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 News December 2012

News from the Forest

Enjoy the holiday season with us at Sherwood Forest! The area offers awesome shopping at some of the most unique stores in the Midwest, or you can enjoy a carriage ride, listen to the carolers, make snow angels, cross-country ski, or just curl up with a good book in front of one of our fireplaces. So join us soon for some R&R and holiday spirit-and we wish you all a fabulous holiday season!

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.

Holiday Shopping Special
We've teamed up with some select stores in Saugatuck and Douglas to bring you fantastic discounts, deals, and freebies, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques, and artwork. If you're looking for that great holiday gift or just want to splurge on yourself this season, all you need to do is book a night or two and then go exploring at these distinctive shops. For more info, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

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: $75/hour massage, so schedule some pampering soon.

Writers Workshop With Wade Rouse:
Facing Your Fear and Finding Your Voice
May 16-18, 2013
Fear is what stops most people from pursuing their passion and following their dreams. Fear is also what inhibits most authors from writing what calls to them, and keeps them from finding their voice. Fear is, too often, a writer's worst and final editor. Author Wade Rouse will lead participants through an in-depth discussion on fear, how it is intertwined with writing, and how it nearly stopped him. He will lead participants through an intensive, emotional, and often life-changing writing exercise that links these two vital elements: how you can overcome your fear and find your own unique voice. This 3-day workshop will be held May 16-18 at the Sherwood Forest B&B. For more info, call 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique weekend package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, with more than 70 different recipes available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22-oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2 weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up later (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room. For more info or to book this package, give us a call 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. 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, you provide your 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 Day weekends. You can see some of our past dinner menus HERE.

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

Saugatuck Christmas Parade
Come meet Santa and Mrs. Claus in front of the Rose Garden on Mason Street, at noon on December 1. Then at 1 p.m., don't miss the Annual Christmas Parade on Butler Street-always full of lively characters! For more info, call 269-857-1701.

Wine Dinner
Join the folks at Everyday People Café for their Food and Libation Sensation on December 12. The 5-course dinner will be paired up with some fantastic wines. Here's what the third course consists of: risotto stuffed roasted buttercup squash, local lamb brochette, and Crofters 12-month aged cheddar. For more info, call 269-857-4240, or if you wish to book a room with us and enjoy the wine dinner, give us a call at 800-838-1246 and we'll make the arrangements.

Fenn Valley Winery
Come and taste the first wine from this fall's vintage at the annual Nouveau Fest on December 1. There will be the featured nouveau wines, hors d'oeuvres, cellar tasting/tours, and plenty of space to visit with friends and relatives over a glass of nouveau. For more info, call 269-561-2396.

Winter Greenmarket
On December 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., deck your halls with fresh, artful greenery and other holiday decorations during the 4th annual Winter Greenmarket at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Local farmers and artisans offer fresh holiday greenery from strands of garland and Christmas trees to hand-decorated swags and wreaths. For more info, 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 located at 2661 64th St. in Fennville. Call 269-857-4429 for more info.

Theater
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be presented December 14-16 and 21-23 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.

The Red Barn Radio Players
Head on over to the Red Barn Theatre and listen to the Red Barn Radio Players do their Christmas 1950's live radio show December 7-8 and 14-15 at 7:30 p.m. (December 9 at 2 p.m.). Enjoy the original Christmas radio episodes of Gunsmoke, My Friend Irma, and Father Knows Best, as well as music and vintage commercials. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

Christine Lavin and Uncle Bonsai
On December 7 at 8 p.m. the SCA will host Christine Lavin and the folk-pop trio Uncle Bonsai. Celebrate all of winter's holidays with a grain of salt and a lot of laughter at this holiday concert, including fresh, new holiday-themed songs, along with favorites from their individual repertoires. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Jazz/Blues
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday thru Monday in December. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Michael Holmes, and there's some cool jazz by vocalists Mary Rademacher and Edye Evans Hyde. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341

Music
The Salt of the Earth music series continues: December 2, Red Sea Pedestrians (old world roots); December 9, Brant Satala and Josh Rose (singers/songwriters); December 16, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys (bluegrasss); December 19, Seth and May (Michigan's favorites); December 23, Schrock Bros (folk rock); December 31, Hired Hands--New Year's Eve Party; January 6, Dave Hardin Band (singer-songwriter); January 13, Joshua Davis Band (midwest roots); January 20, Potato Moon (Americana); and January 27, Who Hit John (Old World Music). For more info, call 269-561-7258.

Holland Symphony Orchestra & Chorale
On December 8 at 3:30 in the Dimnent Chapel in Holland, enjoy a holiday concert with the Holland Chorale singing A Symphony of Carols with music ranging from popular carols to Puccini's Gloria. For more info, call 616-796-6780.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On December 13 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing Carol Channing Larger Than Life. The story of legendary performer Carol Channing's life is as colorful as the lipstick on her big, bright smile. Director Dori Berinstein with co-writer Adam Zucker capture the magic and vivacity of the 90-year-old icon--both onstage and off. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: December 4, Pride And Prejudice with Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier, and Edward Ashley; December 11, The Agony and the Ecstasy with Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, and Diane Cilento; and December 18, Adam's Rib with Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Judy Holliday. All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

More Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Douglas will present on December 13: Dancer, Texas Pop 13, with Brecken Meyer and Peter Facinelli. Show time is 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-8241.

Exhibitions
Stop in at the SCA through February 28 for Drawn From Nature, The Plant Lithographs of Ellsworth Kelly. Drawn From Nature features plant lithographs spanning four decades of Ellsworth Kelly's remarkable career. Kelly, one of the most notable living American abstractionists, has built an international reputation around painting, sculpture, and printmaking. This suite of prints comes from the Grand Rapid's Art Museum's permanent collection and is particularly intriguing because it demonstrates Kelly's longstanding fascination with organic form. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Museum Exhibition
Through December 29, The Holland Museum presents: Celebrating the Journey, Holland, Michigan. With nearly 170 years on the road from settlement to urban center, the museum has collected objects all along the way, telling us stories about the journeys of the people who define Holland. This exhibit is in honor of the museum's 75th anniversary. For more info, call 616-796-3329.

Books
Michele's 's book of the month is The End of your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. This is an invigorating and reassuring true story of a son and his mother, who start a book club that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Over the next 2 years, Will and Mary Anne carry on conversations that are both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and a shared passion for reading. Their list jumps from classic to popular, from poetry to mysteries, from fantastic to spiritual. The issues they discuss include questions of faith and courage, as well as everyday topics such as expressing gratitude and learning to listen. Throughout, they are constantly reminded of the power of books to comfort us, astonish us, teach us, and tell us what we need to do with our lives and in the world. Reading isn't the opposite of doing; it's the opposite of dying. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

Honorable Mentions
Dec 1 Winter Greenmarket, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 2, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy signs Armistice
Dec 4, Movie, Pride And Prejudice (1940), Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 8, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 11, Movie, The Agony and the Ecstasy, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 13, Movie, Reel to Reel, Carol Channing-Larger than Life, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 13, Movie, Dancer Texas POP 81, Douglas Library
Dec 14-16 & 21-23 Charles Dickens, Christmas Carol, Saugatuck
Dec 15, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 18, Movie, Adam's Rib, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 22, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 31, New Years Eve and Fireworks show at Midnight over Lake Kalamazoo
Jan 6, Music , Salt of the Earth, Lindsay Dave Hardin Band, Fennville
Jan 13, Music , Salt of the Earth, Joshua Davis Band, Fennville
Jan 18, Suspicious Cheese Lords, Hope College GPS, Holland
Jan 20, Music , Salt of the Earth, Potato Moon, Fennville
Jan 27, Music , Salt of the Earth, Who Hit John, Fennville
Feb 7, Visiting Writer Series, Shane Book and Mat Johnson, Hope College
Feb 12, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras Parade, Douglas
Feb 14, Valentines Day
Feb 19-20, LA Theatre Works, Hope College GPS, Holland
Mar 16, St Patricks Day Festival
Mar 20, First Day of Spring
Mar 26, Visiting Writer Series, Mark Winegardner, Hope College
Mar 26, Passover
Mar 31, Easter
April 2, Emerson String Quartet, Hope College GPS, Holland
April 18, Visiting Writer Series, Ed Hirsch, Hope College
April 21, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy's Birthday

Sherwood Forest Staples
We will pamper you to your heart's content during the Holidays 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 sample our Sweetheart Specials and Gourmet Dinners with just a click.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

The Abbey of Our Lady and of St. Ginger, Gingerbread Cookies

Do you remember the Knights Templar, the mysterious order of Holy Warriors that went underground to avoid persecution. There was a baker among them named Baker Keith who came from Saint Claude in France, he was the Grand Master of baking for the Templar Knights, during one of the crusades in the Holy land at the Siege of Acre-he escaped with his life, but only barely. Wandering through the Far East trading secrets along the Silk Road-he ended up spending the his golden years in the Kaifeng. When he went to the great beyond, the Emperor Quinzong had his ashes and this recipe placed in a porcelain urn where it remained until Sue and I bought the urn at a flea market in San Francisco last year. Couriosity got the better of me, I unsealed it and the ashen papyrus unveiled it's secret. We salute you oh Grand Baker Keith of Templar Lore for sharing this wonderful recipe with us. We hope it lasts for another 1000 years.

Ingredients

2 cups flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Decorating sugar or sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix just until a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastic wrap; pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out to 1/8-inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.

Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired. Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size of cookie. Cool completely on baking sheets.

Cook's Note:
For the neatest edges, dip cutters in flour before cutting out each cookie. This recipe makes 3-dozen medium cookies.

For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes page 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 News November 2012

News from the Forest

November is here with its crisp weather and shorter days. There are still some leaves on the trees, but leaf peeping time will soon be over as Mother Nature lays down her multicolored carpet. It's a serene time of year to take a walk and enjoy the change of season. There's hot apple cider, millions of stars, and a refreshing chill in the air. So join us for some pre-holiday rest and relaxation--the perfect time to finally get to that book you've been meaning to read all summer. Also, for those thinking ahead to the holidays, don't forget about Sherwood Forest B&B gift certificates--quick, easy, and always appreciated!

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne. We'll also include for your gastronomic pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Shopping Specials
We've teamed up with 10 retail stores to offer you some great discounts and promotions in Saugatuck/Douglas, including clothing, food/drink, and art--what a great way to explore some of the distinctive shops this area has to offer, and on your arrival we'll be happy to share these promotions with you.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (Pet Friendly)
Looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay? Our cottage has 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, 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.

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners
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, you provide your 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 Day weekends. You can see some of our past dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html.

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

It's All About the Dress
A luncheon/fashion show will be held at the Felt Mansion on December 1 from noon to 3 p.m. Featuring vintage dresses from the 1880s through the 1950s, narration will be provided Vicky Tiel, world-renowned fashion designer and author of It's All About the Dress. Tiel will weave the history of the dresses and fashion, along with the history of the mansion, and she'll also be there for a half-hour meet and greet and book signing after the show. Cost is $45/person and advanced tickets are recommended. For more info, call 616-335-8982.

Saugatuck/Douglas Holiday Previews
Let the shops of Saugatuck and 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 17 until 9 p.m.

Wine Dinner
Join the folks at Everyday People Caf� for their Food and Libation Sensation on November 14. The 5-course dinners will be paired up with some fantastic wines. They are still working on the food/wine menu-but we can assure you (cause we've been to a few) that you won't be disappointed. For more info, visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com, or if you wish to book a room with us and enjoy the wine dinner, give us a call at 800-838-1246 and we'll make the arrangements.

The Judy Show -- Judy's Old Fashioned Christmas
At the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on November 24, Michael Holmes will perform his holiday impersonation and comedy show. Kick off your holiday season, or take a break from your house full of relatives, and come out for an evening of laugh-out-loud comedy. For tickets or more info, call 269-857-2399.

The Pakistan Qawwali EnSemble--Arts Midwest World Fest
On November 3 at 7 p.m. the SCA will host Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers, one of Pakistan's most esteemed qawwali ensembles. The sons of Ustad Qawal Bahauddin Khansahab, the legendary maestro of the Khusrou tradition of qawwali singing, Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers are direct descendants of the first qawwali choirs dating back to the 13th century. Now the torchbearers of more than 700 years of this mystical Sufi devotional singing tradition, Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers will travel from their home in Karachi to share this magical musical experience with communities in the Midwest. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Eldar Djangirov Trio
Next in the line up for the Hope College Great Performance Series is jazz pianist Eldar Djangirov on November 7 at 7:30pm in Dimnent Chapel. A blend of musical intelligence, organizational savvy, enthusiasm, and prowess that is all the more impressive for seeming so casual--an ebullient impressionist. For more info, call 616-395-7890.

Jazz
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday in June. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Diego, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Christy G. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341

Music
The Salt of the Earth music series continues: November 4, Claudia Schmidt and Dean Magraw (folk/jazz/poetry); November 11, Neptunes Car (folk/country duo); November 18, Detour (Singers/storytellers); and November 25, Ray Kamalay and Joel Mabus (Michigan Music Legands). For more info, call 269-561-7258.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: November 6, The Devil at 4 O'clock with Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra and Kerwin Mathews; November 13, Dark Passage with Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Bruce Bennett; November 20, Pal Joey with Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak; November 27, Spencer's Mountain with Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara and James MacArthur; December 4, Pride And Prejudice with Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier and Edward Ashley; December 11, The Agony and the Ecstasy with Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison and Diane Cilento; And on December 18, Adam's Rib with Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn and Judy Holliday. All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On November 8 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing 5 Broken Cameras, a first-hand account of non-violent resistance in Bil'in, a West Bank village threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements. Shot almost entirely by Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat, who bought his first camera in 2005 to record the birth of his youngest son, the footage was later given to Israeli co-director Guy Davidi to edit. Structured around the destruction of each one of Burnat's cameras, the filmmaker's collaboration follows one family's evolution over 5 years of village turmoil. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

More Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Douglas will present: November 15, Nadine--7th in the Classic Texas, with Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger; November 29, Bottle Rocket--8th in the Classic Texas, with Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson; December 13, Dancer, Texas Pop 13, with Brecken Meyer, Peter Facinelli. Show time is 7 p.m.

Film Series
The Knickerbocker Film Series will continue with the film Where Do We Go Now on November 5-10 at 7:30 p.m. In this comedy/drama, a group of Lebanese women try to ease religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in their village. As civil strife engulfs the country, the women in the village try, by various means and to varying success, to keep their men in the dark by sabotaging the village radio and then destroying the village TV, to hiring Ukrainian strippers. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/.

About It Lecture Series
On November 15 at 7 p.m. at the SCA, Saugatuck-Douglas area chefs will talk engage in An Intriguing Conversation: Greenwashing. A fresh take on our About It! series, join us for a conversation with chefs Matthew Millar of Reserve Wine Bar, Joel Wabeke of Trillium Haven Farms, and Matthew Pietsch of Salt of the Earth. Moderated by Molly Clauhs of The Silver Spork Food Truck. Admission is free, donations accepted. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Visiting Writers
Next in the line up for the Visiting Writers Series on November 15 are poets Danielle Cadena Deulen and Joy Harjo. Deulen's collection of poems, Lovely Asunder, won the Miller Williams Arkansas Poetry Prize. Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke (Creek) Nation. Her seven books of poetry include She Had Some Horses, The Woman Who Fell From the Sky, and How We Became Human. Her poetry has garnered many awards, including a Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Award. Both women will read from selected works. Readings are held at the Knickerbocker Theatre, downtown Holland at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-395-7620.

Exhibitions
Stop in at the SCA November 4-January 2 for an exhibition called Drawn From Nature, The Plant Lithographs of Ellsworth Kelly. Dec 8- Feb 28. Weekdays 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Free admission. Drawn From Nature features plant lithographs spanning four decades of Ellsworth Kelly's remarkable career. Kelly, one of the most notable living American abstractionists, has built an international reputation around painting, sculpture, and printmaking. This suite of prints comes from the Grand Rapid's Art Museum's permanent collection and is particularly intriguing because it demonstrates Kelly's longstanding fascination with organic form. . For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Museum Exhibition
Through December 29, The Holland Museum presents: Celebrating the Journey, Holland, Michigan. With nearly 170 years on the road from settlement to urban center, the museum has collected objects all along the way, telling us stories about the journeys of the people of this place, that defines us and our place in history. This exhibit is in honor of the museum's 75th anniversary. For more info, call 616.796.3329.

