Sunshine and Sandwiches

So here is the post which contains a little bit of the beauty that is Glasgow in the sunshine.

From the way me and my friend Lauren jumped out of bed yesterday, you would not have guessed how much we had been snacking and/or drinking the night before. However, as most Scots will know, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how cold the wind-chill, when it is sunny you GET OUTSIDE. Fast, whilst there is still some Vitamin D to be had.

So, after as short a time in university that we could comfortably get away with, we got some nuts, got a milkshake and headed to the botanics.
There is a wonderful little cafe just off of Byres Road called Atrium which has over a hundred different flavours of milkshake. If you like milkshakes, it feels like being in Honeydukes and it's always difficult to stop yourself from getting the one you had last time because it was so good.
However, one of my favourite things to do when I find a place I like is to try and work my way through the entire menu, sad, I know. But every single one I've had (3, I think) has been as good, if not better than the last.

Photo credit for this blog goes to Lauren and her big fancy camera.

Armed with a skinny Cookie Dough milkshake and Lauren with an Irish Cream one, we set off in search of squirrels.
Anyone who is Facebook friends with me will know that this was not my first encounter with the squirrels in the Botanic Gardens, nor will it be my last. I love them, I don't think they are dirty, I think they are adorable. If they want to climb on my knee, they can definitely be my friend.
Normally they are pretty friendly, but today they were being quite shy with only a couple turning up and not being their balshy selves. Maybe it was the sun, but it was probably the pigeons.
Don't even get me started on pigeons.

Making friends with a lovely little blue tit made up for the pigeons, though.

After we had fed our two shy squirrels as many dry roasted peanuts as they could gather, not to mention thrown a great many more to try and distract the pigeons, we decided to go and get some food.

We ended up, somewhat inevitably, at Hillhead Bookclub. My second home. Infact, I'm going tomorrow night to play bingo (not as decrepit as it sounds).
I love the Bookclub. If any friends are visiting, that's where I will take them first. It's a restaurant/bar, which plays good music, is decorated like the home of my dreams and serves it's cocktails in teacups. What's not to love?

As well as amazing cocktails (the strawberry gin or vodka mojitos are legendary and only £3), the food is also quite lovely. I've been for dinner a few times and everything I've had has been yummy, plus, with nothing on the dinner menu costing over a tenner and nothing on the lunch one over five pounds, it's not going to break the bank. Unless you eat there everyday. Which is tempting. Oh, and you can also buy gramophones full of book club punch; there has never before been a more glamorous way to get smashed.

Whoever writes the signs is funny, too. 

For my lunch I had what is quite possibly the best sandwich in the world. The pulled brisket beef sandwich, with horseradish mayo and swiss cheese. Just let that sink in.

It's even better than it sounds and the fact that it's almost impossible to pick up just adds to it's beauty; you feel like you have earned every bite that hasn't ended up on your lap.

Admittedly, I've given it more than it's fair share of tries. Everything else on the menu is/looks divine too though, with a great vegetarian section, homemade soup and quirky little menu quips to keep you entertained.

Just one quick drink anybody?

All I can really say is that I have no bad words about Hillhead Bookclub. None. At all. If they would let me live there, I probably would. With a pingpong table in one corner and retro video games and comfy sofas in the other, I would be well entertained.

I mean, any place called a book club, who's cocktail menus are printed on bookmarks, is going to be my favourite any day of the week.
If you're in the West End of Glasgow, it is my first recommendation, just off of Byres Road.

My only advice; perhaps don't take your slightly deaf dad. The louder-than-pizza-express music doesn't make for the best of conversation, unless you want to shout.