Money. We love it, we hate it and we’re not so hot at talking about it. In this day and age, should discussing money still be something draped in red tape? I think not! I went on a mission to talk to my social circles about the topic of money; the main question to them being, ‘How do you split your finances with your partner?’  The responses garnered opened up discussion points around gender roles, girlboss feminism, and toxic masculinity. 

Recent Christmas and New Year festivities saw families gather, swap gifts, and “make merry” - something widely expected by social norms. But for those, who are estranged from their family, the picture can be a very different one.

Did you know that 1 in 100 of those who are assigned female at birth will go through recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)? In the United Kingdom, a recurrent pregnancy loss is when someone who is AFAB goes through 3 or more pregnancy losses (with or without a successful pregnancy between the losses). 

When you start trying for a baby, you don’t ever think that you’ll become part of that 1 in 4 statistic, and you definitely don’t expect that you’ll become part of that 1 in 100 statistic. 

We all know how this goes: you sit down in December to reflect on the past year, maybe you revisit resolutions that you’ve already forgotten; and suddenly, you feel the urge to create a new self. A version of you that is much better than your present self, more disciplined or polished, capable:  someone who checks all of the boxes from the long list of ideas about this better version of you.

A slightly more macabre wassailing tradition takes place in Wales, the Mari Lwyd. Mari, who’s head is made from the skull of a horse, with baubles for eyes and flowing ribbons for mane, is operated by a long pole hidden under the white sheet that acts as her body. Snapping her jaw at passers-by, she leads a procession around the town going from house to house. The terrifying nature of the Mari Lwyd is only exaggerated by the fact that she is sometimes so tall that she can knock upon the second-floor windows (Firestone, 1978).

Group chats, while at times helpful, rarely spark pleasure. Instead, they’ve become another layer of digital noise in an already overwhelmed world brimming with emails, notifications, and the existential dread of blue ticks left unanswered.

51% of industry workers are burnt out from the holidays, so is it a holly-jolly Christmas after all? Overworked, understaffed, and high expectations. What’s going to give?

Every year as December approaches, I’m struck by the magic of the season - the streets lighting up, festive music filling the air, and the sense of anticipation building around the holidays. But alongside the charm, I can’t shake a sense of discomfort with what Christmas has become for so many of us: a whirlwind of consumerism, waste, and, often, unmet expectations. I find myself wondering how we got here - how a holiday meant to bring joy and connection has morphed into something that can feel so forced, stressful, and detached from its original purpose. 

Sure, I knew he had kids. We met on Tinder and it was on his profile that he had two daughters aged eight and eleven. We talked about them on our first date; how they both played football and how he’d tried his best to be the best dad he could to them after the breakdown of his marriage. I’d dated men with kids before, but never got to the stage of meeting said kids. I’d never been against it, but honestly, when you first start dating, they’re kind of a concept rather than a reality.

I’ve been seeking connections with people my entire life and throwing myself into different iterations of community. 

My need for connection hasn’t decreased as I’ve grown into an adult, nor has my love of dance, which is why I began taking Lindy Hop classes seven years ago. Lindy Hop is a Black American swing dance that originated in Harlem in the 1920s before gaining huge popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. It’s a partnered dance with lead and follow roles, designed to encourage improvisation on a social dance floor.

The more I explored Hannah Diamond’s music, the more I realised that it was the sincerity behind the cutesy sound and style that set Diamond apart from her peers, creating this uncanny valley effect that is both superficial and achingly real. In a world where irony and cynicism are all too prevalent, the sincerity of her lyrics feels oddly refreshing. Perfect Picture picks apart the layers in the Photoshopped world of Miss HD and allows us to see her as she really is. 

Following the release of their swaggering and introspective new album Reason Enough, London four-piece Crows have embarked on a highly anticipated European tour. The band, known for their intense live shows and post-punk sound, have received support from the like of 6 Music, Radio 1 and The Observer, so it’s no surprise The Exchange is packed for their first gig in Bristol in over two years. 

Quoted as a “textural, tangible, and touching experience” by The Line of Best Fit, queer music and performance artist Freddie Lewis is on the rise. In the summer of 2021, Freddie launched his career with his single Growing Pains which made a significant impact on the UK trans community. He’s also played at festivals such as Glastonbury, The Great Escape, and Iceland Airwaves.

Self-described as dreamy and introspective, when listening to Cuckoo Spit you enter into a daydream-like state. Starting as just Lottie, the band has already attracted venues like the Windmill in Brixton, headlined shows, and supported sold-out bands… Cuckoo Spit are quietly storming into the music scene. 

