Normally, Blume keeps a box of tissues on the table at book signings, she said, keenly aware of her effect on fans.

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Consider this curious tale from New York restaurateur Danny Meyer, who literally wrote the book on hospitality. (It's called "Setting the Table, " and it's required reading for anyone in the industry.) Last June -- on Father's Day -- Meyer returned to his room at the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, to find a framed photo of his wife and children beside the bed.

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For an unforgettable view of the Eiffel Tower when it sparkles in the evening, or a bright business lunch under a glass canopy, book a table at Les Ombres, on the rooftop of the Musee du Quai Branly.

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Long story short: I wrote it as a chapter book instead of a coffee table book because I have a lifetime of material on the subject and I wanted to share it.

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If further proof of Australia's lifestyle clout is needed, just venture into a bookshop in London and see how many homegrown chefs and interior designers are offering coffee-book-table advice on how to replicate the Australian way of life.

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