A smoothie at The Bearpit

Making a smoothie is easy; making a good smoothie not that much. Today, I had the best smoothie I had in a very long time right at the Bearpit.

It was at the Bearpit Social, the only coffee-shop inside a shipping container. It started as a mobile coffee cart business before moving into this permanent location. They use as much fresh, local, ethical and organic ingredients as possible to create for example, the Mission Mango smoothie (£3.50) I had today. There is also coffee available, supplied by Bristol roaster Brian Wogan (Latte £2.40; Americano £1.80), Clipper Teas (£1.50-1.75) and many fresh juice options (£2-4).  If you'd like to have something else as a side, there are toasties, toasts and ciabattas from Joe's Bakery as well as salad boxes starting from £3.95).
www.facebook.com/BearpitSocial

On the left, there is Bearritos, an innovative Mexican Cantina serving tacos, tortas and (as its name suggests) burritos from a green vintage double-decker bus. The bus has been converted into a fully functioning kitchen downstairs, and there is a seating area upstairs for over 30 diners. The menu includes breakfasts, snacks and a range of street food lunch options. The project has been crowfunded by 209 last March, raising £8,060 for it to happen. www.bearritos.co.uk/

On the right, there is Bear Fruit greengrocer, offering a wide variety of fresh and local fruit and vegetables at very reasonable prices. It supports local farms and provides seasonal food to locals passing by the Bearpit. They offer a 5-a-day bag for £1 and the quality of the vegetables is very good. www.facebook.com/BearFruitBristol

After the facelift the Bearpit Roundabout have recently had, it is very nice to just sit down and enjoy the sun there with a smoothie (or coffee, or burrito) in hand. :)

Ghanaian style bracelet made by Sanbra @ Full Moon Market

This morning, out of curiosity, I stopped by the Full Moon Market. I always find a very talented artist selling her/his crafts and this time it was Sanbra.

Inspired by the Ghanaian culture, Sanbra mixes African styles and colours with European fashion. The beautiful orange bracelet I got today is a proof of that. My bracelet is made of genuine fabrics from Ghana (£10) and it has an adjustable chain to fit your wrist perfectly. I am very happy with my purchase! :)

Roberto and Daniele, the artists behind Sanbra, come from Itali and they also brought several colourful earrings (£7), bracelets (£10), shopper bags (£10), T-shirts (£15) and many more items to the Full Moon this morning. Just check it out below!

Picture "borrowed" from Sanbra's Facebook page

Although Sanbra's website is still under construction (www.sanbra.eu), the Facebook page is up and running (https://www.facebook.com/sanbraIT). If you like handmade jewellery as much as I do, you will surely love it!

Fancy a pint of science?

Why not combining a beer withwith hearing about the huge variety of research going on in Bristol? That's what researchers from the University of Bristol and UWE thought and they are converting pubs all over Bristol to an informal scientific chat-area where it is OK to have a pint in hand: Pint of Science.

Pubs such as Greenbank, Hophouse, Hen and Chicken, Rise/Friska, Full Moon and The Hole in the Wall are hosting a total of 18 events between 18-20 May 2015. Six sciences will be covered, from Robots in the "Rise of the Machines" event, to how we combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the "Bacteria: Friend or Foe" evening.

Events will not be average science lectures but scientific showcase in a more informal, relaxed and fun way. They are aiming at keeping events friendly and informal with demonstrations, quizzes, debates and Q&A where no scientific background will be necessary.

Events at Rise/Friska, Full Moon and The Hole in the Wall are sold out at the moment but there are still tickets for the rest of the events (check here).

MONDAY 18th May 2015

• Live and let die (The Greenbank)
• Extreme Earth (The Hophouse)
• Bacteria: friend or foe? (Hen and Chicken) - SOLD OUT -
• To infinity, and beyond (Rise/Friska) - SOLD OUT-
• Rise of the machines (Attic Bar, Full Moon) - SOLD OUT -
• Totally addicted (The hole in the wall) - SOLD OUT -

TUESDAY 19th May 2015

• Vice night: cigarettes and alcohol (The Greenbank)
• The really wild show (The Hophouse)
• The C Word (Hen and Chicken) - SOLD OUT -
• Small world, big future (Rise/Friska) - SOLD OUT - 
• Take it to the limit (Attic Bar, Full Moon) - SOLD OUT -
• Maladies of the mind (The hole in the wall) - SOLD OUT -

WEDNESDAY 20th May 2015

• Food for thought (The Greenbank)
• It's getting hot in here! (The Hophouse)
• Silent killers (Hen and Chicken)
• Dark matters (Rise/Friska) - SOLD OUT - 
• Can we levitate humans? (Attic Bar, Full Moon) - SOLD OUT -
• Dreams and reality (The hole in the wall) - SOLD OUT -

Talk to your friends and attend one of the events! Remember, there is no scientific background needed!

