Lake Michigan bed and breakfast, Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast, Saugatuck, MI

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Sherwood Forest
Bed & Breakfast
Saugatuck, Michigan
1-800-838-1246

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Sherwood Forest B&B December 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. With the cold crisp days and starry nights, what better time to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa? It's also a great time to finish your holiday shopping at some of the most unique shops in the Midwest, and to top it all off, dine at some of the finest restaurants in the state. So join us soon for some R&R and holiday spirit.

Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth to All.

Gift Certificates
Give the most amazing gift on the planet. Imagine receiving a gift certificate from Sherwood Forest B&B! After the recipient jumps up and down and hugs that special someone, he or she will rush to the phone to book a room at Sherwood Forest (just gotta have that fireplace/Jacuzzi suite). Call 800-838-1246, or visit our gift certificate page at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/giftcert.html.

Massages
Have a massage in the privacy of your room by a certified massage therapist in a style that's just right for you. It's 1 hour of pure relaxation...December special: $60. Schedule some pampering soon.

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners
Now's the time to gather up that group of friends or family and plan a visit to Sherwood Forest B&B for one of our awesome Gourmet Dinners. From November through April, let us wine and dine you. Book the entire B&B for 2 nights or more and we'll have such a feast catered, your taste palates won't allow any leftovers. We've cornered the market on the best chefs Saugatuck and Douglas have to offer. These epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room, and you'll have the time of your life. Here are the details: dinner is $50 per person, guests provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required. You pick the date November through April and we'll pick the chef. Bring your appetite and whatever you need to wet your whistle, sit down, and dinner is served. Black out dates are New Year's Eve and Valentine's weekend. To book a gourmet dinner, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html

Melt Your Stress Away Package
Upon your arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine and cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the real world), a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. Price: $235 (does not include room rate). If you wish to have this awaiting your arrival, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (Pet Friendly)
Looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay? Our Cottage is perfect for that tranquil getaway or for spending time with friends or family. It sleeps up to 4 people, has a full kitchen, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and it's pet friendly. For more info, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML or call us at 800-838-1246.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Holiday Concert
Handel's Messiah, George Frederic Handel's oratorical masterpiece, featuring the Kalamazoo Oratorio Society, the South Haven Men's Chorus, and members of the Kalamazoo Symphony conducted by Jack Frey. Show date is December 3; tickets are $15; showtime at 3 p.m. at the SCA, downtown Saugatuck. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Holiday Song
Join Broadway star Nancy Anderson and some of West Michigan Universities brightest and most talented theater graduates for a Holiday Cabaret titled Next Stop Broadway. Anderson and friends will be singing from selected holiday Broadway hits. The performance is December 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. at the SCA. To purchase tickets visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Music
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday through December. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit http://www.whatnotinn.com.

Theater
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be presented December 8-10 and 15-17 at the Women's Club in downtown Saugatuck. This classic Christmas tale, featuring Ebenezer Scrooge, various ghosts, and an assortment of lovable Londoners, is brought to life by community performers. For performance times or to purchase tickets, call 269-857-1701.

More Theater
Based on the old Judy Garland television Christmas show titled An Old Fashioned Christmas, The Judy Christmas Show will not only feature local Michael Holmes as Judy Garland, but he will also perform as Pearl Bailey, Carol Channing, and Billie Holiday. Show date is December 11, tickets are $20; cocktails at 7:15 p.m., curtain at 8 p.m. at the SCA. Visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Christmas Trees
What better way is there to help usher in the holiday season than to cut your own Christmas tree? Our friends at Baragar Pines Farm will help you choose just the right tree for the holidays, from Frasier Furs to Scotch Pines, wreaths, and potted Blue Spruces, too. They're at 2661 64th St. in Fennville. For more info call 269-857-4429 .

Art
The Nines Gallery in Holland will be showing a sampling of Givable Art by each of their artists. The prices are in the thoughtful gift range and there will be something for everyone: still life, landscapes, abstracts, pottery, and photography. They also have several artists who do portrait work in a variety of styles. For more info, visit www.theninesgallery.com or call 616-392-4370.

Art & Museums
Through December 10, The Holland Museum will present Latin American Graphics: The Evolution of Identity from the Mythical to the Personal showcasing the works of 39 artists, surveying the evolution of modern and contemporary Latin American printmaking from the mid-20th century to the present. This exhibition includes techniques such as Intaglio (relief print), engraving (etching and woodcut), lithography, silkscreen and various photo-processes and offers valuable insight into Latin America's aesthetic accomplishments and contributions. For more information, visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/ or call 616-392-9084.

Book of the Month
Michele's & Sue's book of the month is Seven Types of Ambiguity by Elliot Pearlman. Australian writer Pearlman sets a high bar for himself, and the result is a relentlessly driven story. This is an epic novel about obsessive love in an age of obsessive materialism. The basic thrust of the story is about a man who has never gotten over a woman who left him 10 years before and kidnaps her son. The book is segmented in seven parts, each narrated by a different player in the unfolding drama, with sections and scenes overlapping. The characters are similar and yet different being incredibly insightful, bright, and in tune with the human condition regardless of age, sex, or social standing. This book has awesome magnitude and scope of what is a phenomenal piece of literature. You can purchase this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Honorable Mentions
December weekends, horse-drawn carriage rides, downtown Saugatuck.
December 31 New Years Eve, Midnight Fireworks Display
January 23, Visiting Writers Series, Michael Martone, Fiction, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
January 26, Great Performance Series, The Ahn Trio, Holland 7:30 p.m.
February 15, Visiting Writers Series, Percival Everett, Fiction, Knickerbockers, 7 p.m.
February 20, Mardi Gras Parade, Douglas, 7 p.m.
February 21-22, Great Performance Series, The Acting Company in Jane Eyre, Holland, 7:30 p.m.
March 9, Great Performance Series, Simon Shaheen Ensemble, Holland, 7:30 p.m.
March 13, Visiting Writers Series, Anele Rubin, Poet, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
March 13, Visiting Writers Series, Mary Ann Samyn, Poet, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
April 11, Visiting Writers Series, Joan Silbe, Fiction, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.

Sherwood Forest Staples
We will pamper you to your heart's content with one of our Sweetheart Specials (we now can include Godiva Chocolates), or you can try one of our in-house massages--doesn't get much better than that. And of course, there's our ever-popular Famous Chefs of Saugatuck Gourmet Dinners November through April. You can link to our Sweetheart Specials at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/SWEETHEART.HTML Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/DINNERS.HTML.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Whitney's Magical Spectacular Sugar Cookies

Whitney appeared on our doorstep one day, we call her the Mary Poppins of Sherwood, she brightens up any room she enters, and she brought with her a holiday cookie recipe that spreads joy throughout your entire body.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 and a half teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
one/third cup shortening
three/quarters of a cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
one/quarter teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and shortening for 40 seconds, add sugar and beat till fluffy, add egg, milk and vanilla, beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, till nice and combined. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Working with one/half of the dough at time on a lightly floured surface, roll into a one/eighth thickness, cut into desired shapes, you can use all sorts of fun cookie designs, and sprinkle with colored sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes or until done. Makes 36 to 48 cookies.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth

Sherwood Forest B&B November 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Fall is upon us, and the leaves are just finishing their journey of many colors. What a wonderful time of year to go apple picking, take a hike along the lakeshore or in the wooded dunes of the Saugatuck State Park, or enjoy a color-tour drive (you might even want to share a Sherwood Forest picnic basket along the way).

Melt Your Stress Away Package
Upon your arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine and cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the "real world"), a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. Price: $235 (does not include room rate). If you wish to have this awaiting your arrival, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (Pet Friendly)
Looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay? Our Cottage is perfect for that tranquil getaway or for spending time with friends or family. We do have some openings in November and December, which is also a wonderful time to kick back and enjoy the area. It sleeps up to 4 people, has a full kitchen, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and it's pet friendly. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML or call us at 800-838-1246.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Night Before Christmas
A retailers' open house in downtown Saugatuck kicks off the shopping season with unique items for the holidays while at the same time giving you the chance to win free prizes from participating stores. There are carriage rides and strolling carolers to make the evening festive. It all starts on November 17 from 6-9 p.m. and will continue through the weekend. More info on the Santa's shopping spree can be found at http://www.saugatuckdouglas.com.

Douglas Holiday Preview
Let the shops of Douglas entertain you this holiday season. The town will be decorated in colorful lights, and there will be music and refreshments to enjoy while shopping for that unique gift on November 19 until 9 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.douglasmichigan.com.

Music
On November 11 Jimmy Dillon and the Werewolves will be performing at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. Jimmy Dillon, who has toured extensively, playing with such major artists as John Lee Hooker, Bruce Springsteen, and Clarence Clemons, is backed by The Werewolves, a 7-piece band of veteran musicians. Their eclectic performance will include Cuban Jazz, gut bucket blues, Euro Pop, and flat out rock. To purchase tickets, visit www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

More Music
Hope College continues its Great Performance Series with the Jacques Thibaud String Trio on ?November 9 at 7:30 pm ?in the Dimnent Chapel?. You'll be treated to an exceptional presentation of chamber music in its own right, with works by Beethoven, Sch�nberg, and Mozart. For tickets, call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/.

Art
Don't miss The Nines' 8th Anniversary Art Bash on November 3 from 5-9 p.m. The artist reception will celebrate a new collection of oil paintings by Michael Pfleghaar, a new collection of functional ceramic lamps by Jeff Blandford, and new paintings and the first ceramic sculptures by Jennifer Gardiner. The Art Bash will also be The Nines Gallery debut for Lisa Vanderhill, who is best known for composing large-scale figurative nudes (in classical repose) on printed fabric. Call 616-392-3239 or visit www.theninesgallery.com for more info.

More Art
Join the Blue Coast Artists for their annual Holiday Open House of Studios on November 24-25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Travel the scenic Blue Star Highway between Saugatuck and South Haven to discover some of Southwest Michigan's finest artwork, from pottery, sculpture, and jewelry, to weaving, blown glass, and paintings. For more information, visit http://bluecoastartists.com.

Theater
Music, Madness and Martinis: on November 25, The Weird Sisters will perform at the Mason Street Warehouse in downtown Saugatuck. Chosen as one of the Top Five Comedy Acts in Chicago, audiences have consistently been delighted by the comedic antics and musical mastery of The Weird Sisters since 1999. A trio of feather and rhinestone clad siblings, the Sisters pepper their sumptuous singing with saucy stories, spicy scenarios, and sizzling situations, resulting in a feast for both the eyes and ears. Tickets are $25 and show time is 8 p.m. (cocktails will be available). Call 269-857-4898 or visit http://www.masonstreetwarehouse.org for more info

Movies
The Fourth Annual Saugatuck Children's Film Festival, a program of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, will be held November 18 and will feature about independently produced films for children and young adults that are both entertaining and educational, dealing with such subjects as environmental preservation, cultural diversity, and history. For more info call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org/ChldFilm_05_index.html.

Visiting Writers
Next in the line up for the Visiting Writers Series is poet and playwright Cornelius Eady on November 30 at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland. Eady's most recent work is a collection of poems, Brutal Imagination. Eady's work, including five additional books of poetry and two award-winning plays, has garnered praise from critics and readers alike. He fuses headlines and history with language that is a field holler, a blues shout, a hip-hop rap that combusts inside the soul and keeps on burning. All readings are free. For more info call 269-395-7620 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/fall.html.

Books
Mindy's book of the month is Water For Elephants by Sarah Gruen. Gorgeous, brilliant, and superbly plotted, this book will sweep you into the world of the circus during the Great Depression. The novel, told in flashback by nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures, including a complex elephant that only responds to Polish commands. He also falls into an equally complex love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers--a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for. Gruen skillfully humanizes the midgets, drunks, rubes, and freaks who populate her book and with a showman's expert timing, saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of Americana into an enchanting escapist fairy tale. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Honorable Mentions
Sparkle Holiday Lighting Ceremony, November 24
Saugatuck's Merchants Night Before Christmas, December 1-2
Dickens Christmas Carol December 8-10, 15-17
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides December 2-3, 9-10 Downtown Saugatuck
New Years Eve, Midnight Fireworks Display December 31

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Sarah's Oriental Salad

Sarah, our English Siren friend extraordinaire from the far southern side of Saugatuck, who in a language all her own said when she tried this - TOPPER, we trust it's a compliment since she ate all on her plate and asked for seconds.

Ingredients:

One-third cup rice or cider vinegar
One-quarter cup sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter
one-third cup slivered almonds
one-quarter cup sunflower seed kernels
2 (5-ounce) packages Japanese curly noodles (soba), crumbled
8 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
2 cups shredded carrot
5 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon into a bowl and cover and chill. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet and add almonds, sunflower kernels, and noodles; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally. Spoon mixture into a large bowl and cover and chill. Add vinegar mixture to noodle mix; let stand 15 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot, and onions, tossing to coat. Serves 8.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth

Sherwood Forest B&B October 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Fall is upon us, and the leaves have just started their journey into the palette of many colors. What a wonderful time of year to go apple picking, take a hike along the lakeshore or in the wooded dunes of the Saugatuck State Park, or do a color-our drive (you might even want to share a Sherwood Forest picnic basket).

Sherwood Forest Picnic Baskets Venture forth from Sherwood Forest with your own basket of goodies. The picnic includes a fine selection of Italian meats, cheeses, and baguettes, along with fresh fruit and sweets to make your afternoon rendezvous complete. To wet your whistle, choose from spritzers or bottled water (vegetarian selection also available). Price: $55 for two.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Sherwood Forest Golf Fall is also a great time of year to play the links and even better, the rates go down! We've come up with some incredible stay-and-play golf packages for you to choose from: Spend one night midweek at the Sherwood Forest B & B, and we'll arrange for you to play at The Ravines, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course, a sweeping, eighteen-stanza epic, where nature meets sport in ways you simply must witness to believe. Here's what you get with a 1-night stay (additional nights available at regular room price): a room at Sherwood Forest B&B and 18 holes of golf for two (with a cart) with a guaranteed tee time at The Ravines. Cost ranges from $204-$325. To book this package, call us at 800-838-1246. For more golf specials, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html

Melt Your Stress Away Package
Upon your arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine and cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the "real world"), a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. Price: $235 (does not include room rate). If you wish to have this awaiting your arrival, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (Pet Friendly)
Looking for a quiet, relaxing great place to stay now that the summer is over? Our cottage has 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and we allow pets. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML.

U-Pick
Crane's Orchards, one of Michigan's finest U-Pick Apple Orchards, is less than 7 miles from our front door. They have 14 different varieties, such as Gala, Macintosh, Honey Crisp, Cortland, Golden Supreme, Jonagold, Empire, Jonathans, Ida Reds, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, Red Delicious, Fuji, and Braeburn. Hours are 10-6 pm daily through October. For more information, call 269-561-8651 or visit http://www.craneorchards.com.

Octoberfest
Downtown Douglas will be the site for this year's Octoberfest on October 7 from 6-9 p.m. While it's not Munich, Germany, it does have a festive atmosphere to help you celebrate the traditional season's first batch of new brew. So drop in for a beer from the Saugatuck Brewing Company and there will be brats, prizes galore, and music. Entrance fee is $8 ($6 in advance).

Music
On October 7 and 8, The Mason Street Warehouse presents Kelly Carey in Shed a Little Light, A Tribute to James Taylor. Carey (recently seen in MSW's The Great American Trailer Park Musical), along with an incredible band and back up vocalists, will pay homage to one of America's most beloved songwriters. Carey presents Taylor's hits with the warmth of the '60s and '70s and puts a fresh edge on them like you've never heard before. Call 269-857-4898 or visit http://www.masonstreetwarehouse.org.

20th Annual Goose Festival
You haven't lived until you've attended the Goose Festival--no really! October 13-15, the weekend long festival in downtown Fennville will entertain you to your hearts delight. The official parade starts at 1 p.m. on October 14, and you'll be awed by this year's reining beauty queen, Miss Honker, and the musical delights of the Scottville Clown Band. For more info, call 616-857-2236 or visit http://www.fennvillenews.com/Goose_Gazette.htm.

Chili Cook Off
October 15 is a good time for some good chili. Enjoy chili from your favorite area restaurants and music from many of your favorite local performers in Wicks Park, Saugatuck, from 1-5 p.m. Admission $5, kids free. For additional information, call 269-857-8899.

Wine and the Senses
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon with wine connoisseur Bill St. John on October 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. He'll make it easy for you to appreciate wine if you just attend just this one class. Cost is $40. For more information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Music The Lakeshore Jazz Connection presents Homegrown Jazz on October 14 at the Saugatuck Women's Club. Artistic Director Jim Cooper has assembled an amazing ensemble of jazz composers from Michigan, including Ellen Rowe and Steve Talaga, piano; Jim Cooper, vibraphone; Scot Cowan, trumpet; Rob Smith, trumpet and sax; Tom Lockwood and Carl Cafagna, woodwinds; Shawn Bell, trombone; Ed Fedowa, bass; and Pete Siers, drums. For more info, call 269-857-1557 or visit http://www.lakeshorejazzconnection.org.

Library Fundraiser
On October 15 at 3 p.m., Mac McDonald will be reading from selected works of Spike Milligan's poetry written especially for children. Then at 3:45 p.m., Bill Vits, lead percussionist for the Grand Rapids Symphony, will host a children's program designed to educate and entertain through symphonic percussion instruments, such as marimbas, Congo drums, and xylophone. Then for the adults at 6 p.m. there will be a pre-concert social with a cash tip bar and at 7 p.m. the all-girl band, Nobody's Darlin', playing music of the pre-depression era. Tickets are $10, all proceeds benefit the Saugatuck/Douglas Library. Visit www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Art
Panorama is the first feature exhibition at The Nines Gallery for Nathan Larimer. Larimer's photographs were composed near Savannah, GA, and feature human figures in the landscape. Each photograph is split into two frames, which gives the compositions high drama and an additional element of interest. This exhibit is also the 4th feature exhibition The Nines Gallery has hosted for Michael Callihan. His new paintings explore how agriculture intersects our modern landscape and has become a part of how we picture nature from the American roadside. Call 616-392-3239 for additional information or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com.

More Art
The Blue Coast Artists 15th Annual Fall Tour of Studios will be held October 7-8 from 10-6. Travel the Blue Star highway between South Haven and Saugatuck to discover some of Southwest Michigan's finest artwork, from stoneware and Raku pottery, sculpture and fine jewelry, to wood marquetry, blown glass, and painting. Visit the unique rural studios, galleries, and showrooms of these 9 professional artists. For more information, visit http://bluecoastartists.com.

Still More Art
Come join more than 20 tri-community galleries for the 27th annual Saugatuck/Douglas Gallery Stroll. You'll be able to cruise through some of the Midwest's finest art, sip wine, nibble hors d'oeuvres, and discern brushstrokes, pottery glazes, and photography techniques. You'll also have the chance to meet and greet some red-hot emerging artists. Gallery Stroll is October 7-8 from noon to 5 p.m., and there will be a trolley available to take you between Saugatuck and Douglas. For more info, visit http://www.saugatuckdouglas.com/ART/Index.html.

Theater
Local favorite Michael Holmes will perform a Variety Show on October 21 at 8 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. He has appeared across the United States from Hawaii to Manhattan performing his "one-man" cabaret and main stage shows. Call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

Music and a Movie
Blue Dahlia will perform on October 27 at 8 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. The 5-member band from Kalamazoo will perform scores for the classic vampire silent film Nosferatu. For more information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Halloween
Halloween festivities will be going on in downtown Saugatuck on October 28 from 10-5, including country music, entertainment, storytelling, arts & crafts, and a kids' parade. That evening you do not want to miss the Douglas Halloween Celebration and Adult Parade at 10 p.m. It's definitely a fashion statement, whether you wish to partake (pull out that I Love Lucy costume), or if you're there for some interesting viewing (you'll laugh till you cry). For more info, contact the Saugatuck/Douglas Visitor's Bureau at 269-857-1701.

Haunted Corn Maize
Have a good scare at Crane's Orchards Haunted Corn Maize, a kaleidoscope of twists and turns and heart stopping boos (weather permitting) Thursday through Saturday 7-10 p.m. in October. For more info, call 269-561-8651 or go to www.craneorchards.com.

Exhibitions
The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum 2006 exhibit is Raising the Roof, The Buildings and Architecture of the Saugatuck/Douglas Area, Second Story. This exhibit is open on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.accn.org/~sdhistory/Home.php.

Saugatuck Farmer's Market
Experience great tasting produce, dairy products, and baked goods--a feast for the eyes and the palette from Michigan's fields, dairy barns, and kitchens. Under the red arches at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on Culver Street in Downtown Saugatuck on Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through October. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Visiting Writers
Fiction writer David Harris and poet Vievee Francis will be next in the line up for the Hope College Visiting Writers Series on October 12 at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre, downtown Holland. Harris' stories of searching young Americans are intimate and sharply detailed, sometimes hopeful, often sad, with just a taste of the strange, many of his stories are set in Philadelphia. He will read selected works from his book Between Camelots. Vievee's first book, Blue Tail Fly, a collection of stories that gives voice to outsiders, soldiers, and common folk to leading political figures. In the period of American history between the Mexican American War and the Civil War, a poet with something to say and something worth listening to. All readings are free. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/fall.html

More Visiting Writers
On October 21, Alison Swan, an award-winning environmentalist, poet, and novelist, will read from selected works along with other compatriots from their new book, Fresh Water. It's a beautiful collection of non-fiction by some of the best sirens the Great Lakes have to offer. Admittance is free and the reading will take place at the Women's Club in downtown Saugatuck at 6 p.m.

