Talk of the Town: Cardownie’s an avowed expert

HAVING been married four times already, deputy council leader Steve Cardownie must have his preparations for the big day down to a tee.

And it seems that he is at least able to raise a laugh when referring to his track record.

During a discussion about whether the council should urge the Scottish Government to go ahead with plans to allow same-sex marriage in churches, Councillor Cardownie started his contribution with: “Speaking as no stranger of the institution of marriage . . .”

Refit fright nearly put us off our dinner

WE were concerned this week to see that Tollcross favourite Salvo Caffè had its windows covered over with paper. Surely it wasn’t closing?

Where else would we go for a fix of its retro diner atmosphere? Midway between the Cameo and the Filmhouse, it’s a great spot to eat while being looked down on by black and white pics of Hollywood stars.

But a quick call put our mind at rest – owner Salvatore Rosso is just redecorating.

Knickerbocker glories all round to celebrate.

Folk club strikes right note

IT may be a dying genre, with today’s generation of music lover preferring three-minute, electronic rehashes.

But it hasn’t stopped the Leith Folk Club scooping a prestigious award.

The organisation, which from next month will be based at the Victoria Park House Hotel, was named Club of the Year at the recent Scots Trad Music Awards.

It fought off competition from across the country, in a contest attracting more than 100,000 votes.

The ideal stocking filler

IF you’re racking your brain trying to come up with an inspired Christmas gift for a friend or family member, you might be pleased to hear that, according to a recent survey at least, what they really want is socks.

Yes, it may be an old cliche, but according to the research by TK Maxx, 27 per cent of men want to receive socks this Christmas, while 22 per cent of women want socks or tights.

Researchers suggested that the practical gift requests were a response to the turbulent year for the economy.

Although it could just be that when they say “socks” what they actually mean is “Xbox 360” or “blingtastic jewellery collection”.