Me, Myself, and the London "I"
On an evening walk sometime in early 2024, I offhandedly mentioned to Christopher how much I wished I’d taken the chance to solo travel when I was younger, particularly before becoming a mom. I’ve traveled “on my own” for work many times, but always with professional obligations to attend to. I’ve traveled with friends and family, but curating the trips to the needs of the group. And, of course, I’ve traveled with Christopher — my favorite trips — but always striking a balance between our interests, keeping his desires front of mind and sometimes compromising to ensure we’re both checking boxes off our couple bucket list together.
Christopher, who traveled solo a ton during a brief stint as a flight attendant, immediately responded with: “Well, why don’t you do it? Book the trip. Take the time. We’ll make it happen, babe; I’ve got this.” When I tried to walk it back, he doubled down, energized and excited by the idea of me getting some solo travel time to focus on myself after a few years of working hard, frequently solo parenting, and, transparently, a lot of Going Through It™️ mentally and emotionally. Later that week, at his relentless encouragement, I requested 10 work days of PTO, pinpointed my ultimate destination — the United Kingdom — then proceeded to not book anything for several months.
All I knew was that during my time off, I wanted to commit myself to minimal plans, allowing for whimsy as much as possible… because with a demanding 9-5 job, seemingly endless family and social obligations sometimes booked years in advance, a fixer upper house to maintain, a spouse who works 24 to 48 hour shifts, two (asshole) pets to care for, and a spirited three-year-old to raise, my day-to-day life doesn’t leave much room for spontaneity. My ideal solo trip would consist of more than a week of not setting an alarm clock, then waking up to decide what I felt like doing each day: following my nose wherever it goes for good meals, always with a book in hand to post up in the nearest cute nook and read.
Reader, whether by circumstance — read: a crazy summer of work and life — or by design, that’s exactly what I did. I planned the bare minimum in advance: I booked airfare, hotels, and trains using nearly five years’ worth of accumulated Chase Ultimate Rewards travel points, got a session on the books with a tattoo artist I admired, then left the rest of a 10-day trip to London and Edinburgh up to “vacation Brinton” and her potential future whims. And aside from the fact that this uncharacteristically unplanned, vibes-based travel strategy did result in one minor panic-inducing moment of me entering a foreign country without cash in hand and only a (surprise!) expired debit card in my wallet, it was overall a goddamn delight.
Leading up to the trip, both Christopher and I fielded a lot of weird reactions to the idea of me taking a 10-day solo trip. A lot of distant family members, I think, assumed there was secretly something wrong with our marriage or that I was on the brink of a mental break. Some colleagues and acquaintances of Christopher’s assumed he’d feel threatened by me traveling alone. I even had some folks learn that I was solo traveling and apologize to me, because they assumed it was some sort of tragic circumstance where something fell through that meant I was being forced to go alone. All of the above had similar reactions of shock and confusion when they were corrected that, no, this was an intentionally planned solo trip and that Christopher was the supportive one tirelessly pushing to make it happen for me, actually.
Once I was on the trip, one particular group quickly emerged as the most vocally supportive and celebratory about the time I was taking for myself: other moms of young kids. I can’t count the number of messages I got from folks who fit this profile, all encouraging me to soak up the solo time and live my best life.
“I love that you’re getting this time for yourself,” read one DM.
“Enjoy every moment and don’t you dare feel an ounce of guilt. You deserve this,” wrote a friend of a friend in another.
“I am equal parts envious and inspired by this. You should make planning solo vacations for introverted bookworm moms your side hustle,” confided a third mom who’d been cheering on my suddenly frequent Instagram Stories updates.
On it went, from dozens and dozens of other moms, all of whom also spend their days playing a similar game of endless tug-of-war between their careers and homes and families and social lives while relentlessly working to raise well-rounded, kind, emotionally healthy and self-actualized humans, trying to stay sane while juggling it all.
Christopher aside, it really felt like my biggest cheerleaders throughout my time in the UK were others who are what I lovingly refer to as deep in the shit pit of motherhood, and this spirit of camaraderie helped me shed the guilt and focus on my overwhelming feelings of gratitude for the incredible gift of alone time in a new place, surrounded by beauty, and with the privilege (within reason) to indulge the whimsy that’s so rare in my normal life. I was doing it: staring down the barrel of more than a week of scarce, uninterrupted solitude, and there was no way in hell I was going to squander it.
