Simple Spanish words

Flag of Spain

Many Spanish words sound like and look like simplified English.

Spanish - English

alto/alta/altos - tall male/tall female/tall people (like the English word altitude)

chicas - girls (like the slang word, chicks)

dificil - difficult

elegante - elegant

es - is

estudiantes -  students

clase - class

marzo - March ( 

mes - month

mi - my

negro - black (the eg in negro is pronounced like egg)

oficina - office

pasaportes - passports

persona - person (feminine)

precios - prices

tu - you (singular) The Spanish is the same as the French, and starts with a ti, similar to thee and thou

English - Spanish

black - negro

chicks/girls - chicas

class - clase

elegant - elegante

is - es

March - marzo (The name of the third month starts with the same three letters in both Spanish and English. In Spanish you don't need to bother with a capital letter at the start. So easy.

month - mes

my - mi

 office - oficina

passports - pasaportes

person - persona (feminine)

prices - precios

students - studiantes

tall - alto/alta/altos

Useful Websites For Learning & Translating Spanish

duolingo.com

translate google

wikitravel phrase book Spanish

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Mars bars made in Slough

 We found an old family photo of my husband's grandfather nad started reminiscing about the time the family lived in Slough where the Mars bar was first made in 1932. 

My husband remember that hsi parents had a hardware store. One day in the 1950s she gave her son and his cousins, two girls, a Mars bar each.

I looked on the internet and discovered that the Mars factory is still there. Mars bars still have the same delicious ingredients, carmal and mougat covered in thick chocolate. (Unlike the very thin, brittle chocolate you got covered ice creams on sticks.)

Mars

I researched the orin of the name Mars. I am heavily into researching the orin of names and words, some of which will be in my forthcoming book on Enlgish idioms and how to understand and remember them.

The surname, Mars, is linked to two cources. It could be from Mars, the Roman God of war. That name was later given to the month of March. So people born in March might be named Mrs.

The alterntive source of the name could be a marsh, if somebody was living near a marsh. I remember as I child living near Marsh Lane. At the time I never connected it with the idea of a marsh. 

A Youtube ivideo shows the dull blank grey exterior of the Sough factory. You would think it would be covered with a giant brown wrapper, or mural of a mosaic of Mars bars. They must make enough money. And I am sure theeir accountant could make the cost some kind of tax loss for building renovation, or PR.

Local attractions in 2025 are the Slough Museum, in The Curve. The Tesco Extra for shopping, one of the largest in Europe.

The Curve, photo by WordVirgin in Wikipedia.

On Youtube you can watch how Mars bars are made.

I once got lost in Slough taking the road there out of Heathrow. I kept going round the one way system passing signs to the centre, and not knowing any of the tiny local villages.

You can take a tour of a Mrs factory in the USA.

Useful

Slough Museum, Slough, Buckinghamshire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8eCKcG7Grk

Mars Factory Making Mars Bars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=flwmzPGGmDk

Mother's day dates worldwide

 UK - March

Mother's Day in 2024 was March 10th. But next year, 2025 is a different day. It's always in march and on a Sunday, 4th Sunday in Lent, moving around linked to Easter.

If you are in or off to the UAE they have mother's Day on March 21st this year.

USA - May

You can have another go at it in May. In the USA and Canada. Down under in New Zealand. South Africa. Brazil.

In the USA, Mother's day was started by Anna Jarvis in mmory of her mother. The places associated with her are the Methodist church where the Mother's Day was first celebrated, and the birthplace of Anna which is on the US national register of Hisstoric places.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_(2016_film)

Please share links to your favoure posts from my blog.

Titanic, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Green for St Patrick's Day

 

The Titanic Museum turned green in honour of St Patrick's Day, in a previous year.

Harland and Wolff company HQ is now a hotel with a barrell-vaulted ceiling. Right beside the giant museum. The museu was visited by Harry and Maghan Markle.

Useful Websites

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TB-StPatricks-001_(13264762983).jpg

When Do The Clocks Change This Year?

