Curious Epicures: The Feast was Fabulous!

I want to send huge thanks out to all of you who attended or helped with the North African Feast for our Curious Epicures event yesterday. It was a glowing occasion, full of laughter, warm light, mesmerizing music, exotic flavors and aromas, beautiful art and most of all, you. The community of SK families, alumni, friends who were there is very special to me; I can't describe the feeling I get when I think about you all together sharing this amazing experience in support of our kids and our school.

There are many people whose hard work made this event the runaway success that it was. Alex Young, the master chef behind Zingerman's Roadhouse, worked with our children to produce the phenomenal meal and was unfailing sweet, kind, warm, generous, and just plain adorable throughout. Thank you, Alex, for making this such a special experience for these children. I know for a fact that it is a memory they will carry with them. My own two boys have worked with you twice now, and you have semi-divine status.

(So go to Zingerman's Roadhouse, people, and if you see Alex, thank him again. And while you're there, have lunch, or dinner, or coffee - the food is pure poetry.)



Julie Martin provided henna art, and she was the sensation of the evening. Upwards of sixty children surrounded her and she decorated them with elegant, exotic designs, and treated them all with her wonderful, warm, gentle sweetness. If you ever want to treat yourself or your friends to a beautiful henna tattoo, her web site is here. Thank you, Julie!


Laith Alattar played the oud as you might hear it in an Arabian Nights story. Our very own Summers-Knoll children followed with singing, playing and dancing from their North African music classes. The wonderful Jan Biliti led them, and Jesse Metcalf-Burton and Renata McAdams danced sumptuously. It is such a treat to work with faculty that have so many varied and fascinating talents! Thank you, Laith, and thank you to all our children and teachers for the gorgeous entertainment.

Thank you also to our sponsors and donors, who made this event possible. Our deep gratitude goes to the following organizations: please thank them by patronizing their business. You can reach their web sites by clicking on their name:

Eat Local, Eat Natural
Whole Foods
Hillers
Kroger
Mighty Good Coffee
Weber's Restaurant and Hotel
Invisible Engines Design
Main Dish Kitchen
Tantre Farms
Maplewood Lanes
Aladdin's Market (no web site for this one, but it is a great little grocery store at 3188 Packard, Ann Arbor 48108)

And of COURSE, Zingerman's Roadhouse and Arbor Henna.



Huge thanks also to our wonderful volunteers:
Students of Pioneer High School
Christine Moellering
Robbin Hitchins - and the amazing support team she brought with her
Anthony Nitsos
The SK faculty

And last but absolutely not least, I want to give a huge shout-out to the incredible team that brought this whole event together. Heidi Robb, Fran Loosen, Karen Bayoneto, Linette Lao, Ruth Marks - your dynamic energy, constant attention to detail, forward-thinking, ability to collaborate and problem-solve, and fantastic good will and generosity made this event happen. You are the Power team, goddesses all. Thank you so much.