Edinburgh Charity Shops

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Whenever I travel to a new city, I go for a browse though its charity shops. It is my way of seeking out the real side of a city. On a similar jaunt in Edinburgh recently, I was in for a very pleasant surprise; little did I realize that charity shopping is serious business in this city. The humble charity shop has been turned into something of a retail revolution here.

Whether it’s the intense competition that keeps them on their toes or simply because they get better quality stock, they offer as good a shopping experience as the high end boutiques. Encouraged in part by the recession; the city seems to have taken to the idea of thrifty shopping. Rows upon rows of abandoned shops have been taken over by charities and given a whole new lease of life. 

Uniquely in Edinburgh, charity shops seem to cluster in particular areas, especially areas like Stockbridge, Nicolson Street, and Morningside have a high concentration of fabulous shops. What’s more, there is even a charity map of Edinburgh showing the exact location of every shop, you can download it here.

As my hotel was located just off Nicholson Street, I decided to go for a stroll in the Newington area. This is the student area right next to the Edinburgh university and has the biggest concentration of charity shops. Here is a selection of my favourites for you to explore. 

Top of the list has to be Bernardo’s. This Newington gem is a charity shop with a difference. It specializes in vintage stuff and is full of clothes, shoes and accessories arranged into colour-coordinated sections. There was even a stack of vintage suitcases and a Jenners hatbox by the entrance. My lucky find was a pair of black and gold enamelled vintage earrings, which I snapped up in seconds. So go visit Bernardo’s, fill your ears with the sound of 50’s music, buy lovely vintage clothing and feel smug that you're doing something for charity. 

Next on my list is Oxfam, specially its books section. They have cleverly separated their bookshop from the general clothes and bric-a-brac, to give pride of place to the great collection of books. The selection includes a lot of newly published books as well as lot of classics and the extremely cheaply priced hardback section is well worth a look. I found an almost new Lonely Planet guide to Britain! I was on a roll that day for sure. 

Among other shops that I liked was the British Heart Foundation, a lovely big shop with a good collection of kitchen things. 

Another little gem is Shelter, a tiny shop with an amazing selection of women’s clothing, easily the best on the street. Also, as you can see from the photograph below they put real effort in their window display. I especially liked their colourful scarf collection; there were a couple from Topshop, and one from Accessorize, which even had its tag intact. So what did I do? I grabbed it ofcourse! 

PDSA, for pets in need of vets is another nice shop. Very attractively laid out with cheery posters on the walls, metal sculptures by a local artist and quirky display cabinets full of beautiful dresses, specially evening-wear and summer dresses in almost new condition.

Rickshaw recollections

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I was in Paris recently and spent an immensely enjoyable afternoon walking along the Champs Elysees, ogling the impossibly elegant window displays and enjoying scrumptious Ladurée macarons (more about that in a separate post). It was all fun and good but by the time I reached Place de la Concorde my sore feet reminded me how far I had walked from my hotel. Imagine my surprise then on coming upon a rickshaw, right under La Grande Roue! Talk about finding something just when you need it.

Parisian Rickshaw and my friendly driver

Tempted by the drivers friendly summons I went for a short ride on the Parisian rickshaw. It made me smile as I compared this comfortable rickshaw, smoothly gliding along the grand boulevards with the tangle, screech and jolts of a rickshaw ride in “purani Dilli” or old Delhi. My mind drifted to a hot summer afternoon – three girls crammed into a tiny rickshaw, hanging on for dear life as it maneuvers speedily through the narrow alleys. We wedge our toes tightly into the foot-rest, for we know that when the driver brakes sharply at the next obstruction, it is the only thing which will save us from toppling over.

A rickshaw ride is the best way to explore the sights, sounds and smells of any new place. You are on the street, moving along at a leisurely pace but at the same time you don’t need to worry about getting lost. Moreover, it is a green mode of transportation, reduces congestion and creates jobs. For this reason, the rickshaw is increasingly becoming visible in tourist hot spots of London and Paris.

An artist who like me seems to be completely enamored by rickshaws is Rajkumar Sthabathy, he has done a whole series of watercolors depicting this ubiquitous mode of transport on the streets of South India. I love the way he captures the colorful patterns painted on the rickshaws along with the burnt sienna of their rusting iron bodies. What makes his work take on a deeper meaning is the fact that he captures these strong hard workers in a moment of quite reflection, lined sun burnt faces telling a story of lives filled with endless toil. He depicts the rickshaw as a precious source of livelihood; the driver waiting alertly for the next passenger adds to the sense of anticipation in his work. I find myself waiting along with them, wondering when the next passenger will come along. Here is a selection from the beautiful paintings for you to enjoy. The rest of the collection can be viewed here.

    

This is what dreams are made of

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Stuff of dreams, that's what this hotel is. Heritage architecture, spectacular views, warmth that only a family run place could have, it's got everything and more. Located in the heart of Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, La Sirenuse was the summer home of the Marchesi Sersale family before they converted it into hotel. The Marchesi family heirlooms and paintings add a whole new dimension to the décor and make it feel like a home instead of a hotel. I specially love the colourful tiles in the Sun-filled rooms.

Well, I'd better start saving if I am going to stay there next Summer. Such enticing prettiness comes with a matching price tag! 

All images via La Sirenuse

Welsh Cream Tea in the Brecon Beacons

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Here are some photographs from my recent trip to Wales. We stayed in the village of Penderyn near Aberdare and enjoyed two whole days of walks and rides in the Brecon Beacons National Park. On the last day, we decided to regain some of the lost calories and treat ourselves to a Welsh Cream Tea. 

It was an impulse stop; driving along the A4059, we saw a small sign for Ty Newydd Country Hotel, advertising cream teas. That was it, my sugar sensor perked up and I could see scones laden with cream and strawberries floating in front of my eyes. We just had to go in.

Apparently, we were not the only ones who had succumbed to temptation. There was a group of English gentlemen wearing tweed waistcoats and berets, enjoying their tea in the garden while puffing on their cigars. They were driving their vintage cars through the most picturesque roads in Wales. Cars that looked so magnificent, lined up in front of the Neo-Georgian building that I couldn’t help but steal a quick photograph. Can it possibly get any more English than this? 

On to the Cream tea, I believe I should spare you the words and just let you look at my photographs of tiered cake stands with homemade scones, welsh cakes, bara brith, clotted cream and jam (yes you get a cake stand all to yourself!). Just make sure you head over to Ty Newydd if you are ever in the area. It will be well worth it, I promise.