The Florida Standard

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No1 Spring Issue 2012

Feature Story:

Dr. John Francis, Director of the Florida Hospital Lifestyle Laura McLoughlin’s

From Guy Fawkes to curry nights Her Majesty’s Consul General The Consul Corner - UK news & 12 in 12 Embracing the Floridian Lifestyle with a twist of British!

Sport

Orlando City Soccer takes the season by storm

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CONTENTS

Contents 6

Sports

8

Business

Football … soccer… call it what you like as long as we win!

Courting the Industry’s elite from around the globe

12 16 Out & About Consul 18 The Corner Lifestyle

Guy Fawkes night to curry houses

Famous Brits and events around

the State

Major opportunities taking place across Britain and the US in 2012

20 British Resources 22 Just for fun Where to go and who to contact

British language crosswords, puzzles and humour

23 Cooking by Carol Champagne jellies & syllabub

Editorial Team Publisher Justine Assal Assistant Editor Sarah Wilkinson Chief Columnist Laura McLoughlin Contributing Columnists Her Majesty’s Consul General Kevin McGurgan Simon Plumb James Donovan Contributors Carol Dudley Richard Charman Advertising info@floridalinkcorp.com 407-401-9690 News Justine Assal Q&A Justine Assal Submissions editor@floridalinkcorp.com

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

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Florida Standard | 3

EDITORIAL

Words from the Publisher

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somewhere the balance is thus found; keeping one’s heritage and yet becoming a part of this newly chosen culture

lorida, by all standards, is becoming more international by the day. Business is expanding and taking on a far more global focus and even with the real estate shake up over the past 3 years, there seems to be little to slow the number of Europeans that migrate to the State each year, either to holiday, purchase property or ultimately to make this home.

British Nationals, in particular, have long been enamored with Florida and have an admitted love affair with the lifestyle, weather, standard of living, and all the opportunities that Florida boasts.

One of the curious points about British expats though, is that, unlike many cultural or ethnic groups, we are in some ways a rather fragmented clan. Often when new expats arrive, the last thing that they want to do is meet more Brits and thus they seek out a traditional American lifestyle. In time, however, the pull for a bit of British seems to infect most of us and somewhere the balance is found; keeping one’s heritage and yet becoming a part of this newly chosen culture. Subtle are the differences from the outside, yet profoundly different they are!

It is because of this collective desire to balance the best of both worlds that we decided a magazine was not only appropriate, but in fact, sorely lacking.

What we intend to provide our readers with is the perfect mix of the two worlds, a publication intended not for Brits or Americans, but for Floridian Brits. It is not a sounding board for immigration or complaints, but a celebration of us – for all that we encompass.

We will report on life throughout the State, on issues that we feel are topical and relevant - some on business, some on life and events and some, perhaps, just to make you smile. All with that British spin that you won’t see anywhere else.

Thank you for reading and we hope to keep you engaged!

l a s s A e n i t s Ju Yours Sincerely,

Publisher

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Florida Standard | 5

Orlando City Soccer Relocating to Florida from the UK is a life changing decision that thousands of Brits, such as myself, have made during our lives. One British export that, until recently, has had almost as many failed attempts as the UK has received ‘Nil Points’ scores at the Eurovision Song Contest, is the passion for following our beloved game of football here in the US (or soccer as they like to call it!)

As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, wrapping up in three or four layers of warm clothing during the winter months and heading off to White Hart Lane is something I am unable to participate in on a regular basis anymore. All is not lost, however, since David Beckham, amongst many other star players, came to play in the US. This, as well as England playing against the USA in the last 6 | Florida Standard

World Cup, has given football over here some much needed exposure, that many have tried and failed to create in the past.

Things have changed since I moved over in 2004, with the best coverage I could find being from a website showing the game with either Japanese or Russian commentary. We can now be thankful for Fox Soccer, Fox Soccer Plus, ESPN and many other

Sport

channels showing games from all across Europe.

More recently, with the arrival of iPads and Smart Phones, I can now watch games whenever, and wherever, I want. I even have easy access to Sky Sports, ITV and the BBC and I’m able to listen to Talk Sport without missing out on the British commentary and post game interviews.

On top of all this, the loop hole that allows US stations to broadcast live games on a Saturday, means I can now watch more games on TV than I could ever back in the UK. Best of all, with the 5 hour time difference, a 3:00pm match kicks off at 10:00am here, so on Saturday mornings, I can be found with my bacon sandwich (one with brown sauce and one with red) watching a game. Then at full time I still have the rest of the day to enjoy.

by over 11,000 noisy fans, all on the edge of their seats, cheering on the Orlando City Lions. (I cannot help but think that the three lions used in the logo are a tip of the hat to the English national side, although it has been documented that this, in fact, is not the case!)

