Category: Manchester

A sign outside a bookshop with the name House of Books and Friends

Explore Manchester’s Unique House of Books and Friends

On By elaineandjohnIn Books, Food and Eating Out, Manchester, Retirement LifestyleLeave a comment

If you’re like me and love books and a brew then a visit to the House of Books of Friends in Manchester would be an ideal way to spend some chilling time. This is housed in a listed building on Kings Street in the heart of the city centre.

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This is a unique space with a mission to help stop loneliness and isolation. This is from their website ” Our mission is to combat loneliness and social isolation. We want every customer or visitor to leave our shop feeling better connected with the community. By reinvesting our profit back in to projects and activities “every book sold makes a difference”.

Loneliness can have a devastating effect on someone’s life, often leading to depression and sometimes the taking of a person’s own life or an unbearable sadness that a person lives with for the rest of their life. It can become exaggerated by a society that values social media but has lost the value of close friends and neighbours. In an age where we have the opportunity to be more connected than ever, there are people who go for days, weeks and even months without having a conversation”

This is such a meaningful concept. Having visited this unique shop for books and a brew I can honestly say it has such a peaceful, friendly vibe about it. The staff are so friendly and everyone acknowledges your entrance and presence without being intrusive.

Books

I first found out about The House of Books and Friends via an Instagram post. I have to admit that from first impressions I didn’t think it was for me. I mistakenly thought it was a very niche store selling books that wouldn’t interest me. How wrong I was. On a morning out in Manchester I decided to pay a visit, I was instantly in love with it! I have returned several times since.

There is quite a large range of both paperback and hardback books. The range is from Fantasy fiction. LGBTQ+, children’s books and story’s through to contemporary fiction including crime and biographies.

As you enter there is usually a selection of the latest arrivals. I found a great crime novel Murder at the Sanatorium by Radnor Jonasson, an author I had not come across before. Such a great read and an opportunity to practice pronouncing Icelandic surnames in your head!

Seating

The book shop has several spaces to sit, read or work. These spaces range from sofa’s to tables by the tea and beverage area. Great tea and coffee is available to purchase, nice pastries and biscuits, also gluten free and dairy free options. In good weather there is a seating area outside on the pavement – but it is Manchester so its not always set out.

What is a real plus for me is an area in the back of the store. This appears to have kept most of the original features of the original building. The building itself, Manchester Club, is an impressive Victorian Gothic Grade II-listed building steeped in history, originally opening back in 1871 as a members club, with members including Winston Churchill. The building, is also home to the opulent bar and restaurant Grand Pacific on the first floor.

There are tables in a fabulous opulent room, dark wood original features. This room can be used to enjoy an afternoon tea or hired as a space for a celebration such as a baby shower or a meet up for friends or colleagues. There are usually visitors in there enjoying a read and a drink or working on there laptops. One space to highlight is the ladies toilet, I’m unable to comment on the gents area. The interior is in keeping with the buildings age and status, which means the pipe works and plumbing don’t facilitate the flushing of wipes etc. What is a lovely touch is that there is a selection of free female hygiene products for anyone in need. As someone who was a victim of period poverty in my teens this is something I’m passionate about.

Summary

In summary The House of Books and Friends has fast become one of my favourite space in the City centre of Manchester. If you love, books, a brew or even an admirer of listed buildings this is definitely worth a visit. They often hold events such as authors talks and book signings. In my opinion it’s somewhere you will love to visit for at least a second time and if you live in Manchester or visit regularly you will want to return again and again.

As I’ma born and bred mancunian I love to share fab things from my city – why not take a look at my review of Tast Catala Restaurant – just a stones throw from House of Books and Friends

Thank you for popping in and reading. If you enjoy my contact I’d love it if you return.

Elaine

The front window of Tast Catala Restaurant on King Street restaurant

Tast Catala Manchester – Restaurant Review

On By elaineandjohnIn Food and Eating Out, ManchesterLeave a comment

Introduction

Tast Catala is a Spanish Restaurant and bar in Manchester. It brings a taste of quality Catalan Cuisine and flavours of Barcelona to the city.

A photograph of the front of Tast Catala Restaurant Kings Street Manchester
Tast Catala King Street Manchester

Food and menus are created by an award winning chef – Paco Perez and it is part owned by Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City and footballing genius.

