"Obviously, I wanted to start the tour off in Bristol, because the Bristol audiences are the best in the world, and the Hen & Chicken is a crucial venue for me..."

Lucy Porter is returning to Bristol with a brand new show about the power of
letting yourself go – in every sense.

Whether that means embracing your wrinkles and love handles while living in a slanket, or having a couple of Babychams and dancing like nobody’s watching (and if you’re a middle aged woman, they’re probably not).

It’s also about letting go of the person you’ve always thought you are, and using your midlife crisis to pursue new goals and reinvent yourself.

We chatted to Lucy about the launch of her own 18th solo
stand-up show in Bristol in our February issue. Have a read of that here. 

Lucy Porter: Let Yourself Go

8pm, 6 February | Hen & Chicken, 210 North Street, Southville, Bristol BS3 1JF

henandchicken.com

Soup, curry and cauliflower cheese in one glorious, soul-soothing pot.

Read online

Discover more of Melissa's recipes on our website

With over 6,500 years of winemaking history under its belt, it's somewhat surprising that Greek is only recently emerging as an industry trend within the UK. In recent years, this often-overlooked country has stepped into the spotlight, with quality, value-for-money wines that express the rich terroir of Greece's rugged landscape,
sunlit days and oceanic climate.

With a huge number of indigenous varietals lending themselves to new wines emerging onto the market, Greece is fast becoming one of the most exciting players in the UK industry today. Here are a few available to buy from Great Wine Co.

Assyrtiko by Kir-Yianni | £17.75

Tarsanas Single Vineyard Assyrtiko by Kir-Yianni | £29.50

Santorini Assyrtiko by Sigalas | £44

Paranga White by Kir-Yianni | £15.50

Kavalieros Single Vineyard Assyrtiko by Sigalas | £74

Visit greatwine.co.uk to discover these and more Greek Wines

Shop our picks online and in person:

Finisterre Nautilus 23L Backpack in Galactic Blue, £120 | 70 Park St, Bristol BS1 5JY

Jigsaw Suede Patch Pocket Jacket in Tan, £425 | 80 Park St, Bristol BS1 5LA

White Stuff Oakleigh Denim Long Sleeve Coat in DK Denim, £95 | Unit 104-105 The Mall at Cribbs, Bristol BS34 5DG

Seasalt Cornwall Community Clothing x Seasalt Chore Jacket in Burnt Wood, £119 | Unit 160-161, The Mall at Cribbs,  Bristol BS34 5DG

Jimmy Fairly The Luz Sunglasses in Green, £135 | 90 Park St, Bristol BS1 5LA

The geometric design emblematic of the Ice Cube collection marries urban elegance and modernity. With their square facets meticulously crafted like so many reflections off ice, Ice Cube creations embody style, sophistication and glamour.

Ice Cube Bangle 18ct Rose Gold | £4,900

Ice Cube Bangle 18ct White Gold | £4,900

Ice Cube Earrings 18ct White Gold | £4,850

mallory-jewellers.com

Shop the Bridal Collection here

Shop the Valentines Collection here

Accessorize, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol BS34 5GF | accessorize.com

Floral Street, the award-winning British fragrance brand, has partnered with Bridgerton, Netflix’s fifth most-streamed TV show of all time, to create a first-of-its-kind vegan and cruelty free fragrance to bring the cult-favourite
modern fairytale to life.

Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum is inspired by the first intriguing, scent-trailed encounter and - spoiler alert: the ensuing love affair - those blossoms between Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek at a masquerade ball in the show’s long-awaited fourth season, premiering in January.

Floral Street Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum – will be available from Floralstreet.com, Boots and M&S | £29 for 10ml | £74 for 50ml

Lodestars Anthology

Lodestars Anthology is a longstanding and consistently standout travel journal that tackles a single country in each issue. All destinations are fairly popular so die-hard explorers are not the target audience, but it’s an attractive, image-heavy read that usefully provides a sense of the place and, if you need it, a bit of adventure too. The publisher, Liz Schaffer, assembles a bespoke and heavily local team of writers and photographers for each outing so for anyone looking to plan and maximise a relatively short visit the Lodestars approach is ideal, especially for long-haul trips. As it happens, the magazine has just released an updated and reimagined take on its New Zealand issue. Liz is an Australian but there’s no trans-Tasman grudge – she loves this neighbour that at first seemed to her like a fairy tale, ‘an ethereal, time-worn corner of the globe.’

£17 | magalleria.co.uk

Poppy Victoria May is a local artist whose paintings bring to life iconic Bristol buildings. Her intricate watercolour illustrations of local pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops are a love letter to the city and its independent businesses. Her latest series takes her to Bedminster, a neighbourhood close to her heart and famous worldwide for its independent spirit.

Following successful Stokes Croft and Clifton themed events, Poppy’s next exhibition will showcase her architectural paintings of Bedminster. As part of the event, Poppy will be raising money for BS3 Community Development, a local charity working to elevate wellbeing, health, happiness, and a sense of connection
among people living in the BS3 area.

KASK, 51 North Street | Free entry from 5pm | @poppyvictoriamayart

Join BOVTS for a spectacular Shakespeare double bill. BOVTS’ BA Professional Acting second year students will be staging abridged adaptations of each play in a back-to-back double-bill.

