Another Secret: Edinburgh Farmer's Market

In London, street markets selling anything from antiques to clothing to agricultural produce are almost de rigeur. The Portobello and Camden markets are famous tourist pit-stops in their own right, and see thronging crowds on weekends.

So that got me thinking: surely Edinburgh must have some markets of its own?

A quick search on google earlier this week threw up the Edinburgh Farmer's Market which occurs (impressively), every Saturday from 9am - 2pm. Local farmers converge at Castle Terrace, under the imposing shadow of the Edinburgh castle selling nothing but the freshest and finest specimens of Scottish produce.

Forcing myself out of bed at 9am (early for me), I took a brisk walk to the Castle Terrace. Upon arrival, I spied a row of cheerful umbrella-ed stalls, each bearing the name of the farmer/producer and the wares on sale.

This is an excellent place to pick up fresh groceries whilst ensuring your money goes right back to local producers. Some products you can get at the market include organic beers, free-range eggs, fruits and veges, artisan breads and chocolates, honey, a selection of meats, and even fresh seafood from the Isle of Arran. The stallholders are lovely, and there's a great camaraderie between them and the regulars who come armed with large grocery bags and little shopping trolleys.

The market is not very large, but you can just take your time to browse and soak in the atmosphere. A tip: come on an empty stomach. There's tons of food available at the market, and most of it is freshly cooked or prepared in front of you.

I picked up an Ostrich meat burger, simply because it sounded so exotic! Not too bad but a bit dry and not as juicy as I thought. I would recommend you try out the Aberdeen Angus Burger if it's available, simply because it looked and smelt so good. If however, you're still inclined toward the unconventional, try the Buffalo meat burger. It's whipped up personally by a rather photogenic young farmer from West Fife - who says farmers have to look old and weather-beaten? Hehe.

Also finally managed to try Stoats Porridge! The mobile Stoats Porridge Bar sets up shop at the Farmer's Market, and by the looks of it, is a smash hit with visitors. They do porridge with a variety of toppings, ranging from just plain brown sugar, to a selection of choice fruits and maple syrup. The most popular recipe is the 'Cranachan' which is porridge accompanied by honey, single cream, toasted sweet oats and topped with fresh Scottish raspberries.

The Cranachan, 3 pounds

This is pure comfort food - warm, humble and totally homely. Something your granny would've served you in bed on those cold dreary days.

So whether you're a foodie, or into supporting local farmers, or just curious, I recommend you definitely check out the farmer's market on a Saturday. Go early before all the good stuff is gone, grab a tasty burger, a soup or a rhubarb pie, and munch slowly as you do your rounds. It's worth waking up a little early for!

Graffiti in Edinburgh?

A quick answer to the title of this post is: Not a whole lot. As far as graffiti is concerned, the buildings and walls in Edinburgh (especially the city centre) are generally quite 'clean.'

However a good place to glimpse some rare street art would be along the footpath at Potterow, near the University of Edinburgh. I believe it's the only public wall in the city centre where graffiti art is legal, and hence presumably, easier to control and regulate.


Taken on a fine afternoon at Potterow.

Curious to find more examples of such art, I was led to the Henderson Gallery this afternoon. There, I acquainted myself with Edinburgh's answer to Banksy - local graffiti artist, Elph.

Henderson's is a small contemporary art gallery on Thistle Street which is currently hosting an exhibition of Elph's works in conjunction with the 2009 Scotland Homecoming celebrations. Fittingly, the exhibition chronicles Elph's engagement with Scotland's best known son (and Homecoming '09 icon) - Robert Burns.

Lest Bogles Catch them Unawares: Elph vs Burns is currently running till June 6. It's a small collection, but the bright, idiosyncratic images which interpret Burns and his works were just what I needed to cheer me up on an otherwise dreary Friday afternoon (the weather was horrendous).

I have never seen Elph's works on the streets, but it looks like he doesn't just rely on spray paints for his gallery works. Other mediums are incorporated including acrylic paint, watercolours and markers. Henderson's is also displaying (and selling) a large selection of Elph's sketches done in pencil and ink.

I don't ever think I've seen a graffiti artist featured in a gallery before, so this was certainly something new. I really liked how some of Elph's compositions continue outside of the canvas and onto the gallery walls themselves! The pictures consequently don't remain "within" any borders but actually manage to interact with each other, and with the gallery space itself.

You can view pictures of the exhibition here!

