Chicks On Lit discussion

Spinning off of Amanda's question about your favorite book. If you could have dinner with one author, dead or alive, who would it be? Oh and what would you eat. (I really need to start a diet!)
At first I thought I'd pick CS Lewis but he was so proper I'm sure I'd slurp the soup and he'd be disgusted with me and stop talking. So I think I would pick Harper Lee. The nosey girl in me wants to know more about the reclusive author that wrote such a great book.

Oh and for dinner we'd have crab cakes.

Sigh! Another good question that's gonna take some thought!

CS Lewis, Harper Lee, Margaret Atwood, Charles De Lint--all auhtors whose books I can't get enough of. But I love their writing so much, what if I meet them and find out that they're curmudgeony old asses??? I couldn't bear the shock to my system!!!

So, I'm going to go with Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss). I already know he was a curmudgeony old ass, so no surprises there. I found that out by reading this biography. Anyway, I think I'd have fun eating with him. :) I imagine lots of laughter...

What would we eat? Oh gosh, I don't know. Hmmm... I don't remember any specific food/drink he liked. I'd like to drink 7 'n' 7s, and I think I'll steal the seafood idea from Tera--maybe pasta with butter-sauteed crab and shrimp, and sugar snap peas. Dessert? Tiramisu, I think...

Wow, this is fun!!!

This is going to sound so snobby but Charles Dickens. I love his stories. I think a proper English Tea.

Salinger. He'd hate it but I'd be in heaven. I'd talk up the Glass family til I turned blue and then he'd hand me the restraining order and I'd be escorted off the premises.

LOL Kim I'd like to be a fly on the wall at that dinner!

Ernest Hemmingway. I think we would be too busy with the absinthe to eat dinner though. :)

I have a habit with a friend of mine when we're making a date for dinner. He offers me a choice of authors (or vice versa, we take turns). After I choose the author, he tells me what restaurant we're going to based on that choice. Recently I got to choose from Graham Greene, Woody Allen, Vladimir Nabokov and Jane Austen. I chose Woddy Allen and we went to a New York Jewish diner (in Central London). I sometimes cheat, decide where I want to eat, and then offer him a bunch of authors all of whom are in some way related to that restaurant. (But don't tell)

That's really cool Elizabeth. I wish my friends were that uh... cultured... It's usually, 'Dude, let's hit Taco Bell'.


okay, I'm kidding.. sort of.


We used to have those sort of dinners when we lived in NY. But, then our options were a bit more open. Never played the author game though. Might have to try that.

Where would you eat if you chose Nabokov?(McDonalds?---ooh, ouch, sorry)

Kim
I think I may be more like you. I would love to have tea with Dickens but I would just make a fool of myself. Do you think Dickens would like Outback Steak House

Dickens would be all over an Awesome Blossom, Cupcake... wait, that's Chili's... but still, can you see it?

Teri, check out Coffee with Hemingway. Kirk Curnutt is a GoodReader and a very good guy! :)

Love Kirk. Even if he's warped beyond repair.

I just finished another of his books. Kim is being sweet--"warped" is putting it mildly! hee hee

In all seriousness, though, Kirk is a good one.

Teri-
I want to see if Hemmingway's legend is actually how he was. I love cranky old men, I think it would be fun!

Hemmingway would scare me! I'd be afraid he'd tell me to shut my trap and get him a beer. Atleast I could play with his 6 toed cats. (it was 6 right?)

This conversation has taken an odd turn, hasn't it?!

I still don't know who I'd pick!

Hemmingway would scary me plus he would drink me under the table

I love your friend tradition Elizabeth!

If I could have dinner with an author, I think I'd pick Neil Gaiman. His blog rocks and what a great creative mind.

Hemingway wouldn't be on my list. I'm pretty sure his view of women would have us embroiled in a food fight.

Ha! Inky, that's funny. I never thought of that about Hemingway, but you're right.

Neil Gaiman is totally freakin' awesome! I didn't know he had a blog. Oh, I'm so embarrassed--I have three (count 'em. THREE!) unread Gaimans on my shelf at home. I know I'll get to them eventually...

I wasn't so fond of Gaiman... what I've read...(I've asked for more suggestions) but I did visit The House on the Rock when I went to Wisconsin in April. Freaky stuff.

