Had a reading with Jean foster today it was interesting I would highly recommend her…read more She is an amazing lady and feel more at ease know I spoken to her

I've always been dubious on psychics and fortune-telling. However, I knew several people who had…read morebeen to see Maurice and they were very impressed by his readings. So much so, that they had returned to him several times over the years because everything he predicted had come true. I was intrigued so I gave it a shot. He's on the first floor of a discreet building near the corner entrance of House of Fraser. He's now semi-retired so works fewer hours and I would definitely recommend that you book an appointment. He offers an hour reading that covers love, work, health and relationships for £40. You can ask questions and he gives a recording of the entire session for you to keep. I was struck by how accurate he was when he described my past and those close to me. His reading was not only accurate but could not be generalised to anyone else. Impressive.

Winterbourne is a great place for a sunny day. £5 gives you access to the Arts and Crafts house and…read moregardens, both of which are lovely. Behind the more formal gardens are woodland trails (you might even see a beech tree I helped to coppice as a student many years ago) and Edgbaston reservoir, a calm expanse of water populated by ducks, moorhens and crested grebes. There are beautiful waterside rock gardens with stepping stones, which I love. The whole place feels like a sanctuary from the city and is conveniently located close to the Barber Institute and the university campus if you want to make more of a day of it. There's a tea room which sells serviceable scones (with that really aerated cream rather than proper whipped or clotted cream though) and also sandwiches, soup and potatoes etc. You can get plants and gifts at the shop- and if you go during the week you may be able to get some advice from the gardeners, too.

Beautiful House and garden just 5 minutes away from Birmingham University. Amazing greenhouses…read morefilled with various flowers, cacti, plants. Such a lovely place to visit on a summer day especially if you check out their tearoom by the terrace!

Lots to see and do at this 15-acre botanical garden: a koi pond, aviary, butterfly house, bonsai…read morecollection, glasshouses, and many trails winding through various gardens. I was also witnessed a poor wild peacock being chased by children across the Main Lawn. Tickets are low-priced at £7.50 per adult. A 15 to 20 minute bus ride from the main city stops right by the garden. We didn't explore every nook and cranny, but covered the highlights in the hour that we stayed.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a medium-sized and well-maintained gardens a bit outside the…read morecity center. They have pleasant fields for strolling, a small area with some bird houses for your bird-watching enjoyment, plus some indoor greenhouses with plants from different climates. It's not that large, but you could enjoy an hour or two here. Come when the weather is nice to enjoy some greenery.

Shugborough is a charming estate with a lively house. We came here often in my childhood, and it…read morehas been well kept the grounds house events such as classic car shows and charming sculpture walks. The courtyard host coffee shops and ice cream, and I live the bridges. The passing bridge is still a favourite for pooh sticks even though I'm a fully grown woman. Nice place, great for a picnic too. PS, its a cracking place to collect conkers!

Shugborough Hall is a National Trust Property located in Stafford. The location and the Christmas…read moremarket event they were holding on the weekend made it the perfect place for the annual Jewellery Quarter residents trip (yes, I am of an age that I go on Coach trips). I have vague memories of maybe visiting this place in the depths of time gone by, although with most National Trust properties - they are much of a muchness. Once you've seen one stately home you kinda get the gist. As you would expect, it's pretty impressive. The driveway must be nearly a mile long to get to the property (and is a little dicey, so be prepared to close your eyes if you're an insecure passenger) and the place is surrounded by rolling green fields. I would imagine in the summer you might see deer (or at least cattle) strolling around as you approach the house. The house itself is pretty magnificent. Some of it's buildings are constructed in what I imagine to be sandstone and the main building is bright white and looks very well kept. There is plenty of parking to be had on site and as well as the house there are gorgeous gardens, a tea room a gift shop and all of the facilities you would expect from a National Trust property. The Christmas event is wonderful. As well as numerous market stalls under cover at the front of the building with lots of craft and local produce, there was live music and food being served all through the day. Once we had gotten in to the market, we grabbed a hot food and a warm drink and began to plan our day. The market had a great selection of gifts to be had! Everything from handmade toys, jewellery, clothing and food was on offer for very reasonable prices. We picked up some great presents (and a little something for me, of course) and had a really nice time chatting to the stall holders who explained how everything was made and where ingredients etc were sourced from. The inside of Shugborough had been specially with a "Christmas by candlelight" theme. Only the downstairs was open (apparently the upstairs is open normally) and all of the rooms were decorated with gorgeous bouquets of flowers, candles and decked out with Christmas trinkets. The staff were also wearing the clothing of the era and were on hand to answer any questions about the house, the history or anything in the rooms. Entrance for an adult to get into both the hall and the market was £8 in advance. I felt this was a fair price to have a look around the house, the gardens and the markets. Obviously a lot of effort goes into making everything look just right for the occasion and it felt very festive. I would recommend a visit to Shugborough during the Christmas event or at any point in the year if you're a fan of stately homes. The gardens must look magnificent in the Summer when everything is in bloom, but even in winter we had a lovely wander around admiring them. I would recommend the hall as a nice afternoon out for the family.

