Bristol bods are in for a treat

This week we've been checking out a lovely new local clothing brand specialising in sportswear, stretching equipment and educational books on flexibility training, handstands and injury prevention. Bendy Brand products combine style with function, love and care as they are made by athletes themselves. The Bristol company also works with local artists to create custom-made prints for clothing and yoga mats, and is hoping to do a limited edition Bristol print next year. We reckon the double layer dance skirts are pretty gorgeous, don't you? They can be worn for performing, dancing or going out, their soft chiffon gliding through the air to accentuate movement.

The sizing guide is designed for athletic female bodies, taking musculature into consideration. You can find the size guide for each garment on the product listing, including both inch and cm measurements, international size guide comparisons and numerical and worded descriptions. 

The team also try to do their bit for the environment in different ways including re-using and recycling all the packaging they receive, and minimising the plastic waste created.

thebendybrand.com

AUGUST ISSUE – OUT AND ABOUT!

As always, we've curated 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'll 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.

Alternatively, click here to read the digital version of our current issue!

And if you would like to have a copy sent in the post every month, then we offer a postal subscription for just £30 for 12 issues, £15 for six issues or buy a copy for just £3.95. UK mainland prices. For Euro and world zone subscription prices, please see our website.

Here are some of the star performers at the Decanter awards 2021: wines that have been specially accredited as best in class. If you haven't tried an award winner before then you have been missing out on some seriously great tastes. Surprisingly good prices too.

Argent Rose Brut Nature Organic - Gramona

A subtle and complex sparkling wine, made from pure Pinot Noir. Very pale pink in appearance, this could easily be top notch rosé Champagne, absolutely delicious and a well-integrated mousse of super-fine bubbles. £55

Zweigelt Vom Haus - Pfaffl

Deep, vibrant colour, soft and light-bodied with delicious crunchy fruit, crisp acidity and just a tiny nip of tannin. Reminiscent of a Barbera d'Alba – yumwohl! Weingut Pfaffl was awarded Wine Enthusiast European Winery of the Year in 2016 and now a silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021. £14.95

Sutherland Chardonnay - Thelema Mountain Vineyards

Masterfully understated and nuanced on the nose, with citrus and greengage, sesame oil, flint and a suggestion of oak. Fresh and zesty in the mouth, with a richness that gradually builds on the palate. This is great to drink now, and it will gain further roundness and complexity over the next 3-5 years. Fantastic!£14.40

Côtes du Rhône 'Élément Terra’- Maison Sinnae

What! A French red award-winning medalist for under a tenner? This bright and elegant red from the southern Rhône, offering a perfume of herb- and pepper-tinged cherries and a mouthful of strawberry fruit. Very easy-drinking, with soft tannins. £9.95

Côtes de Provence 'Symphonie’- Château Sainte Marguerite

This stunner from Château Sainte Marguerite is one of the ultimate expressions of this famous region's rosé wines. Finesse, elegance and aromatic pleasure and the most delicate taste on the palate. Comes in a rather stylish shaped bottle to boot... This could easily be the best rosé in the world. £25

Pinot Grigio DOC - Colterenzio

Forget the mass market Southern Italian Pinot Grigio, this cooler Alto Adige wine is what proper Pinot Grigio should taste like. Sourced from the foothills of the Dolomites, it is full bodied with a lightly floral bouquet, notes of lime, melon and pineapple with a rich, fabulous finish. Superb! £14.95

Explore these and a many more award-winning wines on sale at The Great Wine Co.

Good wine deserves to be cared for and a decanter is the best way to avoid sediment and allow the wine to breathe. 

This Georg Jensen carafe not only looks beautiful, with its natural organic shape, but it is designed specifically with a wine connoisseur’s needs in mind. 

The shape of the decanter helps aeration, highlighting the wine’s bouquet and the deep dimple in the base allows easier serving. Good looking and practical, this is the perfect gift for a wine lover.

