Picking up The Hampton & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook thread from the previous Look Book Part 1 post...
Let’s see – we had just ended a magical, delicious,
Homegrown event at the Hayground School for the Great Chefs Dinner.
East Hamptons
Authors Night
Next up was the annual East Hampton Authors Night – also a
benefit – for the East Hampton Library.
The event is the brainchild of actor, thought-leader and philanthropist,
Alec Baldwin, and his Founding Co-Chair Barbara Goldsmith.
Authors Night for those of you who haven’t attended, is held
under the tent at Gardiner Farm and there are hundreds of famous, illustrious
authors, writers, celebrities and literary lions who come out to meet and greet
the authors.
It’s an intimate one-one-one affair, and at the same time,
can feel a bit like a pep rally before the big game because there is a
determined frisson in the air -- with all guests and attendees tucked into a
place and fueled with anticipation and one goal:
Buy as many books as you can and get them autographed while
posing for photos.
As the evening progresses and the audience size swells and
the humidity rises and the refreshments are flowing – there is an undeniable
crescendo.
I rather melt at that point but my enthusiasm and joy buoy
my diminishing look.
My publisher graciously provides two or three cases of books
for the benefit.
We sold out of all the books within the first hour or
so.
Sooo thrilling! I am
so proud.
Thank you to all the Hamptons & Long Island fans who made this
happen for the East Hampton Library.
This gave me the chance to walk around a bit and capture
some of the surrounding star power – right next to me that I hadn’t notices
because I was working so focused on signing my Homegrown books.
Plus, this year, I had the great honor to host both Toni
Sabatino and Chef Bryan Futerman as my plus+ones at the Authors Night – and
later for the Hamptons Magazine event – so I had Homegrown support.
My Homegrown blog post from the Authors Night details my
astonishment at finding that Gwyneth Paltrow was in my “table tribe.”
I was especially over the moon when I sat down next to her
as she was racing and working hard to sign books for all her fans, and as we
exchanged greetings, she learned I was the author of The Hamptons & Long Island
Homegrown Cookbook to say,
“That’s YOUR book?
I LOVE your book”….
And the Homegrown love went on from there...
Padma Lakshmi was to have been my tablemate at the East
Hampton Library benefit but only her books were there – we didn’t get to meet
the star of Top Chef till later at the Hamptons Magazine Authors dinner
celebration.
Alec Baldwin and his gorgeous wife, Hilaria – who at that
moment was über-pregnant and oh-so-adorable -
spent time with Gwyneth and her children.
And then Hilaria and I chatted.
FYI, I have been a member and student of Hilaria’s Yoga Vida
studio http://yogavida.com around the corner from our apartment before I even
knew they were dating…
She’s a doll.
Hilaria Favorited my Twitter post too.
Hamptons Magazine
Authors Party
After meeting so many fans, authors and celebs, it was time
to head to THE event of the summer and the premiere dinner party in the
constellation of author parties that follow the East Hampton Library Authors
Night.
Me, Toni Sabatino, and Chef Bryan Futerman -- my Homegrown Plus+One Guests, headed to Michael Braverman’s home: host
to the Hamptons Magazine party.
Braverman wrote a feature story in Hamptons Magazine about
the featured authors and his party gala and its debut marked the event.
http://hamptons-magazine.com/galleries/hamptons-magazine-celebrates-cover-star-padma-lakshmi-at-east
Dinner was held under a big tent at the far end of the pool
area. The twinkling lights beckoned, there were maybe a dozen tables all accessorized
with fresh floral designs.
All evening the “Water of the Hamptons” was poured
-- otherwise known as Rosé wines provided by Château D’Esclans. http://esclans.com
Our tablemate was Paul Chevalier, the vineyards’ National
Fine Wine Director.
At Paul’s invitation, I have since attended his Wine
Seminar: “The Rosé Lifestyle of St. Tropez” at the
recent Food & Wine Festival in NYC.
After the catered meal and before a delicious dessert, each
of the featured authors were asked to stand as their profile and the thumbnail
of their book was read to the guests.
 |
| The magnificent Debra Halpert, Publisher, Hamptons Magazine |
Debra Halpert, the very elegant, classy, kind, and
cosmopolitan Publisher of Hampton’s Magazine read my bio as I stood before the
dinner guests.
It was an out of body experience, as you might imagine.
It remains a remarkable honor…
I am eternally grateful for this moment.
Later, the authors were asked to retreat to Michael’s
library for photos.
http://hamptons-magazine.com/galleries/hamptons-magazine-celebrates-cover-star-padma-lakshmi-at-east
This was followed by
more Hamptons-in-the-summer bonhomie with all the guests eventually joining us
before it was time for the glass slipper to come off…
(See detail news of the event here:)
The Homegrown App
I always knew there’d be a kind of App for the Homegrown
Cookbook.
I didn’t know what it would be or how it would work. But I
knew.
I was taking video of the chefs and growers during my
interviews and the photo shoots in anticipation of the App.
