Cardiff is slowly but surely becoming street food city, quite literally, and Feast Fest is one of our favourite ventures to be launched this year!
Feast Fest is launching a colourful outdoor ‘feastival’ on Womanby Street, with five weekends of street food, farmers market, music, vintage clothing, vinyl sales, skate competitions, DJs, craft beers, art exhibitions and much more.
The top street food traders in Wales, along with local food producers will be offering kerbside dining every Saturday and Sunday from July 29 to August 26.
Womanby Street is the city’s alternative heartland, just a two-minute stroll from the Castle and five minutes from the central train station. The street has some of the best loved music venues, bars, restaurants, indie shops, tap and ale houses in the city, and is often where we end up after a long night of hard drinking and fast dancing.
The bars and venues will be opening to provide daytime entertainment, craft beers, wines and much more. Award-winning street food chef Jamie O‘Leary of Jols Food Co, who is spearheading the event, said:
“As a chef I’ve grown to love the street food experience – the reward is seeing the customer’s face light up as they watch their meal cooked and handed to them moments later. With ‘Feast Fest’ I intend to put the street food experience back where it should be – on the street. And Womanby Street is such a rich, cultural and vibrant location in the capital – with the recent Save Womanby Street campaign it became apparent that this is a street that the citizens of Cardiff are proud of and therefore an ideal location for a summer-long food market.”
The market will be open at weekends between 12-7pm. Traders appearing on rotation at Feast Fest include Annand George Tuk Tuk, Jols Food Co, Rule of Tum Burgers, Dusty Knuckles Pizza Co, Mr Croquewich, Rackdogs, Shwarmarama, Ffwrnes Pizza, The Bearded Taco, Science Cream, Dixies Vintage Ice creams, The Pork Society, Mighty Soft shell Crab, Shelly’s, EL Chilango and Got Beef.
St Fagans National Museum of Welsh History is one of the best days out you can have out around Cardiff. They’ve just launched a new app to help you make the most of your visit. We sent intrepid reporter and local boylesque star Ernie Sparkles along to try it out and report back to us.
In June, I met Alison John, Producer at Yello Brick at the entrance of The National Museum of Wales, St Fagans. Armed with my iPhone, she handed me a pair of headphones and pressed the Traces Olion app button that I had pre-downloaded to my phone. Traces is a new app that Yello Brick had developed with Cardiff University and the Museum with the help of Hoffi to build the app. Their app description: “Traces is not an audio guide. Nor is it a tourist guide. It is a companion telling you a story that reveals fragmented moments of intertwining fact and fiction inspired by St Fagans; the space, its stories and archives.” Naturally I was curious as to what magic lay in store for me, and wow, I was not disappointed.
With the option of enjoying the experience in pairs or on your own, Alison agreed to join me for the adventure (it’s worth mentioning here that you must both press the buttons on the app at the same time as timing is important to the partner journey). The beautifully designed app is very self-explanatory and simple to use, and I later found out it continues to play even when you lock-screen so you can put it in your pocket to get the full adventure.
The clear, yet relaxing storyteller voice of actor Natalie Paisey is accompanied by beautiful music composed especially for the app by Jak Poore. Both of which lead you almost into a meditative state while you are guided around the castle gardens at the museum. The story (written by Sara Lewis) is based on material from the museum’s collection, and focuses on characters who may ‘have lived and experienced’ the castle and grounds in the early twentieth century.
During the course of the journey you are drawn into a new way of interacting with the place, noticing details and things you may not otherwise have noticed. The app takes you almost to a new dimension as you are taken beyond the realms of your usual audio trails and into a fully immersive experience. Pulling you into the world of the story, but leaving behind elements of your own story at the same time.
Like any good adventure, there are moments of pure beauty, but also of sadness, but always beautiful. I must admit, before I was fully immersed in the story there were a couple of laugh out loud moments that were a little cheesy – but you get over that pretty quickly!
A review left on the android app store from Lucy Hansen-Clarke says:
“What a wonderful, beautiful experience! It was an emotional journey and I fell in love with my partner all over again x” Lucy Hansen Clark
I must admit I did think shortly after the journey that it would make a perfect date activity!
