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“He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice…” ‘Tis the season of giving and we don’t know about you, but all this Christmas shopping can be rather overwhelming! So, we thought who better to ask for some inspiration than our favourite bloggers and editors? Read on for the experts’ pick of the most magical gifts, hand-picked in store at Restoration Yard. Let the Christmas shopping commence. . . Scott McGlashan, Blublazer Guy “I am a huge fragrance fan and Miller Harris has to be one of my top British Perfumers, so much so that I featured them in a blog post not too long ago. Lumière Dorée Eau de Parfum 50ml by Miller Harris, £75.00 Lumière Dorée is the perfect choice for a man or a woman as it exudes a perfect balance of masculine and feminine notes. I am obsessed with Orange and Neroli as they immediately transport me to sunnier climes, which is sometimes needed here. This fresh/floral combination is sure to be a winner as the perfect gift.” Amanda Southey, i-on magazine “Who doesn’t love a cuddly avocado?! A perfect stocking filler… Amuseable Avocado Small Soft Toy by Jellycat, £13.00 I always love to give my daughter a book at Christmas and this beautifully illustrated one is the perfect present, the book of feelings ‘In My Heart’. My wee one just started school a few months ago and this will help her identify how she feels.” In My Heart by Jo Witek, £10.99 Jojo Fraser, lifestyle and wellbeing blogger and author “I love the gift shop at Restoration Yard, especially at Christmas time. I could spend hours there. I am a fan of this lovely Pom Amsterdam shirt dress, it is so comfy with my favourite colours. Shirt Dress in Paradise Green by Pom Amsterdam, £165.00 I also love the peacock cards that read ‘I’m your biggest fan’ – I am a great believer in writing letters and complimenting people. Have a Little Pun Postcards, £8.99 I love all of the inspirational books for both adults and kids. They sell my book too, Mummy Jojo UNCUT, Time for a Mojo injection, which makes me very happy, I buy books and notepads lots, they fill me with joy.” Mummy Jojo Uncut by Jojo Fraser, £10.00 Gaby Soutar, Lifestyle Editor & Restaurant Reviewer at The Scotsman “I have traditional plans at Christmas, though I’d probably rather lock myself in the house and decimate this cheese hamper. Restoration Yard can tweak it to include your favourite cheeses, so you won’t end up with a dud cranberry-infused bright orange cheddar. There’s also a decent selection of crackers, two bottles of wine and plenty of chutney. All killer, no filler. We’ve barricaded the doors.” The Cheese Hamper by Restoration Yard, approx £65 Julia & Claire, Midlothian Ladies Club “This Famous Women card game promises to be lots of fun for children of all ages – and not just for girls. Highlighting the achievements of inspiring women throughout history, this game brings a new angle to the traditional card game and is bound to spark interesting conversations about girls and women excelling in all areas of life. Famous Women Quiz Box by Ridley’s, £10.95 If, like us and our children, you enjoy reading stories about strong women and breaking away from the princess clichés, this game will be right up your street.” Louise Wilson, editor MADE magazine “I love this jumper! It’s my all-time favourite colour and would look awesome on my husband. Cashmere V Neck Jumper in Oasis Blue by Vedoneire, £59.95 This is the perfect book for my son, Luke. He is an avid reader and devours all types of books – it would be brilliant to give him this, to help him realise it’s okay to be different. Stories for Kids who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks, £20 I would love to buy this for my best friend – she’s actually admired it for years. She has gone through quite a rough time recently, and has had to move house multiple times, so it would be lovely to treat her to this now she is in a home of her own. 746 Telephone by Wild & Wolf, £69.95 I would buy this for me! I burn candles every night in the winter, I can’t get enough to them to make my house feel warm and cosy. I love this candle because it’s pure white and would look beautiful in my living room. Plus it smells amazing!” Scented Candle by Inis, £24.00 Laura Russell, Satisfashion Style “I cannot recommend highly enough heading to the Restoration yard to do your Christmas gift shopping! What I love most is the relaxed, gorgeous surroundings in which you get swept away by the unique choices on offer. I love this dress up doll for my daughter, Lilah. She is definitely following in the family trade of Stylist and being called Satisfashion Baby has rubbed off into her clothing choices! At 2 and a half years old, she is dressing herself – and telling me what she thinks I should wear as well – so this will focus her styling eyes and train them up to take over my empire in the future. Sofia Magnetic Dress Up Doll, £19.95 I love this jumper as pink is Lilah’s favourite colour and everything and anything has to be pink! So this jumper is perfect to gift to my Mum or Lilah’s Granny, who are also being dictated to wear pink by Satisfashion Baby. Savannah Jumper by Luella, £75.00 Lilah loved playing with slinky when we came into shop, there is such a fab selection of stocking fillers for any budget so do come down and see what would be perfect for your loved ones.” Rainbow Springy, £6.95 All these lovely gifts are available to buy in store now, so pop in for some Christmas shopping – and a mulled wine (or two!).

The festive season can be fun, but it can also be stressful. Work may be intense as everything needs to be finished by the end of the year, and there may be demanding clients to entertain, not to mention demanding families. Also, when we get together with our family of origin, our habitual patterns can come up and all of a sudden we can feel like a hormonal teenager again. Time off can be a relief for some, for others it’s a break from normal routine which can be difficult. For some, Christmas can be a painful reminder of loss and absent loved ones. Here are some suggestions for having a more mindful – and calm – Christmas. Breathe Having a go-to breathing practice that you can use to activate your ‘relaxation response’ is one of the most helpful gifts you can give yourself. One minute a day is enough to start building up your inner resilience and compassion. Set an intention for how you want to feel, instead of how you don’t When you wake up, why not decide how you would like to feel. This can be a great way to programme the mind to support you. Energy flows where attention goes, so before our work night out or family gathering, if we are thinking of the joy of connection rather than dreading the effort of it all, it can dramatically influence our experience. Take a minute to check in before any social event, and think about how meaningful these people are to you. You might even feel like sharing that with them, which can be the greatest gift you can offer someone. Make a self-care plan Spending some time thinking about how you can recharge your self-care battery can be very helpful. Remember, self-care is not selfish, it’s nourishing and often essential. The airlines ask you to put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others for a very good reason. Body awareness We often hear ‘the body doesn’t lie’ and it’s true! Take some time to check in with your body and see what information you get. What does your body need? It might need to move, stretch or rest. What emotions, thoughts or physical sensations do you notice? This is helpful when we are busy and eating and drinking more than usual. Rather than another glass of wine, could you have a pause and possibly a glass of water to pace yourself? Your body may thank you in the morning. Set a mindful reminder on your phone We can’t get away from our phones so we might as well use them to help us. Experiment with setting an hourly alarm on your phone or use a mindfulness timer app on your smartphone to remind yourself to check in with your body and your Soothing Rhythm Breathing. Try Mindfulness Bell https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/mindfulness-bell/id380816407 Practice mindful activities As well as eating and drinking mindfully when you can, try choosing one activity per day to do mindfully. It could be having a mindful shower, brushing your teeth, cooking a meal or even doing the ironing. It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s how you do it that will make all the difference. See how your perspective changes when you do things with more awareness. Use all your senses. Get outside every day At this time of year we don’t get enough bright sunlight, and this can impact our levels of vitamin D. It can help to get outside when it’s bright. Going for walks, visiting a country park, walking the dog or forest bathing. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes! Practise gratitude At the end of the day, write down 3 things that you are grateful for. They could be experiences, people, treats for yourself or simple yet significant things like good health. This tunes our brains in to notice more good things and it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Warm wishes for a mindful and compassionate festive season, Jen Wood If you would like to discuss any of these things further, please feel free to contact me on hello@jenwoodwellbeing.com or 07739 350322. Visit Jen’s website at jenwoodwellbeing.com.

