We've Got Shopping Nights to Support Local Schools, but Maybe You Might Want to Just Come Out to Cheer on Some Reading Kids

Come hear local kids read this weekend at Boswell. Some will be reciting from their favorite books, while others will read their own compositions.

A portion of designated sales (at least 10%) goes back to the school. You must tell us at the front desk because you purchase goes to the school instead of to Boswell Benefits. We'll have a reminder at the front counter.

St. Robert School

Saturday, December 5th

10:30 AM

Maryland Avenue Montessouri School

Sunday, December 6th
4 PM-8 PM

We've also got a program with the Shorewood SEED program later in December.

MAM has had their artwork in the store for the last few weeks. There's cityscapes, Aboriginal art, and inspiration from Click, Clack, Moo. Enjoy some samples here, but it's much cooler in person.

It's so much fun to have in the store--thanks to everyone at MAM for putting this exhibition together, especially Jenni.

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Watch Sherman Alexie on the Colbert Report.

His book's not available on Kindle. Find out why Alexie (alternately known as "my hero") is dubious about the magic bullet of ebooks.

Bolzano Artisan Meats are getting press all over the place. Read this interview with Scott Buel in Onmilwaukee.com. Buel is sampling at tomorrow's (Friday, 12/4) Farmers and Artisans Market, in conjunction with Eric Dregni's Never Trust a Thin Cook.

Roll Call: Bakopoulos, McInerney, Carver, Dregni

These would be Tweets, but I feel bad about abbreviating...

He was once Wisconsin's, but Iowa has him now. Dean Bakopoulos picks his musical faves in The New York Times Paper Cuts blog.

I can't wait to read his new novel, My American Unhappiness, still now in the Ingram database, but sure to show up very soon...I can feel it!

What is in the database from Dean? A novel called Harmony, with a pub date of September 2009 and one copy on order. I think this might be an old incarnation of MAU.

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Booksellers recently got a note from Jay McInerney about the 25th anniversary edition of Vintage Contemporaries and Bright Lights, Bit City, the breakout book from the launch that brought "second person" to the masses.

Since one of Raymond Carver's collections was also among the launch titles, it of course comes up in Carol Sklenicka's new biography (Thursday, 7 PM). Do you know how acquiring editor Gary Fisketjon come across McInerney's work?

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I'm finally breaking down and buying the store a projection screen. We had one at one point at Schwartz, but alas, it disappeared. We'll need it for Friday, when Eric Dregni shows slides of his Italian adventure for Never Trust a Thin Cook. I can't remember how we handled his Norwegian slides for In Cod We Trust. I think we made him bring his own.

Farmers and Artisans Market Tomorrow, next Friday, and Sunday, 12/13

Angela is a long-time customer (Schwartz and now us) who is full of ideas. Having a previous life as a foodservice rep, she now sells plants and soap and other goodies at farmer's markets. To me, she's like Milwaukee's own Maryjane Butters (alas, I show a picture of the jacket of the Maryjane book for reference, but we don't have a copy in stock).

Though I passed for this year on selling books at one of the local farmer's markets, her thought to bring a market to our store seemed to interesting to pass up.

With the local market season coming to an end, there were a lot of vendors who had no place to sell their wares. And from selling at Zeidler Square, Brookfield, and other markets, Angela had the contacts to put this together.

We've got maple syrup, mittens, jewelry, handmade cards and more. Ela Orchards will be set up outside in our vestibule. All vendors have their market certifications and permits, and use to-code coolers when necessary.

Not every vendor could do every market, so for example, Scott Buer of Bolzano Artisan Meats will only be at Friday's market, sampling Speck prosciutto and other dry-cured meats, in conjunction with our talk/slideshow from Eric Dregni, based on his book Never Trust a Thin Cook.

Oh, and here's another thing. Like the Dwellephant program last spring, we're not charging booth space or taking a percentage of gross. Not that I don't need the revenue, but so do these folks, and I'm taking the chance that this will build traffic, community, and relationships. And hey, we've got the space. We'll see if it works!

If you're thinking of making a day of it, you might want to go to the world-famous Art Vs. Craft program at the Humphrey Rites Masonic Center on Van Buren Street, on the northeast corner of downtown. Faythe Levine, the organizer, is force behind the documentary Handmade Nation. Hey, we've even still got a few signed copies of her book.

And if you're going to Art Vs. Craft from out of town, we're pretty much a straight shot northeast along Prospect, a little over 2 miles away. Back when I lived on Juneau and Van Buren, I used to walk to Downer Avenue pretty regularly. It's about 45 minutes. Obviously, it depends on the weather. We're also on the same bus line, the 30. But it's only door to door if you take the "Downer" 30. The "Maryland" 30 (they alternate) means a 5 minute walk east on Webster Avenue (where you'd get off, it's the stop after Bradford. Ask the driver.)

Just to sum things up, here's when we're hosting the vendors:

Saturday, November 28th, 11 AM-4 PM

Friday, December 4th, 5 PM-8 PM

Sunday, December 13th, 12 Noon-4 PM.