The Last Queen of Scotland

This weekend I fell in love. It was a head over heels, cannot think straight, words are not able to describe kind of love. And the love was completely returned. Who knew Scotland would be the man to steal my heart?

I spent the last few days in Edinburgh, and honestly counting down the days until I get to go back. Everything is beautiful, from the old buildings (most older than America by like, a lot) to the new modern structures.

I went to see the museums and castles but found so much more. My advice on some historical stops would definitely be Edinburgh Castle. The view of the city is great and the place is rich with history. Do the hike up to Arthur’s Seat. I took the hard trail and it kicked my butt. The view, though, is worth every step. On the way done from the peak, I stumbled upon Holyrood Palace, which is the Queen’s residence when she is in Scotland. Definitely worth a tour.

What I wasn't expecting in Edinburgh was the incredible food scene. I can easily say I had some of the best meals of my life. When you go, which I know everyone who reads this will subsequently hop on a train, plane or boat, here are the places you have to check out*:

The Bon Vivant- great cocktails and amazing food. Miran, the manager is the coolest person ever and when I told him I was living in London, gave me list of bars that only the cool kids know. Call me if you want to join my awesome bar crawl taking place next weekend.

El Cartel- amazing tacos and guac. And, being from Southern California, I am a major Mexican food snob. These guys passed my crucial tests with flying colors.

Urban Angel- great brunch and coffee. Everything is homemade, and they offer plenty of healthy options, so I of course ordered the eggs benedict with extra bacon and avocado, and a massive scone with jam on the side. (Hey, I did the hike so it's fine)

The Fourth Floor at Harvey Nichols- Try and get a seat by the window for sunset, the café looks over the city. Again, great cocktails and delicious food. I had an amazing steak that cut like room temp butter.

Nightcap- great bar with imaginative cocktails and great guy running the place. (Hi Robbie!)

Basically, get your butt to Edinburgh. Between the food, shopping, and the historical stuff it will be the best trip ever. If you are there from mid-November on, check out the Christmas markets. There are some great food stalls and unique Scottish crafts. And the mulled wine will get you in the Christmas spirit.

* Huge thank you to Laine for giving me her list of places to go, would not have found any of these otherwise!