I will be combining my two loves in my life in this blog post: Photography and Birmingham Both have given me so much in my life, Photography gives me excitement and it gives me a platform to express my creativity and it helps people to understand me as a person more. I am a dreamer, I am always dreaming and using my imagination 24/7. Birmingham also gives me a platform to showcase my passion, a community that accepts creativity/dreamers and often the subject in my photographs. Birmingham is full of fantastic creatives, so many undiscovered photographers with never-ending imaginations and talents that can generate instant emotion when looking at their photographs. After the last Best of Birmingham photography post did so well I thought it would be a great idea to carry it on! Showcasing Birmingham/Midlands photographers that are talented and have created amazing imagery of our city, please show these fantastic photographers some love on their social media pages. The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more so its important to credit our creatives as they really do open our eyes to see how bloody beautiful and great our city Birmingham is.
Please respect the copyright, if you would like to use the imagery please contact the photographers via social media pages.
JOSH GATES
A spellbinding photo of the Birmingham wheel using a mirror ball, creativity at its best from the talented Josh Gates
Venturing out to Kings Heath on a cold Winters day with the family, we came across this little beauty of a Bakery on the High Street that simply gave us a wonderful family brunch with heart-warming food and a cosy atmosphere. A must visit, The Early Bird Bakery is one of Kings Heaths most valuable hidden gems.
At 2pm, the Bakery was already packed with happy customers and plates of rainbow coloured foods, luckily we managed to find a table. It’s quite a small space, there’s only a couple of tables and window seats, so a Saturday drop-in you may need to think about popping in the early morning to avoid disappointment. What first lit up my eyes were the array of cakes on display from tarts to cronuts all glistening in the display cabinet and of course, my Mom was the first to window lick the deserts on display, steady on Mom first things first, let’s check this menu out.
Quite a small weekend menu however offering a wide variety of lunch options, all different and unique with a bucket load of ingredients in each dish. Sweet potato hash brown, house-cured salmon bagels, toasties, and sweet and sour cabbage hummus, this isn’t your typical lunch at Weatherspoon’s. The Menu just oozes creativity, and whilst it took me a little while to work out what I fancied, I was quite fascinated and intrigued to see how these varieties of ingredients would go together in the dishes. The drinks menu is on a board on the wall offering a range of coffees, teas and soft drinks for all. Please note that the food menu changes regularly.
I decided to go with the ham hock & winters greens toast with a poached egg, my Sister ordered the house-cured salmon bagel, my Dad ordered the mushroom toastie and my Mom ordered a apple pecan bun. Its order at the till service and our drinks came within 5 minutes of ordering. My tea arrived presented lovely on a wooden board and it tasted as good as it looked. Looking around the Bakery, it’s very clean and simplistically decorated with a splash of rustic interior here and there. Within 10 minutes of ordering, plates of food were making there way over to our table and all of our eyes lit up.
The food is beautifully presented, full of colour and full of life. The one thing that spoils my dining experience is a stubborn egg, so a yolk test is essential when ordering eggs and it passed alright with flying yolky colours, it was a beauty. My dish held a variety of flavours, it was so delicious, I could taste the caramelised onion and mustard puree with hints of lemon and mint, it all blended so well. I always have a problem with sourdough, some places just get it completely wrong where it’s just impossible to cut into but the sourdough at The Early Bird was bang on, kudos to you guys it stayed well on my plate and didn’t go flying out the door. My Sister enjoyed her bagel, I managed to grab a bite and again, full of flavour, refreshing and not so heavy, it was perfect. I, unfortunately, didn’t manage to get a photo or try my Dad’s mushroom toastie as I was obsessing over mine so much but my Dad’s comments were “Great meal, won’t be expecting dinner from your mother tonight, that’s done the trick” I take that as a positive.
The prices are very reasonable, my dish cost around £8 and I think that’s a very generous price for such a high-quality fantastic dish. After a table full of spotless cleaned up plates, we were asked if we enjoyed it and of course, we did, it was great to feedback to the staff who are very pleasant and caring towards their customers. Before we left, my Mom couldn’t leave without another cake, so we got a round of cakes in to take home with our brews before settling down to Sundays car crash Tv. We ordered the passionfruit cruffin which was very appetizing and luscious, I saved the other half for work the next day but almost lost it to a pack of vultures when it popped out my bag. I’ll fight a seagull any day for an The Early Bird Bakery cake.
The Early Bird Bakery was such a wonderful experience, the food is different but unique and more importantly, it works. I wish they would branch out and open one in the City Centre, but that’s just me being a bit selfish as I want it for myself so I will be making the journey to Kings Heath more often! Watch out fellow West midlands Bakery’s you have competition here.
Now thanks to Indico we have North India right on our culinary doorstep offering food that is bursting full of flavour and a fantastic eastern experience for all. Soon to be a Birmingham favourite, Indico has already made an impression in the City Centre of Birmingham.
Indico is an Indian street food restaurant offering the flavours of Punjab to all of us looking to expand our culinary palettes! Indico opened there first restaurant in Shirley and the restaurant has received an award-winning status and now, Indico has opened there second restaurant in the Mailbox in Birmingham. Located in a great location sitting right opposite Bar Estillo, becoming the Mailboxes only Indian restaurant. We made sure we booked and it was lucky we did because come 6 pm it started to quickly fill up. Vibrant, bursting with colour and beautifully decorated, each table displays a teapot cannister that gives it that personal eastern touch to each table. We were greeted with smiles straight away and shown to our table and handed menus.
