Anyone who visits Northern Quarter, or walks past Affleck's Palace or down Tib Street, will be…read moreamused by this creation. How would one describe it? To paraphrase the famous surrealist line, it is beautiful like a fortuitous encounter of a caterpillar and a saxophone within the remains of a red brick warehouse. As if this was not enough, there is a Freudian twist to it in the form of something that suggests the sculpture is of hermaphrodite nature, in that it has something female and male to it at the same time. Considering the status of Northern Quarter as the place for all things peculiar, the composition is a perfect fit.

The fact that the Mancunian powers-that-be woke up one day and decided to commemorate Vimto…read more(arguably the king of all 'mixed fruit' cordials) with its very own monument fills me with boundless joy. So much so, I've even got a photograph of myself doing a thumbs up by this statue. Seriously, the only way this monument could be any better is if it actually dispensed Vimto (Hot Vimto for the Winter months, Fizzy Vimto for the Summer months). If the person with the ability to make this happen is reading this, come on then, hop to it!

As an alternative to beer, the 'temperance drink' under the odd name of Vimto was first mixed by…read moreJohn Nichols in Granby Row in 1908. The sculpture by Kerry Morrison (1992) is now popular with students, children, and photographers.

Smithfield Market Hall is located just on the edge of the Northen Quarter and it's a real shame…read morethat an old building like this is boarded up and slowly crumbling apart. It's a shame that this can't be turned into an awesome local market along the lines of Spitalfields in East London or something like that. Surely with all the great independent shops, creativity and ideas floating around the Northern Quarter, something cool can be done with Smithfield Market Hall?

The great Greek bather-cum-mathematician is commemorated in a peculiar monument that sees…read moreArchimedes jumping up in his bath at the famous "Eureka!" moment. More peculiar yet is the monument's location. It is to be found under one of the arches of the railway bridge that separates Granby Row from Altrincham Street. It is usually seen by students and those who cut through on their way to or from Piccadilly train station. Apart from setting a distinguished man in stone, it also proves the point: nose is the Achilles heel of many sculptures...

I love Man's Chinatown so much. The beautiful Chinese architecture and arches are welcoming and…read moreinviting. The restaurants, markets, and shop are the very embodiment of Chinese culture and livelihood. It's an area I frequent with each visit to Manchester. Chinatown should be at the top of everyone's itinerary.

Never knew Manchester had a Chinatown but apparently it's the second biggest one outside of London…read more That being said, it encompasses only a few blocks (that we could see) but still it's fun to wander around and window shop - and have some dim sum or other more authentic dishes other than kung pao or general Tso chicken.

Went here for a gala dinner to celebrate the launch of Cathay Pacific's flights from Manchester to…read moreHong Kong. The venue is stunning for functions. At the entrance the stairs were lit up with hundreds of candles and my eyes were instantly drawn up to the ceiling. We all gathered outside the main room for drinks and canapés then we were ushered in to take our seats at very beautifully decorated tables. I had never been inside the town hall before but I know you can take a tour of the building and I'd heard great things. It's really beautiful inside and it looked fab lit up in coloured lights. The food was the town hall's own catering and it was superb.The chef cooked up a fusion of Asian and British cuisine. Starter was steamed fillet of bream, rice and seaweed crackers, crab salad edame, miso and hazelnut. Main was coal roasted sirloin of kings valley beef, roasted broccoli and sesame emulsion, lightly picked mouli, fermented bean reduction, shin dumpling & aromatic mini fondants. Dessert was coconut milk pannacotta, mancha green tea sponge, papaya & lychee.

Town Hall, Albert Square in city centre has been renovated over the years but it still boasts its…read moreglorious 1800s Victorian architecture with stellar beauty. Many events are held here from weddings, concerts, special events, holiday markets, and more. It's easy to see why. It makes for a beautiful backdrop for any occasion. I do like stopping by when I'm in Man to take in anything that may have changed and its infinite gothic presence.

There could hardly be an odder location and design for a court of law. Across the road from…read moreManchester Crown Court is the (in)famous Essential, one of the loudest clubs in the city's Gay Village. As for its architecture and outside decor, the building was erected in 1867-73 by Thomas Worthington who was guided by John Ruskin's principles for architecture and design. Heavily influenced by European Gothic, this would rather be a museum, yet instead it is not uncommon to see journalists filming reports and judges in wigs smoking outside of the building. The old building can be contemplated from Richmond St, Minshull St, and Bloom St. It is a sight for a photographer, art historian, or a fan of architecture and design. Those familiar with Italian architecture will quickly spot its influence in the design of the towers. The decor of the entrance, particularly the sculptures, are a lovely nod to Gothic style. Like the Manchester Town Hall, the Crown Court was extended, and it is the modern brick-and-glass extension that greets visitors who arrive to Manchester Piccadilly. It is also surrounded by hotels like CityInn and Malmaison, and for those who have to stay in Manchester and to attend the court the location could not be any more convenient. And, in spite of its actual purpose, the building is a pleasant view to cast your eye on, while drinking coffee at Caffe Nero.

Lincoln Statue is a great statue in the otherwise underwhelming Lincoln Square just off Brazenose…read moreStreet. It's full of character and stands tall above the small square. Clearly it's a bit weird that there is a statue of an America President in Manchester. But actually John Bright (whose own statue is in Albert Square) was an important ally to Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, encouraging Manchester to boycott Southern Cotton in protest at slavery. The Lincoln Statue was made by George Grey Barnard and was erected in 1919.

The Alan Turing Building is the location where the School of Mathematics of The University of…read moreManchester is based; it also houses the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. As everyone can imagine, it's named after the famous British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing. It's quite a new building, completed only a few years ago, in 2007. Many facilities are provided: spacious and well-lit lecture theatres, a cafe on the ground floor, a small library, computer rooms and even showers. The bridge across the atrium is the common room for mathematics academics and graduate students, where morning coffee is served.

The Alan Turing is the place where I spend most of my mathematical life. It's a great building!!…read moreThe worst thing about the building is that some of the offices (including mine) have no windows. However it's not hard to pop out into the main foyer, which with a glass roof certainly does not lack for natural light. There are plenty of top quality teaching rooms with particularly nice blackboards. My favorite thing about the ATB is the atrium bridge area. It a place where staff and postgrads can relax, chat and get away from maths (although you may struggle to avoid mathematical conversation). It location makes in easy to see from the upper level so you can quickly check who's about from your office (and then decided if you want to sit with them)