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Ziggy’s Restaurant Review St Andrews

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Ziggy’s restaurant is surrounded by B & B’s and is situated just off North Street in St Andrews – a street that’s as famous for its old-fashioned picture house, as it is for the university buildings. Ziggy’s is also an easy establishment to spot – as it has a large guitar hanging above the entrance door.

ziggyrestaurantreviewThe inside is a throw back to the American diners of the 1960’s and pays homage to the greats of rock and roll by displaying original records and signed gifts around the dining room, open kitchen and toilet areas.

We are greeted at the door by a pleasant waitress in a Hard Rock Café style tee shirt and are seated by the window on a new range of wooden tables and chairs that this family owned establishment (Ziggy’s has been owned and run by the same family since 1983) have just bought in.

It’s 6 pm on a Tuesday night and the place is just starting to fill up. There are a mixture of diners, from locals to golfing tourists. But we are the only table of two – the rest are in groups of four to ten.

ziggystarter

Starters

Ziggy’s starters vary from garlic bread and house mixed salad to loaded skins and a bucket of devilled chicken wings. The prices are very reasonable, starting at £3.15 for a regular portion of garlic bread and rising to £11.95 for ‘The Ziggy’s BIG DISH Sharer’ – a combination of onion rings, breaded mushrooms, ribatisers, potato skins and chicken strips with sour cream, blue cheese and hickory sauce.

After having a quick glance over the main courses and desserts, I opt for something light and order the homemade potato and leek soup served with fresh crusty bread. My father orders the garlic prawns. And after scanning the wine list we decide to order two of the individual, 20cl, bottles of Prosecco as a treat. I think this is a wonderful idea. Unless you are in a wine bar, it is very hard to buy Prosecco or Champagne by the glass.

Homemade Potato & Leek Soup

The presentation is very simple. My white bowl of soup rests on a white plate with a white napkin. Colour is introduced from the soup itself and the two chunks of French baguette on the side.

My father’s dish is livelier looking. The garlic prawns arrive spitting and popping in a black cauldron.

Putting appearances aside, I take a spoonful of soup and am pleasantly surprised by how nice it is. The vegetables are chunky – just the way I like them – and the flavour is strong. This is a proper bowl of hearty soup that could not be anything other than homemade. When the owner/chef walks over to our table to ask if everything is ok, she tells me that her son – who also works in the kitchen – made the soup.

My father, who is not shy when it comes to giving his opinion, says that the prawns are tasty, but that they are submerged in too much oily sauce – the prawns are baked in garlic and red onion butter. He finds it hard to eat them because of this.

ziggystandrewsburger ziggyburger

Main courses

It’s not only the look and vibe of Ziggy’s that reminds me of The Hard Rock Café, it’s the food too. The main courses are American inspired, with the house specialities being the steaks, ribs and burgers. It’s a menu that would delight the meat lover. The list of 18 handmade burgers are all under £10, with the extra special ones rising to between £10 and £15.00.

Both my father and I choose the gourmet 12oz burger (£12.95 with a choice of three cheesy toppings). I order the cheddar, bacon and pineapple topping and my father the bacon and Stilton.

All Ziggy’s burgers are 100% pure steak burgers and are handmade and supplied by the local award winning butcher, J.B Penman of Crail.

The Gourmet 12oz Burger

Again, the burgers are very simply presented on white plates. The burger is served on a toasted white flour bun. The top of the bun rests at an angle to show off the toppings – I see two rings of pineapple with melted cheddar resting on top of my massive burger. Underneath the burger is a bed of salad leaves, with a slice of beef tomato and some red onion and dill pickle. The house fries that accompany my burger are presented in a white mug next to the homemade coleslaw.

It really is a feast for the senses and we can’t wait to dig in…

Although the burger is tasty – and the combination a good one – I personally find it too greasy for my palate and would choose a different main course on my next visit. My father, on the other hand, enjoyed his burger.

Dessert

The list of desserts is excellent. There really is something for everyone here. You’ve got knickerbocker glory, cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding and a wide selection of Sundae’s. There are even ice cream floats (Pepsi, Irn Bru or Lemonade with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream); something that I love but have not had since I was a teenager.

