the florida standard

floridas t a n d a r d

Feature StoryBuild up to the OlympicsWinter Equestrian Festival in Wellington

No2 Spring Issue 2012

the CoNSul CorNer

BuSINeSS

What is it that makes our bilateral relationship so essential?

The British Mafia in Miami!

2 | Florida Standard

CONTENTS

6 Business The British Mafia in Miami?

Are Brits taking over Miami, one hotel at a time? With 3 of the top 4 hotel executives originally from the UK, it certainly seems so

Miami British American Business CouncilEvents calendar

12sportsWinter Equestrian Festival

As the London Olympics gets closer, find out about a major sporting event closer to home

18 the Consul Corner

UK in the USWhat is it that makes our bi-lateral relationship so important?

20 lifestyle Celebrating the Royal British Style

As we gear up for the Diamond Jubilee, Laura looks at celebrations past and present

22 Central floridaBritish American Chamber of

CommerceEvents & updates

also featuring24 Rex Remembers… An evening with Alistair Cooke by Rex Hearn

26 The British Business Directory of Florida

28 Out & About

British events in Florida

30 Florida Real Estate From a British Perspective

32 Cooking by CarolCelebrating the Jubilee with classic coronation chicken

34 British ResourcesWhere to go and who to contact

puBlisherJustine Assal

Chief ColumnistLaura McLoughlin

ContriButing ColumnistsHer Majesty’s Consul General Kevin

McGurganSimon Plumb

ContriButorsCarol Dudley, Richard Charman, Pamela Young, Rex Hearn, Jason

Edwards, Neal Stebbing, Justin Jones

advertising [email protected]

407-401-9690

newsJustine Assal

Q&aJustine Assal

[email protected]

The Florida Standard Magazine – The Official British Expat magazine of Florida is a publication

of Floridalink LLC. & ORB Marketing Solutions

Printed and published in the United States. Published 6 times per year.

Copyright 2012 Floridalink LLCNo portions of this work may be copied or

reproduced without express written permission of the Publisher. We can be contacted at

Floridalink [email protected] 407-650-3443www.floridalinkcorp.com

editorial teamContents


EDITORIAL

T his magazine started as an idea by Laura McLoughlin (Chief Columnist and in her paying job, Country Manager for Moneycorp USA) to create a newsletter for Brits in Florida, and as is par for the course with anything that the two of

us seem to embark on together, it quickly transformed, spun into something far bigger and more grandiose than its original conception and about 6 months later, the first issue of The Florida Standard was published. We owe a great deal of gratitude to our unpaid although well appreciated columnists and of course to our readers for not de-leting the link (at least with an online publication we cannot be thrown in the rubbish).

As we are not from a publishing background and indeed are not professional journalists (amateur at best), the response to the first issue has been humbling to say the least! More surprising is that the magazine is popping up on expat forums and actually being discussed (outside of the conversations started by me). The more that I have thought this magazine over, the more I believe that its stories are endless and its purpose evident. Florida is a vast State and British expats can be found in towns and cities from end to end. Each region has a slightly different face and personality to its expat community, but while each has its individuality, all are drawn together by more similarities than differences. Brits move to the US and while they assimilate quite natu-rally into the community, they inevitably are drawn to fellow countrymen and thus the expat community is formed.

It is our desire to amplify the individual nature of each of these communities as well as the similarities that exist. In every area of Florida, there are expats working, living, enjoying life and leading a bi-cultural life. From trips to the local British shop for HP sauce to the inability to accept Hersheys as a viable chocolate option, Floridian Brits have created an indelible mark on this fine State, all the while trying to be understood while ordering in a McDonald’s drive through. Even my Dad, although he would have never admitted, attempted a bad American accent while trying to order “a glass of water” in a drive through.

Thank you all for the amazing feedback that you have given us and for supporting this effort to really unify and give voice to the overall expat community of Florida, we ask that you contact us if you know of great stories, and indeed write for us if you like putting pen to paper. Please tell your friends that we exist and give us feedback as to how we are doing.

We are honored/ honoured (bi-lingual) to write for and about you!

Words from the Publisher

From trips to the local British shop For hp sauce to the inaBil-ity to accept

hersheys as a viaBle choco-

late option...

Justine AssalPUBliShER

Florida Standard | 5

Enjoy street performers, kids carnival, andmultiple dining options while watching

Grand Prix and Olympic horses and riders competefor their share of the

$500,000 IN PRIZE MONEY

Come celebrate the lastSATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTSevent of the season during the

For tickets, information, and a complete schedule:

WWW.EQUESTRIANSPORT.COM 561.793.5867Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 3400 Equestrian Club Road • Wellington, Florida

Free general admission.VIP and box seating available.

FINALEGRAND PRIX

$500,000

Allphotos©

Mancin

iPhotos


The BriTish

in MiaMi!Mafia


Simon PlumbSimon is originally from North London and has lived in Florida since Febru-ary 2010 and is the General Manager for Kestrel International helping expatri-ates with their UK pensions. He is also on the board of the British American Chamber of Commerce [email protected]

One of those three Managers is Simon Pettigrew, who is originally from Gloucestershire but now is enjoy-ing life with his wife and family in

Miami. Simon has managed the fantastic Four Seasons property for a year now and is thoroughly enjoying the challenge and the lifestyle.

Simon worked for Trusthouse Forte in London before moving to the US in 1986, he has been with the Four Seasons group from the day he moved to the US and in the last 25 years has worked in Philadelphia, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York to name but a few. Entering his fifth year as a GM Simon has certainly earned the right to hold that position as he has tirelessly worked his way up through the ranks and certainly under-stands the importance of every role within the organisation.