As I wrote in Homegrown “Look Book” Part 1, I was first
approached by the App developer at the Cook Book Conference.
We first met in July, at the too precious, Buvette Restaurant
in the West Village where you feel like you’ve stepped into a Paris café, complete
with garden!
Here we talked about the Homegrown look, the content – to embrace
the gardens and the food and recipes; the recipe steps…
It was all so interesting – fascinating, really – and I
learned a lot.
It was a fortuitous start.
We touched base again in the fall, after my publisher’s new
CEO started the conversation to approval and "Yes."
Rizzoli Bookstore
Feature
Thank goodness, Chef Guy Reuge alerted me to a jewel of a
Homegrown high point: that Rizzoli Bookstore was featuring the Hamptons &
Long Island Homegrown Cookbook as a Rizzoli Recommendation.
This I had to see.
After I dropped off Chef Eric’s Homegrown Cookbook at Le Bernardin, I
made my way to 57th Street to see this overwhelming and humbling
turn of events.
It’s hilarious that I was so thrilled to see the Homegrown
Cookbook sitting pretty on an end cap bookshelf that I just about missed the
main attraction!
But there it was, cozying up to the likes of Bobby Flay and
other famous “faces.”
If I wasn’t propped up against the opposite wall’s books, I
think I would’ve fainted dead away with joy and pride.
This “Rizzoli Rhapsody” was on top of a book signing I’d
done there previously with the help of a featured Homegrown Chef: Joe
Isidori. (I’ve just learned that Chef
Joe is opening a new restaurant next month in SoHo! I will visit with Chef Joe for coffee next
week and report back!)
These Rizzoli moments are even more dramatic given that just
last month it was announced that the building where Rizzoli is located might be
demolished!!
This is too gruesome to comprehend.
The Paris Review wrote: "It’s the sort of place that inspires breathless exaltation in book
lovers, or even merely book likers; if you were to publish a magazine of
bookseller porn, Rizzoli would be the centerfold. Put more baldly, it’s
magical."
I
couldn’t agree more.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Rizzoli, David Hager |
On
Rizzoli’s Facebook page I wrote:
The Hamptons
& Long Island Homegrown Cookbook The Hamptons
& Long Island Homegrown Cookbook hugs for having featured me and
my Cookbook for a Rizzoli
Bookstore book signing. Thank you for allowing me & one of the
chefs featured in the book, chef Joe Isidori to accompany me. Chef Joe provided the tasty food treats that
night. It was an extraordinary honor and a high point in my life - as it is for
any author… And thank you for featuring the book this summer as a Rizzoli
Recommendation. More Homegrown love… Rizzoli is the epitome of book &
literary culture. Rizzoli must endure.
 |
| Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook poster next to door on left |
Please join me and sign
the petition to save Rizzoli Bookstore.
Designate the building as Landmark
in order to preserve this mecca of all things literary and beautiful:
The Library
On a happier note, it was an impossibly beautiful Indian
Summer day in early September for Sachem Library’s first-ever Author Book
Fair.
The Sachem Library has a very well designed and tended
garden – an idyllic spot to enjoy both garden art and literary art.
It was a smooth as silk day and everyone was in good
spirits, happy to be surrounded by so much beauty.
I was positioned at the entrance to the garden and I was so
happy to share my Homegrown stories and sign books.
I noted that here, so many teens were edible
and homegrown fans!
During this time, I also learned that the Homegrown Cookbook
was made available to the library systems that buy it and make it available as
an E-Book, in addition to the print copies of the book.
And I also learned that the Homegrown Cookbook was selling
as an E-Book on its Nook via Barnes & Noble!
Life's a Beach, Parties, Giveaway
Contests, and Holiday Gift Guides and Eating Green
Cruising through Autumn and teeing up for the Homegrown
Holidays were lots of articles and newsletters and blogs and then we arranged a
Homegrown book giveaway with Long Island’s Macaroni Kid, which was great
fun. I loved working with Ellen and was giggly hearing how happy the foodie
winner of the Homegrown Cookbook was to receive her signed copy.
It was a high point to attend the launch of Edible Magazine’s
newest jewel in their Edible crown: Edible Long Island www.ediblelongisland.com
The launch party was held, accordingly, at Chef Tom
Schaudel’s Jewel restaurant (http://www.jewelrestaurantli.com/index.php)
The refrain from “At Last” might’ve been heard lilting
through the many tiers of Jewel’s lofty, airy, restaurant spaces.
The time for Edible Long Island had indeed arrived;
at long last.
And judging by the huge crowd in attendance, it promised to
be a spectacular party, marked by pride of place. Edible put the count at
nearly 400.
I got to visit with Long Island Farmer's Market Bernadette Martin and What's Cooking Smithtown, Nancy Vallarella.
I hope it’s obvious that I couldn’t agree more with the
celebration of Long Island Food & Drink.
A big Homegrown Thank You to editor Betsy Davidson and her
team for allowing me and my Farmigo friends a corner table to share my Homegrown Cookbook stories and
food adventures.
All the chefs, growers, fishermen, brewers, and artisanal
food makers at the event presented exciting and delicious offerings.
I was so very happy to see our host and featured Homegrown
Cookbook chef, Tom Schaudel.
His oysters were scandalously good! I had more than a few…
And of course, Mirabelle’s Chef Guy Reuge, another favorite
chef from the Homegrown Cookbook, along with his gorgeous wife, Maria, served
up exquisite fare: Long Island Duck confit.
There was also Long Island Spirits – my favorite vodka for my evening
martini.
I missed meeting Deb from Sweet’tauk Lemonade (http://www.sweettauk.com)
But shortly thereafter I was introduced by way of my dear,
Homegrown foodie friend, Laura Luciano, blogger at OutEastFoodie (www.outeastfoodie.com)
Laura thought the Homegrown Cookbook would be perfect for
Sweet’tauk’s Holiday pop up shop and so faster than you can say Homegrown Long
Island, we got some books to Deb and were in business.
Homegrown love for sure… Thank you, ladies.
Then, Edible East End Magazine included The Hamptons
& Long Island Homegrown Cookbook as part of their Holiday Gift
Guide.
The connection here runs deep.
Brian Halweil, Edible’s editor and co-publisher wrote the
Foreword for The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook and Lindsay
Morris, Edible’s photographer extraordinaire was also a photographer for the
Homegrown Cookbook.
Thank you, Brian and Lindsay. Can't say it enough.
And thank you for including The Hamptons & Long Island
Homegrown Cookbook in the Edible Holiday Gift Guide
Beach Magazine chose The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook as one of the top cookbooks of 2013.
As an author, there I was, "sandwiched" between Ricky Lauren and Katie Lee - and in the company of Ina Garten…
Right after Christmas, I had the opportunity to connect with
Bhavani Jaroff, Long Island’s natural foods chef, educator, food activist, and
radio host.
This iEatGreen’s initial news about the interview:
We talked for I think an hour about Homegrown food and
edible gardens and eating local, fresh food.
Here is the link to the interview:
Thank you Bhavani.
Keep it green…
I had almost forgotten about WellWed Hamptons Magazine…
Egads.
And I didn’t even know about the Bridal Booty Homegrown
Giveaway until just now while I was looking for the link to the Gift Guide!
This is so cool. The editors of WellWed poised a Hamptons
& Long Island Homegrown Cookbook in a picnic basket – don’t you adore
picnics? – along with Fare Isle Herb de Provence Finishing Salt
See, it turns out it was a contest. In November.
I didn’t know.
I didn’t get to thank the editors, nor to congratulate and
sign the winning bride’s Homegrown Cookbook.
I will make amends on this toute-suite.
If you follow the above link, you will see the cute Contest
reads:
Happy Wedding Wednesday Brides & Grooms!
We're so delighted to be giving away the innovative Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook along with fabulous
Fare Isle Herb de Provence Finishing Salt!
This special
cookbook written by Leeann Lavin is a resource any bride would be lucky to have
in her possession. Not only will you find recipes that are to die for, but you
will also be enlightened about the local culinary masters who created them,
taking all the stress out of figuring out who will cater your very special day.
To the chefs in this book, locally sourced is not just a trend but rather a way
of life. All recipes are made with the freshest ingredients from local farms
and the end result is homegrown, delectable cuisine that also promotes
sustainability. To aid you with all the cooking you're going to be inspired to
do, we are also giving away Fare Isle's Herb de Provence Finishing Salt. Made
from fresh Nantucket grown herbs, this finishing salt will be the perfect
seasoning to delight your palate. Given the artful packaging, these little
bottles of herbs make for adorable wedding favors that guests will be sure to
love!
Don't miss
your chance to win this incredible cookbook and finishing salts!
For a chance
to win the cookbook & finishing salts "like" this post on WellWed
Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/wellwedmagazine?ref=ts) and message
us your email address. One lucky winner will be chosen at random and will be
notified via email within a week.
What was enchanting was to receive the
beautifully curated and written WellWed Hamptons Magazine. The very professional editorial team sent me
a copy with the page marked where the Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown
Cookbook is featured as a perfect wedding gift.
Sweet…
I love the size
of the magazine – it’s more of a square – and one you want to hold and
peruse. The photos and layout are
gorgeous. Very inspiring. Especially
when love is in the air.
Thank you for a
year filled with Homegrown Love.
It’s been a
thrilling, too-good-to-be true year – thank you for sharing the journey with
me. It’s truly an honor to share the stories of the Homegrown chefs and the
growers and artisanal food makers who inspire them.
Our reverence
for the land and sea that provides us the Homegrown ingredients is boundless.
And that
Homegrown should start off 2014 still selling half the volume online as it did
at its peak at the time of introduction and that I am ranked a “top” author in
the mid five digits - out of more than 8 million
Cheers.
You can
purchase The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook from local,
independent bookstores: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder
Online at Amazon:
Or Barnes & Noble: http://tiny.cc/pijhbw
Or from me…
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