tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28522440644374721282024-02-20T02:26:00.753-08:00Edinburgh Cafeschrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-40644762375412005632013-01-06T07:56:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:56:58.887-07:00Brew Lab Late Opening SurveyWhile this may be a bit shameless, as Brewlab was our last post, I think this is worth posting. Brewlab is asking users to complete a survey about late opening hours. As die-hard coffee and computer fans, we feel that this would be the best thing since ever. Best part? You get a free drink for filling it out.<br>
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<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TYR5KRQ">Late Night Survey
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If only I lived in Edinburgh and didn't have just the one day there over New Years. This cafe is now 70% of the reason I want to move back to Edinburgh.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-41161746660702046052012-10-01T07:54:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:55:52.292-07:00Brew LabThere's a great deal of internet buzz about new kid on the block <a href="http://www.brewlabcoffee.co.uk/">Brew Lab</a>, thanks to the owners having waged an extremely successful online media campaign over the last few years. As a result, from the first day they were full of excited customers. And rightly so.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032971832/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8312/8032971832_b752238d6c.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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It's large; there are three seating areas with a range of seating from sofas and armchairs to large tables, with one- and two-seater options inbetween. They've managed to take the half-finished look that Black Medicine have used for years and make it seem strangely <i>right</i>, perhaps helped by the furniture being considerably more comfortable.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032789960/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/8032789960_86827eb9ae.jpg" width="500" height="498" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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It's nicely lit, the music is quite bearable - I didn't feel the need to hide behind my own at least - and there are just about as many sockets as their are seats. Oh, and of course there's free Wifi, the password for which changes so that the students upstairs can't steal it all the time.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032770763/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/8032770763_5a61ccb9b3.jpg" width="500" height="255" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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As a space it's near-perfect. Although they're only open 'normal' hours for now they plan to extend later into the evening over time. A marriage proposal may be in order! The only oddity is the place's key feature, the coffee...<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032879148/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/8032879148_e7b616c09f.jpg" width="401" height="500" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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I mean, it's not coffee as you or I know it. We're accustomed to Starbucks-style brews which are basically flavoured milk, or Artisan-esque obsession over making the perfect cup of artfully poured but petite espresso-based coffee. Compared to them, this is Art. Science. Whatever, it's exciting...<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032916447/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/8032916447_e033471c1e.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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Yes, there is a (<a href="http://www.slayerespresso.com/">terrifyingly fancy</a>) espresso machine; but the focus is on the other methods, hand brewing drinks one by one that bear as much relation to your Costa soy chai latte as that does to a cup of Nescafe. Coffee that has hints of blueberry because it's so full of flavour and subtlety rather than because there's been a syrup added. They're art, and they're special. <br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/8032697612/" title="Brew Lab launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/8032697612_e2e0d4bcff.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Brew Lab launch"></a></center><br>
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I'm not sure how suited they are to sitting around gulping for hours while getting work done, but this is my only concern; that's how good the place is. And since they can also do you a latte as well as a range of fine teas, it's not really a problem. And the fancy coffees really are worth trying... <br>
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So if you're in the <a href="http://www.brewlabcoffee.co.uk/where-to-find-us/">vicinity</a> you should give them a spin. I've yet to try their ever changing selection of scrumptious foods but I gather it's an excellent source of lunch. And you'll probably find me huddled in a corner, overcaffeinated but happy.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-88962715692120295712012-09-30T07:53:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:54:36.160-07:00Edinburgh Community CafesI have only one issue with <a href="http://www.edinburghcommunitycafes.org.uk/">Edinburgh Community Cafes</a> - they don't talk about making sure that all cafes have wireless internet. Besides that, however, it's a pretty cool group of cafes that work together to work on projects and support each other, ensure fair trade and quality and to advertise volunteer positions and the like. There's around 30 odd cafes. The best thing - they have a loyalty card that helps with getting free soup!<br>
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As well as the website above, they also have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Edinburgh-Community-Cafes/201334313264570">Facebook page</a>.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-65790148562864798062012-06-07T07:51:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:53:36.190-07:00Looking Glass BooksToday it seemed like time to investigate the much-hyped new bookshop/cafe in the Quartermile, <a href="http://lookingglassbooks.com/">Looking Glass Books</a>. It's not obvious as it's in one of the newer buildings that aren't visible from Middle Meadow Walk. <br>
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<center><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=210085625918526209875.0004b5b79b78aed105c3d&t=h&source=embed&ll=55.944027,-3.192837&spn=0.001051,0.00228&z=18&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=210085625918526209875.0004b5b79b78aed105c3d&t=h&source=embed&ll=55.944027,-3.192837&spn=0.001051,0.00228&z=18" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Edinburgh Cafes</a> in a larger map</small></center><br>
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It's not a building site anymore, in case you were wondering.<br>
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If you like <a href="http://edinburghcafes.com/?p=177">Fredericks</a> and you like pretty books you'll love this place. Clean and pretty, with interesting (deliberately and, I suspect, very expensively mismatched) furniture it's quite possible to pass a few hours here in idle or business-related chat.<br>
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<center><a href="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-06-07-14.56.141.jpg"><img src="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-06-07-14.56.141-300x169.jpg" alt="" title="2012-06-07 14.56.14" width="300" height="169" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2656" /></a></center><br>
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What it may not be as good for is getting Work done. <br>
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Being in the Quartermile development seems to make it difficult to install power points for customer use and sure enough, Looking Glass seem to have none. I will make allowances because the shop has only been there about a week but when I asked for the Wifi password nobody knew it. <b>Update below</b> Thankfully I was meeting people there and not expecting to do any work or I'd have been scuppered.<br>
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The place has a lovely atmosphere, everyone I saw coming and going seemed to enjoy just being there. The teas are from eteaket and while they don't have the full range at least it means that the selection they have are reliable and more than just teabags. I didn't spot where the coffee was from but it was thoroughly drinkable, if perhaps served in overly small portions (I like a long drink, serving me coffee in cups or glasses that I could drink in one big gulp will not endear you to me). <br>
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<center><a href="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-06-07-13.45.54.jpg"><img src="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-06-07-13.45.54-300x169.jpg" alt="" title="2012-06-07 13.45.54" width="300" height="169" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2657" /></a></center><br>
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I worry that it might not get much passing trade due to being so hidden away. It's the sort of place that you <i>want</i> to succeed, not least because it's an independent bookshop and we need more of them. I shall be watching it eagerly. <br>
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<b>UPDATE</b> It has been pointed out that there are in fact sockets - I must have had none nearby when I was in - and there was no Wifi password available because it needs none. Excellent news!<br>
chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-63521485402076518762012-02-15T07:49:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:50:28.206-07:00Freeman'sA new addition to the every-growing cafe scene in Marchmont, Freeman's is nothing special to look at but is certainly spacious.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/6878405655/" title="Freeman's by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6878405655_ec4d1a93ff.jpg" width="500" height="126" alt="Freeman's"></a></center><br>
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Proudly announcing the sources of their products, "The only supplier of Monmouth Coffee in Edinburgh", "Pastries & Bread from Bakery Andante, Morningside", "The Chocolate Tree hot chocolate", the effort seems to pay off as these things are better than in many nearby venues.<br>
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Decent Wifi but rather lacking in available sockets. The seating is variable, from tiny chairs to huge sofas; the tables seem to be filled mostly with people playing card games rather than waving their Macbooks around - which is a nice change. The clientele are, however, exactly what you would expect from a Marchmont cafe and as such tend to hang out for hours talking loudly amongst themselves. Not ideal for getting work done unless you are armed with good headphones.<br>
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Not a bad place, open late (looked like it was until at least 8pm, possibly 9) but a bit out of the way unless you live locally.<br>
chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-4247206321616916992012-01-10T07:48:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:49:26.482-07:00MapWe now have a map! Take a look <a href="http://edinburghcafes.com/?page_id=377">here</a>. It is obviously not full, but hopefully we'll fill it up soon and get suggestions as to what we can add to it, and what we should review next.<br>
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Your friendly customer reviews staff,<br>
us.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-58064410040078002282012-01-04T07:48:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:48:37.006-07:00Coffee H@ME InternetI got lost yesterday trying to find my way to a friend's house is Leith. I don't yet live in the world of cyborg technology; following the extended mind theories of Edinburgh's own Andy Clark, what I mean by this is that I don't have a smartphone. Some of the time I have my laptop - yesterday, alas, I didn't.<br>
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After wandering around looking through closed windows on a bank holiday, I stumbled upon <a href="http://coffeehome.co.uk/">Coffee H@ME Internet</a>, a snug little internet cafe on Leith Walk. They have computer's lining the wall, which makes it seem like your standard pay-and-get-out café - but the staff was incredibly helpful, the price for internet is cheap, and it's clear that they actually serve good coffee, and have a lot of options. They even have tables without computers, so you can bring your own. I might very well go there again if I can't find the Castle.<br>
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Verdict? Good.<br>
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PS. In case you're wondering, I've moved away from Edinburgh, and Simon is moving too. Chris is still around, and we'll blog when we're back in this home city of ours, however. Also, we're always looking for other staff. Pay? None. Hours? Non-existant. Satisfaction? Well, I guess that depends.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-54976946950364419092011-11-28T07:46:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:46:49.587-07:00Pulp Fiction [cafe under new management]Edinburgh is known for its excellent supply of secondhand and specialist bookshops; many of these cluster around either end of the Grassmarket - on the West Port and now on Candlemaker Row - which led to the creation of the <a href="http://www.westportbookfestival.org">West Port Book Festival</a>.<br>
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Into this literary melee comes <a href="http://pulp-books.com/">Pulp Fiction</a>. Located on Bread Street, and adding to the eccentricity of the area, it started out as a secondhand bookshop specialising in Sci-Fi and genre fiction. Steve, the owner, has great plans for the place however, and has already reorganised the space to allow for more seating, installed a remarkably good free WiFi connection and started selling tea and cakes. It's being used quite regularly as an event space, is often open later than anything equivalent, and there may be dramatic changes to come (perhaps involving the excellent view of the castle it would have if someone hadn't previously bricked up the windows). <br>
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It's worth bearing in mind that the place is primarily a bookshop and not a cafe. So while they do provide hot drinks at low prices, you shouldn't expect an exciting range of fine teas and single-source coffees. If you can't make it out of a kettle it's probably not going to happen but then, a lot of people care more about the space than the drinks and quite a few of them have nested here already. <br>
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<center><img src="http://p.twimg.com/AfWqH18CEAALmao.jpg" alt="" /></center><br>
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So, in summary: it's fairly comfy; the drinks, while not terribly exciting, are cheap; there's good WiFi and a reasonable number of sockets; there is cake; you're surrounded by books. I think that's some sort of #win.<br>
chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-32520269939453031272011-09-09T19:00:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:36:40.429-07:00The Institute [closed]A new contender has appeared! Seated on Roseneath Street (opposite the Earl of Marchmont) <a href="http://institutegallery.com/">The Institute</a> is a tea shop with a difference. Quite a few, actually.<br>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/6130291807/" title="The Institute by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6130291807_9c84c12f35.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="The Institute"></a><br>
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For one thing, it's just tea. No coffee. Sure, this may change if the punters demand their morning ristretto loud enough but for the time being it's just a vast selection of teas and a small selection of very pretty cakes. Often served with teeny tiny cleavers.<br>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/6130275951/" title="The Institute by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6130275951_bbed507875.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="The Institute"></a><br>
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It's the brainchild of the 'provocative' photographer Gavin Evans and Kamikaze, a circus performer with a passion for tea. They wanted to have somewhere to hang out and hang nice art so they made one. Either as a gallery or a tea-erie it would be justifiable but having both together is most excellent.<br>
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At the moment the walls are peppered with Evans' work, but these are soon to be auctioned off and replaced with new work. One advantage of having such unusual pieces on display is that there are few 'yummy mummies' or gangs of children to be found in the shop.<br>
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There is WiFi to be had, and a few sockets which are free to use if you can grab them. The seating and lighting, while basic, does the job. <br>
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The place is open til 1730 or 1900 depending on the day and if you can guarantee at least 15 people they are bookable from 1900-2300 any night, which is rather exciting.<br>
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It's certainly worth a look. So far it's not too busy but this may change as word spreads. If nothing else you should pop in to see the art and have some tea.<br>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/6130306129/" title="The Institute by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6130306129_f727d2caa9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="The Institute"></a><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-39642912310511834112011-03-21T07:33:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:33:40.481-07:00Cameo bar (by the cinema, not in Leith)It's potentially confusing because there is a place on Commercial Street called the Cameo Bar. But nobody would want to trek all the way down there when there's a nice bar/cafe attached to the Cameo cinema in Tollcross...<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/5545266320/" title="Cameo by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5545266320_6f4d4dabbd.jpg" width="500" height="269" alt="Cameo" /></a></center><br>
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I believe they do quiz nights sometimes and it can be a bit busy/noisy/crowded, but usually it's got a lovely atmosphere. <br>
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Important points? It's open late and if has free Wifi. Oh, and there are some secret sockets which aren't <i>meant</i> to be for public use but might be riskable. If I get bored of the Trav I may give this one a go...<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-69765421731331147182011-03-21T07:31:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:32:17.612-07:00FredericksThe shiny new place upstairs on Frederick Street has a lovely view. <br>
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They serve Artisan coffee (which is lovely, if you like that sort of thing) and a small but pleasing selection of teas. There's also some food but I didn't try any...<br>
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There were a few sockets visible but appeared to be a complete absence of Wifi. And it's kinda small and busy.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/5545257242/" title="Fredericks by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5545257242_0d236273f7.jpg" width="500" height="290" alt="Fredericks" /></a></center><br>
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Good for taking visiting patents for a nice pot of afternoon tea perhaps, but not for getting any work done.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-14335098253791631342011-03-19T07:29:00.000-07:002013-09-12T07:47:37.865-07:00The Chocolate TreeI went in here for the first time today. It was, alas, a brief glimpse, as there were no chairs available. The place is quite small, quaint, and rather nicely adorned, but without chairs, it is just a hallway to the door.<br>
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That having been said, it holds promise. The chocolate sweets one can buy are amazing - I very much suggest the chilli and tequila. Also, the staff are completely awesome, and up for a ten minute chat about Linguistics. This may be because I know the staff, and she does Linguistics, but that's not the point.<br>
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I look forward to checking on a future date to see if they have wifi.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-83520015119772501342011-03-07T07:27:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:28:48.914-07:00The TravIt occurred to me that the Traverse Theatre's bar/cafe has free WiFi and, being a bar, is open late. Time to investigate!<br>
