Tea for Two

Recently I went for afternoon tea at the beautiful Blytheswood Hotel as a little birthday treat. In recent years (and maybe it's part of getting older) I've started to really enjoy going for afternoon tea - the ritual of getting all dolled up, eating cake and having a natter in a fancy setting is one of my favourite indulgences. And let me tell you, settings in Glasgow don't come much more fancy than at Blytheswood.

From the moment my friend and I arrived we were  made to feel very welcome, and nothing was too much bother for the waiting staff. We were seated promptly in a large room up on the first floor, which had a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Our hostess explained that there were different kinds of afternoon tea available and what each of them entailed. I had booked ours in advance and had chosen the Duchess of Bedford Strawberry afternoon tea, which I thought sounded very Summery!

As well as being brought as much tea, coffee and iced water as we could drink, we were soon presented with our cakes and sandwiches - on a full cake stand each! I have never been to an afternoon tea with such a generous amount of food. Both cake stands were exactly the same - with about 5 different kinds of dainty sandwiches (even the egg and cress one was delicious - and I don't normally eat egg sandwiches), freshly baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a full tier of home-made desserts and pastries. Heavenly!

I'm the kind of person that could live on cakes and sandwiches, so I knew it would be no problem at all for me to take on a full cake stand! With so many treats to choose from, it was hard deciding where to start. The food was yummy and tasted very fresh, and our waitress made sure that we were never going thirsty as she topped up our drinks regularly. Then, rather unexpectedly, our waitress appeared with a really lovely surprise - a plate of tablet and mini chocolate truffles with 'Happy Birthday' spelled out in white chocolate icing. She explained that she "had noticed that it was someone's birthday" (my friend had given me a card and presents when we first arrived). How kind! It was a really nice gesture and made the day feel even more special.

Another thing that I noticed about being a guest for afternoon tea was that there was no rush for us to leave after we had finished our cake stands. Our waitress assured us we could sit and have more tea and coffee for as long as we pleased. I really hate being hurried out of the door after I've eaten, I feel like it reeks of bad manners and really says to the customer "you've given us your money, now beat it". Luckily, there was no such behaviour at Blytheswood and we sat chatting over tea for about 45 minutes after the plates had been cleared away.

I really enjoyed my afternoon at Blytheswood Hotel and taking into account the sumptuous surroundings, attentive & thoughtful staff, and the delicious treats provided; I feel that they really do provide a 5-star experience. I want to go back and try the other kinds of afternoon tea available - their Tea Tox (detox themed tea) sounds especially interesting!

Have you been for afternoon tea in Glasgow? What about at Blytheswood Hotel? Could you take on a full cake stand too?

Thanks for reading!

WestEndGirl Eats: TriBeCa

Recently I spent the day with a friend that didn't know the West End very well. On a quest to show her some of the best of what this side of the city has to offer, I took her on a 'West End Tour'. Although I couldn't cover absolutely everything in a day, we did manage to get a lot of excellent activities squeezed in - including a visit to Kelvingrove Park, Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, a stroll up Great Western Road, the Botanic Gardens, drinks at Hillhead Bookclub (including a rummage around Granny Would be Proud!), a trip to some of my favourite shops like La La Land, treasure hunting down Ruthven Lane and ended the day at Bar Gumbo for some dinner.

 But let's start at the beginning of the day. For such an action-packed day we needed a kick-ass breakfast to set us up. As TriBeCa cafe on Dumbarton road had only just re-opened their doors the day before, we decided that should be the first stop on our tour. Regular readers of this blog will know that I have already posted about many of the places we visited that day, but I haven't blogged about this little gem before.

TriBeCa are a New York themed kitchen who (even before the refurbishment) were known far and wide for their awesome food. You can spot their location a mile off due to the authentic-looking NY taxi cab and NYPD police car parked outside (perfect for a post-pancake pose, how could you not?). But don't be fooled - TriBeCa aren't all talk and no walk. Priding themselves on bringing "a slice of the Big Apple in the heart of your neighbourhood" and serving up hearty portions of delicious Americana to happy customers day in day out, this place is serious about what they do. Unlike some themed restaurants that you come accross in the UK, TriBeCa are just as serious (in fact, I would say more serious) about the quality of their food. Yes, they are a themed cafe, but it doesn't start and end with a gimmick.

Unsurprisingly, TriBeCa has a loyal customer base and even though we arrived before 11am, the place was already busy with chattering girlfriends, families out for brunch and couples cosied up with coffee and French toast. I get the impression that some of them might even come every Sunday - now that's the kind of tradition I could get used to (I even had a quick daydream about being able to stroll in and say "the usual" with a wink and the waitress would know my order. Wait...since when did I turn into Fonzie from Happy Days in my daydreams?!). I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it was a busy but friendly atmosphere. People seemed comfortable and they weren't being rushed out after they finished their meals.

Which brings me onto the service. We were seated promptly and the staff could not have been more helpful or approachable. I guess happy staff and happy customers go hand in hand and our waitress was very friendly and polite. We were a little overwhelmed (in a good way) with the menu - I wanted to eat it ALL but eventually I picked The Brooklyn (a huge stack of buttermilk pancakes served with crispy bacon and Canadian Maple Syrup) and my friend chose one of TriBeCa's famous five egg omelettes, The Meatpacker (which had German Salami, Honey Roast Ham, Spanish Chorizo, Black Forest Ham and cheese) and was served with toast. I almost went with the French Toast but at least that gives me the perfect excuse to come back!

