Bristol Light Festival: final weekend

This weekend is your last chance to catch this year's Bristol Light Festival!

Explore the installations as they come to life from 5pm till 10pm. Make sure to follow the trail this weekend before the festival ends on Sunday (12 February). 

Explore the artworks and find out more at bristollightfestival.org

THE FEBRUARY ISSUE: OUT NOW

Our February 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. 

Recipe by Melissa Blease

Easiest Ever Valentine's Day Menu for Two

Caviar, oysters, lobster, Wagyu beef, chocolate fondant... Oh, the food of love indeed! If, that is, your funds are limitless and somebody else is doing the cooking for you. This indulgent little menu, however, delivers divine decadence in its own quiet, stress-free way, bringing a speedy version of cheese fondue, a chic upgrade on a fish and chip supper (complete with posh 'mushy peas') and a classic chocolate dessert together to create the perfect Valentine's Day dinner a deux, at home. As for the Wine Flight to go with it: have a bottle of chilled fizz on standby...

Baked Camembert

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Remove the packaging from 1 x 250g whole, round Camembert, wrap it loosely in greaseproof paper and place it back in its box. Slash the top of the cheese in a criss-cross pattern and add a generous splash of dry white wine, a couple of sprigs of thyme or rosemary, a pinch of dried chilli flakes and a drizzle of honey. Bake on a baking tray for around 20 minutes or until meltingly gooey and serve with shards of toasted French bread, for dipping.

Pan-fried Sea Bass Fillets with Speedy Minted Pea Purée

For the Minted Pea Purée
Blanch 250g frozen peas in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water and blend in a food processor (or use a hand blender) until smooth but still fairly thick, adding 1-2tsp mint sauce after around 1 minute and a splash of cold water if necessary. Push through a fine sieve straight into a pan, add salt to taste and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and reheat just before serving. 

For the Sea Bass Fillets
Pat 2 plump Sea Bass fillets dry with kitchen paper (this step is crucial, to ensure a crispy skin) and season with salt. Lightly coat the base of a non-stick frying pan with a slick of olive oil. Add a knob of butter and place the pan over a medium-high heat. As soon as the butter starts to foam, place the fish in the pan skin-side down (ideally, you'd like to hear the fish starting to fry straight away), lightly pressing down on the fillets with a spatula to prevent curling and to ensure even crisping of the skin. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is nicely golden, then carefully flip the fillets over and cook for another minute or so, or until the white flesh becomes opaque.

Truffle and Parmesan Fries

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Slice 250g unpeeled potatoes (Maris Piper are good here) into fries approximately 1cm thick. Tip into a bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to stand for 10 minutes before draining thoroughly and patting dry. Put the fries back in the bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Season well, give them a good tumble and tip onto a baking tray in one layer. Bake in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes (tossing them around from time to time) until crisp and golden. Tip the cooked fries into a warm bowl along with around 40g finely-grated Parmesan, 1 tsp truffle oil (yes, that's honestly all you need) and a handful of finely-chopped parsley. Toss to coat, and serve immediately.

Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse

Break 50g high quality dark chocolate into a bowl. Heat 200ml double cream until it just about reaches boiling point (but do NOT allow it to boil!). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted. Put 6 fresh raspberries into the base of each of two glasses or ramekins and pour the chocolate mixture over the fruit. Chill for 2 hours (or cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for up to 24 hours) before serving topped with a dollop of thick cream, more raspberries and a dusting of cocoa powder.

The Aqua Grand Café | French Brasserie | OPEN NOW

If you are looking for an early morning breakfast, leisurely lunch, afternoon tea, intimate dinner or cocktails, the menu at the (newly opened!) Aqua Grand Café offers a selection of classic French bistro recipes.

Enjoy freshly brewed cafetiere, espressos accompanied with freshly baked pastries and morning papers, whilst eggs from Clarence Court offer the most magnificent omelettes. The all day dining menu sees favourites such as Croque Monsieur, club sandwich and traditional onion soup, and diners are taken into the evening with signature of coq au vin, classic dover sole meunière and boeuf bourguignon. Guests can also simply enjoy relaxing with a cocktail in the new cocktail lounge.

Open from 7.30am.

