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Q: Why is this month's newsletter
a little bit late?
A: August 25, 2009
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Between the Lines
Reading Recommendations from the Cottage Shelves |
 Denver, John and I all give E.L. Doctorow's latest novel, Homer & Langley, high marks. Doctorow's novel is imaginative yet conceivable and very, very readable. I love books with quirky main characters and this book fits that bill completely as it is loosely based on New York's fabled eccentrics, the Collyer brothers. Haven't liked anything by E.L. this much in quite awhile though Ragtime will always be one of my favorite books of all time. The Slippery Year: A Meditation on Happily Ever After by Melanie Gideon? Skip it. It's not really worth the time. Just finished Sarah Dunant's latest historical novel Sacred Hearts, a pretty intriguing look at convent life in 16th century Italy. Convents were popular dumping grounds for the handicapped, mentally touched, girls whose parents had little dowry left after wedding older sisters or women making independent love choices which was a big no-no. Lots of people have been raving about The Help by Kathryn Stockett- in just one day I had three people tell me how good it was. At least one local book club is reading it this Fall as well. Pat Conroy's long anticipated novel, South of Broad, is out and I have started getting positive reviews back from readers. Just out in paperback, finally, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner; also The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. John is currently reading this and enjoying it; he also recently read Richard Russo's latest That Old Cape Magic and ranks it right up there with Empire Falls. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson which I loved so much I wish there could be a sequel is now available in paper,too.
What I'm taking to Montreal later this month: The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones. This is the September selection for the Duck's Cottage Reading Group and I've been dying to read it! Ruth Reichl's front cover quote is "It's a love story, it's a mystery and it's also the most thorough explanation of Chinese food that I've ever read in the English language." Psyche! I'm also taking Suzanne Collin's Catching Fire, the second book in her awesome YA trilogy The Hunger Games. I have a feeling I'll be fighting Charlie for this one. Our friend, Claire, has read book one, also titled The Hunger Games, countless times!
Just in from Indie Bound, the movement founded by Independent bookstores that encourages consumers to 'unchain' themselves- Eat. Sleep. Read. 2010- a daily page-a-day calendar featuring book trivia, recommendations and fun facts for book lovers from booksellers. Just $12.95. And from Graeham Owens comes a series of handmade journals whose pages begin in Nepal and are completely made from renewable resources. These lovely little books feature some of the more popular Indie Bound logos like Peace. Love. Books., This is the Part Where I Save The Day, Eat. Sleep. Read. and more.
A few other titles I've been meaning to get to and finally did: The Last Olympian, the fifth book in Rick Riordan's YA Percy Jackson & The Olympians series. Loved it! Also read Cathy Holton's Beach Trip and found it fit the bill for a late summer beach read. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Diaz was okay but I didn't really give myself enough time to get it read before our August book club meeting and got bogged down in lengthy footnotes and the Spanish trickled throughout.
I'm starting to be able to actually see my nightstand again which means it must be time to start some Fall must-read piles!
Have a great month! |
| Flotsam & Jetsam
Footnotes from life at a coffee shop |
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 First and foremost, don't forget the Third Annual Town of Duck Jazz Festival coming up on Sunday, October 11th, from 11am until at the beautiful downtown Town of Duck park. Sacramento based saxophonist Kim Waters is headlining this year and will cap off a day of great music provided by Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers, Joe Baione, Connected and Joe Mapp & the Coordinates. This is always a terrific event- make plans to be here! it's that time of year to get great deals on used bikes, grills, kayaks and more... both Duck Village Outfitters and Ocean Atlantic Rentals already have their Used Equipment Sale signs up... congratulations to our favorite North Beach outfitter- Dave Facenda... Dave topped off a whirlwind month in which he got engaged and became a homeowner by taking on a new role as the Columbia Sportswear rep for North and South Carolina... boy, will we miss his face in Duck! (by the way, ladies size medium... haha)... what we're watching- Entourage.. just got hooked this summer so am catching up with Season 1 discs from Netflix.. did you know that the actual agent Jeremy Piven models Ari the Agent after is Ari Emanuel? Rahm Emanuel's brother? bit o' trivia for ya there.. registration for the 14th annual Advice Five Cents Turkey Trot- the must-see-and-be-seen-at place to be in Duck on Thanksgiving Day morning- is now open and probably already full but you can check at 1-800-ADVICE5 or visit them on Facebook.