While waiting for our food we admired the HUGE mural of NYC on the wall and I noticed that even though TriBeCa isn't a massive space, it's clean white tiles on the other walls make it feel more spacious and bright. Also, it was a nice day so the glass doors at the front of the cafe were open, letting even more light in.

Our food arrived and it did not disappoint. The sheer size of my friend's omelette made me ooh and ahh and then when my massive stack of pancakes arrived it was her turn to admire my food! Of course this didn't last long and we both got stuck in. The food was wonderful, I really enjoyed my pancakes and I know that the omelette across the table went down a treat too - even the toast was super tasty (huge thick hunks of bread served with Lurpak butter). I've had pancakes in a lot of places on both sides of the Atlantic and I have to say these were some of the best I've tasted. I love thick pancakes, just as a personal preference, and TriBeCa's pancakes were perfect. The Maple syrup complimented the sweetness of the pancakes and salty bacon perfectly too.

Admittedly, we didn't quite finish our plates but it wasn't for lack of trying! I assured our waitress that we were really happy with the food and that we just couldn't manage it all. When our bill arrived (along with some Jelly Belly jelly beans - nice touch!) the total was totally reasonable (about a tenner each) considering the quality and portion size of food. When we left other customers were starting to arrive for lunch (TriBeCa's menu extends beyond breakfast to burgers, paninis, salads and soups).

I really enjoyed our trip to the newly-reopened TriBeCa - as a fan of themed restaurants, friendly service and excellent food I believe it ticks all of the boxes and will definitely be back again soon to take on that French toast!

Have you been to TriBeCa since they re-opened? Are you a fan of themed restaurants? In your daydreams do you act like The Fonz?

Thanks for reading!

WestEndGirl Stays: London Calling

Last weekend The Boy and I took a trip to London to celebrate our anniversary. It's been 12 years since we started going out (although it only feels like 12 days...) and we decided to mark the occasion with a couple of nights away. We've been to London many times together over the years and normally stay at the Hilton in Kensington. This year we decided to switch things up and stay at The Hoxton in Shoreditch. I'd read about The Hoxton (or 'The Hox' as it's known by the locals) in a couple of magazines about two of three years ago and since then had wanted to stay there.

I don't normally blog about hotels but I enjoyed my time at The Hoxton so much that I wanted to share it with you lovely readers, in case you're thinking about booking a trip to London at some point.

You only need to cast your eye over the hotel's website to see that this is one seriously stylish place. Every square inch of The Hoxton has been carefully thought out and it looks fantastic. Far from looking generic, the decor is vibrant and eclectic from floor to ceiling. Although many of the fixtures feel like carefully-selected works of art, The Hoxton doesn't have that awkward "I'm too scared to touch anything" vibe and I felt comfortable immediately. As well as the interior design, there was also a mini-exhibition of prints by Pure Evil Gallery (whose studio we strolled past while out exploring the area) in the public area behind reception. I get the impression the exhibitions change periodically so I will definitely have a peek at what is on display next time I'm down.

Something that was clear from my stay at The Hoxton was how proud they are to be part of their area. Their 'Love Thy Neighbourhood' motto was a theme that ran throughout the hotel, from supporting local art and businesses (curated flyers were available at reception) and giving newbies to Shoreditch (like us) a guide complied by them of recommended places to shop, eat, wander and explore. The 'Hox Guide' (supplied in our room) proved to be a very valuable resource over the weekend and we visited quite a few places featured in the guide.

The room itself was beautiful. As well as the 200 regular rooms (which are pretty swish already), The Hoxton also has 8 individually designed concept rooms which can be requested (although not guaranteed) at no extra cost. I had originally requested the Hoxton Manor room, but on arrival we were checked into The Nelson room. I didn't mind, as I knew the concept rooms can't be guaranteed and The Nelson was chic and comfortable (I'm obsessed with the carpet, which looks like a piece of art on its own). The Hoxton website describes this room as: "Relaxed, stylish, fun and creative. Shoreditch is the main influence – it is fast paced, ever changing and the capital of London’s art, home to the young, the fashionable and the design savvy". It sums up the room (and in my opinion, the hotel in general) perfectly. We both agreed it was the most well-presented and comfortable room we'd ever stayed in (The Boy especially adored the gloriously fluffy-as-a-cloud mattress that guaranteed a very peaceful sleep - apparently the same kind used by the Queen. Well, if it's good enough for her...).

The hotel staff had even put balloons in the room for our anniversary - how kind! I've never (even in all my years staying at The Hilton) had small touches like that to make my stay feel more special before so it was really nice. The staff throughout our stay were friendly and helpful and nothing was ever too much bother.

There are loads of places to eat in Shoreditch (more on that later) and The Hoxton provides a small breakfast delivered to your room included in the price of your stay. An orange juice, banana and granola yogurt pot (each) - it's just the right amount so you can go out an enjoy a big brunch somewhere if you like. The hotel restaurant also offers a cooked breakfast if you prefer. We had dinner in the restaurant (The Hoxton Grill) on our second night - it was yummy and very fairly priced.