Soon to release her second EP, Eliza Oakes is embracing the messy and uncertain nature of personal growth, allowing us in on the process of evolving as a human and as an artist. Her latest single Green Light does exactly this, delving into the unknown, and contemplating the vulnerability, faith, and strength in embracing what we can't control.

Whilst there’s easy comparisons to make with Ahmed’s influences - MF Doom, Tyler, the Creator, MIKE - he’s undeniably genuine, both in his music and in person. There’s no bravado or fake sincerity about ‘WHATCHIMACALLIT.’ and whilst we chat, it becomes evident that Ahmend is a pretty multifaceted individual. He’s got a healthy sense of humour and manages to balance music, his pharmacy career, collaborations with other creatives, events…In his own words, he just ‘like[s] just knowing people’.

Ngaio may be based in Bristol but her music certainly shows she will not be pinned down. Her soulful vocals combined with jazz influences - all underpinned by African beats - create a sound all of its own. But it’s not just her music that’s eclectic, her career itself is eclectic too. Not only a recording artist, she is a spoken word artist, activist, DJ and founder of Booty Bass, a Black-led female/non-binary DJ crew. 

As I'm writing these words, we have just released our debut EP. It's called 'Welcome To The Family', and despite the song’s subject matter, this thing we've created is absolutely that – a family. 

To many, Batman is more than just his beginnings as a comic book superhero. Batman is not just the preserve of ‘comic book geeks’.

My question is, if these television shows are nothing more than garbage, why do so many of us tune in with eager eyes the minute they are released?

Throughout history, women have been told to sit down, be quiet and keep to yourself. Growing up, we are constantly told that sex is purely an act of procreation, that it’s something females should endure not enjoy. It is normalised to a point that we start looking at female pleasure as something wrong, especially self-pleasure. I mean women like sex – I sure do anyway!

Since Netflix’s breakthrough in 2013 with the debut of its original House of Cards series, many other streaming platforms such as Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video have made it possible for binge-watching to become mainstream.

Despite visibly displaying all the hallmarks of the stereotypical female duo so often found in films: the hot, popular ‘queen bee’ and her nerdy, needy best friend, these two characters refuse to conform and subvert this dynamic throughout the film.

Losing Joy is a short film about a young woman struggling to acknowledge the first anniversary of her sister’s death. Faith [Michelle Tiwo] is lost in grief until close friend and former girlfriend Olivia [Shanay Neusum-James] guides her into acceptance.

In the aftermath of the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) this January, I sat down with one of its founders, Philip Ilson to speak about what they have achieved. Now coming up to its 20th anniversary festival next year, Ilson has been able to take a look back at what they have achieved over the festival’s lifetime, and consider how this will inform their plans for the future.

Since the beginning of the film and tv industry women have been pushed aside in roles that were traditionally dominated by men, such as directors, producers and writers. If we look back to the golden age of Hollywood, very rarely will you see a female working the camera, taking control of film direction and writing a hit. Many were leading ladies like Judy Garland, Vivian Leigh and Audrey Hepburn.

TISWAS would probably be pulled off the schedule within one episode nowadays. Ahead of Bristol Ideas and Slapstick Festival’s much anticipated TISWAS: The Reunion, at St Georges Bristol on Saturday 16th April, Slapstick Festival and Bristol Ideas director Andrew Kelly shares his memories of TISWAS, and how it sparked a love of comedy that would last a lifetime.

Bristol Bad Film Club has been ongoing since 2013. Set up by film lover, Ti Singh, each month the club showcases a notoriously bad film (the badder, the better) at Bristol Improv Theatre. With all proceeds going to charity, the film club offers a unique experience - the audience paying a fiver to watch a film about killer bees, a lion mauling Kathy Griffiths or watching Sylvester Stallone’s bodyguard act.

Creativity isn’t a blessing for just some of us - it’s something we are born with. Each and every one of us uses creativity in daily life; some of us just falsely think we are not creative at all.

Based within the creative hub of Bristol at Jamaica Street Studios, Annie Clay’s work finds beauty in the everyday as her captivating landscapes demonstrate the beauty of Bristol and its surroundings. Her style is both unique and distinctive with the time and precision in each piece so evident within her work. There is something about Annie’s work that seems to trigger a sense of familiarity with a place and it was great to sit down and have a chat with Annie about all things inspiration and how working as an artist in Bristol influences her work.

Who dares to feel hope nowadays? In an era defined by climate disaster, Covid 19, and the rise and subsequent normalisation of right-wing politics, hope can be hard to find. Recently, it feels like the triumph of capitalism over community is nearing completion, the earth’s ecosystem is imploding at an alarming speed and the dystopian future we’ve all been warned about has arrived.

