Page 54 March 2016 By Amanda Goossen Ever wonder what it’s like to be a restaurant critic? Maybe it means dining in           "  while also twirling fettuccini Alfredo onto your fork. Author Elizabeth LaBan knows a thing or two about this unusual career and in her latest novel, The Restaurant Critic’s Wife , she shares a few of the moments that have made up her life. Her true-life stories of being married to restaurant critic Craig LaBan are blended with the fantasy stories she created of her main characters, Lila and Sam. Laugh-out- loud funny, charming, while also blatantly honest regarding love, marriage and kids, LaBan puts a dramatic spotlight on an otherwise guarded profession. Whether you pick up this novel for its beautifully detailed images of plates of pasta, duck and dessert, or for the woman’s perspective on raising a family, you cannot go wrong. LaBan’s book is an entertaining feast for all. Join the Arcadia News Book Club on March 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Saguaro Library as we gather for our regular monthly meeting. We will Skype with LaBan and discuss her novel, her characters and her journey to becoming an author. We will also      €       ‚\  > „ >  Lump! Recently I had a chance to ask LaBan a few questions in preparation for our upcoming event: AN: Books based on chefs, restaurant critics, restaurant owners have been done before but reading the point of view of a restaurant critic’s wife was a (very pleasant) surprise. What brought you to write a book on this topic? EL: Thank you so much for saying that. They say you should write what you know, and this is something I know. In real life, I’m married to Craig LaBan, the restaurant critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer . We have been married for almost 19 years, and he’s been doing this job for more than 18, so most of our married life I have been the restaurant critic’s wife. We have had so many funny and interesting moments in restaurants, and so many eating adventures – coupled with the fact that people are often curious about what it is like to be a restaurant critic and also what’s it like to live with one – I kept coming up with possible scenes for the book. Once I thought, “Hey, I’m really going to try to do this and turn it into a novel,” Sam and Lila Soto were born. And I do want to say that as much as they are similar to us, they are even more different. Sam is much more unreasonable and controlling than Craig is, and Lila comes to the whole marriage and family life from a very different place than I did. Also, Craig and I have a much better give and take in our marriage than Sam and Lila have. AN: Some of the most hilarious moments I’ve read in quite some time were listening to Lila describe her husband’s absurd ways of tuning people out while tasting his food or trying to remain anonymous. As a restaurant critic’s wife yourself, have you ever experienced any moments like these? EL: Oh, yes! My husband is very good at looking like he’s talking to us at the table while he is really describing the food or the décor and paying no attention to us at all. I could tell him I’ve set a new goal to try to walk across the country in six months and he would nod and keep talking to himself. Most people who have dined with him before are used to it, and don’t even notice. They are able to tune him out subtly and have a fairly normal conversation with everyone else at the table, but still look like they are including him because the last thing he wants to do is appear odd and draw attention. When we have people along for              They don’t know whether to react to him when he looks them in the eyes and says the soup is cold or the lamb is tender. When that happens we usually have a few minutes of nervous giggling from our guest and quiet explaining from me, and then we fall into our usual rhythm. AN: What is the best meal you’ve ever eaten? EL: Spaghetti and meatballs at Villa di Roma in the Italian Market in Philadelphia is a favorite. My husband’s turkey Milanese is a favorite. He also once made an Asian- style pork butt that took hours and hours and called for many sides and sauces (Momofuku’s Bo Ssam www.cooking. nytimes.com/recipes/12197-momofukus- bo-ssam). That might have been my favorite. I always want him to make it again, but it is such a long process, that he hasn’t yet. Maybe I’ll ask him to make it for my next birthday! AN: Favorite book from last year? EL: The Admissions by Meg Mitchell _ # %         thinking about the characters. AN: Favorite book of all time? EL: This is too hard to answer. Can I   ' That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton, What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty,          by Jane Schwartz, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Waking the Dead  | |  >  %   ' †  kidding. But it is very hard for me to narrow down my favorites list, never mind choosing an actual favorite. AN: What can readers expect from you in the near future? EL: %      \         and I’m in the waiting stage with both. Wish me well!    4     5 BOOK CLUB %6626. THE MONTH Restaurant Critic’s Wife BY ELIZABETH LABAN Saguaro Library  # 557# % %