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If you've never been, it's underground and very red. When it's quiet it's lovely; when it's busy you can't move for over-inflated egos. However, the staff are generally pretty civilised which kinda makes up for what the clientele sometimes lack.<br>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/5506892081/" title="Trav by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5506892081_902ddc0e4a.jpg" width="500" height="288" alt="Trav" /></a></center><br>
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The WiFi seems to be an okay speed. There are many various seatings for the placing of bums on. A few sockets are dotted around the edge of the main bar area - not sure whether they're <i>meant</i> for public usage though. I had intended to have a mocha to test and was quite excited when I spotted a big tin of <i>illy</i> but it seems the coffee machine was turned off around 8pm. They offered filter coffee but I went with cola, which was only £1.50 - not bad for such a generally swanky establishment!<br>
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I'll have to come back to see how it pans out during the busier months (and to see if they make me unplug, which would be a bit of a dealbreaker) but for now I'm quite impressed.<br>
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And for those of you who don't frequent this sort of place, it's <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=traverse+theatre&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=Traverse+Theatre&hnear=Traverse+Theatre,+10+Cambridge+St,+Edinburgh+EH1+2ED,+United+Kingdom&ll=55.947662,-3.204837&spn=0.001141,0.003798&t=h&z=18">here</a>.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-3794991667098047352011-02-26T07:23:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:37:26.559-07:00Chocolate Soup [closed]...this place is alright.<br>
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IFF (That's logic for if and only if) you like overpriced food, glaringly bright colours (which really destroy the otherwise lovely quietude of a hangover, I might add), weird tables/booths, and lots of tourists and yuppies.<br>
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IFF.<br>
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But it's not all that bad. I mean. It serves hot drinks. See?<br>
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<center><a href="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/chocolatesoup-huntersquare.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-164" title="chocolatesoup-huntersquare" src="http://edinburghcafes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/chocolatesoup-huntersquare.png" alt="" width="213" height="166" /></a></center><br>
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I didn't check the wireless because I wanted to get out of there as soon as I could.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-88750444944727072612011-02-21T07:21:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:23:21.438-07:00Coffee NamesIn a shocking move, this post has nothing at all to do with any café in Edinburgh. Rather, I want to highlight <a href="http://www.brownpundits.com/2011/02/20/on-brown-names/">another post </a>on <a href="http://www.brownpundits.com">Brown Pundits</a> about hard-to-pronounce names. Razib Khan mentions how a friend of his was upset when he failed to pronounce her name correctly, even though both of them were Indian in origin. He points out correctly that a) he's from an entirely different section of India (Bengal), and wouldn't know anything about the pronunciation of names in Southern India b) it's perverse to take pride in having an unpronounceable name.<br>
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More relevant to this blog, however, is a note in the comments. Basab Pradhan writes:
<blockquote>At Starbucks, after a few hand offs, the name that the Barrista shouts out can be unrecognizable. So I started giving “Bobby” as my name. Easy that way. I know a lot of Indians who similarly have a “Starbucks name”</blockquote>
That's pretty interesting.<br>
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So, in the interest of being more culturally and linguistically aware, I will now be marking cafés on whether or not they manage to pronounce my German (and Lithuanian and Jewish) name correctly. If I hear one 'Mr. Lituer?' for 'Littauer', I am going to start giving my name as 'Dr. Prahandeeninadeshnakali' and see how they manage it.<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-88817728560075525322011-02-16T17:16:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:17:28.110-07:00Free wifi mapThe Edinburgh Reporter has a map of venues with free wifi. It includes things like Starbucks and libraries where you can't just get at it, but it's still potentially useful.<br><br>
http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/free-wifi/<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-10102808623134331992011-02-16T07:20:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:21:16.503-07:00Beanscene (Nicholson St and Grosvenor St)When Beanscene first arrived in Edinburgh about ten years ago it was quite exciting. Open til 11pm, regular live music, CD sales in association with Fopp (RIP) - and in an unconventional move at the time it was non-smoking! I remember more people complaining about not being able to smoke than applauding the move... how the world has changed.<br>
