We love Mindy Kaling (writer for The Office, among other things) for many reasons, but one particular mention in her recent, revelatory essay on chick flicks in The New Yorker made her particularly endearing as of late. Here’s the relevant excerpt from her piece, but click here for the full scoop! The scene involves Mindy, cast as a TV writer who dreams of hitting the big time and writing for the movies, pitching ideas to a roomful of execs.

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After I finished pitching one of my ideas for a low-budget romantic comedy, I was met with silence. One of the execs sheepishly looked at the other execs. He finally said, “Yeah, but we’re really trying to focus on movies about board games. People really seem to respond to those.”

For the rest of the meeting, we talked about whether there was any potential in a movie called “Yahtzee!” I made some polite suggestions and left.

I am always surprised at what movie studios think people will want to see. I’m even more surprised at how often they are correct. Based on what I’ve learned from my time in Hollywood, the following titles are my best guess as to what may soon be coming to a theatre near you:

“Bananagrams 3D”

‘Twas the fifth and final day of “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” and he definitely landed himself in a spot worth spending the weekend at! His clues teased “a party of epic proportions” and while some readers thought this might be in reference to political parties rather than the more literal music and dancing scenario, I am happy to see that the latter won out,  because Matt washed up on the beach in Barbados!

If you missed the reveal, it’s worth a look, since Matt parodies the classic Old Spice commercial, ending up, appropriately, on a horse. (Watch it here!)

He’s taking some deserved R&R at the Sandy Lane Resort, which Patricia Schultz describes on page 1066 in the new 1000 Places to See Before You Die as “the jewel of the West Coast.” It’s one of the resort world’s classiest (and priciest) acts, with service that makes every guest, upon arrival, feel like Queen Elizabeth (and she did visit once!). But beyond the pink and white sand beaches , there are amazing waters to swim in and explore. The Platinum Coast (named for the fancy hotels and condos found along its edge) faces the Caribbean and offers up some of the “calmest waters and best beaches, and there is snorkeling with sociable well-fed turtles just offshore.” Matt noted these highlights, as well as the delicious food, amazing dancing, and celebrity vacationers, but he missed mentioning one of the most impressive sights: Harrison’s Cave, “site of a jaw-dropping collection of well-lit stalactites and stalagmites.” Please, someone, get me there, STAT!

In an interview later in the day, Matt confirmed that this, the 10th anniversary of “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” would be his last… Though I get that the travel can be grueling–it’s not often that one is asked to cross as many time zones in such a short amount of time–I just don’t buy it when he says, “It gets tougher and tougher to find extraordinary places.” Ahem. Matt. You say you’ve been to 51 locations over the years? I’ll admit, it’s impressive. But what about the remaining 949?

Perhaps he just needs Patricia Schultz to offer up a few dazzling recommendations!

Say, what?! Yes, today on Today, Matt Lauer revealed that he’s 11,745 feet above sea level at Jungfraujoch’s Sphinx Observatory, in the Swiss Alps (and now we understand the poor weather that caused him to change his itinerary early in the week–it’s hard to travel anywhere in complete whiteout conditions!).

Now, if he were really traveling through the pages of the new 1000 Places to See Before You Die, Matt could have skipped across a mere six pages from Madrid (page 266), where he was on Monday, to The Swiss Alps (page 272) where he landed himself this morning (no nasty weather conditions to worry about there, unless you count the wind generated from rapid page-turning).

Matt took the train to the observatory, which is precisely the highlight that Patricia Schultz points to in the 1000 Places entry. Swiss engineering has taken train travel to new heights — literally! There’s a rail tour called the Glacier Express that passes through the heart of the Swiss Alps, over 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels, and across the Oberalp Pass at 6,706 feet. There’s also the appropriately named Chocolate Train–a 10-hour journey that takes riders through the Lavaux vineyards (wine!), by the turreted castle in Gruyere (yes, as in the cheese–you can sample fondue there!), and on “to Broc’s world-famous Cailler-Nestle chocolate factory for a tour and sampling of the whopping 65 tons of chocolate produced on-site each day.” (Wine, cheese, chocolate = winning trifecta!) Then take your sugar high on the Bernina Express line, the highest railway in the Alps, that cruises by the Morteratsch Glacier and the Piz Bernina which, at 13,284 feet, is the highest peak in the Eastern Alps.

But while a lot of people take a train through The Alps, Matt chatted with some folks this morning who mountain climb to get there!

