Trying to fit everything in

I’m still trying to work out exactly why I thought it a brilliant idea to arrive in London at 10pm from New York, and then get up for a 9am breakfast the next morning.

I set an alarm for 0730hrs. It duly woke me. I stared at it, turned it off & went back to sleep. Not ideal. Still, in the fifteen minutes left for getting ready when I was finally ejected from my duvet by a concerned M, I managed to scrape together a veneer of professionalism, thanks to high heels, warpaint and curling tongs. Although, if given a few more minutes to get ready, I maybe wouldn’t have worn short shorts, given the knee freezing temperatures outside.

I tripped out of my black cab in Golden Square and into the clean, quiet & empty surroundings of the Nordic Bakery for my breakfast with the delightful features editor of Food Illustrated, who was sitting in solitary splendour. We split a rather good glazed cinnamon roll, the size of a baby’s head, and I sucked down an Americano, chosen for its jet lag beating properties.

As we talked the place started to fill, and by the time we left women in heels and alarming frocks, and shaven headed men talking production deals and scripts surrounded us. Just an hour later than anyone in Manhattan would consider taking a breakfast meeting.

Power walking to Goodge Street afterwards, I cursed the lack of cabs – and the sudden sunshine, as I started to overheat. My shorts started to seem like a clever idea. Meeting number two at a production company went swimmingly well, and it looks like I am now going to be working on my first original television script with an executive producer with whom I know I can collaborate. Whether or not I have any talent for it remains to be seen.

Then it was into a black cab and off to meet an agent who had contacted me recently. She was utterly charming too, so charming I suddenly realised that, unless I scooted out of their meeting room tout suite, I was going to be unforgivably late for lunch at the superb Café Anglais. Of which more later.

So, a good morning in all. As I remarked to a friend at lunch, how could it have been better? I got to spend the morning talking about myself to interesting people feigning interest. Lovely.