Theatre aside, the kitchen and bar is excellent. Top quality small plates and interesting local…read morebeers.

I've been coming to the old vic for many years so not only is it a great venue but for me it holds…read moremany great memories and is where my love of theatre began. The shows you get to see at the old vic are a far cry from the tacky unoriginal touring shows you get at the Hippodrome. Showcasing its own in house productions you find a lot more edgy and original theatre, so it's a must for all theatre lovers. On this occasion I took my one and half year old son to his first ever theatre production, Magic Elves. The show was in the small theatre downstairs and was perfect for small children and adults alike! He was engaged and mesmerised from the off and I hope this starts a similar love of theatre...

I've been to Heartfelt twice now for tea / coffee / cakes and I'm hopelessly enchanted. The owner,…read moreMandy, is genuine and friendly (as is her adorable puppy that floats around the shop like a little ball of well-behaved fluff). The setting is second-to-none, there are a few antique-y tables surrounded by vintage-everything draped vintage-everywhere. When other customers come in, they're often greeted by name and it gives you the feel that Heartfelt has a very happy and loyal fan-base in it's little nook on Alma Vale Road. I'll warn you now, though - you'll go in for a coffee and a cake, or a nice lunch and you'll end up wanting to buy one of everything before you leave. This single shop could provide my entire wardrobe (although it's slightly pricey, it's also completely unique - not a bad combination IMO). Heartfelt isn't in an obvious location so it's easy to miss, but it's well worth seeking out. It's less than a 5-minute walk from the major coffee shops on Whiteladies Road and it's endlessly better than those impersonal giants...

The staff here are very helpful. We went in on a sunday, this was due to shut at 4pm, but we were…read morelooking at holidays until 4.45! They were really nice and also gave their own opinion on places, which was nice as we needed some proper opinions! Good value for money, although it was a late deal. We had a problem with the accomodation and called them, straight away they got us to change. Brilliant.

Room212 is Bristol's smallest art gallery, but that's not to underestimate its importance. This…read moregallery ceaselessly provides homespun talent with an opportunity to be seen for a fraction of the price that they would have to pay elsewhere. Exhibitions change weekly and can be joint ventures or individual shows. The space can be booked from as little as £15 for the week and a 5% commission is chargeable on sales. And no, this isn't a typo! I didn't forget to add the zero! All enquiries to Henk: henk.mullen@gmail.com after checking out the lowdown on the website: http://www.room212.co.uk/ Artists man their own shows and are at liberty to open for as little or as long as they like. The savvy ones will post their opening times in the window and on the website. But even if it's not open when you happen to walk past, you can still view all of the pieces being exhibited from the window. It really is that small. If you do have the good fortune to chance upon it when the door is open I recommend that you step inside. You can hope to buy a piece of original art for as little as £10, and gain an intimate knowledge of the pieces on show from the artists themselves. The owner deserves a Knighthood!

Room 212 is the sort of place one can't write a lot about. Not because it lacks any particular…read morestyle or character. In fact it has great deals of both. Rather, because it is dynamic. It is an art space constantly changing. A collective of sorts, each week different artists can use the shop to display their art works. Some will use just the window and open for an hour a day. Others may open all day every day with their doors wide open to the public. And being different artists all the time they all have different contact details too. The one thing I can say is that every time I have walked past this original little number I have walked in. Something about the creativity or the freshness just pulls me in. So if local and independent artists doing their thing is what you like - see if you can walk by without stopping.

My lord, i love crafty shops. This is like a mecca for…read morecrafty people! I've shopped around for various craft supplies and hobbycraft isn't as expensive as i thought it would be, it has the added bonus of being all under one roof. I don't agree with previous comments that it's a shop for lazy people, if you are short on time then it's the best place. Smaller more personable hobby shops which are lovely will inevitably be more expensive and smaller in size including options for stock so it depends what you are after. i used to buy online from independent sellers but you do get less for your money and if you are intending to sell your items you create like i do, every penny makes a difference. Another good place to check out is local garden Centres, would be surprised the things i've found! They sell an abundance of Christmas crafts, ribbon, buttons, pendants, beads, modelling craft, decoupage, flower arranging, kids crafts and art work, cake decorating icing/ materials and that's just down stairs! It does get very bust on weekends, deducting a star for the times i've had to wait in the que for half and hour or more. They do seem to lack the correct number of staff in my opinion but the staff they do have are helpful as can be. If you are just starting off looking for a new hobby or unsure where to go with some craft ideas, just go for a visit, your not obligated to buy anything. You'll get 1001 ideas and inspirations :)

