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Author: Julia Shuvalova

Julia Shuvalova is the author of Los Cuadernos de Julia blog. She is an author of several books, a translator, and a Foreign Languages tutor. She lives and works in Moscow, Russia.

Nudge, Nudge, You Know What I Mean (Monty Python)

English people are well-known for their eccentricity, and this trait does not seem to change much with time. This Monty Python sketch was made a few decades ago, but in my 6.5 years in the UK I’ve seen, or been involved in, a similar “nudge” scene quite a few times. It did not always take place in the pub, but it still happens in almost the same detail, as in this video. “I bet it does, I bet it does“, to paraphrase what you’re about to hear.

Speaking about “what I mean” or better “you know what I mean“. Both phrases are very widely used in exactly the same style. I love hearing it on the bus, usually from a woman who is on her way home from shopping, so she speaks to her friend on the phone:

“I went to that shop where we were last week, you know what I mean, and I finally got myself that pair of boots, you know, the ones that were brown, you remember, over the knee, ‘cos they’ll go well with my black dress ‘cos they’re high boots as well, you know what I mean“.

But sometimes it’s an English Premier League footballer who has to explain the team’s loss, so he goes:

“Well, when you go in the game, you know, you always try to do the best, you know, and sometimes it doesn’t happen straight away, you know what I mean, well, we’ve taken off some players, and, erm, brought in others, you know, but sometimes it’s still not enough, if you know what I mean“.

Whoever is listening, usually nods – even if they haven’t got a clue. But you know what I mean, anyway.

Architecture by Manchester Piccadilly

The Hub and the CityInn
by Piccadilly

I took this photo last autumn, and it offers an interesting perspective in the proper sense of the word: in the background is Manchester Crown Court in Minshull St. It was erected in 1867-73 by Thomas Worthington who adapted John Ruskin’s principles to the design of this building. It is peculiar that the perspective almost guides us into the depth of time…

Qype: Sam’s Chop House in Manchester

Manchester – Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars – Pubs

Want to imagine what life was like in England in the 18-19th cc.? Go no further than Sam’s Chop House. Somehow it still conveys the feel of William Hogarth’s paintings or Daniel Defoe’s novels. As you go down the wooden stairs to the pub area and into the restaurant, you can almost see the scenes commemorated by the English genre painters. A romantic chat over a cup of tea with apple pie and custard, a political debate over a pint, or even a friendly brawl and TLC from an easy girl – all this could certainly happen at Sam’s Chop House.

The fact that it is so central and traditional explains why the place is so often crowded. And the food is indeed amazing. Mushroom soup served in a bulky china pot with a crusty bread roll was only the beginning of my gastronomic escapade. It was followed by a delicious pork chop that was helped by a glass of red wine. At the table nearby a group of seven were enjoying their Sunday lunch. As my stomach was getting full with this wonderful traditional English cuisine, I felt more and more like one of those Hogarth’s gentlemen, sitting and lazily observing others. I could compose a short treatise on the beauty of the English pub in the style of Laurence Sterne at that moment. I didn’t because tea and custard pie arrived, and after that I went home and didn’t feel hungry for the rest of the day. And in the meantime my creative spirit was fully subdued by the happiness of my stomach.

Seriously, this is one of the places in Manchester that must be visited. The fact that it is located in the basement only adds to its beauty, mystery, and popularity. And even though you have to march through the restaurant area to reach the toilets, it still doesn’t distract from the overall experience. The good news is that Sam’s Chop House is close to Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, and Albert Square. Which means that you can easily go for a pleasant sentimental journey in the Manchester city centre after one of the best traditional dining experiences.

 

Qype: Odd Bar in Manchester

Manchester – Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars – Bars

The first ever time I went to Odd Bad was in 2006 during Futuresonic Festival, and I owe to it one of the oddest experiences in my life. The now regular in-house project, Pukka, was debuting, and the DJ was planning on playing the soundtracks from Italian police movies and thrillers. To complement the set and make it a bit more special, they were going to screen extracts from some of those films on the screen downstairs. All excited, I headed there and found myself in a cozy room with several sofas. The screen was just above one of them, the extracts were already showing, and on the sofa right beneath a guy and a gal were sitting, embracing each other and kissing. They knew I wasn’t watching them, and I knew I wasn’t watching them, but it didn’t make the situation any less awkward. Or odder, for that matter.

Pukka has become an in-house project, and in the years since I’ve visited the bar many times. To me, the place has always been unique mainly because of its location. There is something special about sitting with your feet up on those cozy sofas on the left, under a kind of canopy, drinking a cocktail or beer, and watching people in the street. Its atmosphere is peculiar, for it almost epitomises the word “atmosphere”: it’s many things at once, and the impression is always too fleeting to capture. And because I’ve got this strange interest in 1970s-1980s, Odd somehow evokes the spirit of these decades. The dim lighting, cheesy music, laid-back style, and the suspicion that there is more than meets the eye. Pukka must be a resident project for a reason.