Honorable Mentions
Nov 1 Movie, True Stories, Douglas Library
Nov 3, Third Annual Art Glass Stroll, Douglas
Nov 3, Music, Wust El Balad/Popular Egyptian Music, SCA
Nov 3, Sounds of Saugatuck/Douglas, Various Bars
Nov 5-10, Movie, Where Do We Go Now, Knickerbocker, Holland
Nov 6, Movie, The Devil at 4 O'clock, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Nov 8, Movie, Reel to Reel, 5 Broken Cameras, SCA, Saugatuck
Nov 13, Movie, Dark Passage , Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck N
Nov 15, Movie, Nadine, Douglas Library
Nov 15, Visiting Writer Series, Joy Harjo and Danielle Cadena Deulen, Hope College
Nov 17, Holiday Preview, Saugatuck and Douglas
Nov 17, Children's Film festival, SCA
Nov 20, Movie, Pal Joey, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Nov 23, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Santa Arrives, Saugatuck
Nov 27, Movie, Spencer's Mountain, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Nov 29, Movie, Bottle Rocket, Douglas Library
Dec 1 Winter Greenmarket, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 4, Movie, Pride And Prejudice (1940), Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 8, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 11, Movie, The Agony and the Ecstasy, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 13, Movie, Reel to Reel, Carol Channing-Larger than Life, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 13, Movie, Dancer Texas POP 81, Douglas Library
Dec 14-16 & 21-23 Charles Dickens, Christmas Carol, Saugatuck
Dec 15, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 18, Movie, Adam's Rib, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Dec 22, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 31, New Years Eve and Fireworks show at Midnight over Lake Kalamazoo

Books
Sue's book of the month is In Defense of Food by Michael Pollen. For those who are already inclined to eat healthy, organic and vegetarian, it'll be no surprise that you'll like this nonfiction book. And for everyone else, there are compelling reasons in this book to eat real food. The majority of the book is about the overwhelming number of manufactured foods on supermarket shelves and that are really doing you no favors with their unidentifiable ingredients. Considering we are what we eat, and we are as healthy as the food we ingest, then this book will give you a whole new outlook on the foods you choose to buy and eat. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785). And please remember to support your local, independently owned bookstore!

Recipe
Felix's Chicken, White Bean Chili with Pumpkin

Felix, that crazy reincarnate. We don't know where he comes up with these stories or recipes for that matter but this is what he told us when he last graced our establishment. I'll keep it short. After getting tossed around by the Oaksters into the watermelon field (see Felix's Watermelon Salad). I met a lovely spice vendor named Alessandra in the Casbah near Sherwood Forest. We bonded immediately. Drank wine, talked about food it seemed forever. Then she challenged me. Not one to be shy in the kitchen-I emancipated the pantry and stove (made quite a mess I did). The results were-she professed her love and wanted to marry me immediately. Felix was nice enough to share this with us right before he left town.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 half teaspoon salt
1 half teaspoon black pepper
1 eighth teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 jalape�o, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin, buttercup squash or acorn squash
30 ounces chicken broth
1 can cannellini beans or white navy beans rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 half teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons lime juice
Garnishes: sour cream, sliced jalape�os, chopped fresh cilantro Preparation

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
Mix the spices in a small bowl also.
Combine chicken and 1 tablespoon spice blend in a medium bowl, flip to coat. Set aside remaining spice blend.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; add the chicken and cook, stirring often until no longer pink. Set aside.
Add the onion, bell pepper and the jalape�o to soup pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or so. Stir in garlic and the remaining spice blend. Stirring constantly, approx 1 minute.
Add the pumpkin or squash and the next 5 ingredients to the pot. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer while covered, 25 minutes or until pumpkin/squash is tender. Return chicken to pot; simmer until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in limejuice. Garnish, if desired. Can refrigerate for up to 3 days.

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 News October 2012

News from the Forest

Fall is upon us, and the leaves are just starting their journey into the palette of many colors. What a wonderful time of year to take a hike along the lakeshore or in the wooded dunes of the Saugatuck State Park, or plan a color-tour 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 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.

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.htm.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (pet friendly)
Looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay? Our cottage has 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, 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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $150-$2450--available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

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

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique weekend package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, with more than 70 different recipes available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2 weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up later (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room. For more info, e-mail us at sf@sherwoodforestbandb.com.

Bed and Breakfast and Arnold Palmer Golf
Spend a couple of nights at Sherwood Forest, 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. Here's what you get: a 2-night stay at Sherwood Forest, 18 holes of golf for two (with a cart) with a guaranteed tee time at The Ravines, and some great dinner recommendations so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing (cost ranges from $317-$615). To book this package, call us at 800-838-1246. We have lots of different packages, so for more info and prices, check out http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/golf.html.

Culinary Tours
Our friend David Geen has started local food tours, and your taste buds will be thanking you. The first, a 3-hour walking tour, offers a culinary peek into the food and life of Saugatuck and Douglas. Experience local products during several stops, with tastings that may include smoky meats, award-winning wines, hints of spice, delightful oils, richly roasted coffee, local fruit spreads, and bakery breads. The second features a driving tour showcasing the "farm to fork" movement of Allegan County. This Delicious Drive includes niche farms in operation, including organic fruits and vegetables, artisan cheese producers, wineries, orchards, a bakery, and a brew master. For more info or to add this to your stay, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

U-Pick
Earl's U-Pick Farm--through October 15, you can pick red or gold raspberries. For more info, call 269-227-2074 or visit http://www.earlsberries.com.

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-Saturday, 7-10 p.m. in October. For more info, call 269-561-8651 or go to www.craneorchards.com.

Art
The Blue Coast Artists' 23rd Annual Fall Tour of Studios will be held October 6-7 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 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 professional artists. For more information, visit http://bluecoastartists.com.

Oktoberfest
Downtown Douglas will be the site for this year's Oktoberfest on October 6. 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. Beer will be provided from the Saugatuck Brewing Co.

More Art
Come join more than 20 tri-community galleries for the 35th annual Saugatuck/Douglas Gallery Stroll on October 6-7 from noon-5 p.m. You'll be able to cruise through some of the Midwest's finest art galleries, 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.

28th Annual Goose Festival
You haven't lived until you've attended the Goose Festival--no really! On October 13-14, the weekend-long festival in downtown Fennville will entertain you to your heart's delight. The parade starts at 1 p.m. on October 13, and you'll be awed by this year's reining beauty queen, Miss Honker. You can attend the Carnival with amusement rides, craft show, a classic car show, and even listen to the goose calling competition. For more info, visit http://www.fennvillegoosefestival.com.

Fall Funfest Day
On October 13 from 1-4 p.m. in Coghlin Park, downtown Saugatuck, there will be pumpkin carving and pumpkin launch, pie eating, food vendors, music, and a tug-of-war. For more info, call 269-857-1626 or visit info@saugatuckdouglas.com.

Chili Cook Off
Enjoy some chili from your favorite area restaurants and music from many of your favorite local performers in Saugatuck's Wicks Park from 1-5 p.m. on October 14.

Halloween
Halloween festivities will be going on in downtown Saugatuck on October 27 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., including country music, entertainment, storytelling, arts and 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, call the Saugatuck-Douglas CVB at 269-857-1701.

Farmers' Market
The Green Market is at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday until October 5. Local farmers and growers bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies, and baked goods. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Music
On October 6 at 8 p.m. listen to Chris Smither at the SCA and hear the unmistakable sound that has made his trademark. A profound songwriter, Smither draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets, and philosophers. Reviewers continue to praise his dazzling guitar work, gravelly voice, and songwriting. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Mo Music
Jimmy Dillon and Blues Journey
On October 19 at 8 p.m. listen to a mix of Jimmy Dillon classics, plus a healthy does of blues as Jimmy rocks out with his band, Blues Journey. This amazing quartet of seasoned blues/jazz veterans, conducted by harmonica Grammy-Award winner Peter Madcat Ruth, fueled by the guitar and pedal steel fireworks of Drew 'Cap'n Midnight' Howard, and propelled by the mighty rhythm section of bassist Mark Schrock and drummer Randy Marsh. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Jazz
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by some of Saugatuck's favorites, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Dr. John & Christy. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341.

Music
The Salt of the Earth music series continues: October 7, Chris Proctor (acoustic-Americana); October 14, Red Tail Ring (Americana); October 21, Sister Wiline (country/ballads/swing), Putnam Smith (modern roots), and Anne Hills (contemporary folk); Brian Cutean (wordless guitar); October 28, Drew Nelson (song writer-Americana/folk); and November 4, Claudia Schmidt (folk/jazz) and Dean McGraw (flat-picking/Americana). For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.com.

Rennie Harris Pure Movement
Next in the line up for the Hope College Great Performance Series is Rennie Harris Pure Movement on October 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in Holland. The group has emerged as an international hip-hop dance ambassador. In a society where hip-hop is often portrayed as a violent, undisciplined counterculture, RHPM deconstructs popular perception of this medium, expanding and challenging the boundaries and definitions of hip-hop. For more info, visit http://www.hope.edu/arts or call 616-395-7890.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: October 2, Mutiny on the Bounty with Marlon Brando and Richard Harris; October 9, Angels with Dirty Faces with James Cagney and Jerry Connolly; October 16, Sargent York with Gary Cooper; October 23, Singing in the Rain with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds; and October 30, Ghostbusters with Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver. All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

More Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Douglas will present: October 4, Tender Mercies with Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, and Betty Buckley; October 18, Places in the House with Sally Field, Danny Glover, and John Malkovich; and November 1, True Stories with David Byrne, John Goodman, and Annie McEnroe. For more info, visit http://www.sdlibrary.org/movie-night.html.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On October 2 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing The Loving Story, a racially charged criminal trial and a heart-rending love story. This documentary is about Richard and Mildred Loving, set during the turbulent Civil Rights era. The Lovings, an interracial couple, fell in love and married, however, could not live in their home state. At a critical time in American history, and, because of social and political turmoil, the reluctant heroes bring about change where previously no one else could. On October 11 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be previewing Urban Roots, a documentary that tells the story of the spontaneous emergence of urban farming in the city of Detroit. Detroit, once an industrial powerhouse of a lost American era, is a city devastated by the loss of half its population due to the collapse of manufacturing. By the looks of it, the city has died. But now, against all odds, in the empty lots, in the old factory yards, and in-between the sad, sagging blocks of company housing, seeds of change are taking root. A small group of dedicated citizens have started an urban environmental movement with the potential to transform not just a city after its collapse, but also a country after the end of its industrial age. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Film Series
The Knickerbocker Film Series will continue on October 15-20 at 7:30 p.m. with the film The Last Ride, a story about Hank Williams, music's original bad boy. After a meteoric rise to radio super-stardom in the late 1940s, Williams had made a train wreck of his life. At the end of 1952, he gathered what was left of his physical strength to make things right and began the long road back. On his way to a couple of New Year's shows in West Virginia and Ohio, he hired a local kid who didn't even own a radio, much less know who this legend was, to drive him to the gigs from Montgomery, AL. Williams never got there. Inspired by the mysterious final days of his life, The Last Ride is the story of that final drive through the bleak Appalachian countryside of 1950s America. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/.

Museum
The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum newest exhibit is A Village Life, with photographs, artifacts, and stories uncovering the mysteries and stories of daily life in the Saugatuck area. This exhibit is open to the public daily, noon to 4 p.m., until Labor Day, and on the weekends only in the fall. Admission is free.

Honorable Mentions
Oct 2, Visiting Writer Series, Oni Buchanan and Jon Woodward, Hope College
Oct 2, Movie, Mutiny on the Bounty, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 2, Reel to Reel Series, The Loving Story, SCA
Oct 4, Movie, Tender Mercies, Douglas Library
Oct 6, Octoberfest, Douglas
Oct 6, Music, Chris Smithier, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Oct 6-7, Blue Coast Artist Annual Fall Tour
Oct 6-7, Gallery Stroll, Saugatuck and Douglas
Oct 6, Earls Farm market, Old Car Cruise night
Oct 9, West Michigan Drum Circle, Felt Mansion, Saugatuck
Oct 9, Movie, Angels with Dirty Faces, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 11, Movie, Reel to Reel, Urban Roots, SCA, Saugatuck
Oct 12-13, Haunted House, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 13-14, Fennville Goose Festival
Oct 13, Lakeshore Harvest Country Road Rally
Oct 13, Fall Funfest Day, Saugatuck
Oct 14, Annual Chili Cook-off, Saugatuck
Oct 15-20, Movie, The Last Ride, Knickerbocker, Holland
Oct 16, Movie, Sergeant York, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 18, Movie, Places in the Heart, Douglas Library
Oct 19, Music, Jimmy Dillon & Blues Journey, SCA
Oct 19-20, Haunted House, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 23, Visiting Writer Series, Jeffrey Brown, Hope College
Oct 23 Movie, Singing in the Rain, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 26-27, Haunted House, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Oct 27, Halloween Harvest Festival, Saugatuck
Oct 27, Adult Halloween Parade, 10 P.M. Douglas
Oct 30 Movie, Ghost Busters, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Nov 1 Movie, True Stories, Douglas Library
Nov 3, Third Annual Art Glass Stroll, Douglas
Nov 3, Music, Wust El Balad/Popular Egyptian Music, SCA
Nov 5-10, Movie, Where Do We Go Now, Knickerbocker, Holland
Nov 8, Movie, Reel to Reel, 5 Broken Cameras, SCA, Saugatuck
Nov 15, Movie, Nadine, Douglas Library
Nov 15, Visiting Writer Series, Joy Harjo and Danielle Cadena Deulen, Hope College
Nov 17, Holiday Preview, Saugatuck and Douglas
Nov 17, Childrens Film festival, SCA
Nov 23, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Santa Arrives, Saugatuck
Nov 29, Movie, Bottle Rocket, Douglas Library
Dec 1 Winter Greenmarket, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 8, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 13, Movie, Reel to Reel, Carol Channing-Larger than Life, SCA, Saugatuck
Dec 13, Movie, Dancer Texas POP 81, Douglas Library
Dec 14-16 & 21-23 Charles Dickens, Christmas Carol, Saugatuck
Dec 15, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 22, Sensational Saturdays, Stores stay open late in Saugatuck & Douglas
Dec 31, New Years Eve and Fireworks show at Midnight over Lake Kalamazoo

Recipe
Ms. Sue's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Another sumptuous treat from the Original Siren of Sherwood. Thanks again Mon Ami, for without you nothing would be possible and everything is infinite!

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
6 red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (don't have to peel)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in large pieces
2 Tb. butter, softened o
ne-quarter cup warm milk
one-half tp. Kosher salt, divided
dash of pepper

Place potatoes, garlic, and one-quarter tp. salt in large pot; fill with water to cover all and let sit for 1 hour. Place pot on med. heat and bring to a boil-boil approx. 20 minutes until potatoes are soft. Drain. Combine next four ingredients and add to potatoes-mash until desired consistency. Serves 6.

Books
Holly's book of the month is Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. At 22, Strayed thought she had lost everything. Her mother had passed away, her family was scattered about, and her own marriage was unraveling. With nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State--and to do it alone. With no experience as a long-distance hiker, the trail was little more than a concept, vague and foreign and full of promise. This is a riveting true story about a 3-month journey that had her circling around black bears and rattlesnakes, extreme dehydration, and hiking in boots made entirely of duct tape. With its vivid descriptions of beautiful but unforgiving terrain, Wild is a cinematic story. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785). And please remember to support your local, independently owned bookstore!

Please check out Sherwood Forest B & B on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/pyeEsy

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 News September 2012

News from the Forest

The summer is coming to an end, and although the autumnal equinox 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. It's a great time of year to join us for some relaxation and beautiful fall colors.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne. We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially-made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $150-$2450--available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique weekend package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, with more than 70 different recipes available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2 weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up later (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room. To book this package call us at 800-838-1246.

