I hadn’t really known that the great city of Edinburgh was broken up into so many gorgeous little neighborhoods, each one with its own culture and its place of being. After all our ladies had left, and I’d cried all my tears, Robbie and I had one day left to spend together. One full day to pretend that I wasn’t leaving. One more day to say all the things that we needed to say. One more day to wander the cobbled streets, hand in hand with our fingers intertwined.
So here’s our itinerary, in a list form:
Wake up in Old Town Edinburgh and eventually get out of bed
We slept in late at my hotel room in the grass market, threw on some clothes, took those clothes back off, and then put them back on again at a somewhat later time and emerged from the hotel ready to embrace what was left of the day. We climbed the elegant curve of the West Bow with its two-story stonework and fancifully colored shop fronts. Unable to take another step without sustenance, we grabbed some very fancy avo toast at Hula, then crossed the Royal Mile, down the mound, and over Princes Street gardens, with the castle at our left and our eyes set on Stockbridge.
After going down the hill, go back up another hill, and then down another hill into New Town
Edinburgh is a hilly bastard, but it made the views all the more spectacular. Robbie was so excited to get me into his neighborhood, that I didn’t struggle too much as we walked past billions of tantalizing shops, cafes and restaurants. We walked down Frederick Street through the gorgeous New Town. This part of town was so much quieter than the bustle of old town, and we left the crowds and tourists behind and were enveloped by the quiet peace of beautiful gardens between perfect Georgian squares and crescents.
Cross from New Town into Stockbridge and instantly fortify yourself with pastries
We crossed through Circus Place and over the stone bridge, stopping to look at the water and have a sneaky kiss against the sun-warmed stones. Then we dropped into The Howdah Tea and Coffee Company where a charmingly quiet gentleman asked me questions and blended a tea just for me, and then Robbie ordered us the most incredible brownie I have ever tasted in my entire life. This behemoth was large enough to share, large enough for its own zip code, and its fudgy decadence had a layer of caramel in the middle. I don’t know what dark magics were employed in the making of this brownie, but I would do a great many sinister things for another one.
Water of Leith walk to Dean Village
We crossed over the bridge again, replayed our sneaky kiss from earlier, and then turned right to walk along the water. We walked under the arch of a gorgeous bridge with various stairs and gates, and I fell immediately in love with a tree that grew alongside it. We passed the enchanting St Bernard’s Well and held hands as we walked under the canopy of green leaves, the sun dappling the path, and the water burbling prettily at our side. I couldn’t believe that this ethereal oasis was in the middle of a capital city. Dean village felt like stepping into a fairy tale in another time and soaking in all of this beauty with Robbie by my side, showing me his favorite places made my heart swell so much that it hurt.
Go back to Stockbridge and try to do all the things before the shops close
In order to see all of Robbie’s most favorite things and tick this off the list, we had many stops.
- Rare Birds Book Shop that showcased books written by women (amazing!) - bought 3 books
- Golden Hare Books on St Stephen’s which was one of the most lovingly curated book shops I think I’ve ever been in - purchased 3 more books and a pretty bookshop tote with a hare on it! How I will fit all this into my luggage, no one knows! I blame Robbie.
- Unicorn Antiques, which had the tiniest shop front, but was on two stories and felt like a cave of wonders jammed full of shiny curiosities and tempting wonders - bought a teeny tiny silver frame with an illustration of Alice in Wonderland inside
- St Vincent’s where we sat at a piano to have some crisp pints and tasty snacks and take in the trendy surroundings
- Walk along Circus Lane, the most picturesque and instagrammed street in Edinburgh for a reason.
- See the Potted Garden flat bursting with colorful flowers
- Incredible cocktail at The Last Word which was a candle lit hipster heaven
Meet friends for one last pint at The St Bernard
This was the absolute quirkiest pub I’ve ever been to, and Robbie introduced me to his two best mates, and the three of them had me laughing so hard that I thought I was going to pass out for lack of air.
Back to the flat to cook dinner, drink champagne, feed each other strawberries, and well… you’ve read the rest already.
A warm, sexy, laugh-out-loud rom-com about a woman who, desperate for a fresh start, books a literary bus tour across the UK that consists of a lively group of elderly ladies plus one infuriatingly handsome Scottish driver.
Falling in Love was not on her to-do list.
The last six months of Alice Cooper’s life have been, in her own words, “a poop tornado.” So, in a desperate attempt to pull herself out of the emotional quicksand threatening to swallow her whole, she books a three-week bus tour of literary and historical British sites.
Alice arrives in Edinburgh after a hellish trip involving multiple layovers, crushed luggage, and an epic row with an insolent Scotsman at the lost baggage counter. After a mad dash to catch the tour bus, she discovers that instead of globe-trotting thirtysomethings, the bus is full of cheerful octogenarians, and that the aforementioned arrogant Scot is the bus driver. Alice is sure he will make the nonrefundable trip a misery.
He is arrogant and rude. He also has beautiful blue eyes and dotes on his elderly charges. The ladies are vivacious and full of stories. The historical sites are entrancing. The book club chat is on fire. And, it’s possible that Alice’s battered heart is starting to beat again.
Romance Comedy [Avon, On Sale: January 14, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780063379039 / eISBN: 9780063379046]
Kat Mackenzie is an American who just happened to find herself living abroad for ten years and accidentally traveling to over forty countries in an attempt to taste all the food. She holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford but has discovered that they serve her best collecting dust on the shelf while she pens comedy-forward stories about women who travel.
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