Constant Reader discussion

For those of you who weren't with us for the Powell's tour, here's a little demonstration.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgur...

And wasn't that tour guide great. Just brimming with excitement about where he works and what he does. Contagious.

Denise,

I also loved meeting you, and I hope to see you again. The weekend just flew by, and I felt like I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with all of my new and old friends.

Jane

Thanks, Jane, it was good to meet you, too. And thanks Sherry and Ruth for the links.

Today, I was thinking about the delicious omelet that I had at the Bijou restaurant on Friday morning. It was an oyster-bacon omelet. It was no wonder that I wasn't hungry at lunch time.

I've said it before and I'll say it again (and probably not for the last time). My very favorite thing about the yearly meetings is meeting people I haven't met before. I loved meeting Barb Hill and Denise. I hope you both will come to future conventions.

I'm going to try that bacon/oyster omelet at home, Jane. It sounds so good. Was anything else in it? Herbs?

I'll probably do it for dinner, though rather than breakfast.

Hooray, posts from Allen! We have truly missed your online voice, Conductor.

Ruth,

I tried to find a menu of the Bijou Cafe on-line to see what else was in the omelet. There was some sort of cheese and there were some herbs. I am not much help.

I'll just wing it, then, whenever oysters show up in the market. Hmmm, September has an R in it. They should be there now.

I enjoyed meeting everyone too Sherry and hope I get a chance to do it again!

Barb Hill

Jane wrote: "Since you are here, Allen, I am going to tell an "Allen story". In 1997, the Constant Readers came to Denver, and we all had a wonderful time. On the Saturday of the event, we split into two grou..."

While waiting for my bus at the airport in Boston, I took the opportunity to cleanse my palate of all that Portland haute cuisine by eating a .... oh, you can guess what. It did have three different kinds of cheese; give me a couple of points for that, anyway.

Allen wrote: "Jane wrote: "Since you are here, Allen, I am going to tell an "Allen story". In 1997, the Constant Readers came to Denver, and we all had a wonderful time. On the Saturday of the event, we split ..."

Heehee, Allen. You get more than a couple of points for being such a good sport.

Well, really now: here it is more than a week since the main event of CR Portland '09 and none of you slackers has seen fit to favor the stay-at-homes with more than a passing mention of it. Do I have do everything around here?

I'm referring, of course, to our visit to Powell's Books, which is near to being the kind of place that could cause an atheistic bibliophile to fall to his knees and shout, "I thank thee, O Lord, for the bounty here laid out before me!" From its beginning some 30 years ago from what I gather was its modest-sized original store, Powell's has grown, by taking over adjacent properties and new construction, to occupy its entire block. Taking our group visit and my return there Sunday afternoon together I spent a good five hours exploring the maze of nine rooms, each conveniently designated by a color, and on reluctantly leaving still felt as though I had barely gotten started.

This colossal size could well be overwhelming if it all weren't so extraordinarily well-organized, with the overall color-coded room scheme, signage that makes locating any particularly category a snap, and unquestionably the best-groomed shelves I've seen in any bookstore of any size, anywhere. Finding your way is made even easier with the both practical and entertaining "Map & Guide to Powell's City of Books." (Oh yes, in addition to the main location on Burnside in downtown Portland we went to, there are those five other stores.) Any CR who neglected to pick up a copy when we were there really should send them a SASE and request a copy; I promise it's worth the trouble.

I could go on and on (New and used books on the same shelves! A generous amount of floor space set aside just for author's appearances! The informative and amusing tour we enjoyed, complete with a demonstration of fore-edge painting!) but I'm just going to say that anyone reading this must, some day, make a pilgrimage to Powell's. Not that I'd say it's worth flying all the way across the country just for that purpose. Halfway, yes, but not all the way.

Thanks for taking up the slack and giving a better description of Powell's for us, Alan. I don't think I've ever had a guided tour of a bookstore before (nor have I been in many that would have deserved one!). It was one of the highlights of my trip.

For those who didn't make it, you can find a 48 second video tour, a store map, and a written description at the Powell's web site.

http://www.powells.com/info/citytour....

I tried to keep my eyes closed the whole time. I have TOO MANY BOOKS! But it was indeed a wonderland.

Sherry, try working in a bookstore! One good thing is a perk we have; we can borrow the books as long as they are returned in pristine condtion. So I can read anything I want.

I am very envious of y'all who attended this convention. And Allen, tho I have been in these parts for many many years, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you. Hello!

