Manchester Christmas Markets are open for business. I’ve already sampled the food as you can see, but last year’s meetup for food and drink went down well so here we go. Manchester Nightlife meetup group are out again, this time starting in Deansgate’s Be At One. From there we’ve got a choice of directions we can walk in where before long we’ll hit one set of wooden stalls or other. Then: eat, drink, talk, network.
Wrap up warm! 7pm Saturday.
Zoo-themed Manchester bar Menagerie moved recently from New Bailey in Spinningfields to Bridge St, taking over the unit that was once home to Vanitas. I set up a meetup for last night to take a look, so a few of us rocked up for a few early doors drinks.
Great atmosphere, no queue at the bar, Afrobeats on the speakers, got a seat, had some good chat with new and regular Manchester Nightlife attendees.
Then Sam Giffen from Big Brother said I was fit. Wrong target market but I’ll take the compliment regardless.Menagerie has moved from New Bailey to Bridge St. Barman called this #mocktail a 'Strawberry Something.' #Manchester
— Matt Tuckey 🇬🇧 (@matttuckey.bsky.social) November 23, 2025 at 2:41 PM
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My first time cooking chicken wings, via Rukmini Iyer’s The Roasting Tin. I went to 3 supermarkets to (unsuccessfully) find chipotle chilli flakes, but I did find standard chilli flakes and chipotle chilli paste, which worked out well. I used the wrong side of the zest grater which clogged up quickly, but there was enough left on the actual lime once I turned it over.
38 mins prep time. Should have been 10. Welcome to my world.
I don’t think I’ve ever even tried chicken wings before. Brummie comedian Jasper Carrott probably put me off. ‘Chicken wings?’ he announced incredulously at one of his 90s shows. ‘Chickens haven’t flown in 10 million years! It’s just skin and bone!’
To be fair, they are rare. Aldi and Asda didn’t have them, but Tesco had a big pack. It filled a roasting tray with the veg and sauce. Then I think I forgot to follow a big chunk of the instructions while the meat was in the oven, which basically involved making a yoghurt with coriander and lime. I managed to whip that all up in short time.
Tasty and messy. You need plenty of kitchen roll before and ideally exfoliating soap after. But there’s more meat on them that Carrott would have you believe.
Comic Con Liverpool November '25 walkthrough video 2.Comic Con Liverpool November '25 walkthrough video 1. Shot in landscape. Samsung wants it portrait.
— Matt Tuckey 🇬🇧 (@matttuckey.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 9:49 AM
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— Matt Tuckey 🇬🇧 (@matttuckey.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I figured I’d make the most of the situation and paid for a couple of photos with 2 of the voice actors from South Park: Mona Marshall, voice of Sheila Brovloski (Kyle’s mom)
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April Stewart, voice of Wendy Testaburger, Cartman’s mom Lianne, Stan’s mom Sharon, Kenny’s mom Carol McCormick, Stan’s sister Shelley Marsh, and Mayor McDaniels.
I was 15-16 when South Park came out and I quickly became engrossed in it. Great to meet some of the cast.
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| SoCalVal interviewing Luis Guzman and Georgie Farmer |
I plonked myself down on the floor in another hall, where screens were broadcasting - from yet another large room - a Q+A panel session with Luis Guzman and Georgie Farmer, Gomez and Ajax respectively, from TV show Wednesday. Guzman also played Pachanga in Carlito’s Way, Ray in Traffic and Maurice in Boogie Nights.
Compare SoCalVal described the original Addams Family – from which Wednesday spins off - as a popular comfort film. What, she asked, were their comfort films?
Although Guzman admit’s he’s a Marvel fan, it’s the 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein that he holds close to his heart. “I can watch every day and laugh,” he says. “Gene Wilder was such an incredible actor. I miss the black and white.”
SoCalVal asks about onset hijinks.
LG: We were on TV show Hot Ones (celebs being interviewed over a plate of spicy chicken wings). I kept telling Georgie to drink milk. They kept bringing him water.
SCV: What are your key memories of The Addams Family?
LG: What struck me was how comfortable the characters were within themselves. It gave me the comfort in my own craziness.
GF: That’s the beautiful thing about The Addams Family. We’re all taught to fit in with everybody. In reality it doesn’t exist.
SCV: Like Comic Con. We’re all about inclusivity.
LG: Raul (Julia, played Gomez in the 2 90s movies) was somebody I admire. I love him so much. We were both from Puerto Rico. When I was offered this role, I wasn’t trying to outdo anyone, just trying to pay homage.
GF: We filmed Wednesday in the height of COVID. It was like summer camp. All we saw was each other. I had a great time in New York for the premiere.
The roaming mic goes out into the audience.
AUDIENCE QUESTION: You’ve had an exceptional career, Luis. Have you received any piece of direction or, piece of advice that you make into the role?
LG: When I first got the call, I said, (exec producer) ‘Tim Burton wants to talk to me?!’ I did a Zoom call, I call my people, I tell them, ‘I said yes, but I don’t know what I’ve said yes to.’ They said, ‘it’s Wednesday; they want you to play Gomez.’ I said, ‘what’s Wednesday? Like Addams Family?’ ‘Yeah!’ I was thrilled. We had the best crews working in every department: wardrobe, direction.
AQ: If Tim Burton did a live action show, would you do it?
LG: Does a chicken have hips? Yeah!
SCV: Chickens do have hips.
Guzman tells of his early days before fame. He’d started out as a social worker. A guy came to his house and encouraged him to go to an audition, which landed him a role in 80s cop show Miami Vice. “All I wanted was a car,” he tells, “to go to the club.”
SCV: What’s next?
LG: My son is producing a travel show. I’m really proud of him . Also we’re going into the third season of Wednesday.
GF: More coming out soon. I can’t say. Next year I get my pilot’s licence, only for small planes.
SCV: Air Georgie coming soon!
LG: Stay beautiful, people!
PICS
Comic Con Liverpool returns in May.
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| Jurassic Park set |
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| Alistair Mackenzie. Perrin Fertha in Andor, Richard Aylard in The Crown, Jamie Poynter in Cold Feet. |
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| Terminator set |
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| 'Maybe it should be Bruce Vain.' Robert Whul, reporter Alexander Knox in Batman 1989 |
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| Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington cosplay |
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| Bob Morley, Aiden Foster in Neighbours, Drew Curtis in Home and Away |
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| Bumblebee car, Transformers |
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| Melanie Zenetti, voice of Chilli Heeler in Bluey |
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| Back to the Future part III train set |
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| Delorean, Back to the Future |
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| SAVE THE CLOCK TOWER. Back to the Future set |
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| Optimus Prime |
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| Wookie cosplay |
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| Blasphemous 2 video game cosplay |
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| Elizabeth Shue (looking to the right), Jennifer in Back to the Future Part II and III. Ali Mills in The Karate Kid / Cobra Kai. Should have met her really. |
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| General Lee, Dukes of Hazzard |
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| Faceman's Corvette from A-Team |
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| Geena Davis. Ronnie in The Fly, April in Tootsie, Barbara in Beetlejuice, Thelma in Thelma and Louise |
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| Chicken and chips |
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| Elizabeth Tulloch. Lois Lane in Superman and Lois, Juliette in Grimm |
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| Back to the Future Part 3 set |
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| David McCormack, voice of Bluey |
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| Matt King, Super Hans from Peepshow |
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| Terminator memorabilia |
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| Leatherface cosplay, Texas Chainsaw |
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| Ted Diabase from WWE |
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| Back to the Future Part III train |
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| Sarah Drew. Dr April Kepner in Grey's Anatomy |
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| Vikings cosplay |
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| Rorschach cosplay from Watchmen |
I was at Comic Con Liverpool this weekend surrounded by movie and TV stars and cosplayers of all kinds. Interesting day. Met some voice actors who you may not know by name or face, but you’ll know their characters. Working on a blog post featuring a Q+A with a certain Latino actor as we speak. You’ll know his face. I’m taking of a bit of leave to get through all the notes.
Meanwhile I’m having a follow up appointment with this Muscular Skeletal doctor I saw a few weeks ago. I’ve done a bit of running and things seem okay. Just under 3 weeks to the Santa Dash.
Saturday night: Join Manchester Nightlife for the new Menagerie, which has moved from Spinningfields to Manchester Hall on Bridge St. Expect Aerial performers, cocktails, birdcages, a catwalk and possibly some TV soap stars. Meeting in Oast House at 9.
A simple potato and cauliflower curry this time, from Rukmini Iyer’s India Express book. Chechki translates from Bengali as ‘stir fry,’ although this one is baked in the oven.
I used dried coriander, not fresh. I made the required panch phoron with the individual required herbs and spices that were already in my drawer, accumulated through years of following recipes. Should have taken 55 mins, I did it in 60. Not too bad. Tasted fine, if a little dry.
Looking forward to this week.
Jack Reacher creator Lee Child is signing at a sold-out event via Waterstones Deansgate on Tuesday. His brother Andrew is also in attendance. I was too late to get a ticket.
I’ve received my tickets for Comic Con Liverpool, where on Saturday I’ll be meeting Doc from Back to the Future, Christopher Lloyd. It’s going to be great, Scott. It looks like there’s still some Sunday 11am tickets till available. Jump on this fast! Also in attendance: wrestler John Cena, Captain Marvel Brie Larson, Luis Guzman off Addams Family and Carlito’s Way, Boogie Nights / Austin Powers star Heather Graham and the female voices of South Park. Many more fill the stacked Roster.
New men’s mental health group The Gathered Men has launched in Oldham, ‘for honest connection, grounded energy, and real conversation.’ Sadly, they last met in zionist Costa Coffee, so I’ll pass, thanks. Friday’s upcoming meeting is in the more palatable Black Sheep Coffee on Market St.
Busy week.
