Tag Archives: Omicron variant

Cafe Circa revisited

It’s almost six years since we last reported from Cafe Circa. Have we really been doing this for that long?? Definitely confirms our state of mind?Logo of the Scottish Antiques & Arts Centre, Doune

Doune is not far from home so sometimes, if we have a few hours to spare, we come here to the Scottish Antiques & Arts Centre. It’s full of totally random stuff. This is definitely the place to come, to buy things you didn’t know you needed or even wanted. Today, for instance, we bought two coffee cans (one missing a saucer), a Venetian masquerade mask (don’t ask) and an 1893 book “The Tillyloss Scandal”. No idea what the book’s about but it sounds interesting. We’ll let you know!

Obviously, we don’t visit the cafe every time we are here. In the interests of expanding your sconological knowledge  we would normally try and go somewhere else in the vicinity. At this time of year, however, the days are short and it was already starting to get dark as we entered. And, after six years, it needed to be re-reviewed anyway!

Internal view of Cafe Circa in Doune

Nice and cosy in here though. It still occupies the same footprint it did six years ago but the decor has changed considerably! Instead of the usual COVID perspex space dividers they have voiles of thin translucent fabric that create quite a pleasing effect.
Internal view of Cafe Circa in Doune

Recycling

A scone at Cafe Circa in DouneThere were many things we liked about the Cafe Circa scones. The service was great and the presentation with little pots of jam, cream and butter was excellent. We will never know why more restaurants don’t do this! The glass pots (probably recycled from the Tiptree jam you get everywhere) can just be washed out and refilled. A little extra work perhaps but much better for the planet. Unfortunately, the scones themselves (£3.50), although very good, didn’t quite make it as topscones … pity.

Cafe Circa, like everywhere else at this time of year, has their Christmas tree up and the place bedecked in an attempt to engender festive cheer. It’s usually full of people like us trying to figure out why they bought the stuff they’ve acquired a few minutes earlier. Elsewhere, however, Christmas cheer is in short supply. Omicron is on the rampage and has thrown Christmas into doubt yet again. England, at last, has followed the more sensible countries of the UK and reintroduced face masks, social distancing and may even go as far as vaccine pasports. Downing Street frowns on Christmas parties though they see to be okay with it all as long as they are termed “gatherings” or “business meetings”. Look out for mistletoe at future business meetings!!

FK16 6HG       tel: 01786 841683      Cafe Circa FB

///anthems.ourselves.ordering

Rousay’s Cafe

Today we are at Torwood Garden Centre just a couple of miles from home. Doggy afternoon tea at Rousay's CafeThey have a huge Blossoms Restaurant which we have visited several times. We hadn’t realised though that Blossoms had a separate dog coffee shop called Rousay’s Cafe. Rousay was the owner’s border terrier. You can get ‘pupcakes’. and even an afternoon tea. All made with dog friendly ingredients.

Now we would normally steer well clear of anywhere there are lots of dogs but on this occasion we could only see one. And it looked quite friendly. They also had scones so in the interests of diversity, inclusion and all that sort of stuff, we thought you might like us to review a dog cafe. Woof, our dedication knows no bounds!External view of Rousay's Cafe

Confusion

There was no afternoon tea on offer for mere humans so a sandwich for lunch followed by a scone was the order. The two lovely ladies behind the counter were desperately trying to operate in a space designed for one. There was much confusion … especially at the till. Eventually we got our sandwiches and they said they would bring our tea and coffee to the table. They did, but not until we were finished our lunch. No idea what was going on but neither, of course, did they. We wondered if we had sat up and begged with our tongues out would it have come quicker? It did arrive in time for our scone, however, so all was not lost. We were the only customers left by then, goodness knows what happens when they get busy.Internal view of Rousay's Cafe

Happy pooches

Our scone was surprising good. Not the crunchy exterior we normally like. It was sort of soft all over but rather pleasant nevertheless. It came with little pots of jam and cream. No topscone here. However, we know how daft people can get about their dogs so we’re sure they’ll really appreciate this place and will happily overlook deficiencies as long as their pooch is happy. Not for us though.

Internal view of Rousay's Cafe
Is this sort of place supposed to fill you with joy?
Disinvited

What is it with Boris? Just as we were pledging to stop carping on about him (it had become too easy) he goes and does it again! Defending the indefensible in his own party, loosing the place in a speech to the CBI and jabbering on about Peppa Pig World. Then getting the British delegation disinvited from the EU emergency talks on stopping immigrants crossing the Channel. Mind you, last year more people left the UK than came in so shortly we might be advertising for immigrants! Now he is belatedly introducing face masks again in England because of the the new Omicron variant … but not in hospitality? C’mon Boris, give us a break! There are plenty others we would like to criticise but you keep hogging all the really ludicrous stuff for yourself!

FK5 4EG         tel: 01324 553152         Rousay’s

///unstated.solving.roofs