The only downside to me was that there was no follow up or information as to which parts of the story were taken from the archives – perhaps the National Museum could be encouraged to create a page on their website or a small display in their new visitor centre when it opens its doors.
I would thoroughly recommend everyone goes and has the experience of Traces. It really is a beautiful 30 minutes out of your busy day and you will not be disappointed!
The Tracesapp can be downloaded from either the ITunes Storeor Google Play and you will need to have a pair of headphones to enjoy the experience fully. It is recommended to download the app, which is free of charge, before you arrive at St Fagans.
Yello Brick is a company that specialises in digital and physical events that intertwine narrative and brand into exciting and playful experiences.
Ever wanted to learn how to bake bread from someone who has been doing it for over half a century? Or how about learning crochet from a total pro?
Well this weekend you can! GrandFest Cymru is a free one day festival celebrating the heritage skills of talented older people. The family friendly event will take place at St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff, with a series of workshops from quilting, rag rugging and embroidery to bread making and international dance. The classes will be hosted by the GrandMakers, who are all over 70. So if you want to get your make on, get down there!
The Masterclasses will be held at different times throughout the day and will aim to inspire younger generations to discover and learn new skills. There will also be a performance in Welsh and English by Cowbridge Male Voice Choir.
To find out more about GrandFest or to book a place on a Masterclass, please visit the GrandFest website.
GRANDFEST CYMRU
DATE: Sunday 9 July 2017
TIME: 11.00– 16.00
VENUE: St Fagans National History Museum, Cardiff, CF5 6XB
Need some rest and relaxation, but can’t afford the gold dubloons it would cost you to spend a day in a spa? Fear not – Jenny Jones has put together this handy guide to Staycations in Cardiff – when you’re skint. She’ll be rounding up some of the best value options for pure indulgence on a budget.
Stressed out? Skint? Know you need some time out, but just have no idea how you’re going to afford it? Yeah, me too. Everyone needs time out from work – whether your “work” pays you loads, not enough, or nothing at all if you’re caring for people at home.
But luckily for you, I’ve been putting together this thrifty guide to getting your chill on. Even if you can’t take a full day out, I’ve split my ideal day up, so you can pick and choose relaxing activities that can fit around your schedule. My preferred mode of transport is bicycle (car parking is a nightmare anyway) so most of these are things you can access in or near the city centre either by bike or on foot. There are also a couple of things you can do – without ever leaving your home!
A THRIFTY AND RELAXING MORNING
BREAKFAST
If you love the idea of sitting on a Parisienne street corner, supping coffee and watching the world go by, perhaps you could consider the Cardiff budget option: getting a cuppa in Cardiff Indoor Market? As far as people watching goes, as far as I’m concerned, there’s nowhere better.
The Indoor Market has a number of breakfast options both downstairs and upstairs, where a cup of tea will set you back 85p, you can get a cooked breakfast for £2.99, and the people watching is free. Now that’s a bargain.
TAKING IN SOME ART
If you’ve got kids, then you’ll already know about how amazing the National Museum is. With its endless rooms of fossils and minerals and early finds from around Wales, it’s the perfect place for the kids to run around and you to get some peace.
Image by Rob Khoo
What lots of people don’t know is that the museum also a serious hoarding of art – including the biggest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art outside of Paris. Pick up a stool on your way in, place yourself in front of the art work, clear your mind and just let the canvases loose on your cerebral cortex. You can see Monet’s Waterlillies and Van Gogh’s Rain amongst many others here. Oh and did I mention that those galleries have free entry?
MASSAGE
Most massage places around the centre cost an average of £40 an hour, £60 for an hour and a half. If you don’t have the cash, there are other massage options that won’t break the bank, including qualified masseuses that will visit your home (great news if you’re housebound or find it difficult to get around). I like Odnova, who bring their own massage beds and other bits, charge £30 for a 90 minute massage (plus a small petrol charge to get to your house), and will pummel you to your heart’s content.
