....and it's so lonely on a limb.

You may have spotted that a number of the titles of these posts have a reference to songs by The Smiths.

I am of an age when I got to see The Smiths live - both at the Hacienda in Manchester around 1983 and also later in Paris in 1984 I enjoyed these gigs immensely - those were the days when I was out at live music events ever week. I know that there was also a feeling from distractors that they were po-faced Mancs but who can't have smiled at the lines - I was looking for a job, and found a job, but Heaven knows I'm miserable now - and also have felt exactly that emotion.

I have slightly fallen out of love with the music of Mozza - though I think the intro and outro to his mid 90s album Vauxhall and I are difficult to beat. I suppose it says it all that my favourite album of his is nearly 17 years old.

I am always interested in hearing new things from the Smiths and a couple of sites have offered new songs / demos and remixes.

The following site offers an album of demos and instrumentals from the whole of The Smiths career

http://forums.morrissey-solo.com/showthread.php?t=112376

This site has followed up its excellent work on the Joy Division Factory singles with a run through of The Smiths singles - though it is still on in the run through

http://smithsrecycle.blogspot.com/

Listen and enjoy

Feed Me

Well it's snowing again here in East Lothian.

So the trips to the shops have been curtailed not just for us - but also others. Therefore we have been lucky to get some reduced vegetables - down to around 5p in some instances for beetroot and courgettes. It's amazing how low the price can go if you pick the right time for a supermarket trip.

So a chance to rediscover the art of preserving and pickling.

With the basics of vinegar, sugar and selected spices we have a range of chutneys and pickles for the rest of the winter. With a little sparkly tinsel we also have some potential Xmas stocking fillers.

If music be the food of love....

It's a difficult posting week. Because of the weather it feels like all I have done is go from home to work to home - with hardly a step to go and do the shopping.

However, on Saturday post thaw, I caught a shop stereo playing White Christmas by Bing Crosby - and the phrase "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" provoked a hollow laugh after the past few weeks.

So I was really glad that the Guardian printed some suggestions for Xmas songs in the paper on Friday. The friday Click to Download section in the Culture pullout is a mine of information.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/09/click-to-download-sound-of-2011

I have never been a great fan of Michael Jackson. I recognise the quality in his output in the 80s / 90s - but it was never where I was musically But my Summer 2010 listening was a mashup of his music with that of Fela Kuti. And I think my Xmas tune this year won't be Thurl Ravenscroft and the Pixies with "Santa's too fat for the hula hoop" but a mashup available below

http://falalalala.com/2010/12/santastic-v-snow-man/

So if you want an alternative Xmas musical experience - then the Guardian link will take you to a world where Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer can be found cheek by jowel with Roxanne.

Oh Blimey it's Christmas

Ho Ho Ho

Just been for my yearly pre-Xmas trip to Manchester. We try to go around now for the Christmas markets. Manchester seems to have got it right with the scale and variety of stalls. There are six or seven different areas ranging from Albert Square through the city to The Triangle on Corporation Street. Some areas focus on food, some on gifts / knick-knacks.

My favourite stall for kookiness was the one selling chocolate kebabs - i.e. chocolates on a BBQ stick. But for value, the chap who sells continental sausages is the best. For £10 you get seven different, high quality and flavoursome sausages - they last us around three months into the New Year.

This year we were walking by Harvey Nicks with my nephew who spotted that there were carol singers. We went in and the singing was accompanied by free Cava and mince pies - after a couple of glasses he looked at my smiling face and said - "you are living the dream" - I had to smirk.

And the image - that of Frank Sidebottom who sadly died this year - a Manchester legend.

St Andrews Day weekend

Yesterday was one of those classic Scottish days - sunscreen and sou'wester.

With it being the St Andrews Day weekend , the Government's agency responsible for a number of properties / castles - Historic Scotland - has a weekend where there is free access. I had heard positive things about a couple of places in East Lothian - Tantallon and Dirleton Castles. At nearly a fiver a pop, I had yet to take the plunge.

So this seemed a perfect weekend. I took the bus out to North Berwick and walked along to Tantallon Castle. It started with bright sunshine but I could see the weather coming in - with the Bass Rock slowly disappearing into the grey, snow-laden clouds. The wind whipped the hail into my face so hard that I had to hide behind a stationary van. By the time i reached Tantallon the sun was again shining. And it is a stupendous castle sitting high on a cliff with superb views across the Forth.

