Lost in the Wood

Surrounding myself with appropriate deckchairs @ Edinburgh Book Festival Life as a self-employed artist is an often precarious existence which constantly feels a bit hand-to-mouth on the financial front. However, what it lacks in stability is more than compensated for on the flexibility & freedom fronts. Seduced by the lure of freewheeling round Edinburgh at the height of festival time, I happily decamped to the Capital, clutching a (very long) shortlist of shows I wanted to see, mentally prepared for spontaneous adventures and with a slightly ridiculous amount of wool & felting supplies (intended for efficient between show crafting). Twenty days of stimulating sights was the intention and despite inevitable days when I just couldn't face the weekend crowds, worried about the impact on my credit card or was too jaded to bother seeing anything, it basically delivered. Shows: Of the 18 shows I managed to see these were the highlights: Underbelly, Richard herring,...

Royal Mile Performers Clearly I've been having too much fun & so have been neglecting the weekly blogging. Preparations are in full swing (hint-this is code for frantically working to get it all ready) for Helfa Gelf which starts on Friday, that's THIS FRIDAY! Before immersing myself fully in this though, I just wanted to do a brief round up of the rest of the Edinburgh jaunt. In a programme heavily weighted towards Richard Herring (probably my favourite ever comedian, consistently funny, innovative & hard working), I went to another of his podcast recordings. This one featured Bridget Christie (who the next day deservedly won best show in the Fosters Comedy Award- the renamed Perrier for anyone in their 30s or older), Ed Byrne & a 5 min comic poem by another favourite Luke Wright. Also saw RH's solo stand up show, 'We're All Going to Die' which was enjoyable but not quite as brilliant as previous stand out shows like 'The Headmaster...

The Stand Comedy Club Newly escaped from the office job (forever, hurrah!), I  immediately set off for my native city, Edinburgh, to enjoy some festival fun with family & friends. This year I've taken a slower approach, moseying up to the action/madness in gentle fashion with a cake stop with friends to ease me in (not as used to crowds these days, Caernarfon generally doesn't do frenzy despite the many summer visitors!). Who better to sample a new (well, to us) cafe with but a lady who is very well informed about good cake, Kate from Cake Poppins Cake Poppins We tried out Love Crumbs at the West Port (the old town haunt of the notorious murderers Burke & Hare, now remodelled & amusingly referred to as 'the pubic triangle' due to its lap dancing/strip bars. The bars however, nestle amongst independent shops and cafes, the College of Art & a Catholic church with a beautiful starry ceiling so it's not as insalubrious as it sounds!). Love Crumbs...