LiveIt SpotlightOnGlasgowFilmFestival GFF 2010

INDEPENDENCE DAYS SPECIAL

Grant’s Glasgow This year the Glasgow Film Festival has chosen to honour the work of Cary Grant, one of the most stylish actors of the silver screen. Zaineb Al- Hassani suggests a few haunts the star would have approved of

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H e scaled Mount Rushmore, romanced of Hollywood’s most revered screen starlets, and was the epitome of suave for over thirty years. The debonair Mr Grant is no longer with us, but if you’re wanting a night out befitting his image, Glasgow can provide.

In the spirit of the aloof indie ingénue, celebrate the State of Independents film strand with a slice of Glasgow’s indie culture

Glasgow’s many low-lit corners provide safe haven for the city’s cool crowd. One such place, within range of the CCA and GFT, is Variety (401 Sauchiehall Street), an effortlessly cool and tiny bar which pulls in a wide mix of customers eager to sample the excellent music, sit in the shabby leather seats, and peer endlessly into the murky fish tank.

Elsewhere, budding poets might want to head to Chinaski’s (239 North Street, pictured, above) The Black Sparrow’s sister venue another Charles Bukowski-themed bar that oozes nonchalant cool.

Glasgow also has its fair share of vintage clothes shops, most of which are dotted in the West End. Starry Starry Night (19–21 Dowanside Lane), a short walk from the Grosvenor Cinema, has a plethora of great quality items from glamorous ball gowns to decadent furs not to mention the vast collection of handbags, shoes and accessories on offer.

Bedecked in your purchases, head to shabby-chic eatery Lucky 7 (166 Bath Street, pictured, above) ideal for those on a budget and a stone’s throw from the GFT. Prices range from £3 for starters to £7 for mains.

Finally, shimmy your way to

centrally located Flying Duck (142 Renfield Street), an indie/pop nightclub that defines quirky cool and comes complete with a wardrobe stuck in the middle of the dance floor. No, really. (Zaineb Al-Hassani)

First on the list for those piling out of Grosvenor Cinema is Booly Mardy’s (28 Vinicombe Street). Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Byres Rd, Booly’s is as renowned for its commodious drinks menu as it is for enlisting bar tenders with a seemingly infinite knowledge of cocktail making. Try one of very many bloody mary recipes, or allow the bar tender to rustle you something up. For a laid-back experience within reach of the CCA, head for The Black Sparrow (241 North Street) which, with its heavy Charles Bukowski influence (the name is a direct lift from Bukowski’s publishing house) is a drinking den from the days of old, when men wore fedoras and smoked cigars, and women came complete with

SOUND OF THE CROWD

The Black Sparrow

S q u a re stockings, pencil skirts and pearls. Having knocked back a few martinis (gin, of course) at Sparrow, next on your list has to be (11 B l y t h s w o o d Blythswood Square). A B-listed townhouse, the Cary Grants of this world should find great comfort in the minimalist, charming aura of this luxurious, boutique hotel. Sip a classic Gin Fizz, or choose from one of the many contemporary cocktails on offer, like the The Chevalier Rose. Hell, if your tux- clad date is paying, it would be a crime not to indulge in one of the more exclusive concoctions like the Vintage Rob Roy, which, at £45 a pop, should whet even the driest of

whistles. Even if it does make your partner choke a little. If you are in need of a spot of dinner, Fifi and Ally (80 Wellington St) is close to The Classic Grand venue and has a newly-extended late night menu that offers up a decent range of sophisticated dishes. The twice-baked Mull cheddar soufflé and braised lamb shank are particularly piquant.

To round up your evening make haste to Sloans nearby (62 Argyll Arcade) for a dance in the Grand Ballroom. The original interior may have faded over many years, but the venue has lost none of its grandiose charm. You and Cary will have a great time.

The speaker and the big screen fit together nicely as part of the Music and Film Festival, not least because of Glasgow’s legendary band scene. See it first hand in the following places

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy 421 Sauchiehall Street MacSorley’s 42 Jamaica Street

Stereo 20–28 Renfield Lane Oran Mor 731 Great Western Road

The aptly named Nice ‘n’ Sleazy is one of the best watering holes in the city centre, and the place to go for a White Russian while perusing the fine list of tunes on the vintage jukebox.

This looks like your average old man pub, but the live music is almost always excellent, the bar tenders are young and friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxed and jovial.

This fiercely independent café serves vegan food to its boho clientele by day, and turns into a venue for up-and- coming bands at night. There is also a series of regular club nights. Oran Mor is a picturesque, traditional Scottish bar. Take a whisky to the music venue below, where gigs range from the forgettable, to the just about-to-go-stratospheric, like Marina and the Diamonds.

18 THE LIST 18 Feb–4 Mar 2010