While I don’t think I’ll make a side hustle out of planning vacations for toddler moms who need a break anytime soon, I do want to share the places and things that made my time in the UK so special. My hope is that, if you’re looking to fuel your own inspiration for some much-needed time away, this might be a helpful resource. Or, if nothing else, when future me is in the trenches of inevitable deep in the shit pit seasons, I can look back on these memories and feel thankful for having had the time and space to reconnect with myself amid life’s chaos.
There really aren’t words for how much I treasure the memories I made in the pleasure of my own company during this vacation, and how grateful I feel for a partner who enthusiastically pushed for it to happen even when I was battling guilt and self-doubt. I could go on about all that, and maybe someday those big feelings will leave the confines of journal entries and embarrassingly earnest Instagram captions, but for now I’ll stick to recapping the places, spaces, and meals that made my trip such a fantastic one.
Where I stayed
Hazlitt’s (London, Soho) — This boutique hotel in the heart of Soho was the perfect place to begin my trip. I booked a tiny little room at the top of the building, which is comprised of four combined townhouses—everything was built in 1793 and Hazlitt’s had the slightly slanted staircases and sloping room to prove it! Every corner of the hotel was beautiful; I especially enjoyed the jewel-toned sitting areas with cozy, cushioned sofas, where you could either enjoy complimentary tea service or make a cocktail from their well-stocked gin or whiskey honor bars! My room was cute and cozy and every time I relaxed in it, I felt like I was some kind of 18th century writer who’d come to the stay at an expensive boarding house in the big city in search of inspiration and intellectual stimulation. I couldn’t have asked for a better location, with an easy walk to the Underground and tons of great shopping and restaurants outside my door. The staff were fantastically accommodating and I’d absolutely come stay here again.
Kimpton Charlotte Square (Edinburgh, New Town) — Staying at a Kimpton property felt like a major indulgence for this trip, but I got a great deal (and an upgrade!) on my room at this hotel by booking with accumulated credit card points through Chase Travel. Set in New Town right off Princes Street, but only about 10 minutes’ walk to Edinburgh Castle and Old Town, the Kimpton Charlotte Square was definitely the most spacious hotel room of my stay and felt more like an American luxury hotel: big room, king sized bed, large tub, widescreen TV, an on-property spa and gym, and all the other amenities you might expect from a five-star luxury hotel. It was a really lovely spot to stay, with quick access to public transit (to get to less touristy parts of the city) and great walkability to all the main sights of Edinburgh. I didn’t dine in the restaurants, but they looked gorgeous and I was tempted by their complimentary 5pm “social hour” with wine and bites for guests every evening.
The Montague on the Gardens (London, Fitzrovia/Covent Garden) — In hopes of getting some good writing done during the last stretch of my trip, I booked my third and final hotel in a less busy area of London, though not far from any of the neighborhoods I’d explored in my first few days. The Montague was lovely and extremely old-school; it felt like most of the guests were on the older side and had been visiting here for decades, accustomed to a specific type of service and resistant to change. My room was small but functional, my bed was comfortable, and the afternoon tea I enjoyed while waiting for my room to be ready for check-in was delicious, but I did feel a bit like Will on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air every time I came down to the common areas to find tuxedoed and gloved staff serving fellow guests who seemed like they were questioning what the heck I was doing there in my leopard print mini dress and leather boots. Great location conveniently located to parks, museums, and the University of London, but if I were to visit again, I’d probably book something distinctly younger feeling in Marlyebone or Shoreditch.
How I traveled
Heathrow Express — This express service from the airport into the heart of London came highly recommended to me by a friend, and I’ll pass that recommendation on! I booked my tickets to and from the airport in advance for something like £15 each way, and was able to walk straight from customs to the train (and vice versa on my return journey) with zero hassle. The total ride was maybe 20 minutes? Super easy and convenient.