A wide variety of options from Currys, Tikka dishes, to Paaji burgers. A huge selection which will put a few people in a pickle choosing, I changed my mind literally 4 times. I found my myself scooping up my saliva looking at the menu, this food is defiantly going to test the tastebuds. First things first, Papadums. Papadams are served with mango chutney, pickle, onion relish and mint sauce they came with Far Fars which are like little crisps that have been deep-fried, very addictive! Looking at the drinks menu there is a variety of drink options, the cocktails I will say are quite adventurous! Bollywood star dirty martini to Gingerbread martinis packed with a punch, very exotic and appetising cocktails. I went for a classic Strawberry daiquiri and boy, did it pack a punch, very sweet and quite the naughty little cocktail packed with a strong KAPOW of Rum! After a 10 minute debate with myself on what the heck I should order, I decided to order the lamb gilafi Kebab with cheesy masala fries and Bhatura bread, We also ordered The chefs special chicken taka tak curry with fried rice.
Looking around the place it is beautifully decorated with authentic decoration with a quirky tweak but stays true to Indicos North Indias roots, the seating areas are nice and spacious, and the interior just oozes class. The atmosphere is relaxing, the staff are very friendly and kept checking up on us to see if we were enjoying the experience. Now, this may irritate many eaters but for me, I’d rather have someone ask me how my food/experience is instead of being totally ignored. Food is flying in and out of the kitchen and the smell is absolutely divine, The service time is spot on, our food came within 15 minutes.
The lamb kebab was cooked to perfection and fell apart in my mouth. I am not a big fan of spice but this was quite mild, so I was able to eat the food without throwing down gallons of water. The curry was full of flavour and cooked very well, with nice juicy well-cooked pieces of chicken. The masala cheese fries were good but could have done with an extra bit of sauce, but I just dipped them into the curry and I can’t complain, it was an outstanding combination! The Bhatura bread was nicely baked, soft, fluffy and oh so satisfying! The food overall was full of flavour, delicious and possibly some of nicest Indian street food I have ever tasted.
I am very grateful for Indico gracing us City Centre folk, with its authentic charm and fantastic food and service. One thing that stood out at indico was the service, the customer service was brilliant however they may need to be a bit careful as some restaurant-goers want to be left to eat and not quizzed regarding the food. Of course, please take into account that I attended on the first week of the opening so of course, they want to know the feedback. I very much enjoyed my experience I came in with a smile and left with an even bigger smile but the only downside about my experience was as soon as I stood outside the door, I wanted more. I will be back before the new year as one trip simply wasn’t enough. Another fantastic restaurant in Birmingham with no doubt in my mind will be a favourite to many.
I will be combining my two loves in my life in this blog post: Photography and Birmingham Both have given me so much in my life, Photography gives me excitement and it gives me a platform to express my creativity and it helps people to understand me as a person more. I am a dreamer, I am always dreaming and using my imagination 24/7. Birmingham also gives me a platform to showcase my passion, a community that accepts creativity/dreamers and often the subject in my photographs. Birmingham is full of fantastic creatives, so many undiscovered photographers with never-ending imaginations and talents that can generate instant emotion when looking at their photographs. I want to start a monthly blog post showcasing Birmingham/Midlands photographers that are talented and have created amazing imagery of our city, please show these fantastic photographers some love on their social media pages. The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more so its important to credit our creatives as they really do open our eyes to see how bloody beautiful and great our city Birmingham is.
Please respect the copyright, if you would like to use the imagery please contact the photographers via social media pages.
If you like to be featured in Decembers photography picks make sure you tag your photos #bababouttownfeature
AESHA NISAR
A Spellbinding photograph of the Big Wheel in Birmingham by the talented Aesha Nisar.
Okay, So I am currently up at 2 am in the morning writing this up because guess who decided to get so drunk on a school night? This moron right here. I can now say those two words that most parents dread to hear…ITS CHRISTMAS
*QUE THE WIZZARD SONG” Every year Christmas seems to get bigger and bigger and those pockets of yours seem to get emptier and emptier. Birmingham is always coming up with new and exciting Christmas related events to draw those with the spirit of Christmas in so when a mysterious event popped up called “Once Upon A Time In Birmingham” of course, it caught my attention however this is one event that might make you want to stay clear of Christmas this year.
Nested in the old Jamie Italian restaurant lies Once Upon A Time in Birmingham. A festive pop up with 88,000 festive lights, tea parlour, party bar and event space brought to you Bompas & Parr. Walking through the front doors I was greeted with many smiles and gold shredded tinsel. The bar was on the left and a metal chain hanging curtain was straight in front which was the entrance to the light extravaganza. First thoughts, a strange combination of materials but okay, we will go with this.
When entering the main attraction my eyes lit up, 88,000 various hanging Christmas lights and a variety of bizarre Christmas decorations you had in your house from the ’90s. They had a fair share of seating areas, from tables and chairs to booths and even a section that wasn’t lit up at all which seemed to me, very out of place. We were told that later on in the night the seating area by the DJ Booth would go and would turn into a dance floor. It’s different and it’s very extra but we like different here in Birmingham, so lets get into this!
Sitting down in the “vibrating” booth which certainly did not give me good vibrations because we couldn’t feel any vibration at all. We took a look at the menu, a range of festive drinks from eggnog to winter spiced champagne cocktails. Beers and wines were also on the menu. Its order at the bar service and I decided to go for the winter spiced champagne cocktail.
Now, please tell me how I got quite pissed off half a cocktail? Well, I tell you why because they got the alcohol measurement totally wrong. When the bartender came over to take our next drink options, I mentioned it and he said they had 60% whiskey in there and had JUST cut it down as it was way too strong. I should bloody think so, I was hanging on those Christmas decorations like a pissed-up fairy on a Christmas tree. I decided to let them off and I ordered a gin & pomegranate drink which was a lot more drinkable and had the flavours of christmas. We tried a variety of the drinks, all with festive ingredients and they do smell lovely!
