2002 Auction for Literacy

Silent Auction Items:

1. Signed Copy of The Bondwoman's Narrative
You can own a copy of The Bondwoman's Narrative, edited and signed by Harvard scholar and national authority, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The New York Times Book Review said about this extraordinary text, "a remarkable historical discovery...rich in insight...always interesting..."
Compliments of: Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Value: value of signed book
Minimum bid: $75

2. Signed Award-Winning Children's Books
A child who receives this wonderful package will always love reading. This package includes three award-winning books, including Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner, Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, and The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, signed by the illustrator, Brian Selznick.
Compliments of: Clarion Books, Disney, Scholastic Inc.
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $50

3. A Mystic Retreat
Before embarking, read your signed copy of Olin J. Stephen's All This and Sailing Too: An Autobiography and then explore the scenic coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut. You and three guests will spend two nights at the Mystic Marriott, with a gift certificate for one evening's dinner. While in town, use your passes to the Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium to discover why this seaside town has become such a traveler's delight.
Compliments of: Mystic Aquarium, Mystic Marriott, Mystic Seaport
Value: $440
Minimum bid: $100

4. Accessories for Success
Pamper the executive in your life, even if that happens to be yourself, with a gorgeous soft red leather briefcase from Levenger with a Palm Pilot and a special pen.
Compliments of: Levenger, W.B. Mason, Mrs. Robert A. Benson
Value: $445
Minimum bid: $75

5. Celtics Tickets
Take three fellow Celtics fans to a game. No matter how the team does, you will enjoy your excellent seats that put you close enough to hear the
sneakers squeak. Your appreciation of fine sports writing will increase as you read your copy of Best American Sports Writing, 2001 signed by series editor, Glenn Stout.
Compliments of: Tracy Gallagher, Brookline Booksmith
Value: $360
Minimum bid: $75

6. The Best of Somerville
Come see why Somerville is an increasingly popular dining destination. You and a friend will have dinner at some of the city's top eateries including: eat, Evoo, Gargoyles on the Square, Redbones, and Vinny's at Night. You will also be able to serve some of the city's best Cal-Mex food at home with the catering certificate for twelve from Picante Mexican Grill.
Compliments of: eat, Evoo, Gargoyles on the Square, Redbones, Vinny's at Night, Picante's Mexican Grill
Value: $525
Minimum bid: $100

7. Art and Architecture at Harvard
Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers has signed two seminal books for you about Harvard's architecture, Bainbridge Bunting's Harvard: An Architectural History and Douglass Shand-Tucci's Harvard: An Architectural Tour. In addition, you will enjoy a year's dual/family membership to the Harvard University Art Museums. During one of your gallery forays, you and your guest will lunch at Miss Fork, in the Sert Gallery.
Compliments of: Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard University, Miss Fork
Value: $185, plus value of signed books
Minimum bid: $50

8. New York Sports Package
Get tickets to the hottest sporting events in the Big Apple. The tickets will admit you and a guest to see the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Mets at Shea, and attend the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The winner will make arrangements with Mr. and Mrs. Berman to select mutually agreeable dates for the events.
Compliments of: Ken and Allene Berman
Value: $350
Minimum bid: $50

9. Learn about the Hub of the Universe with Thomas H. O'Connor
You and three friends will join the preeminent authority on Boston's history, Thomas H. O'Connor, for lunch at Durgin Park, a Boston institution. To deepen your understanding of Boston, you will be able to consult your complete O'Connor library: Boston A To Z, South Boston: My Home Town, The Hub: Boston Past and Present, Boston Catholics: A History of the Church and Its People, The Boston Irish: A Political History, Civil War Boston: Home Front & Battlefield, Building a New Boston: Politics and Urban Renewal 1950-1970.
Compliments of: Mrs. Robert A. Benson, Thomas H. O'Connor, Durgin Park
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $100

10. A Twelve-Month Spring
Your Bouquet of the Month package will bring spring to your home, even in the depths of December. Three of Boston's most elegant and popular florists have donated four arrangements or plants and will be happy to present you with an arrangement each month for four months. You have the choice of enjoying the arrangements yourself or sending them to someone else.
Compliments of: Mahoganey Florist of Boston, Spruce at Rowes Wharf, Winston Flowers
Value: $720
Minimum bid: $150

11. A Stellar Collection of Literary Talent for Your Young Adult
Start a library for your young adult with signed books from award-winning authors. Newbury Award winner for Children's Literature, A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park, Everything on a Waffle (Honors) by Polly Horvath, Hard Love, What's in a Name? and Razzle by Ellen Wittlinger, Heart to Heart, edited by Jan Greenburg, and Freewill by Chris Lynch.
Compliments of: Ellen Wittlinger, Jan Greenburg, Straus & Giroux, Inc., HarperCollins Publishers
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $75

12. Outdoor Bound
Use your Appalachian Mountain Club Family membership to guide you through the many opportunities for outdoor activities that you will discover in your signed copy of Michael J. Tougias' More Nature Walks in Eastern Massachusetts.
Compliments of: Appalachian Mountain Club, Michael Tougias
Value: $150
Minimum bid: $50

