POLITICS
www.whitehouse.gov
The politics of America affect the whole world, so it is in our interest to follow what is going on. The epicentre of political life in America is of course The White House, the official residence and work place of the President and the place where all those big decisions are made. Log onto the official site to find out information about the administration, new legislations, current issues and much more besides.
NEW YORK
www.nycgo.com
Washington D.C might be America’s official capital, but New York is where it’s really at. The original gateway for immigration to the United States, it is the place that tourists from around the world flock to for world-class shopping, dining, theatre and more. This Official Guide to New York talks visitors through the top attractions, events, places to stay, providing detail on maps, transport, suggested itineraries, special offers and more.
HOLLYWOOD
www.imdb.com
Since the 1920s, the American movie industry has grossed more money every year than that of any other country. Based around Hollywood, Los Angeles, it from here that stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Al Pacino have been made and movies such as Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind and The English Patient borne. And if you’re a movie buff, there are few better places to go than The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) for information on what’s on, what’s been on and what’s coming up and detail on many other areas of the industry.
HIP HOP
www.eminem.com
Hip Hop is a form of music that originated in the African-American communities of New York City in the late 1970s and which now dominates the music charts across the world. Who is the greatest hip hop star of 2011? Difficult to say, but Jay-Z and Eminem are definitely in the running. Eminem has the better official website though, so it’s his we’re flagging up here. Log on to find news, videos, events, albums, a merchandise store and an online community forum.
LITERATURE
www.steinbeck.org
It might be in the same language as our own canon of literature, but American writing has its own unique character and tradition and is a great way to access the psyche and social history of the country in a more subtle way than Hollywood movies. From Mark Twain and Tennessee Williams to John Steinbeck, Edgar Alan Poe and contemporary writers such as Barbara Kingsolver and Philip Roth, there is no end to the good American books and poetry awaiting you. Here’s a great site for John Steinbeck, famed for his novels: Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and many others.
CELEBRITY GOSSIP
perezhilton.com
It’s possibly the least attractive side of American culture, but one that has nonetheless spread across the world, spawning countless ‘famous for being famous’ people, who we somehow find ourselves knowing all about, even if we have no desire to. If you do love gossip though, Perez Hilton (a play on ‘Paris Hilton’, in case you’ve been living under a stone for the last ten years) is the undisputed King of it. A blogger who made it big revealing personal things about musicians, actors and celebrities (didn’t our mothers used to tell us off for this sort of behaviour?), he is now a celebrity in his own right.
ADDICTIVE TV SERIES
www.madmenshow.com
24, The Wire, The Sopranos, Heroes, Lost; when it comes to great TV, and we mean the sort of TV that you buy on box set and spend the next 14 hours watching without a break, the Americans do it best. The writing is sharp, the content is rich, the characters unforgettable. The latest hit series to come out of the U.S is, of course, Mad Men, about a 60s advertising agency in New York and, by god, it is good. So good, that everyone has started dressing like Don and Betty Draper and brown and bogey green swirly wallpaper is unfathomably cool again. Find out all about it on the hit show’s official site.
CANDY
www.americanfooduk.co.uk
Trick or Treat! The Americans love Halloween, when children race around their neighbourhoods collecting “candy” such as Butterfinger Bars (sort of crunchy and chocolatey with peanut butter), Flipz (chocolate pretzels), Baby Ruth Bars (loaded with peanuts, caramel and nougat) and more. This site allows UK customers to buy into a bit of American confectionary with all sorts of candy, breakfast cereals, drinks and baking ingredients available at rather inflated prices.
THE AMERICAN DINER
www.goodlifediner.com
Burgers and milkshakes; pancakes, maple syrup and bacon; hot dogs; omelettes and French Toast – it’s all good American Diner food and you can’t beat eating good American Diner food in a classic American Diner, where stainless steel tables, waitresses in frilly aprons and an endless supply of coffee help create a perfectly retro atmosphere. Check out The Good Life Diner to experience it right here in the UK.
TEN-PIN BOWLING
www.allstarlanes.co.uk
Although it originated in the UK, ten-pin bowling really took off in the United States, where from 1940 to 1960 it became a billion dollar industry and was promoted by the U.S Armed Forces as a sport for the common man. Bowling alleys of this period often had nightclubs and restaurants attached to them, where locally or even nationally celebrated entertainers would perform. Like The American Diner, the classic ten-pin bowling alley has a retro feel about it, something that the All Star Lanes bowling alley, diner and karaoke venues have successfully recreated in London.
Emily Jenkinson
1st July 2011