The Rah's EP launch - 26 May

Drawing influences from modern-day heroes like Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys, their music is also coloured by the lads’ love of era-defining sounds from Hendrix & The Stones: combining together to make The Rah’s distinctive and appealing sound.

In a couple of weeks’ time, the band will be launching their Give Me Life EP at Cabaret Voltaire, supported by two big names in the Edinburgh music scene, Greg Pearson and The 10:04s.

Promoted by This Is Sound, The Rah’s EP launch on 26 May is all set to let the good times – and, of course, the good music – roll.

Tickets for The Rah’s EP launch can be bought online at Tickets Scotland and are also available from Ripping Records.

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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.

New and improved, Old Chain Pier

Old Chain Pier reopens with new decor, friendly service and impressive food

Whatever image and thoughts you had of the Old Chain Pier before May 2012, leave them behind.

Their doors were reopened yesterday after a much needed face lift and we were impressed as soon as we walked through the door. After a warm welcome from the staff in the middle of the afternoon, we found out that they serve the full food menu all day (food served until 9pm, bar snacks served till 10pm).

We took a window seat and read the menu, trying to decide what to have. There are a handful of choices for each course, but all seemed appealing. Starters of soup of the day (two choices, £3.75) and Old Chain chowder, £5.45 grabbed our attention. My dining partner opted for the latter whilst I plumped straight for the steak from the choices of mains. Faced with the option of sirloin or rib eye, I chose the latter, medium-rare. Both steaks are served with portobello mushrooms, onion rings, chips and a choice of sauces from pepper, mushroom & brandy and creamy blue cheese (£10.95).

Other meals on the menu that appealed were: beer battered haddock and chips (£8.95), steak pie (£7.95),  lamb and apricot burger (£7.45) and a falafel and halloumi burger (£6.95).

The only vegetarian choices we could see was a lasagna and nachos, so perhaps lacking a little for the non-meat eaters out there.

Watching the rain come in over the Forth

Even on a rainy day like today, we loved the views over the Firth of Forth from the large windows. They must be stunning on a sunny day, or you could time your visit perfectly on a summer evening when the sun sets over Fife.

Our food arrived together (as requested) and my partner’s chowder was packed full of smoked haddock and prawns. The starter dish also came with bread and butter and was practically a meal in itself.

Packed chowder

My steak was cooked perfectly and the meat very tender, but the sauce was a little on the runny side for my liking. Not wanting to waste anything, I asked for some bread to soak up the sauce and my plate was handed back to the kitchen completely clean.

Rib eye steak with blue cheese sauce

We had certainly been impressed so far and although we weren’t left hungry, we did manage to find room for one of their desserts. It was a toss up between the brioche bread and butter pudding (£4.95) and the banana and hazelnut pancakes with toffee sauce (£4.75). The pancakes won and the portion was on the large side.

The bananas had been baked/fried and the hazelnuts and toffee sauce combination was to die for. It turns out the pancake was actually a crepe and was a tiny bit burnt on the edges, but it didn’t detract from the taste at all. Another clean plate heading back to the kitchen from us.

Banana crepes, hazelnut and toffee sauce

Considering it was only their second food service since opening, we were had been pleasantly surprised with what had been dished up.

We had some more drinks after our meal and left as the pub was getting busy with inquisitive locals checking out the new place for themselves.

Children are welcome in the bar (children’s menu available) and there are highchairs for little ones.

The conservatory area through the back was warm and cosy despite the cold weather. There’s a mixture of tables, chairs and sofas, all with views of the water.

Once the Old Chain Pier find their feet, we think they will provide serious competition to the neighbouring Starbank Inn. With the demise of the Peacock Inn, the newcomers on the Newhaven block have brought good quality pub food at reasonable prices to the area.

Information

Old Chain Pier, 32 Trinity Crescent, Edinburgh, EH5 3ED. Telephone 0131 552 4960.

Currently no website, therefore we are unsure of exact opening hours.

The business card only says “Peter Ross – Billy Ross”.

Wi-fi is coming soon.

Suitable for disabled? Yes, the main bar area and conservatory are on the ground floor but the bathrooms are down a set of three steps.

