Garlic & Sapphires

Let's see...five days times 110 miles...equals 550...times two...equals 1,100 miles.

1,100 miles I've driven in the last week related only to commuting to work and home. I drove an hour to work and an hour home the last two weeks since the job I was working was out in Ormond Beach, FL.

Oh, wait, minus the 110 miles that I didn't drive out there last Monday due to hurricane Wilma. Truth be told, the hurricane was very good to us. It got a lot of us out of work at least for part of the day, and the weather following the hurricane has been absolutely beautiful. My heart goes out to all the people that Wilma terrorized, however I am very thankful that Orlando's piece of Wilma wasn't so devastating.

Anyhow... because of work and that blasted commute, I knew I needed a different way to amuse myself since I was not feeling the whole radio-surfing dealio. So...what did I turn to?

AUDIO BOOKS. Bless those little cd's.

I love reading, though for some reason, fantasy, sci-fi, fiction...those are the type of books that have lately been able to keep my attention for extended periods of time. So, for 990 miles, I listened to audio books.

My favorite one so far has been a book called "Garlic & Sapphires"" by Ruth Reichl. The book entails the adventures of the ever-so-powerful restaurant critic of the New York Times. Since restaurants know that a critic could make or break a restaurant, her picture was plastered on the kitchen walls of practically all of the eateries in New York City, and some restuarants were even offering cash rewards to anyone who spotted her.

Spotting her meant she was given special treatment, given the best tables, best service, and special attention to her meals.

It also meant she was given preferential treatment and not experiencing the REAL restaurant. Her remedy to the problem? She came up with several alter egos, personas, wigs, costumes...she became an old, timid lady, a wild and eccentric hippie, a bitter and rude spinster, a charming and irresistible woman, among others. And she realized how different the service was when she wasn't "the restaurant critic" at times.

But the most amazing thing that happened when she put on her personas was that she felt herself becoming the person. And sometimes she liked what she became, other times she hated herself.

I normally like to read my books, but having this one read to me, by the author, even, was quite fascinating. The author read the book the way she meant us to understand. If one likes food, I believe you would like the book. The author describes in detail tastes, ambiance, experiences. It was amazing to listen to.

I'd recommend this book to any food lovers out there.