Would I Lie To You?

A few weeks ago I received an email saying that my all time favourite British tv show, Would I Lie To You?, was accepting applications for audience members. It was really fortunate that one of the filming weeks was when my sister and brother-in-law were visiting. We all submitted applications for tickets and we got tickets for two of the nights they were here!

The show is filmed at Pinewood Studios which is over an hour away from London. We had to take a train to Slough and then a taxi to the station. But all that effort was absolutely worth it. 

Once we got there we were given wristbands and then waited in this large tent with the other potential audience members. They distribute more tickets than there are seats so they ensure that the studio is full each night. 

At first they were going to give us red wristbands but then they took a look at us and gave us purple ones instead. One of the workers told us that purple is "really good". They called us first even though there were probably 100 people already waiting when we arrived. Once we surveyed the rest of the purple group we realised that it was clearly a very young crowd, which meant we were going to be the ones on camera. 

Our seats were so close to the set both times that we went. We were so close both times that the hype guy recognised us the second night. 

The hype guy selected two men from the audience to demonstrate the level of clapping he was expecting. Both were disappointing. Then he picked Zach out of the crowd and asked him to show the other two how it is done. When he found out that he was American he seemed even more excited. It was hype guy gold. He said that Americans make the best audience members. Zach did an amazing job of showcasing a level 10 cheer. He looked like a Husker coach on game day at the National Championships.

Again on Wednesday we had even more interaction with the hype guy after he recognised us. This time Warren and my friend Kat were with us. The hype guy asked Warren where he was from and how long he has lived in London. Then he started naming candies and other British snacks and asked if Warren had tried them. He got the entire audience involved to come up with quintessential foods that he needs to try whilst living here. During a pause, he even told the comedians, Rob Brydon and Lee Mack, that Warren was from Nebraska. Rob Brydon asked him where he was from. He wasn't familiar with Omaha but he had heard of Lincoln. Lee Mack asked Warren if he had seen the movie Nebraska. Regrettably we could not say yes and the conversation quickly dissipated. 

Then the conversation amongst the comedians and guests evolved into Omaha Beach and Lee Mack said, "Keep it light." His tone was so funny that we all just lost it. We are still talking about the fact that Warren had a conversation with Rob Brydon. He has been one of our favourites since his time on Gavin and Stacey. 

I still can't get over the fact that I was spitting distance away from two of my favourite comedians, David Mitchell and Rob Brydon. I also have a new found affinity for Lee Mack after seeing him in person. I already was a religious watcher of Would I Lie To You? but now I've attained super fan status. 

Brighton

Since my sister and brother in law are in town the three of us took a day trip to Brighton on Sunday. It was really cold and rained in the afternoon so the pier was pretty empty. 

The only pier left in Brighton is the one featured in the photos below. When it was opened in 1899 it was known as the "Palace Pier" and was the third pier at the time. Originally there was a concert hall that was soon converted into a theatre but was removed in 1986. 

I was really excited about getting some Brighton Rock, which is a hard candy that is ubiquitous in seaside towns. The name of the town is worked into the centre of the candy. There were a variety of flavours including mint, liquorice, strawberry, lime, pineapple, etc. 

We stopped into Catwalk Cakes and got a slice of lemon cake and a slice of banoffee cake to take home for later. Banoffee is a combination of banana and toffee and is wildly popular here in the UK. Both cakes were good but the lemon was outstanding. 

The unexpected highlight of Brighton was the Royal Pavilion. This was the summer home to the royals starting with George III through Victoria but is primarily associated with George IV because he spent so much time here and put a lot into the design. 

The exterior is inspired by architecture from northern India and the interior is intended to look like it is from China. George IV had never actually been to either place and enjoyed the illusion of exotic materials and the allure of those far off places. 

One of the best illusions is this palm tree frond chandelier in the dining room which has both parts painted and 3-D leaves. Since photography was forbidden I had to sneak these few photos because it was the most spectacular interior design I had ever seen. 

Below is a photo of a painted ceiling and elaborate chandelier in one of the parlours.

The most magnificent was the music room with 10,000 gilded cockle shells on the ceiling and the intricate chandeliers with dancers on the glass panels. In the lower part of the photo below you can see wooden rods painted to look like bamboo which was part of the illusion George IV was going for. 

The stables at the Royal Pavilion have been converted to a free modern art museum and theatre. The tile work can still be seen and was absolutely incredible. 

Brighton is a great example of a former getaway town and still maintains a bit of that throw back charm. It evoked thoughts of Coney Island where it had an important past that is still fascinating in its faded glory. I'll be interested to visit again during the summer to see if it at its seasonal peak. 

Canterbury

I spent last Saturday in Canterbury with my sister and brother-in-law. The best sight in Canterbury was the cathedral. It was founded in 597 but the current building was finished in 1077. 

The chairs are removed during visiting hours so that it looks the same as it did in the Medieval times. I really liked the look without chairs because the openness made the nave look even longer. 

