Leeds Events

Dogs Trust Open Day and Fun Dog Show 7th August

2011-07-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

The Dogs Trust are putting on an Open Day and Fun Dog Show on Sunday August 7th which will be held at the Dogs Trust Leeds Rehoming Centre, Woodlands Farm, York Road, Leeds, LS15 4NL from 11am. Events will include Fun Dog Show, BBQ, Stalls, Raffle and Kids Activities (an entry fee might apply).

Come along and support the Dogs Trust and help them to raise money to care for dogs in need of a new home.

Find out more about the event here: http://www.facebook.com/dogstrust

Pants in the Park - Roundhay Park Leeds

2011-05-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

A 5km charity fun run in aid of Prostate Action will be held at Roundhay Park on Sunday June 12th. Fancy Dress is encouraged and wearing your pants outside your trousers is doubly encouraged at this event. Tickets cost £ and under twelves go free. All entrants will recieve a medal for their endevours.

You can register for Pants in the Park from 10pm on the day, the race begins at 11am and prizes will be awarded for the best decorated pants on show at 12.00.

To sign up visit http://www.prostateaction.org.uk/pantsinthepark

Dave Gorman Waterstones Leeds Book Promotion

2011-05-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

The witty beardy chappy of Googlewhack fame Dave Gorman will be in Leeds on Wednesday June 16th reading from his new book Dave Gorman Vs the Rest of the World which is due to be published on June 2nd.

Tickets cost a meagre £3.00 and can be picked up from the counter at Waterstone's. The ticket price is also redeemable if you happen to want to pick up a copy of the book.

Dave Gorman is a familiar face on TV these days, after being catapulted into the public eye in 2003 with his sellout Googlewhack Adventures tour. If you haven't read the book or seen the DVD about Dave's utter failure to write a book and the Google-esque escapades that this dragged him into, then it's about time you did. Tears of laughter are coming your way and watch out for the anecdote about the tattoo.

Bounce for Leeds - Yorkshire Cancer Research

2011-05-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

Yorkshire Cancer Research is running a Guiness World Record attempt for the most people bouncing on a space hopper for one minute on July 30th at Roudnhay Park. If you want to participate call 01423 877210 or visit the website here: http://www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/events/space_hopper_bounce.aspx.

Entry costs £10.00 and includes a space hopper and a teeshirt (minimum age is 6 years). Once you've entered you'll be sent a sponsorship form and fundraising pack to use to raise money for Cancer Research. You even get to keep your space hopper. Two thousand entrants are needs to beat the current world record. Or just come along on the day, enjoy the fun and make a donation. There will be fairground rides and inflatable games as well as the beautiful scenery of Roundahay Park.

Frankenstein's Wedding Kirkstall Abbey Leeds

2011-05-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

This televised performance event took place at Kirkstall Abbey on Saturday March 19th and adapted Shelley's gothic novel into something which aptly but unintentionally had a bit of an identity crisis. Great venue, great scenery, great set and effects, but then again the Abbey was taken over by the set builders and crew for about two weeks beforehand.

The problem was that the show was unsure whether it was a Leeds city council event like Opera in the Park or a television show or whether it was a musical event or a drama or a dramatic comedy. Different elements of the event were sewn together with the slightly over-enthusiastic crowd-rousing compere-ing that we get at Classical Fantasia and Opera in the Park with musical interludes shoehorned inbetween rather hammy acting and ocassionally rather embarrassed looking actors who obivously knew that the whole thing was off kilter. In short the whole thing was sewn together like a badly constructed Frankenstein's monster flailing around trying to figure out what media it belonged to, what genre it was and who it's audience were.

All this I got from the first eight minutes on the television before I was too nauseated to go on. It was a misguided pastiche of media and types of entertainment which tried far too hard to please the crowd and the viewer at home, and like all ungodly creatures desperately searching for a sense of place and belonging doomed to failure. I'm sure that everyone held up their end and did their jobs adequately and even well, but ultimate responsibility has to rest with the producer who cobbled this together - they really should have known so much better.

gaming Night at the Leeds Playhouse Sat 14th May

2011-04-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

Gaming Festival Leeds - BUTTON MASH

Aperture Science and Button Mash are holding a public testing day for gamers at Bradford Playhouse in Little Germany on Saturday 14th of May. Doors open at 3pm and you will be able to enjoy engage cooperative portal testing and also play many of your favorite games including Portal 2. There will be four rooms of gaming available for both new computer games and retro games to enjoy as well. Play games such as Rock Band, Kinect and many more on a big screen.

From 8pm there will be a club night with Bands, DJ's and cocktails. DJs will be playing anything from dance, to 8-Bit, Pop Punk and Classic Rock.

Saturday 14th May

3pm until 2am

Gaming all day, DJs from 8pm

£4 on the door

Ghost Dog at Urban Sprawl's Summer of Love

2011-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

You can hear Ghost Dog's Summers of Love for the Urban Sprawlers Summer of Love fundraiser at TJs last week at official.fm: http://official.fm/tracks/232324. Or just click play below.

Urban Sprawl is a not-for-profit drama therapy organisation working with homeless people in Leeds.

IL Divo Tribute Night Ramada Leeds Parkway 13th May

2011-04-06T02:26:00.000-07:00

The Ramada Leeds Parkway hotel is hosting an Il Divo tribute night on Friday the 13th of May. Tickets cost £25.00. You can enjoy a gourmet picnic while listening to trbute act Un Divo and then dance your socks of to the DJ.

To book call 0844 8159020 or email events.leeds@ramadajarvis.co.uk

Venue Address: Ramada Leeds Parkway, Otley Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 8AG

Urban Sprawls Summer of Love TJ's 02/04

2011-03-27T05:08:00.001-07:00

The wonderful Urban Sprawl is putting on The Summer of Love at TJs in Woodhouse on Saturday April 2nd promising a ridonkulously fab night of entertainment featuring live music from The Delorean Drivers, Maggie8, Superset and much much more.

Tickets are £7.00, or £5.00 concession, doors open at 7pm and the night goes on until 1.30am. You can buy your tickets from TJ's or email .

Urban Sprawl is Yorkshire's only homeless theatre company and you can find out more about them on their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7541934618) or on their website (http://urbansprawltheatreleeds.posterous.com).

Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair this Saturday!

2010-12-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

There's no need to panic about the lack of purchased christmas gifts just yet,... as The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair is this Saturday!

The Stalls plays host to 60 designer makers who are ready to entice you, to buy their exclusive ranges and wares.

With a wide range of mediums such as textiles, photography, jewellery, glass, knitted crafts, illustration and ceramics, to name but a few - you'll be able to find that unique gift for your loved ones and friends.

So avoid the freeze and mundane high street shops and shop in style at The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair at Victoria Hall in Saltaire.

The Marvellous Tea Dance Company have the kettle on and cupcakes on stand by!

