This & That: No. 24

A few treasures I found during my stay in Manhattan as well as a new daytime talk show, free college courses open to anyone and everyone, and a book you foodies may want to take a look at . . .

~Books & Cooking

~Barefoot Contessa Book Tour in Seattle September 16th

If any of you appreciate Barefoot Contessa’s fool-proof recipes that really are as easy as she says and are as dependable as time, you’ll be excited to know she has a new cookbook coming out on October 30th. Titled Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof, she is going to be speaking and it is my understanding signing copies in advance this Sunday in Seattle at 2pm at Benaroya Hall, 200 University Street (click here for more details and prices).

~Education

~Coursera 

While flipping through the weekly magazine The Week, I discovered an opportunity to continue to take college classes that interest me without having to pay for the tuition or the books. Coursera.org offers more than 121 college courses from well respected college institutions such as Penn State, Stanford and other well-known universities to people from around the world. Courses are streamed online, so you can watch the lecture when it best fits your schedule and most courses run 3-10 weeks. Peruse the selection and sign-up! My first class is Sociology 101 which begins in February, and I can’t wait to freshen up on one of my favorite subjects.

Shopping

~J.Crew navy polka dot scarf - $65

I mentioned during my first day in New York City that I stopped into J.Crew. Well, with my hankering for building my scarf wardrobe, I found their scarves which are made out of soft, fine woven wool, to be $10 off the retail price (reducing the price to $55). So I picked up their navy polka version, and I love it. Paired with a navy dress or a soft winter white silk blouse, it’s a wonderful accessory for fall and winter. While I don’t usually purchase trends, I figure this scarf is a simple way of having fun with the polka dot trend of the season without spending too much.   

Restaurant

~Il Gattopardo – New York City

If you love Italian food and will be in New York City, I highly recommend making reservations at Il Gattopardo on West 54th street directly behind The Museum of Modern Art. Ideal for dinner or lunch, the service is spectacular and the food delicious! (Read more about my dining experience here.)

~Television

~Katie – Katie Couric’s daytime talk show on ABC

I don’t know about you, but I miss Katie Couric’s laugh and her ability to at the same time ask tough questions of guests. She was the first female anchor that I became used to watching when I’d wake up in the morning, so when she stepped down from the Today Show in 2006 (has it really been that long?), she was missed. Well, she’s back after her stint on CBS Evening News, and I think she may have found her niche. Her daytime talk show airs on ABC and just had its first episode yesterday (September 10th). Check your local listings for times, and I can say after watching the pilot show, while appearing to have some trepidation (which to me is testament to how passionate she is to what she’s doing), she came across as authentic and wholeheartedly invested in her new venture. I wish her the best of luck and much success.

~Beauty

~The Dry Bar

One of the luxuries I afforded myself while visiting Manhattan this past weekend were appointments at The Dry Bar in both the Flat Iron District and at Le Parker Meridien Hotel on 56th. With a simple system to book an appointment (online or using their free app), you can book an appointment for a $40 blow-out (including wash) that will be completed and leaving you looking spectacular in less than 40 minutes. Each time, the atmosphere was very welcoming as they offered you a drink of water, tea, coffee or a mimosa, and prompt service from every employee I encountered as they have a separate shampoo room prior to styling. Wi-Fi was also available. And on Saturday, upon walking out the door with my new ‘do, with the rain pouring down, they equipped me with a yellow umbrella. I couldn’t think of better walking advertisement for their business. Dry Bar locations are located throughout the United States, so be sure to check their website. And the good news, if the location isn’t in NYC, then blow-outs are only $35.

Women in The News

The middle of the week has arrived and part of my daily routine is to watch Morning Joe on MSNBC.  I thoroughly love Mika Brzezinski’s quick and feisty nature, and appreciate that each visitor that stops by for their morning “chat” takes the discussion in a new and sometimes unexpected direction.  Barring sleeping in past my alarm clock, this is where I get my news for my day.   it hasn’t been until recently that I have been able to get into the habit of watching news in the evening.  Whether it is due to my busy schedule, blogging or simply wanting to watch something light and uneventful, I typically don’t tune in for the primetime evening news cast.  However, I began to rethink my habits when it was ever so quietly announced a few months ago that Diane Sawyer would be the anchor on ABC news.

The more I learn about her, the more I become fascinated by her.  Don’t get me wrong I was happy for Katie Couric when she took on the critics and won them over, proving with her determination that she knows how to do a darn good job, but Diane has left an impression on me (speaking of impressions).  She recently appeared on Oprah for a short interview, and her natural beauty, coupled with her modesty and good sense of humor made me want to urge Oprah to ask for more inside information -her secrets, how she finds her balance, how she has been able to be determined, strong and yet feminine and independent.

So now my DVR regularly tapes the ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer, and every once in awhile I still peek over to watch Katie on CBS or Brian Williams on NBC, even a little Joy Behar on CNN to lighten the heavy weight the news media can sometimes bring. Out of curiosity though, do you watch the news, and if so, whom do you watch and why?  I look forward to hearing from you.  Have a wonderful day.

Below I’ve included a handful of aphorisms credited to Diane Sawyer that give a small glimpse into her perspective.

“Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination.”
Diane Sawyer

“The most fun is getting paid to learn things.”
Diane Sawyer

“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.”
Diane Sawyer 

Read the entire article that features Diane Sawyer in Capitol Files magazines by clicking here. -both above photos courtesy of Capitol Files

   Courtesy of Vogue magazine, Katie Couric displays her gams and her hairstyle that I loved before she went for the shorter version.

Still beautiful in this hairstyle, Katie didn’t come by the accolades easily at CBS, but she proved herself, breaking through her own profession’s version of the glass ceiling.  - photo courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

Campbell Brown, courtesy of Vogue – a different style of broadcasting that is interesting to watch to get a handful of different perspectives, as well as a different approach to how the news is shared.

Rachel Maddow of The Rachel Maddow Show poses for Vogue.

Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Sometimes, however, I’m just in the mood to not take things as seriously, and so I click on over to The Joy Behar Show on CNN as I walk on my treadmill.