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Plus, a delicious recipe and healthy snack bars to get you through Veganuary |
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A specially curated guide to help you enjoy the next 48 hours (or more) in Bath
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Stock up for the cold snap |
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The Essentials Mixed Six section is the six bottle case from the Great Wine Co. There are three whites and three reds to pull out of the rack for everyday drinking enjoyment; fresh, vibrant whites and soft, rounded reds:
2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Whakapapa
2019 Leduc Chardonnay, IGP Pays d'Oc
2018 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie V V, Château du Poyet
2019 Carmenere Reserva, Vinamar
2017 Les Granges de Félines Rouge, IGP Hérault, Domaine de Belle Mare
2019 PE Tinto, Herdade do Esporao
The box is priced at £42.50 but remember that the Great Wine Co does free deliveries on all orders over £50… so browse their website and add a few more for even better value.
Click here to order: The Great Wine Co
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BATH UNLIMITED | INVEST IN BATH
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Bath Unlimited has launched a new campaign highlighting the achievements of more of the area's dynamic, successful, world-class companies and their talented employees.
The '21 for 2021' campaign showcases 21 leading local firms which are experts in their sector from tech and innovation to defence, engineering and the built environment.
Bath Unlimited's website initially featured profiles of 17 local companies now as part of the '21 for 2021' campaign its celebrating the achievements of four additional local firms.
The new additions are:
Actual Experience – provide insight via data and analytics for firms looking to improve the experience of their employees and customers when using their IT systems, focussing on what's important: employee wellbeing, business efficiency and brand perception. Perfect for working from home and online transactions in the "new normal" world.
Complete Control – is a leading children's interactive production company creating imaginative, innovative and playful digital experiences for the younger generation. For more than 20 years they have been creating apps, games, websites, and television and have been awarded two BAFTAs for their interactive work across entertainment and education They involve children at every stage of development so they can test, tweak and improve, in line with what they say.
Mayden – creates digital technology that supports healthcare providers to securely manage their clinical records and unlock valuable data insights to improve their service efficiency and outcomes. They design and build insightful cloud-based systems to support healthcare services in providing high-quality, comprehensive and consistent care, securely storing the clinical records of more than three million patients.
Storm – the digital technology agency that created the Bath Digital Festival. The company also co-founded CiteAb, the world's largest life science data provider, saving the life science industry an estimated $1 billion a year and saving countless lives in the process. At the beginning of 2020 Storm launched the Co-forest project, which aims to bring together like-minded individuals and organisations to purchase and protect land, before planting trees to sequester carbon.
Bath Unlimited is a collaboration between Bath & North East Somerset Council, Royds Withy King, Mytton Williams and the University of Bath.
We recently spoke to Kevin Peake, director of marketing and business development at Royds Withy King, and the brains behind the Bath Unlimited project.
Enjoy an 11 minute read here
Image: Bob Mytton, partner and creative director at Mytton Williams and Kevin Peake
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EXPLORE | VICTORIA ART GALLERY
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Victoria Art Gallery has been working hard behind the scenes to film a new series of their ongoing project, Top Ten Treasures. Hosted by Gallery Manager, Jon Benington, and Museum Assistant, Jim Riseley, the short films explore some of the best-loved pieces of art on display. Running until 28 January, tune into the gallery’s YouTube channel and discover the most interesting pieces.
victoriagal.org.uk
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The Space with Midge Ure
Throughout January, Midge Ure will will be hosting ‘The Space’ on Scala Radio. From 10pm, join him for some eclectic, ambient music that is guaranteed to whisk you away from our current reality.
In our Summer Edition last year, Melissa Blease caught up with Midge to chat about his experience of lockdown and why he’s missing touring, but loving spending more time with his family.
Enjoy a seven minute read here
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WINTER FARE | RATATOUILLE
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Recipe by Melissa Blease |
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Classic ratatouille |
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This luxurious taste of Mediterranean sunshine is laden with vitamins, minerals and fibre, and is perfect served on top of a bed of rice or a jacket potato, accompanied by crusty bread, tumbled through pasta and topped with feta cheese, as a side order to grilled fish/roast chicken – or as a stand-alone superstar in its own right. It happily keeps well in the fridge for up to two days and can also be frozen, so batch cooking is highly recommended.
