Flying High: in conversation with Dr Mya-Rose Craig

As Dr Mya-Rose Craig – aka Birdgirl – releases her new memoir, we sat down with the 20-year-old environmentalist to look back at all that she has accomplished and all that is yet to come.

Before it even hit the shelves last month, Dr Mya-Rose Craig’s new memoir Birdgirl was dubbed as one of the most anticipated environmental reads of the year and eloquently described as “lyrical, poignant and insightful” by author Margaret Attwood (The Handmaid’s Tale). An accomplishment that should come as no surprise, given Craig’s track record...

Read the full feature on The Bristol Magazine website: thebristolmag.co.uk

Image credit: Stuart Simpson / Penguin Random House

OUR AUGUST ISSUE: OUT NOW

Our August 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 £3.95. UK mainland prices. For Euro and World zone subscription prices – see our website. 

In, out, shake it all about: a Spanish Tapas Feast brings a ray of staycation sunshine to your table, whatever the weather. The recipes here all serve four, with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up sauces. And to drink? Well-chilled Fino/Manzanilla sherry, dry Amontillado or Palo Cortado all go down a treat. Olé!

The Panerai Submersible collection

Giovanni Panerai opened his first shop in Florence in 1860, which served not only as a watch shop and workshop, but also as the city's first watchmaking school and one of the finest outside of Switzerland. With a specialty for diving watches, Panerai is well known for its timepieces used by the Italian Navy.

One of the company’s most groundbreaking inventions is a luminous substance called Radiomir, used for improved legibility under the water. Only since 1993, have Panarai’s watches been on sale to the public, but they have enjoyed a huge celebrity following and have become more and more popular every year as a cool alternative to the better known luxury brands.

Shown here is the Submersible 42 steel. The case is a 42mm satin brushed steel with a black ceramic bezel on a black rubber strap which is perfect for diving and very tough. The iconic crown guard is a unique feature to Panerai’s action watches. It has an automatic self-winding movement and is water resistant to 300 metres. A great, all-action timepiece | £8,500

The Submersible range has been expanded to offer a variety of case materials, sizes, dial and strap options: see more from the Panerai Submersible range at Mallory.

Floral Street fragrance line

Made for the modern woman, Floral Street is an award-winning fragrance line that captures the essence of nature. Powered by flowers, these perfumes and home fragrances are made to elevate your confidence in your day-to-day.

Floral Street Sunflower Pop (above): with notes of mandarin, bergamot and bellini accord, this eau de parfum is a result of a collaboration between Floral Street and the Van Gogh Museum | 50ml / £64

Floral Street is now available from Space NK 81 Queens Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1QS. Alternatively, you can browse the Floral Street collection at spacenk.com

Presca Pop Up Sale, Monday 8 – 12 August

Bristol-based climate positive brand Presca Sportswear are opening a flash sale pop-up shop for five days in August. Presca creates the most environmentally conscious activewear that they can, always striving to do better in all areas of the brand. 

The pop-up store will display Presca's older range, stock and samples of high-quality clothing which are the last of their kind and won't ever be remade or repeated: a last chance opportunity. There will be cycling and running kit available, all ethically manufactured using recycled fabrics. There will be over 1000 items on offer, priced from £5. 

It will be a card only event and will take place at The Vestibule, City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR. from Monday 8 August to Friday 12 August, 11am – 7pm. 

prescasportswear.com

Curated by Daniel McCabe

From the same stable as Wonderland, Rollacoaster and Man About Town, the riskily-named AMAZING is a hefty cultural and showbiz magazine that’s just released its second issue. With a penchant for iconic women and completely interview-driven, it’s in some ways similar to The Gentlewomen but eschews that magazine’s cool, minimalist vibe in favour of going for all out giant-scale (35 x 28cm) and a super glossy finish that’s going to simply dominate your coffee table. We absolutely love it | £14.95

Watershed: Studio Ghibli Season, Friday 29 July – Sunday 28 August

Fresh for the summer holidays, Watershed are screening several of the Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli's masterpieces, specially selected to delight and entertain the whole family.

