10 THINGS TO SEE AT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

It's been a pretty intense year working in festivals and events. We started talking about what the 2021 Edinburgh International Film Festival might look like way back in Autumn 2020, when we were just about to go into another lockdown, no one was vaccinated, and the idea of organising anything where people gathered (!) indoors (!) just felt pretty impossible.

But, bit by bit, we started to plan and think about what the Film Festival could look like if we brought it back to basics (one indoor venue, one outdoor venue, a whole lot of great films), focusing on a simple model which celebrated the return of cinema, and kept things as safe as possible.

And we did it! The 74th Edinburgh International Film Festival launched its programme last week and (yes, I am totally biased), it is great! This year's Festival runs 18-25 August, and is a hybrid event of in-person and digital screenings, with 31 premiere feature films and 73 shorts, and 50% of the new films are directed or co-directed by women! We've even managed to sneak in a couple of very fancy galas at Festival Theatre too!

It's also going to be my last Film Festival, as I'm off somewhere new in September (but we'll chat about that later).

So, here's my top 10 picks! Tickets are moving pretty quickly with a few things already sold out, so if anything catches your eye, I'd recommend booking as soon as you can.

1. Pig This year EIFF's opening with the new Nicolas Cage film, where he stars as a reclusive truffle hunter whose beloved truffle-finding pig goes missing. Nicolas Cage is meant to be incredible in this, as he goes on a journey to track down the pignappers. It'll be screening in the very fancy Festival Theatre!

2. Everybody's Talking About Jamie A special preview of the movie based on the West End musical, based on the documentary following the real life story of Jamie - a teenager who overcomes prejudices to fulfil his ambition to become a fierce and fearless drag queen. Such a feel-good film, great songs, and actual real-life Jamie will be there, so I think it's going to be a really special event.

3. Film Fest in the City EIFF's outdoor screenings are back, and this time they are running for seven days from 19-25 August in St Andrew Square. A few films are sold out already, but there's loads on including the original Star Wars trilogy, Clueless, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show! Plus it's all free!

4. Prince of Muck A beautiful documentary about the Laird of the Isle of Muck - Scotland's smallest inhabited island! The location is incredible, and it's just such a moving reflection on heritage, tradition, family, and getting older. The director will be in town for an in-person Q&A too! 

5. EIFF Youth I'm a big fan of our EIFF Youth programme, which is all about inspiring and helping young people get into film and the film industry! This year the programme is a mix of screenings, watch-parties and online events, helping you get into film and tv, film journalism, and much more! (plus, as it's online, it's open to anyone - whether you're officially a youth or not!). The schedule can be seen here and online events will be on EIFF's Youtube channel.

6. Annette Straight out of opening Cannes, who doesn't want to watch Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard in a sexy, edgy rock opera? 

7. Mad God During the planning process for EIFF, I felt very smug that I was filmy enough to recognise the name of director Phil Tippett, until I realised I recognised him from the Jurassic Park meme. He's a ground-breaking Oscar and Emmy-winning visual effects director and supervisor who has worked on incredible things - Jurassic Park! Star Wars! Indiana Jones! Robocop! - and he's worked on this film for 30 years. 

8. The Night House I love a creepy psychological thriller, and this looks great. Rebecca Hall stars as Beth, a woman living alone in an idyllic and isolated lakeside house, reeling from the unexpected death of her husband. Things get spooky, she starts looking into his past, it turns out things are not how they seemed to be! 

9. Fathom Another beautiful documentary, this time about the study of humpback whales: their song, their culture and how they communicate (did you know that the systems that process emotions are more complex in whale brains, than in humans? That they are one of the oldest cultures in the world? That they carry songs around the world? Ahhh, I love it!). This screening will be accompanied by a discussion with Dr Ellen Garland from the film.

10. EIFF Fan Club Finally, we've got one last surprise in store! The programme will be announced just before EIFF starts on 18 August, but the EIFF Fan Club will be pairing some very cool Scottish cultural folk with some of their favourite film stars. A new Fan Club event will be available every day of the festival on Youtube. 

In-person events? Who would have thought it! See you there!

10 THINGS TO DO AT EDINBURGH SCIENCE FESTIVAL

 Can you believe that we are actually allowed to go to things again? Since my last slightly-nervous-about-everything post, I'm starting to feel a bit more relaxed about the return to normal life. I'm still being pretty cautious, but the idea of doing things with other people isn't the big stress it was for a while.

So on that note, it's very exciting that this year's Science Festival is just around the corner! This year's Festival (running 26 June - 11 July) is themed around how science connects us - from how we've relied on technology to keep us connected in the last year, to the scientific breakthroughs that have guided us through the pandemic, and how we're all connected to Planet Earth and the wider Universe. 

This year's Festival boasts 160 online events and experiences (so many) for people of all ages, but they've also got a fun programme of live experiences with outdoor events, walks, exhibitions and installations. This year loads of their events are free too! 

There's a lot to choose from, so here's my top picks from this year's Festival.

1. The Dead Interesting Tour Take a journey back in time to Warriston Cemetery and hear the tales of its fascinating tenants and the trails they blazed during their time on earth. This is hosted by science storyteller (and my pal!) Sian - I can confirm she is wise and funny, and definitely worth following around a graveyard.

2. Women in STEM street art trail I am ready to get out of the house and this art trail encourages you to go explore the city, discovering 9 remarkable women who have made amazing achievements in science, technology, engineering and maths. 

3. Elemental This event promises a magical, multi-sensory journey through an intriguing, immersive digital world where magic meets alchemy and alchemy meets science. I don't really know what that means, but it sounds fun and it's free!

4. SciMart A Science Festival favourite, SciMart is a farmers market with a scientific twist! This year it's hosted in Edinburgh's beautiful Royal Botanic Garden, and will be packed with local producers, artisans and scientists who'll reveal fascinating facts about food. 

5. Ask the Experts at Edinburgh Zoo Imagine working at the Zoo and getting to hang out with penguins, lions and zebras all day! At this event you can find out what it's really like behind the scenes and ask whatever you'd like (for starters, I'd ask - do the penguins like doing their little parade? Do you think any animal has wanted to eat you? Do animals secretly ever escape?).

