Ideas for Valentine’s weekend
February 3, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
If you’re looking for a special way to spoil your loved one, why not treat them to a Valentine’s break with the Town House Collection. This year, the luxury hotel group has teamed up with Trees 4 Scotland to create a romantic break with a difference – offering guests the chance to help restore Scotland’s native woodlands.
Each time a couple books a ‘Seeds of Love’ Valentine’s breaks at The Bonham – Edinburgh’s most stylish boutique hotel – or the 5-star Blythswood Square in Glasgow, a tree will be planted in the Teaghlach Wood, near Comrie in the Scottish Highlands.
The ‘Seeds of Love’ break offers the chance for an unforgettable night in a uniquely beautiful setting. But your love will be reflected in a legacy that lasts much longer, as your small piece of Scotland’s natural heritage grows for years to come. There’s no better way to demonstrate your everlasting love.
The romantic Seeds of Love break includes
- Luxury accommodation in an individually designed bedroom
- Bottle of Champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries in your room on arrival
- Rose petal in-room breakfast with a glass of Bucks Fizz
- Use of the Thermal Experience in the Spa (Blythswood Square only)
The Seeds of Love break at Blythswood Square is priced from £243 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a Classic bedroom from the 10th – 19th February.
The Seeds of Love break at The Bonham is priced from £188 per room per night, based on two adults sharing a double bedroom from the 10th – 19th February
For further information visit www.thetownhousecollection.com
Getting out of Edinburgh – Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition Glasgow
October 28, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Now in its seventh year, the annual Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition is returning to Glasgow’s SECC this weekend, 28th – 30th October 2011, bringing together a wide range of exciting attractions over three days to improve your home and lifestyle.
Show highlights include the inspirational Interior Design Showcase, where the country’s leading interior designers show their unique takes on six different rooms sets, a Kids’ Zone filled with fabulous ideas for children and, for the first time, a Christmas Fair featuring luxurious gifts and decadent décor ideas.
Returning to the show for the second year is the Talented Makers section which presents the work of the country’s finest up-and-coming furniture and craft makers including eight makers from the Scottish Furniture Makers’ Association.
This year also sees the return of Editor’s Picks, the show’s most popular attraction, featuring modern and contemporary designs from around the world, plus talks by one of the UK’s leading artists and interior designers, and President-Elect of the British Institute of Interior Design, Sue Timney.
This year’s Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition will present a host of high profile chefs, landscapers and gardeners who will be on hand over the weekend sharing their tips, tricks of the trade and trend predictions for 2012.
The exhibition will be split into zones with exhibitors grouped together by sector to make it easier than ever to find exactly what you’re looking for. There will even be a state of the art cinema room kitted out in the latest high tech gadgets from Loud & Clear and a demonstration area where you can pick up some fantastic tips from the experts.
There will also presentations over the course of the weekend in the show’s Design Theatre in addition to TV personalities including interior designer, John Amabile.
Foodies won’t want to miss Jacqueline O’ Donnell, head chef at The Sister’s Restaurant in Glasgow who will be cooking up a storm each day and John Quigley from award-winning restaurant Red Onion. Meanwhile the hugely popular champagne bar and wine tasting area will give you the chance to take a break from browsing to sample some fine tipples.
Gillian Welsh, Editor of Homes & Interiors Scotland, said: “The exhibition has always been about celebrating Scotland’s vibrant interior landscape, supporting local talent, finding dynamic interior designers and craft makers and bringing them together under one roof. We’re delighted to have Jim Hamilton from Graven Images, Nick Priestley from Mood Flowers and Sue Timney in the Design Theatre.
“Editor’s Picks is back showcasing some of the most innovative pieces from international and national designers. We’re also looking forward to our first ever Christmas fair and expect it will be a huge hit with visitors who are thinking to purchase unique gifts for family and friends.
“The exhibition’s popular Interior Design Showcase features room sets created by some of the country’s most talented designers: Lee Sowerbutts and Anna Murray of Rehab Interiors, who specialise in revamping vintage pieces, will make their mark on the garden room and lounge; Henrika Simpson of Designworks will focus on an elegant master bedroom and dressing area, while TV celebrity John Amabile and his partner Carol Yates from Amabile Design will create a head-turning hall and living room.”
There will be a host of retailers exhibiting with something to suit every style and budget including Kitchens International, Busby Interiors, PD Stokes Landscaping, Brodie Lighting, Arran Aromatics, Skye Skyns, Wooden Baths, StudioKap Architects, Energy Saving Scotland, Athena Fireplaces, Angus Ross Furniture, Strathearn Stone & Timber and Purdies Homes Interiors & Gifts.
Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition 2011, SECC, Glasgow.
Opening times: 10am until 5pm, Friday 28th to Sunday 30th October 2011
On-the-door tickets, £10 per person. Issued on behalf of Homes & Interiors Scotland by DADA
Chris Brookmyre Book Launch
June 3, 2011 by Samantha Taylor · Leave a Comment
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Scottish author Chris Brookmyre launched his new book at The Caves in Edinburgh on Wednesday night.