Book at aquagrandcafe.com | The Aqua Grand Café, 153 Whiteladies Rd Bristol BS8 2RF | @aquagrandcafe

5 lovely bubblies

Prosecco Rosé Vintage Brut Argeo | Ruggeri
Cherry red with a hint of salmon pink. The nose is fresh, fragrant and inviting, offering light red fruit aromas and hints of biscuity yeast. Finely textured with a consistent mousse. This wine is medium bodied and dry, but possesses a ripe cranberry fruit intensity that balances the bubbles and the crisp finish beautifully | Italy, £15.50

Classic Reserve Brut | Hattingley Valley
Winner of the gold medal at the Decanter Wine Awards 2022. Pale gold in colour with an abundance of fine bubbles, the wine has baked apple, creamy nougat and brioche on the nose, supported by hints of toast and fresh red fruit. With notes of soft lemon sherbet on the palate, it has beautiful roundness of texture and a lovely finish | UK, £29.16

Vintage Brut Gran Reserva Cava | Pere Ventura
This is a signature cava, which unites the body and structure of the Xarel·lo with the floral and fruity qualities of the Chardonnay. The result is a fine, harmonious and subtle cava, whose expressive aromas, creamy touch, and exquisite character are seductive | Spain, £36.50

Champagne Grand Brut | Perrier-Jouët
One of the most beautiful labels in Champagne. The palate is impetuous yet full, with a cheerful vitality due to its persistent stream of sprightly bubbles. There are rich flavours of brioche, butter and a long dry finish | France, £55

Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Riesling (Alcohol Free) | JJ Leitz
The Leitz EINS-ZWEI-ZERO Sparkling offers an original character that is clean and fresh with notes of lime and citrus, surprisingly rhubarb and a little hint of red apples on an underlying mineral base. The finish is dry and relatively long | Germany, £11.10

Discover your love for fizz at The Great Wine Co.

Stock up and order online with free delivery on all orders over £50.

A loving twist on the wrist

The Happy Hearts bangles from Chopard feature two hearts, each beautifully counterbalanced in harmonious closeness.

One big heart is filled with a colourful, precious gemstone or even a diamond cluster, the other heart contains a freely floating diamond, sealed in a crystal glass case. The bangle is made from 18ct gold, also available in 18ct white, or 18ct rose gold. It’s an iconic and beautiful collection from Maison Chopard | Prices from £2,620 (Rose stone in 18ct rose gold)

Click here to see a range of bangles and the Happy Heart collection, as well as many other treasures from Chopard at Mallory.

Special-Edition Red Roses Cologne

The essence of modern romance. With violet leaves and a hint of lemon, this cologne unfolds like a bouquet of freshly cut garden roses | £82 

jomalone.co.uk

Curated by Daniel McCabe

SEASONS Travel Guides are a new series of high end travel companions with a vintage, luxury graphic identity redolent of the golden age of travel, a time that mixed the pursuit of adventure with desire for comfort on the go. Each guide curates a tantalising trail of cultural and culinary highlights of each city in the series, with a particular fondness for places that have preserved an essence of old world charm, or else exude a certain timeless elegance. These are attractive, substantial (over 200 pages) yet compact guides restoring analog charm to the mystique and enjoyment of travel. The first issues set out for Barcelona, Venice and Paris | £40

magalleria.co.uk

Watershed: EO

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2022, veteran filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski's bold and brave film dares to make a wayward donkey its hero.

EO, a grey donkey with melancholic eyes and a curious spirit, begins his life as a circus performer before escaping on a trek across the Polish and Italian countryside. During his travels, he encounters an eclectic cast of characters, including a countess, a young Italian priest and a riotous Polish football team.

This wayward donkey's journey speaks to the world around us, an equine hero boldly pointing out societal ills, and serving as a warning to the dangers of neglect and inaction, all while on a quest for freedom. EO is a remarkable film that is filled with empathy, stunning cinematography and a beautiful score.

Showing at Watershed from today (10 February) until 16 February | watershed.co.uk

The Gold, BBC 1, Sunday 12 February (9pm)

The Gold, a new six part tv drama, tells the story of Britain’s biggest ever robbery, the criminal behind which – one John Palmer – set up his business empire from premises on Bristol's own North Street, Bedminster. 