Event Details:

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair

Address: Victoria Hall / Victoria Road / Shipley / Saltaire / BD18 3JS

Date: Saturday 18th December 2010

Time: 10am-4pm

Entry:£2 On The Door / £1 With A Flyer (print and bring) / Under 12's Free

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair

2010-11-20T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair, is one month away

The Stalls fair is set in the idyllic and prestigious location of Victoria Hall in Saltaire. With amazing designer makers and skilled artisans work readily available, The Stalls is the perfect opportunity to purchase unique and exclusive gifts for friends, family and loved ones.

The Stalls plays host to new emerging and established artists and designers specialising in virtually everything: art, ceramics, textiles, upcycling, photography, glass, fashion and jewellery.

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Fair, is the must-visit location for Christmas shoppers!

Venue: Victoria Hall / Victoria Road / Saltaire / Shipley / BD18 3JS

Date (for your diary): Saturday 18th December 2010 10am - 4pm

ENTRY: £2 on the door / £1 with a flyer (just print and bring) / Under 12's free

or more info about the event visit: http://www.natashajoe.blogspot.com/

Leeds Federated’s Christmas Craft Fair

2010-11-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

If you love crafts, hand made gifts and cake you’ll love this!

Leeds Federated is hosting a lovely craft fair just in time for Christmas on Wednesday 8th December from 11 – 3pm.

There’ll be lots of stalls with fabulous items to solve your Christmas present dilemmas or to just treat yourself! We are raising money for our chosen charity Homeless International SEE HERE on the day so there’ll be a 50p charge for adults on the door and a café selling lovely cakes and refreshments for you to enjoy.

Stalls are available for a charge of £7.50, if you would like to reserve one or find out more information about the event please call 0113 3861000 and ask for Sue Jennings or Megan Henderson or visit SEE HERE

0871 Numbers UK - New site launch

2010-10-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

0871 Numbers

08UK has just launched a new website dedicated to 0871 numbers for business offering great opportunities to pick up a free non-geographical premium rate number for your business which yields a good revenue return on the inbound minutes you accrue every month.

For customers looking for memorable telephone numbers such as gold numbers or platinum numbers there are some highly sought after numbers available, one of our favorites being 08717 007 007. These business phone numbers are ideal for making your brand stand out against your competitors and for creating familiarity with your target market.

08UK can connect as many premium rate numbers as you need for your business or for your advertising campaign, and smaller amounts of 0871 numbers can be connected almost immediately.

Visit the website here: 0871 numbers.

Punk & Hard Rock Night The Fenton Leeds

2010-09-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

The Fenton is hosting a punk and hard rock night on Friday the 8th of October to help raise money for the Shaun Prest Cambodian Orphanage Appeal. Doors are open at 8.00pm until 11.30pm and some great local bands will be playing including The Sewersuckers, The Swindells, Auntiedope and guest band from Nottingham the Amplifires. Tickets are £4.50 on the door or £4.00 online (buy your tickets here: Fenton tickets

The Orphanage Appeal is seeking to raise £10,000 by January 2011 to enable them to start working building an orphanage for the beach children and street children of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. You can find out more about the Appeal here: Cambodian Orphanage Appeal

Other venues include The Snooty Fox in Wakefield on the 24th of October with headliners Gargamel (featuring the members of My Dying Bride), Carpe Diem in Leeds on the 18th of November and the Well in Leeds 9th of December with headliners Exit State.

one man's campaign to build an orphanage in Cambodia

2010-08-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

FourSquare Innovations is sponsoring Shaun Prest in his one man journey to build an orphanage in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. This is his story:

My name is Shaun Prest, a 38 year old electrician from Halifax, West Yorkshire.

I first visited Sihanoukville, Cambodia five years ago and while there I became aware of the plight of the beach children living there. One little girl in particular caught my attention. She earned her keep acting as a pair of eyes for her blind uncle who in turn scratched a living by singing songs for tourists and through begging. At the time I gave all I could, but after returning to the UK I decided to try and help in a more practical and extensive way.

Last year I raised funds with a sponsored motorcycle ride across Cambodia . With this I purchased 300 colouring books and 300 felt tip pen sets took this with me along with $600.00 dollars when I set out on my journey across Cambodia in February 2009. This time I paid for everything myself including the tickets, pens and colouring books and all the other fees came out of my own pocket from money saved working back in England.

After arriving in Cambodia I first made my way to Phnom Penh and started out by making donations to the single street mums there. Then I made may way up to Siem Reap to river village and handed out colouring books and money donations to all the river houses there via a boat. On th next leg of my journey I made my way back down to Sihanoukville having completed the sponsored motorcycle trip. Here I handed out the remaining colouring books to the beach children on Ocheateal beach.

This year in april 2010 I returned to Cambodia with another load of colouring packs (600) which I took to several orphanages in Sihanoukville, whilst also going to see the homeless family I visit every year with books. This family was forcibly evicted from their homes in 2006 resulting in two of them dying and several of the children were taken off to so-called rehabilitation which in reality is prison. I spent a lot of time helping the families in April, May and June of this year. These families now live in tents and only manage to survive by sending their children out to collect empty tin cans and weighing them in in return for rice. I returned to the UK on the first of July and the following week received an email saying the family have been evicted again and are living at the side of the road in tents now.

After the Khmer Rouge were ousted in 1979 the government made a law stating that anyone who has settled and been in the same plot of land, and can prove it, then the land becomes their property by right. This was a measure taken to undo the Khmer Rouge’s seizure of land and property under Pol Pot. It is incredible that 30 years later the people of Cambodia are still being forcibly removed from their homes and land to make way for developers.

My colouring books don’t seem to be enough now so I am aiming higher and I have teamed up with a lady who has the same interests in helping the Otres beach children as myself. Together we are trying to raise funds to build an orphanage for the beach children. I am in need of any donations that you may be able to give. This is a really important cause with a chance to make a difference to a lot of people. If you can help please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Shaun Prest August 2010

07904036069

Read the Halifax Courier article on Shaun here:

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Return-of-the-39colouring-book.6474628.jp

Read the Huddersfield Examiner Story here:

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2010/08/17/brighouse-electrician-shaun-prest-s-bid-to-open-a-cambodian-orphanage-86081-27074501/

Find the orginal article here: Cambodian Orphanage Appeal

FourSquare Innovations LLP - the software training people

Leeds Wired City Reconnected Event Wednesday 29th September

2010-08-12T07:59:00.001-07:00

Wired City Reconnected

LEEDS Wired City Reconnected

Stop Press: Newly posted Oldham Wired City Reconnected event video created for Oldham Partnership : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNq6je0B2dM

Date: Wednesday 29^th September

Time: 6 - 8pm

Venue: The Round Foundry, Media Centre, Foundry Street, Leeds LS11 5QP

Background: The Wired City Reconnected events are ‘collaborative’ networking events aimed at the digital, creative and ICT businesses interested in potential collaborations or the chance to share and exchange ideas. The events are facilitated by Les, Fiona and Immy, who will provide a bespoke matching & introduction service prior to the event. So whether your business has a current skills gap or you are looking to collaborate with others to meet new or current clients’ needs, these events are for you. Wired City Reconnected events are all about making the best use of your time, by providing an invaluable networking opportunity.

