Happy Not to Be A Duchess

Last night, the SheMoLo gals went out for some girl time.  Lo and I weren't so much in the mood for going too fancy, so we met at my house, and went to my now go-to restaurant, BASIL, for dinner.  

The woman at the restaurant immediately recognized me, and said to Mo & Lo that I must have a lot of friends, because I keep bringing new ones in.  I told her that they all enjoy the food, too!  I didn't want her to think that I bring friends and can't bring them back because they hate it, you know, so all of you out there that I've brought to the place, go back, OK?  Anyway, Mo ordered a salad that we all enjoyed, even though I'm not really into coconut flakes on my dinner.  But it was quite tasty.  After the rest of our food arrived, the chef visited our table and mentioned to me that all of the dishes we ordered had basil in them, with a smile on his face.  He told Mo & Lo that the last time I was there was the first time they'd ever run out of basil.  That's not a bad track record for 15 years.  I was actually too full at the time to order my fried bananas, but that's OK.  They know that I'll be back!

We then drove to Pasadena, checked out the dessert menu at Roy's, then decided not to eat there because they didn't approach us at the bar area right away, and we had a movie to see.  Our movie was "The Duchess" at the Laemmle's Playhouse.  We did go to the coffee shop in the Vroman's next door, and smuggled a couple of muffins and italian sodas into the theater, which had me freaked out from the spilling danger until we sat down.

My thoughts on "The Duchess":

• Keira Knightley was outstanding 
• Ralph Fiennes needs to be in a role where I root for him, because I've only seen him as this not-so-wonderful Duke and as Voldemort lately.  I'd really like not to be scared of him or want to slap him when Joseph introduces us to each other. ;)
• I enjoyed looking at Dominic Cooper, who played Charles Grey.  (Ssshhhh, Ralph, don't tell Joe)
• Beautiful score and cinematography
• I'm really glad that I didn't live in that era, because I don't think I could handle the kind of living arrangement that the Duchess had to deal with.  WHAT was she thinking when she welcomed that woman into her home?  DUH!
• That was kind of an odd Brady Bunch of kids.
• What is up with the name "Harryo"?  For a girl, even.
• Sometimes mothers don't care about happiness as long as their social status remains.  That pisses me off.  I also noticed that the Duchess never talked to her father about anything, which makes me wonder how he would have reacted if he knew what his daughter was going through.  Although maybe he'd be just like the mom.  I don't know.
• She had a bunch of girlfriends at the beginning of the film.  Why did none of them come to visit her at her huge new home?  Perhaps this is why she goes and trusts someone she doesn't even know.
• I think I'm going to need to read this book.  The story was fascinating, and the similarities between her and Princess Diana were striking, as Mo & Lo said, and that the website also mentions.
• She had awesome dresses and hats. How in heavens name could she breathe while wearing the corsets AND hold up her head with those huge wigs and hats?!
• "Please put out Her Grace's hair."

We had a great time.  Thanks, Mo, for the great movie suggestion.  (She had not wanted to see "Secret Life of Bees" because she thought that it would be too depressing, yet there we were, crying during this movie, too.  No, not happy tears).  I'm looking forward to our next get-together.  I think we're going to be inebriated so that should be interesting.