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The coffee was never terribly good, at one point the decaf was actually nicer than the real thing. But people liked it there with the big sofas so they went anyway.<br>
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Over the years the business has opened and closed around town and there are currently two branches. The CD sales have dried up, there's not much live music and there's an air of desperation about them now. The only thing which kept the places going, as far as I could see, was the lure of being open til 11 with free wifi and sockets aplenty. Students who didn't want to hang out in the library could hang out and drink their soy chai lattes in comfort. <br>
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And then something changed. The opening hours went into flux. The sockets got sealed up. Now the Haymarket branch is open til 8pm (if you're lucky) and the other til 10pm (when they feel like it). And there are no sockets. And the wifi isn't all that. And the coffee still sucks.<br>
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Beanscene #fail<br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-83125711838847264212011-02-13T17:16:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:16:31.982-07:00Espresso MondoOn the corner of Lothian Road facing Starbucks and the Odeon, it looks lovely and cosy whenever I pass. <br><br>
It's very warm.<br><br>
They have no wifi.<br><br>
There are few sockets.<br><br>
It's generally full of awful people who are very noisy.<br><br>
And get this: they put one shot in a small or large coffee and charge 50p for an extra shot.<br><br>
Not going back there...<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-49438901775101350242011-02-11T17:15:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:37:39.203-07:00Black Medicine - Marchmont [closed]Sadly, I am not always happy with the Chaplaincy. Why? Because I go there every day. And the coffee, let's face it, is completely awful.<br><br>
So I went to the third Black Medicine I know of. It's in Marchmont, on the hill. It's a long way away, but if you're a student, you probably live next to it. <br><br>
I don't like this one as much as the others. They do a good hot chocolate, but there are never enough seats, when there are seats they are too tall. I didn't check on plugs when I went, as I was reading a book. <br><br>
Most importantly, though, I'm just not sure about it. It's never caught me like the others. I know Dylan Moran has gone here, though, so that's something going for it. Go if you want a BlackMed experience. <br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-31928401292673109222011-02-09T17:14:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:14:53.217-07:00The ChaplaincyThe Chaplaincy is part of the University of Edinburgh. But not really. It's technically in Potterow, but anyone can come in. They have a donation box for tea and coffee, that I mostly ignore.<br><br>
I spend most of my days and hours here. Like, all the time. Like, every day. Part of the reason I made this blog was to find different places to have coffee. But in the past couple of weeks, I couldn't be bothered.<br><br>
Wireless: uni, good. Coffee: bad, free. Plugs: plentiful. Friends: everywhere. Heating: yes. Chairs: the majority of the time. Verdict: home.<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-44756198834727054802011-01-31T17:13:00.000-08:002013-09-12T07:37:55.225-07:00The Forest is not the place for me [closed] [reopened in Tollcross]It's a lovely concept, I'm firmly in favour of such a venue as it is a vital part of the arts community and I know many people who hang out there for one reason or another... but It's not the Grail.<br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/5203178716/" title="Inky Fingers by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5086/5203178716_68eff0cabd_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Inky Fingers" /></a></center><br><br>
As a small venue for music, poetry etc. there's the (fairly dark and intimate) space in the cafe downstairs. Here you can get, um, a variety of teas and some coffees and juice and bits of food which are generally suitable for non-meat eaters - all served by volunteers. <br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/3973443043/" title="Jason Webley by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/3973443043_9d77ef80bf.jpg" width="500" height="198" alt="Jason Webley" /></a></center><br><br>
Upstairs has a large space which is used for the slightly rowdier events.<br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/4871802144/" title="Forest by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4871802144_fdb4b32f4e_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Forest" /></a></center><br><br>
There's an unexpected piano at the bottom of the stairs which is sometimes the source of some entertainment, although it's not always entertaining for the anticipated reasons.<br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/4871207833/" title="Forest by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4871207833_81f61e878c_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="Forest" /></a></center><br><br>