Apart from a quick tube trip to Johnny Cupcakes (and Topshop Oxford Circus OBVIOUSLY) in the centre of London, we spent our trip happily exploring Shoreditch. I was hoping for a hairstyle at Rockalily Cuts, but alas, I had not booked ahead and they were closed the Sunday we were in town (they normally open on a Sunday). I will book ahead next time because I'm always "ooh"-ing over their Instagram pictures! No trip to Shoreditch is complete without a stroll down to Brick Lane and we chose to do so on the Sunday since all the markets would be in full swing. We made a quick trip to Tatty Devine  and then headed along through all the markets and onto Spitalfields where more weird and wonderful markets were found. We grabbed bagels and home made cake from Brick Lane Beigel Bake (the oldest bagel shop in London - delicious) and got free Ben and Jerry's ice cream in Spitalfields. There was no way we managed to see even half of what was there, but that just gives us a good excuse to book another trip!

One place that was on my must-visit list was The Diner on Curtain Road - an American style diner serving up huge portions of heaven! I had the Yankee Pig Dog (a massive hotdog topped with pulled pork - what the what?! I want to meet the creator of this and shake their hand) and offically The Best Onion Rings I've Ever Had, whereas The Boy munched on the Arch Burger (topped with - you guessed it - pulled pork) and sweet potato fries.

The Boy had read about 80s-themed eatery The Breakfast Club so we made that our last stop before heading home on Monday for a big brunch to set us up for the journey. I loved this place so much, I wish we had one here in Glasgow! With it's retro interior (including He-Man wallpaper in the toilets!) and huge choice of food, it was one of my favourite parts of our time in Shoreditch.

We really enjoyed our trip to Shoreditch and our stay at The Hoxton and I hope we return sometime inn the future. It was nice to get away for a couple of days and celebrate our anniversary in style!

Have you ever stayed in The Hoxton? Or visited Shoreditch? What do you think of a hot dog topped with pulled pork - yes please or no thanks?

Thanks for reading!

WestEndGirl Eats - Street Food Cartel

Earlier this month I went along to the Street Food Cartel at SWG3 after reading rave reviews about the last event. Street Food Cartel are a pop-up dining experience who also showcase some of the best local bars and restaurants who are "inspired by the bold flavours of the street". I've previously blogged about Smoak's barbecue delights, who were featured at March's SFC event and, from what I've heard, went down a treat.

Last week's event featured Scoop, who use fresh Scottish produce to create diverse and global-inspired dishes. It also played host to the Spanish/ Mexican culinary treats of Lupe Pintos - yes, the same Lupe Pintos that run the deli on Great Western Road. The last event was a total sell out so I made sure to reserve my ticket to this one so I could pop along and see what all the fuss was about.

On arrival at SWG3 (where the event was held), I was impressed. The venue had been transformed into a unique dining space complete with authentic food truck (indoors) and makeshift tables. I really liked the whole 'cartel' theme of the evening, with complimentary cocktails being served in bottles wrapped in brown paper bags and the fact that the event was being held in a converted warehouse in an empty street (if you didn't know what was going on in there, you'd walk right past it). The Boy and I were greeted by the very friendly and cheery bar staff and about ten minutes later we were shown to our table. 

Music was provided by the Scratch and Sniff DJ's who's funk and soul offerings got my stamp of approval. The only thing was, we were seated right next to the DJ booth, meaning we couldn't hear or speak to each other while we were eating. We ate our food silently and let each other know what we thought of each dish via hand gestures and exaggerated facial expressions. Not ideal on a night out with your boyfriend!

The menu offered five dishes from each guest restaurant and a variety of beers, cocktails and wines. Intended for sharing, we decided  to pick two different dishes from each resturant so we could sample the different flavours on offer. We were told that the dishes would arrive in no particular order and it was the two choices from Lupe Pintos that arrived first. Ever the fairytale lover, I had selected the Three Little Piggies which consisted of pork shoulder, pancetta, chorizo and butter beans served in a bowl like a stew. This came with 4 small pots of sour cream, guacamole, sweet onions & jalepenos and sweet onions. The Boy had opted for Lupe's famous beef, chorizo & chipotle chilli which came with the same sides.

The Three Little Piggies were delicious, a hearty and flavoursome stew that I would have happily huffed and puffed and blown a house down for some more of. The meat was tender and well-portioned and the flavours complimented each other really well. The chilli was equally tasty, with big hunks of tender cooked beef instead of the usual minced variety. Overall the dishes from Lupe Pintos were filling (in a good way!) and very tasty. We were ready for round two! Ding ding!

From Scoop's menu The Boy ordered the confit pork belly, smokey chorizo (we were all about the chorizo that night), black pudding & chickpea stew. That sounded delicious when reading it off the menu but was actually a little disappointing. Don't get me wrong, the portion size was decent and there was plenty meat to be had, but it didn't taste very memorable. Plus, there was no black pudding to be had on the plate. I had the Thai haddock and prawn cakes, served with prawn crackers, a shredded herby salad and prik nam pla. These were good, I got 4 fat cakes served in a crumb coating and the prawn crackers tasted lovely.

We skipped dessert (although the cinnamon sugared churros were mighty tempting) and called it a night. The lack of proper ventilation and spices used in cooking was resulting in watery eyes all round. I loved the smell of the food when I came in, but I didn't want to sit and inhale it all night and the steam from the meal preparation grew thicker as time went on.

