Mr Selfridge

Since the tragic decline of Downton Abbey (oh, what a waste!), there's hasn't been much in the way of period drama to attract my attention. Recent adaptations of Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End and Emile Zola's The Ladies' Paradise still haven't made their way to my side of the pond, nor has the second series of the poignant Call the Midwife. I've been feeling the lack of new material keenly.

Fortunately, the compelling Mr. Selfridge recently began broadcasting to American audiences. I've only watched the first four hours (all that's currently available), but thus far it's quite engaging and provides a sorely needed dose of period drama. Recounting the rise of Harry Gordon Selfridge's London department store and how it transformed the shopping experience, the series follows the socialiite world into which Mr. Selfridge attempts to ingratiate himself and the lower-middle-class workers under his employ.

Jeremy Piven does a wonderful job portraying the nuances of a man who is both charismatic and deeply flawed, but already I'm deeply invested in the narrative arcs of many female characters. Agnes Towler (Aisling Loftus), an accessories assistant who attempts to rise above the difficulties presented by a troubled family life, is an especial favourite. So is Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly), a former actress who now oversees London society with her masterful powers of manipulation. Ultimately, I'm most intrigued by the series' respresentation of women who negotiate (subtly or forcefully) for empowerment in a world that couldn't offer evolved gender roles quickly enough.

The discussion of clothing, accessories and design are also a real treat to a viewer who craves immersion in Edwardian England. These little details alone make the show worth watching!

 Selfridge's, Oxford Street, on its opening day in 1909

Have you seen Mr. Selfridge? If so, what did/do you think? (No spoilers, please! I'd like to be surprised. :))

Simple Pleasures: Here Comes the Bride

This week's simple pleasure isn't about those quiet everyday moments that often go unobserved. Instead, this joy comes from the kind of momentous family occasion that only presents itself occasionally.

This Saturday, a mere two days from now, my sister is getting married! She's the first in our family to tie the knot, and coming together to celebrate the love she and her fiance have for one another has brought us infinitely closer.

While planning a wedding is a huge life event for the couple and their loved ones, I've tried to soak in the loveliness of simple details from every fleeting moment of the process. Being involved has been an enormous honour, every step of the way: picking out the dress, sampling cake flavours, assisting at the photography session, planning a bachelorette party. I will forever cherish each of these precious moments.

Life is beautiful!

I am (clearly) not their photographer, but I couldn't resist taking a few photos of my own while acting as the bride's assistant at a pre-wedding photo shoot. Here a few favourites:

 Isn't she a beautiful bride?

 Such apparent happiness in this shot -- I love it

I hope your weekend is as happy as I know mine will be!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I know many object to the commercializaton of February 14th (and I agree the cliches can easily induce nausea), but I maintain it's nice to have a holiday dedicated to love. Because love, actually, is all around. ;)

Last year on February 14th I wrote about the importance of expressing that love to all the important people in our lives. While I've attempted to abide by that philosophy this year, I've also decided to be my own Valentine today! Oscar Wilde, after all, did tell us that 'to love one's self is the beginning of a lifelong romance.' And I must say, I've rather enjoyed the romantic gestures from myself. I unashamedly bought myself flowers, indulged in luxurious naps, and I'll be whipping up a batch of chocolate cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting later.

I hope whatever you do today, you spend it surrounded by the ones you love!

P.S. Last year I also wrote a Valentine-themed post recounting my favourite literary couples. I enjoyed it so much, I have another one in the pipeline this year. Thoughts about what I've learned about love and relationships from the incomparable Jane Austen have invaded my brain, so expect a post sharing those details in the near future.

New Feature: Simple Pleasures

Sometimes art truly changes us, to the fibers of our being as the saying goes. Watching Amelie was undoubtedly one of those experiences for me. I remember being awed with the way she viewed the world, her capacity for imagination, her ability to appreciate the little pleasures each day affords as seen in the following clip:

(Author's Note: if you haven't seen Amelie, I suggest you do so immediately. I hate to hype up media, but this remains one of my favourite all-time films. It's poignant, life affirming and beautiful in every way.)

Since then, I've tried to incorporate her philosophy into my life. And oh, my! What a difference it makes. I've learned that this simple practice makes ordinary days meaningful. Taking notice of the smallest things (the aroma of spices stewing in the kitchen, listening to the rain fall while enveloped in the warmth of a blanket, sharing a joke with a friend): these seemingly insignificant details shape the rapid passing of time into a memorable and happy life.

So, I've decided to begin a new feature on this blog and share the simple pleasures that brighten my days...in the hope that doing so will brighten yours as well.

A Victorian Celebration: Wrapping Up

Despite what the absence of posts related to this summer's Victorian Celebration might suggest, I did actually read for this event. In fact, I was so preoccupied with my nineteenth-century reading that I opted to stick my nose between the pages rather than sit down to write on my silly little blog. 

The Victorian period is my golden age, my belle epoque. So I truly appreciated Allie giving me an excuse to revel in this beloved era. I've read some fantastic literature, some old and some new (to me). A summary of what I got up to over the past several weeks is just ahead. But first...

 London 1888 -- I adore Victorian photography!

And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde: This play has more gravitas than The Importance of Being Earnest, but I loved what Wilde had to say about the hypocrisy of polite society in late Victorian England.

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon: My reading provided me with yet another fascinating Lady. How I would like to be a Lady! But to the point...this nineteenth-century mystery is full of murder, deception and madness. I can't wait to read more from this genre.

Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning: In a word, stunning! This collection of poems Barrett Browning wrote for her husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, are passionate and poignant. I read some of the letters this literary couple wrote to one another for my MA research, so I'm somewhat familiar with the details of their courtship and marriage. It was fun tracing biographical elements in these sonnets.

The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: I have now read every Bronte novel. Wahoo! This isn't Charlotte's finest work. I struggled through the first chunk of the novel, but its strong second half made the effort worthwhile. Now that I've finished all the Bronte novels, I'll be moving on to biographies and juvenilia. 

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool: Not yet finished, but I've been reading small doses of this intriguing work of non-fiction here and there. Pool's book elucidates all those little details of nineteenth-century life present in Victorian fiction that, over the years, have become enigmatic to the majority of twenty-first-century readers. Some of the information is a refresher course in what I already know and some sections are enlightening. I'm looking forward to discovering what else this text has in store for me.

Increasing my breadth of reading was a New Year's resolution of mine, so I'm proud of the range I managed --even when sticking within the parameters of the Victorian period. Two novels, one play, one collection of poetry and one work of non-fiction. Success! I'll be sharing more about these texts in future posts.

Although the Victorian event has concluded, I won't be straying too far from it in the immediate future. My dad, sister and I will be reading Bleak House together. The truth: I'm a wee bit nervous about it. I'll also be participating in Adam's Austen in August event. Austen + The Victorians = Fantastic Summer!

What have you been reading? Any tips on how best to approach a beast like Bleak House?

Bicycling in Paris

 Photos courtesy of Oh, Happy Day

I have always loved the idea of bicycling as a means of transportation in European cities.  I toyed around with the idea of renting a bike from the university when I lived in Leeds but ultimately decided the city's hills would be too much for my out-of-shape thighs.  This post from the blog Oh, Happy Day has made me think I was missing out on a fantastic means of exploring one's city.  And wouldn't Paris be an amazing city to explore?!  Just thinking about coasting past monuments like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame makes my skin tingle!  The post's explanation of Paris's bike rental system sounds as though bicycling would be an easy and interactive way of enjoying the Parisian sites.  I would, however, make one alteration to this scenario.  Flowers are very well and all, but that bike basket looks like the perfect means of toting a baguette and some cheese.  Or some pastries.  Food trumps flowers every time in my book.

P.S. When the lease was up on their San Francisco apartment, the couple behind Oh, Happy Day decided to pack up their two young sons and move to France for the year.  How cool is that?   I love reading about their perspective on Parisian life. 

Leaning Tower Photo Bloopers

Demonstrating my super-human strength

Every tourist who visits the Leaning Tower of Pisa must come away with a 'Look!  I'm holding up the tower!' photo.  It's an unwritten, mandatory rule.  With the picture above, I came pretty close to getting a good shot.  However, this is the result of many attempts.  Observe:

Nope

More tourists behind me

Not even close, I'm making a funny face

and the tourists remain

And sometimes when I attempt to photograph major monuments I come away with photographs of other tourists examining their own photographs.  I think it's time I took a photography class.

Happy Weekend!

Dear friends and family, I hope you have a great weekend.  I really started mine off right by spending an evening with a dear friend whom I hadn't seen in over a year.  She thoughtfully treated me to an enchilada dinner, frozen yogurt and a bag of saltwater taffy.  How do I score such awesome friends?  I also wanted to share a few of the cyber bits that have brightened my week.

Mindy Kaling (Kelly Kapoor from the American version of The Office) wrote an article for the New Yorker that had me laughing out loud.  She outlines seven female archetypes that consistently manifest themselves in romantic comedies, my favourite being 'The Skinny Woman Who Is Beautiful and Toned but Also Gluttonous and Disgusting.'  Here's a little snippet from the article:

'This poor skinny actress who has obviously lost weight to play the likable lead character has to say things like "Shut up, you guys!...If I want to eat an entire cheesecake, I will!"  If you look closely, you can see this woman's ribs through the dress she's wearing -- that's how skinny she is, this cheesecake-loving cow.'

Entertainment Weekly contemplates the possibility of a Princess Bride remake.  I adored, and completely concur, with one reader's comment of 'a remake? Inconceivable.' 

Have a look at the candid pics a photographer snapped as he announced the news of his impending fatherhood to friends and family members from A Cup of Jo. 

Finally, some subtle and chic ideas for Halloween decor from Cupcakes and Cashmere.  I myself can't wait to pick and carve pumpkins!

Bloopers

I've taken more photographs this past year than at any other time in my life.  Obviously the camera tends to come out more when one is traveling.  The thing is, not all of these photos have turned out the way I would like.  Sometimes pics are downright awful as a result of blurriness, bad lighting, the nagging feeling that one is not looking one's best, etc.  

And sometimes a stranger unexpectedly enters the shot.  I've snapped a fair few of such photos in previous months, and I'd like to share a couple of those...bloopers.  I suppose that would be the apt description for these blunders.

Exhibit A: This is a self-portrait taken when I was touring the Doges' Palace in Venice.  It houses a magnificent golden staircase I was hoping to capture.  Instead I came away with this:

Whoa, hair!  The thought that naturally kept running through my head when I loaded this gem onto my computer was, 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down thy hair!'

Exhibit B: I had just finished wandering round the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence when I spotted a beautiful, ornate fountain.  Photo op!  Or not:

Not only did I skilfully manage to miss most of the fountain, but this masked lady became the focal point of the shot.  She's looking right into the camera and everything.  How nice of her to pose for me.  To this day I can't help but wonder why she was sporting a surgical mask.  Is this a chic new trend of which I'm cluelessly unaware?