Month: June 2012

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Bookish Confessions

Fellow bibliophiles, is there anything about your reading life you’re embarrassed to admit?  Today’s the day I’m admitting to my bookish confessions.  Feel free to join in!

1) I can’t pronounce the word “library.”  This is REALLY embarrassing for me, considering how much time I spend there.  Every so often I get it right, completely by accident, but at least 95% of the time it comes out “li-berry,” or sometimes just “libry.”  I have no idea why.  In college all the cool kids shortened “library” to “libe,” which really worked for me.  I was able to get through four years of “hitting the libe” without anyone knowing that the word “library” gives me fits.  And now I’ve told the Internets.

2) I’ve never been able to bring myself to read Lolita or The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay because I’m a lepidopterophobe.  Any book that involves butterflies or moths as a major plot point just sounds way too scary for me.

3) I’ve read six of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, but I’ve never admitted it on Goodreads… or to anyone without swearing them to secrecy.  I even had a favorite: Voyager.  I have not actually read beyond A Breath of Snow and Ashes, so I think I may have kicked the habit.  I’m no book snob, but I’m pretty embarrassed that there was once a time that I was completely obsessed with Jamie Fraser.

4) I have a small-but-growing collection of Angelina Ballerina books.  And they’re not relics from childhood; I actually purchased them as an adult.  With money I earned as a lawyer.  Yep.  (I just love the illustrations so much – the sweet details, the soft colors and the cute little mice.)  But I hid the books at one point so a houseguest wouldn’t come across them, and now I can’t find them.  And yes, I am actively searching for them.  For the baby, of course.  (Okay, okay, for me.)

5) I have routinely bought books based on seeing Rory Gilmore read them on “Gilmore Girls.”  (For instance, I started reading the Jeeves books after Rory told Richard that she was “very into P.G. Wodehouse.”)  MANY of the books on my shelves were Rory “recommendations.”  And not just books.  I own a “Reading is Sexy” t-shirt that I saw Rory wear and then simply had to have.  (What?  Reading is sexy.)

There, now you know my secrets, so tell me one of yours.  It’s only fair.

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THE SPELLMAN FILES

Isabel (“Izzy”) Spellman is a private investigator because it’s all she knows how to do (aside from drink, that is).  Raised from early childhood to enter the family business, Spellman Investigations, Izzy resents her career but can’t really picture her life without it.  The same goes for her family – bosses Mom and Dad, lawyer brother David (hobbies include being perfect, negotiations, having perfect hair, and being perfect), little sister Rae (hobbies include eating copious amounts of sugar and sneaking out of the house to conduct “recreational surveillance” on strangers) and drunk Uncle Ray. 

Recovering from an adolescence filled with marijuana use and “creative vandalism” alongside her best friend, Petra, Izzy is now a slightly more mature 28-year-old who has (more or less) accepted her lot in life and her nutty family – until she snaps, having grown tired of Mom and Dad tracking her in an effort to find out the details about her new boyfriend.  Having had enough, Izzy turns in her notice and is told that she can quit after she solves a 15-year-old disappearance which her parents believe to be an impossibly cold case.  Izzy, however, isn’t deterred.  She agrees to work on the case for four months, during which time she begins to believe it can be solved.  But as Izzy closes in on her quarry, someone much closer to her disappears and the family begins to unravel.

I’d heard The Spellman Files described as “Harriet the Spy for adults.”  Since I loved “Harriet the Spy” I was all in.  Reviews were mixed on Goodreads, but I can honestly say that I really, really enjoyed reading about the crazy Spellmans – most of all the charming, maddening little Rae.  They have more than their share of issues – this is one dysfnctional family – but underneath the surveillance, the taillight-smashing, the room-bugging and the lock-picking, this is a family that really loves one another.  Every character is deeply flawed, but none in such a way as to make them unsympathetic.  Izzy, described by one of her short-lived dates as “a cross between Dirty Harry and Nancy Drew,” is the obvious star of the book, but she can only be who she is because of Mom and Dad, David, Petra, Uncle Ray and especially little Rae.

The main complaint about The Spellman Files (at least, among Goodreads reviewers) seems to be that the plot really only starts to move about halfway through the book.  That’s true – the first part of the book is heavy on character development, light on plot.  I have two things to say about this: first, this is the first book in a series and series authors always get off to a slow start while they set up multi-book storylines and introduce supporting characters; and second, I have a high tolerance for character development and for me, these characters were entertaining enough that I was perfectly happy to read their backstories for half the novel.  I do hear that the plots start moving much more quickly in subsequent books, which is great, but I wasn’t bothered by the slower pace of this one at all.

