My Heart Belongs to Scotland – Glasgow and Clan Graham

November 20, 2025November 19, 2025 Mstldelano1 Comment

This is a continuation of my recap of my time in Scotland. After landing in Edinburgh, traveling up to Stonehaven, and enjoying some time at the Aboyne Games, my friend and I journeyed to Glasgow to continue our adventure.

Instead of taking the LNER train, we rode ScotRail. We weren’t able to upgrade our tickets for this leg of our trip, but we ended up with good and comfortable window seats. We were joined by an adorable young married couple – Lola and Hal – on their way to Glasgow for a fun weekend. We had a fantastic conversation and enjoyed the sights as we chugged along for two hours.

We arrived at the Glasgow train station and started the walk to the Maldron Hotel. This was our first time at a modern hotel in Scotland: the hotels we stayed in before (and after) this one were mostly boutique style and more historical. The sleek and modern decor was fun and fresh. We dropped off our bags, freshened up, and prepared to meet our tour group for dinner.

Our tour was hosted by Clan Graham Society, the organization endorsed by the head of Clan Graham, James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose. The tour was organized to commemorate Clan Graham Society’s 50th Anniversary and was coordinated by several members of Clan Graham – specifically, Kate Graham and Kiersten Graham Dick, along with Gordon Graham – and every detail was considered with care. All members of the group, except for a few folks like me, have a connection to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Clan Graham is extraordinarily warm and welcoming, and I joined the organization as a friend of Clan Graham. My friend, who was my roommate for the entirety of the trip, has a Graham-affiliated surname, so she’s a member of Clan Graham and encouraged me to join. I’m so thankful for her encouraging me to become part of the group!

In our ten day tour, we visited sites that were historically relevant to Scotland as a whole, as well as sites relevant to Graham history specifically. Every other day or so, we traveled to another town or city, each one significant in its own right.

We enjoyed delightful meals at the Maldron each day during our stay (we were there two nights). On the first full day in Glasgow, we were supposed to go to the Isle of Arran, but the weather was unfavorable (one of the strongest storms of the summer happened on this day). While the group made alternate arrangements, my friend and I – still quite tired from our time in Stonehaven and Aboyne – decided to sleep in and explore Glasgow in the afternoon instead.

While walking around, we came across many interesting and old buildings that were photo-worthy. But, despite Glasgow being full of gothic, Victorian and art nouveau structures, the city has a distinctly modern, “concrete jungle” feel. It’s undeniably metropolitan energy gives it an edge and pulse that wholly unlike the laidback energy of Edinburgh. To be frank, I love both cities and will happily return many times, if I’m able.

After grabbing a delicious hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolat (complete with chocolate whipped cream rose, no less), we stumbled across Frasers department store, and I became an instant fan. As a lover of the department stores of yesteryear, Frasers reminded me of the kind of stores that are becoming rarer to find stateside. It was so nice to walk in and get an experience similar to Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty or Selfridges. I found an amazing formal gown that I had to purchase, and had a wonderful chat with one of the sales reps at Frasers. I’m so pleased that we stumbled upon this store, because none of the other cities or towns on our tour had a Frasers.

Hotel Chocolat is always a must when in the UK

Once we finished shopping, we made our way back to the hotel. I snapped photos of interesting things I saw on our walk, including Nelson Mandela Place, a street named after the South African former President, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and anti-apartheid activist. I also saw shops and architectural details that I loved.

Snapshot of Nelson Mandela Place street sign

Restaurant I want to try when I return to Glasgow

Before we walked the final block to our hotel, we stopped off at the DoubleTree by Hilton to check out their restaurant, Cask & Clyde. The menu had a fair amount of options, and I found a couple of things that looked good (namely, the soup of the day – lentil – and macaroni and cheese). I also enjoyed an old fashioned while I waited for my food.

I enjoyed my Cask & Clyde experience, and will definitely return when I get back to Glasgow. After we were full, we returned to our rooms and relaxed for a few hours before dinner.