6. Glitter Bar: A Makeover Takeover! Promising to teach you how to sparkle without shame, this event sounds ace! Hosted by Dr Nicole Seymour, a queer ecology scholar, and Mystika Glamoor, the high priestess of Edinburgh drag (what a title!), this event showcases biodegradable alternatives to microplastic cosmetic glitter. You'll get glitter and glues to try on at home - this ain't your usual Zoom call.

7.  Botanicals - The Heart of Gin Imagine the scene: it's a balmy summer evening, you're walking through a beautiful Botanic Garden with a Botanist who's showing you a unique blend of botanicals that have been combined to make a lovely gin. You then get to drink that gin and learn cool facts from Edinburgh Gin's Head Distiller, followed by a private viewing of an art exhibition. Culture is baaaack, and I bet it tastes amazing. You can do all of that at this exclusive gin tasting! 

8. Spacewomen I always scout the SciFest programme for space (and dinosaurs), so I'm pleased to see this online talk, taking place 60 years after the first woman was launched into orbit. This panel of cool space women talk about their experiences and hopes for the future as we enter an exciting new space age.

9. Cheeseology at Home It's fair to say that the Science Festival loves cheese, but don't we all. If you're not quite ready to hang out in public spaces with strangers (fair), elevate your at-home entertainment with an evening of cheese facts and a special cheese tasting (I.J. Mellis are producing a special SciFest cheese box so you can eat-a-long as you learn). 

10. The European Stone Stacking Championships If you fancy a day trip, you can head out to sunny Dunbar and watch some champion stone stackers! Stone stacking takes materials found in nature and works with Earth's gravity to create sculptural towers, archways and over awe-inspiring structures from rocks and stones. You'll see some cool things, and can have a go yourself!

This year's Edinburgh Science Festival runs Saturday 26 June - Sunday 11 July, and you can browse their full programme here.

10 THINGS TO SEE AT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Exciting times! The 73rd Edinburgh International Film Festival programme has just launched and it is packed full of amazing movies, special events, super cool guests, and fun things for film fans (full disclosure: I am totally biased, I work there, but it is great!). It's somehow my fourth (!) Film Festival, and I still kind of feel like I'm making it up as I go along, but I'm very proud of what we've got planned this year.

This year's Festival runs 19th - 30th June (with some special events and previews running 14th - 16th June too!). This year we've got 121 film premieres, including 18 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, 8 European Premieres, and 72 UK Premieres from 42 countries, not to mention a packed retrospective programme, and a whole heap of special events.

Obviously it's all great, but if you're not quite sure where to start, I've picked out 10 things to see in the Festival programme. Enjoy!

1. Film Fest in the City with Edinburgh Live
EIFF kickstarts the Festival with Film Fest in the City - a free weekend of films in St Andrew Square Garden from Friday 14th - Sunday 16th June. This year we've got films including Mamma Mia 2 and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (some of my favourite films from 2018!), Black Panther, The Greatest Showman, Bohemian Rhapsody and more! Start praying for sunshine now...

2. Boyz in the Wood The Festival opens with the European Premiere of Boyz in the Wood, a Scottish comedy-horror set in the Highlands. Four teenagers are let loose in the countryside, only to get into all sorts of mishap as they lose their map, discover hallucinogens, and get hunted by Eddie Izzard (playing a very posh farmer).

3. The Dead Don't Die Fresh out of opening Cannes, this is a zombie-comedy with a killer cast. Three police offers (Bill Murray, Adam Driver and Chloe Sevigny) and a samurai-sword-wielding mortician (Tilda Swinton) have to battle a zombie horde when the dead start to rise from their graves.

4. CineCuisine Food and film go hand in hand, and this year EIFF is presenting its first strand of culinary cinema. There's documentaries exploring whisky, olive oil, and Scotland's ace produce, and special events including Food for Thought - a night of Scottish tales and tastings (and spoiler - this event is a steal at £5!).

5. EIFF Youth Man, I wish they had stuff like this when I was a teenager! EIFF Youth is our ace programme of events, workshops and screenings for 15-25 year olds, for people who are interested in finding out more about the film industry, or are just cine-curious! There's acting and audition workshops, a talk with Game of Thrones and Outlander's costume designer, and workshops on screen combat, screenwriting, SFX make up, sound effects and more! Plus, it only costs £5 for a EIFF Youth pass which gets you entry to all events for free!

6. Bludgeon You can always count on EIFF for a great documentary! I am excited for Bludgeon, a film following a group of medieval re-enactment enthusiasts from small-town New Zealand, who are trying to make it to an international competition in Europe.

7. In Person: Jack Lowden Scottish actor Jack Lowden is a bit of an EIFF favourite, and this year he's here to chat about his career - from starting out in Scottish Youth Theatre, then getting roles in War & Peace, Dunkirk, EIFF award-winner Calibre, and Mary Queen of Scots.

8. The Littlest Big Farm This just looks so DELIGHTFUL! This documentary follows a Los Angeles couple who give up city life, buy a farm, and follow their dream of growing every ingredient they might want to cook with.

9. The Wind I've said before, but I'm a sucker for a creepy sci-fi tale. This feminist western follows Lizzy, a tough, resourceful frontierswoman in the remote American frontier. Isolated from civilisation in a wilderness where the wind never stops howling, she begins to sense a sinister presence that seems to belong to the land itself... (aaaah!).

10. Cage-a-rama Scotland's first Nicolas Cage film festival, Cage-a-rama takes over EIFF for a special Nicholas Cage 3D extravaganza! What more could you possibly want on a Saturday night?!

Tickets for Edinburgh International Film Festival are on sale now, and you can view the whole programme here.

10 THINGS TO SEE AT EDINBURGH SCIENCE FESTIVAL

Somehow it's that time of year again! The wonderful Edinburgh Science Festival have launched their 2019 programme, which takes place from Saturday 6th - Sunday 21st April, Sci Fest's 31st edition!