The stained glass window featuring the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was really impressive. It was one of my favourite parts of the cathedral. 

The area in the photo below is where the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in 1170 by knights of King Henry II because he conflicted with him over the rights and privileges of the Church. 

The ceiling in the Chapter House was really impressive. It dates from the early 1400s, is constructed of Irish oak, and is the largest of its kind in England. There was a children's choir practicing when we visited and the acoustics were incredible. 

The Trinity Chapel was built for the shrine of St Thomas Becket. This is also where King Henry IV's tomb is located. 

One thing I love about England is that even in February the grass is green and beautiful. It adds to the look of this impressive cathedral. 

After the cathedral we went to Pork & Co. for lunch. They serve pulled pork sandwiches. They roast an entire pig for 14 hours every day and they close when they run out of meat. 

It comes with one topping, one sauce, and a piece of crackling. The toppings included different kinds of coleslaws and stuffing. The sauces were apple butter, apple sauce, chili sauce, and barbecue sauce. 

You can get it on a brioche roll or in a container. We tried one of each and both were good. I ended up only eating one half of my bun because it was so big so I would probably get the bowl if I went again.

The other highlight of Canterbury was the fudge. We stopped by Fudge Kitchen and sampled a bunch of their flavours. The toffee and maple walnut fudge were the best flavours we sampled. 

There were loads of bakeries and sweets shops. I've never seen a "gypsy tart" before but the bakery worker said it is only made out of brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk. 

I love sprinkles and the only cookie with sprinkles was this super weird clown one! The sprinkles were crunchy and made me miss Eileen's cookies in Omaha. I look so happy in the photo below because I had not yet been disappointed by this cookie. 

We also visited the remains of St Augustine's Abbey. It was originally created as a burial place for the Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent. It was used as a monastery until the 1500s when King Henry VIII had it dismantled. 

Canterbury was a cute town but not one I'd go back to. It wasn't a visual spectacular but it did have some fascinating historical sights. It wouldn't be a town I'd recommend to others unless you are really interested in English history. We also wished there were more references throughout the town to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. 

So You Think You Know Britain Part 2

There are so many things that are surprisingly different between the US and England. To continue  on with all the things I never knew before I moved to London...

Goose Fat, Beef Drippings, and Lard are seen as legitimate ingredients. I've used several recipes that call for lard instead of butter or Crisco as we use in the US.

Street signs in England are located on buildings rather than on a post. I can't imagine navigating this city by car because it is hard enough as a pedestrian.

I love how good people are (generally speaking) about following rules here. One rule is that you take the seat farther in when riding the bus so the next person doesn't have to crawl over you or ask you to move in so they can sit in the seat next to you. Rarely do I see someone take the aisle seat first even when the bus is almost empty. 

I love that eggs here are left at room temperature. Plus, eggs are brown instead of white as is common in the US. 

Shrove Tuesday (aka Pancake Day) is celebrated instead of Fat Tuesday. But it doesn't seem to be connected to Lent like Fat Tuesday is in the US. The grocery stores had special displays and sales of pancake related goods all last week in preparation for pancake day. 

Movie theatres are really small here. Plus, when you purchase a movie ticket you pay more based on the seat you select. 

Bayonet lightbulbs are quite different than the lightbulbs I'm used to in the US. They don't twist in and out so I still have no idea how to get the bulbs out. I had to wait until my brother-in-law visited and had him change three burned out bulbs for me. Also, it seems like lightbulbs burn out faster here but that might be related to the higher voltage. 

Speaking of lights, the light switch for the bathroom is on the outside of the door here. In fact, outlets aren't allowed in bathrooms, either. So I've gotten used to drying and flat ironing my hair in my bedroom. The light switch on the outside is really inconvenient especially if someone uses the loo in the middle of the night because light pours out before they can close the door.

Advertisements in Britain are cheeky. Sometimes ads for even the most mundane products have overtly sexual themes. These were the most universally appropriate but still cheeky ads that I've found so far. 

There are so many more options for eye drops here than in the US. They have drops to make your eyes sparkle or dazzle in addition to just soothing dry or itchy eyes. 

One of my favourite things about living in London is having my groceries delivered. In the US I would always forget my list or forget what I have on hand. But this way I create my grocery shop in the comfort of my own home and someone brings it to my door...no matter how heavy it is. 

Ocado (an online only grocery store) has really thought of everything to make grocery delivery as efficient as possible. They send you an email or text letting you know who your driver is that day and what fruit or veg will be featured on their truck. They also separate the groceries into these conveniently labeled bags for cupboard, fridge, and freezer. 

When I do have to go to the grocery store it is usually a pretty terrible experience. Stores are super small and typically carry only the very basics and lunch items. Plus, grocery stores aren't open 24/7 like they are in the US so the workers are always stocking shelves during store hours when people are shopping. In the US the workers will move out of the way for shoppers or allow you to go in front of them but that does not happen here. The workers will push right past you or ask you to move if you are looking intently at the shelf where they need to stock.