36 hours in London. May 22/23 2015.

Greetings from London –

The story starts with the fact that I had an unused ticket that was to expire and I decided that rather than giving it back to United Airlines, I’d hop over to London for Memorial Day weekend.

Crazy? Maybe.

So after an incredibly intense Thursday, beginning with being deposed for a lawsuit involving a van hitting a pedestrian (who was in the crosswalk and walking with the light in her favor), moving on to facilitating a meeting at the San Mateo County Office of Education, I dashed to SFO to catch a nonstop flight to Heathrow. Plane left at 7:30 p.m. and I arrived on Friday around 2:30 p.m. Must admit that I’m pretty spoiled about travel given my high status with several airlines so this was the first time in many years when I haven’t been upgraded into Business Class. I was first on the upgrade list, but no seat came through. It was fine, although the comfort of having a seat that lies flat like a bed, and getting attention on the plane was sorely lacking. Anyway, arrived safe and sound.

Immediately took the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then taxi to the Threadneedles Hotel (located in the one-square-mile of the City of London). I chose Threadneedles because it’s affiliated with Marriott and I had a lot of points. I feared it would be a typical Marriott and I generally shy away from American chain hotels when traveling. But Threadneedles is actually quite nice — located in a former bank building with very high ceilings throughout and a wonderfully huge stained glass dome in the center of the lobby. I believe the dome is from about 1850. The hotel is sort of eclectic old and new. Rooms are large and very “connected” — so I’m a happy camper. And the location is great.

Dashed inside the hotel at about 4:30 — just enough time to shower and head to Borough Market to meet for two hours with a professor from Coventry University (who I met when I spoke at a symposium there in November). We met at Arabica, a bar and restaurant (where I was scheduled to have dinner at 8:30 with Mike’s niece and also my god-daughter). So off I went. Good conversation and then between drinks and dinner Emma (Mike’s niece) and I took a stroll to the Shard. It’s a 95-story skyscraper designed, I believe, by Renzo Piano. It’s part of the London Bridge area development. It’s more than 1,000 ft. high — tallest building in the EU — and includes restaurants, apartments, viewing floors, offices, shops.. their idea of a vertical city. It’s sort of a glass pyramid. I believe that it is owned by the government of Qatar! We went up to the 32nd floor where one of the bars is located and where we could take in a really great 360-degree view.. Then we walked back to the restaurant.

OK Foodies, here we go..

Dinner at Arabica (Mediterranean sharing plates)… muhummara spread (spiced red peppers with ground walnuts) with pita; chicken and pistachio shish (with lots of cardamom, honey, and some green chilies); lamb with walnut harissa; tabbouleh; heritage tomato salad; and some eggplant dish that had lots of lime and lemon and some other ingredients.. and topped it all off with mouhalabieh (a milk pudding with saffron poached pear and pistachio).. and chocolate covered dates stuffed with almonds. Good conversation and catching up all around amid great food. The restaurant is very modern in design, set in an industrial locale inside a Victorian arch with bricks and steel. Obviously quite hip. After dinner we strolled a bit and eventually took a taxi to the hotel. By now I had been going for about 39 hours..

Woke up this morning and headed to meet Emma and Hem (the fiancé) at the Bank Street Tube Station — hopped on the Waterloo line and then on the train to Richmond where we headed to Petersham Nursery, in Richmond on Thames– A restaurant set inside a greenhouse amid a few acres of greenery and plantings. It’s a Michelin star restaurant.. and you are literally sitting among the plantings.. It was a bit overcast, so it must be delightful when the sun is out. Today was Emma’s birthday, so it was a bit of a birthday lunch. We had several wonderful appetizers including fried borage with chickpeas (squash blossoms); lasagnette with green beans and pesto; john dory; speckled hen cooked with mascarpone, prosciutto, romesco, and a few other things; and a great salad; and green bean side dish.. and for dessert which came adorned with the obligatory birthday candle: a lemon tart and also a cake with elderberry ice cream.. By the way, they were very big on using lemons.. Amalfi lemons.. I assume flown in from the Amalfi coast, but couldn’t really discern any particular taste.

After this, I headed to the hotel to get a sweater (It’s in the 50s and 60s) and then met up with Lara and walked to Spitalfield Market and Red Church street… and then eventually made our way to dinner!!! Went to 40 Maltby — which is a small place (yet another one of these tiny restaurants) where you only have stools, no chairs… and it’s literally located under the arch above which the train whizzes by.. creating the feeling you are inside the station. But the food is great.. we shared several dishes and good wine.. and lots of talk..

And now, I’m headed to bed.. It’s about midnight here. And by the way, to enable me to do all that eating (actually the portions are very very small), I walked about 7 miles (per my app on the iPhone!)

Tomorrow I will work all morning to make up for all this play time.. and then catch up with folks in mid afternoon.. and head to Emma and Hem’s new house in Leyton.

I’m here for just three and a half days.. I get back to the states on Tuesday; straight to the office.

Fern