Ceramic Painting at Ferry Potty

Ceramic Painting at Ferry Potty

Sunday, 28 January 2024

I went ceramic painting while I was on holiday not long ago, and had forgotten how relaxing it is, so when I got back I knew I had to plan a visit to Ferry Potty. I’ve often peeped in the window when walking past and thought it looked super cute but this gave me the nudge I needed to actually book it. We managed to squeeze in a wee painting session before Christmas and I had a lovely wholesome mate date with Lyndsey.

You’re best to phone ahead and book, though walk-ins are welcome too. There’s a huge range of blanks to choose from at a variety of price points (starting at £10, most pieces between £15-£30), the price includes your paints, then they glaze and fire it for you in the kiln. We each decided to paint a small plate as it’s a nice flat surface and completely blank canvas - some of the pieces are quite specifically shaped so it seemed they’d be more of a colouring in situation.

There are paints, brushes and sponges on each table, along with a water bowl for cleaning your brush. If you’re feeling cautious (like me!) you can draw a design on lightly in pencil first as it’ll fire off in the kiln. The paint colours go darker once they’re fired but you can see the little heart chips which show the final glossy colours for reference. They recommend you paint 3 coats for a solid colour, though 2 will show some brush strokes which can be a nice effect.

I went for a picnic-inspired design with a pink scalloped edge shape and a red sort-of gingham grid. Lyndsey made a keepsake plate using her wee boy’s footprint which turned out so cute. They also do clay imprints for tiny hands and feet but that’s a 4-6 week process and is by appointment.

We were there for around 2 hours in total, and it was such a nice chill way to spend a morning. We got a text when our plates were ready to collect around a week later. It’s so cool to see them glazed and ready to use - they’re food-safe but need handwashing. I actually love how my plate turned out and am quite tempted to go for a few more sessions to make a multi-coloured set!

Find Ferry Potty at 39 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, DD5 2BJ
https://www.ferrypotty.co.uk/ / @ferrypotty

How to Have Your Own Hallmark Christmas Movie Moments in Dundee

How to Have Your Own Hallmark Christmas Movie Moments in Dundee

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

The fairy lights are twinkling in City Square and the snow begins to fall as carollers sing… okay maybe not, but if you’re a fan of a classic cheesy Christmas film there’s still plenty you can do to have your own Hallmark movie moments in Dundee!

Hallmark movies are a tradition in our household, last year we got really into Christmas Movie Bingo (we used these printable bingo cards) which was a lot of fun. This year, I’m taking it a step further and I’ve been inspired to try and recreate those classic movie scenes in our very own city. Below you’ll find my list, and if you keep an eye on my Instagram you’ll see me trying to complete it before Christmas. These are lots of fun whether you’re going on a mate date, solo adventure, or with your other half. Enjoy!

1. Look the part.

You’re going to need a Christmas jumper, the uglier the better. Before you head straight to fast fashion, check the back of your wardrobe or see if a friend wants to swap one. A third of young adults buy a new Christmas jumper every year and 65 million are reportedly sitting forgotten at the back of our wardrobes! If you do need a new one, where better to find one than a charity shop? You’ll want to pair that sweater with a chunky scarf or something tartan. Also consider wearing mainly red and green.

2. Visit a Christmas Market. 

I’ve made a handy guide to Dundee’s festive markets which will help with this one, it includes markets such as The Yard at The Steeple, Tea Green Festive Design at V&A, and Crafted at the DCA. The more handmade stalls the better, and bonus points if Santa is there to make some Christmas magic happen.

3. Cosy up with a Hot Chocolate. 

Ideally, it would be snowing for this one so you could have an adorable snowball fight beforehand. Otherwise, pick a window seat at one of Dundee’s cosiest coffee shops and people-watch with your chunky knit fingerless gloves wrapped around a hot drink. Try Blend at Dock Street, EH9 Espresso, Little Things Cafe, or Espresso Lab for a cute window seat.

4. Go on a crafty date.

You can’t beat a wee Christmas craft session - just imagine the wholesome bonding opportunity as you learn a new skill together. Think ceramics painting, wreath making, or other decorations workshops. There are loads of thrifty options if you use recycled materials and have a cosy night in to do it - for example, check out this gingerbread jumper garland using cardboard. Wreath making is especially good as you can use natural foraged materials and give your front door a makeover too.

5. Visit the Christmas Tree Farm. 

Speaking of decorations, you’ll have to level up your Christmassy home to get it looking beautifully cinematic. For that, you’ll need the most perfect tree. I don’t know if we have the most idyllic looking Christmas Tree farm nearby but I will investigate further. You could always head to Tayside Forestry and pick a real tree or there’s Easter Rattray Farm if you’d like to cut one down by yourself (which I'm hoping to do, flannel shirt at the ready!).

6. Attend a Musical Event

This could be an open mic night (spontaneous serenading with your secret beautiful voice perhaps?), a carol singing concert, or how about a traditional ceilidh dance? The more ‘quaint’ the better, for that big-city-American-visits-tiny-town-in-Scotland vibe. Blend often has open mic nights, and you’ll find ceilidhs at Duke’s Corner on Sundays and Forgan’s on Saturdays. Ceilidh’s are also great for grumpy types who won’t dance (my husband) as it’s much easier when there are instructions.

