My featured Persephone title for March is One Afternoon (1975), by Welsh author Siân James. How I LOVED this book! From the Persephone blog: One Afternoon is precisely what we want a Persephone book to be: intensely readable and unputdownable but about many, many...
friday favorites
May Tea and a Book: The White Hare by Jane Johnson
Here I am again at the last minute with May's horror reading recommendation. Continuing with last month’s theme of folk horror, I offer a mysterious and romantic tale set in Cornwall shortly after World War II. Check out this synopsis from the publisher: In a Cornish...
March Tea and a Book: Weyward by Emilia Hart
Before I tell you about this wonderful new book, I wish to celebrate the fact that I've read more this month than I have in a long time. I've struggled to focus on novels for a while now, and in most cases it was very slow going. This month, however, things have...
Friday Favorites: Holiday Tea at the Arizona Biltmore
Last week Steve had a conference at the Arizona Biltmore, and I was happy to tag along. The Biltmore is famous for its architecture, beautiful grounds, celebrity guests, and . . . afternoon tea! The hotel has a fascinating history and offers cozy elegance along with...
Friday Favorites: Cozy Christmas Tea Party 2019
Does it seem like the holidays are rushing right past you? One way to slow time and enjoy this festive season is to sit down to a holiday-themed afternoon tea. Today I'm sharing a tea I hosted at home just last week, and in particular I'd like to highlight some of the...
Part II: Ghostly and Gothic SPOOKY films
Oh, how I love a good GHOST film! Ghosts and/or related paranormal entities feature in each of the following recommendations. All film synopses are from imdb.com. The Wind (2018) -- Rated R A plains-woman faces the harshness and isolation of the untamed land in the...
Friday Favorites: Tea on Mackinac Island
Our final tea adventure of the summer took place at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. We warmed up with a hike to Fort Mackinac, followed by an 8 mile bike ride around the island. By the time we reached the hotel we were ready for refreshment. Tea service begins at...
Friday Favorites: Tea in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Recently we attended a reunion in Iowa, as my brother and his wife had flown in from Japan to introduce their son to the American side of the family. I loved meeting little Hal (he is DELICIOUS) and spending time with people I don't see as often as I'd like. I also...
Friday Favorites: Tea in Georgetown
Every time we travel I strive to thoroughly explore the tea options in that area. As it turns out, Georgetown has a lot to offer! 1. Ladurée I've had the pleasure of visiting this French tea room in Paris, London, and New York. Now I can add Washington DC to the list....
Friday Favorites: Tea in Brooklyn
As you might have guessed, when visiting a city I always check out the tea scene. Turns out Brooklyn has a lot of tea to offer! I'd already done my research and planned three tea experiences ahead of time, so imagine my surprise when I randomly walked past this store...
Friday Favorites: North and South (2004)
A little while ago this article reminded me of one of my very favorite costume dramas of all time: the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth's Gaskell's North and South, which premiered nearly 15 years ago. Reading the article filled me with such nostalgia and yearning that I...
Friday Favorites: a miscellany of female characters and creators
It's nice to have regular topics on the blog, and with this post I recommit to discussing favorite books, films, TV shows, and whatnot in "Friday Favorites." If anything on this list strikes a chord, do let me know in the comments. (I'm also very open to your...
Friday Favorites: Reading Nooks
Recently I was asked my opinion on what makes for an ideal reading nook. The first thing to come to mind was an image from my childhood copy of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women: "Jo! Jo! Where are you?" cried Meg at the foot of the garret stairs. "Here!" answered a...
Friday Favorites: Holiday reading list!
The following is my first stab at an exhaustive list of December holiday-themed fiction for adults and kids. Books that I have read and recommend are indicated with an asterisk (*). I've linked each title to Goodreads so that you can see reviews and click through to...
Friday Favorites: Disney Magic
It's been a week since we returned from a Disney World trip with my nieces, and it surprises me how much I miss the place. There was a time when I thought I was too old for Disney, but now I find myself already fantasizing about another visit. What is it about Disney...