Red Nose Day (March 13)

Today is Red Nose Day here in the UK. It's basically the biggest fundraising event held by the Comic Relief charity.

Comic Relief was launched live on BBC TV on Christmas Day 1985 in response to the famine in Ethiopia. The idea was to raise money while making people laugh. Red Nose Day was created two years later as a special one-day event to help raise even more money for the charity. It's held just once every 2 years in the spring time. Over £600 million has been raised since Comic Relief started and best of all is that all funds go towards charitable projects.

As the name implies, Red Nose Day involves people wearing red noses (like clowns) - which are available in shops everywhere in exchange for a donation. Every Red Nose Day has a different theme and slightly different nose. This year's theme is "Do Something Funny for Money." All sorts of special fundraising events are held, culminating in a telethon night of nonstop comedy (along with moving documentary films) on BBC TV.

America's version of Comic Relief was actually inspired by the British version and founded a year later in 1986. It is most notable for running periodic fundraising events on HBO, hosted by comedians Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg, to raise money for the homeless and others in need.

You can read more about Red Nose Day at www.rednoseday.com

PS (Mar 14): Well, a record £57 million was raised yesterday, beating the previous Red Nose Day (2007) by 41%! And they expect another £20 million to come flooding in after last night's telethon. And this is all despite the current economic crunch. Just goes to show that anything is possible.

British Pie Week (2-8 March 2009)

Three weeks ago we had National Chip Week. Now we have British Pie Week. As with fish and chips, the Brits are crazy about their pies, especially savory meat pies. Steak and kidney pies, pork pies (served cold), and Cornish pasties are some of the more popular ones. For dinner last night we tucked into a local-made pie I bought at a Hertford stall over Christmas called a Fidget Pie, made with ham, potatoes and apples. It was just okay. I much prefer British pies that are topped with mashed potatoes instead, such as cottage pie (made with beef), shepherd's pie (lamb) or fish pie.

You also have a huge variety of sweet pies over here, apple pie probably being one of the more popular ones. And let's not forget the mince pie, made with spiced chopped fruit, same as you get in America. Mince pies are very big here at Christmas time. Historically they were actually made with real minced meats. And even today in the UK, hamburger meat or ground beef is called minced meat (or "mince" for short). You can even buy it already cooked in a can. Yuk.

Anyway, we've got the other half of the Fidget Pie to look forward to for tonight's dinner. Then I think I'll forgo that one again in favor of Paul's cottage pie, the best in the world (and I think my mom would agree).

Coffee anyone?

What in the hell did we all do before coffee houses sprung up everywhere? I know they've been around a long time, but ever since Starbucks decided to do a McDonald's and open up worldwide, coffee shops have become a way of life for most people. In the UK we have Starbucks, Coffee Republic, Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero, to name a few. I can understand their attraction as a place to meet friends, enjoy a book or newspaper, or connect to Wi-Fi while having a hot drink. But what blows me away is how everyone seems to live their lives now with a coffee in hand. On a typical morning commute into London, I bet half the people I pass are either carrying a hot drink or stopping to buy one. No wonder obesity is such a problem. Have you ever noticed how many calories are in these cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and Frapuccinos? They are loaded. And people don’t just have one or two a day. They have several.

Thank God I took a liking to Earl Grey tea. At least it has no calories. Neither does black coffee, but I can’t find black coffee like I’m used to in America. The closest thing to it in the coffee shops here is an Americano, which is really nothing but hot water added to an espresso. It’s way too strong for me.

Anyway, Paul and I are now making weekly trips to our local Starbucks in Hertford (which seems to be mostly a place for young mothers to gather and gossip while their kids run around the place screaming and crying) to chill out and enjoy a nice hot skinny cappuccino (64 calories each) while catching up on our Sudoku games.

Pancake Day

Today is Shrove Tuesday, or better known in the UK as Pancake Day. It's the one day of the year when the Brits might eat pancakes. Why pancakes? Well, because Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent, and the last chance to indulge before the abstinence of Lent, pancakes are eaten because they contain fat, butter and eggs, all of which are forbidden during Lent. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but anyway...

