) 2-12 NOV Luck of the Draw

Colourful new abstract paintings by Becky Buchanan • Edgar Modern, Bartlett St, Bath (01225 443746, www.edgarmodern.com) 4-27 NOV The West of England MS Therapy Centre Art Exhibition Over 30 artists display their work, including selections from the Bristol Savages and the RWA • Grant Bradley Gallery, Bedminster Parade, Bristol (0117 963 7673, www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk) 5-27 NOV School of Paris Works

well-being • ICIA Art Space 1, University of Bath (01225 386777, www.bath.ac.uk/icia) 12-21 NOV Bath Art Affair Thirty

explores her psyche through pattern and colour • Folk House, Park St, Bristol (0117 926 2987, www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk)

galleries from across Bath unite for nine days of high-profile exhibitions, live music, wine tasting, demonstrations and talks • 30 galleries across Bath - see Bath Tourist Information site for details (01225 477441, www.visitbath.co.uk)

13 NOV Shen Ming Cun Paintings

13 NOV Winter Art Fair A rich

multi-artist show exploring the history of software, and its relation to humour and fun • Arnolfini, Narrow Quay, Bristol (0117 917 2300, www.arnolfini.org.uk)

selection of paintings, prints, ceramics, photographs, sculpture and cutting-edge conceptual work • New Oriel Hall, Larkhall, Bath (http://larkhallopenstudios. weebly.com) 13-21 NOV Avonmouth to the

Amazon Contemporary local and exotic new photography from Barry Cawston • Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bath Rd, Bristol (0117 971 4320, www.paintworksbristol.co. uk) 13-27 NOV Dream Bomb Semi-

abstract landscapes by Heath Hearn, focusing on ‘notions of eclipse and enclosure’ • Edgar Modern, Bartlett St, Bath (01225 443746, www.edgarmodern.com) 27-28 NOV North Bristol Arts

Trail See picture story • Venues across north Bristol (www. northbristolartists.org.uk) 27 NOV-10 DEC Dead Centre of Bath Joint debut show of paintings by Pascale Reymond and Helena Howcroft • Walcot Mortuary Chapel, Walcot St, Bath RUNNING UNTIL 4 NOV Out of My Head 2: Drawing from the Subconscious Christine Marie Antoinette

studying the tradition and heritage of the minority tribes of southern China • Alexander Gallery, Whiteladies Rd, Bristol (0117 973 9582, www.alexander-gallery.co.uk) 21 NOV Fun with Software A new

21 NOV Don McCullin: Shaped by

War An Imperial War Museum touring exhibition, of over 100 moving pictures by the veteran photographer • Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge St, Bath (01225 477233, www.victoriagal.org.uk)

21 NOV Coal Fired Computers

New work responding to the shift of coal production to places like India and China after the miners’ strikes of the 1980s • Arnolfini, Narrow Quay, Bristol (0117 917 2300, www.arnolfini.org.uk) 28 NOV Wealth of Nations A

group of international artists explore money and its effects on the modern world • Spike Island Studios, Cumberland Rd, Bristol (0117 929 2266, www.spikeisland. org.uk) 28 NOV Flight: 100 Years of the

Bristol Aeroplane Company Exhibition showcasing a century of aviation innovation in the West of England, taking as its starting point the founding in 1910 of the BAC • Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery, Queens Rd (0117 922 3571, www. bristol.gov.uk/museums)

by Picasso, Miro, Chagall and many more • Innocent Fine Art, Boyce’s Ave, Bristol (0117 973 2614, www.innocentfineart.co.uk) 6-27 NOV 2D 3D Recent work from

Kitchens: A work in progress Multimedia exhibition investigating the benefits of exercise and nutrition in the pursuit of ultimate

Over 500 open-submission works, many of which are for sale • Royal West of England Academy, Queens Rd, Bristol (0117 973 5129, www. rwa.org.uk) 12 DEC Chinese Ceramics and the

Early Modern World Exhibition charting the global peregrinations of Chinese ceramics • Museum of East Asian Art, Bennett St, Bath (01225 464640, www.meaa.org.uk)

17 DEC We Need to Talk about the Future Video art inspired by work environments, from Ruth MacLennan • ICIA Art Space 2, University of Bath (01225 386777, www.bath.ac.uk/icia) 19 JAN The Diana Dresses Special

exhibition of 10 frocks that belonged to the late Princess of Wales • Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett St, Bath (01225 477173, www.fashionmuseum.co. uk) 27 FEB White Horses and Hill

Figures Vibrant exploration of the huge chalk figures carved into the hillsides of Wiltshire and beyond • Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Long St, Devizes (01380 727369, www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk)

ONGOING Maggie C: Pet

Portraits Striking animal portraits undertaken by commission • Fizz Gallery, Hill Rd, Clevedon (01275 341141, www.fizzgallery.co.uk) ONGOING Dress of the Year

Creations by Mary Quant, Versace, John Galliano and others • Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett St, Bath (01225 477173, www.fashionmuseum.co.uk) ONGOING Helmut Lang Four

linked displays including over 20 ensembles by Lang, who recently donated a collection of his output from 1997 to 2005 • Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett St, Bath (01225 477173, www.fashionmuseum.co.uk) ONGOING The Art of Giving A celebration of the artwork donated by local people, including a painting by Paul Klee, never previously on public display • Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge St, Bath (01225 477233, www. victoriagal.org.uk)

engraver and printmaker Trevor Haddrell, supported by figurative sculpture from Jo Jones and ceramics from Nicola Mortimer • Bristol Guild, Park Street (0117 926 5548, www.bristolguild.co.uk) 10 NOV-28 JAN Mad Gyms and

12 DEC 158 Autumn Exhibition

The stunning new Spielman Centre at Arnos Vale Cemetery, which hosts a series of events, Month to Remember, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Bristol Blitz. See Other

ONGOING Photographing Fashion: British Style in the 1960s Ernestine Carter’s photographs of a famously ➜

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what’son fashionable decade • Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett St, Bath (01225 477173, www.fashionmuseum.co.uk)

CLASSICAL, OPERA & DANCE 2 NOV Requiem for All Souls Thanksgiving Liturgical performance from Bristol Cathedral Concert Choir • Bristol Cathedral, College Green (0117 962 8532, www.concertchoir.co.uk) 5 NOV Sax Circus The 40-strong

National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain present an exhilarating feast including Mozart, Gershwin and Puccini • St George’s Bristol, Great George St (0845 402 4001, www. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk) 6 NOV City of Bath Bach Choir The

CoBBC sing through Bob Chilcott’s Salisbury Vespers and Monteverdi’s Hymns and Psalms • Bath Abbey, Kingston Buildings (01225 463362, www.bathfestivals.org.uk) 6 NOV Choral Gems Bristol Bach

Choir offer a taste of their forthcoming compilation CD • United Reformed Church, Henleaze, Bristol (www.bristolbach.org.uk) 7 NOV Exultate Singers Powerful interpretation of Rachmaninov’s meditative Vespers • St George’s Bristol, Great George St (0845 402 4001, www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk) 12 NOV BSO - Michael Nyman: An Anthology The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra perform highlights from the famous composer’s canon • Colston Hall, Colston St, Bristol (0117 922 3686, www.colstonhall.org) 13 NOV Butterfly Dreaming Tour

Moving triple bill from the Henri Oguike Dance Company • ICIA Arts Theatre, University of Bath ((01225 386777, www.bath.ac.uk/icia) 13 NOV Monteverdi Vespers Bath

Mozart choir in full voice • Bath Abbey, Kingston Buildings, Bath (01225 463362, www.bathfestivals.org.uk) 20 NOV Masque of the Elements

Bristol Ensemble and Consort de Danse Baroque play Jean-Féry Rebel, Vivaldi and Telemann • St George’s Bristol, Great George St (0845 402 4001, www. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk)

21 NOV Ludovico Einaudi: The

Solo Concert Intricately textured minimalist piano • St George’s Bristol, Great George St (0845 402 4001, www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk)

25 NOV Bournemouth Symphony

Orchestra Recital of works by Britten, Beethoven and Rachmaninov • Colston Hall, Colston St, Bristol (0117 922 3686, www.colstonhall.org)

27 NOV Bristol Choral Society

and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Inspiring English music including Vaughan Williams, Holst and Elgar • Colston Hall, Colston St, Bristol (0117 922 3686, www. colstonhall.org)

OTHER EVENTS 2 & 16 NOV Diana Teas Illustrated

talk and slideshow with tea and cakes, in conjunction with the Diana Dresses exhibition (see Art and Exhibitions, above) • Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett St, Bath (01225 477173, www.fashionmuseum.co.uk) 8 NOV Mapping the Nation In this

Festival of Ideas talk, Rachel Hewitt tells the story of the creation of the Ordnance Survey map • Watershed, Bristol (0117 927 5100, www.ideasfestival.co.uk) 11, 14, 20, 23 & 24 NOV Month to

Remember The beautiful Victorian cemetery at Arnos Vale presents a series of fascinating talks, tours and special memorial services to honour our valorous fallen and to remember the 1,299 victims of the Bristol Blitz in WWII • Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bath Rd, Bristol (0117 971 9117, www.arnosvale.org.uk)

18 NOV Great Dixter, The Past,

Present and Future A talk from head gardener Fergus Garrett • University of Bristol, Department of Chemistry, Cantocks Close, Bristol (0117 331 4906, www.bris. ac.uk/Depts/BotanicGardens)

19-21 NOV Antique and

Collectors’ Fair Up to 600 stalls laden with antiques and collectables • Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset (01636 702326, www.iacf.co.uk)

23 NOV From Procrastination to

Successful Action An informal talk from Bristol Coaching Approach • Goldbrick House, Park St, Bristol (www. bristolcoachingapproach.com)

26 NOV In the Belly of the Beast:

From Margin to Mainstream Journalist Suzanne Moore charts her unlikely journey from Marxism Today to the Mail on Sunday • Arnolfini, Narrow Quay, Bristol (0117 917 2300, www.ideasfestival.co.uk)

28 NOV The Midcentury Show

Furniture and collectables from the 1940s to the 1970s • Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bath Rd, Bristol (0117 971 4320, www.paintworksbristol.co.uk)

FAMILY Out & About 2 NOV Sea Hear Storytelling Head

to the ship’s Promenade Deck for seainspired storytelling for pre-schoolers with local storyteller Sarah Mooney. A new educational programme from the Brunel Institute • Brunel’s SS Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Rd, Bristol (0117 926 0680, www.ssgreatbritain.org)

Gallery, Queens Rd (0117 922 2000, www.bristol.gov.uk) UNTIL JAN 2011 The Incredible

Journey A celebration of the 40th anniversary of the great ship’s return to Bristol. Listen to memories of those involved in the rescue mission, marvel at a spacehopper invasion, and watch a new animated film • Brunel’s SS Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol (0117 9260680, www.ssgreatbritain.org)

UNTIL SUMMER 2012 Animate It!

Interactive exhibition featuring artefacts and props on loan from Aardman Animation, including a set from A Matter of Loaf and Death. Claymation classes, Meet The Animator sessions and plenty of opportunities to make your own animations • At-Bristol, Anchor Rd, Harbourside (0845 3451235, www.at-bristol.org.uk) Performance 3-6 NOV The Night Pirates A

Gather round the indoor campfire for action-filled stories • At-Bristol, Anchor Rd, Harbourside (0845 345 1235, www.at-bristol.org.uk)

moonlit adventure with puppets, dance and live music, inspired by the Peter Harris and Deborah Allwright picture book. Ages 3-5 • The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath (01225 448844, www.theatreroyal.org.uk)

19 NOV Toddler Takeover Activities

9 NOV Blowing Dutch play about a

exclusively for under-5s, from storytelling to spotting twinkly stars in the Little Stars Planetarium show. This month’s theme: ‘Colour Spectacular’. As well as getting reduced entry, toddler-friendly facilities include breastfeeding room, nappy-changing area, high chairs and buggy parks • At-Bristol, Anchor Rd, Harbourside (0845 345 1235, www. at-bristol.org.uk)

brother and sister fed up with their deceitful parents. See picture story. Ages 11+ • The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath (01225 448844, www. theatreroyal.org.uk)

5-7 NOV Fireworks Storytelling

13 NOV The Frog Princess Russian

folktale told by two puppeteers. Ages 3+ • The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath (01225 448844, www.theatreroyal. org.uk)

26 NOV-19 DEC Enchanted Wood

18-20 NOV Sunflowers & Sheds

Delightful seasonal event, in which the arboretum is decked with lights to create a winter wonderland. Plus roast chestnuts, mulled wine and carols • Westonbirt Arboretum, nr Tetbury, Glos (01666 880220, www. forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt)

World premiere production of this tale of friendship on the allotments. Ages 4+ • The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath (01225 448844, www. theatreroyal.org.uk)

Exhibitions UNTIL 21 NOV Altitude Get hands on

with a wind turbine, smoke machine, small aeroplane and explosive experiments, and find out all about the miracle of flight • At-Bristol, Anchor Rd, Harbourside (0845 345 1235, www.at-bristol.org.uk) UNTIL 28 NOV Flight Multimedia

exhibition bringing to life 100 years of aviation innovation in the West of England • Bristol City Museum & Art

26-27 NOV Handa’s Surprise Eileen

Browne’s popular book about a little Kenyan girl’s trip to see her friend, brought to the stage with puppets, music and physical theatre. Ages 4+. • The Egg, St John’s Place, Bath (01225 448844, www.theatreroyal.org.uk) 28 NOV Twinkle Twonkle New

show from the folks behind The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, inspired by nursery rhymes and the Big Bang. Ages 4+ • Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol (0117 902 0344, www. tobaccofactory.com)

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food&drink AA ROSETTES

An inspector calls l Following the recent news that they topped the Good Food Guide 2011’s Wine List, the team at the Queensberry Hotel and Olive Tree Restaurant have reason to celebrate yet again: head chef Nick Brodie and his Olive Tree team have now been awarded a prestigious three rosettes by those fastidious inspectors at the AA. Only 10% of restaurants in the UK have been awarded any rosettes, with success or failure based on visits from an inspector. In the words of the AA, three rosettes highlight ‘outstanding restaurants that achieve standards that demand recognition well beyond their local area. The cooking is underpinned by the selection and sympathetic treatment of the highest quality ingredients. Timing, seasoning and the judgment of flavour

ago, following a career spanning the Bath Priory and Royal Crescent Hotels, as well as the Chapel in Bruton and the Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay. His gastronomy ethos is simple - in fact, it’s all about simplicity. “My menus are heavily based on the freshest seasonal ingredients, and on what can be found locally,” says Nick. “Our vegetables are sourced daily and we personally chose an array of meats from local farms. “However, the most important aspect for me is that the flavours of each ingredient must mix, match and complement each other. We’re combinations will consistently They’ve recently been lauded by constantly striving for the very be excellent.’ Fodor’s and included by highest standards with every Run by Laurence and Helen unrelenting hotel inspector Alex plate that we serve.” Beere and their dedicated team, Polizzi in her Little Black Book the hotel and restaurant offer an of Hotels. Queensberry Hotel & Olive Tree Restaurant Russell St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 elegant, sophisticated and Olive Tree chef Nick Brodie characterful environment. joined the team just over a year 447928, www.thequeensberry.co.uk

WHOLESALE FRESHNESS

A chef’s paradise l While the supermarket debate rages wildly, with claims and counterclaims over quality versus price at outlets such as Waitrose and Aldi, one major food emporium is quietly going about its business away from the limelight offering both low cost and fabulous quality. Costco doesn’t have a store on every high street, but its nearest outlet is much closer than you might imagine. The fact that it’s a wholesaler, not a retailer also reduces its media profile, but the excellence of produce on sale is second to none. “All our beef is Aberdeen Angus,” says Jay Norton, Costco’s marketing membership manager. “We are major vendors of every type of champagne from Veuve Cliquot to Krug and we’re the largest fine wine wholesaler in the world.” Costco offers the freshest seasonal vegetables, much of it organic, and its prime butchers’ cuts attract the regular custom of many of the area’s major restaurants.

To prove its ability to deliver fine dining ingredients, Costco hosts a Christmas Food event from 9 – 12 December, where major vendors will demonstrate how to serve up their finest produce, from goose and turkey to a hog roast; from mulled wine to an entire new cellier extravagantly labelled up by fashion guru Christian Audigier. Of course, as a wholesaler, you have to be a member to shop at Costco, but the company boasts 58 million members so there’s a strong possibility that you will fit the criteria. Just drop in to the friendly membership desk at the Avonmouth store to enquire. “If you want the best quality products at the lowest possible price, Costco is the place to be,” says Jay. Costco Bristol St Brendan’s Way, Avonmouth, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 916 0130 www.costco.co.uk

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food&drink

Seafood Special shared experience

Taste of success l Dave Daly and Jon Mackeson, head chefs and co-owners at Three Coqs Brasserie in Clifton, have launched their chef’s table just in time for Christmas. You’ll be treated to a tasting menu featuring eight dishes, which can be passed around and shared with your fellow diners. Parties of up to eight people can enjoy something a little bit more interactive. What could be better than to be tucked away from other diners, so you can watch the chefs hard at work? What’s

l Head to Ronnie’s Restaurant in Thornbury on Wednesday 10 November for a Seafood & Wine evening featuring wine expert Richard Guest. Enjoy five courses (three featuring seafood from local dayboats), with tables reserved for the whole evening, for £55pp. Ronnie's Restaurant St Mary St, Thornbury. Ffi: 01454 411137, www.ronnies-restaurant.co.uk

more, you’ll even be served by them directly from the kitchen. And with dishes such as game and pistachio terrine, or fillet of sea bass with swiss chard, chilli and lemon, what’s not to like? Reservations for the elevated chef’s table will commence on Mon 22 Nov. Three Coqs Brasserie above Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Rd, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 949 3030, www.threecoqsbrasserie. com

LUXURY HOTEL

A right royal welcome l Restaurants in Bath don’t come any finer than the Dower House at the Royal Crescent Hotel, where the head chef and his brigade work closely to develop innovative cuisine within this rich architectural setting. This awardwinning restaurant is among the finest in Bath, and is open to both house guests and non-residents for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The Dower House comfortably seats 40 and overlooks the beautiful and completely secluded, one-acre ‘secret’ garden, visible through impressive floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu at the Dower House changes with the seasons to make best use of the very finest fresh ingredients, which are largely locally sourced. There’s a menu to meet everyone’s appetite, ranging from informal all-day dining snacks and afternoon teas through to the lighter luncheon menu and up to an a la carte dinner. The cellar, expertly managed by sommelier Jean Marc Leitao, complements the cuisine and provides ample

choice for both the casual diner and the true connoisseur of fine wines. Bathed in natural light that streams in through large windows, swathed in mink-coloured silk and trimmed in light olive, this fabulous restaurant is testimony to the finest in contemporary design. Splendid works of art vie for the attention of diners, and each area has its own flourish and mood, with distinctive fabrics and a mink and light olive colour scheme throughout. The Dower House is looking forward to the festive season with a variety of corporate and private Christmas options, from lunches, festive afternoon teas and dinners to a festive drinks party with canapés and champagne. Whatever the requirement for entertaining, the Royal Crescent Hotel has dedicated special events coordinators who are experts at creating bespoke packages. The Royal Crescent Hotel 16 Royal Crescent, Bath. Ffi: 01225 823333, www.royalcrescent.co.uk

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Lebanese Cuisine

95 Queens Rd, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1LW 0117 9739734

www.sandsrestaurant.co.uk

Christmas Menu Starters

All Starters included Hommos Malawi v Pureed chick peas with sesame extract, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil garnished with whole chick-peas, pine nut kernals, fried onions and chefs special sauce Baba Ghanouch (Moutable) v Smoked Aubergine with sesame extract, olive oil and lemon juice Why not start with a delicious Champagne Cocktail with raspberry puree + peach liquer for only £5.50 Tabouleh v Parsley salad, tomatoes, onions, mint, crushed wheat, lemon juice and olive oil Starters Shanklesh Salad v Spiced parsnip + stilton soup, pumpkin ravioli + croutons. Feta cheese, cayenne pepper, thyme, white pepper in in parsley, Cornish crayfish + smoked salmon cocktail, crispy crab cake, prawn mousse. tomatoes, onion, red and green pepper Pan fried assorted wild mushrooms, finished with garlic, Falafel v rosemary, marsala + cream, toasted brioche, parmesan croquette. Mixture of ground chick peas, broad beans tossed Baked goats cheese, wild rocket, red onion jam, in spices, served with tahini sauce black olive pesto, balsamic caramel. Oak smoked salmon, dill, honey & mustard potato salad, Armenian Prawns Junipers pork + pigeon terrine, homemade piccalilli, Cumberland Tiger prawns withherbed mildly hot cream Armenian cheese dressing & prawn pate, wholemeal toast. sauce + fried bread. Jawanlh Bil Toom Char-grilled chicken wings in garlic and coriander Mains Warm goats cheesesauce & red onion tart, celeriac remoulade, Fatayer Sebanik Braised brisket of Somerset Beef, buttery horseradish mash, mixedonion leafandsalad, aged balsamic Pastry filled with spinach, pink kernals

Juniper Restaurant’s Christmas Menu 2010

Christmas menu 2002 3 Courses £18.95 Starters

smoked red pepper + stilton stuffing. Breat of free range chicken with a rich turkey + cranberry stuffing, potatoes dauphinoise, tarragon + chestnut jus. Tenderloin of ‘Gloucester old spot’pork, black pudding, bubble + squeak cake, apple + shallot puree, pork reduction. Breast of Quantock Duck, braised red cabbage, Crispy duck leg + potato hash, sticky a l’orange reduction. Pan roasted fillet of Sea Bass, smoked salmon ravioli, potatoes dauphinoise, creamy mornay sauce. Creamy leek, turnip + chestnut pie, char grilled artichokes, mustard mash, warm sweet shallot dressing. (V)

Main ThaiCourses style crab cake, crispy marinated prawn won ton,

Please choose one of the following noodle salad teriyaki, fresh chilli jam. Mixed Grill Char-grilled Lamb cubes, Kafta and marinated chicken cubes served with grilled shallots, tomatoes Creamy bubbleand&rice squeak soup, crunchy bacon, Chicken Kapsah créme fraiche, chives Mixed spice marinated chicken golden baked, served with vegetable rice and gravy Peppered Beiruti Seabass fillet of beef, stilton & red onion salad, tangy Grilled ﬁllet of seabass served with mildly spiced roasted tomato chutney Desserts potatoes and terator sauce Tajin All at £7.00 Cous cous with courgette, potatoes, onions,carrots and Chocolate + grand marnier terrine, sour cherry compote. butter squash in coriander and cumin sauce Sticky toffee pudding, vanilla bean ice cream, butterscotch sauce.

Mains

Homemade puff pastry mince tart, white chocolate + peppermint mousse. Roasted split peas Dessert rump of Welsh lamb, potato gratin, braised Mature artisan cheeses, fruit + biscuits. Lebanese mixed sweets ﬁnished with rose mint & rosemary scented with pancetta, fresh balsamic Toffee apple creme brulee, Christmas spiced shortbread.

syrup and crushed pistachio

Seared rib eye of Angus Beef, wild mushroom & stilton courses dumpling, braised cauliflower cheese with 2 spiced creamed Belly Dancer Available. parsnips, cabernet sauce. Please ask for details. 3 courses

Lunch £14.95 Dinner £24.95

If you have any special dietary requirements or food allergies please inform us in advance. Some of the dishesmay contain nuts. All our dishes are prepared by our very experienced Lebanese chefs on the premises, using the ﬁnest ingredients. 10% service charge will be added to your ﬁnal bill.

£21.95 £25.95

Fillet of wild sea bass, sauteed tiger prawns, herb and garlic crushed new potatoes, saffron sauce.

Juniper Restaurant

Fillet of Scottish Salmon, welsh rarebit on toastedRoad South, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5TZ 21 Cotham brioche, creamed cabbage with smoked salmon, fresh Call to make your booking now: sweet dill hollandaise. Garlic mushroom tartlet, fricassee of wild mushrooms, peas & grilled courgettes, vine tomato & coriander sauce.

0117 942 1744

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feature

food&drink

Bath Christmas Market helps transform the Heritage City into a seasonal shopping paradise

Christmas

is coming... And Melissa Blease can’t wait. Here’s her round-up of the finest foodie festive treats in Bristol and Bath

f you’re looking for inspiration for a Christmas gift for the foodie in your life, look no further: chic chocolates, winning wines, luxurious liqueurs, vintage vinegars, magnificent marmalade – who could be disappointed with anything from that list? Taking the time to fill a personalised hamper at a gourmet hotspot makes for a really thoughtful treat, and quality quick fixes are simple to source. But just in case your imagination is failing you, we’ve even suggested the shopping list!

MARKETS Markets can provide you with a banquet of gifting bounty. Bristol Farmers’ Market takes place on Corn Street every Wednesday (9.30am-2.30pm), when a myriad of local producers from within a 40-mile radius of the city congregate to display their wares. Offering a similarly sumptuous selection, Bath Farmers’ Market offers the liveliest food shopping experience for miles around, every Saturday from 8.30am-1pm. The annual Bath Christmas Market will be bigger and better than ever this year, opening for an extended 18-day period from Thur 25 Nov-Sun 12 Dec, when the Heritage City will be transformed into a unique shoppers’ paradise, with over 120 traditional wooden chalets (many of them specialising in food-and ➜

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PRE CHRISTMAS MENU Starters

Grilled Aubergines and Goats Cheese Parcels Pate of Duck Liver, served with a Garlic Crostini on a bed of Rocket Leek and Potato Soup Mushrooms in a Taragon and Dolcelatte Cheese and Cream Sauce

Main Course Traditional Roast Turkey served with all the Trimmings Oven Baked Salmon with a salse Verde Penette Alla Norma, pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Grilled Aubergines, Capers and Chilli Belly Pork served with a Cider Sauce on a bed of Roasted Vegetables

Sweets from the Trolley

ÂŁ23.95 + 10% sc

Now taking bookings for Christmas Day and New Years Eve Dinner & Dance 124 Stoke Lane Westbury On Trym Bristol BS9 3RJ Tel for reservation 0117 9623 222

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feature

food&drink Clockwise from far left: Finishing touches at The Fine Cheese Company, Bath; chocolate heaven at the Milsom Place Chocolate Festival; shopping at Highgrove, Bath, has the seal of royal approval

drink-related items) bringing a whole new dimension to city centre shopping. At the same time, the Guildhall Market turns into a gourmet grotto, too (dates run concurrently): browse the locally sourced selection in stalls arranged under three heated marquees to the rear of the building or inside the atmospheric indoor market itself. Shopping list: cheese, honey, homemade preserves, handmade chocolates and biscuits, local wines, ciders, spirits and liqueurs Bristol Farmers’ Market Ffi: www. stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk Bath Farmers’ Market Ffi: www. bathfarmersmarket.co.uk Bath Christmas Market Ffi: www. bathchristmasmarket.co.uk Guildhall Christmas Market Ffi: www. bathguildhallmarket.co.uk