Patricia is a genuine and rare medium. My dad appeared to me on four days ago during meditation and…read moregave me her full name. I was not disappointed. She gave me very reassuring and loving info from my dad and even told me to to tell my mum to give me a bracelet he bought her over 30 years ago, because he bought it with love. I am now wearing it and will never take it off. Thankyou Patricia.

Despite being highly recommended, my group booking found this experience to be very unsettling. The…read moremedium presented herself as interchangeable mood swings and sporadical long pauses which affected concentration. Common theme presented in outcome of Readings. Not worth money paid.

If you've ever fancied having one of the country's finest small galleries to yourself then the…read moreBarber Institute is the place for you. I've visited several times and on each occasion it's just been me and the security guards. This is nothing short of a travesty as the collection is one to be treasured. Situated within the grounds of the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston campus the permanent collection is housed within four adjoined galleries telling the story of European Art from the 13th to the early 20th Century. The Green gallery contains works from the Renaissance era with a particularly stunning collection of Albrecht Durer woodcuts in a darkened side-room. This leads to the Red gallery, which in addition to 17th Century works by Rubens, Van Dyck and Murillo contains representation of a personal favourite painter, Frans Hals (check out the brushwork - hands like lightning that man). The Beige gallery contains what is arguably the stand-out work of the whole collection, and from one of it's lesser known artists; Vigee-Lebrun's "Portrait of Francois Langois". Finally, the Blue gallery reads like a who's-who of Romantic and Impressionist artists - Turner, Manet, Delacroix, Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, Gaugin. I could go on. Temporary exhibits can also be found in the Education Gallery. There is a small gift shop and cafe on the ground floor. Entrance free; donations appreciated. It's just a shame there aren't more people there to appreciate it.

Birmingham is a world class city concerning the subject of art, this much cannot be disputed. Once…read moreone has thoroughly inspected the collections at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the next stop should be four miles south, at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts on the campus of the University of Birmingham. This fine institute was founded only in the 1930's as both a art gallery and campus building for the study of art. As with other collections on campus, there is no required admission fee, though a £5 donation is requested. The bequest used in the founding of the institute required that acquisitions be of a quality on par with the National Gallery in London. Almost all of the works on display are housed on the second floor of the building. The collection is smaller than art museums of a national scale, but it is very focused and robust in its own right. Arguably some of the most important works on display are 'The Harvest Wagon' (Gainsborough), Symphony in White No. 3 (Whistler), Shakespeare's folios, and a combined Roman & Byzantine coin collection (one of the world's largest). In addition you'll find works by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Gauguin. Unlike pretty much every gallery in London, you can relax and take in the works at the institute on a lazy afternoon with very few people milling about to break your concentration. Downstairs, a lecture hall and auditorium completes the institute, with a nice gift shop near the door. If you are only visiting, live in Birmingham, or even only have a passing passion for art, the Barber Institute is a must see regardless!

Scary Canary is a cool little bar / venue at the top of Stourbridge High Street, housed in the…read moreformer McDonalds building. On entering through a fairly plain black door you walk upstairs to find yourself in a lovely room filled with quirky lighting, mis-matched chairs, tables and sofas and with loads of art by local artists on the walls, (most of it for sale). The venue regularly hosts gigs, film nights and quizzes with a different theme each week. Last time I did a film quiz there, one of the rounds was 'who can draw the best picture of Steve Buscemi'! The bar is well stocked with a good range of beers, wine and spirits and also sells snacks like crisps and nuts. It also has a really great sound system and a small area that serves as a stage and dance floor. I went to Scary Canary last night for a birthday party and had a great evening, I would really recommend it as an alternative to all of the chain / old man pubs that are in Stourbridge.