Louise Miller's Blog: snapshots - Posts Tagged "margo-rabb"
bicoastal
I missed a week of blogging, and i'm late this week. I blame Los Angeles. I blame everything on Los Angeles.
What I mean to say is that a couple of weeks ago I traveled to Los Angeles, California for the first time to attend the AWP conference, where I participated on my first panel! I had an incredible time. I fell in love with the city and in love with the kind people and crazy in love with those wide open shorelines. The hotel looked exactly like Melrose Place, and in-between going to conference sessions I went to The Museum of Jurassic Technology, a million vegan restaurants, walked the walk of fame so I could rest my hands in the palm prints of Fred Astaire. We drove through Topanga Canyon and bought tiny angles cut out of rose quartz at a crystal shop in the middle of nowhere. We drove to Santa Monica just to ride the ferris wheel and marched around Venice Beach singing Jonathan Richman. The last night in L.A. was the best, though, because my traveling companion and dear friend arranged for us to go to the world famous Magic Castle--a private magician's club. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget! I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time I was there.
Then, just six days later I found myself on a ferry boat to Martha's Vineyard. I spent an incredible weekend on the shores of the Atlantic. The whole trip was an early birthday gift, but the very best part was my partner had arranged for us to go on a farm-chore tour or the Farm Institute! I got to rake hay and collect eggs from the hen house and bottle-feed an abandoned lamb named Argyle, which was basically the best moment of my life.
Both trips were so special and took me outside of myself and my obsessive brain, and were so filled with beauty of every kind. I am FULL to the brim with gratitude for friends and new experiences, for ferries and airplanes, for being able to go on these adventures, for both coasts, for being able to be out in nature, for everything really.
Now it's time to get grounded and attempt to catch up on--well--everything.
Book news: My book was chosen by Bon Appetit Magazine for the article 8 New Food Books to Read This Year!! I am over the moon!
http://www.bonappetit.com/entertainin...
What I'm reading: currently totally in love and immersed in Kissing in America by Margo Rabb
This means I am laughing in public places and also my heart is wide open.
What i'm listening to: Hard Times by Gillian Welch. Over and over. It's kind of wormed it's way into my new project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sL6O...
Random cheer: Here is a short video of Argyle, the lamb I wanted to take home with me. Have we talked about my farm dreams? and my dream of someday running a senior dog rescue? another day, perhaps.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEDQUuvZ...
may your week be filled with the beauty of wherever you are.
P.S. 200 whole readers have added The City Baker's Guide to Country Living onto their Goodreads shelves. THANK YOU, reading friends! I hope you like it!
What I mean to say is that a couple of weeks ago I traveled to Los Angeles, California for the first time to attend the AWP conference, where I participated on my first panel! I had an incredible time. I fell in love with the city and in love with the kind people and crazy in love with those wide open shorelines. The hotel looked exactly like Melrose Place, and in-between going to conference sessions I went to The Museum of Jurassic Technology, a million vegan restaurants, walked the walk of fame so I could rest my hands in the palm prints of Fred Astaire. We drove through Topanga Canyon and bought tiny angles cut out of rose quartz at a crystal shop in the middle of nowhere. We drove to Santa Monica just to ride the ferris wheel and marched around Venice Beach singing Jonathan Richman. The last night in L.A. was the best, though, because my traveling companion and dear friend arranged for us to go to the world famous Magic Castle--a private magician's club. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget! I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time I was there.
Then, just six days later I found myself on a ferry boat to Martha's Vineyard. I spent an incredible weekend on the shores of the Atlantic. The whole trip was an early birthday gift, but the very best part was my partner had arranged for us to go on a farm-chore tour or the Farm Institute! I got to rake hay and collect eggs from the hen house and bottle-feed an abandoned lamb named Argyle, which was basically the best moment of my life.
Both trips were so special and took me outside of myself and my obsessive brain, and were so filled with beauty of every kind. I am FULL to the brim with gratitude for friends and new experiences, for ferries and airplanes, for being able to go on these adventures, for both coasts, for being able to be out in nature, for everything really.
Now it's time to get grounded and attempt to catch up on--well--everything.
Book news: My book was chosen by Bon Appetit Magazine for the article 8 New Food Books to Read This Year!! I am over the moon!
http://www.bonappetit.com/entertainin...
What I'm reading: currently totally in love and immersed in Kissing in America by Margo Rabb
This means I am laughing in public places and also my heart is wide open.
What i'm listening to: Hard Times by Gillian Welch. Over and over. It's kind of wormed it's way into my new project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sL6O...
Random cheer: Here is a short video of Argyle, the lamb I wanted to take home with me. Have we talked about my farm dreams? and my dream of someday running a senior dog rescue? another day, perhaps.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEDQUuvZ...
may your week be filled with the beauty of wherever you are.
P.S. 200 whole readers have added The City Baker's Guide to Country Living onto their Goodreads shelves. THANK YOU, reading friends! I hope you like it!
contrasts
This weekend has been deliciously quiet. I have a few plans--mostly in the form of walks and meals with friends. After the adventures of the past couple of weeks, I am really enjoying being at home getting caught up on things like emails and ordering cat food and making handouts for an upcoming workshop I am giving with Kate Racculia.
