Dumbo Feather has a great blog about people's favourite bookshops across the globe.

Random Things

Post Cooking Thoughts

I've been in a rut cooking wise for a long time, which is why its been such a great thing to try something different. Using ingredients I'd never normally buy and even to start going to new food shops (Fruit Heaven).

It sounds horribly simplistic but when wrestling with knotted problems in life we tend to see them in the same light black/white good/bad right/wrong and then in dealing with the problem our thoughts travel in the same unproductive lines over and over. Somehow by trying something new in a different area of life my mind starts over makes new neural pathways and I start to think maybe the solution is not this or that but this and that. And maybe I should relax stop racing ahead so much and freaking out over what might be when I don't know what it will be anyway. Yes just try and stay in the now.

Do instead of stewing over a problem - make a stew ! or a Moroccan tangine.

Weirdly enough since my cooking outburst I've had a yen to repaint my flat outrageous colours, take up quilting and start a publishing firm. Cooking can be dangerous ! or rambling or learning a hobby or exploring a part of the city you've never been to before. Take off do something different go on a tangent and perhaps that will help out more.

London near Portland Square.

Thursday opening of Loving Burns - Fringe show, written, performed and directed by my friend Alicia Devine.

Babotie update

Delish even without the egg and sultanas (and the apricots). After an hour or so in the oven crispy on top. I ate it with chopped tomatoes. Yum. Enough for leftovers tomorrow. I want to stop buying lunch out - way to expensive and this is nicer.

pia jane bijkerk

Babotie/BOBOTIE (you say Bobotie I say Babotie lets call the whole thing off)

I was surfing over the weekend and made the acquaintance of a South African food blogger so I was inspired to make the very South African dish Babotie. I came home via the supermarket but unfortunately did not have the recipe with me and tried to remember the ingredients I needed off the top of my head. A few vital ones missing (eggs and none to be stolen off lodger) and sultanas but I'm going ahead anyway to make the improvised jazz creative voyage version.

I have to first clear the sink of dirty dishes so am taking the digital radio to the kitchen to have radio 7 for company and will report back later.

New ways to use the internet - 3 bucks for Brendan

100 Strangers - one for R

All Hail Summer Fruit

Yesterday I made a special effort to visit Fruit Heaven a local fruit and veg shop instead of my local supermarkets. I bought punnets of strawberries, raspberries and courgettes, tomatoes, cherries and an artichoke all for £8. I hauled home my supplies and made summer pudding last night while watching Foyles War. Lodger reported that the stewing fruit could be smelled out in the street. With dollops of sheeps milk yoghurt it is simply divine. I've been defrosting my fridge a major effort so am using up supplies while it defrosts. I am going to make a goats cheese fritata with my tomatoes and courgettes for later.

Summer pudding really is the taste of summer. I can't belive that this weekend is nearly over. I went out to meet a friend for breakfast and was 45 mins late due to oversleeping and failing to put my alarm on. But I walked half way home to Leith down the High St so feel I've managed to get some exercise in on a beautiful sunny day.

I love this pic - one of my favourites from my 'processed in Kentish Town' batch.

Beautiful day here in Edinburgh. Breakfast out and bought fruit to make summer pudding. Just off for a few more supplies before starting.

London to Cambridge via medium format cross processed rail...

Inspiration boards - interesting interviews with creative types.

after a suggestion by Ink on My Fingers

European Cake Project - I'm not sure what the Scottish cake would be - a nice Dundee cake perhaps stuffed with fruit? I think a Victoria Sponge is more English. Maderia m'dear?

Yesterday I had a stange ache all over. Spent most of the day in bed with the radio for company. Today I feel much better and sat outside reading in the sunshine. I'm about to tackle homemade bagels as they need to be made at a 'at home day'.

Bonus links

Keri Smith's How to Be an Explorer of the World

Time Management for Creative People

9 Insane Strategies for Transforming Your Business

Cross processed holga of Covent Garden in the rain

I had to go to London to get my films processed..... seriously I've been on a 6 month trudge around processing places in Edinburgh trying them out. Rather like a Princess and pea, they are too expensive, not in the right format, just bleugh ! I treck 500 miles and not only do the pictures seem better but the service was polite ...

A good time was had. Taking in a bit of culture (Wolfgang Tilmans) a bit of socialising, a job interview (highlight the teenage foxes beside the railway track and having to walk down 'Goldfinger Way' to the office) and lying on Parliament Hill in the evening sun picnicing.

Dumbofeather - 4 years ago I picked up the first issue in Sydney when I was staying there. I loved the look of it. Its beautifully designed and has great inspiring content about creative people forging ahead and making a difference. I've tried to find it online without success but just before I went to London I stumbled across it and found that it is now available to buy in london at Magma. I braved the monsoonlike rains and failed to find it in Convent Garden - I'd stupidly not written down the address of the shop. I slowly made my way towards Shaftsbury after getting throughly lost and found it by accident! The current issue has an article on Sabrina Ward Harrison, a soap maker, novelist, shoe repairer and a social entrepreneur. 

the slow lane

Having a slow morning - good after 2 months plus of going pell mell.

Australian slow guide to life.

Also Seat 61 a guide to travelling in style by train.

A miserable and dreary wet day here. I foolishly on Thursday said to a friend that my many years of clothes angst had been vanquished. I had now been able to go out and find nice, flattering clothes in my size after a change in attitude (the attitude before being that I wouldn't find anything and it therefore becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.

HA ! said the Universe and I've spent a fruitless day trailing about trying to find a jacket for an interview - A Very Important Interview. It monsooned down as I trailed wearily between shops. I did manage to get a bag, shoes and an umbrella but no jacket.

Great interview with Patti Digh of 37 Days.

strange creatures living in Liberty's

Today there wasn't enough work in the office so instead of surfing aimlessly or worse checking out facebook I went to personnel and suggested we have an afternoon off and come back when the work was more plentiful. Some how on the way into town towards lunch H suggested this place she had read about in the Times. Yes ! I remembered the same article - indeed I'd remembered his original venture Pierre Victoire. I knew were it was located so we marched down there. Avoiding Paperchase (its just about the dream of being organised I realise - expensively). It was a simply lovely day in Edinburgh. We got to Chez Pierre about 1.45 nabbed a window table immediately went over the £6 fixed budget by opting for a glass of wine each. Oh but it was delish. Ravenous we hardly spoke at all. My rose so fruity and fresh I'm afraid that I drunk it rather quickly. And as I rarely drink at all got quite tipsy in no time at all. We began to expand on the subject of our various businesses and career adventures. I'm waiting for something to come off or not (currently not) I'm an impatient woman. Despairing slightly (ok ok I was tipsy). If this did not come off then I would have to do that etc etc. A note book was produced a calculator - tipsy calculations were made. Then they were abandoned as a friends' mother spied us in the window and she came in and had a class of wine. Much merriment. Then we finally left at 4.30. A very French meal I thought later. And even later realised helped me to just chill out about the something. If one thing happens it happens if not, not. In the meanwhile I want to hold onto the intention that the kind of work life I want includes 2 1/2 hour plus lunches.

Werner Herzog on Filmmaking

"Herzog gave me a quick run-down of his tips on how to be a successful film-maker: “Work as a bouncer in a sex club, work as a taxi driver, work as a butcher – earn the money and make your own film. Today, with these little digital cameras, there is no excuse any more.” Herzog stole his first camera and ended up using it to make 11 films. “It fulfilled its real destiny,” he says. "From here

ordinary everyday miracles

Today on the way home I looked over the fence and saw a teenage rabbit nibbling on municipal rose leaves beside one of the busiest streets in Edinburgh. So cute, so unconcerned apart from getting the freshest newest leaves into its mouth. I got the bus to Portobello walked on the beach and on the way back to the bus stop stopped to smell each rose poking over the fences of the gardens I passed.