All in all, I'm a bit on the fence with this one. I like the idea of Street Food Cartel in theory - a pop-up dining experience giving people the opportunity to try new and exciting dishes from the best of local cuisine. As a big food fan, I love this concept. I also loved the variety and quality of food on the menu (particularly from Lupe Pintos) and the staff were awesome and very welcoming. However, I wasn't a big fan of the price. Paying a fiver each before you even order any food was not very popular, and it was clear from those sitting around us that this was not well-received. I got the impression that many of the diners thought they were paying a cover charge to come and taste some sample-sized portions of excellent local food. Yes we got to taste some excellent local food, but only after paying to get in, and then paying for each separate dish. It all added up and paying twice for my dinner isn't something I want to make a habit of. I like Street Food Cartel's vision, and really want it to work (and as their events are all sell-outs, I'm sure others do too) but I think a re-assessment of the pricing is in order. Also, the noise and ventilation issues made the experience a little less enjoyable than it could have been.

I don't know if I would go back to SFC right away, but I would keep an eye on things to see how things are progressing and then maybe return in the future. 

Did you go to Street Food Cartel? What did you think? What was your favourite dish?

Beauty Bites: Beautiful Brows

After attending the Speed Beauty event the other week I had said that I was going to post a review of the Beautiful Brows kit that I picked up. I decided to wait until I had used it a couple of times before posting a review. After all, it was quick and easy when I had one of the Beautiful Brows girls applying it for me - but was it going to be as simple and effective to use by myself at home? In a word, yes!

When it comes to my make-up, I've played around with enough different products and tools to be able to create looks that I'm happy with, but an area I've always neglected was my eyebrows. With my pale skin and very dark hair, I never thought that I had to pay much attention to my eyebrows, other than plucking them. However, they do look a bit patchy and underwhelming when I have full eye make-up sitting underneath them, but I wasn't confident enough to fill and shape them in a way that I was happy with. I'd started using a really good Soap & Glory pencil but I still wasn't 100% happy with the way my eyebrows looked.

That's why Beautiful Brows, for me at least, are a total game changing product. After hearing rave reviews from other beauty junkies I was intrigued to see what was so great about this supposed 'miracle product' that has managed to convert even the most devoted Benefit Brow-zings users. After seeing the slick demo performed by the girls from Beautiful Brows, I was even more intrigued.

I learned a bit more about the brand and they have an impressive CV - they are a UK-based company who offer a semi-permanent eyebrow make-up product. They originally created their product for people that for various reasons, had lost their hair or that it had thinned significantly, and would benefit from a product that creates the 'illusion' of a coloured and shaped brow. As their popularity and reputation grew, Beautiful Brows are now seen as a high-quality make-up essential for all kinds of customers. After having the brows applied, I was surprised to see how much my new brows changed my look, creating a more polished finish.

The fact that the kit is so quick and easy to use is another huge bonus - in under 30 seconds both eyebrows were started and finished and I was starting to see what all the fuss was about. Essentially you are using a stencil, which is placed over your natural eyebrow, and blending a small amount of product over your eyebrow with a small brush in a quick backwards-and-forwards motion. I know the idea of using a stencil and brush all sounds very Art Attack, but trust me, I wouldn't be surprised if Neil Buchanan himself was rocking one of these kits. It is very easy to use, and because you are only using a small amount of the product at a time, it lasts a couple of years, making it very good value for money. After it runs out, you can just buy a refill, there is no need to purchase the whole kit again.

The product is referred to as 'semi permenant' - I have found that it will last if you are caught in the rain without an umbrella and will also survive a night on the dancefloor. I have been told that you can go swimming with them on too but have yet to test this theory (learning to swim would be a good start). The product will come off easily with make-up remover or facewash so at least you won't be rubbing it for hours!

So what do you get in the kit? In the box, which features a mirror in the lid (designed for use on the go, but to be honest after applying it once before you leave the house is plenty, I have found that there are no touchups required), you get instructions, three stencils to give different looks (so far I found that 'sleek' is best stencil for me, as it is the smallest one but still gives a full shape) the eyebrow colour palette (in a bespoke shade picked out for you depending on your skin and hair colour), a highlighter, tweezers, a brush to apply the eyebrow colour and a highlighter brush.

Overall I am very happy with the Beautiful Brows system, it's easy for eyebrow novices (like me!) to use and at £35 for about 3 years' worth (and that's if you use it daily) I think it's a bargain. If you fancy finding out more, you can visit their website, or they have a retail stand in Buchanan Galleries shopping centre where you can talk through the process with one of the girls.

Have you used Beautiful Brows? What do you think of their products? Did you ever watch Art Attack as a kid?

Thanks for reading!
 

WestEndGirl Eats: Bar Gumbo

This weekend The Boy and I went to Bar Gumbo on Byres Road after spotting their mouth-watering menu a couple of weeks ago. Promising gumbo (of course), pulled pork, brisket, macaroni and much more, there was no doubt that hitting this relatively new West End eatery was at the top of our to-do list.

Bar Gumbo is situated around the bottom half of Byres Road and can be easily spotted due to their bright orange sign against the rustic wooden exterior. Once inside, we were greeted with a friendly and laid-back atmosphere. Customers were chatting and enjoying their food while the smiley guy behind the bar came right over to welcome us and make sure we were seated right away. I really like being made to feel welcome, especially if I haven't been somewhere before and the staff at Bar Gumbo were really nice and helpful throughout our visit.

