We The Curious urges Bristol to get creative and curious ahead of grand reopening ceremony in July

Bristol’s biggest science centre and educational charity We The Curious is celebrating its long-awaited reopening on 2 July by revealing 73 Ways to Get Curious in the run up to the reopening celebration on 6 July.

From exploring nature and getting creative to seeing where your imagination guides you and taking notice of things you might normally not, the 73-strong list – created by the inquisitive minds at We The Curious – is designed to bring a little curiosity into people’s lives each day. These accessible activities, big and small, can be done alone or with friends and family, and just like We The Curious, the list provides a space where people of all ages and backgrounds can share experiences to awaken their curiosity.

Head to wethecurious.org to check out the full list, or follow along on social media, where activities will be revealed each week.

OUR MAY ISSUE IS OUT NOW!

You'll love our marvellous May magazine, which features a collection of great reading by our team of wonderful writers, as well as beautifully presented advertising by Bristol's best businesses. 

Features include an exclusive interview with crime-writing legend Lynda La Plante ahead of her appearance at CrimeFest, a review of the newly refurbished Browns Brasserie & Bar, a look ahead to a choral performance at Bristol Cathedral, our special festival guide for 2024 and so much more!

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 – click here to subscribe on our website. 

Words by Melissa Blease

Coronation Chicken Pasties

Two British classics combine in perfect harmony in these utterly moreish pasties, perfect for a Bank Holiday garden party or a picnic.

Ingredients (makes 4 hearty pasties)

125g baking potatoes, peeled and cut into approx 1cm cubes
1 tbsp medium curry powder
200g cooked chicken breast, cut into 2cm pieces
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
125g korma curry sauce (from jar)
2 tbsp mango chutney
1 x 375g pack ready-rolled, all-butter shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the potato cubes for 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for a further minute until fragrant.

2. Transfer to a large bowl and add the chicken, spring onions, korma sauce and mango chutney. Stir well to combine.

3. Unroll the pastry and cut out 4 equally-sized rounds, approx. 17-18cm in diameter. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the pastry rounds, spooning it onto one half of the circle (being careful not to overfill). Brush the edges with a little beaten egg, then fold the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges with your fingers. Arrange on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Remove the pasties from the fridge, brush with the remaining beaten egg and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature, with extra mango chutney on the side. The pasties will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Recommendations by Tom Bleathman from The Great Wine Co.

Organic wines are made from grapes grown using organic farming practices. This means no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers are used on the grapes, and instead natural and sustainable farming practices are employed. This benefits the soil structure and enables better water and nutrient retention, reducing the need for irrigation, all while encouraging biodiversity and promoting life in the vineyard. The Great Wine Co. has many fantastic organic wines, but here are three of Bleathman's favourites...

Visit greatwine.co.uk to explore more

A Change of Art with Christophe and Harvey Nichols Bristol

Join Christophe and Harvey Nichols Bristol on 17 May from 7pm–12am as they present Echoes from the Underground: A Visual Journey Through Alternative Music Culture at an evening of food and art. 

Having been part of Bristol’s underground dance scene for over 20 years, as well as a graphic designer, DJ and music producer, Christophe will unveil a collection of artwork rooted in music and underground culture.

Enjoy a fabulous three-course meal and a cocktail at the Second Floor Restaurant, followed by the opportunity to meet the artist and enjoy DJ Sets. £45 per person. 

Christophe’s work is available to purchase at the event and the collection will be on show until October 2024. 

To book: email: Reception.bristol@harveynichols.com; Call: +44 (0)117 916 8898; book online by clicking here.  

FOPE’s Flex’it Bracelets

Founded back in 1929 by Umberto Cazzola as a goldsmith’s workshop in Vicenza, the company specialised in making watch-straps from gold and other metals, becoming suppliers to Switzerland’s biggest watchmaking brands.

Over the generations the family firm used its expertise to create its own gold jewellery collections. Today FOPE is recognised as one of the finest luxury jewellery brands in the world, famous for creating the iconic Novecento mesh and the Flex’it collection – a superbly flexible and intricate gold weave that allows jewellery to be shaped into beautiful designs, which is FOPE’s unmistakeable, signature style. Adored by the glitterati since the early 80s, the flexible rope-like pieces are never out of vogue and its timeless appeal is elegant and highly desirable.