ONE-STOP SHOPS Milsom Place Set against a backdrop of ancient passageways and cobbled lanes around one of the prettiest courtyards in Bath, Milsom Place offers a supremely elegant shopping experience. The whole place turns into a chocolate haven over the weekend of 4-5 Dec, when the finest chocolatiers from around the UK participate in MP’s annual Chocolate Festival, while the surrounding shops are making the most of displaying their own tempting wares right now. Shopping list: kitchen knick-knackery from the Salcombe Trading Company; Cath Kidston and Quadri, gourmet oils, liqueurs and vinegars from Vom Fass; cookery books and pasta from Jamie’s Italian; cornbread mix, Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, Smucker’s Goober Grape Jelly, Smoked Chilli Brown Sugar Rub, Tootsie Rolls and San Francisco blend gourmet coffee from Redwood Bay. Milsom Place Milsom St, Bath. Ffi: www. milsomplace.co.uk Highgrove Shop The recently opened Bath branch of the Highgrove Shop is the third outlet for HRH Prince Charles’ luxurious organic range of foodstuffs, alongside a right royal selection of items handcrafted by UK artisans. The highpedigree and treatsome selection offers a delectable range of gifts and stocking fillers, and profits raised go towards the Prince Charles Foundation, a group of charitable organisations of which HRH is president. Shopping list: Christmas pudding, Highgrove

Honey, Rosemary Jelly, organic gin, chocolate fudge, organic Earl Grey tea, Grana Padano cheese straws, Prince’s Ginger Liqueur, Highgrove Hampers (all also available online for home delivery). Highgrove Shop 38 Milsom St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 445125, www.highgroveshop.com The Fine Cheese Company This place is, as the name suggests, a mecca for cheese lovers, selling British and European cheeses from the classics (cheddars, camemberts) to the adventurous and the obscure (a sliver of White Nancy, anyone?). xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx But it’s also an Aladdin’s cave of all kinds of (food-related) everything else: browse shelves and counters packed with artisan chocolates, oils, biscuits, wines, olives, crackers and more, all in a wonderfully lively, friendly atmosphere. Shopping list: a Crottin gift set, a Safe of Cheese, Petite Maison tapenade, Grate Britain biscuits, Marcona almonds, Venchi chocolate cigars (all also available online for home delivery). The Fine Cheese Company 29-31 Walcot St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 448748, www.finecheese.co.uk

GIFT VOUCHERS If you’re really stuck for something to make them salivate, the humble gift voucher has ditched its prosaic image. Give your foodie friend a prepaid ‘credit card’ entitling the recipient to a glamorous, no-expense-spared dinner at one of Bristol’s loveliest restaurants, and you’re giving them something wonderful to look forward to when the January blues ➜

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✁ LARGER PARTIES WELCOME

OPEN 7 DAYS FROM 6:30PM

CHIRISTMAS AT FLINTY RED 34 Cotham Hill Bristol The perfect place for a spot of gastronomic good cheer. Flinty Red will be ﬁring on all cylinders in the run up to Christmas. In conjunction with the usual restaurant menu, we will also be offering an especially festive menu for ofﬁce parties and for large groups (above 8) of the more turkey weary folk!

3 COURSE LUNCH - £20.00 3 COURSE SUPPER - £30.00 Lunch from 12-3 Tuesday to Saturday Supper from 6:30-10 Monday to Saturday “Over the years the national press has recognised us prodigiously, with the Guardian rating us in the top five Mexican restaurants in the country. The Independent praising us highly and twice featuring in the ‘Best Mexican Restaurant’ in the Sunday Times.” “We don’t do fancy napkins, and silver cutlery just isn’t our style, but we are famous for serving delicious, fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine in a lively, fun atmosphere, and the legions of new and regular customers vote with their mouths!!

£30 DINNER & SANGRIA FOR TWO

Includes Nachos starter, Fajita main and jug of Sangria.

Using the best produce the season has to offer, cooked with ﬂare and creativity and with a brilliant drinks list to rival no other, Seasons, producers and imagination withstanding.

Call 0117 923 8755 || email info@ﬂintyred.com or better still, pop in

www.f lintyred.co.uk

(Sunday and Monday only) Requires advanced booking.

Booking recommended

BRISTOL’S ONLY FINEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT

✁

• Authentic Freshly Cooked to Order Japanese Dishes • City Centre Location • Private Rooms with Karaoke Facilities • Ideal for birthdays, office parties and special get-togethers • Teppanyaki Grill and Sushi Bar • Set Lunches from £6.95 per person, Dinners from £11.00 per person Now open 7 days a week Students only - 10% discount & special packages for birthday parties (from £10 per person) just show us your NUS card

✁

29 - 31 Zetland Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AH • Telephone 0117 924 3901 www.casamexicana.co.uk SPECIALS BOARD available

50% off Sushi with this advertisment Valid Sundays to Thursdays until 25/11/10

69 Baldwin Street, Bristol BS1 1QZ Tel 0117 925 4882 (Next to The Old Fish Market Pub) www.obento.co.uk

Christmas bookings now being taken

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Prosecco Christmas Party Menu 2010 Why not dine in style this festive season? Starters Homemade Chicken Liver Pate with chutney and toasted ciabatta Rocket, Pancetta and pumpkin salad with blue cheese dressing Smoked Roast Salmon crushed potatoes and horseradish Spicy celeriac soup, roasted almonds with garlic and pecorino bruschetta

Main courses Homemade ravioli filled with roasted aubergines in a creamy saffron sauce Roast rump of Lamb with Rosemary sauce Mixed Wild Mushroom Risotto Turkey wrapped in ham with shallot and sage stuffing

Dolci Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy cream Rich Chocolate terrine and berry sauce Selection of Sorbet or ice cream Coffee and Cream semi -freddo with pistachios & Caramel sauce

£27 per person for 3 courses • Menu available Monday to Friday lunch and dinner • Sole use of venue available (minimum number required) • Executive food and wine tasting parties by arrangement • Terms and conditions apply

Please contact Heidi or Kirsty if you wish to discuss your party. Contact 0117 973 4499 or info@proseccoclifton.com

www.proseccoclifton.com

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feature

food&drink

The names say it all: Juniper, Prosecco and Ocean, Bristol, and the Olive Tree, Bath

strike. And here’s an interesting twist on what’s already a tried-and-trusted formula: Glassboat and Lido vouchers, which start at £20, can be redeemed at either restaurant or the Spyglass BBQ and Grill, or used towards pampering spa treatments at the luxurious Lido. Glassboat Welsh Back, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 929 0704, www.glassboat.co.uk Lido Oakfield Place, Clifton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 933 9530, www.lidobristol.com CHILL OUT In the frantic lead-up to Christmas, an elegant supper in intimate, relaxing surroundings can

recharge those flattened batteries, providing an oasis of tranquillity amid the festive mayhem. Treat your loved one(s), your friends and yourself to a gourmet pre-Christmas lunch or supper at one of our highly recommended cosy oases - divine festive menus are guaranteed wherever you choose to destress. Bristol Experience the taste of a dolce vita-infused Clifton Christmas in authentic Italian style at cosy, family-run Italian bistro Prosecco: gently glamorous and perfectly pretty. That warm and welcoming contemporary tapas haven Ocean Cafe tempts jaded palates out of their seasonal slump with a lively array of imaginative, innovative, tip-top treats. And Mexican menus don’t have to mean mayhem: calm yourselves down at longstanding south of the borderthemed diner Casa Mexicana and prepare to have the festive foodie fire in your soul gently reignited. At Juniper, settle down in a quiet, softly lit corner and prepare to immerse yourself in understated glamour and fine, fine food – this place will ease you into the mistletoe mood in style. An exceptionally warm welcome, relaxed atmosphere and reliably good grub await you at Delmonico. Take to the private dining room and revel in the delights of this perennially popular foodie haven. If chic, bright and breezy is your style, the living is very, very easy at Lockside, where a range of festive modern British/ European classics are set to seduce you back to seasonal sanity. Casa Mexicana 31 Zetland Rd, Redland, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 924 3901, www.casamexicana.co.uk

Delmonico 217 Gloucester Rd, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 944 5673, www.delmonico.co.uk Juniper 21 Cotham Rd South, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 942 1744, www.juniperrestaurant.co.uk Lockside 1 Brunel Lock Rd, Cumberland Basin, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 925 5800, www.lockside.net Ocean Cafe 185 Whiteladies Rd, Bristol. Ffi: 0844 372 3695 Prosecco 25 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 4499, www.proseccoclifton.com Bath Stylish, sophisticated but charmingly idiosyncratic, the Olive Tree serves up the finest of fine food in a chic, boutique hotel environment. The uber-cosy Nineteenth House, recently refurbished to exacting standards, adds a fresh new dimension to the Bath gastropub scene and offers a wonderful winter hideaway experience. Uniquely lovely, gently lively French bistro Casanis is one of Bath’s best-kept secrets - discover it for yourself this season, and cosy up your Christmas in authentic Gallic style. Or enjoy an innovative, award-winning meat-free feast in stylish contemporary bistro surroundings on one of the prettiest historic lanes in Bath… It can only be Demuths for the ultimate alternative to turkey. Casanis 4 Saville Row, Bath. Ffi: 01225 780055, www.casanis.co.uk Demuths 2 North Parade Passage, Bath. Ffi: 01225 446059, www.demuths.co.uk Nineteenth House St James’ Parade, Bath. Ffi: 01225 447728, www.thenineteenthhouse.com Olive Tree Russell St, Bath. Ffi: 01225 447928, www.thequeensberry.co.uk

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BAR PIZZERIA & RESTAURANT RENOWNED PIZZERIA & RESTURANT PRIVATE & BUSINESS PARTIES (UP TO 100) PIZZERIA & BAR OPEN UNTIL 2 AM SITUATED IN HISTORIC KING STREET STONE’S THROW FROM: BRISTOL OLD VIC HIPPODROME • COLSTON HALL

RECOMMENDED BY:

THE OBSERVER, THE INDEPENDENT, ACKERMANN & LONELY PLANET GUIDES

NOW taking Christmas bookings Evening Christmas Party

Available Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm Private Hire available for larger parties any night of the week

christmas bookings now being taken please call for further info

Lunch Christmas Party Menu

Available Monday to Sunday from 1.00pm 3 course lunch £23.95 3 course dinner £28.95 Including coffee and mince pies! To make your reservation call

0117 925 5800

33 KING STREET BRISTOL BS1 4DZ TEL: 0117 929 7712 EMAIL: INFO@RENATOS.NET

Dynasty - All your festive needs under one roof! Early Bird Specials Book your party for 20 people or more and receive

10% off Total Food Bill if you confirm your booking before 19th Nov 2010 * must mention code FOLIO11

PLUS for all parties of 60+ get FREE wine

Great Food Great Service Great Entertainment

Large Party Offers • Choice of menus from £22 to £45 all inclusive • After dinner Karaoke entertainment from 11pm • Fully liscensed late night bar to 2am • Up to 400 people, with private party rooms available • Gourmet European set Dinners also available • 3 course Christmas Lunches from only £15pp, with complimentary Champagne reception (certain dates apply - ask for details)

Dynasty Voted one of the top 5 Chinese restaurants in the country Tel/Fax: 0117 925 0888

Dynasty Restaurant 16a St Thomas Street, Bristol BS1 6JJ

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THE

CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE!

FINE FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT IN EXOTIC SURROUNDINGS

LUNCHES FROM £17.50 INCLUDING BELLY DANCER, DJ & ILLUSIONIST

PERFECT FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY!

BOOK NOW ON 0117 922 1883 WWW.BYZANTIUM.CO.UK

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food review

food&drink

Noa Mike Gartside discovers the soul of Japanese cooking in Clifton

here was a tendency, not so long ago, to wrap anything that moved up in a little roll of rice and call it sushi. We were (and still are) eating raw fish from conveyor belts, and who doesn’t occasionally enjoy grabbing one of those packets from the supermarket shelf, popping open the preternaturally clear lid and squeezing out the contents of that little plastic fish onto those chewy rolls of starch with something indeterminate in the middle? The supermarkets and chain restaurants are, of course, serving up a mere parody of Japanese food. Anyone seeking out the real experience should hot foot it to Noa in Clifton, where partners Kelly Cui and Jenny Zhou have dedicated their careers to exploring the full joy of this rich tradition. The mouthwatering array of delicacies on the menu tonight has been presented in a clear and comprehensible fashion so that anyone acquainted with Japanese food will recognise the basic categories. Yes, there is a full range of sushi dishes which extends way beyond anything available on the high street (where you’re unlikely to find eel and cucumber roll, soft shell crab roll or crab meat and mango roll, for example). But there are also tatakis, tempuras, curries, noodle dishes and soups aplenty, presenting the visitor with a tantalising dilemma from the outset. With so much choice, Kelly offers us a representative tapas-style selection of starters. She chooses the soft shell crab rolls, gyoza (minced meat dumpling with a chilli soya sauce) and a beef tataki, while we opt for a delicious and delicate sauvignon blanc to wash it down. The crab certainly has the wow factor, served in a recognisable sushi style but with a tempurabattered leg soaring from the centre of the rolls. It tastes moist, delicate, crunchy and chewy in all the right places, seasoned with ginger and a piquant wasabi. The dumplings, fried crisp on one side but left soft and tender on the other are meaty bundles of joy, with hints of chicken and pork complementing the duelling textures. But the beef tataki is the real tour de force. The slenderest cuts of raw sirloin, marinaded with a fireworks display of flavours, from spring onion and pepper to a hint of orange, all served with arrowroot crisps, offer the most exquisite tongue teaser you’ll find this side of Tokyo. With starters this delicious, the mains have a lot to live up to. I choose the miso yaki cod from the fish menu while Kelly recommends the red miso spicy duck for my partner. The duck is served in tantalising slithers, perfectly tender

and delicious sprinkled with sesame seed. The accompanying deep-fried lotus root slices look wonderfully exotic and provide a crispy counterpoint to the moist duck. Likewise the cod does not disappoint. The fish flakes away at the touch of a chopstick while the sherry-like miso brings a rich depth to the dish. It, too, is accompanied by chopped lotus root, but this time boiled rather than fried, bringing chestnut flavours and textures to the dish. Portion sizes are well-judged – ample but not overwhelming - so, by the end of the main course we still have room for the intriguing Japanese (although European influenced) desserts. For me the idea of a sesame mousse is too tempting to turn down. The texture is light and fluffy, while the taste is reminiscent of a Greek halva, set off perfectly by the sharpness of the raspberry coulis and blueberries. On the other side of the table, we both agree, a mint panacotta ought not to work. But we are wrong. The delicate, creamy panacotta is imbued with sweet mint, offering delightfully contrasting but complementary flavours. Throughout we’ve received impeccable service from Sean at the front of house, who has patiently answered our many questions. One visit to Noa and you’ll never look at another conveyor belt again.