13. For the Champagne Lover
You won't have to wait until New Year's Eve to quench your champagne thirst. Chill your two bottle of Westport Rivers Winery champagne in your new, cut crystal champagne cooler. Fill your pair of crystal toasting champagne flutes from Shreve, Crump and Low, designed to commemorate the re-opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. Then peruse your signed copy of Ralph Graves' Champagne Kisses Cyanide Dreams as you sip your bubbly.
Compliments of: Ralph Graves, Shreve, Crump, and Low, Westport River Vineyard & Winery, Wine Enthusiast, David R. Godine, Publisher
Value: $430, plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $75

14. All That Jazz
You and a fellow jazz lover will dine, dance, and take in some of the best jazz in the Boston area at Scullers Jazz Club. Later, you will have countless hours of pleasure listening to your collection of nine CD's by famous jazz performers, featuring a signed copy of Will Downing's CD, Sensual Journey. You will refer often to Ken Burns' Jazz: a History of America's Music. This collection also makes an excellent gift.
Compliments of: Scullers Jazz Club, Borders Books, Andrea Spence, Alfred A. Knopf
Value: $200
Minimum bid: $50

15. Your Own New Yorker Cartoon
The highest bidder will receive the original of a cartoon, drawn and signed by the legendary New Yorker Cartoon Editor, Bob Mankoff as well as a signed copy of the anniversary edition of The New Yorker Book of Cartoons.
Compliments of: The New Yorker, Bob Mankoff
Value: value of signed cartoon and book
Minimum bid: $50

16. Pilgrimage to Provincetown
Two of you will take the ferry to Provincetown where you will spend a glorious night at the Surfside Beach Club located right on the water. tear yourself away from artists' galleries and shops to visit Salon 54 to indulge yourself in a personal styling package. Sip cocktails from the bar at The Bistro on the Common - the best place in town to people watch. Read your signed copies of Peter Manzo's Provincetown: Sex, Art, and Money on the Outer Cape and Michael Cunningham's Land's End while you people watch. Excluding July and August or special event weeks. Advance reservations required.
Compliments of: Surfside Beach Club, Salon 54, Michael Cunningham, Borders Books, Bistro on the Common
Value: $440, plus value of signed books
Minimum bid: $100

17. Flavors of the Caribbean
Put on your new pair of West Indies silver bangles and head out with three friends to a night of dinner and dancing at the Cambridge hotspot, Rhythm & Spice Caribbean Grill & Bar with your $100 gift certificate. Later, re-enact your night as you listen to your collection of Caribbean music and whip up some spicy recipes found in your new Caribbean cookbook, Culinaria's The Caribbean: a Culinary Discovery.
Compliments: Laxton Record Shop, Rhythm & Spice, A Nubia Notion, Inc., Andrea Spence
Value: $350
Minimum bid: $75

18. A Maine Event
Experience the sights of Maine through the pages of your copy of Maine: The Seasons, featuring 127 stunning pictures by the acclaimed landscape photographer, Terrell S. Lester, who signed your book. His photographs accompany essays on each season, written by four celebrated writers: Elizabeth Strout, Ann Beattie, Richard Russo, and Richard Ford. Then experience Maine for yourself with a one night's stay at the gorgeous York Harbor Inn. Indulge yourself with your "Made in Maine" selections from the gourmet condiment maker, Stonewall Kitchen, of York Maine, including: Maine Made Champagne Mustard, Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, Maine Maple Syrup, Lobster Bisque, and a Stonewall "Jammin' Everyday" Tee shirt.
Compliments of: York Harbor Inn, Anonymous Maine donor, Terrell S. Lester
Value: $250, plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $75

19. Massachusetts Masters of Mystery
The books of these two outstanding mystery writers, Robert Parker and Dennis Lehane, have captivated us in print. Now Lehane follows Parker in having his work appear in what promises to be a major movie. Signed copies of Shrink Wrap by Robert Parker and Mystic River by Dennis Lehane go the fortunate winner.
Compliments of: Kate Mattes of Kate's Mystery Books, Dennis Lehane, Robert Parker,
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $75

20. Shopping Galore
This adorable miniature shopping cart comes with gift certificates from some of the best shops in the city, such as Savenors ($50), Formaggio Kitchen ($10), and Placewares ($50).
Compliments: Anonymous, Savenors, Formaggio Kitchen, Placewares
Value: $175
Minimum bid: $50

21. A Night on Huntington Avenue
Take a stroll down Huntington Avenue with your significant other for an extravagant dinner at one of Boston's most well known restaurants, Ambrosia on Huntington. Afterwards, continue down the street to the Huntington Theatre to redeem your voucher for a performance of any production during the 2002-2003 season. Certain restrictions apply.
Compliments of: Ambrosia on Huntington, Huntington Theatre
Value: $360
Minimum bid: $75

22. Be a Player
After ten weeks of piano lessons on a digital piano, you'll be ready for Carnegie Hall. Read about another adult's efforts to learn the piano in Noah Adam's, Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures.
Compliments of: M. Steinert and Sons Company, Inc., The Coop
Value: $450
Minimum bid: $50

