Friday, October 15, 2010
finally...
I am in Atlanta tonight, staying with a wonderful friend I met through my love of English period dramas generally and Toby Stephens as Mr. Rochester in the BBC's 2006 version of Jane Eyre in particular. My friend and I met not here in the U.S. but in London last May when we both went to see Mr. Stephens star in Tom Stoppard's 1982 play The Real Thing at the Old Vic. We have kept in touch by phone and the internet ever since. I am continually amazed at how the internet has shrunken the country and the world--not only did I meet this lovely lady, but I met Toby Stephens fans from Panama, Switzerland, Russia, Germany and Greece, and there are many others I correspond with from as far away as Australia. My life has been incredibly enriched by all of this!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
"The Real Thing" April 10-June 5, 2010 Old Vic London
Either my novenas worked or it's just a wonderful coincidence but on Monday (Pearl Harbor Day) a bomb was dropped on me and other Toby Stephens fans--he'll star in a revival of Tom Stoppard's play "The Real Thing" at the Old Vic in London, opening April 10 and running through June 5.
This is a very interesting play, the one some think made Tom Stoppard's genius absolutely clear, if it hadn't been already. That's because it deals with love and emotions, and not with current events and less "interior" subjects; Stoppard's background in journalism made his early plays less clearly the work of a playwright, and possibly the work of a craftsman...but "The Real Thing" changed all that. I suggest those who are curious about the play do some reading of the literary criticism, which is fascinating. For those of us who are of a certain age (i.e., over 50) this play has some personal nostalgic appeal because it contains numerous references to music and events we all grew up with. Lots of music from the British rock groups of the '60s and '70s, and do-wop stuff, too (the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, etc.) are alluded to. Should be great for us oldsters.
And then there's Toby Stephens. He has one of the most beautiful speaking voices in the entertainment world. I would have said in the "English-speaking world" except that he speaks other languages and has a real talent for accents. He himself has acknowledged this--he says others have an ear for music and his is for accents. You'd never guess when he is portraying an American (he played Jay Gatsby as well as Gen. Custer, to name two all-American roles) that he isn't born and bred in the USA. Besides, he is just beautiful to look at. He's the son of two titans in the English theatre, Dame Maggie Smith and the late Sir Robert Stephens.
I suggest that if you're going to be anywhere near London in the late spring (Chelsea Flower Show anyone?) you book your tickets at the Old Vic for this play; I found Ambassador Tickets a very simple way to do it from this side of the pond. The female lead hasn't been announced, so do it now because if the actor who is cast as "Annie" is as big a draw as Toby the tickets will get very scarce.
This is a very interesting play, the one some think made Tom Stoppard's genius absolutely clear, if it hadn't been already. That's because it deals with love and emotions, and not with current events and less "interior" subjects; Stoppard's background in journalism made his early plays less clearly the work of a playwright, and possibly the work of a craftsman...but "The Real Thing" changed all that. I suggest those who are curious about the play do some reading of the literary criticism, which is fascinating. For those of us who are of a certain age (i.e., over 50) this play has some personal nostalgic appeal because it contains numerous references to music and events we all grew up with. Lots of music from the British rock groups of the '60s and '70s, and do-wop stuff, too (the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, etc.) are alluded to. Should be great for us oldsters.
And then there's Toby Stephens. He has one of the most beautiful speaking voices in the entertainment world. I would have said in the "English-speaking world" except that he speaks other languages and has a real talent for accents. He himself has acknowledged this--he says others have an ear for music and his is for accents. You'd never guess when he is portraying an American (he played Jay Gatsby as well as Gen. Custer, to name two all-American roles) that he isn't born and bred in the USA. Besides, he is just beautiful to look at. He's the son of two titans in the English theatre, Dame Maggie Smith and the late Sir Robert Stephens.
I suggest that if you're going to be anywhere near London in the late spring (Chelsea Flower Show anyone?) you book your tickets at the Old Vic for this play; I found Ambassador Tickets a very simple way to do it from this side of the pond. The female lead hasn't been announced, so do it now because if the actor who is cast as "Annie" is as big a draw as Toby the tickets will get very scarce.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Date Bars to die for!