Contacts Noa 12-13 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 2881 Web: www.noajapanese.co.uk

“The cod flakes away at the touch of a chopstick while the sherry-like miso brings a rich depth to the dish.”

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The perfect venue for your Christmas party

Christmas Lunch from ÂŁ19.95 Christmas Dinner from ÂŁ29.95 plus a selection of supplemented dishes.

Join us for a Special Christmas Celebration!* 16 George Street, Bath BA1 2EN t: 01225 425242 e: info@theholeinthewall.co.uk Opening hours Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm & 6pm-10pm Sun 12pm-4pm & 6.30pm-9.30pm *Dates are already filling up fast so contact us now for special offers and availability Set menus for parties of 6 or more diners.

www.theholeinthewall.co.uk

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food review

food&drink

Charlton House Hotel Melissa Blease indulges in style at Somerset’s very own Dragon’s Den

f I were to be courageous, clever or crazy enough to present an invention to the intimidating entrepreneurs in the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Duncan Bannatyne is the tasty tycoon I’d most want to impress. Known for contributing a contrasting opinion to judgements cast by his more menacing millionaire mates, he brings a calm but charismatic voice of reason to the pernickety, pessimistic posse. While he doesn’t suffer fools gladly, if Duncan says he’s In, you just know that the modern-day Midas will turn that seemingly dodgy design for self-cleaning socks into gold dust. A similar air of composed, serene confidence infuses Charlton House Hotel, the latest acquisition absorbed by Duncan’s leisure industry portfolio the Bannatyne Group in May this year. The house itself, which dates back to 1639, was lovingly refurbished throughout the 1990s by Mulberry Design Company head honcho and eco-champion extraordinaire Roger Saul, whose funky flourishes (blocks of darkly dramatic paintwork, artful use of burnished gold leaf, quirky chandeliers) have been retained to offer a subtle opulence that defies the ambience of the downturn of which Mr Saul became a victim. While the hotel isn’t as self-consciously majestic or intimidatingly imposing as similarly styled ventures nearby, it offers laidback elegance in a small (by country house standards, at least) but perfectly formed, beautifully appointed pleasuredome featuring an orangery, 25 plush bedrooms, soothing spa and helicopter landing pad, situated on the edge of an historic market town nestling in the western folds of the Mendips. For the purposes of this review, we focused on the restaurant housed in a candlelit conservatory that potentially offers an indoor/outdoor experience but which, at this time of the year, is cleverly protected from the elements by soft drapes and a heated flagstone floor that adds a cosy edge to an otherwise fust/fuss-free environment. Before we took to our table, we lounged on a fireside sofa in the bar and supped Bloody Marys, served in huge balloon glasses hung with bunches of plump vine tomatoes. Infused with wild kicks of fresh horseradish, whole sticks of celery and fresh chilli peppers, further merriment was added to the magnificent muddle - if Alice in Wonderland were to make a cocktail for Del Boy to George Jessel’s original recipe, this would be it. In the dining room, I was equally impressed by an exemplary incarnation of the pitifully overlooked sauce choron (a variation of the classic bearnaise, with tomatoes replacing the tarragon or chervil), which added unique flair to the grilled asparagus and softly poached duck egg that constituted my starter.

Del Boy’s Lyme Bay scallops, meanwhile, came with an added twist of their own: oyster ceviche served on its brackish, calcified shell, with a sharp orange and fennel salad to complement the sweet/ salty personalities of both varieties of mollusc. Next up, my seared halibut fillet came served as a neat, sweet, beautifully cooked cube on top of an equally smart dome of creamy beetroot risotto, offset with a characteristically fruity sorrel hollandaise. Del’s tender ribeye steak came with a juicy grilled field mushroom, roast tomatoes, velvety bearnaise sauce and flawless chunky chips. Freshly baked bread was the gift that kept on giving, while an exemplary Cape red would have been a bargain at twice the price (£21), and service throughout was delightful. It’s clear that there be no dragons lurking in this luxurious lair. To finish our journey into Bannatyne’s den, a seductive chocolate fondant served with sexy pistachio ice-cream and a plate of well-kept British cheese bolstered the bill to around £100, including those cocktails and coffee. We did, however, go allout blowout: it’s possible to indulge yourself here without selling your soul to a mythical reptilian creature for the necessary capital - and you might even get to shake hands with a real-life legend over coffee while you’re at it. On this basis - alongside a multitude of other enticements strongly in favour of Charlton House Hotel - I’m In.

Contacts Bannatyne’s Charlton House Spa Hotel Shepton Mallet, Somerset Tel: 01749 342008 Web: www.bannatyne.co.uk/hotel/ charltonhouse

"If Alice in Wonderland were to make a cocktail for Del Boy to George Jessel's original recipe, this Bloody Mary would be it."

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bangdesign brand/print/web/publishing/photography contact us venue publishing, 4th floor, bristol news & media, bristol bs99 7hd tel 0117 942 8491 email d.higgitt@venue.co.uk / d.myring@venue.co.uk

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Working with Bang has been fantastic. Their energetic and engaging design approach has helped reinvigorate our image and energy as an organisationâ&#x20AC;? Remix Music

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Have a contemporary Country Christmas at The Wheatsheaf Combe Hay Festive Party Menu From £16.95 Bookings available now. Transport options available. Open Tuesday to Saturday Lunch and Dinner. Traditional Sunday Lunch. The Wheatsheaf - a Rising Star in The Michelin Guide and in the top two Restaurants in Bath in The Which? Good Food Guide

Special Festive Party Menu £16.95 - 2 Courses £25.95 - 3 Courses Parsnip & Thyme Soup, Apple Compote Duck Liver Parfait, Quince Jelly, Brioche Seared Tuna, Beetroot Noodles, Crème Fraiche Traditional Roast Turkey or Roast Hereford Beef Whole Dorset Plaice, Winter Greens, Brown Shrimp and Caper Butter Wild Mushroom and Truffle Rissotto Traditional Christmas Pudding, Rum and Raisin Ice Cream Warm Chocolate Fondant, Vanilla Ice Cream Mulled Poached Pear, Vanilla Ice Cream (Cheese Board available supplement of £3.00 ) Coffee and Mini Mince Pies

Bath BA2 7EG 01225 833504 | info@wheatsheafcombehay.co.uk | wheatsheafcombehay.co.uk

River Cottage @ Komedia 22-23 Westgate Street, Bath www.rivercottage.net Tel: 01225 471578 Email: bathcanteen@rivercottage.net

Festive Season at River Cottage Canteen - Bath Christmas & New Year’s Eve Celebrations at the Canteen. Join us over the festive period for some seriously delicious, seasonal food in a great atmosphere. We can accommodate any size of party from 2-40. We can cater for all dietary requirements.

Christmas Menu 2010 Canapes Starter: Marinated Jerusalem Artichoke, Rachel’s Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad with Winter Apple Balsamic Dressing (v). River Cottage Pork Pate with Home-made Chutney and Crostini.

Opening Hours:

Mains :Slow Roasted Leg and Poached Breast of Local Free Range Organic Turkey with Pork & Chestnut Stuffing, Eades Winter Kale and Roast Potatoes.

Desserts Chocolate & Chestnut torte with thick Ivy house cream

Roasted Butternut Squash and Parsnip Pie with Roast Potatoes and Eades Winter Kale (v).

2 Courses £24.50 per person 3 Courses £28 per person

Vanilla Cheese cake with Spiced Winter Fruit Compote. Coffee and Petit Fours

A deposit is required for any booking of more than 5 persons (deposit of £5 per person).

Canteen Opening Hours:

Canteen Evening Service:

Monday

10.00am - 4.00pm

Closed

Tuesday - Friday

10.00am - 4.00pm

5.00pm – 10.00pm

Saturday & Sunday 9.00am - 4.00pm Closed 25th & 26th Dec and 1st Jan ‘11

5.00pm – 10.00pm

NOTE PLEASE L BE A IL W E R THE IAL AL SPEC SEASOUNR SPECIALS ON O EACH BOARD DAY

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recipe Mitch Tonks Age: 44 Nationality: British Restaurant: RockFish Grill & Seafood Market l Mitch’s long list of awards

and recognitions is testament to his hard work and inspiration from Best Fishmonger to a Hotel and Caterer listing as one of the top 100 most influential foodies. His most recent TV series, Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish with Matt Dawson, has been a resounding success. Mitch’s good humour, relish for the good life and knowledge of and enthusiasm for British seafood are infectious. His latest book, Fish, is a fish ‘bible’ covering buying, cooking and eating the best seafood - learn about sustainability, how fish is caught and how fish markets work. ‘If you’re going to do food this simple,’ said The Times, ‘it needs to be impeccably good. There’s nowhere to hide. Fortunately, Tonks and his team don’t have to.’

Mitch Tonks at

RockFish Grill & Seafood Market Address: 128 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RS Telephone: 0117 973 7384 Web: www.rockfishgrill.co.uk

ward-winning food writer and restaurateur Mitch Tonks’ RockFish Grill and Seafood Market is all about seriously fresh fish, with the latest catch delivered each day. Talented head chef Jake Platt works with Mitch in bringing top-quality seafood to Bristol - the majority of the fish is sourced from Brixham and delivered to the restaurant within 12 hours of being landed. The theme here is simple and mouthwatering - grilled fish and steaks cooked over a charcoal fire to give them a unique, delicious Mediterranean flavour. Favourites on the menu include grilled plaice with brown shrimps, bream cooked in paper with roasted garlic and thyme, and scallops with garlic breadcrumbs. The daily changing menu (including a lunch special of two courses for £12.50) features local meat in season and a decent wine list of carefully selected wines. The Seafood Market is packed with the finest seafood from the south coast

“This place is all about seriously fresh fish … and steaks cooked over a charcoal fire” markets, and the skilled fishmongers and chefs will prepare it to your exact requirements. The restaurant runs fabulous all-day cookery schools on Mondays – a perfect day out to inspire anyone interested in cooking and eating seafood. Experienced fishmongers and chefs will show you how to buy and select the best fish and some great ways to cook it, conjuring up great dishes like whole roasted sea bass, grilled squid with aioli, seafood spaghetti, turbot with hollandaise and lots more.

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food&drink

Shellfish cooked in olive oil with garlic Ingredients Serves 2 10 mussels 10 clams 10 cockles 300ml good quality olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 1 dried chilli 6 raw langoustines 6 raw prawns Small handful of parsley, very finely chopped Salt To make Put the mussels, cockles and clams in a pan, pop on the lid, steam open on the top, discard any that don’t open. When cooled, remove the meat from the shells and

discard the juices and the shells (you can if you wish freeze it for later use for any recipe that calls for fish stock as it’s ideal). Put the olive oil in the pan, add a pinch of salt and the garlic and the whole chilli. The secret is to not allow the oil to get too hot too quickly but to allow the garlic to fry gently until golden, so that when you eat it, it will be quite crisp, sweet and sticky to the bite. When the garlic is just turning golden, add the langoustines and prawns and fry gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring them in the oil. Then add the reserved mussels, clams and cockles and cook for a further minute. Add the parsley and a sprinkling of salt and serve. Make sure that there’s plenty of bread to hand, as part of the pleasure is dunking the bread in the oil. ©Mitch Tonks

Recommended... A shellfish feast indeed and one already loaded with flavours from the parsley and gently fried garlic and chilli all held within the olive oil. The richness of the oil and subtle, delicate shellfish flavours need to be taken into consideration. So a dry, unoaked white with a good positive acidity and freshness; alongside enough flavour to match the pungent garlic and parsley but not overpower the shellfish would be a good choice. The month's winner is the Picpoul de Pinet, Domaine Sainte-Anne. The Picpoul grape has been grown around the sleepy village of Pinet, in the Languedoc region of southern France, for centuries. Surprisingly bright and fresh for a wine produced in such a warm clime, it’s rather like a fuller bodied Muscadet with plenty of citrussy fruit and is particularly good with shellfish.

