Care of: MKE

Guys! I'm so excited to present to you a GUEST POST!! by the wonderful, adorable, rep-the-homestate blogger Lisa at c/oMKE who came up with the brilliant idea to exchange 'care of' posts. I've followed her blog since I started blogging myself last spring and MKE (airport code for Milwaukee, in case you're interested, is what all the cool kids call it. Obvie!) is only a couple hours from where I grew up so it has a special place in my heart. It's also this love of place that really shines through in Lisa's writing and photography about her home. Enjoy! :D

Cheers,
Kate xx

*****

Hello Artsy Abroad readers! I'm Lisa from c/oMKE and I'm beyond excited to be guest posting in Kate's wonderful space because 1) We're both raised Wisconsinites and 2) Her blog is just the best, right?! I love her passion for exploring, photography, and travel. Kindred spirits I'd say.

I'm just a silly lass living in and blogging about my favorite city in the world, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was born and raised here and have so much passion and enthusiasm for being proud of where you come from or where you live. My blog is a lifestyle blog about my life in Milwaukee. I share personal stories and tidbits about myself, but my main focus is showing the world what Milwaukee has to offer. I feel like many people think of Wisconsin as this northern state with not much more than cows, cheese, and beer. Don't get me wrong, we love our cheese and beer, but Milwaukee has so much more that people don't know about. On my c/oMKE I show the world Milwaukee's great restaurants, bars, and events so that maybe they can see the world in a different light.



Here are some of my favorite posts about MKE among other subjects that I write and share. 

Milwaukee is bursting with great brunch spots. There are tons of different options to choose from. Honeypie Café is one of those perfect restaurants for a country-cooking-homestyle meal.



There are greasy spoon restaurants scattered all over the city if you would be looking for something a little more sinful - one of the most popular being Comet Café. 



One of my new favorite brunch spots is Café Corazón for when you are feeling a little more Latin. Delicious.



Sticking with the restaurant feel - I love all of the unique places we have as well with a pretty big range.
There is Afternoon Tea at the Pfister Hotel which can make you feel all posh and fancy schmancy. Then there are places like our Underground Ramen joint which is a stealthy late night restaurant that only serves 60 bowls per night.



MKE also has some really cool events for people with a variety of interests.
I post about a variety of them like this Repeal the Prohibition Party or this Urban Garage Sale.



Apart from focusing on MKE and all that it offers I share pieces of my life like my style, recipes, and the occasional DIY.




I hope that you all can stop over and check out c/oMKE sometime, I'd love to have you! And please take a peek at Kate's wonderful c/oEdinburgh guest post.

Thanks for having me, Kate!

Lisa
c/oMKE

'Tis the season

They call it the 'off-season' for a reason. Tourist numbers drop (so do prices, would-be travelers take note!) so while January feels quite calm and relaxed compared to the craziness around the holidays, it's also when you start to see a lot more cranes, road works, and scaffolding. Within the last week my entire building has been encased in a framework of metal rods and wooden planks, all but obscuring it completely. Over the next ten weeks they're refurbishing the windows, or painting them... something about the windows. Anyway. Always best to do this stuff when there aren't a ton of people wanting to get photogenic views everywhere they turn. It's also just not very nice to have to weave through narrow closes with mini forests of scaffolding posts, so best to avoid that during the high season.

If I'm being totally honest, it looks kind of cool in an industrial, Tinker Toys kind of way. ;)

Cheers!
Kate xx

A lesson in stressful travel: The train to London

Yesterday morning I hopped the train at Edinburgh's Waverley Station and headed down to London. I was in a wonderful mood and ready to head south, but the journey wasn't without incident. I had an encounter with probably the gruffest, grumpiest ticket collector ever. Unfortunately I made a careless mistake and left part of my discount railcard in my flat. What I got for failing to read the small print and bringing along what amounted to only part of my railcard was a threat of a voided ticket and an up-front charge of £340 (I'm not actually sure where this number came from) for new tickets. Luckily, after explaining it was an honest mistake, he let it slide (phew!) and even though I had to blow quite a bit more on a new return (non-void) ticket, it's better than whatever that ridiculous £340 was! Perhaps that's how train companies make their money these days... but I refuse to be bitter. My only real complaint is with that particular guy's sideways sense of customer service. On the flip side, the other woman I talked to was wonderfully kind, so it cancels out. Ha, it is what it is.

Regardless, I arrived safe and sound in London in the afternoon, and despite seeing a rather bright and optimistic sunrise from the train earlier, it was rainy and heavy-skied all evening and into the night. I found my hotel, the Mornington Hotel right away, just off Hyde Park, and it's very nice. A lovely old pair of London townhouses that were remodeled and modernized inside to create a comfy little space with an adorable lounge downstairs that doubles as their homey Library Bar. I spent the evening walking around the very western end of Oxford Street, checking out all of the twinkling Christmas decorations and especially the inside of Selfridges. It's still high up on my to-do list to see Harrods all lit up, and perhaps Covent Garden too! I'm just loving the Christmassy atmosphere here, even if it is grey and rainy. Oh, London!

 



I've missed this city bunches. The last time I was here was 2011 and even since then, so much has changed. The skyline is different every time I visit! I just love it. I love the pubs, the fashionable people, Underground stations and the sound of the trains, the museums, and the fancy terraces, adorable mews and coffee shops. I'll never tire of it. :)

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

Cheers!
Kate x

Edinburgh Farmers Market

It's hard to miss this little market on Saturday mornings if you're walking around the castle. From 9-2 every Saturday, a selection of local farmers, artisans and food vendors set up, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to cheeses, eggs, beer, meat, and fish at the Edinburgh Farmers Market. It's not a huge market, but there's a decent variety and the quality is excellent. Also not the place you'll want to go if you're on a budget, necessarily (as it's next to the castle, it caters to tourists as much as anyone else) but if you want direct-from-the-coop brown eggs and perhaps a kohlrabi or a pack of yummy strawberries, straight from the farm, here's a more entertaining, and in my opinion, rewarding place to shop than at the supermarket.

There are also a couple of fresh food vendors selling sandwiches and sausages, too, so I walked down there to get lunch as well as a bag full of snacks for later. I had a really amazing buffalo burger from The Buffalo Farm with fried onions and mushrooms -- so yum!



And on the way back, not really a part of the market, but I couldn't help it. I'm not sure why, but I find it just adorable that it's "ice creams." And ice lollies! Ahh! Impossible to resist.




Cheers!
Kate x

It's the little things

There are soooo many items of information that a traveler/visitor/new resident is faced with every day. I sort of psyched myself up to go with the flow this time, knowing how stressful it can be sometimes to transition from one place to another. As I've mentioned previously, I studied abroad in London in 2006 and have made a couple of subsequent trips to the UK since then -- and even visited Scotland. But the city is not the country, Edinburgh is not London, and even though they are merely four hours apart by train, they look and sound quite different.

I'm totally fascinated by cultural and regional differences. I hope to continue to share all sorts of interesting, amusing, endearing and perhaps confusing things that I come across -- some which I am experiencing for the first time, and others I've known of from previous trips, but have been reminded of.

One new thing I've encountered in Scotland is the greeting, "Alright?" Sounds like awrite? Essentially, it's a way of saying "hello, how are you?" or if in a retail setting, "hello, how can I help you?" Don't just say "yes" -- they're not inquiring whether you're doing okay, necessarily.

Scotland weather has a reputation for being grey and rainy and changeable. Well, changeable it is--after a mere three days of being here, the weather has gone from sunny and warm to partly cloudy to lightly raining to breezy to cold to warm again in one day. As autumn turns in earnest, it's sure to get cooler and probably breezier and rainier, but so far, the weather just keeps us on our toes!

There are a lot of buskers (street performers) along the Royal Mile and other popular thoroughfares. Unsurprisingly, many of them are bagpipers, but there are often other musicians as well, jugglers, statues, etc. I think it's a pretty good rule of thumb that if you actually take the time to stop and watch a performance, and especially if you take a photo, you should cough up a little coinage. They're trying to make a living too! (I feel like the same goes for homeless folks -- if you take the time to read their sign, or acknowledge them in any way, give them a little something. But that might just be me.)

Orange soda here is like fizzy orange juice. It's the best thing everrrr. And on the topic of ingestibles... Premade sandwiches. Just saying. The popularity of fresh food sections in convenience stores, or sections in stores like Marks & Spencer with shelves of various readymade sandwiches from things like Spanish grapes and free-range eggs (!!) makes for yummier, healthier eating on the go. I'm just not used to convenience store sandwiches in the US tasting like anything other than soggy cardboard.

Lastly, there are height restrictions on the buildings in Edinburgh, so the city is... short. Nothing can rival the height of the castle on its central hill, which from a new visitor's point of view is awesome. Not only does one get glimpses of the amazing castle from various vantage points around the city, but if you get lost, if you can find the castle, you can figure out your orientation just like that. Not to mention that getting lost in a new city is one of the best ways to get to know it. Doing it on purpose is cool.

 

(I apologise [haha, spelling.] for the photos in this post; I'm still figuring out my iPhone camera! More [and better] next time!)

What is your favorite thing about visiting a new city? The restaurants? Tours? Walking? Parks?

First vista: Calton Hill

So here I am. Edinburgh. That's my street in the picture above, although about a block down from where I live. This part is generally closed to traffic except for service vehicles, so it's easier to get out and snap a photo.

I took a hike to Calton Hill, which is on the other end of the Royal Mile from where I am. In case you're wondering, the Royal Mile is essentially a short string of streets that stretch from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. Just north of the eastern end of the Royal Mile is Calton, consisting of one of the city's major parks, Calton Hill, and various gardens and burial grounds. It's a bit of a hike up the hill (nothing quite like Arthur's Seat, though, which I hope to see soon), and I didn't have very good shoes on, but it was a gorgeous day, so I managed to take a few snaps. My calves are a little sore today!

On the way up, along Calton Road, there are a number of panels, some temporary, with some quite good street art. Couldn't help myself:



A bit of the street art, above, in context, and behind that ugly hole in the ground is Canongate Kirk. And behind Canongate Kirk is Arthur's Seat, part of Holyrood Park. A bit of outdoorsy hiking in the middle of the city!



I found myself drawn to the pops of burnished red that some buildings in the city are painted.



The views from Calton Hill are lovely. The photo above wasn't necessarily my favorite shot, but I was amused by the guy in the bottom right corner who was hanging out on the roof for a few minutes. I think he was meant to be fixing the window, but he seemed a bit more content to just sit outside on the plank. I can't really blame him!



  

I stumbled upon what appeared to be a popular drinking spot. At least I know one can buy Bud in the UK. ;)

 

From one direction I could see down Princes Street, a major thoroughfare with much shopping and several hotels. In other directions I could look out over the Forth of Firth.



Overall, it's been an amazingstressfulexcitingfuncrazylong three days. I still don't feel exactly "settled in," but I'm starting to understand my immediate neighborhood--where all the shops are, where the university buildings are, etc. I always feel better knowing where things are, and that I can find them easily. And even though I have been to the UK before, there's always so much to get used to (again). Aside from currency and Centigrade and driving on the opposite side of the road, there are brand new stores to get to know, prices , branding, taxes, when to tip (and when not to tip), bus routes, mobile phone networks, bank accounts, recycling and rubbish disposal, health service, etc. The list goes on and on, not to mention the first meetings and seminars for school at a university you've never visited! Well, that's how it is for me, anyway.

This week is not very busy, but there is plenty going on. On Thursday, I have compulsory meetings with the Edinburgh College of Art most of the day, but much of my other time is free until classes begin. There are many social activities set up through my hall of residence since the vast majority of students living here are from outside the UK. So far, I really enjoy where I live, and I have to admit that after walking around the part of campus where undergraduates rule, I'm glad that I'm no longer in that phase of my education. :) I like being a part of it sometimes, but able to escape to somewhere else at others. So far, my situation is ideal! We'll see if my opinion alters as time goes by...

This city can be a little tricky to get around, like many UK cities. There's a little bit of a joke about it being one of the only cities where you can get lost vertically as well as horizontally, due to all the hills and levels (some streets have two!)... Not very much of Old Town is set up in any sort of grid, partly because it's built around hills, and partly because it's just old. The newer parts of the city can sometimes seem at least a bit more organized. I've looked at maps... a lot. I love maps; they're so helpful!

I've been so busy trying to get myself situated, and getting to know some people, that I haven't taken much time to walk about with my camera aside from this trip to Calton Hill. So I'm glad that I could get the opportunity to do that.

There will always be more to come!

Kate x

Where did I pack the...?

Here goes: one of the only posts I'll probably ever do that does not include a photo! I'm pressed for time, you see. And technology. I don't know where my camera is at the moment--oh wait, I do, but it's buried in a carry-on bag full of things I couldn't fit in my regular suitcase. In fact, I don't know where I put the toothpaste, but I'm trusting it's in one of the bags, somewhere...

In a nutshell, I'm about to depart! Thought I'd throw out a quick update since I suddenly find myself with about an hour to spare and nothing more to pack. I could cuddle with my cat for a while, but he's napping and it would probably just piss him off. I got in a really nice last-minute coffee date with my mom and nana, and said goodbye to my sister and her lovely coffee shop. That's one place I will definitely miss -- the regulars there are like none other. Seriously, just about everybody knows everybody. There's some serious value to a place like that.

I finally started getting "nervous tummy," which my sister corrected me (correctly) and called "excited tummy." Not really wanting to eat anything, feeling a little anxious about all of the little things that really aren't all that important, but somehow seem hugely significant right now: Is my suitcase below the weight limit? Do I really need to bring that extra purse? Is mascara considered a liquid? Where is the toothpaste?

All in all, though, I feel really good. I feel prepared, and that's about all a person can ask for when she's about to embark on a big trip. And not just a big trip, but a long stay. A move, but a university move, which isn't really the same thing--but kind of. I find that the more I tell myself to go with the flow, the better I feel. So, to leave you with, three little day-of-departure tips that I'm finding useful right now.

1) Daily routines are important. I was distracted enough this morning with packing that I totally forgot to put makeup on. And not that makeup is a necessity -- I don't mind not wearing it. But the point is that it's a regular morning routine, and I didn't do it. So, to my surprise, late in the morning I was surprised by my appearance in the mirror, and felt like I had forgotten something. Moral of the story: stick with your routine and you'll feel better about the excitement and uncertainty that lies ahead.

2) Do a last-minute cull. You're getting down to the wire and you think your suitcase might be a little heavy or overstuffed. Open it up and make a snap decision or two about a few things you don't need. If you're like me, your last week or so has been, at least in some part every day consumed by thoughts of what to bring, what not to bring, what fits, what's too heavy, etc. When you've got a deadline (ie. actually have to getcho bad self to the airport), it's easier to just be done with it. Stop thinking, just pull a couple things out. It's so much nicer to have a little wiggle room in the suitcase.

3) Take some time to just relax. Scan your Facebook feed, have coffee with your mom, read a book, watch TV... just chill. It's good to get your mind off things for just a moment--just to pause--and refresh a little bit before hopping on the plane.

See you there!

Kate x

Second to last

To bring the blue velvet tennies, or no? The hardest part of packing has been limiting myself to things that I actually wear on a regular basis, since my wardrobe contains things I don't wear all the time, but am loathe to part with. Thus, the velvet tennies question.

My bags are mostly packed and still within weight limits, so I don't think it should be too hard from here on out. I've donated a bunch more stuff to the thrift store, gotten a haircut, packed away a bunch more stuff, cleaned some more...

I've been spending a good deal of time with this guy. 

And I'm finally starting to cross items off the list faster than I can add them. It's starting to look really good, actually, and with that, I'm feeling a little more at ease. It was really wonderful to go visit my favorite Kate at Shear Chaos Salon, a little treat from my mom as a last-minute get-ready-to-travel bonus. Is there anything quite like a really good shampoo/head massage? Pff, not likely!

This may be my final post Stateside, so perhaps the next you'll hear from me, I'll be travel-weary and exhausted, but excited beyond comprehension to finally be in Edinburgh. :D

Cheers!
Kate x

Pack it up, pack it in

Somehow, this photo makes this look a lot more contained than it feels!

With only three days until departure (!!!) the stress of packing and cleaning (ie. moving -- I'm sure there are those of you who know this well) has slightly eclipsed the excitement, but I'm ticking things off my seemingly monumental to-do list and getting down to the nitty gritty. And some of the stuff on that list is fun! Like a haircut tomorrow (nothing serious, just a trim), and a belated farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in the area (from the museum), and probably at least one more get-together with at least one, if not more, of my favorite people. Laundry is getting laundered! Skype is installed! Bags are getting packed! Belongings are (mostly) boxed! My cat is freaking out!

It's all coming together. ;)

I'm currently without a phone that takes decent photos, or an iPod that takes photos at all--so Instagram is on hold until I get my iPhone up and running in Scotland. But until then... I hope you'll keep track of whatever updates I can muster via the Artsy Abroad Facebook page and I simply cannot wait to do my first posts from Edinburgh!

Cheers!
Kate x


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 4 (so close I can taste it)

Rummaging!

I really feel like I'm getting packed up now. I cleared out at least 10 if not more like 12 boxes and bags of clothes and household items to sell at this garage sale. I sold a good amount of it, too, but there was a lot of stuff and overall it wasn't very busy, so there was quite a lot left over as well. Regardless, it feels really great to get a lot of that stuff out of my apartment, and if not into someone else's hands at the rummage sale, then into a donation bin at the thrift store.

I got back home and started packing up my books and various sentimental things I won't be bringing along with me to Scotland, but that I want to keep. All in all, six-or-so boxes of stuff (books, mostly) at my parents' house and three suitcases (carry-on included) to Edinburgh is all I'll have, period. That feels good.

All I can seem think about right now, with moving in mind, is stuff, so I'm definitely ready to be able to drop it all off in my university flat and know the tedious/difficult part is over. Maybe I should take up a nomadic lifestyle; I feel it would suit me. ;)

Turns out that I'll be taking a few choice books with me, of course, including a Scottish Architecture book I found at my own bookstore today that happens to be on one of my class readings lists! Score.


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 20

Daytripping: Door County

As my departure date draws near, I find myself thinking more about spending time with those around me that I'm really going to miss when I leave. It goes without saying that one of these people is my mother. I spend a lot of time with her, not just because she's been awesome enough to let me live (almost!) rent-free to save for school, but she's just an awesome la-day. And she's my mom. Obviously. Like I said, it goes without saying. ;)

She shares similar taste in food and therefore restaurants, and also a similar philosophy when it comes to travel and day trips. We both love our cameras and don't hesitate to veer off the road (sorry, other drivers!) when a photo-op presents itself unexpected. We're also both keen to drive waaaay out of our way to chase cool storm clouds (like this one time), find cool restaurants, or see neat exhibitions, be it art or festival or music. We always want to try the more interesting things on restaurant menus (and can sometimes get carried away, just a wee bit, but really... isn't it always worth it?). She has good taste, so she never wants to go into shops that I think are stupid -- just saying. So, she's pretty much an ideal person to take day trips with.

One thing we had to cross off the Before-Kate-Leaves List is a day trip to Door County. It's a summertime place to go -- nothing is really properly open until June, and August is a fantastic time to go up there because Door County's famous cherries are ripe and ready for the eating/cooking/baking! But there are also plenty of other things to do and places to stop along the way, so we spent a few hours poking around our usual haunts like The Cookery in Fish Creek (pictured above), and visited some places that we'd passed a million times before but never actually stopped, like Wilson's Ice Cream in old-timey Ephraim.

At The Cookery, I've always had a grilled salmon sandwich, and decided to switch it up this time and tried the pulled pork. Verdict: amazing. Also, I sprung for a 22oz. bottle of Crispin Artisanal Reserve apple cider made with organic honey. Let me just say, I'm a fan of hard cider, and this was just brilliant.  I'm going to have to try to find Crispin somewhere else a little more... local. ;)

Ephraim boasts a really amazing bay and a bit more of a beachy-boardwalk feel. A few more art galleries and artist studios are prominent in the shopping areas, and it's also known for Wilson's, which has been around for basically... ever. And yet I had never been there. As you drive along the main route through town, the view looks like the photo above the whole way. Lake Michigan at its summer finest.



I spied on an old couple being really cute. And then we found these flowers outside:



What are those? They look like strings of felt. Or necklaces. Weird necklaces. Or something. I don't even know. Anyone know what they're called?

It was an absolutely goooorgeous day, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. So thoroughly that we had double-dessert (and felt somewhat sick afterward) and were properly exhausted when we arrived back home in the evening. It was certainly nice to spend that much more time with my mom before I take off in only three weeks' time.

How the summer has simply disappeared...

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 22