Blog Archives
Close to 100,000 protest in Women’s March in London

Wow – what an inspiring, historic turnout of protestors across the globe yesterday! London, alone, had close to 100,000 protestors in opposition to Donald Trump’s presidency, which included London mayor Sadiq Khan.
London, I love you!
Brits label the U.S. … incorrectly
Yeah, yeah, we know. Americans don’t know their geography. Europe’s complicated. Brits rule, right?
Ah, maybe not. Buzzfeed.com asked some Brits to label states in a U.S. map and the results were quite shocking. And hilarious! Check out these amazing guesses.
Totnes Cats Cafe
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 favorite country would combine the best of the U.S. and the U.K.”

Gatsby’s ‘extraordinary capacity for hope’ could be useful in Britain, says Sophie Heawood. Photograph: Courtesy of Warner Bros
Check out Sophie Heawood’s column in the Guardian about her favorite parts of the U.S. and the U.K.
She starts, “If you’ve lived between the US and the UK, as I have done in recent years, it can be hard to pin down which country you love more. At times, I yearn to go back and live on the West Coast, where the smiles were wider, the sun was brighter, and everyone believed in the dream of a dream at least. At other times I’m greatly relieved to be in London, with the cold comforts of sarcasm and rain, the reassuring presence of doctors who don’t ask to see your credit card, and the absence of cheerleaders and the NRA. (And cheerleading for the NRA.)”
Too true, Sophie! After returning from vacationing in Disneyland last week, I’m reminded of the bold and unapologetic optimism that surrounds such a place. It’s so American! Read on…
The big (and royal) cheese
What better way to welcome the future king of England than with a wheel of cheese? And not just any cheese but a Westminster William and Kate Royal Addition Cheddar!
The Kitchn.com describes its flavor: “Pleasantly sour milk, a bright lactic-ness, and decidedly cheddary goodness — linger on the tongue for quite some time.” You can get yours at Whole Foods Market for $9.99/lb.
Thanks to Ally for the tip!
Numbers confuse Americans
It’s a simple fact. Numbers confuse Americans in the U.K. Watch and see!
Thanks to @ukyankeedotcom for the lead!
Snow! Then rain! Then sun!
Snow has hit the U.K. big time this week, with as much as six inches in some parts, creating traffic gridlock.
Heavy rains are expected to follow this evening (with flood warnings in effect in the Midlands, the South West and East Anglia), followed then by uncharacteristically warm weather by Thursday. Temperatures are predicted to reach 54 F in the South West, 52 F in London and 48 F in the North, Midlands and Scotland.
Talk about temperamental weather. The only thing missing is the heat wave! Maybe next week?
Return to sender
This week, a Christmas card reappeared in my mailbox – a card I had sent on Dec. 3 to friends in the U.K.
Nearly two months later to the day, it was sent back with a simple “Addressee unknown,” even though the address was technically correct. The only things missing were the post code and county (but honestly, Royal Mail workers are usually amazing super sleuths. I’ve heard stories of mail getting to its correct location in the U.K. with little more than the person’s name, the house name (Brits love to name their house! Things like “Woodlynch” and “Swallow’s Peak” and really anyone can name their house anything in the world they like! Imagine that!) and the post code.
Not sure what happened this time around, but disappointing nonetheless!