A specially curated guide to the next 48 hours (or more) in Bath
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THEATRE | BRILLIANTLY BONKERS ENTERTAINMENT
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The Naturals' Christmas Cracker, until 18 December, The Rondo Theatre
How has Christmas come to be the way that it is?
The world famous Natural Theatre Company returns for cracking Christmas irreverence at The Rondo to answer this age old question! This bright and cheerful show celebrates some strange and surprising Christmas tales and traditions. A brilliantly bonkers family treat, filled with famous characters, great songs and festive frocks.
Tickets available from The Rondo Theatre website, or via the Box Office on 0333 666 3366 | ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
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OUR DECEMBER ISSUE – OUT NOW |
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Our December magazine features a collection of great reading by our team of wonderful writers as well as beautifully presented advertising by Bath's best businesses. We really hope you'll enjoy the read!
Every month we deliver 15,000 copies door to door, but if you don't get a copy at home then you can pick up a copy at many places around town and from our floor stands at: Waitrose, Sainsbury [Green Park], M&S Foods in Twerton, Tesco in Weston Village, and at The Holburne Museum.
Click here to enjoy our current issue!
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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.
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WEEKEND RECIPE | A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
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By Melissa Blease
Cranberry Sauce
Please, don't buy cranberry sauce in a jar! It's nothing like the sticky, sweet/sharp, jewel-coloured, fresh-tasting seasonal treat that takes 10 minutes to make at home and keeps for up to a week.
To make enough cranberry sauce to accompany Christmas Dinner for 8 people, simply tip 100g light muscovado sugar and 100ml orange juice (or, for a Cranberry and Port Sauce, 70ml orange juice and 30ml of port) into a pan. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously to dissolve the sugar, and add 250g fresh cranberries. Stir well and simmer for around 5 minutes until some of the cranberries have popped and the rest are tender but still retain their shape. Take off the heat and allow the sauce to cool in the pan (the sauce will thicken as it cools) before transferring to a suitably-sized, sealable container and keeping in the fridge for up to 1 week, remembering to allow time for the sauce to return to room temperature before serving.
Leftover sauce? Let's hope so! Warm it up and drizzle it over ice cream or mince pies. Add it to porridge or smoothies... or spread it on hot toast. Or, treat yourself to the indulgent, Christmas/Boxing Day midnight treat that is the Brie, Cranberry and Leftover Stuffing pan-fried toastie: butter two slices of thick white bread. Put the first slice butter-side down on a board and top with slices of brie, lashings of cranberry sauce, a thick layer of leftover stuffing, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a final layer of brie. Top with the second slice of buttered bread (buttered side up) and transfer to a hot frying pan. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until the bread has turned golden-brown and the brie has melted. Eat straight away (out of the pan, if there's nobody around?), preferably accompanied by a large glass of sherry.
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WEEKEND WINE | FESTIVE FLAVOURS
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Chin-Chin at Christmas
Christmas is fast approaching and it's time to start thinking about the all-important drinks for the big day. To give you some ideas, here are some delicious spirits, bubbles, whites and reds, and non-alcoholic selections recommended by Tom Bleathman of The Great Wine Co.
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White wines not only make a refreshing aperitif but are often the popular lunch-time choice. A fine option is Kate Sauvignon Blanc (£14.40), from Southern French youngsters, Aubert & Mathieu.
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While white wines partner well with turkey, reds do go so well with all of those trimmings. Cerasuolo Di Vittoria DOCG (£18.85) from Planeta is a silky blend of two indigenous Sicilian varieties, Nero d'Avola and Frappato.
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Festive events need showstopping sparkling – so look no further than the incredible Gramona Imperial vintage (£33). Not cheap by any means, but Gramona is comfortably one of Spain's best producers, and the most awarded sparkling wine.
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The low-and-no alcohol category is bigger now than ever, and with a growing selection. Pentire Adrift (£28) is a great place to start, made using organic ingredients which are foraged along the Cornish coastline, it acts as a genuine gin alternative with fresh, citrusy, herbal flavours which help to create a complex 0% G&T.
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After a big meal, Saliza Amaretto (£28.50) is a festive essential, and a wonderful digestif. Notably finer than the popular brand of Amaretto we all know, this is made using crushed almonds rather than extracts or concentrates.
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If you'd like advice, inspiration, or fancy a browse, please pop into The Great Wine Co. Bath shop. Whatever you're drinking this Christmas enjoy your choices on the big day!
greatwine.co.uk
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DRINKS | A BRAND NEW BLEND
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Thatchers introduces Cider Barn Katy & Redstreak
Combining two of its favourite apple varieties, Thatchers Cider has added a new blend to its Cider Barn range.
Katy & Redstreak, at 7.4% abv, joins the limited-edition selection as the 2022 harvest draws to a close for another year.
