Edinburgh, 2023
Capital adventures.
Contains 470 photos, the last of which were added 1 year, 3 months, 19 days, 21 hours, 37 minutes, and 57 seconds ago.
Cafe working and eating with Tara. Burgers and chips from Seeds for the Soul and #fish.
Tara and I started the day at Chapter One Coffee. It was clear and bright, if cold, and only rained at brief intervals of a few minutes at a time, which was about as good as can be asked for at this time of year. We walked along the Water of Leith for a couple of hours, then detoured to visit Green Bite. Our final stop in the evening was Harmonium, where I worked for a couple of hours before J and H joined us. Tara got lots of attention and belly rubs.
Tara and I visited Glow Cafe in the morning, which was lovely. Later we walked across town for delicious Malaysian takeaway from Soul Vegan and doughnuts from ConsiderIt.
On Friday, morning walkies across the Meadows, and early afternoon walkies along the Union Canal.
The rest of the week in Edinburgh with Tara.
Saturday: I let Tara lead the walk, and she took me in no uncertain terms directly to Chapter One Coffee. It was completely full, but she charmed a stranger into letting us share their table, got a special chewy treat from the staff, and over the next hour found at least three other people who were willing to adopt her on the spot. Later, we met F for dinner at Henderson's, which was superfantastic.
Sunday: We walked down the canal to Harrison Park and threw the ball for a while, then got brunch at Glow Cafe. On the spur of the moment, we marched to the train station and in time to go on an adventure to Livingston to see Lowenna (and K&M). The pups were in full zoomie mode in the house and the park, both attention-seeking and and possessive, but wary of each other. Lowenna is very submissive, so Tara has no problem standing up for her boundaries, but it was Lowenna's house and Lowenna is so curious and playful and a bit in Tara's face, though Tara was a bit too mean at times.
Monday: Mum came in the afternoon. We had a walk down the canal, then cuddled with Tara, and finally dinner at Henderson's again. The creme caramel dessert was THE BEST.
Two days of coworking in Edinburgh with my Co-op colleagues. We connected well, took positive steps forward for the business, ate some great food, and went ice-free curling!
Brunch with the siblings at Seeds for the Soul.
Lunch (Soul Vegan) and ice cream (Mary's Milk Bar) with F&J and co a week later.
To Edinburgh to be looked after by Tara! She bounced so high when I arrived. And accompanied me on visits to Seeds For The Soul and Chapter One Coffee. We attempted to go to Harmonium for their final weekend, but it was full. Nova Pizza squeezed us in instead. Tara is not an early riser.
Tara and I visited F in Glasgow. We enjoyed the anti-monarchy protests, and lots of tasty vegan food.
Ran into Tara's mad family on the Links this morning, for some unexpected excitement. Wee breakfast at Cafe Kweer before train to Kirkcaldy.
Cuddles, walkies and food touring with Tara. Co-op colleagues came to cowork as well.
Breakfast at Curran Geal.
Work all day, through a day of glorious sunshine. When we finally got out in the evening a haar promptly descended on the whole city. We stomped around Holyrood Park anyway, and got home in time for dinner to be delivered from Soul Vegan. Tara crashed out, and refused any more walkies for 24 hours.
I was at work, and Tara was refusing to get up most of the day. We did manage a frolic with a big stick on Bruntsfield Links, and a nice lunch at Curran Geal.
A long walk along the Water of Leith, with a detour to Green Bite Cafe. Tara made many friends, and frolicked in the water. At Leith Market, we met M and Lowenna. I bought much vegan cheese and not-pork pies (from Earthy and Kama) then we had more lunch in the Sly Fox. Tara and Lowenna bring their own special blend of chaos, sweetness, and antagonism to any outings.
We walked along the Water of Leith some more, then sat in a dog-filled park for a while as Lowenna joined a pack. Tara was bemused by all of the bigger dogs running around, and settled for guarding our perimeter and asserting her boundaries with yaps.
My last day with Tara - lunch at Curran Geal with F.
Then I returned two days later for a night before an early train. An evening walk with Tara's mad family. This is the first time I managed to get a photo of them that wasn't a blur.
Extremely windy outing to the beach at Longniddry, for chips huddled behind the shelter of the car. With K, M, R and Lowenna. The company was nice, but the weather is, obviously and always, better in Fife.
A day in Porty for R's first day at the co-op, featuring pizza on the beach. Then finally reunited with Tara, for a week of Taradventures.
Tara and I had a lazy morning, lunch at Curran Geal, then missed the bus to Cramond. So we walked all the way from Bruntsfield to Cramond Island, via the causeway. It was great! We did not get trapped by the sea. I only had to fight Tara to stop her from eating disgusting things several times. There were also lots of revolting things to roll in.
We walked to Silverknowes, then caught a bus back into town. Met K at Holy Cow for dinner, then walked home.
The day after a long walk, Tara wasn't up for going anywhere. Which was fortunate, as I had meetings all day. We did manage to get to the Meadows Tap in the evening though.
Tara and I took the tram to Newhaven, and Tara made some new friends. We all went for a walk around Newhaven, then to Leith Market. It was periodically raining torrentially, but we managed to stop in Face Plant Food for a mac n cheese sandwich.
I dropped our new friends at various different points around Edinburgh, then found myself in the neighbourhood for Prewired, where I knew a small make-a-thon was ongoing, so I dropped in to say hi. I subsequently got roped in as a judge for the next day.
Tara and I took one of our new friends up Arthur's Seat. We had lunch in BBL, then I went to Prewired to judge the make-a-thon. Tara helped.
A night in Edinburgh, to catch the early train to London. Snuggled with my darling Tara.
Two trips to Edinburgh in one week. Socialising with colleagues at Paradise Palms. Then coworking in Leith (not pictured). What is pictured is lunch and lovely art at Face Plant foods.
An afternoon in Edinburgh for the Lighthouse Radical Book Fair and some talks on climate stuff. Dinner afterwards with N in Soul Vegan.
A couple of days of coworking in Leith, and a night with Lowenna.
Ate nice lunches at Sly Fox and the Leith community garden cafe, and a mindblowing lime pasta at Nova Pizza. Nice to see coop colleagues.
A day out in Edinburgh with Max, who was Very Good. I had to pick up a box from BBL, and then we had a doughnut in ConsiderIt with JH.
Max was very good. We had a frolick across the Meadows, and took the train home from Haymarket.
Spontaneous trip to Edinburgh to see the Snow Queen at the Lyceum. I took the bus, and had just enough time beforehand to have a fancy dinner at Henderson's. (I tried Sora Lella first, but they were full.) The pumpkin gnocchi with cashew ricotta were next level.
I really enjoyed the theatre too. It wasn't busy and I had empty seats around me in the Grand Circle, and a good view. (Tony from Kangus was in the play.)
This outing re-confirmed something I already knew: that my favourite kind of date is one with no other people on it.