Caledonian Sleeper — One of the highlights of my trip was taking this overnight train from London to Edinburgh, saving on a hotel for the night and instead tucked into my own private sleeper cabin. I boarded around 10:45pm at Euston Station in London, stowed my larger suitcase in a luggage car, then brought my carryon to my coach and found my room. I pre-selected some breakfast options on a convenient room service card and hung it on my door, changed into my pajamas, popped on my complimentary eye mask, and relaxed. I watched an episode of TV using the train WiFi, then fell fast asleep thanks to the gentle sway and ambient noises of the train and a shockingly comfy mattress. Woke up the next morning to a knock with my breakfast tea delivery and the news that our train had been delayed about an hour thanks to a broken-down locomotive blocking some tracks, which means that: 1) I got another hour of blissful sleep, and 2) the entire cost my journey would be automatically refunded to me thanks to the UK’s “Delay Repay” scheme, a national program that compensates passengers for train delays and cancellations. I didn’t have to lift a finger, and it was truly the delight of my journey to pull up to the train station in Edinburgh around before 9am, well rested and with a couple hundred euro back in my account. 10/10 would recommend!
London North Eastern Railway — I took a faster, cheaper, less exciting train back to London from Scotland, but opted for a first class LNER ticket which entitled me to lounge access at the train station, a guaranteed pre-selected seat in the first-class cabin, and brunch and drinks throughout the ~4 hour journey. Got a lot of writing done thanks to good Wifi and ample power outlets, drank tea and wine the whole time, and ate a perfectly adequate sausage roll. No complaints from me!
Virgin Atlantic — Flying SFO>LHR nonstop in Virgin’s “Economy Delight” class was a great way to fly! The flights both ways were bang on time, the crews were lovely, I got a window seat both ways, and the entertainment options were good.
Black Cabs — I only taxied thrice on my trip, when I had luggage to transport to or from train stations, but was shocked at the size of the interiors of these classic black cabs and the ease of contactless payment. I planned to avoid Uber while abroad, and I’m glad I opted for these cabs!
Underground — I bought an Oyster Card to use for the Tube, but could have just used Apple Pay and had a similarly easy experience. The Underground was great: clean, timely, and efficient, which frequent trains and stops virtually everywhere. I’m relatively transit-savvy, often using BART and other public subway systems often, but I imagine it’d be easy for most folks to navigate — unless you’ve got a physical disability. I was pretty shocked by the inaccessibility I observed of a few of the tube stations and train lines! Thankfully not an issue for me, but I’d definitely research in advance if you’re concerned about this.
Edinburgh Trams (Tram Pass) — I copped an unlimited tram pass for 3 days, and it was fabulous! Super easy to hop on and off their tram line to get into neighborhoods around Edinburgh.
Walking! I did so. much. walking. during my trip, covering an average of ~10 miles walked per day on the non-rainy days I spent exploring. Comfy, water-resistant shoes were a must because I had such a delightful time walking everywhere on this trip.
Where I ate
London
The Jackalope (Marylebone) — One of my favorite spots from the trip, this establishment is a classic mews pub up top, with a chongqing noodle spot in the basement that goes absolutely crazy. I had “mouth numbing” wontons with my rosé and a book, and it was one of my top London dining experiences.
Koya (Soho) — At the recommendation of a friend, I stepped into this counter-seating noodle joint for breakfast one day and had a mindblowing breakfast udon that I’ll think about for a long time.
The George (Southwark) — I was warned away from Greene King establishment pubs by a local friend in the interest of an “authentic” local pub experience, but I made an exception for this Southwark spot that’s supposedly been operating since the 1600s. Sipping a drink, reading a book, and catching up with an old friend in a place frequented by Charles Dickens while the rain poured outside was a peak vibes moment.
Renegade Wine Bar (Bethnal Green) — Orange wine! Nice staff! Decent light for reading solo!
E Pellicci (Bethnal Green) — I stopped here for a full English breakfast before my tattoo appointment not knowing that it’s apparently a favorite of celebrities and locals alike, so I shared a table with some chatty locals and an apparently famous rugby player and had the time of my life. Cheap, delicious, and so. much. food.
Roti King (Euston) — It’s always got a line for a reason. Yum!
