I read a lot of really great books last year. If I didn't write a review for the book, I'm going to add a line or two that encapsulates my thoughts.
PASTORALIA by George Sanders. Review here.
HOW THE DEAD DREAM by Lydia Millet. Review here.
OLIVE KITTERIDGE by Elizabeth Strout. Review here.
THE SENSE OF AN ENDING by Julian Barnes (audio book). Review here.
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green. Review here.
THE SPECTACULAR NOW by Tim Tharp. Review here.
THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO by Junot Diaz (audio book). The book I listened to on our Austria-Prague trip. Review here.
A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan. Review here.
STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING by Brian Morton. I enjoyed this one. I loved the way the stories were told in third person, yet only from one person's point of view. It left such an impression that I'm borrowing (stealing) it for the project I'm currently writing.
GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn. When this book seemed to be fast-tracked into movie production, I knew it was time to read it before it was too late. And I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. Just the right amount of darkness and wit, and all the pieces fit together in reverse. I was quite impressed.
THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman. This was highly recommended by multiple trusted sources, but it just wasn't for me. When reading it, I couldn't help but be reminded of a similar book in tone and somewhat in plot, THE PROBABLE FUTURE by Alice Hoffman, which I enjoyed much more.
THE NAMESAKE by Jhumpa Lahiri (audio book). Jhumpa is just such a beautiful writer. I saw the movie years ago and was surprised at how much I loved it and how moving it was. The book was really good, but, dare I ask, was the movie better? It's been awhile so I need to watch it again. Either way, congrats to Mira Nair on making a splendid adaptation.
DROWN by Junot Diaz (audio book). I actually enjoyed this a little more than Oscar Wao. Being a collection of short stories, it didn't bother me so much when Diaz would focus on one character or storyline more than another.
There are some Pulitzer winners in here for sure. Some popcorn bestsellers. A couple of YA selections to revisit my youth through. My favorite book of the year is... Drumroll please.................................
OLIVE KITTEREDGE and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
It's a tie. Yes, I'm cheating, but I couldn't decide. They were both just too amazing. If I read even one book as good as either of these in 2014, I will be a lucky girl.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Wet Cemeteries and Brick Underground - Day Sixteen
Our last day in Prague and it was destined to be a cold, rainy one. It was our last morning to enjoy our lovely hotel room. It was looking fairly lived-in by this point.
We bought another 24 hr. subway pass (110 kr) to fight the weather. One good thing about rain is that it cleans the Charles Bridge of most of its tourists.
During the day there are usually so many people that it's difficult to cross.
As you can see, this makes me happy.
Our first stop was standing in a long line to buy tickets to the Old Jewish Cemetery. We realized late in the game that a small shop down the street was selling them and had a tiny line. So if there's a long line at the actual cemetery, wander around until you find one of the smaller shops.
The cemetery itself was pretty small. The rain fell lightly as we walked the perimeter, gazing at the old, worn headstones clustered together, nearly piled on top of one another.
The cemetery was canopied by trees, enhancing the solitude.
Some of the engravings could still be made out.
After the cemetery, we needed to find a place to warm up and dry out. That place happened to be U tri ruzi, where we had a fabulous meal.
Nothing like a good, dark beer to warm the soul. At U tri ruzi they brew their own. We chose the darkest one, and it was a fine choice. Rich and sweet.
I had wild boar ragout with potato pancakes. It came with a great sauce, not too dark, not too sweet. Just perfect.
Hubs ordered crispy duck. As the name suggested, it was perfectly crisp. it also came with sweet cabbage and dumplings.
This was one of our best meals on the trip. It was well worth the slightly higher price tag, especially since it was so close to the Charles Bridge. 2 beers + 2 entrees + tip = 600 kr.
We were hoping the rain would let up, but it just kept coming down. We took the subway to Visrehad, the point where Prague was initially settled. The palace walls still stand there, along with a cathedral and the cemetery where rests our new favorite artist, Alfons Mucha.
The quaint cemetery was inviting, even in the rainy cold.
Many interesting graves. From the famous...
...to the aesthetically pleasing...
