TV Series Review: Only Murders in the Building

           I am currently subscribed to Disney channel in my cellphone application. I have decided to subscribe because, "See How They Run," is the movie adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel, "The Mousetrap." 

I have read that, "The Mousetrap" is the world's longest running play. So I am itching again to have a copy of her book. This Disney tv series stars, Pop Princess and former tv series princess, Selena Gomez and tv movie and veteran actors Martin Short and Steve Martin. In Season 3, Meryl Streep was included in the cast. In less than one week I have finished this tv series and I absolutely love it. Even if crime and murder is really scary, I was not really scared at all. What I felt in this movie is like a cozy feeling at home. Watching the trio solve a crime and just being best pals with each other gave me comfort, and I must say this tv series is one happy pill for me! I love Steve Martin's portrayal of a "has been" action tv series star, as Charles Haden Savage, and Martin Short as Oliver, a former director of theater plays and lastly Selena plays the Mabel, the mysterious beautiful neighbor (in Season 1). This was set in a beautiful building called the Arconia in New York.

Spoilers coming! Season 1 is about the trio uncovering the murder Tim Kono, a tenant in the Arconia. Season 2 is about Mabel being suspected as the killer of Bunny, the building president and Season 3, who is the killer of the lead star in Oliver's directorial play again. If you have not seen the series I suggest you do! It is so funnily entertaining! Can' t wait for season 4. The double of Charles Haden Savage was shot.

Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie

          

  I'm back with another Agatha Christie book. This time it is an illustrated one. On the back page of the book. Ms. Christie was described by the following words, novelist, wife, nurse, tourist, mother, archaeologist, playwright and dame. Dame is the honorary title given to her. The price of this illustrated or I would like to call it as a comic book is $19.95 as shown at the back cover. 

The authors of the book is a trio. If I am not mistaken, they are all French. I like the illustration, the way it was drawn like a classic cartoon from a Sunday newspaper. Check out the photo here. If reading her biography is too taxing for you then I suggest you grab a copy of this. This may not be as comprehensive as the one written by Lucy Worsley but you can pick up some idea about her life is. This book is also an ideal gift to give to an avid Agatha Christie fan. Books became even more interesting because of her. Don't forget that she is the most widely read mystery author for many years now and as the same popularity with Shakespeare and the Bible! 

Another Agatha Christie Book

 I got another book by Ms. Agatha Christie, it is February now and the Holiday season is still faraway, but I got this book! Actually, I have not read "The Secret Adversary," and I still bought another book. I still have one more book that I am waiting for. Mystery novels are really good. This kind of read really makes your day less boring. I'm happily adding this to my AC (Agatha Christie) book collection! Read on!

More Agatha Christie Books

           

 I have seen the Wonka movie that was shown December 2023. It was entertaining indeed. So I got hooked into it for awhile. I suddenly missed my mystery and crime side. Again, I bought two books. I got a bargain, "The Secret Adversary," from Agatha Christie collection. It is a hard bound copy with a magazine. This book was very timely since the group of "Read Christie Challenge 2024", this is their book of the month.  The people of Agatha Christie Ltd suggested that challenge. I asked the team if they can send me a photo with a handwritten signature of Agatha Christie's grandson. They were not able to grant my request but instead they said that they just can send me postcards.I am eagerly awaiting it. 

I also bought the life story of Agatha Christie by British Historian Lucy Worsley. Both books are expensive but I know its worth it. Even if the period when she wrote these stories are really far from the modern world today, I still love the feeling that it gives me. I got this one from my favorite bookstore, Fully Booked. So that's all for now, while I relax and continue reading one of Ms. Christie's book, while having my cup of tea.

Beatrix Potter, The Creator of Peter Rabbit

             This pandemic, I have immersed myself in arts. Mostly drawing, coloring with colored pencils and watercolor. I recently re-watched Miss Potter (2006) movie starring Renee Zellweger, and I have seen a classic movie about her life, "Beatrix: The Early Life of Beatrix Potter", starring Helena Bonham Carter as Beatrix Potter. I am also enjoying watching the old classic cartoon, "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends". I also bought a few Beatrix Potter/Peter Rabbit memorabilias online. But I did not splurge much, because my husband is telling me to be careful in spending money especially during this time of pandemic. I am presently enjoying re-creating Beatrix Potter's characters like Peter Rabbit and the mice from the "Tailor of Gloucester". 

Though Beatrix Potter's stories are written mainly for children, it is also entertaining for us adults. Her stories are not boring, and the message from her stories is not really shallow. I also love her artworks. From her book by Elizabeth Buchan. We can see at an early age she showed her potential, she draws animals like insects, caterpillars etc. in a detailed way and she draws them very well. 

The book that I bought is only the lone one available. I was blessed because its price was already marked down. The book is hardcover, and the pages were all very good, it is glossy and it contains photos. So its not boring at all to read. I was able to finish it for 2 days.

Beatrix and her brother Bertram loved to draw and paint, they have many sketches of their pets ranging from rabbits, mice, frogs lizards and bats. What I like about her is that she followed her heart, and not anyone when it comes to pursuing what she wants in her life. The first artwork that I did was Peter Rabbit which Beatrix Potter was really known for. She is considered as a mycologist (someone who works with fungi), in her young adult years she met and collaborated with Charles Macintosh, a musician and also known as a "Pertshire Naturalist". You can see Beatrix Potter's beautiful and detailed works as per the advice of Sir Macintosh who encouraged her to  make her drawings even more detailed. Thus, she began using watercolors. Her work was rejected by the Linnean society (which was obviously a sexist). In those days, women didn't go to school, Beatrix was tutored by a governess. During her time formal education was inaccessible for women. Perth museum and art gallery has a collection of her works. If she wasn't rejected, we wouldn't have "Peter Rabbit" today. So look for the silver lining in everything. 

The man who helped her and was instrumental for her success, Norman Warren was also her first love, and became engaged but unfortunately no wedding happened because Norman got sick and died. She later on got married to a lawyer named William Heelis. Beatrix has no children. She lived on happily in her old age together with her husband in a farm she bought. 

Her best known books for the children's were tales of "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends", are 23 all in all. Her unpublished book, "The Tale of Kitty in Boots", with illustrations by Quentin Blake was a bestseller again, and was published on September 1, 2016, to mark her 150th anniversary of her birth. She wrote 10 other books which includes a coloring book, painting books and an almanac. In 1936, Beatrix flatly declined Walt Disney's offer to make an animation of Peter Rabbit. So critics were saying that the modern adaptation by Sony of her character Peter Rabbit wouldn't make Beatrix happy, and she would disagree with it. It is not because she was possessive of her works but because she has a clear idea in her head what her characters should be like. I have seen the latest Peter Rabbit film from Sony, and I can see that Peter was portrayed as a somewhat notorious bad rabbit there, which shouldn't be.

I like to imitate and copy her artworks, it is a sort of relaxation therapy for me, especially this pandemic and as my date of delivery nears (expecting my little angel to come out of this world in November!) I bought a few of her books so I can tell my baby about her and her stories. If you want a very good documentary about Beatrix Potter, I suggest you watch, Timeline World Histories Documentaries - Who Was the Real Beatrix Potter hosted by Dame Patricia Routledge. I also bought Beatrix Potter memorabilias (book and cd, plush toys Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle duck, cellphone case and mug). I also have an old dvd movie of Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger.

The British people are really artistic and talented. Once I was hooked with the works of Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien. I also like Paddington, very brilliant creator Michael Bond. What about you, who is the artist that you look up to? Let's do art, and make our world more colorful and lovable!

(This is a repost from my other blog: pilgrimsmelody.blogspot.com )

Netflix's Bridgerton Comes to New Manila

          It's been awhile since I last posted here. The latest news? No, I am not Lady Whistledown that has got all the latest and juiciest news. Sorry for the long hiatus since I just gave birth to a lovely baby girl last year, in November.

After a year, finally I was able to go out. Not that I did not leave the house ever, but we just went out usually because of work, hospital check-ups and other important errands. I was just watching something on YouTube when I saw Ivana Alawi's house tour at Villa Bridgerton. So I searched immediately as to where is the place located. It located in New Manila, Quezon City. The house was originally a mansion owned by Doña Narcisa de Leon. I booked immediately knowing the slots were limited. I was finally able to get a slot yesterday, which was a Thursday. My officemate pal accompanied me because I asked her. I just paid for the gas after, and treated her to a snack.

It was a very hot afternoon when we arrived at the Villa. At the concierge, or entrance we were asked by the staff to show our vaccination cards and of course wearing a mask is a must. Outside the villa, was the beautiful design of Netflix Bridgerton. We immediately went inside because of the sweltering heat. There were already a number of people inside taking photos and recording. The sala was nice with an electronic fireplace. It is also called the sitting room wherein affluent families welcome visitors, where they gather. You can also do many things in the sitting room, like read, knit/crochet, and chat with one another.

Since, I am a foodie. I immediately fell in love with the grand banquet hall. Sweets and desserts were laid on the table. I was also able to go upstairs and see one the Bridgerton's chamber. Upstairs, in the hallway you will also see life-sized portraits of the characters in Bridgerton, Season 2. The room has a vanity table, a cabinet, with a kingsize bed, and a bedside table.

We weren't able to tour the garden because for me it was too hot. So we weren't able to experience the tea party and play the outdoor game croquet. We also missed the carriage. Anyway, the experience was really fun. Even if there's still Covid virus around, that did not keep me from visiting Villa Bridgerton. The villa is open unti April 4, 2022. Slots were all booked now. You just wait for a slot to become free when a guest will cancel.  If you don't have a chance to visit the Villa. You can just watch Bridgerton, Season 2. 

My Agatha Christie Collection

          Hello everyone! Sorry for my very late post. It is 2021! Happy New Year to all of you my dear readers!

I started the year with a book haul. For those of you who are not aware, I got married already! I am officially a Mrs. this 2021. I miss buying books. As an early Vday gift and also post-holiday gift from my husband. I asked for books.

I am very much interested in mystery books right now. I just purchased this month a lot of mystery books. I purchased the popular young-adult mystery books by Karen McManus entitled, One of Us is Lying, and One of Us is Next. After that, I bought the world's best mystery writer boxed set of books, Dame Agathe Christie. I recently rented on YouTube, The Murder on the Orient Express, and it is indeed a good movie. There is an unexpected twist! No wonder Agatha Christie's books are well-loved all over the world, and it her stories are timeless. I was able to buy an original shirt of the said movie from a local specialty bookstore which is Fully Booked. I also bought online, a copy of Agatha Christie's, Evil Under The Sun illustrated version.

I am on sick leave now, and I just finished reading one of her bestselling novel, And Then There Were None. I enjoyed reading it! After maybe  a year or two of not finishing a book, I finished it, in less than 2 days! I hope to order more books from her, but of course under my husband's supervision. Because he doesn't want unwise spending of money. I will also watch the tv-movie version of this.

I also learned a lot about the detectives in her stories like Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, husband and wife duo Tommy and Tuppence, and Parker Pyne. Did you know that the first 3 detectives that I have mentioned has a tv series? The actor David Suchet played Poirot very well. The actresses who played Miss Marple are also very good in their own right.

Almost all the best things can be found in England. That is why I am fond of anything Brit. Until my next post. Thanks for visiting my blog.