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ESTENDER<br />
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jul/aug
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Contents<br />
Regulars<br />
4 Editor’s Letter<br />
47 Mum’s Notebook<br />
48 Community Pages:<br />
Cancer Support Scotland<br />
Going out<br />
16 West End Live<br />
with Greg Kane<br />
21 WIN! Tickets to<br />
The Glee Club<br />
23 Top Things<br />
Fashion, beauty & health<br />
8 Flower Power Fashion<br />
25 WIN! At Rainbow<br />
Room International<br />
50 Health Matters<br />
Art & culture<br />
18 Musicians Interview:<br />
Hue & Cry<br />
38 Author Interview:<br />
Helen Taylor<br />
42 Cover to Cover<br />
Lifestyle<br />
26 Living a Paleo Life<br />
Food & drink<br />
33 Restaurant Review:<br />
Horn Please<br />
35 Bar Review: 1051 GWR<br />
36 Sweet Liberty<br />
<strong>Westender</strong> living<br />
52 Al Fresco Living<br />
59 Floral Features<br />
61 Outside In
4 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Editor’s<br />
Letter<br />
I’ve completed my first ever Parkrun at<br />
Victoria Park, so I just had to shout about it.<br />
I’m trying to run 5K several times a week<br />
as a healthy way to de-stress (step away<br />
from the wine bottle!) after successfully<br />
completing the Couch to 5K App with the<br />
help of audio mentor, none other than the<br />
West End’s own Sanjeev Kohli.<br />
After numerous years of sofa induced<br />
inertia this was an ‘easier’ route back into<br />
exercise, but I’ll be honest here, it was<br />
probably attempt three. It made it all the<br />
sweeter.<br />
Just over a year ago I started playing<br />
badminton with three friends to ‘get me out<br />
the house’. The laughter this has brought<br />
into my life, whilst exercising too, is not to be<br />
underestimated. A mental health boon, I can’t<br />
recommend this sport highly enough, and the<br />
facilities available in the West End make it an<br />
easy and cheap option too.<br />
Why am I sharing all this? Because<br />
summer is here! There’s no time like now<br />
to go out for a walk (the canal, Botanics,<br />
Kelvingrove), get on your bike (we love the flat<br />
route to Balloch), or start a team sport and<br />
combine socialising with exercise (can’t beat<br />
Glasgow Life leisure centres). The days are<br />
long so let’s fill them with fun days that build<br />
memories to console us through the darker<br />
autumn days ahead.<br />
If you’re looking for other entertainment<br />
options then remember to check out Greg<br />
Kane’s gig pages (Pages 16/17), and then<br />
read the interview with Greg, and brother<br />
Pat Kane, as they look forward to performing<br />
again at the Kelvingrove Bandstand and at<br />
the upcoming 80s Invasion Tour on Page 18.<br />
Our top picks of Westendy things to<br />
do this July and August start on Page 23.<br />
There’s outside cinemas, Shakespeare in the<br />
Botanics and Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail to<br />
look forward to, fantastic.<br />
Or why not check out living a paleo<br />
lifestyle as an alternative option (Page 26)?<br />
Glasgow Uni are chatting about their Animal<br />
Flow classes and show us some of their<br />
moves. It’s an interesting look at our paleo<br />
past and how we can support atavistic<br />
aspects of ourselves through movement,<br />
food and sound.<br />
Whatever you get up to this summer –<br />
enjoy your <strong>Westender</strong>!<br />
Suzanne Martin
www.westendermagazine.com | 5<br />
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EDITOR<br />
SUZANNE MARTIN<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
GREGOR REID<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
EMILY DONOHO, MIKE FINDLAY<br />
AMY GLASGOW,<br />
MICHELE GORDON,<br />
GREG KANE, PAMELA LEGGATE,<br />
NICOLA MAULE,<br />
TRACY MUKHERJEE,<br />
PAMELA PALONGUE,<br />
LORAINE PATRICK,<br />
SUSAN ROBERTSON, BRIAN TOAL,<br />
LIBERTY VITTERT<br />
HAIR & MUA<br />
TERRI CRAIG<br />
STYLIST<br />
JACKI CLARK<br />
WESTENDERMAGAZINE.COM<br />
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GLASGOW<br />
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48 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
FLOWER<br />
POWER<br />
photography GREGOR REID<br />
stylist jacki clark<br />
mua terri craig
www.westendermagazine.com | 95<br />
kimono, monsoon. necklace, shop of interest. cuffs, nancy smiLlie. bag, monsoon
10 6 | | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
dress, monsoon. shoes, office. Necklace, Nancy smilLie<br />
opposite page - dress, topshop
www.westendermagazine.com | 11 7
12 8 | | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
dress, monsoon. socks, inferno. shoes, office
dress, pink poodle. jewellery, nancy smillie. shoes office<br />
www.westendermagazine.com | 13 9
14 10 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
photography gregor reid, gregorreidphotography.com<br />
stylist jacki clark, jackiclark-stylist.co.uk<br />
MUA terri craig, terricraig.co.uk<br />
model anna reeves<br />
model courtesy of<br />
coloursagency.com<br />
shot on location at victoria park<br />
top & shorts, topshop. shoes, office. socks, inferno. bangles & necklace, top shop<br />
earrings, monsoon. glasses, fatface
www.westendermagazine.com | | 15 11
16 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
LIVE<br />
July<br />
The Eagles<br />
Thursday 4th July 7pm<br />
SSE Hydro, thessehydro.com<br />
Really! The most quintessential of All<br />
American bands playing Glasgow on<br />
the 4th of July, US Independence Day?<br />
You really can’t miss this then.<br />
In my line of work I’m somewhat privy<br />
to the 'goings on' when it comes to<br />
bringing the bigger bands to Glasgow.<br />
THE EAGLES arrive in multiple<br />
private jets, require at least five<br />
penthouse suites – in different hotels,<br />
separate transport to and from the<br />
gig, a logistical nightmare! But it<br />
gets done, why? Because they’re the<br />
friggin’ EAGLES!<br />
But my personal relationship with<br />
them is purely sonic. Their recordings<br />
are the yardstick to reference all<br />
mixes by, have been for years and<br />
will continue to be so. I could bore<br />
you with the technicalities, but take<br />
it from me someone in their camp is<br />
really taking care of business when<br />
it comes to making great sounding<br />
records. The pressure to replicate<br />
this forces the Eagles live experience<br />
to be sonically, second to none. Get<br />
your audiophile heads on and go see<br />
them.<br />
HiFi Americana at an eye-watering<br />
£150 a head!<br />
Choice Tracks:<br />
The Eagles 'Hotel California'<br />
Gossip<br />
Friday 19th July 7pm<br />
Galvanisers Yard, swg3.tv<br />
Gossip was formed in 1999 in Olympia,<br />
Washington by college room mates<br />
Beth Ditto, vocals, Kathy Mendonça<br />
on drums and guitarist Brace Paine.<br />
It took them until 2007 to break<br />
through internationally though with<br />
their album 'Standing In The Way Of<br />
Control'. I remember seeing them on<br />
The Jonathan Ross Show that same<br />
year. It was a landmark moment for<br />
the band in the UK but also acted as<br />
a springboard for their dominance<br />
of the Euro charts. Especially in<br />
Germany where they achieved 'the most<br />
successful internationally produced<br />
single of all time' in 2011 with the<br />
song 'Heavy Cross' spending an<br />
amazing 82 consecutive weeks on the<br />
German Top 100!<br />
They have reformed this year after<br />
breaking up in 2016 to celebrate the<br />
10th anniversary of their Rick Ruben<br />
produced hit album 'Music For Men'.<br />
Choice tracks: Gossip<br />
‘Standing In The Way Of Control'<br />
Ghum<br />
Tuesday 16th July 7pm<br />
Hug and Pint, thehugandpint.com<br />
Ghum are a four piece all-girl band<br />
from London fronted by the beautiful<br />
Laura Guerrero Lora on vocals. They<br />
were brought together in 2016 by a<br />
mutual love of The Cure, PJ Harvey and<br />
Warpaint and those bands pretty much<br />
give you an accurate picture of what<br />
Ghum sound like. Special mention<br />
goes to guitarist Jojo Khor for deftly<br />
setting up her Chorus, Flanger and<br />
Delay pedals to achieve the most<br />
convincing Cure guitar sound I’ve<br />
heard in a while. It’s all a bit rough<br />
round the edges but that kind of suits<br />
this style of music. Really enjoyed<br />
listening to their '5 most popular' on<br />
Spotify.<br />
Choice track: Ghum ‘TV’
www.westendermagazine.com | 17<br />
by Greg Kane<br />
August<br />
Mo Kenney<br />
Sunday 4th August 7pm<br />
Hug and Pint, thehugandpint.com<br />
Mo Kenney is a 29 year old Canadian<br />
singer/songwriter based in Dartmouth,<br />
Nova Scotia. Over the last seven years<br />
she has released three albums with<br />
the most recent, 'The Details' winning<br />
the coveted Nova Scotia Music Award<br />
in 2017.<br />
She has such an alluring voice, kept<br />
me listening to her for over an hour<br />
it did. She sites Elliot Smith as a<br />
big influence on her music and has<br />
also enjoyed the support of renowned<br />
songwriter Ron Sexsmith. That should<br />
give you a better idea on where she’s<br />
coming from.<br />
Classy, indie, folk, pop.<br />
Choice track: Mo Kenney 'Telephones'<br />
Michale Graves<br />
Thursday 8th August 7pm<br />
SWG3, swg3.tv<br />
Michale Graves is a 44 year old<br />
American singer/songwriter. He’s been<br />
the frontman for neurotic punk band<br />
The MisFits, fronted punk icon Marky<br />
Ramone’s band Blitzkrieg, served in<br />
the US Marines and is a much lauded<br />
and celebrated Horror Rock/US punk<br />
artist.<br />
But on his latest album 'Keys' he just<br />
croons his heartfelt, slightly EMO<br />
songs over a simple acoustic piano<br />
accompaniment. It really works,<br />
probably because he’s actually a very<br />
good singer.<br />
Kinda imagine if Joe Strummer had<br />
ever recorded a rock opera! That’s<br />
what he sounds like here. Whit? Yes I<br />
just wrote that. Sorry Clash fans.<br />
A night of balladeering punk.<br />
Choice Track: Michale Graves<br />
'Dig Up Her Bones'<br />
Edwyn Collins<br />
Wednesday 28th August 7pm<br />
QMU, qmunion.org.uk<br />
The Queen Margaret Union is one of<br />
two student unions at Glasgow Uni<br />
and is a historic live music venue in<br />
Glasgow’s West End. It is experiencing<br />
a bit of a renaissance right now due<br />
to the fact that the poor old 02 ABC<br />
on Sauchiehall Street was destroyed<br />
in the 2nd Art School fire in June last<br />
year and both venues hold roughly the<br />
same amount of people. It’s good to see<br />
it back at the forefront of Glasgow’s<br />
live music scene once again.<br />
Scottish music icon, Edwin Collins<br />
has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride<br />
over the past 20 years. He had the<br />
worldwide smash hit 'Girl Like You'<br />
in 1995, after which he setup the<br />
much loved West Heath Yard recording<br />
studio in London and then he found<br />
himself hospitalised following two<br />
cerebral haemorrhages in 2005. He<br />
has since moved back to Scotland<br />
and has made a remarkable recovery<br />
evidence of which can be seen in the<br />
very moving BBC documentary 'Edwyn<br />
Collins: Home Again'. He is out on tour<br />
promoting his new album 'Badbea'.<br />
Yes, it is good to have you home Edwyn.<br />
Choice track: Edwyn Collins<br />
'Girl Like You'
18 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Singing to<br />
Mother Glasgow<br />
It’s great to see you lined up to play the<br />
last date in the Summer Nights series of<br />
concerts at Kelvingrove Bandstand in<br />
August. This will also be the 6th year of the<br />
festival – is this the first time playing at this<br />
venue and what can people expect from the<br />
show?<br />
PK: Not the first time we played the<br />
bandstand – I used to do protest gigs there<br />
as a young man, and Greg I think played<br />
with a soft rock outfit called ‘Fast Licks’...<br />
the 80s, eh? This time, we’ll be bringing 35<br />
years of songs – all our hits, beloved classics,<br />
irresistible covers and (decreed by law)<br />
‘Mother Glasgow’.<br />
Late Autumn, you then join the UK ‘80s<br />
Invasion’ tour with bands such as Sister<br />
Sledge, and Five Star. It will be the second<br />
time this year appearing in a line-up with<br />
other acts, who’s songs made a mark during<br />
that decade – in August you play alongside<br />
ABC, Go West and Midge Ure at ‘DunDee<br />
80s’. Is audience expectation different for<br />
these ‘collective’ shows?<br />
GK: The 80s were a golden age for Scottish<br />
bands. There were at least a dozen of us that<br />
WORDS NICOLA MAULE<br />
Glasgow’s beloved Hue and Cry journeyed into the UK music charts and the<br />
lofty heights of 80s pop with classic records such as, ‘Labour of Love’ and<br />
albums ‘Seduced and Abandoned’ and ‘Remote’. Yet, the enduring talents of<br />
brothers Greg and Pat Kane have weaved their way well beyond that seminal<br />
decade to the present day, where they continue to release hugely applauded<br />
albums and perform live shows up and down the country. In amongst, what is<br />
a busy year of touring, Nicola Maule, chatted a little with Pat and Greg about<br />
those early days, their love of performing and what plans are in the mix for<br />
the not too distant future.<br />
were enjoying hit singles, selling hundreds of<br />
thousands of albums and playing in arenas all<br />
round the UK. But for me the stand out artists<br />
in the 80s were Prince, Terence Trent D’arby,<br />
Miles Davis, Paul Simon, Ian Dury and The<br />
Blockheads, Joe Jackson and Talking Heads.<br />
They all made iconic albums that decade<br />
which are still my favourited on my Spotify<br />
playlists.<br />
The album, ‘Sign O’ The Times’ by Prince<br />
is just so good, a pretty high bar for us 80s<br />
guys. I really enjoy playing these multi-band<br />
lineups celebrating the 80s too. Give us<br />
bands the chance to play our songs in front<br />
of tens of thousands of people once again.<br />
They have stood the test of time well, very<br />
gratifying, makes me happy.<br />
There is and has been for some years now<br />
a real nod to the 1980s whether that’s in<br />
fashion – bright colours, big patterns and<br />
even shoulder pads have apparently been<br />
making a comeback – and in TV series<br />
such as Stranger Things, Black Mirror and<br />
Deutschland 83. You released your first<br />
single, ‘Here Comes Everybody’ on the<br />
independent label Stampede Records in the<br />
heart of the decade – 1986. What did it feel<br />
like to make a record at that time and was
www.westendermagazine.com | 19<br />
there anything that influenced your music /<br />
song-writing as the decade progressed?<br />
PK: We loved that record! A big groove<br />
extravaganza on the a-side, a plaintive piano<br />
vocal ballad on the b-side, along with a<br />
bonus track ‘The Successes of Monetarism’<br />
(three minutes of silence!). All of our future<br />
career was there really – a love of R’n’B, jazz,<br />
funk and soul at one end, and just the two<br />
of us singing sensitive songs into the void,<br />
on the other. We were post ‘post-punks’ –<br />
not only liberated by post-punk to do, say<br />
and play anything we wanted, but also with<br />
ambitions to write pop classics. A great era,<br />
which we enjoyed to the max!<br />
You perform a fantastic cover of Don Henley’s<br />
‘Boys of Summer,’ which is shared on<br />
your YouTube channel (HueandCryMusic)<br />
– do you find social media sites such as<br />
this a helpful way to connect with fans,<br />
old and new?<br />
GK: We reach out to fans for input quite often<br />
via our social sites and the suggestion to<br />
cover ‘Boys of Summer’ was from a fan. That<br />
song was off Pat and I’s radar, but I think it’s<br />
one of the best versions I’ve heard. If it hadn’t<br />
been for that fan it wouldn’t have happened.<br />
So the communication we have with the<br />
people who like our music is so important to<br />
Pat and I and we pay as much attention as we
20 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
can to what fans want and expect from us.<br />
We can’t always play all the songs everyone<br />
wants, but we try.<br />
It’s nearly 2 years since your last record,<br />
‘Pocketful of Stones’ was released, which<br />
was the first album of new material since<br />
2012s ‘Hot Wire’. It’s quite a beautiful and<br />
poetic journey of storytelling – lots to connect<br />
with. Can you share a little of the backstory to<br />
the album?<br />
PK: Thank you so much! It’s definitely a<br />
50-something record – about fatherhood,<br />
political illusion (and disillusion), what it’s like<br />
to be an older man and how you never really<br />
settle your early traumas. There’s a moment<br />
of joy there when I sing with my daughter Ellie<br />
on a song called Let Her Go – but even that’s<br />
about realising that your child’s autonomy is<br />
what you’ve grown her up for, and that you<br />
have to ‘let her go’ somewhat (while NEVER<br />
doing so, of course!). It’s also the result of<br />
a coin-toss – a few years ago Greg wanted<br />
to do a New Orleans funk record, I wanted a<br />
sensitive ballad record... he won the toss for<br />
the last record. So this was my turn!<br />
With your touring schedule as busy as<br />
it is this year, what is 2020 looking like –<br />
will there be another studio album to look<br />
forward to?<br />
GK: Our touring schedule is very busy this<br />
year. In fact it’s gotten busier every year for<br />
the last decade and long may it continue.<br />
But it takes its toll. It’s much harder to multitask<br />
nowadays, I seem to spend what free<br />
time I have resting in order to have the energy<br />
to go out on the road each time. But we have<br />
just lavished a lot of time and money on our<br />
personal studio in Glasgow and loaded it with<br />
iconic Roland drum machines, Moog synths,<br />
all sorts of weird and wonderful analogue<br />
musical gadgetry. So we’ll be step time<br />
sequencing very soon and hopefully you’ll<br />
hear the fruits of our endeavours next year.<br />
It’s going to be quite exciting going down this<br />
route of music making for the first time.<br />
Hue and Cry are playing at the Kelvingrove<br />
Bandstand on 10th August – SOLD OUT<br />
and at the 80s Invasion Tour at the SSE<br />
Hydro on 6th November.<br />
For other upcoming concert dates, news<br />
and all things Hue and Cry visit:<br />
hueandcry.co.uk
www.westendermagazine.com | 21<br />
Win Tickets to see a stellar comedy line-up at<br />
The Glee Club Glasgow<br />
Glasgow’s hottest new comedy club,<br />
The Glee Club, is offering five lucky<br />
readers the chance to win a pair<br />
of tickets to one of their hilarious weekend<br />
shows this summer.<br />
Launched earlier this year, The Glee Club<br />
plays host to some of the nation’s much loved<br />
and up and coming comics every weekend<br />
in their 400-seat venue. Situated in the<br />
heart of Glasgow’s city centre, it boasts a<br />
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An extensive menu of delicious freshly<br />
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enable guests to enjoy both an evening of<br />
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Don’t miss the chance to win a fantastic<br />
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venues… enter now!<br />
WIN! A pair of tickets to The Glee<br />
Club Glasgow. Enter online by 1pm<br />
Friday 26th July <strong>2019</strong>. Go to<br />
westendermagazine.com and click<br />
on Competitions. Good luck!<br />
T&Cs: One pairs of tickets is available for five<br />
winners. The promoter reserves the right to<br />
allocate the prize to the winners. The prize<br />
includes free entry to The Glee Club Glasgow’s<br />
Friday or Saturday night shows. The prizes are<br />
valid for redemption by 30th September <strong>2019</strong><br />
and subject to availability. The competition is<br />
open to over 18s only.
22 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Boutique Gallery and Gift Shop<br />
Original Art • Prints • Unique Gifts<br />
and Homeware<br />
Hub – Fashion Illustration Classes<br />
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Opening Times:<br />
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Sunday: 12 noon – 4PM<br />
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Tel: 07899 001 130 / 0141 221 7316<br />
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www.theshopofinterest.co.uk
www.westendermagazine.com | 23<br />
Top Things To Do<br />
in the West End<br />
by Tracy Mukherjee<br />
It’s summer in the city and with so much to see<br />
and do in July and August let’s crack on with this<br />
edition of Top Things.<br />
Top for Summer Theatre<br />
Scotland’s biggest Shakespeare festival Bard<br />
in the Botanics now has over 50 productions<br />
under its codpiece and can claim audience<br />
figures of over 70,000. This year the Botanics<br />
will be set alight when the annual Shakespeare<br />
festival brings us The Muse of Fire as the theme.<br />
Four flaming hot productions will run throughout<br />
July until the 3rd of August.<br />
First to tread the boards is As You Like It.<br />
With our heroine Rosalind transported from<br />
the Forest of Arden to the Botanic's lawns and<br />
gardens, this romantic comedy has no truer a<br />
quote 'All the world’s a stage...' even Glasgow on<br />
a dreich summer night!<br />
And so to a polar opposite production: Henry V.<br />
A seated event within the Kibble Palace,<br />
who knew Agincourt had so many palm trees?<br />
Heroism and sacrifice, glorification of war or<br />
comment on its futility, Shakespeare certainly<br />
gets the discussion flowing with this one.<br />
And then there is the rousing St Crispin’s Day<br />
Speech – I dare you not to hurra and huzzah!!!<br />
From a king to a prince; Hamlet of Denmark<br />
might be transported to Dowanhill, but<br />
this production is no less thrilling for it.<br />
It’s Shakespeare’s longest play so you’ll certainly<br />
get your money’s worth from this tragedy as<br />
Hamlet plots revenge among the rhododendrons.<br />
An outside production, to be drenched or not to<br />
be drenched, that is the question. Better pack a<br />
cagoule just in case.<br />
The final production of the year is the fabulously<br />
grotesque Richard III. Inside the Kibble our<br />
amoral, power hungry anti-hero will rise to the<br />
throne by all means necessary. Although deemed<br />
a tragedy as Richard is indeed a tragic character,<br />
it’s dotted with some dark comedy throughout.<br />
So iconic, it’s a fitting production to conclude<br />
this year’s festival.<br />
Bard In The Botanics, Glasgow Botanic<br />
Gardens, 26th June – 3rd August<br />
For full details and ticket information visit:<br />
bardinthebotanics.co.uk<br />
Top for Cinema<br />
Andre Rieu has truly become a worldwide<br />
phenomenon, bringing classical music to the<br />
masses. The Dutch conductor and violinist<br />
seems to be on a never ending worldwide tour.<br />
But if you haven’t managed to catch Andre and<br />
his 60 piece Johann Strauss Orchestra live as<br />
yet, fear not. Now, without having to leave the<br />
comfort of the West End, there is the opportunity<br />
to 'attend' his iconic annual hometown concert.<br />
For two nights only, join Andre Rieu in the<br />
medieval town square of Maastricht, courtesy<br />
of the Grosvenor Cinema. The conductor’s<br />
charming mix of classical, pop, folk and musical<br />
theatre will, this time around, celebrate dance.<br />
The Shall We Dance concert is being shown<br />
nationwide at cinemas, but remember it’s only<br />
two nights so get tickets for the Grosvenor<br />
booked soon!<br />
If being inside at this time of year seems a waste<br />
of the heady 12 degree temperature and minor<br />
drizzle outside, why not consider an open air<br />
cinema opportunity? Luna Kids Cinema is the<br />
first open air cinema specifically for kids. In mid<br />
July, Victoria Park will be the venue for five days<br />
of classic children’s films. With several films<br />
per day such as How To Train Your Dragon: The<br />
Hidden World, Mary Poppins Returns, Peppa Pig:<br />
Festival Of Fun and Julia Donaldson classics The<br />
Gruffalo, Zog and The Highway Rat, Luna have<br />
covered all age groups. The event isn’t seated,<br />
but back rests and blankets can be purchased.<br />
There will also be plenty of food options, healthy<br />
or not so healthy, with on-site catering. If the<br />
weather is on our side, this could be a fabulous<br />
way to entertain the kids during the holidays.
