I'll Take a Side of Sestina, Please
Talk about an appropriate place to start this week's newsletter: You know how I love my poetry. Give me a sonnet, a haiku, a cinquain, a limerick, even, and I'm in versification la-la land. So I'm practically apoplectic that the biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival is finally upon us. The largest poetry event in North America, the festival is a four-day celebration that has been called "poetry heaven" by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass; "a new Woodstock" by the Christian Science Monitor; and simply "Wordstock" (simply brilliant) by The New York Times. It immerses audiences and nearly five-dozen internationally acclaimed poets in readings, discussions, and conversations focusing solely on poetry. (There's storytelling and music, too.) And this year is no exception: A veritable who's-who of world-renowned poets will be there, including Billy Collins, Oliver de la Paz, Rita Dove, Galway Kinnell, and Sharon Olds. And you know what that means: I am totally geeking out. Festival is from Thursday, October 7 through Sunday, October 10. Single-day, weekend, and four-day passes are available. New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center Street, Newark; 1.888.GO.NJPAC or dodgepoetry.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8:
Back Check, Fore Check, Paycheck
Like my lingo? Can you tell I live with an ice skater? Well, he would never forgive me if I didn't make it clear that he is, in fact, an ice hockey player and not a skater of the figure kind. But it truly doesn't matter what species of skater you are, if you're interested in hitting the ice with a bunch of like-minded folk, then you should breeze on over to the Princeton Skating Club Open House at the Princeton Day School rink. Founded in 1933, The Princeton Skating Club encourages a lifelong enjoyment of ice skating for all ages and stages. Families appreciate the opportunity to develop friendships and involve their children in shared interests, whether on the skating rink or gathering for the Club's many social events, and members have the opportunity to skate at top-quality facilities including the Lisa McGraw Rink at PDS and Baker Rink at Princeton University. Tonight, find out what it means to be a member, take a lesson, and skate with others who promise not to make fun of you regardless of your skill level (to wit, I have a four-year-old nephew who's more dexterous on the ice than I am, and that's not a compliment for the little guy at all). Open house is from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Admission is free; skate rentals will be available. Princeton Day School, 650 Great Road, Princeton; princetonsc@aol.com or princetonskatingclub.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9:
Artists in Action
Now, I may know how to piece a coherent sentence together, but put a lump of clay or a paintbrush in my hands, and I'm utterly useless (even my stick-figure drawings are pathetic). Perhaps all I need to jump-start that latent artistic talent is some good, solid inspiration (and maybe a lesson or 10), and this weekend, the best place to start is Hopewell: The third annual Hopewell Tour des Arts is a self-guided, open tour of more than 30 artists' studios in and around the Hopewell area. Whether sculpture's your bag (Ayami Aoyama and Rory Mahon), photography is your passion (India Blake), or painting is your preferred method of expression (Ellie Wyeth), there's something (and someone) to satisfy everyone's senses on this art-jaunt, which kicks off at the Hopewell Train Station. Tour is Saturday, October 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is free; tour maps are available at the train station and Brothers Moon restaurant on West Broad Street, or online. Hopewell Train Station, 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell; 609.333.9393 or hopewellarts.com. 

Shakespeare & Friends
Oh, how I do love me a little bit of The Bard, and let me count the ways. Nothing gets me going like a lovelorn young couple, some "prithee tell me's" and "where art thou's," and the tomfoolery of the resident cockeyed barkeep. Or, in the case of The Complete World of Sports (Abridged), some serious comedy presented by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. After applying its fast and funny approach to Shakespeare, the History of America, The Bible, Western Civilization, and All the Great Books, the bad boys of abridgement are now sprinting through the world of sports (armed only with iambic pentameter) at record-breaking speed: Is bowling really a sport? What about poker or competitive eating? Which is more boring: baseball or cricket? Why is curling in the Winter Olympics? It promises to be a marathon of madness and mayhem as the world's great sporting events are shrunk down to theatrical size. Not convinced yet? Let me just say that Shakespeare has never been so accessible, so outrageous, or so downright hilarious. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $32 and up. Matthews Theatre at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton; 609.258.2787 or mccarter.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10:

Party Like It's 10/10/10!

