Shopping

The rough guide to Portobello, Edinburgh's seaside

Neighbourhood Watch: The best bits by the beach

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…

Five of the best: Independent record shops in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Monorail, Avalanche, Elvis Shakespeare, Rubadub, LOVEMusic

Monorail 12 Kings Court, Glasgow, 0141 552 9458, www.monorailmusic.com Pick through lovingly stocked, carefully edited alterna-indie vinyl in this musical cubby hole (many would say Scotland’s finest record shop) started by Stephen Pastel (of The…

Independent shopping guide: Clothes

The best boutique and vintage clothes shops in Glasgow and Edinburgh

We like ‘the little guy’ here at The List. Those mavericks sticking it to the man, opening up small businesses according to their own rules, and finding clever, creative ways to stay trading in the midst of the recession (and that’s the last time we’ll…

Independent shopping guide: Homewares

Some of the best physical and online retailers of sleek home furnishings

There comes a time in everyone’s life when a beer-stained two-seater, originally peach, now covered with a previously-cheerful ethnic throw, ceases to be a bold anti-materialistic statement and becomes an embarrassment. Ditto those beige tiles with the…

Neighbourhood Watch: Shawlands, Glasgow

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…

Neighbourhood Watch: Partick, Glasgow

A guide to your local neighbourhoods

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…

Five of the best: Places for furniture

Featuring Trash Furnishing, Moleta Munro, Bra Bohag, Funked Up Junk and Fun Makes Good

Trash Furnishing carolinekey.co.uk Caroline Key (who gave us a hand with this article on homeware-buying) artfully restores vintage classics such as schoolroom chairs, writing desks and mirrors, adding modern motifs and the occasional splash of…

Christmas 2011 events in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Our round-up of some of the best festive fodder including markets, fairs and carol concerts

Shopping To find prezzies with an individual feel or just some tasty treats, head out to a Christmas fair near you. In Glasgow, there’s the St Enoch Square annual market (from 20 Nov) and Country Living Magazine’s Christmas Fair, with homemade food…

Independent shopping guide: Fashion designer Jenny Sweetnam of Technicolour

Featured designers include Jo Richardson, Magda Boreysza and more

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…

Spring/ summer 2012 trend preview

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…

How to survive a Christmas away from home

Top tips for living an independent Christmas

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…

Gifts that keep giving: Postal subscriptions

Subscribe to NotAnotherBill.com, or film memberships at the GFT, Cameo or LOVEFiLM

Fluffy slippers that can be heated in the microwave. Mobile phone holders in the shape of endangered species. Socks bearing the legend ‘world’s best grandad’. Ned Corbett-Winder promises that his gift-a-month website notanotherbill.com will most…

Neighbourhood Watch: Great Western Road, Glasgow

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

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.

The best family games this Christmas

Animal Croquet, Pointless, Angry Birds, Rory Story Cubes and Spyro the Dragon featured

Animal Croquet One for the little ones or if you just fancy a very civilised mini game of croquet indoors. £24 (currently on special offer online at £16.50) from poshlittletots.com Pointless The much loved TV quiz show with Alexander Armstrong…

Neighbourhood Watch: Stockbridge, Edinburgh

A guide to the village-like Edinburgh suburb

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…

The top tips to look wide awake after a late night

Yes, it can be done! After a night out and only a few hours sleep, you can look wide awake even if you don’t feel it. The trick is to look after your body, especially your skin, by maintaining a good beauty regime. With these quick and easy beauty tips…

Student Lock In!

St James Shopping are hosting a Student Lock in on Tuesday 20 September 7 – 9pm and promises music and entertainment throughout the evening and great discounts at many of the stores. The perfect opportunity to stock up on those last minute essentials…

Foodies Festival Edinburgh returns in 2011

Celebrating the finest food, drink and culinary talents, Foodies Festival will celebrate its fifth anniversary when the event returns to Holyrood Park on August 12, 13, 14. Having launched in Edinburgh five years ago and enjoyed unprecedented…

Glasgow's niche publications specialist GmbH ready to re-open its doors

Owners Jamie Kenyon and Neil McKie lay out the story so far

A long time ago... Jamie: ‘Neil and I had been friends for a while. We regularly talked, often involving beer, about doing something, or several things – there have always been a lot of ideas floating around, and the publication shop was amongst them.

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

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…

Festival essentials: what the stars are packing in their rucksacks

By Jamie Woon, James Vorley, Paloma Faith and Jill O'Sullivan

Jamie Woon Blankets Normally stolen off planes, but handy for that point in the early morning, if you’re sitting around a fire or outside a tent and it starts getting cool. Cheap sunglasses I tend to break or lose sunglasses pretty quick, so these…

The List's top five alternative activities for the royal wedding day

1 Off With Their Heads Susan Morrison hosts an afternoon of music and comedy at The Stand, Glasgow, with proceeds going to liberal publication Scottish Left Review. As if the title wasn’t anti enough. 2 Heart Buchanan The kindly folks at the Byres…

Independent shopping guide: Books

Analogue, The Fruitmarket Gallery and Monorail are among our favourite hangouts

Some of our best and most enjoyable timewasting has been done in the independent bookshops and record stores of Edinburgh and Glasgow. So – apologies go out to the recently relocated, ever excellent Analogue Books with its unique collection of locally…

Independent shopping guide: Julie Nicoll, owner of Analogue Books

Newly-relocated indie publications shop

Before we opened, we found it hard to get hold of many of the books and magazines that we were into and felt if we were into this stuff, surely others would be too and decided to just take the risk and open. We have all kinds of customers; art students…

Independent shopping guide: Brian Proudfoot, director of GOODD

Hard-to-find designer homewares and artist exhibition space

The kind of design we like and are passionate about wasn’t available in Glasgow. The shop was initially thought of as the ideal vehicle to engage local people with the story of design and hopefully illuminate the wider design process. We offer a…