BOOKS

Books make me happy.

Really, they make me more than happy.

They enrich my life in so many ways.

They inspire me. They are my friends. They are my comfort. They are my pleasure.

Once I rented a room in a sketchy part of L.A. based on the home’s abundance of books.

I had found a card tacked near the bathroom of an artsy coffeehouse advertising the room for rent.

The day of my appointment to view it, I hesitantly walked up the house’s stone steps, wary because of the rough neighborhood around it. Through a double dead-bolted screen door with thick bars, I saw a small woman with long red hair and a miniskirt vigorously vacuuming the living room rug.

Beneath a fringe of red bangs, she wore dark sunglasses. A cigarette hung from one corner of her mouth.

After a few minutes of knocking and ringing the doorbell, she noticed me.

Inside the front door, a small living room had an upright piano against one wall. On the opposite wall hung an art piece her famous father had made. It was the silhouette of a shapely woman made from spray painted silver cigarette butts.

As she showed me around, the woman never removed her dark glasses.

I had stepped into another world.

What ultimately sold me were the words that came out of her mouth as she directed me to a bedroom door:

“And this is our nonfiction library.”

Bookshelves from floor to ceiling lined every wall.

By the time she directed me to the fiction library (two minutes later), I was writing out a check.

I moved in that weekend.

It was an easy move. I had been staying with a friend and all my belongings were already in my car.

My large upstairs bedroom engulfed my few belongings.

On one wall I set up my radio, stacking CDs beside it on the floor. I propped a few of my religious themed red candles with saints and the Virgin Mary on the window sills.

My clothes hung in the closet above a footlocker that contained a few mementos.

I placed my roll-up futon bed in the middle of the floor. Right near where my head would lie, against the floor on one wall, I lined up all my books — Anais Nin, Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Isak Dineson, Baudelaire, Tom Wolfe, Umberto Eco, Truman Capote, Hermann Hess, Ayn Rand, S.E. Hinton — so they would be the first things my eyes saw upon awakening.

On My Nighstand (& floor)

In the living room

In the living room

I’m just going to apologize right off the bat for this post. My book situation is out of control. Pure chaos. Overflowing with library books, books I’ve bought and books I’ve borrowed. For some bizarre reason, all of the books on my waiting lists at the library all decided to come in at once. Several are in the exact same genre of the novel I am writing: girl crime reporter, so they are really considered research.

I have included pictures of them all (see the second to last picture for an idea of the chaos), but I will briefly give a summary of those that I have already read. I  read and loved Foreign Tongue by Vanina Marsot. I recommend it to all Francophiles.

Am currently reading Villa Mirabella from one of my favorite authors in the Italian-American fiction genre, Peter Pezzelli. For some reason, possibly that the main character is a man in his 30s, I keep losing interest in this one.

The one that has me completely caught up in the character’s world is Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. One of my bookclubs chose this and I borrowed it, so I am making it priority one so I can return it and let someone else in bookclub borrow it. (My second bookclub meets this week and I will have a new book from them, as well, just to add to the madness!)

I also finished “Which Brings Me to You” By Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott. I must say the whole concept of a book based entirely on correspondence was intially a complete turnoff, but the writing is so wonderful I ended up completely engrossed and loved the book. I can’t wait to read more by Baggott.

I also read Becoming A Writer (Dorothea Brande) and On Becoming a Novelist (John Gardner). Both were so-so, I guess. I also read Mark Bittman’s Quick & Easy Recipes and copied down a few of them. Behind that book in the picture you can see some photocopies I made of recipes from the French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook. I think I copied about 5 of them for future reference before turning the book back into the library.

The other books on my nightstand (Cheri and The Things They Carried and the New Yorker anthology) are all books I bought, so I may not get to them for quite some time since I have to read the library books which have due dates first!

Soprano top (thrifted) - Target skirt - Urban Outfitter sandals

On My Nightstand: I have two stacks this week. The first is my writer’s reference books I’m reading. The second is the fiction stack.

 The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauer – I’m about half way through this. At first I didn’t want to keep reading, but now I’m glad I did. It’s a little, teeny, tiny bit too sentimental, but I’ll keep going. 

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver– I was on the wait list at the library forever for this one. Now that I have it, I’m not itching to read it, but will because it has a wait list so I can’t renew it and have to turn it in in about 10 days.

Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells– I borrowed this from my SIL, so probably won’t read it in a hurry as I have other books with due dates.

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson– Bought this at the thrift store after seeing on FB that an author I love – Marisa de los Santos is reading this author.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store. Also in a holding pattern until the library books and book club books are read. I can’t complain — I love having TOO MANY good books waiting beside my bedside to read! I am going to bring this with me on my vacation to California in a few weeks.

REMINDER: PLEASE let me know if you would like to participate in the Chic Friends Spring Edition.

email me at mammaitaliana23@gmail.com

Thanks!

JCrew Top - Levis - Urban Outfitters Sandals - Vintage Choker

I’m happy to report that I had to change out of my jeans in the afternoon and put on a black jersey skirt for my Sunday dinner guests because it was soooo hot! Yea. It is about time.

We had roast (the fail proof roast recipe is in my book); potatoes, carrots, salad, rolls and Dairy Queen for dessert. Oh, and of course, wine!

After church and between dinner, I attended a writer’s workshop and got some good resources for finding an agent and getting published (my fiction novel).

On My Nightstand:

On My Nightstand:

The God of Small Things – One of my book clubs picked this. I’m about halfway into it, though I think I may have read it in the past. It is good, but not something I can’t wait to get back to every night.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — A thrift store buy I have just barely begun — on the back burner for now. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers — I bought this on the recommendation from Phyllis Bourne (see side bar) who is a published author. I read the first chapter but am saving the rest for when the first draft of my novel is complete.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store. Also in a holding pattern until the library books and book club books are read. I can’t complain — I love having TOO MANY good books waiting beside my bedside to read!

My Spanish Book — I realized that outside my normal life, I have room for one great passion — This year it is completing my novel. Next year will be studying Spanish again. I am the type of person who becomes so immersed in what they are doing I have a hard time spreading myself out.

This is why I quit my job as a newspaper reporter when I had kids. As a reporter, I was obsessed! It consumed my entire life. When I had children, that passion shifted to them. There was no room for both. A friend who knew me well told me she wasn’t surprised that I had to quit my job because she knew me as having so much passion for what I did that she couldn’t imagine me doing both.

MY DVD: has been neglected. I don’t watch very many movies when it is summer and so nice out.

Target dress - JC Penney heels - Antique amethyst pendant

It was a rainy day here, so my photo is a bit blurry, sorry. I love this outfit for a few reasons — one I can fluctuate in weight by about 8 pounds and it pretty much fits the same and is flattering; two, it costs next to nothing, the dress was from Target and the shoes were originally JC penney and I bought them with credit at the consignment shop. I’m a bit of a shoe snob, but these surprised me and are super comfortable. The antique necklace was a gift from my mother. I love wearing purple and blue together.

Sunday Menu:
Breakfast: english muffins with cream cheese, red onion, capers and smoked salmon my Dad caught in Mexico.
Lunch: Snacky lunch at my in laws, wheat thins, pepper jack cheese, banana and about 1/4 of a donut
Dinner: pork loin roasted in proscuitto slices and honey and roasted mango and sweet potatoes with wine and a green salad

On My Nightstand

Paris Hangover by Kirsten Lobe — I heard about this  book from the lovely Fiona from La Vie en Fifi. Thank you Fiona, because this book was soooo entertaining. I loved it. I absolutely loved living vicariously through this woman’s book, which I suspect is a roman a clef, but she claims is complete fiction. At first, I resisted her witty  humor, thinking to myself, oh, she’s trying too hard to be funny, I’m not going to laugh!
That changed. Only a short way into it, I was sitting in my car waiting to pick up my child from school and found myself howling in laughter while reading this book. People walking by probably thought I had gone off the deep end. Oh, if only I could be that funny in writing my novel. She really is brilliantly funny and anyone who loves Paris should read this.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson— My SIL loaned me this, so sadly it is on the  back burner while I read my library books, although one of my bookclubs meets on it in a few weeks so I will kick it up in priority. I’ pick it up whenever I get the chance and am about 1/5 th of the way through it and really, really like it so far.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. I’ll be honest here. I’ve been anxious, really drooling actually, to read this book for about 5 months. I was no. 586 or something on the library wait list and it finally came in. I want to stop EVERYTHING in my life and read it RIGHT NOW.  But I’m restraining myself. I’m hoping against hope that it is as good as her book The Historian, which I still count as one of my favorite books (warning with that book you better like vampires!) I don’t even remember if this book is a vampire one or not. I don’t care, I just like this author!

Nurture Shock – my neighbor loaned me this and I am looking forward to reading it. Anything about parenting is worth checking out since my kids didn’t come with an owner’s manual.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — A thrift store buy I have just barely begun — on the back burner for now. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store. Also in a holding pattern until the library books and book club books are read. I can’t complain — I love having TOO MANY good books waiting beside my bedside to read!

In my DVD Player

I mentioned last week that I saw “State of Play” with Russell Crowe, but I also watched “A Serious Man” — a Coen brothers film — this weekend. What a bizarre movie. It began strangely and ended strangely. I liked it, but felt like it was unfinished .. it sort of left me hanging a bit too much. I loved the Midwestern angle, though, because that is now where I live, so I could appreciate a lot of the references, which I always like with Coen films.

Parenting with Love and Logic — This is really making me evaluate how I am raising my children, but in a good way.

Catching Fire – by  Suzanne Collins. This is the sequel to The Hunger Games, which I absolutely loved. This was good, but just a continuation, a tease, now I want more.

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore. This book was the critic’s darling, but I found it lacking. Reviewers called it a perfect portrait of American life after 9/11 and it did have some insight into life during that time period, but there were several very poignant moments during the book that were just dictated in a blase manner — a child being killed, another child in foster care being tossed from home ot home, the death of the protaganists’s brother — that were just told in a very matter-of-fact way and didn’t move me emotionally in the least bit. I really didn’t care for the book.

Now, on to what I still need to read. I think I’m going to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo next because I have been looking forward to do so and also because it is borrowed and I need to return it. I also will work on finishing the parenting with love and logic book.

Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman — a friend loaned me this one

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson— My SIL loaned me this. I’ve been excited to read it for awhile. Misadventures with Andi also just posted on this.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — another thrift store buy I just barely began before I got a library book in. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store.

In my DVD Player

We finished up the very short DVD series on Dune. Ahhh, I need a new movie to watch — maybe a new series …. or maybe now that is spring, I’ll get back to my routine which includes very little tv or movies and lots of time outside and reading!

Not-A-Cent-In-Lent

I fell off the wagon a few times during the Not-A-Cent-in-Lent time but I still found that it was really valuable and worth doing and I hope to do better next year.

I made a list of items that I needed and wanted during this time. I’ve ordered a few of them already, including some new underwear, a new bra, a new pair of flat sandals, a pair of jeans and a black summery blouse.

I feel very good about buying these “basics” I had a long time (40 days) to think about what I truly wanted to spend my money on.

I also went to H&M and bought a navy tee-shirt.

Next on my list are some hair care products and maybe a pair of sexier summer sandals …

Rebecca Beeson T - Jcrew jacket - Levis - liz claiborne boots - scarf

On My Nightstand/In my DVD

Apartment Therapy – Fiona at  La Vie en Fifi wrote about this recently and I am ripping through it after picking it up at the library yesterday! (although you are supposed to take 8 weeks to do the action plan). I’m taking notes and enjoying it enormously.

A Gate at the Stairs by Laurie Moore — This was on my library “wait” list for ages, but finally it is my turn. I started it last night and can’t wait to get back to it.

Parenting Without Fear by Paul J. Donahue  — this is a library book that may not be exactly what I was looking for when I saw the title … we’ll see

Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman — a friend loaned me this one

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson— My SIL loaned me this. I’ve been excited to read it for awhile. Misadventures with Andi also just posted on this.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — another thrift store buy I just barely began before I got a library book in. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store.

In my DVD Player

Paris with Juliette Binoche — such a great story and beautiful scenery and inspirational style. i loved this movie.

JCrew tee - Levis - Etienne Aigner boots

So this is my concession to green, although my Irish inlaws will tell me this green doesn’t count (I always have the wrong green on every year.) They are VERY into this holiday, which is a lot of fun.

This outfit is missing something …. it just looks a little boring to me … maybe a scarf would have spiced it up a bit.

Menu:
Breakfast: whole milk yogurt with sliced bananas and strawberries; cafe au lait
Lunch: salami slices and pepper jack cheese slices with chips and salsa
Dinner: barbecued pork chops; peas; wine

On My Nighstand:

The Help  by Kathryn Stockett — This is for one of my bookclubs

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson— My SIL loaned me this. I’ve been excited to read it for awhile. Misadventures with Andi also just posted on this.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — another thrift store buy I just barely began before I got a library book in. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store.

In my DVD Player

Up in the Air with George Clooney was entertaining, pretty good, not my favorite movie ever

Away We Go was a fun indie flick to watch this week

Boondock Saints 2 — perfect for St. Patrick’s Day week.

Levis - Men's Cashmere Sweater (consignment) - Etienne Aigner boots - silver hoops - silver chain

Menu:
Breakfast: bowl of whole milk plain yogurt with homemade granola; banana; cafe au lait
Lunch: leftover green salad from last night with added chunks of ham and cheese, pepperoncini

 Dinner: roast chicken with potatoes, carrots, onions; wine

Film

We finished the last episode in the HBO series Rome this week. Netflix has made the winter go so much faster. Looking forward to watching the Battlestar Galactica programs and then the Rome series has been so much fun . … what next? Dexter? I’m not sure.

I also watched “In Bruges” last night.

Tonight my other bookclub meets, which is always a good time. This bookclub is also reading (on my suggestion) Sarah’s Key, which my other bookclub read last month.

Gap tee - DKNY blazer - Union Bay cords - Etienne Aigner boots

Menu:
Breakfast: vanilla whole milk yogurt with homemade granola and raisins; cafe au lait
Snack: baby carrots
Lunch: turkey and hot pepper jack cheese with pepperoncini and dijon sandwich
Dinner: Taco Tuesday; wine

French Love

I can’t say for sure, but I suspect my fascination with France and Europe stemmed from reading books about life overseas when I was a child. The books on the left and right were mine as a child.  They may honestly be the only things I still have from my childhood, along with a few pre-teen books I saved. I’m a minimalist and don’t hold onto very many things but these two books made the cut.

The first This is Paris was a gift from my mother’s friend when I was a baby. She had just been to Paris and wrote on the inside that she hoped I could visit there someday (which I have been blessed to be able to do). The one on the right, I’m less certain of the orgins, but if you flip it over, it has Grimm’s fairy tales on the other side (remember those types of books anyone?) The one in the  middle was one I picked up at a thrift store for my own children, hoping to spark their love for Europe.