Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast Newsletter
Archive for 2008

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Sherwood Forest
Bed & Breakfast 
Saugatuck, Michigan
1-800-838-1246
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Sherwood Forest News March 2008


March is here and Mother Nature has thrown in some great snow days for cross-country skiing, sitting around a fire, or curling up with a good book. We've got lots a wonderful things for you to enjoy in our neck of the woods, so give us a call and we can hook you up with some great dining, massages, shopping, hiking, antiquing, star gazing, or even a sunset or two.

March Dinner Special
Enjoy dinner for two on us! We've teamed up with Chequers in Saugatuck, a British-style pub offering English favorites, such as their famous Fish and Chips and Shepherd's Pie. Here's our gift to you: stay 1 night Sunday through Thursday or 2 nights on a weekend in March and we'll buy you dinner at Chequers (includes 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, 1 dessert, and soft drinks; excludes filet entrée, alcohol, and gratuity). Offer good March 2008.

Relax and Rejuvenate Massage Special
Take advantage of our March special: you can each enjoy a soothing massage in the comfort of your own room in a style suited just for you (cost of 1-night stay and 2 massages ranges from $225-$295). Offer good Sunday-Thursday March 2008. Give us a call for more info (800-838-1246).

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

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

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 Café; Keaton Stearns, chef extraordinaire of The Piper Restaurant; and Matt Balmer, head chef of one our favorite restaurants, The Everyday People Cafe. These epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room, and you'll have the time of your lives. Here are the details: dinner is $45 per person, guests must provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required (deposit is nonrefundable if cancellation is made within 30 days of the date). You pick the date (November through April) and we'll pick the chef. Bring your appetite and whatever you need to wet your whistle, sit down, and dinner is served. To book a gourmet dinner, call us at 800-838-1246. You can see some of our past gourmet dinner menus at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/g-menu-sample.html

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

St. Patrick's Day
There's a whole lot of green happening on March 15 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 this one for yourself over a green pint or two. Here's the line up for all you leprechaun lovers: area restaurants will be serving up corned beef and cabbage, Irish Stew, and fabulous desserts such as Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake, and don't miss the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Saugatuck at 2 p.m. Immediately following the parade there will be a St. Patty's Day Party at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts with Irish music and Celtic dancing. For more info, call 269-857-1701 or visit http://www.saugatuck.com. There will also be an Irish Pub Party at Coral Gables in Saugatuck from 6-9 p.m. and proceeds will benefit the Saugatuck/Douglas Historical Society.

Wine

The Fenn Valley Winery, a local vineyard, will host a pre-release barrel tasting on March 8-9 and 15-16. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the new wines and taste them before they are bottled. Reservations are required, no charge. For more info, call 269-561-2396 or visit http://www.fennvalley.com.

Join the folks at Everyday People Café for their wine dinner on March 18 at 6:30 p.m. It's South of the Equator from Argentina and 6 awesome courses will be paired up with some fantastic wines from the lands way down south. Culinary and vine elucidations guaranteed to please your senses. For more info, visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call 269-857-4240.

Music

Classical
On March 2 at 2 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts the Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series will feature Israeli pianist Aviram Reichert, who won the Bronze Medal at the 10th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1997. Known for Schubert, Liszt, and Beethoven, he has appeared with the Spokane and Yakima Orchestras, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Jazz
On March 9 at 2 p.m. the SCA Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series will feature Jean Prosper, originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who received classical piano training at Canada's Royal Conservatory Program followed by study at Indiana University. A true jazz artist, his music is rich and soulful with color and rhythm reflecting his international background and experience. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.

Jazz
On March 15, listen to Mike Allemana and Gingi Lahera. The half-Cuban Lahera is one of the top performers on the Chicago music scene, with her repertoire ranging from classic American jazz and swing standards to Brazilian tunes sung in traditional Portuguese. Allemana has performed with some of Chicago's most renowned jazz artists, including organ great Charles Earland and tenor saxophonists Ron Dewar and Lin Halliday. The concert is in the performance studio at the SCA at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org.

Jazz
On March 29, listen to the Hay, Cooper and Van Lente Trio featuring Jim Cooper on vibraphone, Dave Hay on bass, and Michael Van Lente on drums. This trio of seasoned artists will perform music from Cooper's latest CD, Itching to Groove, along with standards by Thelonious Monk, Cedar Walton, Horace Silver, and more. The concert is in the performance center at the SCA at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org.

