BIRTHDAY shenanigans #2

Part 2 of my birthday is afternoon tea.
In the UK afternoon tea is a thing you do on special occasions. It includes tea, small sandwiches, cakes and biscuits, crumpets or scones and other sweet things. Usually served on a tiered stand and looking super cute and NOMMY.

I never had afternoon tea here in Edinburgh, so I thought my birthday was a good excuse to go. I was being cheap (usually it's about 15quid pp) and bought a Groupon for 2 which also includes Pimms (I am obsessed at the moment).

We went to Cafe Grande in Bruntsfield and the waitress was SO sweet, she realised it was my birthday and brought a little brownie with a candle over.

the sweet stuff

nommi salmon sandwiches!

Pimms (and Julia)

BIRTHDAY shenanigans #1

I guess I am officially 25 now.
So let's see what happened on my birthday. Obviously, we had to start with breakfast. Not just any, but a really naughty one at The Pantry in Stockbridge. I highly recommend it, the food is super good. 

one friend

two friends :D

ma nommy breakfast

ain't no breakfast without Haggis!

beautiful part of town

super cute tea cups

and then someone brought this over! WHAT?! haha

Julia and Joyce's posh adventure (Edinburgh Caledonian Hotel)

Last year, Julia and I created a promotional film for the Caledonian hotel here in Edinburgh. As a thank you, we received vouchers for a stay with breakfast, dinner and so on. Last week we were finally able to put that voucher in to action- we stayed in the hotel for a night, had a 3 course dinner and abused the breakfast buffet in the morning. AH HEAVEN!
Here is our little instagram diary of those 20 hours:

ps: those robes are the best thing that ever happened to me. they cost around 135$. crap.

Urban Daddy {travel apps}

via x

I would like to introduce y'all to my favorite app when I am in the States- UrbanDaddy.

Whenever you don't know where to go eat or drink you just pop in a couple details and it will give you amazing recommendations for bars or restaurants in your city. The funny thing (and my favorite bit) is that you can add extra information, for example that you are with your friends or your boyfriend or whoever really! The search bar is like you see in the picture, so you can add what you want (drinks, food, burgers, sushi.. and a lot more choices) and answer one more question: And what else..?. That could be 'I am broke', 'somewhere with a view', 'someplace where famous people hang'... and so on, I think you get the drift. 
First of all it's really fun and instead of just wandering around the city searching for a good restaurant, you get really good recommendations instantly.
I have used it various times and every time (!) we found a place that was really. good.

It is a US only app so far, but should you be over there, download it and try it!
It's amaazing and you don't feel like a tourist who doesn't know where to eat out- yay!

New York trip {day 2}

On Saturday we slept in and then headed downtown for an early lunch/late breakfast. I will talk more about the places we ate in another post, but our food was so good and the restaurant itself was really hip aswell (The Smith, near Columbus Circle). And they had a photobooth in their bathroom!

Then we went to the World Trade Center site and visited the memorial. It is for free, they do ask for donations however. You can reserve tickets in advance online for a certain time slot. We didn't do that but the line was not too bad. They have so much security there, comparable to airport security.
To be honest I didn't really like the memorial site that much. I do like the two waterfalls where the towers used to be, but everything else... mh. Don't know. We also saw loads of people taking happy smiling pictures in front of the memorial pools and we kept thinking- what your message here? Yay you are standing where so many people died?

Anyway. It was super super hot there so we left and wandered of in to the super crowded Century 21.  We let some woman put make up on us, let the A/C cool us down and then decided to head over to Brooklyn Bridge.

Oh and I bought this super cool Iphone case

So as we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge the sun went down and we had those magic minutes with amazing light. A lot of other people had the same idea as us, as well as one guy who proposed to his girlfriend. I think everyone hated them a little bit because they were so stinkin cute... but anyway. On the other side we sat down at the waterfront and took some pretty cool pictures.

This skyline is one of my favorite things in the whole world... how can you not love it?

3 reviews in a flash {comedy & food tips}

Yesterday was my first day off (after only one day of working, which means I got two days off left for the next... 25 days- fun times). Anyway, after taking loads of time to do boring housewife stuff, Julia and I headed down to Old Town, check out the Royal Mile and the street performers.

We then tried to find a restaurant that wasn't occupied by loads of tourists, so we found the Spanish restaurant Iggs & Barioja. We went for the tapas bar and ordered several dishes to share as well as red wine with lemonade. Ooooh, it was amazing! The prices were absolutely fine and sharing everything was so much fun. The couple on the table next to us ordered literally everything and it all looked super good- they also have a unlimited food offer for 20pounds. We are definately gonna check that out!

We then headed to the City Cafe for some dessert (Honey and Hazelnut Parfait, yum yum) and a drink. It looks like a proper American diner, cute booths with red leather seats, breakfast all day and a proper menu full of burgers and even a burger challenge. Man vs Food anyone?

We then headed down to the basement of the City Cafe because Anil Desai's Fringe show was on. It was free but among the Fringe madness this show hasn't gotten a lot of hype yet, so there were only four other people there. And us. I have never really reviewed a comedy show, so all I can say is: it waas funny and he didn't make the audience feel awkward. Awkwardness is probably my biggest "fear", so to say. Silence and weird jokes within a small room just reminds me of a seriously dodgy comedy stand up show in a Manhattan basement. So this was nothing like it and we really enjoyed it- the best part was probably the impressions of famous movie stars. Hilarious and so spot on!
If someone is in town for the Fringe, definitely go and check him out, he deserves more than six people in the audience.

pictures from x, x, x

My favorite restaurant in the whole wide world

I guess everyone has a favorite restaurant. Sometimes it's in your home town, sometimes in a special town you used to live in. Obviously, when you travel you get to eat out a lot more than usual. When I was in New York as an Au-Pair, we ate out soo many times. It was fine though, we were never sick of American food and mostly always had enough money.
Double O was half way between my house and Miriam's house. So when we didn't feel like driving very far, we met up there.
It quickly turned into our favorite spot.

 

Maybe it was because of this dip that was served with the best bread before you order food (and it was for free!). Maybe it was because of the menu that had the most amazing salads, pasta, meat, fries, DESSERTS... I really don't know.
I love absolutely everything about this restaurant, the staff, the interior, the service, the prices (!)...
and now that I am finally allowed to drink alcohol as well.. the drinks are amazing. I remember one time I went there (by myself) just to have dessert and a cocktail. Haha

And this year I am going with Miriam again! I loved going with my Hostmom (who would pay) and gossip about the bartenders, but I am sooo looking forward to going with her and share the excitement with her!

http://www.doubleogrill.com/

1536 Rte 9 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

(845) 297-7625