The Bristol Bag*

[post contains gifted item]
Having lived (admittedly just outside) in Bristol for almost 32 years, I have a lot of love for my buzzing, creative and quirky city. I also love supporting both local and less local small business, so when I was contacted about Paper Bag Co, a company based in Wiltshire who specialise in eco friendly bags, who in collaboration with Overt Design in Bradford-on-Avon have released a range of local, eco-friendly bags I was keen to get on board.

Dress: Monki at ASOS (bargain!) | Tee: Topshop | Bag gifted

A quick diversion away from the bag to say what a bargain this dress was- £8 in the ASOS sale and still available in many sizes. I’d had my eye on this for full price so happily broke my shopping ban to make the purchase!

Back to the bag though, how stunning is that design? It’s the most perfect size for daily use. I can carry all of my work paraphernalia around with me, and it holds a heck of a lot of shopping- I’ve not purchased a single plastic bag on my weekend grocery shops since it arrived which is nothing short of a miracle.

I’ve had so many comments about this bag There are several bags in the range of local designs; Bath, Bristol, Frome, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge.

If you want to buy a bag you can contact Paper Bag Co through their website or give them a call on 01373 825 834.

If you could have your favourite town or city printed on to a bag where would you pick?

What to do in Bristol this Summer*

One of the numerous things I love about living in Bristol is that there is always something going on. Banish the thought of ever being bored- a quick search will reveal something going on pretty much 24/7, with a vast array of events for all ages, tastes and budgets. Here you’ll find just a small selection of what’s going on over the Summer months with my top picks – I’ll be trying to get to as many of these as I can, let me know if I might bump in to you, too.

Photo by Nathan Riley on Unsplash

26th June- Grease: A 40th Anniversary Special

Fans of Grease won’t want to miss this one! The Redgrave Theatre at Clifton College are putting on a special screening to make the musical’s 40th Anniversary which promises to be an all singing, all dancing affair. Tickets cost £16.00 and are on sale now.

1st July-28th July- Bristol Shakespeare Festival

Throughout the month of July Shakespeare fans can attend performances and events at unusual locations throughout Bristol. I’ve been to a couple of these in the past and they are great! For a full schedule check out the website.

2nd July- 2nd September: Gromit Unleashed 2

The Gromit Unleashed trail is back for a second round, this time featuring two new characters in the form of Wallace and Feathers McGraw. Whether you do the entire trail, or snap a few selfies as you happen across the characters this is one of my favourite Bristol events and supports The Grand Appeal raising funds for Bristol Children’s Hospital.

20th July- 22nd July- Bristol Harbour Festival

This is an event I’ve been to many a time and always enjoy. It’s a annual, free harbour side celebration of music and arts where you can watch local talent, eat local food and get drunk on local booze. For full listings head to the website, sadly I can’t go this year but if you do, it won’t disappoint.

28th July- 30th July- Upfest

Bristol is famous for it’s plethora of graffiti and Upfest, now in it’s 10th year takes over the streets of Bedminster to showcase the best of the world’s artists. You can get a taste of previous artists and offerings here, but really this is one you have to experience for yourself.

9th August- 12th August- Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Arguably the most famous Summer event in Bristol, the International Balloon Fiesta is a free event that takes place at Ashton Court (just outside of the city). With Balloons from all over the world taking part in spectacular displays- from the early morning ascents to the amazing night glows (all weather permitting) this is a four day event that never gets old.

Let me know if you’re planning to head to any of these, or if I’m missing any other top events in this round up- I’m always up for a new discovery or six.

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Bristol Life: The Downs Festival 2017

I might not be a festival goer in the traditional sense of the world. It’s a long time since I packed up my tent and headed away for a weekend- mostly due to cost more than anything else, but I love music and a good gathering so I decided that this year would be the year I head to Bristols very own festival- Downs Festival, taking place on Saturday 2nd September from 13:00 – 23:00. Having missed out on a cracking line up last year, I was keen not to be feeling left out this year.
These images are from last years event at which Massive Attack headlined. This year the all day event has Elbow as it’s headline act (the selling point for me!) as well as Seasick Steve (also a big fan), Soul II Soul, The Districts and De La Soul joining them on the main stage.

The second stage will play host to Groove Armada with a show-stopping DJ set that I can’t wait to experience.

Last year’s festival was the first major music event hosted on Bristols Downs for 27 years and proved that Bristol has what it takes (of course) to host something on this scale. This year it returns with more live music, more bars and more independent food stalls.

‘The Information’ stage will also return, offering a dedicated area for guest speakers, question and answer sessions, film screenings, photography and charity representatives. More information on this will follow shortly.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £45. Last year the event sold out incredibly quick so you’ll want to be acting fast.

All online ticket sales will be subject to a £1 donation with funds going directly to the upkeep and maintenance of The Downs, for all of Bristol to enjoy.

There will be a limited number of reduced price tickets at £25 available to anyone unemployed or on income support. These tickets are only available in person from Bristol Ticket Shop and supporting documentation and ID will be required. Children under 4 are free (though must be wearing adequate hearing protection) and a limited number of tickets for children aged 4- 12 years will be available at all outlets for £10 per ticket. All under 16’s need accompanying by an adult.

