strolling the stacks

Last night Beautiful and I went to the bookstore just to get out after putting the boys down. That is a huge benefit to living with others that we are lucky to take advantage of. We wandered isles and talked about covers making a slow meandering track through the colored rooms and multiple levels of Powell's. It was a wonderful treat that would have been made only slightly better by having any money to buy books. I say slightly better because the joy of wandering the book store, and especially Powell's is a real treat for Beautiful and I. We have that in common, that love of books and the conversations that this book or that one will bring up. There was a section of books in the lower room that had a connection with Northwest in some way and in that section was a book that I knew Beautiful would love. I pointed it out and she gave a passing glance and said "yeah nice." But she wasn't looking, if she were really looking, if she really saw the book she would take it from me and start to covet. The book was the one above, a cookbook from Mother's Bistro in Old Town Portland. This is Beautiful's favorite place to eat, where she takes visting friends to convince them to move here. The restaurant is her to a T from the decoration to the menu and the book I held in my hands was that entire experience with a sturdy binding. She finally saw, and snatched the book from my hand. She fingered through the toille pages and hearty comfort food recipes and she loved that book. We put it back on the shelf and continued our stroll talking about birthday presents and putting money aside for books. A cheap date, but I think we both had a great time.

P.S. If anyone needs an idea for a gift for Beautiful Click on the picture above.