...to the abstract Lego dragons???...
...to the creepy...
...seriously creepy...
...to the seriously understated.
We really thought Alfons Mucha would have a more festive grave. But I suppose he had enough color in his life that he didn't need any more in death. A little anti-climactic, though.
Visrehad would be an amazing place to wander around in good weather. There are beautiful parks and vistas all along the castle wall. One day, I will come back there and bring a picnic and a book and enjoy the afternoon.
We walked along the castle wall to the Back Gate. The tunnels used by the military long ago have held strong. They now hold statues from the Charles Bridge. We entered a small gift shop looking place near the Back Gate and discovered that the only way to see the tunnels was to purchase tickets for the tour (60 kr). We had to wait a half an hour, but we were assured by the couple who had just returned that it was worth it.
And they weren't wrong. We were the only ones on the tour. At first we were led through a fairly narrow, long brick tunnel. At certain points you could look straight up and see a small circle of light to the outside world, the only source of ventilation.
Then we arrived in a larger, open room that housed the statues. It smelled like cold, damp basement. I like that smell. I find it oddly comforting. The statues were well-preserved, and modern art pieces were housed next to them.
The faces of the statues were extremely lifelike.
Our tour guide informed us that there are sometimes concerts held here. It was odd how romantic the space was. I could see a trendy pop-up restaurant being very popular here. Table for two, please.
For the walk back to the subway, the rain had finally stopped.
Since we had such a great experience at the monastery restaurant, we decided to go back for round two for our last dinner in Prague. We took the #22 tram, which is the perfect way to see a lot of the sights in Prague on a cold, rainy day. The route takes you straight through the heart of the city.
I always forget when I'm in the moment, but seldom can magic be captured twice in the same place, especially in such a short amount of time lapsing between visits. The beer was still delicious. I tried an IPA and Hubs had the summer brew, so we literally tried all of the beer offerings. Ah, accomplishments.
For food, we ordered sausages in beer, which were cooked to death and too sweet for my taste. Hubs liked them, though.
I ordered the collection of spreads and bread because I enjoy nothing more than munching on finger food while drinking great beer.
We were blessed to be seated inside. There are only five or six tables in the whole place and were were fortunate enough to snag two seats at a communal table. It was far too cold to eat outside. However, the most annoying 23 year-old ever was seated at our table and was a loud speaker. She had big dreams of traveling the world teaching English as a second language, acting as though getting a job that paid well would be an easy task with her BA in psychology or whatever. You know, like any 23 year-old with zero experience would think, it's just easier to forgive when your voice doesn't travel as far.
Stuffed, we somehow still made room for caramel and chocolate beer ice cream. Yummy.
And that was the end of Prague. We walked slowly back to the tram, a little buzzed, savoring our last tastes of the Old Town. It was a romantic, wonderful trip and it was hard to admit that it was coming to an end.
Of all the cities I've been to, there are many that I've loved. But I have too many new places that I want to travel to, so it's hard to think about revisiting places I've been. However, Paris is a city that I know I will return to. And now, I must also add Prague to my return list. It was just such a gorgeous place with a unique feel, so old, yet so vibrant. I'd love to explore the more remote parts of the city, to get lost amongst the cobblestones only to find myself all over again.
We bought another 24 hr. subway pass (110 kr) to fight the weather. One good thing about rain is that it cleans the Charles Bridge of most of its tourists.
During the day there are usually so many people that it's difficult to cross.
As you can see, this makes me happy.
Our first stop was standing in a long line to buy tickets to the Old Jewish Cemetery. We realized late in the game that a small shop down the street was selling them and had a tiny line. So if there's a long line at the actual cemetery, wander around until you find one of the smaller shops.
The cemetery itself was pretty small. The rain fell lightly as we walked the perimeter, gazing at the old, worn headstones clustered together, nearly piled on top of one another.
The cemetery was canopied by trees, enhancing the solitude.
Some of the engravings could still be made out.
After the cemetery, we needed to find a place to warm up and dry out. That place happened to be U tri ruzi, where we had a fabulous meal.