When it came to the menu we took a little bit longer than usual to choose what we wanted - it all looked delicious! Bar Gumbo specialises in soul food: warm, hearty, with or without a spice kick and full of flavour. The kind of food that always makes sure I visit House of Blues while on holiday. Finally, we decided to get a few different things so we could both try them. We ordered pulled pork nachos (for 2), a Po Boy sandwich, hush puppies and barbecue beans. While waiting for the food to arrive we enjoyed the bluesy and 50's rock and roll music on the stereo which suited the relaxed mood of the place perfectly.

I also had a nosey through to the back room where the bar extends through to. There are more tables and a small stage area set up as besides being a bar/ restaurant, Bar Gumbo also hosts live music events. You can expect to hear a variety of different kinds of bands play at Bar Gumbo as well as open mike nights. This again, echoes the 'good food, good music' philosophy of my beloved House of Blues, so it's really nice to see something similar in my own neighbourhood.

Once the food arrived I didn't know where to start. The nachos were generously portioned with lots of tender pulled pork hidden under a layer of gooey cheese. After a taste of the barbecue beans we decided it would be the cherry (or bean!) on top to layer these over the top of the nachos. Adding the beans made an already very tasty dish even better - I'd recommend it to anyone trying out the pulled pork nachos. The beans can be enjoyed on their own too as a side. The Po Boy sandwich was served in a huge soft sub roll and was packed with the same tasty pulled pork and house slaw, and served with a salad.

Finally the hush puppies (cornbread stuffing balls, not the shoes!), which were served with a barbecue dip, were just what I had hoped for. Fluffy and very tasty, these were a welcome addition to our lunch. Next time I will order a bit less food and enjoy these little balls of deliciousness more - even though they are fluffy they can be filling and if you have filled up on other food already they won't be enjoyed quite as much.

We really enjoyed all of the food and it is clear from the menu (and taste) that the food has been selected and prepared by people with a passion for Southern soul food flavours. There is also an extensive cocktail menu with the same attention to detail (I really enjoyed reading each little narrative that came with the cocktail description, even though I didn't order any myself). We never had any room left for dessert - deep fried vanilla cheesecake - but there's always next time...

Bar Gumbo are a welcome addition to Byres Road and offer something a little different to what else is on the street. If the menu isn't enough to get you in the door, the love behind their food, drinks and support for music will. We're already planning our next visit to be in a week's time, maybe I'll see you there!

Have you been to Bar Gumbo? Did you enjoy it? What is your favourite blues song?

Thanks for reading!

WestEndGirl Eats: Fast Fiesta Fix at Pinto

When I'm in the city centre shopping (which tends to be pretty regularly), or some other activity that calls for a quick lunch there are lots of places a girl can go. Glasgow is heaving with choice and you can't turn a corner without being presented with a meal deal or lunchtime offer. Most often when I'm looking for a bite to eat without sitting down for too long, I rock up to Pinto on Queen street for a fast fiesta fix.

There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the location. It's very conveniently central to the centre of town and right in the middle of the two main shopping areas of the city centre. I normally pop in when heading from one end to the other and last Thursday was a perfect example of that when The Boy and I stopped for a bite to eat during a shopping trip. Now, perhaps a Mexican fast food outlet may not be everyone's idea of a romantic meal but I had very high hopes of us both starting at each end of a super-sized burrito and our lips locking in the middle like a modern-day urban Lady and the Tramp while Enrique Iglesias crooned softly in the background. OK, maybe just in my imagination then...

The first thing that always hits me (along with the yummy smell of fresh salsa) when I enter Pinto is how bright and clean it is. The lime-green, yellow and red colour scheme is very warm and inviting - especially on disastrous windy days like last Thursday when you feel like you've been blown up and down the streets and failed miserably at keeping your dignity (sorry to everyone that accidentally seen my underwear that day...). It is the kind of open-plan, casual seating environment that is comfortable  to eat in whether in a pair, a group or even alone - and I've done all three.

The atmosphere is friendly and laid back, and the staff are always very nice. They know their stuff and it comes in handy if you haven't tried something before. The first time I went to Pinto I went by myself and didn't know what I wanted. The person behind the counter at the time took me through the different choices, the fillings and the toppings - helping me pick something that suited my taste. I don't like things that are too spicy, but their chicken burrito is smokey without being too hot so is now my firm favourite.

Which brings me nicely onto the food. The food is fresh and prepared in front of you after you pick your own ingredients - kind of like Subway, but (as the staff have pointed out), that's where the similarities end. After choosing what you want (whether a burrito, bare burrito, tacos, nachos or salad) you have a choice of fillings and toppings to create your own Mexican feast. There are also specials such as chilli bowls and chicken tortilla soup and sides to choose from. You won't go hungry in this place! Drinks-wise, they have the usual soft drinks, bottled water, beer and fresh lemonade and margaritas (both made and mixed in-house). My 'usual' order is a chicken burrito, some nachos and a lemonade. Delicious! There are also bottles of hot sauce of varying spice for customers to help themselves to - for those daring to turn up the heat!

Charging just over a fiver for one burrito might seem a little steep to the uninitiated but when you see the sheer SIZE of them, you realise it is value for money and one burrito consists of so much food that it is a meal in itself, no sides required! I actually need to use both hands to tackle one, they use super-sized wraps and pack them with lots of tasty fillings. Although Pinto are essentially a fast-food kitchen, the food and presentation are higher quality than the usual burger or sandwich joints and as such I generally think of them as being a little classier.