Off the field, the club has made it very clear that they want to be playing in the MLS as soon as possible. I met with the management and they are doing everything in their power to make this happen. Ultimately, what they need from Orlando is continued growth in attendance, showing the powers that be at the MLS that the city can be a success and would welcome the likes of LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls on a regular basis.

If you want to do your part, make sure you

Orlando in the last year has welcomed with open Arms the Orlando City Soccer Club.

In the last year, Orlando has welcomed Orlando City Soccer Club with open arms.

The team is coached by Brit and former Manchester City and Everton player, Adrian Heath and is owned by a group of Florida based British businessmen, all of whom have helped the team put their best foot forward.

In the first season Orlando played in the USL (the closest thing to the Championship in the UK), they won the league in the playoffs, via a thrilling penalty shoot out, on the field at the Citrus Bowl (the ground used in the 1994 World Cup). In the last year, the team also played many MLS teams.

MLS is short for ‘Major League Soccer’ and is the American equivalent of the Premier League (although some may argue of a slightly different standard!). On top of this, they also played Bolton Wonderers and Newcastle United, whom they beat‚ in front of more than 10,000 fans.

Even more impressive, is that the crowds and the atmosphere have continued to grow, with the last game of the season watched

get down to the next Orlando city game. With pre-season friendly games and an upcoming tournament against MLS teams in February 2012, at ESPN / Disney’s Wide World of Sports, there are plenty of opportunities to come on down and support your Florida team. With prices ranging from $12-$25, you can enjoy a great evening out with the whole family, without breaking the bank.

James Donovan is a Real Estate broker with Team Donovan. The company specialises in the sale of Orlando area properties primarily used as holiday / vacation use or investment.

Please contact him by e-mail James@ TDFlorida.com Phone 407-7052182 or visit www.TDFLorida.com

Florida Standard | 7

Florida Hospital Expansion & Courting the Industry’s Elite!

Even if you are typically a “glass half full” person, it has certainly been tough to stay optimistic over the past year. The European debt crisis and high US unemployment continues to send the worlds stock markets into turmoil and has consequences for any of us with retirement plans or who are attempting to save for our childrens college education.

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BUSINESS

Why Orlando? Well, Mr. Jody Barry, the Administrative Director of Strategic Development for Florida Hospital, pointed out just how perfect Orlando is for such a facility: “Orlandos’ central location makes it the ideal place...flying in from Europe and South America is easy with great infrastructure”. In addition to its proximity to the airport, the proposed Sunrail will also be stopping at Health Village, making the location even more convenient.

Mr. Barry has been involved from the beginning and it became apparent when speaking with him that his goal is to ensure that Health Village and Medical City make Orlando THE medical destination in not only Florida, but the United States.

Dr. John Francis is the director of the Center for Thrombosis Research at Florida Hospital and a British expatriate. Dr. Francis joined Florida Hospital from Southampton University Medical School in 1994 and, like many of us, grabbed the

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.

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here is, however, some good news on the horizon that promises to bring thousands of jobs to Central Florida and put the area on the map for something other than the Mouse.

Health Village, located in East Orlando, has already created 8,000 jobs and by 2026 there will be 20,000 employees there, providing health care comparable to anywhere else in the world.

Florida Hospital opened its doors in 1908 with just one doctor and grew steadily throughout the decades. In the 1980’s they purchased the land on which Health Village will stand. Florida Hospital will be selling and leasing parts of the development to strategic partners and there will also be retail units, hotels and housing on site.

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BUSINESS

opportunity to live and work in Central Florida and enjoy all that it has to offer.

Dr. Francis is a highly sought after speaker across America, as the work his department is doing here in Orlando is leading the way. Dr. Francis is rapidly helping the hospital achieve international recognition for his work on bleeding and clotting disorders at the Cancer Research Center.

Due to his departments’ success, his team here is virtually self-sustaining, with major pharmaceutical companies sponsoring his work for product testing and FDA approval.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Francis and it quickly became apparent that he strongly believes that America is still the land of opportunity, just as he did when he first arrived 17 years ago. I asked Dr. Francis to outline the differences between working in a private health system versus working for the National Health Service in the UK. Once again the word “opportunity” arose. The commercial aspects of the American health system create the opportunity to raise capital, to push projects forward and to keep innovation and science continually at the forefront. My question to Dr. Francis was simply, “are there that many sick people in Orlando?” It seems as though there is very much a ‘build it and they will come’ attitude towards Health Village. Florida Hospital is confident that patients from across America and indeed, from across the world, will come to Orlando to take advantage of the world class facilities and physicians.

For those of us whose medical knowledge has been gleamed only from watching episodes of House and Casualty, there is certainly a lot to take in, in regards to what is being created in Health Village and Medical City, located just down the road.

The incubator type environment, which is bound to occur, will mean that scientific and like minded individuals, working in such close proximity, are going to move treatments and technology forward at a startling pace. One of Dr Francis’ main goals is to continue to elevate the status of Florida Hospital globally and achieve worldwide recognition as leaders in research.

When Dr. Francis relocated 17 years 10 | Florida Standard

Dr. John Francis is the director of the Center for Thrombosis Research at Florida Hospital and a British expatriate. ago, two other Brits came with him. Debby Sutton is the Assistant Administrative Director of the Center for Thrombosis Research and Dr. Amirkhosravi is the Principal of Science. They both moved across from the Southampton University Hospital and have been very successful here in the States.

It was refreshing when talking with Dr. Francis to hear someone so upbeat about a profession and give such a positive long term prognosis (excuse the pun). Dr. Francis’ view was very much that unless there were any major legislation changes, the outlook for Health Village and Medical City is certainly a very good one.

When putting this article together, one thing that was initially unclear was how Health Village and Medical City could both survive in such close proximity, offering, potentially, the same services.

Although both Medical City and Health Village will offer hands-on patient care, the emphasis on Medical City will be very much towards training and research.

According to a study by Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics, The University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine is projected to create 30,000 local jobs and over the next decade add an additional $7.6 billion the local economy. One question I posed to Jody Barry is that Medical City seems to have achieved more press to date than Health Village, to which he

agreed. Health Village will, however, be promoting its facility vigorously this year and start making some noise of its’ own.

As the second largest college in the nation, UCF certainly brings a lot of clout to Medical City. The campus will include the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, a Medical Library, and other UCF health science programs. The university is already very strong in biomedical sciences, modelling, simulation, optics and photonics.

This year, the University of Florida (UF) will open a 100,000 square-foot research facility in Medical City adjacent to the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, enabling direct collaboration with both of the institutes top scientists.

It’s a well known fact that the medical industry is a strong one and won’t be impacted as greatly as other industries can be during economic downturns, but to see such expansion is pleasantly surprising and is certainly going to be of benefit to the region. Since the opening of Walt Disney World in 1955, Orlando has been known predominately for its theme parks.

It’s hard to imagine thinking of Orlando without Disney being the first thing that comes to mind, but it certainly seems that the medical community is here to stay, with innovation and expertise that is reminiscent of the great visionary himself, Walt Disney.

I hope I will never need an annual pass to Health Village or Medical City, but it is reassuring to know that the world’s preeminent medical facilities are right here on the door step, as well as the opportunity of employment for future generations. If you were to look at Florida as a business, Health Village and Medical City are offering real diversification, which is the key to riding out future economic rough patches.

Hopefully in the not too distant future, we will also see the return of investment in the space program, giving Floridas’ east coast an additional, and much needed, shot in the arm (again, no pun intended).

On the face of things, there certainly seems to be a fairly positive outlook for the future of Central Florida, which will benefit all industries, and I have no doubt that Health Village and Medical City will play a major part.

Remember, Remember th the 5 of November

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Remember, remember‌ When I was asked if I would write a column about the Florida lifestyle, I jumped at the chance. Of course I want to write about all the wonderful things us expats do now we have made the big move to the good old USofA.

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lifestyle

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y excitement built as I thought about all the golf courses I could play, beaches I could visit, parks I could queue up for and happy hour cocktails I could drink. However, my phone was beeping with emails and calls from the office so I got back to work and my excitement somewhat diminished as I got back to the drudgery of everyday life. Contrary to popular belief, my friends and family at home normally, I actually do not spend my days basking in the sun, I have to make a living and at the end of a very busy week, there is little time or energy for all the wonders Florida has to offer. However, when you do get the chance to relax and enjoy, there is something very special about the Florida lifestyle. So I hope you find my columns interesting, please send me any comments and suggestions of anything you would like to see me write about or if you know of a good event that you feel I should go to, just drop me a line.

Making the decision to move to a different country comes with a choice; do you leave behind the life you know to step into the relatively unknown?

ness really crept in on Friday 29th April as the UK celebrated the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The same will be true, I suspect, when the UK hosts the 2012 Olympics – although from what I hear you have a better chance of getting hold of tickets from outside the UK anyway!

One of the British traditions I have missed the most since my move to Florida is Guy Fawkes, or Bonfire Night as it is more commonly known in the North. I remember the cold, dark nights, collecting wood for the bonfire and then the Fire Brigade coming into school with ‘Wellington’ rambling on about fire safety, but then shocking us into compliance by showing us graphic pictures of burn victims (surely they aren’t still allowed to do this?). Then the night itself: freezing cold weather, with no rain (if we were lucky!), dogs going crazy at the sound of fireworks going off, the smell of burning wood,

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.

One of the British traditions I have missed the most since my move to Florida is Guy Fawkes For most of us, the ‘grass is always greener’ gamble pays off, and our new life in our new country is better than the one we left behind, especially for us Floridian expats who enjoy year round sunshine, beaches, golf and multiple theme parks. Sometimes however, you can’t help feeling nostalgic for good old Blightly. I must admit, I struggle to hide that little stab of jealously when I see posts on Facebook announcing a cracking new curry house find, or enjoying a few drinks with pals down the local on a Friday evening after work. And I’m sure I speak for the majority of us, when I say that the homesickFlorida Standard | 13

lifestyle

treacle toffee and candy floss in the air and the general excitement of being allowed to legally set off fireworks and light fires across the UK, all to celebrate the thwarting of one of the first terrorist plots and the ceremonial burning of Mr. Fawkes – perfect. So it was with a heavy heart I decided, that even though leaving the UK would mean giving up my most favorite British tradition, I would make the move to the Sunshine State and say goodbye to Guy…or so I thought!

On November 5th 2011 I went to, what I believe was, unless someone can correct me, the biggest Guy Fawkes event held in Florida. It seems I am not the only person who had been missing Bonfire Night, as over 2000 expectant fans turned up at Champions World Resort in Kissimmee. But could a Florida reenactment really hold a candle to my childhood memories of Guy Fawkes nights gone by?

Firstly, the weather seemed to cooperate. That is, the temperature dipped to the high 50’s and we were lucky enough to get wind gusts near 35mph. Not quite freezing, but certainly enough to give us a somewhat British ambience. The parking getting into the event was a little crazy, not really part of the British tradition if you were attending a local village or town event that you could walk to, but definitely a memory for those who used to attend the bigger events that you had to drive to and were forced to fight for a parking space at, back in the UK. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of good old British food on offer, but not the lines we had to wait in and I would have liked there to have been some British drinks on offer – although I can’t quite recall what the traditional Guy Fawkes beverage is? And then it went dark, and the bonfires (3 smaller ones, instead of one large one, due to county restrictions) were lit, and it was fabulous! Sparklers glowed in the sky, kids ran around trying to get a better view and adults pushed nearer to the fire to try and get warm. The wind 14 | Florida Standard

made the fires catch quickly and the 3 fires did work well together. Then it was time for the fireworks. To be honest, I was not expecting very much, what with living in Orlando, so close to Disney’s over the top displays, but again, I was pleasantly surprised. In between the fire and the fireworks, you could wander around the booths, take part in a medieval jousting tournament, take on the climbing wall, jump up and down on the bouncy castle like a maniac (why are they only for the kids?) and generally have a good time with the family, whilst being entertained by fire-eaters and stilt walkers.

So was it exactly like I remember?

Not quite, but then, how could it be?

There was definitely no old furniture being thrown onto the bonfire late on

in the evening (imagine getting a burn permit for that?) and I did miss my piece or two of treacle toffee, whilst catching up with people from the town that I may not have seen in a while. But this is the choice we made when we decided to leave the UK. How nice, though, to see so many expats come together to enjoy a very British event, in very British tradition, so far from home. I couldn’t help smiling as the Brits explained to their slightly baffled American guests why we were throwing Guy onto the fire and I loved seeing parents sharing the tradition with their children who are too young to remember, remember the 5th of November.

Well done to everyone involved, and we’ll see you again this year…but please try and find some treacle toffee for me.

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Out & About

British Ambassador visits Florida In his second week as British Ambassador to the United States, Sir Peter Westmacott visited Florida to meet with senior academic, business, and political leaders in Tampa.

