A first home in the heart of a city

Aug 16 2007 by Debbie Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Debbie Johnson visits the Madison Square apartment that provides the perfect setting for a young couple

MADISON Square is the perfect place to sit for a drink, a chat – and, if the current weather is anything to go by, to test out your umbrella.

The plaza, off Duke Street, is also the home of Chris Dodd and his girlfriend Lara Bloomberg, who live in Manhattan Place.

Chris, who is assistant manager at the Newz Bar, in Liverpool city centre, says: “The square is lovely – really sociable, especially when the weather is OK and everyone sits out and has a drink together.

“It is one of the things we really liked about the place when we were looking for a new apartment.”

The one-bedroomed flat is the couple’s first home together, and say they love it for the location.

Chris, 26, says: “It is close enough to town for me to walk to work, or pop in for a drink, but not right in the hustle and bustle. As soon as we saw the place, it struck us as where we wanted to be.”

Chris came to Liverpool to study leisure and tourism at John Moores University.

While a student, he worked part-time at Water Street bar Newz, and then decided to stay on when he graduated.

He says: “I started off working behind the bar, then basically worked my way up.

“I had planned to go back into a former job, tour repping, but I realised that I had a real feel for the job. Newz is a great place to work, it’s a beautiful building, there is always something new going on there, and I can’t think of anywhere else in the city I’d like to work.”

He has also become accustomed to the fact that Newz is one of the most popular celebrity hang-outs: “I was a bit star-struck at first, but not so much now!”

Work is also where he met Lara, a stylist at Bernadette James hair salon, in Allerton.

He says: “I was at work and our eyes met across a crowded room ... well, something like that anyway!”

Lara provided one of the centrepieces of their home – a unique marble table that her father found for her.

Chris says: “It’s really mad. People always comment on it when they visit the place.”

The table is in the living area of the open-plan apartment, together with navy blue leather sofas and a dining suite. There is also a large flat-screen home entertainment system.

The kitchen is one of the features the couple liked best.

Chris says: “It is really modern, all done out in silver and grey. We don’t use it much but it’s a really good kitchen!”

The couple’s bedroom features three wardrobes in oak – and Chris says it is still not enough: “I know three sounds a lot for two people, but I haven’t even got many of my clothes in them – it’s mainly Lara’s!”

The bedroom is painted in neutral shades, with a cream carpet. The king-sized bed has maroon-and-black Oriental design bed linens.

One of the features they like best about their home, which they moved in to in December, is the balcony.

Chris says: “The balcony in the living area is a really dominant feature. You can have a table and chairs out there and watch the world go by down in the square – it’s really lovely.”