Happy 11/11/13
Photograph: Cate Gillon/Getty Images
Happy Veterans Day … or for the Brits in the room, Happy Armistice Day! A big thanks to all of our veterans for their service and sacrifice.
Very British Problems: The Book
I’ve blogged many times before about my pure unadulterated love for Very British Problems, the Twitter feed.
Now, Rob Temple has rolled out a book, elaborating on their concept beyond the 140 character limit. Chapters include “Repressing One’s Rage,” “Waiter Woes” and “Pavement Pitfalls” — the kinds of real world scenarios that are way too familiar for most of Brits and those sympathizers with British sensibilities. A perfect stocking stuffer!
J. Crew takes London by storm
The J.Crew flagship store on Regent Street in London opens this Friday!
Check out the good looking windows and displays, courtesy of Confetti System, a New York-based design duo consisting of Nicholas Anderson and Julie Ho. Photos courtesy of Daniella Zalcman.
The second season of “The Chase” airs
So I missed all news about “The Chase” when it premiered for the first time in the U.S. in August.
Now the Game Show Network is airing Season Two tomorrow at 8 p.m. Based on a British quiz show, contestants must go head to head against “The Beast,” AKA Mark Labbett, a British trivia quiz master genius with an IQ of 150. The previews are pretty convincing.
Brits and trick or treating
Does this belong in a trick or treat bag to you?
I have this general, possibly misguided, theory that trick or treating is not that big in the U.K. Part of this is based on the fact that I never went trick or treating when I lived in Scotland or London, and never knew anyone who did. Guy Fawkes Night was much more of the thing to do. Granted, that was over a decade ago. Times may have changed. Halloween may have arrived in a bigger way in the U.K. since I’ve moved back to the U.S. Has it?
My husband has an American colleague who moved to London with her family this summer when her husband landed a job there. She commented on how big Halloween was this year, how many kids trick or treated at their house. And then, in nearly the same breath, commented on the amazing items that her kids brought back from their trick or treating adventure in London, which included unwrapped M&Ms and other small, loose, unwrapped, man-handled candies, loose home baked cookies and even a pot of rhubarb yogurt.
Okay, Londoners. Is this weird or the norm? Is this an accurate picture of Halloween, circa 2013, in London? Enlighten us, please!
Happy Halloween!
Are you dressing up and trick or treating today?
I loved these 31 Splendidly British Ideas For Halloween Costumes via Buzzfeed (although I wasn’t sure what #1, 2, 14 and 22 were!).
As for me, I’m going to be an apple (to match my daughter, who’s dressing up as Snow White). Have a wonderful and safe Halloween!
The official royal christening photo, “Family Guy” style
Have you seen this? “Family Guy” has spoofed the official christening photo of Prince George! (And Stewie has taken the place of our young prince…)
Pass the parcel
Last week, my daughter turned 4!
And she had her first big birthday party with her friends. There was a bounce house, a cake with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and princesses on it and a good old fashioned British game for the kids – Pass the Parcel.
I’ve never played the Pass the Parcel before, but the kids loved it. It’s one part Musical Chairs, one part Hot Potato, one part Russian dolls. You’ve got a wrapped present and the kids sit in a circle and pass the present around and around. When the music stops, whoever is holding the present gets to open it! But the present has been wrapped so many times in different types of wrapping (we alternated with wrapping paper and newspaper) that you’re never sure when or who will get to the actual present inside all of the wrapping.
My husband did an awesome job leading the game and he had wrapped the present nearly 20 times ahead of time, so each child who came to the party would have a chance to open the present at least once! You can only imagine the fun of finally getting to the bottom of it – it was a little apron with Paddington Bear on the front from our trip to the U.K. earlier this year and the lucky winner was a lovely 3-year-old girl who quietly beamed when she realized that could open the present and keep the gift!
The 23 most wonderfully Scottish things that have ever happened
I lived in Scotland for two years and it remains one of my favorite places on the planet! And so I really loved this Buzzfeed.com list of the 23 most wonderfully Scottish things that have ever happened. Particularly numbers 1, 10 and 20.
Proud to be British T-shirt
Wear your British pride on your sleeve with this little T-shirt from Skreened.com. It comes in a range of colors and available in junior small to XL (unfortunately no adult sizes… at least for now). $24.99.
BRITRISH.COM 