Monday was a BIG day for the modchik and my friend and blog partner @Ksugarandspice we had penned this date with a BIG heart around it weeks ago. You already know how much we love a good book signing but this was something entirely different, this was in a way a mini celebration for both of us.
**We interrupt your normally scheduled POST to bring you this breaking news**… guess who is appearing on The Pioneer Woman site today? ……… Yep. Clearly the cheesecake was the right thing to bring.
we resume the scheduled post..
Back in the fall of 2009 my friendship with Kathleen in its infant stage were beginning to realize how many loves we had in common. We exchanged links almost on a daily basis about new products, websites, recipes, blogs with one in particular The Pioneer Woman. I think its safe to say that link forever changed Kathleen’s destiny. I would comb through Ree’s pages of photographs of her ranch home, her delightful family and her mouthwatering cooking. I blogged in the beginning about how I had no shame in admitting my blog style was greatly influenced by Ree and her work, immitation is the sincerest form of flattery right?
So here we are a year later and look how much has changed. Just a year ago we were dropping in on local blog meet ups with no blog to speak of or business cards, just a name tag that read: Hi my name is Blog Stalker. I’m serious we called ourselves that. Sure between us we had read hundreds if not thousands of posts but there is a BIG difference when you make the transition from lurker to writer.
Ree’s blog just made that seem so possible for us. I guess I figured if a mom in Oklahoma raising 4 adorable punks, living on a working cattle ranch, publishing a cookbook, writing her memoir, home schooling while doing a complete renovation of her home can do it, well dammit so can I. Or should I say after that laundry list of accomplishments I really don’t have an excuse do I.
So that picture above has been a year in the making. We are like most of her dedicated readers, we read, we comment, we enter the photo assignments (weebee is second one down) and we share in her love for a good home cooked meal (the last recipe you will ever need for Mashed Potatoes), Anthropology and yoga pants. We can’t help but share the excitement in her current success with her new book Black Heels and Tractor Wheels (movie rights have been purchased by Columbia Pictures!!).
Here are a few photos I snapped of our adventure to La La land (that’s what us Orange County folk call Los Angeles). Yes I was driving and being very careful (again Oprah sorry).
Ree couldn’t have chosen a nice day, its unusual for it to be this clear. Los Angeles is only about 50 miles north of where I live, this is actually considered downtown LA but you have to realize that the city is very spread out, there really isn’t one primary area where you will find all the high rise buildings together so you drive a lot. Everyone has a car (or 2) in LA.
This was my first trip to the Groves, whoa I could live here. The shopping? (eyes roll back in my head) it was all I could do to not duck into every store and splurge.
The wristbands (I lovingly drove all the way up to LA to get hours before the signing) allowed us a spot up towards the front of line which was so welcomed.
Line standing is not something I do happily, for anyone well maybe Prince. Ree was so generous with her time to everyone, you could have all the books you wanted personalized AND signed and all the photos you could ever want. The lighting did not lend itself to optimal camera settings so I had to be happy with grainy yellow photos, sigh. A little LightRoom editing and some Picnik love helped me pull it together. I especially like this shot. To me this gesture screams Pioneer Woman, I don’t know why but it does. Kathleen and I both paid our respects to her BIG GIRL camera there on the desk, ain’t she a beauty? Ree too.
We briefly chatted about her book, her blog, her tweets and how excited we were to meet her. Then we dumped about 12 books on her lap! She happily signed every one of of them. Thank you Ree! I have 2 to give away so let’s get this party started!
So now that I have told you about one of my favorite bloggers/authors (books or blogs), I want to hear who you love. Leave a comment below telling me who you love to read and you may end up winning your own signed copy of Black Heels & Tractor Wheels A Love Story… My friend Kathleen is also giving away a signed copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks on her blog so make sure you stop over there and enter for that one too! Hurry ENDS 2/14 at 12pm PST.
