Tuesday 30 August 2011

Scotland's Best Coffee Stops

I spend a reasonable amount of time in my job, driving around Scotland to meetings.  I go to Aberdeen quite a lot, but also Inverness, Glasgow and the west coast.  As a result, I and my colleagues have a list of the best coffee stop-off points on some of the more frequented routes.  Top of the list is Peggy Scott's!  Half way to Aberdeen at Finavon on the A90, Peggy's (as we call it) might look like a trucker's cafe, but is actually a really nice tearoom that does homebaking and huge fry-ups (not that I have tried those).  Top of our list is their custard cream.  Also worth trying is the carrot cake and the paradise slice.  And our top tip is make sure you ask for a type of coffee (eg Americano) rather than just coffee - or they give you the filter stuff.  The black Americano + a custard cream is the perfect early morning pick-me-up.  I took a group of girl cricketers there in June and they devoured the lot and gave the place a massive thumbs up, particularly because of the sofas in the corner - very popular early on a Sunday morning!  Here is a picture, which does not do it justice. One day I shall post a picture of an actual custard cream.  And keep an eye out - I shall post on other top coffee stop-offs.

Monday 29 August 2011

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh has been closed for refurbishment for what feels like years.  Actually it is years - maybe three or even four?  It used to drop pieces of building onto passers by, so a renovation was pretty necessary.  It looks amazing and is due to reopen on St Andrew's Day - 30 November 2011.  Can't wait!  In the meantime I am really enjoying the blog created by people working on the restoration.  Lots of them are just young people getting the chance to be involved.  I have put a link to the blog beneath the photograph

Refurbishment of the Portrait Gallery includes the restoration of this magnificent Arts and Crafts building.




Wednesday 24 August 2011

Oyster Catching

Oystercatchers are fabulous birds.  The call of the oystercatcher is one of the most evocative sounds as they scoop over a beach on the west coast of Scotland.  It is just a holiday sound maybe, so it makes me feel happy.  So my blog is about catching life's oysters and how they can make us feel.  Apologies to RSPB members - it is not about bird watching!