23. Latin Experience
Let the exuberant rhythms of your ten Latin CD music collection prepare you for your Salsa Dancing Lesson with Kelly Silfies at the Dance Complex in Cambridge. Enjoy the vibrant flavors at the Green Street Grill with your $50 gift certificate. Your cookbook, Brazil - A Cook's Tour will aid you in your own Latin cooking endeavors.
Compliments of: Borders Books, Green Street Grill, Kelly Silfies, The Coop
Value: $225
Minimum bid: $50

24. Basketry
Own this gorgeous, handcrafted, four cornered basket in luscious hues of lilac and ecru. Celebrated basket maker, Lois Russell, has signed your basket. Read the Art of the Basket: Traditional Basketry from Around the World to learn some of the techniques you can use yourself.
Compliments of: Lois Russell
Value: $60
Minimum bid: $25

25. "A Good Walk Spoiled"
Take three friends for a golf foursome at the renowned Indian Ridge Country Club in Andover, MA. After your round of golf, you will all receive your own golf gift basket. When you return home, you can laugh about your day while you look over your New Yorker Book of Golf Cartoons signed by The New Yorker cartoon editor, Bob Mankoff.
Compliments of: Indian Ridge Country Club, The New Yorker, Bob Mankoff
Value: $500, plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $75

26. Murder! Murder!
A terrific bevy of books to own or give as gifts. These outstanding mystery writers have signed these books to add to their collectible value. This collection combines the best of local favorites with nationally known best sellers: Body in the Bonfire by Katherine Hall Page, He Sees You when You're Sleeping, Mary and Carol Higgins Clark, Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell, Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich, P is for Peril by Sue Grafton, Partner in Crime by J. A. Jance, Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman, Stolen Honey by Nancy Means Wright.
Compliments of: Kate Mattes of Kate's Mystery Books, Katherine Hall Page, Mary and Carol Higgins Clark, Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Tony Hillerman, J. A. Jance, Nancy Means Wright
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $100

27. Flowers: From Vendors to Vase
Tour the Boston Flower Market with a friend under the expert aegis of Kelly Cressy, Floral Designer for The Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Boston. With your $50 bunch of flowers in hand, ask Ms. Cressy for arranging tips. Flowers! Inspired Arrangements for all Occasions will guide you in making your own arrangements.
Compliments of: Kelly Cressy, The Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Boston, The Coop
Value: $150
Minimum bid: $50

28. In Search of Adventure
Armchair adventure doesn't get much more exciting for North American history aficionados than tales of the quest for a Northwest Passage. You will own a 1969 Facsimile of Sir John Ross' 1838 Expedition in Search of the Northwest Passage.
Compliments of: McIntyre & Moore Booksellers, Inc.
Value: $275
Minimum bid: $50

29. Bunch of Brunches
You and a guest will sample some of the most spectacular restaurants serving a wide diversity of succulent brunch fare. Hoard all twelve brunches for yourself and a companion or use them as gifts for someone special. Cap your culinary excursions with brunch for four at the Top of the Hub.
Compliments of: Bob the Chef's, Brasserie Jo, Fire and Ice, House of Blues, Johnny D's, Museum of Science, Renee's, Sidney's Grill, Sound Bites, The Stockyard, Top of the Hub, Zaftig's Delicatessen
Value: $610
Minimum bid: $150

30. Days of Beauty
Consult with a stylist at the Jerel Roberts Salon on Newbury Street. The stylist will give you a cut and styling. Then treat yourself to a facial and pedicure at Collage European Skin Care in Cambridge. Read your signed copy of the History of the Wife before you open your Whole Body Gift Package from Bread & Circus. Once you are in the proper mind-set, take in the sybaritic "Tea for Two" at the newly renovated Ritz-Carlton, Boston.
Compliments of: Anonymous, Bread & Circus, Collage European Skin Care, Jerel Roberts Salon, The Ritz-Carlton, Boston
Value: $380
Minimum bid: $75

31. The Art of Robert O. Caulfield
You will return to this gorgeous, full-color, signed book again and again. Caulfield, who grew up in Roxbury and spent his formative early years in Lynn, has become one of the most popular and best selling landscape artists in America with his paintings hanging in private and corporate collections the world over.
Compliments of: Robert O. Caulfield, Gallerie d'Orsay
Value: value of signed book
Minimum bid: $50

32. Boston's Form through the Ages
These three provocative books will form the core of any collection on Boston's physical and social history. Signed by Norman Leventhal, who wrote the foreword to the book, Mapping Boston is a keystone to understanding the way human endeavor has transformed Boston's topography. Cityscapes of Boston, signed by Robert Campbell and Peter Vanderwarker, is truly a portal "through time" into the city's re-definition. The Big Dig, signed by Peter Vanderwarker, contains full-color photographs of Boston's most recent renewal project.
Compliments of: Mrs. Robert A. Benson, William H. Berman, Robert Campbell, Peter Vanderwarker
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $50

33. Echoes of the Sea
This evocative Sea glass jewelry ensemble, necklace, bracelet, and earrings, are originals, designed and hand crafted by Valerie Gates of Gates Studio. Paired with them is a signed copy of Anita Shreve's Sea Glass, a poignant novel of the New Hampshire seacoast in winter. "Shreve is skilled at interpolating historical background, and her descriptions of the different social strata the mill workers, the lower-middle-class Sextons, the idle rich enhance a touching story about loyalty and betrayal, responsibility and dishonor." - Publishers Weekly
Compliments of: Valerie Gates, Time Warner Trade Publishing
Value: , plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $50