With a light fragrant aroma, and soft rounded finish, Katy & Redstreak has a fine, full flavour, combining the characteristics of both apple varieties. Katy, Thatchers’ signature single variety, is a beautiful dessert apple that offers a light, crisp sweetness, whilst the Somerset Redstreak apple, prized for its cider making qualities since the 17th century, brings a bold spiciness and a deep rich colour to the cider.
Katy & Redstreak is available online, in the Thatchers Cider Shop, and in the Railway Inn, Sandford, RRP £2.40 for a 500ml bottle.
thatchers.co.uk
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Looking for more delicious foodie inspo?
Click through to browse our full Delicious Guide!
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OBJECT OF DESIRE | CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
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Statement bangles
We often covet the cool home decor pieces by Georg Jensen, but its contemporary design jewellery make the perfect Christmas gifts, and with collections in sterling silver, yellow gold and 18t white gold, there are beautiful and inspired treasures to be picked up across all budgets.
We love the bangles; many of the range are complemented with rings, necklaces and earrings, and with medium to large sizes they just look good on everyone. Shown here are:
- Mobius Sterling Silver Bangle £625
- Reflect Sterling Silver Bangle £435
See more great gift ideas by at the Mallory Christmas gift collection | mallory-jewellers.com
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Enjoy a plastic-free Christmas with Refillable
Good for your family. Good for your community. Good for the planet.
Stocking plastic-free, everyday products that are kinder to the planet, sustainable, local, organic and ethically produced, Refillable are on a journey to create a sustainable, immersive shopping experience.
Above: The Ben & Anna gift box has a fresh design and sustainable packaging. Not only does it look great, but the combination of selected products also ensures that care is as natural as it is effective. What better gift for family, friends, and acquaintances? The Gift Set includes an Elmswood 2in1 Love Soap, Pink Grapefruit Deodorant Cream, White Toothpaste with fluoride, Toothbrush, Persian Lime Deodorant and a Shower Flake Sachet that makes 200ml of shower gel.
Available from refillable.shop
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The Urban Garden at Christmas
Everyone loves The Urban Garden on the edge of Victoria Park.
It’s always packed with beautiful, interesting things and with an extended range of festive gift ideas they have really got Christmas covered. Get your Christmas tree there too.
The Urban Garden, Marlborough Buildings, Bath | theurbangarden.org.uk
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JEWELLERY | LOVE ENTWINED
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Silver Shop of Bath
Always a popular destination for gift ideas, The Silver Shop of Bath never fails to inspire.
This classic sterling silver entwined necklace (£65) really caught our attention. The perfect gift for someone special this Christmas. There’s plenty of other ideas to be found too.
Shop at 25 Union Passage, Bath | thesilvershopofbath.co.uk
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Honey Willow: Personalised 9kt Gold Double Link Diamond Necklace |
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Celebrate her loved ones with a petite 9kt gold double link necklace, hand-stamped with the names or first letters of her loved ones or a date which is meaningful to her. Each link is set with a conflict-free diamond.
Circles symbolise infinite love, protection and unity. These two circles are freely moving, yet interlinked | £395
honeywillow.com
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Small 'Dazzle' Present Necklace from Nicholas Wylde
Small Present pendant with grain set brilliant cut diamonds and channel set baguette cut diamonds, suspended from an 18ct white gold 18″ trace chain.
The diamonds weigh 0.20ct in total and are assessed as clarity SI, colour G/H. Exclusive to Nicholas Wylde.
18ct white, 0.20ct diamonds | £995
nicholaswylde.com
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Finisterre: Hegen Full Zip Wool Fleece
Fleece has always been an outdoor staple.
In fact, Finisterre started with an innovative fleece over 17 years ago. But with their new recycled wool and recycled polyester fabric (GRS certified), the Hegen brings that traditional outdoor aesthetic together with serious sustainable credentials. A hardy adventure staple you'll be wearing for years to come | £130
finisterre.com | Finisterre Bath, 27 High Street, Bath BA1 5AJ
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FASHION | BEST FOOT FORWARD
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'Twas the tights before Christmas...
New for the 2022 festive season, these cute festive printed tights feature robins, pine cones and holly.
Perfect for the Christmas season! Available in two colours. Top quality, made in Italy. £12.99. Buy from Flock 12 – 13 The Corridor, Bath.
flockbath.co.uk
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LINGERIE, BEACH AND NIGHTWARE | SLEEP IN STYLE
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The Dressing Room Bath
Since opening in Bath in 1985, The Dressing Room has maintained its reputation as the ‘go to’ place for the finest in lingerie, beach and nightwear.
Featuring lingerie brands such as MarieJo, Aubade, Prima Donna, Empreinte and Lise Charmel (amongst others) the shop also has a wide range of basic t-shirts and invisible briefs.
