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Countdown to Christmas with this merry mix of miniatures, from wine to spirits, to beer, says Sam Wylie-Harris. With boozy advent calendars a firm fixture on the gifting wish list, and promise of a delicious drop of liquid delight behind each door, a tasting adventure is a joyous way to kick-off the festivities! Whether you’re gifting a loved-one or yourself, these wines, special spirits and beers are a wonderful opportunity to discover new styles, flavours and gateway to a j

Wales Millennium Centre ★★★★★ Nobody puts Baby in a corner – and judging by the reaction at the Wales Millennium Centre, nobody was going to keep this audience in their seats either. Dirty Dancing brings the iconic film roaring back to life in a production packed with nostalgia, sensational dancing, powerhouse vocals and enough familiar moments to give fans goosebumps from beginning to end. Dirty Dancing Conga sequence, Act One. Photo: Danny Kaan From the instant the unmista

These Halloween-themed homewares and gothic accents lean into a moody, mysterious aesthetic, says Sam Wylie-Harris. Sinister ways to style your space for fright night celebrations (Wallsource/PA) Spooky season is a highlight on the holiday calendar, and with Halloween falling on a Saturday, trick-or-treaters can really take advantage of ghoulish goodies galore. Think costume dramas, ghostly decos, and prepping pumpkins for Jack-o-lanterns, with the promise of more downtime to

Get into the festive spirit with these UK, Ireland and European Christmas markets. Tallinn, Estonia, is one of the many magical Christmas markets you can visit this season (Alamy/PA) The classic winter scene of a glowing traditional Christmas market under a canopy of twinkling lights and filled with the aroma of sweet, hot gluhwein and sizzling bratwursts is the very best part about winter. These days it can also be hard to avoid overly commercialised markets full of generic

The camp comedian talks about cancel culture and his ups and downs in the cut-throat world of television. Julian Clary has released his latest crime caper (Alamy/PA) “You need to write about what you know,” says camp comedian Julian Clary who sets his latest crime caper, The Midmorning Murders, in the cut-throat world of TV, something with which he is painfully familiar. “There are awful people in television,” he claims. “It’s a ruthless world, and I thought, how far would so

Soft, coconut-scented treats that are hard to resist. Monica Galetti’s pani popo coconut buns recipe (Yuki Sugiura/PA) “Pani popo has to be my favourite sweet bun from Samoa. Traditionally baked in large trays – perfect for big families – I only started making them after moving to the UK, when I realised I’d miss that steady supply of buns from aunties back home,” says chef Monica Galetti. ” I’ve adapted the recipe over time, even serving them at our restaurant flambéed with

From spooky adventures to terrifying Halloween experiences, here’s your guide to the best Halloween events across South Wales this year. Halloween Spooktacular at Wales Millennium Centre Halloween Spooktacular OCT 31 📍 Wales Millennium Centre ORCHESTRAL MUSIC Expect spine tingling moments, big orchestral sound, and plenty of fun as the orchestra conjures up ghosts, goblins and grins. Dressing up is part of the fun, so pop on your best costume. Ages 2 and over. 🌐 wmc.org.uk

These are our top podcast picks. Sara & Cariad have a new podcast (Plosive Podcasts/ PA) From true crime cases to culture and society, this week has lots of interesting podcast episodes. 1. The Good Immigrant: The Official podcast Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube Genre: Culture and society The Good Immigrant Podcast (Gill Heeley/Kishan Rajani/PA) Following 10 years since the publication of The Good Immigrant essay collection, editor Nikesh Shukla has no

A palette of oranges, greens, rich browns and earthy hues is perfect for the mellow season, says Sam Wylie-Harris. A warm, earthy colour palette sets the scene for relaxed evenings as the nights draw in (Poltronsofà/PA) With warm, dappled sunlight, the beautiful golden glow autumn gifts us, and trees shedding their leaves, chances are you’re ready for a reshuffle with your interiors – to mimick the great outdoors. “What we’re seeing is a real shift to those natural, earthy to

The busy mum-of-four tells Lisa Salmon she has no time for herself but is planning to do a 10k run soon and is ‘thinking’ about training. Actress Joanna Page talks about the “brilliant” chaos of family life and grabbing time for herself (Tech Rehome Network/Virgin Media O2/PA) Joanna Page has been thinking about exercise. The trouble is, that’s as far as she’s got. The Gavin & Stacey actress says she’s doing a 10k run next April, but tells the Press Association: “I’ve only ju