Looking around I noticed a couple of issues, the décor on opening night you expect those 88,000 lights to be working, they weren’t all working. It was a bizarre mixture of lights, I had it in my head it was going to be all the same but mixing with the tinsel and the other odd Christmas décor (also the random white Christmas tree that didn’t go at all) it’s like Elton John meets EastEnders in this joint. Now, I am no interior design expert but from my experience of designing and building houses on The Sims… it would have looked a lot more classy with the same lighting throughout and no tinsel crap. The area that turns into a dance floor is quite concerning because I can just see with the boozy drinks offerings and the cheeky helium balloons they have on the menu, it’s going to be Christmas day mayhem of ripping down those decorations. I feel for the cleaners.
The booze was catching up with me and the scent of cinnamon was irritating my nose so when things get a bit too overpowering for me, I like to sit down and have a cup of tea and that’s exactly what I did, I ordered a cup of tea at Santa’s grotto. There was no escaping these Christmas scents because cinnamon was also in the tea. Taking in the loud scenery we were offered these pretty cool looking glasses to try on to get the full “experience” boy, would you get an experience alright, an experience of someone throwing up over you with these badboys. You can’t see a bloody thing and I even tried to drink my cup of tea wearing them in which I failed to do so and I ended up sipping back a chunk of my jumper.
The only food we got to try was the crystal-clear jelly which we saw on the promotional photo on the website that looked stunning with the lights reflecting of it, so we were really looking forward to this. When it came over our first impressions was…it’s tiny and it stinks of Christmas. Now I know why many places don’t sell clear jelly because soon as I saw it, I was rolling out that scene from Something About Mary in my head. What can I say? It tasted like nothing but that’s jelly anyway, but I was expecting a bit of a Christmas tweak to the pud. They offer a festive afternoon tea but looking at this it seems there are just deserts and tea, you can’t call it an afternoon tea if there are no BUNS HUN?! Where’s the sandwiches?! Let’s be honest when we have afternoon tea we want more savoury than sweets so I don’t know how this is going to work…
Honesty is the best policy and I have to say, I really wanted to love this but it was a little bit of a let down for me. Its amazing when you are full of alchol and I think every one should go and see it, the first words you will say when you see it is “OH WOW” it’s very extra and its very camp. Instagram obsessed girls would love it as there are many photo opportunities to be had and its fantastic for kids, kids will be AMAZED but playtime is over at 6pm. To me, the place looks unfinished and it comes across quite tacky. I couldn’t imagine spending a whole night in a throw-up Christmas without the christmas music? yep, a christmas event without christmas music but there was Chris Brown and Justin Bieber. I would recommend you all to check it out, I think it would be great to take the family for a 1 or 2 hours but its not a place you would keep rushing back to. A good attempt but if tweaked, it could be massively improved however for me, it didnt really capture the spirit of Christmas, it left me completly confused and I spent most of the night thinking I was at a 90s christmas party at my primary school.
Located in the city centre on busy Bull Street opposite the tram lies Wayland’s Yard. A quirky independent serving up a wide variety of coffee, freshly made food to warm the heart and tickle our satisfying taste buds and a great atmosphere for the people of Brum. When mentioning Wayland’s Yard to a couple of friends I was gobsmacked that they never even heard of it! so here is a lesson in educating the people of Brum of our amazing independents in the city and Wayland’s Yard is one of them.
Arriving just before lunchtime with a Wayland’s virgin (My good OL’ pal Bridge) we settled right down and grabbed a menu. It was around 12 pm, few people in there but not raving busy. The interior inside is very urban, almost feels like your dining in a warehouse with a few botanicals touches here and there. I like how it is quite minimal and it’s a light spacious venue with a generous offering of seats and tables. Every table displays a food menu and the drinks menu is right behind the till with a variety of pastries and cakes on offer. It’s order at the till service and they are pretty sharp with the service, my tea came within 2 minutes.
A wide variety of Breakfast & Brunch meals on offer, from eggy crumpets to one pans. The prices are reasonable, the prices of the big brunches are £11.50, okay, it’s not a £7 breakfast you get at your local Weatherspoon’s. We are talking about fresh, high-quality ingredients that are freshly cooked on the day…not in a microwave! There is also plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans. I decided to order the eggy crumpets with chorizo and avocado, and Bridge ordered Eggs Florentine.
The food came to us beautifully presented and full of colour. Diving straight into it was absolutely divine, the crumpets were soft and fluffy, and it was bursting with flavour. Forget basic-bitch crumpets like Warburtons think soft sassy little freaks that melt in your mouth. Never would think to put crumpets with chorizo, a strange combination that works wonders. The portions were very generous and very filling, Bridge loved her eggs Florentine, the eggs were cooked properly with a pop of a fork, the egg yolk spilled out…so satisfying when you see that right?
The staff are very friendly and very informative, I was stuck for choice with the teas as I am trying to lay off the milk and felt a bit peaky that day, so it was suggested the gunpowder green to give me a pick me up and boy, did it do wonders for me. The staff are full of smiles, there’s no denying that they enjoy working there and it’s lovely to see.
The food is stunning, the service is high class and the coffee is badass. I regularly go there now to pick up a hot drink in the morning and have a bite to eat at lunchtime. The only negative I have is that it’s right next to work and they are going to bugger up my yeast intolerance and add to my muffin top. In conclusion, this is definitely one of my favourite spots for bunch in the city and definitely a place that should be on your list to try out, dare I say? ANOTHER Brummie gem? Of course, it bloody is and please, support our independents and give your taste buds a bloody treat instead of that Costa Crap.
The wonderful world of dating now controlled by a variety of online dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble. Gone are the days where couples say “we met on a night out” or at a “friends gathering” because finding someone for whatever purpose you may have is now made pretty easy for us. One flick on an app and a date is set up or if its Tinder a “Wham bam thank you ma’am” is set up. From my experience, the one question I always get is “Have you got the dodgy Birmingham accent?” I am born and raised in Birmingham, of course, I’ve got the accent Bab but now thanks to Peaky Blinders, the accent now appears to many as “sexy” There is more to dating Brummie’s than just the accent and here are a few things in what to expect when you date a Brummie.
WE LOVE OUR CITY
Brummies are very friendly and always up for a laugh, Possibly the friendliest people you will meet on this planet. The conversations I have had on the train, in pubs, and in the toilets with fellow Brummies from not knowing each other to sharing shitty burger van burgers and helping to unzip each other’s dresses down. We have great humour, a great city we call home and we don’t really give a shite what you think of us.
FANCY A BREW BAB?
Now, this is a term you will hear in many Brummie households. Us Brummies love a cuppa now and again, especially with a chip butty. I think my parents drink around 6 cups of tea maybe even more, and any time a guest comes around that’s the first thing they will say. Fancy a brew seems to be the answer to everything, split up with your boyfriend? Time of the month? Brexit is delayed again? One boob is longer than the other? It will be okay come in and have a cuppa!
There’s a brew for every problem.
BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE SNOBS STORIES
RIP snobs, you will be forever in our hearts. Every Brummie has a Snob story, You will hear Snobs a lot when you come to Brum “Do you remember the old Snobs? Pints were £1 and you can never remember how you got thrown out?” We will entertain you with many stories about the “Old Snobs” The story’s, the people and the crappy food that we had after Snobs finished in the little takeaway shop next door-I wish I could remember the name. We will talk about the sticky floor, the lack of light, the trips to hospitals after slipping all over the joint and the whole room going crazy singing to The Killers-Mr Brightside. To many, it was a shithole, but it was our shithole that we absolutely adored.
MEETING UP IN BRUM
There was a time when McDonald’s on the ramp was an alright place to meet but nowadays it is Grand Central (to us Brummies it’s still New Street) or the Bull- just don’t expect us to take a selfie in front of it. For me, It’s Grand Central Station meeting outside Pret a Manger so as I come out of the ticket barriers usually, I can see my date waiting for me then its decision time-Should I stay, or should I go? I wonder if anyone else does this?
FOOTBALL
Maybe refrain from asking the family what football team they support. Its Aston Villa or Birmingham City…choose carefully, a proper Brummie is an Aston Villa supporter…Sorry, not Sorry. This is one of the first questions my dad will ask potential boyfriends. I always give them a warning “Say you support Aston Villa or no one” thankfully my dad hasn’t used the garden hose on anyone yet…
AVOIDING BROAD STREET LIKE THE BLOODY PLAGUE
Now, this may not apply to all Brummies, but for me, I can’t stand the bloody place. On a Saturday night, you will see all kinds of things from legless creatures to sad-looking dildos lying in the street, it’s a very long and wide version of the strip in Malia that is one to avoid on first dates. Dont ever suggest Broad Street as a first date, we wont be impressed unless its a stay in The Hyatt…meaning the 3rd or 4th date, God! who do you think I am?!
MCDONALDS ON THE RAMP AFTER A NIGHT OUT?
it’s just the last stop before home to try and sober ourselves up. It’s the only place in Brum that is open 24 hours and is quite appealing after a sweaty night out in Be at one.
OMG YOU’RE FROM BIRRRRMINGHAAAAAAM, DO YOU WATCH PEAKY BLINDERS?
Don’t try and attempt the accent, we won’t be impressed. We get a lot of stick for our accents but thanks to Peaky Blinders, those days are gone. The Birmingham accent is officially sexy, thank you, Mr Cillian Murphy.
THE BULLRING
Of course, if you have never been to Birmingham before you will be thinking about taking a trip up to the Bullring. Now for me, it’s okay February-September but then come October it gets manic and especially at Christmas, if I was to take a crap on the floor, no one would notice because everyone is in their own little world rushing around like blue arsed flies.
November in Birmingham…AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS.
Its that time again fellow Brummies get ready to get stuck behind peoples backs for half an hour, touched up by random peoples shoulders and even wrestle with yourself as to the reason why you even came. If you’re dating a Brummie at Christmas time, sure enough, you will be dragged to the famous German market. Yes, it very festive, you have loved up couples being all cute and all but to most of us Brummies, it’s a bloody pain in the arse. It goes on for bloody miles now it’s like the river Nile for christ sake and every turn you take theres those great big whopping sausages taking your eye out, do people not know that most of the food/drink from the German Market can be brought for cheaper at your local Lidl?
Ever wondered what the future might look like? Look no more! Step into a futuristic urban world with rooms full of exploding colour and quirky artwork covering the walls of this fantastic venue. A variety of exciting and fun fulfilling games await you with refreshing cocktails and mouth watering delicious food. I had the pleasure of attending the launch night of The Floodgate in Digbeth and this is what went down in Digbeth’s newest attraction.
Floodgate Street Digbeth
Just turned 6.30 pm me and my cousin arrived at The Floodgate named after the street its on-Floodgate Street. We were greeted by a gentleman who gave us wrist bands for the various sporting activities that await us inside. The entrance is where you would check-in and pay for the games plus signing a disclosure for the batting cages in which you must read before you enter the cages. Entering the front doors, you see the Bleachers batting cages and the very large bar area full of seats and a wide variety of drinks. The music is upbeat, people were already smiling and we were offered a drink straight away..this is my kind of shindig.
We first had a look around with our vibrant and refreshing cocktails- very good choice on offer from gins to rum-based cocktails and plenty of beer. In the main room, you have the batting cages, the bar and doors that lead to an outside area where the independent food trucks are selling a variety of tasty and oh so satisfying food. The four food vendors are Home run pizza company, The Cookie Mumsters, That’s mature toasties and Phata Phat food. Good selection of variety there but we had to a bit of exploring first.