L’Escargot (Soho) — Had a truly lovely solo dinner here and might fantasize about dipping their homemade focaccia in leftover escargot garlic butter for the rest of my life.
Borough Market (Borough High Street) — An open air food hall where you can buy a killer piccolo to sip while you select cheeses, fruit, and virtually any food that might tempt you. Loved browsing and snacking here.
Leadenhall Market (City of London) — I had wine and a scotch egg on the second story of a cozy pub here overlooking the bustling market and could definitely see why they chose to film Diagon Alley scenes for the Harry Potter movies here.
Swan London (Southbank) — Sipping tea and eating warm scones while writing at the pub attached to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater will go down as a top three “English major geeks out” moment of my life.
The Cocktail Trading Co. (Shoreditch) — My tattoo artist, Lauren, recommended this spot and I was immediately sold when they served up a boozy take on a dirty chai white Russian. Drooling just thinking about it.
Beigel Bake (Shoreditch) — I’ll never not go to a beloved bagel spot.
NOPI (Soho) — After a couple of disappointing attempts to be seated as a solo diner on my first night, I landed here by recommendations of an Instagram mutual who lives in London and it was great! Delicious Mediterranean bites, smooth Greek orange wine, and an extremely accommodating and attentive waitstaff would bring me back again for sure.
Vagabond Wines (Fitzrovia) — Another local recommendation that I will pass on, this wine bar has an amazing selection of pay-by-the-pour self-serve wines that range from super funky oranges to dry reds to crisp whites. Add their great wifi and it was a perfect spot for me to chill for some reading and writing when the rain got too intense for park time.
Parrillan (Borough Yards) — Spanish tapas here were elite, I’d reorder the anchovies and padrón peppers.
Chettinad Restaurant (Fitzrovia) — Met up with an old friend and her family at this South Indian spot for lunch and had decision paralysis about the menu because there were so many yummy options!
Caffè Tropea (Russell Park) — I sat at this park cafe near my final hotel a few times for tea and a bite, and it was perfect for people watching thanks to its proximity to a few universities. Decent coffee!
Grocery stores all over the place: Fortnum & Mason, Tesco (for meal deals!), Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & Partners
Edinburgh
The Witchery (Old Town) — I wasn’t able to snag a high tea reservation at this moody fine dining establishment at the foot of Edinburgh Castle, but I did enjoy a really lovely solo dinner here with a book. I’d love to go back with Christopher someday for a romantic dinner!
Hideout Cafe (Old Town) — I loved sitting at a window seat here to write, tucked away out of the hustle and bustle of Old Town. Killer dirty chai, great playlists, and super friendly folks behind the coffee bar!
The Milkman (Old Town) — This definitely felt like the “Instagram spot” of Old Town, but the coffee was appropriately divine.
Edinburgh Farmers’ Market (Old Town) — Nothing is better to me than waking up early and perusing a farmers’ market for local snacks and delicacies, especially when that market has a view of a freakin’ castle. Would recommend this again and again to anyone who’ll have a Saturday in Edinburgh.
Rose Street pubs like The Black Cat, Element, The Kenilworth (New Town) were all really fun, but got a bit crowded with more tourists than I’d expected, leading me to ask the bartender for some better local recommendations that I am respectfully opting to gatekeep for the sake of their preservation.
Dishoom (New Town) — What really needs to be said about Dishoom that hasn’t already been said by a million others? I had an awesome Indian take on a classic full English breakfast here alongside a bloody mary with Indian pickles.
The Huxley (New Town) — Speaking of bloody maries (realizing that I’m not confident in how to pluralize that word?), I had a killer one here with a yummy eggs benedict featuring Scottish pulled pork and piccalilli, a mustard pickle chutney thing. Great views, so lovely!
The White Hart Inn and The Ensign Ewart (Old Town) — popped into these pubs for a taste of scotch whisky in a hot toddy, had a great time! Didn’t catch the live music that each promised at night, but that’s only because I’m a firm believer in bath bombs and snuggling in bed to catch Law & Order SVU on vacation whenever possible, and it was in my Edinburgh hotel room.
Bear with me here, but the Princes Street Starbucks (New Town) — I hate to be an American who patronizes Starbucks on vacation, but the second story of this location has massive wall of windows overlooking Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens, which was irresistible for getting some writing done while sipping a mug full of pumpkin spice latte. Sorry, but also decidedly not sorry.
Where I shopped
London
Daunt Books (Marylebone) — I joined the crowd of folks snapping interior pics of this cute multi-story bookstore focused on travel literature, where I also picked up a tote and a few storybooks for Ro.
Brick Lane vintage market (Shoreditch) — This is a massive hall of vintage seller shops and maker pop-ups where I unfortunately didn’t buy anything because my fresh tattoo made trying on clothes impossible.
Carnaby Street shops like OMNES and Nobody’s Child (Soho) — No specific recommendations here, just a ton of great shopping (and people watching!) all in one area.
Liberty (Soho) — This luxury department store was founded in the late 1800s and was a must-visit for indulgent souvenirs like fancy Christmas ornaments for loved ones, and a Rachel Jackson necklace featuring Ro’s birthstone for me.
Fortnum & Mason (St. James’s) — I did some damage at this high-end food department store that’s famous for its teas and desserts; if I hadn’t had limited luggage space, I’d have cleaned them out.
Le Labo (Soho) — As has become my tradition on international vacations, I stopped to buy myself a special scent to wear throughout my trip; when I smell this scent in years to come, it’ll always remind me of this travel experience.
Foyles bookstore (Charing Cross Road) — This massive bookstore had some of my favorite staff recommendation cards, which led me to buy way too many new books and have to abandon some of the ones I’d brought with me after I finished them for the sake of luggage space. Oops!
Waterstones (Gower Street, near University College London) — I popped into a few Waterstones locations on my trip to replenish my reading material, but the one near UCL was definitely the cutest and best curated.
I guess this doesn’t totally count as shopping, but I got a great cover-up tattoo from Lauren at Lowrider Tattoo (Bethnal Green) during my trip — she also works at Debut Tattoo Studio (Shoreditch)! Lauren did a great job balancing my request for delicate florals with the need to heavily shade to disguise a heavy, angular linework piece. Now instead of Hogwarts castle, I have a lovely bouquet of my family’s birth flowers: narcissus, poppy, and lily of the valley.
Edinburgh
Black Moon Botanica (Old Town) — I picked up a stunning tarot deck and a few candles at this artisan “magick” shop, which had a very sweet staff and vibes that emphasize Edinburgh’s deep association with witchcraft.
W. Armstrong & Son Vintage Clothing Emporium (Old Town) — Stepped into this vintage store on a whim after grabbing a coffee at the nearby Milkman cafe, and walked out one knit skirt and a handmade ‘60s shift dress poorer.
Argonaut Books (Leith) — This cafe and bookshop at the base of Leith Walk was so lovingly curated and the staff were incredibly warm and welcoming; if I’d not been trying to beat the sunset, I’d have sat down for tea and a read.
Transreal Fiction (Old Town) — Just a pop down from Black Moon Botanica, this bookstore specializing in fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction was great to browse in search of the perfect “spooky vibes without being too gory or troubling” book.
Walks and neighborhoods I enjoyed
I’m not going to write a takeaway for each of these spaces, because I wouldn’t do them justice. What I will say is that the parks are unmatched, the architecture is stunning, and the vibes are immaculate. There’s something so indescribably special about watching swans float by in a park pond, then being caught in a sudden downpour that sends you to huddle beneath a weeping willow tree for a moment of cover while you wait out the rain. My long, aimless walks during my UK trip were the perfect indulgence of whimsy, allowing me to spontaneously pop into shops or turn down streets that interested me.
London
Soho
Fitzrovia and Covent Garden
Marylebone and Regent’s Park
Bethnal Green and Shoreditch
St. James’s Park, Green Park, and Westminster
London Bridge and Borough Market
The Queen’s Walk (Waterloo, Southbank, Lambeth)
City of London and Leadenhall Market
Edinburgh
Dean Village
Princes Street Gardens and St Cuthbert's Kirkyard
Old Town: The Royal Mile, Victoria Street, Grassmarket
Leith Walk and the Waters of Leith
Museums I visited
Tate Modern — I wish I’d had a full day to spend going through the several floors of exhibits in this museum, which is where I discovered at museums in the UK are free to the public.
