Author:  Colleen

James II, King of England - London Relocation agency - Image via Wikipedia

Hello there, Weekend Warriors! Continuing with our British history lessons on Britain’s monarchs (if you’re relocating to London and wanting to learn more about it), today we meet the successor of King Charles II: James II.

Like his brother Charles, James II was exiled to France when Cromwell took over as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth in Britain. When Charles II returned to restore the monarchy, James likewise came back and was ultimately named Charles II’s heir to the throne. This had initially met with resistance given James II’s Catholic faith, but Charles II’s efforts in his later years to secure his brother’s position were not in vain: as James takes to the throne in 1685, he inherits a Tory-dominated Parliament and strong executive office. You might recall from my last Weekend Warrior Sunday post that King Charles II did indeed have sons; the reason his brother James is now king is because none of Charles’s sons were born to his wife. Ah, such technicalities…

As a result, early in King James II‘s reign, he faces resistance from one of his illegitimate nephews vying for the throne, the Duke of Monmouth. This Protestant rebellion is squashed after the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, and Judge Jeffries presides over the “Bloody Assizes” in doling out punishment in the form of execution, torture, or slavery; the Duke of Monmouth himself is beheaded gruesomely. It’s only a matter of time, though, before King James II meets more resistance, and from within his government at that. His appointments of Catholics in high places is looked on with disfavor, and he loses his Tory support. Doh!

Join me next week to see how this King of England fares through the rest of his reign as opposition stacks against him. And as you wage your own battle against the London property market in implementing your international relocation to London, enlist the services of the London Relocation agency to make sure all runs in your favor.

Related articles

• Weekend Warrior Sunday: London Leaders (londonrelocationservices.com)
• Weekend Warrior Sunday: London Leaders (londonrelocationservices.com)
• Weekend Warrior Sunday: London Leaders (londonrelocationservices.com)

Author:  Colleen

The New Year in London - London Relocation agency - Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you haven’t made your international relocation to London yet, perhaps you were able to catch its SPECTACULAR New Year’s fireworks display. The city really outdid itself in ushering in 2012, as the entire ten-minutes-long show ran like an ongoing finale, and this was the first year the fireworks were set to music. They exploded from everywhere—Big Ben, the London Eye, and along the river—right after a giant countdown projected onto the side of the Shell Centre on London’s south bank. The masses gathered in and around Westminster for the show, and, while I didn’t envy their commute home in such crowds, it’s awesome that London runs the Tube trains all night for such occasion.

We unfortunately didn’t have a direct view of the display from our London apartment, but we could see its throbbing glow silhouetting the buildings at the end of our square and imagined that’s what the Blitz may have looked like from our same window decades ago. BBC HD on the telly makes for a fine substitute as well: we watched BBC’s live footage and listened to the actual pops and bangs illuminating the sky outside.

If you’re moving to London in 2012, cheers to you and your new year of possibilities! Much luck and joy to you as you make your international relocation, and, to add a little pomp and circumstance to the occasion, check out the BBC video of the New Year’s fireworks in London below. (To further reflect on the old year and what’s coming up in London in the new, see also my previous post, “Relocation to London – London 2011 in Review“)

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE LONDON RELOCATION AGENCY!!!

The Victorian's approach to London property - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

Moving to London is a multi-layered process with one critical component being your London apartment search. The London Relocation agency is comprised of expat experts who can answer all your questions concerning a relocation to London—the London property market, local culture, UK visas, etc. As so much of London housing is dominated by Victorian-era architecture, I decided to supplement your relocation knowledge with some historical context. In Part 1 of my “Moving to London – London Apartment Search, Victorian Style” mini-series, I shared with you some primary considerations in “taking a house” per The Pocket Enquire Within: A guide to the Niceties and Necessities of Victorian domestic life. This 1856 book was an essential reference for Victorian society in maintaining a healthy and proper way of life, from domestic roles and responsibilities to socializing to home remedies and all-around self-betterment. Today, I bring to you a continuation of this good ol’ Victorian advice on “Household Management,” which factors in practical considerations along with a healthy dose of Victorian moralizing :

