Monthly Archives: March 2014
The pitfalls of marrying an American woman/British man
In light of the Gwyneth and Chris Martin split, the Daily Telegraph has taken it upon itself to do some deep digging into the British man/American woman match, which I touched on last week. I absolutely ate it up!
Here’s journalist Sally Peck’s piece, “Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin split: The pitfalls of marrying a British man.”
And here’s writer/comedian/British husband Tom Cowell’s piece, “Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin split: The pitfalls of marrying an American woman.”
Woo! Enjoy š
Dan Croll and “Home”
On “All Things Considered” yesterday, NPR featured British singer-songwriter Dan Croll, a native Stoke-on-Trent resident who has since made himself home in Liverpool. After returning home to see his family in Stoke-on-Trent, he wrote this lovely song “Home,” which just oozes comfy, warm loveliness.
Listen to the full story and watch the full video for “Home.”
The end of Gwyneth and Chris
When I heard that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin were separating after 10 years of marriage, I can’t say that it come as a huge surprise. And yet Gwyneth’s quintessentially Britishness has been so rooted to her marriage to Chris that the idea that that they are “consciously uncoupling” is kind of unsettling.
If there’s anything that I find endearing about her, it is her pseudo-British quality. That properness of her that makes most people haters. I like the fact that she married an Exeter boy and the idea that she became an anglophile and raised her family in England. She is invariably my favorite non-British British person and I’m admittedly a little sad that she could be shacked up in the near future with a non-Brit and unwind herself from the British scene altogether.
Unless she ends up with Robert Downey Jr. because they are just ridiculously adorable together (which is unlikely since he is still married and good for him! Keep that going!) then I don’t wanna know. Certainly, don’t tell me she’s going to Chateau Marmont with anyone on Lindsay Lohan’s sex list. Please.
If you’re looking for me, I’ll be gorging myself on her dad’s recipe for pancakes (which I think are my favorite homemade pancake recipe of all time) with extra maple syrup and mourning the loss.
Do you know how to take the Underground like a Londoner?
Well, first of all, apologies for the radio silence! I have been super busy at work and juggling the being a present parent thing and trying to keep the laundry done and the dishes washed and so on and so on, all while keeping up with watching the latest episode of “Girls.” It’s a struggle, let me tell you!
Anyway, I’m back on board and wanted to share this Buzzfeed quiz, assessing one’s ability to take the Underground like a Londoner. Go on and take it and let me know how you do!
I was very proud to have achieved “Tube Pro” status. “Youāre either a Londoner, or just a great human being. You have a healthy regard for personal space, but also the patience that comes with travelling long distances underground. Well done you.” *sigh*
I’ll tell you once a London Undergrounder, always a London Undergrounder! It’s still in my blood so many years later! (But thankfully my nose is clear and not packed with black soot like it used to be from my daily commute!)
Best-selling music artists by London borough
Love this London map, which lists the best-selling music artist from each borough! Thanks to Tory for the tip!
A radical tea towel
Brits love their tea towels. I’ve blogged about it before.
But now, a British company has given tea towels the radical treatment, featuring tea towels for feminists, vegetarians, liberals and activists. The Radical Tea Towel Company produces tea towels made with Panama cotton, or 100% premium cotton. They will deliver by first class post in the U.K. and by airmail to the rest of the world.
Here are just a few examples!
Happy Pancake Day!
Photo courtesy of Griddle Me This
Happy Pancake Day! Are you having pancakes c’est soir?
I just wanted to share this amazing “Dr. Who” TARDIS pancake that I found on Griddle Me This, a Tumblr site of pancake art!
It’s enough to inspire me to put aside that Trader Joe’s pancake mix and go rogue with some pancake designs (but I suspect the execution will be shoddy …). Happy pancake making!
Best Cumberbatch photobomb
Have you seen this? Benedict Cumberbatch photobombing U2 on the Oscars red carpet yesterday?! Amazing!
Other awesome Cumberbatch finds online:
18 times Benedict Cumberbatch looked like an absolute GOD in a suit. I’m torn between #8 and #15.
A Sherlock-themed cafe in Shanghai. It’s called 221B Baker Street.
A Benedict Cumberbatch name generator. I was Bunsenburner Custardbath.
BRITRISH.COM 