So last week was a fun-filled extravaganza of friends, books, and great food! I still haven’t quite recovered (the suitcase is only half-unpacked, and the new books from our trek to the Strand are piled up waiting for shelf space to open), but I did learn a few things:
1) On Thursday evening, Diane and I joined Andrea Pickens at ABT for Le Corsaire (based on the Byron poem!), and I learned some plotting tips. All a story really needs to be exciting are some fights, an abduction or two, a pirate grotto, a ship wreck, an eeeevil villain, and a hunky shirtless guy. Pretty clothes don’t hurt, either.
2) Those old Harlequin covers are hilarious! Why don’t we have more like that now? And great titles like Pardon My Body and Love Me and Die… (this exhibit is up until June 12, if you’re in the NYC area)
3) BEA is, well, very large. And very crowded. And full of eye-catching book displays that meant I kept tripping over my feet while trying to look at them AND walk. I only got 2 free books, though, unlike Kwana and her 4 big bags full. Next time, I am sticking with her for the whole day. (Crush It!!)
4) Rose laasi + Chicken tikka + Dinner with friends like Hope Tarr, Megan Frampton, Diane, and Kwana = Awesome (street fairs with cheap summer dresses and jewelry on the way to the restaurant just makes it that much better)
5) Cocktails called “French Lavender” are really, really yummy (thanks to Elizabeth Mahon for suggesting Dove Parlor!)
6) I want to live in the Decorative Arts galleries at the Metropolitan Museum
7) Lady Jane’s Salon is totally as much fun as it looks. I wish I could get together something like that for romance fiction lovers here! (And finding out how covers evolve was very interesting, thanks to my editor at Grand Central Publishing)
8) Recording podcasts = Not as fearsome as I thought
9) Sadly, I missed a week-long display of costumes from the Zeffirelli Romeo and Juliet in the lobby of the Time Warner building. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I was kicking myself when I found out (after we had already left NYC)!
10) I always feel so much more energized and ready to write after spending time with friends. Now I can’t wait for RWA, which is only 5 weeks away! (Who is planning to be there? We’re hoping to get together a Riskies gathering…)
(And thanks to Kwana for the NY pics!)
Amanda
This trip sounds wonderful full of so much fun and all of those books. I have loved hearing about it all I would have love to have gone to The Strand.
Have Fun
Helen
I definitely have to go back to the Strand! We only had time to cover a teeny portion of the whole store (I only glimpsed the Decorative Arts section as we were leaving!)
I’d love to get to the Frick again, too, as there was no time for it this trip
We truly had a wonderful time. It would only have been better if Deb Marlowe had not had to cancel, but she is thoroughly on the mend. I talked to her a few days ago.
I think the Strand needs to be done little bits at a time. Otherwise it’s just too overwhelming. Your senses go into overload and you miss some great books.
You’re very welcome for the pics and it was only 2 bags of books stretched out over 4 pics. I wasn’t that bad. Ok I was.
It must have been two VERY BIG bags, Kwana! 🙂
It was a downer that Deb couldn’t be there–it would have been so much fun having all three “Diamonds” at BEA. But at least there were two!
We were so thrilled to have both Amanda and Diane as our guest readers at Lady Jane’s Salon. And after a much too long hiatus, it was lovely catching up over drinks at The Dove (one of our fav haunts here) and yummy Indian food. Thanks, Diane, for donating your left-overs. They made a great midnight snack + lunch the next day.
Sounds as if the New York trip was heavenly! I am pea green with envy! Great photos Kwana and NEVER be ashamed to say you glommed mega free books!!
I would to have heard you and the Divine One read at Lady Jane’s Salon.
I am SO looking forward to seeing everyone in DC ! Please let me know about any Riskies gathering!
Since almost all the Riskies will be in DC, we will definitely do something! And you’re first on the list, Louisa. 🙂
Hope, I would love to come back to Lady Jane’s very soon!! (February maybe? LOL)
There is nothing better than meeting up with friends you don’t get to see as much as you would like, I was SO much fun to hang out with Amanda, Diane, Megan and Kwana . Ballet, books, the Met, where we kept raising eyebrows with our running commentary on the decorative arts section. (I don’t they are used to people making such a minute inspection of the fabrics and paneling.
As Amanda says, Lady Jane’s Salon is an incredible fun, energizing night of reading and cameraderie (thanks, Amanda and Diane for being such stars.) Anyone who is in the NY area on the first Monday of every month shouldn’t miss it.
Come back soon, Amanda and Diane!
OMG–you guys–this is torture! Picture me, eyes closed, hands over ears. La, la la, la! I can’t hear you!
In the midst of all that misery, it was so much worse knowing I was missing all the fun!