HAVING CONSIDERED THESE material and leading features [see my Part 1 for said features], examine the house in detail, carefully looking into its state of repair; notice the windows that are broken; whether the chimneys smoke; whether the paper on the walls is damaged, especially in the lower parts, and the corners, by the skirtings; whether the locks, bolts, handles of doors, and window fastenings are in proper condition; make a list of the fixtures; ascertain whether all rent and taxes were paid up by the previous tenant, and whether the party from whom you take the house is the original landlord, or his agent or tenant. And do not commit yourself by the signing of any agreement until you are satisfied upon all these points, and see that all has been done which the landlord had undertaken.

IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO FURNISH A HOUSE, do not spend all your money; be it much or little. Do not let the beauty of this thing, and the cheapness of that, tempt you to buy unnecessary articles. Doctor Franklin’s maxim was a wise one – “Nothing is cheap that we do not want.” Buy merely enough to get along with at first. It is only by experience that you can tell what will be the wants of your family. If you spend all your money, you will find you have purchased many things you do not want, and have no means left to get many things which you do want. If you have enough, and more than enough, to get everything suitable to your situation, do not think you must spend it all, merely because you happen to have it. Begin humbly. As riches increase, it is easy and pleasant to increase in comforts; but it is always painful and inconvenient to decrease. After all, these things are viewed in their proper light by the truly judicious and respectable. Neatness, tastefulness, and good sense may be shown in the management of a small household, and the arrangement of a little furniture, as well as upon a larger scale; and these qualities are always praised, and always treated with respect and attention. The consideration which many purchase by living beyond their income, and, of course, living upon others, is not worth the trouble it costs. The glare there is about this false and wicked parade is deceptive; it does not, in fact, procure a man valuable friends, or extensive influence.

Hm, methinks we struck a nerve with our fine Victorian narrator. I get the impression that household spending is a soapbox this particular author loved to preach upon time and again…

Regardless, it is good advice and important to consider when you’re furnishing your new London apartment. Many (if not most) London apartment rentals do come furnished, but you might still have some odds and ends to pick up. For more contemporary advice on sorting out furnishings for your international relocation (such as whether to ship stuff you already have from home and where to buy new stuff here in London), see my post, “London Flat-Finding: Furnished or Unfurnished?” as well as “London Relocation’s Top 5 – Money Matters” for additional spending advice where cost of living and cost savings are concerned. Your London Relocation agent can, of course, expand on all of these practical matters, so don’t hesitate to call the London Relocation agency or contact them via their online web form!

Author:  Colleen

What the Victorians looked for in London property - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia

Finding a London apartment to rent is an essential step in your international relocation to London, England. The London Relocation company’s agents and website here are invaluable resources for flat-finding advice, and I thought I’d supplement that with a bit of historical fun; i.e., how the Victorians were advised to approach the house-hunting process. Knowing my nerdy penchant for Victorian London history ever since we moved into our 19th century terraced house on moving to London from the US, my husband just gave me the book, The Pocket Enquire Within: A guide to the Niceties and Necessities of Victorian domestic life. Oh my gosh, do I love it. Originally published in 1856, this was an actual reference book that Victorians consulted for guidance on living properly. Some bits are outright hilarious to read given their outdated context, but I thought you might be interested in the diligent advice offered for “taking a house” if you’re making a relocation to London and in need of a home [Licks thumb and turns page to chapter on "Household Management"]:

TAKING A HOUSE – Before taking a house, be careful to calculate that the rent is not too high in proportion to your means; for remember that the rent is a claim that must be paid with but little delay, and that the landlord has greater power over your property than any other creditor.

