Reader, welcome to Afternoon Tea! As a self-confessed hopeless romantic and anglophile to the highest degree, it is one of my deepest sorrows that I am not one to regularly partake in the privilege that is afternoon tea. Although I often enjoy a cup of Earl Grey on slow afternoons, my chipped mugs and sliced bananas are poor substitutions for the Spode china and brilliantly colored petit fours that would abound in an authentic ceremony. As such, I invite you to a virtual celebration of the elegant pastime that begs us to appreciate beauty and focus on being present. Here, you will find a somewhat jumbled collection of my revelations, reflections, and that which I relish from the week. So please, brew a warm pot of tea, procure for yourself an array of scones and biscuits, and peruse with me what is lovely in life.
Thanking the Academy
What does it mean to thank the Academy? To do so is to extend a breathless word of overwhelming appreciation to a higher power, to a force second only to the Universe in terms of its ubiquitous and enigmatic presence. As such, here you will find my own earnest appeal to make my gratitude known – a profound and dreamlike thank-you to that manifestation which is omnipresent, alluring, and all-encompassing.
- Several days at the beach with my older sister. Reader, we had too much fun lounging while the lousy weather blew through!
- Snuggling with my family pets.
- Watching the Wimberley Players shine, accompanied by the theatre’s greatest fans – my wonderful parents. Two of my friends performed in the show, and they were nothing short of fantastic.
- Shopping with my sweet friends, complete with a much-needed run to Cane’s for chicken.
- Driving in the pouring rain.
- Watching the Oscars with my sister. She adored Angela Bassett’s purple gown, while I was partial to Monica Barbaro’s dress. My mother could not stop talking about Ms. Monae. However, style aside, the nominees and winners were each so deserving!
- A night out that lasted all of forty-five minutes.
- Watching a truly incredible television show with my little sister after she returned home from a long day of traveling.
- Ample time to relax and read.
- Working on two film sets – Reader, I am so grateful for the opportunities provided for me by my peers to learn, grow, and make happy connections.
- Dinner with my older sister – Reader, the restaurant forgot our appetizer, lost our ticket, and seated us in the corner where there was little-to-no lighting. We laughed for the entire (very lengthy) meal.
- Friends who wade through one’s less-than-pretty moments at two in the morning without hesitation.
- The excitement of reading a truly fabulous script. I am so excited to work on this upcoming project!
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…
In an unending effort to live just as my icon, Ms. Julie Andrews, below you will find my own weekly compilation of that which brings me just as much joy as “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens”.
- The Eras Tour. No, I do not have tickets. Yes, I am following it as closely as if my life depended on it.
- This whimsical line which carries the most gorgeous pieces I have ever seen – if I could live inside this aesthetic, Reader, I would be glad to. Be it toile or Frog and Toad, I am utterly in love.
- Though I am certainly too young to be keeping a home, these Easter eggs make me wish I had cause to decorate for a spring garden party.
- The Oscars fashion. Dear Reader, this dress is just incredible, I adore the deceptive simplicity of this gown, and the day Ms. Pugh fails to stun will be long after we all have passed. Not to mention Cara Delivgine as Holiday Barbie was fabulous.
- Though her designs sell out rather quickly, Carly B (a self-proclaimed maker of “slow fashion) has created fabulous pieces in this collar and this patchwork sweater.
- The sweetest gift, these ceramic necklaces make for the most lovely accessory. (Or, if you, like me, were inspired by the arrival of Women’s History Month, this piece might be a particularly special splurge).
- This artist’s incredible work for her daughter (and the shop that allows the rest of us a taste of her creations).
- The Mindy Project. Reader, you have been warned, Ms. Kaling is too funny and her show too addicting to be a casual watch.
- I read Pride and Prejudice years ago, but upon re-reading it I have been profoundly affected by the story. It is a must-read for all, deemed a classic for good reason.
Seven-Day Design
A word (or two) of wisdom to guide the upcoming week.
Immortal Echoes
- “Oh, my darling, why is it that love makes me hate the world? It’s supposed to have quite the opposite effect. I feel as though all mankind, and God, too, were in a conspiracy against us.” – Charles Ryder
Evanescent Intentions
- This week, I will be hungry.
Reader, pay no attention to Mr. Ryder’s intrusion on this little post – his story has been much the occupant of my thoughts lately, far more than usual, which is certainly a feat, given how often I slip into reflection on his journey when I find myself in circumstances less great than his own (which, considering the beauty of his own life, is not infrequent). His words have no pertinence to what I will here discuss, I simply think him a particularly lovely speaker where the Flytes are concerned. And I am partial to anything lovely.
Reader, I am not entirely sure what sparked such a fire in me, but this past week I have been madly driven to achieve. Perhaps it is the Universe indicating my dreams are very close, perhaps it is a short-lived bout of unsustainable ambition, or perhaps it is something between those two extremes. In any case, this past week I have been unendingly dissatisfied with my lot, and desirous of doing everything possible to realise my goals.
I suppose what I intend to say, Reader, is not that I will be hungry, but that I will see that my hunger is satiated. I will not allow this fire to burn out, but I will act on my inspiration with as much ferocity as I feel. Motivation, as we well know, is not often found, but roused by the first tastes of success, and if I am fortunate enough to have tapped a spring of natural impulse, I will not allow it to pass.
I am loath to paint myself too prettily, Reader, but I am also loath to allow you to think myself a slothful, undetermined person. This is not so. I only mean that my resolution has grown so strong of late it seems to be physically choking me lest I move forward, and so this I intend to do.
Reader, I have no doubt that I will have many tales of failure born of this hunger before we next meet, and I look forward to relating them to you. I do hope, should you meet a scrape, you will relay the story to me (and I promise to keep it in confidence), but I am ever certain you will achieve your highest fantasies with flying colours before the sun sets. And then, I pray, you will remember me and our silly time together, one screen to the next.
Love,
Lettie Anne