Best Summer Food and Fashion Reads 2013

I love to read. Every time I walk out of the library, teetering around with stacks of books in my arms, I feel like I just shoplifted. HOW is it possible I get to read all of these books for free and then keep the clutter out of my house? Seriously. Sometimes it's better than a shopping spree. Libraries are amazing. Needless to say, I've been searching for recommendations on the best books for this summer from like minded people. Because I know there must be other book worms in search of the same, here are my top picks: 

•  Cherry Bombe Magazine: I love this so much I don't even know where to begin. The magazine started off as a Kickstarter campaign and Elizabeth emailed me the news. Cover to cover it's all about women in the food world and food. Um, where has this been all my life?? When I got my hands on the first issue I dog eared every single page. Every. Page. That never happens. I so often feel like I've 'seen it' already thanks to Pinterest and the dozens of blogs I read, but Cherry Bombe nails it. It's totally fresh. Zero advertisements that usually plague the glossies. Karlie Kloss was on the cover in  piece about the cookies she makes with a bakery. Jenna Lyons from J. Crew named it one of her top picks. Needless to say, I subscribed for the next year and can't wait for issue two. 

• Influence// Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: Listen. Before you brush this off like any other celebrity book, check yourself. The Olsen Twins are seriously artistic and cerebral. This book has interviews with some of the most amazing designers in fashion and the art world. Not just "coffee or tea" interviews, but really insightful. As side research, check out their lines, The Row (where they won CFDA womenswear designers of the year) and Elizabeth and James. Bye-bye Full House. 

• United States of Arugula// David Kamp: Looking back, I'm actually fairly certain I read this when it first came out in 2006, but I really appreciate this book now. Kamp dissects how the foodie culture came to be in America, beginning with the Big Three: Beard, Claiborne, and Child. The book touches on Food Network, the crazy eighties of restaurant and the circle back to farm to table. Sure, it's a longer read. You're not going to breeze through this one, but if you like food writing, this is for you.  

• Vintage Cakes// Julie Richardson: You are under no pressure to actually bake anything from this book. The photos are beautiful and the recipes can help you do recipe development at home. You are also going to really re-think boxed cake mixes.

• Dishing Up Virginia// Patrick Vans-Hylton: We all know how obsessed with Virginia I am. This is a cook book that pulls recipes from each region of our massive state. Even if you're not a Virginian, you'll like the pairing of colonial traditions with new flavors. It's also a good resource for Southern food inspiration recipes to re-create. 

• Lean In// Sheryl Sandberg: I feel this one doesn't need to much explanation. It was kind of the biggest book of the year. Long story short, Sheryl is Facebook's bigwig. This is a business book about why women need to step up to the plate and 'lean in' to a career even if they're worried about time and family. 

• Come In, We're Closed// Christine Carroll and Jody Eddy: I really like to know what people eat. Especially food people. It's just like how women like to know what other women keep in their purses.  Bottom line, this is a look inside the staff meals of the world's best restaurants. I think you'll be surprised. 

What are you reading?