What's the Best Beer/Late Night Snack Combo in Edinburgh, Scotland?

Negra Modelo and nachos of course! What did you think I was going to say fish n' chips?


It was the perfect finish to the most perfect first day of vacation I have ever experienced. Sometimes the first day of a trip can kind of hard; a transition day, especially if you are flying overseas. Your time clock is all screwed up, your tired, cranky, bloated from what was supposed to be food, and the smell of fourteen hours worth of recycled airplane air lingers in your nostrils. This trip was the true exception. It was as if all the travel stars were aligned just right. The plane ride was smooth, we actually fell asleep for more than an hour. On the ground, the Edinburgh public transportation was easy to understand and we found our apartment without a hitch! The place we rented was right off the Royal Mile and just walking distance to tons of sights, bars and restaurants. I recommend renting an apartment over a hotel room especially if you are staying for a week or more (this is a great site Cottages4You), it can actually be significantly cheaper. Plus, I think you get a better feel for a city. But I digress...


On this particular trip our good buddy and travel partner (who we call Shades) was with us. Once settled in to our temporary home, we three amigos set out in search of a good Scotch and some grub. Anyone who is close to me knows I like to stick to a plan. I am one of those annoying people that plans and prints itineraries for trips, making copies for everyone. According to my itinerary we could squeeze in an hour lunch, then be on our merry sightseeing way. What we ended up doing was completely opposite and totally awesome.


The Royal Mile is packed with stimulation: from gift shops to interesting taverns like Deacon Brodies and tours like that of Queen Mary's Close (very cool, by the way), and of course, Edinburgh Castle. There is no shortage of things to choose from. In our panicked search to get something in our gullets (we were starving) we stopped at the first place we saw called The Albanach. A traditional bar with a traditional scottish menu and plenty of whiskeys to choose from (at least 100). Perfect.


Wanting to take in the city, the people and the sights, we took a seat on the patio despite the cool temperatures (it was mid-October). To our surprise we were not the only patrons with that idea. At the table next to us was a rowdy group of people from England, all wearing Scottish Jimmy hats (which are these, if you don't know). By the several empty bottles of Chilean white wine littering their table, it was clear they were having a jolly good time. But, really, Chilean white wine in Edinburgh? We secretly scoffed at their drink choice and chuckled under our breath. After a couple of Belhavens and a sampling of Scotch, we soon became fast friends with our Scottish Jimmy hat wearing neighbors. And my itinerary, well that was long forgotten. We even ended up sharing a bottle of yes, Chilean white wine. Three years later, we are all still friends.


After a long night of fun with our new pals, we were in need of some serious fourth meal. Which brings me to the best late night nachos I have ever had (despite the fact the salsa may have very well been marinara). The restaurant, Pancho Villas! Naturally, the only only beer to have in Edinburgh at a Mexican restaurant...Negra Modelo. The moral of the story, sometimes you have to just let the fun come to you. Had we sticked to the plan we would have never had the good times we did...or the nachos.


Slainte Mhath! 
--Jessica

Our new friends.

          

       

 Pancho Villas, Edinburgh

Non Beer Related/Non Nacho Related

So completely random, but worth sharing. One of the telephone booths right outside the bar had the sticker below. What??? Never thought he would be the type to walk around with a label maker.

The 7th Floor

Ever been to one of those exclusive LA clubs where there is no sign and you walk in and everyone is cooler then you are? That is exactly how I felt when the silver doors of the elevator opened up and I walked into the 7^th floor at the Guinness Factory, a place so cool it doesn’t even have a name, they just call it the 7^th Floor.  Okay so they call it the Gravity Bar, but doesn’t that sound so much cooler!

I went to the Guinness Factory not really knowing what to expect, but I walked out with a sense of history and a great appreciation for what was quickly becoming my favorite drink, Guinness. On the way inside the place it just seems like an old brick building but as soon as those entry doors part way, you are immediately swept into the Guinness experience. You go up to the counter and buy a ticket like you are about to go on the most fantastic rollercoaster you can think of. First you proceed through a maze of history about where the dark rich Guinness came from and how it was made. The part I think I remember most were the old bottles displayed, and it was at that time you truly get a sense of the history in your glass. I also remember the instructional video of how they use to make barrels to transport the Guinness. Around every corner you are slammed with amazing stories that truly bring a pint of Guinness to life.

Once you have completed your history lesson you then have a choice, and I recommend you follow my instruction on this one. You have the option of going up to the 7^th floor or taking a pit stop at the 4^th floor restaurant.  There you can enjoy a pint or two of Guinness while dining on the most amazing Guinness Stew you could ever imagine. It was a man paradise of flavor with whole roasted chunks of lams, carrots, and potato in a rich brown Guinness broth. It also comes with Brown Bread, which is basically soda bread, but I have never before or after that experience, tasted bread that complimented a meal so well. Once you have completed your meal stop and learn about how Guinness is processed from start to finish before heading to the Gravity bar on the 7^th floor.

With my belly full of absolute goodness I walked into the elevator and hit the button marked 7^th floor. I truly had no idea what to expect when the doors eventually opened but what I saw was worth every cent of the admission price, which coincidently gets you a free beer when you arrive at the 7^th floor. The steal doors open and you are immediately punched in the face with the most breath taking view you will ever see. The Gravity Bar is a complete panoramic view of Dublin, Ireland and all its glory! So imagine grabbing a seat that gazes upon the entire city while sipping on your free Guinness that is poured every so delicately. A true Guinness must rest 2 minutes before being topped off and served. My buddy and I managed to finagle one extra beer apiece and we didn’t speak a word as we just sat and watched as the word went by beneath our feet. Finally it was time to go and discover more of Ireland, we had reservations at the Jameson Factory! On the way down just before the elevator shut I took one last look, that image is just for me!