Ingredients (serves 2–3 as a main course, 4 as a side dish) 2 large red onions 2 large aubergines 2 large courgettes 2 red peppers 2 yellow peppers 6–8 large, ripe tomatoes (preferably plum) 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar 1 tbsp tomato puree 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp dried oregano Pinch of dried chilli flakes Olive oil, for frying
Method 1. Chop the onions, aubergines, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes into similarly sized large dice, but keep them in separate piles.
2. Heat approx. 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and sauté the aubergines until soft (around 5 minutes.) Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set to one side. Add a splash more oil to the pan (the aubergines may have absorbed quite a lot) and again, sauté for around five minutes until soft. Remove the peppers from the pan and set to one side. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until translucent (again, around 5 minutes.)
3. Add the crushed garlic and chilli flakes to the onions and cook for a further minute or so before adding the tomato purée, sugar and vinegar. Bubble and stir together for one minute before adding the tomatoes and introducing the rest of the vegetables back to the pan. Stir well, season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper and bring the mixture to boiling point before turning the heat right down. Simmer for at least 40 minutes (stirring occasionally, and adding the odd splash of boiling water if necessary) until the vegetables have almost melted into each other but still retain their shape.
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RICHARD WYATT DEBATES | THE DRAMAS OF BATH
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Do you recognise those railings from Bridgerton? |
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Bath – like the rest of Britain – is in lockdown with the more mature amongst us now waiting, with rolled-up sleeves, ready for that game-changing vaccine we hope will turn the tables on Covid 19.
Re-entering the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel comes with responsibilities. We’ve got to kick-start the local economy, create jobs for those who have lost theirs and breath new life into our tourist trade. It’s too early to see much return on our overseas visitors but there’s still plenty of ‘islanders’ who could be tempted back to Bath.
Despite the problems of the pandemic, the film and TV industry has steadily been helping to entice them here too. Who needs a studio-based film set when you have the World Heritage architectural glories of a Georgian city like Bath?
Netflix’s colourful and rather racy period drama Bridgerton is a good example of how to globally market the city. Already this Regency-based romp with a contemporary twist is the company’s number one hit in 76 countries worldwide. Many of its scenes were filmed in some of Bath’s best known locations and fans (not the ones frequently fluttering in the series) will want to come see for themselves.
Meanwhile ITV has completed filming on the second series of McDonald and Dodds, an unlikely pairing of crime investigators, which is based in Bath and elsewhere in the west country. More publicity for our city and more exposure for its architectural and green landscaped delights. It's a positive by-product of lockdown and hopefully a means of attracting more people to come visit us when the viral all-clear is sounded.
Of course, Bath has long attracted directors and producers eager to take advantage of the city’s natural and man-made scenery. Movies like Vanity Fair and The Duchess both graced our streets, as did more recently the award-winning film version of Les Miserables where Pulteney Bridge and weir stood in for 19th-century Paris. It’s the scene where police inspector Javert – played bu Russell Crowe – takes his own life plunging into the cold waters of the Seine, aka the River Avon.
Mr Crowe stayed dry with a couple of dummy stand-ins being used in his place. Apparently the film company warned local police about expecting calls from people spotting a ‘body’ in the river. To my knowledge no one did. Where are those dummies now?
bathnewseum.com
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SPRING PACKAGES AWAIT | A POST LOCKDOWN BREAK
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If you're dreaming of a restorative post-lockdown getaway, The Watersmeet Hotel in Woolacombe has a couple of tempting spring packages which are perfect for walkers, surfers (wet suits essential!) and spa-lovers alike. The Watersmeet is a four star hotel on the waters edge with an indoor and outdoor pool and spa. There are two restaurants; a bistro and a fine dining option both with stunning views to the sea. Current special offers include a three night break for £585 (Sun to Wed) which includes breakfast, staying in a deluxe sea view room. The two night Winter Indulgence Break for £600 includes a three course dinner, staying in a deluxe sea view room, bottle of fizz and Devon cream tea.
watersmeethotel.co.uk
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LOCAL CHARITY | WORKING HARD
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Food charity continues to provide free meals |
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FoodCycle, the charity that fights food poverty and loneliness will continue to provide free meals to people in need across Bath, Bristol Barton Hill, Bristol Easton and Exeter during the current national lockdown.
