But Can He Sing?

Yesterday, I woke up singing “Macavity” from Cats. Why? Because I’d read the night before that Richard Armitage played the role, and I couldn’t get the thought of him dancing and singing out of my head. Watch this video and imagine it’s Richard playing Macavity.

Until it closed a few years ago, Cats was the longest running musical on Broadway. Now, that title has been taken over by another Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, and my own personal favorite, The Phantom of the Opera.

I’m a Phantom Phan, in all of its incarnations: the book, the original Lon Chaney silent movie, the Gerard Butler movie (my brother used to go drinking with GB when he was an extra in Attila), but most especially the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and its sequel Love Never Dies. I’ve seen Phantom on stage several times: the original Broadway cast (minus Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford) twice in the Las Vegas Spectacular, and again in New York several years ago. But my favorite version has to be the most recent 25^th Anniversary performance, Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, from October 2011. I saw it first at my local movie theater when they streamed it live around the world, then went again a few nights later. Then I bought the UK DVD and a multi-region DVD player (which has come in handy when I go looking for stuff from the UK that I can’t find in the US). Now I want to get the US version on Blu-ray.

Ramin Karimloo & Sierra Boggess in Phantom 25

The reason I love this version so much is the cast, especially Christine and the Phantom played by Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo. I first heard about them when Love Never Dies opened in London in early 2010. LND is the sequel to Phantom, set 10 years later. It starred Sierra and Ramin as Christine and the Phantom. They are brilliant in these roles. I got a chance to see LND in London a couple of months before it closed last year (I actually saw it twice on that trip) and I was able to see Ramin do the Phantom (although I missed Sierra as Christine, I did get to see her in Master Class in New York this past summer). Ramin’s performance moved me to tears. He’s a truly exciting actor to watch on stage. And he is super hot too! If you ever get the chance to see Ramin perform anything live on stage, GO!!!

Ramin Karimloo

Check out this clip of Phantom 25.

This is the music video for “Til I Hear You Sing” from Love Never Dies which made me first take notice of Ramin Karimloo. He’s not in mask for this (I’m sure it was to make the ladies swoon and get them to come see the show). His voice is so beautiful.

Reality TV - Could Richard & Colin be as interesting as the Housewives?

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Right now, my favorite night of the week for TV is Sunday: Once Upon a Time on ABC and Downton Abbey & Sherlock on PBS. But my second favorite night, at least for a few more weeks, is Monday night, where you can find my favorite guilty pleasure show on Bravo, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Of all the Real Housewives franchises, this is by far my favorite, (with New Jersey coming in a close second and New York in third).

I absolutely adore Lisa Vanderpump. I want her to be my mother-in-law, my mother, my sister, my cousin, my friend.... Maybe it's because she's British and has a wicked, slightly dirty, sense of humor like my own. Or maybe it's because she has such wonderful tastes in just about everything, food, clothes, homes, dogs, husbands...,(although I'm not as into pink as she is). I want to know her. I want to be just like her. I want her to be my Dowager Mrs. Darcy, (too bad her son is waaaay too young for me).

Tonight is Part One of the show's Reunion, (that will air in three parts) and I'm so excited. But watching the preview for it, I have to wonder why any sane, successful person would ever agree to do a reality show and have cameras follow them around, often catching them at their worst, knowing that those worst moments are the ones the show's producers will choose to air on TV.

I certainly wouldn't. I would hate to have the illusion of my perfection broken by the reality of all my bad habits and OCD tendencies. Imagine if the world knew that I like to lounge around the house in baggy sweats, or that I eat Reese Cups by nibbling the chocolate off then eating the peanut butter center last. I'd never find my Mr. Darcy. These are the types of things he doesn't need to know about until after he's signed the marriage certificate.

Reality stars say they do these shows to help them build "their brand," gain public awareness, increase sales of their products. In truth, many of them have become quite successful because of their reality TV induced celebrity. But in the end, is it really worth it to be the butt of everyone's jokes, (that was an intentional pun directed at Kim Kardasian), and never have a little gold statue to put on your mantle in reward for all your troubles? I'll take the statue. Fame is fleeting, an Oscar is for life.

I do have an idea for a reality show. We'll have cameras follow our favorite men, Richard Armitage and Colin Firth, around the house.... Actually, I suspect that would be a very boring show. Although the men are both gorgeous and very likable, they're too down-to-earth, and would be too dull for reality TV. If only they would start flipping tables....

Colin, I'm bored! Colin?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ode to a White Shirt

Ode to a White Shirt

By Mrs. E. B. Darcy



Oh gleaming tunic,

As you stretch across his chest

It is as if the world’s afire,

And my heart pounds wild beneath my breast.