Book a place: please follow this Link to Leeds WCR Event

Delegates are charged £15.00. However if you book online up to one week before the event delegates are only charged £12.50. This fee covers liquid refreshment, buffet and an business introductory / matching service.

If you have not had the opportunity to look at the new promotional video, or are interested to attending your first event and would like to know more then please follow the attached link Wired City Reconnected Event Video (This video was produced in collaboration with SPL Communications)

Here are some of the previous delegates comments:

What the Oldham Chronicle said after visiting the Oldham event in January 2010 Oldham Chronicle Report

Rowena gives an account of her first Manchester Wired City Reconnected event.

Julies comments on first visit to Preston Wired City Reconnected: http://www.writeanglepr.co.uk/blog/?p=99

Sarah’s comments on Manchester Wired City Reconnected: http://tohtmlwithit.blogspot.com/search/label/wired%20city%20reconnected

WE are Supported by:

This events official Sponsor is Round Foundry Media Centre

The following organisations have previously sponsored or supported the Wired City Reconnected Events; Yorkshire Events: Cobbetts LLP, Montpelier, McParland Finn Ltd, Electric Work (Sheffield)

North West: Manchester Science Park; Manchester Digital; Manchester Digital Development Agency, Preston City Council; Oldham MBC; Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council; Creative Lancashire; Hive Network: Lancashire & Cumbria ICT Clusters; Blackpool Unlimited.com; CrISP; THE Storey CIC, Business Link (Digital and Creative Sector Team) SPL Communications; Cobbetts LLP; Montpelier, McParland Finn Ltd; TalkInternet

Other Forthcoming Events:

Future events:

Manchester Wired City Reconnected on Thursday 23th September at Manchester Science Park, Lloyd Street North, Manchester M15 6SE Link to Manchester WCR Event

Liverpool Wired City Reconnected on Thursday 7^th October (Venue to Confirmed)

Sheffield Wired City Reconnected on Wednesday 27^th September at Electric Work, Sheffield Link to Sheffield WCR Event

Felix Dennis At the Birdcage Leeds

2010-08-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

An evening of fine French wine and poetry from one of Britain's best-loved poets.

Felix Dennis is setting out on a 21-date poetry reading tour to launch his sixth book of verse, Tales From The Woods. Did I Mention The Free Wine? 2010 Tour will see the poet return by popular demand to major cities such as London, Cardiff, Dublin, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as new stops in Newcastle, Ludlow, Milton Keynes and Cork. Felix Dennis will be reading a selection of poems from his hugely popular collections, Homeless in My Heart, A Glass Half Full, Lone Wolf, When Jack Sued Jill and Island of Dreams, all of which were sell-out books of original poetry. He will also be introducing his new collection of poems in an exclusive preview ahead of the book's launch on 28th October.

He will be performing at the The Birdcage, Leeds on Monday 4th October 2010.

Don't miss out on the poetry event of the year and book your ticket now!
Tickets prices: £10 pre-booked online or £12 on the door, £5 concessions. To book tickets go to: www.felixdennis.com

Leeds Festival Fringe - Live unsigned bands

2010-04-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

Calling all West Yorkshire music lovers, check out the Leeds Festival Fringe for what promises to be a bonanza of live unsigned bands in Leeds. The Leeds Festival Fringe supports the Martin House Children's Hospice

Full details will be coming some time in April

Live Music at the Victoria Leeds This Sunday

2010-03-26T09:46:00.001-07:00

Live Music Sunday 28th of march at the Victoria Leeds

This Sunday the Vic are hosting an all day extravaganza of country, blues, folk and rock music, with the following line up: AuntieDope (watch out for God Bless America and UFO), Time of Hibu, How Wax Reserve, very special acoustic acts and there are rumours of free samosas. Starts at 4pm and entry is free.

The Victoria, 28 Great George Street, Leeds (next to O'Neills).

Live Music Leeds at the Fenton

2010-03-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Music in April at the Fenton Leeds

April is a busy month for the Fenton with 7 whole nights of live music, great bands and flowing beer:

Thursday 1st: Something in the Loft: Big G Ellmer, Lucy Divine and Floor Board George

Friday 2nd: Base culture: Dub Roots and Jungle night with Kommissar and Boca

Saturday 3rd: At the Crossroads: Live bands

Thursday 8th: Jug O rum Promotions: Redemption, Just watch The Fireworks, Half Nelsons

Fridsay 9th: Fused: We'll Die Smiling, Blacklisters, Aged Yummy

Saturday 10th: Charity Gig: El Camina, Pearl Jammed

Thurs 15th: Grassroots: Dub Reggae night

The Fenton, 161 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds - 0113 245 3908

Designer Teeshirts | Design your own Teeshirt | Online Teeshirts

2010-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

You can find fantastic teeshirt designs at Spreadshirt, including unique and rare teeshirt designs, funky teeshirt designs, funny teeshirts, movie themed teeshirts and much more. 1000s of teeshirt designs are available and at Spreadshirt you can even design your own teeshirt and have it shipped to you. Delivery is available throughout the Uk and we also found it to be very prompt. Our first order landed within 3 days.

You can find some of our favorite teeshirt designs below, but there are many more on offer on the website

Mexican Restaurants Leeds - Las Iguanas

2010-02-15T06:54:00.000-08:00

Mexican Dining in Leeds

Over the past few years I've dished the dirt on quite a few really poor dining experiences in Leeds, which makes it a real pleasure to introduce a really positive experience at La Iguanas for Valentines Day yesterday - good service, great atmosphere and great Mexican food.

Leeds city centre is really lacking in Mexican restaurants these days since the Cactus Lounge packed up its sombrero and high tailed it to Bradford, so with a date who loves Mexican there was only one place to try and Las Iguanas didn't disappoint. The Valentines Day set menu didn't have the chimichanga on it, but that we can forgive since we got excellent roast duck tortilla (Pato Taquito) and huge juicy mint, lime and chilli tiger prawns (Mojito Tiger Prawns) for starters. This was followed by a really good, albeit a little over leafy, Brazilian lime chicken salad in a crayfish and peanut sauce and divine burritos. And for dessert, the pistachio and white chocolate cheesecake is still making me drool and the Aztec chocolate fudge cake makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

With friendly and efficient service even on a very busy night and a complementary cava we really couldn't complain. Would have perhaps preferred to order a decent bottle of bubbly or even a sparkling rose, but we already had a few drinks inside us, so we let that one pass.

All in all, I think the upshot is that if you're in the city centre, you don't need to travel all the way to Dare in Headingley to get a really good Mexican.

