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Day: 14 February 2017

Review: Falafel

Written by Patrick Young on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Crisp, hot and heady with spice, the falafel is a stalwart of Middle Eastern cuisine. In search of an authentic experience of the chickpea fritter, I travelled to a small Palestinian café nestled in the heart of the curry mile.

The suitably named Falafel Café does not aim to compete for the diner’s attention in the neon glow that is created by the surrounding plethora of curry houses and shisha bars. An underwhelming and dimly lit front to the café gets straight to the point and simply states ‘Falafel’ in both English and Arabic. The bluntness of the exterior is a promising sign, it immediately instills a sense of hope that the substance of the experience is going to be in the quality of the falafel.

The initial reception on entrance to the café is not entirely welcoming, my friend and I are met by intrusive stares from the owner and his tea-slurping regulars. The owner sits confidently in the corner of the room assured of the fact that his falafel recipe will keep the doors swinging.

His confidence lacks any sociability with the customer, and his passiveness could almost be interpreted as a belligerence to the diner. The interior of the café has a canteen feel as the harsh industrial lighting strips the room of any ambience.

There is a splattering of interesting Palestinian kitsch’s across the walls which instil character into the otherwise nondescript room.  On approach to the counter the staff are amiable and if asked will take their time to talk you through the various mezze and shawarma options available.

My friend and I settle on ordering one falafel mezze meal (given that it is the name sake of the café) and one lamb mezze meal (for the sake of diversity) with an Arabic coffee and mint tea to accompany.

We take our seats by the window of the café and start to warm to the auditory delights of the Arabian pop music that quietly fills the room. It is not long before the food comes, and it is soon apparent that the falafel is by far the superior dish.

The falafel’s perfectly crisp exterior gives texture to the dish whilst the gently crumbling warm interior gives all the flavour to the fritter. The spices of cumin, coriander and garlic are faultlessly balanced and it is easy to see why the falafel is such an indomitable feature of Middle Eastern cuisine. It becomes clear that the owner’s belief in his authentic falafel recipe is justified, and he remains quietly resting on his laurels in the corner of the room.

The mezze that accompanies the falafel and lamb consist of a parsley cucumber and tomato salad, home-made hummus, pickled beetroot, red cabbage, tahini and Kobeda wraps. They are clean and fresh and perfectly complement the falafel and lamb as the main stays of the dish.

The lamb is crisp and nicely spiced but a little dry, and by far the inferior dish to the falafel.  The falafel is quick to go, and as my friend and I finish the lamb, we query any logic we had in ordering a lamb mezze at a café named Falafel.

Once all the food has been eaten, the excellent people-watching opportunities of the window seats on the curry mile provoked us to linger, as we soak in the fresh mint tea and Arabic coffee.

The food at falafel is incredibly reasonably priced; a falafel wrap will set you back just three pounds (the same price as a meal deal). There is also a broad range of Fatayer options available on the menu, if the falafel is not tickling your fancy.

A combination of the cheap price and the location of Falafel, being just ten minutes walk from the students union make it a great university lunch option. So next time you pass through the curry mile make sure to slow down, ignore the tidal wave of neon signs and loud traffic and keep your eyes posted for a quaint little block in the heart of the madness called Falafel.

Point of note: the owner smokes inside which may tarnish some people’s enjoyment of the experience.

Club Profile: Monaco

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

The French League has a negative stigma for being below par when compared to the rest of the European Leagues. Paris Saint-Germain have been the only regular performers in the Champions League over the past five years and ex-giants Lyon and Marseille have fallen to bits since their respective heydays, while nouveau riche upstarts Monaco have failed to capitalise on the lack of competition at the top.

With PSG struggling to churn out performances under new manager Unai Emery, Monaco and lowly lying Nice have grasped their opportunity to create some tension at the top of Ligue 1. While Nice are riding a wave of form, euphoria, and Mario Balotelli, Monaco have strength in depth and look the more likely to topple the capital club from their perch for the first time since the turn of the millennium, and end PSG’s four-year winning streak.