The passions you invoke within

My very soul are quite perplexing.
The overwhelming nature of these feelings
Are extremely vexing.

I long to touch the golden treasure

Hid beneath your ivory layer;
To kiss the tiny budding roses
Reverently as if in prayer.

The o’erpowering urge I have

To tear from alabaster shoulders
Your tapestry of snow-white silk
Ignites the flame. It simply smolders.

When arid, crisp and bright you are,

The sight inspires veneration.
Yet when you’re soft and billowy,
You motivate true admiration.

And yet there is one disposition

Which hath the power to undo me,
When by dousing or by tempest,
You appear all damp or dewy.

Oh Chemise Blanche,

How can one length of achromatic linen
Arouse such profligate excitability
In a multitude of women?





My little gift to all of you. Have a wonderful weekend!

Excuse me Richard, have we met before? Maybe 200 years ago?

Richard Armitage as John Thorton

Yesterday I established that reincarnation was possible and that I might have been an Edwardian English maid who became a silent film star. (That’s the story I’m sticking with, for now at least.) But I’m sure I’ve lived more lives than that.

The Duchess

Obviously, with my love of Jane Austen and the Regency period, I must have lived through it. I probably started out in the latter half of the 1700’s, a contemporary of Catherine the Great, Marie Antoinette or The Duchess of Devonshire. The fashion of that era is second to none in my opinion, (watch The Duchess to see what I mean).

Gone With the Wind

However, unlike the aforementioned ladies, my habits must not have been as dissolute, which is why I survived well into the 1800’s, possibly even long enough to see hoop skirts come into fashion, (seeing that I love Gone with the Wind’s dresses so much). I think it’s safe to surmise that if I did live during this time, I was a woman and a clothes horse. As for any other past lives I might have once led, I’m less certain.

I do wonder about the theory that we keep running into the same people/souls over and over again in various incarnations. Have you ever met someone new and felt like you’ve not only met them before, but knew them well? That doesn’t mean they must have been someone significant in our lives like a parent, child, spouse, best friend, etc. We meet so many people everyday who touch our lives in smaller, yet still meaningful ways, so it’s possible we could be briefly reconnecting over and over again. And if that theory is true, then that could mean that I’ve met Colin Firth or Richard Armitage before!

Colin Firth

Colin Firth wears period suits so well; it’s hard to imagine he hasn’t lived during one of those periods. I can picture the two of us sitting together at a card table playing piquet or whist. Naturally I’d be losing, but even in another life I can’t imagine him not being cute and charming, so I suspect I was enjoying myself regardless of racking up an enormous debt of honor.

Richard Armitage

As for Richard Armitage, I can only hope we were married. As my knowledge of Richard’s existence has been brief, I haven’t had the chance to research his life, reading all of his interviews, or similar borderline, crazed-fan behavior, so I can’t think of who he might have been in a past life. He seems so low-key and kind of shy so I really see him as more the footman than the lord of the manor.

A few days ago, I read a blog in which someone likened women’s reactions to Richard Armitage to being hypnotized. It did make me wonder if maybe she was onto something. I can see him being Anton Mesmer in a past life, (although Alan Rickman did a very good job of convincing me he’d had experience hypnotizing women before he played Mesmer).

Alan Rickman as Mesmer

So what do you think? Was Richard a footman in a past life? Was Colin a gambler? Did Alan have a squeaky voice? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

I lived in Downton Abbey in a past life - I think

I’ve got Downton Abbey fever. I’m currently watching season/series two on PBS, (waiting for my season 2 DVD to arrive from Amazon). I find myself drawn not to the storyline so much or the characters, (although I’m fond of them, and Maggie Smith steals the show), but to the period: the costumes, the cars, the manners, and the social structure. I’ve always been drawn to this period, the Edwardian Era, (actually any time between the 1890’s and 1930), especially the earlier of those decades in England and the 1920’s in Hollywood.

Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby

The first movies I can remember seeing, set during this period, that made me long to live during these decades were Mary Poppins, Anne of Green Gables, A Room with a View, and The Great Gatsby.


When I first traveled to England as a teenager, I felt like I was home. I had a similar feeling about Los Angeles which caused me to move out here. This feeling has made me ponder whether I had ever lived in these places before, in a past life.

I’m still on the fence about whether I believe in reincarnation. I’ve always tried to keep an open mind with regards to things of a spiritual, otherworldly, or paranormal nature. My feeling is, if you can’t prove it does or doesn’t exist, then you shouldn’t rule out any possibilities. I also believe that existence of one would not necessarily negate the possible existence of another. (For example, you could believe in reincarnation and still believe in heaven. Why not?)

