Before I launch into my adventures at the British Museum this morning, I want to give a shout out to two of my favorite girls who I have never met, but would love to meet and become best friends with (they are now on the same list as Dawn French and Jennifer Garner who I know would be awesome to hang out with)--those two girls are known as THE FUG GIRLS.  I hate to give a shout out to another blog, but I must, I must, I must!!!

I will tell you now that this is a blog for women.  Who love fashion.  Or just really enjoyable commentary.  The blog is called GO FUG YOURSELF.  One of my best gal pals in the world told me about it a few months back and I've been absolutely addicted.  In fact, when I am having a bad day, when I feel grumpy, when for some reason the only friend in the world I have is a tub of ice cream-- I go to gofugyourself.com and everything is better.  And yes, I read it on good days too.  :)

The Fug Girls are Jessica and Heather and they (obviously) live inside my head.  They write like I think, and they are oh so enjoyable.  Read it, Ladies.  It's too good to miss.  It's my version of VOGUE-- and it's way better in my opinion.  Because these girls aren't harsh, just charming-- and they love Cate Blanchett and so do I.  Check it out.  I love them, love them, love them-- and I'm giving them a shout out in hopes that they want an intern that is obviously destined to be their newest of gal pals. (a.k.a. moi) 

As I was saying...

Today I made my way to the British Museum all on my lonesome.  I took the tube, and read my copy of Julia Child's "MY LIFE IN FRANCE" on the way.  I enjoyed Julia's tidbits of post-war France and all that it's markets had to offer.  However, as lovely as the book is-- I'm not going to lie-- I am not enthralled.  I thoroughly enjoy it, but I can easily wait a few days before picking it up again. 

So, I'm enjoying it.  Will I take it to bed with me?  Probably not.

(This comment is referring to the fact that the first night in London, I had taken a rather old copy of "JANE EYRE" off my grandmother's bookshelf.  I was so tired that I simply held it in my hand in bed.  Then my mother came in my room to tell me good night, woke me up and asked me if I intended on reading the book or was I just sleeping with it.)  So although Julia's book is not a sleepmate, it is lovely and good for sunny afternoons...

Once I reached the British Museum, I spent a few hours roaming.  I had been there a few years back, but it's always good to get a second glance.  I roamed through the halls of Egyptian artifacts and Roman statuary and that was all good and fine.  Relics from the times of the Crusades are ALWAYS fascinating in my Templar fascinated mind.  BUT, what I enjoyed most (and who could be surprised?) was the large library.  A large, two story hall filled with books and all the lovely artifacts that English gentlemen had brought home from the grand tour.  (As I was roaming the library I imagined how their conversations went... perhaps something like "Hello, darling!  I have just returned from Greece and I have brought you a beautiful piece of the Parthenon!"  or, my personal, favorite "Yes, yes, I decided to visit Egypt and I have brought home my very own mummy!  No, no, not that sort of mummy...mother is still alive and kicking...No!  Dare I say it?  A real dead Egyptian!"  And yes, that's how it all went in my head.) 

In all seriousness, it was beyond fascinating.  All I could think of were ways to make enough money to build myself a library of the same caliber.  Apparently, I would have to be royalty, but really, Prince William is still a bachelor, so anything is possible...

After a good hour in the library, I decided to check out the bookshop.  And you will never believe it, dear readers.  I was ready to leave when out of the corner of my eye there I saw a pocket sized version of "PETER PAN" wrapped in a green cover with Captain Hook on it.  How could I resist?  A copy of "PETER PAN" and a glorious library ten feet away?  In London???  Be still my little book reading heart.  Of course, I bought it.

As I made my way slowly back to the library, I was reminded of the last time I had a for real, tangible copy of "PETER PAN"-- it came as a volume of a large children's book series that my parents had given me as a child.  I distinctly remember that it was a forest green color with Peter etched onto the cover.  The series was always on the second story of my father's library in the lefthand corner--where all the children's books were.  HOWEVER, back home I have a lovely, yet overzealously tidy uncle who took the liberty of disposing of the series a couple years ago.  I believe he sold them at a garage sale.  Sadly, I was not home to defend the books and I only got to complain to him over the phone-- he cooly noted that I had grown up and besides, hadn't I already read them? 

This brought me into the same scale of frenzy as the last time we'd had such an argument.  I got home from college one day to find that a lot of my books were in boxes in the garage-- presumably destined for the same fate as my children's books-- and I went (there's really no better way to put it) BONKERS.  My uncle noted that I had already read all of them and that he couldn't imagine reading a book more than once-- OH ME OH MY.  I lost it. If my memory serves me right, I turned bright red with anger and I believe a few expletives were used...

Eventually, I calmed down and tended to the task at hand: I petted my poor books, brought them back inside, gave them a scoop of ice cream and sent them off to bed.  Oh, and I may or may not have called my wonderful uncle a cave man. 

But, we got over it. 

He no longer touches my books and he respectfully thinks I'm insane.  And that's just the way it's supposed to be.  :)

So, when my feet finally made it back to the library, I sat on a wooden bench in the middle of my own heaven.  I took off the cover of "PETER PAN" (I usually don't like to keep covers on hard back books), and there underneath the green cover with Captain Hook was a burgundy book with gold lettering that simply and beautifully read: "J.M. BARRIE "PETER PAN".  My dear lord.  Peter Pan, the library in the British Museum, and it's red with gold letters????  Jiminy Cricket, it doesn't get any better.

After an hour of reading, I made my way back to the subway station.  I feel that the sighting of "Peter Pan" was good luck on many levels-- first, because it's lovely to read such a lovley book in such a lovely setting.  Second, because my subconscious was trying to lure me back to Selfridges where I had seen a pair of divine blue suede pumps that brought to mind Carrie Bradshaw's shoe adoring comment: HELLO LOVER... But, the sun was setting and it was time to go, and really who needs blue suede pumps when you're holding a red book with gold letters?

Tomorrow, I make my way back home and away from London and Peter Pan.  But, truly readers, as I reread "PETER PAN" I wanted to run to a computer and tell you all to please not miss this book-- READ IT. 

Next time round, I'll give you something different.  But this week is your week to visit Neverland.  And no excuses about being a grown up-- I simply won't hear of it.

Read "PETER PAN".  Write a letter to someone.  Check out the Fug Girls.  And be merry.

All my love and a bottle of red wine,

Danielle


"There's something you should know about me... I'm very, very choosey... I'm also very, very suspiscious, very, very irrational and I have a very, very short temper.  I'm also extremely jealous and slow to forgive.  Just so you know." 

-Marion Cotillard to Russell Crowe in "A GOOD YEAR"-- the film I happened to be watching while writing this blog...