Highland Explorer Part 1: The Road to Aberdeen

Hello my lovely readers! I hope you've all had a pleasant easter break. As we've been in Edinburgh for a couple of months now, Ed and I thought we should spend our Easter break exploring a bit more of Scotland. I've travelled around Scotland a number of times in the past ( including a phase where I was into mountain bagging...!!) but it was always to do very specific things. This time, on the other hand, Ed drafted a very loose itinerary involving many hundred miles of driving, a few pit stops and a not a lot more. We planned to zoom through Highland roads, stopping whenever something took our fancy and with no rigidness to the itinerary whatsoever (other than getting to a certain place by bedtime). It was sunny day in Edinburgh as we set off and the glorious weather followed us all through the holiday.

The itinerary on day 1 was to drive for about 4-5 hours and get to Elgin by the evening. It had been a long week and I was feeling particularly rough and so Ed drove all the way to Aberdeen with only a quick lunch stop en-route. I wasn't sure of what to expect from Aberdeen. Its a very 'grey' coloured city due to the predominately stone architecture. And it was very very cold despite the sunshine. We drove around Aberdeen a few times, taking in the city and the harbour, before finding a place to park (a complete nightmare). We finally found a place at the Union Square car park ( attached to a big retail park and convenient location) and trundled to the Musa Art Cafe, one of the few places I was keen on checking out in the city.

The cafe is set in a converted church and is very arty, unsurprisingly. I loved the quirkiness of the place; retro prints, Russian propaganda beer bottles converted into vases, bottle cap decor on the tables, funky music and art on sale. We ordered some great coffee and shared a lovely croissant bread and butter pudding with cranachan ice cream...it was *delicious*!

Ed's a very un-englishly chatty chappie and we were soon making friends with the girls sat at the next table ( locals who now live away). They confirmed that Musa was a good place to be in Aberdeen and that there wasn't a whole lot more they'd recommend. Apparently, Jamie's Italian is what is considered haute cuisine locally. I took all this with a pinch of salt ( as you must whilst travelling) but we decided we wanted to crack on and get to Elgin by nighttime.

We did spend a little time walking around Aberdeen city centre, purchased a pack of tennis balls at a local sports shop ( because we like doing random things and we needed them, obviously), checked out the Italian food market inside the Union Square shopping centre, a quick nosey around the local TK Maxx ( who stocked a number of Kate Spade goodies, surprisingly) before motoring off.

I know I haven't done justice to Aberdeen and there is always more to a place but there is always a 'next time' to explore deeper. If you do want some Scotland itinerary ideas or would like to share your, do drop me a line. Ann x

Wearing: Zara cropped shirt; Gap khakis (now further reduced); Dune kitten heels, Michael Kors bag, Moschino scarves, Christin Dior Madrague sunglasses.

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An Afternoon in Gullane

Gullane is a little coastal village with a golf course some twenty odd miles from Edinburgh. We'd heard that it was warmer and sunnier than the city itself with an award winning beach and these were reasons enough to make us drive down there for a visit. It was windy, cold yet sunny day ( yes, you get those round here!) when we made our way to Gullane Bents, the local beach. The beach is beautiful and the waters were a shade of duck egg blue. Wind surfers were trying to make the most of the weather and families were out taking children and dogs on walks. Ed and I went for a little walk along the beach before heading back to explore the village.

Gullane is small and friendly with a couple of interesting looking antiques and charity shops and little boutiques. The ruins of St. Andrews church ( also a commonwealth war grave site) was worth a quick visit. However, it was Falkos that caught our fancy. They have konditori in Bruntsfield ( which Ed's been to) but this one looked incredibly popular...they had queues of people waiting to get in! We managed to get a  table for two and sat down to tuck into two incredible cakes and some great coffee. The staff were friendly and the l*loved* the cow shaped milk jug they brought along to serve our coffee! The bakery in Gullane also caters to the other Falko branches and they goods get delivered in a super cool vintage van! It is well worth a visit if you visit Gullane.