Three tonnes of solid gold, six armed robbers and an audacious heist that stunned Britain. Stealing it was just the start. Starring Dominic Cooper and Hugh Bonneville.

The Gold episode one will air this Sunday (12 February) at 9pm, on BBC 1 | bbc.co.uk/programmes

Want to learn more about Palmer and his Bedminster-based business? 💰

Book on to Show of Strength Theatre Company's 'Blood and Butchery in Bedminster' walking tour, which takes participants to Palmer’s business premises, the bank where millions were handed over, and Palmer’s pub, converted to celebrate his success. 

Extraordinary forgotten places where amazing things happened: grave robbers and body snatchers; concrete coffins and hanging judges; a man-eating lion; one of the world’s greatest impostors –and those missing millions from Britain’s biggest robbery. 

Bedminster will never seem the same again...

Tickets are £12; book now at stagestubs.com | showofstrength.org.uk

Bristol Symphony Orchestra, 4 March, St George's Bristol

“Saw sixteen swans,” wrote Jean Sibelius. “One of the greatest experiences in life. Oh God, what beauty!” 

That dazzling vision became the mighty theme that crowns his stirring Fifth Symphony, and on 4 March at St George's Bristol, it will be the climax of an evening packed with emotional intensity, featuring Strauss’s epic tone-poem Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration), a vivid portrait of the last hours of a dying artist which explores ideas of the mind and spirit.

But first, prepare to be swept along in Tchaikovsky’s passionate fantasy overture, which balances the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets, and the passion of the young Romeo and Juliet in a work of heartbreaking beauty. Conductor Robert Weaver and the Bristol Symphony Orchestra return to the stage after their sold-out performance of Dracula in November for this emotional rollercoaster of an evening. 

Tickets from £12, available at stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

A Bristol Elephant Adventure: 5 cultural venues, 1 week of activities

A Bristol Elephant Adventure is back this February half term, bringing pre-school children and their families another week of free cross-cultural activities.

The project will take place at five participating Bristol venues (Royal West of England Academy (RWA), St George’s Bristol, Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Beacon and Brunel’s SS Great Britain) each of which will host a series of brilliant activities to take part in.

The SS Great Britain invites you take part in its Eat Your Way to Australia event; the Creative Creatures family day takes place at the Bristol Old Vic; The RWA is holding a Baby Tour; MiniBeat shows come to St George's Bristol – and much more.

Find out more via venue websites | bristololdvic.org.uk

Belmont Road, St Andrews, Bristol BS6

A substantial five-bedroom, end of terrace house offered for sale by Ocean estate agents.

This is an imposing semi-detached home set up and back from the road in a highly sought after residential area in St Andrews.

Belmont Road is a prime position, with St Andrews Park, the excellent Gloucester Road and popular local primary and secondary schools all within a short walk.

This lovely home has been enjoyed by the current owner for many years and boasts a wide range of retained original features that sit beautifully alongside fresh modern decor.

The accommodation to the hall floor comprises an entrance vestibule followed by a large and welcoming central hallway. The front reception room has a bay window inset with sliding sash windows overlooking the front garden. An attractive fireplace is a focal point of the room as are detailed ceiling cornice, a ceiling rose and a picture rail which add to the character of this principal reception.

The smart fitted kitchen is also found at the front. The rear of the property has two further reception rooms, the smaller of which is currently used as a study while the larger rear reception opens out via French doors to the good sized and beautifully maintained rear garden.

The property has a great layout as it stands, but for those wanting a more open plan design, the rear of the ground floor offers huge potential to knock through and extend, creating a very large area. Of particular note is the additional separate access into the ground floor level, which with its own kitchen and shower room has the option to use this level independently from the main body of the property.

Stairs rise to the first floor, where a handy WC is found on the way up. A central landing opens into four double bedrooms and the family bathroom. The master bedroom at the front has three arched sash windows, adding to the character but also filling the room with natural light and offering far reaching rooftop views.

Externally the property benefits from ample side access and generous front and rear gardens, featuring mature planting and well stocked borders.

Of particular note is the additional access into the ground floor level, which has its own kitchen and shower room giving the option to use this level independently from the main body of the property | Guide price £895,000

For more images, details and floor plan, click here to see the property on the Oceanhome website.

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