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~ a romance with art and all things British

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Monthly Archives: March 2013

T.C.K. The Culture Gap

20 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by pat in Bath, England, London, Travel, Uncategorized

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culture, T.C.K.

“Third Culture Kids” is a term used to describe kids who have spent their development years outside their parents’ culture…often they have lived in several countries as they have grown up, and never quite feel part of any one culture. When asked “Where are you from?”, they often hesitate while they contemplate the answer.

Liverpool Street Station, London. Photo by me

Liverpool Street Station, London. Photo by me

Home is where the heart is—and these children often grow up traveling and living in many different places.  So their “roots” tend to be people, not places.

The train station in Bath, England. photo by me

The train station in Bath, England. photo by me

I can understand this.  I spent my formative years on Long Island and most of my “career” years as a graphic designer going between Washington DC and New York City in the United States. But as I matured, I traveled further and further away from my home shores.

The Chrysler Building, NYC.  Is this home? Photo by me.

The Chrysler Building, NYC. Is this home? Photo by me.

By the time I met My Beloved Brit, I felt comfortable with experiencing cultures in many foreign countries, so when we decided to move lock stock and barrel to the Caribbean (although still technically American–St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands) for 8 years, it was not nearly as scary as it might sound.

Home in the caribbean on distant shores. Photo by me

Home in the Caribbean, on the distant shores of St. John.

Now, although comfortable back in the US, we do experience wanderlust and never know where we might land in the future.

The Lake District, Grasmere, England.  Photo by me.

The Lake District, Grasmere, England. Photo by me.

Thank goodness for Facebook, Twitter and Skype.  We have friends and family as far away as Australia, Portugal and The Philippines, and I can’t imagine what our phone bill would be without these forms of cheap global communication.

Pont Alexandre Bridge, Paris. Photo by me

Pont Alexandre Bridge, Paris. Photo by me

The world is our home, and like the T.C.K. kids, our home is where our friends and families are, wherever that might be.

 

The Pub

12 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by pat in Cornwall, England, entertainment, Food, Music, Uncategorized

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Tags

a pint, beer gardens, chips British, fish and chips, pubs

On a windy, rainy, March day, there might be nothing better than a visit to an English pub. It can warm you up and cheer the day.

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A pub in Charlestown, Cornwall. Photo by me

Most likely there is a fire in a corner of the room somewhere…at the very least, a heated discussion at the bar about the latest football match (our soccer).

A country pub in Castle Combe. Photo by me

A country pub in Castle Combe. Photo by me

A pub is one of my favorite places to eat.  They usually have a huge menu with lots of choices, both healthy and otherwise, and if nothing else, I can get a warm jacket potato (baked potato) with baked beans and cole slaw.  These pubs are cozy and usually “Cheap and Cheerful”, as the British say…a social gathering place as well as a place to eat or grab a drink.

The "High" Street in Burnham has several pubs up and down.  Many have their favorite, or "local". Photo by me

The “High” Street in Burnham has several pubs up and down. Many Brits have their particular favorites, or “local”. Photo by me

And there is almost always someone you know if it’s your “local”. Rather like Cheers, UK style.

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Southwold is a brewery town (Adnams Brewery-we did the tour), and has many, many pubs at the edge of the sea in eastern England. Photo by me.

I remember growing up in New York and there was an American version of the English pub in every town, or town center.

The pub at the Broadway Hotel in the Cotswolds...a modern twist on a classic Inn. Photo by me

The pub at the Broadway Hotel in the Cotswolds…a modern twist on a classic Inn. Photo by me

The front room would have the bar and most likely a dart board.  The back — the family dining room, often with great inexpensive Italian food.

A pub in Bath, with a great restaurant upstairs. Photo by me

A city pub in Bath,England with a great restaurant upstairs. Photo by me

It’s much the same in England, although the front room bar serves the pint of beer warm, the dining/family area most likely serves fish and chips and gammon (ham) and chips (fries), and there almost alway is a karaoke night.

A friendly pub lunch stop while touring Norfolk area of England between country estate house tours. Photo by me.

A friendly pub lunch stop we made while touring Norfolk area of England between country estate house tours. Photo by me.

If weather permits, there is also usually a beer garden with tables and space for the children to run around.

