I love Glasgow. It’s easy to get around, it’s filled with friendly locals and vintage shops, there’s a great vegetarian scene, the nightlife is rambunctious, and the taxis are cheap. Also, no tourists!
Rewind to New Year’s Eve
2015. We take the train up from London. After five hours of pony-watching,
sandwich-nibbling, page-turning, and watching the sky darken my friend Katie and
I are and hosting a little cocktail party for our Glaswegian friends. After
drinking a waterfall of gin we all zip over to The 13th Note. Everyone is easy on the eyes tonight. Next
stop: Mono. Pulp is playing (on the stereo)! Let’s dance. Glasses are raised; plans are made.
We sail through the city streets, an Odyssey marked by trials and angels,
shadows, cars, and apartments. The night goes on forever and delivers us to bed.
January 1st finds
us watching music videos on the sofa in our pyjamas before feasting on pizza
and root beer floats. We re-enact the dance moves in Keisza’s ‘Hideaway’
because we’re on vacation. Then Katie invents the granita float (just put a
bottle of root beer in the freezer for about 53 minutes then tap it into a
glass with a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream) which energises us for
another night out.
We walk through the drizzle
to my favourite nightspot, Nice & Sleazy. It’s a relaxed bar with cheap
drinks and there’s a dance floor downstairs. The DJ, sporting a tracksuit/
pyjamas combination, is playing italodisco to an enthusiastic crowd. He ends
his set with Abba’s ‘Lay All Your Love on Me’ and everyone cheers. A pretty
Norwegian girl and a flirtatious nanoscientist invite us to continue the evening
elsewhere…but tomorrow is fast approaching.
In the morning Katie and I
bundle up and headed to Mr Ben, a vintage shop
full of velvet capes, pastel cashmere sweaters, kilts, and an exciting
assortment of 1960s clothes. I spot a 60s fur miniskirt for £20. (Is it wrong
for a vegetarian to drape a beast around her hips?) Our friend Shane happens to
be brogue-hunting there so we all hop over to Mono (next door) for a vegan
lunch and a browse through their zine shop.
After lunch we stroll
through the city to the Gallery of Modern Art to admire the Aubrey Beardsley
pictures in the Alastair Grey exhibition. The sun is setting over a blackened
unicorn statue. Somewhere a curry is calling our names…
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| The University of Glasgow |
CULTURE
Huntarian Museum & Art Gallery. Check out the Mackintosh House. Rennie Mackintosh
is Glasgow’s Art Nouveau hero. (He also designed the Willow Tea Rooms and the
Glasgow School of Art.)
Gallery of Modern Art - Alasdair
Gray: Spheres of Influence in on until 25
May. It’s free too.
Day trips: take the train to
Edinburgh or drive to the beautiful Loch Lomond.
FOOD
Mono -
order a veggie burger or a craft beer and buy some photography zines or
records. 12 King's Court, G1 5RB. www.monocafebar.com
Stereo -
vegan food near the central train station, great music on the stereo if you
like Belle & Sebastian, Beach House, etc. Order the tapas. Live gigs too.
22-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow
G2 6PH
Rio diner
- a charming West End spot that’s ideal for filling up before exploring the
vintage shops around Byres Road. Try breakfast, their famous veggie burger, or a boozy
milkshake. 27 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G11 5QF
Glasgow is also famous for
delicacies such as haggis, deep-fried Mars bars, and potato scones.
NIGHTLIFE
If you want to hold hands
with about a hundred Scottish people Ceilidh dances are lots of fun. Handsome
men in kilts twirl cheerful girls and all the beginners stumble around but it’s
such a laugh nobody minds. Venues vary so google ‘Ceilidh’ and the dates you’re
going.
Nice & Sleazy - a small, friendly venue that hosts gigs and plays a variety of music.
They also serve food upstairs. 421 Sauchiehall Street.
13th Note - a fun bar and music venue near King’s Court. 50-60 King Street,
Glasgow G1 5QT.
After everything closes
people usually go to casinos on Sauchiehall Street or have little house
parties.
If I left out your favourite
spot post it in the comments.
VINTAGE
Mr Ben -
menswear and womenswear, lots of great pieces. Kings Court, 101 King Street, G1
2RB.
Starry Starry Night - small but well-curated with surprising prices. I found a rare 60s
dress for £25. My friend almost bought a rabbit fur coat for £45. 19 Dowanside
Lane, G12 9BZ (near Byres Road.)
Vintage Guru
- 195 Byres
Road. Shoes and clothes.
SHELTER
Get an Airbnb flat central
or in the west end. I like to bring Twister and a small speaker and ipod, and
potato scones and butter for midnight snacking.
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| Aubrey Beardsley |
