mancunian wave

Mcr Histories festival: Sweet Mandarin

2012-03-04T08:33:00.000Z

Helen Tse's grandmother came to England from Hong Kong and opened one of the first Chinese restaurants in Manchester, in Middleton in the 1950s. Helen and her sisters grew up in a chip shop run by their parents. They later went into professions they would not have expected to land in, namely finance, engineering and law.

Inspired by their maternal heritage they then opened the Sweet Mandarin restaurant in the Northern Quarter in 2004. It has gone on to win national awards, as well as lending its name to a best selling book by Helen. Sweet Mandarin the book tells the ups and downs of the family history from China to Hong Kong to England, with more than their share of racism, gambling, triads and servitude along the way. I gleaned all of this from a talk Helen gave as part of the Manchester Histories Festival this week. Inspirational.

Weekend Reflections: Serendipity

2012-03-03T05:42:00.000Z

Serendipity is the name of the barge on this wonderfully quiet and pretty stretch of the Macclesfield Canal, near bridge number 60. The 42 mile long canal was completed in 1831 at a cost of £320,000.

I wasn't 100% sure what "serendipity" means, so it was a pleasant surprise and happy accident when I looked it up and discovered it means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it...as applies to this photo in fact.

Thanks to Susie for suggesting the angle, as I was going to photograph it from a different direction, which would have resulted in a very dull photo! Part of the Weekend Reflections postings.

Infra:MANC, Transport Cubed at Mcr Histories Festival

2012-03-02T08:16:00.000Z

I have given a pop art treatment to my photo of the Futuroute, which is at one of the many fascinating exhiibitions on for the Manchester Histories Festival. Infra:MANC is a small exhibition at the Cube Gallery which revisits some of the post World War II infrastructure of Manchester projects. Some came to fruition and some inevitably didn't.

The Futuroute was a machine made to market the Picc-Vic. This was a regional transport system including a tunnel linking Piccadilly to Victoria. Looking to me like a 1970s pub jukebox, you press the name of the stations you wish to travel between and the best rail route lights up. It covered Lancashire (which Manchester itself was part of until 1974) and Cheshire.

This 1960s scheme for an underground railway in Manchester was approved by the 1972 national government, yet didn't happen (although it did lead to the Metrolink tram network some 20 years later).

It was one of a few projects that didn't get off the ground, quite literally for some. Blueprints and artists' impressions I was salivating over were a 1950's network of city centre helicopter landing pads and moving pavements.

Theme Day: Electricity- The Green Building

2012-03-01T07:32:00.000Z

The dawn of March and it's a beautifully sunny morning here in Manchester. Time to visit the Green Building on River Street. It consists of 32 apartments and, on the ground floor, a nursery and a doctors' surgery.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in City Daily Photo's monthly Theme Day.

I was pleased to read that the Green Building's main green features are:

Energy efficient thermal design encompassing renewable insulation.
Solar thermal water heating system providing hot water for domestic plumbing and underfloor heating.
Large full height triple glazed windows on the south facing side maximise solar gain. The north facing apartments have relatively small windows.
An internal central atrium interlinked with all apartments provides a passive air conditioning system. Warm air from each apartment passes into the central atrium and rises, drawing fresh cooler air in to the apartments. Computer controlled windows at the top of the atrium regulate air-flow.
Building electrical requirements are supplemented by a 2.5 kW push-type wind power turbine.
The cylindrical shape of the tower provides the least surface area related to the volume, further increasing thermal efficiency.
Integrated recycling facilities for glass, paper and aluminium. A communal composting bin.
All apartments only have showers in the bathrooms, there are no baths in the residential apartments. The taps are designed to use the minimum amount of water necessary to wash hands safely.

One giant leap for Man(chester)kind...

2012-02-29T08:24:00.000Z

Leap Day deserves a special post so I have decided on one of my favourite Mancunian interiors, The Royal Exchange Theatre.

The Royal Exchange was a cotton exchange with its current (and third) reincarnation on this site completed in the 1870s. It suffered bomb damage in both World War II and 1996. Trading ceased in 1968, in 1973 a theatre company moved in and by 1976 a theatre in the round had landed in the centre of the grand hall.

The clash of 19th century opulence and 20th century theatre venue, studio, gallery, craft centre and restaurants somehow works. The theatre part has always reminded me of a giant version of the Apollo pods which landed on the moon. You can see the theatre/pod partially to the bottom right of this photo. I'll post other photos to do the pod and the rest of the building justice another time.

I fondly remember coming here on my first ever trip to Manchester in 1984 (an ominous literary year...). I was here for the weekend from London and, after an all night film show at the Uni, queued for cheap banquette tickets at about 8 a.m. The play I got to see that evening was Tom Stoppard's Jumpers with Julie Walters and Tom Courtenay, if memory serves me right...(Yes, it does, I just checked).

Mcr Histories Festival

2012-02-28T10:01:00.000Z

The Manchester Histories Festival is on this week. It's a celebration of Greater Manchester’s "unique history and heritage" - an odd statement in my view as surely every city's history and heritage is unique?

That aside, this year's mouth watering programme includes talks, walks, exhibitions, performance and archaeology. A few gems I'm looking forward to are Scott of the Antarctic and Manchester; Slavery and Abolition; Frances Lockett- Britain's first queen of cotton; food heritage; music fanzines; Egyptology in Manchester, Communism in Manchester and much more: http://www.manchesterhistoriesfestival.org.uk/

A photo of mine is being used to promote the New Manchester Walks' tours of the Town Hall. It is ringed to the right above (thanks Tim!) and appears in the thousands of festival brochures printed. I first posted it here last September. The photo is also in use at New Manchester Walks and Quay Tickets.

The use of my photo on the festival website I gave free of charge, as I am a passionate believer of the Histories Festival itself.

Happy Mondays: Delamere Forest foray

2012-02-27T08:18:00.000Z

The Forestry Commission describe Delamere Forest as having "over 950 hectares of mixed deciduous and evergreen forest, open grassland and wetlands. It is the largest wooded area in Cheshire and lies within the Mersey Forest. Blakemere Moss is an excellent habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and is particularly popular with ornithologists".

Hilton Hotel: a humdrum conundrum

2012-02-26T07:06:00.000Z

The Beetham Tower, Manchester; the first 22 floors are a Hilton Hotel, floor 23 is the Cloud 23 bar, and floors 24 to 47 contain 219 private apartments and 16 penthouses.

But I relate to the dilemma posed by Irma Kurtz in her 1994 book The Great American Bus Ride:

“When I was young and learning to survive on the roads of Europe, Hilton was anathema to me and other wanderers of my ilk. Hilton was the home away from home for all bourgeois American tourists. Hiltonites were be-cameraed and wore Bermuda shorts...[but] was it such a big deal nearly 40 years on to spend one lousy night, the first of my entire life, in a Hilton Hotel?”

Linked to the Weekly Top Shot blog.

Weekend Reflections: The mysterious W.B. Tyler...

2012-02-25T06:03:00.000Z

This is 2 Charter Road in Altrincham. The previous shop sign has fallen off or been removed. This has revealed the wonderful wooden signage of a bygone era, I would guess the 1950s.

I couldn't find anything out about W.B.Tyler or what the premises were used for but the Altrincham local history society have shed a little light on it. David Miller tells me that a bomb dropped on Charter Road on 22 December 1940 and made a big crater with considerable damage to property including this one. He has put me on to Trafford Local Studies and I will see what I can discover in their 1942 street directory...

The blue tinted window does however, reflect a good example of local terraced housing, a vintage lamp, a tree near the entrance to Stamford Park and a myriad of telegraph wires. Have a look at some other Weekend Reflections.

Metrolink millions

2012-02-24T07:12:00.000Z

Late afternoon, just before the start of the commuter rush hour on the ever expanding Metrolink tram network.

Evidently it carries about 20 million passengers a year- which is one of those uses of statistics I always find slightly odd. It means that there are 20 million individual journeys rather than there being 20 million different people who use it annually.

Millions of pounds are being invested in several new lines. Overall it's a good, cleanish and fast system, although often overcrowded and fares aren't cheap- they increased again last month, unlike most of us poor passengers' wages...

Linked to Friday's fences at: http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Winter waterway

2012-02-23T07:17:00.000Z

There are miles and miles of pretty stretches along the Trent and Mersey canal. It sometimes looks more like a river than a canal and is attractive even when cloaked in winter colours.

