Pat's Glasgow West End Diary, February, 2017 – Valentines Day, Glasgow Film Festival, Aye Write!, Ten Writers Telling Lies, New Development Plans or Byres Road

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Pat’s Glasgow West End Diary, February, 2017 – Valentines Day, Glasgow Film Festival, Aye Write!, Ten Writers Telling Lies, New Development Plans or Byres Road

Valentines Day in Glasgow

Winter has flown by. I was super busy with the Festive Season and then I had a big seventieth birthday to celebrate; my own. Getting back on track work-wise I’ve been uploading lots of information about Valentines Day in Glasgow. There’s certainly a lot to choose from: romantic movies with ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (GFT), ‘Dirty Dancing’ at OranMor and even ‘Casablanca’ at Webster’s Theatre.

If you fancy something more lively and getting together with your pals you love then Cottiers’ Dance-A-Thon, in aid of Glasgow Women’s Aid, sounds like fun. Couples can dine and dance at Cupid’s Ball at Cottiers on 17 February.   For a super romantic Valentine celebration I would recommend the fabulous Alphonse Mucha In Quest of Beauty Exhibition at Kelvingrove (ends 19 February). Afterwards you could dine at The Cellar at Mother India , perfect for sharing plates, bowls and thali.

However, you don’t have to be a romantic to find some fun – you could celebrate in a droll fashion at the Vinegar Valentines Exhibition at The Mitchell Library.

You may be planning chilling at home, in which case you can enjoy Love Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers

Glasgow Weest End: Shopping for Valentine Gifts and Cards

hunners

Glasgow West End offers a great selection of independent shops, where you can find the perfect gift or card for Valentines Day. I reckon Les Georgettes, French leather and silver bracelets which you can personalise to your own taste – are going to be the next big thing – now in stock at Stevenson Jeweller Byres Road – where you will also find Sheila Fleet Jewellery, Janet and John, Scottish Handmade Crafts , The Nancy Smillie Shop and Nancy Smillie Jewellery Studio , Spirito Gifts in Broomhill and Mo McQuillan’s handcarafted silver jewellery ; all have a fantastic range of cards and gifts and if you are considering popping the question this Valentines Day, Blair and Sheridan have sensational engagement rings.

Call into Thistle Gallery on Park Road or fabulous art work. It’s a very friendly gallery – I love their New Year Brushstrokes Exhibition. For iconic Glasgow scenes check out Allan’s Art

Glasgow Festivals

Celtic Connections, Glasgow’s Winter Music Festival gave us another great year – on the website you’ll find a selection of photographs and reviews by Pauline Keightley

Glasgow Film Festival

About to kick off on 15th February, the Glasgow Film Festival is looking better than ever this year with wonderful world premiers, Scottish premiers and question and answer sessions with producers, directors and actors. Whatever your taste you’re sue to find something to tempt you. Don’t forget to check out the festivals within the festival including: Special Events and Pop Up Festivals , Pioneer, and Canadian Focus Fright Fest, Sound and Vision, Window on the World, Glasgow Film Festival Shorts and more. See the full programme http://glasgowfilm.org/whats-on/all

See some Glasgow Film Festival 2017 Highlights

Aye Write!

Glasgow’s Book Festival takes place this year from 9th until 19 March , 2017. I met up with festival director Bob McDevitt for a chat about the impressive line-up of authors, poets, writers and books, free events, workshops and masterclasses, fiction, non-fiction, music, history comedy, politics, poetry and more…

For the first time events will take place in three venues: The Mitchell Library, Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Wee Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival for Children and Young will take place on 25 February and 10 March. Also worth checking out: Introducing New Debut Writers

Other events that particularly appeal to me.

See the full programme

Ten Writers Telling Lies

Front cover ten writers telling lies

I’ve been having a great time working with singer-songwriter, Jim Byrne, and a group of writers and poets on Ten Writers Telling Lies. We got together with Jim to create a collection of songs, poems and stories available, which will soon be available as a book and accompanying CD. The writers are Stephanie Brown, Pat Byrne, James Carson, Samina Chaudry, James Connarty, Pauline Lynch, Calum Maclean, Gillian Margaret Mayes, Micheal Norton and Stephen Watt.  

In 2016 we had a great time at the West End Festival, when we had three successful taster events. The book and cd will soon be in our hands and it’s looking good; we are delighted with the very enthusiastic Foreword by Zoe Strachan and Louise Welsh, and we love the illustrations by Pam MacDonald.

Watch out for the launch and details of events throughout 2017, which will include readings by the writers, spoken word performances by the poets and live music by Jim Byrne and friends – playing the songs from Ten Writers Telling Lies.

Creative Conversations

Creative Conversations is another literary event which I would recommend. This takes place Monday lunchtimes in the University Chapel, where you can bring your lunch and listen to authors and poets in conversation in absolutely wonderful surroundings. For free.

Byres Road – New Development Plans

Byres Road, Glasgow West End’s favourite street is all set for a major new development. Funding of £9million has been assigned from Glasgow City Region City Deal adding to the the plans to expand the University of Glasgow Campus at the Western Infirmary with an intended budget of £1 billion over the the next ten years.

Come along and have your say at Public Launch and Workshop at Patrick Burgh Hall on 23 February, 2017,

Glasgow West End Bloggers

Please check out new blogger. Jane Sweeney, revealing some of Glasgow’s hidden gems including The Glasgow Cabbie
Also Valentina Galdi talking about the film she wrote and directed: “Quel che non ti dirò mai – Words Unsaid” – The story about a film made in partnership between Italy and Scotland and Photography by Bob Law and Film Reviews by Calum Maclean