7. Baking Montage 

Aprons at the ready, it’s time to bake some Christmas cookies - don’t forget the perfectly accidental flour on your face. For vegan recipes, I love The Little Blog of Vegan. If you want an easy baking option check out Love Your Planet for baking bags of ready-weighed ingredients, and The Little Green Larder who may have a Christmas Cake kit this year. Or you could just buy some biscuits to decorate - that’s fun too!

8. Give Something Back

It might be a cliché, but the Christmas season really is about giving. Whether that's a small donation to your local Food Bank, volunteering time at a community event, or donating Christmas gifts. The Stobswell Christmas Appeal is collecting the following items at 170 Albert Street: children's toys, teenager gifts, selection boxes, blankets, hot water bottles, cosy clothes, toiletries, non-perishable food, nappies and baby supplies.

9. Three…Two…One… Christmas Light Switch On! 

A must for the holiday season, where all the townspeople join together for the countdown. Broughty Ferry has their Light Night on Thursday 16th November. Special mention to Sweetpea Cafe who is having a Cosy Crumble Pop-Up that night too (sounds very Hallmark movie!)

I’m feeling very festive now and can’t wait to get started. Check out Wee Dundee on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok if you’d like to see how these mini Christmas adventures go! I’d love to know if you’ve been inspired to try any of these too!

Sweetpea Cafe

Sweetpea Cafe

Wednesday, 22 May 2019

While Falda was on holiday I visited Sweetpea Cafe in Broughty Ferry for lunch with my (newly vegan) friend Sam Baxter Art as guest blogger. There wasn't a menu as everything is on display in the counter but it's clearly labelled and there was a lot to choose from! 

Choice:	★★★★★		Staff Knowledge:	★★★★★
Value for Money:	★★★★★		Overall:	★★★★★

We decided to share a couple of things as they all looked so good. There was a jackfruit sweet potato wrap, and spiced roast vegetable tart. Both were served with beautiful, colourful salads topped with flowers, the wrap with crisps and the tart with vegan coleslaw which is always a bonus! They were delicious, enough of a treat to be comfort food but still felt healthy.

Sam had a Teapigs berry tea and I had an oat milk latte with chai syrup. There was also soya and coconut milk to choose from for hot drinks. Sweetpea Cafe offer a lot of vegan sweet options too, we had a pineapple crumble cakey thing which was very tasty. They also had ginger tiffin, scones, and a chocolatey nut thing.

Hopefully we can visit again soon since the menu changes all the time (we spotted vegan sausage rolls on the Sweetpea Cafe Instagram) and Falda doesn't want to miss out!

327A Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, DD5 2DS

08.30-17.00 Mon - Fri | 09:00-17:00 Sat | Closed Sun
https://www.facebook.com/Sweetpeacafebroughtyferry/

Menu Key:	Vegan options labelled + ask staff
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes but no baby changing
Dog Friendly:	Yes
Accessibility:	All ground floor but not a huge amount of room around tables.
Top Tip:	Ask staff for vegan cake options!

Sol y Sombra

Sol y Sombra

Wednesday, 25 July 2018

We'd heard lots of good things about the vegan food at Sol Y Sombra Tapas Bar in Broughty Ferry and had tried to go a few times but left it too late to get a table booked. Finally, we were organised and managed to get a 9pm table on a Saturday night!

Choice:	★★★★★		Staff Knowledge:	★★★★☆
Value for Money:	★★★★☆		Overall:	★★★★☆

When we arrived there was some confusion about our booking where we were told to go upstairs then downstairs and our table was in the bar rather than the restaurant area which was fine although a little crowded with people standing and having drinks at that time. Our waitress asked about dietary requirements at the start (there isn't a menu) and was also able to tell us which wines were vegan friendly. Then the tapas began! The first course was delicious with lots of bright and colourful dishes, my favourites were the bean pâté, a very yummy aioli, and a lovely little tomato salad. Things got a little confusing with the next round of dishes as we were dining with non-vegans and our waitress changed, it wasn't completely clear which dishes were for who or what they were. Some were meant for us all to share but were put at our end of the table and a non-vegan dish was placed right next to me which I asked about and had to be double checked with the kitchen. There was a tomato and chickpea dish, paella, patatas bravas, asparagus, mushroom stuffed courgettes and vegetable skewers. The evening tapas is £25 per person, not including drinks and dessert, The vegan options did seem better value than the non-vegan from what was on our table but there wasn't quite as much food as we'd expected from other reviews. We decided to share a dessert and went for the raw chocolate hazelnut tart, the other vegan option being orange or lemon sorbet, and I'm glad we did as it was so rich and chocolatey but not too filling. Yum!

27 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, DD5 2BH

Mon-Sun 12-2.30pm | 5-9pm

https://solysombratapasbar.co.uk/

Menu Key:	No menu - waiting staff ask for dietary requirements but it's recommended to mention at time of booking
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Not suitable for under 5s
Dog Friendly:	Small outside seating area
Accessibility:	Steps to upstairs restaurant but can eat down in bar
Top Tip:	Book far in advance