John and I have visited on several occasions to enjoy a drink at the bar – In my opinion they serve THE best Bloody Mary in Manchester. Tis visit was our first time dining. I won £100 to spend in the restaurant as part of a Valentines competition. A review was not part of the prize and this is our choice to do so and our impartial opinions.

Ambience & Atmosphere

The restaurant has a casual vibe and has a sparse industrial feel. No soft furnishings or glitz and glamour.

Wall art inside Tast Catala

I have seen it described as cold and uninviting, we wouldn’t go as far to say that but can see why others have said it.

There are seats along the bar and an area of dining tables by the large window that looks over trendy King Street, always thought of as an affluent area of the city. On warm days you can drink and dine on the pavement terrace.

There is also a restaurant on the first floor.  We cannot comment on this as we have only ever been in the ground floor area.

This is how the official  restaurant online page describes the cuisine:

“Our Restaurant Menu features our full range of Tastets, Charcoal Dishes, Rice Dishes & Desserts. The Menu is influenced by the flavours of Catalonia alongside more well-known classics. Our traditional dishes feature Butifarra which is a Catalan Duroc Pork Sausage and Catalan Style Rice cooked in our Charcoal Oven”.

Service & Hospitality

We were the only people in the place – 2pm on a Thursday afternoon – the week after Valentines day. We hade booked in advance and were greeted immediately with our names as they were prepared for us. They sat us in the window.

A glass of wine and water on a restaurant table

Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Taking time to explain the menu and make suggestions. I must point out that as part of the prize there was a bottle of Sparkling rose Chapeldown wine – as John wouldn’t have wanted any with his food they allowed us to take it home to enjoy at leisure  – a nice gesture.

Food & Food Quality

Dish Highlights

  • Appetizers: We shared 3 small plates – or Tastets. Sourdough bread with oil and tomatoes, Jamon Croquetas and Cod fritters with lemon and honey foam. These didn’t sound too extravagant or different from whats on offer at many other Tapas restaurants, but Wow! the flavours and quality were amazing! We holiday in Spain a lot but these were off the scale. The sourdough was super tasty with a great light texture. The croquetas had a super soft filling with a light crispy crumb. My favourite though was the cod fritters – such a lovely light batter and the lemon honey foam was like dipping them into a cloud. One of the most delicious things I’ve eaten in a while.  We found that this was ample food for us to enjoy.
  • Main Course: From the a la carte menu, John chose Sea Bass, served with their signature el Txringuito 1939 sauce accompanied by roasted baby potatoes and mushrooms,  and I chose Solomillo – pork tenderloin, celeriac puree, deep fried aubergine and meat jus. The portion sizes were ideal. Although the pork was a bit too pink for my liking but John and I are dinosaurs and like all meat well done, we cannot embrace the pink meat culture. We enjoyed everything we were served.
  • Dessert & Drinks: We did not order dessets or coffee but with our meal I enjoyed a chilled house white wine and John enjoyed his favourite Aspall Cyder.

As a side note we enjoyed the bottle of Chapeldown wine at home later watching Manchester City in the Champions League. This English wine is so delicious, soft on the palate with a delicate fizz – it will now be our go to celebratory drink

Pricing & Value for Money

Our bill came to £96. It’s not a budget restaurant but as its a unique experience and the quality of food and service was excellent it was worth it.

Overall Experience & Rating

Overall we enjoyed this experience, we expected that it would be very quiet when we booked. I think it is busy at the height of lunchtime and then gets busy again later in the evening. As its somewhere I am always going to return to for a drink when in Manchester it is somewhere we would have no reservations about dining there again. I’d be happy just to choose from the Tastets, small plates menu. In fact when we next visit for drinks I think we will definitely order a portion of sourdough oil and tomatoes to enjoy with out drinks.

We would probably give a score of 4 stars – just knocking 1 off for the lack of other customers at the time of our visit, affecting the atmosphere.

Final Thoughts & Recommendations

If you choose to experience the food here I suggest you make a reservation in advance, unless you are just dropping in for drinks sat at the bar, when seats are always available in our experience.

In fact if you’re passing we would always recommend popping in for a drink – quality cocktails.

