I definitely got my fill of walking in!! After walking to and from Great Harvest, I ran into Matt on the downtown mall after getting a haircut. Love haircut days!
I was able to pass of a heavy bag of feta cheese and cameras and go for a walk with this girl, who just happened to be heading out on a walk when I texted her that we should be walking together!
We covered a few miles around downtown. [Love my fashion statement? Last minute outfit ; ) ]
At home I made an easy pasta salad to take to book club!
Pasta (Italian pasta Karen brought back from her trip last year]
Tossed with some herby olive oil
To which I added a nice cube of feta cheese, some olives, chopped tomato and spinach plus a drizzle of balsamic.
The ladies at book club seemed to really like it! I think it was the herby olive oil 🙂
Tonight’s book was A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. It won a Pulitzer Prize!
Unfortunately I didn’t love the book. It’s kind of a collection of short stories about characters who are vaguely intertwined. Therefore, there wasn’t much of a plot. I really liked parts of the book, but then that part would be over and a whole new set of characters, setting and voice were introduced and the book essentially started over. Perhaps I was just a bit distracted when I read because others were able to make connections between the chapters. Not my favorite book of all times.
The FOOD, however, was quite delicious tonight!!
I finally got to try one of Dr. Ho’s Humble Pies. This pizza was GOOD but I think I need to experience it again to get the true meaning : )
Alice made nachos on the spot!
Reds for sipping! Can’t have book club without vino.
Plate of food.
We passed around Seamane’s Chocolate Peanut Butter-Stuffed Brownies for dessert! Plus some delicious cookies Becca brought.
Thanks to Ashley and her four-legged family for hosting!
[email protected] says
Food > Books 🙂
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
yum – lots of great looking foods at your book club gathering! we had loaded nachos for dinner tonight too… it hit the spot!
Krissy - Shiawase Life says
Fun; sounds like an interesting book.
Lynn @ the actor's diet says
I have my first book club soon too!!! We read Candyfreak which I’m digging. Yeah, I still haven’t finished it. In fact I just shot a whole web series about girls in a book club who never read the books!!!
[email protected] Nutrition with Sydney says
That salad looks delish!
Jamie @ Don't Forget the Cinnamon says
I also was not a huge fan of that book! I got about a third of the way through before setting it aside and never picking it up again. It just did not spark my interest.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
You’ve inspired me to go read a few pages tonight. It’s been too long since the Nook was out!
Emily @ The Swallow Flies says
That spread looks so delicious! I’ve been too busy for book club the past few months, but I think I need to reexamine my priorities. I mean, how can I be an English teacher and expect my students to read for fun yet not read for my OWN enjoyment?! Shutting down the computer now to go read a book…
Katie Jo says
Aww – I LOVED this book. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. At least the food looks delicious!
Keri says
Two things:
1. I love both blogs–yours and Faith’s.
2. I am envious of your evening of book club and food. Still new to Denver, I have yet to find a good group of girlfriends to run with, to read with, to laugh about life with. However, I am glad to live vicariously through you. For the moment. Cheers to good food–even if the books aren’t great. 🙂
Jen says
I would live to have a book club! You look great! 🙂
kathleen @ the daily crumb says
what a fun (and delicious!) book club! your pasta salad looks fantastic and, i agree, can’t have a book club without a sip of wine!
Alison says
That pasta salad looks awesome! I love how simple it is. Great idea for a book club dinner contribution!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
I just had my first book club. We read Room, which I didn’t love. I’m reading The Sharper the Knife right now – loving it! Also reading Goon Squad, but I like it… it can be harder to follow, but I’ve always like the multiple storyline format. I blame my ADD and an early affinity for Pulp Fiction. 😉
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
I always love how you and Matt run into each other. You’re always so excited when that happens!!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
Chocolate Peanut Butter-Stuffed Brownies, those nachos, that gorgeous wooden salad bowl, and the sunlight making it look downright balmy as it was hitting your hair and face…looks like a great day!
Chrysanthe says
I just finished “A Visit from the Goon Squad” a couple of weeks ago! I really enjoyed it, but I was also aware before reading it that the story wasn’t a traditional novel and wouldn’t have a linear plot. The spread that you guys put together makes me seriously want to start/join a book club though as soon as possible!
Lara @TresLaLa to TinyLaLa says
I LOVE my Matt’s haircut days, too! He doesn’t usually tell me ahead of time, so it’s such a great surprise! I had to miss our book club last week (2nd Hunger Games book) because I got laser eye surgery that day. Bittersweet, I suppose! 🙂
Christine @ BookishlyB says
I really liked that book- I really appreciate Egan’s narrative style. It’s much harder to write in this format than a typical linear plot. To each her own.
jenna k says
it sounds like i would love that book! i love short stories that feature the same characters (why salinger is my favorite author). thanks for sharing about it, even though it wasn’t your thing.
Khushboo says
Wow with a spread like that, I don’t think I would have wanted to bother with the book :)!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
Those brownies look AMAZING!! I can’t get enough chocolate… 😉
Maria @ Sinfully Nutritious says
Great looking pasta salad. I think pasta salad is under rated. It is a wonderful meal that can support so many great vegetables. I wan to reach through my computer and eat a piece of that pizza, it looks divine!