My Pinto meal certainly did the job last Thursday and I felt fuelled up and ready for round two at the mid-season sales. In fact, I was feeling so good that I ended up buying three dresses! Pinto are proving so popular with the locals that they have recently opened a new smaller branch on Gordon Street and a much-tweeted about third branch is to be opened for the Summer. I'm looking forward to seeing them continue going from strength to strength.

Have you  ever been to Pinto? What is your shopping snack of choice? Do you ever fantasise about recreating a Disney love scene?

Thanks for reading!

Let's Go to the Hop

People that know me know that I like to dance. I dance when I'm happy, excited, nervous - regardless of whether there is music or not. I dance like no-one is watching. It should be noted that I use the word 'dance' very loosely. I have never actually learned to dance properly and tend to throw myself around haphazardly, pretending I'm in my own manic music video much to the amusement of my friends. I do however really admire people that are skilled and trained dancers and can even be found watching Dancing With The Stars sometimes to see them do the Charleston.

Taking a dance class is one of those things that has always been on my to-do list. After all, it couldn't hurt to actually learn some proper basic moves to mix in with my own clumsy brand of body shaking, right? So on Monday I went along to a taster session for Swing Dance lessons provided by the Glasgow Lindyhoppers to see if it was as easy as it looks on TV.

The class was held downstairs in Blackfriars, Merchant City. My friend and I went along not really knowing what to expect or how busy it would be. It was very busy, with attendees ranging from regulars to the class, to others like myself that had never done it before and thought it might be fun. Most people seemed to be in their twenties and thirties and there was an almost-even mix of guys and gals. One of the things that I had wondered about was what to wear - especially on my feet. I decided that ultimately comfort was key and wore my trusty Converse. That seemed to be the general consensus as most of the other people there had either Converse, Vans or similar footwear on. Not a tap shoe in sight. No matter how experienced or inexperienced, everyone was very nice and the atmosphere was laid back and friendly. So far, so good.

The instructors took us through a warm up that was linked to the kind of dance moves you would expect from swing dancing, mainly gentle footwork (I would call it Swinglite). They then explained that as swing was a couples dance with one person leading (normally the male) and one person following we had to partner up with a lead. She asked all of the 'leaders' to stand along a wall and we (the followers) were asked to go and pick a partner.

I started to get flashbacks of my high school ceilidhs mixed in with the part from Hairspray where it's a Ladies Choice dance. This lasted for an anxious fifteen seconds and then I told myself off for being a baby and asked the guy standing opposite me to dance. It turned out that picking a partner didn't really matter because A) everyone was really friendly and, B) we ended up in a circle and changed partners every few minutes so by the end of the class you had danced with more or less everybody anyway.

What I really liked about this class was that what we learned was started from scratch, under the assumption that we were all first-timers and no-one was patronising or bossy. We had plenty of time to practice each step that we learned before moving on to the next part. So after learning each step individually we then put the whole thing together to music. Turns out in the hour we had been taught a little routine, and we were all pretty good at it. It was a good feeling, dancing in sync with another person and being twirled around. I knew what my feet and arms had to be doing at all times and even though that sounds like hard work, it wasn't really and was a lot of fun (I now know what that lady from the Flashdance song was going on about....I think). If I had been told at the start of the class that I would have a Swing routine learned and executed confidently within an hour I really wouldn't have believed them. It was really all in the way it was taught - they snuck it up on us!

To wrap up the class the instructors did a very impressive demo routine of the dances we could learn if we chose to come back for more classes. There is then a 'spare' half hour where they put music on and invite people to stick around, have a drink and show off their new moves. The great thing about the classes is that they are on a drop-in basis. You can turn up to any class, any week and pay a fiver without the need to sign up to a 'block' of lessons. I found it a really fun way to socialise and get a bit of exercise, and I now know my rockstep from my triple step! I might not go every week but I think I will be back to learn a little more from time to time.

The classes are run by Glasgow Lindyhoppers in Blackfriars every Monday at 7:30 and cost £5 a class.

Have you ever tried Swing dancing? Do you think you might try this class? Have you ever had the Flashdance feeling?

Thanks for reading!

Beauty Bites: Sinful Colours

Last week over the Twitterverse I had heard that US drugstore nail polish brand Sinful Colours had arrived in the UK and was being stocked in Boots. Sinful Colours have a reputation for delivering a high-quality, 'professional' finish a la OPI and China Glaze at a purse-friendly price so I decided to buy a couple of colours and try them for myself.

I managed to squeeze past the tweens that had crowded the display at Boots to pick my colours out. With 70 shades to choose from, and a range of finishes which included glitter, pearl, shimmer, cream and matte; I was left spoiled for choice (even the amount of PINKS to choose from was huge.). They had every shade in stock except for Unicorn, a lemony pastel yellow - the actual colour of a unicorn's horn (in my imagination). After a lot of umm-ing and ahh-ing (and sighing from The Boy - well, there is only so long you can wait for a girl to pick some nail polish I suppose) I settled on Pinky Glitter - not as clever a name as Unicorn but chosen because, well, you know...it's pink and glittery. I also picked out Mint Apple which is a nice shade of light aqua.

At £1.99 each they certainly live up to their low-cost promise, but how did the colours actually turn out? Mint Apple was very easy to apply and after just two coats I built up a strong colour that dried very quickly. I decided to wear Pinky Glitter as well so painted my ring finger nails that colour (ring finger accents are my manicure detail of choice at the moment). To make the pink really stand out, I applied a bright polish first (Raspberry Crush by Model's Own) with Pinky Glitter layered on top. One coat of Pinky Glitter worked really well and I could see the flecks of pink and gold sparkling in the light (although difficult to capture on camera). I layered another coat on top to see how that affected the finish and I am pleased to report that unlike some glitter polishes it could withstand two coats and dry properly without any smudging.

