Friday Fancies

I'm not in any way complaining about the mild winter we've been having this year, but it has proven a challenge when getting dressed in the morning. I find myself either feeling chilly because I've dressed for the mild temperatures to come later in the day or feeling overheated during my walk to work because I've bundled up for the frosty morning air. The dusting of snow we got earlier this week reminded me of how, last winter, I based every outfit around items that would work with my wellies. I guess consistency is the one upside of endless snow.

On to my favorites from the week, including a couple of treats that would be the perfect complement to wintry weather.



(image via here)

I'll definitely be try out this sweet twist on tea this weekend.

If that's not enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, I can spruce up a hot chocolate with some frozen whipped cream.

This grouping of framed lyrics just might be my favorite Valentine's craft that I've seen so far.

I think my To Read list may grow after I check out this book.

And would you ever wear snake motif jewelry? I would have said no, but I can picture some of these pieces as a surprising touch with a simple outfit, like a striped shirt and jeans.

What caught your eye this week?

Glaciers

I just read the loveliest debut novel, Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith. Short and with ample margins, it's really more of a novella that can be read cover to cover in one sitting, a reading experience I'd highly recommend.

Covering the span of a single day in the life of Isobel, a twenty-something librarian with a penchant for all things vintage, the story weaves scenes of her past childhood in rural Alaska and glimpses of her hopes for the future with the action of the present, in which her daily routine is punctuated by a bittersweet romantic encounter and culminates in a dreamy, melancholy party she attends with her best friend. The writing is spare, the themes wistful, the characters realistic, and the story memorable.

I originally checked this book out of the library, but just ordered myself a copy to own. That's how much I liked it.

What the Dickens!

In case the explosion of Dickens related material around the web yesterday didn't tip you off, our friend Charles turned the big 2-0-0. If you don't have time to celebrate by rereading one of his novels, you can check out some of these Dickensian items.

Google's doodle in honor of the occasion:

A couple of Penguin Classics editions to add to my Must Collect list:

And although I know that we're all trying not to think about the sad day when Downton Abbey is over for this season, there are a few new Dickens adaptations coming up on Masterpiece. Great Expectations, The Old Curiosity Shop, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood all look like they'll be worth a watch.

What's your favorite Dickens?

Austenland

I generally stay far, far away from Jane Austen spin offs and fake sequels. I'm much rather re-read the original novels than read about the adventures of Elizabeth and Darcy's children or, worse yet, read a version where the characters are recast as vampires or warlocks or something. 

The exceptions to this personal rule are two books by Shannon Hale, Austenland, which I read a few years back, and Midnight in Austenland, which I came across at the library and read over the weekend. Both novels are set in a modern-day British manor house that serves as a complete Austen immersion experience, where vacationing guests dress in period costumes and meet actors posing as Regency-era characters. Varying degrees of romance and mystery ensue when the feisty heroine of each book arrives for a stay.

From the reviews I've seen, there are a lot of fans and a lot of haters of these books. The latter group probably has some valid points mixed in with their complaints, but I've found myself thoroughly enjoying both novels. They're light and fun and the premise of a Jane Austen theme park is just tongue-in-cheek enough to make you feel like you and the author are in on the joke together, which goes a long way in negating the some of the cheesier, potentially cringe-inducing scenes.

And even better than the books is the fact that the first one is being made into a movie. Starring Felicity! And Bret! Definitely looking forward to seeing that!

Jittery Hearts

I had a minor dream come true last week. On a whim I stopped in a coffee shop I had never been to before and happily discovered that the baristas there serve up their lattes with fancy foam art on top.

My latte, which was actually one of the best I've ever had, was dressed up with a stacked heart design that lasted all the way to the final sip.

 I've always wanted to try one of these, and now I have a place where I can get them on a regular basis!

Friday Fancies

Today's post sets a new record as my biggest roundup of Friday Fancies yet. There were just too many great finds this week to even try to edit them down.

(image via here)

I'd love to recreate this day trip to Bainbridge Island in Washington.

Remember these book collections? Here's a tutorial on how you can make your own.

I discovered that the Nancy Mitford archive has a nice little website. I didn't necessarily learn anything new or earth shattering about her, but it's definitely worth a quick look for Mitford fans.

I was interested to see this roundup of some of Francoise Gilot's art. Not only has she had a interesting life, but it reminded me of going to hear her speak at a lecture during the first few weeks of my freshman year of college. (I remember feeling like it was my first real cultural, intellectual college event!)

And sticking with the art theme, these are some cool pieces that hint at the hidden interior lives of people on the streets of Paris.

I'd love to own one of these amazing handmade books, although I'd never be able to bring myself to write in them.

Here's a fun look at outfits inspired by Murakami covers.

And if all of that still isn't enough for you, check out this blog devoted to book photography. I sense a lot of Pinterest material here!

Children's Classics

For Christmas I received quite a few new books to add to my ever-growing collection of pretty, unique editions of classic titles. These included some children's (or just child-like) books, like the Puffin Classics edition of Peter Pan, the Penguin Threads editions of Black Beauty and The Secret Garden, and the Penguin Classics edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

 Not only will these be decorative additions for my shelves, but they'll be a fun chance to rediscover these well known stories for the first time, as I've never actually read most of them in their original book forms.

I've started meandering through Peter Pan, reading a little bit here and there a few nights before bed. So far I'm amazed at what an odd little book it is! Peter is a much more annoying character than he is in the movie adaptations of the story, and Tinkerbell is portrayed as mean (and kind of a hussy!). Some of the writing is pretty lyrical, though, so I can see how it would be good read aloud in the way it's meant to be, as a betime story for children.
I'm also amazed at how I can't help but picture Johnny Depp as the narrator after seeing him play J.M. Barrie in this movie.

My New Favorite Cookbook (And I Mean It This Time)

I think I'm in danger of getting a reputation as the girl who cried wolf when it comes to cookbooks. I've declared a new favorite at least three different times now. First there was this one. Then there was this one, and then this one (which, to be fair, could technically be classified as my favorite baking book). While I still enjoy all of those, I think I may have found my favorite favorite: Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl (granddaughter of Roald).

The book itself it gorgeously designed. Just reading it makes you feel like you too can sip something out of a pretty China cup while wearing wellies, tights, and a bohemian sweater coat. The recipes themselves, organized into breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes for each season, are simultaneously unique and simple. Memoirs about the role food has played in Dahl's life accompany each season and are perfect for reading while risotto simmers or while you're waiting for an egg to poach. 

In the span of a week, I've made poached eggs over portobello mushrooms with goat cheese:

...brown rice risotto with pumpkin and marscapone:

...and Eton mess, a British dessert made by combining the most delicious, light-as-air, crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside meringues with whipped cream and raspberry compote:

I can't recommend this book highly enough. (Although I reserve the right to crown a new favorite when her new book comes out in April.)

Rules of Civility

Rules of Civility was one of the books from the past year that I've been most looking forward to reading. The widely praised debut novel by Amor Towles tells the story of a working class girl who is thrust into the upper class sphere in 1930's Manhattan and was heralded as being written in the style of a modern-day Fitzgerald. I was predisposed to like this novel and, happily, I did.  The Fitzgerald influence is apparent, particularly in some of the more elegiac moments at the beginning and end of the novel, the working girl in the city storyline hearkened back to The Best of Everything, and there's a slight twist at the end that's so subtly well done that it caused me to smile at myself for not catching it earlier. But on top of all of that, the real and surprising standout of the novel is its smart narrator, Katey Kontent.

 As the story begins, Katey is working as a legal secretary and sharing a boardinghouse room with her friend Eve. A chance encounter on New Year's Eve catapults both of them into wealthy New York society life. Katey navigates both sides of the line, mixing more and more with the upper class while maintaining her fifth story walk-up lifestyle. Widely read and well versed in Dickens, Wharton, Thoreau, Chekhov (in the original Russian), and, yes, Agatha Christie, she's one of the most literate characters I've encountered. She judges all facets of New York society with a wry, confident attitude that initially gave me pause. At first I found myself thinking that her voice seemed less like that of a twenty-something girl and more like that of the middle-aged male author who created her. As the details of her background emerged, I became more and more convinced that her attitude was believable, and would be the natural product of her tough, scrappy, Brooklyn upbringing as the first generation daughter of Russian immigrants. On her own from the age of nineteen, she's not the naive, wide-eyed girl I had expected when I started the novel. Instead, she's one of the smartest, most engaging heroines I've read in a long time.

Friday Fancies

This week I have a question in addition to some favorite things. The other day I alluded to having read this book. Because of something that one of the characters reads in the course of the story (and notwithstanding what I previously said about mystery novels), I want to try reading something by Agatha Christie. Have you ever read anything by her? Do you have a recommendation for one of her books that I should start with? I'd love to hear about it if you do.

Now, on to the things that caught my eye this week.

(image via here)

Some sweet little illustrations.

These book collections--a splurge indeed.

A fun look at (and quiz about) some Liberty fabric prints.

And this apartment, for its interesting mix of vintage, Victorian, modern, and shabby chic styles.