Posts Tagged ‘Always Room for Dessert’

January marks our calendar as the first month of the year. A time for new promise – new hope … perhaps new beginnings.  A good friend of mine has a birthday a little more than a week after mine.  Since we became adults, it’s been a tradition of ours to go out and celebrate our born days over a tasty meal.

What makes this occasion a real treat is not the $40-50 plate; not the shared birthday; not the location; nor the fact that we can get away from the kids for an evening (though that helps).  Simply hanging out with friends and exchanging laughter is amusement enough.

I know that hanging out with friends over dinner is nothing new. Many people do it more regularly than me I’m sure.  Consider this blog nothing more than a reminder.  This year, make the time to enjoy a meal with your close ones.  Do you have parents that haven’t been out in a while? A couple that you know is going through something?  A sibling or neighbor that could use a good laugh?  Invite them out to dinner and let the good times roll.

This year, no matter the economy, no matter how busy you are, take the initiative to find some good eats with good friends.  Oh, and There’s Always Room for Dessert. LOL.

ACM

I don’t like to use my blog to vent too often, but I have a pet peeve — and it has to do with pulling up to a traffic light and having children walk up to my car asking for money to support their trip to “the championship game”.  What bothers me is not that I can’t reach into my pocket and give $2 or reach into my ashtray and dump all my loose change in their bucket; what irks me is the effect that I think this type of practice will create for these impressionable minds.

Perhaps I’m reading too deep into this. I do not mean to say that children should not feel inclined to ask for help from their community – what I’m more concerned of is that the adults who are leading children to these intersections are teaching children to ask for a handout, rather than teaching them how to earn their means to their desired goal.

Why can’t the team invite me to one of the local games and charge a small admission? Maybe they can hold a concession stand or offer car washes? I just don’t like the idea of giving children a bucket and sending them to every car stalled at a traffic light – not when there’s a more life-teaching way to help them earn money for the team.

As a little league girls softball coach for the past three years, I would never consider sending my girls out to ask for money to help us get to our tournament. I would meet with the parents and come up with ways to earn funding. Of course I would put those little girls to work, but make no mistake they would clearly see that we are all talented, skilled and innovative enough to earn the funding we need – for whatever purpose.

Although, I may still decide to help the occassional child that strolls by my car wearing a jersey and holding a bucket for contributions,  I think I will hold a conversation with that coach or parent that is usually off to the side on their cell phone, sitting in some foldable recreation chair.

Should I ask them for a few bucks so I can get to my destination?  It would be interesting to hear their response.

The rain held off Saturday and Baltimore’s 16th Annual Baltimore Book Festival brought thousands of locals and travelers (I suspect) to come out and celebrate the joy of reading. Friday’s opening held high promise and the people tried to come out and support, but the heavy rain made it impossible to maneuver into dry spaces. I don’t even own a pair of golasshes.

Saturday, however was a much more fulfilling day.  Gray at times, but fair moments of sunshine broke through the clouds and made the day a very pleasant one. I had the opportunity to speak to hundreds of readers about my books and also enjoy meeting other writers and publishers on site. This year Theodore Crawford, author of A Time to Remember and I shared a tent space and both of us held it down. Stay tuned to this blog or follow me on Facebook  or on Twitter as he and I may pair up for future book festivals.

Here are some pics from the event Friday and Saturday. One more blog coming after the event ends Sunday. Happy reading!

September. It’s the month that signals the ending of summer, the start of the school season, football and the Baltimore Book Festival. This is my fourth year of participation and I must say, it is one of my favorites. Of course the fact that its in my own backyard helps with the travel and packing, but each year, I get a lilttle more surprised at the diversity of people and reading interests that Baltimore has to offer.

