‘Urban farmer’ coming to area

Mark the calendar: Bay Area urban farmer Novella Carpenter is making a stop in Spokane.

Santé Restaurant and Charcuterie, along with Main Market Co-op, will host the visit 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 20, at the restaurant, 404 W. Main Ave. Carpenter will do a rabbit preparation demonstration with local chefs, and guests will taste a variety of different preparations. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at www.brownpaper tickets.com/event/82267.

Afterward, Carpenter, who grew up in rural Idaho and Washington, will read from her book “Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer.” She has been farming on a lot near downtown Oakland for about 10 years, keeping chickens, rabbits, goats and bees. The freelance journalist studied under Michael Pollan at the University of California, Berkeley’s graduate school for journalism. The book reading is free and open to the public at Auntie’s Bookstore, 401 W. Main Ave.

Read more about her at http://novella carpenter.com.

The next day, Oct. 21, Carpenter will talk about urban farming from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. at the Spokane Community College Hagan Center.

Santé has a busy fall schedule of other events, including a cooking class on Monday. Chef Jeremy Hansen will cover fall vegetables and soups at the class. Space is limited for the $60 class. Send a note to reserve your space to mail@santespokane.com.

Find the whole schedule on the Santé home page at www.santespokane.com.

Raise a ‘Cause-mo’ for the Cure

During the month of October – Breast Cancer Awareness month – the folks at Clinkerdagger will donate $1 for each Cosmopolitan sold to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate. They’ll also donate a dollar for each alcohol-free mojito.

According to an e-mail from restaurant manager Lynette Baskins, the idea started five years ago when two of the restaurant managers talked about ways to help make a difference in the community (including one with a grandmother who is a three-time breast cancer survivor). Last year, the event raised more than $30,000.

“Our ‘Cause-mopolitans’ add just a bit of whimsy to a very serious issue,” Baskins writes.

Clinkerdagger, 621 W. Mallon St., can be reached at (509) 328-5965. The Web site is www.clinkerdagger.com.