For the sake of this post, let’s say reincarnation does exist, and I am drawn to the time period because I did live during it. So the question is: Who was I?

Maybe I lived here.

I think it’s pretty safe to assume that I started out in England, most likely living in the countryside instead of one of the larger cities. I’m obsessed with those big manor houses like Blenheim, Chatsworth, and the fictional Pemberley and Downton Abbey; so I probably resided in one of them. But did I live upstairs or downstairs? Now that’s an interesting question.

Gosford Park's servants

I must admit, I’d feel comfortable with either option. I love the fashion and furnishings that only the rich would have had full access to, but I would have felt just as comfortable living in the servants’ quarters, (as long as they were clean). I do like a freshly pressed livery on a man. And I love the behind the scenes look we get at the lives of manor house servants in movies like The Remains of the Day and Gosford Park. Perhaps I was someone in between like a governess who would dine with the family on some nights and with the servants on others.

It's a Duesy!

I’m pretty certain though that, whatever my origins, by the 1920’s, I was living in Hollywood, California, and working in movies. I’m not saying I think I was Clara Bow, but I’m sure I was doing something involved in making films. And I love the Art Deco/Art Nouveau architecture that is still prevalent in Hollywood and its surrounding neighborhoods. I’m also fairly sure I drove a Duesenberg. If I ever win the lotto, I plan to buy one of Jay Leno’s.

Who doesn't look good in a corset?

What I’m not so sure about is whether I was male or female. I love the look of men’s suits throughout the time period. But is that because I wore suits or because I liked to look at them? And though I loved the corset/bustle look of ladies’ fashions in those first decades, ladies’ fashion post 1910 doesn’t interest me as much.

Perhaps I did live during this period. But regardless of whether I was a man or a woman, a valet or a lady of the manor; I hope I had a good life, that I had a Mr., (or Mrs.), Darcy to share it with, and that I had a “granny” like Maggie Smith.

[Why do I have so many Amazon links? To make it easier for you to find what I'm talking about. - Plus, if it can help me pay for my trip to England in September to search for Mr. Darcy, then win-win]

Sir Guy of Gisborne – I Loved Him First, (and I Can Prove It)

Richard Armitage as Sir Guy of Gisborne

Last Christmas, while visiting my family, I stumbled upon never before seen photographs, (at least not seen by me before), that contain evidence that I was in love with Sir Guy of Gisborne long before the rest of you; and therefore, I call dibs on Richard Armitage, (even though I didn’t even know who he was until last fall). While still in diapers, my parents took me on a Christmas trip to visit family at Walt Disney World in Florida. On that trip, I embarked on a mission to find the man who would make my heart sing, Sir Guy of Gisborne. This is my story.

Searching for my true love

Hi, I’m Mrs. E. Darcy, or at least I will be once I meet and marry Mr. Darcy. I’m 18 months old, and today I’ve discovered the man I am destined to love forever. I must have glimpsed him from afar, because I don’t recall ever seeing him before, but I know he must be out here somewhere waiting for me to find him. That is why I’m on this merry-go-round horse. The Magic Kingdom is a very big place for such a small girl, and I have a lot of ground to cover.

I’ve seen those stories about the “hero” named Robin Hood and his band of merry, green-tight wearing, men. In them, his enemies include his arch nemesis the Sheriff of Nottingham, a character who is totally misrepresented in my opinion; Prince John, a misunderstood creature with a tragic past and mother issues that would distress Freud; and Sir Guy of Gisborne, who really is the true hero of the stories, trying to uphold the laws of King and country, and win fair Lady Marian’s heart. But that is why Guy is slandered so horrifically; he loves the same woman Robin Hood loves, and unfortunately the victor writes the history, so poor Guy was made the villain.

In several adaptations of this libelous story, Sir Guy is left out entirely, (obviously the writers and producers were attempting to avoid lawsuits for slander). One of these was the first adaptation I had seen, Walt Disney's Robin Hood . Although Sir Guy was absent from this version, I knew he had to be around there somewhere, so I asked about him.

"Excuse me Friar Tuck, but where is Sir Guy of Gisborne? Is he ill? Was he absent from the film because he was looking for me?"

Basil Rathbone as Sir Guy of Gisborne

Warner Bros. was not as keen to avoid lawsuits when they released The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938 starring Errol Flynn. Although I’m loathe to admit it, I do find Flynn to be a rather attractive and charismatic Hood. However, for me, Basil Rathbone’s Sir Guy of Gisborne is much sexier, (he actually looks a little like Richard Armitage). I’ve always preferred a baddie. I love Claude Rains’s scenery-chewing performance of Prince John as well. Unfortunately in this adaptation, poor Sir Guy dies uncelebrated and un-mourned.

Alan Rickman as The Sheriff of Nottingham

Another scene-stealing baddie is Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham, (an amalgam of the Sheriff and Sir Guy characters), in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves . Rickman’s presence is the movie’s only saving grace. He is one sexy man.





Speaking of Sheriffs, I’ve asked my cousin to help me speak with the Sheriff of Nottingham, (I’m a little too short to reach him). Maybe he’ll know where Guy of Gisborne is.

"Do you think this outfit makes me look too young? Will Guy like it?"

I know I’ve seen tons of adaptations of Robin Hood over the years, but I seem to have selectively blocked them all out, (even the TV version from the late ‘90’s that my brother was an extra in). I do love everything about Robin Hood - Men in Tights. I can sing along with all the songs and quote it from beginning to end. I admit I still haven’t seen the most recent version starring Russell Crowe, (but I understand it is Guy-less, so I’m probably not missing anything).

Maybe Prince John could help me. Onward noble knight! (Referring to my cousin again)

"I want to kiss Sir Guy! Will you set us up on a blind date your highness? I think we'd make the most beautiful blue-eyed babies."

I saw him again! He was in this television series from England, Robin Hood: The Complete Series. And he was marvelous! I can barely contain myself, (good thing I’m still wearing diapers – and no one will notice the excessive amount of drooling since babies are known to drool from time to time). Just look at him! (I’m sure if he had played Robin, I would not find him nearly as dreamy – my nose just grew five inches - Pinocchio must be nearby)

There he is! The man I am destined to be with. Sir Guy of Gisborne, wait for me! I will find you! Dad’s found this flying elephant that should help speed up the search. Back off girls! He’s mine!

"Dad, can't you get this thing to fly any faster?"

The Ghost and Mrs. Darcy

Rex Harrison in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is one of my favorite movies, (the book is rather lovely too), an old black and white classic romance starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney. A widow moves into a house that is haunted by a colorful, dead, sea captain. But I won’t give it away; you must see it for yourself.

If you need a glimpse

(This old Hollywood Trailer makes the movie out to be a farce. It may be funny, but it is a true romantic tale, grab some tissues before you watch!)

I bring up this movie, not only to share it with you, my readers; but because it, in part, is currently mirroring my life. You see; I think there is a ghost haunting my apartment - and he’s a MAN!!!  Of course one can never be entirely certain of the presence of a ghost. It’s not like he’s talking to me, as Capt. Grey talked to Lucy Muir, (thank heavens or I’d know I’m crazy). But there are too many weird things going on around here to be “just the wind.”

It started in the late summer of last year. There were noises in the kitchen, and I would sometimes see shadows in front of the refrigerator out of the corner of my eye. Then one night, a certain battery-powered device turned itself on. I often sense motion on the other side of the room. And my apartment has recently acquired several ‘cold spots’ that I never noticed before. It gets especially cold when I’m feeling depressed and need a hug. And sometimes when I take a shower, the bathroom temperature seems to drop. All of these things lead me to believe I’m dealing with a pervy, male ghost.

Recently, just since the New Year, I’ve begun to experience a slightly more disturbing occurrence. Three times now, I have woken at 6-6:30am to the weirdest smells. The first time it was a man’s cologne, (actually smelled like my dad’s from when I was a kid; freaked me out & I called home immediately to make sure he was alright). The second time, it was to the smell of baking chocolate chip cookies, and then later, the smell of spaghetti sauce.

I have lived here for two years, and I’ve never smelled anything my neighbors have cooked, (unless they are barbequing outside). I also doubt people are cooking so early, (we’re all young professionals; we don’t cook; we order out). If I rule out the smells coming from other apartments, then I only have a few other options to explain their origin: 1). Paranormal Activity, 2). Phantosmia, (which is a symptom of brain tumors), *Googles ‘brain tumor symptoms’….mumbles while reading….nope, no other symptoms – in best Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation – “it is not a toomah”* So that leaves me with one possible explanation – paranormal activity.

I wonder if I brought a ghost back with me from my trip to London last summer. The timing would fit. Or it could be astral projection, and then it isn’t a ghost, but the spirit of my Mr. Darcy, visiting me while one of us sleeps. This is all extremely vexing. I am quite put out! I want to know who the ghost is… uh, er… was. I want to know what he wants. I want him to make himself useful around the house and stop using my Wi-Fi bandwidth to watch ghost porn.

