Tonight was the first official meeting of the Blogger Book Club of Charlotte.  Eleven ladies (bloggers + readers, too!) attended the meeting.  Our first order of business: deciding that we’re going to be a ‘less serious’ kind of book club – no by-laws or anything like that.   Wine and cupcakes are okay, though!

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Our meeting was held at the always awesome FABO Café.

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Oh, how book clubs have changed – several people offered suggestions for our first book, and then Michelle read the synopsis for each off of the Nook.  

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We passionately debated our choices!

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And finally, by a flip of the coin, we decided that our first book will be “A Friend of the Family” by Lauren Grodstein.

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From Amazon: “As the book opens, Peter Dizinoff, a successful New Jersey doctor, is struggling to adjust to the aftermath of his actions as the foundation of his personal and professional life crack beneath his feet. At the center of his troubles is his beloved son Alec, who deflates his father’s high expectations when he drops out of college after just three semesters and moves into the apartment above their garage. And when his son begins seeing Laura, the troubled daughter of Peter’s best friend who is ten years older than Alec and lives in the tainted shadow of being acquitted for an unspeakable crime when she was 17, Alec’s ambivalence to his father’s hopes in living a good life turn into a simmering rage. Dizinoff, a man with a clear definition of right and wrong, flips back and forth in time as he narrates the history of events that build their way to a layered, emotionally wrenching climax.”

 

Sounds GOOD, right?  Have you read it?

 

In addition to booking, we celebrate Kate’s birthday with cupcakes!  Happy Birthday, Kate!

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How delicious do these look?  I had the vanilla with chocolate icing.  Yum.

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Came home and ate more frozen pizza… So lazy with cooking lately.  Sorry, kids! I’ll be back on the cooking bandwagon soon.

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Going to go round up a salad or something to finish off dinner.

 

Let’s see – I took the afternoon off from blogging because we were busy meeting with more mortgage agents.  We took your advice and met with more agents to discuss our options, and I think we found someone who can work with us.  Yay!  Which, you know, prompted a house-hunters style drive-by of a little place I’ve been watching on Zillow for months.  It’s just as cute in person!

 

Do you peek through windows of for-sale houses? 

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I do.  I have no shame!

{ 80 comments }

 

  • Parita May 4, 2011, 8:44 pm

    Love the idea of a blogger book club. I haven’t read that book yet but it sounds awesome!

  • Melanie @ Trial By Trail May 4, 2011, 8:45 pm

    Oh yay! So glad you’re continuing to persue buying a house! I’m excited to see all the ones you look at. 🙂

  • Stacy @ Every Little Thing May 4, 2011, 8:46 pm

    A blogger book club sounds neat! We tried a virtual book club with a small community of girls that I’m in but we’re all so busy, it didn’t work. I need to pick up my half-read books more often!

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg May 4, 2011, 8:46 pm

    Actually I don’t think I have peeked in for-sale houses — people might be inside!

    That book sounds relaly interesting! I’d love to join a book club.

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife May 4, 2011, 8:48 pm

    I LOVE book club-and attend/host every month 🙂 SOunds like a great read, for sure!

  • Jackie @ Baking Charms May 4, 2011, 8:48 pm

    Love those shoes! I’m debating about getting a Nook… Michelle’s looks awesome 🙂

  • Cait @ Beyond Bananas May 4, 2011, 8:51 pm

    Love the book club idea.. especially the no “by law” part! It is a great way to keep motivated to read!

  • Kacy May 4, 2011, 8:53 pm

    I do too! Especially really big cool houses – and I’m not even in the market for a house!

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey May 4, 2011, 8:59 pm

    I love how up front you are about some things – like peeking through houses! 🙂 You’re hilarious.

    I love the idea of a book club – and that book sounds insanely good. I just finished a lot of good books: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was one, and The Kitchen House was another!

  • Paige @Running Around Normal May 4, 2011, 9:03 pm

    I love the idea of the blogger book club! Wish we had a fun one here 🙂

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) May 4, 2011, 9:09 pm

    I think it’s great you found someone that will work with you! Good luck on the search! The book club sounds like tons of fun! Have a great night Caitlin!

