The Local – Saturday, October 1, 2016

The Local is a very popular Irish Pub in Minneapolis. It is the largest seller of Jameson Whiskey in the world. Think on that! (This bit of bar trivia comes from my fiancé, Jim, who I brought along to meet everyone).  (By the way – did you know that we Americans, along with the Irish - prefer the spelling WHISKEY, but elsewhere in the world, the spelling is commonly WHISKY?) Imagine the atmosphere in this place when you realize that the Ryder Cup was being held at Hazeltine Golf Course that very week.

The TV monitors had eyeballs glued to them. Both American and European voices echoed throughout the high-ceilinged bar. It was a little hard to hear our discussion because of that, but we soldiered on and found ways to communicate! The high-top table also made it a little awkward talking to each other. I decided to make the rounds and go sit at the other end of the table for a while so I could talk to those waaaayyyy over there.

Our server, Brian, was prompt and very responsive and helpful. There were several partakers of the Bloody Mary with a sidecar. Somehow those sidecars ended up near me! I wonder why folks didn’t want them? Just a preference I’m sure. Why mess up the taste of a good Bloody?

Anyway, our very helpful server, Brian, came by with a tip that Guinness was going on sale. The Guinness girls were in the house! Jim took off immediately to make sure the girls were conservatively dressed. (Right?) I’m pretty sure that’s what he was doing. He came back with a new t-shirt on and a pair of panties on his head, so, yep, I’m pretty sure … ! (Just kidding, he actually came back with a key chain/bottle opener which will come in handy.)

I decided to order the obvious choice on the menu – the Fish and Chips – and I’m so glad I did. They did a great job on the crust of the fish (cod) and the fries (chips) were delicious with some salt vinegar shaken on top. Apparently this is the proper way to eat them. Yum!

Other dishes that got buzz: Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad – I got to try it and it was delicious.  Baked Artichoke Dip, Walleye Sandwich, Chicken Pub Pie, House Curry Chicken. It all sounded really good. And really high calorie!

I noticed while gabbing with Mike that the others on the far side of the table were discussing the book – Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline – ah, well – could not hear what they were saying. But it looked like a lively discussion and people seemed to really enjoy the storytelling. We will try to organize an outing to see the play – it opens November 19 at the History Theater in St. Paul.

Mike was telling me an interesting historical fact about World War II that relates in a way to the book. German prisoners of war were brought here to Minnesota during the war because there were/are several German settlements and the farmers appreciated good help. The prisoners were happy because they got to speak their native tongue, they got fed and received shelter. Many of them never left.

In the book, it was common for an orphan to end up on a farm as a farmhand. The work could be brutal and tougher yet because of the Minnesota weather. Many of the young orphans were mistreated, and worse. Of course, many of them found a better, brighter situation than they were born into. Just to get fed, clothed, sheltered and educated would be a blessing. To find love and an affectionate family would be a dream.

So the Guinness, wine and Bloody Mary’s flowed along with the conversation and some of us (me!) found ourselves ready for dessert. I ordered the Seasonal Cheesecake. I was excited to see what would appear in front of me. When it came, it took a little while to determine what it was. It was like a PBJ cheesecake. Peanut butter cheesecake with a strawberry jam-type topping. It was honestly so sweet I could only eat a few bites. Rachel took a bite and put the fork right down. Huh! I guess we won’t be making PBJ cheesecake for any future events.

We were missing only a few of our members – sorry you couldn’t join us – Marie, Jarby and Sandy. Hope you were off doing other wonderful things! We hope to see you next time. Mike and Louise will plan our next gathering at Mike’s fantastic loft.

Look forward to hearing from Mike and Louise about the next selection and details on the time and date.

Thank you, everyone for welcoming Jim so warmly, he had a great time meeting you all. He said he could sit next to Louise all night and exchange stories. If we all could hear each other I’m sure he’d say the same about every one of you.  (You know I’m just teasing, Hillary – it was an epic choice of location for book club – loved it!)

It’s nice to see our little Louise McColl book club growing (wink, Jarby!) – welcome, Hillary! Fun to have you and thank you so much for organizing us.

Katie

Epic Journey

We were lucky to have a very special book choice for this meeting. Local author and poet, Susan Thurston, has written a fantastic “fantasy” novel titled, Sister of Grendel. When we began reading, the book was not even available to the public yet. An imagining of the story of Beowulf, or perhaps, an extension of that story. In that classic tale, Grendel and his mother are destroyed by Beowulf. In Sister of Grendel, Thurston proposed that Grendel had a sister who was present at the infamous attack, and although she found herself powerless to intervene to save her brother and her mother, she will go on to carry the traditions and customs of their tribe for a long and arduous journey to redemption.

We had the most intense discussion about a book that we’ve ever had! Ms. Thurston was incredibly generous with her time and answered all our questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

We met at the classic downtown Minneapolis restaurant, the Monte Carlo. We were at first seated centrally in the very loud and bustling restaurant. But, our very observant and responsive server asked if we’d like to move to a more quiet corner of the space. We opted to move! We ended up in the most quiet, cozy and intimate space, which was perfect for our meeting.

We were so excited that Louise was well recovered from her recent injuries! So nice see her up and about and looking fabulous! Also joining us was Victor Thiemann, our newest member. Welcome, Vic! Very nice to have you with us.

Rounding us out were Mike, Cynthia, Marie, Rachel and myself. Jarby sent an SOS saying that her car broke down on the roadside and she would not be able to make it. How disappointing, and how frustrating for her. We missed you, Jarby!

Some of the topics we discussed were the naming of the Smallheaded Tribe, and the violence between tribes. Was there an obvious parallel to modern “tribes”?

