A specially curated guide to help you enjoy the next 48 hours (or more) in Bath

GRAND REOPENING  |  AMERICAN MUSEUM & GARDENS

Just in time for Mother’s Day, the American Museum & Gardens will be reopening their gardens and children’s play area on 13 March. The garden café will also be open for takeaway and, most notably, all mums who visit the gardens on Mother's Day (14 March) will be entitled to a free cream tea!

With warmer days on the horizon, enjoy a day out in the fresh air and wonder through the museum’s spectacular grounds. Dogs on leads are welcome. All visitors will be asked to follow social distancing and the latest government advice. 

The museum and exhibition will remain closed but keep an eye on the museum’s website and social media for updates. 

americanmuseum.org

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS  |  A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

The first of its kind to be introduced outside of London, Bath’s Class C Clean Air Zone (CAZ) will come into being at midnight on 15 March. It will see high-emission vehicles, including taxis, private hire vehicles, minibuses, vans, buses, coaches and lorries incur charges for driving through certain areas of the city.

The zone is designed to help reduce Bath’s dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide, which make heart and lung conditions worse and, over the long-term, can reduce lung development in children. In the months leading up to the launch of the CAZ, however, both residents and businesses have celebrated its arrival and criticised its timing in equal measure. Small businesses and local independents have questioned the council’s decision to press ahead with the measures despite the year-long Covid-19 restrictions severely impacting business.

This month, we spoke to some of the city’s key voices who were able to shed light on how the CAZ will affect us, why it is so important that it is introduced now, and when we will all be able to breathe easy.

Read the full feature here

WEEKEND WINE  |  GREAT WINES UNDER A TENNER

Pedro Ximenez – Elki

This Chilean wine exhibits a delicious balance of peachy lusciousness with crispness and length, which allows it to be enjoyed with a variety of foods or on its own. A combination of constant sunshine with cool temperatures at the Elqui Valley leads to crisp texture and exciting, bright fruit character in the wines. Italian winemaker Giorgio Flessati recognised the potential for the Pisco grape, Pedro Ximenez, to make delicious wine, and this is the product of his vision. £7.95

Estate Malbec – Humberto Canale

This Argentinian wine has a very refined style, both on the nose and in the mouth. It is carefully aged in oak casks, giving it irresistible aromas and a long finish. Full bodied, with a complex structure and notes of red berries, spice and black pepper. After a year's bottle ageing, it becomes more unctuous, intense and concentrated. £9.95

Pinot Grigio – Le Vigne

Blended from top Italian vineyards including Cantarelle, next to Lake Garda. A terrific wine that is pale straw yellow in colour with a bright and flowery fragrance. Light, crisp and dry with a racy acidity that gives mouth-watering appeal. Offers good mid-palate balance with a clean finish. £7.95

Cabernet Sauvignon – Leduc

A dense, blackcurranty Cabernet Sauvignon from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. Medium bodied it’s wonderfully heady, with notes of violets and pepper and a farewell waft of spice. £7.95

Sparkling Extra Brut – Santa Ana

Santa Ana Brut has an intense green-yellow colour. This refreshing sparkling wine from Argentina has very fruity aromas such as apple and pineapple and a delicate 'sweet bread' aroma from the yeast. On the palate this wine has a delicate body with fresh stone fruit flavours and a long length. £8.95

For more great wines see the top 10 on offer at The Great Wine Co

COMING SOON  |  RADISH SEASON

We have been reliably informed by a PR consultant for the British Radish industry that the radish season is just around the corner!

It's all because the days are getting lighter, and the weather will be warming up – which means it’s nearly time for the British radish season to start. The season starts in April, making radish the first open-field salad crop to be harvested in Britain in the year.

Radishes are one of the fastest growing British crops and can be grown from seed to vegetable in as little as 25 days. They are well known for their peppery flavour, and fabulously colourful exterior. The largest proportion of the British radish crop is grown on farms in Norfolk, where the farmers have specialised in radish crops for over 30 years. Radishes don’t like too little or too much water which is why they are grown in the Norfolk Fens. A combination of low rainfall, and a light soil that retains the water, make for perfect growing conditions.

Radish realities: 

• The outside skin of radishes can be white, yellow, pink, red, purple, or black.

• About seven million tons of radishes are produced every year, roughly 2% of global vegetable production.

• Radishes are a very good source of vitamin C.

• Oaxaca, Mexico has an annual radish celebration in December where nativity scenes are carved from radishes.