It seems that each festival lends the opportunity for me to speak to readers in every demographic, but the Baltimore Book Festival is also the one festival that readers actually take the time to send me the most feedback – and I love feedback. After the 2010 festival, I’ve received countless emails from individuals who shared encouraging words. I’ve also made a lot of friends. If you’re in the Baltimore area the weekend of the 23rd – the 25th, I invite ou to come out and meet some local authors trying to share their stories with as many people as they can. Of course, I’ll be there and I’ll be sharing a table with author Theodore Crawford, author of A Time to Remember. Other authors who’ll be on site include 

The festival author lineup includes:

Sherman Alexie, Pseudonymous Bosch, Libba Bray, Common, Kate and Jules Feiffer, Myla Goldberg, Gordon Korman, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Laura Lippman, Roland S. Martin, Daisy Martinez, Sam McBratney, Chef Aaron “Big Daddy” McCargo, Jr., Patrick McDonnell, Terry McMillan, Jacquelyn Mitchard,  Erin Morgenstern, Kadir Nelson, Fr. Leo Patalinghug, Rachel Renee Russell, Tavis Smiley, Shirley Strawberry, Lisa Unger, Marcela Valladolid and David Wiesner.

So all Baltimoreans, come on out and let’s get get our read on – together.  Really looking forward to seeing you.

Last year’s Festival Pics-

Yesterday’s  Afternoon with the Authors proved a lot of fun yesterday and gave me the wonderful opportunity to meet with new readers, authors and  and the pleasant staff  of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Herring Run branch.  I’ve been to plenty of Pratt’s branches, but this is the first time I’ve been to this particular location.  All I can say is the Herring Run branch is the jewel of the neighborhood.

To those that came out and listened to me and the other authors, thanks so much!!! You are the reason for why I write.

Some pics from the event.

What would you do in this situation? You’re hungry, you got a few dollars and it just so happens you’re standing in restaurant row. As you look around, you see about a half a dozen restaurants ready to seat you – but one restaurant has about 50 people in line and the wait is about an hour and a half. It seems it makes most sense to go to a restaurant without such a line, but if you’re like me, my wife and the friends we traveled with this weekend, you might be semi-curious. What makes this place with the line so special?

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in the York neighborhood, not too far from Brooklyn,  is one of those places that, you must go visit. They serve only pizza – no salads, no buffalo wings, not not even bread sticks.  They also don’t serve it by the slice and they only accept cash, which makes the restaurant even more of an inconvenience. Despite the “hang ups” the restaurant dishes out, you want to know what makes this place so special? It’s the wait. 

Yes, they serve the best pizza I’ve ever tasted, but the Gibraldi wait experience forces patrons to talk to each other in line and possibly make new friends. I personally witnessed strangers not only talk to each other, but even pair up & sit with each other to help the line move quicker. It’s almost like a networking convention.

This experience has taught me something about waiting. We live in a world that tries to convince us that there’s something wrong with delays. We somehow win when we get something quickly and alternatively, we lose when there’s a pause in our stride.

Grimaldi’s fresh Mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian Sausage and mushroom pizza reminds me that not only is there nothing wrong with waiting, but occasionally, there is something delicious on the other side.

Have you ever baked for 1,000 men, women and children? What an experience is all I can say. Today, I was one of the featured chefs for the Coalition of 100 Black Women’s annual Gourmet Chef of Distinction event. I was one of  more than 70 chefs – bringing my signature dessert, Espresso Almond Crunch Cake taken from my first novel Always Room for Dessert.

Rows of desserts, entrees and appetizers nestled next to each other as far as the eyes could see. Stuffed shrimp, crab cakes, Orange Creamcicle Martinis, Lemon Walnut Chicken and so much more. You should have been there.

Special thank you to Thelma T. Daley, Chefs Chair; Laura Knight President / Event Chair and Diane Hocker for inviting me to the event. She and all the other hosts were working very hard to make sure the guests and the chefs had everything they needed. Also thank you to my daughter Kayla who joined me and helped serve. As picky as she is when it comes to eating I was extremely surprised to see her visiting all the tables and trying so many different dishes.

As for the Espresso Almond Crunch Cake, I’m told it was a hit. Table visitor after table visitor, I’m told the cake was moist and the hint of espresso coffee in the homemade frosting was sharp and on the money – good thing too, because it was the first time I ever made it.

Next year, I mayk bring a few dishes to teh party. So if you’re around Baltimore in May and you’re looking to get a sampling of some delectable delights, I invite you to come on through and make sure you make sure leave room for dessert.

