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‘Inside out chef’ Wendy Paterson offers some unique food choices in Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s ‘secret’ dining scene shows no signs of slowing down. Pop-up, secret suppers, guerrilla dining, whatever you want to call it, comes in all shapes and forms in the capital city.

Last night saw Edinburgh’s first ‘pudding club’ hosted by Wendy Paterson who runs Inside Out Chef and offers ‘bespoke cuisine with bite’.  The services offered by Wendy vary from private dining events and picnics in the park to catering for events and the very clever ‘freezer fills’ for those too busy to cook for themselves. The latter is very popular with new mums and and busy professionals who want good quality home-cooked food but don’t have a spare minute in their day.

Edinburgh’s first pudding club

We were intrigued by the idea of a ‘pudding club’ and managed to grab a ticket to the sweetest table in town. Wendy recently appearance on BBC Radio Scotland’s Kitchen cafe, where she had listeners salivating as she reeled off her pudding club menu.

Last night, we found ourselves amongst several Edinburgh Cake Ladies at a ‘secret’ location on the south side of Edinburgh.

Beautifully set table

A welcome drink of pink lemonade was served in vintage babycham glasses and cleansed the palate before the inevitable sugar-high.

The table was set beautifully for the 13 lucky diners, with a copy of the menu on each place to remind everyone what was coming their way.

The starter was a trio of shooters of pomegranate and sparkling wine jelly, chocolate mousse and a strawberry topped buttermilk panna cotta.

The room came to a silence as the dishes were savoured and enjoyed.

After a suitable break, the ‘main course’ was to be served in a few portions. Individual sticky toffee puddings were served with the most delicious toffee sauce and lashings of fresh custard. The room became silent once again as every mouthful was devoured.

Next up on the menu was pavlova, which was served family style. A huge pavlova per 4/5 people was placed on the tables, with one of them being a pillow-sized beauty of meringue and fruit.

Trio of starters

Some diners demolished their pavlovas and declared it the highlight so far, whilst others sampled a piece, but saved themselves for the two cheesecakes coming next.

10 different puddings to try

Slices of baked rum and raisin cheesecake were placed on the table alongside slices of a no-bake blackberry one. Diners were beginning to struggle a little with the sugar highs at this stage.

Knowing that a dessert course of three ice-creams were still to come, a couple bowed out in defeat to the cheesecakes.

Wendy had planned for such an eventuality and informed everyone that she would package up their cheesecakes so they could take them home to enjoy.

We managed ours but had difficulty deciding on a favourite. Both were creamy and extremely moorish with the most perfect biscuit base. Having never experienced a rum and raisin cheesecake before, we declared that version the winner.

Another suitable gap with lashings of tea passed before it was time for ‘dessert’. A trio of ice creams were presented as the finale and since these couldn’t be taken home, everyone just had to eat them.

The coconut and ginger combination worked well and the keylime pie was perfectly zingy.  Even we were struggling over the last piece of home-made shortbread and our limit of sweet food in one sitting had been reached.

We soldiered on and tried the red ripple ice cream, which was in the shape of a heart and summed up our feelings about the evening – we loved it.

A pillow-sized pavlova

This sweet dining experience is not for the faint hearted, but if you pace yourself, you can do it justice.

Deposits for the evening were £5 and a further ‘donation’ was required on the night. As ever with secret suppers, the event was BYOB, but most opted just to drink the water and lashings of tea on offer.

Wendy plans to do another pudding club this summer as well as other secret supper events.

Information

For further details on all the service Wendy offers, have a look at her website.

You can contact her via email, or phone her to discuss your requirements.

You can follow Wendy on twitter @Insideoutchef and find her on Facebook.

You can subscribe to her news and updates by entering your email on the top right hand side of her website.

Pollination flower shop

Family-run flower shop delivers excellent customer service and quality products

Pollination is a family run business that has been pleasing the people of Edinburgh and beyond with their flowers for over 14 years.

Based in the Shandon area at Ashley terrace, husband and wife team Nik and Gill Wilson pour a whole lot of flower love into every bouquet they make up.

Sourcing their flowers from Dutch companies, you won’t find any carnations or gypsophilas in the Pollination range, but you will find stunning contemporary bouquets or traditional ones with a bit of a twist.

Consultations for bridal flowers are offered to ensure you have exactly what you want for your special day. They have an excellent gallery of flowers from previous customers.

Funeral flowers are chosen with a caring nature through difficult times.

Flowers for corporate use can be supplied and delivered for any occasion during the year and throughout the busy Fringe period, Pollination can supply flowers for shows, press launches and parties.

All the bouquets are made up in the shop

With local and friendly service offered every time, you get value you for money with fresh, quality flowers and presentation.

Same day delivery within Edinburgh

Delivery from the online shop (and via telephone) is available in Edinburgh on the same day, making it perfect for those last minute flowers or forgotten anniversaries.

Nik and Gill are very clever in that they offer a reminder service if you want to make a delivery for someone’s birthday every year.

Pollination are also able to send flowers anywhere in the UK overnight, so you know your recipient are getting a good quality, custom-made bouquet at the other end.

