The other week it was an open day at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) in Bristol. Our youngest daughter, Jude is thinking about taking a music management degree there soon, so we went along to see what it was like. We left so early in the morning and the traffic was surprisingly good for a Saturday, we actually arrived in Bristol with an hour to spare. All was fine, and we killed time browsing a few shops, but somehow we ended up walking the wrong way up the road, had to backtrack and ended up getting there ten minutes late!…
Bristol Graffiti
It was ok; I think we’d missed part of a performance by some of the students and they were really good, so it was a shame we only caught the end. We were given an introduction talk, partly by Cliff from Gay Dad (yes really), and then divided to the more specific subjects. Anyway, we came away extremely impressed with the place and would strongly advise a look if you’re interested in a career in the music industry.
It was a rare fine day, so afterwards we had a little wonder about, admiring the graffiti and interesting little spots and found
Cabot Circus, Bristol
table tennis set up in the colloquially known bearpit. The bearpit is a sunken pedestrian area in the middle of a giant roundabout and as soon as I got home I looked up the reason for its name. Here is where I would love to recount some fascinating story, but unfortunately no-one seems to know! There was a market and fair in the area right back to the thirteenth century, and later bear-baiting was likely to have taken place, but I think someone just looked at it and thought it looked a bit like a bearpit. The vicinity was extensively damaged in the second world war and afterwards in the 50s and 60s I think all Bristolians agree that the town planners were having a love affair with concrete and all things ugly. The Premier Inn is a monstrosity.
I have to say Bristol is growing on me. When we first moved here, Cabot Circus seemed fantastic for shopping, but otherwise, I wasn’t all that impressed. It’s one of those places you aren’t going to get straight away. You have to discover the harbour, the history and the creative areas over time. I would imagine it’s a brilliant city to live in as a student if you’re thinking of going to BIMM, the University of the West of England, or Bristol University.
Of course a trip to Bristol wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Fabric land, although, weirdly I left empty handed. I must have been in a strange mood! I also braved Primark and found some workout clothing, which I shall blog about later.
Fabric Land
I quite liked the outfit I was wearing, (I didn’t need a coat for the first time this year!) so we paused to take some photographs, and then home again. I wanted to look a bit edgy, but smart, and this is what I came up with. If you’d like to shop the look, I bought the crossover top at Joe Browns. It contains real wool but isn’t itchy, so it’s warm, comfortable, and the frills and satin detail on the cuffs give it a designer feel. The trousers are quite old, but similar are here:
and the boots are from Clarks. I’m a recent convert to Clarks – they’re always so comfy and suit my wide old-lady feet. Again, mine are a few years old now, but similar (but slightly cooler) ones are here:
