Comments on: There’s no place like home

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:23:31 +0000

mushy peas, duck eggs and very sharp cheese.. and I was just a visitor.

By: GrahameD

GrahameD — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:44:04 +0000

Hit the nail on the head with this one, Dylan.

Happy Crimbo, all.

By: RoG

RoG — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:42:21 +0000

How true.
One of the first things I missed when I left the UK was Tesco. But here’s the irony: I NEVER once shopped in Tesco when I lived in London. (Not as an adult, my mum did shop there when I was a kid). I hated the idea that one in every eight British pounds is spent in one supermarket and I was contributing to recreating another evil UK-based Wal-Mart. But Manhattan’s expensive and lousy ‘grocery stores’ left me crying out for a Tesco Xtra or Sainsbury’s Local or whatever they’re called.
As for M&S? I absolutely hated M&S as a child and thoroughly enjoyed their difficult period of dwindling sales and shrinking profits through the mid-90s to early 2000s…but on a recent visit to London, I only went into one food store and revisited it at Heathrow’s Terminal 5….just in time for the excellent mince pies, ooh.

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:01:19 +0000

What is it about biscuits? I don’t eat them much generally in any country, but everytime I’m back in Australia I rush out and buy packets of the damn things (iced vo-voes and tim-tams anyone?) because… well, just because I can.

By: Apsidal

Apsidal — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:58:24 +0000

What I miss – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – is High Streets. I love knowing what shop I should go to and knowing that it will be there. I love being in a shopping environment where virtually every shop is relevant to my life (as opposed to North American malls where every store only has relevance if you are living some weird, nebulous life…or are a woman). I miss charity shops and Boots and WH Smith. And M&S – where are you when I need you. I don’t miss Woolies, so that’s all right. In my High St back home, there is a choice of Costa, Cafe Republic, Caffe Nero and a couple of independents. Here there’s Starbucks on every level.

By: Milo

Milo — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:48:43 +0000

Is always interesting to read about it in others. I lived in the US (as a student) and also Japan (as my first job) and it’s always the same. Us British love nothing more than to moan incessantly when we’re on our own shores, but take us off our island and we pine for the motherland and all that goes with it.

Is an interesting phenomenon.

By: Expat Mum

Expat Mum — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:47:07 +0000

Oh, no, you didn’t? Etc.
But listen, if an American had said s/he had “won the lottery of life” being born in the USA (Hey, that’s a catchy title) we’d all be hurling into the nearest bin wouldn’t we? How come?

By: Silverback

Silverback — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:00:03 +0000

I’m sure hearing a shout of “he’s behind you” is the last thing you want on the NY subway.

“Oh yes it is………….”

I’m 3 months into my 6 month winter trip here and don’t miss much in the food line…..well maybe jaffa cakes if I’m pushed. Oh and decent fish and chips, and maybe jammie dodgers – ok need to stop this now.

But I agree with you on the instant patriotism thing though. I don’t normally ‘have it’ but when someone here so much as utters a Brit put down, I’m out with my lance and getting on my high horse…..neither of which are easy to store in Florida, I can tell you.

If I don’t say it any other time, I wish you a very Happy Christmas and thank you once again for your informative, amusing and most enjoyable blog.