Here are some questions from the Mulleavy sisters’ questionnaire — as seen in Lula number eleven — and my answers. I left out some questions if I couldn’t answer them.
If you could have anyone in the world write the first chapter of your biography, who would it be?
Vladimir Nabokov
Favourite song of all time?
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Favourite play?
Macbeth
What was your first love?
Dancing
Favourite language?
French and German are beautiful, but English has to be my favourite
Who is your most loved character in literature?
Cassandra Mortmain
Favourite place to read a book?
In a big, squashy armchair
Favourite place in N.Y?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, all of Central Park, Grand Central
Favourite colour?
Pink!
Favourite hidden treasure?
Things from my childhood I’d forgotten about
Favourite painter/painting?
The First Tutu by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Favourite thing to collect?
Journals, diaries, books, magazines, planners, sketchbooks, catalogues, paper in general
Favourite musical instrument?
The French horn
Favourite flower?
Water lilies
Favourite smell?
Philosophy’s Pure Grace, wood fires, coffee
If I gave you a medal right now, what would it be for?
Finally learning how to ask for things
Favourite texture?
To feel, puppies. In art, tulle and feathers
Favourite flavour?
Candy cane
What’s the first thing you think of when I say “red”?
Valentine’s Day cards, the ones you exchange in elementary school
Night or day?
Day
Favourite villain?
Severus Snape
Favourite artist?
George Balanchine
Molly Ringwald or Ally Sheedy?
Am I the only person alive who does not care for John Hughes films at all?
C. S. Lewis or Freud?
C. S. Lewis
Tents or motels?
Tents
Thunder or lightning?
Both!
Tea or coffee?
This is unfair, I love and need both daily
Lemon or lime?
Lemon
Monday or Friday?
Depends what I’m doing that week
February or December?
December
Christmas or Halloween?
Christmas
J. D. Salinger or Jack Kerouac?
Salinger
Hats or scarves?
Scarves
Favourite memory?
Getting Daniel Radcliffe’s autograph outside of the stage door at the Al Hirschfeld theatre
Favourite myth?
Witches
Rain or sun?
Rain
Planes or cars?
Planes
Cats or dogs?
Dogs, but I do love both
Favourite ice cream flavour?
Vanilla with candy cane and chocolate pieces (this one)
Favourite city?
New York City
Favourite joke?
Anything from The Office
Ice cream or sorbet?
Ice cream
Favourite fun fair ride of all time?
Chair-O-Planes
Favourite sidekick?
Hermione Granger
What characteristics do you most envy in others?
Calm, patience, decisiveness, security, fearlessness
If you could fly, where is the first place you would go?
London
Have you ever won a medal or prize, if so what?
Honour Roll
What is your secret dream?
If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret...
Favourite season?
Christmas — it’s practically its own season, right? November to January. But if I have to choose a non-retail season, autumn
What is your greatest love?
Imagination
Do you have a planned escape route?
Insanity
What was the last thing that you learned?
I didn’t know what the proper name for my favourite fun fair ride was, so Wikipedia told me
Favourite currency?
Good deeds
Favourite imaginary place?
Hogwarts
Favourite planet?
Earth!
Favourite children’s book?
Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes. I also love Madeline — and I don’t consider Harry Potter a children’s book, otherwise I’d have said that first
Favourite candy?
Candy cane bark. Third time I’ve answered candy cane! Christmas really is my season.