There is usually space outside to sit.  We are always amazed to see people outside on a chilly grey day. Photo by me

There is usually space outside to sit.  Hunstanton, Norfolk, England. Photo by me

We are always amazed to see people outside on a chilly grey day sitting in the garden.

A pub on the water in Fowey, Cornwall with great fish and chips. Photo by me

A pub on the water in Fowey, Cornwall with great fish and chips. And mushy peas! Photo by me

One pub I remember even had a room upstairs with a bouncy castle.  This definitely is a family affair in England.

A pub in the Lake District on our way to Scotland.  Photo by me

A pub in the Lake District on our way to Scotland. Photo by me

The interesting thing is that the social dynamics are very similar to what I remember from New York.

In Essex, our last stop to meet friends before heading to Heathrow. Photo by me

In Essex, our last stop to meet friends before heading to Heathrow. Photo by me

One night sitting in a pub waiting for dinner to come with My Beloved Brit and cousins in Cornwall on the Southwest coast, we watched as the ladies came in and stood at one end of the room, and the men came in and stood at the other.

The White Hart in Burnham. A popular place to meet. Photo by me

The White Hart in Burnham. A popular place to meet. Photo by me

By the time we finished dinner, and a few pints later, the two sides had begun to talk to each other, and it might just prove to be an eventful night.

A London pub at Happy Hour. Photo by me

A London pub at Happy Hour. Photo by me

Of course we elders were gone way too early to really see all the excitement.  When the music started, it was time to make our exit.

Why travel abroad?

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized

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Joshua Tree, New York City, Paris

Many Americans do not have a passport, which is unimaginable to me. Statistics estimate only about 30% of Americans have passports.

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Grand Central Terminal, New York City. Photo by me.

When My Beloved Brit first came to America to be with me, he was stunned by how large this country really is. One long drive from Washington, DC to Maine and he had a much better understanding of why so many Americans never leave home.

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My Beloved Brit in Maine. Photo by me.

You want palm trees, we’ve got Hawaii, or Florida–from St. Augustine to Key West.

A cruise ship departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Photo by me.

A cruise ship departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Photo by me.

Big cities? Of course. On both coasts, and top and bottom.

Times Square, New York City. Photo by me

Times Square, New York City. Photo by me

The metro in LA, California. Photo by me

The metro in LA, California. Photo by me

Mountains?  Try out west or the gentler slopes of Vermont.

Driving cross country, we understood what they meant by "big sky country". Photo by me

Driving cross-country, we understood what they meant by “big sky country”. Photo by me

MBB at Yosemite, and yes, he is hating the cold.  Photo by me.

MBB at Yosemite, and yes, he is hating the cold. Photo by me.

Dessert…yup.

Joshua Tree...the dessert in the snow. Photo by me.

Joshua Tree near Palm Springs…the dessert in the snow. Photo by me.

Crossing western Texas. Photo by me.

Crossing western Texas. Photo by me.

Oceans…two of them.

The Atlantic on the east coast. Photo by me.

The Atlantic on the east coast. Photo by me.

 

And lots of bays.

My Beloved Brit looking towards San Francisco on the west coast. Photo by me

My Beloved Brit looking towards San Francisco on the west coast. Photo by me

 

Green lanes, quaint villages and lush gardens…New England was named that because it must have reminded the settlers of home.

A quiet stroll in Bath, England.  You could easily find a similar scene in New England in America.

A quiet stroll in Bath, England. You could easily find a similar scene in New England in America.

We do love exploring these great United States, but there is something totally astounding about going to a new land where the currency, the language (and being married to MBB, I am convinced American and British are two different forms of English), the food, and the customs are, well, foreign.

A cafe in Paris with this architecture is unique to the city.

A cafe in Paris under these ancient columns is so “Parisian”.

I love escaping from my own comfortable cocoon and going to a world where nothing is quite so familiar.

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Versailles in early spring. Photo by me.

And of course, that is what I do with my art.  

Me at Capa Rocha. Portugal

Me at Capa Rocha. Portugal

And one of the many "Wave" paintings that came from this journey. painting by me.

And one of the many “Wave” paintings that came from this journey. painting by me.

 

But you must already know that if you read this blog.

(For information on the creativity workshop “The Creative Journey: finding inspiration in travel for the visual artist”, click on “workshop” at the top of this page.)

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