Mindy, Mindy, Mindy

Remember my vacation read...it was none other than Mindy Kaling's first book. I was excited to see a new book was coming out. --Look at the lovely cover. A couple of weeks ago I read Mindy's new book: Why Not Me? 

It's taken me a while to actually write my review and this is why. I love Mindy. I mean I feel like I know her. She is funny and irreverent and she is not afraid to call BS. So many things I love and admire about her. 

As much as I loved her first book, this one didn't move me quite as much. It wasn't quite as compelling. What I loved about her first book is that it felt more like a memoir. She shared stories about middle school friendships. Being part of a group and ultimately choosing to be true to herself and her BFF. She tells us what connected them. We see clues to the future comic writer that Mindy becomes.

This book is more a set of essays that center around more current life events such as working as a writer on The Office and then getting her own show. The snippets she shares about how she chose to develop the characters on The Mindy Project  are interesting.  Though the essays that talk about "what it's like to be a celebrity" are not nearly as engaging. She is certainly funny and even self-deprecating,  but the essays aren't nearly as personal or intimate.

If you like Mindy, you'll find the book worth your time. Her unique voice comes through. I'm glad I read it. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Coffee at Cocoa Cinnamon

Long time no post...and I feel the need to apologize or explain...which is silly. I write this mainly as a memoir for myself. I like the space and the voice that it gives me. The blog is certainly not a journal, although I have kept journals in the past. My journal entries meander and often forget to come to a point or conclusion. My favorite journals are the ones I kept while traveling. I recently dug one out to remind myself of a few things. I am so thankful for my words because they transported me back to that place and time. I plan on sharing some of that trip here...soon.

At Cocoa Cinnamon - Durham

It's crazy how fast a year moves by, in the macro sense, I mean. October is over half over and tonight we have our first frost warning. Can it be that only two weeks ago (three?) I was sitting outside with a friend over coffee and cake?

We walked to Cocoa Cinnamon, a cool small coffee shop with signature coffees that include things like black lava salt or cayenne pepper. I wasn't brave enough for the pepper or the salt, but I did have a latte with blackstrap molasses. It turns out that blackstrap molasses are NOT sweet. --Surprise.

Durham has some pockets of coolness. I have not discovered all of them. The downtown area is becoming revitalized with new construction (read: Apartments, Condos, Office Buildings...High-End loft type spaces). But the edges of the area are making good use of what we used to call old (sometimes abandoned) now considered historic buildings. I have a real appreciation for these buildings and spaces.  I love that new life is being poured into them. Like a good pair of jeans, the area feels grown into to...softened and more comfortable than new.