So did you unravel the clues to guess Matt’s location correctly? Natalie Morales did! (I didn’t…) Any guesses for tomorrow? Here are some clues that Matt revealed this morning: “With the Alps to our backs, we make tracks for a party of epic proportions.” Hmm…not sure what my guess is just yet, but my fingers are ready to rifle through this book one more time!

Matt Lauer, sighted this morning on the Malay Peninsula! He popped up in Kuala Lumpur (smartypants Al Roker totally guessed correctly!) where, though it was morning for those of us in Eastern Standard Time, Matt was readying for a night out on the town in Malaysia.

While Matt revealed his location on a skybridge connecting the two iconic Petronas Towers, Patricia Schultz, in the new 1000 Places to See Before You Die, highlights the foodie delights to be found in Kuala Lumpur, colloquially referred to as KL. “From streetside hawker stalls and brightly lit night markets to white-tablecloth restaurants with world-class chefs,” the authentic array of edible delights is a true feast to behold. Check out the stalls lining the Jalan Alor in the city’s Golden Triangle district, or take the elevator up to Seri Angkasa, the revolving restaurant atop the 1,380 foot KL Tower. And taste-test, they did, as Matt and fellow Todayster Amy Robach sampled some of the local Chinese-Malaysion fusion food. (Travel a halfhour outside the city center, to the edge of a rainforest, and they could have taken a cooking class with food writer and cook Rohani Jelani at her house-converted-to B&B, Bayan Indah!) They also rode in a rickshaw (technically a “trishaw”) festooned with brightly colored tassels and fake flowers, and Amy took us on a tour of an orangutan rehabilitation center.

Tune in tomorrow as we continue, page by page, to unravel the mysteries of “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” I don’t know about you, but my money’s on Japan.

PS: In the meantime, let’s hope there are no Matt Lauer-brainwashing schemes or DJs spinning Frankie Goes to Hollywood!

It’s Day 2 of “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” and this morning Señor Lauer woke up in Madrid, Spain, otherwise known as page 266 (for all you armchair travelers!) in the new 1000 Places to See Before You Die.

Ernest Hemingway has said of Madrid, It has none of the look that you expect of Spain….Yet when you get to know it, it is the most Spanish of all cities, the best to live in, the finest people, month in, month out the finest climate. By day, it’s an elegant, formal city of museums (featuring work by Spanish artists Miró, Dalí, Juan Gris, and Antoni Tàpies — as well as Alexander Calder, Man Ray, and Jean Dubuffet),  palaces (visit what was the royal residence from 1764 to 1931!), and tapas (yum!). At night, the city comes alive — giving New York City, aka “the city that never sleeps,” a run for its money.

This morning, Matt confessed that he had to change his travel itinerary due to weather conditions, which makes me want to scour the global weather map to see what locations might have been affected by severe weather  — any guesses where he might end up later this week? Our own Patricia Schultz placed her guesses (rather, her recommended itinerary!) yesterday. Stay tuned to see if any of those destinations show up later this week — until then, we’ll be following along in the book!

It’s that time of year–when, for a week, thanks to the Today Show, I can’t seem to get that Carmen Sandiego ditty of my PBS-watching youth out of my head. Today marked the first day of Matt Lauer’s 10th “Where in the World” trip, and he revealed his location to be the Skeleton Coast, Namibia.

Noted for its “haunting beauty and unconfined space,” our own Patricia Schulz describes the Skeleton Coast as “a little explored desert paradise of wide-open spaces–undeveloped, unpeopled, and far from civilization” in the new 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Its name btw, refers to the treacherous, barren shoreline, where shipwrecks and whale bones litter the fog shrouded beaches. But what else? There’s seal breeding ground (pups arrive in late November or December…maybe Matt should extend his stay!), awesome flocks of pink flamingos, and massive shifting dunes around granite shelves and veins of schist (if you saw the segment this morning, you saw Matt skiing down a sandy dune!).

Only Matt (and probably his producers) knows where he’ll end up next, but here’s the itinerary that Patricia Schultz would have recommended for his week on the go. (And, hey, maybe he’ll show up at one of these hot spots tomorrow!)

5 suggested destinations in various regions of the world where Matt has not been:

1) Lake Bled, Slovenia An emerald-green glacial lake, Bled was the favorite getaway of Tito, former president of Yugoslavia. The restaurant at Tito’s former residence is one of the area’s best (and you can spend the night) — with views of the Julian Alps, and the tiny island with an 11th century castle at the lake’s center.