From the 2015 Oscar Nominee Tale of the Princess Kaguya, a modern animated treasure with timeless appeal, to Grave of the Fireflies, cited as one of the Studio's most profoundly beautiful and haunting works, visit the cinema for this season of animated adventures.

Find out more on the Watershed website: watershed.co.uk

Featured image: still from The Wind Rises 

Wiltshire Game & Country Fair, 13 – 14 August, Bowood House and Gardens

The popular annual Wiltshire Game & Country Fair is back with its usual blend of family and countryside entertainment.

Enjoy all-day arena entertainment, featuring some of the countryside’s top attractions and organisations. Browse and wander around the trade stands, craft village and demonstration areas. Have a go at a range of country sports including clay shooting, archery and paintballing. There’s also lots for your dog to do including events and competitions – so don’t leave them at home!

The fair will take place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August, 10am-6pm. For further information and to purchase your tickets, visit the Living Heritage website: livingheritagecountryshows.com

WINE ESCAPE: an escape room event at The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

A 1920s murder with a twist…

WINE ESCAPE, The UK’s first immersive escape room event, is coming to Bristol in September as part of a brand-new tour – and is bringing with it a new level of escape room entertainment. Guests will enjoy a night of glamour and a two course meal following fun problem-solving games to beat the ticking clock. Step back into the roaring 1920s and enjoy the extravagance of Hawker Wine Estate.

You have been invited to an exclusive party hosted by the very wealthy owners, the Von James family – but the celebrations turn sour when a storm of vengeance, lies and deceit ruins the evening. You must stick together, hold your nerve and beat the clock in order to escape Hawker alive…

WINE ESCAPE will take place on 9 – 10 September at The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel; tickets start from £59 per person and include a fabulous two course meal, live show and entertainment, thrilling and exciting games and an immersive, interactive experience.

10% OFF ALL TICKETS exclusively to The Bristol Magazine readers – use coupon code: BRISTOLMAG10 at the checkout |  Tickets available at the WINE ESCAPE website: wineescape.co.uk

Bristol Light Festival presents: Luminarium, 4 – 14 August, College Green

Luminarium is a fully accessible, multi-sensory pop-up coming to College Green on 4 – 14 August from 1 – 7pm daily, brought to the city by Bristol Light Festival.

Visitors are being invited to enter a world of wonder when the world-famous inflatable domes filled with natural light and colour visit the city this summer. Taking inspiration from natural forms, Islamic and Gothic cathedrals and modern architecture, the Luminarium is a sunlight-powered sensory experience featuring kaleidoscopic colours, domes, tunnels and pods.

An Instagrammers dream, this installation is truly designed for every member of the family and every age group. As a multi-sensory environment, it is also accessible for those with complex needs.

The free-to-enter and inflatable walk-in art experience, half the size of a football pitch, has travelled with other luminaria across 43 countries, hosting a total of more than 3 million visitors since being created by Alan Parkinson, designer and founder of Architects of Air, in 1992. 

Tickets are free for all and can be booked online in advance, with walk-ups also available. Find out more about the Luminarium on Bristol Light Festival’s website: bristollightfestival.org.

Image credit: Stephen Wright 

Valley Fest, 4 – 7 August, Chew Valley Lake

Valley Fest, the best-tasting music festival in the South West, takes place alongside Chew Valley Lake, near Bristol, this August.

Travis, Clean Bandit, Faithless (DJ set), Roni Size with Dynamite MC, Kosheen and The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club will headline. Valley Fest has also joined forces with Arcadia: the performance art collective best known for their iconic, 50ft fire-spitting spider at Glastonbury. At Valley Fest, they are bringing the Afterburner stage – built from a Rolls Royce jet engine.

There’ll also be food from Josh and Holly Eggleton, Rob Howell of Root and many more – plus a family friendly area, spa area, and new ‘regeneration’ area to showcase all things regenerative: from food, farming, gardening, beauty and drinks.

Read the full line up by clicking here.

Expect hedge-to-hedge Somerset sparkle and plenty of nonsense with a spectacular soundtrack and magnificent menu. Tickets are £170 (plus booking fee), available at the Valley Fest website: valleyfest.co.uk.

Image credit: Ania Shrimpton

Bristol Rovers superfan launches 7 For 7 Challenge: 7 marathons in 7 days

In August 2020, Bristol Rovers superfan Nik Weeks took on the challenge of running five marathons is five days, finishing at the famous Memorial Gates and raising £13,300 pounds for TOFS (Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula – a rare condition that can be found in new-born babies) and Bristol Rovers Community Trust.

To celebrate the euphoric 7-0 win against Scunthorpe last season, Nik has challenged himself to run seven marathons in seven days, raising money for the Community Trust – and he’s looking for some help from fellow ‘Gas Heads’.

Nick says: “The Community Trust were so supportive during the last challenge, and I’ve made some excellent friendships with the staff there. The work that they did during the pandemic was incredible and as we’re a community and family club, I feel that the Community Trust is the bedrock of our football club, and we should all be proud of it”. 

“I’m looking for a minimum of seven ‘Gas Heads’ who’d like to train and take part in one of the legs. The support was so good last time that it would be great to have more members of the ‘Gas Family’ to get involved with challenge."

Nik has already started his training and will be planning to take on this unbelievable challenge during the week before The Gas host Portsmouth at The Memorial Stadium on Saturday 18 March. If you would like to join Nik during one of the legs, please contact info@bristolroverscommunity.org.uk.

Valencia Tassel Swing Chair from Graham & Green

A relaxed hammock swing chair providing a cosy and peaceful space to sit and enjoy afternoons in the sun. 

Handcrafted in El Salvador from upcycled plain ivory cotton and pine wood, this swing chair comes with a comfy matching cushion. Simply hang from your sitting room ceiling or from a tree in your garden | £99

 Available from grahamandgreen.co.uk

Westbury Park, Bristol BS6

Offered for sale by Rupert Oliver estate agents

91 Coldharbour Road is a beautifully appointed family house with elegant accommodation arranged over three floors, exceptional off-street parking space to the front and a detached 28' garage accessed to the side via Florence Lane with direct access into the garden.

On many levels this is the perfect family home: close proximity (and within the catchment area) of both Westbury Park Primary School and Redland Green (Secondary) School, a fully enclosed family garden, easy vehicular access and an expanse of versatile internal accommodation.

Since purchasing the house the current owners have beautifully refurbished it, creating further living space by extending into the loft as well as creating a superb family kitchen, dining room and separate family room to the rear.

The kitchen itself is beautifully finished with a generous central island, fantastic storage and a range of integrated appliances. From the kitchen, stairs lead down to the dining room which in turn leads into the garden room, with access out into the garden from bi-folding doors and also access into the fitted utility room.

Across from the tiled hallway lies the formal sitting room, with a handsome marble fire surround and recessed wood-burning stove. Next to the sitting room is a lovely sized home-office space or a children's play / games room.

The hallway itself is reached from a useful tiled porch from the front door – perfect for coats and boots, and has access to a ground floor cloakroom. To the rear, it wraps around the staircase, with a door directly into the dining room, giving the ground floor a full 360 degree access.

Upstairs, over the first floor are three double bedrooms, with a further bedroom located on each of the two half-landings.

The front two first-floor double bedrooms benefit from modern double glazed windows, while the rear bedroom enjoys an en-suite shower room.

Off the landing is a good size family bathroom.

Above, the current owners have sensitively extended into the loft to create a superb bedroom suite as well as an expanse of recessed storage – built sensibly into the eaves and easily accessible. The bedroom offers fabulous views and has a well-appointed en-suite bath and shower room.

Outside, the house enjoys a superb position, situated on Coldharbour Road and the edge of Florence Lane, with an abundance of off-street parking to the front (complete with an electric car charge point) and side access from the lane into a generous 28' garage and workshop. To the rear of the house is a lovely fully enclosed family garden. Guide Price: £1,250,000

For details and more images click here to see the property page on the Rupert Oliver website.