34. Brachetti and Bonfire
Take a friend to see Arturo Brachetti at the Shubert Theater. "One Man, 80 characters," Brachetti stages a multi-media event, combining acting, singing, dancing, and magic into a performance that will astound you. Savor a before or after-performance meal at Bonfire, Todd English's acclaimed restaurant in the Park Plaza Hotel. At your leisure, recapture your magical meal by using your cookbook, The Olives Table by Todd English and Sally Sampson. Certain restrictions apply.
Compliments of: Wang Center for Performing Arts, Bonfire
Value: $230
Minimum bid: $50

35. Sports Memorabilia
All sports fans would be thrilled to receive this assortment of sports memorabilia that crosses generations as well as platforms. Hockey fans will delight in their signed poster of Boston Bruin Hall of Famer, Bobby Orr, a hockey puck autographed by Boston Bruin defenseman Nick Boynton, and a collectible card signed by the first African-American hockey player, ex-Bruin, Willie O'Ree. An autographed card signed by standout St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Matt Morris is a welcome addition to any baseball fan's collections. To cap it all off, receive an autographed poster of Natick native Golden Boy, Doug Flutie.
Compliments of: Boston Bruins Hockey Club, Orr Hockey Group, Woolf Associates
Value: value of signed items
Minimum bid: $50

36. Music and Masa
You and a guest will attend a Boston Symphony Orchestra performance during the 2002-2003 season. Bring your three $100 gift certificates over to Masa to relish the "adventurous tastes" of this festive South End restaurant. "The inventive South Western fare is sophisticated, Latin inspired cooking."-Zagats
Compliments of: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Masa
Value: $450
Minimum bid: $75

37. Books galore and a place to keep them
Apply your $20 gift certificate from Avenue Victor Hugo Bookstore toward their extensive collection of used books. Then use your $100 gift certificate from Brookline Booksmith to stock up on current best sellers. Your antique, soapstone bookends from Brattle Book Store will help you keep your new purchases orderly.
Compliments of: Avenue Victor Hugo Bookstore, Brookline Booksmith, Brattle Book Store
Value: $200
Minimum bid: $50

38. Pastime in Pawtucket
Just the thing for your favorite young ones or anyone young at heart. This package of ten tickets to the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox's AAA affiliate, is perfect for children's birthdays, a family reunion, or an office party. Also receive the "controversial and gripping" book, Shut Out - A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston signed by the author Howard Bryant. "Bryant . . . brings excellent journalistic instincts and baseball smarts to the table." -Publishers Weekly
Compliments of: PawSox Baseball Club, Rosemary Herbert, The Boston Herald
Value: $100, plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $40

39. Japanese Tea Ceremony - and More
You and five guests will have the unique opportunity of participating in an authentic, private performance of a Japanese tea ceremony held in the Children's Museum's Japanese House. Read Tea in the East by Carole Manchester and equip yourself with new understanding of the world of tea. Then don your antique 1920's Haori Kimono Jacket and savor your Tealuxe, "Around the World" gift package.
Compliments of: Tokai, Chado Urasenke Boston Chapter, The Children's Museum, Tealuxe
Value: $610
Minimum bid: $100

40. Halloween Bash
In Salem, the city of witchery, you and a friend will astound all the run-of- the- mill goblins and ghosties at the Hawthorne Hotel's 2003 Halloween Costume Ball. A costume designer from the Concord Players will help you create your costumes. Included are two tickets to the House of Seven Gables and a copy of Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables.
Compliments of: Hawthorne Hotel, Concord Players, House of Seven Gables, The Coop
Value: $175
Minimum bid: $50

41. Fountains and Orchids
Treasure your exotic plant, an orchid donated by one of Best of Boston's nurseries, Mahoney's Garden Center. This real orchid will keep you company while you read your signed, first edition copy of Cynthia Rigg's The Cranefly Orchid Murders. As you read, let the soothing sounds of your new stone and ceramic indoor fountain relax every bone in your body.
Compliments of: Cynthia Riggs, Mahoney's Garden Center, Karen Hohler of Whippoorwill Crafts
Value: $200
Minimum bid: $50

42. Feasts from the Four Corners of the World
Dine with a friend at some of the most intriguing restaurants in the Boston area: Bukhara (Indian), Carambola (Cambodian), Casa Romero (Mexican), East Coast Grill (Amercian/Caribbean) and Fugakyu (Japanese.) You can whip up some superlative Chinese dishes with your signed cookbook, East Meets West: Cooking with Ming Tsai.
Compliments of: Bukhara, Carambola, Casa Romero, East Coast Grill, Fugakyu, Ming Tsai
Value: $300
Minimum bid: $75

43. Red Sox Memorabilia
You will want to display your baseball signed by 13 Boston Red Sox players, including Shea Hillenbrand, Trot Nixon, Lou Merloni, and Jason Varitek. Included are individual signed photos of Johnny Damon and Derek Lowe. A year's subscription to Sports Illustrated rounds out this sports lover package.
Compliments of: Boston Red Sox
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $50

