We’ve been voting for our favourite red carpet dresses at the Oscars.

Meryl Streep was an elegant grand dame, great exposure for Angelina in that slashed to the thigh number and we loved Gwyneth’s understated style. Swoons from the older Springy girls for George, too.

Perhaps now’s the time for us to get Spring-ready with a trip to see the new season’s range at Spear and Hubble.

We are enjoying week-before-a-concert-footfall this week – Southwolders and music lovers from further away have been popping in in their droves to buy tickets for Saturday’s concert from returning favourites The Sacconi Quartet.

(c) Venetia van Hoorn Alkema

In an experiment to protect our audience from the rigours of an east coast February night we have retimed this concert for 3.00 in the afternoon, making this concert one of the first in the past four years to take place fully in daylight hours. The programme is:

Franz Joseph Haydn – Quartet in G major, op.77 no.1

Béla Bartók – String Quartet no.3 (1927)

Edward Elgar – Piano Quintet in A minor, op.84

Since their formation in 2001, The Sacconi Quartet have become recognized for their performances of style and commitment and consistently communicating with a fresh and imaginative approach. They perform a highly contrasting programme of quartets by Haydn and Bartok, as well as Elgar’s epic Piano Quintet, on which they collaborate with the series’ Artistic Director, Nathan Williamson.

‘A quartet of genuine substance.’ The Daily Telegraph

‘Great power and sweetness…intimate closeness.’ The Spectator

Tickets are, as ever, just £12 to include an interval drink courtesy of our co-sponsors, Adnams. All attendees are invited to become Friends of the Concert Series for a fiver a year – this largely goes to support the work of the Concert Series, but also ensures you are kept up to date with news and receive the beautiful season brochure each year.

The Box Office is at Spring, 4 Church Street (open 9-5.30, Monday to Friday) or by calling Lucy Aldous at Spring on 01502 726161.

This month sees the launch of our beautiful new website for artisan baker John Spillings.

John, who has previously worked for Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck and Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons moved home to Suffolk in 2009 to launch The Penny Bun Bakery.

From an industrial unit on the Suffolk coast John creates a delicious range of breads including focaccia, ciabatta, rye bread and Waveney Wholemeal, using Marriage’s flour and his own cultivation of naturally fermented yeast.

He supplies hotels, restaurants, cafés and delicatessans across East Anglia – and his fame is spreading, thanks to his fabulous bread.

We’ve taken a quick survey around Spring to find out how everyone’s planning to spend the festive season. Here’s some of the more bloggable results.

Lucy will be spending new year with a group of mates in Dublin, for the craic. Raise a glass for us, girl!

Nikki P’s spending the last Christmas with her family. Next year her parents are emigrating, but we’re delighted to hear that Nikki’s sister’s making up the numbers – baby number one arrives in January.

Nikki B’s travel plans eclipse any others we’ve heard – she’s heading off to see the northern lights. This year’s are said to be the best in decades and we’ll make sure she blogs about it upon her return. Onnellinen matkustaa, Nikki!

Our intrepid surfing/ skateboarding duo George and Glen are showing their true colours. George plans to snuggle (”Christmas is for snuggling,” he says) whereas Glen is keeping the faith – he’ll be spending Christmas morning neck deep in the North Sea, for the traditional Lowestoft swim.

Mel’s immersing herself in the slightly warmer environment of village life, spending her time between Thorington carol services and hosting village drinks parties. See you there!

We’d love to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and new year, however you spend it, and our warmest good wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012.

2012 will be the year of James Bond, comic fiction, rugby, racing and golf, some beautiful painting and a couple of nice surprises for Bollinger fans.

So it seemed only right to give them a new home for all the lovely stuff we’re going to be able to write about.

Bollinger’s brand new Experience Bollinger site launches in time for the new year, enhanced for navigation, mobile usability and maximum content impact.

We’re delighted to report that this happens in a month that also see Bollinger’s facebook followers treble and their talkability grow by an extraordinary 4,000% in just five days, thanks to an engaging Advent Calendar competition.

With prizes ranging from bottle of Bollinger to James Bond aprons, daily entrants are regularly in the 800’s.