Weekend Update: Book Expo Insanity, Part the First

The Expo had books. Lots and lots of 'em. It's been hard for me to continue with Review Santa Fe and road trip reports - other stuff just keeps happening! The past few days have been packed full of fun stuff. I am going shorthand for the update because it's all too much to talk about it depth. I am also going to break it up in chunks because... it's all too much. Let's just say this: I am one lucky woman, to live in such an amazing city and have such an interesting job and to meet so many awesome fascinating people all the time. The BEA, Book Expo America, was this weekend and there were scads of related events all around town. I took in as much as I possibly could, if you're interested in more than my sliver, plenty of other people are blogging about it too. New boots! Friday Festivities kicked off on Friday evening with a steamy dinner (not THAT kind of steamy, you dirty bird, the AC wasn't working) with Darius Himes, photo-eye Booklist editor and all around swell guy, here from NM for BEA stuff, Lesley Martin, from Aperture and fellow gallerist Michael Foley. Tapas and sangria are the perfect Summertime dinner; Cafe Noir is a convivial, affordable and delicious place to enjoy such things. After that we trotted around the corner to the DAP party at Visionaire Gallery where things were also awfully steamy. Then it was off to Brooklyn for a party co-hosted by powerHouse and Soft Skull (love Soft Skull. LOVE.) at the insanely huge and thumping Powerhouse Arena which was packed full of gyrating hipsters and writer types looking slightly awkward and trying to find something to lean on that was maybe not directly in front of a speaker. It made me feel old and hot, and not hot in a good way. I ended up spending most of the time sitting on the sidewalk across the way talking about blogs with Darius. I did stay long enough to catch up with Alys from Slideluck and my friend Colson who I hadn't seen in a few years. (Cole, I'm making good on that 10 year old dinner's on me commitment SOON, for real.) I also saw Matthew Sharpe out of the corner of my eye, but was forced to flee for air and clear-headedness before I had a chance to say hey. The highlight of the evening? Rocking my new boots that were acquired in Pagosa Springs, CO during the road trip. (Yes, there's more coming on the road trip, later this week.) Hipsters couldn't decide whether to laugh, sneer or covet. They are not subtle. I love them so. Other highlight: a hilarious cab ride where I was sandwiched between Darius and a guy name Trent... something, who is from Powell's where we discussed our plans to like, totally drop out man, and move to Mexico and learn to surf. I think that dude really gets me. Other, other highlight: Seeing Swan always brightens my day (or evening, as the case may be.) Go on to the next post for the Saturday update...