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Features
Scaling heights of Scottish mountaineering history
A remarkable collection of Scottish mountaineering memorabilia is housed in cardboard boxes in a barn near Fort William. Roger Cox meets the man who has put it all together and hears his dream of one day housing it in a purpose-built museum
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Film review: Something In The Air (15)
Inspired partly by his own youthful idealism, Oliver Assayas’s new film is a poignant meditation on protest and disillusion
Gig review: Van Morrison, Perth Concert Hall
On this experience the Van Morrison live show is akin to a religious experience – it’s lots of older people sitting in near silence having an occasionally transcendental experience.
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Film review: The Hangover III video
IN the circumstances, two stars might be considered a minor triumph. The patchy original, released in 2009, made so much money that sequels were inevitable; the real shocker was the $586m the Bangkok-set Part II took, despite being as quantifiably lousy as anything else released in 2011.
Voguing and house music’s politically radical past
House music and voguing are more politically radical than you might think. Kirstin Innes on a festival where clubbing rubs shoulders with transgender theory and the avant garde
Motoring
Motorists back more restrictions on new drivers
More than eight out of ten motorists believe newly qualified drivers should be more closely supervised.
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Chevy’s making Trax
THE Chevrolet Trax is a compact SUV in the Nissan Juke/Skoda Yeti mould. As well as chunky looks and a tempting price tag, the lil’ Chevy also has heritage on its side – its maker claims to have got the sport-utility vehicle ball rolling in the 1930s, with the Carryall Suburban, an eight-seater car the size of a bread van and built for the North American market in the days before anyone thought of calling SUVs “SUVs”.
BMW Z4: On the roadster again
WELCOME to Monaco. Park your yacht over there and join me for a couple of laps of the world’s most celebrated F1 venue. With race weekend just a few days away, the barriers, grandstands and banners are in place and the circuit is ready for action.
Back on track at Ingliston
“YOU lucky sod” was the first of many similar, albeit more colourful and less printable responses I received when I told people what I was up to last weekend.
Yamaha XJ6: Follow Diversion
THE Diversion feels like an old friend. The faithful sort that knows just what you need, when you need it. It doesn’t need expensive technology or to shout about how cool it is. There is no pretence; just honesty – and its integrity is what keeps the Diversion competitive in the middleweight market.
Food and Drink
Win a bottle of the Macallan Sienna
RECENTLY launched, The Macallan 1824 Series is an innovative new range which showcases two of The Macallan’s greatest strengths; oak sherry casks and natural colour.
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EU to ban olive oil jugs in restaurants
A PROPOSAL by the EU to ban the serving of olive oil in glass jugs in restaurants has been ridiculed by British politicians.
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Tom Kitchin: Wagyu beef recipes
WAGYU beef is renowned worldwide as one of the most expensive beefs you can buy.
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Restaurant review: The Harbourview Grille, Royal Hotel, Campbeltown
HERE’S a non-typical example of a conversation at Spectrum Towers.
Wine: ‘Greece produces some terrific wines’
FOR people of a certain age, familiarity with wine and the delightfully quirky Oddbins chain went hand in hand.
Outdoors
EdinburghSketcher captures Pedal on Parliament 2013
THIS WEEK the EdinburghSketcher and his family took part in Pedal on Parliament cycle from the Meadows to the Scottish Parliament...
100 Weeks of Scotland: Gullane|Applecross|Rob Roy video
ACTRESS Shonagh Price is the first image from this week. Taken at Gullane beach on a perfect May morning this photo forms part of a series of images I have been working on entitled ‘Magnetic North’, a project in which I am photographing artists, actors, writers etc.
Roger Cox: ‘Socialising at Tarbert is legendary – so is the sailing’
AS regattas go, the Scottish Series has it all: a stunning backdrop for the racing courtesy of the dark, densely forested hillsides that surround Loch Fyne; a stretch of water blessed with consistent winds and minimal tides; and a legendary party atmosphere courtesy of the picturesque little port of Tarbert – so busy when the sailing circus comes to town that boats often have to tie up two, three and four abreast beside the pontoons.
Roger Cox: If your favourite sport’s not often televised, you must rely on witnesses who can create romantic myths
ONE of the best things I’ve read so far this year is Found At Sea, a new book of poems by Andrew Greig.
Saddle up for the Borders Festival of the Horse
THEY say you have to be mad to live in the Borders. Mad on rugby and mad on horses.
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Travel
Edinburgh most popular with overseas tourists
Edinburgh is the most popular destination in Scotland for overseas visitors, and the second most popular in the UK as a whole, according to new figures.
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Travel: The authentic vibes of Krakow
IT’S –5°C when I arrive in Krakow’s medieval market square, the largest of its kind in Europe, dating back to the 13th century.
Travel: The Hilton, Glasgow
FROM the outside, Glasgow’s tallest hotel is as likely to be praised for its architecture as one of the city’s last remaining 1960s high rises.
Travel: White Island, New Zealand
DWARVES, elves and orcs, wizards and warrens full of hobbits – New Zealand is Middle-earth these days, Peter Jackson’s films providing a marvellous showcase for the country’s awesome natural landscapes.
Travel: Stobo Castle, Perthshire
AS we tootled along the country roads from Lanark in the general direction of Peebles on our way to Stobo Castle for a day trip, the chat was already high octane.
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Music
Glasgow Hydro’s first concert to be delayed
The first concert announced for new £125 million Glasgow venue The Hydro is to be delayed, operators confirmed today.
2 commentsGig review: Chrysta Bell, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Being adopted as David Lynch’s latest muse clearly isn’t a fast-buck career move, however bankable the association might ultimately prove.
Gig review: Bleached, The Art School, Glasgow
“NORMALLY that’s the stoner song,” Bleached’s young Drew Barrymore-alike frontwoman, Jennifer Clavin, exclaimed after Dead In Your Head, looking a little dismayed, “that time it was the fight song.”
Edinburgh International Festival: Sounds of the city
Crowdsourcing, popular among musicians, is now shaping the EIF, discovers David Pollock
Camera Obscura on new album Desire Lines
Camera Obscura didn’t look far from home when writing their new album, but they did travel continents to get the right sound
Books
Alexander McCall Smith: ‘Scottish fiction too grim’
Novelist Alexander McCall Smith has spoken out against the dark depiction of Scotland by his fellow Scottish writers.
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Iain Banks: I may reject chemotherapy
AUTHOR Iain Banks has revealed he could undergo chemotherapy within weeks in an effort to prolong his life – but said he will stop the treatment if its side-effects are too debilitating.
Harry Potter first edition a notable read
Only 500 copies of the first edition of the first Harry Potter book were published, and a very special one is up for auction, crammed with notes and drawings by JK Rowling, writes Martyn McLaughlin
Jenni Fagan on James Tait Black prize shortlist
DEBUT author Jenni Fagan has been shortlisted alongside Salman Rushdie and Alan Warner for the UK’s oldest book awards, further propelling the Scottish writer towards her position as the nation’s brightest young literary star.
Book review: All That Is by James Salter
IF AN aged, once-eminent author, close to the end, ekes out one almost-certainly-last novel, and it’s of an indifferent standard, or worse, should it be published out of respect for his or her more glorious past?
Comedy
Karen Koren: Balloon’s Festival line-up takes shape
THIS week I am writing my column between airports, on my way back to Edinburgh from Norway.
Small-venue Fringe comic books 1200 seater EICC
Yianni Agisilaou has spent years playing to audiences of just 80 people on the notoriously tough comedy circuit.
Comedy review: Bill Bailey, Glasgow
There are some brilliant set-pieces in this latest show from stand-up musician Bill Bailey, so much so that reprises are demanded in the encore.
Bill Bailey on cockatoos and his new stand-up tour
Ask bill bailey about his stand-up tour and somehow you end up with a lesson on the behaviour of cockatoos. What to do? Throw away the script and enjoy the surreal ride
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10 things to do in Scotland this week
THIS WEEK’S arts, entertainment and lifestyle highlights from around Scotland, including music from Malcolm Middleton and Seasick Steve, fiery festivities in Edinburgh and Speyside, and comedian Eddie Izzard kicking off his UK tour in Aberdeen.
Film
Psy imposter fools Cannes celebrities
A MAN masquerading as South Korean rapper Psy, who took the world by storm with the ‘Gangnam Style’ song, has been outed - after two days of partying with various celebrities on the French riviera.
Campbeltown cinema celebrates 100 years of films Picture gallery
FROM whisky moguls enchanted by the burgeoning era of silent film to modern families eager to see the latest Hollywood blockbusters, it is a vital resource which has long spared cineastes on the Kintyre peninsula an arduous 180 mile round trip for popcorn and thrills.
Jonathan Melville: Three good reasons to enjoy Cannes
STEVEN Soderbergh’s final film, the return of the Coen brothers and a look at how children are portrayed on screen are just some of the reasons critics are celebrating at this year’s 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Alistair Harkness: Welcome return of Hal Hartley
Alistair Harkness welcomes the chance to revisit an indie auteur who was as important as Quentin Tarantino or Richard Linklater
Film reviews: Beware of Mr Baker | Epic | The Hangover III
Alistair Harkness reviews the rest of this week’s film releases
TV and Radio
Scottish independence: BBC pledge £5m despite cuts
BBC Scotland is to spend £5 million on a new range of TV and radio programmes geared to the run-up to the independence referendum and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.
45 commentsSharon Osbourne replaces Tulisa on X-Factor
TV bosses confirmed Sharon Osbourne will return to The X Factor judging panel to replace Tulisa Contostavlos.
TV review: The Fall | Frankie | Rock’n’Roll Britannia
WHEN I found out the new drama The Fall wasn’t, after all, the story of a chaotic rock band with almost 50 ex-members and one constant – incorrigible, irascible Mark E Smith – I was disappointed. But the feeling didn’t last, because this is a psychological thriller and a good one, maybe the best since The Shadow Line.
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TV preview: Case Histories | The Last Days of Anne Boleyn
ADAPTING crime novels for TV is a notoriously hit-or-miss business. With a fraction of the space a book can give to fleshing out suspects and setting up false trails, perhaps having to condense several hundred pages into an hour of drama, the results can come across as shallow.
St Serf’s players celebrate anniversary | Politician’s Husband
EDINBURGH amateur dramatic club St Serf’s Players, celebrate their 65th anniversary this year with a production of Tony Roper’s classic, bitter-sweet comedy, The Steamie.
Performing Arts
Theatre reviews: The 39 Steps | The Importance of Being Earnest | Mortal Memories
The foibles and mores of the past are a rich seam from which to mine humour, as a revival of Patrick Barlow’s Buchan adaptation amply demonstrates
Back to basics for Scottish Opera?
Scottish Opera’s new season is short on big productions, but in revisiting its roots it’s hoping for a ‘leaner, fitter’ fresh start
500 dancers take part in Sunshine on Leith filming Picture gallery
THE sun may have been shining but it was over the Leith boundary as over 500 dancers took part in filming today for upcoming musical Sunshine on Leith outside the National Gallery of Scotland.
3 commentsTheatre review: The 39 steps, Edinburgh
THE 39 Steps has four actors playing 139 characters in 100 minutes. Quite how many Hitchcock gags are embedded in the script, however, is a question only opening stage act Mr Memory may be able to answer.
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Morecambe and Wise writer Eddie Braben dies
Comedy writer Eddie Braben, the “third man” behind the success of Morecambe and Wise, died yesterday at the age of 82.
Visual Arts
Arts review: Degree Show 2013, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee
With its Twitter references and electronic music, Dundee’s degree show is the work of a generation at ease with the digital world, but also reacting against it. These young artists knit, sew and make models too
Images of Scotland: Tantallon Castle
Tim Day took this picture while flying over Tantallon Castle near North Berwick in a Bucker Jungmann biplane
Picture: HMS Queen Elizabeth takes shape
HMS QUEEN Elizabeth, the first of the Royal Navy’s new fleet of aircraft carriers is taking shape in the Babcock Marine Dockyard at Rosyth, with the flightdeck and superstructure clearly visible from this aerial shot.
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Atholl Estates photo contest winners announced Picture gallery
FOUR amateur photographers could see their work travel across the globe this year, after winning a photography competition run by Atholl Estates.
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Images of Scotland: Liathach and Beinn Eighe
Douglas Hood’s photograph of Liathach and Beinn Eighe was taken from a rowing boat in the middle of Loch Clair
Fashion
Fiona McCade: Popularity comes at too high a price
When I was about seven years old, I remember being sent out of class for sobbing uncontrollably. Why? Because I was wearing woolly tights.
