Category: Not America

There is life and it exists, outside America. Duh.

Me and My Bathmat

There are two things I needed to get while I was shopping today: bagels and a bathmat. I got neither, but still managed to spend £200 ($370.50). Such is the dire predicament of shopping in London. I have no bagels, which is fine. I have bread, instead, and we can eat that. Or we can…

Full English Breakfast

After Renee Zellweger made the first Bridget Jones movie, she was quoted in an interview as telling the world how much she liked beans on toast. I don’t like beans on toast. I don’t eat them. I think baked beans on toast are gross, most especially in the morning. It isn’t the beans that offend…

Chris says…

Chris is leaving. Why does that matter? People leave London. They go to Spain. It happens all the time, and you’ll believe that most especially if you watch “A Place in the Sun” or “No Going Back” and the half dozen other copycat shows like it. Brits want out. Chris is loud and demanding. He…

Why Go to England?

Here’s one reason to be in England in June. The weather has been dry, so dry they’ve installed a “hose pipe ban.” But in the official parks and gardens of the city, apparently they still water. Thank goodness. Colin and I both stopped to smell the roses. I am not sure what these are called,…

World Cup, Au Naturale

Colin, Chris and I were just hangin’ out at a pub on the Strand, just moments after England won their first World Cup match, when we heard a commotion on the street nearby. Police escorts and everything for these 750-plus in-the-buff protestors/celebrators. They were protesting oil dependancy while celebrating the individuality of the human body.…

A Walk ’round Bayswater

It isn’t possible that I have been more relaxed lately? How is that possible? Colin and I went a-walkin’ again this weekend. It is getting warmer these days, so we are getting off our butts. This excursions took us west from our flat, generally in the direction of Notting Hill, though we really only made…

Around here

I find myself looking up and around a great deal in the walk from our flat to the places we go every day and every week: The Tube The Dry Cleaners The Coffee Place The Pub The Bank The Shops, for food The Wine Store The Corner Eatery Here are a few images of what…

In Plastic Armour

I was walking back from the Passage to Victoria station the other day and I came upon, well, this. They gave me an orange from a basket. I could choose, actually. Apple or orange. They were promoting a website, a site to change your life. The tall one was funny. He asked, after he heard…

Who loves me, baby?

THEY do! This is Tony and Bill. They are my buddies at the Warrington. I love this photo. I took it with my new toy, my camera phone. Sigh… I remember the days when I said I would never, EVER had a cell phone. Well, don’t worry. Here, I have a “mobile” phone. Tony drinks…

Sunny Intervals

London is blooming this morning. It rained last night, the drops crackling on the plastic sheeting that covers the bricks outside our front window. We fell asleep to the lullaby of water rushing down the black iron downspouts. But this morning, London is dripping with sunshine. It won’t last. In England, this day will be…

London Style

We live not according to reason, but according to fashion. –Seneca From the beginning, one of the things I liked about London is one simple fact: You can wear anything here! And when I say anything, I mean it. Gone are the polished days of London Fog trenchcoats, black bowlers and Burberry plaids. (Well, the…

Danny speaks!

I had the nicest e-mail recently from Danny Wallace… the only personal note I have ever received from a king, I must say! After I wrote that last post, I thought it would only be fair to let Danny know I had written it. I am a Joinee and a Lovely citizen afterall… It is…

Perils of a "Lovely" Life

Colin and I were out Sunday evening to see Jon Stewart in a live performance at the Prince Edward to promote his book, America the Book. You know, I’ve been moaning and complaining lately because I never meet anyone famous around here. Madonna and Gwyneth and Kate all live practically on my doorstep — so…

Death of the Routemaster…

OR, for real danger, now you’ll have to go to Mt. Etna It rains in London a lot. Sometimes it just mists, or mizzles, or drizzles. Other days it showers, teems, pours, tips down. In any case, it rains. As a result, quite often, the pavement is wet. It can just be foggy one early…

Tube Face

written on the Bakerloo Line 10:45 a.m. Wednesday 7 December 2005 Right from start, I have loved the Tube. Lots of people don’t. They moan about it. They complain it is too hot or dirty or expensive (it is!). But I love it! No one can escape me! I love looking straight in the faces,…