Golden Week

9781434292186

In Japan, "Golden Week" is in May, when three major holidays occur within seven or eight days, resulting in people simply taking the whole week or more off to travel or going to work in those one or two days in between and pretending to get something done, but of course, cannot, because everyone else needed to conclude the process is off!

In CarolynChin&LarryDunphyland, Golden Week is in February, when in most years like in 2016, in the course of seven or eight days, we have Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Larry's Birthday and Carolyn&Larry's Wedding Anniversary.  Since the only commemorated day warranting status of Federal Holiday is President's Day which most of us do not have paid time off, and the lead-up to Lunar New Year is anything but fun, this is not the time not to sit back and relax, but to shop, cook and clean, to ponder over the right books to order, and to grit our teeth and decorate the store appropriately.

For more info on Melissa & Doug toys, write Books on First

9781908170736

A Chinese tradition on New Year's Eve is to welcome the New Year with a big spread with lots of good eats, apples which are both red (a lucky color) and have a name which is a homophone of "Peace" (Chinese are big on homophones) and a whole fish (head and tail included). The fish is somewhat cooked but not eaten, because "fish" is a homophone for "plenty" and you certainly don't want to eat your plentiful before the New Year even starts. This year, we asked friend and great chef Mark Framke of Orom Restaurant to cook our fish for us. He was "tenderizing" the Loup de Mer or branzini prior to cooking and thought it would be fun to share the experience. Go to Orom's facebook page to see his video.

Art at Rock River GAP

I had written previously about Mark Framke and artist Sydni Reubin and believe it or not the Rock River GAP.  That's a cool name, considering "GAP" is short for "Golf & Pool."  The name evokes good memories of my only other experience with the use of that word/acronym with water is passing the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania each time we drove east/west between the Midwest and East Coast.  To

Now, I'd like to tell you about Art at Rock River GAP and about Sydni's show (with Bettendorf, IA, paper artist Dawn Wohlford-Metallo), now ongoing until May 2011. The promo for it showcases Larry's favorite, her painting of Mark Framke, executive chef at the Rock River.  So do not miss it live and in person, along with getting a good meal (although the menu is not quite where Mark wants to be yet, we highly recommend the house-made balsamic vinaigrette and potato chips -- not together, but that's just our taste).

Last Call to All Local Writers - Phidian's Contest Closes 15 March

Time is nearing for the close of accepting entries for The Phidian Art Club's 22nd Annual Literary Contest. 

The members work hard to find great judges and are always looking for new and exciting local writers to enter the contest.  Books on First has been tapped for a number of years to sponsor Short Fiction, and does so with enthusiasm.  Winners (first, second and third) receive a small monetary prize presented at a luncheon. The perk for the first prize winning entry has been (and I hope still is) an in-depth analysis/review by the judge on why the piece was clearly above the rest.  I have found that more invaluable than the $$.  In some years, it's so difficult to choose, there are honorable mentions. Let's keep that up!  Entry requirements are available at Books on First and online.

Goodness knows where the Awards Luncheon in May will be held now that Colonial Rose in Grand Detour has closed.  The Phidians might see if Mark Framke will be up and running at the Rock River Country Club by that time.  We just heard he has signed on executive chef position there, but only the 19th Hole will be immediately open.  We look forward to sampling some of Mark's great creative culinary ideas when the dining room opens.  Hey, Mark, a great piece of art for the Club'sdining room would be that wonderful piece of you in the kitchen by your lovely wife Lisa's daughter Sydni Reuben, a fantastic painter (whose website I cannot find, but click here for some work she had done while at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design).  It would showcase both the chef and the artist.