NOTICE: Dear Anglophiles, I am currently working on a large writing project and will be unable to blog for a while . . . however, I won't leave you hanging!  Each day I receive scores of interesting emails about Britain and British news, so my future blog posts, until I finish my writing project, will consist of links to some of these wonderful tidbits about Britain or videos that I find particularly interesting.  I hope you enjoy these nuggets!  (I also encourage readers to contact me about writing guest posts.)  Thank you so much for reading Anglophiles United!

Dumfries House, an "18th Century time capsule."

If you're going to Scotland, consider visiting the newly restored Dumfries House in Comnock, Scotland, which is about 40 miles from Dumfries, Scotland, and about 70 miles from England's beautiful Lake District.

VIDEO: The restoration of Dumfries House

Link to the Dumfries House website HERE 

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Dear Anglophiles: If you enjoy rock music, this sweepstakes is for you!  Hard Rock, a company known for its rock-themed cafes, now owns hotels and casinos too.  The company is currently sponsoring a sweepstakes with the Grand Prize winner going to London to attend the Hard Rock Calling Festival!  Hear Bruce Springsteen!  Kasabian!  Alabama Shakes!  (The list goes on and on.)  Read details below . . . .    

HARD ROCK
presents
HARD ROCK CALLING Sweepstakes

This is an international sweepstakes, so readers across the world may enter!  (Please note: The sweepstakes is  void in a few places: Puerto Rico, Quebec, countries that prohibit the sweepstakes, and countries on the US embargo list.  Entries from most countries do qualify, however.) 

To enter, one must first become a Hard Rock Rewards member, which requires registering online.  There is a free membership option and an option to decline further emails and updates from Hard Rock.

GRAND PRIZE: A 4-day, 3-night trip for two to London to attend the 2013 Hard Rock Calling Festival in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  The prize includes airfare, first-class hotel suite, full breakfasts, a 2-day pass for the Hard Rock Calling Festival, ground transportation, and a $300 Visa prepaid card.

Enter HERE  
Sweepstakes closes: May 15, 2013, 6:00 a.m. ET
Only one entry permitted

To read more about the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London, click HERE
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I would like to wish "Happy Mother's Day" to all the mom Anglophiles on this side of the pond.  Today, in the States, we are celebrating Mother’s Day, but our UK friends celebrated the occasion this year back on March 10th, and they call the day “Mothering Sunday.” 


In the US, we must thank Anna Jarvis, daughter of the social activist Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, for creating "Mother's Day" here.  After her mom died, Anna held a memorial service for her, then lobbied for a national holiday to honor all mothers.  Congress eventually bought her idea, and the first Mother's Day transpired on our shores in 1914. 

Of course, in the UK, the history of their Mothering Sunday begins at a much earlier date.  (But we're accustomed to UK history being ancient compared to our country's youthful history, right?)  As far back as the 1500s, “Mothering Sunday” was celebrated in the UK, but it was a Christian practice that had nothing to do with biological mothers.  Rather, on the fourth Sunday of Lent, parishioners would visit their nearest big church--the one in which they had been baptized--and this church was called their “mother church." 

By the early 20th century, the popularity of this Christian  celebration waned.  The day did not gain popularity again until American soldiers arrived on British shores during WWII and transplanted American-style Mother’s Day.  Instead of focusing on a church visit, the day began focusing on showing respect to mothers.  Of course, commercialization gradually entered the picture too, and offspring began bearing gifts of sweets, chocolates, flowers, and cards to their beloved mums.  So,  happy Mother’s Day to US Anglophiles—and happy belated Mothering Sunday to UK mums!

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NEWS ALERT:  Prince Harry is in the U.S.!  The prince has embarked on a seven-day,  six-city tour of the States, and with much luck, he's in a city near you, and you'll catch a glimpse of the Royal One.  The last time Harry visited the States, his shenanigans in Las Vegas became front-page news, and the Royals hastily jerked him back across the pond.  This time around, he's on official business, representing the queen and his country, so I suspect Harry will show more restraint and do her Majesty proud.  On the other hand, the lad is a loose cannon, so one never knows!

