September 2014
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
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Meet The Ambassador Matthew Barzun chats to The American Season Previews for the NFL and NCAA WIN London Ice Tea & tix for Nana Mouskouri
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The American ®
Issue 736 September 2014 PUBLISHED BY SP MEDIA FOR
Blue Edge Publishing Ltd. Old Byre House, East Knoyle, Salisbury SP3 6AW, UK Tel: +44 (0)1747 830520
Departments: News, Article ideas, Press releases: editor@theamerican.co.uk Advertising & Promotions: advertising@theamerican.co.uk Subscriptions: theamerican@blueedge.co.uk The team: Michael Burland, Content Director + Motors & Music michael@theamerican.co.uk Sabrina Sully, Content Director & Community Contact sabrina@theamerican.co.uk Daniel Byway, Content Executive dan@theamerican.co.uk Virginia E Schultz, Food & Drink (USA) virginia@theamerican.co.uk Michael M Sandwick, Food & Drink (UK) mms@theamerican.co.uk Mary Bailey, Social mary@theamerican.co.uk Alison Holmes, Politics alison@theamerican.co.uk Jarlath O’Connell, Theater jarlath@theamerican.co.uk Richard L Gale, Sports richard@theamerican.co.uk
©2014 Blue Edge Publishing Ltd. Printed by Advent Colour Ltd., www.advent-colour.co.uk ISSN 2045-5968 Main Cover: Image courtesy State Dept; Circular Inset: Ty Montgomery, image ©Jim Shorin/Stanfordphoto.com; Square Inset: Nana Mouskouri
@TheAmericanMag
There’s a group of people who you might only think of when you’re in trouble, and that’s the staff at the US Embassy in London. We thought it was time we found out what all the Embassy’s departments can do for you, and who the folks are who’re there to help, so we asked them. To introduce a new series of special features about the citizen-facing departments of the Embassy, we have an exclusive interview with the man who captains the ship, Ambassador Matthew Barzun. This month you can also find out what singer Nana Mouskouri is up to and win a pair of tickets to her Royal Albert Hall concert, win some ice tea (watch out it’s alcoholic!), meet Californian expat actress Jill Winternitz, discover how the UK Parliament burned down, get the lowdown on the upcoming football season... and a whole lot more. Enjoy your magazine,
Michael Burland, Content Director michael@theamerican.co.uk
Among this month’s contributors
Dr Caroline Shenton The Director of the Parliamentary Archives tells us about the forgotten disaster which changed the face of Parliament and London forever.
Miss Patricia Our columnist stays in Britain all summer for the first time, surviving testosteroned teens and incomprehensible accents. Brave girl!
Richard L Gale The Sports Ed’s been in seventh heaven - it’s football season again, and he’s been knee deep in NFL and NCAA research for your delectation.
Read The American online at www.theamerican.co.uk The entire contents of The American and www.theamerican.co.uk are protected by copyright and no part of it may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information in The American is accurate, the editor and publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or any loss arising from reliance on it. The views and comments of contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers.
September 2014 1
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in this issue... 10 Interview: Ambassador Matthew Barzun 14 Making Sense of the UK School System 18 The Day Parliament Burned Down 20 Miss Patricia Closes Her Summer Journal 22 UK Law for Newcomers 24 Settling: An Expat’s Tale 28 Competition: Harry Brompton Ice Tea
30 Arts Choice 34 Music Interview: Nana Mouskouri 37 Competition: Nana Mouskouri tickets 38 Theater Interview: Once’s Jill Winternitz 44 American Sports: Golf, NFL, NCAA 53 Group Profile: Phi Beta Kappa 64 Peggy Lee Loves London
4 News
32 Coffee Break
54 US Social Groups
6 Diary Dates
40 Theater Reviews
62 US Products & Services
26 Food & Drink
44 American Sports
64 Tail End: Peggy Lee
2 September 2014
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12 October 2013
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The American
NEWS American Raises $400k for Royal Marine Charity
K
eith Breslauer, American citizen and London resident hasraised an impressive £260,000, over $400,000, for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, with his colleagues at Patron Capital (a pan-European property based investment company) . They did it the hard way, completing a series of endurance feats as part of the Royal Marines 1664 Challenge, which celebrates the Royal Marines’ 350th anniversary and saw active and retired Marines and members of the Patron team, ski, sail, cycle, kayak and run a total of 4,136 miles. The money provides support for disabled Royal Marine war veterans. Mr Breslauer, the firm’s Managing Director, along with his Royal Marine crewmate Ryan Stopford, completed the 120 nautical mile cross-Channel kayaking challenge in May. The final event at the end of July involved members of Patron’s team running throughout the night alongside the Royal Marines.
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4 September 2014
Col. Robert Novotny takes command of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath PHOTO: AIRMAN 1ST CLASS DAWN M. WEBER, US AIR FORCE
Ukraine Crisis: New Lakenheath Commander Says Keep F-15s
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ol. Robert Novotny took command of the 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing and based at RAF Lakenheath, England, July 21, 2014. Col. Novotny formerly served as the Chief of Staff for the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force and the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Deputy Commander for Air, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Looking forward to working with his new colleagues, he said to the audience of 1,000 servicepeople, dignitaries and visitors, “They’re forward, they’re in the fight. They’re ready and they’re about getting the mission done.” He added that two years ago, when he was asked where he would like to serve as a wing commander, anywhere in the world, he chose Lakenheath. He thanked his family, especially his wife, Dawn, for their support. He also thanked his predecessor at the 48th FW Col. Kyle Robinson and his wife Maureen for their leadership and vowed to make one of his top priorities “to take care of our military families, especially our deployed spouses.” Summing up, he said to his airmen, “If you look around the world, things are a little crazy right now. And if the call comes, I’m going to be
standing right there with you, and we’re going to respond like the 48th Fighter Wing knows how to respond.” Later, in one of his first public interviews since taking command, Col. Novotny said that because of the unstable political situation in the Ukraine, the number of F-15 fighter jets should not be reduced as planned. The 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing, flies the only F-15s in Europe. US military budget cuts are being squeezed and the Department of Defense has suggested that Lakenheath could be closed or lose some of its fighter jets. Col. Novotny believes the F-15C to be “the world’s greatest fighter at air-to-air combat” but that as a single-purpose plane it could be replaced by multi-role aircraft such as the F-16 and F-22. He said that before Russia annexed Crimea and a raging battle started on the eastern front of Ukraine it would have made financial sense to reduce the number of F-15s. However, he agreed with Defense Department officials who say the aircraft should remain at Lakenheath at least until the Ukraine situation is resolved. Aircraft from Lakenheath form part of NATO’s air policing missions in the Baltic.
New Embassy News
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s Ambassador Matthew Barzun points out this month [see page 10] the new United States Embassy building south of the River Thames (in the Nine Elms district of Battersea, in Wandsworth, house-hunters!) is reaching an exciting phase as the foundations are finished and the central block of the main building is rising daily. Construction is due to be complete in 2017.
Rail Arches Saved
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ixteen Victorian ‘strainer’ arches near Chorley, Lancashire, one of only two surviving examples, were too low to accommodate the new electric railway line being installed. Instead of demolishing them English Heritage and Network Rail collaborated to remove the stone arches, temporarily replaced them with steel versions, and have now reinstated them in a higher position. Sorted!
Obituary Johnny Winter
J
ohnny Winter died on July 16 (as our last issue went to press). He was one of the great blues guitarists, one of the select band who helped keep the Blues alive during the late 1960s and ‘70s. Winter died in a hotel room in Zurich, Switzerland. At the age of 70, still working hard. He was on tour, and had recently completed recording an album featuring collaborations with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Perry, Brian Setzer and Ben Harper. Called Step Back, and a follow up to 2011’s Roots, it will now be released posthumously. His fiery brand of rocking blues, featuring his own compositions as well as his versions of songs by the likes of The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan, inspired many young musi-
cians, but he was equally at home playing with the blues masters, notably on Muddy Waters’ 1976 classic album Hard Again. Born in Beaumont, Texas in 1944, Johnny and his younger brother Edgar came to public notice because of their unusual look - both were albinos and had fair skin and long white hair. But it was Johnny’s musicianship and passion that got him to the top and kept him there for decades. As Rolling Stone put it in a story on Texas music, December 1968, “If you can imagine a 130-pound, cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest, fluid blues guitar you ever heard, then enter Johnny Winter.” Soon after the article was published Winter was signed with Columbia Records for $600,000, an unprecedented amount for a solo artist.
September 2014 5
The American
List your event in The American: email editor@theamerican.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)1747 830520
Your Guide To The Month Ahead
©PETE LE MAY
See our full events listings online at www.theamerican.co.uk
True West by Sam Shepard Tricycle Theater, 269 Kilburn High Rd, London NW6 7JR www.tricycle.co.uk 020 7328 1000 September 4 to October 4 Austin ‘the achiever’, an earnest screenwriter on the verge of success, is working on a script he has sold to a Hollywood producer while house-sitting for his mother in LA. When his petty thief brother Lee ‘the drifter’ decides to stop by, he pitches his own idea for a movie and convinces the producer to ditch Austin’s love story for his own trashy Western tale. Now they must work together to secure the deal. But with mistrust and jealousy bubbling under the surface and the heat of a Californian night melting away their inhibitions, their own flaws threaten to get in the way. A modern classic by one of America’s most renowned living playwrights, exposing the cracks in the American Dream.
66 September August 20132014
American Lectures Eccles Centre for American Studies, British Library Conference Centre, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB www.bl.uk A series of fascinating US-oriented lectures and events, most free but needing registration, inc.: September 8th Alan Rusbridger, Reflections on Press Freedom; 12th, Katherine Joslin and Tom Baily discuss Theodore Roosevelt’s friendships with contemporary writers in the United States and Great Britain. Barbican Centre Music Events Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk Eclectic highlights this month: Sept. 12th & 13th John Cale & Liam Young; 18th A Time and Place: Musical Meditations on the First World Wa; 28th Flood of Beauty, the world premiere of Sir John Tavener’s last major work. Sept. 25th sees the opening concert of The Barbican’s 2014/15 Artist Spotlight focuses on much-loved American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in an evening of Italian bel canto repertoire with arias by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. See our website for further details of Joyce’s concerts. Blackpool Illuminations Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 www.visitblackpool.com August 29 to November 10 A major annual attraction of lights that started in 1879.
Largs Viking Festival Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland KA30 August 30 to September 7 Over 750 years ago the Battle of Largs was the last Viking invasion in Britain. Theater, re-enactments, and Viking-related performances are all part of the fun. Hillsborough Oyster Festival Hillsborough, Lisburn, N. Ireland BT27 www.hillsboroughoysterfestival.com September 2 to 7 This year’s event features the World Oyster Eating Championships, a Masters Golf tournament, Galway to Hillsborough cycle ride and a Soapbox Derby. Bridport Hat Festival Bridport, Dorset, concert at Arts Centre. www.bridporthatfest.org Festival 01308 250350, Concert 01308 427183 September 5 to 6 Hat-based frolics including competitions, a hatty tea dance, hat quiz & raffle, hat auction... well why not?! British country stalwart Hank Wangford is the festival’s patron and plays with his excellent Lost Cowboys band Friday 5th. Yeehaw UK Rockingham Castle, Rockingham, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8TH www.yeehawuk.com September 5 & 6 A family experience promoting all aspects of country music in the UK, reclaiming “Yeehaw” for the modern generation with a mix of artists from the UK, America and Australia. American themed food, drink and products at the Expo Ranch. Camping. Discount on tickets to current and previous members of the armed services.
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STAMPEX STAMP SHOW Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH Sept 17 – 20 Stephen T. Taylor 5 Glenbuck Road Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS Phone: 020 8390 9357 Fax: 020 8390 2235 info@stephentaylor.co.uk www.stephentaylor.co.uk Your American Dealer in Britain
A UNIQUE JOINT FOUNDATION OF COLLEGE & CATHEDRAL
Go Abroad Fair
Walk in the footsteps of academics, kings and queens, Alice in Wonderland and even a few wizards! • • • •
Christ Church is open throughout the year. As a working institution some areas may close from time to time. Visit the Christ Church website for our opening hours and entry prices, forthcoming events and Cathedral services.
Where in the world you will be next year? y l: Stud Speciahe USA in t
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Enjoy a delicious afternoon tea on High Table Attend a banquet in our magnificent Tudor Hall Explore behind closed doors on one of our guided tours Experience life at Christ Church - B&B and residential courses
October 16 LONDON 4 pm | 8 pm Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel
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Buying & Selling USA Stamps, Covers & Postal History
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The American
Deloitte Ignite Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD www.roh.org.uk/about/deloitte-ignite September 5 to 28 Contemporary arts festival celebrating and exploring myth. Goodwood Revival Goodwood Estate, Chichester, W. Sussex grrc.goodwood.com 01243 755055 September 12 to 14 Classic racing cars and bikes, in-air action from Mustangs, Spitfires and
American Museum in Britain Claverton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD www.americanmuseum.org info@americanmuseum.org Telephone: 01225 460503 The only museum outside the US to showcase the nation’s decorative arts. Permanent exhibitions: The Colourful World of Kaffe Fassett and New World, Old Maps. September events include: 6th Quilting Bees every Tuesday; knitting workshop with the Kaffe Fassett Studio; 6th to 14th Goldwork embroidery exhibition; 11th talk on the lives of 19th century emigrants to the American West; 18th discussion on Black American Musical performers in Britain in the 1920s and ‘50s; 20th and 21st American Civil War Re-enactments; 25th Tayo Aluko, a performance on the life of Paul Robeson; 28th, music from The Alan Lewis Rarebits.
8 September 2014
Pussy Galore’s helicopter from Goldfinger, plus Texas motorcycle superstar Kevin Schwantz’s first race in the UK for 20 years.
Celebrate harvest at the Washington family historic home with a day of fresh food stalls, Morris Men and apple pressing.
Jane Austen Festival various, Bath, BA1 www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk September 12 to 21 Includes a Grand Regency Costumed Promenade, which aims to break the festival’s own Guinness World Record.
Dublin Theatre Festival various. Box Office: 44 East Essex St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 www.dublintheatrefestival.com +353 1 677 88 9 September 25 to October 12 27 world-class productions across 21 venues. Spectacular, large-scale presentations, intimate performances and theatrical firsts inc. 13 world premieres from Irish writers plus international work.
The Duxford Air Show IWM Duxford, Cambridgeshire CB22 4QR www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford September 13 to 14 Historic flying displays by the last two airworthy Lancaster bombers, the only flying Vulcan XH558 and the famous and much-loved B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B. American Civil War Round Table UK Civil Service Club, Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HJ www.acwrt.org.uk September 20 Lecture: in 1864, a Confederate army came close to seizing Washington, DC. Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DP www.chch.ox.ac.uk helen.camunas-lopez@chch.ox.ac.uk 01865 286998 September 21 to 24 and 26 21st to 24th a four day residential course offers the chance to explore the hidden spaces and extraordinary treasures of 500 years of history from Cardinal Wolsey in the 1500s to William Penn. 26th a fine dining experience in the Great Hall, the setting for royal feasts, plays, debates and Charles I’s parliament during the English Civil War. See website for more details. Harvest Fayre at Sulgrave Manor Sulgrave, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 2SD www.sulgravemanor.org.uk 01295 760205 September 21
USA College Day 2014 Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX www.fulbright.org.uk September 26 & 27 This free event (if you register in advance) allows students, parents and advisors to meet over 150 American universities and educational service providers. Fri. Sept 26th, 4.30pm to 7.30pm, & Sat. 27th, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Janet Johnson Open Studio 9 Athenlay Road, London SE15 3EA janet@janetjohnsonart.co.uk www.janetjohnsonart.co.uk www.nunheadarttrail.co.uk September 26 to 29 A US expat resident artist with a deep connection for the sublime in nature. See her work in a private viewing Sept. 26th, 6pm to 9pm. e-mail or call Janet. The exhibition is part of The Nunhead Art Trail and Janet’s studios are open between 11am and 6pm on Sept. 28th & 29th. The Great River Race various, River Thames, London www.greatriverrace.co.uk September 27 300+ crews from around the globe compete in a colorful race, 21 miles of the Thames from Docklands to Ham in Surrey.
THE AMERICAN MUSEUM IN BRITAIN Housed in Georgian splendor, co-founded by an American, the museum showcases America’s decorative arts. Exhibitions, workshps, Quilt collection. 01225 460503 www.americanmuseum.org
GARY POWELL’S LONDON WALKS American Walk - London’s US connections new for 2014 John Wesley’s London - Methodist Movement Founder www.garypowellauthor.co.uk +44 (0)7738 426017 powellgary_54@yahoo.co.uk
UNIQUE BRITISH TOURS Specialises in 17 Unusual Theme Tours such as The American Connection, Crimes, Curiosities & Eccentrics and Ghosts, Witches and Legends. +44 (0)1293 823566 enquiries@uniquebritishtours.co.uk www.uniquebritishtours.co.uk
GREENWICH ROYAL TOURS Fun and informative walking tours of historic Greenwich, London’s secret gardens, Law in London, and new for 2014, Shakespeare tours. www.greenwichroyaltours.com UK: 0800 542 1200 bookings@greenwichroyaltours.com
BERKELEY CASTLE (Gloucestershire) Visit the oldest castle lived in by the original family. American, Royalty and Shakespeare connections. Special events throughout the year. www.berkeley-castle.com +44 (0)1453 810 303 david.exworth@berkeley-castle.com
OLD COUNTRY MILITARY & HISTORY TOURS INC. UK, Europe, USA : Military, Kings & Queens, homes & gardens, art & architecture, genealogy. Relaxing, informative personalised tours.
THE MAYFLOWER (Rotherhithe) The co-owner of this stunning ancient pub captained The Mayflower, which set off from here in 1620. Decked jetty & upstairs candle-lit restaurant. Open 11am - 11pm Mon-Sun. Booking advisable.
SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL A priory established in 1106, parish church from 1540, now a South London cathedral, with strong American connections. +44 (0) 20 7367 6734 cathedraltours@southwark.anglican.org
0207 237 4088 info@mayflowerrotherhithe.com
+44 (0) 1747 828719 www.oldcountrytours.com
The American
Ambassador Barzun in his Embassy office
Ambassador Matthew Barzun
PHOTO COURTESY DAVID HARTNOLL, STATE DEPT.
What does the Embassy do for you and your country? And what makes the US-UK Relationship so Special? We talk to the man who knows.
A
mbassador, thank you for taking time to talk to The American’s readers. Thank you. I know you’re going to be running a series of articles looking at what all our departments in the Embassy do. I’m glad I can give your wonderful publication my take on the great work we do here, but nothing beats talking to the great men and women who work here about the services they provide to our people. The basic, ongoing stuff like passports and the exciting things like births. On one of my first days here, someone told me there was a brand new American baby downstairs who was getting her first passport. I went down and got to meet the parents and the tiny baby and see how the process works. After they left I talked to one of our American Citizen Services staff and said, this is so special, please let me know every time you do this ‘cause I don’t want to miss one. He looked at me awkwardly - this was my first week - and said, “Sir, we do 4,000 a year!” They’re not all new babies, but they’re all new citizens. It gives you a sense of the scale that the team deals with. There are those happy parts, and the unhappy things like deaths. For that whole cycle of life, that team is there. I suppose most people don’t
10 September 2014
know what the Embassy can do for them until they need it. That’s right, so any chance we can get to explain it is good. For example we’re revamping our YouTube presence [www.youtube. com/USEmbassyLondon], organizing it into channels which can tell you about the history of the Special Relationship, expat life, arts and culture, news and current events, travel, politics and elections - we have the mid-terms elections coming up, as you know. That’s another service we provide, we have a great team that can help you go online and figure out how to register to vote. And we organize the Warden system which gets urgent news to Americans when there’s a problem. [The American is a Warden: follow @ TheAmericanMag on Twitter] What does the Embassy do for the United States as a nation? Number one is government to government, calling on Her Majesty’s Government, the folks in Whitehall, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and MPs at Westminster. If you see what’s dominating the British newspaper headlines, chances are the US and UK are working on it together. The headline will almost certainly not be about US-UK agreements or disagreements, it’s about what’s happening in Syria, or Afghanistan or
any of the other places around the world, but we work on it together. Second is trade and investment. We try to get British companies excited about all our great American products. The President’s National Export Initiative promotes American products here but equally we encourage UK companies, big or small, to grow their businesses in the United States. There are so many great tech startups here who want to go to America to grow their business, for example. There’s a big role for the UK in TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, between the European Union and the United States. And the UK is the largest investor in the United States, and vice versa. The third thing is public diplomacy: communications, getting out and engaging with the public who may not be in business or in government - the vast majority of Brits are in neither of those two things directly. I love to go listen and learn and explain and engage with the broader British public. Here we are in Grosvenor Square - Little America - and we can look out and see these great bronze statues of Eisenhower and FDR, commemorating World War II and the shared service and sacrifice of our two countries. But I’ve been to 28 sixth form colleges and the 18 year-olds I’m talking to,
11
Ambassador Barzun and family at his Credentialing
who will be voting for the first time as citizens here in the UK next year, have no memories of World War II. They don’t remember the Cold War and they were little kids at 9/11. I ask them what’s on their mind, what frustrates or confuses or concerns them about the US. Then I ask what they like, what gives them hope and what inspires them about the US. I think of that as building the new foundations for the Special Relationship. The UK is planning a referendum on leaving the EU and Scotland is voting on whether to leave the UK. If either happens, how would it affect the relationship? It is up to the UK how it wants to work with, and within, Europe. Full stop. But if you ask us - which people often do - we value a strong UK voice in a strong EU because we tend to see eye to eye with the UK. On Scotland, it is up to the people who are allowed to vote in the referendum, it’s an internal UK matter, but as the President said, we have “a deep interest in making sure that one of the closest allies we will ever have remains a strong, robust, united and effective partner.” The term ‘Special Relationship’ seemed to go out of fashion for a while - ‘the US has many relationships’, the ‘shift to the East’ - but do you feel it is still special?
