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Europe » United Kingdom » Scotland » Lanarkshire » Glasgow
September 18th 2014
Published: October 2nd 2014
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Got given two weeks off work with a mix of leave and days off so headed back to the homeland. So excited as I only ever manage to get home for a couple days at a time and it's always so manic trying to see everyone. And the best part is that my boyfriend, Adam, was able to join me for one week. He hasn't been back home with me for over a year. So we flew up early on the Thursday morning, which happened to be one of the biggest days in Scottish History - the referendum vote for Independance. I had missed all of the pre vote hype and from reading the paper it seemed like there had been lots going on. My step mum picked us up from airport and brought us home. My dad was still at work and little brothers at school, so Adam and I took a venture into town to see if there was anything happening and check out the buzz. Got into town at about 1pm and it was so quiet! Honestly wouldn't even know that there was anything going on. We walked along to Buchanan Street, one of the main shopping streets in the city, then along to George Square. The square is a central area of the city with the City of Chambers building located here and this is the area where some events in the city are held such as Hogmanay. Took Adam on a tour from here to Merchant City which is one of my favourite parts of Glasgow. Got really nice bars and restaurants. We stumbled across an outdoor tent area at The Candleriggs which had a bar inside and serving food which smelled amazing. Had some tunes on aswell. It was there for Glasgow Food and Drink Event. We just got ourselves a couple of cocktails and sat here for a while. Afterwards we walked to Merchant Square and then round to a Brazilian bar called Boteco. They do amazing Bloody Mary's here! Sat outside in the sun and made ourselves a wee friend, an older man got chatting away to us. Already Adam has been saying how friendly everyone is here. On our walk back towards city centre we walked past my old workplace - The Corinthian. This building is stunning - it used to be an old courthouse, then a bank and for the past few years has been transformed into a restaurant and bar venue. It has a cocktail bar, jazz bar, casino, nightclub, brasserie and has rooms for private functions. We went inside for a drink as we seen on a bill board outside they had a summer cocktail deal for £4 cocktails. The only room opened at this point was the brasserie which is the most gorgeous room anyways as it is a huge room with glass ceiling. Our last stop on this little pub crawl was to Royal Exchange Square to another cocktail bar called Social. My friend, Danielle, came to meet us for one when she finished work. Headed home after these ones and met the family at our polling station to vote, then we all had a family dinner together. Great first day, so happy to be home!



Bit of a woozy head next morning. Sorted out with a traditional Scottish breakfast of eggs, bacon, square sausage and tattie scone. Converting Adam to becoming a Scot already! (just to note he is English). In need of a hair of the dog so it was back into town early afternoonish to meet my friend Sarah for couple drinks. We went to a bar not far from Central Station, down Mitchell Lane, called SoBar. The food in here is so good. They do Asian style food and have another venue in the West End of Glasgow on Byres Road. We had some Bloody Mary's, which I think may be my best yet as the barman put a big raw chilli in it. Hot stuff! Tried couple other cocktails after these which was great too. Sarah went to Bus Station as she is off home to Dundee for the weekend. Me and Adam went for an early dinner to a new Japanese restaurant, on the corner at West George Street and West Nile Street, called Nippon Kitchen. We love Japanese and this was yum. Had gyozas to start then chicken katsu curry. We left town after this and went more locally to me to Shawlands in Southside of Glasgow. Got to Queens Park and walked through the park to a pub called Church on the Hill, which is literally an old converted church on top of a hill. My friend Lindsay was in working, so great got to see her. Had few drinks then went to meet some of my friends that were down the road in a new place called The Rum Shack. It used to be a sort of old mans pub and now been turned into a more trendy venue. Only £3 for a rum and ginger beer! There was a good group of us, drank away and had a little dance. Went back to my friends flat for a bit after and had prosecco playing card games. Was three of us couples so like a triple date. Fun night.
Would like to add that on this night there was some trouble in the city centre in relation to the referendum result and just want to say that this is in no way a true reflection of Glasgow and the people here! The people who were causing the riots were those who generally look for trouble and no clue what they were on about! It all died down after this anyways, and we came across no bother at all!

