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Formartine's, Aberdeenshire

Recently I blogged about Aberdeen finally opening its first ever 100% vegan café. If it took the city itself until 2017 to offer consumers this options, can you imagine what the surrounding countryside must be like - given that cities tend to be better than tiny villages for vegan choices.

Weirdly, it's not that bad. I've blogged before about the Chinese restaurant/take-away Tiger Lily in Oldmeldrum (where I went for my 24th birthday meal) and on my most recent trip home I found another gem: Formartine's, a restaurant and health food store in a seemingly random location (aka, a country road).

Situated on the the junction of the B999 and B9170, and one mile from its nearest town (Tarves), this isn't exactly where you would normally expect to find a food store that specialises in natural and organic food. When my mum first suggested going there to meet a family friend for lunch, I was especially sceptical - but she reassured me that she had been there before and everything would be fine.

Technically there isn't a vegan option on the menu, but my mum (being a lot more brazen than me) asked if there was anything that could be made vegan - turns out they do regularly prepare a Mediterranean platter board for vegans (I wasn't the only vegan there that day, clearly word has spread about this unofficial menu option). Now, I know what experienced vegans must be thinking: a Mediterranean platter with bread, olives and sun-dried tomatoes - isn't this the kind of option we're sick to death of? Well, kind of. But please take my word for it that this is an exceptionally high quality platter with an assortment of doughy breads, rich olive oil for dipping and tasty nuts perfect for sprinkling on top (which left me feeling satisfied and full).

Aside from the restaurant, there is an attached food store that sells plenty of goodies marked as vegan, from both well-known retailers and local producers. The products on the shelves range from tea, to local craft alcohol, to vegan chocolate. There also a pet section and a deli counter.

Just like Bonobo Café I wouldn't say Formartine's is reason enough for all the vegans of Scotland to rush up to the North-East. I would personally much rather support a café that embraces modern-day diets and lifestyles with official menu choices rather than somewhere that forces me to be that awkward vegan. Maybe if Formartine's added the platter to their menu permanently and added another wee option I'd be more inclined to recommend it for a day trip.

For me, the shop was the highlight of my visit and I definitely see myself making a visit when I'm back up the road again to give it a little bit of support (my mum sometimes even pops by for some local brands instead of heading into the city).

Countryside living isn't always the easiest for someone with dietary requirements of any kind, so it's really positive to see Formartine's setting up shop on what is literally a country road with no surrounding businesses or houses. If you live in the Tarves/Oldmeldrum/Methlick area of Aberdeenshire I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Have you been to Formartine's yet? What did you think of it?

Morag x

mòrag

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Bonobo Café, Aberdeen

I read somewhere once that trends finally reach Aberdeen about 10 years after they first hit the rest of the UK. I don't know if this is due to its northern location, or that its main (or even, only) industry is the drab and corporate oil sector, or because independent businesses never last very long, but I agree that Aberdeen is potentially one of the least trendy cities in the UK and seems to stand still in time.

One example? A couple of months ago Aberdeen finally got its own 100% vegan café, Bonobo Café. It was previously a pop-up in the wellness centre behind Marks and Spencer's and after saving up all their earnings, they finally bought their own place on Skene Street, round the corner from Union Terrace.

I was up visiting my parents last week and obviously I had to stop in by and show some support. The girl at the counter was super friendly and didn't mind going through the menu (my mum isn't vegan and some of the food options aren't second nature to her, but the girl was lovely and patient).

We were there in the afternoon so got to choose from a range of wraps, soups and salads. I went for the BBQ tofu wrap and my mum chose the satay tofu wrap. I also noticed a chickpea 'tuna' sandwich on the menu that I oh-so-almost went for, but it will have to wait for another time.

The hot drinks menu was probably the part that I found most impressive. I chose a Chai Latte and my mum a hazelnut latte, but I did almost choose the exotic sounding turmeric latte. You can also choose your own dairy-free milk from soya, oat and almond.