The pancake stakes

2012-02-22T00:34:00.000Z

Shrove Tuesday saw some traditional pancake tossing and consumption all across Manchester. The On The Eighth Day cafe was offering vegan versions as well as the usual kind. At home we settled for a large batch, courtesy of Susie, with some of us sticking to lemon and sugar as a filling, whilst others boldly experimented with banana, strawberries, nutella and vanilla ice cream...

Photo by Holly Sutton-Brand

Cheshire Cheese - oldest in England

2012-02-21T07:34:00.000Z

The Cheshire Cheese pub at Wheelock in Cheshire.There are many pubs of this name in the county and, indeed, throughout the country. I like the way the lamp fitting also has the pub's name engraved on it.

Cheshire cheese is the oldest cheese in England. Dense and crumbly it is produced in Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: two in Wales (Denbighshire and Flintshire) and two in England (Shropshire and Staffordshire). It is first mentioned by Thomas Muffet in his book on nutition for the layperson, Health's Improvement, written circa 1580.

Wheelock village was named after the River Wheelock which runs through it, and comes from an old Welsh source meaning "winding river". The first recorded name for the village was Hoileck/Hoiloch in the Domesday Book. By 1396 the name had evolved to Quelock then in 1382 to Whelock. Two years later, it was Welock and by 1390 the name Wheelock was settled upon.

Kings of King Street: Jamie vs Rio

2012-02-20T08:50:00.000Z

These grand buildings at the top end of King Street were built by Manchester wealth of the 19th and 20th centuries. Two of them are former banks which now house restaurants owned by two of today's wealthy celebrities. On the left we have Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italian and in the turreted building on the middle right we have footballer Rio Ferdinand's Italian, Rosso.

The white building was formerly the Midland Bank (where I banked in splendour for many years!), built in the 1930s to an Edwin Lutyens design. Original features have been retained, including marble clad columns, intricate mahogany wall panellings and a number of historic art deco features. Thе vaults аnԁ safety deposit boxes hаνе bееn also incorporated іntο thе design.

Jamie says of his restaurant which opens today: “I hope thаt whеn Manchester see thе restaurant thеу feel wе′ve looked аftеr thеіr building sensitively. [I hope] thаt thеу Ɩіkе іt, іt’s got energy, gorgеουѕ food, fаntаѕtіс ingredients, cooked bу community people аnԁ really accessible. I јυѕt hope thеу delight іn іt and wе really wіƖƖ look аftеr thеm, аnd whаt саn thеу expect? EхсеƖƖеnt food, ехсеƖƖеnt drink, ехсеƖƖеnt atmosphere, fοr sure.”

Photos of the inside at Manchester Confidential.

Station buffet hits the buffers

2012-02-19T09:13:00.000Z

The station buffet and cafe at Altrincham station was given an overhaul in 2010 and looked promising when it reopened as Hamilton's Express. With a modern appearance it somehow still retained the feel and structure of previous cafes here. Sadly Hamilton's failed to take off so the station buffet is closed once more...

My apologies for not commenting on anyone's photos this past week. I am just back from a week on Fuerteventura, so will try to catch up with everyone over the coming evenings...

Sky bridge

2012-02-18T08:35:00.000Z

Trinity Bridge separates Manchester from Salford. I posted another angle of it last May.

My imagination may be running away with me but it looks like the bridge's "needle" has just popped a cloud, sending its contents puffing outwards.

Coffee break in the new office

2012-02-17T08:00:00.000Z

Coffee shops often double up as a temporary office space these days, as shown by the businessmen hard at work in this branch of an ubiquitous coffee shop chain.

Stepping out in Styal

2012-02-16T07:37:00.000Z

A winter walk to Styal and Quarry Bank Mill.

Along the River Bollin's banks, the crunch of foot on frost,

sun streams westward, water too, roots are making tracks.

Devil's Bridge, Giant's Castle, cottages' thatch,

ancient mill still threatening yet nature meets its match.

Street Art: Tram & train

2012-02-15T10:09:00.000Z

Crashing through the wall come an early Manchester Metrolink tram and what I think is a New York subway train. I discovered this art hidden away while on a walk around the southern gateway, near the Bridgewater canal and St George's Island.

Heart of glass

2012-02-14T10:27:00.000Z

Three pairs of hearts painted on the windows of an otherwise unloved and derelict building at Cornbrook, waiting to be bought and renovated. Happy Valentine's Day!

1873 fish market

2012-02-13T10:09:00.000Z

There are lots of these lovely sculptures at the top of the walls around what was the fish market and which now conceal the courtyard of a modern apartment block. It was opened 139 years ago tomorrow!

It's in the Northern Quarter and here is a fascinating 20 minute documentary on the area's chequered history and how it developed into the vibrant and creative area it is today.

Today Manchester, tomorrow Le Monde

2012-02-12T10:10:00.000Z

On those rare occasions I see someone British and cultured enough to be reading a quality foreign newspaper, my heart skips a beat... He could of course be a Frenchman but, even then, seeing a centre left newspaper reader makes my day.

Street Art: Magic mushrooms

2012-02-11T10:51:00.000Z

A crop of magical looking mushrooms on New Wakefield Street. To me they look like the edible species, Suillus spraguei, although I wouldn't be surprised if they are meant to represent one of the more common hallucinogenic species, the Fly Agaric.

Daffodils grow in the snow

2012-02-10T08:15:00.000Z

Some daffodil shoots shivering in sub-zero temperatures this week. Will they be able to recover and bloom in about six weeks time as usual? Thankfully it seems that most daffodils are fairly hardy and will tolerate a certain amount of frost and freezing, and snow can act as an insulator.

Books for the discerning: Tintin, Wainwright, Jamie Oliver

2012-02-09T07:33:00.000Z

"Books for the discerning" is the wonderful byline here at Bookline on Shaws Road in Altrincham. Sadly it's about to close down, but this is due to retirement rather than recession. They have long stocked a good selection of new and, even better, second hand books.

Jamie Oliver takes centre stage and his new Italian restaurant opens in Manchester on 20th February. The Wainwright Letters are a collection of 35 years of replies to letters sent to Alfred Wainwright, the famous Lake District walker and writer. Herge's Tintin has had a new lease of life since the release of a film last year (and the Wii game too!). The window display is completed with books on three popular subjects: horse racing, bird watching and gardening.

Wind and Wuthering, Fog and February

2012-02-08T08:06:00.000Z

This foggy scene taken on Sunday reminds me of the album cover for Wind and Wuthering by Genesis (see below). The band played Manchester Free Trade Hall on the Wind and Wuthering tour for two dates in January 1977.

The album's title derives from two pieces: The "Wind" comes from a Manhattan Chinese restaurant, the title given to a piece that became part of Eleventh Earl of Mar; the "Wuthering" alludes to Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Two other titles on the album are from the last sentence in that novel, namely Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers and In that quiet earth.

Charles Dickens' 1812 overture

2012-02-07T07:36:00.000Z

Today is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth. He was a frequent visitor to Manchester as Cotton Times- Understanding the Industrial Revolution reports:

"...[Charles Dickens regularly took] the platform at Athenaeum meetings alongside reformers and notables such as Disraeli. He reputedly based the character of the crippled Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol on the son of a friend who owned an Ardwick cotton mill, while the Grant Brothers, William and Daniel, the Ramsbottom industrialists, were the prototypes for the Cheeryble brothers in Nicholas Nickleby.

However, for all his reforming zeal and social conscience, Dickens produced only one work which reflected directly on the Industrial Revolution. His Hard Times (1854) was set in a mythical Coketown, identified variously with Manchester and Preston, and although not one of his better-known works, is worth reading for its descriptions of working-class life." http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/

See also the Weekly Top Shot meme.

Castle pretender

2012-02-06T09:38:00.000Z

A new block of student accommodation is making a welcome addition to the Manchester skyline, although I doubt it can be as ornate as the brown Refuge Assurance building. And despite its name of Student Castle, I think the Refuge (now the Palace Hotel) and the white Excalibur Buildings will always be more castle-like.

Frosty morn at Ramsdell Hall

2012-02-05T10:49:00.000Z

Ramsdell Hall at Odd Rode in Cheshire was completed in 1760. It was built for the Lowndes family and it's thought that William Baker designed and oversaw the building. Baker was the architect who designed Baker Street in London, home to Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street.

Simple pleasures

2012-02-04T07:22:00.000Z

Simple on Tib Street is somewhere that doesn't live up to its name, but in a good way. Hearty food, modern decor and a touch of glamour due to a couple of chandeliers.

I think it's a good place to meet for lunch or dinner. Or, indeed, for a coffee or hot chocolate which is what I did on Thursday with Miriam, who writes the eclectic and fabulous Little Bones blog. A lovely woman, Miriam is a well travelled teacher and writer, who also scribes an annual column about the Edinburgh International Book Festival. I was honoured to be the latest subject in her entertaining handbag feature.
About the handbag series.

Captain America faces the music

2012-02-03T06:51:00.000Z

Once upon a time it looks like music lessons were given in this building on Dale Street. "Classical, Church, Jazz, Swing" suggest late 1940s to me. Any ideas? A typically imposing Mancunian warehouse (for cotton and textile, late 19th/ early 20th centuries)) is reflected in the window.

Bearing in mind that Dale Street doubled as 1940's Brooklyn for the filming of Captain America in late 2010, I wonder if this sign is actually a leftover from the shoot. I took the photo below of some dog eared posters on China Lane, which definitely are. Either way, a great blog documenting how this part of Manchester was transformed into Brooklyn is at: http://captainamericafilmingmanchester.co.uk/

See more reflections at the Weekend Reflections blog: http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com/ and signs at the Signs, Signs blog: http://signs2.blogspot.com/

Silhouettes' pirouette

2012-02-02T07:33:00.000Z

The retail and leisure units here at 40 Spring Gardens lay empty, and the developer is trying to find businesses to move in. The posters suggests that spring and love are in the air, but we all know the landlords and letting agents are only after your money, not your love...

Theme Day: Animals

2012-02-01T06:10:00.000Z

Daisy the Labrador is 9 years old today, born 01/02/03, so it seems only right she should feature in the City Daily Photo February theme day of Animals. Her ancestral home of Labrador in Canada has snowy conditions at present, even if Manchester doesn't.

After two extreme winters in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 this winter's snow has mainly stayed in the hills, not down in the Manchester basin and Cheshire plain. We may get a taste of real winter yet. It was —4°C overnight, and is not expected to get much above freezing during the day. It’s forecast to be —6°C tonight and snow for the weekend but I have my doubts as to how accurate this is...

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in the theme day posts.

Photo of Tim and Daisy taken by Holly in 2010.

Sunrise Surprise: Fat Old Sun

2012-01-31T07:42:00.000Z

An early morning wintry walk along the Macclesfield canal near Congleton, and who should peek over the horizon but the fat old sun -as in the Pink Floyd song of the same name: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttPNilF3v5A

More from around the globe at Our World Tuesday:

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

Bridge Inn troubled waters

2012-01-30T08:02:00.000Z

The Bridge Inn in Altrincham has lost its long struggle to stay open. Along with other local businesses including two garages and a pet supply shop, it is being demolished. It always struck me as a bit of a "spit and sawdust" pub but even so, I am not sure about the redevelopment.

The £100m Altair* scheme for the 6-acre site includes 31 homes, 90,000 square feet of offices, 70,000 sq ft of retail floor space and a 125-bed hotel but I think they could have incorporated the pub, completed in 1901, upgrading it as they went.

Local residents are also fuming at the prospect of more traffic opposite their property and having light blocked out of their little terraced houses by the new arrivals, which will be on the land adjacent to the ice rink.

* Altair is named, somewhat inappropriately in my opinion, after the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila in the northern hemisphere. An artist's impression of the new development is at: http://www.nikal.uk.com/siteNorm/selectedDevelopmentLive.php?qsSelectedProjectId=1

1989: The Year of the Snake

2012-01-29T09:45:00.000Z

Flashback to Chinese New Year in February 1989. Two traditional singers usher in the Year of the Snake in the heart of what was then a newly renovated and expanding Manchester Chinatown.

As far as I can remember it was the first Chinese New Year celebration I attended and I probably took the photo with my trusty Olympus Trip.

A few months later the Tiananmen Square protests took place in Beijing and hundreds of innocent Chinese citizens were killed...

Lanterns: Kung Hei Fat Choy 新年快樂

2012-01-28T08:59:00.000Z

Chinese lanterns for the New Year celebrations taking place in Manchester this weekend.

新年快樂 Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy New Year.

The Year of the Dragon, a symbol that represents excitement, unpredictability, and exhilaration.

Weekend Reflections: Seeing double at Huron Basin

2012-01-27T07:09:00.000Z

The answer to yesterday's question is...The NV apartments and Detroit Bridge by Huron Basin at Harbour City, Salford Quays. Winter sunshine at its most creative.

The NV development (I cannot find out what "NV" stands for!) consists of these three 18-storey residential towers, each 180 feet (55m) in height. Costing £36m to build, their curved frontages were designed to represent sails. To the right Detroit Bridge was once a railway swing bridge crossing the Manchester Ship Canal but was later re-sited here.

Have a look around the apartments at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9FIJLKKn7E&feature=related and on the JJT Residential channel which that clip is on.

For reflections around the world have a look over at the Weekend Reflections Blog: http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com/

Wobbly apartments

2012-01-26T07:06:00.000Z

More details as to what and where these apartments blocks are, and an explanation for their apparent distortion, will appear tomorrow. Meanwhile, please feel free to have a guess...

Entered for Madge in Seattle's Weekly Top Shot: http://www.theviewfromrighthere.com/blog/?p=5976

The Picture House

2012-01-25T08:08:00.000Z

All that remains of this lovely old cinema is the outside upper storey facade. Sadly below a daily horror film now plays out, in the form of an American burger, fries and shakes place- peddling fast food of the worst kind, or, as I say, "Golden arches = hardened arteries."

For a weekly compilation of all kinds of signs from blogs around the world see: http://signs2.blogspot.com/

Street Art: Stevenson Square revisited

2012-01-24T08:55:00.001Z

In December I showed the longship street art that was here, see: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/11/long-boat-on-stevenson-square.html
I promised to share what replaced it. Although I like the cool green colours on this winter line up, I think I prefer the previous artwork to these eight cartoon avatars.

Happy Lunar New Year

2012-01-23T07:54:00.009Z

The Chinese, or Lunar, New Year is today, 23rd January. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and Chinatown is in buoyant mood. Manchester's celebrations take place from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th January.

The Chinese Arch is just outside the New Hong Kong restaurant in today's photo, and is an impressive sight all year round- see my post at: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/05/chinese-arch.html

The New Hong Kong restaurant proudly proclaims "Our establishment is one of the original Chinese restaurants around which Chinatown in Manchester has grown. It began life almost thirty years ago as the Hong Kong restaurant, establishing the link with Hong Kong by being one of the first Chinese restaurants in Manchester city centre to serve authentic Cantonese cuisine. Since then the restaurant has been extensively modified and upgraded and so re-named The New Hong Kong.

With the Chinese Arch standing proudly outside our restaurant, we sit right in the heart of Manchester’s Chinatown and our listed building is a major local landmark."

A thrifty weekend: Sunday

2012-01-22T06:37:00.000Z

Altrincham Sunday Vintage Market

Up early for a tram to Harbour City, or walk along the banks of the River Irwell to get there.

A walk around the basins at Salford Quays, looking at Media City where the BBC and part of Salford University have moved to. Then to the Lowry Centre to view the permanent Lowry exhibition and other galleries, including the wonderful Adolphe Valette exhibition on until 28 January. Great views of the area, especially if sunny, over a coffee. £2 plus optional donation to the galleries.

See http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/08/media-city-globemasters.html and http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-mondays-hardy-january-sunbather.html and
http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/09/homage-to-adolphe-valette.html
plus my forthcoming posts on 26 and 27 Jan.

Lunch at 1847 Bistro in town- £10 per person lunch specials for a wonderful meal. See http://www.bistro1847.co.uk/ and http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/06/1847-vegetarian-bistro-booth-st-mosely.html

Work off your lunch at a vintage market. It’s held at Stockport once a month and in Altrincham the third Sunday of the month: http://www.vintagevillagestockportmarket.co.uk/ and https://twitter.com/#!/Altvtgmarket

The Altrincham Sunday market mixes vintage with local food produce. You can buy beers from Tatton Brewery, wines from the Languedoc (ok, that's not so local), local honey and beeswax polish, recycled homemade jewellry, cupcakes, china, homemade cards etc.

