Tag: UK

The Awesome Bridges of Newcastle

The Awesome Bridges of Newcastle

Newcastle has forever been a bustling hub of commerce and its bridges are an important part of its dynamic personality.

London by Night is a Wonderful Sight

London by Night is a Wonderful Sight

London by Night has always been one of my favorite Frank Sinatra tunes, because it perfectly captures a reverence for London after dark that it’s almost impossible not to feel when you’re there.

Restaurant Rave: Ecco Vino Seafood and Wine Bar in Edinburgh

Restaurant Rave: Ecco Vino Seafood and Wine Bar in Edinburgh

I was a travel-weary pilgrim looking for a solo seat at a restaurant on a Saturday night in Edinburgh, and Ecco Vino provided a rave-worthy experience.

Avocado Toast on a Train? Beware of What You Ask For and Where You Ask for It

Avocado Toast on a Train? Beware of What You Ask For and Where You Ask for It

Avocado toast wasn’t having its best moment when I ordered it on a train recently. But it brought to mind Hitchcock movie scenes from dining cars.

When a Restaurant is “Nicer” Than You Wanted, and the Food is Better than You Expected

When a Restaurant is “Nicer” Than You Wanted, and the Food is Better than You Expected

A search for a down-home Indian restaurant in Edinburgh helped me discover a new dish (for me): Kathmandu Chicken Tikka, with lentils. Yum!

If No One Sees the Water Bottle Attack After You Missed Your Train, Did It Really Happen?

If No One Sees the Water Bottle Attack After You Missed Your Train, Did It Really Happen?

One less twirl of the curling iron, one less email, one less change of clothes discarded for being wrong-wrong-wrong – and I’d have caught that 7:27 a.m. train. 

International Travel: It’s Been a Minute

International Travel: It’s Been a Minute

It’s time to get on the road again, if I can only remember how to pack.

COVID-19 is Hard on Everyone: We’re Staying In, but Looking Out

COVID-19 is Hard on Everyone: We’re Staying In, but Looking Out

It’s clear that these COVID-19 hardships aren’t going away any time soon. We are all, in a way, staying in, but looking out the window toward that future where things aren’t quite so hard.

A Recipe for Bruschetta, “Summer on a Plate”

A Recipe for Bruschetta, “Summer on a Plate”

Bruschetta is so simple, so summery, so garlicky-good. Ripe red tomatoes meet their life partner in soft green basil, with garlic and oil to seal their commitment.

Another Restaurant Find in London: Com Viet, the Best Vietnamese Food I’ve Had in the UK, or Maybe Anywhere

Another Restaurant Find in London: Com Viet, the Best Vietnamese Food I’ve Had in the UK, or Maybe Anywhere

Folks, this restaurant is a jewel. If you go to London, go to Com Viet. Just trust me. You’ll get your happy back.

A Respite in Covent Garden’s Floral Court

A Respite in Covent Garden’s Floral Court

Just around the corner from crowded Covent Garden in London, I found an unexpected peaceful haven, a magical courtyard. I had entered another dimension, Harry Potter-style.

Peacefulness and Pigeons in the Courtyard at the Museum of Edinburgh

Peacefulness and Pigeons in the Courtyard at the Museum of Edinburgh

On a solo visit to the wonderful Museum of Edinburgh, I spent some time in the courtyard and caught these pigeons courting.

Deck the Halls at Heathrow – Again

Deck the Halls at Heathrow – Again

A whimsical and tasteful little Christmas tree at Heathrow Airport is just right.

Impromptu Texas-Sized Surf and Turf in Edinburgh

Impromptu Texas-Sized Surf and Turf in Edinburgh

I wasn’t expecting a Texas-sized offering when I ordered the Scottish Beef Burger as part of an Edinburgh hotel’s set menu, but that’s what I got, along with a foodie-worthy smoked trout first course.

August Evening in Aberdeen

August Evening in Aberdeen

Even the most mundane things can be magic when you love to travel, like wet streets and traffic a chilly, rainy evening in Aberdeen.

Monteith’s Close in Edinburgh Feels Like Home – and Then There’s the Outsider Cocktail

Monteith’s Close in Edinburgh Feels Like Home – and Then There’s the Outsider Cocktail

Monteith’s Close on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile really knows how to make you feel like they are glad you’re there. And they have an award-winning bartender who created The Outsider Cocktail.

Seeing Angles Leading Me Home

Seeing Angles Leading Me Home

A deepening interest in photography and following certain blogs has me seeing things differently these days.

Haiku: Vibrant Edinburgh

Haiku: Vibrant Edinburgh

Edinburgh colors “pop” when the skies turn blue and the sun comes out, thus a haiku.

Edinburgh Castle and Indigo Sky

Edinburgh Castle and Indigo Sky

Looking out the hotel window at Edinburgh Castle, it was one of those magical moments when the light is just right, and you get a photo you didn’t expect.

January Dreaming: Scotland’s Stonehaven Harbor in August

January Dreaming: Scotland’s Stonehaven Harbor in August

Sunny good times of the past get us through dreary Januaries of the present. Today, the focus is on Stonehaven Harbor on the Scottish coast.


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