2003-05-18 - 2:55 p.m. bibliotherapy When I was growing up, Summertime brought with it 110 degree temperatures that encouraged me to stay indoors, under an air conditioning vent, whenever I wasn�t immersed in a swimming pool. From that time forward, I found solace in books. I liked to go to the library and check out 11-13 new books every week, a stack so tall that the librarian could just barely get a good look at me over the top of the stack. I�d usually start reading one of the books in the car on the way home, eager to jump back into a literary world that was far more interesting than the life that surrounded me in my stifling small town. I went from being someone who devoured writing to being a person who wrote for a living. And the world inside of a freshly cracked book still beckons to me whenever I pass a bookshop window, or my overflowing bookcases for that matter. I�ve been feeling out of sorts for the past week, and even stayed at home sick in bed for a full day. Thus I decided to indulge in a little bibliotherapy today and walked over to my favorite independent book seller. I picked up a quite hefty but gently used book from a Guggenheim/Pompidou Centre exhibit for half price! This book was so heavy as I walked around the bookstore cradling it in my arms that my arms hurt after a half hour, and I kept dropping the other flimsy little books I intended to take home with me. I don�t ever *need* another art book, but this one called to me since it featured selections of favorite artists from two museums I�d visited so recently, thus I rescued it from its lonely lower-shelf in the art monographs, and took it home to be read and loved. Other cheap, gently used books that came home with me today: Endless Feasts -- a collection of food essays from the past 60 years of Gourmet magazine, edited by Ruth Reichel. The essay on cocktail parties of the 20s I initially skimmed reignites my eternal longing to have a convivial living space that would actually encourage throwing such gatherings. Feeding a Yen -- a collection of Calvin Trillin�s food writing. Though I have enjoyed his essays when I�ve stumbled across them here and there, I�ve never picked up one of his books before today. The selling point (other than the low price) was its focus on seeking our and savoring local specialties which is something I try to do in my travels. los angeles -- travel essays on Los Angeles by short story writer A.M. Homes. It�s apparently part of a revamped National Geographic literary travel/geography series formerly called "National Geographic Directions". Wacky Chicks -- the author was just in the City doing a reading and signing which is why this was on my brain. I look forward to getting some inspiration here. After dropping Endless Feasts for a second time, I decided I�d picked out more than enough books, and headed towards the line at the front counter. A kind bookseller sensed I�d be a goner (or that poor abused copy of Endless Feasts would be a goner) if I stood there holding that stack of books for any longer, and opened up the other register for me. Technically, I guess that means I cut in front of the other folks waiting, but what�s a girl to do? My arms were tired, and I wanted to go have brunch and read the architecture articles in the New York Times I�d just purchased. I made some small talk with the bookseller, mentioning I had to purchase the book due to its great condition, excellent price, and the fact that it will allow for prolonged reminiscing about my recent trip to Paris. Turns out he�d just returned from Paris too. He�d been there the same week I was, and for another week afterwards. I showed him some of my photos on my ever-in-hand digital camera, while he pulled out some 8x10 prints of his excursions from a manila folder stashed on a huge stack of newly purchased novels. We stood and chatted about our favorite parts of our trip, even as the line of patiently waiting shoppers grew and his manager looked on. I can�t imagine another bookshop I�ve been to where such an exchange would happen. Bibliotherapy supplies in hand, I trudged down the street, book bags nearly touching the ground, to enjoy brunch at Q, my favorite inexpensive, comfort-food providing neighborhood restaurant, where the fabulous head of the wait staff gifted me with a nice tall mimosa. This outing reminded me why I love this place... any comments? (0 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09