I enjoy perusing the 1950's crockery stall with fine examples of Midwinter domino (white pots on white, Midwinter Cannes and Riveria and Enid Seeney’s Homemaker (featuring black and white design award winning items including a Robin Day armchair and a Sigvard Bernadotte sofa). From £5. Or a vintage dress for £10.

There should still be time to head back to the Northern Quarter to wander round some independent shops and grab a cup tea, people watch or look at the street art. See: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/10/oklahoma-urban-prairie.html

http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2012/01/street-art-carrot-creature.html

http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/10/arty-old-town.html

http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/11/long-boat-on-stevenson-square.html

Then home for the rest of last night’s chilli and a baked potato and the wine left over from last night, And why not tune to local community radio station ALL FM on 96.9 or online. Their weekly Charity Shops Classics programme showcases tunes that can be found in charity shops. I love the variety and the sounds of some of the far from perfect vinyl that gets played. It’s a novel idea and can unearth some musical gems. It’s also is a great way of reusing old records and cassettes which otherwise would surely be destined for landfill: http://www.mixcloud.com/tag/allfm/ and http://allfm.org/

Finally a Sunday night drink at my favourite bar Dimitri’s- say £5 (photo right) and: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/06/alfresco-at-dimitris.html

Total spend approximately £22 (a total of just under £50 for yesterday and today).

There are so many more suggestions I could make for cheap and exciting days out- walks in the Peak District, day trips to National Trust and English Heritage properties, more unusual galleries and museums.

I will continue to mention these here on Mancunian Wave anyway. Thanks for reading!

A thrifty weekend: Saturday

2012-01-21T05:30:00.000Z

Most Wanted have asked me to see how far I could get in Manchester with £50 –“Will it last for a day out?” they ask. I am going to try and make it last over two days, for one to two people. Easy!

A cheap and exhilarating way to start the day is a walk in the country. Regular readers might know I am walking the 97 mile long Cheshire Canal Ring bit by bit, so let's head off to a stretch of canal for a couple of hours walk. There are so many stretches that are especially pretty. Today’s photo was taken on a frosty day last weekend, of a railway viaduct as seen from the Macclesfield Canal near Congleton. Parking at Henshall's Bridge and walking to Buxton Road Bridge is about a six mile round trip, and a gentle two hour walk. Cost: Petrol £4. See: http://www.waterscape.com/in-your-area/cheshire/walking

Back by late morning to On the Eighth Day in town for coffee and a flapjack. Stocking up with some of their wonderful calzones and wraps (e.g. smoky bean burrito, spinach and pea wrap, Mediterranean calzone) for a takeout lunch. Oh, and a copy of the Positive News paper for a 10p donation at the till. Cost £6.10.
(see: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-mondays-on-eighth-day.html and http://positivenews.org.uk/ )

Talking of quality newspapers, a copy of The Guardian (which was called The Manchester Guardian from 1821 to 1959) is always a wonderful weekend-long read. It's worth the cover price but can be cheaper still at the newsagents around All Saints. 80p.

In the afternoon we are spoilt for choice for galleries and museums, but we’re off to the Gallery of Costume at Platt Fields. It’s in an 18th century house and has undergone a recent £1 million refurbishment. It contains one of the most important costume collections in Britain, second only to the V&A in London. Over 20,000 fashion items from the 17th century to the present day, plus exhibitions- free of charge: http://www.manchestergalleries.org/our-other-venues/platt-hall-gallery-of-costume/

Back on a bus into town- If you don’t have a season ticket then buy a Day Saver ticket. These can be complex as there are different fares depending on what combo of train, tram and/or bus you want, but worth the money (£4 to £7 for an adult). Or buy a Stagecoach Bus day ticket (about £3.50) if you are just hopping on and off buses only, as I suggest you do today. The free buses (Metroshuttles) in the city centre are also worth knowing about: http://www.tfgm.com/buses/metroshuttle.cfm

I'm often visiting charity shops to hunt some bargains. Suburbs with a good selection include Altrincham, Chorlton, Northenden and Sale. DVDs for £1.99+ and I am always finding good books for around £2.99+ (travel, fiction, whatever you are into). If you are lucky then clothing, footwear, jewellery or household goods can be sourced here too. So for £5 I’ve got a paperback and a DVD, which will make for two cheap evenings or more.

My evening meal and more (for two people for two evenings) can be sourced by going to a supermarket and hunting for reduced items or shop’s own brand labels. Being a veggie makes it cheaper too. Four baking potatoes for 35p, kidney beans 26p, olives 39p, three peppers for 56p, tomatoes at 41p, bananas 16p for a bunch of 10, tangerines- a bag for 26p, red pepper hummus reduced to 85p, bag of salad for 57p, a loaf of wholemeal bread for 49p. Wine £3.99. Plus sweetcorn, carrots, onion and courgettes. A total spend of about £9.

Popping into Aldi on the way back to check out their cheap fruit and vegetables, tortillas and dips, but only coming away this time with a lipstick from the Lacura range- I love the stylish silver casing and if you are lucky they will have the colour you want- I sometimes have to wait months for the colours I prefer, so, as with all bargain hunting, patience is a virtue. Coral is one of several I use, at £1.99.

A quick visit to the City Library and also the Tourist Info Centre, to pick up leaflets and see what is on for the next few weeks, and what is cheap or free. Many leaflets I make into cards and CD covers at a later date as they can have some funky designs on. Borrow a few books at the City library and a browse of the CD and DVD racks- all styles catered for. See: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/09/lion-cherubs-library.html and http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/11/they-return-love-around-here-dont-they.html

It’s time for afternoon tea and mine’s a cafetiere of mint tea at Cornerhouse cafe where you can relax, people-watch and look down at the bustle on the streets below. £1.85. (see http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-mondays-cornerhouse-cultural.html )

Home to put my feet up and read The Guardian and have a look at my new books. Then cooking up the ingredients- it’s my hardy perennial – a hearty bowl of chilli, with a side salad and some olives. Evening spent over two glasses of wine each, while watching the DVD bought earlier.

Total spend for the day £28.74

Skywatch Friday: Salt of the earth

2012-01-20T07:52:00.000Z

British Salt Limited on Cledford Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire, alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal. I like the coloured lights inside the hangar but am not sure if they have any purpose.

The salt mines of Cheshire produce much of the UK’s supply of table salt and gritting salt for the roads in winter.

See skies all over the world at Skywatch Friday: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

7eventy 5ive Mosley Street

2012-01-19T08:23:00.000Z

I have always liked the way the address of this building is spelled. The brain is quicker than the eye, if that makes sense?

I hope the students at the A2Z English Language School inside aren’t confused by the sign, although the school's spelling itself appears to have taken a lead in typography from number 7eventy 5ive.

You can apply for a visa to China here too but otherwise most of the offices are for companies in more mundane professions such as surveying and valuation. The six storey building was constructed in the mid 1960s for the Commercial Union Assurance company.

See a weekly compilation of all kinds of signs from blogs around the world at: http://signs2.blogspot.com/

Aytoun family business...

2012-01-18T06:30:00.000Z

The Manchester Metropolitan University Business School on Aytoun Street reflects The Hub Apartment block. http://www.thehubmanchester.co.uk/

As far as I can work out, Aytoun Street is named after Roger Aytoun. He was a Scot from Inchdarney in Fife, and a captain in the 72nd Regiment of Foot or Manchester Volunteers. The regiment was raised mostly through Roger Aytoun's efforts and money; it took part in the defence of Gibraltar in 1781–2. He squandered the estates he gained by marriage, which were sold in 1775.

From: 'Townships: Chorlton-upon-Medlock', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4 (1911), pp. 251-254. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41411

Street Art: Carrot creature

2012-01-17T08:10:00.000Z

Any monster brandishing what looks like a spotted carrot is probably more fun than fearful...
Quirky street art in the Northern Quarter.

Also entered at Weekly Top Shot: http://www.theviewfromrighthere.com/blog/?p=5870

and Midweek Blues: http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com/

Happy Mondays: Hardy January sunbather

2012-01-16T07:34:00.000Z

Proving that they make 'em tough up north this young man sunbathes in the 5°C midday sunshine at North Bay, Salford Quays.

Dragon chasers...

