Summer Reading: Pretty in Plaid

Since it's summer and new TV that I actually like is restricted to HBO, the general focus of the blog is going to switch to summer related topics, books and movies.

First book I read this summer was Jen Lancaster's fourth, and to my opinion funniest memoir, so far. I've read all of Jen's books...and I follow her on Twitter and read her blog Jennsylvania. She's hilariously funny, and I always feel like we're on the same wavelength.

Pretty in Plaid chronicles the first thirty years of Jen's life as she remembers them, through her clothes. We see her life in her girl scout uniform, in her prom dress, in her sorority lavalier, in the first suit she bought before embarking on her journey through coporate life in Chicago. This is all punctuated by her razor sharp wit, her funny footnotes, and her pop culture references.

It ends on a lengthy epilogue where Jen espouses the philosophy that she put forth originally in her third book, Such a Pretty Fat. That as great as taking care of the outside is, it means nothing if you don't like the inside. In the end for all of her bitchiness, all of her whining, Jen is our friend. She's the best of us, and that's why I keep reading her stuff. And why you should all start.

Surprise!

I don't get into my real life a whole lot on this thing...mostly because my real life is really not particularly interesting. Except when I start a week like this one.

See, last Sunday my mom called me, "Reenie, are you interested in going to Florida next week?" (She was in Florida, I'll explain in more detail in a bit.) I squealed in excitement! Did I want to go to Florida? Hell yes! Anything to get away from the North East in March...its a tough place to be. I didn't know if it was definitely happening until Thursday.

See, my dad's older brother is a retired member of the board of directors of a rather large corporation...the one based out of New York in that big building with the skating rink in front...you know, they probably made your refrigerator and many of my favorite shows are on their network. Yeah, that one. Needless to say he has a lot of money, and as such owns a house in Jupiter Florida. He also charters a private plane down there whenever he's going, my parents came down with him last weekend. This week, he's going to the bahamas with my Aunt, for her birthday. They have a beautiful yellow lab, and someone needed to watch the dog while they were away. Did I want to dogsit, along with my mom and sister? HELLS YES!

So this morning we flew down, this afternoon we sat by the pool, (I fried and read "Bright Lights, Big Ass," HEY! I read literature all the time for school, I'm on vacation and I will read Jen Lancaster's rants all I want!) and we're freshly back from a glorious dinner at a steak house (Lobster Bisque, 10 Oz Filet Mignonne nice and pink how I love it, mashed potatoes, flourless chocolate espresso cake, a vodka martini and a glass of red wine) relaxing in their huge living room watching the Big East Championship game (Uncle Denis is disappointed, because he went to UCONN, but we're watching anyway.) It is a joyous and wonderful week ahead of me...I'll be sure to update with good stories from the lap of luxury.