I am feeling recharged and positively energetic after a few rest days. I delayed my blog post this week as George and I celebrated his birthday and our first wedding anniversary on 28th August.
With some planning and luck with my days off touring, we celebrated together in Glasgow. As a treat, my family gave us some money towards a meal to celebrate, and after the performances on Sunday, we went for a delicious dinner at Nippon Kitchen on West George Street. Our meals were served on jet black plates dressed with banana leaves and swirling sauce patterns. The presentation really made our colourful food pop! I had a Seafood Bento Box, which included Salmon teriyaki, panko breaded king prawns, steamed seafood gyoza, Japanese pickles and steamed rice (my mouth is watering just thinking about it again). George had Suzuki Yakimono; Sea Bass cooked on a special teppan grill with a soy, garlic and ginger sauce that also had a hint of chilli. I would recommend a visit if you are in the city.
On Monday, George booked us a table at The Ivy on Buchanan Street after I raved about visiting there for tea and scones with my family earlier this month. The restaurant is very glamorous and decorated in a maximalist style. The wall galleries hung floral-inspired artwork, plush green and rose pink seating, fresh flower arrangements and plant pots galore. Altogether it gives off a very sophisticated atmosphere, but its real triumph is that it makes anyone feel welcome. You don’t have to worry about what you wear or whether you are eating with the correct cutlery—the perfect spot to kick back, relax and enjoy the scrumptious food and drink. I had a pan-fried Salmon fillet with asparagus spears, courgette ribbons and extra virgin olive oil mashed potato – yum! George had a whisky steak tartare with cut chips, of which I pinched a few.
On Tuesday, we visited the Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park. The Museum has recently had a significant refurbishment, showcasing items from the Collection amongst the architectural design; for example, stone archways, window frames and doorways help guide pathways through the space and peek-a-boo viewing. The museum also incorporates innovative digital elements such as video walls with short films and interactive games to help people engage with the stories behind the Collection. After our visit, we followed the walking path to Pollock House and Gardens. The route was signposted with artwork from the House with a comical twist. For example, one woman had garish make-up and a phone edited into her hand to take a selfie. Highland cattle graze the fields along the path. These highland cows are award-winning, and we enjoyed a quiet moment watching them rest among fields of green.
Next stop, I hit the road with our team and perform eight shows at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. There are a few tickets left, so if you’d like to experience classical music with your little one or give the gift of opera to a loved one, visit this website to secure your ticket(s): https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/scottish-opera-bambino/