One of the things I love best about living in the UK are the extraordinary people whom I live amongst. I came across this Vanity Fair article in their January issue (I told you I was behind!) . It had me laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants and insisted that Marc listen as I read it out loud to him. I was thrilled to find it on the VF site so I could share it with you.
PS Even Marc found it funny!
Showing posts with label english. Show all posts
Showing posts with label english. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Thursday, 1 March 2007
Springtime
For my convenience and peace of mind, I get through these horrible, grey, dreary English winters by focusing on the arrival of March! March means springtime which is brilliantly beautiful in England.
Spring has sprung,
the grass has riz,
I wonder where all the birdies iz....
Not exactly ee cummings but I like it!
The sun is shining, there are no grey clouds in the sky and I'm hoping my day at the office will be better than the last 2 days!
Spring has sprung,
the grass has riz,
I wonder where all the birdies iz....
Not exactly ee cummings but I like it!
The sun is shining, there are no grey clouds in the sky and I'm hoping my day at the office will be better than the last 2 days!
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
The Fat Duck
A work colleague of mine has done me a huge favour and as a BIG thank you I took him for lunch at The Fat Duck in Bray. If you are unfamiliar with this restaurant, let me clue you in. This place has been named THE best restaurant in the world. The French Laundry in northern California held this distinction for a few years but last year they were usurped. I was very pleased to hear the news as Bray is just down the road from our home (about 7 miles). Having never been to The French Laundry I was curious to see what the food taste like at the BEST restaurant in the world.
The restaurant is the brain child of Heston Blumenthal (what a great name!). He takes a very scientific approach to food and mixes colours and flavours in ways you never imagined (hoped?).
The first time I went with Marc for Valentine's Day last year. This was a wee bit of a disaster. My husband is not known for his culinary adventurous nature. He hates fish (unless it is sushi and even then only certain sushi). When we turned up and found that the tasting menu (12 courses of bizarre offerings) consisted of a lot of fish, Marc took a dive and insisted on ordering from the a la carte menu. It was enjoyable but I still had a deep seeded desire to try the tasting menu.
So when the opportunity arose to go with my colleague I was well excited! We nearly had a disaster when my companion seemed almost as unenthusiastic as my husband did about the tasting menu but when he saw my disappointment he agreed to give it a go.
He approached each course as if he was playing chicken with his food. To be fair, he only balked at the snail porridge (which did have snails on the top and really was green porridge on the bottom). Everything else he ate. He only spit one thing out.
My favourite was the surprise. I had heard of the famous scrambled egg and bacon ice cream. I had felt nauseous at the thought of it. I was regretting the end of the dinner mostly because it meant I had to put my money where my mouth was (literally) and eat this final course for dessert. Surprisingly, it was my favourite of the afternoon.
We got a copy of the menu detailing everything we ate. They are major fans of using liquid nitrogen to cook with. Do Not try this at home!
The restaurant isn't really about great food. It is about food as a scientific experiment. It is about experiencing food less like sustenance and more like art. I have to say I focused solely on the food which probably isn't true of any other restaurant I've ever been to (one possible exception is Caviar Kaspia in Paris). I was fascinated by the experience and recommend it to anyone.
PS Don't go if you are very very hungry (possibly even a little hungry). Despite spending more on this meal than any other in my entire life, I was still hungry when I left. Wish I'd eaten more bread......
The restaurant is the brain child of Heston Blumenthal (what a great name!). He takes a very scientific approach to food and mixes colours and flavours in ways you never imagined (hoped?).
The first time I went with Marc for Valentine's Day last year. This was a wee bit of a disaster. My husband is not known for his culinary adventurous nature. He hates fish (unless it is sushi and even then only certain sushi). When we turned up and found that the tasting menu (12 courses of bizarre offerings) consisted of a lot of fish, Marc took a dive and insisted on ordering from the a la carte menu. It was enjoyable but I still had a deep seeded desire to try the tasting menu.
So when the opportunity arose to go with my colleague I was well excited! We nearly had a disaster when my companion seemed almost as unenthusiastic as my husband did about the tasting menu but when he saw my disappointment he agreed to give it a go.
He approached each course as if he was playing chicken with his food. To be fair, he only balked at the snail porridge (which did have snails on the top and really was green porridge on the bottom). Everything else he ate. He only spit one thing out.
My favourite was the surprise. I had heard of the famous scrambled egg and bacon ice cream. I had felt nauseous at the thought of it. I was regretting the end of the dinner mostly because it meant I had to put my money where my mouth was (literally) and eat this final course for dessert. Surprisingly, it was my favourite of the afternoon.
We got a copy of the menu detailing everything we ate. They are major fans of using liquid nitrogen to cook with. Do Not try this at home!
The restaurant isn't really about great food. It is about food as a scientific experiment. It is about experiencing food less like sustenance and more like art. I have to say I focused solely on the food which probably isn't true of any other restaurant I've ever been to (one possible exception is Caviar Kaspia in Paris). I was fascinated by the experience and recommend it to anyone.
PS Don't go if you are very very hungry (possibly even a little hungry). Despite spending more on this meal than any other in my entire life, I was still hungry when I left. Wish I'd eaten more bread......
