Chef Vongerichten goes Korean in new series/E2

Sunday, June 19, 2011

appily ever after

yuma native produces interactive storybooks

BY Mara KNaUB Sun Staff Writer

n a small, peaceful neighborhood, a wonderfully curious and clever girl is about to get herself into a bit of mischief. Her name is Violet and she has a very secret SECRET. When Violet ties on her black satin mask she becomes Phantom Girl, the worlds most daring experimenter! Violet is the main character starring in a series of interactive childrens books for iPhones, iPads and digital devices created by Yuma native Jeff Keeme and his wife, Allison. Shes curious as a cat. She goes out there and does things. She moves all the clocks an hour earlier and messes up everyones day, Jeff said. MyBlackDog Books, the Tucson-based studio of Jeff, 27, and Allison, 26, creates and publishes high-quality interactive digital books for a new generation.

We were one of the first to get the idea, Jeff said, noting that they got the idea as soon as Allison got an iPad. But he always figured it would be a side thing, not a growing, thriving business. The Keemes started MyBlackDog Books in 2010, naming the company after their black dog, Hershey, whom Allison adopted at age 10. Jeff describes Violet and the rest of the series as modern pop-up books. We love traditional-style books where you flip pages, but were the pop-up books of iPad and digital devices. They cant pop up literally, but theyre interactive and educational. One cool feature is the Read Me button. Press the button and it reads to the children. It allows them to learn to read on their own, Jeff noted.

According to the app description, boys and girls alike will have a blast playing with and searching for the many exciting animated interactions contained within this amusing tale of a little girl with a BIG imagination. Other features include hidden pop-up and movable animations, page curl navigation and audio on/off option for original musical score. After reading the book, children can head on over to www. myblackdogbooks.com to enjoy coloring book pages and an interactive sketchpad for creating their own artwork. While visiting the website, kids can learn more about Violet, her family and that curious little dog that seems to be following her. That dog is at the center of the second book in the series, Violet and the Mysterious Black Dog. The book, available exclusively for the iPad, has been the best seller so far. The entire Violet series has seen much success, but Violet

and the Mysterious Black Dog was chosen by Apple as a Top 15 interactive book for the entire year of 2010, Jeff said. The book has received good reviews from some of the largest news outlets reporting on technology, such as CNET and AOL Tech, as well as awards. Apple chose the book as the No. 1 New & Noteworthy app and as a Whats Hot title in the App Store. The book ranked in the Top 4 in the iPad Books category and as the Latest and Greatest App 2011 by CNET Reviews. Violet and the four other books in the series are available from Apples App Store for the iPad or by visiting: www.myblackdogbooks.com. Jeff has always been an entrepreneur. Born in 1983 to Charlie Keeme and Maricela Kussey, Jeff and his cousin, Joseph Jaramillo, started up a web development company when they were in high school. They closed up shop when See APPILY/E2

FIND MOrE ONLINE: Visit the website at www.myblackdogbooks.com, or see the official trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKqWFDa8pA

Whats Going On
FATHERS DAY SHOOTOUT WHEN: Age class 5-6, 7-8 2 to 3 p.m.; age class 9-10, 11-12 3 to 4 p.m.; Annie Oakley (moms and daughters) and open class 4 to 5 p.m. WHERE: Foothills Firearms, 11792 S. Foothills Boulevard GOING ON: Fathers, Sons and BB Guns Fathers Day shootout; sponsored by the Schechert family; Crossman Model 760 BB guns and ammo provided; limited openings available; first prize is a Crossman Model 760 BB/pellet gun for each age/gender class with shooting glasses INFO: To confirm entry, call 305-9800 COST: Free

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SUMMER SIX PAC WHEN: 2 p.m. WHERE: Historic Yuma Theatre, 254 S. Main St. GOING ON: Sin, Sex and the CIA; presented by City of Yuma Employees Association INFO: For tickets, call Yuma Art Center, 373-5202; Yuma Civic Center, 373-5040; Parks and Rec, 373-5243; or visit www. yumaaz.gov/events COST: $10, reserved seating MEAT DRAWS WHEN: 2 p.m. WHERE: VFW Post 1763, 2485 E. 14th St. GOING ON: Support VFW veteran programs INFO: Call Richard Perez, 581-3178

5-11, Folktale Adventure presented by Desert Pointe Productions; students will interact with other local artists, participate in group classes, performance-enhancing workshops, rehearsals INFO: Contact Nikki Olsen at nikki_zip@ yahoo.com COST: Pre-registration fee $75; second child $50 MOUSE BASICS WHEN: 9:30 a.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Computer class for those with little or no computer experience TEEN MOVIES WHEN: 4 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Better Off Dead (1985) ENGLISH CLASSES WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Ingles basico para adultos, to help master the basics of English TEEN CHESS CLUB WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. every Monday

WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Ages 12-19 only; bring own chessboard or use librarys HOMEWORK HELP WHEN: 3 to 4 p.m. WHERE: Main Library teen room, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Volunteer honor students provide assistance with basic math up to pre-algebra CRAFT CLASSES WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Held in the second-floor classroom every Monday; participants create repujados, etchings on aluminum; supplies provided INFO: Call 373-6487

perform an authentic flamenco; familyfriendly program FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHEN: 1 p.m. WHERE: Heritage Library, 350 3rd Ave. FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHEN: 4 a.m. WHERE: Foothills Library, 13226 E. South Frontage Road PARENT AWARENESS WHEN: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Spanish; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. English WHERE: Somerton Library, 240 Canal St. GOING ON: This weeks class child health and safety; parents will learn how to prepare their children for school INFO: Call 317-4540, Ext. 1818 PRENATAL CLASSES WHEN: 10 to 11 a.m. Spanish; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. English WHERE: Martin Luther King Center, 300 S. 13th Ave. GOING ON: Free prenatal classes for future fathers and support person; female See GOING ON/E2

RED HATTERS BARBECUE WHEN: 4 p.m. GOING ON: Red Hatters barbecue; spouses welcome; reservations required INFO: For location, call 345-2043 COST: $5

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PERFORMANCE CAMP WHEN: 8 a.m. to noon WHERE: Hilton Pivot Point Conference Center, 310 N. Madison Ave. GOING ON: For ages

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FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHEN: 10:30 a.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Dancer Linida Machado will

E2 YUMA SUN, SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011

Chef Vongerichten goes Korean in new series

ASSOCIATED PRESS WACCABUC, N.Y. Try it. Go ahead, stick your finger in! The dollop of spicy hotpepper paste is hard to turn down, coming as it does from the blender of JeanGeorges Vongerichten, one of the best-known chefs in the world, not to mention the owner of 31 restaurants and the man known for basically revolutionizing fine dining in New York. Full flavor, no? he asks. Thats an understatement. Vongerichten is famous for the variety of his dishes and the magic he creates by mixing unusual and exotic flavors. But today, in an airy, open kitchen that looks out over a pond in suburban Waccabuc, N.Y., whats being served is outside his comfort zone: Korean food, prepared not by him but by his wife of six years, Marja. In July, Kimchi Chronicles, hosted by the Koreanborn Marja, debuts nationwide on public television. (Marjas husband will be her celebrity sidekick.) The show is part travelogue, part cooking show, and other Asian cuisines. Most Korean restaurants are small places in Koreatowns geared toward native Koreans, says Wendy Chan, a food consultant who has worked to introduce the cuisine to Americans. Theres little explanation of the menu and often perfunctory service, she says. But its also the nature of the food itself thats difficult for Americans to understand, even if they may have encountered kimchi (spicy cabbage), or barbecue or bibimbap, a bowl of rice with stir-fried vegetables, and often meat and an egg on top. People are confused, says Chan. They go into a restaurant and before they even order, theyre presented with a dozen different little dishes. These little side dishes maybe vegetables of the day or pickles of the day are very important in Korean cuisine. But they confuse people often there isnt even a name for them. Also, many people mistakenly assume all Korean food is spicy and red like the gochujang, or hot

MARJA VONGERICHTEN, wife of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (background left), checks a pot of Tak Bokkom Tang, prepared at their home in Waccabuc, N.Y., last week.
aims to introduce viewers to a cuisine that, while on the rise, has yet to make strong inroads in the U.S. Even Vongerichten himself, whose empire includes 10 restaurants in New York alone, among them his flagship Jean Georges and the Asian-themed Spice Market, spent five formative years in Asia but was still unfamiliar with Korean cuisine until recently.
GOING ON: Learn strategies and skills to help you network and search for jobs on the Internet; basic mouse and computer skills required