2012-01-15T03:50:00.000Z

Preparations begin for Chinese New Year. Each year there is a parade from Chinatown to Albert Square, led by a dragon, which is even more apt in 2012 as it will be the Year of the Dragon. This trail of unstrung paper lanterns reminded me of the dragon that will be dancing underneath them come late January.

Bull's Head Bus Stop...

2012-01-13T23:12:00.001Z

Just before midday yesterday (Friday 13th...) a bus hit the Bull's Head pub at the junction of London Road and Granby Row in the city centre. I was passing just a few minutes after it happened. The bus driver was taken to hospital with back injuries but no other injuries were reported.

The pub's landlord Keith Wilan said the bus caused "a hell of a bang...almost like an explosion...All the pictures came off the wall and then the wall came flying in...It was lucky it wasn't five minutes later, because we had a party of 13 booked into that area."

The Bulls Head ("Your Local in the Heart of the City") probably dates from the first half of the 19th century, possibly the late 18th century.

Thanks to Geoff at North Shore Llandudno Daily Photo blog (http://llandudnopictures.wordpress.com/) for the re-tweet and the line from one of Manchester's finest bands- The Smiths "...and if a double decker bus, crashes into us..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dhFvI5GpHA

I was unsure about the ethics of taking a photo of an accident, especially while unclear of its severity. However, as the BBC and Manchester Confidential had no qualms in publishing photos online within an hour or two, I feel less concerned about doing so now too.

Skywatch Friday: Branching out

2012-01-13T08:50:00.000Z

There can be beauty in death as this tree on the Trent and Mersey canal shows. I wonder how old it is and when it died, and what type of tree it was?

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Lost or lounging at Lounge 10

2012-01-12T08:22:00.000Z

Lounge Ten is/was a stylish restaurant on Tib Lane but mysteriously closed last summer, supposedly for a refurbishment. Their website promised a refurbishment and a reopening by last November but that didn't happen. I need to take a wander to see what is happening for myself...This photo is of it at its prime last summer.

See a weekly compilation of all kinds of signs from blogs around the world at: http://signs2.blogspot.com/

Shortest canal in England

2012-01-11T07:01:00.000Z

The prize for the shortest canal in England goes to...the Wardle Canal, built in 1829 at Middlewich in Cheshire. At a mere 47 metres (154 ft) long and with one lock, it links the Shropshire Union canal (66 miles long) with the 97 mile long Trent and Mersey canal.

Red flag flying on frozen fairway

2012-01-10T08:05:00.000Z

Early morning on the municipal golf course at Altrincham- always the best time to go for a walk here, to avoid any errant golf balls.

Happy Mondays: Cornerhouse cultural cornerstone

2012-01-09T09:49:00.000Z

The Cornerhouse arts centre on a wet evening - it's the two buildings on the left and centre. It is controversially moving to new premises about five minutes walk away on First Street in a couple of years.

I need only turn to Wikipedia for a perfect description: Cornerhouse is located in the heart of Manchester’s cultural corridor on Oxford Road, housing three floors of contemporary art galleries, three screens showing the best of independent cinema, a bar, café and a bookshop. Since it opened in 1985, Cornerhouse has been at the forefront of Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene.

Paradise Found

2012-01-08T10:15:00.000Z

I was startled and then delighted to see this face staring down at me as I passed the other day.

It's in Milton Hall on Deansgate which has undergone a refurbishment, with reproductions of classical paintings now adorning its walls and, indeed, ceilings. I'm assuming that this front entrance portrait is of poet John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost (from 1658), but I am by no means certain and still awaiting confirmation from the management company at Milton House (Adam Geoffreys), who do not answer my emails.

Milton Hall was also was the home of the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra (renamed the BBC Philharmonic in 1982) until the mid 1970s.

Short days, long shadows

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000Z

After a week of 60 mile an hour gales and wind, and horizontal rain at times, it is reassuring to experience some bright and crisp winter days. Observing the long winter shadows was an idea I borrowed from Deb at Ginnels Gates & Ghosts-a daily photo from York, who I met on New Year's Day and enjoyed some City Daily Photo banter with over a glass of bubbly: http://yorkdailypicture.blogspot.com/2011/12/giant-shadows.html

Over in Seattle & the Pacific North West Madge's The View From Right Here blog runs a Weekly Top Shot meme at: http://www.theviewfromrighthere.com/blog/?p=5812

Skywatch Friday: Rainbow over Golf Road

2012-01-06T06:30:00.000Z

Golf Road in Altrincham consists mostly of this short row of terraced houses, built in the late 19th century or possibly the first decade of the 20th century. These two bedroomed houses would originally have had an outside toilet but now have a small bathroom upstairs. One of the houses is currently up for sale at around £190,000.

Skies all over the world today at: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the comments everyone. Today £190,000 equalsAustralian $286,000, 230,000 Euros, Canadian $301,000 or US$293,000.

It’s very hard for first time buyers but roughly speaking, £190,000 would buyyou a smallish 2 bedroom house in a desirable area of Manchester and the suburb,or a good apartment in the city centre. £250,000 would get you a 3 bedroomhouse in a nice area, but price raise rapidly. £120000 is probably the cheapestyou could buy a small house or small flat in a half decent area (e.g. Hulme or city centre).

North Star state of mind

2012-01-05T08:23:00.000Z

The North Star Deli in Chorlton cum Hardy is a great place to buy quality and varied foods and food related items. It's also a good place to eat, chat and linger over a coffee amongst the squashy red vinyl bench-seats (not in photo).
North Star have now informed me that their " bench is pink leather rather than red vinyl - nearly blew our opening budget! ;-)"...

As someone who lived in Chorlton cum Hardy for 10 years (the "cum Hardy" seems to have sadly been dropped these days?) I can confirm that Chorlton is not only a place but also a state of mind, and this is a typically Chorltonite place, full of academics, artists, students, mums and babies.

North Star also opened a branch in the city centre's Northern Quarter last month.

The Molly House

2012-01-04T06:50:00.000Z

The Molly House is a bar tucked away on Richmond Street that has bucked the trend and celebrates a successful first 13 months of business today. Set in an Edwardian warehouse its appeal is that it's cosy with a traditional feel; oak casks and benches yet with a 21st century twist. A good range of teas and food are on offer as well as alcoholic drinks. Even better is that it provides a place quiet enough to chat, with the music being background rather than at full volume like many places.

Ladies who lunch

2012-01-03T08:38:00.000Z

Ladies lunching on the first floor at the plush Room restaurant on King Street. This was previously the Reform Club building, built in 1871 for males in the Liberal Party.

The three-storey Venetian gothic building was designed by Edward Salomans and is constructed of sandstone with elaborate corner turrets, oriel windows and balconies. (An oriel window is a gothic style bay window that protrudes but does not reach the ground).

I will post a view of the whole building another time.

Broken Cross copse

2012-01-02T03:40:00.000Z

A Happy New Year to you- I hope it is all you wish it to be!
We start Mancunian Wave's 2012 with a misty copse at Broken Cross on the Trent and Mersey canal in Cheshire.

Theme Day: Photo of the Year

2012-01-01T03:00:00.000Z

Being the first of the month, as well as the year, it's City Daily Photo theme day, which for 1st January is always a blog's "photo of the year". Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

I find it hard to choose just one photo, so have gone for a postcard of these five, which give a fair representation of much of what drives me to blog about: Greater Manchester’s heritage, nature, architecture, radicalism and healthy living. A link to each one is below:

April: Basin in Bloom http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/04/bridgewater-in-bloom.html

May: Stony faced on Kennedy Street http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/05/stony-faced-on-kennedy-street.html

June: Stand up for your rights http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/06/get-up-stand-up-for-your-rights-marley.html

September: Street athletics http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/09/street-athletics.html

October: Weekend Reflections: Mendel's moving mirror
http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-reflections-mendels-moving.html

New Year's Eve fireworks

2011-12-31T08:20:00.000Z

Wishing all readers an enjoyable New Year's Eve.

Thanks for all the support everyone has given me in the first 8 months or so of this blog- People in 91 countries have viewed it so far, which makes Mancunian Wave unoffically global ;-)

Croma aroma

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000Z

It always looks festive at Croma to me. Even on a summer's evening there are stylish lights and foliage that add to the drama of this wonderful 19th century building at 1-3 Clarence Street. Add some blue lights in December and there you have it- festive pizzas like the snow: deep pan crisp and even...