“Take your time at the old chain pier, but haste ye back”

Note: We normally visit a place twice before we review it, but felt that this one should be shared immediately. We will return in due course and amend our score/update if necessary.

Camille O'Sullivan - Feel

Although the light reflecting off a mirrored fascinator half-obscuring her face dances across the walls and ceiling during the number, the singer’s presence flits and soars throughout the venue during the whole of this powerful and immensely enjoyable performance.

Like a bumper version of her much-loved and acclaimed Fringe shows, tonight’s show – part of her UK ‘Feel’ tour – lasts over two hours. This allows Camille to air tracks from her new LP Changeling; as well as a host of past favourites from previous shows: an opportunity she seems to relish as much as the audience.

We therefore get the raw unaccompanied power of Amsterdam and the glittering glamour of In These Shoes; sharing Camille’s songbook with the pounding bitterness of Hurt and the fatalistic romanticism of Brompton Oratory.

Camille makes the cover versions very much her own, wringing the emotion from each song: whether lust and passion; or – more usually – heartbreaking sorrow. Yet, even though the songs edge towards the dark edge of the spectrum, her stage presence and between-song interaction with the crowd avoid the risk of things getting oppressive.

It’s testament to the talent of Camille and her trio of musicians that the show contains no filler; nor does it lag for a moment, with a well-balanced and varied set holding attention throughout. Musically, her band demonstrate a range and versatility to equal the singer’s own: able to drop things down to a barely-audible beat, then ramp things up to a more raucous rhythm with ease.

As the place where she first began to taste her deserved success, Edinburgh holds a special place in Camille’s heart. On the basis of the standing ovation she receives after tonight’s extended encore, that love – like the light from the mirrors during True Love Waits – is reflected straight back at her.

Originally seen at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2011, Howard Brenton’s Anne Boleyn gives Henry VIII’s second wife a radical reinvention. Gone is the ambitious schemer using sex to snare the king, and in her place is a well-intentioned religious fanatic. With better casting and a less clunky production it might have worked, but there’s not enough connection or energy on stage to maintain the pace during the frequent theological digressions.

The Festival Theatre is an unfortunate choice of venue. This is a play designed to acknowledge the audience, but when they are kept at a safe distance by the proscenium arch the actors struggle to make a real connection with them. A more intimate space, preferably with a thrust stage, would have created a greater sense of involvement and resolved some of the issues with use of the stage, which was sadly unimaginative. Too often the cast appeared to be spreading out to make it look full, forcing them to bellow at each other from a distance. It’s difficult to believe that characters are exchanging heretical secrets that could cost them their lives when they seem to do nothing but shout about them.

Perhaps there would have been less shouting and more emotional range had the casting been less odd. There’s very little chemistry between David Sturzaker’s Henry VIII, who would look more at home in a George Street bar than a Tudor court, and Jo Herbert’s gangly, jolly Anne. Their seven-year courtship seems unlikely enough, but the idea that such a lukewarm love affair could play a key role in the Reformation is downright implausible.

Anne’s ladies in waiting boost the number of roles for women but are used for pretty set-dressing rather than fleshed out into real characters. In sharp contrast, Julius D’Silva delivers a sleek, nuanced performance as Thomas Cromwell, ably matched by Colin Hurley’s Cardinal Wolsey. Tim Frances also stands out as down to earth heretic William Tyndale, but it is unfortunate that his meetings are attended by so many stock yokels that they seem less like a hotbed of subversion and more like a Tudor edition of The Archers.

James Garnon teeters dangerously on the brink of parody as James VI, sporting uncontrollable hair and an accent borrowed from Billy Connolly. By far the most interesting character, King James flits between dazzling displays of political acumen and twitching idiocy. It’s a strong performance but slightly undermined by the accent lapsing into comedy Scot and a tendency to play the moments of twitching and stammering for laughs.

The relationship between the worlds of James VI and Anne Boleyn are interesting if a little unclear, but the script is witty enough to be forgiven much. In the early scenes much is made of Queen Elizabeth’s wardrobe of 2000 gowns – a shame, then, that Anne is only ever seen in two. The simple set makes sense for a production of a play clearly influenced by Shakespeare, but less austere costuming might have helped to create the world of the Tudors and give a sense of the passage of time. It is a pity that English Touring Theatre’s revival of The Globe’s production looks and feels makeshift rather than the sumptuous treat it could have been.

