Happy Haul-idays! from Curly Wurly and Chronicle Books!

Chronicle Books, one of my favorite publishers of pop culture books (as well as beautiful children's books, cookbooks, and stationery products), announced recently that they would be doing a Happy Haul-idays contest. Here's the scoop right from the horse's mouth: 'Post a list of Chronicle Books valued at up to $500 that you'd like to haul in, and you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to WIN your list of books! And, one of your readers who comments on the post will win the list too!' May as well, am I right? (I am.) So, following is my Haul-idays entry (which will, if I've done the coding correctly, appear after the jump). If you would like to win this list, too, comment away (all comments will be approved, guaranteed)! [Note: Your winning is contingent upon my winning, just in case that's not clear.]

If you're a blogger, come join the fun. Post your Haul-idays list on your blog, and enter your post on the Haul-idays website. The deadline to enter is December 10th. (As a side-note, Chronicle has a weekend sale: 35% off + Free Shipping with code: FRIENDS)

Read on for my list plus two extra recommendations from their catalogue.

Finally, have a Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers (and a great Thursday to my non-American readers)!

Fascinatin' Rhythm of Cranberries

The bogs are alive with the sound of berries! Cranberries, to be exact. I'll bet you thought the cranberry was a Broadway flop with only one good song: 'All That Juice.' Not so! The cranberry is the holiday showstopper that steals the spotlight from dry turkeys and lumpy gravy. But when you think of these little starlets, are you reminded of the bright lights of Broadway? Probably not. You probably picture humble New England wetlands teeming with these tart hopefuls. You'll be surprised to learn that the cranberry has more Broadway connections that the caricature wall at Sardi's! Eatmor Cranberries (distributed by the American Cranberry Exchange) was headquartered at 90 West Broadway, New York City in the 1930s. In honor of the season, kick off the holiday chorus line with this tart little number: Fascinating Cranberries and How to Serve Them (copyright 1937, American Cranberry Exchange). I know they're ruby red and all, but don't get any of them confused with Ruby Keeler! [Click pictures for large images and full-page views]

Curtain call!


Perhaps Xanadu would have done better if it had a side of Xana-Stewed Cranberry Sauce


Thoroughly Modern Roly-Poly and Victor/Victoria's Criss-Cross Cranberry Pie


Did you have Tapioca for pudding? If so, let's do the Cranberry Tap-tap-tap Tapioca!


Kiss Me Up-Side-Down Cake and, when it's Too Darn Hot, cool off with a Cranberry Juice Cocktail


Meringue is difficult to make, but if you have the Mighty Midas Touch, see if your Bells Are Meringuing. And, from Show Boat (next picture), here's the gelatinous show-stopper, Old Man Quiver.


Oh, What A Beautiful Puddin'! and presenting.. Show Boat (or Peach Boat)!


Someday he'll come along, The Ham I Love. The other dish just reminds me of The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (I'll bet Po' Jud Fry would be looking much better to Laurey if Curly would show up in one of these). Do you see those snow-white salt and pepper shakers overlooking the Surrey? Well, they're not snow-white.. one's like snow, the other's more like milk.


If you're a regular Man of La Muncha, here's a full cranberry meal. If that don't make you Put On A Happy Face, I don't know what will!


Newer Broadway hits include Monty Python's Cranberry Spamelet and The Lion King (known for its song, Circle Of Ice-Box Cake)


Now Broadway is home to some less musical fare, including STOMP. Although if you STOMP too much, you might have to join the Red Man Group.

Happy Thanksgiving from Curly Wurly!

Crafts For Poor People

Fans of the googly eye and breakaway glass take note: best-selling author and wacky craftress, Amy Sedaris, has a new book, Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People, available in stores today. If it's half as good as I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence, it will easily be the best book you buy this year! Lessons include: 'reckless crafting causes eight times the number of accidents caused by faulty glue guns and snakes combined'!

[Amy was also profiled by Vanity Fair. Not surprisingly, we learn that she likes bunnies and googly eyes, and she has a mouse pin with 'shakable eyes'!]