Posted on May 6, 2008 by 
In the previous post, we took a look at the two most powerful people in British culture. The list that The Telegraph presented actually contains a hundred people! Now let us take a look at some of the more popular names in this list (popular in terms of the rest of the world, that is).
Helena Bonham Carter, 41, actress. Her breakthrough role in the 1985 film Room with a View led to a phase of typecasting. After reinventing herself in Fight Club, she has become the staple muse of her boyfriend-director Tim Burton.
She takes the 99th place – barely made it but she’s still there!
Keira Knightley, 23, actress. Love her or loathe her, Knightley’s Hollywood roles have cemented her leading-lady status and made her one of Britain’s most coveted young actresses.
Keira takes the 87th place.
Sir Ian McKellen, 68, actor. The sexagenarian has embraced popular culture of late, taking on the role of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, parts in the X-Men trilogy, The Da Vinci Code and even Coronation Street. Knighted in 1991, he has played a number of memorable Shakespearean roles including Romeo, Macbeth and Iago.
He has the 45th place.
Daniel Craig, 40, actor. Shot to fame in 1996 in the landmark BBC drama Our Friends in the North and initially concentrated on stage and art house film roles. Reluctant at first to take on the role of James Bond, he’s now the face of an iconic global brand. Has said: ‘I always wanted to be an actor. I had the arrogance to believe I couldn’t be anything else.’
The latest James Bond takes the 29th place.
In every country, there are those who are considered the most influential. The UK is no exception. Early in April, The Telegraph released a list of the 100 Most Powerful People in British Culture. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Nicholas Hytner gets the top spot. For those who are not familiar with the name, he is the artistic director of the National Theatre. The Telegraph talks about his success:
Prior to becoming, in 2003, the National’s fifth artistic director, Hytner notched up an eclectic series of hits for stage and film which included Measure for Measure, Miss Saigon, The Madness of King George on both stage and film, Carousel, Orpheus Descending and the big screen adaptation of The Crucible.
Indeed, the man behind these big hits is one of the most powerful movers in the world of British culture.
Sir Nicholas Serota takes the second spot. He is the director of Tate Gallery. His greatest achievement? The Telegraph shares:
Serota’s greatest achievement is undoubtedly Tate Modern, which opened in 2000 and is now the world’s most-visited museum of modern and contemporary art. The ambitious Serota is currently raising money for a Herzog and de Meuron- designed extension to the gallery (TM2) which he hopes will open before the London Olympics in 2012. His ability to raise huge sums of money from the private sector makes him a favourite with cash-conscious politicians of all parties.
Is it just me or do people with Nicholas as the first name seem to be more successful than others? Perhaps it’s just me but there is no doubt that these two people are individuals to look up to.
Guy who what? Strangers to British culture might very well have that reaction – I know a couple who said exactly that. Well, Guy Fawkes Night is a night of celebration traditional to the United Kingdom. It is also called Bonfire Night, Cracker Night, and Fireworks Night – more common terms used for the same event, actually.
Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated annually on the night of November 5 and is done so because of an even that occurred on the same day in 1605. On this evening, Guy Fawkes and a group of Roman Catholic conspirators carried out an attempt to bomb the House of Parliament in London. The attempt was dubbed the Gunpowder Plot and was subsequently quelled.
Though Guy Fawkes Night is primarily celebrated in the UK, previous colonies also hold their own versions of the celebration. These countries include Canada, New Zealand, British Caribbean, and Australia.
In the UK, people across the country hold celebrations both as public and private occasions. The highlight of the celebrations is to set off fireworks and build bon fires wherein “guys” are burnt. The guys are supposed to be effigies of Guy Fawkes and his group of men.
There are also certain dishes that are served on this night. These include bon fire toffee, parkin, toffee apples, baked potatoes, and black peas with vinegar.
Different areas have their own different versions of celebrating Guy Fawkes Night but the common theme is to have a night of revelry across the country.
Stonehenge is probably one of the most recognised sites in the world. Once people see a picture of Stonehenge, the image probably rings a bell even if they might not know exactly what it is. As a matter of fact, Stonehenge is a monument that dates back to prehistoric times. It can be found on Wiltshire in England.
Based on Wikipedia’s description, Stonehenge is:
one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Archaeologists believe that the standing stones were erected around 2200 BC and the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury henge monument, and it is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.
The current structure than can be found on the site has actually been renovated several times already. It was first examined in 1666 but the first major restoration was carried out only in 1901. This was done by William Gowland. About 2 decades later, in 1920, William Hawley carried out another restoration. In 1958, another restoration was done and the last one was in 1963. Since then, no more restorations were tried but many excavations have been carried out.
To date, Stonehenge remains one of the most popular tourist sites in the area.
Music lovers are sure to find the Glastonbury Festival something to look forward to. The UK has long been known to be home to some of the world’s best musical acts. Whether they are groups (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Oasis) or individuals (Sir Elton John, Amy Winehouse), the British is no doubt quite excellent in the musical arena.
This June, music enthusiasts should head on over to the Worthy Farm at Somerset outside of Glastonbury. Every year for the last 30 years, the Glastonbury Festival has been held in this area, making it into a modern day Woodstock of sorts.
Ferne Arfin describes the Glastobury Festival:
This 30-year old festival is a bit like an English Woodstock with cherries on top. There’s a famous Pyramid Stage, smaller venues, camping, food, a kids Glastonbury and every kind of music imaginable. There are at least seven main stages, circus tent and theatre and loads of Greenfield activities. The weather usually turns it into a huge mud bath. And if you don’t have the stamina for three solid days of partying, don’t come.
