Pack Your Bags: Edinburgh's Elephant House

If you go to Edinburgh,

you're bound to visit

the main historical sites of the town...

The Edinburgh Castle.

Holyrood Palace.

John Knox's House.

The Royal Mile.

But these days,

most people visiting the city

also stop by a place of more recent

historical importance...

You know, where JK Rowling famously penned

the first of the Harry Potter stories on napkins 

while she would nurse a single cup of coffee all day

instead of sitting around in her flat

that she couldn't afford to heat.

It's a bit dorky to want to go there, 

but hey-

if you do want to go,

just know that you're in good company.

{I've been loads of times.}

Plus, it's so close to the historical sites

that you won't be putting yourself too far off track

 from the "respectable tourist site list."

The room is really pretty and has great lighting...

with a killer view of the castle.

It's the perfect place to come for a light lunch....

.... or to relax with a book

at tea time.

{Sidenote: they have such good desserts.}

So make sure you add a quick visit to 

The Elephant House

to your trip to Edinburgh!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Pack Your Bags: Edinburgh, Scotland

I know I've posted about Edinburgh

several times in the past.

At least, this time & this time

that I can remember.

But since I have get to go up there

so often for work,

I find new things each time

I'm there that I think you might want to know about.

I got to see the usual haunts

like the Royal Mile....

John Knox's House....

 

& the funny street performers

that may or may not have the same name as my daughter....

...but I wanted to jot down a few new places

that might make your trip to Edinburgh better.

The King James Thistle Hotel

This place is located really close the train station 

{right across from the Balmoral, if that helps give you context?},

has affordable room rates,

and has a staff that is super friendly...

especially in the case that your reservation is accidently cancelled.

Not that I would know anything about that though.

Le Monde 

This restaurant is located in the heart of New Town.

It's got delicious food

{I'll go ahead and recommend the leek & parmesan risotto and the sticky toffee pudding},

great decor that will make you feel like you're fancy,

affordable prices that won't make you feel like you're broke,

and a staff that is super friendly...

especially in the case that your baby poops through her outfit

TWICE.

Not that I would know anything about that though. 

Calton Hill

I've always seen the gorgeous stone monuments sitting on the far edge of new town

but have never really know what they were

and how you would get up to see them...

or if you even could?

Well, this time, after leaving an indulgent afternoon

at Clarinda's Tea Room,

we found the path up there

and it was so easy to do. 

{About a 5 minute climb up while holding a baby. Easy peasy.}

not so sure about that bright sun....

The gorgeous view of the city makes this a must-do...

plus, it's proximity to New Town

makes it too easy not to do on a pretty day.

MIU MIU Glitter Slippers

I also got to break in the new shoes

that I found on clearance at Off 5th

while I was in the States.

I couldn't find them online for you,

but I did find some similar ones that are pretty darn cute & sparkly, too.

{You know, just in case you have an inner-Dorothy complex that needs to be satisfied, too.}

* * *

Any new places in Edinburgh that you love

that I should try on my next visit?

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Go Here: Clarinda's Tea Room in Edinburgh

When I'm traveling with my students,

I'm a bit of a sucker for routine.

You see, I'm often doing a similar circuit

that is really fast-paced,

so I enjoy a bit of normalcy in the midst of the whirlwind.

I tend to stick to my pre-approved list of good things

and spend the rest of my time staring blankly at the ceiling of my hotel room

trying to recover and plan for the day ahead.

But sometimes, even in the midst of exhaustion & routine,

you find that places can still charm & surprise you...

like I was in Edinburgh this week.

***

I was heading up the Royal Mile from Holyrood Palace

right as Tyler was arriving at our hotel from the train station.

{Editor's note: Yes, he arrived a day later than I did

because home boy now has three ladies to support

and is feeling some pressure to work some wee longer hours.}

As I huffed my way up the hill in the cold,

I saw a cute little tea room named Clarinda's 

that seemed to be glowing from the window.

I texted Tyler if he wanted to walk down to meet me there instead

and he said he'd be there in ten minutes.

When I walked in the creaky door,

I was patting myself on the proverbial back 

for choosing to stop in this gem.

Tiny bouquets of flowers sat on

lace tablecloths draped over the tables...

Blue & white china hung spattered along the wall...

A table full of baked goods lay before me

glowing with the splendour of a pirates chest 

overflowing with golden coins & jewels...

And the menu had so many of my favorite things

at ridiculously cheap prices.

I was in heaven!

Please add this cozy stop to your visit to Edinburgh...

and pretty-please try the carrot cake.

Find Clarinda's on the Royal Mile

at 69 Canongate, Edinburgh Scotland.

Just walk down and you'll find it 

near the bottom of the Royal Mile on your left-

sitting somewhere between the Canongate Kirk

(where economist Adam Smith is buried)

and the new parliament building near Holyrood Palace.

***

For more of my favorite things in Scotland, 

click here for additional posts.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Pack Your Bags: Edinburgh (Family Style)

My parents came to visit

and we decided to take them to see

a few places that they have never seen.

Ok, well one place really: Scotland,

with a lot of little stops along the way.

The first stop was Edinburgh for two nights

until Tyler could wrap up work and join us.

While I typically run around the town

with college students

or with our awesomely low-budget.

But this time around,

oh friends,

I came with mama & papa.

I may or may not have persuaded them into the ways of Barbour upon arrival in the rain.

And traveling with mama & papa

can always make things a bit more fun.

We had such a good time.

We saw all the sites

like the Edinburgh Castle 

and the Queen's Edinburgh palace, Holyrood...

we ate tons of food

at cozy places like Under The Stairs

and lunch at the famous Elephant House,

ok, actually haven't eaten one yet... but will work up the nerve to soon.

& we slept like kings

while staying at The Balmoral.

Enormous rooms, cozy robes & REN bath products. Oh, yes.

Fun fact: JK Rowling finished Book 7 of HP in a suite at the Balmoral

as a way to enjoy her success as an author.

From her starting point over a single cup of coffee at The Elephant House

to a suite at Edinburgh's grandest hotel-

I like her style!

So do I recommend the splurge for a stay at The Balmoral?

If you can swing it, of course!

Or if you want to go for something more modern,

the Hotel Missoni draws me in big time!

Edinburgh + Missoni = Awesome doormen in kilts.

Though if you can't swing it,

which is the camp I most often fall into,

I also highly recommend an apartment through Advocate Apartments

or The Fraser Suites...

either will give you great rooms at a great price in fantastic locations.

More soon as our journey continues...

the next stop is one of my favorites: St. Andrews!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy via my instagram. Username: aspiringkennedy

Pack Your Bags: Edinburgh, Scotland

Oh man, you guys...

time flies when you're having fun.

I've been having such a good time 

over the Jubilee weekend,

I kinda didn't realize it'd been 5 days since I last blogged.

Not like I've ever been the best example of consistency in blogging...

but still, 

that's a bit long even for a slacker like myself.

Today, I've found myself in Scotland.

I'll be near Edinburgh for a few days

before heading up north to the amazing Isle of Skye.

It's not nearly as sunny as when I was here the other week

during that glorious heatwave.

The city was alive with people strolling in the sunshine along the Royal Mile.

In other places, you'd find masses of scantily-clad people melted over patches of grass

or enjoying a drink outside a cafe with friends.

ps. this is my favorite hotel in edinburgh, the fraser suites. luxe rooms, amazing location, you can always find great rates...
and the rooms have small kitchenettes!

Today that burst of sunshine-beaming-tank-top-wearing weather

is totally & completely gone.

But as I look out the window of the 200 year-old house

I'm staying in this week

and work my way through a hot cup of tea,

it still feels pretty lovely.

PS. Tyler stayed back in London, 

and got to see the entire Royal Family pass by

near our flat after I left this morning.

He said they were waving hello to everyone on the street

and looked so happy & friendly.

Obviously, I'm completely jealous & not speaking to him.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy