I’m not sure how I failed to post about my love for Downton Abbey before now.

Unlike @ticktock6, I was slow to check out Downton. I started watching shortly before season 2 started airing, hurrying to watch the lovely, long episodes cut for British television. I got hooked fast.

From the storylines about sisters Mary, Edith and Sybil to gaining an understanding of how estates like Downton were kept (or not) in a family to the slow boil of the relationship between ladies’ maid Anna and Mr. Bates, I found so much to enjoy.

You can imagine how excited I was to arrive at my LA hotel and see Mr. Bates himself, Downton’s valet, at the valet.

Stunned, I said aloud, “oh Mr. Bates!”

[feel free to laugh at me–I deserve it]

It was Brendan Coyle, who plays Mr. Bates. Fortunately he was as courteous as Mr. Bates, and pointed out that his “Anna” was nearby so I also met Anna (Joanne Froggatt, or “Jo” as she so sweetly introduced herself) and Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) as they were on their way to a BAFTA pre-Emmy function.

I looked like a total slob, having just spent a few hours walking around Venice in the heat with a friend from college. Nonetheless, here are the pics we took.

PS just in case Dan Stevens (aka Matthew Crawley) is in Los Angeles for the Emmys too, I’ll try to dress better and do my hair.