Vicki Vass's Blog, page 3

Return to Downton

Last week, my husband and I attended an early preview of the new Downton Abbey movie. I have been fascinated by all things British since I first read Pride and Prejudice in fourth grade. My discovery of Downton Abbey, the PBS series centering on the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their country estate, was a mere fluke. Preparing for a lengthy plane trip, I was scrolling through selections to add to my iPad for watching. It was listed as under the category of “something you may be interested in.” And, interested I was. I downloaded the entire season and didn’t wait for the plane to watch the first episode. I was hooked, and shortly after that the rest of my friends were.

My fascination with the Crawley family coincided with my fascination of Edwardian and Art Nouveau jewelry and fashions. Downton Abbey featured both in endless numbers as the series documents an era where it was considered the rule to dress for dinner even if you were dining at home with family. I marveled at the fashions and jewelry in the show for all six seasons and was disappointed when the series ended in 2015. I hadn’t had enough of the Crawleys and their rambling estate.

That was when the costumes came to Chicago as part of an exhibit at the Driehaus Museum, a restored Gilded Age mansion steps from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. My two best friends and I braved the February snow to visit and take in the grandeur of both the museum and the costumes. The exhibit allowed an up close and personal look at the lavish costumes created for the series, including the red evening gown worn by Lady Mary when she meets Mr. Parmuk or the beaded dress that Lady Cora wore to a hospital concert. And, of course the pink beaded dress worn by Lady Rose when she danced with jazz singer Jack Ross.

The costumes were displayed with accompanying jewelry and evening gloves so they appeared as if still worn in the show by the character. I marveled at the detail of each dress as I listened to the accompanying narrative provided by the pre-recorded headset. Costume designers scoured antique stores, fabric shops and attics for era-appropriate materials. In the example below, they used an embroidery pattern from a tablecloth to construct Lady Cora’s dress.

A vintage tablecloth inspired the detail work on Lady Cora’s dress.

And, they shared how we could view history through the dresses, and you can see the progression. Lady Mary’s red dress was worn around 1912 when Edwardian fashions were still popular so it is longer than Lady Rose’s pink dress which was known as the Flapper Age.

When the news surfaced that there was
going to be a Downton Abbey movie, I knew I would be among the first to attend.
Then I received the email inviting me to the advance premiere, I bought my
tickets right away. Upon arrival, the theater offered us a limited edition
keychain. During the opening credit shot of Downton Abbey, I felt as if I
returned home.

The new movie is set a few years after
the series ended and brings back many of the series regulars. The estate is
running smoothly in the hands of Lady Mary and her brother-in-law Tom Branson. When
word arrives that King George V and Queen Mary are coming to Downton,
excitement and trepidation stir both above and below stairs. Not trusting new
butler, former footman Thomas Barrow, Lady Mary enlists retired butler Mr.
Carson to return to Downton. This is an uplifting moment. I have always enjoyed
Lady Mary’s relationship with Mr. Carson as it shows her more softer side.

Various plots ensue at an almost
frenetic pace as if to ensure all characters had their moment except oddly
enough for Lord Grantham and Lady Cora. While this format of multiple
storylines worked in the episodic TV show, it felt rather off in a long-form
movie. It was if there was too much being crammed in that all needed to be
concluded at the end.

With that being said, the king’s visit and
the respondent behavior does not disappoint. The downstairs staff has their
moment even with a zinger from long-suffering Mr. Molesley. Upstairs the
Crawleys are in their element and Dowager Countess Violet continues to deliver
the best lines which elicit laughter in the theater before she can finish.

Long-time fans of the series will
appreciate the movie as it provides a nostalgic return to Downton Abbey. I
wanted to like it more than I did but found that it fell flat. As I said above,
I don’t think the show’s format transferred to the big screen. Although the
costumes and jewelry were still spectacular, the various plots seemed too
rushed so that there was not one central plot among the many mini plots.

I feel traitorous saying that I didn’t
love the film, especially when I wanted to so much. I did enjoy it and will
definitely watch it again when it is available for home viewing. Perhaps it
will improve on subsequent viewing. And my disappointment in the film won’t
stop me from admiring Mary’s dress and tiara in the last scene.

