Tag Archives: Alexander McQueen

The Courtyard Coffee House

Once again we are in Callander visiting an elderly relative. Once again, after a visit to the Outdoor Shop we were peckish. We wandered across the street to this place thinking we might get a scone. Crikey, it’s a strange place! Not even a name above the door! We swithered and thought perhaps we should go to Applejacks, directly opposite. We had already reviewed Applejacks and knew it to be good but our dedication to sconological research took over. In we went!

Pavement billboard at the Courtyard Coffee House in CallanderNot only was there no name above the door, it had an estate agent’s ‘For Sale’ sign outside. However, no presence on the estate agents website. We looked!  In fact it doesn’t appear to have a presence of any kind on the internet. No website, no FaceBook, no Tripadviser? The only way we  discovered its name was on the pavement billboard outside.

So, it kind of had a name … hurrah! As well as a name it had scones, fruit and plain … hurrah again! Who cares about all that other stuff. The strangeness continued, however. It was self service and the staff were very friendly but we had to pay up front before they brought our order and it was cash only. All a wee bit surreal.

Internal view of the Courtyard Coffee House in Callander

Scone assistance

When our scones arrived the lady explained that she had already cut them in half for us because they were so light and crumbly. She hoped we would manage them without further assistance. Her concern was not entirely misplaced. The scones were incredibly light and full of currants, sultanas and cherries. A scone at the Courtyard Coffee House in CallanderThey were indeed quite difficult to manage. When you lifted them they just crumbled and fell back to the plate. You had to scoop them up and tip them into your mouth in a slightly undignified fashion. They were delicious, however, and the crystallised sugar topping gave them a delightful sweet crunchiness. All things considered, however, this was no topscone.

There is no point in giving you contact details for this place because there aren’t any. Unless we were involved in some sort of Brigadoon experience, all we can say is that it was there. It wasn’t just a figment of our over active imaginations. However it may not be there tomorrow or next week so if you fancy a really crumbly but delicious scone you had maybe better get your skates on.

Fashion

Talking of ethereal things like Brigadoon, we were saddened by the news that Karl Lagerfeld has died. Unlikely as it may seem, our family is steeped in the fashion industry. Brands like Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo owe much to our family. Okay, maybe not that much but definitely a bit! Fashion, frivolous and transient as it may be, adds much to our lives and Lagerfeld, somehow, symbolised it perfectly. After all. few would like to be uniformly dressed by Chairman Mao, extinguishing all sense of individuality. Lagerfeld epitomised the frippery of fashion but also had wise words. He once said. “When people talk about the good old days, I say to people, ‘It’s not the days that are old, it’s you that’s old.’ I hate the good old days. What is important is that today is good.”  Perhaps he should have been running the country instead of Chanel.

Anyway, the Courtyard Coffee House was there … honest!

V&A Dundee Living Room

Recently, much has been written in praise of the new V&A Dundee museum of design on the city’s waterfront. Of course, the pictures of the building always look spectacular.

External view of the V&A Dundee Design Museum
the V&A with Captain Scott’s ship, Discovery on the right

Our visit was mainly driven. however, by the fact that we had driven past the building before it was opened in September and were curious to see what wonders could be contained within such an striking building. Of course, there was always the possibility that amongst these wonders a scone or two might linger. External view of the V&A Dundee Design MuseumSo it was with much anticipation that we drove north on an overcast but very mild day. It has to be said that it’s a major achievement for all involved that this £80m venture has been financed and brought to fruition. A large part of the funding came from the National Lottery. What did the government do before they facilitated gambling on an industrial scale? Without the Lottery Fund and the EU we don’t think anything would have been built in the UK in the past twenty years.

Pots of marmalade

The approach to the building, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma inspired apparently by cliffs in Orkney, is impressive as is the space into which you enter. It’s vast. Internal view of the V&A Dundee Design MuseumWe wandered round all the exhibits with a growing sense of bemusement. There did not seem to be a defined storyline or any sense of continuity. Just a series of individual and not necessarily connected exhibits e.g. pots of marmalade and engine designs for the Queen Mary ocean liner.

Internal view of the V&A Dundee Design Museum
One of the style rooms

 

There was, however, a Scottish theme – the Beano comic, Alexander McQueen fashionista and the story of tartan but all a bit disjointed. This is one of Scotland’s newest cultural centres but, at the end of the day, we just didn’t ‘get it’. We felt confused by the use of space and uninspired by many of the exhibits. The reconstruction of Charles Rennie Macintosh’s Ingram Street tearoom was one of many exceptions however. Rescued after it was demolished in 1907 and kept in storage ever since, it’s fantastic that it has found a new life here at the V&A … no scones though.

