Life & style and Live it

Glasgow Vs Edinburgh: The Verdict

22 Apr 2010

It all boils down to this. How do the two cities line-up over eight key categories? We give our final opinions The Culture Glasgow + A near endless sea of artistic talent, with bleeding-edge creatives elbow-to-elbow with peerless arts…

Spring/ summer 2012 trend preview

30 Dec 2011

Citrus shades Marigold and canary yellow were among the zingy citrus hues championed for the new year at New York and London fashion weeks. During the UK’s biggest fashion event, designers such as Osman, Mark Fast, Jaeger and Aquascutum used the…

ECA Fashion Show review - Thu 5 May

Edinburgh college of art address body image in its annual student fashion show

27 May 2011

The annual Edinburgh College of Art fashion show is one of Scotland’s key creative events. The two-hour-long fashion show set against the backdrop of the dramatically-lit, neo-classical Sculpture Court of the College’s main building is an opportunity…

Neighbourhood Watch: Broughton Street, Edinburgh

A guide to Edinburgh's hip gay hub

9 Jan 2012

What’s it like? A street full of bars, restaurants and delightful eateries nestled underneath old tenement flats. Ideal for stuffing your face full of food and hitting a pub with friends just a stone’s throw from the centre of the city. Where’s it…

The rough guide to Portobello, Edinburgh's seaside

Neighbourhood Watch: The best bits by the beach

24 Mar 2011

What’s it like? An utterly charming, slightly wonky area of Edinburgh, characterised by the city’s only beach and a very distinct, anti-corporate local community ethos. Formerly the holiday destination of most Central Belters, a lack of investment in…

Trainspotting Tour

3 Jun 2010

There are few books that have changed the landscape of contemporary Scottish literature quite like Irvine Welsh’s debut novel of 1993. Over the course of two hours, you’ll spot Irvo’s flat, Sick Boy’s pub and Leith police station on your way to getting…

How to get fit through jogging, swimming, skateboarding, frisbee and tennis

14 May 2010

Hey you! Lazybones! It’s warm outside, which means there’s no excuse for your sofa addiction anymore. Niki Boyle has the best suggestions for getting sporty through spring and summer...

Glasgow's Statistics

22 Apr 2010

Population 584,240 Average house price £149,000 2009. Source: upmystreet.com Average life expectancy Male: 70.7; Female: 77.2 2007. Source: www.statistics.gov.uk Average pint of Lager £2.50 Source: www.pintprice.com…

Best bars in and around Leith

3 Jun 2010

David Pollock suggests the finest locations for a festival beverage, or two

Neighbourhood Watch: Great Western Road, Glasgow

Including The Captain's Rest, The Belle and Lupe Pintos

19 Dec 2011

What’s it like? One big road full of pubs, cafés and little shops. Flats are mostly old tenements above the bars, restaurants and stores which go up most of the road. Where’s it, like? In the West End, a stone’s throw from Woodlands and Byres Road.

Edinburgh's Statistics

22 Apr 2010

Population 471,650 Average House Price £228,000 2009. Source: upmystreet.com Average Life Expectancy Male: 76.5; Female: 81.4 2007. Source: www.statistics.gov.uk Average Pint of Lager £2.75 Source: www.pintprice.com…

A guide to green vegetables

21 Apr 2010

Historic records indicate that we once ate food fresh from places near where we lived, such as back gardens and local farms, thus cutting down on the need to transport food across the globe and avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Here’s a…

Interview: Eva Verity, creator of Haircuts by Children

Project providing creative space for children and adults to interact in

25 Apr 2012

‘There was one guy who once got a nick on his ear,’ says Eva Verity, ‘but other than that, we’ve had no major injuries.’ I’m thankful there’s no trace of annoyance in Verity’s voice, in spite of my slightly anxious line of questioning. She’s talking…

Style Guide 2012 - Spring/Summer fashion to focus on fresh, cool colours

We take a look at the forthcoming fashion trends for 2012

29 Feb 2012

Blame the long, grey winter. Blame the soaring unemployment levels. Blame it on the margaritas and piña coladas that fashion designers had apparently been knocking back before sketching out this season’s collections. But as spring approaches, gingerly…

Why we should scrap public entertainment licence fees

Kirstin Innes of Words Per Minute on the value of tax-free arts events

28 Feb 2012

For the last two years, I’ve run Words Per Minute, a mixed night of spoken word, live music, performance and short film. Every month, we present an ever-increasing audience with around seven ten-minute performances, by selected artists at the top of…

Four List readers share their New Year's resolutions

An insight into getting started in trapeze, cookery, ballet or capoeira

6 Jan 2012

'The feeling of achievement is amazing' Name Denise Deutsch Age 30 Profession Fabric buyer, Mandors Skill Trapeze and Aerial Arts I fell into the idea of aerial arts as a hobby after unexpectedly getting a ticket to see Leona Lewis perform in…

Preview: the National Museum of Scotland

A peek inside the museum, plus reminiscences from notable Edinburghers and a guide to coming events

22 Jul 2011

The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is due to reopen this month after a three-year, £46.4 million redevelopment. David Pollock takes an exclusive peak behind closed doors to find out about the new exhibits

Gok Wan glams up Glasgow at Glam in the City

9 Jun 2010

Spandy dandy Gok Wan joins forces with Lorraine Kelly (yeah, we’re scared too...) for three days of fashion shows, workshops, makeovers and exclusive evening events, all based out of a great big tent on George Square. Tickets from www.glaminthecity.co.uk.

Down under - Glasgow's South Side

10 Sep 2009

The West End might shout louder and jangle its designer bracelets more ostentatiously, but for its many residents, the gigantic, sprawling mass of the South Side is the true heart of Glasgow. As many local historians and geographers have observed…

Six of the Best - Eating & Drinking around Leith

11 Jun 2009

The King’s Wark 36 The Shore, 0131 554 9260 Few things can make a foodie as happy as a portion of homemade fishcakes and frites courtesy of this granddaddy of the Leith eating scene. Oozing olde worlde charm, the Wark’s menu boasts everything from…

Valentine's Day - date our readers

Need a date for February 14th? Ten eligible List readers are ready and waiting...

2 Feb 2012

Nicola Age: 24 Work: Arts marketing Where do you live: Stockbridge, Edinburgh Hobbies: Frequenting the cinema, gym-ing, watching live dance and opera, wandering around galleries and museums and dancing in my bedroom. Describe yourself in 5 words…

Neighbourhood Watch: Stockbridge, Edinburgh

A guide to the village-like Edinburgh suburb

16 Nov 2011

What’s it like? Architecturally lovely and quite picturesque, the area is still pretty bohemian despite the influx of more affluent shops in recent years. Where’s it, like? To the north of the city, between the New Town and Inverleith. It’s about…

Neighbourhood Watch: Shawlands, Glasgow

25 Aug 2011

What’s it like? The unofficial hub of the Southside. Young, bustling and almost completely tenement-bound, packed with pizza places, big bars and some excellent independent shopping, Shawlands also benefits from proximity to the lovely space of Queen’s…

Hidden Glasgow

Undercover activities, city secrets and grassroots organisations

17 Aug 2011

Parks, gardens and tours So, you think you’d like to get to know the city a little better? Glasgow City Council’s website offers a number of downloadable heritage trail guide packs. We particularly recommend following the Bridgeton Tour, which takes…

Neighbourhood Watch: Partick, Glasgow

A guide to your local neighbourhoods

13 Apr 2011

Partick, Glasgow What’s it like? The bit of the salubrious West End that still feels properly Glaswegian: cool café bars, delis and boutiques sitting tooth by rough-shaven jowl with classic boozers, betting shops, greasy spoons and pound…

Leith Agency

Honcho Gerry Farrell on Irn Bru

22 Sep 2010

The creative director of the Leith Agency on making a marketing success out of IRN-BRU

Bok Bok, Night Slugs and Lil Silva set for Numbers 7th birthday

16 Jun 2010

Who? I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. No really, who? OK, you must have been in a coma. Numbers are a group of Glaswegian promoters, label bosses, DJs and producers who have been largely responsible for positioning Scotland…

Chez Roux, Elià and Los Cardos amongst recent Glasgow and Edinburgh restaurant openings

1 Jun 2010

OTHER RECENT OPENINGS Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Edinburgh and Glasgow are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for…

5 Things... Glamping

28 May 2010

The best glam camping options for 2010’s Scottish festivals...

Five great female tribute acts

14 May 2010

Ahead of Misstallica in Glasgow, some all-female metal tributes...

Bright fashion futures at ECA Fashion Show 2010

14 May 2010

Vogue have talked in the past about the ‘Scottish contingent’ in fashion. Designers like Jonathan Saunders, Jamie Bruski Tetsill and Scott Ramsay Kyle (all GSA textiles graduates) and Holly Fulton, Graeme Black and Chloe Patience (all ECA alumni) have…

Edinburgh Skate Park opens

14 May 2010

It’s mean, it’s green, and it’s obscenely fun – Edinburgh Skate Park is now open for business. Sam Patterson, a long-time skateboarder himself, has been present at all stages of the park’s development. Niki Boyle speaks to him about his skate park…

Affordable Art: Getting Started - Susanna Beaumont

29 Apr 2010

Buying and owning art can bring both pleasure and profit, and you don’t need stacks of cash to get started. We begin our guide with some tips from a prominent gallery owner...

Donate your pants to Zimbabwe and Ethiopia

29 Apr 2010

Lingerie emporium Boudiche has found a charitable use for unwanted bras and knickers, as Claire Sawers discovers...

The most amazing thing I did last week

23 Apr 2010

Thousands of people a day donate blood. And thousands of people don't. Yet it's easy, quick, completely different. Plus you get to do something that could save another person's life. And how good does that feel?

Glasgow Vs Edinburgh: Comments

22 Apr 2010

Residents from both cities have been battling it out on The List’s messageboards over the past fortnight, giving reasons for their preferences. Here are just a few of the best. See the rest online at www.list.co.uk/gvse Glasgow Only good thing…

Camflava brings African flavours to Glasgow's Southside

16 Apr 2010

Africa remains a bit of a dark continent as far as our appreciation of its cuisine goes. But mix in some exotic drinks, dance and entertainment, and the Southside of Glasgow is suddenly rocking to an African beat, as Rona Alexander…

Cleaning Up the Streets - A day with Edinburgh's environmental wardens

15 Apr 2010

Paul Dale spends a day with Edinburgh’s environmental wardens, and finds the job of the recycling police is a far cry from Miami Vice.

Q&A: Beardyman

15 Apr 2010

The London musician, Beardyman, aka Darren Foreman, is considerably less hirsute than the name might suggest, and also proud to have been the UK beatbox champion two years in a row. Here, he talks taxes, Batman and gold statues... First record you…

How upcycling transforms used objects into ones of greater value

15 Apr 2010

Upcycling – the process of turning unwanted items into products of greater value – might sound like a dubious idea (another eco-concept that’s all trouser fluff and no trousers perhaps?) but it does raise the point that with most recycling the final…

Born To Be Wide - Wide Days

1 Apr 2010

It's business time! Scottish music scene-nurturing organisation Born To Be Wide has another fantastic event planned, with a line up of acts equally as impressive as the industry figures sharing their music industry knowhow. Seminars and showcases have…

Valentine's Day: Love letters to Glasgow

3 Feb 2010

Dear Glasgow. We love you. We sincerely do. You’ve given so much to us over the years, we felt we just had to say something – as did some of your more well known inhabitants. Here, an assortment of Glasgow's finest list the people, places and things…

Activism - Meet the political activists

23 Jul 2009

There’s been a lot of nostalgia for the 90s recently, as Blur, Take That and the Spice Girls reform (however fleetingly), and various media outlets (this one included) celebrate 15 years since the invention of a handy marketing tool called Britpop.

Five alternative Easter activies

Bored of egg-hunting? Here’s how the rest of the world marks the occasion

26 Mar 2012

1 Hunky Jesus Contest The devout gather every year at San Francisco’s Dolores Park Easter Celebration to watch a pageant of men in loincloths carrying planks of wood. They are joined by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, ‘cross-dressing…

Valentine's Day - where to buy your flowers

Independent florists in both Edinburgh and Glasgow advise thinking beyond roses

3 Feb 2012

‘Red roses are absolutely the worst thing you can buy at Valentine’s time,’ says Esther Kuck, the florist behind The Wild Flower Shop in Portobello. ‘You can spend £70 on a dozen red roses, which is just mad. They probably won’t be good quality, and…

Opinion: MSP Joan McAlpine on same sex marriage

The need for equal marriage rights for Scotland's same-sex couples

6 Jan 2012

The introduction of civil partnerships in 2004 meant many people believe we already have gay marriage. Lots of us have celebrated the union of gay friends and family. Thirty years ago, few gay people were allowed to be open about their sexuality. Thank…

The top books for a healthy start to 2012

Dieting and exercise books from Tracy Griffen, Mike Dow, John Briffa and more

5 Jan 2012

It’s that time of year when the season’s jollities come back to haunt you. Stepping on the scales or glancing in the mirror can be a pretty scary prospect. Fortunately, you’re never short of advice in written form come January. Edinburgh-based personal…

How to survive a Christmas away from home

Top tips for living an independent Christmas

22 Dec 2011

Utilise technology Why not use video calling to talk to your loved ones back at home? This way, you can visually update each other on your Christmas presents and have face-to-face conversations. Send presents Send thoughtful gifts to your…

Top ten ways to get in shape – and stay there!

27 Jun 2011

1. Go slow Whatever your goal, whether it’s losing weight, toning up or eating better, start slowly, says diet and fitness expert Laura Williams. “Wearing yourself out by overdoing it is unlikely to get results. You need an exercise routine and diet…

Independent shopping guide: Fashion designer Jenny Sweetnam of Technicolour

Featured designers include Jo Richardson, Magda Boreysza and more

24 Mar 2011

After a few weeks of DIY craziness, we opened up before Christmas. We stock bold, contemporary design with a graphic edge. I make jewellery and garments, and design colourful and geometric shapes that sit playfully on the body. I think of both clothing…