Author: thealternativeatlas

5 Best Edinburgh Coffee Shops

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These are our top picks for your morning (or afternoon) caffeine fix in the beautiful medieval city of Edinburgh, Scotland. 1) Cafe Marlayne We visited this Leith Walk coffee shop multiple times; it is a great hangout spot with free wifi and a perfect place to get some work done.  The coffee is delicious and they specialize in french vegetarian bistro dishes.  Make sure to check out the unique assortment of hot teas, like the dandelion/thistle blend that Jaime is holding here!  76 Thistle St, Newtown, Edinburgh EH2 1EN. 2) Garden Y Cafe A charming little place which sits south of the Meadows and Old Town, the setting is picturesque.  I know what you’re thinking and yes, the spoon is a little heart!  1hy, 27A Marchmont Rd, Edinburgh EH9 1HY 3) Filament Coffee Lets talk about this green juice for a minute.  Filament has great coffee and the interior looks like it could be gallery in Chelsea, but seriously check out this green juice!  Drink this when you need to balance out the five cups …

10 Free Things to do in Washington D.C.

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Washington D.C. is a well-known tourist destination and can be a pricey place to visit.. use these tips to save some money and see some of D.C.s best spots! 1) Book a free tour of the NPR National Headquarters Tour the beautiful building and see some of the NPR staff in action… woah is that Korva Coleman standing over there?!  Tours start everyday at 11 a.m. and are absolutely free.  Advance registration is required though, so be sure to register here. 2) Visit the Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden The Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is located next to the National Mall… you know, like, near all those monuments and stuff.  They have constantly revolving exhibitions of internationally acclaimed modern and contemporary artists. 3) Take a Stroll Around Georgetown Georgetown is a charming historic neighborhood off the Potomac River where you can take a walk through civil-war era streets.  The houses are antiquated and beautiful, and Georgetown University is also located here.  Fun Fact: the neighborhoods can be creepy at night and are thought to …

An Afternoon in Nottingham

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Located in the east midlands of England, Nottingham is a charming city full of history and makes for a perfect day-trip.  Do you like art?  If so, then make a stop by Nottingham Contemporary.  It is a stunning contemporary art museum in the heart of this medieval city and it is absolutely free. If museums aren’t your thing, take a stroll through the cobble stone streets and check out the storefronts… there is some seriously creepy signage!  There is also a really cool comic and graphic novel shop on Market Street close to the city center named Page 45.      If you are feeling thirsty after walking through the medieval streets and soaking up the view of Nottingham Castle (which also houses a contemporary art space), take a break and visit any of the medieval watering holes which contend for the title of “England’s Oldest Pub”.  Among these are Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (supposedly built in 1149), The Bell Inn (est. 1437), and Ye Olde Salutation Inn (est. 1240).  We ordered a few pints …

A Million Little Things

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On July 5th 2015, we left Phoenix with one-way tickets for London.  The goal is simple; go as far as we can and see as much as we can with our modest budget.  In 2012 we backpacked through Europe over the course of 2 months; we had no experience, no equipment, and no idea how to travel effectively and stretch a small travel fund.  At the end of that trip, we saw 8 countries, met countless lifelong friends, and learned more about the different European cultures than any Anthony Bourdain episode on Netflix could ever teach us. After returning we made a pact that we would venture to the EU again, travel slower, and be more mindful of our time in each country.  Improvisation and the idea of not planning every detail is paramount in our travel experience… often it is best to allow a place to unfold in front of you and navigate as the situation dictates.  We’ve dreamed of this trip for ages and jumped at the opportunity to travel long term when …

UK TechFest 2015

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Opalescent.  I overheard this word being used by a concert-goer to describe their experience at UK TechFest 2015, and this is one word that I cannot get out of my head.  At first I was confused by this description, but as more time passes I am becoming more comfortable with it.  About 700 attendees assembled between July 8th-12th this year on the beautiful grass plains of Newark-on-Trent, England to watch their favorite metal bands perform inside huge aircraft carriers which housed two stages. The first large main stage hosted international touring acts like Monuments, Decapitated, Slice the Cake, and Nexilva, and a smaller second stage where I played with my band Kardashev alongside Portuguese tech-death forerunners The Voynich Code and our label mates The Room Colored Charlatan.   I got a kick out of that word.  Opalescent.  At first I would have never used that word to describe the experience.  In fact, nothing about the festival was glamorous; it was truly a rowdy and drunken ruckus from beginning to end.  The Newark Showground was transformed …