After a good troll round I stopped off to buy some sausages on North Berwick High Street and then took the five minute bus trip to Dirleton. This didn't have the same dramatic feel as Tantallon. However, it sits high on an outcrop of rock and I am looking forward to returning to have a look at the Gardens.

So thanks to Historic Scotland - and if you are looking forward in 2011 to a trip to Edinburgh then this weekend is well worth it with the start of the Winter Festivals as well.

I could have made bigger savings with a trip to Edinburgh castle where it is £12 a throw if you buy up on the day.

Unknown Leisure

It's been a very busy week this week.

The main reason was the excellent free Edinburgh Leisure pass that we obtained via a competition with ESPC. I was alerted to this by the Guardian's excellent Edinburgh blog. If you want to find out what's going on in the Edinburgh blogosphere - it's a superior resource.

So this week, we have been to classes such as BodyBalance and BodyCombat plus free access to Edinburgh's pools and gyms.

But the best bit has been the use of the Turkish bath at Portobello. A series of rooms lead you into the steam room where a myriad number of folk can be seen sweating through the steam. A quick shower - and then into the baltic plunge pool - where the temperature feels like it's straight from the Firth of Forth - to quote Tom Waits "...colder than a well digger's ass..." Three times then a lie down to relax chatting with friends. There is a clock - but it seems to be so steamed up that you are not really conscious of the time. Then a few lengths of the pool - and you can head out ready to face the trials and tribulations of the rest of day.

One chap today was taking rrelaxation to the nth degree - and could be heard to be gently snoring on his lounger.

Market Madness

One of the things I miss about living in Scotland is the lack of markets. Edinburgh has its farmers market but it doesn't have that slightly rough round the edges feel that a market should have. Classics include the Grainger in Newcastle and the Kirkgate in Leeds. Both of these are indoor markets and today we came across an equivalent in Glasgow - the Savoy Centre on Sauchiehall Street.

It had all the things you'd want - a butcher, a shop selling exotic vegetables, a greasy spoon and a place selling cheap and cheerful sweeties. There looked like there were a couple of barbers on the two floors of scranner delights.

We stopped off for a £5.70 business lunch at the Chinese cafe - soup followed by curry and rice which went down well. We also had Chinese tea which was a pleasant change from a beer.

Glasgow was great to shop in generally and we both came back with some delights.

Bring me bargains

I might as well give up with this Captain Value stuff having just spent a weekend visiting friends in Morley, West Yorkshire.. This must be one of the cheapest places in the UK to live.

Well the bargains never stopped.

- Bananas at 29p / lb.

- The Morley WMC: round of drinks for six - £12, with the malt of the month - Highland Park 12yr at £1.40 a dram.

- the market had shop after shop selling cheapo delights: chocolates, crisps etc (though a little on the best before edge it has to be said)

- and a Bargain Madness that sells booze - woohoo - Caledonian Golden Promise at 99p a bottle.

This is a statue of Ernie Wise - the leaning comedian of Morley.

But the best bit was just outside Morley - the West Riding Refreshment Room at Dewsbury rail station. I used to work in Dewsbury and the place is now looking a little sad - but with the West Riding it has a gem. It is a well renowned place for real ale and the food was superb. I had a Berry Blond at £2.40 a pint accompanied by a home made corned beef pasty with all the trimmings - roast potatoes, carrots, cabbage - delicious at £4.50.

Best Before Baxters

I once said to someone that I'd know that I was comfortably off if I could go into Valvona and Crolla on Elm Row in Edinburgh and not have to worry about what anything cost - ahhh - an Epicurean world to which to aspire.

Anyway - still a long way off there!!! The nearest I can get is the once in a while panini.

Working in Leith I occasionally visit Ocean Terminal and head to the delicatessen that is Baxter's. I always wonder who the customer base is - it has things of interest: a fine range of booze, chocolates and ranges of Scottish and Baxter's products....but hardly VFM. Maybe it's the Britannia crowd??

The best I can usually do is to visit the reduced table - which becomes better stocked as the month goes on with the short dated products. So for example, on Wednesday I managed to get a whole Selkirk Bannock for 50p which was fine to the end of the month. Very satisfying with a cup of tea on Saturday. There was also other items such as cinder toffee and various sauces reduced. If you are relaxed by best before dates they are a good way of getting some very pleasant things you wouldn't normally afford.

Seems I have become such a regular that my partner has given me superhero powers - calling me Bargain Baxter Man. A former colleague who is much less relaxed about before dates was christened Full Price Friend.... the Batman and Robin of Scranner city.