As we began discussing the book, our server brought us 2 platters of world famous Monte Carlo chicken wings. They were piping hot and the crusty goodness was a unique and unforgettable taste for sure.

We all enjoyed a cocktail as the discussion continued. We talked about the grand and seemingly unending journey that our protagonist endured. Why was it she had to endure all the people coming in and out of her life? She outlived them all. That is one of the consequences of being from a tribe that lives such a long life.

Rehsotis found the love of her life and had the opportunity to spend time with him and enjoy a time of great pleasure and happiness, however short-lived that may have been.

Throughout the book, Rehsotis uses her knowledge of nature and foods the earth offers up, medicinal herbs and plants.She uses her knowledge to feed herself, and nurture and care for others.

She also has to look deep within herself to find ways to fit in with others. Her experiences resonate with us as these are things we struggle with as well.

Now it was time to focus for a little while on the food placed in front of us. For only a short few moments, there was quiet in the room as we dug in to:

- Pizza Lavosh Style Cracker Crust with Cilantro Pesto, Havarti Cheese and Marinated Chicken Breast

- Calamari, Light Tempuri Preparation

- Chopped Beef Liver

- Panko Fried Shrimp- Gulf Shrimp in Japanese Breading

- Billy Reed’s Caesar Burger – Burger with a side of Caesar Salad

There also seemed to be a couple of fantastic looking salads at the other end of the table from me. Wow, what a gigantic food selection and great tasting meals!

We soon returned to talking about the book some more. Ms. Thurston shared with us that she will have a book launch soon and is very much looking forward to having the book available for sale. Check it out on Amazon!

We talked so much that we didn’t get to talking about our next book selection at all. It wasn’t even mentioned! Which I think is a first for us. So, I heard that Marie has volunteered to host the next gathering and we will perhaps do a poll to see what everyone would like to read.

For now, we are happy to support the success of Sister of Grendel and we look forward to more from this interesting and very generous author, Susan Thurston. Thank you for spending time with us, we loved every minute!

Soon after leaving the restaurant, my poor little Mini Cooper was rear ended at a stop sign. By a guy with a BRAND NEW car. So new that it didn’t even have license plates yet. Gah! So, that is a large percentage of automobile related trouble in one evening!!!! 

I am lucky that it was just a bumper tap and his insurance will pay to have my cracked bumper fixed. Jarby I’m truly feeling your pain. Let us hope that everyone else arrived home safe and sound with no further incidents.

Looking forward to our next gathering!

Katie

Is this December in Minnesota?

The evening air was a pleasant 43 degrees with little wind and no sign of snow.

Besides the Twilight Zone feeling (is this really Minnesota?), St. Paul seemed to be lagging a little behind in the festive department - I saw a few lights and decorations, but not the blast of Christmas anticipation that I expected.

I arrived in a "parking space" at 5:59 (for a 6:00 pm start) only to realize that the parking space I chose was marked "no parking" with the meter covered in red. One of the more festive warnings I've ever seen! Ok, so drive around a little and try to find the best spot with a short walk to Public Kitchen + Bar overlooking Mears Park. I wound up in the little parking area near Louise's building that I was familiar with. It was a block and a half walk - very pleasant!

Everyone was already seated and waiting for me. In fact, the first bottle of wine had long been consumed! Someone arrived early ...!

Public Kitchen is located in a historic building which used to host Wood's Chocolate Factory. The renovation retained the original brick walls and wood support beams. It's a beautiful space, with an Industrial vibe and huge windows that overlook the park. The high ceilings make the space seem even bigger than it is.


It was only moments until a server came up behind, touched my shoulder and said, "What can I bring you to drink?" I love this place already!

The menus come attached to a clipboard - neat idea! My appetizer was Mussels with roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs and white wine. MMMMM...delish! I saw some lovely salads that others ordered and enjoyed. Then on to the main course - I ordered the Fettucine with crawfish, andouille, peppers, house made pasta and chipotle cream. I heard some talk that the menu took some tweaking in order to please, but I tell you that this dish was fabulous. And just the right serving size. I did take some home with me, but it was not overwhelming in portion.

I think everyone was pleased with their meal - honestly I was paying attention to my own plate so much I didn't really notice what everyone else was doing. Mike ordered the Cobb salad and his inner chef came out and said "This dish needs something .... hand me the salt and the lemon!" And so, his dish received the improvements necessary for his satisfaction.

There was some oohing and ahhing over the food, so I assume everyone was happy with their choice of entree.

The book we read - I'm Ok, You're Ok - turned out not to be the best choice for this Book Club. Either we are all off the charts smart in the Psychology department, or we just didn't feel like reading Self Help!  Well, maybe it was harder to get from the library than you would think.

Anyhow, there wasn't a lot to say about the book. I read it and it was very helpful for me in my specific situation. Relationship conflict can be a real struggle for certain personalities and I can always use new techniques and insight. This book from decades ago still has some powerful information for those in tougher situations. It is also helpful for parents who want a better way to communicate with their children and teenagers. So, I definitely would recommend it.

Cynthia recommended our next book, Sister of Grendel by Susan Thurston, a local author. This is a unique opportunity for us since Cynthia is a friend of the author and has invited her to join us for our next discussion. I have a feeling that if you could only make one Book Club in 2016, this would be the one you'd want to attend.

Here is a little information about the book from Cynthia:

"Bio: Susan Thurston earns the attention of fantasy lovers everywhere with Sister of Grendel. A reimagining of the epic Beowulf, Thurston’s debut novel can be compared to John Gardner’s Grendel, Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead, and Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad. An award-winning poet, she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

SYNOPSIS: In the epic Beowulf, Grendel and his mother are presented as monsters deserving of their brutal deaths. Here we learn a different truth of that long-ago age—for there was another witness. Now alone and isolated, Rehsotis, sister of Grendel, reveals the origins of the anger and passion of her brother and mother. She chronicles her search for those remaining of her tribe and how she emerged from a time of darkness and danger to ultimately take a stand to protect and preserve the innocence of another.