DUI CLASSES ONLINE!      480.429.9044       SCOTTSDALETREATMENT.COM ARIZONA’S FIRST ONLINE DUI SERVICES HOME • OFFICE • TRAVEL ANYWHERE YOU CAN “LOG ON!” ONLINE SERVICES: MVD • SR-22 ALCOHOL SCREENINGS, EDUCATION & TREATMENT ARIZONA’S FIRST ONLINE DUI SERVICES Compare our rates. CALL US LAST! Page 55 March 2016 By Craig Goossen I wake up early in the morning, get in a workout, walk the dog around the ’hood, get back into the house and head for my record collection. I put the needle on a record and jar the house awake. This is all before 6 a.m. and nobody complains. We’re on the same page in my home. It’s not odd to have the Ramones’ Rocket to Russia, Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, or Johnny Cash and June Carter’s Jackson blasting as I knot my tie and the kids scoop up a bowl of Trix. This is our routine. My whole life has been this way and I hope my kids grow up with the same fond memories as I do. The home I grew up in always had music playing and most of my friends bonded over music. I recall vividly when we were wee 12- and 13-year-old lads playing REM’s Chronic Town for Andy Chaleff, or New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies with Steve    %        ‡" D.M.C. LP with Bruce Heicke when we were 14. If we weren’t playing records, we were attending live shows. I’ll never forget seeing Fishbone and Madness with Matt McElreath when I was 15, or a million amazing bands with Rene Read. The memories are endless and I remember it all. If you are not consumed by music, we’ll inevitably have an ocean between us. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest some great shows playing in our city this month. Check out the selected tracks, then go out and make a memory that will stay with you. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: FLORIDADA (2016) Celebrating its 13th year, the McDowell Mountain Music Festival is getting better every year and this year’s three-day fest will feature Beck, Kid Kudi, The Avett Brothers, Gary Clark Jr. and Animal Collective to name a few. Animal Collective and Beck will headline Friday night. Animal Collective performs on Friday, March 11 at McDowell Mountain Music Festival, 1134 N. Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $70 for one day or $150 for the weekend. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND: CRUSH ON YOU (1980) The Boss is mowing through the U.S., playing his classic 1980 double LP masterpiece in its entirety and going 30 plus songs deep each gig. The usual! Bruce Springsteen will perform on Thursday, March 10 at Talking Stick Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St. in downtown Phoenix. Tickets start at $59.75. GARY CLARK JR.: STAY (2015) Gary Clark Jr. is one of the great guitar slingers going right now and no doubt a great act to close the weekend festival along with The Avett Brothers. Gary Clark Jr. performs on Sunday, March 13 at McDowell Mountain Music Festival, 1134 N. Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $70 for one day or $150 for the weekend. FAT WHITE FAMILY: WHITEST BOY ON THE BEACH (2016) I can’t tell you a whole lot about this band, but what I do know is that they’re weird and really good. I can’t imagine a cooler spot to experience them than downtown at the Valley Bar. Fat White Family will perform on Wednesday, March 23 at Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $12 and the show is for guests 21 and older. ROBYN HITCHCOCK: WHAT YOU IS (2009) Hitchcock, one of England’s greatest and quirkiest treasures is coming to Arizona to kickoff his mini U.S. tour. Most of his dates have sold out, so let’s not allow our state to be the one that wasn’t hip to his scene. If you miss this gig, you can have a make up and catch the great John Hiatt at the same venue on Friday, March 18. Robyn Hitchcock will perform on Thursday, March 3 at the MIM Music Theater, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. in north Phoenix. Tickets start at $35.50. The music and the art of making memories MUSIC NOTES