See you there at the end of November.

Cookie cats

Yesterday at the Brunton in Musselburgh we had a choice of morning fun and frolics - either the Lothian Cat Rescue bazaar or Scottish Slimmers. Well, dear reader - guess which one we went for.

Yes, the bazaar.

They usually start around 10:30, but they was a queue even at 10:20. The jumble sale goods themselves were OK - we got some homemade jams and chutneys all for less than a pound. But the best bit is the home baking stall. Here you either sit in with a nice cuppa or take away freshly prepared cakes, crumbles and shortbread.

So we got ginger shortbread, some carrot cake and coffee and walnut cake - splendid they were at 60p a pop - having them later in the day as a treat after shopping in Edinburgh. There are also fruit loaves and apple crumbles which you can take away and put in the freezer.

Check out the LCR website for the next one which is due near the end of November. And remember it's for a good cause.

The picture above is of Billie - who was a rescue cat and has used me as a trampoline most mornings for the past 8 years.

Chutney Mayhem

One of my colleagues very kindly gave me some of the chillies she had grown out in East Lothian.

I love coriander - so thought I'd make some Coriander Chutney. In supermarkets, you tend to take a few teaspoons of leaves for a quid. Not VFM. So last week I went to the Asian Supermarket at Jock's Lodge in Edinburgh. I use this place regularly for spices, pickles etc - and they sell some of my favourite yogurt. Woohoo - big bunch for 50p. So picked up two - and the chap said nope - FIVE bunches for a pound.

We are living in a forest of coriander.

So mixing the coriander, chillies, mango plus lemon juice, salt and sugar - we have some monster chutney - my mouth (and eyes) are watering just at the thought of it. Going to have it with some kheema, nan and lots of lassi to keep the heat down.

Hairdresser on Fire

I have had some discussions with friends and colleagues about the delights of haircuts. I'm not a great fan - and probably - as you can tell - wait too long between cuts. But not anymore - having seen these pictures I'm going to head down on a regular basis.

There is a general bemusement of the cost - particularly from women.

But I think I am lucky having been a regular at the Kirkgate Barbers in Leith for the last few years. There have been some recent changes with an Under New Management sign. This has led to a freshening up with new paint work - but retaining the friendly / amiable staff.

The price hasn't risen either - with a cut at five quid.

Up Pariscope

We are back from our trip to the delights of Paris.

In my last post I reflected on some of the places you could visit in Paris on a freebie. These were mainly the bigger museums and splendid they were. The information on these places is relatively easy to find in the guide books.

But I'd like to reflect upon a magazine available in Paris for a mere 32p - it's called Pariscope. It is produced on a weekly basis and provides information on what's going on in museums, cinema, events, exhibitions etc. Thanks to this magazine we were aware of a number of events - such as an exhibition contrasting photographers' views of Paris and Moscow, another on contemporary Dutch art and finally the exhibition shown here - an outdoor exhibition of photos of toilets near the Bastille.

If you are ever in Paris I would highly recommend this magazine - or it's compatriot L'Officiel des Spectacles. And what a bargain it is!!!!

Throwing my arms around Paris

Well Paris isn't the cheapest of places to troll around. With the euro exchange at almost one euro to the pound, bargains are at a premium.

However, we have spent a few days in the French capital and tried to garner a few bargain activities. With exhibition spaces such as the Petit Palais, the Musee Carnavalet and the modern art museum near the Eifel Tower there are some examples of interesting museums that are free. But Paris is of course a perfect city to walk around - the Marais being a perfect example of a place to people watch.

For the first time I discovered the Viaduc des Arts - a former railway viaduct near Bastille where the arches had been converted into artists' spaces. The route of the railway itself is now a walkway with plants and opportunities to sit and contemplate.

We did find one booze deal - Pop In in the 11eme offered three pints of cooking lager for 9 euros.

The crux of the matter

Earlier this year we took a month off and, heading across the globe, spent over three weeks in New Zealand - a beautiful place to visit. The quality of the food and drink was sublime - fresh vegetables with high quality meat and fish. Whilst well known for wine, there was also a wide range of organic and designer beers.

One of the great discoveries in advance was that the Dr could drink wine made with the Pinot Noir grape - other reds having an unfortunate impact on her usual perky chops. So since we have been back we have been keeping an eye out for NZ wines. Usually they are on the treat end of the price scale for our wine buying - but there is a great deal at Morrison's at the moment which is giving us regular access to NZ wine.

