An Age I Want To Visit

My family and I have long been fans of the series of computer games called Myst. The amazing graphics, the eerie music, and the stunning idea that you could travel to other worlds (ages) via hand-written books have always drawn me to these games.

I've always felt a pull to visit these fictional places, because they look simply amazing!


Recently I stumbled upon this link that put me in mind of this silly wish:

Earth's Most Bizarre Landscapes

One of the places listed on there is Cappadocia, Turkey. I found this picture of a hotel there, and it reminded me very strongly of a Myst Age. So needless to say, I want to go there. :)

Maybe someday....

Pride and Prejudice

I recently re-watched the loooong mini-series Pride and Prejudice starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. This is definitely my favourite version of this classic book. There are so many great lines and the actors pull them off admirably!

Jennifer Ehle is lively and engaging in her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennett.

Colin Firth is appropriately stern and disapproving.

And the Bennett family as a whole was by turns silly, loud, and sarcastic.

Recommended for: Book purists and people who love BBC mini-series.

Overall, I like this one the best. However, the others are good too! If you are a fan of the story, I suggest you watch them all!


The oldest version is pure comedy. Liberties were taken with the story, as the movie is based on the play version, rather than the book! Also, the time period was moved to much later than is usually shown, probably to play off the popularity of the big skirts in Gone With The Wind.

This movie moves at lightning speed. Mr. Darcy (Laurence Olivier) plays a much nicer Darcy than in the other versions. Lizzie, played by Greer Garson, is lively and charming.

Recommended for: Hyper people or fans of old movies.


This next one was made in the 1980s and it is probably my least favourite. Still, it sticks very closely to the book and it has some lovely moments.


Recommended for: Die-hard fans of BBC mini-series.


The newest version has created a whole new wave of fans for this story. It pushed the time period back a bit, to include the earlier lower waistlines. I'm not a huge fan of this newest version, but there are good things about it.

Rosamund Pike played a very pretty Jane.


Claudie Blakly and Tom Hollander were amazing as Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins.

Recommended for: Everyone

A Fun Find

I recently stumbled upon this gem in a local antique/thrift store. She was hiding demurely behind a couch, but I spotted her first thing and fell instantly in love. At first I assumed that it was an engraving, but upon closer inspection I now believe it to be an actual sketch! Here is a (rather bad) picture of the corner. You can just barely see traced lines around the edges of the whole picture.

I just love the composition of the whole thing!


Her face is beautifully and softly done.

The spinning wheel is a neat touch. I'm a little confused about the little cup. Anyone have any ideas what that might have been used for?

New Victorians

I found this slideshow recently and to be quite honest, it thrilled my soul!! Hurray for Victorian fashion coming back around!

Link

There is even a slideshow about the creation of tintypes:

Link 2

On a side note, isn't this dress gorgeous? I don't care for the color that much, but the way it is made almost looks like icing. So pretty!

Partition

While I was at the beach I watched a movie called Partition. This movie really took me by surprise, because I was expecting more of a bloody war movie and what I got was a tragic Indian love story that bore striking resemblance to the fairy-tale Beauty and the Beast. (Which was a favourite of mine, growing up.) The costumes were lovely, the acting good, and overall it was an interesting movie. It doesn't delve deeply into the history, but it did teach me a little and piqued my interest! Which is really all I ask from period dramas, otherwise they would be dry and boring. ;) I really liked this movie.

One lonely, but lovely CdV

Such pretty trim!

I <3 Folk Music!

Folk is definitely one of my favourite genres of music. I'm always delighted when I find a talented artist that I haven't listened to before. A friend of mine posted a song of Kate Rusby's and I was sold! Her use of traditional instruments and traditional songs, combined with her lovely voice, make her music unique and beautiful.

You can listen to a lot of her songs on YouTube. Here's a link to a whole bunch of them.