44. Classical Music and Classic Cuisine
You and your companion will go to "America's Premiere Chorus and Period Orchestra," the Handel and Haydn Society's Messiah at Symphony Hall. Either before or after the performance, you will share a fantastic dining experience in the opulent Oak Room of the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Its traditional American specialties are the perfect complement to your classical music evening.
Compliments of: The Handel and Haydn Society, Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
Value: $300
Minimum bid: $75

45. Wind Down with a Wyndham Boston Overnight
One of Boston's newest luxury hotels, the Wyndham is located in the heart of the financial district in a vintage skyscraper. During your stay, you can read in its book-lined library or work out in its state-of-the-art fitness center. In the evening, take an exhilarating stroll to the South End where you and your companion will use your $50 gift certificate at On the Park. This "intimate jewel" is "great for a romantic dinner."
Compliments of: Wyndham Boston, On the Park
Value: $230
Minimum bid: $60

46. A Jaq-Lyn Creation
Noted Boston designer and fashion maven, Paula Jaq-Lyn has donated one of her creations. This oversized, silk screen scarf will become one of your favorite items. It makes a vivid statement worn with either casual clothes or formal wear. This is a perfect gift - if you can bear to give it up.
Compliments of: Paula Jaq-Lyn
Value: $350
Minimum bid: $50

47. Seasonal Celebration: Be Merry
Celebrate the season with a friend or favorite young person by attending Boston's premiere holiday cultural event, the Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker. Then sample the fares at Maggiano's Little Italy where bounteous portions of home-style cooking are the rule. If seasonal affect disorder starts to tinge your holidays, turn to your signed copy of Anna Quindlan's book of advice, aptly titled, A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Accompanied by lovely photographs, the book shows the influence of Quindlan's experience as both columnist and novelist, "Life is made up of moments, small pieces of mica in a long stretch of glittering gray cement."
Compliments of: Boston Ballet, Maggiano's Little Italy, Random House
Value: $200
Minimum bid: $50

Live Auction Items:

48. Pulitzer Prize Winning Author
Here is your opportunity to become the envy of all your history loving friends with copies of John Adams and Truman signed by famous biographer, David McCullough. Booklist said of John Adams: "This is a wonderfully stirring biography; to read it is to feel as if you are witnessing the birth of a country firsthand." About Truman, The Economist wrote, "Remarkable... you may open it at any point and instantly become fascinated, so easy, lucid, and energetic is the narrative and so absorbing the sequence of events."
Compliments of: David McCullough. Simon & Schuster
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $100

49. Fly Fishing Fun with Author William Tapply
Mr. Tapply will take you on a fly-fishing excursion to one of his favorite fishing spots. Award-winning local mystery writer, William Tapply, is also a noted fisherman who has written many pieces for Field and Stream. He will give you signed copies of Past Tense, his latest mystery, and Pocket Water, his book on fishing.
Compliments of: William Tapply, the Lyons Press
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

50. Discover Ancient Egypt
Tour the Museum of Fine Arts' Egyptian and Nubian Collections with Rita E. Freed, Norma-Jean Calderwood Curator of Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern Art for the Museum of Fine Arts. Add a touch of archaeological artistry to your home with a framed lithograph, "Ancient Egyptian Hieratic Manuscript on Papyrus" and a stunning coffee table book, The Legacy of Ancient Egypt, with the winning bidder's name inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Advance arrangements must be made with the curator.
Compliments of: Rita E. Freed, Museum of Fine Arts, The Coop, Anonymous, The Frame Gallery
Value: $485
Minimum bid: $100

51. Modern, Organic Dry Cleaning by ecoluxe
Imagine never having to rush to drop off that suit or skirt before an important meeting or date. The highest bidder will win a one-year gift certificate for organic, environmentally safe dry-cleaning, complete with pickup and delivery, from ecoluxe, named 2002 Best of Boston Dry Cleaners.
Restrictions: Pickup/Delivery within Route 128, up to $2,500 value.
Compliments of: ecoluxe
Value: Up to $2,500
Minimum bid: $250

52. From Julia's Kitchen
Become the envy of your friends with this oven mitt autographed by recently transplanted cooking legend, the inimitable Julia Child. Also included are signed, mint condition copies of two of her most loved works; Baking with Julia and Julia's Kitchen Wisdom.
Compliments of: Katherine Hall Page
Value: value of the signed items
Minimum bid: $100

53. A New Year's Eve to Remember
Ring in the New Year with a two-night stay for you and your companion at the famous Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Use your First Night buttons to explore the sights and sounds of First Night. A gift certificate for 100 "Copley Dollars" may be used toward dinner, drinks, or breakfast.
Compliments of: Anonymous
Value: $600
Minimum bid: $200

54. Live Forever in a Jeremiah Healy Mystery
Here is an opportunity to have your name reassigned to a character (possibly a murder suspect) in the next mystery by Jeremiah Healy. Healy writes both a series and stand alone mysteries. He is a Shamus Award winning author "who never fails to produce perfect pitched mystery masterpieces" in what the New York Times Book Review editor calls, "a superior series."
Compliments of: Jeremiah Healy
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