For four quid (down from a tenner) - you can get the Crux Sauvignon Blanc which Tim Atkin in the Guardian described as a crunchy, gooseberry-scented wine - a classic sunshine white.

Here's hoping that a few bottles of this will bring us that Indian summer which has been promised.

When the moon hits your eye......

....like a big pizza pie - that's a bargain.

Yes, a late post and no picture this week. Apologies dear reader.

Well just back from the most recent Pizza Express offer. Mmmm - pizza!! Any two pizzas for twelve quid with a voucher off the internet. I had a Padana - nice mix of goat's cheese, red onion and spinach. My chum had one with green chillies which was polished off with aplomb. In fact they both were.

As ever you know the deal is that they want you to buy booze, a dessert etc. Well we fell for the trap and had a dessert - which on reflection was reasonable but not as scrumptious as the pizza.

PS My chum is an English teacher - so apologies for any spelling mistakes or mis-placed apostrophes. Ciao

There's more to life than books you know

I am in a Book Club at work and we try to read a novel every six weeks or so. One of my colleagues is an avid book reader and has regularly suggested that I pop over the road to the Waterstone's when there is a 3 for 2 offer to purchase the novel. My repost is to say that I have a place where you get access to books for free.

I love reading - and in a previous post have mentioned the delights of the three for a pound offer at my local Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity shop in Musselburgh. However, I also frequent my local library and am also lucky enough to have an Edinburgh library card.

Free public libraries have been in existence in the UK since the mid 17th with Chetham’s Library in Manchester opening in 1653. And in Scotland, the Innerpeffray Library was founded in 1680.

I was disappointed by the news from England that the numbers of adults visiting libraries has reduced every year since 2005. There is a suggestion that library services should move into pubs / supermarkets - I am not against this per se but there would have to be a concern that this is a first step to reducing library services. There are no current figures for Scotland but with councils being under tight financial constraints, they may be in the firing line.

Libraries have moved on from being stuffy repositories of books and the occasional CD – my local library in Musselburgh has computer access and to free wifi - with friendly / informed staff.

So support and use your local library cos if we don’t – they may be gone before you know it.

Some coffees are better than others

It's difficult here in Edinburgh during August to find great deals - you get the feeling that the restaurant and shop keepers are making sure that they are making the most of the opportunities of the multitudes of tourists.

So my post this week relates to a high quality coffee shop on Broughton Street called Artisan Roast - number 57 in fact. Earlier this year we were in New Zealand and one of the great things is an almost country wide quality of their coffee.

Despite the quantity of "quality" coffee shops - I am usually disappointed by the flavor and strength of the roast. But at Artisan Roast there is excellent coffee in a very chilled / relaxed atmosphere. Have even taken the opportunity of a take away flat white. The staff seem to be truly interested in quality of the coffee they are providing. My only disappointment was the hot chocolate - despite the range of flavours available I wasn't fully convinced.

I have forgotten cheeses

The demise of stores such as Woolies and Victoria Wine has led to some interesting changes on the high street. In Musselburgh it has led to more charity shops and a B+M Bargains. In Tranent, on the High Street, a small cafe - Coffee Lounge - has replaced what I am led to believe was a former off licence.

We've been to Tranent a few times and most recently needed to be around at lunchtime. Both of us were peckish - but weren't looking for a big meal as we had friends coming for dinner. So we only ordered a sandwich.

Cor blimey - and what a stonker arrived. Filled with bacon and brie - and with a great range of side salads it was a very filling sandwich. This place is well worth going to if you are in the vicinity. And this was a meal in itself and came in at around three quid fifty pence.

Sweet and tender Gullane

Ahh - it's all about food!!!

Another weekend - another cake fest. We've had friends visiting this weekend and as they were interested in all things ornithological we thought of a trip to the beach out at Gullane in East Lothian. As well as the delights of a Bethany shop, a fine butcher and a great beach - there is the delight of Falko - a German patisserie.

Excellent coffee - despite the views of our US cousins - not from a chain - accompanied by a yoghurt scone which was light as a feather. This was accompanied by butter and two types of jam - mmm. One of our team felt that the fruit in his cake was so refreshing that it meant is was almost beyond indulgence. I have to say that my scone and coffee came to three ponds sixty pence - but it was lovely.

Even at 11:30 on a Sunday we just managed to get a seat as can be seen from the queues which were there by noon.

