The food was yummy! I was very good while at Mela Café, noshing on only two breaded-eggplant mini-baguette sandwiches, and of course, having a cappuccino; but once home with the few left-over sandwiches in hand, I quickly plunked myself down in front of the Rick Mercer Report and polished off Roberto’s addictive creations, while trying not to choke when watching Mercer’s antics. Felt like a total pig, but they were such a heavenly mix of crunchy breaded eggplant, soft bread, mild mozzarella, sweet tomato, and the fresh snap of basil that I couldn’t resist. Roberto, the wonderfully kind and talented chef/owner of Mela, also made pizza with sweet, thin slices of zucchini for the book signing attendees.
We got there early, giving ourselves plenty of time to get there. thinking the inevitable Shireen-book-signing snow storm would slow traffic down, but surprisingly it didn’t. Two men, who had found my event information on Facebook I believe, showed up first. Very chatty, took a couple of bookmarks, and promised to buy my book at the World’s Biggest Bookstore. Here’s to hoping they will. As one man who came into the café to buy a cup of tea said, after all the time it took me to get Lifeliner finished, there should be glasses of champagne raised all around. Alas, no sale with him either, but a bookmark he did take. A friend of my parents showed up in support, which really touched me, and she helped me not to notice the clock so much as she, my parents, and I talked about errant radioactive mice and the obesity gene.
Two ladies who came in later were very interested, after my mother nudged me to be more bold and approach them, and bought a copy. Alright! You see, they too had come in for Roberto’s flavourful coffee, not for the book signing. But they left with stomachs happy and book in hand. I finished the late afternoon event enthusiastically chatting with Carmelina, a Tri Delta sister who came out to support me. In true Tri Delta fashion, we only stopped gabbing after we exited the warm café in to the chilly night and our shivering finally got us to say good night and part ways. That was a good end to the event.