Hobby Craft is basically a craft shop for lazy people, who don't really take craftwork that…read moreseriously. For if they did they would almost certainly shop around and get things cheaper, better and more specialized. For what it is though (craft shop for lazy people) it is pretty good as they have a wide selection of materials and pretty much everything you need under one roof. I have to admit using this one in particular as it is nice and big and I know they will have the specific item I'm looking for. If only the prices were that little bit cheaper. Sorry, scrap that, if only the prices were a lot cheaper, it would be a pretty good chained store. As it stands at the moment it is quite frankly a rip off.

The Royal West of England Academy is one of Bristol's most acclaimed art galleries and the grand…read morebuilding certainly alludes to an old, traditional atmosphere. While it is certainly true that the building is grand and steeped in history, the Academy recognises the importance of contemporary art and it regularly hosts exhibitions that would appeal to more than just art buffs. Entrance to the permanent exhibitions is free but you do have to pay to access all other shows (unless you try and sneak in to a private view, which is usually the night before the show opens to the public). Past exhibitions include Crimes of Passion, where the gallery was taken over by prominent local graffiti artists, and several modern drawing exhibits. The gallery also holds regular open exhibitions where artists of various levels and disciplines can submit work and there is definitely a focus on the importance of local art and student artists. A visit to the RWA is worth it and if you're not sure what's going on then check out the website for up-to-date information of past, present and future exhibitions.

Apparently this is Bristol's finest and most boasted about Art Gallery, but I have to say, until…read moretoday I had never heard of it! Not that I'm a massive Art Gallery fan or anything but if it were that much of a big deal I would have expected to have known about it! They have mixture of exhibitions on show, some that stay for longer than others, and the gallery rooms are quite breathtaking. Reasonably priced at £4.00 for an adult, £2.50 concessions, I probably wouldn't go back but it's nice to say I've been.

Molton Brown has got to be one of my all time favourite brands. This shop has been here for a bit…read morelonger than the new one at Cabot Circus in the centre of Bristol, but the products are really worth trying if you have never tried them before. DOn't be put off by the prices, yes they are more expensive than your normal high street brand but you get what you pay for. The staff are really helpful aswell and will always give some ideas to any men that want to treat the lady in his life!

Originally Bedminster Library, the Grant Bradley Gallery has been supplying wall space to both…read morenational and international artists since its inception in 2005. This is the perfect antidote to the bruisings and spinnings of my weekly shop in the Bedminister Asda next door. Last time I sought solace in the Bradley was after a particularly taxing time involving a self-checkout - the stunning collection of textiles from an artists' collective put pay to any feelings of shop-rage. The underlying ethos is for approachability, so you wont get any of those arty affectations. The Bradley is totally welcoming, and is just as much a place to sip lattes and get your nose into a good book - they have a mezzanine floor with huggy sofas, a selection of secondhand books to peruse, high whitewalls that induce calm and there's always some top-draw art to goggle. There are life drawing classes, talks from artists and arts' events for budding Damian Hirsts during the scholl holidays. Also, the giftshop is a good place to seek out that individual gift - my girlfriend had to practically be manhandled out the door after discovering a must-have range of handmade handbags for under £10.

This gallery is just a brisk walk from Temple Meads and worth the trip. A gallery with an eye for…read moreselling items for gifts so all art is approachable. Often with a slant toward art for children or their rooms which is not surprising considering the number of mums in here mid-morning for a cup of tea. Last xmas they had an amazing display of kinetic cardboard sculpture kits. Don't let that put you off - they have art for us grown ups as well! They had a very interesting exhibition on from artists with learning disabilities when I last visited. They have a new area at the back which has a selection of second hand books - profits from the books go straight to charity.