From Simple Wikipedia. Daylight Saving Time.

The Americans have a useful saying to remind us all: Spring forward, fall back. This is a double pun in the USA where Fall means autumn. I looked at again, a single pun or double pun? Spring is a pun, Spring the season, and spring as a verb meaning direction of a moving human or animal or object.

I looked online and read that the clocks move forward on the second Sunday in March. I marked that in my diary. Then I thought, what about the UK and USA being different. It turned out that the second Sunday in March is the American date.  Sunday the 13th. Lucky, if you were born that day, or unlucky, if you are superstitious.

In the UK the clocks change on Sunday March 27th. That date is marked in my 2022 diary, which I bought in the UK. 

In 2004 on Mrch 28th. Back again in October. 

(I am saving this text for safety. More pictures and text shortly. Stay tuned or come back for more useful stuff!)

Useful Websites

Wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_by_country

Other

Fascinating story about Israel, Jewish New Year, the British, and the Palestinians:

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/g.html

https://24timezones.com/difference/

https://24timezones.com/difference/uk/singapore

Author

The Author

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.

Quick Quotations

Who Said What When

 

Welsh Words In Brochures Translated

Many Welsh words in brochures are translated from English to Welsh (or the other way round) and shown in both languages. I have noted down several which are easy to recognize and remember. It's a start.

ym - in
Ebrill - April
Mawth - March.
cod post - post code
Sadwrn - Saturday

Cymru - Wales/Welsh
llechi - slate

Day
Every day
open
closed
besides
Monday
Tuesday
wednesday
thursday
Friday
saturday
sunday
sun
son
daughter
husband
wife
parents
wedding
marriage
fiancee
saint
big
small
steam engine
you know

Dydd
Pob dydd
agored
ar gau
ar wahân
Dydd Llun
Dydd Mawrth
dydd Mercher
dydd Iau
Dydd Gwener
dydd Sadwrn
dydd sul
haul
mab
merch
gwr
Gwraig
rhieni
priodas
priodas
fiancee
sant
mawr
bach
injan stêm
ti'n gwybod

Dydd
Pob dydd
agored
ar gau
ar wahân
Dydd Llun
Dydd Mawrth
dydd Mercher
dydd Iau
Dydd Gwener
dydd Sadwrn
dydd sul
haul
mab
merch
gwr
Gwraig
rhieni
priodas
priodas
fiancee
sant
mawr
bach
injan stêm
ti'n gwybod

Dydd
Pob dydd
agored
ar gau
ar wahân
Dydd Llun
Dydd Mawrth
dydd Mercher
dydd Iau
Dydd Gwener
dydd Sadwrn
dydd sul
haul
mab
merch
gwr
Gwraig
rhieni
priodas
priodas
fiancee
sant
mawr
bach
injan stêm
ti'n gwybod

About the author

Angela Lansbury, teacher of English and other languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

The Cancer Research UK Boat Race 2018 – Live

Where Can You See The Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race And The Harvard-Yale Regatta - Book For The Next One

Problems
Who will win the boat race?
Where can you see it?

Answers
Where can you see it? The race takes place not in Cambridge nor Oxford but in London, from Putney to Mortlake.

? 

Map from Wikipedia.

The rowing race takes place along the Thames, and can be seen from bridges from several riverside pubs in London.

I missed it this year because my internet was down. Better be ready for next year.

Swans at St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Photo by Angela Lansbury, copyright.

This year was pretty cold - it's still freezing in London, and predicted to be equally cold next year. Not ideal for outdoors, unless you come from a cold country and have proper outdoor clothing. This means get out your ski gear. In the UK people dressed for the office think it's cold outside.

However, cold weather doesn't stop people going skiing, in Canada, or the USA, or Korea, or Italy, Or Switzerland, Or France, Or New Zealand, because they are dressed for it.

Cambridge
Why did Cambridge win? Was anybody surprised? I was not surprised. I would expect them to win. Cam bridge - the name means bridge over the river Cam. It's a beautiful city with waterways always inviting, especially in summer.