8 – 12 May, 19.30 Festival Theatre

Now open

New cake and bakery opens its doors in West Port

The ladies behind Lovecrumbs opened their shop door at West Port today. Some Edinburgh people may already be familiar with the baked goods from Lovecrumbs as they’ve been popping up at various markets around town in recent months.

Rachel and Hollie have dubbed themselves as the ‘newest ladies on Edinburgh’s cake and pastry block’ and we popped along today and fell in love with the new premises.

Lovecrumbs is a sit-in cafe that sells cakes. And lots of them. Perhaps the most unique display of cakes in Edinburgh, the ‘wardrobe’ is full of tarts, cakes , brownies and other sweet treats. Scones are presented in silver buckets and a 4-tier chocolate cake takes pride and place on the counter.

A wardrobe full of cakes

Using Artisan Roast coffee and Anteaques tea, the menu is simple at the moment but will more than satisfy any sweet-toothed customer.

We tried out the carrot cake which was deliciously moist, accompanied by a cup of lemongrass and marigold tea. The crockery is a mixture of vintage and modern and extra hot water for our tea was delivered in a thermos flask.

Carrot cake

The interior is beautiful with lots of quirky furniture items such as the drum and piano tables (a full sized one). Inexplicably, there’s a wooden donkey’s head on the counter, but this just adds to the charm of the place.

Prices are reasonable and service is friendly and relaxed.

Lovecrumbs bake to order and also do wholesale.

Wi-fi is also available.

The shop is situated on the ground floor, so suitable for buggies, but the bathroom is located down a set of steps.

It wouldn’t be fair to review the ladies in full on their opening day, but it’s safe to say we’ll be back.

Information

Lovecrumbs is at 155 West port, Edinburgh, EH3 9DP. Telephone 0131 629 0626

Website – www.lovecrumbs.co.uk

Contact page

You can find Love Crumbs on Facebook and on twitter @hellolovecrumbs

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9am – 6pm and closed Sundays. Hours may be extended into the evening soon.

Have some tea and cake on the piano

Caught amidst the conflicts of the 1980s Cold War and his own personal relationships, dreamer Craig (Matt Robertson) has a vision: to build a monument of modern-day megaliths to rival Stonehenge on a patch of disused land near Dundee.

Used to his schemes and deals, long-suffering fiancee Kim (LaVerne Hawthorne) is at first sceptical. Then, as Craig’s plan looks set to turn from dreams into reality, she too is caught up in his excitement: until the things he has to do to convince the politicians, bureaucrats and landowners to endorse his plan begin to threaten their relationship.

Standing Stanes is the latest production from Leith-based theatre company Siege Perilous, and the first to be staged in their new home at Malmaison. Director Andy Corelli takes Robert Ballantine’s never-performed absurdist romp and has a great deal of fun with it, using a sparse set and an intimate venue to recreate all the booms and busts of the 80s, to a cleverly woven scene-specific soundtrack.

Thus we see Derek Banner’s deranged government boffin arranging the set to the sounds of Thomas Dolby’s She Blinded Me With Science; and Robertson, Banner and fourth cast member Mark Kydd dancing a perfectly-choreographed punchup to the strains of Cameo’s Word Up.

The cast appear to be having an equal amount of fun with the piece: Kydd and Banner in particular as they slip on a variety of metaphorical masks in a number of comic supporting roles. Robertson is a likable lead, and portrays Craig’s impossible-to-dampen enthusiasm with aplomb. Hawthorne is excellent in both of her main roles: as Kim, a surprisingly well-rounded character amidst the rest of Standing Stanes’ caricatures; and as the hippy femme fatale Penelope, who slinkily makes Craig a fateful offer he can’t refuse.

As the piece gathers an increasingly absurd momentum, revolving around the plot device of an anti-Communist sterilising ray, Corelli’s direction (aided by technical assistance from Kirstin Rodger, Dave Moffat and Caitlin McBride) comes into its own. Somehow, he manages to pull off scenes which flit from the dark corridors of Whitehall power to open-air rock concerts without causing confusion; and instead of lagging, the piece romps along at a satisfying pace throughout its 75-minute length.

