Intimate jazz bars to prominent concert halls were filled with the nuances of jazz, soul and blues performed by some of the top musicians in the business such as Courtney Pine, Ramsey Lewis and Leon Russell.

With such a vast array of events to choose from – almost five hundred performers flocked to the city to play twenty-four venues over five days – there was plenty of variety on offer. I went for an intimate jazz bar experience in the Rio Café with vocalist Ian Shaw on Saturday night, followed by some dinner jazz in the renowned Rogano restaurant on Sunday, and ending with the stellar Courtney Pine in Glasgow’s iconic Old Fruitmarket on the festival’s final night.

The Rio Café hosts regular jazz sessions throughout the year in its 1950s-style diner, so this venue pulled out all the stops for the festival. The atmosphere was cool and classy, with dressed-up doormen greeting guests and ushering ticket-holders to a romantic candlelit, draped table – set up especially for the event.

Twice winner of the BBC’s Jazz Awards for Best Singer, Ian Shaw, took to the small stage, using only a keyboard and his powerful voice to give an informal, comical, emotive and memorable night’s entertainment. Having played the Glasgow Jazz Festival before, there was a sense of familiarity in the air as he bantered with the homely crowd and honoured requests shouted out by local punters. It comes as no surprise that his career began in the comedy circuit as he had the audience shrieking with laughter at his hilarious jazzy cover versions of popular songs – his rendition of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights was a particular favourite.

Sunday night was a ritzier affair with a pre-show dinner at the stylish Rogano – Glasgow’s oldest restaurant, renowned for fine fish and seafood and a genteel 1930s ambience. A jazz duo played in the basement café as we tucked into our elegant seafood meal, that came with a complimentary starter or (as in our case) dessert, for jazz festival ticket-holders.

Then it was on to the Old Fruitmarket to see headline act, Courtney Pine. After hearing about his informal and awe-inspiring performance at The Temple nightclub in Glasgow many moons ago, I had high expectations of the saxophone star. It took me a while to get warmed up to the rowdy, unbridled style of jazz during this particular set, but after a few songs I was beginning to see what all the hype was about – although personally, I do prefer a more soft, romantic jazzy sound.

Pine is undoubtedly impressive on his bass clarinet, which has replaced his sax in this new project, Europa. The album is a collection of the sounds and flavours that the British musician has picked up during his travels around Europe. A charismatic character, regaling the audience with stories in between tunes, Pine never lets you forget what a fine job the other members of his seven-strong band are doing. Hand-picked by the man himself, they are a charmingly eclectic bunch of talent – ranging from a classically trained pianist to a Cuban violinist, all of them giving spellbinding solos throughout the set and provoking an approving fist tap from their front man on stage. When all their contrasting sounds come together in an electrifying climax, you can’t help but get caught up in the musical melee. The group’s contagious enthusiasm for jazz is what Glasgow’s jazz festival is all about.

S.O.S LTD at Big Mouth Coffee Company on Thursday 31 March 6-9pm

“See a painting you like the look of? How much do you want to pay? Hundred quid? Tenner? A pound? Pay whatever you want…” says imaginative – and brave – artist Jonny Charles Harris.

It’s a risky, bold move by the Glasgow-based artist, who’s never been one to shy away from a challenge. He’s lived a colourful life so far; growing up in the North of England, he spent some time living in New York, co-founded a charity in Africa, climbed Mont Blanc, and now finds himself in a coffee shop in Glasgow giving away his work for whatever price the punter wants to pay.

The night will work like a silent auction – so if you see something you like, offer a price, and if someone else doesn’t come along with a higher bid then it’ll be yours. You don’t have to stay the entire night (the artist will get back in touch to let you know of the outcome) but there’ll be free wine and music, so it might be worth sticking around for a good night’s craic anyway.

It’s a fresh method he’s using to sell his work. How many artists allow the buyer to dictate the price? The exhibition launch night, then, should be a fun and interesting event. It’s taking place at Big Mouth coffee shop in Glasgow’s west end – a trendy, cosy joint with eclectic décor and a community feel, thanks in part to the regular exhibitions hosted there. Harris, who has a studio at Glasgow’s Studio Warehouse – also known as swg3 – and who plays the odd open mic night in the city, is the latest local artist to line the café’s walls.

