sandy beaches, salty ocean waves, and a New York state of mind...

I have been on the West coast and now, after some leisurely time spent at the beach and in cafes reading, I feel sufficiently caught up on books.  I stumbled upon a lovely cafe for afternoon reading in sunny San Diego called Cafe 976.  Sun soaked tables amidst an Alice and Wonderland-esque garden with the ocean nearby...yes please.  After ordering a Mexican mocha and settling in at my little table buried in flowers and leafy plants, ironically, I fell into a book that contained some of the most realistic and captivating images of New York City that I have read in awhile. So much for getting away from the bustle of the city! For those looking for a great read, I would recommend Joseph O'Neill's Netherland.  

Both cities and human relationships can withstand quite a bit and he captures a variety of nuanced issues from immigration to terrorism to the difficulty of marriage through subtle and intelligent analogies.  Who knew I could be so interested in a book with extensive references to cricket?!

Image via this beautiful photography blog

Happy reading! 

Secret Societies and Such

Last night, while I was on campus waiting to meet with a professor, there were two other students waiting outside her office who were talking in hushed voices about the secret societies of their undergraduate worlds. There is apparently a whole university subculture that I am unaware of, or, shall I say, that I thought only existed in books and movies. Between the gossipy chatter and the icy weather, I truly felt that I was woven into the setting of Donna Tartt's The Secret History.

This mystery, beautifully written and compelling in one of those suspenseful "whodunnit" approaches, forces the reader not only to submit themselves to entertainment, but also to question the very nature of humanity. While it is difficult to argue that this is the horror genre, there is something almost parallel to  the work of Mary Shelley in Frankenstein.  Grab a chai latte, curl up in a chair with a throw, and fall into New England's brutal cold as the mystery of brutal murder unfolds.

Although I love the pink chair, this image probably better supports the cold, scary New England atmosphere of the book:

I am really beginning to think I am a transcendentalist or something...the weather is clearly impacting my book recommendations these days.  For fear of sending people into deep, dark depressions, let's all hope for sun soon! :) 

This month in New York City is the 19th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival at City Bakery. Need I say more? I personally cannot wait to try "The Ode to the Polar Bear" hot chocolate on February 15th!

Image via The City Bakery 

In the meantime, in honor of chocolate, I am going to read David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate.  Even the book cover looks good enough to eat! Beyond that, I am all for a book that touts the health benefits of a substance as delicious as chocolate. 

So, if you are in NYC in the month of February, be sure to wrap cold hands around a warm mug of hot chocolate and then (since you'll be in the neighborhood) head over for a walk along the High Line, which will, undoubtably, be covered in snow and ice and look nothing like this...