My first weekend back from my trip abroad, was already packed with plans - a friend from Switzerland came to visit me. I was super excited, as I did not manage to meet up with her while I was there in June and the last time we've seen each other was a while ago - sometime last year.
Her flight from Zurich was an early one, the same departure times I had for Krakow, so I felt with her. I was dressed, ready and waiting at Manchester Piccadilly station at 9.30am, when her train from the airport pulled in. She looked fresh and happy, and that despite the early flight and the grey clouds hanging above the city. The weather forecast for the weekend was not great. Raindrops started falling as soon as we walked to her hotel, dropped her bag and headed straight for Bold Street Coffee to get our bellies filled for the day and warmed up. It was too early for her to check in anyway, and some food was needed. We had lots of catching up to do, and while we ate our Buoys (for her) and mushroom on toast (for me), time flew and soon 2 hours passed. It was still raining when we left, so we decided to just move onto the next coffee place, before I had to dip out for a quick workshop anyway.
For our next stop we chose Haunt. We opted for an oat latte (for me) and a freshly pressed orange juice for her. Yes, the only reason I suggested this place was because I already knew they used Oatly. I told you, I have my list. 😏 When we saw some of the dishes that were served, we realised we could have eaten here, too. It would have been a great opportunity to try their food menu, as I have been to Bold Street Coffee before and knew what they served. Anyway, the main point was that we were in a dry, warm place and could keep on chatting. Being months apart and not chatting daily on Whatsapp, we had quite a lot to catch up on. Especially me with all her adventures!
Soon after, we parted as I headed to my workshop and I found her two hours later in the Waterstones cafe. Books, one of the many things that connects us both. 🤗 As it was past 3pm, we headed back to her hotel so she could check in, but it turned out she left her bag at the wrong branch earlier, so we strolled around the city center to find her actual hotel. It was centrally located at St Peter's Square and as soon as she'd checked in, we walked along the canal to one of the pubs, where we sat outside under the covers and enjoyed a pint in the typical british summer: with rain pouring down around us.
Three pints later, we decided to move on and wanted to head to the Northern Quarter, but another pub on the way made us stop and walk in there. As it was past 8pm, (where did the time go?!), we opted for cocktails and some food. We didn't want to end the night so early! After our meal, now down two cocktails, we walked back towards St Peter's Street, decided not to join the long queue for Albert Schloss and went to a rather controversial bar instead. The music was good, so we decided to dance along, before we had one last drink (two for me 😏) at Exhibition. A place across the street where I already went with my sister for my birthday, but couldn't get quite warm with it. However, this time was a blast. My friend, coming from the hospitality industry herself, was big on tipping the bartender, so we got a free tequila shot granted. Get in there, baby! Tiredness started to take over and once we finished our drinks, we decided it was time to go to sleep. We said our good-byes and walked through the pouring rain and heavy traffic (what the hell was going on, Manchester?!) home.
Sunday started with the same weather forecast, and as a big fan of Procaffeinated, I asked for Alexandra to come and meet me there. I was literally the lucky one person who snagged one of the last available tables in the shop and we both opted for the most delicious avocado on toast with poached eggs. We both felt the aftermath of yesterday's mix'n'match drinking and were glad to cure the slight dizziness and headache with some food. Conversation was a bit lower, but that was okay. After the very tasty food, that also blew my friends mind, I brought her across the street for some cake at GK Gallery & Tearoom. She smiled when she realised that I have my little coffee hub right outside our flat. I know my criteria when looking for a new flat.
Jokes aside, we stayed at GK Gallery for about an hour, before I showed her our flat and we brainstormed about what else to do during this rainy day. In the end, we went to the Junkyard Golf, played one round, then wandered around and ended up in a crazy outdoor-indoor place, where we had more drinks, before we hunted down a place where we could still get food. It seemed like the restaurants closed earlier because of the bad weather. A thai restaurant was the solution, and at 9.30pm we decided to head home and warm ourselves up. The next day I had to work, but I met her again at Procaffeinated for lunch, before she had to make her way back to Switzerland. And of course, the day she had to leave was the day the sun came out and I had to work. Sometimes ...
One week later, the sun is out, a comfortable twenty degrees in Manchester, I went to Hampton & Vouis on my own to replay our memories. Initially I just wanted to stay home all day, as more rain was predicted, but the sunshine lurked me out of my hole. With another destination in mind, I passed by this coffee shop that I walked past many times and it was always crowded, so when I saw the window seats empty, I took my chance. I almost decided to leave, as someone in the shop was wearing this perfume I am allergic to (aka, I just can't stand it), but as I got a seat in the very corner of the shop, I decided to stay and had a look at their menu.
Theoretically I did have breakfast at home, but I still decided to order their avocado on toast, as it sounded too good to decline. Worried about which type of oat milk they used, I spotted an Oatly carton under their till and happily ordered a coffee too. And just like that I found myself sitting, writing and eating in a coffee shop on this sunny Saturday afternoon. The ideal way, to look back at last week, isn't it? 😉
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