directoryofbirmingham » Birmingham Events

Brummy Yummy Mummy

dna-admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:34:17 +0000

With the furore of Valentines Day truly over, we can now turn our attention to the next card buying fest in the calender. Mother’s Day (’already!? ‘I hear you cry) is coming up and in celebration of West Midlands Mothers, The Pallasades Shopping centres is running a competition to transfer one mundane mum into a yummy mummy!

With all the stresses (and joys) a new baby can bring, it’s no wonder that women rarely find the time or energy to groom themselves back to their pre baby glory after giving birth. This March The Pallasades will take the stress away from one Mother by treating her to a special health and beauty day, designed especially to help make new mums feel great.

The competition runs as part of The Pallasades People campaign which aims to find and treat six deserving people throughout the year. The winner will receive a makeover at The Pallasades on 3rd March 2010. The day will include a hair and make-up session with The Pallasades’ stylist, a manicure, and a goodie bag of treats from selected retailers at the shopping centre. In addition, the lucky winner will receive a £100 Pallasades Gift Card to spend on themselves. To top the day off the newly made-up mum will be treated to a professional photo shoot, modelling both day-wear and evening wear.

Time to nominate! If you, or someone you know has recently added a bundle of joy to their life and could do with a treat, pick up a pen and get your thinking cap on. You’ll need to state in no more than 150 words why you, or your loved one deserves the New Mum Makeover. You’ll also need to attach two pictures, one from before the pregnancy and one since the baby was born. Nominations can be emailed to thepallasades@golleyslater.co.uk or check out the leaflets in and around The Pallasades and take your entry to the Customer Service Desk by the 26th February 2010.

Good luck mummies!

Find a New Love for 2010

Mags — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:36:42 +0000

If you’re about to get your third cat, don’t. The crazy cat lady is slowly creeping into your shoes and before you know it, you’ll be forgotten. The only person you’ll see when you look in that mirror is a crazy spinster. Surrounded by cats. We’re in a new decade now, and January marks the beginning of a brand new year, for a brand new love. Don’t be left out in the cold. Get proactive about your single status and you could be knitting underwear for a Calvin Klein hunk (actually, that’s highly unlikely).

If it’s been too long since your eyes met someone else’s across a shop/street/dancefloor/office/aquariam/wherever you last found love, then it’s time to inject romance back into your being and give your entire existence a whole new meaning. When the Beatles said All you need is love I’m pretty certain they weren’t kidding. Understandably, they also said I am the eggman, I am the walrus so they could have just been a bunch of crazies. But just on the off-chance, you may want to search for some romance in Birmingham. It’s a big city, with lots of people, and if you can’t find love here, you probably can’t find it anywhere else.

If you’re in the Birmingham or West Midlands area, you will be entitled three days completely free with Dating Direct. Dating Direct is the UK’s number one online dating service, and you can get unlimited access for three whole days. Join now and get connected with 3.5 million users in the UK, many of whom will be in your area!

Looking for love in Birmingham? Join the best dating service for Birmingham & The West Midlands – DatingDirect.com

Just-Eat: Birmingham Takeaways

Mags — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:00:59 +0000

I love the internet. Wouldn’t know what to do without it. I do my banking on it, my grocery shopping on it, my research on it, and I’m just waiting for the day that I can somehow do my laundry on it. And never fear my fellow laundry-hating friends, for that day will come. Just-Eat.co.uk is probably the best virtual discovery since PimpMySnack.com or ASOS. Not only can we forget the washing up, lock up Delia Smith forever (the book I mean) and save ourselves another strange battle with the smoke alarm (a mystery to the untrained cook), but we can order our food quickly and quietly online. Yes, quietly. We needn’t utter a word to the takeaway lady who answers the phone. I don’t like talking to strangers.

With Just-Eat.com, you can find local Birmingham takeaways near you, browse their menu (no more rummaging through every single drawer in the house) , place your order, and plonk yourself down on the sofa until the doorbell rings. One of these days, they will replace door-to-door delivery with door-to-armchair delivery for an extra £2.99. But until then, this is pretty frickin’ awesome!

Simply type in your Birmingham postcode and browse the takeaways to see which one takes your fancy. If you already know what you want, you can refine your search by cuisine (Chinese tonight?) Browse through the online menu (complete with prices) and proceed with an order. Once you’ve ordered, pay with credit/debit card and wait for a confirmation from the takeaway. Half an hour later, Chung Ying’s your uncle! There are thousands of participating takeaways across the UK and over 135,000 reviews to help you choose one.

Hungry? Order from Just-Eat.co.uk now…

Smoke Free Birmingham

Mags — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:22:23 +0000

I’m definitely in two minds. The artier Dylan-Moran-esque side of me would love to just sit there aimlessly in a quirky little bookshop all day long, smoking and drinking red wine until it comes out of my ears. The wiser part of of me knows that I can’t really do that without consequences. And there’s also a shamefully angelic, yoga-loving, celery-eating, good girl side to me which I just can’t fight. It’s there. And it’s not going anywhere soon.

Quitting smoking is one the top ten of Britain’s favourite new years resolutions. Of course, as typical Brits, we do like to quit half way – quit quitting that it. Smoking is still the number one killer today – taking more precious lives than road accidents, alcohol liver disease, murder, suicides and HIV put together. Because of this, Birmingham is proud to be smoke free. Quitting not only benefits your health, the health of others, but it will also benefit your bank balance. Use this handy online calculator to work out how much money you can save.

