Delicious Dining in Old Town

My DC family is in town visiting this week, and luckily for me, Gordon and Stacia have exquisite taste in food and wine. Translation: I don't have to cook for myself this week and I get to enjoy good wine. Anyway, we discovered a gem on Sunday night. Wedgwood on the Royal Mile has great food, amazing wine and a good atmosphere. It has only been open for about six months, but if you ever find yourself in Edinburgh and need a good place to eat, it is well worth the visit.

• The Basics:

Wedgwood
Royal Mile
267 Canongate
Edinburgh, EH8 8BQ

0131 5588 737

What Happened to January?

I have no idea where the time has gone - but to fall back on the old cliché, I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. Scotland is still incredible, especially since the weather has improved. It has been mostly sunny for two weeks (I hope I didn't just jinx it), and not too unbearably cold. Classes have been going well, I just finished my reading week, something that I think all American universities should implement. However, as my father says, British universities just seem to take the notion of being civilized a bit more seriously. If you don't know what a reading week is (although the name is fairly self explanatory), it is a week, without lectures and tutorials, dedicated solely to reading and writing papers. Moral of the story is, while I haven't done as much reading as I should have, it still makes for a nice break and plenty of time to explore the library. Rugby is also going well, we played in Aberdeen last Sunday (a very gray city, but an exceedingly pretty drive) and in Leeds on Wednesday (also a pretty drive through some very picturesque English country side). The return trip from Leeds was very interesting. Our bus broke down on the side of the road, and thanks to a very kind twist of fate, instead of sitting on the bus for two and a half hours while it was fixed, we invaded a small pub. I think the 6 old men who were quietly watching a football game were quite surprised when 20 girls walked in, but they were good sports and better company and we spent the 2 1/2 hours drinking pints, watching football and playing Scrabble. A very funny way to end a 5 hour bus rid at any rate.
In my last post I mentioned the start of the 6 Nations Tournament, and while I am reluctant to discuss how poorly Scotland has been playing (and the prospect of France winning yet again), I have to say that going to a live international rugby match is quite an experience. I managed to get tickets to France v. Scotland on February 3 at the very last minute. The student tickets were only 15 pounds, and we actually had great seats. I think that might be because we sat in Row V instead of Row VV like we were supposed to, but no one kicked us out, so we watched from the first row of the upper deck and had an unobstructed view of the pitch. The game was abysmal rugby - Scotland at its worst and France slipping by on sloppy play and Vincent Clerc's speed. The final score, 27-6, was disappointing, especially since several commentators had picked Scotland to put on a good show, and possibly even surprise the young, untried French team. Unfortunately Scotland never played like they wanted to win - they were always playing catch up, made too many basic mistakes (an International team should not drop the ball the way Scotland did in that game) and seemed to lack passion. For what it matters, I can say the same thing for the Scottish fans. The French fans won the contest of pride in Murrayfield that day. I expected they would be vocal and boisterous (while watching France beat the All Blacks in the Quarter Finals of the Rugby World last fall, I thought the floor was going to collapse because of all the jumping and screaming from the French fans), I was unprepared for the reality. The French fans sang "La Marseillaise" so passionately I was amazed. "Flower of Scotland" was moving as well, but at the time I felt like the French fans far outnumbered the Scottish fans. The bands and costumes and the constant cheers ("Allez les Bleus" is amazingly catchy and incredibly grating all at once) were entertaining if nothing else. Not even Loch Lomond got the Scottish fans into the game. Admittedly the French had much more to cheer, but still, it was obvious that the Scottish fans didn't expect much and the team reflected that. At one point I could clearly see the Scottish replacement players, and even they seemed disappointed. To be fair, I almost went deaf when Chris Paterson took the field, but although he galvanized the team and the fans, it was too little too late. The Scotland-Wales game last weekend went a little better, but Scotland has yet to score a try in the tournament. If they continue at this rate, it looks like another year with the wooden spoon. Sigh, I had such high hopes going in. But, the Calcutta Cup is in Scotland this year, and if Scotland can manage a repeat of the 18-12 victory over England in 2006 the tournament won't be a total loss. As for who I'm picking to win, my vote goes to Wales. They are on fire right now, Gatland is keeping all the players on their toes with his ruthless selection process and they are playing like a team that wants to win. Their first win at Twickenham in 20 years, and a convincing win against Scotland at home should give them a lot of steam for the next three games.
Okay, stint as a rugby reporter over. Back to real life. I recovered from my illness in time to go to the Sports Union ball a couple of weeks ago and had a fabulous time. The ball was held in the Presidential Suite at Murrayfield (yep, the rugby stadium, it was quite exciting) and was part céilidh and part disco. What is a céilidh (pronounced k-lee) you ask? Great fun!! Comparable to square dancing in the states, it involves partners or groups, lots of spinning, jumping and clapping and is quite confusing if you don't know what you're doing. If you're lucky you can find an experienced partner and they'll tell you what to do and when, thus making the night go much smoother. I can't remember the last time I had more fun at a dance. Every time someone mentions céilidh now I get really excited, I'm still on the lookout for another one. All the men in kilts doesn't hurt either!
Well, I think that's it for now. I have papers to write (funny how easily I forget that I have actual school work to do) and philosophers to read. On that note, I guess I should give a shout out to the newest member of the family - my father's cat, Hobbes. (Apparently of Calvin and, but I think it is really the dead philosopher - I could be wrong though). Sorry this was a rugby heavy post - hopefully subsequent posts will focus more on exploring Edinburgh, which is on the agenda for this week since friends are visiting. Oh, and I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

