A second look at Birmingham between the library and Victoria square.

INTRO

WELCOME  CITY SLICKER!

If you’re looking for designer label clothing, a complete range of choice in every shopping department and the shop until you drop experience, this city may be just the venue for you if you're brave enough to wade through the crowds at the shopping malls or on the high street, especially on Saturdays. This is the face I have always associated with Birmingham, which is where I decided to start my series of cultural city escapes, across Britain and France, then further afield in the future.

I'm not even trying to help those parents (of which I am one) who in their desperation are crying out ‘Lets just find somewhere with a bouncy castle, and a ride with something vaguely educational attached to it to get the kids out the house!‘ Although there’s undoubtedly a perfect spot in the city for the perfect family outing. It just helps to know the exact location of meets your specific needs!

This week I discovered that even the night life in Birmingham isn't just for the ‘Lets get wrecked in the clubs and the pubs’ brigade and that there is in fact, a place for us grown adults who choose to nurture our intellects, while we edify body and soul. And you can do this of an evening, you can make a day of it, but if you're globe trotter or jet setter take a  24hr break! If you're a student you'd be a fool not to advantage of all those student concessions on offer. 

I think of you because you can only be spared for up to 24hrs (hard won through months of negotiation). Take heart for we are two of a kind and we deserve this getaway, either alone or with that other special person, romantic or otherwise. I will show you how you can  finally find space to breath, to write, to read, go to a Health Spa,  absorb the arts, walk, run or cycle through a beautiful park or just be dazzled by a breathtaking city scape night and day,  and be mesmerised by grandiose buildings, large open spaces, stunning architecture and cultural diversity. 

 If you’re about to switch off because you can already feel your wallet draining, then think again.   A Classy experience in any metropolitan city is available to those in know, not necessarily those in the money!  I am at pains to pint out here, that I am but a novice in the cross city jet setting lifestyle as well as the arts for that matter but my ever present artistic aspirations, which have never been fully realised (spoken by a  Science graduate and Science teacher ) are now crying out to be finally unlocked and satisfied….Why don't you come with me on an exciting voyage of discovery?

I will begin my mission with an introductory visit to central Birmingham. My focus...the arts, culture and academia....a complete break and refreshingly without dumbing down!

Birmingham, a fresh look for art lovers.

A cursory look on line tells me that from my home near Coventry,  Birmingham will to be the perfect place to start my quest to find the thinking person's city oasis. A place for you and me to refuel, in just 24hours and focus on the arts. 
I will explore these interests in various cities, comparing and contrasting and I will be ever  mindful of those of us whose time and budget is by no means unlimited.

Aspirational, Inspirational and Sensational Birmingham !

Ladies and gentlemen I give you Brindleyplace, Victoria Square, Centenary Square,  Regency Warf and Broad Street as seen through my eyes today. A quick analysis of the clientele that flood the restaurants at lunch tells me that the local bankers and suits are already 'in the know' and probably  take this part of town for granted. However, if you haven’t been to Birmingham in the last decade or are simply sick and tired of heading straight for the Bullring or the Mail box just to return home a few hours later with aching feet, countless shopping  bags, and an empty purse ( a subway sandwich plus costa coffee as your sole culinary experience) then  you’re in for a big surprise!  We, the enlightened have everything we need for our physical, mental and spiritual edification, all within a 3 mile radius in this gentrified hub at the  heart of the City.

When I crossed the road from the Paradise Circus car park, after an £8 car ride (£1 an hour to park during the day, £3 between 6pm and 6am and all day Sunday).

I was right at the door of the famous newly built (2013) Birmingham Library. My main objective in undertaking this journey was to find an beautiful, quiet place with inspirational views, and space to spend the day thinking , reading  and writing, away from distractions at home. I stepped beyond the doors of the library and into a Centenary square which for me began a journey of discovery. Spellbound and  spinning around to take in all the large buildings that were home to just about every coveted arts entertainment I had read or dreamt about… all here! Plus a Christmas market that wasn’t thronging with crowds but more importantly, the Symphony Hall. I was speechless! My first question was do the Brummies know what they have at their doorstep?

Honestly, there is no need to spend fortunes on high end hotels like  Hyett or Hilton when there’s a Premiere Inn here (strategically dotted around most entertainment centres) which in my humble opinion is a preferable choice to the likes of Travel lodge for a sturdy comfortable double bed,  a user friendly shower, cleanliness, spaciousness, and  handy provisions like kettle and fridge which allows you to partially self cater if you wish. There’s also enough table and chair space to write or use a computer although why bother when the largest library in the world, Birmingham Library, with views over the city and a beautiful little park, are just a 5-10minute walk away.

If you arrive in time for lunch you’re best off heading for Brindleyplace straight after checking in. Here you are utterly spoilt for choice from a range of at least 20-30 different restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs with all the popular world cuisines well represented. Give yourselves plenty of time to play footsy under the table and feel suitably mellowed by the fine wine (don’t scrimp on this part of the experience because you are what you eat and other clichés that promote good quality, authentic and nourishing food that fully satisfies the pallet). 

You might prefer a light baguette instead or street food from the Christmas market (much more affordable than the London version) and save the big splash out dinner for the evening.