I'm a prisoner of Amazon. My daughter pays the $75 a year to receive free two-day shipping, and I'm riding on her coattails. Amazon is smart like a fox. Free shipping is a big incentive.

I have that Prime account, too, Ruth. It works for everything you buy from them, not just books.

Well, almost everything. Some of the "associates" don't honor it. It sure makes me buy anything I can thru Amazon.

Yes, I should have been more exact. Used books are not included, but most other things are.

I appreciate support for Powell's since the younger offspring is a longtime employee of same - heh. But the organization sells itself pretty much from the used books standpoint in my opinion.

I've been enjoying all the Portland talk -- I'll get there for Thanksgiving this year. Still would have liked to share it with y'all but it wasn't meant to be.

Glad you all had a wonderful time! :)

I have Amazon Prime, too and I love it, though it does encourage me to buy more books and I have too many now. Sometimes I wonder if I'll live long enough to finish all the books I have and all the ones I keep buying.

I try to support my local Barnes and Noble, but they let people sit in big armchairs and read the books and so many of the shelved books LOOK all yellowed and dog-eared and some even have food on them (people take them to the Starbucks section). Now, to be fair, they offer 10% off on these books, but when I want a NEW book, I want it to truly BE new and unread, so I buy from Amazon.

Beej, these people don't keep things in as pristine condition as I'm sure you do. I'd like to work in a bookstore, but only one that sold high quality literary novels, so I'm afraid I'm out of luck. And if I worked near a Starbucks or IN a Starbucks, I'd be gaining weight by leaps and bounds. I love green tea frappuccinos.

I enjoyed the photos and commentary, especially from Allen. Wish I'd been there. And this is the first I've heard of fore-edge painting.

I wish you could have been there, too, Robt. Minneapolis?

I wish you'd been there, too, Robt. I remember the first time I met you, in Seattle, and how delighted I was that you were just as nice in person as in typeface.

As usual, I'm sorry I missed the convention. But what great news that it will be in my hometown next year! I do believe that, barring unforeseen family crises (which, unfortunately, have been occurring for me lately), I will plan to attend the Twin Cities 2010 CR convention. Free digs at my mom's will be nice, and there's nothing better than fall in Minnesota. Phillip, we'll have to put our heads together about the eating portion of the trip. There are some fabulous restaurants in the cities. Ruth, when I was home in August, my dad took me to the new restaurant in the Walker Art Museum. Alas, it was too late in the day for the museum visit, but the view and the food was outstanding.

Oh Sarah, how nice! I'm so glad you might be able to come. Lunch at the famous Walker sounds just the thing.

Barring any unforeseen events, I am planning on attending my first CR convention in 2010. Now that my kids are older, the doors of the world are opening up a bit for me. Yay for me!!

Gabrielle, I just read your comment to me; we can borrow the books only because we are employed there. The staff is small and we are all lovers of books so we take care of them. We do allow customers to browse through the books in our bistro, but trust me, any damage and the books are removed from the shelves. Customer service is my main baby there and I make sure all the books are in pristine condition. We have competition here, yet we are the favorite of the locals because we are determined to cater to our clientele. 10% off on a worn book is something but not nearly enough. The only way I would allow a tattered book to be sold under any condition would be if it were the only copy and the customer insisted on purchasing it.

You know, I've hung around these parts for many many years. I have never met any of you face to face. But I feel like I know many of you very well. Meeting you will be an utter joy. It's about time.

Sarah, Beej! Fantastic. I can't wait to see you both in Minneapolis.

What great news! I look forward to finally meeting you both in person!

Beej! I'd given up on hoping you'd show up at one of our shindigs. This is great news!

Yes, y'all are finally going to meet me. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

Anyone who quotes Kristofferson on the CR poetry board is more than welcome in my town, Beej. My wife and I caught him here in Minneapolis this past April and really enjoyed the show.

And Sarah, that's great to hear about your plans too! I have thought that 21.21 (the W. Puck restaurant in the Walker) would be a good place to consider.

Right, that's the name. I'd forgotten. It was so wonderful...one of those places where you cannot decide what to have because everything sounds so delicious and interesting. I've also always wanted to go to 510 Groveland.

Now you're making my mouth water, Sarah, and I thought I'd had a pretty satisfying meal already tonight!

And another thing about Portland...

I really enjoyed the reading. In fact, I would have been happy to have one each day. (This coming from someone who didn't, herself, come up with anything to read.)

The reading is always one of my favorite events, Denise. I hope we see you in Minneapolis. With something to read!