Monthly Archives: July 2014

Where to eat in Manchester

The metropolitan Manchester has a dynamic food scene, with a wide range of cuisines to choose from. Here are some reasonably priced restaurant recommendations from us at City Crash Pad.

Under the railways of Whitworth Street lies Gorilla – a bar, kitchen, stage and club all rolled into one. It’s been voted the ‘best newcomer’ at the Manchester food and drink festival awards and it is no wonder why! The breakfast and brunch menu is served all the way to 4pm, and other food served till late. Their burgers have won the ‘Best Burger in Manchester’ Title and all bread and pastries are baked in-house, so you know it’s fresh! Don’t miss out on good quality honest food at this place.

54 – 56 Whitworth Street
Manchester
M1 5WW

Prepare yourself for a queue at the hugely hyped Almost Famous, a burger and booze joint with sinful burgers jam-packed with quality beef and unique burger combinations. Don’t miss out on the crack wings and the ‘winning’ sweet potato fries doused in house seasoning. Be warned – Depending on what time of the day and what day you do, it’s possible to wait up to 2 hours to get a seat as no bookings are taken.

Unit 2, Great Northern Warehouse
Watson Street
Manchester
M3 4EJ

A trip to Manchester is incomplete without paying a visit to Chinatown, the 3^rd largest in Europe. Have yumcha on the weekends at Pearl City, or even makes a great supper stop since they close late. Whatever the time, this place serves up a good Chinese meal.

33 George Street
Manchester
M1 4PH

For the absolute best milkshakes, dare we say in the UK, visit Archie’s Burger and Shakes; they have every chocolate bar you can imagine on display and will concoct the milkshake you desire. The burgers are quality as well, and make a great late night snack since they open till the wee hours in the morning. Rap Star, The Game, recently paid a visit and loved it so much, he’s in talks with the owners to franchise it and bring it to the US!

72 Oxford Street
Manchester
M1 5NH

Fancy having afternoon tea? Step into a wonderland at Richmond Tea Room. Have the Alice’s Tea – the Richmond blend tea and freshly baked scones are the perfect combination and most value for money here. Booking is recommended especially on the weekends when it can get quite busy.

15 Richmond Street
Manchester
M1 3HZ

Love your Indian food? Then Punjab Tandoori Restaurant is right up your alley! Located in curry mile, this place has a well deserved reputation for serving good Indian cuisine at reasonable prices. They also cater to your spice threshold, so don’t be afraid of having a curry even if you aren’t a spice fan. Our favourite is the Masala Dosa, as close to India as you’ll get while staying in Manchester.

177 Wilmslow Road
Rusholme
Manchester
M14 5AP

Top 7 Mobile Travel Apps

The best free mobile travel apps you need to have

Want to make the most of your holiday? Download these mobile apps that will help you with your planning, navigation and even jetlag. Here are a few of our favourites that are completely free and will fully enhance your travelling experience.

CityMaps2Go Offline Maps

This application will be your new favourite global travel companion. Throw away your paper maps as this compact travel assistant will lead you around whatever exciting city you’re in. Simply download the map of the city you’re in using wifi and everything else can be done without an internet connection. You’re able to see your location on the map, even without data roaming. Plan your day ahead of time by creating lists of place you want to visit and pinning them on your map. Or you could also use the app itself to read insider tips on things to do, places to see and where to eat.

Dropbox

Not exactly a travel app, but very handy if you travel a lot! This cloud space lets you keep and share all your documents, photos and videos in one place and access them from any device you own. It is great to save your travel photos on but more importantly, keep a digital copy of all your travel documents, including copies of identification and hotel confirmations.

Relax Melodies

Jetlagged and unable to sleep in your new environment? This handy app allows you to create a large variety of background noises aimed to create your perfect sleep environment. Play a little white noise to drown out the other little noises or urban rain if the sound of falling raindrops helps you sleep. Either way, the sounds help you relax quickly and fall asleep faster. A must app for frequent travellers who have problem sleeping.

Skyscanner

The best flight-booking application available on the market helps look through all the big travel sites and compares ticket prices to ensure you get best airfare deal. It is easy to use and allows you to track various flight prices when book when the price suits your budget.

TripIt

Keep all of your travel plans on-the-go. This app is a free travel organiser that puts all your travel details in one place. Simply send travel confirmation emails to plan@tripit.com from more than 3000 different travel booking sites and they will automatically turn them into an itinerary for your trip in one application. Your itinerary will then be available on your mobile devices or online – making it organised and easy to see what you’re doing during your trip. It also allows you to share your itineraries with family, friends and colleagues so they are always in the loop. Simply the best travel organiser app!

XE Currency

Don’t waste your time trying to figure out conversion rates in your head anymore! This currency conversion app uses live currency rates to ensure you get the most accurate conversion possible.

Yelp

Foodies will already know about this app, it’s a go-to-app when looking for food and restaurant suggestions. Just type in what type of food you’re craving for and your current location to see the nearby eats around you, with ratings and reviews from foodies alike. If a thousand people have liked the restaurant, chances are that you will too. It suggests the popular menu items if you’re ever lost as to what to order – score!

Sheffield Tramlines Festival

On the 25-27 of July, Sheffield’s inner-city music festival is back for its 6^th year, with its biggest line-up yet! Artists include Public Enemy, The Cribs, Annie Mac, Katy B, Ms. Dynamite and other national and local artists.

After holding its first festival in 2009, the Tramlines Music Festival has rapidly expanded and led it to win the award for ‘Best Metropolitan Festival’ in 2011.

The main stage will be at Devonshire Green and other venues scattered around the city including O2 Academy, Gothic Cathedral, Fusion & Foundry, The Harley and Queens Social Club.

Advance tickets are now on sale at £12 for the day and £28 for the whole weekend via Gigantic.

The Commonwealth Games Arrive in Glasgow

From the 23 July – 3 August 2014, the Commonwealth Games are in Glasgow! It will showcase over 4000 finest athletes from all over the commonwealth, making it the biggest ever sporting and cultural celebration in Scotland. The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth Nations. This will be the first time Glasgow is hosting the games, as previous Games held in Scotland were both in Edinburgh.

The games will showcase 17 sports: from the combat of wrestling, to the high adrenaline track events, and not forgetting the graceful gymnastics. What is unique to the games is the inclusion of sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls and netball.

England has competed and placed at the top 3 at every Games, with 6 times coming away with the first position. This year, we are sadly missing Sheffield’s Jessica Ennis-Hill, who will be absent from the games because she is expecting her first baby. But we’re excited to root for UK’s double Olympic gold medallist, Mo Farah!

In conjunction with the Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay has begun its 190,000km journey through all 70 nations and territories in the Commonwealth Nations. Follow its international journey here:

http://www.glasgow2014.com/queens-baton-relay

Don’t miss out on this cultural sporting event, book your stay with City Crash Pad to immerse yourself in the exciting happenings Glasgow has to offer.

Happy Birthday Jamie Cook!

Happy Birthday to Arctic Monkeys’ Guitarist, Jamie Robert Cook!

Cook was born 8 July 1985 in High Green, Sheffield. He attended Ecclesfield Secondary School in Chapeltown, Sheffield. Originally a neighbour of fellow band member Alex Turner, the legend says that Cook and the other members got instruments as gifts over Christmas and came together to form a band in 2002 and thus began the music career of Cook and his fellow monkeys.

Cook used to join Matt and Andy in backing vocals, but has gradually shied away from singing duties to completely focus as lead guitarist. His towering, monolithic riffs are a key component in the groups’ stew of hard rock and pop elements.

Despite travelling around the world, Cook has maintained residence in the Sheffield area and never forgets his Northern England roots.

Happy Birthday Nick O’Malley!

Born on the 5^th July 1985 in Sheffield, O’Malley was called in as a temporary replacement for bassist Andy Nicholson when he announced he would not make the band’s North American tour in 2006. O’Malley says he learned the whole album in just two days and “pretty much didn’t even leave the house”. He made his first appearance with the band on 25 May when they played a secret gig in East London and his first recording with the band in the single “Leave before the Lights Come On”. Nicholson’s departure from the band saw O’Malley joining the band full-time and joined the band in headlining the Glastonbury Festival in 2007.

The band is currently on tour and taking the music scene by storm, making Sheffield proud to be the home of Arctic Monkeys.

Tour De France Arrives in Sheffield!

For the first time in cycling race history, the Tour de France will arrive in Sheffield on Sunday 6^th July!

With it, it will bring at least 250,000 spectators who will line the route in Sheffield, cheering on the cyclists.

On 1 July 1903, 60 pioneers set out on their bicycles from Montgeron for the first ever Tour de France. As the years passed and the tour gained popularity, its reach began to extend beyond France. It is the oldest and the most prestigious cycling tour present today, garnering 22 teams from around the world competing in this year’s race.

The 101th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and cover a total distance of 3656km with various stages such as flat stages, mountain stages and hill stages. After its UK leg of the tour, it will also pass through Belgium and Spain.

The event will draw at least 250,000 spectators who will line the streets and welcome their arrival into Sheffield from York. Be part of the action by booking your stay with City Crash Pad over the Tour de France weekend now.

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