This month, mix yourself an elderflower cocktail, get some new £20s from the cash machine, buy a necklace from Efva Attling and take a Mexican food tour of London.

Friday, 30th March

Pluralis Majestatis is the royal we, which we have no right to use, although it is also employed by popes, bishops and university rectors. It is proper to use the royal we when speaking as a leader, and not when speaking as oneself. According to Wikipedia, another thing we love, this usage has influenced the grammar of a number of languages, creating the T-V distinction, whereby different levels of pronouns are used for different levels of formality. The name originates from the Latin tu and vos, which began as nothing other than singular and plural forms. In the fourth century A.D. usage of the royal we began, and by the 12th century, the T- and V-forms had emerged.

Thursday, 29th March

With an almost-totally cynical mind, we went to the Oxo Tower Restaurant over the weekend and found ourselves totally surprised. We loved our seat at the window, we loved our waiter, we loved watching our delightfully clad fellow diners, we loved our pretty and good-tasting food, and we loved our bottle of Frog’s Leap. We went with low expectations and they were exceeded. Something to remember while we research excessive uses of Pluralis Majestatis.

Wednesday, 28th March

For Americans living in London, reminders of home are invaluable. And thank goodness some things – Heinz, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, CNN, Oreos and McDonald’s – are easy to find (even though you know better). For others it takes a trip home. But some grocery items can be found on a trip to Selfridge’s or Fortnum & Mason’s Food Halls, or Partridge’s. There you’ll find things like Quaker Instant Oats, Karo Syrup, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Bisquick, and Ritz Crackers. Partridge’s even has online ordering with a dedicated American food section. That’s our shopping done then!

Tuesday, 27th March

London is one of several cities in the world to have protected views. In Portland, OR, it’s the view of Mount Hood from the West Hills; in Vancouver, BC, “view cones” are protected. And in London, it’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are several lines of vision that may not be obstructed by new buildings – from Parliament Hill near Hampstead Heath, from the centre of Waterloo and Hungerford Bridges, and from Richmond Park, 10 miles away. The latter view begins through a gap in the holly hedge and extends all the way across London. This view even affected the height of Liverpool Street Station, since it would have provided an “unacceptable backdrop to the view of St. Paul’s.” Here is a link to the St. Paul’s View Corridor Calculator.

Monday, 26th March

Knut the cute polar bear has been the favourite news item in Germany for days. He was born on 5 December, was abandoned by his mother, has been bottle-fed, cuddled and raised by a handler, and this past Friday, made his public debut. He escaped death (sort of – some thought his animal rights were violated because he was kept alive by humans) and has even been photographed by Annie Leibowitz. And now in honour of Knut, a joke. Say: How does a polar bear hide? Then: Cover your nose. Cute, huh.

Friday, 23rd March

Part Three: Some say that Brixton’s bark is worse than its bite. We hope we never to find out while visiting some of its great restaurants, our current favourite being El Panzon. The restaurant serving “Mexican food for an American market” is currently operating out of the legendary Dogstar pub, and the owner, Grant Winters, who learned his specialty in New York City, knows the score. Not only do they have great burritos and tacos, they also have hangover-curing breakfast burritos and a Sunday Latin Roast. Order the Taco Israel (pork with lime and coriander) if it’s on the menu, and if it’s not, console yourself with Volcanic Habanero sauce (strength 7/10).

Thursday, 22nd March

Part Two: We don’t take sides in the battle of East vs. West, since both parts of London have their strong points (and yes, their weak points). But the West wins on the Tex-Mex front, because Crazy Homies is there, and Crazy Homies rocks. The restaurant is part of Sir Conran’s son Tom’s hip restaurant empire, and is right next door to Lucky 7. The groovy slacker service isn’t great, but the margaritas, trio of salsas, pork gringas and burritos more than make up for it. We also like the Day of the Dead décor, and most of all, the fact Crazy Homies is now open during the day.

Wednesday, 21st March

Part One: These days, London is a proper food town. We’ve got enough Michelin stars to make an American flag (just kidding), we’ve got cuisines from all corners of the earth, and we’ve got traditional British dishes you really want to eat. So why isn’t there better Mexican food? For those who love this stuff, it’s worth mentioning there’s a difference between proper Mexican and Cal-Mex or Tex-Mex. The latter two are the most popular outside of Mexico, and indeed here. So to get warmed up, pay a visit to the Beach Burrito Company (4 Berwick St, London W1F 0PA). They’re open until 10 p.m. every night and serve great soft tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Our only complaint is the salsa, which is pico de gallo as opposed to a sauce. But everything else – including the guac, chips and picnic tables – is pretty much perfect.

Tuesday, 20th March

The other new thing in town is the prefix: 3. Actually, it’s not new at all – the first block of London numbers with a 3 instead of a 7 or an 8 was issued in 2005. But since we can’t solve the mystery as to why we didn’t come across a ‘3’ number until now, we’ll dispel what myths we can. London only has one area code – 020. This is enough of an issue that Wikipedia has dedicated a whole (albeit short) page to the topic, and before you dismiss this as general knowledge, only 13% of those surveyed in 2005 got the answer right.

Monday, 19th March

Perhaps you’ve noticed that there’s a new bill in town. It’s the F Series £20 note, and it made its debut last Tuesday. The main difference is the profile portrait of Adam Smith, 18th century philosopher and economist, on the back. (The Queen is still on the front.) He looks onto a pin factory and a quote from his most famous work, known as the abbreviated Wealth of Nations. He replaces Sir Edward Elgar, the Romantic composer responsible for the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. But undoubtedly the coolest thing of all is that if you hold the back of the bill up to the light, The Queen’s portrait becomes almost totally clear.

