For this month’s Pick Six we turn to Hana Glover, who has been running Nottingham’s crafty paradise The Bead Shop on Market Street since 2000.
Holiday destination
I love a city break, usually opting to visit a new destination each time. However I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of Brighton. It's easy to visit by train but feels almost like visiting another country. It has so much character and charm. From strolling round The Lanes to discover its unique shops and cafes to the exotic Royal Pavilion and hauntingly beautiful West Pier. It's also home to two of the best veggie restaurants I’ve ever tried.
Book
I’ve always loved reading, particularly for escapism and before bed to help quieten my mind so I can fall asleep. I would say that the Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud is my absolute favourite book. It’s the first book in the Bartimaeus series, with Bartimaeus being the main character – a cheeky, sarcastic djinn, who never fails to entertain me every single time I reread. I particularly enjoy fantasy and young adult fiction, and love the feeling of losing yourself in another world!
Album
Music from the Regions Beyond by Tiger Army. I bought this from Selectadisc (I still miss browsing by genre and purchasing based on covers and labels!). The Bead Shop had just moved to Market Street and I loved nipping there to buy or order CD’s, even obscure punk releases. It's always helped me focus, cheered me up and helped with overwhelm – fortunately also loved by Steph and Lucy who I work most often with! Watching Tiger Army live was on my bucket list for years, so seeing them at Rescue Rooms in 2019 was amazing!
Sports team
My favourite team is Williams Racing. My dad used to take me to watch stock car racing as a child and then to Silverstone as a teen – the excitement, smells and speed were breath-taking. From the Senna era onwards I’ve found their drive for inclusivity and battles against adversity inspirational. They’ve pioneered women in motorsport from Claire Williams as team principle, to Susie Wolff as test driver. I hope this will lead to more women pushing boundaries and following their dreams.
Notts Spot
This is a tricky one as there’s so many great places. I love the green spaces like The Forest Rec and Arboretum, and Nottingham’s music venues, but the Central Library is my favourite. It’s such a great free resource for the city – whether it’s business support and resources or the amazing interactive room and children’s library and activities. It also has coffee and a park outside, so the perfect activity for an energetic toddler.
Eating Out
Another tough one! I love Chocolate Utopia (and their hot chocolates are out of this world) but I do also love savoury, so this has got to be Tough Marys! I love baked goods and coffee – Tough Mary’s do both of these so well. Their sandwiches are always so fresh and tasty and their cinnamon croissant monsters and babkas never fail to be delicious. The Saturday morning queues outside say it all, really.
For jewellery classes and craft supplies, visit The Bead Shop at 7 Market St, Nottingham NG1 6HY, or order online via their website.
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