The Been there blog
'Certainly Manchester is the most wonderful city of modern times,' announced Benjamin Disraeli. In 1844. So fast-forward to our modern era and is it surprising the 'belly and guts of the nation' is still regarded with the same amount of respect, kudos and downright love? Here, a Manchester resident gives us glimpse of her city's heart.
If you can give people an insight into a place, why not share your knowledge and become a Been there blogger? Click here to find out how.
Manchester blog by Kathleen Sayers
First, let me own up. Manchester is not my hometown. It's my adopted hometown and since I have the benefit of coming to the city with new eyes, perhaps I like it a little too much. But frankly, what a stroke of luck to end up in a place with such a dynamic, friendly and open approach to life. Cultural, creative, unique and with people who give a whole new meaning to the term 'conversation' - Manchester is definitely capital, if not THE capital.
So I've done my studies for the day, the weekend stretches ahead of me and I am in one of the coolest cities in the world. What's my plan?
First stop Affleck's Palace, the Manchester version of Camden Market. The whole top floor is dedicated to a fancy dress shop. On it's first floor there is a great bead shop where you can make your own jewellery or buy what they already have. Sequins, charms, beads, bracelets – anything girly really and you can literally spend hours in there. Affleck's basically stocks vintage clothes, clothes by independents and lesser known designers. Plus, of course, frightening fetish shops and stalls dedicated to piercings.
So after browsing in Affleck's for a while and dodging dodgy people, I'll head to the Vinyl Exchange which sells CDs and records for less than the high street because they are second-hand. Perhaps not as famous as Amoeba Records in Los Angeles and San Francisco but just as good. You can buy and sell your old stuff here and there's nothing like grabbing a bargain to make you feel happy with the world.
After that, I'd probably check out the Cornerhouse – art, film, books food and drink is how it describes itself. The bar downstairs serves less run-of-the-mill drinks than other places and the cinema shows independent films. Upstairs you can grab a really good bite to eat, so if it's a mellow, cultural night you're after, this is the place. I'll be watching a Streetcar Named Desire at some point this week as the thought of Mickey Rourke in spandex leggings is still a little too much for me at the moment.
Eating and drinking isn't hard in Manchester. Trof is one of those places that really captures the spirit of the city. Perfect for liquids, think coffees and milkshakes. Plus solid hangover cures and I mean solid. Fry-ups and scrambled eggs on toast, but for the masochists among us there are healthy options such as granola and yoghurt (but you're hungover, so… ) They also do lunches with a Mediterranean flavour – try the tagine which is fantastic. If you've spent all day there, which can happen, in the evening they do club nights. On Wednesdays it's New Wave which will either make you want to get your groove on or finally head out into the Manchester night.
A secret tip: Central Library is a hushed and inspirational place to sit down, chill and catch up on some reading. It's probably not as grand as its New York namesake, but I like its stately demeanour. Would I end up there on a weekend? Probably not, but for gathering your thoughts I don't think there's a better place.
I'm a student, so of course I like a tipple now and then. For cocktails I like Font. Now it's not particularly pretty, think more 'steamy', but at £2 a cocktail you can't really complain. Plus they do food and they are conveniently located near to the club Space. What's not to love? Perhaps it's best not to answer that.
So now my night has ended and I'm on the bus home. I hope this window into Manchester is big enough for you to climb through it – you'd be missing out if you didn't.
* Read last week's blog on Brockley here
If you can give people an insight into a place, why not share your knowledge and become a Been there blogger? Click here to find out how.
Manchester blog by Kathleen Sayers
First, let me own up. Manchester is not my hometown. It's my adopted hometown and since I have the benefit of coming to the city with new eyes, perhaps I like it a little too much. But frankly, what a stroke of luck to end up in a place with such a dynamic, friendly and open approach to life. Cultural, creative, unique and with people who give a whole new meaning to the term 'conversation' - Manchester is definitely capital, if not THE capital.
So I've done my studies for the day, the weekend stretches ahead of me and I am in one of the coolest cities in the world. What's my plan?
First stop Affleck's Palace, the Manchester version of Camden Market. The whole top floor is dedicated to a fancy dress shop. On it's first floor there is a great bead shop where you can make your own jewellery or buy what they already have. Sequins, charms, beads, bracelets – anything girly really and you can literally spend hours in there. Affleck's basically stocks vintage clothes, clothes by independents and lesser known designers. Plus, of course, frightening fetish shops and stalls dedicated to piercings.
So after browsing in Affleck's for a while and dodging dodgy people, I'll head to the Vinyl Exchange which sells CDs and records for less than the high street because they are second-hand. Perhaps not as famous as Amoeba Records in Los Angeles and San Francisco but just as good. You can buy and sell your old stuff here and there's nothing like grabbing a bargain to make you feel happy with the world.
After that, I'd probably check out the Cornerhouse – art, film, books food and drink is how it describes itself. The bar downstairs serves less run-of-the-mill drinks than other places and the cinema shows independent films. Upstairs you can grab a really good bite to eat, so if it's a mellow, cultural night you're after, this is the place. I'll be watching a Streetcar Named Desire at some point this week as the thought of Mickey Rourke in spandex leggings is still a little too much for me at the moment.
Eating and drinking isn't hard in Manchester. Trof is one of those places that really captures the spirit of the city. Perfect for liquids, think coffees and milkshakes. Plus solid hangover cures and I mean solid. Fry-ups and scrambled eggs on toast, but for the masochists among us there are healthy options such as granola and yoghurt (but you're hungover, so… ) They also do lunches with a Mediterranean flavour – try the tagine which is fantastic. If you've spent all day there, which can happen, in the evening they do club nights. On Wednesdays it's New Wave which will either make you want to get your groove on or finally head out into the Manchester night.
A secret tip: Central Library is a hushed and inspirational place to sit down, chill and catch up on some reading. It's probably not as grand as its New York namesake, but I like its stately demeanour. Would I end up there on a weekend? Probably not, but for gathering your thoughts I don't think there's a better place.
I'm a student, so of course I like a tipple now and then. For cocktails I like Font. Now it's not particularly pretty, think more 'steamy', but at £2 a cocktail you can't really complain. Plus they do food and they are conveniently located near to the club Space. What's not to love? Perhaps it's best not to answer that.
So now my night has ended and I'm on the bus home. I hope this window into Manchester is big enough for you to climb through it – you'd be missing out if you didn't.
* Read last week's blog on Brockley here