Saturday, 6 January 2007
UK vs US or US vs UK
Despite having lived outside of the USA for 1/2 the time I lived inside, I am often asked by people within the UK why I chose to move to the UK and not stay in the US. (I think my accent gives me away but speak to someone from the US and they think I have an English accent.) A taxi cab driver from Pakistan asked me just the other night "Why in the world with all the people wanting to move to the US did you move to the UK?. I didn't have an answer. This is just where I landed. My Nanny once told me (after I had met my English husband here) that I was here so that I could find him. Thank God, I did!
I suppose moving to England was easier than say moving to China. I was here for one thing. For another, at least I speak basically the same language although the differences can be quite amusing and have more to do with vocabulary and pronunciation. It is rare that I can't quite get myself understood and there is the rare occasion I can't understand what is being said (but that usually involves someone from Scotland) The British, however, are always quick to point out that they invented the language. My witty reply is that yes they did but the Americans perfected it.
The other difference is usually in what I say. I have a tendency to speak my mind and get straight to the point. The English on the other hand can speak for 20 minutes and not quite get to the point. Saying "no" is a particularly difficult thing for them to do and disagreeing with you is an altogether different matter.
The other day I was reading a blog at Speaking British. Go to the 18 December entry. Now whilst the content is fascinating (and one of my favourite topics), the part that really got me was when she referred to a person speaking "in British". What is this woman on? I am sure she meant that the man was speaking with a British accent but the whole reference is very offensive to the Brits. Does she say that Americans speak American? And what do the Irish speak? And the Australians?
Abigail has made a full recovery and Seb has had no setbacks. I am congested and coughing but muddling through. Our health is definitely improving. Not a great start to the year!
Last night, we went to a birthday party for Taryn, a little girl who lives down the road from us. She turned 4 and all the children came to party in fancy dress. It is magical to see all the children dressed up in their costumes! Seb went dressed as a Power Ranger but the costume was so restrictive he took it off the minute we went through the door. Abigail went as a Fairy in her new fairy costume. We had a bit of panic before we left the house as we couldn't find her magic wand and dress up shoes. You would have thought the world was ending. Alas mummy found them. Then she lost her fairy head band in the climbing apparatus (although we did eventually find it).
I love this picture of Seb and Abby. They were getting ready for the big group photo. Abigail was struggling just a bit because she had ended up at the top with the big boys (following her big brother, no doubt). Seb got up right next to her, helped her stand, and then put his arm around her and I snapped the photo. What a great big brother!
Today the plan is for all the Christmas decorations to come down, and laundry and shopping to get done. Quite frankly, I don't have much energy and would rather spend the day reading my book. I've just finished The Secret River by Kate Grenville which is a rather interesting story about the colonisation of Australia. It is deeply disturbing. Now on to The Accidental by Ali Smith which is our book group book this month. Better get a move on.....I think we meet in the next week or so!
I suppose moving to England was easier than say moving to China. I was here for one thing. For another, at least I speak basically the same language although the differences can be quite amusing and have more to do with vocabulary and pronunciation. It is rare that I can't quite get myself understood and there is the rare occasion I can't understand what is being said (but that usually involves someone from Scotland) The British, however, are always quick to point out that they invented the language. My witty reply is that yes they did but the Americans perfected it.
The other difference is usually in what I say. I have a tendency to speak my mind and get straight to the point. The English on the other hand can speak for 20 minutes and not quite get to the point. Saying "no" is a particularly difficult thing for them to do and disagreeing with you is an altogether different matter.
The other day I was reading a blog at Speaking British. Go to the 18 December entry. Now whilst the content is fascinating (and one of my favourite topics), the part that really got me was when she referred to a person speaking "in British". What is this woman on? I am sure she meant that the man was speaking with a British accent but the whole reference is very offensive to the Brits. Does she say that Americans speak American? And what do the Irish speak? And the Australians?
Abigail has made a full recovery and Seb has had no setbacks. I am congested and coughing but muddling through. Our health is definitely improving. Not a great start to the year!
Last night, we went to a birthday party for Taryn, a little girl who lives down the road from us. She turned 4 and all the children came to party in fancy dress. It is magical to see all the children dressed up in their costumes! Seb went dressed as a Power Ranger but the costume was so restrictive he took it off the minute we went through the door. Abigail went as a Fairy in her new fairy costume. We had a bit of panic before we left the house as we couldn't find her magic wand and dress up shoes. You would have thought the world was ending. Alas mummy found them. Then she lost her fairy head band in the climbing apparatus (although we did eventually find it).
I love this picture of Seb and Abby. They were getting ready for the big group photo. Abigail was struggling just a bit because she had ended up at the top with the big boys (following her big brother, no doubt). Seb got up right next to her, helped her stand, and then put his arm around her and I snapped the photo. What a great big brother!
Today the plan is for all the Christmas decorations to come down, and laundry and shopping to get done. Quite frankly, I don't have much energy and would rather spend the day reading my book. I've just finished The Secret River by Kate Grenville which is a rather interesting story about the colonisation of Australia. It is deeply disturbing. Now on to The Accidental by Ali Smith which is our book group book this month. Better get a move on.....I think we meet in the next week or so!
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