Meadows Festival

How to cook scallops and other news

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Hi peeps! It’s the first full weekend in June, so that means it’s Meadows Festival time, but this year I’m going leave off going until tomorrow. There’s heavy downpours out there, you know, already been caught in two just going to the Farmers Market, thank heavens for my oversized brolly! When I’ve finished this I’m going to pop along to Whistlebinkies where Jed Potts and Nicole Smit will be starting the afternoon set soon. There’s lots of music going on down in Leith for the Leith Jazz & Blues Festival this weekend; indeed, the Scat Rats are playing some place called The Volley at four o’clock today and tomorrow (I have no idea where it is, besides in Leith), I may pop down tomorrow, make that, most likely will pop along.

If I’d just gotten up when I first woke, around nine, I could have been home before the first deluge, but, well. So glad to get some eggs (never buy them from supermarkets these days), also some chicken thighs and honey from Brewsters, then across to Annanwater to see what they had left, oo, cutlets (exquisitely tasty) and two small frozen packs of liver (very handy as one pack is perfect for a solo meal, and it will defrost very quickly in a bowl of water). A chap behind me asked if I was queuing for a mutton pie like himself (they are exceedingly popular), oh no, I was holding off for scallops from Creelers for my lunch; as so often happens, that prompted a follow-up question of how I cook them, in butter first, then add a slosh of dry white wine, a little salt and black pepper, some frozen chopped parsley, finally double cream. Bloody marvellous if I do say so myself!

Oh, and a slice of bread of butter with a glass of the wine. He said he’d be round at twelve! Haha. Scallops in bag, last port of call was Thistle and Churn for another fine ice cream, this week’s was a Clootie Dumpling, with some actual clootie dumpling as part of the garnish!

I think partly the reason why I’m not fussed about getting to the Meadows Festival is that I’ve already had a big flea market fix just last week in Brussels, oh my god, it was so wonderful to gaze on it all! If you enjoy a good rummage and you’re ever in Brussels, head to Place du Jeu de Balle, and of course, being away means you can’t actually buy that ridiculous wotsit, ’cause how would you get it home?!

Yes, that is a pogo stick! ~~~~~ Some might call it junk ~~~~~~ I was tempted!

Similarly, I feel like my Fringe started early this year, not only did I treat myself to seeing Grubby Little Mitts performing Eyes Closed, Mouths Open when I was in London, but back four weeks ago I went to see John-Luke Roberts: It Is Better + Best Of at the Monkey Barrel. Honestly, I’m not quite sure what month it is, Meadows Fair, so it’s June. Yes, I have picked up copies of the Fringe programme, yes, I’ve done an extra quick sweep of comedy and theatre, and yes, I’ve bought my first eight tickets! I’m somewhat disgruntled that the box office has now upped the maximum booking fees for one purchase from £5 to £7.50, grrrr (yes, I know it’s not much to quibble over but it irks me). My purchases? A few previews, the new one from Batisfera, thought I should get in quick as Luke Rollason is only doing a few dates, and a ticket for Troy Hawke who is usually rather expensive but yay, he’s doing a WIP this year (been loving his stuff on Instagram).

More later, right now, there’s two rather talented musicians making sweet sounds, that I need to see. Toodle oo!

Quite a fair weekend in all

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And there ends the first weekend in June, another Meadows Fair done and dusted (ok, it’s the Meadows Festival these days but it did used to be the Meadows Fair – to hark back to a time of midsummer fairs? Then festivals became much more the rage, but I’m an old timer, so). It’s always well attended but the glorious weather was surely a factor in the bumper crowds that turned out.

There were the usual multitude of food stalls, three music stages (Out of the Bedroom – open mic, Future Sounds for new, young bands, and the Tone Garden, main stage), the Stewart’s Brewing bar, and a myriad of stalls selling allsorts. I was rather tempted by a lovely tactile wooden elephant puzzle, but I left the decision to the gods and when I meandered back later it had gone.