As a vital service providing food and conversation to thousands of people every week across the country, FoodCycle projects can legally operate. As with other takeaway services and with additional COVID-19 policies and procedures already in place, under the new rules, they can continue to provide much-needed food to local communities.
At the beginning of the year, FoodCycle CEO Mary McGrath was also awarded an MBE for her services to the country in the New Years Honours List 2021. The appointment to Member of the Order of the British Empire marks a career working tirelessly to fight food poverty, social isolation and food waste through her work with national charities including FoodCycle, FareShare and Grocery Aid.
Discover more about FoodCycle here
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MAKE FOUR | HEALTHY SNACK BARS
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No bake energy bars
Vegetarian; easily adapted to vegan or gluten-free.
Line an 8 x 8 inch brownie tin with greaseproof paper. Blend 220g dates in a food processor for around 1 minute until well chopped and slightly sticky. Tip the dates into a bowl with 135g rolled oats (toasted if you prefer a nutty flavour) and 115g chopped, roasted, unsalted almonds. In a small pan over a medium heat, gently warm 85g maple syrup, runny honey or agave nectar with 75g nut butter of your choice (peanut, almond or cashew all work well). Pour the warm mixture over the dates, oats and almonds, stir well to combine all the ingredients together and transfer to the brownie tin. Flatten the mixture well and allow to firm up in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before slicing into 9 squares. The bars can be kept in an airtight tin for up to four days.
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Chocolate Chia Pudding
Vegan and gluten free
Whisk 400ml unsweetened almond or hazelnut milk with 60g chia seeds, 3 tbsp cacao powder (or 2 tbsp), 2 tbsp maple syrup (or agave nectar), ½ tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Cover with cling film and allow to thicken for at least four hours in the fridge before serving in individual bowls accompanied by fresh or frozen berries.
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Fruit-laden Breakfast Muffins
Vegetarian
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas mark 6 and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin. Sift 225g self-raising flour into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly beat 2 large eggs with 50g melted butter, 175ml skimmed milk and 100ml runny honey. Add the wet mixture to the flour along with 140g fresh blueberries, 140g sultanas, 140g chopped dried apricots, 80g dried cranberries, the zest of 1 orange and 1 tsp cinnamon. Stir to combine, spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and bake for 20–25 minutes until well risen and pale golden on top. Allow to cool slightly in tin before turning out. The muffins can be kept in an airtight tin for up to two days or frozen for up to one month.
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Instant Frozen Berry 'Ice Cream'
Vegetarian
Blend 250g frozen mixed berries with 250g 0% fat Greek yogurt (or a vegan alternative) and 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar in a food processor for around 20–30 seconds until smooth and creamy – et voila! The 'ice cream' can be stored in the freezer for up to three weeks. Easily adapted to vegan.
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THE KIOSK | MAGAZINE MOMENTS
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Curated by Daniel McCabe – Magalleria
The Analog Sea Review is a US/German literary journal and offline project aimed at helping us maintain a contemplative life in the digital age. There's obviously plenty to contemplate right now and if you'd like to tune daily media noise out of your senses this pocket-sized and beautifully fashioned annual collection of poetry, essays, fiction, art and illustration is just the thing to reach for. But it's not just a tool – the publisher wants to create 'incredible books that are beautiful aesthetic objects'. Theoretically biannual, it made its single 2020 appearance just three days before Christmas because Covid issues delayed access to the very special paper it's created from. As expected, this third volume is another little marvel.
£14.99; magalleria.co.uk
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GREAT READS | FROM THE ARCHIVES
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An update from The Bath Magazine
Following the announcement of the latest lockdown, and wishing to abide by the guidelines, we have decided to postpone publication of our January issue.
In view of the increased risks and concerns, we feel that it is not appropriate to deliver magazines door-to-door. We hope to resume publishing soon.
In the meantime, if you fancy catching-up on some great reads that you may have missed, there's an often overlooked link on our website, which will take you to a wondrous digital bookshelf of The Bath Magazine's back issues. Explore and enjoy. It'll help keep you off Netflix.
Delve into the bookshelf here
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BEAUTY | SUSTAINABLE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
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Elevate lipstick to a new level of luxury
Hourglass' ultra slim refillable lipstick delivers saturated, long-wearing colour with a satin finish. Featuring the ultimate luxury lip accessory, the sleek gold applicator is designed to be used interchangeably with the entire collection of Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick Refills.
