Be Ready When The Luck Happens // a book pairing

“You can take a little twirl and still get exactly where you’re going.”

“Slow down, they seemed to say, you can take a little twirl and still get exactly where you're going. Such a nice approach to life.” - Ina Garten, Be Ready When The Luck Happens

I spent two days devouring (pun sooo intended) Ina’s stories of a life lived in pursuit of flavor, texture, joy and color.

“You can take a little twirl and still get exactly where you’re going.” She writes, and what a revelation to someone like me, more often guided by fear than whimsy.

Many of Ina’s most pivotal decisions didn’t make sense at the time, not on paper at least. It didn’t “make sense” to buy a specialty foods store in the Hamptons when she had a life and a husband working in Washington, D.C. It didn’t make sense to open a second location, film a television show, write a cookbook, or buy an apartment in Paris when she was doing them.

But she did them anyway, and built a successful career and a beautiful life built on seemingly crazy ideas. Not that it all worked out perfectly. There are plenty of stories of things that went wrong, including almost ending her marriage to Jeffrey (can you imagine?!).

It’s easy to look at the lady in the blouse with the popped collar and think her life has been one long dinner party, but what you’ll find behind the camera is a woman who has crafted a beautiful life out of work, creativity, and yes, a little luck. How great is that?

Be Ready When The Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Feels like: the warmth of good friends gathered around a table, a busy beachside specialty market,

Looks like: a classic table scape with pressed linen napkins, bone china with gold details, candles, tree lined streets.

Smells like: Croissants hot from the oven, fresh cut flowers, salty ocean air, coconut cupcakes

Sounds like: popping open a champagne bottle, a busy Paris street market, waves crashing against a rocky shore.

Tastes like: café au lait and a raspberry tartine, sampling your way through a French cheese shop, roasted chicken.

Pairs well with: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl, The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George, Be My Guest with Ina Garten, Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies¹

1. I skipped the walnuts and froze the dough in spoonfuls to prevent the dough from spreading in the oven.