GARDENING
If you love being outdoors but don’t have a garden and can’t commit to an allotment, the opportunities for really getting your hands dirty in nature are pretty limited. At least they were, until you heard about the Riverside Community Allotment project. Based in Pontcanna Fields, you can learn how to grow food in a sociable and supportive atmosphere.
There are two working poly-tunnels where peppers, tomatoes, grapes and aubergines are grown, as well as raised beds and an accessible pond and wildlife area. There’s also a solar cooker and a compost toilet. Find out more about Riverside Community Allotment (See also the Riverside Community Garden Facebook page) and drop by – it’s a lovely place to spend an hour or two.
Although there are plenty of budget options in town, you are trying to treat yourself, so no Greggs, right!? I would send you back to the Indoor Market for lunch, where you can choose between Clancy’s Vegetarian Emporium, Milgi’s lunch boxes (my favourite is the green one!), and the Thai place (pad thai on a plastic plate – just like in Bangkok) – all of which will gift you a very tasty lunch for under a fiver.
If the weather’s nice, grab your food and go sit in the little garden between St John’s Church and the Cardiff Story buildings. Also great people watching in there (but watch the pigeons).
MEDITATE
If you’re seeking a bit of peace from a constantly busy and cluttered mind, then maybe some meditation or mindfulness could be your self-indulgence.
The Buddhist Centre in Roath (but the town end of Roath – very near Newport Road) has drop-in meditation sessions that are open to all, 19.30 Wednesdays and 12.30 (midday) Thursdays. These sessions operate on a donation basis – amazing for those with low cash flow.
It may not look like much from the outside, but inside you’ll find friendly people and a quiet retreat from the madness of the city. Bless those Buddhists.
SHOP TIL YOU DROP
If your idea of relaxation heaven is splurging loads on clothes, then how about investigating the city’s wide selection of charity shops? Albany Road and Wellfield Road in Roath are well-mined by the city’s students, but venture a little further afield (particularly into the more affluent areas) and you’ll find some real gems. I particularly like daytripping over to Penarth, where we’ve managed to get designer items for an absolute steal.
We’d also like to suggest two more shopping alternatives to you, that are perfect for people on a budget: car boot sales, and vintage kilo sales.
For vintage kilo sales, the best thing to do is keep your eye on Facebook. Local tastemakers Blue Honey put one on every so often – Vintage Kilo Sale is the thing you’re looking for.
A REWARDING EVENING
DINNER
As the spiritual (and physical) home for Cardiff’s student population, Cathays and Roath are absolutely bursting with cheap, tasty eats. It’s hard for me to pick just one, so I’m selecting two: Falafel Kitchen on Cwrys Road (my pick: Sabich pitta – fried aubergine and an egg, with mountains of salad for a fiver), or Jalan Malaysia on Woodville Road, where the Turmeric Fried Chicken is a finger licking £8.95.
Don’t feel limited to these two though – City Road and Crwys Road are all about the budget eats.
JOIN A RUNNING CLUB
If you’re one of those nutters that gets relaxation from endorphins, how about joining a running group? Cardiff has recently acquired its own GoodGym, and we’d recommend this. The group meets every week at the Old Library in town, goes for a short run, and then heads to a local destination where they carry out a task to help the local community. Examples of tasks carried out include painting fences or walls, weeding, basic gardening tasks – all for local community groups or charities.
They’re a fun and sociable group which does good and gets fit together. They keep together as a group and no-one gets left behind. Although you do have to pay to join Cardiff’s GoodGym (a tenner a month), the money goes into the GoodGym charity – plus imagine all that karma you’ll be building up.
YOGA
There are weekly free Sahaja Yoga Meditation drop in sessions in the city centre. In this class, you’ll sit on chairs to achieve Yoga, effortlessly and spontaneously – no Asanas (exercises), mats or special clothing required. If you’re having trouble juggling the challenges in your life, this kind of activity can help you manage stress, master your emotions and find solutions to your problems. You may enjoy better health, better focus, and a deeper understanding of the universe and your place in it. And if not – it’s free, so why not give it a try?
RELAX IN A SPA
Okay, I said spas were out of the question right at the start … but I lied! Cardiff and Vale College on Dumballs Road has its very own hair and beauty therapy studio, called Urbaspa. It’s brand new, it’s cheap, and I love it!
The idea is that the students get hands on experience while they’re studying, and so the prices reflect that. Bear in mind though, your treatment might take a little longer than usual, and students might have to get teachers to look over what they’ve done. If that doesn’t float your boat, you can always ask for one of the recent graduates who work there in a professional capacity – I had a great short haircut in there for £20, and got a shape and paint done on my nails for just a fiver. Bargain!
You should also check out the actual spa there – it’s got a sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and monsoon shower, along with heated ceramic beds, and half day access is only £8. I recommend adding on a session on the floatation bed, which is just £7. If you’re feeling really flush, book in a half day spa along with a tasty lunch at the Schoolroom. It’s an incredible £20 – but because it’s so cheap, weekends are booked up months in advance. Go during the week, when the spa is much quieter. Urbaspa website / Urbaspa price guide.
Well, that’s it! Thanks for reading my guide to Thrifty Staycations in Cardiff. Have you got any recommendations you could add? Let us know in the comments!
So, it’s the big comedown after the main event, the weather gods have finally let us have it after holding off all weekend, all the drains on my street are totally blocked. The city is slowly being returned to normal.
Is anyone else sad it’s over?? Big ups to all the police and emergency services and cleaning crews and volunteers and everyone who helped make it happen. It was a brilliant weekend!
And finally DIOLCH TO YOU, the 341,000 people of #Cardiff, for showing the world that we are the Capital of Champions! ❤️🏴❤️ pic.twitter.com/XT6eWwPqJw
Fav bits: over 1 million pints pulled in the city over the weekend, 20,000 half’n’half trays … nice!
Peas
WACx
PS if you’re interested in the community aspects of the game, we suggest following our pals at Eat Sleep Footy Repeat – they covered the 1600-strong girls match in Llanrumney last week, and report on all the best parts of the sport around here!
We’ve got a special message for you, direct from Gladys, aka the Big Love Entertainment Co-ordinator …
Hi-de-Hi Campers!
The smell of summer is in the air and it’s only 2 weeks until we welcome you back to Baskerville Hall.
Now the warmer weather’s here, it looks like we’re going to sell out very soon, so don’t leave it too late to buy tickets if you haven’t got them already….
We’ve listened to everyone’s feedback and managed to reduce the ticket price to £75 while still keeping the weekend at 1000 capacity and an amazing, varied line up. And there’s loads of new stuff for 2017 too – the woodland disco carries on into the night, there’s a new stage, and even a micro cinema!
The team have been busy preparing the grounds, polishing the brass, mowing the front lawn ready for a spot of croquet, a G&T and disco yoga. The Head Gardener has been trimming my bush all week and it’s looking rather fine. The swimming pool has been cleaned and everything is looking jolly splendid for your arrival.
As head of entertainment I am thrilled to be bringing you over 100 of the finest musical acts on 7 stages (3 indoor, 6 covered); we’ve hip hop legend KRS-One, those naughty boys Horse Meat Disco, the trippy Flamingods, and a whole host of splendid party people. Just have a look at who’s playing.
My team and I have organised plenty of fun and games across the whole weekend, and if you don’t fancy anything by our cordenbluggggh hotel chef, we have delicious street food, a coffee truck and cocktail lounge on site with plenty of spaces to relax and enjoy the countryside.
I will as usual be walking the site, so please come and say Hi-de-Hi… and give me a Big Hug after all this is ♥ Big Love ♥
Ho-de-Ho,
Gladys Pugh
Entertainments Co-ordinator
The Big Love Club House
P.S. a message to the couple we found naked swimming in the pool at 1am: We still have your trunks.
Big Love Festival 2017
Baskerville Hall, Hay-on-Wye, Wales
Early May bank holiday weekend 28.04.17 – 01.05.17 http://biglovefestival.co.uk
It’s International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8 March! In case you’re wondering, IWD is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
You might think that gender equality isn’t an issue in a developed country like Wales, but recent research from the National Assembly for Wales (yep- I admit, written by me), demonstrates that while women outnumber men in the Welsh population, they are healthier, live longer, and are better educated, they still earn less, are more likely to be economically inactive, and are far less likely to be in the top positions in politics and business.
