Clifton Christmas Lights Switch on, Mall Gardens, 9 November

The Christmas tree lights will be switched on by Alex Lovell of BBC Points West at 6.30pm in The Mall Gardens, Clifton Village. 

There will also be Christmas carols at 6pm. The Clifton Village BID is sponsoring the Charity Freewheelers of which Alex is a Patron.

discoverclifton.co.uk

THE NOVEMBER ISSUE: OUT NOW

Our November magazine features a collection of great reading by our team of wonderful writers as well as beautifully presented advertising by Bristol's best businesses. We hope you enjoy the read!

15,000 copies are delivered door to door, and you can pick up a copy at many places around town – including our stands at Waitrose, John Lewis, House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols.

Read the digital version of our current issue here!

And if you would like to have a copy sent in the post every month, then we offer a postal subscription for just £33 for 12 issues, £18 for six issues or buy a copy for just £4.25. UK mainland prices. For Euro and World zone subscription prices – see our website. 

Hear Their Voices

As Lyra Festival announces the inaugural Bristol Young City Poet scheme and begins its search for the city’s first ever appointee, we catch up with former Bristol City Poet Caleb Parkin, who will be delivering workshops to help the young people of Bristol find their voices…

Read the full feature at thebristolmag.co.uk

Words by Melissa Blease

Oven-baked Butternut Squash, Goats' Cheese and Sage Risotto

Luxurious, indulgent risotto is the ultimate elegant comfort food dish, perfect for an uplifting supper on a wintery weekend. But all too often, we're all too afraid of getting risotto wrong; after all, it has a ritual-laden reputation that can be rather off-putting to the domestic cook. But as is the case with most classic dishes, there's a shortcut to success that doesn't detract from a superb end result – and in this instance, oven-baked risotto is the way forward.

High starch, short grain rice is intrinsic to the creamy texture of the finished dish – no other rice apart from Italian Arborio will do (fortunately it's readily available in most supermarkets). Skimping on the quality of your stock, however, can ruin all your hard work; few of us have fresh stock to hand, but a 'stock pot' concentrate (again, readily available) is an admirably good substitute.

If you're not a fan of goats' cheese, substitute it with a creamy Italian blue cheese (cambozola or gorgonzola, perhaps?) or mozzarella – or simply up the quantity of Parmesan or a similar hard, Italian cheese such as Pecorino or Grana Padano instead.

Leftovers? You're having shortcut Arancini for supper tomorrow! Form small handfuls of chilled risotto into fishcake-type patties. Dip each patty into flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, and pan-fry in hot butter and oil for around 5 minutes on each side. Mamma mia! What a molto bene idea...

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
300g arborio risotto rice
1 medium-sized butternut squash (approx. 450-500g), peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
1 small bunch fresh sage (around 24 leaves), roughly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
½-1 tsp dried chilli flakes
200ml dry white wine
1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
200g goats' cheese, cubed

To serve: finely-grated Parmesan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and put a shallow 1.5l ovenproof dish on the middle shelf to warm up.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until translucent. Add the rice, squash, garlic, chilli flakes and sage (reserving around 1 tbsp sage for serving), stir to coat everything in the butter and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes before adding the wine. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, allow to bubble for 2-3 minutes then add the stock. Stir well, bring back to a gentle simmer then carefully pour the mixture into the oven-warmed dish.
3. Bake the risotto (uncovered) in the oven for 40 minutes, by which time the rice will have absorbed nearly all the liquid. Stir the cubed goats' cheese though the risotto and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese has started to melt but still retains some bite.
4. Allow the risotto to settle for 3-5 minutes before serving in warm bowls sprinkled with finely-grated Parmesan, lots of freshly ground black pepper and the reserved freshly-chopped sage.

The Great Wine Co are offering a 25% discount on sparkling wines. Time to fill your festive cellar!

There's plenty of fizz on offer at The Great Wine Co, so take a look through the full range by clicking here. 

Limited Edition 'The Brothers Grimm' by Montblanc

To honour the enduring legacy of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm who collected and published many of the world’s most beloved european fairytales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, Montblanc have created a limited-edition of beautiful writing instruments and accessories - all inspired by the characters and elements of folklore in the tales by the Brothers Grimm.

Just like the stories the brothers amassed, the collection is there to be loved for generations to come.

• Montblanc Writers Edition Brothers Grimm black precious resin fountain pen (Medium Nib) Limited edition | £985
• Montblanc Writers Edition – Homage to Brothers Grimm fine lined notebook in green leather. 150mm x 210mm | £70
• Ink Bottle 50ml | £33

Click here to see more wonderful pieces by Montblanc at Mallory. 

L'OCCITANE Cocooning Comforts Collection

L’OCCITANE Cocooning Comforts Collection brings together the enveloping warmth of Almond and nourishing properties of Shea Butter for the ultimate pampering experience.

This collection includes:

• 75ml Almond Shower Oil
• 30ml Shea Butter Hand Cream
• 30ml Shea Butter Foot Cream
• 20ml Almond Milk Concentrate
• 50g Almond Delicious Soap
• In a L’OCCITANE signature gift box 

£30 | Available from uk.loccitane.com

L’OCCITANE will donate £5 to The L’OCCITANE Foundation with every Caring for Sight Collection (of which L’OCCITANE Cocooning Comforts Collection is one) sold. These important funds will help provide access to quality eye care for the public and strengthen the knowledge and skills of the eye care workers in Burkina Faso.