  • Baking 'n' Books May 4, 2011, 9:10 pm

    I’d love to have a book club. That book sounds interesting. How long do you have to read it until your next meeting? Do you have a Nook?

    DON’T apologize for frozen pizza! You can show those pictures every night and I have no problem with it 🙂

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 9:03 am

      I have a Kindle, the black and white kind. 🙂 It’s fun! We have a month to read it.

  • Mary May 4, 2011, 9:11 pm

    Since you’re on a frozen pizza kick…I just bought one from TJ’s that was labeled “new”, but I’m in New Jersey so maybe it isn’t new down there for you guys. Roasted Vegetable with red pepper, artichokes, and caramalized onions instead of red sauce. It was so good! And cheese-less too!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 9:02 am

      oh that sounds good… i will look for it!

  • Karlee @olivewineandfood May 4, 2011, 9:11 pm

    eeee i love house hunting! good luck : ) and i’ve been looking for a new book to read on my kindle, i just don’t want to spend more than $5 on it, i’m so cheap!

  • Julie @ Lettuce Choose Healthy May 4, 2011, 9:13 pm

    how fun! It’s so funny how you dont actually need the own the actual book anymore..

  • Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out May 4, 2011, 9:24 pm

    Aww, yay! I hope you can get approved. I think I sent you a Tweet – I got approved after being turned down. And by a MAJOR mortgage company. So keep at it! You may have to jump through more hoops, I know I did. You deserve to own your own home!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 9:01 am

      That makes me feel better about our chances!

  • Amanda May 4, 2011, 9:28 pm

    So glad you might have found someone to help you! My fiancee was all about being a creeper and looking into windows and sometimes even going into the backyard (we looked at a lot of foreclosures). I stayed in the car…you’ve got a wimp here.

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 9:00 am

      Did you end up buying a foreclosure? Thoughts?

      • Amanda May 5, 2011, 9:14 am

        We didn’t. We looked at A LOT of them though. Most of the foreclosures in the DC area were in really bad shape (missing appliances, holes in the ceilings, bugs, etc.). They were within our budget, but our lifestyle just didn’t fit for an entire home makeover project at the time. We ended up buying the exact opposite actually…a brand new 1 bedroom condo (for a million other positive reasons). I blogged about my whole home-buying experience, if you’re interested: Here is the last link, and the first three are at the bottom http://www.eatsloveandhappiness.com/2010/12/part-4-of-our-home-buying-experience.html.

  • Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) May 4, 2011, 9:31 pm

    Sounds like a great book! Need to add it to the list fo sho.

  • Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg May 4, 2011, 9:36 pm

    I read that book over Christmas. It was good…but a little confusing in terms of narrative structure…and the ending kind of threw me for a loop. I’ll be interested to see what you think of it!

  • Johanna May 4, 2011, 9:47 pm

    I was just stalking a house tonight but just went online and it’s waaay out of our price range, still fun though!

  • Christine May 4, 2011, 9:49 pm

    Yay for book clubs! Our meets during happy hour- there’s much more imbibing than discussing, but it’s fun!

  • Susan May 4, 2011, 9:51 pm

    I’m glad you went ahead and explored more options! The BF & I totally peeked in windows and went in backyards, but only if the house was empty.

  • Carrie May 4, 2011, 9:58 pm

    I am in a book club too! I love getting together once a month with the ladies to discuss the book and have a glass of wine! You will enjoy it!

  • Sierra May 4, 2011, 9:58 pm

    PLEASE tell me what pizza that is? It looks heavenly!!!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:59 am

      Freshetta? I think.

  • Cindi May 4, 2011, 10:07 pm

    Yay! That book looks great – well done ladies!

    I definitely peek through windows. I hope you find something perfect for you guys – even though I secretly hope it’s down by me. 🙂

  • Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me May 4, 2011, 10:45 pm

    That book sounds great! I love book clubs!

    I definitely peek into windows. Why not? It’s for sale so that opens it up to peeping…as long as they’re not home. Awkward!