What I’m Reading: The Whisper Network

I finished the

Welcome to Vicki’s Cozy Corner

I thought I would start my first post by telling you a little about me. A Midwesterner by birth, I was born in Illinois and lived in the Chicago suburbs until recently when my husband and I packed up and moved to an area known as the Dark Corner in South Carolina. Our home has an amazing view of Glassy and Hogback Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge escarpment. My office window looks out over the mountains and is a clear departure from the flatlands of Illinois.

My orange cat Pixel and me

A former journalist, during the day I am managing editor for a peer-reviewed medical journal, meaning that I neither edit nor write. I currently write cozy mysteries under my maiden name: Vicki Vass. I have two series, the Antique Hunter Mysteries, loosely based on my two best friends, and Witch Cat Mysteries, a paranormal series. I also have a post-apocalyptic science fiction book, Oxygen, inspired by my travels to Sudan, Africa, for World Relief.

I have been writing since I could read. After seeing my older brother with books, I began to read at age 4 and I remember jotting down stories as a young child. My second grade English project was a short story titled The Mystery of the Topaz, a tribute to Nancy Drew. My parents encouraged me in my reading — there were always books in our house and I devoured them whether they were my mother’s copies of Dorothy Eden, Phyllis Whitney or even Jane Austen — I had read all of Jane Austen by sixth grade. Or my father’s westerns by Louis L’Amour — I particularly liked the ones centered on the Sackett family. I even read my brother’s science fiction including Isaac Asimov and the Planet of the Apes series. There was never enough to read nor was there enough time.

As I grew older, college and then working a full time replaced my time for reading. I read less and less. There never seemed to be enough time except for now since moving I have rediscovered my love for reading and my house is once again strewn with books. I have a wall of bookshelves in my office all containing books that I have yet to read along with a few favorites. I picked up an almost complete set of the Nancy Drew 1970s books at a garage sale for $5. In my bedroom is a bookshelf filled with books that I have yet to read. I have joined three book clubs and am adding books as the clubs pick their titles. Some of my recent favorite reads include, We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel, Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel and Finding Dorothy: A Novel. I plan to share my reads with you on this blog and hope that you will share with me as well.

My garage sale find

Besides reading, I love to cook. My mother worked during the day, unusual back in the 1970s when I was growing up, and my father let me explore in the kitchen. I learned to make lasagne at an early age along with crepes. I enjoyed experimenting and tasting the interaction of different foods and flavor combinations. Now I love to watch Top Chef and almost anything on the Food Network.

Over the years, I have found that I am not so good at imagining recipes as I am at following them. I can make an awesome crab-stuffed crepe with a cheese sauce or three-tier chocolate cake as long as all the steps are set out for me but leave me on my own, and it quickly becomes a mess. Currently, I am cooking low carb as I am trying to lose some weight and have found the only way to do that is by eliminating carbs. My go-to recipes include those from Kyndra on Peace, Love and Low Carb. Her chili and balsamic seared chicken with mushrooms recipes are my go-tos. Kasey Trenum also has some excellent recipes including Italian meatball casserole or creamy pork chops with parmesan gravy.

Being in a new area, my husband and I have also found we are eating out more from fine dining to local dives we have tried a variety of restaurants. There are several local restaurants that have become our go-tos. I plan to share some of our culinary adventures, either at home or out, with you.

So, that explains the books and bites part of my tagline, the breaks symbolizes breaks either throughout the day such as wandering through an antique store or a longer vacation such as a recent road trip to Durham, North Carolina. I think we are all entitled to breaks from our everyday routine.

I invite you to join me on this journey and to comment sharing your favorite books, bites and breaks with me.

