Fanciful Forks

In getting ready for our Box Hill Picnic on August 15, here is a nod to the Strawberry Fork. Also known as a berry fork, this utensil was designed for the eating and serving of strawberries.

Meet "Fanny Dashwood" with JASNA-NY

Harriet Walter, the distinguished British actress who created the nose-twisting, absolutely infuriating role of Fanny Dashwood in the acclaimed 1995 film adaptation of Sense & Sensibility, has graciously accepted our invitation to come talk with us about her extensive and fascinating preparation for the part.

Currently appearing on Broadway as Queen Elizabeth in the critically lauded production of Schiller's Mary Stuart, her free time is limited and precious. When she learned of our special interest in "her" Fanny Dashwood, she offered to share with us notes she wrote in preparing for her performance. No stranger to Austen's work, Ms Walter has recorded Lady Susan, Mansfield Park and some of the Austen Juvenilia. Fans of the television series based upon Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels will recall her fondly as Harriet Vane.

What was it like to play the righteous (and grasping) villainess of an Austen film adaptation? What was her "take" on one of the most memorable conversations of any Austen novel as Fanny talks her husband out of a deathbed pledge to his father to take care of his half sisters?

Date and time: Friday, July 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Location: Scandinavia House 58 Park Avenue at 38th Street

Fee: $10 (to cover the cost of room rental)

For more information: click on the JASNA-NY link to the left

Where’s Where in Jane Austen’s Novels

Mansfield Park map: http://www.jasna.org/info/images/map-mp-1200.jpg A great way to explore a novel, especially one so diverse in geography...

New Fanfiction coming in August

Sourcebooks Landmark announced a major new release by the popular author of Mr. Darcy’s Diary, Amanda Grange entitled Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, available August 11th. It is a continuation of Pride and Prejudice after the wedding, and may explain some of Mr. Darcy’s cold and distant noble mien in the original novel.

Preparing for the AGM: The Hotel

". . . they were now safely lodged in perfect bliss . . ."
The Philadelphia AGM will be held at The Sheraton Society Hill Hotel, situated in the United States' most historic square mile. The cobblestone streets and beautiful Federal homes and mansions that surround the hotel will appeal to JASNA members and only add to the pleasure they derive from "all things Jane." Within walking distance of the hotel are Independence Hall, Betsy Ross's House, the National Constitution Center, and many other historic sites. After a short cab trip or subway ride—or long walk—the attendee can visit such sights as The Rodin Museum, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, or the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, dine in the best restaurants, and shop for the finest lace.

Room Reservations: The JASNA room rate is $199 per night, plus 14% city and state tax, for up to 4 people from October 4 through October 14, 2009. Call 800.325.3535 or 215.238.6000 to make reservations, and ask for the conference rate for the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).

JA's Novels on audiobooks

JASNA-Vermont had a recent post of interest worth sharing: " Silksoundbooks is a collaboration of English and American actors who came together and decided to record their favourite literature for you to enjoy. Headed by Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean / Love Actually / Underworld), many of the artists involved believe so much in the project, that they have waived performance fees in favour of taking shares in the company.
Unlike some audio book download websites, we record all our audio books in the leading recording studios in London and New York, with some of the most experienced directors from the worlds of radio, TV & film…… we are sure you will hear the difference!
We started this project with one simple aim – to deliver great quality audio books to you at great value – Just $14.95 each! Enjoy!" Silksoundbooks.com

Further reading: an article in The Guardian when the site was first launched; and another at Timeout.com

New Lady Susan

A new book about Lady Susan is coming out soon. Here is a synopsis from the publisher's website, written by a fellow Jersey Janeite: A delightful interpretation of Jane Austen’s early novella Lady Susan–a treat for fans of literature’s most beloved woman of letters, as well as historical fiction readers.

Jane Austen’s novella Lady Susan was written during the same period in which she produced Elinor and Marianne. Like Elinor and Marianne, Lady Susan focused on the economic and romantic plights of two heroines displaced when the family home passes to an unworthy heir; but while Elinor and Marianne was revised and happily expanded to become Sense and Sensibility, Lady Susan was abandoned. Until now.

In Lady Susan and Her Daughter, Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway have taken letters from this novella and transformed them into to a vivid, authentic, and more recognizably “Austen” milieu. Lady Susan and her daughter must navigate a society where a woman’s security is at the mercy of an entail, where love is hindered by misunderstanding, where marriage can never be entirely isolated from money, and yet romance somehow carries the day.

Vanilla-Caramel Ice Cream

Tickle your taste buds with this cool, smooth frozen treat infused with black tea—ideal for a lazy summer afternoon outdoors.
Vanilla-Caramel Ice Cream
Makes about 2 quarts
4 cups half-and-half1 cup sugar5 bags vanilla-caramel black tea*1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved2 (12.25-ounce) jars prepared caramel topping, divided12 egg yolks1 (4-ounce) box chocolate dessert shells**Garnish: white and dark chocolate curls
1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the half-and-half, sugar, tea bags, seeds from scraped vanilla bean, and 1 jar prepared caramel topping. Heat until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat. Let steep 5 minutes; remove tea bags.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Using a ladle, pour 1 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture in a slow, steady stream into the beaten yolks, whisking constantly. Slowly add a second cup of half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Transfer the yolk half-and-half mixture back to saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, or until mixture reaches 180° on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a stainless-steel bowl set in an ice bath. Stir frequently.
5. Freeze the custard in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Before transferring the ice cream to the freezer to set, swirl in the remaining jar of caramel topping.
6. To serve, scoop ice cream into chocolate dessert shells. Garnish with dark and white chocolate curls, if desired.
*For testing purposes, our kitchen used Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea.
**For testing purposes, our test kitchen used Bissinger’s Dessert Shells.

From Teatime Magazine

Pride and Prejudice Tours available

We thought you might like to know about our P&P tours of all the filming locations used by the BBC in the 1995 Colin Firth P&P.

We have a tour planned in September (14th to 17th) just before the Jane Austen festival in Bath, and we are now finalising dates for 2010.

Please let us know if there are dates which you may be coming to the UK for JA events next year and we will try to fit around these. We need 10 people to make a tour viable. The tours are fairly academic in content (we have a JA expert and international JA author on the tours) and we have unique access to venues. See us at http://www.pandptours.co.uk/

Celebration of Patrick O'Brian - April 2010

Cruise in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar

An advert on the extreme right-hand column of p. 7 of Sunday, May 31st of the New York Times Book Review may cause an increase in the pitter-patter of pulse and evoke the redolence of salt air, especially if you joined us in enjoying Brian Lavery's lecture at The Yacht Club to JASNA-NY and The Georgian Society on "Life in Nelson's Navy" last week, but certainely if the Aubrey-Maturin novels retain a cherished chamber of your literary heart.I am assured that hammocks may be swung (and Marazine pills will be available for landlubbers whose sea legs are not yet fully developed).

If you are interested contact the Annemarie Victory Organization at 212-486-0353 or at http://us.mc1114.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=amvorg@aol.com or check their website http://www.annemarievictory.com/

Cheers (or Ahoy!!)
Submitted by Janeite Elsa of JASNA-NY.

Jane Austen Society UK in Bermuda

Bermuda Conference

The Jane Austen Society (U.K.) is hosting a conference next May in Bermuda : "Jane Austen: The Bermuda Connection." Reservations are now being accepted; the registration deadline is August 15, 2009.
http://www.janeaustensoci.freeuk.com/pages/bermuda_summary.htm

Members of JASNA are invited to attend. When the JAS hosted a Bermuda conference a few years ago, several JASNA members participated and reported that it was a lovely event in a beautiful location.

Box Hill Picnic-August 15 Hold The Date!

"The wretchedness of a scheme to Box Hill was in Emma’s thoughts all the evening. How it might be considered by the rest of the party, she could not tell. They, in their different homes, and their different ways, might be looking back on it with pleasure; but in her view it was a morning more completely misspent, more totally bare of rational satisfaction at the time, and more to be abhorred in recollection, than any she had ever passed." - Emma, Jane Austen, Chapter 44

Revolutionary War/Colonial Day in HoHoKus

Family Program: Revolutionary War/Colonial Day
Saturday, June 20, 1-4 p.m.
Admission to this one-day event, which also includes access to the inside of the Hermitage Museum , is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-12, and free for children under age 6. Parking is free.
http://www.thehermitage.org/CalendarPage.html

THE HERMITAGE: The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark, is located on five acres of lawn shaded by centuries-old trees. The site is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The fourteen-room Gothic Revival home was built in 1847-48 from designs by William H. Ranlett for Elijah Rosencrantz Jr. The house incorporates portions of a historic 18th-century house.

Colin Firth DVD coming out soon

Colin Firth is starring in a new movie with Kirsten Scott-Thomas called Easy Virtue. For more information: http://easyvirtuethemovie.co.uk/

Thanks Janeite Barbara for the tip. :)

Persuasions #30

Persuasions Number 30 was mailed in April and should be in everyone's hands by now. A small number of copies seem to have lost their plastic wrapper and went astray. If you have not yet received Persuasions 30, please contact Bobbie Gay (at hettyb@comcast.net) for a replacement copy.

JASNA-NY newsletter posted

The Summer, 2009 issue of the region's newsletter is on the website. To read it just click on www.jasnany.org/newsletters/Summer2009color.pdf.

Our newsletter is also posted--please follow the link to the left.

June Wallpaper

Looking back at Ackermann's Repository. The original Ackermann's Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c. was published monthly from 1809-1829 and featured a pair of fashion plates in addition to other illustrations and articles covering a variety of topics. These delicate aquatint illustrations and lovely fashions continue to delight and inspire us two hundred years later.

Throughout 2009, new desktop wallpapers will be posted each month showcasing two fashion plates: one from 1809 and the other from a different year during Jane Austen's lifetime. Enjoy a year-long tour through this popular late Georgian-Regency publication!
http://www.solitary-elegance.com/