PAST TREASURES  |  ANTIQUES ROADSHOW IN WELLS

The Bishop’s Palace in Wells will be hosting BBC Antiques Roadshow this year in their 44th series.

Fiona Bruce and the Roadshow team will be appraising everything from car boot bargains to treasured family possessions.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the team is asking members of the public who’d like to participate to share their stories online. The series will be filmed on a closed set with an invited audience only to ensure the safety of guests, production and the wider public.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend a recording session where they will share their items with a Roadshow expert who will be able to reveal more about the craftsmanship, history and provenance of each piece – as well as the all-important value.

Returning for her 14th year at the helm, Fiona Bruce acknowledges the team’s success at recording the show under challenging circumstances in 2020 and goes on to encourage people to apply to be a part of the programme in 2021:

“We were thrilled that we managed to make a series of the Antiques Roadshow last summer despite all the difficulties of filming during the pandemic. Hopefully things will be easier this summer though life may not yet be back to normal by the time we start filming. So if you have an item that you’d like to bring along to the Roadshow, do please get in touch with us beforehand." 

bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow

GET COOKING  |  SEDUCED BY A SICILIAN

Serves 4; vegetarian

Bold in flavour, simple to make and seductively moreish, Caponata – a classic Sicilian dish of stewed aubergines and tomatoes with a unique sweet and sour personality – is a joyful voyage of foodie discovery that, once navigated, will become a regular port of call on your travels around the “what's for supper?” menu.

The sweet/salty skirmish that the mix of capers, olives and raisins brings to the party provides the tantalising complexity that makes every forkful of Caponata pop with contrast, texture and deeply umami sorcery, while the silky aubergines and stewed tomatoes bring comfort and familiarity. The optional addition of a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts just before serving adds creamy crunch, while a handful of fresh herbs (basil works really well, but parsley is good too) adds further fresh-faced flavour uplift.

As to how – and when – to eat Caponata: it's a regular staple on breakfast, lunch, dinner and tapas menus across Sicily, enjoyed any time, any place, anywhere... and any how. Serve it warm, in pure and simple form, with rustic bread; tumble it through hot spaghetti and top with cubes of feta cheese; stir it into risotto; slather it on pizza bases; serve as a side dish to barbecued chicken or lamb; use it cold as a 'pickle' in sandwiches or alongside cheese and charcuterie. 

Ingredients (serves 4; vegetarian)

2 large aubergines, diced
2 large banana shallots (or 1 large onion), finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely sliced
2 large, ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1–2 tsp capers
1 generous tbsp raisins or golden sultanas
20 pitted green and black olives, chopped if large
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar         
Olive oil, for sautéing
Lightly toasted pine nuts; fresh basil or parsley, to serve

Method

1. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sauté the aubergines over a medium heat for around 20–25 minutes until silky soft. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set to one side.

2. Sauté the chopped shallots (or onion) and celery until translucent (you may need to add a little bit more olive oil). Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté slowly for around 8–10 minutes until soft and slightly mushy.

3. Return the aubergines to the pan with the capers, raisins or sultanas, sugar, and red wine vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer, adding a splash of boiling water to loosen if the mixture is a bit 'claggy.'

4. Allow to stew over a low heat for around 30–40 minutes until all the vegetables are soft but still hold their integrity.

The Caponata can be kept in a sealed tub in the fridge for up to 3–5 days.

OBJECTS OF DESIRE  |  OMEGA SEAMASTER 300 41mm

OMEGA first introduced the Seamaster 300 in 1957 – it was a watch designed especially for underwater divers. More than half a century later, the timepiece makes a welcome return in a completely upgraded and enhanced form, ready for a new generation of adventurers. This Seamaster 300 has a sand-blasted black dial with rhodium-plated hands coated with "vintage" Super-LumiNova. The polished ceramic bezel ring has a Liquidmetal™ diving scale. The 41 mm brushed and polished stainless steel case is presented on a matching bracelet. As well as a being a beautiful timepiece to enjoy, one of the mesmerising features is a transparent caseback making it possible to gaze into the anti-magnetic OMEGA Master Co-Axial calibre 8400 movement within. 

Click to explore the OMEGA collection and many more at: mallory-jewellers

BUSINESS  |  GREEN KNOW-HOW

ON THE BOX  |  A NETFLIX COMEDY

Always feeling like they have to say "no" to their kids, Allison and Carlos decide to give their three kids a "Yes Day," during which the kids have 24 hours to make the rules.

Starring Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramírez and Jenna Ortega, the playful cast makes this Netflix comedy one to watch.