BRUNCH: saver of the late risers, an overindulgence the night before or simply to settle a grumbly tummy and help set you up for the day, we love a good brunch here at Restoration Yard. In and around Edinburgh we’re spoilt for choice so we asked our friends, family, colleagues (and sampled a few ourselves – all in the name of research) to name their top spots for an Edinburgh brunch. And why. Here’s our top pick from us, the Edinburgh locals, to you, whether you’re visiting this magnificent city or you’re in need of somewhere new to try for that long overdue catch up. The Blue Bear Best brunch in Edinburgh… *with your dog *with the kids *LOVE the family vibe Located in the Canonmills area of Edinburgh, close to the Water of Leith footpath, the Blue Bear is all about great tasting, quality food with a smile. Choose from light, healthy brunches up to the Big Bear. Kid and dog friendly. The Blue Bear, 9 Brandon Terrace, Edinburgh, EH3 5EA. www.cafebluebear.co.uk Loudons Best brunch in Edinburgh for… *gluten free *dairy free *LOVE the vegan options A great city centre option, Loudons’ interiors match its modern brunch menu. Its foodie ethos believes that regardless of your food choices or dietary needs – meat eating, gluten free, vegan or dairy free – it should all be delicious. Check out Loudons website for its specialised menus. Loudons – 94b Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 9QA and 2 Sibbald Walk, New Waverley, Edinburgh, EH8 8FT. www.loudons.co.uk The Kitchen at Restoration Yard Best brunch in Edinburgh for…*a city escape *stunning views *LOVE the Eggs Benedict Not quite in Edinburgh but worth the quick trip. With views to die for, plus superb shopping and a kids’ adventure park, The Kitchen at Restoration Yard, located at the heart of Dalkeith Country Park is your perfect city escape. Just a few miles from Edinburgh city centre you’ll find a menu with ‘Scottish Full Breakfast’ for meat eaters, vegans and vegetarians, pancakes, granola, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. And the walking routes can help you feel rather virtuous afterwards. The Kitchen at Restoration Yard, Via The King’s Gate, Dalkeith Country Park, Dalkeith, Edinburgh, EH22 1ST www.restorationyard.com The Pantry Best brunch in Edinburgh for…*poached eggs *vintage crockery *LOVE the friendly buzz The Pantry claims to have the best poached eggs in town and they’re not wrong. Simple, seasonal food is at the heart of what they do and it’s ridiculously tasty. Don’t miss their Sunshine on Stockbridge Edinburgh brunch classic. The Pantry. 1 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6ST. www.thepantryedinburgh.co.uk Honeycomb & Co Best brunch in Edinburgh for…*saving the bees *LOVE its Insta-worthy presentation One of Edinburgh’s newest brunching spots, Honeycomb & Co is garnering a busy following. Its menu is inspired by flavours from around the world and created using seasonal produce. The team care about their dishes’ visual presentation, making it a favourite spot for instagrammers, but their number one focus is always great taste. As the name suggests, it also flies the flag for all things bee-related and works in association with Plan Bee which offers beehive adoption, management and educational services. Honeycomb & Co’s own adopted hives produce the honey used in its signature honey buns, baking and seriously delicious granola bowls. Honeycomb & Co – 1 Merchiston Place Edinburgh, EH10 4NP. www.honeycombandco.com Toast Best brunch in Edinburgh for…*Huevos Rancheros, *vegetarians, *LOVE exploring Leith Toast is located at The Shore area of Edinburgh and has established itself over the last couple of years as a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike. You’ll find delicious breakfast and brunch dishes like huevos rancheros, avo on toast and shakshuka. Many dishes are vegetarian, some are vegan and they have at least two choices of gluten-free cake each day! Stay all day and enjoy their wine café later. Toast – 65 The Shore, Edinburgh, EH6 6RA. https://toastleith.co.uk

We can’t wait to see what the incredible Pyrus Botanicals create for this year’s Hobo Cinema, a magical winter woodland cinema with winter foliage, twinkling festoons and woodchip underfoot! Ahead of the big reveal, we caught up with the Pyrus set designers, Natalya and Fiona, for a sneak peek at what to expect this year… How did you get involved with Rogue Village and Hobo Cinema? We have been lucky enough to work with Rogue Village from the very beginning, dressing lots of their events with botanicals over the past few years. This will be the third time we have worked together for Hobo cinema, it is such a pleasure and always our last project before the Christmas holidays. You brought Hobo Cinema to life at Restoration Yard last year to great success. What’s the vision for the 2019 incarnation of Hobo Cinema’s Winter Wonderland and how has it changed from last year? You will have to wait and see! For Hobo we want to bring a little wintry, festive magic to the venue and smell is always just as important as the visual aesthetic; it is very much an immersive experience for the cinema-goers. Any beautiful little surprises for our Hobo Cinema film-goers that you can reveal to us now? The cinema-goers can expect a magical, sculptural, wintry experience – that is all we can give away! You will have to snap up a ticket and go to a screening, such a brilliant way to ease into the festive season. It must be a challenge to create a beautiful winter wonderland from scratch in what is essentially a big white, blank space. Can you talk us through your process and how you bring the magic to it? We are part of a team of designers that bring it to life; transforming the space into the winter wonderland that is Hobo. For the botanicals, we always start with the materials and begin designing from there; it is really important to us that everything we work on has a real sense of time and place. We’ve heard you’ll be foraging some of the foliage for Hobo Cinema here in the park. How long does it take to build the Winter Wonderland and what materials do you use to bring it to life? We will start the forage in the days leading up to the first screening, combining dried materials with fresh materials from the woods and local landscape. It is important that everything is fresh, therefore the nature of our work means everything happens quite last-minute! Foraging is one of our favourite parts of the job, even in the cold December weather it is lovely to spend a day in the woods seeking out that special branch or piece of treasure. If you were to settle down and watch one of our films this year which one would it be, who would it be with and what’s your perfect festive film snack of choice. Good question, we are actually usually lucky enough to catch some test screenings while we are installing, definitely a perk of the job! Our annual Christmas favourites are The Snowman and Elf, watched with our families while enjoying some mulled wine and popcorn. The best way to let the Christmas festivities begin! Hobo Cinema runs from 20th – 24th December at Restoration Yard.

The Earl of Dalkeith, Walter Dalkeith is a fine art photographer. His new exhibition “TO GOD & TO NATURE” is now showing at Restoration Yard and the proceeds from each print sold will go to CHAS We are delighted to host your new exhibition To God & To Nature at Restoration Yard. Can you tell us a little about this project’s inception and what inspired you to create it? Prior to discovering the books from which this series was born, I knew nothing about George Edwards and the work he created over two and a half centuries ago. I was struck by the beauty of the drawings within and inspired by a sense of discovery in unearthing this body of largely forgotten work. I felt the need to not only learn more but also in some way give others the opportunity to enjoy and feel inspired themselves. It was only after I had taken some initial photographs and spent time with the books that I began to envisage something greater than simple reproductions. That was when the concept of the series started to materialize. Can you explain a little about who George Edwards was and how he came to draw these incredible creatures? George Edward’s was born in 1694. In his early years he travelled extensively through mainland Europe, studying natural history, and producing coloured drawings of the creatures he encountered. It was through the great naturalist Sir Hans Sloane (whose collection formed the basis of the British museum) that he became librarian to the royal College of Physicians in 1733 and started working on the books we have today. Edwards’s fascination and dedication towards understanding the natural world was almost a duty he felt compelled. In his work he states that, ‘Amongst the many acts of gratitude we owe to God, it may be accounted one, to study and contemplate the perfections and beauties of his works of creation’. This dedication to nature is one of the many aspects, which make his drawings so wonderful and inspiring. How would Edwards have been able to see such a wide variety of animals in this very specific period of 1743 to 1764? The 18th Century was a time of large-scale European exploration and expansion that covered all corners of the globe. With this, there was a growing interest and market for the wild creatures that were found in these new lands. George Edwards barely needed to step further than the London Docks to encounter a huge variety of wildlife that was arriving on ships from around the world. They came in all states of condition with many not surviving the journeys back in captivity. Some alive, others stuffed or preserved in spirits. For each animal, George Edwards details to the best of his knowledge where they came from, who owned them and what condition they were in when he made his drawings. The books give a wonderful insight into what London was like at the time with exotic creatures populating barbershops, coffee shops and people’s homes. Your collection creates fantastical situations that amalgamate a number of Edwards’ birds and animals where they would never have appeared together in the natural world. Can you describe the creative process behind your themes and the