Tuesday, February 09, 2010

lights out

http://i48.tinypic.com/zm1buu.jpg

Jesus, I really didn't plan to be running around to all of these different places but tomorrow morning I'm hopping on a train to Manchester with my Mum. We'll be spending a couple of nights there so that I can attend the University open day. I've been offered a place to read American Studies and I'm pretty set on studying there. I'm torn between taking time to make a well informed and adult decision or just thinking 'fuck it' and hastily accepting my offer so that it's done.

Either way, I'm looking forward to spending some time with Mum as our timetable clashes these days and I haven't seen much of her lately. Incidentally, if anybody has any tips regarding second hand bookshops in Manchester, do let me know (she's going through a crazy phase of getting through novels like they're going out of print..) and the same goes for Curry houses. I hear good things about the 'Curry Mile'? In the mood for some good comfort nosh, innit.

20 comments:

Raez said...

love this! simple yet effective, ahaha:)

hope your life isn't TOO busy to enjoy, though;)

xx raez

M. R. P. M. said...

congrats! love that photo thingy., I was completely entranced which is weird considering I should be over moving pictures on a screen

xxx

bijouandruby.blogspot.com

Victoria Hart said...

Just wondered if you applied to Canterbury Christ Church University? I study American Studies there (although I now major in politics and only take 2 AS modules), but if you have any questions I'd be more than happy to help!

hollie said...

hey i read your blog everyday and i am a photography student in manchester. the curry mile offers an excellent choice of curry houses and is just a simple bus ride on any magic bus. Also the northern quarter has some lovely little cafes like Teacup on thomas street that is mr.scruffs cafe, bread and butter on tib street amazing interior and cupcakes. also other places such as the soup kitchen and nexus art cafe are all good. so many good vintage shops around this area too and of course afflecks palace on the upper floors! if you want any other suggestions i'm happy to help :)

also heres a link to my blog, its fairly new but i would love you to have a look.

http://hunkyydoryy.blogspot.com/
xx

Make Do Style said...

I went to UEA had an offer without an interview and went there having never set foot in the place. You'll enjoy uni where ever.
PS I choose UEA based on the fact Norfolk was flat and had less rainfall than Bristol!!

Anonymous said...

Hi.

I am a student in Manchester, this is my third and final year here. Don't worry about making 'a well informed decision', I think you just need to bite the bullet and go for it. Trust me, you won't make a mistake. Manchester is a diverse city; such a wide choice of restaurants, nightlife and shopping.

I live about two minutes from the curry mile :) I'm not an expert in second hand book shops but I really love 'Magma' in the Northern quarter (though it has other shop in the UK too) it has obscure books and really good magazine choices too. The above poster points out some good places though to add to that... I like the Oxfam originals store, pop boutique, best vintage, rags to bitches, junk and retro rehab which are all in the Northern quarter.

By the way I am the one who asked you about your room on formspring, thanks for answering. I use to have the blog millesime et perles. Now I'm anonymous.

Please let us know how you get on an take some photos.xx

Eve said...

go to Afflecks Palace (northern quarr) it's an amazing vintage department store,all Mancs love it over about 4 floors and there's even a cafe at the top for cheesy chips!

Unknown said...

hey
I go to manchester uni its amazing!!
second hand book shops- portland book shop oxford road near the bbc, also there tend to be book stalls around the university precinct and man. met.
Check out the cornerhouse cinema for amazing photography and film books
also some vintage shopping check out Cow at piccadilly gardens and afflecks palace in the northern quarter.
For a really good curry go to spicy hut. its at the top of the curry mile, doesnt look like much but does really good curries. if you want something a bit swisher there's eastzeast on princess street or zouk just off oxford road opposite the bbc.
to get around you really only need to use the magic buses (any with a 4 in the number go along oxford road from fallowfield to picadilly gardens)
Really hope you enjoy it its a pretty awesome city to be in.
x

Unknown said...

Curry mile is in Rusholme which if your visiting the university of manchester is just a bit further up the road about a ten minute walk. Also worth checking out fallowfield as that is the student living area, quite small and lots of pubs. Also if you have a walk down the curry mile you can basically take your pick. I lived there and studied so any other questions just ask away :)

sasosas said...

