This week, having a Giraffe in town, a play in the park with Bard in the Botanics and it’s bye, bye baby…

Lunch @ Giraffe

There’s a new restaurant in town, on the corner of West Regent Street and West Nile Street, so I thought I’d go and have a Giraffe, 

and see what the fuss was about. The sign on the wall says Live, Eat, Love, but this is no hippy-dippy, health nut-roast kind of a place; it’s about as commercial as it gets.

Giraffe started out as a London-based eatery, before becoming a jungle venture for Tesco - bought for nearly £50 million two years ago - since then it has gradually stampeded it’s way around the country: but don’t let that put you off. It’s a family friendly place (so it’s likely I’ll be going back), thanks to the well-spaced tables, clever kiddie menu, plus games and crayons for the wee ones. 

Glasgow Times:

It was a grown-up lunch I was there for, though, sadly not so adult I was able to stir one of their Banoffee Martinis with a plastic cocktail giraffe. Today, it was all about the food. The menu is described as ‘worldly’, basically, it’s borderless; skipping neatly from Pot-Stickers to Piri Piri Chicken. However, it’s all pretty safely interpreted, so as wild as Giraffe sounds, there are no real surprises.

I ordered the Green Veggie and Kale Enchiladas (I’ve been told to up my iron intake) along with a green smoothie - I’m eating pretty much like a cow at the moment! My friend had the Huevos Rancheros and we shared some Sweet Potato Fries. The enchiladas were healthily stuffed with fresh vegetables, creamy and came with a lemony kick. My pal said the Huevos Rancheros were good, but for the well-travelled, blander than their home-spun cousins. I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet potato fries, so often these brightly-coloured alternatives to chips are soggy and over-produced. These were fresh, crispy and came with a marvellous mayo.

The service was fantastic through-out, and super speedy so it’s a good option if your weary legs take you from work or for a quick bite during a shopping trip on Buchanan Street. Although, because of the family appeal, it may turn into a bit of a zoo on Saturdays.

The food was worth the mid-range price-tag, and certainly cheaper than a real jaunt around the world. We left feeling satisfied, without any lingering feeling of yuckiness that often accompanies an outing to a fast(ish) food joint. And, tucked into my bag, one of those mini plastic giraffes to stir my first drink after baby arrives!

Glasgow Times:

The Merchant of Venice @ The Botanics

Over the last few years, each attempt I’ve made to go to Bard in the Botanics, the city’s annual Shakespeare festival, has ended up, umbrella up, heading home before the play has even begun. Given the terrible summer we’re having, I thought it might be curtains again, as leaden skies threatened on Wednesday. Thankfully, though, the sun came out, which seemed appropriate as this is the ‘Unlikely Wonders’ season of the festival, and I was finally able to experience my first play in the park.

The Merchant of Venice is the second role-call of this year’s Bard in the Botanics, following Love’s Labour’s Lost. It’s a play as complex as an onion, billed originally by Will as a comedy, it’s actually an intense and controversial look at relations, both between the sexes and cultures. Gordon Barr, creative director of the company, moved the action forward from a 1500s Venice to the 1930s, perhaps because so many of the controversial themes surround Shylock, the Jew.

Without wanting to sound like too much of a nerd, I’m generally opposed to modernising the kit and clobber of a Shakespeare production. I like my Bard pure and unadulterated. My husband, who I dragged along (and attempted to give his ticket away to randoms as we walked along the street) couldn’t really care, either way.

However, we were both left eating our words - as well as our M&S picnic - as we perched on the grass behind the Glass House. We were both blown away by the Bard in the Botanic’s take on the play. The interpretation was spot on, bring new shades of brilliance to the mounting drama and matched perfectly with the 1930’s garb. The acting was excellent, particularly Kirk Bage's empathetic portrayal of Shylock, and the comic relief of Stephen Redwood’s Launcelot.

Bard in the Botanics continues to build ties with the RSC and you can see why, it’s a festival the city should be extremely proud of, even if our weather, often, is not!

Glasgow Times:

Bye bye baby (for now)

In the last few years, Glasgow, I have partied with you, gone to fancy-pants restaurants, thrown shapes at gigs from King Tuts to the Hydro and eaten my fair share of burgers. I’ve enjoyed every minute and hope you lovely lot have had fun sharing it with me in Cat’s Eyes on Glasgow. In a few short weeks, though, oh baby, things are going to change!

I’m about to have a little bundle of joy that will keep me up at night but possibly out of those fancy parties, at least for the next wee while. I will continue to write and post on A Wee Bird Told Me… Glasgow’s Facebook page, though, and will keep you updated about when the wee yin decides to arrive (as well as the classic ‘get that camera out of my face’ hospital picture!)

Hopefully, I’ll see you back here in the not-too-distant future, but until then, stay curious Glasgow.

Lots of love,

Cat x

Glasgow Times:

Wee Bird Recommends

For anyone missing the Commonwealth Games, which kicked off this time last year, this year’s Merchant City Festival is going to be bigger and better than ever before. This weekend marks the start of a nine-day extravaganza of events around the city. Wee highlights include Glasgow Eats & Beats, a new music based walking tour and the Surge Festival.