Have I had the perfect city day today? If I was reviewing today on Amazon, it would receive a glowing and strong four out of five stars. Let me explain…
I found myself this morning in the luxurious position of being completely up to date with all my work and chores. A free day – how wonderful! I decided that it was only right not just to burble around doing ordinary things at home, but to take myself out and make the most of this opportunity.
Since leaving full time, office-bound work about a year ago, it has taken me a long time to get used to the fact that I can (mostly) organize my time how I wish, and that it is not naughtily playing truant to head out for some fun and enjoyment during the week. I am gradually finding my feet in this regard, and coming to terms with the fact that I can allow myself to do whatever I like, by organising my time to suit me.
So, with all this in mind, I set off for a late breakfast at La Barantine – one of my favourite local cafes. It is French and has the most delightful cosy atmosphere.
I took with me a couple of books to keep me company.
Ethan Frome is this month’s ModernMrsDarcy Reading Challenge book. It comes under the ‘a book you can read in a day’ category, so I decided it would be the perfect material for out-and-about reading.
Steal Like An Artist is a brilliant journal which invites you to dive in and do something creative in response to the various prompts throughout the pages.
While in La Barantine, I completed a couple of creativity ‘exercises’ and fell in love with Ethan Frome – more of this in a later post.
When I had finished, I set off walking into the centre of Edinburgh. I took this opportunity to catch up with a couple of podcasts. I am subscribed to loads of different podcasts, but there are a small number to which I regularly turn, including:
- Books on the Nightstand – a very engaging listen based about all things reading, with book reviews thrown in. I really like picking up with this from time to time – the only problem is that it generates yet more candidates for my ever-growing and never-diminishing reading lists;
- Bookclub – the podcast of the BBC 4 radio programme, where authors are invited to talk with the host and an audience about a particular book;
- World Book Club – similar to the entry above, this podcast is from the BBC World Service Programme, again where authors talk about their books – this time it is on an international basis;
- Music Matters – BBC Radio 3’s classical music review programme, with interviews, debate – oh and music of course;
- Boston Calling – another BBC World Service podcast, with insights as to how the rest of the world views and influences America;
- Happier with Gretchen Rubin – a compulsory listen, my sister and I are both addicted to this great podcast (not least because we identify with Gretchen and her sister Elizabeth, who co-present!). It is all based around Gretchen’s research into how to live a happier life.
In town, I decided to pop into the Scottish National Gallery. They currently have two small exhibitions which I wanted to see and very much enjoyed:
I also took the opportunity to catch up with the beguiling Lady Agnew who has recently returned from her travels abroad, along with the Gallery’s impressionist collection, and their Dutch art collection – two of my favourite painting genres.
Before leaving, I took the fatal but compulsory step of visiting the Gallery’s wonderful shop. I could not resist buying these two gorgeous notebooks. I have absolutely no need for notebooks – in fact I could stock that shop with my own current collection of notebooks and Hub will probably go mad when he learns that I have added a couple more, but hey, what could I do…?
Afterwards, I dropped in to the Old Waverly Hotel for a cup of earl grey tea and some more Ethan Frome. This hotel has a great lounge area, which looks out over the Scott Memorial and the Princes Street Gardens.
I had come through the gardens on my way to the Gallery – as usual they are looking splendid:
So why only 4 stars when I so obviously had a brilliant time? Well, it is certainly very nice to be able to do all of this, and I am fine in my own company. But of course the cherry on the top of everything would have been for Hub to be along with me. He was at work, earning money to allow me not to have to work full time, so I guess it is worth a dropped star overall. 🙂
What about you? What would your idea of a perfect city day be?
This is the very best kind of day to have. I love your reading choices. I have so many books on my list and am reading several at a time, depending upon what I’m doing. For example, I’m reading “Lady in Gold” when I walk with my iPod and a biography of Chanel and on my iPad when I’m at coffee and then listening to The Book of Five Rings on my desktop when I’m editing my photos. There is never enough time for all the books…but technology has increase our ability to connect with books. Have a wonderful day. I am there with you “in spirit”!!
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I often take my reading inspiration from you – I love the choices you make too! Yes, it is wonderful to have such an array of reading opportunities, whether in print or audio format – we truly live in inspiring times! And I very much look forward to the time when you will be enjoying Edinburgh in person with me 🙂 xxx
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This sounds like a wonderful city day to me, I would join you bring my own book and we read in harmony with some tea and cake. Sounds totally like bliss. Peaceful, beautiful and calm!
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What a lovely thought, Ute. I really hope we can do that some day 😀❤️
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What I especially love about this is that you can do all these things by walking around. Edinburgh is a very human-sized city!
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Indeed it is & so nice to be able to make the most of it 😀
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I think my perfect city day is just like the one you had. Galleries to visit, frequent stops for refreshments, time to admire my surroundings, a book or two to amuse me and nice weather! I love your slide show!
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Thanks Clare – we are clearly very much in tune with each other! 😀
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😀
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What a day! It all sounds perfect and the trip to the museum would top it off for me. I think John Singer Sargent might be my favorite painter so seeing Lady Agnew gave me a thrill, too. And I had the chance to see, in person, the image on one of your journals–the Great Wave by Hokusai–last year, too. Wish I could’ve been with you for this day!
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How marvellous it must have been to see the Hokusai in the flesh as it were – that will stay with you forever, I am sure. And yes, JSS is one of my favourite artists too (among many!). Lady Agnew is so wonderful. Perhaps we will one day get a chance to experience this kind of adventure together – you never know! 🙂
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I would give it 5 stars just on the basis of seeing Lady Agnew! So glad you can have these wonderful days.
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Fair enough! I guess I am spoilt by having regular access to her 🙂
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She has a starring role on my desktop some days. 🙂
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Perfect!
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I’m popping down to Edinburgh from Aberdeenshire for a day and night in a couple of weeks, and had been hoping to find time visit the gallery. Now you’ve given the gift shop a good review I will absolutely get there, museum gift shops always have the nicest stationery!
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Hi Lucy – yes the shop is fabulous, as is often the case in galleries & museums, as you say. I hope you manage to find time to visit the gallery – it is packed full of gems, and has a great cafe too – bonus! Not exactly sure when you will be visiting, but their main summer exhibition, which looks stunning, starts on the 25th June – see https://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/on-now-coming-soon/inspiring-impressionism/
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It all sounds delightful! A full day – but not too rushed. And I appreciate the book recommendations!
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Thanks Amy – great to have your comments! 😀
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That is an awesome day, so varied and with books involved its brilliant. Sometimes I get lonely on my solitary jaunts but then I realise that I would hanker for my own company were somebody with me probably. That book wth the waves on looks familiar, can’t place it but I have seen it somewhere before.
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I consider myself very lucky to be able to spend my time like this – and find it important to remind myself that it is ok to do so. Being in one’s own company is rather luxurious, isn’t it. The picture on that notebook, by the way, is Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave’, and in case you are interested, the picture on the other notebook is ‘Blossoming Almond Tree’ by Van Gogh
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Ah, it is good to be informed, I think I have seen The Great Wave on something in The Works which used to be a decent bookshop but has gone shockingly downhill in the last few years.
I think everybody would benefit for a little time by themselves, it’s nice to just wander and have a think and a sit and a nap if one is feeling really adventurous.
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I am all for napping, and there is plenty of science to back up the benefits of spending time asleep in various ways. And spending time in silence, away from screens is extremely health-giving and life-affirming too.
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