All things English/American

[Merlin]

I thought I would start this thread in the hope this English butchie can learn a bit about your culture and you can mine ..

For example ::

It has always interested me, can you be gay in every state or can you still be arrested and gay clubs raided ?

[Guy]

Is it English slang to call a butch "butchie"?

[Merlin]

Is it English slang to call a butch "butchie"?

Yeah it's what a lot of my femme friends say,it's used in a softer way than butch it is for closer friends I guess it's a pet name for Butch :fastdraq:

[always2late]

I thought I would start this thread in the hope this English butchie can learn a bit about your culture and you can mine ..

For example ::

It has always interested me, can you be gay in every state or can you still be arrested and gay clubs raided ?


One can be gay in every state, its just that there are some states more "tolerant" and gay-friendly than others. Actually...even in tolerant states, there can be areas where it can be dangerous to be openly gay. Sigh...sad but true.

I've not heard of gay clubs being raided and arrests being made solely for being gay. I suppose they still are...but I think its done more under another pretense now.

[LaneyDoll]

Merlin, please feel free to check out the information in this link...

http://atlantaeagleraid.com/

[Merlin]

News of the above had hit the shores here.

I was wondering as I would like to visit the states and obviously health,safety and well being is paramount.


Ok my next question corn dog is it meat ?

[wcstone]

No. Kinda a good question there. About the same as us asking if Spotted Dick is really meat. A corndog, typically purchased at an event such as a fair, is a regular ole hotdog with a sweet corn breading dip and deepfry. Eaten with mustard or mayo or both. Okay now don't tell me Google spotted Dick..wth is it ?

[Merlin]

Lmao I haven't had spotted dick since a child (that sounds wrong lol)

It's sponge pudding with Currants in, can be eaten with custard,cream or ice cream ..

It's the kind of food your granny makes,you don't tend to hear of it much these days unless you go to ye olde English pubs lol.

[Daktari]

More specifically spotted dick is a rolled suet pudding with, as Merlin, says, dried fruits and most often served with custard.

[StillettoDoll]

Is there a pride parade or celebration in England?

[Daktari]

Is there a pride parade or celebration in England?

Loads yes. Most larger towns have their own Pride. Large cities like Manchester, Birmingham, London host the 'main' Pride celebrations.

[StillettoDoll]

Loads yes. Most larger towns have their own Pride. Large cities like Manchester, Birmingham, London host the 'main' Pride celebrations.

Ok when are they?

[Merlin]

Most major cities do,but even our local small town has one.

[Greyson]

Ok my next question corn dog is it meat ?



Welcome to the site Merlin. You can also buy corn dogs that are vegetarian at a very popular chain grocery store here in some of the states, Trader Joes.

[Apocalipstic]

Is it English slang to call a butch "butchie"?

A lot of people here in the US say Butchie too. :)

I thought I would start this thread in the hope this English butchie can learn a bit about your culture and you can mine ..

For example ::

It has always interested me, can you be gay in every state or can you still be arrested and gay clubs raided ?

Things are usually better in cities than out of them, but from time to time a gay bar gets raided. It seems more directed at gay men though. I live in Nashville and have never had a problem.

News of the above had hit the shores here.

I was wondering as I would like to visit the states and obviously health,safety and well being is paramount.


Ok my next question corn dog is it meat ?

Well, sort of....if sausage is meat lol.

I actually did order spotted dick from room service in London....tasted OK lol.

[Legendryder]

I love a good corn dog. Yummy. As far as the Eagle raid in Atlanta, the APD found out that things like that are stupid and expensive. I do not think we will be seeing anymore jonny law dumbass moves there anymore.

[Toughy]

Merlin, please feel free to check out the information in this link...

http://atlantaeagleraid.com/

As far as I know any gay bar with Eagle in it's name is actually a gay men's (sometimes women are welcome) leather bar. You can get your ass thrown in jail for having consensual BDSM activities. The Top/Dom/Syr/Sir can be arrested for assault, assault with a deadly weapon (knife play), domestic violence, without the bottom/sub/slave pressing charges.

I am wondering if the raid at the Atlanta Eagle (in 2009) was more about BDSM than about gay. The combination could be irresistable to a prosecutor or the police.

We need changes in federal and state laws to protect those of us who are kinky/leather folks from harrassement and jail time. At IMsL (International Ms Leather) this year, petitions were passed around for signatures to actually put something in a CA proprosed crime bill to ensure consensual behavior was exempted from the law.

[JustJo]

As far as I know any gay bar with Eagle in it's name is actually a gay men's (sometimes women are welcome) leather bar. You can get your ass thrown in jail for having consensual BDSM activities. The Top/Dom/Syr/Sir can be arrested for assault, assault with a deadly weapon (knife play), domestic violence, without the bottom/sub/slave pressing charges.

I am wondering if the raid at the Atlanta Eagle (in 2009) was more about BDSM than about gay. The combination could be irresistable to a prosecutor or the police.

We need changes in federal and state laws to protect those of us who are kinky/leather folks from harrassement and jail time. At IMsL (International Ms Leather) this year, petitions were passed around for signatures to actually put something in a CA proprosed crime bill to ensure consensual behavior was exempted from the law.


Wow...sorry for the derail, but I never realized that this was an issue. I'm stunned that these activities (when consensual, of course) can still get someone in serious legal trouble. Just sitting here like this :blink:

[Sparkle]

Ok when are they?

Mostly in the summertime, like here.

London's is the last weekend of June (usually the same weekend as NYC & SF pride), Brighton's is in August.

They usually have a big parade, followed by a rally, followed by a festival with live music etc.

[Apocalipstic]

Would love to attend Pride in the UK! :tea:

[Daktari]

Ok when are they?

Google is your friend...Just look up the big city names and Pride.

Manchester is always August Bank Holiday weekend.

Blackpool - my small home town pride is late this year and is the second weekend in June and it's held here
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=blackpool+north+pier&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=IDs&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivnsm&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=P0jITbaVDMrA8QOwyen2Bw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1421&bih=832
The Fag Father and I are doing something special for this year's Pride...I'm sure I'll post a picture or two. :cheesy:

[StillettoDoll]

Would love to attend Pride in the UK! :tea:
Yes I think that would be fun. I wanna go..

[Daktari]

Yes I think that would be fun. I wanna go..

Brighton Pride is the one many rave about. It's a south coast gay/Queer (for those of us too grumpy to be 'gay') mecca.

[Merlin]

You should come =]

[Merlin]

:tea: do Americans drink tea ??

[StillettoDoll]

:tea: do Americans drink tea ??
Yes we do , But I think we drink it differently. Personally I drink tea by the gallon! I make Strawberry tea, no sugar, on ice. Sometimes earl grey and ginger peach.

[Gayla]

:tea: do Americans drink tea ??

Yes! Although I think iced tea would probably show as more popular than hot tea in most places. When I stopped doing caffeine a few years back, I switched to herbal tea then when I decided that not doing caffeine was silly, I switched to just plain hot tea. I drink the occasional cup of coffee now but my warm drink of choice now is usually a mug of hot tea. Nothing fancy, it's usually just Liptons because that's what we keep on hand to use for iced tea.

Do the English drink coffee?

[Daktari]

Yes! Although I think iced tea would probably show as more popular than hot tea in most places. When I stopped doing caffeine a few years back, I switched to herbal tea then when I decided that not doing caffeine was silly, I switched to just plain hot tea. I drink the occasional cup of coffee now but my warm drink of choice now is usually a mug of hot tea. Nothing fancy, it's usually just Liptons because that's what we keep on hand to use for iced tea.

Do the English drink coffee?

Yup we do...we have a real coffee culture going on here. I use an either an Italian stove top pot or a French press for making coffee at home but nothing beats going to my fave independent coffee shop and having a tall machiato or a double mach (if I need to wake up). However, I personally drink more tea than coffee nowadays.


Do 'mericans eat Marmite?

[Merlin]

We seem to drink more tea than coffee.

In time of crisis us Brits always put the kettle on .. Tea solves everything lol.

[Merlin]

Yuck to marmite*speets*

[Daktari]

Yuck to marmite*speets*

Ya poof! Marmite puts 'airs on yer chest man!

[Merlin]

Ya poof! Marmite puts 'airs on yer chest man!


Ha .. Don't need em .. Butch enough =p

[Merlin]

Have any of you americans had a fry up or a Sunday dinner ??

[Sparkle]

Have any of you americans had a fry up or a Sunday dinner ??

I make a goooood sunday roast, my former mother-in-law taught me how to disguise the parsnips as roast potatoes too. :)

I'm not fan of milky tea, and I detest instant coffee...but I managed just fine in blighty.

[StillettoDoll]

Have any of you americans had a fry up or a Sunday dinner ??
Not anymore! frying is bad for you . :crybaby:
But Sunday fried chicken yum. Use to too make that alot, with mashed potatoes.

[Daktari]

I make a goooood sunday roast, my former mother-in-law taught me how to disguise the parsnips as roast potatoes too. :)

I'm not fan of milky tea, and I detest instant coffee...but I managed just fine in blighty.

Roast parsnips are yum and a must with Sunday lunch.


Now here we get what I think is a funny usage of UK English...

Do you 'mericans (to include all the races and nationalities who inhabit North America where this website is based) have dinner at lunch-time and tea at dinner time? Or is it always lunch in the middle of the day and dinner or supper at the end of the day?

Merlin I bet you have dinner and tea don't ya? I do at home but with Un-Mrs.I we have lunch and dinner. :blink:

How about you other Brits here too?

[Bit]

What's a "fry up"?

Formal Sunday dinner here used to be almost a cultural icon, but I think most people today probably are more casual.

Marmite sounds rather... um... powerful. :scared:

I've been enjoying the thread; thank you for starting it, Merlin.

[Bit]

Do you 'mericans (to include all the races and nationalities who inhabit North America where this website is based) have dinner at lunch-time and tea at dinner time? Or is it always lunch in the middle of the day and dinner or supper at the end of the day?

I grew up always having lunch in the middle of the day, supper as the evening meal, and "dinner" only when it was formal--like the lunchtime "Sunday dinner." Tea time, as I understand it, is earlier than supper time; supper was always after work, so anywhere between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

[Gayla]

I don't know what a fry up is either.

Growing up, in a rural/farming community in Texas, the midday meal was called dinner and the evening meal was called supper. Dinner was usually a larger meal and, during certain times of the year was packed up and taken to the field so that everyone could eat together. Supper was usually smaller but was still usually something fried. :)

[Daktari]

I grew up always having lunch in the middle of the day, supper as the evening meal, and "dinner" only when it was formal--like the lunchtime "Sunday dinner." Tea time, as I understand it, is earlier than supper time; supper was always after work, so anywhere between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

Yes and that's how it traditionally is here but also traditionally because it's been that way for generations, working class northerners have had dinner in the middle of the day and tea (meaning dinner) later in the day after work. Must just be a Brit thing huh?

translation...Fry up (UK English: verb, adverb) a selection of fried food such as; bacon, sausage, eggs, mushrooms, black pudding et al...often accompanied with *shudders* Heinz baked beans and tinned plum or fried tomato (I'll pass on the tomato-y stuff ta ever so :|) ......usually served with toast and lashings of tea.

[Bit]

:| I can safely say I have never had a fry up. Sounds like a buffet at a country diner I guess... well, minus whatever "black pudding" might be....

[JustJo]

My first husband was from Queensland, Australia and I spent my first year there on what we'd call a cattle ranch...

Lots of heavy labor, and lots of food to provide fuel...so I got used to making (in this order)....

Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and, finally, tea :giggle:

I also learned how to make lamingtons, and pikelets, and steamed puddings.....but not black pudding *gag*

[StillettoDoll]

What is that breakfast thingy not sure what it's called , Ten soldiers,? I saw it on a food channel it looked good . I want to try that to make it.
I know I asked Incubus awhile back but I ready forgot.

[Daktari]

:| I can safely say I have never had a fry up. Sounds like a buffet at a country diner I guess... well, minus whatever "black pudding" might be....

Black pudding is delish. It's blood sausage, made with pigs blood (well my local one is)

The famous Bury black pudding is made in my home county of Lancashire and the town of errrm Bury.
http://www.buryblackpuddings.co.uk/
http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/eat&drink/local-dishes.html

There are national versions and variations. I personally love morcilla from Spain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding

[Daktari]

What is that breakfast thingy not sure what it's called , Ten soldiers,? I saw it on a food channel it looked good . I want to try that to make it.
I know I asked Incubus awhile back but I ready forgot.


Do you mean boiled egg and soldiers?

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/scoobs63/eggsoldierset-1.jpg

[Bit]

My eyes are glazing over, lol...
Black pudding is delish. It's blood sausage, made with pigs blood (well my local one is)

The famous Bury black pudding is made in my home county of Lancashire and the town of errrm Bury.
http://www.buryblackpuddings.co.uk/
http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/eat&drink/local-dishes.html

There are national versions and variations. I personally love morcilla from Spain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding)

I read those links (well, not so much the Bury link) and I've gotten quite the education... dunno why the whole blood thing squicks me out; I'm an omnivore... I guess the blood's always been an incidental thing, though, and never the focus of the food.

It just wasn't part of the culture I was raised in to even admit that meat has blood in it, and isn't that silly? I don't know if that was just in my area, or if it was real common in the US to be raised that way. Surely kids from families who hunted would know better...

[Daktari]

My eyes are glazing over, lol...


I read those links (well, not so much the Bury link) and I've gotten quite the education... dunno why the whole blood thing squicks me out; I'm an omnivore... I guess the blood's always been an incidental thing, though, and never the focus of the food.

It just wasn't part of the culture I was raised in to even admit that meat has blood in it, and isn't that silly? I don't know if that was just in my area, or if it was real common in the US to be raised that way. Surely kids from families who hunted would know better...


You are not alone Bit...Here and from what I gather, there in the US, many kids don't now about where their food comes from anymore. Is the organic and free-range eggs/meat market a hot potato on your side of the pond?

I don't touch or eat chicken or fish skin but I will eat cooked blood. We're odd creatures aren't we? :sunglass:

[Bit]

I don't touch or eat chicken or fish skin but I will eat cooked blood. We're odd creatures aren't we? :sunglass:

Indeed we are! Gryph won't eat skin at all, except for the very crackly turkey skin from a holiday bird, but he will eat salmon bones. And me, well, I LOVE rare meat dripping with juice... heh, that's the blood, I know that... but just the thought of black pudding squicks me out.

Maybe it's all in what one gets used to, and maybe also in the relative amounts of things.

Is organic a hot potato? Depends... do you mean hot potato as in highly controversial? Yes. It's also BIG business, so big that all the major food companies are jumping on the band wagon. These days the catch-phrase is "natural" and people have had to be educated that "natural" is literally meaningless as a food label, just like "cage free" is meaningless. Companies are bound by law to use the term "organic" in very particular ways, but the other terms are not regulated at all and a lot of products were labeled that way to mislead people into thinking they were as good as organic.

I suspect that organic food will gradually gain more and more market share as the years go by, but I don't expect any kind of big changes all of a sudden. What I think will happen instead is that as the economy continues to be difficult, more and more people will start gardening.

[Martina]

i have been to England, but the only traditional, i assume, thing i ate was fish and chips in a cone of newspaper. It was good. Beer was good too.

My stereotypes of English food come from the James Heriot books. God, i would love to have had some of those meals. The one thing he hated i think i would have loved, solid fat bacon (no strips of meat) fried till it was crunchy on the outside but oozy on the inside. i can't turn down anything pork.

Has anyone had that? Was it good?

[Merlin]

Sounds like belly pork ?

I don't like black pudding it squicks me out.

Yet I am a carnivore in every other way.

Beans with cheese grated on the top is beaut.
I like poached free range eggs on toast.


In think you would love cider farms .. A ploughman's lunch with cider and crusty bread .. Relish !!
:glasses:

[Merlin]

http://www.essentially-england.com/images/ploughmans_lunch.jpg

Ploughman's lunch .. Years ago English fields were ploughed by horses dragging ploughs This is what the ploughmen would have for lunch.

Apple,pork pie,crusty bread,cheese,pickle maybe a bit of salad and no doubt a cheeky bottle of scrumpy cider to wash it all down :sunglass:

[Daktari]

Yes Bit, I meant hot potato in that slightly contraversial way. I suspect we're a little further down the 'free-range' 'organic' route than you lot are. Labelling is pretty strict here too. It's the food we used to eat before the advent of the massive agri-business 'intensive' farms and farming practice.

June, beans on toast is indeed very 'Osbourne' fare and pretty standard everyday snacky food. We called it skinheads on a raft when we were kids in my house.

Martina I'm not quite sure what you mean by the solid pork fat - it doesn't sound like belly pork which does have meat amongst the fat. My Ma used to fry the bacon rinds until crispy which were delicious but I guess most generic bacon is now sold sans rinds (skin)

Merlin you're not a cider drinker are you? Ya Wurzel! It's vile stuff, I haven't drunk it since I was a teenager. Not even artisan scrumpy is to my palate. However give me a good Belgian lager like Leffe Blond or Duvel or English 'champagne' and I'm a happy chap.

A ploughmans lunch is not a traditional English meal, although it is often served in Brit pubs and has been for years. It's origins are infact unknown and the latest thinking is that it was 'invented' as a marketing ploy in the 60s and 70s by the Milk Marketing Board as a way to encourage the Brit public to eat more cheese. Go figure huh?

[Venus007]

I grew up eating an Ulster fry on weekends and holidays but my family is Irish (Antrim). We also added fried potatoes with onion because it wasn't heart attackie enough, lol.

Have any of you Americans had a fry up or a Sunday dinner ??

[Sparkle]

Roast parsnips are yum and a must with Sunday lunch.


Now here we get what I think is a funny usage of UK English...

Do you 'mericans (to include all the races and nationalities who inhabit North America where this website is based) have dinner at lunch-time and tea at dinner time? Or is it always lunch in the middle of the day and dinner or supper at the end of the day?

Merlin I bet you have dinner and tea don't ya? I do at home but with Un-Mrs.I we have lunch and dinner. :blink:

How about you other Brits here too?

I love parsnips too. But my former partner and her sisters did not, hence the incognito.

On holidays and Sundays I have dinner late-midday and occasionally tea (tea the meal, not the drink :) in the evening. Otherwise it is breakfast/lunch & dinner. Or brunch & supper on the weekends when time and schedules are more fluid.

[Daktari]

I love parsnips too. But my former partner and her sisters did not, hence the incognito.

On holidays and Sundays I have dinner late-midday and occasionally tea (tea the meal, not the drink :) in the evening. Otherwise it is breakfast/lunch & dinner. Or brunch & supper on the weekends when time and schedules are more fluid.

Did they eat the roasted parsnips with no mention of the different taste? To be honest Un-Mrs.I has a time of it disguising all the veggies she has me eat.

So, we have brunch, lunch, dinner ...and... tea, dinner, supper :blink:

Here's another one to add to the mix. My Pops, a solid working class bloke who has dinner and tea, also has 'afters' instead of pudding or dessert. No accounting for some folks!

All the fry ups, English, Scottish, Welsh, Ulster fry are basically the same with variations according to region/country and personal taste. I love toasted Irish soda bread toasted with my Full English.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_breakfast


The wiki page shows a Full English with bubble and squeak, I have never seen a fry up with bubble and squeak......maybe they do that in 'posh' establishments! :cheesy:

I love the Somerset Maugham quote on the Wiki page

"To eat well in England you should have breakfast three times a day."

[Sparkle]

They did notice the difference in taste (between the parsnips and the potatoes) but not until they'd already eaten one. Which brought Lyn no small amount of glee.

I miss yorkshire pudding and rich tea biscuits, of all things.

[Daktari]

They did notice the difference in taste (between the parsnips and the potatoes) but not until they'd already eaten one. Which brought Lyn no small amount of glee.

I miss yorkshire pudding and rich tea biscuits, of all things.

Hah! That would give me a little evil glee-ness too :groucho:

Yorkshire pudding is a food of the gods and goddesses isn't it. I'm crap at making it though and will usually buy it in ready made if having individual yorkies for Sunday lunch. I will make it myself if making Toad in the Hole with onion gravy. Do you 'mericans eat Toad in the Hole?

Rich tea biscuits? Not had those since I lived at home. This link might interest you.
http://www.britsuperstore.com/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?SS=rich+tea+biscuits&PR=-1&TB=A&SHOP=

[Apocalipstic]

Blood sausage I have tried and just can't do it.

Bacon in England (London at least) is what we would call Canadian Bacon in the US and rashers? I think is what bacon is in the US and sooooo much better than in the US, as are the free range eggs!

Bubble and squeek?

Pims and Lemonade...YUMMY

Salmon....ultra yummy!

my favorite of all?

Percy Pigs from Marks and Spencer.

[Apocalipstic]

oh and
Victoria Sponge!

It cracks me up that people in the US think Tea is fancy and must include hats and gloves.

[Apocalipstic]

Oh and crisps. Which we would call potato chips come in all flavors like Chilean Sea Bass and Shrimp.

[Sparkle]

Percy Pigs from Marks and Spencer.

Anything from Marks & Sparks. *sigh* I miss M&S a lot.

I also like fancy tea with hats and gloves. :) Followed by laying about on the grass in a nearby park, all dolled up.

When I first moved there I used to carry a little notebook with me to note all the new words and phrases and slang with translations.
Grocery shopping was really challenging and cockney rhyming slang - OMG I was always slow off the mark with that.

[Daktari]

Blood sausage I have tried and just can't do it.

Bacon in England (London at least) is what we would call Canadian Bacon in the US and rashers? I think is what bacon is in the US and sooooo much better than in the US, as are the free range eggs!

Bubble and squeek?

Pims and Lemonade...YUMMY

Salmon....ultra yummy!

my favorite of all?

Percy Pigs from Marks and Spencer.

oh and
Victoria Sponge!

It cracks me up that people in the US think Tea is fancy and must include hats and gloves.

My Pops who visits Canada regularly and has visited the US says that the bacon here is different too. My aunt in who's lived in Canada for nigh on 50yrs also concurs. They both agree that Brit bacon is better and now you agree too...it has to be true! I've never visited North America so can't give a personal opinion. I had no idea that our eggs may be better too.

You've lived here apocalipstic? Or come from here and emigrated?

Bubble and squeak is a fried up mixture of left over mash potato and cabbage (most usually but other left overs can be used too)...I like to use sprouts instead of cabbage. It's thoroughly delicious with bacon or left over roast meat.

Un-Mrs.I likes Pimms but after last summer's exploits with Pimms I will never ever drink the foul stuff again :seeingstars: Do you get Pimms over there?

Despite shopping in Marks and Sparks regularly I don't know what Percy Pigs are.

Aye we do have some odd flavour crisps here too...did you ever see Hedgehog flavour? Seabrooks crisps are my favourite and the King of Crisp...some would disagree though. How about you Merlin? Seabrooks, Walkers, Kettle or own brand crisps?

Hah! Do Americans really think that tea is that old fashioned sort of twee-tea thing? Tea can be posh, very posh, with cake stands, doilies, china cups and saucers but probably only at the Connaught or the Savoy or similar 'posh' (read v.expensive) establishments. However a real persons less posh tea is a butty, a cake/biscuit and a mug o'tea. :cheesy:

[Daktari]

Anything from Marks & Sparks. *sigh* I miss M&S a lot.

I also like fancy tea with hats and gloves. :) Followed by laying about on the grass in a nearby park, all dolled up.

When I first moved there I used to carry a little notebook with me to note all the new words and phrases and slang with translations.
Grocery shopping was really challenging and cockney rhyming slang - OMG I was always slow off the mark with that.

Where did you live Sparkle. You'll find that folks like Merlin and myself will speak slightly differently to folks in London. Not only are our accents different but also regional differences and idioms come into play too.

If you check out the link I posted for brit food you'll find plenty of Marks and Sparks food there. :thumbsup:
http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Marks_and_Spencer.html

[Sparkle]

Where did you live Sparkle. You'll find that folks like Merlin and myself will speak slightly differently to folks in London. Not only are our accents different but also regional differences and idioms come into play too.

If you check out the link I posted for brit food you'll find plenty of Marks and Sparks food there. :thumbsup:
http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Marks_and_Spencer.html

I was in London proper. I think I hit all four corners in my time there. :) Uxbridge, Hackney Downs, Stokey, Archway & Catford.

I was pretty good with most dialects, I got the hang of the Liverpudlian quite quickly but I found the Geordie dialect almost impossible to decipher even after a decade! :D

That British Superstore is going to be the death of me (my budget anyway). :) Cheers mate.

[Daktari]

I was in London proper. I think I hit all four corners in my time there. :) Uxbridge, Hackney Downs, Stokey, Archway & Catford.

I was pretty good with most dialects, I got the hang of the Liverpudlian quite quickly but I found the Geordie dialect almost impossible to decipher even after a decade! :D

That British Superstore is going to be the death of me (my budget anyway). :) Cheers mate.

S'Alreet chuck! I'm glad you like the Brit Store.

Scouse is a tough accent to listen to and Geordie as you say, if it's broad, is almost impenetrable. I'm a northerner with a pretty generic Lancastrian accent. Un-Mrs.I and me take the mickey out of each other as she's got a southern softie Hertfordshire accent! :cheesy:

May I ask how come you ended up here and why did you leave again? A girl/chap/other*?






*delete as applicable

[Bit]

A girl/chap/other*?






