It was a crowded event and the schedule was jammed pack. I think it needs to be two days instead of the one. There were so many sessions I wanted to attend around the same time. And if you want to get books signed by authors, you'll need to be on line hours before, which means you'll have to skip other presentations. The booths around provided great information from the Library of Congress. The Pavilion of the States were also a hit and great opportunity for
kids to learn more geography. Many of the states provided bookmarks and a list of great reading materials, but then there were some that provided tourist maps and info. At a book festival, I find that inappropriate.

Lisa See (fiction novelist, author of China Dolls) and Carla Hall (cook book author and co-host of The Chew) was great. Both funny and informative. (As you can see, both very popular - full house, and some were left standing or seated on the floor).  Their presentations allowed me to get to know them a little better as we'll learn about their respective books. I came out from their sessions with the desire to purchase their books. You'll learn something in each. And that's something!

Lisa See

Carla Hall

Carla also gave us a simple recipe for a great Lemon Vinaigrette:

1. Cut up a whole lemon, remove the stem and brown ends, and put in blender (yes, including the rind)
2. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of EVOO
3. Blend
4. Sieve through, and voila! great tasting lemon vinaigrette, great for salads, dipping and whatever you can think of.