Leaping for Leap Day!

How to celebrate "Leap Day"--that odd, extra day of the year?

Well, today, a friend and I honored the day by watching one of our favorite movies ever:

These two are just so entertaining!

Ah... favorite.

My friend lives in Kentucky, so she and I watched it "together" by carrying an online conversation on during the film. So fun. I just love her.

And I love this movie...

And it got me really excited for St. Patrick's Day! =)

I'll officially be there.

25 days!

New favorite word:

analepsis

Doesn't it sound like a disease?

Oh literary critics... :)

So tonight was the Oscars!

It was a night to celebrate the importance of film and the process of film-making.

So I thought I'd take a minute to share one of the things I appreciate most in flim-making:

I love it when husbands and wives work together on projects!

I mean, so many Hollywood marriages end and I think a huge part of it is probably the strain of physically being apart from one's spouse. These are people that have discovered they can pursue their passions together and really be a team.

While I'm not planning a career in the film-industry, these are just a few couples who inspire me and remind me that, one day, my husband and I will get to really co-labor as we chase our not-so-common dreams.

1. Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas

Thomas has produced every project her husband, Nolan, has written/directed.

Together they founded Syncopy Films and also have 4 children.

2. Stephen Moffat and Sue Vertue

With his wife's encouragement, Moffat (along with Mark Gatiss) created BBC's Sherlock which was produced by Vertue. 

She describes herself on twitter as "wife of The Moff."

3. Michel Hazanavicius and Berenice Bejo

The French couple have worked on 3 films together with Hazanvicius directing and Bejo starring--including The Artist for which they just won best picture.

They also have 2 children together.

Do you know of any other husband and wife teams (inside or outside of the film industry) that work well as a team?

Ok... this cracked me up! Introducing - Sherlock inspired tea!

"All at once exotic and mysterious and perhaps a little bit insane...

with a lingering hint of smoke."

Blend: Lapsang Souchong, Assam Melody, and Oriental Spice

"Queen and country traditionalist, but still recounting his days in Afghanistan drinking green tea, John Watson prefers his tea with a little cream, no sugar, and just a little warm from a touch of cinnamon."

Blend: Irish Breakfast, Cinnamon, Earl Grey Green

"Naturally sweet, mild, and most importantly, calm and smoothing."

Blend: Chamomile, Dewy Cherry, Snowbud

"Spicy chai backed by more ginger. Guaranteed to burn the heart out of you.

Because that's what people BREW!"

Blend: Ginger, Masala Chai

And finally,

"Inspired by Benedict Cumberbatch... Masala Chai is a tea mixture of healthy indian spices and herbs because I wanted the tea to be healthy and fresh. Benedict uses a cinnamon like cologne. It was only natural to pick cinnamon for this. And last, just a hint of ginger, inspired by his true hair color."

Blend: Masala Chai, Cinnamon, Ginger

haha... wow!

I could go for a culinary blend right about now.

All teas from Adagio.

always on my mind...

{From left to right: All Soul's College, Catte Street, a glimpse of High Street, Vaults and Gardens Cafe, St. Mary's of the Virgin, and, finally, the Radcliffe Camera}

source

Here are the pics from my date with Jer from the other night -

fun times =)

But I'm so excited for the next two weeks--I finally get to go to live theatre again!!

Since coming home from England, I've been mostly theatre deprived.

But not any more!

Tomorrow, a friend and I are going to see the UW Playhouse production of Emma! Yes... freaking out!!

And then next weekend, Lois and I are seeing: Macbeth

It will be really fun seeing this having seen the RSC's last summer.

 We just (re)read this in my Shakespeare class, and I'm even thinking of writing a paper comparing the two performances. Fun stuff =)

All that to say, I am very excited about my imminent return to the theatre!

I just remembered a horrible nightmare I had last night!



I dreamt that there were structural defects in Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey!) and that they had decided to implode it!!

Downton fans and historians alike were outraged, staging protests, and even forming human shields. It was so intense. Julian Fellowes was trying very hard to keep it and everyone wanted to know--how could they possibly film a third season without the Downton Abbey itself??