Stade Louis II (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

The Principality based club, which was successful in the 90s under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger, suffered from backbreaking financial difficulties and poor ownership which quickly snowballed into relegation from the French top division in 2011. The club was saved, however, the following season by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev who bought 66.67% of the shares while Monaco were rock bottom of Ligue 2. With a few new additions, including current Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, Monaco managed to gain promotion back to the top flight in 2013 and went on to pay a club-record £50 million for Radamel Falcao that summer.

Monaco struggled, however, to make any real impact on PSG’s dominance despite their lavish spending. Similarly to Manchester City, Monaco learnt the hard way that spending huge amounts of money on word class players does not equal immediate success. Instead, like City’s ownership, the club invested in infrastructure, youth development facilities and scouting systems and are only now reaping the rewards.

Their manager is the relatively unknown Portuguese mastermind, Leonardo Jardim, whose previous jobs most notably consisted of Olympiacos and Sporting Lisbon before moving to the South of France. The 42 year old plays expansive attacking football on the counter attack in a similar way to Leicester City last season: a 4-4-2 formation with fast wingers and clinical strikers while their defensive strategy consists of soaking up possession in a no-nonsense style.

Glik (@WikimediaCommons)

At the hub of everything good about Monaco this season is their destructive centre midfield partnership of Tiemoué Bakayoko and Fabinho. At just 22 and 23 respectively, these burly youngsters play the N’Golo Kanté–Danny Drinkwater roles of being an all-round nuisance in the middle of the park. Sitting behind the duo in defence are the equally as tough partnership of Kamil Glik and Jemerson. The Polish centre half arrived from Torino last summer to add steel to Monaco’s ranks while Jemerson has grown into a very capable defender and could be on the fringes of the Brazilian national team in the not-too-distant future.

While their defensive capabilities are commendable, where Monaco really come to the fore is in creating opportunities and scoring. The French side are averaging a total of 2.9 goals per game in the league. Two point nine. Per game. That is more than Barcelona, Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich… it is more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues. Their main threat is collectively from the wings. On the left, the combination of Benjamin Mendy and Thomas Lemar have terrorised relentlessly while the on the right, the more intricate duo of Djibril Sidibe and Bernardo Silva have consistently caused overloads in the wide areas. One of the more impressive facets of this persistence on the wings is the fact that the average age of the players mentioned is 22 years old, meaning that, scarily, there is plenty more room for growth.

With the flanks being relentlessly exposed, the strikers better be pretty ruthless footballers to be tucking away all the chances, right? How about failed Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao and ex-benchwarmer/loanee Valère Germain. Jardim has seemingly accidentally struck gold with the unorthodox pair with Falcao scoring 17 goals in 17 starts while Germain has eight in 22 from a deeper position. Even better for Jardim is the emergence of the fiftieth ‘next Thierry Henry’, Kylian Mbappe. While Antony Martial may be in the mould on the ex-Arsenal superstar, Mbappe looks to have been forged from the same refinery. The 18-year-old has started eight games in the league and hauled in six goals and three assists in that time.

Goals are the name of the game with Monaco, and with a +52 goal difference in Ligue 1 the coastal club are sitting pretty atop of the table, with PSG hot on their heels. Whether Monaco can keep up the tempo, only time will tell, but their clash with Manchester City in the first round of the Champions League knockout stages will be a thigh-rubber of third degree burn proportions.

Interview: Sorcha Floyd – Campaigns and Citizenship Officer

Written by Jacob Nicholas on . Posted in Features.

Sorcha has chosen two main focuses as Campaigns and Citizenship Officer. Firstly, tackling the ongoing homelessness crisis and secondly, Go Green, a campaign to increase sustainability and encourage healthier, greener lifestyles.

These two were chosen because Sorcha is “personally passionate about” them and she went on to explain that “homelessness around Manchester is just so visible and people are like ‘this is just awful, how can we help?’ so I think that’s quite a big one, and then with sustainability just because climate change is happening and students would like to act about it.”

Sorcha highlighted the lack of green campaigns prior to her taking office, saying that “before I came into post, in terms of what there was going on with green issues and sustainability issues there was [only] the Fossil Free campaign… but that is actually quite niche.”

