Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sunday Salon- Happy Birthday to Me (Yesterday)

Well yesterday was my birthday and I was lucky enough to spend it in NYC with some of my best friends including my husband of course. He was in town doing a talk at Columbia University's journalism school and so we got to spend the weekend before and after enjoying the city. We met up with my friends from college for part of the day, and while Saturday night was more laid back than what we expected, I had a great time. I always enjoy any time Jeff and I get to spend in New York; it's different every time, even when we hit a lot of the same places. We went to some of my favorite bookstores- The Strand and McNally Jackson- as well as a new-to-me used bookstore near the Strand called Alabaster. Fun fun.

Last night after a light dinner I saw the awful news about the death of singer Whitney Houston. I loved her music and I'm very saddened by her premature passing. It's a tragedy. She leaves behind an incredible musical legacy and will be missed.

As far as reading, I started reading An Ermine in Czernopol but I don't know if I'm going to finish. I brought it along with The Swimming-Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst; I'm enjoying that book a lot more even if it does have a lot of graphic sexual content. Of course when Edmund White blurbs a book and remarks on the amount of sex (he called it "so literary and so highly sexed") maybe it's time to dial it down just a little. But I think it's what makes a book a Hollinghurst, at least from what I've heard.

And today? I'll continue with Swimming-Pool and organize the books I received as birthday gifts. It was a Crime Novel Birthday for me; I got two by Massimo Carlotto and three by Jakob Arjouni. I also got the box of Penguin book-cover postcards, a gift certificate to Powell's and several blank notebooks. And a new winter coat, and a tote. So I can read, carry my books around and look cute doing it. Ha!

For right now I'm relaxing over a leisurely breakfast with the New York Times book review section, and adding to my TBR pile in the process. They have a great write up of Audrey Schulman's new novel from Europa Editions, Three Weeks in December, and Francine Prose wrote a nice appreciation of British author Edward St. Aubyn and his new book, At Last. I'm adding that and his earlier Mother's Milk to my wishlist now. Who says no one reads traditional review sources anymore?

What are you up to today? I hope you have a great Sunday. More Sunday Salon here.

17 comments:

Mystica said...

Have a wonderful day

Harvee said...

Lovely gifts. Hope you had a great birthday !

bookspersonally said...

A belated Happy Birthday to you! A day in NYC - sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate.

Sandy Nawrot said...

Oh yeah, The Line of Beauty was just FULL of sex. Still it was a great book. Happy birthday you! I can't think of a better way to celebrate!

Jennie said...

Happy Belated Birthday!!!

bermudaonion said...

A birthday in New York sounds divine! It sounds like you had a good one.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to hear you had a great birthday. I hope the rest of the year continues that way for you..

Alexia561 said...

Happy Belated Birthday! Sounds like you had a great day, and so many awesome birthday presents! Enjoy the rest of your birthday month! :)

rhonda said...

Happy Birthday.Love weekends in Ny ,never miss strand
Brother Columbia grad so visited often.

ImageNations said...

Happy birthday... glad you enjoyed it to the max. Enjoy your books too

JoAnn said...

Happy Belated Birthday! Thanks for mentioning Alabaster - will check it out next time I'm in NYC.

avisannschild said...

Happy belated birthday, Marie! It's funny, but I thought to myself on that day, Who's birthday is it today? I guess I was thinking of you! I'd forgotten that you were a fellow Aquarian. :)

I'll have to check out Alabaster next time I'm in NYC (maybe in June)!

Zibilee said...

I am glad that you had such a nice birthday and that you got so many wonderful gifts! It must have been so nice to spend the time away with your husband! Very cool weekend indeed!

Kathleen said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday trip! Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself so much.

Amy said...

Happy belated birthday! I'm glad to hear you had a great one!

Anna said...

Happy belated birthday! Sounds like you had a great time!

stacybuckeye said...

Happy belated birthday. I'd love to spend every birthday in NYC!