Back from NYC

I'm back from a short trip to New York City where there is no shortage of tourists who are so overwhelmed by the lights and spectacle that they stand there in the middle of the sidewalk blocking all passage of other less-stunned tourists (like myself). Anyway, I'm glad to be home. Here are a few short items that should be mentioned in this blog.

An interesting piece about the California stretch of Route 66 in the L.A. Times. Looks like the state is finally getting around to giving some long-needed love to the Mother Road. Here's a quote from Route 66 scholar, Michael Wallis featured in the story: "Route 66 is Steinbeck and Will Rogers and Woody Guthrie and Merle Haggard and Dorothea Lange and Mickey Mantle and Jack Kerouac. It's thousands of waitresses, service station attendants, fry cooks, truckers, grease monkeys, hustlers, state cops, wrecker drivers and motel clerks. . . . It's yesterday, today and tomorrow. Truly a road of phantoms and dreams, 66 is the romance of traveling the open highway." Very true. If you're interested in Route 66, Wallis' book "Route 66: The Mother Road" is one of the best around about the lore and legend of the road. It was definitely an inspiration to me when I was writing THE LEISURE SEEKER.

THE LOST TIKI PALACES OF DETROIT got a mention in Angela's Eye, a local style blog. (It's always good to be "rad.") Not long ago, she also did a photo feature on my friend Pam McLenon's very cool homestyle store in Royal Oak, SCOUT where they happen to sell LTPOD.

And finally, Lansing's City Pulse had an article about the Michigan Notable books of 2010. I'm really thrilled at how many people are finding out about TIKI PALACES because of that list. Many thanks to Rhoda Wolff for her kind words about the book. Thrilled to be in that company.