For those of you who don’t know, Simone is one of our dearest friends. She went to college with Tiff and then lived with her in NYC before departing on a world traveling adventure (girl LOVES an adventure). These days, she is busy being very smart and working on her PhD. Anyway, she came to see us a little while back, and HERE is her guest blog . . .

Three months have passed since I visited Tiffany and Andy in London (and since they asked if I would write a guest blog about my time with them). While I may not be prompt, I pride myself on being at least somewhat insightful and observant so here goes:

. . . Subway smells just as disgusting in London as it does in the states. Really. Tiffany doesn’t agree with me on this one, and I can just see her hovering in the doorway of one of the many Subway restaurants, breathing in the mingled scents of freshly baked bread and cleaning products just to remind her of the good ol’ USA. Seriously though, I was saddened to see so many Subways - they are everywhere! Why, when you could go to a pub or chippie, get anything you want on toast, or grab something from your neighborhood Waitrose market, would you ever choose to go to Subway? It baffles me. I must admit, at 5 am, as I was wandering to the bus stop to head to the airport for my weekend in Germany with the family, the smell of Subway did remind me of home and was, on some level, a comfort. Maybe Tiff isn’t totally crazy . . . well, never mind.

I had a wonderful time visiting and the McNeils were lovely hosts. We saw all the usual neighborhood and tourist sights but on a slightly different schedule than their other guests, I think. I was technically in London on a grant to do research for my dissertation at the archive of the National Portrait Gallery. It sounds horribly dull and boring when I write it out like that, and I myself thought I would be holed up in a basement somewhere digging through dusty boxes of paper. Actually the archive was recently renovated, thanks to her Majesty [I know this because there was a sign], and the interior is reminiscent of a beautiful old library, complete with wood paneling, tall stacks of books and huge windows. The atmosphere alone made being inside from 12-5 every day much more bearable.

My time at the Heinz Archive was incredibly productive and the staff was knowledgeable and always willing to help. If you suspect you are of British descent, have a portrait you need help identifying or just have a hankering to learn a bit more about those pesky Brits, I highly recommend a visit. Just watch out for the taxis barreling around a sharp curve on the one-way street that you have to cross to get in the door. I nearly perished in the name of art history on a daily basis.

Anyway, back to the schedule . . . I did my best to sightsee in the morning hours or directly after the archive closed. It is also closed on Mondays so I had two full days to explore London. Tiffany and Andy joined me when they could and in the evenings we either cooked a fabulous meal at their flat or went out in search of fine [and cheap] cuisine. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect combination of time spent out and in, working, playing, sightseeing and relaxing.

Of course the highlight of my trip was reconnecting with dear old friends. Tiffany and Andy were such a large part of my life when I was living in New York, and staying with them for two weeks brought back all of those wonderful memories. Kermie and Toby have grown from rowdy kittens into quite lovely & refined cats (OK, maybe Kermie more than Toby) and Tiffany and Andy, while only marginally more respectable than before [kidding, of course], have settled nicely into married life and become quite the world travelers. Tiff pointed out that it was comforting for her to see me making my coffee every morning. Somehow, for her, that was an indicator that although years have passed, some things stay the same and can always be counted on. For me it was a feeling of total comfort from the instant I arrived that stayed with me through the entire two weeks. I had a fabulous time and am so grateful to my hosts and friends. Thank you and see you soon!

Simone might send some pictures if she gets a chance, but in the mean time, here’s a picture of Tiff & Simone on Primrose Hill . . .