You can see the full dataset at the end of this post, but here’s a little round-up of the events going on in Cardiff to celebrate IWD 2017 this week (let us know in the comments if we’ve missed anything):
Women’s Equality Network and Fizzi Events presents International Women’s Day 2017 – Sunday 12 March, Wales Millennium Centre, 3-10pm
This event sounds super exciting. Loads of inspirational people will be sharing their stories and taking part in the exciting programme, including: BBC all round hero Bethan Elfyn, Young Person’s Laureate for Wales Sophie McKeand, musicians Della Lupa and Swansea’s Sanctuary of Song, spoken word artists Hanan Issa and Durre Shahwar, young circus performers, comedians, athletes, firefighters, youth drama and school groups.
Audiences will be asked to pay a suggested £10 ticket fee or Pay What You Can towards the event. Bethan’s pocket guide is £5. You can find more info here and here.
EMBRACE the documentary – Thursday 9 March, 6.45pm, Odeon Cardiff
When body image activist Taryn Brumfitt posted an unconventional before-and-after photograph in 2013, it was seen by more than 100 million worldwide and sparked an international media frenzy.
In her forceful debut, Brumfitt continues her crusade exploring the global issue of body loathing. She travels the world to interview an impressive range of women about their attitudes to their bodies, including: Mia Freedman, the youngest ever editor of the Australian edition of Cosmopolitan; Adelaide researcher Professor Marika Tiggemann; UK talk show host/photographer Amanda de Cadenet; body image blogger Jess Baker (a.k.a. The Militant Baker); and motivational speaker Turia Pitt. More info here.
International Women’s Day Concert, 8 March 2017 ,19:30 – 22:00, Wales Millennium Centre
Wales’ only national symphony orchestra performing at their home BBC Hoddinott Hall, at the Wales Millennium Centre. Tickets: £11.50 – £13.50 – more info here.
Women Business Owners: How to make it work for the long haul – March 31, 10-2pm
This is a collaborative event run by the Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub, University of South Wales with FSB Wales, Chwarae Teg and SFEDI/IOEE. The speakers who have extensive experience as women business owners themselves will address the question ‘How do women sustain their businesses over time?’
During roundtable discussion sessions, we’ll be looking at and dismantling popular myths and stereotypes about the nature of ‘business success’, we’ll ask the question of whether growth is the only way forward, we’ll consider the potential of sustainability as an alternative strategy and we’ll discuss how motivations, barriers and aspirations change over personal and business lifecycles.
And, we’ll be celebrating the achievements of women business owners across the globe! The event will be held from 10am to 2pm in a Central Cardiff hotel close to the railway station.
There is no charge for participation. For information or to book, please email Christine.atkinson@southwales.ac.uk.
Networking event and afternoon tea – Around the World Bar, Wood St, Cardiff CF10 1LA, 12-2.30pm
Join us on Wednesday 8th March to celebrate International Women’s Day by taking part in our networking afternoon tea in aid of homeless charity Llamau.
Wear bright colours and for those feeling even bolder take part in our 5 minute speaker session to share with others what you do. Network with like-minded women whilst enjoying bubbly and our afternoon tea treats.
£2.50 from each ticket goes to helping Llamau and there will also be a charity raffle as well as fashion and beauty stands for those who fancy some shopping too! Cost: £13.68 More info here.
A cocktail reception at Handsome Jack’s with networking group Sorelle and Breast Cancer Care – 8 March, Handsome Jack’s, St Mary Street.
Sorelle has teamed up with Cardiff’s newest bar Handsome Jack’s to bring you our 2nd annual International Women’s Day celebration. The event will support Breast Cancer Care Cymru with fantastic prizes to entice you throughout the night.
2 FOR 1 cocktails! To register please email Danielle: sorelle_team@outlook.com. If you would like to donate towards the raffle please email jay@cardifffinest.com or sorelle_team@outlook.com. More info here.