Finisterre: Vellus Waterproof Parka

Finisterre's pinnacle insulation jacket, the Vellus Waterproof Parka is built with recycled fabrics throughout, including a GRS certified polyester/organic cotton shell, paired with Finisterre Engineered insulation fill, for maximum warmth.

With high-performing waterproof coating, filled with down-free 100% recycled insulation for warmth and breathability, it's ideal for the harshest conditions | £375

Available from finisterre.com | Finisterre Bristol, 70 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5JY

Curated by Daniel McCabe

Acne Paper re-launched last year as a hybrid between a book and a magazine in a new design. The latest issue goes even further in this direction with an highly experimental hardcover publication that is part biography, part novel, part cultural art journal and part fashion magazine imagined around the story of a fictional personality called ‘Atticus’ who narrates us through his cultured life in which he starts out as a dancer, first with Balanchine, then with Merce Cunningham, before becoming an art world darling. He’s also going to make an appearance at the magazine’s launch in Italy this month. Strange but absorbing and, counter-intuitively, very ‘now’ | £35

City of Bristol Choir: Music of Remembrance, 13 November, St George's Bristol

City of Bristol Choir, Bristol Youth Choir and Bristol Ensemble join forces to perform dramatic, poignant and intensely moving music of remembrance for choir and orchestra, including Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem. 

They are joined by the internationally renowned saxophonist Amy Dickson to perform Richard Blackford’s Pietà, a beautiful setting of the Stabat Mater text interspersed with poems from the Ukrainian born poet Anna Akhmatov.

Tickets £18 to £25, half price for students in full time education and under 18s, from St George’s box office on 0117 929 4929 and through the St George’s website: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

Viva Vivaldi by Candlelight, 16 November, St George's Bristol

St George’s Bristol is transformed into a candlelit auditorium, transporting us to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Pietà in Venice where Antonio Vivaldi worked and performed many of his compositions. 

The programme includes Vivaldi's lively Gloria as well as the ever-popular Winter from The Four Seasons. Tickets £15 to £30, plus booking fee from St George’s box office on 0117 929 4929 and online at stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

Festive Wreath Making, 1 December (12–3pm), Aztec Hotel & Spa

Get your friends together and join the team at Aztec Hotel & Spa for an exclusive Daisy Lane wreath-making master class. Enjoy a two-course lunch with a glass of prosecco.

£85 per person: limited spaces available. To book or for more information contact the Events Team on 01454 201090, email events@aztechotelbristol.co.uk, or visit aztechotelbristol.co.uk

Hillcrest Opera, 'Remembering Eric Wetherell', 19 November, St Mary Redcliffe

Join Hillcrest Opera on 19 november at 7.30pm in the glorious surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe Church for a special celebration of the life and music of renowned composer Eric Wetherell – performed by an array of choirs and orchestras who knew and admired his work.

This special evening will showcase Eric’s broad range of compositional skills, from his lyrical writing for choir, to his tender, emotional operatic music to his expansive and thrilling writing for orchestra. The performance will be narrated by John Telfer (Rev Alan Franks from BBC Radio 4’s The Archers) and conducted by Ben England who was awarded the BEM in October 2020 for services to choral music and the community.

The concert will support the wonderful work of St Peter’s Hospice where Eric spent some of the last months of his life and all profits plus a retiring collection will go to this essential charitable organisation.

19 November, 7.30pm; tickets available (£15 adults, £12 concessions, £2.50 U18) via ticketsource.co.uk.

Gabriel Ibitoye to make his Bristol Bears debut

Gabriel Ibitoye will make his Bristol Bears debut when league leaders Saracens visit Ashton Gate on Saturday (5pm KO).

The 24-year-old former Harlequins flyer makes his first appearance for the club since arriving from Tel-Aviv Heat in the summer.

Pat Lam includes two Gallagher Premiership debutants in the back line, with Academy duo Deago Bailey and Joe Jenkins set for their first league appearances for the Bears.

Nineteen-year-old Jenkins lines up in the midfield alongside Sam Bedlow, while England U20 wing Bailey joins Ibitoye and the experienced Luke Morahan in the back three.

Scrum-half Will Porter and prop Jay Tyack will also make their first starts for the club.

Jake Heenan captains the side from the back row, while on the bench, Ioan Lloyd is set for his first league appearance of the season.

Bristol Bears team to face Saracens at Ashton Gate on Saturday 5 November (5pm KO): bristolbearsrugby.com

York Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8

Offered for sale by Ocean estate agents

A beautifully presented and well-proportioned two double bedroom, two bathroom hall floor flat with high ceilings, level access and conveniently located between Clifton Village and the Clifton Triangle.

Set within an impressive Grade ll listed Georgian terrace, this elegant property has many original features including large sash windows with working shutters.

Updated to high standard throughout by the current owner to include a modern white kitchen and stylish bathroom and en suite, there is also a spacious overhead storage area with drop down ladder to a large space above the bathroom room and kitchen areas. Guide price £375,000. 

For more images and details, click here to see this lovely apartment on the Ocean Home website.