Downton Abbey Finale

What will you be doing Sunday night? Silly question, I know. We will all be tuned in to watch the very last episode of "Downton Abbey"! Oh, I will miss it! It's hard to believe this series is coming to an end. Will you be celebrating with a party or watching in your pajamas? I will probably be doing the latter. Which ever way you choose to honor the occasion, I suggest you have a box of tissues nearby. I have been very careful to stay away from spoilers, but it's hard not to imagine some emotional moments.

What am I hoping for? A happy ending for Edith and Thomas, two characters who have suffered a lot over the last six seasons. The penultimate episode found them both hitting rock bottom which means there's only one direction for them to go and that is up. And I think we all hope Mary will become a nicer person. We'll see what happens. One thing is for certain -- this show has been a phenomenon unlike anything in recent memory. And the finale should be one of the most watched television events in history. I can't wait to learn how many people tune in. I am very excited to see how Julian Fellowes wraps it all up. His ability to create compelling narratives, appealing characters, historic events, period details and magical settings has been awe-inspiring. The costumes, the music, the drama -- it's been a joy to watch. And it doesn't hurt that the show is filmed in a stunning castle in the glorious English countryside!

What will Julian Fellowes do next? I have heard he is developing a new television show called "The Gilded Age," inspired by the novels of Edith Wharton. It will be interesting to follow his career. He is so talented. Wishing you a fun-filled "Downton Abbey" weekend!

What are your hopes for the final episode?
Go here for an entertaining recap of the whole series.

Last Days of Downton

If you have an Instagram account and follow the Downton Abbey actors, such as Michelle Dockery and Joanne Froggatt, you are probably aware that the filming of the final season of Downton Abbey is almost over. In fact, it ends this week. The stars have been posting some very cute as well as touching photos of the final days of filming (#LastDaysOfDownton). Here are a few of my favorites.

It's hard to believe this show is coming to an end. What a phenomenon it has been.

The final season will air on PBS in January.

Will you miss it as much as much as me?

Instagram photos via here

Napa Goodness

How is your summer going? I just got back from a long weekend in Napa where my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. Napa was the perfect place to go; it's not that far from home and yet it feels worlds away. And it is one of the most magical spots for a celebration. We spent three days exploring and just hanging out...

There were quaint farms and wineries

Welcoming signs

Lush vineyards

Cooking demonstrations at the Culinary Institute

Champagne tastings

Beautiful spots to relax

Icy drinks by the pool

Country flowers

Favorite places for lunch

A magical setting for celebrating an anniversary

And great wines and champagnes for making that special toast

It was the perfect place to be!

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I hope you have been enjoying the summer. The last couple of weeks were a great time for me to catch up on some reading -- a delicious summer novel as well as stacks of magazines and newspapers.

There is so much to talk about! Stay tuned...

But I am wondering, have you seen this?

Or this?

Two different covers of the August issue of British Harper's Bazaar and it is out now. There is a ten page article that features the women of "Downton Abbey" in a glamorous photo spread. The timing couldn't be better for those of us still going through "Downton" withdrawal. The fifth season of the show debuts in Britain this fall. Can't wait to get a copy of the magazine. Looking forward to reading about the "Downton Sisterhood"!

Inspiration Everywhere

We had such a wonderful trip to New York. Not only was the weather perfect and the tulips blooming, we also saw some great art and theater. There was inspiration around every corner. Between walking everywhere and enjoying the cultural treasures of this city, this trip was one of the best. Here are some highlights:

Seeing the breathtaking revival of "Cabaret"starring Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams

Alan Cumming was born to play this role. He is outstanding as the emcee. The play is so different from the film and for days afterwards I couldn't stop thinking about it. Tremendous performances, a haunting story, and a chilling ending -- all came together for an unforgettable experience.  

Hanging out at Pierpont Morgan's study in The Morgan Library

This bastion of literature and old New York is one of my favorite spots to visit

We saw this letter from Charles Dickens to Wilkie Collins saying he was changing the ending of "Great Expectations"!

And this fabulous exhibition of "The Little Prince"

Did you know that this French tale was written and published in New York City during the two years that Antoine de Saint-Exupery spent here at the height of World War II?

Basking in the beauty at the Frick (always!)

And visiting this painting of  Lady Hamilton by George Romney

After reading The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag years ago, I became fascinated by Emma Hamilton and the love affair she had with the British naval hero Lord Nelson. She was a famous beauty and her romance with Nelson was the biggest scandal of the time.

Being wowed by one of the vast halls at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Learning about the history of books at The Grolier Club. This organization was founded in 1884 and is the country's oldest society for bibliophiles. We saw the The Dean of American Printers exhibition.

Reading this at a photography exhibition at the Met
Paris really was where it was at and Gertrude Stein was at the center of it all.

 Sitting on a bench at the Met and gazing at this

Shopping for books and finding this gem at Crawford Doyle, my favorite old-fashioned New York bookstore

As well as this Bloomsbury treasure -- Vanessa Bell designed the beautiful dust jacket 

Walking past this amazing place -- I named it the "Daffodil House" -- on one of our walks

And indulging in the best french fries at Balthazar!


When we got home we were greeted by this:

Our new rose bush is starting to make its way up the arbor. Have you ever noticed that when you go away, even for just a short time, the garden seems to have performed miracles while you were gone?


P.S.  And this weekend a little something magical happened in West Hollywood:

And it happened so fast. I was there and they were there. The owner of the restaurant knows I am a big fan of Downton Abbey -- a piece of information he decided to share with this group who happened to be sitting right next to me. Prior to this I had been stealing furtive glances in their direction to confirm in my mind that yes, they were indeed members of the cast of "Downton Abbey." The next thing I knew we were all talking and this happened! These four charming Brits (Rob James-Collier, Phyllis Logan, Joanne Froggatt and Sophie McShera) were in town promoting their hit show and were kind enough to take a photo with me. They could not have been friendlier. Rob James-Collier who plays Thomas asked me which one of these four was my favorite character. I had to admit it was Mrs. Hughes. After all, doesn't she hold the downstairs staff together and keep Mr. Carson in check? Phyllis Logan plays Mrs. Hughes and she is beautiful. As is each member of this group. What a magical night it was!

Winter Mornings

How was your weekend? Did you watch the Olympics? I watched a little of the skiing and ice skating, but mostly I read. This weekend was cold in Los Angeles, though mild compared to the rest of the country. And yesterday was one of those mornings a little too chilly to take a walk. With the fireplace lit, staying home sounded awfully good. That walk could wait for later. I pulled out the newspapers, magazines, and books I have been meaning to get to and settled in for a nice day at home. The plan was to catch up with all my reading. Don't you love it when you have all day to read? Here are a few things that caught my eye...

From the February, 2014 issue of "Town and Country:" Starting on March 1 Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Delaware is hosting Costumes of Downton Abbey, an exhibition of 40 looks from the show. It includes the dress Lady Mary wore when Matthew proposed. I have never been to Winterthur and would would love to plan a visit to coincide with this exhibition!

And speaking of "Downton," there is a fashion spread in the January issue of "Vogue" featuring Laura Carmichael who plays Lady Edith. Up until this season her clothes were not very remarkable, but she is now wearing some fabulous costumes from the twenties. In real life, she loves fashion and looks beautiful in this photo shoot.

And in the same issue of "Vogue" there is an article on the three very handsome actors who play new characters this season on "Downton." It was fascinating to learn that Julian Ovenden who plays Charlie Blake (on the left), the man who seems to be falling in love with Lady Mary (see last night's episode), is an acclaimed tenor and will be performing at Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein on Valentine's Day!

And what about a real-life Dowager Duchess of Grantham? In the March issue of "Town and Country" there is a gorgeous 12-page spread on Deborah Mitford, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire and her granddaughter Stella Tennant. There are some stunning shots of the Dowager's home Chatsworth (a 1000-acre estate in the English countryside) as well as some great shots of her when she was simply Deborah Mitford and of her famous sisters. Have you read her memoir Wait for Me ? It is wonderful.

I love this photo of Stella at Chatsworth. I am pretty sure that is Nancy Mitford in the background.

Several magazines have articles on the new book My Life in Middlemarch. The author Rebecca Mead has written about her lifelong relationship with the novel Middlemarch by George Eliot. It is getting very good reviews and I can't wait to read it. I understand the idea of returning to favorite books over the years. "Howards End," "Mrs. Dalloway" and "Excellent Women" are books I always seem to take down from the bookshelf and revisit. I get something new from them each time. Hmm...I wonder if I can convince my book club to read "Middlemarch"?

Jude Law in "Henry V"

Photo via here

In the "New York Times" Ben Brantley has written a fabulous article about several Shakespeare plays that are on in London right now, all starring leading film actors: Jude Law in "Henry V", David Tennant in "Richard II," and Tom Hiddleston in "Coriolanus." Oh, to be in England...

Orhan Pamuk in Istanbul

Photo via here

In the same issue of the NY Times there is a fascinating article about Istanbul, the home of Nobel Prize winning author Orhan Pamuk. Pamuk gave Joshua Hammer, the writer of this article, a personal tour of his beloved city. The text and photos are excellent. Many years ago I read Snow by Pamuk and considered it an accomplishment since the book is a challenging read but very worth it. This travel piece is a keeper...

And from a visit to one of my favorite websites...

My copy of this classic

Persephone Books is issuing a new edition of The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield. The beautiful endpapers (which Persephone Books is famous for) will be based on the original Harper & Brothers New York cover of the book from 1931. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Persephone is making the book available prior to its official April release for two weeks only and is offering it at a discount. Go here to learn more and see the lovely endpapers. And go here to read more about this book.

And, finally, staying home can yield all kinds of discoveries...

A Valentine card I gave my husband years ago. Isn't that quote perfect?

I hope you stayed snug and warm this weekend.