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. “You’re 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.
Rude street names
Ah, Britain! Land of rude street names!
It appears that if you don’t mind living on a street named Crotch Crescent or Slag Lane, you might be able to get a deal on property!
Here are the top 10 streets with the most embarrassing names, along with the percentage of people who voted each name as embarrassing followed by the price of a property on the street and an example of the price of a similar property nearby, courtesy of a study by Needaproperty.com. As you can see, it doesn’t pay to buy on an embarrassingly named street:
1. Minge Lane, Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, 31%, Detached house – £253,389, Detached house in Longfield – £325,000
2. Slag Lane, Lowton, Lancashire, 26%, Semi-detached house – £112,620, Semi-detached house in Fieldfare Close – £141,297
3. Fanny Hands Lane, Ludford, Lincolnshire, 24.9%, Detached house, £157,200, Detached house in Magna Mile, £236,987
4. Bell End, Rowley Regis, West Midlands, 22.5%, Semi-detached house, £126,409, Semi-detached house in Uplands Avenue, £187,027
5. Crotch Crescent, Marston, Oxfordshire, 19.6%, Terraced house, £238,250, Terraced house in Ouseley Close, £280,500
6. The Knob, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire, 17%, Semi-detached house, £245,000, Semi-detached house in Glebe Rise, £249,000
7. Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway, Essex, 10.8%, Terraced house, £177,527, Terraced house in London Road, £166,840
8. Cockshoot Close, Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, 10.1%, Semi-detached house, £286,536, Semi-detached house in Longore, £304,794
9. Cumming Street, Islington, London, 8.9%, Flat, £292,768, Flat in Britannia Street, £358,419
10. Cock-A-Dobby, Sandhurst, Berkshire, 6.5%, Detached house, £456,481, Detached house in Longdown Road, £615,000
A 5,000 year old forest on a beach in Wales
Lest anyone think that Buzzfeed is only good for useless round-ups of top 10 tips and stuff like this, check out this prehistoric forest that has been uncovered on a beach in Wales following all of the storms and gale force winds that have stripped away the sand. These photos were posted to Buzzfeed.
These are ancient oak trees that date back to the Bronze age, between 5,500 and 3,500 years ago.
And I would never have known about this without Buzzfeed!
Steepster
I’ve stumbled upon a monthly tea delivery service called Steepster. Have you tried Steepster?
They provide a collection of five premium, loose-leaf teas from around the world each month (enough for 30 cups of tea). The shipment also includes tasting notes and expert brewing instructions to make the perfect cup of tea.
It’s normally $24.95/month but Living Social is doing a Steepster deal for $13, if you purchase in the next 17 days!
4.1 earthquake in Devon?!
The British Geological Survey (BGS) is reporting that an earthquake measuring 4.1 hit Devon at 1:21 p.m. BST today.
Tremors were felt in areas including Dartmoor, Bristol, Taunton, Swansea, Llanelli, Barnstable, Gloucester and South Molton.
What in the world is going on? I’m still trying to get over Devon images like this. Waves hitting our favorite quiet seaside Devon town of Teignmouth:
And the flooding in Dawlish:
* Sigh *
Classical music piece enhances Roald Dahl’s ‘Dirty Beasts’
Interesting story on NPR yesterday — although children’s author Roald Dahl died nearly 25 years ago, he continues to inspire musical adaptations of his work.
BRITRISH.COM 