Croma's restaurants were designed by Italian designer and restauranter Enzo Apicella. Croma write that Apicella is "citied by The Guardian as one of five people in the 1960s who altered Britain's visual culture and opened up a whole generation's cognisance of pleasure, legendary food critic Fay Maschler said that he 'was responsible for ridding Italian restaurants of raffia-clad Chianti bottles and plastic grapes hanging on fabric vines'.

Enzo's knowledge of food and design has helped to establish Croma's personality, giving our stylish restaurants a real edge, alongside a comfortable dining experience."

(N)ice (d)rink

2011-12-29T07:51:00.002Z

The pop up Moose bar by the ice rink at Spinningfields.

There are signs aplenty at the Canadian based Signs, signs blog. This moose certainly has a Canadian feel... http://signs2.blogspot.com/

The Deansgate: visible from space...?

2011-12-28T08:13:00.009Z

The Deansgate pub (formerly The Crown) single handedly tries to drain the entire electricity supply for the southern end of Deansgate and beyond...

Oh no it isn't- Opera House 99 years old yesterday!

2011-12-27T05:48:00.032Z

The beautiful Manchester Opera House at this time of year hosts a theatrical genre that I dread - pantomime.

I have always disliked pantomimes, probably having felt embarassed and/or mystified by the slapstick, obvious jokes and enforced audience participation, ever since my childhood. They are always popular with many but I know I am not alone in my dislike! Bah, humbug...

The Opera House has in its 99 year history been a home to Luciano Pavarotti and The Covent Garden Opera (surely amongst its high points) but at this time of year it retreats (IMHO) to the level of its darkest days (i.e. when it was a bingo hall) and hosts a pantomime.

This woeful comedy theatre style has its roots in ancient Greece but took on its own peculiarly British traditons from the Restoration era from around 1717.

From www.manchesteroperahouse.org.uk/ The New Theatre, as it was named, opened on Boxing Day 1912. Struggling to compete with other establishments, it was sold to United Theatre Ltd in 1915 and was renamed the New Queens [sic] Theatre. Between the years of 1916 and 1920, Sir Thomas Beecham chose to perform there on several occasions and it was in honour of this great man that, in August of that year, the theatre was renamed The Opera House.

"When the snow lay round about...

2011-12-26T07:23:00.026Z

...deep and crisp and even." Happy Boxing Day everyone!

We had a white Christmas here in the north-west last year (2010). Here is a view of Dunham golf course, bereft of golfers but with plenty of noise from tobogganists - led by pink-hatted Holly and followed closely by Tim, on their new, blue toboggans.

For non UK or British Commonwealth readers, Boxing Day (also St. Stephen's Day) is so called because it was the custom on that day for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good and reliable service throughout the year.

Stephen was a saint stoned to death shortly after Christ's crucifiction, as in the carol "Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen". King Wenceslas himself was a 10th century Duke in Bohemia, part of the Czech Republic, hence King Wenceslas Square in Prague.

The traditional celebration of Boxing Day included giving money and gifts to charitable institutions. The holiday may date from the Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries). It could have started with the aristocracy of England giving Christmas gifts in boxes to their servants on 26th December. Or it may have been through priests giving the contents of churches' alms boxes to the poor on the day after Christmas.

Merry Christmas at St. Ann's

2011-12-25T05:19:00.022Z

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas. My Christmas Day photo is of a stained glass window at St. Ann's Church. The church is about 300 years old, with its consecration taking place way back in 1712. Its tower marks the centre of the city of Manchester.

It is named after three Anns: Ann, maternal grandmother of Jesus; Anne, Queen of England from 1702 until her death aged 49 in 1714; and Lady Ann Bland who founded the church.

Angel of the north-west

2011-12-24T10:39:00.017Z

An angel looks down upon the Manchester Wheel. The archangel Gabriel is believed to be the angel of communication and of guidance, helping us with our creativity in areas such as music, writing, and poetry. So the angel of bloggers perhaps? A Merry Christmas everyone!

Fair Exchange

2011-12-23T08:36:00.000Z

The Royal Exchange Arcade. It's part of the Royal Exchange - a wonderful building and thriving theatre, which I shall post about another time. The Royal Exchange building and the theatre itself are reputed to be haunted. One of the ghosts is said to be that of the actor and founding artistic director, James Maxell. Another is that of a maternal Victorian lady, well dressed and with "a passion for drink".

Meanwhile, 10 minutes walk away is the Manchester Christmas Fair in Piccadilly Gardens, which I have not covered this month- this YouTube video does it justice, set to Silent Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Zu21isnws

Town Hall treet

2011-12-22T08:21:00.000Z

There are so many Christmas trees on public display. Those in the shop fronts are there purely to grab your attention and your money and seem to me to be both insincere and soulless. Other trees, in churches, in art galleries and this one amidst the grandeur of the Town Hall, seem more genuine and embody the spirit of the season.

This photo shows how you can escape the bustle outside and step into the Town Hall, stepping back in time to the 19th century. Enjoy high tea from the refinement of these vintage armchairs, which make up a seating area for the Sculpture Hall Cafe: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/100004/the_council_and_democracy/4579/eating_at_the_town_hall/1

For a speedy tour of some of the markets, and a run through the Town Hall and up its Clock Tower, check out this 2 minute fun video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2xhOFAJCIA and the mechanism of the clock at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4i38bJ_iKs&feature=channel_video_title

Both sides of the Triangle

2011-12-21T08:32:00.000Z

It's the first day of winter today and also our final look at the Manchester Christmas Markets. The markets close today and this photo finds us over by the craft and gift market at The Triangle, with some Christmas revellers also enjoying the festive views from the Manchester wheel.

So the Christmas Marketeers are about to leave town. The traders from Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lapland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Romanian Transyvlania, Spain and Switzerland (is there anywhere I've missed?) have to start their long treks back to continental Europe to get home in time for Christmas.

Bon Voyage, and

Frohe Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël, Καλά Χριστούγεννα, Buon Natale, Hyvää joulua, Crăciun fericit, feliz navidad.

176 years of Kendals

2011-12-20T08:47:00.000Z

Kendals Department Store on Deansgate is lit up in a nice shade of purple for the festive season. My favourite part of Kendals is the Venetian tapas bar Chichetti, on the ground floor and winner of Best Newcomer award at the Manchester 2011 Food and Drink Festival. It's where the food hall used to be - which was pretty amazing, especially for gifts at this time of year. Sadly the Food Hall had already long been gone before San Carlos opened their Venetian tapas bar in the same area in 2010.

The following is taken from The Manchester Evening News:
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/life_and_style/s/1328749_kendals_celebrates_175_years_of_trading

" 'Manchester has no more perfect example of a modern furnishings and textile emporium than that afforded by the great establishment of Messrs Kendal, Milne & Co.' Ladies Home Journal wrote some 120 years ago.

It was back in 1796 that John Watts, a Didsbury farmer, opened a family business on the corner of Deansgate and Parsonage, in central Manchester.

It catered for the elegantly dressed women of the era and proved so successful that by 1830, the shop, now called the Bazaar, had expanded into purpose-built premises across the road – the current Waterstones site. It was a covered market building and forerunner to the modern department store.

The concept flourished and on Boxing Day 1935 it was sold to three young managers – Thomas Kendal, James Milne and Adam Faulkner. The department store, specialising in the sale of regular goods and the discounted stock of bankrupts, re-opened as Kendal, Milne & Faulkner, with the first in a long tradition of winter sales, in January 1936. Almost two centuries on, current owners House Of Fraser, are celebrating its 175th year [in 2010] of trading."

Oliver Heywood's apple strudel

2011-12-19T08:28:00.000Z

The Bavarian strudel stall is doing a brisk trade whilst the windmill bar behind it dispenses seasonal cheer. Both are watched over by a statue of Oliver Heywood (1825-1888) whose family made a fortune through banking and slavery.

The Heywood family's bank was called Heywood's and was run between 1788 and 1874. The building they built in the 1840s is now a Royal Bank of Scotland branch, at 25 St. Ann Street.

The Revealing Histories website: http://www.revealinghistories.org.uk states that the bank "prospered in the Victorian period and Oliver was able to devote considerable time to assist charities and liberal causes in both Manchester and Salford. Education was a particular interest and he supported schemes ranging from the establishment of working men’s colleges to Owens College, the forerunner of the University of Manchester.

