Monday Mural: the making of a mural #citydailyphoto

This mural is a work-in-progress taking place at Altrincham Interchange- the tram, train and bus station. I imagine it has more to do with the latest incarnation of one of the station shops and cafe rather than being a commission by GMPTE ( they struggle enough keeping the trams on time- I have had to ask for three refunds from them in the past 4 days for their delayed services...).

Anyway, this mural is still being completed. The top left photo was of the artist at work last Wednesday evening, then I took a photo on Thursday and Friday evenings, and one this morning. What way do you think the tree is growing? Will the trunk be another shade of orange, will there be greenery, will there be fruit or birds on and in the tree? I don't know either, so watch this space!

Taking part in the Monday Murals meme run from Oakland in lovely California.

Long bar laughter @TheLongBarMCR

The Long Bar at Spinningfields is one of this year's pop-up bars and there has been a call for it this past week. Just right for an after work pick-me up.

Weekend Reflections: when a bus reflects history...

Piccadilly Gardens has plenty of buses but is surrounded by some beautiful buildings including the Brown and Son Warehouse built in 1851. Taking part in Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday Chorlton Mill #citydailyphoto

Chorlton Mill was once a hive of industry and was built in 1814 as a cotton spinning mill. It later was used as a rubber processing works but about 15 years or so ago became one of the more groovy places for loft living in the city centre (in my view). I prefer the renovated, revitalised and characterful apartment builds like this than some of the more soulless glass and steel blocks, but each to their own.

Click for other Skywatch Friday posts. If you use Instagram you can follow me at http://instagram.com/chrissycurlz. There is also a City Daily Photo Instagram feed, just use the #citydailyphoto to post your photos to it- it's the same for the CDP twitter feed.

Buttercups and Mellor

Fields of buttercups as the hills near Mellor slowly transform into the Peak District. Such lovely countryside to explore just 20 miles in all directions from Manchester city centre. Linking with Rural blog hop #17.  

ABC Wednesday: "U" is for utterly united by upbeat music...

We arrive, undaunted and unified by the letter "U", for another ABC Wednesday. 

Piccadilly Gardens is an unlikely centre for kora music and other wonderful sounds from West Africa. I think it's amusing that the kora player has painted the name of his instrument on the base- so tired is he of being asked what it is!

My friend and colleague Holly Marland is one of the few female kora players on this little ol' planet. Check her out: the kora queen of Manchester. She is playing four gigs at three  venues around the city this month on 14, 15, 22 and 30 June. That link gives the details.

For those out of towners who enquired about Sunday's Manchester Day Festival that I'd mentioned, there are photos at The Manchester Evening News.

Emily Wilding Davison: events 100 years on

Doves of Peace outside the People’s History Museum.

It is 100 years ago today that suffragette Emily Davison fell under a king’s horse at the Epsom Derby and later died as a result of her injuries. There are various events being held nationally to mark her sacrifice to the cause of equal rights for women.

To raise awareness of this remarkable woman a cloth petition made up of 100 sewn signatures (coordinated by textile artist Lynn Setterington of Manchester Metropolitan University) has been made as part of the 100 Deeds event. It's featured in the People’s History Museum, 4th – 14th June 2013 as part of Wonder Women: Radical Manchester, alongside the memorial of Emily Wilding Davison, and the Wilding Festival, with Soundcastle London.

Emily Davison is also the subject of an opera, "Emily" (2013), by the British composer Tim Benjamin who also performs in Manchester under the name of Kauppe.

Monday Murals. Eurocultured Festival i

Today's Mancunian contribution to the worldwide Monday Murals meme.  I am not quite sure what I think of this mural, personally.

Artwork from the 2012 Eurocultured festival, which took place under the arches on and around New Wakefield Street. Eurocultured is usually held during the Whitsun public holidays at the end of May. 

Sadly the 2013 event was cancelled due to the ongoing recession causing difficulties in getting funding, plus the fact the tunnel where much of it is held being closed for repairs.

They plan to be back in 2014 so in the meantime here's part of what was created last year.

Weekend Reflections: A light opera?...

Taking part in Weekend Reflections. Manchester Opera House is viewed from the window of a smart side street, with a grand table lamp in the window place.

City Daily Photo: the beauty of decay, Regina's rack and ruin

The City Daily Photo theme day for June is The beauty of decay. 

A local example of this, to my eyes,  is the Employment Exchange building  in the city centre. Designed in the 1930s, World War II stopped work on it until the late 1940s. The royal crest reads "GRVI 1951" which was the last full year of King George VI's reign.  I doubt he ever went near the place though...

It fulfilled its function as an employment exchange for many years but it seems to have been inexplicably (to me) deserted since the 1990s, and has gone to rack and ruin. It is in a prime city centre location too. Strange... 

More details of it are at Our Manchester.