Before I say ciao, I must introduce you properly to my favourite charity shop find in recent times; this vintage 1951 battle blouse ( as in the photos) that I found in a charity shop in Pitlochry. It even had a 1942 three pence coin in it. Given the Scottish weather, I think I'll be wearing this through Spring on top of pretty much anything I can match it to!

Have you had any great charity shop finds or visited any wonderful little places of late? Do share! Ann x

Wearing: Vintage 1951 military jacket ( via a charity shop); Uniqlo polo neck top; Ralph Lauren shirt; Marc Jacobs bag; Gap skinny jeans;  Asos ankle boots; Vivienne Westwood sunglasses.

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Spring Bucket List

The evening sun is streaming through our kitchen window and the warmth it carries is simply wonderful. I'd never appreciated seasons enough until I started living in the UK. Sunshine and warmth have never ever be taken for granted since. Spring in Scotland is still quite cold and the April showers are as far removed as one can imagine from warm monsoon rains I grew up with. And so a bucket list is still a good idea for this season to keep me ( and my readers) motivated to find new adventures. 

Go lambing: I love the sight of fat sheep and baby lambs and I'd love to visit a farm during lambing season just to watch them roll around in the grass. I have no idea where I can find a place near Edinburgh but I'm going to have a look.

Make homemade Nutella: Lately, I've been obsessed with Nutella. I think its beginning to show. I thought that perhaps a slightly healthier homemade alternative will give me the best of both worlds. I just need to find a suitable recipe... ideas most welcome!

Decorate our home with spring blooms: I miss our allotment and garden; the spring bulbs I planted year after year will all be in bloom now. I will compromise by heading to a local market ( I need to find one) or perhaps even Aldi ( their tulips are good value!) and bringing home a fresh bunch of spring flowers every week.

Discover local farmers markets: There is something lovely about fresh produce sourced directly from the growers. Since we no longer grow our own, I'd like to support those that do.

Make spring candles:  Lately, I'm inspired by the scent of roses, baking and chocolate. Its been a while since I've made my own candles and so I'm hoping to make some spring inspired ones soon.

Learn a new sport: I'm not particularly sporty but I do like trying new things. And one sport I've always wanted to play properly is tennis. Hopefully, I'll finally do it this year.

Explore a local beach: I know mentioned Portobello in an earlier post but apparently there are even more beaches nearby that are very lovely. I'd like a springtime picnic on the beach please!

Visit the zoo: I haven't been to a zoo in years! But not every zoo has Tian Tian and Yang Guan, the giant pandas who have been loaned to the UK. Without doubt there will be a blog post that follows that visit.

Travel a little: Scotland has so much to offer; ancient castles, magnificent lochs, quaint villages and outstanding natural beauty. I'd like to explore a bit more of all that this Spring.

And that's plenty to keep me bust I think. Do you fancy doing any of these things too? What does your Spring bucket list look like? Ann x

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Linlithgow Palace in the Rain

I've been wanting to visit Linlithgow palace ever since I first caught a glimpse of it through the Chanel fashion show video from a couple of years ago. I had visions of romantic old ruins that held secret stories that once shaped the history of Scotland.  Life in Edinburgh has been rather busy but we finally managed to find some time to drive down the road to Linlithgow this weekend. The weather forecast said it would be dry but as anyone that lives on the British Isles knows, they are so frustratingly unreliable. Whilst it was dry as we started out from Edinburgh, it soon began to chuck it down and the winds picked up speed too. Strangely enough, the miserable weather simply added another layer of mystery to Linlithgow palace.

We didn't spend as much time as we'd like to around the palace but we did have a little walk around. It was pelting it down with rain, the wind was hellbent on destroying Ed's super-tough brolly and I was starting to worry about becoming a frozen sculpture in the palace courtyard. We were impressed but what we did see; what remains of the palace is still quite spectacular and the surrounding Loch and park are stunning. We will be back on a warmer and drier day to spend more quality time in the area. This time, we just hurried off to So Strawberry cafe down the road for a pot of tea and cake.

What have you lovely people been up to this weekend? Ann x

Wearing: MuuBaa leather jacket; Peter Pilotto for Target top (underneath); Pam and Arch bag; H&M skirt; Hat ( old and not sure of brand); Asos ankle boots; Valentino silk scarf

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter or Facebook.

Kicking Around

I've recently had a super fun discovery......push scooters! Yes, the adult versions of those things you often see 3-7 year olds on. The idea occurred to both Ed and I when were out walking with friends recently and saw a bunch of kids scooting down Dean Village. They were having so much fun and the gadget itself looked so lightweight, quite unlike a normal bike. We live on the topmost floor of a tenement building so carrying a bike up and down is no fun at all. A scooter on the other hand is relatively easy to carry around. 

Ed very quickly found me a little scooter on eBay and the rest is just bloody good fun! OK, I struggled with the brake initially and scooting at crazy miles an hour down Edinburgh's hilly streets was scary but I soon found my feet. I absolutely love my new mode of transport and I think I'm going to advocate a new trend in Edinburgh....

Have you ever been on a kick scooter? What do you reckon? Ann x

Wearing: MuuBaa leather jacket; Uniqlo top; Marc Jacobs bag; Gap skinny jeans;  Pieboy hat c/o; Asos ankle boots;

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter or Facebook.

Summer Staycation Wishlist

As much as we'd love to, the chances of us having a proper holiday this year are looking unlikely. Whilst that may change, we thought we could just as well make the most of what is nearby. I'm not holding my breath for a warm summer in Edinburgh but perhaps there will be a few warmish days that justify lounging around nearby beaches? I've heard that Portobello beach near Edinburgh is quite lovely and so that may just be where we head to for a few summer day trips.  I was asked to create a mood board for Joules recently and I thought I might as well do that with our impending staycation in mind. In case you were wondering, of course you need a couple of nice things even for a staycation! Here are a few of my favourites...

Pretty flip flops:  I love nautical stripes so the Jenny flip flops (1) are a no-brainer for holiday feet.

The perfect t-shirt: White t-shirts are a summer staple but trust Joules to come up with a version that is just a bit more special. I'll be looking for Vivianne (2) this summer...

A nice bikini: Actually sod bikins, I'd rather have a lovely swimsuit hides my soft centre. Sayler (3) is pretty and it comes with bows! Joules also stock a range of lovely women's bikinis that are worth checking out.

A summery tote: I have far too many canvas totes but they are serve different purposes (in my opinion). I don't have a 'beachy' tote and I really like this number (4)

Driving shoes..a.k.a loafers,  are an essential if you staycation involves daily drives to the beach. Elna (5) is classy and will age well I think

A denim skirt: There is something very summery about a little denim skirt.. and Dani (2) looks like a good one. Wear it on top of you swimsuit and you have a beach to bus-stop outfit

The hat: Can you have too many straw hats? Probably not? I usually source and recycle mine at charity shops but every so often a high street one screams for attention... like Austiwick (7)

Where are you planning your holidays to this year? And is your wardrobe sorted? Ann x

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Refresh Rather Than Relocate: An Indian Summer

I was recently asked if I'd like to take part in Look Again's refresh rather than relocate campaign with an opportunity to win £750 worth of home goods. I know it's a bit ironic as we have only just relocated to Edinburgh but I decided to participate nevertheless and use a bit of imagination.  Despite Edinburgh being a wonderful city, the only reason most people relocate from here is for a bit more warmth. And if there is one memory I'd would always like to recreate at home, it is warm sunny afternoons along the Indian coast. So here are some of my favourite bits from Look Again's home section to help create this atmosphere and thus a virtual re-relocation...

Dressing table set: I'd love a proper dressing table in our bedroom! The Quebec dressing table (1) looks versatile and sturdy and looks like a long term investment. And then you need a little stool, which is where the Quebec stool (5) comes in rather handy with its matching white tones. I'd also like a mirror ( obviously) and this Quebec mirror works perfectly well! (2)

Quirky table lamps: My readers know I'm a sucker for a bit of quirkiness. I adore these crane table lamp! (3) And I'll have two please!

