Where The Wild Things Are

OOoooh the forthcoming film, Where The Wild Things Are looks so awesome. Even the trailer has loads of bits in in that I remember from the book, like the scene at sea, and the scene where all the animals are waving goodbye to Max. It actually made me cry watching it, PLUS its by Spike Jonze, who is quite an amazing character. He used to go out with Sofia Coppola, and the film Lost In Translation is allegedly based on him, and her boring experiences following him around the world.

Anyhow, bad boyfriend or not, Spike is a good film egg, and he's made other good stuff too, such as - get this - the FIRST and ORIGINAL video for The Breeders' song, Cannonball (1993) and, of course, Being John Malkovich, which made John Malkovich cool again, and, I strongly suspect, made John Malcovich pretty darn rich judging by the amount of films he's been in since. Plus he has the coolest name, ever (even if his real name is Adam Spiegel), plus what a DON making this book into a film!

Best places to go out with your family for Mother’s Day (with clothes on, unlike this cheeky dame!)

1. Country restaurant

Alright so it’s not in the town centre, but Alderley Edge’s Wizard has a Michelin Bib Gourmand (meaning that it’s recognised as supplying good food, at a good price) and it’s just a stride from The Edge too, which, providing you don’t let children jump off it, provides several hours of woodlandy fun after lunch.
Nether Alderley, Macclesfield. Tel: 01625 584000

2. Country pub

Fitting the bill of day out, treat and family fun in one, the charming Hole In T’Wall, hides behind the cobbled hump-backed bridge in Hebden. This old-fashioned restaurant and pub serves up food as locally sourced as possible, with a slightly hippyish edge; think falafel burgers, local meats and so on, It’s a relaxed, friendly place with plenty to distract the young children thanks to Hebden’s quaint streets, duck-filled brook and the nearby forest of Hardcastle Crags.
Hanging Royd Lane, Hebden Bridge
Tel: 01422 844 059


3. Noodle bar

No matter what your age, it’s hard to resist the joy of schlurping up a massive bowl of noodles. Both Tampopo and Wagamama provide plenty of additional entertainment for youngsters in the form of colouring pencils and special menus. Typically, service is spot-on and speedy, and neither chain is wildly expensive either.

4. Posh restaurants

Before my son could crawl, I spent an inordinate amount of time enjoying five hour lunches in posh restaurants. There are plenty of these about town, many offering a Mother’s Day menu but be sure to opt for a spacious joint rather than intimate one - unless you want people studying your breastfeeding technique. The Lowry, Malmaison and Room are all solid bets.


5. Old fashioned grub

Mums, Dads and young’uns love sausage and mash, pies and all ye olde English dishes and few places serve them with more panache than Tom and Sam’s Chop Houses. I love to go here with my family because the surrounding are gorgeous, old and woody, they’ve got an excellent range of wines by the glass, and they’re always rammed, so fighting children are less easily heard over the good-humoured roar.

New show of pop ups hits The Lowry

Cities and landmarks created in classic 'kids' materials, such as pop-up books and Lego are taking over the planet. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but when in Berlin, in March, i spent time in 'mini berlin' at the new Legoland in Potsdamer Platz, a display which features plenty of Berlin landmarks, such as the Reichstag - only in LEGO not brick- and now this concept is arriving here in Manchester, at The Lowry.

Opening next satuday, the new show is called Pop-Up and contains some of the planet's finest and most noble structures, hewn from paper and card rather that glass, steel and timber. It will also feature 'landmarks of Salford' - although quite what these will be remain unclear; 'The City of Salford will also be represented by local artists who have participated in a creative project with The Lowry.' says the official Lowry release. 'They have learnt how to make a drawing quite literally leap off the page and created pop-ups of Salford landmarks.'

Open: Sat 27 September 2008 – Sun 15 March 2009 at The Lowry.

Guardianing For Free....

Don't know if anyone else saw it, but there was this wicked feature in G2 in the Guardian yesterday, called How To Be A Thrifty Gardener.

I thought it was really inspiring and full of some top tips and things that would be reallllly easy to do with kids, such as stuffing breeze blocks with soil and little alpine plants and rummaging around for old catering oil cans to turn into plant potters. Obviously if you live in a flat like me, with a dog, child and tiny balcony your options are limited, but even i saw a couple of things i thought.... humm that's an idea.

The Guardian (no, they're not paying me, i'm just having a bit of a broadsheet moment) are also advertising this book 'The Foolproof Guide To Gardening With Children' on their website for £12.99, which is reduced from it's rrp of £14.99. Might make a good Christmas present in these credit-crunch times.

Family Friendly Film Festival, LEIGH!

Family Friendly Film Festival at the Turnpike Centre, Leigh. On Friday 15 August, from 1.30 - 3.30pm there will be a 45 minute programme of short films and animation, followed by fun-filled art and craft activities. AND BEST OF ALL! its free.

Free tickets can be collected in person from Leigh Library Counter or call the Library on 01942 404404 to request tickets.

Summer In The Park

Despite the fact that it's likely to pour, everyone but everyone is going to Summer In The Park, this weekend.

Mr Scruff (!! Wooo!!) will be there. Some other DJs and stuff will be there too, but best of all, included in the price is a Baby Loves Disco party - which would normally set you back £8 on it's own, and this event costs £9.50 for Baby Loves Disco PLUS loads of chef demos, tasting stalls (my FAV thing, as a nine year old, were cheese counters with free bits of cheese on them. or stalls giving away buttered bread for you to try the butter. FREE FOOD! does life get any better?!) and food stalls, more bands.

They're all chugging manc rockers to me, like I Am Kloot, but people like them, plus, all your friends will be there!

This Sat and Sun. £9.50 per day. Kids 11 and under are free.

Wet Sounds comes to Mcr this Sat

This is an underwater disco, and you only pay for the price of entry to the pool. HOW GOOD IS THAT! check it out here.

Levenshulme Baths. Barlow Road Levenshulme 0161 224 4370. 1pm to 2.30pm, 3pm to 4.30pm.