Throughout the academic year, Melinda Giampietro, Options Founder/President, will share some of her favourite things in her monthly Founder’s Feature. Melinda loves reading, data, research, and following academic and adolescent news around the world.
October Cookbook of the Month
I have always loved Ina Garten or the Barefoot Contessa. I’m going to be her for Halloween this year, and I’m so excited. Bobbed hair and denim shirt ready. When her right-hand helper, Lidey Hueck, released a new cookbook, I immediately got on the library waiting list. In my two-week tenure with Cooking in Real Life, I cooked so many easy, delicious, practical recipes from the book that I purchased it! It was packed with perfect summer recipes, but it would be excellent in any season. Some great recipes for fall include: Orcchiette with White Bolognese; Kale Salad with Gouda, Honeycrisp, and Walnuts; Saucy Shrimp alla Vodka; Brussel Sprouts with Dates and Crispy Prosciutto; Maine Pumpkin Buckle, and Banana Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting and Sea Salt. This summer, bourbon was my drink of choice, and Lidey’s Cider and Bourbon Old-Fashioned (it has maple syrup in it!) is the perfect fall drink. Lidey is a graduate of Bowdoin College, proof that you can do anything with a liberal arts education.
October Fiction Books of the Month
Last month, I featured Catherine Newman as a new author I discovered. I have another new-to-me author for October: Claire Lombardo. She has written two novels, and I just finished The Most Fun We Ever Had. If you like to read about witty, complex family drama, this is the book for you. She tells a winding story through the lenses of very different (often foul-mouthed) narrators. No detail is spared here in the messiness of life; I found it both haunting and hilarious. It is definitely not a novel for everyone (it at times seemed like a long 624 paperback pages), but it was worth it in the end to find a writer so unique in her ability to breakdown family relationships in an almost caustic way. I am excited to read her second book Same as It Ever Was next.
October Podcast of the Month
I featured the Books, Beach and Beyond podcast last year, and its second season is just as good, if not better. The podcast explores all sides of writing, publishing, and books. The hosts, Elin Hildebrand and Tim Ehrenberg, follow a similar format in each episode exploring guests’ (including Nicole Kidman, Liane Moriarity, Emily Henry, and Kevin Kwan in the second season) relationships with books and reading. I’ve learned so many things. Did you know that Sarah Jessica Parker has an imprint with Zando?
Super exciting news! This summer, Elin’s book The Perfect Couple was made into a cinematic feature for Netflix. Hopefully, she has many more books optioned to film and television. Here is a fun picture of Elin and me hanging out on our favourite Nantucket beach #5 (or Clark’s Cove) in July!
Listen to the Claire Lombardo episode.
October Vancity Feature of the Month
My son was in town in mid-September for a conference. It is so fun having an adult kid. Destination dinners are a love language in our family. We made a reservation at Burdock and Co on Main Street for a special treat, and WOW, did it deliver. We had the best seat in the house at the bar, looking directly into all the intricacies of the kitchen. Their menu is organized around the different moon cycles. In September, the feature was Road Trip BOTANICALS Under the Sturgeon Moon. My favourite dish was the Add On starter of farm fresh tomatoes from the Okanagan with burrata. It was such an interesting mix of heirloom flavours. Finally, our service was exceptional. We loved talking about food, and we learned so many things. I highly recommend it for special occasions and am already plotting a return trip for the winter menu.
October Event of the Month
On Saturday September 28th, I attended the USC/Wisconsin game at the Memorial Coliseum on the USC campus with Options alumni GD. It was so fun. Because GD is a season ticket holder, we had amazing seats, and we had access to the 1923 lounge on the very top of the stadium. Both experiences offered different views of the field, and the 1923 lounge had a 360-degree view of Los Angeles (including downtown and the Hollywood sign). The first three quarters had the Trojans behind, but they pulled ahead late in the third for a win.
Interesting USC facts:
- Traveler, USC’s noble white horse mascot, does a lap around the stadium after every SC touchdown
- The USC Coliseum will host the opening ceremonies for LA’s Olympic games in 2028
Fight on!
To read more Founder’s Features, check them out under the Options News↗ category.
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