Perfil de Paulo Costaferrata

Looks like a real theatre with it's old school, ornate, darling looks, which I kind of like and certainly acts like a theatre such are it's fine internal becomings. A spacious, wide auditorium with good acoustics and comfortable, theatre seats (unlike the Royal Exchange seats) provide the visitor with a good 'base' in which to view the ensuing entertainment. Many differing shows have passed and are about to pass through the doors of the Opera House and there's usually something for everyone's taste (or distaste) here. From Noddy (yup...I was drafted in to see Noddy with my daughter once) to performance artist Matthew Barney's show for the Manchester International Festival last year (featuring the bull, the car and the ladies...).
Footloose the Musical (what else?!) is on in November but I'm afraid the Take That fans (Take Thatties?) will have to wait till April next for 'Never Forget' the take that musical.

Now is the time to hit the Lowry Outlet Mall for you gifts. You can buy a whole host of things from this outlet these days. It’s really come on from days as a 'Out of ghost town Mall’ - there’s even a Black and Decker discount shop (that’s a few Xmas gifts taken care of!).
I reckon I can find many more things on my Xmas shopping list from this Marks and Spencer’s discount store. From fancy bathroom products, to Royally endorsed biscuits and lingerie to kitchen products - they’re all on sale here, at far cheaper prices than in their main stores. I always find the stores (even the modern building M & S in the city) to be a little staid. I think somebody bought some 'underpants’ from here once, but I just never felt like wearing them. Clothes aside though, you can usually pick up gifts for family members more fitting of M & S’s charms.
This store is by no means as large as the main city store, but it manages to fit in a lot for the size. From the evening gowns section you’ll find a view overlooking Old Trafford Football Club.

One of my first port of calls for clothes shopping at the moment. Many top name brands of clothes are all represented here but at a fraction of their high street cost. I’ve kicked myself for not discovering this place earlier. Fantastic range of Jeans (usually half what you would normally expect to pay), shirts, tee-shirts, jackets, dresses, skirts all at mouth opening prices.
I’ve been kitted out here recently, it took me about 30 minutes to do so. A week earlier I’d spent several hours in the city and couldn’t find a thing. Of course, being a discount store they’re never guaranteed to stock everything you’d like, and there’s a large amount of stock best left in the stock room. But I’d bet on most people managing to find something they’d wear in here for 'credit crunchy crashing’ prices.

This is the discount version of the famous Manchester store back in the city centre. The kind of shop I don’t really contemplate entering (for I am not a well paid footballer) but also they don’t really sell the types of clothes I usually wear (I do smart, under duress, but a couple of times a year).
However I never say never and now again something will catch my eye and my brains tells me “That would look great on you on holiday”. Usually it’s right, but then I never end up wearing it again following that one time in a restaurant, near a beach, in somewhere hot (a white linen shirt, worn once stands testament to that). Still, there are some remarkable discounts to be had here. You can literally 'save’ hundreds of pounds such are the mark downs on many items. Usually however, the items at such discounted prices have a reason for being so: they tend to be the wrong end of garish and flamboyant and 12 sizes too large. But persevere and you just might grab an absolute gem for a very good price. I think the Women’s department (I say department, but it’s just a large open plan one floor shop) is more represented than the Men’s but there’s not much in them. Look out for a good price on shoes too.

Huge version of the smaller city centre bar near Albert Square. I’ve always had a soft spot of Lime. One of those nice looking bars but without the pretentious buffoons who usually populate the place (thankfully they now have their quarantined areas of the city you can afford wholesale).
I’m grateful that Lime opened at the Quays. I thought it was a good move, and given the continued take up and footfall of the area, it will hopefully pan out well over the years. I’ve been in a few times and I can’t say I need to wait long at the bar. I’m sure given it’s capacity it would 'bounce’ during a party or reception but it’s always been a little quiet, I guess for the main part due to it’s location. But the BBC will be moving many departments almost directly across the ship canal in a couple of years (the Mediacity development is moving very quickly indeed) so eventually I can Lime doing very well.
I took my father-in-law in here as we fancied a quick beer following a trip to the nearby Imperial War Museum North: he loved it. Unlike anything I think he’d ever drank in before (more used to rural pubs in Norfolk).
Alongside the usual array of drinks (real cask ale not really part of the menu) you can pick up some decent grub too.

