French Quarter Fiction is one of those anthologies: it has something for everyone. (Unless you hate short stories, then it doesn’t have anything for you.) As much as I love reading anthologies, I hate reviewing them because there is too much to say. It’s impossible to focus on style because it changes from story to story with the authors. No one wants to read a detailed literary analysis of every short story in an anthology; most people don’t want to read a literary analysis ever. The messages and themes and character development and everything else shifts just as much. Instead, I like to focus on the fact it’s done well or not.
New Orleans is a vibrant and unique city; I don’t think one story or one author has been able to capture the essence of this iconic place. It means different things to different people. The one thing it does for everyone is evoke feeling; whether they love it or hate it, there are emotions associated with New Orleans. In my opinion, an anthology does a better job at capturing the spirit of the French Quarter because there is a spirit in those streets.
Joshua Clark does an excellent job choosing stories by well known and highly acclaimed authors to lesser known. The stories range from heart breaking to hilarious.
The French Quarter and alcohol are synonymous. You can walk around with a drink in your hand in the Quarter. You should because everyone does. New Orleans wouldn’t be New Orleans without alcohol being a part of the story. The stories begin with a map so you can orient yourself. French Quarter Fiction is divided up into sections. Each section is started with an iconic drink name, the history, and a recipe. I don’t drink, but you should read this with a drink in your hand. It won’t make it better because it’s already good, but it will give you an authentic New Orleans experience from your couch.
I seriously suggest picking up French Quarter Fiction if you love New Orleans or have an interest in the city.
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Title: French Quarter Fiction Edited By: Joshua Clark Publisher: Fall River Press (Light of New Orleans Publishing, LLC) Copyright: 2010 ISBN: 9781435123953
I actually met and fell in platonic love with my Houston bestie because of Instagram. She’s a local florist and reached out to me about a collaboration. Over a year ago, Amanda walked into my living room with an arm full of flowers, told me we should be friends, and now, she can’t get rid of me. There are a few perks to having a florist for a bestie…. There are more than a few perks, but here are eleven I can think of.
By the way, she’s Amanda owner and creative genius behind Amanda Bee’s Floral Design. Click here to find her website. Or give her a follow on Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest or Facebook too. She’s the best. I’m not just saying that because I’m staring at a gorgeous and underpriced bouquet; she really is completely talented.
Flowers For some odd reason, florists have flowers lying around, and Amanda’s house smells like a greenhouse on steroids.
CreativityTo be a floral designer takes a lot of creativity. It’s such an interesting perspective, and she brings it into every part of her life and now mine.
KnowledgeI like to know things. Plants and flowers are everywhere, and I don’t know very much about them. I can always text Amanda a picture of a plant or flower, and she’ll have the answer. It’s like having my own personal plant dictionary at my disposal.
WholesaleIf you’ve never been to a wholesale flowers, you should. It’s magical.
DirtyPeople think florists are soft and fragile, but they’re willing to get their hands dirty. Taking care of flowers, making them pretty, dethorning them, and all that crap is hard work, and it’s dirty. Amanda is never afraid to get her hands dirty and get to work doing stuff.
BeautyFlowers are dirty and a pain, but they’re pretty. Amanda always brings small and beautiful elements to just about everything in her life.
TeacherAmanda is full of knowledge, and she’s always teaching me new things, like how to know if a flower is healthy, when to dry them, pressing techniques, and so much more.
FlowersSometimes when there are leftovers, I get some fun flowers. It’s a solid perk. I also get a genius arranging flowers I buy because I am genuinely not good at creating interesting arrangements.
FirmI always functioned under the idea: flowers are fragile. They are, but they’re not. You can use a firm hand to get them to do what you want them to do sometimes.
IngenuityI’m not saying she forages, but I’m not saying she doesn’t. Floral design isn’t just flowers; it’s about creating beautiful floral arrangements for spaces and people. Branches and fruit and feathers and more can go into arrangements to create depth, movement, and texture. Watching a truly creative designer do what they’re good at is fascinating.
FlowersHave a mentioned being surrounded by flowers and a literal flower girl is just plain good for the soul?
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
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I love words. I should; I’m a writer and a linguist. My job is literally words, words, and words. This book lives up to its name The Little Book of Lost Words. At less than 200 pages, there are 88 old yet oddly modern words. Joe Gillard chose 88 words from across time and languages – but mostly English – to include in this amalgam of linguistic precision.
