Our Neighborhood Park

I think we are lucky.

R.I.P. III Challenge - Thanks Carl!

I love reading Carl's blog Stainless Steel Droppings. If you haven't checked it out before, go and take a peak. And he always does great reading challenges and I'm finally on the ball to join one.

R.I.P. III is a great challenge in the genre's of:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

It runs September 1st - October 31st and you can either read Four, Two, or One book. My aim is four but we'll see. So here's my ever expanding list of options. I seriously have too many books I want to read.

Northanger Abby - Jane Austen (Finished September 19, 2008)
Terror - Dan Simmons (Finished October 01, 2008)
The Manikin - Joanna Scott (Finished October 09, 2008)
In the Woods - Tana French (Finished October 15, 2008)
Swan Song - Robert McCammon
The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole
The Turn of the Screw - Henry James (Finished October 06, 2008)
The Mysteries of Uldolpho - Ann Radcliffe
The Romance of the Forest - Ann Radcliffe
The Old English Baron - Clara Reeve
The Heroine - Eaton Stannard Barrett
A Long Fatal Love Chase - Louisa May Alcott
The Doom of the Griffiths - Elizabeth Gaskell
Lois the Witch - Elizabeth Gaskell
The Grey Woman - Elizabeth Gaskell
Uncle Silas - Sheridan Le Fanu
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (Finished October 21, 2008)
Jamaica Inn - Daphne du Maurier

Check out the R.I.P.ing Yarns site to see how everyone is doing and who's participating.

Book Finds

From my catch-up post here (Item number six), I mentioned that I bought way too many books lately. Ok, I don't really feel guilty. They were good finds and were bought at two library sales...so super cheap too!

Here's the first pile of loot which I found at the library book sale at the 96th Street Branch. I was meeting my aunt and cousin who were in town and staying close to that branch, and since I was early I popped in the library and to my luck found these:
A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Run - Ann Patchett
Cat's Eye - Margaret Atwood


Then a few days later I went to the Mid-Manhattan Library branch and found these:
Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel
One Year Off - David Elliot Cohen
Charming Billy - Alice McDermott
The Code of Love - Andro Linklater
Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
The Darwin Conspiracy - John Darnton
Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

And I won a copy of The Geography of Love by Glenda Burgess from Bookfinds. Thank you!
AND this weekend I just got in the mail...from the author...The Best Place to Be: A Novel in Stories by Lesley Dormen. It's even autographed to me!!! I'm so excited. And you'll be seeing this book reviewed a little differently soon but I'll give a little hint if you go here. I just love the book cover...

Authors Blog Too!

I love when authors stop by my blog and say hi and thanks for reviewing their book. And they blog as well! So I am a bit addicted to reading their fascinating blogs. And it's a great way for some authors to get the word out about their books!

So first, here's the two authors who've stopped by my blog:

Catherine Delors posted a nice comment on my review of The Mistress of the Revolution. I read/reviewed the book a little while back before I started to regularly review books. I'm almost tempted to do another better review because I LOVE that book. I have to say it's the one of top books I've enjoyed reading this year and will probably make my all-time favorite list. It was Catherine Delors' first book (amazingly) and she has a new one coming out soon called For the King. I can't wait to read it. I learn so much reading her blog Versailles and more. Since her books so far have revolved around French history it's a great place for more information on France, her novels, and her life.



Andromeda Romano-Lax is another first-time author of the novel The Spanish Bow which I also thought was an amazing book. I still can't believe that she's not from Spain because she has so much detail and texture in the book. Instead she lives in Anchorage, Alaska which is great because I might be able to coerce my sister who lives there to get me an autographed copy of her book :) Andromeda stopped by my review of The Spanish Bow and told me about her blog 49 Writers, No Moose. If you want to know more about Alaskan writers, about her life, or win some free goodies stop by! And when I get home I'm going to check out her website for her novel The Spanish Bow and listen to some music.


Other great Author sites (a.k.a. books I NEED to read):

Like I said, author blogs are a great way for an author to get their name and book out there. I love reading C.W. Gortner's Historical Boys blog. He proves that men can write great books of historical fiction as well as women. He also fills his blog with interview with other great authors. Very cool. His book is called The Last Queen about Juana of Castile who was the last queen of Spanish blood to have the throne. Many people thought she was crazy, but was she? I will definitely be picking up this book to read. I've heard nothing but great things about this book.






Michelle Moran, author of TWO books I NEED to read has a great site called History Buff. It's packed with tons of fun history stuff for archeology nerds like me. Her two books currently out are Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen. They both take place in ancient Egypt and since my upcoming honeymoon is to Egypt...I will definitely be reading both of those soon. So far everything I've read praises Nefertiti so The Heretic Queen will probably be amazing as well.





