Viewers everywhere else in the world have fallen in love with the fabulous Brit series Downton Abbey.  Even Will and Kate are fans.

Alas, it isn’t on any TV schedules in our neck of the woods, so is only available on DVD through Amazon.

It is FAB-U-LOUS.

Set in post-Edwardian England, it tells the story of the the Earl of Grantham and his family: wife Countess Cora, daughters Lady Mary, Edith and Sybil, and the many staff to run the gorgeous home the series is named for (actually Highclere Castle).

Because inheritance is only through the male line, the Earl’s daughters will not keep the estate or money after his death.

Enter The Heir…

The Crawley sisters: Lady Sybil, Mary and Edith

Before you pooh-pooh it as an inaccessible, somber period piece, wait!

It moves quickly and it’s easy to get totally engrossed in it.  We watched 4 episodes back-to-back and would have continued, except it was late.

It’s gorgeous to look at.  The storylines are absorbing and accesible.  The writing deft and light.  The characters are easy to like or dislike.  The sets – the interiors, the clothes – are all stunning.

The Earl and Countess Grantham in the delicious drawing room

There’s swoony love, there’s high and low drama, there’s humour and wit, there’s compassion, and there’s fine acting.  (Maggie Smith – doughty and hilarious!)

It’s the stuff my fantasies are made of – a truly fabulous ‘house’, divine interiors, gorgeous clothes, attractive heroes, nasty villains.

The Heir: Matthew Crawley

It’s not fuddy duddy ye-olde-worlde at all.

While it portrays the lives of the aristocracy and the serving staff of the time, it really is about the human relationships and the stories.  Although the serving staff are below stairs, they have a rigid social structure and rules too, and of course, have dreams, feelings and disappointments.  The writing is so good that you move between the worlds without even noticing, and get attached to characters, whether or not you like them.

the staff

As my nephew described it ‘olden days Gossip Girl‘, which is a perfect description!

Amazingly, it’s all the work of Julian Fellowes (who wrote Gosford Park) and is not an adaptation of anything.  Hence the very modern pace and storytelling.

Sadly, as it’s a British series, it’s only 7 episodes (at the cost of a million pounds per episode and when you watch it, you’ll see why) and series 2 will air in the UK soon.  That’s another 8 episodes.

I can hardly wait.

I LOVED this!

Trailer here

Gifted story tellers are magicians.

I’m not fussed if the stories are short, or long, but the ability to weave a spell, transport you, take you from beginning to end, hold your attention, capture your imagination – that’s a wonderful talent.

Philips recently ran a competition in conjunction with Ridley Scott to find filmmakers who are adept story tellers.

The rules were that entries must have exactly 6 lines of dialogue, and could be no longer than 3 minutes.

Here’s the grand prize winner – Porcelain Unicorn by Keegan Wilson.

Compelling, moving, and complete.

Check out the other winning entries here

When you’ve spent too long navel-gazing, or had your head down so deep in work that you forget to look up;  when you’re wrapped up in your own problems and feel sorry for yourself, I, Dr G, prescribe an hour with Planet Earth to remind you how lucky we are for our amazing planet and to give you some perspective.

This multi award-winning, absolutely stunning documentary series by the BBC took over 4 years to make.  Incredible breathtaking photography, coupled with intimate stories of multiple species, the series gives you a glimpse of life on earth for our co-inhabitants.  Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of our planet.

I loved the section on the different types of Birds of Paradise and their various stunning mating rituals.  Or the slow-mo of the Great White Shark eating the baby seal (eek).   Or the Emperor Penguins and their hatchlings.

Lest you forget how precious our planet is, how bountiful, how diverse, make sure you watch this series on BBC Knowledge, Thursday nights at 9.05pm from March 31 for 11 weeks.

The BBC deserves its reputation for awesome natural history documentaries, and I use awesome here in the full sense of the word.  This is in a league of its own.

You’ll never get to see the planet quite like this.

Recently at ArtStage Singapore, I got totally spooked out by a life-sized sculpture made using photos: it was so realistic, yet alien.

I came across Bert Simons, who does heads using clay sculptures, covered with photo images, using a 3D program.  Really lifelike.

We never see ourselves in 3D.  Imagine being able to look at your own face – and the back of your head, and the view of your head side on…how cool would that be?  Yet at the same time, spooky.

Check out Bert’s model of himself and how he did it here.

Get ready to have your mind blown open by the vision of some spectacular artists.

New this year is Art Stage Singapore, held 12-16 Jan, at the Marina Bay Sands Exhibition and Convention Centre.  Billed as ‘an international art event’, and directed by the ex-director of the Basel Art Fair, this aims to put Singapore on the international art market/connoisseurs map.

The main exhibition, the fair itself at MBS, will host hundreds of ‘name’ galleries from around the world, showing thousands of paintings.  I can’t wait to see these pieces -

"Cathedral" David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle Cathedral 2007 Chromogenic Print 182.88 X 246.38 cm Courtesy de Sarthe Fine Art / © David LaChapelle

Geraldine Javier's almost gothic "Eyerollercoaster"

Geraldine Javier Eyerollercoaster 2009 Oil, preserved Walking Stick, embroidery using human hair, and textile on canvas 60 x 90 inches (diptych) Courtesy Arario Gallery/ Geraldine Javier

this mind-boggling piece by Matthew Carver - "Fumio and his doppelganger.."

courtesy Matthew Carver and Galerie Caprice Horn

All the works shown at the fair are for sale, so get your platinum cards ready.

Entry to the fair is $30 for a day pass, with some concession rates.

A special show Collectors Stage, will be held 14-17 Feb at various venues.  This is really cool – a chance to see pieces that are owned by collectors around the region.  Short of being invited into their homes you probably wouldn’t get to see these pieces.

Look at this fabulous piece by Agus Suwage, owned by Mr Deddy Kusuma

"Luxury Crime"

and Jane Lee’s fabulous piece, owned by Jackson See

detail from "Raw Canvas" by Jane Lee

Jane Lee (Singapore) Raw Canvas 2008 935 cm x 716 cm x 10 cm Acrylic paint on canvas Courtesy Jackson See/ Jane Lee

I’m so excited to attend to be able to be inspired by some amazing art, and expect my head to explode with all sorts of styles, techniques and approaches.  I hope this event lives up to expectations and becomes an annual fixture.

Around the time of the fair, accompanying events and exhibitions will be held at various venues around the island, some free.  Lots of stuff going on – more detail here

Taksu Gallery in Chip Bee will feature 8 contemporary artists, including one of my faves, Agathe de Baillencourt.

Malaysian artist Fauzulyusri is one of the featured artists at Taksu

local artist Ng Joon Kiat will also be on show at Taksu