It's a tired cliche in Scotland to harp on about the stunning countryside "on our doorstep" that we…read morepay little attention to, but a trip on The West Highland Line proves that even if Scotland is a country filled with bitter, self pitying drunkards, it's an exceptionally good looking one. This rail line is considered amongst the most scenic in the world, and takes you through Loch Lomond, various mountain ranges, past Oban then onto Fort William. The scenery really is beyond belief at some points, with notable money shots being the Loch Lomond section which is viewed from halfway up a mountain (or a big hill, I'm not sure), and towards the end of the line when the train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a magnet for tourists as it was used in the Harry Potter films. There is one slight downside. Despite the summer months being packed with bumbag wearing tourists, Scotrail use an older, slower, and sometimes quite uncomfortable train for this service. It's either down to bad business sense or deliberate usage of a slower train for lovers of the rugged terrain, but it grates that they don't even bother with the buffet car. It's not too huge a deal though, and shouldn't detract from what's always a jaw dropping journey.

I had booked to go before and it was only a fiver so what you get here at this fine venue was…read moredefinitely worth going to. Unfortunately I couldn't go as I was ill so I entered into the Yelp give away competition and low and behold I won. Yay!! I was excited as I was gutted for missing the last one. I had been to Malmaison before for a previous Yelp event so it was nice to come back to this lovely hotel. On arrival you get a wee token for a glass of fizz. I have to say I was a wee tad delicate as one had been out on the Glasgow Subcrawl the day before. That's a whole other review. I found some other Yelpers and donated my fizz token. There was also a cocktail master shaking up some cracking drinks but I just enjoyed watching rather than participating. We were also treated to getting our nails, hair and make-up done. As I was on the rough side, I came with hair scraped back and no make-up so I was in need of some major pampering. Once I had a wee cup of tea and the bar, I know but I was rough, I booked into get my nails. I got a slot for Benefit make-up, I asked for a healthy look as I was looking a wee bit like death. Haha!! I then managed to get a slot for my hair by Sassoon, the girl did a great job and straightened my curly, frizzy locks and gave me a much softer look to go along with my healthy make-up. I was very much starting to feel much more like myself. I caught up with some of the other Yelpers while I was waiting to get my nails done and they loved my hair. I don't straightened it often and I forget how long it's got. I also spoke to the lovely girl from Ultimo, and was gifted with a beautiful pair of satin purple pants. I am not your average bra size so it was good to find another brand who sells my size and does lovely styles. I do like my underwear bright and pretty. I then went over to get my nails done and I opted for a lovely red/pink colour. It was just nice to get pampered and this wee rough yin came out feeling wonderful. If another event pops up I would definitely book to go as it's nice way to spend an afternoon. Thanks to Briony and Yelp Glasgow for giving me opportunity to enjoy this Sunday treat.

When I first found out I was going to the event, I really had no idea what to expect, having never…read moreeven set foot in Malmaison before! What the set up would be, if there would be food/drinks, not a clue! So when the event turned out to be essentially a pamper session, I was pretty thrilled! The bar itself is really stunning, with turquoise blue chairs, comic strip art, and one wall decorated with empty beer kegs! On arrival, we were given goody bags filled with vouchers, flyers and a couple of beauty products, and a glass of complimentary champagne - a pretty good start! We were then invited to head through to where the exhibitors were awaiting us. Our first stop was to the Benefit stall. I was pretty excited about this because my entire make up collection is Benefit! The staff were super friendly and tested their brand new mascara on me and filled in my eyebrows - something I have NEVER done before - and it looked great! They also gave us the menu for the boutique in House of Frasers, which includes a waxing, tanning and brow bar - who knew?! After that, Eilidh and I grabbed a cocktail while we waited to get our nails done. I ordered a lovely French martini, and just after it was sat in front of me, we were called to get our nails done. I chose a purple/grape colour and chatted away with the beauticians from Pure Spa, who were friendly and lovely, just like the Benefit team. After my nails were sorted, I headed over to the Sassoon stall to get my hair done. I asked for a fish-tail braid, something I have never been able to master, and minutes later I had a lovely side-braid! I left the beauty stalls just in time to catch Eilidh attempting to make cocktails with one of the bar staff. When she and the barman both poured their cocktails into shot glasses to sample, it was clear that Eilidh's had much more of a kick to it - go easy on the gin next time!! Before calling it a day at Malmaison, we decided to order one last cocktail. The friendly and helpful bar staff recommended one that wasn't even on the menu, and consisted of blueberry, chambord, gin, lemon and tonic. It was a big hit! As we chatted away, nibbles were placed in front of us including Truffle & Parmesan Popcorn (!!!) and these amazing salted almonds which they kept re-filling every time we emptied the bowl! That's good service for you! I'm really glad I got the chance to go this event - I learnt some beauty tips I'll never forget and got to know two lovely fellow Yelpers while sipping on some delicious cocktails! We even headed out to Tiki Bar afterwards for more!