Without a doubt, one of my go-to spots in Princeton is one that you can get into virtually free of charge (you won't be able to score one of those delish croissants in the café for a song, but no matter). Since having my Scooplet, I've been frequenting the stacks at The Princeton Public Library, and I'm pretty much head over heels for the place: From its vast (and current) selection of books, DVDs, and other media; to its cozy, inviting aesthetic; to that phenomenal aquarium on the children's floor, it's a real oasis for those of us who require a respite from the bustle of our booming little town. And what better way to honor one of the coolest places in the area then to join the celebration in honor of its 100th birthday? A full day of events is slated to fete the athenaeum, including a 5K Fun Run at 9 a.m.; the Princeton High School Studio Band at 1 p.m.; children's entertainer Joel Frankel at 1:45 p.m.; WPST-FM live broadcast at 2:30 p.m.; a birthday-cake cutting at 4:15 p.m. (uh, did someone say, "cake?"); Chris Harford and His Band of Changes at 4:15 p.m.; Princeton Pro Musica Chamber Ensemble at 1 p.m.; the American Boychoir at 2 p.m.; Princeton High School a cappella groups at 3 p.m.; and the Princeton Girlchoir at 4 p.m. And the best part? Two of my favorite characters, Pat the Bunny and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, will be lounging in the first-floor fireplace area from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cake and overfed caterpillars aside, it's truly an occasion that's not to be missed. The party begins at 9 a.m. Admission is free. The Princeton Public Library and Hinds Plaza, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton; 609.924.8822 or princetonlibrary.org.

Food For Thought
As if I require a good reason to strap on the old feedbag (truly, any mediocre reason will do), the lovely hamlet of Lawrenceville has just provided me with a fabulously delicious raison d'être for getting my grub on. The fifth annual "Taste of Lawrenceville" honors the working farms in the area and their loyal patronage by Lawrenceville restaurateurs and citizens with a fabulous food-for-all. And this year's theme, "Our Bountiful Fields," is no exaggeration, as the event includes tastings from Main Street restaurants and area farms such as Acacia, Chambers Walk Café (they catered my wedding and people are still talking about how scrumptious the arctic char was), Enzo's La Piccola Cucina, Leonardo's, Maidenhead Bagel, Purple Cow, Vidalia Cucina con Passione, Village Bakery (best cupcakes ever), Cherry Grove Farm, Cherry Grove Organic Farm, Gravity Hill Farm, Griggstown Quail Farm, Terhune Orchards (cider donut, anyone?), Z Food Farm, and Village Farms. With wine compliments of Renault Winery and live bluegrass and Celtic fiddling by local band Riverside, it's going to be one wild rumpus of foodstuff and fun. Let the eating games begin! Event is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Registration is required; fee is $45 and proceeds will benefit Lawrenceville Main Street. Abbott Dining Center, The Lawrenceville School, 2500 Main Street; 609.219.9300 or lawrencevillemainstreet.com.

ON THE RADAR: DINING BY DESIGN AT THE ARTS COUNCIL
Last year, I had the pleasure of making this "to-do" my first big night out after my daughter was born, and it was a great way to re-enter the world of the semi-functioning. Dining by Design, the Arts Council of Princeton's signature fall fundraiser, truly marries all of the best things that our town has to offer: great art, great company, and great food. This year's theme, Dining by Design: La Soirée Surréaliste, celebrates the surrealist art and cultural movement of the 1920s (think René Magritte, Joan Miró, and Man Ray) and sets the tone for the festivities to come. The evening kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with a gala reception at the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies campus (199 Grandview Road, Skillman), where you can bid on the "Dream Dinner" silent auction to have a master chef come into your home to create a personalized gourmet meal experience (oh, be still my beating heart). At 7:30 p.m., everyone departs for their designated Princeton-area private homes for dinner and an artistic presentation. At last year's event, I had the pleasure of experiencing a talk given by a local artist who shared some wonderfully candid insight into her work and her process, followed by a scrumptious, three-course meal. It's true that my husband and I were a little bit shy about breaking bread with people we hadn't met yet, but we quickly made friends with our tablemates between mouthfuls of stuffed pork and warm, caramel-drizzled apple cobbler (the memory of which still makes my mouth water). The combination of the artwork and the food just effortlessly brought us all together, like a great creative "kumbaya." Sounds intriguing, no? Well, if you need further motivation, Dining by Design, now in its ninth year, raises the important funds needed to support the Arts Council's community education programs including ArtReach and Arts Exchange for at-risk youth. Sounds like a win-win (and a yum-yum) to me. Tickets are $175 per person. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

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