Though it may not have the permanence of the monument of its title, Standing Stones is an effortlessly enjoyable and playful piece that consistently entertains. And, despite being set in unemployment-ridden Britain in the 80s, it has little in the way of political message or heavy-handed satire. Instead, its central themes are more the stuff of fairytales: how a hero’s determination will always succeed; and, of course, how love can conquer all.

Standing Stanes runs until 8 May at Malmaison, Leith at 8pm (with a 4pm performance on 5 May). Tickets are available online here, or can be purchased at the venue.

Camille O'Sullivan - Feel

Camille will of course be back in August, where she’ll be appearing in the Fringe once again; and also for the first time as part of the Edinburgh International Festival in The Rape of Lucrece.

She’ll also be dropping by Edinburgh next week at the Queen’s Hall as part of her UK Feel Tour, where on Tuesday 8 May she’ll reprise last year’s Fringe success in the acoustically-blessed venue in Clerk Street.

Expect songs to tug at your heart, to set shivers racing up and down your spine; and more than a few to get your feet stomping too, in a show which will see Camille open her storybook full of classics and tell them in her own unique and mesmerising style.

Ticket information is available on The Queen’s Hall website.

Kevin McMahon of the Magic Festival

Edinburgh International Magic Festival 2012 launched

A sensory feast awaits this summer as The Edinburgh International Magic Festival casts its spell across the Capital and promises to take you to the extreme end of visual theatre. Attracting over 30 performers from eight countries including: France, Germany, Portugal, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Ukraine and the UK, this year classic meets close-up, mindreading defies illusion, cabaret clashes with comedy and levitation renders the impossible possible.

Once again The Royal Lyceum theatre hosts the Magic and Variety Gala Opening night. A breath-taking spectacle of the finest acts in the Magic World, the addition of a Gala afternoon preview show opens up the world of unreality for just £10. Both performances are suitable for children 5+.

Jav Jarquin, aka Card Ninja, is one of the most skilful card handlers in the UK, his Street Magic Master Class, sponsored by ideas.co.uk, for 11-14 year olds promises to teach the coolest street magic effects that will blow your friend’s minds.

Levitating forks, cards turning to glass and disappearing wine! Adventure seekers should head to The Royal Scots Club for Magic Dinner, an evening of delicious food, magical cabaret, mindreading and show stopping close-up magic that promises to mess with your head.

Have a glance at the Magic Festival calendar and get planning.

Information:

You can follow the Magic Festival on facebook and on twitter.  You can also join the mailing list.

Tickets are on sale now via the Magic Festival website and via the telephone: 0131 473 2000.  There are ticket offers available. You can also buy tickets in person at: Hub Tickets (The Hub, Castlehill EH1 2NE) Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 1st July 2012 10am to 5pm

You can also volunteer to help at the Magic Festival.

Solid Air by Marc Marnie

However big the star however, Marnie captures not only their onstage energy but a little of their personality too. The late Amy Winehouse is depicted swept away by her muse; whilst a promo shot of singer Camille O’Sullivan shows her looking pensive whilst sporting a pair of angel’s wings.

Solid Air by Marc Marnie

Devotees of photography will appreciate Marnie’s eye for composition and ability to capture the atmosphere of a live gig; whilst music fans will relish the opportunity to see some original shots of their favourite stars.

Solid Air is on show at The Village in S Forth St until 28 April. Entry is free.

A stronger stomach than is usually called for at The Lyceum may be required if you go to see The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Martin McDonagh’s black – and blood-spattered – comedy, directed by The Lyceum’s Mark Thomson.

Mad Padraic (Peter Campion) tortures drug dealers in warehouses, dreams of setting up a more extreme splinter group from the INLA, and only loves one other living thing: his cat, being looked after back home in Galway by his drunken father, Donny (Christopher Fairbank).

When Wee Thomas is found in the road after having exhausted all nine of his lives, Donny and childish Davey (Rory Murphy) panic, fearing what form of retribution Padraic will visit on them when he returns home to find his beloved moggy buried in the potato patch.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore is typical McDonagh fare: colloquial dialogue that zips past your ear like airgun pellets; and set pieces which veer from the ridiculous to the violent. Some may find a few of the scenes a little extreme; others may find the subject matter – which mostly ridicules the Irish revolutionaries, but at times flirts with romanticising them – not to their taste. It levels any such criticisms itself however, thanks to its comedic power and sheer absurdity.

Lyceum regulars Liam Brennan, Mark Prendergast and Jamie Quinn play a trio of INLA hitmen, and although their accents flit back and forth across the Irish Sea, they relish their gun-toting roles as they attempt to bring the rogue Padraic to heel.

Rose O’Loughlin is Mairead, a tomboyish revolutionary wannabe with a deadly aim, and she plays the borderline psychosis with more convincing menace than Padraic’s larger-than-life caricature killer. That said, Campion has a great deal of fun with his part, all manic stares and quick-draw fury. Fairbank as the poitín-sodden Donny and Murphy as the bicycle-loving Davey put in the best performances, however; an entertaining double act who get most of the best lines and the biggest laughs.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a bold and often hilarious production, pulling no punches as it amuses and entertains throughout. High drama and explorations of the human condition are not to be found here; but a gory black comedy with several standout scenes is lurking in the wings. It’s to Thomson’s credit that he has brought a play as dark and guiltily entertaining as this to the Lyceum’s stage, showing the Edinburgh institution isn’t afraid of putting on something to cater for every taste.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore runs at The Lyceum until 12 May. Ticket information is available on The Lyceum website.

Cuckoo’s continues to provide great savoury food and wonderful cupcakes

By Chiara Pannozzo

Some places just get it right. Cuckoo’s Bakery in Edinburgh’s New Town is one of those places. With a loyal following who go out of their way to get their daily cupcake fix, this bakery has become something of an institution for locals with a sweet tooth.

In addition to the pull of their innovative and creative cupcakes, Cuckoo’s food menu is homemade and varied. Their freshly made bread compliments the wide selection of suitably named ‘doorstep’ sandwiches with hearty fillings. But today we looked elsewhere on the menu, past the soups and sandwiches, and onto the salads and tarts.

Chicken Salad

I went for the aptly named ‘giant salad’ of roast chicken, oven roasted vegetables and sun blessed tomato (£6.95). The generous portion lived up to its name – served with bread, the chicken was moist, and had been delicately touched by a delicious dressing.

My dining partner simply couldn’t bypass the shortcrust pastry tart of red pepper, black olive, tomato and Mull of Kintyre Cheddar (£5.95). A large slice of tart was accompanied by a dressed side salad and homemade coleslaw. The pastry was perfect,  and the different components in the filling perfectly complimented each other.

Black bottom cupcake

Generous portions aside, we couldn’t leave without sampling one of those cupcakes that taunt you from their glass cabinet, taking pride of place at the front of the tea room. We settled on the ‘black bottom’, a dark Belgian chocolate chip sponge under baked vanilla cheesecake, topped with cream cheese frosting (£2.50). On good authority from someone who has ate a lot of cake in her time, this is in contention for one of the best cupcakes I have ever tasted. The combination of Belgian chocolate and cheesecake, all contained within a delicious cupcake is truly inspired.

Cuckoo’s Bakery is a local gem. A fantastic selection of food and cupcakes has led to a party of faithful followers, who frequent the bakery for its delicious food and friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Information

Suitable for disabled? Yes, Cuckoo’s Bakery occupies a ground floor premises on Dundas Street

Just for fun, guess where in Edinburgh this is.  Do you where this is?  Answers below or in our twitter stream.

Guess where in Edinburgh

Our guess where #73 remains unanswered.

We’ve been big fans of Smoothiesforme since first hearing her music a few months ago.

The talented 17-year-old singer songwriter from Edinburgh has built up a huge and deserved following on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, and is now set to take things even further after being selected to appear at the influential goNORTH festival and event in Inverness in the summer.

Playing as part of the event’s music showcase, goNORTH will give Smoothiesforme the opportunity to rub shoulders with other bands and artists like Matt Norris & The Moon, The Stagger Rats and Stanley Odd; as well as the chance of being seen by a host of music industry & media professionals.

As she writes, records, produces and promotes all her own material, this is a great success for Smoothiesforme – and also shows just how much a talented artist can achieve through their own efforts.