HAVING DETERMINED the amount of rent which you can afford to pay, be careful to select the best house which can be obtained for that sum. And in making that selection let the following matters be carefully considered: -

FIRST – Carefully regard the healthfulness of the situation. Avoid the neighbourhood of graveyards, and of factories giving forth unhealthy vapours; avoid low and damp districts, the course of canals, and localities of reservoirs of water, gas works, &c.; make inquiries as to the drainage of the neighbourhood, and inspect the drainage and water supply of the premises. A house standing on an incline is likely to be better drained than one standing upon the summit of a hill, or on a level below a hill. Endeavour to obtain a position where the direct sunlight falls upon the house, for this is absolutely essential to health; and give preference to a house the openings of which are sheltered from the north and east winds.

SECOND – Consider the distance of the house from your place of occupation: and also its relation to provision markets, and the prices that prevail in the neighbourhood.

Got that, ole chap? Pip-pip. Well, I reckon your London Relocation agent would agree with all aspects of that second point. As for the first, perhaps I should be more concerned that I live near an utterly awesome and atmospheric Victorian cemetery, hmm… In any case, more Victorian advice to follow in my next post. Why? Because I think it’s funny. And I know the London Relocation agency will provide you the more modern housing advice you seek in the meantime.

Author:  Colleen

An international relocation to London includes learning about new foods and traditions as you adjust to British culture. That’s all part of the fun of moving to London once the challenging relocation logistics (like finding and moving into your London apartment rental) are behind you. One thing that’ll never get left behind, though, is the cultural knowledge you’ll learn after living in London a while.

Christmas was a case in point for my husband and me this year. While they can be found in the States at import stores like World Market or even Starbucks, Christmas crackers from Marks & Spencer traveled overseas in our luggage to add an extra dazzle to our Chicago Christmas Eve at my parents’. I’m not talking something you can eat with cheese—”crackers” in this context are cylindrical poppers that two partygoers pull from each end in opposing directions to crack them open and delight in the little prizes found inside. Contents can range from little toys to card games to even fingernail clippers and mini screwdrivers (as my siblings discovered), but every cracker will contain a joke and paper crown. Such a simple, quirky thing, but, man, did it get everyone hyper and unite us in laughter—children and adults alike! It was a new and special twist to the holiday, and I’ll always treasure the image of everyone wearing their colorful crowns.

It’s believed that the crown might derive from Twelfth Night celebrations when a king and queen presided over festivities, and the idea of wearing a hat at parties goes all the way back to the ancient Romans’ Saturnalia celebrations around the 25th of December. The Christmas cracker itself dates back to 1846, when it was originally a sweet wrapped in paper twisted at both ends; rather than a joke, it contained a love poem as it was traditionally a gift given by men to women. The banger (the chemical strip that makes the cracker pop) was added around 1860. As time went on and imitations were made, the original creator, Thomas Smith, replaced the candy with a surprise gift, and,  in the early 1900s, his sons replaced the poem with a joke and added the crown.

The second British invasion of our holiday took place on Christmas Day, when we cooked some traditional fare for my mother-in-law: deliciously golden chicken pie with homemade cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts with bacon, and gingerbread stuffing on the side. That last deviation from the traditional turkey stuffing was compliments of British presenter Nigella Lawson, whose Christmas Kitchen special made us salivate and inspired our meal. The dishes were a flavorful success, and if you’d like to try the same, the pie and stuffing recipes can be found at the BBC links below:

Chicken pie: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9433/chicken-pie
Gingerbread stuffing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/gingerbreadstuffing_84757

How might an international relocation to London inspire your future holiday traditions? There’s only one way to find out: move on over here! Your London Relocation agent is here to help.