Farmers' Market
The Green Market is from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday until October 7, where local farmers and growers bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies, and baked goods to the SCA. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit The Green Market.

Mount Baldhead Challenge 5K and 15K
Take the 13th annual Mt. Baldhead Challenge and experience "one of Michigan's 25 most interesting races" according to Michigan Runner Magazine. Run the 5K through historic streets and downtown or take the Mt. Baldhead Challenge 15K trek through wooded trails, up steps, and along the famous Kalamazoo Ox-Bow. To sign up, visit the Mt. Baldhead Challenge.

Theater
On September 9 at 4 p.m. Mason Street Warehouse theater is honored to produce a reading of Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black's new documentary play, 8. This is a staged reading, based on the Proposition 8 trial, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, over same-sex marriage in California. The trial was not televised, and all video documentation remains under a federal protective order. Offering audiences one of the first word-for-word accounts of moments from the historic trial, 8 incorporates observations and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families in a moving 90-minute play. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Hope College Great Performance Series
First in the line-up for the Hope College Great Performance Series is the DePue Brothers Band on September 14 at the Dimnent Chapel at 7:30 p.m. The DePue Brothers Band merges technical prowess with a highly creative joy, creating a new sound, merging genres such as classical, bluegrass, Americana, and folk. For more info, call 616-395-7890.

Music
On September 29 at 8 p.m., listen to singer Kelly Carey at the SCA. This sought-after singer and her band pay tribute to the era of wailing guitar licks, thumping bass. and infectious groove. Rock along to your favorite hits by Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, The Eagles, The Who, Journey, and Aerosmith. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Music
On October 6 at 8 p.m. listen to Chris Smither at the SCA and hear the unmistakable sound that has made his trademark. A profound songwriter, Chris Smither draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets, and philosophers. Reviewers continue to praise his dazzling guitar work, gravelly voice, and songwriting. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Music
On September 8 at the Red Barn Theatre listen to the top-honors winner in the People's Choice Awards for 2010, Jerry Bennett, who will be performing a mix of country and gospel. For more info, call the Red Barn Theatre at 269-857-5300.

The Eschelons
On September 22 at 7:30 p.m. The Red Barn Theatre will present The Eschelons (just inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Music Hall of Fame). With 5 vocalists, keyboards, sax, harmonica, guitar, bass, and drums, it's an array of percussion blend to bring you the pleasure of old rock 'n roll memories. For more info, visit the Red Barn Playhouse.

Jazz
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Diego, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Dr. John & Christy. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341.

Music
The Salt of the Earth summer music series continues: September 8, Danny Schmidt (singer/songwriter); September 10, Hoots & Hellmouth (twisted American roots); September 16, Honey Dewdrops (Appalachian Americana); September 23, Appleseed Collective (little gypsy, a little Dixie) and September 30, Chris Proctor (national fingerstyle guitar champion). For more info, call 269-561-7258.

Music at the Lucky Stone Pub
Join the folks at Saugatuck Brewing Company's Lucky Stone pub for some music and locally crafted beer: September 1, Memarie Gayle (country); September 6, Fremont John (acoustic originals); September 8, Vincent Hayes (blues-covers); September 15, Slim Gypsy Baggage (folk/indie rock); September 22, Last Call Band (rock roots); September 28, Blue Molly and Madcat Manfra Blues Band; and September 29, Indacoda Blue (acoustic rock). Performances on Thursday at 6 p.m.; and Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: September 4, August Rush with Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers; September 11, Houdini, with Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, and Torin Thatcher; September 18, Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly; and September 25, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir with Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, and George Sanders . All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

More Movies
On September 6 at 7 p.m., the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Douglas will present Bonnie and Clyde With Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway; September 20, The Last Picture Show With Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, and Cybill Shepherd; and October 4, Tender Mercies With Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, and Betty Buckley.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On September 13 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing Chasing Ice. National Geographic photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change, but through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. In Chasing Ice, we follow Balog across the Arctic as he deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Film Series
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland will present: September 10-15, Moonrise Kingdom. Infused with humor and set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, a young boy and girl fall in love and are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them, and the town is turned upside down, which might not be such a bad thing. From September 17-22, Pina. In modern dance since the 1970s, few choreographers have had more influence in the medium than the late Pina Bausch. This documentary explores the life and work of this artist of movement while we see her company perform some of her most notable creations. Screenings at 7:30 p.m. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit The Knickerbocker Theatre.

Exhibitions
At the SCA through September 28, Ken Carls: Public Designer, Private Artist will exhibit through a series of stories, both verbal and visual, and weaves together drawings, collages, and graphic design pieces into a highly personal and sometimes unexpected biography. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market runs the last Sunday of the month from 8:30 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
Sept 1, The Judy Show, Starring Michael Holmes, Red Barn Theatre, 8 p.m.
Sept 3, Labor Day Bridgewalk, Douglas
Sept 4, Movie, August Rush, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Sept 3, 1st annual Ginger Wilkinson Memorial Hat Parade
Sept 6, Movie, Bonnie and Clyde, Douglas Library
Sept 7, Mount Baldhead Challenge, Saugatuck
Sept 8, Art and Wine Stroll, Douglas
Sept 8, The Incomparable Jerry Bennett, Country Music, Red Barn Theatre 7 p.m.
Sept 10-15, Movie, Moon Rise Kingdom, Knickerbocker, Holland
Sept 11, Movie, Houdini, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Sept 13, Movie, Reel to Reel, Chasing Ice, SCA, Saugatuck
Sept 14, Old Car Cruise, Earls Farm Market, Glenn
Sept 15, Clothesline Art Show, Saugatuck
Sept 17-22, Movie, Pina, Knickerbocker, Holland
Sept 18, Movie, Inherit the Wind, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Sept 20, Movie, The Last Picture Show, Douglas Library
Sept 22, The Escelons In Concert, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Sept 25, Movie, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
Sept 30, Allegan Antique Market
Sept 31, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy returns from adventures untold.
Oct 2, Visiting Writer Series, Oni Buchanan and Jon Woodward, Hope College
Oct 4, Movie, Tender Mercies, Douglas Library
Oct 6, Octoberfest, Douglas
Oct 6, Music, Chris Smithier, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Oct 6-7, Blue Coast Artist Annual Fall Tour
Oct 6-7, Gallery Stroll, Saugatuck and Douglas
Oct 6, Earls Farm market, Old Car Cruise night
Oct 11, Movie, Reel to Reel, Urban Roots, SCA, Saugatuck
Oct 13-14, Fennville Goose Festival
Oct 13, Lakeshore Harvest Country Road Rally
Oct 13, Fall Funfest Day, Saugatuck
Oct 15-20, Movie, The Last Ride, Knickerbocker, Holland
Oct 18, Movie, Places in the Heart, Douglas Library
Oct 19, Music, Jimmy Dillon & Blues Journey, SCA
Oct 23, Visiting Writer Series, Jeffrey Brown, Hope College
Oct 27, Halloween Harvest Festival, Saugatuck
Oct 27, Adult Halloween Parade, 10 P.M. Douglas
Nov 1 Movie, True Stories, Douglas Library
Nov 3, Third Annual Art Glass Stroll, Douglas
Nov 3, Music, Wust El Balad/Popular Egyptian Music, SCA
Nov 5-10, Movie, Where Do We Go Now, Knickerbocker, Holland
Nov 8, Movie, Reel to Reel, 5 Broken Cameras, SCA, Saugatuck
Nov 15, Movie, Nadine, Douglas Library
Nov 15, Visiting Writer Series, Joy Harjo and Danielle Cadena Deulen, Hope College
Nov 17, Holiday Preview, Saugatuck and Douglas
Nov 17, Childrens Film festival, SCA
Nov 23, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Santa Arrives, Saugatuck
Nov 29, Movie, Bottle Rocket, Douglas Library
Dec 13, Movie, Reel to Reel, Carol Channing-Larger than Life, SCA, Saugatuck

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Remember Uncle Willy and his camel Mr. Thirsty? They've just returned from a small village in Bolivia where a group of Incans have been hiding from civilization since the conquistadores forever changed the timeline. It was actually Mr. Thirsty who wandered into their valley in search of water. He became an instant two-humped celebrity as he paraded their current Queen around, Queen Apichu Pahuac Pitahaya (Sweet Potato Flying Cactus Pear--he apparently named her after chewing some coco loco). As they departed, their gift in exchange for the two humper joyride was this sweet dish.

Uncle Williams Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes, and Kale

Ingredients
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
one-quarter cup olive oil
3 small sweet potatoes (approx. 1 and one-half pounds), peeled & cut into half-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
one-half teaspoon black pepper
2 bunches kale (1 and one-quarter pounds), stems removed and leaves cut into bite-size pieces

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown and soften, 8-10 minutes.
Add the onion to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, another 5-7 minutes.
Add as much kale as will fit in the pot and cook, tossing frequently, and adding more kale when there is room, 3-5 minutes.
Serve the vegetables over the quinoa. Serves 8.

Book of the Month
Christina's Book of the Month is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. You must read this book. It's as if Gillian Flynn (the author) has mixed us a martini using battery acid instead of vermouth and somehow managed to make it taste really, really good. Gone Girl is delectable and exhilarating and delightfully dangerous. It's brilliant, actually. It's funny in a cimmerian, possible way. The writing is jarringly good, and the story is, well...amazing. Read the book and you'll discover among many other treasures just how much freight and fright this book carries. You will not be able to put this book down. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785). If your out of town, please remember to support your local independently owned bookstore.

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 News August 2012

News from the Forest

The dog days of summer are here, and there's a whole lot happening, including fishing for salmon and trout on the Big Lake, golfing at courses in tip-top shape, the off-Broadway theater has a fantastic line-up, and don't forget the best thing of all, Lake Michigan is right around the corner and it's saying, let's take a dip, mon ami! We've got some awesome lounge chairs by the pool, and our 1970s-era Schwinn Suburban bicycles are ready for your riding pleasure. Ahhh, it's a great time of year, so get out your calendar and schedule some free time soon!

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne. We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (pet friendly)
Our cottage is booked up for the summer, but if you're looking for a fall or winter getaway, those are also nice times to enjoy beautiful Douglas and Saugatuck. It sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and yes, it's pet friendly.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $380-$2450--available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique weekend package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, with more than 70 different recipes available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2 weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up later (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room.To book this package, call us at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast, Dinner, and Off-Broadway Theater
Looking for a great getaway including fantastic lodging, dinner for two, and tickets to some awesome off-Broadway theater? Sherwood Forest has put together a great package for you to enjoy this summer: you'll get 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B, dinner for two at either Chequers in Saugatuck, a British-style pub offering English favorites, or Restaurant Toulouse, a French-American restaurant with warm French provincial ambiance. Then you'll be off to the Mason Street Warehouse, where you'll experience professional off-Broadway live theater. The line up for this season: Our Sinatra (July 27-August 15): and Boeing Boeing (August 17-September 2). Package prices range from $260 to $569. To book this package, please call us at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Charter Boat Fishing
Looking for the ultimate experience in Saugatuck fishing charters? Sherwood Forest B&B is offering an extraordinary package that includes some awesome lodging plus some great fishing with Best Chance Charters. For years, the Saugatuck port has provided some of the best salmon, trout, perch, and walleye fishing within the Great Lakes region. Whether you are a novice who wants special attention or an experienced angler who is looking for more of a hands-on trip, their professional staff is prepared to help make your Saugatuck fishing charter experience a highlight of your visit. Here are the details: you'll get 1 or 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B plus a fishing trip on Lake Michigan and some awesome bragging rights when you return home. The cost runs from $608 to $985, depending on the time of year and the room. To book this package, call us at 800-838-1246.

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

U-Pick
There are some great Michigan U-Pick's about 8 miles or less from our front door; Earl's U-Pick Farm is one of them. 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 after that. For more info, contact Earl's at 269-227-2074 or Krupka's at 269-857-4278.

Airplane Rides
Looking for a cool experience? How about a joy ride in a nifty Cessna 152 with a qualified, certified flight instructor? You'll be able to fly over the Lake Michigan shoreline along Saugatuck/Douglas and see from the air what makes this area so magical. Rides are $50 per person for a 15-minute ride or you can take a discovery flight, an intro in flying to see if you dig the sport. $75 for 45 minutes, one person at a time. Advanced reservations are required. If interested, give us a call at the B&B, 800-838-1246.

Balloon Rides
Enjoy the soundless flight on the wisp of a breeze in a hot air balloon. Windmill Balloons specializes in champagne flights that last about 1.5 hours. You'll take off about 2 hours before sunset to capture the awesome view and colors as the sun lazily sets over the horizon. Weekends only. Advanced reservations are required and cost is $225 per person. If interested, give us a call at the B&B, 800-838-1246.

Art and All that Jazz
On August 11 from 6- 8 p.m., stroll through Douglas galleries and shops while viewing artist demonstrations and listening to the Jim Cooper Jazz Band. Don't forget to stop at one of the restaurants, cafes, or coffee shops to grab a drink or a bite. Dancing in the streets optional!

Sidewalk Sale
The Annual Saugatuck/Douglas Sidewalk Sale will be held August 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Saugatuck and Douglas. This is a great event where merchants unload their summer goods to make way for fall fashions and giftware. There will be bargains galore-and the event will happen rain or shine.

Food
The Annual Taste of Saugatuck will be held on August 26 on Water Street in downtown Saugatuck from noon-7 p.m. Enjoyable foods from area restaurants will be featured, a gastronomical event that is sure to please everyone. For more info, call 269-857-1701.

Douglas Socials
Starting June 28 and continuing every other week on Thursdays through August 23, 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 SCA from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday until October 7. There will also be the Monday Market (July 11-August 29) from 3-7 p.m. where local farmers and growers will bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies, and baked goods to the SCA. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit The Green Market.

Music in the Park--Saugatuck
By the river next to the band shell in Saugatuck, you can listen to some free music this summer: August 8, Java Jive (swing); August 15, Schrock Brothers (rock); Aug 22, Funktion (funk/soul); and August 29, The Sea Cruisers (Circle of Tribute).

Music in the Park--Fennville
Free music every other Tuesday: August 7, Grupo Aye (Latin). The concerts will be held at Memorial/Paradise Park on north Maple Street in downtown Fennville.

Music--Summer in the Studio
The SCA Summer in the Studio Series: August 13, Dave Hardin (Memphis Sound); August 20, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys (American traditional); and August 27, Peter Mulvey (think Tom Waits & Willie Nelson). For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org/performances.php.

Music
The Salt of the Earth summer music series continues: August 28, Shari Kane and Dave Steele (street swing and stomp blues); September 10, Nervous But Excited (pleasantly aggressive folk); October 21, Putnam Smith and Annie Hills (singer-songwriter folk); November 11, Neptunes Car (contemporary folk); December 2 The Red Sea Pedestrians (old world roots); and December 9, Brant Satala and Josh Rose (old world). Music starts at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-561-7258.

Chamber
The performance line up for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck is as follows: August 2-3, Op. 25, No.4 (Rachmaninoff, Brahms); August 9-10, Op.25, No.5 (Haydn, Beethoven); and August 16-17, Op.25, No.6 (Liszt, Bruch) String Quartet with Spohr and Mendelssohn. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. at the Saugatuck Woman's Club.

Music at the Lucky Stone Pub
Join the folks at Saugatuck Brewing Company's Lucky Stone pub for some music and locally crafted beer: August 2, Moxie Strings (Celtic/Irish); August 4, Peet in the Creel (Celtic/Irish); August 9, Mark and Andrew Schrock (folk, covers, acoustic rock); August 11, Ry Peterman (covers, classic rock); August 16, Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys (rockabilly); August 18, Diego and The Machine (old time rock 'n roll); August 23, Ray Townse (covers, reggae); and August 25, Jen Sygit and Sam Corbin (old time, folk, Americana). All performances are from 7-11 p.m. For more info, visit http://saugatuckbrewing.com.

Movies
Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: August 7, Lost Horizon with Ronald Coleman and Jane Wyatt; August 14, The Return of the Pink Panther with Peter Sellers and Christopher Plummer; August 21, Rocky with Sylvester Stallone andTalia Shire; August 28 The Great Gatsby (Brats and dogs served before hand and at intermission) with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

The Judy Show starring Michael Holmes
On August 31-September 1 at the Red Barn Theatre, don't miss this show featuring "guests" visiting The Judy Show in which Michael Holmes not only impersonates Judy Garland but all of the guests as well. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

Theater
On August 10-12, 17-19, and 24-25, the Red Barn Theatre presents Breaking Up Is Hard To Do. Set at a Catskill's resort in 1960, this is the sweetly comic story of Lois and Marge, two friends from Brooklyn in search of good times and romance over Labor Day weekend. The score showcases 18 Neil Sedaka classics, including Where the Boys Are, Sweet Sixteen, Calendar Girl, and Love Will Keep Us Together. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

More Theater
The Hope Summer Repertory Theatre will present Into Chaps through August 10. It's London in 1944 and the BBC is preparing for a special troupe of America's singing cowboys. When they fail to show up, the prim and proper Brits have to take the reigns. Then it's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee through Aug 11--get out your dictionaries and prepare for a H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S night at the theater. Then An Inspector Calls through August 9. Through August 10, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly--the coolest-ever rock-n-roll romp in a bug's world. For show times and theater locations in Holland, call 616-395-7890.

Exhibitions
At the Saugatuck Center for the Arts from August 3 through September 8 Ken Carls, Public Designer. Private Artist will exhibit through a series of stories, both verbal and visual weaves together drawings, collages, and graphic design pieces into a highly personal and sometimes unexpected biography. While art and design occupy subtly different regions of the landscape of visual thinking, this exhibition explores how each thought process informs the other in expressing the nuances of Ken's unique visual world. Defining and redefining the relationship between structure and exuberance. open multiple windows into his artful life and generous spirit. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Tuesday Talks at the Old School House
Every Tuesday at the Old School House in Douglas from 11 a.m.-noon, a presentation will coordinate this year's museum exhibit, Our Village Life. On August 7: Saved from a Slow Death: How Mom & Dad Saved Saugatuck's Pump House; August 14, Art Collection Secrets: Stories from the SDHS Art Archives; August 21, Look. See. Hear. How Does Our Garden Grow?; and August 28, Good Looking? The Art of Looking Good.

Honorable Mentions
Aug 1, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 2, Vintage Views Talk, Douglas Library 6:30 p.m.
Aug 3, Fenn Valley Winery Annual BBQ
Aug 3, Antony and Cleopatra, Red Barn Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Aug 4, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas
Aug 4, Adams Family Band, Red Barn Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Aug 7, Tuesdays in the Park, Music, Fennville, 7 p.m.
Aug 7, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 8, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 9, Douglas Social
Aug 10, Friday Night Open Studios, Oxbow, 5:30-8 p.m.
Aug 10-12 Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, play, red barn Theatre 7:30 p.m.
Aug 11, Douglas, Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, 2 p.m. Douglas
Aug 11, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 11, Art and All that Jazz, Douglas
Aug 14, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 15, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 16, Saugatuck-Douglas Sidewalk Sales
Aug 17-Sept 2, Play, Boeing Boeing, Mason Street Warehouse
Aug 21, Basket Factory Vintage Baseball Festival, Douglas
Aug 21, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 22, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 23, Douglas Social
Aug 23, Movie, Giant, Douglas Library
Aug 24-25, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, play, red barn Theatre 7:30 p.m
Aug 25, Allegan Antique Market
Aug 25, Art Jam, Fennville
Aug 26, Taste Of Saugatuck
Aug 28, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 29, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 31, The Judy Show, Starring Michael Holmes, Red Barn Theatre, 8 p.m.
Sept 1, The Judy Show, Starring Michael Holmes, Red Barn Theatre, 8 p.m.
Sept 3, Labor Day Bridgewalk, Douglas
Sept 6, Movie, Bonnie and Clyde, Douglas Library
Sept 7, Mount Baldhead Challenge, Saugatuck
Sept 8, Art and Wine Stroll, Douglas
Sept 8, The Incomparable Jerry Bennett, Country Music, Red Barn Theatre 7 p.m.
Sept 15, Fall Heritage Festival
S ept 15, Clothesline Art Show, Saugatuck
Sept 20, Movie, The Last Picture Show, Douglas Library
Sept 30, Allegan Antique Market
Sept 31, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy returns from adventures untold.
Oct 3, Visiting Writer Series, Oni Buchanan and Jon Woodward, Hope College
Oct 4, Movie, Tender Mercies, Douglas Library
Oct 6, Octoberfest, Douglas
Oct 6, Music, Chris Smithier, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Oct 6-7, Blue Coast Artist Annual Fall Tour
Oct 6-7, Gallery Stroll, Saugatuck and Douglas
Oct 6, Earls Farm market, Old Car Cruise night
Oct 13-14, Fennville Goose Festival
Oct 13, Lakeshore Harvest Country Road Rally
Oct 13, fall Funfest Day, Saugatuck
Oct 23, Visiting Writer Series, Jeffrey Brown, Hope College
Oct 27, Halloween Harvest Festival, Saugatuck
Oct 27, Adult Halloween Parade, 10 P.M. Douglas
Nov 3, Third Annual Art Glass Stroll, Douglas
Nov 15, Visiting Writer Series, Joy Harjo and Danielle Cadena Deulen, Hope College
Nov 17, Holiday Preview, Saugatuck and Douglas

Book of the Month
Laura's Book of the month is Change Comes to Dinner: How Vertical Farmers, Urban Growers, and Other Innovators Are Revolutionizing How America Eats by Katherine Gustafson. Gustafson introduces food visionaries like Mark Lilly, who turned a school bus into a locally-sourced grocery store in Richmond, VA; Gayla Brockman, who organized a program to double the value of food stamps used at Kansas City, MO, farmers' markets; Myles Lewis and Josh Hottenstein, who started a business growing vegetables in shipping containers using little water and no soil; and Tony Geraci, who claimed unused land to create the Great Kids Farm, where Baltimore City public school students learn how to grow food and help Geraci decide what to order from local farmers for breakfast and lunch at the city schools. It's a smart and engaging look into America's food revolution. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Ms. Blue's Sangria:

Out of the fields came a siren whose skin was a deep blue, she gracefully walked up to the back deck when we were having a glass of bubbly and asked if she could use the kitchen for a moment. Could you say no to a beautiful woman with deep blue skin?

Blueberry Sangria

Ingredients
4 cups blueberries
4 cups water
1-cup sugar

She brought everything to a boil in a medium caldron (have no idea where that came from), and then she lowered the heat to medium and boiled for 10 minutes more, stirring randomly. She then mashed the blueberries and strained out the solids, then reserved the syrup.

Assemblage:
One-quarter cup blueberry syrup
Two-thirds cup red wine, Ms. Blue used a Rioja
Two-thirds cup sparkling lemonade
ice cubes
Half slice of lemon

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 News July 2012

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 saying, let's take a dip mon ami! We've got some awesome lounge chairs by the pool, and our 1970s-era Schwinn Suburban bicycles are ready for your riding pleasure. Ahhh, it's a great time of year, so get out your calendar and schedule some free time soon.

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially-made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (pet friendly)
Our cottage is booked up for the summer, but if you're looking for a fall getaway, it's a perfect time to enjoy beautiful Douglas and Saugatuck. It sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and yes, it's pet friendly. It goes back to nightly rental after Labor Day.

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique weekend package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, with more than 70 different recipes available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2 weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up later (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room. For more info, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast, Dinner, and Off-Broadway Theater
Looking for a great getaway including fantastic lodging, dinner for two, and tickets to some awesome off-Broadway theater? Sherwood Forest has put together a great package for you to enjoy this summer: you'll get 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B, dinner for two at either Chequers in Saugatuck, a British-style pub offering English favorites, or Restaurant Toulouse, a French-American restaurant with warm French provincial ambiance. Then you'll be off to the Mason Street Warehouse, where you'll experience professional off-Broadway live theater. The line up for this season is Avenue Q (June 22-July 15); The Good Lovelies (July 18-21); Our Sinatra (July 27-August 15): and Boeing Boeing (August 17-September 2). Package prices range from $260 to $569. To book this package, please call us at 800-838-1246.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $380-$2450--available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

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

Balloon Rides
Enjoy the soundless flight on the wisp of a breeze in a hot air balloon. Our friends specialize in champagne flights that last about 1.5 hours. You'll take off about 2 hours before sunset to capture the awesome view and colors as the sun lazily sets over the horizon. Advanced reservations are required and cost is $75 per person. If interested, give us a call at the B&B, 800-838-1246.

Comedy
Join the SCA in welcoming back the comedy group Capitol Steps on July 3 at 8 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. The Capitol Steps return to the SCA to put the "mock" in democracy. The Steps have garnered a national reputation with their clever political skits skewering players on both sides of the aisle. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Music in the Park--Saugatuck
By the river next to the band shell in Saugatuck, you can listen to some free music this summer: July 4, Don Middlebrook & Living Soul (trop rock); July 11, Brenda Loomis Band (new country); July 18, Zion Lion (reggae); July 25, Brian Michael Fischer (rock/blues/R&B); August 1, Creolization (zydeco/cajun); August 8, Java Jive (swing); August 15, Schrock Brothers (rock); Aug 22, Funktion (funk/soul); and August 29, The Sea Cruisers (Circle of Tribute).

Music in the Park--Fennville
Free music every other Tuesday: July 10, Millish (Irish); July 24, The Crane Wives (folk/pop); and August 7, Grupo Aye (Latin). The concerts will be held at Memorial/Paradise Park on north Maple Street in downtown Fennville.

Jazz
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday and Sunday in May. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by one of Saugatuck's favorites, Diego, and there's some cool jazz by vocalist Mary Rademacher and Dr. John & Christy. Show times are 7-11 p.m. For more info, call 269-543-3341.

Music--Summer in the Studio
The SCA Summer in the Studio Series starts on July 9 with Jetty Rae (singer/songwriter); July 18, Zach DuBois; and July 27, Naz Edwards and Jerry Depuit (cabaret singer). For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Music-Mainstage
On July 18 the SCA will host The Good Lovelies at 8 p.m. Funny and upbeat, with just a pinch of sass, the Good Lovelies' textbook three-part harmonies, constant instrument swapping, and witty on-stage banter have enlivened the folk music scene big time. Then on July 21 at 8 p.m. will be BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet--a N'awlins party that rolls into town with this Grammy-winning Zydeco band. Lauded by Garrison Keillor as The best Cajun band in the world that has not only spearheaded a cultural renaissance but has elevated Cajun music to one of domestic and international acclaim. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Music
The Salt of the Earth summer music series continues: July 3, Red Tail Ring (Appalachian/old-time/original); July 17, My Sweet Patootie (country swing Canadian fun); and July 31, Shari Kane & Dave Steele (street swing/stomp blues). Music starts at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-561-7258.

The Eschelons
On July 6 the Red Barn Theatre will present The Eschelons (just inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Music Hall of Fame). With 5 vocalists, keyboards, sax, harmonica, guitar, bass, and drums, it's an array of percussion blend to bring you the pleasure of old rock 'n roll memories. For more info, visit the Red Barn Playhouse.

Chamber
The performance line up for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck is as follows: July 12-13, Op. 25, No. 1 (Beethoven, Brahams): July 19-20, Op. 25, No. 2 (Tchaikovsky, Mozart); July 26-27, OP. 25, No. 3 (Haydn, Dvorak); August 2-3, Op. 25, No.4 (Rachmaninoff, Brahms); August 9-10, Op.25, No.5 (Haydn, Beethoven); and August 16-17, Op.25, No.6 (Liszt, Bruch) String Quartet with Spohr and Mendelssohn. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. at the Saugatuck Woman's Club.

Music at the Lucky Stone Pub
Join the folks at Saugatuck Brewing Company's Lucky Stone pub for some music and locally crafted beer: July 5, Pete Fetters (acoustic blues, folk); July 7, Tony Reynolds and Wally Michaels (blues, jazz, pop); July 12, Kevin Murphy (covers, blues); July 14, Formerly Hip (acoustic classic rock); July19, Ronn Burke (acoustic originals); July 21, Ben Daniels Band (blues, jazz, originals); July 26, Lew Russ (covers, classic rock); July 28, Formerly Hip (acoustic classic rock). Aug 2, Moxie Strings (Celtic/Irish); August 4, Peet in the Creel (Celtic/Irish); August 9, Mark and Andrew Schrock (folk, covers, acoustic rock); August 11, Ry Peterman (covers, classic rock); August 16, Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys (rockabilly); August 18, Diego and The Machine (old time rock 'n roll); August 23, Ray Townse (covers, reggae); and August 25, Jen Sygit and Sam Corbin (old time, folk, americana). All performances are from 7-11 p.m. For more info, visit http://saugatuckbrewing.com.

Movies
Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: July 3, Twelve O'Clock High (1949) starring Gregory Peck, Dean Jagger, Gary Merrill, and Hugh Marlowe; July 10, The Road to Hong Kong (1962) starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour; July 17, And Then There Were None (1945) starring Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, C. Aubrey Smith, and Dame Judith Anderson; July 24, Evil Under the Sun (1981) starring James Mason, Diana Rigg, and Roddy McDowall; and July 31, The Sound of Music (1965) starring Christopher Plummer and Eleanor Parker. All screenings are at 6:30 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

Theater
It's not summer at the Red Barn without a Shakespeare Comedy. The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, Michigan's only year- round Shakespeare touring company, returns to the Red Barn Theater on July 7 at 7:30 p.m. with a lively, attractive cast for a special one-night performance of Love's Labour's Lost, one of the bard's early comedies. Then on Aug 3 they return with Antony and Cleopatra. For more info, visit the Red Barn Theatre or call 269-857-5300.

New Vaudevillian
Marcus Monroe will perform at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on July 19 and 20. One of the new vaudevillians, Marcus is a dynamic, hilarious entertainer who mixes juggling, unicycles, fire, food, and comedy for an unforgettable evening of pure entertainment. His technically difficult juggling routines combined with his electric on-stage presence inspired the New York Press to dub Marcus "the rock star of jugglers!" For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Comedy-Play
Sylvia is a dog played by a human--who comes between a man and his wife of 22 years at the wrong time in their lives. It is a delightful, skillfully written show that will make us think and laugh. Anyone who has ever owned and loved a dog and also wanted to wring its neck should see Sylvia romp her way through a romantic triangle. July 13-15, 20-22, 27-28. . For more info, visit the Red Barn Theatre or call 269-857-5300.

Exhibitions
Ten Artists, Ten Trends is now up at the SCA through July 27. Current art trends and up-and-coming artists are the focus of this exhibition. The show reveals how and why art is selected through the work of 10 artists using 10 trends in contemporary art, and includes selected work by artists studying at Kendall College, Hope College and Calvin College. For more info, call 269-857-2399.

Exhibitions
Through August 5 in the Focus Gallery, The Holland Museum is exhibiting Wish You Were Here: Selections from the Mike Van Ark Postcard Collection. American postcards were created as an easier way to send quick notes and were printed only by the U.S. Postal Service until May 1898. The first postcards were called "private mailing cards" and cost one penny to send. The first souvenir postcard was created in 1893 to advertise the World's Fair in Chicago. Van Ark began collecting in the 1970s, by adding to his mother's collection. After attending shows in Michigan and Chicago, his collection soon reached 5,000 cards. For more info, call 888-200-9123 or visit the Holland Museum.