We decide to share a dessert and choose the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

We can smell the sticky toffee pudding before we see our waitress walk across the dining room with it. It looks like a traditional, gooey pudding and after taking the first bite, I find that it tastes like it too. It’s yummy.

The one thing that does disappoint me though, is the fact that the ice cream has not been bought from one of the town’s two famous ice cream parlours – Jannetta’s or Luvians. It is cheap, yellow coloured ice cream. From my point of view, it would have been nice to utilise local artisan ice cream makers in much the same way as Ziggy’s have done by buying their burgers in from an award winning local butcher.

None of this would deter us from visiting Ziggy’s in St Andrews again though. The waitresses are friendly and helpful. The individual bottles of Prosecco are a welcome addition to any wine list. The homemade potato and leek soup was one of the best I have ever tasted. And the ambience of this family owned restaurant is unusual – even in a town where every second premises is an eatery. If you’re a meat lover that enjoys American inspired food and is looking for somewhere a little more rock n roll… then head to Ziggy’s.

 

Our meal:

2 x 20cl bottles of Prosecco at £5.95 each

1 x Soup £3.95

1 x Garlic Prawns £5.95

2 x gourmet 12 oz burger at £12.95 each

1 x sticky toffee pudding at £5.25

Total: £53.65 for two people

 

http://www.ziggysrestaurant.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amarone Edinburgh Restaurant Review

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HPlogoAmarone restaurant is majestic inside and out. It is situated in Edinburgh’s financial district, St Andrews Square and is a former safe – known as the ‘Vault.’ The high domed ceiling and archways are the two centrepieces and the tall windows fill the place with light – albeit street lights, as we are booked in at 7 pm.

We are greeted by two male hosts near the entrance and pass the bar and open kitchen, on the way to our romantic candlelit booth – situated right at the back of Amarone, on an elevated dining area. The restaurant is completely full, with an eclectic mix of diners from students to sophisticated retirees.

The white walls compliment the dark walnut floor and the drop lighting, ceiling decorations and rows of gallery style photographs, give that contemporary look which Amarone promise on the website. Our Italian waitress offers to take our coats as we get settled in the booth and hands us the wine list and a la carte menu.

Vino e mangiare

The wine list is the best that I have seen in a UK Italian restaurant. Not only do they offer six different versions of Amarone (a rich, Italian dry red wine that is 15-16% alc/vol), their house whites and reds are better than the norm and still reasonably priced.

We ask our waitress what is most popular by the glass and opt for the house white Sauvignon – Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto – and the house red Merlot – Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto – both £18.95 per bottle and £6.45 per large, 250 ml glass.

Browsing the starters, we see classic favourites like minestrone, crostini, homemade chicken liver pate and beef carpaccio. I like to eat locally sourced food where possible and choose the Capesante con Pancetta – seared Scottish king scallops served with grilled pancetta ham, with a sun dried tomato and chilli dressing. My partner opts for seafood too, to allow space for a carbohydrate-laden maincourse, and picks the Cozze Vapore  – mussels with white wine, flat leaf parsley, garlic and olive oil.

I can’t visit an Italian restaurant and not have a pizza or pasta dish, so we decide to share the pizza verdi – fresh spinach, rocket, ricotta cheese and shaved parmesan with garlic and chilli oil – and the Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone – pan seared duck breast, served pink, with an Amarone wine sauce, braised Savoy cabbage, sautéed potatoes, pancetta and confit of figs.

Focaccia

As our waitress walks off with the food and drinks order, another appears with a focaccia. We look at this pizza plate of Italian bread, topped with Parma ham, parmesan shavings and rocket, and wish we had not ordered a pizza for maincourse…

Our second Italian waitress sees the ‘I don’t know how I’m going to eat all of this’ look on our faces and provides some encouragement.

“Compliments of the house,” she says. “Mangia, mangia!”

 ’Mangia, mangia!’ is my most treasured Italian phrase and the first word that I could truly understand without translation when I visited my father’s family as a child – it means ‘eat.’ I have not heard it for some time now though. My nonna (grandmother) used to repeat this during every meal that we spent together in Florence and you could see the joy in her emerald eyes as we tucked into her four lovingly prepared courses with enthusiasm. I smile at the memory and look at the focaccia. It smells too good to waste, so we each take a slice.