24 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Top Things To Do<br />
in the West End<br />
by Tracy Mukherjee<br />
Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss<br />
Orchestra Shall we Dance, Grosvenor<br />
Cinema, Ashton Lane G12 8SJ<br />
27th and 28th July. For more information:<br />
intl.andreincinemas.com<br />
Luna Kids Cinema, Victoria Park<br />
Wed 17th – Sun 21st Jul<br />
lunakidscinema.com/Victoria-Park<br />
Top for Summer Camps<br />
For a whole host of reasons, summer activity<br />
camps for kids are becoming ever more popular.<br />
There are a whole range of camps available<br />
nearby this summer, focusing on a variety of<br />
activities. West End Adventure is running School<br />
Holiday Adventures for outdoorsy kiddies.<br />
Getting muddy, wet, building dens and getting<br />
active will all be in a day’s work on this camp.<br />
Under the guidance of instructors, no two days<br />
will be the same. There are also age appropriate<br />
adventure groups: Junior Adventure for 6 and<br />
7 year olds, Primary Adventure for 8 years –<br />
P7 and Senior Adventure for 1st Year pupils<br />
onwards.<br />
If the great outdoors isn’t the scene for your<br />
child, why not consider a summer camp in<br />
computer game development, robotics or<br />
engineering? These are week long classes<br />
run by the British Youth IT College in Firhill.<br />
Choosing from game development, core concepts<br />
of robotic coding and Lego engineering classes,<br />
this is summer camp for the next generation.<br />
The classes fall into 2 age groups: 6 – 9 years or<br />
9 – 14 years. It is a great opportunity for children<br />
who have a keen interest in technology.<br />
School Holiday Adventures, West End<br />
Adventure, Knightswood, G13 2HE<br />
westendadventure.co.uk<br />
Kids Summer Camps, British Youth<br />
IT College, Firhill, G20 7BA. For full<br />
details of the courses and schedule visit<br />
byitc.org<br />
Top for Art<br />
The work of Linda McCartney will go on<br />
show at Kelvingrove from July onwards. This<br />
retrospective of the photographer’s life and<br />
work is curated by the McCartney family.<br />
It features iconic moments of 1960s music with<br />
later intimate images captured by the renowned<br />
photographer. Also included in the exhibition<br />
is one of McCartney’s diaries and her cameras<br />
from that era, the first time they have ever been<br />
on public exhibition. As well as reportage style<br />
images of Hendrix, The Beatles and The Rolling<br />
Stones, photographs of Linda and Paul’s beloved<br />
Mull of Kintyre will also be included. Given this<br />
is such a special event, there is an admission<br />
charge.<br />
Staying with our love of Scotland, look out<br />
for Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail this summer.<br />
In Scottish cities throughout the land, life size,<br />
individually decorated sculptures of Wullie will<br />
be appearing. This will be the first nationwide<br />
public art trail and will raise funds for Scottish<br />
children’s hospital charities. With over 200<br />
sculptures creatively painted by artists,<br />
a summer wander around the town will have an<br />
extra special incentive. You’ll remember 'Oor<br />
Wullie, your Wullie, a’body’s Wullie', and that<br />
famous cover quote never was so poignant.<br />
Running in conjunction with the trail will be<br />
an education programme focusing on our<br />
communities and citizenship. This is a delightful<br />
way to come together, enjoy the nostalgia and<br />
help a fantastic cause to boot; see if you can<br />
raise more than Wee Eck, Fat Boab and Soapy<br />
Souter...<br />
Linda McCartney: A Retrospective,<br />
Kelvingrove Museum and Art<br />
Galleries 5th Jul till 12th Jan<br />
glasgowlife.org.uk and follow the links<br />
Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail Glasgow,<br />
17th June – 30th August.<br />
oorwullie.com.<br />
Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail, to learn<br />
more about the event.
<strong>Westender</strong> www.westendermagazine.com <strong>Magazine</strong> Competitions | 25<br />
SUMMER GIFTS<br />
AT<br />
RRI<br />
R<br />
by John Parker<br />
ecently, Directors from all twelve<br />
of the salons had a mystery trip<br />
arranged by Rainbow Room<br />
International owners, Alan and Linda<br />
Stewart, to the stunning Archerfield House<br />
to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We all had<br />
an incredible time gathering for a lovely meal<br />
and raising a glass to the incredible journey<br />
our salon group has been on.<br />
We also were the stylists backstage at<br />
this years TRNSMT Festival. It was another<br />
fantastic year, with artists visiting us to have<br />
their hair styled before heading on stage.<br />
Taking part in these events is great for stylists<br />
from our salons to attend and take advantage<br />
of the different opportunities that our brand<br />
provides.<br />
Summer from our salon also took part<br />
in her first Art Team photo shoot in London<br />
recently, a great opportunity for her to get<br />
more experience and be really creative.<br />
We’ve also received beautiful new<br />
Schwarzkopf colours in the salon – True<br />
Beautiful Honest. The shades respect and<br />
illuminate the hair’s natural highs and lows,<br />
providing natural-looking results with up to<br />
100% multi-dimensional coverage.<br />
317-319 CROW ROAD G11 7BU<br />
0141 337 3307<br />
SPIRITOGIFTS.COM<br />
WIN! Rainbow Room International<br />
are offering one lucky reader a hair<br />
makeover in their Great Western Rd<br />
salon. For your chance to win go to<br />
westendermagazine.com and click<br />
on competitions by the 31st Aug ‘19.<br />
Rainbow Room International<br />
607 Great Western Road G12 8HX<br />
0141 337 3370<br />
rainbowroominternational.com
26 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Living a<br />
paleo life<br />
WORDS PAMELA PALONGUE
www.westendermagazine.com | 27<br />
Everything old seems to be new again, as millions of people have started to<br />
embrace the diet, exercise and habits of our ancient Cro-Magnon ancestors.<br />
Perhaps all the technology we have and the onset of artificial intelligence are<br />
just a bit scary, and we’re retreating into our Neolithic corner.<br />
Whatever the case, there is a great deal of evidence that a diet without<br />
processed foods is healthier. And hunter gatherers who spent very little time<br />
sitting, probably had much lower cholesterol levels than their present day<br />
counterparts.<br />
If you’re wondering how you can explore the possible benefits of a<br />
primitive lifestyle in the West End of Glasgow, there actually may be more<br />
opportunities than you realise…<br />
Kerry Murdoch, an Active Lifestyle<br />
instructor, teaches a new class at The<br />
University of Glasgow called ‘Animal<br />
Flow’. It’s probably unlike any exercise class<br />
you have ever seen!<br />
The participants perform quadrupedal<br />
movements using the hands and feet for<br />
balance.<br />
The weight of your own body provides the<br />
resistance as you perform moves with names<br />
like ‘beast’, ‘ape’ and ‘crab’.<br />
In contemporary times, our hands rarely<br />
touch the ground. But in Animal Flow, the<br />
hands are used for almost every movement,<br />
giving the upper body an excellent workout.<br />
If you’re imagining an ape scampering across<br />
the floor however, think again. It’s more of a<br />
meditative movement, with slow, deliberate<br />
moves which are almost balletic. It can be<br />
beautiful to watch as the body morphs from<br />
one position into another.<br />
Though it’s physically demanding (which<br />
might be the whole point of a workout in the<br />
first place) the movements themselves can be<br />
simplified to allow beginners to develop their<br />
strength and flexibility.<br />
Though Animal Flow has been compared<br />
to yoga, it’s actually quite different. Instead of<br />
static poses, the body is in almost constant<br />
motion. And the participants do not use<br />
mats, since the sequence of choreographed<br />
movements can run in all different directions<br />
with the entire floor being used!<br />
The Animal Flow classes just launched<br />
at The Stevenson Building on campus. They<br />
are one-hour sessions which run in 5-week<br />
blocks.<br />
To learn more about the classes, visit the<br />
University of Glasgow website at:<br />
gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/sport/whatson/<br />
learn2/animal<br />
Another ancient activity that’s becoming<br />
increasingly popular is tribal drumming.<br />
The drum certainly has to be one of<br />
the oldest instruments on Earth, and in<br />
indigenous cultures it has been used for<br />
welcoming visitors, celebrations at harvest<br />
time, and even as a means to reach higher<br />
states of consciousness in shamanic<br />
ceremonies.<br />
But it’s not just for the ancients.<br />
Contemporary doctors and researchers have<br />
conducted studies which show that there are<br />
health benefits to drumming, as well as social<br />
connectedness.<br />
Dr. Barry Quinn, Ph.D. and clinical<br />
psychologist, states that drumming sessions<br />
can dramatically reduce stress, and may also<br />
lower blood pressure.<br />
The Glasgow Drum Circle meets every<br />
Wednesday night in the heart of the West End<br />
at Wellington Church. This welcoming group<br />
is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers<br />
who believe in the many positive benefits of<br />
drumming.<br />
Emma, one of the trustees of Glasgow<br />
Drum Circle, and a drummer herself, says<br />
that it’s almost like a meditative state when<br />
focussing on the patterns of the rhythm.<br />
And fellow trustee Shae, notes the<br />
connectedness and community that the drum<br />
circle provides when several people are all<br />
coming together in rhythm and sound.
28 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
They teach rhythm patterns based on<br />
West African drum beats, starting with<br />
the basics, and novices are able to start<br />
drumming almost immediately.<br />
In the class I attended, there were<br />
two drummers taking their first class,<br />
who were quickly pounding away like pros.<br />
The participants range from beginner<br />
to advanced. Everyone is provided with<br />
authentic African drums such as djembe and<br />
dunun drums, along with mallets.<br />
Classes are offered on a six months,<br />
six weeks or a weekly, pay-as-you-go basis.<br />
The modest fee helps cover the operating<br />
costs of the class.<br />
If you haven’t tried this yet, give it a go.<br />
It’s interesting – and fun! Visit here for more<br />
info: glasgowdrumcircle.org/classes.<br />
One of the most important ways we can be<br />
healthier, is through the food which we eat.<br />
For Gabriela Nicol of Paleo Lifestyle,<br />
food was very much the medicine which<br />
solved her digestive problems.<br />
Suffering with Irritable Bowel Syndrome<br />
(IBS) Gabriela, decided to make a conscious<br />
change to not only eat healthy, but to<br />
embrace a diet derived from sustainable<br />
sources, and good quality ingredients.<br />
Her background in science and<br />
understanding of digestive enzymes,<br />
led her to adopt the paleo diet. Gabriela<br />
found that her IBS disappeared, and she’s<br />
been symptom-free for four years. She also<br />
discovered she had more energy, and even<br />
looked younger. Colds and frequent viral<br />
infections have also vanished since she has<br />
gone paleo.<br />
Gabriela believes in the benefits of<br />
good nutrition so strongly, that she formed<br />
her business, Paleo Lifestyle to share her<br />
expertise – and her food with others.<br />
Based in Maryhill, she bakes dairy and<br />
gluten-free, sugar-free and low carb, using<br />
organic ingredients from sustainable sources.<br />
Instead of milk, Gabriela uses coconut<br />
milk, and nut milks such as cashew and<br />
almond milk.<br />
Gabriela has created desserts that are<br />
not just healthy, but also delicious. Some of<br />
the most popular desserts and treats are her<br />
vegan cheesecake, vegan snickers, bounty<br />
bars and carrot cake. She uses stevia or<br />
natural maple syrup for sweetening.
www.westendermagazine.com | 29<br />
Her desserts can be ordered from her<br />
Facebook page, and she will deliver them<br />
to anywhere in the greater Glasgow area,<br />
or they can be collected free of charge at her<br />
Maryhill location.<br />
She currently holds cooking classes where<br />
an entire three-course meal is prepared.<br />
The classes take place about once a month,<br />
and last for approximately two hours. At the<br />
end, participants dine on the meal they’ve<br />
created, and they receive a free recipe book<br />
for cooking at home.<br />
Gabriela, who is a certified Paleo<br />
Nutritionist, is taking on clients to help with<br />
nutritional advice. This can be especially<br />
helpful to individuals suffering from food<br />
intolerances, allergies, hormonal and<br />
metabolic issues.<br />
Gabriela has plans to open a coffee shop<br />
later this year, where all of her cakes and<br />
treats will be available.<br />
For more information on Paleo Lifestyle,<br />
visit her Facebook page at:<br />
facebook.com/paleolifestyleuk<br />
If you’re looking for a healthier lifestyle in<br />
your future, the answer may actually lie in the<br />
past.
