Penny Watson's Blog, page 53
January 30, 2012
Morning Walk In Napa
Morning walk with Julia and Jake....a hot air balloon! So cool!
Wild mustard and grape vines.
Jake!
Off for a wine tasting and olive oil tasting.....yum!
Penny
January 27, 2012
Napa Or Bust
I'm leaving soon for Napa! Hope everyone has a great week. I'll be sure to post lots of pics when I get back. I can't stop singing this song...hee hee!.....
All my best,Penelope
January 26, 2012
What's Wack Today
1. Oops! From last night's episode of Top Chef....it looks like Padma forgot to put on her pants.
2. From The Annals Of Pseudo-Intellectual Misogynist Douchebags Whose Names Sounds Like a Vegetable
(I refuse to give his real name or link....he doesn't deserve any more traffic to his site).
Here are some choice quotes from his asinine romance-hating post yesterday.....
"Well romance is nothing but base human desires."
(Um, I think you might mean lust, not romance.)
"It's the stuff of children."
(Really? I personally don't think romantic fiction is age-appropriate for kids, but whatever floats your boat).
"Adults read to learn, and that includes fiction."
(And adults also read for entertainment. I think you need to lighten up, grab a beer, and watch.....)
3. PHANTOM MENACE 3D!!!!!!
That's right, baby! Darth Maul is coming at you in 3D on February 10th....here's the trailer on Youtube. I know some of my fans readers people who hated my book more than life itself will be super excited to see this epic movie event!:^)
Have a nice day,Penelope
January 25, 2012
Totally Pointless Weenie Dog Photo
Best part of winter in New England....snuggling with a hot dog.
Happy Wednesday,
Penelope
January 24, 2012
Werewolves On My Mind (And Some Other Stuff, Too)
Thanks to a recommendation at the Amazon Romance Message Boards (aka Wackadoodle Central), I bought and read this book last night. I have read some contemporaries by Lucy Monroe I really enjoyed, but never any paranormal books by her. Well, Moon Craving is the second in this werewolf series, and I lubbed this baby!
What's better than sexy werewolves?
How about sexy werewolves who also happen to be Scottish lairds-alpha-hotties with that wicked buttery accent, tattoos, stubbly beards, muscles on their muscles, and a possessive streak? Okay, that would be it!
I loved everything about this book--especially the deaf heroine who seems weak but has an iron will and intense loyalty, the werewolf laird determined not to repeat the mistakes of his ancestors, and all the cool secondary characters. This book is a serious winner!
Grade: A ....All.....The.....Way!
Other deep thoughts....
The continuing battle of authors vs. reviewers has me considering closing down my twitter account and doing my own "black-out." I have never seen so much negativity flying around. Angry authors, insulted reviewers and readers. This new and continuing trend doesn't appear to be going away. So maybe I'll go away. It's bumming me out.
I am re-animating the zombie corpse of my diet (how do you like that image? hee hee). After losing 45 pounds very quickly, I re-gained some of the weight back and now I need to get back on the train. It's all about "mindful" eating vs. "mindless" eating. Mindful eating is very difficult when you are cooking for a family of four....kids eating junk food, hubby eating white rice, snacks around the house. I have to be super-vigilant about not eating anything that is a no-no. A bite of a cookie here, a bite of a left-over waffle there....and pretty soon I've gained 10 pounds. I've gone back to my super-strict diet I was using right after my heart attack, and it's working. I'm losing weight again. 50 pounds down or bust!
Well, that's it for Tuesday. Hope everyone has a great day!
Penny
January 23, 2012
A Penny From Heaven And An Alien Love Child: Quickie Reading Update
I finished my first book for the Penelope Project.... In For A Penny by Rose Lerner. Holy Canastas! This is a wonderful 5-star read. Charming historical story, adorable characters, lots of emotional conflict, and a kick-ass Penelope. I love "heroic" heroines, and this one fits the bill. It reminded me of an old-school Julia Quinn novel....you fall in love with these flawed characters and pray for their HEA. And you get it. I wish the ending hadn't been so abrupt, but otherwise this book was close to perfection. Rose Lerner has a lovely voice and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
Grade: A
Next up: Alien Overnight by Robin Rotham. This book looked so weird I just couldn't resist. The book blurb says the heroine is "quirky"....what they should have said was foul-mouthed, rude, irritating and totally unlikable. Frankly, I couldn't understand why the horny alien dudes were so hot to trot with Dr. Teague. They liked her "spunky" attitude....I thought she was horrible. However, the two horny alien dudes were hot alpha guys, with a little bit "extra" (bizarre alien anatomical appendage....and I'll let your imagination run wild with that one). This book had some good points....pretty well-written, interesting alien plot (I really like the premise of an alien planet desperate for females....it's a great concept for a sci fi erotica!), and 2 hunky heroes. Unfortunately, I couldn't stand the heroine. I laughed out loud when they mentioned the "alien love-child"....hee hee! If you're looking for a spicy sci-fi menage story, and you don't mind foul-mouthed, rude heroines, this is a fun read. If bitchy chicks piss you off, skip it.