WEBSITE: www.pintofscience.co.uk

Best steaks at The Ox!

"If you are gonna spend 27 quid for a steak, you;d better be sure it is the best steak in the world"

When I read that on Twitter the other day, I instantly knew they were talking about The Ox, a very good steak restaurant in Bristol. Unless you know where the restaurant is, it is very likely that you'd miss it. It is hidden in the basement below The Commercial Rooms on Corn Street.

We chose The Ox for a celebration dinner. Just to make sure we'd get a table, we decided to book it in advance. All dressed up, we entered to a cosy bar area where you can grab a drink if your table is not ready or you are waiting for some friends to arrive. There was a formal but relaxed atmosphere in spite of the big group of friends that were having dinner at that moment. Our table was waiting for us in the other (and smaller) room, which I honestly preferred to the other busier room.

The decoration is quirky and it seems that a lot of thought had been put into it as a reminder of past times. I found the grape-shaped lamps very interesting and original. 

We were handed to menu but both of us had already decided that we would have a steak (although there are steak alternatives if you doesn't eat steak).

We ordered one small plate each, Steak Tartare (£7.50) and Pig's Head (£6.50), and some Leeks & Greens (£3.50) to share. We also had a 10.5oz Rib-Eye (£27) and 10.5oz Bavette d'Aloyau (£27). A glass of Rioja red wine and a Belgian beer... and some peanut butter, banana and salted caramel chocolate ice as a dessert.

The food was just fabulous. Starters were very nice, specially the Steak Tartare, and the meat was perfectly cooked, charred on the outside but succulent inside. And the dessert, even though it could seem to be an odd combination of flavours, was very tasty. The service was brilliant, attentive but not fussy at the same time.

I know it is not an cheapest place. However, for a special occasion, it will be worth every penny you'll pay. Nonetheless, there are also some set menus for lunch (£14-17) and early-bird evening meals (£12.50) in a more than affordable prices. I highly recommend the place!

WEBSITE: http://theoxbristol.com/

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Graduate Director's Cuts: Treats

"Dave returns home to find the locks changed and his girlfriend living with another man. In an attempt to win her back, he begins to insinuate himself into their lives. Under the surface of this witty, urban love triangle is an unsettling examination of the cycles of power and abuse."

That was the story of the theatre show I went yesterday at the Brewery Theatre, right across the road from the Tobacco Factory. It was the press night for "Treats", a dramatic story of the love-triangle between Dave, Ann and Patrick set in a 1974 single room flat in London. A violent tempered Dave refuses to accept that her ex-girlfriend is living with her lover Patrick, demanding an explanation and bullying her and being overly friendly with Patrick. He finally succeeds, making both of them miserable. After watching these three young actors interpret three completely different characters, my mind keeps going round in circles. Why do we, women, always prefer the bad-boy to the nice and gentle man? Why do we like to suffer? I don't have the answer but what I thought it would be a comedy theatre play ended up being a very dramatic situation. After all, I guess they both deserve each other.

It was the second performance of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Graduate Director's Cuts season. It started last week with Laura McLean directing "Little One" by Hannah Moscovitch and last night, it was Christopher Hampton's "Treats", directed by Josey O'Neal. The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is one of the most successful and well-respected conservatoire drama schools in the UK. It attracts the very best talent in students and staff, and it’s courses are recognised nationally and internationally as a benchmark of quality in professional drama training. It has been a centre of excellence for world-class vocational training in the arts and entertainment industry since its launch in 1946. 

Would you like to go see what Bristol's artists offer? It's not too late! Book your ticket for the next performances (ticket's between £7-£12):

• "Woman and Scarecrow" by Marina Carr (directed by Siobhan Cannon-Brownlie and designed by Elina Pieridou). 12-16 May 2015

Woman lies dying of spite, attempting to avoid a confrontation with death, who waits in the wardrobe. Accompanied by Scarecrow, Woman is visited by her heartless husband, and her overbearing auntie. Moving and funny, Woman and Scarecrow is a eulogy for a wasted life, from a woman unprepared for death.

• "The boy on the swing" by Joe Harbot (directed by Laura Jasper and designed by Elizabeth Harper). 19-23 May 2015

"What if, for a small fee, you had the opportunity to meet with God. Believer or non-believer, would you be tempted? Earl Hunt is. Join him on a bizarre and unpredictable journey that challenges personal beliefs in the pursuit of happiness and the desire to believe in something more."

INTERESTING LINKS

TOBACCO FACTORY THEATRE: http://www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com/

BRISTOL OLD VIC THEATRE SCHOOL: http://www.oldvic.ac.uk/
"Treats" by Christopher Hampton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treats