currently reading: emma

It's embarrassing to admit I've seen at least 4 adaptations of Emma on stage and screen, and yet I've somehow never read it! Until now, that is. I'm thankful for vacations because I get the chance to read some yummy fiction, guilt-free. Here's hoping Emma and Mr. Knightley get together this time! ;)

*image property of BBC Worldwide

When life gets busy, it's easy to neglect our creative selves in favor of practical, day to day tasks. But in doing so, we're starving our brains of the free-form time it needs to effectively process and integrate information. In more fluffy terms, art helps frame our understanding of the world and subsequently gives our lives meaning.


So let's make more time for fun. :) I totally broke my own rule here by not going to dance class tonight, but I did do some creative writing, which should count!

Yipes, it's finals time for my first semester of grad school. The weather is so gorgeous and I want to go to the beach, but that is not to be! So for now, I'll just enjoy the breezy vistas of Greece from my dining room/study room. :)

*images via shannoneileen, sundayinbed, and crystal leung

Jane Eyre 2011 film review

Saw the latest Jane Eyre adaptation  last night and loved it. So well cast and beautifully shot. Even in moments with very little dialogue, I was so absorbed in Jane's world that I was drinking up every extra minute. Though the purpose of this movie wasn't to hit every single plot point and character in the book, I didn't mind at all. This film stands well on its own.

Some folks thought this version wasn't nearly dark enough, but I didn't seem to take that away myself. Maybe I'm just a wuss for suspense, but I thought the script blended in the book's Gothic elements well. In the medium of film, I think there's a danger of being too heavy-handed with it. I wouldn't want Gothicism to overtake the story and overshadow Jane's thoughtful, progressive insights and the honest, beautiful interplay between the lead characters. Plus, the theme of loneliness and isolation are very present in this film, which although not dark in the Gothic sense, definitely captured the oppressive grayness that I strongly felt in the book. 

The only thing I was disappointed by was that they didn't include the fortune teller scene! That's totally the teenager in me that wanted to see it play out, but I can see why they didn't include it. That scene as written is not PC. Plus, as a reader, I was as surprised as Jane was to find out who the fortune teller really was, but in the movie, having a large man try to pull off a female fortune teller convincingly would be hard to make believable.

*Photos: Focus Features

In keeping with our tradition of costume parties, C and I celebrated my birthday at The Lincoln Room in full presidential attire. Good food, strong drinks, and plenty of stovepipe hats made for a solid evening with friends. Walking downtown in costume was probably my favorite part of the night - Abe's a popular guy with the late-night clubber crowd!

Happy second day of spring! Ahhh. Just for the occasion, we got our first spring rain storm last night. I can't wait to fill my house with flowers.

*Blossoms image by Craig Cloutier, "Woman Reading" by Mary Cassatt (via Harriet Devine).

These images from the latest Toast catalog are absolutely calling my name. Turban headband + red + cafe = me to a T. I'm pretty sure I've worn this exact outfit before, just not in such a stylish European atmosphere. Oh, to be sipping espresso al fresco...

*images from Toast early spring catalog (via The Neo-Traditionalist)