*delete as applicable


LOL!!! Now you've got it. :cheesy:

So... I am soooo not going to spend an hour surfing through Wikipedia today, following the scent of all these strange new foods... I will just ask instead, what is Toad in the Hole? Is that a fried egg in toast?

However a real persons less posh tea is a butty, a cake/biscuit and a mug o'tea. :cheesy:

Okay, what's a butty? And from last night, what is "lashings" of tea?

Merlin mentioned cheese on beans and it made me laugh because "put some cheese on it" is a catch-phrase in That House; one of our friends told THE most hysterically funny story about what happened when her partner interrupted an intense argument to ask if she was making supper. She insists to this day that a butch will eat ANYTHING if you put some cheese on it.... the dog was a little confused that night though. :cheesy: The reason we thought it was so funny is that Gryph has always said about my kitchen disasters, "put some cheese on it, I'll eat it..."



Yeah :cheesy: yeah, I KNOW how lucky I am with That Butch, lol! Love him with all my heart just for that alone!

[EnderD_503]

All you blood sausage haters don't know what you're missing :p Never saw it as a British-only thing, though. We have it French Canada and Atlantic Canada as well, and it's common to eat it all over Europe.

I really like white pudding best, though. Tastes even better :D

[JustJo]

[SIZE=3] one of our friends told THE most hysterically funny story about what happened when her partner interrupted an intense argument to ask if she was making supper. She insists to this day that a butch will eat ANYTHING if you put some cheese on it....

Was that Scoote? :blink:

Kidding, of course, but that woman will eat anything if there's enough cheese! :cheesy:

[Merlin]

Prawn cocktail walkers crisps. Loved them since being a kid.

Prefer spains selection of crisps. Better than england.

You guys like our Royal family ? Watch the wedding ? What did you think ?

[Apocalipstic]

My Pops who visits Canada regularly and has visited the US says that the bacon here is different too. My aunt in who's lived in Canada for nigh on 50yrs also concurs. They both agree that Brit bacon is better and now you agree too...it has to be true! I've never visited North America so can't give a personal opinion. I had no idea that our eggs may be better too.

You've lived here apocalipstic? Or come from here and emigrated?

Bubble and squeak is a fried up mixture of left over mash potato and cabbage (most usually but other left overs can be used too)...I like to use sprouts instead of cabbage. It's thoroughly delicious with bacon or left over roast meat.

Un-Mrs.I likes Pimms but after last summer's exploits with Pimms I will never ever drink the foul stuff again :seeingstars: Do you get Pimms over there?

Despite shopping in Marks and Sparks regularly I don't know what Percy Pigs are.

Aye we do have some odd flavour crisps here too...did you ever see Hedgehog flavour? Seabrooks crisps are my favourite and the King of Crisp...some would disagree though. How about you Merlin? Seabrooks, Walkers, Kettle or own brand crisps?

Hah! Do Americans really think that tea is that old fashioned sort of twee-tea thing? Tea can be posh, very posh, with cake stands, doilies, china cups and saucers but probably only at the Connaught or the Savoy or similar 'posh' (read v.expensive) establishments. However a real persons less posh tea is a butty, a cake/biscuit and a mug o'tea. :cheesy:

I visit usually once or more a year, but London only so far for work and one vacation. I hope to make it to the rest of the UK one day soon! :) NOT during the Olympics!

Had lovely tea at the National Portrait Gallery doilies and all!

I like the shortbread!!!

Percy Pigs are like wine gums but no wine and shaped like pigs....so yummy...will see if I can find photo.

Where did you live Sparkle. You'll find that folks like Merlin and myself will speak slightly differently to folks in London. Not only are our accents different but also regional differences and idioms come into play too.

If you check out the link I posted for brit food you'll find plenty of Marks and Sparks food there. :thumbsup:
http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Marks_and_Spencer.html

Ohhhhhhhhhh yeay! Thank you for posting!

All you blood sausage haters don't know what you're missing :p Never saw it as a British-only thing, though. We have it French Canada and Atlantic Canada as well, and it's common to eat it all over Europe.

I really like white pudding best, though. Tastes even better :D

Should I be afraid to ask what white pudding is?

Prawn cocktail walkers crisps. Loved them since being a kid.

Prefer spains selection of crisps. Better than england.

You guys like our Royal family ? Watch the wedding ? What did you think ?

I love following the Royal Family, though I slept through this weeding. I did watch the Princess Dianna one though. What do you all think of Cammilla? (sp?)

Of and the rhyming thing in London, yes hard to follow, but always very clever!

[Apocalipstic]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wqpbUcFmwz4/Syd2dekqNgI/AAAAAAAAAzk/aPMKwy-1ylk/s400/Marks+and+Spencer+Percy+Pig+Sweets.jpg

LOVE these, OMG!

[Merlin]

Don't think anyone I know is a camilla fan.

Don't want charles as king.
Want William.

[Apocalipstic]

Don't think anyone I know is a camilla fan.

Don't want charles as king.
Want William.

Definitely!

[Bit]

All you blood sausage haters don't know what you're missing :p Never saw it as a British-only thing, though. We have it French Canada and Atlantic Canada as well, and it's common to eat it all over Europe.

I really like white pudding best, though. Tastes even better :D

What's white pudding? By the time I finished the Wikipedia page on black pudding, with every European and Asian name ever invented for blood sausage, I was afraid to look up anything else! :glasses:


Was that Scoote? :blink:

Kidding, of course, but that woman will eat anything if there's enough cheese! :cheesy:

LOLOL!!! Omg, maybe it really is a butch thing? Well, no, can't be, lol, Gryph made a convert out of me. There's almost nothing that can't be improved with the right cheese.

EXCEPT dog food. I draw the line at dog food. :cheesy:

You guys like our Royal family ? Watch the wedding ? What did you think ?

I watched The Fairytale Wedding because, yanno, I wanted to be the princess.... and then I watched it unravel year by year. Now I can't be bothered--but then, I can't be bothered with ANY celebrity no matter what they're doing, unless it's saving the environment.

That actually makes Charles the Cad fairly interesting to me, ironically enough--I applaud his efforts in that direction, and actually agreed with his statement about boring modern architecture, lol...

I think I'm probaby atypical as a US citizen because I am not impressed in the least by fame and fortune; you're less likely to sell me a magazine with someone famous on the cover, for instance, than with a landscape or garden or room interior on the cover. I turned off the television decades ago and have only watched it sporadically since. I can always tell a huge difference in the quality not just of my life but also of my thinking when I am away from the influence of that infernal brainwashing machine.

Oh btw, Storm and I skipped lunch and so we're having tea, of a sorts. :cheesy: Hers is iced, mine is just water, and we're sharing a "personal watermelon" which is pretty darned big even for two hungry people--but ohhhh so good on such a hot day! BUT when I was growing up, fruit in the mid-to-late-afternoon was not called "tea" but "after school snacks" and the snacks would just as often be cookies (biscuits) and milk. :cheesy:

[EnderD_503]

I am in awe that there are people out there who have not witnessed the amazing white pudding! :p It's also a kind of sausage, but is filled with mostly meal and pork/pork fat. You cook it a similar way to blood sausage by dumping it in the frying pan for a few minutes (or you can put the whole thing in the oven, but I prefer to chop it up and fry it). Like with blood sausage the best is when you cook it to the point of being a big crumbly...or at least that's how I like it, lol. Now go forth to your local delicatessen! :p

God this is making me drool...we need a sausage thread, I'm severely craving currywurst and white pudding here, lol.

[Apocalipstic]

I am in awe that there are people out there who have not witnessed the amazing white pudding! :p It's also a kind of sausage, but is filled with mostly meal and pork/pork fat. You cook it a similar way to blood sausage by dumping it in the frying pan for a few minutes (or you can put the whole thing in the oven, but I prefer to chop it up and fry it). Like with blood sausage the best is when you cook it to the point of being a big crumbly...or at least that's how I like it, lol. Now go forth to your local delicatessen! :p

God this is making me drool...we need a sausage thread, I'm severely craving currywurst and white pudding here, lol.

I've never seen in in this part of the US. next time I am in Canada or the UK I will try some :)

[Daktari]

LOL!!! Now you've got it. :cheesy:

So... I am soooo not going to spend an hour surfing through Wikipedia today, following the scent of all these strange new foods... I will just ask instead, what is Toad in the Hole? Is that a fried egg in toast?



Okay, what's a butty? And from last night, what is "lashings" of tea?