Elsewhere in Edinburgh, yet another graffiti artist Derm is exhibiting a series of mixed media works. Derm's Focal Range is currently housed in Pageant - a menswear store tucked away in Lauriston Street (yet another multi-purpose space!) Focal Range explores the prevalence of CCTV cameras in modern society. I was a bit underwhelmed by the exhibition personally, but if you're in the area you might as well pop in to check it out. The staff are good fun, and really friendly.

Have probably barely scratched the surface of what I'm sure is a thriving subculture of street art in Scotland. But I'm glad that I've at least wet my toes.

At the same time, I wonder if there are any tensions when graffiti - a medium so associated with the anti-establishment - becomes housed in institutionalized spaces like galleries. On one hand, I suppose it's reflective of how street art is no longer dismissed as 'vandalism,' but is being appreciated for its aesthetic qualities.

On the other hand, containing graffiti within mainstream/socially sanctioned spaces is also a rather sly way to "defang" it of its more incendiary potential as a medium of counter-cultural expression. I wonder if that's necessarily a good thing.

More questions to ponder on. In the meantime, I will also keep my eyes peeled for examples of street art in their natural, original setting - on the streets themselves! Just hope I get to them before the Edinburgh City Council cleans them off.

A Single Regret? On Charity Shops in Edinburgh

Something I wish I had looked into earlier on in my exchange: I wish I had more actively explored opportunities for volunteerism within Edinburgh.

In particular, as an avid window shopper and browser, I've been quite impressed by the concept of charity shops in the UK. Basically these shops are run by charities, and form part of their fund-raising programme. Typically, the charity shop accepts second-hand donations in kind, which might include anything such as books, old DVDs, clothes and furniture. These items are then organized and categorized by shop volunteers and eventually sold, with all proceeds going toward the charitable cause in question.

The benefits of patronizing charity shops would include, (i) supporting a charitable cause which you might personally be invested in, (ii) benefiting from the reduced prices of quality second-hand goods, (iii) helping to recycle products which might otherwise have gone into the trash.

From Oxfam to Shelter to Barnados to PDSA, there are charity stores galore in the Clerk Street/Nicolson Street area. From time to time, I've even popped into some of them to poke around. The products on sale are generally in very good condition despite being second-hand - some clothes are brand new, and carry big-store tags like Marks and Spencer's. I've been quite pleased with my finds thus far!



Some of my charity finds in the past month: Sling bag from Marie Curie Cancer Cure (I think), £3. Checked shirt from Shelter, £4.

So now on hindsight, I wish I had spotted opportunities to volunteer within these stores which I've come to admire...perhaps in Shelter (fighting homelessness) or Baranados (believe in children!) Sadly the commitment period required from store volunteers is usually a couple of months - definitely out of the question since I only have 16 more days there!

Well, if you're coming to Edinburgh on an exchange and are looking for ways to give back to the community, do consider popping by one of these charity stores - whether as a buyer, or as a volunteer. For more information check out http://www.changeworks.org.uk/content.php?linkid=347 for a map of all the charity stores within Edinburgh! :) The individual charities would also have their own websites if you want more specific information.

A Brief Note on Indie Music Stores in Edinburgh

(I use 'indie' in the sense of 'Independent,' as opposed to the genre and sub-culture associated with the term.)

So I am not a music junkie at all. I have an ipod but it is the least used thing I own. I haven't followed radio in years, and what little knowledge I have is shamelessly confined to Top 40.

That said, I popped into several Indie music stores today just to check out what was on offer beyond HMV.

Underground Solu'shn on Cockburn Street. Avalanche Records is also on the same street, and Ripping Records is just a stone's throw away on South Bridge Road.

Vinyl Villains, situated on Elm Row along Leith Walk.

Some observations I made:

1. Vinyl Villains on Elm Row doesn't just do CDs. It also has a huge selection of old vinyl records featuring artists like ACDC, Metallica, Electric Light Orchestra etc etc...

Closer to the recent past, Vinyl Villains also has a shelf full of second-hand cassette tapes dating back to the days when Prince was still known as Prince! And if that's not enough of a retro-spin for you, they even have a selection of old VHS tapes. Ah the nostalgia!

2. If you want a taste of the local Indie music scene, Avalanche Records on Cockburn Street has a prominently marked out section of Scottish bands. Other activities run by Avalanche include the newly launched 'album club,' whereby the store will send subscribers a specially-picked album each month along with additional material such as record label freebies and news of exclusive offers etc.

I've heard of such a concept before being applied to other areas like magazine subscriptions and even customized t-shirts: it sounds like an interesting idea, and I think it's kind of fun that you won't know what product to expect in your mail!

3. On the other hand, if it's live gigs you're after, make Ripping Records on Southbridge your first stop in town. In addition to CDs, Ripping Records also sells tickets for upcoming acts in Scotland - ie: effectively, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Check out the chalkboard on their counter for upcoming acts in the months to come - it's a pretty extensive list :)

Or view it online at http://www.rippingrecords.com/

Oasis and Coldplay/Jay Z are coming up in the summer months!!

4. Unlike the other record shops I visited, Underground Solu'shn (Cockburn street) seems to cater specifically to DJs. There's a large selection of House and Techno vinyl records, in addition to other DJ accessories like sound mixers which line the walls.

5. And finally, if you're new in town and wondering where are the best places to club or to catch some live music, make any independent record shop your first port-of-call. I've realized that they are one of the best sources of information about music and nightlife in general.

There's Ripping Records' gig list, but all the other record shops I visited also stock flyers and promotional material for some of the hottest clubs in town, and the various gigs and DJs they're hosting.

Some materials I picked up today.

Most of these shops would also carry various lifestyle magazines, in addition to publications which deal more specifically with the music scene in Scotland or the United Kingdom. Some of these are also free including The Fly. So you can just grab one to go, and pour over it later if you wish to find out more about up-and-coming artists and live concerts occuring around the UK.

So happy browsin'! :)

Leith Walk and Broughton Street: Retail Picks

I would definitely recommend the stretch along Broughton Street and Leith Walk as food strips (see earlier entry), however there are a clutch of interesting stores as well ranging from independent boutiques to second-hand bookstores. Here were my top 3 favourite browsing experiences today:

1. Threadbare, Broughton Street

You would have thought, from the last few entries, that I'd have exhausted my appetite for Vintage. I thought I had, until I chanced upon Threadbare.

Walking through Threadbare is a perilous activity: the aisles are so narrow you can barely walk through. The racks are bursting with clothes which continually threaten to encroach onto the already claustrophic walking space.

This is a shop where you really have to get down and dirty, sifting through the straining mass of fabric, and contorting your body into awkward positions to peer behind those mannequin torsos scattered around. I found the most gorgeous dress ever quite by accident - it was hanging off an antique mirror which was in turn obscured by a rack of clothes. I was later told that the dress was a new arrival (just in yesterday!) It was truly pretty - red rose-print on a white background. Sadly, too big for me!

The cluttered, creche-like space is presided over by a loveable, helpful lady who gives off an air of slight kookiness. When I arrived she was in the middle of sorting out her jewelry collection at the counter, which was in her words, 'in a mess.' Just before I left, I noticed she had settled for arranging them in order of progressive 'bling-ness' - shiniest on the left.

Threadbare is a wee bit pricier than Armstrong's I think, but excellent for those shopaholics who love the thrill of scouring through a confusing morass of clothes for that perfect 'find.' Worth a look-see.

2. Joey D, Broughton Street


If Dr Frankenstein were in the fashion business, he'd have set up his laboratory in Joey D. This is a literally fashion factory - and indeed, there seems to be a workshop at the back where you can see staff getting down on their knees and hacking away at fabric.

Old clothes are deconstructed and given new life in Joey D's eclectic creations. A simple denim skirt is anything but 'simple' - rather it's a patische of different strips of coloured denim, and some leftover vintage scraps which are sewn together in Frankenstein fashion, to constitute a new skirt. There are also Joey D's men's shirts (one pictured above) which resemble something Two-Face from the Batman series would wear. I also stood for quite a while contemplating a Joey D bustier halter top, which went round the mannequin's neck with nothing more than a recycled leather belt strap.

If loud reanimated fashion is your thing, you should probably stop by Joey D. Not entirely my cup of tea, but I'd recommend it simply because it's so unusual and different - for me anyways.

3. McNaughtan's Bookshop, Haddington Place
(along Leith Walk)

A must-see in Edinburgh if you're into second-hand, antiquarian books. This is a quiet, dignified establishment, which is (random as this sounds) exceedingly well designed and presented. Love the continuous shelves which run all across the shop, and end up enclosing little private niche-like areas with chairs - perfect to sit down and browse through a nice, good book.

The amount of books is quite staggering, and they generally go at reasonable prices. I never thought I would open another Thomas Hardy book after one year of JC with the thoroughly revolting Clym Yeobright and Eustacia Vye. However I couldn't resist flipping through The Return of the Native in McNaughtan's. It was in excellent condition, and sheathed in its own book box. The novel was also illustrated with exquisite wood print engravings. And all that for 10 pounds.

Also spied plenty of art history books, the complete 48-volume set of Walter Scott's Waverley novels (at 225pounds), and 19th-century editions of Jean Froissart's Chronicles. Book lovers might go a little crazy in here.

Leith Walk and Broughton Street: Soul Food

Walked around the edge of the New Town today, focusing on Broughton Street and Leith Walk. So many things to see! So many things to talk about. It makes sense however, to start with an issue of primal concern: Food.

There are tons of ethnic food restaurants along Leith Walk including Bangladeshi, Polish, Cantonese, Punjabi and Italian eateries. Take your pick. Broughton street also plays host to a wide range of pubs, cafes and delis including Artisan Roast, which I hear has one of the best coffees in town, and Urban Angel, which is apparently the place for brunch in the New Town.

I was intending to head down to The Fish Bar at Montgomery Street which reportedly has one of the best fish & chips in Edinburgh - you do not argue with the recommendation of a cab driver. Eventually however, I took a tiny detour off Broughton Street to Barony Street, after spying this:



The Broughton Deli and Cafe is tucked away in a quiet corner. Press clippings are pasted on the window, and practically ooze praise for the deli's selection of crepes and freshly made foods. There was however, another motivation to enter: the nice lady I'd met yesterday at the Red Door Gallery mentioned that she worked here part-time, and urged me to come. "It's really as organic as you can get!" She gushed whilst handing me my Local's Guide to Edinburgh.

So since it was right in front of me - why not?

The deli has a take-away and sit-down menu. In addition to sandwiches and soups, they do sweet and savoury crepes. The latter are stuffed with a selection of deli fillings which look really mouth-watering. In the end, I decided to get something sweet, and settled for one of their freshly baked cakes. A Victorian Sponge with Strawberries and Vanilla cream it was.

I wish I had taken a picture of the cake before I tucked into it, because it was simply the most amazing strawberry cake I've ever had! Sweet strawberries with a little bit of a sharp tanginess to balance out the slight heaviness of the cream. And the cake itself was good - light and fluffy. Perfect dessert to go with a pot of hot tea!

The cafe's sitting area is quite small so you might want to come early to grab a place. It's a cheerful set-up overall - a bright, airy room with high ceilings and smallish tables covered in red polka-dotted table cloths. The atmosphere is matched by friendly and chirpy service. Great for an afternoon out with your girlfriends. I highly recommend!


If on the otherhand, you're on the look out for groceries, consider popping into Real Foods along Broughton Street. They are a supermarket specializing in organic, fair-trade and vegetarian foods, in addition to other products.


It's nice to just browse through the shelves even if you aren't sure of what to buy. They do a lot of organic chocolate including a large shelf of colourfully wrapped slabs from Green & Blacks. Mmmm. I was also very intrigued by their 'Nomato' Ketchup which is ketchup made without tomatoes!

Real Foods also stocks non-edibles including eco-friendly washing liquids, and an extensive selection of Burt's Bees products which I was so pleased to see! I don't really recall seeing any stores in Singapore which have the Burt's Bees range...I've only ever managed to find the lip balm, but perhaps I wasn't looking hard enough...

So to wrap up, I shall slyly throw in another pick, but this one is related not to food, but quite a different primal urge.


How refreshing to see a sex shop which doesn't alienate women but welcomes them with scented votive candles to boot. Organic Pleasures is dedicated solely to women and their, ah, orgasmic needs! Heehee. It's not hidden away by tinted windows, nor is it plastered with sleazy images. The interior of the shop is tasteful and refined, almost a little muted. Anybody can freely walk in and the first thing you'll see are rather innocuous bath products including baby massage oils (for new mothers). They also sell corsets, lingerie, accessories like silk scarves and slips, and a line of female sex toys.

What is most intriguing however, is their shop's philosophy which affirms a dedication to providing good "eco-luxe" products which are "totally organic" and "non-toxic." I had no idea such products could be toxic or in any way dangerous. And I also had no idea that the whole 'organic' craze in shopping had spread right up to erotic shops! Well, you learn something new everyday I suppose.