PRINCE HARRY'S SCHEDULE

Washington D.C.
May 9: Harry will visit Capitol Hill, where he'll meet with Sen. John McCain to see an exhibit conducted by Halo Trust, a charity that aids war-torn countries with the removal of landmines--an issue Harry's mother, Prince Di, cared deeply about.  The prince will then attend a dinner and reception at the British Ambassador's residence.
May 10: The prince visits Arlington National Cemetery, where he'll lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then head to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he'll see prosthetics and visit wounded soldiers at a rehab center.  He'll then fly to Denver.

Denver
May 10: Harry will attend an evening reception hosted by the Consul-General.

Colorado Springs
May 11: Harry will attend the 2013 Warrior Games, a sporting competition for wounded veterans.  For the first time, a British team will compete in the games.  Harry will watch the opening ceremony, then have brunch with the British team.  The rest of the day, he'll cheer his team on, then spend the evening with them, privately.
May 12: The Prince will watch a cycling event at the US Air Force Academy.

New Jersey
May 13: Harry will join NJ Governor Chris Christie to visit various coastal towns that were hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, including Mantoloking and Seaside Heights.  The tour will include visiting some homes and residents of those affected by the storm.

New York City
May 14: Harry will play a game of baseball in a "socially and economically challenged" part of the city to promote the Coach Core program, which one of his charities run.  The charity aims to improve training facilities for inner-city children.  He will also attend a reception and dinner for American friends of the Royal Foundation.

Greenwich, Connecticut
May 15: Harry will play in the 4th Annual Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup at the Greenwich Polo Club.  The match is a fundraiser for the prince's Africa-based charity, Senteble, which helps vulnerable children in Lesotho.  Celebs and Hollywood bigwigs will be at the Polo match, including Dan Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey.


To read New York magazine's "dossier" on Prince Harry, click HERE

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A perfect example of British humor!

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Dear Anglophiles: I've discovered two remarkable songs by a London-based group called The Clockwork Quartet that I must share.  One, "The Doctor's Wife," I can only describe as "hauntingly beautiful."  Its lyrics are a poignant tale of obsessed love. 

The lyrics to the second song, "The Watchmaker's Apprentice," reveal a caper that only Mr. Sherlock Holmes could solve. 

VIDEO: "The Doctor's Wife" by The Clockwork Quartet

VIDEO: "The Watchmaker's Apprentice" by The Clockwork Quartet

The Clockwork Quartet creates multimedia projects, music, games, and a graphic novel available on their website. 

To visit The Clockwork Quartet's website, click HERE

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One of my favorite British dishes is Coronation Chicken, a delightful chicken salad with an Indian flair.  A London Le Cordon Bleu chef created the original recipe for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.  It contained cold chicken, curry cream sauce, and spices. (Many variations include nuts and fruits.)  

Coronation Chicken was probably inspired by Jubilee Chicken, prepared for the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935.  (It consisted of just cold chicken, mayonnaise, and curry.)  For the Queen's Diamond Jubilee  last year, a new recipe was concocted that featured the addition of ginger. 

The Coronation Chicken recipe I’m providing here is relatively simple, but you can certainly find highly complex recipes for the advanced chef.  Coronation Chicken is served cold, typically with a green salad and rice, or used as a sandwich filling.

Enjoy!

Coronation Chicken   (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 6 chicken breast halves (skinless, boneless)

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1 large mango (peeled, sliced, and cut into cubes.  [Mango is optional, but delicious when included!])

• 2/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder

• 1 tablespoon mango chutney (Can add even if fresh mango cubes not used)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3/4 cup cashew pieces or slivered almonds

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook chicken in boiling water for about 20 minutes.  Drain, cool, and cut into cubes.  (Other methods of moist cooking are fine, such as using a Crock-Pot.) 
2. In a large bowl, stir together chicken cubes, raisins, and half the mango.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, chutney, and salt and pepper.  Now fold in chicken mixture and half the nuts.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl, then garnish with the remaining mango and nuts.

(Don’t forget the rice and green salad!)

