What to do this weekend: 17-18 December

ALL WEEKEND

Christmas Fair at Customs House

Expect festive food, drinks, fashion and design curated by the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival. Hours are: Saturday 12-6pm and Sunday 12-5pm. We will be certainly around, sipping coffee in Williams & Johnson's Custom Lane pop-up and admiring the beautiful Karen Mabon scarves. Find the Facebook event here.

Scottish Chocolate Festival

Got a sweet tooth? The Biscuit Factory is hosting a chocolate fest with Santa's grotto for the 'small kids' and chocolate cocktails for the 'big kids'. There will be workshops, live music, tasting sessions and food trucks as well. Get your tickets via Eventbrite.

Wreath Making

You have probably noticed the beautiful Christmas wreaths popping up everywhere in town, so there is no reason why you should not have one. If you are feeling crafty, you can make your own one: Lauriston Castle and Newhailes have workshops on both Saturday and Sunday.

17TH DECEMBER, SATURDAY

Edinburgh Instameet

@igersedinburgh is organising an Instameet for Edinburgh Instagrammers. Meeting at 3pm in front of the Visit Scotland shop on Princes Street, the plan is to walk around the Christmas market and watch the Street of Light at 6pm. You will have the opportunity to meet fellow local Instagrammers and put a face to their Insta account name. We (@edienthusiast) will be there!

18TH DECEMBER, SUNDAY

18th Door of Advent: Mansfield Traquair

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Mansfield Traquair during the Cocktails in the City event. This Sunday it will open its doors to the public during the day between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Find details here on the 18th Door of Advent event.

Have a nice weekend!

Sinterklaas with Heverlee

Earlier this week Mr Enthusiast and myself were lucky to be invited to celebrate Belgian Sinterklaas with Heverlee Beer and fellow Edinburgh bloggers. We were already aware of the brand since their extremely successful Glasgow Tontine Lane pop-up in summer 2015 and were very much looking forward to what they have planned for us.

About Sinterklaas

The country I come from celebrate the 6th December as St Nicholas Day. I was quite pleased to learn that the Belgians also celebrate this day - they call it Sinterklaas. Belgian Sinterklaas comes from Spain to Belgium by steam boat and then rides around on his white horse to deliver presents through the chimneys. 

Beer tasting

The beer tasting was hosted by Heverlee's master brewer, Joris Brams who flew to Edinburgh especially for this event. Being a brewer, he was able to give us his expert insight into the world of Belgian beers and his enthusiasm was infectious. You don't often have the opportunity to meet your brewer in person! We tasted four very different types of beers which are described below.

Orval

ABV 6.20%

Orval is a trappist beer. Trappist means it is brewed by one of the eleven Trappist breweries in the world (six of these in Belgium). Orval is also one of the few beers which ages well - try keeping a bottle of Orval for a year! Read more about ageing beer here.

Tongerlo

ABV 6.50%

Tongerlo is a Norbertine beer. We tasted the Christmas edition which I quite liked. Worth knowing that the Tongerlo Blond of the same brewery has won silver medal in the World Beer Awards in 2016.

Duvel

ABV 8.50%

Duvel was the strongest beer of the night in terms of alcohol content. Luckily the beer tasting was accompanied by some delicious food prepared by the Sygn Bar otherwise we would have been quickly knocked out by the Duvel. A personal favourite of Joris (apart from Heverlee), Duvel is a Belgian golden blond.

Heverlee

ABV 4.80%

Finally we closed the evening with a glass of cool Heverlee accompanied by a Belgian style chocolate dessert. Did you know that the spiritual home of Heverlee, the Abbey of the Order of Premontre was founded in 1129? Heverlee beer as recreated by Joris was inspired by the beers first brewed by the monks in medieval times. It also comes with a cool abbey motto: Ne Quid Nimis which stands for 'Life in Balance'.

Thank you so much for the lovely evening, Joris & Heverlee!

Follow Heverlee on Instagram and on Twitter to keep up-to-date on cool events such as free pints and other gifts by #HeverleeSent.

Acknowledgement: Even though Mr Enthusiast and myself enjoyed the hospitality of Heverlee, the views and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and purely my own.

What to do this weekend: 10-11 December

ALL WEEKEND

Street Food Putter Club

Join the Street Food Putter Club at the Biscuit Factory this weekend - expect delicious street food, mini golf, ping pong, craft beers and ciders all under one roof. Get your tickets via Eventbrite for £6 which includes welcome drink.

10TH DECEMBER, SATURDAY

Christmas at Newhailes

One of our favourite National Trust properties and the location of the recent @igersedinburgh Instameet opens its doors for two weekends ahead of Christmas with festive events to entertain the whole family. There will be Winter Wonderland Tours, Santa's Grotto and a wreath making workshop. Book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Quay Commons

The guys behind the popular Gardener's Cottage are having a 3-week pop-up kitchen and bakery in Leith called Quay Commons. Pop in for brunch, lunch or dinner. BYOB.

11TH DECEMBER, SUNDAY

Hands on Day

If you are interested in art, Visual Arts Scotland is hosting a free family art event at the Royal Scottish Academy building on the Mound. You will have a chance to meet your maker and even try some of the techniques they use. Feeling creative? Make your own ceramic animal head with artist Susan O'Byrne - the finished work will be fired and you can collect it from the gallery at a later date.

Christmas Craft Fair at the Georgian House

The Georgian House at No. 7 Charlotte Square is hosting a Christmas fair which means free entry to the house between 10am-4pm. You will find some familiar local makers in the drawing room and parlour including the Marshmallow Lady.

Summerhall Christmas Market

Meanwhile in Southside Summerhall is hosting its annual Christmas market between 11am-5pm. Stallholders include Summerhall residents Pickering's Gin, Barney's Beer amongst others as well as local businesses such as Ocelot Chocolate and Covet.

Have a nice weekend!

What to do this weekend: 3-4 December

ALL WEEKEND

24 Doors of Advent

If you are into architecture, you will like the 24 Doors of Advent - a little bit like Doors Open Day, each day between 1-24 December a featured Edinburgh building will open its doors to the public/will have special events on. This weekend's doors are the Chapel of St Albert the Great and the Secret Herb Garden.

Christmas Open Studios

Support Scottish artists this Christmas and get your presents from open studios held during this weekend:

• Over 70 artists including Emily Hogarth will open their doors as part of the Coburg House Christmas Open Studios in Leith.
• At the other side of town in Colinton Grainne Morton Jewellery will also have an annual open studios event, also featuring Karen Mabon, Rosie Sugden and Chocolatiers Edward & Irwin.
• On Saturday only the Out of the Blue Drill Hall will host an Xmas market & open studios event. 
• On Sunday only Edinburgh Printmakers will have their Christmas market featuring 14 artists.

3RD DECEMBER, SATURDAY

Foodie Saturday

• The Arches Christmas Shindig will combine Christmas shopping with festive food and drinks. We are so much looking forward to trying the famous bubble waffle by Tempo Tea Bar!
• Get to the Pitt 'mull off' for some hot apple punch by Cocktails & Drams.
• Edinburgh Food Studio will host a Michelin star Finnish chef for three days - you might be lucky to find a spot at their Create From Nothing event. You are also likely to meet Mr Enthusiast and myself, we do love Scandinavian chefs!

4TH DECEMBER, SUNDAY

Sunday Art

This weekend a new exhibition opens at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, featuring Scottish artist Joan Eardley. At the other side of town on the Mound, you only have a few more weeks to visit the beautiful Goldfinch. 

Have a nice weekend!