Posts by Ellie Forbes
The Good Books, Donald Murray: ‘I always return to Alice Munro, she often shines a light on rural communities’
A son of the Hebrides, Donald’s acclaimed non-fiction books bring to life the culture and nature of the Scottish islands. He talks to us about his love of short stories, reading the classics and growing up on Lewis. The first book I remember reading: A version of Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by…
Read MoreIn a nutshell, Forager Amy Rankine: ‘I eat seasonal wild foods when I am at home, but I can’t stand onions’
Amy Rankine is a forager based in central Scotland and has been delivering walks and workshops for eight years. In 2023 she took part in the Wildbiome Project, eating only wild food for three months as part of a study on its impact on the gut microbiome. What’s the closest thing you have to…
Read MoreJade Holland Cooper ahead of The Royal Show: ‘There is a special place in my heart for Scotland’
We catch up with British fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper ahead of her return to The Royal Highland Show this month. Jade Holland Cooper’s love of the countryside is deep rooted. Growing up the daughter of a farmer father and a fashion designer mother, rural life and a sense of style have always been…
Read MoreHighland gallery Resipole Studios celebrates 20th anniversary
Highland art gallery, Resipole Studios, is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary. Since 2004, the rural gallery on the west coast of Scotland has championed the works of both established and emerging artists. To celebrate, Resipole Studios is hosting an ambitious anniversary exhibition from 30 June until 4 August this year. It will include prominent works from…
Read MoreRosebank Distillery: Sleeping giant Falkirk distillery reawakened after 30 years
Known as the sleeping giant of Scottish distilleries, the highly anticipated Rosebank Distillery has finally reawakened. After more than 30 years of closure, Ian Macleod Distillers has lovingly brought the Falkirk ghost distillery, previously thought to be lost forever, back to life. The meticulous restoration has spanned the last four years, and the stunning new…
Read MoreScotland Through A Lens: James Alroca
James Alroca has always been inspired by bold, eye-catching colours, so it is no surprise that Scotland’s radiant landscape serves as the perfect muse. I was born in Strasbourg, France, to an English mother and a French father. I lived in France until I was ten-years-old, then moved to Brussels, Belgium, and then to…
Read MoreTheatre review, Maggie & Me: Damian Barr’s memoir adaptation hits the stage
Ellie Forbes takes a rollercoaster ride through Damian Barr’s childhood in his adaptation of his memoir Maggie & Me. ★★★★ Turning a story written about a writer, by a writer into a theatre production is no mean feat. But it’s fair to say Damian Barr has well and truly pulled it off with his heartachingly…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Alistair Moffat: ‘I recently bought three new novels and after a few pages of each, hurled them across the room’
Alistair Moffat on the books of his childhood, his despair at badly written novels, and his ancient alcove for reading. The first book I remember reading: When I was five or six, my mum took me down to the Carnegie Library in Kelso. Mr Bird, the librarian, looked over the counter at me for…
Read MoreNuart: World famous street art festival under way in Aberdeen
It has been named as one of the top six street-art destinations to see alongside the likes Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, and San Francisco. And now world famous Nuart festival is under way in Aberdeen once again. Featuring artists from around the world, the event first came to the Granite City in 2017. Walls across…
Read MoreIn a Nutshell, Chef Calum Montgomery: ‘If I wasn’t a chef I’d be a pro wrestling referee living the rock and roll lifestyle’
Calum Montgomery, Edinbane Lodge on the Isle of Skye tells us about his love of seafood, his wife being a better cook than him, and his dream celebrity dinner guests. What’s the closest thing you have to a signature dish: Our scallop dish – it hasn’t come off the menu in over two years!…
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