GIVEAWAY ends February 14th! (ended)
I love to read YA fiction and cookbooks. You know whose food memoirs I love — Ruth Reichl. Am I really first to post!!! Woohoo!
Love her… Made her pot roast last week and her bacon wrapped Meat Loaf last night. Sorry, Linz, your meatless Mondays (or any other day for that matter) arent working for me yet. You say, I’ll come around-I’ll let you know when I do- but Pioneer recipes arent helping.
L
maybe not-so-meatless after all Mondays will surface. Have you tried her braised short ribs?? I’m able to get hall passes for the entire weekend with that dish alone.
One of my favorite blogs is the aforementioned, The Pioneer Woman. The other one is of the brilliant writing of The Modchik. Have you heard of her?
Wonderful recap of our day! I raise my glass to you ~ per usual.
In addition to Ree’s blog, I love Jenna’s blog eatliverun.com. She’s so funny! 😀
Well I am a devotee of The Modchik and Sugerandspice, but I also like Traceyclark and mariannewilliamson. For reading, I am reading a lot of soul searching stuff right now trying to get this mid-40’s, kids getting ready to leave me stuff and how to become the woman I know I am meant to be. So it’s “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz, “A Course in Weight Loss” by Marianne Williamson and “Women, Food, God” by Geneen Roth. For fun, I love Jen Lancaster. If you have not read her, you haven’t lived. You would love her “Bitter is the New Black” and “Such a Pretty Fat.” Warning, do not read in public unless you don’t mind looking weird for actually laughing so hard you’ll cry.
you are the go to girl for books!! Bitter is the New Black is now in my Amazon cart.
I read Ree’s blog almost every day. I thought about driving up to the signing but decided the trek from San Diego was too far. Thanks for the recap. 🙂 I also like to check out hip2save’s blog.
I have a huge range of what I love to read, anything from stephen king, science journals about influenza studies to cookbooks. I will read just about anything.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
The Pioneer woman is the blog by which all other blogs are measured. She truly does “do it all”!
I’d love to meet bossy from iambossy.com!
I”ve read the whole thing on her website so I would totally love it! I have finally subscribed to her in the last 4 months and I”m loving it.
I wasn’t sure if you ment book author or blog author, so I’m giving you both. Of course my favorite blogger is “Modchick” with Pioneer Woman a close second! Teeehee! My book author is Francine Rivers. She always moves me to tears. I hope I win the cookbook!
Lindsey, you are the BOMB for driving all the way to the Grove for wristbands and back again! I would love to read Ree’s book as I have been hearing all about her for over a year now!!
I love to read about YOU…THE MODCHK!!! I’m not committed to any one . . . you are the one I read!!!! Love your blog and style….amazing talent.
LOVED THE BREAKING NEWS!!! Oh.My.Goodness
I’m new to this blog, but would love to win the book. Please choose me.
Way to get it done Linds … so happy you guys got to meet such an inspiration. I’ve read a lot about her and would love to read her story.
What a great story. I love Ree.
I love Ree, also Lisa Genova (Still Alice, Left Neglected)is highly recommended, and for another fabulous love story, the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway, hope I win!!
I love her blog and would have loved to have gone to the book signing. To see her and join you lovely ladies in line… THAT would have been a hoot.
Love the way way u can rally. U always have th best finds!
The Pioneer Woman…Ree…is ABSOLUTELY the reason I started blogging…she’s how I even found this whole world of blogging to begin with…I have her to thank!! Oh I’m so happy you got to meet her..jealous, yes, but happy too…she inspires all of us bloggers, doesn’t she!! YAHOO!
LOVE Ree. I was so disappointed I couldn’t attend her signing in Dallas tonight. 🙁 Would LOVE to win this.
Rec’d my book and you sweet note 🙂 And I hate to tell you, but it’s been longer than 25 years …
Can’t wait to start reading. Thank you for what you do.
but hey who’s counting 🙂