By Cara Sulieman

A GOVERNMENT body has come under fire after spending nearly a quarter of a million pounds at a luxury hotel that is run by its chairman.

VisitScotland has confirmed that it paid that amount for events and accommodation at the five star Gleneagles hotel, which is owned by Diageo.

The cash was paid at the time when Peter Lederer was both the chairman of the quango and managing director of the company that runs the hotel.

Part of the £49 million budget for VisitScotland – who promotes the country as a desirable destination – is used to host events and bring in extra investment.

“Gala dinner”

But it has raised eyebrows by spending a whopping £233,810 at Gleneagles.

The figure includes spending by Homecoming Scotland and Event Scotland – both umbrella groups of the tourism board.

Among the costs, officials paid £5,978 for an “ambassador event dinners” at the resort and £1,425 for “accommodation board”.

Nearly £5,000 was spent for bed and breakfast, £2,749 on a “gala dinner” and £1,980 on a “German familiarisation trip”.

And big ticket events included the £70,281 Scotland Means Business event in 2002, which was held at the hotel.

In 2005, £54,284 spent in hosting the US Tour Operators Conference, but a spokesman for VisitScotland said that they didn’t choose to use the hotel in that case.

“Issues raised”

Mr Lederer took up his post at VisitScotland in 2001, and was still managing director of Gleneagles Hotel Ltd until March 2007.

SNP MSP John Wilson said: “It’s difficult to understand how a world-famous hotel that is owned by Diageo requires public money of any kind.

“And once again, issues are raised about people serving on boards and money being paid out to firms they are linked to. VisitScotland, like other public bodies, have to avoid these conflicts in the future.”

A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: “Where public money is involved, there has to be absolute transparency, particularly in the current economic climate.”

Philip Riddle, VisitScotland’s chief executive, insisted that Mr Lederer had no say in the use of the hotel as they were operational decisions and are not discussed with the board or chairman.

“Remiss”

He added: “As chairman of VisitScotland, Peter Lederer has never been involved with any decisions regarding expenditure at Gleneagles.

“Peter has been the most fantastic ambassador for Scotland and acts with the utmost integrity at all times; this is reflected in his standing within the industry and across the world.

“VisitScotland wants to encourage top-level industry input to all activities but is also careful to ensure that proper procedures are in place to ensure that all board members’ interests are fully declared.

“Gleneagles is one of the most iconic destinations in the world. For VisitScotland not to use it in the promotion of the country would be remiss.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

21 pupils and 5 members of staff from Tiree High School attended the Royal National Mòd in Oban last week.

Ian Smith and Eilidh MacFadyen started the ball rolling when they competed in the Accordion competition on Saturday. This was a popular spectator event and the venue proved to be too small for all those wanting to get in to hear the competitors. Gordon Connell, the pupils’ tutor said the standard of playing was very high but he was very pleased with Eilidh & Ian’s performances. Ian came away with a silver medal and although not in the top three, Eilidh gave a very creditable performance. This was her first experience of competing at the Mòd and will be better armed to compete next year.

I first encountered the wonder that is Jaime Samms when I became her editor at Freya’s Bower. Her work, quite frankly, floors me, and she is on my ‘Authors I Recommend’ list. Her characters are real, as are the situations they find themselves in, and her writing flows so beautifully that I forget I’m reading. I have movie-like experiences when reading any of Jaime’s books, and this is evidence of her amazing talent to transport her readers to the location in the story and keep them there until they’ve read the last word.

What I like about Jaime is that she has no idea how good she is. She’s humble, she writes because it makes her happy, and if it makes others happy too, then that’s a bonus. Jaime is one of the nicest people I have ever met, and it is my pleasure to introduce her here today.

Emmy: Hiya, Jaime. As always, lovely to speak with you. Not only are you an author, but you’re a book reviewer too. How do you find the time to fit it all in?

Jaime: Hi…that’s quite an intro. You sure you got the right person here? Thank you very much for the wonderful words.