Even though the hospitality industry has suf-fered over the last few years, Four Seasons continue to invest, in November they opened the new “Edge” Steak & Bar Restaurant and next month will open a new Terrace area. One of the main challenges seems to be catering for the business traveller as well those enjoying family vacations.

Derek Flint who was born to British parents in Bogotá may be one of the most travelled people I have ever spoken to; it would perhaps be easier to list places he hasn’t lived! Educated in the UK from the age of 12 before attending the University of California, Derek began his career in the hospitality industry at the age of 20 at the Ritz Carlton New York working the front desk.

Twenty five years later he finds himself running the beautiful Ritz Carlton in Miami just 20 minutes from the International airport. Derek along with his wife and young child love living in Miami and he finds it a safe place to raise a family. The Ritz Carlton Miami mainly attracts leisure guests and groups and are investing heavily in the Spa this year to keep pace in the competitive market.

For the past 3 ½ years the Conrad Miami has been managed by another BABC Miami mem-ber and Brit, Martin Wormull. Marin hales from Southampton and is a graduate of Southampton University who started his life in the US in Chicago moving there from Watford. Martin has fond

memories of his time in Southampton and can remember clearly when the QE2 used to dock and the passengers would visit the hotel he worked at, he can even recall the menu!

One of the main differences Martin finds between the hotel business in America and the UK is that the expectations in the US are higher. The hotel is continually investing in its IT capabilities to keep pace with the demands for Wi-Fi, HD etc from his customers.

Each of the properties attract many guests from South America, Latin America, North America and Europe, so finding the right feel for the hotels is a challenge that they seem to have mastered.

All three men, when I asked them what Miami had to offer, gave me virtually identical answers, the multi cultural nature and diversity that the city has to offer gives a vibrancy that makes it a fun place to live. I will point out that all three unsurprisingly mentioned the weather and the beach as a plus, can you blame them?

It seems that the occupancy levels of the hotels in Miami are returning to pre 2008 levels and even exceeding those, the challenge all three of these men are finding is trying to keep the room rates at the level that hotels of this quality require. This is a situation that many people in business will be find-ing, in economic downturns it’s easy to cut prices but how do you balance that with protecting the

Interesting that three of the premier hotels in South Florida are run by British General Managers, this can only mean two things: 1) they are very good at what they do, 2) the owners of these hotels have never seen Fawlty Towers.

BUSINESS

Martin Wormull Simon Pettigrew


Access to the right connections, markets, influence and intel-ligence is key to business success. And high-quality access, on both sides of the Atlantic, is at the heart of the business advantage we offer.

We offer our members practical business expansion opportuni-ties by delivering high-caliber networking and marketing opportu-

nities, top-quality business intelligence, regulatory advice, and the opportunity to achieve real business from the personal relationships they develop through their membership.

This year, the British American Business Council, Miami, has three, business-critical themes. Each theme is the basis for our

BABC MIAMI

BABC MIAMI

Welcome to the

MARCH

march 23rd: 6.00pmThe Virgin Atlantic Business Series – “An Eve-ning of Tennis” at the Sony Ericson Open, Key Biscayne with celebrity guests from news me-dia and the world of tennis.This event includes dinner, an open bar, and access to all evening matches with the support of BABC Royal Sponsor Moneycorp.

ApRil april 3rd: 6.00pmNew Members Cocktail Reception at a private penthouse overlooking Biscayne Bay april 12th: 8.00am - 9.30amBoardroom BreakfastJamie Sweeting, Vice President, Royal Carib-bean Cruise Lines april 16th: 8.30am – 5.00pm9th Annual Bi-National Chambers ‘Doubles’ Tennis ChampionshipThe Crandon Tennis Center, Key Biscayne, cock-tails and award ceremony 5.30pm$30 per player, members only. For registration or more information on all events please go to www.babcmiami.com or contact Justin Jones, Executive Director: 786 457 9353

programming during a three to four month period. For each theme, we are hosting a combination of roundtable discussions, Boardroom Breakfasts, and Cocktail Receptions designed to introduce our members to key business leaders, facilitate discus-sions, and make connections which will surely blos-som into profitable relationships on both a personal and professional level.

If you have any questions concerning mem-bership and benefits, or wish to be added to our mailing list e-mail contact [email protected] or call Justin Jones, our Executive Director on 786 457 9353. We look forward to hearing from you.

UPCOMINg EvENTS


Speaking of Florida Brits, we would be remiss were we to not mention the untimely passing of Monkey’s front man, Davy Jones who suffered a heart attack on February 29th. He is survived by his wife Jessica and 4 daughters from previ-ous marriages. He had been booked to perform May 18-20 at Epcot’s Flower Power concert series at Walt Disney World.

LETS DANCE ON

We’ll miss you Davy!


RemembeR, RemembeR the 5th of NovembeR

Sponsorship Packages from $750 to $3500Vendors from $100

Food vendors - please contact us for pricing(limited number- authentic British foods only)

WWW.GUYFAWKESKISSIMMEE.COM [email protected] 401 9690

Is now booking Sponsors and vendors for November 5th, 2012For 400 years, bonfires have burned on November 5th to mark the failed

gunpowder Plot...Kissimmee, Florida now hosts the biggest “Bonfire Night” outside the UK

with over 3000 attendees in 2011"BRILLIANT,STUNNING,FANTASTIC, SUPERB and the BEST EVER. It was so good it was like being back at

Guy Fawkes Night back in the UK." Carol Anne Dudley

NovembeR 5th, 2012 fRom 6:30-10pm


BUILD Up TO ThE OLyMpICS

WinterEquestrian Festivalin WellingtonIt’S UnlIKElY thAt EUGEnE MISChE, thE OhIOAn WhO FOUndEd thE WIntEr EqUES-trIAn FEStIvAl In WEllInGtOn, FlOrIdA EvEr EnvISAGEd hIS ShOW GrOUnd bECOMInG thE EqUEStrIAn nIrvAnA It IS tOdAY.

tExt: Pamela Young PhOtO: SPortfot


SpORT


Mische started with a blank canvas in 1977 on a 45 acre track of reclaimed land adjacent to the original Palm Beach polo grounds, about 40 minutes inland from the metropolis of Palm Beach. By the time Gene retired thirty years later, he had established the largest horse show in the

world with permanent barns and numerous show rings, attracting riders from all over the US and overseas for the winter season.

