Plato Bothwell!

Plato!

When I said to The Mary we were going to Plato she was a bit distracted and asked,

“A Plate O’ whit?  Stoap dain that posh voice, I need to know what I’m having so I can think about it all day, that’s part of the experience stupit!  That’s what makes me happy on a Monday no the idea of seeing you.”

She had better watch out because it’s Scorpio season and I’m at my most powerful just now!

“How can I be happy?”

This is an ancient question to which scholars responded by saying we should ‘flourish’ and ‘live a good life’; the rest will follow.  Most of us imagine we’re not truly happy and are looking for the impossible, the dream, when really, we should live in the moment, face a reality that life is not perfect, but life is good.  My life is very fulfilling, I feel content and I’m happy with that.  The Mary’s life is another story but that’s hers to tell but one day she might allow me share it with you, the reader, whoever you are?

Plato said,

“Love is a serious mental disease!”

I feel love is fleeting and overrated yet it’s what most of us strive for.  Me, I’m looking for an intimate, sensual relationship with no ties except faithfulness and you’d think it would be easy?  I’m not easy in any respect but I know what I want, but, it’s proving fairly difficult.  You see I want a plus +1 with whom I can have ‘added value’ but it needs to be exclusive. However, I’m assured by my trusted friend Guy, men don’t buy into this and would view this ‘liaison’ as casual; giving them a red light to double dip.  I’m sure he’s right and that’s ok because I want this, I don’t need it!

So what does makes me happy?  Family Friends and Food are just about all it takes, so tonight The Mary, My Babylady and I are off to Plato in Bothwell and to be savouring all of my favourite things in one fell swoop is more than I could ask for.  

Plato also stated,

“There is no harm in repeating a good thing.”

This the new venture from the very successful team who run The Italian at Redstones in Uddingston. Sam Abbasi, the chef, has previously won ‘best pasta’ and is up for the same award this year in The Scottish ItalianAwards, as well as Best Chef.  I’ve eaten from the plate of the great Sam and it’s delicious in any of its forms; fleshy, mouth-watering, luscious, lascivious and yummy.  I’m a Scorpio I can make food sound sexy but Sam delivers it on an expansive Plato!  

Plato means to ‘reach a state or level of little or no growth' and I’m baffled as to why, with this double meaning, the boys have chosen this name.  They are not anywhere near reaching their limit and will go far, continuing to progress, increase and develop their business with enthusiasm, hard work and innovation.  Their new restaurant is a step in a different direction but they have the reputation to ensure a solid foundation in Bothwell.  In business, if you level off, you dissipate and dissolve so George and Sam are doing the right thing by moving forward with γεύση και τάξη! 

I can’t actually believe I’ve quoted Plato and The Mary in the same text but we are all philosophers of our own character also she lived and worked in Greece so is quite the critic on this Creek cuisine.  I never criticise because, in my mind, any experience, good or bad, is still an event.  Life is what you make it and the boys at Plato have made this venue a Mediterranean Haven! The colours are calming, welcoming and fresh.

George and Jennifer were there to greet us and are a very warm and hospitable couple who make a perfect team and, I may say, punching at equal weight. The pictures I’ve seen of the restaurant do not do the place justice and when we were shown through to the Sala at the back I was astonished at the light airy feel of the space. 

The Mary choose the set dinner menu, selecting mussels with cream sauce and we had to help her eat them because the portion was so generous.  She then had the Chicken Souvlaki and this is the point where I always get actual food envy and want to change my mind but when my Lamb Kleftico, accompanied with potato and vegetables arrived, I got over it in an instant.  Rosaria had the Beef with rice which was also slow cooked to perfection, richly seasoned and perfectly saucy. 

I was so satiated I didn’t have room for a sweet and earlier I'd spoken to Kirsty and her fabulous mum Cecillia who make Plato’s dreamy meringues.  Honestly, go in and have just that, a dessert, for breakfast, they are like a dream in a crusty shell. I need to make sure I have one the next time and it will be soon.  The two course menu is only £13.95 and I felt as if I robbed them because of the quality of the food.  This menu is only £11.95 at lunch time.

