Plan Fourth of July at the Beach

One of our favorite times at the Beach is the Fourth of July. We are usually just getting used to the summer days, Westport is finally bright and noisy with visitors and fishermen, and everyday the giant American flag flies proudly over the Maritime Museum visible from our house miles away.

We love to dress the kids in their matching red, white & blue and head down to the presentation of the colors by the U.S. Coast Guard Grays Harbor at the Maritime Museum. The Old Fashioned Fourth of July is one of those events that makes me thankful as a parent to live in a small town.

This year, according to Westport-South Beach Historical Society president Peggy Coverdale, visitors can enjoy musical entertainment with Captain Pete’s Lollapalooza (Pete Darrah of the Wilapa Seaport Museum & percussionist for the Grays Harbor Banjo Band), a magic show (amazing tricks and outrageous fun with magician Jeff Evans) a cake walk, clowns, children's games, face painting, vendors, a plant sale, silent auction, hot dogs, strawberry shortcake and root beer floats at the former Coast Guard Lifeboat Station.

The 4th will also mark the opening of a special exhibit of limited edition Lighthouses by Harbour Lights. The collection was recently donated by Gretchen and John Lamb of Aberdeen and is valued at more than $10,000. The Destruction Island Lens Building will be open, providing visitors an opportunity to examine a first order Fresnel lens up close. The museum itself will also be open from 10AM until 4PM on July 4.

The Maritime Museum is located in Westport’s Marina District. The Westport-South Beach Historical Society operates the museum and is presenting its 17th annual "Old Fashioned Fourth." Museum admission will be $5 for adults and $2 for children under age 12. There is no charge for admission onto the grounds and access to the events.

When the Maritime Museum's Old Fashioned Fourth is over at 4PM, visitors can enjoy a dinner in one of Westport's many restaurants or stroll on the waterfront, until the Shoalwater Bay Casino presents the South Beach community's spectacular fireworks demonstration. The exhibition will beginning at 10PM in Tokeland—where the fireworks will light up the skies.

We will probably hit the beach after dark, and watch the amateur pyrotechnics go wild with their fireworks, make a fire, and have too many smores. The boys love to eat food they cooked on sticks :) The beach on the 4th, with all the families, the campfires, the fireworks, is quite a sight. Somehow, the next day, it all gets cleaned back up.

Where ever you go on the 4th, have a great one! See ya at the beach!

Ryland Akana from Po'okela Street Band to play in Westport at Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill

This Friday & Saturday night (April 22/23), from 8pm - close, Ryland Akana, lead singer of the Po'okela Street Band will be giving solo performances at the Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill. Bruddah Ry is the originator and front man of PSB, and has been performing professionally for 30+ years. Along with the others in the group, Ry is instrumental in writing and the arrangement of all PSB music. His musical influences stem from from "grass roots" Hawaiian music and artists such as Hawaiian slack-key icon "Pops" Gabby Pahinui, the Sons of Hawai'i and Olomana. His appreciation for contemporary music came from Hawaiian national recording artists Cecilio & Kapono, and Kalapana. The passion for Reggae music was influenced by, none other than the Godfather of reggae music himself, Bob Marley.

During his performances, the Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill will be donating $1 from all Kona draft beer purchases to the Surfrider Foundation to support their Clean Water Classic Surf Contest which will take place in Westport May 13 - 15.

Hawaiian drink and dinner specials will also be offered both nights.

Westport’s 24th Annual World-Class Crab Races & Crab Feed - Saturday, April 16, 2011

It's the 2nd weekend of April and in Westport, that means CRAB RACES!! It brings back memories of my previous life, as a big city dweller, a group of coworkers and I used to go to a place called Brennan's Pub, in Marina del Rey. Every Thursday night Brennan's ran Turtle Races, which was a crazy event where for $1 you could choose a "racing turtle" as your own. Each participant would place their racer down in the center of a circle (on the Brennan's outside patio) and then everyone would yell at their chosen turtle until one of them reached the outside circumfrence, thus being declared the winner. Prizes were awarded out of a giant trash bag, and were not anything you could discuss in polite company. It was crazy, and the liberal vegan that I was at the time found it really wrong. But the beer was cheap, it was walking distance from my office, so I witnessed a lot more Turtle Races than I care to admit.

