Remember, remember November, November. There is no way I am ever forgetting this month anytime soon! Arguably the most exciting, dramatic, fun and fast-paced month of the entirety of 2017 – November has been chock-filled with mouth-watering edibles extenuating my hips, live music, my birthday, heaps of giggles and BOOZE GALORE.
Food, glorious food
I’m a sucker for a meal out. Whether it is early morning breakfast, a spot of brunch spent gossiping with a mimosa in hand, a quick sandwich and a coffee, a super-late lunch, a romantic candlelit dinner – there is never enough time in the day to go out for food. This month I have been out to grab a bite to eat at seven different food joints. I do not know whether that is good or bad by my standard, it’s almost two meals out per week?
I have a trio of meals which have stuck out in my memory from November. One of which is Ziya, an Asian Grill on Manchester’s infamous Curry Mile, my birthday meal at the gorgeous Grand Pacific, an upmarket eatery with a passion for pineapples and a good ol’ Sunday scran at The Northern Quarter. You will never guess where the latter is situated in Manchester.
My waistline has definitely bulged this month and my bank account has been rinsed, but you know what – I feel bloody damn good in myself and relish in the fact I have been shovelling loads of fantastic goods down my gob.
(A Plate of gnocchi, Fress, Oldham Street, MCR)
(An assortment of curries, Ziya, Curry Mile, MCR)
(Tempura Sea Bass, Grand Pacific, MCR)
Not working 9-5
If you have read some of my previous posts, you would have known I used to work as a bartender/waitress in NQ. Used to is the most important part of this sentence. Since quitting my job the world of opportunity has literally cocked its leg and beckoned me inside. In the past couple years I have depended on a social life, alcohol-fuelled rampages and money greed to rule my life, pushing productivity to the near brink of extinction.
But over the past couple weeks, I have seen a total difference in myself. I want to sit down at my laptop and dance across the keyboard and post my creativity online. I’ve started taking my Assistant Editor role at Gigslutz so much more seriously, aiming to post news stories every day, Cigarette Sounds is back up and running and for once I’m not THAT far behind on university work. Obviously, I am missing the money but right now, I am the top priority.
“Where are you going Hermionie?” “To the library.”
Speaking of university, I have finally succumbed to the power of the quiet-zone in the library. There is something about The University of Salford’s larger-than-life white desks, the litter of macs, the random deckchairs, and there not being anything to distract me from pouring over my work (I mean the kettle and the fridge and chatter) that I adore. I definitely reckon falling in love with the library – alongside listening to Harry Potter audiobooks for motivation– has boosted my productivity levels.
Anything that makes me leave the house after lying in bed for days on end is a yes from me, even if it can be a bit of a faff finding a free computer sometimes.
Thank You For The Music
Manchester swells to a considerably larger size than it already is when anybody admits it is the city of song. In the entirety of November, I only managed to pencil three gig nights into my diary – one of which being Betsy at Gorilla on the penultimate day of the month, Off The Record Festival on the 10 and the big one – the Bicep presents Feel My Bicep at Warehouse Project.
The WHP season is not something I have really ever looked forward too. I went to a Ram Jam night last year, got too drunk to speak; hated every minute that David Rodigan pranced around on stage and vowed I would never attend a night in the dingy warehouse again, for as long as I lived.
This obviously did not last very long, did it? When the Bicep boys, a lucky guestlist space and spending the night two-stepping with one of your favourite gals is dangled in front of you-you cannot say no, can you? I did try to review my night at WHP, but I lost my keys, my ID and all of my money in the space of 10 minutes, which just shows what kind of state I was in.
You can read my review of Welsh songstress Betsy via Gigslutz here, accompanied by some shots from Lucy Fletcher.
You can read mine & Gigslutz editor Mel Svenson’s take on Off The Record festival 2017, accompanied by some shots from the ridiculously talented Jon Mo, here.
Oh Christmas markets, oh Christmas markets
And oh, how could we forget the Manchester Christmas Markets. They bring the Christmas spirit far to early, and force you to drink mulled cider and drown yourself with hot chocolate at the time where your purse clasps should be clamped shut. They have not even been open a month yet and I have already trampled over to the markets situated in Albert Square more times than I can count. I imagine December shall be a lot of the same… Once I pick up my ID from WHP that is!
Gonna’ party like it’s yo’ birthday, baby girl
Hiya world, Ella Scott is twenty-one. No, I am never going to stop banging on about it. The beginning of the end (dun, dun, dun) of the month heralded a visit from my best friend Jemma, in the spirit of an early birthday. As well as having my main gal in Manchester, I dined out considerably and ended up sprawled out on the floor of Canal Street attempting to do the worm.
I’m now currently spending the weekend at home, sipping on guess what (you already know) prosecco and getting carbonara cooked for me by my wonderful mother. God, am I a real-life princess? Coming back home to north Newcastle is one of my most favourite things. Just the sight of my cat and dog send me into a fit of excitement, and my little brother too I guess. It has been a swell birthday and the 21st year of birth is going to be one to remember. I can feel it.
November has been as cool as a cucumber. I have had the best month, and now I am so excited to officially start drinking and eating my way into a coma this Christmas.
Ells x
ELLA LOUISE SCOTT 