Scottish Shopping and Drinking Gin

I had the pleasure of attending two events in one evening last Thursday with lots of the lovely Edinburgh and Glasgow blogging ladies. I've only attended a few blogging events in the past few years but I'm starting to feel like I'm making some good blogging friends and hopefully there will be more events and chances to socialise in the near future. I'd like to thank Farah, Emily and Sultana for setting up the Edinburgh bloggers Facebook page, it's a great way to network with other bloggers and to find out about events and chances to meet. I know there are similar Facebook pages and Twitter accounts but I definitely feel like I've been more involved in the blogging scene since I was added to the page by Farah.

This time last week we headed along to the Made From Scotland pop-up shop on Rose Street thanks to an invite to their opening event from Gillian. Made From Scotland are a company who are promoting independent Scottish designers, artists and producers and bringing together lots of lovely products to buy on their website. Their current pop-up shop is open for the next two months with a boutique style shop on the ground floor where we browsed all the lovely unique homeware products, jewellery, cards and loads more little bits and bobs all 'made from Scotland'. Upstairs, we were offered complimentary drinks and nibbles around the pop-up galleries, which will be open every Saturday as a chance for different artists and designers to showcase their work to the shoppers of Edinburgh. It's definitely worth a visit if you, like me, love little unique gift shops. The shop is located on Rose Street, between Frederick and Castle Street and will be open for the next two months so there's plenty of time to make a visit, and I'm sure I'll be back in soon.

After browsing the pop-up shop with a wee glass of wine we headed down Leith Walk for more alcohol to the Cask & Still launch party. The Cask & Still is a bar about three quarters of the way down Leith Walk, specialising in whiskey and gin. This newly revamped bar is definitely my type of place; very upmarket and trendy with lovely cocktails. We were given a complimentary whiskey and ginger cocktail which was lovely and refreshing especially since it was such a warm evening. Having never before been a gin drinker I then thought that I'd try a gin based cocktail. I've heard so many great things about Edinburgh Gin, especially the raspberry one, but I've always stayed away from it thinking that I didn't really like gin. However, I absolutely loved my 'Raspberry Gin Cooler', there was a subtle taste of raspberry jam which was so lovely! I'm quite happy that I can now say I like gin, Edinburgh Gin's raspberry gin might be my new favourite drink! 

There was a great atmosphere in the bar with live music and a gin tasting session going on at the back too! It was a great venue to catch up with some of the blogging ladies with whom I'd chat away to on twitter but have barely spoken to face to face before. I suppose naturally due to the location of the pub the 'Leithers' were the last bloggers to leave, and I know as a local I'll definitely head there again soon! It's great to have places like that down in Leith, proving that there's no need to go up into town for a nice venue for a drink and a catch-up with friends.