Fringe 2012 - it's coming!

A selection of Edinburgh Fringe 2012 tickets on sale now

We can’t believe we’re collating this list in February, but here are the details to the tickets available for purchase now:

Frankie Boyle is appearing at the Edinburgh Playhouse 31st July – 2nd August – tickets here

As ever, the Faulty Towers dining experience have put their August tickets on sale early. There are both lunch performances and dinner performances.

Various performers have early bird tickets on the Edinburgh Fringe’s official website.

The wonderful Venue 150 has a tremendous line up of comedians for 2012 and have a great selection of tickets on sale now:

Jason Byrne, 1st – 12th August tickets here

Alan Davies, 9th – 14th August tickets here

Jimmy Carr, 16th-18th and 23rd – 25th August tickets here

Rhod Gilbert, 15th – 19th and 22nd – 26th August tickets here

Jimeoin, 2nd – 20th August tickets here

Daniel Sloss, 2nd – 20th August tickets here

Udderbelly

Craig Hill, 2nd – 27th August tickets here

Tiddler and other terrific tales, 2nd – 27th August tickets here

We will add more listings to this page as they come available, so bookmark it for reference and keep visiting!

Meanwhile if you need a ‘Fringe’ fix – have a look at all of our 2011 coverage.  Dates of all Edinburgh’s 2012 festivals can be found here.

Another meal at Edinburgh’s first supper club

We have been lucky enough to dine at Charlie and Evelyn’s Table before. You can only imagine our excitement when we were invited by friends to a ‘chef’s table’ experience last weekend.

Since Chris and Rachel Rowley last hosted a supper club night, they’ve not only moved to a new home, but also have a new addition to the family.

Almost two years on from their first supper for the public, the husband and wife team still ooze enthusiasm, creating different menus to share with food lovers across our culinary rich city. And, there’s no catch. All you’ll find at Charlie and Evelyn’s Table is the sort of service you’d be hard pressed to find in some Edinburgh restaurants, partnered with exquisite food and served on Chris’ grandparents, Charlie and Evelyn’s, table.

The couple cater, without fuss, for dietary requirements and strong food dislikes, to arrive at a fixed menu which suits all guests’ tastes. Our party was a prime example of this with allergies, dislikes and an intolerance to wheat to take into account.

Dunsyre blue cheese mousse on buttery oat biscuits

Arrival

Taking shelter from the fierce Edinburgh winds, eight of us were warmly welcomed into Chris and Rachel’s Comely Bank home, with a glass of champagne, and delicious canapes of spiced mushrooms and a delicious home-made buttery oat biscuit, topped with Dunsyre blue cheese mousse. This only whetted our appetite for what was still to come.

The food

Sitting at a table that could make many a mouth water, we continued our culinary experience with an amuse bouche of curried parsnip soup, garnished with an apple crisp, presented delicately in an espresso cup. It was hard to fathom how something presented so delicately could deliver such intensity of flavour.

As the starter arrived, the aroma of home-made soda bread filled the room. This accompanied a delicious winter salad of seasonal squash, served with rocket, Dunsyre blue and delicately flavoured with rosemary.

Just as we thought my meal couldn’t get any better, the star of the show arrived, venison wellington. As any food lover knows, wellingtons of any description are incredibly difficult to get right. With the threat of soggy pastry and meat that could either be over or underdone, it takes a most accomplished cook to attempt this dish. And in silence, we ate what could only be described as accomplished. Served with caramelised red cabbage and green beans, the whole dish could be summed up in one word  –  perfection!

Seasonal squash, served with rocket, Dunsyre blue and delicately flavoured with rosemary

Rounding off the savoury with something sweet is always the best way to end a meal. A dessert of baked chocolate pudding, hazelnuts and ice cream was served on stylish slate plates (which we later found out came from Chris’ parent’s roof). The combination of the warm chocolate pudding, and ice cream, with crunchy hazelnuts, left us speechless as we devoured our puddings. And it didn’t end there as we were presented with macaroons from local favourite Patisserie Madeleine, to accompany our after dinner coffee.

The cost

Considering the standard of the food served, the suggested donation of £25 per person is hard to digest. A meal of this calibre in certain Edinburgh eateries would cost a great deal more, and it’s highly unlikely you would receive the same level of service, and have your glass topped up all night long. Using only seasonal and local produce where possible (including Stockbridge legends Armstrongs and George Bowers), the best advice we could give you would be do everything you can to get a seat, at this truly wonderful table.

Contact

Email rachelandchrisrowley (at) gmail (dot) com to be placed on their mailing list and to be notified when there are new places available.  Chris and Rachel still work on trust with their diners, no tickets required to book, just a ‘donation’ on the night which is done at the end of the evening into an envelope with the coffees.

Dessert to die for

You can read their blog which also has entries on past dining events and delicious recipes.

The couple are also on twitter – @Charlie_Evelyn and  on Facebook for those that don’t tweet.

Catering

Chris and Rachel have supplied canapés for numerous events in recent months (both corporate and prviate) and even fully catered for a wedding in the summer.

If you have a special event that you would like them to cater for, drop them an email to discuss.

You can also read their most frequently asked questions.

If you are slightly nervous what to expect at an Edinburgh supper club, please read our previous post which covers arrival, seating and how it’s perfectly acceptable to dine on your own and make new friends.

Edinburgh secret supper clubs

There are several supper clubs in Edinburgh now – it certainly seems to be the new ‘eating out’ and we’re determined to get round them all. Dates vary, but spaces tend to go fast for all clubs, so don’t delay in reserving your spot at the table you want. Some hosts ask you to book tickets in advance (leaving a small ‘donation’ to pay on the night) and some require full payment.

Here are the links to the other supper clubs hosting in Edinburgh at the moment (and coming soon).

Kitchen Porters – email kitchenports@yahoo.co.uk to be placed on their mailing list and notified of new dates.