Want an old tin or two? There’s the odd old book, but those playing cards – nice!

The only thing I bought was a pork gyros from a Greek food stall, I must say it was very tasty! I don’t usually buy food as it is, to my eyes, expensive, but I do love pork gyros so I succumbed.

Oh, I did buy something unexpected this weekend – my first lot of Fringe tickets! Yes I know, I usually hold out until the whole programme is officially out, but Underbelly decided to do a sneaky early offer, so I just had to check out their line-up. Just as well I was paying attention, the offer was only on from Friday until midnight just gone. Underbelly usually do some kind of early offer but this time it’s very early (and very short), I wonder how many folk actually spotted it.

The deal was £6 tickets for all shows on each Wednesday of the Fringe, pretty good, huh? I didn’t bother with tickets for preview Wednesday, there’ll be plenty others vying for that spot, but it was good to get expensive tickets for acts I have never seen, because of the prices, on the final Wednesday. They would be Danny Bhoy and Foil Arms and Hogg, yep, I’m fairly chuffed about that; and with several other tickets I got my moneys worth of booking fee (it’s £1.25 a ticket up to a maximum of £5 for one order).

It’s late, time to kip. I’ll leave you with one more from the Meadows Fair……

Just a wee catch up

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Another month almost gone and I’ve only been in Edinburgh for seven days of it; after only a few days back from my European wanderings, I was summoned down to Yorkshireland. Busy, busy, and two sick pooches as well. Oh, they’re both fully recovered now – now that I’ve left.

I’m still working through all the photos, videos and occasional scribbles from my trip. As a matter of curiosity, this afternoon I went quickly through which songs I’ve taken videos of, and surprisingly there are none of Babestation, I know! Really?! Hot Blondes and Lost In You have the most clips, followed by Merry-Go-Round, Mock Marble Linoleum and Dans Le Jardin. Some will pop up randomly on Instagram, but I do intend to put them in some semblance of order later (mind, good intentions can just stay that way).

I am without tv to distract me – it says there’s no signal. It actually happened back halfway through April but as I had a lot to sort out I just left it. I’ve plenty to be getting on with now, so it can stay off, well the tv can, I do have a number of tv series on dvd that I can watch; there’s radio shows too. I’ve been listening to That Mitchell and Webb Sound on Spotify, still as funny and sharp as it was (on the Radio 4 early evening comedy slot between 2003 and 2013). I’m now on series 4, particular favourites are the Stargate sketches and the Old Lady Job Justification Hearings, so bitingly funny.

Missing watching tv at teatime, I dug out my old Coupling dvds, a tv comedy sitcom by Steven Moffat from about twenty years ago, loved it then and still do, especially Richard Coyle as Geoff. Some of the monologues would make brilliant set pieces in a stand-up routine. If anyone does snaffle the cushion speech by Steve, I’d know it from about six words in!

Last night I finally got round to watching Ash vs Evil Dead, it’s only been in a drawer unwatched for, oo, fifteen years?! OMG, it is so good! No, I don’t know why I never got round to watching it before, I think it was going very cheaply when the HMV store on Princes Street was closing down, I did buy a number of dvds at the time. I will definitely be looking for the second and third series at some point. Yeah, so no tv signal but I have plenty to entertain me.

There’ll be plenty to entertain this weekend, the first full weekend in June so it’s Meadows Festival time. The rain gods are being canny this year, rather than a wet weekend, there’s heavy rain everyday up until then, the ground will be pretty soggy and with all those feet traipsing everywhere – there will be mud. Saturday evening I’m off to see The Crow in the cinema, I’ve never seen it so grabbed a ticket for the 30th Anniversary Re-Release, better late than never, as they say.