12 September 2014
With Secretary of State John Kerry at his Swearing In
It is! I was given advice before I came over, from a number of smart people, Brits and Americans, who told me not to ‘fall into the trap of saying Special Relationship.’ I think they’re wrong. It is special, but not in some nostalgic way. The history is powerful. It’s also complicated and we shouldn’t gloss over the difficult bits, they are part of what makes it special. It’s not some sort of fairy tale, but it is real, and it has led to this great friendship that continues right up to today. Like working together to get rid of chemical weapons in Syria and to get Iran to live up to its international obligations regarding its nuclear program. You can keep listing all the places we’re engaged in around the world. We need to work with each other and we enjoy working with each other and that combination makes it special. We don’t have to agree on every point... but we often do. By the time the September issue of The American comes out we will have commemorated 200 years since the Brits burned down the White House! Why, as a diplomat, would I mention that? I think it’s important to talk about how we were the fiercest of foes. We hated each other. Let that sink in... hated! And now we are the fastest of friends. That period in which we went from hatred 200 years ago to
trust around 100 years ago when we fought together in World War I is an interesting part of history that we tend to jump over. ‘The Brits burned down the White House, we stopped fighting 200 years ago, we signed the Treaty of Ghent and we’ve been best friends forever’? Nope! There have been lots of ups and downs, lots of gratitude and resentment, lots of competition and cooperation. But that makes it stronger. Friendships are built as a byproduct of struggling and doing things together, succeeding and failing, not sitting across from each other and saying, ‘let’s be friends.’ Look at what we did together 100 years ago, we just commemorated D-Day 70 years ago, there was the Cold War, now Afghanistan and all around the world today. That’s how friendships are built. Is there a ‘family element’ too? For example Magna Carta? Talk about commemorations! Magna Carta will be our theme for the whole of next year. We’ll have a copy of the Declaration of Independence here at the British Library with one of the Magna Cartas and it will be really interesting to look at those documents together, to reflect on the past, and our shared values. After an issue disappears from the front pages, that’s when
The American
Out and About: With London Mayor Boris Johnson
the hard work begins: the rule of law, governance, evrything that we built up over hundreds of years. It takes hard work and the US and UK have an amazing ability to do that. Six days after I got here, when MPs voted against UK involvement in Syria, the headline on the front page of The Sun [a British tabloid newspaper] said ‘Death Notice of the Special Relationship’. Not true! ...Snarky and clever, but not true. You’ve been very involved with the new Embassy, south of the Thames. How is it progressing? For a while at the beginning of the project it was just a big hole in the ground but it’s the fun part now, you can watch the building grow before your eyes. Our goal is to complete it by 2017. We’re really looking forward to it. It was good of you to invite former Ambassador and Mrs Tuttle to the ground breaking event. The Tuttles are wonderful people, as were my predecessors the Susmans, who I was close to from a previous life, and the Farishes - they’re from Kentucky like we are - and Phil Lader and his wife. Republican and Democrat alike, they’ve all been so generous and helpful with their advice on the big important things, and all the silly little questions you’d feel funny asking anyone else.
Visiting a London School
Now you’ve been here a while, what do you like about living in Britain? Oh dear, there’s so much. I mean look... [gestures toward the view through his office window.] I love all of the UK. I love London, and I love getting out of London. For very good reasons many Brits love going to New York City - and they should, it’s amazing. Florida, unsurprisingly, is a very popular destination too. But I’m always encouraging them to get out to other places. America is so big, and so diverse, and there are so many other wonderful places. Back home I live in Louisville, Kentucky. So I know from personal experience there are great things happening in places outside the major cities. 87 percent of Brits don’t live in London, so it’s important for me to get out there. I have a map with pins showing where I’ve been in the eleven months I’ve been here so far, and there are places with no pins yet! You’ve been to Scotland - did you visit the Commonwealth Games? No, believe it or not the United States doesn’t have much of a role in the Commonwealth! Although it’s good that American writers can now compete in the Mann Booker literary prize, which used to be only for British and Commonwealth
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT
authors [laughs]. We may be ‘divided by a common language’ but we enjoy each others’ books! And we have fun with the language similarities and differences. One of my recent favorites is the word ‘scheme’. Often when I meet with British trade delegations who are thinking about investing in America they ask for practical advice. I tell them, when they’re planning their presentations, never to say ‘scheme’. Brits think it means ‘plan’ but we think it means ‘scam’ the word ‘Ponzi’ is implicit. After the next US presidential election, Mr Obama won’t be the president any more, and your role may change. Do you have any political ambitions of your own? I hope there will be life after this job, but it’s such an honor to serve my country over here and I’m just loving it, I don’t want to think of it ending. But it will... and then we’ll go back to Kentucky. One final question. What’s the best thing about being Matthew Barzun? If I can be very unoriginal, my lovely wife and kids - what a gift!
Follow Ambassador Barzun on Twitter @MatthewBarzun.
September 2014 13
The American
Making Sense of the UK School System An overview for those coming from the States to live and study in the UK, by educationalist Matthew Cook. Part Two: here he looks at Independent Education in England and Wales
T
he private or independent school system in the UK is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Schools such as Eton College, Harrow School, Winchester College, Uppingham School, and Rugby School are synonymous with a long and prestigious education tradition and list amongst their alumni poets, artists, politicians, and great leaders. In the UK approximately 7% of the population is educated in the independent sector. Private schools are said to form the ‘independent sector’ as they are independent of direct government control. It is also important to remember that in the UK a ‘public school’ is actually an independent school. Public schools are often the oldest independent schools and offer boarding. The term ‘public’ derives from the time when they were first established as charities to educate poorer scholars and did not select students based upon religion, parent’s occupation and/or location. There are a number of different stages to private education and the ages at which children move from one phase to another is often different from those in the state sector. This is worth bearing in mind, if you are coming from overseas, but also if a child is moving from state
14 September 2014
education to private or vice versa.
Pre-Preparatory Schools
Pre-preps usually cater for children aged 4 to 7 years old. The more highly sought after schools will require testing of children even at the age of 4. They may also require that a child be registered from birth in order to be considered for a place. Some pre-prep schools are already part of larger preparatory schools but all pre-preps will be judged largely on which schools children go to when they leave the pre-preps at age 7.
Preparatory (Prep) Schools
Children will attend a Preparatory school from the age of 7 through to 11 or 13 years of age. Many girls preparatory schools will finish at age 11 as girls senior schools tend to take students at this age. Some senior boys schools may also have an intake at age 11, although it is more common for this to take place at age 13. Preparatory schools are themselves judged upon the quality of the Senior schools that their leavers move on to at 11 or 13 years of age. Consequently, they are keen to ensure and maintain high academic standards. Entrance to prep schools
is likely to involve tests or examinations, as well as, interviews with the child and also with the parents.
Senior Independent Schools
Senior independent schools will generally run from age 13 though to 18 years of age. The main entry points for students will be at 13 years of age and at 16 years of age. Many will offer both boarding and day options for students. Independent Senior Schools are very much judged upon their performance in League Tables – these show how well their students performed in GCSE (taken at age 16) and A-Level examinations (taken at age 18). Increasingly private school students are studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma or the Cambridge Pre-U and International A-level exams, so it is worth looking for these results also. Schools should publish their examination results on their websites and the League tables are widely available. Very often linked to this will be the Universities that their alumni attend. It is also likely that they will have extensive extra-curricular programmes, especially sport and music. Sport fixtures in rugby union, football (soccer), field hockey, cricket, rowing, and lacrosse (usu-
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Taunton School, Somerset an independent boarding and day school
PHOTO COURTESY TAUNTON SCHOOL
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ally just girls) will be held against other independent schools and are often a source of great pride for the whole school community. All independent schools, especially senior schools, will pride themselves on their (usually) long and distinguished past. Schools will almost always require their students to wear a uniform, although this might be ‘relaxed’ to business attire in the Sixth Form. At many schools – private and state, students will be placed in a House. Traditionally based upon the boarding house concept (think Harry Potter!) but they will include day pupils also. Generally, Houses provide the pastoral support structure for students, but often they also act as a way of vertically integrating the school, as students of all ages will be members of the same house. Some schools will have lessons on Saturday morning and sports in the afternoon. Alternatively, they may simply have sports on Saturday morning. Many schools will have a chapel and students will be expected to attend at least once a week, although for boarders they may be expected to attend on Sunday morning in addition to this (schools should also make arrange-
16 September 2014
ments for worship for non-Christians). History and tradition play a key role in the culture of these schools and some are maintained to this day, for example, at the first school where the author taught, all students and staff (dressed in academic gowns) would process down the main street of the town to the local church in order to celebrate Founder’s day in October, necessitating road closures and a good deal of local interest! Other traditions are no longer exercised, for example at the author’s own senior public school, tradition stated that the Head Boy could ride to school on a white horse!
International Schools
In the UK, and especially in and around London, there are some international schools that one might also consider. Whilst there are American curriculum and/or cultural schools, such as TASIS The American School in England, the American School of London and the American Community Schools (Cobham, Egham and Hillingdon), if you would like your children to experience a more international programme and don’t want the British system then an international school may be a good option.
Similarly, if your family is likely to be moving every few years, and probably not back to the States anytime soon, then an international school offering the International Baccalaureate programme is well worth considering.
Matthew Cook is the Managing Director of Castle Education Consultancy, an independent education consultancy that works with families on school and university search. Matthew was educated at Bedford School, read Modern History at St. Andrews University and holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Oxford. He has almost 15 years experience in education, having taught at Kimbolton School, an independent day-boarding school near Cambridge, and also led the History department and been College Counsellor at the British School of Washington DC. Matthew has lived and worked in education, in the Middle East and also recruited Headteachers whilst at the Times Educational Supplement. His last role was as Director of Marketing and Admissions at a top London international school. If you have further questions related to education in the UK or would like advice please feel free to contact Matthew: email matthew@castleeducationconsultancy.co.uk
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The American
The Day Parliament Burned Down
Dr Caroline Shenton, Director of the Parliamentary Archives, tells us about the forgotten disaster which changed the face of Parliament and London forever.
I
n the early evening of October 16th, 1834, a huge ball of flame exploded through the roof of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster, creating a blaze so enormous that it could be seen by the King and Queen at Windsor, and from stagecoaches on top of the South Downs. In front of hundreds of thousands of horrified witnesses the great conflagration destroyed Parliament’s glorious old buildings and their contents. The1834 fire was shocking and significant to contemporaries, yet today this national disaster is largely forgotten, not least because Barry and Pugin’s monumental new Palace of Westminster has obliterated nearly all memory of its ancient predecessor. When I began work at the Parliamentary Archives in 1999, I found myself constantly telling readers in our public searchroom that nearly all of the House of Commons’ historic records before 1834 were destroyed in a gigantic fire. I became increasingly curious about it. But I couldn’t find out very much – mention of the disaster was usually confined to a paragraph or two in books about the great Victorian Gothic building beside the Thames which is famous the world over. I became frustrated. Surely it must have had a massive impact on contemporaries? What did people think at the time? What was the old Palace like? Why did the fire spread so quickly? What was lost and what
18 September 2014
was saved? Who was killed? And why had no-one written in detail about it? I found the report of the official inquiry on the cause of the fire. Then I looked at some newspaper accounts of the disaster. One thing led to another, and eventually some nine years later I found I had gathered enough material together, testament to a growing obsession, to write that book myself. It took me another two years to complete it in my spare time. I found an agent. He found me a publisher. In 2012 The Day Parliament Burned Down finally hit the shelves and six months later it won top prize at the Political Book of the Year Awards in 2013. It was amazing that no-one had told the story before. It has all the ingredients required for a Hollywood thriller. By the late Georgian period, the buildings of the former royal Palace of Westminster on the banks of the Thames had become an accident waiting to happen. The rambling complex of medieval and early modern apartments making up the Houses of Parliament, which over the centuries architects including Christopher Wren had attempted to improve and expand, was by then largely unfit for purpose. Complaints from MPs about the state of their accommodation had been rumbling on since the 1790s, and reached a peak when they found themselves packed into the hot, airless and cramped Com-
mons chamber during the passage of the Great Reform Bill in 1832. Unable to agree on a solution for new accommodation, the decision was made for them. The long-overdue catastrophe finally occurred on 16 October 1834. Throughout the day, a chimney fire had smouldered under the floor of the House of Lords chamber, caused by the unsupervised and ill-advised burning of two large cartloads of wooden tally sticks (a form of medieval tax receipt created by the Exchequer) in the heating furnaces below. Warning signs were persistently ignored by the senile Housekeeper and careless Clerk of Works, leading the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, later to declare the disaster, ‘one of the greatest instances of stupidity upon record’. Just after six in the evening, a doorkeeper’s wife returning from an errand finally spotted the flames licking the scarlet curtains around Black Rod’s Box in the Lords chamber as they emerged through the floor from the collapsed furnace flues. There was panic within the Palace but initially no-one seems to have raised the alarm outside, perhaps imagining that the fire - which had now taken hold and was visible on the roof - could be brought under control quickly. They were mistaken. The fire turned into the most significant blaze in the city between 1666 and the Blitz, burning fiercely
The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, October 16, 1834 JMW Turner, 1834-35 (an eye witness)
for the rest of the night. It was fought by parish and insurance company fire engines, and the private London Fire Engine Establishment, led by Superintendent James Braidwood, the grandfather of modern firefighting theory. Hundreds of volunteers, from the King’s sons and Cabinet ministers downwards, manned the pumps on the night, and were paid in beer for their efforts. Contrary to popular opinion, onlookers in the vast crowds did not generally stand around cheering. Most were awestruck and terrified by the spectacle, and some suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. Others were injured in the crush, and plenty were pickpocketed: but, astonishingly, no-one died in the disaster. As it burned, the fire stripped away the Houses of Parliament’s later, and often ugly, accretions of many centuries, revealing the beautiful old Palace beneath, including the Painted Chamber, St Stephen’s Chapel and its lower chapel of St Mary’s, in use at the time of the fire as the Court of Claims, House of Commons, and Speaker’s Dining Room respectively. In the aftermath of the fire these became a focus for much antiquarian activity and delighted the sightseers touring the ruins. By the middle of the evening it was clear that the fire was uncontrollable in most of the Palace. Westminster Hall then became the focus for Braidwood’s efforts and those of his men and hundreds of volunteers. The thick stone Norman walls provided an excellent barrier against the spread of fire, but the fourteenth-century oak roof timbers were in great peril. “Damn the House of Commons, let it blaze away!” cried the Chancellor of the Exchequer
IMAGE COURTESY THE JOHN HOWARD MCFADDEN COLLECTION, 1928, THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
desperately, “But save, O save the Hall!”. The efforts of all, from the highest to the lowest, plus a lucky change of wind direction at midnight, and the arrival of the London Fire Engine Establishment’s great, floating, barge-mounted fire engine, finally started to quell the fire in the early hours, and ultimately saved Westminster Hall. The fire crews finally left five days later, having put out the last of the fires which kept bursting out from the ruins. The following day revealed a shattered and smoking collection of buildings, most of which were cleared in the months that followed and the stone sold to salvage merchants or pushed into the river. Temporary chambers and committee rooms were available for occupation by February 1835, and a government competition commenced to design a new Houses of Parliament on the ruined site. Charles Barry, aided by Augustus Pugin, won the commission and together they created the most famous building in the United Kingdom. The patched-up parts of the old Palace were finally pulled down in the early 1850s. Only Westminster Hall, the Undercroft Chapel of St Mary and part of the Cloister remain today. The damage to the
wrecked and uninsured Palace was estimated at £2 million. No-one, however was prosecuted, though the public inquiry which followed found various people guilty of negligence and foolishness. Coming at a moment in British history between the Georgian and Victorian ages, the stagecoach and the railway, the demise of the medieval city of London and the birth of the modern one, it is easy to load the great fire of 1834 with a wider historical significance. Later commentators have seen it as symbolic of the constitutional changes brought about by the Great Reform Act of 1832, but at the time people were more likely to have seen it as a judgement from God for the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, against which Dickens, a Parliamentary reporter at the time of the fire, railed in Oliver Twist. The Day Parliament Burned Down by Caroline Shenton is available from www.shop.parliament.uk and other retailers. Tours inside the Houses of Parliament are available on Saturdays throughout the year and on most weekdays during holiday periods including the summer, Christmas and Easter. For details see www.parliament.uk/visiting
September 2014 19
The American
Miss Patricia Closes her Summer Journal This year our columnist Miss Patricia didn’t head home to the States - for the first time she braved a whole British summer
O
ther summers I have returned to the US, basking in the glory of being a world traveler, wined and dined by all. But feelings turn like autumn leaves, so I flee back to the UK when they remember how peaceful it is when I am gone. This year was different: I made a determined effort to broaden my horizons in the UK. I safaried into the wilds of the south to observe Brits in their natural habitat, where once again I found that Americans don’t really speak English. I stopped at a garage for a quick vehicle check one day to be rewarded with a note that read: ‘Left front tyre starting to perish’. Returning home, I found these useless instructions on frozen potatoes: ‘Heat until lovely’. The Queen’s English places a lace ruffle around the turds of everyday life. Only a week before, a television character had exclaimed in desperation: ‘But now I’ll have to go ALL the way back to WORTHING!’ and now here I was, alone in coastal Worthing’s station waiting room trying out a ‘Chicken and Stuffing Sandwich’. A sandwich filled with bread? It sounded like a wartime
20 September 2014
recipe, to be accompanied by water soup, perhaps. This is as British as the crisp flavor ‘Cheesy Beans on Toast’…which I have NEVER purchased because I don’t want to encourage the Walkers company in this folly even if they do intend it ironically. Three young schoolboys rattled into the station waiting room, male energy ricocheting around them like a light show after points won in a video game. They were about fourteen and they were bottles of hormones with the caps coming loose. I adored them instantly. They unconsciously populated the other seats in the accepted pattern of British civilisation: far enough to allow me privacy but not so far as to imply disdain. One reprimanded another about his language, glancing at me. ‘Oi! That lady’s trying to eat!’ The conversational ball had been tossed. When I made a mild reply, they alerted like rabbits to a dog bark. ‘Are you AMERICAN?’ they demanded breathlessly. Worthing isn’t London: foreigners aren’t everywhere. I mentioned California and
like Brits everywhere, they scrambled to disparage The Motherland, in order to beat anyone else who might eventually arrive at the same conclusion. ‘It’s shit here, isn’t it,’ stated my loyal British patriots confidently. ‘I mean, shit beaches and all.’ I had to admit they were a bit stony. This produced low-pitched muttering amongst them, with hand gestures indicating sifting sand. Then all their pale faces beamed my way again. ‘Is it easy to get killed where you come from?’ They meant guns, of course. How things have changed! In the innocent days of my youth, the only thing shot at school was heroin. Sadly, their train arrived before they could hear the totally-genuineI-swear-to-God story of my distant cousin who committed ‘suicide by cop’ on Christmas week when he armed himself during a depressing divorce, destroying his mother’s joy in tinsel forever. It would have been the Wild West saga of their dreams. I didn’t tell them that California is dry as a desert and brown as a scab and only suited to rattlesnakes. They
The American
left happy in the knowledge that Californians go to work wearing holsters over red bathing suits with surfboards to ride on their lunch breaks.
‘No one’s been in tooch’
In my swirly-titled stripeydeckchair novels, cultured London heroines find themselves trapped by harsh weather conditions up north, where they helplessly fall in love with rough-and-ready manly Scotsmen who don’t even own neckties. There might be something to that stereotype. My art teacher is usually dressed for chopping logs, and I was put off to hear that he expected us to pay for sex sessions until I realized he was Scottishly saying ‘SIX say-shuns’. One day someone asked if he liked recent progress on a project. He enthused: ‘Well, I doon’t hettit.’ In one BBC documentary about Scottish architecture, the presenter was a bright and eager chap who had checked his teeth in the shine of his shoes before filming. He tried to model liveliness to a cheerless and silent elderly Scottish woman,
Worthing has a stony beach but ‘is it easy to get killed where you come from?’
left alone in a sprawling family home emptied out by age and death. He sparkled with tempting interview openings offered over and over, but they were swatted into oblivion like midges. Bright BBC Boy: ‘Look at these ceilings! Do you ever imagine what those old-time dances were like here? Those grand balls held in these incredible rooms?’ Dour Scottish Widow: ‘No.’ Increasingly Desperate Bright BBC Boy: “Have you ever felt the presence of any of the people from the past in this house?” Dour Scottish Widow: (pausing briefly to pity her victim then slaying him with the dry sword of Scottish scorn) “No one’s been in tooch.” Train stations are an education in themselves, although teeming with embarrassments as the hordes viewed from behind reveal unnecessary detail about The Bottoms of London. I sat blushing beneath posters about female genital mutilation, which did not, as I first supposed, refer to vajazzles, about which may I comment that laughter is a poor prelude to passion.
Equally mortifying were adverts for the play Urinetown. It’s about a hideously unjust totalitarian society where impoverished people are forced to ‘pay to pee’. You know, just like in the ACTUAL train stations where the posters were displayed. If there’s one thing that should be illegal, it’s not having money. One is tempted to protest in a most unladylike way. No madam, he’s offering ‘six say-shuns’ PHOTO © SHANE L
PHOTO © MATT DAVIS
21
The American
Jurisdiction, Jurisdiction, Jurisdiction: the three most important issues for Relocating Families Anna Worwood, family law partner, and James d’Aquino, private client associate, both at Penningtons Manches LLP, look at the less exciting, but equally important, tax, asset protection and family relationship implications of relocation.