Welcome to Dark Corner

My husband and I fell in love with the view from our home on the Ridge, at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It wasn’t until we had settled in that we learned about the area’s sordid history. Known locally as the Dark Corner, it is the northernmost area of Greenville County. At one […]

Welcome to Vicki’s Cozy Corner

I thought I would start my first post by telling you a little about me. A Midwesterner by birth, I was born in Illinois and lived in the Chicago suburbs until recently when my husband and I packed up and moved to an area known as the Dark Corner in South Carolina. Our home has an amazing view of Glassy and Hogback Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge escarpment. My office window looks out over the mountains and is a clear departure from the flatlands of Illinois.

My orange cat Pixel and me

A former journalist, during the day I am managing editor for a peer-reviewed medical journal, meaning that I neither edit nor write. I currently write cozy mysteries under my maiden name: Vicki Vass. I have two series, the Antique Hunter Mysteries, loosely based on my two best friends, and Witch Cat Mysteries, a paranormal series. I also have a post-apocalyptic science fiction book, Oxygen, inspired by my travels to Sudan, Africa, for World Relief.

I have been writing since I could read. After seeing my older brother with books, I began to read at age 4 and I remember jotting down stories as a young child. My second grade English project was a short story titled The Mystery of the Topaz, a tribute to Nancy Drew. My parents encouraged me in my reading — there were always books in our house and I devoured them whether they were my mother’s copies of Dorothy Eden, Phyllis Whitney or even Jane Austen — I had read all of Jane Austen by sixth grade. Or my father’s westerns by Louis L’Amour — I particularly liked the ones centered on the Sackett family. I even read my brother’s science fiction including Isaac Asimov and the Planet of the Apes series. There was never enough to read nor was there enough time.

As I grew older, college and then working a full time replaced my time for reading. I read less and less. There never seemed to be enough time except for now since moving I have rediscovered my love for reading and my house is once again strewn with books. I have a wall of bookshelves in my office all containing books that I have yet to read along with a few favorites. I picked up an almost complete set of the Nancy Drew 1970s books at a garage sale for $5. In my bedroom is a bookshelf filled with books that I have yet to read. I have joined three book clubs and am adding books as the clubs pick their titles. Some of my recent favorite reads include, We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel, Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel and Finding Dorothy: A Novel. I plan to share my reads with you on this blog and hope that you will share with me as well.

My garage sale find

Besides reading, I love to cook. My mother worked during the day, unusual back in the 1970s when I was growing up, and my father let me explore in the kitchen. I learned to make lasagne at an early age along with crepes. I enjoyed experimenting and tasting the interaction of different foods and flavor combinations. Now I love to watch Top Chef and almost anything on the Food Network.

Over the years, I have found that I am not so good at imagining recipes as I am at following them. I can make an awesome crab-stuffed crepe with a cheese sauce or three-tier chocolate cake as long as all the steps are set out for me but leave me on my own, and it quickly becomes a mess. Currently, I am cooking low carb as I am trying to lose some weight and have found the only way to do that is by eliminating carbs. My go-to recipes include those from Kyndra on Peace, Love and Low Carb. Her chili and balsamic seared chicken with mushrooms recipes are my go-tos. Kasey Trenum also has some excellent recipes including Italian meatball casserole or creamy pork chops with parmesan gravy.

Being in a new area, my husband and I have also found we are eating out more from fine dining to local dives we have tried a variety of restaurants. There are several local restaurants that have become our go-tos. I plan to share some of our culinary adventures, either at home or out, with you.

So, that explains the books and bites part of my tagline, the breaks symbolizes breaks either throughout the day such as wandering through an antique store or a longer vacation such as a recent road trip to Durham, North Carolina. I think we are all entitled to breaks from our everyday routine.

I invite you to join me on this journey and to comment sharing your favorite books, bites and breaks with me.

Fleeing Illinois

On January 14, 2018, my husband and I fled Illinois for Upstate South Carolina. Prior to that, we had spent the previous two years researching and exploring different areas starting in Nashville and working our way south. We knew we wanted a warmer climate and a location with lower taxes. That Nashville trip ended with […]

Welcome to Vicki’s Cozy Corner

I thought I would start my first post by telling you a little about me. A Midwesterner by birth, I was born in Illinois and lived in the Chicago suburbs until recently when my husband and I packed up and moved to an area known as the Dark Corner in South Carolina. Our home has an amazing view of Glassy and Hogback Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge escarpment. My office window looks out over the mountains and is a clear departure from the flatlands of Illinois.