have to 2nd Hollie on the Northern Quarter. good clothes and cafes (also music shops) etc. just walk past the Arndale in the direction of High Street and wander around streets like Thomas Street, Tib Street, and Turner/Back Turner Sts. sadly Mcr city centre not too hot on 2nd hand bookshops - the best one closed some years ago and is now a Thai grocery on the outskirts of our (very small but perfectly formed) Chinatown (the honey bun's at Ho's Bakery on Faulkner St are locally famous). there's a few in the Northern Quarter but it's slim pickings in those (seek out a street called Shudehill for one or two). Magma Books (like the Covent Garden one) is on Oldham St, again in the Northern Quarter. Night & Day is a good daytime bar on that street. re curries, aside from the curry mile which is convenient from the uni, back in the city centre there are a lot of cheaper cafe style eats in the Northern Quarter, generally good to very good quality and cheap as chips. my regulars are the Yadgar (awesome breads here) on Thomas Street and Aladdin (their spinach and chickpeas are very good) on High Street (next to Oklahoma cafe on a corner, that's a nice place), Hunters on High Street; there's plenty of others. basic stuff in terms of surroundings but REALLY worth checking out if you're in the northern edge of the city centre/browsing in Afflecks. the first review in this link gives a good flavour http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/oct/02/manchester.travelfoodanddrink?page=all
BTW number 2 on that list is a lovely little place (the gallery itself has some wonderful fabrics in its permanent collection; like a smaller V&A) + is slap bang between the uni and the curry mile on the main Oxford Road drag.

all the Kro-bars (small local chain of cafe-bars from a local Anglo-Danish family) do a good coffee/cake deal on the afternoons - there's one opposite Mcr Uni student union (called Kro Bar), there's one on Oxford Rd further back toward town, called Kro2, there's one in Piccadilly Gardens, which is not far from the railway station etc.

sorry for such a long comment!!

P.S.
a pot of tea (or whatever your poison is) and the papers at the first floor cafe-bar here is a quintessential Manc experience...
http://www.cornerhouse.org/

Womens Leggings said...

Lovely post! Loving your blog!

Emma Lavelle said...

I moved to Manchester for university 7 years ago and I'm still here and cant see myself leaving anytime soon! It's an amazing city, you'd be making a good choice coming here.

The girls above have named all good places. Here are some of my favourites :

For curry- Akbars on Liverpool road, off deansgate, near the science and industry museum is one of my favourites - they have the biggest naan's i have ever seen, the curry is delicious and you might see a coronation street 'celeb' on the table next to you!

For shopping - All the high st stores, including Topshop, where I work are mostly in the Arndale centre and surrounding area. I prefer the Northern Quarter. Retro Rehab on Oldham Street is my favourite vintage haunt but there are plenty of others - Ryans, the £3 shop, Pop, Rags to Bitches, Best vintage, a new shop called Brats, are all around or on Oldham street. And Afflecks has recently aquired some good vintage stalls.

For eating and drinking I recommend : Trof on Thomas St for a lovely quick lunch. Apotheca a few doors down for yummy cocktails (2 for £8 before 7) and also Hula on Stevenson Sq for a tiki themed bar with the best cocktails in manchester (1/2 price 5-7pm). Theres a cute little cafe next to Rags to Bitches on Tib Street, and round the corner is Common, a favourite for nights out. The Deaf Institute (another Trof) on Grosvenor st off oxford road near man met uni is an amazing gig / club night venue in a really old building with fantastic architecture.

Hope that you have fun and that this was helpful!

xxx

Cassie said...

curry mile definitely! and if you like tiramisu (random I know but I have found no better) head to Est Cafe in the Arndale...the best ever!

www.misspdolly.blogspot.com

All Women Stalker said...

Ahhh that time in a young woman's life. I say be spontaneous but make wise decisions along the way. If that makes any sense. Haha

Meghan and Lana said...

my god manchester sounds like the place to be, from the comments at least! i can't stop watching her turn the light on and off it is so entrancing.

m

Freya said...

Hiii
I live in manchester but am not at university yet. But Manchester is supposed to be a really good uni to go to.
And theres loads going on in Manchester.
Good vintage shops and boutiques in the Northern Quarter, I would recomened Junk, Retro Rehab for re-worked vintage clothes and some extra special vintage clothes :)and Ryan Vintage for a good ole rummage with lots of nice things to be found.
There is a good second hand book store near the bus station at Shudehill (near the arndale and urbis) which is really cute. It has 40s and 50s music playing inside and I think its owned by a family, literally anything can be found in there! Although, I think it may only be open on weekends. I would also recomend the Arndale foodmarket as it is relatively cheap and has lots of foods from different cultures, indian, chineese, greek, polish. You should definatley try Zorbas greek food!
Anyway, love your blog and I hope you enjoy manchester!
Freya xx

iliketweet said...

You'll have a great time if you go to Manchester, it's a great city! I recommend the Northern Quarter for vintage and books. There's two Oxfams that are well worth a look as well as Pop Boutique and Ryan's vintage down Oldham Street. Also, if you fancy some high end stuff there's a discount Flannels store :) Not so much books but they have miu miu!

Have fun!

iliketweet.blogspot

x

Ivanhoe Books - Art And Design said...

I went to Manchester University back in the day. It was brilliant. Just do it.

Selina (Flying Saucer) said...

ooo come to manchester! that's if you want to be emmersed in a never ending stream of students students students, and i'd check how many people study your course because i need to find a reference at my uni and in 3 years there's not one tutor or lecturer that knows who i am! i don't mind being anonymous though and getting on with the course independently, but some may feel a bit lost!

Anonymous said...

Hello. And Bye.