The point is that this weekend is Westport's version of that event. At the Crab Pavilion, a giant tent set up in the Marina district for this event, anyone can register and borrow a racer crab for $3. When your heat is called, racing human places racer crab on a slanted table and the racing human pounds on the table and yells at his crab and the first crab to slide to the bottom of the table is declared the winner! Again, lots of fun for those who are into it, mixed with possible feelings of conflicted guilt if you're an animal lover, with any misgivings removed by the time you take your first bite of the fresh Dungeness Crab from the Crab Feed.

If this sounds at all intriguing to you, below is the Westport Chamber's description of the event with all the details. Rain or shine, hit the coast for the 24th Annual Westport Crab Races and Crab Feed on Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Festivities are centered at the Crab Pavilion, with admission just $2 per person for live music by Catch of the Day, and the main attraction - "World Class Crab Races!" Then dig into the tastiest, freshest local Dungeness Crab dinner you'll ever have, with all the trimmings (just $10 for half or $15 for a whole portion).

Enter the Crab Pavilion for the event - Westport's World Class Crab Races run from 1pm to 5pm - sign up starts at 11am. Select a racer from one of our field of draft picks ($3 registration gets you a crab that's been training since their last molt), or you can bring your own fresh racing crab if you prefer. Racing registation begins at 11am and the heats start at 1pm. Lots of prices donated by local merchants are up for grabs in this annual fun event.

The crab feed will go from 11am to 5pm. The dinner ($10 for half a crab/$15 for a whole crab) includes assorted salads, baked beans, and garlic bread, plus coffee or a soft drink. Hot dogs and other beverages, including beer & wine will also be available for sale. If you prefer to catch your own, take part in sport crabbing right off the docks or the fisherman's boardwalk any time during the season. Westport is home to the most delicious Dungeness Crab you'll find anywhere in the world.

Winery Eclipse Concert Series Starts on June 26!

Tickets for Westport Winery’s Eclipse Concert on Saturday, June 26 are now on sale. This evening of music, food, wine, art, and lunar magic begins with hors d’oeuvres at 6p.m. The Ericka Corban band will begin playing at 7p.m. Guests may purchase wine, beer, and sodas before and during the concert. This is the first of the winery’s Twilight Concert series held outdoors in the gardens adjacent to the vineyards.

Westport Winery’s much anticipated new red wine Bella, will be released for its first tasting at this event. Bella is a bold blend of Tempranillo, Primitivo, Refosco, Barbera, Merlot and Syrah, barrel-aged to perfection. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this wine benefits the Mt. Rainier Chapter of the American Red Cross.

In addition to music from the Twilight movie, the band will be performing rock, jazz, country, and original songs by Ericka Corban. The other members of her band are Mattaniah on the ukulele and accordion, Mike Peterson on drums and percussion, Jeff Perrin on the bass guitar, and Joe Perry on the electric guitar.

At 6p.m. that evening the Roberts family will unveil the latest commissioned art in their sculpture garden by Mike Peterson a renowned metal artist (and drummer in the band). Peterson elected to create a sculpture for the wine Shorebird Chardonnay. This wine benefits the Grays Harbor Audubon Society.

The price to attend the concert is $20 per person and space is limited. Tickets include the concert and hors d’oeuvres. All ages are welcome at the winery which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for wine, cheese, chocolate and charcuterie tasting. In case of inclement weather the performances may be moved indoors. Westport Winery is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road (halfway between Aberdeen and the Westport ‘Y’). For more information call Westport Winery at 648-2224.

Cranberry Festival Week! Grayland/Cranberry Coast

I love autumn at the beach! The crowds are gone, the air is crisp, and most often, the sun is still out. We have been having the most wonderful late-summer-early-fall weather this year, and the weatherman is forecasting sunny skies through this weekend - Cranberry Fest weekend!

I love Cranberry Festival weekend, for the kitschy community festival, for the cranberry harvest tours, for the bog jog, but mostly, because I am one of those people who will do anything for a blue ribbon, I love Cranberry Fest weekend for the cranberry cookoff. Unfortunately, I will be headed south for a wedding, which leaves the cookie category up for grabs this year :) Haha.

