BEANS

Coffee Shop Gallery

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We did it!

What a weekend.  We had our own version of Thanksgiving on Saturday night – and in true Thanksgiving tradition, it took a week to get ready.  There were sweet potatoes to cook, pies to make, vegetables to chop and a turkey to buy…. but, somehow, it all came together in the end. 19 people sat down to Thanksgiving dinner a la BEANS and 19 people were actually fed and everything.  Sort of a mini miracle – although, if you’d seen how hard the staff worked, you wouldn’t say it was a miracle at all.  Just the accumulation of everyone’s hard work.  Thank you all!!

And we didn’t stop there.  On Sunday, it was the Stained Glass Christmas course.  There were angels, stars and Christmas trees springing up all over the place.  Cynthia (our specialist stained glass tutor) sure does know how to get production going!

For more pictures, go to our Facebook page, but here are a couple to get you started:

 

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Thanksgiving Dinner

It’s official….  we’re taking the leap and offering our first ever evening meal event at BEANS….  Thanksgiving Dinner.  Thought I’d pick something I’ve had some practice with.  Since moving to England…  30 odd years ago….. Thanksgiving has been a tradition shared between 4 families.  The beauty is that you only have to clean your house once every 4 years.  We all help to bring some food, but the host has the added responsibility of finding seats for everyone.  Now that the kids have partners and kids of their own…  well, let’s just say that the plan is to start hiring a hall from next year.

Our 4 family Thanksgiving Dinner is going to be a bit late this year, as someone is traveling around America as we speak (details chronicled in the BEANS restroom).  The real Thanksgiving is the 4th Thursday of November.  And then, as you would expect, the holiday goes on through Friday and the weekend.  Well, you can’t just go back to work after a meal like that.  Recovery time needs to be factored in.  The BEANS version of Thanksgiving will be on Saturday, 26th November, starting at 7pm.  It is a ticket only event.

The story goes that Thanksgiving is about the Pilgrims (you know, the ones from Scrooby, England) sharing their first harvest with the Native Americans who supplied the seeds and the know-how for growing food in American soil.  The pilgrims arrived ready to plant and grow vegetables in their new homeland, but they had seeds better suited to the English climate.  Out with brussel sprouts and cabbage.  In with corn, pumpkins and sweet potatoes (or something like that).  Parades (with Santa bringing up the rear) and American football matches now help to round out the day.  We won’t be able to offer you those at BEANS, but we should be able to manage to give you that too full feeling that is a key part of the day.

If you’re interested in joining us, details are below.  You can get your tickets from BEANS.

 

Thanksgiving Dinner

Saturday, 26th November 2011.  7pm start.

Starter

Pumpkin soup

Main

Turkey or Mushroom and Lentil Loaf (V)

Sage and Marjoram Stuffing

Roast and Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes with Apple and Brown Sugar

Orange, Walnut, Date and Cream Cheese ‘Jello’ Salad (V option available)

Vegetables

Pudding

Sweet Potato Pie served with Whipped Cream

This event is ticket only.  Price: £15 per person.  

Tickets may be purchased from BEANS coffee shop gallery. 

BEANS is not licensed to sell alcohol, but feel free to bring along a bottle of your own. 

Fruit juices, soft drinks, bottled water, coffee and tea will be available to purchase.

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New Exhibition

We’re back!  Thank you to everyone who remembered when we were coming back – and made us feel very pleased to be back (well, as pleased as you can be when you’ve left behind sun, sea and sand, some fantastic food and your family – including daughter #1).  But, you know what I mean.

My daughter is making her way across America and we’ll be following her trip with postcards and thick black lines on a map in the BEANS toilet (it’s got nothing to do with being jealous – it was the only available wall space).

And, many thanks to the Chesterfield College Artists who have allowed BEANS to borrow their works for our new exhibition.  They have provided some wonderful new pieces to gaze upon while you’re drinking your coffee.  Or, forget the coffee – just come and have a look around.  It all really does look pretty impressive (and I can say that cos it’s not my work).

Just a reminder – Don’t forget Wirksworth Art Trail this Saturday and Sunday (10th and 11th September).  Keep an eye out for our own Sarah Godfrey while you’re there. And next weekend, look out for Helen Hallows at Melbourne’s Art Trail.  Two events not to be missed!!

 

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Electricians, new opening times and Open Evenings

A lot needs to happen for a damp, old solicitors office to become a coffee shop and a workshop space.  The emphasis so far has been on the inside – which is just about there (Except for a few decorating touch-ups required after everywhere gets a chance to dry out!).  The final work will soon be starting on the outside.  Chimneys need to be capped and rendering needs to be repaired.  So….  WH Buck and Son will be returning to finish off the last of the project.  We will remain open through the work – but maybe best not to look up when you enter the shop.

As well as Andrew Buck and his team, we have some other unsung heroes.  All those electrical sockets, new lights, alarms and fire exit lights didn’t just magically appear – though it felt like they did. If you’re looking for an electrician who can listen, make suggestions, get on with the job, solve problems and work in synch with your builder, I’d recommend KTN Electrical (Kip Trueman on 01159 300938). You can even have a socket under the stairs if you want one.

New Opening Times – For the winter, our new opening times are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. It turns out that paperwork takes longer than I thought (or I’m slower than I thought – or both) and I’m too old to stay up late and get up early in the morning. Eventually, the plan is for the new staff to run the shop between them a few days a week while I work from home – but while things are still settling down and we’re all finding our feet…  a break is required.

Open Evening Thursday 13th January (5.30 – 8.30) – In December we had an Open Evening with Cynthia Else. Cynthia showed some stained glass techniques and the evening gave people a chance to look around and enjoy some hot mulled apple juice and sweet potato pie. Our second Open Evening will be with Steph Harvey and there will be a chance to see Steph do some Batik work and perhaps have a quick go yourself. I believe there is still some mulled apple juice left and we’re still deciding on the nibbles – but there will be something!