Dear Bookclub,
Fortified with two bottles of summery white wine, the Fab Four got down to business for the July Summer-Night-Out at the Bernardo Winery. My one-time late-night fantastical plan to subvert the winery's kitchen dinner with a Barefoot Contessa meal was squelched by reality. Perfect roast chicken, vegetable slaw, and coconut cupcakes, my old favorites, sounded divine - no such luck(I wasn't ready). We dined on snazzy pizza and salad. Ina Garten's memoir, "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" drew our chat into the realm of the eras Ina's story told. With apologies to Taylor:
Lover: Jeffrey
Fearless: Buying The Barefoot Contessa
Reputation: Established
Evermore: Cookbooks published 'her way'
Speak Now: the Biography
Our relating to her eras was centered on the 1960's/early 70's feminism era with our connection to the career/marriage dilemma. Reminisces about old boyfriends, career paths, and college experiences tied our connection to her early years. Memories jumped at me in Proust Effect, recalling events with the foods I'd made during her cookbook era.
We wondered about the spin that is customary to autobiographies. Garten's story fascinated us and her inclusion of a challenging childhood felt genuine yet the shaping at times felt a bit unreal. This woman 'makes her own luck', as my mother-in-law would say.
As the enveloping darkness bid us to finish up, we batted around suggestions from tiny folded bits, deciding upon an entertaining and thought-provoking page-turner for our upcoming selection.
"The Violin Conspiracy" Brendan Slocumb *chosen
"At the Edge of the Haight" Katherine Seligman
"My Friends" Fredrik Backman
"The Lost Bookshop" Evie Woods
"My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" Fredrik Backman
"Taste" Stanley Tucci
"Good Night Irene" Alberto Luis Urrea
"Let's Call Her Barbie" Renée Rosen
"Darling Beasts" Michele Gable
Up next:
Happy reading,
LK
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