After all of last week's electoral excitement, it's been a quieter week round these parts. It hasn't been a week without danger, but the threat of Edinburgh losing its World Heritage Site status has lifted with the news that "the overall state of conservation is absolutely fine." Other World Heritage Sites include the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal and the ancient city of Thebes and its Necropolis, all places characterized by their short supply of Buckfast and deep-fried Mars bars.

There hasn't been any real chance of Scotland losing touch with its heritage: just last year, our finest bartenders spent an evening beating the best England had to offer in the 2007 Liquid War. This year's final took place in Glasgow earlier this evening with North vs. South contests in flair and mixology. Results when they're posted, which will probably be when the hangovers clear up. Sometime in February, then.

In the meantime, if you wanted to infuse that hard-won heritage with a touch of international style, then Totty Rocks on Victoria Street can furnish you with a handbag. This handbag, in fact. For £3,250.

And finally, it's time to wish everyone at Bramble a very happy second birthday - they just announced their own bouncing baby blog! They're also clearly not getting a present, what with all the awards and international acclaim they've gained over the past two years.

Seriously, let someone else with something for once.

(Edinburgh panorama from George L Smyth's photostream on Flickr, under a Creative Commons licence.)