Restaurant Martin Wishart

When you're after a nice low-key meal, you probably wouldn't think of a Michelin starred place as your first option. We happened to be in Leith and on the spur of the moment, we did just that at Martin Wishart. Lunchtime menus tend to be pretty good value at these places and you have the potential opportunity (often, not always) to taste spectacular food.

We were on a schedule too which meant we had to dine and move on in about 90 minutes max. On arrival, we were offered a choice of wines which we had to decline as we were driving - what's the point you might wonder at this point. But a lovely meal doesn't have to last several courses and involve alcohol.

We were offered a selection of artisan breads which in true gastro-cuisine style were interesting and tasty. The amuse bouche was a stunning - avocado covered in truffle and fried in truffle oil. Delightful!

My starter was balontine of foie gras with french bean and hazelnut salad. Beautiful but I only needed half the portion as the foie gras is so rich. I was full and we'd barely started!

The other starter was shellfish risotto with langoustines and parmesan. Still quite decadent but with a lovely balance of textures and flavours.

Thankfully, my main - roast skate forrestiere with wild mushrooms, lardons and cocotte potatoes - was a lighter than my starter which means I could finish it. Skate is a lovely fish and I thoroughly enjoyed the course.

The other main was braised pork cheeks with choucroute, saucission de morteaux, braised trotter, champagne and grain mustard sauce. The choucrotte added an interesting dimension to the dish and it was beautiful (we shared a bit!)

The puddings as always were the highlights of the meal. The first was carrot cake with Skyr yogurt mousse, blood orange sorbet, brown butter powder and  the other was Valrhona manjari chocolate delice with pistachio cream, yogurt sorbet, pomegranate soup and mint oil. Delicious.

After a speedy consumption of chocolate and truffle petit fours, we made our exit as we had plans for the day.  Was it an enjoyable meal - absolutely! Did we miss the wine - nope! Was it good value - at 3 courses for £32 for a Michelin quality meal, it wasn't bad at all!

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Notes and Lessons from our Fast-Track Home Renovation Project

I must admit that as much as we've loved seeing our flat transformed into a family home, we were not looking for a project. Our stress limits were already being tested (with trying sell our house down south, trying to get our heads round the super-competitive property market in Edinburgh, the bonkers closed bids and offers over system in Scotland, juggling parenthood, work and other family challenges) to want any additional hassle whatsoever. But the universe had other plans. Here is how we turned an unliveable period property to a family home in 6 weeks.

1. Do your research:  Looking at 63 properties, some of which were beautifully decorated had given us plenty of food for thought. We had a massive pile of brochures from these viewings which we held on to for a wee while for ideas (despite some of them being a little bit upsetting as we didn't win). Pinterest can provide plenty of inspiration too. I found that talking to friends and colleagues gave me insights I would not have otherwise had. We decided to procure a number of different trades (up to 10 at any point) individually and project manage it ourselves.

2. Budgeting and contingency: We had a detailed spreadsheet right from the start of our home search as we needed to know exactly how much we could 'offer over' on each property without completely losing the plot. The 'offers over' bit what you need fund out of your own savings (as the bank will only fund based on the home report/valuation) which meant less funds for any renovation. Add a 15-20% contingency as things always crop up that you do not anticipate. Also researching interest free options for things such as kitchens and bathrooms as this can be a godsend should your contingency be exceeded.

3. Test the market: There are a number of sites online (My Builder for example) that will help us with initial estimates for the type of work you need done. Get quotes based on actual visits and measurements and get a few if you can. Husband and I disagreed a little in our approach. My view was that you benchmark your costs and if you get a good tradesmen (verified) who comes under that and under your budget, its a goer (opportunity costs and all that). Husband wanted three quotes for everything. We ended up with a mix of the two which worked out reasonably well.

4. Tackle planning and consents first: Making a detailed assessment of all planning and warrant requirements made a huge difference to our overall programme. We live in a conservation area so there were limits to what we could do to the exterior of the property, the front and back gardens etc. We were also changing room layouts, uses and making plumbing alterations - all of which required building warrants. The literature on all of the above can sometimes be confusing/conflicting so speaking to the relevant people in the council (and getting written confirmation) was key.

5. An ambitious programme: I have lived and breathed programmes for a lot of my career so this was the easy bit. I believe in front-loading the programme and doing as much as possible early on. This compensates for unforeseen circumstances and other risks that tend to arise on every project. Having as much detail as possible - how each task links with another is also essential. The critical path of our programme was the building warrants and supply times for the kitchen so closely managing this was invaluable. There may be a couple if people in the Council's Planning department that may have just wanted to see the back of me. Zoning the property and having a phased completion plan was also instrumental in managing the various trades (keeping them constantly busy) and moving the programme.

6. Contracts and monitoring: The first bit is self-explanatory but not all trades will 'guarantee' their work so even stick to an agreed plan. In the absence of a formal contract, have very clear and recorded written communication (emails or letters) with drawings. I cannot emphasise this enough as this was also critical to some managing some 'difficult discussions' where the trades did not follow the specification. Regular site visits and keeping the spirits up on site is also helpful. You need them and they need you. Having a 'commissioning period' post completion - especially for bathrooms, kitchen, plumbing and electrics is essential spa s to avoid nasty surprises.

7. Final thoughts: I know it drove my husband nuts but I insisted on a daily (or as frequently as possible) de-briefs (reflections) on progress. I led the programme development and he led the on -site monitoring (but not exclusively) but we did not always communicate as well as we should have. These de-briefs were sometimes shouting matches but they stood us in very good stead so I would recommend them. 

Have you been through a renovation too? Any other insights to share? Ann xx

from A Quirky Lifestyle

Lunch at Paul Kitching's 21212

A couple of months ago (yep, speedy blogging it is not), a few of us went to Paul Kitching's restaurant on Royal Terrace for a leisurely afternoon lunch. Despite its Michelin star, 21212 doesn't seem to get as much attention as I think it deserves in Edinburgh's pop culture.

To start with, we were offered some lovely seeded sweet bread with a bitter-ish herby dips. Then came some more crispy flat breads which went even better with the said dips

Between the four of us, we went for the two course menu with two options each to choose from. My main was called 10 C Sea Trout. It has 'lots of C's' (i.e. celeriac, celery etc. ) and 'Sea Water Cress'. Interesting mix of flavours and textures - unusual but a definite winner.

The other main was called 'Chicken St Jacques' and contained chicken (obviously) and garlic smoked figs along with romanesco cabbage garnish. It was a rich dish but the portion size meant it wasn't overwhelming.

The puddings were the real show stealers.  Mine was called 'Potted  Chocolate Shortbread' with Rhubarb Compote. It was complex yet very very tasty. The other pud on offer had the quirkiest name I've come across in a while - 'C.A.R.S.'  which was actually Carrots, Apples, Rice and Sultanas. Sounds like baby food I hear you say - I promise it tasted epic.

Given the excellent standard of the meal and the ambience of the restaurant, would you believe me if I said it cost £28 for two courses? Not bad for two skint couples with kids who were trying have a rare afternoon off!

Hope you are all having a lovely week! Ann x

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The Hiatus and Reflections

Hello, anybody there?

It has been rather quite here for a wee while. But, a lot has happened in that time in the real world.

Mainly, we've been trying to get our act together as parents - tiny humans need 200% attention and as  much as I would have liked , I simply could not balance that with blogging whilst working full time outside of home too. The only spare minutes I got/get were/are spent cleaning, cooking and catching up on much needed sleep. Our closest family are several hundred (or thousand) miles away which means the only respite we get is when we pay for childcare (which we do in eye watering amounts).

We also bought our first home in Edinburgh. When we set out to buy in this beautiful city, we had absolutely no clue how brutal the property market is and how tough the closed bids system can be.  Its not about what you can afford as much as how much everyone else is able to afford i.e. a bidding war. So, after 63 different viewings, 9 bids and countless tears, we finally found a place we love.  We were one of 14 bids and top by a whisker. It had just one catch. It was a shell that needed everything doing to it. And in case you were wondering, buying a dilapidated property in central Edinburgh is just as (if not sometimes more) competitive than a ready to move in one - so we had very little spare cash.

Enter aggressive planning and construction programmes, planning and building warrant permissions, sleepless nights, a thousand phone calls, competitive tendering for each work package and lots of careful design. We went from contract completion to move in just 6 weeks!

Ed and I are still (just about) married - to each other.

All that said, I missed writing. I missed my happy place. I came here often to look at happy things from the past. And at the start of 2018, I decided I would blog again. Slowly.

The content will now include interiors (as that's what we've done pretty much all the time since last summer), more home cooking of the world food variety (as we are too broke to travel or eat out often), frugal fashion (I hardly buy clothes for myself now), some dining out (lunchtime deals are great) and occasionally (maybe), some reflections on being a parent.

Does that sound like a plan? Those of who that still visit me (Google analytics tells me my audience hasn't all gone), what would you like to see? Ann xx




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Winter Walks around the Dean Estate

Back in August 2015 I attended a very insightful talk show with Christopher Fleet and Daniel McCannell about their book Mapping Edinburgh at the Edinburgh Book Festival.  Edinburgh has such a rich history - for example, the entire area we live in is a conservation area and every street has a fascinating history.

Last Sunday we went for a walk around what was once the Dean Estate - an area designed in the beautiful neo-classical style.  It is much less buzzy than nearby Stockbridge where we live but has a quiet charm.

It was dry enough and warm enough by Scottish standards for a light coat and my Stan Smiths - good to give the duvet coat a break every so often! I did however wear my new bobble hat - I'm addicted to Topshop bobble hats!

Further proof of the strange weather were these confused cherry blossoms which were out far too early.

Much of the Dean estate was designed by the architect John Tait and I particularly like Clarendon Crescent - a very aesthetic curve of a street.

My favourite street is Ann Street - where I'm destined to live but I'm yet to find a home that fits our requirements and budget!

What I think the area could really do with is a coffee shop or two. Whilst it is close enough to Stockbridge high street but a coffee shop would enliven the place some more.

So there we are - a tiny slice of Edinburgh to have your elevenses. Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday! Ann x
 

Wearing Reiss Vale coat, Uniqlo turtleneck jumper, Zara polka dot skirt, Adidas Stan Smith comfort trainers and Topshop bobble hat.

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter,Instagram or Facebook.

from A Quirky Lifestyle

Loch Venachar

After a quiet New Year's Day at home and around our neighbourhood, we ventured on day trip to the Trossachs the following day. I know the areas around Stirlingshire and Forth Valley through work so we thought we'd try and do something near there - on cue Ed found Venachar Lochside.

Travelling with tiny person requires a fair bit of planning and you end up carrying *so much stuff*. We usually plan our adventures around a specific restaurant as that allows us to do necessary changing, feeding etc without too much hassle. Venachar Lochside had all the requisite facilities so that won our vote (and of course its stunning setting).

The drive from Edinburgh took us just over an hour and took us through the winding roads of Trossachs country park.  We arrived in good time (among the first ones there) so it gave us plenty of time and space to explore the beautiful surroundings. Less than an hour later, the place would be heaving!

We ordered McQueen's of Callander gin cured salmon for starters which was an interesting blend of flavours. The roasted bramble and beetroot scone was particularly good.

I opted for the Pan roasted Trossachs trout fillets for my mains - it was good albeit a bit too big for me! It was accompanied by herb gnocchi, roasted chorizo, young spinach and walnut pesto.

Ed's Confit Ayrshire pork belly was incredibly good. It was accompanied by celeriac puree, kale, Stornoway black pudding, bramble apple, thistly cross cider reduction and sage crackling crisp (yum!). Sadly, big belly wasn't full enough with this portion so we re-balanced by him finishing my course.

They didn't have a desserts menu but cakes were freshly baked and available to choose from at the counter - we chose a delicious chocolate orange cake with coffees to finish our meal.

There are plenty of things to do in the area but we kept it quite low key, a walk around the Lochside so tiny person could stretch and take in some fresh mountain air, drive around the Trossachs through Aberfoyle and before heading back home.

I'd recommend checking Venachar Lochside but be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment! Ann x
 

Wearing Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Stretch coat, Bella Freud jumper, Zara Accordion Metallic Skirt, Tom Ford sunglasses and Ugg Briar Boots suede boots. 

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter,Instagram or Facebook.

from A Quirky Lifestyle

Sunny Day in St. Monans

We've been having a rather low key Christmas period to recover from a roller-coaster 2016. The day after boxing day got us wanting a little change of scenery and we went on an impromptu drive to the fishing village of St. Monan's in East Neuk. We knew nothing about St. Monan's and yet it was one of the loveliest little places we've visited in a while. And with a great wee restaurant too!

St. Monan's is just an hour's drive from Edinburgh and in the Kingdom of Fife. Fife has a real mix of towns and villages - some stunning and some more grim. We were pleasantly surprised by East Neuk - the light was stunning, the village colourful and so peaceful.

St. Monans has a rich history dating back to the 800's. The book Guide of the East Neuk of Fife by D Hay Fleming is said to have a good section on the history of St. Monans and is on my reading list for a 'quiet' day.

As it was the Christmas holiday period, most places were closed but we managed to book at the Craig Millar restaurant. They did a two course set menu which was unexpectedly exceptionally good. The restuarnt also has excellent sea views - if its wasn't for the cold, you could mistake the views to be from a Mediterranean island. 

For my main course, I opted for the Hake with Chorizo and Butter Beans. It was excellent - the creamy sauce incredibly good and the portion size was perfect. 

Ed opted for the Slow Cooked Feather Blade Beef - stunningly presented, hearty and very delicious too. We were both surprised by how good both dishes were because we had no idea what to expect from the restaurant.

Just when we thought that was the stunners sessions done, desserts arrived. My Chocolate Cremeux with malt ice-cream was again beautiful, interesting and tasty. Ed's Pear Parfait was intricate, complex and delicious too.

The added bonus was that as the restaurant is usually closed on a Tuesday, it was empty and that made our lunchtime feel quite serene too. They just decided to open it to make up for the Christmas closure. We had certainly hit lunchtime jackpot.

For our exploration, I wore a newly acquired Uniqlo Down Coat and non-classic Ugg boots. I'd always turned my nose up at padded jackets and Uggs but these two have made me a convert. Comfortable, nice looking, warm and water resistant - what more can you ask for to cope with Scottish weather!

We walked around the village exploring little streets, the harbours and walking routes before slowly bundling ourselves back in the car for the journey home.

Perhaps it was the combination of no crowds, great weather, great scenery and excellent food that made us fall in love with St.Monans.

I won't lie - we even looked at housing options here. Shame it is not a quick train ride to Edinburgh as that would have made this place very tempting to move - surprising given that Ed and I have always thought we were city folk!

Hope you all had a lovely festive season and happy 2017 - may be wonderful! Ann x

Wearing Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Stretch coat, Claudie Pierlot trousers Gap skinny jeans, Sheriff & Cherry sunglasses and Ugg Briar Boots suede boots. 

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter,Instagram or Facebook.

from A Quirky Lifestyle