Merlin mentioned cheese on beans and it made me laugh because "put some cheese on it" is a catch-phrase in That House; one of our friends told THE most hysterically funny story about what happened when her partner interrupted an intense argument to ask if she was making supper. She insists to this day that a butch will eat ANYTHING if you put some cheese on it.... the dog was a little confused that night though. :cheesy: The reason we thought it was so funny is that Gryph has always said about my kitchen disasters, "put some cheese on it, I'll eat it..."



Yeah :cheesy: yeah, I KNOW how lucky I am with That Butch, lol! Love him with all my heart just for that alone!

Lol I knew it! S'always a boy/girl/other! :winky:

Toad in the Hole is sausages and yorkshire pudding and it's totally yum!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_in_the_hole

Butty a colloquialism for sandwich - I think it's a northernism but I could be wrong.

Lashings of tea is referencing Enid Blyton Famous Five stories where they always had 'lashings (or lots of) of ginger beer'

Hah @ eating anything with cheese. Thankfully I won't eat just anything. If it contains tomato, sugar or fruit I will decline. If it contains crunchy vegetables I will decline. If it has pasta or rice I will generally decline.......picky moi? :groucho:

All you blood sausage haters don't know what you're missing :p Never saw it as a British-only thing, though. We have it French Canada and Atlantic Canada as well, and it's common to eat it all over Europe.

I really like white pudding best, though. Tastes even better :D

I'm with you EnderD black pudding is unctuous and ever so tasty but definitely not a uniquely Brit thing. The Wiki link I posted about it mentioned the different versions from around the world.
I'm not a fan of boudin blanc, maybe I should try it again, it's been some years since I tried it last. What's the appeal of white puddin' for you?

I visit usually once or more a year, but London only so far for work and one vacation. I hope to make it to the rest of the UK one day soon! :) NOT during the Olympics!

Had lovely tea at the National Portrait Gallery doilies and all!

I like the shortbread!!!

Percy Pigs are like wine gums but no wine and shaped like pigs....so yummy...will see if I can find photo.



Ohhhhhhhhhh yeay! Thank you for posting!



Should I be afraid to ask what white pudding is?



I love following the Royal Family, though I slept through this weeding. I did watch the Princess Dianna one though. What do you all think of Cammilla? (sp?)

Of and the rhyming thing in London, yes hard to follow, but always very clever!

Ooooh so they're percy pigs. I have a funny feeling my nephew might be getting a job lot of those very soon! :cheesy:

I don't blame you not travelling here during the Olympics. What a debacle that is set up to be. The one time in the forseeable future that representatives from most of the world will be in one place. I forsee potential reprisals for the Bin Laden murder happening at the Olympics. :blink:

I love eating and drinking in London's museums and galleries. You absolutely must try Tate Modern's eateries, they're really good. I'm a huge fan of the V&A's cafe too.


Don't think anyone I know is a camilla fan.

Don't want charles as king.
Want William.


Definitely!

I quite like Camilla actually. It's an underdog thing. Although I'm not a Royalist so don't want any of them to be King or Queen for that matter.

[Merlin]

Whats a pot roast ?

[Daktari]

Here ya go mate...good ole St.Delia will tell you about pot roast.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/pot-roast

[Sparkle]

S'Alreet chuck! I'm glad you like the Brit Store.

Scouse is a tough accent to listen to and Geordie as you say, if it's broad, is almost impenetrable. I'm a northerner with a pretty generic Lancastrian accent. Un-Mrs.I and me take the mickey out of each other as she's got a southern softie Hertfordshire accent! :cheesy:

May I ask how come you ended up here and why did you leave again? A girl/chap/other*?
*delete as applicable


My former partner is British. She had a work visa in the US when we met. When her visa expired our only (mostly legal) option for remaining together was to move to the UK, that was 1997. We were one of the first couples to successfully apply through the (then) Unmarried Partners Concession that Blair's government put in place. It took over two years to resolve, during which time I couldn't (legally) work or leave the country as my passport was in the longest queue in Britain (in Croydon at the INS).

Unfortunately our relationship crumbled under the strain and power imbalance, though we lasted through and beyond the process.

I returned to the US when my step-father passed away suddenly, leaving my family amidst huge grief and disorder.

I miss blighty & all my people there - MUCH.

[Daktari]

My former partner is British. She had a work visa in the US when we met. When her visa expired our only (mostly legal) option for remaining together was to move to the UK, that was 1997. We were one of the first couples to successfully apply through the (then) Unmarried Partners Concession that Blair's government put in place. It took over two years to resolve, during which time I couldn't (legally) work or leave the country as my passport was in the longest queue in Britain (in Croydon at the INS).

Unfortunately our relationship crumbled under the strain and power imbalance, though we lasted through and beyond the process.

I returned to the US when my step-father passed away suddenly, leaving my family amidst huge grief and disorder.

I miss blighty & all my people there - MUCH.

Ta ever sp much for sharing that. My condolences on the death of your step-father.

When did you go back home?

Have you visited since you left? Did you visit other European countries?

[Bit]

I am in awe that there are people out there who have not witnessed the amazing white pudding! :p It's also a kind of sausage, but is filled with mostly meal and pork/pork fat. You cook it a similar way to blood sausage by dumping it in the frying pan for a few minutes (or you can put the whole thing in the oven, but I prefer to chop it up and fry it). Like with blood sausage the best is when you cook it to the point of being a big crumbly...or at least that's how I like it, lol. Now go forth to your local delicatessen! :p

God this is making me drool...we need a sausage thread, I'm severely craving currywurst and white pudding here, lol.

LOL, Ender, we don't have that here, not at any delicatessen that I know of. But I could most probably deal with white pudding much easier than black pudding.

I suspect that a sausage made with what is essentially lard would be pretty rich for my tastes, though, and would probably give me indigestion no matter how much I liked it.

Whats a pot roast ?

Roast beef baked in a big stockpot with onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. My mom always used to sear the meat on all sides first, then sprinkle a packet of dry (instant) onion soup mix on the beef before she put it in the oven. I have no idea how much water she put in the pot, probably a cup or two.

Incubus, lashings of ginger beer makes me think of storms with rain lashing down. Thanks for telling me the reference, and for defining Toad in the Hole and butty!

[Martina]

Here is the description of the "bacon" from All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Heriot.

a great hunk of cold boiled bacon. But it wasn't ordinary bacon, it was one hundred percent fat without a strip of lean anywhere. Even in my shocked state i could see it was a work of art; cooked to a turn, beautifully encrusted with golden crumbs and resting on a spotless serving dish . . . but fat.

[Martina]

LOL. Yes i remember. At first Siegried was all excited -- good old english fare. LOL.

Oh and the descriptions of when James would visit the city vet and his wife and overeat and get drunk. . . . those were great.


One of my favorite chapters was how Tristan made Bangers and Mash for every meal because he didn't want to cook and was trying to teach them a lesson.

Although, Bangers (Sausages) and Mash (ed potatoes) might never get old with me.

[Merlin]

You guys really like james herriot dontcha ?

What about ab fab ?

[Martina]

Looove Patsy.

Fawlty Towers and Are You Being Served? are prolly my favorite British comedies though.

i also have enjoyed:

Jeeves and Wooster -- i love Stephen Fry but i am a little sad that he is dating that child.
Rumpole of the Baily
Inspector Morse
Cadfael
Prime Suspect
Sharpe

i cannot stand Mr. Bean although i like Black Adder. But Mr. Bean evokes such revulsion that i actually was a bit squicked when i saw Rowan Atkinson at the Royal Wedding.

What British shows do you like? What shows from other countries?

[Merlin]

Am not a television viewer really.

Cold case
Ncis
LA ink.

Used to watch wonder years when I was a child.

Winnie - sigh xx

[Venus007]

I am slightly embarrassed to say, so don't tell, Gav and Stacy

[Daktari]

Jeepers it's 35yrs since I read any James Heriot. I remember the 78-90 series well though...Tricky-woo the dog sticks in my mind for some reason.

Martina you should have a look at QI which is Stephen Fry and others. Mongrels is fantastic too if you like Brit humour. Are you a Doctor Who fan?

[Daktari]

I am slightly embarrassed to say, so don't tell, Gav and Stacy

Oh...What's occurrin'? :winky:

[Sparkle]

Ta ever sp much for sharing that. My condolences on the death of your step-father.

When did you go back home?

Have you visited since you left? Did you visit other European countries?

thank you for your condolences he was a good man and it was very difficult to be so far away at the time.

I left in late 2004, arriving a mere five days before 'W' was re-elected against home grown candidate John Kerry. It was a depressing 'welcome home' event. :|

I have NOT been back since then, I am terribly terribly remiss. The exchange rate has been so poor, and then in turn I became so poor.
I'm hoping to meet a group of my London friends in the Autumn though, location to be determined.

