I'm watching a movie that depicts a time in history when, among other things, people still got dressed up to visit each other in the evening and listen to a radio program. The movie is Ladies in Lavender, starring the incomparable Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, among others. The climax of the young violinist playing to overwhelming acclaim is amazing -- the sophisticated audience in London gives him a standing ovation, and the audience of village folk, dressed in their Sunday best, listening in the living room in Cornwall is no less enthusiastic.

Nowadays we just throw on a pair of clean jeans and go hang out with our friends. And we don't just listen to music -- we have to do other things at the same time or be entertained by watching something on TV. The kind of evening depicted in this movie doesn't happen any longer.

If you're into British movies, Ladies in Lavender is a keeper. The scenery alone is amazing -- makes me want to plan a vacation to Cornwall right away!

- Catherine