Post-It Notes: The Ultimate Toy

Dear 3M/Post-It Note People,

Post-It Notes are the ultimate toy.  My 6 year old spends most of her life carrying post-it notes around to make animals (easier than origami), write stories (quicker than books), draw pictures (small is the new big), and label things for us (no mistaking the fan switch in the bathroom now).  As a toddler, she spent a good part of a plane ride unsticking and sticking Post-It notes to her seat.

Apparently, these are the rage at school too.  In a school with a "no toys from home" policy, 6 and 7 year olds are smuggling in teeny tiny colorful note pads in their pencil cases under the guise of "school supplies".  I suggest you let social networks run their course.  I wouldn't want you marketing this idea from above.  It could blow their cover.

Thank you for this great invention,
Anna's Mom

Practically Meeting Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren is one of those smart, classy actresses that seemingly everyone admires.  John and I couldn't get tickets for her London Show, the Audience, but we did wait to catch a glimpse of her coming out of the Gielegud Theatre on our walk back from dinner.  As we waited, the guy at the door took fans' programs and returned them with her autograph.  That seemed a nice thing to do.

When Dame Helen finally emerged, she looked radiant and poised in her pink coat and handbag.  We all listened attentively as she paused to thank everyone for coming and that she appreciated everyone's support and time.  With a smile and a wave, she was ushered to a waiting black Mercedes Benz.  As her car drove off, we all stood there, contented and blessed, as if we'd met the Queen.

Doesn't everyone look happy?

Me with Dame Helen's escape car (and a man who wandered into the picture)

Eating our Way through London

Spanish cold meat platter at Barrafina

Sardines at Barrafina

John and I were in London for three days, saw The Book of Mormon and The 39 Steps, went to the National Gallery, did some shopping and basically ate our way through London.  My friend Jen recommended Barrafina, a Spanish tapas restaurant which is all counter service and no reservations.  We went for a late lunch upon arrival into London, and it was well worth the wait.  For one thing, I was seated in front of a leg of jamon and not far from an octopus on ice.  The vibe was great, a mix of trendy lunch dates and business people.  My favorite food was the jamon and chorizo, John's the razor clams and artichokes.  The quail and sardines were also mas fina.

That night, after seeing The 39 Steps, we went for a very late dinner at Shoryu Ramen.  We'd read about it in the Sunday Times originally; this was our second visit.  I wish we had a photo of their hirata buns, the special of the day, incredible with slightly spicy breaded and fried chicken in fluffy white steamed buns.  We both loved the ramen; would recommend the extra bamboo shoots (menma) on the side.

Spicy Ramen at Shoryu Ramen

A couple years ago, John and I discovered Green Queen Street--a modern British gastropub with locally sourced ingredients--recommended to us by a local shopkeeper.  With its dark hardwood interior, the restaurant exudes cultural capital yet feels un-snooty and welcoming.  John pointed out that the wait staff all have classy accents and seem to wholeheartedly believe in what they are selling.  I ordered fish soup, spring greens and artichokes; John had corned beef and radishes and a pint.  We got there in the early noon hour--considered early for lunch by UK standards--took our seats and the place soon filled.

Menu of the day

Spring greens, my absolute favorite

Corned beef and radishes-- sounds unusual, but is really good

We went for a North African/Lebanese dinner at Maison Toureg in Soho.  John and I agree that the moussaka was a little heaven on a plate, especially with the rosemary bread.  We also had babaganoush, meat pastries and sardines.  There was a family near us that kept ordering the sausages.  Must be good too!

Meze selection at Maison Touareg

I should add that we stopped at Pret A Manger here and there for light bites and snacks.  I could eat their baguettes, chocolate covered rice cakes and almond croissants all day.  Too bad the food in London is so good.

Love the Pret advertising

Tweet/ads for Five Guys

The Beauty of "Never Mind" and Other Phrases

Anna is a fairly prompt homework doer.  She usually brings home 1 or 2 books to read for the next day.  However, today, her book wasn't in her bag.  She felt disappointed, and my immediate response was to say "Never mind."  To which she said, "Never mind".  And that was that.  We moved onto something else.