Taking inspiration from the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings, this year's programme explores the theme of Frontiers, pushing the boundaries of what we think we know, and stepping into new territories (including loads of cool space things, obviously).

As always, the Science Festival has something for everyone (even you, person who thinks science is boring!). This year they've got 270 events on offer at 31 venues across Edinburgh (including their shiny new Festival Hub, the Pleasance), with loads of funny, creative, hands-on events for adults, as well as millions of things for kids. Fancy drinking gin while getting told cool gin facts? Or discussing if Jurassic Park could actually happen? Or getting the secrets behind the Moon landing? Of course you do.

There's loads to choose from, but I've picked out my top picks from this year's programme.

1. Life on Mars Grab your pals and join this pub quiz, board game and sci-fi mashup to build a new life on Mars.

2. The Science of the Sesh An evening of delicious drinks, boozy experiments and cocktail history. You'll discover what factors and senses affect how we taste, how to make amazing cocktails at home, and get to sip on some great Scottish spirits as you learn. Win win!

3. Secrets of Seafood Sci Fest are well-known for their great food events, and this looks no exception. This event promises some surprising science as you try out Scottish seafood, discover what other edible treats the sea offers, and debate how we make sure our stocks are sustainable.

4. Fake Moon Landings and Other Persistent Conspiracies Conspiracy theory experts (what a cool job) Prof Knight and Prof Sutton chat conspiracies, how they take root, and why people believe them. Lizard people! The Moon landings! Fake news?

5. Where the Hell is My Hoverboard? It's 2019 and we don't have flying cars yet! This panel, featuring a robotics researcher, future tech enthusiast and engineering researcher, look at where technology is at, and what we have to achieve before we can live our sci-fi dreams. There will also be the chance to taste 3D printed food!

6. Bring Back the Dodo Did someone say Jurassic Park?! Zoologist Jules Howard chats to the director of the Frozen Ark project, exploring what extinct creatures could be brought back and how. Guys remember, just because we can, does that mean we should...?

7. Thinking Through Animals Over the last century, cognition research has revealed a variety of advanced mental abilities in animals. Experts in philosophy, genetics and anthropology discuss what this means and how it links to human self-understanding.

8. The Science Behind Humanity's Dark Side Fellow murder-podcast-obsessives unite, this is one for us! Learn about the intricacies of criminal psychologists, how similar your brain is to a psychopath's, how many people think about murder, and why we do evil.

9. The Science of Egyptian Mummification: A No-Brainer? I've been studying Ancient Egypt in evening classes this year, so hi, yes, I am very excited for this! Discover the latest ground-breaking research on how the ancient Egyptians dealt with death (and to warm up, pop into the National Museum of Scotland's brand new Egyptian collection, which is meant to be amazing).

10. An Evening with the Moon Science writer Philip Ball, cultural astronomer Daniel Brown, and very funny person Susan Morrison host a whimsical evening of laid-back lunar activities and celestial cocktails, all under the glow of a lunar landscape. Sounds dreamy.

This year's Edinburgh Science Festival runs 6th - 21st April, and you can browse their full programme here.

A LOCAL'S GUIDE TO EDINBURGH

Gifted post: Spending money was gifted by Hotels.com but all views are my own.  

Edinburgh Scratched map - Fruitmarket Gallery shop

I'm pretty lucky to live in Edinburgh, a city that is frequently lauded for being such an all-rounder of culture, history and good times (in 2018 Auld Reekie was voted the best city to visit in the UK for the fifth time running AND named the best city in the world to live in! Go Edinburgh). It's a city famous for its festivals, and there's an abundance of interesting spaces, places, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and hotels in Edinburgh to choose from. Phew!

But like any local, I can get a bit lazy about actually making an effort to get out and explore my city! So it was much appreciated to get a prompt challenging me to go on a day out and find Edinburgh's best spots and hidden gems. 

Buff Nails | Bada Budan

I started off my day by heading to the Arches at New Waverley - a super cute street of renovated Victorian arches, that's tucked away just between Waverley Railway Station and the Royal Mile (a perfect antidote to the tartan shops that crowd the Old Town). It's packed with independent businesses and hipster delights to eat, drink and shop.

I headed to my favourite nail salon, the Scandi-inspired Buff Nails for a shellac manicure, opting for a grey/neon yellow fade which felt fairly appropriate for the is-it-winter/is-it-spring weather we've got going on. I couldn't recommend Buff more - they do classic manicures alongside cool, custom nail art, and it's such a nice way to treat yourself!

After Buff, I wandered along to independent doughnut and coffee shop, Bada Budan. They offer an ace looking brunch menu, but I couldn't resist going for a salted caramel chocolate doughnut (playing tourist is a good excuse to eat doughnuts for lunch, right?). It's a really cute little coffee shop - I cosied in with my book for a while, but they also have a nice outdoor spot, perfect for sunnier days.

Other ideas to treat yourself: the Lush Spa, One Spa (they have a rooftop pool!)

More amazing coffee shops: Artisan Roast (Broughton St), Lovecrumbs (Grassmarket), Brew Lab (South College St), Wellington (George St).

Creative Connections - Fruitmarket Gallery

Next up, it was time for some culture! I have been dying to go see the National Museum of Scotland's new Egyptian exhibit, but I probably don't need to tell you to go there - the Museum is the most visited attraction in Scotland (but it is amazing, and you should absolutely go).

Instead I popped into Edinburgh's Fruitmarket Gallery - a contemporary art gallery based right next to the train station, to look at their current exhibition, Creative Connections, a programme showcasing the work of groups working with diverse communities from across the city. I'm a sucker for bold, bright installations, so loved this piece by Scottish artist Juliana Capes.

The Fruitmarket Gallery also houses a cute cafe and an excellent book and gift shop!

Calton Hill

It's fair to say Edinburgh doesn't always have the greatest weather, but I was lucky today as the sun was shining as I made my way up Calton Hill - the home of the Nelson Monument, the City Observatory, Edinburgh's half-finished acropolis (aka Edinburgh's disgrace!) and the very best views in the city.