The Brits certainly don't eat pancakes as the norm like we do in America. And, based on those I've eaten here, they are no where near as good either. They are generally a lot thinner than American-style pancakes, not nearly as light and fluffy, and are usually served with a sprinkling of fine sugar and lemon juice. Rarely with maple syrup, unless you find them on a dessert menu when they are referred to as American-style pancakes and served with syrup. The Brits just don't know what they're missing! They should all make a point of eating at an IHOP on their trips to America.

Actually I'm surprised the Brits don't celebrate Shrove Tuesday as we do in America - with Mardi Gras parties. Then again, I don't think the Brits need another reason to drink...

Twitter

I thought I had seen it all. Last week when Lance Armstrong's bike was stolen, he posted a "tweet" on Twitter. This soon led to the return of his bike several days later. A few weeks before that, Stephen Fry posted tweets while he was trapped in an elevator. I had never even heard of Twitter before this and now that's all I'm hearing and reading about.

Apparently Twitter ("Typing What I'm Thinking To Everyone Reading") was founded in 2006 as a form of mini-blogging social network. You can only type 140 characters max at one time, but can share these tweets with everyone who has signed up to receive them from you. You can receive updates via the Twitter website, your phone, RSS or Facebook, to name a few. Hell, I didn't even know what Facebook was until I came to England in 2006. For someone who has a degree in Computer Science, I feel like I've been living in the dark ages. I had never even sent a text message before I moved back here. Now I'm part of the throngs of people walking down the street with phone in hand, sending and receiving messages.

Of course, Paul and I are no strangers to the current electronic age. After all, it's how we met and fell in love - long before internet chat lines, dating services, etc. were created. Now they're the norm. And we did manage to create a blog and got signed up on Facebook. But I'm not so sure about Twitter. Sounds very narcissistic to me. But if it means we can keep tabs of what others are doing, then maybe we should check it out.

National Chip Week (9-15 February 2009)

Today marks the end of National Chip Week...yet another excuse to eat chips. If I had to pick a single dish that the Brits eat more than any other, it would have to be chips (better known in America as French Fries). Chips are eaten with practically everything and are even eaten as a meal on their own. They're typically served with malt vinegar (especially when served with fish), although ketchup and mayonnaise are also frequently used. One out of every 4 British grown potatoes are made into chips, and 10% of the entire British potato crop is needed to supply the UK's 11,000 fish and chip shops. Fish and chips clearly remain the number one takeaway food of choice, with £1 of every £100 spent on food in the UK being spent in a fish and chip shop. Chips anyone?

Mr Whippy

You know how sometimes you see things that you immediately know to be totally out of place? Well, that's the feeling I get every time I see or hear Mr Whippy, the ice cream van, come down our street in the dead of winter. I just can't fathom why people want to come running outside when the temperatures are below freezing to buy an ice-cold treat. And in the UK, they do it regardless of the weather. But this week took the cake. We arrived home from work one evening in the freezing cold and near dark and there stood a woman in her robe and slippers buying an ice cream from the Mr Whippy van! I know the Brits love their ice lollies, but good grief...

PS: (Thurs, Feb 5th). I rest my case. This week has seen the worst snowfall in England in 18 years, causing major transportation problems everywhere. London practically came to a standstill on Monday and for the first time in history, all London buses were suspended for the day. I was snowbound at home for 2 days and the roads around our house still remain extremely treacherous 3 days later. But do you think this would stop the Mr Whippy van??? No way. As we skidded our way home last night, who should we find coming down the street with the chimes ringing? Who else but Mr Whippy!

Doner Kebabs

A sad bit of news this week. The creator of one of Britain's favorite fast foods, the doner kebab, passed away at the age of 87. Mahmut Aygun was born in Turkey and later moved to Germany to open his own restaurant. In the process, he ended up inventing his own version of fast food, the doner kebab, a mixture of roasted lamb and spices served with a yogurt sauce (also created by Mr Aygun) in pitta bread. To Americans, they're better known as Gyros. But this spicy and greasy dish has become a mainstay of the British diet and is especially popular as post-pub grub following a night of heavy drinking. I dread to think of what a hangover must be like after pigging out on doner kebabs the night before.