Okay. Um…if you asked my boss at Dark Diva Reviews she might tell you I barely do. I am one of her slowest reviewers. But she’s a very understanding lady and willing to cut us reviewers some slack when things get hectic. For the most part, I try to plan my time out, and I make an attempt to keep to a weekly schedule when it comes to my duties at the Diva Den. I’m not perfect at sticking to that schedule (read “I kinda suck at it”) but it gives me something to shoot for, and very occasionally, I even meet it.

Emmy: I know what you mean. Fitting everything in is sometimes so hard. Not enough hours in the day really is true some days.

Are you easy to please in your reading matter, or are you fussy/picky like me?

Jaime: In all honesty, I think compared to most authors I’m pretty easy. To please. Um…when I read a book. I like strong characters, well rounded and intelligent men, and believable plots. I probably notice problems in the craft of the writing maybe more than readers who aren’t writers, but I do try to find a balance between what works and what doesn’t, and always keep in mind I was new at this once, too, and I still have much to learn.

Emmy: I used to let craft problems ruin reads for me, but now I’ve taken a more laid back attitude, I find I’ve gone a little way to how I used to be, where reading is for pleasure, not for me to pick at. I’ve enjoyed books more this way lately.

When you find you’ve chosen a book to review that really isn’t your cup of tea and you know the review won’t make pleasant reading, do you place the book back into the review queue, or, once a book is chosen, do you have to review it regardless?

Jaime: We do have a return policy, and sometimes we take advantage of that. I try to determine, when I find I’m not enjoying the book, what it is that’s turning me off. If it’s an issue of poor writing, I slog my way through and give the fairest review I can. Most times, there is something redeeming about any story I can point to that I liked. If there is really nothing I can find positive to say, then chances are, my reasons for not liking the story are to do with personal preference, and in that case, it’s fairer for me to give the book to another reviewer who might enjoy the subject matter more. For instance, I’m not a huge fan of het romance—which isn’t to say I’ve never enjoyed a book of girl/boy lovin’—just it isn’t my preference.

That said, I don’t shy away from giving one and two diva reviews. If a book needs work, it needs work. I just try to be nice, and above all, honest, about my reasons for the poor review.

Emmy: Good on you! As an author yourself, knowing how much time and effort is put into writing a book, how do you feel when a book isn’t right for you? I would imagine writing the review is hard.

Jaime: It is. When there are negative things to say about a book, I keep foremost in my mind how I would feel getting that review, and try to word it accordingly. I’ve received my fair share of not-so-positive reviews. Poor Boy is one of those books that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it was my first serious book, so it was definitely a good learning tool for me as a reviewer. Stings a little less if I think of it that way. *grin* I learned what is unnecessarily painful to a writer when said in a review, and how a balanced review can be encouraging rather than hurtful, if carefully expressed.

I also have to note here, being a writer and reader in a genre as small as the m/m community is, how very hard it is to stick to reviewing books by authors I don’t know. I try to avoid reviewing books of friends, because what if I don’t like it? Or what if I find it spectacular? Both are difficult scenarios to write an honest and balanced review through. When I do write a review for a friend’s book, the first thing out of my tapping little fingers on the keyboard is that the author is a friend, and therefore the review must be read with that fact in mind, as bias is undoubtedly going to creep in no matter how neutral I try to be.

Emmy: Well, if you ever review one of my m/m books, you know you can be as honest as you like without offending me. Just say whatever springs to mind, m’dear.

So, when a book blows you away, have you then gone on to purchase other books by the author?

Jaime: Absolutely. In fact, I’ve read a certain author’s WIP and gone out and bought a few of her books. But I do suppose there are very few books I would put in that blow-me-away category, so maybe I am picky. I’ve read many that have prompted me to seek out more by the same author, though.

Emmy: How does it feel when your review has made an author’s day? And, conversely, how do you feel when it doesn’t?

