Weekly Musings

2017 - Week Seven

'You feel good, you feel bad, and these feelings are bubbling from your own unconsciousness, from your own past. Nobody is responsible except you. Nobody can make you angry, and nobody can make you happy.' 

(Osho)

This week was half term meaning I have had Aum all day, and Tuesday was Valentines Day, so I thought I was going to have a bit of a crappy week. However, my best friend got engaged and asked me to be her bridesmaid which I was so chuffed about (congrats Lyd & Rob!), and although there's always that one annoying person overusing soppy hash tags on social media, I felt genuinely happy for the people who are in rewarding, fulfilling relationships. It was good confirmation that being single hasn't made me bitter and cynical, but excited for when it's my turn again in the future to build something with someone new.

The track I've chosen this week I heard as one of Radio 1's 'Track of the Week'. It is a total pop guilty pleasure, but sometimes you need a song to bop around to right? 

On Wednesday Aum and I went to the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester as he's currently working on a project on the history of aviation (which basically means I am doing it too!). Not going to lie, the highlight of the trip for me was probably the food in the restaurant; I had a squash and Garstang blue cheese tart with salad and cous cous which was a really tasty flavour combo, but I guess it was pretty fun messing around doing the science experiments on the top floor. Sometimes I get so caught up in the monotony of the school runs and homework that I forget how much I love my job, actually getting to spend time doing fun activities with Aum reminds me I'm not really a boring nagging bitch!

On Thursday I popped to The Cake Gallery in Bowdon with Aum as a reward for getting some homework done (I think it was more for my benefit!) and I had a day off work on Friday, so decided to make the most of the situation and head for some drinks on Thursday evening with my friend Alice. There are so many places in Manchester that have deals on a Thursday that we were spoilt for choice, but we settled on El Capo tequila bar in the Northern Quarter, where cocktails were 2 for £10, tequila was 4 shots for £10 and a bottle of prosecco was £16. We had a margarita each and then shared some prosecco before heading on to Matt and Phreds where they had a jazz band on, so there was an upbeat atmosphere. I was sensible and got the last train home at midnight, but we still got suitably merry and had a laugh, and it was a bonus to check out town on a different night to just the weekend.

On Friday I had a date with the guy I met out in Hale last week, I'll refer to him as W (again, no relevance!). We met in The Alchemist on New York Street and had a couple of drinks (French Martini) before walking to Salvis in the Corn Exchange for a meal. I was impressed at the restaurant choice, I'd never been but it was a lovely setting, the right amounts of private/open and fancy/casual. We shared a four seasons pizza for starter, and then I had the seafood risotto for main and we got a bottle of red wine. The food was rustic and flavoursome, which I think is often the charm with Italian places. 

It was cool getting to know someone initially in person, as opposed to having already chatted loads like when it's via a dating app. I felt more curious about what he had to say as I'd not preempted anything. He has quite different qualities to anyone I've been on a date with before, and it was a welcome change. He actually seemed to be absorbing everything I spoke to him about, and we had lots of things in common, but clear contrasts which kept it interesting. He was funny and confident, but not in an obvious, attention seeking way, and I could tell he was enjoying himself but he wasn't fawning so it kept me guessing. 

After food we decided to go for drinks in the Northern Quarter, and since he had planned both the previous places (again another plus point), I took him to a couple of my faves. Firstly we went to the 'secret' bar in Cane and Grain - those who haven't been should check it out (if you can find it...), it has table service and does awesome cocktails. I went for the Bloomsbury Tale and North Pole drinks, both of which were gin based but the first was fruity and sharp whilst the latter was creamy with amaretto soda dust; and W had the City of Gold (a rum punch type thing) and Negroni Ristretto, which was a whiskey and campari concoction served in a coffee pot. Feeling pretty tipsy at this point, we decided to sack off the train/ tram home and stay out, so went to Hold Fast for a few drinks and a bit of a dance. Bloody good date with a (thus far) bloody nice bloke!

Yesterday I did something I've not done for years, and went out AGAIN making it three nights in a row, but if the opportunity's there, why not! I went back into Manchester for my friend Emily's birthday, this time to a place I'd not been in before - Eastern Bloc Records. It is a cafe and record shop during the day which turns into a bar at night (we were there on the funk/soul/blues night); full of hipsters obviously, but try and find somewhere in the NQ that isn't. I had to hit the espresso martinis as I was flagging a little, but made it to PLY for some prosecco, and then got the tram back into Altrincham when my friend Ellie was leaving to meet W from last night again. We went to the Con Club for a bottle of wine, and then left when it closed for a drink in House. It was completely spontaneous, which is not my usual, but I am really busy next week so knew I probably wouldn't see him and the weekend had been so much fun already I didn't want it to end!

