I don’t visit the West Village all that often but I was a little surprised when I received the following email last week—I’ve never thought of the area as remotely British:

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 marks the official launch of the Campaign for Little Britain – a movement to change the map of New York City by adding a crucial new neighborhood.

Lead by Virgin Atlantic Airways and local restaurant Tea & Sympathy, the campaign seeks to rename a block of Greenwich Avenue “Little Britain.” Celebrities such as Mike Meyers, Joss Stone and Mischa Barton, Barney’s Simon Doonan and celebrated journalists Tina Brown and Sir Harold Evans have rallied for the cause, which is expected to have a great impact on tourism and financial investments in the area.

The Campaign will include an online petition, events at local hotspots such as Soho House and Classic Cars Manhattan, and a formal application to the City to change the street name. In addition, Ben Sherman has designed a limited edition t-shirt that will be sold exclusively in their New York boutique.

[...]the campaign will kick off on the 21st at 11am with a press conference in Jackson Square Park, where uniformed Virgin personnel will hand out hot cups of tea, courtesy of Tea & Sympathy.

[...]In a city famous for its cultural enclaves, where Chinatown is as much a destination as the Statue of Liberty, many feel it is time to recognize this community of Anglophiles and British ex-pats in the West Village.

Is the West Village a “Little Britain?”

Not safe for work: An antidote to the evil empire. More cartoons at Super Deluxe. (Via Macboy.)

Sunday night at Barbes in Brooklyn. Stephane Wrembel had taken the night off. But, after possibly the best meal of the year at Al Di La, the Hot Club Philly rounded the night out nicely.

It was a balmy 70F at Coney Island yesterday but the amusements were still closed for the winter.

Coney is about to get a face lift. I hope Shoot the Freak makes it through the transition.

Burgers and beer. Need I say more?

An interesting email arrived in my inbox this morning:

The New York Times Declares:
“Something Profound is Depressing British Youths… And We See Few Solutions”

Philadelphia, PA – March 14, 2007 – In a March 10th article that spans an entire page of America’s most prestigious newspaper, The New York Times, there is a piece about the mystery depression of Britain’s young people.

The article says that they spend all of their time drinking, drugging and doing petty crimes.

May we say that we know what is illing these young adults…GUILT!

They feel guilty about being the wayward sons of such an evil empire that has spread so much destruction over the past half-millennium around the globe.

Only reparations will release these youngsters and allow them to live productive lives.

So, Britain, we urge you, do what is right and pay the reparations bill.

Find out all the truths about the British in “The Evil Empire: 101 Ways That England Ruined The World,” in bookstores and online April 23rd, 2007. Visit www.evilempirebook.com for a sneak preview, press and enhanced features.

Visit our newly launched website and learn the truths for yourself:

UPDATE:: Our houseguest Aidan adds that anyone who claims that Britain’s youth are going out drinking and taking drugs because they feel guilty about 500 years of oppression in the world has obviously never been to Britain. Maybe they just like getting ******!

Now, it’s time to head to the beach….