The Week Ahead. . . – Page 2 – Curious Bystander

This week – Not much, I’ve had more surgery. . .

But, will do another report from my recent St Andrews trip, and look at the village of Dollar that I visited for lunch on the way back.

But first, more street art from Glasgow:

From afar:

The Week Ahead, the year in Review (if I feel like it) / Vino Valentino, Glasgow –

Can’t wait til I can Travel again . . . .

The final week of the year, and it has ended just like the last one, with us locked up and I for one am tired of it, considering I’ve been treble vaxxed. But I never do politics and will once again for the foreseeable future, simply have to make my own fun.

I will give my music single and album of the year, TV of the year and try to do a movie of the year, though did not really see any to be fair!

But during the last week, had to have a wine and popped in to a delightful, local, wine bar, Vino Valentino, only a stone’s throw from the house; where after asking for advice for a fruity wine, received one and it was a hit.

Vino Valentino – Various Shots

It’s small and quaint, and believe only about a dozen can fit in, at a squeeze. Also, they do a limited food platter that I’ve seen but never have tried.

Recommended!

The Week Ahead – Still stuck in Glasgow

Ah, it’s the Yuletide season, and with surgeries and the ongoing lockdown in parts of Europe (Germany, France and Holland), am still basically stuck here for Christmas in Glasgow, but then again there are worse places, in fact, I’m loving it.

So what about a picture of the last time that I was actually in an airport, when I was flying back from Deutschland, and had to stay a night at Frankfurt Airport – a very modern Frankfurt Airport – stunning really, with everything one needed to survive a few days – shops, food, drink and even COVID tests!

This week, more Christmas music, more shots from Glasgow, and more reviews of a lot of cafes and restaurants here in Scotland.

The Week Ahead / Christmas Albums – Jamie Cullum- “The Pianoman at Christmas” – 2020

This, released late last year, when he also made a delightful visit to Saturday Kitchen on the BBC to plug it; is the best Christmas album to show for some very long time.

Many are self-penned and are of a trad-jazz meets pop – The Jolly Fatman, meets swing – Hang your Lights (being a standout track), and all contain a huge feelgood factor.

There are too many to pick from, but I still don’t know why the first single, Turn on the Lights, was not a smash hit?

Turn on the Lights – Jamie Cullum

For the week that comes, will finish my report to Ardrossan, and also report on the latest in Glasgow’s Christmas illuminations in George Square.

The Week Ahead – No blogging recently, we’ve been in Hospital! / Killearn, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Now that things are a wee bit more healthy, we will start to write a little bit more here; but thanks again to our NHS, and in particular, in the speed of their service, that I thought was an oxymoron due to the pandemic – I was wrong, they have been superb!

Killearn – Part 1

But first, finally had a wee trip away from Glasgow, first time in a long time that is, to a lovely village called Killearn.

I always had a memory of the last 10 years, where I was in a small village, with two churches opposite a narrow group of old one floor cottages; this was it.

The instant that I was here on a Saturday lunchtime, I immediately noticed the two churches, one has since been turned into a village hall / cafe / church, with stunning views westward.

What struck me, at least in a way that it appealed to me, was that there was everything you wanted; school, church, village hall, two cafes, pub / restaurant (the Old Mill), and even a “luxury” food shop (below):

Speaking of the café, we did lunch at the Town & Country Designs shop / cafe – very nice food and cake.

More on Killearn later and more blogging during the upcoming week.

The Week Ahead – Various, more Travels and comments on Glasgow, Scotland

As I am still under the weather a wee bit, my aim is to blog a bit more than lately!

I’m not sure if these photos have appeared before on this blog, but they are part of the new development at Glasgow University (along University Avenue), here in Glasgow, stemming from the mammoth expansion of the university, see below:

This week I’ll include even more. Believe me, it is huge with some completion date, well into the future.

Equally, will blog on my TV of the Week, and more Cafes.

Also, will take a look at another Glasgow neighbourhood, this time; Garnethill.

The Week Ahead – Not much travel but we still have COP26 here in Glasgow / New Bakery – Lilys Bakes; Superb!

As I am still under the weather due to a recent surgery, there is not much travel (I had to cancel several trips), but we still have many things to look at both in the arts and in Glasgow, Scotland, and the UK

If you have not been under a rock, COP26 is still here until Friday, and I will put some more shots of the proceedings during the week. Like below, where a protest with Greta Thunberg was happening on the weekend:

Also, we’ve a new bakery here call Lily Bakes Cakes, they are in the West End and are completely lethal! Honestly, they are sickening in a good way, and though I am not sure if I posted before, due to the fact that they are only open to the public for 2 days, they usually have a queue outside!

A queue for cakes; brilliant I say! Here’s what they did for Halloween – to die for:

The Week Ahead – Hey, COP26 is in Glasgow

Still recovering from a recent hospitalisation, but will still try to put some things here.

I will continue to look at things around Glasgow; show some old trips (haven’t travelled too much the last few weeks); and look at some TV I’ve seen, etc.

But to say again, the COP26 conference is here in Glasgow for the next few weeks. I don’t do politics, government, etc on this blog, but will put some photos and try to critique – some of the design. For example:

They’ve definitely chose a green / blue look for their banners. Makes sense, as presumably it shows their care for the blue sky / oceans and green for the plants on this planet.

And if that is not your bag; there are also various protests one can take part in; particularly in the university area:

_{Various Posters inviting / highlighting Protests}

Hey, take your pick! Will write more about this over the next few weeks.

The Week Ahead (I was hospitalised last week) / More Glasgow Street Art –

It seems that with the last 18 months now, there is more and more political expression, or at least more time to express yourself!

I caught this on Great Western Road in the West End of Glasgow, and thought that for many, it sums up what some are thinking (Ed; Naturally we never do politics here!).

Street Art in Glasgow

And if that doesn’t get you off, we now have ice cream for dogs! At good ole Tinderbox in Byres Road.

Do they actually sell this?

More life, travels and various this week, whilst I recover from surgery.

Week Ahead – UK’s use of Cafe’s & another new Cafe in Glasgow’s West End

Just when you thought it was not possible for more cafe’s to open in Glasgow, they do!

Please go to this link, where the brilliant Statista gives some very pertinent information about the incessant increase in the use of cafe’s in the UK.

As you can tell, with the exception of 2020 (for some reason!), the people who used cafe’s for both drinking and eating increased almost yearly from 2015 to 2019.

Saying that, a new place has opened up here, to satisfy this demand. Bauhaus, took over a place, Siempre, that years ago was a bike repair / cafe’ combination – it was very useful for myself.

Now, they not only have a substantial back beer garden, but also a very practical and stunning brunch menu (from 10 – 14).