The beach wear collection features brands including Melissa Odabash, Maryan Mehlhorn, Aubade, Prima Donna, Rosa Faia and Nuria Ferrer, whilst nightwear comes from Hanro, Louis Feraud, Diamond Tea, Marjolaine, Lunadi Seta and Lise Charmel – to name but a few. Shown here are pure silk pyjamas from Marjolaine, £395.
With experienced and professional staff ready to help you, why not pop in for a look?
7 Quiet Street, Bath BA12JU | dressingroombath.com
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MAGAZINE KIOSK | WHY WE LOVE PRINT
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Curated by Daniel McCabe
For a long time, The Far Ride was the only fully fledged bike packing magazine around, and a well-built, beautifully illustrated and satisfying read it was. When the mighty Bikepacking Journal appeared, followed by Covid, TFR was gone. Out of the ashes we have Other Means, a biannual magazine, digital space and new hub for the cycling and bike packing community. As with its predecessor, the magazine's mission is to tell stories and report rides that share the human side of cycling. As the publisher says, 'every journey is personal, and we choose to enjoy ours by bike’. It’s quite sumptuous – let’s hope it goes a lot further | £23
Available from magalleria.co.uk | Magalleria, 5 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG
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TALK | LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS
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Tristram Hunt: The Civic and the Global, 19 December
Dr Tristram Hunt is the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, arguably the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.
The V&A’s founding commitment to design, education and industry continues to define it today. Tracing the museum’s genesis from its Victorian roots, Dr Hunt will consider how the V&A’s civic foundations – the national and the global – engendered a world-class collection, and today, the creation of a nationwide family of museums, from Dundee to Stoke-on-Trent. His talk will consider the challenges and opportunities for a major museum in the context of current financial challenges and cultural anxieties.
Hunt's talk will be held on 19 December, 7.30–9pm; tickets for the in-person event are now sold out, but you can still grab one for the online stream. £4 for members, £7 for non members, available from brlsi.org
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TUTORING | LEARN A LANGUAGE
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Cantamos!
Would you like to learn Spanish in a fun way with your little ones?
Join Vero in her Spanish singing sessions group. You will learn a new language through songs and you will make new friends as well.
Thursdays, 9:15am, at Weston Free Church High St, Bath.
For more information, contact Vero on learn@spanishwithvero.com, or visit holavero.org | @learn_holavero
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SPORT | CHARITABLE EFFORT
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Bath Rugby players to support Toulon's 'stuffed animal' appeal
The French outfit have called for a 'pluie de peluches sur Mayol!' which translates as a 'shower of stuffed animals on Mayol!', with the intention to collect them for children cared for by Secours Populaire before Christmas.
Making the journey over on Friday, Johann van Graan's travelling party will each pack a Bath Rugby teddy to donate to the collection ahead of kick-off at Stade Mayol.
Bath second row, and former Toulon player, Dave Attwood said: "The initiative by Toulon is extremely wholesome and as a playing group, we want to contribute to a great cause.
"Christmas can prove a difficult time for families across the world and we are really pleased we can play our part in spreading happiness to these children over the festive period."
Supporters are urged to bring their stuffed animal and throw it on to pitch shortly before the EPCR Challenge Cup match gets underway.
If you are travelling to France to support Bath, pack a stuffed animal to support children cared for by Secours Populaire this Christmas.
bathrugby.com
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PROPERTY | A CONTEMPORARY VILLAGE PROPERTY
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Longmeadow, Beckington, Nr Bath
Offered for sale by Bath estate agents Cobb Farr.
This is a superbly appointed newly built 6 bedroom detached property, set within this exclusive village development overlooking open fields. Cleverly designed landscaped gardens, a double garage and a stunning open plan kitchen, all enhance this very special property.
Number 8 Longmeadow is the last property to be completed and sits comfortably within this superb development. It is built using conservation stone roof slates and sits behind a stone wall with gated entrance. It backs onto open fields with a westerly aspect and with far-reaching views visible from the hall as you enter. The house is laid out over three floors and has an oak staircase rising to the first floor galleried landing and a superb specification with the involvement of interior designers providing a bespoke finish throughout.
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Designed to maximise light, the kitchen has two walls of floor to ceiling glazed doors meeting at a corner apex. This floods the large, open plan space with light and brings the outside in. It also has a separate living room and spacious sitting room for easy entertaining together with a study/TV room and 6 bedrooms two of which have ensuite as well as 2 separate family bathrooms.
The elegantly and cleverly designed landscaped garden is laid out in three separate areas and extends towards the neighbouring field for an expansive, open feel but at the same time with a degree of privacy | £1,950,000
Click here for more information and to see all the images on the Cobb Farr website.
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