Tabacco is a huge contributor to heart attacks, stroke, respiratory diseases and cancer, and these diseases kill over 87,000 people in England every year! Around 2,000 of these deaths happen in the Birmingham area. Birmingham has gone smoke free in a bid to tackle this on going problem, so if your new years resolution was to put it out for good, make sure you find the best ways to stick to your targets. Everyone will have their own ideas on the best ways to quit smoking, so the key is to find your own rhythm. If you need a little extra help, there are hypnotherapy and other alternative therapies available in the Birmingham area. For a free Quit Kit from the NHS, go online to order.

The Snowman @ Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Mags — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:00:56 +0000

The REP in Birmingham has long been one of the leading national producing theatre companies since it was founded in 1913. The Birmingham Repertory Theatre introduced new and foreign plays to the British theatre repertoire, making it one of the most innovative and forward thinking theatres in the country. Today, it is a well-known springboard for many internationally acclaimed actors, designers and directors.

This January, you can catch The Snowman, a live stage show based on the classic book by Raymond Briggs. As many of you will already know, the tale of The Snowman tells the story of when a young boy’s snowman comes to life. On the eve of Christmas day, the snowman comes to life infront of the boy’s eyes and soon the two set off on an adventure through the night. Meeting reindeer, dancing penguins and other magical creatures on their travels, the snowman and the boy become good friends.

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of The Snowman has been wowing its audiences every winter since 1993 and features the classically chilling song Walking in the Air by Howard Blake. Make sure you don’t miss this magical production this January. Tickets start from just £1o each, with concessions available and discounts for schools/groups.

This enchanting story, as interpreted by the REP in Birmingham will take you back to your childhood add a touch of magic to your winter. During the coldest month of the year, indulge in a little belated Christmas fantasy. Come to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Centenary Square and watch the most captivating show of the season. Book your tickets now.

Young Gifted Brum: Are You Gifted?

Mags — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:34:20 +0000

Are you young and talented? Or perhaps you know someone who is young and talented? Young Gifted Brum is a programme made especially for those who have charisma, flair and creativity just waiting to come out. Designed to engage children and young people in performing arts, digital arts and expression, this programme, as created by The Drum in Birmingham, will help young people develop their raw talent into a refined skill.

The Drum is a centre for Black British arts and culture, dedicated to promoting contemporary art of British African, Asian and Caribbean communities. Tutors and mentors at the Drum are dedicated to helping kids in a wide range of art activites, and will offer them support throughout the duration of the programme, as a trainer and as a friend. The Young Gifted Brum programme and the tutors involved will help to train and build self-confidence, self esteem, understanding and respect between people in the community. The programme helps young children, not only refine their creative talents, but builds their interpersonal skills through interacting with other children in their community. Young Gifted Brum bridges the gap between kids in the surrounding Birmingham communities, and final productions will be showcased through two annual events, bringing everyone including families, friends and neighbours together.

If your little one could be the next writer, producer or director then don’t let their creativity go to waste. Motivate, stimulate and challenge them. For anyone who is interested, please contact Sarah on (0121) 3332444 or email s.blackstock@the-drum.org.uk

Dare to Walk on Fire?

Mags — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:46:49 +0000

Do you dare to walk across a floor of blazing fire? Are you fearless enough to walk on a spread of cold, sharp and painful ice? Can you handle it? If you’re an adrenaline junkie the you will love the Fire & Ice Walk event on the 16th January in Birmingham. Held at the West Midlands Police Training Centre, you can put yourself forward to take on the two opposing extremes of ice and fire. Put your feet to the test and see if you are brave enough to take on the chill of ice or the unbearable heat of fire.

Fire and Ice has been organised to raise money for The Stroke Association, so not only are you getting your a adrenaline fix, but you’re helping a worthy cause. This event starts at 6pm on Saturday the 16th of January and you can choose fire over ice, ice over fire, or the challenge of both! The Fire and Ice Walk is safe for families to attend and you will be able to enjoy an evening of refreshments from the bar.

Event Information:

£10.00 registration fee per challenge (non-refundable)
Minimum £70 sponsorship required and minimum £100 for both challenges.
Free t shirts are given to anyone who raises over £100.

There is no minimum age limit for participants, but anyone under the age of 16 will have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There will be free parking on the day. For more information, please call the fundraising team on 0121 444 1042 or email: robert.jinks@stroke.org.uk.

2010: Try New Foods in Birmingham

Mags — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:22:50 +0000

It’s a new year. A new leaf. A new way of thinking. I am going to be 25 this year, and my mission is to make sure that I go as wild as physically possible (before having stomach pumped or rescued from a mountain etc). Because time doesn’t wait for anybody. Adventure lies in all areas of our lives, from the places we go, the people we aspire to be, the countries we travel to, the pastimes we choose, to the food we put in our mouths. So what food are you putting in your mouth these days? If you’re living in the most culturally diverse city of Birmingham, and you’re stuffing your gob with the same old beef and two veg (don’t forget the tats and gravy) every day, then shame on you!

Birmingham is abundant in fantastic food from around the world. Here you will find a restaurant/eatery for almost anything that tickles your tastebuds. Don’t stick to your comfort zone – widen your palate and take a good look around you: Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Italian, French, Polish, Modern European, Jamaican, fusion, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese, Pan-Asian, Greek, Mongolian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indonesian, and Caribbean. There’s certainly no shortage of choice in Birmingham.

Famous for its diverse demographics, the cultural richness has added greatly to the city’s music and arts. Not only does Birmingham boast fantastically loud, bustling and bold cultures, but there’s great food, great art, great festivals and endless entertainment and learning for all. If you haven’t explored the amazing tastes, colours and textures right on yoru doorstep, it’s time you swapped TV dinners for adventurous feasts and your knife and fork for a pair of chopsticks.

New to dining adventures? Use these online guides to get your bearings: