Scots we like...Amy MacDonald

GG loves Amy. GG's editor is late to the party but finally caught her on American television last week. She sang Mr. Rock & Roll from This is the Life. Amy looked great in a plaid mini-dress with black tights & short boots (we can't find a photo). Boo on snarky UK "fashion" blogs critical of her. We should all look so great wearing plaid...a wee bit jealous?

Scots We Like...Craig Ferguson

Yes, yes, he's a citizen now. But he's still Scottish. Yes, he makes fun of 'ladies with cats,' & blows up a kitten picture at the end of the Late, Late Show sometimes. (GG thinks it funny, so...) When he's on, he's on in that hilarious, nutty Celtic/British way. Also: he notices 'ladies' fashion' in an attentive manner; wrote a well-received novel. He also writes screenplays, acts, & directs independent films. He comes to TV not just via the Drew Carey show, but out of experimental theatre (presumably the Edinburgh Festival). I know! (We said it before he did.) GG Central loves his accent & silly manner.

We don't usually stay up that late, but during the Olympics we caught his show several times. Ferguson was the sole late night person (on broadcast TV, anyway) who mentioned "Darfur" at all, at all! The photo is from the Emmy's a few years ago; there he is with his mother. The tuxedo was donated to an auction to raise money for Darfuris. Read this article in Men's Health about losing his father; he was nominated for an Emmy for a monologue he gave before writing the eloquent essay. The things you learn when you stay up too late.

Cheers during a difficult week, wherever you happen to live. Make yesterday's recipe, you'll feel much better. Barring that, make some tea. Even if you don't drink it, this gives you something to do while you fret.

Bisou, cheers,
GG's editor

Scots we like...Annie Lennox

Well, we're hardly going to post "Scots we detest," are we? (You never know.) GG & her editor play Medusa often & last night we got to thinking about Petula Clark's Downtown (GG's favorite pop song) as a corollary to Downtown Lights. And no, we aren't going to deconstruct it. Just a thought. Both are heartbreaking in wildly different ways.

As Annie is so very cool & stylish & arty, we knew there'd be a ton of pix on the web from which to choose. However, we vastly overestimated the amount of time we'd have today--so this is necessarily brief. Annie was named the Glamour Woman of the Year for Inspiration 2008 (UK); we couldn't agree more. She also advocates on behalf of Darfur & children elsewhere in the world & for that we are so grateful.

Have a great evening... xoxo, GG's editor

Scots we like...J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter series, delivers her Commencement Address, "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination," at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.

A most eloquent & moving speech. Rowling mentions working at the Amnesty International London office as one of her most transformative experiences. The entire prepared text & video from Harvard Magazine.