Hi,

Seeing girlfriend for the weekend after 6weeks apart. Have you any suggestions on what to do (something special or fun!)

I’m looking at…
– Tutankhamun exhibit at trafford centre
– cocktails at the Hilton, with the glass floor, etc
– dancing at Band On the Wall

Any suggestions for a saturday night in the centre?

cheers,
r

maybe brekkie at Trof?

You haven’t seen her for six weeks and you want to go out?

Kids today! 🙄

Wouldn’t a trip to the Traffic Centre be regarded as some kind of torture? If someone took me there on a Saturday night, that would be the last they ever saw of me

Band on the Wall is great now its been done out. I’d recommend that. You’re also right in the Northern Quarter there so you could go to a few decent bars before-hand (Trof, Odd, Cord)

Maybe a curry in Rusholme at some point in the evening?

Printworks?

Just kidding.

Band on the Wall is a nice choice, maybe drinks at The Marble first, nice beer / nice tiles.

The Recorders exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery is fun.

Someone took me to The Midland for afternoon tea recently, I thought I’d hate it a bit, I didn’t it was lovely!

Some crowdsourced Manchester tips here

TBH I wouldn’t bother with the Tutankhamun wotsit unless she’s really into the whole Egyptian thing. We took the kids over Crimbo and it was okay and obviously cost a small fortune to put on (they are exact replica’s of what was discovered in the tomb – not the real items that many visitors seemed to think they were) but it was pricey for just over an hours visit and there is sod all else to see at the “Museum of Museums”.

What is definitely worth a go on is “Airkix” (also near the Trafford Centre). Again it’s not cheap but it is superb fun. Took my 15 year old for his birthday a few weeks ago and it was fantastic. Altogether we were there for about 1.5 hours and you get 3 or 4 brief flights in that time but it was more than enough:

http://www.airkix.com/packages_and_prices/at_a_glance.asp

I can’t go in Trof because I get annoyed that it’s called ‘Trof’.

Hacienda innit!

If you want mummies go to the Manchester Museum, part of the University. Me and our lass went on Saturday, there’s also a full size T-Rex skellington on display. It’s also free.

Or take her to watch City v Wolves. Who says romance is dead?

Elfin – unfortunately the Hacienda has been demolished and flats built on the site. 😥

friend of ours used to be head DJ at the Hacienda back in the day….

reason for wanting something to do is that we haven’t done anything particularly memorable in ages. I’d like to surprise her..

Band on the wall seems pretty certain. I’m a bit wary of clubs on weekends, the vibe isn’t so appealing. Much more alt. and friendly during the week in my experience.

The airkix place looks great, she’d love it! A bit out of my price range atm, but i’ll keep that in mind.

Any more suggestions round city centre/ oxford road would be good! Thank you for your help so far

friend of ours used to be head DJ at the Hacienda back in the day….

I used to go to the Hacienda back in the day! Those were the days!

forget the city centre and go down chorlton,great bars and pubs,especially marble beer house with my favourite Manchester bitter,then beech road for sommat to eat!

Samehere.

OP- go to Akbhars, you’ll need to eat after soo much **** that you will be doing.

The Hacienda is the only club I’ve ever been turned away from – twice! Never went back after the second time, if I’d only known 🙁

Still, it reduced my chances of getting shot or mugged, so thankful for something I suppose!

Afternoon tea at the Radisson Edwardian. You’ll need to book a table.

Booze in Northern Quarter, then Sandbar and Deaf Institute.

Then home for the filthiest sex you’ve had (with another person) in six weeks.

😀

– cocktails at the Hilton, with the glass floor, etc

Avoid this like the plague.

Massive queue at all times to get up there and full of asshats who thinking they’re the cream of high society because they’re drinking at a bar in a hilton hotel.

Drinking at the Marble? Sheesh I go there alone with my dog and a bloody newspaper.

I most certainly wouldn’t take a girl there!

chorlton sounds great, but hotel is in centre and need to be nearish to that, if you get me drift.

Hmmm, ok, so avoid Hilton? I’ve heard mixed reviews of it, but everyone mentions the queues. Aaaand i’ve ranted and raved about curry mile to her, but i’m not so sure it’s such a good idea before dancing. Parp parp parp.

How easy is it to get to the Northern Quarter? I only know didsbury, fallowfield, rusholme and the centre… from visiting mates at uni.

Just off from picadilly gardens, not hard to get too

Drinking at the Marble? Sheesh I go there alone with my dog and a bloody newspaper.

I most certainly wouldn’t take a girl there!

Pants – I once took a girl there for a first date. 🙄

Afternoon tea at the Radisson Edwardian. You’ll need to book a table.

This is a good idea.

Take her skiing at the Chill factorE. She will love it , then try maybe ‘The Living Room’ for a meal followed by desert back at hers

chorlton sounds great, but hotel is in centre and need to be nearish to that, if you get me drift.

Hmmm, ok, so avoid Hilton? I’ve heard mixed reviews of it, but everyone mentions the queues. Aaaand i’ve ranted and raved about curry mile to her, but i’m not so sure it’s such a good idea before dancing. Parp parp parp.

How easy is it to get to the Northern Quarter? I only know didsbury, fallowfield, rusholme and the centre… from visiting mates at uni.

Hilton could be done late afternoon to avoid some of the queues/pretentiousness. It opens at 4.30pm if I rememeber correctly.

And the curry mile is rubbish. Try Akbars (Liverpool Street) 1mins walk from Hilton or East Z East if you want a decent curry in town.

Where you staying?

I go there alone with my dog and a bloody newspaper.

Is it because you have a joint of meat wrapped up in it?

No Fred. Its just cos he’s got no mates apart from Bingo. Its a sad and pathetic sight

Well, I would say get down Canal St – it’s a great night out but it might not be your kind of thing…

Rachel

Well, I would say get down Canal St – it’s a great night out but it might not be your kind of thing…

I wouldn’t suggest this for a romantic night with the GF.

he’s not seen her for six weeks and he’s on here asking for things to do?? I’m not so sure I’m wrong…

Northern Quarter for drinks on Saturday eve. Couple of quid in a taxi, bit of a faff to walk to if you don’t know the area.

Felicini on Oxford Rd does good Italian food.

Cask on Liverpool Road – proper ales, about 3 mins walk from the Hilton.

There’s a really good Tapas bar, about half way down Deansgate – can’t remember the name, good for a late lunch.

War museum north is different- good building, you could do this with a trip up the Ship Canal.. and combine this with a tour around Old Trafford!

Urbis would have been good for a few hours, but it’s shut currently. Trip on the Manchester eye…

2nd for Akbars / East is East for curry.

http://www.visitmanchester.com/#/home.aspx

singletrackmind – she’s finnish. Born on skis! Good idea though
allthegear – she’s gotta see the glory of… the city nearest the airport. 😉 And what’s so wrong with showing her a good time? Nowt wrong with that

Ok, for those interested. Will head to Northern Quarter and have food/ drinks, and then move onto BOTW for comical dad-like grooves from me.

Thanks for the help, Northern Quarter sounds great!

If you haven’t seen her for 6 weeks spend 5mins at the hotel first, satisfied then head to cord and a few other bars in the norrhern qtr- avoid trof, overpriced drinks IMO and full of graduates who aren’t sure what to do with their lives.

Chorlton is too far. Otherwise you could have met me and bingo! Love it there, semi-oldmans pub 😀

Ignore the curmudgeonly old goat. Trof’s great. My personal favourite is Cord though.

If you get there in the afternoon you could take her to look at poncey overpriced fixie bits in the bike shop next door

And… yes… the northern quarter has a bike shop that just sells overpriced fixie bits. I think that tells you everything you need to know about the area. Don’t forget your man-bag 😀

well, fri night at the hotel for sure. As for trof i’m 22 so i’m sure i’ll fit in nicely 😉 Been before, love the section upstairs if not too busy. Nice beers too

Oi binners…. Nooooo don’t you dare recommend hunters. Bbq!

OP across the road from trof is a nice pub full of vinyl seating and even older men than me and binners 😀

Manchester Science Museum, proper good fun and free !! so you don’t feel bad when you’ve had enough and leave

just across the road there is a really nice pub – avoid the hilton, the silly queue is a fraud as you get up there and it’s not that full.. asshats indeed

don’t bother with the living room for food, it’s not that great, if you’re going to splash out on food then go to the restaurant at the top of the Urbis, pricey but great food – then a short hop to the northern quarter for beers wherever fancies yer fancies

Don’t completely disregard the recommendation of Chorlton. I absolutely love The Bar plus there’s a fantastic Polish bakery opposite a cheap award winning hippy/organic supermarket just down the road.

ohh no, BillMC. It’s just a bit far from the hotel, just in case there’s a need to go back…. 😯 . The science museum has been recommended a few times, i’ll check it out. Cheers

The arndale indoor Market is on the way to the northern quarter too.

another vote for NQ, mostly good bars n pubs there, some not…

The castle hotel – excellent proper pub
common – busy bar nice art/graffiti, lots of creative types in there
noho – big barn of a place, but generally good vibe
cord – a classic, even if the old corduroy booths have gone
centro – over the road from cord, not quite as good as it once was
keko moku – tiki cocktail joint, on the tiny side though

and as for the marble, I love it! I’ve taken dates, family and friends there… ace

think the tapas place referred to by someone above is El Rincon de Rafa, great place.

Day after you could check out the Knot (opp. deansgate station) for a nice chilled sunday, great pub food and a fine selection of beers and ales

have fun