Bed linen: No bedroom transformation is complete without a good set of bed linen. I *love* white cotton sheets and the Yasmin set looks like the kind of thing I'd be interested in (4)

Sturdy curtains: Our bedroom has huge and draughty windows. I think a solid set of ivory curtains would be just right and withstand any future redecoration too.

Other essentials would be a piece of two of art from our travels, a lovely summer candle ( Diptyque or homemade), a few good books and my lovely husband!

Have you considered refresh your rooms to give them a new lease of life too? Ann x

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Highlights of Winter 2013/14

Whilst pingponging between London and Edinburgh over the last few weeks,, it has become remarkably clear to me that Scotland is a few weeks behind England on the seasons front. So whilst my blogger counterparts south of the UK are waxing lyrical about bare legs and daffodils, us lot in Scotland continue to be bundled up in multiple layers.  I figured that whilst it is still wintery where I live, I'll do a little post reflecting on the season that we are soon leaving behind. Don't be fooled by all the pretty pictures on my Instagram feed, its been a terribly heartbreaking and stressful few months for me (and us). Christmas was only three months ago and I spent most of the festive season in hospital and the rest of time outside of it trying to physically recover and reconciling myself with the fact that I may never have a baby again (naturally) and that any other interventions will still be fraught with risk. And to add to that we moved our entire lives several hundred miles north, changed jobs and battled other challenges...However, Ed and I figured that the move to Edinburgh, the culture and new experiences will help us with the healing.  So, here's a snapshot of all the fun things we've been up to...

The Edinburgh Christmas markets, spread across three different parts of the city, are an absolute delight. We wandered around them  every time we could, admiring all the seasonal goodness they had to offer. I particularly love the sight of happy carousels and sky high rides, even if I'm not a fan of getting on some of these rides myself.  Christmas lights, sparkly shop windows, Harvey Nic's during the holiday season, online sales have all been rather delightful. The flip side of being horizontal so much was that I was that much more susceptible to a naughty sale purchases: Charlotte Olympia, Agent Provacateur, Cire Trudon etc have somehow made it into my wardrobe and home ;) And then there was wool, lots and lots of it, with lots of knitting to boot. Who knew I'd one day become a knitter! The nuns that taught me at school would be so very shocked! And, I got published twice... not for knitting but simply because of the blog....my Rhubarb Creme Brûlée made it to a book published by the Princes Trust and my blog was featured in the Making Magazine! And then there was the millinery masterclass with Katherine Elizabeth... so much fun but so not easy!

Winter is also a time when I somehow always manage to gain a few chubby pounds...a lot of it was  because of Dosa ( a crispy south Indian pancake that I could live off)... something almost impossible to find Peterborough way but quite the contrary in Edinburgh.... and there always a session at Laduree every time I was in the big smoke, sessions at Sketch, Yauatcha, Coco Maya and other favourite London haunts.  And there was the London Chocolate Tour... a fabulous chocolate extravaganza... an experience worth trying..Valentine's day card making with Rosie and Hannah of the New Craft Society at Drink Shop Do, a beautiful Valentines day surprise by the husband at our favourite haunt in Exton, a random but interesting Mongolian barbecue of Taiwanese origin at Khublai Khan etc...

Then a month ago, we moved 'properly'... i.e sold every piece of furniture, decluttered a lot of our 'stuff' down south, and moved log stock and barrel to start a whole new phase of life in Edinburgh. I continue to work from England i.e. travel to Newcastle, London etc but hopefully that is all set to change soon..And before the snow could all go, we learnt ( tried to) ski! Looking back, its incredible how much we've been through and how much we've accomplished and experienced in such a short space of time... it reaffirms by motto in life..carpe diem as life's too short and there is no time like the present. 

I hope you've had a season full of life enriching experiences too... and that when Spring comes along, it brings happy, new and wonderful things with it. Ann x

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