SUMMER 2014

The Business
School
WWW.BUZZMAG.ORG

DENISE MINA
Scotlands queen of crime

ON THE ROAD
the gap year with a twist

SHAKING THE CITY

cocktail heaven on Queen St

Business Minded Study

For more information, visit www.napier.ac.uk/business-school

SUMMER 2014

In todays rapidly changing business environment, having the right

knowledge skills and management competencies is a must. Our business
school, the largest in Scotland, is committed to inspiring those attributes
and more. Through our relevant, contemporary postgraduate courses,
together with our excellent relationships with regional, national and
international partners, you will develop the confidence and capabilities that
will ultimately open more doors.

VICTORY ROLLS
& VANITIES
our best-loved vintage and antique hotspots

EDITORS NOTE
Hello, and thank you
for picking up this
years edition of Buzz,
an Edinburgh based
lifesyle magazine. Many
hours of work have gone
into this, sometimes
tears, but our dedicated
team have really pulled
together and we have
enjoyed a few laughs and cocktails along the way.
Our theme for this issue is a year in the city and we
have covered a range of Edinburghs best cultural gems,
shops, and restaurants. We keep the local theme running
with features on the best vintage, book and gift shopping in
and around Edinburghs vibrant Grassmarket.
We also feature an exclusive interview with writer
Denise Mina, whose crime novels are growing in
popularity internationally. We chat to local designers
Ipek Yalcin and Gavin Rutherford who talk about the
inspiration behind their work. Interviews with some of
Scotlands top young ballet dancers and heads of the
latest technological startups means that there really
should be something for everyone.
We hope that you will enjoy reading this print version
of Buzz and for those who cant get enough, head to our
website www.buzzmag.org for the latest film, theatre,
music reviews and many more articles.
Enjoy our wonderful city!
Becky Conway
Editor

EDITORIAL
Becky Conway (Editor)
Christopher Byrne (Co-deputy Editor)
Eve Scott (Co-deputy Editor)
Jonathan McIntosh (Online Editor)
Rebecca Brown
Camille Burns
Michele Cheng
Sergio Lazo
PRODUCTION
Hannah Taylor (Production Editor)
Melissa LoParco (Deputy Editor)
Alix Thomazi (Image Editor)
Gabriela Barrios
Leanne Butchart
Sophie Cachard
Hannah Doherty
Chentong Hao
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Erin Bottomley
Alisdair Dawson
Keara Donnachie
Keira Farrell
Annie King
Shuna Maebhe McAuley
Jade Regulski
Becca Strahan
COVER IMAGE
Gillian Glover MacLean
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Derek Allan
David McMurray
VISIT US
www.buzzmag.org
LIKE US
facebook.com/Buzz-Magazine
FOLLOW US
@@BuzzMagEd
FIND US
Edinburgh Napier University
10 Colinton Road
Merchiston Campus
Edinburgh
EH10 5DT
www.publishingdegree.co.uk

Buzz is produced by MSc Publishing and MSc Magazine Publishing students from the School of Arts and Creative Industries, Edinburgh Napier University. The
views and opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of the School of Arts and Creative Industries, Edinburgh Napier University.

REEL TO REEL 7
Delving into Edinburghs cinema scene
TAKE YOUR SEAT AND DIM THE LIGHTS 8
A guide to Edinburghs cultural events without breaking the bank
HEART OF THE MATTER 10
Behind the lens with photographers Dylan and Joanna Kitchener
PAPER TRAIL14
Browsing the shelves of Edinburghs second-hand bookshops
DENISE, DENISE 16
Shooting the breeze with one of Scotlands premier crime writers

FOOD & DRINK

GLOBAL GOURMET 18
Working up an appetite across the capital
SHAKING THE CITY 20
Drowning your sorrows in style
AFTERNOON DELIGHTS 22
Best places to indulge your sweet tooth

EDINBURGH IN FOCUS
THE HACKER, THE HUSTLER AND THE HIPSTER 26
Tricks of the start-up trade from Edinburghs techies
GRASSMARKET 28
Exploring the Old Towns independent boutiques
A YEAR IN EDINBURGH 50
Our calendar of events 201415

FASHION & DESIGN

VICTORY ROLLS AND VANITY30
Step back in time with the best of Edinburghs vintage shopping
BRIGHT IDEAS 35
Buzz chats to some up-and-coming designers

SPORTS & WELLNESS

ONCE MORE FROM THE TOP 38

Behind the scenes with Scotlands bright young ballet dancers
TEE TIME 41
Exploring some of Edinburghs most scenic public golf courses

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

ON THE ROAD 44
Pack your bags for a life-changing career break
FIRST IMPRESSIONS 48
A fresh take on an old city

10

16
images (top to bottom): kitchener photography/bongokat productions /leanne butchart/gabriela barrios /rutherford gray creative / toby park

CONTENTS

ARTS & CULTURE

WEDDINGS AND WANDERINGS

The Heart of the Matter

TARTAN NOIR WITH DENISE MINA

20

Denise, Denise

30

MAKE MINE A WILD HORSE!

Shaking the City

VINTAGE SCENE

Victory Rolls and Vanities

41
GOLFING IN EDINBURGH

Tee Time

44
THE PROFESSIONALS YEAR ABROAD

On the Road

Arts & Culture

Reel to Reel

Edinburgh Film Festival at a Glance

words: ali dawson

images: centre of the moving image

=6=

dinburgh International Film

Festival holds the accolade
of being the oldest continuously-running international film
festival and originated as a documentary festival in 1947. It has
since marked itself as a platform
for independant film projects with
the likes of the full monty, mrs
brown and the motorcycle diaries being screened in recent years.
The coming festival is part of
a larger programme in 2014 being organised by the Centre of the
Moving Image. Amongst them is
a nationwide event celebrating the
life of Scottish-Canadian Academy
Award winning filmmaker and animator Norman McLaren. Founder
of the animation department at the

National Film Board of Canada,

McLaren gained his international
renown with films such as neighbours and a chairy tale.
However the programme is not
just taking place in Scotland, with
venues across Canada participating
in celebration of the McLaren body
of work. The backbone of McLaren
2014 is an extensive public engagement programme which aims to offer a series of animation workshops
to schools and public venues across
Scotland, with all work produced
by the attendees being uploaded to
the McLaren 2014 website.
Alongside this comes a programme of films curated by documentarian and film critic Mark
Cousins cinema of childhood.
A touring film season will introduce British audiences to 17 films
about the experience of childhood.
These films, many of which have
never been screened in the UK before, inspired Cousins in the production of his new documentary

=7=

the story of childhood and

film.
At this years festival, the award
for Best Documentary Feature Film
will return after a three-year absence. There will also be a special
focus on cinema from Iran and
Germany. One thing is certain,
Edinburghs International Film Festival will continue to surprise and
delight its audience.

images: national museum scotland

Arts & Culture

Edinburgh has a wealth of cultural events taking place every day of

the year. It is easy to assume that a trip to these venues has to be
restricted to an occasional treat, but there are many ways
to experience culture at an affordable price.

TAKE YOUR
SEAT AND DIM
THE LIGHTS
WORDS: KEIRA FARRELL AND BECKY CONWAY

=8=

The lyceums previews are a great way to see the

newest theatre for low prices. Preview tickets will be
released at various points throughout the year for
online purchase and are usually priced at 1015
instead of the usual 30 or more. These shows do
tend to sell out quickly and the seating often isnt
assigned so make sure you get there early!
For those with an interest in grassroots theatre,
black dingo productions is a local shoestring company who perform at venues across the city throughout the year. One of their ongoing projects is fivepoundtheatre which as the name suggests gives you
the chance to see their work for only 5.
The queens hall hosts a variety of different
events throughout the year but in particular they
support local classical talent. The Scottish Chamber
Orchestra plays there several times a year with tickets
starting at 10. Students are even luckier, able to purchase any available seat for just 5.
Best known for the St Giles at 6 concerts, st giles
cathedral on the Royal Mile offers an extensive
concert programme, often free of charge. Featured
artists are often local choirs or soloists but the venue also attracts international groups as diverse as the
Golden Sail Folk Music Ensemble from China and
the Longmont Chorale from Colorado, US.