Over the moon!

I am pleased to announce that tomorrow I am FINALLY starting a new job that is NOT admin support. And as they say over here, I am "over the moon" about it. For nearly 3 years I have drudged through my job as a Personal Assistant and it hasn't been easy. The sheer boredom has gotten the best of me. Fortunately I've had the opportunity to do some environmental work while at the University and this has now led to a new job opportunity as Environmental Officer, which I applied for and successfully got. I will be doing my best to make the University a greener place. I'm also looking forward to doing something that is close to my own heart. Paul and I already do what we can to reduce our own carbon footprint. Now if Paul can just find a job in this area as well, we'll both be happy!

Hallelujah!

What an amazing feat for Alexandra Burke. This week she became the first EVER British female to sell over a million copies of a single in the UK. Her version of Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah" has also become one of only 10 singles to sell over a million copies in the UK since the turn of the century, and was the biggest-selling single of 2008. All this after winning the X-Factor in December. Paul and I watched as this former waitress from Hackney fought her way to win the coveted prize. Simon Cowell is no fool. In fact, it was Jason Castro's version of Hallelujah on American Idol in March last year that put Jeff Buckley's version of the same song into the #1 spot. It became Buckley's first #1 (posthumously - he initially recorded the song in 1994 and died in 1997). Buckley's version again hit the charts at the #2 spot in December while Burke's hit #1. Amazing. Of course, most of the credit should really go to Leonard Cohen for writing such a great song!

Doctor Who?

Matt Smith was named last night as the new Doctor to replace David Tennant in the long-running Doctor Who show. He will become the 11th and youngest ever Doctor (at just 26) since the show started in 1963. Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction TV show in the world and definitely part of the British culture. It's about a time lord known as "the Doctor" who travels through time and space in his blue police box (better known as the TARDIS - "Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space"), while fighting monsters and other evil doers and making wrongs right. People LOVE it. Paul included. But not me. I hate most science fiction. Never did like Star Wars, Star Trek, none of that. Oh well. To each his own. I'd much rather watch Strictly Come Dancing any day.

Bubble and Squeak

For dinner tonight we enjoyed some Bubble and Squeak, one of my favorite British dishes. It originated as a dish made from leftover Sunday roast dinners. Leftover meat would be served with a stir-fry of cabbage and potatoes, or any other vegetables on hand. Paul always makes it with bacon stir-fried with cooked cabbage and pre-cooked potatoes. It is YUMMY, especially with some Tabasco sprinkled on it. And it's very filling and CHEAP to make. I've always loved green leafy vegetables, so it's no wonder I love this so much. Too bad Mom and Jim couldn't try it while they were here. Paul had planned on making it until Mom mentioned she didn't care much for either Brussels sprouts or cooked cabbage. You would have never guessed that after she managed to eat all her Brussels sprouts on Christmas. Paul cooks them with pancetta and pecans. Who couldn't resist that?

Happy New Year 2009!

I'm sorry! I have been very lackadaisical in my writing over the past year (or longer). I guess life just got in the way or something. But no more excuses. One of my New Year's resolutions is to write in my blog more often. So here goes. I can't possibly compete with Paul when it comes to writing, but I'll give it my best shot. In the meantime, here's wishing you and yours a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Roll on 2009...

Baked Beans

This is no joke. In the news this past week was an announcement by Branston, the food manufacturer, that it was going to implement a loan scheme for students to encourage more sales of canned baked beans. It seems that baked beans are not as popular as they once were, with consumption dropping 20% in the past 5 years. So Branston is offering students free cans of beans over 3 years with interest-free payments deferred to whenever student starts working. Another feather in the cap of today’s debt-ridden society!

Baked beans have always been a British favorite and diet mainstay since they were first introduced in 1904. All you have to do is visit any grocery store and you’ll see just how popular they are. There is practically an entire aisle dedicated to baked beans and you’ll usually always see a few tins in nearly everyone’s trolley. Hell, they are even sold in 6-packs.