It’s only two weeks until the full printed Edinburgh Fringe 2024 programme comes out, oh yay. Yes, I’m still being good and not peeking. Okay, so I know some shows that are up through social media, and ones that aren’t, like Aidan Goatley who’s not bringing his new show Looking For Edith, noooo!! If he’s doing it in your area, lucky you, bloody go see it and be thankful! The other Aidan, Aidan Sadler will be back, yay. And very exciting, just spotted this evening, John Robertson is finally doing another stand-up show at the Fringe, happy happy, joy joy!!!

It’s very late so I shall away to bed and leave you with, well, is it just a sign or sage advice?!….

It’s been quite fair all in all

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It’s a mizzly, drizzly day out there today but, hey, after the last week the plants need it. The weather even stayed nice over the Meadows Festival weekend, breezy but sunny. They built it and, indeed, the people came.

Arthur’s Seat just peeking over the tops of the trees there
a sunny Meadows Festival

The stalls were back with the usual unusual, the food vendors all did roaring trades, local success Stewart’s Brewing ran the beer tent, and there was live music in all three corners of the main area on the Saturday. The stage for upcoming bands was back, Out of the Bedroom Open Mic was another, and of course the Main Stage, the latter going on through Sunday too. The one problem with spending much time there is the time wasted standing in the queue for the loos, always long! The Meadows don’t have any bushy areas to disappear into, but, just a short saunter away is the Dagda Bar very handy for relieving one’s bladder and thirst without the long waits in line.

the usual unusual – a parrot and his boy
the usual unusual – vital in every kitchen!

Sunday evening saw me trotting up to Whistlebinkies to catch a duo I’ve been hearing about on social media that’s really had me intrigued – Harp & Guitar. Bart from The Kennedy’s Project has teamed up with harpist Dara Watson to create some amazing blues sounds! I arrived just as they were playing Wicked Game, oh boy, sublime, no need for vocals, just guitar and harp, beautiful.

just guitar and harp, beautiful

Most of the set was instrumental with Bart adding his low gruff voice to the odd one. A Little Drop of Poison from Shrek 2 was in there, a great choice as Bart sounds more than a little like Tom Waits; Minnie the Moocher put in an appearance too, onbe he often plays with the KP. You can catch a bit of their take on Havana on Instagram, yes I’ve recently taken the plunge! That’s on there and there’ll be other stuff not on here, please take a look and follow me, please! (it’s bruceonthefringe or Bruce T Moose)

On that note I shall sign off to take some exercise, it’s not looking quite so damp outside now. I’ll leave you with a couple of pics taken in the Park a couple of days ago. Toddle pip!

the foxgloves are starting to flower
a sweet spot to laze a while

You wait two years for a Festival ….

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It’s June, the sun is shining and the Meadows Fair (or Festival, as it has become) is back again on the first weekend of the month, yay. Apparently not as big as it was before Covid, not down to Covid but our money-grabbing, anti-locals council; the usual space in the Meadows has been priced out of the Fair’s range, so it will all be in the area that was previously just an extra spill over corner. I noticed the other day that the travelling fairground has come back in it’s usual spot, it comes for about seven or eight days.

a fort, anyone?

The Meadows Fair is wonderful for spotting odd buys on the bric-a-brac stalls and bumping into old acquaintances you haven’t seen since the last time. There’s live music right through the day til six o’clock. Indeed, this year they’ve been seriously promoting the bands on Facebook, check them out at Meadows Festival Edinburgh. No mention of a second smaller stage for young, upcoming bands this year, so I don’t know if that’s happening or not. Annoyingly I have somewhere else to be on Saturday from noon, but I should manage to be up there in plenty of time for Black Cat Bone at five o’clock.

do you wanna get ahead?

