Manchester Deansgate

Pesto Widnes open now!

Liverpool One

Pesto Widnes open now!

Glasgow St Vincent Street

Pesto Widnes open now!

Manchester Trafford Centre

Pesto Widnes open now!

Pesto’s Picks May 2012

Pesto Italian Restaurant WidnesIn this month’s Pesto’s Picks we take a look at the best of what’s on across Glasgow and the North West, congratulate Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow and welcome Pesto in a Pub Widnes to the family!

April has been a brilliant month for Pesto Italian Restaurants, with the official opening of Pesto in a Pub Widnes and Pesto Glasgow landing second place at one of Scotland’s biggest award ceremonies.

Pesto Glasgow placed second in the Best New Restaurant category at the Scottish Entertainment Guide Awards last Sunday, just eight months after opening its doors. The Glasgow team have worked very hard to turn Pesto St Vincent Street into one of Scotland’s best up-and-coming Italian restaurants and we’d like to extend a massive thank you to Francis and the team for all their efforts! We’ve added pics of the Pesto Glasgow team at the awards ceremony on our Facebook page and our web gallery.

Pesto Widnes opened its doors today, officially making it the sixth member of the Pesto family! If you fancy a scrumptious dinner with an ice-cold pint why not reserve a table at Pesto in a Pub Widnes now? Online booking for the restaurant is now available, or if you’d prefer to arrange with a manager directly please call: 0151 424 3729

As the summer months beckon marathons are cropping up all over the place, and this month we recommend participating or helping out where you can with the Great Manchester Run and the Ignis Asset Managements Women’s 10k Run.

The Great Manchester Run takes place on Sunday 20th May, with the route finishing up on Deansgate, just a stone’s throw from Pesto Italian Restaurants Deansgate. If you’re participating in the run and fancy a well-deserved treat afterward, why not reserve a table with our Deansgate team now? https://www.facebook.com/greatmanchesterrun and http://www.greatrun.org/events/event.aspx?id=4

If you’re north of the border and participating in the Ignis Asset Management Women’s 10k run on Sunday 13th May, why not arrange a slap-up meal with the ladies afterwards? Pesto Glasgow is our biggest restaurant, located centrally on St Vincent Street over three floors, so there’s plenty of room to bring the whole team down! https://www.facebook.com/W10KGlasgow?v=wall

For those of you who are less inclined toward hours of grueling exercise, why not check out the Trafford Centre’s Summer of Hope and Glory launch party on Thursday 24th May. Taking place throughout the Trafford Centre, the Summer of Hope and Glory is a celebration of all things British, the Trafford Centre will be alive and kicking with music, dancers, fun and entertainment throughout the evening. http://www.traffordcentre.co.uk/whatson/hopeandgloryparty

Westlife Pesto Italian Restaurants Liverpool One
Brooding

Our final pick of the month actually spans over two months, it’s Westlife’s Greatest Tour, which also happens to be their farewell tour. The Irish quartet will be performing at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on Tuesday 15th May and Wednesday 13th June. http://whatson.visitliverpool.com/files/2.html

 

Easter holiday treats at Pesto!

Easter holiday manchesterThis Easter holiday we’ve a special treat in-store for the kids at our Deansgate and Trafford Centre diners with our fabulous colouring-in competition!

Kids dining over the Easter holiday weekend with an adult at our Trafford Centre restaurant can bag a £30 Pesto voucher, while our Deansgate kiddie diners are treated to a chocolate egg, with the winner also claiming a £30 Pesto voucher.

Easter holiday manchesterThe competition will run over the Easter holiday weekend, and the winner will be announced on Easter Monday! We’ll be posting pics of the winners with their prizes right here on the blog as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.

In other Pesto news – shortly after the Easter holiday the second Pesto in a Pub will open in Farnworth, Widnes – watch this space over the coming weeks for updates, or keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter! Pesto Glasgow has been nominated for a top award only six months after opening for business!

Pesto Glasgow is officially a finalist in the ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ category at the Scottish Entertainment Guide Awards 2012 – we’ll be following up on the full story early next week, so keep your eyes peeled peeps!

If you’d like to make a reservation over the Easter holiday why not book a table online now at http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/bookings – alternatively you can call our restaurant managers directly to make a bespoke booking on the numbers below. If you’d like to check out our kids menu first click here to download the kids menu or click here to browse online.

