I Spy Myself

This evening has been the first time since my return from London that I have had a chance to watch the recording of the wedding and what to my eyes should amazingly appear - yes, we made national telly.  My sons recorded the wedding on MSNBC and in the first half hour of watching I spied me and Mary.  For any of my friends or followers who recorded it we are on it when the London time is listed at 8:48 a.m. 

Now I only have to watch 10 MORE HOURS to see if we appear again.  The wedding trip that just won't end!  

A Tale of the Queen and the Turk

London is abuzz with bunting and fanfare. We did a great double decker tour and saw the sights from the best seats in town. The Mall had campers early and every newscaster in the world. We were photographed over 300 times today. Thanks to the power of CCTV. Afternoon Tea for Two at Fortnum and Mason but couldn't find a teaspoon anywhere. Back to the streets and when our legs gave out we hired a Turk with a pedicab to protect our pedicures. The only royalty we spotted today was Priscilla-Queen of the Desert! The Hotel Goring has more security surrounding it than the White House. Thought we spotted Will in his helicopter but it was just Budgy from Fergie's books. Thought we saw the not future queen, Camilla, entering Clarence Hiuse but was told it was the charwoman. Found new outfits for the wedding at a total cost of 4 and a half pounds. Can't wait for the morning. Good night and God bless us all!

Saturday Night Knight was Not Nice

Sir Elton John may need to re-think his Royal Invite after his rousing and rowdy take on the Royal Family this past weekend on Saturday Night Live.  His spoof on the Queen and Prince Philip was no-holds barred and included some rather "common" language.  One has to wonder whether his skit was designed for shock value or whether it accurately reflected his take on the royalty.

With such honored ties to the realm, Sir Elton certainly did not look like the same man that opened the 2007 Concert for Diana hosted by the Princes.  And, if the Palace decides to revoke the invite I am still waiting in the wings like a Candle Blowing in the Wind. 

Lego My Wedding

The Royal Wedding was unveiled at Legoland in the United Kingdom today.  Kate looks pretty in plastic but Prince William's medals don't quite take the shine.  The vista is complete with Buckingham Palace and royalty sporting some feathery fascinators.  One display goes so far as to feature the much-anticipated royal kiss.  And, what British media event would be complete without Elton John not to mention a very preggo Lego Victoria Beckham (minus the heels!).  And people say that the Brits don't have a sense of humor.  Mini me matrimony at its best!  Let's hope it doesn't rain on their parade.

Kate Can Have Her Cake and Eat it Too!

Just like Marie Antoinette, the new royalty can have her cake and eat it too.  Today Baskins- Robbins announced the Royal Wedding ice cream cake.  Covered in 30 white and blue roses (I wonder if they know Kate's color scheme) this chocolate mousse ice cream cake is sure to tickle some taste buds.

According to the Windsor Knot (http://windsorknot.today.com/_news/2011/03/29/6369371-baskin-robbins-reveals-royal-wedding-ice-cream-cake) the flowers were inspired by the Cotswold gardens (blue roses - really?)  and will sell for $14.99. 

So, after you finish off you Royal Dunkin Donuts have a slice of cake and a cuppa tea! 

ROYAL MADNESS AND A MAGICAL MARCH

When my boys asked me why in the world would I want to fly across the ocean and join a throng of thousands (or millions) just to get a chance to be a part of the Royal Wedding I tried to equate it to something they could understand; I said, it's like Dad going to the NCAA regional tournament each year.  It's something to see and a be a part of - it is history in the making.  They didn't get it at that time but being part of something much larger than yourself is truly coming alive for all of us in Richmond Virginia as our hometown college and my alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University is on the road to the Final Four.

The closest thing to royalty in the United States right now is a basketball coach by the name of Shaka Smart.   Shaka is just 33 years old and is in his first major coaching position.  An intelligent and strategic coach, he is inspiring these Ram players to live the dream.  Having made it through a grueling 5 tournament games (a new record in NCAA) to reach the Final Four, the Rams are now poised to truly shine in the moment.
 