If cooking is not your thing, there are other reasons to head to Grayland this weekend. There are harvest tours (by bus), there is a cranberry eating contest (have you ever tried to eat uncooked, unsweetened cranberries?), a "biggest berry" contest among the farmers, and some farm fresh cranberries to be purchased. There are also food vendors, cranberry crafts, and live entertainment. After you stuff yourself with fair food and kettle corn on Saturday, head to the bogs for a friendly 5k "Bog Jog" to work it off on Sunday morning. There may be nothing nicer than the quiet cranberry bog lined roads of Grayland for a fall workout.

Check out the Cranberry Coast Chamber for specifics!

Cranberry Festival Week! Grayland/Cranberry Coast

Just in time for the 14^th Annual Cranberry Festival the Westport Winery is offering its latest culinary learning opportunity with a class called Cranberry Crazy. On Sunday, October 11, Chef Erin Worth will create, sample, and share five recipes utilizing locally grown cranberries. The five-course menu includes: Cranberry Mulled Wine, Bibb and Butternut Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Cranberry Vinaigrette; Chorizo, Kale and Cranberry Bean Soup, Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread, Ruby Chicken, and Pear-Apple Cranberry Crisp. The price to attend this class is $25 per person or $20 for wine club members. And don’t forget to stop by the winery to taste one of three wines made with cranberries on your way to the Cranberry Festival in Grayland on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11.

Reservations are required to attend this latest culinary adventure. For more information call Westport Winery at 648-2224.Westport Winery is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road (halfway between Aberdeen and the Westport ‘Y’). The winery is open daily, year around from 11am to 6pm.

Crush me, Squeeze me, Make me wine (at the beach)

Are you looking for a grape-stomping good time? Just head to Westport Winery on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 2, 3, and 4 to participate in their annual Crush Me, Squeeze Me, Make Me Wine At The Beach Festival from 11am to 6pm. The winery will provide bins of grapes for you to stomp your way into purple-footed bliss. The featured “stomp grape” this year is Merlot with plenty of fresh wine grape sampling to boot.

On Saturday, October 3 at 5pm the winery will hold their Lucy and Ethyl Look-Alike Contest featuring guest judges...last year’s Lucy and Ethyl. This contest is open to men, women, children, and dogs with one pair of winners selected from each category. All ages are welcome to attend this fun-filled event featuring live music from classical guitarist Scott Lindenmuth along with Italian wedding soup as the hearty repast to get you in the mood of this Tuscan tradition.

This event is free and all ages are welcome at the winery. Wine is available to purchase by the taste, glass, or bottle. Reservations are not necessary to participate in this event just stop by Westport Winery located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road (halfway between Aberdeen and the Westport ‘Y’). For more information call Westport Winery at 648-2224.

This just in... Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill takes home another Blue Ribbon - 1st place at Bite of Seattle

We couldn't be prouder! The Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill bested out 61 other restaurants in a competition judged by 4 independent food critics to take home the #1 entree at Bite of Seattle. Not bad for a little seafood shack on the marina!

Congratulations to brother Donovan & his crew!

If you're in the City this weekend, head over to Seattle Center and give a shout out to Team Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill!

Eastside Street Rod Association Westport, WA Show & Shine

I am lucky enough to be married to a carhound, so anytime we are within sniffing distance of a classic, unique, or otherwise noteworth auto, I get dragged along. As my Dad likes to joke "it's better than a pretty girl to him".

This weekend, July 17 - 19, is a special treat in Westport, because it's the Eastside Street Rod Association's Westport Rod Run.

The Eastside Street Rodders will be hitting Westport in style, parading up and down Westhaven drive and creating a beautiful spectacle of pre-1949 classic automobiles. We will be the lucky ones, watching and peering into windows, and establishing an early love for classics in our 3 year old and 7 month old sons. I'm not sure if there is a specific schedule or times that they drive around, but you can usually catch them mid day on the Marina.

