Twilight: New Moon

Awhile back I read and reviewed the first installment of Twilight (you can read it here).  I found the first book so addictive that I had to borrow K's copy of New Moon a few weeks later.

Death by Books

This weekend K and I went book hunting and found ourselves in a shop that closely resembled an episode from Hoarders.

A bookstore should have a wide selection of books... but this was overboard. Books were piled high to the ceiling. Books were heaped onto tables. Books were laden between the isles. I often had to squeeze through piles of books on the floor that were higher than me to get to the next shelf!

Two flights of stairs and we were in the basement. Lights flickered as we stood looking at, seriously, a mountain of books.

I totally regret forgetting to bring my camera on this outing. What I saw is hard to describe, and all I have to show for the experience are two slightly fuzzy Ipod pictures.

My Kitchen of Late

There is one cookie that has been an absolute hit here in Vancouver - JJ loves them, K loves them... heck, even I love them. These yummy treats are also E's favourite - so last week I sent him home with a container full to the brim of Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cookie Duos. I can't tell you how weird it was to be on Skype and see my little cookies being eaten halfway across the world! As a kind reminder to my old readers (and a pointer for new readers), make sure to try your hand at these cookies - if you love chocolate and peanut butter I'm sure you'll be pleased.


And, my most recent creation?

JJ kindly put in an order for Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. I've been told they are as tasty as the batch I made last September.

Fresh out of the oven.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

You can participate here.

1. I love that today I'll be seeing K, my good friend. I don't think we've seen each other since the holiday season. I miss our crazy talks on pop culture, history, and overall randomness.


2. I love that my puppies (okay, maybe they're a bit old to be considered puppies *shrugs*) are in an extra-cuddly mood. I need all the cuddles I can get, so bring it on!


3. I'm loving vests. Lately, I've been adding a vest to some of my favourite outfits. I love how vests are so versatile and can dress up a plain outfit ever-so-quickly.


4. And, I'm loving the fact that in 40 days I will be in Europe with E! We've had countdowns to see each other that span over four months, making a 40 day wait sound like a walk in the park... kinda :P

Linzer Cookies!

Sweet Sunday Yummy Lit Review:
Pecan Linzer Cookies with Strawberry Filling

On Wednesday night I decided it was high-time to go back to baking cookies. While flipping through Martha Stewart's Cookie book for ideas I stumbled across the Linzer cookie. I knew I found the cookie of the evening - no questions asked. Stewart's Pecan Linzer Cookies with Cherry Filling (I opted for strawberry) called out to me. I've always wanted to try my hand at Linzer cookies. They appeared like a good midnight challenge... but they're really quite simple. Well, with a good baking book's directions, that is...

On page 137 of her Cookie book, Stewart says:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon pecan halves
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup cherry jam, strained

1. Sift flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Place pecans, confectioners sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (* I did it the old-fashioned way with a knife... by the way, finely grinding whole pecans by hand takes a looooong time). Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

2. Add butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic, refrigerate until firm - at least two hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375* F. Working with one disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes (* It was getting late... no extra fridge time for me!). Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2 inch fluted heart cutter. Space 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

4. Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes. Let cool.

5. Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares, top with cutout ones. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.


I want to be able to tell you how yummy these cookies are after they've been jammed, sugared, and assembled... but sadly, I still haven't tried one (it's late Wednesday night as I type this). The individual pieces taste really good, so I can only imagine it all together!

Shout-Out

The other day K brought to my attention a new ad gracing the local city buses. The ad was very simple - a yellow background and white text. The ad was for survivors of sexual abuse.

But, here's the kicker that has led me to my keyboard --- the ad was for the BC Society For Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse.

When K told me of the ad I immediately searched for the website. I wanted to know more. It's not that I haven't heard of male sexual abuse - university courses on gender, family, and sexuality have amply exposed me to the issue. What was new, was that I was seeing and hearing about this issue out in the open... in our contemporary society... outside of the classroom.

So many people are silent (or snicker and raise eyebrows) when male sexual abuse is voiced as a concern. A raped man? I can't even recall a media story on this issue... or a novel, for that matter. A man with a black eye? "Oh, he surely got that in bar fight," we all assume. It is refreshing that these presumptions are beginning to be challenged in our society... and in large part due to third wave feminism.

Some of you may know that I am a self-declared feminist. Feminism, and particularly Jessica Valenti's work, brought me out of a bout of self-destructive behaviour a few years ago. Feminism addresses tough gender issues such as sexual reproduction rights, eating disorders, and male sexual abuse.