Day three was another busy one! Met couple of my friends, Katie and Nicole, for a drink at Church on the Hill again in the afternoon. Adam is managing to keep up rather well with the hectic schedule! Sat in here for few hours having good catch up. Me and the man went to another Southside bar called The Smiddy to meet some of my friends from school. Another catch up session and drinks. We then had to leave about 10pm which was a shame as was nice to see the girls but got tickets for a night at SubClub. Love it here! We went to see Derrick Carter. Was amazing, everyone literally danced away until it finished at 3am. Was hitting out some good old disco and funk! In our element, and so glad Adam is enjoying himself. We were with same people we had been out with night before. Went back after here to one of the guys flat and partied until about 9am. Got in more drink from a wonderful after hours service in Glasgow called 'Dial A Booze'. Where you phone a number and a wee dude drops off more beverages, obviously at a ridiculous price. But at this stage of the night your happy for anything! Was hilarious, another brilliant day and night. Seen so many people so far!

Safe to say dying the next day! Got up about 1pm and went a walk to Roukenglen Park which is just down the road from me. Gorgeous sunny day, nice getting out in fresh air. The park is so nice with a waterfall, woodland walk and pond. We just lay passed out on the grass! Had some of the family round for Sunday dinner that night - roast beef with all the trimmings and a bit of haggis on the side for Adam to try. Chilled on the Monday, then on the Tuesday I drove us down to a seaside town about half an hour away called Troon. It's quite near where I grew up on the coast. Had a walk along the beach promenade and in the little town. Found a gem of a place for lunch called Mojo. From the outside it didn't look like much but the inside was lovely, looks quite new. Took us ages to decide what to get as everything looked amazing, definately recommend it! Drove home then a couple of hours later we were out dining again for a family dinner. Went to another Glasgow Southside Venue called Ian Browns. The owners, Ian and Sheila, are friends of the my dad and stepmum, and the food here is so good! I had Cullen skink to start then pigeon for main dish. Unique style food. Lovely night.

An outting to Edinburgh was the next day which I have done a separate blog about as we did so much there. And then Adam flew back down to London on the Thursday. Had an absolute ball together the past week! Think he may love Glasgow now as much as I do!

Friday afternoon, the family and I took a trip down to see my gran and papa in another west coast seaside town, called Stevenston, for lunch. Love coming for lunch here, obviously to see them but also for the scotch pies they get in. They're from a bakery called Kandy Bar and honestly the Kandy Bar pies are to die for! Especially with some beans and a roll! Yum! Great seeing them too, they are a hoot always telling stories from back in the days!

Then for my last weekend I had another wild one out and about before I had to leave again. The Friday night was spent back at The Smiddy pub not far from my house, with couple of the girls from school. Three bottles of wine between three of us. Only £6 a bottle, so easy to get carried away!! And the grand finale for my holiday back home was the next day for a techno street party in Glasgow called Platform 18. It is held on West Street next to Glasgow West subway station. Again quite a few of us out, great music, danced away from 4pm until it finished at 10pm. Gorgeous day for it aswell - last event of summer! Afterwards we went to a restaurant/bar/club called St Jude's on Bath Street. Then it was another flat party well into the Sunday afternoon. 'Dial a Booze' certainly got plenty business from me these past couple weekends! Spent the next couple days recovering. Went out for lunch on the Monday with my friend Justine from school to an Italian place near us, we love a wee lunch date! Then I was chef that night and cooked up the family some dinner for my last night. And then it was back down to London for work.

I honestly mean it when I say Glasgow has to be my most favourite place! I think with it being home and all my friends and family being there is the main component. However the city just had so much to offer in the way of restaurants, bars, shopping and nightlife. It's got everything that London does but cheaper and much less crowded. I absolutely loved having all this time home as I got to see almost everyone that I could. Be back again in nae time!


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