I've been thinking a lot about the need for this sort of ebb and flow in life. I think all joy comes from these contrasts. It's the thing I love the most about living in New England. Spring feels *so good* after a long winter, in a way that it never could in southern California. Chocolate is in itself good--but it tastes even better after eating french fries. Contrast invites us to have fresh experiences. I think the key is to try and not to play favorites. I am totally enjoying the contrast of being home, even though I loved every minute of traveling.
What I am reading: just finishing up the amazing Kissing in America by Margo Rabb. Next up: no question. It is time to re-read all three books in Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle, starting with The Raven Boys, because the last installment of the series, The Raven King pubs APRIL 26th, PEOPLE. That's just 2 short days after my birthday! I love, love, love these characters so much, and am in awe of Ms. Stiefvater (if you ever need someone to fangirl over The Scorpio Races with, drop me a line) and basically I CAN'T WAIT.
What is on repeat: I've been listening to The Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground and Nico. What else is there to say about this seminal album? Just this piece of advice. If you are home, even when you think you are alone, do not listen to this record with headphones on, because you will start to sing along. And you will start to sing like Nico. You won't even realize that you are doing it. And you will not sound good. At all. And guess what? You left a window open. And your neighbors are unloading their groceries. And they just heard you singing in the accent on an German model-chanteuse.
In the kitchen: My favorite desserts are always concoctions of leftovers, and my best dessert this week was made from just that. I had a quart of extra passionfruit curd and a flat of little ripe mangos in the kitchen...and voile! tropical shortcake with passionfruit cream and fresh mango and pineapple tossed in sugar and lime zest. Yum. It also looked like springtime:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEGhK2PZ...
Book news: All's quiet on the debut novel front. I have been taking a lot of book two notes, which are starting to come together and feel real to me. At the same time I have been doing a little dreaming (and a little scheming) about The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. I have some ideas for events that I would love to create, and goals I would love to achieve--and August 9th is coming up fast!
It's a strange and funny time, trying to write a new book while letting go of the first. I wrote about it for the Debutante Ball this week: http://www.thedebutanteball.com/book-...
It's a piece where I talk about each novel as a love affair i'm having.
Random cheer: newborn goats in hand-knit sweaters. do you need me to say more? this is what the internet was made for:
http://laughingsquid.com/a-trio-of-ne...
Thanks for reading, friends. May all the contrasts of life bring you joy and not suffering, this and every week.
I've been thinking a lot about the need for this sort of ebb and flow in life. I think all joy comes from these contrasts. It's the thing I love the most about living in New England. Spring feels *so good* after a long winter, in a way that it never could in southern California. Chocolate is in itself good--but it tastes even better after eating french fries. Contrast invites us to have fresh experiences. I think the key is to try and not to play favorites. I am totally enjoying the contrast of being home, even though I loved every minute of traveling.
What I am reading: just finishing up the amazing Kissing in America by Margo Rabb. Next up: no question. It is time to re-read all three books in Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle, starting with The Raven Boys, because the last installment of the series, The Raven King pubs APRIL 26th, PEOPLE. That's just 2 short days after my birthday! I love, love, love these characters so much, and am in awe of Ms. Stiefvater (if you ever need someone to fangirl over The Scorpio Races with, drop me a line) and basically I CAN'T WAIT.
What is on repeat: I've been listening to The Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground and Nico. What else is there to say about this seminal album? Just this piece of advice. If you are home, even when you think you are alone, do not listen to this record with headphones on, because you will start to sing along. And you will start to sing like Nico. You won't even realize that you are doing it. And you will not sound good. At all. And guess what? You left a window open. And your neighbors are unloading their groceries. And they just heard you singing in the accent on an German model-chanteuse.
In the kitchen: My favorite desserts are always concoctions of leftovers, and my best dessert this week was made from just that. I had a quart of extra passionfruit curd and a flat of little ripe mangos in the kitchen...and voile! tropical shortcake with passionfruit cream and fresh mango and pineapple tossed in sugar and lime zest. Yum. It also looked like springtime:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEGhK2PZ...
Book news: All's quiet on the debut novel front. I have been taking a lot of book two notes, which are starting to come together and feel real to me. At the same time I have been doing a little dreaming (and a little scheming) about The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. I have some ideas for events that I would love to create, and goals I would love to achieve--and August 9th is coming up fast!
It's a strange and funny time, trying to write a new book while letting go of the first. I wrote about it for the Debutante Ball this week: http://www.thedebutanteball.com/book-...
It's a piece where I talk about each novel as a love affair i'm having.
Random cheer: newborn goats in hand-knit sweaters. do you need me to say more? this is what the internet was made for:
http://laughingsquid.com/a-trio-of-ne...
Thanks for reading, friends. May all the contrasts of life bring you joy and not suffering, this and every week.
snapshots
a quick peek into Louise's week--books, music, baking and random cheer.
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