For more on the Coaition of 100 Black Women, visit their site at  http://www.ncbw-bmc.org/

Looking forward to the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair in two weeks. It’s been a while since I last met a mass of new readers. I’m so excited and can’t wait to get back into the “free-reading” season. Both, my 12 year old and eight year old daugthers are competing to be my road-dog. I may end up taking them both. We’ll see, but for now, I’ll enjoy the cookies, the slippers and tiny kisses they are hitting me up with.  Evil right?  Ha!

Anyhow, I’ve never been to Buffalo. I’m always interested in new destinations and discovering that special culture and those special locations that gives each city its unique character. Hopefully, I’ll get a few books into the hands of some northern readers.

Again, I can’t wait – not only to get to Buffalo, but to get this book tour re-started. 

ACM

Until about eight years old, I used to get confused about when my birthday began. I knew it was on the Jan. 2, but wasn’t sure when that day actually began. On New Year’s Eve, I would stay up way past my bed time to watch all of the party coverage in the “Big Apple”.  Sometimes I’d fall asleep right when the ball dropped. Other nights, I drift a few hours afterwards. On those occasions when I stayed up into the new day, eventually when I slept and woke up,  I had the feeling that Jan. 1, had passed by and Jan. 2 was now in full effect.

As an adult, I never was a big partier on my birthday. A quiet dinner with friends, a chill day with family or even hanging out by myself was plenty of enjoyment. The idea of going out and having friends spend a lot of money on drinks, and partying only so you couldn’t remember the evening the next day seem sort of, well … misplaced.

This year, I spent a very simple evening with some family playing the Wii. Got a gift or two, ate some cake, played video games and even blew out some candles.

For 2011, one of my resolution items is to get back into being a little more outgoing – a little more adventuring, as last year was my year of yanking myself out of the mix a little.

They say that when you blow out the candles that you shouldn’t reveal the wish or it won’t come true. Well, I think I’ll share my wish only because it’s been coming true for years.

“For a healthy, loving family that operates with good conscience.” As I celebrate my birthday today I say thank you to God for giving me air in my lungs to blow out those 37 candles.

She bought a copy of Even Angels Need Miracles

Today, I participated in a book fair at East Point Mall. Didn’t bring my daughters as usual. How did I do? Glad you asked – Not counting online sales, I sold one book. One. (You have good days and not so good days, I guess)

 Was it the Black Friday competition? Was it the location?   Perhaps my daughters are my

Click the book cover to see the trailer

good luck charm. Whatever the reason, the “slow day” taught me a  little something about myself. 

 1)      I am not too proud to hide my short comings (I can admit a slow day)

Okay, so I had a less than stellar experience today. I had a few people pick up the books read the backs and tell

me  they didn’t have any money for books – then they walked into a department store and walked back out with several bags. I had one woman thumb through a book and tell me she could tell there wasn’t enough “sex” in the book and gave it back – one “non-sale” after another – despite my charm and irresistible personality.

Fatal Rebounds by Dorothy J. Morris

While handing out bookmarks, information cards and talking to a few mall customers, I also had an opportunity to talk to several of the other authors. One new author – Dorothy J. Morris, who just released her first novel Fatal Rebounds (www.DorothyJMorris.com), purchased my book Even Angels Need Miracles during the summer and told me how much she enjoyed it. I of course purchased a copy of her new novel and wished her the best.

Odessa Rose, author of Water in a Broken Glass

Another author, Odessa Rose (www.odessarose.com) told me she was working on her sequel to Water in a Broken Glass. She also told me how much she enjoyed my book, but I was more thrilled to hear about the accomplishment of her new book on the way.

Donnie Manuel, author of Humdadao

I shared with another author omblivnuj (pronounced almost like I’m beyond you) (www.togodbetheglory.us) how to get the best deals for printing book covers and marketing collateral such as book marks and post cards.  

It was also fun to watch Donnie Manuel, author of Humdadao of Baltimore (www.humdadao.com) sell his first book.

If you ever want to know what your passion is, ask yourself  – what on this planet can you do, not get paid for it and still be happy. I’ve found my passion and it has nothing to do with how many books I sell.

Below are more pics from the day: