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That's one way to cheer up this never-ending-getting-colder-by-the-day winter! Head out to the Magners International comedy festival. It's back in Glasgow from March 11^th to Sunday, March 28^th with more than 350 shows to choose from.

The Festival is not just in the evenings! A Play and a Pint will be featuring comedy shows every day at 1pm.

If you're watching your budget, no worry. The Festival has partnered up with Culture and Sport Glasgow to bring three of the top comedians to Barmulloch Community Centre. At £3 each, the tickets are a steal! A great opportunity to go out for everyone.

For a chance to win tickets to see Tiernan Douieb and Wendy Wason absolutely free, take a look at the website. Wendy is witty and funny. Her quirky sense of humour will guarantee an evening of laughter and totally non politically correct jokes!

The Comedy Festival isn't just about comedy shows. There are plenty of movies to see at Cineworld Renfrew Street, Gilmorehillg12 and Grosvenor cinemas.

Glasgow will host the Scottish premiere screening of Kick-Ass and its celebrity stars McLovin, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Aaron Johnson and Kick-Ass creator, Glaswegian Mark Millar to Cineworld on Wednesday 24^th March.

The children won't feel left out, there are lots of opportunities for them to enjoy the Festival too. From Jongo the Clown, to the Red puppet workshop, a light and shadow puppet workshop and Mr Punch, there is something for children of all ages.

Visit http://www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com/ to find the programme, reviews, locations and videos...

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More ideas of things to do with the children in Glasgow over the next few months...

April

On April 7^th and 8^th, Peppa Pig is in Glasgow for the delight of babies and toddlers. Peppa is a playful little piggy who lives with her younger brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Through everyday adventures she plays games, makes new friends and enjoys her absolute favourite activity – jumping up and down in muddy puddles! A charming, original and imaginative show, full of brand new songs, muddy puddles, and oinks! This BAFTA award-winning children's TV show is recreated live on stage featuring beautifully true-to-life puppets

May

Snow White on Ice... A fantasy take on the traditional tale. The world famous Russian Ice Stars will take you on a magical journey to the heart of the best loved fairy tale of all time, Snow White, on ice. The original story of an enchanted mirror, a beautiful girl, the ultimate Prince Charming and a shiny red apple comes to life on ice, with ballet, gymnastics and aerial aerobatics to create a breathtaking and mesmerising experience. This spell-binding show promises to be lavish and spectacular, dazzling the whole family with its sheer beauty and elegance. (May 26^th to 30^th 2010 at the Theatre Royal)

June

A circus as the children (and the adults) will rarely have a chance to see is in Glasgow. Tickets will be selling out fast and it is an amazing experience of incredible acrobats not to be missed. Saltimbanco is a Cirque du Soleil signature show inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its colourful inhabitants. The evocative music ranges from the classical to the modern, from the tribal to the cosmopolitan. The show's eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope. (June 2^nd - 6^th 2010 at the SECC)

The Kelbrun Castle, dating back to the 13th century, is a know children paradise. It is open to the public in summer. The Kelburn Glen with its waterfalls and deep gorges is regarded as one of Scotland's most beautiful woodlands and leads to spectacular views over the islands of the Firth of Clyde. Choosing what to do might be difficult! With a pony trekking and riding school, an indoor playbarn, a pet's corner, an incredible adventure course, magical waterfalls, a wooden fort play area, there's enough to keep the family busy for several days in the summer. The Castle is open on June 28-29^th for a Family Art Weekend Environmental and Graffiti Project Art activities for all the Family.

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Monday 1st

Start the month on a high with Djembe Drumming at the Art of Living Club. Drumming is so much more than just making a noise... it can help concentration, focus, co-ordination, counting, confidence and listening skills. You may also find it relaxing, energising, meditative and most of all…….fun. And it's free so, why not come along and see for yourself?

Wednesday 3rd

Learn to quieten your mind with Transcendental Meditation. The benefits of meditation are well established. Meditation reduces blood pressure, stress and stress related disorders. It develops the brain, increasing creativity, intelligence and improving decision making as well as problem solving abilities. This introductory talk is free, Wednesday at 7.30pm

Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th

The popular Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts shows are back at the SECC. Discover all the latest ideas and innovations in the world of creativity and crafts! As more and more people turn away from the mass-produced and turn instead towards 'handmade and personalised' this is the place to find all the encouragement and supplies you need for your own creative craft projects. Save money by making cards and gifts yourself, and give a truly personalised present.

Friday 5th

It's the release date of Alice in Wonderland, the update on Lewis Carroll's classic adventure through the eyes of Tim Burton's. The Burton/Depp/Bonham Carter trio promises to take you to a world of amazing fantasy. Alice is now 19 years old and destined to be married to a rich suitor. When she runs off into the grounds of a Victorian estate at a party thrown in her honour, she once again stumbles down a rabbit hole into the magical world she first discovered as a young girl. But things have changed since Alice's last visit... View the trailer here

Saturday 6th

The legendary movie is back: The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Dr. Scott’s Extra Forks is at the Grosvenor Cinema in the West End. As always this is an opportunity that's not to be missed, sit back, relax and get ready to throw some rice and toast at your favourite extra fork! March 5th and 6th at 11.30pm

Photos credits: SoundJourney

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There is a new store in town that will no doubt be swiftly added to Glasgow's guidebooks: the new Hamley's in the redeveloped St Enoch's Centre. It’s the only other Hamley’s outside London. The new store is MUCH bigger than the old one at the top of House of Fraser across the road.

Inside is a child’s dream whether they are 7 or 70 years old. The store is bright and well laid out. There’s room to lose the kids, places for them to play and even dress up. There are lots of traditional toys including Hornby Railways, Airfix, Lego, board games, and dolls. Hundreds of them, a little girl's dream!

Hamley’s own brand range is lovely. There are plenty of nice simple toys. Particular favourites on the day of our visit were the House Puzzle and the Clever Cogs.

There are plenty of toys for the older child provided by Red5 and Game, plus a huge test area for radio controlled toys. Dads may have a hard time not buying Lego for themselves! The Lego Mindstorms Nxt 2.0 is amazing and will no doubt remind them of their childhood.

There are regular events to amuse the kids including extra shows at weekends and school holidays, including a very cute puppet show.

They even have a party room for birthday parties and will sort out all the details for the theme of your choice from the invitations to the cake and all the fun. Can’t think of many better venues than a toy shop for a party!

All in all a great way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day or take the kids for a birthday treat! Finally don’t forget to say hello to the lifesize giraffe and elephant on the first floor (accessible by lift and escalator).

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Following the posts on dancing in Glasgow for children and adults, here more inspirational opportunities, watching professional dancers.

At The Tramway on March 4^th is the British Première of San and Stance 11 by the Companie Catherine Dieverres. Catherine Diverrès’s career is marked by productions with striking visions and deliberate polemic. Melancholy, feelings of tragedy, approaching the void, abstraction, the choreography moves forward on precipitous paths. A deep interiority characterises her dance, which unfolds with the subtlety of rapid, vibrating gestures.

In a totally different style, we're heading to the streets of Rio de Janeiro. The hottest Brazilian dance company returns to the UK with a completely new production, Cruel, that involves love, lovers and family bonds that bind and unbind. The Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker is famed for mixing classical and contemporary dance. These 16 stunning dancers are one of Brazil’s most popular, with a reputation for excellence that stretches around the world. (June 22^nd 23^rd at the Theatre Royal)

Also at the Theatre Royal, the Richard Alston Dance Company is celebrating Richard Alston’s 40th anniversary as a choreographer – four decades of inspirational movement and musicality. The programme includes Alston’s latest hit, Blow Over and a revival of his iconic Movements From Petrushka. (May 18^th 2010).

If you're a Strictly Come Dancing Fan, then rejoice. The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall has three of SCD's professional dancers coming to Glasgow. Brendan Cole, the ‘bad boy of ballroom’, will be performing on June 7^th. Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova will be here on July 3^rd. The couple will be joined by four leading Latin American dancing duos for a voyage from the streets of Brazil to the bullrings of Spain by way of a vibrant mix of dance styles including the rumba, the cha-cha-cha and of course the tango.

Photo credits: Glasgow Concert Halls

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With so many quality and fresh produce on our doorstep, it's no surprise that Glasgow is a tempting place to eat out and ... to eat in:

The Hairy Bikers’ Big Night Out Join The Hairy Bikers for an evening of cooking, chatting and laughs. The stars of BBC2 shows have had a busy year with a one-hour Christmas Special, their Tour of Britain (with several stops in Scotland for some delicious produce and recipes) and now their Mum Knows Best series. Bikes and pans at the ready!

For its 100^th anniversary, the Bible of Scottish Cuisine has been given a revamp with this new edition of the Glasgow Cookery Book. "The Glasgow Cookery Book" started its life in 1910 as the textbook of The Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science - fondly dubbed the Do. (or Dough) School by Glasgow citizens - and was put together by the school's staff to document the recipes they taught in class. However, its reputation for dependable and economical recipes ensured that its influence spread far beyond the walls of the Glasgow college. Its practical and reliable cookery advice became famous worldwide. Not just a cookbook, a piece of Scottish history in your kitchen!

