29 September 2006
27 September 2006
Just finished reading....
Literacy and Longing in L.A. by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack
I don't usually read "bestsellers", but for some reason the review I read of this book in the LA Times made me curious, so I checked it out of the library. I kept putting off reading it. I'd pick up other novels by authors I knew, but finally I couldn't put it off any longer. I had to read it, or return it to the library unread.
Well, I'm glad I read it. It's the story of Dora, recently separated from her husband Palmer. She goes into a deep depression, burying herself in books and booze. She leaves the house only to buy more books. She begins a hot-and-heavy fling with one of the booksellers from her favourite bookstore (which sounds marvelous, btw, too bad it doesn't really exist!). He takes her to meet his family, and she discovers that he's really a jerk, but she loves his family. Dora develops a relationship with his mother that makes up for her dysfunctional relationship with her own mother, and she begins to pull herself out of her depression.
I was really drawn into this story, and everytime I was forced to stop reading, I'd have to give myself a little shake in order to bring myself back to reality. Great book! I read it in a day.
I don't usually read "bestsellers", but for some reason the review I read of this book in the LA Times made me curious, so I checked it out of the library. I kept putting off reading it. I'd pick up other novels by authors I knew, but finally I couldn't put it off any longer. I had to read it, or return it to the library unread.
Well, I'm glad I read it. It's the story of Dora, recently separated from her husband Palmer. She goes into a deep depression, burying herself in books and booze. She leaves the house only to buy more books. She begins a hot-and-heavy fling with one of the booksellers from her favourite bookstore (which sounds marvelous, btw, too bad it doesn't really exist!). He takes her to meet his family, and she discovers that he's really a jerk, but she loves his family. Dora develops a relationship with his mother that makes up for her dysfunctional relationship with her own mother, and she begins to pull herself out of her depression.
I was really drawn into this story, and everytime I was forced to stop reading, I'd have to give myself a little shake in order to bring myself back to reality. Great book! I read it in a day.
21 September 2006
Just finished reading...
End in Tears by Ruth Rendell
I'm so glad I'm on DorothyL. I wouldn't have known about this latest Inspector Wexford book if someone hadn't mentioned it there. Like all of the Wexford novels, it's a page-turner. I stayed up way too late reading this story of a teenage girl who is murdered on her way home from clubbing.
Lots of red herrings here: was she killed by a jealous girlfriend? was she blackmailing someone?
Just when Wexford and Burden are sure they've discovered the motive and the killer, another teenaged girl's body turns up, and it seems she was a friend of the first victim.
It's hard to review this book without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that the mystery is solved, and the killer's identity is a real surprise.
I'm so glad I'm on DorothyL. I wouldn't have known about this latest Inspector Wexford book if someone hadn't mentioned it there. Like all of the Wexford novels, it's a page-turner. I stayed up way too late reading this story of a teenage girl who is murdered on her way home from clubbing.
Lots of red herrings here: was she killed by a jealous girlfriend? was she blackmailing someone?
Just when Wexford and Burden are sure they've discovered the motive and the killer, another teenaged girl's body turns up, and it seems she was a friend of the first victim.
It's hard to review this book without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that the mystery is solved, and the killer's identity is a real surprise.
18 September 2006
Just finished reading...
Bye-Bye, Black Sheep by Ayelet Waldman
Juliet Applebaum is a former public defender, currently a private investigator. Her partner, Al Hockey, is a former detective with the LAPD. Juliet has 3 children, and a husband who is a successful screenwriter.
Heavenly, a transvestite, shows up at their office, asking for help investigating the murder of her sister Violetta, a prostitute. The police are ignoring the death, and Heavenly just wants closure for herself and her family. Juliet agrees to investigate, and finds herself hanging out with streetwalkerss and pimps on Figueroa in South Central, a far cry from her home in the Hollywood Hills. It gets to the point where Juliet's husband Peter and Al are so concerned about Juliet's safety that they try to forbid her to go there.
But Juliet survives, and she solves the case, though the identity of the killer is totally unexpected.
I really like this series. Juliet is by no means perfect, she struggles with her weight, and with being a good mother, wife, and PI and somehow manages to stay sane.
Next up: End in Tears by Ruth Rendell
Juliet Applebaum is a former public defender, currently a private investigator. Her partner, Al Hockey, is a former detective with the LAPD. Juliet has 3 children, and a husband who is a successful screenwriter.