The British Museum — I’m highly conflicted about my visit to the British Museum, which really feels like it should be renamed “The British Museum of Apparently Shameless Colonialism.” Did I see a lot of interesting things? Of course. Do I recommend it? Undecided. The one thought that kept rattling through my brain every time I saw a placard crediting some wealthy aristocrat with the “discovery” of some priceless cultural artifact that was clearly pillaged to the detriment of its place of origin: “Killmonger was right.”
The National Gallery — Another free museum where I spent a few hours and could have spent countless more. Personal highlight was one of Monet’s Waterlilies.
Museum of Childhood — Hopped into this museum on a whim while walking the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and found it equal parts touching and slightly creepy? Perhaps the latter was mostly due to the fact that I was virtually alone on the exhibit floor with hundreds of tiny, terrifying dolls.
The Writers’ Museum — After getting a lot of writing done, walking through this museum dedicated to three famous Scottish authors — Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson — was something of a treat. Looking forward to a day when there are museums like this that actually feature women authors.
Sights I saw
Again, I’m not going to write notes for each of these sights, but these are the ones I managed to fit in. There are many more I didn’t manage to fit into my self-guided walking tours, but I feel like I got a pretty decent look at most of the main attractions for both London and Edinburgh, which feels like an accomplishment for having not planning my days a ton! I’ve starred my three favorites.
London
London Bridge
Millennium Bridge
Tower Bridge*
River Thames
Shakespeare’s Globe
Trafalgar Square
Whitehall
Buckingham Palace
Big Ben*
Westminster Abbey
Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station
Saville Row and Bond Street
221B Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes’s house)
London Eye
The Shard
Tower of London
Picadilly Circus
Oxford Circus
Edinburgh
Dean Village and the Water of Leith*
Edinburgh Castle
Scottish Parliament (and the King and Queen for its 25th anniversary, NBD)
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Elephant House
Scott’s Monument
St. Giles’ Cathedral
What I wore
I typically suffer from a condition called “underplanning and overpacking,” which I really thought I’d beat thanks to my newfound habit of making paper dolls of myself using the iPhone Notes App (screenshot included in the gallery below) to maximize packing space for outfit versatility. But I still overestimated and packed too much, leaving me with less room for shopping than I’d have liked. Here’s a breakdown of what I actually wore/needed, and which items I could’ve left behind to save suitcase space.
Rain-proof, lightweight Chelsea boots
Comfortable sneakers for walking
Heeled leather booties
Day-to-night dresses
A roomy belt bag
A trusty leather jacket
A vivid, versatile trench
Thick knit tights
A durable travel backpack with charging capabilities
A warm beanie
Flattering, unfussy trousers
An easily layered cardigan
A few go-to cropped tees
A handful of trendy bits and bobs
A lightweight shoulder bag
Cozy socks
An expansive roll-top tote
A micro-umbrella that could take a beating
What I didn’t need to pack:
Bulky neoprene boots
Suede ballet flats
High-maintenance pieces that needed steaming, etc.
A baseball cap
Multiple pairs of jeans
An extra backpack
What I wish I’d had the time (or reservations!) to check off my list
London
I loved walking in the parks, and would have liked the opportunity to explore more of them, especially Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath, which both have come highly recommended by friends.
Neighborhoods — there were a lot of specific neighborhoods I’d have liked to explore, like Hackney, Camden Town, Notting Hill, and Chelsea, and some general areas I’d have preferred more time in (like East London)
Live entertainment — I’d have loved to see a West End show like Hadestown, something silly like I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial Musical, or danced all night at ABBA Voyage (which I’ve heard is amazing)
Great restaurants on my list like Gymkhana, Manteca, and so so so many more!
More museums — especially the Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery
More afternoon tea experiences
Art galleries
More vintage shopping!
More pubs (like Mr. Foggs), markets, and food halls
Edinburgh
Some of the restaurants I wasn’t able to fit in, like Spry Wines and Six by Nico
Hiking Arthur’s Seat
Royal Botanic Garden
National Galleries of Scotland
More of the bookstores from my list, like Topping & Company and Rare Birds Book Shop