Have you been to one of Cardiff’s seemingly endless array of vegan festivals yet? We sent student Maika Wagner along to Viva Vegan to dish the dirt. Not literally. The food actually sounds totes delish there.
My interest in veganism is personal, as I became vegan for health reasons about four years ago. In between I had a stretch of being vegetarian. It wasn’t until later that I started to think about the treatment of animals etc. I think it’s important to promote veganism in a peaceful way instead of the militant way some vegans go about it. It’s important for people to see that it is not as hard as they think to be vegan and that one person can make a difference with their diet, not just to the animals, but also for themselves and their health.
My neighbours had a stretch of being vegan back in 2012, and at first I thought it was quite extreme, because I did not get the motivation behind it. At some point I was looking at weight-loss diets and found this one book by Attila Hildmann. My neighbour had it, so I tried the 30-day challenge and stayed vegan afterwards, as during that time I had read up on all the animal cruelty and it just didn’t sit right with me.
There have been many vegan festivals going on in Cardiff throughout the last year, this most recent one looked like it might be the biggest one yet: The Viva Vegan Festival.
Having been held at the City Hall this Saturday, the Viva Vegan Festival attracted quite a few people who were interested in veganism or were already vegan. The entry fee of two pounds seemed reasonable enough for passers-by to give it a go. Being held in City Hall gave it a more official feeling than other vegan festivals in the city that I had been to. For £14 pounds, you could even have booked a VIP ticket in advance and get a goody-bag and also, most importantly, jump the queue.
If you didn’t fancy splashing out, there were some food trucks outside City Hall so you could have a taste of what was inside.
The stalls featured at the festival were very diverse, ranging from different foods, over bath accessories, skin care, makeup, clothing, art etc, all the way to animal rights activists. Most of the stall-holders were not Cardiff based, but can be found online.
My personal favourites were Solkiki, Bohemian Chic Minerals, chaaboo and Flavour Fusion. However, the all-time favourites with the masses are Mr Nice Pie and The Vegan Bakery.
Solikiki is the most amazing raw chocolate (my favourites are his white chocolate salted peanut and white chocolate hazelnut). The chocolates are Fairtrade and it is ensured that a large amount of the profit goes directly to the farmers.
Bohemian Chic Minerals makes mineral makeup for extremely sensitive skin. Every product is hyper-pigmented, so a even though the tubs are small, they will stretch for quite a while.
Chaaboo makes amazing, cold-pressed, hand-made soaps. There are different scents and two different sizes, which allows one to buy a small hamper of test-soaps as a cute, cruelty-free gift. My favourite scent is the green-tea soap. Many people don’t realise that soap is often made from animal fat and it is nice to have an alternative without having to check the label.
Flavour Fusion is a sort of ‘vegan parmesan’, made from almonds and spices. You can either sprinkle it on top of food or mix it with some olive oil for a dip or pesto, for some amazing flavour.
Apart from the stalls, there were also a variety of vegan talks and vegan cooking-demonstrations going on throughout the day, such as Jane Easton’s baking demonstration. She is the author of the Viva vegan cookbook and gave some great tips on baking, while also doing some myth-busting along the way.
I was born in Cambridge, but raised in Hamburg, Germany. Hamburg was probably one of the first cities to have a completely vegan supermarket. A lot of the vegan foods found in the UK are currently being imported from either the US or Germany, so it’s funny to be in a store here and start reading out german labels. There’s a district in Hamburg called Schanze. It’s the hip, young district and has a ton of vegan options, including a vegan ice-cream shop, which is amazing. But you’ll usually find vegan stuff even in normal supermarkets, although more limited than a health-food store. Also, many of my close friends in Germany are vegetarian or vegan, so it’s really easy when going out or going round each other’s houses.
Maika Wagner is 21 years old and was born in Cambridge, UK, but moved to Hamburg, Germany when she was five. From 2010 to 2011, she was on an exchange year in Lecce, Italy, learning the language and getting to know the people there. She moved back to Cardiff to study and is currently on her third year of Contemporary Music Performance at the Atrium.
Culture vulture Catrin Greaves rounds up Cardiff’s art gallery highlights for February. Take it away, Catrin!
Nature’s Song, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
The museum hosts a stunning display of traditional Chinese bird and flower paintings, the first time this collection has been seen in the UK. Nature’s Song traces the development of this art form from the late Ming dynasty (late 16th century) to contemporary interpretations from recent decades. Bird and flower paintings showcase the talents of poets and calligraphers, as well as painters, and the exhibition emphasises the symbolic and spiritual meaning of bird and flower motifs.In the exhibition, you can learn about different techniques used by painters and calligraphers to create these stunning artworks. This is an exciting opportunity to sustain links between Wales and China: the exhibition has been created in collaboration with China Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. On until 23 April.
Anna Noel is inspired by how animals accompany humans throughout our lives. Based in the Gower, Anna takes inspiration from the animals she grew up with: From fairy-tale figures and imaginary friends to trusty companions and beloved pets. Noel creates charming ceramic figures, set to populate the Craft in the Bay from 21. January 2017 – Sun, 5. March.
The artist group X-10 present the outcome of two years of collaboration, where they examined the closure and decommissioning of Wylfa on Anglesey, the last nuclear power station in Wales.Through video, photography, sound, sculpture, and installation, the artists respond to this event and question the future of nuclear power and attached environmental concerns. Merging art, science and technology, the show adds new questions and thoughts to the nuclear debate. On from 18 Feb – 17 March 2017.
Participating artists include, – Ant Dickinson, Bridget Kennedy, Jessica Lloyd-Jones, Chris Oakley, Teresa Paiva, Tim Skinner, Robin Tarbet, Alana Tyson, Annie Grove-White, Helen Grove-White.
Don’t miss the Artes Mundi exhibition at the National Museum of Wales and at Chapter, which finishes on February 26. Cardiff-based organisation Artes Mundi is best known for its biannual exhibition and prize, and emphasises how art reflects what it means to be human in contemporary society – it is the largest cash prize awarded for the arts in the UK and one of the most significant in the world.
This year’s exhibition brings together the work of shortlisted artists from Lebanon, Angola, Algeria, the USA, Ghana and Wales. It showcases work in a variety of media, including film, installation and performance art. Pop into the galleries for a free guided tour (2pm daily at the museum, and on request at Chapter), and keep an eye out for free family drop-in activities over February half term, which will examine themes inspired by the artists’ work, including costume, storytelling and gardens.
Catrin Greaves works as a tour guide and workshop facilitator at the National Museum of Wales. She moved to Cardiff after studying Anthropology in Belfast, and enjoys singing ina choir and doing embroidery
Ab-Fab Vegan Fayres have been running for a while now, going from strength to strength. In a way, it has become a bastion for the growing vegan community in Wales and Cardiff – it is events like this that keep alternative culture alive. Ab-Fab is more than a lifeline for the vegan community, it is representative of a growing movement in Wales and Britain. The food, crafts and cosmetics on offer, too, were creative and – food-wise – incredibly scrumptious.
Plasnewydd Community Centre proved to be an appropriate space for the Fayre. The space was small, but properly utilised by the highly-varied stalls that filled up the community centre. The room was bursting with conversation, laughs and well-timed “mmms” when someone took a bite of something. The atmosphere was one that was welcoming and inclusive for vegans and non-vegans alike. The stalls were incredibly varied (although cake-heavy, which isn’t so much a problem as it is a solution to a lot of life’s problems) at affordable prices. We didn’t get a chance to try everything, but what we did try gave further evidence that vegan food can be creative and satisfying to the palette.
Vegan Pizza Co. were our first stop. The Cardiff-based pizza slappers have been gaining a strong reputation in Cardiff and for good reason. The pizzas ranged from £6 to £8 which was great value for the quality of the pizza. The pizza crust was strong, the pizzas were well-topped and the vegan cheese was nothing short of a miracle – the cheese, truly, was indistinguishable from its curdled milk cousin. Cardiff Pizza Co. truly are doing great things with pizza and we’re praying that – eventually – they move from pop-up to establishment.