I am not easily impressed when it comes to Italian restaurants in the UK – after being brought up on my father’s and nonna’s cooking – but this bread is exceptional. It’s lighter than traditional focaccia, but the dough is flavoursome and the consistency is just right. I try not to eat half – as I want to enjoy the rest of this meal. My partner, however, cannot restrain himself and ends up eating three quarters of it himself.

Antipasti

The scallops and mussels arrive in large white bowls, with an extra bowl set aside for the empty mussel shells.

There is a handful of spinach and rocket separating my four scallops and each one has a teaspoon of dressing on top. It’s a simple arrangement that works. I have a tendency to overcook scallops – a cooking trait that I get from my mother, who overcooks most food – so it is a real treat to eat scallops that slide down the throat just like oysters. Yum.

My partner is almost finished the mussels by the time I have eaten two scallops – my nonna would be proud of his enthusiasm – but manages to show me a novel way of eating them before they are all gone. He uses an empty shell to pick out the rest of the mussels. It’s a unique idea that’s much easier than using a fork – and one that I must remember.

Pizza e carne

I’ve been looking forward to the maincourse – as I’ve not tried duck in Amarone sauce before. But when our waitress places this plate of carne in front of me, I notice how thin the sauce is. Instead of allowing it to simmer into a heavy reduction, which I like, it looks like the chef has just splashed some Amarone straight from the bottle onto my plate.

I keep an open mind though and tuck in. The sauce does not stick to the meat, like I thought, but the duck is tender and tasty nonetheless – and the sautéed potatoes are addictive.

Happy, contented sounds come from my partner’s side of the booth – making it obvious that he is enjoying the pizza verdi. But he gives up after two slices – this selection of Italian food has defeated him. I taste a slice of pizza and immediately fall in love with the soft ricotta cheese. It’s too good to leave.

“Could you box this up for us,” I ask our waitress. “We’ll have it tomorrow for lunch.”

Dolce

Being used to large portions of carbohydrates, I have left just enough room for il dolce.

There are 7 desserts on offer in Amarone and all are traditionally Italian. The prices are reasonable, with the most expensive being the Formaggi Misti at £6.95 – a selection of Italian cheeses served with oatcakes and honey. The Tortino di Formaggio – mascarpone, honey and ginger cheesecake on a crushed gingernut biscuit base – sounds unusual and delicious. But I opt for the pannacotta – as it’s light.

Pannacotta con Lamponi

Our waitress puts down the plate in front of me – but leaves two spoons, which makes my partner smile. This is a simple dessert, arranged simply on the plate. No fuss or embellishments – just the vanilla pannacotta with 5 large dabs of raspberry compote surrounding it. My partner puts his spoon in first.

“Mmmm,” he says with closed eyes.

I scoop a piece of pannacotta – and do the same.

Not everything in Amarone is as perfect as the focaccia, seafood, pizza, duck breast and pannacotta. The red wine list, however good, is pricy when you opt for something other than the three house reds. The restaurant could do with an Italian host at the door who oozes my nonna’s love of food and wine. And the Amarone sauce that drenched my duck, could have had more substance…

BUT, Amarone is all the more charming for a couple of imperfections. It is the only Italian restaurant that I’ve tried in the UK so far – bar my father’s – that is worthy of my nonna’s cooking. Most Italian restaurants have front of house charm. Fewer have food with charm.

Amarone’s food is made with love and is the perfect place to take your love. Well done to owners, Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta. As they say in Italy, a dopo (see you later)…

 

Editors note: We did eat the pizza for lunch the following day – and it was just as good cold.