Costa seemed to have been pushed aside by the likes of Starbucks and Cafe Nero, but I’m seeing increasing number of these coffee chains in and around the city and it’s suburbs. Aside from the fact they dominate every other street and it’s corners much to the fright of independent retailers, who increasingly find it difficult to set up shop in our cities, these places are nevertheless pleasant cafes.
More for want of better choice within the Lowry Outlet Mall than anything else, I always seem to pop in here for a quick coffee (and if I’m feeling slightly controversial, a biscotti) whenever I’m shopping here. Given talk of the recession and corner cutting I guess I’ll find myself at this slowly revitalised Lowry Outlet Mall over the next few months. Bargains galore are to be had here and now that the footfall has significantly increased (the BBC are moving departments nearby soon enough) is a better shopping experience than is used to be just a few years ago (tumbleweed often viewed).
Newspapers and magazines are available in the most comfortable of seating: pleasant lighting and decor lull you into another world just for those 30 minutes you spend inside these coffee shops.

Fine branch of the popular Oddbins. Very helpful staff (I still to to this day, despite drinking wine for years know very little on the subject) and a good location on Deansgate. I usually pop in here if I’ve been shopping in town and don’t fancy a trip to the supermarket on the way back. Of course, I also have a better chance of picking up a good wine rather than chancing this in the supermarket back nearer home (relying on whatever has got the most off money wise rather than a quality assured label/region…I’m such a heathen).
Alongside the wines (for there are other alcoholic drinks) are the spirits, liqueurs, whiskeys, real ale and a few high powered cooking lagers)
Prices are reasonable and they offer delivery service in the locality.

One, if not the, oldest retailers in Manchester, this shop has been operating for nearly two hundred years. Remarkable really considering some of the shops which come and go with such pace you forget their existence a month or two after the close. This store is the higher end of footwear. Price start steep (£70-£80) and continue into the thousands, which I presumed only occurred in the female shoe world. The higher end shoes are bespoken and as such you could be waiting some time for them to be crafted to your specifications. Clarks this ain’t. Top range shoe designers are all represented here and if you were to pay vast amounts on your shoes, it’s heartening to know they run a repair and refurbish service (at nearly two thousands pounds for a pair of shoes I’d want to know they would last me a lifetime at the very least!).
Even if you don’t particularly want a pair of shoes from here (given the prices it’s hardly surprising) it’s worth just popping in and having a chat with the proprietor about this church to quality shoe wear. You never know, a fine pair of shoes for that upcoming wedding/special occasion might just catch your eye.

Nice looking kids clothes shop, similar in vein to an old childrens shop that used to be on the high street (and who’s name currently escapes me!). Suffice it so say, this was usually my first port of call when it came to purchasing clothes for the toddlers, either my own or others as presents. They seemed 'fresh’, vibrant and well made. Pumpkin patch fits the same bill - a little relaxed and funky than the likes of the staid Next and other similar stores.
Prices are reasonable (you can get cheaper, you can also spend a lot more elsewhere) considering the quality.
I would’ve loved this gear as a toddler myself, instead I had to make do with home made flared trousers.

Highly stylish clothing for kids. The kind of clothes I’d like to deck my own children out in if it weren’t for the fact that they’re
a: independent and thus do not listen to my recommendations: b: my missus equally does not listen to me, especially when it comes to clothes for the children
c: it wasn’t so expensive.
Lovely looking, well made keks, shirts and skirts for kids up to 16 years of age, highly visual and slightly hippyish looking (you’ll know what I mean) it’s just a shame I’d need to re mortgage just to purchase a nice sweater for the four year old.
Have a look for their occasional sales and you might bag a bargain for a gift.
Oilily (which sounds more like a deli) has stores across the world, but as far as I know this Manchester store is the only UK branch.