A guided tour with a charming (if not endearingly flawed) host
357715
Bourdain's dry humor and occasional self-deprecation lend themselves perfectly to this book, half-memoir of a checkered culinary past and half-treatise on the core qualities of a kitchen staff. The author hints at the travelogues to come in a zany chapter about a trip to Tokyo, which overflows in poetic ode to a multitude of food. I'll definitely be checking out "A Cook's Tour" which expands upon Bourdain's love of travel and all things edible.
2310049
What lingers after reading "A Year in Provence" is certainly a positive impression. Peter Mayle has an aptitude for deftly producing, here and there, a memorable description or turn of phrase. Moreover, I know a lot more about the Provenal temperament and milieu after reading this book and, I must admit, experienced not a small amount of envy during some of the passages. However, do not approach this book with the lofty prepossessions that some of the reviews attempt to inspire. Reading "A Year in Provence" is like entertaining a well-informed, loquacious dinner guest who can transform the minutiae of his domestic details and incidental observations into an amusing, undemanding narrative. Expect nothing more. But also nothing less.
1495968
If you're new to the works of Anthony Bourdain as well as his Travel Channel TV show "No Reservations" then this book might not be the best place for you  to start.  While the volume itself is a very handsome and well-produced book with oodles of great photos and minimal text, this particular title was written for the fan of Bourdain's ongoing TV series with plenty of behind-the-scenes glimpses at the adventures in getting his show made as well as snippets of appreciation toward his beloved crew.  Fans of the show will find much to like as each country visited in the show's 3 year span is re-visited with familiar still shots of memorable moments we've seen before as well as new material.  The highlights of the book though occur at the very end where Bourdain hilariously rates the best and worst toilets he and his crew have encountered in their world travels.
4489983
In this beautiful book full of gorgeous photos, the author takes the reader on a journey, sharing the many stories that led to the creation and design of each home and each room.  Every home and room is designed to take advantage of the exterior world, including the ocean views, which are extensions of the interiors.

Beginning with the various houses on the compound, like the Mill House, The Barn, Grandma's House, and the Main House, we get to experience, along with the author, the research she did; how she brought pieces from storage that had been in other homes; her treasure hunts to shops and flea markets; and the relics from her own past, including her performing events.  One thing I learned from this book is that Streisand saves just about everything, recycling her treasures and collections into whatever home is hers at the time.

My favorite parts of the book were the little tidbits she shared that made her seem like a real person you could sit down and have tea with.  Things like her love of juxtaposition:  the crude mixed with the elegant; rough things mixed with smooth things; and her passion for certain colors.  We also get to enjoy the tales of how she patiently sought out the wondrous treasures she eventually brought to each of the homes.

The designs spring to her from her visual memories of things seen in the past.  Finding craftsman and builders required a great and painstaking journey toward discovering just the right ones.  Sometimes things had to be redone a few times, as the move from vision to design to fruition can have unexpected outcomes.

This glorious journey is a testament to the author's passion and love of design, as well as her devotion to detail.

My favorite of the houses was Grandma's House, a smaller guesthouse with cozy rooms and small-scale furniture covered in quilts.

Another aspect I enjoyed a lot was the basement of The Barn, which was arranged like city streets, with shops.  The shops ranged from antique clothing stores to doll stores, and the streets were very true-to-life quaint meandering pathways.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/My-Passion-for-Design/dp/0670022136/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">My Passion for Design</a>&nbsp;is a treasured collectible that I will enjoy over and over, turning the pages and relishing the images.  It will be like revisiting favorite places and reexperiencing treasured moments.  Five stars!
4256236
This charming, funny, and practical guide to finding The One appealed to me on many levels.

First: I enjoy books where the author him or herself comes through with a clear and interesting voice. As Remi points out in his introduction, when you read a book you enter into a relationship with the author. Full disclosure: I know Remi personally, and am especially pleased that now people all over the world will have the opportunity to "meet" Remi and experience his warmth, sincerity, and enthusiasm. If you ever have the chance to meet him in person or see him speak, I strongly encourage you to do so!

Second: Although my skeptical self wondered how he could break down such a huge, complicated topic -- LOVE! -- into a simple equation, and even though I didn't always agree with his unique views on how dating does or should work, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this world and process through his point of view.

Finally: Whether you're still looking for The One or have been married a long time (like me!); THE LOVE EQUATION is a refreshing reminder of the basics, even in these complicated modern times, of how the old-fashioned idea of "happily ever after" is still possible.
3962029
This BBC series -- six half hours -- takes the Squeeze keyboard player on a musical tour around the world (well, a good portion of it anyway). Jools doesn't always seem entirely at ease in front of the camera, but that's okay: he knows all the hot spots to visit, and where the best cigars are made in Havana.  Many unexpected moments and his cheeky commentary give the shows a bit of an edgy feel. Each  episode is more like musical postcard than a complete travel guide, and you'll always stop at a pub for what Jools describes as a "knees up"  good time and a pint or two. There's  great music, too: in Dublin,  Van Morrison and the Chieftains perform  "Shandendoah" as a heart-breaking Irish ballad, in Havana there's a  wonderful solo appearance by 79-year-old pianist, Ruben Gonzalez. There are gems in each episode.