The next stop was The Welshman’s Lunch who had a variety of vegan cakes, chutneys and tea on offer. We sampled (and bought without hesitation) their avocado chocolate cupcake which was – again – a work of vegan magic. The flavour was strong, sweet, unique and dangerously moreish. We then stopped by Peace & Bake who sold a variety of sweet loaves, brownies and cakes (you can see a theme emerging here). A brownie and a banana bread was on the menu and these, too, were dangerously moreish
Mr. Nice Pie and Jack Bakes were next and offered enough savoury pie goodness to end your pie cravings forever. Mr. Nice Pie’s Thai green curry pie was immense and unlike anything we’ve tried before. Jack Bakes spinach tartlet, too, struck a fine balance to satisfy the palette.
The true unsung hero of the fayre was Global Fusion Creole Vegan Bakery. A variety of sweet loafs were on offer, £2 for a slice and £4 for a loaf. There were some truly original loaves on offer, but we settled for the mango bread (something we’d never seen before) and were not let down by the sweetness of the bread for our breakfast the next day.
In addition to the above, there were stalls offering crafts, make-up and cosmetics, along with food stalls we had to miss out on due to full stomachs. We’ll provide a list to all the stalls on offer below, so be sure to check them out as they were all so passionate about their food and crafts.
What stuck out most as we left Ab-Fab in a glucose-induced high was the accommodating nature of it all. A false narrative that veganism is militant has been concocted in recent years, but the truth about veganism is that it is accommodating for all – this was simply a group of people who were trying to make good food without hurting animals. What is there to hate about that? The next fayre is on the 25th in Penarth, so please head on down there whatever your dietary description because this event – along with the lovely organiser Sue Thomas – deserve all the support they can get. You can follow their next event here on Facebook.
Love, Cardiff is the story of our city’s past, present and future told through the personal accounts of our City Road communities. The customers in the barbers and take-aways pass each other on the street. The staff in the grocers, the sex shop, and the funeral directors sit side by side on the bus. The residents of City Road make their way home, every passer-by, every person an extraordinary story.
Love, Cardiff is a community production that explores the stories that lie behind the faces of those who live, work and play along this vibrant city road.
Do you have a City Road story?
If so, get in touch. Your story may be the inspiration we are looking for to help us build our performance, exhibition and archive. Please contact the Love, Cardiff Team on 02920 646980 or email love.cardiff@shermantheatre.co.uk The Community and Engagement Team at the Sherman Theatre create projects about you, our citizens, together telling the story of our community, our capital city.
‘To have the whole community in a play made entirely of their words was incredible.’ (Waulah Cymru Committee Member on the Sherman Theatre’s Community Production of Home)
In a world where nationalism has become muddied by dangerous right-wing rhetoric, it is easy to forget about the metaphysical merit of searching for one’s own national identity. Often, it is a discovery laden with history, language, surprise and – most importantly – growth. Welsh national identity, too, is made particularly interesting by the complicated amalgamation of Welsh and Anglo culture which has left Wales – particularly the South – iridescent. Despite this, the sense of community in Wales is as prominent as our valleys and our stories. Pontio, Invertigo Theatre Company’s and The Conker Group’s newest offering, My Body Welsh, is a play that concerns itself with these issues of national identity, and more with creative aplomb:
“MY BODY WELSH is a playful, part-bilingual, one-man mystery adventure. Weaving stories, histories, sounds and language, performer Steffan Donnelly transports his audience into a slippery world of small-town myth-making. Accompanied by a live soundscape artist creating sounds both with and in front of the audience, the show creates community in its telling, leaving us wondering the extent to which national identity is built upon stories.”
The play weaves its way through the infamous streets of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and into the minds behind small town myth-making and culture building. The play asks if “There’s more to being Welsh than having the accent, isn’t there?”, and it’s up to you to attend and find out the answer. The play is on tour at the moment and will be arriving in Cardiff at Chapter Arts on the 13 / 14 of January. This looks like a real treat, so be sure to grab your tickets for My Body Welsh here at Chapter, if you fancy it.
Networking event and afternoon tea – Around the World Bar, Wood St, Cardiff CF10 1LA, 12-2.30pm
We Are Cardiff 