My Kind of Holiday, Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day!

February 5, 2016December 23, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

The first Saturday of February is officially International Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! I have to say that this is a holiday I can really get behind. Ice cream is one of my favorite foods. Even after spending five summers of my younger days working in a mom and pop ice cream store, I never tired of ice cream. Just typing this has me craving a treat. I do not care if it is steamy hot outside, or so cold that I am huddled on the couch with several blankets, I still am always up for ice cream.

So how am I going to celebrate without letting my kids know that I relish the idea of ice cream for breakfast? Perhaps I will be sneaky and have hot chocolate with a dollop of ice cream rather than my usually coffee that morning. Maybe I will be nice, and a little ambitious, and do a waffle bar or something that will allow for ice cream and whip cream in the early morning hours. Of course, that would require me finding that waffle iron that was a wedding gift ten years ago, which I do not remember having seen since our last move.

Not sure how you want to celebrate this fun and silly day? Well, if I could I would just bust out the ice cream and enjoy. However, if you need to be a little more subtle, like myself, here are some books with recipes and ideas that might get you started.

The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, and More by Bruce Weinstein

Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield with Nancy J. Stevens

No-churn Ice Cream: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats by Leslie Bilderback

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts by Jeni Britton Bauer

Ruby Violet’s Ice Cream Dream: Ice Cream, Sorbets, Bombes, and More by Julie Fisher

G elato!: Italian Ice Creams, Sorbetti & Granite by Pamela Sheldon Johns

Coolhaus Ice Cream Book: Custom-Built Sandwiches With Crazy-Good Combos of Cookies, Ice Creams, Gelatos & Sorbets by Natasha Case & Freya Estreller

Celebrate the South Asian Cultural Festival with Us!

February 3, 2016January 28, 2016 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Throughout the months of February and March the library will be hosting a number of events celebrating the cultures and traditions of Southern Asia. Here’s peek at some of the scheduled events:

Bhangra Dance Lesson and Performance on February 13th at 2:00 PM
Enjoy a short performance followed by a fun hour-long lesson in the vibrant, high-energy style of Bhangra, a traditional folk dance performed in the Punjab region of South Asia with modern influences from modern pop and hip-hop styles. Performance and lesson provided by Yale’s Jashan Bhangra dance troupe.Kathputli Puppet Making (takes place at Artsplace, ) on February 16th at 4:00 pm
Puppets are an ancient and popular form of folk entertainment in India. In this workshop, children will make kathputli, a type of puppet originating from Rajasthan.

Explore the Art of Henna on February 27th at 2:00 PM
Tweens and teens–interested in the art of henna? Learn the cultural roots and the different styles of henna from Jamilah Zebarth, of Jamilah Henna Creations, who will also demonstrate the art on you! (Henna is a plant based dye that safely stains the skin for 1-2 weeks.)

Zokkomon Movie on March 16th at 4:00 PM
Please join us for the first live-action film from Disney Studios India designed to give Indian kids their first superhero. [Abandoned by his heartless uncle (Anupam Kher) and aided by a street artist (Manjari Fadnis), an orphan (Darsheel Safary) discovers his inner hero. Rated PG.] Following the film we’ll have snacks and a lively discussion with Cheshire resident Hetal Radia!

India Travelogue: Sharing the Spirit of India on March 16th at 6:30
Visit with John McClain for an adventure through India. Come experience the sights and sounds of this beautiful and complex country- see India through an authentic and vivid lens, to which no travel book can compare!

Stan Scott and the Rangila Ensemble: Classical, Folk, and Devotional Music of North India on March 19th at 2:00 PM
This concert will feature a broad range of styles, including the enchanting melodies and rhythms of Indian classical music, folk songs celebrating love, work, social life and worship in Bengal, Bangladesh, Assam and Meghalaya, and devotional songs of the great medieval Hindi poets. The lively rhythms of Indian folk songs provide a complementary contrast to the contemplative mood of Hindustani classical music. Sponsored by the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Indian Cooking Demonstration on March 23 at 6:00 PM
Madhu Gupta will introduce Indian cooking techniques, highlighting the regional differences in regards to spicing, flavors and recipes. Born in India, Madhu’s father’s career allowed the family to visit and experience the unique regions of India. She will introduce Indian cooking techniques to make simple salads, appetizers and a variety of curries and will demonstrate that Indian cooking is not always hot and spicy but that the flavor is determined by balancing the ingredients.