However, looking at the statistics, the result is not predictable. It's a close run thing. I see that Oxford and Cambridge have both won about 80 times since the race was started in the 1800s.

British Weather in March
This year, if I had been out at a pub, I would have spent most of the time indoors watching on the pub TV. Unfortunately, the summer weather wasn't with us this year. Snow isn't unknown in Britain in March. In 1979, when a member of my family was born, I recall looking out of a hospital window in Watford at the snow. On the other hand, on another birthday, in the 1960s, I have photos of the family in London sitting in a back garden in Edgware, Middlesex, NW London, in summery sunshine.

Three City Circuit
Think now about a holiday including London and then Cambridge for this time next year. Three places to put on your itinerary, London, Cambridge, Oxford. Meanwhile, what can you do in Cambridge in summer? You will want to see the river and the university colleges.

All three destination, London, Oxford and Cambridge, offer sport, culture and history. You could make a three-city circuit.

Old Bridge Hotel
I will tell you about Cambridge in a later post. Come back. In fact, I have already written a lot about one of my favourite waterside restaurants, The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

You can watch the men's event, the women's event or both. They take place on the same day, the women's event first.  If you don't make it to the area, the race is shown on TV. Also look at YouTube. 

In America a similar race takes place between Harvard and Yale. It is called the Regatta. Notice the doubte T. 

Where? On America's The Thames River, involving New London, Connecticut. The colours are blue for Yale and Red for Harvard. How do you remember which colour is which team? Easy. LE in both Yale and blue. RD in both Harvard and red.

UK

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-5539949/Cambridge-win-2018-Boat-Race-Oxford-dominated-gloomy-Thames.html

https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/bars/boat-race-2018-route-where-to-watch-oxford-vs-cambridge-go-headtohead-a3797986.html

https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en

USA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard–Yale_Regatta

visittheusa.com (Note the double T.)

author
Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker

Mother's Day March 10-11th; order cards or book meals and holidays

Mother's Day Squircle cake from Mrs Fields, photo in Flickr by Gareth Simpson from Wikipedia

Problem
What shall we do for mother's day? When is it?

Answer
In the UK, Mother's day this year, 2018 is the weekend of March 10th-11th.

However, Mothering Sunday in the USA is the second Sunday in May. By travelling to another country you can celebrate twice!

(Or anybody without a mother could avoid it altogether.)

If you forget mother's day in the UK, or you and mother are in different countries, you could take a trip to the USA and celebrate Mothering Sunday there in May.

If you wish to celebrate, consider:

Cards - from supermarkets or online incorporating your family photo
Flowers
A pot plant
A cake - for personalised cakes check how long in advance you must order
Breakfast
Lunch
Tea
Dinner
Day out - eg spa break
Weekend away

An email.

Look at your local restaurants to see their offers.

Useful Websites:
https://www.facebook.com/bonnemamanuk/ Competition (and breakfast idea)
https://www.facebook.com/vintageinns Mothers Day meals at venues
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/mothering-sunday
https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/cards/mothers-day-cards
https://www.notonthehighstreet.com
https://www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk/mothers-day-gifts
https://www.mrsfields.com/gifts/Round-Personalized-Cookie-Cake
https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/shop/browse/entertaining/cakes_and_biscuits/personalised_cakes?
https://www.spabreaks.com/categories/mothers-day

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

How To Find Colourful Old English Villages With Odd Names Such as Sonning and March, or stay in a thatched cottage

Problem
Where can I find cute English villages?

Answer
They are all around. You just have to get off the motorway. For example:

On our way between Harrow and Cambridge, to reach the hotel The Old Bridge, at Huntingdon, we passed signs to a village called March. I had all sorts of punning thoughts.

'We are no longer marching like the Romans but driving through.'
'Shall we go to March in January, or go to March in February?'

We never got to March, so to speak. Just as well. No fun for photographers. It was raining.