Words are fascinating. So many included sound familiar or similar to modern terms because of the way language evolves over time to suit the needs of people. These words are oddly specific, but many could have a place in modern usage: fabulosity or doundrins, for example.
The Little Book of Lost Words is a short and sweet book to read, but would make the perfect coffee table book. With one word per two pages, it is easy to peruse. The word is given with its origination and date of usage. A phonetic pronunciation is included, followed by the word used in a sentence. The sentences are usually comical and always modern. Gillard probably has an obsession with cats, or grimalkins, because he brings them up repeatedly and uses them in example sentences. Each word is illustrated by classical artwork, which drives home the humor of language and historicals need for certain words.
I read so much old literature. I even found I found a few words I really do use in real life… If you have a love of old literature or a familiarity, almost all of these words will not come as a surprise because they were actually used.
Memorable Quotes “There are very few treasures that we can dig out of the ground, dust off, and put into use as if they were brand new. Words, of course, are an exception.” “It’s hard to define exactly why we love these dusty, musty archaic words.” “Practicality may chip away at our language, but the magic of the lost words in this book ought not to be forgotten.”
Hi. Halloween has come and gone, which means it’s the best season of all. Christmas. I’ve been listening to Christmas music for eleven days now. Last year, I read a bunch of Christmas books in three weeks. I started earlier this year, but I have more to read. I haven’t posted any seasonal book reviews yet because I know not everyone is as Christmabsessed as I am. Anyways, here are eleven books you can and should read during the happiest time of year.
Some of these I’ve read in previous years. Some I have read this year, and there are a few I haven’t read yet, but they’re waiting for me on my shelf to read in front of the tree!!!
I love candy. I don’t it eat the way I used to, but I love candy. It triggers the happiness centers in my soul.
My best friend, Alex, has been telling me about his dad’s high school best friend’s candy store/apple orchard for ever. Literally, as long as I have known him. Turns out, Jim’s Apple Orchard is the biggest candy store in Minnesota. I practically skipped through the entire place in complete awe the very first time – and last and every time between. I should have known; Alex is not prone to giddy excitement or hyperbole. (Shh… don’t tell him; I like to pretend he blows everything out of proportion.)
Alex did kind of lie to me. He invited me to come hang out with him in Minnesota, now that he is out of the military. He mentioned he’d be working at the store a bit… I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to. I think he forgot who I am because if there’s work to do, I’m going to do it. A “bit” was a major understatement. Jim’s Apple Farm was in the midst of their busiest weekend of the year, and they wanted all the help they could get. Granted, I like to work, but it’s been a long time since I’ve worked fourteen hour days on me feet. Fourteen hour days behind a computer at home are a totally different beast.
Jim’s Apple Farm started out as an apple orchard after a soldier came home from World War II and grew into the family business it is today. About twenty years ago, they branched out into candy after a hail storm made the year’s apples less than fruitful. What was once a table full of candy is a barn stuffed full of candy and soda and puzzles and delights from around the world to excite your inner child or your real children. They still run an orchard of tens of thousands of apple trees. The candy store is open from the beginning of May to the end of November; the owners may lock the doors, but they’re hard at work inside in the off months, keeping things fresh adding new and interesting thrills. They are some of the hardest working people I’ve met, and their success is completely due to their hard work, creativity, passion, and innovation.
You’ll know it when you see it because the bright yellow barn is all but impossible to miss – although, someone did find the side of the barn with their car. Jim’s Apple Farm is a delight for all ages, unless you hate fun and happiness. There’s a sense of humor around every corner reflecting the warmth and laughter originating from the owners. The bathrooms are hidden behind Porta Potty doors with “World’s Largest Porta Potty” painted on the walls. Don’t worry, it’s just a door. There is no end to the amusements. In house baked goods make the entire store smell like grandma’s house at Christmas. Elsa and Anna twinkle with a little castle for children to climb in. Marvel and DC heroes and villains stand guard or ready to pounce. The back room is a full circle featuring a revolving ceiling; if you’re not careful, you might get lost. At the center, is TARDIS built to scale. Star Wars ships spin above head against a starry sky. You can find Zoltar, which only reminded me of Tom Hanks. You don’t even need to go for the candy/soda/apples/baked goods/treats, your attention will be kept by the amazing decor.