Interactive Jazz
Clinic Let veteran musicians Cooper, Hay, and Van Lente give you the opportunity to experience up close the vibraphone, keyboard, drums, and bass. This interactive clinic is designed for seasoned musicians and beginners interested in learning more about these key jazz instruments from professional artists on March 29 from 5-6 p.m. at the SCA. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

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

Blues/Jazz
Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Café every Friday and Saturday in March from 6:30-10:00 p.m. to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Eddy Curtis Jazz Duo and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call 269-857-4240.

Art

On February 29 from 5-8 p.m., the Nines Gallery in Holland will host An Uncommon Year, an art opening to celebrate the new paintings and drawings of Holland native Amy Reckley, who is an abstractionist with an expressionistic flair. Her new collection of artwork features a return to working on large format paper, which includes a series of collaborative pieces she composed with sculptor Keith Jentzsch. She will also be unveiling a new series of mixed media creations composed on three sheets of layered mylar, which gives a diffused look to her strong sense of line. All of the new pieces in this show contain elements of collage, which the ardent fan will recognize among many other signature elements of Reckley's style. The show will be up through March. The Nines Gallery and Framing Studio is at 17 W. 10th St., Downtown Holland. For more info, visit http://www.theninesgallery.com or call 616-392-4370.

The Water Street Gallery exhibition will be Art Down Under, original works of art by printmaking artists from New Zealand. Studies from Studios will be on display now through April 13 and will feature artists Saskia Van Voon, Tracey Williams, Katherine Moyles, Annie Aandano, Alex Milsom, Anna Tse, and Alexandria Lau. Water Street Gallery is now located on Center St., downtown Douglas. For more info, call 269-857-8485 or visit http://www.waterstreetgallery.com.

Good Goods in downtown Saugatuck is proud to offer Sticks Object Art and Furniture, which is handcrafted in the U.S. Sticks has received national acclaim for their distinctive line of furniture, accessories, and sculptural art. The company began by designing smaller item such as ornaments and candlesticks and has evolved to feature larger items such as tables, beds, and armoires. For more info, visit http://www.goodgoods.com or call 888-857-6501.

Film Studies
On the first and third Tuesdays in March and April at The Red Barn Playhouse Bill Henderson will host a film series: the fist is Big Business by Jim Abrahams on March 4; then Waiting for Guffman by Christopher Guest on March 18; and Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick on April 1. There will be brief comments before each film and audience discussion afterward. For more info, call 269-857-5300.

Art Classes
Open figure studio provides an independent study forum for the maintenance and development of artistic skills and allows for uninhibited experimentation essential for creative development in all media. Draw, paint, or sculpt in clay the nude and costumed figure in this 2.5-hour open studio session for all levels of artists. Participants should bring their own supplies. The model's pose lengths can be arranged according to the classes' preference. This is not an instructed course. Classes will be held at the SCA on Thursdays from March 6-27 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Green Design
On March 20 at 7 p.m. at the SCA, Levi Gardener, sustainable director of the Grand Rapids firm Integrated Architecture, will discuss the development and evolution of the green design movement and how we as individuals can advocate for social and environmental change through design. For more info you can visit their website at http://www.sc4a.org or to register, call the SCA at 269-857-2399

Museum Exhibition--Sosaku Hanga, The Modern Japanese Print
For many, the term Japanese print conjures up detailed images of Japanese geishas, kimonos, and vast land- and waterscapes. These images come from the ukiyo-e (floating world) print movement that was the central art genre in Japan from the 17th to the 20th century. With Japan's opening to the outside world in 1853, Japanese artists began looking to Western art, and slowly transitioned to a new art form. The 1950s proved to be the dramatic turning point in the development of Japanese artists and their art, and from it came the sosaku hanga (creative print) movement. On exhibition at the Holland Museum through April 6 are 39 prints, representing some of Japan's most renowned sosaku hanga artists. For more info, visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/ or call 888-200-9123

Exhibition--Signs of the Times
An exhibition partnership with the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society and Museum features a collection of historic signage from the Saugatuck-Douglas area, including the Saugatuck Chain Ferry, Mt. Baldhead Hotel, architect Carl Hoerman, and more. This exhibition reveals both the changing nature of sign design through the decades and the evolution of the Saugatuck-Douglas community. The exhibit is up at the SCA now through April 28. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org.

