MARCH 2010
News from the Forest
Some recent news: we had a small write-up in the New York
Times mentioning our Bed, Breakfast, and Brewery Package (for
more info, see below), and we actually got a booking out of
it! We also had one of our recipes (Mr. Wizard's Maple Nutty
Bars) picked up by cooking.com-give 'em a try, they're yummy.
March is here and Mother Nature could throw in some more
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 dining, massages, shopping specials, antiquing,
star gazing, or even a sunset or two.
March Gourmet Dining Package
Spend 2 nights at Sherwood Forest B&B and dine at the Everyday
People Café in Douglas and you'll experience the best of both
worlds: great lodging and gastronomic delights. Here's what
you'll receive: 2 nights at Sherwood Forest and your choice
of an appetizer, 2 entrees, and dessert at Everyday People
Cafe. Good through March 31, 2010. Cost of this package range
from $285 to $455 .
Bed and 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.
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.
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.
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 (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 13 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. 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 13-14 and 20-21. 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 http://www.fennvalley.com.
Wine Dinner
Join the folks at Everyday People Café for their wine dinner
on March 24 at 6:30 p.m. featuring Honig Vineyard and Winery.
Culinary and wine elucidations guaranteed to please your senses.
For more info, visit http://everydaypeoplecafe.com
or call 269-857-4240.
Music
The Sky Hempy Keyboard Performance Series will feature: Aebersold
and Neiweem on classical piano with a duet showcasing 4-handed
works for the piano on March 7; Giuseppe Lupis on contemporary
piano on March 14; May Phang playing the classics along with
Latin jazz and original compositions on March 21; Winston
Choi playing works by living composers on March 28. Performances
are at 2 p.m. at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. For more
info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.
Jazz
Next in the line up for the Hope College Great Performance
Series on March 10 is Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition,
one of the most innovative young musicians and composers in
jazz today. This stark, dynamic trio of alto sax, guitar,
and tabla fuses the raga-sitar aspirations of late-period
Coltrane and the vocal flight of Karmatic hymns. The performance
is at the Dimnent Chapel at 7:30 p.m. For more info, visit
http://www.hope.edu/arts/
or call 616-395-7890.
The Cowboy Junkies
Attention Indie hipsters, the Cowboy Junkies kick off their
latest US tour right here in Saugatuck at the SCA on March
18 at 8 p.m. This is their only show in Michigan. From Sweet
Jane, to Misguided Angel, to A Common Disaster and their newest
tunes, the Cowboy Junkies will light up the SCA. For more
info or tickets, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.
Mo' Music
Visit Salt of the Earth in Fennville for music on March 5,
Sam Corbin with Drew Howard (Singer-Songwriter); March12,
Annie and Rod Capps (Folk); March 19, Sandhill Session (Irish);
March 26, Ruth and Max Bloomquist (Bluegrass); and April 2,
The Schrock Bros. (Americana). For more info, call 269-561-7258
or visit http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.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 March. 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 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.
Film
On Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library,
don't miss: March 11, The Thirty-Nine Steps (1935), a classic
spy vs. spy drama set in Scotland and England at the beginning
of WWII; and March 25, Ball of Fire, while eight bookish professors
assemble a dictionary of slang, a stripper on the run from
her gangster boyfriend takes refuge in their dormitory. For
more info, visit http://www.sdlibrary.org/movie-night.html.
Movies
At The Saugatuck Brewing Company, Douglas resident and film
concept developer John Hardy will continue with the film series:
March 2, The Informer with Victor McLaglen and Heather Angel;
March 9, Sullivan's Travels with John McCrea and Veronica
Lake; March 16, The Quiet Man with John Wayne and Maureen
O'Hara: March 23, Laurel and Hardy in Bonnie Scotland; and
March 30, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre with Humphrey Bogart,
Tim Holt, and Walter Huston. For more info, call 269-857-5300
or visit http://www.redbarnsaugatuck.com/schedule.htm.
Film Institute of South Haven
The Film Institute of South Haven will present the movie Outsourced
on March 14 at 3 p.m. It is a timely modern day comedy that
follows a Seattle based call center manager who is fired and
then dispatched to India as a consultant to train his own
replacement. For more info, call 269-637-1041 or visit http://www.southhavenarts.org/fish.
Real to Reel Cinema Series
On March 25 at 7 p.m. the SCA will be showing The September
Issue about Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue for 20 years, and
one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in fashion.
Larger than life and more complex than fiction, Wintour embodies
a fascinating contradiction of passion and perfectionism as
she reigns over a dizzying array of designers, models, photographers,
and editors. Director R.J. Cutler delivers a rare insider
account of the 9 months leading up to the printing of the
highly anticipated September issue of the magazine. For more
info, call 269-857-2399 or visit http://www.sc4a.org.
Film series
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland will present
Amreeka, which chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single
mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son,
with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of
small town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high
school hallways the way he used to move through military checkpoints,
the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking
up falafel burgers as well as hamburgers at the local White
Castle. Told with heartfelt humor by writer-director Cherien
Dabis in her feature film debut, Amreeka is a universal journey
into the lives of a family of immigrants and first-generation
teenagers. Screenings are at 7:30 p.m. on March 29-April 3.
For more info, call 616-395-7403 or visit http://www.hope.edu/arts/knick/
Hope College Visiting Writers
Next in the line is poetry writer Terrance Hayes on March
9. His latest poetry collection, Wind in a Box, was named
by Publishers Weekly as one of the best 100 books of 2006.