Robert and Renee, the owners, hold a lot of trust in their employees and their customers. Pumpkins and merchandise are everywhere out front, but all you have to do is tell the cashier how many you want and load them up on your way out. No one will check to make sure you’re not taking more than you should. Whether it’s the small town charm or faith in humanity, this is just one example of the many moments of sincerity. There staff is comprised of all ages. Most of the cashiers are in high school. Shift leaders are as young as sixteen, giving them responsibility and management experience at a young age is helping build confidence in an increasingly marginalized age group.
I only lent a hand at Jim’ Apple Farm for two days. It was quite the experience. Just being a customer would have been wonderful, but being behind the scenes brought a completely new perspective. There’s probably as much storage space as there is shopping space. People are hard at work before doors open and long after doors close. It is an amazing amount of coordinated effort and planning to make sure the shopping experience is smooth and exciting for everyone. I was absolutely exhausted after every day being on my feet. The days went by in a whirl as there was always something to be done. I can’t imagine doing it day-in and day-out for months on end.
I took huge advantage of my employee discount, though. I walked out with a ginormous back of candy and soda from all around the world. I haven’t even made a dent in it yet, but luckily it doesn’t spoil quickly.
Facebook is the only place you’ll find Jim’s Apple Orchard. They have almost no social media clout, and honestly, they don’t need it. They don’t even have a website. The barn was designed for Instagram long before Instagram existed or even smartphones, but they don’t care. They’re catering to the child in all of us. People were putting their phones down and looking up. Not just at each other but at the ceiling, walls, and corners to find all the treasures hidden in every nook and cranny.
Hurry before they close for the year on December 1!
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
Jim’s Apple Farm
20430 Johnson Memorial Drive
Jordan, MN 55352
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Last month, I surprised Dylan with a day trip to Dallas to experience the Texas State Fair because it had been on our list of things we need to do as Texans. We had such a blast, we decided to incorporate it into our monthly routines. Not a trip to Dallas or the State Fair, but a fun day for the two of us to enjoy each other. Tuesdays are the easiest for us to both get away because he doesn’t have class or work, and I can plan my work schedule to make that day empty.
The first Tuesday of every month is henceforth blocked off for couple time. We rotate planning. The State Fair was my surprise. Last Tuesday was Dylan’s day to plan for me. I was a little anxious because he hasn’t planned anything for me since the first…. week we dated over three years ago. He did well, though. It might be a new chapter in our coupledom.
I woke up and started working because that’s who I am. He told me I needed to be ready to go by noon.
By ready, he meant: put on comfy clothes and don’t do your makeup. I was a little nervous; he might be taking me to workout… which would have been the opposite of a happy surprise. We ended up at Cryo Recovery in Vintage Park. I had never done cryo nor had Dylan, so it was a really fun first time experience. They’re great! I would absolutely do it again. Dylan broke his back in the Marines, so we try a lot of things to help ease his pain. This worked so well for him. I have aches and pains from past injuries, and boy did I feel bouncy and ready for the day! We also did compression and freeze facials. My skin felt so good!
We bopped home after Cryo to let Beau out and put on pretty people clothes before heading to the next activity. Obviously food. Most of our activities involve or revolve around food. Indianola was a great place to load up with yummy food. Try the brussel sprouts; they’re great!
Getting ready to watch Casablanca at the Rooftop Cinema Club. | Sweatshirt | Jeans | Boots | PurseBeing our cute, loving selves.
I’m not a drinker, but Dylan loves beer, and I’m always up for a good root beer. I do love brew tours and wine tours; I just can’t participate. We headed over to Saint Arnold’s Brewery and enjoyed a tour of the brewery and some drinks. Dylan would like you all to know he beat me at Jenga. It was a very good game, but I did lose.
North Italia has great desserts, so we enjoyed a coffee and dessert there before heading to Rooftop Cinema Club to watch Casablanca. I LOVE old movies. They’re gorgeous and wonderful, but I’m ashamed to say, I’d never seen Casablanca. Now I have!!! We had so much fun cuddled under warm blankets watching a great movie.
It was such a fun day. I absolutely loved it. Next month, I have to plan something for him. I’ll keep you updated on what we do! After the fact because sometimes he reads this, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise.
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
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