I was headed that way to check out the newly-opened Collective Gallery (who moved to their new home on Calton Hill at the end of last year), but was completely distracted by the view. I've lived in this city for years, and even though I've been up here many times, I realised I've actually never walked up on a clear day (instead it's been a destination for firework-watching or Beltane-partying - all fun, but not quite the same!). It's only a 10 minute walk from Princes St, and it's just incredible. You can see Edinburgh's Old and New Towns, the Castle, Arthur's Seat, the Palace at Holyroodhouse, down to Leith and over the Forth to Fife. If you're visiting Edinburgh, it's worth doing this on day one to take in the whole city and get your bearings.

The Gallery was also good though! They have restored the City Observatory, creating a new space for people to engage and think about contemporary art. They also have an amazing gift shop (I'm such a sucker for nice art gifts). 

Want more suggestions? Edinburgh's packed with amazing cultural spots. Watch arthouse films at Filmhouse Cinema, explore the beautiful National Gallery of Modern Art and its amazing grounds, venture out to Jupiter Artland, or discover Edinburgh's creepy medical history at Surgeon's Hall. 

Aurora

One of Edinburgh's best neighbourhoods is Leith, a historic port district that houses creatives and colourful characters, ace bars and cafes and quirky shops. In recent years, loads of amazing restaurants have popped up, as Leith develops a reputation for being home to some of the best restaurants in the city. It also houses me, so yeah, you could say I'm biased, but it is a brilliant place to live and I love it so.

Nestled on the otherwise-uninspiring Great Junction Street, is Aurora, a tiny restaurant that's been getting rave reviews on trip advisor. Aurora aims to create delicious and genuine food with great respect for the ingredients they use, using locally sourced, seasonal and unprocessed produce.

I'd guessed this was going to be good, but holy moly. The menu is made up of smallish-plates so you can try many things - we had the braised pork cheeks with langoustine bisque and scampi, wild mushrooms with smoked almonds and confit yolk (this was so good, take me back), pan fried sea trout with lobster cappelletti, pigeon breast with pear, and honey pannacotta to finish. It was a delight and all very reasonably priced (between £8-12 a dish), given how beautifully prepared and delicious it all was! 

If you're travelling to Aurora, make sure you make a booking in advance. It'll take about 10 minutes to travel there in a taxi from the city centre.

Other places to eat: Finn & Bear (the Shore), Bell's Diner (Stockbridge), Mother India's Cafe (Infirmary St), Chop House (Leith, Market St, Bruntsfield).

WHAT TO SEE AT THE FESTIVAL OF PHYSICS

I'm a fan of all things clever and curious, so it's safe to say that I'm looking forward to the Festival of Physics - a celebration of the wonder of science, the power of curiosity and the inventions and discoveries that shape our world and our future.

From Friday 26th - Sunday 28th October, the Institute of Physics have a packed three-day programme of scintillating science shows, hands-on workshops and inspiring experiences, plus creative conversations from the domains of music, theatre and art alongside talks and lectures for all ages.

Taking place (with one exception!) at Edinburgh's Dynamic Earth, the majority of the programme is free of charge, making it super easy for everyone to explore the universe, learn something new, and take a chance on some science fun.

There's loads of events on for people of all ages, but here's the stuff that's caught my eye:

Astronomy on Tap
I like space, I like pub quizzes, and I like having my mind blown by cool science facts, so this sounds great. This night has three local scientists doing informative and exciting short talks, with fun pub quizzes and space-themed goodies up for grabs.
Saturday 27th October, 9pm

Space & Time
Ever wondered what the heck space-time is? Astronomers from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh chat about the fundamental components of the universe and how scientists use them to uncover its secrets.You'll find out about how they are creating new technology to look at ancient galaxies, and track changes in space-time. Space secrets!
Sunday 28th October, all-day drop-in activity

Cooking with Science: A Culinary Arts workshop
Ever wondered why store-bought ice-cream can stay out of the fridge for longer than home-made one? Looking at this, and all sorts of innovative fancy cooking things made possible by science, this interactive workshops dives into the culinary arts and shows you how to make bubble tea, as well as lots of other delicious demos.
Saturday 27th (2pm) and Sunday 28th October (3pm)
Buy tickets (£3) here

Photography at the Speed of Light
Get an ultrafast portrait taken using a camera with frame rates so high they can see light move at 300 million meters per second! This super-cool technology shows you the physical effects when you're hit by a pulse of light, and is going to be used for all sorts of interesting things in the future, like driverless cars.
Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th October, all-day drop-in activity

Physics Wizardry: Potions Class
Yeah, yeah, I know this is definitely an event aimed at kids, but I want to learn how to make magical potions! With the power of physics, this workshop shows you how to make spectacular potions with unexpected effects, learning how to turn some boring liquids into some much more impressive, intriguing and beautiful substances.
Saturday 27th (12noon) and Sunday 28th October (3.30pm)

Prof Fay Dowker: Past, Present and Future: The Science of Time
Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London, Prof Fay Dowker knows a thing or two about time. This (free!) talk explores the history and future of time from Newtonian-model physics to quantum gravity, and the fascinating possibilities emerging from the world of cutting-edge theoretical physics.
Saturday 27th, 7pm

Modern Times 
Science comedian Helen Keen presents a very special screening of Chaplin's 1936 classic comedy Modern Times, followed by a discussion and Q&A (with lols) inspired by time - how we conceptualise and measure it, the relationships between human, industrial and deep time, and what the future holds for our understanding of space-time.
Saturday 27th, 5.45pm, Filmhouse
Book tickets (£10) here

View the full Festival of Physics programme here.

LIFE LATELY

If there's anything that years of blogging has taught me, it's that I am completely incapable of juggling fun hobby deadlines (i.e. weekly blogs) with actual serious work deadlines. I had felt like I had done a pretty good job of resurrecting this blog, but then film fest life took over, I had loads of deadlines, then we had to deliver the actual thing, then I went on holiday, crashed, holidayed again, and here I am!