Scone exhibits

Overall though it seemed, to us, like a triumph of academia over common sense. However you always new  that we were cultural philistines anyway so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. One thing they did get right … all the scone exhibits were in the café area known as The Living Room. Internal view of the V&A Dundee Design Museum

Even this café had been ‘designed’ to within an inch of it’s life and was also a bit weird e.g. our name was painstakingly written on our paper cups for collection at the cash desk but we still managed to be given “Mrs Robertson’s”? We weren’t impressed and neither was Mrs Robertson.  A scone at the V&A Dundee Design MuseumA banana and chocolate scone was the object of our desires. Another triumph of academia over common sense.

What sort of jam do you have with such a scone, or do you have jam at all. Such are our day to day dilemmas. Blackcurrant was the answer though not necessarily the right answer. Although people have been eating off round plates since the beginning of time (presumably that is the most practical shape) because this place is a temple to design, our plates were long and thin and pretty awkward to use. Yet another triumph of academia over .. we won’t go on! We were creamless and the scone itself was relatively tasteless in spite of it’s exotic contents. The whole plastic cutlery, paper cup experience was totally out of keeping with such a ‘quality’ environment. Inexplicable and headbangingly frustrating … a bit like the museum itself. External view of the V&A Dundee Design Museum

Clipping wings

As we write, America’s Plonker In Chief, is having his wings clipped. He has lost control of the House of Representatives. Not particularly great news for Trump but at least the US and the rest of the world can breathe a little more easily. Unfortunately, in Dundee, the closure of the Michelin tyre factory with the loss of 850 jobs, has just been announced. A hammer blow for the city. This sparkly new V&A will be no substitute for that loss.

DD1 4EZ         tel: 01382 411611          V&A Dundee

Useful link: things to do in Dundee

Upstairs at McEwens

Today we are at Upstairs at McEwen’s. Don’t want you all wondering if we just shop and eat scones all day with both the last post, and this one, having a shopping theme. The excuse for this one is London Fashion Week which has just finished. We know that all you fashionistas will have been hanging on every word from the likes of Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld. However, did you realise that the people responsible for maintaining fashion at respectable levels in Perthshire and beyond were McEwens of Perth. One of our favourite shops and one you should definitely not miss if you are ever in the Fair City. This is the North of Scotland’s answer to Harrods, Liberty and Harvey Nicks. A bit more random but a lot more likeable. Rather like Grace Brothers in ‘Are You Being Served’.Old advert at Upstairs at Macewens of Perth

The Modes from Paris

Although it is much bigger now with multiple shops, it has been run by the same family from the same building since 1868. In this day and age, is well worth celebrating in itself. Now, if you think that Perthshire’s fashion consists mainly of Hunter wellies and Barbour jackets you would not be too far wrong. You might not realise, however, that even back in the 1890’s the managers from this place were visiting Europe and bringing back ‘The Modes from Paris’. Then making exquisite copies in their own workshops, exclusive to McEwens. Can you imagine the excitement of the Perthshire ladies? Nowadays it must be much harder to survive modern day commercial pressures. However, survive they do and survive with some style.

part of the Boutique at Macewens of Perth
part of the Boutique

Quotes emblazoned on the walls include. “We are all born the same, but fashion makes us unique” and, ‘we are all of us stars, we deserve to twinkle“. Great stuff! Up until recently, in the Upstairs restaurant you would have been waited on by ladies in black uniforms with little white aprons and little white hats. A bit like ‘Allo! Allo!’ Sadly they have now gone but the restaurant manages to maintain an old worldly charm where an overall sense of calm and Perthshire decency prevails. A scone at Upstairs at Macewens of PerthSadly the scones were not quite what we expected. Nice enough, but with a slightly pasty texture and taste. Don’t think they were home baked so, unfortunately, no topscone award this time.

The Duchess

On previous visits we have sampled their range of breakfast bacon rolls. ‘The Duchess’ is bacon, brie and cranberry .. fab! There .. ‘bacon’ has been mentioned and now we have to try and resist further references to the Prime Minister and his penchant for pork! Can you imagine the disappointment of the Perthshire ladies? Lots of them probably keep pigs?Interior view of Upstairs at Macewens of PerthPH1 5SN        tel: 01738 623444        Upstairs at McEwens

Useful link: things to do in Perth

by Bill and Pat Paterson and is about finding good scones throughout the world, with a little bit of politics