london bound…?

10 / 9 / 13

Many of you already know that the hubbie and I lived in London for two years… back in the dark ages. Actually, it was 1986-1988. Same thing. I had a friend who recently went to London with her family and she asked if I had any suggestions as to what to do, where to go… Wow. That’s a big question. There is just SO MUCH to see and do… and everyone has a different “wish list” for what they hope to get out of their trip. Anyway, for what it’s worth, I made a list of suggestions – and although it was random, she said that it helped. (To see my friend, Dawn’s “recap” of her London trip, click here… A Glimpse of London)

Someone else asked me about London just the other day. They were, also, thinking of heading over to see the queen in the near future. I’m sure it’s quite challenging to work around her schedule. No. I’m kidding. I don’t know anyone who personally rubs shoulders with the queen. But I’m 99% sure that I was standing right next to David Cassidy in a London post office once. This highly engaging fact, however, only has relevance if you read my previous post – “music memories”. Anyway – It made me think that there might be others who might actually benefit from my infinite wisdom and extraordinary insight when it comes to playing the part of a London tourist… Ya. Right. OK – perhaps you know someone who is leaving tomorrow and they need to be punished for procrastinating. Regardless of the circumstances, here it is… in all it’s glory. “The List“. Hope it helps. Someone; somewhere…

Double decker buses (top level… great wind factor!! Ha!) Best way to take an initial overall tour of the city!!
“The Tube” – For day-to-day travel, the underground (“the tube”) is super easy to navigate and the best way to get from point A to point B. At some point, tho, a taxi ride in one of the old fashioned taxis is a must!!
Afternoon Tea – My #1 fav thing to do in England… SO many options, from super, duper fancy (think “The Ritz”) to comfy casual (Think a “bed & bath” somewhere in the English countryside). I’m pretty sure that my” last meal” would include scones with clotted cream & jam…
Leicester Square – Great place to buy ½ price theatre tickets for that day
Speakers Corner (@ Marble Arch) – People go here to speak publicly about anything & everything. Have anything you wanna get off your chest??
Indian Food – a “must try”; They are every corner!! A few good things to try for your first experience (very mild) – “Chicken Korma”, “Chicken Tikka Masala”, “Nan”. In a word… Yum.
“Harrods” (Knightsbridge)– a must see!! An entire city block in one store. Don’t miss the food halls downstairs!
“Fortnum & Mason” – Another taste of British life is that is like a grocery store on steroids!! (Piccadilly Circus or Green Park) An easy walk from Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus – As close to “Times Square” in NY as you’re gonna get here… Very crazy & crowded but lots of people like to photograph
Trafalgar Square – Another big tourist stop for photos… Feeding the pigeons (yuck!) Walking distance from Buckingham Palace!
Covent Garden – An old fruit & veggie market… now full of shops, open air market, street entertainers… Check online to see if there is a schedule or anything. Cute unique little shops in the surrounding area as well. This is a good place for pics & gifts to take home.
Hyde Park – huge & beautiful!
“Kings Road”/Sloane Square (Clelsea area) – Used to be very young, trendy area (shops) & your best chance to get a punk rocker photo!
“Boots” – This is the store you need to look for if you need any “stuff”… Like a Walgreens or CVS on steroids! They call a drugstore a “chemist”; just in case you have to ask for one!
“the loo” – Ask for this if you need a “potty”!!!
Pics… Big Ben, St. Pauls, Tower of London (they do a gross tour that might appeal to the men/boys… lots of gory stuff!), Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey (You will go past all of these on double decker tour, which gives you a feel for the layout of the city & let’s you make notes of areas to go back to!)

Enjoy – and give that beautiful city a great big juicy hug from a “not so secret” admirer… xoxo

live happy

an irish tea

3 / 5 / 13

There is a cold wind howling outside my window today. With all of the snow and cold weather we have been having, an “Irish Tea” sounds so cozy and inviting; doesn’t it? After living in England for two years (1986-1988), I developed a true passion for the whole concept of afternoon tea. It is a ritual of peace… and calm… and relaxation… Everyone speaks in gentle, hushed tones. There is soft classical music; a piano, perhaps? You sip slowly; you eat delicate little bites; you savor everything s-l-o-w-l-y. Every sip; every moment. Time stands completely still.

And so I invite you to take a moment, today, to pause… I have included a couple of recipes for you to enjoy. (Click HERE for those beautiful Shamrock Cookies from “Sweetopia“.) Perhaps it will be your inspiration to plan a little “Irish gathering” of your own…? At a minimum; make yourself a cup of tea in your favorite teacup and enjoy this little touch of Irish music (click HERE). Relax, breathe, and sip slowly. Sometimes a little pause in our day is all that we need to carry on…

And so today, I bid you peace…

Reuben Rolls

(from “Taste of Home“)

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
5 flour tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
7 packages (2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli corned beef
15 thin slices Swiss cheese
1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mustard and horseradish until blended. Spread a heaping tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture over each tortilla.
Layer each tortilla with eight slices of corned beef, three slices of cheese, another heaping tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture and 1/2 cup sauerkraut. Roll up tightly. Chill for 1 hour. Cut each roll-up into 1/2-in. slices. Yield: about 8 dozen.

Originally published as Reuben Rolls in Taste of Home’s Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p36

big ben

6 / 6 / 12

I have to admit that watching the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration over the past couple of days has made me a bit nostalgic…

It seems like a hundred years ago, now; our life in London. It was 1986 when the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself to these two young, 20-something newlyweds. The next two years play out in my mind like a slideshow of beautiful memories, unforgettable friends and extraordinary experiences. Here we were, two young kids from the midwest. We were suddenly living in the heart of London, in a small flat (apartment), with a refrigerator that was not much bigger than a small “bar” refrigerator and a washer/dryer “combo”. (Yep. One contraption takes care of both. Go figure.) Two of the modes of transportation were a huge underground subway system (“the tube”), or a car (our little white Jetta) with the steering wheel on the right side of the car, that you were, somehow, expected to drive on the left side of the street! We learned that a “boot” is the trunk of your car, if you need an elevator, you ask for the “lift” and for goodness gracious, if you have to go potty, you need to find the “loo”!! We fell in love with Indian food, the theatre and the English countryside. I fell “head-over-heels in love” with “afternoon tea”… the finest tradition on earth, in my ever so humble opinion. I did not, however, fall in love with “pub food”. Just saying. We learned that drizzly rain is just that… drizzly rain; and it doesn’t stop anything. When the sun did make an appearance – it was a gift and a glorious celebration. We learned that no one there cares if it is Thanksgiving back home and that the holidays are a time that you really do miss your family… We made lots of friends, however. Good friends; with people from all over the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Those friends, along with our many, many experiences, have proven to be truly unforgettable. There is so much more to share in future posts – but suffice it to say that our time in London was absolutely, positively “splendid”!! Cheers!

“From the top of the bus she could see the vast bowl of London spreading out to the horizon: splendid shops with mannequins in the window, interesting people and already a much bigger world.” – Julia Gregson