I reckon I just need to get comfortable with the fact that this is how I handle my work-life balance. I'm always going to be a sporadic blogger when real-life amps up, and I think that's okay. So rather than make a big fuss about returning to blogging (again), I thought I'd catch you up on my summer!

Here's what I got up to:

We ran a film festival!

It was my third Edinburgh International Film Festival, which took place in June this year, with over 500 screenings, absolutely loads of filmmakers in town, 20 venues across Edinburgh, and 1 slightly disruptive heatwave. I'm the Festival's Head of Development, which means my team & I bring in and look after all of our funders, sponsors, partners, donors, and anyone else kind enough to want to donate to us, or cool enough to want to be part of the action (and why wouldn't you? Support your local festival!).

The most common question you get working in festivals is 'so what do you do the rest of the year?', as if the whole thing pops up overnight, and then is packed away. We were working on EIFF 2021 (ahh!) before we delivered this year's EIFF, so it is a bit of a never-ending task, but it's fair to say that it properly ramps up a few months before it takes place, and completely takes over your life.

Despite the stress/lack of weekends/general dehydration, I love festival life. I'm so lucky to have wonderful festival pals, and this year I got to see loads of amazing films, meet really interesting people, attend fascinating events (how Pixar design costumes! So cool), and the very best part of my job - reading the nice comments from our audiences each year (always guaranteed to make me a bit teary). I am quite glad there's a while before the next one though.


I went camping!

I'm a total camping convert these days, and for the last few years have ventured up north to the Highlands for a week of wild camping. This year we went the furthest we have ever gone, and drove up to Loch Assynt, a beautiful loch with a ruined castle on its banks and the legend of a mermaid in its waters, about 5-6 hours drive from Edinburgh.

There's a wee road that goes around the loch, but we squirrelled ourselves out of sight by its banks, and it was the most perfect week. I read loads of books (including the perfect book to read while camping), we ate amazing campfire food and drank wine out of boxes, we paddled to the loch's tiny islands in seek of firewood, and spent days just soaking in the quiet air and beautiful views. It's trips like this that make me want to up sticks and move somewhere very quiet and a bit tucked away from the world, I didn't want it to end.


It was the Edinburgh Festivals!

A bit of a change of pace, but as always, August in Edinburgh means Festival time! I think this was possibly my least enthusiastic year - I was still feeling a bit zoned out after film fest when tickets went on sale, which meant I missed out on a few things, and I didn't quite have the energy to try and navigate the 1000s of events that were on (although I was happy to sample the 1000s of festival bars that popped up).

Edinburgh International Festival stole the show with their opening event, Five Telegrams - a super cool and very beautiful event inspired by telegrams sent during the first world war - with digital artwork projected onto Edinburgh's Usher Hall, live choirs, and a moving orchestral score. They keep setting the bar higher for their opening events each year - I can't wait to see what they do next.

I went to Croatia!

And finally, I'm just back from a trip to Croatia... which will be the third time I've gone on holiday to a Croatian island, as I just love it there so much!

This time we went to Brač and stayed in this amazing, quirky cottage which was also a total bargain (thanks Airbnb!). The weather was beautiful, even hotter than I had expected for this time of year, so we spent a week exploring the island, reading books (in that hammock!), eating seafood, and just switching off from the nonsense of the everyday world. Can I go back?

10 THINGS TO DO AT THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL

If you've read this blog for a while, you'll know I'm a big fan of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, who have just announced their 2018 programme - marking 30 years of EISF (and 2 years since I left the sci fest tribe!).

Themed this year around Life, the Universe and Everything (with a nice nod to Douglas Adams), the Festival will transform the city into a celebration of science and technology with talks, experiments, exhibitions, parties, activities and events to entertain and educate all ages. This year they're looking at where we've come from, where we're going, and how science is going to save the world, and as usual the programme is packed full of fun, creative experiences (as well as more of the serious talks and lectures you might expect from a science festival).

There's loads to choose from, but I've picked out my favourite events to point you in the right direction. Bring on the sci-fun!

Jason Hackenworth - Existence: Life and Beyond 

1. Science Festival Lates Sci Fest's Opening Party takes over their family venue, adds in some bars, and let's you get hands on with slime, surgery, space and psychology. It is so much fun, and this year it promises some extra 80s-themed fun to celebrate the Festival's 30 years!

2. NASA's Newest Recruit I secretly want to be an astronaut, so sign me up! The very funny Marcus Chown chats space jobs - want to be a Moon miner? A galactic architect? An alien cultural exchange officer?

3. A Panel of Ice and Fire Game of Thrones meets science and tech, in this chat about how the worlds of science and fantasy collide, hosted by comedian and author Helen Keen.

4. Dreading Friday the 13th  Taking place (of course) on Friday 13th, this event takes you on a journey through the psychology behind superstition... is it harmless? Can it help you? Science will explain!

5. Cheeseology 3.0 Back to the Festival for a third year (as everyone bloody loves cheese), this night teaches you about cheese as you eat cheese, giving you a win/win of leaving both smart AND satiated.

6. Existence: Life and Beyond Taking over the National Museum of Scotland's beautiful Grand Gallery, this free interactive exhibition will look back at the origins of life on Earth, and forward to the horizons of what life could be in the future. It'll also feature a new MASSIVE balloon sculpture by artist Jason Hackenwerth, who was last at the Festival with Pisces in 2013 (pictured above). I'm so excited to see what he'll make!

7. Frankenstein's Legacy: Who Are You Calling Monster? This year marks the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein, and three writers from Scottish Book Trust's New Writers Awards programme have been commissioned to create new stories and poems inspired by this iconic book. These writers will read their own takes, and chat about the role of science and technology in creating and controlling life (which seems pretty important now they are cloning monkeys and teaching scary robots to open doors!).

8. Baking in Space Baking and engineering combine, in this event with Andrew from the Great British Bake Off (!!!!), who just happens to be an aerospace engineer as well as an adorable baker, and scientists and guests from the European Space Agency.