A
t this time of year, many American families are packing up their homes and saying goodbye to friends and neighbours to set off on a new adventure in the UK. You will have thought long and hard about your move and spent time looking at suitable homes in leafy areas and investigating schools for children. Relocating to the UK can be a good opportunity to take stock of existing structures and legal arrangements such as trusts and partnerships and to ensure they are still fit for purpose and efficient for both the US and the UK. Not only does life in the UK offer wonderful cultural and business opportunities but it is also an attractive place for wealthy foreigners from a tax perspective. Provided you maintain appropriate links with
22 September 2014
your home jurisdiction, relocating foreigners will be considered UK resident and non-domiciled. If you make the appropriate elections in your tax returns, UK resident and non-domiciled individuals are not liable to tax on non-UK source income and gains provided the funds are not remitted to the UK. Although US citizens are liable for worldwide taxation, there are still significant advantages for those able to claim the remittance basis of taxation.
new wills, discussing guardianship of children and evaluating existing trust arrangements. There has been a flurry of high value divorces in London Courts in the past decade and, from a family law perspective, it is important to ensure that all eventualities are covered. Where a pre-nuptial agreement has been signed in the US, its effectiveness in the UK should also be considered. Married couples may wish to consider a post-nuptial agreement.
Cover all eventualities
New Clarity on pre- & post nups
As the rules governing the taxation of non-domiciled individuals are complicated, it is essential to seek professional advice prior to relocating to the UK in order to structure your affairs most efficiently. Families should also consider executing
The enforceability of pre-nuptial agreements (pre-nups) in the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales was previously unclear but almost four years ago, the case of Katrin Radmacher and Nicolas Granatino helped clarify the law for lawyers,
those who might want to enter into a pre-nup, and those who had already entered into one. A clear legal precedent was set when Ms Radmacher took Mr Granatino to the Supreme Court, England’s highest court. The Supreme Court decided that prenups, while not formally binding in England and Wales, are persuasive and are viewed as decisive if they are entered into properly and follow the guidance provided in Mrs Radmacher and Mr Granatino’s case. The three main steps for a prenup to have the possible chance to be upheld by the court are: 1. The agreement must be fair. A pre-nup which allowed one party to keep everything, leaving the other party with nothing would not be upheld by the court. 2. Both parties should have received independent legal advice before entering into the pre-nup. Each person needs to see a separate lawyer as the same lawyer cannot take responsibility for advising both parties because their interests will be different. 3. The time between the wedding and entering into the pre-nup is also crucial. A pre-nup should be entered into at least 21 days before the wedding to avoid a situation where the document is presented at the last minute.
Agree Jurisdiction
Agree jurisdiction for future legal proceedings: in addition to the division of the finances when a relationship breaks down, a crucial
aspect for people living abroad is to agree on the jurisdiction in which any future legal proceedings would take place. In Mr Granatino and Ms Radmacher’s case, the parties had entered into a pre-nup in Germany but subsequently moved to London where they married. Although the pre-nup was legally binding in Germany, the agreement was open to being challenged in the English Courts as the divorce proceedings were started in London. A recent Law Commission report strongly supported the concept of couples having a binding agreement provided certain criteria had been met so that the agreement could be considered a “qualifying nuptial agreement”. This greater certainty is likely to boost the popularity of pre-nups in England.
Consider a post-nup
If a relocating couple have entered into a pre-nup in the US, they may need a post-nuptial agreement to ensure that their agreement agrees with the Supreme Court’s guidance in Ms Radmacher and Mr Granatino’s case. The legal approach to pre-nups not only differs between states of the US but may also be different to that of the English Courts.
The importance of jurisdiction
Relocation can, unfortunately, place pressures and strains on relationships and family life. If a couple is contemplating separation, they should be aware that the English Courts may have jurisdiction to deal with a divorce between an American couple, even if they are UK non-domiciled, retain property in the US and have been in the UK for a relatively short period of time. The issue of jurisdiction is important because the approach of the English Courts to resolving financial claims between spouses may be very different to the approach of the US Courts. England has a reputation for being the “divorce capital of the world” as maintenance payments awarded to spouses are considered to be more generous than in other jurisdictions. The approach to issues such as assets acquired prior to the marriage or assets inherited or gifted during the marriage may also be different in England. As such, a spouse who has been here for only a short period of time and is on the receiving end of divorce proceedings may consider that it would be unfair for the English Courts to hear their divorce and financial claims.
September 2014 23
Settling Long-term expat Nancy Freund is still working on settling in, but discovers the ultimate place to settle
24 September 2014
PHOTO ©SUE COLVIL, FOTOLIA
The American
“Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” British traditions like Bonfire Night can come as a surprise to expats.
M
y son turned four in an empty house in Kansas City - trucks, trains and boats already in motion hauling our stuff across the pond. A couple days later, my family of three flew over, Charming British husband, myself, and the birthday boy. We landed in an empty English house with thick enough carpet to sleep comfortably with sleeping bags, and off went the working spouse to Warsaw. “Sorry,” he said, “terrible timing, but it can’t be helped. Anyway, it’ll give you time to settle in.” Fifteen years later, I’m still working on that. I’m not sure I’ll ever settle in, exactly, but what I also know is I’ve definitely settled out. Despite adamant, urgent promises by my beloved Cow Town not to change while I was gone, it went and changed. Everything’s up to date in Kansas City – and if it’s going to stay that way, over fifteen years, well, it’s going to change. I’ve changed too. I added another birthday boy to the family mix – must give credit due and point out the Charming Brit made it home for the birth and early days of newborn at home. He did the Gatwick run to pick up his mother-inlaw when she came to help, to pick up the Uncle and Aunt who flew in from Los Angeles. He picked up my sorority sisters in from Australia, LA, Portland and New York. He arranged and led the pub crawl with the head of the Math Department where I used to teach English in Whittier, California. He does what he can... and
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Rapeseed (Gobreau Press) ISBN trade paperback: 978-0-9887084-0-2 ebook: 978-09887084-1-9
when he can’t join us, he tries his best to explain the weird English stuff we encounter – like my first Bonfire Night, little boy on my hip, as fireworks exploded immediately overhead. Every time a flaming torch-whirl came screaming toward the crowd that night, I could easily pick out the other Americans, ducking and covering, the word “lawsuit” hovering thick as the smoke in the air. That was terrifying, that lack of crowd control - that lack of control, period - but it was wonderful. My son’s name is Jack, but I whispered in his ear: “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” And now we’re not in England anymore either. In my own life, I’ve moved on and moved back and moved on many times – both in the US and abroad. And with every move, there’s a new layer of intrigue and adventure introduced, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle at all. Perhaps there really will be no official ‘settling in’. Just as there are varying levels of fluency with a foreign language, all of which we call ‘getting by’. In Switzerland,
where I live now, I can get by’ in French. If I’m with a group of people who speak not a word of French, well, I’m fluent. But no matter how long an expat stays in a place, their friends move on and others move in, and everything changes around them. It happens in business, in banking, in every sector we know... faster and more broadly than anyone expected. Imagine this: I have three separate friends who lived for a time in a remote jungle in Irian Jaya. And they weren’t there together, nor with the same organizations. The first time I went abroad to an island in Micronesia at 13, I had no idea how many people might be embracing similar and much more exotic adventures, all the time. But I suppose that’s the point. We are all made stronger and more whole by taking a step sideways and seeing where we just came from, who’s coming with us, and who’s staying home to hold down the fort. As we accept that call to adventure, maybe we ultimately settle into ourselves.
Nancy Freund is a poet and novelist who was born in New York, raised in Kansas City, and educated in Los Angeles. Later she moved to Esher, Surrey, and now lives in Lausanne, Switzerland. She is the author of the novel Rapeseed (Gobreau Press), a ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year finalist. Rapeseed features Carolann, an expat from Kansas who has synesthesia. She sees letters, numbers and memories in colors, experiences powerful feelings of isolation and constantly feels different to ‘normal people’. She also has a whole bunch of dark secrets in her past. When she relocates with her family to England, the cracks open in her complicated history and begin to expose her secrets. The book was inspired by the author’s own experiences of synesthesia and expatriate life. The title refers to the bright yellow flower of the rapeseed plant, cultivated for its oil-rich seed, and emphasises the idea that not everything in life is black-andwhite. Freund’s short story ‘Marcus’ won the First Geneva Fiction Prize last June.
September 2014 25
The American
Porky’s Bankside A
fter their success in Camden, Yankeephiles Joy and Simon Brigg have opened a second Porky’s just around the corner from The Old Globe Theatre. Good choice. This area is so happening right now. Strolling along the Thames from Southbank to the Tate Modern is absolutely delightful. Now, you can stop along the way for a great cocktail and stuff yourself silly with Memphis barbecue. Barbecue has a bit of a bad rep in the UK, because most people haven’t got a clue how to do it. What a lot of people do is grill badly, burning their meat on the outside while it is still raw on the inside. True bbq is actually a slow cooking method, using either hot smoke or indirect heat. This southern style is what Joy and Simon fell for and brought back to the UK. The room didn’t strike me as particularly Memphis. More like NY loft. Perhaps a bit generic. There is some great Americana though. Fab posters of some of our great singers: Elvis, Aretha, Jerry Lee Lewis, BB King….more of that! The cocktail list is fun and original. Quite difficult to decide. We ended up with a Gail Force (£8.50). I don’t know who Gail is, but
26 September 2014
she makes a mean cocktail! Havana Especial, Goslings Black Seal rum, vanilla, orange bitters, passion fruit puree, pineapple juice and lime. This drink looked and tasted like a party. Big, delicious fruity flavors. I went for a tex-mex smash (£7.50): Olmeca tequila infused with chilli, mint, lime juice, pink grapefruit syrup and salt. Wow! When they say chilli, they mean it. I love my spice and this was one spicy drink. Not for light weights. Fab! The menu is small. Porky’s is primarily a place to go for meat. There is however spiced, fried catfish and a Memphis bean burger for veggies. The food is not adventurous but the portions are very plentiful and the prices are fantastic. Home style cooking for the whole family. We started with crab cakes & chipotle mayo (£5.25) and pulled pork croquettes (£4.50). Both were tasty though neither one had enough of the main ingredient, tasting more of deep fry than crab or pork. Still, we enjoyed them and used them as an excuse to try the various sauces on our table: barbecue, vinegar and chilli, all quite tasty. The staff are warm and welcoming. American friendliness mixed with humor and efficiency. A good
18 New Globe Walk London SE1 9DR 0208 127 5120 www.porkys.co.uk Reviewed by Michael M Sandwick
combo. Our waiter convinced us to have the bbq chicken (£8.50) which sadly turned out to be a mistake. Slow cooked chicken doesn’t work for me. It is too dry because there isn’t enough fat to keep it moist. Porky’s barbecue sauce is good though and helped a lot, so we did manage to eat every bit. The Memphis meaty ribs & tips (£9.75) were much better. Pork is the meat of choice for barbecue. The fat burns off during the slow cooking process but leaves the meat tender and succulent. The portion was huge and there was lots of sticky, tangy sauce. The mains are served with house pickles which I loved. Sweet potato fries (£3.50) which could have been crisper and delicious coleslaw (£2.85) made good accompaniments. For dessert we had chocolate pecan pie (£5.85) which was tasty but needed more pecans and a strawberry shortbread sundae (£5.50). Served the old fashioned way in a big fluted glass, it took me right back to my childhood and is in fact, a perfect dessert for children. A bit too sweet for me though. They don’t call it Porky’s for nothin’. It’s a good place to pork out!
The American
15 Greek Street, London W1D 4DP 020 7437 1071 www.pataralondon.com Reviewed by Michael M Sandwick
I
t was in 1992 that Thai cuisine first made its way into my culinary heart. After a meal at Patara, I am more in love than ever. Patara means “gracious lady” and could equally apply to the atmosphere, the service and the food. All are indeed gracious, though the food surely has a bit too much testosterone for the term “lady”. The room is sleek, modern Asian, beautifully lit and very elegant. Perfect for a romantic evening. The staff are the epitome of Thai friendliness, attentive and charming, though sometimes a bit difficult for barbarians to understand. We started with a couple of delicious Thai fusion cocktails created by Brian Lucus. A mango daiquiri and a Thai mojito with champagne disappeared in a flash. Our lovely waitress invited me to try some selections from the new Esarn menu, created by Celebrity Iron Chef, Chumpol Jangprai. Esarn (Isan) is the north eastern region of Thailand. The cuisine is fresh and healthy, known for sticky rice, very hot chillies and the fact that both the French and Vietnamese influences are absent. I had a rice paper wrap with sea bass, rice noodles and vegetables
Patara with sweet chilli lime sauce (£8.95). Nine pieces was a very ample portion. The wrap itself was quite delicate but the sauce was big and bold. Hot and sour are the predominant flavors of the region. Explosive! The main course was grilled duck salad with herbs, dried chillies and lime juice dressing (£12.95). Again the hot and sour palate, but equally flavorful. An excellent dish, but in retrospect, I should have had the sea bass wrapped in banana leaf for contrast. Something to look forward to! There was not an ounce of fat on the duck, giving credence to the healthy aspect of this cuisine. My friend ordered from the regular menu. “Do it yourself” tacos of chicken and prawn with cucumber tomato salad (£7.75). I loved the idea of fusing Thai with Mexican. The two cuisines have much in common: Lime, coriander, chilli. The corn tacos were thinner and more delicate than their Mexican cousins. The filling was tasty, but for me, didn’t have quite enough Thai influence. Its spiciness could have been from either cuisine. I missed an ingredient or two that would make it more Thai. The main course from the list of chef’s recommendations was
the highlight of the evening. Rock lobster tail sautéed in basil green curry sauce (£23.95). This was haute Thai cuisine where everything was perfect. The sauce was flavorful to be sure, but so delicate, complimenting, rather than overpowering the lobster. Pieces of fresh coconut meat added the final touch. The Gracious Lady. We had the recommended glass of Chapel Down Bacchus which was a bit flat for me, but my friend loved it. I was however eating vast amounts of lime and chilli! My Chablis with more fruit and bigger flavor was a great companion to my duck. Asian desserts are often a bit difficult for westerners. We prefer creamy to gelatinous which is why I didn’t find the coconut lemongrass tart completely successful. As well, I found the lemongrass a bit too subtle. It had a delicious, delicate crumble though and a wonderful ginger ice cream of which I would happily eat three portions of, all by itself. I usually go for the fresh fruit option if there is one. The Patara version is served with crepes and orange sauce. Thai Suzette, but more exotic. One of the best Asian desserts ever and an excellent finish to a delightful meal.
September 2014 27
The American
Cellar Talk Rum for Non-Pirates By Virginia E Schultz
R
um is a distilled beverage made from sugar by products such as molasses or directly from sugar cane by fermentation or distillation. It played a part in the culture of the West Indies and has a strong association with the British Royal Navy where it was mixed with water or beer to make grog. It has had a rather raffish reputation for centuries. No “Yo ho ho” and a bottle of Scottish malt or Kentucky bourbon for those alcoholic beverages. It is rather unlikely that the pirates of the Caribbean drank the same rum we do today. Firstly, rum wasn’t standardized until the 1800s and the famous buccaneers were long gone by then. Rum was drunk almost immediately after being put aboard along with the other food supplies necessary for the long voyage which could last several years. Henry Morgan, Blackbeard and Jack Rackham may have drank something similar but it isn’t what we’re familiar with. I have tasted, but will not recommend, rum blended with gunpowder which Blackbeard supposedly enjoyed. This concoction was probably mixed accidentally because rum and gun powder were stored close together. Not surprisingly rum was called kill devil or Nelson’s blood. Rum and Coca Cola was a popular drink when I was in college. There was even a song about it as I recall. Until recently, my nose twitched upwards when someone
28 September 2014
Virginia’s favorite, Renegade Rum
mentioned they enjoyed rum on the rocks. But then, I hadn’t tasted this quintessential drink for a number of years. My first taste of Ron Abuelo Centuria ($130 US, around £116 in the UK), however, changed my mind. It’s aged in Jack Daniels white oak barrels by the producer, the eco-friendly Varela Hermanos, and some of the rums in the blend are aged up to 30 years. This Panamanian rum had me whispering “wow”. Rum, I learned, in the talented hands of a master distiller, can be as aromatic and exciting to drink as a premier whiskey from the Highlands or Kentucky. In fact, my favorite of all the rums I tasted was Renegade Rum, Black Rock Barbados Rum 2000 ($85) made by genius distiller Jim McEwan of Scotland’s Bruichladdich from special barrels of double distilled rum with eight years maturation in port barrels.
WIN! Harry Brompton’s London Ice tea is the World’s first premium alcoholic Ice Tea. Born in London and handmade in limited batches, it is made with the finest ethically sourced Kenyan black teas, crisp craft-distilled grain spirit and infused with natural citrus. Lightly sparkling and at 4% Abv, Harry Brompton’s contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and is gluten free. Although Harry Brompton is responsible for sourcing the delicious ingredients and for gracing the bottles, father and son, Martin and Ian O’Donohue, run the company. After extensive traveling, they realised there were no exceptional Ice Teas to be found anywhere, alcoholic or otherwise. So they set to work to make one that really tastes like tea! We’ve three 12 packs to give away! QUESTION: How many feet above sea level is Kenya’s Great Rift Valley where the tea for Harry Brompton’s is grown? For a chance of winning one of three 12 packs of Harry Brompton’s London Ice Tea, email your answer and your contact details (name, address and daytime telephone number) to theamerican@ blueedge.co.uk with ICE TEA in the subject line; or send a postcard to: ICE TEA, The American, Old Byre House, Millbrook Lane, East Knoyle, Salisbury SP3 6AW, UK; to arrive by mid-day September 30, 2014. You must be 18 years old or over to enter this competition. Only one entry per person per draw. The editor’s decision is final. No cash alternative.
The American
Ian and Katharine O’Donohue
A Very British Iced Tea
According to the Tea Association of the USA, 85 percent of all tea consumed in America is iced. Now the father/son team of Martin and Ian O’Donohue are bringing their own brand of premium alcoholic iced tea to the UK market. We asked Ian what inspired him to create Harry Brompton’s.
“I
used to live in the US and my wife is from Georgia, where iced tea is on pretty much every table at meal times” says Ian. “I could see how popular iced tea was, and they even had some alcoholic iced teas over there, but they never tasted quite right for my palette. They were quite nice and pretty popular, but they never really had enough tea or the richness of flavour that I was used to coming from the UK. When I came back from the US I spent four years working on the kitchen table at home trying to come up with a real British iced tea, something that would help me convert the British to the American institution of ice tea drinking. To help with that conversion I put a little booze in there!” There’s something tangibly Transatlantic about Harry Brompton’s. Ian says that “It was actually my time living in the US that made me believe that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.
Americans have that continuous optimism that really drives them to have a go at anything.” His American wife, Katharine, has also been a massive help: “She has been a continuous sounding board and tea taster! She’s been immensely supportive and without her I wouldn’t have been able to do it.” Ian describes Harry Brompton’s as “the world’s only premium alcoholic Ice Tea”, and Ian really knows his teas. “Harry Brompton’s is made with beautiful teas from the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, Vodka and it’s infused with natural citrus. It’s slightly sparkling, it’s 100% natural, there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.” When asked who Harry Brompton is, however, he does keep a few cards to his chest. “He’s the globetrotting gentleman who sources the teas, and he’s never been seen in the same room as me!”
What foods go well with Harry Brompton’s? “Harry Brompton’s goes amazingly with proper barbecue. We did Meatopia and we had some of the best barbecue chefs over from Texas and Alabama, some real pit masters, and they all said this is the best iced tea they’ve ever drunk in their life.” It’s not just a summer drink either. “You can make some fantastic cocktails with it. If you want to winterize it, add a little bit of Ophir spiced gin and a little bit of Cointreau or Chase Marmalade vodka and you’ve got a perfect winter mulled Ice Tea, but keep it ice cold!” To find out more about Ian and Harry Brompton’s, go to www.harrybromptons.com. Harry Brompton’s is available to buy from Waitrose, larger Sainsbury’s, Ocado, some independent stores, online retailers like the Whiskey Exchange and Ales by Mail, as well as in bars and restaurants across the UK.
September 2014 29
The American
Giovanni Battista Piranesi, View of the building in progress at Blackfriars Bridge, 1766 print from etching © MUSEUM OF LONDON
Bridge
Museum of London Docklands No1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL to November 2 Artists have long been inspired by London’s bridges and their views. Drawn mostly from the museum’s significant art collections, and with a number of exciting loans from contemporary artists, this exhibition includes paintings, prints, drawings, photography and film, many never before on public display, and features Whistler’s iconic image of Old Westminster Bridge in 1859. Visitors will also get to encounter some of the oldest photographic depictions of London, including a pioneering photograph dating from 1845 and some enchanting late 19th century magic lantern slides.