Almost a decade and a half has gone by since the publication of his award-winning novel ‘Quite Ugly One Morning’ and the dimly lit room in Edinburgh’s most atmospheric club was packed out with fans all eager to hear some excerpts from the highly anticipated ‘Where the Bodies are Buried.’
Brookmyre walked on to the stage set with various props from past novels to rapturous applause, then proceeded to say that he’d had his humour removed and was no longer funny. As a matter of fact, he was hilarious.
He read out some excerpts from his book which, as he said beforehand, were not meant to be funny, but his Scottish twang in some parts made it hard for audience members to hold back a snigger.
The new book centres aruound Detective Superintendent Catherine McLeod, who is trying to track down a killer in Glasgow after a drug-dealer’s dead body is found in an ally.
“I thought that after all these years I’d bring in a proper police inspector character,” Brookmyre explained. “Catherine is happily married with a couple kids, and has a weird and fairly robust perspective on the Glaswegian crime scene. I’m hoping that comes out in the book.”
Brookmyre is extremely keen on the Scottish theme throughout this novel, even going to the extent of naming one of his chapters after a song by Selkirk band Frightened Rabbit.
“It’s called ‘The Loneliness and the Scream’ and it’s the first chapter,” he said.
“I was listening to Frightened Rabbit almost, not quite exclusively, but a lot when I was thinking about this book and before I was working on it.
“Every so often you come across a band or a songwriter who is so emotionally honest and it gets inside your head. I hadn’t heard anything like them in years. Their tone is like a constant relentless self-examination playing in my head and this is a book that’s made about self-examination and it’s also a book about difficult emotions so I thought I’d, not only name the opening chapter after ‘The Loneliness and the Scream’, but use it to acknowledge the depth of Frightened Rabbit.”
Frightened Rabbit themselves were extremely pleased about having one of their song titles used in a book by one of Scotland’s best authors: “We were utterly taken aback and flattered,” they said.
“Chris is an established and unique Scottish literary voice, and to play a part, however small, in his work is an absolute honour. We’re chuffed to bits.”
Speaking of Chris’ comment about them “getting inside” his head, the band said: “That’s all we hope to do. I’ve always loved weaving darkly honest and emotionally complex ideas into a fairly basic ‘pop’ structure. I like the idea that it could take a few listens before people even realise they are essentially singing along to a description of my planning a suicide. A jobby wrapped in nice paper, as Chris might put it.”
See our exclusive Twitter interview from Frightened Rabbit below and also take the time to listen to our exclusive sound bite of Chris reading an excerpt from his new book.
‘Where the Bodies are Buried’ is available from all good book stores.
Chris Brookmyre Excerpt by Sammy2107
Edinburgh beauty queen launches Celtic music festival
April 18, 2011 by Sian Lower · Leave a Comment
Irish beauty pageant winner, Edinburgh lass Jemma Ferry, showed the spirit of Ireland as she helped launch the Donegal Live music festival today.
The event will bring the Donegal craic and culture to Scotland on 1 May with the best music and entertainment from the region, giving Scots a taste of the historic county.
Jemma, 22, of East Craigs, Edinburgh, has been visiting Donegal since her childhood, and last year won the world-famous Mary of Dungloe pageant, beating Daniel O’Donnell’s niece to the crown.
She joined former Miss Scotland and 2003 Mary of Dungloe, Aisling Friel, to encourage Scots to find their Irish roots at the free event in Glasgow. This is the first year Donegal Live will be held outside of Ireland.
Donegal Live will see the city’s Merchant’s Square brought to life with the sounds of Donegal and Scotland from 12 noon to 6pm before culminating in a ticketed concert by Daniel O’Donnell and Mickey Harte at the Royal Concert Hall in the evening.
The former Edinburgh University student said, “It’s fantastic the spirit and craic of Donegal is coming to Scotland. It’s a magical place, from the music, the culture to the people and I’m sure the Scots will take everyone to their hearts. It will be a perfect way to spend the bank holiday with all the family.”
The Mullaghduff Pipe Band will lead the Donegal Live entertainment in the afternoon alongside artists including the Irish Minstrels, CCE, the McHugh Group, the Friel sisters, Paul McKenna Band, the Amadáns and the Wakes.
There will also be clowns, face painting, magicians for all the family and a midday ceili (Irish ceilidh) with music by the St. Roch’s CCE and the Ardara Set Dancing Group. Visitors will also be able to enjoy stalls showcasing all that Donegal has to offer from food, trips, accommodation and leisure activities.
Hugh Harkin, organiser of Donegal Live, said,“We are delighted to bring the colour and the craic of Ireland to Glasgow with Donegal Live. Scots know how to party just as much as the Irish and with music, entertainment and fun for all the family it will be a great day out. We had 25,000 people in Temple Bar in Dublin last year and we’re expecting an amazing atmosphere in Glasgow this May Day too.”
