I know, it's been like, forever...

Happy 2011! After many, many non-productive months, I'm back to my blog. Last year was a tough year for me and I was easily distracted from taking time to write about the good stuff--there was just so much bad stuff. But it's a new year, and I am optimistic this year will be better than the last one.

I did read some good books in 2010 as well as eat at some great restaurants, see some wonderful sights and watch some pretty good movies.

Here is my list of my favorite books that I read last year:
1) Little Bee by Chris Cleave--not a happy book but beautifully written.
2) One Day by David Nicholls--enjoyable love story with a London setting.
3) The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman--intertwining stories that take place at an English language newspaper office in Rome.
4) Hungry Planet-What The World Eats by Peter Menzel--a look at a week of food consumption in various parts of the world, family by family.
5) A Secret Gift-How One Man's Kindness and a Treasure Trove of Letters-Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression by Ted Gup--a glimpse of life in Ohio in 1932

I am currently reading (and almost done with) Steve Martin's new novel, An Object of Beauty, about the art world in NYC. I have read his other novels and have always liked them; this one is no exception.

My friend Susan told me a funny story about Steve Martin and his book. He was in NYC at the 92nd Street Y doing a reading and the audience was not too happy because Steve wasn't funny--he was too serious! The audience wanted their money back because they thought his talk would be more of a standup act vs. a serious book reading. Ugh to the audience.

Next on my nightstand is God's Mountain by Erri de Luca and The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall.

Besides books, some other good things that I ran across in 2010 are: The Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica (great community pool, beach access and history), dinner at Hatfields Restaurant on Melrose Ave., LACMA's Resnick Pavillion exhibit called "Fashioning Fashion-European Dress in Detail" and the movie "The King's Speech".

I look forward to much more good stuff this year.