My Home Supper – you can also find the club on twitter and on facebook

Crescent Dining – also on twitter

Inside out chef –  also on twitter

Table for ten – also on twitter and on facebook

Chai Lounge – Edinburgh’s first Indian supper club. Also on twitter and on facebook

Avant Edinburgh – coming early 2012

Venison Wellington with caramelised red cabbage

Photos courtesy Chris and Rachel Rowley.

Today the 2012 Olympic Torch was on display in Castle Street.  Mark Cooper, an ultra-endurance runner from Edinburgh has been nominated to carry the torch prior to it arriving in London.

Edinburgh's Mark Cooper holds the 2012 flame

London 2012

For years, the Royal Museum on Chambers Street was the ‘forgotten bedfellow’ of the National Museum of Scotland. Now, after a three year refurbishment, it is ready to reopen its doors once more: with a treasure trove of objects and exhibits and a modern space which has been designed to give access to its rich and varied collection to everyone.

View our photo gallery and video tour of the National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland - a treasure of Edinburgh

Window on the World

The grand steps from Chambers Street leading to the entrance doors of course remain: but street-level access to either side of them now leads into the new Entrance Hall. Originally the basement, the space was used to store the huge number of objects not on permanent display.

Now, with its vaulted ceiling and new Caithness stone flooring, the Entrance Hall provides a new and welcoming introduction to the museum, with a shop, a brasserie and visitor facilities. Described by architect Gareth Hoskins as like ‘holding up a grade-A listed building with one hand’, the work done on the Entrance Hall is the first sign of the museum’s impressive and modern transformation.

Newly-installed glass lifts take visitors into the stunning Victorian architecture of the Grand Gallery. As they glide smoothly upwards, they pass the Window on the World, a four-storey installation of objects from the museum’s collection. An example of the innovative work by designer Ralph Applebaum, it is intended to evoke a sense of drama and wonder: a nod to the original Victorian intention of the museum as a ‘portal’ into cultural amusement and public education.

The World Cultures galleries

The lifts also ensure access to the upper galleries is easy and fully accessible. Prior to the refurbishment, only around 10% of visitors ever ventured above the ground floor. Now, we imagine most people will take the lifts straight to the top, to marvel at the architecture of the Victorian ‘birdcage’ design and to enjoy the new sense of light and space which the transformation has provided.

From the Grand Gallery, 16 new themed exhibition spaces can be reached. The National Museum of Scotland’s collection is broad, encompassing science, nature and culture: but the galleries are connected by a broad theme of showcasing the Scots as a nation of inventors, entrepreneurs and explorers; their objects telling stories of the nation’s ingenuity, sense of adventure and its thirst for knowledge.

The galleries therefore include Shaping Our World, an innovative look at how technology has affected our lives; and the World Cultures galleries, bringing together objects from all corners of the world in a fascinatingly curated collection.

Old friends in the Natural World galleries

If like us, you have fond memories of visiting the museum as a child, then the Natural World gallery will be a welcome surprise. A stunning new three-storey installation, it is filled with some old friends – and some destined to become new favourites. Sealife exhibits ‘swim’ overhead: above leaping tigers, fighting peacocks and powerful dinosaur skeletons. The overall impact is striking and modern, and this section of the museum is likely to be the first stop for children and families.

When the museum first opened in the 19th century, the papers proudly reported that there was ‘no sign of wantonness’. Nor, we are happy to report, is there any on display today – only a stunning and impressive modern museum for the 21st century which is all set to become one of Edinburgh’s top attractions for visitors and residents alike.

The National Museum of Scotland opens to the public at 10:00 on 29 July. The grand reopening will be preceded by celebrations on Chambers Street outside at 09:15 – more information is available here.

Video of the Grand Gallery and Natural World gallery

The talented Emily Dodd

Edinburgh’s Emily Dodd publishes her first e-book

Banana me beautiful is a book with a difference. It’s a journey of poetry, art and photography by a child, teenager and adult – Emily Dodd.

Award winning author Emily currently lives and works in Edinburgh where tells stories, delivers Environmental Education, makes podcasts and films and writes for BBC Scotland (CBeebies). As an artist, scientist and writer, she has a unique perspective on the world that gives the book its magic.

Emily is also a keen community volunteer in Edinburgh. She volunteers as a multimedia journalist for award winning hyper-local website Greener Leith and as an Edinbuzz Social Media surgeon. Emily also received an Inspiring Volunteer Award earlier this year and is constantly helping out others in the community.

Banana me beautiful

The book takes the reader through three stages in Emily’s life:

• Innocent: Age 9 – 11
• Lost and Found: Age 15 – 17
• Alive: Age 25 – 28

It brings together a collection of poems and artwork from these three stages of her life: in Emily’s own words, “from banana slug to beautiful bug“.

Emily’s official book launch of Banana me Beautiful is on Monday 11th July on the Leith Agency Boat, Mary de Guise Barge, at The Shore and all 80 tickets were snapped up immediately by Edinburgh’s literati.

Emily won’t be able to sign Banana me Beautiful since it’s an e-book, but she will autograph limited edition postcards for the lucky attendees.

We spoke to Emily ahead of Monday’s event and she told us, “I’m feeling nervous about performing in front of 80 adults (give me a hall full of children and I’m fine, but adults….).”

“I’m also really excited and I’m looking forward to sharing the evening with so many wonderful people.”

Emily’s e-book is available for purchase now and we think it’s an excellent way to spend £5 and support this multi-talented Edinburgh author.

You can find Emily on twitter and read her blog and join in the Banana me beautiful fun on her facebook page.

Good luck for the launch Emily!