2) Hanoi, Vietnam In the narrow, crowded tree-lined streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter — one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods — flag down a cyclo (a pedal-powered rickshaw) to navigate the enjoyable chaos. Streets are lined with hole-in-the-wall merchants stores, food stands, traditional cafes and the occasional centuries-old temple.

3) Sepik River, Papua New Guinea An expedition down this mysterious river leads to the world’s last unspoiled reservoir of nature, culture and tribal art. In villages reachable only by boat, life has only just emerged from millenia-long isolation.

4) Bruges, Belgium The “Venice of the North” is a romantic stuck-in-time city of medieval architecture and willow-lined canals was once a prosperous trading hub — today a beautifully preserved city of important small museum and atmospheric inns and restaurants.

5) Iquitos and the Peruvian Amazon Brazil may get most of the attention, but Peru is one of the best places to experience the incredible biodiversity of the Amazon — at the point where they claim the river originates, 2,400 miles from where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

I don’t know about you, but I would gladly hop a plane to any of these destinations (I’m just saying, if anyone’s offering), but what about you? Where do YOU want to get your next passport stamp?

And, did you know that every place that Matt has been over the past 10 years is one of the 1000 Places to See Before You Die? (That’s an impressive checklist he’s got going — though he might want to step up the pace from just 5 places each year!) Check out this gorgeous slideshow of destinations via the Today Show, of highlights from Matt’s past trips.

Hey, Tri-Staters– Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry’s popular American Idol for books is coming to Manhattan in two weeks! Get your pitches ready… set… go…to the Bowery Poetry Club on October 12, 2011 at 8:00 pm.

(And, if you’re not in NYC, check the calendar — they may be coming to a venue near you very soon!)

What the heck IS a Pitchapalooza? (And do I get to throw stuff?) Well, in a sense, yes! If you’re one of the lucky writers selected, you’ll have the opportunity to throw that brilliant book idea at a panel of publishing industry experts. And who knows… you may just walk away with some leads toward securing a book deal. (Yes, writers have gotten actual legit publishing deals as a result of participating in Pitchapalooza.) But the way it works is: About twenty writers will be selected at random to pitch their book. Each writer gets one minute—and only one minute!

Who are these so-called “industry experts”? Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry (below), aka The Book Doctors, are co-authors of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published: How To Write It, Sell It, and Market It… Successfully. Arielle Eckstut has been a literary agent for 18 years at The Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. She is also the author of seven books and the co-founder of the iconic brand, LittleMissMatched. David Henry Sterry is the best-selling author of 12 books, on a wide variety of subject including memoir, sports, YA fiction and reference. They have taught their workshop on how to get published everywhere from Stanford University to Smith College. They have appeared everywhere from The New York Times to NPR’s Morning Edition to USA Today.

But, I’m really just going to leave feeling brokenhearted and criticized, right?: Not a chance. At Pitchapalooza, judges will help you improve your pitch, not tell you how bad it is. The panel critiques everything from idea to style to potential in the marketplace and much, much more. Authors come away with concrete advice as well as a greater understanding of the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Whether potential authors pitch themselves, or simply listen to trained professionals critique each presentation, Pitchapalooza is educational and entertaining for one and all.

So what’s my prize? At the end of Pitchapalooza, the judges pick a winner! And that lucky winner will receive an introduction to an agent or publisher appropriate for his/her book. Not too shabby…

Is there a catch? In order to have the opportunity to pitch, you must purchase a copy of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. Oh, but anyone who buys a copy of receives a FREE 20 minute consultation, a $100 value. If you don’t want to pitch, the event is FREE.

Not convinced? Here’s the enthusiastic crowd from a Pitchapalooza event at Anderson’s Bookshop in Illinois:

For your further reading and viewing pleasure, check the links below. Otherwise, hope to see you at the next Pitchapalooza!

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New York Times article: http://tinyurl.com/3tkp4gl.

Pitchapalooza mini movie: http://tinyurl.com/3jr8zte.

Pitchapalooza on NBC: http://www.thebookdoctors.com/the-book-doctors-pitchapalooza-on-nbc-television

Sometimes we think there’s something in the water, other times we can rest easy knowing it’s just something in our closets! Last time we took a fashion reading, it was stripes galore, but today’s trendwatch shows off some animal instincts….  It’s leopard print (in all hues!) for Workman-ites Andrea, Liz, and Emily.

