Wrapping Up England

...and taking it home. At least that's what we wanted to do. We had such a good time, and met so many good people, that we're still feeling a buzz.

Sunday night, I traveled to Hertfordshire, via train, for my last radio interview. John Blaney picked me up from the Knebworth station and we drove to a lovely little cottage in the woods, where we found Robbie Owen and his majordomo, Mike Grant, of Hertbeat FM in the middle of Robbie's superb Sunday evening vintage rock show, listened to on the Internet everywhere from Scunthorpe to Southern California!

Talking to guys like Robbie and Mike, who truly love the music they play, is what made this trip so much fun despite the crazy travel schedule. I'm so glad to have them, and Spencer Leigh, Keith Warmington, John Blaney, and Jon Mills...what a blessing. Blaney and I had fun talking Beatles with Robbie and Mike, who were funny, polite, and knowledgeable. The trifecta.

Taking the last train back to London at 11:45 on a Sunday night was also cool, in sort of a spooky way. (Of course, I had to take the last train because Robbie and Mike took John and I down the pub after the radio interview! This IS England, after all.) Meeting Cecilia back at the ultra-cool Hoxton Hotel for a last-night drink? Priceless.

Now for a few goofy things that we found on the trip. First: British pharmacy chain, or venerated Chicago frankfurter establishment?






Second: Yes, this is a REAL category of books at Waterstone's in Bristol, England. No lie.



Third: Britain is chock-full of excellent charity shops with great secondhand goods of all sorts. As I was happy to find out!



Fourth: Cecilia spent part of this trip working--which in her case involves visiting various museums--and at the Victoria & Albert, saw an exhibition on the Supremes, including a lot of gowns from Mary Wilson 's collection. Here's one scarcely-believable item from those years.



Fifth: Note to self--Drinks at the Hoxton Hotel are always better with lovely wife there. Check.



Sixth: John Blaney's 1992 Nissan Figaro really is a tremendously cool automobile.