The paintings themselves are mainly acrylic on canvas, with bright, bold colours throughout, and a strong pop art feel. The body of work has an attractive, edgy look that would fit in with many a modern-day home. Indeed Harris chose the intimate and lively café on Dumbarton Road because of its homely feel, and that’s where he sees his paintings having a place – in the home.

“I’m aiming for the work to be able to be taken at face value, and be pleasing to the eye,” the artist explains, “but if you scratch a little bit deeper, you reveal other layers of themes and ideas”.

Beneath the incandescent surface of his paintings, a strong anti-commerce thread runs through. Spoof slogans pervade the work, in a bold attempt to parody the taglines advertisers use to lure the masses.

The artist is mockingly using his own tagline “Pay Whatever You Want”; treating his art like a commodity to be sold for a quick buck. Ironically he’s highlighting the insatiable appetite in our consumer culture to sell products en masse – a process he challenges as shedding work of value and individuality.

Quite heavy stuff…but a down-to-earth and personable guy, Harris is attaching a playful tone to it – poking fun at consumerism rather than being judgemental. It should be a lively and thought-provoking launch night, and well worth a visit.

S.O.S LTD launch night (with music, free wine and silent auction for the art) is on Thursday 31 March 6pm – 9pm at Big Mouth Coffee Company in Glasgow.

The band kicked off the night to a rapturous reception with Shine On You Crazy Diamond. A few songs in, and the impressive lights that the high-production cover band are famed for started to emerge. A kaleidoscope of colour whirled around the stage, while trippy, neon green laser lights reached out into the audience, silencing the lively fans into an almost hypnotic state, while the band played the effects-laden Welcome to the Machine and Floyd’s first single Arnold Layne.

It was in the second half that the real magic of Floyd was brought to life though, when the band played some of their most recognisable and celebrated guitar classics. The crowd were also told to wear 3D glasses after the interval to enjoy surreal visuals projecting from a massive screen.

Most notable was the image of the pig – a staple prop used in the live shows of the original Floyd – and it was spellbinding seeing the animal spinning and protruding towards us. Almost within touching distance… or so we were made to think.

Time was complemented by 3D clocks, rising and rotating around the stage and venue. Then, that was enough of the novelty visuals. Captivating as they were, thankfully the band realised that they’d only last the attention of a couple of songs.

One of the blonde backing singers stepped up and stole the show for a while – crooning the awe-inspiring solo of The Great Gig in the Sky. She was closely followed by the band’s characterful sax player who grooved around on stage and gave one of the most memorable solos of the night on Money.

Of course the Oz band injected a personal touch, with a comical medley of Australian soap theme tunes, including Neighbours and Sons and Daughters, creating a ripple of laughter, before launching into their intensely emotive rendition of Wish You Were Here. With footage of the real Floyd rolling on the large screen, this performance, unsurprisingly, provoked the biggest cheer of the night.

The band’s icon – a monstrous-sized pink inflatable kangaroo (another comical nod to their homeland) – made an appearance and bounced on stage for a while before the set reached its culmination in the epic and electrifying Comfortably Numb, ending with a spine-tingling guitar solo.

An encore of Run Like Hell rounded off the night, and by this time the Glasgow crowd were on their feet clapping – eerily reminiscent of the scene which accompanies that track in Floyd’s film, The Wall.

High-octane Pink Floyd tribute band, The Australian Pink Floyd, will reach Glasgow this month, as they tour the globe with the world’s first 3D live music show.

A packed out audience will descend on the Royal Concert Hall to don 3D glasses and enjoy visuals projecting from a 20ft screen. Meanwhile the Aussie band will belt out legendary Pink Floyd classics such as Wish You Were Here and Shine On You Crazy Diamond.

