Arrival

Delayed and bumpy, but still a luxurious flight and a quick pass through security at Heathrow. We were met by a lovely Serbian driver in the nicest car (next to Ruby) that I have ever sat in. You know I’m not a car person, but the full panoramic sunroof and the seats that squished into your back were tremendous. Great chat on our way in, and curb service is a pleasure (Heathrow Express is 10x faster).

Richard’s apartment was not available, so we are staying at The Marleybone, conveniently located across the street from Ottolenghi. Yes, I ate three salads (hispi cabbage with chili, eggplant with zaatar chips and Labne and the most amazing butterbean mash with saffron courgettes) while Brad and Kirsten had gorgeous croissants.

Paul met us and we walked to the Wallace Collection to see the Churchill exhibit, wandered Chiltern Street looking at the fancy stores and chatted with the florist at Grandirosa who showed us how to turn the petals to make these gorgeous flouncy roses.

It was 90 degrees, we’d had little sleep, so Brad and I headed back to the hotel for a quick rest and dip in the indoor pool.

The Savoy always plays into our London plans, and we decided that High Tea at 4:00 would be perfect for Day One. It wasn’t crowded (shocking, it’s usually a mad house), the service was courtly and expert, and we really got a chance to languor over sandwiches, scones and cakes (extra coronation chicken, please).

Abi met us after work and we black cabbed it back to The Marleybone for cocktails. Such a sweet hotel with so many nooks and small rooms that feel cozy yet modern.

It was 7:30 PM and it felt like midnight. Brad and I crawled into bed feeling totally happy with our first big travel day.

We played it smart, taking air conditioned cabs and drivers on this ridiculously hot London day. We only logged 7000 steps, but it was plenty.

The sheets are crisp, the room is cool, and I’m sure we’ll sleep. Feeling victorious for being able to do this. The graduate is happy and excited, as are we. So glad we can enjoy this milestone together.