Manchester; I Luv It Here

Hey there! How was your July? Crazy how time flies, right? My July was a whirlwind in the best way possible, filled with work, pilates studio trips, and, of course, my weekend getaway to Manchester. If you’ve been following The Life of Molly blog for a while, you might remember my frequent trips up north to see my ex, Ben. Well, I'm back. Ready to dive in?

I kicked off my trip by leaving Euston (arguably the worst train station in London) on a sunny Thursday evening, fueled by a delicious Nando's. I was off to visit my friend Grace, who I met during my solo birthday trip to Palma last year. She had visited me in Essex earlier this year, so it only felt right to return the favour. Arriving in Manchester, my serotonin was instantly boosted. We grabbed pizza, watched Love Island, and had an epic girlie catch-up.

Friday rolled around, and Grace had to head into the office for her serious big girl job, leaving me to explore the city solo. Under the blazing sun, I made my way to the nearest Blank Street coffee shop (in a sweaty hot mess!). There’s nothing like working in a coffee shop with a pastry and matcha, and I even scored my drink for free when they realised I wasn't a local. Next, I explored the Art Gallery, which was absolutely smashing, followed by a relaxing sushi lunch in a park with my book. That evening, we hit up Kargo, a local foodie market, where I enjoyed some spicy chicken and chips with a virgin mocktail.

When Grace visited me, we tried hot yoga, so it was only fair to try something new again. We had a blast, though we’re definitely not Wimbledon material. After our match, we brunched at a cosy café in Didsbury, where I enjoyed avo on toast before heading back for some R&R, aka a nanny nap. Our wholesome morning led into brat girl summer mode. Have you ever been to Dirty Martini at 8 pm on a Saturday? It’s wild! We had mocktails and a fabulous dinner at Australasia. If you need a fancy sushi spot and that perfect Instagram pic, this is it. Like the two old biddies we are, we were home by midnight.

On my last day up north, we spent the day wandering, exploring, and mooching around town. We had an amazing brunch at A Heart To Feed – the mushroom French toast slaps. We strolled through the Northern Quarter, Ancoats, and Piccadilly, doing some shopping, enjoying more mocktails, and taking plenty of pics. It was my ideal Sunday. When the rain started (it is Manchester, after all), we headed back to the flat for a cheeky Nando's, a chick flick, and some wind-down time. The perfect end to a perfect trip.

As I write this, I’m reminded of how much I love Manchester – the people, the food, the vibe. I could definitely see myself moving up there someday. Who knows what the future holds? Stay tuned! Untl then, catch ya in the next blog post, and make sure to keep up with The Life of Molly every day and check out my IG here!