Road signs
When you drive over here (as a Brit), all of a sudden you see signs which make you go ‘ooooh!’ and ‘wow’.
This one did just that.
Good innit?!
Off to New York!
Actually, I was off to Towson.
Brits in Baltimore
This weekend I hooked up with a British blogger and author, Emma Kaufmann, just north of Baltimore (near Towson, in fact, hence the road sign!)
Emma has been in the USA for 13 years and so many of the little things that I find amusing or confusing are now part of the Emma’s life – that’s not to say they don’t still confuse, amuse or sometimes irritate!!
What is revealing is that, like anyone from any culture, as soon as you get together you find common ground, common interests and common anecdotes to natter about.
But above all, it reminded me how different the British and American senses of humour are and how the British sense of humour is some kind of bond between Brits – almost like an unspoken wink and a nod that unites us because we get what each other are (or is that ‘is’?) saying.
How we laughed!
See Emma’s blog at http://mommyhasaheadache.blogspot.com/
Emma and I met at Ryan’s Daughter pub, and very nice it was too 🙂
What a gay day!
This weekend I also hung out with some lovely gay chaps from Baltimore and Columbia, who introduced me to all sorts of things I can’t possibly repeat on my blog 😉
Bottoms up!
Above all it confirmed to me that a suburb like Columbia does not have a gay scene as such, and if I’m after the trendy, camp gay scene I need to head to DC.
I’ll be heading here sometime soon…. http://www.ziegfelds.com/
My make up never looks like that
Amazing Annapolis
I adore Annapolis, I think I’ve said it before.
Today there was a pub crawl round the town, and people were obliged to dress up in whatever they fancied and do some kind of treasure hunt, which is just an ace way to go from pub to pub.
I captured as many of these marvellous costumes for your delectation.
That man has a unicorn’s thing on his head, in case you were wondering….
Pirates had to be there
Aussies rocked it
These people are not in costume – they are real Naval officers (tho I did congratulate them on their efforts)
Like it!
Maybe he could get a job at Ziegfelds….
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding gals
Top prize to the Star Wars crew 🙂
Man vs Food!!!
In Annapolis there is an unassuming chicken restaurant called ‘Chick and Ruth’s Delly’ (yes, that is Delly – not deli).
‘This is a Man vs Food restaurant!’ declared a friend.
‘Ooh, this is exciting’, I thought and took a picture:
The Man vs Food poster
If you are not familiar with Man vs Food, it’s basically a TV programme about a crazy dude who goes to restaurants and eats like buckets of ice-cream or the biggest pizzas ever or the hottest chillis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_v._Food
So there I am admiring the above image (he had a massive milkshake and colossal sandwich I gather) and out pops Chick from Chick and Ruth’s Delly and declares that MARTIN O’MALLEY is in town (I think that’s what he said – it might be that he had been in town or was simply heading out of town or once came to town). Anyway, upon hearing his name I squealed loudly with girly delight.
If you have been in touch with this blog for a while, you will know that I have the hots for Maryland’s rock star Governor and would totally like to stalk him (FYI, FBI or whoever – that is a joke 🙂 )(https://ukdesperatehousewifeusa.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/desperate-english-housewife-in-washington-chapter-73/):
Oh Martin, you are saucy!
And with that image, I bid you adieu!
ukdesperatehousewifeusa 
I was in Annapolis today, too! I saw all of those costumes – thanks for figuring out what they were for! We were very confused!
🙂 Love your Xitomate write up!!
Thanks for the amazing info Claire. I feel I’m there with you. Awesome! x
🙂
1) I feel world famous now that I’ve been included in photo on your blog!
2) I want to dress up like a pirate!
3) I once saw O’Malley jogging shirtless in Annapolis and nearly dropped my Starbucks cup on myself. It was quite a wonderful sight! I also have a crush on him…:-)
4) Thank you so much for coming to happy hour or hourS on Friday!!! You made the conversation so much fun!
All the other stuff I learnt at your party can be added in to another blog….!
Whoa! I didn’t realise Martin looks that good. I thought he was handsome but have never seen his bod. What a hottie!
I wonder why they spell it “Delly?” Will have to investigate.
I love Annapolis too, such a cute town – and once you drive to NYC yourself you’ll realize how close we really are. It’s exciting, we make the drive in about 3 1/2 hours.
The places to drive to bucket list is expanding!!
Isn’t Martin lush?!!!! We need to start up an appreciation society!
It’s why I prefer the East Coast – so much to see and do with great history.
Sheesh! I just spelled ‘realize’ two different ways in one comment. Ha- too much Anglophilia- I forget where I am.
You said ‘sheesh’ tho! That’s v American, isn’t it?!
Yes it is.
Respect to the Aussie in the knee brace who is on a pub crawl with no regard for his own body and what may befall it 😉
He was very merry!!!
Road signs in the UK may not have the same glamour, but some of them would grab the attention of a visiting American, I bet. I saw one on the M25 motorway just after leaving Heathrow: “Cats eyes removed next 5 miles”. That might need explaining…
Certainly would! Excellent!!! 🙂
While we don’t have a “scene” in the truest sense of the word, there are plenty of us gays here in Columbia. You just have to know where to look! Friday nights at Pure Wine in Ellicott City might as well be “gay night”, as we pretty much take over the place. Also, PW’s in Laurel is the local Gay bar.
Well I will see you there!!! Thanks 🙂
You should come hang out one night. We are totes a good time! That, and I feel as though I need an “authentic” English friend. The Brits are the new, “must have” accessory this season. 🙂
I am all up for being an accessory!