THE LIONS SHARE
Hello and welcome to the first of my jaunts into the jungle we call life.
I’m currently in the midst of a housemove and as I don my old clothes and fill up the black bags it all seems so far away from the weekend when I got all dolled up to attend some swanky events in Glasgow.
Mind you, I temporarily swapped heels for big black boots as I traipsed across a snow topped town to head to the brilliant Action For Children Women of Influence Lunch at the Grand Central Hotel on Sunday.
Andy Murray’s famous mum Judy gave me a warm welcome and was on great form as she watched Elaine C Smith tell jokes and sing at the high powered bash which raised over £60,000 on the day.
Judy who won the award last year, told me exclusively that Andy was ‘gagging’ to be back on court and had started hitting balls as he recovered from his injury. She said all a mother can want for her sons is for them to be fit and healthy.
She also talked about her recent ski holiday which gave her a bit of downtime in between all the chaos but admitted she’d unfortunately been ill for most of it with the dreaded lurgy.
Judy is always game for a laugh and she was chuffed to bits when comedian Elaine gave her a signed copy of the Glasgow Gruffalo in Weegie dialect for Andy’s eldest daughter Sophia.
It’s a pure belter of a book co written with Julia Donaldson.
The former Strictly star, whose own tome Knowing The Score, is about to be released on paperback, revealed that Elaine is an avid tennis player who plays regularly in Mount Vernon Club.
Judy donated generously to the event and also said she fancied bidding for TRNSMT and Scotfest music tickets in the auction but admitted they were on at the same time as the tennis season so couldn’t go.
WHAT EVERYONE IS GOING WILD FOR..
Jo Malone - the actual person not the product came to Glasgow’s Princes Square on Friday to meet with customers of her new fragrance line.
The perfume and candle legend has launched a new range called Jo Loves with Space NK and talked about how hard it was to take time out of the business when her company was bought over.
She also revealed she invented her new red dot logo herself after designers failed to come up with an appropriate graphic.
She’s back with a new line of fragrance that comes with its own paintbrush attached - so you can literally paint yourself with a smell. I loved her White Rose and Lemon Leaves Gel with brush attached. She put it on me. It’s not everyday the woman behind the scent is your personal make up artist.
JUNGLE DRUMS
US comedy and Deuce Bigalow star Rob Schneider played Oran Mor last week and was staying at the Hilton Grosvenor. Rather than walk right across the road to the venue he ended up being chauffeur driven from one door to another - less than fifty metres away!
ROAR
TWO Doors Down’s and Rab C’s Elaine C Smith revealed she might be responsible for Nicola Sturgeon’s recent outfit changes.
Appearing at the Action For Children Women of Influence lunch she let slip that she mocked Nicola’s penchant for trouser suits in front of the First Minister herself.
She said: “I was saying how a wee wifie said she liked her but wasn’t sure about her trouser suits. Nicola hasn’t worn her trouser suit since I did that gag when she was there.”
FEAST FOR THE BEAST
I popped along to the Sirens netball team game at the Emirates arena this week and enjoyed popcorn in the box.
It was my first time watching netball and I managed to make an appearance on Sky Sports after singer Sharon Martin who performs women in sport anthem Girl handed me a saltire to wave at the camera.
The popcorn was a sensible choice compared to the slightly odd dish brought by sporty MP For Livingston Hannah Bardell who hotfooted it to the game from the House of Commons bringing with her guacamole and cold sliced potato in a plastic tub. Apparently it’s a great energiser. Yummy?
THIS WEEK’S PRIDE
I met a whole load of little heroes this week alongside boxing champ Tyson Fury, Dreammaker charity man Les Hoey MBE and generous FSG promotions boss Francis Gilluley.
Amongst the group of inspirational wee ones were Ben Beikie, 8, from Lenzie who was diagnosed with leukaemia before he turned four and finished treatment a year ago and five year old Sonny Law, from Greenock who was diagnosed with leukaemia in November 2016 and is still undergoing treatment.
They loved meeting Tyson and couldn’t wait to get him to sign some gloves too.
It was great to see the gypsy king boxer getting in shape at the Radisson hotel - as last time he was here he was looking rough - after partying all night long.
This time Tyson, who was interviewed by snooker champ Willie Thorne, only had a pint of Guinness for St Paddy’s day. He insisted he’s gearing up for fighting again at the end of May, and is on a new health kick.
IN THE LYONS DEN
STRICTLY Winner Joe McFadden was up in Glasgow to take part in Sports Relief with Des Clarke. Joe told me he had fun as the two raced around in cars together despite Des being petrified. I caught him at the brilliant Beatson charity ladies lunch where he showed off some er, unusual dance moves with Kaye Adams and John Amabile. Joe revealed he’s keen to stay in shape although admitted he actually dropped dance partner Katya in rehearsals for the live shows. Fearful of a repeat performance, he made a vow there and then not to party too hard during the run.
ON THE PROWL
WHO better to run an auction at Woman Of Influence than Antique Road Trip’s Natasha Raskin? The animated paintings expert, who also has a show on BBC Radio Scotland every Thursday from 11pm until 1am, was rushing off to London to record a secret job for BBC’s The One Show. She told me can’t help herself buying tat and recently had a ball when she visited an old amusement arcade to price it up for sale. They were even selling vintage tissues!