We finished our first cocktails and headed to play Pit Pat table golf, the UK’s first and only PitPat. A neon jungle room that is very generous in size and offers a variety of PitPat tables for you all to challenge each other and enjoy. It’s a race around the room, completing the variety of challenging Pit Pat courses that are harder than they look however I quite surprised myself, I was quite good at it.
The next room we went into was the curling lanes, this was one of my favourites and really brings the competitive side out of you… this game may cause a few argy-bargys! 3 curling lanes and more neon lights, the room also offers more seating areas where if you feel like giving up, you can go sit down and have a sulk on the sideline. What I absolutely love about this room, is the ceiling full of Slinkys, that’s right SLINKYS, it’s raining Slinkys! So creative and so Birmingham.
The final activity is the Bleachers Baseball batting cages where we first entered. This was the one game I wasn’t too sure about, but I absolutely loved. Only one person in the cage, you must wear a helmet, and you must stand by your mark. The balls shoot out pretty fast so it may take you by surprise at first, it never gets easier you just get better! This is great fun for groups and it’s so satisfying when you finally get that perfect hit.
On to the FOOD, my goodness and what a treat you guys are in for. We were absolutely spoilt, from pizza to cookie dough balls and butter chicken, it really did fulfil my taste buds and even satisfied my picky cousins food habits(she’s a hard one to please with food) As we sat down, the food just kept coming out and it was great to talk to some of the food vendors who were so excited as well as the Floodgate staff for the long-awaited opening. A shout out to Home run pizza company which was honestly the tastiest pizza I have ever had (3 little pigs Pizza) The food is fantastic and we both left with full satisfied bellies.
Another great attraction in Digbeth to draw friends, families, parties and even first dates. The vibe in here is electric, throwing back beers to upbeat music and hearing the roars of laughter throughout the venue. Another Brummie gem, Well done Floodgate I am sure you are going to do fantastically well! Thank you for the invite, it was an absolute pleasure and we had a belter of a time!
So many exciting attractions, it is never-ending! You really are spoiling us aren’t you Brum?
So last week I celebrated my 28th birthday with a very uncomfortable hour-long wax and a cossie wedgie…the joys of growing older hey? This year I wanted to do something different and I wanted to pamper myself with a spa day. I have NEVER had a spa day before and I am not too sure as to why maybe it’s my fear of peoples toes in those horrid flip flops or those swimming costumes that are in fashion now, you know, the ones where you have most of your crotch hanging out? Whatever it was I decided to take the plunge and book my first Spa day at The Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield.
So, what did I learn from my spa Day?
Don’t leave it to last minute to buy a swimming costume as your butt may not be able to fit in it. That is exactly what happened, I couldn’t get my sodding butt in the cossie.
Children are everywhere, there is no escape even at a “relaxing spa day” there are 11am children swimming lessons going on, whatever happened to taking your kids to school and leaving them there for the day?
I was right, the white flip flop slippers are minging.
Everywhere is slippy, even the sodding swimming pool is slippy.
Spa days are not that relaxing
Whilst there were a few negatives, I did overall enjoy my experience of my very first spa day at The Belfry, the back massage gave me a bit of relief, the afternoon tea was filling and delicious and overall the Belfry is a very impressive spa hotel.
The next birthday treat was a meal at Tattu in Birmingham in which I am sure many of you have heard of but if not, just follow the blossom trail. A Modern Chinese restaurant next to Snowhill station on Barwick street kitted out in beautiful blossom and oozes sleek design. Now, this is my second time to Tattu as I loved it so much the first time. As a group we ordered a couple of plates to share from Monkfish to Dim sum, the food is colourful, vibrant and god damn bloody tasty. By far the best Chinese food I have ever had. One thing that stands out with Tattu is the service, the service is first class PERIOD. I know it’s my birthday but even when it wasn’t my birthday last time, the service and the positive energy our group received from the employees was great and it really does make the experience second best to none.
My final treat was a trip down to London to stay in the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. My cousin Jess and I caught the 6 am coach to Victoria from Birmingham and I spent most of it sleeping and hissing at the little kid in front of me. Soon as we arrived it was time for coffee and where’s best to head for coffee in Victoria, why, Peggy Porschen of course! Well known for its beautiful floral decorated shop front and pastel pink sleek design, it really is a stunner, but did you know they do great coffee and cake too? You see, unfortunately, many people see Peggy’s as a photo opportunity. I am sitting outside sipping on my cappuccino and I see people stopping to take photos outside and then running off, why don’t you taste the product before abusing it? Peggy Porschens is a lovely not so hidden gem in London with lovely staff and mouth-watering cakes, An absolute delight.
Another favourite is Dominque Ansel Bakery, I have wanted to try the brunch there for so long. We luckily got a table in the morning, we sat in the autumn decked out conservatory and we felt like we were in Autumns aura. After a morning of non-stop walking around Oxford street shopping for our Friday night outfits and death-trap tubes, it was time to meet my friend Laura and head to the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. I was looking for arty-farty, more art, less of the fart and that that’s exactly what I got. The room was for four ladies, but you could fit 2 hen party’s in that joint. Little touches such as vinyl players, vinyl records, lifestyle magazines made it so unique and I was even surprised with a bottle of bubbly from the staff to celebrate my birthday and yes, of course, we googled the cost £15!