If you’re in Manchester why not visit a free attraction – here is my review of Manchester Cathedral.

Please comment if you have visited to dine or drink yourself. And we’d love to know if you have any restaurant recommendations in Manchester – we love to try new places.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read

Elaine

 

 

Manchester Cathedral -A walk around the interior

On By elaineandjohnIn ManchesterLeave a comment
Manchester Cathedral with a blue sky
Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral is an iconic Manchester landmark. I’m a born and bred Mancunian in my 60’s and apart from a visit to watch a special Alicia Keys concert I am ashamed to say I’ve never really taken the time to visit and take a walk around inside. Therefore having a day to myself recently I took the time to visit. Here is my short visitors guide.

A Brief history of Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral, originally a collegiate church founded in 1421, became a cathedral in 1847 after the creation of the Diocese of Manchester, and is a notable example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture. It is a Church of England Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George.

A black plaque on a post outside Manchester Cathedral displaying the name of the cathedral
The name of Manchester Cathedral

The cathedral is known for its Perpendicular Gothic architecture, with notable features including the wide nave (widest in England), fine 15th and 16th-century carvings, and magnificent post-war stained glass windows.  lt has been a venue for various events, including the first public meeting of the campaign to abolish the slave trade in 1787. 

Early Origins

The site of the cathedral has been a place of worship since at least the 10th century, with a church destroyed by Vikings in 923, later rebuilt and mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The church was extensively reconstructed and further enlarged following the creation of the Diocese of Manchester and its attainment of cathedral status in 1847.

The area around the cathedral is pedestrianised and is accessible for anyone with mobility issues. And great bonus is that its free to enter.

I visited on a midweek morning and there were quite a few other visitors around. The cathedral was really a large space to walk around with many smaller chapels inside. It wasn’t fully set up for a service – mostly a vast open space at the time of my visit. I think different smaller chapels are used on differing occasions.

The interior of Manchester Cathedral

There is an area devoted to Manchester people who have fought for the Country in World Wars, The Regiment Chapel, and within this dedicated areas acknowledgments are made to many nationalities who fought alongside us. In the seats of this chapel are Perspex figures used to represent victims of war, the day I visited the figures were decorated to represent Holocaust victims, quite symbolic figures.

Like many Cathedrals and churches there are so many amazing sculptures and statues, I’ve got to admit I have a ‘thing’ about any statue. The details fascinate and amaze me.

An interesting fact I discovered is that in the 19th Century the Reverend Joshua Brookes performed nearly 2000 weddings – often in mass groups. This is because if couples were from separate parishes they had to pay two fees to be married – if married at the Cathedral then only one was required. This made it popular with the poor in the area. Thousands applied every year and, in the early to mid 1800s, the eccentric Reverend Brookes refused to let them leave disappointed. In 1821 alone he personally conducted 1,924 marriages, that’s more than 5 a day. During busy periods he married people in batches of twenty.

A Personal Connection

Interestingly for me, whilst researching my family tree I found that my maternal second great grandparents George and Annie were married there in August 1864. I thought they were posh! but researching for this piece I now understand why – my ancestors were from poor working class backgrounds, my maternal side mostly living and working in the Greengate area of Salford.

Anyway I digress – as I usually do in my conversations! If you visit please take time to admire the magnificent stained glass windows, they are not the original as the Cathedral was very badly damaged by bombing in the Manchester Blitz of 1940 and again the Fire Window in The Regiment Chapel is a replacement following an IRA bomb exploded nearby in 1996.

A red coloured stained glass window

If you are visiting Manchester I recommend you take some time – even only 30 minutes to look inside the Cathedral – if it’s raining as is usual in Manchester it is somewhere to while away some time away from the horrible weather.

 

Also whilst visiting the Cathedral please take a moment to also visit the Glade of Light Memorial garden which is just outside. This was created to pay tribute to the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Each victim have there name etched into marble to be forever remembered. It’s very moving to pay your respects and see some of the individual flowers and mementos left by their families.

The Glade of Light Memorial

Thank you for reading I appreciate you taking the time out of your day. If you have visited please let me know or if you wish to comment please do so – I love to hear from you and my email is always open: thebuzzingmancs@gmail.com

 

Restaurant Review – Artisan Manchester Speedy Lunch Menu

On By elaineandjohnIn Food and Eating Out, ManchesterLeave a comment

This was the second time I have visited Artisan for the Express lunch menu – the first time was just before Christmas, due to the hectic schedule around the festive season I forgot to write up my review on that occasion! So here goes 2nd time lucky!

  • Name of Restaurant

Artisan Avenue North, 18-22 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BZ

  • Reason for Visit

A late lunchtime catch up with 4 girlfriends – we’re all young at heart over 50’s. We had pre booked for 2pm

  • First Impression

You enter the restaurant from the Avenue by a small doorway – once inside you have to climb stairs and there is a choice of 2 directions – this can be a bit confusing as to which direction is for the restaurant one of our party ended up in the bar and not the restaurant, and for the record she isn’t someone who regularly gets lost! Once you reach the restaurant there is a welcome area with a desk where a lovely girl took our details and invited us to enter the bar and waiting area. Artisan is very rustic looking lots of reclaimed wood and furniture on display. I have to say we really liked the look instantly. The restaurant area continues with this theme and again it is a very pleasant setting – a long expanse of windows allow lots of light in, although the view from the windows are not the greatest.

  • Time to get served/attention

As stated earlier there is a member of staff already in place to meet and greet, once seated and having a pre lunch drink a waitress came promptly to take us to our table.

  • Food

We ate from the Express lunch menu I chose the red pepper houmous and wood fired flat bread, the flattened rump steak (well done) with chimichurri, rocket and courgette salad and a glass of white wine. There was a choice of 2 house whites which was a nice touch.

The starter came on a wooden platter – 2 vary large slices of flatbread and a portion of red pepper houmous and a selection of sliced vegetables. The flat bread was delicious – thin and crispy perfect for my tastes, although I could only eat one! The houmous was a bit bland in my opinion I couldn’t really taste the garlic, although there must have been an adequate amount as Mr Fitz commented on it when I greeted him with a kiss when I got home.

My steak was tasty and cooked how I like it – yes I know, well done meat is so old fashioned but hey I don’t follow every trend! It was served with the simple green salad which I felt was just enough. I chose a glass of Pinot to wash it down with, having already had a pre lunch Three Rivers Gin and tonic from the bar. Note I stayed loyal to my proud Mancunian roots by choosing a local gin from the extensive Gin menu.

  • Service

Our waiter was very warm and friendly – he did have to attempt to take our order twice due to us chatting and not choosing, but that was not a problem for him, he was patient with us. Food arrived promptly and the all important wine!

The only downsides to the service on this occasion was obtaining our bill, after 15 minutes we had not seen any staff to ask for the bill. I had to go out to reception to ask the girl there if she could find us someone. A waiter then appeared and promptly fulfilled our request.

  • Evaluation

This is a nice setting for lunch, I cannot comment on any other time of the day. I love the decor and surroundings. Apart from the hitch with the bill I do think the service is speedy when seated. If you wish to have a pre or post meal drink the upstairs bar area is very comfortable and inviting and the choice of drinks available are many and displayed well. The food is tasty and in adequate proportions for a lunch portion.

Myself and my friends would definitely return again. Great surroundings and value for money

Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com

Blue Moo’s Monday Musings – what I’ve learned about Manchester City this week -a female fans view

On By elaineandjohnIn ManchesterLeave a comment

1) The Pep revolution rolls on – I am ‘old City’ when there was a banana skin at every corner. With that in mind I naturally approached this new era with trepidation – what if Pep comes to us & it all goes horribly wrong? Well what can I say – no-one is more shocked and surprised than me at how well it has all gone! I’m living in dreamland! The guy truly is a genius – and with a sense of humour that all Could fans can relate too! Long may it last!

2) This new start and era truly means that every player has the freedom and confidence to get forward at every opportunity – this is emphasised by the fact that Girl Clichy scored this week. Great to see. Clichy is a player who performs week in and week out without any real glory.

3) In the early days of the great Sheikh Mansour’s takeover City have been accused of ruining football by ‘buying’ success. With this in mind I am so proud to see Manchester City Women win the Women’s Super League today with games to spare. The Abu Dhabi Group are reinvesting in the glorious game. We have 3 other affiliate teams around the world and have invested in the emerging Women’s Football movement. Plus an ever growing academy with top class facilities. This is fabulous to see – giving something back to the future of the game. To all my friends who support Manchester United my question is – you’ve boasted about being the richest club in the world for years – what has your club done for the game in terms of reinvestment?????

4) Injuries are the downside of the game – we wait with baited breath for news about Vincent Company and Kevin de Bruyne – indications are that Ginger Kev, as he is affectionately known by the fans,  may be missing for a few weeks, maybe four. The news about Vincent is so quiet that I’m beginning to fear the worse for our Captain Fantastic.

Blue Moo’s musings 3 things I’ve learned about Manchester City this week

On By elaineandjohnIn Manchester, UncategorizedLeave a comment


Well we’re 1 week into the season and it’s very early days but here are 3 things I’ve learned this past week:

  1. There is already a big change in the set up and approach to games under Pep Guardiola. The play is positive, always looking to move forward. An awful lot less of last seasons slow, sedentary, backward passing play. The team are still settling into this and I am certain there is plenty more to come!
  2. Joe Hart looks a certainty to leave the club. I have very mixed feelings about this, he’s been a loyal servant to the club and has expressed and voiced his love for the club time and time again. There is often no reward for loyalty, I have experienced that on a personal level during my career so I can empathise with some of the emotions he is feeling right now. However, I can see where his limitations lie and I myself have criticised his distribution on many occasions. Without any stats I’ve always said that at least 50% of his goal kicks end up with a player from the opposing team. There is no doubt though that he has benefited greatly from playing for the club both financially and as a player. I wish him very well wherever the next phase takes him, he will always have a special place in the hearts of the fans.
  3. There is an irritating part of the pre-match security process that remains from previous seasons. Now this is something that grates with me intensely! I fully appreciate all the searching of bags and supporters that takes place. What I find crazy is that any supporters who have a drink of juice, bring water or juice in their bag have it confiscated. There are bottles all lying on the security benches at the entrance of each turnstile. I fail to see the logic behind this – if people are bringing children, or they have coughs, or even are diabetics and need a supply of sugar why can they not be taken into the stadium. The cost of buying inside is extortionate and fans pay enough particularly parents. The answer will probably be given that it is a security and safety issue – they can be used as a missile to throw – hence why when you do purchase a bottle inside you are treated like a child and the cap is taken off and confiscated. My counter argument to this is that if a supporter brings a thermos flask with hot contents , tea, coffee, soup that can gladly be taken in. So my question is which is the greater danger a plastic bottle with a cold content or a heavy flask with boiling hot contents??? I cannot fathom this out – anyone knows the answer or reasoning please let me know.

My first visit to Manchester Fringe Festival – The Minge on the Fringe

On By elaineandjohnIn ManchesterLeave a comment

 

Well as a proud Mancunian I’m ashamed to say that I did not know that my fabulous City held a fringe festival – redfaced!

I was invited to accompany a friend to a production at this years festival. My friend has been interested recently to try new entertainment experiences.

I think I am a regular theatre goer but I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t sure what to expect with this unusually titled play! Although as I think I have a playful sense of humour I was expecting the same from it. I wasn’t wrong. The play was held in the lower ground floor of a Manchester Bar – Bandit, Mugger and Thief. It was a full house and the audience was probably around 30. An intimate gathering.

We were the last to arrive, got in by the skin of our teeth and the play started straight away.

It was a play about holding a play at The Manchester Fringe, the theatre  company was The Lipstick Thespians, and contained a cast of 4.

The story follows these four fabulous females on a journey of friendship, self discovery and a little bit of Acting! – cheesy and a send up of themselves. It was an hour long and past quickly in laughter and delightful enjoyment. Without a Minge in sight!

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be sure to visit the Manchester Fringe Festival again.

As afootnote I must add that the only negative was that I encountered a member of the current Coronation Street cast in the loo’s afterwards – before I could stop myself I commented how different she looked out of character – she was not impressed and scowled – apologies, I know how irritating these types of comments can be – after 36 years as a nurse I wish I had a pound for every time one of my patients family members made the comment “oh I didn’t recognise you with your clothes on!” when meeting me out of uniform .