The next day, we loaded our luggage onto the tour bus in preparation for checkout. Our bags stayed on the bus as we journeyed to our first stop on day 2: Mugdock Castle. This was the original stronghold for Clan Graham more than 800 years ago. The castle is now mostly in ruins, but Mugdock Country Park is still an incredible site and well worth the visit. The castle is about a 15 minute walk from the entrance. On the trail to the castle, you will see the remains of Craigend Zoo, as well as many dog owners taking their friendly pups for walks.

When we arrived at the castle, Clan Graham’s chieftain, Richard Graham, presented the caretakers of Mugdock Castle with a 50th anniversary commemorative plate. It was a touching ceremony and I’m so glad I got to witness it. Inside the castle, there are a number of Clan Graham artifacts, including a number of pieces emblazoned with royal crests. The site is a beautiful one that is listed by the Scottish Tourism Board. While the day was misty and cool, the walks to and from the castle were refreshing and picturesque.

Sign depicting the original structure of Mugdock Castle

Mugdock Castle timeline and sketch of James Graham 1st Marquess of Montrose

Closeup of crest which roughly translates to “Royal and United as One”

History of persecution of suspected witches in Scotland

Biography of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose

We returned to the main entrance building and warmed up with lentil soup, sandwiches and coffee and tea. The guides graciously answered our questions and gave us a delightful end to a fantastic day at Mugdock.

Chuckling with the professional actor outside of Mugdock Castle

We boarded the tour bus and made our way to the next city on our tour, Stirling. However, we stopped momentarily at Loch Katrine, then followed that with a later stop at a local shop which had some highland coos in a neighboring field, and I got the treat of a lifetime when I was able to feed those sweet coos!

Stop near the Trossachs and seeing highland coos

This full day of activity was only a glimpse of the magic to come on my Scotland vacation! I’m excited to share with you the next part in a few days, where I will discuss my time in Stirling. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!

books · career · writing

Writers Wednesdays – August Writing Accomplishments

September 7, 2022September 7, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Writers Wednesday! I’m happy that I’m finally entering the period of my Four Months, Four Goals challenge (if you didn’t read that post, it’s linked here). To briefly recap, I’ll be spending the next four months hitting a single major writing goal for each month, then coming back to share my accomplishments as they are achieved. My focus is publishing the book that I’ve been working on for the past couple of years (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) But, in order to make that happen, I had to get clear on what my next steps are, so I can move definitively in the direction of my goals.

That being said, my August writing accomplishments were great, and I’m pleased with what I got done during the month. I found some information I needed to redo two portions of my book: I had written two examples to illustrate points that I made, but I wanted better suited examples. I easily found better examples to use, and these incorporated seamlessly into the outline. I’ve also been editing other portions of the book: rereading various sections and ironing out the kinks in the verbiage and clarifying anything that didn’t flow well.I love the progress I’m making, and I’m excited to see how much more progress I’ll make in September!

That’s it for today. I’ll talk to you all soon: take care!

health

Fibro Friday – National Pain Awareness Month

September 2, 2022September 2, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Fibro Friday! Yesterday kicked off the beginning of National Pain Awareness Month, an observation that I was completely unaware of until a couple of weeks ago. I am using this time to explore the stories shared by other people dealing with chronic pain conditions. I’m also reviewing the resources being shared in various chronic pain spaces.

I’d guessing that most of you are already quite aware of chronic pain: after all, you’re reading a Fibro Friday post! But, if you’re still unsure why a Pain Awareness Month would be needed, I have a few insights that may clarify why this observation is still relevant. For starters, more than 20% of Americans have experienced chronic pain, and it disproportionately affects women, people struggling with poverty and unemployment, and other traditionally disadvantaged groups. Chronic pain is also the #1 reason for doctor’s visits in America, and the pain can severely limit quality of life for those suffering with it. The current chronic pain situation is widespread but poorly understood.

