And Now? Palm Desert...

What's funny is, we reserved our time share for the hot summer just so our kids could join us. But now that the kids have jobs, they can't go! It's going to be a working vacation for me anyway. I'm digging in to my new novel and intend to get a lot done poolside, under an umbrella with a cool drink. For fun, we're having dinner at a restaurant on the old Cary Grant estate--so we'll manage to get some tourist time in as well.
103 degrees, here we come.

Back from NYC

What a great trip! First we met up with my nephew Carl, his girlfriend Laura and our family friend Brian at the Gramercy Tavern. Then I joined my childhood friend Tanya Becker for a day at the theater and a late trip to the Empire State Building (my first time to see the view at night). The fabulous illustrator Julie Fortenberry and her family met us in Greenwich Village for a great Italian meal. Then there were visits to the Metropolitan Museum and my favorite Neue Gallery, with its gorgeous Viennese restaurant. I was in museum heaven.

As I do almost every year, I met with my trusty agent Marcia Wernick to catch up with what's going on. And last, but not least, I had the opportunity to meet with my new editor at Knopf, Joan Slattery, for the first time. She is a delight, and I feel lucky.

I'm so encouraged by the progress we're making on THE AVIARY. It'll be out in fall 2011 and will include some surprises in its design. It's gonna be a beautiful book!

To Random House I Go...

This weekend, I'm off to New York City where I'll hit the museums, see a show, meet up with old friends and touch base with my editor and agent. This will be my husband's first visit to Random House, and I'm sure he'll be as impressed as I was when I first saw the floor-to-ceiling bookcases full of venerable first editions in the foyer. I love New York. I consider myself lucky to have an excuse for an annual excursion. Until next week, farewell!