The Romans marched this way. The small March museum is open a few hours in the middle of the day on Saturdays and Wednesdays. A church has a hammerbeam interior which you can see on Wikipedia.

The following day we drove from Harrow in NW London through Hungerford on our way to Little Bewyn to a Michelin starred restaurant, The Harrow (described in earlier posts).

Around England nowadays some of the older buildings have been painted bright colours. This one is blue. Unexpected. You could say it goes well with a blue sky on a summer's day. I like it.

I like the steeply gabled roofs and the inn signs. 

Here's a building with a steeply gabled roof, the triangular area  painted orange. I love it.

On the way out of Little Bedwyn, we passed a sign on a gatepost. It threated to charge you a large number of shillings if you left the gate open. Shillings. I remember shillings. Those were the days.

What does that sign say? Close the gate - or we'll fine you forty shillings! Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The M4 had two warnings signs about delays, so we diverted through old roads, which we call 'the scenic route' and discovered some more, equally delightful little villages.

I liked Sonning. But not much to do or see.

I started researching thatched cottages. I see one regularly driving through Kingsbury in NW London. But what can you visit?

If you want tea in a thatched cottage, there's one over the sea in Ireland.

In England the major tourist attraction with thatch is Anne Hathaway's Cottage in Stratford upon Avon.

Want to stay in a thatched cottage?
http://www.historic-uk.com/ThatchedCottagestoRent/

More ideas:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k6623220-Thatched_cottages-London_England.html

Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

What to call your child? Names from places, months, birthdays, saints' days

Florence Nightingale was named after Florence in Italy, the bird, the Nightingale.

Placenames

Placenames include

Alexandria

Austin

Berlin (Isaiah Berlin)

Charlotte

Chelsea

Dallas

Florence (Florence Nightingale)

Helena

Israel

Jordan

Madison

Paris (Paris Hilton)

London (Jack London)

Problem
1 What to call your child?
2 What to call yourself if you want to translate your name to make it understandable to people who pick another language?

Answer
1 and 2 In Europe and Catholic countries such as in South America, or visiting a Catholic colleague in another country, pick a saint's name day.
Family dispute about the name? End of argument.

Story

Tip

Wikipedia has a list of the names in the Czech Republic. They leave out the national holidays. You can also check the

January

New Year's Day
Karina
Radmila
Diana
Dalimil
Tři králové
Vilma
Čestmír
Vladan
Břetislav
Bohdana
Pravoslav
Edita
Radovan
Alice
Ctirad
Drahoslav
Vladislav
Doubravka
Ilona
Běla
Slavomír
Zdeněk
Milena
Miloš
Zora
Ingrid
Otýlie
Zdislava
Robin
Marika

February
Hynek
Nela, Hromnice
Blažej
Jarmila
Dobromila
Vanda
Veronika
Milada
Apolena
Mojmír
Božena
Slavěna
Věnceslav
Valentýn
Jiřina
Ljuba
Miloslava
Gizela
Patrik
Oldřich
Lenka
Petr
Svatopluk
Matěj
Liliana
Dorota
Alexandr
Lumber
Horymír

March
Bedřich
Anežka
Kamil
Stela
Kazimír
Miroslav
Tomáš
Gabriela
Františka
Viktorie
Anděla
Řehoř
Růžena
Rút/Matylda
Ida
Elena/Herbert
Vlastimil
Eduard
Josef
Světlana
Radek
Leona
Ivona
Gabriel
Marián
Emanuel
Dita
Soňa
Taťána
Arnott
Kvido

April
Hugo
Erika
Richard
Ivana
Miroslava
Vendula
Heřman
Ema
Dušan
Darja
Izabela
Julius
Aleš
Vincenc
Anastázie
Irena
Rudolf
Valérie
Rostislav
Marcela
Alexandra
Evženie
Vojtěch
Jiří
Marek
Oto
Jaroslav
Vlastislav
Robert
Blahoslav

