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
 

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