Birmingham
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Rent at The Old Rep Theatre
It is the classic musical of modern times, a tour de force that has a back story just as tragic as the one that unfolds on stage, and, last night, Rent, the updated version of La Boheme, opened at the Old Rep Theatre Birmingham with a brilliant ensemble performance. Rent is the story of a group of artistic bohemians living in East Village, New York during the early 1990s. The talented bunch include a dancer (Mimi), a film-maker (Mark), a guitarist and lead singer (Roger), a transsexual woman (Angel) and a teacher turned anarchist (Tom Collins). They live an impoverished existence and, in the case of Mimi, Collins and Roger,…
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Blow Out Fridays – Coming to John Lewis
John Lewis is bringing New York’s latest beauty trend to Birmingham with the launch of Blow Out Fridays throughout August at its &Beauty spa. This concept is hugely popular in the States, with the idea being about a quick fix for the hair that means you can head from work to the bar without having to go home first, leaving more time for food, fun and cocktails on a Friday night. Blow Out Fridays will launch officially on Friday 5th August, giving customers the opportunity to treat themselves to a special blow dry offer ahead of the weekend. Last Thursday I headed to the &Beauty Spa in Birmingham’s Grand Central…
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Elite Fashion Show – it’s almost time.
Following a very successful inaugural event last year, fashion is returning to the Burlington Hotel, Birmingham this summer as the Elite Fashion Show in association with Creative Media Design returns this Sunday. (24th July) The initial event last year was proclaimed as ‘The finest fashion event in Birmingham outside of the Clothes Show’ and this year the show has attracted a host of local celebrity guests including ITV presenter Sameena Ali-Khan, DJ Dan Kelly and ‘White Dee – Dee Kelly’, the breakout star of Benefits Street. There will also be incredible performances by musician Esther Turner and international dancer Shelley Anderson as well as 14 designers showcasing exclusive collections for the event…
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Bardolino Opens in Birmingham
This week saw the opening of Bardolino, the latest in the line of restaurants that mark the takeover of the city by Marco Pierre White. Bardolino is located in the iconic Cube building at the back of The Mailbox, and has a gorgeous location canalside. This is the least formal, most relaxed of Marco’s City Centre offerings, with a real emphasis on Italian food, namely pizzas, pasta and Bellinis. I went along to a special brunch preview on Tuesday, and have to say I loved the location and relaxed, leisurely atmosphere, and this, combined with the delicious food, mean I will definitely be making a return visit very soon. Bardolino…
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Chaophraya Birmingham Father’s Day Menu
Chaophraya Thai restaurant on Birmingham’s Spiceal Street is one of those eateries that I have always wanted to try, but have never quite got around too. But this changed last Thursday when I was invited to sample the Father’s Day menu, and get to make a traditional spring roll from scratch. The Chaophraya restaurant is a stunning place, with a sleek, modern interior and a fabulous sun terrace which was perfect for what was an almost tropical night. The restaurant has two floors, one of which had been reserved for our table, and had cooking stations set up, initially for a cocktail making session where we were given instructions on…