And just like Kate Middleton, he and the team are living the stuff that fairy tales are made of today.  VCU has advanced to the Final Four of NCAA basketball.  This from a team who lost 11 home games and was the butt of many jokes just 2 weeks ago when they were selected for the tournament.

Magic does happen every day and we should all grab a piece of it wherever we can!

Dinner is Wrapped

Every time I take a trip to a new locale, one of my first endeavors is to explore the local gourmet.  This has not always been the most delightful experiences as any visitor to Mexico can surely attest.  I have yet to read any travel article on England that explores the local fare.  My limited gastronomical knowledge of the United Kingdom is solely limited to two items:  Fish and Chips.  And, even those do not come highly recommended.


In conversations with those who visit the United Kingdom on a frequent basis there has yet to be a single recommendation such as "Oh, you must try the ______________at _____________Restaurant.  It is to die for."  Even the books that adorn my bedside table speak of fabulous Indian curry or Ethopian stew but there is very limited references to the a bountiful brunch in the garden or the fabulous dinner by the seaside.  


British imports include tea, cars and Burberry abounds - I guess I'll just have to explore the wonders of the Isles one chip at a time.  And, if Gordon Ramsay happens to see this I'll be happy to 
chow down with you as long as you don't use your potty mouth!

Put a Ring on It

Yes, I am now the proud owner of my very own "Royal Heirloom Ring".  Thanks to my friend Irene, who felt that this exquisite piece of jewelry was a bare necessity for my voyage to the Royal Wedding.  The accompanying "Certificate of Authenticity and Assurance" is quite impressive and it is even signed by Michael C. Travis of the Sterlington Collections.  Who the hell is he anyway?

The certificate states that the center stone is a "faux Ceylon Sapphire" (is that some special type of sapphire?) and surrounded by 14 flawless diamond-x4 hand cut CZ (starting to sound too good to be true to me).  Because Irene had to wait so long for this special order, my ring has been upgraded to a finished sterling silver plate - I think the original version was unfinished.

And although my ring wasn't presented in the Kenyan wilderness and never adorned Di's hand, it will forever hold a special place in my heart.  Because, after all, it does make me feel like a Princess!

There is an APP for That

Having recently experienced some "blog fog" on the Royal Wedding, I turned to iTunes for inspiration (that and a good dose of YouTube are always great distractions).  As of today, there are 20 apps for free and purchase related to the Royal Wedding.  Since we have 38 days to go, I am anxious to see if the number does increase.

I downloaded all the free apps and while not totally inspired I have been momentarily entertained.  The "Create Shake Wedding Dress Design" is probably one of the most entertaining; a word to the wise - turn the sound down - the music sounds like something from a bad porn movie (I must say I don't think there is any such thing as a good porn movie but being the mother of 4 lads those tunes are somewhat familiar).

It's quite another tune on the "Royal Wedding" app by Neonplay.  The music is quite liturgical and the information is concise.  However, I really am starting to get tired of seeing Kate in that same blue dress!!  Can't we get some new "official" photos people?

My favorite has to be the "Hello Magazine" app.  It has a little more sizzle and the photos do seem to pop - however, there is no musical accompaniment to entertain while perusing the photos.

My real hope was to see an app for the royal wedding route.  Guess I will have to rely on good old Google to fill that gap until someone latches on to my idea and creates the app.

See you on the sidewalk in 38 days!

Dunkin Donuts vs. Crumpets for Tea

Will you soon be eating a Royal Wedding Donut with your afternoon tea?  This heart-shaped confection will be filled with jelly and topped with vanilla icing and a chocolate drizzel and is coming to Dunkin Donuts from April 24-29.  And although Will and Kate might be experiencing their own form of bliss, this tasty treat will certainly get the American television viewers extra incentive to wake up and watch the early morning version of the Royal Wedding.