30 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
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<strong>Westender</strong> www.westendermagazine.com <strong>Magazine</strong> Promotion | 31<br />
Main Image I Gregor Reid<br />
Otago Street Speciality Coffee Shop<br />
coffee bar, authentic noodle stop, brunch menu<br />
First impressions are of a bright and airy<br />
space when you enter Perch & Rest in<br />
what was a picturesque wee cottage<br />
back in the day.<br />
Joe and Yao’s year long labour of love to<br />
find, refit and open their cafe has resulted<br />
in a hybrid speciality coffee shop, with over<br />
half a dozen coffees, plus guest coffee,<br />
to try; noodle bowls famous all over China<br />
from Yao’s home region; and a more<br />
traditional brunch menu curated by a Savoy<br />
trained chef (and luckily, a family member!).<br />
Says Joe, ‘In the last five years I have<br />
observed the speciality coffee scene slowly<br />
grow in Glasgow. We have made significant<br />
expenditures on coffee equipment which<br />
are at the cutting edge of the industry<br />
– we resemble more of an Australian style<br />
coffee bar. We have a changing single<br />
origin coffee for those who love espresso.<br />
We have regularly changing filter coffees<br />
which showcase the best the industry has at<br />
the moment. And we also prepare our own<br />
cold brew drip coffee and iced tea in store.’<br />
Joe continues, ‘Yao’s hometown noodles<br />
are famous all around China. And there is<br />
currently a gap in the market for these type<br />
of noodles, which in China are a snack food<br />
– that is, there are very many noodle bars of<br />
this kind where individuals will go from early<br />
morning to late evening to grab a reasonably<br />
priced bowl of noodles in between their<br />
normal meals. When we found our current<br />
location we decided to incorporate my<br />
coffee experience and my family’s extensive<br />
hospitality experience to offer a varied and<br />
unique experience. Now we have a hybrid<br />
cafe that offers stunning coffee, mouth<br />
watering soup noodles, and also a more<br />
traditional brunch menu.’<br />
This entrepreneurial young couple have<br />
achieved so much already, but have a keen<br />
eye on possible future expansion to offer<br />
community and event space, as well as a<br />
takeaway offering – watch this space!<br />
SPECIAL OFFER:<br />
One free espresso based drink<br />
per customer per voucher. Please<br />
redeem in-store by 31st August ‘19.<br />
Perch and Rest Cafe<br />
39 Otago Street G12 8JJ<br />
07562 977250<br />
#<br />
#
32 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
CARAVAN / MOTOR HOME TO PARK?<br />
NEED SECURE STORAGE IN WEST END?<br />
Titan Storage have space within the famous<br />
Barclay Curle Complex on South Street in Scotstoun<br />
– beside the Yellow Crane!<br />
Suitable for cars, caravans, motor homes – from £50 pcm<br />
Also 20 foot steel containers – from £100 pcm<br />
24 hour access<br />
Part of busy enclosed complex<br />
Minimum 3 months licence<br />
We also have workshops and studios to let within<br />
Barclay Curle Complex – details on application.<br />
Contact<br />
Andrew – 07812 150 070 – Email andrew@suthbrown.co.uk<br />
Wheatley – 07748 358 600 – Email wheatleyharris@aol.com
www.westendermagazine.com | 33<br />
@<br />
Horn<br />
Images I Gregor Reid<br />
Please<br />
Reviewed by Amy Glasgow @theglasgowdiet<br />
We love a curry in Glasgow and Indian<br />
cuisine has certainly come a long<br />
way over the years, whether that is<br />
through ‘fusion’ (which more often than not<br />
simply means the addition of haggis pakora<br />
to the menu) or by adopting the growing trend<br />
of ‘small plates’. Thankfully, Horn Please falls<br />
into the latter category, offering a unique spin<br />
on traditional Indian dishes in a sharing-style<br />
setting.<br />
Having previously been located in a<br />
rather dimly lit basement on Berkeley Street,<br />
Horn Please now resides in the ever-popular<br />
Finnieston area and it has provided the<br />
restaurant with a much-needed new lease of<br />
life. It’s previous location provided very little<br />
foot traffic, whereas now, sat on Sauchiehall<br />
Street, I was pleased to see it bustling with<br />
customers on a dreary Wednesday evening<br />
because this little restaurant has so much to<br />
offer.<br />
The new space may be smaller but it is<br />
filled with all the charm of the old location,<br />
from the tuk tuk protruding from the wall to<br />
the list of ‘house rules’, which includes ‘no<br />
sleeping on the toilet’ – dare I ask?<br />
Where the décor is tongue-in-cheek,<br />
the menu is serious, filled with small plates<br />
of what is described as contemporary Indian<br />
cuisine. This is the unique selling point of<br />
this restaurant; taking elements of the old<br />
and creating something new and exciting,<br />
so don’t expect to see lamb bhuna on<br />
the menu.<br />
Think filo pastry filled with spring onion<br />
and green peas served with an onion, green<br />
chilli and mint jam, masala spiced baby<br />
aubergines on an aubergine curry base or,<br />
very simply, bread pakora with meat and fish<br />
fillings. Annoyingly moreish, imagine a ham or<br />
salmon sandwich dipped in gram flour batter<br />
and deep-fried.<br />
Re-invention is the name of the game<br />
here, with the humble chicken tikka breast<br />
served on a cream and fenugreek sauce with<br />
crispy Serrano ham. Somehow, the spiced,<br />
charred chicken breast is perfectly balanced<br />
by the richness of the cream sauce and the<br />
crisp, saltiness of the ham.<br />
Their crowing jewel for me though is their<br />
grilled duck with butter sauce; soft, gamey<br />
meat paired with a buttery curry sauce – just<br />
make sure you mop every last ounce of it up<br />
with some of their deliciously flaky paratha,<br />
w h i c h m i g h t b e t h e b e s t I h a ve e ve r t a s t e d .<br />
In fact, the last time I visited I must have<br />
eaten about three of them, they are that<br />
good.<br />
Dishes range from between £3.50 to<br />
£7, so depending on how much you order,<br />
it can suit any budget. If you’re anything<br />
like me though, you’ll want to order one of<br />
everything.<br />
Horn Please<br />
914-916 Sauchiehall Street G3 7TF<br />
0141 573 3021<br />
hornpleaseglasgow.co.uk
34 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
CRAFT BEERS & ALES<br />
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FINE WINE<br />
WHISKY, BOURBON, GIN<br />
VODKA, RUM, TEQUILA<br />
CIGARS & BRANDY<br />
21 Clarence Drive, Glasgow G12 9QN<br />
0141 334 4312<br />
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Hyndland<br />
Train Station
@<br />
1051 GWR<br />
www.westendermagazine.com | 35<br />
Images I Gregor Reid<br />
Reviewed by<br />
Emily Donoho<br />
You can’t miss 1051 GWR when driving<br />
along Great Western Road with its<br />
grand formal design. A former railway<br />
station in the Beaux Art style it was designed<br />
by Glasgow architect JJ Burnet whose other<br />
works include the Clydeport Building on<br />
Roberton Street and the Glasgow Savings<br />
bank on Ingram Street. Once a railway line<br />
connected Maryhill to the city centre, but<br />
the line closed during the Second World<br />
War, never to be reopened. In 1995, a fire<br />
devastated the building. It lay derelict for<br />
a number of years, until the mid-2000s,<br />
when it was transformed into a restaurant.<br />
It opened as 1051 GWR in 2015, after further<br />
refurbishment.<br />
Apparently, it wasn’t easy as old buildings<br />
are often challenging to refurbish, and this<br />
one sits over a railway tunnel. If you look<br />
out the back, you can see the old platforms.<br />
The owners, according to their blog, stripped<br />
back some of the façade to reveal more of<br />
its original character, wanting to show the<br />
elegance and craftsmanship of the Victorian<br />
builders.<br />
The interior is reminiscent of the<br />
glamour and class associated with<br />
Victorian railway stations, with columns,<br />
high ceilings, chandeliers, and 1920s-era<br />
posters advertising places one might travel<br />
to by train, often the French Alps. So far,<br />
the restaurant only occupies the ground floor,<br />
but according to their website they plan on<br />
refurbishing the upper levels and providing<br />
an outdoor seating area on the rooftop patio.<br />
In the meantime, you can enjoy the spacious<br />
dining area and bar.<br />
GWR feels like more of a restaurant than<br />
a bar in terms of its interior design. However,<br />
it is still an excellent place for a drink. In the<br />
back of the large room a long bar has twenty<br />
taps for craft ales and they offer a rotating<br />
selection. I’m not going to list them all here,<br />
but the breweries they regularly stock include<br />
Williams Brothers, Belhaven, their own<br />
house lager and pilsner, and various guest<br />
breweries. If beer isn’t your thing, they have<br />
two craft ciders, a selection of wines, and<br />
plenty of single malts.<br />
Like many places, they’ve jumped onto<br />
the gin boat, offering an array of craft gins<br />
and G-and-Ts that go beyond a shot of gin<br />
thrown into some tonic water. These include<br />
one called ‘Death’s Door – Fentiman’s and<br />
Apple,’ which is infused with juniper berries,<br />
coriander, and fennel, or another called<br />
‘Makar Gin, Fever Tree, and Chilli’, which<br />
does what it says on the tin. Yes, it really<br />
does have chillis floating in the glass and<br />
it’s surprisingly good. I tried the ‘Death’s<br />
Door’ as well and found that fennel and<br />
coriander bring out something special in the<br />
humble G-and-T. There’s a menu with nine<br />
infused G-and-Ts on it, so it’s worth a bit<br />
of experimenting. They also have cocktails,<br />
which are fairly affordable as far as cocktails<br />
go – at £6.50 each.<br />
Some bars are cocktail bars, others are<br />
purveyors of craft beers or whiskies, but 1051<br />
GWR does everything. And they do it well.<br />
So, if you and your mates can’t agree on what<br />
sort of drinks you’re after, it should make<br />
everyone happy.<br />
1051 GWR<br />
1051 Great Western Road G12 0XP<br />
0141 339 5575<br />
1051gwr.co.uk
36 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Guilty Pleasures<br />
from <strong>Westender</strong>’s<br />
American in Glasgow<br />
Images I Gregor Reid<br />
Guilty Pleasures from <strong>Westender</strong>’s American in Glasgow
y Liberty Vittert<br />
www.westendermagazine.com | 37<br />
Summer's<br />
semi-freddo<br />
While we are in the midst of summer the thought<br />
of firing up my oven is seriously stressful. When I<br />
first moved to Glasgow and was looking at flats to<br />
rent, I remember asking my letting agent where<br />
the air conditioning was… he opened the window.<br />
Ovens heat up a kitchen like none other, so I<br />
needed a go-to summer dessert that did not require<br />
any baking. And in comes the semi-freddo – easy<br />
as pie to make (get the pun?!), but has zero oven<br />
requirements. Serve the traditional way as a loaf<br />
pan or go crazy finding any fun individual serving<br />
dishes (think wine, champagne, martini glass) for<br />
a new twist on an old favorite.<br />
K<br />
Shopping List<br />
300g blueberries<br />
+ 100g blueberries<br />
100g strawberries<br />
100g raspberries<br />
100g blackberries<br />
180g caster sugar<br />
1 tsp lemon zest<br />
1 tbs lemon juice<br />
1.5 tsp vanilla bean<br />
500g (1 pint) vanilla<br />
ice- cream<br />
260ml whipping cream<br />
extra berries for decoration<br />
L<br />
Method<br />
1. Combine berries (except the extra<br />
100g blueberries), sugar, lemon zest,<br />
lemon juice, and vanilla in a large sauce<br />
pan using a smasher (or the back of a<br />
spoon to break up the berries). Bring to<br />
the boil and then reduce to a simmer for<br />
about 25 minutes.<br />
2. Strain the mixture into a bowl<br />
pressing hard on the solids. Discard the<br />
solids and stir in the reserved 100g of<br />
blueberries. Let cool.<br />
3. Let the vanilla ice-cream sit out for<br />
about 20 minutes and then stir in the<br />
cooled berry mixture until slightly<br />
combined.<br />
4. Whip the whipping cream into soft<br />
peaks. Gently fold the whipping cream<br />
into the ice-cream mixture.<br />
5. Pour the mixture into a 23 x 13 cm<br />
loaf pan or into wine glasses or any<br />
other type of individual serving dish.<br />
Cover with cling film and freeze for at<br />
least 8 hours or overnight.<br />
6. When you're ready to eat, let it sit out<br />
for 5 minutes before serving.<br />
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*Exclusive offer for<br />
WESTENDER readers<br />
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374 Byres Road
38 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Writer’s Reveal<br />
meets Helen Taylor<br />
WORDS LORAINE PATRICK<br />
Here’s a thought for you <strong>Westender</strong>s…<br />
what would the streets of Partick be<br />
like if there was an infamous master<br />
painter from 17th century Italy on the loose?<br />
That’s the premise of Helen Taylor’s<br />
debut novel The Backstreets of Purgatory,<br />
where she brings Caravaggio – the bad boy<br />
of post-renaissance art, who brawled his<br />
way through his short life at the same time as<br />
producing some extraordinary works of art,<br />
back to life in present day Glasgow to help<br />
struggling artist Finn McGarvie.<br />
Under the veneer of Glasgow’s black<br />
humour and Caravaggio’s fine art, the story<br />
tackles issues of mental health, addiction and<br />
abuse and is the first published work for the<br />
former doctor and research scientist. Helen<br />
has a diploma from the Open University<br />
and an MA from Lancaster University in<br />
creative writing and the book has been well<br />
received with one critic saying they cannot<br />
recommend it highly enough. Helen now lives<br />
in France, but we caught up with her by email<br />
to find out more.<br />
Congratulations on the book Helen,<br />
how did the tale come about?<br />
The idea for the novel came after I read<br />
Andrew Graham-Dixon’s biography of<br />
Caravaggio. The real Caravaggio was a<br />
violent, troubled man and a convicted<br />
murderer. With a penchant for brawling<br />
and a taste for wielding a sword he<br />
clearly considered himself a hard man.<br />
My immediate thought on finishing the book<br />
was to wonder how he would survive on<br />
a night out in Glasgow. That was the root.<br />
The rest grew from there.