Oh, and they have my favourite coffee Italian Aroma which I should never have had at 8.45pm but there you go!  It's my one and only vice...oh and cake..and maybe...?  I have to say I like the cup in the picture, it's my favourite but not the one they have in Plato.  It's a massive bucket cup and although It was too much for me it's a lot of coffee for your money.

So, at the end of the day I felt fulfilled because I’d had fun with family and friends and that’s what life is about, well that and orgasms, now and again I could do with one of them.  Maybe with a Meringue on top!

See you the next time!

Me, The Mary and Babylady!

Mx

You can buy my favourite coffee online by clicking this link on Amazon!

  

MMA - Ultra!

Ultra Terrified! 

Sign up, learn a new skill, FREE and raise money for cancer Research?

There was no question I’d be up for this but thankfully my pal Brian O’Hara signed up before me and I was able to witness the outcome first hand without having to damage myself in the process! 

"Experience this glamorous event in front of a huge crowd in a safe and enjoyable environment with 8 weeks of free training in the run up to what will be the most exhilarating time of your life."  

Aye, and it could well be the last day.  As much as I’d like to get ‘in shape’ I would more than likely shit myself to death in the course of the training, never mind the final ‘performance'?

All fighters have a medical before and after they fight but I was calling a doctor for myself after watching the first 'massacre' which lasted all of two minutes.  I had to watch the rest through my fingers.  I have to say the idea of getting dressed up for an occasion on a Sunday afternoon to watch muscly, semi or even semmit-clad men, had been, my idea of bliss. 

Not the case girls!

I was terrified and told Brian how much I loved him in case I never got the chance to speak to him again.  Entering the arena, I nearly fainted when I saw the cage. I saw Fight Club and, although I knew it was only a film, I still tried to contact Angelina to find out if Brad was Ok?  I was always team Jennifer but by the time I saw the film he was Brangied oot his nut!  Maybe it was those bangs to the head?

I didn't find it in the least reassuring that all fighters were to have a medical before the fight, had to be over 18 and trained together to ensure a fair match.  People change under the spotlight and you I witnessed the shining eyes of the Tigers when they come out for the publicity shots.  They were hungry like wolves and Brian looked like a puppy dog wishing everyone luck.

It was a melee of kicks, punches and strangle holds which, in this forum, were all perfectly legal and I had no clue what was going on.  My only experience of this 'sport' before was a boxing evening at the Hilton 30 years ago and I'd tackled a bottle of Remy Martin Fine Champagne in the lead up to it and was dancing on a table by the time the second fight started, but this was different.  I was sober and he's my best pal's husband, whom I love dearly.

In the first fight I witnessed a choke hold, shoulder lock and slam all going on at the one time. I had to go up to one of the officials to complain because a fighter's sweat had hit my teapot.  I was raging when he didn't stop the bout and drew him a look that nearly floored him.  I had wanted to elbow him while holding him in a spine lock but I knew that wasn't allowed.  

He got off lightly.

Don't know how Brian felt because my legs nearly gave way as he stepped into the ring and I was sitting down.  It was one of the most uncomfortably terrifying 2 mins. 57 seconds of my life and although everyone agreed it had been wrong to stop the fight, I was relieved.  I couldn't wait to leave and as soon as Brian was suited, booted and back to civility beside his adoring wife Helen, I gave up my seat to the hero and said my cheerios!

I was nearly sick when I got outside but had such admiration for the boys and girls fighting for what we all know is a very worthy charity.   Granted, some of them were posturing and enjoying every moment in the spotlight but they all did their very best and raised a large amount of money for cancer research.

You can still donate to Brian's just giving page by following this link!