An evening at one of Bristol’s newest venues, The Mount Without, is something to look forward to. The space in this big old church is fantastic and its versatility really shone for this event as it hosted a staged performance by Tom Marshman and a broader floor space for the dance pieces from Cree Barnett Williams and Yos Clark. The Crypt provided drinks and DJ’s Mister Morgan and Jim Carna gave us some pop joy; the perfect end to a magical night.

Jess Knights’ illustrations are certainly ones that you’ll recognise if you’re into your food and drink around Bristol. Her passion for food and drink really shines through within her work as her unique images are rich in texture and life, making what could be considered mundane into art.

Jazz Thompson’s work is so integral to the city of Bristol as her captivating illustrations tell stories of individual experiences and community. Her murals have been placed all over the city from the M Shed, to The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, speaking of individual experience and displaying a wealth of characters.

Art is an immortal representation of our culture, identity, and personal histories. The gradual censorship of artistic expression in Russia has been presented as more than censorship, but a simple disregard for what art is. Putin would have you believe that art is simply an additional extra, a visual option that does not express anything deeply political or particularly relevant.

Yes, so in the book I created, and in the exhibition text in the handout, at the beginning I wrote “I invite you to view the shape of each woman's body, and then read her story and hear her voice connect her form to all that it carries and holds and think of its future, and all that it deserves.” I think that is the thing that unites them; every body has a story. And everybody deserves so much. And every story deserves to be heard.

Giving that message to children, especially young black kids... that's my favourite thing in the world. That's what I want to do. I think a lot of it is because I never had any of this growing up. I didn't really have like any black role models and I just wasn’t exposed to them. I guess I just want to do everything I can for black people; everything I do is because of black people, my ancestors.

In this review roundup Lucy Pratt heads down to the Arnolfini to see their latest offering and Arts Editor George Trueman stumbles on a exhibition in the heart of Southville

‘Not my body’ is a poem inspired by Vicky’s struggle to adjust to her post-partum body; a real and vulnerable piece.

According to market researcher Circana, Romantasy is now one of the fastest-growing genres, increasing by 42% from 2022 to 2023. Not only that, it absolutely dominates TikTok with it being a massive focus of the largest community on the platform, with over 243bn views under #booktok. In fact, Lovehoney has reported that searches for 'smut books' have increased by a whopping 78% in the past year alone. 

Returning to the busy pub, Rachel squeezed past a couple clearly on a first date. Her husband, Jake leaned over. “You’ve been gone ages. I always wonder what women actually do in the Ladies. I mean, once you’ve done your business, maybe slapped on a bit of lipstick, what else is left?”

The future we imagine is getting bleaker by the second. Especially the looming threat of climate change offers a menacing backdrop for dreams of a world filled with even more gadgets and consumerism. Can speculative fiction help us here? Enter our possible hero: Cli-fi, or climate fiction. Books, film and media where climate and the effects of climate change form the plot, background or conflict we’re presented with.

We caught up with TikTok’s fave romance authors (and rightly so), Christina and Lauren! Their latest release ‘Something Wilder’ was the hot topic, and if you haven’t read it yet, READ IT! We gave it a 5 star rating, and we thought it was absolutely perfect.

When looking for an answer, and the answer is that there is no right one, it either results in reassurance or complete over-thinking. How To Be Everything frequently made the point that you don’t have to pick one thing. And yet, here I was trying to pick to be one thing – to be a multipotentialite – even if that one thing meant that I could be lots of different things.

Perhaps the most common response I get when I tell people what my degree is revolves around how I must really enjoy reading. A dual degree in English Literature and History is extremely heavy on reading … This being said, I have seriously struggled to read for my own enjoyment for the last four years.

Olivie Blake caught up with The Everyday Magazine to talk about the Tiktok sensation, The Atlas Six. She gave us the lowdown on how writing the book was, and her future releases.

As I quietly packed the last of my clothes into the car, Mia peeked through the flat window. I don’t know whether she regretted last night’s argument, but she did not say goodbye.

Jorge Luis Borges, the celebrated writer, poet, and essayist (also one of the literature’s most influential non-Nobel-Prize-winners), had a whimsical take on young poets. The anecdote goes that during a meeting of the Argentine Society of Writers, the topic of up-and-coming talent came up. ‘What can we do for young poets?’ he was asked. ‘We can dissuade them,’ Borges replied.

This holistic approach to athletic preparation resonates with audiences, particularly in a time where there’s greater awareness of the pressures athletes face, both mentally and physically. The way women like Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, and Keely Hodgkinson balance performance with personal care sends a powerful message: beauty routines are not frivolous distractions but integral parts of mental and emotional preparation.

