It looks a lovely Sunday out there but if the showers do return there’s no better place to take cover than the Modern Art Gallery.
Just fifteen minutes walk from Princes Street through Edinburgh’s stunning west end the gallery is easily accessible and a great place to have lunch or afternoon coffee and cake, surrounded by interesting and thought provoking art work.
I stopped by recently, and was delighted to find this gluten free victoria sponge in the Cafe Modern One.
This sketch was drawn in black ink with a watercolour wash.
After successful launches in firstly The Shore, Leith and more recently the High Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, Mimi’s Bakehouse has today opened the doors on their Corstorphine branch.
I visited earlier this week to sketch the exterior of their St John’s Road store, so you will recognise it as you search for your coffee and cake fix this afternoon.
Do pop in and try their now famous home baking and wish them well on what I’m sure will be another hugely popular branch of their family run business.
What terrible weather in the capital today. Not to worry: I have discovered a gorgeous wee tea room in the heart of Canongate sure to warm you!
Clarinda’s Tea Room, towards the bottom end of the Royal Mile is not new in itself, but new to me and has actually been trading from the same premises since 1976.
The small but perfectly formed cafe is jam packed with fancy china, frilly doilys and spindly furniture. Like the Mad Hatter’s tea party you seem to enter another world as you enter from the High Street.
The sketch above is from their fully laden stand of cakes and biscuits, all freshly baked on the premises. The staff are so welcoming that I will be sure to pop in for a cuppa again soon, and am thankful of today’s downpour for helping me make the discovery.
Sketch created with black fineliner and watercolour wash.
It’s a beautiful day in the capital and I’m hoping for a sunny walk in the Meadows followed by a tea in Looking Glass Books
Just off Middle Meadows Walk, which runs from Teviot Place down into the city centre park is a wee haven of a cafe/book shop which is well worth a visit.
Their many varieties of tea all come with a sand timer so you know exactly when your cuppa is at it’s finest. Drop in for a moment, nibble on some delicious baking, look through the fine selection of literature and take a deep breath. Life is good.
Oh and you can buy Edinburgh Sketcher merchandise there too 🙂 The sketch above is of their counter top selection of baking.
Not that it’s all about Edinburgh or anything but yesterday when I went to draw a birthday card for my niece, I ended up with a sketch of Princes Street, replacing the Balmoral Hotel with a huge birthday cake. I may need some help… 🙂
Congratulations to EdinburghSketcher, now with over 1000 twitter followers. Thanks to everyone who is keeping up to date with my Edinburgh sketch blog. And with all those candles the future is bright, with more competitions and prizes to come (starting today) so please keep watching and help spread the word.
And to celebrate the first 1000 ES followers (plus almost 300 FB likers) I am giving away a high quality Giclée print of one of my sketches. To be in with a chance of winning leave your name, email address and the post title of your favourite sketch from the galleries above, either in the the comment box below, on facebook, or on twitter with the tag #1000giveaway
So good luck, and I’ll pick a winner on the 1st June 2012.
Sketches, news and family life in Scotland's capital city.