The cities visited are Chicago, Dublin, Seville, Havana, Budapest, and Beirut. Some may be surprising choices, but all in keeping with the series' admirable goal of demonstrating music's universal appeal -- if not Jools's habit of bringing out a piano before each episode is over. He also finds some classic cars to tour in: be sure to check out that sporty, East German-built 1958 Wartburg convertible! He's obviously enjoying himself among all the pints of Guinness, Cuban cigars, and  gypsy dancing. Jools gets in some history lessons, too, and makes a lot of musical connections in each show.  It's an exciting, if brief, introduction to world music, and a lot of fun.
3086276
I was fortunate enough to see Miss Williams give a lecture on this book, complete with slideshow presentation.  It was a delight to hear this funny and engaging woman relay the stories behind these interiors.

That personal touch doesnt really come through in the book.  It's telling that the most interesting parts are about her own NYC apartment and her home in Costa Rica.  Her previous book--about her Connecticut farmhouse--is like sitting down with an old friend (it even has recipes).  This isn't in the same vein, and thus all the disappointed reviews on here.

Still, Williams is a legend, and the work she has done for her clients is worth studying.  Many of the interiors look as though they have evolved and been collected over time, which is a hallmark of her style.

Her rooms are at least more interesting than the sterile, joyless snoozefests featured lately in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor.

Her best advice: pick neutral finishes for your kitchen cabinets, and above all a neutral backsplash, using accessories to satisfy your color cravings.  Your tastes will (or should!) evolve over time...and that expensive turqouise backsplash won't be easy to replace.  All Americans need to read that chapter and sign it!
2990143
I think of myself as a credible hostess and a credible guest, but this gave me new ideas on both sides of the "personal hospitality" business, especially with summer travel season coming. Kathy Bertone is funny, personable and has a great many excellent ideas. She sounds like your best friend, the one who's also good at whipping up cocktails and appetizers while mentioning the ten fun things to do in the area next weekend and agreeing to help keep Grandma happy during the first grader's birthday party. She probably ought to clone herself and provide help to frazzled hostesses everywhere, not to mention putting in a good word for the guest who wonders if she (or he) will have the soy milk she (or he) needs or ought to put some in a cooler and bring along.

Fun read, good ideas.
3130546
Has there ever been another travel guide more amiable, more informative, more eclectic and just plain likeable than Rick Steves?  This somewhat nerdish but pleasant looking fellow will immediately win the viewer over with his charm, humor and smoothing, layback manner. However what will keep you watching program after program is his consummate knowledge of the sites and people he visits.

While each journey is only 30 minutes in length Rick has a unique talent of synthesizing the many facets that make up a people and place. He leaves no stone unturned in his analysis; historical background, spiritual heritage, cultural underpinnings and political legacy are all equally touched upon to give the audience a fuller understanding of the rural and urban landscape.

However not not an individual to dwell too much on the past, he provides a delightful tour of the markets, music, restaurants and nightlife. The kind of information would really want to know if you're out for a good time.

The production values are also wonderful offering fanstastic visuals that are worth watching even if there where no commentary. Traveling with Rick Steves' is the next best thing to being there.

This particular DVD contains seven episodes, thirty minutes in length. Imagine three and one half hours in Rome, Venice, Florence and more, better get started!
3383431
Having lived for 6 years on the Florida Gulf Coast, I find Ms Reiley's Guide is something of a delight to one plagued with what to show the next out-of-towner, or what to see myself that might be new and refreshing. The book is admirably terse, factually impeccable, and covers in good detail a considerable portion of the Paradise of the West Coast of Florida. The clear prose is peppered with Ms Reiley's reactions to people, places, and things, some which she clearly enjoyed, others of which failed to meet her mark. Her language delights this aging Sophist, while staying within the bounds of good taste. The black and white photos well illustrate the text. The maps are too small for driving, but large enough to help find the desired location.

A simply delightful guide to Paradise
1991354
My mom gave me this book as a Christmas gift, thinking it a fitting present after my travels in Europe. It's definitely an entertaining read -- Lansky has a clever, irreverant, Dave Barry-ish wit, and, more importantly, a knack for keeping it short and zingy. You can read through each of his stories in a few minutes and most inspire chuckles, along with occasional snorts.
If you're looking for a "serious" travel book, this isn't it. Lansky's "slacker abroad" schtick is unabashedly about making fun of himself, the places he visits, and the people he meets, and not a source of useful cultural insight or travel tips. Some readers might be offended that he appears to be out for a good time at the expense of really learning about the cultures he travels among, but if you read between the lines, you'll find that the author seems to reflect (momentarily, anyway) on how pampered tourists and partying hostel-hoppers have altered the cultures of so many places in the world that their economies now revolve around showing visitors what they expect to find rather than a continuation of the unadulterated society that once existed. The wry, jaded epilogue about Disney's Epcot Center, which comments on this unfortunate reality, might be the truest piece in the book. As a newly minted international traveler, I can tell you that it's not easy to escape America and its more blandifying influences.
But, this is not the place for a sermon. Bottom line -- funny book. Read it on the airplane.
4007114
"generative art" is a highly personal account of one artist's path to creative coding, a travel guide for a huge, and increasingly trendy, territory. And like any good travel guide, it is not intended to be a rigorous, exhaustive overview. So don't expect a tedious overview of all things generative, or an elaborate programming manual of its language of choice, Processing. Matt shares with us the basics needed to survive and points out the major landmarks.
Aspiring artists and experienced coders alike will find valuable insights and new paths. Matt's refreshing approach, the book serves as a behind-the-screens look at the author's open source "100 Abandoned Artworks" project, makes for easy reading, quite unusual for a digital design/programming handbook.

