Ocean Terminal is a three story shopping centre on the dock end of Leith. It is a collection of retailers with restaurants, a gym and a cinema thrown in for good measure.

This isn’t a review of Ocean Terminal. I don’t think it’s possible to review an ecosystem that’s so variable in any meaningful way. It’s possible to walk around an almost empty Ocean Terminal and enjoy the space and all the customer service you could ask for. It’s equally possible to turn up while there’s a large passenger ship in the harbour, the schools are out and a blockbuster is on and find yourself in a busy mall.

Ocean Terminal always feels like it is carefully balanced. It feels like if it was to lose one or two key shops then it would sink below the radar and slide towards oblivion. Equally, it also feels like it is only a big name or two off becoming an extremely popular hub in Edinburgh.

The site is well tended by busses and dependant on transport routes. There are plenty of car parking spaces and it may be heresy to say so but Ocean Terminal would have benefited from the trams.

Here’s a good idea. Games Workshop Edinburgh, on the Royal Mile, are reserving this coming Friday (the 9th) as a girls only night.

The goal is to present a slightly different enviorment so more female wargamers or girls considering the hobby feel a little easier about getting involved. It’s been run by Emika who works at the shop and more details are available from staff. There’s a little more insight at their Facebook Page too.

Once again St John’s is playing host to 3D/2D and the West End Fair. There are very many stalls worth checking out but Richard Pell‘s creative metalwork especially caught my eye.

Unfortunately, pictures from this year’s craft fair are fewer in number than I would have hoped after one of the stall owners objected to the camera. If you’re surprised to discover that some crafts traders dislike photographs it is, apparently, through a fear of design theft. I think this is misguided. If you’ve created something wonderful then the best way to protect that design is to get photographic evidence of your work online as quickly as possible, not just for evidence, but to become synonymous with the style. That will leave copycats to run the risk of being caught out by the camera. And never be rude to a blogger.

Real Food enjoys a good location at the top of Broughton Street. The nexus of York Place (the end of Queen Street), Leith Walk and Leith Street is an easy place to get a bus. In fact, it’s barely 10 minutes walk from the bus station for those people travelling into the city. Broughton Street connects into that nexus and Real Foods is less than a minute walk from where the streets meet.

The shop itself is fairly large. This is not a pokey little shop on the corner. The main room is spacious although a large centre shelf gobbles up much of room and anyone bringing large rucksacks will need to make certain they don’t obstruct everyone else.

The second half of the store is sub-divided. There is a chill section at the back for food that needs to be kept cold like dairy free cream or cold drinks. There’s a section for health foods and supplements as you approach the tills as well as an off licence.

Real Foods makes use of two tills. This is clever and just as well as there is frequently a little queue. Most regular shoppers bring their own bags but the ethical retailer does have a supply of re-used bags to equip anyone who forgot those.

I enjoy shopping at Real Foods. Recommended.

It is worth checking out the Stockbridge Market’s website for its list of producers because there are many. Equally, it’s also worth noting that not every producer arrives with a stall each week. There is a risk that you make it to the Market only to discover that that your favourite stall is not there.

The Market has a pleasant atmosphere. People chat, dogs on leashes mill around and children belt back and forth. Okay, children charging around while adults slurp their coffee from paper cups is not ideal but it certainly adds to the vibe.

The Stockbridge Farmers Market does more than food. You’ll find craft goods as well such as natural soap, handbags and the sort of jewellery you might otherwise have to wait for the Festival or Hogmanay for. When it comes to the food expect not just the typical straight from the farm meats but sea food and game too.

This is not a large market. There are about a dozen stalls and there is space for wheel chairs – though you will not be thanked if try and wheel a large bike around. Chaining a bike to the railings around the market makes more sense.

There are public toilets nearby on Hamilton Place.