Farewell to the Caley Ale House

After the Scottish Lib Dem Executive meeting on Saturday a gang of us went across to our usual post meeting watering hole the Caledonian Ale House to say farewell to a fine pub. The Caley as it's universally know is being demolished to make way for a major intersection of Edinburgh's new tram system and the pub closed for good on Sunday. I heartily approve of the tram system but am much saddened by the loss of the Caley especially as the other two pubs close to HQ aren't just up to the same standard.

I hope that all the efficient and friendly staff find suitable alternative employment and I thank them for their service over the last 5 and a bit years that I've been visiting their establishment.

Cheers!

Good anti-trident turnout on Saturday

I would reckon a good 2-3000 people turned out on Saturday in Edinburgh to protest against trident. It was particularly interesting to see such a broad cross-section of Scottish Society in attendance. I certainly don't hold much in common with the Communist Party or any Churches bar being anti trident. It was no surprise that Labour & the Tories were the only political parties missing.

The photo of some of the Scottish Lib Dem contingent was taken by my pal Caron Lindsay. a rare treat for me to be in a photo rather than behind the camera.

Anti Trident Demo in Edinburgh Saturday coming

I shall be joining many of my Scottish Lib Dem friends in demonstrating against the replacement of Trident on Saturday coming, November 3rd.

Please come along and join Lib Dems, members of other parties and members of no parties to back the growing voice which says that this ridiculous weapons system is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Details:
Assemble: 11.30am outside Scottish Parliament building.
March off: 12 noon
Rally: 1pm Ross Bandstand, Princes Street.
Speakers include: John Barrett MP (Lib Dem, Edinburgh West)

If any English or Welsh Lib Dems would like to attend & need accommodation then please email me and I'll see what can be done to help. iain@ayrshirelibdems.org.uk
More info at: http://www.scotland4peace.org/

Scotland must have more than 1 hustings

Last time round there was only one leadership hustings in Scotland, which was held in Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Whilst Edinburgh has a large party membership it is simply not acceptable to the folks in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dumfies & Galloway, points North and West to traipse to Edinburgh for their only opportunity to hear the candidates.

Whether this is done officially or by mutual agreement of the respective campaign teams it must be organised. Oh yes, can we have venues large enough for the turn out this time round please?

Yes it was foodie heaven

As intimated in my last post, I attended the Channel 4 organised "Taste of Edinburgh" event at the weekend. Catherine decided it wasn't her idea of a good day out so the party consisted of her Dad, younger Sister and myself.

The entry fee of £25 seemed quite steep but it did include £15 worth of tokens to spend in the restuarants, bars & retail stalls and actually proved to be reasonably good value for money. Some 15 Edinburgh restaurants participated, each of which offered 3 taster dishes from their menus. I won't rant on about the whole panopoly but shall say that it is my intention to visit two particular restuarants in the shortest order. these are Suruchi & Iggys. I just hope that the full experience lives up to the taster menus and ambience they created.

I ended up coming away with Boerwoers sausages, Jordanian lemon infused olive oil, Appleton's 12 year old Jamaican rum, stuffed olives, zait & zaatar*, dolmades and Oleifera rapseed oil. Also ended up slightly tipsy and replete with good grub.

Hopefully this will be an annual event and that the organisers can expand to hold a similar event in Glasgow each year.

*Zait & Zaatar is Arabic for extra virgin oil and thyme mix. 1. Take a piece of bread 2. Dunk the bread in the oil 3. Dip the bread in the zaatar. 4. Enjoy a really wonderful taste sensation!
The Zaatar comprises of thyme leaves, roasted wheat, roasted sesame, roasted coriander, roasted fennel, roasted caraway etc.

Foodie heaven

I'm through in Perth again this weekend as Catherine has a meeting from 10 o'clock until the back of four - yep, Soroptimists again.

Whilst she's stuck in her meeting her Dad & I are planning to pay a visit to Edinburgh to visit Channel 4's "Taste of Edinburgh" event which is being held in The Meadows from the 7th - 10th of this month.

There are three different entry levels and I'm planning on doing the £25 one which gets you in and also gives you 30 "crowns" to spend on grub and booze. There are 15 "prestigious" chefs creating "signature dishes" for tasting, a beer masterclass, wine tasting, chef demonstrations - including Martin Wishart, live music and 80, count em, 80 specialist food and drink stalls. Truly a heavean for us foodies or pseudo-foodies. Yummy!

www.channel4.com/tastefestivals