General Chit Chat

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Right. So I'm going up to see a mate who's just moved down from Scotland. He will, from tomorrow, be a full-time resident in Didsbury. Neither he nor I knows the place.
Remembering this will be a Friday night, here are a small set a questions that maybe somebody can answer.

1. What's Didsbury like?
2. Are there any good eating establishments in the area?
3. Any pub recommendations (Real Ale Camra types, bearded woolly-jumpered)?
4. ^ anywhere that combines the two?
5. Would we be better off just heading into the town centre?

I've set the office Princess on to it (she's from Hale Barnes and has posh friends down that way) so the list, when it comes will doubtlessly be a list of achingly trendy bars full of impossibly beautiful and fabulously rich types, so at least I suppose you'll know where to avoid.

I know that there's a Piccolinos down there (decent Italian) and a big pub/restaurant called The Metropolitan (good nosebag and cask ale).

Cheers Bruce

[Bruce Rioja]

Right. So I'm going up to see a mate who's just moved down from Scotland. He will, from tomorrow, be a full-time resident in Didsbury. Neither he nor I knows the place.
Remembering this will be a Friday night, here are a small set a questions that maybe somebody can answer.

1. What's Didsbury like?
2. Are there any good eating establishments in the area?
3. Any pub recommendations (Real Ale Camra types, bearded woolly-jumpered)?
4. ^ anywhere that combines the two?
5. Would we be better off just heading into the town centre?

I've set the office Princess on to it (she's from Hale Barnes and has posh friends down that way) so the list, when it comes will doubtlessly be a list of achingly trendy bars full of impossibly beautiful and fabulously rich types, so at least I suppose you'll know where to avoid.

I know that there's a Piccolinos down there (decent Italian) and a big pub/restaurant called The Metropolitan (good nosebag and cask ale).

Cheers Bruce

Here you go;

In terms of bars in West Didsbury, ones off the top of my head would be – Drawing room (good for cocktails); Mary & Archie (v relaxed atmosphere and do real ales), Folk, The Woodstock (off Barlow Moor Road) and of course The Met. The Railway pub tends to attract locals and would prob have real ales too.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Right. So I'm going up to see a mate who's just moved down from Scotland. He will, from tomorrow, be a full-time resident in Didsbury. Neither he nor I knows the place.
Remembering this will be a Friday night, here are a small set a questions that maybe somebody can answer.

1. What's Didsbury like?
2. Are there any good eating establishments in the area?
3. Any pub recommendations (Real Ale Camra types, bearded woolly-jumpered)?
4. ^ anywhere that combines the two?
5. Would we be better off just heading into the town centre?

I've set the office Princess on to it (she's from Hale Barnes and has posh friends down that way) so the list, when it comes will doubtlessly be a list of achingly trendy bars full of impossibly beautiful and fabulously rich types, so at least I suppose you'll know where to avoid.

I know that there's a Piccolinos down there (decent Italian) and a big pub/restaurant called The Metropolitan (good nosebag and cask ale).

Cheers Bruce

Here you go;

In terms of bars in West Didsbury, ones off the top of my head would be – Drawing room (good for cocktails); Mary & Archie (v relaxed atmosphere and do real ales), Folk, The Woodstock (off Barlow Moor Road) and of course The Met. The Railway pub tends to attract locals and would prob have real ales too.

Ta very much.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Right. So I'm going up to see a mate who's just moved down from Scotland. He will, from tomorrow, be a full-time resident in Didsbury. Neither he nor I knows the place.
Remembering this will be a Friday night, here are a small set a questions that maybe somebody can answer.

1. What's Didsbury like?
2. Are there any good eating establishments in the area?
3. Any pub recommendations (Real Ale Camra types, bearded woolly-jumpered)?
4. ^ anywhere that combines the two?
5. Would we be better off just heading into the town centre?

I've set the office Princess on to it (she's from Hale Barnes and has posh friends down that way) so the list, when it comes will doubtlessly be a list of achingly trendy bars full of impossibly beautiful and fabulously rich types, so at least I suppose you'll know where to avoid.

I know that there's a Piccolinos down there (decent Italian) and a big pub/restaurant called The Metropolitan (good nosebag and cask ale).

Cheers Bruce

Here you go;

In terms of bars in West Didsbury, ones off the top of my head would be – Drawing room (good for cocktails); Mary & Archie (v relaxed atmosphere and do real ales), Folk, The Woodstock (off Barlow Moor Road) and of course The Met. The Railway pub tends to attract locals and would prob have real ales too.

Ta very much.

Well bugger me. I've been here before, about 5 or 6 years ago, maybe a bit more. I knew I was in Manchester back then of course, I just didn't realise I was in Didsbury. I thought it was Altrincham or Sale or somewhere. Anyway, Railway was a previous tick, but heading now for somewhere called Didsbury Village?. How the fxcl can you have village in a city (I know: Greenwich village - New Yoik, but that's wrong as well)

[Gooner Girl]

Thought I'd share this interesting article...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seant ... tally-ill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Montreal Wanderer]

Thought I'd share this interesting article...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seant ... tally-ill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Based I suspect on questionable science.

[Gooner Girl]

Thought I'd share this interesting article...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seant ... tally-ill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Based I suspect on questionable science.

That's an awful lot of pieces of different research to all be wrong.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Thought I'd share this interesting article...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seant ... tally-ill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Based I suspect on questionable science.

That's an awful lot of pieces of different research to all be wrong.

Perhaps I should have said questionable interpretations of science. Of one study he says: 'In 2004, scholars at UCLA revealed that college students involved in religious activities are likely to have better mental health.' He does not explain how better mental health is defined or determined. He gives no references to these many studies. He states: 'Likewise, believers also report greater levels of happiness, are less likely to commit suicide, and cope with stressful events much better. Believers also have more kids.' The fact that believers think they have greater levels of happiness is subjective, and I'm not sure why it is a good thing to have more kids.

Finally he reaches conclusions that I doubt come from any studies: 'So which is the smart party, here? Is it the atheists, who live short, selfish, stunted little lives – often childless – before they approach hopeless death in despair, and their worthless corpses are chucked in a trench (or, if they are wrong, they go to Hell)?' I mean, really!

I just didn't find the article especially convincing (I'd need more sources spelled out and when I clicked on "the list goes on" I ended in some internet blue hole). I felt the author was writing more for effect than accuracy. The article may generate equally silly rebuttals. For example, it would be equally wrong to argue that because believers have more suicide bombers than non-believers, they are crazier - but I expect someone will.

[TANGODANCER]

Youngest lad's getting wed this afternoon. (Second time round). Hoping it won't rain.

[Prufrock]

Thought I'd share this interesting article...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seant ... tally-ill/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Based I suspect on questionable science.

That's an awful lot of pieces of different research to all be wrong.

Is it? Where?

It's just a rubbish attempt at trolling.

I do enjoy the assumption that all atheists are do-gooding leftie liberals though; someone must tell Crayons.

[General Mannerheim]

watching Game of Thrones alot - always gets me wondering how the hell those burning torches work in medieval times, those firey sticks that never go out???

[mrkint]

link doesn't work, general

[Bruce Rioja]

link doesn't work, general

If it the same principle that they use elsewhere then it's a simple illusion comprising pieces of white cloth, an orange light and a fan. Might not be though as I too can't open it.

[General Mannerheim]

wor lasses big 30 in a few weeks, im having an absolute nightmare in trying to think of stuff to buy. She is 7 months preggers which doesn’t help, i was thinking of booking a trip somewhere but she is too far gone to fly now, or too big to enjoy a wandering city break? The other option is to book it in the future, the baby is due in November so how long before you can, or she will want to leave a baby for a few days? Or do we all go somewhere together? How much hard work would that be?... Ive fancied Reykjavik and Bruges for ages so we can’t go there as she’ll regard it as a selfish gift. Thought maybe NYC again but it’s no place for young kids... she doesn’t want clothes because of her figure, or perfume because she works in a perfume shop, all our parents are clubbing together for a posh handbag and she has jewellery she never wears coming out of her ears!

[boltonboris]

Buy her an Argos voucher

[boltonboris]

In all honesty. Something that will occupy her during her maternity leave. Various things. Box sets. A new laptop. Spa day at a swanky hotel

[General Mannerheim]

maternity leave? she never went back after the first! well, only for 2 days a week...

Spa day is a belter tho... just booked her a 'Nuturing Mother to be Spa day' at thewoodlandspa.com in Burnley. looks bang on.

[Gooner Girl]

maternity leave? she never went back after the first! well, only for 2 days a week...

Spa day is a belter tho... just booked her a 'Nuturing Mother to be Spa day' at thewoodlandspa.com in Burnley. looks bang on.

Good call, time away from kids just to relax properly is something any mum of little ones craves. I take that by going to watch Arsenal occasionally but spa day sounds awesome too. Jealous!

At 8 months pregnant with the twins I went to watch us play in the vague hope that if my waters broke at The Emirates I might get a season ticket for life like you get nappies for life if you give birth in the supermarket, but no such luck.

[thebish]

apparently One Directio have done a fillum! there seem to be tens of thousands of morons crammed into leicester square trying to catch a glimpse of them arriving that the premiere...

anyway - allegedly spotted on a bus stop in Cardiff:

(am liking the use of the phrase "spunk trumpets"!)

[plymouth wanderer]

watching Game of Thrones alot - always gets me wondering how the hell those burning torches work in medieval times, those firey sticks that never go out???

Animal fat, lasts around 15 mins orso