Portraits......

Did I mention we're having a child free weekend?!

A long lie (because we could), a late breakfast, and then a wander into town. It was hot and muggy, so we stopped off at Fortitude Coffee, on York Place, for an iced coffee, which did the trick. Our next stop was just across the road at the Portrait Gallery, to see the opening of the new John Byrne exhibition, Sitting Ducks. I was even more excited at the prospect of seeing his work when I saw the man himself heading in, while we were drinking our coffee.

The exhibition was brilliant. As well as his famous portraits of Robbie Coltrane (Tutti Frutti), Tilda and himself, there were some more private pieces, of his children, and friends, that were on display. Sadly, there was no photography allowed, so you are getting a blip of the upper hallway.

As luck would have it, when I was wandering round the bookshop afterwards, I spied the man himself, eating lunch with friends. I was, of course, too polite to interrupt, and tell him how much I loved his work, and the twinkle in his eyes....so, instead, I grinned and took a shady, blurry photo on my phone, through a display of books.

Oh well, at least Ive the poster!


After our encounter, we wandered round the corner to catch some of How to Train Your Dragon, which was showing in St Andrew Square. It was great to see the sun shining and loads of people enjoying the sun and the film.

As we meandered home, we stopped off for a couple of cheeky drinks - gin, to be precise. Well, it was World Gin Day.