Las Iguanas is situated right next to the Corn Exchange and within easy walking distance of the train station and major transport links and parking.

http://www.iguanas.co.uk

Unit 3

Cloth Hall Street

Leeds LS1 2HD

Tel: 0113 243 9533

Fax: 0113 244 3696

leeds@iguanas.co.uk

Craft, Sewing and Dress Making Classes Leeds

2010-01-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

Fabric-ation are running the following craft, fashion, dress making and sewing classes in Leeds. Call 0113 243 9140 to book a course.

Vintage Hair and Makeup 1.00pm-5.pm

Join burlesque bombshell Anna Fur Laxis for a vintage hair and makeup session.

The workshop content will be tailored to the ladies who are attending and what they would like to go over, but in the main it will cover how she does her hair and makeup - using hot rollers, hot sticks and curling tongs, putting hair up into several vintage inspired hairstyles including victory rolls, using snoods/scarves/fascinators etc, vintage-inspired makeup, false eyelash application, and tricks and twists for make-up for parties & photo shoots.

Sat Feb 6th 2 places left

Sun Feb 7th 1 place left

Valentines Potions and Candles

February 13th 10.30-4.30pm

Following the success of our Christmas Candles class we have now decided to run a special one for the valentines season. We will be making candles, bath bombs, massage bars and lip balms using very simple recipes you can replicate at home. With essential oils and paraben and sls free ingredients in sensual and aphrodisiac fragrances. Make as many or as few items as you can fit into the day

Please note all our classes need to be prebooked. £35 + materials. Refreshments, but not lunch, included.

Learn to make a skirt using your own machine

Have a sewing machine, but haven't got any further than a cushion cover? Then come along to our class where you will learn how to make a basic skirt. You will learn how to cut a pattern, and sew the skirt together, put in a zip and work a button hole.

Cost £40 + materials, please bring your own and a pattern. Refreshments, but not lunch, included. You should have already attended our 'How to use your Machine' class or have the basic knowledge of how to thread up and use a straight and zigzag stitch.

Feb 20th fully booked

Feb 21st 2 places left

Make do and Mend, Recycle

Feb 27th 10-30-4.30pm

Here at Fabrication we are taking on the credit crunch with the spirit of the Blitz. Don't buy new, learn to alter, repair, customise and revamp your wardrobe.

You will learn to replace buttons, add new collars and cuffs, add trimmings, as appropriate to your garments and requirements. and turn unused garments into new objects. Either use bits and pieces you have found or root through our trim and button box.

This class will not only help you revamp your wardrobe but turn you into a canny bargain shopper. How often have you not bought the £5 sale trousers cos they were too long, or a fab markdown silk frock cos the beads were coming off or the zip was dodgy. After this that won't happen again.

Cost £35+ materials, includes refreshments but not lunch

Please note all these workshops take place in an upstairs room with no lift facility. All classes must be prebooked and paid for prior to the day. Places are ltd to 6 for clothes making classes so we can give you more attention.

If there is a class you want to us to run then let us know and if enough folks also want it then we will try and organise it. If you really want to attend one of our classes but work weekends etc then we may be able to run in an evening if enough people want to

Our Club Nights

Crochet Club 1st Thursday every month 6.30-9.pm

There seems to be lots of knitting clubs around these days but what about those of us who want to crochet. Well we have the answer. Come along to Crochet Club and bring your projects, wool, cake, gossip and tea. If you Knit, macramé, lace make etc you are also welcome.

Cost £6 inc refreshments and cake. You will need to prebook this event so we have an idea of numbers

Costume Clinic

Costume Clinic is for those making their own burlesque, theatre or historical costumes, of any description, who may need a hand to sort out problems they are experiencing with floppy bows, quick release systems etc or just an extra pair of hands and eyes to help them.

It will run the 2nd thursday of every month

Crafty Club 3rd thursday every month 6.30-9.pm

Because we all have projects we want to start/finish/ stop being bored of but get distracted by the telly/kids/hubby once a month we can get together, get inspired and finally finish them all with the addition of cake and gossip.

This is not a teaching workshop for a specific craft but a fun creative night just getting on with stuff 3rd thursday every month. Cost £6 inc refreshments and cake

You will need to prebook this event so we have an idea of numbers

Ho's Chinese Restaurant Leeds

2010-01-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

Authentic Chinese Dining In Leeds

If you are looking for a traditional and truly authentic Chinese dining experience in Leeds with a great ambience, then Ho's is the place to visit. The menu is diverse, imaginative and alluring and would not be out of place in Beijing.

As with any good Chinese restuarant, the menu is extensive and you will need to choose carefully to get the right blend of flavours. Its going to help if you have a party of four or more and avoid the set meals which are ever so slightly more geared towards the western version of Chinese food.

Don't be shy to ask for help if you need it since, it is admittedly easy to get it wrong if you don't have chinese friends available to advise you. A few tips though would be as follows. You will probably get more than you can all eat at one sitting and this restuarant doesn't provide the facilities to keep your food steaming hot throughout the duration, but live with that. Chinese meals are meant to be to feasts and a couple of hours at the dining table would be considered fast food in many places

Try and order a good variety of flavours and textures for your larger dishes including chicken, pork, beef and one seafood if possible to get the best range and make sure that these four include one rice dish, one soup dish and one noodle dish. Only get one that has been cooked with chillies. Your fish dish should really go in the middle, since fish have all sorts of special symbolic significance including prosperity, happiness and largess. I would really recommend any of the fish soup dishes. I'm not even sure what sort of fish ours was last time, but it was soft, tender flaked and mouthwateringly delicious.

For your smaller dishes it doesn't matter quite so much if you get the balance wrong, and there is a great deal to choose from. I can recommend the crayfish scallops, but I'm not sure I would have the honey chicken again as it felt a bit like a pedestrian interoper in what was an otherwise exciting explosion of tastes and sensations.

For snacks and drinks, alsio check out the bar and bakery downstairs.

Ho's Chinese Restaurant, 115 Vicar Lane, Leeds City Centre LS1 6PJ

Christmas Present Ideas Leeds

2009-11-25T04:42:00.001-08:00

This is pure genius Christmas present idea - pub gift vouchers for Christmas presents and it going on my Christmas list for definite:

Read the Sky News story here

By pub gift vouchers here

Stop the Racists marching on Leeds

2009-09-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

Keep the Far Right English Defence League out of Leeds

On Saturday October 31st the far right is marching on Leeds just as they did on Birmingham a few weeks ago when the English Defence League protested outside the Bullring shopping centre: racist violence in Birmingham

We really don't want this coming to Leeds. There has been terrible trouble and violence with their other marches. Please take a moment to sign the letter - then maybe the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, will intervene and Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police will have the power to stop it.

