Talk of the Town: Shopaholic Isla gets her fix at Armstrong's

STAFF at the city's vintage clothing store, Armstrong's, had to do a double-take when a miserable February afternoon was injected with some Hollywood glamour.

Confessions of a Shopaholic star Isla Fisher called into the Grassmarket branch to do a bit of shopping with her mum and daughter yesterday.

The actress, who is engaged to comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, admired some wedding dresses, but decided not to try any of them on.

Instead, Miss Fisher, who is in Scotland filming the new Burke and Hare film, settled for a yellow 1950s dress, a vintage robe and two cashmere cardigans.

Store manager Jane Barrow said: "She must be feeling the cold."

What the blazes? Another weird crime at Prestonfield

PRESTONFIELD House Hotel was of course the setting for one of the most bizarre crimes ever committed in these parts.

Lord Watson, a former minister in the Scottish Executive, was jailed after he admitted setting fire to curtains in the hotel's reception area in 2004 – an act caught on CCTV.

And the security cameras could yet be the downfall of the latest pair of unlikely criminals to strike at the hotel. Security staff are scouring footage to identify two pensioners who made off with a life-size cut out of a poster boy for VisitScotland's latest campaign following a lavish launch event.

Yes, I do do weddings

IT CAN be tough being a councillor, dealing with endless meetings and listening to residents' concerns.

But now Councillor Louise Young has something more enjoyable to think about, after qualifying as a Humanist wedding celebrant.

The Leith Walk councillor can now conduct non-religious ceremonies anywhere in Scotland and has already made several provisional bookings.

She said: "I trained as a Humanist funeral celebrant first, then put my name on the waiting list for weddings."

Club serves up Scotland caps

IT'S been 30 years since Abercorn trod clouds of glory winning national men's and women's tennis cups, but the Willowbrae Road club has nevertheless been busy in sporting circles producing, ahem, Scotland rugby stand-offs.

Phil Godman, 22 caps between 2005 and the present, was a junior Abercorn member as was Gordon Ross who gained 27 caps from 2001-6. On top of that Gregor Townsend, 82 caps from 1993-2003, is also a regular player at Abercorn in the company of wife, Claire, the ladies champion.

Which ensured the obvious question this week for coach Sean Lineen when he unveiled the latest Scotland A team concerned this shadow rugby squad's current stand-off. "What does Ruaridh Jackson have to do to get a full cap, join Abercorn tennis club perhaps?" Lineen was asked.