Catch it on Netflix today

A FIRST LOOK  |  ONE TO WATCH

This week brought us the first look at director Ridley Scott's highly-anticipated film of the year, House of Gucci, which stars some of Hollywood's biggest names. The film follows the tumultuous life of Italian socialite Patrizia Reggiani and her marriage to Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci.

On Tuesday (9 March), Ridley's leading lady, Lady Gaga, took to Instagram to share a snap of herself dressed as Reggiani, clinging to her on-screen husband, played by Adam Driver. Both of whom are dressed in impeccable '90s knits. Her simple caption read: "Signore e Signora Gucci."

A quick fashion history recap: In 1972, Patrizia Reggiani, an Italian socialite, married Maurizio Gucci – the 20-something grandson of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci. Over the next 15 years, the couple had two daughters; fought (and won) a high-profile battle for control of the Gucci brand; and became a fixture in the Italian tabloids. Lady Gucci, as she became known, was famous for her extravagance. Perhaps her most notable comment: "I would rather weep in a Rolls-Royce than be happy on a bicycle."

Cut to the mid-'80s and Maurizio is found to be leaving his family for his younger lover, after claiming to be on a short business trip in Florence. A few years after his split with Reggiani, Maurizio sold the Gucci brand to Bahrain-based firm Investcorp for approximately £150 million – a move necessitated by his own failures at the helm of the company.

We jump again to 27 March 1995. A hitman fatally shot the 46-year-old Maurizio in his office lobby near Milan's fashion district – prompting an investigation into his murder that would take years to resolve (in spite of Reggiani being an immediate suspect). Ultimately, the Black Widow – as the press dubbed her – received a 26-year prison sentence for her role in the death (although she continues to maintain her innocence).

Today, Reggiani continues to reside in Milan, supported by an annual grant from Maurizio's estate, and is occasionally seen wandering around the city's upscale boutiques with her pet macaw, Bo, on her shoulder.

Filming is currently underway and its release date has been confirmed as 26 November 2021 for the UK. We'll keep you updated.

FASHION  |  FINISTERRE'S NEW SPRING COLLECTION

LET'S TALK  |  EATING EN PLEIN AIR

... and we're finally, it seems, seeing a light at the end of the long, dark, Covid-19 tunnel. Right now, we're allowed to meet someone outside of of our own household (friends: remember them?!) in an outside setting. From March 29, the circle widens again: up to six people (or two households) can meet up in a public space or private garden... yay, picnic parties are back!

To put it mildly, we've been through a lot this year. So, don't let complicated menus or transportation woes get in the way of your friends reunited celebrations; keep it simple with these super-easy, super-satisfying picnic dishes, made for sharing.

PREPARE FOUR  |  PICNIC SNACKS

RICHARD WYATT TALKS  |  MOTHER'S DAY

I came across a simple card the other day, decorated by a child’s hand and dedicated to his mum for Mothering Sunday. I must have been 4 or 5 years old when l sat down to picture her in a park over which the sun shone, birds flew and everything and everyone was ‘happy, happy.’

We all have or – as in my case – had a mum. Make sure you appreciate yours.

While we’re on the subject, it is Mothering Sunday or Mother’s Day? Well actually the former has nothing to do with mothers at all. It was a 16th-century religious event where on the fourth Sunday of Lent you would return to your 'mother church’ – the main church of cathedral of your region – for a special service. A pilgrimage known as ‘going a-mothering’ and which became something of a holiday event.

Meanwhile, what we know as Mother’s Day was invented by an American woman called Anna Jarvis in 1908 who wanted to honour her mother’s work as a peace activist during the American Civil War. It led to her wanting to begin an annual Mother’s Day for all to embrace. Not everyone thought it a good idea at first, with some officials jokingly saying it might lead to a Mother-in-Law’s Day. Ms Jarvis wasn’t put off and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson officially signed Mother’s Day into existence.

This side of the Atlantic, a revived Mothering Sunday soon became conflated with the new Mother’s Day idea and two became one.

Ironically, Anna Jarvis didn’t approve of the commercialisation of the new event, especially ready-made Mother’s Day cards. She is quoted as saying; "A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to a woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world."

My mother brought up four children and was there with love and care for grand and great grandchildren. I remember taking her to Paris one year for Mother’s Day. She did enjoy it – despite the expression!

