East and West

Image: andrews.edu

It’s been one heck of a few days. I’ve been out and about and at the day job I’m on the “rota” which means long, intense, but fun days of technical work and concentration, that when it comes to switching into fiction mode, has been nigh on impossible.

Here’s a quick re-cap of the fun over the past few days since last Friday:

Jimmy Carr in Glasgow
I popped through to Glasgow on Saturday to see my sister and share the birthday gift she bought me back in September. We went for a couple of drinks at her local, the Clockwork Pub. From there we jumped into a cab to the city centre and the oldest Italian restaurant in Glasgow, L’Arisoto, for a meal. Delicious Crostini di Pancetta, Spaghetti with prawns, and ice-cream smothered in espresso all washed down with a bottle of Chianti. It was a fine meal but the staff were a bit wanky so I left them with a paltry tip. If they don’t want customers to book meals using offers they supply through the media, they shouldn’t offer them at all.

Back in September for my birthday, Binny had got me a ticket to see Jimmy Carr on his comedy tour, Laughter Therapy, and that was our next destination. We arrived at the Clyde Auditorium (otherwise known as the Armadillo) in plenty of time and found our seats: Row B almost centre! It was an awesome view and a fantastic show.

My face was sore from two hours of solid laughing and I even found myself massaging my cheeks at points towards the end. Jimmy Carr in a live scenario is a much different prospect than what you get on the telly; edgier, sicker, and much more cutting – more funny as a result, too and well worth going to see.

Mogwai in Edinburgh
Sunday was spent with the family while Monday was another day out with my sister, this time in Edinburgh. We met up at the Mercat Pub for lunch and a few drinks then went for some more bevvy in AU Bar, narrowly avoiding ruining the pub quiz for everyone who had gathered by discussing the answers between us.

Then it was off to a packed HMV Picture House to see Mogwai, a band I’d badly wanted to see live since I discovered them through their 2008 album, The Hawk is Howling.

They did not disappoint. It was different being at an instrumental rock gig and provided some new experiences during some of the quieter numbers, but as a whole it was a great set and proved to me two things: 1) the Scottish music scene is alive and thriving 2) chart music is not reflective of what real music lovers listen to and want.

I’ll be posting a proper review of the gig on my music site, Man in the East, very soon.

The rest of my week has been working – day job working – but I have managed to fight through some revision work, albeit not as much as I would have liked, and some work for the Ranfurly Review. I stil have lots to do before next week but my main problem is tiredness. Working 9-10 hours per day (inclusive of lunch) is not conducive to evening or 5am writing sessions in the slightest.

Ciao for now!

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