Becoming Jane Eyre

Feeling literary? If so, grab your fountain pen and bonnet, and join Labyrinth Books in Princeton for a reading by Sheila Kohler from her book Becoming Jane Eyre. Kohler's beautifully imagined tale of the Bronte sisters and the writing of Jane Eyre delicately unravels the connections between one of fiction's most indelible heroines and the remarkable woman who created her. The reading begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be introduced by famed author Joyce Carol Oates. Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street, Princeton; 609.497.1600 or labyrinthbooks.com.

 

*Editor's Note: This is a re-post of a listing from last week's newsletter. In my haste to get you the most up-to-the-minute information as soon as humanly possible, I included this reading under last Thursday's events when it is, in fact, happening this Thursday. So, my humblest apologies to all those who showed up at Labyrinth Books in their waistcoats and cravats.

In the Kitchen
Imagine being able to easily convince your child that eating delicious and healthy, homemade foods was cool? Wholesome Kids Cook™ offers all-natural and organic cooking classes for children and their parents, focusing on seasonal and locally grown foods. Now you can experience it for yourself with a free sample class of "Let's Cook, Kids: Cooking Naturally with Mommy & Daddy," a new parent-and-child cooking class program for preschoolers (ages 3-5). Two sessions offered at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Registration is required for free sample class. Tiger Hall Activity Center, 53 State Road, Princeton; 609-937-5215 or info@wholesomekidscook.com to pre-register, or visit wholesomekidscook.com for class schedule and details.

Friday:

For Art's Sake

Indulge in the local arts at the Straube Center in Pennington with "Winter  Art Show," a group show featuring works by photographer Richard J. Carroll; painter Katherine B. Strong; sculptor Charles McCollough; photographer Cathy Conroy; painter and photographer Lauren Curtis; painter Nicole Fredrickson; painter Nancy Herrington; and painter David Lehman. Opening reception tonight 5-7 p.m. The exhibition will be on view through February 26. Admission is free. Straube Center, 100 and I-108 Straube Center Boulevard, Pennington; 609.737.3322 or straubecenter.com.

Food for Thought

Learn about the heroes all over the world who are changing the way we eat with Fresh, a film that celebrates the farmers and business people reinventing our food system. Hosted by The Waldorf School, the screening will be followed by a discussion with Caroline Phinney, a biodynamic farmer at Orchard Farm Organics in Princeton. Screening begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5. The Waldorf School, 1062 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton; 609-466-1970 or princetonwaldorf.org.

La Dolce Vita

Discover for yourself why Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, and other Italian masters became national heroes of their land of song with "Winter Festival: Italy, Land of Song and Expression." With the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, guest conductor David Wroe, and the Schola Cantorum on Hudson chorus, this concert celebrates Italy's operatic heritage with instrumental excerpts and choruses from the greatest Italian opera composers, including Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Rossini and several others. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 to $55. Patriots Theater, War Memorial, Trenton; 800.ALLEGRO or njsymphony.org.

Saturday:

Leap Phrog

Need some help keeping that resolution to actually see the inside of a gym in the new year? Phrog Personal Training is opening its studio to the unmotivated masses for a day of healthy living. Enjoy a free nutrition seminar, food and refreshments, zumba and other specialty classes, and great gift bags. With a slate of fantastic trainers, no membership fees, and a space so gorgeous, you won't want to leave, Phrog Fitness makes personal fitness accessible and fun. Mention Princeton Scoop, and you'll get a free personal training session. No excuses! Open house from 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Phrog Personal Training, 376 Wall Street, Princeton; 609.683.0042 or phrogfitness.com

The Final Frontier

Warm up your Saturdays this winter by learning about hot topics such as fusion energy, the first electromagnetic machine, and cell-to-cell communication among bacteria. These and other topics will be featured in the 2010 Science-on-Saturday lecture series at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Geared toward high school students (but open to everyone), this week's lecture is entitled "An Earthling's Guide to Photographing Extrasolar Planets" given by Professor Paul Kalas, Associate Adjunct Professor Astronomy Department, University of California-Berkeley, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Mountain View, California. Awesome. Series now through March 13. Doors open at 8:15 a.m.; lecture begins at 9:30 a.m. Admission is free. Gottlieb Auditorium, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, James Forrestal Campus, Plainsboro; pppl.gov.

Sunday:

Culture Club

I feel it's my responsibility to remind everyone that we live within steps of one of the leading university art museums in the country...and artwork that one typically associates with museums in New York, London, and Paris. The Princeton University Art Museum offers an impressive range of art from ancient to modern times, including American and Western European painting and sculpture and a growing collection of 20th-century art. And just so you are guaranteed to see all of the museum's "greatest hits," docent-led "Highlights Tours" are available every Sunday afternoon. So, turn off Jersey Shore and go get yourself some culture. Tour begins at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Princeton University Art Museum; off of Nassau Street, Princeton; 609.258.3788 or artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Walkabout

Conversely, if you feel like you just need to get some fresh air, then join the Historical Society of Princeton for a 1.9-mile, two-hour walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus. Learn about historic sites in the area, including Bainbridge House, Nassau Hall, the University Chapel and Palmer Square; the early history of Princeton; the founding of the University; and the American Revolution. Just some of the stories from Princeton's rich history that will reveal themselves on this engaging tour. Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 6 to 12; children age 5 and under are free. No reservations required. Tour begins at 2 p.m. Meet and purchase tickets at Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton; 609.921.6748 or princetonhistory.org.