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ON THE ROAD WITH MY BOOK

It’s my first time!!!!

When was the last time I said that?

Never mind.

I am an old dog trying here to learn the new trick of writing a blog. Forgive me.

Seeing that these things are a  license to talk all about ONESELF let me begin by, um, talking about ME.

This morning, I had the wonderful opportunity of speaking with Catherine Kustanczy, Toronto indie arts journalist extraordinaire, as part of Take 5, the morning show on CIUT-FM at the University of Toronto. My beloved alma mater!!

The last time I saw CIUT it was atop the rickety old white building on St. George Street where I cut my teeth as a journo at the student newspaper, The Varsity. I used to creep up the back stairs to request rockin’ tunes by The Stranglers by which I would tap-tap-tap (one finger typing continues to be a secret talent of mine) my precious dance reviews while still an undergrad.

That building was recently demolished to make way for the ever-expanding Rotman School of Business ( I think that’s a metaphor for how universities are changing — career schools bulldozing centres where boho students used to come for educations of a different sort) and the new digs at Hart House are certainly a cut above.

The studio overlooks the verdant U of T campus, and birds chirp outside the window.  And the walls are clean, as is the floor. That’s progress for you.

Anyway, Ms. Kustanczy was most attentive in interviewing me for her show … she loved my book so of course I loved her! We got on like a house on fire. I think you can hear the interview online at www.ciut.fm/index.php/2010/05/27/paris-times-eight-author/

Speaking of me … on Wednesday I was in Oakville as the lucky guest of honour at book club that chose Paris Times Eight as its book of the month.  Hostess France Fournier of Whole Foods Oakville held the event in the stylish Oliver & Bonacini restaurant at Oakville Place. The fabulous Paris-inspired menu included organic roasted chicken with fine French beans and a delicious crab and cucumber salad with sorel vichyssoise . Kir royales at the start of the meal set the pace for an evening that explored Paris, the trails of motherhood, not to mention the tensions of the mother-daughter relationship, the leitmotif of my book.

Last month, I had the great honour of being hosted by Rizzoli bookstore in New York City (that’s me in front of the bookstore, above).

I stayed at the hip SoHo apartment belonging to Natasha Koifman, my happening Toronto PR girlfriend here in Toronto (check out her company, NKPR) and took the subway uptown to 57th Street, photographing my walk to the bookstore so as always to remember my very own New York Minute.

I’ll stop here.

Let me know if I bored you to death or if you’d like more.  As I said, It’s my first time ….

Deirdre xox