My son is studying for his first law school exams. I am dying here a thousand miles away that I'm not able to help in some way. (Of course as a good independent 28-yr. old male he has absolutely no wish for my help, even though I've been a lawyer for 34 yrs. and I AM his mother!) So I'm reduced to saying novenas and to baking him cookies which I can mail to him. Bar cookies are the most portable and usually the most resilient when it comes to freshness, too, so last week I sent him "Bayou Brownies", which is another name for a cookie illogically named "Chess Squares", the recipe for which calls for a layer made with yellow cake mix topped with a layer made of cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and pecans. You can google "Chess Squares" and find several versions and they're all great...I highly recommend this cookie even though I normally refuse to make anything which requires use of a cake mix, doctored up or not.
But yesterday I made his absolute favorite cookie, my "Date Bars". This is not a recipe I've ever seen anywhere else. I got it from my college boyfriend's mother many years ago. She's from rural Indiana and I think it was a recipe passed around from a state fair winner or something, but I've never seen it in print anywhere. It is deceptively simple in ingredients and in preparation. You're not going to think, when you read it, that it is special, because it sounds like lots of other date bar recipes. But it is. It is amazingly wonderful. These cookies are so great that people just lose all willpower and eat as many as you'll allow them to, and many of those who've loved them most didn't know dates were in them and might even have thought they didn't like dates. PLEASE take my word for this and try them. You'll never regret it.
Date Bars
(Makes 16 large or 20 small squares)
1/2 c. soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans but walnuts are fine)
1 c. chopped dates
Confectioner's sugar for dusting (I use it liberally)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 8" or 9" square cake pan.
In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until smooth. Add flour, salt, and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly mixed.
By hand, mix in nuts and dates.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven, or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, set pan on cooling rack, and let stand in pan until thoroughly cool.
Sift confectioner's sugar over top of cake, then cut into squares.
These freeze well but if I am making only one batch they never last long enough to go into the freezer.
Enjoy them--they're perfect for Christmas presents!
But yesterday I made his absolute favorite cookie, my "Date Bars". This is not a recipe I've ever seen anywhere else. I got it from my college boyfriend's mother many years ago. She's from rural Indiana and I think it was a recipe passed around from a state fair winner or something, but I've never seen it in print anywhere. It is deceptively simple in ingredients and in preparation. You're not going to think, when you read it, that it is special, because it sounds like lots of other date bar recipes. But it is. It is amazingly wonderful. These cookies are so great that people just lose all willpower and eat as many as you'll allow them to, and many of those who've loved them most didn't know dates were in them and might even have thought they didn't like dates. PLEASE take my word for this and try them. You'll never regret it.
Date Bars
(Makes 16 large or 20 small squares)
1/2 c. soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans but walnuts are fine)
1 c. chopped dates
Confectioner's sugar for dusting (I use it liberally)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 8" or 9" square cake pan.
In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until smooth. Add flour, salt, and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly mixed.
By hand, mix in nuts and dates.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven, or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, set pan on cooling rack, and let stand in pan until thoroughly cool.
Sift confectioner's sugar over top of cake, then cut into squares.
These freeze well but if I am making only one batch they never last long enough to go into the freezer.
Enjoy them--they're perfect for Christmas presents!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Well the snow was a non-event as I figured it would be. This morning at 9 AM when I walked the dogs there were a few snow-flecked hills (well, mounds--this IS Louisiana where there aren't any hills not made by bulldozers) and some cars with a little dusting.
I'm trying to pack up a few Christmas packages. I've got my Christmas list down now to a couple of friends, not even family, to whom I send money or best wishes. My closest friend who doesn't live here in Baton Rouge is the person I think about first when making my "list"--and I always have fun putting a package together for her. She entertains quite a bit so the wonderful finds I make at estate sales throughout the year are what I send to her. I doubt she'd ever read this but I am not going to disclose what she's getting except to say it's vintage silver, and I wrapped one piece of it in a beautiful Tiffany silver cloth holder which is one of many an old beau gave me (his daughters chose Tiffany silver when they married and for some unknown reason discarded all the silver cloth.)
