A Manc-filled weekend of food, drink and pampering

Eating, drinking and pampering my way around Manchester over one weekend... Bliss.

Thursday:
Chroma, city centre – Pizza, beer. Yum.
Obsidian, city centre – Cocktails, champagne. Drunk.

Friday:
Spa Satori, Northern Quarter – Back, neck and shoulder massage. Amazing.
Metropolitan, West Didsbury – Hot rum cocktail, mulled wine. Cosy.
The Great Kathmandu Tandoori Restaurant, West Didsbury – Food, food and more food. Full.
One Lounge Bar, West Disbury – Singapore Sling. Sickly.

Saturday:
Spirit Hairdressers, Chorlton – Highlights, cut and blow dry. Fresh look.
Freds, Chorlton – Presents for me and friends. Fave clothes shop.

Sunday:
Alberts Shed, Castlefield – Scallops, coq au vin, treacle tart. Three courses of yummyness. Four rounds of Happy Birthday.

Going underground...

A collection of snaps from Manchester Confidential's Tunnel Tours. Fully recommend the tours for a completely unique view of Manchester.

We’re here, we’re queer... and bloomin’ proud of Manchester

So, last weekend was the August bank holiday. The last chance to celebrate the final remains of our hazy, lazy, rainy summer. And what better way to rejoice than with the colourful, extravagant, feel good carnival that is Manchester Pride?

The action all kicked off a few days before with Pride Fringe, which saw a jam-packed timetable of fun and games aimed at the old and the young, the straight and the gay, the male and female, and everyone else in between. There were women’s defence classes, a pink dog show (courtesy of Manchester Dogs' Home), and more culture, art and music than you could shake a rainbow-coloured (phallic) stick at.

My first Manchester Pride experience began on the torrential Saturday. I had agreed to take part in the parade with Northern Quarter-based charity Creative Support. (And when I said ‘agreed to take part’, I mean ‘actively forced them to let me take part). Customised glittery t-shirts, rainbow-coloured fake-eyelashes and face paint a-plenty, we were ready to go. The crowd was ten-deep and determined to cheer the grey clouds away. There were even naked people hanging out of top floor flat windows gulping G&T’s out of plastic cups. Now if that’s not a party, I don’t know what is.

The rest of the weekend was a blur of line dancing, STEPS routines, sing-a-longs with Kelis, meet ‘n’ greets with electopop act Dragonette, gatecrashing VIP areas, schmoozing with (...stalking...) corrie stars, pinching ex-Blue Peter presenter’s bottoms, and numerous repeats of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. Phew.

Manchester Pride as it currently stands has been going for seven years, but Pride events in one form or another have been taking place in the capital of the north for 20 years. Not only is Manchester Pride the best excuse ever for a reet good time (that’s my ‘Manchester accent’), it also raises money for a number of LGBT organisations and groups in the region...and since 2003, all you froicsome lovers have helped Manchester Pride raise £780,000 - further proof that Manchester Pride is quite frankly the best in the country.

Manchester should be proud to host such a fantastic event, which involves anyone and everyone from all walks of life. (Even the church-going homophobes were literally embraced with arms wide open.) So now the countdown begins to next year’s bonanza...and as one of the Creative Support members said...we’ve now got 12 whole months to plan our Lady Gaga outfits for MP11.

Psssssstttt.....before you move on to a more interesting blog (like the lovely Filmrant's)....Manchester Pride has been nominated for the ‘Best Annual Gay Destination Event’ and it’s definitely going to win...because it’s blates the Best Annual Gay Destination Event. So please vote for them here.

What happens when a Manchester PR company puts on a showbiz event in London?? This...

Smith & Smith PR were challenged to put on the launch party for Pineapple Eyewear at Pineapple Dance Studios, Covent Garden...here's the promo video of the results.




You can read more about the Pineapple Eyewar schmoozefest here on my blog post on the Smith & Smith PR website.

**Air kisses daaaarling** MWAH xxx

Eyekons, by Justin Eagleton

Eyekons 02 - Kurt Cobain

Eyekons 04 - Audrey Hepburn

Eyekons 18 - Morrissey

Visit Justin Eagleton's Eyekons website for more information. Who's your favourite eyekon?

"On the 6th day, God created Manchester..."