I may be a tad whacked on Saturday because The Buccaneers are playing the midnight slot at Whistlebinkies on Friday night. I’m thinking of seeing the new Dr Strange film beforehand, the 8:40 showing won’t finish until 11:15 which gives a nice time to walk from the cinema to Binkies. [EDIT it was just Binkies nonsense again, I checked with Mr Marah, he was away playing on Islay] It is a good stop-off point on my home from a movie, I went to check out their Legendary Open Mic Night on Monday after seeing Downton Abbey: A New Era (very enjoyable if you’re a Downton fan – very predictable but the script is witty with the Dowager Countess getting all the best lines as usual). Why is Binkie’s open mic “legendary”? I don’t know, maybe there is a history that justifies the term, I hope so, legendary to me is a term that should be whispered by others not claimed for oneself.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival will be fully back this year, disappointingly not this month. They’ve put it back in August like it was until around 2007 when it moved to June; I much prefer it in June, there’s enough to see in August with it! I’ve now had a look at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival programme for this year, the lovely Nicole Smit has two shows on the final weekend. Oo, it’s a great venue, the Piccolo tent, perfect for Nicole Smit: Travelling Tent Show to celebrate the music of 1920s tent shows; I don’t have a ticket yet but I shall! (at £18 it’s pricey for me, but she’s worth it)

Free to wander around will be the Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket on Saturday 16th July and the Edinburgh Festival Carnival (around the Mound and Princes Street) on Sunday 17th July. Fingers crossed for a sunny weekend! It’s starting to feel like an Edinburgh summer now, where’s my sunglasses?

yes! It plugs into a light socket!
a long-handled posser

Ah, those fair meadows 💛

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Last weekend would have been the Meadows Fair if not for the Lockdown. The Meadows Fair, as it says on the tin, is held in the Meadows a well-loved parkland area on the Southside of town, always on the first full weekend of June. I say always but in the last few years there has been some doubt as to it’s continuation as the council, well, behaves like it does!

See the Meadows Fair is just a lovely local event for local people, there’s no big sponsors or money in it, tourists don’t come for it – ah, of course, that’s why the council are so unhelpful, it’s just for locals! Not that you wouldn’t be very welcome should you be in Edinburgh, dear hearts, everyone’s very welcome but like I said, it’s not a big flashy event, it’s a free, volunteer-run grassroots affair; various stages with live music, kids’ activities, a dog show, performers, a beer tent, some of the best bric-a-brac stalls you will ever see along with plenty other stalls (and the usual overpriced food stalls) and a travelling fair always sets up beside it just off Melville Drive on the Marchmont side.

Apparently it was founded in 1974, and plenty of folk look like they dig out their old 70s gear to wear for it! Hippy Central it is. Many just chill out in front of the main stage, the odd few have a wee boogie-about, you can always stretch your legs by a wander round the stalls. At the other end of Middle Meadow Walk is a smaller but equally loud stage showcasing young upcoming local bands, worth checking out, the sets are quite short so if one band isn’t to your fancy, don’t worry, there’ll be another along shortly!

People come back year after year, the once young hedonists come back pushing buggies, trying to be hip-cool with their teenagers, sharing a beer with grown-up kids each reminiscing their times at Fairs gone-by. Of course, even though it wasn’t on this year I just had to take a trot up there and boy, the locals were out in numbers (all observing social distancing, I hasten to add). There were family groups, flatmates, couples, plenty sitting one chatting to another at the appropriate distance, it was really good to see. The whole area was dotted with folk enjoying a summer afternoon in the park.

One thing though, I’ll bet the folk on Saturday left all sorts of rubbish behind! I was always taught from very young to never litter, even if the bins are full, no excuse, take it home! At the end of both days of the Meadows Fair a small army of volunteers go round collecting up all the rubbish leaving the place spotless (frankly there shouldn’t be any on the ground as there are plenty of bins). There’s also donation buckets going around, I always give to help this marvellous institution survive another year.

Roll on the 5th of June 2021!

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On checking a few factoids I’ve noticed it’s officially called the Meadows Festival, well I’ve always known it as the Meadows Fair and thats what i intend to keep calling it!