Shopping Local is Presidential

Call it whatever you want, Plaid Friday, or Small Business Saturday...did you celebrate your favorite, local, independent businesses this weekend?  Well, guess who else did too!

This past Saturday, the President and his daughters celebrated Small Business Saturday at One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia.  They purchased a bunch of children's books that will be given as gifts from the First Family.

There's still time to support your local business this holiday season.  In fact, we're even here all year!

Gifts for Everyone!

Yeah, we sell books, we are book experts. But you should also know that we have other great gift ideas. So if you're looking for something to stuff a stocking or give along with that perfect book, check out our new sidelines. We are stocked up and stuffed to the gills with unique gifts for everyone on your list.

Holiday themed paper sculpture kits for the crafter.

Art supplies to keep the kiddies busy.

Clever kitchen tools for that special cook in your life.

Beautiful advent calendars to build the anticipation.

Loads and loads of holiday cards and Christmas ornaments.

Personalized socks to keep your loved one's toes toasty all winter long.

Adorable plush toys that would look great under any Christmas tree.

A Holiday Invitation

Are you braving the crowds tomorrow for a head start on your holiday shopping?  Well the masterminds at Plaid Friday suggest shopping indie this season.

The name Plaid Friday celebrates the diversity and creativity of independent businesses. Plaid Friday is the fun and enjoyable alternative to the big box store "Black Friday", and is designed to promote both local and independently owned businesses during the holidays. 

Plaid Friday was conceptualized in Oakland, CA, a city known for strong shop local campaigns. Plaid Friday brings back the nostalgic times when shopping for friends and family was a pleasurable leisurely activity.

So as you settle in for some football, maybe a snooze after all that great food, we here at Third Place Books ask you to consider turning your black Friday PLAID!  Come celebrate the start of the holidays with us! We have great book recommendations and fun sidelines. Show your family and friends what they mean to you this season with a unique and thoughtful gift from Third Place Books. We love selling books, and your support keeps us going. So spread your cheer to indies this year. Happy Holidays, we look forward to sharing them with you!

Cookbooks! Baking Edition

Emily is back, with more great cookbook suggestions.  This week she tells us about a few special somethings just for your sweet tooth.  And just in time for the holiday baking season.  Can't wait til she brings us a few things to taste!

Bouchon Bakery, by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel

oh. my. god. I received this big beautiful book on Tuesday, and I spent at least 2 hours reading it that night, salivating over the luscious photos and trying to decide which recipe I'd try first. The introductions and stories made what could be an intimidating book feel friendly and approachable, and I particularly liked the playful use of stencils and sifted flour (or powdered sugar?) to number steps in the photos. 

Keller's meticulous attention to detail and the beautiful, fun design elevate this book above the rest of the field. 

After a few days of browsing, I finally settled on making the Tropeziene, so I made brioche dough (which has to rest overnight) on Friday night and pastry cream on Saturday. The finished pastry was just as lovely and delicious as I imagined and elicited moans of appreciation from my fellow booksellers on Sunday morning. I've already picked up a few new techniques that will carry over to other recipes, and I can hardly wait to take a crack at another recipe.

Vintage Cakes: Timeless Recipes for Cupcakes, Flips, Rolls, Layer, Angel, Bundt, Chiffon, and Icebox Cakes for Today's Sweet Tooth, by Julie Richardson

A wonderful follow-up to one of my favorite baking books, Rustic Fruit Desserts, this book explores cake recipes that the author collected from friends and family and explains their origins, from regional favorites like Wacky Cake (the recipe only differs in one small way from the one I grew up with) to classics like a yellow layer cake with chocolate frosting. I've made most of the "hasty cakes" and can vouch for their deliciousness! Plus, she's a Portland, OR author.

The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle, by Tom Douglas, Shelley Lance, and Ed Anderson

So far I've made the Serious Biscuits (seriously buttery, with a flaky and crisp exterior and pillowy soft interior - the perfect companion for that homemade jam the neighbors gave you) and the Whole Wheat Hazelnut Scones with Maple Glaze (perfect in every possible way - I've made them twice in less than a week!) My next baking project: the famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie!

Emily's Serious Biscuits

Some other sweet stuff:

The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook: 
How to Make Truly Scrumptious Candy in Your Own Kitchen!
by Liz Gutman and Jen King

Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: 
Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker,
by Mark Klebeck, Scott Pitts, Michael Klebeck

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home,
by Jeni Britton Bauer

My Bookstore Lit Crawl

To celebrate the November 13th publication of My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop, we are teaming up with other great, local, indie bookstores to host a lit crawl!  Support your favorite bookstore with like-minded authors.

Third Place will be welcoming Stephanie Kallos, who wrote a lovely and sweet essay about our store along with members of the Seattle 7 writers group.  Join us for a rousing conversation about why indie's matter!  This Friday, we are pleased to welcome Jennie Shortridge, Erica Bauermeister, Laurie Frankel, Dave Boling, Kevin O'Brien and Karl Marlantes...and of course Stephanie Kallos.

Here are the rest of the Lit Crawl Details :

At your first event, you will receive a special My Bookstore passport, and then at each event thereafter you will receive a stamp. With three or more stamps, you are entered for a chance to win great prizes sponsored by the lit crawl consortium, which includes gift cards to Third Place and University Book Store, copies of My Bookstore, and a prize pack of all attending authors’ most recent work.

All events are listed below :

11/12 – 7pm: Ivan Doig at University Book Store in Seattle
11/13 – 7pm: Tom Robbins at Village Books  in Bellingham
11/14 – 7pm Jonathan Evison at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island
11/16 - 7pm Stephanie Kallos and members of the Seattle 7 at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park
11/20 – 7pm: Timothy Egan at Elliott Bay Books in Seattle

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of My Bookstore will be donated by the publisher to the American Book Association’s (ABA) bookseller education program/Winter Institute Scholarship Fund and to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE).

Books about Books and Books about Bookstores

Ever wonder what your favorite authors (and other notables) love to read?  What about where they read?  Well, wonder no more.  Two new books are here to tell all!

My Ideal Bookshelf, by Jane Mount and Thessaly La Force

The books that we choose to keep --let alone read-- can say a lot about who we are and how we see ourselves. In MY IDEAL BOOKSHELF, dozens of leading cultural figures share the books that matter to them most; books that define their dreams and ambitions and in many cases helped them find their way in the world. Contributors include Malcolm Gladwell, Thomas Keller, Michael Chabon, Alice Waters, James Patterson, Maira Kalman, Judd Apatow, Chuck Klosterman, Miranda July, Alex Ross, Nancy Pearl, David Chang, Patti Smith, Jennifer Egan, and Dave Eggers, among many others. With colorful and endearingly hand-rendered images of book spines by Jane Mount, and first-person commentary from all the contributors, this is a perfect gift for avid readers, writers, and all who have known the influence of a great book.

My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop, by Ronald Rice

In this enthusiastic, heartfelt, and sometimes humorous ode to bookshops and booksellers, 84 known authors pay tribute to the brick-and-mortar stores they love and often call their second homes. In My Bookstore our greatest authors write about the pleasure, guidance, and support that their favorite bookstores and booksellers have given them over the years. The relationship between a writer and his or her local store and staff can last for years or even decades. Often it's the author's local store that supported him during the early days of his career, that continues to introduce and hand-sell her work to new readers, and that serves as the anchor for the community in which he lives and works. My Bookstore collects the essays, stories, odes and words of gratitude and praise for stores across the country in 81 pieces written by our most beloved authors. It's a joyful, industry-wide celebration of our bricks-and-mortar stores and a clarion call to readers everywhere at a time when the value and importance of these stores should be shouted from the rooftops.

And check out the details of our awesome My Bookstore Lit Crawl Event featuring local authors and local indies!

Cookbooks! International Edition

The Chef at work

Something about the fall really has the publishers churning out the cookbooks.  Must be the Holiday cooking season on their minds.  Here at Third Place Books, we are lucky enough to have Emily, a bookseller devoted to all things food!  She's always trying new recipes and often sharing the delicious results. She has kindly offered some of her insights on this season's hot new cookbooks, including some of the recipes she's tried.  Because there are so many cookbooks out right now, this will be the first in a 3 part series.

Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolengh and Sami Tamimi

From the author of Plenty (which has sold steadily here since it arrived in March 2011) comes another beautiful book, this time written with his friend and fellow chef Sami Tamimi. Together, they explore the cuisine of their home city and the wide variety of cultures and cuisines that have come together there. Each recipe is preceded by a vibrant description of its origins and variations. I made the basmati and wild rice with currants and herbs - wow! Delicious and satisfying - a bit nutty, a little sweet, a little spicy. A few fried onions add an enormous amount of flavor to the dish, and I was content to eat a big bowl of it, unaccompanied, for dinner.

Emily's Basmati & Wild Rice with Currants & Herbs

Burma : Rivers of Flavor, by Naomi Duguid

The clearly written, approachable recipes aren't too intimidating but are interesting enough for the experienced cook looking to expand his or her horizons. Having a few specific pantry items from the first chapter on hand makes many of the recipes quick weeknight dinner options. I plan to try many more of the recipes - this cookbook is a keeper!  

Here is an expanded review from Emily's Blog...it all looks so delicious!

Emily's Green Mango Salad

So if you have any questions on what to cook, or what to buy that foodie on your Holiday list, come down and find Emily, she's got all the food answers!
Stay tuned for our next edition...Baking!