She continued by claiming that for those who are “into talking and learning and activities and events related to sustainability and becoming more sustainable and encouraging others to there wasn’t really that much”.

Much of Sorcha’s work for Go Green so far this year has been tackling this lack of opportunities for students to campaign, and this was inspired by an event she attended over the summer. “There’s a national group called People and Planet and that’s student action on world poverty and the environment, and was a summer gathering thing over the summer which I attended, and there were people from different People and Planet societies at different universities working on green campaigns and green issues and I thought this would be great because it’s actually a group that gets people together. So, we set one up, and it’s going, so that’s great.”

According to Sorcha, this has been a major success. She told us she is “really pleased,” with the new society, “because I knew that people were interested and I was hoping that people would get involved”. This makes setting up new campaigns for environmental and sustainability issues much easier, as “now there’s a core group of people who are interested and if someone says ‘I want to do something on sustainability’ I can say ‘well that’s the best place to go’, and then we work from there, so at least you’ve got other likeminded people doing the same things.”

However, this has been the extent of Sorcha’s work for Go Green so far, beyond continuing work with the Fossil Free campaign, and she admits that she “was just getting that off the ground last semester really”.

Homelessness is a major issue, but it has also proven to be something of a challenge for Sorcha to tackle, as some student campaigns can actually be detrimental in the long term. “So basically, homelessness is a bit of a difficult one,” she told us, as “the idea is that lots of people give money or food to homeless people or, you know, street beggars and actually this isn’t necessarily the solution because whilst it helps in the interim it sometimes detracts from charities and services who are able to give long term actually sustainable support from doing their work properly”.

Clearly then, the issue needs careful managing, and part of this is increased collaboration between those who want to help: “So the idea is there’s something called Manchester Homelessness Partnership,” Sorcha explained, “and in the last year different charities who were working separately are now working together”.

In addition, Sorcha has also organised some events on campus. “So, I’ve done a few things, so last semester JustFest, the evening event was centred around homelessness. It was really great actually because we had The Mustard Tree which is a charity in Ancoats and they give services but through drama and songs, and people with lived experiences who Mustard Tree had helped with through therapy, arts and drama did a performance.”

However, Sorcha admits she did not do a huge amount last term, although she hopes to do more. “This semester we’re going to focus on that better,” she told us, “especially with the mayoral elections coming up, and sort of working with Greater Manchester housing people in terms of their bigger campaign to get homelessness on the agenda for the mayoral elections. And we’re also having a homelessness week centred around activities at the end of March, and that’s what we’re working towards… last semester was more getting the groundwork done.”

Finally, as applications are now open for students who want to stand as candidates for next year’s Exec team, why should people stand for Campaigns and Citizenship Officer? “Because you get to work on issues that you’re passionate about, you get to have influence, you get to work with students, it’s been a really great year, it’s been an eye-opening year, there’s actually lots of skills I’ve gained working at a university in a professional environment, alongside students on the ground. Also, being a trustee of a charity which is something I hadn’t really realised how it worked, and that’s been amazing to have that opportunity.”

A student life: chair of the Craft Beer society

Written by Stevie Grieves on . Posted in Features.

Josh Hodge could not be described as someone who doesn’t take his hobbies seriously: the second year student is not only the chair of the university’s Craft Beer Society, but he also works in a craft beer bar and is planning on linking his Ancient History and Archeology degree to a dissertation on Egyptian beer making.

While the extent of my beer knowledge stretches to a pint of Stella at our local — maybe even a San Miguel if I’m feeling extravagant — Josh’s knowledge of beer is clearly much more extensive, a passion that led him to running the society as Chair, while only being in the second year of his degree.

“We were only founded last year by two students who have now left, me and two of my housemates took over the society. Originally we just found it in the Societies’ Fair last year, and I like beer so I thought let’s give this a go!”

“Basically I organise the events, so we do brewery tours and tasting events, or meeting at the pub, it’s basically me who does pretty much everything.”