Jaime: It’s nice to know an author is pleased I liked their book, and I’ve never had an author comment negatively on a review I’ve posted. I’ve posted negative reviews and had authors thank me for taking the time and expressed their disappointment I didn’t enjoy their tale, but I’ve never experienced any unpleasantness over one of my reviews. That tells me, I guess, that I’m doing an okay job.

Emmy: If you could whittle it down and pick just one, which book has been your favourite so far this year—and why?

Jaime: Oh. Wow. The Slayers Apprentice by Zathyn Priest.  To be honest, I might have read that near the end of last year, and it wasn’t even a Dark Diva book, or a romance, really, or anything like what I normally read. It was spectacular. Wait. *rephrases* It wasn’t a gay romance—which is my normal fare—so much as a suspense/crime thriller type story centred around a gay couple trying to form a lasting relationship, which is not what I normally read. And it was spectacular. The characters were very believable, rather frightening in their level of broken-ness, and so very vulnerable. And, while normally I’m a step or two ahead of the MC in figuring out what’s going on, I was so not expecting what happened…I’d rec it to anyone. In fact, given the thriller-type genre, you might find it interesting.

Emmy: I’m sure you’ve recommended this book to me before. I must go and buy it.

Jaime: Yes, you must. As far as romance books I’ve read this past year, I’d have to cite Sophia Tetheniel’s Dance Wars as being particularly fun reads for me, and Ally Blue’s Bay City Paranormal Investigation series for the easily loveable characters. (I have to say I’m a fan. I’ve never not liked one of her books.)

Emmy: You write m/m fiction. Do you prefer to review it too?

Jaime: Yup. Do you need a more in depth answer to that?  

Emmy: Nope LOL. Could you tell us a little about how the books get from the inbox to the reviewer?

Jamie: Sure. That’s actually my job at Dark Divas. Once the author subs the books, I make sure it fits our parameters (we review romance and erotica of all genres) and I send the blurbs out to all the reviewers. They decide what they want to read, and I send them the book. It’s pretty simple, really. We feel if the reviewers pick the books they want to read, it makes for a fairer review, and no one is stuck reviewing something they might be uncomfortable with. Some of us like m/m, some like het, some like sweet, and some like BDSM. This way, no one is forced to review something that makes them uncomfortable.

Emmy: Ah, that’s good to hear. And now for the more laid back questions. What would be your ideal menu at a dinner party—let’s say three courses—and where would you go to eat it? Any destination in the world. Oh, and what would you wear? (I’ve just handed you a credit card with unlimited funds so you can buy your clothes and shoes for the evening…what is your dream store/designer?)

Jaime: Oh, Lord. I am so not a clothes person. I think I’d chose something with a long flowy skirt and long sleeves, since I’d chose Scotland, and it can get a bit chilly. There’s a place in a town called Oban where I stayed once for my little brother’s wedding. It had the best pub in a converted barn, and the food was so good. I’d go back there in a heartbeat.

Emmy: Are you a movie-watcher? If so, what is your all-time favourite film?

Jaime: Hmmm… A Knight’s Tale, I think, though watching it now makes me a little sad. I’ve never seen a Heath Ledger movie I didn’t like. I did enjoy Boy Culture, too. A little unrealistic, perhaps, but a gay romance with a happy ending, and there just aren’t enough of those. Also, All Over the Guy. More of a realistic look at relationships, and another happy ending, and also a great cast and decent soundtrack. My rather less than professional opinion of the movie is HERE. And I can’t not mention LOTR. So much slash, so little time….and both Tolkien and Peter Jackson are heroes of mine, so there was little to dislike about those movies.

Emmy: Okay. Imagine it. You have a day off to spend as you wish. Anywhere in the world, unlimited funds, and the twenty-four hours are guaranteed to feel like a week. How would you spend it?

Jaime: Writing. Might take a few breaks to read and have a bite to eat. Maybe.

Emmy: LOL. Jaime, it has been so groovy having you here. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to speak with me. I wish you every success with your writing!

Jaime: Thank you. This has been a lot of fun. I’m always pleased to share my thoughts as a reviewer. There are a lot of review sites out there, and a lot of differing ideas on what makes a good review. Ultimately, what I try to remind people is that we aren’t in this review business to please the authors, or to hurt them. We are here to give our individual opinion on a book, and that’s for the readers. Everything being so accessible on line makes it easy to forget that as a writer, once we’ve released that puppy out into the world, it’s out of our hands. We have to let the books stand or fall on their own merits, and if they fall, take a lesson for next time. There’s always room for improvement, even though we’ll never please everyone.

Emmy: Well said!

Google images used:

Oban

Knight’s Tale

OUR autumn holiday would be at the Mod. The family would have a great time going round the attractions of Oban while my week would pass with a warm and fuzzy feeling, meeting warm and fuzzy people I had not seen since I was last at the festival of all things heedrum-ho and enjoying beverages that would make me even more warm and fuzzy.

Sadly, someone else had other ideas. She treated my plan like islanders will treat an anti-Sunday ferries candidate – laughing at it, rubbishing it and then completely ignoring it. Sternly instructed we were going to the city of Glasgow, I thought how I love this marriage thing; sharing ideas and making compromises so we all get what we want.

A backup plan was called for. I pretended to misunderstand Seonag, the satnav. While loudly bursting into a chorus of A Pheigi a Ghraidh just as Seonag was telling me to enter a roundabout and take the first exit I sort of deliberately, but accidentally, took a wrong turn at Ballachulish.

This strange urge to sing loudly came intermittently – like when she began to quiz me on whether or not we were on the right road to Glasgow. Somehow, inexplicably, we ended up in a place called Oban where, gosh, we found a festival called the Royal National Mod in full swing. Dashed satnavs – can’t trust them.

It was meant to be, I suggested, as she announced we were staying for precisely 15 minutes. Then she met someone from Plasterfield. Yab, yab, yab. No one can talk like people from Plasterfield – especially to each other. So I was able to make my escape and dash upstairs to the Skipinnish Ceilidh Lounge.

Sadly, this imposing seafront venue has windows so large that she spotted me from across the road before I could even gulp my first dram.

Dragged by my aural appendage back to the car, I was ordered to drive and aim the car at the dear, green place by the Clyde unless I wanted to hear everything from now on in mono. Rumbled, I had no option but to head for Glasgow, a city often said to be ahead of its time. That’ll be why every second lamppost already carries adverts for “real” Christmas trees.

So, for a few days, I had to keep up with the Mod, courtesy of Tony Kearney and Mary Ann Kennedy, on the late-night telly. And what a grumpathon it was.

No, not Tony and Mary Ann. The two of them were happy to show off their dental work. But why is it that so many performers on the one TV programme celebrating the finest musicality of Gaeldom put on their dourest, sourest faces?

Very talented and normally happy people, competitors and established names, who should be ecstatic that they are performing to the nation, suddenly take on the joyless demeanour of our prime minister. Why don’t their tutors encourage them to smile – even if they are not enjoying themselves?

Thank goodness for Donnie Large, that’s all I can say. He helped lift the Gaelic gloom on one night, at least.

Getting all worked up about the nightly sulkiness, on Thursday I decided to head back to Oban to tell everyone to start smiling. I told the light of my life that I needed to take a train northwards to visit long-lost relatives in Dumbarton; I knew she didn’t like that place so would lose all interest in my movements. She can’t even say its name properly. She pronounces it as Dumb-Parton. I don’t know if she is having a go at that smiley, well-built country and western singer or just needs false teeth.

One of the first people I bumped into in Oban was the legendary comic entertainer Norman Maclean (autobiography now available in all good bookshops). He knows how to smile. We had a long chat about his run-ins with Brigitte Bardot and Frank Sinatra. Then we went off and had a few strong drinks together – Americano coffees in the Cuan Mòr restaurant.

Then there was another broadly-smiling legend. Willie Morrison, a veteran reporter of the parish of Durness who used to write for this very organ, was also to be found stravaiging on George Street. Many is the Mod I have had with Uilleam where he has regaled us in the late evening with heart-tugging renditions of ballads about the big sheep of the Highland Clearances. Willie could bring a tear to a glass eye, aye he could. But he smiles most of the time.

Reassured that there were enough smilers to keep things light until the end of the week, I headed south. I was soon to learn the perils of using ScotRail’s latest toilets improperly. Unlike the town-centre ones, you need to press a button to lock yourself in. Only then will the outside “engaged” light come on.

I was sitting not far from just such a convenience and saw a young lady enter. She did not lock it from the inside so no light came on. Oh-oh. A blue-rinsed Mod-goer was about to enter, so I warned her there was someone in already. She shot me a withering glare suggesting I mind my own business and muttered no light was on.

Shrieks from the interrupted youngster rang round the carriage. I felt like saying “Told you so,” but magnanimously I kept shtum.

It is a three-hour journey from Oban. A couple of hours afterwards, I noticed the haughty blue-rinse lady nipping to the loo again. I couldn’t believe it. No light. She’d forgotten to lock it.

Then a big, burly man, with builder’s cleavage, went to spend a penny. I know, I could have said something about the blue-rinse lady being still in there. I am so naughty.

Bloodcurdling screams reverberated everywhere as the door slid open and the grumpy woman was confronted at her business by the bursting builder.

I’m still giggling. Is that very bad of me?

This Autumn we have several new lines for you to try.

Here we have given a brief detail on each of these great new releases.

Sacred Gin

This small batch Gin is distilled in one of London’s 2 new micro-distilleries. The distillery in question is Ian Harts award winning premises and Sacred Gin was the overall winner at the 2009 Ginmasters.

Buy Now

Caorunn Small Batch Scottish Gin

Distilled by the Caorunn Gin Master at a working malt whisky distillery, Caorunn Gin is made from a perfectly balanced mix of eleven handpicked botanicals including the infusion of five Celtic botanicals.

Buy Now

Dalmore 12 Year Old

The classic Dalmore 12 Year Old returns with a refreshed style and image for 2009

Buy Now

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old

For those familiar with the 10 year old from Glenkinchie you’ll find this has a slightly fuller and more complex feel.

Buy Now

Balvenie Signature

The Balvenie Signature was launched in 2008 and replaced the ten year-old Founders Reserve.

Buy Now

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old

This characteristic bottle is emerald green with the helmsman emblazoned within a golden porthole on the front. It comes complete with a booklet and a black gift tube that the bottle fits snugly into.

Buy Now

Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack

Just like Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Gentleman Jack is Charcoal Mellowed before going into the barrel.

Buy Now

Bushmills 10 Year Old

Triple distilled form 100% malted barley and matured for a minimum of 10 years, mainly in bourbon seasoned barrels. It has aromas of honey, vanilla and milk chocolate.

Buy Now

Bushmills Black Bush

With an intriguing flavour and a name to match, Bushmills Black Bush Deluxe Whiskey is a special blend. Its secret lies in the generous proportion of malt whiskey matured in selected Oloroso Sherry casks, giving Bushmills Black Bush Deluxe Whiskey its deep amber tone, dried fruit aromas and intense character.

Buy Now

Bushmills Original

Bushmills Original is the cornerstone the family, a blend of triple distilled malt whiskey with a lighter Irish grain whiskey. It is a gentle whiskey with a rich, warming taste of fresh fruit, vanilla and honey.

Buy Now

Benchmark Bourbon

Macafee’s Benchmark Bourbon is a great example for a 5 year old Bourbon Whisky.

Buy Now

Midleton Very Rare

This is the true premier small batch blend thats from Ireland’s biggest distillery (home of Jameson) Midleton is usually released on an annual basis and to worldwide praise.

Buy Now

Ends

Copyright Emporium Drinks Limited 2009

Acrylic on canvas,
13 x 18cm,
August 2008

Well the weather broke in the night replacing the relentless rain with showers timed every three minutes or so – they say that you can have a week’s worth of weather in a single day out here on the West of the Scotland – ‘they’ are wrong it’s more like a fortnights.