Fantastic street murals. We arrived in town very tired only 1 night but I wanted to see the murals…read moreso we set off walking in the cold rain. We didn't find them all but most i wanted. The mural of the breast feeding woman is covered by construction.. hope they don't destroy it.

Though my particular walking tour of Glasgow was not focused on the City Centre Murals, per se, it…read morewas inevitable that I'd come across these giant works of art; the tour took me through Merchant City where many of the murals can be seen. Commissioned by Glasgow City Council to revitalize the city, there are around 29 murals beautifying buildings & walls. If you aren't on a guided tour, google will point you to several mural maps, locations, & descriptors. Murals that stood out for me were the Strathclyde University Wonderwall which celebrates the 2014 Commonwealth Games & the two popular pieces by street artist Smug, St. Mungo as well as St. Enoch and Child. I absolutely love strolling through a new city to get to know its distinct areas; these murals made my stroll that much more fascinating.

This is a small mall containing jewellery, and only jewellery. Host to over 30 jewellery shops, if…read moreArgyll Arcade doesn't have it, then you are to fussy and need to get a grip of your life. Pushy, obsessive girlfriends drag sweating, shifty-eyed boyfriends around here and coo in an innocent-but-underlyingly-persuasive manner at gigantic engagement rings. You can find everything in here, from traditional gold and antiques, to modern gems by contemporary designers. The walls and ceiling sparkle with the reflected light of a million facets - most people can only afford to browse. Wandering around here is an enjoyable way to spend half an hour. Deciding what you would buy if you found £10,000 or even £100,000 just lying in the street (Ha!). One end of the arcade emerges on Buchanan Street, the other on Argyll Street, so it is a nice alternative link between the two streets, especially if it is raining.

Walking through here is like walking back in time. It's bring, airy & full of beautiful jewellery…read moreshops. Upstairs (there is a lift on the Buchanan St side) there are offices & even more exclusive shops. Today the top floors were opened for an exhibition which was wonderful & they even opened up the roof so we could wander out & enjoy the panoramic views of Glasgow.

Every city has their main hub. Where all the shopping takes place, the bars and restaurants. You…read morecould take the train right into the city. From the station, the city center area is right there. Buchanan street is lined up with loads of shops, malls and restaurants. It's a good strip with amazing architecture. You mainly have all the chains stores that you see often. HM, Zara, Boots, Urban Outfitters and so on. There's also House of Fraser which is somewhat similar to Nordstrom. A few floors of shopping with the main floor for cosmetics and a small section with the designer shops. Small clusters of malls hidden behind the building. The storefronts were all decorated for the holidays which made it more festive. There was also an arcade where jewelry stores were. Along the main strip which is pretty wide, you have street performers. No cars are allowed which was great. Loads of restaurants lined the area which there's also some that's inside the shopping mall. It's mainly like a shopping district.

Buchanan Street is one of the main streets in Glasgow; it is a fully pedestrianised area of the…read morecity centre which features shops and restaurants as well as the Buchanan Street Galleries Shopping Centre and a subway station. More notable retailers along the street include a large Frasers department store, Apple, John Lewis, Nespresso and Urban Outfitters. It was home to the city's Hard Rock Cafe until it closed in 2024. The street always feels pretty and lively to walk along; there always seems to be something going on. I do think calling it one of the best shopping streets in the world is a bit of a stretch as it does seem to be lacking compared to many European counterparts, but in Scotland? It could just earn that title. I prefer the modern charm of Buchanan Street compared to alternatives elsewhere, such as in Edinburgh. 4*

Merchant Square is a handy spot - whether you're in need of a bite to eat, or a drink; a cash…read moremachine or a loo, you can find it all here. You might even want to just escape the dreich weather and come in for a seat inside! While I'm not the biggest fan of most of the businesses that are attached to Merchant Square, it's still a cool place for a visit. I particularly like the weekend craft market that's on (every Saturday & Sunday from around midday to 6pm) which I'll review separately. There's handy cash machines (not sure where there are any others in Merchantt City!) and the loos are always pretty clean. There is sometimes special events on in the Square and it's worth looking out for these - we went to a gig in the Square once and it was really enjoyable as it had a bit of an outside feel to it, without it being freezing cold.

Glaswegians maybe now take it for granted and I would not really go there on a night out, but I…read morequite like taking visitors to Glasgow to Merchant square. They always seem to be quite surprised when walking through the centre. It seems so different to the city outside. I probably would not drink or eat in many of the businesses these days, but the place really does have an individual atmosphere to it. This is particularly true at winter when it is freezing outside and the lights and decorations are up inside. During the day at weekends there is quite often a mini market going on that is selling art or jewellery. Nice place and worth a look if your a visitor to the city looking to escape the cold and rain.