www.westendermagazine.com | 39<br />
Caravaggio is not the only troubled<br />
character in the book, tell us about the<br />
rest of the cast.<br />
At the centre of the story is Finn, a troubled<br />
art student with artist’s block and an<br />
unhealthy obsession with the maverick<br />
painter. Finn spends his time messing<br />
around in a makeshift studio in a church<br />
hall in Partick, chain-smoking roll-ups and<br />
failing to do any work that he is satisfied<br />
with. Misunderstood by his friends (or so he<br />
believes), he obsesses over Caravaggio while<br />
his self-confidence veers between an overinflated<br />
sense of his own artistic genius and a<br />
crushing, crippling level of insecurity.<br />
From Finn’s point of view, he is<br />
surrounded by people who misunderstand<br />
him or generally let him down. Lizzi,<br />
his girlfriend, treats him like one of her<br />
psychology patients; he has a disconcerting<br />
professional rivalry with his best mate Rob<br />
who is a tattoo artist; his alcoholic, decrepit<br />
next-door neighbour Maurice is feckless and<br />
Finn can’t count on him for support; Tuesday<br />
McLaughlin, a recovering heroin addict,<br />
gives him constant grief for his attitude;<br />
and Kassia, a stroppy au-pair, doesn’t laugh<br />
at his jokes and refuses to let him paint her.<br />
Of all the painters around, infamous<br />
or influential, why choose to bring<br />
Caravaggio back to life?<br />
He has all the qualities of an ideal character<br />
for a work of fiction. His life and his character<br />
are full of contrasts and contradictions.<br />
Under the patronage of bishops and<br />
noblemen, his career flourished, but at the<br />
same time he lived in the squalid artists’<br />
quarter of Rome. He sought acceptance<br />
by the church for his deeply religious<br />
masterpieces, and yet used his impoverished<br />
neighbours and prostitutes as models even<br />
though he knew this would be interpreted<br />
as blasphemous. Jailed several times for<br />
carrying illegal weapons, for brawling and<br />
assault, and finally convicted of murder, this<br />
violent man was the same person who was<br />
capable of producing works of incredible<br />
sensitivity and beauty.<br />
Do readers need to be familiar with his<br />
work to understand the book?<br />
There’s a lot of Caravaggio’s art in the novel<br />
but it isn’t necessary to be familiar with it<br />
to understand the story. The chapter titles<br />
(named after his paintings) refer either to a<br />
painting that appears in the chapter, or to<br />
the main theme of the chapter. Finn leads the<br />
reader through the most important works and<br />
explains the critical parts of Caravaggio’s life<br />
story.<br />
Why base the novel in the West End of<br />
Glasgow?<br />
I lived here for many years so I know it well.<br />
Although it is part of a big city, in many<br />
ways the West End has a small town feel<br />
to it because of the close links between its<br />
inhabitants. Even now, having lived away for<br />
several years, whenever I come back I always<br />
bump into someone I know.<br />
Glasgow also has a character all of its<br />
own. And like any big city, it is a city of<br />
contrasts. It has a reputation as a tough,<br />
hard city but it is also the friendliest place<br />
I have ever lived. It overflows with art,<br />
culture, education and there are pockets of<br />
great prosperity and yet a large percentage<br />
of its population live in poverty with limited<br />
access to these privileges. And speaking<br />
personally, it is the place where I have<br />
spent the happiest days of my life, but also<br />
the most terrible. These extremes – these<br />
contrasts – suit the themes of Caravaggio’s<br />
art and life exactly.<br />
You mention your worst days here –<br />
you have experienced both depression<br />
and post-traumatic stress disorder. Is any<br />
of this reflected in the book?<br />
When I was writing the novel, I wasn’t<br />
particularly thinking about my own<br />
experiences although I deliberately<br />
shied away from making my first novel<br />
autobiographical, perhaps in the end it<br />
reflects a subconscious preoccupation.<br />
What it did allow me to do is explore<br />
ideas about where the line between ‘normal’<br />
mental health and mental illness is crossed,<br />
particularly because for many conditions<br />
there is a spectrum of disease. I wanted<br />
to explore how much the person who is ill<br />
remains themselves even when they are so<br />
changed that others believe they have lost<br />
the person they knew, and to what extent<br />
their actions are governed by free will versus<br />
the effect of the illness on their thinking and<br />
behaviour. Having experience of both being a<br />
clinician and of being a patient helped in that<br />
respect, I think.
40 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
There is a definite increase in awareness<br />
of mental health these days. Does this<br />
help in talking about it?<br />
Without doubt. Modern life is hard. Levels<br />
of poor mental health are compounded<br />
by the awful difficulties many people face:<br />
poverty, stress, bullying, homelessness,<br />
addiction, prison. And there are massive<br />
levels of anxiety in our kids. The more we talk<br />
about these issues, the more we can exert<br />
political pressure to try to eliminate some of<br />
these factors, and make sure there is good<br />
provision of social and mental health services<br />
for everyone. And the more we talk about<br />
it, the more the stigma surrounding mental<br />
illness lessens, and that can only be good<br />
as far as prevention, early intervention and<br />
treatment are concerned.<br />
Your publisher, Unbound, has an unusual<br />
way of raising money to publish new<br />
authors. Tell us about their crowdfunding<br />
platform.<br />
It’s essentially the old-fashioned model of<br />
subscription funding that Charles Dickens<br />
and Samuel Johnson used to publish their<br />
work, but up-dated for the technological age.<br />
The writer pitches an idea to the publisher<br />
and if Unbound think it will fly, a funding<br />
page is set up with a short video and the<br />
opportunity for readers to pledge for a copy<br />
of the book.<br />
Unbound have all the facilities of a<br />
traditional publisher (editors, layout, cover<br />
design, etc). Supporters receive special<br />
editions and their names are listed in the<br />
back of all editions. A successfully funded<br />
book will also have a trade print run and<br />
distribution.<br />
What are the advantages of this<br />
approach?<br />
Because the publisher takes less financial<br />
risk, they are very open to original ideas<br />
that don’t necessarily follow current<br />
trends. Readers decide which books get<br />
published and I think readers are much<br />
more adventurous than many marketing<br />
departments would have us believe.<br />
As a writer, I was very involved in the<br />
publication process. I blogged regularly on<br />
Unbound’s site and had a close link with my<br />
supporters which was brilliant. I also had a<br />
big input into the cover design.<br />
On publication day, because I had nearly<br />
400 pre-orders, it meant I already had a<br />
solid readership which was great. And it was<br />
fantastic to know that the book was being<br />
distributed to bookshops and libraries up and<br />
down the country.<br />
Of course, the crowdfunding was difficult.<br />
Trying to persuade people to buy a book that<br />
didn’t exist yet was tricky. In the end though,<br />
the process was surprisingly uplifting.<br />
My supporters were enthusiastic and patient.<br />
And, especially because all the contributors<br />
are listed in the back, there is such a lovely<br />
feeling of warmth and generosity surrounding<br />
the finished book.<br />
The finished book features the Timorous<br />
Beastie print ‘Glasgow Toile’ on the cover.<br />
It looks like a work of art itself. Why<br />
choose it?<br />
I love the idea that the print is not what it<br />
seems at first sight. At first glance, it looks<br />
Competition!<br />
We have two copies<br />
of The Backstreets of<br />
Purgatory to give away. Visit<br />
westendermagazine.com<br />
and click on competitions<br />
by the 31st of August <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The<br />
Backstreets<br />
of Purgatory<br />
£3<br />
OFF<br />
*<br />
RRP £18.99<br />
*Exclusive offer for WESTENDER readers<br />
at Waterstones 351-355 Byres Road<br />
branch only, by 31st August <strong>2019</strong>.
