Edinburgh - Getting Tipsy

Our visit to Edinburgh wouldn’t have been complete without a night out on the town, especially in a city as walkable as this one. With the internet at our fingertips, we took to google for guidance. The real challenge soon became deciding where we should start our night, amd we concocted a plan to ask the locals to guide us in the right direction after our first stop. 

During our search, we stumbled across the Pop Up Geeks website, and much to our liking, they were currently promoting a Lord of The Rings-esque experience. Harry Potter geeks by day, LOTR geeks by night. From the décor, to staff wardrobes, to the drink menu, we knew we couldn’t pass up the experience. The weather had significantly improved, so we opted to ditch the umbrellas and retrace our steps back to Old Town were the Pop Up Geeks was situated.

Now, if Bambs had learned anything about spending time with me the past fews day, it was that even though I pretend to know where I am going, I often have no clue. Wandering with intent if you will. It took us longer than anticipated to reach Pop Up Geeks (Scotsman Stairs and heels are not a recommended combination), with a courtesy call to the staff to push our reservation back by 15 minutes. In hindsight, a much needed 15 minutes to collect ourselves….

When we arrived at the Pop Up Geeks it is safe to say that we were taken aback by the intimate setting (in our excitement about the theme we didn’t stop to consider that it wouldn’t be a lively, somewhat theatrical environment). We had stumbled upon the perfect setting for a romantic evening, or a stellar first date. The dimly-lit, quaint setting, with soothing music in the background, was incredibly well orchestrated, and other than a “What-have-we-done” look to each other when we first arrived, we quickly pulled ourselves together, and followed our lovely host to our table.

The following hour at the Pop Up Geeks was a unique experience and, although slightly off-kilter, we had a fantastic time. The cocktail menu was elaborate and tasteful, and the drinks we ordered were everything we hoped a LOTR themed drink would be. We chatted and basked in the candle-lit room, ultimately having become the 11^th and 12^th wheels to each couple situated in the room. We clinked our glasses and toasted our time in Edinburgh, and the night that was yet to come. When we finished our second drinks, we decided it was time to move on and asked the waiter for a recommendation of where we should go next. We wanted our Edinburgh night-life experience to be more than just a nigh-out, so he pointed us in the direction of Hootie the Redeemer, and recommended Panda and Sons as well.

Hootie the Redeemer is a well-hidden, retro basement bar in New Town that is famous for serving alcoholic milkshakes  (too risky to put that claim to the test unfortunately). Once in the closet-sized foyer, we made our way down a set of stairs. To enter the bar itself, we passed through a hidden doorway that takes the form of a Fortune Telling booth. Having just spent an hour and a half in a relaxed, mystical abode, we were shocked back to our senses by the loud music, chatter, and energetic environment we had stepped into. One world to the next. 

We had already resigned to the fact that our Sunday would probably be a write-off, so when we were presented with the opportunity to have drinks served in individual fish-bowls with fish shaped ice cubes we didn’t hesitate. Personal fish-bowls in hand, we managed to find a seat on a sofa beside two up-and-coming optometrists, who immediately began sassing us about the floating "chicken nuggets" in our drinks. I wish I could say poor eye-sight was to blame, but our once cute fish shaped ice cubes had morphed into fuzzy looking blobs within minutes of submersion. Chunky drinks aside, Hootie's was a blast and we spent the time chatting with the locals and getting additional insight into the Edinburgh nightlife. The staff were friendly, and the decor and bar theme made it incredibly memorable. 

Our journey was far from over, and after bidding our new found friends farewell, we headed down Rose Lane in the direction of Panda and Sons. Rose Lane is a must-see both in daylight and after dark. The cobblestoned street (Rose Street and Rose Lane) are lined with shops and a handful of pubs, restaurants, and bars. We gracefully made our way down Rose Street in our heels, picking our way this way and that along the cobblestones. We stopped at a number of bars along the way to quench our thirst, and eventually came to Charlotte Street, which would lead us to Panda and Sons. Similar to Hootie's, Panda and Sons is a basement cocktail bar, equipped with a hidden entrance bookshelf. The ambiance inside was again unique and on the softer side compared to the previous bar. Couples and groups of friends were seated in tables of all sizes, sipping carefully-crafted designer cocktails of all shapes and sizes. The two of us were seated at a table for two, perfectly postioned for people watching. As we drank our cocktails, ate the incredibly spiced popcorn provided, and nodded along with the in house DJs mix, we couldn't help reminisce about our trip so far. The museums, the architecture, the landscape. The city had so much to offer, and it had been ours for the taking. We drank and ate popcorn, and as the wee hours of the morning approached we decided it was time to head home... at least if we could find the exit. I'm not sure how long we nonchalantly walked about the bar in search of the bookcase that we had emerged from. Long enough to receive sideways glances from seated patrons I'm sure, but not long enough to require assistance. Much to our relief, on our second (or third...) pass, we eventually found the exit and made our way up the stairs and onto the street. Although it was chilly, we opted to make the 25 minute walk back to the AirBNB on foot, taking in the late night sites of New Town... and maybe to sober up after our encounter with an elusive bookcase.