My big 'R' - Reading

The assignment was simple enough. To coincide with our celebrating the 26th anniversary of The Philippine STAR, I would compile a list of my 26 favorite novels. But of course, being the kind of person who if asked to spell “cat,” would reply with f-e-l-i-n-e, and seek clarification, or make things complicated; I’ll cite 14 of my favorite “living” authors and their novel that got me “hooked” on them, and add 12 of the best novels I’ve come across over the last year — so that my list of 26 will also contain a contemporary “feel!”

So here we go:

Fourteen of my fave “living” authors, in no particular order, and the novel that did it for me:

1. Julian Barnes, Flaubert’s Parrot

2. Christopher Moore, Practical Demonkeeping

3. Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda

4. William Boyd, Stars and Bars

5. Patrick McGrath, The Grotesque

6. Kazuo Ishiguro, An Artist of the Floating World

7. Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker

8. Timothy Mo, An Insular Possession

9. Jonathan Coe, What a Carve Up!

10. Ian McEwan, The Comfort of Strangers

11. Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children

12. Mario Vargas Llosa, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter

Stella at Boni High Central, with its bright and airy ambiance... and rib eye steaks that had Luca smiling.

13. Haruki Murakami, A Wild Sheep Chase ... and of course,

14. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

And here are 12 novels from the past 12 months, that made me a happy insomniac:

15. The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles — Gatsby era, plucky social-climbing heroine.

16. Defending Jacob by William Landay — A legal thriller with grave implications for the family.

17. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline — This is part fantasy, part homage to video games.

18. Gold by Chris Cleave — It’s about the lives of cycling champions, perfect for the 2012 Olympics.

19. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson — Detective fiction, but with depth and humanity.

20. Bloodland by Alan Glynn — This is conspiracy in high places, paranoia supreme!

21. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach — A tragic-comic love story with sports backdrop.

22. The Vices by Lawrence Douglas — This is about revising one’s own history when reaching the top.

23. Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson — A labyrinthine murder mystery with an amnesiac.

24. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson — It highlights social mores and graces in modern England. Funny and touching.

25. The Legacy of Hartlepool Hall by Paul Torday — My, how the rich and mighty have fallen in hard times!

26.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern — In the most fantastic circus in the world, can love survive?

Eat’s impossible (to tell Luca not to order steak)

With no apologies to the famous ballad, taking my boys to eat out, is more often than not, the quest to find which eatery can satisfy my youngest’s carnivorous habit. While the older ones will be adventurous and order seafood, chicken or lamb entrees, there always has to be a good rib eye or fillet buried in the menu to make my Luca smile.

The Village Tavern at Boni High Central and its executive chef Mary Grace Viado-Howard, a.k.a. Luca’s Queen of Bernaise!

So with Boni High Central being one of the spots we hie to when we do our weekly meals, two restos have gotten Luca’s thumbs up. One is Stella, with Quintin and Matteo calling first dibs on the late night Rocket Room, when they’re “sans Pere.” I heartily recommend the French Bean fritti as the appetizer or siding to-die-for; while the boys proclaimed the bone marrow starter heaven-sent. I prudently avoided that one for fear my arteries would suddenly find voice and scream! And of course, the rib eye, grilled to medium-rare perfection is a Luca-given — as are the Stella pizzas.

And directly on top of Stella, there’s Village Tavern. Great Maryland crabcakes and the refreshing Asian tuna salad (center-cut ahi with snow peas, edamame, carrots and seasonal greens with sesame ginger dressing) are my starter tips. Can also recommend the spring rolls and pork quesadillas. Luca loved this one, as on the spot, executive chef Grace made him some Bernaise sauce to accompany his fillet steak, supplied by Rastelli’s Pureland black Angus beef. The super moist carrot cake is also a must. Happy eating!