It’s not all about Pukka, though. There is a regular quiz, as well as a few other regular DJ sets. Beers and wines are good, and although I didn’t eat there often I wasn’t disappointed when I did order food. Last year Odd Bar hosted one of the stages of the launch of Havana Cultura website, in association with Havana Rum. It is frequented for a reason, and its popularity naturally puts off those who shun the crowds. But whether you are new to Manchester or have lived and breathed Northern Quarter for a number of years, then Odd is not so odd a choice. It’s weird, strange, peculiar, different, original, quirky, and possibly even at odds with itself.

And I shall make no apologies for all the puns…

 

A Bicyclette

Bicycles by the Piccadilly station,
Manchester

Манкунианцы обожают велосипеды. И не думайте, что велосипедами пользуются только студенты или богемные барышни. Даже вполне солидные служащие часть пути от дома до работы преодолевают на двухколесном коне. Когда я работала в Уоррингтоне в 2007 г., мне часто приходилось наблюдать, как спешащий на работу человек устраивал свой “велик” в дверях вагона, а сам шел переодеваться из спортивного костюма в деловой. “И из уборной выходил” (в прямом смысле) при галстуке и в туфлях.

Эта фотография была сделала осенью 2009 г., и запечатленные здесь велосипеды стоят в самой непосредственной близости к вокзалу. Британцы любят рассекать улицы a bicyclette, а иногда въезжают на них прямиком в магазин. Это редкость, но мне приходилось такое наблюдать.

Сама я на велосипеде не езжу. Было время, когда я успешно каталась на четырехколесном, а когда два задних колеса сняли, пропало и мое умение. С тех пор я кручу педали, лишь когда изредка посещаю спортзал.

Qype: Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester

Manchester

There could hardly be an odder location and design for a court of law. Across the road from Manchester Crown Court is the (in)famous Essential, one of the loudest clubs in the city’s Gay Village. As for its architecture and outside decor, the building was erected in 1867-73 by Thomas Worthington who was guided by John Ruskin’s principles for architecture and design. Heavily influenced by European Gothic, this would rather be a museum, yet instead it is not uncommon to see journalists filming reports and judges in wigs smoking outside of the building.

The old building can be contemplated from Richmond St, Minshull St, and Bloom St. It is a sight for a photographer, art historian, or a fan of architecture and design. Those familiar with Italian architecture will quickly spot its influence in the design of the towers. The decor of the entrance, particularly the sculptures, are a lovely nod to Gothic style.

Like the Manchester Town Hall, the Crown Court was extended, and it is the modern brick-and-glass extension that greets visitors who arrive to Manchester Piccadilly. It is also surrounded by hotels like CityInn and Malmaison, and for those who have to stay in Manchester and to attend the court the location could not be any more convenient. And, in spite of its actual purpose, the building is a pleasant view to cast your eye on, while drinking coffee at Caffe Nero.

 

Qype: Woodstock Pub in Manchester

Manchester – Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars – Pubs

In case you didn’t know, Woodstock is not only a favourite meeting&drinking venue, but is a place to hold inspired academic discussions. So, if you are looking for a cosy space where to debate the future of capitalism or the latest discoveries in nuclear science over a pint of beer, head to West Didsbury.

Woodstock is located just off Barlow Moor Road and is all but hidden from the view in summer. In these warm summery evenings it is like the proverbial secret garden, and indeed Woodstock’s beer garden is very lovely. But the real discoveries still await you inside. The interior offers a peculiar mix of old architecture and furniture and some modern decorations. The comfy sofas, ottomans, and armchairs are just the order for a romantic evening in candlelight or a friendly get-together by the chimney.

The selection of beverages is good, and the food is delicious. The menu ranges from traditional English burgers to more sophisticated fish and meat dishes, and deserts are lip-smacking! The place is certainly one of the must-visits in Manchester, and, unless you are a resident, is a good reason to take a bus to West Didsbury.

 

Qype: Magma in Manchester

Manchester – Shopping – Books – Shopping – Gifts & Cards

Now, you’re all about Art, Design, Fashion, Advertising, and Cinema. You are after cool magazines, unique comic strips, and clever useful books. As you walk in the busy Oldham St in the iconic Northern Quarter, you are ready to take a plunge into the depths of this small and funky bookstore, to emerge imbued with all sorts of creative ideas.