 

Our meal for two:

1 x Focaccia di Parma £7.95

1 x Cozze Vapore £6.75

1 x Capesante con Pancetta £7.95

1 x Pizza Verdi  £10.25

1x Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone £16.95

1 x Pannacotta con Lamponi £5.25

1 x Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto 250ml glass £6.45

1 x Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto 250ml glass £6.45

Total: £68.00 + tip (£34.00 per head for two people having starter, maincourse and dessert + one large glass of house wine each)

 

We like…

 

THE LOCATION

 

THE BUILDING

 

THE ITALIAN WAITRESSES

 

THE WINE LIST

 

THE FOCACCIA

 

THE SEAFOOD

 

THE PIZZA

 

THE PANNACOTTA

 

THE FOOD PRICES

 

 

Contact details:

Amarone
13 St Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2AF

Telephone number: 0131 523 11 71

Email: info@amaronerestaurant.co.uk

Website: http://www.amaronerestaurant.co.uk/edinburgh_amarone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Adamson Restaurant Review

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The Adamson Restaurant reviewThe first thing that strikes you on walking towards The Adamson are the words ‘Post Office’ carved into the stone structure of the building, above the entrance door. (It used to be the main post office in St Andrews from 1907 until 2012) The second thing is the fairy lights that can be seen through each south-facing window.

The inside is different from what I expect – but in a good way. The tables, chairs, ceiling lights and artwork are contemporary and have that trendy city vibe going on. The wooden floor, brick work walls and natural foliage add a rustic element, which I like.

Lindsey Kirk, the house manager, is the first person to greet us. She guides us through the small bar at the restaurants entrance and seats us at a table near the open kitchen. Our waitress, Adrienne, offers to hang up our coats in the cloakroom before handing us the menu.

I take a quick glance and know immediately what I’m ordering – Pittenweem crab with lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough bread to start, then char-grilled fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and skinny fries for main course. Pittenweem is a coastal village near St Andrews that is famous for fish and it’s nice to see their crab on the menu. My mum opts for the crispy calamari with pomegranate, satsuma and watercress, followed by Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root vegetables.

Some of the dishes are pricey – The Adamson sell chateaubriand for two, with hand cut chips, roasted garlic mash, green beans, and peppercorn & béarnaise sauce for £59.95 – but it is evident that they are trying to cater for all budgets, as one of their signature dishes is The Adamson burger with bacon, gruyère cheese, skinny fries & house ketchup for £11.50.

Starter

Sipping my virgin mojito and looking around the dining room, I spot snazzy looking deer antlers with a crystal-embellished skull on the wall.

“That’s Austin,” says Mike Lewis, the General Manager here at The Adamson, as he passes our table. “He was handmade by a friend of my wife’s.”

Mum and I say a toast and tuck into our starters – under the watchful, sparkly eye of Austin. My crab is just right, temperature wise – not too cold – and the lime and chilli butter adds a delightful Mexican kick. My mum, who is not normally a fan of whole calamari, has finished her starter within seconds.

“It’s melt in the mouth,” she says.

The only downside to this feast is the techno pop style background music – which really does not go with the surroundings.

Main course

I’ve been eating fillet steaks with peppercorn sauce since I was 5 years old – and it’s safe to say that the combination not only brings back childhood memories, but would also be on my ‘last supper’ list. That pairing of lightly pink meat with ladles of cream based peppercorn sauce is heavenly – in my opinion. So I am a little sad to see a gravy based peppercorn sauce arrive on my plate. That aside, the presentation is spot on and the steak is cooked just the way I ordered it – medium rare.

Three cherry tomatoes on the vine rest on top of my chargrilled meat and a mound of vibrant green rocket sits alongside it. The peppercorn sauce sits behind this meat and salad centrepiece in a small steel ladle. I’ve never seen this sauce presentation method before, but I like it – a lot. The idea may look minimalist, but as I start drenching the steak with sauce, there is more than enough to go around – even for a sauce lover like me. The skinny fries are served separately in small metal buckets and a choice of sauce options is available.

My mum’s Atlantic sole is browned nicely on top, creating a crispy coating that reminds me of pork crackling. But what is most innovative about this presentation is how the chef has served the lemon. He has covered half a lemon in muslin cloth and positioned it on the plate like a wedding favour – a brilliant idea that stops your fingers getting wet when seasoning the sole.

“How are the main courses,” asks Mike.

“Delicious,” we reply.