I also have to finish packing up little presents I bought for my friends from the Toby Stephens forum on Moonfruit.com. My group is the "Doddlings"--we are all ga-ga over his performance as Maj. William Dodd in Sharpe's Challenge. Maj. Dodd is the villain (Toby always seems to play the villain, but he is a deliciously evil one!) but so sexy. We have fun discussing his beautiful and devilish machismo. If Toby Stephens does a live play in London this year (fingers crossed--he's done a play every year for the last three and says it's the work he likes best) we'll all convene there to see him and wait at the stage door for autographs. I'm sending them all a little item to help with the travel (they're from the US, Panama, Germany, and Greece), as well as a copy of my favorite Christmas poem, "King John's Christmas" by A. A. Milne. That's appropriate not just because of the season but also because Toby played Prince (later King) John in three episodes of the BBC's Robin Hood, which aired in the US this fall.
I'm trying to pack up a few Christmas packages. I've got my Christmas list down now to a couple of friends, not even family, to whom I send money or best wishes. My closest friend who doesn't live here in Baton Rouge is the person I think about first when making my "list"--and I always have fun putting a package together for her. She entertains quite a bit so the wonderful finds I make at estate sales throughout the year are what I send to her. I doubt she'd ever read this but I am not going to disclose what she's getting except to say it's vintage silver, and I wrapped one piece of it in a beautiful Tiffany silver cloth holder which is one of many an old beau gave me (his daughters chose Tiffany silver when they married and for some unknown reason discarded all the silver cloth.)
I also have to finish packing up little presents I bought for my friends from the Toby Stephens forum on Moonfruit.com. My group is the "Doddlings"--we are all ga-ga over his performance as Maj. William Dodd in Sharpe's Challenge. Maj. Dodd is the villain (Toby always seems to play the villain, but he is a deliciously evil one!) but so sexy. We have fun discussing his beautiful and devilish machismo. If Toby Stephens does a live play in London this year (fingers crossed--he's done a play every year for the last three and says it's the work he likes best) we'll all convene there to see him and wait at the stage door for autographs. I'm sending them all a little item to help with the travel (they're from the US, Panama, Germany, and Greece), as well as a copy of my favorite Christmas poem, "King John's Christmas" by A. A. Milne. That's appropriate not just because of the season but also because Toby played Prince (later King) John in three episodes of the BBC's Robin Hood, which aired in the US this fall.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Snowing in the South
It's going to snow tonight, they say, although I'm not sure they're right because it's raining hard right now and I have rarely seen lots of wet rain change to snow, especially here in Louisiana. I don't care whether it does or not, really, but since I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (self-diagnosed but feels real--I hate long stretches of cold, dark weather) this is not a good day for me.
I know from reading "The Secret" and all those books about creating my own reality and destiny that I ought not to say anything negative like that. But I said it. This has been a non-productive and somewhat bleary, if not outright depressing, day.
But one bright spot: my Intel-based iMac, which I bought in 2006 and which seemed so up-to-date and avant garde back then and which still looks brand new, has been reinvigorated by an installation of 2 G of RAM and the Snow Leopard operating system, and I am enjoying "computing" on it again.
I cruised the Web without having to wait while that dreaded "beachball" (like that
I know from reading "The Secret" and all those books about creating my own reality and destiny that I ought not to say anything negative like that. But I said it. This has been a non-productive and somewhat bleary, if not outright depressing, day.
But one bright spot: my Intel-based iMac, which I bought in 2006 and which seemed so up-to-date and avant garde back then and which still looks brand new, has been reinvigorated by an installation of 2 G of RAM and the Snow Leopard operating system, and I am enjoying "computing" on it again.
I cruised the Web without having to wait while that dreaded "beachball" (like that
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