Show Menu

love in a damp climate

 Looking for love? Those lovely folks at Village Drinks Up North are playing cupid for all you gay singles out there. Not satisfied with improving professional networking within the local gay community they are launching their first speed dating event next month. If you want to set your heart a flutter the fun starts at 7pm on the 14th of October 2009 at Via. To attend simply register on the Village Drinks website. Or for further information contact justin@villagedrinks.co.uk Fingers crossed some of you find love for those cold winter months 🙂

Read more

salford’s a scream

 Scream if you wanna launch Manchester Science Festival!!! The festival in conjunction with acoustics expert Professor Trevor Cox of the University of Salford are on a mission to find out what makes the most chilling scream. Professor Cox has designed a website featuring a range of cries, howls, wails, screeches and shrieks and is asking the public to vote on the best scariest with the results to be revealed in time for All Hallows’ Eve. If your brave enough go and take a listen… and don’t have nightmares! c/o Esther_G licensed under Creative Commons.

Read more

walkies

 Want to get out and about in Manchester by taking a stroll? Why not check out a new collection of Manchester Urban Culture Trails from Visit Manchester. The first series is perfect for culture vultures covering: Radical Manchester – Museums and Galleries Creativity and the City – Contemporary Arts The Sound of Manchester – Music A City Performs – Theatres The trails cover key sites and venues such as The Deaf Institute, CUBE, The Koffee Pot (who make the best bacon butty according to Guy Garvey of Elbow fame) and the Greenroom. The website offers an interactive map where you can explore each of the tours and get tips on…

Read more

mum doing digital

 It doesn’t look much right now but the Chatham Building above, at Manchester Metropolitan University, is on course to become the heart of MMU‘s digital future. Over ÂŁ30 million is being invested in the University’s School of Art – this high-tech project will incorporate a new six storey tower as well as a refurb of the Chatham Building. The facilities will include new ‘media and design labs’ complete with all the latest gadgetry and a rooftop exhibition area. The appointed architects are Feilden Clegg Bradley who have designed buildings including Derby’s Visual Arts and Media Centre QUAD and the National Cold War Exhibition at RAF Cosford. The first stage of…

Read more

caption the pigeon

 Manchester is renowned for it’s pigeon community. I encountered these fellas eyeing me up after visiting the Spar at the back of the Crowne Plaza Manchester City Centre. Contributions for an amusing caption welcome. No prizes on offer other than the prestige of being perceived as rather witty by fellow inhabitants of cyberspace.

Read more

rainy (ci)tea tales

 Needing inspiration for a unique and quirky gift? When I am confronted with the same problem I often pop to the wonderful shop situated at Urbis. I was in such a predicament today so wandered over there and I saw these mugs…  …that are rather pertinent to the name of this humble little blog of mine. Anyone fancy brewing up?

Read more

walk on pie

 There is nothing like a bit of a stroll to work up an appetite. So three new food walks, as part of the Manchester Food & Drink Festival 2009, are sure to have you licking your lips. The walks have been designed by ex-restauranteur (former co-owner of the Market Restaurant) turned Green Badge city tour guide Peter O’ Grady and cover his fav areas of the city. If the thought of this, in the words of Ainsley Harriott, has tickled those taste buds then take your pick from the below: Northern Quarter Walk, 9th and 14th October @ 1pm Chinatown Walk (Wok & Stroll…. genius!), 7th October @ 1pm Manchester Markets,…

Read more

ignore the ignorant… support independents

 I love the digital music revolution… iTunes, The Hype Machine, MySpace and friends, all satisfy my urge for instant aural gratification. However as someone who, in true geek fashion, has spent hours alphabetising one’s CD collection I do miss having the physical object in my hands from time to time. Cover artwork, pouring over those lyrics and sleeve notes, discovering Rolf Harris sang backing vocals on your favourite track! All part of the experience for a music lover… and Wakefield’s finest indie rock band, The Cribs, agree. The Cribs (now featuring Manchester music legend Johnny Marr.. you may remember him from a little band called The Smiths) release their new album ‘Ignore The…

Read more

manchester architecture gets cooler

 Iconic Manchester building Urbis is going all nice and icy to celebrate the launch of Smirnoff Green Apple and Smirnoff Lime. On the 11th of September 2009 Smirnoff will be unveiling five fabulous ice sculptures in five even more fabulous cities across the UK* In Manchester you can slip on down to The Great Northern where Urbis will be recreated as a 2 metre by 8 metre ice sculpture – which will take 4 men approximately 5 hours to assemble and carve from the time the blocks arrive on site. The design which is being created by some of the world’s top ice sculptors will also incorporate limes, green apples and of course bottles of that…

Read more

it’s gay up north

 Gay? Professional? Gay professional? Then Village Drinks is for you and now it’s up north. Following successful events in London, Brighton and Bristol Village Drinks hit Manchester last month. Over 150 people turned up to network the night away at Northern Quarter hotspot Lammars and now it’s time to do it all again. Village Drinks Up North “The Sequel” (Revenge of the Gay Professionals…) hits Manchester on the 17th of September 2009 at the ĂĽber chic Circle Club. The club’s private Inner Circle has been exclusively hired for the event with the fun serious business 🙂 commencing at 6.30pm and going on until late. The event has a credit crunch friendly entry fee of…

Read more