Swedish-born designer Thomas Sandell has a multi-disciplinary approach to his work, bringing together product design, interiors and even advertising. 

His work is always elegant but involves painstaking research into the practicalities and requirements of each piece.

The decanter is made from glass with a stopper in polished stainless steel and silicone. £125

Available from Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AP
; mallory-jewellers.com

Maison Francis Kurkdjian, À La Rose eau de parfum, 70ml, £180

A tribute to femininity, Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s À La Rose is a crisp fragrance, rich in rose, and deeply evocative.

The Sparkes Brothers, directed by Edgar Wright

How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron and Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favourite band's favourite band. 

Directed by Edgar Wright, this wonderfully entertaining film mixes documentary, animation, original footage and commentary from the brothers as well as interviews from many celebrities they inspired.

The Sparks Brothers is on at the Watershed. Book tickets by clicking here.

Our Lives: Life On The High Wire

A new BBC documentary is to show the daredevil grit and determination of one of Britain’s top high wire walkers.

The observational BBC documentary series Our Lives features Chris Bullzini from Evercreech in Somerset, who is one of Britain’s top high wire artists.

The film reveals why he is prepared to risk his life to perform, and just what it takes to walk the wire with no safety net.

After running away and joining the circus as a teenager, Chris turned his love of street performance into a hugely successful career resulting in high demand for him, right across the world. Since the summer of 2019, BBC cameras have followed Chris as he faces what could be his greatest ever challenge.

The documentary takes viewers up on the wire as he stages an astounding 230-metre tightrope walk, 20 metres over Norwich city centre. But as the pandemic hits, his future as a high wire performer hangs in the balance, as all his acts are cancelled. With a daughter to raise, bills to pay and his wire walking career at stake, Chris is determined to keep pushing the limits and find new ways to perform, as cameras follow his journey right through to 2021.

With his life and livelihood literally up in the air, walking the tight rope high above towns and cities with no safety net or harness makes him feel alive, but with no crowds allowed to see him, could this be a challenge too far?

This documentary reveals what it takes to be a high wire walker, risking life and limb for the ultimate performance art.

Our Lives: Life On The High Wire, directed by Dave Lowder and produced by Eye Film and TV for BBC One, airs on Wednesday 11 August at 7.30pm.

Welcome to Bristol, Coppa Club

Coppa Clifton Village has breathed new life into a giant Regent Street restaurant space and opened its doors to the Bristol public, offering an all-day destination aiming to provide a home-from-home experience.

With a bar, restaurant, workspace, snug and café, Coppa lends itself to all the occasions and daily needs. It provides a flexible space which can be used to meet, eat, drink, or relax; a private members club experience but without the membership fees.

Its all-day menu focuses on uncomplicated dishes, from small plates to main courses, healthy salads and a weekend brunch. It offers a carefully curated drinks menu, including Bristolian favourites, such as 6 O'clock Gin cocktails.

Keen to stay in the know? Sign up to their newsletter via the Coppa Club website to be the first to hear about offers, events and updates.

coppaclub.co.uk

All the city's a stage

Bristol Shakespeare Festival is bringing its Shakespearean summer spectacular to a venue near you. With a line-up for August that includes His & Hers Theatre Company's Marcus Antonius, Quantum Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Three Inch Fools' Romeo and Juliet, Quandary Collective's Richard II and its very own King Lear: The Musical, you can watch a traditional performance or a brand new take on Shakespeare's work.

There's a range of indoor and outdoor performances at venues including Brandon Hill Bowling Green, Almondsbury Creative, Loco Klub and Eastville Park Swimming Pool. Take advantage of the carefully curated line-up to find your new favourite show to share with family and friends.

To view the full line-up and book tickets, go to bristolshakespearefestival.org.uk

To the oche! A new darts joint swings open its doors

Flight Club has expanded into the South West with the opening of its Bristol venue. The new Corn Street space has a total guest capacity of 200 and seven oches (darts playing areas), as well as a feature bar with tables for drinks and food. Ideal for a spontaneous night out, eh?

