Is it summer....?

Technically summer starts on 21st June.  According to the almanac, summer starts on the solstice, which has to do with the position of the sun, rather than the temperature.  Well that explains it then.....

Summer is a wonderful opportunity to participate in all the outdoor activities that are organised around the country.  Having said there, there are a few hints and tips to make these experiences more pleasant from a purely meteorological perspective. 
We recently attended the Queen’s Club, one of the outdoor tennis tournaments in preparation for Wimbledon, and were to see two semi-final matches, as well as a couple of doubles matches.  The weather forecast was very typically mixed – sunshine with scattered showers.    

Being a long-time resident of London, I knew this meant I should be prepared for 4 seasons in one day, and carried a rather large handbag to the event.  My husband asked me why I was taking a ‘suitcase’ and I told him that I was prepared for whatever the British weather would throw at us:  as well as being dressed in many layers (including a cashmere sweater!), I had a small umbrella, a rain hat, sunglasses, and a pashmina.  When we met our friends at the gate, she presented us all with clear plastic rain ponchos – mine went straight into my bag. 
As we arrived and took our seats, the rain began.  There was a flurry of activity as a small army of men took to the courts to pull out the rain cover.  At this point I took out my hat.  When it started to pour, the stands emptied rapidly, and it was only at this point that I took out the umbrella.  It is very rude to open your umbrella at an outdoor event while the event is still going on – you block the view of those behind you, and your neighbours will not be pleased!

 
 

Eventually the rain stopped, the court was uncovered and all the spectators went back to their seats.  The sun came out with such brilliance that I folded the umbrella, put the hat away and took out my sunglasses.  I opened my leather jacket and soaked up the warmth of the sun.  The players arrived on court, warmed up and played one set before the heavens opened again.  This time there was a huge gust of wind, hail and then torrential rain.  I quickly put away the glasses, pulled out the hat, pashmina and poncho, layered up and was on my way out of the stands. 
Two hours later, the rain had stopped and the court was once again uncovered.  This time, what looked like an industrial strength hairdryer was brought out, and the court was ‘dried’ in preparation for play.  At this point, 4 hours had passed and we had seen 30 minutes of tennis.  We were informed that several of the matches that we were to see were now going to be played on other courts simultaneously.  At 5pm, centre court was ready to go, but the players weren’t! We were told that they would play one hour later. 

Eventually play began at 6pm.  We were lucky to see one entire match, instead of 4 that we were anticipating.  The sun was out again, but a strong breeze was blowing and the temperature had dropped significantly.  I had buttoned up, wrapped up and kept the rain hat and poncho on for warmth.  Looking around, I noted that our neighbours had brought woolly gloves and blankets, and were wearing their winter boots – I made a mental note for next time!
Written by Eva Stock
For more information on living in London visit www.focus-info.org

The British Diet- through the eyes of a tourist

 

I recently had the refreshing experience of reconnecting with a dear friend who was visiting London from the States. I had almost as much fun hearing what she had to say about her culinary experience as a visitor to England as I did sharing gossip about friends and family. 

She has perhaps had the rather unusual experience of landing for work in Peterborough while staying in Stamford. For those of you not yet, nor perhaps ever, familiar with these towns let’s just say they are by no means the international metropolis that is London.  Having said that, she has found a local gym that hosts zumba lessons! Post zumba however her dining choices are rather limited.

Bacon, what is it with Bacon batties, butties, buttons- what, what do they call those things and what are they?!! This was one of the most animated comments she had on life in Britain. I now know I have lived here a long time and yes my children really are half British.  I found myself practically defending what is perhaps the world’s most unhealthy sandwich on earth, a sandwich my children eat with delight on at least one occasion while on holiday in Devon. For those less familiar with the Bacon Buttie it is a sandwich comprised of fried Canadian bacon enclosed in well buttered white bread. The taxi stand that I pass regularly just off Sloane Street has a queue at least 15 long every morning. I take note because the smell is so divine!  Many Americans are familiar with the BLT (bacon lettuce and tomato) but somehow the addition of lettuce and tomato and the absence of butter makes their version seem positively healthy, especially when served on wholegrain toast.  Needless to say the conversation about the nutritional sin of this Bacon buttie was animated and opened the flood gates on the pub food she has been exposed to in the small town she is calling home for the next few weeks.

   

 

So, over our Asian fusion dinner, feeling well removed from any bacon, I had the chance to contemplate what makes up some of the traditional British eating habits which I thought no longer took me by surprise. I have to say, I do agree with her that some of the standard fare, sausages and chips and the British obsession with crisps, is rather devoid of any trace of healthy content.  I do think that our options, especially in London, have grown exponentially from 17 years ago when trying to get a sandwich without butter was quite a task.  Many of the pubs are now considering the quality of their food and maybe someday this will filter through what she is calling her local...one can hope.

For those of you wondering the obvious, how can an American be critical when the obesity rate there... Yes, we covered this as well!  I will be sure to point my friend in the direction of some of the best that Britain has to offer and will try not to smirk when I am next in the supermarket in the US surrounded by a multitude of refrigerators piled high with frozen meals!

Written by Nancy Dickinson
For more information please visit www.focus-info.org