 

Susan Thurston reimagines a world where dreams are more powerful than the sword and where love can transcend death. The life of her heroine Rehsotis is wrought in such lyrical and compelling language, the reader will feel as if the original legend included her.

 

Thurston’s debut novel can be compared to John Gardner’s Grendel, Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead, and Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad. An award winning poet, she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her family." 

Sounds like a great opportunity to dive into a classic tale and get a new spin on it. Cynthia is impressed with Ms. Thurston's writing (she also teaches writing, I seem to remember Cynthia mentioning?) and so I'm looking forward to this very much.

The Black Forest Inn was mentioned as a possible location for our next Book Club, but that may change. We also talked about The Loft as a great place to meet and a perfect spot considering the book and the author. Cynthia will update us on the location and the date. We talked about mid to late January.

We missed a few people at this gathering but with all the holiday preparations going on, it was not surprising that our group was smaller than usual. 

Great catching up with you - Marie, Louise, Mike and Cynthia!

Enjoy the mild weather until it isn't anymore - and then feel blessed for the change in season and the inevitable White Christmas (or white winter if it hasn't happened yet....). I hope you all get out into the snow and enjoy it this year - do something fun and exhilarating!

... Or sit in front a fire with Sister of Grendel and sip a hot drink while being transported to a new land.

Can't wait! Cynthia, when do we get a copy of the manuscript?

Happy Reading!

Katie

Perfect Night for Fall Book Club

I enjoyed the drive over to India Palace in Eden Prairie for Book Club - the fall colors were out, some of the trees brilliant and right in their glory. It's been a spectacular fall!

India Palace is a nondescript little restaurant in a strip mall, bigger than expected as you step inside and smell the rich Indian flavors, and hear the hand cymbals and strings of classic Indian music. The golden color of the dining room matched the fall vibe. Jarby awaited as I walked in. So glad to see her up and about after a bout of back pain. Well, she was actually seated but who's counting? Then Sandy appeared, jaunty as ever and ready to share her latest travel adventure to Ireland.

Marie was next up, beautiful and polished and looking ready for a nice relaxed evening. Louise and Cynthia also made it, looking fabulous and relaxed - with Mike bringing up the rear. Back pain seemed to be the scourge of the week, Cynthia also having been hit with it. But she was looking radiant and well, as she said, "happy to be here!"

Great to see everyone, but we missed our dear Rachel, who was off celebrating her recent nuptials. Congrats, Rachel and Vic!

And, of course, we always miss our distant members - Janet & Amy. One day we will have a Book Club Reunion and we'll all be together again! Skype anyone?

The staff let us assemble without interference and to give us time to look at the vast menu. What a selection! Something for every taste and, really, everything sounded so delicious! I opted for the Vegetable Samosas (crispy pastry patties shaped like a giant Hershey kiss stuffed with spicy potatoes),  Rogan Josh (lean cubed lamb cooked in a yogurt sauce with special spices) Along with naan and basmati rice, there was a lot of food! In the picture, you see my lunch the next day - which is certainly a whole serving of food in itself. So - portions are very generous. I would definitely recommend eating at India Palace again. The staff was courteous and helpful and like I say, can't beat the amount of food you are given.

We read the book The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and everybody expressed that they really enjoyed the book. The concept is that a man who is on the highly functioning scale of Asperger's decides he wants a wife. In his brain, it makes sense to form a questionnaire to eliminate all the women who he'd be incompatible with. The irony of the story is that the woman he falls for does not tick any of the boxes he thought he needed. It's a charming and lightly humorous read - very fast and also has a sequel called The Rosie Effect. Cynthia mentioned how the book even helped in dealing with a real life work scenario with someone that she knows. Cool!

Since it's been forever since we've read "self-help", we decided that I'm Ok, You're Ok by Thomas Harris might be a good choice. It's an older book in the Psychology genre, but still holds true in most concepts to this day. Keep an open mind! You should be able to find the book in any library, or for very cheap on amazon.com.

We will meet again after Thanksgiving - I think that's what we decided. I dunno, there had been some wine drunk by the time we got here. :) I think Louise sounded happy to host and we talked about possibly doing something on the East side - Everest on Grand is a Nepalese restaurant that Mike said was also fabulous. So - shall we try it??

Great to see everyone and swap stories about our summers. Too bad we seem to have had our last truly warm summer day, but Fall has it's pleasures as well. So curl up with that good book and a cup of tea and look forward to our next gathering.

Katie

Live from Minneapolis... on a Wednesday night!

Tina Fey utilized comedy from a very young age to build a brand, a career, and a lifestyle. She started out in Chicago and quickly made her way to New York. She cemented her place in the world of comedy when she succeeded on Saturday Night Live, as a writer and actor.

Her book was interesting, but felt more like a bucket list tick for her than a true in-depth look into her pysche and her life. Notice that her fellow comedienne, Amy Poehler also wrote a book around the same time. A little healthy competition never hurts!

Anyway, I talk about this because I want to show that there was a method to the madness of choosing The Melting Pot for our gathering. Live from New York .... the Melting Pot of the world ... to our small gathering of 10 right here in Minneapolis!

The Melting Pot is located downtown and it was surprisingly easy to find and to park! I was so happy about that. I thought the restaurant was very well-run. They greeted me promptly and had planned ahead to have all of our group first meet up in the "lounge" (bar area) until everyone showed up, and then to be seated together. After about a 20 minute wait (or 3/4 of a glass of wine, if anyone is counting...) we were seated around a long table in a private room with 3 fondue pots awaiting our special orders.

