Pint Shop, Birmingham

Just when you thought Birmingham couldn’t squeeze in another top notch venue, low and behold the eagerly awaited Pint Shop opens on Bennett’s Hill this month. With sites in Cambridge and Oxford it was good news for us that they have headed a little further north to open their new beer house up in Birmingham.…

Ox and Origin at 1000 Trades

During the first week of September 1000 Trades held a series of events in support of International Zero Waste Week. Each evening had a different theme aimed at highlighting what and how we can use the food resources available to us, to make innovative meals with minimal waste. If I had the chance I would…

Silence of the Lambs, movie taste-along

At the delightful Electric cinema they hold regular events, one of these being hosted by the wonderfully talented Conjurers Kitchen. You don’t simply watch a classic or cult movie, but are immersed into a full sensory experience using food and drink at key points to enhance your connection with the film. I had eased myself…

Birmingham Cocktail Weekend, 2018

Cocktail weekend returned for another year and I for one was very happy! With cocktails at a flat fee of £4 across the City, this venture gives people an ideal opportunity to head into bars and restaurants that they might previously felt were unavailable to them. As long as you had a wristband you could…

Colmore Food Festival 2018

The fantastic food festival is over for another year. I’d looked forward to it for so long, then it was gone in a flash! I took the Friday afternoon off work this time to fully take advantage of the event, as in previous years I’d felt a lunch hour simply wasn’t enough. I arrived shortly…

Grace + James, Kings Heath

A few weeks ago a friend and I made arrangements to meet for lunch on Sunday. We didn’t really mind where we went, so I suggested Grace+James, as it had just opened, so would be new to both of us. Sunday was a beautiful sunny day, and the benches were all taken outside, but I…

An Evening Inspired by Studio Ghibli

A few weeks ago The Vanguard @ 1000 Trades hosted a very special event. Anyone who loves anything by Studio Ghibli (the Japanese animations), or indeed cocktails, would have loved this. It was a ticket only event and not surprisingly sold out quickly. I was so looking forward to the night and it exceeded expectations!…