Did the groundhog see his shadow?

I know I keep harping on the weather, but Mom and I leave for our southern road trip in almost a week now and I want it to get a little warmer so we touristas are more comfortable wandering around. In my deluded brain I thought our trip might present the opportunity of dipping my feet into a pool, but I think I am jumping the gun just a bit. Sad, but we will have an awesome time nonetheless.

All flights, transportation and hotels are booked. Spots of interest are researched - there are a lot to choose from, but as long as I get a few good meals, see some ocean, experience a little Mardi Gras (don't expect me or Mom to come back with any beads, we are ladies) and have at least one mint julep, all will be well. Things I could probably live without but would really be super fun include the F. Scott Fitgerald house in Alabama (I'm a fan), Coca-Cola Headquarters (oh the kitch) and the Margaret Mitchell House (love me some Scarlett and Rhett). I think Mom found a place where we can ride horses on Hilton Head too!

I forgot that the Oscar's are on the 25th, the day I am getting back, so I've got to decide whether we should have people over or not. I had so much fun watching with my friends last year and definitely kicked some butt in the pool (if we do it again you guys are going down) so I hope we can work it out. DVR may have to come into play.

I don't think I've mentioned it previously, but I've been wanting to join a book club, and as luck would have it, I just joined 2! The first one meets this Sunday, and we've been reading a book called "Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky, and I highly recommend it. Though it was one of the first books written about World War II (particularly about the German occupation of France), it wasn't published until recently because it's author was arrested during the war and died in a concentration camp. Her children safeguarded the novel for many years. Nemirovsky had planned it to be a 5-part epic, but only 2 sections were completed, though there are notes on the other parts. I still have about 30 pages to go so I'll hold my comments until I finish.

The other book club already had it's first meeting so I'm joining in on the second book "Heat" by Bill Buford. I am psyched about that one (about his time in the kitchen of Mario Batali's Babbo) because I had been wanting to read it for a while. I love food, and though I am a little over the whole "celebrity chef" worship, I've had a few memorable meals at Batali restaurants (Babbo, Otto Enoteca, Esca).