In addition to the soft and pale sandy beaches, the repetitive sound of waves crashing, consistent sunshine, exotic bird and monkey viewing sessions and ninety minute massages, there was another luxury I took full advantage of while living in honeymoon-land with my new husband in Costa Rica: time.

Ahhhh, time. It’s something we never have enough of. Something I always wish there was more of. Something I’m constantly trying to fit stuff into.

But in honeymoon-land, there’s nothing but time. Should I lay on a beach for hours doing nothing but dipping fancy yucca chips into guacamole? Sure! Should we order cocktails now or later? How about both!

Honeymoon-land is an amazing place. A make believe land where I have no responsibilities and so much spare time that I can read four books in the span of one week. I love honeymoon-land. Can we go back?

Aside from booking a one-way ticket to Costa Rica, my best option is to just pick up another book. But before I do that, I’ll share what I loved reading on vacation.
As I buried my face in this book, I simply said, “amazing cheese,” when Jay asked what I was reading about. The Telling Room by Michael Paterniti was simply riveting. Paterniti beautifully weaves his own tale of discovery into the story of a Spanish man who loved and lost his family cheese twice. When I wasn’t racing through the pages and telling Jay about the latest in the story, I was wondering about the tins of cheese, the resilient family and a broken friendship. Be prepared for what will seem like excessive footnotes in the beginning of the book. They’ll soon turn into the part you look forward to most when you turn the pages. Luke Barr writes about the summer of 1970 when renowned foodies such as Julie Child, James Beard and Barr’s own great-aunt, M.F.K. Fisher spent time together cooking, eating and drinking in Provence. Although I didn’t fall into this world as intensely as Paterniti’s, Provence left me wanting to know more about the original American food connoisseurs.Deborah Niemann presents a totally non-intimidating guide to gardening, raising poultry, fiber animals and more in homegrown & handmade. This book gives a basic overview of several ways to live a more self-sufficient life. Niemann shares her expertise along with her mistakes and is a terrific beginner book for anyone interested in urban farming/homesteading. Add alpacas and sheep to the list of livestock I’m dreaming of.
And finally, The Sweet Life in Paris is an absolutely hilarious account of the life of cook and author David Lebovitz in France. He manages to describe the quirky customs and behavior of the Parisian with brutal honestly but obvious admiration. His stories of overcoming rude sales clerks, a language barrier and an overall disdain for his home country had me laughing out loud and marveling at the absurdity behavior of both the French and Americans. Time to pick out another story to dive into. But this time, I’ll be missing that glorious view over the top of the page.