Ambassador Westmacott received a warm welcome from faculty at the University of South Florida (USF), where University President Judy Genshaft and Provost Ralph Wilcox hosted him for meetings with professors and business executives to discuss UK - US academic links. While on USF’s campus, the Ambassador also met with dozens of students, where he took part in a discussion and question-and-answer session.

USF already has considerable ties to the United Kingdom through research projects and student exchange activities. Last year USF hosted its first European Exposition in London, in an effort to connect with British students seeking educational op-

portunities in the United States. USF’s College of Engineering is also a partner with University of Exeter in one of just 37 seed grants from the British Council UK-US Partnership Fund. USF Professor Jeffrey Krischer, the world’s leading researcher in diabetes and chief of epidemiology and biostatistics at USF’s College of Medicine, has two of his multi-million dollar research projects based in the UK. USF students are actively engaged in exchange programs with notable British universities, including two highly popular exchange programs for business students at University of Glamorgan and Middlesex University. And one of USF’s most notable scholars, Eminent Scholar and DeBartolo Professor of Humanities Pat Rogers, was elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 2008.

British Sailing Team The UK Olympic Sailing Team, which trains in Miami, co-hosted a fundraising event to benefit two charities - Shake-A-Leg Miami and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Olympic Yachting Fund

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The Consul Corner

Her Majesty's Consul General

Kevin McGurgan

A new year provides new opportunities. This new online journal is a great example of that and I am very honoured to be offered a “corner” of that to write a few words about the year ahead.

Time is already flying by – Hard to believe January is gone. It’s worth setting out the major opportunities taking place across Britain and the US in 2012. We’re thinking about how we in Florida have already contributed to these opportunities, and what else we can do.

2012 promises much. For this year Britain will be at the centre of world sporting and pageantry events and the US at the centre of the political world with the November Presidential elections.

First. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

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Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne on 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI. Her Diamond Jubilee –only the second in British history – will be celebrated from 2 – 4 June (the dates of her formal coronation) - in Britain, the Commonwealth and the world. This will be a huge occasion on a par with last year’s wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in May last year.

Second. The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Stretching through July and August, the world’s premier sporting event will ensure two months of global attention on Britain and the British people. This represents a unique and exciting opportunity for Britain to showcase herself and remind the US and

the world about ourselves: the world’s 7th largest economy.

Third and finally, the US Presidential elections. Whatever your political persuasion, the razzmatazz and buzz that a Presidential election generates is a sight to behold. Florida will be front and centre. She has always been a battleground state but this year she will host – in Tampa – the Republican National Convention where the Republican Party will choose their nominee for President.

All three events provide a GREAT backdrop for the work of the Orlando and Miami Consulates in 2012. Why is GREAT in capitals? The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and Diamond Jubilee represent a once-in-ageneration opportunity to promote the

UK abroad and help deliver long-term trade and tourism benefits at home in Britain.

GREAT was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in New York on 21 September 2011, and invites to the world to take a fresh look at everything Britain has to offer. It centres on areas of British excellence focusing on reasons to invest in and visit the UK. These areas are Technology and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Knowledge, Green, Heritage, Sport, Shopping, Music and Countryside. We want to send out a clear message that Britain is one of the very best places in the world to visit, live, work, study, invest and do business.

We have already started this campaign in Florida. Last year I hosted Aaron Cook, the UK’s Tae Kwon Do Gold medal prospect at an event. Earlier this month, the Miami Consulate organised a fundraiser for the UK’s Olympic and Paralympics sailing teams who spent the week training in Miami. And later this year, we hope to have Tessa Sanderson, the UK Gold Medal javelin winner visit to help us promote the Games and the UK. But you don’t need to be a sporting superstar to do your bit and have fun. Somewhat inspired by this summer’s London Olympics and the opportunity to promote US-UK excellence in scientific research, I will be running 12 races in 2012 to raise funds for the Diabetes Research Institute and profile for the UK. You can read more – and maybe sponsor me – at www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/KevinMcGurgan/Run-a-Month2012.

Orlando has a key role to play here. It has a unique place in the UK/US relationship: for many Britons, visiting the theme parks, it is where their perceptions of the US are formed and vice versa for the many Americans who meet Britons here. I will be talking to the British-American Chamber of Commerce about their plans this year, and participating as much as possible. I hope you’ll speak to them as well, and share your thoughts on how they can best promote Britain with this year’s backdrop.

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

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.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.telegraph.co.uk/expat news, features and advice for British expats. www.ujnews.com America's only British newspaper.