Pic: jason lowe

Ffi: www.matthewclark.co.uk

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lifestyle NEW HEALTH TREATMENT

Dome sweet dome l Whatley Manor, a beautiful manor house hotel in 12 acres of Wiltshire countryside, has installed the UK’s first Iyashi Dome in its luxurious, awardwinning spa, Aquarias. The Iyashi Dome, first developed in Japan, comes from the traditional Suna Ryoho technique of burying oneself in warm sand by the seashore or near hot springs to detoxify the body through perspiration. The modern Iyashi Dome ritual finds you relaxing on a comfortable wooden bed, listening to soothing Japaneseinfluenced music. A black carbon dome gradually heats up the body by emitting vibrations of far-infrared rays in line with those naturally produced within the body, with a breeze refreshing your face while the dome cocoons the rest of your body. During the 30-minute deep-cleansing session,

perspiration and toxins are eliminated by burning energy and starting to break down fats. This deeper-level perspiration is equivalent to the same effect that might be achieved from a vigorous 20km run, but without

the aggressive effect on the body. The Iyashi Dome helps to purify and rebalance the body to its natural state of equilibrium, and softens and smoothes the skin. It may also

help with weight loss, and is great for rejuvenation after a gym session, to energise before a big sporting event or as a power nap between work sessions. You’ll get a full consultation at the start of the first treatment, and a ‘Body Composition’ analysis (recording weight, muscle mass, water, fat percentage) is taken before and after the session to show percentage changes. For best results, a series of sessions is recommended, though benefits can be gained from a single session. Due to the intensity of the treatment, you should allow 48 hours between each session, costing (including initial consultation) £55pp; 10 sessions for £500. Aquarius Spa at Whatley Manor, Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wilts. Ffi: 01666 827070, www.whatleymanor. com

KIDS BOUTIQUE

Tot couture l Bath boutique Up to Seven have recently launched a new website to share their gorgeous ranges with the rest of the world. Selling high-quality handmade, ecofriendly and affordable baby and children’s clothing and accessories at affordable prices, they know how fast little people grow, so many outfits come with plenty of extra room and clever design features. Many of the clothes are made in Up to Seven’s own workshop. They also stock vibrant ranges by well-known designers including Organics for Kids, Lille Barn, Funky Feet, Frugi and Knicky Knitwear. The new Lizzie Shirt collection, handmade in Cornwall, is as wonderful and colourful as ever, while a fantastic range of hats includes Up to Seven’s iconic Strawberry baby hats and Lizzie Shirt fleece hats, plus scarves and mitts to keep everyone warm this winter. Their exclusive Polkadot collection features handmade pinafores and bloomers for girls courtesy of local designer Deborah Gibson, using bright, colourful prints with a hint of kitsch and a dash of country chic – florals, birds, paisleys, stripes and polka dots teamed together to make every little girl’s dreams come true. Keep an eye out for autumn/winter’s wonderful Polkadot reversible dresses. Up to Seven 10 The Podium, Bath. Ffi: 01225 422333, www.uptoseven.co.uk

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lifestyle shoes

FASHION

Winter warmers l With winter on its way, SoleLution have some lovely boots to keep all the family’s feet well shod. For women, the miraculous FitFlop boots, available in suede and sheepskin, help tone your legs while looking great. There are cosy waterproof boots from Romika, Rieker, Padders and Hi-Tec for wintry days, and everyday comfort and style from Pikolinos, Timberland, Josef Seibel (pictured) and Ecco. Timberland, Ecco, Rieker, Rockport and Pikolinos are just some of the brands on offer for men, whether you’re after work shoes, something more casual or boots for autumn. A wide choice of kids’ boots and shoes, for both school and casual, includes brands like Start-Rite, Geox, Timberland, Hush Puppies and Ricosta. “Our staff are fully trained in fitting children’s feet,” says owner Tanya Marriott. “We each only get one pair, so it’s important to look after them, particularly while they’re developing.”

Get knitted! l You may not

SoleLution Boyces Ave, Clifton, Bristol (0117 973 8350) & High St, Portishead (01275 843399). Ffi: www.solelution.co.uk

think of Edward VIII as a likely style icon, but it was HRH himself who prompted the popularity of Fair Isle when, way back in 1921, he was seen sporting a tanktop in this traditional knitting technique. And now Fair Isle, from the island north of Scotland, is back on the fashion radar. In their autumn/winter collection, fashion store New Look have mixed traditional items and techniques with current trends and themes, using older-style patterns and colours as inspiration. They’ve experimented with designs to create some wonderfully vibrant, colourful pieces. Strike a pose in their monochrome dress (pictured, £24.99). New Look Cabot Circus & Cribbs Causeway, Bristol & Southgate Centre, Bath. Ffi: www. newlook.com

MEN’S GROOMING

Partying in style l Adding style to men’s hair has been a mission of Rachael Lavis’s throughout her career and particularly in the last year, since she opened RSR Men’s Hair in Bristol. The salon has been so successful that Rachael threw a party last month to celebrate its first anniversary, inviting customers to a VIP experience at Bristol’s Privé nightclub. If you haven’t already visited RSR, the salon boasts a mix and match of modernistic styles, with leather chairs, floor to ceiling mirrors and OTT chandeliers – masculine yet sophisticated – and you’ll even get a cup of coffee while you wait. Of course the décor is only the precursor to a cut that will knock the spots off your regular high street shearer: Rachael is as au fait with the

hippest street styles as she is with a traditional yet trendy groom for the less adventurous customer. Products stocked at the salon include American Crew, Fudge and d:fi, while prices are as low as anything you’ll find at a regular barber, ranging from £7 for a clipper cut to £12 for a shampoo and cut. Enough people have appreciated this fact to allow Rachael to celebrate in style. Over 30 regular clients attended the evening in a venue whose opulent and sophisticated ambience mirrored that of the salon. “It was fantastic to thank our customers with a party to remember and great to see everyone enjoying themselves so much,” says Rachael.

Rachael Lavis and her happy customers

RSR Mens Hair 37 Baldwin Street, Bristol. Ffi: 07599 401402, www. rsrmenshair.co.uk

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fashion

lifestyle

Party politics

Niki Whittle wants you to make a lasting impression at this year’s festive shindigs

es, it’s party season! I love any excuse to put on my beloved high heels and favourite little black dress, but this season the shops are full of rich colours, velvets, lace and sequins so it’s probably time for a new outfit. Here are a few of our favourites…

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H&M have a great selection of dresses at a fab price. We love this studded fitted shift (£24.99), as it can be worn with thick opaques and statement shoes, or skin-coloured tights and something daintier. Even leggings and pumps would work.

For those of you who struggle to find eveningwear that covers the tops of your arms without looking frumpy, this top from M&S (£39.50) is just the job. You’ve got the lace trend covered, along with your arms!

If you’ve got a great pair of pins, then show them off! These trousers from M&S (£49) will definitely draw attention to them. Team with a simple but stylish cream top for an altogether chic look.

Don’t let painful feet stop you on the dance floor. Pop some sparkly pumps from Office (£52) in your bag and you’ll be able to dance to your heart’s content.

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If you love all things sparkly, head to French Connection, where you’ll find this fabulous dress (£160).

Wow everyone in this striking electric blue gown (£150) from Victoria Park Bridal. The detail down the front is great for hiding tummies, and the asymmetric neckline is always so flattering.

Brora are famous for fabulous cashmere but they do beautiful dresses, too. We love velvet, and this season it’s all about the textures. This red dress (£125) is a great shape and makes for clever shopping as you can team it with heels and a sparkly necklace for the party, and then really dress it down for

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fashion day with a chunky knit and pair of biker boots.

These Louboutins (£690) from Harvey Nichols make our heart skip a beat. They will add the wow factor to any little black dress, and you’ll definitely turn heads.

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Make a statement in this bold print dress (£615) by Christopher Kane at Harvey Nichols.

The evenings are so cold, so you’ll need a little shrug like this one from A/Wear (£45) to keep you cosy and glam.

It’s all in the accessories! These red tights (£9) from House of Fraser really make the outfit special. Play around with leg wear and opt for a colour or pattern. Now this is what you call a statement necklace! It’s by Akong London, available at British Designers @ FashionCapital in Bath, and it’s pure luxury (£340).

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The Fifties are back, and this dress from Kaliko (£119) is a great way to work the ladylike trend. Wear it with black opaques and gold sequin shoes if you dare.

If statement shoes aren’t your bag, opt for something daintier. These shoes by Gwendolyn Carrie (£155) from British Designers @ FashionCapital in Bath will definitely make an impression.

If you like it unique, Thomas Sabo is the place to head to. Create your own necklace from a selection of chains and charms (£177).

contacts

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A/Wear Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: www.awear. com British Designers @ FashionCapital Milsom Place, Milsom St, Bath. Ffi: www.fashioncapital. co.uk Brora New Bond St, Bath. Ffi: www.brora.co.uk French Connection The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. Ffi: www.frenchconnection. com H&M Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: www.hm.com Harvey Nichols Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: www. harveynichols.com House of Fraser Cabot Circus, Bristol & Milsom St, Bath. Ffi: www.houseoffraser.co.uk Kaliko Milsom St, Bath. Ffi: www.kaliko.com Marks & Spencer The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol & Stall St, Bath. Ffi: www. marksandspencer.com Office Union St, Bristol & Burton St, Bath. Ffi: www.office.co.uk Thomas Sabo Cabot Circus, Bristol. Ffi: www. thomassabo.com Victoria Park Bridal Cork Place, Upper Bristol Rd, Bath. Ffi: www.victoriaparkbridal.co.uk

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At Maximum FX we have a passion for hair! Recognising you as an individual is at the heart of our philosophy. Our very experienced styling and colouring team are able to give you expert advice and the ultimate customer experience. Beautiful hair is our business... We look forward to seeing you soon!

MAXIMUM FX 3 St. Augustines Place, The Centre, Bristol BS1 4UD

www.maximumfxhairdressing.co.uk

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MAXIMUM FX

Tel: 0117 923 0231

27/10/2010 09:47:21

beauty

lifestyle

salon spy

Sparkles Nails & Beauty It only takes Becky Davis one lunchtime to sort out her nails

lifton Village is, as you all know, renowned for its variety of unique and trendy boutiques, gift shops and beauty salons, and hidden away at the top end of the village you’ll find Sparkles Nails and Beauty. The salon, which opened in June, comes with really friendly staff and a very reasonable price list, and is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the throes of getting ready for the forthcoming party season. What’s on offer? As the name suggests, Sparkles specialise at the moment in nails and beauty treatments, from a Kaeso Deluxe manicure and pedicure or The Edge acrylic or gel nail extensions through to Marvel Lash eyelash extensions and eye treatments such as eyelash tints and eyebrow shapes. On top of all this they also do wedding packages.

What are the salon’s USPs? Definitely the ultrafriendly staff. The treatments don’t take too long, and it’s really easy to fit them into your lunchhour. They also do late nights on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with an appointment system and a competitive price list. Who goes there? When I asked Sparkles’ Emma if they tend to welcome a typical customer at the salon, she told me that women of all ages tend to go there. They also cater for men. What did we try? I opted for the Kaeso Deluxe manicure and pedicure (£45), as I felt I’d been neglecting my hands and feet recently. Emma, who was looking after me, was great at explaining what she was doing. As I settled down comfortably in a chair to begin the work on my feet, I was a little apprehensive. The problem is, I’ve got really sensitive and ticklish feet, so I wouldn’t normally let anyone touch them! To be honest, I was worrying about ending up kicking Emma, but her touch was firm enough not to drive me insane. After trimming and shaping my nails, Emma moisturised my feet with a delightful Kaeso Raspberry Ripple scented cream, which she massaged into my skin. With my feet feeling very refreshed and soft, she then applied polish to my nails. I opted for a lovely deep red colour from OPI, which was then sealed with a top coat. It was time for my manicure next, so, with my toes still drying, I moved over to the treatment tables and Emma began to work on my nails. Fortunately, I’ve never been a nail biter, and I’d

been growing my nails for a while after giving up boxing. I’d grown them to quite a nice length, although some were longer than others, and Emma suggested that they would look a lot nicer if we trimmed them all to the same length. My nails were cleaned and then soaked, so that the cuticles could be treated and pushed back, and then Emma applied the Kaeso moisturiser again, with a really great hand and finger massage. After this came my favourite part of the treatment: Emma put a paraffin wax treatment all over my hands, wrapped them in Clingfilm, put mittens on me and left me for about five minutes while it set. This secures all the moisturiser into the skin and makes your hands seriously smooth. When all the towels and mittens were removed, the wax was peeled away to reveal

gorgeously soft and revitalised skin. When it came to choosing the colour, I plumped for a different one to my toes - a dark pink colour, again from the OPI range. And once my nails had dried, I was ready to leave. The whole treatment took around one hour in total, and it was worth every penny.

Contacts Sparkles Nails & Beauty 31 The Mall, Clifton Village, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 7244, www.sparklesnailsandbeauty.co.uk

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Fed up of snoring keeping you awake? Come along to Spire Bristol Hospital’s Stop Snoring Open Evening with a FREE consultation. Thursday 11th November Appointments from 7pm.