I've tried to have 'political conversations' with people of this right-wing bent twice in the past - once I got punched and the other time I got hit over the head with a pint glass. They have nothing to do with politics they are just thugs and extremists, and we don't want them here.

This is not an undemocratic stopping of protest but our democratic right to stop violent extremists trying to tell us how to live and who to live with (and beating the sh!te out of anyone they don't like or agree with)

You can use the link here to appeal to the Council and West Yorkshire Police to prevent this march from happening before it is too late: Hope not Hate

Sam's Chop House South Parade Leeds

2009-08-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

We tried out Sam's Chop House for dinner this Friday for the first time in years, and I have to admit that it was a pretty good dining experience, and about as close to a simple traditional British menu as you can get in Leeds; something greatly appreciated by my Chinese dinner guests.

Every one was particularly impressed with the Colcannon potatoes with crispy bacon and poached egg, which scored very high for us all on taste texture and presentation. The salmon entrée was a little dry and flavourless though, as was the pork chop, which leads me to suspect that they were cooked from frozen, a surefire way to kill your food twice over. A chop should be juicy guys, not dry and compacted. This said, Sam's Chop House's take on the good old beef burger was very good indeed, with properly ground beef of the sort that fills you up even after eating only a small quantity. The dish came with two medium sized burgers rather than one huge one, making it very manageable to eat without them disintegrating, and offering scope for good presentation.

Aside from a few issues with the dishes, the staff were helpful and prompt and overall this was a more than acceptable dining experience at a decent price. Well done guys

Honey Monster is coming to Leeds

2009-05-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

Hide the Sugar Puffs! Honey Monster is coming to town! The huge furry yellow fella is visiting the White Rose and St Johns in Leeds where fans will be able to meet the big guy himself and try his new cereal, Honey Waffles.

Honey Monster will be at White Rose with his Honey Waffle Factory between 9 am and 7 pm on the 30th of May and 11am and 5pm on the 31st of May, and he will be at St Johns on the 6th of June between 8am and 6pm and 7th of June between 11am and 5pm where kids and fans will be able to meet everyone’s favourite TV monster. They will even be able to have professionally taken photos with him.

You can find Honey Monster and his helpers by looking for the giant Honey Waffle Factory which will be churning out samples of the new cereal all day, and while the factory is busy there will be fun games running and even the chance to win breakfast with the Honey Monster at your house!

Honey Monster's team of helpers will be on hand to make sure everyone gets their free box of Honey Waffles, a multigrain cereal glazed with just the right amount of sugar and honey to add a tasty start to your day, so for more information and a full schedule of Honey Monster appearances go to

http://www.honeymonster.co.uk.

Carol Ann Duffy - Poet Laureate NOOOOOOOOOO!

2009-05-20T11:20:00.001-07:00

Please God, please it can't be true, please tell me that Carol Ann Duffy isn't the new poet laureate. It can't be true can it?

I fed Alphabetti Spaghetti

To Pete Doherty,

And he pooed better poetry

into the lavatory

A slicker motion than Andrew ever dreamed of

Okay, so my hopes weren't that high. I didn't mind previous laureate, Andrew Motion so much, but Simon Armitage as Millennium Poet was painful. His intonation grates and his voice saws up and down like he's trying to cut poetry out of diction that is just plain unpoetic. Anyway, there were plenty of amazingly talented female poets around to choose for laureate this time - personally I'd have gone for Grace Nichols. Grrrrr.

Leeds Dating

2009-05-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

Find singles and meet the perfect partner in Leeds with online dating

If you are looking to find a partner in Leeds and surrounding areas and have tried the bar and club scene, or approaches such as speed dating, blind dates and so forth and it hasn't worked out then it might be time to check out some popular online dating sites. Every year thousands of people find love, ideal partners or just casual friends through online dating services.

Find love in Leeds

So, why not shop around online for the partner of your dreams, someone who shares interests with you, and who is looking to find someone just like yourself. With online dating sites you have the advantage of being able to screen likely candidates and select only those who interest you the most. With many sites you can introduce yourself with a simple wink, chat through instant messaging and email, and learn about prospective partners before arranging to meet them.

Online dating Leeds - setting up your profile

When setting up your profile on an online dating site, it is important to remember to be as thorough as you can in describing yourself, your interests and hobbies and what you are looking for in an ideal partner. You should also include recent pictures of yourself so that people can get an idea what you look like. The more information you include in your online dating profile, the more interest you are likely to attract and the more chance you stand of meeting someone. Also, if you are a man, make sure that you take the trouble to email girls that you like the look of - on many dating sites girls are bombarded by winks and other automated pokes, so they are much more likely to get in touch with you if you take the trouble to email them with something that shows that you have paid special attention to them.

Online dating Leeds - searching your dating site

Once you have your dating profile completed its time to start searching the website - you should be able to search by region and also by the type of person you are looking for in some detail including hair and eye colour, marital status, whether or not they have children, ethnicity, hobbies and habits and much more. More often than not though, the online dating game all boils down to chemistry, and the person you find that turns out to be perfect for you, might not be the person you originally envisaged meeting.

Online dating Leeds - dating site scams

You should also be aware of online dating scams. Even on the best dating sites out there you will find some bogus profiles, fake Russian brides and numerous other types of dodgy scammers. Remember that if someone looks too good to be true they probably are. This said, meeting people on online dating sites can be really fun, and you should enjoy getting to know the people on there, even the ones who aren't quite right for you.

So get out there and have some fun finding your perfect partner with an online dating service!

If you are looking for a niche dating website then FriendFinder has plenty to choose from, including Christian dating, Asian dating, Russian dating, dating sites for swingers and fetishs, and there are also plenty of Jewish matchmaking sites to choose from as well, many of which are run by Spark Networks.

Lunch at Brown's Headrow Leeds

2009-05-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

I always find lunch at Browns an interesting experience from a demographic perspective at least. This is a restaurant that tends to be primarily frequented by upper working class patrons with lower middle class aspirations who have put a little more thought into where's right to go than they have into the question 'where's good to eat?'. In fact, this is a set who haven't quite made it to the top of Douglas Adam's culinary scale of evolution summed up as:

How do we eat?

What shall we eat?

Where shall we have lunch?

Okay so on to the food. I would sum it up in one word - 'acceptable'. This is not somewhere you go for flair, high dining or top-quality food, but it is functional, adequate and has flavour and taste. The grilled chicken needs a little more thought maybe. The current offering is a little too dry, which is exactly what happens to chicken when you grill it and top it with bacon and cheese - maybe some lemon would do the trick, or a little ali oli or even just a squirt of olive oil - make it juicy as well guys.

The service is worth a mention since the dining staff are helpful and friendly and noticeably made an effort to make sure we had a good experience. So they get my thanks. Let's put some pizazz in that menu though in order to take it to the next level.

Let the Right One In - Leeds Vue (The Lights Headrow)

2009-04-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well a few of us went to see 'Let the Right One In' at Leeds Vue at the Lights last night' - and I'm just not sure a vampire movie is meant to traumatise you in quite that way. I'm going to be having nightmares about 1970s knitwear, woolly Jerseys, rollnecks and the like for months. It took us all about 40 minutes to guess whether the film was set in the 70s or whether there were just some particularly badly dressed Swede's having their blood drained to feed the appetite of that archetypally liminal and borderline menstrual twelve year old vampire girl. You could spend hours mulling over the symbolism, and at least from that point of view its not you're average salacious slashing, biting and shagging vampire fayre.

Anyway, the girl's henchman (father/ brother figure) is getting on a bit and keeps botching it when hunting for her dinner so she finds herself a substitute to groom in the form of a wet twelve year old boy who lives next door, and wins his affection by helping him to stand up to some bullies who have obviously seen Deliverance about a 1000 times - the opening words of the film are 'Squeal like a pig' according to the subtitles at least.

I suppose the demographic of the theatre was probably Swedish folk, knitwear fetishists, vampire movie lovers and the odd person who should probably be on the sex offenders register. If you think this is you, then go and see it and find out how it all pans out.

Valentines Day Leeds

2009-01-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

If you're struggling for ideas where to take your loved one for Valentines Day in Leeds this year or what to do on Valentines day, then we have a few ideas for you here that might help.

Leeds Meals out on Valentines Day

Finding a Leeds restaurant with the right atmosphere for a romantic meal can be harder than it seems. Salvos in Headingley might be a good place to think about for dinner but it will be packed as usual; although the Salvos Valentines day menu does look mouthwatering. Maybe also look into Little Tokyo for a Valentines Day meal in Leeds. Reviews suggest the place is not what it once was, but its definitely still an excellent place to go on for a romantic date. If you're into your Japanese and have a bigger budget then Teppanyaki is probably a better option. Possibly also consider the Cafe Rouge down by the Corn Exchange, but not the one in the Lights or any other restaurant in there as they will all be packed, and queuing to be served is a real passion killer.

Valentines Presents and Gifts

If you are looking to buy your loved one something more adventurous than flowers, chocolates or underwear, then check out some of the experience days available from Gizoo which include makeovers, massages, pamper days and so forth as 'gifts for her' and microlighting, powerboating and rally driving as 'gifts for him'. There's even plenty that you can both enjoy including cruises, his and hers massages, hot air ballooning and London day trips. Find out more here: http://www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/ExperienceDays/

Or, if you just want to keep it simple, say it with flowers:

Sham 69 playing in Leeds

2008-12-19T23:12:00.000-08:00

Veteran punk legends, Sham 69 will be playing at Carpe Diem in Leeds on the 1st of March 2009. Tickets cost £6.00 and are available from the bar.

I love the Sham and I can't wait for this one! I wonder if they'd be interested in my Borstall Breakout parody? It starts off in Chester Zoo, and has UN zoo keepers involved in a high speed chase all the way to Betty's Tea Rooms, with the refrain: Can I get a bagel takeout? Its nearly as good as my parody 'God feed the Queen - the fascist baked bean'.

Unfortunately, I have it on good good authority that none of the original band members are in the lineup - shucks!

Anyway get your tickets for Sham 69, and I'll see you in the pit. Let's hope for some classics, like 'Angels with Dirty Face', 'Hurry up Harry', 'Hersham Boys', 'If the Kids are United' e.t.c. e.t.c. It would even be nice to get the sombre and ever so sinister 'Dead Nazi March'. Bring it on (Watch Sham 69 live at the Reading festival in 1978 below)

Leeds Indian Restaurants - Sheesh Mahal Kirkstall Road

2008-12-06T23:44:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great Indian Restaurant in Leeds, you could do a lot worse than visiting the Sheesh Mahal on Kirkstall Road. I am a great curry lover, and luckily Leeds has some fabulous curry houses to satisfy my passion for spicy food. The Sheesh Mahal really stands out among these as somewhere where the traditional curry dishes have real flavour, and the staff really go the extra mile to ensure you have a positive dining experience, from giving you good information about the dishes and making recommendation right through to packing up anything you can't eat to take home and even calling a cab for you. The guys at the Sheesh Mahal manage to do this, moreover, without being intrusive. Fabulous!

For other great curries in Leeds, the following also come highly recommended: Curry Corner, Hansas, Nawaab and Akbars Restaurant

The Wardrobe Leeds - Dining Out in Leeds

2008-11-29T01:40:00.000-08:00

It's really hard to get a bad meal out in Leeds, but if you want to be disappointed the Wardrobe seems to have all bases covered. On a recent dinner date, everything started off okay, with a very welcome brandy, but then the menu came. As menus go it was short and to the point, lacklustre and not something that gives much scope for regret over what you didn't order. I plumped for the rib-eyed steak and my date went for the liver and mashed potato. I'm willing to admit that it tasted okay, and the pepper sauce was ok as pepper sauces go, but with a choice of just a garlic sauce or a pepper sauce, this wasn't really much more than £4.99 Brewers Fayre pub grub at three times the price. The portions were tiny - I went through my meal in two minutes flat, and the rib-eyed steak tasted almost exactly the same as the burger meat served at Burger King, and the fries did nothing but compound the similarity.

To top it all off, around five minutes after finishing this god-awful excuse for a dining experience, a bouncer asked us to leave, because we were, eh hem, kissing. Well so sorry to have offended your sensibilities, and you know, well, after having spent more than £70.00 in the Wardrobe in about 45 minutes, I was expecting a little more tolerance. I will evacuate what I ate at your establishment with about as much pleasure as I evacuated the establishment itself. The sense of humour I had when I walked into the Wardrobe was possibly the only positive thing that I took out with me.

I eat out in Leeds at least twice a week and Leeds city centre boasts some excellent restaurants, and I'm barely ever disappointed, but this was just a joke.

I suppose at the end of the day the lesson is that if you want a romantic meal out in Leeds, or even just a decent meal out in Leeds, then stick with what you know and places that are reliably good such as Restaurant Bar and Grill, The Reliance, Hansas, Teppanyaki, Little Tokyo, Salvos, La Tasca, The Millrace or Dos Amigos or even the Slug and Lettuce, Cafe Rouge or Ha Has at a push, and many many more.

Steve Coogan at Grand Theatre Leeds

2008-11-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

Steve Coogan will be bringing his 'Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters' comedy tour to the Grand Theatre in Leeds on the 13th and 14th of December

Tickets cost £36.00

The Grand Theatre

46 New Briggate

Leeds

LS1 6NZ

tel.: 01132226222

Christmas Events in Leeds

2008-11-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

Whether you are looking to book an office Christmas party in Leeds, or looking for Christmas events in Leeds now is the time to think about making your bookings and finding the best Christmas venues for some festive fun in Leeds this year.