Going for over twenty years, the Oz cover band are respected worldwide for their high-production shows and authentic Pink Floyd sound. Hailed by the Sunday Times as the best tribute band in the world, even Floyd’s original members have attended their gigs and are counted amongst their fans.

In keeping with the real Pink Floyd – renowned in their heyday for their lavish live shows – their Aussie imitators create an audio-visual bonanza. An elaborate load of replica equipment helps them find the unique sound of Floyd; a spine-tingling guitar sound that, like Floyd’s lyrics, is intense, complex and so deeply emotive. Visually, their state-of-the-art laser lights whirl around the venue, and thought-provoking animations from The Wall (created back in the day by cartoonist, Gerald Scarfe) roll from a large screen.

This year, the band have stepped the visuals up a gear following a chance meeting with Hollywood visual effects guru, John Attard. Armed with a stream of high-budget movies on his CV – including Gladiator, The Last Samurai and Harry Potter – Attard is bringing the 3D visuals normally only found in cinema to the Australian Pink Floyd experience. A world first for rock concerts, it should be a unique gig experience – a must for Pink Floyd fans.

The Australian Pink Floyd will play the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow on Thursday 10 March.

A wet and rainy night it was. And although I love a bit of romance, I couldn’t help but chuckle as the city geared up for Valentine’s night, with the restaurants and cafes slowly filling up with cute couples.

Later on, at around nine, and tucked away in the laidback Velvet Elvis in Glasgow’s west end, you would never guess it was the date cynics call Hallmark Day. Not a heart or balloon in sight. In fact, the only red or pink hue in my vision was the fabulous cosmopolitan flowing far too readily into my mouth. Now that’s how I celebrate love.

This neighbourhood bar and grill is set in a hundred-year-old former butchers’ shop, and is known for eclectic décor and award-winning burgers. Old meets new in this funky bar: white and blue Edwardian tiling, butchers’ meat hooks and a retro record player juxtapose with modern paintings, a cosmopolitan cocktail menu and huge handwriting on the wall – “Keep Partick Weird”. Old faces new, community greets cosmopolitan and refined borders brutal.

We didn’t quite know what to expect on Valentine’s Day. Would it be a three-course Valentine menu with a hefty price tag and a rose to take home? No. On our arrival that night, our easygoing waiter presented the restaurant’s usual menu of everyday fare – and prices – written on an old LP record. I reiterate: Velvet Elvis oozes cool.

There was only one choice of starter for me: The Elvis Grand Retro Prawn Cocktail. I’m a big fan of the seventies classic which rarely makes an appearance in fashionable haunts. The dish comes in a large cocktail glass containing iceberg lettuce, meaty prawns and a tasty sauce. Oh and there’s a massive prawn and a langoustine on top. It’s quite the spectacle. And perhaps not the first choice for those who don’t like to see the creatures they are devouring staring up at them.

For mains, I went for the oxtail with bubble and squeak. The meat fell off the bone and the homely potatoes and cabbage came swimming in delicious gravy – a perfect antidote to the wind and rain bellowing outside. My hubby went for that legendary homemade burger which was voted in the top three of “the most delectable, delicious burgers in Glasgow”. A burger aficionado – he loved it.

We had a beautiful South Australian Chardonnay with our prawn starter. It was described as a summer wine, rounded, ripe and reeking of peaches, oranges and melons, and it went down an absolute treat. I had a glass of nice Chilean merlot with my main, whilst my hubby ordered a pint of Erdinger to wash down his burger. It’s the same beer that regularly speaks to him just before closing time most weekends – urging him to call in to the Elvis for a night cap.

We substituted dessert for a couple of classy cocktails at the bar. The French martini and cosmopolitan were both delightful: strong yet sweet with no ice to get in the way.

Then it was time to head out from our little haven into the wind and rain – no cheesy rose, but we were happily loaded up with food, drink …and love.

It was almost like a scene from the bygone fifties and sixties in Glasgow tonight as crowds lined the streets of Blythswood Square to wave off the vintage cars as they set off on the legendary Monte Carlo Rally – with the competition making its return to the city this year for the first time in nearly four decades.