Friday, 16th March

Ffiona’s, located where Kensington Church Street bends as it makes its way toward Notting Hill, is an institution and an event. Nary a night goes by when Ffiona isn’t on hand to welcome locals, charm newcomers and throw attitude toward anyone she deems rude or annoying (so pick your dinner guests carefully). It’s her restaurant, and she serves delicious British comfort food in a tiny candle-lit environment that makes you wish you could eat there every night. Assuming you’re not annoying, that is…

Thursday, 15th March

And on the topic of movie ratings: In the very morally upstanding U.S., a 10-year old can go to a R film, provided he’s with a supervising adult. Not so in the UK. Here’s how it works: U (suitable for children four and over), PG (unaccompanied children of any age may watch, but Parents should always show Guidance), and 12 & 12A (kids 12 and over are allowed without supervision, kids under 12 must be supervised). The main difference lies with 15 and 18 -- kids under 15 and 18 are not allowed, even with an adult. And here, X (officially called NC-17 in the U.S.) is R18, and just so you know, are not available by mail.

Wednesday, 14th March

In the olden days, a Slang Dictionary was just a book on a shelf in your parents’ living room, and sometimes you’d read it and giggle at the bad words when you couldn’t find The Joy of Sex (let’s not imagine why). But like the seasons, this too has changed, and now it’s online, being updated by the masses, and is most definitely 18A. Unlike the people updating it.

Tuesday, 13th March

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge (and we don’t mean the one on the roof of the Berkeley where one can go for £65/day), then Wint & Kidd’s Brivka Moment is your friend. You go in and buy the diamond, they wrap it in Brivka paper and put it in a lacquered box, you propose with stone in hand, and return to design the ring together over a glass of champagne. And then you head to another place that serves champagne and drink lots and lots of it.

Monday, 12th March

Mark Sanders-Crook is the only second-generation Yeoman Warder in the history of the Tower of London, where these guards (better known as Beefeaters) have lived since the 14th century. You can join Mark or another of the beefeaters on one of Ripping Yarns’ Jack the Ripper tours. They leave from Tower Hill at 6:45 p.m. every night, and at only £6, are worth every pence. And if you need help recovering, you can book a Reiki or Neuroflexology treatment with his wife, Caron, who has a care consultancy business at the Tower. She's fully insured, and is only one of five people in the world currently trained to practice and teach Neuroflexology, which uses the application of pressure to the feet to relieve the symptoms of conditions such as arthritis, back pain, joint pain, inflammation and swelling. And yes, that's right, we did say at The Tower!

Friday, 9th March

Efva Attling is a Swedish designer with a shop just off Carnaby Street (8 Foubert’s Place, W1F 7PD) selling silver and gold designs and eyewear. She does a lot with words (like Homo Sapiens, Carpe Diem and her favourite, Love Conquers All), and makes beautiful chains out of loops. She has the requisite celebrity clients, and also designs crystal glasses (wearing silver jewellery), creates pieces to benefit charity, made a sterling silver bottle pourer for Absolut and even designed a car (think ZZ Top meets The Jetsons).

Thursday, 8th March

If you’re between the ages of 20-30, this one’s for you: Dates with Mates is a brand new double dating website and right now, you can sign up with their Special Offer: Totally Free! As they say, it’s guaranteed fun with your mate, you won’t suffer from awkward silences, and there will be safety in numbers. We say it doubles your chances, which can only be a good thing.

Wednesday, 7th March

And which brings us back to Rose’s, made by L. Rose Company Limited, who in the 1860s figured out to preserve lime juice and import it from the West Indies. Schweppes bought the company in 1969, and later sold the UK trademark to Coca-Cola. But that’s not the point. The point is that under the Rose’s name (and under license by Chivers Hartley Ltd.) is super good Lemon & Lime Marmalade. For friends of the tart citrus, it doesn’t get much better.

Tuesday, 6th March

Which brings us to Chowhound, one of the best sources of UK food information, Chowhound has people answering life’s great questions like: Where can I buy Old Bay? Fat Duck – has anyone been? Anyone willing to send some GOOD tonic water to the States? Greek supermarkets? Where to go for Japanese food in Wiltshire? And, of course – Delicious but cheap places to eat in London – do they exist?

Monday, 5th March

For those living in the U.S., elderflower is a bit exotic. You’ll find elderflower cocktails at Swedish restaurants, creative cocktail bars and if you’re lucky, your friend’s engagement party, but you won’t see it on every shelf, which is an absolute shame. It’s delicious with vodka or gin (almost like a gimlet), champagne, or sparkling water. Or vodka and champagne. Or vodka and sparkling water. And it’s available everywhere, on the shelf next to Rose’s lime cordial. For friends in New York, here is where you can find some.

Friday, 2nd March

Moleskine notebooks have made an impressive comeback after going out of production in 1986. They call themselves the legendary notebooks of Van Gogh, Hemingway and Matisse (who did use some sort of pocket notebook), but it was travel writer Bruce Chatwin who gave them the most direct endorsements. They recently launched a City Notebook series, designed to be the travel guide you write, but as it includes maps, tear-out squares for phone numbers and blank pages, it’s also the perfect notebook for everyday life. But before you go out and buy this cool thing, you need to know how to pronounce it: /moləˈskinə/ or mol-a-skeen-a.

Thursday, 1st March

If you are on the street and you hear a policeman blow his whistle once - for a few seconds - it means that The Queen is coming. Her motorcade will drive by, and she will wave (her handbag placed on her lap). If you hear two or three whistle blows, well we are not sure that this means anything.

Copyright © 2006-2007 by Arrivals Limited

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