Monday, April 23, 2012

Jay Parini, Native of Pittston and Scranton, Will Receive University of Scranton Award in September

It has recently been announced that award-winning poet and author Jay Parini will receive the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award from the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library at University of Scranton on Saturday, September 29th.  This is one of several planned events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Novelist and poet Jay Parini was born in 1948 in Pittston, Pennsylvania and raised in Scranton.  His 1990 novel The Last Station was adapted into a 2009 Oscar nominated film starring Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer.

Click here for more information. 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Actor Paul Dano, Who Has Roots in Scranton, To Appear At Pocono Community Theater Friday, April 27th

Actor Paul Dano, who has roots in the Scranton area, will be attending a screening of his latest film Being Flynn, co-starring Robert DeNiro, followed by a Q-and-A session on Friday, April 27th at 7:30 PM at the Pocono Community Center (formerly Pocono Cinema & Coffee Shop) in East Stroudsburg, PA. Tickets are $15 per person.

In addition to Being Flynn, Dano has appeared in films such as Knight & Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, The Extra Man with Kevin Kline and Katie Holmes, There Will Be Blood with Daniel Day Lewis, and Little Miss Sunshine with Steve Carell.

Though born in New York City, Dano's father grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In addition, Dano's grandfather (a lawyer) and Aunt Olga have also lived in Scranton in the past.

Click here for more information about the upcoming screening.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Brian L. Patton (AKA The Sexy Vegan) (1978 - )


My friend and colleague Michele L. told me recently that a popular YouTube sensation turned bestselling cookbook author is a native of Hazleton, PA. His name is Brian L. Patton, but he is more popularly known by his moniker The Sexy Vegan.

In the introduction to his recently published debut cookbook The Sexy Vegan Cookbook: Extraordinary Food From An Ordinary Dude, Brian L. Patton was born in Hazleton, PA on February 16, 1978. After graduating college and moving to Hollywood, Patton topped the scale at 260 pounds. In turn, he started a vegan diet and over time shed several pounds.

In 2006, Patton launched his online vegan cooking show on YouTube under his nickname The Sexy Vegan and it became an Internet hit. In 2010 Patton was offered a publishing contract from New World Library, and his debut cookbook was published on March 21, 2012.

The Sexy Vegan Cookbook is available to borrow from the Lackawanna County Library System; click here to place a hold.

Much thanks to Michele L. for this reference.