...oh gosh, fiction invading dreams, yet again.

Well, praise God, I woke up this morning and Highclere Castle is in tact. There will be a season 3. Balance is restored to that fictional universe, at least.

Haha... beginning to worry about my subconscious =/ =)

2.21.09

I'm so grateful for Ross and Melissa and their beautiful (growing) family!

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

"It is a naive sort of feminism that insists that women prove their ability to do all the things that men do. This is a distortion and a travesty. Men have never sought to prove that they can do all the things women can do. Why subject women to purely masculine criteria? Women can and ought to be judged by the criteria of femininity, for it is in their femininity that they participate in the human race. And femininity has its limitations. So has masculinity...

"We are called to be women. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman."

- Elisabeth Elliot

[via]

"Never tell me the odds..."

- Han Solo

"It doesn't matter what you've heard

Impossible is not a word

It's just a reason for someone not to try..."

- Kutless

I'm sensing a theme in my life =)

Oh yes... such a favorite!

source

ok... not the best sound quality... but the editing is well done and its just fun!

David Cook and Adele - Rolling in the Deep "duet" =)

"This young fellow... had been instructed by a friend that he would find no more effectual method of recommending himself to the Ladies than the improving his understanding, and filling his mind with good literature." - Henry Fielding, Tom Jones

You speak the truth, Mr. Fielding.

thrift store find of the day!

genuine leather boots!

Cumberbatch’s initial reference point for Smaug, interestingly, was his father, the actor Timothy Carlton. “The Hobbit was the first book I remember reading at bedtime, and he characterised the whole thing,” he explains. “It was the first imaginary landscape I had in my head, so it’s very close to me.” (via the Telegraph)

awwwww!!

[Actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham,

parents of Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch]

[A sketch of Smaug by Benedict Cumberbatch + signature =]

Just finished Sense and Sensibility (BBC, 2008) with Miss Charlli =)

Seriously, this film is my favorite Jane Austen adaptation. Period.

I love Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Of course, I love both of the contemporary Pride and Prejudice adaptations--but this is SO well done and just beautifully cast.

I highly, highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance.

[Love these two as Elinor and Marianne... aka my sister and me]

[Colonel Brandon (David Morrissey), Mariane (Charity Wakefield), and Willoughby (Dominic Cooper)]

and then of course... these two =)

[Elinor (Hattie Morahan) and Edward (Dan Stevens)]

Of course I think he's brilliant in Downton

(see yesterday's post)

But I saw him in S&S first... and actually like his hair darker.

But they're all fabulous!

Also making an appearance in the adaptation: the brrrilliant Mark Gatiss--Sherlock co-creator, writer, and actor.

[Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes]

And to wrap up marvelous British adaptations in a neat package, I give you a little surprise from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

There I was, enjoying the film and its incredible cast (Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, etc) when this little scene gave me a nice shock.

Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock) walks into a room and the secretary is played by Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith Crawley, Downton Abbey).

I turned to my friend and said, "My favorite BBC worlds just collided." haha

All that to say... I just love how intertwined British film/tv/stage is!

Cheers ;)

downton love...

Happiness is...


...entering home group with Ashley and Kayla and Dr./Mr. Simon greeting you by exclaiming, "It's the Crawley Sisters!"


...walking into three different conversations at said home group, all centered around Downton Abbey.


...a 27-year-old male classmate informing you that he spent Valentines watching Downton and drinking wine (bahaha... personal favorite moment of my day. Don't worry about him though! He's not depressed or erratic, it was just because his girlfriend was working.)


Just kind of a Downton Day! Now... we just need the Christmas Special =D

CBS's New York Elementary, meet BBC's London Sherlock.

Cumberbatch to Miller: I already have a 2-year and multi-million fan head start.

Did I mention Stephen Moffat?

But good luck anyhow.

There, there... I'm sure you'll give it your best shot.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Sherlock Holmes

and may the best man win.

Laters!

In light of it being Valentine's day, I thought I'd also share something a friend from my writing group recently posted. I found it encouraging and refreshingly counter-culture:

Make no mistake; love is an act of war. “Make love, not war” is a false dichotomy. Cupid is armed with a bow for a reason. Love is an act of war on hatred, on bigotry, on racism, sexism, on whatever prejudices exist in this world. And moreover, love is an attack on indifference. Jesus said, “Greater love doesn’t exist than the love that would motivate a man to die for a friend.”
Love is a verb, an action. It can’t coexist with indifference. 

Let us use love to wage war.

Look what came in the mail today?

Happy Valentines to me!

[yes... I know it's going to be sad... but oh so good!
and sorry about the way the picture is flipped... my webcam is lame]

Also wanted to share the best Valentine I received today:

Yes. It's a fox. Thank you Stephanie Hawn!

[It's kind of a Fantastic Mr. Fox joke. Kind of just plain adorable haha]

And... I apologize in advance. But this is just too funny of a Valentine, so I had to share (especially for my fellow fans out there)

haha... :)

Happy Valentines!!

Oh gosh, gotta love literary critics.
The one I'm currently reading just suggested the general reading public is "unable to distinguish chalk from cheese." Ha!

"God, order a peaceful & whole life for us,
because everything we've done, you've done through us."
- Isaiah 26.12

Verse for today =)

For those of you who've known me long at all... you know that I don't really have the patience for creativity. I mean, like arts and crafts.

I'm the one with the smudged fingernail polish.

The messier hand-writing.

The burned food.

The one who can't cut in a straight line.

The vision but not the talent.

Having 2 verrry craft-y sisters... It's easy to feel like the odd one out.

Well... something must have gotten into me today because I gave myself a full mani/pedi and made, in my humble opinion, a pretty stellar card.

First off: nails.

Inspiration.

Execution.

I also made this card for a friend's wedding:

On a normal day... this would have turned into a glue and glitter disaster!

But it actually resembles what its supposed to.

And my fingernails... ok, one little smudge. But they look way better than expected, too.

Alright... just had to share this little victory with you.

If I'm able to whip out some incredible dessert sometime, I'll be sure to let you know =)

Just sent off two oh-so-special Valentines and an overdue thank-you.

relieved.

So, every since coming across this cover, I have been listening to "Moon River."

I love it!

Two drifters... off to see the world.

There's such a lot of world to see...

I mean, so beautiful!

Well, today, my anglophile/bibliophile/Audreyphile [yah, I just made that last one up] friend, Lois, sent me this fabulous note.

It's a note Audrey sent to composer Henry Mancini after Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Mancini went on to win the Oscar that year in the "Best Original Song" category for "Moon River." 

But I think Audrey's "thank you" note does his incredible work its best justice:

[source]

Dear Henry,

I have just seen our picture – BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S – this time with your score.  

A movie without music is a little bit like an aeroplane without fuel. However beautifully the job is done, we are still on the ground and in a world of reality. Your music has lifted us all up and sent us soaring. Everything we cannot say with words or show with action you have expressed for us. You have done this with so much imagination, fun and beauty. 

You are the hippest of cats – and the most sensitive of composers!  

Thank you, dear Hank.  

Lots of love 

Audrey

Isn't that just the sweetest?

Here's to Audrey, "Moon River," and film scores <3

SO excited for my date with some of my favorite people tomorrow!

Including these two - 

Oh gosh! Love these two so much.

I haven't seen them in over a month!

Plus, so excited to chat with their mom (aka, my older sister and pretty much best friend ever)

Yay fridays!

Oh... and "Friday Nights in Seattle" is becoming a pattern =)
Tomorrow night, I'll be attending my cousin's elementary school performance of Seussical the Musical. How fun will that be? I love Dr. Seuss.

Alright, sweet dreams everyone!

Date night...

So... it was pretty awesome.

With this cast... how could it not be?

[left to right: Brian Cox, Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Gerard Butler]

Since seeing her in Tree of Life and a few others since then, I have come to just adore Jessica Chastain. Classy and talented.

And may I just say, Ralph Fiennes's eyes--wow!

[I have to admit, the way he delivered a few of his lines, I was transported back to Prince of Egypt. It made my heart so happy =]

The overall experience was probably bettered by seeing it at the Uptown =)