Blog Archives
Withnail and I
I first saw Withnail and I my third year of uni (translation: university), while studying abroad in Stirling, Scotland. Released in 1987 about two struggling actors in London in 1969, Withnail and I is one of those movies that never made it big in the US, despite its brilliance.
It remains one of my favorite British films and I share it today simply to urge you to see it, if you haven’t yet. It’s available on instant queue on Netflix.
And while we’re on the topic of lesser-known British movies, do you have any good ones to recommend?
Keep Calm etc.
By now, you’ve seen the “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters everywhere. But did you know that there is a London-based husband-and-wife company called Keep Calm Gallery that sells timeless British prints (as well as designs from up-and-coming designers). Here are just a few pieces from their very British collection.
Popcorn wars
Sweet or salted? That’s the question.
Go to any cinema (translation: movie theater) in the UK and you’ll inevitably encounter the two opposing popcorn types: Sweet (which is similar to Kettle Corn) and salted (which is like our regular popcorn, minus the butter). Butter, at least the last time I went to the cinema in the UK, was not a big factor in the popcorn wars and maybe things have changed since then.
Personally, I’m all about the sweet. It’s quite refreshing these days when I spot a theater in the US that serves Kettle Corn as an alternative to the hot buttered sodium fest (not that that’s a bad thing). It’s still too few and far between.
So are you on Team Sweet or Team Salted?
When life hands you lemons …
The first time I saw this print, I was watching the ever-lovely Emily Henderson makeover the living room of the equally-lovely Joy Cho on Secrets from a Stylist. Watch the episode here!
Joy had a wall full of pictures and prints that she wanted to continue to display in an engaging way and Emily was on the case. This charming print was just one of over a dozen on the wall, but its sunny yellow disposition caught my eye.
After a little online digging, I discovered the print was from the Etsy shop of New Zealand-based designer dearcolleen and I’ve since sent the tea towel version to one sister-in-law in New Zealand and another sister-in-law in England. Gin and tonic is the cocktail of choice in most UK households and we love that tradition. It just seemed like a fitting tribute to our favorite elixir.
As a side note, if you’ve never watched Secrets from a Stylist, you don’t know what you’re missing! Full episodes are available online so you can have your own mini marathon any time you like. With or without gin and tonic.
Lucky Black Cats
Our black cat Poppy, who was named after Jamie Oliver's daughter Poppy Honey, has not been bad luck. Well, except for those who visit us. She hates visitors.
A happy belated Black Cat Appreciation Day, which was Wednesday. As usual, I’m a day late and a dollar short on the greeting, but better late than never.
And here’s one for the Bizarro World files: Black cats, which are traditionally bad luck in the US, are good luck in the UK. People actually seek them out and want to adopt them. It’s actually the white cats that are bad luck in the UK. Welcome to reverso-world.
Affectionate Anglos
If you’ve watched too many episodes of Masterpiece Theatre, you might get the impression that the British are all standoffish and Mr. Darcyish, with their top hats and stiff upper lips.
Not so.
Actually, I’m routinely taken aback by how very affectionate Brits are. They’re always greeting people with a kiss on the cheek, even those they might meet for the first time. That doesn’t happen in America.
And they’re always ending letters and emails with kisses (x = kiss, if you didn’t know). Sometimes two = xx. Oftentimes three = xxx. And even as much as four = xxxx. I’m not talking about schoolchildren. I’m talking about full-fledged adults. This is the way they sign off every letter. It’s downright romantic!
But what about hugs, I hear you asking … Well, what about them?! Brits can hug as well as the next Yank. Check out the new Hug London Facebook page that’s formed post-riots to heal the city. Hosted by Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centers, the community page invites anyone to send in photos of themselves hugging London landmarks. They will be gathering at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow to hug City Hall in London. So much for the stiff upper lip …
Mini Boden is big on style
The Brits have a knack for making lovely, high-quality children’s clothes and Mini Boden is proof of that. I’ve purchased a few items through their catalogue in previous years, but recently Nordstrom started carrying their line in its stores – not in its entirety but the highlights, which is good enough for me. Their fall collection can be pre-ordered now.
Pictured above: Layered Sleeve Tee in Blackcurrant Apple; ‘Bold Print’ Dress in Indigo Giant Flower; Heart Patch Pants (Toddler) in Raspberry Mouse; and ‘Fun Pocket’ Jumper in Aqua
A slice of Toast
Last week, the latest Toast catalogue winged its way from their headquarters in Wales to my home in California and like a giddy schoolgirl, I squirreled it away until I could leaf through it and enjoy it in complete peace (yes, I did have to wait until after bedtime for the kids …).
Toast pretty much puts every American catalogue (well, perhaps with the exception of Anthropologie … mmm, Anthropologie) to shame. I love the high-quality photography as much as their delicious collection of knitwear, structured jackets, capes, scarves, menswear and gorgeous, understated pieces for the home. Take a gander …
Fork and Knife Fare
Ever see the Seinfeld episode where Elaine watches her boss eating a candy bar with a fork and knife?
The first time I ate pizza in the UK, I was reminded of this as I watched everyone eat their pizza with a fork and knife. It doesn’t matter if you’re eating pizza from a Michelin-starred restaurant or Pizza Hut, you don’t use your hands. It’s not a thin-crust issue. It’s not a this-pizza-is-too-flipping-hot issue. I believe it’s an issue of manners.
Speaking of manners, Matthew is frequently horrified when he eats with Americans and finds them doing the familiar dance of cutting up their food — steak, for example — into pieces (knife in right hand, fork in left), only to put their knife down, swap their fork from their left hand to their right and then stab the little pieces with their right. The process is exhausting and inefficient. By contrast, he keeps his knife in his right, fork in his left and cuts each piece, stabs and then eats with his left. No silverware shuffle. It’s the essence of simplicity and actually the way I prefer to eat now. Even when I’m enjoying a Snickers bar.
Speed Cameras & Kodak Moments
In the past two weeks, I’ve had the misfortune of receiving two red-light camera tickets in the post (translation: mail) My offense? Rolling right-hand turns (translation: braking as I approach a lighted intersection and turning right without coming to a full stop), which carries with it the particularly steep price tag of $470 in California. Yes, per ticket. More on that next week.
But my red-light camera story actually reminds me of the first time I encountered this sign in England:
What does this look like to you? Photo opportunity, right?
In the US, we actually have a similar street sign I like to call a Kodak Moment sign.
And it’s a simple way to let drivers know that something beautiful is approaching. Get your cameras ready, folks. Behold the majesty on the side of the road! It’s …
Or maybe ..
And so when I spotted that sign followed by … well, pavement (translation: asphalt) and some overgrown shrubbery, I wondered just what I was missing. I started to debate that particular location’s merits and question how Brits assessed beauty in general …
Turns out, it was simply a UK sign, warning of a speed camera ahead …
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