What an experience! I had never been to The Melting Pot before, but I had heard from my daughter Jessica that it was amazing. She gave me some great advice, which I passed along to the others - one tidbit was that you don't have to go hog wild and order the whole 4-course meal for each person. It's fine to order ala carte and to share plates between 2 people. This brought the costs down for many of us, I think. (I hope!)

The menu was just a little bit complicated, but after some explaining from our server, we were all anxious to get going with those pots!

First course was a cheese fondue. You could choose from several different kinds of cheese, along with different herbs and seasonings. The fresh ingredients are added to your pot, and soon the hot pot is melting that cheese to a very nice consistency for dipping interesting things.

There were apple slices and bread, along with a few different vegies like carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli.

Very tasty! And fun.

Next up was a salad, for those who chose to have that course.

Then, the fun stuff! A vegetarian plate was available as well, but most of us wanted to try the meats and fish.

Rachel and I ordered a platter of salmon, ahi tuna and shrimp. OMG - yum! These little bites cooked in the flavored broth in just minutes.

Afterward, those pots were whisked away and a real treat for the night was brought in - the chocolate course! Delicious.

We did get back to talking about the book. Many people mentioned how impressed they were with Tina Fey's feminism. She really got offended by the whole men in charge thing at the comedy clubs. She wanted everyone to see that women could be just as funny, just as in charge, and just as relevant as any man. She sure set a great example just by being herself. She only let us in a little bit into her personal life, talking a bit about her husband and her daughter. I can only imagine what it must be like to have Tina Fey for your mother. Lucky little girl!

I passed around a couple of books that sounded like interesting reads - and we decided to read The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion next. This book is about a man with mild Asperger Syndrome, which makes it hard to fit in socially, who wants to find himself a wife. He designs a questionnaire that women can fill out, which he feels will eliminate those unsuitable for him and quickly get him what he wants. However, the best laid plans are often folly for humorous books and that is what happens in this one.

I hope everyone enjoys the book as much as I did. It was a gift from my daughter, so she'll be pleased that it ended up a Book Club pick.

We will meet again in late September and compare notes. I'm not sure who will host, so if anyone wants to step up ... let us all know.

Happy Reading!
Katie

Couldn't Have Ordered Better Weather...Until You Could!

Marie's back yard was lovingly crafted with gatherings like this in mind. The water feature, the massive grill cooking up skewers, the gazebo with comfy seating and ... the outdoor scrabble board built right into the table.

Mojitos in hand, we had a (semi) friendly game of scrabble (some of us are fairly competitive!) 

And then proceeded to devour the chicken drummies, lobster rolls, watermelon salad, celery salad, and potato/bacon skewers.

We had the most perfect weather for Book Club. About 75, sunny, and no wind. We sure enjoyed it in Hilliard's back yard oasis until the wind suddenly whipped up and chased us inside.

No one seemed to mind too much though, as the conversation flowed, as well as the libations.

Before taking off to enjoy the rest of our nights, Marie offered a Rhubarb dessert and coffee.

We talked briefly about the book - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It really deserved more attention than it got, I thought.

The book really showcased an incredible story and the tragic fact that even though many others benefitted from Henrietta's cells, her family was left with the simple fact of her death. There were many who earned a lot of money from production of the cells - and that fact does not seem right. However, the many great things that came from research on the cells makes the world today a better place. 

The book also highlighted the crazy atmosphere in the biological sciences in the 1950s and 1960s. No regulation meant bulldozing over people's rights and that needed to change!

I now know the story behind the HeLa cells, which I had heard of, but didn't really know much about before. And... we all can check off #15 on the list below! (How many of the titles have you read?)

Next time, we will read a book from the list of  21 Books From the Last 5 Years That Every Woman Person Should Read, which Marie shared with the group.

The titles are:

1. Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

3. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

4. Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique

5. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

6. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

7. Her by Christa Parravani

8. Drink by Ann Dowsett Johnston

9.  The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

10. NW by Zadie Smith

11.  Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

12. Ten Thousand Saints by Eleanor Henderson

13. How Should a Person Be? by Sheila Heti

14. Room, by Emma Donoghue

15. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

16. Bossypants by Tina Fey

17. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

18. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

19. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

20. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

... and ..

21. Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Good luck picking just one! Great selections!

Rachel will send out a poll for us to make our votes.

We will meet in late July for our next meeting, coordinated by Katie/Rachel.

Enjoy the summer and I hope you get lots of lazy reading sessions. See you next time!

Katie

No High Drama Here

The Village - Mendota Heights. This is a new shopping and eating complex where all the stores are on street level and in open air style. So I guess this is what will replace the "strip mall" in the future.

The day was beautiful with little wind. But, here in Minnesota how many days can we depend on such weather? I imagine on a windy day you'd want to be inside to get from one place to the next. But who am I to say? Just a consumer! Hey, with today's technology we can easily find the answer to that question:

 "The warm season lasts from May 21 to September 16 with an average daily high temperature above 71°F. The hottest day of the year is July 23, with an average high of 83°F and low of 65°F." (weatherspark.com)

 So, you can see what I'm talkin' about. Well, we were fortunate to have a "comfortable" day!

Mendoberri is the creation of Viennese chef-owner Robert Ulrich who thinks we need to eat more vegetables! And I think he is right. He has put together some really beautiful dishes, and we got to try some.

There were some cool sounding things on the menu! A fresh cheeseboard. Tomato soup. A fresh beet salad. Quiche soup. All organic and fresh.

We started out with a pesto chicken flatbread that was delicious. Also, potato wedgies seasoned with sea salt and just a tiny touch of lemon.

I had the Schnitzel - a perfectly breaded and flattened chicken breast on fresh greens. The chicken breast was so big, it looked like a huge fish filet! It was enough for 2 meals, and indeed, fed me for lunch the next day as well.

We shared a nice Root One Sauvignon Blanc, as Jarby told us what it was like to spend the winter in Florida! Tennis! Beaches! Wonderful villas! People of all ages biking, swimming, sunning. She says it wasn't too stressful. Imagine that! We are very happy for Jarby and Lee and hope that becomes a regular occurrence for them. Jarby looked rested and content.

We all had our various dramas to share, but nothing as dramatic as Vincent Van Gogh cutting his ear off. What a story that was. I think we've all heard rumors about why it happened - imagining a lover or a terrible voice inside his head - whatever - I never would have dreamed that it was all about the artist Paul Gauguin. So there you go. Learn something new every day! And the horrible way he died. A shooting - but was it attempted murder or attempted suicide? We shall never know. A gun was never recovered. This I never knew, either.

So I have a new appreciation for Van Gogh and his work. He was an art curator before (or as he was perfecting his craft) he was an artist. And he only sold 1 work of art while he lived. Amazing!

Next time we will read a book recommended by Jarby - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. We will meet in June at Marie's.

See you then! And until then, enjoy some of these warm "comfortable" days! We don't get too many of them...

Happy Reading,
Katie

Book? What Book? Let's Look Around This Cool Loft!

A quick pop into Kelly's so everyone could meet up all at once before heading into the antiquated elevator together - we got to have a quick meet up and beverage. An old fashioned counter served up diner fare - we could smell the onion rings frying. Soon, it was time to head out!

We all piled in to the elevator, scooting as far as we could inside and making room for everyone. And... then it happened.  A head popped around the door and said, "I got this coupon from Target, but I only want to use one part of it. Does anyone want it? It's shampoo! Someone must want shampoo!" 

A British accent spoke up, "Sure, I'd happily take it."

And she says, "I'll just go cut it out for you!"

Oh, my. Now, we are all waiting in the antique elevator. Waiting for the random coupon woman to come back with her perfectly cut out coupon for shampoo.

We debate the issue. Should we push the "Up" button and proceed with our night? Or should we wait for the (I'm sure perfectly important) shampoo coupon?

 Oh, dear. We have all sorts of opinions. My gosh, how nice of her. OMG how could someone randomly do that? Holding us up? Well, just wanted to take advantage of her kindness! Oh, dear.

Well, thank goodness, the door soon opened and Coupon Lady came bearing her special coupon. Lovely and cut out special with scissors! She said, "And who was that British accented lady?!"

Rachel stepped up. British witticisms flew back and forth so fast I could barely register them. All I got was, "Tickety-boo!" Apparently when things are going well, this is what you might say in Britain.

Alright, finally! Coupon Lady has vanished, everyone says  they are ready. Mike yells, "Clear!" and the elevator starts moving.

This old rickety thing brings us up to the 4th floor. It takes longer than it would take to go 40 floors in Vegas, but who's counting? Just kidding. The thing was amazing. I was very confident the whole time it would get us all the way!

Mike's loft is a great space. With two oversized iron windows looking out into the city, the space is divided into a kitchen area, dining area (soon to be workspace), living area and loft bedroom. The place has plenty of old fashioned character, beginning with the antique elevator. I can see that Mike has already begun to build cabinets and bookshelves and whatever is needed.

The table, beautifully set, is so inviting.

At the end of the light rail line, the area seems busy and exciting. Across the street from us, a photographer was doing a photo shoot and we could see the flash bulbs popping. Loads of artists and creative types all around, I'm sure.

Man, we walked into Mike's space after walking through a bit of a maze-like hallway - and that Thai Curry soup smelled heavenly. We saw all the chopped up ingredients just ready for our own creative masterpieces. We were told that we'd be rolling our own Spring Rolls!

We all learned the trick to a perfectly hand rolled spring roll. This was a pan filled with water to dip the spring roll wrapper in. We all gave it our best effort - except maybe Louise, who opted for a more easily edible taco-like spring "roll"!

Delicious wine accompanied the meal while we talked books!

Here is my memory of the menu. See the photo for anything I may have left out.

Thai Curry Soup - a creamy blend of perfectly cooked noodles, pea pods and seasonings.

Handmade Spring rolls with choice of ingredients including ginger, grated carrots, shrimp, cilantro, red onion, rice noodles, and more. With two dipping sauces including a fish sauce and a spicy peanut sauce.

Cake! Happy Birthday, Mike. Book Club seemed to fall perfectly on your birthday, or thereabouts.

It was so nice to meet Cynthia. Thank you, Cynthia, for all your hard work putting everything together with Mike!

We missed some of our regular members, but look forward to catching up with them next time.

You know, we hardly discussed the books we read as they were merely blips on our Christmas/Holiday schedules. We read some holiday themed books that didn't make much of an impact. 

Next time, we will read a book related to Van Gogh and his brother - sounds great - apparently there are letters that exist from Van Gogh to his brother and they tell a remarkable story.

So, Louise and Marie talked about a fantastic new venue they have discovered on the East side and they will share those details with everyone, along with the title of the book and the author.

A fun night had by all - I think we were all in agreement that Mike should host Book Club more often!

The Signature of All Things

I thought it a cool concept - the title of the book comes from the 16th-century German mystic and theologian, Jacob Boehme, who believed in the signature of all things, “namely, that God had hidden clues for humanity’s betterment inside the design of every flower, leaf, fruit and tree on earth. All the natural world was a divine code. … This is why so many medicinal plants resembled the diseases they were meant to cure, or the organs they were able to treat.”

Fascinating! Now to think why the book was named for that concept????? Was Alma, in all her suffering, meant to better the world? Perhaps. Though her family was well off, emotional validation was lacking in the Whittaker home. So here you have a girl who has access to everything, including her own pony to traverse the many fields her father owns, yet her mother smacked her down verbally for the smallest emotional infraction. And her father only validated the fact that she was far from beautiful, far from "wanted". 

Given almost every single human interaction designed to provide companionship and comfort, Alma messed them up completely. Her mother, her father, her adopted sister, her new found friend, and her potential love interest. Later, even her husband! Oh Alma!

But - Alma does live a long, long, long life. She gets validation eventually- and even takes the reigns of her own life. We have to cheer her in the end.

Too bad that Louise couldn't get the book from the library! I hoped that this book would be widely available given its popularity.

Next time, we shall try and choose something that Louise should easily be able to apprehend! 

 

Well, to console her - we ordered Louise a giant Bloody Mary - just as pictured - with tons of nibbles on a stick. And along with that, she was able to pick from a bevy of delectable brunch items.

 

We all shoveled up heaping helpings of the Egg Skillet with Roasted Potatoes, the Smoked Bacon, the hash browns with scallions, waffles with syrup and strawberries & cream, even things like turkey and gravy, sweet and sour chicken, grilled atlantic salmon and chicken wild rice soup!

I think we were beyond satisfied after numerous re-filled coffee cups and nudgings to return to the buffet dessert bar where what waited was a delicious apple crisp with fresh cream. Yes, the belt needed to be loosened!

We did miss some of our members, but we had a lively discussion and welcomed Jessica Hogan from Chicago, who indulged along with us.

Next time, we will meet around the first week of December. Jarby agreed to research some titles for us that might include something holiday-themed - something light and humorous? We'll see what she comes up with!

Thank you all for joining us for brunch - it was great to see everyone and be pampered and taken care of by our nice waitress at Maynard's! 

See you all next time.

Let us know what you all are reading now - what are you enjoying? 

Happy Reading,

Katie

Pairings

Marie's choice of venue was aptly made for our evening gathering. The theme of pairings came up often!

First of all, it was buy one, get one free pizza night. Music to the ears (and gurgling tummy!) So, we paired up and ordered our favorites from the great choices:

Margherita Pizza (Roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil)
Italian Pizza (Spicy sausage, pepperoni, red onion, cracked green olives, mozzarella, rustic tomato sauce)
South Seas Pizza (Shrimp, pit ham, pineapple, fresh basil)
Greek Pizza (House-made Gyro meat, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese)

(Sorry, is that making you hungry again?)

Marie kept us supplied (paired) with plenty of wine to go with our meal. She also provided appetizers including bruschetta paired with 3 different toppings along with a large platter of garlic shrimp skewers. Thank you so much, Marie, for being such a great hostess!

Speaking of pairings, we ended up with 2 different books this time around! Same title, different authors!

So, unfortunately, that little snafu made it tough to talk about the book. The book that was intended was by Morag Joss, a Scottish author now living in London. This book was about 3 lives that intersect after a horrible bridge collapse in the Scottish highlands. It was mysterious, a little creepy, a bit dark and morbid, as well, with a bit of a bright ending for 1 of our main characters. I enjoyed the book, although it was strange that the author changed from 3rd person to 1st person at times, which made it a little difficult to follow at times, and know who was being written about during certain passages.

The other book by Dan Chaon was a book of short stories that sounds a bit dark as well - loneliness, disintegration of family, loss of growth, finding strength to continue. I took the book out of Sandy's hands and will let her know what I think! I enjoy short stories, so will give this one a shot.

We all enjoyed great conversation as the crowd ramped up for dinner. We knew we were in it for the long haul, so really dug in to the appetizers and wine while the long lines dissipated.

We closed down Pairings, taking it right down to their closing time, I think someone slammed and locked the door on our asses as we headed out. (Just kidding, they were very gracious!)

Loved having Jeannie with us from England, and just about everyone showed up.

Next time, we will read Elizabeth Gilbert's  (author of Eat, Pray, Love) The Signature of All Things.

Briefly, it's about (from Amazon):

"... an enthralling story of love, adventure and discovery. Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia. Born in 1800, Henry’s brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father’s money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma’s research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction—into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist—but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.

Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, The Signature of All Things soars across the globe—from London to Peru to Philadelphia to Tahiti to Amsterdam, and beyond. Along the way, the story is peopled with unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad."


I hope everyone enjoys the book!

I will host the next gathering either mid-September or early October as I will be out of town the end of September.

See you then! And happy reading.

Katie

WWTD (What Would Teddy Do?)

As I walked up the inviting sidewalk peppered with beautiful and colorful flowers, I could smell the aromas wafting out the screen door. What a lovely greeting! Jarby's house is always so warm and inviting.

Marie was the first to arrive, and was already chatting with Jarby and enjoying some treats - tortilla chips with guacamole, and other munchies. A large pitcher of Sangria awaited!

As everyone arrived, we talked about how the weather was iffy - would the rain and clouds hold off until after our gathering? Did we dare take it outside? Well, we did What Teddy Would Do! We rambled on out to the patio and enjoyed the great outdoors!

I was stunned by Jarby's garden - what a magnificent back yard! Jeannie pointed out Sweet William, raspberry bushes, blueberry bushes, gorgeous irises! And dotted throughout were little statues and interesting things for the eye to find. The lawn had just been mowed, so unfortunately, our shoes dragged half the lawn into the house with us, poor Jarby! But what fun to wander around in that lovely place.

We all fit around the table on Jarby's deck and we did What Teddy and His Family Did - talked about what's happening in real life and about the book we read. This time we dug into Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Literature seemed to be important to everyone in the book at the turn of the century. It was interesting reading about all the different experiences of schooling and university. And how it was different for women back then! But just about everyone in the book was well read!

I put on my to-read list one of the books that was mentioned as a real "modern" story that shook people up - "A Modern Instance" by William Dean Howells. Can't wait to see what the rage was all about in 1882! One of the first novels about men, women and relationships apparently.

Jarby remarked about how it was hard to tell what year was being discussed - was it 1901 or 2014? So many of the same worries, concerns and disasters. Political corruption was rife and Teddy was the man to sweep in and clean up! Even Minneapolis was talked about in the book as a center of widespread corruption.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the book - a departure from our normal reading fare. Ms. Goodwin is an incredibly detailed researcher and she seemed to leave absolutely nothing out! Sandy recommended a book that goes into detail about Teddy Roosevelt's trip down the Amazon, The River of Doubt by Candice Millard. She said it's a great and interesting read.

So, if you really enjoyed this book, check this one out, too!

We all wanted to research the publication, McClure's, and see if any old issues might exist - maybe online? It would be interesting to read some of the articles that were talked about in the book.

Many colorful characters were talked about in the book, including the wives of these important presidents, and all the journalists involved with McClure's and the other big newspapers of the times. Ida was surely an interesting character - a lone woman among many men.

So many improvements and innovations can be traced back to this time period. Even the White House got improvements - renovations and a more home-y atmosphere. Cherry blossoms!

Soon, the aromas wafting out of the kitchen were just too much to bear - and thank goodness because Lee and Jarby announced the food was ready to consume! Flavorful Cuban pulled pork on slider buns, mango salsa, mixed fruit (boy those strawberries were good!), black beans and rice, and salad with vinaigrette dressing. Rachel mixed up the British liqueur Pimm's to have with dinner, which everyone raved about - "smooth", "dangerous" - being some of the adjectives used to describe it.

Now, we shall switch to "What Would William Howard Taft Do"? as we talk about dessert! And, of course, the answer is: EAT!

Magically appearing before us was a dessert plate filled with a large slice of chocolate cake accompanied by a homemade Mojito sorbet that rocked the place. Made with mint from Jarby's own herb garden. Fabulous! Lee brought in some delicious coffee to help smooth the way for that luscious dessert.

Thank you, Jarby and Lee for all the hard work that went into the successful night!

Marie will host the next gathering either in mid-July or early August.

She found a great English-born Scottish writer called Morag Joss who writes crime mysteries. We will choose one of her titles for the next time. FYI  Her book, Half Broken Things won the Crime Writers Association Silver Dagger Award. Marie will let us know the title chosen. They all look good, so whatever is chosen I'm sure will satisfy. 

Seems a great time for a good mystery and a pretty quick read as we'll see each other again soon.

Happy Reading!

Stumbling Home

We were so spoiled by Sandy's cooking, none of us wanted to leave!

It was wonderful to see Sandy in her element - her newly remodeled kitchen. A beautiful, long center island commands attention. A lovely tiled floor and fabulous granite counter tops and gorgeous cabinets all shine - apparently all done by our hostess!

She led us to her lovely "trophy room" which features items collected from all her world travels, and we had a great discussion about current happenings for all of us.

Marie shared some great stories from her trip to Costa Rica with son, Matthew. What a wonderful adventure and a great way to bond and make memories. And a great assurance that even through trials and tribulations, a mother shall not kill and eat her child!

Missing were Rachel, Janet and Amy. Some day soon we will all meet together at once, even if we have to plan a "traveling book club"!

We discussed our latest book, The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. Everyone seemed to find it pretty delightful, if not laugh out loud comical. It seemed fitting, too, that the main character was renovating her kitchen!

We were all charmed by Sandy's cooking and her wonderful sense of humor, as evidenced by her choice of napkin: ('Food has replaced sex in my life. Now I can't even get into my own pants.')

Here is her amazing brunch menu, which completely made us feel spoiled and taken care of:


Appetizer: Egg Salad on Crackers (recipe from the book)

Chicken Custard Bake with Gravy

Brussels Sprouts "Cole Slaw"
Pickled Cucumbers
Cranberries
Beets
Apple Relish
Fresh Fruit - Strawberries, Pineapples, Cantaloupe
Croissants

Lemon Sponge Cake with Strawberries and Limoncello

Lemon Water
Bloody Mary
Mimosas

Sorry if I missed something, the spread of food was so generous!

Line of the day, "Louise, I got a shot glass for you. Normally I just do this (shaking hand as if pouring liquor) but I didn't want you stumbling home!"  


Next up: We'll read the book, Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Some words about the book: One of the Best Books of the Year as chosen by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Time, USA TODAY, Christian Science Monitor, and more. “A tale so gripping that one questions the need for fiction when real life is so plump with drama and intrigue” (Associated Press).

The gap between rich and poor has never been wider…legislative stalemate paralyzes the country…corporations resist federal regulations…spectacular mergers produce giant companies…the influence of money in politics deepens…bombs explode in crowded streets…small wars proliferate far from our shores…a dizzying array of inventions speeds the pace of daily life.

These unnervingly familiar headlines serve as the backdrop for Doris Kearns Goodwin’s highly anticipated The Bully Pulpit—a dynamic history of the first decade of the Progressive era, that tumultuous time when the nation was coming unseamed and reform was in the air.

The story is told through the intense friendship of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft—a close relationship that strengthens both men before it ruptures in 1912, when they engage in a brutal fight for the presidential nomination that divides their wives, their children, and their closest friends, while crippling the progressive wing of the Republican Party, causing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to be elected, and changing the country’s history.


This choice is a little ironic, considering how a portion of our discussion revolved around history and the blandness of it as it was taught to us in high school. Marie shared a story about her former marine teacher who actually made history interesting - let's hope that the reviews are accurate and this book makes history fascinating for us all! I just checked and the amazon reports that this book has 929 pages! We shall all walk around this summer with much bigger, smarter heads.

See you all early this summer - we decided that a mid-week evening would work best as summer weekends are so precious.  Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 18 at Jarby's.

Thank you so much, Sandy, for your wonderful cooking and making us feel so welcome in your home! I think we all could have stayed for an afternoon nap .... instead we all stumbled on home, stuffed, satisfied and appreciative!

Happy reading!
Katie

One Hot Date!

A great night to talk about a hot book! It was about minus 5 degrees out on this Minnesota wintry evening. But, thoughts of our book, Inferno by Dan Brown, kept us warm.

As we were handed a generous glass of Apothic red wine, we noticed the gigantic screen above Marie's fireplace was playing Liszt's Dante Symphony for our pleasure. As the music ebbed and flowed, we were treated to scenes of purgatory and hell!

We were able to overcome the intense atmosphere and talk about things other than Dante, as well. It was nice catching up with everyone. As Mike was still on a tough work schedule, he was not able to join us. But we each had a drink for you. You were quite tipsy, Mike! :)

We enjoyed some finger food including shrimp, heart of palm and macadamia nuts as dinner cooked, and the wonderful smells wafted out to us. Soon, we were dishing up a delectable meal. Marie made a delicious Beef Roulade, along with Spinach Pasta and a perfectly seasoned Roasted Broccoli dish.

Inferno was an enjoyable book, well researched, with tons of opportunities to use Google to follow up and learn about places and things described in the book. It was fun to look up Hagia Sophia and see the amazing pictures of the place in the book. And, by the way, learn how to pronounce it, too (ah-hee-ah so-fee-ah) and that it resides in Constantinople and on and on.

This experience plants the idea in the mind that a trip to Florence, Italy or Rome or Turkey would be a fun (and educational!) experience. Bucket list, people!

Jarby produced a mask from Italy that, amazingly, when turned to the back had a code written on it, just like the one in the book! (PPPPPPP) I said wow was that really there? Jarby winked and said, "Yes."

Louise was a sport and allowed photos taken of her with the mask on. Perfect design and coloring for our gathering, along with Louise's choice of dress - her flaming jacket was perfect!

Speaking of flames, little did we know that we would experience it first hand!

We should have got a clue when Marie was testing out her automatic flame lighter during dinner! HMMMM... what was she planning?

After dinner was cleared, Marie began making space on the table and saying "Hey, you might want to move back and make room....!"

What in the world?

Well, it turns out it was a flaming dessert.  Marie brought out the Cherries Jubilee with a flourish and a pretty nice flame!

Well, the best thing about it was that it tasted amazing! I think Marie thought of everything, we felt very pampered with our french vanilla ice cream, coffee, more wine, and then chocolate and taffy treats.

It was interesting to talk about the books we want to read coming up. We tend to go toward the darker, mysterious, heavier kinds of novels and we all kinda snapped out of it at the same time and said "Hey! We should read some lighter fare!"

And, alas, we could not think of ONE title to recommend in that genre.

So, research will abound and we will come up with some titles to choose from for our next gathering.

Sandy offered to host the next gathering if timing works out and we look forward to that sometime around the end of March.

A night to remember!

Spectacular Flaming Dessert

Last Sunday we met for our last Book Club of 2013 at Rachel's house. I was the last to arrive and Marie greeted me with, "Merry Christmas! We are all upstairs with drink in hand!" I said hallelujah to that, sister.

Sure enough, the Mimosa's were generous and there were other options available as well, including ginger wine, of which I had only one sip. (Promise, Santa, I was a good girl!)

I was floored when I saw the spread on the table. Rachel really went to town.

She made scones, which were still warm, and she kindly split them and had them ready for spreading with strawberry jam and whipped cream. She had fresh baked cookies and finger sandwiches - egg salad and ham and tomahto (as she would say). Along with another round of Mimosas and ginger wine, we were on our way to happily stuffing our bellies. Yum!

In between bites, we did talk about the book, Zealot, by Reza Aslan. Marie mentioned that it was a little hard to get back into it after reading little slices. So much to remember! So many names and rulers and priests and what not. I agreed. It's a bit like reading a history textbook. But I enjoyed it very much. I especially enjoyed learning about James, the brother of Jesus and all the shenanigans with Paul. Oh how they disagreed!

The book answered all my questions about what Jesus' mission was on earth and also why he was singled out as a messiah above all the others out there doing the same thing.
It certainly gave a new angle on the whole "messiah" issue.

 LOVE this shot of Jarby photo bombing Louise. We may need to make this our Book Club profile picture.

By the way, Rachel, your house was decorated so nicely for the holiday and your tree was gorgeous, as well. Love the cat/angel on top of your tree. I thought I took a picture of it, but, alas, could not find it on my phone.

After our discussion and the stuffing of our faces, Rachel brought out the very special Christmas Pudding, which she lit on fire and pranced around with!

The "Figgy Pudding" was delish with some extra brandy (sorry, Santa!) and yes, whipped cream. (Geez no wonder it's been harder to squeeze into my jeans....). A beautiful presentation and so good!

I snuck into the kitchen for a refresher (don't tell Santa) and found this kitty all cuddled up to the heat vent under the kitchen sink. Yes, I hear it will be very very cold the next few days. Like minus 30. So, bundle up and find a heat vent to love up just like this very smart feline!

Next up, we'll read Dan Brown's Inferno. We seem to be stuck a bit on this topic - heaven, hell, burning.... whatever! I'm sure that the new year will bring us many lighthearted, lovely titles that we'll enjoy over the summer months? (chuckle)

Wishing you guys a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and hope to see everyone at the next Book Club in January or early February at Marie's. Can't wait!