I realize the distribution models of media are forever transforming. Some Kindle content can now be lent by libraries enabled by next generation DRM. MP3 and other format audio books can also be taken out of a library from any Internet connection. Meanwhile Netflix and Quickster are in the news with price hikes and new business models and structures. Blockbuster's brick and mortar presence has bankrupted it, so it is playing me-too with not only Netflix but also Redbox. Amazon and Apple are making inroads. And now cable companies are considering usage caps to protect their own cable and video-on-demand interests.
And I don't care.
Every week I take a lunch break and go to my local library. Here, I get some new shows and old favorites. And that technology and model suits me just fine.
The walk from the car to the library is always pleasing, as I can pass by some lovely buildings.
I enjoy the walking-scale of many coastal New England towns.
The walk, while not as efficient as video streaming, does allow me the chance to run into friends.
I also like the various town greens and statues.
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| Returning Foyle's War |
(And, oh yes, I love the fact that libraries are free.)
I have no problem watching shows over and over again. Of course, if a new Lewis, Sherlock, or Downton Abbey is available, so much the better.
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| Today, I used my Eliza B. (appropriately named) Brit Bag and Allez flats. |
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| Another favorite is Monarch of the Glen, and although my clans are Scott and Grant, I can easily lose myself in all things Scottish and Clan MacDonald. |
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| Many nights of deep sleep are enabled here. |
My favorite episode of any drama may just be Midsomer Murder's "A Worm in the Bud." I can endlessly soak in every detail, from the charming family of the kennel master, to the sheer volume of tattersall shirts onscreen, to the child-size versions of the Barbour waxed-cotton jackets and duffel coats. This one I think I may have to purchase.
I also wore L.L. Bean's new French Sailor Shirt Turtleneck today. I first bought one of these in 2003, and have been waiting for them to offer it again. And they did. Mostly.
The fabric, as well as the two best color options (Navy with Cream and Cream with Navy), are the same, but the neck on the new one is an inch and a half taller. This is less desirable as it is less comfortable standing up, yet does not look as good folded down. I also had to size up as today's Large has the same chest measurement at the Medium from 2003. Still, it is a solid garment, and I bought one in both color combinations.
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| On top, the 2003 version in Medium. |
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| A L.L. Bean Boat and Tote cookie and some cocoa to wash it down. |
36 comments:
I too enjoy visiting my local library, though here in Southern California it's quite "mission inspired". If my library looked as lovely as yours I'd be there once a day rather than once a week.
I share your taste in BCC drama's can't get enough of them! Suggestions for dvd rental titles: "Shipping News" with Kevin Spacey, "Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe, "Tinker, Tailor,Soldier, Spy" with Alec Guinness, BBC series "House of Cards","Jewel in the Crown", "To Serve Them All My Days", any of the BBC's James Harriott series and "Bridgeshead Revised" with Jeremy Irons! Sorry didn't mean to get carried away!
Thank you for a wonderful post. Your walk to the library is so pretty. I also love libraries and am going tonight as they have book ready for me to pick up. Joy. I love to read and watch British TV shows. Downton Abbey cannot come back on soon enough for me. The Midsomer Murder movie sounds great.
Thanks again-Missi
I love this post.
I have to say, though, even as library advocate, I'm happy that all the same dramas you mention are available through Netflix. Most are available for streaming, at that. (Annoyingly, though, they remove the streaming option periodically... I had added the entire Wire in the Blood series to my instant queue, and it is suddenly gone. I think it may have to do with the number of simultaneous users, or changes in the license.) Streaming is great when you have a blu-ray DVD player which is compatible with your TV, and with Netflix, so you can access your Netflix "Instant Queue" (all the play instantly selections) directly from your TV. No watching on the computer, and no hooking the computer up to your TV. As much as I like the "old technologies," this really can't be beat. Additionally, my tiny little public library, quaint as the building is, is absolutely lacking in DVD options, as well as book options. (This did not used to be a problem as I am a librarian myself and have always had some of the best collections in the world available to me, but I recently left the work world and must rely on public libraries.)
