Pitt Street market (Christmas special) on down in Granton today from 11 thepitt.co.uk/event/christ...

Fully aware it’s not yet December but we’ve gone for it

Ok, give them all 100. They all did amazing - that was hard #strictly

Concept behind this last dance is verging on cruel and unusual - it’s like my worst nightmare recreated on screen and watching between my fingers #strictly

It’s the Edinburgh North African Community couscous festival today (Saturday 29th Nov) at the Greyfriars Charteris centre from 1pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/couscous-f...

Went to see Pillion at the Cameo - perfect for a Friday night! Based on Adam Mars-Jones’ Box Hill and I think a really good adaptation. Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling fantastic as Ray and Colin

First Booker 2025 shortlist book picked up at the library. The 📚 🎉 starts with Andrew Miller’s The Land in Winter

For decades, sustainable & responsible cities haven’t just been possible — they’ve been common sense, logical, ridiculously obvious! And yet we’ve failed to act. A better future through better cities is STILL possible with real leadership at every level. #ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social

Had some rubbish health news, so went to a salon and got my nails painted a Christmas tree green

I spent most of Tuesday following the "Singing Street" around to take photos of the filming locations. It was very hard not to be struck by streets that were once playgrounds now being car parks. In other places there is still a bustle of life, but it is now tourists playing, not skipping girls

Well worth checking out! threadinburgh.scot

This, by @giacgrassi.bsky.social, remains one of the simplest and best climate visuals

Stolperstein stone for Jane Haining laid outside St Stephen’s church in Stockbridge

My partner has acquired (guessing eBay?!) a stash of Christmas/film themed - think Joker and Darth Vader in Santa hats, Deadpool as a elf, the Grinch, Jack Skellington etc - Lego figures as a contribution to their favourite pub’s decorations

A movie that takes place where you’re from

Stir up Sunday. Lots of delicious mixtures steeping in the kitchen, our wishes made and, for me, the annual re-read of Truman Capote’s beautiful short story A Christmas Memory: ‘it’s fruitcake weather’ (and, as always, wish I could buy the brandy from Haha Jones’ speakeasy)

November market

As nations KEEP FAILING on #ClimateAction, cities must DOUBLE their efforts & actions on #ClimateChange mitigation though the SIGNIFICANT power of land-use and transportation decisions, which are within the power of cities and are TRANSFORMATIVE in addressing the #ClimateCrisis. Further & faster.

Tried out Moss restaurant in Stockbridge & was curious to see the Ballymaloe/Noma approach. Not every dish worked but ones that did were delicious (brill & mussels with seabuckthorn, a miso style onion broth I’d happily drink every day) & loved the play on seasonal - and diverse - Scottish produce

Scottish Sinfonia concert tonight in St Cuthberts Church off Edinburgh’s Lothian Road. Sat in on the rehearsal of the Brahms violin concerto this afternoon and it sounded beautiful - an incredible soloist called Emily Bell

Signed! c.org/RRLhgxH4YW

My evening has been spent with 120 children all watching Ratatouille in a school hall while munching on popcorn and tangerines. Excellent choice of film (I’d forgotten how good) and it went down well

All my favourites are on this - and spotted quite a few I’d love to visit 📖

Normally pro-bookshop but not keen on plans to open a #Waterstones right across from @argonautbooks.bsky.social Argonauts are an *amazing* bookshop. It’s one of my favourites with consistently great picks (often titles you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere), awesome events AND good coffee.

Meeting room carpet has divided opinion: the swamp from The Neverending Story or bleach incident

Saw this today. Cold but clear and sunny. Cafes’ outside tables open and all packed, market on, streets bustling, people stopping to chat - but everyone squeezed into tiny areas around a busy road and 2 rows of parked cars. Still resistance to changing 🚗 culture - though I think we’d gain so much.

Some good advice here www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...

Read Rosie Danan’s Fan Service this weekend and it was fun: werewolf romance with a good take on fandoms, fan culture, & fanfics

A mosey about for Stockbridge Colonies creative open doors day (home with plants, tablet, a Christmas decoration and a lino cut print that we all fell in love with)

We did a street leaf and litter clear up yesterday, and I have woken up feeling like this. New found respect, again, for gardeners.

All nations committed under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degC for good reason. Instead many governments are beholden to the fossil fuel lobby and even subsidize fossil fuel use with your money. We’re now at 1.4 degC & emissions are rising not falling. unfccc.int/process-and-...

That was wonderful! La Bohème @scottishopera.bsky.social funny, poignant and moving - and I liked the way it morphed from modern day Paris to the 1920s and back again. Came out of the theatre feeling uplifted ❤️

A work away-day made much better by giving us all CPR and defib training via Save A Life for Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Today is #RLSDay which marks the birthday of the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson who would have been 175 today. It's also a good day to remember that it is NOT actually his birthday because in 1891 he gave it away to a young girl because she didn't like her birthday. 🧵

Didn’t realise they made this but now I want it

Teuchter’s Landing and, specifically, the nook by the wood burner, very welcome today. Always think it looks like a cross between a Middle Earth tavern and a Treasure Island smuggler’s den (but found out today it was something far more prosaic: the waiting room of the Leith to Aberdeen ferry)

Wild day down in Leith. The howl of wind outside the building I’m working in makes it sound like I’m on the high seas.

A meeting break @vadundee.bsky.social to see the very moving Thread Memory exhibit of Palestinian embroidery. Amidst exquisite work - both old and new - were these 2 pieces: an installation by Aya Haidar inspired by what people take when forced to leave home, and a dress from the bombed Rafah Museum

Early light on the Dundee waterfront: the sinuous whale sculpture that, courtesy of the prevailing wind, provides its own soundtrack of whale song and the bike route markers calling out to be followed

A short essay from Katherine Rundell: ‘Why you should read children’s books’ is a wonderful read, particularly at the moment. Loved the section on fairytales as a an ever changing cultural Esperanto that have ‘recorded, in their sideways way, all of human vice and yet not fallen silent in despair’

Had a couple of shaky days completely saved by meeting up and talking about all and nothing with friends. I mean, not really a shocker but honestly every instinct was to turn in and brood and the opposite made things much, much better

PLEASE SHARE: On Black Friday, I want to draw attention away from the big chains and towards local Edinburgh independent retailers, makers and markets. Please join me from 7 pm - 8 pm on Friday 28 November to share some ideas for Christmas gifting. We'll use the hashtag #EdinburghHour

I love this

Heron watching on Water of Leith (and a question about whether they eat squirrels? One was certainly looking at a squirrel like it was thinking about it)

Went to a really lovely fireworks night that was actually kind of delightful, rather than a bit terrifying. Took a single photo that captured absolutely none of the magic but it felt good to just stare at pretty lights and listen to that crackle and pop for 20 mins.

Went for a very, very, very short run and feel disproportionately amazing

Remote camera on the Isle of May caught this young Grey Seal pup before it moved off

Best gift ever. My (hot)desk is officially complete.

Knew I loved NYC ❤️

A misty morning but still a beautiful view across the Tay to Fife