Artwork from the book

Emily also asked us to thank the following people:

All the friends who are baking banana cakes, the authors who are reading my poems – Young Dawkins, Sara Sheridan and Juliet Wilson, Vegware for providing compostable cups, The Leith Agency for lending me their boat for the evening, Edd McCracken for hosting the Q and A, Alison MacKintosh for opening the evening, Jo Skinner for helping me to design the postcards, my Mum and Dad for providing wine. Drew Murphy for acoustic music on the night, Hamish Hibbert the photographer. And all the folks who’ve helped to promote the event / book online including Edinburgh City of Literature, Scottish Book Trust, Edinburgh Reporter, STV Local and Evening News. Also to Lindon at Mosko Hairdressing.

This time he stood at the top!

Edinburgh’s Stephen Green  summits Everest

We featured local lad Stephen Green last year when he was attempting to be one of the youngest Britons to ever summit Mount Everest. 

Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond his control, he had to turn back a short distance from the top.  Speaking with Stephen when he returned to Edinburgh it was obvious he was very disappointed, but glad to have returned from his trip safe and well. 

Stephen has to be one of the most genuinely nice people who we’ve ever had the fortune to interview and is also extremely modest.  After some probing on why the last attempt failed, it became apparent that it was a mix up in the oxygen tanks, leaving him with two empty ones when he needed them.  It was this mistake by someone else that prevented him from summiting, but there were no hard feelings from Stephen, he said told us,  “it was just one of those things”.   

View from his tent at high altitude

Tired and despondent he descended the mountain with his team mate Brendon but soon came across a collapsed Bangladeshi climber. The climber’s Sherpa was not able to help him on his own and this is where Stephen and Brendon noticed his oxygen tank was turned down low and had a hole in the pipe.  Stephen gave him the rest of his own water to drink and power gels which gave him enough energy to return to his feet and be escorted down the mountain to safety. 

26th May 2011

The 26th May 2011 is going to feature higly in Stephen’s memory as it was the day he stood on top of the world!  There is some information on Adventure Peaks website but to say that he’s a determined young man in an understatement as his personal facebook status the other week said that he was in a Nepalese hospital suffering from altitude sickness. 

He is recovering from his climb and promised to be back ‘online’ soon for an update.  We’re glad he’s better at climbing mountains than he is keeping his social media sites updated!  We hear a rumour that he managed to drive a golf ball off the summit – the highest golf shot ever?

Raising funds for charity

Having travelled throughout Nepal and the Himalayas, I have wondered in amazement how someone could conquer anyof the peaks in conditions of below freezing temperatures and extreme windchill.   There are dangerous ice crevasses to navigate as well as coping with high altitude and the sickness that it can strike even the fittest person.  The summit of Mount Everest is the highest place on earth at 8848m and made me dizzy looking at it from a plane.  In Nepal, the epic mountain is known as Chomolungma, which means: mother goddess of the universe and has to be treated with respect.

On Everest, 2010

 

 

Further information

 

More information on his website, which also has his 2010 entries in the archives.  You can make a donation here and follow Stephen on twitter and like his facebook page.

 

Congratulations Stephen, we think you’re amazing!

Race ducks

2011 Stockbridge Duck race date announced

The date for this year’s fabulous Stockbridge Duck Race has been announced and it will be taking place on Sunday 3rd July.

Ducks will be launched over the bridge around 3pm.

There is an event page to be kept up to date with the latest duck racing news.

The Stockbridge Duck Race is an annual event held to help raise money for local charities. The chosen charities for  2011 are Lifecare and St Columba’s Hospice.

All ducks are numbered and released into the Water of Leith from the the main bridge, then caught by our resident duck wardens further down stream.  The first lucky ducks to cross the line are noted and the owners are awarded a prize generously donated by many businesses.

The ducks are now on sale for £1.50 where you see the yellow poster including:
The Antiquary 72-78 St. Stephen Street EH3 5AQ
The Bailie Bar 2-4 St. Stephen Street EH3 5AL
Elements, 6 Hamilton Place EH3 5AU
Hectors 47-49 Deanhaugh Street EH4 1LR
The Stockbridge Tap 2 Raeburn Place EH4 1HN
St Bernard’s Bar 10 Raeburn Place EH4 1HN

Spread the word about the Edinburgh race of the year and contact the organisers via their facebook page if you can donate some prizes.

A great fun day out for all the family with the added benefit of raising money for charity.  Edinburgh Spotlight will be buying their duck and feeding it up prior to the race!

2011

Our passes and free guidebook

Edinburgh Spotlight tests out the Edinburgh Pass

The Edinburgh Pass is the top tourist attraction pass for those visiting Edinburgh. We thought we would use our local knowledge and give a shot at cramming in as much as possible to get value for money.        

You can buy the pass online, at one of the various Visit Scotland Tourist Information Centres  and at the Edinburgh Dungeons in Market Street.        

Adult prices: 1 day pass £29, 2 day pass £39 & 3 day pass £49        

Child prices: 1 day pass £18, 2 day pass £24 & 3 day pass £30.        

Our review covers the use of 2 adults passes over 3 consecutive days (£49 each).         

There’s a section of FAQ’s on the Edinburgh Pass website, but the main ones we thought about were:        

Does the Edinburgh Pass cover Edinburgh Castle?  No.        

When does the card activate?  As soon as your visit your first attraction.        

Do I have to use the 2 and 3 day passes on consecutive days?  Yes.        

Does the Edinburgh Pass include travel on Lothian Buses?  No, you will need to pay for your fares separately, but most of the attractions visited can be done on foot.        

At the bottom of the Royal Mile

Bearing all of these in mind, we used the free information book and got planning!  Taking into account logistics and opening hours, we came up with 3 full-on days of activities. Each of the days are broken down with what we did and the total cost (if you were visiting without the Edinburgh Pass) which clearly demonstrates how much you can save.  We didn’t use the free airport bus ticket since we already live here, but that’s worth £6 and can be used on any day before or after the pass is valid.  We made substantial savings, making the Edinburgh Pass suitable for residents as well.        

Highlighted attractions are linked to individual reviews of the property or their own website.        

Day 1

Taking advantage of the 9am opening at Edinburgh Zoo (£15.50) we spent 2-3 hours exploring this animal attraction.  The highlights were the chimpanzees in the Budongo Trail and the sunbears.  We made use of the free hill-top safari to save our legs and left just before noon having seen the majority of what we wanted to.      

Zebra

Using the bus stop directly outside the zoo, we heading into town and the North Bridge.  Taking a left down the Royal Mile,  we were at the Queen’s Gallery (£6)  by 12.25pm where we enjoyed 40 minutes (including the free audio tour) of photos of the Queen from birth.      

Our next stop was the Surgeon’s Hall Museum (£5)  which is a fascinating series of exhibitions themed around surgery and anatomy in a building that is home to the Royal College of Surgeons. There are exhibits from years gone by, right up to information on modern-day sports surgery and a chance to try out keyhole surgery for yourself (simulated).   

We had to leave there by 3.30pm to get to the Mercat Cross in the High Street to start our 4pm tour with Mercat Tours – the secrets of the Royal Mile. (£10)   This was an interesting tour that informed us of the secrets that lurk in the history of Edinburgh’s most famous street.     

As this tour finished in Blair Street at 5.15pm, we walked the short distance to the timber-panelled  John Knox House (£4.25). Since it closed at 6pm, we quickly walked through this house (circa 1490).  It’s doubtful that John Knox ever lived here, but instead, preached from the window.  Although it was a quick visit, it was definitely worth taking the short tour for a glimpse of this old house.       

Our next stop was outside the Witchery on the Royal Mile to start our Murder and Witchery Tour (£7.50) at 7.30pm (pre-booking essential). Adam Lyal (deceased) told us stories from Edinburgh’s history with the help of a few characters from its past.  The tour is not frighteningly scary, but there’s a few ‘jump out’ moments, but all done in good fun.  This is an excellent tour and one you should make sure you fit in during your visit to Edinburgh.       

Total cost without Edinburgh Pass for the day – £48.25.  Saving of £18.25 per adult on standard 1 day pass (+£6 for airlink bus).        

Day 2

We visited Calton Hill first thing in the morning and soaked up the magnificent views that can be had from here,  before the Nelson Monument (£3) opened at 10am. This monument was erected in 1807 and stands 30 metres high.  There are 143 steps to reach the top of the public access and a further 27 that are private.  The viewing platform is small, but offers unrivaled views of Edinburgh.        

Gladstone's Land

Plan your itinerary and you can save substantial amounts of money

We took lots of photos before walking towards Charlotte Square (approx 25-30 mins at slow pace) and arrived at the Georgian House (£5.50). This property was formerly owned by the family of the Marquess of Bute before it was refurbished by the National Trust. It’s a delightful way to spend an hour and gives visitors a glimpse of life in the New Town in the 18th century.        

We headed towards Kingstables Road and the shadows of Edinburgh Castle,  through the Grassmarket and up picturesque Victoria Street to Gladstone’s Land (£5.50) at the top of the Royal Mile. This six-storey was home to a prosperous 17th century merchant.  The painted ceilings are incredible and the reconstructed shop booth is excellent with its 17th century replica goods.       

View down the Royal Mile from Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura is a must-see

Our next stop was one of our favourite attractions in Edinburgh - Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions (£9.95) which has a 150 year old observatory with a roving mirror that projects a 360 degree panorama of the city. The rest of the displays and interactive exhibitions drop you into a world of illusion and warped images. The views of Edinburgh Castle and down the Royal Mile are impressive, but we loved the shrinking room and mirror-maze the best.  Certainly a great way to spend the rest of the afternoon until it closed at 6pm.       

At 7pm, we started the  Ghost and Gore Tour (£7.50) outside the nearby Witchery.  Pre-booking  is essential.  We learnt about Alexander Clapperton, Jimmy Tamson and other characters from Edinburgh’s history and was an excellent (and not scary) way to the end the day.       

Total cost without the Edinburgh Pass for the day – £31.45. Savings so far on a two day pass (£39) per adult  is £41.45 (+£6 for airlink bus)        

Day 3

A more leisurely day was planned for our third day that involved our car.  If you’re a tourist, you could still do this day tour with a hire-car, picking it up early and dropping it off in the evening (or leaving town the next day).        

We chose to do it in the following order for a reason.        

Starting off at Hopetoun House at 10.30am (£9.20) we explored the impressive family home of the earls and marquesses of Linlithgow.  Most of the original 18th-century furniture and wall coverings can still be seen.  The grounds of Hopetoun House are also very impressive and we managed a brief walk around the parkland before heading down the east coast at 12.30pm.  The car journey took us approximately 1 hour to reach the National Museum of Flight (£9.50). We explored the hangars and parachute store and were amazed by the concorde experience which allows you to step inside a real plane.  The new interactive exhibits are excellent and we spent time learning how things fly and making the most of this hands-on museum.     

A short 15 minute journey saw us arrive into North Berwick at 4.15pm and into the Scottish Seabird Centre (£7.95).   We loved the live cameras that allowed us to snoop on birds nesting on Bass Rock and neighbouring islands.  The puffins were extremely cute and we made good use of the information boards to learn about the animals.  There is also an outdoor telescope deck that allows you to look at the islands more closely.     

Choosing to do these 3 activities in this order made perfect sense as we wandered round the streets of North Berwick and had a well-deserved ice cream.  The beach also makes a pleasant stroll and for anyone with any energy left after 3 full days of sight-seeing, you could make the effort to walk up Berwick Law.     

Total cost for the day without the Edinburgh Pass – £26.65        

Value

Total spendings with the 3 day Edinburgh Pass – £106.10        

Cost of 3 day Edinburgh Pass -£49.00  per adult      

Total savings – £57.15  per adult (+£6 airlink bus)        

Of course, there’s different combinations you can do, but that’s the itineraries that we came up to get exceedingly good value from the passes.        

View from Nelson Monument

Other attractions included

Dynamic Earth normally costs £10.50 and the Edinburgh Dungeons £15.84  (the Edinburgh Pass also giving you priority entry).  One tour that we highly recommend is one of the Greenyonder Tours run by Edinburgh woman, Jean Bareham. You can see the full list of attractions also included in the pass on the website.        

With a little bit of planning, tourists and Edinburgh residents can get good value out of the Edinburgh Pass.        

Further information

You also receive a voucher for £2 off any Edinburgh Bus Tour and 20% off Scottish Citylink buses. These don’t have to be used within the same time period as the pass.        

There are also good food discounts available with the Edinburgh Pass, all of which are listed here.        

All offers associated with the Edinburgh Pass can be found here.      

Hopetoun House

Gladstone's Land

We took a stroll in the lovely weather this afternoon to the top of Arthur’s Seat.  It’s a walk we do often, but today we noticed that there was a collection of stone circles on the ground below us. 

Perhaps they started by one person creating their name in stones for a photo and they’ve organically grown – or perhaps it was done overnight by several mysterious stone-designers?

Whatever the reason, it’s a lot of fun and makes walking to the very top an even more worthwhile experience.

A cow design

An overview of all the stones

A detailed bagpiper and India

A smiling face

A boat design

Love sign

Ground level view of piper, complete with stone kilt!

Ground level view of cow

Antipodean flag

Adam in training with windswept hair

“In The Blink of an Eye”

Adam Bojelian is an amazing young Edinburgh lad.  Not only is he a gold Blue Peter badge winner, he is an amazing poet who also plans to raise money by riding his tricycle for Contact a Family.  

The eleven year old first came to our attention after Emily Dodd from Greener Leith had blogged about him on their website.  

Adam is unable to speak or write with a pen. He blinks to spell words creates wonderful poems.  

He’s received messages of congratulations for his work from Alex Salmond, David Cameron and even the Queen!   

We love seeing his updates through his social media channels and how he’s excited about moving into a main stream school for the first time.  

At the time of writing, Adam has 46 days until his bike ride on 28th May 2011.  As you can imagine, the ride will take quite a bit of effort on Adam’s behalf, so it would be great if the people of Edinburgh could spare a wee bit of cash for this inspirational boy.  You can sponsor Adam’s tricycle ride by making a donation here.  

You can find Adam’s page on facebook and follow him on twitter.   

We particularly like his Charlie poem which is from a couple of years ago, but still of an amazing standard considering he was only 9 at the time.  

My name is Adam and I am nine,  

And I own the smartest, funniest dog in town,  

His name is Charlie and he is a clown.  

He is small and white with a waggy tail,  

Two sticky up ears and an eye patch of brown.  

Round and round my room he’ll race,  

Wagging his tail and licking my face,  

Shaking wet fur all over the place.  

“Oh Charlie” mum cries  

“Your muddy paws all over the floor.”  

And Charlie darts straight out of the door,  

Only to return when the coast is clear.  

Beside me he lies whether I’m poorly or well,  

He is as wise as can be and I’m sure he can tell,  

Nudging and pawing to snuggle away,  

Close up beside me, he’ll stay there all day. 

Adam the poet

As much as we’d like to fly our own plane or helicopter over the city to bring you pictures from above, we’ll have to settle on a Ryanair flight into Edinburgh this evening.  We do pride ourselves on covering Edinburgh from every angle.

If you’re a tourist reading this and you get a choice on where to sit on a plane as you fly into Edinburgh, always choose the left hand side of the plane.  Occasionally the plane may land from the west (weather related) but normally you will approach Edinburgh airport from the east and fly out over the Forth and get a bird’s eye view of the Edinburgh coast line.

Ocean Terminal in the foreground with Arthur's Seat in the background

Granton harbour is the main view here, with Broughton FP's Rugby Club grounds clear on the middle left. The group of trees above there is the Botanical Gardens and the splodge above that is Edinburgh Castle.

Granton waterfront and the former gas works site

The Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society course in Barnton

Cargifield School and grounds, Barnton

River Almond

Edinburgh's finest

A family affair at The Breadwinner Bakery School

We were delighted to visit the excellent Breadwinner Bakery yesterday afternoon and meet the McVey family, who have run the business for years.  They supply bread and baked goods to business all accross Edinburgh and were Edinburgh’s first ‘open plan’ bakery.  

Sean McVey, The Breadwinner’s most senior Master Craftsman Baker, with a whopping 50 years of baking experience behind him leads the one-to-one masterclasses at the Bruntsfield premises but there’s a whole team of talented bakers behind the Breadwinner name.  

Since we have experience in eating cake and not making it, we took along local celebrity baker Lea Harris (the only Scottish contestant on the Great British Bake Off) and watched her and Sean produce some amazing breads and a chocolate fruit strudel.   

Making bread by hand

There’s no doubting the skills that Sean has in the kitchen – it’s like a professional performance watching him knead the bread to perfection. “I love what I do”, he tells us. “It’s not about making money in these classes, it’s about passing the skills I have to people in Edinburgh so the art of bread-making by hand is not lost”.  We can see the kitchen is full of hi-tech machines and a Rolls Royce oven that allow Breadwinner to supply hundreds of loaves on a daily basis, but in these classes, it’s all about using your hands.  

Lea picks up new tips right away as Sean’s son Kris pops in to say hello.  It’s very much a family business now, but Kris is sticking to the business side.  “I don’t want to bake, but love being involved with all our customers”  says the former bank worker.  “I feel like I’ve got the best job in the world as it just doesn’t feel like work“.  Lesley McVey (Sean’s wife and Kris’ mother) also pops in to say hello and the atmosphere transforms to one akin to a family kitchen with lots of chat and banter.  Other Breadwinner bakers pop in and are treated like family and are all in a hurry to declare their love for the job to us.  We would love working here too!

Making Strudel

“I don’t want the old skills to disappear”

The conversation continues to flow as Sean demonstrates to Lea how to make sourdough with Polish sausage and caramelised onion.  We feel confident we’ve learnt several baking skills in a couple of hours that we could attempt a loaf ourselves.  

We’re personally salivating at the mouth as the cheese, chilli and walnut sourdough bread is baking in the oven and trying not to laugh as Lea proclaims her strudel dough “looks like a string vest”.    

Sean makes it look easy, but within minutes, Lea’s pastry is also “thin enough to read a newspaper through”.  The juicy fruit mixture of apples and cranberries is placed on one end of the pastry and the strudel is rolled thanks to the ancient form of ‘apron rolling’. Sean says: ”some of the old ways are still the best and I don’t want these skills to disappear”.   

It’s not a cooking class with lots of pupils, this is one-t0-one teaching from a Master Baker who will tailor the class to your needs.  £90 for a few hours and whole lot of baked goods to take home is a bargain.  Book us in!  

The Breadwinner Bakery supplies wholesale goods only.  You can also find them on facebook and on twitter.  We have reviewed several of Breadwinner’s clients in our food and drink section.

Chocolate fruit strudel

Polish sausage and caramelised onion sourdough bread

Described by director Jonathan Mills as “a celebration of ideas from Asia and ideas from Europe connecting with each other”, 2011′s Edinburgh International Festival programme contains a wealth of cultural highlights and artists from across the world.

Drawing inspiration from the Far East, this year’s EIF features the European premiere of the Chinese National Ballet’s The Peony Pavillion, contemporary dance from Korean Eun-Me Ahn Company’s Princess Bari, and Chinese and Korean interpretations of Shakespeare’s King Lear and The Tempest.

Music performances from sitar-player Ravi Shankar, The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe continue the Eastern theme; as do further performances from artists from India, Vietnam, Japan and the Middle East.

Sir Sandy Crombie, Jonathan Mills and Steve Cardownie present highlights from 2011's Edinburgh International Festival

Joined on stage by Chairman of Creative Scotland Sir Sandy Crombie and Councillor Steve Cardownie, Mills was also keen to point out the “tremendous representation of Scottish artists”, highlighting the inclusion in the year’s Festival of the Scottish Ballet, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Artists from across the globe also feature, including St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Opera, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and a Festival debut from legendary composer Philip Glass – all contributing to a truly international programme.

Mills also fielded questions from the media

Running from 12 August – 4 September, Mills hopes audiences will join the EIF on the cultural “bridge” they are trying to build between East and West; in what looks to be a Festival filled with colour, spectacle and world-class talent.

Tickets for all performances are available on Saturday 2 April. Priority booking for Friends of the EIF opens today. Further information – including the downloadable programme – is available on the EIF website.

We often search the internet and our twitter stream for new sites on the web relating to Edinburgh and was delighted to discover The Edinburgh Sketcher.  Intrigued to find out more about the person behind the wonderful daily sketches, we asked him a few questions.   

Edinburgh Castle

We were delighted to discover your website, can you tell us a little more about yourself?   

My name is Mark Kirkham, I have been living in this beautiful city of Edinburgh for the last 15 years and Edinburgh is now definitely home.   

I grew up in Lancashire, within a very creative household, my father a keen painter and my mother a talented photographer and professional florist. One of five children I have brother and sister who still paint and create works of art.  Throughout my school years art was my favourite class, which I took into further education with the more computer based graphic and magazine design. I currently work full time at the Scotsman Newspaper as the Saturday magazine designer.
    

What inspired you to first sketch?   

Growing up in such a creative family I had little choice! To be honest I can’t remember not drawing and have always enjoyed using different mediums, from paint to collage, to charcoal of scraper board, there are plenty of ways to create a picture.   

In recent years painting had become more of a hobby, time limiting me to the occasional holiday scene of commission of a family pet.    

Alfie

Often I would take my oils/watercolours and canvas on holiday together with great intentions of creating some beautiful landscapes, only to return home time having flown by and with only photographs to remind us our holiday.   

I wanted to be able to sketch a scene almost as quickly as I took a photo, which is where the idea of a ‘daily sketch’ came about. Forcing myself to make a quick illustration of a scene in 15 or 20 minutes. I am still trying to master this and I almost always want to spend longer on it, but on my lunch break I do not have a great deal of choice, I have to get back to work!   

Also there are a lot of written blogs, and also photo blogs on the web but the idea of a sketch site excited me, and living in the most beautiful city in the world I knew people would be interested in my vistas, plus I am no wordsmith!
    

Are your sketches all of Edinburgh?   

No, not at all. Although I am EdinburghSketcher the sketch blog was always intended to be ‘one life living in Edinburgh’, I think this is more interesting than just a series of images of scenes of the city, that would be more a gallery. A recent trip to the Isle of Arran features in my sketches as do any days away we take from the city. I also like to mix in the everyday items that don’t get noticed, that are sometimes taken for granted. It can be anything that catches my eye that day, from a mug of coffee in a cafe to a creme egg waiting to be devoured.   

Creme Egg

What is your favourite view/place in Edinburgh to sketch?    

How can I pick a favourite view, we are so spoilt in Edinburgh, and the whole of Scotland for that matter. Plus there are so many yet to discover, if pushed though Arthur’s Seat imediately springs to mind. The impressive crags that rise high into the sky, and the breathtaking 360 degree views from the top. Looking across the city to the Castle and Carlton Hill is sure to be hard to beat.   

I also love the view from Silverknowes across the Firth of Forth, with the road and Forth bridges in the distance and beyond them the Kingdom of Fife. But I think many of my favourite views lie within the Old Town, the many alleyways, closes and hidden passageways which show a glimpse of a narrow skyline in the distance. These are the places which surprise me, stop me in my tracks and make me reach for my pad and pen.   

I like to include a little history of such places along with my sketch, hopefully telling a viewer something they did not know, and perhaps causing them to take a second look at the buildings and sculptures they pass everyday.   

Wee Kiss

Your sketches would make an excellent and original present, do you do commissions? 

I am a keen photographer also and if a client hasn’t got an image already I can include a photo shoot with their commission.   

       Available for commissions

What advice would you give to would-be sketchers out there?   

My top three pieces of advice to budding sketchers would be:   

1. Get Sketching
I was thinking about a sketch blog for about a year before EdinbughSketcher was born, you can plan and plan but in the end you just need to get out there and do it!   

2. Don’t be shy
You can feel very self war pulling out a pen and pad in a busy street, especially on the Royal mile during the festival. Don’t let that put you of, once I begin I get into  the zone ad usually forget people are passing by, even when they come up and have a look!   

Coffee

3. Be Prepared
I always carry a pad, pencil, pen, eraser and sharpener, the bare essentials. But sometimes being creative can add some detail to the illustration, I have sketched on napkins and receipts before, like this one from a popular coffee shop.   

Where can we see your daily sketch and previous work ?   

You can follow my Daily Sketch on twitter  @edinsketcher, flickr and facebook, don’t forget to ‘like’ my facebook page to receive the Daily Sketch on your news wall.   

Also visit my website Edinburgh Sketcher to see all my charactor commissions along with the Daily Sketch. Coming soon to edinburghsketcher.com will be items for sale incorporating my sketches of life in Edinburgh. I am thinking of mugs, t-shirts and canvas bags, but if readers have any other suggestions of items I can use my sketches on then please get in touch at contact@edinburghsketcher.com or @edinsketcher.   

Arthur's Seat

Website http://edinburghsketcher.com/
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/edinburghsketcher
Twitterpage  http://twitter.com/edinsketcher
Flickr page  http://www.flickr.com/photos/edinburghsketcher
Email  contact@edinburghsketcher.com

Mark Greenaway opens in Edinburgh and is a man to watch.

Talented Scottish chef,  Mark Greenaway will officially launch his first signature restaurant inside 12 Picardy Place later this week.  Mark’s restaurant will reflect his enthusiasm for modern Scottish dining, combined with the fusion and excitement of his training in Sydney and across the UK.  We were lucky enough to try out this welcome addition to Edinburgh’s culinary scene last week and are pleased to report that the food was nothing short of excellent.  It was also a pleasure to meet Mark after our lunch where his enthusiasm for living and working in Edinburgh was apparent.

The Food - by Lea Harris

Taking shelter from the fierce Edinburgh winds, we were warmly welcomed into the restaurant and were allowed ample time to peruse the exceptional menu.

Amuse bouche

We started our meal with an amuse bouche of such intensity both in colour and in flavour, we knew we were in for something special. It was a simple carrot and coriander spume (a soup blitzed to a mousse-like fluff) garnished with a shard of beetroot and seeds that added a crunch.

Next came three plump langoustine holding each other up next to avocado and its hourglass dried apple crisp balancing on top; this in turn was next to a tomato sorbet on a semi-dried tomato. This was no ordinary prawn cocktail!  The other side of the table had an equally delicious looking starter – shredded duck leg confit on a hot orange jelly sitting on wafers of beetroot. The jelly, root vegetable and raspberry sauce cutting through the richness of the well-flavoured meat. With nods of approval and lots of mmmms, we couldn’t wait for our mains.

“This was no ordinary prawn cocktail”

Sometimes when looking at a menus,  it’s difficult to decide what to pick and this one was no exception.  Would it be halibut, John Dory or 11 hour slow roasted belly pork?  We plumped for the Borders beef (always a good bench mark as to how the kitchen treats its meat) and the Dornoch lamb.

Dornoch lamb

The plates arrived and we were pleasantly surprised by the dishes, no stinting here and we would not go home hungry. Four lamb cutlets cooked perfectly pink and two thick slices of medium rare beef and a twee meat pie. We were quiet as we ate, savouring each mouthful. There is no faulting the quality here or the deft handling from Chef Mark Greenaway. Our mains were utterly gorgeous.

“Four lamb cutlets cooked perfectly pink”

It may strike horror in others, but rhubarb and custard is such a comfort food for me I could almost do a jig. Here it came in a jam jar – pink layers of the tart fruit, custard and rice pudding with rhubarb ice cream nestling in the lid. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

I wasn’t even envious of the chocolate fondant that oozed onto the plate as it is prized open on the other side of the table. I wasn’t even tempted by the dark chocolate shell hiding Tonka bean ice cream. No, I was happy tucking into memories from my childhood.

The dining experience was concluded with coffee and delicious petits fours.

Chocolate and Tonka

Conclusion

Those whose palate is jaded, have your taste buds reawakened by the food of Mark Greenaway. His execution of the dishes is stunning; the combinations are amazing and his sourcing policy of using local and seasonal as possible has to be commended. And I, for one, can’t wait to go back and eat the rest of his menu. Even the Market Menu at £19.95 for three courses is excellent value and changes every Monday.

This is a man to watch.

March update – Lea Harris has since returned to the restaurant and has blogged about her second meal here.  Mark accommodates coeliacs where possible.

Prices

À la carte prices are reasonable :  Starters £7-£11, mains £16-£18, sides £3, desserts £6.50, cheese £7.

An eight course tasting menu where you leave your dining experience in Mark’s hand is £65.60 ( £90.50 with paired wines by the sommelier).

A three course market menu is available for £19.95 at lunchtime and 5.30 – 7pm (pre-theatre)

Sample menus are available to download.

Nine wines by the glass and bottles from £18.

Information

Mark Greenaway at 12 Picardy Place opening hours:

Lunch: 12.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Dinner: 5.30 pm – 10.00 pm
Closed Sundays

Private dining available.

12 Picardy Place    Edinburgh     EH1 3JT     0131 557 0952

Suitable for disabled? There are a couple of steps up into the building and the restaurant is on ground level, as is the bathroom.

Borders beef perfection

Earlybird Fringe tickets

A selection of Edinburgh Fringe 2011 tickets on sale now

Last April we couldn’t believe that the Fringe tickets had been on sale since March and we started to collate a list of tickets to buy before the official Fringe box office opened in June.

In December 2010  the Big Comedy Gala put the tickets for their one-off comedy gala in August 2011 on sale at the excellent Venue 150. Proceeds of this show will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.

The tickets for the Waverley Care Comedy Gala at the Festival Theatre on 16t August are also on sale now.

More tickets have just been announced for Ed Byrne’s Fringe 2011 shows at the same venue.  We can’t believe we’re collating this list in February, but here are the details to the tickets available for purchase now:

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Ed Byrne, 3rd – 7th August  Venue 150  tickets here

Jason Byrne, 3rd – 14th (not 10) August Venue 150 tickets here

Big Comedy Gala , 15th August  Venue 150  tickets here

Waverley Care Comedy Gala, 16th August, Edinburgh Festival Theatre tickets here

Faulty Towers dining experience, dates throughout August – tickets here

Daniel Sloss, 3rd-28th August, Assembly Spiegel Tent – tickets here

Jimeoin, 3rd – 28th August, Assembly Spiegel Tent – tickets here

The Pajama Men, 4th – 28th August, Assemby Rainy Hall – tickets here

Shylock, 4th – 28th August, Assembly, Rainy Hall – tickets here

Stand Comedy Club announces their 2011 full line up with all tickets on sale now.

Lee Evans, 8th-10th August, Edinburgh Playhouse – tickets here

Sarah Millican, 12th-28th August, Assembly Hall – tickets here

The Magnets, 5th – 29th August, Assembly George Square – tickets here

Assembly Festival are adding more shows daily – please check here for all shows that are on sale now.

Underbelly – several shows, including Free Run and Frisky and Mannish.  Check here.

The Pleasance – several shows including Des Bishop and Potted Potter.  Check here.

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We will add more listings to this page as they come available, so bookmark it for reference and keep visiting!

Meanwhile if you need a ‘Fringe’ fix – have a look at all of our 2010 coverage.  Dates of all Edinburgh’s 2011 festivals can be found here.

Third meeting of the Edinburgh Secret Society, Friday 18th February 2011. An Evening of Death.

Pic courtesy of Edinburgh Secret Society

The Edinburgh Secret Society is fast becoming the talk of the town. Run by Professor Richard Wiseman and Dr Peter Lamont the Secret Society had its inaugural event in December last year followed by two sold-out evenings last week (same subject).  

The third event in the Society’s calender being held on Friday 18th February 2011, 8pm – 9.30pm.  Tickets are now sold out.  

Anatomy Lecture Theatre

The February meeting will be held in Edinburgh University’s Anatomy Lecture  Theatre, a building rarely open to the public.  Built in the late 1880s, this amazing venue contains steeply raked seats rising above a central dissecting table and is where the Edinburgh Secret Society will celebrate an ‘evening of death’.  

This meeting is definitely exploring ‘the darker side of the human psyche’ as we were told at the end of the self-improvement event last week.  

The Edinburgh Secret Society explains what to expect:  “We shall wonder  at the strangest of manifestations from beyond the grave, hear the  true story of the man who cheated death, and experience directly a  Victorian machine first created to talk to the dead. There will also  be a live operation, and some surprisingly haunting melodies to  enliven every body”.  

And as if the above wasn’t frightening enough, the date just happens to be on the evening of a full moon!  

We’ve adhered to the Society’s rules and have not reviewed past events we’ve attended.  There are no records of the meetings.  If you want to know what happens on the night, then you have to be there.  

We suggest that you subscribe to the Edinburgh Secret Society via their blog and be notified by email tickets going on sale and future meetings.  

All details can be found at http://edinburghsecretsociety.wordpress.com/  

‘The king cannot be saved, the king cannot make custard’  

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Photo courtesy of Two Fat Laddies

Iain Pope and Shaun Milne call themselves “two lardy Scottish lads” and are using 2011 to lose some weight.  Five stone in fact.  Each.

Iain starts the year weighing in at 291lbs and Shaun at 238lbs.  Documenting their journey via their website and other social media methods, the pair are promising to be completely honest about their food and fitness for the next 12 months.  Having read their first few entries, we reckon it’s also going to be a pretty humorous journey as they use their journalist skills to articulate what is sure to be a painful and emotional time.

The pair of them are losing weight for health reasons, but also to raise some money for charity.  Have a look at Iain’s charity page for Macmillan Cancer Support and Shaun’s charity page for Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland.

We will be following Iain and Shaun’s progress and will interview them periodically as their weight drops.  They already have a personal trainer, but if you think you could offer any help or motivation, feel free to drop them a line.

Good luck lads!

You can find the Two Fat Laddies on twitter, look at their photos on flickr and subscribe to new entries on their website.  You can also follow their youtube channel including their video of their first run up the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is where Edinburgh plays host to the world’s best new year celebrations and this year is no different, with a programme of fabulous events for everyone to enjoy from the 30th December 2010 through til 2nd January 2011. 

As well as the famous Street Party and the Concert In The Gardens, there’s a whole host of other activities planned to herald the start of 2011. 

Read our daily guides to what’s on around town. Links will open in new windows and events are listed in chronological order.   Articles will be updated as events are added. 

Links to daily guides below  

 What’s on Thursday 30th December 2010 

What’s on Friday 31st December 2010 

What’s on Saturday 1st January 2011 

What’s on Sunday 2nd January 2011 

Photo copyright Edinburgh's Hogmanay

The Edinburgh’s Hogmanay box office is now open for all your ticketing needs.  Download the full brochure here which includes a map.  (PDF document, opens in new window). 

The full event list can be found at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay website.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay