The Windham Women reunited! Our beloved friend, Payton, came to visit for a whole week, and we made sure to give her the full London experience, from 90 minute rush hour commutes to Digestive biscuits and tea to walking everywhere (her shin splints can attest to that).
Monday 10/30 - Far Too Much Shredded Chicken
Zoe woke up early Monday morning with plans to pick Payton up at the airport and escort her back home, but she was rudely suprised with a mild case of what we think was food poisoning (yay for weak stomachs!). Catja found Zoe sitting on the bathroom floor and told her she would not be leaving the house. She then texted Payton exact instructions on how to get to our flat and asked Hebe and Lucy to help take care of her stubborn best friend. To Zoe’s luck, we live with two nurses who kindly sprung into action and helped Zoe get back on her feet. By the time Payton arrived at our house, Zoe was recovered and ready to go for the day. Zoe made Payton a lovely peanut butter sandwich and they headed out to Tesco.
Along the way, Zoe and Payton caught up about all things post-grad and Pennsylvania. They absolutely zoomed through the shopping trip, with Payton to help carry the milk that usually weighs down the basket and causes severe delays in Zoe’s Tesco shopping mission.
Once back at the house, Payton and Zoe began cooking up some delicious barbeque pulled chicken sandwiches, potatoes, and broccoli, which would be our dinner for the week. Payton spent almost two hours shredding chicken (I (Zoe) am sooooo sorry about that) while Zoe made the rest of the dinner. In the end though it was worth it because the food was delicious. We spent the rest of the evening catching up with Catja after a long day at Roehampton!
Payton’s review of the day: Zoe’s regular trip to Tesco, but with a Payton to ask a million questions along the way. Also if you try to shred 6 chicken breasts with your hands it will take an incredibly long time.
Tuesday 10/31 - “That’s it? It’s so small!”
Zoe and Payton headed into the city to meet Nick for a little adventure. When they arrived at Victoria Station, Nick said he was still far away, so Zoe took Payton on a walk through the major sights of central London. We walked by Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Eye (the only three tourist sites Payton could list) on our way to Waterloo. When they walked up to Big Ben, Payton pointed and said, “What’s that?” Looking at her in complete confusion, Zoe replied, “Big Ben!” to which Payton responded, “That’s it? It’s so small!” So much for trying to show Payton London’s amazing sites I guess! Payton had a similar reaction to the Eye, which she found incredibly underwhelming, although we all kind of agree on that one. Payton and Zoe then headed to Gail’s to meet Nick for a quick bite to eat.
Catja went to class early in the morning and ran from the studio to Barnes Station and hopped on the first train to meet everyone in Waterloo. She walked into a Gail’s near the London Eye to find Zoe, Payton, and Nick laughing about the mouse that died under Catja’s bed. Dead mice aren’t funny, but Catja going a week thinking that she smelled bad and spraying Febreze while laying in bed at 2 a.m. is comical. RIP David the Mouse though, he deserved a better life.
We walked from South Bank to UCL campus in the rain, which was a 2.5 mile walk that hurt more than usual since Zoe and Payton walked a lot in the morning, Nick was carrying his heavy bags, and Catja’s quads were dying from a tough modern/jazz class that morning. It was a fun journey though as we walked by Christmas Markets being set up along the water and caught up about all our lives post-Conn.
Finally, we found a Caffe Nero to rest and dry off. We got the best hot chocolate to warm up, and Payton even got ice water for the first time! She was very upset by the lack of still water with ice in British cafes and restaurants, so this was a big win. Zoe went to class at 5, and Payton, Catja, and Nick said goodbye at Euston Square tube station.
Catja prepped dinner for when Zoe got home later that night, then we had a chill movie night at home. 10/10 recommend What’s Your Number with Anna Faris and Chris Evans.
Payton’s review of the day: NICK! We love Nick and I missed his sass and humor so very much. Also lol because I apparently do not know any British tourist places so please don’t ask me to point out Big Ben.
Wednesday 11/1 - “The rain will stop soon!”
We all woke up early and took the train to Kew Gardens for a lovely fall walk. Unfortunately for us, London decided to hit us with some quintessential weather and pour down rain. When we arrived at the gates, the woman assured us that “The rain will stop soon!”...it did not. Later, we realized it was probably Storm Ciarán causing the heavy rains, so that’s on us for not looking at the weather reports. Despite the heavy rain, mud, and our clothes being completely soaked through, we still enjoyed walking around the gardens and seeing Queen Charlotte’s Cottage. As we walked toward the exit, the rain finally let up and we saw a gorgeous rainbow that momentarily erased our cold and damp spirits.
We then headed to a cute cafe by the gardens for lunch (thank you to Payton mom for lunch!). The lunch was tasty and allowed us to dry off a bit before headed outside again. Before parting ways, we stopped by Tesco to get some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, as that was what we were all craving for some reason (Zoe blames a lack of Halloween candy). Zoe then headed into central London for class and Catja and Payton made their way to Roehampton.
Catja had a quick dance lab seminar, then Payton had the enormous pleasure of experiencing Catja’s 90 minute commute home during rush hour. It was unpleasant, and Payton witnessed Catja’s attempts to meditate with her eyes closed when she gets crushed against the wall. But we survived! We met Hebe at home, had some quick dinner, then headed to Harlesden for a games night with our new friends.
Payton got to meet Hebe’s boyfriend, Luke, and his childhood besties Ethan (also his flatmate) and Callum (who lives in Iceland but visits often). Catja helpfully introduced Payton as “the love of her life” to the boys, which was very confusing because she later found out they were all very confused as to how we actually knew each other. Zoe had to explain to Callum later that we met at uni and hung out all the time.
After class, Zoe made her way to Ethan and Luke’s for games night, stopping at home to grab the painting she and Catja made for their living room. Ethan and Callum had invited them to watch the Rugby World Cup semifinal with England a few weeks before, and they learned about “crafternoons” and Zoe and Catja’s artsy hobbies. Ethan talked about an empty space above the TV that they wanted to fill with art and asked if we could make a painting that “captured the essence” of him, Callum, and Luke’s friendship. We had literally known Callum for less than 24 hours at that point, but we were up for the challenge.
With Hebe’s help and insight into their longtime friendship, we settled on a landscape of the Peak District with three pairs of hiking boots. Zoe and Catja had surprisingly never collaborated on the same artwork before, so this was a really exciting project for their friendship too. We got Hebe’s approval of the final product, then presented it to the boys as a thank you for welcoming us and making us feel at home in a new city. An ode to friendship, old and new!
Payton hit it off with everyone right away, and she and Hebe bonded while teaming up to play Articulate. She and Ethan bantered about her refusing to give into his British hospitality because she always got up to fill her own water glass. When she said she didn’t like tea but sometimes liked a chai latte, Ethan held up a box of masala chai and said, “P-Money, I can make you masala chai! Masala chai!!” It was a very wholesome night, and we walked home in the rain with huge smiles on our faces.
Payton’s review of the day: I never thought I’d see the day but there I was, intentionally staying in the kitchen and supporting the patriarchy just to make Ethan mad. Sometimes a girl just wants to be helpful and get her own water I guess.
Thursday 11/2 - These boots were made for walking… and walking… and walking
We woke up to a text from Hebe at 9:30 a.m. asking if we were home because the pest man wanted to come for one last check. We quickly got ready and cleared our space for him to check the traps, which were no longer useful since we had disposed of our furry friend weeks before. Lucy text saying she’d give us £5 if we got him on our height chart, and Catja’s competitive gene kicked in full force. For context, we bought chalkboard decals for our kitchen and used the extra pieces to make a height chart for us and our guests on a random narrow bit of wall. It has now become a colorful focal point in our living room.
James the Pest Man came in a jolly mood, and Catja had a lovely 20 minute chat with him about his life. She kept him talking so she could brainstorm how to casually ask if he wanted to join our height chart. After hearing about how he got a kiss from a girl in his youth in exchange for a pony ride and his wild adventures at Glastonbury decades before, Catja asked him if he’d like to sign their “guest book.” He took one look at the height chart, laughed, then excitedly picked his favorite color (red) chalk pen to sign his name. Payton emerged from hiding in the bedroom and was baffled by the conversations she overheard. Catja’s still feeling the high from her success.
After a thrilling morning, we took the train to Charing Cross and took Payton on our go-to walking loop from Trafalgar Square to the Mall to Buckingham Palace to St. James Park to the Old Admiralty Building to 10 Downing Street to Westminster. Payton almost didn’t recognize Big Ben again, and he must be getting offended at this point. We then walked along the riverside to Tesco to introduce her to the joys of a meal deal and ate in the courtyard between KCL Strand campus and Somerset House. Next, we walked to a charity shop and perused the clothing and home decor inside.
Later, Zoe headed off to class, and Payton and Catja walked back down south to the Aldwych Theatre to watch Mamma Mia! Catja had accidentally bought tickets for the wrong day, so Payton graciously bought them the last few remaining tickets. Apparently, they were much less expensive than Broadway tickets, so it was a bargain for an amazing show! We danced the night away, then we discussed how surreal it was to hear Donna with a British accent while we took the Tube back home.
Payton’s review of the day: More walking. I was actually afraid but Zoe took pity thank God. No shade but Buckingham Palace is not very palace like. Really more like a fancy prep school or something. Payton and Catja became dancing queens for the afternoon. With British accents of course.
Friday 11/3 - “I have two friends, I listen to them like the Bible!” -MP
After breaking another glass that morning, we headed off to B&M to get some thicker glasses, more forks, and a hot water bottle for Catja. It was a quick trip but fun to show Payton around B&M!
We then arrived back home with plans of making tshirts for the Maisie Peters concert later that evening. We laid in the living room for hours embroidering our favorite Maisie lyrics on shirts that resembled what she wore throughout her U.S. tour this fall. Zoe chose “Non-bullshit tolerating kind of girl.” Payton went with “My party, my body, my business.” Catja settled on “I can write you out the way I wrote you in.”
With tshirts completed, we rode the train to Wembley to grab a bite to eat before the show. Catja was excited to see some Filipino food, so she got lechon kawali and Payton and Zoe decided this was their moment to try London Indian food. Although the Indian food was absolutely delicious, it was so spicy that Payton and Zoe were dying by the time they finished their meals. Zoe has an incredibly weak stomach as we have already seen this week, she literally felt like she could breathe fire.
Since we still had a bit of time to spare before the concert, we walked to Sainsbury’s and treated ourselves to a lovely Victorian Sponge Cake, which was honestly sooooo good, would get again. We then headed into the venue, found out seats, and slowly become more and more tired waiting for the show to begin. Finally after what felt like forever, Gretta Ray, the opener, appeared to raise our energy.
Maisie was AMAZING and we all had so much fun dancing and singing along to some of our favorite songs!! The most iconic part of the night had to be when Maisie shared that her boss was her special guest that night and proceeded to bring out ED SHEERAN to sing Lego House. Truly an incredible experience.
We made our way back home after the concert and sat in the living room chatting, laughing, and eating Squashies (Zoe’s new favorite candy) into the late hours of the evening.
Payton’s review of the day: Yes of course, an iconic Maisie concert with a superb surprise guest. But the incredibly spicy food and Sainsbury’s cake truly made the night unforgettable.
Saturday 11/4 - Fawkes, Fireworks, and Frien
Saturday morning we slept in late and left the house on a hunt for bagels. We took the tube to Primrose Hill and stopped along the way at It’s Bagels, a shop that has become pretty big on social media, to get our long awaited bagels. Zoe and Payton got egg and cheese sandwiches and Catja got a bagel with dill cream cheese. We then walked up Primrose Hill, much to Payton’s dismay, and sat at the top enjoying our bagels. We have now decided that we will be trying to find the best bagels in London, so if you have any recommendations, please let us know!
After finishing our bagels, we decided to walk to Camden Market. Once we arrived, Zoe couldn’t tell if Payton was more upset that we had to walk more or that we were surrounded by an ungodly amount of people. We wandered around the market before decided we were done for the day and took the bus back home.
In the evening, we met Hebe’s lovely friends from Bristol who would be joining us for Bonfire Night! For those who don’t know, Bonfire Night is a celebration in England of the burning of Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up Parliament (we know, we were also confused how that’s a holiday). Although the celebration sounded strange to us, we were excited to finally experience a new English tradition that also happens to be Hebe’s favorite holiday.
Together we all made our way to Battersea Park for the celebration. We started the evening by watching them light a massive bonfire that was constructed of wooden palettes towering above the sea of people. Hebe shared that normally they put a scarecrow version of Fawkes at the top, but in recent times that has become increasingly less PC, so they omitted it from this year's celebration.
Next on the schedule was the fireworks display, which we all decided was one of, if not the best, fireworks shows we have ever seen. All the fireworks were synced with an amazing soundtrack and were simply so much more exciting to watch than our silent 4th of July fireworks at home.
We finished off the night by getting some cheesy chips aka fries from the food stand and walking back toward the station in the pouring rain. In order to both eat and walk in the rain, Zoe stood between Catja and Payton holding both umbrellas. Payton shared that Zoe was the smoothest umbrella operator she has seen (I (Zoe) am sharing this because I am simply so proud of this compliment.
Payton’s review of the day: Lots of people, but the massive bonfire and fireworks with an unbeatable soundtrack truly outshined the mundane efforts of 4th of July. Plus, chips with sprinkle cheese can’t be beat. Even if it’s pouring rain.
Sunday 11/5 - Breakfast and Goodbyes :(
After Payton packed up all her things, we went on an adventure to some local grocers to pick up ingredients for a proper English breakfast at the boys’ flat. Catja was feeling all emotional about having to say goodbye, but the iconic trio relished their last few hours together. We ate beans, alphabet-shaped potatoes, sausage, “bacon (it was like a thick slice of ham - still yummy!),” and bread while listening to mellow tunes. It was a rare sunny day, and we basked in the sunlight while we chatted. We also attempted a massive crossword and weirdly difficult spot-the-difference games in the kids' section. Catja also ate her breakfast with chopsticks when we ran out of forks which was an interesting cultural fusion. In true Ethan fashion, he refused to let Zoe use a spoon when the last fork was available. American gentlemen, take note!
We walked Payton to the tube station and said our goodbyes. Catja cried, surprise surprise. Payton told us to take care of each other, and we tried one last time to convince her to return for Luke and Catja’s birthday weekend in January to go hiking up north. Payton loves us but not enough to hike for miles in the winter which is completely fair! But we miss her dearly already, and we can't wait to reunite again. Maybe she’ll remember Big Ben next time!
Payton’s review of the day: I let the men back in the kitchen because while I do like to be helpful, I truly hate cooking (see Zoe’s experience of Payton helping with dinner on Monday). I was super grateful to have some food before my long flight home though!
Lucky Payton did not have to witness the tragic Spurs game on Monday, but we're signing off with high hopes for Saturday despite a lack of solid defenders :/ COYS!
P.S. We love you P-Money!!!
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