Just got back this week from Manchester, where I have been an urban fox for 5 weeks, working on "Mrs Biggs" a drama production at ITV Granada.. I loved being in Manchester, for a city it's got quite a relaxed vibe, very well appointed with shops and great transport i.e. the Metro tram network and free city centre buses.
It was quite a shaky start to the year with power cuts at home (we had more than 10, and my car exploding on the M6 and having to be RAC'd back home from Carlisle). So let's hope it can only get better!
One highlight was meeting up with blogger Sue (Mouse) which was lovely, at the fabulous John Rylands Library - an oasis of calm in Spinningfields, with a rather gothic Hogwarts interior (and nice café).
It was like a working trip or holiday, and the freetime I had, I used to explore the town and discover places like:
- the Manchester Craft + Design Centre - a covered market of little maker studios with its own café - I was rather envious of their handmade world and private/public spaces!
- Manchester Art Gallery + Museum - this was one of my favourites by Holman Hunt, and Grayson Perry's drawing 'Print for a Politician'
- The Trafford Shopping Centre (omg! - a mad Disneyland)
- Morecambe seafront
Needless to say I only took my 'works' camera which I forgot to take away on my days off, so hardly took any pictures except these 2!
This is the view from our office at Granada - some mornings the tower blocks in the distance lit up with the rising sun, their windows turning to golden sequins. (Nic, I think you may have said that!)
It was a great location to work so close to the town, and open views with lots of light. (Un)fortunately the studios are moving to Salford to be beside the BBC and media village that is springing up there. There was a nostalgic feel of working studios - years of Coronation Street, plus Countdown and the infamous Jeremy Kyle being filmed there!
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