One great resource that I saw is posted on National Today. This post has some great, bite-sized facts about chronic pain, and can be a solid introductory resource for those unfamiliar with chronic pain and its effects (making this an excellent post to share with oblivious friends, family, and even employers). If you’ve had a hard time explaining the effect of your condition to the people in your world – or, if you have struggled with understanding the symptoms that you’re experiencing – this article may be helpful.

I hope that you take some time this month to find out more about the effects of chronic pain, as well as lending support and connecting to those that suffer from chronic pain conditions. I plan on taking some time to learn more as well as lending my voice to the discussions surrounding chronic pain.

That’s it for this week. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all soon!

beauty · hollywood glamour · life curation · style

Style Chat – How I’m Using The Four Essence System, Pt 2

September 1, 2022August 28, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

We’re discussing Style Thoughts by Rita’s Four Essence System again, because I’m fascinated by how this system explains the energy and soul behind personal style. There are four tools within the Four Essence System (I’ve already discussed tool # 1 here). Today, I’m on to Tool # 2 – Archetypes. The section of the video that broadly talks bout archetypes is found at minute 3:33.

It’s not lost on me that I just discussed the podcast Archetypes with Meghan last week. I suspect Archetypes – as a broader concept – is a theme we’ll be seeing discussed extensively on the Internet for months to come.

Anyway, I’m exploring archetypes that fit my Right-Up essence. This quadrant contains women that tend to have a regal energy, that can run the gamut from intimidating to adorable. The keywords for Right-Up women that resonated most with me were Luminous, Refined, The Sun, Effort, Persona and (in my mind) Glamorous. Building upon those keywords, I took a look at the archetypes to see where I fit in. Fortunately for me, Rita has already posted a video explaining the five archetypes within the Right-Up quadrant.

The archetypes for this quadrant are the Role Model, the Icon, the Priestess, the Power, and the Playful Dame/Princess. I knew, immediately, that the Playful Dame/Princess did not suit me: I don’t have the girlish energy needed to pull off this archetype. The next archetype I struck off of my list is the Power: while I do feel energetically powerful, I don’t think this is an energy that I project well out into the world. My friendly Southern nature makes it hard to have the intimidation needed to embody this archetype well.

The process of elimination left me between two archetypes: the Icon and the Priestess. I most resonate with Icon, because there is a level of mystery and ceremony with the Priestess that doesn’t suit my personality and energy. When describing the Icon, Rita says, “Her style is an extension of her mission in the world”, and, “the main thing […] is this willingness to be seen and have this comfort with your power”. As someone who has studied personal style and is constantly implementing strategies to refine and perfect the image I want to communicate to others, I can confirm that I use my style as a calling card for my mission, and I also use it as a support when communicating who I am to others.

In short, the Icon is ME! I love this archetype and I enjoyed how Rita emphasizes that the celebrity examples she uses in her videos aren’t there to show anyone “what to wear” for their archetype, but to determine the role that personal style plays in their lives. It’s this desire to understand how style supports us that drives the need to uncover our archetypes, and I’m thankful that Rita has created such great content that explains these things in depth.

That’s all for today. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

books · finance · reading list

Writers Wednesday – What I’m Reading

August 31, 2022August 28, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Writers Wednesday! Today, I’m sharing the book that I’m reading for the next couple of weeks, and I’m already looking forward to giving you my review in the near future.

The book I’m currently reading is Start Late, Finish Rich by David Bach. I’ve already praised David Bach on this blog (Smart Women Finish Rich was a gamechanger!) And it’s been a while since I did a deep-dive into Bach’s material, so it overdue for a read (and some rereads).

I’m looking forward to gleaning some tips that I can share over here, and finding ideas that I can incorporate into my own plan for financial freedom. While I’ve made some great choices over the past few years, I’m always refining and adjusting my plan to better suit my current and future circumstances.