For more information, please contact katie.konstanz@spirehealthcare.com

0117 980 4066

Have you got wrinkles, acne, pigmentation or open pores? Do you want flawless, radiant & youthful skin? You can with

BEAUTOLOGY Est 1990

The science of Beauty

2All5Sk%in RejuOvinaFtioFn Treatments with this ad

LASER • INJECTABLES • MICRODERMABRASION SKIN PEELS • IPL • AND MUCH MORE Various

gift sets available in Salon

The new Midnight Collection gift sets & other products now stocked! 6 Rockleaze Rd, Sneyd Park, Bristol BS9 1NF Tel: 0117 9682663 www.carlohairandbeauty.co.uk

CALL 0117 944 6655 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION VIEW ALL OF OUR SPECIALIST TREATMENTS AT: WWW.BEAUTOLOGY.CO.UK OR DROP IN TO 107 COLDHARBOUR ROAD, WESTBURY PARK, BRISTOL, BS6 7SD

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health

lifestyle

Sweet dreams Folio reports on a new treatment to stop snoring

brand new procedure is now being offered by a consultant surgeon at the Spire Hospital in Bristol. This 20-minute procedure could change you (and your partner’s) life for ever. The procedure is simple, painless and quick, and you’ll only ever need it doing once. You’ll be on your way home within half an hour of being cured. The treatment involves a small local anaesthetic procedure and the insertion of three tiny woven implants into the roof of your mouth (soft palate). Once in place, the implants add structural support to the soft palate. Over time, the body’s natural tissue response to the inserts increases the structural integrity of the soft palate. You won’t feel the implants during or after your procedure. This procedure has been tried and tested on over 1,000 people, all of whom have reported the disappearance of their lifelong snoring problem. Comments from patients who have undertaken this procedure include: “I’m getting better sleep than I’ve had in years” … “Since the pillar implants, I’ve been basically snore-free and sore

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throat-free, and my energy levels are amazing!” … “I felt a pushing sensation at the back of my mouth and within minutes the doctor told me I was cured. I’m so glad I went through with it … so is my wife!” … “I’d rather have pillar implants than a tooth pulled out. It really was a relatively painfree experience” … “It was so much more

Ffi or to book a consultation, call Emma Nelson on 0117 973 4111 or email emma.nelson@ spirehealthcare.com

lip augmentation

kiss me quick!

cosmetology

Face value l “If you want light in a room you must first pull back the blinds,” says Russian cosmetologist and dermatologist, Natalya Quandt. While this may not be the most obvious introduction to a skin care treatment, when you realise she’s talking about the outer layer of dead, flat scaly cells we all have on our skin, it starts to make perfect sense. Natalya, medical director at Bristol beauty salon Beautology, has made a big impact with clients, introducing new treatments and technology as well as administering that vital extra TLC. She can give you a full assessment of your concerns, be that lines, wrinkles, unwanted sagging or the general process of getting older. She is also well-versed in issues you may have thought you were stuck with for life including red veins, pigmentation and whiteheads. Beautology can offer you a personalised programme, offering economic treatments with techniques including laser, botox, fillers, skin peels, microdermabrasion and much more. One customer reports “unbelievable” results from a Beautology Derma

affordable than the other procedures I was offered. It meant I could go back to work the same day and look forward to a good night’s sleep.”

Renew+ treatment at £80. “Five years disappeared immediately,” she says. “If all other treatments are as good, then I’ll be ‘10 Years Younger’ before I know it!” Ffi: Beautology, 107 Coldharbour Road, Westbury Park, Bristol. Tel: 0117 944 6655 & David Lloyd Club, Greystoke Avenue, Westbury-on-Trym. Tel: 0117 950 0500, web: www.beautology.co.uk

l It’s not just women who want to improve the shape of their lips - Fresh Clinics in Clifton are seeing a growing number of males interested in lip augmentation. And you can be sure that you’ll be safe in the extremely capable and competent hands of Julie Brackenbury, aesthetic manager and nurse specialist at Fresh (pictured). “The secret is that less is more,” says Julie, who uses hyaluronic acid in the procedure. “The whole syringe doesn’t need to be used, and you can come back for a top-up.” Ffi or a free consultation: Julie Brackenbury, Fresh Clinics, 33 Alma Vale Rd, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 2600, email: julie@freshclincis. com, web: www.freshclinics.com

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Ever thought about having Cosmetic Surgery or any non-surgical treatments? Not sure where to go or who to ask ? Cosmetic surgical advice with a Consultant plastic surgeon. There is no consultation charge charge at Fresh Clinics. The Consultants operate at the Spire Hospital in Bristol Skin rejuvenation, such as acne, acne scarring, pigmentation (dark patched on the skin) and anti aging advice

cQuillan Mr Anthony Ma S, FRCS(plas) MB, BS,MD, FRC

Non â&#x20AC;&#x201C;surgical treatments which includes wrinkle reduction and filling out facial lines Leg and facial thread veins

If you would like to have a free consultation for any treatment then please call

Miss Julie Bra

ckenbury Aesthetic Nur se Specialist and Manager

0117 973 2600

or you can email the clinic at info@freshclinics.com

refresh yourself

Fresh Clinics Ltd - 33 Alma Vale Rd - Clifton - Bristol BS8 2HL - www.freshclinics.com

Mr Rob WarrS (Plas) S FRC

MB,BS,MD,FRC

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profile Zetland Road Dental Practice ● Throughout the year one of the most sought-after treatments at Zetland Road Dental Practice is tooth whitening, and this is especially so now with the run-up to Christmas and New Year upon us. The holiday season is of course one of the most social periods

Zetland Road Dental Practice 30 Zetland Rd, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AB Tel: 0117 942 4126 Web: www.zetlanddental.co.uk

of the calendar, and everyone wants to look their best for the Christmas work and family gettogethers. There are essentially two methods for whitening - one using specially constructed gumshields to carry a whitening gel, which are worn at night over a threeweek period, and another that involves applying a stronger gel in the dental chair, which takes an hour-and-a-half. Tooth whitening is very effective and predictable, and can produce fantastic, long-lasting results, but bear in mind that both systems take preparation and time to arrange. Of course, dentistry isn’t just about whiter teeth - much of the time it’s about helping people in pain. Dental pain is very hard to escape, even with the strongest painkillers, so if you have a

niggle or a twinge it’s essential that it’s checked out well before Christmas. Otherwise, getting an appointment may be an even bigger pain. Zetland Road Dental Practice is a long-established yet fully modernised practice offering a

complete range of treatments and services in comfortable surroundings. If you have any dental problems or are looking to have some cosmetic work carried out before Christmas, pick up the phone and make an appointment now!

Clifton Medi Spa Non-surgical Cosmetic and Health Treatments from highly qualified and experienced Doctors and Practitioners. Available treatments include: • Dermal Fillers • Sculptra • Peels • Microdermabrasion • Wrinkle relaxing treatment

• Fat Reducing Injections • Sclerotherapy • IPL hair reduction & photo rejuvenation • Radiage Radio Frequency skin tightening • Skinceuticals & Agera Rx treatments and products

For a professional consultation contact us at: Tel: 0117

9734 594

Email: info@cliftonmedispa.co.uk www.cliftonmedispa.co.uk Clifton Medi Spa, 56 Royal York Crescent, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4JP

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Banish t blues he winter and jo in Perry , Mad Katy onna and nu m rock, r erous othe r ap stars w and media it Ed Ha h the fabulo us rdy co of sun ll glasse ection s, spe ski gog xa g exclus les available nd iv & Payn ely from Juu l e Optic ians. For more details contact

Juul & Payne Advanced Eyecare 70 Alma Road, Clifton Bristol BS8 2DJ (Opposite Sainburys) 0117 973 5929 www.juulandpayne.co.uk

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motoring

lifestyle

Top of the pops

Josh Arnew casts an eye over the car dealership league tables

ome good news amid the doom and gloom of the recent spending cuts… Last month saw Bristol Audi’s parent company, the Mon Motors Group, named in The Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250. Now in its sixth year, the league table ranks Britain’s 250 leading mid-market private companies. It represents the next tier down from the 100 private companies with the biggest sales, provided they’ve either increased sales or operating profit in their latest available accounts. Mon Motors is one of only seven Welsh-based companies to feature in the top 250, charting at position 134, with sales reaching £219.5m in 2009. The group, established in 1976 by Jeff Cleverly, is still run by the Cleverly family today. And those family values are integral to operations at Bristol Audi, along with the other nine dealerships that the group operates throughout the South West and Wales. The group’s continued success and commitment to Bristol is perfectly illustrated by the new £11m flagship development at Cribbs Causeway, which will become the new home of

Bristol Audi in January 2011. It will be one of the largest Audi dealers in Europe, boasting a 19-car showroom, 23-bay workshop, 60 approved used car site and stunning vehicle handover bay. But shiny new site notwithstanding, the group is well aware that: “We have to keep talking to our customers and consistently deliver exceptional levels of customer service, time and time again.” Also featured in the Top Track 250 were some more familiar brand names – the likes of

Harrods, Weetabix, Selfridges, Virgin Active, Arsenal Holdings, Nando’s, Dreams, Paul Smith and Schuh. The 250 companies generated combined sales of £65bn and employed more than 500,000 staff – equivalent to roughly 5% of GDP and 1.6% of the UK workforce. Bristol Audi Pioneer Park, Whitby Rd, Bristol, BS4. Ffi: 0117 316 0600, www.brisolaudi.co.uk

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education

lifestyle

It could be you! Nothing succeeds like success, says Taunton School head Dr John Newton l I’m regularly thanked by former members of Taunton School because, way back in the past, their parents put them in for a scholarship and the school supported them. There wasn’t a lot of money in the family coffers… There was a wish to give their child the best life chances possible… There was more than a hint that their child ‘had something’... Therefore they threw their hat in the ring and the school made it possible for their child to attend. Thirty or 40 years on, that former pupil has enjoyed a prosperous and happy career, and returns to thank the headmaster. It happens all the time. It’s not all about academic ability, though. It takes a whole range of skills to make a success of life. That’s why the process of selecting scholars takes into consideration not just academic, sporting, musical, dramatic and artistic

specialism, but also all-round ability and personal attributes. The interviews and tests go out of their way to find what’s special about your child. If they have ability, even if it’s slightly under-developed but has huge potential, we shall find it.

Good news for girls l With record A-level results (29% grades at A*), a superb first set of IB results (35 average point score) and outstanding GCSE results (72% A*/A grades) in 2010, Bath’s Royal High School continues to flourish. New parents and students note their broad curriculum and array of clubs and societies, and comment on the quality of teaching on taster days. “What pleases us,” they say, “is the consistent acknowledgement of the school’s atmosphere - its friendliness, ‘buzz’ and sense of purpose. “We are about expertise. Our girls, from three to 18 years, thrive intellectually and emotionally, free from the gender stereotyping that can accompany science subjects - our most popular subject at A-level is mathematics! Students learn their lessons about their world and themselves at their own pace and in a spirit of cooperation. We’re not ‘girly’ - we’re about girls.” Royal High School Lansdown Rd, Bath. Ffi: 01225 313877, www.royalhighbath.co.uk

Taunton School is, after all, a life-changing place. Even the fact of being invited to apply will give your child a taste of an exceptional school, the experience of applying for something competitive (from which many precious lessons for life can

be gleaned) and, potentially, the joy of success. While we don’t believe that everyone should win (one of the crazier aspects to our national education system), there will be gains in so many ways, and the whole process is meant to reinforce and encourage. From 2011, Taunton School is proud to offer one or two pupils from the South West a 100% scholarship to study the International Baccalaureate Diploma at sixth form - a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. In 2010 we were awarded the accolade of Best International Baccalaureate Newcomer (Financial Times). For two years now, Taunton School has beaten the world IB point average and has already seen its first 45-point student (top 0.1% in the world). Taunton School Taunton, Somerset. Ffi: 01823 703700, www. tauntonschool.co.uk Scholarships available at 11+ 13+ and sixth form

spring taster days l Demand for Year 7 taster days at Colston’s School in Bristol means that the programme is to be extended into the spring term. In addition to the six weeks already scheduled from 1 Nov, another five weeks of taster days will be provided from Jan-Mar 2011, enabling boys and girls in primary schools to join a Year 7 class and follow timetabled activities for a day. “Following our open morning last month, applications for this term’s taster days have already been received,” says the headmaster’s PA, Denise Sollis. “There’s nothing like a day in Year 7 to help prospective pupils and their parents decide whether Colston’s is the school for them. In addition to our planned taster days, we also provide the same opportunity for pupils looking at entry into other year groups – the easiest way to arrange this is to contact me to discuss a preferred date.” Colston’s School Stapleton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 965 5207, denisesollis@colstons.bristol.sch.uk, www. colstons.bristol.sch.uk

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with comprehensive what’s on listings venue magazine is all you need to make the most of your week..

Twilight Talks Join us for a series of FREE early evening talks. Book now to reserve your place. TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER 6 pm to 7 pm Remembering conscientious objectors who they were, how they objected, and what happened to them.

MONDAY 15 NOVEMBER 6 pm How should we live with global environmental uncertainty?

Speaker Lois Bibbings, School of Law

Join a panel discussion about living with

Venue Armada House, Telephone Avenue, BS1 4BQ

global uncertainty and help us shape a new

THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER 6 pm to 8 pm Children of the 90s In 1990/91 over 14,000 pregnant women agreed to take part in a study that has followed the health and development of their children ever since. Come and discuss the fascinating outcomes of this work, from what you can do in pregnancy to protect the health of your child to how to stay healthy now. Speakers Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children team

Credit: European Space Agency

Hear stories about the men who objected to conscription in the First World War,

research agenda. Venue Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, BS8 1RJ Admission Free, but advanced booking required. To book and to submit questions in advance, email cabotlaunch-discussion@bristol.ac.uk

Venue Armada House, Telephone Avenue, BS1 4BQ

MONDAY 29 NOVEMBER 6 pm to 7 pm Eadgyth — Bones of an Anglo-Saxon princess

BOOKINGS

Remains of the oldest known English royal were identified in a 16th-century tomb,

tel +44 (0) 117 331 8318

along with something else... but what?

email diane.thorne@bristol.ac.uk

Contact Diane Thorne;

Speaker Professor Mark Horton, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology Venue Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery, Queen’s Road, BS8 1RL

bristol.ac.uk/twilight-talks

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feature

lifestyle

Life is sweet Retirement life is a rose garden at the Hawthorns, says Simon Fry

eciding how to spend your retirement can be a thorny issue, but moving to the Hawthorns may be one of the best decisions of your life. Offering retirement with style in a lovely Clevedon location overlooking the Bristol Channel, this retirement residence provides the opportunity to maintain control over an active life, with a little help, from weekly housekeeping, three meals daily and a bustling event calendar to regular transportations for shopping, doctor appointments and trips. Apartments are rented on a monthly basis, avoiding the need to tie up capital and the danger of buying a ‘perfect’ retirement property that could turn out to be anything but. You’re free to move easily should you want to, but the opportunity of a free three-night stay here before deciding to move in is likely to convince you you’ll never want to leave. I’m struck by just such openness from senior co-manager Amanda Parsons when I’m invited to the Hawthorns one October day. She likens the residence to a “cruise ship on land”, and there’s an unmistakable air of life being lived very comfortably in beautiful surroundings, with a sea view to boot. The feel also reminds me of a hall of residence, with people gathering for coffee, forming into interest groups and playing pool. There’s a great sense of purpose as a new morning is embraced. Over the course of my visit numerous residents volunteer their comments, one telling me: “I haven’t come here to hibernate!” The Hawthorns has 91 apartments with room for 134 residents aged from 55 upwards. The youngest current resident is in their early sixties, while the oldest is 102 on the day of my visit - an occasion to which I’m honoured to raise a toast later. After being treated to freshly baked biscuits with my tea, Amanda shows me around. Several ladies are having their ’dos done ahead of the day’s celebrations. The beauty and hair salon here are open to non-residents and are well-equipped and lively, providing a place of pampering and a listening ear. The library, meanwhile, offers tranquillity and varied reading matter in a serene setting looking out across the water. I’m shown a one-bedroom apartment, which is spacious and airy, and its impressive shower room comes complete with a cord with which to call for attention if necessary. Next Amanda introduces me to a couple who are soon to head off to their granddaughter’s wedding. Both have engrossing hobbies, producing spectacular results in beautifying their home, and their spare room is a haven for creative activity. They tell me that they considered their options fully before moving here, and continue to do so, but give many reasons for their love of their lifestyle. “It’s nice to be looked after – you don’t have to cook

Life is full of possibilitites at The Hawthorns

The Hawthorns boasts its own hair salon, while mealtimes (right) provide a hub of social activity

or do the garden! There’s companionship enough to find friends and keep out of others’ way. We received visitors to the private dining room, and when they left we could say goodbye and not need to clear up after. It’s very reassuring to know we can go away on holiday and not worry about being broken into.” My tour continues with nibbles and drinks to mark the day’s birthday. I meet more people, including one lady who now occupies the room where her beloved mum enjoyed her final years. The party going on around us evinces the Hawthorns’ big-family feel, where weddings, birthdays and funerals are part of life’s rich tapestry, just like anywhere else. Indeed, Amanda’s aforementioned openness makes breaching such conversation topics easy. There’s just time for me to sample the sublime work of head chef Antony Potter. He lives up to his magical namesake in conjuring up hundreds of dishes daily and is already looking forward to feeding a family of 250 come Christmas lunchtime. With table decorations to match, maybe The Hawthorns will become The Hollies for the day…

The Hawthorns 18-19 Elton Rd, Clevedon, North Somerset. Ffi: 01275 790060, www. hawthornsretirement.co. uk

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Bedsteads-uk.co.uk

Antique Beds and Furniture In Brass, Iron, Wood & Upholstered Wood

ď Š Bedsteads have opened their revamped showroom at their medieval barn near Backwell; only 7 miles from Bristol. They are expanding their range of beautiful antiques and bespoke furniture to include not only the amazing range of beds in brass iron and wood but also gorgeous furniture for other rooms in the house; finished in gloriouse woods and vintage retro paint finishes. With all their years of experience in restoration and conservation these skilled craftsmen have maintained their ability to produce pieces that will delight one and all. They can supply bases and mattresses if needed; or give you a price to restore treasures you already own. So take a trip down tthe A370 and find that something to delight you. Easy parking and beautiful surroundings where you can enjoy the experience.

ď Š Restoration service and bespoke furniture making also available

Chelvey Court Barn, Chelvey, Backwell, Bristol BS48 4AA.

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homefront kitchens

Heart of the home l Bristol’s think:KITCHENS are a family-run business with their heart and soul in kitchen style and quality. Established from a furniture and woodworking background, the company’s heritage is steeped in quality, design and fine workmanship. So if you’re after a new kitchen this Christmas, head to Southville for their friendly, personal service. It’s all about keeping the customer totally satisfied, from the first 3D design proposal through to the final fitting. think:KITCHENS design to suit each individual customer’s personality and practical needs, whether your tastes are traditional or contemporary. As the team at think:KITCHENS say, the kitchen is the heart of the home: “While it’s true that successful kitchen design is worth more than the sum of its parts, the choices when it comes to the smaller details can make a huge difference.” To make sure that your kitchen is precisely tailored to your needs and lifestyle, think:KITCHENS will

work with you at every stage of the design process. Add into the mix their vast range of distinctive, leading-brand appliances and accessories, and you’re well on your way to the kitchen of your dreams. Thanks to the business’s expertise and sense of pride, not to mention the attentions of their own fully trained fitters, you can be sure that work will be carried out to the very highest standards. think:KITCHENS will take control of your project from design to completion, leaving you to get on with your life. So here’s looking forward to superlative service, affordable luxury and a handcrafted kitchen that’s worth staying home for. Get in touch to ask for a design consultation, which can be in the relaxing environment of their showroom or in the comfort of your own home. think:KITCHENS 254 North St, Southville, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 966 2112, www. thinkkitchens.co.uk

closing-down sale

End of an era l It was a bittersweet moment when iconic Bristol furniture store Maskreys kicked off its massive store closing and retirement sale last month, selling more than £2m worth of well-known furniture brands at bargain prices. Huge discounts are on offer on everything from furniture, carpets and flooring to lighting, china and giftware. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy top-end, design-led brands such as Ligne Roset, Hulsta and Flos at drastically reduced prices,” says executive chairman Robert Maskrey, who announced that he was retiring, aged 70, on 20 September, opting for an orderly closure of the century-old business. The Cardiff, Newport and Bristol stores will

cease trading at the end of November, but the company will continue operating until March 2011 to ensure that commitments to staff, customers and suppliers are honoured. “Every order placed will be fitted, serviced and delivered with the same high standards that customers have come to expect from us. We expect to be extremely busy during the sale - not just because of terrific savings, but also because customers have indicated that they’re keen to make their final purchase from Maskreys. It’s almost like buying into a piece of history.” Maskreys 62-64 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 8401, www. maskreys.co.uk

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homefront home maintenaNCE

CLEAN LIVING

interiors

wonder walls l Speak your mind and punctuate your thoughts without saying a word…! A fun alternative to wallpaper, the new ‘Thought Bubble’ wall stickers from Blik, available at Supernice, are a quirky way to tag walls, floors and furniture – you can use the words and phrases that are provided or personalise them by penning in your own anecdotes, quips and quotes. A set of seven Thought Bubbles with assorted words and phrases costs £50.

Fans of typography will also appreciate Blik’s ‘Punctuation Flowers’ and ‘Icon’ ranges, for creating large graphic flowers and shapes. Punctuation Flowers come as four sheets of vinyl punctuation, in various shapes and sizes. For £42, you get Icon large (three sheets of one modular person) or Icon small (34 modular people of various sizes). Ffi: 020 7613 3890, www.supernice.co.uk

l Now here’s an ingenious solution for all those hard-toreach, grimy surfaces. The Darlac SwopTop cleaning system comes with extendable poles, a coiled hose and a variety of easy-to connect, quick-release heads, cleaning everything from gutters and first-floor windows to conservatories and greenhouses. The coiled hose means that water can travel up and around the outside of the pole, and then directly through the cleaning head. An on/off valve gives you complete control over the water flow, while the soap dispenser can be filled with an appropriate detergent or glass cleaner. Ffi 01753 547790, www.darlac.com

Q&A

DANIEL BATEMAN

The director of Agua fills us in on wet room trends Why did you start Agua? I wanted to specialise in wet rooms because, although they’ve been popular for years on the continent, they’re still catching on here. Customers needed a design and project management service that would offer them a stylish wetroom or bathroom, saving them hours wandering round tile centres. What makes you special? My business partner, Peter Wright, and I have been in the trade for about 35 years between us. I worked my way up from an 18-year-old tile centre employee, to tiler, to contract manager, developing new ranges and visiting Italian factories. Peter has his own painting and decorating company and has been in the trade longer than he’d like to admit. We will hold a consultation with the customer, talk through design ideas and come back with drawings of different options for their bathroom.

What trends have you noticed? Natural stone is as popular as ever. Limestone is more affordable these days. Features like underfloor heating and mirror backing pads are on the rise. The Europeans are bringing bright colours back into the catalogue. It’ll be interesting to see whether the UK is ready for it. Top wet room tips? Preparation for a wet room is key. If the background work is good, the rest falls into place. You’ve got to do the tanking in the ceiling and behind the tiles. You need waterproof board and membrane, and ensure you get the ‘fall’ right so the water runs away. Agua Bathrooms & Wetrooms 4 Carmarthen Close, Yate, Bristol. Ffi: 07738 207125 or 07771 0298523, www.aguabathroomsandwetrooms.co.uk

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profile Lumination Lighting The lighting specialists ● lf you’re looking for something special to make your new room or new home complete, Lumination offer the widest choice of lighting imaginable. With suppliers from all around the world, they’re

one of the South West’s leading lighting retailers, bringing you hundreds of designs in stock and thousands more available to order. And with ranges covering all domestic requirements from bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen to bedroom, study, conservatory and exterior - they have all your lighting needs in one place. If you’re looking for the latest in fashionable lighting, the leading combination is chrome and crystal. Visit Lumination to see a whole host of new and stunning designs that will provide that real ‘wow’ factor for the modern home. Classic crystal chandeliers, meanwhile, are timeless statement pieces that are suited to the more conservative, elegant home, and Lumination stock a huge

Lumination Lighting Fourth Floor, Gardiner Haskins Homecentre Bristol BS2 0JP Tel: 0117 922 6435 Web: www.Lumination.co.uk

range from the very best of manufacturers in the Czech Republic. For more modest needs, they have all the different colour finishes you could want - in chrome, satin nickel, brass, satin brass, antique and lots more - as well as all types of fittings, from wall lights and ceiling lights to flush, spot, wall washers and the like. Lumination’s fully trained staff are there to help guide you through the vast range of designs and colours on offer. If you have a larger project in mind, they’ll be happy to make a home design visit to help you make the right choices.

Pay them a visit if you want to be dazzled, and turn your house into a home.

Agua Bathrooms & Wetrooms From initial design through to completion, we tailor our services to suit your individual requirements. With a network of skilled tradesmen and access to the latest materials, we are dedicated to providing our customers with a top quality finish. Let Agua turn your bathroom dreams into reality. Call us today on 07738207125 - Daniel or 07710298523 - Peter e: info@aguabathroomsandwetrooms.co.uk AGUA Bathrooms & Wetrooms Ltd 4 Carmarthen Close Bristol - BS37

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feature

homefront

Ask the Experts Is your home being let down by woeful windows and dodgy doors? Folio’s design gurus call in Crystal Clear’s Tony Fox Tell us a bit about Crystal Clear We’re a long-established home improvements company offering quality products and exceptional service. James Mizen and I established the company in 1999 - we both had well-paid, responsible positions in the company we both worked for, but were fed up with our employers letting customers down time after time. So we decided to do it ourselves, with the sole intention of a ‘right first time’ attitude to a high-quality, value-for-money experience. If you ask any of our customers, I believe they’d agree that we deliver what we set out to do! We’re also the founding member of the UK’s DGCOS (Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme), which provides comprehensive protection for homeowners and installers. Where do we start on a project that involves choosing new windows and doors? If you see a good installation on a house in your neighbourhood, knock on the door and ask who did it - lots of our business has come that way. When you’ve chosen an installer, make sure you see the products they offer demonstrated to you. Consider legislation, too: the company should be FENSA registered, which means they’ll install to the latest building regulations, including energy-efficient legislation. From October this year, all windows should achieve C-rated energy efficiency as a minimum, but we offer A-rated windows as standard. After the work has been completed, we provide an energy certificate along with 10-year transferable and insurance guarantees. What about a conservatory? Conservatories come in many sizes, shapes and designs. To help you make a decision, we can show you how your new conservatory will look before it’s built by creating a 3D image and superimposing it onto a photo of your property. Building work depends on where you live, local ground conditions and access, but planning permission regulations have changed considerably in recent years - my advice is to let our dedicated staff deal with this aspect of the work and take the hassle away from you. On PVCu conservatories, maintenance is minimal: just clean the frames and roof every six months and make sure the guttering or downpipes don’t get blocked.

What’s new in the world of blinds? The new technology within our integral blinds (for example, movable parts between the panes of glass) has been a great success, offering a virtually maintenance-free, contemporary look with a 10-year guarantee - I don’t think there’s another external blind manufacturer out there that could offer that!

