Nat is our resident word nerd and Content Writer at Yuup. As part of the marketing team she works alongside Marketing Manager Gemma and Social Media Manager Paul to bring our marketing campaigns to life. She's the mastermind behind the puns you'll find on our social posts and in our newsletters, and is currently writing about herself in the third person and feels strange about it.
She's lived in Bristol for about seven years but can only find her way around the city according to eatery locations. Don't try and mention a street name to her, just tell her which restaurant it's near.
At the weekend you'll probably find her in a gym weightlifting or adding more fabric or yarn to her extensive craft collection. She has a collection of fabric that's 'too nice to sew'.
Now to interview myself, haha:
Hey Nat! Tell us about you?
Hey! I’m Nat and I’ve been living in Kingswood for a couple of years but I've been in Bristol for about seven years. I originally chose Southmead when I first moved here, so I’ve always lived just on the outskirts of the city and thus been able to enjoy Bristol from different perspectives and have always had my friends complaining about the long trek to come see me.
I’ve moved around a lot. Born in the South of France, lived in Hungary and Australia before settling in the UK and then moving to Leicester for my undergrad. I moved to Bristol simply because I thought it looked cool. The day I first came to the city it was sunny and everyone was smiling. I saw hot air balloons drift across the sky and I just knew I had to live here.
I’m a writer, with a background in journalism and marketing, and people would describe me as ‘extra’ in a good way, someone that puts in 110%, easily moved to tears (again in a good way), and with a ‘golden retriever’ attitude.
I like weightlifting (120kg deadlift is my current PB), cooking extravagant meals, crafting (sewing costumes, quilts, and crocheting things), performing drag, and disappearing into Hyrule for a few hours here and there.
I don’t like the taste of milk, when my cats look down on me, and hanging up the laundry.
Thanks for sharing! Can you tell us a bit about your role at Yuup?
I’m Yuup’s Content Writer and I’m on the marketing team. Since it’s such a creative role, no two days are the same! Typically, however, I plan out marketing trajectories with Paul our social media manager, create the content for email campaigns, blogs on the website, written content for social media, and any other bits and bobs that need the attention of the resident word nerd.
I joined Yuup in September, but I feel like I’ve been here forever! I’d struggled for years to break into the creative industry professionally, and jumped around a lot to finally get here. I’d say that if someone wrote a job with me in mind, this would be exactly it.
So what’s your favourite thing about working for Yuup?
For me, it’s the company’s overall mission to provide indie businesses and local individuals a platform to earn income.
I feel like our current culture of mass production, homogenisation, and instant gratification have served to destroy small, sustainable communities. It breaks my heart to think of people having to abandon their passions, family businesses, and all their hard work because they couldn’t keep up with chains or use social media to circumvent that.
I feel like big business has caused creativity and uniqueness to be undervalued and our communities are suffering because of it. So I really believe in what Yuup has to offer communities and my favourite thing about this job is being able to help that mission.
Sounds like a great reason to work somewhere! And do you have your peepers on any experiences in particular?
Phew. Okay. On to something lighter (I had a moment there *wipes tear*).
So far I’ve done bounce, beer, and pizza with a couple of my drag friends, a playful pottery evening at Trylla with my gamer mates, a Dungeons & Dragons taster with my girlfriend, scent blending and candle making at Prior with my ex-editor from the newspaper days, and I’ve also done the intro to pottery workshop at Ridgeway Studios (I loved that experience so much that I was shaking after).
This weekend I am making a 2022 vision board with Slay Your Dragons and I have my eye on the Wim Hof fundamentals workshop. I’m also currently deciding on what experience to book for my girlfriend’s upcoming 30th and thought it would be nice for us to both carve each other a silver ring because I am at heart a hopeless romantic.
What’s the best thing about living in Bristol?
Bristol’s piratical vibe. It has a really unique identity that refuses to fit into any pre-determined mould. There’s a real sense of DIY community, which shows in how many incredible independents there are.
I always tell people that Bristol is like a city made up of distinct little towns, and really you have to thank the collective power of individuals for that. The people that live here love Bristol fiercely, and what’s not to love about that?
Do you have any favourite haunts or hidden gems in Bristol?
If I’m in the office it’s gotta be a Pinkmans for one of their stellar sandwiches or doughnuts. If I’m wanting coffee when at the office then you’ll probably find me skulking into Coffee Under Pressure or Two Ways Italian Caffè.
I love going to drag shows held by my friends from Slaughterhaus. Their regular venue is Strange Brew, and it’s got some mind-blowing decor and art installations.
There’s a little indie gallery and bookshop in Stokes Croft called Here Gallery & Bookshop that I love to visit. They have amazing indie comics, really cute children’s books, and a great selection of art prints and unusual magazines.
I like to get my groceries from Cotham Hill Fruit & Veg because they always have cool veggies (I tried a custard apple for the first time the other day).
I’m very food motivated so can I just have a moment to mention FED 303, Nutmeg Indian, Farro Bakery, Cowbee, Bristol L’eclair, Loki Poké, and Eatchu.
Sounds tasty! What would be your perfect weekend in Bristol?
It would start on a Friday and would probably be a techno gig in a secret location- Dialogue is good for that.
Saturday I would wake up fresh and go to a CrossFit or bodybuilder gym to throw around some weights, then I would make up for spent energy with breakfast at FED 303 because their portion sizes are the stuff of legend. I’d always get cake. I’d then meander around the city, going in and out of independents, before St Nicks to get lunch at the food market and a frozen cocktail at Brozen.
That evening I’d get dinner at Tare- it's the best restaurant I've ever been to in Bristol. And then I'd listen to jazz outside The Old Duke, drink cocktails, and then walk along the harbour at night to see the lights on the water.
Sunday would be a dirty chai latte from Cafe Kino and something baked from Farro bakery then to St Werburgh’s to hang around the inner city farm (scratch a couple of piggie bellies) and have pints next door with a bunch of friends. We’d then sit on The Mound (Narroways Hill) overlooking the city, chatting and playing music with picnic food. It would be a warm sunny day with a slight breeze.
Sounds fab! Is there anything else we should know about you?
I’m the current reigning drag performer of Bristol and have performed with drag queens from Dragula and RuPaul’s Drag Race. I’ve spoken on BBC radio about gender identity and being a drag king. I’ve also appeared on BBC news, Pick Me Up magazine, and Bristol Live.
I have three cats, two of which have no hair.