Today at 6pm, I conducted the first live Twitterview for MCRmix with Manchester-based graphic designer and artist Justin Eagleton. Justin has recently embarked on a new art brand called Eyekons, which promises to be a great commercial success. We spoke about how he begun his career, who he thinks has the sexiest eyes and what he loves about Manchester. For those of you who missed the Twitterview, here’s a manuscript of it:

@ClaireEGamble: Hi Justin! Are you there?

@JustinEagleton: Yeah I'm sat in my office feeling nervous at your grilling!

@ClaireEGamble: This is no firing line Justin, all good fun...First question...

@ClaireEGamble: You’re obviously an arty farty type of guy - at school, did you always manage to colour in without going over the lines?

@JustinEagleton: Haha My brother is a brill artist n I wanted to be as good as him. I got my A levels n started designing props n sets for TV

@ClaireEGamble: An arty family then! Q2 - So what's your CV like (props for TV sound fun!)...anything impressive?

@JustinEagleton: I worked a lot on studio tour designs. I made a frying pan that Mavis cracked Derek with once n I blew up Des Barnes boat!

@JustinEagleton: My brother is a joiner but still an excellent artist. We paint murals in childrens hospitals a few times a year together.

@ClaireEGamble: Haha, a very unique CV then!

@ClaireEGamble: Now, I spy with my little eye...some famous people in your new work. Where did the idea for @Eyekonsdesign come from?

@JustinEagleton: Shading from the sun in Santorini last year. I drew Ayrton Senna eyes from a mag on hotel paper. I brought the napkin home!

@ClaireEGamble: Have you still got the napkin?

@JustinEagleton: The Senna drawing will stay with me n for when I get where I want to be with @Eyekonsdesign. The name Eyekons just works!

@JustinEagleton: Here's airbrush painting I did when I got back of Senna from the napkin idea. http://tweetphoto.com/30176235

@ClaireEGamble: The Eyekons are very good, how do you create them? Tracing paper and a biro?

@JustinEagleton: First source the right icon n pencil draw it from a few images for ref. Scan it in to PC. Enhance eye highlights n add quote

@JustinEagleton: I might do a biro collection just for you...a spin off!

@ClaireEGamble: Who has the happiest eyes in the world?

@JustinEagleton: Easy! ME! I'm building a business doing something I love and personally I have baby due in 2 weeks so it couldn't be better

@JustinEagleton: In 2 or 3 weeks I will probably have the sleepless eyes too!

@ClaireEGamble: Who has the wisest eyes in the world?

@JustinEagleton: Eric Cantona! Real hero of mine with intense eyes. Wasn't always wise on the pitch but had stature n presence without words.

@JustinEagleton: Eric said it all on the pitch. His eyes said it all off it and as mad as he was he had journo's hangin on his every word

@JustinEagleton: @Eyekonsdesign of Eric Cantona. The quote I chose was the seagulls one. http://tweetphoto.com/30178336

@ClaireEGamble: (I expect you'll be tuning into Doctor Who then, if the news reports today are right!) And who has the sexiest eyes?

@JustinEagleton: Sexiest got to be @showbizshel. The wife! She may be reading this with 'the bump' so best keep them sweet.

@ClaireEGamble: Good answer! Hello @showbizshel and mini-showbizshel :-)

@JustineEagleton: Haha what a thought. Mini showbiz shel!! The sparkliest baby ever covered in MAC! 8) hope it's a boy now!

@ClaireEGamble: Do you think you’ll get bored of just drawing eyes? What about ears? Or elbows? Elbows are very underrated.

@JustinEagleton: Love drawing eyes, faces, people n capturing character so simply. 'The mirror to the soul' I have as my tag line. So true!

@ClaireEGamble: No elbows then?

@JustinEagleton: I might draw Bury's finest Guy Garvey from Elbow does that count?! 8)

@ClaireEGamble: Tenuous link, but I'll let you have it. So what does the future hold for @Eyekonsdesign?

@JustinEagleton: Exciting times. I'm currently liasing with a few 'celebs' to get endorsements and raise the profile. One big North West one

@JustinEagleton: I'm working on tshirt branding nxt week n just generally trying to get Eyekons on the map n something Mcr n I can be proud of

@ClaireEGamble: Can you mention any names?? Anyone from Manchester?

@JustinEagleton: One big North West footballer wants to be involved and a famous boxer. I'm saying no more it's early days n superstitious

@ClaireEGamble: No walking under black cats for you then. On the subject of the North West - what's your favourite thing about Manchester?

@JustinEagleton: Everything! Manchester is where I was born, live, work and love. Being Mancunian is something I'm very proud of.

@JustinEagleton: My good friend has a brand that sums it up for me. On the 6th Day God created Manchester!

@ClaireEGamble: I don't think I've met a Manc yet who isn't proud! A couple of other tweeters had some Qs...

@JustinEagleton: Cool fire away I'm into the swing of it now. Is anyone still awake? 8)

@ClaireEGamble: @Nicole_Kenny asks: "If u could meet 1 person who you've featured who would it be & why?" (I bet I could guess the answer!)

@JustinEagleton: Cantona for obvious reasons but Marilyn Monroe is the fantasy dinner date. I'd like to know what the story was with her

@JustinEagleton: She'd have to be alive tho. Cos dead would be a little weird.

@ClaireEGamble: Yeh would be slightly odd..! (But good fantasy dinner date option!) and final question is from @GemmaHaddow...

@ClaireEGamble: @GemmaHaddow asks: "Has there been anyone you've tried to draw, but you just can't seem to capture?"

@JustinEagleton: James Dean. I left at the sketch phase. It's been there 6 months n I will finish it one day! Great image tho

@ClaireEGamble: A good icon...good moody/sultry eyes too! So that's the end of the Twitterview - you survived! A BIG thankyou Justin...

@ClaireEGamble: ...a manuscript of the Twitterview will be up soon on the MCRmix website http://mcrmix.blogspot.com/...

@JustinEagleton: Thanks so much Claire it was a v. enjoyable chat. Hope tweeters got something out of it. Follow me or @Eyekonsdesign for news

@ClaireEGamble: Speak soon...and look after @showbizshel and the bump! (and maybe practise drawing elbows.)

@JustinEagleton: Will do. As long as I supply her with MAC make-up and MAC D's she is happy! #tweetsponsoredbymac

Live Twitterview with Justin Eagleton at 6pm tonight

Eyekons 14 - Ian Curtis

At 6pm this evening, I'll be interviewing Manchester-based graphic designer and artist Justin Eagleton live on Twitter (a 'Twitterview', if you will) about his fantastic new art brand Eyekons. I'll be asking him about his work, famous people's peepers, and what he loves about Manchester. Keep up with all the action by following @ClaireEgamble and @JustinEagleton.

Ian Brown Vs Parklife ROUND TWO: Attack of the crazy students

After a good night’s sleep (which was full of dreams about monkeys with mullet haircuts dressed in parkas...) I awoke on Saturday morning raring to go for round two of The Warehouse Project’s Platt Fields Park weekender – aka Parklife. Despite having experienced the intense queuing system during the previous night’s Ian Brown gig, I was naively unaware of just how chaotic the entrance to Platt Fields Park would be on this particular sunny afternoon. Masses of students and youngsters, all dressed in bang-on-trend uniforms from Top Shop, descended on the Fallowfield location. Attempts from these young cool folk to jump the snaking queue were met with boos and chants from the crowd, followed by being removed from the premises by no-sense-of-humour-security. Get back in your place young man.

The day-long festival was spread over a much greater area on the Saturday compared to Friday, with seven tents/stages (instead of three) and much more entertainment, including a silent disco hidden away in a secret garden and a giant inflated elephant (which I think had been a bouncy castle at one point). Attempts to watch the England Vs USA match on the big screen lasted for about ten minutes after the need for more beer and also the loo (don’t get me started on the toilet queues btw...) took over. The silent disco was a much better way to spend half an hour or so, and even got me and my fella dancing to *insert Bo Selecta! voice here* Craig David.Oh dear.

With a lineup consisting of Fake Blood, Kele, Kissy Sell Out, Calvin Harris and Simion Mobile Disco, the organisers were very much attracting a different audience from the previous night. All of the DJs and acts I saw were energetic, stupidly fun and really got the crowd jumping. An extra thumbs up to Simion Mobile Disco who made me wish I was five years younger (and I’m not even that old) so I could stand the sweaty heat of the tent to dance for just another five minutes longer. Finally, headliner Friendly Fires did not disappoint. With the crowd singing along and dancing to all their hits such as Jump in the Pool and Paris it was a fantastic way to end a great day. Roll on next year’s summer offering from the Warehouse Project please!

What is a 'Manc'?

