Ship of Fools: Edinburgh Meet Sunday 25 May 2014

Thread: Edinburgh Meet Sunday 25 May 2014 Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Offspring and I are in Edinburgh on 25 May and were wondering if people were up for a Shipmeet. (There's been interest on the Weel done, cutty sark thread)

We're coming up overnight on the Saturday night, staying Sunday night in Edinburgh then moving on elsewhere for Monday night. I've visited before, years ago, but my daughter hasn't.

Food would be great but offspring is "complicated" as in dairy and wheat & gluten allergic / intolerant and can't eat some nuts, shellfish, chocolate and a few other things. She can eat out - Japanese and Thai are usually fine - and we regularly eat at Yo! Sushi. Rice, fish, meat, vegetables and coconut are all no problem. We've also eaten Mexican at Wahaca, who have an allergy list. The standard pub meal of ham, egg and chips can be OK, although it does depend if the chips are coated in flour and/or the fryer is also used for frying breadcrumb/batter coated foods as chips then have added gluten.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

I'll keep an eye on this thread - we might be possibles (though couldn't do an evening meet). It would be good to see you again [Smile]

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Ooh - does that mean I meet the Elflet? That would be good.

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

Don't know yet what my commitments are that morning but will try and remember to keep an eye on this. If food was involved I'd be happy to do whatever suited you. No idea if scz and the sczlet would be up for it - probably depends what the plan turns out to be.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

I'll be around. If lunch is somewhere with food familiar to the Dafling she might turn up as well (with Mum in tow).
I can ask our usual pub whether they do chips in an appropriate fashion (no batter, no flour).

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

In case the pub option isn't suitable, can anybody else think of anything in the centre of town that is suitable diet-wise?

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

David Bann vegetarian restaurant might be worth a look. It comes highly recommended although I've not eaten there (yet). There's a menu on that link so Curiosity... could perhaps take a look and see if it looks suitable.

Yes I'd bring the elf lass along - she's met several shippies, but hasn't actually been to a shipmeet yet.

ETA: should add the restaurant is pretty close to the Royal Mile.

[ 29. April 2014, 16:28: Message edited by: Jack the Lass ]

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

The elf lass is well worth meeting [Big Grin]

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

And having just looked at the menu for the place Jack recommended I think we should have a shipmeet there some time even if it's not this one (but don't tell scz I said that!)

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

I think it looks great too, but suspect we'll struggle to feed my offspring there. On the other laptop (not my work one where I'm trying to finish something off) I've got some links open that might work.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

What do you lot think of Vittoria or Wok and Wine or Mammas? Not sure where they are or what the local reputation is for any of them but they all look reasonably child friendly and offer gluten free and enough options to avoid dairy and other stuff.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

All of those are pretty central - walking distance from Waverley Station - I'm happy with any of them. Wok & Wine is furthest away from the Royal Mile as far as I can tell, the other side of Princes St, but still easy enough walking distance. Assuming this is an after-church lunch meet, I guess it would make sense for those who will be at church to work out which is easier (we would come in from Stirling so it makes no difference to us).

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :

It being an after church meet on a Sunday, and me needing to be back for Evensnog means I won't be able to make this. Sorry - I'd love to see you all again.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

[Frown]

that's a shame Kingsfold - I was just thinking the other day it's been far too long since we've seen you.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

I'm on the other side of the Royal Mile from Prince's Street. So one of the Italian places.

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

Italians would work for me if I can do it - is Vittoria's the one we've met in before (downstairs)?

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :

Yes it was. I was there last week, and the menu is very clear about possible allergens in the different dishes

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

I'm not going to be in Edinburgh (nowhere near!), but I enjoyed several good meals at Giuliano's (in Union Place, opposite the Playhouse and not far from Waverley) a couple of years ago. It's still under the same management AFAIK, and my son ate there a couple of weeks back and enjoyed it.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Giuliano's looks amazing, but not so great when you remove all the dishes with dairy, wheat, shellfish, alcohol and pine nuts from the menu, sadly.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

I asked the pub, and although they have a list of gluten-free dishes, they don't guarantee the chips aren't fried in the same fryer as the batter. I suggest we go with Vittoria. It's the most convenient option for us at least. And if people have eaten there before it's a known quantity.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Thanks for checking Dafyd, it looks as if we go for Vittoria's then as someone has been there recently. Do we have any other takers?

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :

Too far away for me for a Sunday lunch, I'm afraid. I hope you have a marvellous time, and that you enjoy your stay in Scotland, Ck.

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

I'm hoping I'll make it and about to leave the land of internet for a couple of weeks. Count me in and I'll catch up when I get back a day or two before (or Jack can text me anything vitally important). Scz will hopefully be along to post at some point having decided whether he and the sczlet will try and get along, but his phone does internet so he can post while we're away.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

Unfortunately I think we're going to have to pull out [Waterworks]

A combination of friends arranging a last-minute trip to Scotland including arriving at ours the night before for the last night of their holiday, and now I learn that due to engineering work there are no trains to or from Stirling at all that weekend, so I think juggling everything is just going to be too complicated. I had thought about driving to the park & ride at Edinburgh Airport, but now we need the car to drive our friends to a station that is open so they can get home on Sunday afternoon. Such a shame, I was looking forward to this [Frown]

So sorry to miss you, Curiosity...