Office Christmas.co.uk has a great list of venues where you can book office parties in Leeds: http://www.officechristmas.co.uk/shared-christmas-parties-leeds
, or you could try looking around the Festive Leeds website (www.festiveleeds.com) for events, shows, pantomines, Santas grottoes, Christmas meals out and much more in Leeds this Christmas. You can also find more Christmas venues on the Skiddle website (http://www.skiddle.com/christmas-events/Leeds/)

See the links below for a few online Christmas shopping ideas.

German Christmas Market Leeds | Christkindelmarkt Leeds

2008-11-24T21:27:00.000-08:00

The German Christmas market in Leeds (Christkindelmarkt) is now well underway. The Christmas market is now a well-established and popular Christmas venue in Leeds where you can buy traditional German food such as bratwurst, soups and stollen as well as warm yourself up with a lovely gluhwein or try authentic German beers in one of the many bier kellers. German Xmas decorations, ornaments and nicknacks are also to be found. The Christmas market has a real festive feel to it so why not break off from your Christmas shopping in Leeds city centre and head off for the Christkindelmarkt in Millenium Square for a little taste of a German Christmas.

Leeds Live Music Guide and Leeds Gig Guide

2008-11-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering where to find up-to-date information about live music and gigs in Leeds, you could do a lot worse than checking out the Leeds Gig Guide - you can get email, rss, and text message updates about Live music in Leeds, as well as checking back on the website to find out what gigs are coming up.

Speed dating Leeds

2008-11-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

Leeds Speed Dating Events

Find Love with 18-30s speed dating at Oceana in Leeds on Friday the 7th November

Speeddating is one of the best ways for singles to find love, so what are you waiting for - sign up today and meet other singles in your area. make friends, meet new people and find that someone special in your life.

this speed dating event runs from 7.30 PM to 10.30 PM.

Find out how to book your tickets here: http://www.whenthemusicstops.com/speeddating-Yorkshire.htm

Free advertising for Leeds events

2008-10-09T03:56:00.001-07:00

If you are running an event in Leeds that you are looking to promote, we are happy to post details of your event on this blog.

Whether you are advertising a live music event or gig, an open mike or comedy night, a fundraising or charity event, theatre, film or even a dating night you can email info@foursquareinnovations.co.uk with details, dates, prices and images, that we can use to market your venue on line.

Leeds 22nd International Film Festival 2008Guide

2008-10-09T03:16:00.000-07:00

The full guide to Leeds' 22nd Internation Film Festival in 2008 for what is showing and where will be available from 4pm tomorrow at any of the following locations:

The Carriageworks Box Office, Town Hall, Art Gallery, Tourist Information Centre at the train station, and the Film Festival Centre in The Light, and from 5pm at the Hyde Park Picture House

Tickets for individual films will also go on sale tomorrow. Full passes are already available.

For more information, see the Leeds Film website: http://www.leedsfilm.com/

Ladyboys of Bangkok - Millenium Square Leeds

2008-10-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

The Ladyboys of Bangkok will be performing at Millenium Square in Leeds from Saturday 11th October to Saturday 25th October at The Sabai Pavilion.

Tickets for the show cost £22.00/ £19.00 - concessions £19.00 and £17.00 (£10 students). To book tickets phone 0871 882 9558

Numbers will include tributes to the Spice Girls, Grease and Moulin Rouge

Mik Artistik at the Owl cancelled

2008-10-08T00:23:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, Mik Artistik's appearance at the the Owl in Rodley last weekend was cancelled. I haven't seen the comedic gurning loon since the penultimate Caberet Heaven and I was really looking forward to emmersing myself in some of the best silliness to come out of Yorkshire ever - For those who missed it there's a taste of Mik's unique talent from YouTube here showing him at Glastonbury in the CroissantNeuf Field this year.

Kaiser Chiefs in Leeds

2008-10-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

The Kaiser Chiefs are in Leeds tonight to launch the all new Leeds Academy. This place used to be the Town and Country club, one of Leeds' best venues for live music and events. Let's hope the Academy lives up to the old T&Cs reputation, as we lost an important part of the Leeds event scene and Leeds student life when the Town and Country went.

The address is New Leeds Academy, 55 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 3AW and tickets are £25.00 if you are lucky enough still to be able to find them.

Classical Fantasia Tickets

2008-09-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Missing Classical Fantasia

Classical Fantasia 2008 is this Sunday at Kirkstall Abbey. The last of the tickets were available between 10-12 this morning at Millenium Square.

This is the first Classical Fantasia that I'll have missed in a few years now, but for anyone still wanting tickets, it might still be possible that a few people on Freecycle will be giving them away, so you can always try there.

The Mighty Boosh in Leeds this December

2008-08-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to just find out that the Boosh, the Mighty Boosh will be gracing us with their presence in Leeds this December - absolutely crimp-tastic!

Sing me the Soup Song Boosh men -

Soup soup the tasty soup soup

Spicy carrot and coriander

Chill chowder

Crouton crouton

Crunchy friends in a liquid broth

I am gazpacho

I am a summer soup

Miso, Miso

Fighting in the Dojo

Miso, miso

Oriental friends in the land of soup.

The event will be on at the Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House from the 8th to 11th of Dec (46 New Briggate, Leeds 0870 121 4901)

Classic times indeed! Have a Boosh-tastic Xmas

Shakespeare at Kirkstall Abbey cancelled

2008-08-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

It is very dissapointing this year that the British Shakespeare Company performances have been cancelled at Kirkstall Abbey due to a lack of funding.

This event is the jewel in the crown of the Leeds events calendar, and the only one that I attend religiously every year, and have done right back since 1998. This year we were all looking forward to A Midsummer Night's Dream, a play for which the company have historically offered up magical performances. The first time I attended this play at the Abbey in 1998 I was enchanted and then again in 2005 and 2006.

The arrival of the British Shakespeare Company to Leeds each year represents the backbone of the Leeds events calendar and puts bigger more populist events such as Opera in the Park and Classical fantasia absolutely in the shade - in my opinion at least.

Don't even get me started on about what Leeds City Council is offering up as alternative entertainment to the Shakespeare festival - eh hem - balloon modelling and face painting. Some real thought went into that one. In fact about as much thought as went into trying to restore the Abbey and make it visitor friendly - you don't put a new roof on a twelfth century abbey, especially when part of the attraction and history underpinning its interest rests in the dissolution of the monasteries and it having its roof pulled off. Its an act of vandalism that effectively erases an important part of our history, and its the same philistine approach to the Abbey that is behind this failure to support the British Shakespeare Company through hard times.

I can't help feeling that Leeds is suffering from something of a cultural crisis at the moment, while many other large cities in the UK are enjoying a cultural renaissance - Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham to name but a few, everything in Leeds seems to be experiencing something of a dull ebb - from the diet of lacklustre theatre offered up by the playhouse, the lack of classical venues, live music and bands that are slim pickings except in really small and well-trodden venues such as Joseph's Well or the Pack Horse and everything else besides. Add to this the demise of Caberet Heaven in 2007 and it all starts to look rather grim.