Yes, I did travel around Europe when I lived there.
Admittedly I am a sun seeker....so I made multiple trips to Italy and Spain; I also saw a bit of France and the Netherlands.

Have you traveled in North America before?

I actually hadn't done very much traveling in the US until I came back from Europe.

[Daktari]

thank you for your condolences he was a good man and it was very difficult to be so far away at the time.

I left in late 2004, arriving a mere five days before 'W' was re-elected against home grown candidate John Kerry. It was a depressing 'welcome home' event. :|

I have NOT been back since then, I am terribly terribly remiss. The exchange rate has been so poor, and then in turn I became so poor.
I'm hoping to meet a group of my London friends in the Autumn though, location to be determined.

Yes, I did travel around Europe when I lived there.
Admittedly I am a sun seeker....so I made multiple trips to Italy and Spain; I also saw a bit of France and the Netherlands.

Have you traveled in North America before?

I actually hadn't done very much traveling in the US until I came back from Europe.

I'm surprised you didn't just turn tail and leave again :runforhills:

Where in Spain did you visit?...I adore Barcelona and have followed the ongoing building of Sagrada Familia for some years, however it's 4yrs since I last checked progress. I'll assume you did the Amsterdam thang in the Netherlands :flyingweed:

Sadly I've never traveled in North America; I would love to but my bank account says no! I would particularly like to visit San Francisco and British Colombia up in Canada.

I do hope you get to come back for your autumn meet-up.

[Sparkle]

I'm surprised you didn't just turn tail and leave again :runforhills:

Where in Spain did you visit?...I adore Barcelona and have followed the ongoing building of Sagrada Familia for some years, however it's 4yrs since I last checked progress. I'll assume you did the Amsterdam thang in the Netherlands :flyingweed:

Sadly I've never traveled in North America; I would love to but my bank account says no! I would particularly like to visit San Francisco and British Colombia up in Canada.

I do hope you get to come back for your autumn meet-up.


Oh the temptation to turn right around was GREAT!

I did love Amsterdam, the people are so warm and friendly, the town is so easy to navigate and it was close enough to make a long weekend of it easily.

I visited Spain almost every year and most of my travels were in Catalunya.
I was also entranced with Gaudi's work and would visit annually to check on the progress of Sagrada Familia; which is AMAZING!!! Over 150 years on and still building to his plans.

And then I discovered Sitges! :D I usually stayed in Sitges and made day trips on the train to Barca and Figueres and all around the Costa Dorada and Costa Brava. I love the high speed train lines in Europe. So easy to get around.

San Francisco is definitely well worth a visit (or ten).
I hope you make it over here sometime.

The hard thing about travel, IMO, is deciding where to go...the world is full of so many amazing places. When I lived in the UK I had to balance my desire to see everything and go everywhere in Europe, with my need to also come home and see my family over here. Now that I'm here, I'm balancing my desire to travel far as opposed to the places that are much nearer (but seem so... common, so known). Does that makes sense?
It's a hard life :D

[Merlin]

I am eating home made cheesecake whilst perusing this thread.


And am enjoying the wealth of shared information.

[Daktari]

I love Dawn French and the Vicar of Dibley is one of my favorite shows of all time.

You might like to check out Jam and Jerusalem...written by Jennifer Saunders and starring the great and good of Brit actresses including JS herself, Joanna Lumley and Dawn French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam_%26_Jerusalem

[Martina]

i am not a Dr. Who fan though friends are and were all excited about the new one that came out recently.

thank you -- anything Stephen Fry is good. :)

re Dawn French, i am hot for her.

[Daktari]

i am not a Dr. Who fan though friends are and were all excited about the new one that came out recently.

thank you -- anything Stephen Fry is good. :)

re Dawn French, i am hot for her.

Dr.Who is fabulous...the new series is just a couple of episodes old and is shaping up to be as exciting as usual.

If you like Stephen you'll love QI. Have you read his books? :chaplin:

[wolfbittenpoet]

Am Dr. Who addict. I joined getglue simply for Dr. Who stickers. I've decided I really want to grow up to be Captain Jack and date River Song.

But I like pretty much any BBC creation. My current faves are Dr. Who and Demons. I am waiting patiently for Bedlam and I want more Sherlock Holmes. To tell the truth my tv is set to turn on BBC America. I also am an online devotee of BBC 4 radio broadcasts particularly radio plays of Terry Pratchett and others.

[Sparkle]

I'm a "Spooks" ("MI-5" is the American title) addict.

And I love most anything French & Saunders!

[Merlin]

French and Saunders sketches are brilliant.

Am glad you guys have BBC America .. It's nice to share programmes.

[Venus007]

When I was a kid I LOVED "Danger Mouse"
Oh crumb!

[AtLast]

You might like to check out Jam and Jerusalem...written by Jennifer Saunders and starring the great and good of Brit actresses including JS herself, Joanna Lumley and Dawn French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam_%26_Jerusalem

YES!!! Yes, yes..

[Daktari]

When I was a kid I LOVED "Danger Mouse"
Oh crumb!

Crumbs DM!

Si Baroni

Penfold, shush!



Am Dr. Who addict. I joined getglue simply for Dr. Who stickers. I've decided I really want to grow up to be Captain Jack and date River Song.

But I like pretty much any BBC creation. My current faves are Dr. Who and Demons. I am waiting patiently for Bedlam and I want more Sherlock Holmes. To tell the truth my tv is set to turn on BBC America. I also am an online devotee of BBC 4 radio broadcasts particularly radio plays of Terry Pratchett and others.

Although Cap'n Jack was introduced to us on Dr.Who, he really came into his own in the spin-off Torchwood (which is of course an anagram of Doctor Who).

The most recent series of Sherlock was fantastic, better than any of it's previous incarnations throughout the years imho.

Radio 4 is my default channel and I love the Archers and the 6.30 funnies in particular. Just a Minute, Sorry I haven't a clue, The news quiz and Fags, Mags and Bags are all worth looking up.

[Merlin]

Dear americans,

No google or wikipedia answers I want this from your own personal perspective . .

Thanksgiving . . Explain this to me please. And what does it mean to you ? X x

[Daktari]

Jeepers Merlin, the notion of Thanksgiving is pretty easy that even I know about it. No wiki needed. The Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony gave thanks to God after surviving their first hard winter in New England. Gave thanks for being helped to survive by the indigenous, Native American population. You've heard of Squanto surely and the leader of the Wampanoag tribe who donated food to the colonists after the supplies they brought from England ran out. I could be entirely wrong in this of course, I've only done the basic history of the 'colonies'.

I look forward to hearing what the celebration means to Planet members personally.

[wolfbittenpoet]

I found I preferred Jack in the Doctor Who Series and the first season of Torchwood. Later on he became moody and unJackish. In a very Doctor Who style of course. I never quite caught on to The Sarah Jane Adventures.

I also am a devotee of Red Dwarf. Use to get up two hours early for school to watch it.

For me Thanksgiving is a celebration of stolen land, broken promises, and Puritan intolerance.

[Apocalipstic]

Wow, Thanksgiving.

What Incubus said is the party line....

But if I think about it in that vein I have to go with it being a celebration of the stealing and raping of the central part of the North American continent by colonists.

So, I try to go with it being a day to reflect on those things I am thankful for like my friends, my job etc.

[Daktari]

I found I preferred Jack in the Doctor Who Series and the first season of Torchwood. Later on he became moody and unJackish. In a very Doctor Who style of course. I never quite caught on to The Sarah Jane Adventures.

I also am a devotee of Red Dwarf. Use to get up two hours early for school to watch it.

Crikey I thought Jack really came into his own in Torchwood and loved each series. I've never seen the Sarah Jane Adventures - they're shown on childrens tv here but I was saddened at the recent death of Elizabeth Sladen who was one of Dr.Who's three main girl sidekicks of the 70s - the ones I remember anyway. Sara Jane crossed over two Dr's, when Jon Pertwee (3rd Dr. and the real Dr of my childhood) regenerated as Tom Baker, Sara Jane was his companion. Of course we all remember the 4th Dr's (Tom Baker) companion Leela too for her lack of clothing :groucho:

[Daktari]

Wow, Thanksgiving.

What Incubus said is the party line....

But if I think about it in that vein I have to go with it being a celebration of the stealing and raping of the central part of the North American continent by colonists.

So, I try to go with it being a day to reflect on those things I am thankful for like my friends, my job etc.

It's the history I've been taught of course which is Eurocentric just as yours is US-centric. I'm pleased to say the the Brits weren't the first to land and colonize. Weren't the Spanish, Portuguese and French there before us?