This double bill is directed and adapted by Rachael Walsh, designed by Mima Jupp and Michaela Dimitrova.

Twelfth Night – If music be the food of love, play on!

Macbeth: By the prickling of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.

7pm | The Station, Silver Street, Bristol BS1 2AG | oldvic.ac.uk

A deeply emotive play laced with hope and humour, charting the complex journey through grief and towards forgiveness.

Mary and John have lost their son Danny in a senseless murder. Together with their surviving son Joe, they are each struggling to deal with the loss in their own way. For Mary, the only way to move through her hatred is to understand why it happened – and that means meeting the perpetrator, Emma, in prison.

Directed by Fiona Morrison

7.30pm | Kelvin Players Theatre, Bristol, BS7 8NY | ticketsource.co.uk

An exhibition inside a train that’s packed with amazing stories and interactive fun is heading to Bristol – and it’s completely free to visit.

More than 60,000 people have explored the Railway 200 exhibition train on its 60-stop, year-long tour of Britain, and 9 in 10 would recommend it to a friend.

Co-curated with the National Railway Museum and called Inspiration, it uses rare artefacts and fascinating facts to explore how railways transformed the world. It includes hands-on engineering challenges and a whistle-stop tour of interesting – and lesser-known – careers on the railways.

Inspiration will be Bristol Temple Meads station from 23 to 29 March, hosted by Network Rail. Book here.

Harry Thacker will make his 150th appearance for the club when Bristol Bears take on West Country rivals Gloucester in round four of the PREM Rugby Cup at Ashton Gate on Sunday (3pm KO).

The experienced hooker packs down alongside Max Lahiff and Academy tighthead Jimmy Halliwell in the front row, while in the backline Gabriel Ibitoye makes his first start since September having returned from a long-term hamstring injury.

The Bears speedster starts in an experienced back three alongside last weekend’s try scorer Noah Heward and full back Rich Lane.

Jack Bates is another returnee in the backline, starting in the midfield alongside Argentina international Benjamin Elizalde, while Academy fly half Sam Worsley is named in the number 10 shirt.

Sam Wolstenholme starts at scrum half, while in the pack, Steven Luatua captains the side from the back row as he makes his second successive appearance since returning from long-term injury.

Georgian international Luka Ivanishvili is at openside with Argentina’s Ben Grondona at number eight.

The bench features fives current Academy players, with Tomas Gwilliam, Sam Scott, George Taylor, Raff Weston and Ollie Harris all included.

Bristol Bears are to face Gloucester in the PREM Rugby Cup at
Ashton Gate on Sunday 1 February (3pm KO). 

bristolbearsrugby.com

Offered for sale by Rupert Oliver Property Agents

5 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms | 3 Receptions | Guide Price, £1,550,000

25 Parrys Close is a stunning detached family home, beautifully designed and superbly proportioned to provide extensive accommodation over two floors within an exclusive gated development of just four houses.

With its distinctive architectural curve, taking advantage of the property's east, south and west facing orientation it epitomises the “inside / outside” lifestyle, opening out to the landscaped wrap-around gardens. Once inside the gates there is a wonderful feeling of light, space and privacy as well as exceptional peace and quiet; so close to Stoke Bishop's highly sought-after schools and social amenities yet with barely any passing traffic.

Inside, the front door gives way to a striking double height entrance hall, with a feature staircase leading up to the galleried first floor landing. To the right is a hugely versatile ground floor bedroom suite; with a generous double bedroom, en-suite shower room and French doors leading out into the front garden. Perfect for guests or dependent relatives. 

To the left, accessed via double doors, is the stunning double height sitting room, flooded with natural light from the ¾ height windows and three sets – one to the front and two to the back, opening out into the gardens. Truly bringing the outside in. The space benefits from a feature wood burning stove, and the double height ceiling gives way to the galleried landing above with the rear opening up vie double doors into the kitchen. A perfect social space. 

The kitchen, dining and family room is itself a hugely sociable space; ideal for families to relax into after school with a convivial layout and the kitchen as the feature, spreading out into the dining space and informal family room; itself opening up out into the garden. Recently extended by the current owners it too provides a feature wood-burning stove and fabulous natural light from its dual aspect and feature glazed doors fully opening to the outside space.

Upstairs the galleried landing has light flooding in from periscope windows, flooding the space with light and the gallery overlooking the entrance hall and sitting rooms below. The landing is bookended at each end by bedroom suites; each with a generous bedroom space, fitted wardrobes and an en-suite bath & shower room to the principal bedroom and en-suite shower room to the guest suite. In-between lies three further bedrooms, one double and two singles/study served by a well-appointed bath & shower room.

Approached from the gated vehicular entrance, a drive leads down to the house with a bay, finished with decorative slate chippings, providing two allocated off-street private parking spaces for guests. A gate adjacent to the bay leads into the garden. The majority of the enclosed gardens wrap around the side and rear of the house facing east, south and west tracking the sun throughout the day, with plenty of space for al-fresco dining, cooking, sun-lounging and entertaining.

Click here to view more images, details and a floor plan on the Rupert Oliver website