Anyway given the improvememnt in the weather we decided to be brave and actually venture outside and in fact take in a visit to ‘Cruachan – the hollow mountain’.  Now a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station may not seem like a glamorous location but it’s more alluring than it seems – in fact for those of us with an over active imagination it has a little of a location designed for a Bond villain - all tunnels carved deep into the mountain which eventually reach ridiculously unlikely man made caverns filled with wildly sizey (and no doubt hugely expensive) machinery. In fact even the lady of the house enjoyed the visit underground which I was pleased about,  especially given that she was hoping that this was the power station I initially had in mind.

Then, given that our visit to Oban yesterday had been truncated somewhat by the rain and a parking ticket machine determined to make sizeable volumes of money for the local council, we returned to have a further look – to investigate further the possibilities of a trip out on the water with the fine people at Caledonian MacBrayne, to have a look at a couple of museums that I’d located the day before and to get a view of the surrounding landscape from McCraig’s Tower (which was more eventful than I had planned).

And finally back to Benderloch to watch the rest of the day disappear over the horizon and to  wonder what the big shiny thing in the sky was.

Como sabreís, este es el nombre en gaélico escocés del territorio de las islas Británicas situado aproximadamente por encima del paralelo que marca los 55º N: Escocia.

No es la intención de este post rendirme ante los encantos naturales y arquitectónicos de este país y arrancarme con una descripción de los mismos, sobre todo porque está todo ya dicho y escrito en multitud de portales de internet.

Pero me gustaría destacar otros aspectos que observé en mi corta singladura por las ciudades y pueblos de los amables escoceses, quizás por la envidia que me daba el ver un país como el suyo orgulloso de serlo y vendiéndolo (en el buen sentido) al mundo.

Y este año promocionan el 250 aniversario del nacimiento de su poeta nacional, Robert Burns que escribió tanto en lengua escocesa (Scots) como en inglés, y para ello han organizado un programa lúdico-cultural con 200 eventos dando valor a las contribuciones que ha hecho Escocia al mundo. Lo han hecho llamar Homecoming Scotland 2009. En 1996, fecha en la que se celebró el 250 aniversario del nacimiento de uno de los aragoneses más universales, Francisco de Goya, el que escribe era un adolescente, pero no recuerda ver por las calles tantos carteles promocionando esa fecha ni ningún tipo de celebración de calado quitando la instauración de un premio a la creación artística llamado Aragón-Goya y una exposición de sus pinturas (quizás me equivoque).

Aunque puestos a vender y a comprar lo mejor es entrar en una oficina de información turística escocesa. En ellas, podemos encontrar su tienda que abarca desde los recuerdos más trabajados (objetos con diseños de Mackintosh, libros con la Historia de Escocia) hasta los clásicos souvenirs, pasando por mil y un soportes para la cruz de San Andrés y el león rampante del Estandarte Real. Entro en la sede de Turismo de Aragón en Zaragoza y me encuentro poco más que tres libros específicos sobre los Monasterios de San Juan de la Peña, Rueda y el Castillo del Papa Luna. Ni una simple pegatina de la cuatribarrada, ni un libro de Historia general.

Historia que los escoceses tienen a bien divulgar a los visitantes del Castillo de Edimburgo. En una de sus estancias, hay un recorrido didáctico de diseño admirable por sus recreaciones y sus pinturas, en el que te enseñan los momentos clave de la Historia de Escocia, para acabar viendo a través de un cristal las Joyas de la Corona. En Aragón también tenemos Centro de Interpretación de nuestra Historia, situado también en un lugar clave, el Monasterio de San Juan de la Peña (del cual no puedo opinar aún).

Pintura en el recorrido histórico (perdonad la calidad)

De lo que en cambio sí puedo opinar ya, es del tratamiento de las lenguas propias en Escocia. Por descontado el inglés es la lengua todopoderosa por aquellos lares pero es significativo que la página web del Parlamento escocés pueda ser leída, aparte de en otros idiomas internacionales, en gaélico escocés y en Escocés. ¿Os imaginaís que algún día podamos ver la web del Gobierno de Aragón en aragonés y catalán? De hecho dicho Parlamento movió ficha en 2005 para otorgar al Gaélico escocés reconocimiento oficial y procurarle igual respeto que al Inglés. Además, el escocés está reconocido como lengua minoritaria por el Gobierno del Reino Unido y se puede estudiar a nivel universitario. Una muestra del orgullo y la sensibilidad del pueblo hacia su propia cultura.

Señal de tráfico bilingüe en Oban.

 Aquí quedan unas vivencias para recordar. Unas cuestiones para envidiar. Una realidad que nos invite a los aragoneses a reflexionar y a mejorar.

As a miniature replacement to this years cancelled Hydro Connect festival appears the Inverary Hotel’s “DisConnect” Festival. Yeah, not the same number nor big names playing,  but melodic funker’s Hercules Mandarin play on the Friday night.

The DisConnect stop is part of Hercules Mandarins tour promoting their second studio album : “Fast Behind The Times”. By all accounts the crowds in venues on the tour, including Oban and Inverness, have been treated to the know almost legendary HM Energetic performances.

After seeing Hercules Mandarin last year, at a packed bunker venue (complete with free cupcakes) and at a sold out King Tuts, i can whole heartdly recommend them a listen.

Also playing at the festival worth a listening are same city-sakes Ten to Five project.

Hercules Mandarin
Ten to Five Project

During Summer the boat leaves Tiree at 7pm, giving holidaymakers most of the day on Tiree before they need to leave. This means though it gets into Oban, rather late in the evening at 10.20pm, when its dark. Struthan cottage holiday lets run from Saturday to Saturday but during Winter and Spring, we do take holiday bookings on a pay per night basis, allowing people to go for long weekends. See our Current Promotions page for more details. Meantime, here’s the Tiree ferry “The Clansman” arriving back into Oban. Quite a sight also from the viewing gallery of the ship!

Last night was boozy and brilliant. My sister, Claire, is town, and we were joined by our friends Lizzie, Katie, two Matts, and a trio of Scotch. Katie brought over three different single malts from Scotland—Ardbeg, Oban and Glenrothes—for us to try for dessert. In anticipation I made a Reine de Saba from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, subbing in Makers Mark bourbon for rum as I thought it would be more user-friendly paired with the Scotch. Seriously—Julia would be proud. I think I might have a serious crush on Oban, by the way. Here’s Lizzie topping me up.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing your best bottles! Frankly I think she was trying to get Mr. Foodinista drunk so she could beat the madras shorts off him at tennis this morning. They’re in Griffith Park, volleying as we speak… Who will win? Cast your votes…

Długo się wybieraliśmy do naszych starych znajomych i w końcu się udało, a to taki mały wyjazd na drugie wybrzeże. Po raz kolejny zachwycały mnie góry, jeziora, krowy z futrem do ziemi, mgły nad polanami… nie zachwycał mnie brak słońca i deszcz – choć chyba przez 3 lata można bylo przywyknąć:) Lało, a im blizej celu tym chmury były niżej.

Kawusia, ciasteczka, ploteczki o dawnych czasach więc jak przystało na 1 sierpnia – Dzień Kombatanta. Wspominaniu nie było końca. A potem zjedliśmy jelenia – Jezuniu jaki on dobry! Tylko Małgorzata wolała tradycyjnie i pożarla jakieś ptaszysko, znaczy sie kurę. A deszcz padał, padał i padał… Nie powstrzymało nas to jednak przed małym spacerem przez miasto. Musieliśmy uwierzyć na słowo, że tam są wyspy, morze i statki – z każdą chwilą było mniej widać.

A tak wyglada zatoka jak świeci słońce:

Już snujemy plany o pobliskich wyspach, opactwach i kolacji w resteuracji, gdzie owoce morza przygotowuje Marcin. Do zobaczenia niebawem Mr Oban:)

m.