Slapstick Festival COMPETITION: put a name to the face

Ahead of the festival launch on 14 February, Slapstick is running a competition to find out who can put names to the highest number of faces on its Sgt. Pepper-inspired poster.

The prize will include a signed copy of the poster, tickets to the festival’s 100th anniversary screening of the Harold Lloyd comedy Safety Last! at St George’s Bristol on 1 April and a Slapstick 2023 t-shirt. 

The winner will be announced on or around 14 February. Entries should be emailed to info@slapstick.org.uk with the subject line ‘Guess Who’. Head to the Slapstick website for details on how to enter: slapstick.org.uk

THE JANUARY ISSUE: OUT NOW

Our January 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. 

Comfort Soup

Feeling jaded at the start of January is all part of the annual mood-swing calendar; the bills have rolled in, the pounds have (probably) rolled on and the bleak midwinter weather is in full force. But it's most definitely not all doom and gloom in the kitchen...

Before we move on to making the very most of the UK's wonderful winter produce (which we will, over the coming weeks), we're going to kickstart the new year with a simple soup that nourishes, soothes, cleanses overladen digestive systems and revitalises our senses all in one deeply umami, personality-laden pot.

White miso – a nutrient-laded fermented paste made from rice, barley and soya beans – is a key ingredient here; there is no substitution, but fortunately it's readily available in high street supermarkets (as is silken tofu), while the rest of the ingredients are probably already lurking at the bottom of your fridge.

Ingredients (serves 2)

750ml vegetable stock
3cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 generous handful shredded savoy cabbage
1 carrot, grated
2 tablespoons miso paste
200g silken tofu, diced
Chopped spring onions, to garnish; dark soy sauce, to season

Method

Pour the stock into a pan and bring to the boil. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli, cabbage and carrot and simmer (partially covered) for 5 minutes. Add the miso paste and stir well before adding the tofu and simmering (uncovered) for a further 1-2 minutes. Serve hot, topped with splashes of dark soy sauce and a sprinkling of chopped spring onions.

Dry January: six 0%-ers

It’s not too late to try going No or Low in January – but if you are looking for real inspiration and wonderful quenching tastes then try these (preferably before the 31st…)

Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Rose | JJ Leitz
Germany. The Leitz EINS-ZWEI-ZERO sparkling rosé offers an original character that is clean and fresh with notes of pale strawberries, raspberry and hints of fresh grapefruit | £11.10

Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Riesling | JJ Leitz
Germany. The Leitz EINS-ZWEI-ZERO Sparkling is clean and fresh with notes of lime and citrus; there is rhubarb and a little hint of red apples on an underlying mineral base. The finish is dry and relatively long | £8.25

Fresh | Crossip
England. Fresh has an array of punchy fruity flavours. The opening combination of pink grapefruit and orange is a bold start. The body develops with the citrus of lemon and eucalyptus. All bound together with a crisp light bitterness | 50cl £22.50

Seaward | Pentire
England. This is a bright, zesty, and verdant non-alcohol botanical spirit from Cornish based Pentire who, inspired by surfing and Cornwall’s coastline, are making a big impression with their two excellent spirits Seaward and also Adrift | £28

Organic Sparkling Tea Blue – Copenhagen
Denmark. Based on 13 different teas. Jasmine, white teas and darjeeling. Highly complex taste, which develops on the palate. Starting with delicate aromas of jasmine, followed by a fresh and soft expression, thanks to the white teas, and finished off with a deep and dusty character thanks to the Darjeeling. Complemented by the carefully adjusted bubbles | £19 | Copenhagen also produce a number of low (5%) ABV sparkling teas, so if you don’t fancy ‘No’ there’s certainly a ‘Low’ option to be enjoyed.

Original | Fluere
Netherlands. Both Juniper and lime peel give a bright and fresh character whilst the lavender and coriander add the herbal notes | £18.95

The Great Wine Co has one of the best selections of great 0%-ers : from big names as well as small independent producers | greatwine.co.uk

All About The Cooks: Bristol's best home-cooks serve up Veganuary feasts

Nick-named "Etsy for food", All About The Cooks is an online marketplace making it easy for people across the city to eat delicious food made by local home-cooks. 

Collection or delivery is arranged directly with the cook so the days of faceless deliveries are over! To celebrate Veganuary, the Bristol-born website is adding new meat and dairy-free options to its globally-inspired menus so make sure to check who cooks near you. By ordering through the platform you'll be supporting your neighbours, with over £50,000 already paid to local cooks since the marketplace's launch.

Visit allaboutthecooks.co.uk to find out more or sign up to their newsletter to get £10 off your first order.

Winter Dining at Harvey Nichols Bristol

Kick-start the new year in style with our new Winter Dining menu in partnership with St-Germain.

Specially designed by our chefs to showcase the best in seasonal produce, the new menu has been specially created to be enjoyed with a St-Germain Spritz.