Wallpapers of the world unite

Ahhh - the delights of August in Edinburgh. There's a choice - hide at home chunterring about "bloody tourists" clogging up Princes Street and your favourite bars. Or embrace the hordes of humanity shifting aimlessly around the town and thank the street artists - such as the Zambezi choir on Rose Street yesterday - for keeping you amused and engaged with the diversity of the arts.

So yesterday I went with a chum to the Martin Creed exhibition at the Fruitmarket. No entrance fee to an excellent gig which I would recommend for its playfulness. Don't miss taking the lift - and please try and play Three Blind Mice on the stairs.

After this - and a not so successful theatre piece - it was food for the body rather than the mind time. I have been a fan of David Ramsden's Dogs enterprises. So we went to the Seadogs - the third incarnation - which as you can imagine, focusses on fish dishes. My chum had posh folks Fish Fingers, chips and beans whilst I had battered Smoked Hake with chips and mushy peas. They didn't look like large portions but were wonderfully filling. We couldn't resist the desserts. My chum is a sucker for jelly - so she had this with a lemon sorbet. She looked particularly chipper afterwards. I had the banoffee fool - mmmm. All this came to about twenty quid for the pair of us.

Fresh, satisfying and tasty food right in the heart of Edinburgh. Oh - and great wallpaper!!!

Take me back to the rainy city

Manchester was a wonderful place for deals and sales last week and so I have to give it a second reference. But I'll focus on the bar that is 57 Thomas Street.

The bunch at the Marble Arch have some great boozers in Manchester. There is the Knott off Deansgate and the Marble Arch up Rochdale Road. But now they have a central - in the Northern Quarter - hostelry called 57 Thomas Street. There is a simple food menu - plates of cheeses and salamis / meats which you can eat sat around the central (and I think only) table.

They have around 3/4 beers in barrels sat on the bar - and I understand they don't sell fizzy pop. And in a city centre pub we had a pint and a half of beer for the magnificent three pounds sixty pence.

And talk about - This and That

A few days in Manchester gave a number of opportunities to try out the food, museums and bars.

Friday afternoon saw us visit the best of a number of places - This and That on Soap Street. To describe its environs as inauspicious would be an understatement. A rubbish strewn street with a faint odour of well used vegetable oil leads to a scruffy looking door. But inside it was rammed with folk tucking into the home produced curries. The most popular - and another of Manchester's gifts to the World - is the three curries and rice. A stonking portion of rice has your choice of three of the six curries available ladled across it. The price you pay depends on the number of meat curries you buy but the basic three veg curries comes to three pounds fifty pence. And it is a delight - no frippery - big jugs of water to wash the monster food down. Bowls of fresh coriander and chopped green chillies to add extra flavour if necessary. Sat cheek by jowel with the other diners on Formica topped tables with the seats welded to the floor.

So all this scran plus an onion bhaji came to 9 quid.

It doesn't come better than this.

Staff of Leith

I remember that Scotrail used to advertise the Glasgow to Edinburgh train journey by using two genteel ladies extolling the virtues of the rival cities - saying "Morningside, Kelvinside: Morningside, Kelvinside" the smarter part of the two cities. I always think of Leith as Edinburgh's slightly louche cousin - the sort of aunty you would always want to turn up at family parties because you knew she was fun and, with a wink and a finger to her mouth saying shhhh, would pour a little vodka into your pop.

Though it's been suffering a little with the tram works - Leith Walk still offers such a wide range of shops that it would be difficult to think of anything you couldn't buy somewhere along it.

Which brings me to Storries!!! I have been aware of Storries at 279 Leith Walk for ages - and there are loads of references to their steak pies. I think they used to do a breakfast pie - containing bacon and egg. They also do cakes / scones etc and I think they now offer hot drinks. Not sure of the opening times - but definitely early.

Having given up buying bread for a while, I was shocked to see how much a decent loaf had got to in the local supermarket. Well the Doctor was looking for a sausage sarnie for her brekkie, so on the way home I dropped in for some rolls.

Unfortunately they had sold out but I was offered one of their Wheaten Loaves - for the princely sum of 45p. What a great loaf, tasty bread with a crusty top - and with Findlay's sausages made a breakfast fit for a doctor.

19th nervous breakdown

Ahhh - the delights of one of those ultimate scranner trips to the supermarket. Bananas, raspberries, cheese, spinach, green beans, black currants, tuna pate, bedding plants, flowers - all reduced down to 19p each. Cheers to Morrisons.

