This weekend was one of my favorite annual Park Slope traditions: the Park Slope Methodist book sale! Every year, this neighborhood church collects thousands of book donations (and CDs, and records) of every kind, and the BK literati flock to pick up hardcovers and paperbacks for just a dollar or two.
This year, I tried to exercise some restraint – after all, I’ve got books spilling out of the shelves in my room as it is! But I did manage to pick up a few art and home-related titles (I was in a non-fiction mood), that are really fun!
My favorite book of the day is A Book Of Garden Flowers by Margaret McKenny and Edith F. Johnston (Macmillan, 1940). Margaret McKenny turns out to be a renowned Washington State naturalist, and I later found some of her enthusiastic letters about mushroom hunting. But the piece de resistance is Edith Johnston’s GORGEOUS lithographs of flowers! Each one is more beautiful than the next (so much so that I almost scanned the whole book!). Take a look . . .
Truly lovely, no?
I also picked up a couple of cookbooks that I’m really digging:
The Pleasures of Slow Food by Corby Kummer (Chronicle Books, 2002). – This glamorous coffee-table volume takes a warm glimpse into the “slow food” movement – where hand-crafted cooking methods enjoyed among company take the place of modern American fast-food cu
At the heart of Siena lies the famous Piazza del Campo*, flanked by restaurants and historic buildings. During our few days in Siena we crossed through the piazza again and again. We enjoyed eating pizza at the edge of it while watching people come and go.
Wow, Italians are sharp dressers. We played at being The Sartorialist, looking for classily-dressed locals we’d award for their fashion sense. The older gentlemen really know how to do it up—a common theme: thin (cashmere?) sweater, button-up shirt, blazer/ jacket, pants, nice leather shoes. Always nice shoes. It is Italy.
Though Siena is popular with tourists, we didn’t find it jam-packed or difficult to navigate. People are friendly, and the restaurants are great. The architecture and general ambiance are charming. Like most of the Italian towns we visited, you’re not allowed to drive in the city center unless you’re a local. The ancient narrow streets just aren’t built for car traffic. You begin to see why motorcycles and mopeds are popular here.
At every single restaurant (was it a rule?) we were given brown paper placemats. It looked like drawing paper, so I couldn’t resist sketching. The kids had their colored pencils along, so we were all set.
The food came before I could finish anything (terrible problem, I know).
I was excited to eat at an official Slow Food member restaurant, Hosteria il Carroccio.
Our other favorite restaurant was La Sosta Di Violante. We ate there twice it was so good, and the staff was very friendly.
One more Italy post and then it’s back to regularly scheduled programming.
*It’s also the scene of Siena’s famed twice-yearly horse race, Palio di Siena.
0 Comments on People-Watching in Siena as of 1/1/1900
The Pleasures of Slow Food by Corby Kummer (Chronicle Books, 2002). – This glamorous coffee-table volume takes a warm glimpse into the “slow food” movement – where hand-crafted cooking methods enjoyed among company take the place of modern American fast-food cu
Annie-
I’d love you lots if you could send me a high res scan of the snapdragons! They’re my favorite! Plus one other you’d suggest to go with it. I’m thinking some wall art is in its future.
Thanks.
Also I have a snazzy plan for a stuffed naan. Using naan as the dough and a good chicken potato curry as the filling. Pocket foods are the best!
Absolutely!! I will email you a couple of choices. They’re all so beautiful it’s hard to pick!
P.S. Stuffed naan sounds DELISH. I hope that’s in my “pocket book” of recipes…