An Accomplished Woman – My Bucket List

Not your typical accomplished woman, but she got him anyway!

I want to be a trophy wife! No, not really. I certainly don’t want a man who wants a trophy wife. Nor do I want a man who expects his wife to be a lady in the parlor, a chef in the kitchen, and a whore in the bedroom. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be those things myself (for my own selfish reasons).

You see, I don’t think it’s a bad thing for a woman to want to have accomplishments. I want my future Mr. Darcy to brag to his friends about how awesome he thinks I am; how satisfied he is in the …..kitchen. *wink* But most importantly, it’s nice to have accomplishments that you can be proud of, that make your life richer, fuller and easier.

I have a bucket list, so to speak, of accomplishments I want to have and skills I want to learn over the next several years. These are things I’d want to learn/obtain regardless of whether I ever find my Mr. Darcy or not. In no particular order, here is the list.

Learn to Cook

Yay, Mrs. D made me pizza for supper!

Despite my age and the number of years I’ve lived on my own, too poor to go out to eat, I’ve never learned to really cook. I can boil water and use the microwave, but that’s about the extent of my cooking skills – with one exception, I make the most awesome pizzas, mostly from scratch, but that took years to perfect. And before you say, “cooking is a piece of cake; anyone who can read a recipe can cook,” let me stop you (before I have to hit you). I have no natural intuition when I’m cooking, no inner timing. I am a complete Bridget Jones in the kitchen (blue soup anyone?). I suspect that having dyspraxia is the primary cause of this lack of skill (I also suspect having a mom who couldn’t cook either doesn’t help).

I want to learn how to cook things from scratch, make my favorites in a healthy way to help me lose weight and keep it off, how to layer flavors and keep from poisoning my guests, and be able to impress any future mother-in-laws (whom I am tempted to title the Dowager Mrs. Darcy). If I had the money, I’d take cooking lessons, but I’m broke. So I’ve recently ordered a couple of beginner cooking technique books to read and practice with. Hopefully, I’ll be ready to invite you all to Christmas dinner with me and Mr. Darcy and not make you ill.

Learn to Sew

I just want to learn a few basics: how to hem, repair a split seam, etc. The only thing I can do is replace buttons, and I can’t even do that well. So if any of you can sew, and you’d like to come to L.A. to stalk Colin Firth during Oscar season, I have a spare room and will gladly trade sewing lessons for room and board.

Improve My Piano Playing

We'd make beautiful music together!

I have the piano and the instruction books from when I took lessons before. I just need to set aside a few hours a week to practice.

Be Capable of Asking for Directions in Several Languages

I love traveling, plan to do a lot of it with Mr. D, and want to feel more comfortable when I’m in another country (or any L.A. neighborhood outside of Beverly Hills). I’ve got computer courses in French and Spanish on CD-ROMs. I just need to take them. I also want to learn some basic phrases in other languages as well.

Read More Books – Classics and Current Bestsellers

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

I do read, but when it comes to fiction, I’ve recently been distracted by fan fiction. I hear/see the names of modern critical successes constantly from my friends and cyber friends, and I realize I’ve never heard of a lot of them. I’m not going to be able to start up conversations with potential Mr. Darcys on whether Hermione makes more sense with Snape than Ron, or which Pride and Prejudice fic writer he likes best. Therefore, I need to read more books. So when Mr. D or anyone else asks, “have you read any good books lately,” I can say, “yes.”

Learn Some New Dance Moves

Want to know one of my secret dreams (at least one that doesn’t involve lying naked on a beach with a hottie actor)? I want to be on Dancing with the Stars. I love ballroom dancing, and I want to learn how to Tango, and Two-Step, and Pasodoble, etc. But there are two problems that are preventing me from learning these dances: 1.) lessons are expensive; 2.) you need a partner. So, if Mr. Darcy, once I find him, should ask you for romantic date ideas; tell him ballroom dance lessons for two.

I have another secret confession. I want to learn some sexy dance moves as well – like belly dancing or pole dancing. I also think classes in these two disciplines might be fun workouts. Alas, I just can’t afford them right now (maybe I should get the videos).

And finally, the most important accomplishment I want to have:

Career Success

For me career success will be found when I’ve achieved two things. First, I make good money doing what I love. And second, I have tons of little, golden award statues on my mantle. (Maybe if I’m lucky, Mr. D will have a few of those little statues as well, to keep mine company).

Have a nice weekend. If you need me you’ll find me reading my new cookbooks while practicing my scales on the piano, and listening to audio books read by hottie actors (purely for academic reasons).