Piping for the Weekend

Piping for the Weekend

Hi everyone! Here, on the West Coast of Scotland, we’ve reached the weekend, and @TheWelshWookie and I have spent the evening scrubbing the kitchen…… it’s Spring Clean Weekend here! A bit early, but, oh well!

We’re just about to have some pasta, some vino, and relax. Tomorrow morning it’s the living room and bathroom’s turn for a good clean, before the Six Nations rugby starts, of course! 😉

Here’s something to kick start your weekend: a lil’ bit of Red Hot Chilli Pipers covering Avicii courtesy of BBC Radio 1.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

I’m still trying to keep on top of my eating, and yesterday I shared a pic of the sea bass I had at The Sister’s restaurant.

Here’s some more of my yummy recent treats!

Yes, I think I AM addicted to these Food Doctor pots:

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Yet more yummy salmon salad:

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A mid week, home made turkey and mushroom curry with wholegrain rice:

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A ‘good girl’ dessert:

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Here’s the fillet steak I had recently at The Grill on the Corner. We had it with a side of brussel sprouts. Yummy, yum!

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What have you been eating recently?

The Sisters

The Sisters

No, not MY sisters. THE sisters!

It’s the restaurant we visited for my mum’s birthday on Saturday night.

Jacqueline and Pauline O’Donnell are the sisters behind these two Glasgow restaurants, and we visited their Glasgow Kelvingrove restaurant.

The venue is quite small, but very comfortable, and it was very busy when we arrived. The menu was amazing: all freshly prepared, locally sourced ingredients, and it was cooked so well. I’d love to make a return visit!

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To start, I had brioche topped with mushrooms and a port and red onion chutney. The portion was very generous. I then had the fish of the day, which was a fillet of sea bass in a lobster cream sauce, with some chive mash and queenie scallops. Wow. It was amazing.

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While everyone else tucked into dessert, I had a coffee, as I couldn’t fit one in!

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The service from our waitress, Kirsty, was fantastic.

I also found out that Jacqueline, who is head chef, will be one of the chefs representing Scotland on the 2014 Great British Menu, which is great! It’s the first time that a chef from Glasgow will be competing, and the first Scottish woman to compete. She will be following in the footsteps of other Scottish competitors, like Tom Kitchin, Alan Murchison and Tony Singh.

I’m looking forward to seeing how she does!

For more information, visit The Sisters Website.

Did you eat well this weekend?

Lists, Lists, Lists

Lists, Lists, Lists

Today has been very productive: we’ve been busy shopping, collecting and arranging bits and pieces for the wedding.

Excel spread sheets and Evernote are my best friends at the moment! 🙂

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Today, we’ve agreed on a cake, ordered flowers, bought vases, considered jewellery and hair, booked the children’s entertainment, ordered the favours, finished the invites and written the envelopes ready for posting on Monday.

Just a few things checked off the list!

Next, we’re heading for a family dinner, for my mum’s birthday 🙂

It’s also Burn’s Night tonight, when we celebrate the Bard and his poetry. Anyone having haggis, neeps and tatties tonight?

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A Lull

A Lull

The title of today’s post is a little deceptive. I feel like I’ve been completely run off my feet recently: mostly at work, but also in my down time, what with having a wedding to plan!

But that means that my running has taken a back seat this week, and I’m missing it! To be honest, as my training for the Madrid RnR half doesn’t begin properly until early February, this busyness has come at a very convenient time 😉

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I’m excited to share some of the wedding details with you (don’t worry, I’ll warn anyone not interested, so that they can avoid the posts) but it’ll have to wait a few more days. I’m planning on getting the invites out early next week so, all will be revealed after then!

In the mean time, I’m going to head upstairs to the treadmill to say ‘hi!’ to it with a short run. No doubt that after a few minutes I’ll wonder why the heck I was missing it! 😮

How’s your week going? Are you having a busy or a quiet one? Have you missed any workouts?

A Very Special Day

A Very Special Day

Today, I’ve been in Glasgow with my mum and my sister, celebrating my mum’s very special birthday.
Happy Birthday, mum!

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A Day of Deliciousness

A Day of Deliciousness

Although this is mainly a running blog, and I try to keep it focussed on running and eating well, sometimes lots of times, my life creeps in!

I’m sure that might bore some of you, and I’m sorry about that, but hey- it’s my blog 😉

So, after that intro, I think I’d better warn you. In twelve week’s time, I’ll be married. And so, that means some of my posts might include wedding talk over the coming couple of months (yawn, I hear you say!).

Today has been a day of getting organised. We only set the date back in late October, and although we have booked the main things, not many of the details have been ironed out. Hence, today is planning day! 😮

I’m trying not to turn into Bridezilla!

Of course, it also means that I have a fancy frock to fit into. And so, the healthy eating has been moved right back to the top of my agenda, where it should be! Last night I had a fab salmon salad for dinner. It was amazing! I had it with a couple of new potatoes, some chilli beetroot and light coleslaw.

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So far today, I’ve had a breakfast smoothie, with strawberries, raspberries, yoghurt, chia, flax and protein powder:

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Followed by another delicious Food Doctor pot for lunch:

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And we have a lean pork casserole in the slow cooker for dinner. It’s smelling yummy!

What’s on your menu today? Any wedding tips you’d like to share?

A Weekend in Glasgow

A Weekend in Glasgow

Hi, folks!

Have you had a relaxing weekend, or a busy one?

We’ve has a busy one in Glasgow, though it’s been lots of fun! @TheWelshWookie, my sis Angie and I had a late lunch yesterday at the new Hard Rock Cafe in Glasgow. It opened at the end of November, and this was our first chance to visit.

Wanna see inside?

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After some good food, and a few cocktails, we met up with Angie’s bf Ryan, and my mum. We had tickets booked to see The Hobbit in 3D at the IMAX theatre in Glasgow.

Here’s some pics of our walk over the Clyde:

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It’s a bit of a family tradition: since Angie was small, we’ve gone together to the showings of the Harry Potter films,  The Lord of the Rings, and now the Hobbit films. We’ll have to find something else next year, after the final instalment of The Hobbit!

No running this weekend: lots of walking, though!

Happy Hogmanay!

Happy Hogmanay!

Happy Hogmanay!

And a Happy New Year too!

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Portavadie Marina

Portavadie Marina

Portavadie Marina is a fantastic hidden gem nestled on the west coast of the Cowal peninsula in Argyll. Conveniently for us, it is also a very short ferry ride away from Tarbert!

It features a wide range of accommodation: bed and lockers: bunk rooms for cyclists and walkers, lodge rooms (which are like good hotel rooms) , secluded cottage for honeymooners and couples and luxury apartments for friends and families who want a little more space and luxe while away.

The marina has excellent facilities, and there is a top notch restaurant, while the lodge has a more relaxed restaurant and family area. There’s a spa, and a shop which sells everything from milk and newspapers to high end clothing and chandlery supplies.

I love it!

We’ve visited many times, often for lunch and a few drinks; sometimes ourselves, other times with friends and family. We celebrated @TheWelshWookie’s 40th Birthday here, too.

And now we’re back; gatecrashing the honeymoon, and welcoming in the New Year at the Hogmanay Gala Dinner.

Lucky us! 🙂

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WiFi and mobile signal is patchy, so I’ll check in when I can!