We're really just a bunch of foodies....

It seems that at most of our BC meetings, we always end up talking about things other than the book we've read.

We always read the book, and talk about it at some point, but lately our book club seems to be a bit more cathartic and social in nature.  I'm not sure about the rest of you girls, but I look forward to our one evening a month all month long.  It's the one night - the few hours - where I get to socialize with a bunch of women who are my friends, who are like me, and who like me.

Ahhh....group hug.

That being said - we always seem to end up talking about food.  Oh, how I love to eat really good food.

We all love Guy Fieri and his DDD and in light of our food addictions, we've started sending lists around of some of our local favorite places to dine.

For the sake of posterity, here they are.

Rika:
Cafe Trio
Porcupine Pub
Market Street
PF Changs
Thaifoon
Blue Plate

Makayla:
1- Takashi
2- Tsunami
3- Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana
4- San Gelato
5- Rocky Mountain Chocolate
6-Hofbrauhaus-www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com
7- The Corner Office-thecornerofficedenver.com
8- Rockin' Baja Lobster-www.rockinbaja.com
9- Isabella's Catering for catered events only

Annie:
Rio Grande (this is my absolute most favorite place to eat....ever)
Red Iguana
Neils FIsh Place in Draper (Good chicken fingers and fantastic fries)
Settebello Pizzeria
Lone Star Taqueria
Downtown Philly
Salt Lake BBQ
Q for U (BBQ in WVC - very authentic and yummy)
Litzas Pizza
Hires
Red Butte Cafe (Foothill)
Desert Edge pub/brewery (Trolley Square)
Robintinos
In and Out
Smashburger
So Cupcake
Mini's Cupcakes
Beyond Glaze

Angela:
Mazzas (meditteranean and middle eastern) http://www.mazzacaf e.com/
Fresco
India House in Midvale (80th south and state?)
The Original Pancake House in the sugarhouse area.

Chocolate Cake

Super Duper Yummy Crock Pot Chocolate Cake
(Courtesy of CJane)

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 container of sour cream (8 oz)
1 cup chocolate morsels
1 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix


spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.
mix cake mix, sour cream, chocolate morsels, water, egss, oil
and pudding mix in a bowl by hand.
pour into crock pot.

cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours
 
NOTE:  I've made this cake a couple of times.  It was best with little dove dark chcolate squares and chocolate chips because they got all ooey and gooey.  I also recommend watching it closely and "undercooking" it.  I've got a fast, hot crock pot and on low, it cooked beautifully in about 3.5 hours.

February Meeting

Thanks everyone that could come tonight to "discuss" The Mysterious Benedict Society.  Although we really just chatted and ate delicious chocolate cake (Annie can you post the recipe!?) I wanted to say that I really did like this book.  I thought it was creative and cute and I can't wait until my boys are older because this is the type of book I can see reading aloud to them chapter by chapter at bedtime.  I've got the 2nd book on hold at the library and can't wait to read that one, either.  Thanks Melinda for bringing it to the Christmas party so that we could read it!

Upcoming:
Next month is discussing "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett at Michele's house on March 25th, and then we're discussing "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver at Rika's house on April 22nd. Makayla volunteered to host for May 27th but the book is still being decided. Wow, are we really planned this far in advance?!

Thanks again to all who came tonight!

Another Bookclub baby

Even though most of you have already met him ... and he's going on 5 months old .... thought I'd introduce you to MY bookclub baby ..

Grahm Ferrol Singleton ... August 18th, 2009

Now we just need London and Amelia ... right?

New Year - New books

Yeah - 2010 is just around the corner. Another great year for book club I'm sure.

In an attempt to be on the ball, for those of you that look at the blog, here are the proposed dates for 2010 - and books when applicable, for the first few months anyway.

January 28 - Annie's House
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

February 25 - Erin's House
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

March 25 - Michele's House
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

April 22
May 27
June 24
July 22
August 26
September 23
October 28
November 18 (The week before Thanksgiving)
December 16 (The week before Christmas)

Mark your calendars now and we'll plan to see you at BC.

Oh, Merry Christmas, too.

End of the year

We have no plan for the end if the year. Well we have a plan, we just don't have a date or a host.

A book and cookie exchange however will take place in December. Send your suggestions to Annie.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

November and December

November mtg:
angelas house
November 19
Catching Fire

December mtg:
Location tbd
December 10
Book and cookie exchange
Come to talk about one of your favorite books of the year.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Updates, Updates, Updates

Okay, here we go.

For August's meeting we had few members in attendance but a great meeting none-the-less. We didn't actually discuss, "Farewell to Arms" but it's still one of my favorite books.

Our September book is "Knit Two", the sequel to "The Friday Night Knitting Club". We'll be meeting at Erin's House this month.

The book for October is: "Guernsy Literary and Potato Peel society" by Mary Ann Shaffer. We'll be meeting at Michelle's new house for this meeting.

And, we've even picked out November book - "Catching Fire" the sequel to our much loved "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Oh, I love Peeta!

July Meeting and September Book

We had a lovely time at Robin's discussing "The Hunger Games". It was the best discussion we've had in a long time (about the book that is) - even if the discussion was largely based on our imaginary versions of Gale and Peeta and who was better looking.

Hypothetically of course.

Peeta was so much hotter.

Moving on we've picked a book for September.
We will be reading, "Knit Two" by Kate Jacobs. Kate is the author of "The Friday Night Knitting Club" which we read last year. Or maybe two years ago.

And....
As a reminder, our August meeting will be on Thursday, August 27 at Annie's house.

We'll be discussing "Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway.

Be there or be square.

Maybe if your lucky I'll make a fabulous desert.

June Meeting and August Book

Thanks to Melinda for hosting us this past week for our June book club discussion.

We all seemed to like the Laments - and found it very "relatable" (I love inventing new words). We all seem to know someone who is adopted, have all felt the sense of urgency in giving our kids quality names, and get an itchy trigger finger with husbands who like to be on the move - even if it's a bit figurative in nature.

Our July meeting will be a great one - I think that everyone has already read "the hunger games" and is excited to talk about the book - and what the sequel might be like. And, if it's really made into a movie, we'll have to have a book club night at the theater for sure.

twilight who?

For August - We'll be meeting at Annie's house, probably on the back patio (or maybe at Shavy Jones?). Our book for August is a true classic - at least in my opinion.

"Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. A great, tragic love story for the end of the summer. This is one of my most favorite novels, and I've probably read it a dozen times. When I was in high school I cheated on a book review for my AP English Class. I didn't read a book, I just did a review of this one because I'd already read it so many times. As I was giving my oral review, I realized that my teacher wasn't paying attention to a thing I was saying.

So, as part of my review - I gave an alternate ending for the book - the ending is a bit tragic and I changed it to a "happily ever after".

I got a perfect score.

Either my teacher had never read the book

or

she really wasn't paying attention.

Either way - it's a great book.

Enjoy reading.