9. Get Your Hands Off Me You Damned Dirty Alien! More space! Aliens! Ethical dilemmas! A gang of astrobiologists, theologists, philosophers and theorists debate how our world will change in the (ever-increasing) likelihood we meet alien life.

10. The Lab of the Ludicrous Part stand-up comedy, part journal club, and part science project, this night leads you through some of the strangest science studies ever conducted.

Edinburgh International Science Festival runs 31st March - 15th April, and you can browse their full programme here.

LUSH SPA: THE GOOD HOUR

I'm a big fan of Lush, and ever since they opened their first spa in Edinburgh, I've been steadily working my way through their treatment menu. Lush is animal-friendly, with fresh, 100% vegetarian products that are never tested on animals, and they use simple, minimal packaging. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love the signature Lush scent, and I'm easily won over by their quirky, cool style, which is reflected in their spa design and the treatments they offer.

Over the years, thanks to my family's tendency to get me a Lush gift card at Christmas,  I've had the chance to try quite a bit of what the spa has on offer: Synaesthesia (loved it!), Hard Days Night (not for me - turns out I am not that much of a Beatles fan), and the Comforter (loved it so much I've had it twice!).

This time round I was seriously considering getting a Comforter treatment for the third time, but as I'd been getting plagued with a really achey shoulder, I thought it was good opportunity to go for The Good Hour - Lush's only deep tissue massage.

The Good Hour promises 70 minutes (a good hour indeed!) of full-body, deep-tissue massage using trigger point techniques and jelly discs to set you free from long-term areas of tension. It's also themed around ships and sailors. Of course.

The music for the treatment fuses folk music with heave-ho sea shanties (think - hipster pirate songs), and your therapist massages you in time to the rhythm of the tide, as the sound of waves fills the room. I know that does sound a bit ridiculous, but if anyone can pull it off, it's Lush.

When you arrive (in the super cute spa that's hidden under their busy store), the therapist talks you through the treatment, inviting you to pick out a massage bar that they'll use (I selected the Hottie, a ginger and black pepper bar specifically designed for the treatment). When you go into the treatment room they put a Big Blue bath bomb into dry ice to give it all a misty, seasidey vibe, and the ship sound effects are in full flow - I thought it might be a bit cheesy, but the creaking ship and gently splashing waves are really atmospheric, and totally set the scene.

The massage itself was great. Because I was keen to get the knots out of my sore shoulder (and I'm brave) I told my therapist to be pretty hard with the pressure (they ask you at the start, so you can flag if you are looking for a lighter touch!). Deep tissue massages are quite intense, but I could feel all the crunchy bits being worked out of my back, and particularly knotted bits were soothed with cold jelly discs which felt amazing.

I was really sensitive afterwards, and was advised to have a few baths over the next week, as my muscles were likely to be pretty tender. I was a little sore, but it didn't last long, and my grim achy shoulder has been great ever since!

The Good Hour is £90 for a treatment, which ain't cheap but it is good, so think of it as a special occasion treat. It was good to get a massage that felt like it was fixing something, but I think next time I'll go for one that's all about relaxation... I've got my eye on the Validation Facial, and I can but dream of Karma (definitely out of my budget!).

BUFF NAILS, EDINBURGH

I used to think I was doomed forever to have short nails. I was a tomboy growing up, and then spent a huge amount of my teenage years on a farm, so they were always short and scruffy. Even when I got into nail art, they were still short and a bit terrible, although I tried my best with what I had. It clearly didn't work though - sorting out blog comments recently I saw one on an old nail art tutorial that just said - 'this is terrible! why would you share this?'. Er, indeed.

I was clearly in need of a bit of a miracle, so enter Edinburgh indie salon Buff nails, who have come to my rescue and made my dreams of taloned nails come true!

Photo by @buffcsvanda on insta

Buff is based in The Arches at New Waverley, a super cool street of renovated Victorian arches, that also houses a donuterie, a juice bar, coffee shops, cool bars, a make up studio and other hipster delights. Buff is a design-led nail workshop, that aims to offer an innovative manicure experience. The space is lovely, it's quite industrial and quirky, and fits their super-cool but super-nice Scandi vibe perfectly.

I first started going a year ago, when I was in need of some serious treat yo' self times and haven't looked back. I'd never had shellac on my nails before and was weirdly well nervous about it (imagining that it would all flake off, or they'd get really damaged, or it would be a nightmare to remove), but no. It turns out that shellac is exactly what I've been missing my whole life, and my nails are stronger and longer than ever. I reckon it's partly down to the fact that it lasts for ages - I get three weeks of chip-free shiny polish now, whereas before I was painting my nails all the time, which must have dried them out pretty badly.

Buff have a good rep for custom nail art designs, so on top of getting a manicure (which costs £30) you can add on custom art for only £5 extra! I have fully taken advantage of this and they are so nice and willing to accommodate your requests (even when they are obviously going to take an age).

It's hard to choose, but I think my favourite nails were my pastel ombre rainbow nails (thanks to the very patient @buffcshelen!), followed by the custom edfilmfest nails they painted for the festival's programme launch. Over the last year I've had holographic nails, chrome nails, polka dots, pastel fades, geometric shapes, you name it - the hardest part is choosing what to get, knowing how long it will last!

I'm totally hooked. I feel so much more put together with a glossy manicure, it's the only beauty treatment I get regularly and I love it.

You can check out more of Buff's work on twitter, insta and facebook, and (hooray) book appointments online.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL LAUNCHES

Exciting news! The 28th Edinburgh International Science Festival programme has just launched, and it is packed full of brilliant, clever, creative and wonderful things (er, if I do say so myself!). This will be my fourth year working at the Science Festival and I'm so proud of how it grows and changes each year. It's knackering, and fairly stressful, but it's all worth it when the programme hits (and everyone sees how ace we are).

This year's Science Festival will run from Saturday 26th March - Sunday 10th April. Themed around the idea of Building Better Worlds, we'll be looking at how science, technology, engineering and design can help improve our lives and our world through a totally packed programme of events, exhibitions and happenings.

