Book Giveaway - Jennifer Chiaverini's Brand New Book

It was a tough assignment, but I made the supreme sacrifice. 

  I received an e-mail from ton, a publishing house, asking me if I would like a cope of Jennifer Chiaverini's newest book in her Elm Creek Quilters series to write about on my blog AND to give a copy away.  How could I turn down an offer like that, especially since:
1.  I would get a free copy
2.  It would arrive before the actual publication date
3.  and most importantly they would send a copy to one of my readers

Win, win all around.

So I took the book with me to Key West to read. 

Frankly, it made me homesick for my quilting friends. So much of the book was familiar to me as a quilter.  That included the idea of a retreat, the quilting terminology and the camaraderie of women.  

 The basic premise is about a group of quilters getting together at Elm Creek Manor to participate in a week of  charity quilting called Quiltsgiving.   It focuses on the complelling background of 6 women and what  led them to Elm Creek Manor, and how their new found friendships helped them to heal.

Along the way there is lots of talk about quilting and quilting techniques

and the donation of all the quilts made during Quiltsgiving being donated

 to Project Linus, an actual charity for ill children in need.  

Would you like to win a copy of The Giving Quilt? 

Leave a comment by Friday, Nov 9 at noon EST, for a chance to win.

Let me know if you are a Follower or have become a new Follower

 and you'll get a second chance to win.

MAKE SURE IT IS NOT A

NO REPLY COMMENT

If I do not have your e-mail address, I cannot notify you if you win!!!

(Check my side bar if you are not sure.)

Where are my Wednesday's  Wanderings you may wonder?

Oy!  I missed 2 of them. 

 It's such a slippery slope that I started sliding down while I was in Key West.

  So hopefully next Wednesday, there will be 3.  I hope.

The giveaway is over.

And the winner is Lisa Cox.

Top 10 Restaurants in Key West

I am still in Key West thanks to Hurricane Sandy.  Our flight was cancelled for our return to Philadelphia.  We were lucky that our house up North survived without any damage and just a short power outage.  I hope you all fared as well.

 

Since we are heading home tomorrow, I became nostalgic, thinking about all the wonderful meals we have had here over the years.  It's restaurant heaven. 

 There is everything from fish shacks to  Zagat rated restaurants.  We have been coming here for 14 years off and on, and we have not touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of where we have eaten.

 

 I felt some consolation the other day when I heard a local newscaster on the TV saying that you can eat at a different restaurant every day for a year and not eat at the same place twice. 

 

So I have assembled my top ten favorites, if any of you head down this way.  There was a bunch of discussion among my family members as to which restaurants should be in the top ten, but since this is my blog, it's my list!! I had trouble ranking them because I love them all so the list is random. 

 

1. Southernmost Cafe - One of my favorite breakfast spots on the beach with a view of the Atlantic Ocean.

2.  Blue Heaven - An iconic outdoors breakfast locale with chickens roaming around while you eat.

3.  Santiago's Bodega - great tapas

4.  Marquesa - a white tablecloth restaurant that I've read is Tom Colicchio's (of Top Chef fame) favorite restaurant on the island

5.  Latitudes - a boat ride to Sunset Key adds to the yumminess of the meal.  Throw in a sunset and it's heaven.

6.  Square Grouper - This restaurant is located off the island but it is soooo worth the trip

7.  Seven Fish - A tiny neighborhood restaurant where I had Banana Chicken with carmelized walnuts and I thought I was eating dessert

8.  Sarabeths - great for both breakfast and dinner.  Sunday night's special is old fashioned fried chicken.

9.  El Siboney - a well kept secret, the lines start early for home made style Cuban food

10.  Key West Pinks - This is  not a restaurant but wonderful fresh shrimp that are caught and unloaded daily here from the shrimp boats in the Gulf of Mexico.  You can't get shrimp any fresher than this. 

 

 

Key West Inspiration

My favorite part of travelling is walking every morning. 

 I check out life on the street and the shop windows.

 Although I have been to Key West many times, there is always something new to see or to notice. 

There are lots of art galleries with such interesting pieces in the window, but please excuse the glare,

and lots to see on the streets.

 

 



 

Saturday night was the huge parade with floats, capping off Fantasy Fest.

The floats are filled with people and dancers blaring great music and throwing beads.  I took lots of photos, but either there was poor exposure or this guy's naked butt was in them.  Not for publication.

 

Thanks to Sandy, we get to spend 2 extra days in Key West.  We did a pre-emptive strike and changed our flight plans before all the flights were cancelled.  I hope all of you on the East Coast make it through the storm safely and without too much damage with lots of sewing projects to keep you busy.

The Locals Parade

Last night was the Local's parade.

  We participated in a half hearted way as honorary locals. 

There was a scramble for something to wear.

 

 Fittingly, it started at the cemetery.

People threw beads and there were free drinks along the way.

Here is a sanitized version of the many people in costumes,

dedicated to my SIL who loves Fantasy Fest.

 

 

 

 

For those of you who have e-mailed me, the people who participate with a lack of clothing are every age  and every size you can think of.

Yesterday we saw an older woman with a cane with nothing but body paint!

Part of me is happy that people are not stuck up on body image and the other part says "REALLY?"

 

The funniest thing is I can't remember the last time I got dressed up for Halloween.  It was probably when I was a kid.  I have friends that LOVE going to Halloween parties. 

 

If you are dressing up, what is your theme?

 

Only If You Love Dogs

If you do not love animals, especially dogs, read no further. 

 

 

Last night was the Pet Masquerade in Key West.  It was a MUST SEE for us.  We expected it to be the highlight of our Fantasy Fest week since it was about pets in costume, and it did not disappoint!  We did not know the owners dressed up too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful end to the evening,

 though my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.