Heavenly, a transvestite, shows up at their office, asking for help investigating the murder of her sister Violetta, a prostitute. The police are ignoring the death, and Heavenly just wants closure for herself and her family. Juliet agrees to investigate, and finds herself hanging out with streetwalkerss and pimps on Figueroa in South Central, a far cry from her home in the Hollywood Hills. It gets to the point where Juliet's husband Peter and Al are so concerned about Juliet's safety that they try to forbid her to go there.
But Juliet survives, and she solves the case, though the identity of the killer is totally unexpected.
I really like this series. Juliet is by no means perfect, she struggles with her weight, and with being a good mother, wife, and PI and somehow manages to stay sane.
Next up: End in Tears by Ruth Rendell
Hollywood Bowl - Fireworks Finale
Last night was our final Hollywood Bowl concert of the season. I was a little bit sad, because I love the picnics before the concerts, as well as the concerts themselves, which are so much more relaxed and casual than the ones at Disney Hall. Not to say I don't enjoy the Phil concerts at Disney, I really do, and I love the fancy dinners we usually have prior to those.
Last night was also John Mauceri's final concert as director of the Bowl orchestra. It was pretty nostalgic. He talked about when he'd first come to LA, and learning to drive out here (which I totally empathize with!). He got lots of standing ovations, and someone in the crowd even yelled "I love you, John".
What was really cool about the concert was the special guests. Or at least one of them. Not to say that the Joffrey Ballet and Kermit and MIss Piggy weren't cool, but Kristen Chenoweth was there. And wow! what a voice! That squeaky little speaking voice from Anabeth on The West Wing, is nothing like her singing voice, which is huge! Tod and I were hoping she might do something from Wicked, but she didn't.
All in all, though, it was a great show. It was funny to see Piggy and Kermit doing "I Got You, Babe",
and the fireworks were spectacular.
Last night was also John Mauceri's final concert as director of the Bowl orchestra. It was pretty nostalgic. He talked about when he'd first come to LA, and learning to drive out here (which I totally empathize with!). He got lots of standing ovations, and someone in the crowd even yelled "I love you, John".
What was really cool about the concert was the special guests. Or at least one of them. Not to say that the Joffrey Ballet and Kermit and MIss Piggy weren't cool, but Kristen Chenoweth was there. And wow! what a voice! That squeaky little speaking voice from Anabeth on The West Wing, is nothing like her singing voice, which is huge! Tod and I were hoping she might do something from Wicked, but she didn't.
All in all, though, it was a great show. It was funny to see Piggy and Kermit doing "I Got You, Babe",
and the fireworks were spectacular.
12 September 2006
Just finished reading...
As Dog is My Witness by Jeffrey Cohen
Aaron Tucker is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey with his wife Abby, a lawyer, and their two children. Daughter Leah is nine, and her brother Ethan is twelve. Ethan has Asperger syndrome, which is relevant because when the president of an Asperger support group asks Aaron to investigate a murder ostensibly committed by a young man with Asperger's, he feels obligated to agree.
Justin Fowler is 21, though he seems much younger. He is very knowledgeable about guns, and when a local man is killed by an antique replica, the police go to him for information. They don't expect that he will actually have that particular gun in his possession, or that he will confess to the murder, but he does.
Justin's mother Mary and Aaron are convinced that Justin is shielding someone, and Aaron determines to find out who it is.
Enjoyable book, clever writing. At times the humour is a bit forced, but it's hard to tell if this is Cohen's style or Tucker's. This is the only book in the Aaron Tucker series I could find in the local library, and I'm going to have to search further afield for the others.
Next up: Bye-bye, Black Sheep, by Ayelet Waldman
Aaron Tucker is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey with his wife Abby, a lawyer, and their two children. Daughter Leah is nine, and her brother Ethan is twelve. Ethan has Asperger syndrome, which is relevant because when the president of an Asperger support group asks Aaron to investigate a murder ostensibly committed by a young man with Asperger's, he feels obligated to agree.
Justin Fowler is 21, though he seems much younger. He is very knowledgeable about guns, and when a local man is killed by an antique replica, the police go to him for information. They don't expect that he will actually have that particular gun in his possession, or that he will confess to the murder, but he does.
Justin's mother Mary and Aaron are convinced that Justin is shielding someone, and Aaron determines to find out who it is.
Enjoyable book, clever writing. At times the humour is a bit forced, but it's hard to tell if this is Cohen's style or Tucker's. This is the only book in the Aaron Tucker series I could find in the local library, and I'm going to have to search further afield for the others.