Starters include Fish and Potato Croquettes with Aioli, or Artichoke Salad with Pear and Serrano Ham, whilst Seared Hake with Masala Spiced Lentils and Roast Leg of Guinea Fowl are two of the mains on offer. Vanilla Panna Cotta and Chocolate Crème Brulee feature on the dessert menu.

Three courses for £28 per person served with a St-Germain Spritz; Wednesday 4 January – Friday 31 March | Wednesday – Saturday, 12pm – 3pm and 6pm – 10pm. 

To book, visit sevenrooms.com

Marco Bicego

Every piece of Marco Bicego jewellery features a combination of fine Italian craftsmanship and creativity. 

The designs are based on three signature features: multi-coloured gemstones, the finest detailing and hand engraved 18ct gold. Each collection is inspired by exotic colours from around the world and epitomises the understated elegance that the jeweller is famous for. Here we have Marco Bicego’s new Jaipur link necklace in 18t yellow gold, £6,480; on the left is the Paradise necklace with multi colored gemstones in 18t yellow gold, £3,220. 

Click here to discover all the treasures in the Marco Bicego collection at Mallory Jewellers.

Colmar: medium-length iridescent down jacket in real fur

Women's mid-length jacket padded with natural down and made of recycled, iridescent fabric with water repellent treatment. With simple but chic lines, this model with fixed hood and detachable real fur trim is a must-have in your wardrobe | £444.50 (sale price)

Available at colmar.com

Curated by Daniel McCabe

Milan-based KALEIDOSCOPE calls itself an ‘almanac of contemporary aesthetics’ and it’s always had an experimental approach to handling creative projects in print, online and in live projects. It’s revamped things for its 41st issue which, even if it's arrived on the wrong side of Christmas, is well worth the wait, juggling the likes of Charles Atlas (no, not that one), Balearic sound pioneer DJ Harvey, filmmaker Abel Ferrara, creative polymath VEGYN, an updated version of the ironic and iconic 1980s ‘Official Preppy Handbook’ and much, much more | £15

magalleria.co.uk

Bristol Classical Players, 4 February (7.30pm), St George's Bristol

For their first concert of 2023, Bristol Classical Players invite you to a magical mystery tour in and around Vienna!

The journey begins with Beethoven’s beautiful Pastoral Symphony, charting his ‘awakening of happy feelings on arriving in the countryside’, a scene by the brook, a peasants’ dance, a ferocious thunderstorm and, finally, shepherd’s thanksgiving after the storm has abated.

The second half interleaves three pieces by Johann Strauss II (the overture to his sparkling operetta Die Fledermaus, a wild and whirling Czárdás and the Blue Danube, the Waltz King’s most famous work) with dances from Slovakia, Hungary and Romania from Dvořák, Liszt and Bartók.

Tickets from £15, available from the St George’s Bristol website: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk | bristolclassicalplayers.com

Words by Daisy Game

Varna International Ballet's Giselle, at The Bristol Hippodrome

It’s never much fun to find out that the man you're in love with is betrothed to another; but for Giselle, it's the final straw. 

Without revealing all, Giselle sees its titular character fall head over heels for the dashing Count Albrecht (Marcello Pelizzoni). At first, the pair seem perfect for one another: hop-skip-and-jumping about for all to see, this is a love of the all singing, all dancing variety. But there's a catch; despite the genuine depth of his feelings for the ‘peasant girl’ Giselle (Antastasia Lebedyk), the Count neglects to inform his love that (oops) he’s already engaged to someone else. When the meddling Hilarion (who is keen on getting Giselle all to himself) exposes Albrecht and his secret for the all the village to see, things go south for Giselle and the Count.

Secrets and swordfights aside, Giselle is, at its heart, a romance. Embracing love in all of its melodramatic glory, the ballet explores the power of infatuation, and of forgiveness. (A word to the wise: giving the full synopsis a read before taking your seat for a Varna production is a good idea. Giselle’s is a tale of twists and turns, and whilst the cast does an excellent job of flagging up the major plot points, it doesn’t hurt to know what’s going on ahead of time). 

If you’re in the market for a traditional ballet presented in an accomplished manner, the Varna deliver tenfold. The whole thing looks and sounds fantastic. Conductor Stefan Boyadzhiev leads his players with aplomb; love, betrayal, death – this is Big Stuff, and some Big Sound is in order. The costumes and set (design courtesy of Lora Marinova) are equally lovely, especially in the second half of the show. As Giselle and her fellow Wilis (i.e., spirits of betrothed girls who have died before their wedding day) get on better terms with one another, the entire company – clothed in ghostly tulle attire – appear to float before a moonlit woodland backdrop. It's all rather striking – and not something to be missed. 

The Varna International Ballet will be at the Bristol Hippodrome with their production of The Nutcracker this Saturday (7 January). Tickets available from atgtickets.com

Sign up for priority access to tickets for Wicked

Wicked is returning to The Bristol Hippodrome in January 2024! You can now sign up to receive priority booking when it goes on sale later this month.

