People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Vanessa Maria
Born in Dortmund and raised in east London in a German/Jamaican household, Vanessa Maria champions music and mental health as a DJ and project manager, merging her work in media with activism.
As a former mental health representative at the University of Bristol, Vanessa successfully led campaigns around student mental health and executively produced an award-winning documentary.
Vanessa first made her mark in music on 1020 radio, playing underground trap, rap and drill; while in the club her DJ sets infuse high-energy Baile funk rhythms with everything from Afro trap to hard drum.
At the end of 2020, Vanessa was named on shesaid.so’s Alternative Power 100 Music List, celebrating those who in facing extreme challenges have overcome though while also bringing positivity to their community.
These are Vanessa’s top-five Bristol favourites:
Rice & Tings
Rice & Things promises am authentic taste of Jamaica – photo: Martin Booth
“Rice & Things on Cheltenham Road is my favourite place to grab Caribbean food. I take all my friends who have never been to Bristol. Give ackee and saltfish takeaway, and my day is set!”
Abbots Pool
Abbots Pool was originally developed for the medieval practice of farming for fish – photo: Abbots Leigh Parish Council
“There’s nothing better than heading to Abbots Pool on a hot summer’s day with your mates. It’s fairly hidden and the vibe is always right.”
1020 Radio
“1020 Radio is where my career in music really kicked off, shout out to Sean each and every time for creating this amazing hub for Bristol creatives. I had a monthly show called Level Up w/ Vanessa Maria which you can check out at www.mixcloud.com/nessamariaw.”
Sunday brunch at The Bristolian
The Bristolian remains open for takeaway food and drink while Bristol is in tier 3 – photo: Martin Booth
“Grabbing a cheeky vegan/veggie brunch is one of life’s biggest joys. The Bristolian is one of the best to do it!”
Walking down Kingsdown Parade on a summer night and watching the willow tress move in the breeze
Kingsdown Parade and Somerset Street were mostly constructed in the last two decades of the 18th century – photo: Martin Booth
“Sounds very strange and specific but once you do it you will understand. It’s like a scene from a movie when you look up into the trees. It’s always beautiful and I am always left feeling inspired.”
Main photo: Vanessa Maria
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