“Downton Abbey” cast has been Simpsonized
Adrien Noterdaem has Simpsonized the full cast of “Downton Abbey.” Check it out here!
(And if you keep scrolling, you’ll see the Simpsonized versions of characters from “The Wire,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Luther” and more!)
Totnes Cats Cafe
Photo credit: Driftwood Vegans website
Cat cafes have taken Japan, Hong Kong, Moscow and Vienna by storm. But I’ve just discovered that the U.K. has its first cat cafe, a “feline therapy lounge” serving teas and coffees in Totnes, Devon. It’s not a BYOC (bring your own cat) facility. Instead, it’s a place where you are invited to spend quality time with resident cats and unwind with a spot of tea.
File this one under “Only in Totnes,” but the concept sounds pretty purrfect! Have you ever been to a cat cafe?
“My Blackberry is not working” comedy sketch
So this comedy sketch from Ronnie Corbett and Harry Enfield is making the rounds again – and it is still funny!
For the non-Brits in the room, the only things to note is that Orange is a mobile phone company in the U.K. and I had to Google “dongle,” which probably has nothing to do with nationality and more to do with my lack of techy lingo.
Anyway, go forth and enjoy!
Anthony Hopkins’ love letter about "Breaking Bad"
I’m pretty sure that I’ve blogged before about my obsession with “Breaking Bad.” It is the Best Show in the History of the World (in my book)… and apparently, this is where Anthony Hopkins and I have something in common.
Check out the letter that he wrote to Bryan Cranston, as reported by Gawker.com:
Dear Mister Cranston.
I wanted to write you this email – so I am contacting you through Jeremy Barber – I take it we are both represented by UTA . Great agency.
I’ve just finished a marathon of watching “BREAKING BAD” – from episode one of the First Season – to the last eight episodes of the Sixth Season. (I downloaded the last season on AMAZON) A total of two weeks (addictive) viewing.
I have never watched anything like it. Brilliant!
Your performance as Walter White was the best acting I have seen – ever.
I know there is so much smoke blowing and sickening bullshit in this business, and I’ve sort of lost belief in anything really.
But this work of yours is spectacular – absolutely stunning. What is extraordinary, is the sheer power of everyone in the entire production. What was it? Five or six years in the making? How the producers (yourself being one of them), the writers, directors, cinematographers…. every department – casting etc. managed to keep the discipline and control from beginning to the end is (that over used word) awesome.
From what started as a black comedy, descended into a labyrinth of blood, destruction and hell. It was like a great Jacobean, Shakespearian or Greek Tragedy.
If you ever get a chance to – would you pass on my admiration to everyone – Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, R.J. Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Steven Michael Quezada – everyone – everyone gave master classes of performance … The list is endless.
Thank you. That kind of work/artistry is rare, and when, once in a while, it occurs, as in this epic work, it restores confidence.
You and all the cast are the best actors I’ve ever seen.
That may sound like a good lung full of smoke blowing. But it is not. It’s almost midnight out here in Malibu, and I felt compelled to write this email.
Congratulations and my deepest respect. You are truly a great, great actor.
Best regards
Tony Hopkins.
20 British words that mean something totally different in the U.S.
I really love this list by Big Stock Photo, which captures 20 words that mean something totally different in the U.K. and the U.S.
Simple things like “trolley.”
And “dummy.”
See the full list, which was curated by Big Stock’s British receptionist Ryan Lovett!
(Apologies in advance if you spotted this blog post for a short time yesterday – I jumped the gun and posted it before it was scheduled to go!)
29 people who make you proud to be British
Raise a glass to these unsung British heroes. Each one is deserving in their own special way, from the chap who quoted Homer Simpson on the London Underground sign to the guy who photobombed David Cameron.
See the full list that was geniusly curated by Buzzfeed.
A mini stretch limo?
It sounds like a dichotomy, but a limo driver has supersized his Mini Cooper, transforming it into a 27-foot-long stretch limousine.
Photo credit: Dan Rowlands/Caters News
Will wonders never cease!
“Keep Calm and…”: A slideshow of a meme
The “Keep Calm and …” movement is showing no sign of slowing down! Check this out!
(Note: To start the slideshow, click the image at left or the words “Continue reading,” below. If it moves too fast, you can click the “pause” button at the bottom and advance it one slide at a time with the right-facing arrow.)
If by some chance all this excites you, you can create your own “Keep Calm and” online poster at keepcalmandposters.com or keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk. Both sites let you order actual paper versions of your work; at keep-calm-o-matic, you can also get a t-shirt, a mug, a keychain, or an iPhone 5 case.
At this point, “Keep Calm and” is everywhere. It cannot be escaped. That is all. Carry on.
Lost property at Transport for London
Time Out London published a fascinating story about lost property items at Transport for London. In the last year, 246,241 items were handed in from buses, tubes and black cabs.
That’s …
51,000 books/documents/travel passes
35,000 bags
35,000 articles of clothing
29,000 valuables (purses, wallets, cameras, cash, iPads etc.)
27,000 phones
12,000 umbrellas
11,000 sets of keys
6,000 gloves
5,000 bits of jewelery
National Curry Week!
Today marks the beginning of a yummy week – National Curry Week! Check out TripAdvisor.com’s roundup of best curry restaurants in the U.K.
Personally, the best curry I ever had was in Bradford, England over 15 years ago! It was a little spot called The Kashmir, but remember it being a revelation of the tastebuds (and it was cheap as chips)!
What’s the best curry you’ve ever had?
BRITRISH.COM 