Great literature The Spellman Files is most certainly not.  But what it is… is pure, riotous, car-chasing, background-checking fun.  I’d recommend The Spellman Files to anyone looking for a light summer read or wanting to check out mentally and spend a few hours with a truly nutty family (and trust me, yours won’t seem so bad after you read about Izzy’s parents bugging her apartment).  I’ll be seeking out the rest of the books in this series.

I am submitting this review to the What’s In A Name? challenge hosted by Beth Fish Reads, in the category “Something in a pocket, purse or backpack.” 

Get the book!  The Spellman Files, by Lisa Lutz (not an affiliate link)

(Image Source)

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Asian Noodles with Cabbage

I did it!  I cooked!  I cooked like I used to cook – dreamed up a dish and set about throwing it together in the kitchen.  It’s been awhile.  I’ve been relying a lot (too much, maybe) on old staples like pasta with beans and goat cheese, Field Roast sausages, veggie-and-hummus snack plates, or big salads for dinner – all stuff that gets the job done, but dullsville and not really blogable.  It’s just been a challenge to get into the kitchen lately.  I’m completely wiped out when I get home from work, and all I want to do is lay on the couch with a book and shout out a running commentary on baby kicks.

But I was sick of relying on the easy staples and – although he’s far too nice to say so – I suspect hubby was too.  So last night I resolved to get my butt into the kitchen and create something new, something we could really enjoy.  This meal did the trick.  It was easy, packed with protein from the edamame and with nutrients from the carrots and cabbage, and with the wonderful rich flavor of tamari, which I just love.  I felt good eating it, and good after I finished, and I enjoyed every bite.  It turns out this meal isn’t just a flash in the pan (pun intended); I’m already planning out when I can have it again.  It’s going into my regular rotation… and maybe it will even inspire me to get back in the kitchen and whip up some new dishes on a more frequent basis.

Asian Noodles with Cabbage

Handful of udon noodles (or sub soba noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti)
5 carrots, peeled and grated
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coleslaw mix (or sub finely shredded cabbage)
1 cup shelled frozen edamame
1 teaspoon Seaweed Gomasio (or sub white sesame seeds)
Salt and pepper
Several dashes tamari (or sub soy sauce)

  • Heat a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Salt generously and add udon noodles.  Cook according to package directions (mine called for 8-10 minutes at a low boil).
  • While udon noodles are cooking, heat a few dashes of olive oil in a separate nonstick pan until shimmering.  Add carrots, coleslaw mix, and edamame.  Season lightly with a sprinkle of salt (go easy on the salt though) and pepper, and saute until wilted down and until the edamame are warmed through.
  • Add Seaweed Gomasio and a few dashes of tamari to taste.  Continue cooking veggies over medium heat until the udon noodles are done.
  • Drain the udon noodles, then add to the pan with the vegetables.  Toss to combine well and taste for seasoning.  Add more tamari if necessary.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a chilled Asian pasta salad.

Source: Covered In Flour

Serves 2 as a main course, 4-6 as a side.

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But Where Will the Books Go?

When you’re as nutty for books as I am, you tend to accumulate them without even realizing it.  My collection grew from one tall bookshelf in my childhood bedroom to three tall bookshelves… and spilling over… today.  For years I’ve been perfectly content to live amongst heaps of books – books stacked double on my shelves – books on my nightstand and under my bed – books coming out of every odd place imaginable.

Over the past two years, hubby and I have implemented a temporary solution to the book creep.  This is the room that we have been fondly calling “the bookroom” up until now.

(In my head I picture the room from The Little Bookroom, one of my favorite kids’ books – and source of many of the bedtime stories that made me the most popular babysitter in my neighborhood when I was 16 – and although the reality is both less romantic and less dusty than the book, it’s still a fun place to hang out.  With less sneezing – bonus.)

But all that has to change.  In a few short months, “the bookroom” will be dismantled, on its way to becoming “the nursery.”