Located in the heart of Old City's hospitality scene, Flight Club Bristol adds another layer to the vibrant nightlife that already exists in the area. 

The interior couples the nostalgia and warmth of a British pub with the energy and excitement of a fairground, and Flight Club's supercharged version of the traditional sport involves a series of multiplayer games using patented dart-tracking technology designed by Flight Club's very own astrophysicist. 

Tournament tech can connect up to 120 players within the venue. Instant scoring eliminates any need for counting and reimagines matches into fast-paced, exciting social experiences.

For those who aren't after a game, the brunch menu is a bit of a bullseye. Like the sound of bottomless pizza and a bottle of prosecco each? Then Flight Club's Brunch Social, which runs Thursday to Sunday (12pm-2pm and 2.30pm-4.30pm), is for you. 

For the best experience, it's recommended that you book a 90-minute slot for a game (£10 per person). 

Bookings are now open at the Bristol branch. Oches at Flight Club's established venues are regularly reserved up to three months in advance so be sure to book if you're planning to try your hand at the game.

flightclubdarts.com/bristol

Fancy a pleasant trip outside of the city for some food and music?

The Trowbridge Craft Beer and Cider Festival will be held at Innox Mills from 27 – 30 August, featuring up to 60 regional beers and ciders, plus street food and live music.

DeCanter Mobile bar will be providing a range of different alcoholic drinks including gins and wines, plus a selection of soft drinks to make sure no one is left thirsty. 

Set against the backdrop of the historic buildings at Innox Mills, the festival will be hosted within the courtyard, set to become the Innox Quarter once development has been completed.

A strictly over-18s event, there will be eight sessions across four days over the bank holiday weekend. The earlier sessions will run each day from 11.30am – 4pm, with the later sessions running from 6pm – 10.30pm. Tickets cost £12.50, including two beer tokens.

trowbridgebeerfest.co.uk

The Downs Preparatory School: National Garden Scheme

High on a hill, nestling in the beautiful North Somerset countryside, is The Downs School, a Grade II listed mansion formerly part of the Tyntesfield estate (now National Trust). The Downs enjoys a wonderful setting – a mix of formal gardens and woodland all set against a spectacular backdrop of 65 acres of ancient parkland – and is now warmly welcoming visitors.

Head gardener Jamie Capern, who joined the school from Tyntesfield in 2018, is responsible for keeping the beautiful gardens looking immaculate all year. A passionate horticulturalist, Jamie has an eye for detail and a passion for development.

“Summer really is the perfect time to discover the gardens, whether you’re into country acres, bee-friendly meadows, stumpery, ponds or prefer more formal spaces such as our medicinal bed, and ornate annual bedding displays.

"The garden is a classroom in itself. We appreciate the difference that spending time outside, among nature, makes to our pupils’ lives, and understand that connecting with nature contributes to wellbeing and improved mental health. The events of the last 12 months have meant that our beautiful landscape has never been more cherished."

The Downs is delighted to have joined the NGS and be part of a wonderful like-minded community of fellow garden owners, helping to raise money for some great charities.

Doors open 6 & 7 August 10am – 4pm.

ngs.org.uk

Admission: £6 per adult, free for children
Refreshments available

Cookware by SMEG

SMEG has introduced its first cookware collection designed in the Milan studio @deepdesign by Raffaella Mangiarotti and Matteo Bazzicalupo and entirely made in Italy.

The range is intended for healthy and diversified cooking. The non-stick coating on all cookware allows for a reduction in the amount of oils and greases used, and the range consists of models suitable for all types of cooking, with various sizes.

There are three new frying pans (24, 26 or 28cm in diameter), two casserole dishes (24 or 26cm diameter), a shallow casserole pan (28cm diameter) and a wok (30cm diameter) available in various colours.