A Celebration of Holi and Rangoli Craft on March 24th at 4:00 PM. Participate in an Artsplace workshop at the library making traditional rangoli patterns. Then celebrate the colorful festival Holi with Cheshire resident Hetal Radia.

For more information on any of the programs, or to register for a program please visit our events calendar. If you would like to research some of the recipes, art, or other culture wonders that we will be sharing check out these great resources: Mehndi: the Timeless Art of Henna Painting by Loretta Roome, Recipe and Craft Guide to India by Khadija Ejaz, At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, & Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey, Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent by Jeffrey Aldford & Naomi Duguid, The Kids’ Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fun Around the World by Deanna F. Cook, and East & Southeast Asia by Steven A. Leibo among others.

Here Comes The Bride

February 1, 2016December 23, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

roses

When you think of February, you think Valentine’s Day. So it’s no surprise that February is National Weddings Month. More couples get engaged this month than any other and while it’s not a popular month for actual weddings, it is the month when all the planning starts.

Some fun facts:

Average engagement lasts 16 months.
Average engagement ring costs $4,411.
Average age of couple – Bride, 27 Groom, 29
Most popular months to marry are (in order) June, August, September, October, May.
Average number of guests at a wedding – 175.
Average cost of wedding – $26,000.

If you’re planning a wedding – (or are hoping to get engaged this month!) – the Cheshire Library has a wonderful section of books to help you plan.

A sampling:

Stylish Weddings: 50 simple ideas to make from top designers

Style me pretty wedding: inspiration & ideas for an unforgettable celebration

Do it for less! Weddings: how to create your dream wedding without breaking the bank

The Knot guide to destination weddings

The Knot complete guide to weddings in the real world

The Knot book of wedding flowers

Simple stunning weddings

Handcrafted weddings: over 100 projects & ideas for personalizing your wedding

Simple Stunning Wedding Flowers

The Best Wedding Reception Ever!

For additional books, click here.

And if you just want to snuggle on the couch with your favorite beverage and just read about weddings, here are a few fiction titles for you to enjoy.

Four Weddings and a Fireman – Jennifer Bernard – Firefighter Derek “Vader” Brown is determined to get to the bottom of Cherie Harper’s ambivalence toward him, while Cherie fights to keep a nightmare from the past from interfering with her passion for Derek.

Beautiful Day – Elin Hilderbrand – Gathering on Nantucket for a wedding planned to the letter by the bride’s late mother, the Carmichaels and the Grahams hide their scandal-ridden, crumbling lives from the blissfully unaware happy couple.

The Christmas Wedding – James Patterson – Relates the story of Gaby Summerhill, a widow planning a holiday wedding to a groom whose identity remains a surprise to her four children.

Vision in White – Nora Roberts – Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot falls into the arms of safe, stable English teacher Carter Maguire as relief from the onslaught of bridezillas, but soon begins to wonder if what began as a casual fling could blossom into her own happy ending.

A Wedding in December – Anita Shreve – Gathering to attend a wedding in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, seven former classmates find the reunion marked by the death of a spouse, a traumatic past event, a shocking secret, and health issues.

A Common Life: the wedding story – Jan Karon – The creator of the Mitford stories goes back through time to relate the wedding of Father Tim Kavanagh to Cynthia Coppersmith.

Late for the Wedding – Amanda Quick – Regency sleuths Lavinia Lake and Tobias March stumble into the middle of a deadly mystery as they become caught up in the search for a killer who targets wealthy older men on the brink of marrying beautiful, much younger women.

The Wedding Quilt – Jennifer Chiaverini – Meditating on the weddings she has attended in Elm Creek Manor throughout the years on the morning of her daughter’s wedding day, Sarah McClure evaluates the symbolic features on a wedding quilt designed to display the signatures of beloved guests.

Or how about enjoying a wedding movie? Check out these titles:

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – A young Greek-American woman, changes her life for the better and falls in love with a non-Greek man; now that she has found happiness, she must learn to come terms with her heritage while attempting to get her family to accept her new love.

