Creative Kids and Spooky Mini-Piñatas

The Aurora Hills Branch Library’s Kids Club celebrated the end of October and Halloween with Piñata Pumpkins. Some kids chose traditional designs and ways to apply tissue paper, while others tried different methods to create excellent monsters. As usual, the creativity of our kids amazes us.

For younger siblings, we also had a pumpkin template to decorate, but many of the older kids made one too!

Take a look at the piñatas we made:

 

Learn more about Kids Events at the Library.

 

Is Your Edible Book a Masterpiece? These Pros Will Help Us Decide.

Saturday Dec. 1, you’re invited to submit an edible creation based on a book, character or title to the Library’s first edible book contest. Bring your entry to the the Cherrydale Branch Library between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.  Puns are encouraged!

Professional bakers David Guas of Bayou Bakery and Justin Stegall of Bakeshop will be judging the contest.  They will be evaluating entries based on creativity, wit, and visual appeal.

 

Justin Stegall

Owner and Baker at Bakeshop in Clarendon. 

Before the shop doors opened for the first time, Bakeshop consisted of Justin baking out of a tiny kitchen, doing custom orders and delivering around the DC area – all while pushing his conventional oven to the limits working on a menu that would feature childhood favorites and American classics for his future hometown shop. After finding a perfect little spot in a nice Clarendon neighborhood, Bakeshop was built from scratch.

Justin says “I have a major sweet tooth, so this line of work was a no-brainer. My mom got me started at a young age, letting me measure out her dry ingredients. Turned out I enjoy sifting flour. I’m happiest when Mom is in the shop baking with me. Wearing shorts everyday and cookies right out of the oven are also major advantages of the job.”

 

David Guas

Executive Chef and Owner of Bayou Bakery in Courthouse. 

Guas’  particularly appealing dessert style is best described as ‘elegant comfort food,’. His first cookbook, DamGoodSweet – Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style, was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks” of the year in 2009. This year he is a finalist for the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the American Category.

A Louisiana native, Guas brings his love of the outdoors (hobbies include riding his Harley, hunting and fishing) and fresh ingredients (he’s fascinated by local honey) to his work.  In November 2012 he was featured in an 8-page spread in Food & Wine Magazine, and has earned accolades and recognition from such exalted sources as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Esquire, Pastry Arts and Design and Food Arts magazines.

 

 

 

Mark Dimunation, chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress, reflects on 88 remarkable titles that changed the way we think.

Dimunation was among a group of historians, literary experts, curators, poets and scientists that selected the books–from Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” to Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat”– featured in the recent Library of Congress exhibition designed to spark conversations about the significance of literature.

The list even includes “The Joy of Cooking” and “Alcoholics Anonymous.”

All were written by Americans.

Bring your own list for what should be a most provocative evening.

Learn more about Author Talks at the Library.

 

 

 

Michael Novak in Siganture’s “God of Carnage”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kte-L2XvIs[/youtube]

Brownstein is a well recognized local actor (he was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 2007 for “Assassins”) – who we were impressed to learn also holds a busy day job.

Interviewed by Signature Theatre Education Director David Zobell, at the Shirlington Branch Library on May 7, 2012.

 

Learn more about Theater Events at the Arlington Public Library.

 

Bring a teen, a friend, your neighbor and/or your spouse to a discussion about marijuana use in Arlington.

The panel includes:

Emergency room M.D.
Scientist from the National Institute on Drug Abuse
Arlington police officer
Young adult in recovery who will talk about his journey with high school substance abuse
You’ll leave this discussion with ideas about how you can make a difference in your family and community.

This program is sponsored by the Arlington Teen Network Board and R.E.A.D.Y Coalition, a project of the Arlington’s Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families.

What Caldecott Award-winning book did this illustration come from?

In recognition of the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Award in January, we’re holding a “Guess That Caldecott” contest!

Do you recognize this illustration, from the first 25 years of the Caldecott? Submit your answer by 9:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9:

• Use the online form
• Visit the Central Library Youth Services Desk

The winner of our contest will receive a copy of the book that wins the 2013 Caldecott. In the event that there is more than one correct answer, we will determine the winner through a random drawing of all correct answers.

There will be two more opportunities to participate:

• The 2nd illustration will be posted on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, with a submission deadline of Thursday, Jan. 3. T
• The 3rd illustration will be posted on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013, with a submission deadline of Sunday, Jan. 27.

 

Need a hint? Check out our Countdown to Caldecott page for a running list of the previous winners!

 

Gibbs is All Ears for Paws-to-Read

Paws-to-Read is a program where kids practice reading to dogs, which allows them to develop their reading skills with an adorable, nonjudgmental reading partner.

The Shirlington Branch Library hosts Paws-to-Read on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Parents can register elementary age kids for a 15 minute time slot by calling 703-228-6545.

 

Learn more about Paws-to-Read at the Arlington Public Library.

 

Patterns, Fabric Paint and Our Favorite Characters

On Nov. 14 Ms. Nico from Central joined us at the Aurora Hills Branch Library Kids Club to help us paint T-Shirts.

We enjoyed exploring our inner fashion designer using popular book characters, creative patterns, and fabric paint.

Take a look at the fun we had:

 

Learn more about Kids Events at the Library.