Delhi handover in Edinburgh
October 12, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Ninety primary school children from across Edinburgh will strut their stuff in Festival Square, Edinburgh on Thursday 14th October as they perform a special ‘sport dance’ to celebrate the Delhi Commonwealth Games Handover Ceremony taking place at this year’s Commonwealth Games. The Edinburgh Commonwealth Games Handover event, which is part of EventScotland’s Games for Scotland initiative, is one of a number of events taking place across the country designed to create a sense of pride around Scotland’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
The children from Stenhouse, Prestonfield and Royal Mile Primary Schools have been training hard with instructors from Dance Base, national centre for dance, to prepare for their Games for Scotland dance exhibition. Their dance will be performed in front of the Big Screen before the Delhi Handover Ceremony is broadcast live from India.
Sport Dance involves using sports skills choreographed into a dance routine.
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop will introduce the young dancers’ performance.
Ms Hyslop said: “This handover ceremony will mark the start of the official countdown to Scotland hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2014. The Games present an unrivalled opportunity to show the world what our nation has to offer and to create a lasting legacy for the whole of Scotland.
“Already the Games are inspiring Scots to get involved and to get active. It is fantastic to see so many communities joining in the celebrations as we start our push to Get Scotland Dancing and create an Active Nation.”
The Games for Scotland event in Festival Square has been organised by the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games Legacy Group, namely: the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure, NHS Lothian, Festivals Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh and Stevenson College.
Edinburgh’s three Delhi handover ‘cast members’, who were selected to represent the city in the Games’ mass-choreographed closing ceremony, have produced a video blog diary of their time at Bootcamp. This will also be broadcast on the Big Screen on Thursday afternoon.
The Handover Ceremony marks the Flag Handover from Delhi to Glasgow, and includes an eight-minute creative programme to showcase Glasgow and Scotland to the rest of the world. The performance, which will involve a mass choreographed dance routine, will take place in the spectacular Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in front of a stadium audience of 60,000 during the Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The performance will be beamed live across the Commonwealth to an estimated audience of 1 billion people.
Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture and Leisure Convenor for the City of Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh has forged a reputation as one of the World’s leading destinations for major sporting events and we’re committed, through our successful Activcity programme, to harnessing the excitement of these occasions to inspire residents of all ages to discover the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle. We and our partners, including Edinburgh Leisure, are already working extremely hard to ensure that the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games leave a lasting, valuable legacy for future generations to come. This handover ceremony celebration in Festival Square is an excellent way of publicly demonstrating this commitment.”
Edinburgh Leisure Legacy Officer, Shelagh Jackson, said: “Edinburgh Leisure is delighted to be a key partner in this exciting and energetic event which marks the official handover of The Commonwealth Games to Scotland. Edinburgh Leisure’s core purpose is to ensure as many people in Edinburgh become and stay active and we look forward to exploring the wealth of opportunities to inspire the people of Edinburgh to take part in physical activity that becoming host nation to The Commonwealth Games will bring.”
Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency, said: “The Edinburgh Commonwealth Games Handover Event is a fantastic event which we are delighted to be supporting as part of the Games for Scotland programme. The event will provide local community members with the opportunity to unite and take pride in Scotland’s role as host of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It is a fantastic example of Edinburgh Council’s contribution to making Scotland the perfect stage for events.”
Minister for Public Health and Sport, Shona Robison, said: “I’m delighted to see all 32 local authorities taking part and joining in the celebrations around the handover of the Commonwealth Games to Scotland. The range of these events will help make the Handover a memorable occasion across Scotland and build real excitement and involvement in our communities as we take a significant step to hosting the Games in 2014. We want to create a lasting legacy from the games and we want to get the country involved. The events will be a chance for Scots all over the country to join in, be inspired and get active.”
Delhi here we come!
August 18, 2010 by Phyllis Stephen · Leave a Comment
The athletes who will represent Scotland at next month’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi were named today.
Scots will compete in 16 of the 17 sports disciplines in India. The oldest is 72-year-old bowler Willie Wood, at the Games for a record eighth time, and the youngest is diver Grace Reid, aged 14.
The Delhi Games will be held between October 3 and 14. Glasgow is to be the host city in 2014.
Sport Minister Shona Robison said:
“I wish all the athletes selected to represent Team Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi the very best of luck. All of these athletes have reached this point through sheer hard work, dedication and commitment and are an inspiration to us all.
“The 2010 Games is a perfect platform for our athletes to demonstrate their talent and ability on the international sporting stage. The Games will also provide experience for those who have aspirations to compete for Scotland in front of a home crowd when Glasgow hosts the Games in 2014. I am looking forward to going to Delhi to support the team and I’m sure I will witness some outstanding performances.”