Perfectly plate-lickingly delicious. Ruby Bhogal’s Sicilian cassata recipe (Matt Russell/PA) “Made from two simple, lighter-than-air lemon sponges, soaked in a maraschino liqueur syrup, it’s filled with an orange, cherry and chocolate ricotta filling and wrapped in a layer of marzipan before being topped with decorative royal icing and maraschino cherries. A mouthful in every sort of way – think of this as cake-come-cannoli,” says food writer and TV cook Ruby Bhogal. Ruby Bho

This rich, decadent cake teeters between a pudding and a cake. Ruby Bhogal’s Irish chocolate Guinness cake recipe (Matt Russell/PA) “This is an adults-only cake: unapologetically bold in flavour and paired with a subtle hit of booze in every department,” laughs Bake-Off star and TV cook Ruby Bhogal. “We’ve got that malty stout flavour running through the rich chocolate sponge, topped with a whipped cream cheese that’s spiked with Irish cream and finished with juicy blackberri

Planning is the key to success, and the earlier you start, the better. There are several areas you can focus on (Alamy/PA) Yesterday was the best day to start planning for the future, but in case you missed that, there’s no time like the present. “The key thing to do is start now,” says Claire Sweet, financial adviser at Blueprint Financial Solutions. Sweet advises people to be brave this World Financial Planning Day (October 7) and take a deep dive into the perhaps murky wor

Litter-picking, rewilding her garden and giving blood all helped, she reveals. Feeling hopeful: Caitlin Moran (Alamy/PA) Caitlin Moran, the energetic and witty award-winning columnist and bestselling author who seems to be a glass-half-full type of person, woke up one morning in 2019 and realised she had reached the peak of despair. She couldn’t cope with the endless barrage of rolling bad news, online toxicity, filthy rivers and litter-strewn streets and decided she wanted t

Families looking for ways to keep the children entertained this October half-term can enjoy six days of free Halloween fun at Mermaid Quay, with spooky workshops, face painting, a Halloween trail and plenty of treats along the way. Halloween fun at Mermaid Quay Running from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October, from 11am–4pm, the Cardiff Bay waterfront destination will host a different activity each day, alongside a Halloween Haunt Trail inviting families to explore Mermaid Quay

One of Swansea’s most distinctive restaurants has found itself in the spotlight and between the covers of acclaimed food critic Jay Rayner’s new book. Gigi Gao’s Favourite Authentic Chinese in Swansea Marina There are restaurants you visit for dinner. And then there are restaurants that serve up something rather more memorable, a feast, a spectacle and a story you’ll still be telling long after the last plate has been cleared. For Jay Rayner, Gigi Gao’s Favourite Authentic Ch

Step into a sparkling winter wonderland this Christmas as Luminate returns to Margam Country Park with dazzling new installations, interactive adventures and plenty of festive magic. Luminate returns to Margam Country Park As darkness falls, the historic park will be transformed by more than 120,000 lights, creating an enchanting after-dark experience for all ages. Luminate began at Margam Country Park in 2019 and has since welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors nationwide.

See Earth as you’ve never seen it before, as Gaia lands at Techniquest alongside spooky science and after-hours fun. The Slime Lab at Techniquest Cardiff Bay’s science centre has unveiled Gaia, a mesmerising six-metre artwork of the Earth by acclaimed artist Luke Jerram. Offering a spectacular new perspective on our planet, the installation invites visitors to experience Earth as astronauts see it from space. Take in the intricate detail of its surface while listening to an a

Things are going bump in the night at Margam Country Park once again, as Scream Time returns with more scare actors, sinister new routes and some seriously creepy characters waiting in the darkness. Scream Time at Margam Country Park Ghosts, ghouls, witches and zombies are taking over the atmospheric Port Talbot estate this Halloween – and they’re bringing chainsaws, evil clowns and a few demons along for the ride. Now in its third year, Scream Time transforms Margam’s gothic

Get ready for a packed day of superheroes, movie magic, gaming, cosplay and spooky surprises as Stars of Time Comic Con returns to The LC, Swansea. Swansea Comic Con Fans will have the chance to meet Dani Harmer, best known as the iconic Tracy Beaker from CBBC’s The Story of Tracy Beaker, alongside Ross Mullan, whose impressive screen credits include Game of Thrones and Doctor Who. Also some seriously impressive displays are heading to Swansea. Come face-to-face with a terri