One of the most interesting aspects of this marketing endeavor is that although Dunkin' Donuts has a Londoner for its CEO, Nigel Travis, it appears that there are no Dunkin' Donuts in the United Kingdom!  No wonder the Brits like their tea and crumpets.  If you haven't experienced a hot cup of coffee and a big fat bite of a Dunkin', you don't know what your missing.  It appears that Dunkin Donuts empire might be farther reaching than that of the British empire - United States, Qatar, Honduras, Bulgaria and India to name just a few of the 31 countries that know a good cup of coffee when they taste it. 

Personally, this American plans to enjoy a cuppa tea at Fortnum & Mason (and a crumpet or two) but it is good to know that the masses will can sink their teeth into a sweet treat.





ROYAL WEDDING TEA

Springtime arrived in Virginia today and the southern belles gathered to toast the great British tradition of high tea.  And while sweet potato biscuits were not on the menu, we did sneak in some new favorites including cheddar and dill scones, cucumber tea sandwiches along with smoked salmon and much more.  The "ladies-in-waiting" seemed to prefer Sneaky Pete's (made with the universal alcohol of vodka) to the Earl Grey tea with a lump.


Visit our Facebook Fan Page (Royal Wedding Crasher) to view the complete photo album.  Here you will see the gorgeous hats designed by the guests and being donated to St. Francis Home here in Richmond.  It is our hope that the chapeau's will grace graying hair on the morn of the Royal Wedding.  And, much to our surprise Will and Kate were available for photo opps with all the guests.  You will see that one of our friends even arrived with her British teeth in place.  And, it wasn't surprising that only 2 grand dames donned their gloves.  Some southern ladies never forget their manners.


It was a great day and everyone is excited about the upcoming nuptials for Will and Kate.  Perhaps more so than our friends across the pond.  Perhaps our Sweet Virginia Breeze will sail across the sea and put more romance to our British friends as the day grows closer.

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Imagine my shock, when much to my chagrin, I should find Will and Kate in my bed tonight.  I knew that they were having a hard time deciding on their honeymoon and did not realize that they were considering my hometown.  

Yes, Midlothian Virginia is the site of the first commercial mines in the United States which harkens to Kate's ancestors and yes, we have the Edgar Allan Poe museum as well as lots of statues on Monument Avenue.  Who knew that Midlothian and Richmond would be a contender?  


All this time I have been focusing on my trip to London when I should be focusing on how I can help the royal pair choose a suitable locale for their trip to wedded bliss.  Meanwhile I hope that they change the sheets in the morn.

THE BRITISH ARE COMING

Paul Revere isn't riding down the lane but my tweets and blog indicate that the British are coming...not by land and not be sea but via social media.  It seems that the Brits are amazed at the overwhelming interest we Americans have in the Royal Wedding (I wonder if the Brits call us Americans by another name?)  They appear amused at our overwhelming interest in the the magic of the marriage to be.  Could it be that the last generation of matrimonial royalty have cast a pall over the English translation? 

We don't have royalty in the colonies and we seem to be sorely lacking on national idols so what could be better than a Royal Wedding?  Bieber Fever is great but doesn't appeal to the masses.    Especially at a time like this,  the promise of pomp and the notion of romance, allow everyone to focus on the frivolous instead of nagging about the negative.  It gives us the opportunity to regale in the regal.  Most of us don't know the difference between a dame and a damsel but we do know a classy lassie when we see one.  And the notion of Prince Charming is charming well beyond our storybook years. 

So bring it on Brits!  Show us your best hats and remind us of our royal roots. And, although we won the Revolution you win this one! 

I AM SAD I AM

I am sad

I am

So sad not to get an invite

It just seems wrong, not right

I do not want to stand on the side

I want to be able to see the bride

Kanye gets to go

But Michelle was a no

What about that Uncle Gary

Could be fun with him and Harry

Fergie I can understand

But Nick and Carla are banned

I am sad

I am

That Posh Spice will be there

And Chelsy Davy with her pretty hair

Nineteen hundred and I am not one

That is not nice, that is not fun!

Wouldn’t you like me in Buck House

I would be quiet as a mouse

Won’t you please rethink

And at least invite me for a drink

So please be ever so sweet

@royalcrasher the invite you can tweet.

Float like a butterfly

The only monarchs we have in the United States is our beautiful butterflies. It's interesting to watch Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth with the transplanted Piers Morgan touching on the subject tonight. And just like the butterfly they simply alight around the topic but don't seem to get to the heart of the matter.

My American friends are in awe of the monarchy. We learned about kings and queens long before we started on the Revolutionary War. And what little girl hasn't been referred to as Princess. It might be more politically correct your daughter by Sasha; while we still long to be Queen for a Day we certainly would prefer to be dressed as Michelle.

Helena Bonham Carter actually met the Queen Mum as did Piers. We hope she wasn't dressed as the Queen of Hearts - that role will always belong to Princess Di. I like his description of her never explaining and never complaining. I guess when you are the Queen you rely on others to bide by your wishes.

And for those of us fond of the royalty we are certainly glad that their lifespan is much longer than that of the insect variety. Great interview with our new "king" of interviews with Piers Morgan.

Rub a Pub Pub - Do The Brits Do It Better?

There are several things that I think the British might do better than us in the USA.  The weekends always are a wind down time and here in the Village of Midlothian, Va, USA you might find a group of friends gathering around a bar for a couple of rounds. 

Our rounds might consist of a Cosmopolitan or Fireflies instead of a pint of bitters.  It's actually amazing that the Cosmopolitan has lasted so long as the staple of the woman's menu it is actually becoming "old fashion-ed".  And our bars' names certainly lack imagination:  Caddy's, Bailey's, Sports Page, Wild Ginger, Mediterrano and the like. 

Now, let's take a look at a couple of the names that I might have the chance to frequent on my upcoming trip - The Old Queen's Head, Tiger Tiger, Anchor and Hope, The Cow, The Dog and Duck, just to name a few of the 4500 pubs in London!!!!  Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese sounds like my kind of spot - after all, Charles Dickens had a pint there and so might I! 

Cheers and cheerio!

The Magic Kingdom

"I'm going to Disney World!'  Yes, it's a tradition for the winning Superbowl quarterback and definitively American.  The magic kingdom awaits with its promise of fun and food and the funny little guy with big ears - Mickey Mouse, not Prince Charles.


Not being a Disney die-hard, my magic kingdom also awaits.  And, according to early press predictions, the queue might be a little longer in London for those wanting to catch a glimpse of a modern-day Cinderella.  Figures of close to 1.5 - 2 million are being bandied about and one can only wonder where will all these people go.  Can you imagine waiting for Space Mountain in that line?


I can only imagine that there will be something magical about visiting a real Kingdom, complete with its castles and carriages.  And, my guess is that any royal firework display will certainly be greater than the one that crosses the Florida skies each evening.  Uncle Walt no longer reigns supreme and the American kingdom is a commercial approach designed to capture the imagination that is part of London's living legends.  


So let Aaron Rodgers go to Disney World.  I'm headed to London where a historian named Walter Bagehot wrote over 100 years ago about the royal monarchy:  "In its mystery is its life.  We must not let daylight in upon magic."

In for a Penny - In for a Pound

As the plans for the trip across the pond begin to take shape, it has become more evident that I am venturing from my homeland into a land unknown; we are talking currency conversion here.  And although I just attempted to download an app for it on my iPad (but it was going to require reading the new "Terms and Conditions" which total 36 pages) I decided to forgo the research and blog ahead.


So, earlier this week I questioned 2 charges on my AmEx that were an integral part of my pre-planning.  Although it would be be a great story to say that my life-long dream has been to venture to England and that as the youngest of 23 children, abandoned at birth and scrambling my whole life to save my pennies for a trip to find my birth parents (a WWII vet and retired English nurse that met in the hospital as he was recovering from the Blitz) that would be what we Americans call bullsh***t (or Reality TV); the real story is that the morning the Royal Wedding date was announced I was playing on my iPad while watching the telly in the lounge and, on a lark, I booked a hotel room in London within minutes of the announcement.  It sounded like fun - a girls weekend (or hen party) not at the sea BUT across the sea.  Unfortunately, most of the roosters would not allow a hen party so Mary (more about her later)and I decided to forge ahead.  I know, what does all this have to do with currency conversion?  Patience please!


The Terms and Conditions for the hotel (4-5 star rated, depending on your resource) stated a one-night non-refundable deposit and no cancellation policy.  I could accept all those terms easily since I had not talked to my rooster at this point and, at the most, I would be out $215 or a lot of Pounds.  


The venture begin to take a life of its own - with Christmas and my birthday both in December the trip became a reality (along with Kayak alerts on a great fare for Virgin Atlantic) as my gifts all came with a British flair (anybody want to buy one of 16 copies of Fodor's London 2011 that I received?).  


What I didn't expect was the surprise that came with my AmEx bill with a bill for $1100 for the hotel.  I called AmEx and they would happily dispute the claim which I feared would result in me being booted from my room at the inn, which could now sell for quite a few more pounds than my original reservation.  Instead I opted to inquire at the hotel direct, via email.  Today, they responded "I would like to thank you for highlighting the MISLEADING detail in your confirmation; we have taken action to rectify this in order to avoid confusion."  They further confirmed that I have been charged for 744GBP for three night's room and tax.  Hmmmm....sounds like the only action taken was responding to my email; which in today's world is known as outstanding customer service.


I mean, doesn't the conversion rate fluctuate wildly?  At what rate on what date was my American Express charged?   (I bet those Terms and Conditions would be fun to read!)  Today $1100 = 681GBP.  


And, let's not even get started on the confusion for my tickets to Les Mis which were also on the same bill - two times!  


I guess there is a reason they call us "foreigners" but all those waiting for my arrival (and to date, no one has indicated that they are) please take heart, I plan to read those 36 pages of Terms and Conditions before I arrive and download the currency conversion App.  After all, I'm in for a penny or for a pound!


Cheerio.

IF THE GLOVE FITS...

Just when the weekend was fading away with no food for fodder or blah for blogging on the Royal Wedding, what to my wondering eyes should appear but news of a souvenir certain to be remembered - Royal Condoms!  What a crowning achievement in the marketing efforts of those seeking to capitalize on the pocketbooks of all those seeking a remembrance of the special occasion.  

The packaging (which evidently does not come for wearing instructions) does promise that it contains a "triumvirate of regal prophylactics", which are "lavishly lubed" and "regally ribbed".  I must check my dictionary because if a triumvirate is a 3 pack this could be a good buy.  As an American mom of 4 young men, this certainly promises to be quite promising as a royal remembrance; I don't think they were looking forward to tea towels and the china was going to prove cumbersome for the luggage.  And, as I have always told my boys "No Glove, No Love!"  


Pip, pip and cheerio!

PAPER DOLLS FOR A PRINCESS

The royal couple will soon have their own paper dolls.  Yes, Amazon.com has this specialty set available early next week. Who doesn't remember those early years and safety scissors spent at the dining room table while cutting away? According to research, the first commercial paper dolls were created in London in 1810.  One of the most sought after paper doll collection are those of Queen Victoria which were created in mid-1800's.  

How refreshing to see a simpler life.  And the creator of these paper dolls is evidently a career paper doll producer since his collection includes a 20 plus year history available at that great American marketplace  http://www.amazon.com/William-Kate-Paper-Dolls-Commemorate/dp/0486483789%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJ55PMGYR2QUHVXRA%26tag%3Dgaswarehouse-21%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0486483789

In a world filled with technology and wizardry it is refreshing to see a simple two-dimension memento.  Can't wait to try and cut the feathers on the hat and hope the set qualifies for free super-saver shipping!