Heywood’s willingness to devote both time and money to improve the city was viewed as exemplary, especially at a time when many wealthy citizens were moving to the suburbs and ignoring such public duties. Heywood was a supporter of many progressive causes and it is not surprising to find him attending meetings against slavery, such as the one held in Manchester in November 1872 which was concerned with the trade in enslaved Africans in east Africa."

In the Lymm light

2011-12-18T07:00:00.000Z

The cottages by Lymm village pond were looking especially festive in the snow yesterday. The name has Celtic origins and means a place of running water. It is probably derived from an ancient stream that ran through the village centre- maybe in this very spot. There is a Dickensian Christmas festival held in Lymm every December- 2011's was held last weekend, more at: http://www.lymmdickensian.org.uk/

No snow now

2011-12-17T08:26:00.000Z

Snow came in varying amounts to the north west yesterday, and Daisy the labrador enjoyed running about in it. However, this photo was actually taken this time last year.

It looks unlikely we'll have a White Christmas. I think I can recall four or five in the past 12 years: 2010, 2009, 2003, 2000 and 1999. I'm not 100% sure about the accuracy of the last three- would any locals like to confirm or correct?

You can see more animals from all over at the wonderfully American sounding blog of: http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Ice rink- spinning at Spinningfields

2011-12-16T08:46:00.008Z

The annual outdoor ice rink at Spinningfields in Hardman Square. More information at: http://www.spinningfieldsicerink.com/

For Weekend Reflection posts around the world see: http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com/

Une voiture française pour noël

2011-12-15T09:19:00.001Z

Buy someone you love a French Citroën car for Christmas - yours to drive away and wrap at the French Christmas Market on King Street, until 21st December. Another bonus is that it runs on biscuits not petrol...

No idea & a snowman that never melts

2011-12-14T07:05:00.001Z

A no eyed deer and a wicker snowman stand proudly amongst the Christmas foliage on offer at Karl Welsh Floral Design in Lymm.

Sankt Anna Platz

2011-12-13T07:28:00.012Z

At the German Christmas market in St. Ann's Square, one of nine such markets in the city centre this year. St Ann's Church is the building on the right.

A nice video by B Roll at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scKxFv4Y8G4

which also states the following:

"Christmas hasn’t truly begun until you’ve sipped a heartwarming cup of glühwein and wandered around the nine festive markets, offering all kinds of wonderful food, drink, gifts, clothes, accessories and toys from the four corners of Europe and beyond. Stroll along and immerse yourself in the spirit..."

Manchester Christmas Markets 2011

Albert Square –European Christmas Market

Brazennose Street – World Christmas Market

King Street –French Christmas Market

St Ann’s Square – German Christmas Market

Exchange Street – Arts and Craft Market

New Cathedral Street – Christmas Market

Exchange Square – Christmas Market

The Triangle – Craft and Gift Market

King Street –Long Weekend Stalls

See also Christmas snaps at Tuesday Holiday Bokeh: http://jaymiblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-bokeh-party-2.html

Cruelty-free Christmas

2011-12-12T08:03:00.000Z

You are guaranteed a cruelty free and wonderfully flavoursome Christmas meal at 1847 Vegetarian Bistro on Moseley St and Booth St.

If you would like to cook cruelty-free for Christmas check out the Vegetarian Society's 12 Days of Christmas at: https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=1323

There's also an interesting interview with 1847's chef Wendy Swetnam at: http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/Vegetarian/Bistro-1847-interview-with-the-chef

Matryoshkas: Moscow, Munich, Manchester

2011-12-11T07:28:00.023Z

This stallholder travelled 1000km from the Black Forest in Bavaria, where Munich is the major city, to Manchester to sell its traditional Bavarian cuckoo clocks at the Christmas markets.

However, the stall is dominated by the wonderful Russian Matryoshka dolls. The first Matryoshka dolls were made in Moscow in 1890 and depict Russian peasant women in traditional dress.

With the Soviet dawn of perestroika in the 1980s dolls appeared depicting Soviet leaders from Gorbachev down to Lenin. These days you can also find versions of the Matryoshkas as fairy tale figures, sports players, The Simpsons and The Beatles. I am pleased to report that only the traditional Matryoshkas were on sale here.

There's a cute video of two of the Christmas markets at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SustfvoRAVI It reminds me of an independent low budget romantic film, with the bashful young woman, the soundtrack and the angles of some of the shooting.

Gems of Thomas Street's dusk

2011-12-10T09:30:00.001Z

The Christmas lights brighten the afternoon autumnal gloom on Thomas Street in the heart of the northern quarter. Trof and TV 21 are amongst the myriad of bars on the left of the photo.

Historically this area was home to quite a few a jewellers, some of which remain to this day. Trof itself was formerly one such establishment.

Father Christmas meets Father Time

2011-12-09T07:58:00.000Z

There has been a Father Christmas of some sort at Manchester Town Hall for as long as I can remember. For the past few Decembers this Father Christmas in lights has sat outside the Town Hall entrance.For some photos of Manchester's Christmas past go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/sets/72157628023323371/

In the 1980s a giant inflatable Santa perched precariously on the roof or clutched the clock tower, sometimes with a sledge and reindeer. Either way, the gargoyles on the roof often took exception to having their space invaded and would present Santa with a slow puncture or two.

See skies all over the world at Skywatch Friday: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

2005: Wheel, Victoria, Urbis, Green Quarter

2011-12-08T08:46:00.007Z

Looking down from the Manchester Wheel back in December 2005. The long brown stone building is Victoria station and the glass building was then the Urbis museum, built for the Milliennium and which celebrated cities around the world. The restaurant on the top floor, The Modern, was a good place to dine. Closed for the past couple of years, the building is due to reopen as the National Football Museum in 2012.

The building work to the top of the photo is now the so called Green Quarter-
"...a self-contained urban oasis, combining 10 cutting-edge apartment blocks, business accomodation, hotel, leisure and retail facilities set against the precious commodity of lush landscaped open green space. Its close proximity to Victoria Station, the MEN Arena and The Printworks will heighten its appeal to people who value the convenience factor of a lifestyle on their doorstep."

There's an interesting video of it in progress by Manchester tv station Channel M at: http://www.crosbylendlease.co.uk/index.php?u=385_greenquarter_as_seen_on_channel_m

Peace and light on Brazennose Street

2011-12-07T06:34:00.020Z

A stall selling handcrafted bags (peace symbols are optional), hats and strings of lights at the World Christmas Market on Brazennose Street.

The Manchester Christmas Markets are rated in the World's Top 10 by US travel guides Frommer's, as confirmed in this interesting interview with Anya the glühwein stall owner. It was recorded as the markets set up last month and broadcast on local radio station Key 103 at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5kOCYz9RgE

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-06T07:13:00.006Z

Part of the Christmas tree in Albert Square, with the Town Hall clock tower behind.

The square is named after Prince Albert (who was first cousin and husband of Queen Victoria) and who is considered to have introduced the German tradition of a fir tree at Christmas to the UK. This occured from 1841 when he had one brought over from Germany for one of the many palaces that the British Royal Family reside in. The idea took off and the tree became an annual feature in more modest homes of the 19th century.

For some weekly splashes of festive red see the Ruby Tuesday blog at: http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Deer Santa

2011-12-05T08:11:00.007Z

Deer spotting is a fun and easy pastime at the three largest National Trust properties in Cheshire. The thousands of acres of grounds at the stately homes in Dunham Massey, Lyme Park and Tatton Park are home to many deer. There are approximately 5,000 to be found at 12 National Trust properties throughout the UK.

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) as illlustrated here can be found at UK National Trust Properties in Calke, Charlecote, Lyme, Studley Royal, and Tatton.
Fallow Deer (Dama dama), can be seen at Attingham, Belton, Calke, Charlecote, Crom, Dinefwr, Dunham Massey, Dyrham, Lyme, Petworth, Studley Royal and Tatton.

Chopin shopping

2011-12-04T07:10:00.002Z

This recently unveiled monument of Fryderyk Chopin stands in Deansgate at the edge of the city centre's main shopping district. It marks the occasion when the Polish genius performed in Manchester in August 1848 at the Gentleman's Concert Hall, despite his failing health. Chopin died not long afterwards aged 39.

The Polish Heritage Society conceived the idea of a monument. Commissioned by The Chopin Memorial Monument Committee and The Polish Consulate, the sculptor is Robert Sobocinski, a Polish artist from Poznan.

The work depicts Chopin at the piano gazing across at his muse Baroness Aurore Lucile Dupon. Carved into the work is an eagle in flight – the symbol of Poland for over 1,000 years – and a battle scene symbolising the Polish fight for freedom. The bronze monument measures 4 metres high and 2.5 metres wide and is set on a sandstone plinth.

Mcr Xmas markets

2011-12-03T07:22:00.025Z

The Manchester Christmas markets are amongst the biggest and the best. They are in full swing now, having opened on 17th November, for the 13th year. Independent stallholders come from all over Europe to sell their wares alongside local craftsmen and women.

Travel guide Frommer’s travel named Manchester as one of the top 10 Christmas market locations, alongside Barcelona, Vancouver and Dresden.

There are nine markets at eight sites in the city centre this year containing dozens and dozens of stalls. We start today at the French Christmas Market in King Street and partake in a cup of seasonal French vin chaud. Just around the corner you can have the Germanic equivalent -gluhwein, or if you are feeling particularly Anglo Saxon about your choice of warm festive tipple, a cup of wassail (mulled cider).

More at: www.visitmanchester.com/lovexmas and for a good 6 minute video of this year's Christmas markets go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgQzoQ8Jxf8

Skywatch Friday: Hacienda December dawn

2011-12-02T05:35:00.032Z

Dawn over the Hacienda apartments (left) as a commuter train trundles along the railway viaduct.

The Hacienda nightclub opened in 1982 and closed in 1997, with dozens of groundbreaking acts playing there including Teardrop Explodes, A Certain Ratio, Echo and the Bunnymen, Jah Wobble and The Invaders Of The Hearts, Gregory Isaacs, Orange Juice, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Bauhaus, Gil Scott Heron, Psychedelic Furs, Simple Minds, The Violent Femmes, Madonna (in her early days-1984), New Order, Everything But The Girl, James, The Smiths, Blur, The Stone Roses...

A well written potted history by someone who lived it is at: http://www.factoryrecords.net/thehacienda/history.htm

The film 24 Hour Party People also told its momentous story. See footage (includes profanities) at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHox6VhPtPE&feature=related

The club was demolished and replaced by the Hacienda Apartments in 2002. The blue boards of the building on the right have now been there for about 20 years- I had thought they were temporary patching up for when the Olympic committee came to inspect the Manchester 1996 and 2000 Olympic bids (back in the early 1990s) but apparantly they are permanent, as the building has now been empty for two decades! The turret is part of the City Road pub.

You can explore more Skywatch Fridays posts from all over the world at: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Theme Day: Action Shot

2011-12-01T08:26:00.014Z

Hang gliding is a spectacular way to see the Peak District, but rather them than me - I'll stick to walking. The Peak District Hang Gliding Centre has been operational since 1974: http://www.peakhanggliding.co.uk

Today is City Daily Photo's monthly theme day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Rally round the Public Sector

2011-11-30T13:49:00.003Z

Today's public sector march was followed by a rally at Manchester's Whitworth Park. At least 20,000 took part in the demonstration in Manchester, in solidarity with many more UK wide protests. There were also demos in the Manchester satellite towns of Wigan, Bolton, Bury and Oldham.

61% of the country supports this strike but the government is penalising the public sector, the poorer and disadvantaged rather than those who got the country into the economic mess and those that could afford to get it out again, i.e. the bankers and the super rich.

A solution would be to insist that the very rich and big businesses pay fair taxes and stop avoiding taxes by using offshore banking and other evasive actions.

This popular Facebook status sums it up too: "Remember when teachers, lecturers, police, ambulance staff, nurses, midwives, doctors and firemen crashed the stock market, wiped out banks, took out billions in bonuses and paid no tax? No? Me neither. Show your support for public sector staff."

Further reading

The Guardian reports that "The UK is experiencing the worst disruption to services in decades on Wednesday as more than 2 million public sector workers stage a nationwide strike, closing schools and bringing councils and hospitals to a virtual standstill. The strike by more than 30 unions is over cuts to public sector pensions...leading to the closure of most state schools; cancellation of refuse collections; rail service and tunnel closures; the postponement of thousands of non-emergency hospital operations; and "horrific" delays at airports and ferry terminals. The TUC [Trades Union Congress] said it was the biggest stoppage in more than 30 years and was comparable to the last mass strike by 1.5 million workers in 1979. Hundreds of marches and rallies are due to take place in cities and towns across the country."

Yesterday Chancellor George Osbourne punished the UK masses further by introducing a 1% pay cap until 2015 for public sector workers, and changing the pension age of 67 to take effect in 2026 instead of 2034. Even the most right wing of British newspapers, The Daily Telegraph, opines today that Osbourne's autumn statement means "Middle class workers will be hit while the rich benefit after the Treasury announced changes to the capital gains tax regime."

Mark Steel in The Independent is also always a wonderfully light hearted yet accurate read on these oppressive matters:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mark-steel/mark-steel-unions-just-want-the-mums-to-pay-6269659.html
It's going to be a long winter of discontent...

Added vim to Vimto

2011-11-29T07:35:00.007Z

The Vimto monument on Granby Row (Kerry Morrison, 1992) has returned! It was taken down in May (see: http://mancunianwave.blogspot.com/2011/05/vimto-monument.html )
for some landscaping work around the green space where it sits. The wood was rotten in places, and this refurbished version has either had a plastic coating added to the bottle or may be an entirely new one. The fruit beneath has certainly been painted.

Vimto was invented in Manchester by John Noel Nichols (1883–1966) as a temperance drink alternative to beer. Vim Tonic was its original name. It was a squash and later a carbonated drink, made of raspberries, blackcurrant, liquorice, herbs and spices.

Sadly, like other carbonated drinks, the modern day version would win few prizes for a being a healthy drink.

Happy Mondays: On the Eighth Day...

2011-11-28T08:22:00.000Z

On the Eighth Day opened in 1970 and has been in the same place opposite All Saints' Park on Oxford Road since 1972. Well, there was an exception when the original building was rebuilt and they decamped to a mobile shop round the corner on Sidney Street for a couple of years from 2001.

It's a vegetarian wholefood shop and cafe and is one of my favourite places in the whole world, let alone in Manchester. Great for a wide range of unusual and ethical Christmas presents too. The deli counter is shown in this photo. Their website is worth a visit as well, at http://www.eighth-day.co.uk/

I have borrowed this chunk from their early and fascinating history at: http://www.eighth-day.co.uk/history.htm
" Located above a boutique on the now demolished New Brown Street, it opened as a craft exchange and alternative centre. 'On the seventh day God rested, on the eighth day He (She or It) created something better' was the idea of the moment at 11 p.m., September 11 1970 when trade commenced. It was a great place to tune in and drop out, but as an attempt to escape the clutches of capitalism it was less successful and in order to survive soon had to become a shop in the more conventional sense."

They return the love around here, don't they?

2011-11-27T05:07:00.003Z

Inside the Manchester visitor centre on Piccadilly Plaza.
The quotes on the bags are by famous Mancunians and read as follows:

"They return the love around here, don't they?" - Guy Garvey (singer and guitarist, Elbow).
Elbow's recent homecoming concert at Manchester Cathedral can been seen at http://www.elbow.co.uk/

"We do things differently here." - Anthony Wilson (Mancunian music maestro & tv presenter, R.I.P).

"Here, there is an insane love of football, of celebration, of music." - Eric Cantona (French footballer) on Manchester.

"It all comes from here." - Noel Gallagher (Oasis) on Manchester.

"A city that thinks a table is for dancing on." - Mark Radcliffe (BBC DJ).

The T shirt on the far right of the photo features four Mancunian musicians or, more accurately, singers: Ian Brown (Stone Roses), Morrisey (The Smiths), Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays) and Liam Gallagher (Oasis).

http://www.visitmanchester.com/

Purple Haze, 26 November 1967

2011-11-26T08:20:00.017Z

Earlier this year there was an excellent photography exhibition featuring ground-breaking guitarist and 1960's legend Jimi Hendrix, at the Richard Goodall gallery. This photo of Hendrix is still on display there: http://www.richardgoodallgallery.com/

Throughout 1967 Hendrix was in Manchester for six gigs plus a performance of "Purple Haze" on the Simon Dee BBC tv show in March. He played Manchester Odeon twice in April, Belle Vue in May, the University in August and the Palace Theatre on 26th November, 44 years ago today.