Around town with: Carrie Bradshaw

I’m a 26 year old woman who’s just finished watching Sex and the City for the first time ever (!), and after asking myself the age old question of “am I a Carrie, Miranda, Samantha or Charlotte?” (Of which I decided we all have parts of all of them within us), I couldn’t help but wonder, how would Carrie Bradshaw spend a day here in Edinburgh?

She and the girls are constantly out-and-about at cool cafés, bar and restaurant opening parties, and NYC’s coolest underground clubs, so how would Edinburgh compare? 

I asked you guys on Instagram how you thought Carrie would spend a day here in town, and here’s what you said…

If Carrie was in Edinburgh for a day, where would she go for a coffee and a pastry? 

Ante. 

Carrie would like a lot of things about Ante - the cozy interior, friendly staff and most importantly, the location. Being right underneath Spry Wines means Carrie would be regular in both wings of the business; she would go in for a pistachio flat white and strawberry and elderflower brioche in the morning on the way to/from whichever trendy fitness class she was taking that week, and would go into Spry for a little pick-me-up in the form of a glass of Les 13 Lunes and a people-watching session in the afternoon. She would take the opportunity to try something new like a sparkling orange wine, but ultimately would go back to a familiar favourite. 

Where would she go for lunch? 

Chez Jules.

She went in for the three-course lunch deal, and stayed for the Parisian-influenced interior. The homely feel of the candles and the tablecloths, on top of the fast-paced hustle and bustle of this Hanover Street fave, would make this a go-to for Carrie and the girls - good, affordable food and loud enough so no one can hear the contents of their conversation. Although Paris is a touchy subject for Carrie, the steak frites would be worth it.

What activity would she do? 

Tribe. 

Carrie loves a fitness class, and we often see her doing yoga or Pilates, but I think Carrie would want to try as many different forms of fitness classes Tribe has to offer as she could. She would try barre due to the rise of balletcore, and reformer Pilates because, well, everyone is doing it, but her favourite would still be yoga, with hot yoga becoming her new regular workout. She would try to make the 7am classes, but usually only just makes it in time for the 10.30am slot due to spending too long at Ante up the road.

Where would she go for an after-work drink? 

Hey Palu. 

The Italian aperitivo bar would be a go-to for Carrie any day of the week. She would go solo, with the girls or with a date (only if it was going well, this is a sacred space), and would be so friendly with the staff that they would know her order, the Rude Cosmo (duh). However, if she was with a date she would obviously order a Paper Plane to try and impress them with her plane making skills, which would always ultimately end up either on the floor hitting nothing, or hitting someone else in the back of the head. 

Where would she go for dinner with the girls? 

Little Capo. 

Always wanting to try out the latest trendy restaurant, and after hearing everyone rave about Little Capo, Carrie and the girls would take over that little booth in the back - still with the lively, fast-paced atmosphere of the restaurant, but far enough away so they can gossip about the men they’re currently dating without anyone hearing. They’d start with a round of Paz Margs or Negroni Sbagliato Biancos, followed by whatever bottle of wine the waiter recommended, and share some small plates like burrata and calamari followed by the beloved pappardelle with ox cheek ragù.

What about date night? 

Bon Vivant. 

This was where Carrie was recommended to try her first-ever Sunday Roast. Bon V is the perfect date-night spot with it’s romantic, candlelit vibe and endless options of champagne. She would obviously get a Cosmo while her and her date were sat at the bar waiting for their table, and they would share a bottle of Laurent-Perrier with their roast. Instead of dessert she would opt to try Arran Gold for the first time, and love it. 

Where would Carrie and the girls go to celebrate? 

Nor’ Loft. 

They would opt for Nor Loft as soon as they heard it was a rooftop bar. They would have round after round of Nor Royales, Lofty Spritzes and bottles of (house) champagne while they grazed on oysters and charcuterie. It would be their own little slice of NYC right here in the heart of Edinburgh, and they would love being surrounded by the Old Town. 

Where would they go for late night drinks? 

Bramble. 

The dark, moody vibe and live DJ would attract Carrie and the girls, and they would all looooove being able to say they were drinking in an Edinburgh speakeasy, even if they did struggle to find it and walked by twice before seeing the sign. They would want to sit in that little booth at the left of the bar for a little bit of privacy, but Carrie would obviously be scoping the place out whenever she went out for a smoke. Their first round would be Brambles all round, and then it’d be Martini-time.

And for a dance? 

Stramash. 

The girls would love the fact that it was a different style of music every night. Their favourites would be the jazz and blues nights, but honestly they’re just there to try ceilidh dancing for the first time. 

What takeaway would she get at the end of the night? 

McDonalds. 

Not just because there is a real lack of late-night food options in the city, this would have been her first choice anyway, obviously. 

And just like that, our day with NYC’s most prolific journalist comes to an end - we’ve tried some of the latest work-out trends, visited some of the city’s hottest bars and restaurants, and danced the night away until the wee hours. I’d like to think Carrie would enjoy Edinburgh, but ultimately, she’s a New Yorker at heart - a day would probably be enough.

Chloe Archibald-Ansari