May
Labour Day
(May Day)
Zikmund
Alexej
Květoslav
Klaudie
Radoslav
Stanislav
National holiday
Ctibor
Blažena
Svatava
Pankrác
Servác
Bonifác
Žofie
Přemysl
Aneta
Nataša
Ivo
Zbyšek
Monika
Emil
Vladimír
Jana
Viola
Filip (English Philip)
Valdemar
Vilém
Maxmilián
Ferdinand
Kamila (English Camilla)

June
Laura
Jarmil
Tamara
Dalibor
Dobroslav
Norbert
Iveta
Medard
Stanislava
Gita
Bruno
Antonie (English Anthony or Antony)
Antonín
Roland
Vít
Zbyněk
Adolf
Milan
Leoš
Květa
Alois
Pavla
Zdeňka
Jan
Ivan
Adriana
Ladislav
Lubomír
Petr a Pavel
Šárka

July
Jaroslava
Patricie (English Patricia)
Radomír
Prokop
National holiday
National holiday
(Jan Hus, 1415)
Bohuslava
Nora
Drahoslava
Libuše/Amálie
Olga
Bořek
Markéta
Karolína (English Caroline or Carolyn)
Jindřich
Luboš
Martina
Drahomíra
Čeněk
Ilja
Vítězslav
Magdaléna
Libor
Kristýna (English Christina - short form Tina)
Jakub (English Jacob)
Anna
Věroslav
Viktor (English Victor)
Marta (English Martha)
Bořivoj
Ignác

August
Oskar (English Oscar)
Gustav
Millie
Dominik (English Dominic)
Cristián (English Christian)
Oldřiška
Lada
Soběslav
Roman
Vavřinec
Zuzana
Klára (English Clara)
Alena
Alan
Hana (English Hannah)
Jáchym
Petra
Helena
Ludvík
Bernard
Johana (English Johanna)
Bohuslav
Sandra
Bartoloměj
Radim
Luděk
Otakar
Augustýn
Evelína (English Evelyn)
Vladěna
Pavlína (English Pauline)

September
Linda/Samuel
Adéla
Bronislav/Bronislava
Jindřiška
Boris
Boleslav
Regina/Regína
Mariana
Daniela
Irma
Denisa (English Denise)
Marie (English Mary or Maria)
Lubor
Radka
Jolana
Ludmila
Naděžda
Kryštof
Zita
Oleg
Matouš
Darina
Berta
Jaromír
Zlata
Andrea
Jonáš
Václav
Michal (English Michael)
Jeroným

October
Igor
Olívie/Oliver
Bohumil
František
Eliška
Haunt
Justin (English Justin)
Věra
Štefan/Sára (English Stephen, Steven, Sarah)
Marina
Andrej (English Andrew)
Marcel
Renáta
Agáta
Tereza
Havel
Hedvika
Lukas (English Luke or Lucas)
Michaela (English Michael)
Vendelín
Brigita
Sabina
Teodor (English Theodore)
Nina
Beat
Erik (English Eric)
Šarlota/Zoe
National holiday
Silvie (English Sylvia)
Tadeáš
Štěpánka

November
Felix
All Souls' Day
Hubert
Karel
Miriam
Liběna
Saskie
Bohumír
Bohdan
Evžen
Martin
Benedikt (English Benedict)
Tibor
Sáva
Leopold (In English Leo for short)
Otmar
Mahulena
Romana
Alžběta
Nikola (In English Nicholas or Nicola)
Albert
Cecilia
Klement (English Clement)
Emílie
Kateřina (English Catherine or Katherine)
Artur (English Arthur)
Xenie
René
Zina
Ondřej

December
Iva
Blanka
Svatoslav
Barbora (English Barbara)
Jitka
Mikuláš
Ambrož
Květoslava
Vratislav
Julie
Dana
Simona (English Simon for a boy or Simone for a girl)
Lucie (In English more often Lucy or Lucia)
Lýdie
Radana
Albína
Daniel
Miloslav
Ester
Dagmar
Natálie
Šimon
Vlasta
Adam/Eva, Christmas Eve
1st Christmas Holiday
Štěpán (2nd Christmas Holiday) (English Stephen, Steven)
Žaneta
Bohumila
Judita (English Judith)
David
Sylvester

I have highlighted some of the names which are more common in English. Go to Wikipedia to see the days.
Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker, language teacher.

