Richard Armitage in Cold Feet + Hobbit Casting News + Newport RI Mansions + Link to Ep 1 Downton Abbey + Beautiful Disaster by aimz1012 + Capt America Director Says He Had The Best Cast Possible

RA as Lee the extremely helpful gym coach in Coldfeet...

Strike Back Ep3 Clip by TheRAFrenzy..

Following definitely one of my fav scenes - John Porter makes a promise to deliver justice

Breaking Inside by HeathDances...

Great video interview with Sean Bean about his role in Game of Thrones:

http://www.accesshollywood.com/_article_42031

Director Joe Johnston says he had a dream cast...[well, one for certain;]

>“I had thirty weeks of prep on CAPTAIN AMERICA. I have a small team of qualified, supportive, creative producers who are actually helping me achieve my vision of the film. I had a dream cast headed by Chris Evans. I had the best designers, artists, sculptors, craftspeople…a creative team that could design, build and photograph anything and have it look amazing and beautiful…

“CAPTAIN AMERICA was probably the most universally positive experience I’ve had in this mad business.<
http://www.marvelmovienews.co.uk/2011/01/captain-america-joe-johnston-talks-about-his-filming-experience/

More casting news found at following link including the fact Andy Serkis is returning as the fascinating creature Gollum.  Confess I knew nothing about Tolkien's Middle Earth prior to RA's casting as Thorin.  Subsequently happened upon LOTR and watched for the first time - out of curiosity more than anything else.  Gollum struck me as the most unique and imaginative creature out of what seemed like legions.  Doubtful many in the audience will find his large blue eyes and rivetting voice to be the most memorable among the cast this time... 

p.s. Answer to recent poll: Thorin wears a gold chain around his neck.

http://pagetopremiere.com/2011/01/ian-mckellen-and-andy-serkis-returning-for-the-hobbit/

Ian McKellen's blog: http://www.mckellen.com/cinema/hobbit-movie/index.htm

Truth can be stranger than fiction dept:

WASHINGTON – The Hubble Space Telescope got its first peek at a mysterious giant green blob in outer space and found that it's strangely alive.
The bizarre glowing blob is giving birth to new stars, some only a couple million years old, in remote areas of the universe where stars don't normally form.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110110/ap_on_sc/us_sci_space_blob
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Hmmm, what's up with Keanu Reeves and the shallow, nonsensical people in the entertainment media?  Why are they ridiculing him for growing out his hair & beard?  Did it ever dawn on them he might be preparing for an upcoming role of some sort?  IMO, the new look is downright hot on Keanu. The reporter's comment on the photo below also insinuates the actor is a closet heavy imbiber because there's wine in his glass while a water bottle sits along side.  The reporter's pea-sized brain no doubt cannot imagine why anyone would ask for a glass of wine and also a decanter of water.  All actors watch their calories, obviously Keanu is doing so as well.  Following pic is from one of their silly websites.
Look how warmly he's reacting to a young fan who's asking The Matrix star for an autograph.

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Promise of a Man by The Phylly3...

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The first ep of Downton Abbey(link below) triggered a pleasant flood of memories from a vacation at least 15yrs ago to Newport, RI.  There, in late C19,  before anti-trust laws were enacted the Vanderbilts, Astors, etc built what they referred to as their summer cottages.  These extremely wealthy merchant families lived during the Winter months usually in NYC, but once the sultry heat of summer set in they adjourned to their Newport beach houses *cough* :) where their summer social season commenced.

Fondest memory of the trip always leaves me laughing uncontrollably.  You see, we arrived in Newport quite late in the day - about 4:30pm and only one place was still conducting tours.  It was the Astor's Beechwood - I wasted no time getting in line so as not to miss it.  Hubby, our 2 children and their grandmother were not at all interested in seeing the house, so they told me to enjoy and assured me the wait would not be a problem.  I scurried along to the handsome entrance.

We were taken up a marble staircase and given details of the gorgeous, huge oil paintings along the stairs and in hallways.  After our tourguide finished describing the most stunning appointments of the house, we followed her down to the first floor ballroom.  It is huge with glistening hardwood floors, magnificent chandeliers and windows flanking the garden side of the room from floor to the very high ceiling.  I could see the blue ocean beyond the panoramic back lawn area.

Suddenly the sound of light-hearted giggling came wafting through the veranda screen doors accompanied by the muffled sound of adult conversation.  I immediately started to sidle away from the tour group toward the doors, in order to peek and see if possibly the current mansion owners might be enjoying an early dinner out there.  First glimpse and I burst into laughter, for much to my surprise, there comfortably rocking away on the long porch were hubby and his mother - while our children did cartwheels down the plushly carpeted lawn toward the sea.  haha  One of those precious memories never to be forgotten. :)

Here are links to details and photos of the historic mansions of Newport, Rhode Island

http://www.newportmansions.org/page7016.cfm

The one I'd toured - the Astor's Beechwood:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechwood_(mansion)

http://architecture.about.com/od/houses/ig/American-Mansions/Astors--Beechwood-Mansion.htm
http://www.symbolphoto.com/blog/2010/07/newport-rhode-island-mansion-wedding/
http://www.morins.com/venues/story/astors-beechwood-mansion
Of all the photos, this is the one IMO that represents the loveliness of the sumptuous architecture to be found in the above historic houses.  It's a room in Beechwood decked out for the Christmas season...

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For those who missed Ep 1, Downton Abbey it's available to watch online...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/downtonabbey_ep1.html

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How fortuitous is this event, in order to enable helpful New Zealanders to recognize a 6'2" dwarf when they see him?;)  http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/ reports that Robin Hood, series I will soon be showing in NZ.