book

Ten Fun Finds and Things

In the good name of procrastination, I’ve complied this post of fun things instead of writing about restaurants.

1. Cooking Wild in Missouri cookbook
Unexpected gifts are the best kind. The other day a friend sent us a copy of Cooking Wild in Missouri, a cookbook focused on using seasonal, local ingredients and meats. Chronicling their adventures of hunting, gathering and scavenging to work their way through all the recipes, they started their own blog, Woods to Food. Read their stories of true woods to table meals.

2. Zoya nail polishes
While scanning the deal headlines in my feed reader, I saw a post advertising a code for two free Zoya nail polishes for the cost of shipping. Normally $8 a piece, I got polishes in Jem and Dea for $6.95, a total savings of $16. I love those bargain blogs.

3. Pinkberry
Torn between feeling crushed and relieved, the nearest Pinkberry is two and a half hours away. I could eat it every day especially after being easily swayed by the numerous so-called health benefits. We had it twice in the same day in New Orleans, it’s that delicious.

4. Appetite for Jackson
On Saturday, January 28 from 2-9 p.m. I’ll be at the Art Garden downtown eating great food, listening to live music and maybe even sipping on a beer. Andrew Zimmerman from the Travel Channel will be there. The proceeds benefit the Craig Noone Miracle League. Can I say awesome?

5. Mississippi Warrior Dash
I was suckered in by the pit of fire and the Nordic helmet. Jackson hosts Mississippi’s Warrior Dash on April 21, and you can find me sinking in a mud pit or hurling myself over a wall.

6. Australian Open
Although there never is a true winter in the South, at least not to this Northern girl, I am excited it’s warming up outside and tennis season is starting up again. And nothing is more motivating to get back on the court than watching a little of the Australian Open.

7. Thirty-One umbrella
One a snowy evening in January many years ago, I arrived in the United States from South Korea and was welcomed into my family. Each year my mom commemorates my “Coming to America” day with a thoughtful gift and this year it was a personalized umbrella. Timing was perfect because it poured the next day.

8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Please go read this book by Mindy Kaling. She writes likes she’s having a conversation – a hilarious conversation – which is an amazing feat. Her story felt so familiar and I believe we could be friends. You’ll want to be her friend too. (If you’re not convinced, she’s the Indian girl on The Office who writes, produces and acts.)

9. Prima Donna’s Closet
In New Orleans I scored the best find at a consignment store, Prima Donna’s Closet. Hiding among the racks was a Banana Republic black blazer, similar to the one pictured above. An equal original is currently selling for $158, I paid $19.

10. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Everyone needs to read this book. The story is nearly unbelievable except that it’s very much true and Louis Zamperini lives on. Laura Hillenbrand masterfully narrates Zamperini’s childhood, Olympic running aspirations and survival through World War II. I stayed up until 1 a.m. on a work night to finish this book because it is riveting beginning to end.

Can’t get enough of my lengthy ramblings? Then visit my list page!

Ten Books That Make Me Hungry

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to anything and everything food related.

I would read the same books again and again, pouring over illustrations, descriptions of meals and recipes. Stacks of books are perched on various tables around our apartment, all being read at different increments, and the novels revolving around food get gobbled up the fastest.

For me, I prefer the feel and smell of a real, live book and it takes commitment to invest in owning a copy. The reads listed below inspire me to get in the kitchen, travel to a new destination or make me hungrier by the page.

I could always use a good suggestion for my next read if you have one, leave me a comment!

1. Laura Ingalls Wilder series
I have the entire collection of Little House on the Prairie novels and was fascinated by the amount of time and preparation it took to ensure their next meal. Slaughtering a pig became an event and celebration that meant they would eat well.

2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
My parents instilled in me a love for reading at an early age and this book is one of my childhood favorites. The illustrations are so intricate and bursting with creativity. If only it rained donuts and snowed popcorn in real life.

3. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
How can you not crave a sweet, juicy peach after this book?

4. Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl
Eating for a living and writing about it for the New York Times seems like a dream job and Reichl’s true stories are hilariously entertaining and piercingly honest.

5. Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Taking us down a different path, Reichl’s story telling about her childhood is equally touching and entertaining as Garlic and Sapphires.

6. The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten
Surprisingly I found this book on a bargain table for $6, which was money well spent.

7. Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home by Kim Sunée
A friend gifted me this book because of my kindred ties with the author since we are both adopted, ethnic Korean food lovers. However my life isn’t quite as dramatic, exotic or filled with a French companion.

8. Asian Dining Rules: Essential Strategies for Eating Out at Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Korean, and Indian Restaurants by Steven A. Shaw
Having a soft spot for all things Asian I bought this book on a whim. I learned a few things and have tried to order “omakase” style at our regular sushi haunt, which just evoked confusion.

9. A Tiger in the Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
This book is my most recent purchase and it had me hankering for a trip to Singapore or a jar of pineapple tarts.

10. Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
I love that this story originated from a blog. Julie’s commitment to work through an entire cookbook showed such determination, considering how many I have merely skimmed through. And Meryl Strep deserved every inch of that Oscar for her performance as Julia Child.