Happy Friday from a very chilly Atlanta! We are used to January temps in the 30's - low 50's, and it was 12 degrees this morning. That means good weather for coffee and blogging.
My first favorite this week is Chat Patti. This is a little South Indian restaurant in Atlanta (near Target on North Druid Hills Road, a few blocks from I-85). You order at the counter, where you can see the food behind the counter (like a cafeteria) and also see photos of the food with names of dishes. There is no English menu, so this is a good place to go if you know South Indian food or if you are an adventurous diner! South Indian food is vegetarian, and does not include mushrooms, so I am happy with anything on the menu. I had basmati rice with chana masala (curried chickpeas) and an eggplant, okra, and potato masala (delicious but VERY spicy -- I had to order some yogurt to cut the spice). My friend and I split an order of samosas (fried potato appetizers - very yummy!). The samosas are served with chutney (sweet sauce) and green sauce (spicier). I have loved Indian food since college, and could easily eat it several times a week!
My second favorite is New England Coffee. I live in the deep South and only discovered this old (since 1916) coffee company recently. I absolutely love every blend I have tried -- from San Francisco (bold and dark) to Breakfast Blend (light and smooth). I highly recommend this coffee!
My third favorite is simple: flannel sheets. When it is 12 degrees on a cold night, flannel sheets are a wonderful invention.
Hi all!
I'm hosting my first ever vintage Valentine giveaway contest at Birdhouse Books.
The contest will run from Tuesday, January 21, 2014 until Thursday, January 30, 2014. The prize will ship within the United States only.
The winner of this contest can choose the Valentine of their choice under $10 at my shop, Birdhouse Books. I will package it carefully and ship it to you so you can give it to your sweetie for Valentine's Day, frame it ("how to" and example here), tuck it into a card to gift, use it to scrapbook, or just enjoy it.
You'll find my shop here: Birdhouse Books on eBay. You can peek at my vintage Valentines under $10 here: vintage Valentines under $10, all with free shipping!
It's easy to enter! Just visit Birdhouse Books at the link above, and let me know which Valentine you would like to win.
Please leave a comment below with the name of the Valentine you like best, and be sure to include your email!
The winner will be picked by random drawing on January 30. Thanks for visiting!
UPDATE on 1/30/14. A winner has been selected. Congratulations to Stephanie M.! Thank you all so much for participating! I really appreciate your visits and comments.
It's Music Monday at Birdhouse Books! Today I'm sharing one of my favorite songs, "Concrete and Clay." This song was recorded by British pop band Unit 4 Plus 2 in 1965. It was written by group members Tommy Moeller and Brian Parker. It is a catchy song with a bit of a Latin beat, and you may remember it from the movie Rushmore. This is one of those tunes that just gets stuck in my head, and I end up humming it for days after hearing it.
I found tonight's episode of Downton Abbey as satisfying as last week's was unsettling.
The show opened with a striking image of a woman walking, in profile, toward the castle. This set the stage for an episode about women and secrets.
Anna has chosen to keep the rape secret from Mr. Bates. As a result, there is tremendous tension between them, and she has decided to move back to the servant's quarters since she feels unworthy of him. Mrs. Hughes knows, but is keeping her secret. I hope that Anna will decide to tell Mr. Bates everything, and if she doesn't, I hope that Mrs. Hughes will intervene. Mrs. Hughes does try to talk to Anna, but Anna is not ready to listen. I was waiting for Mrs. Hughes to say that Lord Gillingham's valet should be reported because not only has he committed a violent crime, but he could do this to another woman, since he is clearly a dangerous and disturbed person.
There is also tension between Edna Braithwaite and Tom Branson. I am not sure if she actually slept with him when he was drunk, or if she pretended to in order to blackmail him. Tom is very troubled and feels guilty about what happened, and he also confides in Mrs. Hughes. She calls Edna out on her behavior and her schemes, and Edna leaves in a huff. Before she exits, there is a wonderful little sniping conversation with Thomas. And then she leaves -- good riddance to bad rubbish! This was one of the highlights of the episode for me.
Edith has gone off to London to see Michael Gregson before he leaves for Munich. She signs a paper for him. I believe he says this gives her control of the paper. I must admit that the signing of the paper made me nervous -- what else is she agreeing to by signing it? I still do not trust Gregson. Edith has a walk of shame back to Aunt Rosamunde's house, and Rosamunde calls her on coming in at six a.m. Rosamunde says what I have been thinking -- that Edith is risking a lot for a man they don't really know. I want Edith to be happy, but something about Gregson doesn't add up for me. I hope I am wrong.
Mary is visited in London and at Downton Abbey by Tony Gillingham. He has fallen in love with her and wants to marry her, whenever she is ready, whether it is a year or two or three. There is a scene in the gardens where they talk and he kisses her. He has told her that she fills his brain. She says that her brain is still filled with Matthew, and she wants it to stay that way, because she isn't ready to let go of him yet. Gillingham leaves to move on, as originally planned, with the woman he was about to propose to. Later, when Mary is talking to Branson, she says that she has done something that she thinks she will regret for a long time to come.
In other news, Mrs. Crawley is volunteering with the doctor (whose name I always forget!), and it seems like they might get closer. I hope so. There is also a sweet scene between Mrs. Crawley and the Dowager Countess, who are surprisingly becoming friends.
There is a lovely scene between Mrs. Hughes and Carson, when she presents him with a framed picture of his lost love, Alice. He has one of the most poignant lines of the night: "The business of life is the acquisition of memories. In the end, that's all there is."
There is much more back and forth with the younger servants working at Downton (the quadrangle of Alfred, Daisy, James, Ivy). These young folk with their electric mixers and cloakroom intrigue! Yawn.
Rose is continuing to look for fun, including a brief flirtation with a family friend in London, and sparks of interest with a jazz bandleader, Jack Ross, who happens to be black.
Thomas informs Lord Grantham that he has an older woman to recommend as a new maid for Cora. It will be interesting to see who she is, and what Thomas's angle is -- because I'm sure there is one.
What did you think of tonight's episode? Do you think Mary made the right decision about Tony Gillingham? Do you think we have seen the last of Edna Braithwaite? What do you think about Edith and Michael Gregson? What about Anna and Mr. Bates -- can this marriage be saved? What storylines interest you the most?
I hope you'll leave a comment and share your thoughts!