www.westendermagazine.com | 41<br />
like a very traditional, old-fashioned print,<br />
scattered with Glasgow landmarks (the<br />
Armadillo, the Necropolis) but look in detail<br />
and you see scenes of the seedier side of<br />
the city. I couldn’t believe it when Timorous<br />
Beasties gave us permission to use it. I was<br />
thrilled.<br />
What impact do you hope this book has?<br />
Most of all, I want my writing to touch<br />
someone emotionally in the way that other<br />
books have touched me. But for all my<br />
ambition, whether or not I am successful,<br />
none of it is relevant until someone reads<br />
the novel. Until then – until it comes alive in<br />
the reader’s imagination – the book is just<br />
a pile of paper and ink. Quite a large pile<br />
of paper and ink though, so it would make<br />
a decent doorstop. If nothing else it has a<br />
practical use!<br />
Are you doing any book events?<br />
I have a few book club appearances<br />
lined up, and a couple of workshops and<br />
talks at schools and universities. If any of<br />
your readers are interested, I’m happy to<br />
participate in face-to-face or online book<br />
groups. I can be contacted via my web page.<br />
One book reviewer says it’s a Scottish<br />
novel of significance and can’t be<br />
recommended enough – are there more<br />
reasons why <strong>Westender</strong>s should pick up<br />
a copy?<br />
If you are looking for a novel that will make<br />
you laugh, cry and think, a novel that is<br />
full of terrible jokes and unorthodox and<br />
generally uncalled for profanity, a novel set<br />
on your own (slightly fictionalised) doorstep<br />
featuring a cross section of the brilliant<br />
m i x o f f o l k yo u fi n d a r o u n d t h e We s t E n d ,<br />
then The Backstreets of Purgatory might<br />
be the one for you. Personally, I think it is<br />
worth it for the laugh of hearing Caravaggio’s<br />
nickname alone. Is it wrong to laugh at your<br />
own jokes? It is, isn’t it…!<br />
You can find Helen at helentaylor.com, or<br />
on twitter as @TaylorHelen_M<br />
Complementary Medicine Centre<br />
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11a Park Circus, Glasgow G3 6AX<br />
Call 0141 332 4924 Mobile 07801536530<br />
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42 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
1<br />
The Backstreets<br />
of Purgatory<br />
by Helen Taylor<br />
BY BRIAN TOAL<br />
WESTENDER’s<br />
COVER TO COVER<br />
This is a novel best enjoyed with a glass of dark, red,<br />
Italian wine. It’s a romp of a novel set in the West<br />
End of Glasgow but not the boutiques and eateries<br />
advertised in our beloved magazine.<br />
The setting, as the title suggests,<br />
is the seedier underbelly which<br />
many of us are aware of but often<br />
ignore.<br />
Finn Garvie is a struggling<br />
artist of Italian stock, obsessed<br />
with Caravaggio, wasting his<br />
life and his talent by taking<br />
drugs, squandering any hope<br />
of a successful relationship and<br />
generally ostracising himself from<br />
any functioning adult who might<br />
be in a position to help him. So far,<br />
as a character he fits the mould of<br />
many a struggling artist. However,<br />
the plot twists when Caravaggio<br />
himself makes an appearance,<br />
apparently sent back from<br />
Purgatory to help the struggling<br />
artist fulfil his potential.<br />
There are many enjoyable<br />
capers through the West End<br />
as Finn, his mate Maurice and<br />
Caravaggio traipse from place to<br />
place, stumbling from watering<br />
hole to watering hole, stealing<br />
props from various places to use in<br />
their paintings.<br />
You’ll chuckle when you hear<br />
them shout his nickname across<br />
the street, as ‘Caravaggio!’<br />
would be too conspicuous,<br />
whereas the alternative is<br />
something we hear much more<br />
regularly in Glasgow. You may<br />
also enjoy the punning and<br />
allusions to parts of the anatomy.<br />
Certainly, as an avid reader of ‘Viz’,<br />
I was chortling away on several<br />
occasions.<br />
However, it’s not all fun and games. Underneath the humour<br />
and the mad capers lies another narrative – a much darker,<br />
realistic narrative which explores the harsh realities of life in<br />
Glasgow and the train wrecks that people often mistake for real<br />
life. Tuesday is a character once read never forgotten. She’s the<br />
victim of neglect, a teenager made pregnant by her teacher,<br />
forced to give away her baby, with a body ruined by drugs and<br />
malnutrition. Maurice is a character who is beaten up by his wife<br />
on a regular basis but insists that she does it ‘out of love’. Even<br />
the professionals, like Esme the psychiatrist, lead lives which are<br />
chaotic and filled with regrets and dissatisfaction.<br />
The denouement is satisfying and the twists and turns of the<br />
plot enjoyable, if not always entirely surprising. The amount of<br />
times paths cross becomes borderline unbelievable, although<br />
anyone who walks up Byres Road regularly will know that several<br />
worlds can collide all the time, so Taylor can be forgiven for<br />
putting the same characters in the same space a little too often.<br />
The Backstreets of Purgatory is fun and enjoyable, whilst at the<br />
same time will open your eyes to aspects of the West End which<br />
can make us uncomfortable.
www.westendermagazine.com | 43<br />
Odd Girl Out<br />
by Laura James<br />
2<br />
Laura James struggled<br />
throughout her childhood to<br />
adapt to a world which was<br />
confusing and overwhelming.<br />
It was only in her forties<br />
that she was diagnosed<br />
with autism and, while this<br />
diagnosis helped her to<br />
understand why she was<br />
the way she was, it was the<br />
beginning of a journey rather<br />
than the end. James provides<br />
a raw, unexpurgated account<br />
of her failed first marriage,<br />
losing her two girls, spending<br />
time in hospital, struggling to<br />
cope with being adopted, and<br />
finally, her relationship with<br />
Tim. It’s this relationship which<br />
sustains her and the honesty<br />
and candour with which she<br />
conveys this relationship is<br />
admirable.<br />
She only really begins to<br />
find peace with herself when<br />
she realises, through speaking<br />
to an online network of fellow<br />
travellers, that her struggles<br />
come from trying to fit into<br />
a neurotypical mould, rather<br />
than trying to live life as an<br />
autistic person. She says that<br />
she is flawed, but not by her<br />
autism; rather, she is flawed by<br />
her insistence on fighting it and<br />
the stresses this places on her.<br />
She compares herself<br />
to Kintsugi pottery – the<br />
Japanese art of mending<br />
broken pottery with precious<br />
metals. She comes to see that<br />
the breakages and repairs<br />
are part of the history of any<br />
object, or person, rather than<br />
something to hide.<br />
This book is humbling to<br />
read. It gives a brutally honest<br />
insight into the life of an adult<br />
with autism and should be<br />
educative for neurotypicals<br />
too.<br />
Sue Black is a professor<br />
of anatomy and forensic<br />
anthropology at Dundee<br />
University and so deals with<br />
death every day.<br />
She analyses corpses in<br />
her lab, assists the police with<br />
murder investigations and has<br />
also been one of the leading<br />
British investigators of mass<br />
fatalities such as in Kosovo,<br />
the London bombings and the<br />
Boxing Day tsunami.<br />
This fascinating book allows<br />
the reader an insight into her<br />
key cases, as well as providing<br />
the author the opportunity to<br />
reflect on life, dying and death.<br />
She has learned a lot in her<br />
illustrious career and shares<br />
her knowledge generously<br />
with the readers, employing<br />
a writing style which is lucid<br />
and straightforward without<br />
being patronising. The book<br />
has some funny moments in it<br />
too, which were unexpected<br />
given the subject matter, and<br />
it was a book I found hard to<br />
put down.<br />
All That Remains won the<br />
Saltire book of the year last<br />
year, and rightly deserved<br />
to do so. She begins her<br />
account by detailing her<br />
first experiences of death in<br />
her family, then moves on to<br />
her increasing interest and<br />
specialism in anatomy and the<br />
dead. Each chapter focuses<br />
on a different case, where<br />
we learn of the state of the<br />
deceased when discovered,<br />
the challenges facing the<br />
authorities and the investing<br />
forensic team, as well as<br />
reflecting on lessons learnt.<br />
The subtitle of the book is<br />
A Life in Death. There’s nothing<br />
like a book about death to<br />
make you reflect on life.<br />
All That Remains<br />
by Sue Black<br />
3
44 | <strong>Westender</strong> www.westendermagazine.com<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> Promotion<br />
Image I Gregor Reid<br />
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<strong>Westender</strong> www.westendermagazine.com <strong>Magazine</strong> Promotion | 45<br />
Legal Matters<br />
Being An Attorney<br />
Words from Laura Burns Associate at Mitchells Roberton:<br />
It is very important to have a Power of Attorney in place but being an<br />
Attorney has its responsibilities. Read on to find out more.<br />
We often hear of the importance of<br />
having a Power of Attorney in place<br />
but not so much about the duties<br />
involved in being someone’s Attorney. It may<br />
be flattering to be asked to be an Attorney<br />
but there are responsibilities attached to<br />
such a role.<br />
Who can be an attorney?<br />
Attorneys in Scotland must be aged 16 or<br />
over and in the case of a Continuing Power of<br />
Attorney they also cannot be bankrupt.<br />
How many types of attorneys are<br />
there?<br />
There are two types of Attorney in Scotland:<br />
√ A Continuing Attorney who has authority<br />
to manage the granter’s financial and /or<br />
property affairs<br />
√ A Welfare Attorney who has authority<br />
to manage matters relating to the granter’s<br />
personal welfare<br />
You could be appointed as a sole or a joint<br />
Attorney. As a joint Attorney you could be<br />
required to make decisions along with other<br />
attorneys. You could also be appointed as a<br />
substitute Attorney and will only be able to<br />
act if a sole Attorney is no longer able to do<br />
so or if they have resigned their appointment.<br />
What are the duties of an Attorney?<br />
√ You must ensure that every measure is<br />
taken to support the granter of the Power of<br />
Attorney (PoA) to make their own decision<br />
on any matter or otherwise to allow them to<br />
exercise their legal capacity.<br />
√ You must ensure that any decision made<br />
on behalf of the granter respects their rights<br />
and takes account of any known wishes and<br />
feelings, past or present.<br />
√ You must maintain communication with<br />
relevant parties and take account of their<br />
views.<br />
√ You will act within the scope of the<br />
powers granted to you.<br />
√ You must keep records of how you use<br />
your powers. Continuing Attorneys must also<br />
keep the granter’s financial affairs separate<br />
from their own.<br />
√ You must also notify the Public Guardian<br />
about certain events, such as changes<br />
of address, the death of the granter or<br />
bankruptcy.<br />
√ Beyond such principles, your rights<br />
and responsibilities will depend on the PoA<br />
document itself.<br />
If Laura Burns can help please<br />
call her on 0141 552 3422, or email<br />
lcb@mitchells-roberton.co.uk<br />
Mitchells Roberton Solicitors<br />
& Estate Agents<br />
George House<br />
36 North Hanover Street G1 2AD<br />
0141 552 3422<br />
www.mitchells-roberton.co.uk
46 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
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www.westendermagazine.com | 47<br />
Endmum’s<br />
West<br />
notebook<br />
by Michele Gordon thelanguagehub.co.uk<br />
The weather may not be suggesting it but<br />
the summer holidays will be here pretty<br />
soon. For many it is a time to look<br />
forward to as most will take time off work,<br />
go on a well-deserved holiday and hopefully<br />
enjoy sunnier days and higher temperatures.<br />
However, I know just as many who dread the<br />
summer holidays!<br />
Yes, for those with children, especially for<br />
families with working parents, it can be a very<br />
stressful time. School summer holidays are<br />
longer than anyone’s annual leave. So, what<br />
do you do? Child care and activities to keep<br />
everyone amused is in high demand and very<br />
often comes at a high cost.<br />
I usually take Ruby and Leon with me to<br />
The Hub if they can’t be with someone else.<br />
But this is a luxury which very few parents<br />
have. Some take unpaid leave, while others<br />
divide up annual leave between family<br />
members and many, of course, make use of<br />
various kids camps which offer not just child<br />
care but also fun activities to keep children<br />
entertained throughout the day.<br />
Although I can take my children to<br />
work, I usually book them into a camp for<br />
a few weeks so they spend time with peers<br />
rather than just with me. This year will be<br />
no different: Scotstoun kids club, here we<br />
come! There is a variety of camps to choose<br />
from, anything from drama to dance or<br />
football. Outdoors, indoors, you name it,<br />
you are certain to find something interesting.<br />
If you don’t want to spend much, check<br />
out Glasgow Life’s leisure centre camps.<br />
There are various sports activities on offer,<br />
just be quick, they tend to fill up quickly<br />
(glasgowlife.org.uk/sport/glasgow-sportholiday-activity-programme).<br />
A l s o, i f yo u h ave m o r e t h a n o n e c h i l d ,<br />
it can be difficult to book something for<br />
both at the same time. I would really have<br />
liked Ruby and Leon to do some sessions<br />
with Fearless Theatre School but sadly<br />
the logistics are against us this summer.<br />
But check out their holiday sessions, they<br />
sound great (fearlesstheatreschool.com).<br />
If your child is interested in acrobatics<br />
then you also need to take a look at the<br />
summer camp run by Aerial Edge based at<br />
the Kelvinhall. During all of July, kids aged 7+<br />
can learn skills on Flying Trapeze and Silks<br />
as well as Unicycling, Parkour or Juggling<br />
(aerialedge.co.uk/youth-holiday-schools).<br />
It is one of the more costly activities but it<br />
sounds amazing. Another popular summer<br />
camp is Camp Indy (campindy.co.uk) based<br />
at Kelvinside Academy which is open to<br />
ages 5-14.<br />
One of my new discoveries is based in<br />
Maryhill: Computer Games Development<br />
Boot Camp run by The British Youth IT<br />
College (byitc.org). Kids between 6 and 14<br />
are taught IT skills in different areas such as<br />
Software, Hardware, Games Development,<br />
Web Development and Graphic Design.<br />
It sounds absolutely fabulous although it will<br />
probably stretch most people’s budget to the<br />
limit.<br />
If you have set yourself a smaller budget<br />
and are just looking for the occasional activity<br />
then look up Glasgow Life’s website again,<br />
where you will find anything from Bounce<br />
& Rhyme to story book sessions, arts and<br />
crafts to sports activities in various parks, all<br />
of which are free.<br />
Or alternatively, check out one of the<br />
sessions at The Hub. We will be running<br />
weekday language activities for children and<br />
adults, make sure to book in advance. At our<br />
Café Hub you can start each day with a free<br />
drop in activity for the under twos. All sorted<br />
now? I hope this has given you some ideas<br />
anyway. Einen schönen Sommer Euch allen<br />
und bis bald!