Grade: B-/C+
Happy Monday,
Penelope
January 22, 2012
Blast From 1988: Neneh Cherry
It's sweetness that I'm thinking of.....
Happy Sunday!
January 21, 2012
Baked Potato Salad by Todd English
This is one of my favorite weekend dinners, and such a great concept! Todd English takes a roasted Idaho potato, and stuffs it with a delicious watercress salad. For folks eating a lot of salad (me!) this is something a little bit different to break up the monotony.
"My Favorite Baked Potato Salad" by Todd English, from The Olives Table cookbook:
Ingredients:
4 Idaho potatoes1 T olive oil1 t. kosher salt1 t. black pepper1 small bunch watercress, washed, dried and ripped up into bits1 cucumber, sliced1 and 1/2 c. green beans, blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes1 sm. red onion, thinly sliced (I use less, probably 1/2 onion)1 Belgian endive, sliced up
Dressing:2 T good olive oil1/3 c. chopped walnuts2 T fresh lemon juice2 T balsamic vinegar3/4 crumbled good blue cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Rub potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, prick them with a fork, then roast in the oven until tender (right on the rack), about 40 minutes-1 hour.
Make salad....toss watercress, endive, cuke, green beans, onion and season with salt and pepper.
Make the dressing....heat up a small skillet on high and then add the olive oil. Add the walnuts and toast for a couple of minutes. Be careful...they burn quickly. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and heat for about 1 minute. Take pan off the heat and add the cheese. It makes a delicious hot dressing....yum! Pour this over the salad and mix together.
Open up the potatoes and mound the salad on top. Serve hot!
Enjoy!
Penny (Guess what I'm eating for dinner tonight?)
January 20, 2012
Winter In New England
The view outside my front door this morning. Snowflakes still falling in the morning sun....gorgeous!
Winter in my garden.....
Stay warm, everyone!
Penny[image error]
January 19, 2012
My Dinner With Julia (Rachel Barrett)
Spontaneity.
Some folks have it. Some don't.
Many of us had it in our younger days. And then lost it with the arrival of 2.5 kids.
Some of us had it in college. For others, it may make an appearance after a few drinks.
I haven't had a lot of spontaneous moments in the last year and half. Having a heart attack makes you hold on tight to familiarity....the structure of each day makes you feel safe and secure.
But I realized at the beginning of this new year, I needed to shake things up. I needed something fun and different and spontaneous and maybe a little bit ballsy to look forward to.
How about....
....hopping on a plane, flying across the country, and meeting someone you have never actually seen in real life?
Someone you have developed a friendship with, initially based on mutual love of books, good food and wine. Shared experiences. Someone you respect. Someone who is a kindred spirit in many ways. Someone who is kind, intelligent, thoughtful, and funny. Someone who is supportive and understanding.
Julia Rachel Barrett issued an open invitation to visit her in Napa, and one day I emailed her and said...."I'm coming to see you." I'm not sure if she was shocked or surprised. But she said "Great!"
And so, in eleven days, I am flying across the country to meet a "stranger" who really isn't a stranger. We're going to taste wine, and olive oil, and visit the farmer's market in San Francisco, and hike, and eat at some fun restaurants, and walk her adorable dog, and get to know each other in person.
I can't wait.
Of all the things that have happened to me since I discovered romantic fiction, started writing and reviewing, the very best part has been "meeting" cool people. Other authors and reviewers and readers who have unique perspectives on life, who have gone through trials and tribulations just as I have, who offer support and kindness as life throws a few curveballs our way.
And so, I'm looking forward to my dinner with Julia. Good food, good wine, good company. It's a grand adventure, and a wonderful way to start the new year.
A wonderful source of inspiration. Visiting a new place. Meeting a new friend. Taking a journey by myself, without my family.
I like the fact that my first introduction to Julia was by reading her book Beauty and the Feast . I knew right away that I liked her. I liked the way she saw the sensuality of food, the simplicity of a good meal, the beauty in the world around her. These things came out clearly in this book, and after enjoying it immensely, we started corresponding and became friends.
Another Julia would heartily approve, I'm sure....
"Remember, 'No one's more important than people!' In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured." Julia Child, My Life in France
"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." Julia Child
"One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry; and one of the lessons is to grin and bear it if it cannot be fixed." Julia Child, My Life in France
"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook." Julia Child
❧❧❧[image error]
