No, not accidental like that, of course! We got chatting to these two lovely girls who were in yesterday for afternoon tea and it transpired their names were Rosie and Lee! For those of you who’ve swatted up on your cockney rhyming slang, you’ll know this means ‘tea’.
Twins Rosie and Lee, both with cups of Rosie Lee!
Nicky was particularly touched, as her old British Bulldog was called Rosie Lee. She gave each of the girls a tin of Tea & Sympathy’s Rosie Lee tea. It’s a very particular blend of English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey, sold exclusively by us. It’s well worth a try and a bargain at $11.50 a can. Available in-store or online – just click here.
Our three speciality teas: Rosie Lee, Earl Grey & English Breakfast.
This little bit of cockney serendipity got us thinking, and for this week only we’re running a Cockney Contest! Here’s the lowdown: cockney is the style of English traditionally spoken in East London. As well as a very distinctive accent, it contains a whole vocabulary of rhyming slang. Always consisting of a pair of words, the second of which rhymes with the word in question. Some well-known examples include: apples & pears – stairs, ruby murray – curry, butchers hook – look, adam & eve – believe. There’s also a whole host of modern additions out there, including Britney Spears – beers.*
The ideal drinking companion!
So we want to know your versions, either made up yourself or that you’ve heard in passing! The best entry will win tea and scones for two and a tin of our Rosie Lee tea to take home. So get your thinking cap on – it’s time to use yer loaf of bread!**
Who are you calling a head?
* To complicate things (and put eavesdroppers off the scent), the first word is then dropped, so ‘apples’ means stairs, ‘ruby’ means curry, and ‘Britney’ means beers, as in ‘Lets go for some Britneys’
**head
Here’s a little video to get you started:
Tea & Sympathy 
Your tea caddies are very nice, and I love the story of the sisters. I heard a great rhyming slang phrase the other day and I can’t remember it. I’ll have to try and think hard and get back to you…
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Our family are londoners going back far too long for me to say, most of them Dockers, one phrase used all the time ( and I still do) “Air raid tea” meaning all clear or very weak.
Yes, we’ve heard this one before. Memory of the war still looms large back in Blighty!
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This is fun, I wished I could participe, but I don’t know enough of English slang (Italian born) that would make me look good. BTW, I have nominated you for the “Beautiful Blogger Award”. Click on my heart with eyes and check it out.
Wow, thank you so much! That’s really appreciated.. we all have our fingers tightly crossed!! Ps. You can make some slang up… it just has to rhyme!
I meant click on my name.
Try this made-up one…
Urban Smog – Web blog (or just ‘blog’)…
Cheers,
Mike T.
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My favourite is a rather rude one I’m afraid, so I’ll leave you to decide what it means…..it’s “Gary Glitter”. Very naughty but it always makes me laugh, a bit like Nicky. Love Lindsay (or Lindsay 2) x
Thank you so much for all your suggestions. We’ve just announced the winner over on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TeaAndSympathyNYC!
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