Nothing like a good, dark beer to warm the soul. At U tri ruzi they brew their own. We chose the darkest one, and it was a fine choice. Rich and sweet.
I had wild boar ragout with potato pancakes. It came with a great sauce, not too dark, not too sweet. Just perfect.
This was one of our best meals on the trip. It was well worth the slightly higher price tag, especially since it was so close to the Charles Bridge. 2 beers + 2 entrees + tip = 600 kr.
We were hoping the rain would let up, but it just kept coming down. We took the subway to Visrehad, the point where Prague was initially settled. The palace walls still stand there, along with a cathedral and the cemetery where rests our new favorite artist, Alfons Mucha.
The quaint cemetery was inviting, even in the rainy cold.
Many interesting graves. From the famous...
...to the aesthetically pleasing...
...to the abstract Lego dragons???...
...to the creepy...
...seriously creepy...
...to the seriously understated.
We really thought Alfons Mucha would have a more festive grave. But I suppose he had enough color in his life that he didn't need any more in death. A little anti-climactic, though.
Visrehad would be an amazing place to wander around in good weather. There are beautiful parks and vistas all along the castle wall. One day, I will come back there and bring a picnic and a book and enjoy the afternoon.
We walked along the castle wall to the Back Gate. The tunnels used by the military long ago have held strong. They now hold statues from the Charles Bridge. We entered a small gift shop looking place near the Back Gate and discovered that the only way to see the tunnels was to purchase tickets for the tour (60 kr). We had to wait a half an hour, but we were assured by the couple who had just returned that it was worth it.
And they weren't wrong. We were the only ones on the tour. At first we were led through a fairly narrow, long brick tunnel. At certain points you could look straight up and see a small circle of light to the outside world, the only source of ventilation.
Then we arrived in a larger, open room that housed the statues. It smelled like cold, damp basement. I like that smell. I find it oddly comforting. The statues were well-preserved, and modern art pieces were housed next to them.
The faces of the statues were extremely lifelike.
Our tour guide informed us that there are sometimes concerts held here. It was odd how romantic the space was. I could see a trendy pop-up restaurant being very popular here. Table for two, please.
For the walk back to the subway, the rain had finally stopped.
Since we had such a great experience at the monastery restaurant, we decided to go back for round two for our last dinner in Prague. We took the #22 tram, which is the perfect way to see a lot of the sights in Prague on a cold, rainy day. The route takes you straight through the heart of the city.
I always forget when I'm in the moment, but seldom can magic be captured twice in the same place, especially in such a short amount of time lapsing between visits. The beer was still delicious. I tried an IPA and Hubs had the summer brew, so we literally tried all of the beer offerings. Ah, accomplishments.
For food, we ordered sausages in beer, which were cooked to death and too sweet for my taste. Hubs liked them, though.
We were blessed to be seated inside. There are only five or six tables in the whole place and were were fortunate enough to snag two seats at a communal table. It was far too cold to eat outside. However, the most annoying 23 year-old ever was seated at our table and was a loud speaker. She had big dreams of traveling the world teaching English as a second language, acting as though getting a job that paid well would be an easy task with her BA in psychology or whatever. You know, like any 23 year-old with zero experience would think, it's just easier to forgive when your voice doesn't travel as far.
Stuffed, we somehow still made room for caramel and chocolate beer ice cream. Yummy.
And that was the end of Prague. We walked slowly back to the tram, a little buzzed, savoring our last tastes of the Old Town. It was a romantic, wonderful trip and it was hard to admit that it was coming to an end.
Of all the cities I've been to, there are many that I've loved. But I have too many new places that I want to travel to, so it's hard to think about revisiting places I've been. However, Paris is a city that I know I will return to. And now, I must also add Prague to my return list. It was just such a gorgeous place with a unique feel, so old, yet so vibrant. I'd love to explore the more remote parts of the city, to get lost amongst the cobblestones only to find myself all over again.
Monday, January 20, 2014
A Little Mozart and Swans Are Dicks - Day Fifteen
We woke up to pouring rain, but by the time we got ready the rain had died down. Since it looked like rain on and off all day, we decided tonight would be a good night to go to the opera. We bought a 24 hr. subway ticket, since staying as dry as possible seemed to be the key to staying the warmest. Very convenient since our hotel was a short block away from a subway station.