The Ace Hotel even has a rooftop bar that showcases a pretty view of Shoreditch with some classic cocktails. We headed out for pizza and met my other friend Heather to head on over to Tonight Josephine. Now you may recognise this place on a lot of bloggers social media pages or if you are an Apprentice fan, it was on The Apprentice 2 weeks ago where the lads made a right cock up on the ice lolly’s, quite literally they looked like Willys! Another place where people go to take “selfies” for the gram and it was quite incredible how so many girls were taking it quite seriously, not one to fuss over an Instagram photo however all of us found ourselves fighting over photos and shooting down our blurry photos. We just wanted to feel like the spice girls for one night okay! Tonight Josephine is good but only when you are a bit drunk, its full of repetitive pop songs and cocktails full of sugar. If you need a photo for the gram, I guess, you could go here.
The last day we went exploring Brick Lane. full of amazing art, quirky markets and exotic people, it is defiantly my kind of place! The markets are incredible here not like your fruit and veg market back in Brum, but they have all sorts of offerings furniture, cronuts, pretty dresses and sexy paintings. The Vintage Market on Brick lane is one of my favourites, why did I not go there to find my Friday night outfit?! I am a big lover of sunglasses and found myself trying on an impressive selection of Elton John’s glasses. After our afternoon of exploring it was time to head back home to Brum.
It was pretty great to return back to work to some of my colleague’s shell shocked that I turned 28 ” You don’t look like a day over 18″ which is simply quite flattering but then still annoying as I still get I’D!I am growing up and I am having to make important decisions to better myself in this life, I decided soon as I turned 28 to make a checklist for the year and to stick to it, this is something I have not done before. I know what I want to achieve by the time I have turned 29 and I do feel that it’s achievable.Turning 28 I have found myself to be a lot wiser and a lot more confident in myself. I have mentioned before in another blog post I have had a terrible 2 years and although the start of the year was bad and there have been moments where it’s been very difficult but I am still here, I am not a quitter and as my family would say, I’m a Langston, we laugh our way through life. The fire is burning in my belly and confidence is growing so I’m ready too take you on 28!
Hidden away on Gas Street, you will find this little gem of a place on the canals. A Gin bar offering masterclasses, cocktail making and TAPAS. Gin lovers are faced with a novel of gins to choose from and a varied food menu with great offers on all week. This has been on my list for quite some time to try out and finally, the time is here!
Entering the vault, it is a reasonable sized venue all lit up with fairy lights. Very pretty venue and very warming, the staff are there to greet you and make you feel welcomed, straight away I felt very comfortable in there. For some reason, it was giving me old London/Pirates vibes, something different and it’s something that draws you in and makes you sit your butt down! Now, where do I begin with the 40 pages worth of gin?! I mean, this is a gin bar, what do you expect? It’s not a gin bar if there not offering a bloody book full of the stuff, its safe to say that you will never be stuck for choice here. I asked for advice from the lady at the bar, who was very happy to help, I opted for a raspberry fruity gin cocktail that was refreshing and not too heavy.
We went for 6 tapas for £17.95 and we was spoilt for choice because there wasn’t one plate on that menu that we didn’t like. Good selection of meats, fish and vegetarian and some great gluten-free options. Its order at the bar service when we went to order our food however there were a few plates they didn’t have due to non-deliveries however they offered suggestions such as I wanted the mac and cheese with chorizo but they said they could do mac and cheese croquettes in which I was happy with that.
Looking around its defiantly a place I would recommend for dates, and somewhere I would go for pre-drinks, the little booths are so inviting but the benches could do with being a little bit bigger as we had to move as my bum kept sliding off or maybe I should just lay off the avocados? The lighting is quite dark and the candles create that homely cosy feel which creates a relaxing atmosphere.
The tapas portions are small but they are very filling. The tapas were very tasty and full of flavour, not the best tapas I have ever had as Spanish food is my favourite but it’s still very good! My favourite dish was the salmon bruschetta. I was impressed with the variety that’s on offer and the pricing, it’s very reasonable for what you are getting and I finished with a full belly and didn’t go snooping in the fridge when I got home.
Overall, another gem in Birmingham offering guests a unique experience and a great atmosphere for all kinds of occasions with an impressive selection of Gins. If you are a gin lover and looking to expand your palette, this is the place to do it. I would like to point out that there are other drink options such as beer, spirits and soft drinks. The staff are very friendly and very caring. I will defiantly go back here again to try out more of the fantastic food and try out the 400 gins that are on offer, this may take me some time!
I have lived in Birmingham my whole life and even when I am out with my camera, I still manage to find spots that I have never come across before that are great for all kinds of photography. The great thing about photography in Birmingham is that it is never ending, and it’s getting bigger! A creative and colourful city that is always sparking our creativity and is always supportive of fellow creatives. It really is great to be a photographer in this city. It has given me such confidence and the ability to grow and not be afraid to be open with my style. From Visit_Birmingham to BHAMGRAM social media photography platforms driving beginners to experienced photographers to showcase their vision of Birmingham and to be rewarded with credit on social media platforms to drive more recognition to the photographer. The photography community is growing every day in Birmingham, making Brum one of the best cities out there to point your camera in and why not? Have you seen our city?! There is so much on offer here! There are so many endless possibilities to photograph in Birmingham and I want to show you my favourite spots!
DIGBETH
Home of the future creatives, an ultimate favourite of mine and I bet of so many other photographers as well. It’s like the upside down of Birmingham, endless possible shots to take in this colourful area full of talented street artists work, with exciting possibilities for all creatives. I have done a variety of photoshoots here with Bloggers, Models, couples and families. The Nightowl pink and white wall seems to be a favourite with bloggers/models, so I like using this backdrop a lot and it gives my photos a retro tone which is great as I’m a retro vintage Gal.
SNOW HILL
I am quite surprised with many of you who don’t recognise where this is. however, every time I’m on shoot here it feels like I am on a film set for a futuristic Jurassic park film. This location is very popular for model shots, but I recently did a couple shoot here and loved the results. Let’s not forget the botanical greenery walls that are perfect backdrops for all kinds of photoshoots!
