Food Network Star de Laurentiis to Sign

In what will no doubt make one fine Mother’s Day gift, Food Network star Giada de Laurentiis will sign her latest cookbook, ‘Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California’ on Friday, April 30, 5 to 7 p.m., at Village Books on Swarthmore.   The bestselling author and Pacific Palisades resident will share her favorite Italian dishes, from those inspired by her generations-old family recipes to more modern ones’ all of which capture her signature fresh, healthy, and simple style.   Since 2003, de Laurentiis has been married to Todd Thompson, a fashion designer for Anthropologie. The two had been dating since July 1989. The couple’s daughter, Jade Marie de Laurentiis Thompson, was born on March 29, 2008.   Since her debut on Food Network in 2003, de Laurentiis has been on the fast track to success. In 2007, she appeared as a presenter on the inaugural Food Network Awards and hosted a two-part Food Network special entitled ‘Giada in Paradise,’ featuring the two locales of Santorini, Greece, and Capri, Italy. De Laurentiis also made several appearances as a guest judge on the third season of ‘The Next Food Network Star.’   In 2008, De Laurentiis won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Host and became a spokesperson for the pasta manufacturer Barilla. This year, she debuted a line of kitchen supplies in Target stores.   She also happens to be the voice of Paulette on the Disney Channel animated cartoon series ‘Handy Manny.’   Note: Because of the popularity of de Laurentiis, Village Books will close at 4 p.m. and re-open at 5 p.m., when strict rules will apply:   1. Books must be purchased at VB to be signed. If a book was purchased prior to event, the receipt must be shown at the door.   2. There will be two lines: one for prepaid books and one to purchase books. Pre-paid line will be given priority.   3. Books may be purchased in the store, over the phone, or via email.   4. Giada’s other books will also be available for purchase: ‘ ’Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes,’ ‘Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian ‘ ’Favorites,’ ‘Everyday Pasta: Favorite Pasta Recipes for Every Occasion,’ and ‘Giada’s   Family Dinners.’ ‘Giada at Home’ was released on March 30.   Contact: 310-454-4063.