I don't know how I get so lucky, but sometimes opportunity just shows up on my doorstep. Take for example, the night I met Oscar and Emmy winner, Julian Fellowes.
My friend Regine used to be neighbors with a couple who own a catering company. That catering company often works at Markenfield Hall, a 13th Century moated manor home just outside of Ripon. The couple heard that Markenfield Hall was hosting an un-publicized Julian Fellowes talk, so they purchased 20 of the 75 tickets lickity-split. They asked Regine if she wanted two of the tickets, she took them and asked if I wanted to go with her. Duh!
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| Markenfield Hall |
For a little over an hour Julian talked about his time at a York boarding school, graduating University and deciding to become an actor, working on various shows, including Monarch of the Glen, working with Robert Altman on Gosford Park and then winning an Oscar for his first movie, writing romance books under a female pen name, and finally the creation and success of Downton Abbey. He was charming, witty, and self-deprecating; everything you want in a posh, crusty British Lord!
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| Lord and Lady Fellowes |
His wife was also a character. She wore a Christmas-y dress in the Spring and had her short, brown hair clipped willy-nilly back in three hair claws and then had a big, white scarf wrapped around her head a few times and tied at the back. It was quite a look. She and Julian clearly have been together for a long time (they have an adult son together) and she helped him fill in bits of the stories when he couldn't remember who said what, etc.
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| Regine with Lord and Lady Fellowes |
At the end of the evening, Julian signed countless books while seated in a nice, cushioned chair. Having no chair, Lady Fellowes kneeled beside him, stocking'd knees on the hard, stone floor, and held each book open for him as he signed them. (Julian had a fairly obvious hand tremor - perhaps it influenced DA's butler Carson's final few scenes?) I looked around for a chair for her, but there wasn't any. She didn't waver or complain at all, but man! her knees had to have been killing her!
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| Julian Fellowes |
In the end I walked out with a lot of respect for both Lord and Lady Fellowes… and a signed book that I hesitate to read for fear I'll crack the spine or some such thing!
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| My signed book! |
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