Easter holiday manchesterDeansgate – 0161 831 9930
Trafford Centre – 0161 749 8228
Liverpool One – 0151 708 6353
Glasgow Central – 0141 204 0979
Cabbage Hall – 01829 760 292

 

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/deansgate-menu/kids-menu/

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/trafford-centre-menu-2/kids-menu/

Queen Elizabeth set for city visit

The City of Manchester is gearing up for a royal visit this week with MediaCityUK, BBC Media City, University Hospitals and the Town Hall all penciled in for a visit from Queen Elizabeth!

Queen Elizabeth’s reign of 60 years is the second-longest for a British monarch, the only monarch to have a longer reign is Queen Victoria, who reigned for an astounding sixty-three years and seven months. Queen Elizabeth’s Silver and Golden Jubilees were celebrated in 1977 and 2002, with her Diamond Jubilee celebrations taking place throughout 2012.

Queen Elizabeth’s most anticipated engagement of 2012 is the opening of the 2012 Summer Olympics on 27 July and the Paralympics on 29 August in London.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth begins her visit by opening the Central Manchester University Hospitals on Friday 23rd March, followed by the opening of MediaCityUK and BBC Media City at Salford Quays, all on the same day.

Later in the afternoon Queen Elizabeth will attend a lunch in Albert Square at Manchester Town Hall, located just a five minute walk from Pesto Italian Restaurants Deansgate – ideal if you’re out Queen-spotting and you fancy a scrumptious lunch with a taste of the royal treatment for yourself from our super team at Deansgate!

There’s also talk of the Queen traveling through Deansgate past Pesto Italian Restaurants en route to lunch at the town hall – why not reserve a front-row seat at Pesto Deansgate now with our simple online booking form?

Queen Elizabeth Kate Middleton Reiss dress
Guess who else loves a bit of Reiss?

The Pesto Italian Restaurants Deansgate team will also be busy tonight at the rather swanky VIP Reiss evening taking place at Whitewall Galleries from 6pm – 9pm.

Reiss will be showcasing their new collection along with Tom Ford Beauty, Molton Brown and Sugar & Spice! To reserve a place at this special one-off event call the Reiss Manchester store on 0161 831 7994

www.bbc.co.uk/rd/contact/mediacitylocation.shtml

www.mediacityuk.co.uk/

www.reissonline.com/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine,_Duchess_of_Cambridge

www.manchester.gov.uk/info/514/listed…/manchester_town_hall/1

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria

www.direct.gov.uk/diamondjubilee

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Olympic_Games

www.dofe.org/

www.whitewallgalleries.com/

www.tomford.com/

www.moltonbrown.co.uk/

www.sugarandspiceproducts.com/

Interview: Andi Ferguson

Pesto Italian Restaurants ANDIAfter a hectic month at Pesto Deansgate we finally stole a few minutes with our brand spanking new (well, not strictly speaking new…) Deansgate General Manager Andi Ferguson.

How long have you been part of the Pesto team?

I first joined Pesto in the summer of 2010 working at the Trafford Centre branch, then after a short break I rejoined Pesto as the General Manager for Deansgate February 2012

What is the best thing about working for Pesto Italian Restaurants?

I would have to say that the best thing about working for Pesto is that no two days are the same, be it the customers, the team, or simple the crazy weather in Manchester! I love the constant challenge to excel in our customer’s expectations, be it with just a warm welcoming smile every day, or making their visit so special that they never forget it.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?

My favourite dish is Bruschetta Pomodoro, you just can’t beat it for fresh vivid flavours, as to drink it have to be our Valpolicella Classico. This great red can be simple enjoyed on its own or with any of our dishes, an amazing “all rounder” that never fails to tickle my taste buds.

Which three celebrities would you invite to dinner at Pesto Italian Restaurants?

Andrew Lincoln, as I was a massive fan when he was in This Life, Teachers and currently loving his latest work!

Julius Caesar, just to get some tips on how he managed to get where he did and find out what drove him so hard.

Basil Fawlty, again because I’m simply a fan, but also to show him it should be done.

What inspired you to become a manager?

It was when I was working as a waiter and just started to realise that it’s the fine detail and little touches that make a good place great. Then it was the simple leap that I could, and wanted to, make that difference, fifteen years later….

After a meal at Pesto Deansgate, what’s the best thing to do in Manchester?

