February 4, 2012

Chuffed to Bits: The Best British Christmas Movie? – A Love Letter to “Love Actually”

Love Actually

*Warning* If you haven’t seen the film Love Actually, I don’t recommend reading the following, as it’s full of spoilers.  And while we’re on the subject, why haven’t you seen it yet?  It was released in 2003!  Please go watch it.  Posthaste.   Dear Love Actually, It’s … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: British Music Artist on the Rise – Michael Kiwanuka

Several months ago, I ordered a copy of the acclaimed British music magazine, MOJO, to be sent to me in the post.  The particular issue I ordered also came with a compilation CD featuring artists on the London music label, Communion.  Communion is of great interest to me, not only because the … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: Cookies, and Brownies, and Cupcakes – Oh My! Sweet Spots in London to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth

Keep-Calm-Have-a-Cupcake

Okay.  I admit it.  I’ve got a sweet tooth.  To be honest, death by chocolate sounds pretty good to me.  You know that scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, where Gene Wilder is singing Pure Imagination?  You know the one...     Who didn't dream of visiting … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the North: Pregnancy in the UK- The Second Trimester

Our baby at 20 weeks

It has been awhile since I've posted an update on my pregnancy. Things are so busy and I recently took a very long trip stateside, but now that I am back home in the UK and find myself taking a bit more time off my feet, I can finally make a little update! I'm glad I got to take a trip home and … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: Living in the Material World – 5 Things I Learned About George Harrison from the Scorsese Documentary

Recently, I watched George Harrison: Living in the Material World, the new documentary directed by Martin Scorsese.  As a lifelong Beatles fan, I was fascinated to learn more about George Harrison’s life before, during, and after his time with the Fab Four.  If you haven’t yet seen it, I … [Read more...]

Chuffed To Bits: Songs On My Brit Music Playlist – British Music I’m Listening To Now

Music means everything to me.  My friends will tell you that I always have a song in my head and my heart that I'm dying to talk about and share.  Albert Einstein once said, “…I often think in music.  I live my daydreams in music.  I see my life in terms of music…  I get most joy in … [Read more...]

Dispatches from Milton Keynes: Reflections on departing Camphill Milton Keynes

Today will be my last working day at Camphill Milton Keynes.  I can't say that working with adults with disabilities has been harder than I thought it would be.  I knew that it would be challenging.  I knew that it would test the bounds or my patience, and frankly, I think I needed that in my … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: Thoughts on Amy Winehouse

One late Friday afternoon in October of 2009, two American girls visiting the UK for the very first time found their way by bus to Camden in North London.  The rain was sporadic, as it often is in the Big Smoke, and we enjoyed racing through it, finding solace under awnings, a newly-purchased hat … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: Discovering “The Tudors”

I'm the first person to admit that I'm late to the party when it comes to The Tudors.  I'm an HBO kind of gal, and don't have Showtime (which is the cable network that originally aired it here in the States, prior to BBC America showing edited reruns).  But I've been hearing about this … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the North: Pregnancy in Britain- The First Trimester

Baby12weeks

Several months ago I took a sabbatical from blogging, mostly because I found I was well settled and there were very few things that were new to me anymore. Well all that changed in mid-May when I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I'm 13 weeks pregnant today, and already have been … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ Episode 2 – WITH SPOILERS

Once again, this is being posted after the East Coast premiere of the second episode "Torchwood: Miracle Day" and talks about the plotline of the episode. If you haven't seen the episode yet, it's recommended that you do so before reading this post. If you are in the UK, you won't see it until next … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: Week 1 of “Torchwood: Miracle Day” – MANY SPOILERS

Note: I am writing and posting this after the first airing of "Torchwood: Miracle Day" on Starz on the East Coast. If you haven't seen it yet, this post contains spoilers. If you're in the UK, you have a week to wait and it sucks, I know. Please come back and read this after it airs there. I … [Read more...]

Dispatches from Milton Keynes: My first pantomime…Camphill style!

I missed pantomime season around Christmas, but I did manage to squeeze in one panto during my year in England, even if it was a little less traditional.  Directed by theatre master Teo, a group of Camphill residents and coworkers had been working hard on Robin Hood since January.  Six months may … [Read more...]

New Site: British TV Blog – The Tellygraph – The Website for People Who Love British TV

thetellygraph

We've been working hard behind the scenes, prepping this super secret project. Anglotopia has worked with TheTelly.net for a few years now and they approached us about launching a dedicated British TV Blog - they would own it and we would run it for them. We jumped at the opportunity! We've … [Read more...]

