Kate Berkowitz works as a professional enthusiast, clandestinely building people's interest in her clients and their products. Complications arise, however, as she works on her current projects--raising interest in a new train on the Washington Metro and discussing a fifty-year-old soap opera comic strip online.

AROUND THE WORLD IN A TEACUP Did you know that tea is the most widely consumed beverage on the planet after water? Or that all of the world’s tea originates from only three varieties of a single plant? While a cup of tea may be a simple pleasure for most of us, there are a dizzying number of tastes from which to choose. And every tea, whether a delicately sweet green tea from Japan or a bracing, brisk Darjeeling black, tells a story in the cup about the land that nurtured it and the tea-making skills that transformed it. In this authoritative guide, veteran tea professionals Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss provide decades of expertise on understanding tea and its origins, the many ways to buy tea, and how to explore and enjoy the six classes of tea (green, yellow, white, oolong, black, and Pu-erh). Additional advice on steeping the perfect cup and storing tea at home, alongside a gallery of more than thirty-fi ve individual teas with tasting notes and descriptions make The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook a singular source of both practical information and rich detail about this fascinating beverage.

There are many people who are enthusiastic about food—the cooking of it, the preparation of it, the serving of it, and let’s not forget the eating of it. But Andrew Delaplaine is the ultimate Food Enthusiast. “This concise guidebook was exactly what I needed to make the most of my limited time in town.” = Tanner Davis, Milwaukee This is another of his books with spot-on reviews of the most exciting restaurants in town. Some will merit only a line or two, just to bring them to your attention. Others deserve a half page or more. “The fact that he doesn’t accept free meals in exchange for a good review makes all the difference in his something brutally accurate reviews.” = Jerry Adams, El Paso “Exciting” does not necessarily mean expensive. The area’s top spots get the recognition they so richly deserve (and that they so loudly demand), but there are plenty of “sensible alternatives” for those looking for good food handsomely prepared by cooks and chefs who really care what they “plate up” in the kitchen. For those with a touch of Guy Fieri, Delaplaine ferrets out the best food for those on a budget. That dingy looking dive bar around the corner may serve up one of the juiciest burgers in town, perfect to wash down with a locally brewed craft beer. Whatever your predilection or taste, cuisine of choice or your budget, you may rely on Andrew Delaplaine not to disappoint. “Unlike the ‘honest’ reviews on site like Yelp, this writer knows what he’s talking about. He’s a professional, with decades in the business, not an amateur.” = Holly Titler, Los Angeles Delaplaine dines anonymously at the Publisher’s expense. No restaurant listed in this series has paid a penny or given so much as a free meal to be included. Bon Appétit!

There are many people who are enthusiastic about food—the cooking of it, the preparation of it, the serving of it, and let’s not forget the eating of it. But Andrew Delaplaine is the ultimate Food Enthusiast. This is another of his books with spot-on reviews of the most exciting restaurants in town. Some will merit only a line or two, just to bring them to your attention. Others deserve a half page or more. “Exciting” does not necessarily mean expensive. The area’s top spots get the recognition they so richly deserve (and that they so loudly demand), but there are plenty of “sensible alternatives” for those looking for good food handsomely prepared by cooks and chefs who really care what they “plate up” in the kitchen. For those with a touch of Guy Fieri, Delaplaine ferrets out the best food for those on a budget. That dingy looking dive bar around the corner may serve up one of the juiciest burgers in town, perfect to wash down with a locally brewed craft beer. Whatever your predilection or taste, cuisine of choice or your budget, you may rely on Andrew Delaplaine not to disappoint. Delaplaine dines anonymously at the Publisher’s expense. No restaurant listed in this series has paid a penny or given so much as a free meal to be included. Bon Appétit!

Superbly detailed text with over 1500 photographs, covering every detail of important jobs without resorting to special tools.

If you’re a passionate photographer and you’re ready to take your work to the next level, The Enthusiast’s Guide book series was created just for you. Whether you’re diving head first into a new topic or exploring a classic theme, Enthusiast’s Guides are designed to help you quickly learn more about a topic or subject so that you can improve your photography.

The Enthusiast’s Guide to Exposure: 49 Photographic Principles You Need to Know addresses what you need to know in order to shoot great images with powerful compositions. Chapters are broken down into a series of numbered lessons, with each lesson providing all you need to improve your photography. In this book, which is divided into 11 chapters that include 45 photographic lessons to help you conquer your exposures, photographer and author John Greengo covers light, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, exposure modes, and much more. Example lessons include:

• 4. The Light Meter and Metering Modes
• 6. The Exposure Triangle
• 10. Using Fast Shutter Speeds to Stop the Action
• 18. Advanced Auto ISO Settings
• 21. Getting the Most Out of Aperture Priority Mode
• 27. Maximum Sharpness and Hyperfocal Distance
• 28. Using Exposure Compensation to Get the Shot
• 37. Capturing Great Silhouettes
• 39. Focus Modes and Focus Points

Written in a friendly and approachable manner and illustrated with examples that drive home each lesson, The Enthusiast’s Guide to Exposure is designed to be effective and efficient, friendly and fun. Read an entire chapter at once, or read just one topic at a time. With either approach, you’ll quickly learn a lot so you can head out with your camera to capture great shots.

If you’re a passionate photographer and you’re ready to take your work to the next level, The Enthusiast’s Guide book series was created just for you. Whether you’re diving head first into a new topic or exploring a classic theme, Enthusiast’s Guides are designed to help you quickly learn more about a topic, subject, or software so you can improve your photography.
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The Enthusiast’s Guide to Photoshop: 64 Photographic Principles You Need to Know teaches you how to get the most out of Adobe Photoshop. Chapters are broken down into a series of numbered lessons, with each lesson providing what you need to get started on your journey to harnessing Photoshop's power in order to fully realize your photographic vision with your imagery. In this book, which is divided into 7 chapters that include 64 photographic lessons to help you conquer Photoshop, photographer and author Rafael "RC" Concepcion covers the most important tools, concepts, and techniques in Photoshop that you need to know.

Written in a friendly and approachable manner and illustrated with examples that drive home each lesson, The Enthusiast’s Guide to Photoshop is designed to be effective and efficient, friendly and fun. Read an entire chapter at once, or read just one topic at a time. With either approach, you’ll quickly learn a lot so you can confidently dive into Photoshop and create stunning images.