Tess M.
Yelp
A time killing exploration walk 'n shop Ventura Boulevard pleasantly culminated at this Bookstar/Barnes & Noble store with a façade reminiscent of a neighborhood movie theatre plus a pop up Girl Scout Cookie kiosk out front; both drew me in.
I generally shop books online E or hardcopy but after a damaged defective tome, a gift, that had to be returned with no time to replace I've taken a more hands on approach, inspecting binding and every page in between.
In need of an artsy or classy coffee table book, with no price restrictions for a soon to be retiring friend, I seized the opportunity to browse for her interests: gardening in containers and cats.
Several titles I brought up on my phone, according to a gracious sales associate were not available in store but could be ordered from another store, shipped within days. Not wanting to buy sight unseen, I thanked her and continued to browse perhaps a cookbook to compliment my friend's vegan/vegetarian palate especially with more time to create from her garden?
Voilà! Tal Ronnen's "Crossroads Kitchen" cookbook, one I own and love! That plus an invitation to join hubby and me for dinner at the establishment of the same name, gift solved!
Cashier queried as he issued a gift receipt, "Are you vegan?"
"No, just an omnivore who appreciates 'quiet' food like Clint Eastwood referred to a veggie stew in 'The Bridges of Madison County'." (I only watched for the recipes, really.)
Purchase complete, exercising the utmost restraint, with visions of Thin Mints dancing in my head, I made a donation to those cool entrepreneurial Girl Scouts out front leaving said cookies of preference behind...
Three days later my friend absolutely loved the gift I delivered!
Free parking behind store.
Metered parking on Ventura Boulevard.