Two amazing companies

I am regularly asked about the people I work with, thus this blog post about two wonderful companies run by inspiring women. If you want to hear about it first hand, give me a call

Troupe Events

Mel and I have known each other for a few years and I have seen Mel in a variety of roles. Mel joined Kin to manage one of the retail stores; Kin on Kloof and, later Mel moved onto managing all Kin social media as well as window exhibitions, the online store, the beautiful Kin newsletter and the product shoots. 

Mel left Kin in 2015 and started Troupe Events with her sister, Gwynn. A dream come true for them. If you have an event, any event, this is the company I recommend. Not only because they threw my dear friend the best birthday party he has ever had, but because I have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Mel for four years and she is someone I would go through anything with, including turning me into a zombie and my home into ground zero of a zombie apocalypse....

    

Please take a look at Troupe Events website, it's full of great events they have curated and managed

If you don't need an entire event, and would like to add some special touches to a gathering at home, then they have made party packs! You can buy them on-line, Troupe Party Packs

Baram Photography

I volunteer on Pint of Science and our first SA Pint of Science launched this week. I met a wonderful photographer, Haegy, who covered the event and I was impressed with her professional and calm demeanour, as well as her great photographs. Please take a look at her website, Baram Photo.

Life as a Cafe

Eddie and I curated 'Life as a Cafe' with our dear friends, The Drawing Room Café. The exhibition features brand new work by our kinfolk; Audrey Anderson, Caroline Tomlinson, Flagg, Maria Lebedeva and Sarah Wocknitz!

Cafés are interesting spaces, not least because of the visitors who take up residence to eat, work and love in it's spaces. From a quick cup of coffee to a long leisurely lunch, the café offers sustenance of the beautifully crafted kind. 

The consultant, the student, the entrepreneur take refuge in the café, using the music, the endless coffee and the closeness of strangers to galvanise them into tapping away on their laptops. 

On any given day, there are the lovers, foreheads touching, fingers entwined, coffee cooling, and then there are the breakups, hookups, and the comings and goings of love arriving and leaving, fleeting and yearning. 

The café sees it all. The barista watches, cooly detached, the wait staff with their own stories unfolding. 

It is the unraveling and weaving of life. Life as a Café.

The Kelpies

The Kelpies rise up, metal from water, liquid to steel. 

Each built from three hundred tonnes of steel, they rose thirty metres in ninety days. 

I am awestruck by them.

I always look for the human moments found in exquisite, beautiful places 

"I see The Kelpies as a personification of local and national equine history, of the lost industries of Scotland. I also envisage them as a symbol of modern Scotland - proud and majestic, of the people and the land. They are the culmination of cutting edge technology and hand crafted artisanship, created by our country's leading experts through international partnerships."

I couldn't not agree more with Andy Scott, sculptor

A time lapse video of the construction

Where did I go?

The Kelpies

ALC Jeans | Clothing | Accessories

I lost my Rosie Sugden beanie traveling in the Highlands! Sad as it is my favourite, Rosie said that Adele might have one. I popped by her store and discovered she had the one I lost! Joyfully reunited, I chatted to Adele about owning a store featuring local designers and fell in love with her lovely space! Take a look at ALC and if you are in Edinburgh, stroll along Thistle Street and say hello to Adele!

Welcome to ALC!

A beautiful coat and daffodils look out onto Thistle street

The lovely table!

Adele loved the hearth so much that she had it made into the countertop. It's a beautiful piece and i loved knowing that part of the original home featured in the store.

The dressing room is one of my favourite spaces. I would happily spend hours here fitting with friends :)

Where did I go:

ALC Shop

Mary's Milk Bar

Founded in 2013, Mary's Milk Bar is one of my first stops whenever I visit Edinburgh. Amongst other treats, Mary combines coffee and ice cream, what is there not to adore?

Mary went to gelato school in Bologna and is a genius with ice cream... 

School children and office workers come by for their one-scoop-a-day treat. Tourists come by and devour ice cream by the three scoop fills. 

Ask the women there for their ice cream recommendation, today, I had the hazelnut affogato and I am going back tomorrow... For my one scoop... Just one... I promise...

 Where did I go?

Mary's Milk Bar