There's even a small dedicated art gallery in the front, which often features people sitting around either working or socialising.<br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/5190244707/" title="Ryan's book launch by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5190244707_e2f731a86f_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Ryan's book launch" /></a></center><br><br>
But anyway.<br><br>
As long as you avoid the occasional puddle the front of the cafe has a number of sockets, and I've never had any difficulty getting to an empty one.<br><br>
The place also has free wifi, but as it's being shared by at least a dozen hippies at any one time (and it has one of those maddening preachy pop-ups when you first log on - asking you to be considerate and not hog the bandwidth - which replaces all 30 tabs you had open and at least some of which you never manage to retrieve) it's not terribly reliable.<br><br>
The seating varies hugely; I've been in armchairs, on benches, in upright chairs and even perched on the floor at times. <br><br>
The hot drinks are... not amazing. <br><br>
If you're wanting to do some work or have a nice relaxing time I wouldn't recommend it. If you're looking for a 'wacky' community-led venue for arts and music then this is the place for you. Just don't leave your valuables unattended (as the staff keep telling me)!<br><br>
And while I appear to be firmly dissing the place, this is just my dislike of using it for work. It's great for lots of things and needs <a href="http://blog.theforest.org.uk/savetheforest">saving</a> from the threat of closure...<br><br>
chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-36642334489728470052011-01-30T17:11:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:12:51.619-07:00We miss the Lady RoxyI realised a while ago that in order to Get Work Done I really need to be away from the house. Not being a student of that big ol' University in the centre of town, the library is pretty much out so I'm down to cafes mostly.<br><br>
During the Festival last year Tea Tree Tea was open late, which was most awesome, and I got into the habit of working til late. August left the building and I was adrift. Thought of Beanscene, who are known for their wifi and sockets, only to discover that due to some Health & Safety fiasco they no longer have sockets. And they are more likely to close at 9pm than 11pm as used to be.<br><br>
Light appeared on the horizon, in the form of the Roxy Art House. Bar open til late, sockets, wifi (which I had access to since I knew half of the staff)... as long as one could ignore the stream of pretension it was heaven. Until the Edinburgh University Settlement, who owned the building and the business went suddenly bankrupt. F**k.<br><br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdonia/4704327747/" title="Roxy by chrisdonia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4704327747_3c970bf558_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Roxy" /></a></center><br><br>
And so I join the cause. There can and will be a place where those of use who like to sit at laptop until late while sipping hot drinks can find succour. One day.<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-67705597132380724332011-01-29T17:10:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:11:06.299-07:00Fruitmarket Gallery CafeFruitmarket Gallery Cafe has the benefit of also being a modern art gallery. There's also one of those typical museum bookstores with tons and tons of cool looking books that you place on your living room table and never actually read.<br><br>
The hot chocolate in the cafe is pretty good, and the person I went with didn't complain about the coffee which I guess is a good thing. Sadly we didn't try using the wi-fi, since we weren't there for 'work'. <br><br>
But the place had a nice atmosphere, played excellent music (like, really man, excellent music), and while it was all chairs and no couches, I would definitely consider working there.<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-7198508322487952382011-01-29T17:09:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:09:58.348-07:00SX CaféSouthern Cross Café. That's apparently what the SX stands for.<br><br>
It could also stands for 'sucks.'<br><br>
Why? Because there's a sign in the window: £1 = 30 minutes of wifi.<br><br>
I didn't even bother looking at their plugs.<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2852244064437472128.post-38109563685666902282011-01-28T17:07:00.000-08:002013-08-09T17:08:56.973-07:00Coffee Etc. I went to Coffee Etc. today. It's one of the two nearly-identical falafel places across from Appleton tower, the other being Nile Valley. I was supposed to meet my friend at the latter - the problem is that they have difficult seating options. Either you're stuck next to people standing to order, or you're in a basement. Coffee Etc., on the other hand, has a back room. And it has comfy chairs in the backroom.<br><br>
I didn't check the internet. Nor did I check the plugs. I assume that there is wireless from the University. But I was here purely for coffee and a wrap and chat. And, at £1.50, the mocha was damn cheap. But good.<br><br>
I also managed to speak to the person making the wrap in Wolof, so I guess my linguistics degree is good for something. Basically, if you want a nice African vibe, good, cheap coffee, wonderful humous and falafel wraps, come here. Bring a girl if you can, it's a lot more fun than working.<br><br>chrisdoniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02772156699451082321noreply@blogger.com0