Downton Abbey Withdrawals

This week, I'm missing Downton Abbey like crazy. It's brilliantly cruel for the producers to give us seven weeks of bliss and then make us wait a whole year for season three. I mean, really. But, in the meantime, I've been revisiting some of my favorite Lady Violet moments in the series. Throughout season one, she was hardly my favorite character, despite her witty and snarky comments. But by the time season two rolled around, I found my appreciation for Lady Violet's dry sense of humor increasing. So here's to Lady Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham.



Lady Violet: "You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming zeal."
Lady Isobel Crawley: "I take that as a compliment."
Lady Violet: "I must have said it wrong."

Lady Cora: "Are we to be friends then?"
Lady Violet: "We are allies, my dear, which can be a good deal more effective."

Lady Violet: "Well give him a date for when Mary is out of mourning. No one wants to kiss a girl in black."

Lady Violet: "Your quarrel is with my daughter, Rosamund, and not with me. So put that in your pipe and smoke it."

Lady Cora: "I might send Mary over to visit my aunt. She could get to know New York."
Lady Violet: "Oh, I don't think things are quite that desperate."

Lady Violet: "Why would you want to go to a real school? You're not a doctor's daughter."
Sybil: "Nobody learns anything from a governess, apart from French and how to curtsy."
Lady Violet: "What else do you need? Are you thinking of a career in banking?"
Lady Cora: "Things are different in America."
Lady Violet: "I know. They live in wigwams."

And, the general favorite:

"What is a weekend?"

Breakfast Smoothie

So here's the thing. Last semester, I had late classes. My first class every day was at eleven o'clock. Every day. I would wake up around eight o'clock, take my own sweet time getting ready, make a scrumptious breakfast, and get started on some homework. Suffice it to say, I got spoiled. It was quite a shock to come back to this semester and get into the routine of nine o'clocks again. Granted, nine o'clocks are worlds better than the dreaded eight o'clock classes, but when you're used to eleven o'clocks, any earlier feels like a great hardship. Like I said, spoiled.

With this new absence of extra time in the morning, I have been forced to reevaluate my breakfast choices. My routine has become cereal, which is awful. I mean, I enjoy my Special K vanilla almond flakes, but after day eight you just need something else. So, rather than spend fifteen minutes making eggs and biscuits every morning, I have stumbled upon another idea. And let me tell you, it is a winner. I've been making these smoothies for years, but I believe I have perfected the (very uncomplicated) recipe. Cheers.

Breakfast Smoothie

- 3/4 cup frozen fruit (you can use tropical fruit or mixed berries)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (you can get this in different flavors if you so desire)
- 1 cup v8 fruit juice (cranberry juice, orange juice, use your imagination)
- 1 banana

Throw all ingredients in the blender, push the button, turn the knob (you know, whatever makes the machine start whizzing around everywhere). Give it about thirty seconds and you're set. Grab a glass and a straw and enjoy your insanely healthy and unbelievably quick breakfast.

And if you're feeling kinda fancy, these add-ins give it a little punch:
- 1/8 cup shredded coconut
- 2 TBSP. honey