Cookbooks

David Lebovitz - My Paris Kitchen

Did I ever tell you I have a nice collection of signed cookbooks. My friends know because they helped me move boxes of them when we got our floors redone. I don't have too many, but a few apparently very heavy ones.

My love for cooking and cookbooks happened nearly 19 years ago. My boss was a foodie. He had quite a collection of cookbooks. I was newly married, and really didn't know how to cook much. Pasta was my go to meal. I asked his advice on what cookbooks I should invest in. I'd joined a cookbook club. Then, started the book signings. He'd send me to get a cookbook signed by Julia Child or some other great chef, and would kindly purchase one for me. Thus my love for the cookbook and meeting the author started.

Molly Wizenberg - Delancey

My friend Bekah and I have stood in line more then once to meet Ina Garten and get a few signed cookbooks from her, plus a sampling of recipes from the cookbook. We love these moments.

All of a sudden there are three cookbooks and great stories on sale. Here's what I'm looking forward to reading and cooking from.

First up is David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen. If you haven't check out his blog your missing something. Seriously his first book My Sweet Life, made me laugh out loud. His tweets are even hilarious. This book released today. Go get it now at Amazon, I sure will be.

Next up is Molly Wizenberg's book about her restaurant, Delancey that she opened up with her husband. She is also hilarious, have you ever heard her on the podcast Spilled Milk? I literally laugh out loud listening while sitting in the endless traffic on L.A. freeways, and let me tell laughing in that mess is super hard to do.

Zoe Nathan, Josh Loeb - Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes from our Kitchen

Last up is one I've been anticipating. Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes From Our Kitchen. I literally live 4 blocks from Huckleberry's in Santa Monica. I frequently walk there for a quick lunch or sweet treat. Seriously when she posts on Instagram what she baked that day I drop everything and walk up the street to try it out. I can't wait to read this book. Right now you can pre-order it and I know they'll be doing a book signing soon, I so can't wait to meet these people in person. They own at least four restaurants and an ice cream parlor here in Santa Monica. You can't be more invested in your community then that.

What are your favorite cookbooks?

Books I've Read

Dear ITSS Reader,

   As summer comes to a close, you all must have read a few books, while traveling, camping or just laying at the beach. Personally, I've read quite a few starting in the spring and into the summer. All of these stories are varied, which is good. This all thanks to our book swapping parties and a couple of shopping excursions to Costco and Barnes & Nobles. The last one I read is my favorite close second in Julia Child's memoir. 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is such a great fictional story based on the German Occupation of one of the Channel Islands off the coast of Great Britain during WWII. I know you may think that sounds boring and tedious. But one, it was educational and two, though it's a piece of fiction based on facts, you really believe these people exist. They become your friends. I laughed out loud and cried and smiled throughout the book. It's written in the style of letters exchange by quite a few people. I had mixed emotions about this, but then I couldn't wait to read the next letter. This is a must read, I think my Mom would love this book. 

Go here to purchase!

Now reader, this next book is alarming and educational. I probably wouldn't have picked this up, but someone at the book swap party said it was a must read. It's a piece of Non-Fiction.  Why is it alarming?  Because as I sip my latte's and take walks on the beach I am oblivious to all the seedy interactions taking place around the world. You will see inside U.S. politics and the manipulation of so many people and countries for greed. Made me irritated and mad, but I feel slightly more informed. Personally I think this should be a movie, although parts of it I'm sure have already been used. It features a few countries, Panama and Saudi Arabia sticking out most in mind. If you are like me and grew up in the 70's you'll understand the oil crisis issue (long lines at the gas pump ring any bells) in the U.S. much more after you've read this book. 

Go here to purchase!

This one is a very small attempt at satisfying your Downton Abbey drought.  It's a quick summer read of how American's love having titles and do all they can to make sure their rich little girls marry an aristocrat of some sort. 

Go here to purchase!

Julia Child's story made me want to go back to school. In fact I checked out a few culinary schools looking for a good story and to feed my pastry passion. This is a delightful read and an inspiring tale of how a woman can start a new career later in life. If you didn't love Julia before this you will afterward. This goes on my top 10 list of favorite books. 

Go here to purchase!

If you can't travel aboard physically, how about mentally? This book took me to Venice and an intriguing fictional story of glass blowing. It made me want to go back to Versailles, you'll have to read why, and back to Venice and the Island of Murano. Now Glassblowing is one more thing to add to my ever growing list of things I want to learn if I had eternity to do so. 

Go here to purchase!

Did you read Eat, Pray, Love or just watch the movie?  If you read it you'd love Luca Spaghetti, which is why I picked this up.  He's a funny story teller and a passionate Italian and AS Roma fan.  I fun read.  