48 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
It’s Good To Talk<br />
How a cancer charity is tackling the emotional<br />
needs of cancer sufferers head-on<br />
WORDS Mike Findlay<br />
We all know someone affected by<br />
cancer. The stats speak for<br />
themselves: in 2018 alone, 16,300<br />
women and 15,800 men were diagnosed<br />
with cancer in Scotland. There are numerous<br />
cancer charities out there and, unless you’ve<br />
been hiding in a bunker, you will have noticed<br />
large national campaigns supporting the<br />
latest medical breakthrough in tackling the<br />
‘biggest killer’.<br />
While this work is clearly critical,<br />
I’ve often wondered beyond medicine, what<br />
other support is available to deal with the<br />
complex needs of cancer patients? Emotional<br />
support, mental health and wellbeing are all<br />
so important – we are constantly reminded of<br />
the need to consider our mental health as an<br />
equal partner to our physical health. So, what<br />
can be done about it?<br />
And the answer to these questions are,<br />
literally, right on my own doorstep. I recently<br />
found out about the brilliant work of the<br />
charity Cancer Support Scotland, who are<br />
based at Gartnavel Hospital Campus which<br />
I walk through every day on the way to<br />
Hyndland Station.<br />
Cancer Support Scotland is a charity<br />
dedicated to supporting cancer patients and<br />
their families through their difficult journey of<br />
diagnosis and ill health. They were founded<br />
in 1980 by Professor Kenneth Calman,<br />
a leading light in cancer research and<br />
previous Chief Medical Officer of Scotland.<br />
He’s also father to the comedian Susan<br />
Calman, who happens to be an ambassador<br />
for the charity. Professor Calman’s vision was<br />
to have emotional support readily available<br />
to cancer patients in a way that matches<br />
professional standards of clinical service.<br />
The Calman Cancer Support Centre,<br />
where the charity is based, is set within the<br />
old Gartnavel Royal Hospital Chapel. The<br />
chapel was renovated and reopened its doors<br />
in 2012 after an extensive refurbishment<br />
which has seen it redesigned in an<br />
appropriately sympathetic way. The building<br />
includes therapy suites, counselling rooms,<br />
an information centre with internet access
www.westendermagazine.com | 49<br />
and library facility, hairdressing and wig<br />
fitting salon, offices and a peaceful sensory<br />
garden.<br />
It’s not just here in Glasgow where<br />
the good work happens however, Cancer<br />
Support Scotland has Outreach centres<br />
throughout the central belt of the country for<br />
those that cannot travel to Gartnavel.<br />
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of<br />
‘Tak Tent’ (taken from the old Scot’s phrase<br />
‘take care’) the predecessor to Cancer<br />
Support Scotland, which set out to meet the<br />
needs of patients and their families within an<br />
informal setting.<br />
Cancer Support Scotland’s mission<br />
remains simple yet ambitious: to support<br />
the wellbeing of people who have suffered<br />
the emotional, physical and mental strains<br />
of cancer. Tailored emotional and practical<br />
support comes from trained counsellors<br />
and qualified therapists specialising in<br />
oncology. For example, cancer patients are<br />
offered counselling sessions, complementary<br />
therapies, podiatry, bereavement and stress<br />
management. And it’s all completely free.<br />
‘Emotional support and counselling<br />
services are essential to help people<br />
through the cancer journey,’ explains Rob<br />
Murray, CEO of Cancer Support Scotland.<br />
‘Our services are proven to improve the<br />
wellbeing of people who have suffered the<br />
emotional, physical and mental strains of<br />
cancer. Our feedback surveys confirm that<br />
people sleep better, anxiety is reduced<br />
and physical pain and discomfort from<br />
chemotherapy and radiotherapy is eased.’<br />
The work of Cancer Support Scotland<br />
is clearly needed. In 2017/18, 6,500<br />
appointments were made by people wanting<br />
access to their services, which was a 20%<br />
increase on the year before. One serviceuser<br />
comments, ‘This is a real haven, very<br />
supportive staff, great therapists, lovely<br />
surroundings and I no longer feel alone.’<br />
A recent Scottish Government Cancer<br />
Patient survey highlighted that just over<br />
half of respondents (55%) felt they were<br />
completely supported emotionally /<br />
psychologically by healthcare professionals<br />
during their treatment, showing an increasing<br />
demand for such support.<br />
Rob Murray continues, ‘Our services make<br />
life easier for people affected by cancer and<br />
our services are free. This helps people using<br />
our services avoid the additional burden of<br />
financial stress. We do not receive any public<br />
funding and rely solely on the generosity of<br />
others to ensure our services are accessible<br />
for all.’<br />
Cancer Support Scotland is calling out<br />
for members of the public to get involved in<br />
their fundraising efforts. If, like me, you’ve<br />
been inspired by what you’ve learnt about<br />
Cancer Support Scotland, you may want to<br />
consider the numerous ways you can help,<br />
such as volunteering as a counsellor, raising<br />
funds as you run this year’s Great Scottish<br />
Run, or signing up for the Ladies Lunch at the<br />
Radisson Blu on 6th of October.<br />
Rob Murray concludes, ‘Often people<br />
visit Cancer Support Scotland because they<br />
simply want a quiet space to sit or have<br />
the time to talk over coffee with one of our<br />
volunteers, that’s why our kettle is always on.’<br />
Visit: cancersupportscotland.org,<br />
call 0141 337 8199, or email lucy.kirkland@<br />
cancersupportscotland.org about<br />
volunteering opportunities.
50 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Health Matters<br />
GP Dr. Pamela Leggate, of Glasgow West Medical Practice,<br />
discusses the use of medical cannabis to alleviate chronic<br />
pain and treat some conditions. Here she lays out the pros<br />
and cons of what can still be a controversial topic.<br />
‘M<br />
“ other arrested at airport importing<br />
cannabis to save her child’. ‘Epileptic<br />
boy seizure free after using<br />
cannabis oil’. ‘Daily use of high potency<br />
Marijuana linked to psychosis’. ‘Pot smoking<br />
in adolescence linked to depression in<br />
adulthood’.<br />
So what is the truth behind the headlines?<br />
Is cannabis a good or a bad thing? Can’t my<br />
GP prescribe it now?<br />
Well, as usual with all things medical,<br />
there isn’t a straightforward answer.<br />
In November 2018 the UK government<br />
changed the legal status of cannabis and<br />
cannabis based products for medicinal use<br />
in the UK. This followed a spate of highly<br />
publicised cases where children with certain<br />
types of epilepsy were treated abroad with<br />
cannabis products.<br />
There is a rare and severe type of epilepsy<br />
(Dravet Syndrome) which is difficult to treat<br />
with standard medicines and it has been<br />
shown that some (around 40%) children with<br />
this form of epilepsy will benefit. Seizures<br />
usually continue but are less frequent and<br />
shorter lasting. Prior to November last year<br />
the only way parents could obtain supplies of<br />
the medication was to travel abroad and bring<br />
them into the country illegally. The change<br />
means that in certain rare circumstances
www.westendermagazine.com | 51<br />
cannabis based products will be prescribed<br />
by the NHS.<br />
Only specialists will be allowed to<br />
prescribe the products (so no point asking<br />
your GP) and only to patients who cannot be<br />
treated by other more standard medications.<br />
Currently the only licensed cannabis<br />
based product is Sativex which is used to<br />
treat spasticity (muscle stiffness) in people<br />
with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Another product<br />
is going through the licensing process and<br />
may soon be available for use in Europe<br />
(Epidiolex), but again it will only be used when<br />
other drugs have failed and only in a small<br />
proportion of people.<br />
The reluctance to prescribe is for two main<br />
reasons. First of all there is concern about<br />
risks. Studies have shown that people who<br />
use cannabis have a higher risk of mental<br />
health problems from mild depression<br />
to psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia.<br />
Secondly, medical cannabis has not been<br />
tried and tested enough for us to be sure of<br />
its safety in other ways and there remains<br />
concern about the unknown long term effects<br />
on the developing brain in children.<br />
Even the purest forms of medical cannabis<br />
can cause side effects including diarrhoea,<br />
nausea, weakness, mood changes, dizziness,<br />
hallucinations and suicidal thoughts.<br />
Cannabis has two main ingredients:<br />
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – this is the<br />
chemical in cannabis which makes you feel<br />
high – and Cannabidiol (CBD) which is the<br />
part which has been shown to have some<br />
medical benefits. Generally, the higher the<br />
concentration of THC, the higher the risks.<br />
Cannabis products bought online may not<br />
be of good quality and might contain varying<br />
amounts of THC and CBD. THC containing<br />
products remain illegal to possess in the UK.<br />
A lot of the CBD oils available online and in<br />
health food shops will either be contaminated<br />
with THC, or contain such low amounts of<br />
CBD that they will be of dubious benefit.<br />
Cannabis bought on the street has the<br />
highest risk of all.<br />
This all sounds very gloomy I know<br />
but there is hope that in time the good<br />
bits of the cannabis plant can be isolated,<br />
tested properly and may be available to<br />
treat even more conditions. Many people<br />
with chronic pain use cannabis with some<br />
reported benefit. It has been used for those<br />
undergoing chemotherapy who suffer from<br />
vomiting.<br />
After all Aspirin was originally derived<br />
from willow bark (used by herbalists for fever<br />
since the Middle Ages). Now we know the<br />
multiple benefits it can bring (prevention of<br />
heart attacks, reduced risk of bowel cancer)<br />
but we also know the downsides (death from<br />
gastrointestinal haemorrhage). It’s all about<br />
weighing up the pros and cons!