If you would rather attend classes or courses to learn to cook or a particular skill, then again Glasgow is the place to be!

The Cookery School Glasgow run a wide range of cookery classes, one-day or five days, evening, daytime or weekends... Most of our courses are aimed at adults, but the adult and child class is also very popular. The courses aren't limited to cooking but bread making, cocktail, and wine courses are also on offer.

The Glasgow Metropolitan College offers a wide range of cooking courses on Saturdays. From cake decoration to Indian and Asian cuisine, there is something for everyone. The “Can't Cook Will Learn To Cook” should be interesting! The introductory course for anyone wishing to learn how to cook, the basic steps to prepare easy and nutritious dishes. The course will cover a variety of preparation and cookery techniques as well as helpful tips.

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Our special feature is back again, things to do this week in Glasgow.

Monday

Let's start the week all relaxed with the Sound Journey, a Talk & Relaxation Session part of the Art of Living Club. The session is led by Sacred Sound therapist Fiona McLaren. Fiona works with crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, symphonic gong, Tibetan bell, tingsha, Native American flute, various drums, rainsticks, shakers, didgeridoo and so much more...

Sound Journey is an opportunity to not only hear about the amazing power of sound but to experience for yourself the impact of a relaxation session... all you need is a mat and a blanket. Even better, the Sound Journey session is free.

Tuesday

Break up the cold winter snap with a bit of Cuba right here in Glasgow. Pasión De Buena Vista is a music and dance experience that is taking Europe by storm. The show is filled with hot rhythms, delicate dances, and beautiful melodies which will take you on a tour through exciting Cuban nights.

Wednesday

Let's keep the relaxed feel of this week going with yoga at Yoga Healing Glasgow. Nestled between Partick and Dowanhill in the Westend of Glasgow, Yoga Healing Glasgow offers a wide range of yoga sessions, individual lessons or group practice. From beginners to experienced, from Dynamic Hatha to Ashtanga, Moon Yoga or Yoga for Pregnancy, there are many classes to choose from. On Wednesday the lunchtime yoga is open to all levels.

Friday

Get moving and dancing, it's Ceilidh time at Sloan's Bar & Restaurant on Argyle Street. "The Chitterybite" will have you burling round the dancefloor with all your favourite dances including the Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow and The Dashing White Sergeant!

Saturday

If your children are between 6 and 13 year old, the Family Day at the Tramway is not to be missed, and it's free! Explore documentary film, and see how images create stories. Think about how we take photographs to document our lives, to capture important events and places so we can look back and remember them. Memories can change over time and sometimes two different people might remember the same incident in two different ways. How do we know which one is the right one?

Sunday

The Fair Trade Experience is back at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The yearly event brings together Fair Trade and ethical business from across Scotland, Fair Trade producers from the developing world, with speakers, live world music, and free workshops and craft activities for children. The Fair Trade Experience will include over over 30 stalls selling Fair Trade products, including food and drinks, fashion, jewellery, crafts, music, toys, books, home wares and beauty care... Open from 11am to 6pm

Photo copyright Yoga Healing Glasgow

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It's not only children who enjoy dancing in Glasgow. Adults have plenty of opportunities to start dancing as well. Several dance schools offering children classes also have classes for adults.

Adults

Starting with the Scottish Ballet which has a comprehensive programme for adults from beginners, refresher classes, to Advanced Ballet. Some classes require ballet experience but others are open to all, as the Introduction to Ballet and Regenerate, a class designed for people over 50 with an interest in dance.

Dance House has a huge selection of dance classes for adults from ballet, to ballroom, salsa, African dancing, break dance or bollywood and jazz... Whether you just want to experiment something new, get fit, or bring your friends along, there is something for everyone.

The Dance Factory in Pollokshields offer wide programme in their two large studios: tap, ballet, hip hop, jazz and dance dynamics. There is a different class every evening so you can choose the one that suits you the best.

Whether you've always wanted to learn to dance or organising a special celebration, Dees Dancing invites you to come and learn to dance in a relaxed atmosphere from professional teachers, with or without a partner. Salsa, Latin American, and Ballroom Dancing are all on offer, which one will it be?

Dance with Attitude is a large Dance studio in the West End with a wide range of style and classes for both adults and children. You can join the classes at any point throughout the year, there's no need to book. Just come 20minutes early the first time to book. Keep an eye out for their workshops and special events, a good way to try the classes and decide if it's for you.

