Dinner was loud and delicious at Yauatcha Soho, followed by an uber-glamorous after party at Disrepute, a subterranean speakeasy that was notorious for scandal and international intrigue during the Cold War.

Today I turned Nicole and Bruce loose to explore Notting Hill and Little Venice without me (in the pouring rain) while I sat (cozily at home) writing a paper about Brexit for work.

I didn’t get nearly enough done, but I tamped down the panic and joined them and another friend (who works at the embassy) for dinner at Berner’s Tavern . . . and of course it was the right thing to do. Not only was it Michelin rated with terrific service and delicious food, but the stunning interior is now one of my favourites in London, and the conversation was just the best. I mean, we had a diplomat, an arts consultant, an economist, and a tech lawyer — all from ordinary origins but widely traveled, cosmopolitan in outlook, and omnivorous in our interests. It was the sort of evening where I felt like I was being the person I want to be when I grow up.