10.11.2009

What I've Been Watching and Reading

I've been reading and watching some really interesting, cool stuff lately. Here's a sampling:
  • The Children's Lit Project is fantastic. I particularly liked Sarah Small's bit where she states that she doesn't necessarily write for children, which probably attributes to her books being universally enjoyed by both children and grown-ups. Thanks to Read Roger for directing me to the website.
  • You all should really be checking out the blog Sweet Reads: Books and Baking for Kids. Aside from having an awesome name, Rawley blogs book reviews with matching recipes. In particular, I liked her recent review of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, paired with "Callie's Old-Fashioned Apple Pie." Loads of fun.
  • In light of the recent release of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan (which I am LONGING to read but have yet to obtain), I give you steampunk cakes. Excellent. And here's the trailer one last time:

  • In an odd twist, I discovered this week that Patrick Carman, author of The Land of Elyon series and one of The 39 Clues' authors, graduated from the same university I did. Which is a little random, seeing as not many people know Willamette University. Even crazier is that he was also a work-study student for my mother-in-law, who works in the Career Center at Willamette. Small, small world.
  • I loved this recent article in The New York Times Magazine where the ubiquitous Michael Pollan posts rules for eating. My favorite? "If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry." ~ Emma Fogt
  • I adored this recent article in Saveur, "Dinner in the Piazza" by Beth Elon. The photography was stunning* and it made me so happy to have recently received my new passport in the mail. Read the article and you'll be ready to hop on a plane too.
  • I'm a die-hard Georgia Nicolson fan, the star of Louise Rennison's series. The last book in the series just released last week, Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?, and it was everything I could want in a series concluder. This series soooo makes me wish I were British just so I can make phrases like "daft tart" sound really gorgey and fab. I have yet to see the movie they made of the first book - my understanding is that it never released in Hamburger-a-gogo land, n'est-ce pas? Any of you seen the movie? Well, adieu, Georgia. I have loved following your adventures with the ace gang and, Louise Rennison, I can't wait to read your upcoming new series!
  • Last but not least, I'm going OT here. I want to thank Alvina at Bloomabilities for introducing me to this YouTube video. I dare you to watch it and not smile. Warning, though: prepare to have the song stuck in your head for days afterward!


Eat, drink, and go out and smash it. Like, oh my god.


* Note: none of the stunningly beautiful photos from the print version of the article are in the online version. All the more reason to get a subscription. Please, oh please, don't let Saveur suffer the same fate as Gourmet!

2 comments:

amy said...

apple quote was my fave also. some of the advice was spotty, but entertaining in an culture-anthro sense (hello, no second helpings? ever?)..

Unknown said...

Agreed. I found the no second helpings EVER too extremist. How much did you love this one: "Avoid snack foods with the 'oh' sound in their names: Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, Tostidos, Hostess Ho-Hos, etc."