Ultimately all exploring will have to be done by the reader/artist/coder. But I'll gladly take Matt Pearson's Bryson-like wit and accessible explanations as my faithful companions on further journeys.
3557280
Visitors to France -- first-timers or 101st timers -- will find something of interest and unanticipated. This book reflects the author's obvious irrepressible love for, and talented reporting of, the special qualities of life in France. Lots of stones are turned here, if not the large granite monoliths of Brittany's Carnac 'Dolmen' fields, as the author takes us from Paris's finest spots for an afternoon lunch -- including at least one favorite she might have left undiscovered -- to the Hollywood-on-the-Riviera delights of Cannes and the Cote d'Azur. Both women and men will find a lot to like in this travel companion; while some of the recommendations are perhaps aimed more toward a female audience, Marcia DeSanctis's intrepid reporting out to the farthest reachest of France's remarkable weather-beaten lighthouses of the Breton coast strikes the reader as less gender-specific than simply....just plain wet. For either gender, the book is a fun and useful modern Baedeker. Buy it and you'll see.
4385089
This is a scene-of-the-crime tour expanded to include many additional homes and neighborhoods associated with both the perpetrators and the victims of the Manson Family murders. Scott Michaels recreates the bus tour he provides for tourists who come to the Los Angeles area wanting to see where it happened.

Michaels makes the point that many tour directors who drive visitors around celebrity homes and landmarks confabulate most of their tours in order to make it easy on themselves. They have Cary Grant, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe, all having lived next-door to each other just to make short work of the tours. But Michaels has a sincere interest in all of LA's celebrity history, so you get the feeling that he can be trusted to take you to the real scenes.

At first I was disappointed at this DVD's approach. I had hoped for some psychological insights into how such a murderous mindset could develop. Contrary to the blurb on the DVD cover, this video doesn't offer much along those lines. But it has some interesting insights of its own to offer. I felt I got to see the geography and outlook of Los Angeles from a unique viewpoint.

Michaels takes you along some of the winding lanes in the hills overlooking Hollywood, past some of the posh estates that had been occupied by people who either were or who knew the Manson victims in 1969. Then, by contrast, he takes you to the razed site of Spahn Ranch where the Manson family first gathered its forces, and to the Baker Ranch where some of their members were finally arrested. You feel the literal desertion of these places.

Michaels also takes the viewer to some downtown and other LA locations - where the perpetrators and victims might have crossed paths in earlier months as they shopped, dined, and socialized. He includes a view of some other residences as far afield as London where members of various rock groups and others associated with the victims once lived. This all helps to demonstrate the "Six Degrees" mentioned in the DVD title - the chain of connection between Manson, with his song-writing/recording ambitions, and a host of other people in the recording/performing industry.  Scott plays a rare recording of an original song composed by Manson.

All-in-all, this DVD takes you onto the terrain and into the lifestyles of the rich and famous in a way that you probably wouldn't otherwise get to see, even on the best tours of LA. Many of the locales have an eerily classic, farther-back 1940's Hollywood noir quality to them - with the contrast between the beauty of the classic LA houses and the unimaginable ugliness that took place inside some of them
3211487
When thinking about Vegas and high rollers, not a lot of people know what hosts are, much less Super Hosts.  This book goes into the life of a Super Host who wines and dines whales (super high rollers/big spenders) and Vegas in general.  It mentions all the popular hotels and casinos and is interesting throughout.
1086050
If you would like to travel behind the Turkey in the news and directly to its people in the company of a curious, fearless, and exuberant guide, Ann Marie's book won't disappoint.  Recently divorced and at the conclusion of her teaching career in the North Woods of Minnesota, she strikes out to teach anew in Istanbul and reclaims herself along the way.  We share her successes and setbacks as she explores this exotic world and its warm-hearted people with open eyes and open arms.  She courageously loves and is loved in return.  It's a wonderful trip.
3766479
This gorgeous cookbook is a combination walking tour of Paris, fascinating history lesson, and, of course, cookbook. The illustrations are charming and the whole package is an aesthetic pleasure. The recipes, while exotic, are simple enough for those of us who love ethnic food but are a bit intimidated by it. A wonderful gift, for someone else or for yourself.