COLMORE ROW
Colmore Row, Barwick St and New hall St are perfect for blogger shoots, you have the great independent coffee shops such as 200 Degrees and vibrant quirky restaurants such as Tattu. Let’s not forget the tall metropolitan office towers and Art deco features in the Birmingham Museum.
THE MAILBOX/CANALS
The view from the Cube is always spectacular to photograph and shooting from the ground floor of the cube is pretty cool aswell. The canals are very popular to photograph but you can get some pretty awesome shots if you choose your angles wisely. I would like to mention that I love photographing the Canal house as you have the beautiful high rise buildings such as HSBC and the Hyatt hotel behind it.
BRINDLEY PLACE
I went to Amsterdam back in August and fell in the love with the city. After a week after my return, with dutchy blues, I went for a walk in Brindley place. Photographing the Arena walking across the bridges I suddenly stopped “Déjà Vu” the flowers, the view of the canal, it was like I was back in Amsterdam! It sparked a few ideas for blogger and family photoshoots. Another mention is Ikon Gallery. I especially love to come here when the blossom is in full bloom in Oozells square, It makes stunning photos.
OTHER MENTIONS
The library of Birmingham- Great for views of Broad Street, The Cube, and BT Tower.
Selfridges tunnel to car park- Another great spot to take shots of the Bullring, St Martin church, and Digbeth.
Cannon hill park- A favourite for family and kids photoshoots.
The Jewellery Quarter- Great location for all kinds of photoshoots!
Great Western Arcade- Beautiful Victorian arcade, it’s like stepping back in time! perfect for portraits.
Birmingham to classy Ibiza who says you can’t have both in a day Hey?
Birmingham has opened up its very own tropical paradise in the heart of Digbeth. Birdies is an outdoor cocktail bar with a beach/island theme selling refreshing cocktails and bloody good BBQ food.
Right next door to Ghetto Golf and just down the road from Digbeth Dining Club, you will see the Birdies neon sign flashing amongst palm trees to lure those of us desperate for a holiday. Stepping into Birdies is like stepping into your holiday without the hassle of early morning rises, broken toilet signs and crying children. The place has been made out of shipping containers (of course, that’s Digbeth for you) decorated in fantastic art that gives that quirky edge. Open roof in the centre means it’s the place to be in the summer, however, I am wondering what they are going to do when dreaded winter arrives.
It’s order at the tills, they have a main bar for ordering the drinks and then they have the kitchen bar where you can order the food. They do not display food menus on the tables so you will have to check the main menu by the food bar. From halloumi burgers to salt and pepper chicken and even ‘Buddha Bowls’- there is a variety on offer and they even cater for vegan and gluten free.
I opted for the salt and pepper chicken fries and a cheeky can of Estrella. Once ordered, I sat back and relaxed listening to the music, the music is bloody good in here and I need the playlist ASAP. Seating area is very generous here from container seats to barstools and deck chairs. Warning: the bar area is not so generous as there is only one bar, so it gets very busy on the nights as it’s lit up with fairy lights and looks like a classy full moon party-if they ever do exist. You have a great mixture of people in here, people of all ages and it’s great to see a couple of the old gals dancing with the young lads and teaching them how the older generation get down- I learnt a few things that night…
On to the important stuff, FOOD. The food is from streetvendor Apocalypse Cow who also provides the food for Ghetto Golf. It took about 20 minutes to come but I didn’t really care about the wait as I was too busy downing my drink and enjoying my holiday. When it did come my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree (too soon? Okay, okay) My salt and pepper chicken was POPPIN’ forget bloody KFC, Birdies chicken is finger lickin’ good! Layered with a Chinese sauce, very vibrant, very tasty, and the portion sizes are very generous, I actually couldn’t finish mine as it is quite filling. I made another trip back to Birdies for the cocktails, also very refreshing and tasted great and the prices are quite reasonable here. A variety of fruity cocktails on offer and beer, so you may be stuck for choice. For all you non-alcoholics or those nursing a dirty hangover, Birdies provides mocktail versions of all the cocktails so you don’t feel left out.
Birdies is the place to be, vibrant, lively and just a pretty god damn cool place to have casual drinks in the day and then a dance on the night. The only downside I would say is the bar on the nights, it gets way too busy and you could be waiting there for 20 minutes or more to be served. In the day, its perfect and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. If you’re sad that summer is over, you can always pop to Birdies as it’s summer all year round but just don’t expect a tan at the end of it.
Never heard of cronuts? Well, you will after your visit to Medicine Bakery in Birmingham however this bakery has a bit more to offer then just the yeast and Sunday morning I was there to find out.
Hidden away in the centre of Brum, you’ll find this gem squished in between Nando’s and Santander Bank literally 20 second walk from Victoria Square, look out for the fresh bread outside. When you step through the front door you are greeted with a grand staircase, but don’t let that put you off as what’s awaiting for you at the top of that staircase is bakery heaven, so in fact, it’s a stairway to heaven.
As I got to the top, I have never seen such a lovely display of bakery goods, but what caught my eye first are the cronuts. The staff are very helpful, straight away a young girl was there to assist me with my non-existent bakery knowledge, I asked what is a cronut? Instead of “its soo good you got to try it” she actually explained what it was “ A cronut is a croissant/donut pastry, looks like a donut but its made from croissant-like dough which is filled with cream, these are blueberry mascarpone flavoured” it’s nice to have staff actually explain what they are selling instead of throwing the “don’t care what you say just buy it” card at customers. Soo tempting but I was here for breakfast, so I quickly shuffled forward to the restaurant/seating area and never looked back… Until 2 hours later.
The restaurant is pretty huge, light, spacious and straight away felt really chilled out in there. Its order at the till service, and straight away I was greeted with a smile, given a menu, and informed of how the service works. Menu was pretty impressive, lots of options – vegan friendly, and I was spoilt for choice. Still dreaming about the cronut, I opted for a light dish-Avocado & chilli on sourdough with a green tea with mint.
