Downton Dolls

Well, of course someone cooked up Downton Abbey paper dolls just in time for Sunday's season 2 finale. We can hear Granny now, "I forbid it!" There are four PDFs with funny details. Click through to New York magazine. Not into playing with paper dolls? Collage, anyone?

For more Downton Abbey enjoyment, tweeters can follow Laurel Ann (Austenprose) who co-hosts a Twitter party for Masterpiece/PBS. You might also want to follow Lady Mary's Eyebrows & O'Brien's Bangs (yes, we are serious, but they are not:)

ciao-pip-pip-meow/GGCM

(photograph detail via Masterpiece/PBS)

Mad Men Fashion Flipbook

We're going through withdrawal! Presently we're listening to Season 3 commentary. (Next up: Season 4 commentary is recently available via Netflix in America & Canada.) A quick trip to AMC's Mad Men site is fun. There are games, trivia quizzes & videos. If that seems a bit much, a quick trip through the (fairly) new fashion flipbook is amusing. Janie Bryant comments on some of her favorite outfits & characters. For an inspired Mad Men menu, hop over to the funny Ezra Pound Cake. We're making two recipes for the upcoming holiday weekend.

ciao-meow/GG MM Central

(photograph via Lionsgate)

Sunday Diversion - Upstairs Downstairs

A new series with a familiar name begins tonight in the States: Upstairs Downstairs. In case you've been hiding under a rock (listen up, Mia aka Bronx Zoo Cobra), the series is related to the venerable old show in that 165 Eaton Place is the center of the action & co-creator Jean Marsh is involved. Unrelated to the original series: there's a monkey named Solomon. Giulia can hardly wait for this simian storyline.

Here's a review/recap by Jane Austen World. If you'd like to attend the Twitter Party, click on Jane Austen Today (or just log on & use the hashtag UpDownPBS). Tweeting begins at 9pm EDT. These people are hilarious if you just want to laugh at one-liners. GG's editor isn't modern enough to watch & tweet simultaneously. Ahem.

ciao-pip-pip-meow, darlings.

(photograph via PBS Masterpiece)

Sunday Styles

What to choose what to choose: Golden Globe nuttiness or Downton Abbey. Oof. Have a little fun & dress up for the Golden Globes via E's Rock Your Red Carpet game. You'll see that Giulia's editor chose a classic look. (Some would say boring; we say 'keep it to yerself') And who are we with? A relation by law -- see Downton Abbey, these things used to be much more important. No we're not telling you who but he is very cool & will be at the Golden Globes ce soir.

ciao-sparkly-meow/GG Sunday Central

(lovely Romy Schneider via gala(dot)fr)

30 Rock Live

If you're in the States, don't forget that 30 Rock is live tonight (here's the "live episode page."We love Tina Fey's Liz Lemon. First up, those of us in the East. And yes, this was a bit of an excuse to show this cute Cig Harvey photograph via Joanna at A Cup of Jo. Joanna & lil Toby have colds & are under-the-weather. Send them some purrs & bonjours.

ciao-cheeky-meow/GG's editor

Picnic on Box Hill

Refreshingly pretty images for a hot July Monday (although the idea of wearing the clothes in hot weather is another matter entirely). If you haven't seen the "new" Emma on PBS, you really should catch it (the links have re-run schedules). The two-part program was nominated for several Emmy Awards for good reason. The Emma site is great fun. Take the Bachelors of Highbury Quiz. We are not satisfied with our first run-through, so we'll try again; of course, we prefer Mr. Knightley--who else?

Jane Austen Today & AustenBlog are two favorite (of several) Jane Austen sites. In case you're thinking that they are prissy & pursed mouth affairs, you are quite mistaken. Good humor (& a good dose of cheekiness) is the hallmark of these informative, charming, & well-written blogs.

Also, have a look at Hats and Laces. It has wonderful images of all fashion periods, including Regency. It beats washing the kitchen floor, no? Especially since GG refuses to do any sort of housework. She was keen at first, but then became bored. Perhaps Emma has been an influence in this regard. Oh dear. Have a wonderful Monday.

ciao-meow/GG Central

[PBS Emma images via Jane Austen World]

Tonight on 60 Minutes - Congo Gold

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Five million people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a war fueled primarily from gold mined in the country by warlords. Scott Pelley reports. 60 Minutes, Sunday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m. ET/PT.

We'll update the link with the full story as it becomes available. Enough Project's Raise Hope for Congo page for additional information & actions you can take, here.

[photograph by PHGCOM via wikimedia commons]

60 Minutes: Search for Jacob

Giulia's friend Ashis Brahma is in this report from two years ago. Ashis' web site link is at the bottom of this page in our favorite links. John Prendergast of the Enough Project is also in the story. Enough Project link is also on our site. As Scott Pelley says...it hardly seems possible that the genocide is in its sixth year.