So congratultions to Smoothiesforme for being chosen to go north in the summer!

You can follow Smoothiesforme and hear her music on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Her EP New Beginnings is available to download for free here.

There have been some additions to the walls of Edinburgh in the last couple of days. Edinburgh College of Art student Joe Caslin is behind the Our Nation’s Son’s art project which will see six pieces of work appear around the capital over the next week or so.

Caslin was involved in last year’s Inside out art project.

Update 17th April – 11pm We’ve just heard from the artist who was fresh back from installing the third piece of art this evening. He’s excited that there’s so much buzz around town for his project. Caslin also confirmed that they are due to stay up until the end of the Edinburgh Festival but it is all dependent on the weather. It’s hoped that they will last 4-6 months in the Edinburgh climate.

Update 29th April – The last piece went up overnight, completing the installation. If you walk from the start of the Cowgate towards Holyrood Road and keep your eyes peeled to the left, to the right and upwards, you’ll come across all six. Alternatively, look at the location of each photo in the captions below.

First piece - Cowgate (also visible from George IV Bridge)

Second piece - Guthrie Street

Third piece - Robertson's Close

Fourth piece - Holyrood Road

Fifth piece - under George IV Bridge

The sixth piece - opposite #4 in Holyrood Road

Pedal on Parliament

Pedal on Parliament are calling all Scottish cyclists to get involved

Pedal on Parliament has been set up by a group of cyclists forming a cross-section of Scottish cycling with the same aim in mind – to make Scotland a safer place to cycle.

There is an online petition lobbying MSPs and local councillors to help make Scotland a cycle-friendly nation.

They state:

We call on all Scotland’s politicians, of all parties, to sign up to the following eight point manifesto in order to make cycling a realistic choice for everyone, from eight to eighty – and show the rest of the UK that cycling doesn’t just belong on continental Europe, but in the country where it all began:

1)    Proper funding for cycling.
2)    Design cycling into Scotland’s roads.
3)    Safer speeds where people live, work and play
4)    Integrate cycling into local transport strategies
5)    Sensible road traffic law and enforcement
6)    Reduce the risk of HGVs to cyclists and pedestrians
7)    A strategic and joined-up programme of road user training
8)    Solid research on cycling to support policy-making

Event in Edinburgh – 28th April 2012

There is an event in Edinburgh on Saturday 28th April 2012 where cyclists from across the country, including Mark Beaumont, will cycle from the Meadows as a kind of ‘flash’ bike ride on Holyrood .

This is sure to be a fun day out for all the family as walkers, skate-boarders, roller-skaters and anyone else who enjoyes active travel are invited to join in. Everyone will gather from 2pm for a 3pm start.

Although POP are making a serious point about making cycling safer and easier, the day itself will be light-hearted, with a picnic at the end.

The pace will be slow and easy for people to keep up – however little their legs may be, making this a fun and family-friendly event. This is a peaceful bike ride and will be an approved route from the Meadows to the Scottish Parliament.

Information

You can visit the Pedal on Parliament website for further information on the campaign and the event.

There is a Facebook event page to register you attendance.

You can follow Pedal on Parliament on twitter @POPScotland and be kept up to date of all the latest news on their Facebook group.

You can sign the online petition here.

A map of the route can be found here.

We first published a picture of this altered street sign last year. We took another picture today and noticed it’s still there, albeit slightly faded. We’re really glad it has not been fixed yet as it brings a smile to our faces every time we pass it.

Altered street sign

Portobello Road at Moira Park

Vive le Cabaret at the Brighton Fringe

Kicking things off in their own inimitable style this year are Edinburgh-based Blond Ambition and their five-star sellout show Vive le Cabaret (produced in conjunction with O’Connor Arts & Ents).

A firm feather-festooned Fringe favourite, Vive le Cabaret is a riot from start to finish, and is the perfect way to sample the best of new British cabaret in one easy-to-swallow bite.

This year, the Vive le Cabaret talent includes EastEnd Cabaret, Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, Dusty Limits, Mat Ricardo, Paul Dabek, Frayed Knot, Adriano Fettucini and Doug Segal – nearly all of whom will be gracing the Edinburgh stage in August.