Today however, has been AWFUL. Serves me right for polluting my body with so much alcohol I suppose, lesson learnt. I've been totally restless; I tried reading, meditating, sleeping, watching a film... I couldn't even concentrate long enough to eat all my tea. Good job I'm working a lot next week so will be detoxing slightly, my poor liver needs it!

Weekly Musings

2017 - Week Four

'That which men call virtue is usually no more than a phantom formed by our passions, to which one gives an honest name in order to do with impunity whatever one wishes.'

 (Rouchefoucauld)

This week started pretty slowly to be honest, filled with mundane chores like laundry, getting petrol and dog walking, snore. I did start watching Girls the HBO series with Lena Dunham though, so have now developed an unhealthy obsession with Adam Driver and the character he plays, further cementing my bizarre taste in men. Seriously though, I'd have his babies. 



Things perked up on Thursday when I went out for an evening meal with my parents and sister, to a Chef & Brewer gastropub in Cheadle called The Ashlea. It was really cutely decorated with velvet armchairs and exposed brickwork, which made it feel less 'chainy' than some of the others I have been in. For once I wasn't a designated driver so shared a bottle of white wine with Jasmine, which made me far more tipsy than it should have done. We ordered a few small plates for starters (maple bacon bites, pate, devilled whitebait and chicken and chorizo skewers) and I went with a good ol' hearty steak and ale pie with chips and gravy for a main, which was delish; sometimes you can't beat the classics. 

Friday was the day of my first Bumble date, who I will hereby refer to as T, for no particular reason. We've been chatting for just over a week, keeping it minimal, enjoyable banter. At his suggestion we headed to Twenty Twenty Two in the Northern Quarter for a few drinks and a game of ping pong, points for originality, even if I was shitting myself at never having played except drunk once on holiday. He was on time (we met at 7pm), taller than I expected (he had joked at being 5' 4''...) and legitimately hot (no further comment). He totally beat me at ping pong, but it was an ice breaker and I like to think I was a gracious loser, I did manage to get one shot into his drink too. 

We had a couple of cocktails afterwards (the Rhubarb & Custard Collins was amazing!) whilst chatting for a while, and it was obviously going well enough as we decided to head for some food. We went to Turtle Bay on Oldham Street as it was nearby and seemed nicely busy, and got on the espresso martinis. I suggested we got a selection of the sharing starters as I thought it was a bit more sociable, so we opted for duck rolls, whitebait, garlic and herb flatbread, cheesy jerk fries and bara roti; decent variety and it was all super tasty.

Conversation was surprisingly easy, and with only an hour left before my last train, and seemingly not sick of me yet, T asked the waitress for recommendations of something to do (major bonus for taking initiative). She suggested playing pool at Blackdog Ballroom, and seeing my chance to regain some credit after ping pong, off we went. (Un)fortunately there weren't any free tables until midnight, so we had to amuse ourselves with another cocktail and making out for half an hour in a booth in a darkened corner. If the smug looking emoji were to appear in a post, it would be here.

Yesterday my best friend Lydia who lives in York was down for the weekend, and in the evening we went out with all the girls to the new Bistrot Pierre in Altrincham to celebrate Abi's birthday. We got lots of starters to share, including two baked camemberts, and I had pork medallions with a honey mustard glaze with caramelised apples and Dijon mashed potato, genuinely a really lovely dish - I have been spoilt with cuisine this week! Afterwards we went to House Restaurant in Goose Green, and then Traders Tiki Bar for drinks, although luckily I was slightly more lucid than last week, I remember dancing to the Backstreet Boys and actually getting home this time.

Today once Lydia had left I went for a little wander around Gatley Carr with the dog and my mum, and then T came to mine this evening to watch a film and we had duck and pancakes. I wouldn't normally do a second meeting so soon, but he works a lot, I had nothing else planned, and I wanted to so why the hell not! 

FYI, the music track this week is one I was sent by a PR firm to review for Candid (click to read my latest article out this week) and I am digging it. I have since got hold of some of RYDER's other material, check her out, she's an absolute babe.