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Edinbarb!

 
 
Whisky Priestess
21:34 / 03.08.05
Hello my Celtic cousins!

I will be up in Auld Reekie (sorry) for ONE DAY ONLY, on Monday 8th August (i.e. this Monday coming) and would dearly love to meet up and have a drink with those lovely Barbefolk who have not yet made it down to London (or if they have I've missed them). I will be arriving mid-afternoon at Waverley Station and have a decent working knowledge of Edinburgh such that if you name the pub and street, I can probably find it. I am not totally averse to doing Festival-related things as long as there is time to drink after, so plant your seeds of destruction in mind and we'll go from there.

I turn into a pumpkin when the last train leaves ... be warned.
 
 
Loomis
07:59 / 04.08.05
Cool! I'll be up for a few week-starting drinks.

Any favourite drinking dens you remember fondly and would particulatly like to revisit?
 
 
■
11:03 / 04.08.05
Royal Mile pubs are a bit cacky. I suggest the Holyrood (back under beardy transvestite management, and all the better for it).
 
 
gingerbop
11:21 / 04.08.05
I'll probably see you there- I get there on Sunday. Hurrah!
 
 
Ariadne
12:01 / 04.08.05
Yay, gingerbop! Be good to see you.
The Holyrood - on Holyrood Road, near the corner with St mary's Street, is that it? Does vegan breakfasts on a Sunday, apparently. Not that that makes much difference when we're going on Monday.
 
 
Whisky Priestess
12:38 / 04.08.05
Ooh, excellent. Sounds like it will be a fun night already ...

Re: pubs I'd like to revisit - my strongest memories are of the ones I worked in while acting at the Festival, and they are not happy ones: I was fortunate enough to be a wage slave at two of the city's most characterless and sordid venues.

So, ones to avoid: The Arcade pub on Cockburn Street and the achingly terrible Mr. Q's on Rose Street.

Although come to think of it when I was staying in the Grassmarket last year I grew extremely fond of the White Hart Inn (or "downstairs" as we called it) - anyone else up for going there?
 
 
Whisky Priestess
12:42 / 04.08.05
Hang on though - I see the Holyrood has been suggested upthread - which is fine by me. I am easy either way - both are a short walk from Waverly so mebbe we should have a vote?
 
 
Loomis
12:59 / 04.08.05
I love the reviews on those websites. The White Hart ranges from "This pub is a disgrace" to "Its the best pub in the grassmarket!"

Even better was one punter's take on the Holyrood: "great pub, good mix of students,gays, goths, academics, tourists and the odd scumbag from across the road. good jukebox and no pretense whatsoever that with the underlying threat of violence give the pub a great character.(there is rarely any trouble but the homeless shelter and notorious dumbiedykes housing across the road give the atmoshpere a little zest.)10 out of 10"
 
 
■
13:13 / 04.08.05
That review hits it square on the head. It used to be our regular until it got sold a couple of years ago and they let back in all the arseholes Mark had worked so long to keep out. Anyway, it's back to its old self now, and it has plenty of space, tables and a reasonable jukebox. They sometimes have free shows during festy season as well. It's also only a minute or two from work, which is handy as I think I'm working that day.
 
 
Ariadne
13:49 / 04.08.05
Well, I'd vote for the Holyrood, too - I've been meaning to go there. And it's a wee bit out of the way so might be quiet-ish despite the festival hordes.

Hang on .... it's just down the road from the Pleasance so that's a silly statement. But still. Unless you're really hankering to go to the White Hart, WP?
 
 
Whisky Priestess
14:03 / 04.08.05
I am not fussy. I've not been to the Holyrood, I don;t think, and I'll try anything once, including incest and morris dancing, so let's say Holyrood it is.

cube - when do you finish work? Shall we say 6pm to meet? Or are others around earlier during the day?
 
 
Loomis
14:12 / 04.08.05
I finish at 5pm, so could get there by about 5.30pm, unless I nip home first in which case I'd be there about 6.30.

What time do you need to leave Whisky?
 
 
Whisky Priestess
14:35 / 04.08.05
Erk - just checked the train timetables. I have to get back to Berwick, and the last train out is at 9pm - hardly enough time to get a round in. After that there's the milk train at 7.19am the next day, but that'll probably cost more, so although I don't doubt my ability to drink until dawn, I'm a bit strapped atm and don't want to have to pay double for the train.

According to the National Rail Enquiries woman it's only £2 more expensive for a next-day return at a peak hour, but that really doesn't sound right, and they a) are all stupid and b) have lied to me before, so I think a working plan is to get there early and go back early.

On the plus side I can be in the pub as early as people like (within reason, i.e. after lunchtime) - so drinking time need not be truncated if we start earlier.
 
 
Whisky Priestess
15:20 / 04.08.05
OK, stop press, panic over. Apparently I can get a lift back and thus don't need to spend the better part of twenty quid on early-departing train nonsense. We can drink till forever! Hurray!
 
 
Mouse
15:27 / 04.08.05
(Sorry, just saw the note saying the Holyrood is back under new/old management - that's awesome. I was so sad to find it all different last time I was up there, though I discovered all the people from Uni I used to know had simply relocated up the road to the Auld Hoose.)
 
 
■
15:58 / 04.08.05
Not sure when I finish. It's usually 6, but we have extra shifts on over the festy, so it could be anything up to 9. I'll call Ariadne if I'm running late.
 
 
Alex's Grandma
22:03 / 04.08.05
I dare say I'll be limping along to this in some capacity also.
 
 
Ariadne
08:35 / 05.08.05
Ok, how about if we get there about 6.30/7pm then? Sorry I can't meet up during the day - I don't officially work on Mondays but I've got a load of freelance stuff lined up. Probably just as well, really, or Tuesday would be hell.
 
 
Alex's Grandma
11:42 / 05.08.05
That's cool. I shall aim to be there from 6.30 to catch earlycomers and reserve a table.
 
 
■
23:31 / 05.08.05
So where's this Brunner fella? Anyone invited him yet?
 
 
Ariadne
08:49 / 06.08.05
Yes, I've invited him and he might pop in for a pint.
 
  
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