But what to make with it all?? Tried the following - Sauteed some onion and garlic and then added the spinach and a little milk. Grated in some nutmeg, a little black pepper and allowed the spinach to wilt. Had gnocchi cooking. And when wilted, crumbled the gorgonzola into the spinach mix. Mixed with the drained gnocchi and served. Thumbs up from her nibs.

Turned the fruit into a salad - mixed with yoghurt and granola for breakfast.

We'll always have Leith

Whilst the aim of Captain Value is VFM, there has been a suggestion that my aim in life is cheapness. Can I give an example of something which is not cheap but is high on the VFM stakes due to its innate quality.

I was fortunate as a student to have worked for a couple of companies very near Paris. One of the delights of the French capital, and France in general, is the quality of the bakery products. On the times i have been back I have taken every opportunity to try one of those fruit tarts with a sort of creme anglaise on a crispy pastry base.

I have bought a number of these from UK supermarkets / bakers and the disappointment has always been the pastry. The fork slides through the fruit and custard and passes squidgily through soft pastry. However, my memory has always been of a similar early experience with the French patisserie version but as the fork broke the pastry there was a satisfying crack to the crispy pastry.

So when I discovered La Cerise on Great Junction Street in Leith, I wanted to try their tart as a test of their patisserie skills - and I wasn't disappointed even at the princely sum of £2.10. I have been back a number of times most regularly with a chum and his young daughter. We generally restrain ourselves on the cake front with lunch of a quality sandwich and coffee - but take muffins etc back for our respective partners. But when I go with my work colleagues - ladies who lunch shall we say - cake is always on the cards. But I suppose every place has to cater for its local clientele and one of them had a Mars bar toastie with ice cream - what a Scottish dish.

Well I Golden Wonder

Remember a few years ago Jamie Oliver looked to promote healthy eating in schools and the kids' mothers pushed chips through the school fence to the youngsters.

Well, I'm not a great fan of Mr O: his cockerney geezer persona gave me an excuse not to shop at Sainsbury's - though he does a mean recipe for baking salmon in the oven with anchovies and tomatoes.

In the medical journals, the five a day mantra is now being replaced with a push towards nine a day as five is really a bare minimum- sometimes you just know things aren't gonna happen. I think I eat fairly well but don't think I can manage nine regularly.

Anyhow - I always thought the healthy eating push was unfortunately doomed to failure and I saw two perfect examples this week. As you can see from the picture - if you are going to eat unhealthily - then you might as well do it cheaply - and here we have a Chippy loyalty card and discount scheme for kids in a local town. Don't want to promote but if you send me a message I will pass on the details.

And secondly, yesterday was a lovely day in Glasgow. Buchanan Street was busy with shoppers soaking up the rays. But the busiest place wasn't a shop but the area around the three wheelie bins of Golden Wonder crisps being doled out. Free Tomato Ketchup, Salt and Vinegar and Cheese and Onion crisps were to be had by all. As they say - owt for nowt, be there with your barra. Took a couple of packets for the snap boxes this week - but wondered if a fruit based equivalent would have been so successful!!!!

Women of the world take over

Went to the Blue Spine exhibition at the Mitchell library in Glasgow yesterday. The artist had invited the 500 plus women who contributed books to attend a photo shoot. Around 200 looked like they turned up and there were a smattering of menfolk. I was asked a number of times about whether I felt nervous among the bevy of womanhood.

At the point where all the contributors were on one side of the room - this left a collection of guys on the other side of the room - a bit like those old school discos with everyone lined up against the walls.

It was a great event - the sun shone through the library's glass ceiling and I got myself a funky t-shirt that can be seen in the picture for a fiver - great deal.

What difference does it Flake

I am sure many of you remember the Mike Leigh play - Abigail's Party. We went to see it at our local Theatre a while ago. The day before we saw it the actor who played Laurence actually did fall ill during the climactic heart attack scene and it sounds like they did have to ask if there was a doctor in the house!!!

Before the play we had a themed tea - culminating in a version of the classic 99 - Musselburgh made di Rollos vanilla ice cream, homemade strawberry sauce and a Cadbury's Flake - mmmmm.

This started a little research project as it seemed to me that when I made this particular dessert (which I have done since) - irrespective of the number of Flakes available - couples would share the Flake but single chums would take the whole bar, pulverise it into flakey chocolate dust and pour over their ice cream. Dear reader - more research is needed on this topic.

Anyhow - the reason I raise this now is that I always think Flakes are a treat due to their relatively high price - but the Co-Op on Leith Walk - and maybe others, are selling multipacks of four for a pound at the moment.

Appropriate Yourself

Time for a bit of navel gazing and looking back at the posts so far. When did self referentialism ever become a crime - or even a real word.

Not as good as the free salmon - but the same issue at the supermarket led to free tatties this week. Keep checking those till receipts.

Found the designs for the Captain Value super hero suit and felt should post. Thanks to La Presidenta for her contribution - a woman of many talents.

And finally - despite a number of visits at 6.30 on a Sunday the flashmobbers don't appear to have returned - shame - I was hoping to have a battle of wits over the 10p pork pies

Dig the music Mr DJ

It's been a quiet week in the World of Captain Value but after a bit of an hiatus I have been stocking up on some new tunes.

It's relatively easy to go down the rapidshare route but there are some good sites which allow for legitimate downloads.

My two favourites at the moment offer differing experiences. Daytrotter.com gives you access to four song sessions by emerging and established bands. Recently they have posted sessions by such diverse folk at Kris Kristofferson and Lambchop. Great chance to get a taster of new things and hear live versions of favourite tracks. I'd highly recommend The Antlers session from October 2009 and The Acorn from February 2009.

I am also a fan of Zunior.com - which is a Canadian site which every two weeks has a free download of an eight track sampler. There is always something of interest and for the ears to prick up.

Another site but for podcasts is the music section of NPR.org - the US public radio service. There are a couple of podcasts available - All Songs Considered - provides an update on new music and most recently had John Lydon as a guest DJ. There are the tiny Desk Concerts and also First Listen when a new album is available to stream. the presenters really sound like they love their music and have a jocular interplay that reminds of the best of BBC Radio Five Live's Fighting Talk. You know - no holds barred - but go for a pint together afterwards.

And the flames rose to her roman nose

There seems to be something about three for a quid offers. i have already mentioned the card shop in Leith - but another recommended one is at the Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity shop in Musselburgh. It starts with a strange tunnel - like entrance which opens out into a chasmesque shop that seems to go on and on. There is a small book room, furniture and a wide selection of pots and glassware. Strangely when i was last there I would swear i could hear pigeons in the roof.

i have to admit that I'm sometimes disappointed by charity shops which price material at almost a commercial rate. However, at the Hearing Dogs you can get any three videos, CDs and books for a pound - excellent value.

There is a down side to this though - I am sometimes loathed to donate these items where I think they have a higher intrinsic value and therefore pass them on somewhere else.

As you can see from the picture above - it's a great place to buy a copy of The Full Monty

I'm Till Ill

Simple scenario this week - just done the shopping and heading for the exit. But something is nagging that Value conscious part of the brain - sure I have spent more than expected.

So checked the till receipt and the smoked salmon (yes I am a great fan of the better things in life) - has been scanned through twice.

So went to Customer Service where the policy is to give you back twice the overcharging. So the outcome for me - some very pleasant Shetland smoked salmon for free.

But how many people check the till receipts - with everything automated there should be less chance for human error - but there still is.

Leaning over the bathtub, immersed in Persil

The doctor posted on her facebook page that she had convinced me that we needed to get a new washing machine - and that's right. Bought a new one online from Boots - but it felt a very functional - impersonal way of shopping. Not like how we got the old beige two tone washing machine which seems to have been with us since we moved in together around 15 years ago.

We bought it second hand from one of my colleagues. We lived in Leeds then and a friend gave us a lift over to Mirfield in his estate car and we manhandled this metallic brick in and out of the back of his car. I was really worried we would scratch his car as the washing machine was so heavy. It was only when I took the top off did I realise the drum was encased in concrete to stop it dancing across the floor on its spin cycle. Our kitchen at the time was the size of a postage stamp - we had to connect the washing machine to the ordinary sink taps making it really difficult to move around when the washing was on.

We moved up to Scotland and it stayed in the storage cupboard for a year while we rented. We lived in one of the Edinburgh colonies and it took three of us ages after a long trip up the A1 to get it up those darnn stairs. Collapsing with exhaustion after midnight and Chris heading back at 4 in the morning to get the van back on time. Still getting a ticket because one of the neighbours moaned about the van to the police - welcome to Edinburgh!!