I would have to say a visit to the big wheel or to Cloud23 as the views of Manchester in the evening are next to none.

What was the last show you went to and how was it?

I was out in Liverpool with some friends last month and after a quick meal at Pesto L1 we were walking back to the train station when we discovered a local pub that had a live folk band from Ireland, we were meant to be only having a “sneaky” drink then getting the train home, but the band was so good we ended up staying the whole night! The best nights are always the ones that you didn’t plan!

What does the next year at Pesto Italian Restaurants hold for you?

I hope that it will involve making Pesto on Deansgate a great venue that the customers love to visit time and time again, be it for sipping wine on the terrace with friends after work or having a great night out celebrating an event. I’m looking forward to having a great summer, with lots of sunshine, bringing a little bit a smile back to Deansgate.

www.imdb.com/name/nm0511088/

www.imdb.com/title/tt0280330/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Life

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Fawlty

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Greater_Manchester/Manchester-308843/Things_To_Do-Manchester-Manchester_Wheel-BR-1.html

Mothers Day Pesto’s Picks

Pesto Italian Restaurants mothers dayMothers Day is just a few weeks off, and with that in mind Pesto’s Picks takes a look at some of the best Mothers Day entertainment on in Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow.

The Moscow City Ballet’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s epic tragedy Romeo and Juliet has a two-night run scheduled at the Manchester Opera House on the 15th and 16th March. A stunning combination of artistry, technique and narrative accompanied by an emotive dramatic score from the late award-winning composer Sergei Prokofiev is sure to make for an original and moving Mothers Day gift.

http://www.atgtickets.com/Moscow-City-Ballet-s-Romeo-Juliet-Tickets/172/956/#overview_tab

Mothers Day Ardal OHanlonNow, if you’d rather go for something a little more upbeat, why not treat your dear old mum to tickets to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?

The festival runs from the 15th March till the 1st of April at venues across the City. Our personal highlights are Loose Women panelist Jenny Eclair and Father Ted’s Ardal O’Hanlon appearing at the Citizens Theatre, March 30th and the King’s Theatre, March 29th respectively.

http://www.ticketsoup.com/tickets/jenny-eclair-old-dog-new-tricks-2012-13444/default.aspx
http://www.ticketsoup.com/tickets/ardal-ohanlon-2012-13493/default.aspx

Perhaps a little nostalgia would make the perfect Mothers Day gift, and what better way than to reminisce than a trip to the flicks to watch a modern-day classic? 80′s sci-fi romp Back to the Future returns to the big screen at Glasgow Cineworld on March 30th – this is set to be a sell-out so be sure to get tickets well in advance!

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/cinemas/28

Adrian Legg Mothers dayOver in Liverpool we have something that will delight music-loving mums – International Guitar Night – the world’s premier touring guitar festival. Lulo Reindhardt (nephew of the late, great Django Reindhardt), Brian Gore and Adrian Legg, touted by slick-fingered legend Joe Satriani as “simply the best acoustic guitar player I’ve ever heard” have been wielding their axes across the globe, and March 1st sees the show come to the Liverpool Philharmonic.

http://www.visitliverpool.com/whats-on/search/international-guitar-night-p305161

Whatever you do for Mothers Day you can be sure that a delicious meal washed down with our special Mothers Day cocktail the giola Di Mardi (Mothers Joy!) will be the perfect accompaniment to a perfect day! Why not book a table at your favourite Pesto now?

Pesto’s Picks February 2012

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow Film Festival 2012With the Celtic Connections festival in full swing and the Glasgow Film Festival 2012 gearing up for kick-off on the 16th February, Scotland’s biggest city is certainly living up to its reputation as a hub of creative activity.

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow is located right at the centre of the city on vibrant St Vincent Street, just a stone’s throw from Central Station and countless music venues, cinemas, nightclubs and theatres – the ideal place to fill up before throwing yourself into the action!

