Things were finally starting to feel like they were getting back to normal…then all hell breaks loose in UKraine. It’s truly unfathomable. My heart aches for everyone directly affected by this senseless invasion. The last couple of years have been hard for everyone, but this really emphasizes just how lucky we actually are, and makes it that much more important to get as much enjoyment and satisfaction from your daily life as you possibly can, but to also help those in need whenever you are able. This week I want to share the stories of two Brits in LA members who are doing just that.
First up is the the story of my very dear friend and longtime Brits in LA member, Tony Preston. Whilst he doesn’t live in LA, pre-Covid he was a very regular visitor to our fair city.
Tony is the epitome of a diamond geezer. For as long as I have known him he has always stepped up to support and raise funds for those in need. Most recently he successfully helped a local group of homeless people who were pretty much being ignored by the local authorities. Tony’s good deeds are usually the result of a personal connection that have either caught his eye or touched his heart. I think his compassion partially stems from the fact that he is the son of a refugee. His dad fled Hungary in 1956 under very similar circumstances to what is happening in Ukraine right now. We were introduced many years ago by our very good friend, and renowned Brit in LA, Steve Sidelnyk – who is actually Ukrainian.
So it came as no surprise to me when earlier this week he told me that he and a few friends were in their local pub (The Three Mariners in Hythe, Kent) putting the world to rights and discussing the recent events in Ukraine. Within an hour they had secured a substantial donation, two vans, places on a ferry and a shipping company to cover paperwork. So now Tony’s mission is to fill those vans with much needed supplies and drive them over to one of the Ukrainian refugee centers. They have already raised £9000 but are aiming for £12,000 – although they go over their target they will add more vans or schedule multiple trips.
So if you can spare a few quid (or dollars), and want to chip in I can guarantee that with Tony and Co in charge, your money will be well spent and definitely not squandered.
Visit this link – Justgiving.com/crowfunding/3m2022 – to donate, or scan the QR code (pictured, left) with your smartphone which will take you directly to their Just Giving page.
This page will update as things develop and they will be creating a live event page where they hope to allow people to follow their journey.
Next is a bit of cheer from my 23 year-old niece, Rose Norris who is exploring the West Coast for a few weeks before she starts a new job in May working with students with special needs. Regular readers may recall that it’s her first time visiting the USA and upon arrival she immediately embraced all that Los Angeles had to offer – she has been here for almost a month now, and is currently in San Francisco. I asked her to share her thoughts with us on these two very different Californian cities. Take it away, Rose:
“In all honesty, I am confused about my feelings towards both Los Angeles and San Francisco. As a born and bred Londoner, SF definitely feels more familiar. Everyone walks, including me; I am averaging over 22k+ steps a day here whereas in LA it was about a quarter of that!
On one day I walked from where I am staying in the Castro through the whole of Golden Gate Park all the way to Ocean Beach, similar to LA I love how quickly you can access nature from the city. The day after, I visited Alcatraz Island, I am a bit of a history buff so really loved this, accessing the island by ferry was a great way to see the city too. It made me see that SF really is much smaller than LA. When I was in LA, I didn’t enjoy the sheer size of it all but coming to SF, I almost miss that, it’s quite grounding to feel like a small fish in a big pond every so often.
I have moments where San Francisco really reminds me of London. Dolores Park at sunset feels like a Saturday on a good day in Hyde Park. But then the lack of creatives living here makes it feel like a cold city, the people I have interacted with have not been as nice as I have encountered in Southern California.
LA was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It felt so stimulating, there were so many things to do and see. The sheer craziness of it all made me feel like I was on an alien planet half the time. The masses of Trader Joes there will always hold a place in my heart too. LA could definitely do with some more walkability, as a non- driver I struggled with that. LA felt like a warmer, more open city which as a young traveller I really loved. Funnily enough my fondness for LA has only properly started since I’ve left it.
Both cities are so different from each-other so attempting to compare them is difficult. As someone who values the arts, a smile off the cashier when buying lunch and being able to see 100 different things in one day, I think I’d choose LA. Saying all this; in my eyes neither city beats London. Ha!”
If you have any questions or comments drop us a line at BritsinLA@gmail.com
Cheers!
Eileen