ASSOCIATED PRESS

I didnt know anything about it until I met Marja, he says. There are a number of reasons Korean food has not become nearly as prominent in the U.S. as some

pepper paste, that Marja Vongerichten has prepared today, a Korean staple used to give zest to countless dishes. But thats inaccurate, says Chan. A big hope for Korean cuisine in America, she notes, is the rise of several Korean-born chefs introducing their talents to the restaurant world: David Chang, for example, at Momofuku Ko in Manhattan, Akira Back at Yellowtail in Las Vegas, and Roy Choi, known for his Korean taco truck in Los Angeles. Theres also a well-orchestrated effort by the South Korean government to aggressively promote Korean cuisine in the United States. Indeed, the South Korean government is among the sponsors of Kimchi Chronicles, says executive producer Charlie Pinsky. He explains that the idea for the show came one evening at dinner at Jean Georges with some Korean businessmen. We suddenly realized Marja was the ideal person to host, and with her husband they made a great team, he says.
slideshows; basic computer skills required CULINARY CLASSES WHEN: 3 p.m. WHERE: Wellton Library, 28790 San Jose Ave. GOING ON: Karla Billdts adventures gastronomique, adventures in the kitchen; featuring recipes, cooking demonstrations, food samplings from around the world; children under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian INFO: Call Mimi Duncan at 3142452 COST: Free to attend; admission tickets first-come, first-served CULINARY CLASSES WHEN: 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Foothills Library, 13226 E. South Frontage Road DAYBREAKERS TOASTMASTERS WHEN: 6:30 a.m. WHERE: Yuma Community Food Bank, 2404 E. 24th St. GOING ON: Practice public speaking, leadership skills, time management, team building and organizational skills MOUNTAIN SHADOWS ART ASSOCIATION WHEN: 9 to 10 a.m. every Thursday WHERE: Donut Corral, 11411 S. Fortuna Road GOING ON: All artists and future artists welcome to informal coffee gathering INFO: Call 502-9500 COMPUTER TUTORING WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Hands-on assistance with email, the Internet and Microsoft Office programs with a volunteer tutor HOMEWORK HELP WHEN: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Main Library teen room, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Volunteer honor students provide assistance with basic math up to pre-algebra

GOING ON
FROM PAGE E1
participants must be pregnant; tour YRMC and car seat class INFO: Call Wendy Puga, 317-4540, Ext. 1818 SPANISH HEALTH CLASS WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Health classes in Spanish include portion distorion; la distorcion de la porsiones MICROSOFT EXCEL WHEN: 2:30 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Learn to use the spreadsheet program to make different projects; basic computer skills required TEEN MOVIES WHEN: 4 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: The Adjustment Bureau (2011) CULINARY CLASSES WHEN: 3:30 p.m. WHERE: Heritage Library, 350 3rd Ave. GOING ON: Karla Billdts adventures gastronomique, adventures in the kitchen; featuring recipes, cooking demonstrations, food samplings from around the world; children under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian INFO: Call Mimi Duncan at 3142452 COST: Free to attend; admission tickets first-come, first-served CULINARY CLASSES WHEN: 6 to 7 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive EDUCATIONAL EVENTS WHEN: 6 to 6:45 p.m. WHERE: Yuma Valley Family Medicine Center, 2270 S. Ridgeview Drive, Suite 303 GOING ON: This months topic: cholesterol

MEAT DRAWS WHEN: 2 p.m. every Tuesday WHERE: DAV, 954 S. 13th Ave. GOING ON: DAV Auxiliary meat draw; proceeds help veterans, Crossroads Mission, Amberlys Place, Yuma Community Food Bank FRIENDSHIP SINGLES WHEN: 5 p.m. every Tuesday WHERE: Food Bank Conference Room, 2404 E. 24th St. GOING ON: Plan get-togethers, activities, trips, etc. BARBERSHOP HARMONY CHORUS WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. WHERE: GraceWay Fellowship Church, 7875 E. 24th St., across from AWC GOING ON: Yuma Territorial Prisonaires looking for men who love to sing INFO: Call Arthur Sullivan, 5816551 COMPUTER BASICS WHEN: 9:30 a.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Build basic computer skills; basic mouse skills required

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YUMA COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN WHEN: 11:45 a.m. WHERE: Putter Inn GOING ON: Guest speaker state Sen. Don Shooter; meet on the fourth Wednesday every month except holidays INFO: Call Donna, 314-4861 COST: $11 FILE MANAGEMENT WHEN: 3:30 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive GOING ON: Learn to save and retrieve documents to hard drive and memory devices, create folders, move and copy files JOB SEARCHING STRATEGIES WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive

WHERE: Putter Inn, 1245 W. Desert GOING ON: This weeks class Hills Drive aerobics; workshops offered in GOING ON: All artists welcome for Spanish and English a coffee get-together FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH WHEN: 11 a.m. WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to noon FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHERE: Wellton Library, 28790 WHERE: Heritage Library, 350 3rd WHEN: 11 a.m. San Jose Ave. Ave. WHERE: Somerton Library, 240 GOING ON: Dancer Linida Machado GOING ON: Conversational Canal St. will perform an authentic flamenco; GOING ON: Dancer Linida Machado Spanish for beginners; learn basic family-friendly program will perform an authentic flamenco; vocabulary and phrases, practice your accent family-friendly program FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHEN: 1 p.m. LIBRARY LAPTOP USE FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHERE: Dateland Library, Avenue WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. WHEN: 1 p.m. 64E and I-8 WHERE: San Luis Library, 1075 N. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive 6th Ave. FOREIGN FILMS GOING ON: Public access to the WHEN: 2:30 p.m. laptops for homework, career, FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE WHERE: Foothills Library, 13226 E. small business development WHEN: 4 a.m. South Frontage Road INFO: Call 782-1871 WHERE: Roll Library, 5151 S. GOING ON: The Englishman Who Avenue 39E Went up a Hill but Came Down a SPAGHETTI DINNER Mountain (Wales) WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. CULINARY CLASSES WHERE: Our Lady of Guadalupe WHEN: 2:30 p.m. TEEN FOREIGN FILMS WHERE: San Luis Library, 1075 N. Hall, 417 S. 15th Ave. WHEN: 4 p.m. GOING ON: Knights of Columbus 6th Ave. WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. will serve a free spaghetti dinner GOING ON: Karla Billdts 21st Drive INFO: To donate or volunteer, call adventures gastronomique, GOING ON: Monty Python and the adventures in the kitchen; featuring Matt Young at 783-9099 or email Holy Grail (U.K.) unitmatt@aol.com recipes, cooking demonstrations, food samplings from around the PARENT AWARENESS CROPS IN world; children under 14 must WHEN: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Spanish; POTS be accompanied by a parent or 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. English WHEN: 11 guardian WHERE: Martin Luther King Center, a.m. INFO: Call Mimi Duncan at 314300 S. 13th Ave. WHERE: 2452 GOING ON: This weeks class child Foothills COST: Free to attend; admission health and safety; parents will learn Library, tickets first-come, first-served how to prepare their children for 13226 E. school South Frontage Road CULINARY CLASSES INFO: Call 317-4540, Ext. 1818 GOING ON: Learn to cultivate own WHEN: 5:30 p.m. food using containers; in support WHERE: Somerton Library, 240 PRENATAL CLASSES of Healthy Yuma Canal St. WHEN: 10 to 11 a.m. Spanish; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. English SPANISH HEALTH CLASSES PRENATAL CLASSES WHERE: San Luis Library, 1075 N. WHEN: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. WHEN: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. 6th Ave. WHERE: Heritage Library, 350 3rd Spanish; 1 to 2 p.m. English GOING ON: Prenatal classes for Ave. WHERE: Somerton Library, 240 future fathers and support person; GOING ON: This weeks class eat Canal St. female participants must be everything without getting fat; learn pregnant; tour YRMC and car seat GOING ON: Prenatal classes for future fathers and support person; how to eat everything and still class reach your goals; wear light clothes INFO: Call Wendy Puga, 317-4540, female participants must be for body fat measurements; space pregnant; tour YRMC and car seat Ext. 1818 limited class COST: Free INFO: Call Wendy Puga, 317-4540, INFO: Registration is required, call 314-2455 Ext. 1818 MICROSOFT POWERPOINT COST: Free WHEN: 2 p.m. FITNESS WORKSHOP WHERE: Main Library, 2951 S. WHEN: 11 a.m. DESERT ARTISTS 21st Drive WHERE: San Luis Library, 1075 N. GOING ON: Learn to use WHEN: 9 to 10 a.m. every 6th Ave. Wednesday PowerPoint to create basic

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APPILY
FROM PAGE E1

they graduated from high school Jeff from Cibola in 2001. He headed to Tucson to study business at the University of Arizona with the intention of starting a business. In Tucson, Jeff started another company, Clearwaves Solutions, setting up Wi-Fi networks for apart-

ments and hotels. He started the business in 2006 and continues to run it. He also worked as a programmer, which he finds is a useful skill nowadays. MyBlackDog allows Allison and me to combine our skills set. We are creating something special and a lot of fans agree. And were having fun doing it. Were putting out good quality material made from scratch, not as an after-

thought. They test their products with actual kids, sitting them down and listening to their input. Sometimes they say, I wish this made a sound here or I didnt understand this. But the best part is just seeing them having fun. But their biggest success so far has been 5-week-old Adam. Jeff and Allison are enjoying their firstborn. Hes an awesome little dude. Were learning a whole lot of new things, the proud dad said. When he grows up, he will have

lots of childrens books to read. Other future plans include taking on new authors and illustrators. They recently added two new authors, one of which penned The Body Language of Veronica Sue, whose body talks and yours does too! The storybook is written and illustrated by Kristen Applebee. Among the Keemes plans is developing more books, including the Violet series.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@ yumasun.com or 539-6856.

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