The Florida Standard by aboutglobal

florida s

No2 Spring Issue 2012

Feature Story Build up to the Olympics Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington

The Consul Corner What is it that makes our bilateral relationship so essential?

BUSiness

The British Mafia in Miami!

CONTENTS

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 Council Events calendar

12 Sports

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

The Consul Corner

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

Lifestyle

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

22 Central Florida

Editorial Team Publisher Justine Assal Chief Columnist Laura McLoughlin Contributing Columnists Her Majesty’s Consul General Kevin McGurgan Simon Plumb Contributors Carol Dudley, Richard Charman, Pamela Young, Rex Hearn, Jason Edwards, Neal Stebbing, Justin Jones Advertising info@floridalinkcorp.com 407-401-9690 News Justine Assal Q&A Justine Assal Submissions editor@floridalinkcorp.com

British American Chamber of Commerce Events & updates

Also Featuring

24 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 Carol Celebrating the Jubilee with classic coronation chicken 34 British Resources Where to go and who to contact 2 | Florida Standard

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 LLC No portions of this work may be copied or reproduced without express written permission of the Publisher. We can be contacted at Floridalink LLC Info@floridalinkcorp.com 407-650-3443 www.floridalinkcorp.com

EDITORIAL

Words from the Publisher

From trips to the local British shop for HP sauce to the inability to accept Hersheys as a viable chocolate option...

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 deleting 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 naturally 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!

l a s s A e n i t s u J

Publisher

4 | Florida Standard

Come celebrate the last SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS event of the season during the

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All photos © ManciniPhotos

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Florida Standard | 5

The British

Mafia 6 | Florida Standard

in Miami!

BUSINESS

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.

ne of those three Managers is Simon Pettigrew, who is originally from Gloucestershire but now is enjoying 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 understands the importance of every role within the organisation. Even though the hospitality industry has suffered 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 member 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 finding, in economic downturns it’s easy to cut prices but how do you balance that with protecting the

Martin Wormull

Simon Plumb Simon is originally from North London and has lived in Florida since February 2010 and is the General Manager for Kestrel International helping expatriates with their UK pensions. He is also on the board of the British American Chamber of Commerce simon.plumb@ kestrelint.com

Simon Pettigrew Florida Standard | 7

BABC miami

Welcome to the

BABC Miami

Access to the right connections, markets, influence and intelligence 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 opportunities by delivering high-caliber networking and marketing opportu-

8 | Florida Standard

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

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 discussions, and make connections which will surely blossom into profitable relationships on both a personal and professional level. If you have any questions concerning membership and benefits, or wish to be added to our mailing list e-mail contact info@babcmiami.com or call Justin Jones, our Executive Director on 786 457 9353. We look forward to hearing from you.

upcoming events MARCH March 23rd: 6.00pm The Virgin Atlantic Business Series – “An Evening of Tennis” at the Sony Ericson Open, Key Biscayne with celebrity guests from news media 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: 6.00pm New Members Cocktail Reception at a private penthouse overlooking Biscayne Bay April 12th: 8.00am - 9.30am Boardroom Breakfast Jamie Sweeting, Vice President, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines April 16th: 8.30am – 5.00pm 9th Annual Bi-National Chambers ‘Doubles’ Tennis Championship The Crandon Tennis Center, Key Biscayne, cocktails 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

Lets Dance On

We’ll miss you Davy! 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 previous marriages. He had been booked to perform May 18-20 at Epcot’s Flower Power concert series at Walt Disney World.