They’ll even email you a picture of how the final bouquet looked.

In the shop, there is also a selection of vases for sale, which can be filled with flowers of your choice and ready to present to the lucky recipient. Other gifts include vintage cups and saucers, chocolate bars with humorous covers, candles and other homewares.

We love the flowers they sell in vintage tea cups, which makes a wonderful and unusual present.

Flowers and vintage crockery

Using social media

The staff at Pollination have recently embraced the world of social media and tweet pictures of gorgeous bouquets they make up in the shop and often run competitions on their Facebook page.

There’s certainly a community feel in the shop locals pop in to say hello and admire the latest colourful window display.

Children from the local primary school were recently invited to make mother’s day cards and had them all presented in the shop window.

It’s great to see that there’s still local businesses in Edinburgh with the community spirit and we’ll continue to support independent businesses such as Pollination for all our flower-based needs.

We’re away to set up the regular delivery for important birthdays and future mother’s days.

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Information

Pollination, 42 Ashely Terrace, Edinburgh EH11 1RY

Telephone 0131 313 1011

Open Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm.  Closed Sundays.

You can look at their website, follow them on twitter @Pollinations and like their Facebook page. They also write a blog to keep customers up to date with their news.

Colourful window displays

Beautiful selection to choose from

A range of gifts available in store

If you head down to the Royal Botanical Gardens just now, you might just notice that one of their trees has turned pink. This is to acknowledge the thousands of walkers and volunteers that have been involved with previous Edinburgh Moonwalks and this year’s one – Midnight at the Oasis on the 9th June 2012.

The tree was covered pink after the material was donated by Mandors Fabric Store and is also to  acknowledge the charity’s latest grant towards a new Mammomgraphy Unit at the Western General Hospital.

We think it’s an excellent tribute to the wonderful charity and to everyone that is involved with the Moonwalks.

You can still enter the 2012 Edinburgh Moonwalk or volunteer to help out on the night.

Near the John Hope Gateway

Vibrant pink

The trunk and main branches covered

A great addition to the gardens

Will be great to see once the leaves grow

Award-winning French inspired afternoon teas in Edinburgh

Ross Baxter is a very talented young man. Growing up in a family of traditional bakers and pastry chefs, he perfected his pastry and baking skills from the likes of Albert Roux and Michael Caines. We first tasted Ross’s patisserie delights during the time he worked at the famous Greywalls in East Lothian.

Dark chocolate choux eclair

2011 was a great year for Scottish-born Ross as he scooped a Gold Medal Scottish Hotel Award for his patissier skills, but this year has seen Ross start up his own business. The award-winning patissier is now providing pop-up afternoons teas to residents of Edinburgh and beyond in the comfort of their own home or venue of their choice.

It’s not just an ordinary afternoon tea though, it’s a bespoke French afternoon tea bringing together all his savoury and sweet patissier skills onto one magnificent stand.

You can indulge your guests with an exquisite afternoon tea, lovingly prepared by Ross and delivered to your home. Lashings of tea and coffee provided by the Howdah Tea and Coffee Company are also included in the price, which is currently £22.50 per person (minimum numbers apply). Having sampled several of Ross’s both savoury and sweet creations, we think this is extremely good value for the outstanding quality that’s delivered.

An example of the French afternoon tea menu can be found here.

Praline feuillete noisette, dark chocolate cremeux, toasted hazelnut dacquoise, almond sponge cake & dark chocolate & bourbon vanilla mousse

Celebration cakes

Fresh from making his own wedding cake and favours, Ross is also available to design and create an amazing cake for your special occasion whether it be a wedding, birthday or christening cake. Just contact him to discuss your requirements.

He is more than happy to provide wedding favours; create dessert canapés and modern French Entremet cakes for any event or special occasion.

Patisserie classes

Ross is also offering one to one patisserie classes, that include skills such as perfecting macarons, a tarte au citron (aka lemon tart) and hand-made chocolate lessons. Or perhaps you would like some bread lessons in the comfort of your own home? Whatever you require, you can learn the professional techniques with plenty of hands-on practical demonstrations.

Why not gather a group of friends together and learn from a patisserie expert. The lessons would be perfect as an alternative birthday treat or a fabulous way to start a hen weekend.

Ross will also be utilising the kitchens at Humble Pie in North Berwick so keep an eye out for classes.

There are several occasions that would be perfect for the Ross Baxter afternoon tea experience such as birthdays, baby showers, office parties or just friends catching up over exquisite food. Whatever the occasion, we think the recipients of Ross’s afternoon teas will be glad he’s branched out on his own.

Information

You can contact Ross via his website .

Telephone: 07545 021 828

He is also on Facebook and on twitter @RossPatissier.

His services are currently offered in Edinburgh, East and West Lothian. Ross will also cover the Glasgow area if required.

Raspberry charlotte - raspberry mousse, pistachio, raspberry & poppy seed biscuit cuillere, red fruit glacage

Tart chocolat au lait’ pate sucree - milk chocolate ganache, mou salted caramel, salted peanuts

Edinburgh Spotlight Music - Sounds of the City: Volume 1

We love local music here at Edinburgh Spotlight.

