Category Archives: Culture
Happy Thanksgiving!
Last November, four turkeys flew into our backyard. Gobble, gobble!
Our Christmas dinner is always very British – my husband does the cooking and it usually involves a roast rib of beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, English trifle or pavlova and it is spectacular!
But Thanksgiving? That’s a whole ‘nother bird. We usually celebrate it with good friends (Americans!) and thankfully, they do the cooking: roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes with little marshmallows, pumpkin pie. It’s a familiar, time-tested formula that I’ve looked forward to with pure giddiness since I was a child old enough to slot black olives onto my fingers and pour the gravy. In fact, my appreciation for this very uniquely American holiday has only deepened through the years.
How are you celebrating Turkey Day today? Have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration!
The happiness survey
How happy are Brits as a nation?
Well, the Office of National Statistics have measured this (as well as other measurements on national well-being of the country!) for the first time – and here are a few findings:
* Just over three-quarters (75.9%) of people aged 16 and over in the UK rated their overall life satisfaction as medium or high in 2011/12 and four-fifths (80.0%) felt that the things they do in their life are worthwhile.
* When asked to reflect on their feelings during the preceding day, over 7 out of 10 (71.1%) people in the UK rated their happiness as medium/ high. In terms of anxiety people felt the day before, 4 out of 10 (40%) reported high anxiety.
* Younger people aged 16 to 19 and older people aged 65 to 79 rated their life satisfaction highest between 7.7 and 7.8 out of 10 and felt that the things that they do were worthwhile (between 7.7 and 8.0 out of 10). Those in middle age (aged 40 to 59) were least satisfied with their lives, reporting a score of 7.1 to 7.2 out of 10 and also reporting the highest anxiety levels; 3.4 to 3.5 out of 10.
Space NK
At the height of the dot-com boom, I used to work for an online communications agency based in Notting Hill. It was a fantastic neighborhood – still is! – and I used to look forward to my walks to and from the Tube station, passing some fantastic shops, restaurants and pubs along the way.
One of my favorite spots was Space NK. I bought my first NARS lipstick there. It was a place way beyond my budget, but an oasis. I haven’t been back into a Space NK for 10 years. This weekend, we took a trip to the Marin Country Mart, a super-chic outdoor shopping area in the same vein as the Malibu Country Mart.
And what in my wondering eyes did appear but a Space NK, stateside!
The minute I walked in, I was met with this fresh smell of candles and clean laundry – it was literally the same smell of the Space NK in London. It was magical. Everything was still beyond my budget, but very fun to browse. Even more magical was the presence of Space NK founder Nicky Kinnaird (Ms. NK herself), in store giving makeovers.
When I left the shop, I felt at least 10 years younger.
Happy Grey Fox Night
Grey Fox night? Don’t I mean Guy Fawkes Night? Well, let me fill you in.
And in a complete utter coincidence, we watched Disney’s “Fox and the Hound” yesterday. My, did I cry. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. It really is quite a lovely little story about the friendship between two unlikely friends, a fox named Tod and a hound dog named Copper in some Southern town where hunting is big. It actually could’ve been set in a pretty British town and have a completely different flavor.
Anyway, it left me quite pro-fox. Until by another sheer coincidence, I read “Chicken Licken” at bedtime, which outlines how a fox manages to lure quite a lot of poultry back to his family’s place for dinner (you know, the whole gang, including Henny Penny, Turkey Lurkey, Ducky Lucky — or not so lucky as it turns out) after they think the sky is falling and are looking to tell the king. No one was ever heard from again. It’s hard to believe this was the same benevolent creature depicted in the Disney film just hours before.
And so, if you feel moved to swap out the usual Guy Fawkes effigy for something more fox-like, well, go ahead. (Sorry, Tod.) Have a happy Grey Fox Night!
London Underground gone wild
Photo credit: I know this great little place in London …
Have you heard about this? Some Londoners are having a laugh covering over the usual London Underground signs with something a little more fun. Check out a few more on Stickers on the Central Line.
NPR covered the story. Have a listen!
Pedoscope, anyone?
See the above contraption? What do you suppose it is? Any guesses?
Well, would you put your foot in it?
My MIL recently told us that this was an actual devise used in shoe stores to provide an X-ray of one’s foot – and indeed to check to see if there was enough room for toes inside a shoe. I kid you not.
Not sure what was wrong with the method of just pushing on one’s toes through the shoe to gauge, but yes. These were used instead. Apparently, they were known as pedoscopes and were popular in the U.K. through the mid-1970s. I’ve never seen one, never heard of one, but my MIL has reported that my husband’s foot was pedoscoped back in the day!
Wikipedia also reports that they were also used in the U.S. from the 1920s through the 1950s until they were outlawed (probably due to all the pesky radiation! What a buzzkill!).
A bed fit for a queen
Hypnos is the only bed manufacturer to supply the Royal Family. This is one of their beds.
You’d think a country with a queen would have a queen bed, but no.
British mattress sizes aren’t the same as American mattress sizes (even though they use many of the same terms – well, aside from “queen”). Their sizes are as follows:
Single bed: Close to our twin size, but a little smaller
Double bed: Close to our double/full size
King bed: A little smaller than our queen size
Super King bed: A little smaller than our king size
Confused yet? Yeah, me too.
Diamond Jubilee memorabilia
Before you think that all the good (and by good, I do mean “tacky”) memorabilia celebrating the Diamond Jubilee is only available across the Atlantic, I humbly submit this thoughtful Queen’s Jubilee collection, courtesy of Cost Plus.
Limited Edition Solar Queen, $19.99
Union Jack Flag Lumbar Throw Pillow, $19.99
First Class Chef Apron, $19.99
London Booth Photo Frames, $24.99-$39.99
Get ’em before they’re gone! And have a wonderful Jubilee weekend!
The Museum of Celebrity Leftovers
Left to right: the piece of bread and butter pudding left by Prince Charles, Michael Winner, and the piece of lemon drizzle cake he didn’t finish. Photograph: Apex
If someone gave me the opportunity to view a leftover cheese and tomato sandwich from photographer David Bailey or some leftovers from bread and butter pudding enjoyed by Prince Charles, I would be all over it. I would be there. First in line with camera in hand.
I’ve certainly become Short Attention Span Lady these days but a museum dedicated to the leftovers of famous British people is just my cup of tea.
It appears that this curious collection exists. It just needs a home, if any like-minded Brit out there would like to step up to the plate.
Kudos and thanks to Ally for finding this!
BRITRISH.COM 