Busy, busy, busy

It turns out all this publishing a book business is rather enough to keep one occupied for days/weeks on end. Between various book related things, and book blog posting I feel like I've barely had time for domestic life, let alone time to blog about it.

Martin, on the other hand, is up to all kinds of housey stuff lately, but sadly he's hopeless at documenting it, and even worse at typing. So some of that will go unrecorded until I find the time to put it together.

Between making my living at the computer and all the book related computer time, I've been trying to spend most of my down time away from the computer. Martin and I have in fact recently taken up a semi-regular habit (say 2-3 times a week) of going to the community centre gym. I'm enjoying it more than I've enjoyed gym-like exercise in the past (I'm typically more of a dance class/yoga kind of exercise girl) and in a further twist of strangeness am actually really enjoying the treadmill. I was always the girl left out running around the track long after everyone else had gone back into the changeroom in P.E. class, so enjoying running is truly novel to me. There's just something about the total contrast between all the sitting and thinking of my normal life and clocking miles on the treadmill that is making me rather happy these days. I've also found that I most enjoy my time at the gym when I've got either comedy (hello hello David Cross!), audio books or language podcasts on my iPod. Today Lauren turned me on to the Stephen Fry podcast (or podgram as he calls them) and I can not recommend a better accompaniment for exercise if you, like me, enjoy a little wit and esoteric commentary with your treadmill time. (Having actually just typed that, I'm going to assume I may be among the very few who do in fact enjoy comedic musings on Victorian era aestheticism on the treadmill, but if you're one of the other few I dare say you'll thank me as you chuckle through cardio).

We're off to Seattle, New York and DC next week on a mini book tour of sorts. If anyone has ideas for recommending things to do, see and eat in New York in particular I'd love to hear it (we're in Seattle very briefly and in DC for not much longer). So far I've been taken by the hand and instructed to eat at Angelica's Kitchen and I've discovered a Seville connected vendor of handmade flamenco shoes that I must stop in on. All other recommendations for beautiful foods, lovely shops and must see locations are most welcome.

Comments

[harold]

Food in New York all depends on location and preferences. Talk to Alaina Browne from A Full Belly and Serious Eats for some insider info. She will give you the low-down. Tell her Harold sent you.

Also, the treadmill + podcasts = awesome. My favorite is the interview show, "The Treatment," with Elvis Mitchell. I will check out the podgrams soon; they're already downloaded.

Good luck on the tour!

[monica]

One of the places I really miss in DC is Jaleo, on 7th Street, NW. It's up the street from the Shakespeare Theatre, an Olsson's bookstore (great local independent chain), and the Archives/Navy Memorial Metro stop. It's also a pretty easy walk from the Mall, if you're down that way, checking out the monuments.

Oh, man... now I'm craving the goat cheese, almonds, and oranges on endive... or the goat cheese-stuffed sweet red peppers... mmm and be sure to try the Cava sangria.

Excuse me while I go drool in a corner, and make a shopping list. :)

[emira]

Cava sangria?! I'm sold!

And Harold thanks for the reminder about Alaina. And the podcast tip. You'll love the podgrams, I'm certain of it!

[Kate]

I second Angelica Kitchen. Yummy! They sell a nice cookbook, too.