Want one? Prices start at £1,950 for a Prima Flex'it 18ct yellow gold bracelet with diamond set rondel.

As well as gorgeous bracelets, click here to find more FOPE jewellery at Mallory.

Drift 20L Waterproof Roll Top Backpack | £145

Whatever adventures you have planned, the pack on your back is just as important as what you put in it.

A firm favourite, the Drift Backpack now comes in a new smaller 20L size. With the same construction as its 30L big brother, it's fully waterproof and fully loaded, with welded seams, heavy-duty 100% recycled nylon material and a whole host of technical features to help get you out on your adventures.

Built for everything from adventures in the wild to keeping your gear dry on a rainy commute.

Click here to purchase.

Graham & Green Teal Festoon Lights | £49.95

Illuminate your outdoor space this summer with these teal festoon lights. 

In a soft pastel shade, these make a great backdrop to your gatherings and evenings outside. With over nine metres of lights to play with, you'll be able to light up your garden, no matter the size.

Click here to purchase. 

Mulberry Introduces New Members of the Pimlico and Lana Families

This season, Mulberry continues its exploration of the lock as an ever-evolving Mulberry emblem – as synonymous with the brand’s heritage as to the bags themselves – with new styles in the Pimlico and Lana families.

The Pimlico and Lana bags embody the brand’s contemporary outlook and timeless design codes, reflected in both styles’ bold hardware designs: the Pimlico Lock, an oversized version of the brand’s equestrian-inspired Rider’s Lock; and the Foundry Lock, a reinterpretation of the brand’s iconic Postman’s Lock, whose fluid shape takes inspiration from Surrealism’s organic forms.

As both styles evolve for the new season, their statement locks are brought to life across an assortment of bags, accessories and jewellery.

Click here to shop the collection.

New launch of Comète Les Exclusifs de CHANEL

Les Exclusifs de CHANEL is the most exclusive and precious fragrance collection at CHANEL.

Comète is housed in the iconic streamlined glass, with a timeless, monogrammed black lid with a double C logo, which always takes pride of place.

Intensely floral and luminous, Comète explores a new olfactory identity in the Les Exclusifs de CHANEL collection. Rich and powdery.

75ml | £215
200ml | £380

Click here to purchase.

Curated by Daniel McCabe

Although there’s precious little sign, summer is on the way. And so we have, from French style bible l'étiquette, a useful How to dress this summer edition for gentlemen followers of fashion who might appreciate an informed sartorial tip or two on managing seasonal wardrobes. This slightly revamped issue of one of our favourite magazines now provides a consolidated fashion features section, a new ‘Style Memos’ section for noting those important fashion details, plus 56 ‘get the look’ ideas and ‘75 objects of desire’. With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, we also get ‘24 Tales of Olympic Style’ from over the years. Now we just need the sun… | £14.50

magalleria.co.uk

Image: Desperate Times by The Connor Brothers

Fizz Gallery in Clevedon currently has a number of works for sale by The Connor Brothers

The artists' popularity is reflected in sell-out shows at galleries in LA, New York, Sydney, Dubai, London, Hong Kong and Berlin. Moreover, their work is included in Banksy’s Dismaland and prestigious collections including The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Penguin Collection and both the Omar Koch and Niarchos Collections. 

Since their real identity was revealed more than 10 years ago, The Connor Brothers (aka Mike and James, who are not actually brothers) have been stirring up the art world with their hard-hitting combination of retro design and contemporary satire. They are highly valued and outspoken supporters of countless social causes, collaborating with partners such as Noel Gallagher and Pussy Riot, and using their art to raise awareness and funds for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), the Teenage Cancer Trust, and numerous homelessness and refugee charities.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am until 5pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays). fizzgallery.co.uk; 26 Hill Road, Clevedon, BS21 7PH

Help save Jamaica Street Studios

Artists from Jamaica Street Studios in Stokes Croft have launched a crowdfunding initiative to help secure the future of their creative community space.

The funds raised will help the artists embrace a one-off opportunity to buy the building (which for more than 25 years has housed studios for local arts, events and community projects), guaranteeing the long-term future of this "essential community asset and preventing the loss of yet another important cultural venue in Bristol".

Rewards up for grabs for those supporting the cause include personal commissions, pet portraits, workshops and tickets to the snooker final.

For more information on the crowdfunder, visit the website.

The SS Great Britain early bird tickets for 'Summer Lates' are on sale now

The Summer Lates Series will see unmissable dockyard gigs taking place across four Thursdays from 27 June at SS Great Britain.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain has teamed up with Coffee Club Bristol – hosts of Bristol’s best alternative gigs since 2013 – to showcase up-and-coming acts and fan favourites from previous years.

Tickets include after-hours access to the whole ship, the Dry Dock, and the Dockyard Museum. Plus, you can save money by pre-ordering food and drinks when booking online. Early bird tickets are now available at a discounted price of £12.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. 

Exultate Singers: A Sense of the Divine

Don't miss this beautiful choral music performance by Exultate Singers on 18 May in the treasured setting of the medieval church of St James Priory, playing at 5pm–7pm. 

Exultate Singers performs a programme of choral music through the ages on the theme of 'Mary and motherhood', including music by Victoria, Palestrina, Gabrieli, Tavener and the first performance of Lullaby by Bristol composer John Barber. A feast of contemplative, timeless music.

Tickets £10 to £16 online or Opus 13 music shop on 0117 9230164.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. 

Image shows: The Making of Pinocchio, Cade & MacAskill, Photo by Tiu Makkonen

Mayfest: Bristol’s international festival of contemporary theatre and live performance

Mayfest takes place between 17–26 May. It is an invitation to come together and be moved by beautiful and boundary-pushing performances in unexpected public spaces.

The festival will be hosted in various locations such as Broadmead and St Anne’s Wood and much-loved venues like Watershed, Bristol Old Vic, The Mount Without and Unit 15. 

The programme is jam-packed with brilliant home-grown talent and artists of international acclaim. You can choose from more than 15 unusual, ambitious and playful shows and experience the unusual. 

Become part of a real-life video game in the UK premiere of asses.masses at Watershed, immerse yourself in nature at an outdoor installation, or prepare to reflect with shows that ask brave questions of these challenging times. 

All tickets are ‘pay what you can’.

Click here for more information. 

Forest Live: Westonbirt Arboretum

Our friends at Forestry England are back with Forest Live at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire on selected dates between 4 to 12 July.

Escape the city into a beautiful natural woodland arena, only a short drive from Bristol, with coaches running from the city which you can book with your tickets.

Spend an evening among the trees, dancing the night away with Nile Rodgers & CHIC with special guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Anne-Marie, Van Morrison, Gregory Porter and The Corrs.

Click here to book your tickets. 

Bristol Bears vs Queensland Reds

Bristol Bears welcome Queensland Reds to Bear Country for another historic exhibition match at Ashton Gate Stadium on Friday, 31 January 2025. Tickets are now on sale. 

Pat Lam’s men will take on the Australian Super Rugby Pacific outfit for the first time since 1980, when Bristol held a star-studded Queensland touring side to a 9-9 draw.

Tickets are on sale now with adult tickets starting from £30 and junior tickets available from £10.

Click here to purchase your tickets. 

Arley Hill Cotham, Bristol, BS6

Offered for sale by Ocean estate agents

An attractive opportunity to renovate a stunning four storey, Victorian four/five bedroom home that has retained so much of its original character, charm and features. There is also potential to convert the lower ground floor to a self contained flat. 

The overall space exceeds 2000 sqft and is well distributed throughout the house, creating a well balanced family home. A large reception room and spacious kitchen/breakfast room are positioned on the lower ground floor with the kitchen giving direct access out to the rear garden.

The hall floor accommodates two further reception rooms with high ceilings, traditional cornicing and fireplaces. The one to the front has a lovely bay window making it wonderfully bright. The room to the rear could be used as an additional bedroom. The first and second floors are made up of four good size bedrooms and a family bathroom. 

A beautiful house that has been in the same family for over 50 years. Being sold with no onward chain. | Guide Price £750,000

For more information and images click here.