The last blog I love reading is Van Gogh's Chair. As my friends and family know, I am an avid Van Gogh fan...not only his artwork but also his letters are so touching. So when I came upon the blog Van Gogh's Chair I was hooked. And then to find out the author Sheramy Bundrick will be coming out with a fiction book called The Sunflowers next year. It's about Rachel, the prostitute who was involved in Van Gogh's infamous ear cutting incident. Check out her website...she's obviously done her homework and I'm excited to pick it up when it comes out.




And ones I forgot or found new after the original post...I'm sure I'll keep adding more on:

James Viscosi's Scribblings blog is just a great site. His blog is perfect if you are an author, struggling writier, or just need a little good reading. I love his random rejection letters and his early writing from when he was a kid is just hilarious. I have to admit I haven't read his works but they do sound pretty interesting. They are horror, fantasy, and a bit sci-fi...you can check out his Store here.

Oh and speaking of sci-fi, fantasy, etc...how could I forget Neil Gaiman's blog. It's worth checking out if you are a fan or have heard about him but haven't read his works yet.

Are there any Author Blogs you currently read?? Have you read a book because you've read an Author's blog? Has any cool authors read your review of their book?

Good Music Good Food

As summer wraps up I am starting to read less and get a bit ansy. I know it will go away once fall and winter set in. There is nothing better than curling up at a favorite coffee shop, watching the snow flakes wisk around outside, and read a book.

So I will try and post some of the fun NYC things we've been doing in the meantime.

A few weekends ago my husband and I met a couple friends out and headed to the Blues BBQ which was at Pier 54 and W. 14th Street. It was fun walking past some of the old meat packing district shops. As it was a hot and sunny day, I couldn't imagine the place as it was back then...all stinky with butcher shops. Now they are all designer clothing shops and funky little bars and clubs. But it's got a great old-time industrial feel for it. Here's the entrance to the pier and Blues BBQ fest:
Up and down the pier there were stand selling yummy smelling BBQ. There were stands for the following yummy NYC BBQ joints: Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, Dallas Jones Bar-B-Que, Dinosaur Bar B Que and Mara’s Homemade. Here's us standing in line for the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. I love the guy sharpening and cleaning his huge knife:
Mmmm....and here's our haul. The ribs were my husband's while the brisket sandwich was mine.
It was a beautiful night and I loved watching the colors change as the sun went down.
And I had to get a picture of the pig hanging in this stand. Don't worry it wasn't a real pig:
With our bellies full and satiated we maneuvered up to the stage and sat and watched an awesome performance from the Alexis P. Suter Band. Boy she can wail and put on a good performance. She had the whole crowd riled up and clapping (some dancing) along.

I snapped one last picture before we headed home. That's the Empire State Building all lit up in the background.
Hope you enjoyed our little BBQ/Blues fest! For other good NYC BBQ events, check out my post on the Big Apple BBQ.

Charlie is a Couch Potato

My dog Charlie (who's official full name is "Charlie Dog") loves watching T.V.

Now there's some people out there who might think that dogs can't really see the screen.

I beg to defer. Charlie will sit and watch t.v. with us. Of course he has his favorite movies and shows.

For instance, he really liked watching Disney's Eight Below about a dog sled team.

Sometimes when my husband plays video games, Charlie will go right up to the screen and put his nose on it.

So what is Charlie watching here????



It's the 2008 Puppy Games on Animal Planet. His favorites are the water games and soccer games.

Does your pet watch T.V.??

To Study or To Play...That is the Question

First of all...I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Today my sister emailed me and told me update my blog. She wants to know what I've been up to. Ahhhh...what a good big sister.

You might be thinking that I've been such a studious monkey since I've been absent for about a week. I'd like to say I have been good. Alas...I'm still waiting for my textbook to arrive so instead I've done the following:

1) Baked espresso brownies

2) Hiked (and got lost) with pups near Bear Mtn, NY

3) Eaten a ton of spicy chili made by my wonderful husband

4) Made home-made fries for the first time

5) Watched a ton of college football (seriously...Tennessee should have won...arg)

6) Bought way too many books at library book sales

7) Had after-work happy hour drinks with my husband at a new place

8) Watched my husband play GTA

9) Taken our Brooklyn friends through our neighborhood's wooded hills

And Finally...today...

10) Did some school work. Have you ever heard of SQL? It's fun. Really. You can learn about it here and here, ....I know I am.

P.S. If anyone wants to buy me some studious monkey bookends...well I'd be really grateful.