Theater
On March 27-28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland, enjoy the play Journey into the Whirlwind with Rebecca Schull. In 1937 journalist Eugenia Ginzburg is at home with her husband and children when she is summoned to an interrogation by the secret police. This is her journey into the whirlwind--one of the millions of victims of Stalin's purge of the Communist Party. Ginzburg spent over 20 years in prison, ultimately recording her experience in two books. Schull has transformed these works into a powerful script and her performance never solicits sympathy, but secures it with a delicate and powerful portrayal that is quiet to the core. Schull makes us live Ginzburg's trauma by osmosis. For more info, call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/gps.

Visiting Writers
Poet Mark Yakich and fiction writer Tony D'Souza are the next in the line-up for the Hope College Visiting Writers Series on March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theater in Downtown Holland. Yakich's debut book of poems, Unrelated Individuals Forming a Group Waiting to Cross, was a winner of the 2003 National Poetry Series, and is full of journeys, crossings, and departures--all evocative of the loneliness, alienation, and desire for identity with another. D'Souza's critically acclaimed debut novel, Whiteman, won both the Sue Kaufman Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the 2007 GLCA New Writers Award for Fiction. Whiteman episodically tells the story of a young American relief worker living in a Muslim Ivory Coast village. Each tale nestled in the novel has an intoxicating, fireside charm. Both authors will read from selected works. For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/vws/.

Honorable Mentions

April 12, Saugatuck, Town Crier 5K and 10K
April 13, Herrick Library Concert Series, Hammers & Horns, Horn/Fortepiano 3:00p.m.
April 15, The Loved One, Red Barn Film Series
April 10-12, 17-20, 24-26 You Can't Get There from Here, Holland Civic Theater
April 16, Visiting Writers Series, Karen Joy Fowler, Fiction, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
April 27, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
April 29, Fantasia, Red Barn Film Series
May 2-4, Blue Coast Artist opening Weekend
May 3, Downtown Douglas Spring Preview
May 3-10, Tulip Time Festival, Holland
May 25, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
May 26, Memorial Day Parade, Saugatuck & Douglas
June 3, 11, 18,& 25 Music in the Park, Saugatuck
June 12-15, Waterfront Film Festival
June 13, 20 & 27, Saugatuck Green Market
June 14, Saugatuck Arts and Crafts Show
June 27, Fenn Valley Winery open house

Books
M & M's (Mom & Michelle's) book of the month is Atonement by Ian McEwan. This haunting novel is McEwan at his finest. It is in effect two, or even three, books in one, all masterfully crafted. The first part ushers us into a domestic crisis that becomes a crime story centered around an event that changes the lives of half a dozen people in an upper-middle-class country home on a hot English summer's day in 1935. Young Briony Tallis, a hyperimaginative 13-year-old who sees her older sister, Cecilia, mysteriously involved with their neighbor Robbie Turner, a fellow Cambridge student subsidized by the Tallis family, points a finger at Robbie when her young cousin is assaulted in the grounds that night; on her testimony alone, Robbie is jailed. The second part of the book moves forward five years to focus on Robbie, now freed and part of the British Army that was cornered and eventually evacuated by a fleet of small boats at Dunkirk during the early days of WWII. This is an astonishingly imagined fresco that bares the full anguish of what Britain in later years came to see as a kind of victory. In the third part, Briony becomes a nurse amid wonderfully observed scenes of London as the nation mobilizes. No, she doesn't have Robbie as a patient, but she begins to come to terms with what she has done and offers to make amends to him and Cecilia, now together as lovers. In an ironic epilogue that is yet another coup de the tre, McEwan offers Briony as an elderly novelist today, revisiting her past in fact and fancy and contributing a moving windup to the sustained flight of a deeply novelistic imagination. You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785) or at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

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

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

 

Erin's Temptress Organic Turkey Chili

A world traveler and a culinary temptress who has trekked all over the planet, from Hibernia to Malaysia, Morocco to Saipan, Erin has brought us her version of turkey chili. We think she concocted it from when she was in the northern reaches of the Macgillycuddy's Mountains in the Iveragh Peninsula, when one has a wee bit of time on their hands with nothing else to do but hike with and cook for leprechauns. This recipe is for a slow cooker, but you can also cook it on the stovetop.

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds organic (if you can get it) ground turkey
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups sweet onions, chopped
1-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
one-quarter cup chili powder
1-teaspoon ground cumin
1-teaspoon allspice
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-teaspoon ground coriander
1-tablespoon oregano
ground black pepper to taste
one-quarter cup honey
2 cans (14 ounces each) organic diced tomatoes
one-half cup organic chicken stock
1-teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste)
2-tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
one-half teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pan and add turkey; cook over medium heat until brown or white. Transfer turkey to the slow cooker pot, then in the same pan, add the onion and garlic and cook over low flame until opaque and softened. Add spices and continue cooking until it aromatically reaches your senses, then add to the slow cooker pot. Stir in honey, tomatoes, chicken stock, wine vinegar, hot sauce, and bay leaves, add the salt, then cover and cook for about 6 hours on the low setting or on low heat. Enjoy with the leprechauns!

 

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

Hope to see you soon!

Sherwood Forest B&B February 2008 Newsletter

News from the Forest

Happy Valentine's Day to all! We've just returned from an amazing adventure deep in South America. We trekked the far reaches of southern Argentina to the fabled land of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. We walked through mystical forests covered with Spanish moss, wildflower meadows along babbling brooks cascading down hillsides, through fossil-covered shale hillsides to some of the best vistas the world has to offer. We walked along the Beagle Channel where Darwin did some of his naturalist and evolution studies, and along the southern Andes mountains, a magical place. It was a great getaway. So on our return the landscape looked a little different here with 3 feet of snow! It's a great time to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa, or sled or cross-country ski. And don't forget, it's also a great time to do some sale shopping at some of the most unique shops in the Midwest.

Valentine's Offer
Stay one night (or more!) in any of our beautiful rooms Sunday through Thursday in February and receive a beautiful red rose and a bottle of Michigan champagne for you and your loved one to enjoy.

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

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

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

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

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

Fat Tuesday
On February 5 join in the Mardi Gras Parade at 7 p.m. This New Orleans-style parade will meander through downtown Douglas and end at a local restaurants and bars for prizes and dancing. For more info, call 269-857-1438.

Art Gallery Stroll
The Saugatuck/Douglas art galleries have gotten together for a winter gallery stroll event over the weekend of February 16-17. 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.

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

The Water Street Gallery exhibition will be Art Down Under, original works of art by printmaking artists from New Zealand. Studies from Studios will be on display from February 16 until April 13 and will feature artists Saskia Van Voon, Tracey Williams, Katherine Moyles, Annie Aandano, Alex Milsom, Anna Tse, and Alexandria Lau. Water Street Gallery is now located on Center St., downtown Douglas. For more info, call 269-857-8485 or visit http://www.waterstreetgallery.com.

Good Goods in downtown Saugatuck is proud to offer Sticks Object Art and Furniture, which is handcrafted the U.S., and they also carry artist-made jewelry, glass, ceramics, painting, sculpture, wearable art, designer clothing, handbags, and accessories. For more info, visit http://www.goodgoods.com or call 888-857-6501.

Las Vegas Night
There will be live music, dancing, drinks, food, a silent auction, and more than 20 Black Jack, roulette, and dice games on February 16 from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. at Coral Gables in Saugatuck. All proceeds will benefit the Community Recreation Department (must be 21 or older to participate). For more info, call 269-857-1389.

Music

Jazz
Join jazz vocalist Rachael Price and her quartet on February 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland. This young vocalist has won over critics and fans alike with her mature rendition of some of the great jazz classics. Discovered by multi-Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon, Price has since performed to standing ovations at many jazz festivals, including the Newport Jazz Festival. For more info call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts.

Classical
Next in the line up for the Great Performance Series on February 22 is the Harlem Quartet, who are all First Place Laureates of the prestigious Sphinx Competition for young black and Latino string players. The ensemble's mission is to engage young and new audiences and to advance diversity in classical music. They've played Carnegie Hall to rave reviews from The New York Times and the legendary Apollo Theatre. Their performance will include works ranging from Mozart to Wynston Marsalis. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Chapel in Holland. For more info, call 616-395-7890 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/gps/

Classical
On February 17 head to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts for the the Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series featuring Louis Nagel, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, who has been performing for more than 50 years. Imagine hearing such favorites as the joyful Italian concerto of J.S. Bach, a bubbly Haydn or Mozart Sonata, a dreamy Chopin Nocturne, or the incandescent brilliance of a Liszt Rhapsody. The concert will be at 2 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org