Indeed, this event is not for the faint of heart or timid of spirit. If you are looking to attending the festival, you ought to be prepared to be expending a whole lot of energy for the whole duration of your stay.
This year’s festival is set for June 27 till June 29. Registration is required so I suggest you visit the official web site for the last chance to grab tickets.
Umm, how about no? I know that in some parts of the world, frog legs are considered a delicacy but I am not THAT adventurous. Lucky for me (and people like me), toad in the hole has nothing to do with this particular animal.
In fact, it is a traditional dish prepared for breakfast in the UK. Toad in the hole is a very hearty breakfast dish comprised of sausages placed in Yorkshire pudding batter and served with gravy and eggs. Nothing to do with toads at all, right?
So how come the dish got to be called this peculiar name? As with many other monikers that we know of today, the origins of toad in the hole (the name) is not very concrete. The general consensus, however, is that the name came from the fact that the dish has an uncanny resemblance to a toad which is sticking its head out of a little hole. Though I am not quite sure that I see the resemblance, I do know that toad in the hole makes for good meal!
I have been trying to find a good and easy toad in the hole recipe to follow. There is no lack for recipes for this dish on the Internet, trust me. They are all over the place! However, I did find a rather authentic recipe over at Retro Food Recipes. This one is supposed to date back to the 1930s! If you are not in the UK, though, I don’t know if the particular brand of sausages will be available.
I honestly would not have known what people were talking about if I heard them say “swan upping.” Quite logically, it must have something to do with swans. But what about swans?
Well, in the UK, swan upping is somewhat of an important event. It is actually an activity that has a dual purpose – both ceremonial and practical. Every year, the mute swans in the River Thames are rounded up and then marked and then released back to the “wild.” Swan upping is normally held around the third week of July.
Tradition has it that there are three groups of people involved in the activity. There are the Queen’s Swan Uppers, the Vintners’ Swan Uppers, and the Dyers’ Swan Uppers. These three groups come from a 15th Century Charter wherein two Livery companies in London had the right to share the ownership of the swans with the royalty. As such, these three groups would comb the River Thames in an effort to mark which swans would belong to which group.
So how are the swans marked? The swans caught by the Queen’s Swan Uppers would not be marked. The swans caught by the Vintners’ Swan Uppers would be ringed on both legs. The swans caught by the Dyers’ Swan Uppers would be ringed on one leg.
It used to be that the swans were caught and marked for practical purposes – to be eaten eventually. Today, however, the swans are rarely eaten, except perhaps during State Banquets.
The UK is not a very popular destination for Americans these days simply because of the fact that the dollar is weak while the pound continues to be strong. However, this should not really dissuade Americans from visiting the UK – especially those who like to go shopping. If you have not heard about British charity shops yet, then it is about time that you did.
Charity shops are specialty shops managed by British charitable organisations. Their aim is to raise money for the less fortunate. These shops, in fact, have dual benefits – the money raised is used for noble causes and the prices of goods are very affordable for the shopper.
What can one find in a charity shop? The answer is that you can find most anything! From clothing to shoes to knickknacks to art pieces to crafts – charity shops offer these things. Most, if not all, of the products on sale are made in the UK, making for good souvenirs for tourists.
So where do you start looking for a charity shop? The fact is that not many tourists go out of their way to look for charity shops. In fact, you would not find many tourists in these shops. One good way to start would be to look online, prior to your trip. The web site to start with would be the Association of Charity Shops. The web site is rife with information – everything you need to learn more about charity shops, actually.
Are you in the mood for something different? Are you tired of visiting towns and cities that have the same things to offer over and over again? If you are, then you might want to head on over to the town of Totnes in Devon.
Visitors to this town have one common thing to say about it – it is like talking a trip to the past. Its main shopping street, Fore Street, is reminiscent of an old time town, with small shops scattered throughout. Don’t expect to see generic commercialised shops, either. The shops on Fore Street are for “real” – butcher shops, toy shops, bookshops, and the grocer’s all stand beside each other in a unique mix. Add to this distinctive shops like the Green Fuse (a funeral parlor that is eco-friendly), Rhythm and Light (crystals and fossils, anyone?), and Fairies on the Rise (anything to do with fairies) – and you have a whole new world to discover.
The Friday market is a must for visitors as all the inhabitants of the town can be seen milling around. One notable characteristic is that a lot of them sport dreadlocks, many of them wear kaftans – a sign that the hippy life is on the rise yet again. I suppose that is why many describe Totnes as a bohemian town.
Life is laid back, there is almost zero crime – people love it in Totnes. Understandably, the price of housing is quite high. Yet this has not dissuaded many people from trying to move to Totnes to experience a lifestyle that is more than alternative.
Britain and its culture is not normally known for being eclectic. Yet this is what the newest musical star to come out of Britain stands for. Amy Winehouse recently caught the attention of the whole world with her eclectic music and overall packaging. Who is Amy Winehouse?
An English-born singer and songwriter, Amy Winehouse has actually been around for several years now. It wasn’t until she had 6 Grammy nominations – 5 of which she won – that she really made a name for herself. Her music is a unique mixture of jazz, soul, and R & B and her singing style is something in itself.
Off the stage, Amy Winehouse has been commanding a lot of attention as well. With her erratic behaviour and substance abuse, the press has continued to bring her into the spotlight. All this negative publicity has not lessened her popularity, however. In fact, blogs all over the Web stand to testify to her fans’ unfailing support despite the stumbling blocks that she continues to encounter in her life.
I personally do not really find much pleasure in listening to her music but I am sure that there are countless other people from all over the world, from all walks of life who are able to relate somehow to her music and everything she stands for. Here’s to another Brit who is showing the world that this part of the world does have a knack for producing world class talent!
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