• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Shopping

Manchester M1 1JN

Marmalady said
Trying vintage on for size
Let's get one thing straight, I don't like vintage.

That said, like the shameless fashion victim I am, I can't help but notice that many people are pulling off that vintage look with great success. What would look like my nan's dress on me, looks individual and quirky on so many other young women.

So with the desire to inject a bit of individuality into my own wardrobe i went to one of the Northern Quarter's leading vintage shops, Pop Boutique.

There is definitely a wide range of stuff in the shop, I think I just failed to see how I could pull of any of it. There's a nice selection of shoes, though to me that just seems a bit gross to wear someone else's shoes, regardless of what decade they were made.

Downstairs the clothes give way to household items with a rather bric-a-brac collection of cushions, ash trays, vases, lamps and goodness knows what else.

The staff on the few occassions when I've been in seem a little unfriendly. Maybe that is just because they saw me coming in my River Island outfit and knew I wasn't exactly going to purchase masses of stock.

If it's your sort of thing, then Pop Boutique is great. Friends of mine who seem to prefer clothes from a non-Primark-era certainly rave about it.

For me however, well all I managed to bring myself to buy was a scarf, and I'm pretty sure even that wasn't retro.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Nightlife

Manchester M4 1LW
0161 831 7002

Marmalady said
As cool as jazz itself
Matt and Phreds is Manchester's premier jazz club. On each visit to this place I have heard some truly top-notch musicians playing some really amazing music. The stage is at the back of the venue with an area of tables and chairs to allow you to sit back and let the jazz envelope you like warm velvet. On weekends these tables usually seem very busy with many reserved, so you may need to call ahead to ensure that you're not left standing. The bar area seems to sit respectfully back from the music area, and the staff always seem friendly and helpful.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Manchester M20 2WS

Marmalady said
Indulging in the pretentious
The Met is a bar and restaurant on the corner of Lapwing Lane and Burton Road in West Didsbury. The bar features a reasonably large beer garden which at times opens an outside bar, so that in the baking heat you do not need to walk too far to top up your wine spritzer.
Inside, the bar and restaurant areas are separated and you can happily enjoy a drink without feeling like you are intruding on someone else's romantic dinner for two.

The Met is known to be somewhat pretentious but, maybe it’s just me, I quite enjoy the experience of indulging in that. Perhaps it’s because you can quite often find the beautiful young professionals of Didsbury grouping there on a Friday night, but the bar has always seemed to appear classy and sophisticated without overstepping the mark into snobbery and arrogance.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Salford
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Salford M50 3AZ

Marmalady said
Entertainment for all
The Lowry is a stunning area for arts and entertainment proudly holding its own amongst the visually striking buildings of the Salford Quays.

Comprising of a theatre, gallery, studio space, shop, restaurant and bar the main Lowry building is host to a huge variety of plays, musicals, comedians, exhibitions and educational events.

Visiting The Lowry, especially during winter months when the whole of the Quays area is beautifully lit up, is a great experience. The outing is full of the anticipation, excitement and dressing up of how a theatre trip should feel like, but brought quite seamlessly into the 21st century.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Food and Drink

Manchester M45 6GE

Marmalady said
Chocolate Making Workshop
Slattery's is, in lay-man's terms, a cake and chocolate shop. Except it makes the cakes and chocolates itself. And it can also teach you how to do the same.

A whole variety of courses are run and the half-day course which I attended is the sort of thing you see advertised on certain "gift experiences" websites.

Joining a group of about 12 individuals you are taken through the basic knowledge of chocolate, where it comes from, how its made, the differences between certain chocolates. This educational side is not as boring as you far fear, especially for chocolate lovers.

You quickly move onto the hands-on stage where you are assigned a table and talked through the process of making various chocolates and moulds. Once you actually get stuck into the making process it gets incredibly messy, but this is part of the joy of it. Huge basins of chocolate are constantly churning in the workshop and inevitably half of it ends up all over your hands. Although the sink is constantly in use to wash clean between each creation there seemed to be a permanent line of women secretly licking as much chocolate off their hands before they washed clean.

The course is incredibly well run and supervision and assistance is given at every stage of proceedings. Care and detail is given to the packaging of your finished items so that at the end of the experience you leave with a huge presentation package full of your own homemade chocolates.

A truly fantastic experience for any chocolate lover.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Nightlife

Manchester M1 5LH
0161 839 9595

Marmalady said
Laughter at the locks
Enjoyment of a comedy club depends a great deal on the comedians there, however, having visited the Comedy Store many times I feel qualified to offer an opinion.

The Comedy Club is a fairly pricey night out compared to other comedy venues and nights, but as soon as you step inside the building you see why. Set under the arches of the Deansgate locks, the long bar seen on entry is spacious enough to accommodate the comedy seekers before the show begins, and during the breaks in performances. Downstairs is another bar area with tables and chairs which accommodate smaller comedy performances and at times live music.

The main seating area is a large theatre area with tiered seating all face-on to the stage. The general feeling of comfort and cleanliness is far greater than that of the other comedy venues I have attended in Manchester.

If you don't mind paying slightly more than the other venues, you will get your money's worth.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Nightlife

Manchester M1 1JR
0161 236 9805

Marmalady said
Failing to see the funny side.
Comedy venues are a tricky - because of the nature of the entertainment your experience does depend a great deal on who happens to be there on the night. Having visited the Frog and Bucket on several occasions, and on different nights of the week, I feel I understand what the average night there entails.

The Frog and Bucket is the slightly uglier sister of the Comedy Store, its main competitor in Manchester. However she won't cost you as much either.

The seating is mainly laid out in long tables so that you and your crowd are sitting side on to the stage. While this is helpful if you wish to enjoy a drink together and even enjoy some of the food available from the Frog, it makes the viewing of each comedian somewhat annoying, as you have to keep turning your chair to see the stage, and find yourself sitting with your backs to your friends with total strangers from the neighbouring tables by your side.

Between each comedian there is a rush for the bar to get the next round in, and the Frog certainly appear to make the most of these gaps to top up it's bar income. Should you find yourself as the designated driver for the night these gaps don't serve as vital booze-buying time, but rather small lifetimes of boredom.

If you're out on a hen night or a stag do (as often seems to populate the audience), then I'm sure its hilarious. But if you're looking for a night of non-stop laughs then stay on the comfort of your own sofa with a Peter Kay DVD.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Restaurants

Manchester M20 6QZ

Marmalady said
No ordinary burger
If you're looking for something resembling meat sandwiched between something resembling bread then the best place to head is place with the golden arches.

However, if you're looking for a taste experience with 100% meats, fresh ingredients and stomach-filling portions then Gourmet Burger Kitchen is the place to go.

GBK is ultimately a fast food place, and orders are taken at a counter till, however there is waitress service. The menu is vast, and covers the more traditional and mundane burgers for the unadventurous, through to concoctions which will either make the taste-buds water or leave you running for the safety of a copy of The Times and a pair of slippers. Who ever heard of making a burger topped with beetroot, egg, pineapple, cheese, salad, mayonnaise & relish!? Yes, all at once.
However there are certainly a wide variety of burgers which sit somewhere safely in between, the greek lamb with houmous and raita is delicious, and the Chorizo sausage with sweet potato and rocket is next on my list. You can even request how well done you want your meat cooked.

There are salads available for burger-phobes, and a wide range of vegetarian burger options. Wine and beer is available, though I would recommend the milkshakes which are divine, and served in a huge tumbler which provides at least three normal glasses-worth.

You do pay slightly more for such an excellent quality of service, but if you wish to eat a burger, you may as well eat a proper burger.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Sports and Leisure

Manchester M20 2RR

Marmalady said
Sweaty students
As far as gyms and fitness clubs go, the facilities of the Manchester Metropolitan University gym at the Didsbury campus are certainly not the best.

There is no pool. There are no squash courts. There is not a wide varity of classes available. The gym facilities are limited.

However. Let's get past those things. We all know the old adage of "You get what you pay for", and never was a truer word spoken than when you visit the MMU gym. And this is a good thing.

I hate attending the gym, I go because I know its good for me, not because I enjoy it. Therefore I am loathed to pay a small fortune on membership and have to sign up for lengthy contracts to a place I detest.

MMU is a student gym, so for that reason it has student prices. Members of the public are welcome, and have to pay more than students, but this is still considerably less than the usual privately owned gyms. There are no contracts. This means that I can enjoy going to the MMU gym because I know my wallet is not losing as much weight as I hopefully am.

The variety of classes aren't massive, particularly out of term time, but they suffice. Its all just jumping up and down and sweating at the end of the day, who needs to call it a different name each time? The gym equipment is not extensive, but I've never had to wait for a piece to become free. The staff are very friendly and they provide special deals if you wish to sign up for different gym or class passes.

Who needs a pool anyway?

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Manchester
• Category: Food and Drink

Manchester M20 2DY

Marmalady said
More cheese Gromit?
The Cheese Hamlet pretty much does what it says on the tin. It sells cheese. A lot of cheese.

Situated in the middle of Didsbury village the small shop is packed full of cheese (obviously), and all things a cheese connoisseur may appreciate - good biscuits, fine port, a tasty pickle etc etc. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and will help you pick out the exact sort of cheese that you didn't even know you were after.

The only criticism is that on a Saturday afternoon the small space does get rather crowded, which you don't experience on the cheese aisle in Tescos. However, Tescos doesn't come close to the quality and quantity available from this little cheese specialist.

The cheese hamlet has won countless awards and I'm reliably informed that it's been going since 1946. So quite frankly, they must be doing something right.