Dispatches From the South – Not Like New York

fireworks01

Coming up to the 4th of July now, one of the two holidays that never fails to make me nostalgic for the States (the other is Thanksgiving).  I supposed that’s because, unlike a lot of the other holidays, rather than being celebrated, but in a different fashion, they are totally ignored: no … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the South: London 2012 Olympic Dreams

Preparing for the 100 metre Hop-Scotch relay

I might have titled this post “2012 Olympics-Bound” or something similar, but I didn’t want to be sued.  Seems the UK Olympic committee has copyrighted the term “2012 Olympics” (darn, now I owe them another fiver). (Editor's Note: I'm not afraid to use 2012 Olympics) (Side Note: As I … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: A Spot of Tea – An Ode to a Lovely Drink

My lovely, new tea cup. A girl can dream, right?

Tea is a beverage I’ve enjoyed for much of my life.  I grew up adoring the sun tea that my mother would make, poured over ice on a hot, summer’s day.  As an adult, discovering tea lattes was something of a treat as well.  Side note: Did you know that an Earl Grey Tea Latte, also known as a … [Read more...]

Dispatches From the South – South of Scotland, that is

scotland05

This week, I am reporting to you from the south of Scotland, the very south of Scotland. At the tip of the Mull of Galloway is the Gallie Craig Rock, reputed to be the most southerly point in Scotland. We were staying n Kurkcudbright, which was only 60 miles away, so we couldn’t resist … [Read more...]

Enjoy England Releases Gorgeous and Useful iPhone App

photo (3)

Enjoy England -- the agency in Britain responsible for promoting England to tourists -- has released one of the best British Travel iPhone apps we've seen to date (and we've seen them all). The app features thousands of things to see and do, where to do them, how to get there, and much … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the South: Dances With Ales – Morris Dancing

Morris Men

One of the major differences between living in Sussex and living in Clifton Park is that, while I was living in New York, I rarely ever left my apartment and walked into town to find it teeming with men and women dressed in all manner of strange get-up, festooned in jingle bells and prancing about … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the South – The Latest Expat Must-Have – New Expat Book

What’s the use of having a column if you can’t use it to your advantage once in a while. I don’t have much to say these days because I’ve been busy working on another book. Just for you (yes, you). This book covers the second half of my first decade in Blighty. If you liked the … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the South: A Week of Contrasts

Rain in Britain

It has been no ordinary week. The wedding, as you are well aware, went off with nary a hitch and I was able to sit and watch it in the comfort of my own sitting room (drinking tea out of our commemorative Kate and Wills tea mug) while Jonathan braved jet-lag (as well as a crowd of more than a … [Read more...]

Dispatches from Milton Keynes: Easter at Camphill

Instead of a passion play for Easter, Camphill Community presented, in parts by various households, a story called "The Fourth Wise Man." The story, written only 100 years ago, tells the tale of Artaban, a cohort of the Magi of Christmas fame, who was supposed to join the others on their journey to … [Read more...]

Chuffed to Bits: My Latest London Lessons Learned From a Recent Trip

Photo by Amie Taylor

I recently returned from my third trip to London—my second trip there in the past 6 months. And even though I was only there for a few days this time, it was long enough to make my heart ache once again with a deep and serious yearning for the city and the country I love so dearly. As I sat on … [Read more...]

Dispatches from the South: Tea with Kate and Wills

pub

These are exciting times to be in Britain. In addition to the exhilaration that comes from living on the knife-edge of national bankruptcy, we have a Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games coming up. Oh, and a Royal Wedding. This is a new thing for me (Charles and Camilla don’t count) so I am … [Read more...]

Record-Breaking Britain: Experience Something Special

tanfieldrailway

Record-Breaking Britain: Experience Something Special The U.K. is home to some of the world’s record-breaking wonders, although chances are, not everyone is aware of them. Forget researching cheap holiday deals to far flung destinations; Britain has some world wonders of its own. From … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: Catherine Tate to replace Steve Carell on ‘The Office’? Maybe

She might not have been the Brit that fans thought might replace Steve Carell as the boss in charge of Dunder Mifflin on the US version of "The Office." Heck, many of them have probably not heard much about her. But Catherine Tate has entered the lineup of guest stars on the show's May 19 episode … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: ‘The Thick Of It’ back in 2012

Great news for everyone who's been wondering exactly what Malcolm Tucker would think about the coalition government - we'll get to hear his wonderfully graphic rants in about a year. It's been announced that the political comedy "The Thick Of It" will be back for a fourth series in 2012. … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: See highlights from this year’s Comic Relief special

The British version of Comic Relief is honestly one of the highlights of the year for me, and is something I wish we did full-out here in the US. For about a month, pretty much everyone funny (or not so much) goes out and raises money for the charity, which funds major charitable work in Africa and … [Read more...]

Talking Telly: Report – Katie Price gets £1M US TV deal

I think most Anglophiles have a list of Brits they'd love to see get their own American TV show. I wonder how many of them have Katie Price on that list. Ah well, because reports indicate that she is, once again, going to be on our television screens. Price, also known by professional moniker … [Read more...]

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