Off to the French Riviera!

Eric and I are so excited - we leave today for three days and three nights in Nice, France while my parents watch Brooks here in London. This is our first trip just the two of us without Brooks since he was born almost two years ago, and we are so looking forward to traveling light, sleeping in, and visiting restaurants that don't have high chairs!

Mom and Dad arrived a couple of days ago, and have already adjusted to jet lag and learned the neighborhood as well as all of Brooks's routines (and sneaky tricks!) so he'll be in very good hands. I know that I'll miss him like crazy, but before he was born, we swore to ourselves that we would do this kind of trip sometimes. So, in honor of our 5th anniversary later in the month, off we go for a baby-free weekend.

We're back on Sunday and then off again for adventures with Brooks and my folks... August is a fun month! :)

Ladies Day at Ascot

Walking several blocks to the Tube at 9:30 am all decked out in formal day wear with hat was an experience I will not soon forget. In my life I have rarely felt like a celebrity (my wedding day being one notable exception), but that morning, I did! Loads of people on the sidewalks did double-takes, the construction workers paused to smile while I passed by, one woman excitedly interrupted her friends' conversation to point me out as I approached their group, someone actually took a picture of me while I was standing on the Tube platform! Ha! It was hysterical. By the time I got to Waterloo Station, I was relieved to find others dressed as I was... It felt like arriving at a Halloween party by yourself, and momentarily wondering if anyone else was going to get into it to the same level you did!

I quickly found my friend, Becky, and we got tickets, coffee and headed to the train. EVERYONE on our platform was decked out in all sorts of finery. The men in the top hats and morning coats were the best! The train was packed. The champagne corks started popping just as soon as we began to move. There were a few men sitting across the aisle who weren't on their way to Ascot and they were making fun of all of us... until some very young and extremely pretty women saddled up to them and conned them into relinquishing their seats. Funny to see them change their tune so fast.

We arrived in Ascot and followed the signs and the crowd up the hill to the Racecourse entrance. The weather that day was just perfect, sunny and breezy and cool-ish. The track and grounds are really beautiful and, covered with happy people dressed for the event, the air seemed to shimmer with excitement, even well before the Queen's arrival.


We got our barrings, realized we had no idea how (or on whom) to bet and decided that lunch was more important. After partaking in a casual picnic and a Pimm's Cup (sort of a British sangria with less alcohol), we made our way back to the Parade Ring to find a spot to watch the Royal Procession's arrival.



We had a great opportunity to people watch and fashion patrol while we enjoyed the sunshine and breeze and awaited the Queen's arrival. The band entertained us with everything from the classics to the Star Wars Theme Song. The jumbo-tron featured interviews with fashion critics and celeb-watchers describing the best and the brightest in attendance.


Finally, the Queen and her entourage approached and everyone clapped and cheered quite politely. (Note this is not a cropped picture. We were actually that close to her barouche!)


Here, some of the junior royals arrive... HRH Princess Eugenie is the young woman in the white feathers. Mrs. Autumn Phillips, the Queen's first grand-daughter in law, is wearing the pink hat.


After the Royal Procession, it was time for the races to begin. 70,000+ spectators all hurried to find a spot to watch the first race...


The electronic signs in the crowd below were betting stations, strategically placed so you never had to miss a moment of the action to get your final bets in!


The winning and top placing horses came into the Winners Circle directly after their race to be watered down and given blankets and led through a few cool down turns...


The winning horse doesn't get a flower blanket, nothing that flashy... Just a light elegant blanket with the Royal Ascot logo.


This horse had just won the Gold Cup, the premier race of the Royal Ascot week, and therefore of all the British season. As such an important distinction required, no one but the Queen herself (in blue) could award the Cup! The two owners, in pink and all those black feathers, curtsied and grinned, congratulating themselves on their third Gold Cup win in a row!


At the end of the day after all the races, the Grand Finale of the day was the "traditional sing-along" on the Lawn. I was fascinated by this (obviously! Singing involved!) and was SO glad we stayed. Wall to wall Brits, all mostly tipsy, many quite happy about their winnings, others quite happy about the beautiful day, cheering and singing their hearts out to a big brass band.