For a society that revolves around drinking, I want to know if this is something that requires as much dedication as the sports teams, because the idea of competitively tasting fine ale all afternoon on Wednesdays sounds like most students would be going for gold.

“We’re not that regular, because it can be quite an expensive hobby at times when we go out, but we try and keep the prices down, like when we have a tasting event, you buy a ticket for 10 pounds and then you get to have 15 to 20 quids worth of beers out of it.”

His dedication is very apparent when talking about the Craft Beer Society events that really enable students to access an expensive hobby otherwise reserved for the world of the Northern Quarter.

“Yeah, we have a deal with Font, who have really good ale, and the general manager loves us because he loves the beer more than the cocktails! So he’s always happy when we come along and he gets to talk about the beer as well, so he gives us a bunch of beer for a lower price, which gives people a chance to try a lot of different styles of beer.”

I wonder if living in the beer capital of the North, where there are lots of independent bars and micro-breweries, is a reason for having the society at the University of Manchester.

“Yeah, we keep it mainly local,” he said, “as Manchester is the second best city in the country for beer, nothing else comes close to the amount of breweries we have got around here. One of the breweries in Manchester, Cloudwater, was awarded fifth best brewer in the world, so it’s a very good brewer and they’re one of the ones we went and visited last year, and it’s really great to see their beers.”

He has obviously put some thought into his ‘Desert Island’ beer — something that he would be happy to sip on forever more — which happens to be Lupoloid, from Beaver Town Brewery, a rare beer from London. These questions have been seriously mulled over and deliberated on through the multiple events that he runs through the year, encouraging regular society members and newbies to try local and international craft ale.

“It’s a pricey hobby for sure, which is why we can’t do it that often, we had about three or four events last semester and we’ll be doing one in a couple of weeks this semester!”

“We normally get around 20 or so people coming to these events, and the brewery tours tend to be a bit less as most people just want to come and try the beers whereas the ones that come to the brewery tours are the ones that really want to learn about the beer and want to know more about how its made and things, that’s what the brewery tour is for, to show you each step in the process of how different breweries do it differently.”

I wonder if his role as chair means that he struggles to find the balance between life at university and his large role in the society, but he assures me that quite the opposite is true.

“Originally it was just a hobby, but now I’ve started doing some independent work and am going to tie it to my dissertation in the end, so I’m doing ancient Egyptian beer and how it’s used and how they in a sense brew different things which is a lot more than we use it for nowadays. So it is trying [to incorporate it] into my degree as well.”

I wonder how big the commitment is to the society, but he claims that’s it’s really not much hassle at all. “I work in a craft beer bar as well now as of a few months ago just in town, so it ties into my work life obviously! So it’s not affected my uni life yet!”

Despite his extensive knowledge of rare New York ales, Josh wants to assure me that they’re not an elitist group of beer drinkers. “We don’t look down on those who like a pint of English bitter, or the common lagers. If that’s what people like, that’s cool. What we’re there for are for people to try something new, or to learn more about the beer, which is why we get different people at tasting events and brewery tours.”

So if you fancy an american stout or maybe even a pint of something more local, the Facebook page is UoMCraftBeerSoc, and Josh will be there to answer any possible questions you could have on craft beer!

Name: Josh Hodge

Degree: Second year Ancient History and Archeology student

Hometown: Leeds

Best bit: “Drinking the beer!”

Worst bit:  “I’ve not had any negatives, I mean I just get to organise the events that I would turn up to anyway, it’s just more a case of now that I’m in charge, I get to ask for which beers I want there, so there isn’t really a negative for me!”

Favourite craft beer: “That’s a tough one, I guess it depends on the style, I can name the best beer I’ve ever had but it might not be my favourite, but the best beer I’ve ever had would be Serpent’s Stout by Lost Abbey, which is a hard to find American beer, getting it in the UK can be quite tough, but that’s probably the best beer I’ve ever had, but in terms of favourite, I don’t really have one.”

Valentine’s Day: Down with love

Written by Polly Brown on . Posted in Lifestyle.

It’s Valentine’s Day, we can cry if we want to. Similar to a scene from a popular rom-com, your life can sometimes and often feel like a walking cliché.

