The Book Thief

Yesterday I finished my book club choice for this month--"The Book Thief", by Markus Zusak.  It is definitely one of the best books I have read in a while.  Even though it was, at times, incredibly heartbreaking, I couldn't put it down.  It tells the story of a spirited young girl living in Nazi Germany during World War II.  So, not exactly a lighthearted story to begin with, but it was remarkably well written to show the innocence of childhood and struggle of adults to do what is good and what is right for their fellow humans.  I highly recommend this book...even though it left me with a heavy heart, it also reminded me of the power of words, and that there is good in every corner of the world. 

Allegiant is Here!

So, we've already established that I'm a bit of a nerd, right?  Well, if not, let me make that perfectly clear right now.  Allegiant, the third and final book of Veronica Roth's Divergent series, came out yesterday, and of course I raced to Target to pick up my copy!  If you haven't picked up the Divergent series yet, I highly recommend it.  It has similar themes to Hunger Games, and is just as addictive.  And if you're not as much of a book nerd as I am, no worries--the first movie is coming out in March 2014 and the trailer has got me super excited!



I mean, right?!?!  It is going to be AH-MAZING!  Killer cast (I love Shailene Woodley), and how about that hunky Theo James as the male lead?  Swoon!  If you need my nose in the next 24-48 hours, you know where to find it--buried deep in this book.  Have to sign off and start reading!

I Am Malala

Exactly one year ago yesterday, then 14-year old Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban in her home of Pakistan, because she was vocal in advocating for education for girls like herself.  On Monday night, I watched this amazing girl give a heartfelt, passionate and incredibly intelligent interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.  Her bravery and unwavering commitment to her cause is incredibly inspiring, and I am so looking forward to reading her newly released book, I Am Malala.  Show your support for Malala and her work by donating to www.malalafund.org.  And if you'd like to watch her interview in full, the links are below.

Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend was the National Book Festival, which took place on the National Mall.  I volunteered on Sunday, and it turned out to be a gorgeous day and a big success!  If you've never been, I strongly encourage you to come out next year.  There are authors of all genres that sign books, speak, give readings and there is also a ton of activities for kids too.  Such a great event thrown by the Library of Congress with the help of the Junior League of Washington.

The rest of the weekend was pretty laid back, perfect since I was still in a bit of recovery mode from the wedding the weekend before.  I sadly watched the Razorbacks blow a huge lead and lose to Rutgers on Saturday, but I went to one of my favorites, Bistro du Coin, later that night to eat and drink it off.  All in all, another great weekend!

Fall To-Do List

National Book Festival on the National Mall

This weather has been incredibly amazing this past week, and it has started me thinking about all the fun outdoors activities I get to do in the next few months.  Fall is my absolute favorite season for outdoor fun, primarily because the weather is crisp and perfect, and bonus...no pesky mosquitoes to eat me alive!

Here are a few DC area events that are already on my radar for the next two months:

National Book Festival--This year's festival will take place September 21st-22nd on the National Mall. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, hear special entertainment, have photos taken with storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities.  Some exciting authors attending this year are Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner" and his newest, "And the Mountains Echoed" and Veronica Roth, author of my new favorites, "Divergent", "Insurgent" and the soon-to-be-released, "Allegiant".  I volunteer at the Festival each year for the Junior League of Washington, and my favorite part is seeing how excited the kids are when meeting and talking to their favorite authors.  Melts my heart!

Quattro Goomba's Winery

Winery Tour--It's been a few years since I've done a winery tour, and I'm excited to say that I've been invited to a fun birthday party at one the last weekend of September.  Virginia is home to over 200 wineries, some as close as about an hour outside of Washington.  Typically, I've gone with a big group on a party bus or van, and it is always a great day.  The birthday party will be at Quattro Goomba's Winery, and I'm super excited to check this one out since I've heard great things!  They also have a pizza shop inside the winery in case we imbibe in one too many tastings!  Perfection!

Billy Goat Trail

Hiking--I've been itching to go hiking for a few months now, and the weather is finally cool enough to hit the trails.  There are a lot of really great hiking trails right outside of DC, but I think this year I want to try White Oak Canyon in the Shenandoah National Park.  It's a 4.8-mile trail that takes you past some really great waterfalls, which are supposed to be surging in the fall.  Sounds perfect!

photo from Metro Weekly

Drag Queen Race--I have meant to go every year, and for one reason or another, have never made it to this iconic DC event.  This year, my calendar is marked for October 29th, where the area's most fabulous queens flaunt their stuff and race down 17th Street in high heels.  If you need me that night, be sure you can find me in Dupont Circle.

Which leads me to Halloween, my second most favorite holiday!  No idea what I will be dressing up as this year, or who I will be, but since I missed the last two years, I have some serious making up to do.  Translation--be prepared for pure awesomeness.  When it comes to Halloween, I hate to disappoint.

So, what are you looking forward to this fall?  A few more things I'm looking forward to as the temperatures cool:  making chili and apple crisp, drinking hot apple cider, roasting pumpkin seeds, and maybe even doing some weekend antiquing, enjoying a Oktoberfest party or hitting up a local county fair.  And obviously, if anyone wants to take me as their plus-one to a Redskins or Ravens game, I am so in!  Love me some football.  Looks like I'm going to have an action-packed, fun-filled fall.  So looking forward to it! 

Summer Reading

Now that it is finally August recess, I get a break from my crazy and hectic work schedule, and get to relax a bit.  Next week, I'll be taking the week off and hopefully be spending many hours by the pool.  You have no idea how excited I am to just lay in the sun and catch up on some reading.

I recently just finished "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg and "Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald" by Therese Anne Fowler for my book club.  Both were excellent and I highly recommend them.  We haven't yet decided what yet to read for book club, but I do have a few other books that I need to dive into.  "A Dance with Dragons" by George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones, book 5--yes, I am part nerd) is among the top of my list, but this epic novel may be too much to take on right now.  I thought about picking up "This Town" by Mark Leibovich, but want to put aside politics for the month.  I've heard that "Serena" by Ron Rash is great, and is also coming out in theaters this fall with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, so I'd love to read it before I see it.  I've also thought about catching up on "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" by Joan Didion or finally finishing the second Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book, "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson.  That was one of those books which I started, put down, and now it's been so long that I need to start it all over.  But I have time for that--it's August!

What books have you recently read and recommend?  I always enjoy talking books and hearing great book recommendations, so feel free to contact me if you ever have a great one I need to pick up!