52 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
Homes & Interiors<br />
by Susan<br />
Robertson<br />
North Hill Gardens<br />
Al Fresco<br />
Living<br />
This is the time of year where we have the<br />
biggest chance of an al fresco edge to our lives.<br />
Susan Robertson speaks to some West End experts<br />
about how to make the most of our outside spaces.
www.westendermagazine.com | 53<br />
Us <strong>Westender</strong>s are blessed to live in a leafy part<br />
of a beautiful city, with a wealth of parks and<br />
green spaces on our doorsteps to choose from.<br />
But, if you also have some outside space of<br />
your own, whether it’s a window box or shared<br />
patio, or a huge private garden, there are many<br />
great ways to make whatever you have work<br />
beautifully for you.<br />
I spoke to two local professionals to get<br />
some advice about what you should consider<br />
to maximise your outside space. Michael<br />
Dumanski of North Hill Gardens gave me<br />
some great guidance. He explained, 'Garden<br />
design is not only about planting but also hard<br />
landscaping, which adds texture, character<br />
and structure, leading the eye through the<br />
landscape. First, take into account your<br />
plot. Look at the size and shape and take<br />
into consideration the direction if faces, the<br />
style of your house it will be framing and the<br />
surrounding area. Achieving balance is a strong<br />
aspect of good garden design.'<br />
Michael continued, 'Then, think about what<br />
you need your garden to do for you. Do you wish<br />
you had somewhere to sit, relax, entertain or<br />
let the children play? Maybe you are just a little<br />
bored and want a garden design that is more<br />
colourful, varied or maintenance-friendly.<br />
Craft an attractive space to give you a beautiful<br />
environment and design a practical layout that<br />
allows you to use your garden how you want.'<br />
Sometimes the hardest part of any process<br />
of change, or development, is where on earth<br />
to start. There is plenty of inspiration around<br />
the West End and Michael suggests, 'Think<br />
about your taste. Take inspiration from visiting<br />
garden centres, public gardens, annual garden<br />
shows, even other people’s homes. Take a look<br />
at magazines or Pinterest which are filled with<br />
ideas for traditional gardens, modern gardens,<br />
family gardens and innovative ideas for gardens<br />
big or small.'<br />
Any type of new design will benefit from a<br />
mood board, take your time to collate pictures<br />
and ideas to think about what environment<br />
really makes you happy. Account for elements<br />
such as scent and sound, do you want to hear<br />
water for example, would you like highly<br />
perfumed flowers, do you need to insulate<br />
from traffic sounds? And think of other<br />
practical considerations such as, what level of<br />
maintenance are you willing to do, do you want<br />
to encourage or discourage wildlife, how often<br />
do you want to see the colours in the garden<br />
change?<br />
Our urban landscape brings some particular<br />
considerations, for example shared spaces<br />
are common, so ownership needs checked<br />
and consensus reached before any changes<br />
are made. We also often have limited outside<br />
space to work with. I asked Michael about the<br />
best approach here, he said, 'Small gardens<br />
can often end up looking messy – the most
Homes & Interiors<br />
54 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
common mistake when decorating them is<br />
that we buy too many ill-fitting accessories and<br />
plants that give the impression of chaos. In the<br />
city garden moderation and consistency do<br />
matter. When choosing plants, accessories or<br />
garden furniture, try to combine elements that<br />
have the same style, so that they form a single,<br />
harmonious whole. Colour consistency is very<br />
important – especially in small gardens where<br />
the accumulation of many colours is risky,<br />
this solution can overwhelm us, and certainly<br />
also hinders our leisure. We can also use such<br />
optical tricks as mirrors – placed on the wall or<br />
surrounding the garden. The mirror creates<br />
the illusion of enlarging the space, giving the<br />
impression of depth. In this sense, even a small<br />
water reservoir will work - the garden that<br />
surrounds it will optically expand our space.<br />
Furniture in a small urban garden must be<br />
functional and refer to the surroundings that<br />
we create.'<br />
Michael summarises that 'the main factor<br />
is surroundings – the architectural style of the<br />
building, materials and colours already used.<br />
And it’s also a matter of taste – some people<br />
love striking, lively colours, some prefer plain,<br />
elegant whites and pastels. We also use different<br />
shapes for different garden styles – more formal<br />
in modern gardens and informal in naturalistic<br />
ones. Having a good garden design in place<br />
doesn’t mean you need to build the garden<br />
straight away. You can base your work on the<br />
design and divide it into stages to transform<br />
your garden over the years.'<br />
If you’re looking to enhance your flower beds<br />
or window boxes, there are also some great<br />
suppliers in the local area, one of these being the<br />
new West End Garden Centre. Its owner, Martin<br />
McCarron tells us that they offer a wide range<br />
of plants, compost, and increasingly – garden<br />
pottery, but plants are their speciality and they<br />
can offer some expert advice in this area.<br />
When considering planting in the West<br />
End Martin advises to 'always plan properly<br />
before you plant, particularly if you have a<br />
smaller space, so that you can maximise what’s<br />
available. Stick to locally-grown shrubs (the<br />
garden centre has a full Ayrshire range), this<br />
makes sure that they’re tough enough for our<br />
Scottish winters. Consider the position of your<br />
garden too, so that they receive the best sunlight<br />
and conditions to thrive.'<br />
So we have everything that we need to create<br />
a beautiful outside space, here’s hoping that the<br />
weather will support us as we enjoy our alfresco<br />
elements.<br />
With thanks to:<br />
Northhill Gardens 0141 332 5533<br />
northhillgardens.co.uk<br />
West End Garden Centre 07964 672211<br />
40-44 Peel Street G11 5LU<br />
West End Garden Centre<br />
Image By Gregor Reid
www.westendermagazine.com | 55<br />
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<strong>Westender</strong> www.westendermagazine.com <strong>Magazine</strong> Promotion | 57<br />
Images I Gregor Reid<br />
Blooming Marvellous!<br />
new garden centre opens in the heart of the west end<br />
Meet Martin McCarron, owner of the<br />
West End Garden Centre sited at the<br />
historic West of Scotland Cricket<br />
Ground in Partick. Whether you are lucky<br />
enough to have a small patch of earth to call<br />
your own, or garden out of a window box –<br />
Martin is your new best friend.<br />
‘I have worked in horticulture since I was<br />
17-years-old,’ explains Martin. ‘I learned all<br />
about retail in my previous job as plant buyer<br />
for a large chain of garden centres. From<br />
there I worked as part of a landscaping firm<br />
giving me great experience of plant after-care<br />
in real gardens. I missed the face-to-face of<br />
retail though and had been looking around<br />
the West End for ages. When this opportunity<br />
came up – I jumped at the chance!<br />
‘We stock a full range of Ayrshire grown<br />
shrubs, Kincardine grown roses, Perthshire<br />
grown bedding plants, alpine plants, trees:<br />
most plants you would find in a garden centre<br />
really. We also take specific orders and do<br />
our upmost to source unusual plants.<br />
‘For anyone without outside space we also<br />
carry plants great for small tubs on a balcony<br />
or troughs for a windowsill. There are loads of<br />
options. Bedding plants are always a winner<br />
however a selection of alpine plants means<br />
they come back year after year and you can<br />
get loads of different textures and flower<br />
colour combinations this way.’<br />
Being in the heart of the West End means<br />
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herbs and tomato plants, further boosting<br />
their green credentials, though there is onstreet<br />
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It’s a great way to reintroduce yourself to<br />
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#<br />
#
58 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, Anniesland, Glasgow, G13 2UP<br />
0141 950 1333 | www.thestoreinteriors.co.uk<br />
Email: sales@thestoreinteriors.co.uk<br />
TheStore - HIS - Emma.indd 2 07/12/2017 09:48
Homes & Interiors<br />
Floral Features<br />
www.westendermagazine.com | 59<br />
Throughout this issue, we can find inspiration on how we can connect<br />
with the colours and benefits of nature and reflect its influence<br />
throughout our homes and our outside spaces. Sometimes, we may just<br />
want to bring a few fresh touches into our environments, or to give a<br />
new look to a room, and there are some fabulous ranges available from<br />
our wonderful West End boutiques and retailers. Here are a few ideas.<br />
Stoneglow, Heavenly Orris<br />
Root & Matcha Tea Diffuser,<br />
£24, Spirito<br />
House Doctor Vase,<br />
£18, Hoos<br />
Gillian Arnold Lampshade,<br />
£45, Cassiopeia<br />
Mini Plant Pot Range<br />
by Louise Madzia,<br />
£22 each, CoLab Store<br />
Ceramic Crackled Green Vase, £35,<br />
The Store Interiors<br />
Cassiopeia, 165B Hyndland Road, 0141 357 7374, cassiopeiaonline.co.uk<br />
CoLab Store, 11-13 Dowanhill Street, 0141 570 1766, colabstore.co.uk<br />
Hoos, 715 Great Western Road, 07788 480421, hoosglasgow.co.uk<br />
Spirito, 317-319 Crow Road, 0141 337 3307, spiritogifts.com<br />
The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, 0141 950 1333, thestoreinteriors.co.uk
60 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
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www.westendermagazine.com | 61<br />
Homes & Interiors<br />
Hyacinth House Floristry<br />
by Susan<br />
Robertson<br />
Breathing<br />
the outside in<br />
There’s a fresh floral feel in the air in this edition<br />
and so much to be enjoyed in the great outdoors,<br />
but when we head back inside and shut the door<br />
behind us, how can we bring a note of nature back<br />
inside with us?<br />
Very few of us would deny that some fresh blooms<br />
can brighten any room, but we rarely make it a<br />
priority when looking after our homes. In our busy<br />
lives, it can sometimes seem like too much of a<br />
hassle to look after flowers and indoor plants, and<br />
the cheaper flower bunches are often limp before<br />
you’ve left the shop.
62 | www.westendermagazine.com<br />
However, if you give it some thought and get it right<br />
for you, it can make such a difference to our homes,<br />
and even to our health.<br />
I asked Gary of Hyacinth House Floristry for some<br />
tips about bringing the outside into our homes.<br />
He suggested, 'Use the look of what you have in<br />
your garden, for example if you have hydrangeas or<br />
dahlias in your garden, if you create a floral bouquet<br />
then it can work well to incorporate those in it to<br />
tie everything together across your internal and<br />
external spaces. If you are choosing houseplants<br />
as well, then also look at what’s around you to<br />
cohesively reflect things like leaf shape or colour,<br />
especially if the plants are close to the windows.'<br />
Not only do plants look great, add depth,<br />
colour and texture to a room, but they are good<br />
for your health too. They naturally cleanse the<br />
air, and they’re also believed to actually improve<br />
concentration, reduce stress and boost mood levels<br />
so they’re a great addition to any home.<br />
Have a think about the plants you choose for each<br />
room. Be careful to ensure that they are positioned<br />
for the right amount of sun, and bear in mind that,<br />
at night time they can have a different effect on the<br />
air when the photosynthesis stops, so keep them to<br />
your daytime rooms for the most part.<br />
If you’re not green-fingered, there are plenty of<br />
options to get the benefits of some leafiness without<br />
too much hassle. Start with a simple ivy or a low<br />
maintenance spider plant for some quick green<br />
splashes that are pretty good value, grow quickly,<br />
and are very low maintenance too. Think about<br />
investing in a bright statement plant pot and a big<br />
waxy plant to get you going and make an impact in<br />
your home, then build on from there as and when<br />
you can.<br />
I asked Lesley of Tulipané for some tips. She said,<br />
'Cactus plants are very "in" at the moment and so<br />
easy to look after – they only need watered once every<br />
1-2 weeks. There are a wide variety of plants which<br />
are especially beneficial for cleansing the air in an<br />
apartment – taking in carbon dioxide and giving<br />
out oxygen to cleanse the air, for example Aloe Vera,<br />
Peace Lily, and Spider Plants to name a few.'<br />
Lesley told me, 'I have found that in the<br />
Thornwood area, where Tulipané is situated, there<br />
are many young couples buying their first flat. One of<br />
the things they enjoy doing together for their home is<br />
buying plants. Even giving them names and we have<br />
a laugh chatting about how it is comparable with<br />
having a pet. They will come back in to the cafe and<br />
talk about how "Bert" is doing and ask advice about<br />
caring for them.'<br />
There are clearly a wealth of benefits to finding a<br />
few fresh flowers and potted plant pets to enhance<br />
your home, and your health. And the expertise we<br />
need and options for what we can buy are available<br />
right on our West End doorsteps.<br />
With thanks to:<br />
Tulipané Coffee House, 682 Dumbarton Road G11 6RB<br />
tulipane.co.uk<br />
Hyacinth House Floristry, 950A Crow Road G13 1JD<br />
hyacinthhousefloristry.com<br />
Tulipané Coffee House
www.westendermagazine.com | 63
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<strong>Westender</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
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www.westendermagazine.com | 65<br />
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www.westendermagazine.com | 67<br />
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