I found myself singing next to a quartet of older friendly-looking race-goers, each with a Royal Enclosure badge (their ticket to the Queen's exclusive club!) By the time we had made it through a half-dozen or so tunes together, we were chatting away like good friends. They shared their connections to Chicago (where are you from is always the first question I'm asked when I open my mouth!) and wanted to know what I thought of my first trip to Ascot. I was completely charmed by their welcoming manner and polite, what's the word... almost... hospitality? It was just delightful! We sang for the better part of an hour, and the songs included Rule Brittania, Tipperary, My Old Man, We'll Meet Again, Camptown Races, and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (can you picture it yet?!). My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean had EVERYONE joining in, as well as Side By Side. We ended with Land of Hope and Glory (to the tune we know as Pomp and Circumstance) and people were waving their little Union Jack flags like crazy. It was really charming, sort of like everyone tearfully singing the Alma Mater at the end of an Auburn win at the Iron Bowl! :) The final song was Auld Lang Syne which we think of as a New Years' Eve song, but never mind. Everyone circled up in little groups of six or eight, crossed arms and sang at the top of their lungs.


I was thrilled that we stayed til the bitter end and got to participate in the "Communal Singing." I would not have missed a moment of that for the world! I almost broke my face grinning. When the four English men and women near me said their goodbyes, I wished them all well, and one of the men hung back a moment. In the most proper, perfect manners, he said simply "God BLESS America" and dipped below the rim of my hat to give me a peck on the cheek. Very smooth, yet adorably unassuming. I felt like I was in a movie or something. It was a never-forget moment!

One final note and I'll end for now... I knew we had a bit of a hike back to the train station, back down that lovely shady lane, and I was a bit concerned that my feet were going to cooperate and take me the whole way. When we got to the top of the hill, we discovered that one of the betting companies was handling out free pairs of pink flipflops. BRILLIANT!


All of these elegantly dressed women were almost kissing the workers, and gratefully snatching up their pairs. We slipped them on and praised the marketing gurus at Toteswinger all the way down that hill for their fantastic idea. Given that we still had to wait in line at the station for a train back to London, we were grateful beyond words for this little relief for our feet! :)


What a perfectly lovely day. I can't imagine it any more fun. Come visit in June 2009 and I'll take you back with me to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot!

Dressing for Ascot, with pictures!

According to the official website, Ascot is ...

"synonymous with quality, style and excellence in providing unparalleled racing and a memorable day out. The pinnacle of the flat racing season is Royal Ascot, racing’s equivalent to the World Cup, the most famous race meeting in the world. Royal Ascot is a unique event in the summer social calendar, steeped in tradition, heritage and pageantry dating back to 1711. The jewel in Ascot’s crown, Royal Ascot attracts over 300,000 racegoers each year, to view the splendour and colour of five days of the finest racing, fashion and glamour. The quality of the horse racing at the Royal Meeting is simply outstanding. It is an essential date for your diary."

So, you get the idea. This is a big deal over here, and being "well-turned-out" for Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot is no small thing. Ladies Day is, as you might guess, historically the day that ladies head out to see and be seen. Decked out in all their finery, with lovely (and ridiculous) hats galore, I thought it sounded fantastic, and I certainly didn't want to be unsporting, or inappropriately attired.

Apparently a shocking number of various fashion crimes were committed at recent Ladies' Days, so this year, the Royal Enclosure Dress Code was listed on the official Royal Ascot website:

Her Majesty’s Representative wishes to point out that only formal day dress with a hat or substantial fascinator will be acceptable. Off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than one inch and/or mini skirts are considered unsuitable. Midriffs must be covered and trouser suits must be full length and of matching material and colour. Gentlemen are required to wear either black or grey morning dress, including a waistcoat, with a top hat. Overseas visitors are welcome to wear the formal national dress of their country or Service dress.

Clearly, they take the whole "what to wear" question very seriously. We weren't going to be in the Royal Enclosure, but I still didn't want to be {shudder} "unsuitable!" Oh, the disgrace! So, what's an American girl to do, you ask!?

Well, you shop! I spent one long afternoon going from store to store along Oxford Street (London's Michigan Ave) looking for inspiration. Lots of stores sell hats. Lots and lots of hats...


I was "spoiled for choice" (this is British for "there were a number of options") and was a bit overwhelmed by all of it, including the price tags. The most expensive one I tried on was 235 pounds - or $470. Yes. For. A. Hat. Thankfully, I bought nothing that day and the next day I had a generous offer from a friend to borrow her big beautiful black and white hat... Perfect! After pulling a few key basics and a lovely new-ish jacket from my closet, I felt ready for the races.

When we finally got to Ascot, I realized there were several different kinds of women in several categories of dress. There was the Rule-Following, "I must look Perfect" woman who looked as if a Royal Personal Shopper had dressed her. Then there was the Fashion-Forward, "I'm here to make a statement" woman who seemed to be quite thrilled that she looked ridiculous. There was the Young and Beautiful "Who cares about the Dress Code?" woman who was quite content to wear a strapless minidress with a feather in her hair and flirt across the barrier with the men from the Royal Enclosure. What a hoot!

Here are some of my "fashion" pictures from the day. Enjoy!

Everywhere we looked, people had something on their heads...


Fuchsia was this year's popular accent color.


Some used it as more than an accent....


Even the men got into the shades of pink. Note, the guy on the left IS carrying a cane - I guess that's the necessary accessory to match the top hat!


How many birds had to die in the making of this hat?


What was this woman (or her stylist) thinking?! Ric-rac and posterboard do not make the most grown-up glamour!


We called this one "Dressed to Win". She was the guest, appropriately, of one of the winning horse's owners and was photographed quite a bit in the Winners' Circle.


Becky and I LOVED this ensemble... lovely color, beautiful from the back and the front, flattering style and age-appropriate! She was even ready in case of rain with a matching umbrella. She wins my fashion Gold Cup!

The Garden Gate

THIS is how we've been spending much of our time this summer...


The garden across the street from our flat has a wonderful playground for pre-schoolers... It's got swings and a wobbly beam and a fort with a slide and a climbing wall and a rope ladder. There are picnic benches and a big shady tree and safety fences to keep little explorers from toddling onto the street. But the biggest attraction for Brooks lately has been this gate. He loves practicing "open and closed" with the latch and the door. We spend lots of time going in and out of this gate...

When I think about last summer and the fact that he wasn't even crawling, I'm amazed at the changes the last 12 months have brought!

How to sound like an American...

Yesterday evening, Brooks and I were zipping through Waitrose grocery store, picking up a few last-minute items when he started saying "wah-wah! wah-wah!" - his "hint" that he was thirsty. I unscrewed the cap on my water bottle and gave it to him to sip from and then resumed shopping. A moment later I heard "uh-oh!" and the water bottle was on the ground, spilling its contents onto the tile floor. I quickly picked it up and put it away and then motioned to a grocery-employee to alert them of the large pool of water on the floor. After a moment of trying to communicate my concern, I saw them scurry away for paper towels. I was then startled by a very tall, large black Englishman (I can't possibly say the PC African American, when he spoke with a perfect London accent) turning the corner into my aisle and laughing at me.

"It's so easy to spot the American!" said the man. "Slip hazard, my goodness. That's nothing, just a bit of water on the ground! You're not in the States, my dear. We don't sue grocery stores for tripping over here. Slip hazard... Crazy Americans!" He belly laughed as continued his shopping and made his way past me to the next aisle. I must have turned beet red, put my head down and turned the corner, embarrassed for standing out in such an "obvious way." After a few moments, I comforted myself knowing that no little old lady would slip and hurt herself after I failed to clean up the mess. Civic responsibility? I have no idea. Just another difference from home.

And speaking of differences... I have had several American friends tell me that I sound like I've been living in London for a while. I had an Englishman at Ascot tell me that I sounded like a South Londoner. This little news clip is the first bit of accent coaching I've heard explained. Perhaps this woman can help me speak in the right accent at the right time! Enjoy...

http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7509572.stm

Brooks giving his "speeches"

So, we're not really sure where this came from, but Brooks has been practicing his "speeches" for a couple of weeks now. Funny thing is - the routine is eerily similar each and every time. He always says the same combination of sounds and includes stepping down and saying "whoa" at the end. And he always laughs at himself.

WHAT is he thinking about when he does this!? Crazy kid!

Dingle Dangle Scarecrow

At Tots and Toddlers this summer, Brooks learned a new kids song. He loves the motions and still gets into the arm and head wiggle whenever I sing it to him.

He's in the yellow stripped shirt, and yes, that's him cheering at the end!

Happy 20 months!

I can't believe that Brooks was born 20 months ago. He is a complete delight and I am so glad that I get to be his momma. Several of you have asked what Brooks is up to these days, so here's a full report on the day to day goings on at our house the last few weeks.