30 September 2014
Rembrandt: The Late Works
Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN October 15 to January 18 Book now for this iconic exhibition, the first ever in-depth exploration of Rembrandt’s final years of painting, organised by the National Gallery, London and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and curated by Betsy Wieseman, Curator of Dutch Paintings at the National Gallery. From the 1650s until his death, Rembrandt (1606-1669) consciously searched for a new style that was even more expressive and profound. Featuring approximately 40 paintings, 20 drawings and 30 prints, each undisputedly by the master himself, with loans from collections across the world. Key works include: The Jewish Bride
(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), An Old Woman Reading (The Buccleuch Collection, Scotland), A Man in Armour (Glasgow Museums: Art Gallery, Kelvingrove), A Young Woman Sleeping (British Museum, London), Juno (Hammer Museum, Los Angeles), Portrait of a Blond Man (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne), The Suicide of Lucretia (The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota), Bathsheba with King David’s Letter (Musée du Louvre, Paris), Titus at his Desk (Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam), A Portrait of a Lady with a Lap Dog (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto), Lucretia (National Gallery of Art, Washington DC) and the National Gallery’s own A Woman Bathing in a Stream and Portrait of Frederik Rihel on Horseback. If you miss the exhibition at The National Gallery, it opens at the Rijksmuseum next year, February 12 til May 17, and a high-definition film of the exhibition will be in UK cinemas from December 2, and globally from February 17. Rembrandt Self Portrait with Two Circles, circa 1665-9 Oil on canvas, 114.3 x 94 cm COURTESY KENWOOD HOUSE, THE IVEAGH BEQUEST © ENGLISH HERITAGE
The American
DON’T MISS ... Go Figurative Autumn Season
Go Figurative Gallery, 192 Heath Street London NW3 1DP www.gofigurative.com to September 30
Julie Blackmon, Take-Off, 2009
© JULIE BLACKMON, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND THE PHOTOGRAPHERS’ GALLERY, LONDON
Julie Blackmon: Homegrown
Peter Randall-Page
Homegrown is the UK debut exhibition for American artist Julie Blackmon. The Missouri based photographer’s work explores her interest with both the harmony and disarray of everyday life, examined against the backdrop of American culture and consumerism. Blackmon’s work often features children at its center, reveling in the mess and disorder of their own making, with adults marginalised or completely absent. Speaking about the series, Blackmon said that “The stress, chaos and need to simultaneously escape and connect are issues that I investigate in this body of work. We live in a culture where we are both ‘child-centred’ and ‘selfobsessed’. Caught in a swirl of soccer practices, play dates and work we must still create the space to find ourselves. These issues as well as generational shifts in parenting styles are what I try and explore in these photographs.”
Renowned artist Peter RandallPage is being featured this month at Pangolin London. Randall-Page employs a wide range of materials in his work, and this exhibition explores his use of materials from carved stone to cast bronze and iron, sterling silver, ceramic and works on paper. Randall-Page’s practise is informed and inspired by the study of organic form and the natural world, offering a unique insight into nature’s microcosm by gently teasing out and exploring fundamental elements on a macro scale. Much of his work focuses on the tension and wonder of the symbiotic relationship between order and randomness, seen through the prism of the natural world.
The Photographers’ Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies St, London W1F 7LW September 4 to October 26
Peter Randall-Page, Blood Tree I ©PETER RANDALL-PAGE
Pangolin London, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG September 5 to October 4
Nicholas Phillips, 7 o clock News 60cm x 41cm, Watercolor © NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
Go Figurative’s Autumn season begins with a double header from The Slade. Nicholas Phillips: FRAME (to September 10) displays a selection of the artist’s painted ‘frames’ from imagined films, rendered in watercolor. The Gallery has subtitled the exhibition ‘ceci n’est pas une photograph’ – because the realism of Phillips’ art sees many mistake his work for photographs.
Anita Klein, Earrings for the Wedding Linocut © ANITA KLEIN
Anita Klein’s Heavenly Creatures: Angels and Mortals follows, from September 11 to 30. Klein’s work depicts the small moments of love and tenderness in everyday life, with the collection made up of more than 30 linocuts, drypoint etchings, collographs and woodcuts.
September 2014 31
The American
Coffee Break GENERAL QUIZ ➊ Concorde’s first UK to USA route landed at which American airport?
3 8 7 5 4
5
➋ Which territory is larger, Wales or Massachusetts? ➌ John Rolfe, an early English settler in North
America, married which notable Native American?
➍ Which US President was married in St George’s Church, Hanover Square, London, in 1886?
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8
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➎ What role did Herbert Hoover take up in the aftermath of the First World War?
➏ Which American poet lived at Number 35 Devonshire Street (now Boswell Street), London, in 1913? a) Emily Dickinson b) Walt Whitman c) Robert Frost
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7
1 2 4
4
4 3 7 1 6
It happened 50 years ago...
The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood was previously known as what?
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➑
True or False, Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas?
It happened 100 years ago...
➒
American businessman Stan Kroenke owns which London soccer club?
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The Copperbox is home to which BBL Team?
It happened 200 years ago...
32 September 2014
8 1 1
➐
Quiz answers and Sudoku solution on page 63.
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September 13, 1964: Walt Disney received which Presidential award at the White House?
September 8, 1914: HMS (Formerly RMS) Oceanic sinks off Scotland. What was its sister ship?
September 20, 1814: Which Francis Scott Key poem was first published in The Baltimore Patriot & Advertiser?
Mountains and the sea
www.janetjohnsonart.co.uk
WADDESDON MANOR
An exhibition that transports the viewer to the realm of
Nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH
open studio
A memorable day out any time of the year. Open with new summer exhibitions until 26 October and for the Christmas season from 12 November.
Mountains & the Sea_pv_landscape_card_3.indd 2
14/08/2014 16:51
alpine mountains and to the shores of the sea (watercolour on paper, and oil on canvas or hardboard)
September 27 - 28, 11am - 6pm
part of the Nunhead Art Trail, London www.nunheadarttrail.co.uk janet@janetjohnsonart.co.uk Visit Janet Johnson, a US expat resident artist of 30 years, whose influences are the Hudson River School and Americans' deep connection for the sublime in nature, which she's carried over to the Alps & the British sea.
For more information and opening times www.waddesdon.org.uk 01296 653226
The American
Nana Mouskouri
One of the most successful singers in history, with over 350 million record sales, just can’t stop performing. And she’s coming back to Britain.
N
ana, you are often described as a ‘National Treasure’. The trouble is that you’ve been loved in many countries for a long time. Perhaps we should think of a new term for you: an ‘International Treasure’? I’m very moved by that idea. When I started to sing, the world was not as open as now. To be successful in different countries you had to go there. From the beginning, I went to Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Ireland and also the USA and Canada - already in 1962 I was recording with Quincy Jones and two years later I started a three year tour with Harry Belafonte. I was lucky to be chosen by Yvonne Littlewood, the BBC producer, to do television series that lasted for ten years. That led to TV series in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, it opened the world up for me. It was the time of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and in the ‘60s the world really opened up. I was lucky to be there as well. But they sang in English, and you performed in many different languages. I always thought I should. I was born in Crete then we moved to Athens; I was five when World War II started, ten when it was over, so I heard all the languages of the liberation armies. My father was a cinema projectionist and Greece is a small market so they don’t overdub the words, so I heard many languages. Then I studied opera
34 September 2014
for eight years at the Conservatory in Athens and you would sing in Italian, German, French and English. We also learned folk music from other countries. I love to learn the languages of the countries I’m singing in. I just speak six languages, mostly Western - I do go to the East, but you can’t do everything! I didn’t go to the East until the ‘80s and it’s more difficult to learn languages when you’re older. When I play in Australia or New Zealand I will sing an Aboriginal or Maori song. In Ireland I will sing a Gaelic song. I always look for songs to find love - and peace, because that’s what I didn’t have when I was very young, I grew up in troubled times. You can choose two ways if you grow up in a war: one road is to continue to be aggressive, the other is to try and find peace. If you try to find peace you can also help people to understand you. It helped to sing a song from the country I was in. I believe that the war was particularly bad in Greece? It was very hard. I saw unbearable situations, especially for the children. It never leaves your mind. After the war I wanted to find out if there could be peace, and although I was frightened I went to Germany - the Germans had occupied Greece. It was my first time outside Greece. My fear ended there - I realized that when there is sorrow, it is for everyone. The Berlin Wall was going up, and that was one of the saddest things. There
were children who would grow up behind the wall, and it was not the fault of the young people. There can be peace with your enemies if you want it. The first time we were free, we were smiling and laughing with our parents because we were alive. We had hope and peace, and later I realized that there could be love as well. First, you should not be suspicious, then you can try to be friends. Today, so many people do not like each other - we need to understand more. But as I have traveled I have made friends, and they have made friends around the world between them. I am proud that they my songs have put people together. When you went to the Athens Conservatoire with your older sister Eugenía, is it true that she was thought to be a more gifted singer? Our teacher - a German lady in fact - told our parents that Jenny had a very beautiful voice (she still has) and should sing, but ‘the other one doesn’t have a big voice, but what would she do if she doesn’t sing - you have to let her sing’. At that age I felt like an ugly duckling, but that gave me courage all my life. I had a problem with my vocal chords - I have two, like everyone, but one is thicker than the other, so I have a husky voice when it is low but when I go higher it becomes very clear. On tour in France I had the flu and couldn’t sing. The doctor said, ‘My God, how is it possible that you sing so well with such ugly
The American
chords?’ Sometimes when you have a disadvantage you take things more seriously and work harder. Why was your stay at the Athens Conservatoire cut short? My family were poor, so we had to work. To study classical singing you had to go to the Conservatoire but my parents couldn’t really afford the fees so I sang in nightclubs, whatever they needed, pop music, jazz, Italian songs. I listened to jazz and gospel all the time, Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. My professor did not appreciate that - I explained that I had to do it to pay for my lessons but he said that my voice had been affected and I could not take my exams for another one or two years. I was a little bit stubborn and thought this was an injustice - I said I was just singing and if you love it and know what you are doing you don’t destroy your voice. So I left with no certificate. My parents were very unhappy - my father didn’t speak to me for weeks. But then I met some wonderful musicians and started to win some music festivals in Greece and Spain, then the records came. I was very lucky, but success does not just come with luck, you have to respect it and work hard. Would you have liked a classical career? I loved to sing lieders but my voice wouldn’t have been strong enough for the big operatic roles. And I love pop music - if you take it
September 2014 35
A frightenend little girl in war-torn Greece grew up to be a megastar, but one who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for over twenty years
seriously everything can be ‘classical’. When I came to England I was lucky to work with Peter Knight, the leader of the BBC orchestra, and I learned so much about the music of these islands, traditional songs from Ireland and Scotland, it was the biggest school I ever had. Then in the United States I worked with Quincy and Belafonte and learned so much from them about Southern Blues and music from the Caribbean islands. I learned in Germany and Spain, and Michel Legrand was a great friend of mine in France - I put all of them together. Is it true that Belafonte tried to get you to take your thick black framed glasses off on stage? Yes! Harry had seen me in London in ‘63 singing the Luxembourg entry in the Eurovision Song Contest in French, went back to America and asked Quincy if he knew a French singer who wears glasses. Quincy told him I was Greek, not French. Harry brought me over and auditioned me, and told me I had to remove my glasses because they were ugly! I did two concerts without them then told him if I couldn’t wear them I was going back home. He said OK! Are the glasses a prop, something you hide behind? I think so. I was doing very dar-
36 September 2014
ing things for a girl from Greece in those days, so I suppose they were a sort of protection. And I wanted to stay myself, not betray myself or my background. In the jazz nightclubs nobody worried how I looked, but when I won the song competitions impresarios would tell me I should look like a ‘vedette’, a glamorous young star, make my hair blonde and get rid of the glasses. But I would not make concessions. Those days I was also very fat! [laughs] Over the years I found my own style, to look nice on stage, but look like me. The glasses help me to stay myself, save myself from overdoing things and try to do the right things. Speaking of doing the right things, outside music you are involved with UNICEF? Yes, I’ve been a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for 21 years. I can’t do the field work so often now but I travel to the countries and meet the people and the children and the politicians when I can, and I do fund raising concerts. We should also talk about your tour - you retired six years ago! I was so long on the road, my voice was getting tired and the world was younger. I thought it was time - like Marlene Dietrich did, I saw her last concert when she was
73. My farewell tour started when I was 70 and lasted four years until 2008, going to all the places that I loved. It was so happy, and sad at the same time - everyone was crying. Three years passed and I started trying to find an excuse to come back [laughs]. It was so boring. Then I realized it was 50 years since I recorded White Rose of Athens in Germany so I did a concert there. I went back home and started looking for another excuse. Now every year I can find some anniversary, some excuse to perform. Now I am 80, so I thought I would celebrate that. It is sad and wrong when people die young, like Amy Winehouse, she had so much to give. But I am lucky to have had so long on this Yellow Brick Road. So I celebrate that, and the great songwriters and musicians I have worked with - they are all in my heart.
Nana plays the Royal Albert Hall on September 25th, Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on the 29th and Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on the 30th. Tickets are on sale now direct from the venues and from www.ticketline.co.uk · 0844 888 9991 and www.ticketmaster.co.uk · 0844 847 1642. She will be accompanied by her daughter Lénou, who went to the Arts Education School in London and has her own singing career in France.
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One of the best-loved and most successful singers of all time is performing at one of Britain’s most iconic venues. And you can be there courtesy of The American. The concert is on September 25th, so this is an email-only competition. All you have to do is answer this question: NANA MOUSKOURI WAS BORN IN... A) CYPRUS B) CORFU C) CRETE Email your answer, your name, address and daytime telephone number to theamerican@blueedge.co.uk with NANA in the subject line. Your entry must arrive by mid-day September 19, 2014. You must be 18 years old or over to enter. Only one entry per person per draw. The editor’s decision is final. No cash alternative. Tickets are not transferable. You are responsible for any travel, accommodation or other expenses.
23/05/2014 14:49
The American
Once ...upon a time Jill Winternitz is the girl from Davis, Northern California, who’s taking the British stage by storm in Once, the heart-warming, award-winning musical. She tells us about her international journey to success.
I
t began with dance. I started tap dance when I was eight and I fell in love with the whole process. My mom convinced me to do the Children’s Nutcracker. I was a tomboy, I thought it sounded lame, but I absolutely loved it. I was a clown dancer, and I was put in a harness - I was the only one who fitted in it - and flew around the stage! Two years later I got the lead role in that production, loving having all the lines and telling the story, and declared I was going to be an actress. I never looked back. My dad is in medicine and my mom is in biology, but they have always appreciated the arts and they’re really progressive and supportive. Acting’s never an easy ride but they realized how committed I was to it - I went to Paris in my junior high school year to study theater with NYU and I spent all my money on tickets and theater books. I went to various schools in Washington and California, then for senior high school I saw a poster for Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and begged my parents, auditioned, and got accepted for a theater major. Every day we did performing classes, acting Shakespeare, musical theater, text analysis, movement, things that you’d expect at college level. They took the students to Chicago for college auditions, where I found out about international training programs. I
38 September 2014
auditioned for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland , the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the Institute for Performing Arts in Liverpool - I was too young for RADA, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. I decided not to go abroad then because I had my heart set on Juilliard, but I developed a love for classical theater and the European greats, and that’s what eventually brought me over to London. I was heartbroken when I didn’t get into Juilliard so after Interlochen I thought I’d go to a liberal arts college then reapply to those great conservatories. I went to UCLA but I got itchy feet because the course was so broad, so I found a Eugene O’Neill Center program that sends Americans to study at the Moscow Art Theatre and was accepted. I have a fascination with Chekhov and Russian writers in general. And Stanislavski came from Moscow, so why not go to the source of the acting technique that’s still used today? I crammed in a year’s Russian course over a summer, five hours a day, six days a week, and flew out to study for three months. That was a life changer, to see theater and acting from a completely different perspective, quite non-Western. It was freeing. The rigour with which they train is something I haven’t encountered since. It’s a six day week, starting with ballet in the morning, then theater
history, really long acting classes and shows in the evening. I was on fire, and knew I couldn’t go back to normal university. I auditioned for RADA and was accepted. When I graduated, I found that being an American actress in London was a challenge. You’re not seen for those English ‘RP’ roles - they can find an English actress for that! Now I find it a positive. In America I’d just be another American actor. In Russia, actors are much more free with their bodies, physical theater is very alive there. But there are different approaches in every show and every role. In Once, I’m playing a Czech character. I have Ukrainian and Czech heritage, and with the work I did with the Russian language I was able to find Girl’s voice - bring the sounds forward in the mouth, and have them in a more ‘chest’ place. I’d been to the Czech Republic years ago but I went back to refresh my memories, take photos, let my actor’s imagination run riot. I’ve been listening to a lot of the Czech Philharmonic, which relates to my character’s father. I did different things for this role than I would do playing Ophelia in Hamlet! Playing Baby in Dirty Dancing wasn’t a huge jump for me - she’s an All-American girl whose father is a doctor whereas Girl in Once is quite different from me. The research gave me something to latch onto and create
The American
a 3D, rounded character. My professional work has all been in this country. I did a year on tour, then seven months in the West End in Dirty Dancing. I visited Los Angeles for a couple of months then got a phone call and had to come straight back for Once. I saw the movie in San Diego when I was on summer vacation from drama school, a really quiet, very low budget Irish drama. It was created into a musical by John Tiffany and Martin Lowe and Enda Walsh who wrote the book. It had phenomenal success in New York, then they brought it over here. Now they’re opening productions in South Korea, Australia, a US tour... It’s such a human story, true to real life. Two ships passing in the night, who have a beautiful connection... I won’t ruin it for anyone, but it’s a tale of love and ultimately the healing power of music. There’s a motley crew of characters who don’t have the best lives, they’re struggling, Ireland’s in financial trouble but they make a demo tape which really lifts them up. It’s simple, but powerful. Ronan Keating’s coming into it in November so he’ll bring even more people in. It’s difficult to say where home is ...I would have to say London, because I feel like I’ve grown up here. I’ve changed so much from when I was nineteen to 27. The streets around RADA and in Soho
and central London hold so many memories. It’s so vibrant here, just go to the South Bank or Borough Market, there’s always something going on. It really is a capital of the world. But home is also people, and my family. I sometimes miss the stereotypical Californian things healthy smoothies, running on the beach, the outdoors culture... and I miss the sunshine! My ideal role, theater and director? I’ve always wanted to play Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler in the West End or on Broadway. I saw an amazing actress play Hedda at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and it changed
my life. There are so many directors that I would do anything to work with, but Josie Rourke would be wonderful - she’s just taken over the Donmar and did the incredible all-female Shakespeares recently. There’s a lot I want to do here, and theaters I’ve always dreamed of working in, like the Globe and the Royal Court. And I really want to work in New York at some time, and in American television too. I’m quite greedy... I want to do it all! I feel really Transatlantic - I’m a good fit for your magazine. What’s the best thing about being me? Doing what I love every day!
September 2014 39
PHOTO ©NOBBY CLARK
The American
by Joshua Harmon Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath, Saw Close, Bath BA1 1ET 01225 448844 www.theatreroyal.org.uk Reviewed by Daniel Byway
BAD JEWS W
hen a play described by the New York Times as ‘the best comedy of the season’ is imported to the UK, it comes with high hopes. When that same play arrives on this side of the pond for its UK premiere and blows its audience away, it’s safe to say those expectations have been met. The New York Times’ comment is actually understated – Bad Jews is much more than just a darkly hilarious comedy; it’s a fiery drama, a thought-provoking debate and a moving reflection on issues of identity, faith and family. The action centers on three cousins who are united, and divided, by their family’s Jewish heritage. Daphna, Liam and Jonah are brought together in Jonah and Liam’s cramped Manhattan apartment after their Grandfather’s funeral. What ensues is a night of quarrels over who should
inherit their ‘Poppy’s’ chai, a Jewish symbol which Poppy kept hidden under his tongue from the guards in Auschwitz, and later used to propose to their Grandmother. The main protagonists of the scuffle are Liam and Daphna, played brilliantly by Ilan Goodman and Jenna Augen respectively. Their sparring is an incredible feat with both performing their characters with verve. Their diatribes are masterfully scripted, and aren’t just ‘comic rage’ – they demonstrate excellent timing and are a testament not only to the cast’s fine acting, but also to Michael Longhurst’s clever direction. The remaining two characters of the quartet are Jonah, who doesn’t want to be involved in the dispute, played expertly by Joe Coen, and Melody, Liam’s shiksa girlfriend, played by Gina Bramhill, who draws
The Company, L to R: Ilan Goodman, Jenna Augen and Joe Coen, with Gina Bramhill (lying on bed)
the ire of the religiously devoted Daphna throughout the evening. Although Melody’s character is deployed for comic effect, she also allows the play to ask questions of the notion of identity, and so although Bad Jews is a brilliant comedy, it’s also a stunning portrait of the way faith and religion interact with 21st century sensibilities. Richard Kent’s set design of a chic, intimate apartment in Manhattan is a perfect cauldron for the intensity of the play, serving to trap the cast in what Liam describes as his ‘nightmare’. Thankfully for the audience, it’s a dream production, and a reminder of the Ustinov’s growing reputation for bringing the best American plays to the UK. If we don’t see Bad Jews enchanting London audiences in the near future, I’d be incredibly surprised.
TKTS – FOR ALL YOUR THEATRE TICKET NEEDS We bet you know tkts in Times Square but did you know that the Society of London Theatre, the UK equivalent of the Theatre Development Fund, also runs a London booth? TKTS in Leicester Square offers tickets to the best shows in the West End with many at a discount. Come and see us today. www.TKTS.co.uk 40 September 2014
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PHOTO ©JOHAN PERSSON
The American
Geoffrey Streatfeild (Daniel), Jonathan Broadbent (Guy) and Julian Ovenden (John)
By Kevin Elyot The Donmar Warehouse 41 Earlham Street London WC2H 9LX 0844 871 7624 www.donmarwarehouse.com Reviewed by Tim Baros
MY NIGHT WITH REG M
y Night With Reg takes us back to the mid-1980’s when gay men were rapidly getting sick and dying even quicker from AIDS. The play’s titular character is not played by an actor. He exists only in the background, and he’s the man all of the characters have been with but can’t have, because he’s the boyfriend of campy Daniel (Geoffrey Streatfeild). There’s John (Julian Ovenden), whose secretly having an affair with Reg. Then there’s gay couple Benny (Matt Bardock) and Bernie (Richard Cant). They’ve been together for so long they get on each other’s nerves. Benny confesses that he has had sex with Reg a few times because Reg can’t get enough of a certain part of his anatomy, and Bernie confesses that he’s slept with Reg just once and it was very good. Who do John, Benny and Bernie confess their predilections to? To Guy (Jonathan Broadbent). Guy looks and acts older than he actually is, he’s out of shape, just not that attractive. When the others confess their affairs with Reg to Guy, he says “am I the only man that Reg hasn’t slept with?” The answer is yes because, when Eric (Lewis Reeves), a sexy young man from Birming-
42 September 2014
ham who Guy has hired to paint his veranda, confesses to being with a man ‘just the one time’, even though Eric didn’t know the man’s name, Guy knows it was Reg. The play takes place over four years, all of it taking place in Guy’s flat, decorated as one would expect: modern with a touch of European style. Scene one, of three - no interval, starts with Eric listening to ‘Every Breath You Take’ on his headphones. Lights pulse like a 1980s disco. Handsome John, never-ageing, with a sexy body, family money yet no real ambition in life, is visiting Guy, nine and a half years since they last saw each other. Daniel shows up to see them and makes a beeline for John. Eric is in the background, innocently painting away, yet all so sexy. In scene two the real emotions (and the confessions) take place. Bernie and Benny bicker and Eric finally becomes one of the group. John is feeling raw after telling Guy that he’s in love with Reg, so Benny takes him out to the veranda for some unseen escapade, while Bernie is in the kitchen. And Guy is not able to confess to John that he’s been in love with him for years. Reg dies of AIDS, his presence
felt even more as they mourn his death. Daniel and John break down, and John doesn’t have the heart (or the guts) to tell Daniel that he had been sleeping with Reg. At the end we’re left with innocent Eric and not so innocent John enjoying each other’s company and then some. Kevin Elyot, who wrote My Night With Reg, passed away in June after a long illness. His play still stands up 20 years after it was first produced at The Royal Court Theatre. We’ve seen these types of characters before, but in the intimate setting that is The Donmar, we feel like we’re in the same room with them, part of the gang. While there’s unnecessary nudity near the end (not that I’m complaining), this show is all about the acting. There’s not one false note among the six men. Especially good is Ovenden as John, who’s in Downton Abbey. His character goes through so many emotions and carries his torch for Reg throughout. Broadbent stands out as Guy, unloved but always in love. Director Robert Hastie keeps the pace going throughout, and you don’t realize that one hour and fifty minutes have gone by without an interval. Book tickets now before it’s too late.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park London NW1 4NU 0844 826 4242 openairtheatre.com Reviewed by Peter Lawler
I
The American
PHOTO ©JOHAN PERSSON
Nicola Hughes as Bess and Rufus Bonds Jr as Porgy
Porgy and Bess
s there a play or musical more suited to outdoor theater than Porgy and Bess, with its backdrop of the sweltering south, its talk of picnics and fishing, sunshine and storms, and its plot at times subject to the apparently cruel and tempestuous whims of nature? I do not know, but Regent Park Open Air Theatre’s current production, a magnificently rich interpretation, certainly sits perfectly amidst the swaying trees and night air in a riveting night of theater. This is a canonical folk opera in the American Musical tradition that has been brought fresh, new life through Tim Sheader’s musical direction. A story of a central heroine drawn between the enticing danger of her past and the brightness of a better, more spiritually sustaining path, and a community in doubt of itself, the Gershwins’ story is brought to life with phenomenal style and gut wrenching pathos. Performances are amazing. From the beginning, we are drawn and enfolded in the richness of the great deep melodies and rhythms executed so perfectly by such a talented cast. Nicola Hughes, as the eponymous Bess, draws us
in completely from the outset, effortlessly commanding the stage with a ferocious sexual energy. She masterfully and convincingly slides between the recklessly selfdestructive darkness of Bess’ free, hedonistic life, and the controlled, nurturing, regal grace of the Bess to whom Porgy has offered a way out and some hope of salvation. We feel her deeply rooted conflict. Phillip Boykin as Crown feels more operatic dark and brooding, than folk villain, with his deep baritone notes, issuing menacingly forth as he imperiously struts around the stage with a sinister charisma that is simply spellbinding. Rufus Bonds Jr is superb as Porgy, capturing the determination of this character who feels only too keenly his physical disability at odds with his wealth of spirit, generosity and courage. Especially compelling was Sharon D Clarke, who I last saw in a supporting role in The Amen Corner at The National. Here she was center stage much of the time and no one was more deserving. Her charisma as Mariah, the spiritual and moral leader of Catfish Row, and the warmth of her majestic voice as she presides over all that happens in her corner of the world, make her
By George and Ira Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward Book Adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks Score Adapted by Diedre L. Murray
eminently watchable. I can see why, as a piece, it has historically come under criticism. Some of the dynamic between Caesar and Boykin feels at times pained and contrived, but then that is quickly forgotten with the pure caliber of these sensational performances, especially when Crown returns to tempt Bess back to her old ways and the stage erupts in a sensual, bacchanalian energy. This show is at its best, though, when the beautifully choreographed ensemble are working together either in vocal contrapuntal conflict or building towards a unified crescendo filling the theater with aural and visual rapturous joy, which is what you shall feel in this at times heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting performance in the park.
September 2014 43
The American
Eagle Eyed Wee Wondering American golf writer Darren Kilfara’s offspring gets the Scottish golfing bug My son on the practice green at the children’s course in North Berwick
M
y son played in his first golf tournament a few weeks ago. He’s six years old. Let’s be clear about one thing: Scottish golf is awesome in more ways than I ever thought possible. My own introduction to golf in America, at the ripe old age of three involved loitering on a driving range and the floor of my father’s golf cart. My kids have done both of those things as well, but we also have two children’s golf courses on our doorstep which forbid adults from playing unless accompanied by a minor. The children’s course in North Berwick has nine holes, while its neighbor in Gullane has only six; their holes are all between 50 and 130 yards in length, each features properly linksy turf and rolling terrain, and both make me wish I could be 10 again, playing three-handed matches between my own ball and those of ‘Nicklaus’ and ‘Watson’ until sunset. The North Berwick course hosts regular competitions throughout the summer, but the event my son entered was part of a UK-wide scheme called ‘Wee Wonders’. Founded by the head professional at Gullane, Wee Wonders is for kids aged 5-12 and encompasses 15
44 September 2014
nine-hole regional qualifiers in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales and a Grand Final in St. Andrews in late August. Tournament rules include a 10-shot limit per hole, a three-shot limit per bunker (after which you can throw your ball out with no penalty), and a prohibition on parental advice: “Competitors must make their own decisions on issues that affect the way in which the shot is played.” My son is not a wee wonder, in golfing terms: his sportiness and hand-eye coordination have yet to fully manifest on the golf course. He’s also insanely competitive, which became peculiarly apparent when we realized the other two boys in his 5-6 age group hadn’t shown up: he’d 'won' without firing a shot, and he couldn’t have been happier. As someone who hopes my son might come to enjoy golf for its own sake, this result was a mixed blessing. He still had nine holes to complete, though, and was duly paired with the two youngest girls in the event. All three players bogeyed the short first hole, which was good: bogey is my son’s best score on any hole in his brief career. Alas, a whiff on the uphill second led to a six,
PHOTO © DARREN KILFARA
and three whiffs on the third tee led to a 10. He lost confidence in his three-wood, normally his favorite club, and became increasingly frustrated and peevish. Meanwhile, one of his playing partners, a lass named Grace with a swing worthy of her name, kept dinking shot after shot toward each flag and making nothing but pars and bogeys. Grace’s consistency literally reduced her other opponent to tears: a lovely golfer in her own right, she couldn’t cope with Grace’s dominance and required her father’s repeated coaxing to even finish the round. My son didn’t cry, and at the long eighth hole he finally unsheathed his three-wood again and hit two great shots en route to another bogey. He finished with a 59, a magic number for Tour pros but fully 26 shots behind Grace’s winning total. Did that bother him? Nope: he’d qualified for the final in St. Andrews. Ah, the innocence of youth. Darren Kilfara formerly worked for Golf Digest magazine and is the author of A Golfer’s Education, a memoir of his junior year abroad as a student-golfer at the University of St. Andrews. His new book is a novel called Do You Want Total War?
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The American
A four-team playoff and the ‘big five’ conferences... But if the numbers don’t add up, is it all just built-in obsolescence? wonders Richard L Gale INTO
WON’T GO
F
Jameis Winston, FSU PHOTO © WLPEARCE.COM COURTESY OF FSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Atlantic Coast Conference Within the ACC, the only thing that can nix the ’Noles is FSU, through peeking ahead. Whatever stories swirl around Famous Jameis, on the field Winston’s pure business. They simply stomped foes last season, and both lines remain packed. Clemson is the only other serious-talent contender, but devoid of Boyd or Watkins, they lack the killer punch. Beyond them, expect the offensive journeyman genius of Bobby Petrino to raise Louisville’s game significantly, at least for this year. All three play in the Atlantic Division. In the Coastal, RB Duke Johnson should help Miami amass a flattering record, while Duke slip back from their high water mark. Virginia Tech usually finds a way, and while QB Logan Thomas’ raw talent is no longer there, neither is his unfulfilled potential. Instead, Texas Tech grad Michael Brewer arrives, but another trip to the Ho-Hum Bowl could have patience in Beamerball running thin. North Carolina could be the party-crasher: after a dismal start in 2013, they finished 6-1, and have some sparkling difference makers on offense.
46 September 2014
inally, a D1 football playoff. It even has a logo: that clever two-bracketsand-four-dashes-look-like-a-football one. And I won’t be the first to observe that there’s room enough between the brackets for eight laces rather than four... You know, the way the B1G logo only needs to extend the crossbar of its ‘G’ for it to read B16. One day the playoff WILL have eight teams and one day, some conference will drop the other shoe and become a super-league of 16 teams. Consider them future-proofed logos. For now, at least one of the ‘big five’ champs won’t be going to the inaugural playoffs, which is why this year’s conference media days were full of high-profile coaches preaching why their conference deserved to be taken as seriously as any other. The SEC champion’s a lock. The ACC and Big 12 might carry less weight, were it not for (a) National Champs Florida State, and (b) Oklahoma shocking mighty Alabama in last year’s Sugar Bowl. It’ll be a committee of 13 football luminaries making the final selections, a group that, beside boasting former coaches and ADs (Barry Alvarez, Tom Osborne, Oliver Luck...), includes former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Which is fitting because the strength-of-schedule politicking is already underway. Whoever misses out becomes the first signatory for the eight-team petition.
Southeastern Conference
Alabama is the default, even though Auburn memorably rewrote logic in 2013, upending the Tide in the play of the year, beating Missouri in the SEC title game and gatecrashing the National Title game. Two headline changes at ’Bama are the addition of Jacob Coker, ex-FSU, at QB (though Blake Sims isn’t out the picture); and Lane Kiffin arriving as OC. How each falls in with the Saban philosophy will determine how far Alabama takes the story this season. Saban directs this show from a strict script, one that will be more about TJ Yeldon and Derrick Henry out of the backfield. The defense, especially the pass rush may actually be improved from last season. By comparison, Auburn tore up the SEC script last season, but can they capture lightning in a bottle, and can they hang in there against the best of the best,
considering the away schedule includes Georgia and Alabama? Even Ole Miss and Miss St. shouldn’t be underestimated. QB Nick Marshall has much of his receiving corps and line returning. I just don’t think the dice fall their way a second time without Tre Mason. LSU lost a few too many studs early, but are always well stocked. Freshman runner Leonard Fournette is being spoken of as a talent in the mould of Herschel Walker. We’ll see soon. South Carolina loses their starting CBs, QB Connor Shaw, and most of their defensive front, including Jadeveon Clowney. It falls to RB Mike Davis and his blockers. Georgia has more in the backfield, more receivers, and the defense will mature: the LBs could be magnificent. If they can beat the Gamecocks at home, the division’s theirs. Florida is an outside contender, but maybe only in light of what Auburn and Missouri did last year.
The American
Michigan State, while losing some of a fierce D-line (Shilique Calhoun remains), retain a good secondary and QB Connor Cook’s offense figures to be even better. Ohio State QB Braxton Miller, dinged in 2013, is now out for 2014. Can redshirt freshman QB JT Barrett keep Ohio State in the hunt? QB Christian Hackenberg makes Penn State better than they are. Michigan seems rarely to reach the level they should do, but they could contend for 2nd in the East. In the West, Wisconsin has a comparative cakewalk of a schedule (LSU opener aside). RB Melvin Gordon and their O-line put them in the playoff hunt. Nebraska will find a way to come 2nd ... even if they’re offered 1st. Iowa is the 3rd-place ‘watch’ team almost by default. Northwestern’s unionization vote is less a distraction than the late transfer of RB Venric Mark and the news WR Christian Jones will miss the season. They still have QB Trevor Siemian, and last year’s injury rash could still prove a valuable experience rush.
BIG 12
Following their Sugar Bowl shellacking of Alabama, Oklahoma is up there with FSU in preseason predictions. However, with the Sooners whooped by Baylor a few games earlier, and Baylor losing an unbeaten record in a romp by Oklahoma State (who themselves lost only one game in their first 11 – to lowly West Virginia)... well, nothing is a given in the Big 12. Oklahoma’s schedule is a real helpful one though: Texas at a neutral site, Baylor, Oklahoma State at home. Their 2013 leading passer is now a TE, and Trevor Knight – ’Bama game aside – isn’t heavily road tested. But they have everything it may take to win the big one. Baylor are offensively awesome and, while the Bears as National Champs seems unthinkable, the Bears as BIG 12 champs was unthinkable for decades too. As with Oklahoma, they return much of what made them great last season, although some defensive losses could be the difference between first and maybe third. I have difficulty thinking of K-State as league champs, but they flash star potential at safety, end, certainly WR Tyler Lockett, and maybe QB Jake Waters. Texas should have done better than 8-5 last year; if David Ash (multiple concussions) is ever the QB he might be, coach Charlie Strong will peak out from Mack Brown’s shadow. Texas Tech have an OL, Oklahoma State have some RBs, but graduations mean neither may make last year’s noise. West Virginia and TCU’s bids for relevance rest on new QBs, FSU transfer Clint Trickett and
Texas A&M grad Matt Joeckel respectively.
Other Conference Picks
Did I say one ‘big five’ champ doesn’t make it? How about two? Notre Dame has Everett Golson back under center for the first time since the 2012 season, when they played for the National Championship, a real good roster, and the beefiest strength-of-schedule in the land ... Among armed forces teams, QB Keenan Reynolds gives Navy a shot at 10 wins, Air Force should be back to winning ways with a solid O-line and 9 returning starters on defense, and even Army may manage a level record. The AAC lost star QB power, with Bortles and Bridgewater now NFL
names. However, Gunner Kiel competes with Munchie Legaux at Cincinnati, Shane Carden’s East Carolina is in the league mix, and Houston’s John O’Korn and SMU’s Neal Burcham could step up ... In C-USA, Marshall are about to make more noise than they have since the millennial golden era of Chad Pennington and Randy Moss with a combination of being pretty good and having a powder puff schedule, an early test for littleleague unbeatens in the playoff era. But Rice upset Marshall in last year’s title game, and UTSA field a massive number of returnees ... MAC: The conference belongs to Bowling Green. QB Matt Johnson and RB Travis Greene are too hot to handle ... Mountain West: No Derek Carr or David Fales but
PAC-12 Hollywood blockbusters galore: The Return of USC – new coach Steve Sarkisian will be judged on three games: at Stanford Sept 6, and after at least 8 straight wins, at UCLA and hosting ND. They’re 0-4 against those two teams the past two years. A high tempo offence is fine, but that’s a lot of extra plays for a team that still lacks the depth they had before NCAA sanctions. They could beat Stanford, go 10-0, yet wear out in November, surrendering the division tiebreaker to UCLA ... All-Action Oregon – The Ducks might have gone unbeaten last season, were it not for Marcus Mariota being hobbled late. He is protected by a wholly returned O-Line, and the defensive front seven also boasts experience and strength, CB Ifo EkpreOlomu must lead an otherwise new secondary. It’s a chink in the armor. The schedule includes a visit to UCLA, Oct 11, but there’s no USC or Stanford visit. Any less than the national playoffs will be considered falling short and a waste of Mariota’s final season ...UCLA: Real Deal Hundley. Mariota isn’t the only Heisman candidate QB around here. If the Bruins triumph Oct 11 (and don’t look past an early visit to Arizona State, who soundly beat UCLA last year), Brett Hundley and UCLA will be in the national spotlight. What’s not to like? Coach Jim Mora, the QB, a packed backfield, two-way X-factor Myles Jack, a mostly-returned defense... they have the air of a team that produces the goofy moments that extend the run
– as Auburn did last year – and break into the very big time ... Stanford: Brains’n’Brawn... n’Building. Stanford are smart, sturdy, disciplined, but rarely the sexiest pick in the Pac-12. QB Kevin Hogan, OT Andrus Peat and WR Ty Montgomery will all get a long pro look next draft, however. Plenty of the defense is back, and the Cardinal return the essential names of one of the nation’s best special teams. However, they still have to insert enough new names on both sides of the ball that a killer schedule points to either a step back record-wise, or else the best playoff case of any team in the nation outside of the SEC ... Washington: Petersen goes Big-time. Last year, perennial fly in the ointment Boise State began the season by getting destroyed by Washington. When Steve Sarkisian took the USC job, Chris Petersen clearly remembered the talent base up there, and finally makes the jump to the big leagues. QB Cyler Miles flashed some big-time talent in his one game last season.
Cardinal catcher Ty Montgomery strikes a pose. See overleaf for Heisman hopefuls.
47
PHOTO © JIM SHORIN/STANFORDPHOTO.COM
BIG TEN (B1G)
The American
College Kickoff
watch UNLV’s Nick Sherry and Nevada QB Cody Fajardo, while San Diego State slinger Quinn Kaehler has WR Ezell Ruffin. At Utah State QB Chuckie Keeton returns, and they are stacked with skill position noteworthies (including RB Jay Ajayi, a high NFL watch-for) ... LouisianaLafayette has too much for the Sun Belt.
Jay B Webster previews the Croke Park Classic
B
Quarterbacks have won eight of the last ten trophies. Winning the most recent one may actually count against Jameis Winston (FSU) this time, but another unbeaten run would be hard to argue against. The chance to go unbeaten also brings Rakeem Cato (Marshall) into the conversation, if distantly. The gaudy offenses that surround Marcus Mariota (Oregon) and Bryce Petty (Baylor) will have them riding him until some crucial pick costs a game, in which case regional attention would shift with conference fortunes towards Brett Hundley (UCLA) and Trevor Knight (Oklahoma) respectively. While Knight has only a few lines of resume to this point, that didn’t stop Johnny Manziel and Winston the past two years. Established passers include Christian Hackenberg (Penn St), Nick Marshall (Auburn), Devin Gardner (Michigan), and the returning Everett Golson (Notre Dame). Missouri’s Maty Mauk much admired, but probably a long shot. What about freshman JT Barrett at Ohio State? Non-QB contenders (by which we mean RBs) are headlined by Georgia’s Todd Gurley (pictured right), Alabama’s TJ Yeldon if he doesn’t have to share the thunder too significantly, while Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) and Mike David (SCaro) will be featured backs. We’ll include Ty Montgomery (Stanford) as a leading WR candidate, and an even more token Myles Jack (UCLA RB/LB) as a rare two-way threat.
48 September 2014
© SEAN TAYLOR, COURTESY UNIERSITY OF GEORGIA
Heisman Hopefuls
ig time college football returns to Irish shores when Penn State University and the University of Central Florida meet for both teams’ regular season opener, August 30. Back in 2012, Notre Dame and Navy met in the “Emerald Island Classic”, played out in front of 50,000 enthusiastic – largely American – college football fans in a sun-drenched Aviva Stadium. This time around, the Nittany Lions and Knights hope to go one better with their “Croke Park Classic” across town at the stadium which is the epicenter of Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association. The physical and spiritual home of the Irish sports of Gaelic football and hurling can accommodate almost 70,000 fans. Penn State, of course, is a college football giant trying to get back on its feet after being waylaid by the Jerry Sandusky affair and subsequent crippling NCAA sanctions. Given difficult circumstances, Bill O’Brien ably succeeded the late, legendary Joe Paterno as head coach, but has moved on to the NFL. He is replaced by the fiery and outspoken James Franklin, himself fresh from turning around a Vanderbilt program in three short seasons. The 44-year-old Franklin inherits a team with plenty of talent gaps throughout the squad, but one of the top passers in the country in sophomore Christian Hackenberg,
who threw for 2,955 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. UFC, on the other hand, is a college football upstart, bursting into national prominence last year under the guidance of head coach Bill O’Leary with a 12-1 season and a win in the Fiesta Bowl over Baylor. The Knights lost two huge pieces with the departure of starting quarterback Blake Bortles and running back Storm Johnson to the NFL (both now with the Jacksonville Jaguars). In a bold move, O’Leary named redshirt freshman Pete DiNovo the starter to take the field in Dublin. It is on the other side of the line of scrimmage where UFC will really shine this season, with the return of nine defensive starters from last year’s squad. Spearheaded by senior middle linebacker Terrance Plummer, the Knights tout the top defense in the American Athletic Conference, and one of the best in the nation. So while Penn State seek to resuscitate a once-proud football institution, upstarts UFC look to prove again that, while they may not yet be a household name, they at least belong at the same table as the big boys. Can the American version of football continue to prove it is viable on this side of the pond at the collegiate level? Will it soar to the heights it did two years ago, when hoards of American fans flocked to Irish shores, pumped an estimated $130 million into the local economy, and created a buzz throughout the local populace? The best measure on that front is how full and how raucous (or not) cavernous Croke Park is on August 30.
The American
The more things change... ...the more they stay the same? In his NFL Season Preview, Richard L Gale so nearly expects the unexpected
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AFC North
Cincinnati: QB Andy Dalton’s catching flak for mounting playoff losses, despite visits each of his first three years, and tossing 4,293 yards, 33 TDs last year. Cincy add bigger back Jeremy Hill to the quicksilver feet of Giovani Bernard (over 1200 combined yards as a rookie), WR Marvin Jones looked a cool no.2 opposite AJ Green as a rookie. On defense, DT Geno Atkins (ACL) is back, Vontaze Burfict was a Pro Bowl ILB out of nowhere, and an aging, proven secondary drafted Darqueze Dennard ... Baltimore: Super Bowl hang-over, talent-drain, down year for Joe Flacco, no Anquan Boldin – use whichever excuse you need, Flacco was careless and the running game stank. That’s not the Raven way. The offense not only regains TE Dennis Pitta from injury, but adds veteran WR Steve Smith, and ex-Texans coach Gary Kubiak as OC. ’Bama rookie CJ Mosley joins Daryl Smith, Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil at LB. It’s enough for a Wildcard ... Cleveland: Johnny Manziel is a gamer, a ticket sales phenom. He is also a small QB with a temptation to tuck and run, which will get him hurt in the NFL. And he will be tempted because with WR Josh Gordon suspended, there’s little other talent at the skill positions. The defense is improved by LB Karlos Dansby, S Donte Whitner. This year’s coach is Mike Pettine, at least at time of writing (this is the Browns, after all) ... Pittsburgh: Jerricho Cotchery, Emmanuel Sanders are the latest WRs gone, a lot of investment in the OL has yet to coalesce into dominance, and the defense lacks names that fill the stadium. A team in transition hiding behind the faces of Big Ben and Troy Polamalu, who aren’t getting any younger.
PHO TO C O
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or all the big-name behemoth tackles, 100-catch receivers, sack-racking edge rushers and shut-down corners that hopped teams in the offseason, the seismic, era-shaping shifts in franchise fortunes have usually come from landing the right quarterback. Xs and Os matter for containing their talent, for harrying the arm, or keeping the passer upright and in the game, but quarterbacks are the ones that take teams from worst to first. The Greatest Show On Turf had unheralded Kurt Warner land in their laps; Indianapolis – nothing without Peyton Manning – again defied the weakness of their roster when Andrew Luck showed up; Kansas City improved nine games with Alex Smith; and New England began a dynasty once franchise QB Drew Bledsoe yielded to a college backup named Brady. Russell Wilson in Seattle, Drew Brees becomes a Saint ... So, something’s going to blindside us, because something always does (and if it didn’t, we wouldn’t watch). Legends are born from unseen circumstance. Right now, not a lot of the Wembley-bound teams look playoff-bound, but you never know. Last season two teams leaped from fourth places to the playoffs. It happened the year before too. So who’s it going to be this time? EJ Manuel’s Bills? Johnny Football’s Browns? Every 2014 doormat in the NFC has a former first round pick under center, but if they jumped up it would be mere evolution. What we’re talking about here are new faces in new places, revelation and revolution. That means Manziel, or a Silver-and-Black Matt Schaub, or new Viking Teddy Bridgewater. So that’s what we’re predicting, right? Er, no. What we’re predictJohnny Manziel already sells tickets, replica jerseys and TV subscriptions. He can’t yet sell us ing is something that’s only ever on the idea of the Browns in the playoffs happened once before...
September 2014 49
The American
AFC South
Indianapolis: The Colts pretty much own this division, but they need RB Trent Richardson to prove that he wasn’t a waste of a first round pick (twice!) to take things further. Following a rash of injuries last season, and with 19-sack LB Robert Mathis suspended the first four games this year, the Colts may start slow, but the schedule is helpful (Baltimore, Cincy, New England, Washington are all home games), and what may be an unexpectedly tight division early on should be a laugher late ... Houston: Future hall of famer JJ Watt is joined in opposing backfields by first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus, desperately trying to aid an iffy secondary and an offense that has lost Gary Kubiak’s playbook, Andre Johnson’s best years, and Matt Schaub’s experience. With retread Ryan Fitzpatrick under center and a rookie NFL coach, Bill O’Brien, this is a team with a chiseled physique, but at present, an unknown identity ... Tennessee: One-time 2000-yarder Chris Johnson is gone, and
© ERIC LARS BAKKE
“Now hold on, don’t rush me.” Denver may face a familiar foe in SB XLIX.
ex-Raven Michael Oher and rookie Taylor Lewan continue the O-line rebuild. Offensive-minded Ken Whisenhunt is the new head coach, so it’s now or never for QB Jake Locker ... Jacksonville: This year will be about settling in QB Blake Bortles and some rookie WRs, and adjusting to life after MJD.
AFC West
Denver: Super Bowl losers generally don’t win it the next year, but rarely have runners-up looked less run-down. The AFC champs lose WR Eric Decker and DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but gain DE DeMarcus Ware, CB Aqib Talib, and this year will have back LT Ryan Clady and LB Von Miller, who missed both ends of 2013. Last year’s vintage saw old man Manning toss 55 TDs, 5,477 yards, overshadowing a porous pass defense. Even if the offense can’t match those kind of numbers, the defensive roster looks to be much improved ... Kansas City: Stuck-record critics are still sneering at Alex Smith, yet he’s a proven commodity. RB Jamaal Charles logged almost 2000 combined yards last year, and RB/KR De'Anthony Thomas is a future star, but a reshuffling line is a concern. On defense, the LB corps is Pro Bowl-packed, but a ‘solid’ secondary (meaning veteran but not stellar) gets blown up by big name QBs, a problem facing this year’s schedule ... San Diego: Philip Rivers is a really good QB (there, I said it!), but if the defense is to promote the Chargers from fluke wildcard to... legit wildcard... ILB Manti Te’o’s rep needs to finish metamorphosing from famous catfish victim to leader so that, if Melvin Ingram’s 2012 ACL injury is fully in the rear view mirror, a liability of a secondary might not matter so much. KC and San Diego’s season’s could go down to the wire ... Oakland: QB Matt Schaub arrives with big career stats, as does RB Maurice Jones-Drew, but they feel like place-holders for a future era. The defense adds DLs Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, and drafted LB Khalil Mack. The AFC West will remain indifferent.
AFC East
New England: One day, Tom Brady will get old, injuries will impact, and the AFC East will say “Hang on, why do we keep letting the Patriots win?”, and that moment isn’t far away. The RBs don’t impress, there’s the suspicion that WR numbers – even Julian Edelman’s – are a product of Brady’s passing prowess, and the defense excels in no area. The acquisition of Darrelle Revis and exSeahawk Brandon Browner is an attempt to stop the secondary’s quiet stench. The dynastic Patriots look mortal, but we’ll pick them for old time(r)’s sake ... Buffalo: QB EJ Manuel, RB CJ Spiller, now WR Sammy Watkins... that’s a lot of talent, not to mention WR Robert Woods, RB Bryce Brown, and a BIG line stuffed with young talent. The O is set. New DC Jim Schwartz brings a 4-3 that fits his personnel. They added LB Brandon Spikes, but lost S Jairus Byrd. After 6 wins five of the last four years, 10 wins could mean a wildcard ... Miami: The only way the O-line could have blown up worse in 2013 would be by juggling gelignite, and with Mike Pouncey injured, it’s a root-and-branch overhaul. QB Ryan Tannehill is just fine, there’s a worthy committee of start-quality backs, and Jarvis Landry completes a good receiver set. Beyond sack star Cameron Wake, the defense – especially LB and secondary – plays out of control at times; veteran additions Louis Delmas and Cortland Finnegan help, but if it doesn’t all click, low-key head coach Joe Philbin may be declared asleep at the wheel ... NY Jets: Change of image – the defense lost CB Antonio Cromartie and S Ed Reed; the offense gained RB Chris Johnson, WR Eric Decker, and QB Michael Vick. Geno Smith threw 21 picks last year, and this is Vick’s third go-round if he’s the answer. Last year’s 8-8 was about the ceiling.
NFC West
Seattle: Sea-peat? Back to back Super Bowls are rare because winners get poached: DEs Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, WR Golden Tate, CB Brandon Browner – all gone. However, most key players remain. Only those DE losses sting, as Bruce Irvin is also recovering from hip surgery. On offense, Russell Wilson is still only scratching the surface, but the receiving corps is far from deep, no returning player with better than 50 catches. The kicking game and home field advantage are still massive bonuses ... San Francisco: QB Colin Kaepernick played ragged last season in key moments, including against the ’Hawks. He’s simultaneously a potential icon and weak link, but his cast of receivers only got better, Michael Crabtree,
Anquan Boldin joined by Brandon Lloyd, Stevie Johnson. Beyond two great lines, the D shuffles its cast, with Donte Whitner and Carlos Rogers out, ex-Colts safety Antoine Bethea arriving, CB Chris Culliver and LB NaVorro Bowman coming back from injury, Aldon Smith suspended; the 49ers aren’t as known a quantity as you may think they are ... Arizona: 10-6 was no desert mirage. R1 safety Deone Bucannon and CB Antonio Cromartie join CB Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu (knee injury) in the secondary. ILB Karlos Dansby’s departure was a shame. The O-line is stable enough for QB Carson Palmer, RB Andre Ellington and a good WR set (Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, rookie John Brown) to overachieve. The 49ers might need to glance over their shoulders ... St. Louis: Awesome two-deep D-line includes Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Mike Brockers. On paper, the Jake Long-led O-line is good too, health willing. The rest of the offense needs stars to align at WR (top target Tavon Austin had just 40 catches), RB (Tre Mason joins Zac Stacy), and QB (Sam Bradford: stop breaking!)
NFC South
New Orleans: They lost safety Malcolm Jenkins, versatile RB Darren Sproles and more, but they have what it takes to slam dunk the division. Drew Brees is a 5,000-yard passer, with 1200-yard TE Jimmy Graham, and a WR set that boasts Marques Colston and adds rookie Brandin Cooks, who’ll post monster numbers. RB Mark Ingram was a franchise back in the second half of the season. Safety adds Jairus Byrd to Kenny Vaccaro, and ex-Bronco Champ Bailey will start opposite Keenan Lewis at corner. Those vets will add picks to an able pass defense ... Tampa Bay: A new coaching staff – HC Lovie Smith, OC Jeff Tedford, DC Leslie Frazier – suggests surer results. Josh McCown is a known quantity, and the receivers add Texas A&M’s sure-handed Mike Evans and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who could be the league’s next 1000-yard TE ... Carolina: Crash alert! WRs Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn all hit the road; the corps is a do-over. LT Jordan Gross retired without a natural replacement. If the Panthers log a winning record, credit DEs Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson, some young DTs, and Defensive Player of the Year LB Luke Kuechly. But it would also defy a secondary made of thrift-shop patches ... Atlanta: Matt Ryan is the NFC’s answer to Philip Rivers: good if kept clean. In 2013, he wasn’t. Both lines got their coaches fired. RB Steven Jackson is showing his age, so the run is little threat. TE Tony Gonzalez retired. The defense added veteran DTs Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson, but need younger players to play out of their skins.
Tom Brady hands off to... Ech, like it matters! As long as Brady and Belichick are in New England, it’s tough to pick against them
NFC North
Green Bay: A division-wide weakness at pass defense is less a problem here (Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Micah Hyde at CB, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix added in the draft), and the Packers have Aaron Rodgers to torch rivals. Reliable WR Jordy Nelson is joined by rookie Davante Adams, who put up huge numbers in college, and Randall Cobb returns from injury. RB Eddie Lacy was Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, sacks and picks were down in 2013, with more pressure on DC Dom Capers than opposing QBs ... Chicago: The offense hums: Jay Cutler accurate, Matt Forte with almost 2000 yards of offense (now enhanced by rookie Ka’Deem Carey), Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall headline the WRs, and the line looked solid. The defense could be a debacle again despite a raft of veterans including DE Jared Allen added to the line, with a relentless theme of injury and age. ... Minnesota: Don’t sleep on them. Adrian Peterson’s still here, Teddy Bridgewater brings hope at QB, and Cordarrelle Patterson is due a massive breakout at WR with OC Norv Turner’s help. A talented line just needs direction. On the other side of the ball, the Vikings are shifting eras, drafting blitzer Anthony Barr to be the face of a more aggressive rush, and ex-Panther CB Captain Munnerlyn adds veteran savvy to a secondary with their best years ahead of them. Special teams is a strength ... Detroit: Calvin Johnson is joined by Golden Tate on the outside (helps the return game, too), and the line does a good job protecting Matthew Stafford. New head coach Jim Caldwell arrives with the task of turning Stafford from passer to leader, and squeezing all the still-raw potential out of that D-line. If Suh, Fairley and co. don’t max out, the secondary will be torn apart.
NFC East
Philadelphia: Opponents may be better prepared for the uptempo attack, but QB Nick Foles threw just 2 picks to 27 TDs, LeSean McCoy ran for 1600 yards (and Darren Sproles arrives), and though they cut DeSean Jackson, they still have Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper and 6-3 rookie Jordan Matthews at WR, one of the best O-lines in the league, and one of the best run-stuffing D-lines. They used a 1st round pick on Marcus Smith to give a good LB corps more bite in the backfield. The secondary is deeper than last year, and Malcolm Jenkins arrives from the Saints ... Washington: Nearly a worst-to-first pick! Robert Griffin III must regain his rookie form after a tentative return from ligament ops last year, unshackling RBs Alfred Morris and rookie Lache Seastrunk. Pierre Garcon and ex-Eagle DeSean Jackson tallied a combined 2,678 yards last year, and TE Jordan Reed had 45 catches in half a season. DE Jason Hatcher arrives from Dallas, adding to Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan’s sack attack. The DeAngelo Hall-led secondary may not be elite, but is experienced. Head coach Jay Gruden has considerable inexperience ... Dallas: They lost Hatcher and DE DeMarcus Ware and are asking a lot from downgrades Henry Melton and Jeremy Mincey, and rookie DE DeMarcus Lawrence, and of a secondary that was toasted more than Wonder in 2013. RB DeMarco Murray is in a contract year, fantasy fans. ... NY Giants: A poor O-line keeps Eli Manning rattled. RB David Wilson retired, so Rashad Jennings is the guy (or at least some guy). Victor Cruz is the alpha and omega of their receivers. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was the big defensive signing.
Just the Saints as new division champs? So much for change! Baltimore, Buffalo, and Washington join the 49ers as Wildcards, though, and for only the second time ever, we see a Super Bowl rematch: Seahawks over Broncos.
September 2014 51
PHOTO: GARY BAKER
The American
The American
PHOTO ©GARY JORDAN
London Calling
Patriots fan at Wembley October 2012
Gary Jordan looks ahead to this year’s NFL Games in the UK, and at the future of the International Season
52 September 2014
T
he 2014 National Football League season is upon us, and the excitement is once again felt on this side of the Atlantic. This is fully understandable of course given that there are an unprecedented three games to be played at Wembley Stadium this year. Oakland Raiders “host” the Miami Dolphins on September 28th, then a month later Detroit Lions play the Atlanta Falcons in a 1.30pm kickoff London time which means a breakfast time slot for the television audience across the States. Lastly the Jacksonville Jaguars take part in another of their four year agreement to host games here; their opponents this time are the Dallas Cowboys. A case of “United Kingdom’s Team” against “America’s Team”. Now that the novelty of having regular season football has worn off, the NFL will be pleased that the games again all sold out in no time at all. The passing fad that greeted the game here on these shores back in the 1980s saw attendances dwindle in the American Bowl series of games, but that was only pre-season football and more knowledgeable fans grew tired of seeing third string players, no matter how much they craved seeing the game live. This was also a contributing factor in the demise of the World League and NFL Europe, even though that was a great platform for players to be seen by coaches and scouts, the most notable being Kurt Warner, who played for the Amsterdam Admirals in 1998, before becoming a Super Bowl
MVP with the St. Louis Rams. With the continued success of the International Series in London, what does it mean for the future? Will the NFL look to go more global with games in maybe Germany, Spain, or Sweden? All have notable markets in terms of fans, surely though the amount of money already invested into London and the push of the Jaguars means that any future games are tied up in London for the foreseeable future. Recently Commissioner Roger Goodell has implied that a franchise could be here sooner than first anticipated. This is a debate that still rumbles on amongst fans on both sides of the ocean. Other possibilities have been suggested, such as an eight game season ticket - not for one team but a series of games throughout the season that would consist of sixteen different teams playing a game here, which would lead to a rotational basis every two years. Whatever the League decides upon they need to approach it carefully so not to turn the tide of the fan base that is growing at a rapid rate. This year’s games at this stage look like they could be quite close affairs, Oakland always seem to have a steady start to their campaigns before (in recent years) the wheels fall off. The Lions and Falcons will look to scorch the air with their talented QB-WR tandems, and the Jaguars look to be improving with every game, against a Cowboys team that go hot and cold, even in the middle of games.
The American
ORGANIZATION FOCUS
The London Association of
Phi Beta Kappa
America’s Leading Academic Honorary Society Launches New UK Association
T
he Phi Beta Kappa Society, America’s oldest and most prestigious academic honorary society, has welcomed a new alumni association in London, presently its only active association overseas. Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776, is America’s oldest and most widely known academic honor society. There are about 50 member associations in the US, the oldest dating back to 1877. The London Association of Phi Beta Kappa met for the first time on May 29, 2014. “Members of Phi Beta Kappa share a common passion for the liberal arts and sciences, so it’s unsurprising that many choose to live, study and teach in a city as intellectually vibrant as London. Given this common bond, it’s also
unsurprising that members want to meet: in less than six months, we have welcomed over 100 participants”, explained the founding member, Lydia Dye-Stonebridge. “Our mission is, of course, to enhance the usefulness of Phi Beta Kappa membership. But given that Phi Beta Kappa membership is only conferred in America, we will be doing this through engagement with likeminded organizations here in the UK. Although our events will be centered around Phi Beta Kappa values, anyone is welcome to attend.” The first event, held at the University of North Carolina’s center on Bedford Square, featured a lecture from the acclaimed author and broadcaster Carol Gould. Carol, a
member of Phi Beta Kappa, spoke on her 30 year career in television. Describing the significance of Phi Beta Kappa membership to her own career, Carol explained, “Being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 1976, its bicentennial year, was and is the greatest honor of my life. Being a member of Phi Beta Kappa, I feel, carries with it a degree of responsibility to lead a life of integrity and compassion. It has inspired me to achieve – I have had two books published in the UK – but it has also given me the inspiration for a broad spectrum of written works. May Phi Beta Kappa go from strength to strength.” To find out more about The London Association of Phi Beta Kappa, visit www.pbkldn.org.
September 2014 53
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American ORGANIZATIONS
American Friends of Gladstone Library Britain’s only Prime Ministerial library. www.gladstoneslibrary-us.com annette.lewis@gladlib.org American Friends of the Jewish Museum London Stephen Goldman Tel. 020 7284 7363 stephen.goldman@jewishmuseum.org.uk www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/american-friends American Friends of the Lyric Theatre Ireland Crannóg House, 44 Stranmillis Embankment, Belfast, BT9 5FL, Northern Ireland Angela McCloskey info@americanfriendsofthelyric.com www.americanfriendsofthelyric.com/
An index of useful resources in the UK Is your group or organization fundraising or running an upcoming event you would like more people to know about? Does your free entry need amendments? Would you like a profile article about your organization? Let us know – we rely on you to keep us up to date! Telephone 01747 830520 or email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk.
