Aspiring Kennedy: April 2011

Most Important Meal of the Day.

I wonder what Ms. Middleton will be eating for breakfast tomorrow.

I'm guessing the only thing that she will have on her stomach

as she leaves in her carriage for Westminster Abbey is a pile of nerves.

Lucky for us-

we only have to watch the big event.

I love how many of my American friends

are making a breakfast party of the early morning spectacle.

It's actually a great meal to do in Brit fashion,

because honestly- breakfast is done really well here.

If you've never been to England before,

you might be staring in disgust at the plate before you.

Yeah, some of it could go away in my opinion...

(Ciao for now, mr. blood sausage & british bacon!)

But the genius behind two fried eggs

and some Heinz baked beans

(a different style than the southern dish),

sopped up with some crispy toast is amazingly good.

Not quite a believer?

Just come over to England,

and I'll make you a breakfast that will change your little mind.

If you aren't looking for a sodium-drenched wedding watch

here are some other great breakfasts that will leave you feeling like a princess.

Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls have become a legends for a reason.

This walnut shortbread recipe makes me feel like a lady.

England has turned me into a huge fan of "yoghurt" parfaits like this one.

Do you remember those funfetti pancakes I showed you? Yum.

Happy Wedding Watching!

*image via

The Big Day.

It's here.

(Well, THE big day is actually tomorrow.)

But today I leave for London

to kick off this Royal Wedding.

I wish I were actually going to the ceremony,

but staying in a flat literally 50 yards from the Abbey doors

isn't such a bad set up either.

(I really love this website for finding GREAT places to stay.)

The media coverage has been crazy

and it seems like now everyone wants talking about

how tired they are hearing about the royal wedding...

but honestly-

I don't buy it.

How could anyone be sick of Royal Wedding anything?

We all secretly love it.

The Royal Family was the first reality family for the world.

We are all curious to watch them partake in milestone events,

and the fact that William is marrying a "regular" girl, just like any of us,

makes it all the more intriguing.

My friend, Julie, sent me this article from NY Mag

that explains the inner rankings of the English upper crust

and Kate's cold welcome into Britain's higher tier.

Come on, admit it.

The Royal Wedding isn't "over" yet...

the fun is just beginning!

While you are at it...

go ahead and admit that these Will & Kate items are pretty funny.

fridge | crown jewel condoms | pez | tea bags | eleni's cookies

I'll be tweeting from the streets of Westminster for the next day.

Follow along for my pics, shots, and all the other hilarity that is sure to abound.

How are you celebrating tomorrow?

Or are you "over it?"

Make Your Bed

There was a buzz of criticism

regarding the April issue of

Rue Magazine.

People sighed that it wasn't original,

they were bored...

blah blah blah.

Say what you want about that issue

(though I think you should say it kindly),

Rue did something incredible when they made this video.

Featuring the new line of bedding by Kate Spade,

this video is so totally adorable,

and completely agrees with my thought

that videos and blogs are a lovely combination.

(First seen at One Sydney Road...)

As you all know, I loved Scotland.
It is a place that will charm the pants of you...
{and possibly blow your hair into oblivion, if the wind is feisty.)

This Alluring Kennedy is highlighting all the right features
of Scotland...

landscape, fashion, and the famous men of the plaid.

...

SCOTLAND

Great Scot!

A place not often discussed, but what a glorious country.

Have you been to St. Andrews, the Highlands, the Castles?

I traveled to Scotland once in college...
and found it to be breathtaking.

image source

... and then I saw some of these men
and found them breathtaking as well...

Mr. Mcavoy

Mr. McGregor

Mr. Butler

(If you haven't seen him in this movie, you've missed out)

If only I could dress them in these looks from L.L. Bean

I know right... LL Bean?
But trust me, friends.

Its actually quite good.

From the Lookbook

Also shop

Henley

Shirt

I hope you enjoyed this passport voyage to Scotland
as much as I enjoyed revisiting it.

Laura
Something Legit

Also find me blogging on my adorable (personal) blog
One Forty Five PM

Aspiring Scotland: Stirling

Before the Grecian review begins,

I wanted to wrap up my trip to Scotland earlier this month.

You've seen the sites of Edinburgh & St. Andrews,

but no trip Scotland could be complete without visiting Stirling.