Yes, the rained on window panes, the checking of your phone, and the Netflix pop-ups can feel like a rehearsal for the next twenty years of your life. ‘Do you want to carry on watching this?’. Yes, you do, because Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher are your only allies…until they get the guy or girl they want. But relax, you are not alone.

Ok, you are alone, but you are not the only person that wants to stay “away” with Valentine’s Day. So what if you’re unlucky in love? There are several reasons that couples and singletons alike want to clothe Cupid too, and here’s why:

It’s not nice to feel left out
Okay, so you might not actually be alone. You may have your friends round for bro-to-bro, gal-to-gal support, but pizza and FIFA aren’t going to keep you warm at night, and the cuddles just aren’t the same. Whether singledom is by choice or misfortune, walking around with the couples of the world can feel a bit exclusive, especially on Valentine’s. You may know you’re only missing out on one day of expensive restaurant bills and wilting flowers but who doesn’t like being showered with adoration and being taken to Paris? Who wants to make their friends feel bad? Not us.

It takes money and effort
So, Paris, dinner, watches — what have you — do not come for free. We have birthdays and Christmas, what else do people want? Inflation during commercial holidays is a real life thing. Valentine’s means just more time worrying about loved ones’ faces when they open their petrol station chocolates and the spending of money that students often don’t have. Refer back to petrol station chocolates.

Facebook sucks
Even for those in relationships, the Facebook newsfeed can become a bit unmanageable. It transforms into a battleground of who loves each other the most and, even, who cares the least. With hearts, sentiments and ‘Galentines’ filling your newsfeed, Facebook can be a cringe-fest worthy of non-attendance. Love is measured not by material possession but by emotional involvement. If your loved one shows you affection only once a year, the purchasing of a cat might be in order. The company is not significantly different.

Supermarkets suck
Are they supermarkets or are they fairgrounds? There are so many aisles conquered by teddies, the food industry must truly believe that love is all people need to survive. This is an exaggeration — of course there is food. You just have to embrace that the meal deal for two might not be for two. It’s for one.

Of course, we’re not trying to sound bitter. It’s great if you’re loved up and get spoiled on Valentine’s Day. But why does it just have to be one day? Why can’t we treat every day like Valentine’s Day, and show affection all year round rather than just on one day? Give us singles a break, and spread your soppy messages and happiness throughout the year, rather than concentrating it on the 14th of February.

 

Restaurants For All Occasions

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Refuge – For Something New

by Joe Taylor

The Refuge is the second culinary endeavour from Justin Crawford and Luke Cowdrey, two DJs who were active in the Manchester clubbing scene in the latter half of the 90s and early noughties, curating a night called ‘Electric Chair’ (now no longer in circulation, RIP). Having opened their first restaurant Volta, known for its relaxed atmosphere and frill-free platters, in Didsbury in 2013 to critical acclaim, the ravers come restaurateurs jumped at the opportunity to curate the food and drink in the newly refurbished Palace Hotel.

We ordered four starters to share: Slow cooked ox cheek with egg and Sriracha, Serrano ham with olive oil and bread, Baby squid, ink, and lime, and Tuna tartare with avocado and passion fruit. The ox cheek was beautifully cooked, it was tender and wonderfully accompanied by a runny fried egg scattered with spicy Sriracha. The squid starter was interesting, for the accompanying ‘ink’ was presented in the form of a black aioli, something that I’d never seen before, which gave the whole platter an interesting look as it offset the green of the lime and the yellowy deep-fried squid.

‘The glamour of Manchester’, inscribed on the beautiful tiles, encompasses the feel of the building, its high ceilings and pillars, dimly lit dining room, granite bar, red felt pool table, and its beautiful glass atrium. It all works to evoke the past of this historic hotel, while fusing it with the present day, with Volta, and with contemporary food trends. The dishes need refining, but the taste is there in abundance, with Crawford and Cowdrey curating not just a restaurant but a milieu of class and style.

Oxford Street

Manchester

M60 7HA

 

Thyme Out – For Breakfast Dates

By Charlie Spargo

Photo: Thyme Out

If you prefer being out early than up late, a trip to Thyme Out in upmarket West Didsbury might be your ideal Valentine’s destination. Off the beaten track slightly, this area of town isn’t nearly as regularly visited by students as its East sister but is well worth the trip. Neatly tucked away down a side road, Thyme Out serves breakfasts that both taste and look gorgeous. As well as classics like Eggs Benedict and a Full English, they also do a lovely breakfast burrito, avocado & feta on sourdough, and Eggs Cocotte — duck eggs, cream, mushroom and cheese baked to perfection in a ramekin. Everything on offer is presented beautifully too, garnished neatly but with no sacrifice on taste.

Thyme Out serve brilliant coffee too, as well as a wide range of teas as well as fruit smoothies and more decadent milkshakes, all of which can be enjoyed with some homemade cakes which line their counter. On your Valentine’s date you might even push the boat out with a Mimosa or Bloody Mary.

Inside, its walls feature works by local artists, but, weather dependent, you might take the chance to sit outside to enjoy your brunch, in either of their pretty front or back seating areas.

147 Nell Lane

Didsbury

Manchester

M20 2LG

 

63 Degrees – For Pushing The Boat Out

by Lily Carden

Photo: 63 Degrees

63 Degrees is tucked away in the Northern Quarter (as all restaurants in this area of town appear to be). It is a family-run French establishment with an expensive à la carte menu and an ultra reasonable set menu at £20 for 3 courses (available Tuesday to Friday from noon until 2.30pm, as well as Saturday and Sunday from midday until 5.00pm) which is well balanced and to the point, with three starters and three main courses.

I often think that the bread offered by a restaurant serves as a good barometer for the quality of the restaurant as a whole, and this bread was no exception. Served both with the terrine and for the table, was a light walnut bread that was so good that I went back for more. The main courses were just as good as the bread, featuring their signature ballottine of chicken stuffed with mushrooms and an elegant plate of sea bass served with braised fennel.

The à la carte dessert menu features macarons and cakes from the amazing Didsbury patisserie, Bisou Bisou, among other offerings, which make for a delightful end to a well executed meal.

104 High Street

Northern Quarter

Manchester

M4 1HQ

 

Kyotoya – For Friends

By Gina Castellheim and Kate Savin

Photo: Miriam Mizzi

Stepping from a typical dodgy Manchester road into Kyotoya is like stepping through a magic wardrobe into food Narnia. The restaurant is afloat with red paper lanterns and fairy-lights, which give a lovely scarlet tinge and orange warmth to the intimate restaurant.

For our main course we decided to be daring and chose the Mixed Sushi 12 pieces, letting the expert chefs choose our sushi for us. The dish arrived in a delightful wooden boat, with ginger and wasabi tucked into the helm and flowers positioned delicately amongst the Maki and Nigiri.

Prepared to order, Kyotoya’s sushi is some of the freshest and tastiest in Manchester, without the normal drawback of robbed pockets. One word of advice — don’t go here on a first date, as the large sushi pieces don’t exactly make for dainty eating! However, if you want a truly satisfying meal that doesn’t cost the world and leaves you wanting to come back the very next day, this is the restaurant for you.

28 Copson St

Withington

M20 3HB

 

Lunya – For Big Groups

By Lily Carden

Photo: Lily Carden

Originating in Liverpool, Lunya expanded into Manchester’s Barton Arcade in in 2015. A bright and airy tapas restaurant with a fantastic deli attached, this restaurant has an extensive menu covering cuisine from across Spain. Ordering bread at Lunya means choosing between multiple fantastic oils and vinegars in which to dip the bread. While all of the menu is excellent, I highly recommend the croquettes and anything involving tender acorn-fed pork. Another highlight, even for someone who doesn’t like squid, is the succulent calamari, covered in airy batter and served with a lemony aioli.

Before you leave, make sure to fill in the feedback card and take it down to the deli for 10% off purchases. If you didn’t already get them with the meal then might I suggest buying the divine Catalan almonds (my favourite snack) and the spicy sour cream dip called crema catalana, best served with the soft white rolls that are also sold in the shop.