  • Christine May 4, 2011, 10:47 pm

    That sounds like so much fun – I’ve always wanted to join a book club. And one that serves wine and cupcakes would be great!:)

  • Carolyn May 4, 2011, 11:25 pm

    This book sounds amazing, just added it to my “must read” list (which won’t really be tackled until after I graduate in 2 weeks). Such a cute idea to have a book club! I’m planning on moving out of state after graduation, and would definitely love to find a book club as an easy way to make friends!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:58 am

      Happy graduation, Carolyn!

  • Michelle (your girlfriend for fitness) May 4, 2011, 11:37 pm

    I just started reading Water for Elephants for my book club. I will have to suggest cupcakes for our next meeting because those looked too delicious… you can NEVER go wrong with cupcakes 🙂 Good luck with the house hunt, I’ve always loved looking up houses online… even when I’m not planning to move.

  • Bec May 4, 2011, 11:44 pm

    my parents house is currently for sale and its really awkward when I catch people peeking through the windows when I am home!

  • Amber from Girl with the Red Hair May 5, 2011, 12:33 am

    When we were house hunting my mom went and looked at a few with us and she let herself into the BACKYARD of a house we were looking at (the owners obviously weren’t home). I was MORTIFIED! I refused to peek in the windows at other houses but my mom was all over it 😛

  • Khushboo May 5, 2011, 1:15 am

    Cute shoes! I love the sound of blogger book group. I remember my mom used to be in one but they had all kinda rigid rules- it made me wonder why anyone would join it out of choice!!

  • Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet May 5, 2011, 1:19 am

    I would love to join a blogger book club! But I couldn’t even understand the synopsis of that book. So many plot twists…

    Haha, it seems like there’s birthday among your friends at least once a week. Perfect excuse for cupcakes and parties!

  • Astrid May 5, 2011, 3:54 am

    Book clubs are awesome! I just had mine yesterday again . I started it 2.5 years ago when I moved to a new cities, via online ads 🙂 We are just a bunch of fun girls between the ages of 25 and 45. Each month, one of us proposes 3 or 4 titles and we make an online poll to vote for the book to be read. We are not that serious either. And because you talk about so much personal stuff, due to the topics in the books, you get to know each other so well in a very short time. Now, we meet up in a neighbourhood bar and the talk is not always about the books we read (mostly not actually, haha). We have naturally evolved into a group of close friends 🙂 Enjoy your book club!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:58 am

      That is really cute 🙂 Love it.

  • Elena @ GagaForGrapefruit May 5, 2011, 4:12 am

    ahh that book sounds so good! i think i’m going to add it to my ‘to-read’ list for the summer! hope you enjoy it!

  • Jumanah @ Healthy Living in the Middle East May 5, 2011, 4:53 am

    Such a fun idea to be part of a blogger book club! Cant wait to hear your reviews about that book! Sounds very interesting!

  • Christine @ Burning It Off May 5, 2011, 6:21 am

    I’ve never heard of that book/author before, is it new? Sounds like a good, dramatic story.

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:55 am

      I think she has one other book!

  • Kristin @ Wounded Fawn May 5, 2011, 6:58 am

    I would love to be a part of a blogger book club in Philly! Now I just have to make one!

  • Katie G. May 5, 2011, 7:35 am

    So jealous of your blogger book club! Looks like a fun time! Looking forward to the reviews!

  • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 7:42 am

    This looks like so much fun. A couple of us have a Book club online through our blogs and it’s alot fun! I wish that i lived closer to these girls so we could actually meet one a week so discuss but for now it’s just online. I love books and book clubs- nerd alert! 🙂

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin May 5, 2011, 7:45 am

    I’ve always wanted to be part of a book club. It looks like fun! Especially when they involve wine and cupcakes. 😀

  • Running Mama May 5, 2011, 8:33 am

    A blogger’s book club AND cupcakes….3 of my fav’s packed in one. I SO wish I could come. 🙁
    Love the shoes btw.

    runningtobeskinny.com

  • Beth @ 990 Square May 5, 2011, 8:37 am

    This may sound like a stupid question, but where did you find brokers? Online? Through recommendations? I sort of want to talk to one to see if my husband and I have any options for moving and renting our existing home without having a huge downpayment…But when we bought our last house, we worked directly with the builder. So I’m at a loss!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:55 am

      We went to two brokers cold and then we went to a smaller one that someone else had recommended. I would seek out recommendations!

      • Beth @ 990 Square May 5, 2011, 9:31 am

        Thanks Caitlin!

      • Jenifer May 5, 2011, 9:59 pm

        YAY!!! Glad to know that the smaller guys are working with you!! Hope you did a big old happy dance in them killer shoes!

  • Melissa May 5, 2011, 8:47 am

    I wish I had a book club. *sigh* Hmmm…HTP blogger book club???
    I recently read The Help and really enjoyed it.

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 8:54 am

      Read along with us if you want! I’ll post our thoughts after our next meeting, which will be at the beginning of June.

  • Sara @ OurDogBuffy May 5, 2011, 8:53 am

    Glad the meeting went well. Love the shoes–the cupcakes look fabulous! The other day I didn’t feel like cooking but I didn’t want us to spend $ going out so we popped in a frozen pizza. No shame here! I figure it’s better than going out + we had big heaps of veggies on the side 😉

  • Amy May 5, 2011, 9:18 am

    I think I just invited myself to be a virtual member of your club. 🙂

    I hope you will continue to post what books your reading, so you know, I can read them too!

    • CaitlinHTP May 5, 2011, 9:38 am

      Will do!

      • E May 5, 2011, 11:20 am

        Thanks! I was going to suggest us being virtual members, too 🙂

  • Stace May 5, 2011, 9:49 am

    I just did the drive buy house hunting this past weekend and we did look into the windows of one we really loved! We are not in the serious market yet but this was little house that was totally remodled and looking in the windows was what made me fall in love with it.

  • Melissa @ Be Not Simply Good May 5, 2011, 10:25 am

    Have fun! I love my book club!

    I would do a drive-by of a house, but I wouldn’t literally peek in the windows. Someone might be peeking back at me!

  • Janie May 5, 2011, 10:29 am

    omg, i am SO jealous you are in a book club. if you ever need book suggestions, let me know. i read a TON!!! 🙂 xo

  • Amber K May 5, 2011, 10:46 am

    I haven’t heard of the book, but I don’t really read novels. I love thrillers and mysteries or on the other end I love memoirs and other true stories. But I love that you pick into for-sale homes. I’m always too chicken to actually go up to the houses. But my husband and I drive by to see what they look like in person!

  • becca (bellebottoms) May 5, 2011, 11:38 am

    love the book club idea! and the addition of wine and cupcakes is ALWAYS ok by me!! You guys could be FAB! (food, alcohol and books!)

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 11:42 am

      FAB is a pretty sweet book club name 🙂

  • Erin @ The Grass Skirt May 5, 2011, 11:46 am

    It was great to meet you at our book club meeting last night! I am looking forward to the next one. 🙂 I like the idea of FAB as a name…or we could call it FABO (in honor of the location) and it could stand for food, alcohol, books, and…oatmeal?

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 11:47 am

      hahah it was great to meet you too.. you are hysterical!

  • Kiran @ KiranTarun.com May 5, 2011, 1:19 pm

    We drove by so many “for sale” homes before making the huge decision. I think it’s great to check out every possibilities out there. No harm in trying 🙂

  • Hating ED May 5, 2011, 1:44 pm

    That book club sounds like a great idea! I also haven’t been in a cooking mood…. I’ve been ordering in or doing the frozen veggie burger thing waaaay too much!

  • Cindy May 5, 2011, 4:46 pm

    How did the book club get started? I would love to have something like that here so I can meet new people here in Glasgow.

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 6:02 pm

      A few people just thought of the idea and everyone invited one person!

  • Emma (Namaste Everyday) May 5, 2011, 5:46 pm

    book clubs are so fun! I can’t wait until I join one!

  • Mallory May 5, 2011, 6:28 pm

    Any chance you all would accept one more in your book club? 🙂 I recently moved to Charlotte, and would love to join you guys.

  • chrissy May 6, 2011, 3:38 pm

    are those Steve madden shoes from a few years ago? I had the same exact pair. Sadly, the streets of NYC wore them down to being unwearable, RIP Leopard peep toes.

    • Caitlin May 6, 2011, 9:32 pm

      hahah they are target imitations and they rule!

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