To be fair, when I celebrate Thanksgiving with my 'merican friend we're giving thanks for good friends and for our democratic freedoms.

[wolfbittenpoet]

It's the history I've been taught of course which is Eurocentric just as yours is US-centric. I'm pleased to say the the Brits weren't the first to land and colonize. Weren't the Spanish, Portuguese and French there before us?

To be fair, when I celebrate Thanksgiving with my 'merican friend we're giving thanks for good friends and for our democratic freedoms.


While the other nationalities are the first colonizers the Brits are who get remembered on Thanksgiving. In my family we decide that the holiday really is a precursor carb loading time for the madness that is Black Friday.

[Daktari]

While the other nationalities are the first colonizers the Brits are who get remembered on Thanksgiving. In my family we decide that the holiday really is a precursor carb loading time for the madness that is Black Friday.

To be fair, the English (as opposed to the UK) were creating the Empire and starting it's dirty, bullish, colonizing ways long before they landed in Plymouth. Black Friday, wiki says that's the start of the Christmas shopping period, is that what you mean?

[Kätzchen]

Merlin?

My heart feels torn about many American social holidays, mainly because of social rituals and identity. It's a slippery slope in my mind, celebration of a holiday. I like Thanksgiving because it's a nice time to come together with people you care deeply for (family, friends, relatives) and I cannot help but think of people who have no family, friends or relatives to spend a holiday with.

I think everyday should be a 'holiday' - one in which we feel invited for who we are, where we have a place at the 'table' to sup with one another. There's nothing like good food, conversation that enriches the soul, and a social bonding that brings us together in ways that stands the test of time.

What about you? Is there a particular holiday that means a lot to you?

Personally, I think birthdays are important holidays. . .

[Bit]

Black Friday, wiki says that's the start of the Christmas shopping period, is that what you mean?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US, when traditionally the stores open insanely early and have insanely great bargains to start the insanely crazy Christmas shopping season. The truth is that the season starts in September now, much to the dismay of those who believe Christmas is overcommercialized.

The day got the name Black Friday because it was so often the first day in the year when store revenues flipped from being in the red to being in the black; the sales from the day often were a store's only chance to begin to make a profit for the year.

[Daktari]

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US, when traditionally the stores open insanely early and have insanely great bargains to start the insanely crazy Christmas shopping season. The truth is that the season starts in September now, much to the dismay of those who believe Christmas is overcommercialized.

The day got the name Black Friday because it was so often the first day in the year when store revenues flipped from being in the red to being in the black; the sales from the day often were a store's only chance to begin to make a profit for the year.

That's what I read on wiki...I thought Black whatever was a stock market crash not Christmas shopping season. :cheesy:

[Bit]

Dear americans,

No google or wikipedia answers I want this from your own personal perspective . .

Thanksgiving . . Explain this to me please. And what does it mean to you ? X x

What Thanksgiving means to me has changed over time. When I was a kid, it was all about the Pilgrims and Squanto, the Autumn Harvest, four days off school, eating the best food on earth bar none, and trying to stay the heck out of the way because my mother was a crazy woman.

When I was a teenager, it was about church and then a big stress-filled family dinner, involving impossible cleaning schedules, impossible cooking schedules, waaaayyy too many relatives crammed into the space allotted, a screaming mother, eating two hours after the scheduled time, and the best food on earth bar none. (You might imagine I had some mixed feelings about it all by that time.) I still believed in the Pilgrims and Squanto and I still recognized the Autumn Harvest.

When I was a young adult, Thanksgiving involved walking in on this stress-filled scene three quarters of the way through when my partner--who was persona non grata--dropped me off, to then go on to her own much calmer family dinner where I was persona non grata. I still believed in the Pilgrims and Squanto and the Autumn Harvest, and I still ate the best food on earth bar none.

When I was in my thirties I said no more family angst and learned to roast my own turkey--the one thing I hadn't already done--and my partner and I stayed home by ourselves. I had learned the truth about the Pilgrims and Squanto by then and had done some serious reading of accurate history; I felt guilty with every bite, even as I did my best to remember those who died as well as giving thanks for my own blessings and the Autumn Harvest while I ate the best food on earth bar none.

When I forty-four I lost everything that had meaning for me except for Ladybug and my online community. I was forced to move back in with my mom as a charity case. I discovered then that Thanksgiving had a meaning for me that I had never articulated before: it wasn't about where I was, or whom I might be with; it wasn't about where I lived or whether had my own place; it was entirely about what I did. Thanksgiving was cooking the best food on earth bar none, decorating the house, bringing the gift of "holiday" to the people I fed. I still remembered those who had died, I still counted my own blessings and acknowledged the Autumn Harvest, and I still felt guilty with every bite.

When I was 49 I moved to Kansas and made my home with Gryph, who has native American heritage and who did not celebrate Thanksgiving. I listened to his music and read more accurate history and nearly perished from the guilt of it all............

...............and I subverted Gryph anyway and cooked Thanksgiving dinner for him.

Because you know what the best food on earth bar none is, the traditional food of Thanksgiving in the US? It's the gift of thousands of years of Native American farmers and gardeners, a gift to the world from the continents of the Americas--turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, green beans, corn, wild rice, tomatoes, winter squash, chestnuts, pecans, pumpkin.

The Autumn Harvest is the gift of the First Nations to us, and so every year as I give thanks for my own blessings, I give them on what I call First Nations Day and Gryph and I celebrate with the best food on the face of the earth bar none. I still feel an everpresent sadness and anger at what has happened to the first peoples of these continents, but I no longer feel guilt over celebrating the bountiful harvest of Autumn, just gratitude to the first farmers for their incredible gift to the world.

[Bit]

That's what I read on wiki...I thought Black whatever was a stock market crash not Christmas shopping season. :cheesy:

The stock market crash was Black Tuesday... and truthfully, MANY employees who work retail on Black Friday think of it as a huge disaster. It's the day they are forced to accept the worst excesses of human greed, right up to and including crowds trampling people to death just to get the latest geegaws for a cheap price. Black Friday is not for the faint of heart nor, many times, for the sane.

[Daktari]

Ooh Bit I love your story of Thanksgiving through your ages. How fabulous. I'm so sorry you lost everything but so chuffed (very Brit for real happy) you found reason to give thanks no matter what. I guessed that Squanto is the party line...sanitized history in other words. Who's going to post links to the 'real' history for me?

[Bit]

Here's where I started, Incubus.

Amazon.com: Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World (9780449904961): Jack Weatherford: Books

I've always looked for the good and for the blessings in my life; it's who I am. *soft smile* Thank you for the kudos.

[Daktari]

Here's where I started, Incubus. http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Givers-Indians-Americas-Transformed/dp/0449904962 (http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Givers-Indians-Americas-Transformed/dp/0449904962)

I've always looked for the good and for the blessings in my life; it's who I am. *soft smile* Thank you for the kudos.

Thank-you Bit...I shall buy and read after my stated summer agenda of Tales of the City. Gracias.

[Starbuck]

Roast parsnips are yum and a must with Sunday lunch.


Now here we get what I think is a funny usage of UK English...

Do you 'mericans (to include all the races and nationalities who inhabit North America where this website is based) have dinner at lunch-time and tea at dinner time? Or is it always lunch in the middle of the day and dinner or supper at the end of the day?

Merlin I bet you have dinner and tea don't ya? I do at home but with Un-Mrs.I we have lunch and dinner. :blink:

How about you other Brits here too?

This one is a funny disagreement between my dad and myself. He calls the three meals breakfast-dinner-supper.
I USED to call it that until I went into the Army and was "retrained" to call it breakfast-lunch-dinner...and you can have tea with any meal you want. I usually drink iced tea (no sweetner) unless I'm sick then it's hot tea with honey.

[Starbuck]

I love the Dr Who series, with the exception of The Doctor changing ever so often. I got so used to the last doctor I didn't want him to change! I thought he was actually kind of good looking and that he and Martha Jones would have made a brilliant couple because she was soooo in love with him! I don't know if he just didn't see it or if he chose not to see it because he was a Time Lord.

[Merlin]

Jeepers Merlin, the notion of Thanksgiving is pretty easy that even I know about it. No wiki needed. The Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony gave thanks to God after surviving their first hard winter in New England. Gave thanks for being helped to survive by the indigenous, Native American population. You've heard of Squanto surely and the leader of the Wampanoag tribe who donated food to the colonists after the supplies they brought from England ran out. I could be entirely wrong in this of course, I've only done the basic history of the 'colonies'.

I look forward to hearing what the celebration means to Planet members personally.

Never did anything about american history at school. That's why I am asking the americans lol.

[Gráinne]

Dear americans,

No google or wikipedia answers I want this from your own personal perspective . .

Thanksgiving . . Explain this to me please. And what does it mean to you ? X x

Thanksgiving originated with the colonists, but Abraham Lincoln was the first president to celebrate it on one day as a national holiday, in the midst of the Civil War. Franklin Roosevelt fixed the day in November.

I stop to be thankful for all I have, and that for all our problems, we're darn blessed as well. I do have to confess that I love all the cooking madhouse, and football (American football, traditionally played on the day), but I try to have a moment to myself in thanks.

[Ciaran]

To be fair, the English (as opposed to the UK) were creating the Empire and starting it's dirty, bullish, colonizing ways long before they landed in Plymouth. Black Friday, wiki says that's the start of the Christmas shopping period, is that what you mean?

The Empire was a British creation, not solely an English one.

The UK, itself, had nothing to do with the Empire as it was simply a constitutional framework to unite Scotland to England and Wales (in 1707) and, subsequently, Ireland. The Empire was being built before the UK existed in an constitutional sense.

[Trishagee]

I would move to the UK (anywhere in the UK) just to get Eastenders! I watched it for many (many) years on Public Broadcasting (delayed 1 or 2 years sadly) then it was taken away from me :( I try to keep up on their web page, but it's not the same! (ohhh and the curry take out would be an added bonus!)

[Daktari]

The Empire was a British creation, not solely an English one.

The UK, itself, had nothing to do with the Empire as it was simply a constitutional framework to unite Scotland to England and Wales (in 1707) and, subsequently, Ireland. The Empire was being built before the UK existed in an constitutional sense.

Yes of course it was. The Empire was starting to be created in the 17th century, in North America as it happens but that's by-the-by.

I would move to the UK (anywhere in the UK) just to get Eastenders! I watched it for many (many) years on Public Broadcasting (delayed 1 or 2 years sadly) then it was taken away from me :( I try to keep up on their web page, but it's not the same! (ohhh and the curry take out would be an added bonus!)

Do you lot not get BBCiPlayer over there?

[wolfbittenpoet]

Do you lot not get BBCiPlayer over there?[/QUOTE]

No in the US BbcIplayer isn't available. I wish it was.

[Daktari]

Do you lot not get BBCiPlayer over there?

No in the US BbcIplayer isn't available. I wish it was.[/QUOTE]

Tsk! That just ain't right. There's loads I'd like to share with y'all if you had iPlayer. There's great arts and music stuff on BBC4

[Martina]

*Tittering about Denmark saying Marmite isn't fit for human consumption*

Link (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/danish-ban-has-marmite-lovers-sticking-mad/article2035158/)

http://www.worldsstrangest.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/wscache23/382a5_marmite-ban.jpg

[Martina]

i bet the old guy wishes Michelle were his date.

For me the dress, not so much. i prefer her in suits.

http://fashionbombdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Michelle-Obama-Tom-Ford-Dinner-Queen-London-UK.jpg

[Daktari]

It's been odd watching your President 'reclaim' his apostrophe in Ireland and visiting QE2. The Obamas look so 'Hollywood' even next to Her Maj in her finery.

I wonder why a pretty pointless state visit happened now. I wonder who's footing the bill for the extra security? Just thinking out loud.

[Martina]

It's been odd watching your President 'reclaim' his apostrophe in Ireland and visiting QE2. The Obamas look so 'Hollywood' even next to Her Maj in her finery.

I wonder why a pretty pointless state visit happened now. I wonder who's footing the bill for the extra security? Just thinking out loud.


The host country does the inviting, and they are scheduled way in advance. i am sure the British government is picking up the tab. Just googled. You are, and the estimate for security alone is 30 million pounds. A special allocation had to be made for it.

[Daktari]

The host country does the inviting, and they are scheduled way in advance. i am sure the British government is picking up the tab. Just googled. You are, and the estimate for security alone is 30 million pounds. A special allocation had to be made for it.

Thanks for googling that one Martina. Jeepers! With more children living in poverty than ever, a failing education system, an increasingly privatized health service and we spend 30m. on security. Way to go UK!! I suppose the British tax payer is used to picking up the bill for something they never asked for. I'm thinking back to that wedding recently.

I am not having a pop at the Obamas in any way. They were invited.

Does the 'Special Relationship' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Relationship get mentioned in the American media?

[Sparkle]

Does the 'Special Relationship' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Relationship get mentioned in the American media?

Not on a regular basis... but the two times (of note) I've heard it mentioned are:

WWII, certainly my grandparents and their peers referenced the special relationship between the US and the UK; with genuine gratitude and a sense of comradery. Similarly the English I know from the same generation - do as well - though not without noting how long it took the US to get involved in WWII. :)

My great Uncles laughed uproariously when they first heard the phrase:
"Oversexed, overpaid & over here" in reference to their time as GIs stationed in the UK.

The second time I noticed the phrase "special relationship" had become more common was during George W.'s tenure... and it is used in a very sarcastic/sardonic/ironic manner.

George W.'s wars against terror and WMDs and Tony Blair's willingness to follow (presumably because of that "special relationship" - has been widely criticized all around the world.

[Daktari]

Not on a regular basis... but the two times (of note) I've heard it mentioned are:

WWII, certainly my grandparents and their peers referenced the special relationship between the US and the UK; with genuine gratitude and a sense of comradery. Similarly the English I know from the same generation - do as well - though not without noting how long it took the US to get involved in WWII. :)

My great Uncles laughed uproariously when they first heard the phrase:
"Oversexed, overpaid & over here" in reference to their time as GIs stationed in the UK.

The second time I noticed the phrase "special relationship" had become more common was during George W.'s tenure... and it is used in a very sarcastic/sardonic/ironic manner.

George W.'s wars against terror and WMDs and Tony Blair's willingness to follow (presumably because of that "special relationship" - has been widely criticized all around the world.

It is referred to here more than there I have always assumed so I'm not surprised you've only heard it twice Sparkle.

[StillettoDoll]

Yesterday I saw a report that High School proms were getting very popular in the UK, because of the show Glee. You don't not have them there?

Stretch limos, spray tans and the £500 dresses: The unstoppable (and ludicrously expensive) rise of the high school prom


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1372539/Stretch-limos-spray-tans-500-dresses--unstoppable-ludicrously-expensive-rise-high-school-prom.html#ixzz1R8TeOIIR

[StillettoDoll]

Do the English like country western music? Is it popular there?

[Daktari]

Yesterday I saw a report that High School proms were getting very popular in the UK, because of the show Glee. You don't not have them there?

Stretch limos, spray tans and the £500 dresses: The unstoppable (and ludicrously expensive) rise of the high school prom


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1372539/Stretch-limos-spray-tans-500-dresses--unstoppable-ludicrously-expensive-rise-high-school-prom.html#ixzz1R8TeOIIR

Sadly yes we have now adopted the phenomenon that is the school prom - a bit like we 'adopted' trick or treating at Halloween. It's not so much to do with Glee but more to do with long-standing American cultural hegemony and kids wanting what they see in the movies/telly...the Prom as you lot know it has become more popular here over the last few years. We have always had an end of school celebrations it's just now they're called a Prom and parents have to pay out a lot more than they ever did for 'outfits' and transport.

Do the English like country western music? Is it popular there?

Course some Brits love country and western music...Not so sure I'd call it 'popular' but there are plenty of folks who like it.

[Melissa]

I was looking up house prices in England the other day. I looked up prices on the street my grandparents lived on and where I grew up. I was shocked that a 2 bedroom former council flat in the same block as theirs is going for almost 200,000 pounds. When the council first started selling them off in the mid 90s they offered to sell it to my grandparents for 9,000 pounds! My grandfather refused to buy it.

M

[Merlin]

Do the English like country western music? Is it popular there?

Can't say I am a fan .. I like dolly,tammy Wynette and tim McGraw.

[Merlin]

What did y'all think of wills and Kate in Canada ?

[Ciaran]

Do the English like country western music? Is it popular there?

Depends on the context but, generally, it's not something you would admit to liking in public over here (unless you live in South West England) ....

In practice, many of us love Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson etc (even Willie Nelson) but there's a limit and, generally, any interest in the genre is less than it is across the pond.

[Daktari]

Dolly is touring here soon...I so wanna go!


<<<<Dolly lovin' faggot! :|

[betenoire]

What did y'all think of wills and Kate in Canada ?

Depends on who you ask. I personally have no interest at all in the Royal Family. But I've got some pals who are just MAD about them.

I did almost buy a reproduction of her engagement ring though. It was very pretty.