Chronicle Books Blog

If you happen to be in the Northwest—Seattle to be specific—make sure to stop by the Experience Music Project sometime in February to check out the photos featured in Taking Aim: Unforgettable Rock ‘n’ Roll Photographs Selected by Graham Nash.

This video trailer gives a taste of the book and the exhibition.

To celebrate the opening of the Taking Aim exhibition, Chronicle will give you a 30% discount, plus free ground shipping in the United States if you buy the book on our site before February 28th—just use promo code AD2010 at checkout.

The Experience Music Project is housed in an eye-catching 140,000-square-foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building—a spectacularly prominent feature of the Seattle city center.

Graham Nash curated the exhibition and the book, and brought his rich musical history, keen eye, and storytelling skills to showcase 98 rock ‘n’ roll images taken by 40 of the world’s greatest music photographers, including Anton Corbijn, Lynn Goldsmith, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, Neal Preston, Mick Rock, Francesco Scavullo, and Nash himself. The Taking Aim exhibition opens February 6, 2010.

Share your photos and you could win a signed copy of the Taking Aim book! Have you taken a great rock ‘n’ roll photograph? Chronicle Books and EMP are sponsoring a contest and giveaway. Post a photograph you’ve taken to the EMP site by Friday, February 26th and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the book signed by Graham Nash and Elvis Costello! There is already a great gallery of user-submitted rock ‘n’ roll photos. Submit your photograph here.

Patti Quill
Marketing & Publicity Manager

With the news of a human-canvas run-in at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was reminded of a recent Chronicle title that also involves masterpieces.

Artful Jewelry is a book plus craft kit that features 11 famous works of art—Vermeer’s The Girl with a Pearl Earring, Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Botticelli’s La Primavera, among others—and 11 accompanying jewelry projects. All the materials you need to create six of the projects are included: teardrop pearl beads, headpins, earring wires, embroidery floss, a bracelet base, seed beads, and more.

Each jewelry project is inspired by key elements of the paintings. Here are some of my favorites.

There is something very satisfying about capturing Van Gogh’s mesmerizing (and untamed) swirls in a necklace:

Klimt is always decadent. These golden earrings are, too:

Understated and elegant, these teardrop earrings are inspired by Vermeer’s The Girl with a Pearl Earring:

And this bracelet is reminiscent of the one worn by Renoir’s Jeanne Samary:

These are four of the projects you can make right away.

Two recent Chronicle Books visitors, 12-year-old Bella and 15-year-old Ashley (pictured at the top of this post) picked up Artful Jewelry and couldn’t put it—or the completed projects—down. They are artfully adorned with the Van Gogh necklace, Degas ring, Gauguin bracelets, Monet rings, Egyptian bracelets, and Da Vinci necklace.

And if you happen to be in New York City when the Picasso’s The Actor is restored and back on view, what better way to honor it than by wearing one of Artful Jewelry’s completed projects, like the tulle ring on Ashley’s left hand? You can always check out the ring’s inspiration, Degas’s The Dance Class, also at the Met:

I guarantee that your Artful Jewelry crafting experience will garner you a new—or at least renewed—appreciation for the art.

Naomi Kirsten
Assistant Editor

Tell us what you think of this recipe–does it make you want to try it? Or have you tried it out and have some insight to offer? Enter to win a copy of the book by leaving a comment letting us know!

Thai Short Ribs

Short ribs, the tough, flavorful, fatty cuts from the ends of the ribs bones, come two ways: short sections of individual ribs (English-cut) or long strips cut across several ribs (flanken-cut). For this recipe you will need the more compact English-cut ribs. The sauce is classic Thai, a combination of hot (jalapeño), sour (balsamic vinegar), salty (soy sauce and fish sauce), and sweet (honey).

Precook: 10 minutes
Slow cook: 3 to 4 hours on high, or 6 to 8 hours on low in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker
At the end: 5 minutes

Makes 4 servings

3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs, preferably English-cut (see above)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Nonstick oil spray
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced gingerroot
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat a broiler on high. Season the meaty parts of the short ribs with salt and pepper, and set, bone side down, on a broiler tray. Spray with oil and broil until the meaty parts are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Mix together the garlic, ginger, hoisin, balsamic, fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice and zest in a small bowl, and pour over the short ribs. Cover the cooker and cook until the ribs are tender, 3 to 4 hours on high, or 6 to 8 hours on low.

Transfer the short ribs to a platter (you can remove the bones and discard, if you want). Skim the fat from the liquid and discard. Add the jalapeño, scallions, and cilantro and cook on high for 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve.

Purchase Art of the Slow Cooker.

Click here for more great recipes.

Peter Perez
Senior Marketing Manager

20×200 has just released a cheery new edition from Lisa Congdon, Lovebirds, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Chronicle’s Paper Goods followers know and love Lisa – a self-taught artist and illustrator who didn’t start making art until the age of 33. Her work is vibrant, fresh, and provides a unique look into the natural world. Lisa’s created a number of beautiful paper products with Chronicle.

Lovebirds by Lisa Congdon

In celebration of the release of her 20×200 print, Chronicle and 20×200 have put together a LISA CONGDON GIVEAWAY. The package will include an 11″x14″ 20×200 print of Lovebirds, enclosed in a custom-embossed archival portfolio, a 20×200 tote bag, and Lisa’s Birch Forest Flexi Journal and brand new Forests Eco-Keepsake Notecards from Chronicle Books.

To be eligible to win, leave your comment below. We’ll announce the winner in next week’s 20×200 newsletter.

Later this week, 20×200 will be rolling out a gift guide designed by Lisa and some other treats, so make sure you’re signed up for the inside scoop.

Patti Quill
Marketing & Publicity Manager

‘Greetings from’ The Onion… postcards.

Now you can send the funny to your friends.

Have a great week!

Hannah deBree
Entertainment Marketing Manager