The Shore, Edinburgh

The Shore in Edinburgh is surely one the most charming former harbour areas in Europe. It’s a pleasant mix of old and new, as the former warehouses and sailor housing sit beside modern apartment blocks boasting balconies with a view.

The riverside pathways along the Water of Leith provide for a leisurely afternoon’s stroll but most people head to The Shore for its restaurants and bars. Indeed, some of the finest seafood in town can be enjoyed here at The Ship, Fishers and other gastronomic gems.

Since The Shore is a little rough around the edges (see the photo below), many people wouldn’t expect to find Michelin starred restaurants here but there are a few, which have inspired the nickname Michelin Mile.

It’s also known as the media and communications hub of the city. Expect to meet many hip young media professional types at any of the many delis at lunchtime. See the boats on the river? Some of them are advertising agency offices!

To get to The Shore, either walk down Leith Walk, continue along Constitution Street and turn left at Bernard Street, or hop on Lothian buses nr 22 or 16 in the centre of the city. I’d recommend the walk as the contrast between the Kirkgate area you pass along the way and The Shore is remarkable.

The Shore bar recommendations:

Noble’s for its beautiful setting with wood panelled walls, stained glass windows and vintage furniture. A fabulous and very affordable menu featuring lots of seafood. Live music nights.

The King’s Wark for a traditional pub experience, fireplace, stone walls and all. Excellent pub grub and seafood.

Roseleaf for its cosy interior, cocktails in teacups and lovely nibbles and meals. It also boasts a selection of hats which you can borrow for a Mad Hatter’s tea party!

Bond no9 for sophisticated cocktails and wine. Set in an old whisky bond, this is a place to impress a date. Also great for brunch.

Teuchter’s Landing is set in a former waiting room for the Leith to Aberdeen ferry. It boasts a large selection of whiskies and for little more than £1 punters are welcome to try a single oyster. I had my first ever here, with wasabi!

Please leave your recommendations in the comments section below.

Challenge of the day: Can you guess what this great big blue device was once used for? (Answer at the bottom of the page)

Answer: This is/was a whale harpoon. Whales were hunted for their blubber which was used to produce oil.

1980s Prom Party

I won’t divulge the details of our 1980s prom party last Saturday. Sometimes pictures speak louder than words.

But I will utter a few vital ingredients for a 1980s party… homemade disco ball, American candy stands, Oreos, vodka jelly, punch, balloons, soap bubbles, streamers, prom king and queen crowns, nachos, pretzels, aaaand the all important outfits. – Red

(P.S. Thanks for the photos – you know who you are 😉 )

 

National Museum Lates, Edinburgh

I’ve never even seen the Night at the Museum films but the idea of being in a museum after hours has always seemed appealing and, thanks to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, was fulfilled. Lucky Mr Lithuanian and I snapped up tickets (£10) to the second ever “RBS Museum Lates” event on 25th March. It was a jolly good night.

On the night, it felt particularly great to be a Stirling Uni graduate because one of the event’s main organisers is Ally McCrae of BBC Radio 1 fame, but also a fellow Stirling alumnus and friend of Miss Working Journalist’s.

Recent visitors to the museum will know it’s become even greater post-renovation. During the day it has a pleasantly academic vibe to it, but, in the evening, the atmosphere seems made for a party. The huge atrium space is the perfect setting for live music, bars and other entertainment. What’s usually a childrens’ discovery area becomes an ideal dance floor and the stuffed animals are even eerier.

The live performance by Edinburgh band Bwani Junction was a highlight. They’re such a young bunch of boys but so talented. I was happily dancing away in the front row and then continued dancing away at the silent disco that had one of the most random but awesome playlists. Whoever thought dancing to 90s trash pop could still be so much fun? At one point I took my earphones off and realised it was far from being a silent disco because so many people were singing along.

The evening was Egyptian-themed because of the Mummy exhibition currently on show so there was a creative space set aside for people to make their own Egyptian accessories. I made myself a blue and gold collar but got told by the boy it didn’t match my outfit… It had been a while since I’d been out for such a classy occasion and so I really appreciated the chance to get a bit dressed up. You could tell most people had made quite the effort – some outfits were absolutely stunning.

All in all the evening was such a nice change from your usual night out in Edinburgh. Cheap it ain’t because drinks come in at slightly more than the Edinburgh average but it’s very much worth it for the unique atmosphere. It was great to see people from so many different age groups having fun together under the same roof. I really can’t wait for the Spring Garden Party edition on 18th May. Be sure to get your RBS Museum Lates tickets as soon as they go on sale. The evening was the talk of the town (and Twitter) so there’s no doubt they’ll sell out fast.

– Miss Red