Next up: Bye-bye, Black Sheep, by Ayelet Waldman
Big Sur
Got to the Post Ranch Inn just before 2 p.m. We parked in a lot next to Mercedes, and Porsches and Lexi. I didn't feel so out of place when I saw the Volvo, though. The restaurant at the PRI looks over the water and has floor to ceiling glass walls all the way around.
We had a cute little curved booth where we could see the ocean, if it hadn't been so foggy. But, by the time our lunch arrived, the fog had mostly lifted, and we could see the amazing expanse of blue ocean. One of the other guests happened to walk past us, and point out a whale breaching. I missed that one, but I did see it blow a couple of times. Tod actually said "Thar she blows!" I think there might even have been two or three out there, but we couldn't be sure because they weren't coming up at the same time.
After lunch we headed across the road to the Ventana Inn. We parked in the lower parking lot, but before we were even out of the car a guy in a golf cart drove up behind us and asked if we were checking in. When we said yes, he offered to load our bags into the car and give us a ride up to Reception. Which was nice, because though it wasn't far, it was up a steep hill all the way.
When we got there, the Concierge offered us a glass of wine, and then informed us that we'd been upgraded from the regular room that we'd booked to The Sur House, a private house with its own patio and hot tub. It also has a fireplace, a kitchen, a loft bedroom, and (Tod was very impressed by this, since NFL season starts this weekend) a big-screen tv. We didn't ask why we'd been upgraded, just assuming that they'd overbooked or something.
I'd planned on taking a nap when we got to our room, but I was too excited to settle down. We explored the house and unpacked, and then went to the General Store down the highway to get some supplies for a light dinner, since we'd had such a huge lunch.
When we got back, we had a little nap, and then put on the huge. fluffy robes they supplied, and watched football, read, lounged about and had dinner. Then we spent a little time in the spa, which relaxed me so much I went to bed at 9:30. Apparently my 1.5 hour nap in the afternoon wasn't enough rest.
Sunday morning, they delivered breakfast to us, since apparently it was too far for us to go to the main building. Just a continental breakfast -- croissants, muffins, fruit, cereal and juice, but it was very elegant. Then, exhausted from my efforts (I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and started the dishwasher), I went back to bed for another nap.
Woke up in time to watch a little football and read some of the newspaper before our lunch reservation at the Big Sur Bakery, just up the road from the Inn, where they serve huge 9-grain pancakes cooked over the wood-fire grill, and fruit salad with an organic honey sauce. After lunch, we wandered over to the craft market next door, which had a little plant store, a tree-house where some people were ensconced, and the hippie type of store where they sell imported tunics and bracelets from India, and incense and massage oils. They had a CD that was recorded by the "Midwives' Choir" at the Esalen Institute. Tod jokingly said to the salesclerk that he wasn't aware that there was a midwives' choir, to which she seriously replied, "yes, we have a choir and we recorded the CD to raise money for....." Properly chastened, we purchased the t-shirt we'd picked out forDaughter, and left.
After we got back to the cottage, I set myself up on the patio with a book and a cup of tea. Tod settled in front of the football game and Mother Jones magazine, and John Dean's latest book, both of which he's been working on for some time. I know he finished the magazine, but I think he got as much of his book read as I did mine. He may have been distracted by football, but I was distracted by the view: the trees and flowers, and the hummingbird buzzing around them.
When I realized that my tea had gotten cold and I hadn't even drank half of it, I gave up and went inside.
We decided to go for a walk and explore a bit. We heacded down towards the main building, a narrow, winding, wooded road. We stopped as we heard a rustling in the trees, which turned out to be three deer who were feeding.
We watched them for over 5 minutes before they moved out of sight, and then we wandered off the road onto a walking trail, which went down to a little footbridge over a brook, and then up to another footbridge. We followed the trail for a while until it got too steep (and too muddy -- I was wearing sandals!) for me. Went back to the house to relax a bit before dinner, which we had already booked at Cielo, the Inn's restaurant.
We'd had lunch at Cielo when we were in Big Sur last year. It was a bright sunny afternoon, and we ate out on the patio, where we could see down 1500 feet to the ocean. A blue jay came and grabbed a french fry off Tod's plate when the waiter was bringing out the tray, and we thought it was hilarious, but the waiter was horrified and took the food right back into the kitchen. It was that visit that made us want to come back and stay at the Inn.
The dinner was absolutely wonderfull We both ordered the prix fixe menu, which included an asparagus appetizer, a filet mignon main course, and a Valrhona chocolate cake for dessert. We finished up with a tasting flight of 3 Inniskillin ice wines: the oak-aged Vidal, the Riesling and the Cabernet Franc. They all had the same nose -- at least to untrained sniffer-- but they tasted very different.
