This week, why 2014 has a good ring to it, getting round Gymuary and what Skinny tastes like.

The Event

As the bells rang in for 2014, my boyfriend Oli, got down on one knee (in a muddy puddle) and produced a ring of his own. In case there’s any confusion - and, I have to say, there was for me, the first thing I first asked was ‘what are you doing down there?’- he then, however, to my surprise, asked me to marry him.

Clearly, this wasn’t a Glasgow-wide event (I’m pretty sure he only asked me!), however, one of the brilliant things about writing this column is, whatever I’m up to, you lovely lot get to come along for the ride. I promise, though (as it will be a year for vows), I will not become a wedding bore.

I’ve always loved New Year. I have a daft wee thing, I like to think that how good a Hogmanay is, is an indication of how the rest of the year will be (granted, I only give in to this whim when it’s been a good one!) This year will certainly be a memorable one for Glasgow, Scotland - and for me - and if my Hogmanay was anything to go by, 2014 already has a brilliant ring to it.

The Restaurant

Kate Moss famously said ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’. But how does Skinny taste? To balance out any thoughts that I might be some mad exercise bunny, I thought I’d check out one of the new(ish) burger joints in town, Skinnys.

It’s a quirky wee place on Otago Street- formerly Tattie Macs and (a fair few) others. It’s reincarnation is cute, quaint and has no place for airs and graces (which is good as I don’t think either are very tasty). This is straight up burgers, cocktails, big beers and healthy-sized sides: mac and cheese, chilli cheese fries, southern slaw and chips, chips, chips. Just to clarify, I said healthy sized, not so much healthy.

The service was excellent. The burger ok…but in truth, there are so many other really brilliant burger joints around Glasgow. It seems to me, that Skinny might have bitten off more than it can chew. The cocktails list was delicious, though. Therefore, staying true to the supermodel diet idea, perhaps Skinnys is more about bar than burger.

The Experience

Welcome to Gymuary. The new year may have begun nearly two weeks ago, but for most this has been the first full week back at work. How are you feeling? If, like me, you stuffed yourself like a turkey over Christmas, you may be considering a new gym membership or some mad fitness regime. Certainly, my gym is more hooping - darn autocorrect, dosnae like Scottish words - hoaching than Sauchiehall Street on a Saturday night.
 

Papers, magazines and posters are shouting at us, like a drill sergeant, ‘New Year, New You’! But often, the shiny new gym membership you buy into in January is forgotten by the time you can say ‘box of chocolates’ on Valentines Day. Exercise, though, isn’t just for (after) Christmas. So, if you want to avoid muscling in on the cross-trainer and fancy doing something stupidly good fun (that helps get you fit as well), what about trying the circus?

That’s what I did three years ago when I took up Aerial Hoop. It’s seriously good for building up your strength, fitness (and for photo-sharing on Facebook), it’s also a really good laugh. A little like mucking around on the monkey bars when you were wee. There’s two fab places in Glasgow you can try joining the circus, Aerial Edge and Spinal Cord. They do classes in Aerial Hoop, Trapeze, Silks and plenty more.

What’s more, I’ll bet you’ll hang on to that hoop (that’s 3m up in the air) a lot tighter than a shiny new gym card!
 

I don’t need to sugar coat this, this Wee Bird is nutty about Good Luck Kid - Glasgow’s very own doughnuttery - and this Sunday they’re hosting the first (ever?) doughnut pop-up in the Squid and Whale from 12.30pm. With coffee from Dear Green and colourful fillings like raspberry jam and peanut butter custard, it’s the perfect way to chase away the Sunday blues.