Re: the French Sailor turtleneck. THANK YOU for the heads up. I have been looking for this and had not seen it on the L.L. Bean website. I am going to buy one immediately. It is a pity the neck is longer... I don't think I have a particularly short neck, but I have been finding some recent turtleneck purchases to have uncomfortably high necks, and even if the neck is long enough to be folded over, I do not like that look.
P.S. I second the recommendation of The Shipping News if not already viewed. And I am not sure if "All Creatures Great and Small" which aired on PBS in the '80s is the BBC James Harriott production J. Mosby mentions, but I grew up watching that and love it (and amazingly loved it even as an elementary school student.) And of course, there is Anne of Green Gables (for a Canadian story.)
Oh, P.P.S., I was going to mention that it is unusual to have to size up at L.L. Bean. Now I'm really not sure what size to purchase. In general, L.L. Bean has given into the "vanity sizing" movement, and while I used to always be a size medium (6/8/10 dress size, depending on the brand), at L.L. Bean, I now usually buy EXTRA-SMALL. Crazy. So I wonder if I should get large or extra-small! A trip to Freeport may be in order.
Isn't it wonderful to receive surprise packages in the mail? I love when that happens.
Your town looks delightful and seems to be tightly knit. I wish we had some beautifully kept, older brick buildings in our area. Colorado does have old, brick buildings, but most are condemned and taken over by squatters.
Oh I adore BBC films. I've been watching them since I was in Jr. high school. May I suggest a couple of my favorite series? The Cazalets and Flambards and then there's the Rosemary and Thyme series. We are at our public library about 5 times a week. I love libraries, especially old ones.
I love the French Sailor (sp?) turtleneck shirt. Unfortunately, I'm not as slender as you are and horizontal stripes are not kind to me, but I would definitely wear one otherwise.
I have always loved the library too - but now with such a busy life I use my ereader a lot. But I do go once a month for the library book club :O)
I descend from a Grant as well...one of my great grandmother's was one.
I always get a feeling of security, anticipation, and pleasure when I visit our local library, hearkening back to my girlhood in the 1960s when I'd bike down weekly to the Victorian mansard-roofed Dunham Public Library in Whitesboro, NY, founded by Hugh White of Connecticut after the Revolutionary War. The Andrew Lang fairy tales, Nancy Drew mysteries, and Ray Bradbury short stories of those days have now been replaced by Nicholas Coleridge novels, New England naturalists' guides, and whatever's available off the NYT Best Seller lists. The atmosphere of our town library is always a calming oasis, and its architectural details, ca. 1910, are beautiful and impressive.
Was your library designed by McKim, Mead, and White? While there are some differences, it bears striking resemblance to the Bowdoin College Museum of Art:
Bowdoin College Museum of Art
@Anonymous - It certainly helps to takes it out of the chore category.
@j.mosby - The more carried away the better!
@missi - Funnily, it is one of our nice librarians who lets me know when all of the new BBC shows will be aired on PBS.
@Anonymous - I grew up on All Creatures as well. I loved it then and I still love it now. Especially Siegfried.
I second everything you said on the Beeb's dramas! Don't forget both seasons of "Poldark," an old favorite with wonderful scenery of the Cornwall coast. "Downton Abbey" is the most delicious newer series I've seen--can't wait for Part II!
I killed my cable 4 years ago due to the icky content, and have much more fun with DVD's just like you. Glad to know I'm in great company!
@Anonymous - I always like an excuse for a trip to Freeport! I have been having the opposite experience with them lately. I find that with a lot of their garments, the Large is now the same size as their old Medium. It makes for a lot of returns.
@Susan R - Condemned buildings with squatters? Quite the image! I wear my French Sailor turtlenecks under sweaters in the winter. Very warm.
@Suburban Princess - Aren't we lucky that the Clan Grant Hunting Tartan is Black Watch?! My favorite.
@Me, Dog, Cats - It sounds just lovely. I so loved Nancy Drew.
@Anonymous - I must say, I am impressed. Same firm, different architect. And funny that you should mention the Bowdoin Art Museum, as we are making a date with friends to see the Hopper exhibit one of these days.
@Anonymous - I'm with you - I can't wait for Downton Abbey Part II!
Great choices in movies and turtlenecks! I've gotten to the point where I'd rather watch a good BBC drama, or a good 1970s-era feature, than today's over-hyped Hollywood tripe. And thank you for supporting libraries! We need about a million more patrons like you!
Inspector Morse - I miss him.
@j.mosby -- To Serve Them All My Days was, I think, the best ever (well, other than Upstairs Downstairs).
@Muffy -- I read that Downton Abbey will be aired in the US starting on Jan 8. Maybe the success of this series will embolden to begin airing other multi-part series again as they did in the "old days." Seems like they have gone to shorter programs that no longer are aired at predictable times, no doubt in response to our newly perceived deficit of attention.
I think the sizing issue at Bean have to do with "slim fit". Instead of the comfortable, roomy fit that clothes used to have it seems that all clothes now a days(not just Bean, everywhere) must be "fitted" or "slim fit". Sigh. Oh well. Today is payday and I am definitely getting one of those turtle necks. Love the French sailor shirts.
LLB sailor shirts (of all varieties: boat neck, zip and Tneck) are my single favorite article of clothing. OK, maybe I can't say single when I mean three shirts, but you know what I mean! And I totally concur on your choice of British video. We love Foyle's War. Have you tried Doc Martin yet?
It surprises me that people are having the opposite problem I am having - for all my other criticisms of L.L. Bean, they seem to be one vendor which has not changed to a "slim fit" (save, of course, for those items designated slim fit.) Friends who WANT a slim fit refuse to shop there.
The chest measurement for size XS in women's shirts is 34, which is not terribly small... certainly not what I would expect a truly "XS" person to have (considering there is NO size smaller than that, unless one shops in the children's department.) And from what I can tell with other purchases (a linen tunic, for instance) that sizing doesn't mean that the garment will fit like a glove, but rather that a woman with a 34-inch chest measurement can wear the garment and get the intended relaxed fit. I have a 36 chest measurement, and the XS tunic is loose even on me. I would, instead, expect that for my size I'd get a relaxed fit in the medium (or large, if I wanted a REALLY relaxed fit.) The issue seems to be the same with pants which are sized using the XS, S, M, L scale. I have to wear size small or XS, and while I don't want baggy pants, I'm certainly not looking for a particularly tight fit.
I wonder if the sizing is either inconsistent across garments, or the published size chart simply doesn't, in actuality, correspond to the measurements on the garments. I'm finding that even as I get a bit bigger, I have to wear smaller sizes. Most of my L.L. Bean purchases are made in the store in Freeport, so I buy based on what fits in the dressing room, not what the size chart indicates should be my size. I can only speak to how different sizes have fit me over the years, not to how the measurements on the size chart have changed.
I seem to be about Muffy's size, and I've just ordered size small in this turtleneck, so I'll see if it fits (with a relaxed fit) or not!
I find the sizing inconsistent at LL Bean from tops to bottoms - the jackets, shirts, and sweaters in my usual size fit me perfectly, but skirts and trousers are hit or miss and often tight (I wear the same size at Ralph Lauren, and the tops and bottoms are consistent -- I'm not particularly pear-shaped.)
Their shoes also tend to be narrow, but their shoes aren't that...great anyway. For boots I can wear the men's versions.
Perfect post for a rainy night... we have enjoyed the "Ballykissangel" series, "Dr. Findlay", "All Creatures Great and Small" and "Lark Rise to Candleford" from the BBC.
Also, the newest addition to the "Upstairs, Downstairs" storyline was lovely.
Happy Friday,
Lolly
I'm definitely not ready to switch over to e-books either. And the Bean bag cookie is too cute!
I loved this! Inspector Lewis is my favorite--I have a mad crush on Hathaway. And I will always prefer actual books to electronic forms.
I am a big fan of Foyle's War. I am in the middle of Season Four.
I must say as a poor college student and as an avid reader I am coming to love my hometown library even more. Not only have they started to lend out audiobooks via the internet which make daily commutes to and from classes enjoyable and seemingly productive, but their growing dvd collection make visiting home a real treat. I get to catch up on all the movies I missed during the academic season at absolutely no cost! I'm so happy to hear that other people still love the modern library as much as I do!
Thank you for this post. I take my four young children to the library weekly to choose out movies and books. My husband tells me to just download books on the ipad, but I will not. I love browsing through books and flipping pages and visiting the library!
I watched volume one of "A Dance to the Music of Time" last night and slept like the dead.
@John - I remember all of the old 70s shows. Mannix stands out.
@Anonymous - Desperately.
@Sartre - Oh, thank you for this, and I share your hope. Saturday nights have most always been, and still are, Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By.
@HHH - Yes, we did try Doc Martin and we love it, thanks to you!
@@Grace - It is a cookie that will not be eaten.
@No Drama Mama - Inspector Lewis is unbelievably wonderful, and who doesn't have a crush on Hathaway? There is another new one on PBS tonight.
@NaturalShoulder - I am a big fan as well. We have gone through the whole series at least twice. Michael Kitchen is just so good.
@sSe - I agree with everything you say. Especially the no cost part!
@Anonymous - Libraries are so much more child-friendly now and we have nice librarians. I use them more now than ever.
@Chenners - This just made me laugh.
New Inspector Lewis on PBS tonight! The one video service I don't mind paying for...
I absolutely LOVE "Midsomer Murders". Be sure to check out Series 5/episode 4 (Market for Murder) around 1:11:44 into the show for the fabulous tweed quilt on the Lord's bed. Talk about shabby chic - I want one! I've already scoped out 100% wool jackets at Goodwill that I can cut up, even though I've never quilted in my life. Can't be that hard, can it? Love your blog.
So funny, Lisa... on Muffy's recommendation, I watched the "A Worm in the Bud" episode, and then last night I watched the episode before that one, "Market for Murder". (Every episode is available for streaming on Netflix, which I must say is most convenient, if you get a recommendation and your library either doesn't carry this title, or you can't immediately get to the library.) I loved the storyline, the houses, and the clothes. Maybe you did the same thing, to happen to watch the same episode?
...speaking of Midsomer Murders, did you get the news that there is a new DCI Barnaby in the latest season of the show? The new character is supposed to be the old DCI Barnaby's cousin.
Well well, we almost have the same library!
@Lisa - I know exactly the one of which you speak! That is such a good episode and I also love the woman who played his wife (of the man under the quilt). She also happens to be the (in real life) mother of the actor who plays Adam Carter in MI5.
@Anonymous - I did get that news. How could someone else replace the wonderful DCI Barnaby??
The library is a *huge* favorite of ours, we're big believers in the need for them and finding ways to fund them. We also adore British dramas and have been waiting to start Foyle's War until the holidays.
Awww, love the cookie and cocoa, what a nice gift. Sending you a smile Muffy,
tp
I purchased the French Sailor Turtleneck, and it arrived yesterday. I thought I'd give a little update... I'm the Anonymous who considers most L.L. Bean garments to run large these days, and who said I am about Muffy's size and would be ordering size small.
I did order small, and it seems to be the perfect size for me. It is relaxed but still close to the body, rather than larger and more tunic-like, which may be the look you prefer in this particular garment, Muffy. (Actually, I think I like both looks.) Also, regarding sizing... I think it also comes down to body type, not just height and weight. I have a rather significant "hourglass" shape. This means that I tend to be larger through the chest, but narrower in the lower torso, than many people my height and weight. Sometimes this means I have to size up to accommodate my chest (often with the rest of the garment being too large) but sometimes this means that I can size down and still get a good fit (even relaxed, where relaxed is desired.) I'm not comparing myself to Muffy here... it's difficult to tell anyone's body type without seeing them in person. But this may explain why I find certain brands to run large, or small.
All that said... Muffy is 100% correct about the neck. It's TOO long. I have a perfectly normal length neck, and I feel like this is choking me. I stretched it out a bit so it could scrunch down a bit more, but it's still a bit too long. More than half the time I wear my hair in a ponytail, and it looks kind of weird at the back of my neck, even when I can get it to look normal at the front. But I really do not like the look of the neck folded over. I can do the folded over thing if it's a turtleneck under a sweater (although I do not prefer to do so.) But where the garment is to be worn on its own, as is the case with this, I think the neck needs to be standing up. Maybe I can try turning it over just a bit, not in half. It is otherwise a nice shirt.
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