You guys are all saying such "important people" to dine with. I'm gonna go with Danielle Steel. I have been a fan of hers since I was 13 and when my mom lived in San Francisco I would make her drive me by her mansion everytime I was there so I could maybe catch a glimpse of her. I have heard she is not too nice to her employees but maybe she would be nice to me! LOL

We would have cocktails at The Top of The Mark which is at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel because its one of my fave places in the City and I would be in heaven!!

God I miss California.....I'm really hating Ohio lately......sometimes I think some of my decisions are just insane!! ;)

Ooooh, I learned something today! Because of Kim's post, I just got a question right in the neverending book quiz! :)

Interesting question... I'd like to have dinner with Alessandro Manzoni (Italy, 1785-1863) and talk about history, Italian language and how Milan used to be in the XIX century. But perhaps he'd like to eat 'cassoeula' - typical Milanese dishmade with pork meat and savoy... And I'm vegetarian!!!

Ok, everyone has gotten way too intellectual on me! I just wanted to drink with Hemmingway!

I'd have to pick Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde. I have loved them both since I was young. :)

To go along with my other threads I would like to have dinner with Pat Conroy so I can ask him the unanswered questions that I have from his books. I would like to also have dinner with Bernard Malamud and Herman Wouk together!

Teri
That was great.

So speaking of dinner parties, has anyone ever heard of the artist Judy Chicago? I went to her exhibit where she did a place setting for 100 women that she thought to be the most influential historically. The table was about three rooms long. Each plate depicted what she felt was their important contributions. It was an amazing exhibit.

I haven't heard of that but how cool would that be. Who were some of the women she had?

There is a book called Embroidering out Heritage
The Dinner Party Needlework by Judy Chicago, that details her exhibit and what she has to say about each woman. I am not sure if the book is still in print.She had Sacajawea, Susan B Anthony, Nephratiti (not sure how to spell that one).

Teri, that was fantastic!

Now, I don't want all of you to flog me or anything, but an author finally came to my mind this morning & since I know people either love her or hate her, I'm cringing as I type this!

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love.

And not because I'm a Liz Gilbert groupie after reading the book (which I happened to have really liked) and not because I now refer to Eat Pray Love as my 'Bible" (those that do are going to be in a world of hurt 6 months to a year or so down the line!) but because from what I've seen of her on Oprah, Borders books and on YouTube, I just really like her and think she'd be fun to have dinner with!

I'd have her over here at our house! (Everyone ends up in our kitchen at some point!!!) I'd make my tomato & fresh mozzerella salad w/balsamic vinegar (& some spices) and my pasta dish that's got sundried tomato's, roasted red pepper strips, asparagus & some shredded parm or mont jack cheese tossed in (xvirgin) olive oil w/garlic! (I am SO hungry now!) For dessert? 3 milk layer cake w/whipped butter cream frosting drizzled w/vanilla sauce from the local mexican restuarant!

Now I'm starving!!! Darn you Jo, that meal sounds perfect and yummily vegetarian! I hope no one's going to flog you for your dinner date. :)

I put up a fight, so watch out! (I flog back!)

I ended up making the pasta (above) for dinner last night and it turned out AMAZING! Since there's a few items in there I forgot to mention above, I thought I'd post the recipe, since I got scolded for mentioning my bbq sauce in another thread & not posting the recipe! :)

There's Bacon in this recipe! To make it vegetarian, omit the bacon & drippings and use 2 table spoons of xtra virgin olive oil (or your oil of choice!) to saute the garlic & chopped onion in!

~1 bunch of asparagus, chopped (cut off the ends & disgard)
~3/4 package of uncooked spaghetti
Fill large pot w/hot tap water, add sea salt & a bit of xtra virgin olive oil to water and bring to a boil ~ Break spaghetti into 3rds just before you put it into the boiling water and add the asparagus! Cook pasta & asparagus according to pasta directions!

~5 to 6 slices of uncooked bacon
~1/8 tsp or eyeball dried minced onion (way better flavor than chopped onion!)
~2 heapings tspns of minced garlic (I have a jar in the fridge!)
~1 tsp dried parsley flakes (or fresh if you have it on hand)
~1 can of diced tomato's drained
~3/4 of a jar of sundried tomato's
3/4 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
~1 tblspn no salt butter
~1/4 tsp sea salt
~heaping 1/4 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
~2tblspns lemon juice
~preshredded parm cheese
In a LARGE frying pan, cook bacon on med high heat until crisp, remove to a papertowel & crumble when slightly cooled ~ add onion, garlic and parsley to drippings and saute until onion is lightly browned (happens fast! stir constantly so as not to burn!) ~ add diced tomato's and sundried tomato's, cook for 2 minutes, then add broth and bring to a boil, once at a boil reduce to simmer and stir in butter, salt & pepper, let simmer for a minute or 2, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Mix drained pasta & asparagus with tomato mixture either in large pot, the large frying pan or a large bowl! Top with crumbled bacon and shredded parm cheese! (Left overs are great cold the next day!)