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Edinburgh student makes handbag from cow stomach
An Edinburgh-based student is certain to divide opinions after creating a handbag line using the stomach lining of a Highland cow.
10 commentsLynne McCrossan: I’m not flapping at my big chance with hemingway
Heavily beaded silk chiffon drapes elegantly from a velvet hanger. Iridescent beads ground flimsy fabric giving the gown graceful gesture.
David Gandy on male modelling and his next moves
THIS has been a long time coming. Four months, to be precise.
Video: Shine in gold, silver and sequins this season video
THIS summer, make sure you shine in gold, silver and sequins.
Homes and Gardens
At home with TV presenter Amanda Lamb
Fresh from renovating her own house, TV presenter Amanda Lamb admits she still can’t resist looking in estate agents’ windows
Recipe for comfort: All the ingredients for a beautiful home
When Robert Gillan walked into this Georgian house in Edinburgh, he knew it had the ingredients to make a beautiful home
Space story: Lake of Menteith cottage turned into family home
It has taken 11 years for Sophie Pither and Jez Lazell’s dreams for a small cottage near Lake of Menteith to be realised. Now they have a large family home
Gardens: A blank canvas for a colourful garden
When Helen and David Raeside moved into their newly-built house they had a blank canvas on which to create a garden
Style doctor: Your design questions answered
I need to smarten up my bathroom, and thought that as the sink and bath are in good condition I’d just replace the taps. However, what should be a straightforward trip to the local DIY store or plumbers’ merchant is proving more complicated – fashion seems to have changed and brass taps are now scarce.
Health
Krav Maga: The no nonsense self defence class
GET her on the ground!” is what I hear from the sidelines as I grapple with a stranger who’s grabbing my face like a bowling ball, his fingers almost in my eyes.
Meningitis leaves lasting legacy
FRIGHTENED and desperately ill, Jennifer Hamilton turned to the nurse beside her hospital bed and dared to ask the most terrifying question of them all.
“I needed the truth,” recalls the mum-of-four. “I needed to know if I’d still be alive in the morning.”
Technology
Microsoft unveils new Xbox ‘One’.
MICROSOFT has unveiled its next generation video games console, Xbox One.
Ten measures to keep you safe online
REMEMBER the time when it felt like we were constantly being warned about identity theft?
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Teen’s invention charges phone in less than minute
An 18-year-old girl has invented a supercapacitor which could charge your mobile phone in less than a minute, it has been reported.
Apple’s iPhone music plans ‘stall over licensing’
APPLE’S bid to launch iRadio, a streaming music service for iPhones and iPads, has reportedly hit a snag over payments for songs which users skip after just a few seconds.
Google denies disguising business to lower UK tax
INTERNET giant Google today denied trying to “disguise” the way its business operated to minimise its tax bill in the UK.
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Heritage
Campbeltown cinema celebrates 100 years of films Picture gallery
FROM whisky moguls enchanted by the burgeoning era of silent film to modern families eager to see the latest Hollywood blockbusters, it is a vital resource which has long spared cineastes on the Kintyre peninsula an arduous 180 mile round trip for popcorn and thrills.
‘Ghost’ of Montrose air base to be honoured
HE was the young pilot from the Royal Flying Corps whose ghost is said to haunt the former Angus airfield where the fledgling unit had established Britain’s first operational military airfield.
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Scottish word of the week: Gubbed
WITH the Scottish football season coming to a close this weekend with the Scottish Cup final, there’s one word that fans of Celtic and Hibs won’t want to hear used to describe their team - ‘gubbed’.
HMS Edinburgh bids farewell to capital namesake
THIS JUNE, a 300-year-old tradition will come to an end - for it will be the first time since 1707 that there won’t be a naval vessel carrying the name of Scotland’s capital. HMS Edinburgh, a type-42 destroyer launched in 1983 - and the last of its class - will be decommissioned following a farewell tour.
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Scottish fact of the week: Italian Chapel, Orkney
AN ORNATE Catholic chapel sited on Lamb Holm in Orkney, the Italian Chapel was built by Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War, who were held on the island while they constructed the causeways designed to block access to the Scapa Flow.
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Weather for Edinburgh
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North east