Rachel Getting Married – A young woman who has been in and out of rehab for years returns home for her sister’s wedding.

Made of Honor – Tom and Hannah have been best friends since college, but when Hannah returns from a trip engaged to another man, Tom realizes he is in love with her and will do everything he can to win her heart.

The Hangover – Doug and his groomsmen head to Vegas for his bachelor party, but when they wake up the next morning with the worst hangovers they have ever had, they realize Doug is missing and no one can recall the events of the past twelve hours.

The Wedding Planner – When a wedding planner falls in love with one of her biggest clients, she must decide whether to plan his wedding, or steal his heart.

Rumor Has It – Upon returning home for her sister’s wedding, Sarah Huttinger discovers that her family may have been the inspiration for the novel behind the classic movie “The Graduate”.

Monsoon Wedding – Love, lust and hope envelop an upper middle-class Indian family and their world-wide guests as they celebrate for four days the arranged marriage of their daughter to an East Indian man from Texas.

The Wedding Date – Unable to deal with having been dumped by the best man at her sister’s future wedding, a young woman hires an escort to act as her boyfriend at the event.

About Schmidt – Warren Schmidt copes with the boredom of retirement, the devastating loss of his wife, and his daughter’s new fiancee.

Happy planning! Happy reading! Happy watching!

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in February

January 29, 2016January 22, 2016 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

February might be the shortest month, but you’d never know it by looking at our Events Calendar! February is chock full of fun and interesting programs just about every day at Cheshire Library. Here are a few highlights:

Sir George and the Dragon by Pumpernickel Puppets

Saturday Feb 6, 2016, 10:30 AM

The Cheshire Public Library is pleased to welcome Pumpernickel Puppets this year for the 5th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day. Join an adventurous princess as she journeys to Mystery Mountain to visit the Great Green Dragon. Along the way you’ll meet Zelda the babysitter, a silly bat, Sir George and his clumsy dog, and of course the lovable dragon. Will Sir George slay the dragon? Not to worry, everything ends happily in this fun show. Ages 3 and up, no registration required.

The Harris Brothers Balkan Band

Sunday Feb 7, 2016, 2:00 PM

Exciting and joyful music that celebrates the culture of the Balkans. Local resident Drew Harris is a member of this popular band! This concert is free and open to the public, no registration required.

Valentine’s Day Read-Aloud with the FEA

Thursday Feb 11, 2016, 3:30 PM

Come read with the Future Educators of America from Dodd Middle School for a special Valentine’s Day Storytime. Please register online or call the library at (203) 272-2245.

Mighty Aphrodite

Thursday Feb 11, 2016, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Come and enjoy a Valentine celebration of chocolate, love, and friendship! Kim Larkin is the owner and chocolatier of a commercially licensed chocolate company located in Connecticut, Klassic Kreations Gourmet. This fun, educational workshop covers interesting topics such as new chocolate trends, the various types of chocolate, the history and health benefits of chococate, and highlights friends and lovers throughout history. Free samples are available to all! Seating is limited, please register online or call the library at (203) 272-2245.

Bhangra Dance Lesson and Performance

Saturday Feb 13, 2016, 2:00 – 3:15 PM

Enjoy a short performance followed by a fun hourlong lesson in the vibrant, high-energy style of Bhangra, a traditional folk dance performed in the Punjab region of South Asia with modern influences from modern pop and hip-hop styles. Performance and lesson provided by Yale Jashan Bhangra. Part of our South Asian Cultural Festival. Lesson: ages 6 – adult. Performance: all ages. No registration required.

Family Concert: Sheri Miller

Sunday Feb 14, 2016, 2:00 PM

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Sheri Miller writes and performs her soulful, Beatles-inspired love songs, while accompanying herself on guitar and piano. She also sings a wide range of popular, classic, love song favorites for families, children, and all ages, including The Beatles, Jackson 5, Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash, among others. This concert is free and open to the public, no registration required.