Yum!!!
You might need to start a cooking blog if all of your recipes are this good. there are some great cooking blogs out there. www.pioneerwomancooks.com (one of my faves)
www.creatingpostitnotes.blogspot.com (delicious)

Wow Jo!!! That does sound good......what else you got?? :) Start a new thread and post some of your recipes... like you need anymore to do on the computer huh? LOL

Thank you both Tera & Holli! I actually do post some of my recipes on my blog, http://www.justdigginaround.blogspot.com but I think a Chicks on Lit Cooking thread is a great idea! (It caters nicely to my obsessive compulsive side along with gardening, buying yarn & reading/buying books! Too bad writing isn't on the list!)

Thanks for the links Tera! I'm going to check them out! My favorite is Gluten-Free Girl at http://www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com ! She's just a great writer (very passionate) and some of her recipes are INCREDIBLE!

Wow, that's timely. My husband has become lactose intolerant over the last couple of yeara and now we suspect that he is becoming wheat intolerant as well. He needs to go see a doctor or two soon to see if he actually has Celiacs or just allergies.

Keep the recipes coming!

Andrea, Check the new thread I posted "Recipes! Cooking, Baking & the Like!"

Also: Since I've got a TON of immune system issues & auto immune problems, I'm finding Gluten-free girl's blog very interesting AND she has a book out now (which I'm also currently reading!) called "Gluten-Free Girl" by Shauna James Ahern, which is also bringing up some very intersting things! (She was diagnosed w/Celiacs).

We discussed this at work just the other day... I definitely have to add James McAvoy to my list!!! I could just stare into his dreamy eyes listening to his accent and feel as if I have died and gone to heaven. Did I mention I re-watched his performance in Becoming Jane just to drool over him?!!!

Back to the original question about authors to have dinner with...

I can't quite narrow it down with one, but I have a couple "double-dates" I'd die for..

Two living authors - Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde together. What imaginative dinner coversation could be had!

Two dead guys - Roberston Davies and Charles Dickens. Two men who could both write and perform - that would be memorable evening.

I think I'd also like to have dinner w/Jennifer Chiaverini, author of the Elm Creek Quilts fiction series! She had some amazingly supportive words for me year before last on her site when I posted about some writing difficulties I was having (which I printed out and keep 2 copies of!) and I'm reading one of her books now, so... And maybe it wouldn't even be for dinner! Say, tea & some kind of cookies (like raspberry thumb prints, my FAV!)...

JK Rowling. I'd want her to amuse me with Harry Potter stories.

We'd have food. All kinds. Just no seafood.

I thought this was a neat thread to bring back to light here with all the new members we've got! (Tera or Holli, if you read this, can you pls put this in the Girl Talk section? Thanks!)

What a fab question! Of course there is no way I can choose only one dinner date, so I would opt to have a big dinner party with lots of yummy food and lots of drink and my guest list would consist of the following authors (living and dead) : Kurt Vonnegut, Jean Rhys, Haruki Murakami, John Irving, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sandra Cisneros, Philip Gourevitch, Gloria Anzaldua, P.G. Wodehouse, and those are the only authors I can think of right now that I would want to chat and dine with.

There are several - Louise Erdrich, Barbara Kingsolver, Lisa See, Anita Shreve - but if I were allowed only one author, today it would be Elizabeth Strout, no question about it. And there is a restaurant here that serves a fabulous blue cheese crusted halibut that I have been thinking about lately, so if this fictitious dinner is happening any time soon, I'd plan to have that.

I'd love to have dinner with Ernest Hemmingway. We'd have seafood of some kind in a cabana-like retreat somewhere near the beach on Key West.

I'd love to have a girls' night out with Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner!

Those are all great!

I have to give this some thought & come up w/another - my 1st choice when we started this thread was Liz Gilbert.

Edith Wharton, definitely. I'd bring my dogs, she would bring hers, and we'd discuss the pros and cons of Henry James. I'd prefer to have the meal at her estate, but I could be flexible. I could see having a picnic with her.

On a friskier evening I might choose Dorothy Parker, for the sass alone if for no other reason.