In my opinion, your plans for financial freedom should be a living document (for lack of better verbiage). These should evolve, grow and adjust as you mature and discover things about yourself. So, learning what a later-executed plan looks like is a great idea, as even those that prepared well for older age may find that they need to pivot and make drastic changes at any point.

That’s it for today’s post. If you’re familiar with David Bach’s work, I’d love to hear your thoughts below. Other than that, I look forward to chatting with you all tomorrow. Take care!

*This post contains affiliate links*

life curation

I Did A Wheel Of Life – What I Learned

August 30, 2022August 23, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

One of my favorite YouTubers-turned-podcasters, Francesca Amber (I told you all about her Law of Attraction Changed My Life podcast before, over on this post) mentioned in one of her podcast episodes that she did a wheel of life for assessing which areas of her life were strong, and which areas could use some improvement. For those that are unfamiliar, a wheel of life is basically a pie chart, with each slice of the pie representing different areas of your life (family, love, career, friendships, health, etc.,). It has been used in a variety of disciplines in order to determine overall life balance.

Anything related to self-development and lifestyle balance is right up my alley, and it has been a long time since I completed a wheel. So, naturally, I decided I should do a wheel of life, too. I got my wheel of life template from Positive Psychology, and I liked that the “pie” has concentric circles, so that each slice has ten bars in it, representing, on a scale of one to ten, how well a particular area of your life is going. I find that quantifying my satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) is beneficial in exercises such as these.

I completed my pie, and I’m really happy to tell you all my results! My strongest areas are personal growth and learning, career and work, and spirituality. My weakest areas are partner and love, health and fitness, and community. It was helpful to have pictorial that demonstrates where I need to focus and improve. I’ve been focused on meeting people and growing my network, which took a major hit when I stopped commuting to DC and socializing as I used to. Health is always an area for improvement, given my chronic illness. But I’m really happy that even the lowest areas are still higher than they were a few years ago. Yay for progress!

Have you done a Wheel of Life before? What did it teach you?

culture · food · international · life curation · luxury · relaxation · travel · wine

My Time in Spain Part 1 – My Time In Malaga

August 29, 2022August 24, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Hi friends! After spending a few days in Portugal (including taking in incredible sights around Lisboa, touring Sintra National Palace, time at Rock in Rio Lisboa, dinner at Hotel do Chiado’s rooftop bar, Entretanto, and an unexpected viewing of Sarah Ferreira’s art, I was off to my next stop. I flew TAP Air Portugal from Lisbon to Malaga, Spain, to embark on the next leg of my adventure.

I arrived in Malaga and was taken by private car to the town of Benalmadena, a beachy stretch a little less than two hours from Granada. I stayed at Hotel Best Siroco, a darling resort that offered all-inclusive packages as well as standard lodging. The hotel was beautiful, and the weather was divine!

My hotel was a short walk away from the beach and some fantastic local eateries. There was also some fantastic art and gorgeous flowers everywhere I went.

One beer, a good tan, some sangria, and many tapas later, I can confirm that Malaga is a must-see for people who love good food and lots of sun.

This one little town in Spain is such a jewel, and I can’t wait to return!

career · health

Fibro Friday – Real Talk About Telework

August 26, 2022August 22, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Fibro Friday! I’m in the midst of updating my routine to reflect the inevitable season change that is right around the corner (and that I’m feeling already!) so I’ve been laying low. That being said, I created a video a while ago about telework. I’ve meant to write about telework over here before, but I never quite had the words . . . Then I realized that some stories are best told via video. So that’s what I did.

As someone who had fragile mental and physical conditions, I did feel a bit of discomfort sharing how vulnerable I felt during the worst of my fibro experience. But if my story can help someone else feel less ashamed of their journey, then I’m glad to share it.

That’s all for today. Continue taking care of yourselves, and enjoy your weekend!

life curation · reading list

Archetypes Is Here!

August 25, 2022August 24, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

One of my favorites, Meghan Markle, has finally launched her podcast, Archetypes. Her special brand of intelligence, charm and courage will now be available to us an hour-long podcast episode each week.

Pardon me while I squeal!

When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled Archewell Foundation, and its main vehicle for connection, Archewell Audio, I was thrilled. In fact, I wrote about my excitement over this development in a blog post. Now, little more than a year later, Archetypes with Meghan is here, and it promises to discuss the labels that women experience and how these terms – and the perception of these labels – can hold women back. Spotify describes this as a, “refreshing and dynamic” podcast, and I completely agree.

This is exactly the kind of content I was expecting from Archewell Audio. Mature discussions, exploration of concepts that are commonly disregarded, and a glance into the warmth and brilliance possessed by both Harry and Meghan. The first episode features none other than the great tennis player Serena Williams, who recently announced her transition into the next chapter of her professional career. The conversation was a refreshing telling of Serena’s story in her own words, and her own complex relationship with the term “ambition”. The discussion was lively, full of wisdom, and gave me an even deeper appreciation for what “ambition” looks like and why we should want to have it.

Some key takeaways from this first episode of Archetypes are:

Don’t put your fears on your children. Serena commented on how her fear of heights and open water aren’t fears of her daughter, Olympia. Serena stated that she didn’t want her personal limits to impact how her daughter interacted with the world, and I loved hearing her perspective on this. It was unexpected to hear Serena, a powerhouse on the tennis court, admit to feeling fear. This was a crucial turning point in further humanizing her, in a world that has happily denied her humanity throughout her career.
You get your biggest wins when you are your most authentic self. Serena went on to describe how certain points of her career made her feel the pressure to be like others and show up inauthentically. Then she circled back to what it feels like when she shows up as herself and how that is a truer indicator of success. Aside from how she shows up professionally, I find her most incredible when she’s just being herself: sweet, a little shy, but self assured and clear on where she’s going.
You don’t have to “retire” – you can choose to evolve instead. The word “retirement” is loaded: it generally implies a ceasing of any pursuits aside from domestic tasks, family time, and (if you’re lucky) travel. But using the word “evolve” indicates that the energy is shifted from one area to another area of equal intellectual intensity. It doesn’t indicate that Serena plans to stop, but to wander to her next destination, on her own terms. “Evolve” has a more empowered connotation than “retire”, and love that for her.

That’s my impression of the jewel that is Archetypes! I’m looking forward to more episodes, and sharing powerful takeaways as I listen to each episode.

books · business · writing

Writers Wednesdays – Why It Takes Me Forever To Publish A Book

August 24, 2022August 21, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Writers Wednesday! Today’s topic is was a question that I posed to myself recently, after feeling frustrated about the timelines for my works in progress (you can see my writing goals from now to December in this post). I find myself with a great idea, which I develop – sometimes to the point of completion – then there is this extraordinary “dead period” that happens once the work is done.

I had to ask myself, “Why does it take me forever to publish a book?” This isn’t referring to my children’s books, which are fairly simple and can be completed once I have enough photos that aren’t protected by copyrights. This is talking about my original works, which I’ve already finished writing and that seem to take FOREVER to get to the point of publishing. These should be ready to publish quickly, but they always appear to be stuck in the queue for longer than I think they should be.

As I asked myself about why it takes so long, it hit me: I’m stuck in analysis paralysis when it comes to publishing. I am constantly running various scenarios in my mind, and, as a result, very little tangible progress is made. I often find it much easier to blog, since these are short little glimpses into my daily life and passing thoughts. But book writing and publishing? I overanalyze to the point of ineffectiveness.

I would normally put forth a challenge to myself at this point, but, realistically, I’ll likely feel paralyzed every time I publish, regardless of how illogical it is to feel that. All I will vow to do is to try and remember to come back to this post the next time the analysis paralysis hits me. Maybe if I remember this post, I’ll be able to summon enough courage and reasonableness to move past my overthinking and to just leap into publishing. Only time will tell if I take my own advice, right?