Author: Colleen

When it comes to blogging about an international relocation to London, the last place I’d have thought to find inspiration would be Disney / Pixar’s film, Cars 2! But lo and behold, as I made my transatlantic flight back to England from the United States after Christmas, this in-flight movie triggered heightened interest during its climactic later scenes set in London. Consistent with the cleverness and cuteness of Pixar films was “Big Bentley,” where the British secret agent cars nearly met their demise. Anyone who has visited London may be readily familiar with the landscape containing prominent sites like St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and modern structures like the London Eye and Gherkin office building. And after moving to London and living here a while, I even saw some side streets of familiarity and could vouch for the accuracy of the city’s layout.

What I could further relate to were the lyrics of Brad Paisley and Robbie Williams’s ”Collision of Worlds,” which played at the movie’s end. I’m frequently blogging about cultural differences between the US and UK, including the language barrier that actually exists within the common tongue of English. Expats making a relocation to London might not always anticipate such differences, and I think the song captures it adorably:

At the first sign of the morning light, Old Glory’s in the sky
Across the pond, it’s afternoon and the Union Jack flies high
We’re on our first cup of coffee
We’re on our third cup of tea
And we can’t pretend to live on different planets, you and me

In this collision of worlds
Watch the new day dawn on a distant shore
In this collision of worlds
Oh you can’t sit this out no more

Abbey Road, Route 66, CIA, to the MI6
Right lane, left lane, Metric, Imperial
Pounds, dollars, howdy, cheerio!
A v8 growls, to a v12 screams
Hail to the chief, God Save the Queen
Cops, bobbies, tabasco, wasabi, pistachio ice cream!

In this collision of worlds
Well it’s too late and you can’t stop it now
In this collision of worlds
Yeah find you a place and just watch it now

Well you’re a good ole’ boy
Yeah you’re a decent bloke
I say it’s irony, I say it’s a joke
When I look around, now I can see
We ain’t so different, you and me

Meat and potatoes, bangers and mash
Dollars, pounds, dosh, cash
Autobahn, to the rising sun
The I10, to the M1
Congress, Parliment, President, The Queen!
Petrol, you say gasoline
Now grab your bird, and get your girl
Now its a small world

Collison of worlds
Watch the new day dawn on a distant shore
In this collision of worlds
No you can’t sit this out no more
In this collision of worlds
It’s too late and you can’t stop it now
Collision of worlds
Find you a place and watch it now

If you’re moving to London from the US, your worlds will collide and merge into a bigger and brighter world of understanding—and it’s then that you’ll find people around the world really aren’t so different from each other after all.

Author:  Colleen

I once again interrupt my regularly scheduled Weekend Warrior Sunday to continue our London Relocation agency’s version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas“—may it make your London move more festive! The next line in the original is: “On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming.”

Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:

Rum-pum-pum-pum, you and your drum - London Relocation Services - image from itraveluk.co.uk

“On the twelfth day of Christmas, London gave to me…

LONDON DRUMMERS TEACHING…”

In a culturally and musically diverse city like London, there’s something for everyone. City life moves faster than the quieter villages of the English countryside, of course, so sometimes London locals feel the need to tap into a calming and creative outlet to balance out their busy lives. Some will do yoga, others will go for a run. One friend of mine took an unexpected route altogether: African drumming. In soul-searching amidst a corporate career, he found great peace and enjoyment in learning to play the drums, and it simultaneously expanded his cultural appreciation. If partaking in a class with multiple people, it also becomes a very communal, uniting experience with the collaborative rhythm uplifting the spirits and tapping into the emotions as music does so well. Random as it might sound, there are tons of drumming lessons available all over London for individuals or corporate team-building (e.g., www.drumcafe.co.uk, www.londonafricandrumming.co.uk, www.venavidrums.co.uk, www.african-drumbeat.co.uk), and African music is a component of the UK education curriculum. It’s reflective of a prominent UK demographic and the open-mindedness and well-roundedness of Londoners. When you move to London, you embrace the world and get to know yourself in unexpected ways by challenging yourself to try new things.