I do hope the demand for street food dictates that the trend continues all year round maybe with different themes for different seasons. Here you’ve got hot food on the go at Centenary square, ranging from the vegetarian burger hut which also sells falafel wraps lunch for (£3-£6) and the Creperie next door selling hot freshly made Nutella and banana crepes for £3.80 and a host of other savoury and sweet  fillings (who needs to go to Paris?). Then there’s Mexican, Austarlian, German beer and sausage  stands in addition to the sticky sweet stands, and the coffee, cheese , chestnut and other huts I didn't have time to see. 
You can eat to your heart’s content while exploring and gazing in wonder and bewilderment at the new Library, The Symphony hall and Rep theatre etc, or take in more views from the ferris wheel, making mental notes on upcoming performances on the big digital  screens. You can also watch a free recital or CBSO rehearsals at the Symphony Hall where shockingly, food including home made packed lunches may brought in and you can sit on comfortable sofas to ‘picnic’ (despite the extensive range of bistros, cafes and restaurants housed within the Symphony Hall itself).  After a walk along the canal (to speed your digestion or just burn calories and if you’re the greedy type.... that would be most of us.... simply to make room for dinner) you might just want to head back to the hotel for a shower (and whatever else you need to do with a spare and truely rare uninterrupted hour or two). This is your private time to do with as you please but if you're feeling energetic explore further afield and get some fresh air at the park if you’ve been cooped up in the office all week, not seeing the light of day between home and work each day.

Architecture: Though lacking a touch of the historic, there are artistic and period features visible. The modernity here is refreshingly earthy, with crisp lines of glass frames and bare brick.

....and the odd touch of the bizzar..but only in the distant skyline.

Revitalisation:

Maybe you fancy a late afternoon coffee and a look at Renaissance art (some of the finest and invaluable in the world) at the Birmingham museum, on Victoria Square (also hosting free day time music recitals in the cafeteria),  or perhaps contemporary art is more your cup of tea so go to IKON gallery on Broad street. Perhaps take a swim, workout or just simply relax in the sauna  at the Health Spa, across Regents square, before preparing for the concert . That’s if you’re a late eater or just not hungry enough yet, so the plan is to dine after the performance and fortify yourself for the night, back at the hotel. Your food and drink options are virtually unlimited. Here are but a few examples of where to lounge or dine.

Food and Drink:

I'm told Jimmy Spices is the Curry House around here although I'm almost certain its not the only one and yes there are Thai and Chinese restaurants here as well.

Stick to pie and chips you choose a cosy pub for grub......unless of course you don't mind bottled peppers, washed out tomatoes and cold boiled potatoes in your nicoise salad. Ugh!

ENTERTAINMENT VENUES:

For the evenings entertainment (hopefully you’ve booked in advance online and taken advantage of any discounts especially if you become a  theatre member ): I don’t know, once again you’re so spoilt for choice you’d have to plan to do this regularly and you still wouldn’t scratch the surface of all the things to do and see. You could just go to one of the bars where rock and jazz bands or solo instrumentalists and singers have their gigs or you could go to the National Indoor Arena to see  a visiting live band, ) Operatic performances at much more affordable prices than the Opera House in London (see online) are usually further afield at the Birmingham Hyppodrome but here you have the Rep for a play or any one of a host of theatres including Alexandra  including the illustrious Symphony hall  (one of the biggest and best in the world) where you can treat yourself to a top stand up comedy shows (Tickets to see Trevor Noah my favourite South African comedian are already on sale for October 2015!) and not forgetting the world renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Inside the Symphony Hall:

                 The Programming:

The list is endless: Attend pre-concert or academic talks at the Conservatoire (Birmingham City University) where yet more reasonably priced performances are also hosted  .These are all not far from Centenary Square. Take a taxi if you’re wearing heels, otherwise walk. This part of town is where everyone who’s anyone performs, or hangs out and of course those of us who happen to know of Birmingham’s little treasure trove , cannot fail to find something to delight i, be it Ballet, music from a range of genres and even  a movie to snuggle up to (preferably art house or French cinema if you're one of us).

We may just want to unwind and share an experience in good company or we may want to be intellectually challenged or allow ourselves to transcend beyond the hum drum into the sublime….at prices we can afford. By way of example the jam packed programming this year included Ladysmith Black Mambazo (first brought to fame by Paul Simon) at Symphony hall, The Welsh National Opera which regularly performs at the Birmingham Hyppodrome, will be performing the magic flute, the nutcracker Ballet is on opposite the library and Noah Stewart, the dashing young tenor (sorry but he is quite hot) sings some of operas most celebrated arias at the Town hall in April 2015. And this is but a glimpse!

If you simply must shop (shame on you) or get your hair done, as part of the whole relaxation experience ( a bit of a waste of a  24 hour window if you’re with that special person or if you’re writing a book) or you haven’t had the time to get yourself suitably primed for the evening before arrival, then the Mail box is a stone’s throw away. 
All your needs met within a 3 mile radius and you can already see  the myriad of cost saving opportunities as well as the chance for that rare spot of indulgence.

This city has captured my heart and I haven’t even begun to explore all these possibilities, because as yet they are very real possibilities I got wind of when I spent the day just exploring this transformed  part of Birmingham, 10 years on from taking my daughters to the Sea Life Center. At the time it was then only surrounded  by Pizza Express,  Premier Inn, some other café I cannot recall and newly built posh apartments along the canal, facing council housing on the opposite side of the canal. 

This juxtaposition still remains almost as a reminder that cultural, culinary  and artistic Birmingham is not just for the wealthy (of which it has more than its fair share), but also for the less privileged who non the less come of age (in the truest sense) , have  high aspirations and just seek inspiration from the sensational developments that have gentrified Brindleyplace all the way up to Broad street.

COMING UP: IF YOU ONLY HAVE 6 HOURS AND A TRAIN TICKET?

I return BY TRAIN for my first affordable lunch time classical music Christmas concert at the CBSO centre this Monday. I plan to spend time in the Library, which I didn't get to do last time, then grab a bite with a friend  I will be reuniting with after 15 years separated by relocation (only communicating via the odd email thanks to workload etc…..) and then we will head for the concert, after which I will update you, with more pictures


Watch this space!

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