There's loads on for families at City Art Centre and Summerhall, but if you don't care about kids, our adult programme is ace. There's a space party, millions of food and drink events, pandas, an astronaut, robots, wearable tech fashion workshops, dinosaurs, comedy, dancing, theatre, and so so much more.

I probably shouldn't pick favourites, being professionally-linked to the company and all, but whatever. Here's my top ten events in the programme this year! Buy tickets and come along. Yay science.

The Edinburgh Mini Maker Faire - a huge, hands-on celebration of human creativity, showcasing makers from across the UK. There's always fun things to play with, stuff to make, and robots to ooh at, and this year the ACTUAL maker of R2D2 will be there!

Big Bang Bash - a massive space party in the National Museum of Scotland. You can try on a spacesuit, send an encrypted message on a genuine Enigma machine (so cool), dance in the science ceilidh, see the solar system in a planetarium, and drink space-themed cocktails from the Bar at the End of the Universe.

Adventures in Viticulture - fancy going on a wine safari? Feel super smart learning about the world of wine, while drinking loads of wine. All in the name of science!

The Mathematics of Why I Don't Have a Boyfriend - I perhaps wouldn't normally rush along to a talk on mathematical modelling, but throw in some comedy and I'm there.

Cheeseology - do you like eating loads of cheese? And learning about why cheese is so brilliant? I will say no more.

Tiny Homes Village - tiny homes are super cute, and for the Festival, we're building a village of them on the Mound! You can go inside and poke about loads of different tiny houses, from self-sustaining eco pods to emergency housing solutions for refugee camps.

Designing Fictional Worlds - people love fictional worlds, but why are they so drawn to them? This event pairs psychologists with author Charles Stross and my pal from school, Andy Robinson (who designed EVE: Valkyrie), to find out why.

Chocolate: Food of the Gods - find out the past, present and future of chocolate at this scientific feast!

Unbottling the AI Demon - all of the very smart people in the world have decided that the biggest risk to mankind is artificial intelligence.  It's a really terrifying topic and this event looks fascinating - Prof Raymond Tallis and Prof Kevin Warwick investigate the risks of AI... (we're probably all doomed).

The Visit - a special screening of The Visit, a sci-fi documentary-style film, that shows how government agencies try to cope with human mankind's first contact with alien life. You can see the trailer here - it looks super creepy!

You can browse the full programme at sciencefestival.co.uk/festival.

SPACE NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

I am a massive space geek. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger - I used to dream of going to space camp, I had a telescope and would stay up late to look at stars, and I was over the moon when my family went to Johnson Space Centre and I got to look at ACTUAL moon rock and speak to ACTUAL astronauts (so cool).

Now I'm 29 years old, and I still want to be an astronaut. Over the years it's slowly dawned on me that it probably won't happen - I am rubbish at maths and physics, and I'm unlikely to pass a fit for orbit test any time soon, but the joy of working at the Science Festival means that occasionally I get to take part in spacey things in a professional capacity. That's basically the same thing, right?!

As you may or may not know, this month is a pretty big deal for the UK and European Space Agencies. Tim Peake, a British Astronaut, is off to the International Space Station as part of the Principia mission on December 15th, where he'll be in space for over six months, doing cool experiments and other very exciting (and presumably, insanely dangerous) stuff.

To celebrate the mission launch, the UK Space Agency are throwing a bunch of space celebrations across the country, and we're throwing the one in Edinburgh!

In partnership with the UK Space Agency and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh International Science Festival is hosting a Big Screen Space Night in the Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland on Tuesday December 15th.

The night starts at 6.30pm with a live link up to the Space Station, as the hatch opens and Tim starts his six month tour. Then Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti (aka the super-cool astronaut who dressed up in a Star Trek uniform on the actual Space Station) will take part in an audience Q&A, and THEN there's a special screening of The Martian which is this year's best space movie (featuring a very charming, bit sweary Matt Damon, and Troye from Community being the cutest astrophysics student there is). AND there's a space bar, and the Grand Gallery of the Museum is possibly the fanciest place you could ever watch a movie.

Tickets are only £5, and can be purchased via the Filmhouse website or from the Filmhouse box office (on Lothian Road). So exciting!

EUREKA EDINBURGH

Working at the Science Festival is really great. There's loads of lovely, smart people that work there, we have robots and 3D printers and all sorts of bonkers things in our office, and I've learned loads about how the world works, and how science is really cool (and that engineering ain't just bridges and roads). 

But I've also learned that the best kind of science event is one that involves drinking and lots of lols - and some of my clever pals have set up Eureka Edinburgh... just the thing to get your boozy science fix all year round!

Eureka Edinburgh's science cabaret evenings are a wunderkammer of curiosities from across the spectrum of culture - the sciences, history, medicine, anthropology, literature and art. They run monthly at Paradise Palms (one of Edinburgh's loveliest - and coolest - bars), and aim to give you an experience that's something a bit different - clever people talking about interesting stuff in a fun way in a very social context.

Each evening has its own theme - so far they've looked at the sun, insects (with tastings!), blood (with leeches - gaaaah), and next up is water!

On October 1st, Eureka Edinburgh's fourth science cabaret splashdown explores the weird and wonderful world of the wet stuff. They'll be submerging you in the unusual physics of dihydrogenmonoxide, investigate its role in human cultures, follow a water molecule on its journey, and diving into the science and superstitions surrounding the substance before raising a glass of aqua vitae to the future of our blue planet - will it be Waterworld or water wars?

Tickets cost £8, which includes a cocktail, and can be bought from eventbrite here!

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE SIGNET LIBRARY

Earlier this summer I was invited along to one of Edinburgh's fanciest venues, The Signet Library, to try out afternoon tea at their brand new tea salon, the Colonnades.

The Signet Library is a beautiful old building - tucked just off the Royal Mile, it's a secret treat, with beautiful Corithian columns and floor-to-ceiling rainbow bookshelves lining the room. The library has recently been restored, and they've spared no expense. It's afternoon tea at it's fanciest.

Colonnades takes afternoon tea very, very seriously - the venue has its own Tea Sommelier (imagine if that was your job!), Champagne experts and mixologists, and an on-site pastry chef to ensure everything is cooked completely from scratch and served in style.

We started with a savoury selection of the nicest miniature dishes - mini Aberdeen Angus burgers on brioche toast, smoked applewood cheese and celery tartlets (so good!), Scottish Shetland salmon infused with Edinburgh Gin, goat's cheese mousse in tiny cucumber cups, and fancy sandwiches topped with quails eggs and Avruga caviar. I felt like I was in Downton Abbey.

The puddings came next, and oh my god. Rhubard fools, blood orange jelly cubes, chocolate and sea salted caramel tarts (I could exist only on this), teeny lemon meringue tarts, passion fruit and mango eclairs topped with tiny flowers, scones with clotted cream and strawberry and champagne jam, and mille feuille - the softest pastry filled with cream and berries and sugar.

This was all served with champagne and lashings of tea (from the Wee Tea Company), and it was possibly the most delightful combination of things I have ever eaten. We ate EVERYTHING in sight (they do let you take food away, but we were committed to finishing our plates!), and it was just wonderful. Can you tell I loved it? I loved it.

I'm also particularly impressed that the afternoon tea menu changes seasonly too, to let them use the best Scottish produce available. AND they do a gluten-free version too!

Afternoon tea usually costs £30 per person, but they are doing an offer right now, where you can get tea for 2 for just £50 if you book online or over the phone (all details here). I know it seems like a lot for tiny cakes, but it's so worth it - treat yo' self!

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL TIPS

It's the most wonderful time of year (assuming you are in or near Edinburgh, like being entertained, and agree more with this article than this one!). The Edinburgh Fringe has rolled back into town, bringing over 3,000 shows with it, and Scotland's capital is heaving with tourists and comics and theatre kids who still haven't been battered down by four weeks of flyering. It's brilliant!

It can also be pretty overwhelming if you're not quite sure where to go or what to see, and sometimes it feels like too much of a headache to think about. To help, I wrote a fringe do's and don't's post a few years ago, and I thought I'd update it for 2015.

Here's my top ten tips for surviving this year's festivals...

The Royal Mile, photo by Chris Scott

1. Walk down the Royal Mile 
Yes, it's FULL OF TOURISTS. And yes, you will want to kill them for suddenly stopping in front of you, and bashing you with their massive backpack. But it's also packed full of (free!) street performances from circus types to living statues to pop up musical theatre. You are almost guaranteed to see someone swallowing a sword, and sometimes you'll find a flyerer with some free tickets to give away. The Royal Mile is also lined with pubs, so you can escape from the masses if it all gets too much!

2. Read reviews
The List's top-rated page is REALLY useful, as they aggregate all of the main reviewers, so you can easily spot who is rising to the top. Take reviews with a pinch of salt though, and don't let them put you off something you like the look or sound of - a quick look at FringePig (a site that reviews the reviewers) shows you they aren't all to be trusted!

3. Be prepared to see terrible things
The fringe isn't the fringe unless you've cringed the entire way through a one star show. It's always good to take a chance on someone or something you haven't heard of before - they might be the next big thing! And if they are awful, then it probably wasn't expensive, and you'll have a good fringe horror story for the pub.

4. Stay out late!
During the festival Edinburgh's partying hours extend until 5am, and there's loads of shows on to keep you going until the very, very small hours. Late n Live is Gilded Balloon's infamous original late night show and it's just so much fun! It starts at 1am and the line up changes each night. Underbelly have their own party night, Spank, which starts at midnight in the Cowgate.

Hendrick's Emporium of Sensorial Submersion

5. Find a hidden bar
It's fun to hang out in the festival beer gardens, but sometimes the crowds get too much! Luckily there's a secret spot for curious types. This year Hendrick's (of the excellent, cucumber-infused gin) have taken over an empty building on 91 George Street, packing it with curious oddities, synaesthetic diversions, and a mysterious and scientific trip through the world of gin. You can either chill out in their bar (which feels like you've snuck into an eccentric gentleman's townhouse), or book into their Emporium of Sensorial Submersion - a two hour experience of cocktails, peculiar performances, sound and taste!

6. Visit the Book Festival 
I love love love the Book Festival. It's held in the most gorgeous garden in Edinburgh, is the most perfect place to be on a sunny afternoon, and they have millions of really excellent authors each year. For the last few years they've also been running Jura Unbound, a free and super sociable event with world-play, music, drinks and surprises. This runs every evening from 16 - 31 August at 9pm, and each night promises something different.

7. Prepare for terrible weather
If you assume that it's going to rain constantly, it means you'll never be disappointed and you'll be SO DELIGHTED if the sun actually does come out. That's how Scots think, and it makes life so much easier. Even if it's sunny and bright in the morning, that doesn't mean it won't thunderstorm later that day. Keep a raincoat or something with a hood handy at all times, and avoid umbrellas - Scotland is windy and you'll poke someone's eye out on the Royal Mile!

8. Eat a good breakfast
If you're spending your day running between shows, it's hard to find the time to eat something for dinner that isn't just a burger! Instead, breakfast like a king, and carb load in the morning to keep you going. I've already written about my favourite Edinburgh breakfasts - featuring the best poached eggs in town.

9. Escape to Leith!
Yeah, it's the world's biggest arts festival, and yeah yeah, culture. Sometimes you need a break, and Leith is an easy place to escape to, just jump on a bus for twenty minutes and head for the Shore. I'm biased, cause this is my neck of the woods, but the Shore is lovely. There's a big park, a woodland walk along the Water of Leith, nice cafes and restaurants and bars. Plus, even on a sunny Friday, it's still going to be millions of times quieter than George Square.

10. Remember the fireworks
Marking the end of the Edinburgh International Festival, the annual fireworks concert combines the playing of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra with a display specially choreographed to the music. The concert is held in Princes St Gardens, but you can get a great view from most places in town.

Have fun, and remember that sleep's for September!