He 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/
About It! Lecture Series
On March 11 at 7 p.m. Dave Dempsey will give the talk: Great
Lakes in Crisis? at the SCA. Lake Michigan, and the Great
Lakes are facing an array of challenges that have long-term
consequences. Dempsey, who is Communications Director for
Conservation Minnesota and has helped shape conservation and
Great Lakes policy for 25 years, talks about three of these
"hot topics", along with excerpts from his new book, Waters
of Michigan. For more info, visit http://www.sc4a.org
or call 269-857-2399.
Exhibition
Artfully Adorned: the Japanese Kimono will be up at the SCA
through April 26. Discover how the exquisite patterns and
lush colors of kimonos are created in this exhibition of Japan's
national dress. From painting and stenciling to embroidery
and brocade, see close-up these remarkable works of fashion
that are also works of art. For more info, call 269-857-2399
or visit http://www.sc4a.org.
Museum Exhibition
Through March, The Holland Museum will present Indigenous
Art of Indonesia & Melanesia. Walk through the stone-carved
temple guardians at the entrance to the Wichers Gallery and
you encounter two 65-foot long Balinese temple paintings on
cloth, depicting Hindu legends, which are the centerpiece
of this exotic exhibit. Ider-ider paintings, as these traditional
artworks are called, are extremely rare. More than sixty other
exotic pieces of art and artifacts - weapons, puppets, batik,
tribal masks - give a glimpse of the diverse cultures within
the island archipelagos of Indonesia and Melanesia. The museum's
founder, Willard C. Wichers, formed the core of this astonishing
collection. For more info, call 888-200-9123 or visit http://www.hollandmuseum.org/
Honorable Mentions
April 6, Great Performance Series, Kronos Quartet, Holland
April 8, Free Movie Woman of the Year, Historical Society,
Douglas, 7 p.m
April 10, Town Crier Race, Saugatuck
April 12, Visiting Writers Series, George Saunders, fiction,
Knickerbocker
April 13, Antiques Road Show-Japan , SCA Saugatuck 7:00 pm
April 13-17, Movie, An Education, Knickenbocker, Holland
April 16-18 and April 23-25, Always . . . Patsy Cline, Red
Barn Playhouse
April 22, , Free Movie Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Historical
Society, Douglas, 7 p.m
April 24, Nagata Shachu Japanese Drumming Ensemble, SC4A,
Saugatuck
April 25, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
May 1, Easter Parade, Douglas
May 1, Saugatuck Douglas Spring Preview
May 1, Blue Coast Artists opening weekend
May 1-8. Tulip Time Festival, Holland
May 6, Free Movie, The More the Merrier, Historical Society,
Douglas, 7 p.m
May 20, Free Movie, I know Where I'm Going, Historical Society,
Douglas, 7 p.m
May 31, Memorial Day Parade, Douglas
May 30, Allegan Antique Market, Allegan
June 3, Free Movie, It should Happen to You, Historical Society,
Douglas, 7 p.m
June 3, Free Movie, The Apartment, Historical Society, Douglas,
7 p.m
June 10-13, Waterfront Film Festival, Saugatuck
June 19, Douglas, Dutchers Vintage Baseball Game, 2 p.m. Douglas
June 19, Saugatuck Arts and Crafts Fair, Saugatuck
June 26, Fenn Valley Winery Festival, Fennville
Books
Melissa and Michele's book of the month is The Girl Who Played
with Fire by Stieg Larsson. In his second novel, the seething
heroine, Lisbeth Salander, once again finds herself paired
with journalist Mikael Blomkvist on the trail of a sinister
criminal enterprise. Only this time, Lisbeth must return to
the darkness of her own past (more specifically, an event
coldly known as "All the Evil") if she is to stay one step
ahead--and alive. The Girl Who Played with Fire is a break-out-in-a-cold-sweat
thriller that crackles with stunning twists and dismisses
any talk of a sophomore slump. Fans of Larsson's prior work
will find even more to love here, and readers who do not find
their hearts racing within the first five pages may want to
confirm they still have a pulse. Expect healthy doses of murder,
betrayal, and deceit. An amazing sequel to an amazing first
book. 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:
Ms. Hand has a small restaurant and kitchen located in the
wonderful exotic city of Hoi An (Vietnam), we meet her as
we were walking down the street and her husband came and dragged
us into her establishment, which was actually a very long
table with benches on either side. She quickly sat down beside
us and sang our accolades of being beautiful people, we will
love her cooking, her mother does so why shouldn't we, she
stated. We told her to surprise us with some of her best Pho
Ga, theh right before our eyes (as her kitchen was literally
right there) she then proceeded to conjure up a delicious
Vietnamese soup, the smells were intoxicating, her artistry
was natural and her smile was bright. Thank you for sharing
this wonderful dish Ms. Hanh, you are now officially a Siren
of Sherwood.
Ms. Hanh's Chicken and Bean Noodle Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium garlic clove-thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 cups low sodium chicken stock
one-third pound boneless, skinless chicken breast-cut into
small pieces
1 cup dried bean thread noodles, separate and soak in warm
water for about 35 minutes, drain, then cut into 4 inch lengths
2 tablespoons of one of the following wood ear mushrooms,
cloud ear mushrooms, silver ear or shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup baby bok choy
3 green onions, sliced thinly diagonally
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in a small pot over a small to medium flame until
hot, add the garlic and shallots, stir until the aroma makes
you smile. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add
the noodles, mushrooms and cook until the chicken turns white
(about 5-7 minutes). Add the rest of ingredients and cook
until the veggies are wilted (about another 2 minutes). Garnish
and serve
For more hip and groovy recipes, you can visit our recipes
page on our website at http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com/RECIPE.HTML
Hope to see you soon!
Keith & Sue
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast
938 Center St.
Douglas, Michigan
http://www.sherwoodforestbandb.com
800-838-1246
P.S. Peace on Earth
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