When entrepreneur businessman Mark Bellissimo and his Wellington Equestrian Partners acquired the showgrounds, surrounding properties, and show licenses in 2007 (for $200mil-lion) they embarked on an ambitious four year plan to expand and improve the existing facilities. Bellissimo said his vision was to “transform Wellington into the premiere equestrian lifestyle destination in the world.”

It is safe to say he has succeeded. According to the county’s Business Development Board, WEP’s business has grown over 73% since 2008 in one of the toughest economic environments in history. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is now one of the finest facilities in the world and the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) a 12-week equestrian extravaganza awarding more than $6 million in prize money. Each week is considered an indi-vidual horse show, with more than 10,000 exhibitors (horse own-ers, trainers, riders, support personnel) and up to 3,000 horses

competing in any given week within 15 show rings throughout the 100-acre equestrian show complex. Hundreds of impressive properties, many with their own facilities, surround the PBIEC. Golf-carts compete with horses as the preferred method of trans-port although horses always have the right of way at cross-roads.

While British riders traditionally migrate to Wellington to escape the cold and wet of winter at home and get a temperate jump-start on the summer’s outdoor season, this year has seen a considerable increase in numbers as team members look ahead to London’s Olympic Games.

Financial backing from UK Sport saw riders Nick Skelton, Scott Brash, Tina Fletcher, David McPherson, Gemma Paternos-ter, and Ben Maher make tracks to Florida this year.

GB Performance Director Will Connell said the show and the


SpORT

climate gave the team “an ideal opportunity to start the fine tuning of horses.

“UK Sport’s generous funding allows us to go to such places and prepare in the best possible way for London,” he said.

AHEAD OF THE FIELDOlympic veteran Nick Skelton could not have asked for a better “tune-up”. The 2011 European individual bronze medallist is currently the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival’s leading money winner – the exact same position in which he finished the Florida circuit last year.

Skelton is definitely on the fast track for

another Olympic appearance. With Beverley Widdowson’s 11-year-old grey gelding Carlo he won a $150,000 Grand Prix on March 4 having warmed up with back to back victories in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series during weeks two and three. The Warwickshire based Skelton is also out in front in the $50,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series with Unique and clinched an $80,000 Grand Prix with another of his potential Games’ horses, Big Star.

Skelton’s 38 year career is a story of remark-able highs and life threatening lows. In 2001, a near fatal fall left him with a broken neck and, in most peoples’ minds, an early retirement. However, his sabbatical from the show ring was surprisingly short lived. The story of his recovery and his comeback to represent Great Britain in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with Arko is told in the latest edition of his autobiography Not Only Fools and Horses.

In August of 2010 he underwent surgery for a complete hip replacement. In October surgeons operated on a rotator cuff and a bicep. Skelton took several months off to recover from both sur-geries before returning to competition at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, where at 53, one new shoulder and one new hip intact, he closed out the season as the show’s leading rider.

FROM SIX TO SEVENTYIn addition to its wealth of international competi-tion, including the US team’s Olympic selection trials (March 20-24) the WEF also caters for children, juniors, adults and amateur riders aged

from 6 to 70 years old in more than 55 divisions of competition.

ECONOMIC IMPACTAccording to the Palm Beach County Business Development Board, participants and spectators at the Winter Equestrian Festival spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually in Palm Beach County. The annual economic impact of just the tourist-related expenditures during the Winter Equestrian Festival alone is over $120 million, according to a recent economic impact study from the Palm Beach County Sports Commis-sion, and there is at least another $100 million

in equestrian-related expenditures. The value of equestrian properties (housing, farms and raw land), purchased over the last six years is well in excess of a billion dollars.

DIRECTIONSFrom the Florida Turnpike take Exit #93, Lake Worth Road, west 5 miles to South Shore Blvd. Turn right at Blinker light on to South Shore Blvd. and proceed one mile to Pierson Road, turn left at the light. Spectator Entrance is first left, Equestrian Club Road.

From Interstate I-95, take Exit #66. Travel west on Forest Hill Blvd. 11 miles to South Shore Blvd. Turn left on South Shore and follow to Pierson Road. Turn right at the light on Pierson Road. Spectator Entrance is first left, Equestrian Club Road.

Pamela Young founded Horse International with stallion owner Isaac Arguetty in 1992 and has spent the past 15 years reporting on international jumping, dressage and eventing, and the issues and policies important to the top end of the horse sport industry. She has travelled the globe to Olympic, World and European Championships and World Cup Finals and in 1998 was member of the IOC team which revised the Olympic Results and Information Service (ORIS) for Equestrian.

you wouldn’t know he was a stallion. he nearly

neighs every time he goes in the ring. i don’t know

why, But that’s the only noise he makes.

Lov e H or se s?

2011 Issue 7

Q&A: Lord Stevens • Soapbox: The Rights of Nations • Insider: Global Dressage Forum

My Kingdom, Mi Casa: Leslie Malone's 'Inspirational' Riveredge

HICKSTEAD

All's Well in HuntersvilleHealthy Hunters Enjoy National Revival

A HORSE OF A LIFETIME

Issue7.indd 1 11/11/2011 1:43:27 PM

“ Probably the best equestr ian magazine in the world .”