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Foie Gras
An excerpt from Madame De Canard's latest North Beach Sun missive |
| Oh Non!! L'est Labor Day? Already? As all les enfant return to their desks, Madame thought it appropriate to write moi's own essay entitled 'What Madame Did On My Summer (Stay)Cation'. So here it is... Madame worked a lot, spent some time by the pool, at the beach and on the boat. There. Finis. Non, non, juste une joke.
Madame's summer had two highlights: the first had to be the Fourth of July parade's After Party. Santa Claus, mermaids, Indians, Queen Elizabeth and her Lost Colonists were all 'getting down' to the funky tunes of Ruth Wyland. If you didn't get a glimpse of Sir Walter Raleigh boogying to Pink Cadillac, you don't know what you were missing! Merci to all Parade participants! The second highlight was moi's weekly vegetable box full of an incredible variety of fresh, locally grown produce from the folks across the bridge at Weeping Radish. Peppers, okra and tomatoes- oh my! Melons, eggplant, herbs and more. Madame cannot wait to see what the good farmers have in store for her this fall!
A lot of activity at the Duck Park this summer- the new amphitheatre is almost complete and is tres magnifique! Seating for over two hundred surrounds a lovely stage which will be the perfect venue for beaucoup performing art events. Moi is already planning a picnic menu for this year's Jazz Festival on Sunday, October 11. From eleven am to dusk, the air will be alive with music from Connected, Joe Mapp & the Coordinates, Kim Waters, Joe Baione and Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers. Perhaps some morsels from the new Coastal Cravings will be in order for Madame's picnic!
Madame was so happy to see most of Duck's visitors paying attention to a new beach ordinance asking that beach tents be removed at the end of the day. Moi understands a beachgoer's need for these sunshades but they are a serious hazard to emergency services after dark; additionally many people were just leaving them behind at the end of their stay to become dangerous wave tossed trash! Merci to all who followed this ordinance.
Several years ago Madame gave a Duck's Cottage t-shirt to a dear, dear friend in Florida. Mme Sharon graced the Outer Banks with her presence recently (her visit was another bright spot in Madame's summer). On the ride in from the l'aeropuerto she relayed this story: while shopping in her Orlando Wal-Mart she was stopped by a woman who not only had been to Duck and Duck's Cottage, but couldn't stop raving about how much she loves our little town. But really, who couldn't love this place?
Moi has yet to pop into the new Barree Station (trois!), but after signing off on this column, Madame will be slipping into some comfortable shopping shoes in order to begin the research on the annual 'Foie Gras Holiday Gift Giving Must Haves' list for the winter North Beach Sun.
La Maison de Canard is for sale! Madame et Monsieur are NOT leaving the northern Outer Banks but we are ready for a change. Moi's good friend Janet has just listed our darling waterfront cottage. Interested? Click on the link to see more! Au revoir!
View le Maison de Canard! |
| Dare Literacy Council Volunteer Training |
The Dare Literacy Council (DLC) is in need of volunteer tutors. Tutors are trained to teach adults to learn to read, to improve their reading or math skills, to learn English as a Second Language or to prepare for their GED (high school equivalency). No teaching experience is necessary. If you are interested in learning to become a tutor, you are required to attend a brief tutor orientation prior to the tutor training workshop. The purpose of the orientation is to explain what is required of literacy tutors and to help you decide if tutoring is the right volunteer activity for you. Contact the DLC to register for both the orientation and training at 216-7773 or dareliteracy@gmail.com.
Tutor Orientation- FREE
Saturday, September 19, 4:00-5:30 pm at the Nags Head Baptist Church
Tutor Training Workshop - $20 (please register by September 20)
Saturday, October 3, 10:00 am-4:00 pm at the Nags Head Baptist Church. The $20 fee covers the cost of your workbook and lunch is provided.
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Where I wish I'd been on Saturday, Sept. 5th....
Charlottesville, VA watching Mr. Jefferson's first university upset his second university.
William & Mary 26
UVA 14 GO TRIBE ! ! !
Jamie Layton
Duck's Cottage
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