Go here to purchase

Now reader I do hope you are intrigued by these books.  It's a nice mix of serious, fluffy, informative, inspirational stories both real and imagined.  Enjoy but please tell me what are you reading?  What was your summer favorite book? Tell me please.

Sincerely,

Tanya

Happy 5 Year Blog Anniversary

So today I've been officially blogging for 5 year. I think I hoped that this blog would have evolved much more then me changing the layout every once in a while. I have dreamed of this space often. Real life and priorities have kept me from doing more. I wish this blog were my real work life, but it's still a hobby. What made me start this space was my passion for photography, food and travel. I still have that, but I've watch others live the dream and am still only dabbling in an area that I should be excelling in. This post is turning into a self-reflection, which I rarely do publicly.

I continue to struggle whether to but advertising on this site. I've worked in advertising for sixteen years and let me tell you the click thru rate on banners just keeps sinking lower and lower. But the ad dollars may be worth it. I like the simple look, and the blogs with lots of advertising are not as appealing to read. Too much stuff. I have found myself enjoying social media much more than anticipated for this Gen Xer. I'm an avid participant and follower on Instagram and Pinterest, but only a voyeur on Facebook and Twitter.

I continue to bake and cook and read everything under the sun. I wish money and time were no object so we could travel more and take a few of the photography and cooking classes I long for. 

All you food, travel and photography bloggers out there continue to inspire me on a daily basis. You challenge me everyday and feed my curiosity. Irony here is what I turned in for my photography portfolio umpteen years ago is still my style esthetic, just a bit more progressive. 

So with that self-reflection on this blog my goals in this space for the next year are to take at least one class (cooking or pottery or photography) and travel somewhere new.  And let's not forget finishing my Cuba Story. I finally told my dad about our story and he said "

Please finish it."

 These goals ask so much from myself, but are tasks I think I can accomplish.  

"So self...keep on blogging, keeping on shooting, bake and cook and feed your travel bug, and oh yeah, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"

Getty Villa and Frances Mayes

In the past I have posted some of my favorite books and one of them that I read often, sometimes once a year is

Under the Tuscan Sun

.

My friend Nancy told me that Frances and Ed Mayes had published a cookbook and that the book tour was bringing them to the Getty Villa in Malibu. I was too excited for words, so I booked a reservation for four people to the Getty Villa, you need to do this on their

website

. They don't charge per person, but per car, so I assumed my friends visiting and SB would go with me. Alas, on that day everyone had different plans. I called Nancy at the very last minute to see if she wanted to go with me, as I had turned her on to this book and she had told me about the book signing. She already had plans, so I ventured to one of my favorite places alone. Before I get to my story here are few of the my photo's of the Getty Villa, which houses J. Paul Getty's antiquity collection (lots of statues).

 Water lilies by the water fall.

 A view of the cafe....best museum food I've ever had.

 Beautiful tiled fountain.

This is the best view of the pool and if you don't know this balcony below is here, you'll miss it. There is a door to the West of the upstair elevators. Push the handicap button and the doors will open to this balcony and enjoy the view. It's not always open, but if it is, go...and thankfully this is still a well kept secret. There is hardly ever anyone out there.

 A hipstamic moment.

I got there at 10AM. No one was there, it was so empty, a class of kids was in the amphitheater and hadn't scattered thru out the museum yet, so I really had the place to myself. I found the book store to purchase this cookbook. You can purchase it

here

.

At the bookstore they'd asked me if I'd reserved a book, I hadn't and became worried. But they'd ordered extra so I got my book and then hovered near the table and line in the shade waiting for Frances and Ed.  When they walked by I recognized her right away and said "hello," like I knew her, really I've never met her but felt like we were long time friends.

Two gentleman went before me in line and had bought every book she ever published and had her sign them all, she kindly did so and chatted them up. This took a while, then they gave her embroidered tea towels, really how can I compete with this thoughtfulness. It did bode well for getting my personal first edition copy of

Under the Tuscan Sun

 signed, which I had brought with me. When it was my turn I was so excited and had her sign the cookbook and asked if she'd signed my 

Under the Tuscan Sun

 copy. I told her and Ed I read this about every year while drinking a nice glass of Prosecco (she introduced me to this delicious bubbly wine). Ed said "Good for you!" The third person at the table happened to be the photographer. I had looked at the photographs and thought they were lovely so when I got to him I asked him if he'd sign his favorite picture. This is like asking someone what there favorite city was on a European tour, or your favorite pastry at Laduree. He couldn't find one of his favorites but described which one it was, it's the vegetables against the plastered walls of Bramasole (the Mayes home in Tuscany). Later on in the day I found it and almost went back to have him sign it.

It was only 10:45 by now and someone mentioned there was a lecture at noon, this series is called:  Celebrity Chef Series: Frances Mayes (The Tuscan Sun Cookbook:  Recipes from Our Italian Kitchen) Author Frances Mayes speaks on the occasion of the publication of her first-ever cookbook. Mayes talks about how this cuisine transports, comforts, entices, and speaks to the friendly, genuine, and improvisational spirit of Tuscan life.

I wasn't planning on staying that long, but I thought I'd wonder thru the museum as it wasn't crowded and explore images I might want to take and see if there was anything new. I've been to this museum many times before and after the remodel. It's like being transported to Italy. Such a beautiful re-creation of an Italian villa. Below are some of the patterns, textures, and tromp l'oeil you'll see everywhere.

This is technically the entrance of the museum.  Make sure to look up, the ceiling is beautiful.

 #fromwhereistand

By noon I was still there so I went to see if there were any tickets left, they are free, they handed me one and I went into the auditorium. Bon Appetit introduced her, did you know they manage the cafe at the Getty Villa? This makes sense as the food is delicious. Her reading was poetic and painted many word pictures. I kept thinking how glad I was in this position to come on a Wednesday morning to the Getty Villa at the last minute and hear one of my favorite authors describe the Italian life she'd made for herself and how people thought she was crazy to start this venture, I was inspired and moved. After the reading we were allowed to ask questions. Not many went up, so I asked why she choose Cortona of all the places in Italy to live [she'd initially stayed there on her first visit to Italy as it was centrally located to where she wanted to tour, after that she kept coming back, so it seemed a likely place to set roots].  Someone else asked her about the difference in writing a cookbook versus her travel logs [much different, she hadn't realized the ingredients were listed in the order you put them in dish].

By this time it was 1PM and I was hungry, the cafe was making a few of the recipes in her book, so I went up there and order the crostini. These were so savory. The Pea and Shallot had a hint of mint, a surprising refreshing burst of flavor in your mouth. The other crostini was Pecorino and Nut (walnuts).  Nutty from the walnuts and cheese with a tangy salty flavor.

Some of my favorite statues....and well, one that scares me to death, I use to dream about this "chicken lady" chasing me thru the ditches in New Mexico when I was a kid. Yes I know I need therapy.

 A Siren...but I call her the "Chicken Lady."

For some reason this one reminds me of the statue I saw in the movie "The Saint".  I believe the statue I am referring to is at Oxford, at least it was in the movie.

After this lovely afternoon I walked thru the herb garden and headed home. Funny thing was Nancy deeply regretted that I didn't talk her out of her plans (which I really couldn't have).  She ended up having to drive down to Costa Mesa to get a signed copy of the books as the Getty Villa had sold out.  It was a fun adventure for the day. I can't wait to have a few more.

Getty Villa

17985 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, CA 90265

(310) 440-7300

Books I've Read

So at the very first book swap party I was determined to leave with only

one

 book, as I have shelves of books at home. However a 10 year old and his Nani convinced me that

The Hunger Games

 was a must read.  I hadn't seen a 10 year old that excited about a book in a long time.  So I took the book and Sunday morning opened it and that night finished it.  I literally couldn't put it down, it was that good.  On Monday I had to have the other two books, so I called Deb and asked her for them, even begging her to leave them on the porch since she was going out that evening.  The other too I read within the next week, work got in the way of my 24 hour marathon read.

This sequel is pretty good, I enjoyed it almost as much as the original.

Sums up the story but my least favorite of the three.

I really enjoyed the

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

 I may have been drawn to the title because of my own self-titled story about my travels to Cuba

here

.

This is a sweet story about a time that is a bit of an embarrassment to Americans during the WWII and the prejudice against the Japanese.  I found it very informative and Jamie Ford a wonderful storyteller.

Another book I haven't seen the move to yet, I always like to read the books before I see the movie version. This way my imagination can determine who and what everyone looks like.  This is another commentary on prejudice and opening peoples eyes to that fact we're all human beings.

The first computer I worked on in my first job was

this

.  I've grown up with the Mac and in my industry everyone aspires to do the kind of marketing that Apple does.  So while I haven't read a biography in a long time this was a must read.  Insightful journey into a genius mind, albeit with a nasty style of management.  He did get it down and revolutionized an industry and the way we interact with each other.  As for management style I think I know a few people who have read this book and do exactly as he did, and to them "no thank you."

I'm working on a few more on my nightstand and hidden in all kind of places that I keep discovering.  So as I get thru those ones I'll post about them.  Enjoy the above for now.