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CIVIC & SERVICES American Church in London Senior Pastor: Rev. John D’Elia. Sunday School 9.45am, Sunday Worship 11am, child care provided. 79a Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TD Tel: 020 7580 2791/07771 642875 www.amchurch.co.uk churchsecretary@amchurch.co.uk American Institute of Architects 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX 020 3318 5722 membership@aiauk.org, www.aiauk.org American Citizens Abroad (ACA) 5 Rue Liotard, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland +41.22.340.02.33 info.aca@gmail.com www.americansabroad.org
54 September 2014
American Friends of the National Portrait Gallery Stacey Ogg and Charlotte Savery, Individual Giving Managers 020 7312 2444 individualgiving@npg.org.uk www.npg.org.uk/support.php
American Red Cross RAF Mildenhall 01638 542107, After Hours 07031 15 2334 red.crossv3@mildenhall.af.mil
American Friends of the Philharmonia Orchestra Jennifer Davies, Development Director jennifer.davies@philharmonia.co.uk www.philharmonia.co.uk/support/friends/afpo/
American Friends of Historic Royal Palaces Chris Martin and Harriet James 020 3166 6321, harriet.james@hrp.org.uk www.hrp.org.uk/supportus/donatingfromtheusa
American Friends of the Royal Court Theatre U.S.: Laurie Beckelman, Beckelman and Capalino +1.212.616.5822 laurie@beckcap.com UK: Gaby Styles, Head of Development 020 7565 5060 gabystyles@royalcourttheatre.com or info@afrct.org
American Friends of the Almeida Theatre, Inc. USA: 950 Third Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10022 UK: Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, London N1 1TA www.almeida.co.uk/supportus/individual-support/ american-friends American Friends of Chickenshed Theatre USA: c/o Chapel & York PMB293, 601 Penn Ave NW, Suite 900 S Bldg, Washington, DC 20004 UK: Chickenshed, Chase Side, Southgate, London N14 4PE www.chickenshed.org.uk
American Friends of Sadler’s Wells USA: 222 Park Avenue South, 10A, New York, NY 10003 +1.917.539.9021 americanfriends@sadlerswells.com www.sadlerswells.com/page/american-friends UK: 020 7863 8134 development@sadlerswells.com
American Friends of the Royal Society http://royalsociety.org/Overseas-Donations American Friends of St. Bartholomew the Great U.S.: John Eagleson 2925 Briarpark, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77042 UK: 20 7606 5171 admin@greatstbarts.com
American Friends of Dulwich Picture Gallery 020 8299 8726, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk American Friends of English National Opera (ENO) American Friends Coordinator London Coliseum, St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES 0207 845 9331 Americanfriends@eno.org www.eno.org/support/individual/memberships American Friends of the British Museum The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. 020 7323 8590 www.britishmuseum.org American Friends of the Donmar Inc. 020 7845 5810, sdittmer@donmarwarehouse.com www.donmarwarehouse.com/p46.html
American Friends of the Royal Institution of Great Britain U.S.: c/o Chapel & York Limited, PMB #293, South Building Washington, DC 20004 UK: The Development Office, Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS 020 7670 2991 kdodd@ri.ac.uk www.rigb.org
American Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust U.S.: John Chwat, President 625 Slaters Lane, Suite 103, Alexandria, VA 22314 +1. 703.684.7703, info@americanfriendsofsbt.org www.americanfriendsofsbt.org American Friends of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Inc. U.S.: Diana Seaton, Executive Director 61 Londonderry Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830 +1.203.536.4328 diana.seaton@afvam.org www.afvam.org UK: 020 7942 2149
The American
American Friends of Wigmore Hall U.S.: c/o Chapel and York, 1000 N West Street Suite 1200, Wilmington DE 19801 UK: 020 7258 8220 mhosterweil@wigmore-hall.org.uk
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 66-68 Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2PA 020 7584 7553 adcockmp@ldschurch.org https://lds.org.uk http://mormon.org
American Museum in Britain Director: Dr Richard Wendorf Claverton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD. 01225 460503. Fax 01225 469160 info@americanmuseum.org www.americanmuseum.org
Church of St. John the Evangelist Vicar: Reverend Stephen Mason. Hyde Park Crescent, London W2 2QD 020 7262 1732 parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com www.stjohnshydepark.com
American Women Lawyers in London www.awll.org.uk info@awll.org.uk The Anglo-American Charity Limited Jeffrey Hedges, Director. 07968 513 631 info@anglo-americancharity.org www.anglo-americancharity.org The Association of Americans Resident Overseas 34 avenue de New York, 75116 Paris, France + 33 1 47 20 24 15 www.aaro.org Anglo American Medical Society Hon. Sec.: Dr. Edward Henderson, The Mill House, Whatlington, E. Sussex, TN33 0ND. 01424 775130 ed@themillhouse.eclipse.co.uk Association for Rescue at Sea The UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Association does not have an American Branch but to make a tax efficient gift to the RNLI, contact AFRAS. Mrs. Anne C. Kifer P.O. Box 565 Fish Creek, WI 54212, U.S.A. 00-1-920-743-5434 ackafras@aol.com Atlantic Council Director: Alan Lee Williams. 185 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UF 0207 403 0640 or 0207 403 0740 acuk@atlantic-council.org.uk Bentwaters Cold War Museum Erroll Frost c/o Bentwaters Aviation Society, Building 134 Bentwaters Parks, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2TW 07588 877020 info@bcwm.org.uk Bethesda Baptist Church Kensington Place, London W8. 020 7221 7039 office@bethesdabaptist.org.uk http://bethesdabaptist.org.uk/ Boy Scouts of America Mayflower District Executive: Cristina Priddy The Old Coach House, 81A London Rd, Brandon, Suffolk IP270EL 075 9210 1013 crpriddy@bsamail.org British American Business Inc. 75 Brook Street, London, W1K 4AD. Tel. 020 7290 9888 www.babinc.org ukinfo@babinc.org British American-Canadian Associates Contact via The English Speaking Union – esu@esu.org
Has your group done something you’re proud of? Tell us email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk
Circumcision Matters Problems arranging circumcision for your new-born? Call 020 7390 8433. www.circumcisionmatters.com Commonwealth Church Rev. Rod Anderson, PO Box 15027, London SE5 0YS www.savestmarks.com Democrats Abroad (UK) Box 65, 22 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JE Regular updates on events, chapters throughout the UK, DAUK newsletters: www.democratsabroad.org.uk 020 7724 9796 www.democratsabroad.org/group/united-kingdom Register to vote/ request Absentee Ballot: www.votefromabroad.org Farm Street Church 114 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 3AH Tel: 020 7493 7811 www.farmstreet.org.uk Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301-1155. Director: Ms. Polli K. Brunelli UK Toll Free Tel: 0800 028 8056 US Toll Free Tel:1-800-438- VOTE (8683). www.fvap.gov vote@fvap.ncr.gov Friends of Chicksands Priory (12th Century) Founded in 1975 by USAF personnel and British employees at RAF Chicksands Julie Benson 01525 860497 friendsofchicksands@gmail.com www.chicksandspriory.co.uk
International Community Church (Interdenominational) Pastor: Rev. Dr. Barry K. Gaeddert Sunday Worship: 10.30 am, Chertsey Hall, Heriot Road, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9DR Active Youth programme. Church Office: 1st floor, Devonshire House, 60 Station Road, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 2AF. 01932 830295. churchoffice@icc-uk.org www.icc-uk.org Junior League of London President: Suzy Bibko; Office Admin: Ruth Linton CAN Mezzanine , 49-51 East Road , London N1 6AH Tel: 020 7499 8159 Fax: 020 7629 1996 jrleague@jll.org.uk www.jll.org.uk Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 19 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2PT. Tel: 020 7713 2030 Fax: 020 7713 2031 info@jdrf.org.uk www.jdrf.org.uk Liberal Jewish Synagogue 28 St John’s Wood Road, London NW8 7HA Services 6.45pm Fridays and 11am on Saturdays except for first Friday each month when service is held at 7pm with a Chavurah Supper. Please bring non-meat food dish to share. 020 7286 5181 ljs@ljs.org Lions Club International Lakenheath & District 105EA, 15 Highfields Drive, Lakenheath, Suffolk IP27 9EH. Tel 01842 860752 www.lionsclubs.org Lutheran Services, St Anne’s Rev. Timothy Dearhamer. Lutheran Church, Gresham St, London EC2. Sun 11am-7pm. 020 7606 4986 info@StAnnesLutheranChurch.org www.StAnnesLutheranChurch.org Methodist Central Hall Westminster, London SW1H 9NH Services every Sunday at 11am and 6.30pm. Bible study groups & Monday guilds also held. 020 7222 8010, church@mchw.org.uk www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk North American Friends of Chawton House Library US Office: 824 Roosevelt Trail, #130, Windham, ME 04062 +1.207 892 4358 UK Office: Chawton House Library, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1SJ 01420 541010 www.chawton.org/support/nafchl5.html
Friends of St Jude London Debbie Berger Tel. 07738 628126 debbie.berger@stjude.org www.friendsofstjude.org/london
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner 5th Floor, Counting House, 53 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QN 0207 211 1500 info@oisc.gov.uk www.oisc.gov.uk
Grampian Houston Association Secretary: Bill Neish 5 Cairncry Avenue, Aberdeen, AB16 5DS 01224-484720 wineish@sky.com
Republicans Abroad (UK) Chairman Dr. Thomas Grant chairman@republicansabroad-uk.org www.republicansabroad-uk.org
September 2014 55
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Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland For 18-30 year olds, an international membership www.rotaract.org.uk Rotary Club of London 6 York Gate, London NW1 4QG. Tel. 020 7487 5429 Rotary Great Britain and Ireland www.ribi.org
American Professional Women in London Rebecca Lammers, Flat 9 Hanover Court, 5 Stean Street, London, E8 4ED 075 3393 5064 abwinlondon@gmail.com @USAProWomenLDN www.facebook.com/groups/293890040710041 www.meetup.com/American-Business-Women-inLondon
Royal National Lifeboat Institution Head Office, West Quay Road, Poole BH15 1HZ 0845 045 6999 www.rnli.org.uk
American Society in London c/o The English Speaking Union 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED info@americansocietyuk.com 020 7539 3400
The Royal Oak Foundation Sean Sawyer, 35 West 35th Street #1200, New York NY 10001-2205, USA 212- 480-2889 or (800) 913-6565 ssawyer@royal-oak.org www.royal-oak.org
American Stamp Club of Great Britain Chapter 67 of the American Philatelic Society. Hon. Publicity Secretary: Stephen T. Taylor 5 Glenbuck Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS. 020 8390 9357
St Andrew’s Lutheran Church Serving Americans since 1960. Whitby Road & Queens Walk, Ruislip, West London. (South Ruislip Tube Station). Services: 11 am. 020 8845 4242 pastorvan43@hotmail.com www.standrewslutheran.co.uk Other Lutheran Churches in the UK: www.lutheran.co.uk
American Womens Association of Bristol 0800 0834804 awabristol_membership@fawco.org
T.R.A.C.E. P.W. (The ‘original’ Transatlantic Children’s’ Enterprise reuniting children with G.I. father’s and their families) Membership Secretary: Norma Jean Clarke-McCloud 29 Connaught Avenue, Enfield EN1 3BE normajean78@hotmail.com www.tracepw.org
American Women of Surrey PO Box 185, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3YJ. www.awsurrey.org
United Nations Association, Westminster branch Chairman: David Wardrop 61 Sedlescombe Road, London SW6 1RE 0207 385 6738 info@unawestminster.org.uk www.unawestminster.org.uk www.wethepeoples.org.uk USA Girl Scouts Overseas – North Atlantic Stem Kaserne Bldg 1002, Postfach 610212 D-68232, Mannheim, Germany. +49 621 487 7025 www.norags.com girlscouts@cmtymail.26asg.army.mil
SOCIAL American Club of Hertfordshire President: Lauryn Awbrey 63-65 New Road, Welwyn, Herts AL6 0AL 01582 624823 amclubherts@aol.com
AWBS International Women’s Club [formerly American Women of Berkshire & Surrey] PO Box 10, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4YP. www.awbs.org.uk info@awbs.org.uk
American Women’s Association of Yorkshire The Chalet, Scarcroft Grange, Wetherby Road, Scarcroft, Leeds LS14 3HJ. 01224 744 224 Contact: Carol Di Peri The American Women’s Club of Dublin P.O. Box 2545, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 IRELAND www.awcd.net info@awcd.net American Women’s Club of London 68 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LQ. 020 7589 8292 awc@awclondon.org www.awclondon.org American Women’s Club of Central Scotland P.O. Box 231, 44-46 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4BF info@awccs.org www.awccs.org American Women of South Wales 07866 190838 awsouthwales@fawco.org Association of American Women in Ireland aawireland@fawco.org
American Expats of the Northwest of England The Ruskin Rooms, Drury Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6HA. expatsnw@gmail.com
Association of American Women of Aberdeen PO Box 11952, Westhill, Aberdeen, AB13 0BW email via website www.awaaberdeen.org
American Friends of English Heritage US: 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. Washington DC 20036. 202-452-0928. UK: c/o English Heritage, Attn: Simon Bergin, Keysign House, 429 Oxford Street, London W1R 2HD. 020 7973 3423 www.english-heritage.org.uk
British Association of American Square Dance Clubs Patricia Connett-Woodcock 87 Brabazon Road, Heston, Middlesex TW5 9LL 020 8897 0723 tricia_baasdc@btinternet.com www.squaredancing.co.uk
56 September 2014
Canadians & Americans in Southern England 023 9241 3881 contactcase@casecommunity.com Canadian Womens Club 1 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 4AB Tues – Thurs 10.30-3.30 0207 258 6344 info@canadianwomenlondon.org www.canadianwomenlondon.org Chilterns American Women’s Club PO Box 445, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 8YU membership@cawc.co.uk www.cawc.co.uk Colonial Dames of America Chapter XI London. President Anne K Brewster: AnneBrewster@hotmail.com Daughters of the American Revolution – St James’s Chapter Mrs Natalie Ward, 01379 871422 nattyward@aol.com or UKDARStJames@aol.com http://mysite.verizon.net/jean.sutton/main.htm Daughters of the American Revolution – Walter Hines Page Chapter Diana Frances Diggines, Regent dardiana@hotmail.co.uk www.dar.org The East Anglia American Club 49 Horsham Close, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7HN 01440 766 967 eaacexpats@karej.co.uk English-Speaking Union Director-General Peter Kyle Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED. Tel: 020 7529 1550 esu@esu.org Friends of Benjamin Franklin House Director: Dr. Márcia Balisciano Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven St, London WC2N 5NF 0207 839 2006 www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org Hampstead Women’s Club President - Betsy Lynch. Tel: 020 7435 2226 email president@hwcinlondon.co.uk www.hwcinlondon.co.uk High Twelve International, Inc. Local Club Contact – Arnold Page High Twelve Club 298 Secretary, Darrell C. Russell, 1 Wellington Close, West Row, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 8PJ 01638 715764 russelld130@btinternet.com. International American Duplicate Bridge Club Contact: Mary Marshall, 18 Palace Gardens Terrace, London W8 4RP. 020 7221 3708 www.ycbc.co.uk/american.htm Kensington & Chelsea Men’s Club Contact: John Rickus 70 Flood Street, Chelsea, London SW3 5TE. (home): 020 7349 0680 (office): 020 7753 2253 johnrickus@aol.com
The American
kcwc (was Kensington & Chelsea Women’s Club) President: Anna Groot, president@kcwc.org.uk Membership: potential@kcwc.org.uk www.kcwc.org.uk @kcwc_womensclub
UK Panhellenic Association Contact Susan Woolf, 10 Coniston Court, High St. Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex HA1 3LP. 020 8864 0294 susanrwoolf@hotmail.com
Knightsbridge Village Private invitation-only network for discerning mothers in Knightsbridge, Kensington and surrounding areas. For a limited period The American’s readers are invited to join online with this key: american2014. Membership is £10 per month. info@knightsbridge-village.com www.knightsbridge-village.com
Anglian Shrine Club Recorder/Secretary: Allan David Warnes “Koloma House”, Warren Avenue, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NP 01328 862001, 07860187333, VOIP 08714084364 Skype batman4499adw allan@allandavidwarnes.co.uk www.anglianshrineclub.co.uk
New Neighbors Diana Parker, Rosemary Cottage, Rookshill, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 4HZ. 01923 772185
W.E.B. DuBois Consistory #116 Northern Jurisdiction Valley of London, England, Orient of Europe Cell: 0776-873-8030 mjack36480@aol.com
North American Connection (West Midlands) PO Box 10543, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands. B93 8ZY 0870 720 0663 info@naconnect.com www.naconnect.com
Women’s Writers Network Cathy Smith, 23 Prospect Rd, London, NW2 2JU. 020 7794 5861 info@womenwriters.org.uk www.womenwriters.org.uk
Northwood Area Women’s Club c/o St John’s UR Church, Hallowell Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 1DN 01932-830295 info@northwoodareawomensclub.co.uk www.northwoodareawomensclub.co.uk Petroleum Women’s Club Contact: Nancy Ayres, 01923 711720 nanayrs@btopenworld.com Petroleum Women’s Club of Scotland pwcscotland@yahoo.co.uk www.pwcos.com Pilgrims of Great Britain Allington Castle, Maidstone, Kent M16 0NB. 01622 606404 sec@pilgrimsociety.org
Propeller Club of the United States – London, England propellerclubhq.com Royal Society of St George Enterprise House, 10 Church Hill, Loughton, Essex IG10 1LA. +44 (0) 20 3225 5011 info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com Stars of Great Britain Chapter #45 Washington Jurisdiction. Lakenheath, England sogb45@yahoo.com http://starsofgreatbritainchapter45.com St John’s Wood Women’s Club membership@sjwwc.org www.sjwwc.org Thames Valley American Women’s Club Membership: Claire Mangers-Page PO Box 1687, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 8XT. 01628 632683 membership@tvawc.com www.tvawc.com
Brookwood American Cemetery The American Battle Monuments Commission Superintendant: Craig Rahanian. 01483 473237 Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0BL www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/ brookwood-american-cemetery Madingley American Cemetery Cambridge AKA Cambridge Military Cemetery, Cambridge American Cemetery and Cambridge Cemetery. The American Battle Monuments Commission Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridge CB23 7PH 01954-210-350 damian.lappin@madingleyamericancemetery.info www.madingleyamericancemetery.info Commander in Chief, US Naval Forces Europe US Naval Forces Europe-Africa - US Sixth Fleet www.c6f.navy.mil, CNE-C6FPAO@eu.navy.mil Eighth Air Force Historical Society Gordon Richards/Michelle Strefford UK Office, The Croft, 26 Chapelwent Road, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 9SD 01440 704014 www.8thafhs.org
MILITARY 290 Foundation (UK Confederate Navy memorial) Ian Dewar, President, 2 Thompson Drive, Middleton on the Wolds, East Riding, Yorkshire YO25 9TX 01377 217 442 290admin@onetel.com sites.google.com/site/290foundation
Friends of the Eighth Newsletter (FOTE News) Chairman: Mr. Ron Mackay. 39b Thorley Hill, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM23 3NE. 01279 658619
AFJROTC 073 Lakenheath High School. Tel: 01638 525603
Marine Corps League Detachment 1088, London, England Commandant Mike Allen Creek Cottage, 2 Pednormead End, Old Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 2JS detachment1088@mcl-london-uk.org www.mcl-london-uk.org
Air Force Sergeants Association UK POC Timothy W. Litherland CMSgt, USAF (ret). Chapters at RAFs Alconbury, Croughton, Lakenheath, Menwith Hill and Mildenhall. timothy.litherland@outlook.com www.hqafsa.org American Legion London Post 1 Adjutant: Jim Pickett PO Box 5017, BATH, BA1 OPP 01225-426245 info@amlegionpost1london.org.uk www.amlegionpost1london.org.uk American Overseas Memorial Day Association Dedicated to remember and honor the memory of those who gave their lives in World War I and II, whose final resting places are in American Military Cemeteries or in isolated graves in Europe. info@aomda.com, aomda.com Bentwaters/Woodbridge Retirees’ Association President: Wylie Moore. 2 Coldfair Close, Knodishall, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 1UN. 01728 830281 British Patton Historical Society Kenn Oultram 01606 891303
Joint RAF Mildenhall/Lakenheath Retiree Affairs Office Co-Directors Dick Good & Jack Kramer Unit 8965, Box 30 RAF Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, IP28 8NF 01638 542039 rao1@us.af.mil
Military Officers’ Association of America www.moaa.org msc@moaa.org
Navy League of the United States, United Kingdom Council Council President: Steven G. Franck steven.franck@googlemail.com www.navyleague.org Non-Commissioned Officers’ Association (NCOA) – The Heart of England Chapter Chairman: Ronald D.Welper, Pine Farm, Sharpe’s Corner, Lakenheath, Brandon, Suffolk 1P27 9LB. Thetford 861643. Chapter Address: 513 MSSQ/SS, RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. Society of American Military Engineers (UK) UK address: Box 763, USAFE Construction Directorate. 86 Blenheim Crescent, West Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 7HL
September 2014 57
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EDUCATIONAL
Reserve Officers Association London Col. B.V. Balch, USAR, 72 Westmoreland Road, Barnes, London SW13 9RY memberservices@roa.org www.roa.org
ACS International Schools ACS Cobham International School, Heywood, www.acs-england.co.uk
Society of American Military Engineers (UK) UK address: Box 763, USAFE Construction Directorate: 86 Blenheim Crescent, West Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 7HL London Post. President: W. Allan Clarke. Secretary: Capt. Gary Chesley. Membership Chairman, Mr. Jim Bizier.
Alconbury Middle/High School RAF Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE17 1PJ, UK. www.alco-hs.eu.dodea.edu AlconburyHS.Principal@eu.dodea.edu American Institute for Foreign Study 37 Queensgate, London SW7 5HR 020 7581 7300 www.aifs.co.uk info@aifs.co.uk
US Army Reserve 2nd Hospital Center 7 Lynton Close, Ely, Cambs, CB6 1DJ. Tel: 01353 2168 Commander: Major Glenda Day.
American School in London 1 Waverley Place, London NW8 0NP 020 7449 1200, www.asl.org admissions@asl.org
US Air Force Recruiting Office Bldg 239 Room 139 RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 8NF +44-1638-54-4942/1566 phillip.guffa@mildenhall.af.mil Retired Affairs Office, RAF Alconbury Serving Central England POC: Rex Keegan Alt. POC: Mike Depasquale UK Postal Address: 423 SVS/RAO, Unit 5585, Box 100, RAF Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 4DA Office Hours: Tuesday and Friday, 10:30am–2:30pm 01480 84 3364/3557 RAO@Alconbury.af.mil Emergency Contact: 07986 887 905 2nd Air Division Memorial Library The Forum, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1AW 01603 774747 www.2ndair.org.uk 2admemorial.lib@norfolk.gov.uk USAF Retiree Activities Office Director: Paul G Gumbert, CMSgt (USAF), Ret 422 ABG/CVR, Unit 5855, PSC 50, Box 3 RAF Croughton, Northants NN13 5XP 01280 708182 422abg.rao@croughton.af.mil
US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) UK Chapter President: Allison Bennett, bennett.ac@gmail.com Facebook: Kings Point Alumni - London/United Kingdom USNA Alumni Association UK Chapter Pres: LCDR Tim Fox ’97, timfox97@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Miguel Sierra ’90, mrsierra@chevron.com Treas/Membership Coord: Bart O’Brien ’98, bartonobrien2@yahoo.com Secretary: Matt Horan ’87, matthoran@btinternet.com Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Commander: Ernest Paolucci 24, rue Gerbert, 75015 Paris, France 00 33 (0)1.42.50.96.34 Western UK Retiree Association President: R. Jim Barber, MSgt (USAF), Ret 01280 708182
58 September 2014
American School of Aberdeen Craigton Road, Cults, Aberdeen. 01224 861068 / 868927.