After dinner, we headed back to "our" house, and tried to prepare ourselves mentally for heading back to reality the next day.
We had a cute little curved booth where we could see the ocean, if it hadn't been so foggy. But, by the time our lunch arrived, the fog had mostly lifted, and we could see the amazing expanse of blue ocean. One of the other guests happened to walk past us, and point out a whale breaching. I missed that one, but I did see it blow a couple of times. Tod actually said "Thar she blows!" I think there might even have been two or three out there, but we couldn't be sure because they weren't coming up at the same time.
After lunch we headed across the road to the Ventana Inn. We parked in the lower parking lot, but before we were even out of the car a guy in a golf cart drove up behind us and asked if we were checking in. When we said yes, he offered to load our bags into the car and give us a ride up to Reception. Which was nice, because though it wasn't far, it was up a steep hill all the way.
When we got there, the Concierge offered us a glass of wine, and then informed us that we'd been upgraded from the regular room that we'd booked to The Sur House, a private house with its own patio and hot tub. It also has a fireplace, a kitchen, a loft bedroom, and (Tod was very impressed by this, since NFL season starts this weekend) a big-screen tv. We didn't ask why we'd been upgraded, just assuming that they'd overbooked or something.
I'd planned on taking a nap when we got to our room, but I was too excited to settle down. We explored the house and unpacked, and then went to the General Store down the highway to get some supplies for a light dinner, since we'd had such a huge lunch.
When we got back, we had a little nap, and then put on the huge. fluffy robes they supplied, and watched football, read, lounged about and had dinner. Then we spent a little time in the spa, which relaxed me so much I went to bed at 9:30. Apparently my 1.5 hour nap in the afternoon wasn't enough rest.
Sunday morning, they delivered breakfast to us, since apparently it was too far for us to go to the main building. Just a continental breakfast -- croissants, muffins, fruit, cereal and juice, but it was very elegant. Then, exhausted from my efforts (I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and started the dishwasher), I went back to bed for another nap.
Woke up in time to watch a little football and read some of the newspaper before our lunch reservation at the Big Sur Bakery, just up the road from the Inn, where they serve huge 9-grain pancakes cooked over the wood-fire grill, and fruit salad with an organic honey sauce. After lunch, we wandered over to the craft market next door, which had a little plant store, a tree-house where some people were ensconced, and the hippie type of store where they sell imported tunics and bracelets from India, and incense and massage oils. They had a CD that was recorded by the "Midwives' Choir" at the Esalen Institute. Tod jokingly said to the salesclerk that he wasn't aware that there was a midwives' choir, to which she seriously replied, "yes, we have a choir and we recorded the CD to raise money for....." Properly chastened, we purchased the t-shirt we'd picked out forDaughter, and left.
After we got back to the cottage, I set myself up on the patio with a book and a cup of tea. Tod settled in front of the football game and Mother Jones magazine, and John Dean's latest book, both of which he's been working on for some time. I know he finished the magazine, but I think he got as much of his book read as I did mine. He may have been distracted by football, but I was distracted by the view: the trees and flowers, and the hummingbird buzzing around them.
When I realized that my tea had gotten cold and I hadn't even drank half of it, I gave up and went inside.
We decided to go for a walk and explore a bit. We heacded down towards the main building, a narrow, winding, wooded road. We stopped as we heard a rustling in the trees, which turned out to be three deer who were feeding.
We watched them for over 5 minutes before they moved out of sight, and then we wandered off the road onto a walking trail, which went down to a little footbridge over a brook, and then up to another footbridge. We followed the trail for a while until it got too steep (and too muddy -- I was wearing sandals!) for me. Went back to the house to relax a bit before dinner, which we had already booked at Cielo, the Inn's restaurant.
We'd had lunch at Cielo when we were in Big Sur last year. It was a bright sunny afternoon, and we ate out on the patio, where we could see down 1500 feet to the ocean. A blue jay came and grabbed a french fry off Tod's plate when the waiter was bringing out the tray, and we thought it was hilarious, but the waiter was horrified and took the food right back into the kitchen. It was that visit that made us want to come back and stay at the Inn.
The dinner was absolutely wonderfull We both ordered the prix fixe menu, which included an asparagus appetizer, a filet mignon main course, and a Valrhona chocolate cake for dessert. We finished up with a tasting flight of 3 Inniskillin ice wines: the oak-aged Vidal, the Riesling and the Cabernet Franc. They all had the same nose -- at least to untrained sniffer-- but they tasted very different.