Vicki Vass

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A former journalist, during the day I am managing editor for a peer-reviewed medical journal, meaning that I neither edit nor write. I currently write cozy mysteries under my maiden name: Vicki Vass. I have two series, the Antique Hunter Mysteries, loosely based on my two best friends, and Witch Cat Mysteries, a paranormal series. I also have a post-apocalyptic science fiction book, Oxygen, inspired by my travels to Sudan, Africa, for World Relief.

I have been writing since I could read. After seeing my older brother with books, I began to read at age 4 and I remember jotting down stories as a young child. My second grade English project was a short story titled The Mystery of the Topaz, a tribute to Nancy Drew. My parents encouraged me in my reading — there were always books in our house and I devoured them whether they were my mother’s copies of Dorothy Eden, Phyllis Whitney or even Jane Austen — I had read all of Jane Austen by sixth grade. Or my father’s westerns by Louis L’Amour — I particularly liked the ones centered on the Sackett family. I even read my brother’s science fiction including Isaac Asimov and the Planet of the Apes series. There was never enough to read nor was there enough time.

As I grew older, college and then working a full time replaced my time for reading. I read less and less. There never seemed to be enough time except for now since moving I have rediscovered my love for reading and my house is once again strewn with books. I have a wall of bookshelves in my office all containing books that I have yet to read along with a few favorites. I picked up an almost complete set of the Nancy Drew 1970s books at a garage sale for $5. In my bedroom is a bookshelf filled with books that I have yet to read. I have joined three book clubs and am adding books as the clubs pick their titles. Some of my recent favorite reads include, We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel, Daisy Jones & The Six: A Noveland Finding Dorothy: A Novel. I plan to share my reads with you on this blog and hope that you will share with me as well.

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Besides reading, I love to cook. My mother worked during the day, unusual back in the 1970s when I was growing up, and my father let me explore in the kitchen. I learned to make lasagne at an early age along with crepes. I enjoyed experimenting and tasting the interaction of different foods and flavor combinations. Now I love to watch Top Chef and almost anything on the Food Network.

Over the years, I have found that I am not so good at imagining recipes as I am at following them. I can make an awesome crab-stuffed crepe with a cheese sauce or three-tier chocolate cake as long as all the steps are set out for me but leave me on my own, and it quickly becomes a mess. Currently, I am cooking low carb as I am trying to lose some weight and have found the only way to do that is by eliminating carbs. My go-to recipes include those from Kyndra on Peace, Love and Low Carb. Her chili and balsamic seared chicken with mushrooms recipes are my go-tos. Kasey Trenum also has some excellent recipes including Italian meatball casserole or creamy pork chops with parmesan gravy.

Being in a new area, my husband and I have also found we are eating out more from fine dining to local dives we have tried a variety of restaurants. There are several local restaurants that have become our go-tos. I plan to share some of our culinary adventures, either at home or out, with you.

So, that explains the books and bites part of my tagline, the breaks symbolizes breaks either throughout the day such as wandering through an antique store or a longer vacation such as a recent road trip to Durham, North Carolina. I think we are all entitled to breaks from our everyday routine.

I invite you to join me on this journey and to comment sharing your favorite books, bites and breaks with me.

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Bits and Baubles, Oh My

I spent yesterday jewelry shopping with an old friend, a most pleasant way to spend the holiday weekend. She took me to the near northwest side to a small store labeled, “Antiques and Resale.” I was skeptical at first but am glad I did not judge the interior by its exterior. This shop is an antique jewelry lover’s dream. It brims and brims with vintage and antique jewelry, all sorted by color. Why had I not been to this store before?

Necklaces drape over shelves, earrings rest on cushions and bracelets abound. The back of the store features vintage clothing, scarves and hats.

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While fine estate jewelry is locked in cases but the staff is very willing to open cases and let you try on anything. We tried on amethyst rings, cameo necklaces, pearl chokers, black beaded fringe necklaces, turquoise bracelets. It was almost an overwhelming display of jewelry riches. I could not restrain myself.

Of course, I ended up with a few things, including three pairs of earrings, a delicate pair with seed pearls and this striking dangly silver pair that will look perfect with a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans.

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I also left with one pendant, a stunning Art Nouveau piece that struck me and I could not put it back. The woman behind the counter even fixed it for me, so it hung a little longer and the clasp opens on the right, not the left. She also added a stone where one was missing. I was truly impressed by their customer service and attention to detail.

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We found this lovely pearl choker with crystal accents for Audrey’s daughter, Stephanie. It looks gorgeous on her. 

I cannot wait to take another trip and go back as their website claims the inventory changes daily. Who knows maybe Anne and CC will find a clue to a Spoon Sisters mystery here? Or maybe Alexandra, the Gem Hunter, will stop in for a rare treasure?

It was great to spend the day with a friend and take a break from writing. What is your favorite antique store or your favorite piece of jewelry? Please share in the comments below.

Bits and Baubles, Oh My

I spent yesterday jewelry shopping with an old friend, a most pleasant way to spend the holiday weekend. She took me to the near northwest side to a small store labeled, “Antiques and Resale.” I was skeptical at first but am glad I did not judge the interior by its exterior. This shop is an antique jewelry lover’s dream. It brims and brims with vintage and antique jewelry, all sorted by color. Why had I not been to this store before?

Necklaces drape over shelves, earrings rest on cushions and bracelets abound. The back of the store features vintage clothing, scarves and hats.

While fine estate jewelry is locked in cases but the staff is very willing to open cases and let you try on anything. We tried on amethyst rings, cameo necklaces, pearl chokers, black beaded fringe necklaces, turquoise bracelets. It was almost an overwhelming display of jewelry riches. I could not restrain myself.

Of course, I ended up with a few things, including three pairs of earrings, a delicate pair with seed pearls and this striking dangly silver pair that will look perfect with a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans.

I also left with one pendant, a stunning Art Nouveau piece that struck me and I could not put it back. The woman behind the counter even fixed it for me, so it hung a little longer and the clasp opens on the right, not the left. She also added a stone where one was missing. I was truly impressed by their customer service and attention to detail.[image error]

We found this lovely pearl choker with crystal accents for Audrey’s daughter, Stephanie. It looks gorgeous on her. [image error]

I cannot wait to take another trip and go back as their website claims the inventory changes daily. Who knows maybe Anne and CC will find a clue to a Spoon Sisters mystery here? Or maybe Alexandra, the Gem Hunter, will stop in for a rare treasure?

It was great to spend the day with a friend and take a break from writing. I am almost done with the first draft of the Antique Hunters Book 5 and hope to have it out in early October. Then I will be moving on to the second book in the Witch Cat Mystery series.

What is your favorite antique store or your favorite piece of jewelry? Please share in the comments below.

Shopping, Barn Style

Between the puppies, work and the house, t’s been a crazy couple months so my husband and I left the house on Sunday morning and headed to a barn sale in St. Charles. Tucked within a neighborhood of suburban homes, the barn was back in a corner and was owned by an antique dealer. She used it to store items she didn’t have room for in her booth at the local antique store.

Here are some of the highlights:

[image error]Old Comic Books
[image error]A wood-burning stove
[image error]A lovely 1940s Price Brothers Cottage Ware tea pot.
[image error]My favorite Indian Tree China

I did not buy anything inside the barn, however, the tables outside were loaded boxes with costume jewelry. I enjoyed sorting through them and settled on this lovely Bohemian crystal necklace.

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While heading to the first sale, we had noticed a sign for a second Barn Sale so we had to stop. Sitting out in front was this motorcycle and sidecar.

[image error]Inside I found car models which my brother used to collect, old beer signs and 1950s Photoplay magazines. [image error]

The only thing that captured my interest was this original 1969 movie poster from a Johnny Cash movie.

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Even though I did not buy much, it was a fun morning, and I plan to go out next week. I’ll share my finds with you.