It was a pleasant surprise to find that The Manchester Blog was awarded “Blog of The Week” by Sarah Hartley over at the Manchester Evening News.

It’s always nice to be reviewed and even better to get a few compliments too.

The review appeared on the Manchester Evening News web site and was also printed in the Saturday edition of the MEN.

And there’s been a little spike in traffic as a result. Nothing amazing but it’s interesting to see where the traffic comes from. Some is from Sarah’s electronic review whilst other traffic comes from other Manchester blogs.

So thanks Sarah and thanks to Paul Robinson her colleague over at the Mancunion Way blog for picking Manchester Blog.

If you’re on a diet prepare to abandon it.

The 10th Manchester Food and Drink Festival starts on Friday 5th October 2007. The event is sponsored by the Co-op and runs until the 15th October.

Plenty of time to put on a couple of stone. Particularly if you’re going to see any of the top chef’s who’ll be at the festival.

Anthony Worrell Thompson arrives in Manchester and helps kickoff the festival on the 5th. But don’t let that stop you visiting as there’s loads going on.

Oh, and by the way, with my marketing hat on … please can we get rid of the Flash entry to the Manchester Food And Drink Festival web site?

One new award the festival are including is “The ‘Outstanding Contribution Award of the Decade’ will recognise someone who has made a lasting contribution to the City over the last 10 years.” And I’m sure I’m not surprising anyone by guessing that the winner will be Tony Wilson.

Another new award is the ‘Best Catering in a Public Venue’ Award. I await that award with interest as I’m hot-footing it to that venue as soon as the winner is announced.

I’ll see you there…

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An interesting Manchester blog that I discovered through an email from David Slack who is the co-organiser of the 24:7 theatre festival is called What Would You Do?

The author, Elizabeth Baines, is writing a story week by week and at the end of each “chapter” we’re allowed to choose some of the future plot direction. She started on the 4th September and is the second week now. The story continues in Manchester’s Central Library and you get to vote on which inhabitant of the house from the first episode helps Cat on the trail of someone mysterious…

Ooh, sounds like a who-dunnit!

The final chapter is going to be performed at the Manchester Blog Awards which should be good fun.

So get on over and check the story out. Help out by voting for your preferred plot direction. Although I must admit I just chose a name at random because I don’t really identify with the characters yet.

Manchester Blog Awards 2007 has just been announced byManchizzle.

Bloggers can nominate their own blogs! This must give us a chance.

Entries (as a URL) to be sent in by the 7th Sept, in anticipation of the awards ceremony: Moho Live, Oldham Street, 7pm Wednesday October 10, free and there are cash prizes.

Creative portal How Do in association with event planners Out There are launching an awards ceremony to celebrate all things football in the region.

The awards dinner will be held on Monday 12th November at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, and will raise money for The New Children’s Hospital Appeal, a charity for which Phil and Julie Neville are patrons.

To find out more go to How Do, which has information about categories although it has missed out the Manchester City award for biggest cock up. But which signing would win?