So, here's my Shout-Out:
Thank you, third wave feminism, for bringing awareness to male sexual abuse. And, thank you for empowering people to be themselves without excuse.

Plot for 'Smut'

K and I have been discussing the intricacies of plot... and, quite frankly, I couldn't let this gem of a question fade into nothingness.

K asked:
"Have you ever read smut books and the page before smut happens your thinking "so your going to..." And then BAM. And yet you're still thinking wtf?""

All I could do is laugh and shake my head.... oh smut books.

Evaluations, New and Old

On Saturday night I decided to re-watch Tremors. I remember when the movie first came out - all of the neighborhood children were afraid of those big worm-like things living underground. I found it amusing as a child... I guess I've always had a weird sense of humour.

Re-watching the movie tonight led to reevaluations. Was it still amusing? Not really. Scary? Nope. Funny? Definitely not. I guess not everything gets better with age, including opinions on films.

However, K informed me of a humorous site a few days ago. After a few good (and well-deserved) laughs, I thought I would pass it on to you. Visit Not Always Right to discover the amusing, hilarious, ridiculous antics customers get up to in the retail world.

I assure you that browsing through this site has a lot more entertainment value than sitting through 2 hours of Tremors.

Enjoy :)

The Girl in the Red Coat

My friend K and I enjoy exploring metro-Vancouver on the days we have off from work or studies. Typically we venture to the mall, spend countless hours wandering and shopping, and go home with at least a few books. Recently, we've decided to broaden our trips to include Robson Street and visits to the Vancouver Public Library.

Let's start off by saying it's a beautiful library... see?


It's Vancouver's version of a little Coliseum. Upon entering the library you receive shopping baskets and a map. It's that big. Last Thursday I spent most of my afternoon on the 6th floor - the History section - and left with eight books.



Roma Ligocka's The Girl in the Red Coat was the last book I decided to take home... and ironically the first book to be discussed on C.T.R. But where to start?

I'm assuming most people have seen Schindler's List. I remember the first time I saw it in a social studies class during high school. The film is dominated in black and white imagery besides one scene - that of a little girl in a red coat. In case you don't remember or by chance have not viewed the film (in which case I highly recommend you do!) here's a youtube clip.

Ligocka, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, claims to be the real little girl in this clip. Born in 1938, the first years of Ligocka's life were spent in a Polish ghetto with her father, mother, and grandmother. Ligocka claims to have worn a bright red coat alike to the little girl portrayed in Spielberg's film. Ligocka recognizes her family members in the film - the murder of a Jewish engineer and a couple who marry in Auschwitz reflect her own family's experiences in the Holocaust.

It seems like Ligocka is attempting to give Spielberg's work authority throughout her memoir. Yet, the similarities between Ligocka's and Spielberg's stories suggest to me that the Holocaust is overall generalized to far too great an extent.

Generalizing the Holocaust does create the opportunity for audiences to relate to the portrayed characters and begin to comprehend, at least a little bit, the horrors endured during the Second World War. Generalizing the Holocaust also permits people to have a cursory glance at the subject, to say that they will remember, but to fail to acknowledge the full diversity of the experience. Generalizations suggest that there is one story and thus removes and suppresses individual voices.

At times Ligocka's story is hard to believe. How can she remember events from her early childhood? How can she recall conversations, sequences of events? I suppose this can be attributed to artistic license. Yet doing so removes the sense of authenticity from her work.

Perhaps my strong dislike for generalizations is why I enjoy memoirs. Once I overlook Ligocka's views on Schindler's List her work becomes much more enjoyable. Ligocka's personal experiences are vivid. Her writing oozes descriptions that come to life - bed bugs, her first taste of chocolate, meeting her father after his escape from Auschwitz, ill-kept Jewish cemeteries, and Jewish schoolchildren who cry and flinch in class after the close of war.

Ligocka's work is most profound due to her focus on the psychological impact of the Holocaust. Ligocka adeptly illustrates the survivors' desire to not speak of their experiences, to turn away from the past, and (for some) to resort to addictions to alcohol and prescription medication.

Overall, The Girl in the Red Coat tells the story of Poland under fascist and communist dictatorship, portrays a woman's lifelong struggle to find self-acceptance, and urges one to not turn their back on the past. It is an interesting memoir but not one of the most enthralling pieces of Holocaust literature.