Hello

I've been away, not so much the internet but more from the blog. Think it's one of those times where I feel at a loss for words. Not sure what to type or what to share? If there's such a thing as a bloggers block, then that's sort of what I have and I apologize for being gone. But ok, on a more important subject: The Slow Readers Book Club book. Have you joined yet? The two books the club has decided to tackle this season are God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut and Priceless by Robert K. Wittman. I just started the Vonnegut novel, am enjoying it and hope to be writing again on it after Christmas!

Lulu hanging out with me in the bedroom. Apparently, she finds me très fascinating... loves to stare at me while I fix my hair and iron my clothes or type on the laptop. Here she was staring off into the empty closet as if she'd just seen something.
Pretty sweets from one of my favorite downtown
confectionery stores, Fugetsu-Do.

Breathe Life Upon These Dry Bones... Discreetly hidden street art over
the water valves of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Poster advertising MOCA's current exhibit Naked Hollywood, Weegee in Los Angeles. Said to be the first museum exhibition devoted to the work Weegee produced in Southern California. Hoping to catch it before it ends in February!
Little puppy fruit tart from Yamazaki Bakery in Little Tokyo.
They're as cute as they are tasty and a steal at $1.40. Lastly, have you seen St. Vincent's performance of Surgeon on 4AD? Out since October but I can't stop playing it...



♥ Hope you're having a great new week mis amores! ♥

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Slow-Readers Unite

Hello fellow SlowReaders! Have you started on the new summer reads yet? There are two for us to tackle this season. The first (shown above) is Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller and the second (not shown since I haven't bought it yet) is The Cry of the Go-Away Bird by Andrea Eames. I just started reading Attached, but am really enjoying it so far. I want to say it's the first real self-help book I've read in a VERY long time and it makes me think I should be reading more of them. Remember to visit the SlowReaders official Facebook page *HERE* to get the latest on what the club is doing and reading and to share on your club posts and what you think of the books. Also, below are a few more slow readers to help inspire from LifeWithMaggie.♥


Ramón Casas | Jove Decadent

Sigmund Walter Hampel | Silent Hours

Emma Fordyce MacRae | Melina in Green

Carl Larsson | Woman Lying On A Bench
♥
PS. Hope you're having a great week... not too hot,
no too cold and with minimal amounts of stress.

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First rule of slow readers book club...

Is to read slowly and relish every letter of it, but well, I'm sort of slow by nature so not only did I manage to string out my book for the months it was supposed to take, but also pulled the hat-trick of posting my review late. Did you read it? Did you like it? I enjoyed it, but honestly, not as much as I sort of thought I would. A huge fan of Jeannette Walls' first novel, the Glass Castle, and I think because of that my expectations were a bit high going into Half Broke Horses. While I found Walls' characters strong and often inspiring, I also thought her Grandmother to be a little too perfect. Can't say I hated it, was interesting, but knowing it was part fiction gave me permission to throw conjecture at the parts I thought she was exaggerating to put her grandma on a pedestal. That sounds terrible and believe me, if I was writing about my Grandmother I'd probably do very much the same but I'm glad it gave the disclosure about it being a NOVEL & not a biography.

But despite this rather dismal review, I have to share how much I loved the book club aspect in the read. As many of you already know, the book club idea that started early January snowballed into 500+ members and Diana of our.city.lights had the very clever idea of starting a forum, which can be found *HERE* to house all the ideas and discussions related to the club. Be sure to join today if you haven't already! The next book has already been chosen by member votes... Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin:

The heartbreaking story of Alice Liddell from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Born into a Victorian family of privilege, free-spirited Alice catches the attention of family friend Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) and serves as the muse for both his photography and writing. Their bond, however, is misunderstood by Alice's family, and though she is forced to sever their friendship, she is forever haunted by their connection as her life becomes something of a chain of heartbreaks. As an adult, Alice tries to escape her past, but it is only when she finally embraces it that she truly finds the happiness that eluded her. Focusing on three eras in Alice's life, Benjamin offers a finely wrought portrait of Alice that seamlessly blends fact with fiction.

Appealing don't you think? Still not sure what the deadline of the read is, but I'm guessing it'll probably be 2 months again? Also, on the non-est of non-sequitur's, I recently broke down and opened a facebook account. Do you have one? Care to be friends? Say yes... this is a link to my page. Hope you're having a very LOVELY Sunday!♥

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Book Club Invite!

You are cordially invited to join
and become a part of the Slow Readers Book Club!

As you might've guessed (if only by the name and by yesterday's promise of a big announcement) it's not your run-of-the-mill book club. It's instead a wonderfully inspired idea by the Slow Movement effort... a goal to rebel against the rush of a world that wills us to be quicker-faster with a very conscious attempt to really slow down and appreciate and connect with what's around us... Isn't that a sort of delicious goal, especially when mixed with reading?

The first book for the club will be Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. A magnificent, true-life novel based on her no-nonsense, resourceful, hard working, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. We hope to read, discuss as a group (via email) and ultimately write about the book on Thursday, March 4th (two months from now).

So, are you in?!♥

Hoping you'll say yes... and if so, please be sure to visit and register at the OFFICIAL club website *HERE*! You definitely don't need a blog to join, but if you do have a blog, and would like a button, help yourself to one *HERE*.

Looking forward to sharing on the read with you!

♥♥♥

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