Cue panic.  Anyone remember the episode of “Friends” where Monica and Chandler are discussing their efforts to have a baby?  Monica starts “reassuring” Chandler by telling him that when the baby arrives, there will be so much they can’t control, like: “What if the baby gets into the ribbon drawer?  Messes up all the ribbons?!  What if there’s no room for a ribbon drawer, because the baby’s stuff takes up all the space!? Where will all the ribbons go!?!”

Imagine the same level of panic in my voice as I realize that we have to clear out the bookroom.  WHERE WILL ALL THE BOOKS GO?!?!?!

Go ahead and laugh, but this is a problem of some magnitude.  My book collection is pretty ridiculous; the three bookshelves I have right now are practically buckling under its weight as it is.  (And that’s not counting hubby’s book collection, which takes up two of his own shelves in our den.)  And the bookshelves I have don’t really match any of my other furniture.  I know, who cares, right?  But I’ve actually spent money and effort in trying to make sure that my house looks like adults live in it – in contrast to my first apartment, which looked like hobos… or frat boys… or hobo frat boys… were squatting there.  So it’s my strong preference to not destroy that hard work by moving shelves into a room where they clearly don’t belong or look good.

Here are a couple of the less-than-perfect solutions I’ve come up with:

1) Move the bookshelves into my second guest bedroom as a temporary solution.  Eventually install built-in shelves and use the second guest room as permanent book storage.

(Problem with this: Out of sight, out of mind.  The odds of me actually installing built-in shelves in a rarely used room, sometime within the next ten years, are pretty slim.  Meanwhile, the shelves really won’t look good in there.  So I’ll have an unfortunate-looking room that won’t really get any better for a long time, which I will proceed to actively hate on but do nothing to improve.  Plus, if we have another kid sometime down the road, the second guestroom will have to make way for that kid.  And then the books will be homeless again.)

2) Move one shelf into my main guestroom and put the other two in the basement.  Edit down my collection severely and put the rest of the books in storage.

(Problem with this: The main guestroom only will fit one shelf as it’s currently configured; it’s a big room but that’s just the way it’s laid out – there’s not much wall space that doesn’t involve a picture window or a large closet, and it’s all in use already.  And editing down my collection is not a good option.  I’ve only got about two-thirds of my total book collection out as it is.)

3) Reconfigure the furniture arrangement in the main guest bedroom.  Specifically, I could move the TV out of the main guest bedroom and set up the bookshelves where the TV was.  Nobody watches the TV in there, because I lost the remote years ago.  (Sorry to all of my houseguests.)  The shelves aren’t a perfect match in that room, but they would look better there than anywhere else and be a not-horrible temporary solution.

(Problem with this: I don’t know where the TV would go.  I store all of my unused stuff – which isn’t much stuff; I’m a minimalist in everything except books and perfume – in the basement.  But I’m a little weirded out by the idea of electronics going in the basement, especially if we have another flood.  Still, this might be the best solution, if I can find an acceptable place to store the TV.)

4) Buy a couple of new bookshelves that will complement my bedroom furniture and move as many of the books as possible in there, then pack away the rest.

(Problem with this: ‘Spensive.  I have cribs and strollers to buy, and daycare to pay for.  Plus I’ll still have to whittle the collection down a little bit.  And having my books in my bedroom… well, my motivation to actually visit other rooms will shoot way down if that ever happens.  It’s already a little too comfy in there.)

Long-term, what I’d really love to do is install built-in shelves in the living room.  I love, love, LOVE the way built-ins look, and I think they’d be a perfect backdrop for my piano, which I’m hoping to move down from New York before baby’s appearance.  (Not to mention a temptingly convenient place for my books to live.)  But installing built-ins is a long way off.  As much as I’d love to, I don’t think either hubby or I is confident enough to take on a task of that magnitude, and paying someone for a big project like that – a project which isn’t strictly necessary – isn’t really in the baby-on-board budget.

Bottom line, the books need somewhere to go, and I really don’t want that somewhere to be “in storage.”  Especially not when I have space to spare in the house.  I want the baby to grow up surrounded by books, like hubby and I did.  In the meantime, I’m still trying to figure out where I can put these displaced books so that they’re out of baby’s way, but still easily accessible to me.

Any ideas for me?