For all the mums and dads out there, this years Glasgow Film Festival has put together a special parent and baby screening; in short it’s highlights from the eight international competition programmes condensed into an hour-and-a-half long ‘film’. The selection of clips is set to remain a secret right up until the curtains open, but the folks at Glasgow Film Festival promise and “entertaining and thought-provoking drama, documentary and animation from around the world” with “no extreme content or sudden loud noises” with the lights remaining on low to allow easy movement during the screening. Tickets are a very reasonable £4 and all babies go free, but must be accompanied by an adult, obviously.

http://www.glasgowfilm.org/festival/whats_on/3624_short_stuff_parent_baby_screening

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow Film Festival 2012 Fright FestNow, this year at the Glasgow Film Festival there’s said to be festivals within festivals, which all sounds a bit Inception to us, but apparently it’s just “mini festivals within the Festival that both complement and diversify the programme as a whole”. The mini festivals are the Short Film Festival, Youth Film Festival, the Music and Film Festival and Frightfest – ooh er!

The Frightfest is brought to Glasgow Film Festival by Film4 and will premiere a massive eleven movies this year, including Crawl, War of the Dead and The Raid. The two-day-movie-marathon starts at 13:30 on Friday 24th February and ends Saturday 25th February at 23:15. All screenings are rated 18+ and are likely to put you off your tea, so if you are heading out to Frightfest be sure to stop by Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow for a spot of lunch first.

Heading down to the North West for February, highlights for the month include Irish superstars Snow Patrol at the Manchester Evening News Arena and the X Factor Live Tour 2012 also at the MEN.

Snow Patrol’s sixth album Fallen Empires was released on November 11th 2011 and was the band’s highest debut on the Billboard chart. Almost nine years after their commercial breakthrough album Final Straw, the band are have just started their fifth major tour with

dates scheduled across Europe, the US and Canada. The Irish lovelies will take to the MEN stage on Friday 3rd February with support from Manchester lads Everything Everything.

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow Film Festival 2012
Not part of Fright Fest

Last years X Factor competition was easily one of the most explosive yet, with fiery exits, band break-ups, bitchy judges, Kitty Brucknell and more Adele renditions than your average karaoke bar on a Saturday night. And all without Simon Cowell.

We reckon the X Factor Tour 2012 is not to be missed, and there are still (just a few) tickets left for their two

-day-stint at the MEN Arena on Saturday the 25th and Sunday 26th of February. If you want to treat your other half to a flamboyant Valentine’s gift tickets are £38 (inc booking fee) available from Ticketmaster.

HiPesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow Film Festival 2012 Paul Carrackghlights in Liverpool this month include a show at the Liverpool Philharmonic from Mike and the Mechanics legend Paul Carrack and a special Valentine’s screening of the Audrey Hepburn classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Former Mike and the Mechanics frontman (you’d think he’d be called Mike…), Squeeze keyboardist and the voice behind Ace’s How Long and Squeeze’s Tempted and The Living Years has a reputation as a brilliant live performer. His velvety voice oozes soul and his talent as a multi-instrumentalists makes him one of the last century’s most underrated artists.

Friday 17th February from 7:30pm, tickets are available from Ticketmaster.

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow Film Festival 2012 Audrey HepburnTruman Capote’s charming fairytale is once again brought to life this Valentines Day at the Liverpool Philharmonic. For those of you who don’t know the story, or haven’t got round to seeing it yet (really, what’s your excuse?!), young New York writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard) moves into a flat and meets the eccentric Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) who has a penchant for the dramatic and leads highly glamorous social and emotional life. Holly is a party girl whose extraordinarily stylish facade masks bleak inner anguish and a hidden past. Henry Mancini’s Oscar-winning ballad ‘Moon River‘ underscores a beautifully romantic end to the 1961 classic.

http://www.glasgowfilm.org/festival

http://glasgowfilm.tictocdev.com/festival/information/festivals_within_the_festivals/gsff/3624_short_stuff_parent_baby_screening

http://www.glasgowfilm.org/festival/information/festivals_within_the_festivals/gmff

http://www.film4.com/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Patrol

http://www.everything-everything.co.uk/

http://xfactor.itv.com/2011/news/story/read_eek-the-x-factor-live-tour-line-up-is-announced_item_100215.htm

https://twitter.com/#!/kittybrucknell

http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/X-Factor-Live-tickets/artist/27410

www.liverpoolphil.com/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_(band)

www.mike-and-the-mechanics.co.uk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Carrack

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Capote

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast_at_Tiffany’s_(film)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Mancini

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_River

Cocktail Masterclass – No. 1

Pesto Italian Restaurants CocktailsWell 2012 is well and truly here, festive celebrations are over and it’s back to work, but the end of the festive season doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom! Why not spice up your evening by popping into Pesto Italian Restaurants for a cheeky cocktail – or if you don’t have time, take our cocktail masterclass and teach yourself how to recreate Pesto’s best recipes?