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) says
It amazes me that you have time to read so often all while running a professional blog and bakery. I don’t feel like I do half as much as you do and somehow I never manage to get reading in by days end. When I do try (at night) I always fall asleep! Sigh. Your pasta salad looks yummy!
KathEats says
I don’t read fast at all! I feel like it takes me forever to finish one 🙂 I only read in bed at night, somtimes like 45 minutes but most nights 10 minutes
Hillary says
Honestly, sometimes the best part of book club is the food (and wine!) Looks like yours was no exception!
Hannah @ eat, drink, and save money says
Speaking of books, I have officially started Bossy Pants. I had gotten the sample on Kindle a couple months ago and just never got around to purchasing it. So glad I did. Thanks for the suggestion!
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
What a beautiful looking day you had…Matt in a T shirt and you in just a sweater! A pasta salad with a fresh herby dressing and veggies suits the day perfectly! Pasta right from Italy…how divine! Book clubs sound great! I haven’t read that book…just finshed the last book in the Girl witht he Dragon Tattoo series…loved it! Moving on to a series that I read with my boys…Eragon…we just got Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (he was only 15 years old when he started writing Eragon!)for Christmas…can’t wait to start it…my eldest just finished it and loved it!
Simply Life says
I have my book club this week and always look forward to the conversation…and food! 🙂
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
That book club sure does have some great looking food! I love the pasta salad you made 🙂
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says
You’re not doing a good job of busting the myth that “book club” is code for girls night. HA!
Can I just say I LOVE that chair that the pooch is on! Retro rules.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Your pasta salad looks amazing! It’s so true that good quality ingredients like that olive oil can make such a difference in a dish!
Rebecca @ Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous says
Great looking food all around!
SweatyGirl says
Ok, the food looks good. But that dog looks great! So cute! 🙂
Life's a Bowl says
Your pasta, that pizza, those nachos, and the chocolate peanut butter brownies all look super tasty!
P.S. It could be fun to trade recipes [write them on index cards?] at your book club meetings too since you all have such tasty looking treats 🙂
KathEats says
Cute idea 🙂
Karen says
I’m surprised that book won a Pulitzer…I didn’t get very far before tossing it aside. One’s taste in books is so incredibly personal and hard to predict even between friends, I find.
Jules @ La Petite Maison Verte says
All the food looks great, including your pasta salad! Sorry the book was a dud, but it looks like you still enjoyed getting together with the girls anyway!
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats says
That pasta does look delicious, I sure wouldn’t turn down olive oil with herbs!
Kristina says
I thought that it was well-written, very funny in parts and captured certain moments in American popular culture, but I didn’t *love* it. I did read another book by Egan, “Look at Me” which was fantastic!
A Reader says
We did Goon Squad for book club this month too. I hated it, and like another blog poster, didn’t finish it. I went to book club anyway, as I’m the discussion leader! Yes, I led the discussion of a book I didn’t read.
To those who say they want to be in a book club but are not: consider doing what I did – start your own! I wanted to be in a book club and couldn’t find one that met at a convenient time + place for me. So I started my own. There are 8-10 of us that have met monthly for a year now. Its been a great success!
The pasta salad DID look very good. I never think of preparing pasta salad in winter, but I should. Its simple and tasty and fast!
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl says
I think I need to join a book club. The food looks awesome! Love what you did to the pasta!
modernworkinggirl says
Ooh feta. It’s always a toss up for the best cheese: is it feta, or halloumi?!
Kasey says
I totally need a book club in my life! Looks like so much fun 🙂
Angel7 says
That pasta looks really good! It looks like it was delivered fresh from Italy, or Karen 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
[New Balance] Nicole says
That pasta looks AMAZING!! I think I will make that for dinner this weekend 🙂
Whitney says
That book has gotta go down as one of my favorites– the no plot thing isn’t for everyone but I think that author was brilliant for being able to tie all the characters together, and take on their perspectives in her writing so convincingly.
I’m curious– is your book club something you found through mutual friends or elsewhere? Also– is the age group women in their 20s? I would love to find one in my area, but everytime I look on craigslist they seem catered to women my mother’s age…it seems like a great way to meet new people!
KathEats says
It definitely wasn’t a badly written book – just not that captivating for me 🙂
The book club was ongonig and my friend Seamane was in it and invited me to join in. I don’t know for sure, but I think the ages are late 20s to early 30s and perhaps a 40 or two
[email protected] Broken Cookies Don't Count says
Kath, I’m with you on A Visit From The Goon Squad. I have to be honest, I didn’t like it and I also have to say that there are a lot of Pulitzer Prize winners I don’t like. I don’t know what they’re thinking when they select these books.
Cammy says
I do the same thing! I never fold workout clothes/PJ’s. What’s the point?
Cammy says
Oops! I meant to leave that comment on your most recent post. I guess you can tell I’ve been bouncing around your blog tonight!