I love that phrase--"Never mind."  I hear it said all the time here but not very commonly in the US.  "Never mind" seems distinctively British.  The idea of one keeping calm and carrying on in light of a setback can grant quite a feeling of security.  It's an unfortunate glitch, don't dwell on it, and let's move on.

Another phrase I recall from living in Harrogate was "Oh dear" (pronounced "Oh deeyah").  It had a similar effect and was often used when small children dropped their ice cream or scraped their knee.  I recall 1 year old Michael would reflexively say "Oh deeyah" when he dropped his binky, and would just hand it over to me for wiping.  Knowing that phrase seemed to reduce the gravity of the situation.

Example of an "Oh deeyah. Never mind." opportunity

Paper Products in the UK: A Theory

Paper plate or taco: your call

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that paper products are much fewer and harder to find here in the UK than in the US.  Whereas in the US, napkins, paper plates and disposable cutlery, Ziploc bags, aluminum foil and such take up vast shelf space on in supermarkets, their existence here is relatively scant.  I buy paper napkins in the bargain section of Tesco when they have them.  Our friends Tim and Alicia, my Mom and John have supplied us Press 'N Seal, Ziploc bags and Chinet plates when visiting from the US.

I'm sure a lot of this product product minimalism has to do with the cultural values of not being wasteful.  However, I decided to buy a few disposable items here to use on those occasions that we just can't face washing the dishes again.  (We don't have a dishwasher.)

Well, John was just eating a sandwich and his disposable plate buckled into a state of ruin as he ate.  John said it was "the worst" paper plate he'd ever used.

This got me thinking.  I used to think there was some additive that could be used in US products but not allowed here--kind of like that triangle you get on fine China which is only considered a health hazard in some US states and not others.  However, I now wonder if paper products here are purposefully lower quality, a behind-the-scenes eco-government initiative.  Think about it.  Product dissatisfaction dissuades usage.  Therefore, people waste less.  I mean, I won't be buying those plates again.  My plastic wrap gets tangled so I use a plate to cover my food.  Paper shmaper.  I will have to call my MP about this.

Packaging that Speaks to Me

"It's me, Parmesan!  And I'm freaking out!"

I love how our Parmesan cheese is a cross between Mr. Bill and a tennis ball.  In our American fridge, this probably would have gone unnoticed . Here, our fridge is quite short, so any item in the door is frequently seen from above.

Pirate Day at St. Peter's Primary

St. Peter's has been celebrating Creativity Week this week.  The kids got to dress as pirates today.  Even the Headteacher and staff were dressed as pirates!

St. George's Flag has been replaced by a pirate flag!

I walked Anna's class of pirates back to school from the local public library where they did pirate themed activities.  I had to quickly take the photo below because the site amazed my American eyes.  Thirty children, two grownups, curvy roads with narrow pavements and blind road intersections.  You can't see or monitor every child let alone five at a time.  To everyone here, these roads are normal and typical.  They are a fact of life and everyone learns to navigate them naturally.  I'm the only one freaking out.

Ahoy there! Mrs. Coupland says stay on the pavement, me hearties!

Why I Love British Garden Centres

An ornament in the shop (photo by Anna)

Like pubs, Garden Centres are a staple of British culture.  Think Dixieline or Nurseryland in the US, but more family friendly.  First, you must traverse an enormous store full of nice quality toys, books, gourmet housewares, and home and garden decor to get to the flowers and plants.  I like valid excuses to shop, and I'm guessing that their prime target markets are not just gardening-types but also grandparents, moms of young kids, and self-identified "homemakers".  Garden Centres usually have a large coffee shop with lunch items, tea time snacks, kids' meals.  There might also be a kids' playground in back or animals roaming around.  Whereas American children are begrudgingly dragged to Dixieline on a Saturday morning, English parents and grandparents take their young ones to Gordale just for fun (and maybe get that grass seed or potting soil on the side).  Oh, and there is a big adjacent parking lot out in front, undeniably another value in a country where parking is at a premium.