The serving and counter area is downstairs with the eating bit upstairs (if you are disabled or have a pushchair this isn't ideal). It was a nice day so me and mum decided to sit outside in their garden patio. You can't see it from the street, and your view is the tall granite buildings that sit next door, but it is a lovely touch that makes you feel like you're somewhere more tropical.

Overall? Great service, tasty (albeit snacky) food, top-notch drinks menu, and a peaceful garden patio. Bonobo Café should be getting top marks....but it isn't different to any other vegan café I've been to. I fully accept that this could just be because I'm spoilt by the vegan options available to me living in the Central Belt, and I really need to try and review this through the eyes of an Aberdonian who is jumping for joy at having somewhere they can pop for lunch without worrying about what is in their food.

If I still lived in Aberdeen I would regularly be popping in to support it and give it the money it needs to thrive. But if another vegan café (or even vegan restaurant) opened up I've got a fear Bonobo could get left behind and within time they'll need to expend their menu to remain competitive. Independent businesses have a habit of not lasting in Aberdeen (I still weep when I walk past the place where One Up Records once resided) and I really don't want its first vegan café to go south too.

Have you been to Bonobo Café yet? What were your thoughts?

Morag x

P.S. While enjoying my lunch, there was a woman with a London/South-East English accent talking about how Aberdeen was a different "kettle of fish" and how she was "used to Edinburgh and Glasgow" and that she might go to Manchester early for something to do. She also said she wasn't vegan but enjoyed having somewhere cute to eat for lunch that wasn't a chain. There's a second review on Bonobo and Aberdeen for you.

mòrag

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Playing Pokemon Go in Aberdeen

When you take a week off work to visit your parents in Aberdeenshire, the to-do list can expand quickly. Going for a family BBQ, visiting your 96-year-old grandmother (yep, my gran is pushing the big 100), stopping by your favourite independent shops, seeing how the place you grew up has changed and, erm, playing Pokemon Go.

I've been avidly playing Pokemon Go since it was launched in July. I mean this seriously, I'm no casual player. I've occasionally spent a lunch break city sitting at the Clyde with the Pokenerds who - between us - keep the Pokestops continually loaded with lures. That's why when I visited my parents in Aberdeen recently going out on a Pokehunt in the Granite City was on my to-do list.

My parents village itself is lucky enough to have three Pokestops and a gym (aka the local pub). The gym itself was also a plus because the Pokemon guarding it are nowhere near as powerful as the Pokemon in the city centre of Glasgow. Making it much easier to take over the gym and increase my own level.

While I was very happy taking over the gym and finding an Evee on a regular residential street, there's only so much Pokemon hunting that can take place in a village. It was time to head into the city.

Aberdeen Beach Esplanade

When I was brainstorming places to Pokehunt in Aberdeen, the beach stood out for obvious reasons. It's not far from the city centre, has water, is densely populated, and is home to plenty of landmarks that could be used for Pokestops. At a family BBQ my cousin's girlfriend confirmed that the beach was a popular spot and tipped me off to two close together Pokestops that regularly have lures on them. On my hunt I found the two stops she was on about - they are located on the beach walkway opposite the entrance to Cadonas. And yes, there were people sitting on benches just...waiting. I was low on Pokeballs so went for a walk before returning, but the Pokemon I collected within that hour were of an impressive standard.

Remember to also walk right along the beach. I found Pokemon at Footdee near the harbour and looking over to the Bridge of Don.

Pokemon found: the beach was popular with electric Pokemon and I picked up several Voltrobs and Magnemites. I also found a Magneton - it took about seven Pokeballs and three razzberries to catch! I also caught an Exeggcute further along the beach heading towards the Bridge of Don. And a Doduo, Lickitung, Oddish and Shellder.

There was also a Geodude silhouette on my tracker, but it never appeared. My cousin's girlfriend said she caught an Onix here.

Duffie Park

This was another area that I automatically assumed would be great for a Pokehunt. However - unlike the beach - I was left dissapointed. There were plenty of Pokestops so it was a great place to stock up but the only Pokemon were the common types I already have. Even when a lure was activated I didn't catch anything I didn't already have. There was a gym by the entrance however that didn't have a high level Pokemon guarding it so I overtook it with my Starmie.