Set my laptop up, my tea arrived, and I zoned out, people started to flood in, but the room is so big, it never got loud! I was surprised how quiet it was with the amount of people coming in maybe because the seating areas are all spread out in the room, you are not too close to people. I was then greeted with a big smile carrying a more then generous plate of my avocado and sourdough! Bright, colourful and bloody good looking- tucked straight into it but found myself struggling half way through as I found it to be quite filling! Very tasty and very fresh. I paid under £10 for what I ordered, and I wouldn’t have minded paying more for it as I enjoyed it so much. In fact, I have paid more for a similar dish however the quality didn’t compare to Medicine and I actually paid £15 for what looked like a baby’s nappy that had exploded on my plate.
Plate to the side, work was calling, I was checked on after I finished, and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the customer service. Quite a lot of young staff working, smiles and friendly service, that’s what I like to see! I was already eyeing up the lunch menu after my breakfast but still full, I decided to pack up and pay the bill, however I couldn’t exactly just walk out there just yet, a cronut was calling.
A young girl was assisting with packing the cronuts, I also queried about the carrot & walnut cake , only because I know my mom would kill me if I walked past a carrot cake and didn’t buy her a piece, I landed in her good books that afternoon, I have to say the cronuts are bloody divine however word of warning you have to be quick to swipe one of these bad boys, I tried the following day and failed miserably- all gone by 4pm! Not a big fan of carrot cake however I found myself gobbling it down on the night and vacuuming at midnight *sigh*.
In conclusion, The Medicine Bakery is quirky and different, Great for a grab & go and even better for wining & dining (Yes! They sell alcohol) I would definitely recommend and would like to go back and try the lunch & dinner menu. An independent Brummie gem, I would say that is definitely worth more credit and more visits.
So, I thought I would introduce you all to my photography business Amy Eliza Photography. I set my business up about a year ago now and I want to give you all a bit of an insight into my journey so far and why I chose to be a photographer.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST START GETTING INTO PHOTOGRAPHY?
I remember around the age of 13, I came across my mom’s video camera and I although the quality was not perfect (dad kept having his thumb over the lens) I thought it was so lovely to watch back, I couldn’t remember singing “Tale as old as time” on the toilet when I was 4 years old but thankfully my mom had footage of it to remind me that I was a funny little thing back then and still am now. From then I became interested in film/photography, I asked for a Canon cyber shot camera then attended college studying Media Production in which I also studied photography, however I hardly attended ( 9am class, I had to get two buses and I just couldn’t be arsed sometimes!) I did attend the one day, we were all sent out to Birmingham City Centre to take photos of the public, I came back developed my pictures and proceeded with the rest of the day. It was thanks to my photography teacher who gave me the wakeup call that I needed and to get my arse into gear, when she saw my photos she decided to give me a bollocking for not attending but then the conversation ended with ” Your photos reminded me of Sally Mann’s work, they are bloody good, what the hell are you doing?” Say no more, I got my arse into gear and started getting out there with my camera.
WHATS THE BEST THING ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?
Being able to freeze time, look back at moments, and to share with others.
WHATS ARE THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF PHOTOGRAPHY YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE SO FAR?
Highs- I would say the support, Birmingham is a great community to live in as a creative you are supported from every angle in this great city.
Lows– I am a perfectionist, so it does get a bit stressful in the editing process, if I feel it’s not working, I will take myself way, cool off and watch a movie, it usually does the trick and sparks some creativity! Cost of equipment is a pain however its really all about the person behind the camera, you don’t just press the button and take the picture, you make the picture
HOW DID AMY ELIZA PHOTOGRAPHY COME ABOUT?
At the time I was pretty unhappy, and going out with my camera taking photos brought a lot of joy to me, Although I was “in a relationship” I found myself alone a lot of the time, it was only when my relationship at the time was starting to go downhill I decided to organise and set up Amy Eliza Photography. It was new, it was exciting, it was a long time coming and It was a great cover up to keep my mind of the break up. I started advertising free photoshoots for kids & family’s, even though I was offering my services for free, I had it in my mind I wasn’t going to get a lot of response but bloody hell, I was so wrong. My phone kept pinging, email after email and I felt the excitement and the confidence building inside of me. From then the reviews came flooding in, the more photos I posted the more recognition and the more bookings I was getting. It’s a shame because that was a time in my life where I finally felt I was going somewhere in life but then behind the scenes I knew I was going to lose someone I had in my life for nearly 7 years so it’s was a bittersweet time for me.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR?
BE YOU! plain and simple really.
Passion is essential in this game, the more passion I have for photography, the more I learn, the more I create, and gives me strength to make the impossible, possible.
Networking, networking is essential in photography, communicating with local photographers, businesses and other creatives has really helped my business take off. The more you network, the more you are investing in your business and creating more opportunities for your business.
The more you post, the more people will know your business! Never apologise for shoving it in people’s faces, the world needs to know you are serious and they need to know your name.
It’s not all about the camera. You could have the best camera in the world and still produce rubbish photographs. I have a lot of people asking what equipment do I use? The most valuable equipment I have is my eyes and my creative mind.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR AMY ELIZA PHOTOGRAPHY?
There is still so much to be done with my business. I am currently specialising in Portrait/lifestyle and event photography, I would like to explore a bit more! I would love to combine blogging and photography; travel photography would be an absolute dream, but I really want to focus on taking on photography full time and to influence others to follow their dreams. Too many people worry what other people think these days and shoot down their dreams because of them, haters are your confirmation that you are doing something right.
If you like to know more about my photography, then please ask away! I will be sharing more from my photography business- behind the scenes footage, tutorials and more!