I’m not saying this is something unique to London, obviously, nor is this post or our previous Twelve Days of Christmas only about the specific activities and places described: it’s more so the spirit of learning new things. When it comes down to it, there’s something about an international relocation in general that feels like turning a new leaf; it motivates you to reinvent yourself, to dapple into passions you might’ve never made time for previously and to come together with people of all walks of life you might’ve never otherwise met. Why? Because why not? You’ve come this far, right? Moving overseas to London is no small feat; in doing so, you’re embracing change, so this is not the time to sell yourself short. Stretch your mind and your abilities to their brink; find out what you’re really made of. We all march to the beat of a different drummer—find your rhythm in London.

(And find your London apartment through the London Relocation agency. )  

Now then, let’s sing together as we conclude our caroling:

“…clay pipes abounding,
House of Lords governing,
Pineapple’s dancing,
Icecreamists milking,
Swan patrons swilling,
shot geese fileting,
five Olympic rings!
More calling plans,
pretty fresh hens,
sea turtle tanks,
and a cartridge to hunt in country.”

(Hey, it isn’t any more random than the original twelve gifts!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD LONDON RELOCATION!!!

Author:  Colleen

If you’re making an international relocation to London, I’m making your London move more festive with London Relocation’s Twelve Days of Christmas! The next line in the original is: “On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping.”

Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:

London history washed ashore...put that in your pipe and smoke it! - London Relocation agency - image from thamesdiscovery.org

“On the eleventh day of Christmas, London gave to me…

CLAY PIPES ABOUNDING…”

When you move to London, you step right into its history. And when you walk the Thames shoreline, you literally step on its history! Mudlarking in London is like treasure hunting: it entails combing through the muck of the riverbank mud and stone in search of artifacts pitched into the river over the course of centuries. Pieces of history that wash up ashore include antiquated coins, pilgrim badges, Roman pottery medieval toys , jewelry, and animal bones discarded by butchers; clay pipes in particular have been found in abundance. Beginning in the late 16^th century—before paper-wrapped cigarettes—people smoked tobacco out of these clay pipes. Though they could be reused, they were apparently tossed away like cigarette butts; this was frequent among dock workers, thus likely why SO many continually wash up onto the Thames foreshore in central London. They’re so prevalent, jewelry is made from them!

Mudlarking is free for anyone to do if your scavenging is kept to surface-level scanning; a special license from the Port of London Authority is required if you want to actually dig into the sediment and use instruments like metal detectors—thus distinguishes the pros from the amateurs. The Lower Thames Four website (www.lowerthamesfour.co.uk) shares a fascinating collection of recovered artifacts, and if you’re keen to get in on mudlarking as a hobby, be sure to check out the Thames and Field Metal Detecting Society (www.thamesandfield.co.uk)—their site is absolutely nuts; you’ll get a kick out of it. Also, if you find something of interest that could be valuable and/or you don’t know what it is, you should report to the Museum of London; they offer a free identification service, and anything of value should in good conscience be shared in the spirit of helping piece together London’s history!

If you do consider taking this on, be aware of the risks—the Thames is a tidal river, which explains how you can access the muddy banks to begin with. But the river rises back up quickly, so owning a tide table or consulting the tide times in a newspaper’s weather section is a must. Stay close to exit points, and be wary of the slippery surface; try to walk on shingle, not mud, and wear your Wellies! If you have any apprehension, the Museum of London offers tours of the Thames shore to get you acquainted first. And your London Relocation agent will, of course, lower your risks in helping you find some real London treasure: your new London apartment! Be it flat-searching or mudlarking, it’s yet more adventure to be had in this grand, historic city after your relocation to London!

Now, to continue our caroling:

“…House of Lords governing,
Pineapple’s dancing,
Icecreamists milking,
Swan patrons swilling,
shot geese fileting,
five Olympic rings!
More calling plans,
pretty fresh hens,
sea turtle tanks,
and a cartridge to hunt in country.”

Author:  Colleen

If you’re making an international relocation to London, I’m making your London move more festive with London Relocation’s Twelve Days of Christmas! The next line in the original is: “On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ten lords a-leaping.”

Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:

Lord knows what goes on in here... - London Relocation agency - Image via Wikipedia

“On the tenth day of Christmas, London gave to me…

HOUSE OF LORDS GOVERNING…”

A move to London from outside the UK not only means having to live in a new London apartment and neighborhood and starting a new London job; it also means living under an entirely new government. Perhaps most emblematic of London is the Big Ben clock tower, but it’s inside the Westminster building beyond that Parliament runs the show. It’s comprised of the House of Commons and House of Lords, which operate independently of each other but complement one another’s functions. The House of Lords is specifically made up of appointed members bearing either the Lord Spiritual or Lord Temporal title. The former play an ecclesiastical role in the Church of England whereas the latter are appointed by the monarch per the Prime Minister’s or House of Lords Appointments Commission’s advice; historically, membership was once a birthright, though it’s a small percentage of members today who have a hereditary claim. Whereas the House of Commons is fixed at 650 seats, the House of Lords has no membership limit; at present it has close to 800 Lords. Legislation can be introduced and debated in either House; however, it seems the House of Lords’s power is greatly curbed: rejecting a bill passed by the Commons, for instance, is heavily restricted by Acts of Parliament, and they have no control over the Prime Minister’s term. They cannot delay money bills, and other bills may only be delayed for two parliamentary sessions or one calendar year at most. It’s also from the House of Commons rather than House of Lords that most Cabinet ministers (and every Prime Minister for the last century) emerge from. To be honest, I’m having a difficult time grasping what exactly the House of Lords do do. But I’m happy to have sucked you into my confusion.

To be fair, the roles of UK government have greatly evolved over the course of several centuries, so the House of Lords was originally more empowered, particularly where judicial functions were concerned. Prior to the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009, for example, the House of Lords was the court of last resort for much UK law. The UK is best characterized by its combination of holding fast to tradition and adapting to change, so it remains to be seen how the Lords’ role may continue to transform in the modern political landscape. Not that we non-citizens expats moving to London have much say in government affairs, of course—enjoy that taxation without representation after your relocation to London…

Now, to continue our caroling:

“…Pineapple’s dancing,
Icecreamists milking,
Swan patrons swilling,
shot geese fileting,
five Olympic rings!
More calling plans,
pretty fresh hens,
sea turtle tanks,
and a cartridge to hunt in country.”

Author:  Colleen

If you’re making an international relocation to London, I’m making your London move more festive with the London Relocation company’s version of the Twelve Days of Christmas! The next line in the original is: “On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing.”

Please join me in now singing our London Christmas carol:

Dance your way across the pond - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia

“On the ninth day of Christmas, London gave to me…

PINEAPPLE’S DANCING…”

Of reality TV fame is London’s Pineapple Studios, where even regular folk like us can take dance lessons after moving to London. Whether you’re a beginning dancer or experienced, the studio offers twenty different dance varieties with a choice of eighty different dance instructors. Among the most popular are classics like ballet, jazz, Latin, and tap, but you can also delve into modern forms like street hip-hop and contemporary. And it doesn’t stop there—Pineapple likewise offers instruction in martial arts, yoga, even singing! Whatever style you choose, if you’re super advanced or opting for more personalized instruction at any level, master and private classes are available. If you’re not sure the classes are for you, you can sit in and observe any of them first. What a fun way to get out and take advantage of the range of experiences London has to offer! A relocation to London is the hard part, but with your London Relocation agent’s help and some motivation to get out and try new things like Pineapple Studios’ course offerings, you’ll feel footloose and fancy-free in no time, tappin’ those happy feet all around your new London apartment.

Now, to continue our caroling:

“…Icecreamists milking,
Swan patrons swilling,
shot geese fileting,
five Olympic rings!
More calling plans,
pretty fresh hens,
sea turtle tanks,
and a cartridge to hunt in country.”