Useful Websites

https://www.insider.com/baby-names-inspired-by-geography-cities-countries-travel-2017-7#1-florence-is-a-city-in-italy-but-also-comes-from-a-word-meaning-to-flourish-1

Please follow my posts and share links. 

More from Angela Lansbury on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube. Books by Angela Lansbury on Amazon.com and Lulu.com

Diary Ideal Home March;Taste of London June

The Ideal Home Show is in London indoors in March. The Taste of London in Regents Park in June, with early bird tickets on sale now.

http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/#b

http://tasteoflondon.seetickets.com/tour/taste-of-london?utm_source=Taste%20of%20London&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=6856742_07.03.16%20Early%20Bird%20On%20Sale&utm_content=Tickets


If you are planning a holiday and live in London, you might want to book to be in London at that time, or bring your visitors along, or send them off to the show to get them out of your house and make your home the ideal home. If you live elsewhere, you might plan a trip to London when either of these shows is on. London also has other food and chocolate shows throughout the year, so does the rest of England, Scotland and Wales and Ireland.
(I'll tell you more later.)

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Spring Clean For the Queen: Diary Dates: Queen's 90th Birthday April 21.

Clean for the Queen scheme is running to clean up for the celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday on April 21st 2016.

Clean for the Queen events are starting a month earlier, at 9.30 am March 4th 2016 in areas such as Rayners Lane and Queensbury.
The council will be providing high visibility clothing, bags, brooms, brushes and shovels and litter pickers and gloves.

To sign up to clean or organise an event go the Council's website.
More details from
www.harrow.gov.uk/cleanforthequeen or phone 020 8736 6279.

Country Life Magazine and Keep Britain Tidy are also organising.
http://www.thebigtidyup.org/clean-for-the-queen-for-her-majesty-s-90th-birthday/2549/2/8/1308/36

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker and author.

Mother's Day Dinner and Lunches

Mother's day dinner and lunch offers are available for March 5th and March 6th, 2016.

For Christmas each country has its own favourite recipes. For valentine's day the favourites, as for Xmas and Easter are champagne, red flowers and chocolates, plus hearts.

For mother's day, a meal out, so she doesn't have to cook, nor do the washing up.

Add a home made card with a picture of mother and the family, especially children. Take a photo at the event.

Book early to be sure of a place, and special offers. Watch out for being charged extra just because it's mother's day.

Note that mother's day in England is different date from Mother's day in the USA.

Miller and Carter are offering free champagne with steak. I would have thought that steak was more for Father's Day, but I'm sure some people will like it. Free Champagne - who's driving?
https://www.millerandcarter.co.uk/restaurants/london/millerandcarterruislip/offers/mothers-day-offer

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Spring flowers - daffodils in London, cherry blossom California and Japan

In London we always have daffodils in March. Weather can vary and change quickly. A fortnight ago it was chilly with flooding. Now the flowers are out.
    When I was a teenager we were in the garden in March. In 1979 when I was pregnant I looked out of the hospital window and saw snow. The following week I was walking into a block of flats wearing slippers.
   This year in London in March you can see yellow daffodils, white and pink camellias, and yellow forsythia bushes, and pink cherry blossom on the trees.

UK garden flowers in the garden in March 2014.

UK garden flowers close up, cut and in a kitchen table vase in March 2014.

Forsythia bushes make a big splash of yellow in gardens.

 Camelias

   In the USA you will see lots of cherry trees because the Japanese sent cherry trees to Washington DC as a post-war peace offering.
On the other side of America the annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival® will be on Saturday and Sunday April 12-13 and April 19-20, 2014. Celebrate Japanese and Japanese American culture in San Francisco’s Japantown!