When we arrived at The National Theater, we were able to purchase tickets for the evening show of DON GIOVANNI. We'd heard the venue was small, so we purchased the cheapest tickets, located in the second gallery, for 270 kr/ticket.
With our evening now waiting for us, it was time to enjoy our day. The rain stopped, so we took a tram for a few stops, then got out and walked along the river to the Saturday Farmer's Market.
A flock of swans loitered at the river bank, fighting for bread scraps.
I learned that swans, at least when competing for food, demand their space. The large birds paddled to and fro, swarming the bank, but if they got within neck's length of another swan, beaks would fly and a bit would be in order. Needless to say, with some thirty swans in such a small space, there was a lot of nipping going on. Not quite the picture of serene elegance that is the stereotype of a swan. At one point, Hubs turned to me and succinctly stated, "Swans are dicks." It was impossible to disagree.
Besides all of the swan commotion, the farmer's market was pretty cool. There were the typical fruits and vegetables, but there were many stands selling pastries, homemade wine and beer, grand selections of cheese, lots of bread and other baked goods, and even fresh noodles. All these things, yet the market was small and easily navigable. It was basically what my perfect farmer's market would look like if I could design one.
After the market, we walked back to the hotel. Hubs went shopping for a pair of pants for the opera. I stayed at the hotel and journaled with music videos playing in the background. Europe still has channels that play music videos all day every day. One of my favorite things to do in a European hotel is turn on one of those stations when I'm getting ready to go out or go to bed. There's always a good mix of current American pop and artists I've never seen and will never see again. I find it immensely entertaining.
Time for lunch. We took the subway east of the river and ate at Dish, a burger joint. The neighborhood was still old and lovely, just many fewer tourists than the Old Town area. I had the signature Dish burger and the various toppings didn't overwhelm the medium-cooked patty.
We also had fries with smoked chili aoli, which was the best aoli I've ever had. It almost tasted like there was sour cream in it.
After lunch we took the subway to the Municipal House where they were hosting an Alfons Mucha exhibit. The ticket line was long and the exhibit was packed, but it was all worth it. I was unfamiliar with Mucha's art before my visit to Prague. I'm sure I'd seen a print here or there, but I never thought anything of it. This particular exhibit was owned entirely by tennis great Ivan Lendl. When he started earning more money than he knew what to do with from tennis, he started collecting the original posters of fellow Czech Alfons Mucha. It was an impressive collection, to say the least. There were many, many posters, enough to fill two very large rooms. Most of the images looked like watercolors (that's what they looked like to me, I'm no art expert) framed with thick, dark outlines. It makes for a distinct style. My favorite was the "Job" cigarette ad.
The crazy hair. The strange zig-zag of smoke. Cigarettes really need better artwork nowadays, especially those particularly douchy E-cigarettes, they need all the help they can get.
We went back to the hotel and changed for the opera. We stopped at Wencelas Square and got a quick dinner at the food stands. The standout was a none-too-appetizing combination of potato dumplings, sauerkraut, and smoked pork.
It was seasoned perfectly and I could've eaten a giant vat of it. Luckily, we only had a small bowl to share. It only cost 110 kr. You pay by the weight.
DON GIOVANNI was a great experience. We were in the first row of the highest balcony, but the Estates Theater was designed for every seat to have a good view.
And since we were on the rail, we could lean over and peer down into the orchestra.
The Estates Theater was where Mozart premiered DON GIOVANNI in 1787, so history surrounded us, taking on the color blue. Blue everywhere with gold trim and candles abounding. A giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling added the perfect touch.
This rendition of the opera incorporated modern dance, black iron roses, and snowdrifts to mix it up. All of the actresses wore beautiful white dresses and had teased, frizzy hair, which I thought was an awesome choice. The music was moving, though I didn't fully recognize any of the numbers. Another wonderful night in the magical city.
One more tidbit. Prague has the steepest, longest escalators of any city I've been to. Makes the subway riding a little more interesting.
 |
| Loooooooooooong way down. |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Stepping Inside a Disney Movie and Religious Beer - Day Fourteen
Today's mission was to go to the palace and the St. Vitus cathedral overlooking the city. We walked up the West side of the river and took the funicular to the top of the hill. After a little walk around the path at the top we passed the Eiffel Tower. Um, yeah, an Eiffel Tower replica, because that's necessary. Needless to say, we didn't stop for any photos there and made our way to the monastery. But we did get some nice views of non-Eiffel Tower knockoffs.
While up in the Old Town Tower yesterday we overheard a group of Americans pointing at the monastery and talking about the library located there. One girl gleefully chirped, "It's like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST," and then definitively stated, "We're going there." Sold. Even though she wasn't talking to us in any way, shape, or form.
And, turns out, her comparison to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was spot on. The library was magnificent, complete with a ladder on wheels. Even on a cloudy day light poured in through the windows in the Philosophy room.
I think at least one of the animators must have visited here at some point.
Has there ever been a library this beautiful?
The Theological room wasn't quite as spectacular, but it was still impressive.
Yes, you have to pay an extra fee to be able to take photos. Is it annoying? Perhaps. Is it worth it? Hells yes. We took many, many photos. But as always with photos, they don't ever fully capture the magic. This library is a must-see.
After the library, we took a stroll across the way to the brewery and restaurant. We got a seat inside where it was warm, but there's lots of seating outside for nicer weather. We ordered a cheese plate, a lager, and a dark beer.
The beer was more expensive than the beer we'd been drinking so far (beer is amazingly affordable), but this beer was well worth the cost. Like in Belgium, the monks know what they're doing when it comes to beer. These beers were right up there with the best Belgian beers. Religious beer is always the best.
They were so good we ordered another small one each. So, so good. 3 small beers + 1 large beer + cheese plate + tip = 350 Kr.
Buzzed from the strength of the monastery beer, we continued walking up towards St. Vitus. On the way, we decided to get lunch. We ducked into U Zavesenyho Cafe which had an interesting decor. Lots of paintings, a piano, and female jazz singers on the radio.
The food did not disappoint. Pasta with three cheese was a decadent mac and cheese.
Goose pate with raisins was served with cranberry sauce. The sweetness was great. I'm definitely going to add raisins the next time I make chicken liver pate, and I'll probably serve it with cranberry sauce since the flavors went together so well.
Also had "devil toast" which was meh, just chilli on bread, so I'm not showing a photo. But overall, this place had good food, inexpensive, and a fun atmosphere. I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a place to eat near St. Vitus.
After lunch, we finally made it St. Vitus at the top of the hill.
Gothic with darkness staining the steeples, with the most vibrant stained glass inside.
Impossibly tall arches. There's just nothing like those gothic European cathedrals.
Outside, we walked down Golden Lane, a street filled with teeny-tiny houses that people who worked at the palace once lived in. For example: a seamstress, a healer, a goldsmith, and soldiers. They have the rooms made up to replicate what they would've looked like back in the day, so it's an interesting time travel.
In the mid 20th century, writers rented out the houses for inspiration. Franz Kafka wrote one of his books there. My favorite space was where a famous fortune teller one lived. But, alas, I snapped no photo. This is one of the other houses.
After Golden Lane, we walked back down the hill, hitting some more great views of Prague along the way, this time from the other side of the river.
At the bottom of the hill, we went to the Vrtba Gardens. Hubs explored and took photos. I parked myself on a nice bench and journaled.
The John Lennon wall was nearby with its colors popping everywhere.
From there we went to the little island just south of the Charles Bridge. I'm sure it would have been a lovely stroll through the quiet green park, but the temperature was dropping and it started to rain.
We crossed back over the river and hunted for a place to eat dinner. On a Friday night, everywhere was packed. We ended up at Kmotra, a wood-fired pizzeria. It gets the award for "best restaurant logo" for this trip.
We had the Praha, as it seemed appropriate. Brie, tomatoes, and green olives. Good stuff.
We also had 2 large Stramopramen 12's. But it wasn't the unfiltered. Grrr. You have to get 12 unfiltered. It's very important for your beer enjoyment. Pizza + 2 beers + tiramisu + tip = 300 kr.
Lucky for us, when we left the restaurant the rain had left, too.
While up in the Old Town Tower yesterday we overheard a group of Americans pointing at the monastery and talking about the library located there. One girl gleefully chirped, "It's like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST," and then definitively stated, "We're going there." Sold. Even though she wasn't talking to us in any way, shape, or form.
 |
| Monastery exterior |
And, turns out, her comparison to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was spot on. The library was magnificent, complete with a ladder on wheels. Even on a cloudy day light poured in through the windows in the Philosophy room.
I think at least one of the animators must have visited here at some point.
Has there ever been a library this beautiful?
The Theological room wasn't quite as spectacular, but it was still impressive.
Yes, you have to pay an extra fee to be able to take photos. Is it annoying? Perhaps. Is it worth it? Hells yes. We took many, many photos. But as always with photos, they don't ever fully capture the magic. This library is a must-see.
After the library, we took a stroll across the way to the brewery and restaurant. We got a seat inside where it was warm, but there's lots of seating outside for nicer weather. We ordered a cheese plate, a lager, and a dark beer.
The beer was more expensive than the beer we'd been drinking so far (beer is amazingly affordable), but this beer was well worth the cost. Like in Belgium, the monks know what they're doing when it comes to beer. These beers were right up there with the best Belgian beers. Religious beer is always the best.
They were so good we ordered another small one each. So, so good. 3 small beers + 1 large beer + cheese plate + tip = 350 Kr.
Buzzed from the strength of the monastery beer, we continued walking up towards St. Vitus. On the way, we decided to get lunch. We ducked into U Zavesenyho Cafe which had an interesting decor. Lots of paintings, a piano, and female jazz singers on the radio.
The food did not disappoint. Pasta with three cheese was a decadent mac and cheese.
Goose pate with raisins was served with cranberry sauce. The sweetness was great. I'm definitely going to add raisins the next time I make chicken liver pate, and I'll probably serve it with cranberry sauce since the flavors went together so well.
Also had "devil toast" which was meh, just chilli on bread, so I'm not showing a photo. But overall, this place had good food, inexpensive, and a fun atmosphere. I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a place to eat near St. Vitus.
After lunch, we finally made it St. Vitus at the top of the hill.
Gothic with darkness staining the steeples, with the most vibrant stained glass inside.
Impossibly tall arches. There's just nothing like those gothic European cathedrals.
Outside, we walked down Golden Lane, a street filled with teeny-tiny houses that people who worked at the palace once lived in. For example: a seamstress, a healer, a goldsmith, and soldiers. They have the rooms made up to replicate what they would've looked like back in the day, so it's an interesting time travel.
In the mid 20th century, writers rented out the houses for inspiration. Franz Kafka wrote one of his books there. My favorite space was where a famous fortune teller one lived. But, alas, I snapped no photo. This is one of the other houses.
After Golden Lane, we walked back down the hill, hitting some more great views of Prague along the way, this time from the other side of the river.
At the bottom of the hill, we went to the Vrtba Gardens. Hubs explored and took photos. I parked myself on a nice bench and journaled.
The John Lennon wall was nearby with its colors popping everywhere.
From there we went to the little island just south of the Charles Bridge. I'm sure it would have been a lovely stroll through the quiet green park, but the temperature was dropping and it started to rain.
We crossed back over the river and hunted for a place to eat dinner. On a Friday night, everywhere was packed. We ended up at Kmotra, a wood-fired pizzeria. It gets the award for "best restaurant logo" for this trip.
We had the Praha, as it seemed appropriate. Brie, tomatoes, and green olives. Good stuff.
We also had 2 large Stramopramen 12's. But it wasn't the unfiltered. Grrr. You have to get 12 unfiltered. It's very important for your beer enjoyment. Pizza + 2 beers + tiramisu + tip = 300 kr.
Lucky for us, when we left the restaurant the rain had left, too.
 |
| View during the walk back to the hotel. |
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