www.list.co.uk/aroundtown
Edinburgh Activities & Events FREE Fanzine Sunday Sun 22 Nov & Sun 29 Nov, 11am–5pm. Collective Gallery, 22–28 Cockburn Street, 220 1260. Collective will be open for young publishers, emergent writers and artists to go into the gallery to produce new work. Supernatural History Tours Sat 21 Nov & Sat 28 Nov, 6–9pm. £10.50 (£9.50; children £6). The Real Mary King’s Close, 2 Warriston’s Close, High Street, 0845 070 6244. Visit one of Scotland’s allegedly most haunted locations with a fascinatingly gruesome history. Tours run every 20 minutes. Pyramid Awards Bellydance Competition 2009 Fri 20 Nov, 7pm. £5. St Thomas of Aquinas School, 2–20 Chalmers Street, 07917 301741. Bellydance competition with cash prizes and a mini halfa party with music by DJ Persian Cat. The Homing Stone Sat 21 Nov, 7.30pm. £10 (£8). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Hugh Lupton tells the extraordinary story of his great uncle, Arthur Ransome, who was swept up in the events of the Russian Revolution. FREE Craft Guerrilla DIY Craft Evening Wed 25 Nov, 7pm. Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk. Craft evening with packs available to buy to get you started. Email lareylou@yahoo.co.uk for more info. Fish Knives Were Bourgeois: An Insight into Edwardian Etiquette Thu 26 Nov, 10.30am. £8. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Learn the art of being a perfect Edwardian. Book in advance. FREE Lighting Edinburgh’s Norwegian Christmas Tree Thu 26 Nov, 5.15pm. The Mound. A short ceremony followed by the switching on of the lights on the tree that was gifted from the people of Hordaland. Part of Edinburgh’s Christmas. Adventfest Fri 27–Sun 29 Nov, times vary. Prices vary. St James Hall, John’s Place, Leith, 308 3532. A small but perfectly-formed arts festival in Leith with kids’ events, music and a ceilidh to celebrate the beginning of advent. FREE Official Opening of Edinburgh’s Christmas & Illuminated Art Car Parade Sat 28 Nov, 3pm. Princes Street, Spot illuminated cars roaming around Edinburgh in an event to mark the end of Homecoming Scotland and the start of the festive season. Parade from 5pm. Part of St Andrew’s Day 09s. Wish for Rwanda Sat 28 Nov, noon. £60. Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street, 556 2414. An afternoon of glamour and beauty from a champagne reception to a sit-down lunch and fashion show, all to raise funds for Wish for Rwanda. Tickets from www.wishforrwanda.com Reek Roon the Campfire: A Salute to Stanley Robertson Sat 28 Nov, 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Donald Smith hosts a night to remember Stanley Robertson. All proceeds to Stanley’s memorial picture, ‘Auld Cruivie’. FREE National Museums Scotland Homecoming Finale Celebration Sat 28 & Sun 29 Nov, 10am–5pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. See picture, page ?? Part of St Andrew’s Day 09. FREE St Andrew’s Day Debating Championships Mon 30 Nov, The Scottish Parliament, Horse Wynd, 0800 092 7500. See picture, above. Part of St Andrew’s Day 09.
Exhibitions ✽✽ FREE Salt of the Earth Until Sun 10 Jan, 10am–5pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. See Hitlist. FREE Angels and Archangels Until Thu 3 Dec (not Sun), 10am–6pm. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A festive exhibition from
Edinburgh Old Town illustrator Emily Learmont. FREE Scottish Ballet: 40th Anniversary Exhibition Tue 1–Sat 19 Dec, 10.30am–5.30pm. Dovecot, 10 Infirmary Street, 315 3054. Exhibition celebrating Scottish Ballet’s 40 years in existence, with a collection of photographs detailing the company’s history.
Fairs The Edinburgh Art Fair Fri 20–Sun 22 Nov, 11am. £5. Corn Exchange, 11 New Market Road, 477 3500. The chance to peruse and pick up artwork from over 60 exhibitors from the UK and the rest of Europe. FREE Traditional German Christmas Market Mound Square, off Princes Street, A range of traditional German crafts, toys, food and drink to get you in the festive spirit. Part of Edinburgh’s Christmas. Winter Wonderland Ice Rink Thu 26 Nov–Thu 3 Dec, Thu–Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 29 Nov–Wed 2 Dec 10am–8pm. Adult £9.50; children £8.50; under 7s £5; family ticket £28–£31.55 (With own skates, adults £8.50; children £7.50). East Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street, 226 6550. Fun, laughter, thrills and excitement for both adults and children alike as the Winter Wonderland ice rink returns to Princes Street Gardens. Last entry one hour before closing. Part of Edinburgh’s Christmas. FREE Hospices of Hope Mon 30 Nov, 1pm. St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street, 225 5339. Hospices of Hope are collaborating with Perennial Art to stage a charity art exhibition and auction of work by international contemporary artists many of whom are Scots. Viewing will take place between 1pm–5pm and the auction of work will be at 6.30pm. Food & Drink FREE Tea for Two? Sun 29 Nov, 1–3pm. Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Sample teas from all over the globe and learn about its origins and many health benefits, as well as the issue of fair trade for growers. Ages 7+.
Sport Scotland vs Australia Sat 21 Nov, 5.15pm. £10–£20 (£5–£10). Murrayfield Stadium, Roseburn Street, Murrayfield, 0844 335 3933. Pommies v Aussies in the Scottish Rugby’s Autumn Tests. Loch Mess Sun 22 Nov, 3pm. £7 (£4). Jack Kane Sports Centre, 208 Niddrie Mains Road, 669 0404. A re-match for rollergirl teams Heather Heathens and Celtic Chaos. Stand well back: the skates will fly! Tickets from www.arrg.co.uk. Scotland vs Argentina Sat 28 Nov, 2.30pm. £10–£40 (£5–£20). Murrayfield Stadium, Roseburn Street, Murrayfield, 0844 335 3933. The last of the Scottish Rugby’s Autumn Tests. Part of St Andrew’s Day 09.
Talks ✽✽ FREE Presenting Edinburgh’s Dangerous Ideas Mon 23 Nov,
6pm. University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square and George Square. See Hitlist. To book email deepthi.dsw@ed.ac.uk FREE Saddled with Darwin Tue 24 Nov, 7–8pm. Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Toby Green, author of Saddled with Darwin, marks the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species with a talk about the naturalist’s travels. Ages 12+. What Darwin Didn’t Know – DNA Tue 24 Nov, 7.30–9pm. £6 (members £4). Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 314
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Around Town
The patriot act It’s the most Scottish day of the year, when glottal stops flourish and excessive consumption of whisky is practically a patriotic duty. So St Andrew’s Day (actually four days this year) during the Year of Homecoming (aka the Most Scottish Year ever) probably means we’re in for Scottishness to the power of infinity: an endless vision of Brigadoon, with a capering, kilted Sean Connery always on the horizon. Basically, you canny beat em, so join in. Start off by shaking off any lingering national stereotypes at the Saltire
6K Fun Run through Strathclyde Country Park (Sun 29), and then reacquaint yourself with your roots at a number of locations across the country. Entrance to all Historic Scotland properties is free over Sat 28 & Sun 29 Nov, and the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh has a flurry of patriotic events planned over the same weekend, with everything from an interactive Homecoming Trail around the museum to a new dance version of Tam O’Shanter.
There’s also a huge programme of foodie and ceilidh-type events
based in St Andrew’s Square over that weekend, appropriately enough. In Glasgow, the biggest news is the Homecoming Final Fling gig: see our feature on page 16 for a complete line-up. There are some events happening on the day itself, too: our favourite is
the St Andrew’s Day Debating Championships, in which Scottish schoolchildren battle it out in the tradition of David Hume. There’s a national icon for ye. ■ For a complete list of St Andrew’s Day events around the country, see www.list.co.uk/events/st-andrews-day/
0350. Creationists look away now. Mark Blaxter, Professor of Evolutionary Genomics at University of Edinburgh, talks about more recent insights into evolution. Booking recommended. FREE Understanding Technology: Witnessing the Telescope Thu 26 Nov, 3pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. Professor Mario Biagioli of Harvard University discusses Kepler, Galileo and the uses of testimony, as part of the International Year of Astronomy. Book in advance. The Royal Scottish Geographical Society: Searching Remote Pacific Islands for New Cures Thu 3 Dec, 7.30pm. £6 (under 18s, students & RSGS members free). Appleton Tower (Lecture Theatre 5), University Of Edinburgh, Crichton Street, 650 8445. See Glasgow.
✽✽ Edinburgh Lecture: John Byrne in Conversation Thu 3 Dec,
6.30–8pm. £3. Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22–26 George Street, 473 2000. See Hitlist. Please book in advance by phone or at www.edinburghlectures.org. Workshops Fir Trees and Snowy Holly Landscapes Sun 22 Nov, 10.30am–3pm. £20. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. A two-day papermaking class. Ages 16+. Book in advance. Circus Skills Course Thu 19 Nov, Thu 26 Nov & Thu 3 Dec,
6.30–8.30pm. £15–£55. The Big Red Door, 10 Lady Lawson Street, 523 1100. A more practical option than running away with the circus, learn circus skills in a weekly class. Singing4Fun Sat 21 Nov, 2–5pm. £24 (£12). Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, 229 2005. A relaxed singing workshop with Wendy Carle Taylor, designed to be uplifting. No experience necessary. Registration starts 15 minutes before the workshop. Frosty Winter Watercolours Fri 27 Nov, 10.30am–3.30pm. £15. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Create enchanting wintery watercolour scenes and mount them on handmade paper. Includes coffee and stollen cake. Ages 16+. Book in advance. Simple Art of Meditation Sat 28 Nov, 10am–4pm. £40 (members £36). Royal Botanic Garden (Conference Room), Inverleith Row, 248 2937. Escape the rat race with this introduction to the art of meditation, all set in the calming atmosphere of the Botanics. Book in advance. Between the Generations: Sharing the Stories Sat 28 Nov, 10.30am. £32. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A day of workshops is for family members from different generations to attend together. Booking required. 19 Nov–3 Dec 2009 THE LIST 35