Five things you need to know today Edinburgh!
Clermiston Estate project
Free event at The Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training for independent retailers
Edinburgh Restaurant Festival
Midlothian Science Festival
Drumbrae Library Hub, Clermiston Primary School and the Drumbrae Community Council are working together to develop an exhibition celebrating 60 years of the Clermiston estate. As part of a wider programme of activities scheduled for October 2014, the library exhibition will feature photos, souvenirs and mementos donated by local people.
They are also working on a social history project capturing older people’s memories of the area and the changes they have seen over the last 60 years.
Pupils from the primary school will interview members of local community groups and are planning on capturing their stories on film. Further information is available from David Hayden, Services for Communities, West Neighbourhood Team at the City of Edinburgh Council.
***
The team behind Reel Festivals (Reel Syria, Reel Iraq and Reel Afghanistan), are inviting you to join them in ushering in a new era as ‘Reel’ becomes ‘Highlight Arts’ (www.highlightarts.org)
Featuring a hand-picked selection of international music, poetry and film from Reel’s ground-breaking projects past, present and a with a nod to what’s in store for the future.
Just announced: Syrian poet and author Golan Haji will be flying in for the event and will be involved in some poetry tranlsations.
2 October 2014 at 7.30pm at The Scottish Storytelling Centre. Full details here.
***
Small independent retailers in the Capital are being offered the chance to improve their retail skills at two complimentary workshops being run by Harvey Nichols, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Federation of Small Businesses.
The workshops are taking place on 21 and 29 October, and will be run by experienced Harvey Nichols staff who will look at window dressing, merchandising and making the most of social media in order to boost footfall, sales and profit margins.
Places are limited to 24 across both sessions and businesses will be recruited through the Federation of Small Businesses, Business Gateway and the Business Improvement Districts.
Gordon Drummond, director of Harvey Nichols flagship Edinburgh store, said: “A strong, vibrant small business sector is a vital part of a mix which encourages people to visit and shop. As a major retailer with a long-term commitment to developing the city’s economy, I’m very happy that we can play a part in helping to support smaller businesses.”
Councillor Frank Ross, Convenor of the Economy Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for small independent retailers to gain new skills and to be able to apply these during the run-up to Christmas – a critical trading period for many. I’m very pleased that this is part of the Council’s support for building stronger town centres across the city as successful small independent businesses are the lifeblood of our town centres and central to their success.”
Gordon Henderson, Senior Development Manager at the Federation of Small Businesses said: “We are very grateful to Harvey Nichols for their support for this initiative aimed at the city’s small retailers. This initiative will help them improve how they showcase their unique offerings to local consumers. When we asked Harvey Nichols for help they said yes immediately and hopefully other big businesses will be encouraged to follow suit and play their part in growing the local economy.”
***
(Photo by Jon Savage)
Edinburgh’s top chefs (Stuart Ralston, Mark Greenaway, Craig Sandle and Paul Wedgwood) will be cooking up a storm in the Capital at the first ever Edinburgh Restaurant Festival (9th – 23rd October).
On Wednesday 8th October, four of the Capital’s most acclaimed chefs are uniting together to create the ultimate Edinburgh dining experience for one night only. – Edinburgh Restaurant Festival – The Chefs’ Table.
The fine-dining extravaganza of five delicious courses, each meticulously devised by the city’s top chefs, Mark Greenaway, Craig Sandle, Stuart Ralston and Paul Wedgwood will be served up under the sparkling lights of the beautiful Ghillie Dhu.
This mouth-watering dinner will be the official launch event for the city’s brand new Edinburgh Restaurant Festival which will take place throughout mid-October. The evening will celebrate the best of Scottish food and drink, with engaging behind the scenes video footage of all four chefs preparing their dishes. Guests will also be able to pose their questions to the chefs in person and via social media throughout the evening.
Following a champagne and canapé reception on arrival, acclaimed chef Stuart Ralston from Edinburgh’s most talked about new fine-dining restaurant, Aizle will kick off proceedings with a starter of Aura Heritage Potato, Smoked Salmon, Pear and foraged Sweet Cicely. Paul Wedgwood, owner of the award-winning Wedgwood The Restaurant, will then take to the kitchen to prepare a fish course of Scottish Shellfish Showcase of Lobster Thermidor Creme Brûlée, Scallop Ceviche, Langoustines and Crispy Pigs Tails with Apple and Raisin Sauerkraut.
Executive Chef, Craig Sandle of The Pompadour by Galvin at Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, is in charge of the meat course, offering a succulent Red-Legged Partridge accompanied by Salsify, Parsley Root and Saffron. Finishing the night in true Scottish style, is Mark Greenway – award-winning chef and owner of Restaurant Mark Greenway and Bistro Moderne – with dessert Clootie Dumpling with Treacle Meringues, Burnt Citrus Jelly and Juniper Cream.
Each course will be paired with a wine, beer or cocktail, by New York mixologist to the stars, Aizle’s Krystal Goff. Krystal will also be on hand to whip up the ultimate palate cleanser – her twist on a classic, the Elderberry Royale, using Blackwood’s Gin, foraged elderberries and champagne.
The first Edinburgh Restaurant Festival will take place from 9th-23rd October, with exclusive menus and special one-off foodie events across the city. The perfect excuse to try out a new eatery, this inspiring restaurant promotion will see a wide range of exclusively crafted menus priced in three budget-friendly categories (£10, £10-£20 and over £20) available in over 60 of the Capital’s best loved restaurants, bistros, bars and food markets. Participating venues include Harvey Nichols Foodhall, Edinburgh Farmers’ Market, Bistro Moderne, Angel’s With Bagpipe, A Room in the West End, Gusto and Mamma’s American Pizza Co.
For further information on the Edinburgh Restaurant Festival and all of the menus and events visit thisisedinburgh.com/edinburghrestaurantfestival
The Edinburgh Restaurant Festival – The Chefs’ Table takes place on Wednesday 8th October from 7pm. Tickets are now available and cost £100 per person for the five course meal, including matched drinks with each course. To buy tickets contact Ghillie Dhu, 0131 247 4701 or ghillieevents@g1group.com
Follow @edinburgh #edrestaurantfest on Twitter for all the latest updates.
***
More than 100 events are to showcase the fascinating, funny and sometimes bizarre nature of science at this year’s Midlothian Science Festival.
Now, in its third year the festival is due to run from 4 to 19 October.
Visitors will be encouraged to take part in activities such as simulated brain surgery, forensics, computer game design, pinhole photography, archaeology, mapping stars, battlefield pathology, brewing, supercomputing, veterinary medicine and rocket making.
There will also be a science ceilidh featuring dances such as the ‘Dashing White Blood Cell’.
The event aims to engage, inspire and to encourage people in science and open up possible career opportunities.
Midlothian already has a rich legacy in science and continues to be a world leader in this field.
Famous scientists from the area include, Sir Ian Wilmut who created Dolly the Sheep and Charles Thomson Rees Willson who won a who won a Noble Peace Prize for physics in 1927.
Sarah Keer-Keer, Midlothian Science Festival director, said: We’ve got a rich history of science in Midlothian and over the last 30 years in particular we’ve built a reputation for producing research which is consistently world-class.
“We’re also home to a number of big engineering and technology employers working on cutting edge projects and offering fantastic jobs. Yet these employers often have to recruit from overseas because there’s maybe a lack of recognition locally that the science and technology sector offers great career opportunities.”
More than 20 Midlothian venues will be involved in this year’s festival, including Easter Bush Campus in Roslin, where more than 600 scientists are working on world-leading research into animal health and its implications for human health.
Its open day on Saturday 4 October, from 12pm to 4pm, will allow visitors to see behind the scenes at The Roslin Institute, Scotland’s Rural College and the Teaching Building of The University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
There will also be information on career opportunities at the Roslin Institute and The University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, as part of the Glencorse Science Day at The Glencorse Centre in Auchendinny on Friday 17 October.
For the full programme, visit: http://midlothiansciencefestival.com