And if you just feel like watching other people dance, watch this space... Coming soon is another article with dancing shows.

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We've talked about singing in Glasgow, now let's turn our attention to dancing. Dancing is a great way to more active, become more aware of our bodies, our movements and our posture. Glasgow has a lot to offer for dance lovers. From beginners to more experienced dancers, from ballet to street dancing and jazz, there is something for everyone. Here are some ideas.

Remember if you run a dance school, you can create your listing in the marketplace and promote your events in the calendar.

Children

Every area in Glasgow has local dancing schools. Your local library, your children's school or nursery or the local community centres should be able to help you find them. Dance classes adapt to the children's age. Up to 5 year old, the emphasis is on movement, play and imagination. From 5 year old, children start to acquire some techniques but the emphasis is still on enjoyment. From age 10, dancing becomes more demanding and provides the child with a sense of achievement.

Located in the South of Glasgow, the Dance Factory has two large studio offering classes for children from pre-school age right through to professional level, from ballet, tap, modern theatre dance, highland and Irish. (142 Calder Street Glasgow G42 7QP)

The Scottish Youth Theatre offers classes from 2.5 year old to 25 year old with a wide range of style to choose from. From street dance to commercial jazz (The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, Glasgow, G1 1TF)

Dance House has a great programme for little ones from birth to age 9. Boogies babies sessions are packed with stories, movement, and songs. Mini-movers are designed to increase coordination, movement skills and imagination. Creative Dancing invites children from 5 to 9 to develop the basics elements of dance in a fun and interactive way.

Dance UK has several locations throughout Glasgow. Starting from 2 with Mini-movers, it has classes for everyone: ballet, tap and modern, hip hop, jazz, free style disco, acrobatics, rock n roll. They also offer a boy-only Street dance class.

It's not all about the children. There are lots of opportunities for the adults to get dancing as well... Stay tuned for our next blog post.

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Only a few more days before the start of the sixth Glasgow Film Festival. With hundreds of movies to choose from, you're bound to find something you like and rediscover the joy of going to the movies.

To help you make a choice, the festival is organised in fifteen strands: The Best of British, Cary Grant, New Japanese cinema, Fashion... There are also three 'Festivals within the Festivals': The Glasgow Shorts Film Festival, Glasgow Music and Film Festival and the Glasgow Youth Film Festival. The perfect opportunities to discover new talents and and re-discover the classics.

Here are our five picks, what will yours be?

Storm

This riveting courtroom drama sees Kerry Fox play a prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribune in the Hague. Her latest case involves prosecuting a general accused of atrocities in a small town near Sarajevo. When the case crumbles, Fox heads to Bosnia, uncovering allegations of a vicious violence. Her only hope of a successful prosecution is finding a witness willing to testify. Tuesday 23 Feb 20:45

La Danse - The Paris Opera Ballet

An intriguing idea: a movie about ballet. We will definitely grab the chance to see Frederick Wiseman, acclaimed documentary filmmaker, give the viewer an amazing access to one of the most celebrated dance companies. The documentary glides effortlessly from the sweat and discipline of the rehearsal studio to the tireless work of the marketing department. A generous benefactor can pay $25,000 for the privilege of sitting in on a rehearsal. Here, all you need is a cinema ticket. A must for dance lovers. Wednesday 24 Feb 13:15, Thursday 25 Feb 11:15

New York, I Love You

Following the success of Paris je t’aime, New York, I Love You invites eleven international filmmakers to offer their vision of the Big Apple and the stories of individuals seeking romance and relationships. We look forward to seeing Julie Christie as a melancholy retired opera singer, Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman as a bickering elderly couple, and Natalie Portman’s tender tale of a divorced couple and the children trapped by their bitterness. Wednesday 24 Feb, 15:45 Thursday 25 Feb, 18:15

I Am Love

Acclaimed as one of the best films of the year, I Am Love is set among a wealthy family in Milan, it presents a calm surface that masks a growing emotional turmoil. Tilda Swinton excels as the stylish matriarch only too eager to escape the comfortable prison she has built for herself. Wednesday 24 Feb 20:15 Thursday 25 Feb 18:00

I was a male war bride

The 'Cary Grant' stream of the festival is an opportunity to re-discover some of Cary Grant's classic movies. In 'I was a male war bride', Grant is a French army officer whose frosty relationship with American WAC Ann Sheridan soon melts into true love and a marriage that takes place on the very day she is ordered home. Now they have to face an army of bureaucrats who insist the only way Grant can leave Europe at such short notice is as a war bride. This promises to be hilarious! Friday 26 Feb, 11:30 Thursday 25 Feb, 13:15

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