Write It Down.

I enjoy writing.

(Obviously?)

I can think clearer and articulate how I feel

by writing my thoughts down.

Journaling has always been a huge part

of all of my travels.

If you looked in my closet 

at my parents house,

you would find endless journals

half-filled with pages of my travels.

School trips, mission trips, family trips...

They would become immortalized by pen.

It seemed an injustice to the experience (and expense!)

to do anything but that...

As if it was wasteful to forget one day.

And I guess I still feel that way...

I love taking notes, pictures, 

writing favorite spots

we discovered down along the way

to show an odd form of thankfulness for the experience...

That's why this blog is so full of things, I suppose.

If someone can benefit from the experience I had,

it makes it live on and have a deeper worth.

But beyond the journaling & blogging,

I also love writing postcards.

I send them to the littles in my life that are special to us...

And, now that they've received them for a few years and the excitement has worn off a bit,

I get to write them to a new friend who needs them.

And that just makes the experience of going places,

even amazing places,

all the better.

Postcards? Pictures? Videos?

How do you savor your travel experiences?

* * *

I just walked in the door from two weeks 

moving around England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland...

capped off by a weekend in Barcelona.

(If that's new news, jump on the Aspiring Kennedy Instagram train for immediate gratification.)

More on those later

-as my immediate priority after a 4am taxi is a nap-

but for now,

check out two other places (on-line) 

that you can find me at recently.

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The Hills Are Alive!

The hills are alive.

with the sound 

of an airplane landing at Heathrow...

Tyler lands this morning 

after being apart for 16 days.

That's a long time, guys.

She's so beary excited.

That's, like, 17% of Viola's life.

I'm already doing a happy dance

about him being back...

Special thanks for my mother-in-law

for being the wind beneath my wings for the past two weeks

helping with le bebe while I worked,

doing endless loads of laundry,

and never judging me for sleeping in

until 11:20 yesterday & today.

{Or at least, not letting on if you did!}

Today's going to be great for me.

I hope it's awesome for you, too!

How do you function on when you're on your own?

Better Off 

or Better Not?

*All images original to Aspiring Kennedy. Taken in Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye.

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

Thanksgiving Goes Global

There are a lot of reasons to be thankful tomorrow.

When you're surrounded by people you love,

eating delicious food in lovely homes,

and enjoying the luxury of PTO...

it's easy to remember how good life is.

It's a little hard to feel those same feelings

when you are an ocean away

living in a country

that doesn't celebrate

or acknowledge this holiday.

So how does an expat cope

on this most American of holidays?

I've asked three of my favorite displaced bloggers

to chime in on how they celebrate Thanksgiving

where ever it is they've found themselves today.

Read more from Megan's hilarious life in Scotland here.

Read more from Liz's charming life in Amsterdam here.

Read more from Amanda's sweet life in Japan here.

So how will we be celebrating?

Well, if you've seen my instagrams,

you might know I'm in Scotland.

I'll be taking my students to St. Andrews

for a proper American Thanksgiving dinner

hosted at St. Andrews Old Course Hotel.

So when you can't be at home

eating seconds thirds of your mom's cherry pie-

you learn to find the next best thing.

And let me tell you...

being in a place like St. Andrews 

kinda does help ease the pain.

I'll be enjoying the day

being thankful for the jackpot God has given me:

his endless love, 

the funnest & nicest husband alive,

two (!) healthy baby girls,

work that constantly challenges & fulfills me,

a huge family who I couldn't love more,

and all of you, my blog family!

*follow me on instagram for daily updates on my life in the UK: aspiringkennedy

Pack Your Bags: The Isle of Skye

Remember in September when I was parading around Scotland

with my parents and Tyler?

I thought that it was chilly then.

Apparently, I forgot just how crisp autumn can be here in the UK.

Its even chillier now...

but the coziness that the Isle of Skye offers

with it's tiny cafes serving big steaming bowls full of homemade 'cullen skink'

and pots of tea served with Scottish cakes and shortbread

makes Skye the perfect place to find yourself hiding out.

STAY:

The Bosville Hotel

Located in the main part of Skye's largest city, Portree

('Port Ree' meaning in Gallic, "The King's Port),

the Bosville is one of the "fancier" hotels in town.

While it is nice and clean accommodation,

don't compare the luxury outfitting of these rooms

to the findings of a luxury hotel in Manhattan or Paris.

But there is free shortbread & tea in your room

which makes for a good replacement for me.

Both the hotel pub & restaurant serve really good food...

if you're the eating type. :)

Marmalade

This sister hotel to the Bosville is also situated in Portree,

though about a 5 minute walk up the hill out of town.

The position of the hotel gives it a stunning view of the port below.

Accommodation here is a grade down than at the Bosville,

but rooms are clean and the staff is above & beyond friendly.

The restaurant downstairs is also a popular location for locals.

The MacKinnon Country House

If you're looking for a quaint & affordable place 

out in the country,

the MacKinnon Country House is a sweet option.

Sat near Kyle of Lochalsh

on some quiet and pretty land,

this country hotel is a quiet escape 

from most normal life as you may know it.

The food is good (like, really good)

and the staff is friendly and welcoming.

You'll feel like part of the family when you leave.

{Bring books... no great internet or tv options here!}

DO:

It's hard to say what there is to do on Skye.

Having a good time is fairly intuitive

and a hard objective to miss.

It's kind of just a little place that you drive around,

hopping in and out of your car as you make your way

around the enchanted island.

You'll come across so many waterfalls

you'll start to feel like you

are in a laundry detergent commercial...

Dad be nimble, Dad be quick, Dad walk over the walking stick.

You'll find yourself walking along 

lonely streams & bridges...

and, if you're lucky, 

you may come across

some friendly highland coos!

The mysterious origins of my big hair is revealed: my mother.

{Yes, "coos." Go on now, say it like a Scotsman!}

 

We always spend some time wandering around the tiny harbour town of Portree

stopping in shops, eating ice cream, and kicking rocks into the water by the port.

Or we opt for the less social route:

 cuddled up under a mess of blankets,

 watching movies on our computers,

drinking lots of warm beverages,

and spending way too much time huddled over hot food 

and good conversation inside cozy pubs.

EAT:

Honestly, food isn't why you visit Skye...

but if you insist on something gourmet while you are here,

the legendary Three Chimneys should suit your fancy.

I've never been, 

but apparently- it's quite the place to eat on Skye,

if the hefty price tags don't scare you off.

***

There you have it...

a few little nuggets of advice

that can help plan (or inspire)

your trip to the gorgeous Scottish Isle of Skye.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy