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Opening Remarks

Hello and welcome! I hope you’re doing great.

I’m going to sound like a weirdo but there’s something poetic about this muggy heatwave. I will take that over premature Halloween shop displays anytime! I never understood why so many people are in a rush to forget the warm days and embrace the cold, miserable autumn months.

I’m excited to introduce you to today’s features so without further ado, let’s get on with it.

Happy reading!

Tom

A Taste of Venezuela in Glasgow

A new Latin American cafe has opened on Bellgrove Street. La Bodega is a vibrant and welcoming place that thrives on its authenticity. Decorated with bold primary colours, it adds character to the neighbourhood and offers unique tastes and flavours to the local community. “We wanted to do something a bit different to what was already on offer in Glasgow,” said Francibeth, who opened the cafe together with her husband. “I am from Venezuela and there’s nothing Venezuelan in Glasgow.”

Well, now there is! La Bodega does a great job at introducing Glaswegians to Latin American foods and treats, at the same time providing a familiar taste of home to the Latin American community. For example, the cafe serves empanadas, which are dumpling-like pockets with different types of delicious fillings.

“We wanted to offer different types of drinks that are Latin American and aren’t offered anywhere else in Glasgow,” Franci told me. “One of them is limonada batida, which is a a shaken limeade sweetened with condensed milk. The list of original drinks and recipes is much longer than that and includes delicious entries such as a rice-based horchata or cortado leche y leche, a drink from the Canary Islands. All of these are made in house.

La Bodega also sells authentic latin pantry products, including but not limited to hot sauces, tortilla chips, sweets and various seasonings. “We have only been open for three weeks but we already gained a group of dedicated regulars who come and enjoy our cakes and empanadas,” said Franci.

When asked about the most joyous aspect of running La Bodega, Franci mentioned the interactions between the Latin American community and the locals, which she called “a wonderful thing to witness”. Make sure to visit this gorgeous cafe whenever you get a chance. The address is 98 Bellgrove Street. You can check out La Bodega on Instagram at @labodegaglasgow or by clicking here.

Get your next read at Aye-Aye Books

Do you enjoy a good book and prefer supporting independent shops rather than the usual Waterstones and WHSmiths of the world? I recommend visiting Aye-Aye Books in the Centre for Contemporary Arts on Sauchiehall Street. I was contacted by one of the shop’s loyal customers and we both agreed that the place definitely deserves some flowers.

It’s a colourful store full of art-related publications, independent books written by local authors, niche magazines and much-needed poetry. Without a doubt, this bookshop represents some of the best writing this city has to offer. I was told that Aye-Aye Books brings a lot of joy to its regular customers and by all accounts, the fanbase is rather proud of the shop’s iconic status.

You can also view or purchase its interesting selections online by clicking here.

The Renovated Provan Hall Opens Very Soon!

In my mid-June newsletter, I wrote about the fast-approaching reopening of Provan Hall. This is just a quick reminder that the doors will open to the public on the 14th of September - in just a few days! I think it’s an interesting one to consider so please feel free to click on the link above and re-visit the wee piece I put together about it back in June.

I also wanted to point out that sensory packs will be provided to folks sensitive to overstimulation, free of charge. How cool is that?

The song of the issue is I’m In The Mood For Love by Billie Eilish (Julie London cover)

I’ve never put a live performance as song of the issue before, though I’m sure this move will not cause any pearls to be clutched! I’m in love with Billie Eilish’s version of this 1935 track. Yes, this song is nearly 100 years old! During that time, the tune was recorded and performed by dozens of different artists. This vintage-loving Barbie approves.

That’s it for today, folks! See you in two weeks’ time.

All the best,

Tom