June 16, 2026 | Fifty Four and Counting

Starbucks Middlebrook Bolton

Coffee shopsfiftyfourandcountingOctober 26, 2016

8pm and there is a queue for coffee .. it’s needed, if like me you’re about to watch a movie at Vue located literally outside the door. The indifference of the person serving me is disconcerting .. this young man is not focused on who I am or what he can do to help me….

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LowryfiftyfourandcountingOctober 22, 2016

Lowry Theatre, Salford – Relatively Speaking

The smaller theatre at the Lowry has a horse shoe shaped three tier gallery surrounding stalls. The intamacy of this theatre…

BritishfiftyfourandcountingOctober 22, 2016

Marks & Spencer’s Cafe, Manchester – a really great pit stop!

When you’re out shopping and you want a fast lunch, served in a clean, courteous and well structured environment or just…

Middle EasternfiftyfourandcountingOctober 22, 2016

Armenian Taverna – Albert Square back with a modern twist

I remember vividly those Saturday nights with friends in this well established restaurant in Albert Square. Remember those stairs down to…

ItalianfiftyfourandcountingOctober 16, 2016

Porada Whitefield

Whitefield is quickly becoming North Manchesters quality restaurant hot spot. Last night the Porada was buzzing.. The food in this establishment edges…

CarsfiftyfourandcountingOctober 14, 2016

My Volvo XC60 – Dependable, smart, and after 6 years still current!

Having driven my Volvo XC60 for the past six and a half years I feel that I have credible experience to…

BritishfiftyfourandcountingOctober 13, 2016

Starbucks .. they’re not all the same!

Such a busy day today, had a quick lunch break whilst in Manchester City centre… Seriously I was in a rush,…

Tech ReviewsfiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

iPad Mini 4 – thinner and faster than iPad mini original

I recently acquired the latest iPad Mini 4. This new iPad benefits from the touch one click login that over the…

Desk ArtfiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

The Pen Rest

I designed and created the Pen Rest, not because I believed there was a world shortage of somewhere to place a…

BritishfiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

Pizza Express Hale – A popular place.. especially early on a Sunday night!

We didn’t book, but after a short wait we were shown to a table. The Pizza Express menu is really quite…

Leather casesfiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

Piel Frama Cases – “Probably the best leather cases in the world!”

Lets be honest, there is something different about quality when you see it. Piel Frama hand makes cases like no other…

TravelfiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

Speedy Boarding?

We just returned from a weekend away flying to Berlin Schoenefeld. We flew Ryanair going out and Easy Jet coming back.…

AmericafiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

Whitman House, Cambridge, MA – “Surprising homely high standard”

We just stayed two nights after arriving from the UK. Our host David met us on arrival at Whitman house. What…

AmericafiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection – “Wonderful hotel.. but not as we expected!”

Look, you go to all this trouble to find the best deal, the best location a great hotel and good reviews…

AmericafiftyfourandcountingOctober 11, 2016

Holiday Inn Hyannis – “Great Hotel… Great Location and Great Room”

I’m fussy I admit it and so was not really expecting much more than a bog standard run of the mill…