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EVENTS

Feb 19th 10am -2pm British Chamber Annual Croquet Competition & Picnic: McDonough Park, Lighthouse Point, 33064 Feb 14th 8.30am-10am “Making Waves” UK & US -A Shared Growth Vision for the Marine Industry: Hosted by Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, 110 East Broward Blvd.

Suite 1990 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (Members Only) RSVP Required

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Feb 26th 2pm Florida Youth Orchestra: CoSponsored by British Chamber of Commerce: Admission Free: McDonough Park, Lighthouse Point Feb 23rd 5.30pm-8.00pm Monthly Mixer in conjunction with “OWIT” Organization of Women in International Trade www.owit.org Venue: 7th St Wine Company, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Members Free / Non Members $10.00)

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February

BRITISH-AMERICAN CHAMBER (BROWARD) EVENTS January–March 2012

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Sat March 10th Billy Elliot & V.I.P Reception (Broward Performing Arts Center) : Sold Out

Thurs March 22nd 5.30pm-7.30pm Monthly Mixer (Venue TBA)

Fri March 16th Annual Charity Golf Day & Dinner (1st Tee Off 12.30pm): Carolina Golf Club, Margate

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MARCH

Tues March 27th 5.15pm Quarterly Business Briefing : Guest Speaker Mike Batt: Chairman Travel Leaders: Members Free / Non Members $25.00. RSVP Required Pre Reception hosted by UBS Financial Services, 401 E Las Olas Blvd, Suite 2300, Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33301

Cooking with Carol

Champagne Jellies

with Syllabub Cream For the Syllabub  2 tbspoons of the same wine  1 tablespoon brandy  The juice of ½ lemon  1 oz (25g) caster sugar  5 fl oz (150ml) double cream

If you really want to splash out you can make this with champagne but sparkling white wine works very well too. This is a lovely, light dessert that slips down easily after a rich main course. It looks beautiful served in stemmed champagne flutes. The quantities below will fill twelve stemmed glasses of 5 fl oz (150ml) capacity, so if you only want six you can easily halve the recipe and then drink the rest of the champagne! After all, waste not want not!

For the Jelly 2 large lemons

 6 oz (175 g) caster sugar  4 0.4 oz (11g) packets powdered gelatin  1 pint (570ml) champagne or medium-dry sparkling white wine 1.5 pints (900ml) water

To make the jelly, pour 1.5 pints (900 ml) water into a saucepan. Next scrub the lemons well, then pare off the coloured part only of the zest, using a peeler, add this to the pan together with the sugar and bring up to simmering point. After that take the pan off the heat and sprinkle in the gelatin, whisking the mixture with a balloon whisk at the same time.

Now leave this on one side to melt the gelatin, stirring once or twice to ensure that it has all dissolved into the liquid. Next add the juice of the lemons, then strain the contents of the pan either through a coffee filter or a fine sieve lined with muslin or gauze.

Leave to cool, cover and chill in the refrigerator until the jelly is just on the point of setting – about 1 -1.5 hours.

After that, uncork the wine, measure out 1 pint (570 ml) and pour it gently (to conserve the bubbles) into the serving glasses. Chill the jellies, covered with cling film for 4 hours.

While the jelly is setting make the syllabub topping by combining 2 tablespoons wine, brandy, lemon juice, and sugar in a bowl. Leave on one side, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Then pour in the cream and whisk until it stands in soft peaks, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

Just before serving, top each jelly with blobs of the softly whipped cream and decorate with frosted grapes or a raspberry.

From my table to yours!

Carol Dudley

GAMES

And why couldn't the loutish baseball umpire have his little boy sit in his lap?

Because the son never sits on the brutish umpire.

What’s the wife of a hippie called?

Mississippi.

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Across

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7 - Not level (6)

1 - Clown (7)

8 - Having romantic imagery (6)

2 - Acknowledgement of payment (7)

10 - Liberty (7)

3 - Groups of animals (5)

11 - Manipulate dough (5)

4 - Domestic beasts of burden (7)

12 - Exclamation on making a mistake (4)

5 - Complete; absolute (5)

13 - Country in East Africa (5)

6 - Sour substances (5)

17 - Improvise (2,3)

9 - Instant (9)

18 - Francisco ___ : Spanish painter (4)

14 - Decorated (7)

22 - Usage measuring device (5)

15 - Not friendly (7)

23 - Spiky plant and Scottish emblem (7)

16 - Occupations (7)

24 - Sent out (6)

19 - Scope or extent of something (5)

25 - Of the eye (6)

20 - Hiding place (5) 21 - Slight grimace caused by pain (5)

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Four seven-letter colours are merged together here. What are they?

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