the warmest day of the week

I have spent the last two days studying furiously in The Elephant House.

And I highly recommend it. It's the best study spot I've found, yet.

The Elephant House is the coffee shop in which J.K. Rowling penned the very first Harry Potter novel. Yes, that’s right. It’s a tourist attraction. But it’s so much more than that. It has a light but serious atmosphere perfect for an academic chat, a friendly lunch, a cup of coffee with a book.

To get there, walk along the-magical-road-that-changes-names, otherwise known as Nicholson St, Clerk St, South Clerk St, South Bridge St, North Bridge St, or Dalkeith. Turn onto Chambers St. When it dead ends, turn right, and it’s on the left side of the street. [Along the way, you get to see the Courts!]

I highly recommend the hot chocolate, but all the drinks I have tested are lovely. And they are all reasonably priced. Despite being a tourist location with official merchandise, the prices are still not as high as Starbucks. [Starbucks probably won’t like me after that comment. To be fair, Starbucks gave out free cups of fair-trade coffee for the months of March and April. I had lots.]

Whatever you choose off the menu, enjoy it. You might have to share your table, but
it’s all part of the experience. If you’re going to be in Edinburgh for a few days, go spend some time with the elephants.

And speaking of how much studying I have done, I must now do some more. This was my break from stress this evening. Bah.