Whatever your tastes, you’re likely to find at least one band or artist in the city catering to it – and usually performing it live with passion, drive and enthusiasm that proves the local music scene in the city is alive and well.

To help the best of Edinburgh’s music be heard by as wide an audience as possible, we’re releasing regular free Sounds of the City compilation albums: each one containing sounds and songs which have caught our ears; and which we wholeheartedly recommend.

This first release is a true sampler – acoustic rock, country, pop, post-punk, hip-hop, world music: the only common thread is that these songs represent some of the best of the varied and exciting music on offer in Edinburgh.

So why not download the free album and hear what some of the city’s talented musicians are capable of!

Track listing

shout first / last words by A Fight You Can’t Win
A Fight You Can’t Win are leading lights of Edinburgh’s alternative music scene, and are currently in the running for ‘Best Metal’ act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards. Although they’re more punk & grunge flavoured than metal, they’ve got to be slotted in somewhere: and this claustrophobic head-burrower of a track will let you make up your own mind where they best fit.

Joker by Echo Arcadia
Echo Arcadia know how to take pop and polish it until it sparkles with hooks and harmonies aplenty. The Joker is a fine example of their multi-layered sound, which is capable of inducing shivers both on record and when playing live.

By The Sword by Titus Pullo
Singer songwriter Craig Robson can often be found on bass and vocals for the mighty Death Trap City. With Titus Pullo, he turns off the power and joins forces with some musical buddies for some heartfelt acoustic romanticism, as this standout track from recent debut EP Acoustic #1 demonstrates.

Ankh by Emissary
Emissary have been moulded from the molten remains of several prog-metal Edinburgh bands, and now they emerge newly-formed with this powerful and exclusive mix of their track Ankh. If you like your rock to be heroic and many-levelled, you’re going to like it.

Like A Fool by Smoothiesforme
Proof that talent knows no age limits, 17 year-old singer songwriter Smoothiesforme produces shimmering slices of pop which rank alongside the best. Like A Fool is a standout track from her New Beginnings EP, which is available for free download here.

If Love Is A Fight by Al Shields
Al Shields sets his sights west with his accomplished and appealing take on country music. If Love Is A Fight is the opening track from his latest LP Slow Burner, an album filled with the heat and dust of the Americana he conjures up so well.

Two Lovers by The Nature Boys
Live, The Nature Boys are a glorious anarchic riot, thanks mostly to frontman Cammy’s onstage antics. On record, they prove just as exciting, where the jagged spikiness of the tunes and Cammy’s punk poet lyrics can be appreciated in the comfort (and safety) of your own home…

Foolish by Hannah O’Reilly / Augustalia
Hannah O’Reilly and her band Augustalia also look to the US of A for inspiration, but through a dark, noirish lens. Their songs have a frisson of danger and intrigue which wouldn’t be out of place on a David Lynch movie soundtrack. Recent single Foolish sees them in romantic mood, with a harmony-laden track that impresses.

The Numbness by Stanley Odd vs The Banana Sessions
The brainchild of producer Garry Boyle, The Mashup Session is an exciting new musical project which sees two bands camp out in the studio, collaborating on a new version of one of their songs. Then, 24 hours later, the track has been mixed, mastered and is available for free download. This is the second Mashup Session, featuring the hip-hoppery of Stanley Odd and the big brass of The Banana Sessions.

Adunabi by Samba Sene & Diwan
Hailing from Senegal, Samba Sene is now based in Edinburgh and creates an uplifting fusion of world beats and sounds with band Diwan. Adunabi is a great example of Samba’s sound from recent LP Remind Me (Fatalima), practically guaranteed to get your toes tapping!

Hide Away by Jack Rowberry
Jack Rowberry can normally be found playing guitar for Pose Victorious. Now he’s following in the footsteps of some of his musical heroes with his solo singer songwriter project. This warm and relaxed acoustic number is his debut.

Stay tuned

One of the hardest things about creating this compilation was narrowing down who to include on it. Edinburgh has a huge amount of musical talent, which consistently impresses and delights us.

We already have Sounds of the City: Volume 2 planned, featuring exclusive live demos and the latest tracks from the best the city has to offer.

And if you’re an artist or in a band and would like to feature on a forthcoming release, drop us a line.

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.

Waverley Care Comedy Gala 2012 at the Festival Theatre. 23rd August, tickets here.

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

Danny Bhoy, 3rd – 8th 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

*Updated March*

The Gilded Balloon have released some tickets for a handful of their shows including:

Fascinating Aida: Cheap Flights, 1st – 26th August tickets here

Some of shows on at the Pleasance are on sale via edfringe.com including tickets for: Josh Widdicombe, Seann Walsh, Shappi Khorsandi, Simon Evans and Abandoman

Several Assembly Festival shows are also on sale via edfringe.com including: Des Clarke, Greg Proops, Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Little and Stewart Lee.

Some shows aimed at children are on sale for Fairmilehead Church Hall include Nessie the Loch Ness Monster and Pips and Panda meet the Three Bears

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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 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