The Screwtape Letters – C. S. Lewis (1942)
Today is my birthday, not that it has very much to do with the quote, per say, however it did cross our minds whilst out in Glasgow for the day just how high-brow and eccentric the day had turned out to be.
It wasn’t planned that way but just kind of evolved.
The Federation of Scottish Writers (of which I am a member) had invited me to be the first reader at the National Poetry Day open mike sessions, held in the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art. So, we booked to go to The Willow Tearooms for lunch first. It is a very opulent establishment inspired by the works of Rennie Macintosh with the Chinese Room boasting brilliant blue tones, replica domino chairs and a view down the famous, Buchanan Street.
Lunch was accompanied by a glass of Prosecco to get us started.
The MoGA is a spectacular building overlooks Royal Exchange Square, where the statue of the Duke of Wellington sits astride his steed, now always sporting the infamous traffic cone on his head. My readings were warmly appreciated and we stayed for the end of the first session before undertaking more celebrations.
A few halves slumming it in some back-street pubs, a bit of shopping for Glasgow Heritage DVD’s for me to use at work, a wander down Sauchiehall Street listening to the street entertainers and then living-it-up in a gin palace chatting and drink cocktails.
Hunger hit, along with the alcohol and so to find a restaurant. We struck-out in a few because they were fully booked, decided against others because they were run-of-the-mill and finally landed a table at the Bombay Café, which was amazing. Then ended-up drinking in the marquee of the Bier Keller. Home before 9pm absolutely tuckered-out after a very opulent day.