55. Explore the North End
A L'Arte Di Cucinare tour of the North End will give you and a guest a native's perspective of the enticing markets and neighborhoods of this vibrant enclave. As the sun goes down, enjoy a romantic dinner for two at Rabia's Restaurant. Complete your day by using your gift certificate from Mike's Pastry for cappuccino and dessert and take home a gift basket from V. Cirace & Sons. Recreate some of the Italian fare you sampled with recipes from your new cookbook, Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen.
Compliments of: Michele Topor, Mike's Pastry, Rabia's Restaurant, V. Cirace & Sons, The Coop
Value: $325
Minimum bid: $75

56. Nine-Zero for Two
Savor the experience of an overnight for two in a Spectacular Room in Boston's newest hotel, Nine-Zero. Floor to ceiling windows, luxurious linens, and impeccable service will make your stay memorable. Your night includes dinner at Spire, the hotel's French Provençal/California cuisine restaurant.
Compliments of: Nine Zero
Value: $575
Minimum bid: $150

57. Visit Our Northern Neighbors
Fly Canada Air to Ottawa, Canada with a guest for a two night stay at the romantic Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Enjoy your complimentary bottle of Canadian Ice Wine. Later, tour the American Embassy and then join Ambassador Cellucci for a photo opportunity. During your trip, you will also tour the National Gallery, with two complimentary passes to one of their special exhibits. Included is a book about the National Gallery, A Place of Art. Enjoy your two passes to "Discover the Capital" by bus as well as your two passes for the boat tour of the Rideau Canal. Using your Guide for Where to Eat in Canada, you will able to decide which restaurant to try on one evening. On the other evening of your stay, visit the Casino de Hull, across the river from Ottawa, and use your $200 gift certificate for Baccara, the gourmet five-star restaurant located at the casino. Keep as mementos of your Northern sojourn or give to friends: a Blue Ontario windbreaker, a Blue Ontario denim shirt, a baseball hat, a Roots Canada Scarf and a copy of A Diary Between Friends. Some restrictions apply.
Compliments of: Ambassador Cellucci, Canadian Tourism Commission, Yankee Holidays, National Gallery, Gray Line Ottawa, Paul's Boat Lines, Ontario Tourism, Casino de Hull
Value: $1,150
Minimum bid: $200

58. Your Favorite Child's Name in Print
Newbury Award-winning children's book author, Jack Gantos, will use the first name of your favorite child for a character in his next book. Included in this package are signed copies of two of his most popular books, Joey Pigza Loses Control and Rotten Ralph Helps Out.
Compliments of: Jack Gantos
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

59. Chelsea Clock
Own one of the special "Winged Victory Clocks." Only one thousand will be manufactured. The clock's precision ship's bell movement strikes a distinctive tone on the hour and half hour and can be silenced at night. A Chelsea Clock mechanical timepiece is the world's finest. Its gold plated, jeweled and polished precision parts guarantee accuracy for generations. Each timepiece is numbered and registered and comes in a gift box custom designed by Chelsea Clock Company. William J. H. Andrewes retells the engrossing history of the hunt for an accurate measurement of longitude in your signed, Illustrated Longitude.
Compliments of: Chelsea Clock Company, Walker & Company
Value: $2,500, plus value of the signed book
Minimum bid: $400

60. Fish the Running of the Bluefish with Author Philip Craig
You and your guest will take a ferry to Martha's Vineyard where you will stay for two nights at the beautiful Jonathan Munroe House. Mr. Craig will take you fishing and sign a copy of First Light. Afterward, learn what to do with your catch with a copy of the Fish and Shellfish, Grilled and Smoked. Hotel stay may be reserved between 11/1/01 and 5/20/03 for any weekdays.
Compliments of: Philip Craig, Jonathan Munroe House, Katherine Hall Page, The Coop
Value: priceless ($420, hotel and ferry)
Minimum bid: $100

61. Fruit for Thought
Own these sensual, framed still life prints by local artist, Elizabeth Rickert. Her work has been featured in Boston, Vermont, California, and New Mexico galleries for quite some time. These prints are approachable as well as collectible.
"Pears"
Compliments of: Elizabeth Rickert, Norman Bingham, The Frame Gallery
Value: $400
Minimum bid: $75
"Peaches"
Compliments of: Elizabeth Rickert, Norman Bingham,The Frame Gallery
Value: $400
Minimum bid: $75

62. Dine at Hamersley's Bistro with Ten Friends and Author/Fisherman Linda Greenlaw
Fiona and Gordon Hamersley have donated dinner for twelve people in their elegant private dining room. Consistently rated one of the top restaurants in Boston, Hamersley's produces classic dishes with a creative flair. Linda Greenlaw will be the guest author. Her most recent book, The Lobster Chronicles, is a NY Times and local bestseller. "Greenlaw, as comfortable on the page as she is on the ocean, once again proves to be both enlightening and highly entertaining." - Booklist. The same humor and high spirits that characterize her writing make her an excellent dinner guest. Arrangements must be made before October of 2003. Certain restrictions apply.
Compliments of: Fiona and Gordon Hamersley, Linda Greenlaw
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $200