If you're headed to the beach be sure to take a cruise down to the Marina and check out these beauties. If you miss them, they'll be staying at Mc Bee's on the main drag into town, and that's a fun sight as well.

See you at the beach!

Windriders Kite Festival at the Beach in Grayland - July 10-12

It's that time of year, Kite Festival time! I've written before about why I love the Windriders Kite Festival, but there is of course, more to the story than what I noticed in my experience. Evening Magazine profiled Jerry Cannon and the World Champion Sport Kite team, who will be competing at this weekend's Windriders Festival.

The past 2 years I spent most taking photos of the kites, but this year, I will definitely pay more attention to the actual skilled kite flying taking place.

For some details:

The Festival takes place at Grayland Beach Park. For directions, google map "Grayland Beach Road" in Grayland, WA. It's about 5 minutes south from Westport.

It's pretty casual, if you're just there to watch you can drive onto the beach, or park at access road, and just walk around. There is an information booth that opens from noon - 3ish on Friday, 9am -4pm on Saturday and 9am -3pm on Sunday. Those times are approximate and probably vary depending on the volunteers that are working it :) Check out their flyer at the Windriders Club site for a little more information.

See you at the Beach!

Old Fashioned Fourth of July at the Maritime Museum

I am totally late on this one... the whole point of this blog is to get information out to all of you in ADVANCE of things happening, but between the babies and a technical conference I was attending in Seattle last week, I didn't get a chance to post about all the things happening in town on the Fourth of July. But I can't skip it because this is one of those holidays that this town does right. And by this town, I mean the Westport-South Beach Historical Society.

The Old Fashioned Fourth of July at the Maritime Museum is the cutest

small town festival you could ever lay your eyes on. First of all, there is probably no prettier place than the front lawn of the Maritime Museum on a sunny day, secondly, many of the volunteers have been doing this for years, and are the friendliest bunch of seniors you ever met, and finally, the Maritime Museum flies its GIANT American Flag, which just makes it feel like 4th of July.

I love this event for all of those things, but mostly for its unpretentiousness. There are silly little homemade carnival games for the kids. Yes, the prize is a tootsie roll, but yes, my 3 year old still loves it. This is where you take your family to appreciate the simple things. Strawberry

Shortcake, hot dogs, root beer floats, and nothing costs more than a few dollars. The cake walk is a hoot, a real live piano player and people who are geniuinely happy to win a simple home baked cake. The silent auction? Well, okay, this part I actually don't understand, because a lot of the items looks like regifted Christmas presents, more like a garage sale than a silent auction, but hey, nobody's perfect :)

It's great to bring a picnic blanket and just hang out and watch all the people wandering in from the Marina, listen to music, and play a few games. Like everything in Westport, its also very pet

friendly, and there are lots of well behaved four legged friends hanging around watching the action.

This year they added a blues festival to the end of the event, and unfortunately, 2 children under 3 and concerts don't mix, so I have nothing to report. But I highly do recommend this Old Fashioned Fourth of July to all families looking for a slower change of pace on your next Independence Day at the beach!

Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill takes 1st at Taste of Tacoma

This just in... the Half Moon Bay Bar & Grill won 1st place for best entree at the Taste of Tacoma for their crab cakes. If you're in Tacoma today, go check them out!

Better yet, come see us at the beach :)

Pirate Daze are here... 2009 Edition

It's Pirate Daze time, and I'm pretty excited because for the first time, I planned ahead and got my boys Pirate costumes ahead of time (and well, this is the first Pirate Daze for the baby). They look darned cute in their pirate hats, and I've got my fingers crossed that they will actually wear them & smile for my camera. If they do, I'll be sure to innundate you with photos.