Barton Arcade

Deansgate

Manchester

M3 2BB

 

Dusk til Pawn – For Cocktails

By Charlie Spargo

Photo: Dusk til Pawn

Taking you and your date back to the days of Prohibition in America, even finding Dusk Til Pawn is a challenge in itself. Situated on Stephenson Square next to its less-hidden away sister NoHo, look for the neon “Pawn Shop” sign and the window displays of guitars, TVs and jewellery. Behind their doors, though, is a cosy, welcoming and classy cocktail bar with one of the widest selections of drinks in the city. It’s comfortable and calm, quite a different atmosphere to some of its loud and bustling NQ neighbours.

Dusk Til Pawn has a great range of special cocktails but their friendly staff would also happily whip up a personal favourite of yours with great skill, or recommend a drink based on your tastes. They also produce their own special infusions — popular spirits instilled with new flavours, such as banana and rhubarb. To top it all off, they have a free jukebox full of 20th century classics.

Dusk Til Pawn

Stevenson Square

Northern Quarter

Manchester

M1 1FB

 

Don’t forget to check out happy hour across the city. We recommend Twenty Twenty Two for their ping pong tables, and Fumo for elegant surroundings.

Earth Week’s climate change plea

Written by Megan Harvey on . Posted in Environment, News, Science & Tech.

The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union launched Earth Week with a panel discussion, including campaigners Asad Rehman, from Friends of the Earth, and Martin Empson, from Campaign Against Climate Change.

Asad Rehman began with an enlightening speech about the effects of climate change on developing countries, and how intertwined the cause is with that of the #NoBanNoWall campaign. It is estimated that roughly 70,000 people die due to climate change related issues each year, but millions more are displaced from their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. It is estimated that 1 person every second is displaced from their homes as a result of drought, flood, or other climate change related disasters. So just as you have refugees of war, you have refugees of climate change.

What makes matters worse, is it is beyond their control. 10 per cent of the richest countries are responsible for 50 per cent of the carbon emissions. Asad uses the analogy, “climate change is like the Titanic, and we’ve hit the proverbial iceberg. But it is the richer countries that are the people getting on the boats, whilst the poor and locked in the cabin.”

It is therefore not surprising that those who are feeling the effect of climate change-induced famine or other natural disasters are seeking refuge and help from us. But rather than villainising them as ‘economic migrants’, they need and deserve our legal protection.

It is because of this injustice that Asad stressed that we must rebuild a system of justice, and give a face to millions that don’t have a voice. We have a social responsibility to support causes such as Friends of the Earth and Campaign Against Climate Change to “build bridges, not walls”. Although we may not see the damage we cause, it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Martin Empson elaborated that the way you can help such causes is to just get involved. Currently protests are everywhere and are certainly making the public’s voice heard, but he stressed that you should take part in all movements to do your bit. Or if that, sign a petition, write to your local MP or donate to make sure something is done.

Everyone wants to protest Trump right now, but we need to ensure the environmental and migration movements work together to positively reinforce each other and make their voices louder. By doing this, Martin claims we can “create a positive agenda that creates hope”.

Disabling brain cell tap causes neurodegeneration

Written by Georgie Hines on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A new study by Manchester scientists, focussed on the Golgi apparatus of cells, has found that disabling a cell tap, which regulates the flow of proteins, can cause the onset of neurodegeneration.

The research was focused on the Golgi apparatus of a cell, which is involved in the processing, transport, and release of proteins, such as hormones and neurotransmitters. It also plays an important role in the growth of the cell membrane.

This study was centred specifically on the Golgi apparatus in neurons, cells that are found in the brain and other areas of the nervous system, and used mice as an animal model.

They found that mice with a disabled Golgi apparatus developed developmental delay, postnatal death, and severe ataxia, a group of disorders that leads to difficulties with coordination, balance, swallowing, and speech.

The research, which was carried out in collaboration with the Shilai Bao Lab at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, is one of many studies in recent years that have tried to link Golgi apparatus to neurodegeneration.

How much it contributes to associated disease, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, is still unclear.

Professor Martin Lowe, the lead researcher of the study, said: “Our results, combined with previous work, suggest that during the cellular changes that occur, loss of the Golgi function could be an important intermediary step that contributes to cell death.

“Together with other published work our findings suggest that in certain neurodegenerative diseases the loss of function of the Golgi apparatus may contribute to the pathology that is occurring.”

The livery companies

Written by Sophie Soar on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

To describe the fashion industry’s current climate as intense and challenging would be a gross understatement. In recent years, consumer culture demands immediate access to fashion lines, so much so that some designers now allow for clients to place orders directly from their front row seats. Contemporary society expects completely unrealistic turnovers from designers. At the age of 83, one can hardly contemplate how many designs and shows Karl Lagerfeld creates for his own line, Chanel and Fendi, showcased biannually during fashion seasons and haute couture weeks with the added challenge of continually making shows bigger and better.

Lagerfeld is however an example of almost inhuman capabilities and he still sits elegantly at the top of his game, showing no signs yet of slowing down. In reality, the turnover of creative directors at fashion houses suggests the enormous pressures inherent with such a career. However whilst designers’ personal teams provide physical and psychological support both inside and out of the work place, the stress still soars.

This is an increasing phenomenon considering the vast pressure that comes with the impatient and endlessly unsatisfied temperament of today’s society. Everyday, international cities including London and Manchester are agog with deliveries, turnovers, “new season” and “end of season” sales, shoppers, bloggers, Instagrammers, tweeters… the list is endless, as is their ceaseless desire for something new and exciting.

Whilst the fashion industry rolls on at an alarming pace, it realistically cannot continue at such a speed without wearing out. Fresh, innovative creations will undoubtedly remain the industry’s goal but occasionally it is worth returning to the past to inspire the future. After all, their own history remains intrinsically important as each label’s trademark style oozes historical significance to represent each house’s inherent characteristics.

However when I suggest a look to the past, I do not refer to routine forty-odd year cycle when fashion trends resurface (although we may still need to prepare for the return of the eighties shoulder pads soon). Instead, I would suggest that inspiration can perhaps be gained from a far older tradition that remains ticking quietly in the background and has done so for hundreds of years.

In the heart of London, the City square mile continues to operate as it has for centuries. Although it is now only a small proportion of England’s capital, the City boasts the oldest customs and traditional roots in contemporary culture, which inherently includes the livery companies.

The first livery companies evolved from medieval guilds, believed to have  been formed in the 12th century. Livery companies gained status as corporations under Royal Charter and represent their specific profession or trade. There are currently 110 companies, which includes the Worshipful Company of Glovers founded in 1349 and granted its Royal Charter in 1638 to the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, formed in 1986 and granted full livery status in 1992. These companies represent a vast range, with the latter demonstrating the modernisation of the centuries’ old tradition.

In and amongst these trade representatives rests those essential to the fashion industry. The Worshipful Company of Woolmen, The Haberdashers’ Livery Company, The Merchant Taylors’ Company, The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers and The Clothworkers’ Company all represent professions fundamental to the starting point of every fashion house, whilst The Worshipful Company of Glovers and The Worshipful Company of Launderers demonstrate further trades intrinsic to the industry.

As is expected with surviving establishments of longevity, the companies unite their traditional heritage with modern society. The companies thrive for community and their ethos heavily functions upon charitable work. The environment enables a unity amongst tradesmen and women, allowing a support system amongst professionals as well as students. For instance, the Glovers run annual awards for those studying glove design, devised to encourage young professionals and enable their introductions into a proficient atmosphere; it is a support system that spreads across generations.

Lagerfeld famously denotes his success to always looking forward; as soon as one show finishes, his thoughts are on to the next and the preceding is all but forgotten. However there is perhaps some inspiration to gain by returning to the tradition of livery companies and their supportive community within their chosen trades. In such a demanding environment, the fashion industry requires generational support for young and established designers but also all involved with aspects of the industry. Livery companies exemplify the pride and passion each professional should take in his or her work; it is an historical system that should not only be celebrated but most importantly one from which the fashion industry could learn.