Pokemon found: a Meowth (beside the gardens), Drowzee, Weedle, Caterpie and Spearow.

Union Terrace Gardens

This central garden looks like the ideal place to sit for some Pokemon with a sandwich. However, the small size of it lets it down. While I did catch a Magmar there's only three Pokestops so Pokemon cannot be lured as easily into the area. There's also a gym but it was guarded by a high level Pokemon. Maybe if I hung about longer I might have found something but nothing was showing up on my tracker (and I wanted to get to Plan 9 before it shut).

Pokemon caught: Magmar.

Union Street Graveyard

Out of all the places I stopped by this was the most fruitful. Two Pokestops at the entrance had lures on them so I literally just sat down and seen what came my way. And boy did some special Pokemon come my way! I left after the lures ran out but I noticed on my map a few minutes later that the lures had been put back on.

Pokemon caught: Jigglypuff, Gastly, Nidorino, Spearow, Clefairy, Krabby and Weepingbell.

Victoria Park

I didn't play here myself but my cousin's girlfriend told me this is a Pokemon hotspot in Aberdeen. I'll let you decide if you want to try it out or not.

Are there any other areas in Aberdeen good for a Pokemon hunt? Let me known and I'll check them out when I visit at Christmas.

P.S. I'm planning to write up a Glasgow guide at some point, however because I live there I'll have the opportunity to make it more detailed. My Aberdeen guide to Pokemon hunting is literally based on the one day I spent driving around the city stopping off at different locations.

Oh, and the rumour that different cities attract different Pokemons? Very true.

mòrag

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Independent shopping in Aberdeen

Let's be real here, my home town of Aberdeen isn't renouned for independent shopping (or even shopping in general), artistic happenings, or any kind of culture (from my experience of living away from Aberdeen for seven years I think we're known for oil and bad accents). However, I believe that everywhere has it's plus points and I'm always wanting to support an independent brand. So when I was up visiting my parents last week I decided to go for a wonder through the city centre to see what I could find within the granite.

Grampian Health Store

Let's start it off with my favourite kind of shop: a health store! The Grampian Health Store (on Market Street) sells everything you'd expect a health store to and I didn't see any brands I wasn't already familiar with. Butttttt, they have a take-out fridge which sells - wait for it - a range of vegan sandwiches. For the first time in a long time I used the eenie-meanie-mo method of picking a sandwich, and it felt good (I picked a veggie sausage and salad sandwich).

Seratique

An alternative shop based on Belmont Street which I always find myself rummaging in. It sells clothes for the alternative dresser who is in head-to-toe black or the alternative dresser like myself who loves brights, weird prints and pop culture references.

Cavern Record Shop

Situated right beside where the old OneUp Records once was (RIP, my former MySpace heart still mourns) is a small record shop. Honestly it's small and is underground but if you still love some vinyl it's a good place to nip into if you're in the centre.

GraniteReef

So let's chat surf clothes, even though I've never been on a surf board. I wouldn't shop here, and whilst the brands sold are all mainstream, if you're looking for some beachy vibe clothes head along here instead of the high street.

FlowerVogue

Not so much a shop, more a florist. But I like flowers and plants and sometimes wish I was a florist. But it smells nice in there.

Plan 9

And lastly, a comic shop. Because, why no? You may not know it cause I keep it off my blog (assuming there's not enough of a cross-over interest between foundation and Bat Girl?) but I'm pretty big into them. But comic shops themselves...yeah. Smelly, boy-orientated, can barely find what you're looking for...yougetthepicture. Plan 9 was a delight! Comics were organised, the place smelt good (they also sold incense), a welcoming shop front and good hygiene standards (I visited another comic shop in Aberdeen that same day which had, erm, lumps of dirt on the floor).

Do you know of any independent Aberdeen shops I've missed out? Let me know!

mòrag