My Bristol Favourites: Carly Pearce

Carly Pearce is a volunteer at the Bristol Arts Channel, assisting in editing and captioning videos during her summer internship at Bristol Museum.

Bristol Arts Channel is a citywide collaboration between arts organisations who wanted to offer a lockdown lifeline for their audiences missing Bristol’s brilliant arts scene.

After the summer, Carly will be going into her final year at the University of Bristol, where she studies film & television.

These are Carly’s top-five Bristol favourites:

The Cube

Inside the Cube – photo: Bristol24/7

“My favourite place to go to watch movies in Bristol is the Cube in Kingsdown. The Cube is a non-profit cooperative staffed by volunteers. I love the personal feel, the venue itself has a lot of character, thanks to the fantastic volunteers that work there and the people that support it. They have great cider and beer, or even a cup of tea for just 50p. Recently I went to a screening of the obscure 1945 noir My Name is Julia Ross, but they don’t just offer films, it’s also great for live music and events.”

Oowee Vegan

Oowee Vegan opened at the end of 2018 on Baldwin Street – photo by Martin Booth

“Bristol is the best place to be a vegan, as there are so many options that don’t necessarily have to break the bank. When I feel like treating myself, I always reach for Oowee Vegan on Baldwin Street. They offer absolutely delicious food and drinks, great servings, friendly staff and a lovely atmosphere. I recommend them to anyone, vegan or not. My non-vegan mates were even impressed, having to double check it wasn’t actual meat! My go-to order is the Smokin’ Hot Cluck, or the Big Oovee if you’re not a lover of spicy food.”

You & Meow

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Ug-neBKSd/

“I come from a home with a lot of pets, so it was a bit of a culture shock when I moved to Bristol – especially when I lived in city centre. I sometimes didn’t see a single dog for months! (Clifton village is the best place for dogs.) Because of this, I love You & Meow, Bristol’s first cat cafe. Next to the Hippodrome on Denmark Street, inside you’ll find around a dozen adorable, calm cats who are well cared for. I love bringing my visiting friends here, the vibe is super relaxing and ambient and they also have the best cake!”

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

Banksy’s Devolved Parliament returned to Bristol Museum ten years after first going on display – photo by Martin Booth

“Bristol Museum is an amazing museum with fantastic exhibits which are displayed perfectly, it’s interesting and informative without being intimidating. The staff are friendly and helpful, and entry to the museum is free, with the option to make a donation. They often display temporary hot topic exhibits, like the Leonardo da Vinci’s Life in Drawing exhibition which marked the 500th anniversary of Da Vinci’s death, or Banksy’s Devolved Parliament ten years after it was first exhibited – it depicts politicians in the House of Commons as chimpanzees.”

Lizard Lounge

https://www.instagram.com/p/B86j74WHala/

“As a student, the nightlife in the city is obviously important to me. There are so many clubs I love in Bristol, but Lizard Lounge is the best of the best. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad night out in Lounge. It offers everything from Abba in the cheese room, to Stormzy in the main room. They often collaborate with Bristruths, and I managed to get a Lounge t-shirt at the Winter WonderLounge party and it’s my most prized possession. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s on the Triangle, everyone in Lounge is there for a good time and a good time only. For three VKs for a fiver or five Jägerbombs for a tenner, you really can’t get any better than Lizard Lounge.”

Main photo: Carly Pearce

Read more: Cultural organisations team up to create Bristol Arts Channel