Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Ghosts

A Happy Halloween – watch out for the ghosties who will be out and about tonight! Aberdeenshire has had many ghost sightings and haunted places from Castles, old barracks, hotels, houses, pubs, restaurants and even hills.

Aberdeen’s most famous ghost is the friendly stagehand Jake at His Majesty’s Theatre who is kept company by a grey lady and an old fashioned gentleman in a top hat.

There’s a military ghost of a Gordon Highlander in their old barracks in King Street which is now used as a depot by the bus company First Group.

Our favourite Castle ghost is the Green Lady of Fyvie Castle whose carving can still be seen on the window sill.

Mrs B won’t let me stay on my own at Pannanich Wells because the ghost there only appears to men and wears a saucy maid’s costume!

National Toffee Week

Give your wallies some exercise this week – National Toffee Week starts tomorrow! Make mine a Highland Toffee chewie bar, McCowans make the best toffee in the World.

Anyone remember the huge teeth breaking bars they used to do for a few pennies. I deny that these were the cause of my teeth looking like Jaws from James Bond! My mouth full of fillings were caused by not brushing my teeth properly.

Their Wham bars come a close second. I still can't wall past the sweeties section in the supermarket without putting a couple af whams and toffee bars in the trolley when Mrs B is nae looking.

Chris

Aberdeen Art Gallery Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition

How wonderful to hear that Aberdeen Art Gallery has been awarded the honour of hosting the Exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci Drawings. This important historical collection is normally kept at the Royal library in Windsor Castle and as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s 80th Birthday celebrations she has allowed 4 City’s in the UK to show the artwork to the public. This is another major coup for our great City and should bring some extra visitors to our wonderful Art Gallery. It is the only Scottish venue to show the artwork.

The collection includes anatomical drawings and illustrations. Leonardo was one of the first illustrators to dissect corpses himself to learn how the human body works.

Buckie Farm Aberdeen Carvery Meal

It’s great to see The Buckie Farm Pub and Restaurant open again. They do a fantastic carvery meal for only under £3 at lunch times and for under £4 at dinner.

They’ve been completely refurbished and the restaurant and the bar looks stunning. It’s so spacious looking and lovely and clean. I’m glad they kept the farming ornaments and pictures and olden tools. I’m especially pleased that the food is as good as it was before they closed for the refurbishment. Their cauliflower cheese is so creamy and light. I stuff my plate full of this and their crispy roast potatoes.

There is still the choice of three meats, beef, ham and turkey and you can still mix and match or take a portion of all three. An addition to the meal is Yorkshire pudding and a stuffing ball. The gravy is still lovely and thick. MMmmmm!!! More visits to nearby Tesco for the missus and lunch for us both on the way back!

Other menus include a huge range of starters and main meals freshly prepared and extensive sweets and puddings menus with prices starting at under £2 – oh my expanding waistline! Though I think the walk around the aisles of Tesco supermarket should burn off these extra calories.


Chris

Slains Castle Cruden Bay and Dracula

BBC Radio 7 listeners are in for a real treat – Dracula is being broadcast each evening at 6pm. It’s in 7 parts and closely follows the novel by Bram Stoker. If you’ve missed an episode or want to listen to it on your computer see http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/tuesday/ - do listen to The Men From The Ministry whilst there – it a real gem of a radio classic with an appearance by Corporal Jones from Dad’s Army this week.

Bram Stoker stayed at The Kilmarnock Arms in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire whilst writing his book. It is thought that he was inspired by the local Slains Castle, though Yorkshire folk lay this claim to Whitby Castle which features in his book as being the place where Dracula’s boat landed in England, UK. Locals still call the ruins of Slains Castle Dracula Castle. It’s a great walk and you can pop in an out of the ruins, though do keep an eye on children as there are steep drops. Do try the high tea at The Kilmarnock Arms – very tasty. Sunday lunch is even tastier.

Women Wanted!

Are you at a loose end this Thursday? Forget a hot date with me - go to the ChildLine Scotland Business Women’s Network evening at Aberdeen Art Gallery 6 – 9pm on the 27th October.

The evening event celebrates the influence of women on the business community, giving you a perfect opportunity to mix with colleagues, clients and contacts, seek out that unusual Christmas gift, admire the latest in fashion and indulge in champagne, canapés, and pampering.

The event includes a talk by Isla Traquair (presenter/reporter Grampian Television) and Alison Todd (Support Services Manager, ChildLine Scotland) and a fashion show by Indigo featuring guest model Miss Commonwealth Scotland, Amanda-Jane Taylor. There will be wine tasting by Woodhouse Wines, Benefits cosmetics and skincare products will be doing makeovers, Faux Fun the unique designer jewellery will be selling their products, Therapy Parlour - Hatstand Nelly will offer hand and Indian head massages, FrouFrou Lingerie will be selling their products, Purdies Ltd will be selling a unique range of exceptional gifts and there will be beauty treatments by Hatstand Nelly.

The businesses will be donating raffle draw prizes and/or donating a percentage of their profits to to ChildLine Scotland North and North East.

Tickets are £20 and are available from Shirley Millar on Tel: 0870 3362901.


ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in danger and distress. Every day 725 children and young people call ChildLine Scotland but currently only around 400 are able to get through to their counselors for comfort, advice and protection. In 2004 the Aberdeen counseling centre was opened and in its first year volunteer counselors offered a service to over 5000 children and young people.

The number for children to call is 0800 1111. Lack of funds means that lines can be busy, so children may have to dial several times before they get through.

Please attend the event if you can or consider donating to this needy local charity and important service for vulnerable children.

Chris

Mozart by Candlelight

We had a lovely night out at the Aberdeen Music Hall where we watched conductor James Lowe conduct the RSNO (Royal Scottish National Orchestra) with an assortment of music by Mozart in a candlelight performance.

The Music Hall stage lit up by candles is such a bonnie sight and the music was most moving and such a pleasure just to sit and listen and watch the talent of the musicians.

We were treated to listening and watching Tanya Gabrielian on the piano who recently won the Scottish international Piano Competition.

Music included the marriage of Figaro Overture, Don Giovanni Overture and Piano Concerto No 21.

If you get the opportunity to attend a candlelit concert at the Music Hall then you’ll enjoy a musical feast which is most relaxing and entertaining. There is another performance tonight and on November 13th Raymond Gubbay with be presenting the Four Seasons By Candlelight. This has the added attraction of the performers being dressed in full period costume. Book you tickets at the Box Office – see http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/boxoffice.php

Chris

Ghosts of His Majesty's Theatre

Mrs B and her friends went to see Rebecca at HMT Aberdeen last night and didn’t take me –gggrrrrr! She knows how much I love Daphne Du Maurier. Still serves them right – her friend got the shock of her life when she saw one of the ghosts of His Majesty’s Theatre – twice! Hope she had two changes of undies in her handbag! Though I think she’d had a tipple or two before the performance. It doesn’t mix well with her medication!

I knew about Jake and The Grey Lady, but the lass saw an old gentleman in a top hat up in the Royal Box enclosure. Then whilst Nigel Havers was performing, the ghost walked onto the stage. No-one else saw the ghostie but the lassie jumped out of her seat to everyone’s concern. Next week she’s booked a kidnapping by aliens!

Oh all right I belief her – aye right! Let me know if you’ve seen any of the ghosties or the man in the top hat and I’ll add them and I’ll take everything back to the lass and eat my top hat!

Still Game Christmas Special

Had some great news today, no not that Mrs B is finally going to catering school or stopping cooking, but that Still Game are doing an Xmas special! How great is that! I love the antics of Jack and Victor and their chums. Navid is just pure class and hilarious, especially the way he talks to his missus.

This great comedy is set in the fictitious town of Craiglang near Glasgow. It’s so much more funnier than many other so called comedies and it was great to hear that it finally got broadcasted in England this year. It’s definitely the best comedy programme on the BBC. It’s just a pity there’s only 6 episodes a year.

The same team are in Chewin The Fat which is equally funny and I hope they also do their traditional Hogmanay special to see the New Year in with a laugh.

The belly laughs these guys give me should help me overcome Mrs B’s cooking induced indigestion!

Chris

People Against Litter - Help Clean Up Aberdeenshire

Been reading about a wonderful idea in The Sunday Post today. It’s called People Against Litter – the idea is that you pick up one piece of litter a week and ask someone to do the same. Hopefully as more people do this we can rid our streets and countryside of unsightly rubbish. See the peopleagainstlitter website at http://www.peopleagainstlitter.org/

Aberdeenshire is such a bonnie County and Scotland such a wonderful Country and it would be great if we all did our bit to help it look at its bonniest. By picking up just one crisp packet or chocolate wrapper you really can make a difference. Though the biggest difference would be in educating people to not drop litter in the first place…

The Wee Book Of Aberdeen

I’ve been reading Norman Adams Wee Book of Aberdeen this week. It’s been fascinating reading about Aberdeen through the years and looking at old photographs. I’d recommend this book to anyone with an interest in our glorious Granite City.

I’m now reading his latest book, Hangman’s Brae which is about crime and punishment throughout Aberdeenshire and will write a review soon.

Warbee Pigbapes Explained

Have you seen our Grampian TV advert yet? It went live today and is next on during Emmerdale and Coronation Street tonight. Hope you like it. Feel free to click on comments underneath today’s blog post and leave your thoughts. But please don’t mention what Warbee Pigbapes means because I’m running a competition at About Aberdeen for those who tell me the hidden message in the ad. Use the link to the left to find the competition. I’ll post the answer next week. There’s 100 prizes up for grabs.

If you’ve missed the ad and wonder what it’s all about then let me know what day you’re watching telly this week and I’ll let you know which programme it’ll be on.

My thanks to Andrew, Mark and Stephen at SMG for creating and getting together the ad, we all love it! Now let me know what you think…

Chris

The wind is really getting up tonight in Aberdeenshire - nothing to do with the weather - Mrs B made we some of her famous farty stew tonight! It's such an easy recipe - even Mrs B cannae burn it! Though she does try!

Chris

It's a hard old life running About Aberdeen. Take yesterday for example - had to go to Cinnamon Restaurant in Aberdeen for a superb lunch so that I could review the restaurant for the website -oh how I suffer for my art!

Next week I'm being dragged to go laser gun fighting! Oh the pressure!

Chris