The scottish storytelling centre is a popular

venue for a variety of events and their monthly showcase, known as The Speakeasy, consistently sells out.
The event is something of a variety show with comedians, performance poets and musicians all taking
their turn on the stage: there are usually around eight
different acts performing and the tickets are 6 each.
scottish opera and scottish ballet have some
great offers for under 26s, typically 10 for standby
seats. A fantastic chance to experience these companies original interpretations of classic productions.
The RBS Museum Lates events are held throughout the year and offer a great opportunity to have a
look around the national museum while enjoying
themed drinks, live music, facepainting and a range of
other activities. Each night has a theme based on current exhibitions at the museum, which have included
dinosaurs, a night in wonderland, and a masquerade
ball theme. Tickets for the events start at 10 each.
Nights at edinburgh zoo are being held in May
and June this year and give you the chance to see the
animals at night without crowds of children. Also on
offer are a variety of street performers, a silent disco,
a rope course and a whole host of food and drink.
Tickets for the event are 20 but corporate discounts
are available.

Have a look at buzzmag.org to find out about Edinburghs best venues. Reviews, tips, deals and more!

=9=

Arts & Culture

HEART OF
THE MATTER
Husband and wife duo, Joanna and Dylan Kitchener are photographers
with a unique take on wedding photography. Buzz gives you an insight into
their creative flair.

What made you want to take up

photography? And wedding photography
in particular?

How many pictures do you take a year?

How many weddings and engagements do
you attend per year?

Wedding photography just seemed like the perfect

way to combine all our favourite genres of photography (landscape, portrait, narrative, photojournalistic)
into one amazing day. Every wedding day is a new
and unique story and being there on that special day
to capture and tell the story through our cameras is
why we photograph weddings.

It would be crazy to try and guess. Thousands and

thousands! This year we will be photographing between 4050 weddings at different locations around
the UK and overseas.

Can you walk us through the process?

We mostly accept on a first-come, first-served basis
but were always extra excited whenever we have the
opportunity to incorporate the landscape into a wedding. We try not to direct too much during photo
shoots, as we really want to keep things as natural
and organic as possible between the couple in order
to capture the connection between them.

How often do you travel? What was your

favourite place?
Our job allows us to travel to many interesting places
around the UK and Europe, so were pretty fortunate
in that respect. Its difficult to pick a favourite place
but our most memorable travel destination would
be Japan. The cuisine, the people, the nightlife, the
busyiness, the three-floor camera and electronic
shopsamazing! We also love street photography so
Japan was a great place for that too.

Can you tell us a bit about your story?

We have the online photo sharing website Flickr to
thank for allowing our paths to cross. It was January
2010 and we were living in different parts of the world
at the time ( Joanna in Ubud, Indonesia, Dylan in
Queensland, Australia) and we had been following
and admiring each others personal work on Flickr
for about a year. We started Skype chatting every day
(mostly about photography) and to cut a long story
short, Joanna flew to Australia, we got engaged after
four months and decided to move to Scotland to begin
our life together. About a year later we got hitched!

Why did you choose to live in Edinburgh?

What do you like about it?

This Australian bloke and Polish girl met thanks to their shared passion and decided to move
to Scotland in order to do what they love most together: travel around the UK and tell the
stories of couples through their pictures. Their style is romantic and creative but never cheesy
or obtrusive.
You can take a look at their amazing pictures of weddings all around Scotland on their
website: www.kitchenerphotography.co.uk
interview : alix thomazi

=2=

Straight away the most appealing feature about Scotland to us was the landscape, and wed only heard
great things about Edinburgh from friends and family. Dylans grandparents are also Scottish; he always
had a special fondness for Scotland.

all images courtesy of kitchener photography

Arts & Culture

Where do you get your inspiration from?

How do you take pictures of couples
without making them look cheesy?
Nature, travelling to new places and people always inspire us. We also take a lot of inspiration from movies
and cinematography. In particular, Wong Kar-wai,
Jim Jarmusch and David Fincher films. As for avoiding cheesiness, we believe that less is more when it
comes to photography. We always try to keep things
pretty natural and relaxed during the photo shoot
with very simple poses (if that is what you would like
to call it), definitely nothing dramatic or over the top.

Among all the pictures you have taken, do

you each have a favourite?
After every wedding we end up with a new favourite
so its impossible to nail it down to one or two. Every
once in a while we like to look back at our travels and
relive our journeys through our photography. Some
of our favourite photos were taken in Portugal and
Japan.

Where do you think you will be in 10 years

time? Do you think you will ever get bored
of this job?
Hopefully doing the same thing. To stand out in this
profession you have to be passionate about it and you
have to love it! You have to always want to improve
yourself and be open-minded to new ideas.The day
we become bored is the day we will put our cameras
down we dont ever see that happening though.

=4=

Arts & Culture

PAPER TRAIL

RICK TILL

OF TILLS BOOKSHOP
WORDS: EVE SCOTT

Exploring Edinburghs second-hand bookshops.

OLD TOWN BOOKSHOP

EDINBURGH TRANSLATIONS

Victoria Street
With books piled precariously on top of one another
and glass cabinets crammed full of beautiful Victorian
editions, old town bookshop has that charmingly
classic second-hand bookshop atmosphere. Specialising
in rare antiquarian books, it stocks a large amount
of Scottish literature, as well as books on art, travel,
history and even 100-year-old prints. Its interior may
seem small and narrow, but its shelves are packed with
hidden gems.

West Port
Whilst they have a small English section, edinburgh
translations specialises in foreign language books and
is a haven for anyone interested in foreign language
fiction. Sections include Italian, French, Japanese,
Chinese, Korean, Scandinavian languages, Russian,
Portuguese, Spanish and German. They also have a
small Scottish interests section.

West Port
This labyrinth of books has a warm, welcoming
atmosphere and every inch of the store is crammed
with books and comfy chairs. Their biggest collection
is literature, specifically Scottish literature. Head
downstairs to the basement and youll find even more
books, covering everything from history to sport and
music. If you dont find what youre looking for here,
youre likely to stumble upon something even better.

MAIN POINT BOOKS

West Port
A relatively new kid on the block, main point books
has a large selection of fiction and non-fiction. With
categories such as science fiction and crime, sitting
alongside folklore and mountaineering, youre likely to
find something brilliantly bizarre. They also have books
on history, philosophy, photography, art, architecture,
feminism and film.

Were the last

generation of privately
owned, second-hand
bookshops

ELVIS SHAKESPEARE
Leith Walk
Much more than just a second-hand bookshop, elvis
shakespeare boasts an equally impressive record
collection. The walls are covered in rare editions and
collectable vinyl and its remarkably spacious for a
second-hand shop. It stocks a wide range of books
including film, Scottish fiction, historical fiction,
science fiction, travel, biography, theatre, literary
criticism, graphic novels and audio books.

=14=

images: eve scott

EDINBURGH BOOKS

Images: Eve Scott

WORDS: REBECCA BROWN

Situated just one street down from bustling Newington

Street, tills second-hand bookshop is an oasis of
calm, filled with everything from childrens books and
fiction paperbacks to language guides and comics.
tills owner, Rick Till, moved to Edinburgh nearly
28 years ago and set up his second-hand bookshop,
which is still going strong today. As you would expect
after living here for nearly 30 years, Edinburgh is a
special place for Rick.
I come from small town Canada. The oldest building
in the town was built in 1993, it doesnt compare with
what I first saw here. My eyes were wide-open, it was
all just so grand. What a great city. How fortunate can
I get the two large cities in my life Toronto and
Edinburgh. Its a vibrant city and yet, its earthy. I like
that its unusual as far as large cities go. Its not a bleak
city centre. Its vibrant.
His outlook isnt as positive for the bookselling
industry though.