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Dear Anglophiles: I read some interesting fashion news that I must share.  Virgin Atlantic Airways has asked Vivienne Westwood to redesign its flight attendants’ uniforms.  What a brilliant pairing!  Virgin Atlantic, the hippest airline on earth, and Vivienne Westwood, the hippest fashion designer on earth.  Well done, Sir Richard Branson! 

Branson, who founded Virgin Atlantic, said the airline wanted to work with a team who shared “our spirit of adventure, who believes in challenging the status quo and creating something truly memorable.”  He added: “Our current uniform has been around for more than ten years, and we have seen other airlines start to copy it.”  (Cheeky, right?!)

Westwood, who rose to fame for designing punk clothing, has created a uniform design that combines a futuristic look with classic tailoring and 40’s French couture cutting techniques.  The uniforms begin a trial period this July, when a limited number of attendants will test them, and have an official debut in 2014.  Female attendants’ uniforms will include pencil skirts and flattering jackets, and males’ uniforms will be Savile Row-inspired three piece suits.  While such descriptions sound very status quo, we can rest assured that Westwood will add her signature touches of edginess! 

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Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan or not, taking a ride on the Jacobite steam train, aka, the “Hogwarts Express,” can be the highlight of any visit to the UK.  The trip has been voted the top train trip in the world!  The Jacobite, used in the filming of Harry Potter, takes passengers across the Scottish Highlands, offering some of the most picturesque scenery on earth.  Especially exciting for Harry Potter fans is the ride over the 21-arched Glennfinnan Viaduct, location of the iconic train scene in Harry Potter films.  The interior of the Jacobite is very plain, like that of a modern commuter train, so don't expect an old-fashioned, luxurious, Pullman car!  But don't despair: The train's decor may be ordinary, but the scenery outside the train windows is extraordinary!

The Jacobite runs from Fort William (about 100 miles north, north-west of Glasgow) to Mallaig (a busy seaside fishing port on the Atlantic), an 84-mile journey, round trip.   

VIDEO: The Jacobite crossing the famous viaduct seen in Harry Potter films.

DETAILS (Fort William to Mallaig)

Ticket Prices (Round-trip)
1st Class: ₤56.00 ($87.00)
2nd Class: ₤33.00 ($51.50 USD)

2013 Service Dates
May 13 – October 25, Monday through Friday
(During high tourist season, June 22 – September 22, the train also runs on Saturdays and Sundays)

Onboard amenities
Toilets
Snack coach (hot and cold drinks; cold snacks)

Transportation to Fort William
One can reach Fort William by car, bus, or train.  (Glasgow is the largest city near Fort William, and it can be reached by car, bus, train, or air.  Once in Glasgow, one can easily arrange a car, bus, or train to Fort William. ) 

Insider Information

• If one’s budget allows, buy a First Class ticket.  The seats are larger, passengers receive complimentary tea and coffee, and more importantly, the cars are not as crowded, which can be a problem in Standard Class when everyone jostles in front of windows with their cameras.  (Oftentimes entire groups will even stand, completely blocking the view!) 

• Book in advance.  Passengers can buy "day of travel" tickets, but doing so is risky for the train may be full.  Booking in advance is especially important if  hoping to buy First Class tickets. 

• Bring tissue with you.  The train windows may be dirty or foggy, blocking the breathtaking view you've paid good money to see!  A quick swab will fix the problem. 
  

• Be fair to your companion and switch back and forth!  The train’s interior is similar to a commuter train, with half the seats facing forward, and half backward, and a table between.  (In First Class, seating arrangements can be made for parties of 2 or 4.  In Standard Class, only tables and seats for parties of 4 are available, so solo travelers and couples will be seated with others.)  Train seats are assigned, so one may receive an “F” seat and face forward, or a “B” seat and face backward.  With luck, for best viewing, a passenger will get an “F” seat going to Mallaig, and a “B” seat returning to Fort William.  Passengers traveling with a companion may want to switch seats periodically in the name of fairness!

If you pine for the nostalgic “choo-choo-chooing” of a steam train and wish to see the exquisite Highland scenery of Scotland, this train trip is for you! 
                                                                       

JACOBITE (West Coast Railways) WEBSITE HERE

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