Hello and welcome to the first of my jaunts into the jungle we call life.
I’m currently in the midst of a housemove and as I don my old clothes and fill up the black bags it all seems so far away from the weekend when I got all dolled up to attend some swanky events in Glasgow.
Mind you, I temporarily swapped heels for big black boots as I traipsed across a snow topped town to head to the brilliant Action For Children Women of Influence Lunch at the Grand Central Hotel on Sunday.
Andy Murray’s famous mum Judy gave me a warm welcome and was on great form as she watched Elaine C Smith tell jokes and sing at the high powered bash which raised over £60,000 on the day.
Judy who won the award last year, told me exclusively that Andy was ‘gagging’ to be back on court and had started hitting balls as he recovered from his injury. She said all a mother can want for her sons is for them to be fit and healthy.
She also talked about her recent ski holiday which gave her a bit of downtime in between all the chaos but admitted she’d unfortunately been ill for most of it with the dreaded lurgy.
Judy is always game for a laugh and she was chuffed to bits when comedian Elaine gave her a signed copy of the Glasgow Gruffalo in Weegie dialect for Andy’s eldest daughter Sophia.
It’s a pure belter of a book co written with Julia Donaldson.
The former Strictly star, whose own tome Knowing The Score, is about to be released on paperback, revealed that Elaine is an avid tennis player who plays regularly in Mount Vernon Club.
Judy donated generously to the event and also said she fancied bidding for TRNSMT and Scotfest music tickets in the auction but admitted they were on at the same time as the tennis season so couldn’t go.
WHAT EVERYONE IS GOING WILD FOR..
Jo Malone - the actual person not the product came to Glasgow’s Princes Square on Friday to meet with customers of her new fragrance line.
The perfume and candle legend has launched a new range called Jo Loves with Space NK and talked about how hard it was to take time out of the business when her company was bought over.
She also revealed she invented her new red dot logo herself after designers failed to come up with an appropriate graphic.
She’s back with a new line of fragrance that comes with its own paintbrush attached - so you can literally paint yourself with a smell. I loved her White Rose and Lemon Leaves Gel with brush attached. She put it on me. It’s not everyday the woman behind the scent is your personal make up artist.
JUNGLE DRUMS
US comedy and Deuce Bigalow star Rob Schneider played Oran Mor last week and was staying at the Hilton Grosvenor. Rather than walk right across the road to the venue he ended up being chauffeur driven from one door to another - less than fifty metres away!
ROAR
TWO Doors Down’s and Rab C’s Elaine C Smith revealed she might be responsible for Nicola Sturgeon’s recent outfit changes.
Appearing at the Action For Children Women of Influence lunch she let slip that she mocked Nicola’s penchant for trouser suits in front of the First Minister herself.
She said: “I was saying how a wee wifie said she liked her but wasn’t sure about her trouser suits. Nicola hasn’t worn her trouser suit since I did that gag when she was there.”
FEAST FOR THE BEAST
I popped along to the Sirens netball team game at the Emirates arena this week and enjoyed popcorn in the box.
It was my first time watching netball and I managed to make an appearance on Sky Sports after singer Sharon Martin who performs women in sport anthem Girl handed me a saltire to wave at the camera.
The popcorn was a sensible choice compared to the slightly odd dish brought by sporty MP For Livingston Hannah Bardell who hotfooted it to the game from the House of Commons bringing with her guacamole and cold sliced potato in a plastic tub. Apparently it’s a great energiser. Yummy?
THIS WEEK’S PRIDE
I met a whole load of little heroes this week alongside boxing champ Tyson Fury, Dreammaker charity man Les Hoey MBE and generous FSG promotions boss Francis Gilluley.
Amongst the group of inspirational wee ones were Ben Beikie, 8, from Lenzie who was diagnosed with leukaemia before he turned four and finished treatment a year ago and five year old Sonny Law, from Greenock who was diagnosed with leukaemia in November 2016 and is still undergoing treatment.
They loved meeting Tyson and couldn’t wait to get him to sign some gloves too.
It was great to see the gypsy king boxer getting in shape at the Radisson hotel - as last time he was here he was looking rough - after partying all night long.
This time Tyson, who was interviewed by snooker champ Willie Thorne, only had a pint of Guinness for St Paddy’s day. He insisted he’s gearing up for fighting again at the end of May, and is on a new health kick.
IN THE LYONS DEN
STRICTLY Winner Joe McFadden was up in Glasgow to take part in Sports Relief with Des Clarke. Joe told me he had fun as the two raced around in cars together despite Des being petrified. I caught him at the brilliant Beatson charity ladies lunch where he showed off some er, unusual dance moves with Kaye Adams and John Amabile. Joe revealed he’s keen to stay in shape although admitted he actually dropped dance partner Katya in rehearsals for the live shows. Fearful of a repeat performance, he made a vow there and then not to party too hard during the run.
ON THE PROWL
WHO better to run an auction at Woman Of Influence than Antique Road Trip’s Natasha Raskin? The animated paintings expert, who also has a show on BBC Radio Scotland every Thursday from 11pm until 1am, was rushing off to London to record a secret job for BBC’s The One Show. She told me can’t help herself buying tat and recently had a ball when she visited an old amusement arcade to price it up for sale. They were even selling vintage tissues!