A few days later and the colour has held up really well. I didn't bother using a topcoat this time to see how the colours would last on their own. There is some slight chipping but considering what my hands have been through the last few days (things like doing the dishes etc) I think the polish has held up pretty well, probably as well as if I had used one of my OPI, MAC or Chanel colours to be honest.

At £1.99 I would definitely recommend picking one up and since they are currently in the 3 for 2 offer at Boots you could always mix and match a couple (if like me, you find it hard to choose between 70 colours).Overall I'm impressed by the range of colours, the quality and the price.

Have you tried Sinful Colours nail polish? What do you think of them? Do you ever imagine what a unicorn might look like?

Thanks for reading!

WestEndGirl Eats: Big Licks

Recently The Boy and I visited Big Licks  for a sugar high since we were both craving something sweet. For those of you who are Big Licks virgins (ooh-err), Big Licks are an ice cream parlour located on Argyle Street stocked with tasty treats, mainly ice cream and donuts. It might still be a little chilly outside but I say there is no bad time to eat ice cream and indulge in a little bit of donutsin' (my new favourite made-up word. It basically means hanging out and eating donuts, for example "where were you last night while we were all donutsin' ?". I doubt it will catch on but I still intend to use it).

The West End is home to a few popular ice cream parlours already such as 3 Steps to Heaven and Nardini's - both on Byres Road. But what sets Big Licks apart from the rest is that they are also home to Nom Nom donuts - appropriately named or what? It was the MASSIVE colourful sign in their window advertising their donuts that first caught my eye. Until we get a Krispy Kreme or a Dunkin' Donuts in Glasgow, I'd say these guys have the edge. And even if we do get more donut shops, there's room for everyone in my opinion and I'd struggle to keep away from this place.

The Boy and I both ordered a glazed ring, nothing fancy (there's always next time...) but boy, oh boy were they tasty. I'm not too ashamed to admit mine was gone in under a minute. The light pastry seemed to melt in the mouth and the glaze was sweet but not sickly, complimenting the donut nicely. I could have happily eaten a dozen of them and at £1 a donut they are a perfect treat to pick up when walking home from work. The Nom Nom donuts stand is on the right as you walk in the shop, or just follow the aroma of freshly baked goodies.

Big Licks' main attraction though is their ice cream, of which they have at least a dozen weird and wonderful flavours including Irn Bru, Bubblegum, Kinder and Curly Wurly. I opted for a two scoop cup with one scoop of Salted Caramel and one scoop of Snickers flavour, while The Boy picked out a two scoop waffle cone with Tablet and Honeycomb flavours. All four ice creams were delicious and we enjoyed them while sitting at window seats in the cute pink-walled parlour. I would recommend getting a couple of scoops to try out some different kinds - it also makes the job of narrowing your choice down a little bit easier!

It's a small shop but that didn't seem to put off the several customers that popped in while we were enjoying our ice cream - it is certainly a hit with the locals which ranged from couples buying larger orders to share and parents in with their excited children for a weekend treat.

I give Big Licks two big thumbs up for their excellent choices (and quality) of ice cream, their delicious Nom Nom donuts, friendly service and general good donutsin' spot - I told you I was still going to say it!

Have you ever been to Big Licks? Do you prefer ice cream or donuts? Do you have a favourite made-up word?

Thanks for reading!

Events: the Big SMAC-Down

Last month saw the first meeting of the Scottish Macaroni Appreciation Club - or SMAC for short - held at Sloans in the City Centre. The event sold out in a day and I wasn't quick  enough to snap up a ticket, so told myself I would definitely make an effort to get along to this month's event, which was held last night. The concept is very appealing to me - people that love macaroni sit around eating lots of macaroni and talking about it. Throw in some cheesy tunes and a friendly atmosphere and it sounds like my kind of party.

I do love macaroni - I get mistaken for a vegetarian sometimes because if it's available on a pub menu I will be likely to pick it over a meatier option. I'm no macaroni snob though - in fact one of my guiltiest pleasures is a box of Kraft Cheesy Pasta/ Mac and Cheese. I know, I know. "It's not real macaroni" my foodie friends will cry. "It's bright orange", "it's never seen actual cheese in it's life", and so on. I don't care, it's neon coloured and basically the hot, pasta version of Wotsits but I stand by my choice. That said, I do love a gourmet mac too - one of my favourites is lobster mac and cheese. It's amazing.

I was very excited about going to SMAC as I do get excited about any kind of themed occasion. I did not have enough time to pull together a proper macaroni themed outfit (IMAGINE) but decided to do a nail art tribute using some orange and yellow OPI nail polishes. I decided on a dress with a bit of stretch in it to help handle the food baby sure to emerge later in the evening (turned out to be a smart choice since I asked for seconds) I also threw on a pair of orange tights in attempt to 'mac it up' and headed into town. The orange tights were declared to be 'sexy' by some passing jake at the subway station - not my target audience but I will take it! Maybe he thought my legs were super tanned due to his own tanning of some (Tennents) Super? I'd love a pair of macaroni patterned screenprinted tights - anyone want to make me a pair?