10 | Florida Standard

Remember, Remember th the 5 of November

Is now booking Sponsors and Vendors for November 5th, 2012 For 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 Sponsorship Packages from $750 to $3500 Vendors from $100 Food vendors - please contact us for pricing (limited number- authentic British foods only)

WWW.GUYFAWKESKISSIMMEE.COM

407 401 9690

justine@floridalinkcorp.com Florida Standard | 11

B uild u p to t h e O lym p ics

Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unlikely that Eugene Mische, the Ohioan who founded the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida ever envisaged his show ground becoming the equestrian nirvana it is today. Text: Pamela Young Photo: Sportfot

12 | Florida Standard

Sport

Florida Standard | 13

ische 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 $200million) 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 individual horse show, with more than 10,000 exhibitors (horse owners, trainers, riders, support personnel) and up to 3,000 horses

14 | Florida Standard

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 transport 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 Paternoster, 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 FIELD Olympic 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

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

ECONOMIC IMPACT According 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 Commission, and there is at least another $100 million

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. 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 remarkable 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 surgeries 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.

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.

DIRECTIONS From 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.

FROM SIX TO SEVENTY In addition to its wealth of international competition, including the US team’s Olympic selection trials (March 20-24) the WEF also caters for children, juniors, adults and amateur riders aged Florida Standard | 15

L ov e H o r s e s ? Q&A: Lord Stevens • Soapbox: The Rights of Nations • Insider: Global Dressage Forum

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“ Probably the b est eq uestrian ma g azi ne i n the world .”

The Consul Corner

Her Majesty's Consul General

Kevin McGurgan

This month Prime Minister David Cameron visited the United States. Alongside President Obama, he watched a “March Madness” basketball game, received 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 indispensable. 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 relationship so essential? I’ve spent a quarter of my career in the 18 | Florida Standard

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 delivering security in the dust and intense heat of

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

Southern Afghanistan, to convincing the Balkan Governments to send war criminals 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 clearsighted 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

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 companies 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-

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

ber of Americans visiting the UK. The third insight is knowledge and our willingness 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 Commons 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.

Kevin McGurgan took up his appointment as Her Majesty’s Consul-General in Miami in December 2009. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1971, Kevin joined the Foreign & Commonwealth 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 Expeditionary 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, Alexander and Michael

Celebrating the Royals

British Style

As an expat I still like to keep in touch with what is going 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. 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. 20 | Florida Standard

Interestingly, one of the common themes mentioned by callers was the Royal family. I wholeheartedly agreed, which was surprising because my husband 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.

LIFESTYLE

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 occasions 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 happening 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 audiences 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 celebrations (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 thefloridastandard@gmail.com 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

Laura McLoughlin Originally from Wigan in the North West of England, Laura relocated to Florida in 2005. Laura now considers herself a true Floridian as an avid golfer and has no intention of moving anywhere else. Laura is Country Manager of Moneycorp Inc.

Central Florida

High Tech to 18 Holes

The British American Chamber of Commerce was proud to host an afterhourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 chamber 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 modeling, simulation, and training community. With nearly 60 people in attendance, we learned how the billions in development and business revenue have assisted small to larger companies expand and grow. Having undergone a change in

22 | Florida Standard

administration, the BACCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts still holds true: building commerce 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, including 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, RFC President of the British American Chamber of Commerce

Rex Remembers One of the things I really used to enjoy was spending time looking through old photographs and remembering days gone by. However, with smart phones and all the other gadgets that seemingly form part of our everyday life, such wonderful pastimes are becoming more a thing, of well, the past.

his 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/American 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 television 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 Hearn

I 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 television with his arts program, Omnibus and each week the BBC broadcast his Letter from America. On the plane down from New York City, Alistair 24 | Florida Standard

Of Interest

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 interrupted 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 whispering 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 ?’’ Pausing for effect, Alistair said,’’ Oh, don’t you know, I was made a Kentucky Colonel last year.’’ Laughs all round. For the uneducated, ‘Kentucky Colonel’ is an honorary title bestowed on distinguished persons by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It’s really both publicity and a fund raising 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

Alistair often joked he’d bumped into Jackie Kennedy, but he was pulling my leg. He liked to kid. 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 !!

Rex Hearn Rex 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 Guardian 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 professional 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’ .

business directory

Tampa / St. Pete / Clearwater Mortgages Tampa Connect Mortgage Solutions Mike Dover Tel: 727 945 7722 Fax: 407 472 5900 www.connectms.com Statewide Service Accountancy / CPA Tampa Thomas C Roberge & Co Tom Swapp Tel: 727 822 9393 tswapp@robergeco.com www.robergeco.com Statewide service Tea Rooms & Restaurants Café/Clearwater Grind House Café Bar & Grill Michelle Gibbons Tel: 727 726 5577 michellegibbons@yahoo.com www.grindhouseflorida.com Salon & Spa Tampa Kensington Salon & Spa Karen Payne Tel: 813 254 1091 Email: kensngtonsalonandspa@ gmail.com www.kensingtonsalonandspa.com

Sarasota Area Immigration Attorneys Sarasota Anthony Olsen PA Anthony Olsen Tel: 941 362 7100 Email: info@immigrationvisausa.com www.immigrationvisausa.com Statewide service Pubs Sarasota The White Horse Pub Fay Lawrence Tel: 941 358 1353 Email: contact@the-white-horsepub.com www.the-white-horse-pub.com Real Estate Coldwell Banker Patricia Tan Tel: 941 504 9232 Pat@PatriciaTan.com www.PatriciaTan.com

26 | Florida Standard

Central Florida Pubs Devenney’s Irish Pub - Davenport Jay Creighton Tel: 352 432 3825 Email: devenneyirishpub@gmail.com www.devenneyirishpub.com Shops The British Shoppe Jon Hanson Tel: 407 898 1634 gourmet@theBritishShoppe.com www.TheBritishShoppe.com Statewide service The Villages The UK Shoppe Maureen Amengual Tel: 352 391 5788 Email: Maureen@ukshoppe.com www.theukshoppe.com Real Estate MainStreet Realtors John McLoughlin Tel: 407 666 3279 Email: John@bcflorida.com www.jmfla.com Buy Florida Realty Denise Assersohn Tel: 407 709 6174 Denise@OrlandoHomesWorldwide.com www.OrlandoHomesWorldwide.com Team Donovan James Donovan Tel: 407 705 2616 James@TDOrlando.com www.TDFlorida.com Printing Services Performance Business Solutions Simon Aspery Tel: 321 304 8011 SAspery@PPIprints.com www.PPIprints.com Statewide service Pensions Kestrel International Simon Plumb Tel: 407 704 6207 Simon.Plumb@Kestrelint.com www.Kestrelint.com Statewide service Business Solutions AUE Staffing Solutions Terry Wiseman Tel: 407 666 7381 twiseman@achcorp.com www.achcorp.com Statewide service

Property Management GoldKey Property Management Valerie Brown Tel: 407 396 9090 info@goldkeypm.com www.goldkeypm.com Mortgages ACM Financial Robin Stacey Tel: 407 397 7300 info@acmhomeloans.com www.acmhomeloans.com Statewide service Marketing/ Advertising/ Design & Websites ORB Marketing Solutions / Floridalink Justine Assal Tel: 407 401 9690 Justine@OrbMarketingSolutions. com www.OrbMarketingSolutions.com Sports Winter Park Tennis Centre Anzela Zguna Tel: 407 599 3445 Winterparktenniscenter@gmail.com www.winterparktenniscenter.com Financial & Investment Services Edwards Financial Services Jason Edwards Tel: 407 678 9400 JEdwards@EFS-Advisors.com www.EdwardsFinancialAdvisorsinc.com Statewide service

Jimmy Andrews FCCA Telephone: (305) 323 1278 jand592040@aol.com www.andrewsaccountancy.com Statewide Service

Naples & Fort Myers

Pubs Naples Ballyorney Irish Pub Brad Malloney Tel: 239 628 1444 Email: brad@ballyorney.com www.ballorney.com Real Estate Realty World Top Producers Kathy Rainford Tel: 239 430 1700 Kathy.Rainford@RealtyWorld.com www.RealtyWorldTopProducers.com