Shade "My Icon Is" was the winner of Allure's Best of Beauty Award for the "best cool red lipstick" in 2018.
The ultra slim lipstick was also the winner of Refinery29's 2019 Beauty Innovator Awards
hourglasscosmetics.com
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ON THE BOOKSHELF | A GRIPPING READ
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Call Sign Chopper by Chris Nott
“From street copper to bouncer to bodyguard for the President of Haiti”, reads the front cover of Chris Nott's memoir, Call Sign Chopper. Packed with relentless action, his debut book proves Nott has unquestionably lived an extraordinary life. In it, he relives his experiences of his youth, growing up in Bath, working as a police officer and bouncer in Bristol and eventually a bodyguard in the Caribbean. His journey of tremendous courage is remembered with almost palpable, vivid colour.
This month, we caught up with Nott to discover more about his life, his work and how remembering the days of his youth was a cathartic experience during a year that forced the world to slow down.
Enjoy a four minute read here
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ON THE BOX | AN OSCAR CONTENDER
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The Crown's Vanessa Kirby, who portrayed Princess Margaret in its first two seasons, now stars in this heart-stopping drama alongside Shia LaBeouf.
A heartbreaking home birth leaves a woman grappling with the profound emotional fallout, isolated from her partner and family by a chasm of grief.
Directed by Kornél Mundruczó, Pieces of a Woman is set to be a potential Oscar-contender, with Kirby already scooping up the award for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
Watch it on Netflix now
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BRLSI's online event: women in science
This talk will cover the life of Mary Anning and her family at Lyme Regis. It will also include the major fossil finds that made Mary famous and her interactions with the famous scientists of her day who were interested in her fossil finds in the golden age of British Geology.
Mary was elected an honorary member of the Geological Society of London in 1848 although as a woman she was not eligible for full membership. Mary was elected a local hero of science by the Royal Society in 2009 and has been the inspiration for countless novels and children’s books – and in Lyme Regis Mary Anning Day was celebrated on 4 October 2009. Tickets cost £5 for visitors and £2 for members and students. 7.30pm on 11 January.
brlsi.org
Image credit: Mary Anning by Zooey, Creative Commons
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Perspectives on positivity |
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INTERIORS | SUMPTUOUS STYLE
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Super-handy footstools to guest beds |
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No one can predict how this year will be, but brill Brit furniture brand Loaf has some new guest bed options landing in store and online from February - So you can put up your friends and family in sumptuous style… or just bubble-buddies in the meantime.
The new Flip-Flop is a covered footstool with a handy single guest bed stashed inside £295. There’s also Slumberbox, a lengthier footstool with a foldout mattress £445. Both designs are made-to-order and can be upholstered in nearly all of Loaf’s fab fabrics.
Can’t wait until Feb? then browse the current collection at loaf.com
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PROPERTY OF THE WEEK | NEW TO THE MARKET
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A rare opportunity to acquire an impressive 5 bedroom bay fronted, semi-detached Victorian family home, with a pretty south west facing garden and a large double garage, located in the highly sought after Widcombe area of Bath.
11 The Tyning is presented in immaculate decorative order throughout and has recently had all the sash windows refurbished with the Ventrolla system along with a newly appointed shower room. The particularly generous and flexible space is arranged over 4 floors and offers ideal family accommodation.
On the ground floor there is an attractive formal drawing room with a handsome period fireplace, a study and formal dining room to the rear, both enjoying wonderful views and a guest cloakroom.
The elegant master bedroom on the first floor has a well-appointed en-suite bath and shower room along with plenty of bespoke built-in fitted wardrobes. There are 2 further double bedrooms to the rear, enjoying spectacular views and in addition a smart shower room.
The top floor accommodation has an open plan children’s sitting area, 2 further double bedrooms, a shower room and separate WC along with plenty of built in eave storage space.
From the dining room on the ground floor stairs lead down to the spacious kitchen/breakfast room which spans the width of the property with access on the sun terrace. Leading from the kitchen there is a separate utility room and wine store along with a fabulous cinema room. A key feature of this beautiful family home is the well-stocked south west facing garden. Significantly there is also a large double garage with electric doors and an off-street parking space.
This is a very special property and to fully appreciate it a viewing is recommended by sole agents Cobb Farr. Guide Price £1,650,000.
cobbfarr.com
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