Since the Rusty Scupper Pirate website is a little hard to follow, I thought I'd post the schedule of some of the highlighted events here (Note that most activities happen along Westhaven Drive in the Westport Marina District, and you can pick up a "South Beach Bulletin" the free weekly paper and there is an insert with all the details on the Pirate Days Festival):

Friday, June 26, 2009:

12:00 noon, festival opens, Games open in Scallywag Alley

3:00 pm Mini Brig Battle in the marina

4:00 pm B.O.O.M Pirates Show (Black Powder)

4:30 pm Treasure Chest Drawings

5:00 pm Espresso Drama "Shiver me Timbers"

Lady Washington & Hawaiian Cheiftain Tall Ship Tours

6:00 pm Captain Jack Sparrow Look Alike Contest

Saturday, June 27, 2009

10:00 am Festival opens

10am - 1pm Tall ships tours

11:30 am Costume contest for amatuer pirates, wenches & Scallywags

1:00 pm B.O.O.M Pirate Performace

2 - 5 pm Tall Ships Battle Cruise (Boards at 1:30)

6 - 9 pm Tall Ships Battle Cruise (Baords at 5:30)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

10:00 am Festival opens

11:30 Professional Pirate Costume Contest

12:30 noon B.O.O.M. show

So go shiver thy timbers (whatever that means), and have a piratey great time! If you see two adorable little baby boys in pirate costumes with their mama, say hi, it's probably me :)

Westport Winery’s 2009 Bottling and Production Tour & BBQ

Westport Winery’s second free bottling and production tour for 2009 is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7. Bottling will begin at 8am both days and will run until 6pm. The winery already has plenty of volunteers who will be working on the bottling line, so this is simply a chance to come and observe the process while enjoying the scenic vineyards and farm. There is no charge to watch the action and all ages are welcome. Bill Hamlin, of Custom Mobile Bottling in Benton City will again keep the line rolling. You are encouraged come to meet or reacquaint yourself with Bill and see his incredible bottling truck.

The winery will be bottling their 2008 reds including the much anticipated Pinot Noirvana. (This wine will not be released for purchase until September 25 during the Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee’s Lounge Acts weekend.) The winery is also bottling several new fruit blends this weekend for release throughout the summer including Pineapple Express and Dawn Patrol.

As part of the weekend’s open house, guests are invited to enjoy a barbecue picnic from 11am to 3pm. Catered by Sherrie Rust and Jaymie Towle of Westport Event and Wedding Planning, visitors may purchase of lunch of beef bratwurst or hot dogs on hoagie rolls, homemade pasta rotini with fresh vegetables, potato salad, Heath and chocolate chunk cookies, chips, and a beverage. The price for this lunch is $10. Reservations are not required for this fun outdoor picnic.

Vehicle access to the production barn is limited so guests should wear appropriate footwear as the trail to the barn is not paved. Those with mobility issues should check in at the tasting room and someone from the team will escort them to the production area.

The winery is open daily, year around from 11am to 6pm, and after hours by reservation. For more information call Westport Winery at 648-2224. Westport Winery is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road (halfway between Aberdeen and the Westport ‘Y’).

Fleur de Lis Festival for Flag Day at Westport Winery!

Join the Westport Winery in celebrating Flag Day with their Sweet Flag Irises or Fleur de Lis Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14 from noon to 5pm. This free event will highlight all things Francophile in a tribute to the long history of French wine, cheese and chocolate making.

In the new culinary herb garden the Roberts family has built a Petanque Court. The game is similar to Bocce with the goal to throw aluminum balls as close to the “jack” as possible. This is a sport often played in French villages. Throughout the weekend the winery will host a Petanque challenge with prizes for the winners.

This new garden space will increase the area available for the winery’s sculpture garden. Sculpture garden artists will be selling some of their work in the garden in the style of a French market. Classical guitarist Scott Lindenmuth will be playing in the winery’s Gathering Room on both days.

And Chef Erin Worth will offer Fleur de Lis French Onion Soup for those who wish to purchase food while listening to music and tasting wine. A series of French cheeses and chocolates will also be available for tasting and purchase.

All these festivities will be set against the backdrop of the winery’s 10,000 irises (which may or may not be in bloom on this date, but everyone is keeping their fingers crossed.) There is no charge to attend this inaugural Fleur de Lis Festival.

Westport Winery is open daily between 11am and 6pm to guests of all ages and is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road (halfway between Aberdeen and the Westport ‘Y’).

Last Dig of the Season! And the Shorebirds!

Twin Harbors Beach and Long Beach will be open for morning digging May 3-7, while Copalis and Mocrocks will be open only on May 4-5. No digging will be allowed after noon on any beach. Kalaloch Beach will remain closed.

