Books
In August, Minnesotans focus on the State Fair and back-to-school preparations. What is a traveler to do? Read. A Paris All Your Own: Bestselling Women Writers on the City of Light is a collection edited by Eleanor Brown, author of The Light of Paris. These essays are surprising takes on the city, writers’ lives, and the differences between traveling and vacationing.
Paula McLain wrote most of The Paris Wife in a Cleveland Starbucks. The novel’s details about Hadley Hemingway came from research. Only after its publication did McLain have her first revelatory trip to Paris. For Jennifer Coburn, it is the city where she bonded with her fourteen-year-old daughter, but not her beloved mother.
The late Susan Vreeland overcame layers of bureaucracy at the Louvre to view a painting that was central to her novel, Luncheon of the Boating Party. Meet new authors through great armchair travel.
Request these books any month of the year at your local library or bookstore.
—Maureen Millea Smith is a librarian at the Edina Library and a Minnesota Book Award-winning novelist.
Sips
The ABCs of a well-built wine start with a handful of important factors: acid, sugar, alcohol and tannin. In order to achieve greatness in the world of wine, all of these factors must simply live in harmony and complete balance. A great winemaker can sometimes achieve this balance on his or her own, but a smart winemaker will tell you that the secret to balance is at the hand of Mother Nature. Perfect weather elements coupled with the hands of a brilliant winemaker make great wine. One such wine that I absolutely adore is André Roux’s southern French Clos Cibonne Tibouren Rosé — fleshy peach skin, sun drenched apricot, tangelo flesh and mouthwatering Meyer lemon backed by eye opening acidity. A wine that dreams are made of.
Leslee Miller is a certified sommelier and owner of local wine consulting firm, Amusee; and
Sip Better Wine Club.
Pets
Amid the hustle and bustle of back to school preparations, it’s important not to forget your dog. Chances are the kids have been playing with him in the summer, meaning your dog was probably not lonely or bored. All of a sudden, your dog sees their family companions putting on a backpack and heading out the door without them! Or even worse off to college!
Here are some tips to prevent your dog from feeling anxious:
• Make sure before everyone leaves for the day that your dog goes for a morning walk to get some exercise.
• For several weeks before school starts, leave your dog home alone for slightly longer periods of time so he gets used to NOT being the center of attention.
• When it’s time to leave, don’t make a big fuss. Tell her that you will be back.
• Leave music or the T.V. on or some kind of calming and familiar noise.
• If possible, come home for lunch sometimes.
• Train the kids to ignore the dog for a few minutes when they get home to allow him to settle down and prevent jumping.
• When you arrive at home, calmly greet your dog and take him out if needed.
• Remember, your dog has been waiting for you all day and probably has a lot of pent-up energy. Schedule play time—a tired dog is generally a good dog. A bored dog equals destruction!
Ann Platt is owner of Pets Are Inn, an award winning pet lodging business in Edina.
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From the August 2018 Edina Magazine issue