The perils of being sick...

Unfortunately for all my plans this week, I am sick. While I've managed to pull myself out of bed for classes (sometimes I even manage to convince myself that I'm a good student), going outside in the cold is a very unappealing prospect for any other reason. So to augment my boredom I've been surfing the internet and reading books about Scottish history. Clearly a productive use of my time.

Anyway, while I'm not exploring the city, this is what has been keeping my interest.

• Lolcats! Seriously, they are hilarious, an excellent pick-me-up. Check it out: http://icanhascheezburger.com
• The first weekend of the Six Nations is almost upon us! As a huge Scotland fan I was super disappointed to miss out on tickets to the opener vs. France. However, I hear that every pub will be packed, so I'm sure it will be a good day anyway. I have high hopes for Scotland this year, they look like a good squad. I was a little surprised when Hadden opted not to start Paterson, but I have faith in Frank so I'll accept his decision. If none of that made any sense to you, go brush up on your rugby. The BBC Rugby Union site is really good. Scrum.com is also good for rugby news, and rugbydump.com has quality rugby videos.
  
• (Men may feel free to skip over this next part) My favourite store is Monsoon, seriously it is wonderful (check it out here). Sadly Monsoon doesn't have stores in the States, but look through their stuff, it is very good quality. Anyway I am going to a dance tomorrow night (assuming I am no longer ill) and justified a shopping excursion to myself. Long story short, I wound up with 2 little black dresses (one is 100% silk). The total for both? About $110. Now the hard part is deciding which one to wear.
  
• I've decided that I need a new computer as I've had my current one for almost three years (I'm pretty sure that Apple doesn't even sell the iBook anymore). When I come home I think I'll look into the MacBook Air.
• Current Reading List (for those times when I have to pull myself away from YouTube and BBC):
• Scotland: The Story of a Nation by Magnus Magnuson.
• The Scottish Nation 1700-2007 by T.M Devine (who doubles as one of my lecturers in 'The Making of Modern Scotland' - also known as 'Reasons why Scotland is the best country in the world and Ireland sucks').
• Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street series.
• Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan series. Reichs is an AU alum and the show Bones is based on her work.

Fingers crossed that I feel better tomorrow and I can get on with exploring the city, dancing, playing rugby and pretty much doing anything that doesn't involve wasting away in my room.

Catching up...

Clearly I fail at actually keeping a blog. I feel like this is similar to keeping a journal. Historically I've done really well for the first couple of days, and then inevitably the entries become more and more infrequent... (Hmmm, it occurs to me that this is the case with the journal on my shelf right now, maybe I should fix that.) Hopefully I'll be better about it from now on.
Anyway, I've finally settled into my new city and I have to say that I absolutely love it here. In fact, I like it so much I may never leave. Edinburgh is amazing. I still haven't seen everything, but I have a list of bests so far...

Best Drink: Snakebite
Best Pub: The clear winner on this one is Bannerman's on Cowgate.
Best Coffee Shop: Chocolate Soup - word of warning, don't eat anything for at least a day before entering!!!
Best View: Arthur's Seat, pretty much anything from the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle
Best Food: West Nile for Sudanese food, delicious!!
Best Workout: Walking. Seriously! Edinburgh is a very hilly city.
Best Statue: Greyfriars Bobby, at the top of Chambers Street.
Best Holiday: Burns' Night - kilts galore!!!

Places I haven't seen yet, but want to:
Mary King's Close
National Museum of Scotland and Royal Museum of Scotland (they are right across the street from my flat - you'd think I would have been by now!)
Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Place, Calton Hill
Parliament

So, I guess I'll be busy this week! Other plans include rugby practice/games and the Sports Union ball on Thursday. I'll work on finding time for another update soon!

Umbrellas, tweed and other observations about fashion in Edinburgh.

Today was one of those days. I guess I would describe it as an Edinburgh day. Not bad, just...dreary. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0005)
Anyway, the cold weather got me thinking about, of all things, fashion. To be fair, I thought I was (fashionably) prepared for the weather. I dutifully packed my lovely wellies, an umbrella and four jackets. A plethora of sweaters (or jumpers, if you prefer the vernacular), mittens, hats and scarves also came along. For good measure I brought plenty of long socks and my mom was even kind enough to buy those little hand warmers that go in your gloves. For all intents and purposes, I was ready to deal with the short, cold, rainy days that characterize Edinburgh in January.

To my surprise, I was woefully unprepared for a Scottish winter. True, my clothes are all warm enough and my umbrella is certainly handy when it rains. However, for all my careful preparation, I failed to take Scottish fashion standards into account. So, should any of you care to visit delightfully rainy Edinburgh, allow me to advise your packing list.

Ladies:

• Colours should be limited to accessories, especially bold colours. A red scarf or yellow bag are certainly acceptable, perhaps even a bright shirt, but remember that said bright colours must always be paired with an appropriately dreary outfit.
  
• Overcoats should be dark. Black is best, but navy, gray and brown are all acceptable alternatives. Patterns should be understated, dark tweed or muted plaid, for example.
• Boots are the preferred footwear. NOT wellingtons, never wellingtons. No, sensible suede boots should be worn, regardless of the weather. After all, nothing keeps feet warmer in the rain than a nice pair of Uggs. Should you find yourself without suede boots, boots of any kind excluding wellingtons will do. No boots? Fine, flats may also be worn.
  
• Trousers ('pants' means underwear here, fyi), especially jeans, should only be worn if you have no other clean clothes. Sweatpants are a no-no at all times (my mother has been telling me this for years).
• The standard daily outfit is a denim mini skirt with black tights, boots, a jumper, a jacket (short, so people can see the skirt), gloves, hat and scarf. Remember, somber colours!
• If you plan on going out, bring a pair of high heels and a bag big enough to carry flats. Also plan on knowing a good cobbler, the cobble stones are murder on heels.

Gentlemen:

• A good cable knit sweater is an excellent idea. Not only will it look dashing underneath a pea coat, you'll stay quite toasty no matter how cold the wind.
  
• Trousers should always be worn with casual shoes. Running shoes should only be worn in athletic situations.
  
• Speaking of athletics, if you really want to blend in, bring along a rugby jersey. Scotland is preferable, though any jersey will make you look more like a local. Word to the wise - the 6 Nations runs from February through mid-March - be aware of who is playing which weekend. Football (Soccer) jerseys are also acceptable.
• Two fashion musts: oxford shirts and jeans.
• Scarves should accompany all outfits.
• And most importantly...SOMBER COLOURS!
  

So, that is my sage fashion advice. By following it, you can rest assured that not only will you be warm, but also dressed to match the weather. It really is a win-win situation. Oh, one last piece of advice. True Scots don't carry umbrellas...only tourists do that! ; )