Books
Keith's book of the month is A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute, published in 1950. My good friend Michele turned me on to a book titled 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, which did cause some angst but also spurred me to start reading at a voracious pace. This classic of literature takes place on three continents. It involves history, geography, travel, adventure, misery, joy, evil, and love. Shute creates marvelous three-dimensional characters. Even the countryside is like another character, because it's so full and important to the story. It could almost be two different books, such is the compelling strength of the section set in World War 2 where our heroine is leading a group of women who are captured and are being marched between towns hundreds of miles by the Japanese who weren't going to kill women and children but barely had enough supplies for their own soldiers so they just kept moving the women on. It's a great book with a beautiful bittersweet ending. You can purchase or order these book at Treehouse Books in Holland, 616-494-5085 or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Honorable Mentions
Great Performance Series, Jacques Thibaud String Trio, November 9
Childrens Film Festival, November 14
Douglas Holiday Preview, November 18
Visiting Writers Series, Cornelius Eady, Poet, November 30
Sparkle Holiday Lighting Ceremony, November 24
Blue Coast Artist Holiday Open House, November 24-26
Mason Street Warehouse Weird Sisters and the Strange Brothers, November 25
Saugatuck's Merchants Night Before Christmas, December 1-2
Dickens Christmas Carol December 8-10, 15-17
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides December 2-3, 9-10 Downtown Saugatuck
New Years Eve, Midnight Fireworks Display December 31

Sherwood Forest Cottage
The Cottage is the perfect place for that quiet getaway or for spending time with friends or family. We do have some openings in November and December, which is also a wonderful time to kick back and enjoy the area. It sleeps up to 4 people or two couples, has a full kitchen, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML or call us at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Staples
We will pamper you to your heart's content with one of our Sweetheart Specials (we now can include Godiva Chocolates), or you can try one of our in-house massages--doesn't get much better than that. And of course, there's our ever-popular Famous Chefs of Saugatuck Gourmet Dinners November through April. You can link to our Sweetheart Specials at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/SWEETHEART.HTML. Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/DINNERS.HTML.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
The Jewel from Long Island bestowed upon us this delectable bean dip, ah the mystique, mystery and allure of the far east.

Mama-San Carol's Long Island Bean Dip

Ingredients:

one and one-half cups fresh tomatoes diced OR 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and divided
one-half teaspoon hot pepper sauce
one-quarter teaspoon each salt, oregano, and ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
three-quarters cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 cup tomatoes and all other items through chiles. Spoon into greased casserole dish. Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes (until cheese is melted), then top with remaining tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth

Sherwood Forest B&B September 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

The summer season has ended, and though the autumnal solstice is still a few weeks away, things have quieted down here on the lakeshore. The squirrels have started gathering their food supply for the fall, the young turkeys are wandering through the woods, and soon the hummingbirds will start their long trek south. The nights are cool; the days are peaceful; the early apples and pears are ready for picking. It's a great time of year to join us for some relaxation and beautiful fall colors.

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners

Now's the time to gather up that group of friends or family and plan a visit to Sherwood Forest B&B for one of our awesome Gourmet Dinners. From November through April, let us wine and dine you. Book the entire B&B for 2 nights or more and we'll have such a feast catered, your taste palates won't allow any leftovers. We've cornered the market on the best chefs Saugatuck and Douglas have to offer. These epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room, and you'll have the time of your life. Here are the details: dinner is $45 per person, guests must provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required. You pick the date November through April and we'll pick the chef. Bring your appetite and whatever you need to wet your whistle, sit down, and dinner is served. Black out dates are New Years Eve and Valentine's Day weekend. To book a gourmet dinner, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html

Sherwood Forest Picnic Baskets Venture forth from Sherwood Forest with your own basket of goodies this fall. The picnic includes a fine selection of Italian meats, cheeses, and baguettes, along with fresh fruit and sweets to make your afternoon rendezvous complete. To wet your whistle, choose from spritzers or bottled water (vegetarian selection also available). Price: $55 for two.

Melt Your Stress Away Package

Upon your arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine & cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the "real world") a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. Price: $235 (does not include room rate). If you wish to have this awaiting your arrival, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Sherwood Forest Cottage

Looking for a quiet, relaxing great place to stay now that the summer is over? Our cottage has 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML

Heritage Festival & Home Tour

On September 16, the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society will sponsor its 5th annual Heritage Festival, with a tour of award-winning historic homes, showcasing 8 homes honored for new construction or renovation that blends this historic community's traditional style, scale, materials and character with today's amenities and lifestyles. You can also take a vineyard tour of award-winning Fenn Valley Winery, complete with wine tasting, orchard tours at historic Cranes Orchards, historical trolley tours, a clothesline art show, and a vintage baseball game from the 1860s. It's everything that small-town America is all about. Discover the rich historical, architectural, and agricultural heritage of Saugatuck-Douglas. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.sdhistory.com

Farmers' Market

The Green Market at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts is still going strong from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every Friday through October 27. Local farmers and growers bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies and baked goods. Experience great-tasting produce, dairy products, and baked goods--a feast for the eyes and the palette from Michigan's fields, dairy barns, and kitchens. For further information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

U-Pick

Cranes Orchards, one of Michigan's finest U-Pick Apple Orchards in West Michigan and a wonderful place to pick your own apples, is less than 7 miles from our front door. They have 14 different varieties, such as Gala, Macintosh, Honey Crisp, Cortland, Golden Supreme, Jonagold, Empire, Jonathans, Ida Reds, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, Red Delicious, Fuji, and Braeburn. Hours are 10:00-6:00 pm daily through October. For more information, call 269-561-8651 or visit http://www.craneorchards.com

Photography

The Redball Project by Kurt Perschke is now showing at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts through September. Perschke tinkers with architectural settings and jars his audience to attention by inserting an incongruous giant red inflated ball among familiar sites, from Sydney to St. Louis to Barcelona to Portland. Perschke's work catalyzes alternative ways of thinking about human scale and our relationship to familiar public spaces, bringing new perceptions and meaning to the world we know. For more information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

Music

Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Caf� every Thursday through Sunday in September from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Eddy Curtis Jazz Duo, Libby York Jazz Vocals, Willy Chacon and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call 269-857-4240.

More Music

On September 9, The Lakeshore Jazz Connection presents Tumbao Bravo, a seven-piece Cuban jazz combo, at the Saugatuck Woman's Club. This band received a 2005 Detroit Music Award for Best Jazz Recording of the year for their first CD, Montuno Salad. Many of the groups songs have been composed by band members, creating a unique sound all their own. Mambos, cha-chas, rumbas, and boleros are just some of the rhythms explored in the Tumbao Bravo's repertoire. For more info or tickets, call 269-857-2287 or visit http://www.lakeshorejazzconnection.org

Still More Music

There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday through October. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit http://www.whatnotinn.com

BBQ, Beer, and Honkey Tonk

Honest D & The Steel Reserve will play some real country music at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on September 23 from 4-7 p.m. They're committed to bringing you the Grand Ol' Opry style of country music from the '40s and '50s.For more information or tickets call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

Visiting Writers

On October 21, Alison Swan, an award winning enviromentalist, poet and novelist will read from selected works along with some other women compatriots from their new book Fresh Water (see book selection of the month-below).It's a beautiful collection of non fiction by some of the best Sirens the Great Lakes has to offer. Admittance is free and the reading will take place at the Women's Club in downtown Saugatuck at 6 p.m.

Visiting Writers

On September 13, Jack Ridl, poet and Hope College professor, will pay homage to and be reading from select works by Tom Andrews, a favorite poet/friend/student of his who passed away in 2001. Andrew's publications include The Brother's Country, winner of the National Poetry Series; The Hemophiliac's Motorcycle, winner of the Iowa Prize; and On Charles Wright: The Point Where All Things Meet. Admittance is free and the reading will take place at the Knickerbocker Theatre (downtown Holland) at 7 p.m., jazz at 6:30. For more info, call 616-395-7620 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/

Concert

Jenna Mammina will be performing September 16 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. This jazz vocalist has great power, imagination, and artistry. Her influences vary from Nat King Cole songs to Duke Ellington and Fats Waller, Steely Dan and U2. For more information or tickets, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

Dance

The Jump Rhythm Jazz will perform on September 22 at Dewitt Theatre at 7:30 on the Hope College Campus. A company of rhythmically explosive dancers that celebrate the timeless core of jazz performance, they dance and sing in swinging, high-energy bursts of body rhythms. The company has thrilled audiences nationally and internationally with its rich blend of percussive musicality and emotion-charged dance theatre. For more info, visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/gps/ or call 616-395-7890.

Exhibitions

The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum 2006 exhibit is Raising the Roof, The Buildings and Architecture of the Saugatuck/Douglas Area, Second Story. This exhibit is open on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.accn.org/~sdhistory/Home.php

Art

In September, The Nines Gallery in Holland will be featuring hot new lamps by Saugatuck ceramicist Jeff Blandford. Art aficionados can purchase single lamps or pairs and have options of stylish shapes and glazes of shiny graphite or sea-foam blue. On September 29, Panorama opens, featuring new large landscapes by Michael Callihan and photographs of figurative nudes in landscape by new artist and photographer, Nathan Larimer. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is inside 17 W. 10th St., Holland. For more info, call 616-392-3239 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com

Antiques

The Allegan County Antique Market will be held the last Sunday in September from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies. For more info, call 269-735-3333. And don't forget to visit our hip and groovy friends down at the Blue Star Antique Pavilion on Blue Star Highway in Douglas. For more information you can call them at 269-857-6041 or visit them on the web at http://www.bluestarantiquepavilion.com

Honorable Mentions

Allegan County Fair, September 8-16
Mount Baldhead Challenge September 16, 15k and 5k
Blue Coast Artists open house, October 7-8
Saugatuck-Douglas Gallery Stroll, October 7-8
Octoberfest, October 7
Visiting Writers Series David Harris Ebenbach, Fiction, Oct 12
Visiting Writers Series Vievee Francis, Poet, October 12
Goose Festival, October 13-15
Great Performance Series, Dave Holland Quintet, October 14
Lakeshore Jazz Connection-Saugatuck Women's Club Oct 14
Chili Festival, October 15
Adult Halloween Parade, October 28, Douglas, 10 p.m.
Great Performance Series, Jacques Thibaud String Trio, November 9
Visiting Writers Series Cornelius Eady, Poet, November 30

Books

Alison Swan's book of the month is Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes. Alison, a close friend of ours, is the editor of this book and also has a short story included. This collection of nonfiction works by female writers focuses on the Midwest: living with the five interconnected freshwater seas that we know as the Great Lakes. Contributing to this collection are renowned poets, essayists, and fiction writers, all of who write about their own creative streams of consciousness, the fresh waters of the Great Lakes, and the region's many rivers. This book reminds us of the small transformative moments we experience on and around our Great Lakes, and it adds significantly to the record of the beauty we find there, which will ultimately protect them. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) http://www.treehousebooks.net

Sherwood Forest Staples

We will pamper you to your heart's content with one of our Sweetheart Specials (we now can include Godiva Chocolates), or you can try one of our in-house massages--doesn't get much better than that. And of course, there's our ever-popular Famous Chefs of Saugatuck Gourmet Dinners November through April. You can link to our Sweetheart Specials at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/SWEETHEART.HTML Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/DINNERS.HTML.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Sue's Veggie Casserole

Sue the original Siren, conjured up this delectable mouthwatering veggie dish utilizing all the fresh tomatoes and zucchini that come our way this time of year!

Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted and cubed
1 medium zucchini squash, thinly sliced
one-half cup shredded Colby/Jack cheese
one-half large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
salt/pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Grease 8x8 pan or casserole dish, then layer bread, zucchini, cheese, onion, and tomato in dish, and then sprinkle with salt/pepper and oregano. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes, and enjoy! Serves 4.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St
Douglas, Michigan 49406
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth

Sherwood Forest B&B August 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Summer is still upon us, and here in the forest things are as relaxed as can be. Lake Michigan's water temp is hovering around 78 degrees, still purrrfect for taking a dip, and these next 2 months are a great time of year for enjoying a stroll along Lake Shore Drive or the beach, sharing a picnic basket, or viewing the spectacular fall colors. There's lots to do, or nothing if you so choose. So give us a call for that much-needed getaway!

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners
Now's the time to gather up that group of friends or family and plan a visit to Sherwood Forest B&B for one of our awesome Gourmet Dinners. From November through April, let us wine and dine you. Book the entire B&B for 2 nights or more and we'll have such a feast catered, your taste palates won't allow any leftovers. We've cornered the market on the best chefs Saugatuck and Douglas have to offer. These epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room, and you'll have the time of your life. Here are the details: dinner is $45 per person, guests must provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required (deposit is nonrefundable if cancellation is made within 30 days of the date). You pick the date November through April and we'll pick the chef. Bring your appetite and whatever you need to wet your whistle, sit down, and dinner is served. Black out dates are New Years Eve and Valentine's Day weekend. To book a gourmet dinner, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html

Sherwood Forest Picnic Baskets
Venture forth from Sherwood Forest with your own basket of goodies this summer. The picnic includes a fine selection of Italian meats, cheeses, and baguettes, along with fresh fruit and sweets to make your afternoon rendezvous complete. To wet your whistle, choose from spritzers or bottled water (vegetarian selection also available). Price: $55 for two.

Melt your Stress Away Package
Upon your arrival, you'll find a beautiful Wine & Cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the "real world") a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. Price: $235 (does not include room rate). If you wish to have this awaiting your arrival, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Sherwood Forest Golf
We've toured the courses, replaced our divots, and tallied up the scores. We've come up with some incredible stay-and-play golf packages for you to choose from: spend a night or two at Sherwood Forest B&B and we'll arrange for you to play at The Ravines, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course, a sweeping, 18-stanza epic, where nature meets sport in ways you simply must witness to believe. Each hole at The Ravines is, indeed, a unique stage all its own, inviting--even inspiring--in its natural confines, with wide fairways, generous landing areas, and four tee positions per hole to let you play it safe. Cost of these packages runs from $251 to $625. For more information, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html

Sherwood Forest Cottage
Our cottage is booked up for the summer but if your looking for a relaxing getaway after Labor Day, give us a jingle. It sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, pool privileges, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML.

Douglas Socials
Starting July 13 and continuing every other week on Thursday nights through September 7, the Douglas Socials will be held from 5:30-9 p.m. in downtown Douglas. This is a real hometown happening that includes fun festivities for the whole family, including beer and brats, music, and lively conversation.

Farmers' Market
The Green Market is at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every Friday through October 27. Local farmers and growers bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies and baked goods. Experience great-tasting produce, dairy products, and baked goods--a feast for the eyes and the palette from Michigan's fields, dairy barns, and kitchens, it's all under the red arches at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on Culver Street in Downtown Saugatuck For further information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

U-Pick
There's a couple of great Michigan U-Pick's about 8 miles or less from our front door, Earls U-Pick Farm is the first. Through August, you can pick raspberries, such as Laurens and Chester's. Then at Krupka's Blueberry Plantation, beginning in early July, blueberries will be in season, with the Dukes and then the delicious Jerseys will be ready right after that. For more info, contact Earls at 269-227-2074 or Krupka's at 269-857-4278.

Music
Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Caf� every Thursday through Sunday (June-September) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Eddy Curtis Jazz Duo, Libby York Jazz Vocals, Willy Chacon and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info you can visit their website at http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call them at 269-857-4240.

More Music
The performance line up for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck is as follows: August 3-4, Neptune Quartet for Cello, Mandolin and Guitar; August 10-11, Perugino Plus Two Quartets for Clarinet and Strings and Piano and Strings; August 17-18, More than Mostly Mozart for Piano and Strings. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the Saugatuck Woman's Club. For more info, visit http://www.saugatuckmusic.org

Still More Music
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday through September. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit http://www.whatnotinn.com

Films
The Knickerbocker Theater in downtown Holland will show the movie Sisters In Law, August 8-12, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. In the little town of Kumba, Cameroon, two women determined to change their community are making progress that could change the world. This fascinating, often hilarious documentary follows the work of a State Prosecutor and Court President as they help women fight often-difficult cases of abuse, despite pressures from family and their community to remain silent. Next in the line-up is Water on August 14-19 and 21-24 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. It is 1938, and a young Hindu woman, Chuyia, barely in her teens is married to much older and sickly male, who shortly after the marriage passes away. She is returned unceremoniously to her parents' house, and from there she is taken to the holy city and left in the care of a wide assortment of widows. It's also the story of Kalyani, a gorgeous young woman who meets and falls in love with young Narayan, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, who wants to marry her, despite his mother's protests. According to Holy Hindu Scriptures both women have been destined to live in the care of the old widows for the rest of her life. It's about their trials and tribulations and triumphs. Finally, Sketches of Frank Gehry on Aug 28-30 and Sept 4 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. A film by Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack, although the two men have been friends for years, Pollack thankfully bypasses the opportunity to pay a fawning tribute to Gehry, instead presenting a well-balanced portrait that offers both positive and negative commentators the chance to etch their thoughts. The series of interviews between the two men have the kind of relaxed atmosphere that could only exist after years of friendship, and Gehry comes across as an astonishingly normal and likeable fellow who keeps his ego firmly in check. The Knickerbocker Theater is at 86 E. 8th St., downtown Holland. Call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/

Exhibitions
The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum 2006 exhibit is Raising the Roof, The Buildings and Architecture of the Saugatuck/Douglas Area, Second Story. This exhibit is open daily, noon to 4 p.m., until Labor Day, and on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.accn.org/~sdhistory/Home.php

Art & Museums
Dutch Impressionist paintings from the Beekuis Collection will be featured at the Holland Museum through September 3. More than 40 oils and watercolors by Dutch artists of the Impressionist period will be on display. The Holland Museum is at 31 W. 10th St., downtown Holland. For more information, visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/ or call 616-392-9084

Art
The Nines Gallery is currently showing Art of the Unexpected - Unexpectedly Good, Unexpectedly Hip and Edgy, and Unexpectedly Well Priced. Tommy Allen's new photographs will move you. They are modern, quiet, introspective, and capture the Lake Michigan Experience in a way we've never before seen. David Brock is part of the newest wave of talent to be featured by The Nines Gallery. Brock comes from Northwest Wisconsin (via Florence, Italy, and Bowling Green, Ohio - but that's a story for another time) and his latest collection of landscapes take a non-traditional look at the heart of Americana and the Great American Midwest. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is inside 17 W. 10th St., Holland. For more info, call 616-392-3239 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com

Food
The Annual Taste of Saugatuck will be held on August 27 on Water Street in downtown Saugatuck from noon-7 p.m. It's a mini Taste of Chicago street festival, featuring fine foods from area restaurants, a gastronomical event that is sure to please everyone. Sponsored by the Saugatuck-Douglas CVB and area restaurants. For information, call (616) 857-1701.

Theater
Next in the line up for the Mason Street Warehouse is Cabaret, which runs August 4-20. This Kander and Ebb favorite takes us to the seedy glamour of the legendary Kit Kat Klub, as an English singer romances an American writer. Set against the background of a crumbling Berlin at the rise of the Third Reich, Cabaret, with its classic score, incredible dance numbers, and socially poignant story, brings to life an era when being yourself wasn't always acceptable. The final play of the year is the world premier of Scenery, which runs from August 25-September 10. This mad-cap comic romp is set backstage in the star dressing room of Broadway's Belasco Theatre on the disastrous opening night of a two-character play starring the legendary acting couple Richard and Marion Crain. Tensions mount, secrets spill, passions flow, and plenty of fur flies in this hilarious and touching valentine to the triumphs and heartbreaks of a life in the theatre. The Mason Street Warehouse is at 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. For tickets or more info, call 269-857-4898 or visit http://www.masonstreetwarehouse.org

More Theater
Hope Summer Repertory Theatre has a continuing carousel of plays to delight you this summer, beginning with Oliver, the world's most beloved orphan, then Shakespeare in Hollywood, a modern comedy which revisits the Hollywood starlets, producers, and actors of yesteryear. Followed by Dames at Sea, it has tap dancers and battleships, a great combination for this upbeat musical comedy in which a young starlet gets her big break. Then there's The Shakespeare Revue, where Shakespeare meets Monty Python, now for something completely different. Finally, A Midsummer's Night Dream, blame it on the nymphs, fairies, and Puck. For show times, tickets and locations call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/hsrt/

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market will be held the last Sunday in August from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies (the market is always the last Sunday of the month, April through September). For more info, call 269-735-3333. And don't forget to visit our friends down at the Blue Star Antique Pavilion on Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Sidewalk Sale
The Annual Saugatuck Sidewalk Sale will be held August 17-18 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and till 6 p.m. on Friday in downtown Saugatuck. This is a great event while merchants unload their summer goods to make way for fall fashions and giftware. There will be bargains galore and will happen rain or shine. Sponsored by downtown Saugatuck merchants. Call (616) 857-4005 for more info.

Honorable Mentions
Used Book Sale, Saugatuck-Douglas Library, September 2
Blue Star Bridge Walk, September 4, a true test of fitness over a 600-foot bridge--HUH?
Douglas Social September 7
Lakeshore Jazz Connection-Saugatuck Women's Club September 9
Allegan County Fair, September 8-16
Visiting Writers Series Jack Ridl, Poet September 13
Hope College Heritage Festival, September 16
Mount Baldhead Challenge September 16, 15k and 5k
Great Performance Series, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project September 22-23
Jenna Mammina Concert, Saugatuck Center for the Art's Blue Coast Artists open house, October 7-8
Saugatuck-Douglas Gallery Stroll, October 7-8
Octoberfest, October 7
Visiting Writers Series David Harris Ebenbach, Fiction, October 12
Visiting Writers Series Vievee Francis, Poet, October 12
Goose Festival, October 13-15
Great Performance Series, Dave Holland Quintet, October 14
Lakeshore Jazz Connection-Saugatuck Women's Club October 14
Chili Festival, October 15
Adult Halloween Parade, October 28, Douglas, 10 p.m.
Great Performance Series, Jacques Thibaud String Trio, November 9
Visiting Writers Series Cornelius Eady, Poet, November 30

Books
Michelle's book of the month is Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. This magnificent new novel has a similarly extraordinary scope and the same capacity to amaze, entertain, and bewitch the reader. A tour de force of metaphysical reality, it is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. Extravagant in its accomplishment, Kafka on the Shore displays one of the world's truly great storytellers at the height of his powers. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) http://www.treehousebooks.net.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
Jan, a new Siren of Sherwood, came to us from Peachbelt--the Brigadoon of Allegan County, which surfaces every 100 years, and she missed her return trip, but she did bring with her a delicious muffin recipe with peaches and pecans.

Jan's Peachy Pecan Muffins

Ingredients:
1 and one half cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-quarter teaspoon salt
1-quarter cup milk
2 medium peaches, diced to one cup
1 half-cup sugar
1 and one half teaspoons cinnamon
Half cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 egg

Topping:
1 half cup pecans-chopped
1-quarter cup flour
2 tablespoons butter melted
1 half-cup brown sugar
1 and one half teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix the butter, milk and egg together and pour into the flour mixture. Fold in the peaches and stir gently. Spoon the mixture into a greased and floured muffin pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes (until lightly brown). Makes 12 muffins.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B July 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

The summer is upon us, and there's a whole lot happening around here! The golf courses are in tip-top shape, the off-Broadway theater has a fantastic line up, and Lake Michigan is warm enough to take a dip. Ah, it's a great time of year, so get out your calendar and schedule in some free time soon.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Sherwood Forest Golf
We've toured the courses, replaced our divots, tallied up the scores, and we've come up with some incredible stay-and-play golf packages for you to choose from. Spend a night or two at Sherwood Forest B&B and we'll arrange for you to play at The Ravines, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course, a sweeping, 18-stanza epic, where nature meets sport in ways you simply must witness to believe. Cost of these packages ranges from $251 to $625. For more information, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html.

Coffee
A good friend of ours Kim has opened a new coffee shop in downtown Saugatuck called Saugatuck Coffee Company, she's a really cool gal and brews a great cup of coffee, she offers awesome culinary delights in a refreshingly unique caf�. Casual elegance located in historic Leland Alley, open at 6:30 a.m. for you early risers. For more information, you can call them at 269-857-2633.

Music
The performance line up for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck is as follows: July 13-14, Saugatuck Trio for Viola, Cello and Piano; July 20-21, Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano; July 28-29, a Sinfonia Trio Sonata. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the Saugatuck Woman's Club. For more info, visit http://www.saugatuckmusic.org.

More Music
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday through September. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit http://www.whatnotinn.com.

Still More Music
Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Caf� every Thursday through Sunday (June-September) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Jim Cooper Jazz Duo, Moments Notice Jazz Duo, and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info, call 269-857-4240.

Even Still More Music
Join the Folks at 'Til Midnight restaurant in Holland for some music to sooth the soul and enlighten the mind. Every Thursday night they have live jazz (Organissimo, Shock Effect, and Wonderland Jazz) in the dining room from 8-11pm. On Fridays they will have bands in the deli (Ragbirds, Smoke Stack, and Shock Bros) from 9 p.m. till whenever. If you're looking for some good food and live music in Holland, give it a try. For more info, call 616-392-6883 or visit http://www.tillmidnight.biz.

Films
The Knickerbocker Theater in downtown Holland will show Tales of Manhattan. A cursed tailcoat is the item that holds these 5 short vignettes together. The coat witnesses a love triangle with Rita Hayworth and Thomas Mitchell. It is also part of a delightful comedic tale between Henry Fonda and Ginger Rogers. It also is part of a scene starring Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters as a poor southern couple who witness a miracle. Other tales include Charles Laughton as a poor but brilliant musician whose chances for fame are imperiled by wearing the jacket; and Edward G. Robinson as a down and out alcoholic who takes his last shot by attending his 25-year college reunion. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is next.

This British classic tells the tale of Mrs. Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) a recent widow, who moves to a cottage on Whitecliff-by-the-Sea that is haunted by the ghost of its former owner, Captain Gregg (Rex Harrison). Gregg initially attempts to scare off the interlopers, but when he realizes Lucy won't be moved, they come to an agreement to coexist. This is a concise and rich film that avoids the maudlin pitfalls of many romance films of the times. Call for tickets, dates, and show times: 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/.

Theater
The first play of the season for the Mason Street Warehouse is Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love, an Elvis Presley musical tribute, running through July 9. This concert revue of the King's music is a celebration, not an imitation, of the large volume of work that made Presley a star and a celebrated musician of almost every style of music. Next is The Great American Trailer Park July 14-30. This musical production follows the Jerry Springer-like soap opera antics of a whacky collection of characters in Florida's Armadillo Acres Trailer Park, including an agoraphobic housewife, her toll-collector husband, their road-kill-aficionado son, and an on-the-run stripper looking for love. A trio of busybody trailer park neighbors provides appropriately tacky commentary throughout the evening, complimented by a fantastic country pop/rock score. The Mason Street Warehouse is at 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. For tickets or more info, call 269-857-4898 or visit http://www.masonstreetwarehouse.org.

Art
The Nines Gallery is currently showing original art by emerging regional, national, and international artists. July's exhibition titles, Independent Art, are new landscape paintings by Kathleen Putnam, abstractions by Jennifer Gardiner, and interior scenes by Michael Pfleghaar, through July 25. Through mid-August is Paintings and Tastings, with still-life paintings by Kathleen Putnam, Elaine Dalcher, Nicole Brink, and Wine-Inspired Still Life Paintings by Jeremy Hall at Butch's Dry Dock Restaurant in Downtown Holland. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is inside 17 W. 10th St, Holland. For more info, call 616-392-3239 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com.

Exhibitions
The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum will unveil its 2006 exhibition: Raising the Roof, The Buildings and Architecture of the Saugatuck/Douglas Area, Second Story. This exhibit is open daily, noon to 4 p.m., until Labor Day, and on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.accn.org/~sdhistory/Home.php.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market will be held the last Sunday in July from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies (the market is always the last Sunday of the month, April through September). For more info, call 269-735-3333. And don't forget to visit our friends down at the Blue Star Antique Pavilion on Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Honorable Mentions
July 1 Waterfront Invitational Art Fair, downtown Saugatuck
July 4 Parade and fireworks display
July 8 Fenn Valley Winery new wine release day
July 14 Home and Garden Stroll in Saugatuck
July 29 Village Square Fine Art and Craft Fair, Saugatuck
July 29 Venetian Night lighted boat parade and fireworks display
August 3-4 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 4-20 Cabaret at the Mason Street Warehouse
August 10 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
August 10-12 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 17-18 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 24 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
August 25-September 10, Scenery Mason Street Warehouse
August 26 Venetian Night, lighted boat parade and fireworks display
August 27 Taste of Saugatuck, downtown Saugatuck
September 2, Apple picking starts at Cranes Apple Orchard on M-89

Books
Mindy's book of the month is The Space Between Us by Thirty Umrigar. Umrigar's schematic novel illustrates the intimacy, and the irreconcilable class divide, between two women in contemporary Bombay. Bhima, a 65-year-old slum dweller, has worked for Sera, a younger upper-middle-class Parsi woman, for years: cooking, cleaning and tending Sera after the beatings she endures from her abusive husband. Sera, in turn, nurses Bhima back to health from typhoid fever and sends her granddaughter Maya to college. Sera recognizes their affinity, despite the different trajectories of their lives, circumstances dictated by the accidents of their births. They are also caged by the same strictures despite efforts to throw them off. Class allegiance combined with gender inequality challenges personal connection. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
Becky is the newest Siren of Sherwood and she's about to welcome a beautiful little girl to the planet, she brought us a great recipe to welcome in the first blueberry harvest of the season, thanks Becky, our blessings to you and your bambina.

Becky's Best Blueberry Muffins
� Cup (1 stick) butter, at room temp.
1 Cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
� teaspoon salt
1 � Cups blueberries (mash � cup with a fork)
2 Cups flour
� Cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar mixed with � teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease 12 muffin cups. Beat butter until creamy, then beat in sugar, then beat in eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix mashed berries into batter, then fold in half of flour and half of milk. Add remaining flour and milk, then fold in remaining blueberries. Fill muffin cups and sprinkle with nutmeg sugar. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 20 minutes in pan before removing.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B June 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Memorial Day has come and gone, and for us that heralds the beginning of our summer season. With the beautiful weather and unusually warm temperatures, Lake Michigan has heated up enough for a dip, and the same goes for our hip and groovy pool. The days are getting longer as we head toward the summer solstice, and we hope you'll be able to make it for a visit soon to enjoy this delightful time of year.

Sherwood Forest Cottage
We have one week left in our cottage: June 10-16. It goes for $1100 for the week and sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, pool privileges, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. And of course, there is still nightly availability for the fall. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Sherwood Forest Golf
We've toured the courses, replaced our divots, tallied up the scores and we've come up with some incredible stay-and-play golf packages: spend a night or two at Sherwood Forest B&B, and we'll arrange for you to play at The Ravines, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course, a sweeping, 18-stanza epic, where nature meets sport in ways you simply must witness to believe. Once you experience The Ravines for the first time, you'll be surprised by how this course's breathtaking backdrops and cunning golf architecture emboldens the true golfer in you. Cost of these packages runs from $251 to $625. For more information, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html.

Movies
Head to Saugatuck for the coolest event of the year, the Waterfront Film Festival, June 8-11. With close to 70 films (ranging from shorts, documentaries, comedies, and dramas), seminars, and panel discussions with experienced film industry veterans, it promises to be a great event. The annual free flick on June 8 starts with a street party on Water Street at 7 p.m. featuring a musical performance by Emerson Hart, lead singer of the multi-platinum and dual Grammy Nominated band, Tonic, followed at dusk with an outdoor screening of the Midwest premiere of Pittsburg, starring Jeff Goldblum (rumor has it he's in town). For more info, call 269-857-8351 or visit http://www.waterfrontfilm.com.

Douglas Spring Preview
On June 3 preview some of the most exciting new items offered by the downtown shops of Douglas, from furniture and original paintings by area artists to accessories for the home. Douglas is being referred to as the Design Center of West Michigan, with many interior decorators, designers, and architects. You'll be able to enjoy snacks and beverages while strolling through the shops, and afterward enjoy dining at Everyday People Caf� or Chaps. Visit http://www.douglasmichigan.com.

Wineries
Head out to Fenn Valley Winery on June 24 for their open house from 1-5 p.m. Once again they'll kick off the beginning of summer as they open their cellars for wine tasting, food and wine demonstrations, ethnic foods, and great live music. Call 269-857-2396 or visit http://www.fennvalley.com.

Music
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday through September. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7 to 11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit http://www.whatnotinn.com.

More Music
Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Caf� every Thursday through Sunday (June - September) from 6:30 to 9:30 to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Jim Cooper Jazz Duo, Moments Notice Jazz Duo, and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info, call 269-857-4240.

Art
On June 16 the Nines Gallery will feature different artists at Butch's Restaurant in Holland from 5-7 p.m. Paintings and Tastings will showcase still life paintings by Elaine Dalcher, Jeremy Hall, Nicole Brink, and Kathleen Putnam, as well as a wine tasting featuring 6 different varietals. For more information, call 616-392-3239 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com.

More Art
Enjoy Art 'Round Town, the annual, yearlong, outdoor sculpture art exhibit in the downtown areas of Saugatuck and Douglas. This is A.R.T.'s 6th year, and the 2006 exhibit features over 30 sculptures in a variety of mediums, from bronze to limestone, steel to aluminum, and granite to fiberglass. Self-guided tour brochures are available at the Visitor Information Booth in downtown Saugatuck, or visit http://www.artroundtown.com.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market will be held the last Sunday in June from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies (the market is always the last Sunday of the month, April through September). For more info, call 269-735-3333.

Farmers Market The Green Market is at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every Friday. Local farmers and growers bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies and baked goods. For further information, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Theater
The Mason Street Warehouse has announced its 2006 season, which will open June 23 with the Michigan premiere production of Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love, with songs The King made famous. On July 14, the theater will present the regional premiere of The Great American Trailer Park Musical, a hilarious Jerry Springer-like soap opera antics of a whacky collection of characters in Florida's Armadillo Acres Trailer Park. Opening August 4 is Cabaret; the classic musical takes us to the seedy glamour of the legendary Kit Kat Klub, as an English singer romances an American writer. On August 25, Scenery will open, a hilarious and touching valentine to the triumphs and heartbreaks of a life in the theater. The Mason Street Warehouse is at 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. For tickets or more info, call 269-857-4898 or visit http://www.masonstreetwarehouse.org.

More Theater
Hope Summer Repertory Theatre is opening its 35th season of professional theater featuring musicals, drama, and comedy. The season opens on June 16 with the musical Oliver. The comedy Shakespeare in Hollywood opens on June 23. Call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/hsrt/ .

Honorable Mentions
June 17 Saugatuck Arts and Crafts Show, downtown Saugatuck
June 30 Art Institute of Chicago's Ox Bow: Friday night open studios
July 1 Waterfront Invitational Art Fair, downtown Saugatuck
July 4 Parade and fireworks display
July 8 Fenn Valley Winery new wine release day
July 11 Book reading, Jim Lynch, The Highest
July 13 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 13-14 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 14 Home and Garden Stroll in Saugatuck
July 20-21 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 29 Village Square Fine Art and Craft Fair, Saugatuck
July 27 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 27-28 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 29 Venetian Night lighted boat parade and fireworks display
August 3-4 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 10 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
August 10-12 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 17-18 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
August 24 Douglas Social, downtown Douglas

Books
Michelle's book of the month is Please Don't Come Back From the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos. The summer Michael Smolij turns 16, his father disappears. One by one other men also vanish from the blue-collar neighborhood outside Detroit where their fathers before them had lived, raised families, and, in a more promising era, worked. One man props open the door to his shoe store and leaves a note: I'm going to the moon, I took the cash. The wives drink, brawl, and sleep around, gradually settling down to make new lives and shaking off the belief in an American dream that, like their husbands, has proven to be a thing of the past. Unable to leave the neighborhood their fathers abandoned, Michael and his friends stumble through their 20s until the restlessness of the fathers blooms in them, threatening to carry them away. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) http://www.treehousebooks.net.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
Elaine, a spirited Siren, who came to us out of the mists of time, gave us this wholesome, healthy, and delicious recipe.

Elaine's Wizened Spinach and Kale (serves 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, slivered
8 cups loosely packed torn kale
12 cups loosely packed torn spinach leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon marjoram
� teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet, warm the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, about three minutes
2. Increase the heat to medium and add the kale. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale has softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach, sprinkle with the sugar, marjoram, salt and cayenne and cook uncovered until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the lemon juice over and serve.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B May 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Spring is upon us, and Mother Nature is stretching her arms wide to show us her new wardrobe. The leaves on the trees are popping and reaching for those sun filled days, the daffodils are singing a chorus of welcome to the newly arrived tulips, the forsythia is a brash yellow, and the trillium and Jack in the Pulpit tell us how special our little slice of the planet is. Our cool pool will be open by May 26, and our Schwinn bikes are all tuned up for that awesome ride along Lake Shore Drive or into town.

May Gourmet Dining Package
Spend two nights (Sunday through Thursday) and dine at the Everyday People Caf� in Douglas and you'll experience the best of both worlds. Lake Magazine awarded Sherwood Forest the Best in Personal Luxury and Matt Balmer of Everyday People Caf� took Best Chef. Here's what you'll receive: 2 nights midweek at Sherwood Forest and an awesome dinner (appetizer, 2 entrees, and desert). Cost ranges from $265 to $395. Offer expires June 1, 2006. Give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Cottage
Our Cottage is just about booked up for the summer, but the weeks we have left are June 10-16 and August 26-September 1. It goes for $1100 for the week and sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, pool privileges, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. And of course, there is still nightly availability for the spring and fall. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Private Golf Lessons
Now that spring is here it's time to dust off those clubs and hit the links. We've teamed up with the Ravines Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course with some awesome PGA professionals, to offer golf lessons for one or two persons. You'll get a 1-night stay at Sherwood Forest and a 30- to 45-minute golf lesson with a guaranteed lesson time at The Ravines Golf Club. We have lots of different packages, so for more info and prices, check out http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html.

Tulip Time Festival
Can you believe it? The third largest festival in the United States is just 15 miles north of Saugatuck/Douglas. The Tulip Time Festival dates back to 1929, and today you can still experience some of the same traditional shows that started more than 75 years ago. From May 6-13, there will be Klompen dancers who perform Dutch folk dances, and of course you can tour Windmill Island (Queen Beatrice did) with an original working windmill. The grand finale of the festival will be the Muziekparade at 2 p.m. on May 13, with nearly 50 bands, giant helium-filled balloons, and so many floats you'll lose count. You can learn more by calling 800-822-2770 or visit http://www.tuliptime.com.

Douglas Spring Preview
On May 13 preview some of the most exciting new items offered by the downtown shops of Douglas, from furniture and original paintings by area artists to accessories for the home. Douglas is being referred to as the Design Center of West Michigan, with many interior decorators, designers, and architects. You'll be able to enjoy snacks and beverages while strolling through the shops, and afterward enjoy dining at Everyday People Caf� or Chaps. Visit http://www.douglasmichigan.com.

Music
The Lakeshore Jazz Connection presents The Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra May 28 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Big Band, Vocal and Vibes will use their 30 years of experience to pay tribute to all the great band leaders from past to present. The concert also features Sunny Wilkinson singing her big band music from her CD, Highwire, vibist Jim Cooper playing a tribute to Terry Gibbs with arrangements from Gibb's West Coast Dream Band, and local piano favorite, Dick Reynolds, playing his arrangement of a big band piece he wrote for Count Basie. For more info or tickets, call 269-857-2287 or visit http://www.lakeshorejazzconnection.org.

Movies
Head to Saugatuck for the coolest event of the year, the Waterfront Film Festival on June 8-11. With close to 60 films (ranging from shorts, documentaries, comedies, and dramas), seminars, and panel discussions with experienced film industry veterans, it promises to be a great event. The annual free flick on June 8 starts with a street party at 7 p.m. on Water Street, followed at dusk with an outdoor screening of a soon-to-be-named film. For more information, call 269-857-8351 or visit http://www.waterfrontfilm.com.

Art The Nines Gallery in Holland are currently exhibiting Spring Interlude, which includes new Tulip Time inspired paintings by Jeremy Hall and Judy Giles, as well as new landscapes by Michael Callihan. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is located inside 17 W. 10th St., Holland. For more info, call 616-392-3239 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com.

More Art Come see first hand how the Blue Coast Artists create their work and welcome them to their 2006 season. All studios will be open May 5-October 15, Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Travel the scenic Blue Star Highway between Saugatuck and South Haven to discover some of Southwest Michigan's finest artwork, including pottery, sculpture, jewelry, weaving, blown glass, and paintings. For more info, visit http://bluecoastartists.com.

Art & Museums
Dutch Impressionist paintings from the Beekuis Collection will be featured at the Holland Museum from April 14-September 3. More than 40 oils and watercolors by Dutch artists of the Impressionist period will be on display. The Holland Museum is at 31 W. 10th St., downtown Holland. For more information, visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/ or call 616-392-9084.

Exhibitions The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum will unveil its 2006 exhibition: Raising the Roof, The Buildings and Architecture of the Saugatuck/Douglas Area-Second Story. This exhibit will open to the public on May 29 and will be open daily, noon to 4 p.m., until Labor Day, and on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free. For more information, call 269-857-7900 or visit http://www.accn.org/~sdhistory/Home.php.

Plane Wrecks
The Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates will present its 8th annual Mysteries and Histories Beneath the Inland Seas, Icebound Found, the story of Capt. Prindeville and the S. S. Michigan (just think of Ernest Shackleton & ship Endurance). In 1885 on Lake Michigan, the S.S. Michigan became icebound and sank after a 40-day ordeal. This multifaceted tale is told through a riveting reenactment, and an unfolding search effort join them as they explore the intact remains of this historic vessel, 275 beneath Lake Michigan. Next in the presentation is The Search for the Bonne Homme Richard, share the unfolding search effort for John Paul Jones ship lost in the North Sea in 1779 during the American Revolution. There will also be a presentation about Northwest Flight 2501 which crashed in Lake Michigan in 1950 with the loss of 53 people and the surprising discovery of the Ann Arbor No.5. The event will take place at the Knickerbocker Theater in downtown Holland on Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10 in advance, $12.50 at the door. For tickets or more info, visit http://www.michiganshipwrecks.org.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market runs the last Sunday of the month from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies (the market is always the last Sunday of the month, through September). For more info, call 269-735-3333. And don't forget about the newest antique hot spot in the area, the Blue Star Antique Pavilion at 2948 Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Honorable Mentions
May 19 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 26 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 27-29 Memorial Day Weekend
May 28 Allegan Antique Market
May 29 Memorial Day Parade, Douglas
June 2,9,16,23,30 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
June 3 Art Around Town Artist Reception, Joyce Petter Gallery
June 8-11 Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 17 Saugatuck Arts and Crafts Show, Saugatuck
June 23-July 9, Hunka hunka Burnin Love, Mason Street Warehouse
June 24 Rain benefit for The Saugatuck Center for the Arts June 24 Art on Center Street, Douglas
June 30 Art Institute of Chicago's Ox Bow: Friday night open studios
July 7,14,21,28 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
July 1 Waterfront Invitational Art Fair July 4 Parade and fireworks display
July 8 Fenn Valley Winery new wine release day
July 13-14 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 14 Home and Garden Stroll in Saugatuck
July 14-30 Mason Street Warehouse, Great American Trailer Park Musical
July 22-21 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 28-29 Chamber Music of Saugatuck
July 29 Village Square Fine Art and Craft Fair, Saugatuck
July 29 Venetian Night lighted boat parade and fireworks display

Books
This month's book is Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl and was recommended to us by Mindy and Michelle. This delicious new volume of Reichl's memoirs recounts her adventures in deception as she goes undercover in the world's finest restaurants for the New York Times. As Reichl metes out her critical stars, she gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites. This book is as much fun to read as it is to eat. You can purchase or order this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Chocolate Lovers Packages
We've got some great new Chocolate packages to let your significant other know you're at the top of your game, from white and dark chocolates to cr�mes caramels and nuts, finally Creme Brulee and truffles ranging from $50 to $300, you can check them out on or website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/chocolate.html or call 800-838-1246.

Melt Your Stress Away
Upon arrival, you'll find a beautiful wine & cheese basket with a bouquet of fresh flowers. During your visit, you'll each experience a soothing massage in a style suited just for you and a $30 voucher good toward a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant. Upon your departure (which we're sure you'll want to delay as long as possible before returning to the real world), a gift from us: a compact disc of relaxing music and an illustrated guide to massage. The cost for this R&R is $165 with one massage; $235 with two massages (does not include room rate). To view more specials on our website you can go to http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/ATTRACT.HTML.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
This recipe is from Christina, an Irish lass, some say she used to be a mermaid, she has an awesome sweet tooth, who one day took over our kitchen and created this springtime cheesecake to the delight of the first 8 people who walked across it's path after it was finished.

Christina's Lemony Cheesecake (serves 8)
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 (8 ounce) packages light cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can low-fat sweetened condensed milk
4 egg whites
1 egg
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease bottom of spring form pan and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on bottom of pan. In bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add egg whites, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes until center is set. Cool and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B April 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Mother Nature is welcoming in spring with warmer weather and longer days, and we've seen turkeys strutting through the woods, along with the return of the robins. It's beautiful to witness, and it's a great time of year to stretch your legs either at the beach or the Saugatuck Dunes State Park. So we hope you can plan a visit soon, and we'll help you shake off those winter blues.

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

Relax and Rejuvenate Massage Packages
Enjoy a soothing massage in the comfort of your own room in a style suited just for you (cost of 1 night's stay and 2 massages ranges from $200-$250). We also offer separate wine and cheese baskets and Chocolate Lovers baskets. Offer good Sunday-Thursday nights through April 2006.

Private Golf Lessons
Now that spring is here it's time to dust off those golf clubs and hit the links. We've teamed up with the Ravines Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer Signature Championship Golf Course with some awesome PGA professionals, to offer golf lessons for one or two persons. You'll get a 1-night stay at Sherwood Forest and a 30- to 45-minute golf lesson with a guaranteed lesson time at The Ravines Golf Club. We have lots of different packages, so for more info and prices, check out http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/GOLF.html.

Music
Next in the line up for the Lakeshore Jazz Connection is The Windy City All-Stars, featuring trombonist Russ Phillips, one of Chicago's most versatile trombonists, Bobby Lewis on trumpet, Kim Cusack on clarinet, guitarist Andy Brown, bassist Stewart Miller, and drummer Greg Sergo. Their jazz song stylist is Jeannie Lambert, and they will be performing a tribute to New Orleans jazz. The concert will be held on Saturday, April 22, at the Saugatuck Women's Club, downtown Saugatuck, at 8 p.m. For more info or tickets, call 269-857-1557 or visit http://www.lakeshorejazzconnection.org.

Arts & Culture Workshop
Join the Saugatuck Center for the Arts and Professor Kimiko Gunji on Saturday, April 22, for a workshop bringing an intriguing taste of the arts and culture of Japan. The daylong experience is designed to help participants understand and appreciate various forms of Japanese aesthetic expression and realize that they are the result of a philosophical point of view unique to the Japanese experience. A native of Japan, Professor Gunji will open minds and hearts to a world of aesthetics and cultural experience that will bring a contemporary appreciation and meaning to ancient philosophies and traditions. For more information or to book a reservation, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Art
The Nines Gallery will close the awesomely successful show of Maxwell and Mom, a Mother and Son exhibition of Jennifer Gardiner and Maxwell Lam on April 15, so don't miss out on seeing the best work-to-date by Jen Gardiner and the first exhibition of the art by Maxwell. Our annual Spring Interlude will feature an eclectic smattering of Nines Gallery Artists, including 3 new Tulip abstractions by Judy Giles and new Still Life paintings by Nicole Brink - Showing April 17 Through May 15. The Nines Gallery is Open 10 - 5:30 Monday through Friday and 10 - 3 on Saturday. Visit us online at http://www.theninesgallery.com. Located inside 17 West 10th Street, Downtown Holland, MI 616.392.3239.

Visiting Authors
Jacqueline Carey, a graduate of Saugatuck High School and a published author of 6 fantasy fiction novels and 1 non-fiction book, will be at the Saugatuck-Douglas Library on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. Called Writers Journey, she will discuss the path from collecting rejection letters to reaching the bestseller list. Her first novel, Kushiel's Dart, won a starred review in Publishers Review (unheard of for a first time author). The Friends of the Library are hosting the event and everyone is welcome. Coffee and cookies will be served. For more information, visit Jacqueline Carey's website at http://www.jacquelinecarey.com or call the Library at 269-857-8241.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market will start up the last Sunday in April from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 400 exhibitors will be there rain or shine--200 indoor and 200 under canopies (the market is always the last Sunday of the month, April through September). For more info, call 269-735-3333. And don't forget about the newest antique hot spot in the area, the Blue Star Antique Pavilion at 2948 Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Theater
Judy's Spring Fling featuring local Michael Holmes as Judy Garland will sing some of Ms. Garland's most cherished songs from her vast repertoire of hits. Accompanying Michael will be Mark Kahny on piano and Bobby Thompson on drums. Tickets are $15; cash bar, curtain at 8:00 p.m. The performance will be at the SCA, downtown Saugatuck. You can visit their website at http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399 for more info.

More Theater
The Holland Civic Theatre presents the 1940's Radio Hour. A different time is evoked in this show, a live broadcast of The Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade from the Hotel Astor's Algonquin Room on December 21, 1942. The spirit of that bygone era, when the world was at war and pop music meant Strike Up the Band and Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy, is accurately captured as the harassed producer copes with a drunk lead singer, the delivery boy who wants a chance in front of the mike, the second banana who dreams of singing a ballad, and the trumpet-playing sound effects man who chooses a fighter plane over Glenn Miller. The play runs April 13-15, 20-23, 26-29. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.hollandcivictheatre.org/1940_radio.htm or call 616-396-2021.

Books
Keith's book of the month is Glass Castle, A Memoir, by Jeannette Walls. A great read about Walls' unbelievable childhood. In the beginning, Walls' family lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns. As the dysfunction of the family escalates, Walls and her brother and sisters have to fend for themselves, supporting one another and finally finding the resources and will to leave home. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life of her own. You can purchase this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Sherwood Forest Staples
Pamper yourself to your heart's content with one of our Sweetheart Specials (we now can include Godiva Chocolates), or you can try one of our in-house massages--doesn't get much better than that. And of course, there's our ever-popular Famous Chefs of Saugatuck Gourmet Dinners November through April. You can link to our Sweetheart Specials at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/SWEETHEART.HTML. Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/DINNERS.HTML.

Honorable Mentions
April 8 The Judy Garland Show, featuring Michael Holmes, Douglas Dunes
April 15 Town Crier 5k Run and 10K Run/Walk, Saugatuck
April 20 Spring Kickoff, Saugatuck
May 5-7 Blue Coast Artists Open House
May 7 Douglas Spring Preview
May 3-13 Tulip Time Festival
May 19 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 26 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 27-29 Memorial Day Weekend
May 28 Allegan Antique Market
May 28 Lakeshore Jazz Connection with Paulinho Garcia and Jazzmineiro
May 29 Memorial Day Parade, Douglas
June 2,9,16,23,30 Farmers Market, downtown Saugatuck 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
June 3 Art Around Town Artist Reception, Joyce Petter Gallery
June 8-11 Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 17 Saugatuck Arts and Crafts Show, Saugatuck
June 23-July 9, Hunka hunka Burnin Love, Mason Street Warehouse
June 24 Rain benefit for The Saugatuck Center for the Arts

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
Jilly is an old high school buddy of mine, she sent me this recipe for my 50th birthday, she says the bran's is good for an old geezer like me and the banana makes it delicious.

Jill's Banana Bran Muffins
3 Cups bran flakes cereal
1 � Cups milk
1 egg
� Cup vegetable oil
2 small ripe bananas, mashed
1 Cup flour
� Cup sugar
1 � teaspoon baking powder
� teaspoon baking soda
� teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine cereal and milk and let sit 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine egg, oil, and bananas and add to cereal mix. In separate bowl, combine flour through cinnamon, then add to cereal mix and gently stir until moist. Put batter in 12 greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

You can look up all of our delicious recipes at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B March 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest

March is here and Mother Nature has thrown in some warmer days, but wait, spring may actually be just around the corner. The King of Groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil, declared in February that there would be 6 more weeks of winter. Well, fellow Midwesterners, those 6 weeks are almost over and as the vernal equinox approaches, we here at Sherwood Forest officially declare winter over and cabin fever kaput. We've got lots a wonderful things for you to enjoy in our neck of the woods, so give us a call and we can hook you up with some great dining, wonderful hiking, awesome star gazing, and even a sunset or two.

Relax and Rejuvenate Massage Packages
Take advantage of our March special: you can each enjoy a soothing massage in the comfort of your own room in a style suited just for you (cost of 1 night's stay and 2 massages ranges from $200-$250). We also offer separate wine and cheese baskets and Chocolate Lovers baskets. Offer good Sunday-Thursday nights through March 2006 .

Sherwood Forest Cottage
Sherwood Forest Cottage Our Cottage is booking up for the summer, but we do still have the following weeks open: June 10-16 and June 24-30; July 22-28; or August 5-11 and August 26-September 1. It goes for $1100 for the week and sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, pool privileges, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. And of course, there is still nightly availability for the spring and fall. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML or call us at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners
Now's the time to gather up that group of friends or family and plan a visit to Sherwood Forest B&B for one of our awesome Gourmet Dinners. Now through April, let us wine and dine you. Book the entire B&B for 2 days or more, and we'll have such a feast catered, your taste palates won't allow any leftovers. We've cornered the market on the best chefs Saugatuck and Douglas have to offer, including Chris Ferris, gourmet cheffette who can cook a Spanish paella like you've never tasted before; Tony & Dona Amato, the creative chefs behind one of Saugatuck's favorite lunch spots, The Red Dock Caf�; Keaton Stearns, chef extraordinaire of The Piper Restaurant; and Matt Balmer, head chef of one our favorite restaurants, The Everyday People Cafe. These epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room, and you'll have the time of your lives. Here are the details: dinner is $45 per person, guests must provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required (deposit is nonrefundable if cancellation is made within 30 days of the date). You pick the date (November through April) and we'll pick the chef. Bring your appetite and whatever you need to wet your whistle, sit down, and dinner is served. To book a gourmet dinner, call us at 800-838-1246. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html

Here's what's happening in and around the area:

St. Patrick's Day
On March 18, Saugatuck and Douglas will celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Did he really chase all the snakes out of Ireland and teach the Trinity using a shamrock? You'll have to debate this one for yourself over a green pint or two. Here's the line up for all you leprechaun lovers: area restaurants will be serving up corned beef and cabbage, Irish Stew, and fabulous desserts such as Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake and warm walnut bread pudding, and don't miss the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Saugatuck at 2 p.m. Immediately following the parade there will be a St. Patty's Day Party at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts with Irish music and Celtic dancing. For more information, call 269-857-1701 or visit http://www.saugatuck.com. There will also be an Irish Pub Party at Coral Gables in Saugatuck from 6-9 p.m. and proceeds will benefit the Saugatuck/Douglas Historical Society.

Music
Lady Smith Mambazo, a Grammy-winning a capella group from South Africa, who first came to the attention of most Americans when they worked with Paul Simon on his 1986 Graceland recording, will perform the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South Africa on March 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Chapel in Holland. For more information or tickets, call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/gps/

Wine
Join the folks at Fenn Valley Winery, a cool local vineyard, for their pre-release tasting on March 11-12 and 18-21. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the new wines, and taste them before they are bottled. Reservations required, no charge. For more information, call 269-561-2396 or visit http://www.fennvalley.com.

Visiting Writers
Dana Roeser will be next in the line up for the Hope College Visiting Writers Series on March 15 at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theater. Roeser, who won the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award in 2005, will read selected works from her book Beautiful Moon. For more information, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/spring.html.

Holland Museum
For nearly a quarter of a century the Holland Museum have been recipients of impressive gifts from the Dutch culture from donors here and around the world. While many of these gifts are on display, many others languish in storage for lack of gallery space. The New Dutch Galleries, upstairs, will offer a wide variety of 17th, 18th, and 19th Century works of art from its unique collection. This exhibit is a preview of what's to come and introduces the museum's newest Dutch art acquisition, a 6' x 9' painting of The Haarlem Civic Guard by Cornelis Engelsz from around 1609. The Holland Museum is at 31 W. 10th St., 616-392-9084 or visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/.

Film
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland, featuring foreign and independent films, will be showcasing Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress on March 6-10 and 13-17 at 7 and 9:15 p.m. nightly. In 1971 China, in the lingering grip of the Cultural Revolution, two university students are sent to a mountain mining village as part of their re-education duty to purge them of their classical western-oriented education. Amid the backbreaking work and stifling ignorance of the community, the two boys find that music and the presence of the beautiful local women are the only pleasant things in their life. However, none compare to the young seamstress granddaughter of the local tailor. Stealing a departing student's secret cache of forbidden books of classic western literature, they set about to woo her and teach her things she had never imagined. In doing so, they start a journey that profoundly changes her perspective of her world and teach the boys about the power of literature and their own ability to change their world in truly revolutionary ways. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit www.hope.edu/arts/knick.

Honorable Mentions
March 5 Deborah & Michelle, Jazz, What Not Inn 6-10 p.m.
March 12 Edye Evans Hyde, Jazz, What Not Inn 6-10 p.m.
March 19 Michael & Mark, Jazz, What Not Inn 6-10 p.m.
March 26 Mary Radamacher, Jazz, What Not Inn 6-10 p.m.
April 6, Visiting Writers Series, Barbara Hamby, Poetry, Knickerbocker, Holland
April 6, Visiting Writers Series, Dick Kirby, Poetry, Knickerbocker, Holland
April 8 The Judy Garland Show, featuring Michael Holmes, Douglas Dunes
April 15 Town Crier 5k Run and 10K Run/Walk, Saugatuck
April 20 Spring Kickoff, Saugatuck
April 22 Lakeshore Jazz Concert, Saugatuck Women's Club, 8 p.m.
April 30 Allegan Antique Market
May 5-7 Blue Coast Artists Open House
May 7 Douglas Spring Preview
May 3-13 Tulip Time Festival
May 27-29 Memorial Day Weekend
May 28 Allegan Antique Market
May 29 Memorial Day Parade, Douglas

Books
Sue's book of the month is Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. The novel opens with three case histories, crimes that occurred up to 34 years ago. It is such a satisfying novel, one that is aided by the compelling nature of a good mystery, yet all the while Atkinson's language can't fail to delight, being psychologically keen, whippet quick, and utterly joyful. You will never want this book to end, yet, like the best mystery novel, you'll stay up all night to find out exactly how it does. Atkinson connects the lives of her ensemble cast of characters with a blithe, fairytale-like narration that can be, at turns, hilarious, macabre, and suspenseful. You can purchase this book at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085 http://www.treehousebooks.net).

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
This soul-warming creation is from our friend Ruth, organic siren extraordinaire, mother of our godchild.

Mama Ruth's Vegetable Soup (serves 4)
1 cup chopped fresh plum (Roma) tomatoes (2-3 medium)
1 small onion, chopped
1 large potato (Yukon Gold), cut into � inch dice
2 medium zucchini, cut into � inch pieces
1 celery rib, cut into � inch pieces
3� cups water (or vegetable or chicken broth)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon course salt (Kosher)
� teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
� cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Cut shallow X in bottom of each tomato and blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer to cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, peel tomatoes and discard skin, then seed and chop. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in 4-quart heavy pot and add onion and tomatoes, then reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4-5 minutes. Then add potatoes, zucchini, and celery and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add water, herbs, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 30-35 minutes. Whisk together egg and � cup cheese, then add to soup in a stream, stirring. Serve with remaining cheese on top.

You can look up all of our delicious recipes at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

Sherwood Forest B&B February 2006 Newsletter

News from the Forest
Happy Valentine's Day to all! We've just returned from a really amazing adventure in Africa, The Dark Continent. First we climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world and also the highest mountain in Africa. It was a 9-day trek, 96 miles and 56 hours of hiking to an altitude of 19,340 feet-a surreal experience. Afterward we went on safari throughout Tanzania, including the Selous Game Reserve and the Serengeti (which means "endless plain" in Swahili). We will have a link for photos in the near future.

Now that we're back home in our semi-wintry wonderland, it's a good time to think about that much-needed getaway to Sherwood Forest, where we can pamper you to your heart's delight. We look forward to helping you with some R&R and hope you can make it for a visit soon.

What's happening in and around the area:

The Sherwood Forest Winter Break
Package Stay one night (or more!) Sunday through Thursday in February or March 2006 and receive a beautiful red rose and a bottle of Michigan champagne for you and your loved one to enjoy. (Just mention that you saw this special in the e-mail newsletter!)

Sherwood Forest Cottage
For those of you thinking ahead to this summer, we have the following weeks open in our Cottage: all of the weeks in June, the second and third week in July, and the first and fourth weeks in August. In the summer we rent it on a Saturday-to-Saturday basis, and it goes for $1100. It sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, pool privileges, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. And of course, there is still nightly availability for the spring and fall. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/COTTAGE.HTML or call us at 800-838-1246.

Art
The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is featuring Something Old, Something New. New abstract paintings by Cathy Marashi, landscapes by Michael Callihan, and still lifes by Nicole Brink - as well as a wide selection of paintings and drawings from the archives by a variety of artists. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is at 17 W. 10th St., Holland. For more info, call 616-392-4370 or visit http://www.theninesgallery.com.

More Art
The Saugatuck/Douglas art galleries have gotten together for a winter gallery stroll event over the weekend of February 18-19. Meander to the different galleries, sample hors d'oeuvres and sip libations while viewing some of the finest artwork anywhere. From contemporary to traditional, metal sculpture to wood working, there is something for everyone.

Film
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland, featuring foreign and independent films, will open on February 10-11 and 13-17 with The World, which is about a theme park on the outskirts of Beijing, sixteen kilometers from the Chinese capital, designed around scaled representations of the world's famous landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The film focuses on the staff behind the park. While glittering for tourists, much of the staff is disillusioned with life and work. A human perspective on what goes on behind the scenes. Next is Turtles Can Fly from February 20-25. Near the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of an American invasion, refugee children gauge and await their fate. Soran is a 13-year-old boy who orders other children around as he installs an antenna for villagers keen to hear of Saddam's fall. This is a spiritual bulletin from the war-ravaged Middle East and places children at the center of the action. Finally, the Grace Lee Project from February 27-March 4 is a video essay that goes in search of the average Asian-American woman, a unique and entertaining documentary. Early in her film, Grace Lee points out that almost everyone knows a Grace Lee, and what's more, is inclined to describe her the same way: nice, intelligent, quiet, sweet, studious, and sort of forgettable. It's about cultural assimilation and a stereotype of virtue and subservience that has deep roots on both sides of the Pacific. For more information, call 616-395-7403 or visit www.hope.edu/arts/knick.

Music
On February 23 at 7:30 p.m., Imani Winds will perform at Dimnent Chapel at Hope College. In less than 10 years these musicians have won several major chamber awards and were named Resident Artists for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The group, whose name means faith in Swahili, explores the links between European, African, and American traditions. For more information, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/

More Music
The Lakeshore Jazz Connection and the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck will join forces to present a concert at the Joyce Petter Gallery in Douglas on February 18 at 7:30 pm. A Michigan local, vibraphonist, pianist, and composer Jim Cooper, and Dave Hay, pianist, composer, and bass player, will perform their own compositions and arrangements of jazz standards, and Lora Kolean, Christopher Meyer, and Tammy Clark will perform selected classical chamber pieces. Reservations at $10 per person are available by calling 269-857-3287 or contacting the gallery at 269-857-7861. Wine and the Joyce Petter Gallery's famed Muffuletta sandwiches will be served at intermission.

Visiting Writers
Robert Boswell is next in the line-up for the Hope College Visiting Writers Series on February 21 at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre, downtown Holland. A recipient of grants from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, Boswell is the author of five novels: Century's Son, Crooked Hearts, The Geography of Desire, Mystery Ride, and American Owned Love; two short-story collections; and one pseudonymous sci-fi novel. His stories have appeared in Esquire, The New Yorker, The Best American Short Stories, O. Henry Prize Stories, and Pushcart Prize Stories. He writes about emotional secrets and the hoarding of private passions with feeling and insight. He will read selected works from his collection. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/spring.html

Honorable Mentions
February 28, Mardi Gras Parade, Douglas, 7 p.m.
March 6-10 & 13-17, Knickerbocker Film Series, Balzac & the Little Chinese Seamstress
March 15, Great Performance Series, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Dimnet Chapel, Holland
March 18, St. Patrick's Day festival, various events around Saugatuck and Douglas�
March 15, Visiting Writers Series, Dana Roeser, Poetry, Knickerbocker, Holland
April 6, Visiting Writers Series, Barbara Hamby, Poetry, Knickerbocker, Holland
April 6, Visiting Writers Series, Dick Kirby, Poetry, Knickerbocker, Holland
April 15, Town Crier, 5k and 10k walk run around historic Saugatuck
April 22, Jazz Concert, Saugatuck Women's Club, Saugatuck
April 30, Allegan County Antique Market, Fairgrounds, Allegan

Books
The book of the month is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by African-born author Alexander McCall Smith. A pleasing novel about Mma (aka Precious) Ramotswe, Botswana's one and only lady private detective. Mma Ramotswe's cases come slowly and hesitantly at first: women who suspect their husbands are cheating on them; a father worried that his daughter is sneaking off to see a boy; a missing child who may have been killed by witchdoctors to make medicine; a doctor who sometimes seems highly competent and sometimes seems to know almost nothing about medicine. The desultory pace is fine, since she has only a detective manual and her instincts to guide her. Mma Ramotswe's love of Africa, her wisdom and humor, shine through these pages as she sheds her own light on the problems that vex her clients. Images of this large woman driving her tiny white van or sharing a cup of bush tea with a friend or client while working a case linger pleasantly. This is a little gem of a book and a fun mystery read. You can purchase it at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085 http://www.treehousebooks.net)

From the Sherwood Forest Files:
Y-Vonne made this spread for our holiday party and it was a big hit-give it a try!

Garlic-Feta Cheese Spread
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
� teaspoon dried basil
� teaspoon dried oregano
1 small can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Combine all ingredients except artichoke hearts; beat with an electric mixer until smooth, then stir in artichoke hearts. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with assorted vegetables and crackers.

You can look up all of our delicious recipes at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML

Hope to see you soon!

Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246

P.S. Peace on Earth.

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Sherwood Forest B & B - 938 Center Street - P.O. Box 315
Saugatuck, MI 49453
1-800-838-1246 for reservations or: