These dreamy, pastel visions of blancmange, chocolate cake and jelly are by Arnout van Albada who paints still life pictures in egg tempura and oil paint. Closer, perhaps, to the tradition of his countrymen, the Dutch masters who led the world in still life painting over the centuries, are his other works, featuring classical subjects such parma ham and huge bulbs of frothing fennel.
The parterre garden at Abbot House, which enjoys a fantastic backdrop in the form of Dunfermline Abbey, is one of the loveliest places in Fife for an outdoor event. This Saturday 27 June it will be the location for a fundraising event to support Abbot House which has been struggling for funds of late. As well as the pretty garden setting, you can enjoy a barbecue, a selection of real
Scottish photographer, Ruairidh McGlynn was placed first in one of the Iphone Photographer Awards’ (IPPA) categories. The category was Trees and he explains how the atmospheric photos of the tree in the Middle East (below) came about. ‘While on a trip to Qatar earlier this year, I met up with a photographer that I’d connected with on Instagram. We ventured out into the desert bordering Saudi Arabia. As the light
The famous Great Tapestry of Scotland which tells the history of Scotland in rich and vibrant handstitched colour, is in Fife until September. You can see the entire tapestry, consisting of 160 individual panels running 143 metres long, at the Kirkcaldy Galleries throughout the summer. One of the biggest community arts projects in the world, a thousand volunteers worked for more than 50,000 hours to complete the project using a range of embroidery skills and
Strapping sheep shearers, horsemen and women wearing impossibly fitted clothes, and quack commandos rounded up by a blind sheep dog, are some of the eclectic combination of attractions at the 2015 Royal Highland Show running until Sunday 21 June. Here at Avocado Sweet however, we try not to be too undignified in our rush to the food hall, now known as Scotland’s Larder Live. The event hosts over 100 food and
We’re delighted to bring you this new short story by up-and-coming novelist Catherine Simpson. Catherine, from Penicuik, is a previous winner of the prestigious Scottish Book Trust New Writer’s Award and her hotly anticipated novel Truestory will be published by Sandstone Press later this year. *** The only time I ever cried with joy was when my parents bought a caravan. I was nine years old and thought we might go
When Sam Booth was asked about planning permission for a static caravan to generate income as a holiday let for a Galloway farming couple he came up with much more attractive proposal. Instead he offered to build something that would be more in keeping with the surroundings, that met the same planning conditions and could be built for the same budget so long as he kept the design rights. Brockloch
Drift, which previews at Pettycur Bay Sand Dunes in Fife from 26-29 June, is an innovative piece of visual theatre inspired by the true story of Shetland crofter Betty Mouat, who in 1886, aged 61, was the only passenger on the coastal cutter Columbine bound for Lerwick. A storm washed the captain and crew overboard and Miss Mouat was presumed lost at sea. More than a week later the Columbine grounded in Norway. Miss Mouat
Herring is the featured fish this week in our third recipe by Elaine Hardie from the Fyfe Smokery, Dunfermline. ‘I thought I’d bring you a recipe for herring as we are coming into the very short season for it. This oily fish is a valuable source of Omega 3 and is very quick to cook. The traditional ways of serving the “silver darlings” are coating them in fine oatmeal and pan
Adding to their reputation as the home of great live music in Dunfermline, PJ Molloys hosts its popular Street Food Festival this Saturday 13 June. Traders on the day will bring such delights as Asian seafood, Austrian dumplings (pictured above), wood fired pizzas, speciality burgers and more. Drink vendors will include two of Scotland’s most exciting craft breweries, Drygate and Brewdog, as well as a selection of UK wide craft beers.