The Switch

saw The Switch and have to say I liked it more than I expected to. Always love Jennifer Aniston, the kid is cute of course but Jeff Goldblum was the unanticipated shining star.

Provence

Dinner with the peeps and others (Linda the super-dater and a friend of hers who was completely forgettable). We don't usually have such AWKWARD moments...but Provence was fabulous.  It was yet another 'Restaurant Week', this one Travers themed...Anyway the awkwardness came about because Linda and her dating excel spread sheets...she is the super dater, but it came out that we had both dated the hess guy (see earlier post).  The way she was defending him - 'he had a terrible marriage' (really? how do you know?) and that she was going to see him again 'just to tell him it wasn't working out'- it was just WEIRD. 

Oh, but the food at Provence was fantastic, we all had the hanger steak and potatoes/pomme frites.

D'Raymonds

Linda and family were in town to bring Katie to RPI.  Such a smart girl!  So we went to our regular place - It's always good, love the signature fried dough but didn't think the veal parm was that good...I am squeamish about veal anyway, so that's the last time for me. Was so great to see my BFF, and wow, she is so skinny now. I wouldn't consider that surgery, and I'm not a candidate anyway, but, what a difference it made for her.

Jesus or Garlic

All summer I drove past the 'Jesus Loves You' farmstand near West Winfield, NY. The only thing they ever sold there was garlic. Is that hilarious?  Jesus loves you but in case of vampires, you better have fresh garlic.

Last Day at Camp

It's been an interesting summer.  Some great times and some not so great times.

One thing I know is that I will not miss this rooster going off every morning at sunrise.

Little Beauties by Kim Addonizio

Finished this book- a little bit like 'where the heart is' only with OCD and a few chapters (which I really didn't like), written in the baby's voice. Overall, not a bad book to kill a few hours.

The Girl who Played with Fire

Saw this today from the Redbox.  Great movie. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Finally saw this via Netflix. WOW. Really great suspenseful film. Loved it. Can't imagine how any American version remake can come close...Ready for the second installment!

"The Best That You Can Do" Jim Bianco

You're scared of what you might find, what you might not find inside of you....

Last Night at the Lobster - Stewart O'Nan

This is a quick little read, about the last night a (Red Lobster) restaurant is open.  It chronicles the night minute by minute, but also explores the characters - the drama of restaurant people, and the customers.

I liked it well enough for a few hours.  I don't think it has much that will stick with me though.

That Old Cape Magic - Richard Russo

Saw RR read from this book, so it took the first few chapters to get his voice out of my head, which sounds weird, like you'd want the author to be reading it to you....

well, if I wanted that, I'd get audio books-right???

Richard Russo is the best at characters - they are rich and layered and real.  I liked this book, a re-evaluation of where you are in life, but everything pales when compared to Bridge of Sighs.

The Patience Stone - Atiq Rahimi

This book was amazing.  A 3 hour read that just blew me away.  Very powerful story of an Afghan woman caring for her injured husband. A study of cultures, and the ending was totally unexpected to me.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender

I really liked this book- quirky and sad, funny in places....Aimee Bender's writing is described as pessimistic magical realism....huh. I guess that sums it up pretty good. 

Winter's Bone at the Spectrum

C and I saw 'Winter's Bone' at the Spectrum. Jennifer Lawrence is definitely the actress to watch, and this really was a gritty movie. Yes, it was as good as the reviews said.  But people: if you are having a coughing problem, please stay home.

Lanies Cafe

sour cherry soup at Lanies. wow.

omg kill me now OR bad date with the Hess guy

Hindsight is always 20/20 haha.  I just have to work on my foresight.  Just keep doing what is important to me and if somebody wants to come along, fine.

So we'll call him the Hess guy.  (from match). email a few times, seems ok.  start talking on the phone. still seems normal, nice, wellspoken.  Is 'best friends' with his ex wife.  ok, well not everyone has to want to run their ex over...haha.

I'll be back in town on Friday. Want to go see the Figgs? OK, he says he would "Love" that.  I even sent youtube links of the figgs....sure, love it!  2 days before, he says George Thoroughgood is at the Egg, wanna do that instead. (uhhh, no.) but I say, sure, that'd be ok too. At the time I was thinking it wasn't a big deal. (HELLO?)  So Friday comes, I meet him, we have a beer. He doesn't want to go to the Egg either, he's tired.  well...We're downtown, it's First Friday art night....so let's do that instead.  Walk around Center Square, go to some galleries on Lark Street.  Maybe he'll buy a painting for his new apartment that he just moved into that day. $400. Pretentious?  Whatever.  We have a glass of delicious Pinot Noir at Elda's.  Say goodnight, nice to meet you. bye.

The entire time he talked about his ex-wife...they are best friends (oh, did I already mention that???) and they talk on the phone every day.  He lived in a hotel for a year (?) and she still does his laundry.  Hey, who am I to judge that? But no attraction, he is a little super white conservative guy...not for me.

And I ended up pissed that I missed the Figgs.  There's my lesson.  Do my own thing and be happy.

Just another day in Paradise

The view from my infirmary porch about one hour ago. Just another day in paradise...although I haven't yet located the pot of gold.

The First Paper Girl in Red Oak Iowa by Elizabeth Stuckey-French

Just finished this collection of short stories - such interesting (weird,sad) characters...

The Notebook of Lost Things by Megan Staffel

Read this yesterday. Good, enjoyable read, but I felt like the last page was missing...(it wasn't)

The Life You Can Save

just finished this book by the bioethicist Peter Singer. Interesting concepts - what would you do/give to save a life? That's an intensely personal question, and some soul searching for the answers.

The Life you can save