Author: Robert Hamilton
Review: Sipsmith Tasting, Mecanica, Manchester
It’s been a while since I posted as Hamiltonic. I kind of went into retirement over lockdown and confined myself to drinking only Aldi gin.
Read the full story..Festive Menu Review: Piccolino, Manchester
Christmas seems to start earlier every year, or so they say.
Read the full story..Opera Review: Carmen, Opera North, The Lowry, Salford
It’s been so long that I had to check my notes for when I last went to a live opera.
Read the full story..Food Review: One Star Döner Bar, Escape to Freight Island, Manchester
Sometimes I think that I live in a parallel universe to the food critic Jay Rayner.
Read the full story..Opera Review: The Prodigal Son by Claude Debussy, Opera on Location, Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield
As regular readers of this column will know, it has been a quiet year or so here at the OperaWatch offices, which are situated deep inside Northern Soul Towers.
Read the full story..Hotel Review: Qbic Hotel and Motley’s Restaurant, Deansgate, Manchester
It’s the first week of relaxed lockdown restrictions, according to Boris Johnson’s roadmap to freedom, and, despite the odd speed bump in Bolton and Blackburn, we’re allowed to eat indoors (with certain restrictions) and even stay in a hotel.
Read the full story..Online Opera Review: Fidelio by Beethoven, Opera North
This week sees a landmark in my long walk on this weird and mostly wonderful world, although weird has the upper hand at the moment.
Read the full story..Online Opera Review: Nineteen Ways of Looking, Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art and Chinese Arts Now
As we hurtle towards 2021, I realise that it’s been eight months since I last saw a live opera and who knows when I will see one again.
Read the full story..Food Review: Erst, Ancoats, Manchester
With Manchester hanging onto Tier 2 lockdown by Andy Burnham’s fingernails, it’s a pleasure to still be able to eat out.
Read the full story..Food Review: Canto, Ancoats, Manchester
As I write this, we’re about a fortnight away from six months into lockdown. I’m still not exactly sure of the rules as Matt Hancock and his cronies play hide-and-seek with our very own Andy Burnham and the North West has more COVID-19 spikes than a punk hairdo.
Read the full story..Editor's Picks
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