Leading into these events, the expectation of record-breaking performances was set on era-defining superstars who had entertained us all for the better part of ten years. However, 2024 more so than any other year in the new decade, saw the emergence of a new generation of athletes ready to take over. 

English men have been sulking about' 58 years of hurt’, whilst in the same period: women have fought for the right to play again, created the FA Women's Cup, pushed to develop a professional League, and won a major European tournament—and you didn't hear them make a fuss about it.

So, we've got new cars and new rules. But who's going to capitalise on this shaken up grid and make a good run for glory? Having poured over the admittedly vague data from Spain, I've drawn up these, at times wild, predictions. And yes, I set these in stone (and in audio on a podcast) after the Spanish testing. This means I knew nothing of the immediate evolutions of the sidepods or Mercedes ditching theirs entirely. We'll see how that pans out.

The global motorsport circus that is Formula One is back! At the time of writing, we've just finished an interesting week of testing at the Circuit Barcelona de Catalunya, with teams unveiling their answers to Formula One's new technical regulations.

As the old adage goes: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So here we are trying to fix the World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on Earth. After all, only 3.5 billion people watched the 2018 tournament, so it's probably about time we rejuvenate this ailing formula, right?

Even as someone who has loved cricket since childhood, domestic English cricket can be a little impenetrable. The County Championship’s structure is at best a little convoluted, at worse downright baffling - and the changes to its format have even the most devoted county cricket fans confused.

Even as someone who has loved cricket since childhood, domestic English cricket can be a little impenetrable. The County Championship’s structure is at best a little convoluted, at worse downright baffling - and the changes to its format have even the most devoted county cricket fans confused.

Anxiety and climbing, how the Olympics showed the world how great climbing can be for our patience, wellbeing, and attitude to life.

I got really into watching the climbing at the Olympics.

The Football Association (FA) was created over 150 years ago. First records of the humble kickabout date as far back as 206 BC China. Yet female pundits, commentators, or journalists are an altogether new phenomenon.

A comforting, affordable, winter warmer – and very versatile depending on what you fancy and what is in the fridge.

Full of fruit to give it wonderful sweetness, it is best served with salty butter liberally spread on a thick slice. The best thing is keep it in the oven long enough to make the top slightly crusty so you have a bit of texture to it too. My sister makes this every time we have a family event or picnic and it’s all I can do not to mug her for it as soon as she walks in the door. 

I do sympathise with those who ardently hate on the small plate. It’s easy to feel conned when a £14 dish arrives on a plate the size of a coffee coaster, and you realise you could easily devour the morsel in a singular bite. Or - a small plates favourite - when you dutifully order the recommended ‘2-3 plates per person’, wind up £50 lighter - and still leave the restaurant hungry. This modern phenomenon of small plates is an extremely fine line to balance, and let's be honest, some restaurants aren't quite getting it right.

Bristol's food scene is full of truly awesome places. Every corner of this city is home to incredible restaurants, cafes, bars and vibrant street-food markets. There are countless choices to pick from, but some of them are an absolute must - and I had the pleasure to talk to one of the most iconic of them. Here is my interview with Zak Hitchman, Head Chef at the Michelin-star restaurant, and true gem of Bristol, Casamia

When it comes to posh restaurants with incredible views in the UK, people often tend to assume they can only be found in London. Of course, the capital is indeed filled with restaurants that offer great views of the London skyline and incredible food whipped up by highly skilled chefs.

Cardiff’s City Road might not strike you at first as a place buzzing with Gen-Z hangouts. But take a stroll down the street a hundred yards and you’ll find a café-shop that might persuade you otherwise. Heralded as a hidden gem amongst plant fanatics, Eartha attracts green-fingered students by day and hungry foodies by night.

The term cocktail originated in the seventeenth century. The tail feather of the family rooster would be plucked and dipped into alcoholic bitters to dab on sore tonsils. A long history of the creative use of alcohol to help what ails us.

Koulourakia are light, buttery biscuits and a staple snack in Greek households, usually eaten in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up with a strong Greek coffee

I’ve been married for 20 years. The only advice I’ll impart is to have a trick up your sleeve that is your sure-fire way out of the penalty box. For me, atonement through food seems to work. Cooking Teevan, a traditional Sindhi curry, is my proof of ‘I love you’ when the words are so worn, they no longer resonate.

Now, it may be cliche to admit that from the very first course of the mezze feast I knew we were in for a treat, but cliches exist for a reason and, in the case of this particular feast, it was true.