 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/brian-o-hara4

Or if you feel like competing the next time click here!

https://www.ultra-mma.co.uk/events/glasgow/

  

Harry's Bar!

Harry’s Bar!

Table for One – Florence!

I was early back to the apartment and not very hungry but it was far too early to call it a night so I decided to take a stroll and see where the Arno took me?

Staying in an apartment on the East Bank of the river was interesting but I had only explored the busy end of the West side.  As I was meandering across the Ponte Santa Trinita I was overwhelmed by the smell of cologne and instinctively followed the scent.  The owner of the odor was, in some ways, similar to the financier of the Bridge, Frescobaldi.  This guy, let’s call him Harry, was indeed very fresh, nearly baldy and was probably also Italian. 

He had a healthy looking comb over and for his age had a very strident gait. I guessed he was about 58, was in finance or law, married, or divorced, took very good care of his appearance and was fairly active.  I know all of this from the back; I’m, indeed, a genius. He was suited in the Baroque style of the bridge, wearing a velvet jacket with a silk hanky hanging from the left chest pocket.  Now I really am imagining things because I'm behind him and can't actually, see his front.  I falter when he takes a left at the end of the bridge and, for a millisecond, I consider going right but no, I keep following him.

I continued to tail him and nearly crashed into him as he stopped to look at his phone.  He tasted delicious.  Yes, I was that close.  Realising I was a bit too vicino I pulled back a bit and as he crossed the road I continued to stroll nonchalantly on the other side.  Playing it cool although he didn’t even know I was alive.

 

My Harry was then greeted by another man outside of a very unassuming bar and I decided to cross over and have a look inside.  As I entered I was confronted by, not one, but three Maître D' looking types who were all very dapper, handsome and keen to know if I had booked a table.  I smiled meekly, looking down at my dusty shoes.  The gentlemen the scrambled to arranged a table for me in the bar area.  I was made to feel very special indeed.  I didn't have the heart, or the bottle, to say I'd only strolled in following the scintillating smell of a stranger!

I soon forgot about my new-found squeeze when I was handed the most satisfying Mozzarella stick I have ever tasted.  As I held the oozing, hot, firm, tasty stick of deliciousness between my fingers, cologne guy was promptly filed away in my memory.  My story would now be of Harry's Bar and I was in good company with Paloma Picasso, Margot Hemingway, Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor and Franco Zeffirelli. 

Since being founded by Enrico (Harry to me and you) Mariotti in 1952 Harry's Bar has become one of the most renowned restaurants in Florence because of the attention to detail, care, awareness,  responsivenss and kindness it gives to every customer who enters the bar.  It has an elegant yet welcoming atmosphere created by the beautiful lamps made from Murano Glass which light up the interior like warm flickers of a charming, homely dining room.

Using high quality materials from Tuscany and Florence, which relate to both season and tradition, they create mouthwatering dishes  linking with their old-school ethos of providing an experience of unique charm, in a welcoming atmosphere.  Whether you want a cocktail, fresh pasta or beef tartare, you can take comfort in the fact you are experiencing the very best Florence has to offer.

 I opted for a chicken salad because I was still digesting the 4-course lunch I'd had in Rocco's at the Sant Ambrogio Market.  My meal was brought to me by Lapo who called me Signora Glasgow and he was so genuinely attentive and charming  I'd go back simply to chat with him again.  They also make their own butter which I spooned into my mouth with no bread as it was creamy and moist with hints of anchovy and garlic and I almost...STOP!
(that’s for the naughty version of my next book)!

Anyway, if you're thinking of taking a trip to Florence then Harry's Bar is a must and will make your visit to this stunning city an even more memorable one.  Say hello to Bilal, Filippo and the charming Lapo for me?  For now; back to the subject of Harry; next time I smell a guy from behind, if it attracts me and I follow the trail; who knows where I might end up?  

A horse, a safari, my heart twined around his suspenders or me rendered with my face on a bar room floor?

Table for One?

Yes please!

http://www.harrysbarfirenze.com/category/harrys/

http://www.harrysbarfirenze.com/category/news/  

Florence!

Table for One in Florence!

Trattoria la Casalinga!

My first evening in Florence was a Saturday and I would never go out in Glasgow on this night of the week without booking but had the bare-faced cheek to do it in of the most beautiful cities in the world. 

I was staying on laPiazza Santo Spirito which is in the very Bohemian Oltrarno area of the city.  When I arrive there’s a very exciting and yet familiar feeling to the place and the lady who gives me the keys to the apartment suggests a Trattoria nearby for a bite to eat.  It’s at the other end of the square and when I get there it’s queued out onto the street. 

Book through Air B&B

I do my usual, walk straight up to the front and say 'I’ve booked a table'.  The guy looks at me, laughs, then takes me to a Table for One saying,

“Sei furba, ma bella, e cosi ti permetto di mangiare questa sera!.” 

He was basically saying I was a cheeky wee bastard but I could eat just the same because I looked alright.  My luck was in, more ways than one, or so I thought.  I ordered the baccala, it was finished, so I said I’d have the tripe, there was none of that either.  So I asked the lady what did they actually have left? 

“Everything else!”

She replied, looking at me as if I was an imbecile.  I’d actually forgotten how much of a shit the Italians don’t give about anything.  It’s very funny.  

Funnier still was the fact I’d forgotten my purse and when I said, very meekly, to the bossy woman she was very understanding and although I offered to leave my bag, she was having none of it and said I had an 'honest face' and could come back with the money.

When I went back she laughed and said she knew where I was staying anyway because my key holder was her friend and had phoned earlier to reserve the table. They had been expecting me and when I looked over at the guy who had taken me to my table he just smiled and blew me a kiss.  They had a right good laugh at my expense. 

I love the Tallies!

So, if you ever go to Florence, no matter where you are staying try to take a trip over to the south side of the river to Via dei Michelozzi 9/R 50125 Firenze and remember to phone and book a table…0039 (0)55 218624

Warning: Many of the streets in Florence are cobbled so you need to wear comfortable, but gorgeous, shoes, even in the evening. I carried my heels in a Langchamps shopper which is acceptable in any country day or night!

You are in Italy after all!

I choose these beauties!

     

See you next time!

Glasgow Girl

To contact Trattoria Casalinga!
http://www.trattorialacasalinga.it/#!/contact.php

Table for One - Introduction

Table for One 

A Novella

by a

Glasgow Girl

Disclaimer!

All characters appearing in this work are fictional. Except for me; I’m real. Any resemblance to a real person, dead or alive, are coincidental.  However, if you do recognise yourself then…good for you for making the cut!

I’m quite often asked why I don’t mind eating alone but it’s something I’ve always done and don’t have a problem going anywhere and asking for a ‘Table for One’!

Casual or fine dining is not a treat to me but I know what I bring to the table and actually like my own company.  I don’t have to try to keep conversation going, shop, make food, clear up and I usually strike up a conversation with someone nearby if they interest me enough.

I do love socialising with friends and my favourite thing is sitting around the table chatting, eating and laughing but on a day to day basis I need to eat and, like lots of other activities, I do it alone. 

I've been in relationships and going out for dinner was uncomfortable in many ways.  Who pays the bill?  Always a bit awkward, especially if you’re out with a miserable, fat bastard who takes food off your plate.  Or the guy who touches your feet under the table and leers across the table trying to look down your top.

I remember once flashing my tits just to stop him and saying,

“Don’t waste the evening please, if you want to suck them, then you can but please let me eat my dinner first!”

I’d much rather ask them over for sex then get a take away.  By that I mean phone it for myself after I’ve chucked him out!

To be continued..look out for The Delivery Guy, Lounge Lizard and the Auld Guy coming soon...
If they're lucky!

What do you like to do alone?  

Leave answers in the comments below!