So, if you find yourself down Brighton way this weekend, put some panache in your pavilion and high-kick over to Komedia where you can Vive it up with the best of them.

Vive le Cabaret is at Komedia in Brighton on Thursday 3 May. Tickets are available on the Brighton Fringe website.

The second of our free compilation albums featuring the best of Edinburgh’s local music scene, Sounds of the City: Volume 2 has something for everyone.

Folk, acoustic rock, pop, punk, grunge and blues: they’re all here, performed by a collection of artists who yet again prove how much musical talent Edinburgh has to offer.

So sit back and enjoy the music – or download the album for free here.

Situated on Buccleuch Street

A warm welcome and great home-cooking at Tea at 94

We’ve popped into Tea at 94 a few times this year and can’t get enough of this eatery for the good quality food at very reasonable prices. Situated at 94 Buccleuch Street, this is a place well worth seeking out.

It’s an old-fashioned tea room with embroidered table cloths and mis-matched crockery and a warm welcome is given to every customer that walks through the doors.

Huge bowls of porridge are offered for breakfast (£1.40), filled rolls (£1.65) and scrambled eggs on toast (£2.50).

The menu changes at lunchtime to delicious home-made soups (large bowl, £2.90 with bread and butter) and  sandwiches with all sorts of soup and half sandwich combos available. There’s also a savoury tart of the day and oatcakes with cheese on the menu. We loved the yellow split-pea soup today, but knew to leave room for the excellent sweet choices.

The owner makes the cakes and scones cakes on the premises and are a force to be reckoned with. We’ve tucked into too many slices to declare in public and recently attended the tea-tasting event that was held by one of the staff to encourage customers to appreciate the different teas on offer.

Yellow split pea soup with home-made bread

Scones are fluffy and there is normally about six choices of cake to choose from including chocolate brownies, plum tarts, raspberry delight (a twist on the Victoria Sponge),  Today’s choice for us was a mixed berry cake which was perfectly light and fluffy and extremely tasty.  Prices range from £1.50 – £3.50 per slice.

There are gluten-free cake choices available which made and supplied by the excellent Love Pure Cakes.

A full afternoon tea is available for £7.95 (pot of tea, sandwich, scone and cupcake or piece of cake) which is a steal at that price for the quality delivered.

An Americano will cost you £1.75 and a latte £1.95. Pots of tea are from the Edinburgh Tea and Coffee company and start at £1.80 (small pot/2 cups) to £2.70 (large pot/4 cups). There’s a good selection to choose from that will keep tea-lovers happy including Assam, Darjeeling and Lapsang Souchong.

Children well catered for

Handily situated around the corner from the popular Meadows play park, kids are well catered for at tea at 94.  They have their own menu featuring options that kids genuinely love: beans on toast, scrambled eggs, pancakes and smaller bowls of soup or the option of half a panini. These are served at ‘smaller prices’ as well, keeping the parents happy.

To keep little ones amused whilst the food is prepared, there are pictures supplied to colour in with crayons that are then placed on display on the wall, alongside the beautiful art work. The current exhibition is By the skin of my teeth by Katie Rowland.

Picnics can also be supplied if you want a day in the park and everything on the menu can be taken away.

Mixed berry cake

We’ll be popping back to Tea at 94 anytime we’re in the area and continue to support this independent cafe.

The cafe is only a short stroll from the newly opened Commonwealth Pool, so this can perhaps be the new ‘Bratisani’s’ for a post-swim eat!

Information

Tea at 94
94 Buccleuch Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9NH

You can cut through Gifford Park at South Clerk Street and arrive at Tea at 94.

You can find Tea at 94 on Facebook and follow them on twitter @Teaat94 . Future tea-tasting events will be announced via social media. You can reserve tables for small groups and meetings.

Opening hours:  Monday 0900-1700 Tuesday – Saturday  0830-1700 and now open Sundays 1100-1530

A selection of glossy magazines are available to read whilst eating.

Suitable for disabled? Yes, on the ground floor with easy access to tables.

Tea at 94 now appears on our Edinburgh Cake Trail.

Traditional tablecloths and beautiful crockery

Plum tart on display in the window

Heavenly cupcakes

Funny posters