Sláinte!

--Bryan

Entrance to the Guinness Factory

About to step off the elevator to the Gravity Bar.

View from the Gravity Bar.

Old Guinness Bottles on the tour.

A Flight of Beers before our Flight

From Haight Ashbury to the Chinese Gardens we wandered the streets of San Francisco in search of hippies. Instead I found out what all the fuss was about; that you could truly leave your heart in San Francisco. In my long list of cities that I have been fortunate enough to see, San Francisco resided on a very short list of places I actually do want to move to. You know that conversation you have after every vacation, where you say "I want to move there!" Well I have said that about every place I have ever been but Vancouver, Amsterdam and San Francisco are the only places where I truly meant it. For three days we got to discover a magical city with so many twists and turns, every district is like something brand new to discover.                                                                                                                                  

We saw everything from Haight Ashbury to Alcatraz. We took a ride on the trolley and saw one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen. We also discovered a new friend, who I will affectionately refer to as the Stimmer Man. An awesome guy!

My wife and I set out on an adventure to San Francisco to celebrate her 30^th birthday. While we were there we went to an eight table authentic German Restaurant with amazing food called Walzwerk (a must visit place). Everyone in the intimate restaurant sang Happy Birthday to my wife, I will never forget that moment. We were so lucky that we got to celebrate it with such good friends and enjoy beautiful scenery for three straight days. I am having so much fun remembering the trip that I almost forgot to talk about the best part-- when the Stimmer man ran straight into a tree (Ill leave the details for just he and I). But really, that was one of the best parts.  

In our last remaining hours on that cold and rainy Sunday afternoon before our flight we pushed through the doors of the Rogue Ales Public House and enjoyed several flights of beers. A flight of beers is the ability to taste several different beers and then you get to choose the one you like. Or if you are like me, its like a playground of beers and you never have to choose just one! Rogue Beers Dead Guy Ale is one of my favorite all time beers, such a rich flavor packed Ale. Imagine a cold rainy day, with grey skies, and a beautiful woman and that is the beer that comes to mind. My flight consisted of the Amber Ale, Dead Guy Ale, the John John, Marifest, and you have to try Dad’s Little Helper. The public house will offer an amazing atmosphere with even better beers! Do yourself a favor and stop there next time you are in San Francisco.

This is Truly an amazing place to visit, one of the true gems in America. Enjoy it with friends like Wifey, Shades, Biscuits, and The Stimmer Man. Don’t forget scarves and umbrellas. Oh and don’t forget your goggles, if you need a place to score some just ask Shades!

Prost!
--Byran

Beer Doesn't Always Taste Like Pee?

Before I met Bryan, my experiences with beer were very limited. In college it was basically the cheapest thing we could find: Natural Light to Red Dog, to PBR to the occasional "40 night." Colt 45 being the usual go to. What can I say, we were party girls. The cheapest and quickest way to a buzz was just fine by us; taste didn't really matter. When it did, we stepped it up a notch with $1 cherry vodka sours (thank you Nine Flags Nacogdoches). Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with those particular beers. Growing up in a working class household, I watched my father and his friends kick back a six pack after a long hard days work. I know those brews can quench one's thirst. However, little did I know there was an entire world of beers beyond the grocery store favorites.  Beers with unique tastes and stories all their own. Beers that were supposed to be paired with certain foods. Breweries you could tour and learn about the process of making beer. Even fruit flavored beers! Suddenly drinking beer had whole new meaning. You mean to tell me I can drink a beer to simply enjoy the taste? This was a new way of thinking for me. Just hitting the peak of my "late twenties,"I was starting to discover a world outside of partying...starting. But to think that beer had any other purpose than to give a buzz or be chugged out of a bong was well, crazy talk! We all know when have reached that point of getting out of the party scene. It can be a hard transition. You know, when you start going to happy hour, literally just for one hour. Anyway, that's where I was at.


The night my husband and I had our very first face-to-face date (yes, we connected online, yes, it was on MySpace) we met at what would become one of our favorite Irish bars in Dallas, Trinity Hall. A couple of months prior to meeting him, my very best girl friends and I went to our college homecoming. There, reuniting with some of our old chums, one of my buddies was drinking a Maredsous 8. It was a dark and served in a goblet similar to a wine glass. Thinking it was red wine, I asked him to order me one. To my surprise it was beer, it was good...and it was strong. So back to the first date with the future hubs, I of course ordered one. Guys love it when a girl can drink a good beer, right? That's what I was thinking anyway. We met online, talked online, and had only seen what we hoped the other looked like, online. I was going to need something strong to get through this.


He ordered a Guinness, I, a Maredsous 8. The waitress brought over the drinks. Bryan stared at mine with intrigue. Yes! He was impressed with my order. Plan was working like a charm. He asked what it was, took a sip and was in. If we never met again, he would have at least discovered a new favorite beer. And I, well, had it not worked out, would have known never to meet up with someone off MySpace ever again. Keep in mind, this was back when MySpace was cool.


After a little awkward silence, a lot of sipping and nervous staring, the conversation started rolling like we had known each other for years. That night I met by best friend, my life partner the current father to our furry child (our dog, Texas) and of course the love of my life. We've been together literally almost every day since.


In our time together we have been fortunate enough to travel the U.S. and the world together. Along the way meeting great people, seeing beautiful sights and of course discovering new beers!


As the adventures continue, we hope some of our memories and stories will broaden your beer horizons and inspire you to try a new brew (to enjoy responsibly, of course).


Bottoms Up!


--Jessica