Teams from across the globe driving pre-1974 classic models including Jaguars, Austin Healeys, Alfa Romeos and Mini Coopers, revved their engines and honked their horns as they set off on their arduous 2000km journey from Glasgow, which will take them through the French Alps, into Monte Carlo in Monaco – a non-stop race which is expected to last two days.

Scotland’s renowned rally champion, Louise Aitken-Walker, was the first to leave the start ramp once the flag was waved at half six outside the Blythswood Hotel, followed by around fifty teams at one minute intervals.

The rally, which costs competitors a hefty £3000-plus entrance fee, was the epitome of glitz and glamour in its heyday of the 1950s and 1960s when Glasgow was a starting point for the race. The tradition dropped off Glasgow’s radar in the early seventies since fewer teams wanted to leave from the city and 1973 saw its last year here.

Making its return to the city for the first time in 38 years, Glasgow was picked as one of the starting points to mark the world-famous rally’s centenary year, alongside the cities of Marrakech, Warshaw, Barcelona and Reims,

The rally was started in 1911 by Prince Albert I of Monaco and is one of the most famous endurance events in the world.

Perhaps the little town of Ambleside has a lot to do with my rapid change of heart. Situated at the head of England’s largest lake, Lake Windermere, this quaint and memorable town lies within the Lake District National Park. Located in the county of Cumbria in North West England, it’s a pleasant three-hour drive from Glasgow to get there.

As we approached Lakeland on a dark autumnal Friday night, the murky fells that captured the imagination of William Wordsworth and his fellow Romantic poets – back at the turn of the nineteenth century – soon made their presence felt. It might have been a few weeks after Halloween but there was a decidedly spooky and chilling atmosphere in the English air, as we made our way down the bumpy, one-track road that is so eerily sandwiched between the epic fells. The chilling feeling was as much fun as it was mesmerising – looking up at the all-encompassing, magnificent landscape against the moonlit night – and I was beginning to realise then why so many tourists flock to the hills and lakes all year round. That said, we were relieved to be entering the welcoming lights of the well-peopled town of Ambleside soon after.

As it was a Friday night, we were keen to get checked in to our holiday cottage promptly and then head straight out to sample some of the English pubs on offer. The Cuckoo’s Nest is the name of our abode and as the name suggests it was cute and quirky – a bit of a running theme for all Ambleside’s buildings. The town is certainly not built up or commercialised – indeed it’s instantly recognisable as a quaint, unspoilt town perhaps due to the lack of chain stores or cafes. Apart from the odd Spar or Co-op most of the shops are unique and independently run. And there are plenty of opportunities to pick up souvenirs, and local produce and crafts made on the Lakes. Forget Starbucks or Costa, the cafes are all locally owned with quaint names such as Daisy’s and Lucy’s. The café that I would particularly recommend is Rattle Gill (I did say the names were quaint). We headed here for Sunday brunch and tucked into an amazingly tasty roasted vegetable, hummus and pesto panini with an unusual side salad of purple-hued coleslaw and a few bows of pasta with pine nuts. It’s a vegetarian joint with an imaginative menu and good quality food to back it up. The décor was quirky and interesting and the service was attentive yet laidback and friendly.

Despite its diminutive size, there’s an excellent variety of restaurants in Ambleside – ranging from the informal bistro type to fine dining – and a range of cuisines including Chinese, Indian and Thai. There’s also a wide choice of pubs, which might come as a surprise since the town is mainly a base for outdoor enthusiasts taking to the nearby hills for walking, climbing or biking. It’s a good spot, then, if you want to burn the candle at both ends by exercising and adventuring during the day and socialising at night.

It doesn’t take long to walk around Ambleside and we perused all the eateries and pubs on that Friday night before choosing an informal restaurant for some bar nibbles (homemade hummus and breadsticks) and pasta, and then onto a cosy, traditional-style pub that had a welcoming fire, a resident dog and quintessentially English cider on tap.

Next day it was time to hit the hills for a walk and to absorb that famed landscape. After picking up maps and walking instructions from the local tourist centre we decided to do a scenic and rewarding, yet easygoing walk to a spectacular waterfall – this is a good place to start for Lakeland virgins as the route begins just about five minutes on foot from Ambleside’s tourist centre.

Our last night in Ambleside saw their annual celebrations for the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights, and we were lucky enough to witness the sense of camaraderie and community spirit present here. It sounds a bit of a twee and obvious observation to make about a quaint town – but with the townies all rallying around for an impressive and intimate firework display (perhaps too up-close and personal for anyone of a nervous disposition around fireworks!) and the well-organised, beautiful lantern parade from local school children, and carol singers perched on almost every corner, it gave us a lucid glimpse into the everyday lives of local lakelanders in an otherwise predominantly tourist zone.

When we rocked up on a Wednesday night in November, however, we were immediately ushered to a table upon our 7:30 arrival. Perhaps the story might have been a little different on a busy Saturday or during the festive season.

As soon as you walk into the spacious and raucous eatery, located in the old post office building in the city centre’s George Square, you can see the Italian inspiration. The décor is simple and funky – at the bar area, joints of ham hang from the roof against a redbrick wall, whilst the large dining area is plain yet vibrant with bright red seats and cosy booths.

Our party of six were seated in one of the booths which just about gave us enough room, but what it lacked in arm space it made up for in intimacy, making it a perfect relaxed setting for a night of chat and banter.

The menu is varied and exciting. There’s a wide choice of enticing nibbles, pastas, mains and desserts which all seem very reasonably priced for a famous chef’s restaurant. The meals don’t come with chips or potatoes though, so it’s easy to claw up a hefty bill adding sides and tasty sounding extras to your bill.

I went for the grilled then chilled marinated seasonal vegetables to start which was a nice little selection of Mediterranean vegetables flavoured with lemon, chilli and mint. For mains, I chose the grilled chicken which was, if I’m being picky, a little surprisingly on the dry side for my liking, but still went down well thanks to a tasty tomato, olive and chilli sauce. A couple of my fellow diners went for the impressive looking meat antipasti plank which consisted of cured meat, Italian cheeses and olives served on a long, narrow wooden plank that was propped rustically on top of two large tins of tomatoes. It is these deliberately informal touches with the food presentation that make Jamie’s a fun and relaxed place to visit for the first time.

The other diners at my table ordered a bruschetta starter dish and a mushroom fritti (or as our cheeky chappie chef coins – the “Mike The Woodman’s Mushroom Fritti”) which they both seemed to enjoy. A popular choice for mains at our table was the feather steak which went down well by all, and consisted of grilled British steak made Italian by spicy tomato, basil and chilli salsa. We ordered some funky chips, crispy polenta chips and posh chips – tasty stuff but not as exciting as they sound – the funky ones are just chips with garlic and parsley, and the posh chips come with truffle oil and parmesan. We bypassed the pasta section this time but next visit I’ll maybe try out some of the curious sounding creations, such as scallop and squid ink angel hair, cockles linguine or wild truffle tagliatelle.

From the dessert menu you can expect the usual Italian favourites of panna cotta and tiramisu. The highlight for me in the sweet department was the affogato – a vanilla ice cream with espresso – perfect for those who have a more savoury palette and would like to combine the dessert course with some strong coffee.

I’d definitely head back to Jamie’s with a group of friends or a family party for a special occasion such as a birthday. It’s not the sort of place for anyone that’s after a formal affair, or for loved-up couples looking for a quiet and romantic meal. But for a group dinner where you want a relaxed and laidback party vibe with good Italian food and copious amounts of drink, then it’s a great place to head. Not least because you can linger over your meal without being pressured to leave. We arrived at half seven and didn’t leave until around half ten, managing to amass three courses, a satisfying bottle of Italian merlot, a beautiful bottle of Prosecco Rustico (apparently from one of the top prosecco producers in Valdobbiadene in Northern Italy) and many more bottles of beer – costing us forty quid per person. Not particularly cheap but not too expensive either for a celebrity chef’s hangout.