Jazz/Blues
Grammy award winner Peter "Madcat" Ruth, Shari Kane, and Mark Schrock join forces on February 9 to form a high-energy trio featuring harmonica, guitar, mandolin, violin, and more. The group dishes up a toe-tapping musical gumbo, blurring the lines between electric and acoustic, delta and Chicago, jump blues, folk blues, and jazz. The concert is in the performance center at the SCA at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org

Folk/Rock
On February 23, listen to David Molinari's rich voice and skilled playing combined with his band's eclectic and proficient instrumentation. Drawing on early country, folk, rock, roots, and jazz influences, Molinari writes in the Americana style, similar to many of today's best singer-songwriters. The concert is in the performance studio at the SCA at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org

Blues/Boogie Woogie
On February 24 will be the SCA Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series featuring Matthew Ball, who is one of Detroit's finest blues and boogie-woogie pianists. The only pupil of the legendary Bob Seeley, a hall-of-famer and direct disciple of boogie's originator, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Ball is part of a legacy that traces back to the earliest roots of these uniquely American art forms. The concert will be at 2 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-2399 or visit
http://www.sc4a.org

Jazz/Blues
There is some awesome music being played at the What Not Inn (a neat little restaurant) every Saturday, Sunday, and Mondays (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

Blues/Jazz
Join the hip and groovy folks at Everyday People Café every Friday and Saturday in February from 6:30-10:00 p.m. to hear some really cool jazz. You'll see the likes of the Eddy Curtis Jazz Duo and Rick Hicks Blues Guitar. For more info visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call 269-857-4240.

Hope College Visiting Writers
Next in the line up on February 15 is fiction writer Lewis Nordon and essayist David Griffith. Nordon, who is author of 15 novels, 3 short story collections, and 1 volume of poetry, is well known and much admired for his searing wit and lyrical prose. His most recent book, Wounded, is a haunting depiction of intolerance and redemption. He is most famous for his 2001 satirical novel, Erasure, which takes aim at black cultural stereotypes. Griffith has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was taught and mentored by Nordan. Griffith is the author of A Good War is Hard to Find, a collection of essays in which, according to Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean, he offers gripping personal testimony to the difficulties of living out the Christian imperatives of love and forgiveness amid a culture that legitimizes government violence as the only "real" way to establish social order. 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 http://www.hope.edu/vws/

Museum Exhibition--Sosaku Hanga, The Modern Japanese Print
For many, the term Japanese print conjures up detailed images of Japanese geishas, kimonos, and vast land- and waterscapes. These images come from the ukiyo-e (floating world) print movement that was the central art genre in Japan from the 17th to the 20th century. With Japan's opening to the outside world in 1853, Japanese artists began looking to Western art, and slowly transitioned to a new art form. The 1950s proved to be the dramatic turning point in the development of Japanese artists and their art, and from it came the sosaku hanga (creative print) movement. On exhibition at the Holland Museum through April 6 are 39 prints, representing some of Japan's most renowned sosaku hanga artists. For more info, visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/ or call 888-200-9123

Exhibition--Holland Industrial Design Designing Everyday Necessities (HIDDEN)
The Holland area has a rich design history with renowned designers like Eames, Nelson, Loewy, Dreyfuss, Earl, Rohde, and Stumpf, who have all had a connection to West Michigan. They started a tradition of designing products for internationally recognized companies like General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Chris-Craft, Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, Whirlpool, Brunswick, and Sears, which continues today. It's possible that the interior of the mini-van you drive was designed by the person who coaches your kid's soccer team; the chair you sit in may have been designed by someone you see shopping at the local grocery store; laundry day could be more enjoyable because of the work of the person sitting next to you at Starbucks. The designers may be hidden, but what they've designed is not. This exhibit showcases just a few of the products designed by our neighbors for leading-edge companies, and reveals some of the methods used to create those designs. The exhibition is going on now through February at the Holland Area Arts Council, downtown Holland. For more info, call 616-392-3278 or visit http://hollandarts.org/exhibit.php

Theater--Whodunit, Howdunit
When famous actress Primavera Donna throws a party and winds up dead, it's up to the guests to figure out who and how, and why the hired help is so annoying. To be performed by the Red Barn Players February 1-3 and 8-10 at 8 p.m. For more info, call 269-857-5300 or visit http://redbarnsaugatuck.com

Wine Dinner
Join the folks at Everyday People Café for their wine dinner on February 19 at 6:30 p.m. It's the Aussie A list, with 6 courses paired up with some fantastic wines from down under and culinary and vine elucidations guaranteed to please your senses. For more info, visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com or call 269-857-4240.

