New decade

So it’s been a pretty good birthday, after a decent past decade (and looking forward to a great decade to come - I certainly don’t feel it is all downhill from here, as suggested by some). Feeling very positive about life, and a decadent meal at the new Glenturret Restaurant certainly helped. We’re not really foodies, but I was most impressed that we got here before our foodie friends made it!

Here’s a selection of the courses and bites from the tasting menu that we enjoyed. There was also a wine pairing (of course!), which was excellent in the variety of the wines. For me - but not for Mr A - it included a sake, paired with a langoustine dish (he had a scallop dish, so his wine pairing was different).

It was weird to go to a superb restaurant in the middle of nowhere. We stayed in a B&B in Crieff, which was perfectly respectable (the Crieff Hydro won’t have you for fewer than two nights), and quite close to the restaurant. Taxis there and back. And we remembered, more or less as we left, that we were once there, many years ago, when it was the Famous Grouse experience. That’s why it seemed somehow familiar. It’s clearly gone a long way upmarket since being acquired by Lalique.

Inevitably, the rest of the day didn’t quite make it to the heights of the evening, but was busy none the less. Had to attend an online “lecture” in the morning, and then wrestle with a bit of email, before we got away from the flat in the early afternoon. It was ridiculously busy heading towards the Queensferry Crossing, so we diverted up the M9, and came round to Crieff via Dunblane on the A9.

And it’s a matter of great pride to me that my online fundraising effort for Scottish Refugees Council has rolled over £1000. Thanks to everyone for their generosity.