I must be missing something because I don't see what all the hype is about, I was disappointed, yes…read moreit's a charming looking lane with fairy lights and a few restaurants and bars but that's about it, over in a flash!

Ashton Lane is definitely one of those "must visit" places in Glasgow if you're new to the city or…read moreeven if you've never been before. It's a lovely cobblestoned lane way, with bars and restaurants (as well as a cinema) tucked behind Byres Road. I love the diversity of eating and drinking options here - Vodka Wodka for cheap student drinks, Ubiquitous Chip for a fancy, special occasion meal or Ketchup for a burger. There's lot of options and should please most tastes. If you've never been in the evening, you'll have to navigate the cobblestones and intoxicated lassies, but it's worth it for the beautiful fairy lights!

This is another of Kenny Hunter's amazing pieces to commemorate the work of firefighters. Citizens…read morefirefighter is situated outside Glasgow's central station. I love all Kenny's work and this is one of my favourites.

Citizen Firefighter had been in place since 2001, right outside the Grand Central Hotel, on the…read morecorner of Gordon Still and Hope St. Originally intended as a memorial to the firefighters of Glasgow (the laxk of a plaque meant I had to Google this), the big bronze fireman is now used as a local landmark. I often meet friends at it - especially if they're coming to Glasgow by train. This gets 4 stars because it basically creeps me out.

This bridge of sighs is not the one in Venice unfortunately but we have our very own in the…read morebeautiful Glasgow! Bridge of sighs allows you to go to and from the Necropolis cemetery which houses around 3,500 graves and the bridge of sighs is named because of the amount of funeral processions that crossed the bridge to the Necropolis.

Anyone that knows me, knows I love me a good bridge…read more And this is one of Glasgows finest. The Bridge of Sighs spans the old Molendiner Burn (now redirected into a big pipe), linking Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis. In years gone by, folks had to carry the coffins of their loved ones across this bridge - hence the melancholy name. Nowadays, the bridge connects war memorials with the Commonwealth Graves in the Necropolis. It's one of those bridges that people always forget about, but which was important to Glasgows history. And you get a nice view from it, looking our across Glasgow.

I'm a fan of the Botanics, and when I saw Electric Gardens announced I knew I just had to grab some…read moretickets. The early bird price was really reasonable too, at £8 per adult (full price is £10 per adult). First point to note is that you need to enter from Queen Margaret Drive, opposite the old BBC Building. There could be better signage about this around the top of Byres Road as we really didn't know where to enter from (the info is on the website but I hadn't looked as I assumed the entrance was at the Byres Rd junction). We were booked for 7pm but it didn't actually seem to matter about a start time as it's a walk-at-your-own-pace kind of thing rather than it including performances (like Electric Glen at Rouken Glen). You can wander through Kibble Palace as well as follow the path through the Botanics. It was mostly well sign-posted so you didn't need to worry too much about the fact it was really dark, and spotted around were staff members in case you had any questions. The toilets are also open, and you can pop to Java at the Police Box to grab a coffee/hot drink or something to eat beforehand. The actual display itself was really lovely and quite tranquil - gorgeous lighting on different parts of the Botanics that maybe you'd never noticed before. There was accompanying music and in parts it was perfectly matched to the lights. Part-way through there was performers with fire which was interesting and loads of people stopped to watch (partly because you couldn't actually get past them). I enjoyed this part but thought it took a little way from the actual electric gardens themselves. We'd gone as a really large group (I think there was nearly 20 of us) and while we lost each other along the way, it made for a really fun outing. I'd actually consider going back again as it runs to the 15th of Feb, and I found it a really enjoyable Friday night.

On Friday evening I got to hang out in the park in the dark with some of the lovely Yelp Glasgow…read moreHotties. Don't be confused we we're regressing back to our youth and hanging around the park in the dark drinking Hooch & 20/20, I realise you will only get this reference if you were in School in the 1990's in Scotland...anyway I digress. We were not hanging about for no reason, we were in fact on a night out to the Botanic Gardens to enjoy the Electric Gardens which is part of the West End Festival program of activities in the city. When we arrived we were greeted with atmospheric music and found the gardens was awash with colour and twinkly lights....anyone who knows me knows I am a complete sucker for some fairy lights so I was a bit like a kid in a candy shop. As we wandered round the gardens we found some lovely areas including a giant disco ball, a little fairy light walk way (my personal favourite), a giant ice lolly, some seriously freaky floating dresses and the old subway station which you look down into was full of dry ice and 'scare the bejesus out of you' music...not my favourite bit...eeek! While the rest of the Yelp crew headed off the to pub for a warming beverage Mr G and myself headed to Pommes Frites for some post wander chips and then home. I had a lovely time and felt it was good value for money.