Anna, Grandma and I went to Gordale together yesterday.  The three of us had such a nice time browsing in the store, and looking at the flowers and displays.

A peacock!

I like how someone at Gordale has thought about how to make the nursery itself visually interesting.  It is not Dixieline.  Among the flowers and plants are a lot of animal statues and ornaments to spot.  Occasionally, signs ask people to smell certain flowers as if to say don't forget, this is a leisurely outing!

Gardenias that say "Please smell"

One benefit of living in a rainy country is that even a little gardening can yield a big payoff.  So gardening is a big deal.  On my parents' recent visit, my Dad marveled that no one irrigates regularly here.  That was something that I struggled to comprehend too, as sprinklers and garden hoses and setting timers are just a fact of life in Southern California.  Also, the terms "frontyard" and "backyard" are not part of the vernacular; instead, people have a "frontgarden" or "backgarden", which captures the smaller size and assumption that yes, there will be flowers.  Flowers are also more noticeable in a smaller space, so why not plant them?  As a parallel, I often buy indoor flowers here because you really see and can appreciate them when you walk into a room.  In our open-plan American house, flowers can get a bit lost.

A little San Diego on the Wirral

Speaking of America, I like how Gordale has a warm indoor room with plants that look distinctively San Diegan-- bougainvillea, gardenias, hibiscus, cacti of every description...  I imagine these survive as greenhouse or indoor plants here.  John's mom said that when she first flew into San Diego to visit my parents, she thought she "landed in Gordale!"  

After our leisurely shop around (which included me trying on some quilted jackets), we went to the cafe for tea and cake.  We left tired but happy, and with a box of grass seed for Grandpa.

Little animal ornaments to entertain the kids

Harrogate Then and Now

Michael (age 1), sabbatical #1

Michael (8) and Anna (6), sabbatical #2

Betty's (Nov. 2005)

Betty's (March 2013)

Michael and friend (2006)

Michael and friend with siblings (2013)

Anna's British Accent

Anna's American accent has been slowly replaced by British-sounding words and inflections.  She was 5 when we arrived in Heswall, and she is now 95% of the way there, or "theh-ah", as she'd say.  I especially like how she pronounces the word chocolate as "choh-co-lt" and tulip as "tyulip".  She is also very "fond of" a lot of things, as she says, "Isn't it lovely?", pronouncing each "t" as a passing whisper.  

Michael, who was nearly 8 when we arrived still sounds very American.  I recall learning that age 8 is the cutoff for learning languages readily, that language is absorbed more easily in younger years.  So theh-ah you have it.  

Marketing the "Great British Summer"

Marks & Spencer has changed the packaging on some of its food to reflect the season-- "Great British Summer".  I bought teacakes back in January, and this packaging is now charming its way back into my shopping basket.

Heaven in a package.  (Next to Triscuits.)

P.S.  If you don't know what teacakes are, they are a little slice of heaven.  Marshmallow on a chocolate biscuit/cookie, enrobed in chocolate.  They are individually wrapped in colorful foil, thank goodness, to slow you down.

New Norms

Having lived here for eight months now, here are a few things I do seemingly automatically these days:

• Look to the right first when crossing a road;
• Go to the driver's side door when driving and the passenger's side when "passenging";
• Drive on the left, probably a good one to normalizet;
• Park with wheels up on the curb;
• Recognize and count coins without freaking out at the cash register;
• Bag my own groceries (and not place bags on the conveyor belt as I would at Wegmans);
• Eat with the fork in left hand with tines down and cut with the right;
• Leave without bussing my own table;
• Label dates with day/month/year;
• Apologize when someone else bumps into me;
• Apologize and thank at any opportunity available;
• Turn on the kettle;
• Ask guests if they'd like a cup of tea;
• Comment on the weather.