SleuthSleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to publish. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @mcrsleuth
Olive Oil Conference - In Gorton Of Course
Manchester can claim many UK, indeed world firsts, but the nation's first major olive oil conference is a coup.
Especially as it's taking place in Gorton, an area not well known for its olive groves. Still the event which takes place at Gorton Monastery should be good. It runs from 18-19 June 2013 with the support of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Universita' Dei Sapori and Ercole Olivario, plus 30 olive oil producers and several top chefs (including Nigel Haworth of Northcote Manor).
Apparently and to quote, 'the idea of this conference was born because there is a lot of misunderstanding about the use, purchase and quality of extra virgin olive oil'.
There's a gala dinner at £75 per ticket. Day one is for the professionals and is priced at £60. Day two is when the public can get involved and it's £10 for the general public, £5 for students.
Sleuth's favourite seminar title is Getting to grips with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sleuth reckons this might get messy. Slippery even.
Gorton Monastery waits to get well oiled
Sleuth's Favourite Manchester Confidential Typo This Week
Sleuth invites people to spot the error in this description of the Great Northern Tunnel Tours this week on Manchester Confidential. 'From secret canals to World War II bomb shelters the tour provides an insight to the long forgotten depths of the city. The underground adventure is dark and chilly so be sure to dress appropriately, torches and sturdy shoes or willies are recommended. Tours cost £8, for more information and to book tickets click here.' As Lorraine Byrne commented, 'I certainly got the willies when I did that tour a few years ago'.
Sleuth Finds The Worst Cake In The World
This is in the window of Tutzy's newsagents in Piccadilly. Sleuth understands it is for sale. Might not fly out that one. Although The Godfather movie fans could be interested.
Worst cake ever?
L'Entrecote Sees Sense
Sleuth has been confused by L'Entrecote on King Street since it opened, he shares this confusion with the editor - click here. Yet Gordo and Lynda Moyo of Confidential both love it. Perhaps those who agreed with the editor were more numerous. L'Entrecote has down-sized its price. It's not £21 for a salad followed by steak and frites any more but £17. If you've not tried it maybe this is your opportunity - see if you're weirded out by the experience or entertained.
That might work
Political Musical Chairs Collapsing
Sleuth's colleague L'Oreal Blackett interviewed Jazzie B of Soul II Soul this week at Harvey Nichols - click here. She never expected Margeret Thatcher (or her spirit) to be a fan of Soul II Soul. Earlier there'd been a Q&A between Jazzie B and presenter Lloyd Bradley. The latter felt the ghostly presence of the Iron Lady after teasing Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B for his endorsement of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. Just as the words left Bradley's mouth his chair collapsed leaving him red-faced and sprawling. "It's her!" someone shouted in the crowd.
L'Oreal and Jazzie B on firm chairs
Shoulder Pads, Scarlet Ladies And Fundraising At Pride
Margaret Thatcher was all about the eighties. The latter decade is the theme of Manchester Pride this August. Expect poignant moments surrounding the rise of HIV and government measures such as Section 28 - a Maggie law about not 'promoting homosexuality'. But also, as the organisers say, expect lots of fun with mullets, shoulder pads, big hair and RELAX t-shirts. Sleuth was at the media launch of Pride in Rosso restaurant this week being entertained by the Scarlet Street ladies, a barbershop quartet of North Easterners who'll be on the main stage at Pride this year. The name refers to the 1945 Fritz Lang movie of the same name and these ladies certainly looked the part. "Perhaps," said one of the glam-girls, "we might do a version of Karma Chameleon, and get with the theme."
Scarlet Street ladies - pre-1980s
Sleuth's Least Good Place To Lock Your Bike
Sleuth reckons the least good place to lock your bike is perhaps the junction of Cheapside and Marsden Street.
Locks, locks everywhere
Sleuth's Most Straightforward Sign Of The Week
The Temple bar, in the former Gents toilet off Oxford Street, seems to be open.
Open sign (with small man walking on it)
The Highest Graffiti In The City
Every seven days or so Sleuth is stopped in the street by policemen, firemen, concierges, Scarlet ladies, Jazzie B, A-Boards, the ghost of Margaret Thatcher, horses' heads, extra virgins and the complete squad of premiership winning Manchester United, and asked "Where can we find the highest graffiti in the city?"
"Why," says Sleuth, "that would be on top of the CIS Tower, etched into the parapet of the main building 385 feet or so above the city."
And to prove this he showed these pictures to the policemen, firemen, concierges, Scarlet ladies, Jazzie B, A-Boards, the ghost of Margaret Thatcher, horses' heads, extra virgins and the complete squad of premiership winning Manchester United.
High graffiti
Scratched in the sky
