Books – June 2010
June is only halfway through so I may be jumping the gun by posting my book list so soon. But I have sooo many books to read this month!
Patrick Suskind – Perfume
Vladimir Nabokov – Lolita
Yoko Ogawa have two other books translated into English, The Housekeeper + The Professor and The Diving Pool. TH+TP was a beautiful book. TDP was slightly disturbing, but in a way that I enjoyed. This new book? An absorbing read but quite R rated. Don’t buy this based on your evaluation of TH+TP. Hotel Iris has the same writing style but takes it to a whole different place.
The other two books are titles I’ve been wanting to own and read, and Popular had a sales.
The next part of this post is on books I borrowed:
Malcolm Gladwell – What The Dog Saw
Robert Harris – The Ghost Writer
Murakami – Kafka on the Shore
John Gorgan – Marley & Me
Mitch Albom – The Five People You Meet In Heaven
I’m not sure if I’ll finish most of these before I have to give them back. I picked most of these title with two things in mind: (a) books/authors I’m not sure of and want to try; (b) books I’ll only read once. The only exception is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which I’m dying to read since Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter but cannot find.
The Last Song is supposed to be Miley Cyrus’ vehicle to Hollywood stardom, but I don’t know if it worked. I’ll not likely watch the movie, but I liked the book. Sparks always makes me cry like hell.
Robert Harris always catches my eye in the book store because I love Thomas Harris (of The Hannibal Trilogy). Turns out that I like his style as well and won’t mind picking up some of his novels in the future. Just not this month.
Am currently reading Malcolm Gladwell. This breakout book Blink didn’t impress me very much, but this one is a compilation of his well-researched articles on various topics.
Wish me luck in trying not to pick up a new book before next month!
ETA, 14 June:
I forgot. I called dibs on some second hand books a week or so ago. Here they are:
Sarah Dessen – This Lullaby
Susanna Kaysen – Girl, Interrupted
Delizze @ Premiere 101
Shin Yi and I went to check out Delizze at Premiere 101. It’s that corner place with the giant banner hanging on the side of the building for so long, we didn’t think it was gonna happen. Didn’t take a great deal of photos because someone else will do it anyway; I just felt like photographing food.
Delizze is part deli and bakery, and part restaurant. Over in the bakery is a a selection of various gourmet breads, pastry and cakes. The deli has things like salami and ham, as well as salads (ready-made) and sandwiches to go. The croissant sandwiches look pretty generous and are below RM5. The mini pies are about RM3 and the raisin danish I got was RM1.50. Very reasonable. Also quite delish.
The restaurant section probably needs a bit more work and time, unless you’re willing to put up with slow service and unavailability of certain items. Here’s part of what we ordered (since I forgot to photograph the cream of chicken soup):
Above is the Roasted Beef Sandwich and below is Pasta Marinara. You have the option of medium or well done for the beef (I picked well done), and fettuccine or penne for the pasta (SY picked fettuccine).
The presentation of the pasta was surprisingly messy for a place so posh. I’m not particularly fond of the salty metallic flavour but this is not the first time I tasted it. I suspect I’m just not really into tomato-based pasta at the moment.
The Roasted Beef Sandwich was unremarkable until you add the black pepper sauce. Then the flavour really pops and makes it worth your money.
Drinks selection are of standard western concept restaurant range.
I walked out of the place with the receipt but managed to lose it. The pasta was about RM18 and the sandwich about RM12.
Delizze is halal, so the salami and ham and stuff are of the non-porky variety. However, Butcher’s Kiosk is just in the next block…
