In the modest seaside town of Burntisland in Fife in the early 1780s lived a girl who would become the pre-eminent thinker in science and mathematics of her day, known and feted throughout Europe. Eventually a school, an Oxford College, an island, even a crater on the moon would all be named for her. But first Mary Somerville had to negotiate her way through a society that did not expect
Fancy a couple of cheery new tunes for your Monday morning? Here is The Party Line from Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance, the 9th studio album by Belle and Sebastian. The band are touring in May and play Newcastle City Hall on the 16th and The Hydro in Glasgow on the 22nd. The Waterboys too are back in action. Listen below to November Tale from Modern Blues which is out next week.
Fantastic to see the great Joan Didion, at 80, appearing as the face of Celine. She has however modelled before. Back in 1989 she was pictured with her now sadly deceased daughter Quintana for Gap. Didion’s memoir about the loss of Quintana – Blue Nights – was published in 2011. Just a couple of years earlier Didion had published the incredible Year of Magical Thinking about the death of her
Very taken with this perky self portrait by Eleanor Allen Moore one of Scotland’s many overlooked woman artists of the early 20th century. Eleanor Allen Moore was originally born in County Antrim. A minister’s daughter, she attended Kilmarnock Academy in 1902 and later went to the Glasgow School of Art. After graduating she couldn’t afford a model so posed for herself in her early paintings. For the oil painting above,
We’re signing off for Christmas today and we would just like to wish our readers a wonderful holiday time. Thank you so much for your support and kind comments since the launch of our new design earlier this year. We look forward to bringing you lots more news and stories in the New Year about cultural goings on and other ephemera in the Kingdom of Fife and beyond. Merry Christmas
One of the finest artists ever to come out of Dunfermline, renowned illustrator Jonny Hannah has an impressive new book out. Greetings from Darktown tells of a mysterious coastal town, not found on any map, peopled by pin-up girls, jazz artists and tattooed sailors. Darktown is home to the Unquiet Grave junk emporium; the Mermaid Café where Woody Guthrie still plays each week; McVouty’s vintage clothes shop and a pier
If the fairy or star at the top of your Christmas tree is starting to look a little battle scarred maybe it’s time to invest in a beautiful Halinka creation. Originally based on characters from the ballet, the range has expanded to include Christmas and woodland themes as well as, my favoutite, skating couples from around the world. The figures are not cheap, staring at around £20 and rising to
Here is Matthieu Saikaly, recent winner of France’s version of Pop Idol, singing some Velvet Underground with ‘Pauline’ – just a little bit cooler than Gareth Gates…
Courses for Cooks is owned and run by Jenny Thomson. A cook and chef for over 20 years, Jenny trained at the Leiths School of Food and Wine, London. She worked as a private cook in Scotland, France, Canada and the United States before coming back to Scotland to work as a chef in St Andrews. Jenny is passionate about good, seasonal home cooking produced with the minimum of fuss and
Thieves of Dunfermline is a light hearted, fast paced hour’s entertainment inspired by the events and people of Dunfermline’s past. It will be performed from 3-7 December in the intimate setting of The Long Gallery in Abbot House, Dunfermline by a talented cast of local musicians and performers including Fife Provost Jim Leishman in his first acting role. Some of the stories, which are told through drama, humour and cracking