Little Girl, New City: Hello, Manchester!

If you hadn't already noticed, there hasn't been much content up on this site in quite some time. I've been preoccupied with other things the past few weeks, but I'm determined to get back in the swing of things with this blog for the summer.

So, what have you missed?

Edinburgh's Best Afternoon Teas: For Every Budget, Style, and Occasion

Afternoon tea is a lifestyle. It's all about slowing down, sipping on a hot cup of tea, and enjoying the moment. It's a leisurely pursuit that I am committed to taking part in at least a couple of times per year. Which isn't hard considering I have been to more than fifteen different places for afternoon tea in my life so far. 

With my obsession for this in-between meal (it's not quite lunch but not quite just a snack), you'd think I was British. But my home city of Boston has a strong tradition of offering fancy afternoon tea at almost every hotel in town. And I've nearly tried them all. 

Since I moved to the U.K., my love for afternoon tea has grown even more. Luckily, Edinburgh has some pretty fantastic spots for afternoon tea. And they're not all quite what you'd expect. Having experienced quite a few of them in my four years here, I thought I'd share my four favorite places for afternoon tea in Edinburgh for every budget, style, and occasion!  

Vapiano, Edinburgh: Italian Food Made Fast

The Edinburgh restaurant scene is one that is always growing and changing. St. Andrew's square, located smack dab in the middle of Princes Street and Queen Street, is fast becoming one of those corners of Edinburgh that is well and truly a high-end foodie hub. With luxe London transplants like The Ivy and Dishoom popping up just steps away from local New Town favourites, it's no wonder St. Andrew's Square is becoming a hot spot for anything from graduation dinners to rooftop cocktails. 

But even with the recent developments in the area, I couldn't help but think that maybe there were just a few too many upscale restaurants and not enough casual pit-stops for those of us who are out shopping on Princes Street at the weekends. That's where Vapiano comes in. An international gastronomic franchise, Vapiano is a celebration of Italian cuisine that is quickly dominating the fast-casual market. And for good reason- the business model is clever (and seamlessly replicable) and the speedily prepared food is second to none. When I was invited to try it out for myself, I grabbed my best partner-in-eating (Ben, of course) and headed to the restaurant ready for the full Vapiano experience. 

4 Steps to Channeling Your Inner Gardener This Spring

When I was little, I loved to play in the dirt. I would spend my summers turning over stones to find rollie pollies and bugs of all sorts with my brothers. Being outside in the grass and dirt always seemed second nature to me. But then, I got older and started spending more time on my phone and laptop than out in my backyard. Go figure.

Gardening has always been something that has interested me from afar. By that I mean I love looking at immaculately maintained gardens, but I don't like doing the maintaining myself. I realized, though, that my hesitance around gardening wasn't due to any particular dislike of actually doing the work, but because I didn't exactly know where to start.

My mom has always encouraged me to get outside and into the garden, but I never took to it. But a few weeks ago when I was back at home, she practically forced me to do some planting. Of course, I'm always keen to come along with her to the garden centre- if only to take snaps of the pretty flowers. But diggings holes, getting dirty, and even re-seeding/fertilizing the whole yard was completely new to me! When I came back to the U.K. about a week ago, I felt like I was at least semi-equipped to help Ben with his own garden in his new flat in London.

Speaking from my own experience, gardening can be pretty intimidating. You need a bit of know-how when it comes to science to make sure your plants grow. You also need a creative eye to get your garden aesthetic down to a T. I have none of those things. Even so, I wanted to share a few simple steps that will get you on the right track for putting together your own garden this spring if you're a novice like me.