Lobey Dosser Tribute Glasgow Blog

Also get my updates on twitter

The real lowdown

The Lobey Dosser Tribute Blog is my mini-blog about the ferr city o' Glasgow (kind of like a regular journal, really).

To get up to speed, dive into my

• lets you know whenever any new or changed pages appear on my Top Ten Glasgow Guide, telling you about a new find, fun fact or feature (what about all those f's, eh?)
• keeps you up to date with other news, savings and past experiences (you know, like 'have you seen this new Glasgow steakhouse?', or 'what about that other new Glasgow steakhouse?' - You get the general idea!)
• and provides a platform for my pointless diatribe & attempts at humour I'm sure will push you into a slow madness as the paint dries.

Erra Commonwulth Gemmes

Here's the new logo for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for you.

Inspiring eh?

In the run up to 2014 and once I get that finger out the proverbial (erm, how many years is that now?), my hope is to finally complete not only the general incompleteness that darkens my site so tellingly, but also a sparkly new section on the Commonwealth Games due to take place here, including the new facilities and developments in the City that'll hopefully improve life here even after the closing ceremony's final firework has sputtered its last.

Let's be realistic though. For a number of years prior to 2014, this sparkly new section I promise you so promisingly is likely to look somewhat similar to Glasgow's present state of preparation for the Games, but fingers-crossed, I'll manage to trot out enough of a guide on the subject to attract some Lottery funding (anyone?...anyone?...) and which may even help some folks get to know their way around the Games when they eventually descend on the City.

Until then, back to that darned attractions section...

Back in the saddle

It's been a ferr wee while, but faither and I got back into our podcasting seats last night and managed to cram in some more of the town's history and a few personal stories of my Dad's early days here, in our fourth episode of the Glasgow Generations podcast.

Have a wee listen and let us know what you think.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Back in the saddle"

The Comeback

What you're about to read could very well be described as the most earth shattering announcement you'll hear all year:

On Tuesday, 16th February in the Year of Our Lord 2010, Alan and I will be dusting off the microphone, shuffling ourselves in front of my cobwebbed laptop, fixing each other's flaxen hair, and firing ourselves up for the fire crackling Second Series of our little For the Love of G...lasgow podcast.

Expect the expected, in other words the usual tragic nonsense, because after a fair few months' break we're full once again of vim and of glorious vigour, and cannot wait to fill you in on what we've been up to since you last heard our most angelic of voices in your ears. OK, so I could very well sum up what we've been doing as:

erm, we've been playing the PS3 and our new HTC Hero phones, and stuff...

...but I'm sure as always we'll drag that kind of gold out for at least 30 minutes per show, so tune in, turn up the noise and spank yourself in time with the beat of our comedy genius.

The Twenty Sixth will be with you soon...

Windows Restaurant at the Carlton George Hotel

I'm actually very surprised that this restaurant was not featured in your top ten and can only assume that this is because you have not had the good fortune

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Windows Restaurant at the Carlton George Hotel"

Sugarolly and hudgies

I've just polished off a new episode of the Glasgow Generations podcast with my Dad, and it's now available to download for free using the link here.

This one's all about the old street games played in Glasgow in years past, including the death-defying catching hudgies and jumping the 7 foot dykes.

No wonder that the kids in old photos of Glasgow are always covered in scrapes and tattered clothes...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sugarolly and hudgies"

Happy New One Anawrat

I hope your festive break was as jam-packed with exciting excitement as mine.

I'm now fresh back from Cardiff and gazing out at the snow-laden ice of Glasgow and towards another year full of promise. I wish you all the very best for 2010, and will (try to) start back in the coming weeks on the creative train delay that is the Top Ten Glasgow Guide.

See you all soon...

As decades go, how's about it?!!

You know, I just finished my usual State of the Bunion there, signing off for another year of fun and wacky frolics, and it struck me like a big, shiny hammer on the head that we're now at the end of the first decade of the 21st Century.

Yeah, wow Scott - way to catch up there.

Personally speaking, the last ten years since the Y2K threat was supposed to have consumed our life has been nothing less than fantastic.

Tracey and I got shackled together; we celebrated the births of our nieces Charlotte and Suzannah, our Goddaughter Brooke, and the beautiful weans of some of our (now over-tired but ecstatic) friends; I've been lucky enough to travel all over the world every year with Tracey and our mates; I qualified in law and became a Partner in a Law Firm before I was 30; we've enjoyed with our friends and family countless unforgettable moments of joy, happiness, laughter and love that I hope upon hope I'll remember forever; and despite there having been some sadness along the way, I felt that I had to share just how eternally thankful I am for the life, family, friends and moments I've had up until now.

To everyone who's spent a while on my little site over the years, sharing your love of Glasgow with me, I'd like to extend my genuine appreciation for your time and your input - ah hope it wisnae wastit - and as we begin to turn the page into the next decade and all its potential, you can rest assured that I'll be in a pub somewhere in Cardiff at the Bells lifting a glass for all of you.

Yours aye,

Scott

State of the Bunion 2009

Well, as I heave myself around after another weekend of festive over indulgence, I find myself at the end of another outstanding year.

For Tracey and myself, despite the recession 2009 was pretty near to perfect. Everyone we know healthy and happy; starting the year with a big bang in Galway; holidays to California and Nevada, Manchester (twice), London, Letterkenny, Newcastle, Albufeira and plenty of wee days out and weekends away here and there; looking forward to ending the year in Cardiff; celebrating our Goddaughter Brooke's Christening; some sterling gigs including U2 then Bruce Springsteen at Hampden, Russell Howard, Metallica, New Kids on the Block (erm...), The Killers, Louis XIV; and much more.

On the site, I didn't quite complete the restaurant and attractions bits, so as promised last year, you might see me running down Buchanan Street naked on Christmas Day, but you will have noted the getting around section completed, a flatsharing bit, additions to the Glesca patter guide, a full hotel section, a complete first series of our For the Love of G...lasgow podcast, and the exciting birth of our new podcast called Glasgow Generations. Once again, the number of folks stopping by my little site has trebled over the year, and it's really pretty humbling to hear from all of those as interested as me in what's going on in my home town, so please keep the emails flying in.

2010 will see the completion of the restaurant and attractions sections (no worries...), and possibly a wee shopping guide as well - I realise now that it's probably best not to promise the earth though, what with my past laziness and all.

So here's to my ever-burgeoning bunion and its crazy life of puss and happiness in Glasgow - have a great festive break, thanks for all your interest and support as always, and I'll see you again in the New Year.

Penny Caramels and Homemade Forts

As it's fast approaching Christmas, we thought that for the new episode of our little Glasgow Generations podcast, we should hark back to how the festive period was celebrated in Glasgow in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

Have a listen to the new show which is free now to download, and hear about what you'd expect to receive in your stocking and under the tree, the old stores in the City that are now closed, and why Hogmanay in Glasgow was far more important than Christmas back in the day.

We'll be back in 2010 with more trips down memory lane, and as we begin to gather some momentum for the show, we look forward to hearing your own memories of Glasgow - feel free to share them at

glasgowgenerations@googlemail.com

or by using the comments box linked from here. Cheers for now and thanks from my Dad and me for listening.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Penny Caramels and Homemade Forts"

Glasgow Generations on iTunes

Now that the first episode of the new show's out there in the world wide interweb thingy, you'll be pleased to know that iTunes have grabbed it up already, and you can now download and subscribe to Glasgow Generations for free directly from the iTunes directory.

All you need to do is follow the link to the podcast page here, and click the iTunes link you'll see there.

I'd be grateful if you could leave a rating and review for the show on iTunes if you enjoyed the first episode, as the more reviews there the more it'll get noticed.

Until then, we're planning for the second episode already, and hope to bring you something festive given the time of year. Lots of yapping about Christmas in Glasgow in the old days, the erstwhile toys made and received, the lack of holidays, why Hogmanay seemed to be more important at least to the adult working population of the City, and much more.

As before, I'll let you know here once the new one's up.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Glasgow Generations on iTunes"

Welcome to Glasgow Generations

After a long, slow burn of planning, I'm happy to release kicking and screaming our new Glasgow Generations podcast from the traps.

The first episode of the show is now available to download using the link here, and you'll soon see that it features me talking to my dad, Charlie Docherty, about his early years in Glasgow from the 1940s and onwards.

Over time we'll be recording quite a bit of personalised history of Glasgow with some no doubt typical Glesca patter thrown in, and if you're an ex-pat Glaswegian, someone who's looking for a trip back to your old tenement days in the City, or even just someone who's interested in the history of Glasgow, I hope this gives you a wee taste of what it was like back in the day.

And as we say during the show, we'd love to hear your own stories and memories of your time here, so please use the comments box on the podcast page or email -

glasgowgenerations@googlemail.com

Arrabest and enjoy the show...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Welcome to Glasgow Generations"

A change is as good as a podcast

Well, that's the first series of our little For the Love of G...lasgow podcast over and done with, more's the pity.

We're taking a wee break for a bit while we work on our respective solo projects (ahem). I'll be concentrating on my new podcast for the site, Glasgow Generations, which I'll be doing with my good ol' Dad, Charlie Docherty, and you'll see from the link here that it promises to be a light-hearted look through the history of Glasgow since the 1940's, from my faither's own wizened eyes and ears.

You'll see that the podcast section of the site has changed a little to incorporate the new podcast, and I'll be recording the first episode tomorrow night, meaning that it should be ready for download at some point on Wednesday.

As for Alan, he'll be OK. I'll be checking in on him now and then to make sure he's preparing for the next series of For the Love of G...lasgow, and will let you know as and when it's back up and running.

Click for more info

Some superb Glasgow jokes

Thanks go to my brother Steven for sending me through some fantastic Glasgow jokes, and I've now hurried them into my Glesca Patter section on the site to give you another flavour of Glaswegian humour.

A wee example for you for starters -

While being interviewed for a job as a bus driver, a guy is asked:
"What would you do if you had a rowdy passenger?"
"I'd put him off at the next stop," he says.
"Good. And what would you do if you couldn't get the fare?"
"I'd take the first two weeks in August," he replies.

Now, if you don't get that, you're likely not from Scotland so don't worry (it's about the Glasgow Fair holiday, and he's saying that...ach, who cares...), but feel free to have a look at the rest - there's some real gems in there and if you've got any of your own, fire them over to me and I'll list them on the page.

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Some superb Glasgow jokes"

Tony Roma's Glasgow - best ribs in town

With only one box left to tick in the restaurant section, comes my new review of Tony Roma's Glasgow restaurant, definitely the best place in town for ribs.

Have a read about why this place exists in direct contradiction with the extreme sports centre in which it resides, and how much over the years it's begun to stick happily to my fingers as a good slab of ribs should.

Once I finish off my little piece on the Sisters restaurant in Glasgow that'll be my eating out section done for now, leaving me free to focus on ploughing my way through the attractions bit.

A hard slog I know, but someone's got to do it...

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Tony Roma's Glasgow - best ribs in town"

Remember Remember...

Yeah, almost forgot that we still do the podcast, so you'll be ecstatic to learn that the new episode is now available to download.

Simply click the link here, listen until your ears can take no more, and send in your comments to the usual address or post a review on our iTunes page (much appreciated as always).

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Remember Remember..."