Art Classes
Join artist Dawn Stafford for a drop-in session of figure drawing. This open figure studio provides an independent study forum for the maintenance and development of artistic skills and allows for uninhibited experimentation essential for creative development in all media. Classes will be held at the SCA on February 4, 11, and 18 from 7-9:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399 .

Film Studies
On the first and third Tuesdays at The Red Barn Playhouse through April, Bill Henderson will host a film series, with the screening of Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann, and Big Business, a comedy by Jim Abrahams. There will be brief comments before each film and audience discussion afterward.

Book of the Month
Sue's book of the month is What is the What by Dave Eggers. Sue could not be more in agreement with Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, who reviewed of this book: "I cannot recall the last time I was this moved by a novel. What Is the What is that rare book that truly deserves the overused and scarcely warranted moniker of sprawling epic. Told with humor, humanity, and bottomless compassion for his subject, one Valentino Achak Deng, Eggers shows us the hardships, disillusions, and hopes of the long-suffering people of southern Sudan. This is the story of one boy's astonishing capacity to endure atrocity after atrocity and yet refuse to abandon decency, kindness, and hope for home and acceptance. It is impossible to read this book and not be humbled, enlightened, transformed. I believe I will never forget Valentino Achak Deng." You can purchase or order this book at the Singapore Bank Bookstore in Saugatuck (269-857-3785) or at Treehouse Books in Holland (616-494-5085) or visit http://www.treehousebooks.net.

Honorable Mentions

March 1, Pre-Release Winemaker's Dinner at Fenn Valley Winery
March 2 Pianist Aviram Reichert, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
March 4, Waiting for Guffman, Red Barn Films Series
March 8-9, Pre-Tasting from the barrel, Fenn Valley Winery
March 9, Jean Prosper, Jazz Pianist, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
March 11, Visiting Writers Series, Mark Yakich, Poet, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
March 11, Visiting Writers Series, Tony D'Souza, Fiction, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.
March 15, ST. Patrick's Day Festival, Saugatuck
March 15, Mike Allemana and Gingi Lahera, Jazz, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
March 15-16, Pre-Tasting from the barrel, Fenn Valley Winery
March 18, Dr. Strangelove Red Barn Film Series
March 22, Winemaker's Dinner, Fenn Valley Winery
March 27-28, Great Performance Series, Journey into the Whirlwind, Holland, 7:30 p.m.
March 29, Jim Cooper, Interactive Jazz Clinic, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
April 1, The Loved One, Red Barn Film Series
April 10-12, 17-20, 24-26 You Can't Get There from Here, Holland Civic Theater
April 15, Fantasia, Red Barn Film Series
April 16, Visiting Writers Series, Karen Joy Fowler, Fiction, Knickerbocker, 7 p.m.

From the Sherwood Forest Files:

 

Belinda's and Linda's Sat Chit Ananda's Chana Masala

Sat, implying existence; Chit, representing consciousness; and Ananda, symbolizing bliss. This recipe was prepared and given to us by a pair of levitating Canadian yoga instructors we met in the vast reaches of Patagonia, literally in the middle of nowhere. I can now understand how some people seem to walk without gravity. You'll enjoy this, we certainly did.

 

Ingredients:

1 and one-half teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 and one-half teaspoon cumin seeds
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons minced ginger
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
1 and one-half cup coconut milk
3 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
1-quarter cup tamari
1 and one-half teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 and one-half teaspoon coriander, ground
1-teaspoon cardamon powder
1-teaspoon cumin powder
1-half teaspoon thyme, ground
1-half teaspoon black pepper (ground to taste)
1-eighth teaspoon clove powder
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
Sea salt to taste

Loving Preparation:

  1. Place brown mustard and cumin seeds in a large sauté pan and cook on medium high heat until seeds pop, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add oil, onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, add water, tamari, spices, coconut milk, and beans and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top with cilantro and lovingly serve (makes 3-4 servings).

Variations:
Add 2 cups of finely chopped garden veggies (e.g., sweet potato, chard, and carrots), while cooking.

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

Hope to see you soon!

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

P.S. Peace on Earth

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

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