Ok I admit Opera in the Park is a great evening, and the Leeds Mela is always a great experience, but we seem to be lacking something in high culture and the more avante garde culture that many other cities enjoy in abundance. I'm starting to think that Leeds City Council really needs a kick up the arse, and probably the whole of Leeds needs a kick up the arse before we get any sort of re-awakening - we are becoming a city of shopping and lacklustre wine bars, which is really the equivalent of a small town that has little to offer but musty pubs and charity shops.

Anyway, please show your support for the British Shakespeare Company and Robert J. Williamson here: http://www.britishshakespearecompany.com/diary/?p=241 - they have done us proud for the past twelve years and it would be a terrible shame if they were unable to come back. Bite your thumb at Leeds City Council and let them know just what barren practicers they are.

Here's some of my favorite memories from the performances over the past twleve years -

2006 - Wayne Sleep trying to have a quiet drink in the Vesper Gate pub while being pestered by a semi-sober girl with a voice that sounded like a slab of concrete being dropped on a squeeky toy.

Sliding off my chair after mis-judging how much wine I could down by the end of the first interval during Romeo and Juliet in 2006

Taking a Mongolian bloodline princess to see The Taming of the Shrew in 2005

Robert J. Wiliamson playing Hamlet with a semi-healed broken leg in 2003 - how did he do it and how ironic?

And much much more.

I've always hoped that events like this might be Leeds' passport to extend its repetoire of Reniassance drama beyond Shakespeare and to give us a better taste of the variety of the Renaissance theatre, but no such luck. The playhouse gave us a real treat with the Duchess of Malfi in 2006, as well as (okay its Shakespeare but not performed as much as it deserves) a great adaptation of Cymbeline in October 2006 - but aside from this its been really slim pickings, and now we're going backwards rather than forwards. ho hum, and why does the rain it raineth every day?

Lastly, and before I forget to mention it - just to add a kick in the nuts to a fart in the face - Comedy in the Park 2008 has been cancelled as well.

St Gemma's Hospice - sponsored charity event in Leeds

2008-08-18T08:14:00.001-07:00

St. Gemma's Hospice are holding a fun run at Temple Newsam in September.

Sunday Sports Challenge

Get sponsored to run, walk or ride in aid of St. Gemma’s Hospice on Sunday 21st September 2008 at Temple Newsam, Leeds

The day will include sponsored walks of 2 miles, 5 miles and 10 miles, a sponsored run of 5 miles and sponsored bike rides of 15 miles and 40 miles. There will also be stalls, entertainment, games and school sports day style races. To register or for more information call Laura on 0113 218 5570 or visit http://www.st-gemma.co.uk/forthcoming/sundaysports08.htm.

cow and calf pub

2008-08-18T07:34:00.001-07:00

cow and calf pub, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

View of the Cow and calf pub from Ilkley moor.

kirkstall abbey rear view

2008-08-18T07:31:00.001-07:00

kirkstall abbey rear view, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

kirkstall abbey rear view - visit Kirkstall Abbey, LS5 Leeds

Mandela Gardens, Millenium Square Leeds

2008-08-18T07:28:00.001-07:00

Mandela Gardens, Millenium Square Leeds, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

Water feature at Mandela Gardens, Millenium Square Leeds Sightseeing in Leeds

Millenium Square, Leeds town hall

2008-08-18T07:27:00.001-07:00

Millenium Square, Leeds town hall, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

Millenium Square, Leeds town hall - ,a href="http://www.top-weekends.co.uk/leeds_sightseeing.html">Leeds sightseeing

Skipton Castle

2008-08-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

Skipton Castle, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

Skipton Castle May 2008 - Top weekend breaks

Howarth churchyard

2008-08-18T07:13:00.001-07:00

Howarth churchyard, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

Howarth churchyard Summer 2008 - Top weekends away

Classical Fantasia, Leeds 2007

2008-08-18T07:11:00.001-07:00

Classical Fantasia, Leeds 2007, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

The fireworks at Classical Fantasia - Kirkstall Abbey Leeds September 2007 http://www.top-weekends.co.uk/classical_fantasia.html

Gay Pride Leeds 2007

2008-08-18T07:08:00.001-07:00

Gay Pride Leeds 2007, originally uploaded by cbosleeds.

Gay Pride Leeds 2007 - http://www.top-weekends.co.uk/gay_pride_leeds.html

poetry of Elizabeth I | Elizabeth Tudor

2008-07-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Link

Find Valencia Property - Homes in Valencia

2008-07-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

Property for sale in Pinoso Spain

Spacious three bedroomed property with pool, solarium and hot tub for sale in Pinoso Spain on the Murcia Valencia border.

Faversham on Thursday 28th February

2008-02-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

Gig at the Faversham on Thursday

the 28th of February

Gig at the Faversham on Thursday the 28th of February with the best bands in Leeds; The Bribes, The Vangos and Vibetown. Genre is funk, soul and indie plus DJ Tom Connally. Its gonna be a great night. Tickets £4 for advance bookings or £5 at the door. For tickets contact shan at 07833391865 or email shandanakhan@gmail.com.

Faversham address:

1-5, Springfield Mount,

Leeds LS2 9NG

New events in Leeds

2007-09-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Use this post to tell us about upcoming events in Leeds.

Classical Fantasia at Kirkstall- Sunday 16th September 2007

2007-09-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

Classical Fantasia is tomorrow. Don't forget to bring chairs, umbrellas and something to eat and drink - nothing worse than sitting on wet grass twiddling your thumbs while those around you are sat back gorging on M&S titbits and drinking wine.

You can post your comments about this year's Classical Fantasia here.

Places to visit in Leeds

2007-09-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Tell us about good places to visit in Leeds. We want to know about your favorite places, your favorite things to do and activities, what you think the best attractions in Leeds are, and why.

This post is an extension of our webpage places to visit in Leeds

Places to stay in Leeds

2007-09-12T06:47:00.001-07:00

Write your reviews on places to stay in Leeds here. If you would like to comment on your experience during a stay in Leeds then this is your opportunity to tell us about it - tell us what you liked about your visit to Leeds, what the accommodation was like at the hotel or guest house you stayed at, and also of course, tell us what you didn't like about your stay in Leeds.

This post is an extension of our web page on places to stay in Leeds

Leeds Events Blog Launch

2007-09-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Leeds Events Page launches today - the idea behind this is to create a forum that provides the people of Leeds with an opportunity to let one another know about up and coming events which they think may be of interest and also to discuss recent events. I'm also quite happy with people publicizing their own events on here, so long as they are taking place in the Leeds area.

I'll probably get the ball rolling following Classical Fantasia on Sunday at Kirkstall Abbey.

The Leeds Events Blog is essentially intended to be an extension of our Leeds Events page.