Stamping

Monday Feb 15, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Crafting ideas are endless with stamps from cards, fabric, scrapbooking etc. Bring your crafty ideas, we will provide the stamps, ink and paper. You may bring your own items to stamp. Please register for this adult program early as space is limited, online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

Italy, A Cultural Journey

Thursday Feb 18, 2016, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Ashley Turney has spent 25 years living, studying and working in the place that she calls her second home. Italy’s 20 regions are each unique in customs, language and cuisine making this small country a true mosaic of cultures. We will explore the regional differences from an eager traveler’s perspective in a slide presentation which takes us on a colorful journey from north to south and even to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Please register online or call the library at (203) 272-2245.

Preschool Fair

Saturday Feb 20, 2016, 1:00 – 4:00 PM

The Cheshire Public Library would like to invite you to participate in our first Preschool Fair on Saturday, February 20. In the event of bad weather, the snow date will be March 12 from 1:00-4:00 pm. This program will allow you to meet and ask questions with preschools in the Cheshire area. Our objective is to provide you support by offering a one-stop-shop to community preschools in order to navigate through endless information regarding school facilities, personnel, and educational philosophies. No registration required.

The Heart of Organizing with Sheri Bertolini

Thursday Feb 25, 2016, 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Sheri Bertolini, a professional organizer, has learned that organizing doesn’t start with trips to a donation center, or by purchasing labels, containers and bins. The first step is to connect with your heart to build a home you love to spend time in, and are proud to show off. With humor and tools to implement her ideas, Sheri will show how to make decisions about what goes and what stays, give you fresh perspective and energy to reorganize your home. Please register online or call the library at (203) 272-2245 ext. 4.

Explore the Art of Henna

Saturday Feb 27, 2016, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Tweens and teens–interested in the art of henna? As part of our South Asian Cultural Festival, learn the cultural roots and the different styles of henna from Jamilah Zebarth, of Jamilah Henna Creations, who will also demonstrate the art on you! (Henna is a plant based dye that safely stains the skin for 1-2 weeks.) Space is limited, Please register online or call the library at (203) 272-2245.

Hidden Treasures on the Lower Level

January 26, 2016December 11, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

When you venture to the lower level of the library it is most likely in search of research, a computer, copier, or fax machine. Maybe you are looking for the current newspapers or magazines, information on a particular topic, or some large print reading materials. However, like every section of the library there are hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered. Here are some great resources you might want to explore.

Biographies
Biographies and memoirs are among the most read nonfiction materials, but they can be hard to find. Thankfully our new signage makes it much easier, but I would like to make it even easier. If you have come down the stairs simply walk around to the opposite side of the stairwell enclosure and you will be facing the beginning of the biographies. They continue on in shelving to the right, both on the wall and in the short wooden bookshelves. Biographies are shelved by the last name of the person the book is about.

Travel Books
Whether you are planning a trip, or just dreaming about getting away for awhile, the travel books are a wonderful resource. This popular collection is another that often gets asked for or missed by browsers. The travel material call numbers are in the 900’s and can be found on the short wooden bookcases near the stairwell.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Materials
These materials are a fabulous resource to anyone looking to learn English, or improve their language skills. These are books about business and every day language use, as well as information about citizenship exams. There are audiobooks as well. The call numbers for these materials all begin with ESL and can be found in the left hand corner of the street facing wall of the building.

Magazines and Newspapers
The current magazines and newspapers have been moved from the upper level to the lower level. Both collections are highly visible after you exit the stairwell, or step off the elevator and walk towards the Reference Desk. However, did you know that we keep older magazines and newspapers for a limited time? The length of time depends on the publication, but if you need a magazine issue from a few months ago, or want to photocopy a newspaper article from last month, it is handy to have these available. The magazines begin right after the adult holiday materials, past the elevator, and continue around to the shelving on the back wall (parking lot side of the building). The older newspapers are shelved right after the magazine back issues.

Gardening and Lawn Care
Adult gardening materials are highly popular in the spring and summer, and are frequently requested. While you might not be thinking about these books yet, there are many valuable resources when it comes to everything related to vegetables, flowers, lawns, shrubs, compost, and so on. These materials are shelved before the rest of the non fiction collection because of the sheer volume and popularity or the information. However, if you did not know where they are, you might walk right past them.

If you cannot find the materials you are looking for, or need help narrowing down your search for the perfect source, please stop by the reference desk. Our Reference librarians know that collection, and its nooks and crannies, and have a number of fantastic resources at their fingertips.