Details at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov

Happy Hunting!!


And if clam digging doesn't float your boat, Grays Harbor will be celebrating the Shorebirds this weekend as well. www.shorebirdfestival.com for more info.

See you at the beach!

Grayland Driftwood Show

The Cranberry Coast Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 46th Annual Driftwood Show on March 15 and 16, 2008 at the Grayland Community Hall. I have wanted to attend this for years, and am looking forward to finally making it this year.

You can purchase a "hunting license" for $3, which entitles you to "hunt" in designated locations on Grayland Beach for a specially marked sand dollar. If you find one, you can exchange it for a glass float. It looks like a lot of fun - who doesn't love a treasure hunt?

Additionally, there will be tons of driftwood, flotsam, jetsam, and the like on display (and being judged for awards). You can enter your interesting driftwood and beachcombing finds, as well as photography on Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning. For more information, check out the Cranberry Coast Chamber's website at http://www.cranberrycoastcoc.com/driftwood2003.html

Good luck!

Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill Winemakers Dinner

Well, this past weekend's clam dig was a bit of a bust, as the weather was cold, gray, and rainy - basically miserable weather for digging in the sand. But it was perfect weather for warming up with a glass (or 5) of wine and a fantastic meal.

I was lucky enough to get to hang out in the kitchen at the Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill's Winemaker's Dinner on Saturday night, and it was a quite a scene. Chef Donny Silver reminds me that his restaurant has consistently received 100% marks from the health department, which makes me feel a lot better about the numbers of meals I eat there. The "back of the house" as those in the know call it, provides an amazing show when they are serving as many meals at one time as they were on Saturday (51 entrees in 25 minutes).

They served a 6 course dinner, which was paired with a selection of 6 different spanish wines - starting with an apertif of marcona almonds and chorizo sausage, a seared scallop on what looked like something yummy, followed by calamari (half moon bay style), a baked goat cheese dish, and then the entree was a choice of (1) seafood paella, (2) new york strip with some kind of creamy blue cheese on it, and (3) rack of lamb. Dessert was a choice of rice pudding, almond flan, or chocolate cake. Mmmmm.... the sights and smells in the kitchen were amazing. Chef Donny and his assistants Jose and Patricia are like artists, putting their special touch on every dish. It was a great experience, and I didn't even have to wash any dishes!

Mushroom Season

It's mushroom season in the NW and if you have been paying attention to the Seattle Times over the past few weeks, you've seen all the mushroom festivals and mushroom stuff going on all over the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula. Last weekend was the Lake Quinault's mushroom festival, which I missed, but looked like a lot of fun.

Here in Westport, the Westport Light State Park, off of Ocean Avenue is a great spot for mushroomers (mushroom hunters?) and on sunny, cloudy, and rainy days alike you'll see the parking spaces along Ocean Avenue full of people in their rain gear headed out to find that special fungi.

We are novice mushroom hunters... okay, not really. But I love to find one close enough to the path that I can see them. This particular one is about 9" around, and almost expected a smurf to jump out and wave hello. I won't pretend to know what its called or if its edible, but it was a treat to find.

The weather is supposed to be great for the next week or so, so come on down to the beach and check it out!

Cranberry Harvest Festival - Recap

It turned out to be a beautiful weekend, with sunny weather in the 60's and the Grayland Cranberry Harvest Festival was a total blast. I was a little disappointed with a 3rd place finish in the cookies and bars category of the cranberry cookoff, but it gives me something to strive for next year :) My dear pal Tim also won third place in the drinks category, for his famous "Manberry", which is a funny name for his Cranberry Manhattan. He put a lot more effort into his entry, reducing the actual berries down to syrup, and then using sugared burbon soaked berries as a beautiful garnish. I'll post the recipe later (if he'll share).

Seriously though, I was shocked with the numbers of people that come out for it, especially the amount of people waiting to take a Cranberry Harvest tour. We weren't feeling up to it with the baby, he's far to antsy these days to settle down on a bus, but we did drive around in our car and watch harvest at several different farms.

Definitely put it on your calendar (October 11/12, 2008) for next year!