The first Pesto Italian Restaurants masterclass, as effortlessly demonstrated by our very own Deansgate cocktail king Marcus, will take you through how to create the Maple Leaf. 

The Maple Leaf is the creation of Marcus and Christian of Pesto Italian Restaurants Deansgate. The special recipe was laboriously tested by Marcus, Christian and the video team – we are pleased to confirm this delicious treat is easy to make and suitably potent for any New Year’s celebrations!

So, without further ado, we introduce Pesto Italian Restaurants the Maple Leaf.

Ingredients

Maple Syrup
Monin Syrup (liquid sugar)
Mount Gay Rum
Basil
Lots of ice!

Equipment

Cocktail shaker
Cocktail glasses
Straws (optional)
Strainer

Method

Chill your cocktail glass with ice and soda
Add a shot of maple syrup
Add a generous shot of Mount Gay rum
Monin syrup
A smack of basil
Shake it all up with the ice
Strain and pour
Enjoy!

Pesto’s Picks January 2012

Pesto Italian Restaurants New Year's ResolutionThe New Year is almost upon us, and with 2011 having been the second warmest year on UK records hopefully our New Year celebrations won’t be blighted by freezing temperatures and relentless rain. Or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking…

With many of us about to embark upon the mission of sticking it to a long-standing vice, enter into battle with excess Christmas weight or seek out a new career as part of our New Year’s resolutions, what better time to take your mind off all that stress-inducing good behaviour and enjoy watching someone else sweat it out for a few hours, bringing us to the first pick of the year; TNA Maximum Impact Wrestling IV at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Friday 27th January)

According to the MEN “Wrestling legends Sting and Kurt Angle head up the roster of stars from TNA’s flagship television programme Impact Wrestling.

“TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting will be making his first wrestling appearance in the UK for almost a decade alongside Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle.

“Also starring at the Manchester event will be Gail Kim, Rob Van Dam, Beer Money, Crimson, Mickie James, Gunner, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe, TNA Knockout Velvet Sky, Mr. Anderson, Matt Morgan, Bully Ray, Mexican American and many more.

“Speaking ahead of his Manchester visit, Sting says: “It has been too long since I’ve been back to the UK. I promise you there will be Maximum Impact in January 2012. It’s going to be Showtime!

“Fans will see lots of bodies flying through the air, broken tables, chairs everywhere. We call it professional wrestling. We call it IMPACT WRESTLING”.

Ooh er.

Pesto Italian Restaurants Beethoven
Stern

Next up from the North West we have something altogether more relaxing and a little more high-brow from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven’s Pastoral (Wednesday 11th January).

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko with Nikolai Lugansky performing Beethoven’s Overture, Prometheus, Piano Concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’ the evening is set to by truly magical, ideal for anyone wishing to wind down following the excesses of the festive season.

“One great composer: three incredible worlds. From blazing joy to blinding rage, no composer captured human emotion with more passion – or poetry – than Ludwig van Beethoven.”

Tickets range from £13 to £36, but there aren’t too many left!

Pesto Italian Restaurants

Back from the 90's

Yooooooou’re gooooooorgeous! Probably words you’ve heard exchanged many times over the Christmas period if you’ve visited at least one bar with at least one over-zelous festive reveller. Well, if you’re in Glasgow this January 31st and would like to hear the song as it should be sung, britpop one-hit-wonder Babybird, or Stephen Jones as he’s less-commonly known will be performing at Glasgow’s legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut.

Jones’s brand of off-beat pop will be sure to brighten up your post-christmas midweek blues, and at only £12.50 a ticket it won’t break the bank either. Support comes from the Sneaky Russians, who appear not to be Russian, but must have sneaky tendencies to have wormed their way onto the bill with their dire brand of long-deceased garage band indie-pop.

Well that’s it folks, our picks of the month for January. Next month, what with it being February and all, we’ll be doing a Valentine’s special – watch this space!

www.men-arena.com/?page_id=1867
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080355/Feeling-hot-2011-second-warmest-year-record-hottest-spring.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Angle
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Petrenko
lugansky.homestead.com/
www.babybirdmusic.me

Pesto’s Perfect Trees!