Dessert

We are handed a narrow piece of card with a selection of six desserts and a choice of dessert wines on one side and a coffee list on the other. The dessert is always my favourite part of the meal – and I always make sure and leave room for it. But, this list is not exciting me. There is The Adamson sundae, apple trifle, sticky toffee pudding and a selection of ice cream and sorbet. It’s a ‘what you’d expect’ list of desserts, rather than the original – and innovative – starters and main courses that we have just enjoyed. I’m about to order a cappuccino as dessert when Adrienne walks over.

“We have a very special dessert available tonight. It’s haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb,” she says with a smile.

Now, that’s more like it! I immediately order the haggis spiced brûlée and persuade my mum to try the apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble – as it sounds the most interesting. She is not a fan of nuts and hesitates for a moment, but Adrienne comes to the rescue – again.

“The nut crumble is made with pistachios and sprinkled on top of the cream,” she tells us. “ But we can easily leave that out for you.”

Haggis spiced brûlée

Nothing can prepare you for the look or taste of this special dessert. It is beautifully presented on the white plate and the colours instantly draw your eye – it’s a picture of pink elegance and I feel guilty about tucking in.

The brûlée looks like dulce de leche and is surrounded by small clusters of oat crumble. A quenelle of rhubarb sorbet rests neatly on top and a few thick drops of rhubarb compote, and rhubarb strands itself, decorate the sides. I give my mum a little smile before tasting my first spoonful…

I’m used to haggis, neeps and tatties, but this is something else. The unique flavour of haggis really comes through – it couldn’t be anything else – but the strong notes of perfume in the aftertaste make it seem like you’re eating a soft version of Turkish delight. I love it.

A coffee for the road

We finish off this three-course meal with a coffee each – my mum orders a black Americano and I a cappuccino.

Taking a bite of the complimentary ginger shortbread that is served with the coffee, we both feel completely and utterly satisfied – not disgustingly full. Normally after a three-course meal, I feel like I’m carrying twins in my belly! Thankfully, that is not the case now.

The portions were just right, with each course filling a hole but still leaving you a little hungry for more. And I think the same could be said of The Adamson itself. It’s a restaurant and bar that excites the senses of taste and sight and makes you want to come back for more.

Our meal for two:

Virgin mojito x 2 @ £3.50 each (£7.00 in total)
Tanqueray gin £3.35
Slimline tonic, 200ml, £1.50
San Pellegrino, small, £1.95
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Fox by John Belsham, 250ml glass £10.50
Pittenweem crab with crème fraiche and lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough £9.50
Crispy Calamari with pomegranate, Satsuma and watercress £6.95
220g Fillet steak with skinny fries and peppercorn sauce £26.95
Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root veg £15.50
Side of skinny fries £2.95
Haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb £5.00
Apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble £6.50
Cappuccino £2.75
Americano £2.25

Total: £102.55 + tip (works out at around £50.00 per head for three courses plus drinks)

 

Best bits about The Adamson

ORIGINAL RECIPES USING LOCAL AND SEASONAL PRODUCE

WARM, INVITING DINING ROOM THAT’S BOTH RUSTIC AND CONTEMPORARY

AUSTIN – DEER ANTLER AND SKULL WALL DECORATION

COCKTAILS

PLEASANT AND ATTENTIVE WAITERS

SPECIALS BOARD

 

Worst bits about The Adamson

SMALL BAR

BACKGROUND MUSIC

DESSERT MENU

CAN BE A BIT PRICEY

 

Contact details:

The Adamson, 
127 South Street, 
St Andrews, 
Fife, 
KY16 9UH
Telephone number: 01334 479 191
Email: info@theadamson.com
Website: http://www.theadamson.com/

 

Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award – A sneak preview at the work of the finalists!

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 The finalists of the Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award have been announced and we have the winning sketches that are taking this year’s hottest new designers to FS2012!

 

Now entering its 20th year, the St Andrews Charity Fashion Show is a professionally run and high achieving student organisation, which is passionate about both fundraising and fashion. It is currently the largest student-run charity fashion show in the UK. FS2012 will take place on 25th February and will showcase young design talent alongside big fashion brands and as official jewellery partner of this year’s show, Swarovski will adorn models with pieces from its couture jewellery collection, Atelier Swarovski.

 

Nadja Swarovski commented, “The St Andrews Charity Fashion show has a long history of promoting both young and established design talent, which is in keeping with Swarovski’s commitment to supporting creative industries. As a patron I am delighted to be a part of this exciting event which also benefits such a deserving cause as the Muir Maxwell Trust.”

 

FS 2012 are working this year with the Muir Maxwell Trust (MMT), a charity that supports the 70,000 children in the UK with epilepsy and their families. Established in 2003 by Ann and Jonny Maxwell, the Trust is named after the Maxwell’s 14 year old son, Muir, who is profoundly damaged by a severe form of epilepsy that began in infancy.

 

The Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award will function as a platform for UK-based new and emerging young designers. In conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of our show, it will combine the authority of well-known designers with the flare of the country’s best student design talent both on the catwalk and throughout our campaign.

 

The recipient of the Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award will receive:

 

  • The Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award 2012
  • £1000 in prize money, courtesy of Alfa Romeo
  • The opportunity to design a fashion line, worth £500, in support of our chosen charity: The Muir Maxwell Trust
  • Exclusive feature and spread in The FS Magazine, with over 7,000 online readers.

The 2011 judging panel included the PPQ design duo, Amy Molyneaux & Percy Parker, as well as Britain’s Next Top Model Winner, Alex Evans.

Kate Middleton: The Making Of A Duchess

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Few people manage to capture the publics attention, but it is fair to say that Catherine Middleton is huge right now. She’s bigger than a movie star, just as famous as Diana, she’s (arguably) more popular than her fiancee Prince William. If you google “Kate Middleton” you get 51,700,000 hits. If you google “Catherine Middleton” you get 8,600,000.

The tale of a commoner (okay, millionaires over privileged daughter) done good is a story usually only read in fairytale. Yet on the 29th Miss Middleton will walk down the aisle and marry into royalty. Yet to call her a millionaire’s daughter doesn’t really scratch the truth of the surface. Her mother was a flight attendant (snobbishly nicknamed “doors to manual” by Williams posh friends), it doesn’t take long to find coalminers in her family history. This is what makes her fresh. The royal family need her to make them relevant again. The Queen and Prince Philip are cousins, he of Greek royalty.

Catherine Elizabeth “Kate” Middleton was born on 9 January 1982, she grew up on Bucklebury, Berkshire. Her parents Carole and Michael. She is the eldest and has a sister, Phillipa, and a brother, James. She met Prince William in 2001 when they were both studying at the University of St Andrews. They lived together (and at one point were both seeing other people), they became a couple. There have been two break ups, including one in 2007 that lasted a few months. Kate stayed friends with William and the romance was rekindled. During the break up Kate went out a lot, always looking stunning, and mostly with Williams friends.

It seems naïve that when Kate started dating William she complained about harassment through her lawyer saying “she had done nothing significant to warrant such publicity.” She must have known that you cannot date royalty and come out unscathed. She has had Royal Protection officers since 2006. Kate has done more than her fair share of work on the relationship. She has learned how to shoot, joining a royal deerstalking party in Scotland in 2007, Kate and William had broken up that year and it was a make or break trip. They had broken up because Prince William felt he was too young to get married and because he was too close, and disclosed too much, to ex-girlfriends.

At the Concert for Diana they were just friends but after the shooting party she moved in with William at Clarence House. The home of the Prince of Wales, William’s father. When Kate’s parents were photographed on a stalking trip to Scotland three years later the press went into overdrive. Like Kate they were given shooting lessons. The shooting party was hosted by William and was at his father’s residence, Birkhall. The Middleton’s were all doing their best to fit in and have some royal fun. Kate has said of Prince Charles: “I was quite nervous about meeting William’s father, but he was very, very welcoming, very friendly. It couldn’t have gone easier for me.”

Kate will shortly become Princess or Duchess, she already has her own coat of arms and will be going to Canada for her first Royal tour after her honeymoon. She has come a long way after seeing Prince William playing hockey at her school, from becoming his house mate. She will become the first Queen to have a degree. She hasn’t had any career as such, working at Jigsaw as an accessory buyer and then for her parents. Always on call for William, working her life around his. And now she will become his Queen. Let’s wish her luck, she might need it.

Update: Kate has become Duchess of Cambridge and William Duke of Camdridge. Kate’s dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen.