Summer drinks

I like a work summer drinks party.  You end up in terraces, gardens and if it’s raining offices and can have a good look around.  Tonight’s was a party on a roof terrace down a surprising back street in Euston, overlooking the rebuilding that really is going on at the station. I always love a new London view. 

Started the day with an early zoom meeting so didn’t travel up until mid morning.  Took my niece to lunch at a vegan restaurant (Mildred’s) in Soho that has been there for ever but which I’ve never been in.  It’s in Lexington St which is one of the older Soho streets and the stairs inside were pleasingly wonky with a view over a little secret garden of pots out the back.  See extra 

Lily is about to go au pairing and playing her violin in Paris for a year, something I did many years ago. The au pairing, not the violin.  Surprising not what’s changed but how much is the same as she told me she was staying over in a ‘small studio’ above the apartment.  In other words a ‘chambre des bonnes’ - practically a cupboard.  But that’s only nights she’s babysitting, she’s living in a flat with a friend otherwise.   I spent weeks in the CdB and always look up in Paris to see their tiny high up windows. It was lovely to talk to her as an adult,  away from her family, how poised and interesting she is. 

Then a few hours in the office, did a call about production before going to the party. 

It was fun, lots of beautiful canapés that didn’t get eaten because they were just laid out and no one has any interns anymore to hand things round.  This led to a hilarious and slightly horrifying conversation about all the things we’d been asked to do as interns, or near interns.  My most surprising task was making rainbow jelly for John Barton of the RSC - a lifetime skill!