During my recent research into Manchester and its culture, I came across this useful definition of what a ‘Manc’ is, courtesy of Urban Dictionary:

Manc
Mancunian - Inhabitant of the city of Manchester, Northern England. Unfairly stereotyped as wearing kappa trackies (all chavs wear em, not just Manc chavs), stealing, being gangmembers and acting like Liam Gallagher or as though they're straight out of the cast of Shameless. ALL stereotypes are UNTRUE.

Manchester is the main city in the North and is the 3rd largest city in England. It is the birthplace of Socialism/Communism; many famous people such as Alan Turing, who designed the first electronic computer at the University of Manchester, are Mancunians.

They don't rob everything in sight like scousers. Most peadophiles are from the south and Shipman was from Hyde which is in Tameside, not Manchester. In general, the best kind of people.

Examples of Manc speech:

-I hate them smackhead emos round Urbis.

-Some scouser scallies tried to rob me but I kicked em back down the east lancs, sorted.

-Dead right mate.

So, there you go.

Ian Brown Vs Parklife ROUND ONE: The Mancunian Stereotype

If you passed by Platt Fields Park this weekend, no doubt you would have been witness to many a Ian Brown wannabe or many a student so drunk he couldn’t cope with the British legacy that is queuing.

On 11th and 12th June, the people who brought you the Warehouse Project (a fantastic and much needed – if not slightly overpriced – set of club nights in Manchester, which started off in the disused Boddingtons Brewery in 2006 and now takes place under Piccadilly Station for the Autumn/Winter clubbing and gigging season) put on a jolly good show in Fallowfield consisting on the Friday of headliner Ian Brown, supported by the likes of tried ‘n’ tested Mr Scruff and a tent sponsored by old school Hacienda peeps. Then on the Saturday, an array of dance and electro acts supported main band Friendly Fires for the ‘Parklife’ leg of the weekend. (And yes, it’s already been pointed out that the organisers named this day-long festival after a BLUR song *shock horror* when we all know that Blur and Oasis had a hand-bags-at-dawn-fall-out during the Britpop period. But, get over it. The event was set in a park. And there were people there. Many people were living life in the park for the day and best part of the night. Therefore, Parklife was a more than suitable name for the shindig. Yes? Yes.).

So, round one – Ian Brown. After only a couple of pints, I thought I was seeing double. Then I thought I was seeing quadruple. Then I thought I was seeing zillionuple. Who, or what, were these people dressed in the same uniform, talking the same talk and walking the exact same walk (not to mention choreographed dance moves)? Dear lord, I had entered the church of Ian Brown.

Prior to the event, I had been told (warned?) that: “Seeing Ian Brown in Manchester is like a religious gathering. Enjoy.” Hmmm. I wasn’t sure if I was a fan of religion. Nor that much of Mr Brown (sorry). So what was I – and the other few thousand who all looked remarkably like the man they all had come to see (standard shaggy bowl haircut, trenchcoat, swagger and gurn) – in store for?

Disappointingly, a few of the main stage acts seemed to have cancelled (Scratch Perverts and Mike Pickering were nowhere to be seen, which got me and my £3 programme completely in a tizz), but when in doubt, go see your friend Mr Scruff. Great beard, tasty tea and move-your-ass DJ sets – what’s not to like? Spinning his plastic in one of the smaller tents, Mr Scruff (aka Mr Andy Carthy) performed a funky soulful set which got the entire crowd shaking their hips, waving their arms, smiling slightly idiotically and hugging random strangers. Beautiful.

More mooching (and beer) was to be had after Mr Scruff. This quickly turned into a game of “who is the biggest Ian Brown wannabe/Manc cliché?” Then suddenly (and I mean suddenly – where had the Mike Pickering set on the main stage gone???) Mr Monkey Man himself came swaggering on to the stage. The crowd’s ears, nose and skin pricked up as it sensed its Messiah summoning it.

Mr Brown kicked off with Stone Roses classic “I Wanna Be Adored”. Out of tune? Yes. Cocky bastard? Oh yes. Sing-a-long crowd pleaser? Absolutely. Ian Brown played a belter of a set, ranging from early Stone Roses through to his more recent stuff. And if I had been a believer, rather than an atheist, I’m sure I would have seen some sort of light when he played F.E.A.R (everyone else in the crowd, with their arms held high, seemed to). All in all, I really enjoyed Ian Brown. It was completely what I expected – but enjoyable nonetheless. And a major factor of that was the crowd. The atmosphere was Manc and proud. I left Platt Fields Park with a swagger in my stride and a smile on my face.

Round 2 – Parklife… to be continued…