Make sure you spoil yours.

bathnewseum.com

LOOKING BACK  |  VIEWS FROM THE PAST

By Andrew Swift

This photograph was taken in 1895, looking west from the bottom of Lyncombe Hill. St Mark’s Church, St Mark’s Road and the Temperance Hall still look much the same today, but over to the right the transformation has been total. Busy roads now run where Claverton Street once extended all the way to Skew Bridge. The 1895 Postal Directory records that the businesses along here included a bootmaker, a hairdresser and tobacconist, another tobacconist, two greengrocers, a coachman, an upholsteress, a builder, a day school, a milliner, a butcher, a carpenter, a gardener, and a fly proprietor (a fly being a two-wheeled light carriage). There were also four pubs – the Cooper’s Arms (closest to the camera), the Claverton Brewery, the Malakoff and the Lyncombe Brewery. Two of the pubs – the Cooper’s and the Claverton Brewery – survived until the early 1960s, along with a second-hand dealer, a tobacconist, a butcher and a grocer, but in 1965 the entire row was demolished to make way for Rossiter Road.

akemanpress.com

THE KIOSK  |  MAGAZINE MOMENTS

Curated by Daniel McCabe – Magalleria

Like the Wind is a quarterly non-profit magazine written by runners for runners. It’s not about the sport side of things, or sports events, sports gear or doing it right – it’s just runners' stories, explained by the magazine’s tag line: ‘It’s not How to Run, it’s Why We Run.’ So expect tales about community, loneliness, depression, euphoria and the like rather than running the best time or winning the race. The joggers on the cover of issue 27 are inmates in California’s San Quentin State Prison literally on the run, from the story ‘Around the Block’, underlining that this magazine is about running for everyone.

£9; magalleria.co.uk

OUR MARCH ISSUE  |  GREAT READING STARTS HERE

ON THE BOOKSHELF  |  MEMOIR AND POST-APOCALYPSE

LOOK OUT FOR... 

HOMES & GARDENS  |  AWARD-WINNING SPECIALISTS

INTERIORS  |  BRAND NEW DESIGNS

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK  |  HISTORY AND GLAMOUR

Built in 1792 and designed by Thomas Baldwin as part of the Pulteney estate. In 1802, Pitt House was home to the youngest British Prime Minister, William Pitt.

Today, this impressive double-fronted Georgian property has been extensively refurbished to create a luxurious five bedroom family residence over five floors. Many original features remain, including a superb cantilevered staircase, window shutters, decorative cornicing, exceptional ceiling heights, tall sash windows and period fireplaces. Decorated in soft, neutral shades throughout, all fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality: for example, there are double pile carpets and restored wooden floors, hand-built oak wardrobes in all bed-rooms, bespoke window seats (made by Aston Martin upholsterers), traditional brass handles, silk curtains, electric window blinds and French and Italian crystal chandeliers.

On the ground floor, a light, elegant hallway welcomes you; the staircases and hallways on all floors are bright and light, illuminated naturally from the skylight on the top floor. To the right, there’s a study (or cloakroom, if preferred) with an elegant fireplace and light sconces, ample built-in coat cupboards, and windows with views onto Laura Place and Great Pulteney Street.

Also on this floor, the bespoke kitchen, built by Clayton Davidson, has windows to the rear, stone worktops and a walnut island unit with curved banquet seating and a circular breakfast table. There are ample appliances, including 2 Miele ovens, 2 fridge freezes and 2 dishwashers as well as an integrated wine cooler, microwave and coffee machine, plus larder, spice drawers and display cupboards. The adjoining dining room is spacious enough for a 12-seater table.

On the first floor, the elegant living space is across two adjoining rooms with grand proportions - one to the front of the house, with tall windows, fireplace and a 75 inch TV; and the other with wonderful views of Bath’s famous weir, the Empire Hotel and Parade Gardens. Across the hall landing, there’s a second study (or bed-room).

Upstairs, the master suite occupies the whole of the second floor: there’s a bedroom, a luxe bathroom with a freestanding bath at its centre, a walk-in shower, two sinks and sealed wooden floors. A plush dressing room, complete with fitted wardrobes, backlit shelves, a dressing table and an island display unit completes the suite.

The third and fourth floors are home to three more sumptuous bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a conveniently placed and well equipped utility room with Miele washing and dryer machines, sink and fitted storage units.

The extensive refurbishment includes new electrics, boiler and heating system, eight TVs and Sonos speakers. A year’s membership of The Gainsborough Bath Spa and gym is also offered by the vendor. £3,500,000

On the market with Knight Frank in Bath, click here for more details and even more wonderful images.