Our hey-day was the late 80s, early 90s. We couldnt

have seen the internet coming. Its just changed so
much. Were the last generation of privately owned,
second-hand bookshops unless something dramatic
happens. Im afraid that 10, 20 years from now, its just
going to be charity bookshops and perhaps a straggler.
Were stragglers, were an exception. Many large cities
have lost many of their bookshops.
Despite this concerning trend, Edinburgh thankfully
retains a large number of second-hand bookshops and
continues to thrive as a city of literature.

=15=

IMAGE: BONGOKAT PRODUCTIONS

Arts & Culture

Buzz catches up with Glasgows queen of crime fiction, DENISE MINA,
for a frank, funny and delightfully sharp chat about unlikely inspirations,
her upcoming television adaptation, and her love of comics.
how did you get into writing?

It was something I always wanted to

do. Writing is a bit of a compulsion;
fitting words together and loving
language. It sounds like a very selfindulgent thing to do. I had a law
degree and felt like I should be
doing something useful. I was doing
a PhD and I thought Im going to
write a novel, and then I did. I
sent it out to agents, just for fun,
and I said Ive written this entire
novel, and Im really outgoing and
I love attention [laughs]. I made a
series of ludicrous claims and they
said, Id like to see the rest of it,
so I wrote the rest of it and then
they said we want to publish it.
which writers have inspired you?

Bulgakov really inspired me. He

was a Russian writer who wrote
plays and books that were
never published in the Soviet
Union. Hes a really beautiful,
funny and honest writer. I
think theres a lot of flummery
around writing and hes just
really honest about the joy of
making the thing. Hes my hero.

a big social status thing about being

able to tell a story well. I think crime
fiction comes out of an oral tradition
rather than a literary tradition
because its not really about the
form; its more about the story.
do you base your characters on
the same sources?

I think you always put part of

yourself in your characters without
meaning to. And Im such a wilting
flower [laughs]. Most of them
are based on friends of mine and
they know exactly who they are!
is it a lot harder to write graphic
novels than your crime novels?

Its just really different. At the

moment Im doing The Girl With
the Dragon Tattoo and thats much
easier because youre envisioning

and I think a lot of crime fiction that

comes out of Scotland under the
banner of Tartan Noir isnt Noir.
It just happens to be crime fiction
based in Scotland. In Noir you have
disorder and then an attempt to
restore order which ultimately fails.
Thats what Tartan Noir is for me.
youre working with ridley scott

on your next tv programme. was it

intimidating?

No, its just like a really, really big

office. I never think these things
are gonna happen. The Paddy
Meehan books were a bit of a
miracle. Most stuff on telly is sh***,
isnt it? You have a one in ten
chance that its not gonna be sh***
[laughs]. You just go in and say
thats great and you nod and say,
Id really love to go for lunch
but Im super busy [laughs].

I think you always

put part of yourself in
your characters without
meaning to

DENISE, DENISE
INTERVIEW: JONATHAN MCINTOSH

=16=

where do you get your ideas from?

The Digger its a f***ing amazing

social
phenomenon!
Its
a
fanzine for criminals. A lot of it
is misinformation and mainly fat
guys in tracksuits. Crime is very
unattractive! [laughs] I get ideas
listening to people, especially
Glaswegians. In Glasgow theres a
big thing about storytelling and its

are there any other genres of

fiction you want to work in?

noir) from american crime fiction?

I would honestly think about

doing anything. At the moment
I want to write a film. I think
if you kept a small crew you
could probably do something really
interesting. I didnt really think
I would like to write comics and
Im the editor for a collection of
graphic novels that are coming out
for the Edinburgh International
Book Festival. Im really lucky
because people approach me
with interesting projects and
ask me if I want to get involved.

For me Tartan Noir is Urban Noir

Read the full interview on buzzmag.org

someone elses book as a graphic

novel. When youre writing your
own stuff, its much more technical.
It teaches you so much about prose
writing and you learn how much
you can leave out because the
reader does so much of the work.
what do you think differentiates
scottish

crime

fiction

=17=

(tartan

Food & Drink

Global Gourmet

YOCOKO
Noodle bars are not exactly few and far between, but youd be hard pushed to
find a more satisfying one than Yocoko. With an almost overwhelming number
of options, Yocoko offers an extensive range of rice and noodle dishes, soups
and starters. For under 7, you can get a delicious Japanese set meal,
which includes a generous main and additional sides, including
chicken potato curry and vegetable soup. Their homely portions
are large enough to fill even the hungriest of stomachs and the prices
will keep your purse full too.South Bridge.

Travel miles in a single meal

Looking for the taste of adventure without travelling far?
Experience food from around the world at affordable
prices right here in Edinburgh.

RASCALS
Rascals is a relatively
new kid on the Edinburgh
block. Essentially a burger joint, but mixing it
up with pulled pork burgers, sweet potato fries,
chicken wings and endless options to create
your own combinations. Between 12 and 3 on
weekdays you can eat for a mere
5. Great for big groups and
fantastic food deals every night
of the week.South Bridge.

ILLEGAL JACKS
Award-winning restaurant Illegal Jacks serves
up Tex Mex food on a budget. Their star
attraction are burritos the size of your forearm.
You have the choice of four types of meat (and
two vegetarian) fillings, two types of beans
and three varieties of salsa all wrapped with
Spanish rice in a steamed tortilla. For those
looking for something different, the menu also
boasts fajitas, quesadillas, tacos and nachos as well
as buffalo wings and chilli bowls.Lothian Rd.

=18=

words: r. brown/l. butchart/r. conway/h. leslie/s. van der lingen. images: l. butchart/m. loparco/a. thomazi

KAMPUNG ALI
Kampung Ali is a testament to the old
adage that looks can be deceiving. The
simplicity of its decor doesnt do its menu
justice favourites like sweet and sour
chicken sit alongside many options for
the more adventurous. Modifying a dish
according to your tastes is encouraged.
If its popularity with Edinburghs Asian
community isnt enough to convince
you, pop in and try the Roti Cenai
starter. Fountainbridge and Clerk St.

CACIOPEPE
If youre looking for cheap but filling Italian food,
Caciopepe is a great place to try. A main meal and a
shared half carafe of wine will cost you under 10.
There are plenty of delicious choices ranging
from classic lasagne to a great range of risottos.
Their dessert menu is just as affordable we
recommend the baked cheesecake. To top it all
off, the service is simply delightful.Hanover St.