Miami Area Pubs Miami Churchill’s Pub David Daniels Tel: 305 757 1807 Email: david@churchilllspub.com www.churchillspub.com Tea Rooms/ Restaurants Miami The Copper Kettle Celtic Pamela Edwards Tel: 305 255 1515 ckceltic@mindspring.com www.copperkettleceltic.com

Furniture packages/ game rooms Florida Villa Services Paul Dudley Tel: 407 238 2389 PaulDudley@earthlink.net www.FloridaVillaServices.com

Merchandise Ready4 Best of Britain Justin Jones Tel: 786 457 9353 Justin@ready4.com www.Ready4.com Statewide service

Worldwide moving companies UPakWeShip Mark Nash 843 225 7217 mark@eurousa.us www.eurousa.us Statewide Service

Accountancy Andrews Accountancy LLC Jimmy Andrews Tel: 305 323 1278 Jand592040@aol.com www.andrewsaccountancy.com Statewide service

UPakWeShip Mark Nash 1 866 868 6386 mark@eurousa.us www.upakweship.com Statewide Service Miami area Andrews Accountancy LLC

North West

Tea Rooms/ Restaurants Willows Tea Room Linda Smith Tel: 850 747 1004 Email: willows@knology.net www.willowstea.com

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

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

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

Miami visit by House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs Britain'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. 28 | Florida Standard

BRIDGING THE GAP

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Real Estate

Florida Real Estate from a

British Perspective

rom 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 Stateside, something lenders and banks are starting to realise. US banks are increasingly 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 –

30 | Florida Standard

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 doubledigit 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.

30th March – 1st April 2012 Earls Court London

THE PROVEN

WAY TO MEET

BRITISH A WORLD OF OVERSEAS PROPERTY UNDER ONE ROOF

BUYERS

Ë The three-day show at Earls Court London is our first 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

AUTUMN 2012 DATES ARE ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR NEC BIRMINGHAM

28TH - 30TH SEPTEMBER

2012

For an up-to-date floorplan and to find out more about exhibiting at A Place in the Sun Live call +44 (0) 203 2072920 or email sales@aplaceinthesun.com

aplaceinthesun.com OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER

Cooking with Carol

2012 is Diamond Jubilee Year buffets, salads, sandwiches and much more ever since. So, invite your friends, hang your flags and have a fantastic Diamond Jubilee celebration in June.

Coronation chicken

Cooking the chicken

 3/4 pint of chicken stock (1 Knor

Put the chicken in a large, shallow saucepan and add the stock, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and lemon Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 20 minutes or until cooked and tender Remove the pan from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the stock As we all plan our Jubilee parties in June, the UK prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary 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 wonderful occasion by inviting around friends and family and enjoying a good old garden party by the pool? To accompany such an occasion, 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

Preparing the sauce

Meanwhile, 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 brown Mix 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 juice Allow to simmer for 8 minutes Remove from the heat and discard the lemon slice and pass the sauce through a nylon sieve into a bowl using a wooden spoon If 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.

 6 boneless and skinned chicken breasts 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

Combining the two

Lightly whip the cream and stir the mayonnaise and cream into the curry sauce Drain the chicken and cut them into bit size chucks Add them to the curry sauce and stir until all the chicken is covered with the sauce Spoon the mixture into the middle of a serving dish and dress the dish with watercress or chopped lettuce It is nice served with a rice salad This recipe can be made hotter if you like 32 | Florida Standard

The British American Chamber's Signature Event is Almost Here

Test your skills on the green, as the Chamber hosts the perfect opportunity for you to put your swing to the test. Date: Friday, April, 27th 10350 Emerson Lake Boulevard Orlando, FL 32832

Time: 8:00am

Cost: Individual $125 Foursome $500 Lunch Only $30

For Sponsorship Information, please contact us at: info@britishamericanchamberorlando.com

resources

Online resources for British expats 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 Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only British newspaper www.theusaforums.com Expat site www.makeamericahome.com Expat site 34 | Florida Standard

Florida Standard | 35

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