The London Lass: Day 15

Given it was a rare day off for me, due to my indecisiveness over internship options, I decided to go for another run! I went downstairs wearing my Asics, Nike running shorts, and an Adidas top. “I’m going running!” I announced to Sandra.

She just kind of looked at me. “I could have guessed,” she smiled. She’s great. But she also gave me directions to Kenwood, a nearby estate that was previously owned by Mr. Edward Cecil Guinness, first Earl of Iveagh. Does the brilliant brewer’s name sound slightly familiar? Sandra thought I might like to go exploring on the grounds while I did my day’s running.

She knows me so well already! Just as I was spending the day missing the open spaces and tall trees of home, she sends me to this amazing estate with secret hiking trails through wooded areas and runnable paths across open meadows. I got to do a part of my run with an English fox and another piece with a bunny rabbit! It was a slice of heaven amidst the crazy city life to which I am still so unaccustomed, the perfect escape and exactly what I needed for a good workout.

As I’d promised birthday dinner to a friend from school, I showered and made myself presentable after my run and headed out with perfect timing. We met in central London and made our way to my new favorite restaurant in the world. Pierino Pizza Pasta, just outside the South Kensington tube station, is the cutest, most amazing little restaurant in which I’ve ever been. I couldn’t even tell you what I ordered for dinner, but the food was amazing, the staff was so gentle and friendly, and they brought my friend a piece of cake and sang happy birthday to celebrate! If you are ever in London, please go to Pierino’s. You will not regret it.

Note: most restaurants in London do not have takeout boxes. If you do not finish your dinner, too bad for you!

Another note: One thing I am finding and loving more and more about London is the vegetarian accommodation. At Pierino’s and many other places, dinner menus, lunch sandwich boxes and even bags of crisps (chips) and deli items are conveniently marked “v” for vegetarian. Feeding my veggie self here in the city is incredibly easy and wonderfully delicious!

I got home late, but still had to have my cup of tea before going to bed. It seems, in just a few short weeks, the tea has become almost a ritual for me. It’s as though, at the end of the day every day, having a cup of tea just takes all the things that happened in the day – good and bad, crazy and calm – and ties them up in a nice little bow to put away. It leaves a fresh start for tomorrow.