This may sound very personal, but this is exactly how I feel every time I visit MAGMA. The first few times I was literally glued to the shelves with Fashion magazines, browsing through the Italian Vogue. During my next visits I flicked through the Gaiman&McKean’s Sandman comic strips and contemplated buying a book of film-making. I bought presents for my friends there, but my life-changing buys at MAGMA were Paul Arden’s best-sellers. And they also sell great postcards and gifts.

Enough to say, this is the place to go if you are after new food for thought and eye. The fact that it is located in a short walk from the quaint Nexus Art Cafe or the trendy Teacup makes MAGMA all the more appealing. You bought your books or magazines, why wait till you get home, to have a read? The very thought seems very bohemian to me..

 

Success, Power of Thought, and Goal Setting

Pablo Picasso

I‘ve written previously that I preferred “goals” to “ambitions”. I think it was in 2007, and by 2010 my point of view has changed only slightly. I’ll never stop thinking about goals, but, speaking of ambitions, my ambition is my success. And to spare you my own musings, as well as to give you some food for thought, here is a quote from Pablo Picasso:

Success is something very important! It has often been said that the artist should work for himself, for the ‘love of art’, so to speak, and despise success. That is wrong! An artist needs success. And not only to live on, but also to be able to create. Even a rich painter needs success. Only a few people understand anything about art, and a feeling for painting has not been given to everyone. Most people judge art by its success. So why leave success to the “success painters”? Every generation has had theirs. But where is it written that success should always belong to those who flatter the public? I wanted to prove that you can be successful in spite of everything and everyone, without compromising oneself. Do you know what? My success as a young painter has been my protective wall. My Blue and Rose periods were the screen, behind which I felt secure.

In one of the most recent posts on this blog I mentioned some difficulties that were to do with the previous experience at different workplaces. I’ve found the way to overcome this experience by turning to the years when I was at my absolute best – with all consequences. On occasion I have to go back over 13 years, but it is that very “protective wall” that Picasso speaks about. A massive achievement happened in 1997, then again in 2006, and to this day those are some of the things I am hugely proud of.

Of course, as Einstein put it, the older we grow the more narrow-minded we become, and this diminishes the chances of success. For this reason it is twice as important to continuously revisit those great achievements because deep within us we will still possess this reservoir of self-belief and passion that made those achievements possible.

Another thing that is very close to self-belief, passion, and the desire to succeed is the power of thinking. I am sure a lot of us have experienced moments when our thoughts suddenly materialised. Whether those were good or bad things depends on what we were thinking about. I am glad to say that the opportunity I have wanted for myself since 2008 is now there. I wanted to travel regularly, to meet new people, to be creative, to be rewarded, to be successful, and now I have it all, and there will be more. But it requires some adjustments in lifestyle, which is the reason why there was a pause in blogging since the end of January.

And now to goals. As you might know, I used to blog in Russian over at LiveJournal since 2007. Some observations that I made towards the end of 2009 made me decide to make my LJ private and to continue the adventure here. My goal is very simple: with a nod from Google under the belt, by the end of 2010 I want to be the best multilingual blogger.

Another goal, still related to this blog, is to catch up on everything I wanted to post because there is a lot.

I will also be promoting some of the work I am doing for another site this month. The work is paid, but I am sure you will be glad to follow the links to short, witty articles about Manchester (with photos, of course!)

A project I started last year will now continue because this is my huge goal. It involves a life-long interest in Literature, Cinema, and Translation. I vowed to do it, and now I have every opportunity to accomplish it.

I know I said that I didn’t want to write about the goals, and I’m not reneging on my promise. I didn’t say what the goals are, except for one or two, and the good news is that they are not just for this month.

Finally, because my work doesn’t tire my brain, there is a plenty of room for creativity, and I will make sure I share some of the results with you.

In the end, my main message is that we can always achieve things we really want. To quote Paul Arden,

I WISH means: wouldn’t it be nice if…
If you always make the right decision, the safe decision, the one most people make, you will be the same as everyone else. 
Always wishing life was different. 
 
I WANT means: if I want it enough I will get it. 
Getting what you want means making the decisions you need to make to get what you want. 
Not the decisions those around you think you should make. 
Making the safe decision is dull, predictable and leads nowhere new. 
The unsafe decision causes you to think and respond in a way you hadn’t thought of. 
And that thought will lead to other thoughts which will help you achieve what you want. 
Start taking bad decisions and it will take you to a place where others only dream of being. 

The photo of Pablo Picasso is courtesy of Masterworksfineart.com.

Don’t Go Changing…

There are a few songs that are always favourite and that I always like sharing with people. In Just the Way You Are the main theme is being true to whatever there really is in the person; to what makes them who they are. Colleagues, friends, lovers, relatives, we all try to be better, to improve ourselves, but sometimes we do it for the sake of someone else. My point is that this should be done for our own sake because whatever respect and recognition we receive from others, it always relates to our core, not to superfluous exterior.

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