Baked beans on toast is a British delicacy, and you’ll always get served baked beans alongside your bacon and eggs with your British fry-up breakfast. Personally I don’t care for them all that much. They are much sweeter than the American varieties. More like Campbell’s pork and beans that I ate as a kid. The Brits don’t know what they’re missing with some good ole’ Southern-style baked beans. But then again, seeing as the Brits buy 97% of the world’s baked beans, perhaps they know something the rest of us don’t.

Education in the UK

Today we started “clearing” at the university where I work. This is a new phenomenon to me. I had never even heard of the term before going to work in a British university. Of course, the entire British education system is new to me. Nothing is the same as it is in the US. I’ll try to explain:

School in the UK begins with Primary School from ages 5-10, and continues with Secondary School (also known as Upper or Comprehensive School) from ages 11-16. British schools don’t operate on a grading system like the US does. Kids do make “grades” on tests and projects, but these do not count towards a final passing grade. Instead, all kids advance to the next level regardless of their performance.

At age 16 students then take their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams in a variety of subjects. These exams are NOT mandatory and students not wishing to pursue higher education are not required to take them. Everyone is basically free to leave school at 16 if they choose and are not awarded a “diploma” or anything of that nature for their achievements.

However, if anyone wants to pursue higher education, they must first attend “Sixth Form College” between the ages of 16-18. To gain entry to these schools, they must have passed a minimum number of GCSEs. Upon completion of 2 years at Sixth Form College, they are then eligible to take their A-level (Advanced Level) exams, which are required for university entry. Students must attain a passing grade (A, B or C) on at least 5 different A-level tests in subjects of their choosing.

Students normally apply to their universities of choice at the beginning of their 2^nd year of Sixth Form studies. If they do not pass their A-levels or do not make good enough grades on them, they may not gain entry places in the universities of their choice. This is where “clearing” comes in.

Clearing is the process whereby all the universities list vacancies for undergraduate courses – starting on the same day (this year it was Aug 16^th). Some have clearing for a day; others carry on for a month or until classes start. Students are free to call in to the various universities during clearing to try and gain entry to specific courses based on openings available. As long as students are flexible and willing to take courses that might differ from what they wanted to take, they can normally gain entry to at least one university willing to take them.

In other words, clearing is a big thing for both the student and the university. The student – because they gain entry to a university even if it’s not their first choice. And the university – because they are able to get the income for a seat that might have otherwise gone unfilled.

King's Square

Back to King's Square. I’ve already written a little before about this area that I walk through to and from work every day. King's Square is very typical of London living. It’s an area covering the size of a few square blocks and is comprised of several high-rise apartment buildings (called ‘tower blocks’) surrounding a nice park that is full of lush green trees and wide open grassy areas, loads of benches (I go here often on warmer days to eat my sandwich at lunch), a playground for kids, and even a separate water park full of in-ground sprinklers for kids to enjoy during the hotter months. There’s a church outside the park and next to it a square of shops that mirrors most British high streets. Here you’ll find a pub, a German delicatessen, an off-licence (selling alcoholic beverages) and mini market, a newsagents, a sandwich bar, a betting shop, a hairdressers, a bakery, a laundromat, and a fish restaurant (selling fish & chips too of course). All of the must-have conveniences for most Brits.

All across London you’ll find hundreds of these little mini-communities. But it’s the park within the community that I find so impressive. The perfect place for residents and non-residents alike to escape from the busy hustle and bustle of city life all around.

Motorway Service Stations

We just got back from our trip to Scotland and thankfully most of the 11 hour journey each way was on the motorway, otherwise it would have taken us two days to get there! One of the best things about driving the motorway system here is having service stations to stop at. These service stations aren’t what I’m used to back home. For starters, they are all well-marked on road maps, so you can always see how far the next one is going to be. Plus the signs posted along the motorway show how far not only the next station is, but the two after that one.

These service stations offer an all-inclusive one-stop center for everything you could possibly need. Toilets are the biggest attraction I suppose. And there are normally plenty of them. I counted 20 stalls and nearly as many sinks in the ladies’ at one stop. I’ve never had to queue up for one, that’s for sure. And they are normally spotless with round-the-clock cleaners doing their jobs properly. And that’s not all. There are showers too!