If you've ever been curious about what lurks within the depths of those shady XXX shops which seem dominated by men or conjoined couples, Organic Pleasures will be a nice change. You can browse openly and freely, without furtively looking over your shoulder. The staff are also friendly and quietly unobtrusive. Makes for an entertaining browse!

Back to Grassmarket: Discovering a Retail Paradise

It's official. Move over temples of High street fashion on Princes Street. Bow your heads in shame tourist tats along the Royal Mile. I have crowned the Grassmarket area my new favourite shoppin' & browsin' spot in Edinburgh!

This marks my second trip back to the Grassmarket area in a week. While I scoured the adjoining Westport street for independent vintage finds on Sunday, this time I focused on Grassmarket itself, in addition to making little detours off to West Bow, Victoria Street and Candlemaker row. In sum: bigger and better vintage, awesome boutiques, antique shops, trendy bistros, and too-hip art book stores.

Sampled quite a few shops on my walkabout, and here are my top picks for retail fiends.

1. Armstrong's, 83 Grassmarket


Barnados Vintage along West Bow, is a sweet vintage charity store which uses all proceeds to aid young children and their families. However, it simply cannot compare to the behemoth just across the street on Grassmarket: Armstrong's is the grand dame of Vintage fashion and it's not hard to see why. It is a giant emporium stacked floor to ceiling with an assortment of vintage costumes, accessories, jewelry and day-to-day wear which is simply unbeatable.

There are pieces which are clearly intended for the stage (or a fancy-dress party): ornate mandarin-collared tunics, neon pink frilly showgirl pieces, ostentatious tartan kilts, and even 1970s-esque wigs drip off the racks. There is even a little corner dedicated to Vintage wedding dresses, all creamy white and flouncy.

If your tastes are less kitsch, head toward the back of the store and you'll find a large selection of daily wear (men's and women's), which are indeed, very wearable and at very reasonable prices to boot. I spied adorable dresses for around 15 pounds, and strings of faux pearls at just a pound.

I was very tempted by a grey checked top, with a delicate lace inner-lining. But quite sadly, washing instructions stipulated dry cleaning only. Not too practical in Singapore's sweat-inducing weather - sigh.

The grey checked top - 12 pounds

Swinging mini-skirt - five pounds.


So cute! Printed pussy-bow dress on mannequin. Forgot the price.

So definitely make Armstrong's a must-see when going on your retail rounds. It's not just a store. It's an institution.

They also have another smaller outlet along Clerk Street, and a spin-off at Teviot Place called Rusty Zip.

2. Red Door Gallery and Analogue,
42 Victoria Street and 102 West Bow respectively

Artsy bookstores which also double up as small gallery spaces. Analogue is a sparsely designed shop which stocks books pertaining to fashion, design and writing/publishing. Red Door has a quirky assortment of house-hold knick knacks, cards, planners and stationery including 'Film Diaries' by Otsu, with thoughtful blanks labelled 'Movie title,' 'Director,' 'Producer' and 'Analysis/Critique/Notes.' Perfect for that film student or movie buff!




Picked up The Locals' Guide to Edinburgh while at the Red Door and flipped through it briefly over lunch. It's given me new ideas about where to go and what to do in the next few days! Love how the places and activities featured come straight from native Edinburgh-ers, including students, taxi drivers and local DJs. The book is also lovingly designed and is a pretty companion to carry around in your handbag.

3. Swish and Joe
Somewhere along Victoria St, and Greyfriars place respectively

Swish is a tad pricy, but it stocks totally cute dresses with little, idiosyncratic twists. Had fun browsing even though the 40 - 60 pound price tags were out of my reach.

Joe features colourful jewelry and knick-knacks, including a gorgeous selection of bags against the wall which I simply loved.

In the course of my shopping trip, I've been amazed at the retail geography of Edinburgh. In addition to the usual mass chains along Princes Street, and the designer labels on Multrees Walk, I've also discovered so many cheap charity shops and independent boutiques. The latter in particular, are also really active in promoting local designers - drawn perhaps, from the nearby arts college on Lauriston place.

There is also a large emphasis on 'ethical' shopping - vintage shops invariably remind shoppers of the environmental benefits of buying second-hand, and the profusion of charity shops (like Barnados) also allow shoppers guilt-free retail trips as they know their money will go toward charitable causes. And of course, 'fairtrade' is a sacrosanct word which earns approving nods from consumers.

Overall a very different shopping and browsing experience compared to Singapore. Shoppers here seem more conscious about where and how they want to spend their dollar.