63. Nantucket Getaway
Fly Cape Air with a friend to Nantucket where you will stay overnight in luxury accommodations at the Jared Coffin House. Curl up with your signed copies of Larry Maness' Nantucket Revenge and Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea. Certain restrictions apply.
Compliments of: Cape Air, Jared Coffin House, Larry Maness, Nathaniel Philbrick
Value: $700, plus the value of the signed books
Minimum bid: $150

64. Insights into Booker T. Washington
This package includes a letter from Walter H. Page of The Atlantic Monthly to Booker. T. Washington dated July 15, 1896 regarding Mr. Washington's essay, The Awakening of the Negro. (A copy of this essay which originally appeared in the September, 1896 issue of The Atlantic Monthly is included.)
Compliments of: Anonymous
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

65. Design Flair for Your Home
Invite interior design expert, Marge Benson, ASID, into your home for a one-hour interior design consultation. She will then take you on a two-hour tour of the Boston Design Center. A one-year subscription to both Architectural Digest and Design Times will help you decide what to purchase with your $100 gift certificates from Crate and Barrel and the hip, Back Bay home furnishings store Cocoon. You will refer often to The Home Decorator's Bible as you proceed with your design.
Compliments of: Marge Benson, Boston Design Center, Cocoon, Crate and Barrel, Design Times, Architectural Digest, The Coop
Value: $1,000
Minimum bid: $200

66. Go Bird Watching with America's Foremost Ornithologist, David Allen Sibley
David Allen Sibley, author of the phenomenal bestseller, Sibley's Bird Basics, will take you and five friends bird watching. With your signed copy of Sibley's guide and your one-year membership to the Audubon Society, you will be able to identify each bird as it drops by your new window bird feeder.
Compliments of: Audubon Society, David Sibley, Anonymous
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $100

67. Washington Week Weekend
You and a guest will fly away on US Airways to Washington, D.C. where you will spend two luxurious nights in The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. On Friday evening, Washington Week host, Gwen Ifill, will give you a behind-the-scenes tour of the studio. After watching a live program, you will receive a signed transcript of the show.
Compliments of: Gwen Ifill, US Airways, The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.
Value: priceless ($850, airfare and hotel)
Minimum bid: $200

68. A 1942 Signed First Edition by Zora Neale Hurston
"There is no agony like bearing an untold story within you." A prolific writer, Hurston told many stories, few as compelling as this memoir, Dust Tracks on the Road, which spans her experiences from her days as a student and novelist through her research as an anthropologist in the rural south of her youth. A leading writer of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston's work was largely forgotten until it was rediscovered by Alice Walker.
Compliments of: James Fantini
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $200

69. New York, New York, Plus the Met
Travel with a guest in Business Class on the Acela Express to New York City and read your signed copy of Back Then: Two Lives in 1950's New York by Anne Bernays and Justin Kaplan. There you will spend two nights in one of NY's best hotels. Read your signed copy of Joanna Fiedler's Molto Agitato: The Mayhem Behind the Music at the Metropolitan Opera to prepare yourself to attend a live rehearsal of the Met.
Compliments of: Amtrak Acela, Anne Bernays and Justin Kaplan, Doubleday, Joanna Fiedler, The Metropolitian Opera Company of New York, Quikbook, Ben Bruton
Value: $1,000, plus value of signed books
Minimum bid: $250

70. Dinner for Five with Margot Livesey in the Café at Maison Robert
Eminent local author, Margot Livesey, will give you and four friends signed copies of Eva Moves the Furniture and Homework. She will discuss these works with you over a sumptuous dinner in the Café at Maison Robert. The experts at Maison Robert will choose the wine to accompany the meal. The NY Times wrote, "Arresting...Homework skillfully infuses psychological fright into the ordinary routine of living…"
Compliments of: Maison Robert, Margot Livesey
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $100

71. Publish, Now!
Tom Hallock, Marketing Director for Beacon Press offers his skills in a two-hour manuscript consultation. Mr. Hallock and his colleagues worked on the incredible bestseller, All Souls, by Michael Patrick MacDonald. Date and time to be determined.
Compliments of: Tom Hallock
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

72. Five Poet Laureates
As you read your signed books of poetry, think of Rita Dove's warning about opening a book and absorbing what is within:
"It's not like it's the end of the world-
just the world as you think
you know it."
This amazing collection includes: Billy Collins, Sailing around the Room, Rita Dove, The Poet's World, Stanley Kunitz, Collected Poems of Stanley Kunitz, Robert Pinsky, The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems (first edition), Mark Strand, The Continuous Life (first edition).
Compliments of: Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Stanley Kunitz, Robert Pinsky, Mark Strand, Mrs. Robert A. Benson
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $100

73. Valentine's Day Treat
Indulge your loved one with a Valentine's Day to remember. Begin your evening with chauffeured transportation from your home or office to the Boston Harbor Hotel where you will spend a luxurious night, complete with champagne and a dozen long stem red roses, which will be delivered to the hotel.
Compliments of: Boston Harbor Hotel, In Style Transportation, Harbor Greenery, Merchants Wine and Spirits
Value: $550
Minimum bid: $150