Onto the event itself! My faithful cohorts and I rocked up to Sloans restaurant and were shown to our table. Good thing we booked tickets as it was very busy. At each seat we had a printed guide to the evening ahead and the macaroni's that would be served. That night it was going to be Stornaway black pudding, caramelised sweet potato with rosemary & garlic and Sloans' original macaroni's. The fourth dish was the much-discussed 'Mystery Mac' which would be revealed later in the evening to be cauliflower mac and cheese - apparently President Obama's favourite kind.

After trying all four dishes (and sides) we were given the opportunity to vote for our favourite and see which would be crowned the winning dish (or 'SMAC Daddy'). It was a close call, all of the macaroni's were delicious and I thought I was going to vote for the sweet potato one until I tried the Mystery Mac (which I am now calling Barack and Cheese). The cauliflower one was awesome - turns out I like cauliflower, who knew?!

The staff running the event were super nice and very efficient. The atmosphere was good, it didn't take itself too seriously and a bit of humour was definitely thrown in which helped keep things fun. We were each given a card with 'SMAC Founder Member' printed on it which I thought was a nice touch! We were also all 'sworn in' to the club by reciting the following pledge:

I hereby pledge allegiance to all things macaroni, regardless of creed, consistency or topping, so help me SMAC

It was a funny moment! After the plates were cleared away the cheesy pop songs were pumped up and I spent some time sitting chatting before heading home. I would recommend popping along to SMAC if you like your food, conversation and music with a huge serving of cheese! I had a brilliant time and will most definitely be back for another helping. 

Are you a macaroni fan? Have you been to SMAC? Did a jake yell at your legs this week?

Beauty Bites: MAC Archie's Girls and Dainty Doll

 
This month I have been trying to be good and not buy lots of products because I will be going to the States in May and will most likely stock up on make up and other beauty products while I'm there. This month however also saw the hotly-anticipated release of the MAC x Archie's Girls collaboration which was bad timing for me because boy, do I sure love a MAC collaboration! I was very sensible and limited myself to one item only so that I could still enjoy the new collection but not go overboard. A friend went to MAC on my behalf to pick up said item which was another sensible choice since one peek of the other make-up available would have probably sent my 'one item' rule packing!

All of the items in the collection are beautifully packaged in hard white plastic featuring cartoon graphics of the Archie Comics characters. Presentation always gets my attention and MAC always get it right - especially in fun collaborations such as Hello Kitty, Heatherette, Disney Villains and now, Archie's Girls.

I chose one of the lipsticks from the Veronica line in the collection, called Boyfriend Stealer. As the name suggests, it's a sassy, vampy shade described by MAC as a 'blackened plum' in a 'deep, seductive tone'. I had been keen to try out a plum for ages so decided this would be the perfect opportunity. It certainly is very dark, especially at first glance while still in the tube, but can be worn in different ways depending on how bold a look you want to achieve. I wanted to go quite dark (go big or go home, right?) so swiped on a couple of layers to build up a more opaque look. As the lipstick is made from the same formula as MAC's Cremesheen lipsticks, it has a smooth application and a slightly shiny finish. It feels soft on the lips and despite being moderately pigmented it does not stain the lips and is easy to remove. No chance of those pesky stains the next day ("been eating liquorice?").

I decided to embrace the full vamp effect and wore it out to a gig with a black lace Betsey Johnson dress. I would recommend wearing a lipliner with this one, I always think with a bold lip you need to make sure it looks neat. I picked up a very inexpensive one from Collection that did the job nicely.

In a previous post I had mentioned picking up a blusher from Nicola Roberts' Dainty Doll collection. I had been very interested to try this brand as it promises to not only cater to, but actually be intended for pale skinned lasses like myself. Impressed? Very. The brand is still relatively new, yet has managed to establish themselves as a leading cosmetics line on a mission to 'enhance the beauty of fairer skin tones'. On a good day I look like Casper the Ghost so any assistance is appreciated!

One of the other things about Dainty Doll I admire is their dedication to using high-quality ingredients intended to improve your skin. The blusher I bought contains vitamins A and E, and is rich in antioxidants to help boost the skin naturally. Sounds good to me! I chose shade 02 called My Girl (which immediately conjured up visions of Macaulay Culkin being chased by bees but that is another blog post altogether) which is a sugary, sweet bright pink. It's the colour of cotton candy and I really like it. The colour is highly pigmented which meant that just one sweep gave my cheeks a healthy flush and a couple of sweeps helped me build up a brighter look with ease.

The size of the compact is very handbag-friendly and also features a mirror for use on the go. After applying my blusher in the morning I didn't have to top it up at all during the day. It stayed put and The Boy commented when we got home in the evening (after being on for over 8 hours) that the colour was still very visible. The blusher does not come with it's own applicator but I really didn't mind as I prefer to use my own brush anyway.

The Dainty Doll blusher range comes in 4 different shades. I'm keen to try Hippy Shake next, a lilac coloured blush as the colour looks adorable and I'm curious to see what a lilac blush might look like on! Now that I know how high quality the blusher is I'd like to try other products in the range too.

Overall I am very happy with both of these purchases. You can buy the Archie's Girls collection from MAC (but hurry - it is limited edition) directly either at MAC concessions or online. Dainty doll is available from a range of stockists including Boots, Very, Debenhams and Feel Unique.

Have you bought anything from the Archie's Girl collection? Or tried any of Dainty Doll's range? Do you ever feel like a ghost?

Thanks for reading!