Tickets are restricted to six tickets per person/per billing address. Please note that in order to protect our audience from ticket touts we are putting in measures to help eliminate them. The lead booker will need to attend the event (or nominate a 3rd party at the point of purchase) with their guests and will need to show photo ID in order to enter the concert arena.

Tickets are available from the following outlets: The Downs Bristol, Bristol Ticket Shop, Songkick, Seetickets and Gigantic

Have you been to any festivals this year? Who would be your dream headline act?

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Bristol Life: Grandaddy at The Colston Hall

It feels like ages since I last went to a gig- it’s something I fell out of love with as I found it more stressful than pleasurable. Social anxiety means crowds can be a nightmare so often it’s easier to just miss out, however when I was given the opportunity to go and see one of my favourite bands at The Colston Hall last Friday I knew I needed to push myself and go.

The band in question was Grandaddy, an indie rock band from Modesto, California who formed way back in 1992. I was introduced to them four years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since my first listen- fronted by Jason Lytle (who has also released some excellent solo work) I find the combination of clever lyrics and eclectic beats strangely soothing/ an. They push boundaries which lifts their sound to the next level- I’d love to be inside the mind of the band, creative genius in my opinion. They split as a group in 2006 but re-formed in 2012 and it’s their later releases that have impressed me the most, their new album “Last Place” especially.

I’d heard they were good live and had high hopes for the gig. I find can be a double edged sword- going in to something unknown with high expectations can often be a set up for disappointment but I’m delighted to report that this wasn’t the case and the band (despite a last minute crisis) exceeded expectations.

Their set lasted just over an hour and was a mix of their latest work and some old favourites. Lytle has a somewhat aloof stage presence and yet still manages to work the room. His voice, live, somehow manages to sound exactly like it does on the records (and this is often where I find live performances fall short) and the band clearly have good chemistry as the banter flowed between songs. They have an almost mesmerising manner about them and the set passed by in the blink of an eye leaving me wanting more and more- I could have watched them perform for hours on end.

If you’re a fan of the band and have yet to see them live then please, do, I can promise you’ll love it. I really hope that Grandaddy continue as a band and bring us albums for years to come. Like good wine they really do get better with age and I would jump at the chance to see them again.
A big thank you to The Colston Hall for making this possible, Bristol may not have any big music arenas but when you have a venue like this you really don’t mind that much! I’ll leave you with one of my favourite tracks from the band- let me know if you’re a fan and what your favourite track is.

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Re-discovering Debenhams*

During a shopping trip in to Broadmead with my mum recently we were musing over how before Cabot Circus was opened nine years ago the highlight of any retail therapy spree was undoubtedly Debenhams. Back then it was this huge, glamorous department store that we could spend hours in. We often did actually, starting with the beauty counters at the bottom and working our way up to the children’s department at the top, along with a pit stop in the restaurant. These days we often neglect to pay it a visit, tending to stick to the Cabot Circus end of the shopping area but every now and again we venture in- lured by a window display or special offer and wonder why we don’t make our visits more regular.

Not only does Debenhams stock it’s own in house brands (Red Herring was a frequent label seen in my adolescent wardrobe) there are also concessions galore- the likes of Oasis, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins. Add in to this the many designer collaborations such as H! by Henry Holland and the well stocked beauty hall with all of our favourite brands under one roof as well as the extensive range of homewares (again in-house brands, designers and well known brands alike) and you realise you really do have it all in one place.

Of course then there are the promotions, regular discount events in store and online (and often discount codes on top of that such as those found at https://www.discountpromocodes.co.uk/debenhams). I really do need to stop neglecting the shop so much and make a conscious effort to give it more custom. It’s one of the longer surviving shops on the Great British High Street, so with it fresh in my mind I’ve popped together a wish list or two to remind myself- and my readers what there is on offer.

Beauty wise I could have gone on forever as there are so many amazing looking products out there at the moment. The Urban Decay Moondust palette is a long standing fixture on my wish list, joined now by these two sets from the KVD x Toofaced sets that I’ve seen popping up on beauty blogs lately and am totally smitten with. It’s been a while since I fancied a new perfume and whilst I have no idea what it smells like (a reason to visit Debenhams next time I’m passing) I love the bottle for Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Kiss- he always produces the most beautiful packaging.
Fashion wise I am diggin’ the embroidery trend right now so this dress by Red Herring and the trainers from the Nine by Savannah Miller collection were both immediate additions to my wish list. I’m also having a backpack revival right now and this H! By Henry Holland metallic number caught my eye instantly. Lastly I’ve already made mention of my desire for a leather jacket and whilst my budget definitely doesn’t stretch to the real deal this Miss Selfridge biker style jacket is currently 30% off and a steal at just £34.30.
Whilst I was browsing I couldn’t resist putting together a little homewares wish list too (I’m seeing it as a mood board of sorts for when I move out again). It’s unashamedly girly and had to feature my dream kitchen gadget on there even if I might not get to own one for a good few years- or decades yet.
I’m feeling some serious love and a sense of nostalgia for Debenhams right now, do any shops provoke that kind of reaction for you?

Dear Debenhams, humble department store and icon of my youth, I do promise to stop neglecting you from here on out…am I forgiven?

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