After dinner, we headed back to "our" house, and tried to prepare ourselves mentally for heading back to reality the next day.
10 September 2006
Going to Big Sur
Last Christmas, we got a gift certificate for the Ventana Inn in Big Sur. We'd decided to use it this weekend. Tod left work around noon on Friday, and we drove to Morro Bay, where we stayed at the Days Inn. We had a nice dinner at a restaurant on the waterfront, and then went back to the hotel to relax. We planned to get up early and go to the Hearst Castle on the way up to Big Sur.
However, there was a couple in the next room who spent the whole night arguing very loudly. I occasionally dropped off, but I think I was awake most of the night. We got up, a little bleary-eyed, around 7:30 a.m., and had breakfast at a waterfront cafe called The Coffee Pot that we'd discovered that when we stayed in Morro Bay a couple of years ago, and really liked it.
Then we headed over to Hearst Castle.
We planned to do the earliest tour, which would end around noon, and give us plenty of time to drive up to Big Sur in time for our lunch reservations at the Post Ranch Inn at 2:00 p.m.
We took the tour that included the gardens, which are incredibly beautiful, even at this time of year. Got lots of flower pictures.
They also took us inside the largest of the guest houses, and we got some great pictures there, too.
However, there was a couple in the next room who spent the whole night arguing very loudly. I occasionally dropped off, but I think I was awake most of the night. We got up, a little bleary-eyed, around 7:30 a.m., and had breakfast at a waterfront cafe called The Coffee Pot that we'd discovered that when we stayed in Morro Bay a couple of years ago, and really liked it.
Then we headed over to Hearst Castle.
We planned to do the earliest tour, which would end around noon, and give us plenty of time to drive up to Big Sur in time for our lunch reservations at the Post Ranch Inn at 2:00 p.m.
We took the tour that included the gardens, which are incredibly beautiful, even at this time of year. Got lots of flower pictures.
They also took us inside the largest of the guest houses, and we got some great pictures there, too.
07 September 2006
Just finished reading
Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
I've liked Meg Cabot ever since I read her Mediator series, back when I was a Teen Services Librarian. I think this series, about ex-pop singer Heather Wells is going to be equally addictive.
Heather's record label dropped her when she wanted to record songs that she'd written herself, and then her mother ran off to South America with Heather's money. Now Heather is assistant dorm director at a university in New York City.
Then, female students start turning up dead at the bottom of the dorm's elevator shaft. The police are convinced that it's either suicide or accidental, but Heather is not so sure, especially when "accidents" start happening to her.
This is a fun, light read, and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, which apparently isn't due until next January.
I've liked Meg Cabot ever since I read her Mediator series, back when I was a Teen Services Librarian. I think this series, about ex-pop singer Heather Wells is going to be equally addictive.
Heather's record label dropped her when she wanted to record songs that she'd written herself, and then her mother ran off to South America with Heather's money. Now Heather is assistant dorm director at a university in New York City.
Then, female students start turning up dead at the bottom of the dorm's elevator shaft. The police are convinced that it's either suicide or accidental, but Heather is not so sure, especially when "accidents" start happening to her.
This is a fun, light read, and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, which apparently isn't due until next January.
06 September 2006
The Illusionist
On Monday afternoon, Tod and I went to see The Illusionist.
Based on Steven Millhauser's short story Eisenheim the Illusionist, it's a fantastic movie about Edward, a boy who meets a travelling magician, is entranced by his magic, when he is of age, travels the world perfecting his talents.
Eventually, he ends up in Vienna, where he crosses paths with a childhood (but above his standing) sweetheart, Sophie, who is engaged to the Crown Prince. Edward, now Eisenheim, sets out to win Sophie back, and at the same time undermine the corrupt Crown Prince.
Amazing performances by Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, and especially Edward Norton. A great story for lovers of romantic suspense, and also for those interested in magic and illusion.
Based on Steven Millhauser's short story Eisenheim the Illusionist, it's a fantastic movie about Edward, a boy who meets a travelling magician, is entranced by his magic, when he is of age, travels the world perfecting his talents.
Eventually, he ends up in Vienna, where he crosses paths with a childhood (but above his standing) sweetheart, Sophie, who is engaged to the Crown Prince. Edward, now Eisenheim, sets out to win Sophie back, and at the same time undermine the corrupt Crown Prince.
Amazing performances by Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, and especially Edward Norton. A great story for lovers of romantic suspense, and also for those interested in magic and illusion.
05 September 2006
01 September 2006
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