Central Bureau for Educational Visits Director: Peter Upton, The British Council , 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN 020 7389 4004 Wales 029 2039 7346 Scotland 0131 447 8024 centralbureau@britishcouncil.org Council on International Educational Exchange Dr. Michael Woolf, 52 Portland Street, London WIV 1JQ Tel 020 7478 2000 Fax 020 7734 7322 www.ciee.org contact@ciee.org Ditchley Foundation Ditchley Park, Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 4ER Tel 01608 677346 www.ditchley.co.uk info@ditchley.co.uk Dwight School London Formerly North London International School Viviene Rose, Admissions Director 6 Friem Barnet Lane, London N11 3LX 020 8920 0600 vrose@dwightlondon.org www.dwightlondon.org
Benjamin Franklin House 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF. Tel 020 7839 2006 Fax 020 7930 9124 info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org
European Council of International Schools Executive Director: Jean K Vahey Fourth Floor, 146 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TR Tel 020 7824 7040 www.ecis.org ecis@ecis.org
Boston University – London Graduate Programs Office 43 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4JU. 020 7244 6255 www.bu.edu/london
European-Atlantic Group PO Box 37431, London N3 2XP 020 8632 9253 justinglass@btinternet.com www.eag.org.uk
British American Educational Foundation Mrs. Carlton Colcord, 1 More’s Garden, 90 Cheyne Walk, London SW3. 020 7352 8288 www.baef.org anncolcord@compuserve.com BUNAC Student Exchange Employment Program - Director: Callum Kennedy, 16 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0QH. 020 7251 3472 www.bunac.org enquiries@bunac.org.uk
Florida State University London Study Centre Administrative Director: Kathleen Paul 99 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LH. Tel 020 7813 3233 www.international.fsu.edu/london/ intprog1@admin.fsu.edu Fordham University London Centre Academic Coordinator: Sabina Antal 23 Kensington Square, London W8 5HQ 020 7937 5023 londoncentre@fordham.edu www.fordham.edu
Butler University, Institute for Study Abroad 21 Pembridge Gardens, London W2 4EB 020 7792 8751 www.ifsa-butler.org/england-overview.html
Fulbright Commission (US-UK Educational Commission) Dir. of Advisory Service: Lauren Welch Battersea Power Station, 188 Kirtling Street, London SW8 5BN 020 7498 4010 www.fulbright.co.uk
Centre Academy London 92 St John’s Hill, Battersea, London SW11 1SH Tel: 02077382344 , info@centreacademy.net www.centreacademy.net
Halcyon London International School Co-educational International Baccalaureate (IB). 33 Seymour Place, London W1H 5AU +44 (0)20 7258 1169 , hello@halcyonschool.com halcyonschool.com
Centre Academy East Anglia Church Rd, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 7QR Tel: 01449736404 admin@centreacademy.net www.centreacademy.net
Harlaxton College UK Campus, University of Evansville Harlaxton Manor, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG32 1AG. Grantham 4541 4761 01476 403000 harlaxton.ac.uk.
The American
Huron University USA in London 46-47 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4JP Tel +44 (0) 20 7636 5667 Fax+44 (0) 20 7299 3297 folu@huron.ac.uk www.huron.ac.uk Institute for the Study of the Americas Director: Professor James Dunkerley. Tel 020 7862 8879 Fax 020 7862 8886 americas@sas.ac.uk www.americas.sas.ac.uk International School of Aberdeen 296 North Deeside Rd, Milltimber, Aberdeen, AB13 0AB 01224 732267 admin@isa.aberdeen.sch.uk www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk International School of London 139 Gunnersbury Avenue, London W3 8LG. 020 8992 5823 www.islschools.org mail@ISLschools.org
Sotheby’s Institute of Art Postgraduate Art studies, plus day /evening courses 30 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3EE Tel: 0207 462 3232 www.sothebysinstitute.com info@sothebysinstitute.com Southbank International Schools Kensington and Hampstead campuses for 3-11 year olds; Westminster campuses for 11-18 year olds. Director of Admissions: MargaretAnne Khoury Tel: 020 7243 3803 admissions@southbank.org www.southbank.org Syracuse University London Program Faraday House, 48-51 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AE http://sulondon.syr.edu
International School of London in Surrey Old Woking Road, Woking GU22 8HY Tel +44 (0)1483 750409 www.islsurrey.com mail@islsurrey.com
TASIS England, American School Coldharbour Lane, Thorpe, Nr. Egham, Surrey TW20 8TE. Tel: 01932 565252 Fax: 01932 564644 http://england.tasis.com ukadmissions@tasisengland.org
Ithaca College London Centre 35 Harrington Gardens, London SW7. Tel. 020 7370 1166 www.ithaca.edu/london bsheasgreen@ithacalondon.co.uk
UKCISA - Council for International Education 9-17 St. Albans Place, London N1 0NX 020 7354 5210 www.ukcisa.org.uk
Marymount International School, London Headmistress: Ms Sarah Gallagher George Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 7PE 020 8949 0571 info@marymountlondon.com www.marymountlondon.com
University of Notre Dame London Program 1 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG 020 7484 7811 london@nd.edu www.nd.edu/~ndlondon/lup/future/ introduction.htm
Missouri London Study Abroad Program 32 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4JU. 020 7373 7953. www.umsl.edu/services/abroad/universities/ molondon.html web_office@umsl.edu
Warnborough University International Office, Friars House, London SE1 8HB. Tel 020 7922 1200 www.warnborough.edu admin@warnborough.edu
Regent’s University London Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NS. 020 7486 9605. www.regents.ac.uk exrel@regents.ac.uk
Webster Graduate Studies Center Regent’s College, Regent’s Park, Inner Circle, London NW1 4NS, UK. Tel: 020 7487 7505 www.webster.ac.uk webster@regents.ac.uk
Richmond, The American International University in London Richmond Hill Campus,Queen’s Road Richmond-upon Thames TW10 6JP Tel: +44 20 8332 9000 Fax: +44 20 8332 1596 enroll@richmond.ac.uk www.richmond.ac.uk Schiller International University Royal Waterloo House, 51-55 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TX. Tel. 020 7928 1372 www.schillerlondon.ac.uk admissions@schillerlondon.ac.uk Schiller International, Wickham Court School Layhams Road, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9HW. Tel 0208 777 2942 Fax 0208 777 4276 Wickham@schillerintschool.com www.wickhamcourt.org.uk
Wroxton College Study Abroad with Fairleigh Dickinson University, Wroxton, Nr. Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 6PX 01295 730551, www.fdu.edu admin@wroxton-college.ac.uk
ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS Alliant International University (formerly United States International University) England Chapter Alumni Association Chapter President: Eric CK Chan c/o Regents College London, Inner Circle, Regents Park, London, UK chane@regents.ac.uk, www.alliant.edu
Amherst College Bob Reichert RAreichert26b@aol.com Andover/Abbot Association of London Jeffrey Hedges ‘71, President 07968 513 631 hedgeslon@hotmail.com Association of MBAs Leo Stemp, Events Administrator Tel 020 7837 3375 (ext. 223), l.stemp@mba.org.uk Babson College Frank de Jongh Swemer, Correspondence W 020 7932 7514 babson.alumni@btinternet.com Barnard College Club Hiromi Stone, President. Tel. 0207 935 3981 barnardclubgb@yahoo.co.uk Berkeley Club of London Geoff Kertesz berkeleyclublondon@gmail.com http://international.berkeley.edu/LondonClub Facebook: www.facebook.com groups/223876564344656/ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/groups/Berkeley-ClubLondon-4186104 Boston College Alumni Club UK Craig Zematis, President +44 7717 878968 BCalumniclub@gmail.com www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/BTN/cpages/ chapters/home.jsp?chapter=41&org=BTN Boston University Alumni Association of the UK Will Straughn, Snr International Development Officer, University Development and Alumni Relations, 43 Harrington Gardens, Kensington, London SW7 4JU 020 7244 2908 020 7373 7411 bstraugh@bu.edu Brandeis Alumni Club of Great Britain Joan Bovarnick, President http://alumni.brandeis.edu office@alumni.brandeis.edu Brown University Club of the United Kingdom President: Tugba Erem. Communication: Patrick Attie Alumni Club & Liaison: Vanessa Van Hoof Brown Club UK, Box 57100, London, EC1P 1RB contact@brownuk.org www.brownuk.org Bryn Mawr Club Lady Quinton, President. Wendy Tiffin, Secretary/Treasurer, 52 Lansdowne Gardens, London SW8 2EF wendytif@ukgateway.net Claremont Colleges Alumni in London Hadley Beeman hadley_beeman@alumni.cmc.edu Colgate Club of London Stephen W Solomon ‘76, President 0207 349 0738 swsolomon@hotmail.com
September 2014 59
The American
Columbia Business School Alumni Club of London 6 Petersham Mews, London SW7 5NR www.cbsclublondon.org londonadmin@gsb.columbia.edu Columbia University Club of London Stephen Jansen, President london@alumniclubs.columbia.edu www.alumniclubs.columbia.edu/london Cornell Club of London Natalie Teich, President nmt4@cornell.edu www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs/int/London Dartmouth College Club of London sandra.blacker@outlook.com alumni.dartmouth.edu www.dartmouth.org Delta Kappa Gamma Society International President: Diana Bell dbell_is@yahoo.co.ukwww.dkggb.org.uk Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity London Alumni Chapter. Ashok Arora, P O Box 1110, London W3 7ZB 020 8423 8231 bertela@yahoo.com www.dspnet.org Delta Zeta International Sorority Alumna Club Mrs Sunny Eades, The Old Hall, Mavesyn Ridware, Nr. Rugeley, Staffordshire, WSI5 3QE. 01543 490 312 SunnyEades@aol.com Duke University Club of England Ms Robin Buck buckrobin@yahoo.com Tim Warmath timwarmath@yahoo.com Kate Bennett jkbennett@btinternet.com www.dukealumni.com/england Emory University Alumni Chapter of the UK Matthew Williams, Chapter Leader 079 8451 4119 matthew.eric.williams@gmail.com www.alumni.emory.edu/chapters-and-groups/ chapters/international.html Georgetown Alumni Club Alexa Fernandez, President GeorgetownLondon@Yahoo.com Gettysburg College Britt-Karin Oliver brittkarin@aol.com Harvard Business School Club of London www.hbsa.org.uk Harvard Club of the United Kingdom Brandon Bradkin, President president@hcuk.org Verity Langley, Membership vll@me.com www.hcuk.org Indiana University Alumni club of England Anastasia Tonello, President 020 7253 4855 iuinlondon@yahoo.com www.alumni.indiana.edu/clubs/england
60 September 2014
KKG London Alumnae Association emilymerrell@gmail.com LMU Alumni Club London (Loyola Marymount University) Kent Jancarik 07795 358 681 kent@jancarik.com Marymount University Alumni UK Chapter President: Mrs Suzanne Tapley, 35 Park Mansions, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7QT. 020 7581 3742 MIT Club of Great Britain Yiting Shen, Flat 8a, 36 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6PB 0789 179 3823 yshen@alum.mit.edu http://alumweb.mit.edu/clubs/uk/ Mount Holyoke Club of Britain Rachel L. Elwes, President rlelwes@yahoo.com Karen K. Bullivant Vice-President kkbullivant@alumnae.mtholyoke.edu www.mtholyoke.co.uk
Details changed? Let us know email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk
Notre Dame Club of London Hannah Gornik, Secretary: ND_Club_London@yahoo.co.uk NYU Alumni Club in London Jodi Ekelchik, President alumni.london@nyu.edu NYU STERN UK Alumni Club Matthieu Gervis, President sternukalumniclub@hotmail.com Ohio University UK & Ireland Frank Madden, 1 Riverway, Barry Avenue, Windsor, Berks. SL4 5JA. Tel 01753 855 360 frank@madant.demon.co.uk Penn Alumni Club of the UK David Lapter 07957 146 470 david.lapter@alumni.upenn.edu Penn State Alumni Association Penn State Alumni Association Ron Nowicki 0207 226 7681 pennstatelondon@yahoo.co.uk www.alumni.psu.edu The London Association of Phi Beta Kappa Lydia Dye-Stonebridge phibetakappalondon@gmail.com ww.linkedin.com/groups?gid=5117368 @phibetakappaldn www.pbkldn.org
Princeton Association (UK) Carol Rahn, President Jon Reades, Young Alumni carol.rahn@orange-ftgroup.com jon@reades.com www.alumni.princeton.edu Rice Alumni of London Kathy Wang 07912 560 177 kathyw@alumni.rice.edu Skidmore College Alumni Club, London Peggy Holden Briggs ‘84, co-ordinator 07817 203611 peggyhbriggs@gmail.com Smith College Club of London Kathleen Merrill, President smithclubgb@googlemail.com http://alumnae.smith.edu Stanford Business School Alumni Association (UK Chapter) Robby Arnold, President, robby@blueyonder.co.uk Lesley Anne Hunt, Events, lesley.hunt@blueyonder.co.uk www.stanfordalumni.org.uk Syracuse University Alumni UK Faraday House, 48-51 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AE SUalumniUK@syr.edu www.facebook.com/SUalumniUK Texas Tech Alumni Association - London Chapter David Mirmelli, Ferhat Guven, Bobby Brents president@texastechalumni.org.uk www.TexasTechAlumni.org.uk Texas Exes UK (UKTE) President: Carra Kane 7 Edith Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 8TW 0778 660 7534 carrakane@alumni.utexas.net www.fornogoodreason.com/UKTEMain.htm Texas A&M Club London Co-Presidents Ashley Lilly, Devin Howard london@aggienetwork.com http://clubs.aggienetwork.com/londonamc/ The John Adams Society Contact: Muddassar Ahmed c/o Unitas Communications, Palmerston House, 80-86 Old Street, London EC1V 9AZ 0203 308 2358 johnadamssociety@unitascommunications.com www.johnadamssociety.co.uk Tufts - London Tufts Alliance Vikki Garth Londontuftsalliance@yahoo.com UK Dawgs of the University of Georgia Rangana Abdulla ukdawgs@hotmail.com
The American
UConn Alumni Association ucaa@uconnalumni.com UMass Alumni Club UK Julie Encarnacao, President (0)20 7007 3869 julesje32@gmail.com University of California Matthew Daines (Program Director) 17 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3JA 020 7079 0567 matthewdaines@californiahouse.org.uk University of Chicago UK Alumni Association c/o Alumni Affairs and Development – Europe, University of Chicago Booth School of Business Woolgate Exchange, 25 Basinghall Street, London EC2V 5HA +44(0)20 7070 2245 www.ChicagoBooth.edu University of Georgia Alumni Association Neal Johnson, President 07919 057 538 nealjohnsonuk@yahoo.com www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni/index.php/site/ chapters/london_chapter University of Illinois Alumni Club of the UK Amy Barklam, President 07796 193 466 amybarklam@msn.com University of North Carolina Alumni Club Brad Matthews, Club Leader 2 The Orchards, Hill View Road, Woking GU22 7LS brad.matthews@alumni.unc.edu http://alumni.unc.edu University of Michigan Alumni Association Regional Contact: Jessica Cobb, BA ’97 +44 (0) 788-784-0941 jesscobb@yahoo.com http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/umich_uk_alumni/ University of Rochester/Simon School UK Alumni Association Ms. Julie Bonne, Co-President 0118-956-5052 julie_bonne@yahoo.com University of Southern California, Alumni Club of London Jennifer Ladwig, President, Chuck Cramer, Treasurer usclondon@gmail.com www.usclondonalumni.org University of Virginia Alumni Club of London Kirsten Jellard 020 7368 8473 londonuvaclub@yahoo.com http://members.aol.com/UKUVACLUB/UVA-london.htm US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) UK Chapter President: Allison Bennett bennett.ac@gmail.com Facebook: Kings Point Alumni - London/United Kingdom
USNA Alumni Association, UK Chapter President: LCDR Greta Densham ‘00 (gretaj@mac.com) Vice President: Tim Fox ‘97 (timfox97@hotmail.com) Secretary: Mike Smith ‘84 (Mike.Smith@polycom.com) Facebook Group - USNA Alumni Association, UK Chapter Vassar College Club Sara Hebblethwaite, President 18 Redgrave Road, London, SW15 1PX +44 020 8788 6910, sara.hebblethwaite@virgin.net Warnborough Worldwide Alumni Association c/o International Office, Friars House, London SE1 8HB Tel. 020 7922 1200 Fax. 020 7922 1201 www.wwaa.info admin@warnborough.edu Washington University UK Alumni Club Steven Leof, steven@leof.co.uk alumni.wustl.edu/Community/Pages/London.aspx www.facebook.com/groups/WUSTLLondon Wellesley College Club Farida El-Gammal ‘98, President www.wellesley.edu/alumnae/groups/clubs/intlclubs/ wellesley_uk_club WCLondon@alum.wellesley.edu Wharton Alumni Club of the UK Gina Mok, Pres., yi.mok.wh00@wharton.upenn.edu Yoav Kurtzbard, ykurtzbard@youngassoc.com 020-7447-8800 www.whartonclubuk.net Williams Club of Great Britain Ethan Kline: ethankline@gmail.com
Running something we should know about?
email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk Yale Club of London Joe Vittoria, President, president@yale.org.uk Scott Fletcher, Events, events@yale.org.uk Nick Baskey, Secretary secretary@yale.org.uk www.yale.org.uk Zeta Tau Alpha Alumnae Kristin Morgan. Tel: 07812 580949 kristinamorgan@gmail.com www.zetataualpha.org
CIVIL WAR SOCIETIES American Civil War Round Table (UK) Sandra Bishop, 5 Southdale, Chigwell, Essex IG7 5NN sandra-bishop@hotmail.com www.americancivilwar.org.uk Southern Skirmish Association (SoSkan) Membership Secretary, Bob Isaac, 3 Hilliards Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3TA membership@soskan.co.uk www.soskan.co.uk
ARTS American Actors UK Administrator: Kelly Harris, 07873 371 891 www.americanactorsuk.com
SPORTS English Lacrosse PO Box 116, Manchester M11 0AX 0843 658 5006 info@englishlacrosse.co.uk www.englishlacrosse.co.uk British Baseball Federation/ BaseballSoftballUK 5th Floor, Ariel House, 74a Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QJ. 020 7453 7055 www.britishbaseball.org British Morgan Horse Society 01942 886141 admin@morganhorse.org.uk www.morganhorse.org.uk Eagles Golf Society Sharon Croley c/o Eventful Services, 49 Hastings Road, Croydon, Surrey CRO 6PH sharoncroley@blueyonder.co.uk Ice Hockey UK 19 Heather Avenue, Rise Park, Romford RM1 4SL Tel. 07917 194 264 Fax. 01708 725241 www.icehockeyuk.co.uk ihukoffice@yahoo.co.uk Infinity Elite Cheerleading (founded by CAC) 077 9132 0115 http://londoninfinityelite.clubbz.com www.facebook.com/InfinityAllstars Herts Baseball Club Adult & Little League Baseball www.hertsbaseball.com Lakenheath Barracudas Swim Club Open to all military affiliated families. Charlie Midthun, Pres., laken.barracudas@yahoo.com; Head Coach, Dean Reed, smurfathome@earthlink.net www.barracudas.moonfruit.com LondonSports Instruction & competitive play in American flag football, baseball, basketball and soccer, boys/girls aged 4-15, newcomers or experienced players. Sports in a safe, fun environment for children of all nationalities. www.londonsports.com vll@me.com London Warriors American Football Club Kevin LoPrimo info@londonwarriorsafc.co.uk www.londonwarriorsafc.co.uk
We rely on you to keep us informed. Every effort is made to ensure that these listings are correct but if your entry requires amendments please tell us. Send profiles, news or articles about your organization for possible publication in The American. email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk, tel +44(0)1747 830520, fax +44(0)1747 830691
September 2014 61
The American
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ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES Stephen T Taylor Your American stamp dealer in Britain since 1995. 5 Glenbuck Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS 020 8390 9357 info@stephentaylor.co.uk www.stephentaylor.co.uk
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US-licensed immigration lawyers advising on US citizenship, green cards, visa and US entry issues. Honest, straightforward advice and a high level of bespoke service. Third Floor, 6 & 7 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8AD UK +44 (0)20 7092 6830 US +1 (312) 361-0581 Janice@usvisasolutions.co.uk www.usvisasolutions.co.uk Twitter: FlynnUSVisaLaw
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1.Washington Dulles International Airport; 2. Massachusetts, at 10,555 sq miles, compared to Wales, at 8,024 sq miles; 3. Pocahontas; 4. Theodore Roosevelt; 5. Director-General of the American Relief Administration in Europe (organizing food shipments for millions of starving people in Central Europe; 6. c) Robert Frost; 7. The Kodak Theatre; 8. True, his birth name was Michael John Douglas; 9. Arsenal; 10. London Lions; 11.The Medal of Freedom; 12.RMS Titanic; 13. The Star Spangled Banner.
September 2014 63
The American
The American’s expatriate canine UK correspondent gets funky
“Get the London Look”
Camden Market Camden Town, NW1
www.camdenlock.net O Camden Town, Chalk Farm Buses: 24, 27, 31, 168, 393, 274, C2, 46 Camden Market is the biggest second-hand clothing market in
64 September 2014
PHOTO © KATRINA LESKANICH
the UK. It specialises in clothing from the ’50s to the ’80s and contemporary street fashion, but you can also find handmade clothes and jewellery and new clothing made from original vintage patterns. It’s a mix of shops and stalls selling everything from dog tiaras and fetish wear to kaftans and ethnic clothing and from a Polish sausage to a Chinese buffet.
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The American isn’t an email or web-only. It’s a real magazine that you can pick up at Offices and apartments across The City and Canary Wharf US Embassy, London & Consulates First and Business Class clubs & lounges at Heathrow Hotels around the UK The American Museum in Britain (nr Bath) Rileys Sports Bar Hippodrome Casino All the organizations listed in back of this magazine USAF bases see www.theamerican.co.uk for a full list.