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INTERNATIONAL STRESS COFFEE-SOLUBLE?

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With tensions on the Korean peninsula rising by the minute, the A-board outside Broughton Street's Artisan Roast has some helpful advice.

Contrary to expectations, Kim is the Supreme Leader's surname. Its use in this context simply reflects the commanding authority Artisan staff exert over beans and customers alike.

However, an extensive internet search this afternoon has failed to determine when Kim Jong-un last visited Edinburgh.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON HOWE STREET

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Congratulations to Ingrid Nilsson and Stuart Allan, whose flourishing gallery cum framer cum café Bon Papillon is two years old today.

One work in the Howe Street premises which took our eye last week was a recent painting by Nilsson herself: 'Susi Chevy' (right and below).

Nilsson explains the progress of another painting on the gallery website here. Look for the blog entry on 17 March. 

EVENING NEWS TO 'CHANGE TACK' SHOCK

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The Edinburgh Evening News will relaunch soon in a major 'change of tack', it was claimed today.

Senior management at owners Jonhston Press want to reverse nose-diving circulation figures and plummeting profits. But rather than produce fewer and fewer pages at greater cost with an ever-increasing number of low-brow human-interest stories, bosses have decided to head upmarket and cover the news more seriously.

SOMETHING MARVELLOUS, SOMETHING UNCANNY

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Spurtle encountered this extraordinary painting by young Scottish artist Leo du Feu in Bon Papillon on Friday. It's titled 'Dove and Swan' and measures 22 x 22cms.

We were instantly drawn to its ambiguous mix of hope and menace, nature and artefact, bilious yellows, sinister shadows and strangely unpeopled glade.

'Leo has just had paintings in both the Visual Arts Scotland and Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour shows,' says Bon Papillon's Ingrid Nilsson.

SCIARUS VULGARIS ON SKIS IN SKY

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After weeks of grey skies, bitter winds and horizontal sleet, Broughton basked briefly in sunshine on Good Friday. 

The change in weather brought numerous pallid joggers back onto the pavements for the first time since Christmas, and – out of the blue high above West Annandale Street – this unusual red squirrel skiing towards Newhaven.

Many thanks to Minie McIntosh who sent us the photographic evidence at around 6.30pm yesterday evening.

Today, normal service has been resumed with a dusting of snow overnight. 

HORSEMEAT FOUND IN CITY PRIMARIES

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Scientists at Edinburgh Council's Scientific Services laboratory have found that frozen beef mince supplied to the shared kitchen of Pirniehall and St David's Primary Schools contained between 1 per cent and 5 per cent horsemeat.

The batch which tested positive was withdrawn on 8 March. However, it had already also been supplied to Oxgangs PS, Craigroyston PS, Braidburn PS and Forthview PS and 'It is not possible to confirm whether or not mince from this batch was served to pupils prior to the product recall'.

ISSUE 217 – OUT SOON!

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As you read this, Issue 217 of the Broughton Spurtle is hip-hippety-hopping through the presses like an Easter Bunny through spring fields full of gin traps.

Next month's four pages are packed with news, views and local gossip including, in no particular order: uphill battles and uncomfortable bits, upgrades in the offing and Council satisfaction, deep waters, lord provosts, slow progress and the link between models and Moulinexes.