Tag: Brooklyn

Speaking the Love

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From left to right, Sarah MacLean, Sarah Wendell, Hope Tarr, Tessa Woodward, Lauren Willig & Stephanie Klose. Photo courtesy of Lauren Willig.
From left to right, Sarah MacLean, Sarah Wendell, Hope Tarr, Tessa Woodward, Lauren Willig & Stephanie Klose. Photo courtesy of Lauren Willig.

Last night I had the privilege of being a panelist at WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. “WORDs of Love: A Night of Romance,” celebrated the bookstore’s recently opened romance fiction section (yippee!) and brought together author, Lauren Willig (Betrayal of the Blood Lily); romance book blogger, Sarah Wendell (Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels); Avon Books Associate Editor, Tessa Woodward; RT BOOK Reviews Magazine Senior Editor/Reviews Coordinator, Stephanie Klose; and Yours Truly.

Hosted by store manager, Stephanie Anderson and moderated by the brilliant Sarah MacLean (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake), the program covered, or rather uncovered, as many aspects of the genre as we could reasonably address in 90 minutes. For example, what is the role of cliché in romance? Or do these tropes form the foundation of the genre’s structure not unlike the conventions inherent to other genres such as mystery and science fiction?

TIME_OUT_NY_WORD_7_22_10My personal evening’s highlight came from one lady in the audience who counseled us not to defend, explain, or apologize for the romance novels we love to read and write.  “When someone questions me about why I read romance novels, I look them in the eye and say, ‘Because I love them, and I’m probably going to buy $100 more next month.’” Huzzah!

Running a close second was the attendee who told us afterward that she’d found out about the event from its listing in The New York Times. The event also made the front page of this week’s Time Out New York. I’m just sayin’…

Couldn’t make it? Don’t despair. The uber wonderful, Sarah MacLean recorded the event for your listening pleasure.

Have a lovely weekend,

Hope

Time Out Treats and Mad Hatter Moments

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Last night I saw Twilight with my girl posse–birthday girl, Stacey Agdern, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon(EKM), Leanna Hieber and others. Based on the popular paranormal series by Stephenie Meyer, Twilight is a modern-day vampire romance set in a small town in Washington State. The protagonists are high school students, new girl in town, Bella Swan and resident undead hottie Edward Cullen, played by the winsome Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

I’ll admit upfront I’m not a huge vampire fan, though in the event that there are vampire lovers (or actual vampires) reading this post, I’ll add that I’m not against you–I mean, them–either. As for the lovers being both 17 (at least ostensibly–Edward admits to being 17 for “a while” as in since 1918), let’s just say high school for Yours Truly has been “a while” ago as well. And yet I really liked the movie. In fact, I bordered on loving it. It’s well acted, well crafted, and beautifully filmed. And the soundtrack is hauntingly lovely.

Afterward we headed ’round the corner to what has become our standard Irish bar where creamy pints and chilled glasses were enjoyed by all. A couple of us stayed long past the witching hour to sing along with the very authentically Irish band, which played a cross-section of tunes from traditional ballads like “The Black Velvet Band” to Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

The lovely Elizabeth Kerri Mahon and Hope ramp up the glam.
The lovely Elizabeth Kerri Mahon and Hope ramp up the glam at The Montauk Club.

Earlier this month, I trekked out to Brooklyn’s beautiful Park Slope neighborhood with EKM and others to The Montauk Club. Founded as a private club in 1889, the stunning Venetian gothic club house is the host site for the Dances of Vice ball. Think 1770’s meets 1970’s glam rock. The costumes were uniformly gorgeous and innovative and the equally eclectic cabaret included opera, a tasteful striptease, and finally, a rousing rendition of “Rock Me Amadeus.”

I think of these time out treats to myself as “artist days,” or in my case, artist evenings. They stimulate my senses and fill up my creative well in a way that for a writer, for any artist, is absolutely essential. I call them my non-guilty pleasures because to write about life requires that first you really live it. So, whether you express your art through baking and decorating the perfect batch of Christmas cookies or crafting the proverbial Great American Novel, take time out this holiday season to live it up–not just a little but a lot. You deserve it.

Hope

A hatted Hope puts on the ritz with pals at The Montauk.
A hatted Hope puts on the ritz with pals at The Montauk including legally blond Rebel of Romance, Marianne Mancusi, a kiss-blowing Megan Frampton, and fellow Rebel, Liz Maverick (far right).
Hope, Leanna, EKM and Jason talk costumes, apparently serious business.
Hope, Leanna, EKM and Jacob talk costumes, apparently serious business.

Super Dooper Tuesday, Election Wrap Up

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Okay, after I pulled what my buddy Liz Maverick is affectionately referring to as the Big Red Lever I more or less cruised through Election Tuesday waiting for the evening’s festivities to start. For me, said festivities meant a short subway trek out to Brooklyn where Megan Frampton of Risky Regencies fame and her husband, Scott, graciously agreed to host an Election Night party.

Elizabeth Kerri Mahon, Leanna Hieber, and Hope give their various "Price is Right" model imitations.
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon, Leanna Hieber, and Hope give their various "Price is Right" model imitations. Can I be Janice--please?

Now I like to keep this blog not only bipartisan but apolitical, unless of course you want to debate the latest trends–in shoes. Peep toe booty: fashion forward brilliance or cruel joke played upon those of us who actually have to uh…walk outside in actual snow?

In this case I can’t dish on the fancy footwear because this being a roll-up your sleeves and plunk down on pillows on the floor kind of affair, most of us took our shoes off. So, I’ll do what I do (second) best, dish on yes, the food!

The Freedom Fries were a tad soggy by the night’s end, but the apple pie more than held its own. Fortunately we were all backing the same ticket, so no Humble Pie or crow need be served, and we could have our cheese sans the…whine. The Swirl cheesecake was Obama-licious and the McCain Fried Chicken was well, one tough old bird.

And yes, we partied like it was 1999 and then some!

Scott and Megan Frampton, our Fearless Hosts.
Scott and Megan Frampton, our Fearless Hosts.

By the time mes amies Leanna Hieber, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon, Liz Maverick, and Elizabeth’s visiting British friend, Simon, made it back into the city, it was well after three in the morning and yes, in my neighborhood, there was actual dancing in the streets, accompanied by “steel drum” playing on the newspaper stands. Tired but replete, we said our good nights and went our separate ways, joyous in the knowledge that the American Dream isn’t a myth, not hardly.

Hope