Pesto Italian Restaurants Christmas Bert and ErnieCarrie and Big. Bert and Ernie. Cookies and milk. Some things just work better together, and without a tree Christmas just doesn’t work. The festive aroma, the decorating ritual and above all, presents underneath are part of what make Christmas, er, Christmassy!

Now, with there only being one days left till the big day itself, we’d hedge our bets that some of you are still scrambling to find the time to even choose a tree, never mind get it dressed up in time for Christmas morning. This is where we’re on hand to help! Here are Pesto’s top five tips for choosing the perfect tree!

Pesto Italian Restaurants Tree1. Size does matter. If, like most of us, every inch of living space matters the last thing you want is a monster Redwood Christmas tree eating up your lounge. If you’re struggling to squeeze in a Tesco pot-plant, steer clear of lavish big trees, however tempting! Pick the perfect space for your tree and measure it before going shopping to save yourself a world of hassle later in the day.

2. Age also matters. A recent Facebook post from a most unlucky festive relative served as an excellent reminder that choosing where you buy your tree is every bit, if not more important than the tree. The relative in question splashed out a rather decadent £75 at her local farm shop only for the tree to wilt and die within ten days. Finding out whether your local tree stockist buys in their stock weekly or if it’s one big delivery will allow you to gauge how ago the tree was cut and judge whether it’s likely to be a duffer by Christmas morning.

3. Hate hoovering? The Norway Spruce might not be the tree for you…Some trees emit that gorgeous festive aroma, others retain their needles long after they’ve adopted that delightful shade of brown. For best needle retention the Noble Fir might be best for your household, while the Norway Fir really captures that festive scent.

Pesto Italian Restaurants Christmas Sideshow bob4. Shape matters. As most Christmas trees in commercial shops have already been stuffed into nets, it makes it nigh on impossible to guess whether the tree in question has a classic Christmas tree shape, or is in fact a Side-Show Bob bonsai nightmare. Short of ripping the net off in-store (and possibly being removed from said shop) all you can do is try to find a small platform from which to gaze down the top of the tree to assess how even the branches are. Or you could try grabbing a tree from a local seller, who tend not to net their stock.

5. Fake it. If all of the above just seems too strenuous for arguably the most time-consuming month of the year, pop into John Lewis and buy a fake. Buying a fake does have its upsides; no messy pine needles, no faffing with nets, no watering around hundreds of potential fire hazards and best of all you can shove it in the attic and drag it out next year saving you time and money in the long run. All that aside, fake trees are rather naff, and it might just take you all year to find one that looks anywhere near as pretty as a genuine festive fir.

Struggling for a last minute stocking filler? Pop into Pesto today and pick up a gift voucher!

Keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter for more frequent updates.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Bradshaw

http://goo.gl/xu0Cp

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_Spruce

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_and_Ernie

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai

Cinepanettone & Cocktails

Cabbage Hall Pesto Scrooged

Think Christmas movies, think It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooged, Nightmare Before Christmas, the Snowman and countless other festive feelgood classics. On the other hand, think Italian Christmas movies, and imagine Carry on Camping with a festive bent.

Cine-panettone are Italian comedy movies released over the Christmas period often based in, or featuring characters from the salubrious city of Milan. They also happen to feature quite a lot of nudity and some exceptionally bad acting.

Despite poor artistic merit, garbled plot-lines, gratuitous nudity and lowest-common-denominator, fore-head walloping humour, the cine-panettone offerings continue to drive festive film lovers to the big-screen in their droves.

While seasonal blockbusters Hugo, Arthur Christmas and Puss in Boots dominate the box office in the UK and America, Vacanze di Natale a Cortina is set to take the Italian box office by storm following the official theatre release today. You can check out the clip below, but it probably won’t make too much sense unless you speak Italian.

 

Now, Italian festive cinema aside, the team at Pesto Deansgate have a Christmas cocktail treat in store for all the party-lovers out there! This week we’ve been filming the making of some of the brand new cocktails as concocted by our very own Bartenders Extraordinaire Marcus and Christian! The guys talked us through how to make a couple of their own creations as well as their twists on cocktail classics. We’ll be sharing our secrets on YouTube in the coming days, so watch this space!

What are you up to over the festive season? Have you got a cocktail recipe you’d like to suggest? Let us know on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pestorestaurants) or Tweet us @pestorestaurant

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