By signing up you'll get access to an exclusive pre-sale, giving you the chance to snap up the best seats before everyone else. 

Visit atgtickets.com to sign up. 

Sign up to take part in Race For Life Bristol this summer

You are being invited to kick start the New Year by signing up to Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in Bristol.   

The charity’s much-loved events are returning to the town and anyone who joins this January can claim 50 per cent off the entry fee as part of the half-price sale by using the code RFL23NY.* This is the 30th year of Race for Life and participants will receive a special medal to mark the milestone. Money raised at Race for Life enables scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer – helping to save more lives.

The Race for Life events take place on Clifton Downs on Sunday 25 June and are open to people of all ages and abilities. Women, men and children can choose from 3k, 5k and 10k events. There is also a chance to take part in Pretty Muddy, a mud-splattered obstacle course and there’s a Pretty Muddy Kids option.

To enter, visit raceforlife.org

*The Race for Life half price sale runs until Tuesday January 31 2023

Get your first class at Hodpod Yoga for FREE!

At Hotpod Yoga you’ll stretch further, breathe deeper, sweat harder and melt fully into the Hotpod experience – and this month, Hotpod is offering one FREE class to new customers. 

Get one free class* using the code: HPYBRISTOLMAGAZINE when booking. For class times and more, visit hotpodyoga.com

*New customers only. Valid 1 January – 4 February 2023

Leisure centres aim to reduce running shoes sent to landfill with JogOn

Leisure centres in Bristol have joined forces with the JogOn campaign – which is aiming to keep 1million pairs of running shoes out of landfill.

Horfield Leisure Centre and Bristol South Swimming Pool, run by Everyone Active in partnership with Bristol City Council, are each hosting a collection bin where members of the local community can drop off their unwanted running shoes.

These are then sent to JogOn, who liaise with logistics and distributions partners to ensure that reusable pairs are sent around the world to people who most need them, with the help of charities and non-governmental organisations.

JogOn estimates that every year in the UK alone, more than 30million pairs of shoes end up in landfill, while elsewhere in the world around three million people suffer from sole diseases. But it is hoped this nationwide partnership with Everyone Active will make a valuable contribution to drastically improving those statistics.

The public can access a full list of the 100-plus Everyone Active sites taking part using JogOn’s interactive map.

Bristol Beacon chief executive awarded CBE for service to Arts in Bristol

Louise Mitchell, the chief executive of Bristol Beacon, has been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in King Charles III’s first New Year’s Honours list in recognition of her services to the Arts in Bristol. 

As chief executive of the independent music charity Bristol Music Trust which runs Bristol Beacon, Bristol’s main concert venue and education hub, Louise has been instrumental in steering the ongoing £107m transformation of Bristol Beacon, one of the biggest arts regeneration projects in the UK, and led on the venue’s significant name change away from that of the slave trader Edward Colston.

Other achievements at Bristol Beacon include reinvigorating the classical music programme, bringing a landmark staging by Sir John Eliot Gardiner of the three Monteverdi operas which were voted The Guardian’s classical music event of the year to Bristol, as well as bringing the city’s successful music education hub into the organisation, the first time a hub had been run from a concert venue.

Louise Mitchell says: “I’m delighted that this award can help to raise the profile of the arts in Bristol. None of us work alone, it takes a variety of skills to make special things happen and I’m proud of the excellent spirit of team working at Bristol Beacon.”

bristolbeacon.org

Image credit: Bristol Beacon 

Thatchers launches its 2023 Community Orchard Project

Somerset cider maker Thatchers is opening applications for its 2023 Community Orchard project.

In the third year of the project, the fourth-generation cider maker has increased the number of apple trees it has to give away, with 500 available to community groups up and down the country. The project aims to encourage tree planting in both inner city and rural communities by community groups and charities.

Groups can apply to be considered for a bundle of 5 apple trees each by visiting thatcherscider.co.uk/thatchers-community-orchard. Applicants will be asked to fill in a simple form, with details of their community group, describing how the trees will be of benefit to them. Applications close on 3 February 2023 | thatcherscider.co.uk

Featured image: Thatchers orchard manager, Chris Muntz-Torres has chosen the varieties of apple trees to be donated to the groups very carefully.

Yann Thomas set for his 100th competitive appearance for Bristol Bears

Yann Thomas is set for his 100^th competitive appearance for the club when Bristol Bears take on London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday (3pm KO).

The Bristolian loosehead will bring up his century from the bench in West London, with England internationals Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler returning to the front row.

The rest of the pack remains unchanged from the hard-fought victory over Harlequins at The Stoop, while in the midfield, Ioan Lloyd partners Semi Radradra.

There’s also a long-awaited return for Toby Fricker on the wing and a first league start for the club for full-back Noah Heward.

Bristol Bears team to face London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday (3pm KO) | bristolbearsrugby.com

Want to share this newsletter? Go on then!