Sunday Salon: March 27, 2016

Happy Easter!
Fortunately the glory of this Sunday is not dependent upon the weather.... cold, rainy, and a bit of snow here in Kansas City.

Reading:
I managed to continue a good reading streak this week - for me.

"Research" reading for my MG novel took precedent. I finished three books and gleaned a few ideas from each.

Madame Martine Breaks the Rules by Sarah S Brannen. This is the second book of a series. I read the first one last year and thoroughly enjoyed it (you can read my brief review here). Of course, what's not to like: a cute little dog runs through Paris, winding up at the Eiffel Tower. Through this mischievous behavior, the dog teaches Madame Martine to leave her comfort zone and enjoy life.

French Friday: Rue Mouffetard

I did not think my series on French markets complete without mentioning Rue Mouffetard.

Situated in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, Rue Mouffetard can trace its origins to the Medieval time period. This area is commonly known as the Latin Quarter, in reference to the ancient language spoken among the intellectuals of the Sorbonne. In the present time, the Latin Quarter is popular among university students and young millennials.

A-Z Challenge: The Big Reveal

I have spoken quite a bit about this challenge over the past several weeks, and the time has finally come to reveal my theme.

Drum roll please....

Sunday Salon: March 20, 2016

What a nice spring break we celebrated here in Kansas City. The weather even cooperated: we had some sunny warm days along with some much needed rain, and even a few snowflakes at the end.

Reading:

While I didn't necessarily plan it, I had a pretty big reading week.

First, I finally completed The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah. My struggle with this book had nothing to do with the author's writing style (I am in awe of her vivid descriptions) or the storyline (she creates such compelling characters I swear I would recognize them on the street). But instead, I struggle with the time period.

I know the importance of remembering the atrocities of Hitler and World War II, but my imagination runs wild and I can hardly handle the emotional flood as I read.  I wanted to discover what happened to the two sisters, Isabelle and Vivianne - but I could only read in short bursts of time.

French Friday: Rue Montorgueil

Last week we visited Rue Cler, an open air market near the Eiffel Tower.

This week we will visit Rue Montorgueil, another market, about a ten minute walk from the Pompidou Museum.

While it is easy to view metropolitan cities as one large mass, they are really divided into small neighborhoods, each with its own personality, vibe, and feel. This is clearly evident in the Paris market areas. The same basic storefronts line the streets - the boulangerie, patisserie, fromagerie, fresh fruit stands, etc. - but each neighborhood shop exhibits a unique character.

Sunday Salon: March 13, 2016

It's spring break here in Kansas City, and the weather is certainly cooperating: we are supposed to reach 80 degrees tomorrow! Of course, this is the Midwest, so I anticipate much cooler temps by the end of the week. No worries...I have indoor and outdoor activities planned, so I'm prepared no matter the weather.

Reading:

I'm not sure where I discovered this new MG series, The Flashback Four, but I certainly enjoyed the first book, and I'm excited to read more in the future.

Dan Gutman is the author of another popular time travel series, the Baseball Card Adventures, which I will now read. He nails the middle grade voice which is a skill I need to improve.

French Friday: Rue Cler

As I mentioned last week, I adore the open air markets of Paris. I think because it is a remnant of Old World charm in the midst of a modern cosmopolitan city.

Some year I hope to work my way through Paris visiting many of the neighborhood markets featured in this book. I would like to experience each market's own distinct flavor and unique offering of fresh food and household supplies.

On my last trip to Paris I did manage to visit two markets -  Rue Cler and Rue Montorgueil - which will be the subject of the next two French Friday posts.

Sunday Salon: March 6, 2016

We celebrate spring-like temperatures for the third week in a row! I suppose winter bypassed Kansas this year...

Reading:

My meme button...

I want to reconnect with my blogging roots.

My Cozy Book Nook began in 2009 as a book review blog. I was thrilled to find a community of like-minded people who loved to read as much I do. Since I've never participated a book club, this was an opportunity to connect with others and share our current, favorite, and not-so-favorite books. I was an active participant in this blogosphere until late 2010 when "life" began crashing in. Not only did I have little time to read, I lost my desire.

French Friday: Les Bouquinistes

Setting up for the day

 I adore Paris for its open air markets, and les bouquinistes are like open air markets for used books: simply paradise for this bibliophile!

These booksellers have been a part of the Parisian landscape almost as long as the invention of the printing press . They first peddled their wares in wheelbarrows, but in the late 1800s the government granted the bouquinistes permanent legal status. Today the iconic dark green metal boxes line the sidewalks on both sides of the Seine near Notre Dame.