=19=

Food & Drink

SHAKING

THE CITY

LUCKY
LIQUOR
CO

oull be hard pushed to find a drink that you

dont enjoy at Lucky Liquor Company. The
black and white chequered flooring, lowhanging lighting and exceedingly friendly staff all
combine to make it a fantastic cocktail experience.
The stock drinks menu isnt as comprehensive as
you might expect, but with 13 liquors to call upon,
the knowledgeable staff are happy to mix you your
favourite drink they wont even charge you extra
for the pleasure. Youre kept guessing on how youll
get your drink, theyre served up
in everything from light bulbs
to glasses with a cymbalbanging monkey toy tied
to it. You might even get

mood

drinks

staff

4/5

5/5

5/5

sartorial cocktail

a sample swatch of
cologne on the side or
a small sombrero we
loved the little touches.
Youll get a glass of water
which is constantly topped up
throughout the night, keeping you
happily busy whilst waiting for your
next drink. All in all, its a great bar
and well worth a shout if youre
looking for a unique night out!

words : christopher byrne . images : a .thomazi /l . butchart

Reviewing Queen Streets Quirkiest Cocktails

PANDA
AND
SONS

heres more than meets the eye to this quirky

bar, hidden below an old-fashioned barber
shop facade. Youll coast down a flight of
stairs and swish through a secret bookcase door
to get into the expansive underground bar Panda
and Sons. The cocktails are intriguingly presented,
particularly the spectacular Birdcage. If you want
something different, they also have a great list of craft
beers and wines. The staff, all donning moustaches
(except for the females) and exceptionally vintage
hairstyles, always have a smile on
their faces. The quirky details
dont stop there as there are
faux taches on the mirrors
in the bathrooms, almost
encouraging you to grow

spring break

mood

drinks

staff

5/5

4/5

4/5

wild horse canyon

your own! The tables,

sporting Dax Wax
candles and novellalength menus, can
accommodate either
large groups or those
who may be looking for
more privacy. The latter can
find a place in one of the cosy two person
nooks. The drinks are well priced
and they usually have a good
special on offer. If youre
looking for a quirky night
out, you cant afford to
skip this bar!

birdcage cocktail

royal bermuda yacht club

the emperors new clothes

=20=

=21=

Food & Drink

Mimis Bakehouse

From the cheeky wall art to the classy white,

black and turquoise colour scheme, everything
in Mimis Bakehouse exudes care and attention
to detail. These qualities arent missing from
its delicious afternoon tea either. With the
traditional range of finger sandwiches, scones
with clotted cream and home-made jam and an
ever-changing array of tantalising mini cakes,
Mimis is reassuringly inventive and a joy to visit.
14.50

Eteaket

Afternoon Delights
Fancy a cuppa? We tour Edinburgh to give you a taste of the
quirkiest places to enjoy afternoon tea. For the perfect scone, moreish
sandwiches and a dizzying array of tea choices, we recommend these
cosy hideouts where you can have your cake and eat it too!

=22=

words: eve scott images: eve scott/alix thomazi

Just like its interior, Eteaket keeps afternoon tea

low-key and comfy. Whether sitting up front or
snuggled on the couch in the back, once you push
open the door of Eteakets basement cafe, youd
be hard-pressed to tell youve just left the city
centre behind you. Instead of the usual range of
finger sandwiches, you can choose from a range
of fillings from the menu, along with a tasty
scone, plenty of petit fours and a pot of one of
their many delicious loose-leaf teas.
14.95

Peacock Alley
If youre feeling particularly extravagant, throw
on your glad rags and head over to Peacock
Alley inside the luxurious Caledonian Hotel.
There are quite a few options to make your
afternoon tea even more special, including
adding a glass of champagne or a Kir Royal, but
the Caley Afternoon Tea is more than enough!
The patisseries and cakes really make it special,
including an Earl Grey and Shortbread Trifle
Shot and a Choux Pastry Swan.
25.00

=23=

advertorial

HOW TO GET YOUR DREAM JOB

Edinburgh Napier Business School

Many of our graduates have taken advantage of

such opportunities and look at them now. One is Vice
President Marketing for Disney worldwide, another
is Vice President Marketing for Mercedes in North
America, another is the Director of Festivals Edinburgh. Whatever they have achieved, you are capable
of achieving in your own way in your own
field. Just be ambitious but realistic, smart but
Moffat Centre (Business
not arrogant, focused but flexible, learn from
Nick Fannin
failure most successful people have failed
n.fannin@napier.ac.uk
more than once during their life.
All the best in whatever you choose to do!
Professor George Stonehouse
Dean, Edinburgh Napier Business School

IMPORTANT CONTACTS

Lesson no. 2: work hard but work smart. Do

more than the basics. Do things which make you
stand out from the rest. As a student make sure
that you do things like undertake an internship,
study abroad, do charitable work, play sport,
take on leadership roles like being a student
rep. Youll be amazed as youll enjoy doing most
of these things and, at the same time, youre
making yourself into something special.

By the way these opportunities

are not confined to Business
School students but are open to
anyone in the University.
IMAGES: DAVID RUSSELL

I have travelled the world, met incredibly interesting

people, written three books and God knows how many
articles and conference papers. Quite a few people actually bought the books and Ive been invited to speak
at a number of places around the world. If Im honest
there have been times when my career hasnt gone very
smoothly and when Ive had to cope with failure and
disappointment, but that always gives one the opportunity for reflection and development.
Its probable that no one reading this article has an
ambition to be a Dean, a Professor or even an academic so why am I telling you all this? Because by telling
you my story and what Ive learned it may hopefully be
of use to you in making your own career decisions. I get
fed up with people saying things like: If you work hard
enough, youre bound to succeed. I worked really hard
at being a musician but, truth be told, I wasnt talented
enough to be
professional,
Lesson no. 1: be ambitious but know yourself
however hard
and where your talents lie.
I worked.

y job as Dean of the Business School at

Edinburgh Napier University is probably
my dream job although, in all honesty, I
had never even thought of being an academic during
my time as a student. All I knew was that I wanted
to be rich or famous, or ideally both. Of course, I am
neither but I am happy in my job and my life generally and I earn just about enough to make ends meet.
More importantly my job is hugely satisfying. I have
worked with some incredibly talented young people,
academics and administrators on a daily basis over
the years and my career has taken me to this, my
dream job! Over the years I tried being a musician,
a teacher, working in industry and then I became an
academic, eventually becoming a professor and dean.

At Edinburgh Napier University, and especially in

the Business School, we try to create opportunities for
you to develop skills and experience which will allow
you to stand out from the crowd. All of our students
have the opportunity to undertake internships or study
abroad with our partner Universities. If you want to
set up your own business you simply go along to the
Moffat Centre where youre provided with expert advice and given office space. If you want to get experience as a business consultant, go along to Bright Red
Triangle who will train you with the necessary skills
and provide you with projects, and you may even get
paid! If you want to both work for a charity and get
experience of being a Director, go along to the Get on
Board programme where youll be trained in corporate
governance and then helped to find a role as a director
of a charity. There are a huge number of other opportunities but Ive run out of space to tell you about them!

Start Ups):

Bright Red Triangle (Consultancy Training):

Sam McFarlane
s.mcfarlane@napier.ac.uk

Internships & Placements:

Viv ONeil
v.oneil@napier.ac.uk

Study Abroad & Exchanges:

Helen McMillan
h.mcmillan@napier.ac.uk

Edinburgh in Focus

STARTING UP

THE HACKER, THE HUSTLER & THE HIPSTER

that the community feel can be one of the things, and

often is the only thing, that keeps you going: theres a
good vibe to the place, says Brian Corcoran. codebase
is based around communal areas where everyone can
bounce ideas off one another or get help on a problem.
He is quick to check himself though, the community
side of it is important but ultimately everyones getting
on with building a business and its a serious enterprise.

TECHCUBE IS DEAD,
LONG LIVE CODEBASE!

Left to right: Neil Farish; Ali Khajeh-Hosseini; Jamie Coleman; Hilda Frydes; Eddie Robb

words: chris byrne

Buzz asks members of the startup tech community in Edinburgh to tell us

the ways in which their setup has helped them develop their business idea,
the pressures of investment and the entrepreneurial journey.

odebase at Argyle House is the new iteration of Jamie

Colemans vision for Edinburghs startup tech community. Its home to entrepreneurs and inspired techies
from near and far working on that one big idea. The special thing about codebase is that it is funded entirely privately, like Colemans previous enterprise techcube at
Summerhall. Buzz caught up with a few of the tenants to
try to find out what makes the tech community tick. We
interviewed Brian Corcoran, CCO at Stipso; Eddie Robb,
MD at MakeItSocial and Alex Cole, CEO at Peekabu.

We also caught up with Allan Lloyds, CEO of insight

arcade, at Edinburgh Napiers moffat business incubator.
I often tell people that doing this is like deciding one day
that youre the King of Mars, says Alex Cole, oh yeah,
Im the King of Mars, thats my job now! It seems its hard
to feel legitimate when youre in the early stages of a
tech startup. To be the majority shareholder in a business with a single share to its name is inherently daunting, but all three codebase situated entrepreneurs agreed

=26=

This new spirit, figurative as it is, voiced by Brian Corcoran

and embodied in the revamped Argyle House, is sadly not
being matched by a reinvigorated investment scene. Continued frustration with angel investors, wealthy individuals
who provide funds to startups, in Scotland was evident
during our interview with Brian: there are very few tech
investors in Scotland. Angel investors invest in what they
know, understandably, and in Scotland they are not from
Tech there are virtually none! This frustration is shared by
Allan Lloyds of insight arcade who states: in Scotland the
whole finance setup is pretty distorted, there are too many
angel investors who are protected by tax relief and more
interested in realising their investments from trade sales
than building global companies. The tangible lack of investor
interest or expertise in tech business is a palpable sore spot
and this is why the startup tech scene is hoping to develop
a thriving ecosystem in which companies who eventually
exit incubators like codebase and moffat will reinvest in the
startup scene, a scenario were beginning to see with the
success of skyscanner.

that if you dont know how to do something you can put

a message out on the board and if someone knows the
answer to your problem they will let you know.
The three essential roles in a startup team according
to Alex are, the hacker, the hustler and the hipster
someone to develop the product, someone to sell it and
someone to make connections. After that you need to
get someone that knows the business of startups inside
out and make them like you, thats how to get ahead in
terms of bringing your business forward.
All in all, Edinburghs burgeoning startup tech scene is fast
becoming one of the biggest in Europe which is what
codebase aims to be. codebase is not the only option for
tech entrepreneurs though. The moffat business incubator is developing great businesses like insight arcade . At
the end of the day, its all about finding the right fit for
your team.

IF NO ONE BELIEVES IN YOU,

YOU CAN STILL SUCCEED
ALEX COLE
You can still succeed, if youre resilient that is. But for all
that resilience, the entrepreneurial journey is categorically a
lonely one, a sentiment voiced by every interviewee. Eddie
Robb says youve got your team to lean on, but outside of

=27=

Edinburgh in Focus
For anyone who enjoys magazines, art, books or design,
situated at 39 Candlemaker Row, is an
absolute must. Small but perfectly formed, the range
of unique magazines and books, for both children and
adults, from all over the world is unparalleled anywhere
else in Scotland. The service is excellent, the owners are
more than happy to make recommendations or reserve a
copy of a title over Twitter or the phone, making it really convenient if youve seen a must have title on their
website. Titles range from Lucky Peach and Kinfolk to Huck
and Intern, there are so many amazing publications just
waiting to be discovered.

GRASSMARKET
AN ALTERNATIVE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
words: rebecca conway

f there is one area of Edinburgh which showcases independent

businesses and creativity, it is the Grassmarket. Fed up with the same
high street shops? A browse around this vibrant area will bring the
fun back into shopping. Here is our selection of the most stylish indie
shops the Grassmarket has to offer.
=28=

IMAGES: REBECCA CONWAY

analogue books,

the red door gallery at 42 Victoria Street is a stockist of local artist works, which has been in existence
for just over ten years. With more of an emphasis on
paintings and prints, the store also offers a delightful selection of badges, cards, tea towels, and quirky
kits such as build your own miniature ice cream van.
There is a range of prices so something here will suit
every budget, whether purchasing a gift or just a
weekend treat.

Special mention to the golden hare, 102 West Bow,

a bookshop with a carefully selected range of titles to
appeal to a range of customers and encourage you to
pick up something you wouldnt normally read. They
also have a great selection of childrens books.

Last on the list is hannah zakari, 43 Candlemaker Row.

This treasure trove of delights is full of quirky jewellery,
accessories, stationery and colourful artwork. The stock
is hand designed and crafted by a range of local artists.
A world away from run of the mill gift shops, this is the
perfect location to shop for a present for a friend. There
is always something new to see, and it is a great place to
purchase unique pieces from up and coming designers.

=29=

VICTORY
ROLLS
&
VANITIES

IMAGES: GILLIAN GLOVER MACLEAN/MISS DIXIEBELLE

WORDS: SHAUNA MAEBHE MCAULEY

=30=

ave a love for vintage? Regardless if

youre a rockabilly guy or an antique
loving gal, this city has something for
you!

Edinburgh boasts an abundance of places

for you to satisfy your lust for vintage goodies. Shops, hairdressers, beauticians, antique
stores and curiosity shops are plentiful in the
city as are the numerous flea markets, car
boot sales and fairs. Who knows what treasure
you might unearth!

Fashion & Design

is a
vintage inspired
boutique and
beauty parlour and is
unique in Scotland. Their
shop is situated in the
Brunstfield area, a hub of
independent shopping,
where you can experience
the full dixiebelle treatment
including a full head-to-toe
makeover. Their glamorous
shop, with options for
every woman, from the
alternative rockabilly to the
pin-up girl, stocks an array
of vintage inspired delights.
From classic-cut dresses to
elegant lingerie, they stock
an outfit for every occasion.
However, it is their
newly renovated salon
which brings the full
vintage experience to
life. From the ideal set of
nails produced by their
newest collaboration with
CutieCool Nails, to that
classic cat eye flick or the
perfect pair of victory rolls
pinned by the lovely Ariana,
miss dixiebelle will have you
set for any special occasion.

images: herve mudry/gillian glover mclean for miss dixiebelle and curious antiques

iss dixiebelle

FASHION
godivas
boutique
on West
Port is a stylish outlet with varied stock, from bespoke vintage
inspired clothing created by
their in-house designer, to quirky
jewellery supplied by a number
of Edinburgh-based designers.
Also on West Port is lady jojos
boutique. This kitsch shop stocks
an array of vintage inspired clothing which, while not cheap, is of
high quality and extremely wearable. If youre into gorgeous circle
dresses, petticoats and incredible
millinery, Jojos is the shop for
you. They launched their bridal
range in 2011, creating and tailoring bespoke wedding dresses in
the classic and elegant 1950s style.
w. armstrong and son, Second hand and Vintage Emporium. Established in 1840, they
are Britains largest vintage company with three shops in Edinburgh Grassmarket, Teviot
Place and Clerk Street each
crammed full of delights. You
can find anything from Victorian-era clothing to accessories and
fancy dress costumes. Thanks to
their collection of unique fashion and paraphernalia, you could
easily find yourself lost for hours.
the frayed hem on Cockburn
Street is a little treasure trove of
a shop which stocks everything
from postcards to badges to Kodak
Brownie cameras. With an eclectic range of fashion and accessories for both men and women,
this shop is well worth a visit.

ANTIQUES & CURIO

young
antiques
on Bruntsfield Place stocks some beautiful antiques. From classic velvet
chaises to roll-top desks, there
is an extensive selection of great
quality
Georgian,
Victorian
and
Edwardian
furnishings.
They also sell smaller decorative goods, oriental ceramic
pieces and unique artwork.

The

window

of cabaret
in West Port
is extremely eye-catching. Many a
happy day could be spent in here
rummaging through the numerous drawers and bowls brimming with jewellery and trinkets.
However, the true magic happens when you descend the spiral staircase to discover a hoard
of antiquated hardbound books,
featuring a collection of Scottish

antiques and curios

and illustrated childrens titles.

the thrie estaits in the heart
of Edinburghs New Town on
Dundas Street is a wonderful shop
bursting with the most intriguing
objects. It wouldnt be unheard of
to walk out of here wondering if
a 16th century bronze Buddha was
a necessary buy for your bedsit.
VINTAGE FAIRS & MARKETS
judy s affordable vintage fair
travels to Edinburgh regularly, bringing with it an amazing
atmosphere, friendly sellers and
great music. Not only can you
find an abundance of unique and
quirky fashion and homewares,
there are also beauty stations to
help get you into the vibe even
if all you want is a vintage tea
date as Judys fairs often come
supplied with tea and cupcakes.
edinburgh flea market visits
the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Dalmeny Street, on the last Saturday
of every month. There is always
an eclectic mix of stalls boasting
clothing, bric-a-brac, memorabilia, books and other knick-knacks.
There is also a great cafe on site,
which is a welcome addition after
an afternoon of treasure hunting!
greenside car boot sale, every
Sunday in Greenside Car park.
Come prepared with carrier bags
and loose change. It can get really
busy and being held underground,
its not one for the claustrophobic, but if youre keen on bargain
hunting and bartering, its most
definitely worth getting up early for.

Check out buzzmag.org for more information on Edinburghs vintage scene

=33=

Edinburgh Napier University

MSc Magazine Publishing
are delighted to be confirmed as the
only Magazine Publishing course in the
UK to be accredited by the
Professional Publishers Association
www.ppa.co.uk
To find out more information visit
www.publishingdegree.co.uk
@EdNapierPublish

TOAST
www.toastedinburgh.co.uk
146 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1AQ
Tel: 0131 446 9873

Show this
advert and
receive a
10% discount
on your meal!

Fashion & Design

BESPOKE DECOR AND USING LIGHT

TO MAKE THE MOST OF A SMALL SPACE

Interior design is not just about buying fancy furniture or painting your walls a different
colour; lighting and a bespoke touch can make all the difference, and the entire feel of a
room can change with the switch of a light bulb, as Ipek Yalcin and Gavin Rutherford
explain.

words: michele cheng

=35=

Fashion & Design

images: gavin rutherford

images: ipek yalcin

avin Rutherford recent graduate from

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
and Design is a Scottish freelance illustrator and pattern designer who creates
beautiful cushions featuring his designs.
When asked where he finds inspiration for his designs, Gavin admits that his Scottish upbringing definitely influences his artistic style to an extent. Having
grown up on a farm in a beautiful wee Fife village
my rural roots have encouraged me to feature flora,
fauna and geographical motifs in the majority of my
designs, he explains. Even as a kid, Gavin confesses
that perhaps a career in art has always been on the
cards. We asked what his first doodles had been of,
to which he replies, In all honesty, it was probably
dinosaurs endless sheets of crayon Velociraptors.
Gavins quirky humour translates well into his
unique and intricate designs. Symmetry and repetition are consistent themes in much of his work, and
when confronted about this, he openly confesses, Im
unashamedly a physics geek and astronomy fanatic
and will happily admit that if I wasnt making art,
I would have probably pursued a career in science.
Having predominantly worked on screen-prints
when he was at university, Gavin wanted to see his
patterns have more real-world applications. In addition to cushions, he has ambitious plans to expand
into other areas including phone covers, lamp shades,
curtains, and even clothing. As he puts it, I can basically put my work on anything that has a surface
which luckily for me, is pretty much everything that
has physical mass and volume.

Ipek graduated from Bilkent

University in Ankara, Turkey with
a BA in Interior Architecture and
Environmental Design in 2012. She
is currently studying at Edinburgh
Napier University for an MA/MDes
in Lighting Design, and explains
that when deciding on lighting, the
most important thing to consider is
the function of a room.
Depending on the room, various light temperatures should be
considered. For example, warm
lights with a yellow glow provide
a dimmer and more relaxing effect making it ideal for use in the
bedroom or lounge. White lights,
on the other hand, are brighter
and serve well in areas such as the

kitchen and the bathroom.

The position of the light source
is also worth considering. Try using indirect light to add depth to
your room without consuming any
extra physical space. For example,
having a light pointed directly at
a wall allows for indirect light to
bounce off effectively illuminating a wider area of the room
without being overly bright. The
idea is to play with empty space
as it is relaxing for your eyes especially important when dealing
with small spaces. Mirrors help to
make a room feel more spacious,
but bear in mind not to expose direct light in their direction, as the
glare causes stress to the eyes.

Decking out your personal space with

bespoke accessories can make it feel
cosier, but you dont want it to feel
cramped. Strategic use of lighting can help
make a room look more spacious. Buzz
sits down with Ipek Yalcin to learn more.

=36=

The most
important feature
in a space is light
because without the
correct light, you wont
be able to properly
perceive the space
at all.
Having listed the benefits of
lighting structures, it is worth
noting that natural light always
trumps artificial light. This is why
Ipek advises against using sunlamps. The human body needs
at least 15 minutes of exposure
to natural light every day to stay
healthy, and our sleeping patterns
are affected when we are over-exposed to artificial light. The blue
light in sunlamps interferes with
receptors in your eyes and this can
confuse your bodys natural circadian rhythm.
To learn more, visit Gavins website at
www.gavinrutherford.com
and Edinburghs www.styleandlight.com
by Cotterell &Co.

=37=

Sports & Wellness

Ballet dancers are some of the most dedicated and hardworking athletes around.
Buzz asks three Scottish dancers Katie Deacon (22), Lucy Monaghan (23) and
Kyle Murray (21) to tell us about their careers.

Once More
From The Top
words: camille burns

ll three started dancing

from a young age. By
age eleven, Lucy says,
I knew I wanted a
career as a professional dancer. I
auditioned for the Dance School
of Scotland and spent five happy
years there. Kyle also attended
the Dance School of Scotland for
four years. It wasnt until Katie
auditioned for Scottish Ballets
Senior Associate Scheme that she
thought of dancing as a career:
with the help of the scheme, I
auditioned for the Central School
of Ballet in London where Kyle
and Lucy were also offered places.
During her final year at Central,
Lucy saw an advert for Moulin
Rouge auditions. I felt it was an
opportunity I could not miss. The
ballet mistress, Janet Pharaoh,
travels worldwide to find dancers
suitable for the most famous
cabaret in the world. I travelled
to Oslo to audition, [which] was
very intense and lasted three hours.
Dancers were eliminated at various
stages and so I was thrilled when I
was offered a job. The Moulin seats
over 900 people and it is fantastic
as a dancer to have a full audience
every night.
Kyle was later spotted by Ashley
Page, then Artistic Director of

Scottish Ballet, who offered him a

contract to dance the nutcracker
with the company. He then went on
to perform in the English National
Ballets swan lake. At the moment,
Kyle said. I am working on swan
lake with Matthew Bournes New
Adventures, which is absolutely the
best job Ive had to date.
The main focus with Matthew
Bourne is on being versatile, in
both ballet and contemporary
styles, which is challenging but very
rewarding because in the end it
makes you employable to a wider
range of dance companies.
Katie got her first professional
contract with the National Ballet
of Ireland. Since August 2013,
she tells us, I have been a member
of the National Theatre Ballet
of Brno, in the Czech Republic.
When asked what she enjoys most
about being a dancer, she says, I
love the constant challenge
as there is always the
possibility to improve
and this is something I
strive for everyday.
Like Kyle, Katie danced for the
English National Ballet (ENB) in
their Royal Albert Hall production
of swan lake. The ballet is
reproduced on such a large scale,
with 60 swans on stage at the same

=39=

time, that ENB takes on 40 extra

dancers. I was very excited to
be chosen to cover the full-time
company girls in case of injury
during our two week run. I was put
on for the Act One Waltz several
times and I jumped into a company
girl swan role with no rehearsal.
National pride is important to
the dancers. Lucy says, Its great
to represent
Scotland as
a dancer in
a company
that has so
many >>

nationalities. According to Kyle,

there arent that many professional
Scottish dancers that I have met so
being one of few makes me very
proud of myself.
When asked if there is anything
they miss about home, Kyle says, I
have a very close family in Glasgow
so being away from them for long
periods of time proves to be quite

hard. As for Lucy: I love living in

Paris, however, I have yet to find
somewhere that sells potato scones!
Dance at this professional level
is evidently hard work and requires
a great deal of self-discipline and
perseverance, but what would
they say to someone who was
thinking of taking up ballet as a
way of getting into shape? Go for

it! says Katie. Ballet is far more

enjoyable than slogging away at
the gym because you perform so
many different movements in one
class. It is tough physically but,
more importantly, it tones muscles
such as your abdominals, glutes,
hamstrings and calves which can
really make a noticeable difference
in your shape.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

kyle:
Class in the morning, followed by rehearsals and a
show. Depending on which day it is, sometimes we
have two shows in a day which is tough on the body.
As well as all that, I have to eat, warm up and cool
down after the show.

lucy:

images: j. habas (moulin rouge) and patrick baldwin

During the day, I attend dance classes and gym

training sessions. This is because it is vital as a dancer to maintain and progress stamina, strength and
technique. We have regular rehearsals in the Moulin Rouge to ensure a high standard of show is produced for audiences every night. I arrive at work in
the evening and do my hair, make up and warm up.
I perform two shows every night. The first is at 9pm
and the second is at 11.30pm. I finish work at 2am.

katie:
I am up at 6am every morning (Monday to Saturday) to arrive at work for around 7.45am. I spend
time till 9am doing my own personal warm up of
stretching and pilates before ballet class/training
starts at 9am. We finish class at around 10.15 then
have a short break before morning rehearsals begin
at 10.30. Most morning rehearsals finish around
1/2pm. If we have a performance that evening I

will go home for some food and a short nap before

heading to the theatre for around 4.30pm (for a 7pm
performance). The performance will finish around
10pm then I go straight home for a bite to eat and
a quick stretch before bed. On days that we do not
have performances we would often have evening rehearsals between 5 and 8pm, or else I spend time
doing some cardio training and exercises by myself.
I am also currently taking a Stott Pilates Instructors
course, so some days I have lessons for this or else I
am studying a bit by myself (in my spare time!).

Tee Time
A VIEW FROM THE COURSE
words: douglas sloan and jack evans

o, youre a veteran of the crazy golf arena.

Youve attacked more windmills than Don
Quixote and pitched and putted until youre
completely nutted. Isnt it time you thought about
making the step up to the big leagues? With the
exceptional range of council run golf courses
available in Edinburgh, you are guaranteed a great
day out at extremely competitive prices. Whether
youve played before or are a complete amateur,
Edinburgh has a council course to suit you.

Sports & Wellness

images : edinburgh leisure , jack evans , gabriela barrios

CRAIGENTINNY

THE BRAIDS

Length: 18 and 9 hole options.

Price: 15 and 9.35 with an
Edinburgh Leisure Card.
Changing facilities, golf shop and
buggy/club hire.
Great for: A little bit of a
challenge. This course moves up
and down, and many of the par
3s and 4s are tricky to get to grips
with. There are great views of
Arthurs Seat and Calton Hill.

CARRICK KNOWE
Length: 18 and 9 hole options.
Price: 15 and 9.35 with an
Edinburgh Leisure Card.
Changing facilities, golf shop and
buggy/club hire.
Great for: A lazy round. A nice
flat course thats not too tiring or
challenging. There are good views
of Edinburgh Castle.

THE BRAIDS AND THE WEE BRAIDS

SILVERKNOWES

The holes on The Braids vary in difficulty, with some

beautiful fairways, and shorter holes mixing in pars.
Dont be fooled by the fact the Wee Braids is a shorter
course situated in close proximity to the larger eighteenhole course; it retains the quality of its larger brother.
The greens are kept in excellent condition and provide
differing lies and contours that arent always noticeable
at first glance.
Length: 18 and 9 hole options.
Price: 16.50 and 9.35 with an Edinburgh Leisure Card.
Driving range, short game area and putting green.
Private and group tuition is available, including video
swing analysis.
Great for: All levels. The practice and training facilities
are fantastic. Beginners can get to grips with different
aspects of the game before embarking on a round. There
are spectacular views over Edinburgh. On a clear day
players can see a panoramic view of the city, all the way
out to the beautiful beaches of North Berwick, Dunbar
and East Lothian.

Length: 18 and 9 hole options.

Price: 15 and 9.35 with an
Edinburgh Leisure Card.
Changing facilities, golf shop and
buggy/club hire.
Great for: Group packages for 8 or
more players. For 25 midweek
and 29 at weekends you can have
coffee and a hot roll before you
start, 18 holes of golf, and a twocourse meal after your game.

=42=

CRAIGENTINNY

PORTOBELLO

THE WEE BRAIDS

Length: 9 hole course.

Price: 7.50 with an Edinburgh
Leisure Card.
Golf shop and club hire.
Great for: Beginners. This course
is short and very expansive, which
means that any shots that go awry
can be easily recovered.

=43=

SILVERKNOWES

Travel & Lifestyle

why a car
th to happine
eer break could be your pa
ss
EUAN LAMONT, 27
occupation: engineer

occupation: hairdresser
from teesside to thailand, laos, vietnam, cambodia,
malaysia, bali, singapore, new zealand, australia and
dubai

n 2013 I quit my job to spend ten months travelling

around ten countries. At the time I knew I was
taking a risk by leaving my job, especially in the current

JADE REGULSKI, 27
occupation: student/beauty therapist
from nottingham to miami, australia and south-east
asia

ost of us have probably fantasized about quitting our jobs to travel around the world, experiencing different things and starting new chapters on
each continent, taking inspiration from the motorcycle diaries or eat pray love . But in recent years
there have been an increasing number of professionals
actually doing it. They are trading in their careers for
a life on the road and, in the process, redefining their
own means of success away from the norms of society.

from kinross to australia, russia and asia

financial climate; I have no regrets. The experiences I

had while travelling learning about different cultures,
making lifelong friends and working through my
bucket list are all things I would never have had the
opportunity to do had I stayed at home.
Upon returning, I went straight back into full-time
employment and, although Im settled and happy, I
have to admit that I still have the travelling bug. When
the time comes I will swap my scissors for a backpack
without a second thought!

This is exactly what I did in 2009. After working

as a Beauty Therapist in the UK I decided to pack
up my belongings and head to Miami where I worked
on board a cruise ship for nine months. I soon realised that I had the travel bug so upon finishing my
contract I headed to Australia on a one year Working
Holiday Visa doing various jobs along the way, even
as a banana picker! I then decided to pack my bag
once again and go solo to South-East Asia as part of a
Teaching English volunteer programme.
Taking a career break has given me time to think
about what I actually want to do, something to talk
about in interviews or when socialising and, most importantly, something to truly value that I will always
look back on with pride.

=44=

y trip was an overland journey from Scotland

to Melbourne, via Russia and Asia. I challenged
myself to attempt it by land and eventually made it to
Dili in East Timor. From there I jumped on a plane
to Darwin and continued on. The idea grew from a
desire to see Asia and Australasia after university and
when I found out about the Trans-Siberian Express
across Russia, I was fixated. However, life got in the

images (left to right): frankie ellis, jade regulski, euan lamont, samantha mills

FRANKIE ELLIS, 23

SAMANTHA MILLS, 33
occupation: personal assistant
from london to australia, new zealand and
south-east asia

t was spring 2009, I had been in my HR role for

several years, the UK was in recession and we were
told redundancies were being made at work. I started
to panic about losing my job but then thought about
what I could do with the money. Having recently split
from my long-term boyfriend I decided this was the
perfect opportunity to take the redundancy and follow
my dreams of travelling. Being nearly 28, I had only
two years left to get my Working Holiday Visa for

way; after graduating I started working as a civil

engineer stuck inside staring at a computer day in, day
out. I hated it.
Friends and family told me not to go because of my
job and future commitments but you have to live for
the moment.
Getting to a new place every few days is addictive; if
youre bored you can hop on a bus to the next place, if
you like a place, stay a couple of weeks. After two years
of travelling I came back to Scotland and got a job as
a bridge builder. I have now saved enough money to go
on my next trip to South America.

Australia. I was made redundant in March 2009 and

flew out to Australia the following month.
I went solo, making many friends along the way and
doing things I never thought I would: climbing glaciers
in New Zealand, jumping out of a plane at 14,000ft,
camping under the stars, bringing in the New Year in
Sydney and winning a camper-van to tour the West
Coast of Australia. I met some amazing friends who
I am still very close to and in contact with now. I did
not struggle to get a job on my return, if anything my
experience enhanced my job prospects and gave me
much more to talk about in an interview.
Taking a break to go travelling was the best decision
I have ever made, and money well spent, giving me
memories and experiences I will treasure forever.

=45=

TOBY PARK, 28
& GEORGIA WALTERS, 27
occupations: acoustic consultant and it project
co-ordinator
from london to patagonia , nepal , tibet, atacama ,
gobi , taklamakan , south asia and central america

images: toby park

aving worked around London for four years

after graduating and finding modest success in
our early careers, like many people, we couldnt quite
shake the feeling that the world was perhaps a little
bit bigger than a small apartment in suburban Surrey
and a bottle of Sainsburys Taste-the-Difference on
a Friday night. The decision to take a career break
was perhaps the best we have ever made. Having
embarked on an 18 -month journey where we met so
many enchanting people from every city, town and
village we had the pleasure of visiting, we returned
revitalised by the wealth of experiences, and with

renewed perspective which continues to shape our

lives for the better.
If youve ever dreamed of doing something similar,
its just a matter of priorities. In fact, it often isnt
even that difficult. Whether its the new mother
backpacking around India with an eight-month-old
baby, the young family who sold their house to live on
a yacht for a few years, or the multitude of ambitious
young professionals looking to stretch their careers
in every corner of the world, you name it, weve met
them, and perhaps the only commonality is that we
never met a person who regretted taking the leap
only those who regretted not going sooner. If you
want it enough, then chances are theres a way to
make it work. So our advice? Go for it.

=46=

Live, travel, adventure, bless,

and dont be sorry.
Jack Kerouac

Travel & Lifestyle

CH: Of course I do!
MC: Yes, I do. Edinburgh has some of the most
charming people of anywhere I have lived.
SC: I truly do, it is much smaller than Marseille but
also less stressful.
IMAGES: MICHELE CHENG &

WHATS THE BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN

EDINBURGH?
CB: The city is so compact, you can get to almost
anywhere by walking or taking a short bus journey (or
maybe a short tram journey now!).
CH: Living in Edinburgh I can find a most splendid
and distinctive culture which you wont find anywhere
else. It could be Scottish culture or tolerance of
diverse thoughts from around the world.
MC: The pace here is perfect. Its not too slow because
theres always something going on, but not so fast that
you get a cardiac arrest just from walking down the
street. Speaking of walking, I also like that the city is
laid out in a way that most things are within walking
distance. This is certainly a great convenience.
SC: Speaking English every day and walking the
streets of a beautiful city that is so clean. I love it!

LEANNE BUTCHART

First Impressions
FOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TELL US WHAT THEY LOVE ABOUT THEIR ADOPTIVE CITY.

WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF

EDINBURGH?
CB: Cold! I also found the city beautiful and very
artistic, I moved here just at the beginning of the
Festival Fringe.
CH: It was amazing beyond my expectations. I found
the people who live here very organised and friendly.
MC: Beautiful. In all honesty, Edinburgh is easily one
of the most beautiful cities I have ever lived in and

Christopher
Byrne

Michele
Cheng

Sophie
Cachard

Chentong
Hao

thats saying a lot, because Ive lived in some pretty

gorgeous places. Theres so much history here, and of
course, theres the castle.
SC: That it was going to be really hard to find a flat
and that it was absolutely gorgeous.
DO YOU ENJOY LIVING IN EDINBURGH?
CB: I enjoy living in Edinburgh immensely. I find
it much more clean and attractive than my native
Dublin and the student feel of the city makes it seem
very laid-back.

=48=

WHATS YOUR BEST MEMORY AND EXPERIENCE

SO FAR?
CB: My first ever Festival Fringe when I moved here in
2009, Ill never forget it!
CH: The 2013 fireworks concert on the last day of the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Normally fireworks dont
fascinate me much, but this one was so beautiful and
impressive.
MC: My best memory so far would definitely be my
first ceilidh over New Years 2013. Never had I been so
happy to be in so much pain. My entire body hurt the
morning after and my feet were seriously killing me,
but it was just a blast!
SC: Living in a flat with other exchange students is just
amazing. We can discover the city together and help
each other with the language which we sometimes
completely misunderstand. We do that together and
have a good laugh.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT HOME?

CB: I dont miss very much about home at all.
CH: I miss my family and my dogs the most.
MC: I miss my family.
SC: The food.

IMAGES: MICHELE CHENG & LEANNE BUTCHART

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE TO

EDINBURGH?
CB: I decided to move here because the college
I was attending in Dublin had a link set up with
Edinburgh Napier University for admittance to the
BSc Psychology course. A friend of mine was also
interested in taking up the course here in Edinburgh
and we moved over together.
CH: It is a magic city where J.K. Rowling wrote the
Harry Potter books.
MC: Ive wanted to experience life in Scotland for a
while now and since Ive always preferred living in the
city, where better to move to than the capital?
SC: The MSc Publishing course at Edinburgh Napier
University had been recommend to me by my boss
in Paris when I was working in a publishing house. In
Edinburgh, a Masters degree takes just a year whereas
it takes two years in France. I had also visited Scotland
when I was 13 years old and I loved the country.

different. It is more difficult to approach people at first

because they seem to be colder, until you find out that
they are not.

WHATS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

HERE AND HOME?
CB: The people are generally less friendly than
Dubliners.
CH: I find the biggest difference happens when I try to
cross the road. I always forget to look to the right first.
MC: Id say the biggest difference I noticed initially
was the slang. Its the little things, but it really stuck
out to me when I first arrived. Its cute and I even
find myself unconsciously incorporating it into my
vocabulary now.
SC: I think that there is a cultural difference even
though you might not realise it at first. The sense of
humour is pretty different and sarcasm is not always
well interpreted. Some social conventions are also

=49=

Edinburgh Napier
University and
Merchiston
Publishing are
delighted to
support Publishing
Scotland in its
40th year

-m-

MERCHISTON PUBLISHING
www.merchistonpublishing.com

A Year in Edinburgh
May 2014
2425 Edinburgh Marathon Festival

June 2014
1829 Edinburgh International Film Festival
1822 Pride Scotia

July 2014
5 Holi One Colour Festival
1827 Jazz and Blues Festival

August 2014
125 The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
925 Edinburgh International Book Festival

September 2014
5 Magfest
628 Doors Open Day

October 2014
15 & 812 Oktoberfest

November 2014
30 St. Andrews Day

December 2014

FURNITURE
H O M E WA R E S
C O L L E C TA B L E S
w w w. t i p p i u k . c o m

31 Hogmanay Street Party

January 2015
25 Burns Night

February 2015
RBS Six Nations

March 2015
TBA Scottish Tattoo Convention

April 2015
TBA Beltane Fire Festival

BRUNTSFIELD
EDINBURGH