animal groupings? When I started the process of envisaging new compositions, two themes materialized in my mind initially. The first being the extraordinary accumulation of animals appropriated from their natural environments into one area and following this, the impact this must have had on the people at the time. The books were created for creatures that had never before been described or drawn and the thought of how they must have fueled the imagination was a basis for forming the fantastical situations. The nature of creating the series meant that it was hard to know what was coming next and each piece was a voyage in creative discovery. I preferred to let my subconscious direct me in the compositions and it was only when I started to look back at the completed pieces that I began to unravel the variety of emotions I had been evoking. I could then see all 22 works as a whole with interlinking relationships and bonds forming between them. Can you enlighten us into your technical process that lifts these beautiful birds and animals from these ancient books and breathes new life into them to become the images we can see today? My artistic goal for each image was to construct a seamless composition between each element so that on first glance the final image may seem as a picture rather than a combination of blended photographs. The creation of each piece was a painstaking process (often days) of work on Photoshop to cut, layer and blend all the photographs together. Many of the pieces have more than 10 photographs. Ensuring I achieved accurate and consistent colours from each drawing took experimentation in varying light conditions while working with very old books posed its own photographic challenges. It was also very important for me to have each individual image and the series as a whole rooted in photography, almost to relate to modern wildlife photography. Making sure that there were selected elements that were not in complete focus and working to create depth was a way to achieve this. I also enjoyed the limitations that working on a set of books posed. Being limited to a set number of backgrounds, plants, rocks and animals in workable poses meant I had to push my creative envelope to bring all the different elements together in a way that I felt worked while being careful not to duplicate. You’ve chosen to donate #5 from every print sold to CHAS. Why is that charity one that is important to you? “The exhibition runs October until December. The run up to Christmas only magnifies the poignancy of the work CHAS does to help children with life-limiting conditions. At this time of year, when children are at the forefront of people’s minds, to help CHAS provide experiences that bring a smile on a child’s face and allow them to enjoy simple things that are so often taken for granted resonates all the more. ” These are beautiful prints. Are there plans to develop further the imagery you’ve created in this collection? Because of the limitations I placed on myself in terms of the format of the prints, there are a large number of creatures I really wanted to showcase but just couldn’t make work compositionally. By expanding into other formats, I would love to return to the books and find ways to bring so many of the other wonderful drawings to light. What inspired you into fine art and photography? I find photography to be a very tranquil experience that allows me to connect with greater attention to the natural world. I love the feeling of discovery and adventure that each project brings whether during a shoot or back in the editing suite. It is my small artistic contribution to the world. Can you give us a little insight into how you’ve honed your skills through your body of work? Practice, practice, practice! What will you be working on next? I am currently working on some landscape images I took back in 2015 of the imperious Huang Shan Mountains in China. It sometimes takes time to figure out how to achieve the vision you have in your mind’s eye when taking the photograph! I then want to embark on a photographic project to capture the beauty of the Scottish Borders. Walter’s exhibition “TO GOD & TO NATURE” runs until 3rd January 2020 at Restoration Yard.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the store is bursting with festive treats, decorations and gorgeous gift ideas! This year, we’re particularly excited about our beautiful range of hampers, filled to the brim with goodies from our foodhall and beyond… Available in lots of different shapes and sizes, our hampers can be filled with anything you like from the store – it’s completely up to you! You can opt to choose the products yourself or let our friendly staff know what you have in mind and they’ll be happy to handpick a selection for you. We also have a lovely selection of smaller pre-made gift baskets, ready to pick up in store any time. Tempted? Come in store to create your hamper or give us a call on 0131 322 2575. Scroll down to see the full range… The Duke Hamper, approx £200 Our largest hamper is the ultimate Christmas feast! The sky’s the limit with this treasure box – fill it with