I'll keep an eye on the thread though to text details to derf.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Sorry Jack - you posted this the day I went to see ken, and my mind hasn't been quite so focussed on going away since.

I'm really sorry we're going to miss you, Jack, but we are still coming (and hoping it doesn't mean we miss ken's funeral) if anyone else is up for a meal on Sunday.

My other little thought, but I need to check ticket times and possibilities, was exploring the island near Edinburgh on the Monday. We're sleeping Monday night in Oban but I *think* we're leaving late on Monday to do that.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

Do you mean Inchcolm Island? It's lovely, well worth a trip. If you go with Maid of the Forth you get about an hour and a half on the island, and including the ferry there and back from South Queensferry it's about 3 hours all in. So if you don't leave till later it would be a good trip.

I'm hoping we can go to ken's funeral, depending on dates and other stuff going on up here - will decide when we know when it is.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

There was a ship meet on Inchcolm a couple of years ago. There may be photos around somewhere.

I'm rather hoping we'll have the Edinburgh toast for ken at the meet.

Posted by cattyish (# 7829) on :

I can't find my photo's of that shipmeet. The only one I can put my cursor on is one of me grinning under the Forth Rail Bridge. I did have one of everyone waving at me from the abbey.

What I chiefly get a little joyful smile from is remembering the acoustics in the octagonal meeting room. Full of Chips gave us a song [Smile]

Cattyish, happy days.

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :

That was a great meet!

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

That singing was amazing!

Dafyd I too hope we can toast Ken on Sunday. Scz and the sczlet may still come but the sczlet isn't very well, so it depends how quickly she bounces back - for dinner tonight she managed one piece of pasta and one spoon of custard, which anyone who knows her love of those two things will tell you is a sure sign she's ill.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Derf:
Scz and the sczlet may still come but the sczlet isn't very well, so it depends how quickly she bounces back - for dinner tonight she managed one piece of pasta and one spoon of custard, which anyone who knows her love of those two things will tell you is a sure sign she's ill.

Poor wee thing. Hope she gets better soon.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

To confirm: I've booked a table at Vittoria on George IV Bridge for 1pm tomorrow. The table is under the name of Anderson. See you there.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Thank you for doing that Dafyd. Looking forward to seeing you all

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

Fab, thank you, see you then [Smile]

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

Was lovely to see/meet you all. Could've done without the rainstorm and then hailstones as we left (I hope the Dafling did the sensible thing and got in her buggy) - what were we saying about it not being very May-like? And then my car decided to stop working on the way home so scz had to come and rescue me. Still, home, dry, and warming up now.

Just thinking, we said it'd be good to do a small person friendly Scotmeet, hopefully to get the Dafling, sczlet, Elfling and possibly junior Cresswells together (plus any others and any big people of course), might Almond Valley be a good venue? Entertaining for kids of all ages, cafe does perfectly good if not especially exciting food, just down the road from us! (Clearly that would be easy for us, we'd be equally happy to travel elsewhere if anyone has a better suggestion).

Anyone up for it? If so we could work on dates.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Derf:
(I hope the Dafling did the sensible thing and got in her buggy)

In her parents' opinion it would indeed have been the sensible thing. The Dafling had other priorities.
The issue wasn't pressed as we saw our bus coming and so the Dafling was scooped up; we reached the bus stop in time for us to catch our breath and look calm before boarding. Once on the bus the Dafling fell peacefully asleep.

Anyway, it was lovely to see everyone. Special thanks to the Curious family for making it on next to no sleep.

quote:
Just thinking, we said it'd be good to do a small person friendly Scotmeet, hopefully to get the Dafling, sczlet, Elfling and possibly junior Cresswells together (plus any others and any big people of course), might Almond Valley be a good venue?

Sounds fun. We don't drive, but it looks accessible from the website. We won't be able to make anything in Scotland in the second half of June. Maybe move onto the Scotland thread or its own thread?

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

Yes, really great meeting you all ~ sorry your journey home was horrible, Derf. Not sure how much longer upright we will manage.

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :

I have no small people, but I have an adult relative moving to Livingstone this summer, which means Almond Valley would be good for me.

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

Sounds like the Dafling was worn out by all the excitement! I have to say I'm impressed the Curious ones were still upright at all - rest well.

Dafyd I'm not sure how easy it is to get to Almond Valley on the bus, but we could easily pick you up from Livi North station assuming the Dafling would happily fit in the sczlet's car seat.

I'll start a new thread at some point and see if we can get something organised - NEQ it would be excellent to see you too.

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :

Sorry to miss the meet, sounds like a good one! What was the restaurant like? (it's not far from where I work, but I've never been - have often walked past and thought I should give it a try).

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
What was the restaurant like?

I'm not a food critic. I liked the food I had. Not quite as good as the next door place where we've had shipmeets a couple of times, but I enjoyed my meal.
The staff were friendly and reacted well to finding that when I booked a table for five I meant five adults and one small person.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

Just to say we hope the sczlet has recovered from her bug.

Posted by Derf (# 2093) on :

She looks pretty recovered to me, cuddled up watching Bagpuss (aka Dancing Mouse) [Smile]

Thanks for asking.

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