ReadHorse sPort InternatIonal

Keep in touch with what’s happening on the international equestrian scene.

subscribe now – 8 issues for $20HorsesportInternational.com

1-800-505-7428


ThE CONSUL CORNER

This month Prime Minister Da-vid Cameron visited the United States. Alongside President Obama, he watched a “March Madness” basketball game, re-ceived a nineteen-gun salute and was guest of honour at a White House State dinner.

During the visit, President Obama described the UK-US relationship as indis-pensable. He was clear that the UK and US “stand together, bleed together and build together, in good times and bad”. The Prime Minister “reaffirmed the essential relationship” between the two countries.

So, beyond the pomp and ceremony of this month’s visit – important as it is - what is it that makes our bilateral relation-ship so essential?

I’ve spent a quarter of my career in the

USA. That will rise to a third by the time I leave Florida in 2014. Earlier in my career I have been privileged to work across the globe alongside Americans, from deliver-ing security in the dust and intense heat of

Southern Afghanistan, to convincing the Balkan Governments to send war crimi-nals to trial in The Hague. There are three insights about the UK-US relationship I want to share.

The first is honesty. We tell each other how it is. We may use different ways to do that, reflecting as Churchill put it that “We are two nations divided by a common language”. My American staff are always clear and direct about what they expect from me! However, our openness and willingness to listen means we understand and respect each other better and are clear-sighted about what we can achieve, be that in business, security or politics.

The second is about people. While it’s important that our Prime Minister and the

Her Majesty's Consul General

Kevin McGurGan

The UK Secretary for Education Rt Hon Michael Gove MP visited Miami's public school district to learn best practices from Florida educators.

Kevin mcgurgan took up his appoint-ment as Her Majesty’s Consul-General in Miami in December 2009.Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1971, Kevin joined the Foreign & Common-wealth Office (FCO) in 1990. He came to Florida from southern Afghanistan where he spent 2008/9 as Deputy Head of the NATO Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand province. He worked there with Afghan political and tribal leaders to improve security and prepare the ground for the arrival of the 2nd Marine Expedition-ary Brigade of the US Marine Corps in spring 2009. He was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for this work in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours.Kevin is accompanied by his wife Vicki (also from Scotland), and his two sons, Alexan-der and Michael

US President get along well, it’s more important that our two peoples understand each other. We don’t want to regress back to the actions of 200 years ago, when British forces attacked US government buildings!

Each generation finds its own way to renew the UK-US relationship. More people travelling more often certainly helps.

For my grandparents and parents, it was the shared security challenges of WWII followed by the Cold War. For me, it has been the post 9/11 world of countering terrorism and working hard to promote trade and investment to turn around our struggling economies.

For my sons, it’s currently debating which titans of UK and US literature - Harry Potter or Percy Jackson – would win a battle against each other, and reminding my boys that a football is meant to be round, not oval (unless it is a rugby ball)!

Understanding each other gives us a unique base to work together for our mutual benefit now and in the future. We are already each other’s largest bilateral investors. More than a million Brits work for American companies in the UK, and a million Americans work for British compa-nies operating in the US. Tourism forms a large part of the UK-Florida relationships; Disney here and historic sites and national treasures in the UK. That’s why in 2012 we have launched the GREAT campaign across the US to tap into the heightened interest around the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics and increase the num-

ber of Americans visiting the UK. The third insight is knowledge and our will-

ingness to learn from each other, whether it be in business, education or government. The UK and US have produced more Nobel Prize winners (often jointly) than any other countries. Here in Florida, Florida State University sends more of its students to the UK than to any other country in the world. Plenty of UK students head in the other direction to campuses in Orlando, Tampa and Miami.

However knowledge doesn’t just come from higher education. This month I hosted two sets of senior British visitors to Florida, who travelled here to learn from experiences in Florida, and then apply that knowledge to improve life in Britain.

The first visit was by the House of Com-mons Home Affairs Committee. While riding along with Miami police officers in a squad car, the committee witnessed how drugs undermine local communities and learned about how the US is tackling the supply of cocaine and illicit drugs from South America to the US and Europe. The second visit was by the UK Education Minister, Michael Gove. He learned from educators at high-performing schools in Florida and how they motivate students and teachers alike to do their best.

As both sets of visitors saw, exchanges like this are essential to ensure the UK and US continue to find innovative ways to meet and overcome this century’s challenges head on.

United Kingdom House of Commons visit to U.S. Southern Command


I was making dinner a couple of weeks back, listening to LBC (London’s Biggest Conversation), and they were discussing what makes a Briton, British. A lively debate thus ensued questioning the social and cultural connotations of Briticism versus the actual geography and demographics.

Interestingly, one of the common themes mentioned by callers was the Royal family. I wholeheartedly agreed, which was surprising because my hus-band normally finds me shouting at the Ipad, disagreeing with a caller 4000 miles away, on most of the subjects on the show. But being British really does come

with an innate patriotism; I truly believe that no other nation can host a party quite like the British Royals.

As we near the one year anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on April 29th, we remember how the world watched Prince William marry his ‘commoner’ bride in Westminster Abbey.

British styleCelebrating the Royals

As an expat I still like to keep in touch with what is go-ing on back home. I find watching BBC news, reading the Mail Online (because the actual newspaper is no longer printed here in Florida) and also listening to the radio, goes a long way to satisfying the urge.

As William was not the heir apparent to the throne, the wedding was not a full state occasion and many details were left for them to decide. It was great to see that the couple upheld many of the ceremonial traditions that make such occa-sions a source of national pride and worldwide attention, including the use of the state carriages and roles for the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry. Over 5000 street parties were held to mark the Royal wedding throughout the UK and one million people lined the route between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. TV audiences peaked at 26.3 million viewers with 36.7 million watching part of the coverage. The Royal You Tube Channel got 72 million hits.

The wedding was undoubtedly the Royal event of 2011; will the Diamond Jubilee be the event of 2012? Even with the Olympics hap-pening just a short month after, I believe our ‘Britishness’ will come out and the nation will celebrate this momentous occasion in style.

Following the death of her father, King George VI on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen by her various privy and executive councils shortly afterward. The coronation was held more than a year after on June 2 1953. After 16 months of preparation, and a cost of nearly $4 million, the Coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II followed a similar pattern to that of kings and queens before her, being held in Westminster Abbey, and involving the peerage and clergy of the day. However, for the new Queen, several parts of the ceremony were markedly different. The event was the first Royal event to be televised on the insistence of Elizabeth against the British Cabinet and Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Indeed, the first ever non-stop flight was made between the UK and Canadian mainland in order for crews to film the footage live for their Canadian audi-ences to view.

Across the UK the celebrations began. In London, the Queen hosted a coronation luncheon and a fireworks show was mounted on Victoria Embankment. Parties flooded the streets of the nation and the Coronation Cup football tournament was held at Hampden Park, Glasgow the month before. The British media cheekily took credit for Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reaching the summit of Everest on coronation day, dubbing the achievement ‘a coronation gift for the new Queen’.

Richard Bambridge, although only 4 at the time, remembers attending a street party, as

does Terry Wiseman, a fellow British Floridian. He remembers the celebrations, street party and even being presented with a book at school to commemorate the occasion. Mavis Murphy, who now lives in Canada whilst her daughters live in Orlando and North Carolina, attended a street party in the East End of London. Mavis lived in Silvertown and fondly remembers all the kids attending the party, eating potted shrimp sandwiches, jelly and custard and a few little cakes.

2012 is the Diamond Jubilee year, and we celebrate 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II accession to the throne. Preparations are well under way for the official Jubilee weekend cele-brations (2-5 June). Announcements have been coming in throughout the year regarding the plans. The Diamond Jubilee Concert will be held on 4 June and the official tour was kicked off on March 8 in Leicester. Although we may not be asking ourselves what the Queen will wear over the official celebratory weekend, we can marvel at what wonderful concoction will be named the official Jubilee dish and if Britain will once again come together for that very British cultural pastime, the street party. I do hope so!

Tell us what you have planned by emailing [email protected]

For a full list of official Diamond Jubilee events go to www.2012diamondjubilee.com

For a list of Florida events to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee go to www.thefloridastandard.com

LIFESTyLE

laura mcloughlinOriginally from Wigan in the North West of England, Laura relocated to Florida in 2005. Laura now consid-ers herself a true Floridian as an avid golfer and has no intention of mov-ing anywhere else. Laura is Country Manager of Moneycorp Inc.


The British American Chamber of Commerce was proud to host an afterhour’s event at the National Center for Simulation on 23rd February. It was an incredibly informative and well attended evening. The primary purpose of the event was to introduce cham-ber members and local businesses to the program and understand how the emerging economic impact of simulation and the military coincide with the financial and economic strength of the Central Florida Community. Stationed near the University of Central Florida, the NCS was formed in 1993 as the link between the defense industry, government, and academia on behalf of the entire model-ing, simulation, and training community.

With nearly 60 people in attendance, we learned how the bil-lions in development and business revenue have assisted small to larger companies expand and grow. Having undergone a change in

administration, the BACC’s efforts still holds true: building com-merce in the Central Florida region and abroad. This is an aspect that the Chamber has been making efforts to accomplish for over 30 years and the National Center for Simulation Afterhours event was a great example of our initiatives.

We have many exciting events planned for the future, includ-ing our annual charity golf event to benefit the UK charity Dreamflight in April. Check out the chamber website for more information about all we have going on now and in the future.

www.BritishAmericanChamberOrlando.com

Jason Edwards, RFCPresident of the British American Chamber of Commerce

high teCh to 18 holes

CENTRAL FLORIDA


One of the things I really used to enjoy was spending time looking through old photo-graphs and remembering days gone by. However, with smart phones and all the other gad-gets that seemingly form part of our everyday life, such won-derful pastimes are becoming more a thing, of well, the past.

this month, a fellow Florida Brit, Rex Hearn, takes us down memory lane with a very humorous account of a trip he made with Alistair Cooke in 1962 to the Kennedy Winter White

House in Palm Beach, Florida. Alfred Alistair Cooke KBE was a British/Ameri-

can journalist, television personality and broadcaster. Outside his journalistic output, which included Letter from America and Alistair Cooke’s America, he was well known in the United States as the host of PBS Masterpiece Theater from 1971 to 1992. After holding the job for 22 years, and having worked in televi-sion for 42 years, Cooke retired in 1992, although he continued to present Letter from America until shortly before his death. Alistair became an American citizen in 1941 and in 1973 was awarded an honorary knighthood (KBE) for his outstanding contribution to Anglo-American mutual understanding. Cooke was reportedly happy to accept because in the words of Thomas Jefferson, it did not involve “the very great vanity of a title”.

By Rex HearnI was 29 when I first visited Florida. My Chief of Bureau on The Guardian, Alistair Cooke, was invited to a Presidential Background Conference at the Kennedy compound in Palm Beach. By 1961 Alistair had become a matinee idol on American tele-vision with his arts program, Omnibus and each week the BBC broadcast his Letter from America.

On the plane down from New York City, Alistair

Rex Remembers

rex hearnRex Hearn is a four career man. For ten years he was a Captain in the British Army. The next ten years were spent at The Guard-ian newspaper in Manchester, London and New York. Next he was seduced by Madison Avenue and worked in the then largest advertising agency in the world, Ogilvy & Mather. At 55, he and his wife Kathleen founded The Berkshire Opera Company in Lenox, MA, a profes-sional summer opera company modeled on Glyndebourne in Sussex, UK. He and Kathleen spend winters in Florida, summers in Lee, MA. His memoir will be published shortly on E publishing by ‘The Very Best Publishing Company’ .

handed me a biography by Linda Christian, second wife of film star, Tyrone Power.

‘’Read this, it’ll take your mind off the bumps. By her account, she was a Nun !’’ he remarked, somewhat ironically.

The truth: Linda, a minor Hollywood starlet, was scandal material for the press. We checked in at the Palm Beach Towers hotel, researched where President Kennedy’s home was and went to dinner at Le Petite Marmite.

On arriving at the restaurant, I saw a very attractive waitress eye us carefully. She disappeared into the kitchen. Reading our menus we were inter-rupted by a strong Lancashire accent.

‘’I’m Doris, I’ll be your waitress tonight.’’It was the disappearing waitress! Doris had

changed into high heels and looked great.‘’ It’s Mr. Cooke, isn’t it ?’’ After Alistair nodded,

the waitress who we would be introduced to as Doris, looked even better close up in a pair of high heels, continued ‘’It’s because of you that me and my husband came to Florida. We grew cabbages and lettuces in The Fylde, near Blackpool, your home. In one of your weekly BBC talks I heard you speak of how farmers here in Florida can get two, maybe three crops a year. So we sold up and moved here. We have two acres cultivated and my husband brings in extra money as well buying old houses and fixing them up.’’

Alistair looked over at me in astonishment and smiled. He seemed very pleased. Interestingly, years later, he called me from Palm Beach where he’d gone for a week’s golf, to inform he had met Doris again and she was still looking as good as ever and was now the Restaurant Manager of the Palm Beach Towers and had plenty of lettuce!

Alistair often joked he’d bumped into Jackie Kennedy, but he was pulling my leg. He liked to kid. On our second night, after the first conference, we were invited by New York Senator Jacob Javits to dinner at his Palm Beach rented home. As we entered Mrs. Javits met us and handed us glasses of purple juice. It was Borscht. I hesitated, but was persuaded to drink it by Alistair whis-pering in my ear that it was beet root juice.

About a dozen of the great and the good were seated at a long table. Mid way through the dinner, Alistair pulled me to the side and asked me to start calling him Colonel; it seemed I was fast becoming his straight man ! I watched as

he took the measure of each person, hardly saying a word. When dessert was served, he took over the conversation. I joined in, remembering my promise to call him Colonel a couple of times. Senator Javits interrupted,

‘ Alistair, why is Rex calling you Colonel ?’’ Paus-ing for effect, Alistair said,’’ Oh, don’t you know, I was made a Kentucky Colonel last year.’’

Laughs all round. For the uneducated, ‘Ken-tucky Colonel’ is an honorary title bestowed on distinguished persons by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It’s really both publicity and a fund rais-ing gimmick; such was Alistair’s humor!

On our last day I begged off saying I wanted to discover Lake Okeechobee, the sixth largest lake in

America, one hours drive from Palm Beach. I had visions of small fishing villages scattered around its perimeter. What a shock when I arrived. No such villages existed. And a massive 30 foot high berm surrounded the lake. So I never saw the Lake at all, to my great disappointment. However, I did discover the delightful Seminole Inn situated at Indiantown, near the lake. In the dining room I saw photos of a very young Duchess of Windsor. In her teenage years she’d travel down from Baltimore in the summer to help out her Uncle Hal, the owner. Another lovely irony. Indiantown is a blue collar and agricultural town. Yet in the 1950’s and 60’s Wallis became the undisputed Queen of Palm Beach Society. Good for her !!

OF INTEREST

ALISTAIR OFTEN jOkED hE’D BUMpED INTO jACkIE kENNEDy, BUT hE WAS pULLINg My LEg. hE LIkED TO kID.


BUSINESS DIRECTORy

Tampa / ST. peTe / ClearwaTer

mortgagesTampaConnect Mortgage SolutionsMike DoverTel: 727 945 7722Fax: 407 472 5900www.connectms.comStatewide Service

accountancy / CpaTampaThomas C Roberge & CoTom SwappTel: 727 822 [email protected] service

tea rooms & restaurantsCafé/Clearwatergrind House Café Bar & grillMichelle gibbonsTel: 727 726 [email protected]

salon & spaTampaKensington Salon & SpaKaren PayneTel: 813 254 1091Email: [email protected]

SaraSoTa area

immigration attorneysSarasotaAnthony Olsen PAAnthony OlsenTel: 941 362 7100Email: [email protected] service

pubsSarasotaThe White Horse PubFay LawrenceTel: 941 358 1353Email: [email protected]

real estateColdwell BankerPatricia TanTel: 941 504 [email protected]

CenTral Florida

pubsDevenney’s Irish Pub - DavenportJay CreightonTel: 352 432 3825Email: [email protected]

shopsThe British ShoppeJon HansonTel: 407 898 1634gourmet@theBritishShoppe.comwww.TheBritishShoppe.comStatewide service

The villagesThe UK ShoppeMaureen AmengualTel: 352 391 5788Email: [email protected]

real estateMainStreet RealtorsJohn McLoughlinTel: 407 666 3279Email: [email protected]

Buy Florida RealtyDenise AssersohnTel: 407 709 [email protected] wide.com

Team DonovanJames DonovanTel: 407 705 [email protected]

printing servicesPerformance Business SolutionsSimon AsperyTel: 321 304 [email protected] service

pensionsKestrel InternationalSimon PlumbTel: 407 704 [email protected] Statewide service

Business solutionsAUE Staffing SolutionsTerry WisemanTel: 407 666 [email protected] service

property managementgoldKey Property Managementvalerie BrownTel: 407 396 [email protected]

mortgagesACM Financial Robin StaceyTel: 407 397 [email protected] service

marketing/ advertising/ design & websitesORB Marketing Solutions / FloridalinkJustine AssalTel: 407 401 9690Justine@OrbMarketingSolutions.comwww.OrbMarketingSolutions.com

sportsWinter Park Tennis CentreAnzela ZgunaTel: 407 599 3445Winterparktenniscenter@gmail.comwww.winterparktenniscenter.com

financial & investment servicesEdwards Financial ServicesJason EdwardsTel: 407 678 9400JEdwards@EFS-Advisors.comwww.EdwardsFinancialAdvisors-inc.comStatewide service

furniture packages/ game roomsFlorida villa ServicesPaul DudleyTel: 407 238 2389 [email protected]

worldwide moving companiesUPakWeShipMark Nash843 225 [email protected] Service

UPakWeShipMark Nash1 866 868 [email protected] Service

Miami areaAndrews Accountancy LLC

Jimmy Andrews FCCA Telephone: (305) 323 [email protected] Service napleS & ForT myerS

pubsNaplesBallyorney Irish PubBrad MalloneyTel: 239 628 1444Email: [email protected]

real estateRealty World Top ProducersKathy RainfordTel: 239 430 1700Kathy.Rainford@RealtyWorld.comwww.RealtyWorldTopProducers.com

miami area

pubsMiamiChurchill’s PubDavid DanielsTel: 305 757 1807Email: [email protected]

tea rooms/ restaurantsMiamiThe Copper Kettle CelticPamela EdwardsTel: 305 255 [email protected]

merchandise Ready4 Best of BritainJustin JonesTel: 786 457 [email protected] service

accountancyAndrews Accountancy LLCJimmy AndrewsTel: 305 323 [email protected] service

norTh weST

tea rooms/ restaurantsWillows Tea RoomLinda SmithTel: 850 747 1004Email: [email protected]


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OUT & ABOUT

Tampa Bay British Expats enjoyed a fun-filled evening featuring red carpet festivities, delicious food samples, and an exciting silent auction at the Tampa Theatre’s 13th Annual Oscar Night Party on February 26th, 2012. The group were whisked around the block in a limo, applauded by fans on Tampa Theatre’s red carpet, surrounded by fans for autographs, interviewed by zany red carpet hostess, “Roan Jivers,” treated to delicious food samples from area restaurants, tempted with merchandise in an exciting silent auction and were finally awed by the 84th Annual Academy Awards live on Tampa Theatre’s Big Screen. All proceeds benefitted Tampa Theatre’s artistic and educational programs.

The British-American Busi-ness Council of Tampa Bay hosted an Absolut Vodka Tasting Networking Event with the Scandinavian Trade Association of Tampa Bay at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. on February 23rd 2012.

The Tampa Bay British Expats celebrated Saint David's Day with a traditional themed din-ner at The Moon Under Water in St Petersburg

The Orlando City season is quickly ap-proaching. The 2012 home opener is set for April 15 versus Wilmington Ham-merheads. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl. For ticket info, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com. (photos in accompanying email)

miami visit by house of Commons Select Committee on home affairsBritain's House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs, lead by Rt. Hon. Keith Vaz MP, visited Miami as part of an enquiry on into UK drugs policy.

From Left to Right (Dominic Forth, Catherine Sands, Rachel Walker, Nathan Carter, Sarah McHugh, Bref McHugh)

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REAL ESTATE

From a British perspective, Florida is quite clearly a buyer’s market. With property prices among the most affordable in the English

speaking world, frequently 50% less than their 2006 peak, there’s never been a better time to invest.

And the continuing eurozone crisis might push even more Brit buyers State-side, something lenders and banks are starting to realise. US banks are increas-ingly releasing more realistically priced foreclosures, although it remains unclear how many distressed properties there are still in the pipeline to bloat inventory further.

For there is still plenty of stock out there, with condos down by as much as 80 per cent in some areas; and villas down 60 per cent, with even high-end properties down 50-60 per cent from previous highs. The archetypal detached villa on a nice complex with its own garage and pool –

within an easy drive of Disney World and co – that many British buyers aspire to- is now little more than £100,000. The same sort of budget goes as far in many other popular Brit hotspots such as Tampa, the Emerald Coast and around Sarasota.

British buyers are also looking at short sale properties, with investors realising that these are increasingly becoming available within popular communities and complexes, giving the chance to own a stunning property and save on double-digit commission that an agent will charge on a conventional sale.

While many British buyers remain confused about short sales, we’ve seen from the recent episodes of A Place in the Sun that we’ve shot in Florida that they can be a great way to pick up a property. If buyers are willing to do their research and not be put off by the different hoops that need to be jumped in order to secure their home, they can walk away with a dream

property that would have been completely out of their reach at the market’s peak.

With more Brits getting wise to how well the Floridian property market can work for them, expect to hear many more British voices at the club house.

Florida Real Estate from a

BritiSh PerSPective

A WORLD OF OVERSEAS PROPERTY UNDER ONE ROOF

30th March – 1st April 2012 Earls Court London

aplaceinthesun.com

Ë The three-day show at Earls Court London is our fi rst event of 2012 and the sixteenth consecutive show since 2005

Ë A Place in the Sun Live has a proven track-record of attracting an audience of British buyers excited at the prospect of purchasing overseas property

Ë A marketing campaign across TV, national and regional newspapers, magazines, radio, online and PR - no other shows attract the same volume of motivated property hunters

Ë The biggest and best-attended events in the calendar and the ideal opportunity to meet thousands of buyers face-to-face

THE PROVEN WAY TO MEET BRITISH BUYERS

For an up-to-date fl oorplan and to fi nd out more about exhibiting at A Place in the Sun Livecall +44 (0) 203 2072920 or email [email protected]

AUTUMN 2012 DATES ARE ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR

NEC BIRMINGHAM

28TH - 30TH SEPTEMBER

2012

O F F I C I A L A I R L I N E P A R T N E R

APL US-FVM FULL EC2012.indd 1 20/1/12 10:29:44


As we all plan our Jubilee parties in June, the UK prepares to celebrate the 60th anni-versary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. Hopefully the weather back home will hold out and everyone can enjoy a long, holiday weekend. For us Florida Brits, the sun will more than likely be shining. What better way to celebrate this wonder-ful occasion by inviting around friends and family and enjoying a good old garden party by the pool? To accompany such an occa-sion, why not serve the original celebratory dish, coronation chicken.

When Rosemary Hume proposed the recipe for a cold chicken with curry cream sauce dish to be included in the coronation banquet in 1953, I don’t believe she would have known that the recipe would not only be used in 2012, but a national favorite for

COOkINg WITh CAROL

2012 is Diamond Jubilee YearCoronation chicken 6 boneless and skinned chicken

breasts

3/4 pint of chicken stock (1 Knor

stock cube)

1 bay leaf

6 peppercorns

2 parsley stalks or a large pinch of

dried parsley

2 thyme sprigs

1 lemon slice

For the sauce 1 tbsp olive oil ( USA measuring

spoon)

1 small onion peeled and

chopped

1 to 2 tbsp of medium- hot curry

powder or curry paste (dependant

on taste)

2 tsp tomato puree

3 tbsp water

4 tbsp red wine

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp apricot jam.

1 lemon slice

2tsp lemon juice

1/4 pint mayonnaise

7fl oz heavy whipping cream

Serves 6 for main course or can be

part of a buffet for 8 to 12

buffets, salads, sandwiches and much more ever since. So, invite your friends, hang your flags and have a fantastic Diamond Jubilee celebration in June.

Cooking the chickenPut the chicken in a large, shallow sauce-pan and add the stock, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and lemon Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and sim-mer gently for around 20 minutes or until cooked and tenderRemove the pan from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the stock

Preparing the sauceMeanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and cook gently for 7- 10 minutes until soft but not brownMix in the curry powder and cook for a minute Stir in the tomato puree, water, red wine, a pinch of salt and pepper, jam, lemon slice and juiceAllow to simmer for 8 minutes Remove from the heat and discard the lemon slice and pass the sauce through a ny-lon sieve into a bowl using a wooden spoonIf you think the sauce is a little thin add a tsp of cornstarch and heat it through to make it thicker. Cover and leave to cool.

Combining the twoLightly whip the cream and stir the may-onnaise and cream into the curry sauceDrain the chicken and cut them into bit size chucksAdd them to the curry sauce and stir until all the chicken is covered with the sauceSpoon the mixture into the middle of a serving dish and dress the dish with water-cress or chopped lettuceIt is nice served with a rice saladThis recipe can be made hotter if you like

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RESOURCES

www.britsinamerica.us the essential online resource for Brits who live in, are visiting or are interested in moving to America.

Hundreds of pages of information including real estate glossary, guides for health insurance, US visas, living in and travelling to

America plus all the businesses and services that can assist you.

www.britsinamericanetwork.us the social network for British expats living in America

www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk the British Consulate in the USA

www.stateofflorida.com contains information for new and prospective Florida residents

www.myflorida.com has information about living/moving to Florida

www.city-data.com has local information on crime rates etc.

www.greatschools.net is full of information on schools in the USA

www.dmvflorida.org gives you details on how to get your Florida driving license

www.sunbiz.org all the paperwork and forms needed for registering businesses in Florida and electronic filing

www.scoreflorida.org small business advice and assistance

www.ssa.gov where to get your social security number / card

www.fco.gov.uk/travel packed with essential travel advice and tips

www.locate.fco.gov.uk/locateportal/ a service to locate British nationals living abroad

www.uscis.gov contains all the immigration forms and information

www.usembassy.org.uk the website of the US Embassy in London

www.mls.com search available property for sale in America

www.meetup.com/orlando-touch-rugby/ play touch rugby in Orlando

www.orlandocitysoccer.com the official website of Orlando City Soccer club

www.strikersocceracademy.com soccer coaching in Central Florida

www.t20ca.com T20 cricket

www.snookerusa.com the official website of the United States Snooker Association

www.flscottishgames.com the Florida Scottish Highland games

www.swflabrits.com the British American Club of Southwest Florida

www.britamclub.com British American Social Club of Citrus County

www.meetup.com/brit-309 the Tampa Bay British Expats Meet-up group

www.e2visareform.org petitioning for E2 visa reform

www.votes-for-expat-brits.com keep your UK vote whilst living overseas

www.telegraph.co.uk/expat news, features and advice for British expats

www.ujnews.com America’s only British newspaper

www.theusaforums.com Expat site

www.makeamericahome.com Expat site

Online resources for british expats

We specialize in formulating online marketing campaigns for British businesses looking to expand to the Florida marketplace

social media + online marketing + event promotion + publishing + blogging + email campaigns

www.floridalinkcorp.com [email protected]

We can reach your target clientele and connect British Business to the

Florida marketplace

the florida standard

Documents

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