As I haven't been able to shut my underwear drawer for months, I thought it best to have a good old clear out. I knew I did have a love for tights but after rummaging I have quickly learnt I borderline fanatical on tights. (Note to self: DO NOT buy any more tights. In fact don't go near the tights dept in shops.)
Please note: this is NOT an actually picture of the bra hat
So was chucking out bags of stuff and thought some of this is a waste, but really can't put it back in to sit unwore in darkest, deepest corners of the drawer next to the lavender cushions or smelly soap in a box (hope I'm not the only one who does that...)
After inventing the bra hat, I thought better of it and had a gander online to discover that you can infact donate your old and unused bras to charity! Brill, just what I was hoping.
There seems to be a few charities doing different things but to save you surfing for too long here's one I've picked. Yorkshire Air Ambulance collect them through Bag It Up and when they have 200,000 they send them over to West Africa where they are needed. So don't through them out, send them to:
‘Bag it Up’
Calder Street
West Vale
Greetland
Halifax
HX4 8AQ
Just back the other day from my very first trip to Manchester, what a fab city! Real friendly and some stunning architecture. I was mainly traveling down to see Bjork in her residency at the Manchester International Festival but to also taste the delights of the Mancs and their city.
Bjork's new project is about the relationship between nature, music and technology. And the concert was something else!
As a saddo Bjork fan, I got my pals to queue with me 1hr & 1/2 before the concert so we could get front row. I had heard on the rumour mill that it was a round stage so you can get real close. The wait paid off and we managed to get front row near the amazing drummer called Manu Delago. She had seemingly came across him through this video playing the hung drums (which he played on the night for her rendition of One Day from Debut LP).
The stage was a small square with a step on each side with instruments in each corner of the stage. We were behind a rope round the stage which made the whole experience really intimate. and as a big fan meant that she was only really feet away at many points! Amazing!
For this musical experiment she has been collaborating with scientists, geeks and musicians to come up with brand new instruments. Swinging pendulums that play the harp, the largest music box I've ever seen, 3 different organs that play from ipad apps and a giant lightening Tesla Coil, check this video for a sneaky preview of some of them. She also had on stage a 24 strong Icelandic female choir and David Attenburgh voice over introducing each new song. Strictly no photos though so these are all from other sources. The concert was defiantly a new experience and well worth the trip down!
If you're interested she is co-editing this months Dazed & Confused too!
Now I could go on all day about the place and where all we went but thought I'd just give a wee taster of places I really enjoyed and hopefully you would too if you were living/going for a trip there.
Exploring Manchester was fun, loving the Northern Quarter. We tripped over the Chinese Arts Centre, I actually went in cause I thought it was a nice shop! But was so glad we did as we went to the current exhibition which is a sound installation by Angie Atmadjaja who is a local artist. It's held in a room, with speakers at different heights and lines around the floor. You follow the line according to your height and listen to different tones, sounds and loudness of white noise. The sound also bounces off the walls which give to different vibrations and sounds. If you're down in Manchester definitely take a wee trip to this installation!
Just along the road from this we found a terrific poster shop called Richard Goodall Gallery. Loads of screen printed and also prints of band posters well worth a gander. Oh and if you like a smell/taste/listen of some scrumptious vinyl must take a wander to Vinyl Exchange (even has a Hacienda section!!) and if you have any change go directly across the road (!) to Piccadilly Records. Got loads of treats in both shops but could have spent sooo much more!
On our last day we too a trip to the Arts and Crafts Centre, also in the Northern Quarter. It's hidden up a side street but what a fantastic place. Over 2 floors, artists have a workspace and shop and there is also a nice wee cafe in the middle.
I would totally recommend a little cafe just round the corner called Home Sweet Home, Edge Street. Pretty, homely family friendly wee eatery place. The staff were superb and the food was so tasty mmmm, you should try their club salad, I'm slavering just thinking about it! Actually it would be great with a hangover...
