Glasgow Third Friday

 

Glasgow Third Friday - 20th of December

I had been wanting to do this event for a while, partly because it's somewhere new to explore, but also as Susan who has come to a few LFF and Pints and Straws events runs it, so it's nice to reciprocate and show some support.

Ann had decided to come too, and even offered to drive, which did make it a lot easier for me 😊

She had stayed over in a hotel in Wakefield the night before, so we were able to get on the road quite early. There were weather warnings for winds, and it was raining a bit, so it wasn't the best of trips, but not too bad in the end.

After parking up we went to an Italian place that she has been to before - it was my 1st time to the city so was happy to go somewhere she knew was good.

I had a pizza and she had a huge lasagne, it was very pleasant.  

We did a bit of mooching around the general area Susan had suggested, getting some photo's then went looking for a pub. The beer choices were not huge, so I was mostly on Guinness in a lot of places. Around 3pm we checked into the hotel and then went back out again. We headed to a Christmas fair in a big square, it had a beer tent - but no Guinness, so I had a lager !

We left there and went to another place which seemed to have the generic red theme that at least one bar in any city will have.  We had a couple of drinks in there, sat at the bar as were no tables.

The chief LFF coordinator Grai was also attending, and sharing with Ann, so she left me in a very gay, gay bar to wait for Susan while she headed back to the hotel to give her a room key. It was a really friendly place, but was glad when she arrived as I was the only T in the room 😄 

We left there after a while, and I nipped back to my room to change my dress for the evening.  Then we were back out to the 'St Johns St Speakeasy'  which is the starting - and for those that don't venture,
the only venue of the night.  

It was really fab in there, the Guinness shortage had hit this one, but there was an ale of sorts that wasn't bad.  They also served pie and chips !   so I got one of those for tea. 

We got to know some of the regulars and had a nice time in there.

Susan was given a surprise thankyou by the regulars for her work organising the event, which was nice to witness.

After this we went across the road to Katies bar, which was in vaulted cellar, it was quite a fun place - it clearly was the sort of place that could get a bit messy, they had a female toilet attendant on hand to ensure single occupancy, and she was clearly someone you wouldn't mess with. 

Then we headed to the final venue of the evening, which was like several bars in one building, a bit BNO ish, it was called 'Polo Lounge' - there was a club downstairs with two rooms - one a more standard one, another that had a bit of an S&M vibe. The main upstairs are was more like a gentleman's club, posh tables and chairs, and then a separate posh bar off to one side. 

Susan hadn't been feeling too great - vertigo, so she left at about 1ish I think. I decided to head off shortly afterwards.  I didn't want to be feeling poorly in Ann's car on the way back in the morning.

I think she stayed out for a while longer and got a kebab with Grai.

Not sure if I swindled the Premier Inn out of breakfast for us both in the morning, I don't think I paid for it - but the lady crossed me off a list. 

We headed back shortly afterwards - it was a lot windier on the way down, so it wasn't the most fun of drives. We stopped off at the services near Lancaster for a sausage roll and a drink.  

I treated Ann to a coffee at the local Starbucks on the way to my house, as she had another hour and a bit of driving to do after she dropped me off.

All in all a very pleasant evening, I may perhaps go again in the summer, but maybe book two nights to make the most of it, it's a long drive just for one night out.