When we moved out a year later we had removal men take our stuff. The guy was like Curly in the Harlem Globetrotters in the way he could almost spin the thing on one finger as he sauntered down the steps. So it came to East Lothian with us almost 10 years ago - and gave sterling service till last week. You know when you have a song running through your mind - well mine is Mrs Bartolozzi by Kate Bush. You can hear it here on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZnA4jHuyzs

Ahh - on the VFM side - it was £50 well spent.

The captain to the wafer shaped rescue

It has been suggested that Captain Value should have a superpower. Hmm - not really a leaping tall buildings, traveling faster than a speeding bullet type of guy - but this week I was thinking about the topic. One of my colleagues has already drawn me a Captain Value suit and passed over for consideration. Not enough sequins.

I was passing through Portobello (Edinburgh's beach) with a chum of mine and we passed by Hamilton's on Bath Street. it's a small shop situated next to the public lavvie - delightful. But it's what's inside that is the delight - as well as the toys and usual cans of juice, are bottles and bottles of boilings - and the piece of resistance at the moment - 10 Tunnock's Caramel Wafers (though seconds and not in wrappers) - for one of your Scottish pounds. Result!! There are other delights as well - I got four Toblerones for the same price.

But going back to the original point of the post - my chum asked how did I find these places? Well it's not much of a superpower - in fact it's not much of a power at all - but keeping an eye out for places like Hamilton's is the best I can do. To the sweet shop, and beyond!!

And talk about precious things.

A couple of weeks ago we had family visiting and took the opportunity of going to see The Heart of the Great Alone exhibition at the Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. And a fine exhibition of photographs from the Scott / Shackleton Antarctic expeditions of the 1910s they were. Both collections of photographs were presented to King George V and form part of the Royal Photograph Collection.

The £5.50 admission included an informative audio guide. On the VFM side - the Gallery is offering an opportunity to get access to the Gallery for a whole year if you get your ticket stamped. Next week sees the new exhibition of Dutch Landscapes opening - and will take the opportunity to see this on a freemans.

(http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/dutchlandscapes/MicroSection.asp?themeid=663).

The fact that the Queen's Gallery charges admission offers up the opportunity to think about the cost of attending events where the venue is funded through some form of public subscription - either taxation or the National Lottery. As part of the Royal Photograph Collection, can it be suggested that this doesn't fall into either category?

It is positive that many of the major galleries and museums are now free to enter - but the prices of "special exhibitions" is too high.

Flash mobbing by the pork pies

Getting the yellow stickered reductions in the supermarket is being more of a science than an art. I agree with one of my colleagues who suggested that like comedy, it's all about timing. I reckon there are at least four different techniques - and will go into this some time soon. But I came across a new one in the last couple of weeks.

The approach could be best described as flash mob scranning.

Walked past the usual spot for the reductions and despite there being nothing available, there was a small group of folk hanging round the adjacent pork products. They were relaxed, chatting away - but it was obvious they were waiting for something. Went and did the shopping and just as we went by the end of the aisle - a young chap arrived with a box of yellow stickered meat products which he dumped unceremoniously into the chiller. The mob descended - hoovering up everything except the packet of mixed seasonal root vegetables and the lamb joint I managed to snatch at the last second. £4 down to 44p.

Then they left - leaving the chiller emptily desolate. Waiting to see this happen again

Grand gestures on a budget

My mum is one of those folks who want cards to say exactly who they are to and from - To my loving Brother and Sister in Law etc. She also used to see the size of the card as a direct reflection on how much people cared for her. I remember the looks when the cards weren't of an appropriate size and didn't say To Mum on them. But she'd love this place - on Great Junction Street in Leith - definitely cards for every occasion.

This wouldn't normally be the sort of shop I'd enter but I'm so glad I did - because at the back beyond the Hearts Greatest Fan cards lies a section of amazing cards from the V&A, Tate RIBA etc - all at 39p each or 3 for a pound.

I was in there with a friend on Friday - it was her initiation into the delights of The Card Shop. It started off with just three cards - she had already organised the cards for this year - so really didn't need any. Finally she took away a dozen and excitedly reminded me as we trolled past Tesco's that they had only cost her four quid. I walked on with a satisfied and knowing smile.

Though maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that was where we got her birthday card from!!!

Welcome to my world

I have been given a number of pseudonyms at work and by friends - one of which is Captain Value. This is based primarily on my interest in all things Value for Money. The aim of this blog is to share some of these things with the wider world. It won't just be stuff like three packets of crisps for 10p at Spar - but hopefully stories, reflections etc on what appears now to be a mainstream activity - getting value for money.