Contacts Crystal Clear 22a Emery Rd, Brislington, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 971 7880, www. crystalclearbristol.co.uk

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ADD THE VALUE OF A NEW KITCHEN - FOR UP TO HALF THE COST

Order a new ye ar kitchen/kitche n re-fresh in Nov /Dec and we will di scount equivalent to th e new VAT rate

NEW BRISTOL SHOWROOM NOW OPEN 11 The Promenade - Gloucester Road - Bishopston - Bristol - BS7 8AL

HASSLE - FREE KITCHEN MAKEOVERS IN AS LITTLE AS 1 DAY • From doors to complete kitchens • Made to measure custom-built doors and units • All types of worktops and appliances • Free estimation and planning

www.dreamdoorsltd.co.uk I 01179 443 223 I bris@dreamdoorsltd.co.uk

Wide range of styles & colours

Bath • Bournemouth • Bolton • Bristol • Bury • Bury St Edmunds • Cheltenham • Dartford • Dorchester • Enfield • Exeter • Jersey • Kingston • Leicester • Leigh-On-Sea • Lincoln Morecambe • Northampton Norwich • Nottingham • Oxford • Peterborough • Portsmouth • Romford • Rye • Sandhurst • St Albans • Stoke-On-Trent • Swansea • Taunton • Walsall • Warrington • Waterlooville • York

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the next generation of window

•

the timber alternative stormproof window & door range

exclusively at mpowell windows

Email.

mpowellwindows limited showroom unit 1, knowles road, clevedon, north somerset. bs21 7xs tel. 01275 879333 fax. 01275 792254 info@mpowellwindows.co.uk www.mpowellwindows.co.uk

Blinds, Shutters & Canopies of all kinds @ factory prices

GUARANTEED QUALITY SALES - REPAIRS - SERVICE For a free consultation ANYWHERE / ANYTIME! Call us now 01454 775 177 • Conservatory Blinds • Vertical, Roller • Venetian, Pleated Etc. • Electric Blinds • Fly Screens • Shutters • Awnings, Canopies, Recovers • Much, much more!.... Come see us at: Charisma House, 2 Down Rd, Winterbourne, Bristol BS36 1BN www.charismablindsbristol.co.uk

ee Fr ller

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feature

homefront

A few of my favourite things...

Folio takes a tour of Jack & Mack, Clifton's eclectic new boutique

t Clifton boutique Jack & Mack you get that wonderful, intriguing feeling of being somewhere that’s totally unique. This home and fashion accessories store is the brainchild of fireplace and mirror experts Jo and Andy Hutchinson (of Flaming Fireplaces) and Andy’s sister, Sandra Parkinson (who’s been in the hat trade for more than 25 years). Jack & Mack, which opened in March this year, sells ornate and contemporary mirrors alongside a collection of men’s and women’s formal and casual hats. But although mirrors and hats are the core products, you’ll also find a little bit of everything else here, from handbags, scarves and jewellery to furniture, clocks, storage trunks, lamps and doorstops, not to mention some gorgeous giftware. It’s all about serendipity… You go in looking for a hat, and end up walking out with a mirror, a lamp and a necklace, too.

Bailey Fedora available in red, black and brown: £35, sizes S-XL

The Melting Clock, inspired by Salvador Dali, makes a fantastic and unusual Christmas present at just £14

Wooden Christmas dec orations, from £2.50 each

Contacts Over 50 different mirrors on display, available from stock and to order, from £20-£600

g Chair, £1,195, Impressive Boss Readin Guild fabrics er in a choice of Design

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Jack & Mack 56 The Mall, Clifton Village, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 2317, web: www.jackandmack.co.uk

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS Thurs 11th Nov AN EVENING WITH DAVID OLIVER 7.00 p.m. (PAINT AND PAPER LIBRARY)

David’s unique sense of colour & colour shades has earned him the nickname‘Rock Star of Colour’ and the ‘Prince of Paint’. It promises to be an interesting and informative event

Thurs 25th Nov SONIA RYKIEL

7.30 p.m. LAUNCH OF HER NEW INTERIORS COLLECTION An evening of fashion (in conjunction with Grace & Mabel) we will be showcasing her new Interiors Collection An evening of fashion & fun Numbers are restricted – please phone/email to reserve your place

Bracey Interiors, 14-15 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4BT T: 0117 973 4664 • E: mail@braceyinteriors.co.uk

Sash Window Specialists Creating Renovating & Repairing Sash Windows For Over 25 Years • Conservation Approved • Woods Used From Sustainable Source • Energy Efficient Double Glazing • Draught Proofed • Double Glazed Sash Into Existing Frames • Period Replacement Joinery • Re-Painting & Refurbishment

0117 9413 210 Mobile 07799 063167 www.mpjoinery.co.uk

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we design it... we build it... we install it... you love it!

think:kitchens

Affordable Luxury

254 North Street • Southville Bristol • BS3 1JA 0117 9662112 www.thinkkitchens.co.uk

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gardening

homefront

In the garden Ideas and inspiration from Trish Gibson to help you make the most of your garden this month

Grow Something Special ‘Blue holly’ Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess’ has shiny red fruits

Holly

uite apart from their seasonal berries, hollies are really useful, dependable shrubs that can brighten up the garden in winter. They’re either male or female, and only the female plants produce berries. You’ll need a male holly (or one in a neighbour’s garden) to pollinate the female flowers. You can keep them quite small, either by training them as standard trees or by growing them in containers. Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess’ makes a bushy, evergreen shrub, smaller than the common holly, with attractive blue-green, spiny leaves, purplish shoots and good berries.

Sow broad beans for an early spring crop – the variety Aquadulce Claudia is a good one to overwinter. Plant young bare-rooted shrubs and trees. It’s also a good time to move or plant Time to sow broad bea roses. ns Cut down slightly tender perennials such as salvia or chocolate cosmos and mulch over the roots with a generous amount of homemade compost. Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs and fruit bushes.

Growing tips Most hollies are tolerant of sun or shade, coastal conditions and air pollution, as well as almost any soil. Trim holly topiary in summer and cut hedges in late summer.

Others to Try Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Prince’ As well as being a good pollinator for ‘Blue Princess’ and any other female hollies, this is an excellent holly for hedging. It’s a vigorous grower and doesn’t mind being pruned quite hard. Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’ This fascinating hedgehog holly has shiny leaves with a creamy white margin and spines not only on the leaf’s edges but also on the surface. It’s perfectly happy in the shade and doesn’t lose its bright variegation. Ilex x altaclarensis ‘Hodginsii’ Another male holly that’s a good pollinator and could be used for hedging. It has big, glossy, almost spineless leaves and handsome, dark purplish stems. Its small white flowers can appear at almost any time of year.

Jobs for November

We’ll be buying… This attractive, shiny Birds Away Kit from Trecanna Nursery in Cornwall to keep those pesky pigeons off our cabbages. Better looking than old CDs. Ffi 01822 834680 (£10+£2.50 p&p)

This month we’ll be visiting… Cleeve Nursery to choose from their new season’s roses – climbers, shrub roses and those special occasion gift roses. It’s the ideal time of year to plant them.

Climbing rose ‘Compassion’

Ffi Cleeve Nursery, Main Rd, Cleeve, Bristol. Tel: 01934 832134, web: www. cleevenursery.co.uk Open MonSat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm

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news

property

Simply the best Folio reports on the ultimate vote of confidence for one local agency

eanery Square is a new development of 55 apartments that combine stylish city centre living with outstanding green credentials. Next to the Environment Agency’s award-winning new HQ and within easy walking distance of Clifton, the Harbourside and city centre, it forms part of Westmark’s award-winning mixed-use scheme on Deanery Road, opposite the cathedral. Each of Deanery Square’s studio, one- and two-bed apartments has been awarded an EcoHomes ‘Excellent’ rating. And the environment has obviously been a primary consideration for developer Westmark. Constructed using sustainably sourced building materials, the building has been highly insulated to reduce heat loss, and the highest energy efficiency-

rated appliances have been installed. All the apartments have dedicated clothes-drying facilities incorporated into the bathroom and recycling facilities in the kitchen. The development also has

HARBOURSIDE

Rooms with a view

oasting southerly views that stretch across Bristol’s rooftops out towards the countryside, the two- and three-bed properties at Crest Nicholson’s Harbourside development are unlike anything else in the city. The current phase, Beacon House, looks out towards Brunel’s SS Great Britain and replica of The Matthew, with every property in this phase benefiting from spectacular water views. These are complemented further by the high specification of each property and their size, which is second-to-none across the whole of Bristol. Ffi Crest Nicholson Harbourside. Tel: 0117 908 8888, web: www. harbourside.co.uk Marketing suite: Cathedral Walk, Bristol, open daily 10am-5pm. Or contact Anna at Savills estate agents on 0117 910 0354, email: astanbridge@savills.com

a communal recycling area. The apartments, laid out around a central courtyard, are fitted with custom-designed kitchens and sleek contemporary bathrooms, and many have either a balcony or

terrace. “We wanted to create homes in the heart of Bristol that are both stylish and sustainable,” says Adrian Slade, project director at Westmark. “But it’s probably the location that really sets Deanery Square apart. Tucked away behind the Council House, it’s remarkably peaceful while being in the heart of Bristol. The views from the top floors up the hill to Clifton and down over the harbour are some of the most impressive in the city centre.” Consideration has been given to sustainable transport choices and working life. The apartments have secure cycle parking and a City Car Club space on site, as well as a dedicated desk space within each apartment, with telephone and broadband points to facilitate working from home. Ffi Savills. Tel: 0117 910 0314

Property of the issue Village Close, Yate, £240,000 An early viewing is recommended for this four-bed detached home nestled in the corner of a quiet cul de sac. It’s conveniently located near the centre of Yate and is within walking distance of Yate’s railway station, primary and secondary schools and leisure centre. The house comprises an entrance porch, lounge, dining room, fully fitted kitchen with integrated appliances, conservatory and cloakroom/utility room. There are three double bedrooms, one with ensuite, a fourth bedroom/study and a family bathroom. Outside, the property is accessed via a driveway with parking for two vehicles. The rear garden is mainly laid to lawn, with a paved patio area, greenhouse and garden shed. High fencing and conifer trees guarantee the garden privacy all year round. Yate lies to the south west of the Cotswold Hills, and the town centre has a full range of shopping, library, leisure and educational facilities. The town also has several large parks and areas of open space. The largest of these is Kingsgate Park, which has a large adventure playground for children. Ffi House-Hut estate agents. Tel: 0117 975 8636, web: www.househut.com

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competitions Win Christmas on Folio!

an you hear the sound of sleigh bells in the background, the chink of decorations being unpacked, the rustle of wrapping paper? Preparations for Christmas are well and truly afoot and we have asked some of our favourite local businesses to donate a prize for Folio’s competition of the year. Yes, thanks to the generosity of the lovely people who’ve supported us, one lucky Folio reader will truly enjoy Christmas on us.

The prizes 1 A Twilight Package at Thermae Bath Spa What better way to unwind after a busy winter’s day than one of Thermae Bath Spa’s Twilight Packages? You and your partner can enjoy a three hour spa session, including a visit to the Springs Restaurant where you can enjoy an individual main course from the Twilight menu or a delicious meat and cheese platter for two to share, plus a glass of house wine, lager or juice. The naturally heated open-air, roof top pool is an exquisite place to watch the sun go down over the city.

1 2

Thermae Bath Spa 6-8 Hot Bath Street, Bath. Ffi: 0844 888 0844, www.thermaebathspa.com

2 A Highgrove Christmas hamper One of Highgrove’s selection of hampers contains carefully selected festive treats: organic white wine, organic Christmas biscuits with cranberries and white chocolate, Florentines coated in delicious dark chocolate, organic mince pies made with buttery pastry in Gloucestershire, organic Christmas preserve (perfect for Christmas morning!) and organic praline truffles . . . all packed in a beautiful Highgrove gift box.

4 classic stout. All brewed and bottled locally at source, Bath Ales appeal to both the connoisseur and the recent convert alike. Bath Ales Units 3-7 Caxton Business Park, Crown Way, Warmley, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 947 4797, www.bathales.com

Highgrove Shop 38 Milsom Street, Bath or shop online at www.highgroveshop.com

3 A meal for two at Jamie’s Italian Do Christmas Italian-style at Jamie’s Italian, the irrepressible Jamie Oliver’s highly authentic take on Italian cuisine. Under the watchful eye of Italian master chef Gennaro Contaldo, Oliver has developed a range of fantastic rustic dishes, tried and tested by Italian families themselves. Relax with your partner in the festive, friendly setting of Oliver’s impressive Georgian restaurant in Bath. Jamie’s Italian Bath, 10 Milsom Place, Bath. Ffi: 01225 510051, www.jamiesitalian.com

4 A rosy glow from Fresh Clinics Local cosmetic therapy specialist Fresh Clinics has offered not one but three microdermabrasion sessions at its clinic in Clifton, Bristol. By gently exfoliating the top layers of skin, the treatment works wonders on superficial acne scars, blotchy skin, large pores, sun spots, fine wrinkles or uneven skin tone and texture. Fresh Clinics 33 Alma Road, Clifton, Bristol. Ffi: 0117 973 2600, www.freshclinics.com

5 Two tickets to Fairbridge West’s Christmas Concert This annual Christmas Concert featuring Wells Cathedral School Choir and the Fairbridge Offbeats is fast becoming one of the highlights of

To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful set of prizes, simply answer the following brain teaser

5 the Christmas calendar. Organised by Fairbridge West, a charity supporting young people from Bristol’s inner city, it brings together the traditional beauty of classically sung Christmas carols with “street” style music provided by talented local youngsters. The tickets (value £19 each) include a glass of wine and mince pie. Fairbridge West Annual Christmas Concert Tues 7 December, Lord Mayor’s Chapel, College Green, Bristol, 7pm. Ffi: 0117 373 0460, www.fairbridge.org.uk/west

6 A mixed case of Bath Ales The incomparable local purveyor of fine beers, Bath Ales, has supplied a case containing four of its delicious brews: Gem, the highly quaffable flagship brand; Barnstormer, a sturdy, darker ale; Wild Hare a tasty organic ale; and Dark Hare a

Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character in which Charles Dickens tale: a) Great Expectations b) The Pickwick Papers c) A Christmas Carol Email your answer, with “WIN CHRISTMAS COMP” in the subject line, to editor@foliomagazine.co.uk by Tuesday 16 November. Don’t forget to include full contact details including name, postal address, email, mobile and landline.

virgin balloon flights winner Congratulations to Alethea SmutsMuller of Bath, who wins a pair of Seven Day Anytime South West Vouchers courtesy of Virgin Balloon Flights. The correct answer was: Tango and Victor.

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