Honorable Mentions
Aug 1, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 2, Vintage Views Talk, Douglas Library 6:30 p.m.
Aug 3, Fenn Valley Winery Annual BBQ
Aug 3, Antony and Cleopatra, Red Barn Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Aug 4, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas
Aug 4, Adams Family Band, Red Barn Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Aug 7, Tuesdays in the Park, Music, Fennville, 7 p.m.
Aug 7, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 8, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 9, Douglas Social
Aug 10, Friday Night Open Studios, Oxbow, 5:30-8 p.m.
Aug 10-12 Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, play, red barn Theatre 7:30 p.m.
Aug 11, Douglas, Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, 2 p.m. Douglas
Aug 11, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 11, Art and All that Jazz, Douglas
Aug 14, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 15, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 16, Saugatuck-Douglas Sidewalk Sales
Aug 17-Sept 2, Play, Boeing Boeing, Mason Street Warehouse
Aug 21, Basket Factory Vintage Baseball Festival, Douglas
Aug 21, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 22, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 23, Douglas Social
Aug 23, Movie, Giant, Douglas Library
Aug 24-25, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, play, red barn Theatre 7:30 p.m
Aug 25, Allegan Antique Market
Aug 25, Art Jam, Fennville
Aug 26, Taste Of Saugatuck
Aug 28, Historical Society's Tuesday Talks, Old School House, Douglas, 11 a.m.
Aug 29, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 31, The Judy Show, Starring Michael Holmes, Red Barn Theatre, 8 p.m.
Sept 1, The Judy Show, Starring Michael Holmes, Red Barn Theatre, 8 p.m.
Sept 3, Labor Day Bridgewalk, Douglas
Sept 6, Movie, Bonnie and Clyde, Douglas Library
Sept 7, Mount Baldhead Challenge, Saugatuck
Sept 8, Art and Wine Stroll, Douglas
Sept 8, The Incomparable Jerry Bennett, Country Music, Red Barn Theatre 7 p.m.
Sept 15, Fall Heritage Festival
Sept 15, Clothesline Art Show, Saugatuck
Sept 20, Movie, The Last Picture Show, Douglas Library
Sept 30, Allegan Antique Market
Oct 4, Movie, Tender Mercies, Douglas Library
Oct 6, Octoberfest, Douglas
Oct 6, Chris Smither, music, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Oct 6-7, Blue Coast Artist Annual Fall Tour
Oct 6-7, Gallery Stroll, Saugatuck and Douglas
Oct 13-14, Fennville Goose Festival, Fennville
Oct 13, Lakeshore Harvest Country 6th Annual Road Rally
Oct 18, Places in the Heart, Douglas Library
Oct 27, Halloween Harvest Festival & Parade

Books
July is all about summer books and we've taken a list from NPR and Alan Cheuse. It's going to be a big summer for big broad American literary voices, voices that leap from the page and linger with you, echo through your summer and perhaps even beyond. Here's the list:

Home by Toni Morrison
Embittered Korean War veteran Frank Money struggles against trauma and racism to rescue his medically abused sister and work through identity-shattering memories.

Canada by Richard Ford
After his parents are arrested and imprisoned for robbing a bank, 15-year-old Dell Parsons is taken in by Arthur Remlinger, who - unbeknownst to Dell - is hiding a dark and violent nature that interferes with Dell's quest to find grace and peace on the prairie of Saskatchewan.

Arcadia by Lauren Groff
In a lush, haunting story of the American dream, Bit, born in a back-to-nature commune in 1970s New York State, must come to grips with the outside world when the commune eventually fails.

The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray
Pursuing a friendship and then a passionate romance with the young Marie Antoinette, dashing Swedish nobleman Count Axel von Fersen becomes a devoted companion to the entire royal family before attempting to help them escape in the wake of the French Revolution. By the author of Soviet Women.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
When a woman goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary, her diary reveals hidden turmoil in her marriage. Her husband, desperate to clear himself of suspicion, realizes that something more disturbing than murder may have occurred.

You can purchase or order these books at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Sun Tea Recipe (Easy Peasy!):

INGREDIENTS
4-6 tea bags

Apprenticeship and Enlightenment
Put 6 tea bags (herbal if you wish) per 2 quarts water into a clean glass container. Fill with water and cap. Place outside where the sunlight can strike the container for about 3 to 5 hours. Remove from sun and put it in the fridge. Remove tea bags at this point. Sun Tea in our opinion is only good for 2-3 days max. Sometimes you can put in a few sprigs of fresh mint as well!

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 News June 2012

News from the Forest

It's the beginning of our busy season, and we're ready! Our hip and groovy pool is heated and ready for a dip, our friendly secret agent pool painter (Mr. Stu Art) touched up the mural and it's beautiful. The days are getting longer as we head toward the summer solstice, so we hope you'll be able to make it for a visit soon to enjoy this delightful time of year.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (pet friendly)
Don't forget about our Cottage for the fall. It sleeps up to 5 people, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach. And yes, it's pet friendly. For more info, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/cottage.html.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially-made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Our Packages
Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes and the ingredients, the professional brewing equipment, and the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22-oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours. Or you can have them bottle it and pick it up (an extra $20). The cost runs from $512 to $695, depending on the time of year and the room. Give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast, Dinner, and Off-Broadway Theater
Looking for a great getaway including fantastic lodging, dinner for two, and tickets to some awesome off-Broadway theater? Sherwood Forest has put together a great package for you to enjoy this summer: you'll get 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B, dinner for two at either Chequers in Saugatuck, a British-style pub offering English favorites, or Restaurant Toulouse, a French-American restaurant with warm French provincial ambiance. Then you'll be off to the Mason Street Warehouse, where you'll experience professional off-Broadway live theater. The line up for this season is Avenue Q (June 22-July 15); The Good Lovelies (July 18-21); Our Sinatra (July 27-15): and Boeing Boeing (August 17-September 2). Package prices range from $260 to $569. To book this package, please call us at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest and Hungry Village Tours
We've teamed up with the local food movement to provide you with a couple of culinary opportunities to taste, sip, and learn what makes the shops in Saugatuck and Douglas a food lover's dream. The first is a 3-hour walking tour that offers a culinary peek into our village food and life. This area continues to be a food-producing hub on the lakeshore, expanding on the fruit farms of Gerber and the fishing village of Singapore. The second one is a Delicious Drive that changes with the seasons to explore what's fresh from the farm and new at the market and includes niche farms in operation, including organic fruits and vegetables, artisan cheese producers, wineries, orchards, a bakery, and earthenware pottery. The cost ranges from $166 to $520, and tours are available for 1-2 or up to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest & The Ravines Golf Club
Spend 1 or 2 nights 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. Here's what you get: a 1- or 2-night stay (additional nights available at regular room price), 18 holes of golf for two (with a cart) with a guaranteed tee time at The Ravines, and some great dinner recommendations, so you don't have to do the hit-and-miss thing. The cost of this package ranges from $317-$615. To book this, call us at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Charter Boat Fishing
Looking for the ultimate experience in Saugatuck fishing charters? Sherwood Forest is offering some great fishing with Best Chance Charters--Saugatuck, Michigan's premiere fishing experts. For years, the Saugatuck port has provided some of the best salmon, trout, perch, and walleye fishing within the Great Lakes region. Whether you are a novice who wants special attention or an experienced angler, their professional staff is prepared to help make your Saugatuck fishing charter experience a highlight of your visit. Here are the details: you'll get 1 or 2 nights at Sherwood Forest plus a fishing trip on Lake Michigan and some awesome bragging rights when you return home. The cost runs from $608 to $985, depending on the time of year and the room. For more info or to book this package, call 800-838-1246.

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $380-$2450--available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Shopping Specials
We've teamed up with some select stores in Saugatuck/Douglas to bring you fantastic discounts, deals, and freebies, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques, and artwork. If you're looking for that great gift or just want to splurge on yourself, all you need to do is book a night or two with us, then go exploring at some of the most unique shops the area has to offer.

What's happening:

Farmers' Market
The Green Market is at the SCA from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday starting June 2 until October 7. There will also be the Monday Market (July 11-August 29) from 3-7 p.m. where local farmers and growers will bring fresh produce, flowers, and perennials, plus homemade jams, jellies, and baked goods to the SCA. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org/GreenMarket.html.

Waterfront Film Festival From June 14-17, head to Saugatuck for the coolest event of the year: the Waterfront Film Festival. With close to 50 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 is on June 14 and starts with a party at 7 p.m. on Culver Street, followed at dusk with an outdoor screening of a soon-to-be-named film. For more info, call 269-857-8351 or visit The Waterfront Film Festival.

Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society will be showing classic British films: June 7, Whisky Galore (1949) with Basil Radford, Joan Greenwood, and Catherine Lacey; and June 21, Man in the White Suit (1951) with Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, and Cecil Parker. The films will be shown at the Douglas Public Library at 7 p.m. For more info, visit sdlibrary.startlogic.com.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On June 7 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing We Were There by director David Weissman. A deep and reflective look at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and how individuals rose to the occasion during the first years of this unimaginable crisis. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Still More Movies
Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: June 5, Terms of Endearment (1983) with Shirley McLaine and Debra Winger; June 12, Murder on the Orient Express (1974) with Agatha Christie and Albert Finney; June 19, Picnic (1955) with Kim Novak and William Holden; June 26, Band of Angels (1957) with Clark Gable and Yvonne DeCarlo. All screenings are at 6:30 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com.

Wineries
Head out to Fenn Valley Winery on June 23 for their Wine Fest from 1-5 p.m. where once again they'll kick off the beginning of summer as they open their cellars for wine tasting, ethnic foods, and live music. For more info, call 269-857-2396 or visit http://www.fennvalley.com.

Theater
Carney Dreams will be performed at the Red Barn Theatre on June 21-24 and 29-30. Zoot Moses fled the Carney 4 years ago when money was stolen, a horrific fire occurred, and he was blamed. During the time he worked at the carnival, Claudia loved him and shared with him and everyone else that both legends and the alignment of the stars destined the two of them to be together. For show times or tickets, call The Red Barn Theatre at 269-857-5300.

Music
The Salt of the Earth summer music series continues: June 5, The Bergamot (Organic Pop); June 19, Twangtown Paramours (Sophisticated Americana); July 3, Red Tail Ring (Appalachian/old-time/original); July 17, My Sweet Patootie (country swing Canadian fun); and July 31, Shari Kane & Dave Steele (street swing & stomp blues). All music starts at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.com/.

Music in the Park--Saugatuck
By the river next to the band shell in Saugatuck, you can listen to some free music this summer: June 20, The Niche (classic top 40); June 27, Steam Powered Bluegrass (bluegrass); July 4, Don Middlebrook & Living Soul (trop rock); July 11, Brenda Loomis Band (new country); July 18, Zion Lion (reggae); July 25, Brian Michael Fischer (rock/blues/R&B); August 1, Creolization (zydeco/cajun); August 8, Java Jive (swing); August 15, Schrock Brothers (rock); Aug 22, Funktion (funk/soul); and August 29, The Sea Cruisers (Circle of Tribute). For more info, visit http://www.saugatuckdouglas.com/.

Music in the Park--Fennville
Free music every other Tuesday: June 12, Who Hit John (bluegrass/swing); June 26, Blue Molly (blues); July 10, Millish (Irish); July 24, The Crane Wives (folk/pop); and August 7, Grupo Aye (Latin). The concerts will be held at Memorial/Paradise Park on north Maple Street in downtown Fennville. For more info, visit http://www.greaterfennville.com.

Museum
The award-winning Saugatuck-Douglas Museum will unveil its 2012 exhibit: A Village Life: photographs, artifacts, and stories uncover the mysteries and stories of daily life in the Saugatuck area. This exhibit will open to the public on May 28 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 269-857-7901 or visit The Douglas Library.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market runs the last Sunday of the month from 8:30 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 antique hot spot in our area, the Blue Star Antique Pavilion at 2948 Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Honorable Mentions
June 2, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 8, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 9, Art and all that Jazz, Doulgas
June 12, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 15, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 15, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 17, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 22, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 24, Allegan Antique Market
June 25, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy Expedition departs
June 26, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 27, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 28, Douglas Social, Douglas
June 29, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 29, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 29, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 30, Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, Douglas
June 30, Waterfront Invitational Art Fair
June 30, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 30, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas
July 3, Comedy, Capitol Steps, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 4, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 4, Parade and Fireworks at Dusk
July 10, Music in the Park-Fennville
July 11, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 12, Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 13-15, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 16, Broadway Break Thru-Summer Intensive, SCA, Saugatuck
July 18-21, Play, The Good Lovelies, Mason Street Warehouse
July 18, Music, The Good Lovelies, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 18, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 19-20, Marcus Monroe, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 21, Music, BeauSoleil avec Micahael Doucet, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 21, Annual Car Show-Earls Farm Market
July 21-22, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 24, Music in the Park-Fennville
July 25, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 26, Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 27-Aug 15, Play, Our Sinatra, Mason Street Warehouse
July 27-28, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 27-29, Venetian Festival Weekend
Aug 1, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 3, Fenn Valley Winery Annual BBQ
Aug 4, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas
Aug 7, Music in the Park-Fennville
Aug 8, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 9, Douglas Social
Aug 11, Douglas, Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, 2 p.m. Douglas
Aug 11, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 11, Art and All that Jazz, Douglas
Aug 15, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 16, Saugatuck-Douglas Sidewalk Sales
Aug 17-Sept 2, Play, Boeing Boeing, Mason Street Warehouse
Aug 21, Basket Factory Vintage Baseball Festival, Douglas
Aug 22, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.
Aug 23, Douglas Social
Aug 23, Movie, Giant, Douglas Library
Aug 25, Allegan Antique Market
Aug 26, Taste Of Saugatuck
Aug 29, Music in the Park, Saugatuck, 7 p.m.

Books
Books Mama Carol's book of the month is All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost: A Novel by Lan Samantha Chang. This book is absolutely well written, engaging me with so many questions. An exploration of youthful love and ambition and how life rarely turns out the way we envisioned. The story is told in three major sections that eclipse through the years. We first meet Roman, Lucy, and Bernard in the poetry-writing class led by the famous, terrifying, charismatic, and mysterious poet and professor Miranda Sturgis at the renowned writing school in Bonneville. After graduation, we follow Roman as he begins his own teaching career, marries Lucy, and struggles to complete a long-worked-on volume of poetry. When Bernard becomes homeless for a while, he spends several months with Roman and Lucy, so the friends are together again after many years, and their relationships are renewed and undergo changes. Then, in the third section of the book, we drop back in on the group 10 years later for a final look. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

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:
(can be made gluten free)

Lindsey of Arkansas's Cornbread Casserole:

Lindsey de Soto la Tula as her great-grandmother called her brought this simple yet traditional dish to us one spring day as she made her way back to her ancestral homeland along Crowleys Ridge. She spun a tail of the mysterious Tula Indian Tribe who lived in the Quachita Mountains and how they had bonded with Hernando de Soto when he was traveling though their territory in the 1840's. She tells of the corn that he'd brought from the southeast to use as trade. We have no reason to doubt that part of this recipe or at least one ingredient (the corn) dates back to that historic event and the fact that Lindsey might somehow be related to the Spanish explorer.

Ingredients:
1egg, beaten
One-half cup sour cream
One-half cup milk
1-cup cornmeal
1-cup rice flour (or white flour)
One-half tp. baking soda
1 tp. baking powder
1 tp. chili powder
One-half tp. salt
1 15-oz. can of corn, drained
1 15-oz. can of cream-style corn

In a large bowl, combine first three ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal through salt and stir. Add to egg mixture, stir, and then fold in both cans of corn. Pour into greased 12X9 dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (until starting to brown).

For more hip and groovy recipes, visit our recipes page at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Recipes.

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 News May 2012

News from the Forest

Spring is upon us, and Mother Nature is stretching her arms wide to show us her new wardrobe. The leaf buds are popping, and the trees are reaching for those sun-filled days. What a great time of year! Our cool pool will be open by Memorial Day, and the bikes are all tuned up for that awesome ride along Lake Shore Drive or into town. So we hope you can make it for a visit soon!

Sherwood Forest Cottage (pet friendly)
Our Cottage is getting booked up for the summer, but here's what we have left: June 2-8. It goes for $1300 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 this spring and fall, and yes, it's pet friendly. For more info, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/cottage.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 5-12, 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 12, with nearly 50 bands, giant helium-filled balloons, and so many floats you'll lose count. For more info, call 800-822-2770 or visit the Tulip Time Festival.

Bed & Breakfast, Dinner, and Off-Broadway Theater
Looking for a great getaway including fantastic lodging, dinner for two, and two tickets to some awesome off-Broadway theater? Sherwood Forest has put a great package together for you to enjoy this summer: you'll get 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B, dinner for two at either Chequers in Saugatuck, a British-style pub offering English favorites, or Restaurant Toulouse, a French-American restaurant with warm French provincial ambiance. Then you'll be off to the Mason Street Warehouse, where you'll experience professional off-Broadway live theater. The line up for this season is Avenue Q (June 22-July 15); The Good Lovelies (July 18-21); Our Sinatra (July 27-15): and Boeing Boeing (August 17-September 2). Package prices range from $260 to $569. To book this package, please call us at 800-838-1246.