Tomorrow, we'll move on to Greek-ier things

like ruins, tziziki, and the evil,

but today- we are still in Scotland

soaking up the vibrant history and sites.

I hope that these short posts can help you with future vacations.

Since we are lucky enough to travel so much right now,
I want to be able to offer something more than just fun pics of us traveling.

(Even I am getting a little bored looking at those. I can only image you are, too.)

While you may not need a city guide to these random places now,

I'm a firm believer that you never know
when you might find yourself heading to an exciting new place!

And when you do have that crazy ticket in hand,

just know, all the goodness of where to go (and of course, what to eat)

will still be here on Aspiring Kennedy.

This hilly town used was once the capital of Scotland,

however now it quietly offers pulsing hoards of day-trippers

a rich glimpse into Scottish heritage.

With frequent trains running from Edinburgh's Waverly Station,

the scenic train to Stirling makes for an easy (and enjoyable) day trip.

After Braveheart, it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to visit to Scotland

without paying homage to William Wallace,

and Stirling's impressive Wallace Monument is the reason this quiet town

remains high on the list of "must-sees" for a Scottish tour.

Sitting in the low hills surrounding the city,

The Wallace Monument is a 19th century tower

that offers gorgeous views of the valley below.

The tower has cleverly broken up the massive climb to the top

with floors telling the story of Wallace's role in Scotland's rebellion

throughout your journey up the 246 steps to the tower's crown.

Though this site takes a taxi to reach,

a slow inclined walk through the woods to reach,

and a slightly exhausting haul up to the tower,

the views offered up top are worth the effort.

Whether you find yourself there on a rainy day

overlooking the misty Scottish horizon,

or with the sun gleaming off the grass below-

you will feel that you captured the Scotland in it's essence.

(I've been there with both types of weather, and was equally enchanted both times.)

Grab a taxi after lunch and head to Stirling's castle.

(We had the pub call a taxi for us. It cost about €6.00 for all four of us.)

It's not as big as some other castles you may visit,

but the renovation is very interactive

and the castle's tapestry weaving is a unique peek into a lost art.

From the castle, there is a short walk to adjoining Gowan Hill

where the famous Beheading Stone now sits.

Wander through the unending daffodils and sneak a seat on the benches

to watch the sunset before you leave for the train station.

Continue with the downhill momentum you have from walking down the tower,

keep cruising down the hill,

past the tower gates, through the small neighborhood,

until you find yourself on flat ground

at the buzzing intersection circling back towards Stirling.

There sits the unpretentious William Wallace Pub,

Which despite it's name- it not a tourist zone.

The crowd is local

- going to & fro at random -

and the classic pub food is fairly cheap

at around €6.50 per entree.

Most dishes come with the Scottish accompaniments of "tatties & neeps,"

which in case you are wondering are

mashed potatoes & mashed swede or turnips.

Don't be scared of the "neeps," they are delicious.

Monday Moods: I feel... peaceful

We got home early yesterday morning from our cruise.

I'm still glowing from our wonderful time...

literally, I got some much needed sun,

but even more so, I just feel good.

After an amazing Easter spent with friends

a church service that left me feeling very grateful,

an evening in the garden of our favorite pub,

and watching my niece smile as she showed off her new skills walking (via skype)...

I'm waking up today, sipping my coffee, catching up on blogs,

and finding that I'm still stuck on island time.

Ahh, it feels so great.

I hope you enjoying a slow start to your week,

or at least have a happy hour planned for the end of it!

These can't be real...

...can they?

I saw these at our local market...

and can not figure out the anatomy

"behind" them.

They have, like, literally,

twenty times more material

than a standard thong.

Not that I, ahem, wear thongs or anything...

it was only an observation.

Yeah, I was just trying to think about

energy efficiency...

and excess material...

and stuff....

My big, fat, Greek cruise.

Before we booked our cruise,

I had to have a serious conversation with Tyler.

I looked him in the eye,

and asked him if he would judge me

for the obscene amount of food

I would inevitably eat in Greece.

He rolled his eyes and replied that

"No, of course [he] wouldn't judge me...

because [he'd] been married too long to remember

that other girls don't eat the quantities of food I do."

It was one of the sexier things he's ever said.

Now I'm cruising away in Greece.

It's as glorious as it sounds.

What's better than the sunshine,

the crystal blue waters,

and the towel animals left by room service

on my bed each night....

is the food.

No wonder the gods chose Greece for their home.

I mean, even I'm rethinking our future

to live close to such an abundance of tziziki.

When are we going on a blogger cruise?

{because it's already not soon enough}

Why I Love: Cannon Lewis

I love cannon lewis jewelry.

It's modern,

it's ornate,

it's absolutely luxe...

and seriously- how cute is Cannon?

I can't stand it really.

Between her three collections

{capitvate, trouve, & life}

Cannon offers an array of

gorgeous jewelry

that is fitting to any personality.

{...well, any awesome personality.}

I've been watching her line grow for several years,

and felt completely validated when

Reese Witherspoon was spotted wearing her own piece

from Cannon's collection

earlier this month.

So go on,

all you non-student,

successful-in-your-career ladies...

Go on and buy one of

Cannon's lovely pieces in my honor.

{Just let me borrow it sometime?}

Decorate This Space!

As you may have noticed,

I'm not exactly an interiors blogger.

I mean, I blog from inside everyday....

but other than that,

I leave the design work to the professionals.

Why would I try to compete with all the amazing decor blogs out there

when I could blog about completely random things?

Today though,

I get to design my dream space.

I'm not going to call it a mood board,

or an inspiration board,

or anything other than

"How I would decorate my house... if money wasn't an option."

{Sidenote: I really wish it wasn't sometimes.}

Thank you Jillian,

the sweet lady behind Cornflake Dreams

for inviting me to participate in your fun blog crawl,
and thanks to Kristin of Ten Scenic Drive
for passing on the blog crawl this way.

pendant light | don carney original art | penguin books

grey velvet sofa | jonathan adler capri pillow

kartell gold bourgie lamp | missoni rug

Well... how did I do?

Would you come over for tea?

Pop on to Styles 'n Cream tomorrow

when Rali continues our

Decorate This Space blog crawl!

Bloggers: We're Just Like You {Vol 2}

I'm so glad you liked the first installment of this series...

I was going to be bummed if it was a low response post,

because I really have so much material
that is just waiting to be used.

The next edition is dedicated to anyone out there

who has ever felt ugly talking on skype or gchat....

Because guess what?

So do I!

And though I do spend a lot of time on skype conference calls

looking cute & professional,

....these are the real calls that fill up my days.

The PULP boardroom

family time

see, even Hello Splendor is human, too!

raspberries are good.

talking to my 3 year old nephew...

until he gets bored and ditches us for cartoons...

So there you have it...

Real life.

Club Med

I'm leaving for Italy.

I've been wanting to tell you,

but I was afraid you would think I'm ridiculous.

We're heading to Venice...

where we will board a cruise

around the Greek Isles!

Remember when I asked for your advice

on good island locals?

Well, when we were looking around,

we found a great deal,

and figured we should go for it.

I mean, we do live in Europe...

so a Mediterranean cruise isn't really all that posh.

It's just kinda like

a trip to... the lake?

Maybe?

I'll be around the blog...

but for the next few hours,

I'm a packing fool.

I would tell you to watch

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Mamma Mia

to escape on your own Greek adventure...

but I already feel like there is enough judgement

happening from this post

so I'll just quit while I'm ahead.

anchor tote | one line a day journal | life of pi

ysl lipgloss nude | chanel riva nail colour | xhiliration bikini

susan posnick 26 SPF colorflo

Aspiring Scotland: St. Andrews

Though it can be a bit tricky to get to from Edinburgh,

St. Andrews is worth the trip

if you are up for a relaxing day in this seaside town.

Besides being famous for the historic gold course,

St. Andrews has a great atmosphere that is

friendly, easy to navigate, & relaxing.

It never hurts to remember it is also the place

where Will & Kate first met and started their relationship.

To get to St. Andrews,

take a short train from Edinburgh to Leuchars

{with a 5 mile bus ride into St. Andrews}

or opt for the direct bus that drops you directly into St. Andrews.

*the bus is an hour longer, but is a gorgeous ride along the Scottish coast*

After lunch,

{we like Greyfriar's}

head up to the edge of town to

the famous & long-lined

B. Janetta's for a scoop of ice cream.

The sticky toffee ice cream is hard to beat,

but the banoffee shake is a close second.

If you want to get a good pub feel,
head past the golf course to the Old Course Hotel's quaint pub,
The Jigger Inn.

Try their freshly caught fish & chips
and don't skimp on the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.