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Reading Round-Up: May 2012

Reading is my oldest and favorite hobby.  I literally can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love to curl up with a good book.  Here are my reads for May, 2012…

The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides: Jeffrey Eugenides is awesome, but he gives me the sads.  Eugenides’ newest book, the story of three college graduates in the 1980s, is not an easy read.  Madeline and Leonard are a young couple who move to a Cape Cod bio-research facility where Leonard has a fellowship, but can’t escape Leonard’s frightening mental health problems.  Mitchell, Madeline’s friend-who-wishes-he-was-more, meanwhile, travels the world and tries to stop pining for Madeline.  I wanted to love this book, but it was hard.  There was nothing off-putting at all about Madeline, the main protagonist – in fact, her selfless decision to care for Leonard when everyone else is deserting him is commendable.  But for some reason, I just felt low the entire time I was reading.  It’s a beautifully written and structured book, with fascinating, complex characters.  But it’s a downer.  There’s room for that, of course.  But know it going in.

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman, by Robert K. Massie: I loved Massie’s no-holds-barred biography of the last Russian Imperial family, Nicholas and Alexandra, and he delivers again with this masterful book.  Massie explores Catherine the Great’s rise to power in the mid-1700s and discusses her reign in detail, with all its fascinating complexities.  A “philosopher queen” who wasn’t above crushing a rebellion if she had to, and a married woman who turned from an unloving husband to take a string of ever-younger lovers, Catherine was an enigma.  Perhaps Massie is the only biographer who could truly do her justice, and he does.  Fully reviewed here.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer: This was a heart-wrenchingly sad story about a young boy who takes on a quest that he believes will bring him closer to his father, who died on September 11th.  Nine-year-old Oskar travels the five boroughs of New York, seeking the lock that fits a mysterious key found amongst his father’s possessions.  Since this is Safran Foer here, the book was poignant and sweet, with creative wordplay and pictures scattered throughout.  I liked it as I was reading it, and after it settled I decided I loved it.  Fully reviewed here.

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English, by Natasha Solomons: I read Solomons’ newest book, The House at Tyneford, last month and decided to pick up her debut.  The story of Jack Rosenblum, who decides to move his family to Dorset and build his own golf course after being rejected from every golf club in the greater London area due to his Jewish background, is sweet and funny with a touch of sadness.  Jack’s wife Sadie is unable to understand his dream, or his desire to become English; Sadie simply wants to remember the old days and her lost family.  Jack, meanwhile, doesn’t see why Sadie won’t just snap out of her depression and get on board.  Watching them come to some understanding of one another as Jack pursues his dream was a lovely journey, and Jack’s eventual charming of the Dorset natives is a fun counterpoint.  The book was more simplistic and not as gripping as Tyneford, but was an enjoyable read nevertheless.

Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale: This follow-up to Austenland, which I read in early April, was a great improvement over its predecessor.  Charlotte Kinder, a wealthy divorcee, decides to escape reality through a two-week trip to Pembrook Park, the ultimate Jane Austen immersion experience.  However, something dark is afoot in Austenland and Charlotte is drawn into the investigation of a murder.  Meanwhile, she flirts with the actor cast as her love interest, Mr. Mallery, and grows close to her “brother,” Mr. Grey.  But Charlotte’s determination to unearth a murder only she believes happened might place all of Austenland in danger.  I liked Hale’s first Austenland book okay, but I had some complaints about the proofreading and I thought the narrative was too simple.  This one was a definite improvement and a lot more fun to read.  I’m definitely hoping for more Austenland books in the future.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien: I’ve been meaning to read the Lord of the Rings books for some time now, since everyone from hubby to my sister-in-law to my brother to Katie has told me I should.  Plus, they’re classics, and I tend to want to give most classics a fair shake.  Since I have a thing about reading series books in their proper order, I decided to start with the backstory and read The Hobbit first.  And I’m glad I did, because I really, really liked it.  Bilbo Baggins’ transformation from cushy-hole-dweller to hero was such fun to read, and it definitely made me want to continue on with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  (See, Katie?  I told you I’d get around to it!)

I had a good May in books!  Catherine the Great took up a good two weeks of the month – 625 pages of extremely dense biography (and small print) is no joke, especially when you combine it with an ongoing tendency to fall asleep for three hours or more on weekend afternoons.  (When does the second trimester energy bump kick in?  I’m 20 weeks, still narcoleptic and starting to think people have been lying to me.  I mean, I like naps as much as the next knocked-up girl, but this is getting silly.)  But I savored every meticulously researched page – I just love Massie’s work.  The rest of early May was devoted to some intense fiction – The Marriage Plot and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close weren’t what I’d call giggle-fests.  So I made up for it with sillier, lighter choices later in the month and especially enjoyed The Hobbit.  Not sure what to expect out of June, since I’m either traveling or hosting houseguests most weekends of the month.  But I’m planning to squeeze in some more fun reads wherever I can, so stay tuned for more reviews and recommendations coming your way…

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London, Part VII: Portobello Road and Tea at Harrods

Portobello road, Portobello road
Street where the riches of ages are stowed.
Anything and everything a chap can unload
Is sold off the barrow in Portobello road.
You’ll find what you want in the Portobello road.

Yes, I did walk down Portobello Road humming the lyrics to the song from Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  And I just might have branched out and also sung a little bit of “The Beautiful Briny” – just for me.  (It’s lovely bobbing along, bobbing along, at the bottom of the beautiful briiiiiiiiiiiiiny sea!)

We decided it would be fun to check out the Portobello Road market on Saturday, its big market day.  I had hopes for finding a vintage teacup or a used book at a steal price… but ended up leaving empty-handed.  I tend to get overwhelmed in crowd situations, and Portobello Road was about as crowded as anyplace I’d ever been.  Hubby and I elbowed our way through the throngs of people and booked it outta there as fast as we could.  But not before seeing at least a few carts piled high with cool antique china, clothes, and other odds and ends.  I’m glad that we went, although it was a rather stressful hour!

After Portobello Road, we headed over to Harrods for tea.  When we were in London in 2008, we only had time for one afternoon tea, which of course we did at the Orangery.   This time, we obviously made our pilgimmage to the Orangery again, but we also wanted to try tea at Harrods.  Our former neighbors own a house in the Cotswolds and have travelled extensively in England, and they assured us that the tea at Harrods was touristy but worth it.  So we tripped off to Harrods hoping to get into the famous Georgian Restaurant for afternoon tea.  But it was fully booked… all day long.

So, instead – as you might be able to figure out from the plate of macarons – we went for the new Laduree tea salon instead.    Laduree is a French tearoom and patisserie that was founded in Paris and now competes with Pierre Herme for the honor of making the best macarons in Paris.  (When we visited France in 2010, we ate our share of macarons and I’m sort of in love with them.  We had local macarons in Burgundy, but ate Pierre Herme in Paris – so I’d never tried the Laduree macarons before.)  I had been somewhat torn, knowing we only had time for one Harrods tea and wanting to try both Laduree and the Georgian Restaurant.  Since we struck out at the Georgian, the decision was easy – and delicious.

In addition to the macarons (I went with my four go-to flavors, by the way: black currant, salted caramel, raspberry and coffee) we enjoyed a “traditional” afternoon tea with a French twist.  Tea sandwiches on the top tier, then an assortment of croissants, and finishing with the pastries.  Now, I know I told you I can take or leave pastries, and that’s generally true.  Consider Laduree the exception that proves the rule… because WOW.  They were all incredible, but the best was the gigantic raspberry macaron “tart” that’s flaunting its gorgeousness right in front there.  Hubby and I split each of the pastries, and I strongly considered hitting him with my purse and stealing his half of that baby.  (I didn’t, because I love him.  But next time we go there, I’m getting one all to myself.)  In retrospect, I’m glad we didn’t get into the Georgian Restaurant, because the Laduree tea was the most decadent I’ve ever had.  If you’re visiting London and have time for another tea, don’t hesitate to get this one.  I was a little unsure at first – it seemed wrong to have croissants instead of scones at Harrods, of all places – but the macaron tart was to. die. for.  (And if you don’t have time for tea, at least stop and pick up some macarons.  And get a black currant one for me.  Thanks.)

Tea at Laduree was the perfect way to wrap up our London trip… because wrap it up we did.  This post concludes the England recaps.  It was the vacation of a lifetime – a perfect way to turn 30.  I don’t know when I’ll be back to England next, but I know I will be there again.  Many, many more times.  And the British fun isn’t quite over – I’ll have a few more posts popping up in the next few weeks about different related topics – like the English afternoon tea experience, and creating a photo memory book to memorialize the vacation.  But, for now, imagine we’re on a plane headed back across the Atlantic… looking fondly over our shoulders toward the little island where so many of our favorite vacation memories reside.  Thanks for coming along!