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to join either Chef LaPerriere or Chef Galligan in their kitchen, where you will hone your cooking skills. They will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating their experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. Their passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Cost runs from $380-$2450. Available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest and Hungry Village Tours
We've teamed up with the local food movement to provide you with a couple of culinary opportunities to taste, sip, and learn what makes the shops in Saugatuck and Douglas a food lover's dream. The first is a 3-hour walking tour that offers a culinary peek into our village food and life. This area continues to be a food-producing hub on the lakeshore, expanding on the fruit farms of Gerber and the fishing village of Singapore. The second one is a Delicious Drive that changes with the seasons to explore what's fresh from the farm and new at the market and includes niche farms in operation, including organic fruits and vegetables, artisan cheese producers, wineries, orchards, a bakery, and an earthenware potter. The cost ranges from $166 to $520. Available for 1-2 people or up to 10. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest & The Ravines Golf Club
Spend 1 or 2 nights 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. Here's what you get: a 1 or 2-night stay (additional nights available at regular room price), 18 holes of golf for two (with a cart) with a guaranteed tee time at The Ravines, and some great dinner recommendations, so you don't have to do the hit-and-miss thing. The cost of this package ranges from $317-$615. To book this, call us at 800-838-1246.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan champagne We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially-made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Shopping Special
We've teamed up with some select stores in Saugatuck/Douglas to bring you fantastic discounts, deals, and freebies, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques, and artwork. If you're looking for that great gift or just want to splurge on yourself, all you need to do is book a night or two with us, then go exploring at some of the most unique shops the area has to offer.

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

Douglas/Saugatuck Spring Preview
On May 5 from 5-9 p.m., preview some of the most exciting new items offered by the downtown shops of Douglas and Saugatuck, from furniture and original paintings by area artists to accessories for the home. You'll also be able to enjoy snacks and beverages while strolling through the shops. Visit http://www.saugatuckdouglas.com.

An Evening with Melissa Manchester
Mason Street Warehouse kicks off with Grammy Award-winner Melissa Manchester, who brings her mix of pop hits and new classics to the "Starry Night" Performance Gala at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on May 19. An Evening with Melissa Manchester, benefiting Mason Street Warehouse's professional theatrical productions at the SCA, begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by her performance at 8 p.m. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Marcia Ball
On May 27 at 8 p.m. listen to Grammy-nominated singer/pianist Marcia Ball at the SCA. Ball knows how to raise roofs and tear down walls with her infectious, intelligent, and deeply emotional brand of Southern boogie, rollicking roadhouse blues, and heartfelt ballads. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

West Michigan Youth Ballet
On May 12, the SCA is pleased to partner with the West Michigan Youth Ballet for two performances. This ballet is a reflection on the thought that we are mirrored somehow, somewhere. For more info or tickets, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Theater
Momologues will be performed at the Red Barn Theatre (and stars our friend Beth Huffman). This original comedy rips away the gauzy mask of parenthood to reveal what all mothers know but don't always talk about: it is overwhelming and exhausting, but also very, very funny. From the anxiety of infertility, through the boredom of reading the same books over and over and over, to finally seeing your baby get on that school bus, this play recreates the laughs and tears of the early years of motherhood. Four women tell their stories in monologues and scenes with each other. Performances are May 3-5 and May 10-12. For show times or tickets, call The Red Barn Theatre at 269-857-5300.

Music
Looking for some great music and microbrew? Head over to the Lucky Stone in the Saugatuck Brewing Company: May 5, Formerly Hip (acoustic covers); May 12, Hank and the Hawktones with Junior Valentine (blues/swing/rock); May 19, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys (American traditional); and May 26, Greg Nagy Band (blues). Also, May 16-22 is American Craft Beer Week, so they'll be celebrating with several special beer introductions, pitcher specials, and menu items. For more info, visit http://www.theluckystonepub.com or call 269-857-7222.

Music
Visit Salt of the Earth in Fennville for music at 7 p.m.: May 6, Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo (modern, classical, world, jazz); May 13, Stella (all-women Mother's Day Show); May 20, The Laws (country/folk from Canada). For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.com/.

Waterfront Film Festival
From June 14-17, head to Saugatuck for the coolest event of the year: the Waterfront Film Festival. With close to 50 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 is on June 9 and starts with a party at 7 p.m. on Culver Street, followed at dusk with an outdoor screening of a soon-to-be-named film. For more info, call 269-857-8351 or visit http://www.waterfrontfilm.org.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies: May 8, Mrs. Miniver, 1942, with Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon; May 15, Blackboard Jungle, 1955, with Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, Anne Frances, and Vic Morrow; May 22 All the Kings Men, 1949, with Brodwick Crawford and John Irela; and May 29, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, 1952, with Gregory Peck, Susan Hayworth, and Ava Gardner. All screenings are at 6:30 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On May 10 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing Eames: The Architect and the Painter. The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames were America's most influential and important industrial designers. This film draws from a treasure trove of archival material, as well as new interviews with friends, colleagues, and experts to capture their personal story while placing them firmly in the context of their fascinating times. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society will be showing classic British films: May 10, A Canterbury Tale (1944) with Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, and Dennis Price; and May 24, Green For Danger (1945) with Alastair Sim, Sally Gray, and Trevor Howard. The films will be shown at the Douglas Public Library at 7 p.m. For more info, visit http://sdlibrary.startlogic.com.

About It! Lecture Series
Building Windy City Water Taxis. David Anderson, Master Boat Builder, will share insights into the fascinating process of building windy city water taxis. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org. or call 269-857-2399.

Antiques
The Allegan County Antique Market starts up April 29 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 antique hot spot in the area, the Blue Star Antique Pavilion at 2948 Blue Star Highway in Douglas.

Honorable Mentions
May 11-13, Play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 13, Mothers Day
May 19, Garden Club Annual Sale
May 30, Memorial Day
June 1-3, Musical, Carney Dreams, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 2, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 3, Music, Judy Collins, SCA, Saugatuck
June 5, Movie, Terms of Endearment, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 7, Movie, Whiskey Galore, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 7, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, We Were here, SCA, Saugatuck
June 8, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 9, Art and all that Jazz, Doulgas
June 12, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 12, Movie, Murder on the Orient Express, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 14, About It, The S.S. Keewatin, SCA, Saugatuck
June 14-17, Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 15, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 15, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 17, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 19, Movie, Picnic, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 20, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 21, Movie, Man in the White Suit, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 21-24, Play, Carnie Dreams, Red Barn, Saugatuck
June 22-25, Play, Avenue Q, Mason Street Warehouse
June 22, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 23, Fenn Valley Wine Festival & Open House
June 24, Allegan Antique Market
June 25, Lord Admiral of the Douglas Navy Expedition departs
June 26, Movie, Band of Angels, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 27, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 28, Douglas Social, Douglas
June 29, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 29, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 29-20, Play, Carnie Dreams, Red Barn, Saugatuck
June 29, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 30, Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, Douglas
June 30, Waterfront Invitational Art Fair
June 30, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 30, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas
July 3, Comedy, Capitol Steps, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 4, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 4, Parade and Fireworks at Dusk
July 11, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 12, Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 13-15, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 16, Broadway Break Thru-Summer Intensive, SCA, Saugatuck
July 18-21, Play, The Good Lovelies, Mason Street Warehouse
July 18, Music, The Good Lovelies, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 18, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 19-20, Marcus Monroe, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 21, Music, BeauSoleil avec Micahael Doucet, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 21, Annual Car Show-Earls Farm Market
July 21-22, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 25, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
July 26, Douglas Social, downtown Douglas
July 27-Aug 15, Play, Our Sinatra, Mason Street Warehouse
July 27-28, Play, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, Red Barn, Saugatuck
July 27-29, Venetian Festival Weekend

Books
Our niece Kelly's book of the month is Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall. Born to Run is the one of those books you just can't keep to yourself. It's an epic adventure. Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. Award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America's best ultra-runners against the tribe. McDougall's incredible story will not only engage your mind but also inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Kathleen's the Morning Doves Baked Oatmeal:

Kathleen is a Morning Dove who is descended from the mysterious Spirit of the Cloud tribe that inhabits a remote part of the southwest. There are six daughters who travel the continent and look for signs, marks, they experience that which mankind no longer appreciates or had taken for granted. They place omens creating hallowed ground for future generations who will gain sight on what really matters the most, a clean food chain, fresh air to breathe and water to drink. She stopped by the bed and breakfast on her journey north. Quietly sipping some fresh sassafras tea, she wove tails that have been in her lineage for generations and then shared with us a delicious recipe her mother had created. It's so mysteriously pleasant.

Ingredients:
One-half cup canola oil
One-half cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups oatmeal
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1-cup milk
1-tablespoon butter
1 medium size banana
1 half-cup raisin's
1 medium apple
1 medium peach
Optional: granola or sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees, in a medium bowl, combine 1/2 C oil, 1/2 C (or less) raw sugar and 2 slightly beaten eggs.

In a medium bowl, combine 3 C oatmeal, 1-1/2 t baking powder, 1 t salt and 1 C milk. Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Melt 1 Tb. butter in a 9 x 9 or similar pan (to save energy and a pot, melt the butter in the baking pan in the pre-heated oven.

Add a layer of sliced bananas, raisins, sliced apples, sliced peaches to the bottom of the pan, atop the butter.

Pour oatmeal mixture atop fruit.

Optional: sprinkle granola or sliced almonds on top of the oatmeal mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly brown on edges

For more hip and groovy recipes, visit our recipes page at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Recipes.

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 News April 2012

News from the Forest

Mother Nature is welcoming in spring with warmer weather and longer, sunnier days--yeah! We've seen wild turkeys strutting through the back woods and deer drinking from the creek, 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.

April Spring Special
Stay two nights (or more) Sunday through Thursday in April and we'll treat you to a $25 gas card--that should help lighten the load for a midweek getaway!

Sherwood Forest Cottage
Our Cottage is getting booked up for the summer, but here's what we have left: June 2-8. It goes for $1300 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 this spring and fall, and yes, it's pet friendly. For more info, visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/cottage.html.

Melt Your Stress Away
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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to Chef LaPerriere's kitchen, where you'll hone your cooking skills. Tucked back in the woods on a private lake, Chef LaPerriere will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating his experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. His passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

Birthday Bash
You provide the birthday, and we'll handle all the arrangements. All you need to do is bring your birthday suit (and suitcase). Upon arrival, you'll enter a celebration-filled room with helium balloons all inscribed with messages foretelling of the wonderful event taking place, a birthday bouquet, and a bottle of Michigan's champagne We'll also include for your gastronomical pleasure, the piece de resistance, a specially-made birthday cake (singing optional). Cost: $75.

Sherwood Forest & The Ravines Golf Club
Spend one or two nights for the weekend 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, eighteen-stanza epic, where nature meets sport in ways you simply must witness to believe. Each hole at 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. Once you experience 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. What a great way to enjoy a golf vacation in Michigan. Here's what you get. A one or two night stay (additional nights available at regular room price), at Sherwood Forest B&B, 18 holes of golf for two (with a cart) with a guaranteed tee time at The Ravines, and some great dinner recommendations, so you don't have to do the hit-and-miss thing. The cost of this package is from $317-$615. To book this package, call us at 800-838-1246.

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

Wine Dinner
On April 28, The Fenn Valley Winery, along with Christine Ferris, will host a culinary excursion to Brazil that will be paired up with wine and champagne from Fenn Valley. Reservations are required. For more info, call 269-561-2396 or visit Fenn Valley Winery.

Meredith Arwady & Andrew Le
Grammy-award winner Meredith Arwady and the multi-talented pianist Andrew Le will take the stage together for an unforgettable performance at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on April 10 at 7:30 p.m., with a performance including cabaret and American songbook favorites. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

An Evening with Melissa Manchester
Mason Street Warehouse kicks off with Grammy Award-winner Melissa Manchester, who brings her mix of pop hits and new classics to the "Starry Night" Performance Gala at the SCA on May 19. An Evening with Melissa Manchester, benefiting Mason Street Warehouse's professional theatrical productions at the SCA, begins at 6:00 pm with a cocktail reception, followed by her performance at 8 p.m. For more info, visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts or call 269-857-2399.

Music
Visit Salt of the Earth in Fennville for music at 7 p.m.: April 1, Andy Young with Al Tauber (Gypsy jazz on hammered dulcimer); April 8, True Falsettos (Western swing); April 15, Tom Kastle (Great Lakes music); April 22, Joshua Davis and Peter Madcat Ruth with Shimmin/Schrock (Americana blues roots); April 29, Red Sea Pedestrians (original world roots music); May 6, Andreas Kapsalis and Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo (modern, classical, world, jazz); and May 13, Stella (all-women Mother's Day Show). For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit Salt of the Earth.

Jazz/Blues
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Friday-Sunday. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by some of Saugatuck's favorites: Suzanne, Christy G, and Wally Michaels. Show times are 6-9 p.m. and on Sunday noon-2. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit What Not Inn.

Film Studies at the Red Barn
Local Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward during the Red Barn Film Studies. Screenings are: April 3, Phenomenon with John Travolta; April 10, Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth with Pat Boone and Aelene Dahl; April 17, The Italian Job with Michael Caine and Noel Coward; and April 24, The Dirty Dozen Next Mission with Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. All screenings are at 7 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit Red Barn Playhouse.

Movies
The Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society will be showing Classic British Films: April 12, The Lady Vanishes (1938) with Margaret Lockwood; April 26, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) with Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, and Anton Walbrook; May 10, A Canterbury Tale (1944) with Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, and Dennis Price; The Red Shoes with Moira Shearer and Anton Walbrook; and May 24, Green For Danger (1945) with Alastair Sim, Sally Gray, and Trevor Howard. The films will be shown at the Douglas Public Library at 7 p.m. For more info, visit Saugatuck Douglas Library.

Film Series
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland will present: April 2-7, The Salt of Life, the story of Gianni, who is 60 and retired but has not become lazy for all that--in fact, he is a helpful fellow who gives a hand to all those who need one: shopping for his wife, walking the pretty neighbor's dog, and so on. Everybody likes Gianni, but is it for the right reasons? Screenings at 7:30 p.m. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit The Knickerbocker Theatre.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On April 12 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing You've Been Trumped, a documentary. In this David and Goliath story for the 21st century, a group of proud Scottish homeowners take on a celebrity tycoon. At stake is one of Britain's last stretches of wilderness. American billionaire Donald Trump has bought up hundreds of acres on the northeast coast of Scotland, best known to movie-lovers as the setting for the 1983 classic film Local Hero, told entirely without narration. You've Been Trumped captures the cultural chasm between the glamorous, jet setting, and media savvy Trump and a deeply rooted Scottish community. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Theater
On April 7, The Red Barn Theatre will host The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company presenting Romeo and Juliet in a lively, audience-interactive atmosphere. Each actor plays multiple roles in the production, and the performances feature live music. On April 20-22, The Red Barn Players will present Rose's Passion, about three widows and their children during World War II and the challenges they face when a long-kept secret is revealed. For more info, visit Red Barn Playhouse or call 269-857-5300.

Exhibitions
Old World, New World: Paintings by Rebecca Green will be exhibited through April 28 at the SCA. This is the first time that the SCA has curated an exhibition of an up-and-coming regional artist. The collection is of selected work created during the past year, all of which deal with the joys and perils of everyday life. While the figures within the paintings find themselves placed in imaginative and colorful settings, they are also faced with the timeless glaze that encompasses each piece. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Exhibitions
Through August 5 in the Focus Gallery, The Holland Museum is exhibiting Wish You Were Here: ?Selections from the Mike Van Ark Postcard Collection. American postcards were created as an easier way to send quick notes and were printed only by the U.S. Postal Service until May 1898. The first postcards were called "private mailing cards" and cost one penny to send. The first souvenir postcard was created in 1893 to advertise the World's Fair in Chicago. Van Ark began collecting in the 1970s, by adding to his mother's collection. After attending shows in Michigan and Chicago, his collection soon reached 5,000 cards. For more info, call 888-200-9123 or visit the Holland Museum.

Visiting Writers
Next in the Hope College Visiting Writers series line up on April 17 is Poetry and Fiction/Nonfiction Writers Susanna Childress and Bich Minh Nguyen. Childress' poems are in her distinctive voice--her nerve, honesty, and quirkiness are expressive and compelling. Nguyen's book, Stealing Buddha's Dinner--a memoir of her typical and not-so-typical childhood experiences, give her story a universal flavor. They will be reading from selected works at the Knickerbocker Theatre, downtown Holland, at 7 p.m. For more info, call 616-395-7000 or visit Hope College Visiting Writers.

About It! Lecture Series
On April 26 at 7 p.m. the SCA will present Greening Your Garden. Greg Raymond, owner and founder of Ecogardens, is one of the first accredited Green Roof Professionals in North America. In Chicago, a city touting itself as one of the "greenest" in the nation, the company aims to leverage public awareness about environmental issues and push for sustainable standards in the landscape industry. Raymond will share tips that you can use to make the most of your landscaping. For more info, visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts or call 269-857-2399.

Town Crier Run
The Town Crier Run will be on April 14 with a 5-K and 10-K RUN-WALK around historic Saugatuck plus a kids' fun run. For more info, call 269-857-1626.

Honorable Mentions
April 2-7, Knickerbocker Film Series, Salt of Life, Hope College
April 3, Movie, Phenomenon, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
April 7, Play, Romeo and Juliet, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
April 8, Easter Sunday
April 10, Movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Red Barn, Saugatuck
April 12, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, You've been Trumped, SCA, Saugatuck
April 12, Movie, The Lady Vanishes, Saugatuck Douglas Library
April 14, Town Crier 5 & 10 K race, Saugatuck
April 17, Visiting Writers Series Susanna Childress and Bich Minh Nguyen, Poetry and Fiction/Nonfiction
April 17, Movie, The Italian Job, Red Barn, Saugatuck
April 21, Lord Admiral of The Douglas Navy Citizen of the Year Award Announced
April 20-22, play, Rose's Passion, Red Barn, Saugatuck
April 24, Movie, Dirty Dozen-Next Mission, Red Barn, Saugatuck
April 26, About It, Greening Your Garden, SCA, Saugatuck
April 26, Specialy Beers tasting, Saugatuck Brewing Company
April 26, Movie, The life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Saugatuck Douglas Library
April 28, Sounds of Suagatuck, various venues around town
April 28, Ethnic Winemakers Dinner, Fenn Valley Winery
April 29, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
May 3, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, The Loving Story, SCA, Saugatuck
May 4-6, play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 5-12, Tulip Time Festival, Holland
May 5, Douglas and Saugatuck Spring Preview
May 5, Girls Afternoon Out, Fenn Valley Winery
May 10, Movie, A Canterbury Tale, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 10, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, Eames, The Architech and the Painter
May 11-13, Play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 12, West Michigan Youth Ballet, SCA, Saugatuck
May 13, Mothers Day
May 19, Garden Club Annual Sale
May 19, Melissa Manchester, SCA, Saugatuck
May 24, Movie, Green for Danger, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 27, Allegan Antique Market
May 27, Music, Marcia Ball, SC4A, Saugatuck
May 30, Memorial Day
June 1-3, Musical, Carney Dreams, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 2, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 3, Music, Judy Collins, SCA, Saugatuck
June 7, Movie, Whiskey Galore, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 7, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, We Were here, SCA, Saugatuck
June 8, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 9, Art and all that Jazz, Doulgas
June 12, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 14, About It, The S.S. Keewatin, SCA, Saugatuck
June 14-17, Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 15, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 15, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 17, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 20, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 21, Movie, Man in the White Suit, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 21-24, Play, Carnie Dreams, Red Barn, Saugatuck
June 22-25, Play, Avenue Q, Mason Street Warehouse
June 22, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 23, Fenn Valley Wine Festival & Open House
June 24, Allegan Antique Market
June 27, Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 28, Douglas Social, Douglas
June 29, Green Market of Saugatuck, Saugatuck
June 29, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 29-20, Play, Carnie Dreams, Red Barn, Saugatuck
June 29, Cruise ship Yorktown visit, Saugatuck Harbor
June 30, Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, Douglas
June 30, Waterfront Invitational Art Fair
June 30, Guided Talk at the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
June 30, Douglas Dutchers old time baseball game, Douglas

Books
Our book of the month is Dog Heart from our dear friend and poet/writer Alison Swan. This beautiful collection of poems, is as all of her works, is inspired by her muse, Mother Nature. Her latest book Dog Heart is her first collection of poems to be released. They were selected from a decade-long record of rambles she took in the lightly settled landscapes of the Midwest with her dag Keweenaw, who passed away last year at the age of 13.

Here is her title poem, Dog Heart:

Kewee rarely stopped for the camera and so the whole of her photographed life is movement stopped.

I must hold the other images--Kewee resting, watching waiting for me to catch up--in my mind. Impossible sometimes for me, distracted, obsessed, both

The way not to remember, the way to lose things Snow wasn't blowing around in the trees just then Clouds clotted the sky. The near-shore shallows were still and green.

That Kewee and I were there together to see it feels like some sort of miracle, that these feelings keep filling with warmth and carrying me along because the heart I'll never see simply keeps doing its job

You can purchase this book directly from her website at http://alisonswan.net/2011/12/find-book.

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 Sweetheart Specials. Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Keith the Elders Charoset (apple chutney)

Keith the Elder, his clan was great, his word was law, and his Charoset was created to elicit sweetness during the sacrifice. It is said that during the great Exodus, Keith the Elder contrived this dish to enlighten the Chosen 6000. Apples from the groves they tended had been brought along, walnuts traded from the Persians, cinnamon from the seafarers of Greece, and sugar from the nomadic Hindus who weaved their way along the routes of the caravans. Passed down from tribe member to tribe member over thousands of years, this recipe is taken out of the remembrance book and a delicacy is once again put forth. Thanks to our ancestors, your sacrifices were not in vain.

Ingredients:
Three-quarter cup of walnuts
One-quarter of a large Granny Smith apple
Splash of a light red wine to moisten
Two teaspoons cinnamon
Two teaspoons sugar

Mince the tart apple and the walnuts. Moisten with the light red wine and flavor with cinnamon and sugar. The consistency should be that of mortar. This will last up to three days, refrigerated.

For more hip and groovy recipes, visit our recipes page at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Recipes.

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 News March 2012

News from the Forest

March is here and Mother Nature could throw in some more snowy days (have we really had many snowy days?) for those who enjoy cross-country skiing or sledding, or it's always nice to curl up by the fireplace with a good book. We've got lots of 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 cooking classes, dining, massages, shopping specials, antiquing, star gazing, or even a sunset or two.

St. Patty's Month Offer
Let Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast offer you the luck of the Irish this March! You can check out our website packages, including roses and champagne, chocolates, and massages (or give us a call for suggestions). We can also help you with dinner reservations (might be some Leprechauns sitting at the table next to you) at some of the best restaurants West Michigan has to offer. Our offer to you is 50% off your 2nd night's stay (Sunday-Thursday nights only, expires March 31). To book a room or for more info, give call us a call at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Cottage (Pet Friendly)
Looking for a summer getaway? Our Cottage is getting booked up, but we do have left June 2-8. It goes for $1300 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 Douglas Public Beach. There's nothing better than a summer vacation near the beach�and of course, there is still nightly availability for this spring, and yes, it's pet friendly. For more info, visit t http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/cottage.html or call us at 800-838-1246.

Our Packages
Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a weekend getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? Sherwood Forest is offering a unique package that includes a 2-night stay plus access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes and the ingredients, the professional brewing equipment, and the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22-oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3-4 hours to brew your batch and you return in 2weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours. Or you can have them bottle it and pick it up (an extra $20). The cost of this package runs from $512 to $695, depending on the time of year and the room.

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.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip & cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to Chef LaPerriere's kitchen, where you'll hone your cooking skills. Tucked back in the woods on a private lake, Chef LaPerriere will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating his experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. His passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call 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 (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 Dinners at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast.

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

St. Patrick's Day
There's a whole lot of green happening for St. Patrick's Day on March 17 in Saugatuck and Douglas. Did he really chase all the snakes out of Ireland and teach the Trinity using a shamrock? You'll have to debate that 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 don't miss the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Saugatuck at 2 p.m. There will also be an Irish Pub Party at Coral Gables in Saugatuck from 6-9 p.m. with the proceeds benefiting the Saugatuck/Douglas Historical Society.

Wine
The Fenn Valley Winery, a local vineyard, will host a pre-release barrel tasting on March 10-11 and 17-18. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the new wines and taste them before they are bottled. Reservations are required. For more info, call 269-561-2396 or visit Fenn Valley Winery.

Music
The Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series will feature Andrew Le (first-place winner of the 2004 Hilton Head International Piano Competition, he has a wide-ranging repertoire that spans centuries of music) on piano on March 11 at 2 p.m. at the SCA. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Music
Visit the Saugatuck Brewing Company for music: March 3, An Dro (Celtic); March 10, Formerly Hip (classic rock); March 17, Kinfyre (Irish); March 24, Memarie Gayle (country); March 31, Keith Scott and Mike Raleigh (Jazz). For more info, call 269-857-7222 or visit The Saugatuck Brewing Company.

Cashore Marionettes
Next in the line up for the Hope College Great Performance Series on March 30-31 is The Cashore Marionettes. In the performance Life in Motion, Joseph Cashore presents his collection of marionette masterworks. The performance is a series of scenes taken from everyday life and set to music by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, and Copland. For more info, visit Hope Arts or call 616-395-7890.

Tarim Uygur Song and Dance
At the SCA on March 10, experience a musical journey with a performance by Tarim Uygur Song and Dance. The 19-member ensemble from the Cultural Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Western China, will take the stage at 7 p.m. A feast for the eyes and ears, the group preserves their rich, ancient Chinese culture through music and dance, but also works to collect forgotten melodies and create new works built on old traditions. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Mo' Music
Visit Salt of the Earth in Fennville for music: March 4, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellies (Bluegrasss); March 11 AnDro (Celtic); March 17, Shamrock, O'Raff, and Danny Boy (Irish); March 18, Buddy Mondlock (singer/songwriter); March 20, Schrock Bros. and Lost Boys (PARTY); and March 25, Meg Hutchinson (singer/songwriter). For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit Salt of the Earth.

Jazz/Blues
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Friday- Sunday. Enjoy the heartfelt show tunes sung by some of Saugatuck's favorites: Suzanne, Christy G, and Wally Michaels. Show times are 6-9 p.m. and on Sunday noon-2. For more info, call 269-543-3341 or visit What Not Inn.

Film
On Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library, don't miss: March 1, Two for the Road with Aubrey Hepburn; March 15, Wait Until Dark with Aubrey Hepburn; and March 29, Classic British Film, Rembrandt. For more info, visit the Saugatuck Douglas Library.

Movies
At The Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:30 p.m., Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will continue with the film series: March 6, Murder by Decree with Christopher Plummer and James Mason; March 13, Good Neighbor Same with Jack Lemmon and Romy Schneider; March 20, The Trouble with Harry with Shirley Mclean and Edmond Gwenn; and March 27, Death on the Nile with Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury and David Niven. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit the Red Barn Playhouse.

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On March 8 at 7 p.m., the SCA will be showing Tabloid. Academy Award-winner Errol Morris' Tabloid follows the much stranger-than-fiction adventures of Joyce McKinney, a former "beauty queen" whose single-minded devotion to the man of her dreams leads her across the globe and directly onto the front pages of the British tabloid newspapers. Joyce's crusade for love and personal vindication, as illustrated by Morris, takes her through a surreal world of gunpoint abduction, manacled Mormons, oddball accomplices, bondage modeling, magic underwear, and dreams of celestial unions. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

An Evening with Alison Swan and Keith Taylor On March 16 at 6:30 p.m., our friend and poet Alison Swan, along with Keith Taylor, will read from their recent collections at the SCA. Swan's essays and poems are included in a variety of publications, including Freshwater: Women Writing on the Great Lakes. Her first collection of poems, Dog Heart, immerses the reader in images of the Great Lakes, dunes, and woodlands. Taylor has published some 13 volumes of poetry, short fiction, translations, and edited volumes. His most recent full-length collection of poems is titled If the World Becomes So Bright. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Hope College Visiting Writers
Next in the line-up are poetry writers Nancy Elmers and Bill Olsen who will be reading from selections of their work on March 6. The readings are at the Knickerbocker Theatre, downtown Holland, at 7 p.m. For more info, call 616-395-7000 or visit Hope College Visiting Writers.

About It! Lecture Series
On March 15 at 7 p.m. at the SCA will be In the Spotlight. What does it take to create a professional theater production? Get an in-depth look at the multi-tiered process of building a production from start to finish with the SCA's own Artistic Director and founder of Mason Street Warehouse Theatre, Kurt Stamm. Stamm will share his experiences as a performer, director, and choreographer, as well as a behind-the-scenes view on building a performance from the ground up. For more info, visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts or call 269-857-2399.

Exhibitions
Old World, New World: Paintings by Rebecca Green will be exhibited from March 23-April 28 at the SCA. This is the first time that the SCA has curated an exhibition of an up-and-coming regional artist. The collection is of selected work created during the past year, all of which deal with the joys and perils of everyday life. While the figures within the paintings find themselves placed in imaginative and colorful settings, they are also faced with the timeless glaze that encompasses each piece. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Honorable Mentions
March 1, Movie, Two for the Road, Saugatuck-Douglas Library
March 6, Visiting Writers Series, Nancy Elmers and Bill Olsen, Poetry, Hope College
March 8, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, Tabloid, SCA, Saugatuck
March 11, Hempe keyboard Series, Andrew Le, SCA, Saugatuck
March 15, About It. In the Spotlight, SCA, Saugatuck
March 15, Movie, Wait Until Dark, Saugatuck Douglas Library
Match 17, St. Patty's Day, Parade at 2 p.m.
March 17, Broadway Break Thru, SCA, Saugatuck
March 29, Understanding Beer Styles, Saugatuck Brewing Company, Douglas
March 29, Movie, Rembrant, Saugatuck Douglas Library
March 30-31, Great Performance Series, Cashore Marionettes, Hope College
April 1, April Fools Day
April 2-7, Knickerbocker Film Series, Salt of Life, Hope College
April 12, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, You've been Trumped, SCA, Saugatuck
April 12, Movie, The Lady Vanishes, Saugatuck Douglas Library
April 14, Town Crier 5 & 10 K race, Saugatuck
April 17, Visiting Writers Series Susanna Childress and Bich Minh Nguyen, Poetry and Fiction/Nonfiction
April 26, About It, Greening Your Garden, SCA, Saugatuck
April 26, Specialy Beers tasting, Saugatuck Brewing Company
April 26, Movie, The life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Saugatuck Douglas Library
April 28, Sounds of Suagatuck, various venues around town
April 28, Ethnic Winemakers Dinner, Fenn Valley Winery
April 29, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
May 4-6, play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 5-12, Tulip Time Festival, Holland
May 5, Douglas and Saugatuck Spring Preview
May 5, Girls Afternoon Out, Fenn Valley Winery
May 10, Movie, A Canterbury Tale, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 10, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, Eames, The Architech and the Painter
May 11-13, Play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 12, West Michigan Youth Ballet, SCA, Saugatuck
May 13, Mothers Day
May 19, Garden Club Annual Sale
May 24, Movie, Green for Danger, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 27, Allegan Antique Market
May 27, Music, Marcia Ball, SC4A, Saugatuck
May 30, Memorial Day
June 1-3, Musical, Carney Dreams, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 3, Music, Judy Collins, SCA, Saugatuck
June 7, Movie, Whiskey Galore, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 7, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, We Were here, SCA, Saugatuck
June 9, Art and all that Jazz, Doulgas
June 12, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 14, About It, The S.S. Keewatin, SCA, Saugatuck
June 14-17, Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 15, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 21, Movie, Man in the White Suit, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 23, Fenn Valley Wine Festival & Open House
June 24, Allegan Antique Market
June 28, Douglas Social, Douglas
June 29, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 30, Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, Douglas
June 30, Waterfront Invitational Art Fair
July 18, Music, The Good Lovelies, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 19-20, Marcus Monroe, SC4A, Saugatuck
July 21, Music, BeauSoleil avec Micahael Doucet, SC4A, Saugatuck

Books
Mindy's book of the month is Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles. The story takes place in New York, about Katey Kontent-the young, sharp daughter of a Russian immigrant. An interesting look at a single woman's life in the late '30s, it also takes a look at New York City at this time--a time when things were looking up for some who had lost everything and were building it back. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

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 visit our Sweetheart Specials at Sweetheart Specials. Here's the link for gourmet dinner details and a sample menu: Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

Vicky's Roasted Winter Vegetables

Vicky, a Siren from the northern reaches of Italy loves the earth and the beautiful bounty that Mother Nature provides for us. She has that green thumb when it comes to growing vegetables. This wonderful array is delicious this time of year. She states that it goes back generations in her family when root cellars where in fashion. She tells a tale of her grandmother who would use excuse herself; go down to the family cellar, where they were kept in the winter, essentially to gather up the ingredients for the evening. Always coming with a smile on her face. Years later Vicky told us that was where her grandfather also kept his home-made wine.

Cut up into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl:
4 carrots, peeled
3 parsnips, peeled
3 small turnips, peeled
1 large onion
1 large sweet potato, peeled

Drizzle veggies with 3 Tb. olive oil and season with one-half tp. kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread veggies in an even layer on 2 lightly greased baking sheets and roast at 425 degrees, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes (until fork tender).

Put two-thirds cup chopped walnuts into a small baking dish and toast in oven about 5 minutes. Cool

Transfer veggies to a large serving dish and drizzle with 1 Tb. balsamic vinegar-toss to mix. Top with one-third cup crumbled feta, 2 Tb. chopped parsley, and the walnuts. Serves 8.

You can visit, copy, cook and persue more of our delicious recipes at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Recipes.

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

[return to top of page]

Sherwood Forest News February 2012

News from the Forest

This year's getaway for us was Costa Rica, from the waterways of Tortuguero, where close to 20,000 green and leatherback turtles come to lay their eggs each year, to the rain forest of Santa Elena, where we saw the rare quetzal bird. The jungles of Corcovado also beckoned us, where we saw macaws, toucans, and howler monkeys. Of course, no trip to Costa Rica would be complete without a zip line or two and a Tarzan swing 150 feet above the ground--we survived! We enjoyed our break and are re-energized and ready to share some tall tales with you.

We've had an unbelievably mild winter, and there's actually no ice on Lake Michigan (kind of unheard of this time of the year). But no snow does mean it's easier to travel-so we hope to see you soon for a quick getaway and some much needed R&R.

Things we offer in the off-season (and of course February):

Valentine's Offer
Let Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast be your guide to romance this February! Check out our website packages for romantic ideas, including roses and champagne, chocolates, and massages (or give us a call for suggestions). Barry White has nothing on you! We can also help you with dinner reservations at some of the best restaurants West Michigan has to offer. Cupid will take care of the rest...Our gift to you is 50% off your 2nd night's stay (Sunday-Thursday nights only, expires March 1). To book a room or for more info, give call us a call at 800-838-1246.

A Culinary Getaway
We've designed a culinary weekend you won't want to miss out on. Festivities kick off with martinis and risotto at a nearby restaurant--we'll recommend a great place to eat so you don't have to do the hit and miss thing. After a stress-free evening and gourmet breakfast, it's off to Saugatuck and Douglas, where you'll experience some awesome shopping, from hip & cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques & artwork. Then it's off to Chef LaPerriere's kitchen, where you'll hone your cooking skills. Tucked back in the woods on a private lake, Chef LaPerriere will confidently guide you on a culinary journey, integrating his experiences, philosophies, and tricks-of-the-trade, leading you to a successful and rewarding experience in your own kitchen. His passion for food, thorough explanation of techniques, and easy-going approach to learning will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Available for 2 to 10 people. For more info or to book this package, give us a call at 800-838-1246.

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 5 people, has a full kitchen, and is only 1/2 block from Lake Michigan and the public beach, and it's pet friendly. We rent it on a weekly basis in the summer, so give us a call and we can let you know what we have available. For more information, you can visit the cottage website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/cottage.html or call us at 800-838-1246.

Bed & Breakfast and Brewery
Looking for a getaway involving brewing your own batch of beer? We're offering a unique package that includes access to Saugatuck Brewing Company's brew-on-site facilities. SBC will provide the recipes, from light to dark, more than 70 different recipes are available. They'll also provide the ingredients and professional brewing equipment as well as the expertise to take you through the brewing process. You'll brew at least 11 gallons of beer (sixty 22oz. bottles). If 11 gallons of beer is more than you need, bring a friend or two and split the batch. It takes 3 to 4 hours to brew your batch and you return in two weeks to bottle and sample your beer, which takes about 2 hours, or you can have them bottle it and pick it up (an extra $20). You can even design your own labels using Microsoft Word (for an extra $27). The cost of Bed and Breakfast and Brewery runs from $512 to $695 depending on the time of year and the room. For more info or to book this package, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246.

Sherwood Forest Gourmet Dinners (whole-house booking)
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. Offered 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. Black out dates are New Year's Eve and Valentine's weekends. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html.

Shopping Special
We've teamed up with some select stores in Saugatuck/Douglas to bring you fantastic discounts, deals, and freebies, from hip and cool clothing to kitchen appliances, wines from far away places, spices from the Orient, body butters, antiques, and artwork. If you're looking for that great holiday gift or just want to splurge on yourself this season, all you need to do is book a night or two and then go exploring at some of the most distinctive shops the area has to offer. For more info, give us a call at 800-838-1246 or visit http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/ATTRACT.HTML.

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

Winterfest--Presidents' Day Weekend Gallery Stroll
The Saugatuck/Douglas art galleries have gotten together for a winter gallery stroll event over the weekend of February 17-18. 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.

About It Lecture Series
On November 8 at 7 p.m. at the SCA, The About It series kicks-off with an interactive question and answer session exploring the photos included in the current Small Towns Big Picture, The Bill Simmons Photographs: Saugatuck-Douglas, 1941 - 1960 exhibition on display in the SCA's gallery. Jack Sheridan, photo historian and archivist at the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society, will lead a discussion exploring the stories behind the intriguing photos that document people, architecture, events and land marks from the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition, curated by Ken Carls and Jim Schmiechen and offered in collaboration with the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society, includes more than 20 large black and white re-prints of photographs that capture every day life in the community. ABOUT IT! The Simmons Photo Stories Uncovered For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Movies
Another great flick is playing at the Saugatuck-Douglas Library on February 16 at 7 p.m.: How to Steal a Million with Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Eli Wallach, and Hugh Griffiths.

Film Studies at the Red Barn (Saugatuck Brewing Company)
Douglas resident and film concept developer John Hardy will continue with the film series: February 7, No Time for Sergeants with Andy Griffith; February 14, An American In Paris, with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron; February 21, Captain Blood with Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland; and February 28, Ocean's Eleven with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Angie Dickinson. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com/schedule.htm.

Film Series
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland will present: February 6-11, The Way, with Martin Sheen, the story about a father who heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the El Camino de Santiago and decides to take the pilgrimage himself; April 2-7, The Salt of Life, the story of Gianni, who is 60 and retired but has not become lazy for all that--in fact, he is a helpful fellow who gives a hand to all those who need one: shopping for his wife, walking the pretty neighbor's dog, and so on. Everybody likes Gianni, but is it for the right reasons? Screen

Real to Reel Cinema Series
On February 9 at 7 p.m. the Saugatuck Center for the Arts will be showing The Interrupters, which tells the moving and surprising stories of three Violence Interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. From acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, this film is an unusually intimate journey into the stubborn persistence of violence in our cities. Shot over the course of a year out of Kartemquin Films, The Interrupters captures a period in Chicago when it became a national symbol for the violence in our cities. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Red Barn Theatre
The Red barn Players on Feb 3-5 and 10-11 will present On the Air: Mystery, a live 1940s style radio show, featuring Boston Blackie, Dragnet, and The Whistler. For tickets or more info call 269-857-5300 or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com.

Music
Visit the Saugatuck Brewing Company for music: February 4, Last Call Band (60s-70s rock); February 11, Northern Skies (rock); February 18, Red Tail Ring (old-time and folk); February 25, Cold Cash Machine (blues and classic rock). For more info, call 269-857-7222 or visit http://saugatuckbrewing.com.

Jazz/Blues
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (with Wally Michaels on piano, Jeff Beavan on bass, and Jack Wilkin on the drums) and Wednesdays through February. 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.

Mo' Music
Visit Salt of the Earth in Fennville for music: February 12, Drew Nelson (folk); February 19, Gifts or Creatures (Midwest Americana); February 26, Reily O'Connor/Molly Moon, Dave Boulette and Josh Rose (winter songwriters' summit). For more info, call 269-561-7258 or visit http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.com.

Calefax Reed Quintet
Next in the line up for the Hope College Great Performance Series is classical interpeters Calefax Reed Quintet on February 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Chapel. The Amsterdam-based ensemble has won a number of prestigious prizes over their 25-year history. For more info, visit http://www.hope.edu/arts or call 616-395-7890.

Exhibitions
Small Towns/Big Picture: The Bill Simmons Photographs of Saugatuck & Douglas, 1941-1960, through March 9 at the SCA. This exhibit showcases people and local life in Saugatuck and Douglas as captured by notable Time-Life reporter and photographer Bill Simmons throughout 1941-1960. When he died in 1966, photographer Simmons left nearly 3,000 photographs documenting life in Saugatuck and Douglas-filed away in envelopes, numbered, named, and placed in two wood boxes, some with date and identifying information. Making up what must be one of the largest "photo shoots" of any mid-century American town. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Exhibitions
Through August 5 in the Focus Gallery, The Holland Museum is exhibiting Wish You Were Here: Selections from the Mike Van Ark Postcard Collection, American postcards were created as an easier way to send quick notes and were printed only by the U.S. Postal Service until May 1898. The first postcards were called "private mailing cards" and cost one penny to send. The first souvenir postcard was created in 1893 to advertise the World's Fair in Chicago. Van Ark began collecting in the 1970s, by adding to his mother's collection. After attending shows in Michigan and Chicago, his collection soon reached 5,000 cards. For more info, call 888-200-9123 or visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/.

Exhibitions
Before the Festival: The Improbable Journey of Holland's Favorite Flower will be exhibited in the Wichers Gallery in the Holland Museum through September 2. If someone asked you to name something Dutch, you might be quick to say tulips. Although commonly associated with the Netherlands, the tulip actually originated from areas around the Black Sea, such as Turkey and Iran, and didn't make it to the Netherlands until the late 16th century. This exhibit explores the origins of the tulip, when it arrived in the Netherlands, and eventually Holland, Michigan, and how it became the Dutch icon as we know it today. For more info, call 888-200-9123 or visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/.

Books
Hellhound On His Trail: The Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt In American History by Hampton Sides. This book reads like a CSI mystery! In choosing the assignation of Martin Luther King, Sides had an incredible amount of historical documentation at his disposal. This massive body of evidence is the raw ingredients that Sides uses to fire-up a tight and fascinating thriller. Thanks to an unprecedented international investigation and the rich perspective of time, Sides stalks every move of Earl Ray and MLK. This book was a complete thrill to read, not just because of the fascinating story, but also because of Sides' wonderful narrative style. In many ways, this book is less the story of MLK's assassination than it is the story of James Earl Ray. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785).

Honorable Mentions
Jan 14-Mar 9, Bill Simmons Photographs of Saugatuck & Douglas, 1941-60, SCA, Saugatuck
Feb 6-11, Knickerbocker Film Series, The Way, Hope College
Feb 9, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, The Interpeters, SCA, Saugatuck
Feb 28, Great Performance Series, Calefax Reed Quintet, Hope College
March 1, Movie, Two for the Road, Saugatuck-Douglas Library
March 6, Visiting Writers Series, Nancy Elmers and Bill Olsen, Poetry, Hope College
March 11, Hempe keyboard Series, SCA, Saugatuck
March 15, Movie, Wait Until Dark, Saugatuck Douglas Library
Match 17, St. Patty's Day, Parade at 2 p.m.
March 29, Understanding Beer Styles, Saugatuck Brewing Company, Douglas
March 29, Movie, Rembrant, Saugatuck Douglas Library
March 30-31, Great Performance Series, Cashore Marionettes, Hope College
April 1, April Fools Day
April 2-7, Knickerbocker Film Series, Salt of Life, Hope College
April 12, Movie, Reel to Reel Series, You've been Trumped, SCA, Saugatuck
April 12, Movie, The Lady Vanishes, Saugatuck Douglas Library
April 14, Town Crier 5 & 10 K race, Saugatuck
April 17, Visiting Writers Series Susanna Childress and Bich Minh Nguyen, Poetry and Fiction/Nonfiction
April 26, Specialy Beers tasting, Saugatuck Brewing Company
April 28, Sounds of Suagatuck, various venues around town
April 28, Ethnic Winemakers Dinner, Fenn Valley Winery
April 29, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
May 4-6, play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 5-12, Tulip Time Festival, Holland
May 5, Douglas and Saugatuck Spring Preview
May 5, Girls Afternoon Out, Fenn Valley Winery
May 10, Movie, A Canterbury Tale, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 11-13, Play, The Momologues, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
May 12, West Michigan Youth Ballet, SCA, Saugatuck
May 13, Mothers Day
May 19, Garden Club Annual Sale
May 24, Movie, Green for Danger, Saugatuck Douglas Library
May 27, Allegan Antique Market
May 30, Memorial Day
June 1-3, Musical, Carney Dreams, Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck
June 3, Music, Judy Collins, SCA, Saugatuck
June 7, Movie, Whiskey Galore, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 9, Art and all that Jazz, Doulgas
June 12, Music in the Park-Fennville
June 14-17, Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 15, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 21, Movie, Man in the White Suit, Saugatuck Douglas Library
June 23, Fenn Valley Wine Festival & Open House
June 24, Allegan Antique Market
June 28, Douglas Social, Douglas
June 29, Oxbow Friday Night Open Studios
June 30, Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, Douglas
June 30, Waterfront Invitational Art Fair

Bolo's Mandarin Orange & Walnut Coffee Cake

Bolo is a guide we met who took us deep into the jungles of Corcovado Costa Rica. On our 4:30 a.m. morning hike, he worked his ethereal abilities spotting birds such as the Crested Guan, Keel Billed Toucans and Scarlet Macaws. We saw fresh Jaguar tracks on the beach, heard howler monkeys and spotted a Tyra Weasel foraging for food. We stopped for breakfast beside a quiet little creek and he pulled out a bread wrapped in some banana leafs. He then told us a story of his indigenous grandmother who belonged to a tribe that made the forests their home between Panama and the coastal zone where Corcovado sits. It was delicious, we talked about the origins of the recipe, the changes that time brought along such as cinnamon, oranges, sour cream etc. How each generation added and subtracted an ingredient. We asked for the recipe and when we returned back to tent camp (no electricity). He generously asked his wife to write it down for us. Thanks for a great hike Bolo. We hope our paths cross again.

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs, beaten
One-half cup sour cream, room temp.
One-quarter cup canola oil
1 15-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
One-quarter teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon sugar combined with one-half teaspoon cinnamon for topping

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350�F and grease a 10-inch ceramic round pie dish. In a large bowl, combine 1st four ingredients and beat on low with a hand mixer. In a separate bowl, combine next six ingredients, then add to bowl with orange mixture and gently stir (do not over mix). Pour into greased dish and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture, then bake for 30-40 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool, then slice into 8-10 pie-shaped pieces.

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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Saugatuck Michigan Bed and Breakfast
938 Center Street
Douglas, MI 49406
269-857-1246
800-838-1246 for reservations
Come Relax at our Saugatuck Michigan Bed and Breakfast