Brooks is REALLY busy. He loves running up and down and up and down the hall and then stopping in front of the door and shouting "outside! outside!" so we will take him over to the garden. Garden fun includes going down and climbing up the slide, trying to kick his ball, playing on the wobbly beam and chasing the kids, dogs, and birds who visit the park. Back home, he still loves the washing machine - putting things in there for me to discover (before or after I start the next load) is one of his favorites. He still loves playing in his tupper ware drawer, pulling his crocs on and off, working his puzzle, and "reading" books. One morning before work, Eric overheard Brooks reading "Go, Dog, Go" to himself - "Hello, Hat? no! bye-bye!" Anyone who has read this story recently knows what pages he's reciting. He's started to enjoy stacking his blocks, scribbling on his etch-a-sketch, and driving his school bus or small cars over everything... his books, any tables and chairs he can reach, Momma's legs when she's sitting at the computer. He also loves playing "off and on" with the lights, "open and closed" with any door or drawer, and has figured out that keys have a purpose other than entertaining him! I found him one morning recently with my keys in his hand (where did you get those, little guy?) trying to stick them into the closet doorknob. It doesn't have a lock, but hey, that's the right idea! The closet is his favorite practice door, because there is room for him to hide just inside as he pulls the door closed behind him. He really enjoys jumping out and "scaring" momma with a big "BOO!" when he thinks I don't know he's there. Bath-time is still really fun. Sometimes when I'm in the bathroom, he'll run in and point to the tub and yell "bathtime!", maybe hoping that I will give him another bath before breakfast. At the end of the day, or just before nap-time we'll turn out all the lights in the house together and then have a few moments of quiet play or stories before he goes down. He loves to name all the part of our faces, and play silly games like chins and foreheads (I made this one up, he thinks it's hysterical), and read books like the Cat in the Hat, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Pigeon finds a Hot Dog, Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel. He usually turns towards his crib and says "night-night" when he's ready to hit the hay.




He's doing much better in the church nursery (Thank you, Lord!) and that makes for a much more enjoyable Sunday morning for all three of us as Eric and I can both enjoy the sermon together. Yesterday, he played with another child and his momma that we know from Tots and Toddlers, and wasn't upset at all when I came back to get him. I think he would have stayed for an hour! He still loves Tots and Toddlers. The group takes a six week summer holiday from now until September, and I think we're going to have to do our own sing-along time, just so he can practice his "Dingle Dangle Scarecrow"...

Meal-times are mostly a joy, with the occasional mess at the end. He still eats almost everything, and lots of it - fish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef, any kind of bread, rice, potatoes, tons of fruits and veggies, and drinks milk and water and a little bit of juice from a cup. Peanut butter is a favorite, both the taste and the sticky fingers. Spaghetti is another favorite - when we're eating that at home, we just strip him down to his diaper and let him have all the fun he wants. The big development lately is that I'll put a pot of yogurt down in front of him with a spoon and let him go to town. He loves yogurt so much that he's careful to assure that all of it ends up in his mouth. Now, pretty much the only thing we still feed him is soup, but he enjoys trying to spoon even that into his mouth.




By far, though, the thing that is the most fun for his parents is Brooks's expanding vocabulary. He will parrot back almost everything we say, and usually does a fairly good job with the new words. It's fun to see him try out longer combinations of sounds, and we're working on friends and family members' names before we see them. And he's retaining so much. Eric and I put together a list of his current words or short phrases, and came up with 73 things that he uses correctly without prompting. His pronunciation isn't perfect but he does get his point across. My favorite of his new words is "morning" as in "Good morning, Momma" when I come and get him out of bed before breakfast. He's such a happy little guy and I love seeing him greet the day in such a sweet way!

He still loves meeting new people, especially when we're on the Tube or bus. He regularly has complete strangers in stitches. The routine is usually lots of "hello" or "hey's", a wave, a smile, then he'll ask me for a snack (apparently he thinks that any time we're on the move, it's time to eat), say please, and then thank you when he gets it. There can often be rounds of "wheels on the bus" or another fun song (sung quietly!) as well as well-timed "bye-bye's" and waves as we left. On a bus last week, an elderly woman told me that meeting Brooks was reason enough for her to have left the house that day. It was a dear moment. More times than not, he's like a little ambassador of toddler friendliness. It cracks me up!

*** As an aside, this photo...


and the first one are from a fun night in our neighborhood several weeks ago. The Euro Cup finals were on, and we joined some friends at our pub for the game and the Sunday roast supper (our favorite - roasted lamb with mint sauce! yum yum!) Anyway, Brooks never watches TV, so we had fun watching him take in the game as a crowd of folks shouted at all the appropriate times and his momma tried to look like she knew what was going on! :) It was a really fun night.