May 22, 2023·edited May 22, 2023Liked by Anne Kadet
What an epic packed Monday morning Cafe Anne. The fire department fire escape is something I'm familiar with. Although it does look wacky, high rise apartment buildings are fire resistant. If a fire breaks out in someones residence, the fire should stay contained to that section until the FD shows up. That's of course not always the case like if someone leaves their door open and it gets out into the hallway (the Bronx deadly fire recently was a good example of this). I don't think I've seen too many escapes like that in NJ but it another resource for residence. Happy Monday!
Deliberate mispronunciation is such a great idea! Thank you for this inspiring email. I am already considering ways to add this to my life.
Do you ever let on that it's deliberate or acknowledge the true pronunciation when someone points it out, or do you just pretend that they didn't say anything? Do you argue that you're correct? How does it typically play out when you get pushback?
When I first read “SKWON,” in my head it was “SKWAHN” rather than “SKWUHN” like “one.” I think Mike’s pronunciation makes more sense given the spelling, but I kind of like SKWAHN. Anyway, it’s another option to test on your neighborhood baristas!
omg the Skwons 😂 you and Mike are the perfect international agents of chaos! Also, Eric Adams smacking rats with an imaginary hammer is an image that made me lol! And that photo! What a trio, should be the NYC Mayor’s Office Christmas Card. So fun, Anne!
Thank you for the joy of skwon! I also suspect some fellow Brits would balk at the idea of different flavoured scones, like cranberry. I'm not one of them though! Thank you for this delight of a letter
Always a blast. Lots of questions and observations raised
(1) When Jesse "the Body" Ventura was governor of MN, the big disappointment for some of us was he did not seek re-election. Will NYC clamor for more from their eclectic Mayor Adams?
(2) Does Adams typically need to be noticed so badly that he has name tags pinned on ala kindergarten on a field trip (photo at Katz's)
(3) Does Mayor Adams carry around $2 bills -- didn't know those were still a thing? (see photo)
(4) Pronunciation -- so fun! Asking for a friend is it "KAA" - "DET" or "CAY" - "DAY" or "CUH"-"DET" or "CAT" - "IT" or something else?
I was mortally offended when in an episode of 'Pioneer Woman' featuring lemon-flavoured triangular baked goods dipped in frosting, Ree Drummond announced: 'In Britain they call these SCONES!' (pronounced 's-cons'). No, Ree, we don't. What WE call 'scones' are round, not-all-that-sweet baked goods, to be served warm, split and thickly spread with clotted cream and strawberry jam - preferably in that order - alongside a cup of tea. A British scone is more like an American biscuit than those sweet triangular things.
Anyway, if 'scone' is pronounced to rhyme with 'cone' - *shudders* - that makes complete nonsense of one of my favourite jokes, which REQUIRES the correct pronunciation:
Does the person in the other apartment have to let you in?
Also: scones! I've been immersing myself in scone-baking videos now that I have an oven: not because scones are especially exciting (apart from the pronunciation debate) but because I just found out what Devonshire cream is, and if you have an oven and unpasteurized milk you can make it at home.
“moofins” made me do a laughing spit-take. I hope one day to go to England and put “skwon” to the test at my first opportunity. Will report back.
I laughed out over your skwon conversations. Thanks for making my day!
Once you've run out of entertainment, scone = scöne = "skirneh"
Try that. You're welcome.
What an epic packed Monday morning Cafe Anne. The fire department fire escape is something I'm familiar with. Although it does look wacky, high rise apartment buildings are fire resistant. If a fire breaks out in someones residence, the fire should stay contained to that section until the FD shows up. That's of course not always the case like if someone leaves their door open and it gets out into the hallway (the Bronx deadly fire recently was a good example of this). I don't think I've seen too many escapes like that in NJ but it another resource for residence. Happy Monday!
Deliberate mispronunciation is such a great idea! Thank you for this inspiring email. I am already considering ways to add this to my life.
Do you ever let on that it's deliberate or acknowledge the true pronunciation when someone points it out, or do you just pretend that they didn't say anything? Do you argue that you're correct? How does it typically play out when you get pushback?
When I first read “SKWON,” in my head it was “SKWAHN” rather than “SKWUHN” like “one.” I think Mike’s pronunciation makes more sense given the spelling, but I kind of like SKWAHN. Anyway, it’s another option to test on your neighborhood baristas!
I hereby pledge to always and forever only order "moofins." And with that I shall order a grande oat milk lattie.
omg the Skwons 😂 you and Mike are the perfect international agents of chaos! Also, Eric Adams smacking rats with an imaginary hammer is an image that made me lol! And that photo! What a trio, should be the NYC Mayor’s Office Christmas Card. So fun, Anne!
Thank you for the joy of skwon! I also suspect some fellow Brits would balk at the idea of different flavoured scones, like cranberry. I'm not one of them though! Thank you for this delight of a letter
Always a blast. Lots of questions and observations raised
(1) When Jesse "the Body" Ventura was governor of MN, the big disappointment for some of us was he did not seek re-election. Will NYC clamor for more from their eclectic Mayor Adams?
(2) Does Adams typically need to be noticed so badly that he has name tags pinned on ala kindergarten on a field trip (photo at Katz's)
(3) Does Mayor Adams carry around $2 bills -- didn't know those were still a thing? (see photo)
(4) Pronunciation -- so fun! Asking for a friend is it "KAA" - "DET" or "CAY" - "DAY" or "CUH"-"DET" or "CAT" - "IT" or something else?
Thanks for making me laugh out loud several times! Moofins!
And this:
'It’s a unique escape system that sends you right back into the burning building.'
I feel there's some metaphor about the modern world here ...
Skwon?! 🤣 LOVE THIS!
I was mortally offended when in an episode of 'Pioneer Woman' featuring lemon-flavoured triangular baked goods dipped in frosting, Ree Drummond announced: 'In Britain they call these SCONES!' (pronounced 's-cons'). No, Ree, we don't. What WE call 'scones' are round, not-all-that-sweet baked goods, to be served warm, split and thickly spread with clotted cream and strawberry jam - preferably in that order - alongside a cup of tea. A British scone is more like an American biscuit than those sweet triangular things.
Anyway, if 'scone' is pronounced to rhyme with 'cone' - *shudders* - that makes complete nonsense of one of my favourite jokes, which REQUIRES the correct pronunciation:
What's the fastest cake in the world? SCONE!
🤣
Does the person in the other apartment have to let you in?
Also: scones! I've been immersing myself in scone-baking videos now that I have an oven: not because scones are especially exciting (apart from the pronunciation debate) but because I just found out what Devonshire cream is, and if you have an oven and unpasteurized milk you can make it at home.
But I need scones to put the Devonshire cream on.
I live in the UK, play hard and fast with scone (cone) and scone (gone), and will also now begin dropping in skwons. SO IT BEGINS.
Skwon. It's beautiful in its lunacy. Your mischievous glow is one I would love to bask in.
I love blueberry skwons and blueberry moofins!!! Hilarious, Anne! 😄