You’ll also find (under the same roof) at least one eatery, always a cafeteria offering hot and cold meals, but also usually a fast-food joint like Burger King or Wimpy’s (burgers). And always a convenience shop selling sandwiches, drinks, maps, and other travel necessities. There are plenty of tables and chairs both inside and out for people to sit at, and loads of greenspace for walking your dog. A lot of the stations have hotels attached to them as well, so if you are really desperate at least you have most of your conveniences nearby.

All of these things are impressive enough. But the one thing that blew me away was seeing a Ladbrokes (betting shop) at one of the stations. Good grief. So now compulsive gamblers can get their fix too so they don’t miss out on the big match of the day. More on this subject later.

London Parks

Not many people realize that London is the world's greenest capital. Over 1/3 of the city is green park land. Parks are EVERYWHERE. There are the really large and famous ones, like Hyde Park or St James Park, and then there are the smaller obscure ones strewn about on nearly every block in the city. Most residential areas (like tower blocks, etc.) all have a shared park for its tenants. All of the parks are especially nice in the spring with all the flowers and trees in bloom, the warm weather, and for just sight-seeing and watching all the people, children and dogs.

On my normal walk from Old Street station to work every day, I pass through 3 such parks. This is a photo of King's Square Garden (and St Clement Church) early in the morning.

One of my favorite London parks is Hampstead Heath, probably the largest park in London. It covers nearly 800 acres and sits just 4 miles north of the city (just north of Islington where Paul's dad lives). From Parliament Hill (the highest point in Hampstead Heath), you can get spectacular views of the city. It's wonderful.

British Cars & Trucks

Today we had to take our car in to have a new tyre put on after we had a blow out yesterday. It’s amazing how many differences there are between the UK and US when it comes to types of cars and trucks and the parts of the car. For example:

American	British
Tire	Tyre
Hood	Bonnet
Trunk	Boot
Windshield	Windscreen
License plate	Number plate
Blinker / turn signal	Indicator
Muffler	Silencer
Gear shift	Gear lever
Oil pan	Sump
Fender	Wing or mudguard
Vehicle	Vehicle (“h” is silent)
Station wagon	Estate car
Rental car	Hire car
Sedan	Saloon car
Mobile home, trailer or RV	Caravan
Truck	Lorry
Tractor-trailer truck	Articulated lorry, juggernaut, or HGV (heavy goods vehicle)
Dump truck	Tipper lorry
Garbage truck	Dustbin lorry or dustcart
Tow truck	Breakdown van
Milk delivery van	Milk float
Moving van/ truck	Removal van
Fire truck	Fire engine
Old car	Banger
Gasoline	Petrol

I’ll cover driving and road signs, etc. another day. The differences are endless.

Easter Holiday

Easter is a big treat here, mainly because everyone gets a long weekend break. Good Friday and Easter Monday are national holidays (or “bank holidays” as they are called, since the banks are closed). And if you’re lucky, as we were this year, the weather will be nice and sunny and warm. The roads and airlines become jam packed with people flocking towards tourist destinations such as the coastlines of England, France or Spain. It’s the perfect weekend to just stay at home!

Easter itself is celebrated differently here in England. Where I come from, kids get Easter baskets filled with all sorts of goodies (chocolate eggs and bunnies, jelly beans, dyed eggs and other treats) from the Easter Bunny. Children normally participate in Easter egg hunts and go to church in their new Easter outfits. Families gather for a special Easter dinner.

Over here, chocolate Easter eggs are the big thing. The Easter Bunny doesn’t make an appearance, but people give each other chocolate eggs, either the cream-filled variety or the really big hollow ones filled with all sorts of individually-wrapped chocolates. You don’t see Easter baskets or other types of sweets – only these Easter eggs. And no Easter egg hunts (that I saw or heard of).

People also get very excited about Hot Cross Buns, which they normally eat on Good Friday, but at my work place they were eating them all week long.

As for church, well, very few people even go to church in England. Certainly not nearly the number of Americans who go. Although families do gather for a special Easter dinner, which is nice to see.