Where Literature and Libations Meet

There are a lot of great (and cliche) combinations out there: peanut butter and jelly, pencils and paper, hide and seek, campfires and marshmallows, Holmes and Watson. But there's one great combo that I hadn't thought of...

And that's where Books & Brews comes in. It's the mullet of hangouts - a business in the front and a party in the back, half bookstore and half brewery/bar. Jason Wuerfel, book lover and beer brewer, set out to make this combination a reality. But, instead of relying on typical funding methods, he decided to use the power of Kickstarter to get this brilliant idea going. And I'm glad that he did. I noticed the campaign while browsing the Kickstarter website and decided to get involved. The campaign ended on October 21st with full funding and more. And on March 21st, five months later, Books & Brews' grand opening finally came. Plus, as Kickstarter project backers, we had the privilege of attending a backers only soft opening the day before.

The place isn't completely finished yet (they still need more books, not all the beers are brewed, and we're waiting to see our names on some furniture and the "Thank You" wall), but it was still really amazing to see all how it had all come together. And while we didn't do anything more than contribute to a Kickstarter campaign, I can't help but feel a connection to the place. I really want Jason and his crazy bookstore/brewery to succeed. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and wish we could hang out there all the time. Unfortunately it's a little far for us, but we'll still do what we can to make it up there somewhat regularly. I guess we should just suggest he open another location closer to us!

If you want more info on B&B check them out on Facebook, Tumblr, their website, and in person at 9402 Uptown Drive Suite 1400, Indianapolis. And who knows, maybe we'll see you there. Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

Back From Busyness

Oh goodness we've been busy. But I suppose you probably figured that out from the three week break we've taken from posting anything... yes, you're so smart. So far March has involved lots of bachelorette parties, bridal showers, seeing friends, and even a concert. But hey, instead of telling you all about it how about I just post pictures of the pets and things. That's more fun, right?

Frank still always looks startled

Butler University's Clowes Memorial Hall for the Danu concert

"What is that silly dog doing?"

Looking more like a dog and less like a puppy every day

Finally conquered his fear of the stairs!

All cuddled up for nap time

A walk in the park!

Ice cream time after our park visit

Leo loved the puppy cup they gave him

Frank just wanted to be part of our church group too

Double Decker Cats

Partying at The Rathskeller for St. Patty's Day

Frank's new favorite spot

First day of puppy classes!

Laundry Cat

Just hanging out with Mommy

I've also been in the process of changing all the photos over to Photobucket since the Blogger default (Google+) does a poor job with photos and some have started dropping out of older posts. It's a painstaking process that will take me awhile still to finish. So yay for that. We've also got some busy weeks ahead of us, so I can't guarantee Tuesday and Friday posts every week. We'll do our best, but some days may slip through the cracks in the coming months.

Hopefully you enjoyed the pictures and catching up on our lives. We'll be back with more fun on Friday, so stay tuned!

Navigating the Afterlife

One of my favorite books is Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Something about the way he tells such a fantastical story and makes it so believable and lifelike really stuck with me after reading the book. It's one of only a handful of books that I've bothered to read multiple times. Somehow I have yet to tire hearing of Pondicherry Zoo, the Tzimtzum, the floating island, and, of course, Richard Parker. So when I saw a Yann Martel book that I had not read I couldn't resist buying it. It may have taken over a year for me to get to reading it, but here we are at long last. Beatrice and Virgil - Martel's third novel and my second book for the year.

This is an odd book. There are no chapters, sections, or formal breaks. The cover art doesn't reveal much of what's to come and neither does the beginning of the book. I was about a quarter of the way through when Leslie asked me what it was about. I simply had to reply that I didn't have a clue. But I wouldn't trade being lost in this book for anything - Yann Martel somehow does an amazing job talking about seemingly nothing and making it the most fascinating thing you've ever read. In Life of Pi, he talks about about animals, religion, and grade school for a good chunk of the beginning of the book. These discussions aren't necessarily essential to the story itself - the story of a boy, a lifeboat, and a Bengal tiger - but hint at the overall nature of the book and its claim that it's "a story that will make you believe in God." Martel brings his incredible ability to elevate the mundane to extravagant in Beatrice and Virgil as well. There's a good seven pages spent describing a pear - and it's one of my favorite parts of the book!

So what is this book about? Somehow, as strange as it sounds, it's about the Holocaust. Like I said, it's an odd book. But then what about the title characters, Beatrice and Virgil? What about the donkey and the monkey on the cover? What's going on here?! Well, I guess you'll just have to read it to find out.

I really enjoyed this book. Yann Martel is an author whose writing really resonates with me for some reason. I think it's because he writes how I wish I could think - smooth language, imaginative imagery, and ideas that seemingly meander about until coming together in a beautiful story. I enjoyed Life of Pi and I enjoyed this book, but if you weren't a fan of little Piscine Molitor Patel and his shipmate then this probably isn't the book for you. While less magical, the writing style of this book certainly matches that of Pi. However, if the thought of plunging into a book that's headed in an unknown direction sounds like your kind of adventure, then hop in and enjoy the twists and turns - it's a good ride.