What-oh-what will be trending next in these stylish halls of Workman — will these leopards change their spots back to stripes or is there a new, undiscovered trend on the horizon? Submit your predictions!

We just got advance copies of Embroider Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp in the office this week, and boy, do they look spiffy! And as we flip through the pages of techniques and projects, we’re reminded of the process that it took to get us to this place. Because beyond the months of editing and layouts, there were the photo shoots, illustration revisions, and more! Today, though, we look back at the photos that went into making Embroider Everything Workshop look so splendid.

The very talented photographer Jim Franco invited us into his studio as he began shooting some of the tabletop items. Here, he props the cross-stitched Fancy First Aid Kit (flip to page 210 in the book to check it out!) on a marble tile surface with some bandages and other basic fix-it gear. Then he switches out the surface for a more rugged wooden one to shoot the embroidered Return to Sender Luggage Tag (page 192).

Jim’s studio is right next door to an amazing prop room, where he had access to dishes, fabrics, mirrors, and other furnishings of all shapes and sizes (and color-coded, too!)–it was a wonderland of artfully organized treasures.

Below, author Diana Rupp works with Jim to style the satin stitched Peony Jewelry Box project (page 183) to get it juuuust right.

Each project gets photographed multiple ways, to ensure that we get a winning shot. Remember that luggage tag, above? Here, it’s attached to vintage suitcase with a bright red ribbon. Since he’s changed the angle of the camera, Jim takes a light reading before he clicks the shutter.

A couple of weeks later, we hit the streets of Brooklyn (with lighting assistants, and cute young models!), photographing on the sidewalks (the Smocked with Love dress, page 127) as well as the Patch ‘Em Ups stitched patches for kids (page 122).

Then we scouted locations in the park, where we clicked images of the Bargello Belt (page 112), the Monogrammed Sneakers (page 106)–which Diana thoughtfully stitched onto a pair of cute kicks in her editor’s size!!), the Stag Hoodie (page 102), and the Dashing Vest and Tie (page 90).

But the real treat was shooting at a farm in upstate New York for two days. Below, Jim experiments with the lighting while shooting the Something Blue Hanky (page 225).

“Did we get it right?” Jim and Diana check the computer monitor to see if he got the shot.

The model waits patiently to confirm that they have a good one before moving! And, to whet your appetite, here’s a closeup of the amazingly stitched keepsake.

Next up? The Sashiko Top and Tunic dress (page 86) using the traditional Japanese pattern called “Seven Treasures of Buddha.” Diana stitched white on navy for the dress bodice, and switched it up with a variegated floss on white along the sleeves and bottom of the shirt.

Again, Diana and Jim check the computer monitor to see if the photo is a keeper (it was! You can see the final one on page 86 of the book).

And here’s the project that’s up first in my queue: the Crewel But Kind Giraffe (page 118). I already ordered the fabric from my local quilting shop and the iron-on pattern comes in the pocket at the front of the book! A perfect project for my subway commute.

Keep an eye out for the book when it hits shelves later this fall–and check back to our website, too, to see if Diana will be doing an author event (and make-and-take) for Embroider Everything Workshop in your area before Christmas!

As many of you know, we recently celebrated an exciting and important milestone–10 years on the New York Times bestseller list for What to Expect When You’re Expecting. And what better way to celebrate than with our dear author, Heidi Murkoff, plus babies (okay, baby pictures), balloons, and ice cream (with all the toppings)!

The poster below represents just a handful of Workman babies that have been born under the wisdom of What to Expect over the last 25 years, more than 200 reprints, and 4 editions of the book! (Oh, after you get over those sweet faces and chubby cheeks, there is of course, the sweet spread of ice cream toppings–I detect a theme.)

The tubs of deliciousness didn’t last long once Workman party-goers started digging in! Strawberry, cookies and cream,  chocolate, coffee, vanilla ….Mmmm.

There were enough champagne flutes for plenty of toasting (I estimate at least one for each reprint of the book!). Below, Workman group publisher Bob Miller clinks glasses with author Heidi Murkoff and her longtime editor Suzanne Rafer. (Fun fact: Heidi delivered the original proposal for the book to Workman the same day she delivered her daughter!)

And the next generation of What to Expect babies are already on the way! There are three pregnant ladies in this photo — all of whom received a lucky belly pat from Heidi — can you spot them? (Trick question — without insider knowledge, it’s likely you’ll only be able to identify one, we think.)