74. Dinner With Anita Diamant at Chez Henri
Chef Paul O'Connell will prepare a special tasting menu for you, five friends, and Anita Diamant, author of the acclaimed biblical novel, The Red Tent, which still tops local bestseller lists. Her second novel, Good Harbor, is a contemporary tale of women's friendship. A third novel is in the works. Find out more over dinner in the funky, modern bistro setting of Cambridge's Chez Henri. O'Connell intertwines French and Cuban influences to create Chez Henri's unique cuisine, food that will "dazzle" you. Arrangements must be made with Ms. Diamant and Paul O'Connell for a mutually convenient date.
Compliments of: Anita Diamant, Paul O'Connell of Chez Henri
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $200

75. Two signed Kingsolver novels
You will cherish these signed Kingsolver novels, Prodigal Summer and Poisonwood Bible. Both books were bestsellers that received strong critical praise. About Prodigal Summer, The Christian Science Monitor wrote, "Prodigal Summer is full of ... tenderness, humor and earthy spirituality ... Kingsolver's dialogue is absolutely natural, often funny, and sometimes heartbreaking." The front page review by Verlyn Klinkenborg, in the New York Times Book Review said of Poisonwood Bible," Haunting.. A novel of character, a narrative shaped by keen-eyed women."
Compliments of: Barbara Kingsolver, Harper Collins Publisher
Value: value of signed books
Minimum bid: $75

76. 406 Club
Treat yourself and three of your favorite people to a Boston Red Sox game in a setting that few experience. Eat dinner and watch the hometown team from the opulent and resplendent environment known as the 406 Club. Before the game, brush up on your Boston Red Sox history with your copy of Red Sox Century, a book with hundreds of photos, augmented by a text that includes essays by, among others, Peter Gammons, Dan Shaughnessy, and Tim Horgan. "The narrative, as we follow the Sox through their history, is compelling and filled with rich, behind-the-scenes details of such memorable moments as Ted Williams' 400 season…and Bill Buckner's World Series gaffes…" - Booklist
Compliments of: Boston Red Sox
Value: $600
Minimum bid: $150

77. Boothbay Harbor Retreat
Enjoy a weeklong sojourn in this private 3-bedroom four-season cottage on the water complete with fireplace, sunroom with view, and a large full kitchen in West Boothbay Harbor near Sawyer's Island. There is a dock and float from which you can kayak among the islands and osprey, and a view of conservation land across the tidal river. Restaurants, art galleries, and shops are within easy access. Must be used in April, May, September or October 2003, and advance arrangements must be made with owner.
Compliments of: Peter Mullin
Value: $1,200
Minimum bid: $300

78. Civil rights history
Own these authentic pieces of Abolitionist Americana: a letter from Charles Eliot Norton (1823-1910, Professor of English Literature and Constitutional History at Cornell University, journalist, liberal social critic and white abolitionist) to Mr. Weiss, dated 10/22/1864; signature of Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823-1911, Cambridge author, Unitarian minister, author of Army Life in a Black Regiment which was the basis for the film Glory, leader of the abolitionist movement, exponent of Black and women's rights.)
Compliments of: Anonymous
Value: priceless
Minimum bid: $75

79. Plum Island Photograph
You will love this exquisite, limited edition color photograph, one of only thirty-five produced. It measures 35" x 35" framed. Generously donated by M. J. Benson, this print is from a collection that has been widely exhibited around New England.
Compliments of: M. J. Benson Fine Art and Documentary Photography
Value: $750
Minimum bid: $150

80. Holiday Package
You and a companion will join in the festive spirit that permeates the beloved Christmas Revels. Enrich your appreciation of this holiday classic by reading your signed copy of Jane Langton's The Shortest Day: Murder at the Revels. Relax over dinner at Oleana with your $200 gift certificate. Then wend your way to your convenient and comfortable digs at the Inn at Harvard.
Compliments of: Revels Inc., Jane Langton, Oleana, The Inn at Harvard
Value: $500, plus value of signed book
Minimum bid: $100

81. Puccini & Lynch - a Harmonious Combination
Invite a special guest to join you for a grand evening as you enjoy dinner for two at award-winning No. 9 Park, featuring European Classic county fare on Boston's historic Beacon Hill. Let Chef Barbara Lynch's renowned bravura in the kitchen start your evening with flair, then head down to the Shubert Theatre to enjoy a performance of Puccini's La Rondine. You will receive a Boston Lyric opera gift bag, containing a BLO CD, book, a tee shirt, and champagne. The performance is for Friday, April 4, 2003. Arrangements must be made with No. 9 Park.
Compliments of: Barbara Lynch of No. 9 Park, Gardiner Hendrie and Karen Johansen, Boston Lyric Opera
Value: $350
Minimum bid: $100

82. Seamus Heaney's Handwritten Poem
Noble Prize winning poet, Seamus Heaney, selected his poem, "Alphabets," specifically for this Auction for Literacy. The poem, which has appeared in both The Haw Lantern and Opened Ground, has been handwritten by Mr. Heaney who also signed the poem.
Compliments of: Seamus Heaney
Value: value of manuscript
Minimum bid: $100