Weekly Musings

2015- Week 4

'We could find comfort in debauchery'

(Alvvays - Party Police)

I have been playing Alvvays self-titled album on repeat this week, obsessed! It's a really cool mixture of 90s grunge guitars and girly vocals, and on Wednesday I went to watch them play at Deaf Institute with Timna. They were very good live, and the lead singer looks like a male Kurt Cobain; uber cool. I particularly like the song the above lyrics are from, as it is all about sticking two fingers up to the rules, enjoying the company of others and having a good time - three things I am a definite advocate of!

As well as the gig this week, on Tuesday I ate at the Country Club, sampling another of the new specials - avocado, chicken and sesame seed lettuce wraps, a lighter meal which was perfect as I had eaten a large lunch. On Saturday I continued the healthy trend after Kettlercise and Body Combat classes this week and did a yoga session, which properly chilled me out for the weekend.

On Saturday evening I donned my gladrags and headed into Manchester for a night at Sakura on Deansgate Locks with Kelly and James and a couple that they know from university. We hit the fishbowls, and I can't remember getting home! Luckily I didn't feel too bad by this evening; I met Amanda in Altrincham to watch the ice hockey, as a friend of mine plays as netminder for Guildford Flames and got us free tickets. It was a really tense match, going to extra time, penalties and then sudden death! Guildford Flames won 6-5 in the end, which was great for my mate, but I did feel a little like a traitor going against my home team!

Weekly Musings

2015- Week 3
'It's my house, and I think it's time to get out, it's my soul, it isn't yours anymore'
(PVRIS - My House)

I first heard PVRIS on a late night Xfm show and downloaded their album 'White Noise', which totally takes me back to being fifteen listening to Paramore - great stuff. Lyric relevant this week as I've had a crazy busy one and really blown away the cobwebs, feel like I've not stopped! I started a new job venture on Monday as part of the social media team for a Youtube channel called Matter Of Sound, which showcases short videos on events and music in the Manchester area, including festivals, gigs and interviews.



“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.”
(Stephen King - Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: A Story From Different Seasons)  

I stumbled across this quote in one of those compiled lists people post on Facebook that are usually a load of crap, but this collection actually had some really cool snippets from literature that I enjoyed reading - the above in particular. Over the last few weeks I feel like I have been getting back to being the old mad, super busy me again; and it's been quite a liberating experience.  This week I've completely cleaned my flat, dyed my hair and had my nails done, gymmed and babysat, as well as copious amounts of socialising!

On Tuesday I had dinner at the Country Club - where they had a new specials menu, which I obviously obliged in sampling... I chose scallop and bacon crice (a rice alternative made from cauliflower) served with green vegetables and a poached egg, which tasted incredible to say it was carb free! I followed this with Tahitian vanilla and coconut pannacotta with peppered pineapple puree and a ginger lime crumb, which was like an explosion of flavour in the mouth, absolutely delicious.

On Thursday I met Abi for lunch at The Garden, a new organic 'earth friendly' cafe in Hale village. I had an almond milk latte and the 'Super Bowl' (avocado massaged kale mixed with quinoa, red onion, cucumber, carrot and cherry tomatoes served alongside cubes of sweet potato and beetroot, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and alkalising sprouts and dressed with lemon juice) and for dessert we both had the apple and raspberry crumble (made with seeds and raw oats as opposed to a traditional topping) with coconut milk ice cream. Everything looked so fresh and colourful on our plates, and tasted great to say it was so guilt-free, I would definitely go back again as everything on the menu sounded appetising. In the evening I went back into Hale to Moose with Laura for a couple of post-work drinks.

On Saturday night I went to Tasha's sister Genevieve's 30th birthday party, which was lots of fun, and most of the girls managed to make it so it was lovely catching up and having a few glasses of prosecco. It was a very late one, but I managed to drag myself out of bed to meet Laura for brunch at Thyme Out in Didsbury today, where I indulged with a full English to soak up excess booze.

Weekly Musings

2015- Week 2

'I was a king under your control, and I want to feel like you've let me go, so let me go'

(Years & Years - King)

After talking about my relationship situation in last week's post, Monday was the day for 'that' conversation, where we finally called time on whatever it was that we were. This week therefore has been spent in a bit of a haze, albeit the majority of it a positive one, but me being nostalgic and a massive thinker is always a bit of a curse after a breakup, and the lyrics in Years & Years' 'King' have therefore really resonated with me. Plus after hearing 'Desire' at the back end of last year, I am besotted with the lead singer's voice!

'A stain I'll always remember, a stain that stays with me'

(Aquilo - I Gave It All)

I am a firm believer that all relationships mould you into the person you become, and am lucky enough to be on amicable terms with all of my exes, so I don't have a problem openly talking about my past experiences. I hate admitting defeat in anything, and it seems to be a recurring theme after a relationship has ended that I feel guilty, or like I've let myself down because I've failed to make it work. But I focus on the thought that at a certain point, it was what felt right and made me happy, and if it no longer does either, then it is time to move forward. No amount of trying can fix something that isn't meant to work.

This weekend has been a great one for reminding me how awesome my friends are and how much fun I have with them. I had a full flat of all my uni crew (Joe, Brian, Geoff, Rick, Matt and Chris) and on Friday we headed into town to Walkabout and The Temple, where Laura and a girl called Rachel who Rick is seeing joined us for a few bevvies. Saturday I cooked us all brekkie and then we had a bit of a day session in The Green sports bar and The Northern in the Northern Quarter, and a Chinese and some predrinks back at mine before going back in to Tib Street Tavern and ending the night in South.  

Today, to ease the pain of a horrific hangover and a flat that looks and smells as you'd expect after six boys have spent all weekend here, I booked the flights to Paris for Jasmine, Mum and I on March 13/14th, so I have something to look forward to now!

Weekly Musings

2015- Week 1

'Give me some madness I, can get off on, I want to endorse you, I want you to exhaust me' 

(Catfish & The Bottlemen - Sidewinder)

Thoroughly recommend the whole Catfish album, personal faves are Business and Cocoon, but the above lyric sits well with me this week after enjoying time off with friends and family. Shopping in Manchester with Jasmine on Tuesday, we nattered over lattes and paninis and generally pissed around doing sibling stuff. New Year's Eve lunch was spent with Tasha and Abi at the Country Club and a great NYE party at my mate Laura's got the week off to a cracking start.  

'I'm somewhere outside my life babe, I keep scratching but somehow, I can't get in' (Hozier - Sedated)

Hozier was another awesome 2014 discovery, and his debut album doesn't have a bad record on it. This line in his most recent single sums up a complicated couple of months where I have been pussyfooting around an old relationship, instead of just getting on with living. This week was the one where I reached the conclusion to stop pretending the past was perfect, and to focus on making the future a better one. Friday evening was spent confirming this with my mates Laura and Kelly in El Capo in the Northern Quarter, over four bottles of wine, the last of which was smuggled out under my jacket as Laura had been asleep on the table for the last hour!

Yesterday evening was whiled away with good family friends, playing dress up for a Mafia themed quiz night, where Jasmine made a worryingly convincing man. We drank Blue Lagoons, carried fake guns and listened to dodgy Sopranos-esque elevator music, but it was a bloody good night!