Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Glasgow!!!

We took a relaxing 4hr train ride to a rainy Glasgow this afternoon. 

(View of english countryside from train)

Our street name is fun to say, especially efficient when one has an excess of flem to expel. 

Our flat is in an old tenement building and its rather spacious.  I celebrated our arrival with a complimentary Tunnock's , milk chocolate mallow. I recall my favorite Glaswegian, Dawn Gavin, always gushing about them. 
 


Verdict=damn good. (Tunnock's is actually dawns home town)

This statue in George square is of Queen Victoria before the inevitable tragedy of  riding off the pedestal. (She mostly recovered).  

We walked around a bit to get a bit of our bearings. The architecture in Glasgow is impressive and in some instances more magnificent than what I've seen in London - and that's saying s lot.   My heart was warmed to find such a pretty building housing an American culinary treasure; TGI fridays. (Above). 

Dinner was excellent, at Cafe Gandolfi, which sadly wasn't owned by a wizard but you'd have thought so by the food. 

Eileen & Barb are just weird. Also in this photo, 3 house made pâté (eggplant aka obergine, smoked mackerel & goat cheese/pumpkin) and my Cullen  Skink which was the most incredible creamy soup with smoked haddock, a Scottish traditional dish. I loved it. 

Barb ordered "haggis, neeps & tatties" neeps are turnips and tatties are mashed potatoes - so get your mind out of the gutter. I tried the haggis and it was really good; much better than my first try of it, years ago. They're very rich though, and something I'd prefer on a cold winter night. 

Here's Eileen's "white pudding" made of oatmeal, onions, fat and seasoning - with baked apple. It was good but if Eileen ever gives you a taste as she rambles on about of white pudding, trust me and say its amazing. You'll thank me. ;)



Farewell Shoreditch.

The neighborhood we stayed in is one that I'd be happy to live in. It's similar to where I currently live, actually. It's full of young artist types, bicycle shops, coffee shops and a ton of great curries. 

The Banksy effect is clear with all the street art that was way above the average graffiti. 
Panoramic view of our favourite hedgehog mural. 


(RIP Whitney) 





There's even a cafe dedicated to Wes Anderson : 

Now we head to Glasgow by train...