everything your heart desires, from the finest wine and spirits to fresh charcuterie, cakes and chutneys – and perhaps even a beautiful scarf or cookbook added in as an extra treat. Size: 60cm wide The Duchess Hamper, approx £150 Slightly daintier than the Duke, our Duchess Hamper is ready and waiting to be filled with goodies galore. Choose from our delicious selection of decadent cakes, cooking sauces, pastas, jams and cheese – or let our expert team choose for you. Size: 55cm wide The Cheese Hamper, approx £65 What’s Christmas without cheese and wine?! This gorgeous hamper comes filled with a tasty selection of cheese, crackers, chutneys and wine. Got a favourite cheese? Let us know and we’ll be sure to include it (and perhaps introduce you to some new ones too!). Size: 45cm wide The Chocolate Hamper, approx £65 This heavenly hamper is every chocaholic”s dream, filled with the finest cocoa bars, sweets, pastries and biscuits – plus you can also include a selection of decadent truffles from our new Sarunds Chocolate counter. We’d suggest throwing in some coffee and/or wine too – the ultimate combination! Size: 45cm wide The Coffee Hamper, approx £45 Is there any prettier way to get your caffeine fix? All good cups of coffee begin with a stylish mug, so pick your favourite from our eclectic range and fill this hamper with all the essentials for a luxurious coffee break. Size: 35cm wide The Tea Hamper, approx £45 Create the ultimate tea-time treat for tea-lovers with this beautiful hamper, filled to the brim with artisan teas, crumbly biscuits and delicious conserves to spread over afternoon scones. Size: 35cm wide Pre-picked Jam & Chutney Trio, £16.95 Our pre-packaged trios feature favourites from our very own Restoration Yard jam and chutney collections. Looking for a specific combination? Let us know and if we don’t have it, we’ll make it for you! Size: 25cm wide

This symbolic homecoming will showcase Walter Dalkeith’s latest work “TO GOD & TO NATURE” in a small, free to enter exhibition in The Loft at Restoration Yard, alongside the historic books that inspired his images.

Notice anything different? The store has been totally transformed this month with the exciting expansion of our foodhall – and our homeware department has had a beautiful makeover too! Previously next to the foodhall and Coffee Bar, you’ll now find all our latest homeware collections nestled in our historic stables. Still divided into the original stable blocks, this space lends itself beautifully to all our home treasures, allowing the team to create styled ‘rooms’ to delight and inspire you. Our head of retail Sisi Gibreel says: “We are so excited to be able to tell more stories in this fantastic and historical space. It’s the perfect setting for us to showcase our eclectic range of homeware and paint a picture of an inspirational lifestyle.” The store is open 7 days a week, 9.30am to 6pm.

Foodies, have we got some exciting news for you… We’re delighted to announce that, by popular demand, we’ve expanded our foodhall with a host of amazing new food counters including the renowned cheesemaker, I.J Mellis, the irresistible chocolatier House of Sarunds chocolates, a delicious new charcuterie and olive counter, and much more… Speaking of the reasons behind these exciting new changes, Sisi Gibreel, Restoration Yard’s head of retail said: “We adore bringing local suppliers with distinct provenance to our food floor. From our ‘Meet the Maker’ events we know that our customers are also enjoying the creative offerings from local talents. So, by popular demand our Foodhall is growing with some impressive expertise including dedicated I.J Mellis and House of Sarunds counters, with the aim of creating a more personalised and interactive experience for our customers. “Iain Mellis of Mellis Cheesemonger is a passionate purveyor of fine farmhouse and artisan cheese and our customers will be able to choose from a huge selection of around 15 different I.J, Mellis cheeses, from Isle of Mull cheddar to Hebridean blue, with expert advice on hand. “Our House of Sarunds chocolate counter will showcase between 20-25 carefully selected luxury chocolates, each one delivering on taste sensation, which our customers can then hand-pick and take home in a small bag or beautiful little presentation box,” she said. Other additions include a new charcuterie and olive counter where customers can loose-pick a selection of olives supplied by local producer, Olives et Al. Plus, there’s a big new fridge for our growing number of refrigerated items including Edinburgh Preserves pates, Shaws meat pies, Silver Tide marinades and individual fresh puddings from Cartmel. We’ve also added a range of new suppliers including Italian producers Tenuta Marmorelle and an extended range from Edinburgh Preserves, as well as retaining many of our old favourites such as The Bonnie Sauce Company from Edinburgh, Spice Pots from East Lothian, The Little Herb Farm sweet fruit and herb vinegars from St Andrews and Hawks Head relishes from the Lake District. Feeling hungry now? Come and visit us! We’re open seven days a week from 9.30am – 6pm.