A day at the races....

My preparation for Royal Ascot started at John Lewis, choosing my hat. For the ladies, Ascot is all about “teeth and tits” they say, that means you need to have a lovely smile and a generous cleavage. No one is going to judge you on those areas, but definitely something you cannot go without is a hat or a fascinator, and that is a must! You have the chance to see fantastic hats and dresses on the day. So I started choosing my fascinator and from there I worked out my outfit.

Royal Ascot is about having a good time, socialising and betting. In my experience going to Ascot is the equivalent of a long Sunday lunch in an Italian country house in Italy, where you just take your time over lunch, you talk and eat and enjoy the company of family and friends. At Ascot you can enjoy all sorts of drinks, but mainly I have seen champagne and Pimm’s.

The first bet is on the Queen’s outfit. Each day she arrives at Ascot in her carriage and her subjects bet on which colour her dress is going to be on each day. There is nothing to win of course; the reward is seeing her up-close when she arrives in her carriage. Then there are the horses, the protagonists of the event. It is such a fantastic and energising experience seeing horses running so fast and their jockeys dressed in colourful clothes. And besides seeing the fast race, you hear it; anything between nine and twenty-five horses approach very quickly from a distance, and then run away towards their goal. I placed the first bet of my life and I won! I felt high and happy and suddenly I wanted to bet again on the following race.

This year the current monarch’s horse won a race for the first time in decades. The queen was reported on TV as trying to control herself during the race, but when the horse won she could not contain herself any more and was reported expressing boundless joy for the victory of her horse.

What I really found interesting is that before entering the various enclosures at Ascot, everybody who comes by car or coach has a picnic in the car park. Everyone comes very organised with picnic tables, chairs and tents; and luscious food and plenty of drinks to get you in the mood. I have heard some parties come armed with butlers and serving waiters. It is a very democratic moment where each person is free to enjoy themselves while respecting other parties around them. Then everyone walks to their area according to the ticket they have; the Silver Ring, the Grand Stand or the Royal Enclosure (by invitation only). A day at the races can be very enjoyable and what makes the difference is good company and a bit of sunshine.

By Ivette Laviola

For more information on FOCUS, please visit:  www.focus-info.org

Polo - British style.

When you move to a new country, you always have in your mind a list of things you want to do, a list of things you have never done and you want to experience in this new country.

Despite living in the UK for 16 years,  going to a polo match was still not ticked on my list. What could be a better first polo match than going to The (Cartier) Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club? The Club was founded by Prince Phillip in 1955 and this trophy was first presented to the Club by HM The Queen in 1960. So, I went with my family to watch the finals on Sunday.

You drive through the beautiful Windsor Great Park to arrive at the car park and immediately you see those elegantly dressed people having their picnics near their cars. I am always amazed at what Brits call picnics at these open air events: tents, chairs, tables, proper tableware and food and drinks that look more like a banquet.

There is something quintessentially British about Guards Polo Club. The only luxury is really the lawn that is simply perfect in all of the 10 grounds or 130 acres. In fact, I never realised that one polo field is the size of 3 football pitches.  The royal box and the clubhouse are the only buildings on site and all other stands, hospitality, snacks area and even toilets are tents and removable structures.

The final match starts right on time. The narrator not only is very witty but also explains the rules and jargons as the game progresses. We learned that there are 6 chukkas (periods) in the game and that ‘ponies’, which are actually big horses, cannot play more than 2 chukkas in a row. The 4 players on each team change their horses constantly.

During half time, all spectators are invited to partake in ‘divot stamping’ together, which consists of walking on the fields to help put the earth and grass that are torn up by the horses back in place and also socialising. There was even a guards’ band playing. This is an opportunity for celebrity spotting.

The final score was Zacara 15 vs  9 El Remanso. We managed to be in a prime position to watch the trophy presentation done by none other than the queen herself!                                                                      

 

What a great first polo match!

There are other matches coming up. Check the websites of Guards Polo Club and also the Hurlingham polo Association. Both websites also have information on learning to play polo.

You can also learn more about the A- Z of polo

by Ana Beatriz Alencar

Visti the Focus website: www.focus-info.org

An Easy Day’s Escape: Henley

While London is intoxicating, captivating and addictive, one does just occasionally need to take a deep breath and explore what is beyond.  I encourage you to leave your Oyster card to one side and take the short journey to Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Henley is best known for the world renowned regatta that it plays host to annually each July. Henley is a beautiful riverside market town on the Thames, about an hour’s drive from London.

Waking to a lovely sunny morning last Saturday my husband and I decided to hijack our teenage children (leaving behind almost all electronic devices) for a lovely outing in the ‘countryside.’ After a brief journey along the M4 we arrived in Henley and headed for the river.  There is a well laid out path following the Thames which you can take in either direction from the centre of town. If the lovely scenery dotted with picturesque houses is not exciting enough for those of you with teens there is always a chance that the handsome crew teams training on the Thames will grab their attention. With the Regatta only weeks away we were able to hear the assertive voices of coxes willing on their fellow rowers.  There are also several play grounds along the way to help keep younger children occupied.

After a leisurely stroll we were ready for some refuelling.  There are a several choices with the pub, Angel on the Bridge, sitting on the river’s bank always a popular with locals and visitors alike.  This time we opted for a quieter retreat, Hotel du Vin Bistro. We enjoyed our lunch in the hotel’s quiet outdoor courtyard only moments from the bustle of the town centre.  Following lunch we walked through town and took in some of the local shopping.  If one aspires to the nautical look there are several shops to help kit you out. 

By this point we decided the city was calling us back, mostly due to social commitments of the younger generation.  Having only spent a few hours I felt refreshed and ready to return to London. Of course there is much more to explore if one wishes, but it is nice to know that Henley is so close that one can easily return and explore more on another visit. 

In a few weeks Henley will come to life welcoming thousands of crew teams from around the world and spectators who assemble for this highlight of the sporting and social calendar.  From 3^rd -7^th July thousands of visitors will come to watch over 200 races.  Even without tickets to the enclosures this is a great time to visit Henley, just be prepared for crowds. For more information on Henley and the 2013 Regatta visit: Henley Regatta 2013.

 

Written by: Nancy Dickinson

For further information: www.focus-info.org

Making New Friends in the UK

It’s only my third day living in London and I’m already making plenty of new friends.  I am living in central London in a residence hall called Nido Spitalfields which houses over 1000 students and interns from over 30 different countries around the world.    They gave me plenty of suggestions of places to eat and visit.

The program I am attending is with 30 other Americans, but I am hungry to branch out and make friends with people from other cultures and countries.  I came to London with many goals including becoming friends with some local Londoners. My confidence in my ability was shaky initially because of how different American culture and conversation is compared to Britain’s, but to my pleasant surprise, making new friends in London has begun easily.  Yesterday, once home, I was taking the lift to my floor to try to catch up on my jet lag, when I ran into two local Londoners riding the lift.  After we made swift introductions, the conversation quickly became effortless.

 

Trying to make new friends can be challenging, the very thought of it made me nervous, mostly because of the cultural differences between the US and UK.  It can be intimidating being a foreigner in a new place, especially if you don’t already know anyone in the area.  But, I’ve quickly realised that it is best to just go for it and I have put myself out in the open, rather than hiding behind my room door.  This is what I decided to do when I stepped into the lift last night, and instantly found that you can always find people to relate to and speak with.

I still have a lot to discover about London and its people.  The new friends that I made told me that it is important to make friends and acquaintances and spend time with those that are from places other than just America.  I believe that it is essential to start interacting with locals early in your time abroad--otherwise you might miss out on many wonderful opportunities.  After all, the best advice comes from the locals!

Contributed by Jared O’Neill, Summer Intern at FOCUS

For more information on FOCUS, please visit www.focus-info.org

For more information on Nido Spitalfields, please visit www.nidostudentliving.com