September 15 - October 14, 2005
An eclectic cyber benefit auction - items from $100 - $12,000

What does my bid support?
In summer 2006, the Workshop will be organizing “Where I’m Calling From: Youth At Home,” a creative writing and solo performance workshop for Asian American, African American, Caucasian and Latino youths between ages 13-19. Your bid dollar supports artists fees, youth stipends, writing workshops and a public performance.

See more Frequently Asked Questions

What is up for bidding?

Person
Minimum bid in this category is $100 unless otherwise indicated. Winning bidder picks up the tab for food/drink where relevant. The Workshop will help to arrange the meeting.
1.	Breakfast at Balthazar with writer Monique Truong Enjoy lovely lattes, toast points with soft-boiled eggs or brioches and everything morning with an award-winning debut novelist at this SoHo staple. Author of the national bestseller The Book of Salt (Houghton Mifflin) about the Vietnamese cook to Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Tolklas and coeditor of the anthology Watermark: Vietnamese American Poetry and Prose, Truong is the winner of seven major literary prizes including The Bard Fiction Prize and the NY Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award. She holds degrees from Yale University and Columbia Law School.
2.	Afternoon cream puffs with writer Edmund White Chat with one of the legends in gay contemporary literature and get travel tips, writing ideas and delicious gossip, avec whipped cream. The flaneur of gay American literature, Princeton professor and author of eighteen novels and collections, including the forthcoming memoir My Lives, excerpted recently in The New Yorker, White has won numerous accolades and awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the title of Chevalier (and Officier) de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government and the prize of the festival of Deauville in 2000 for the entire body of his work.
3.	Drinks with rock/porn star Aiden Shaw Clink a tall glass (or three) in Manhattan with one of the world’s top-ten adult video stars. Make your friends green with envy because “…sometimes, going out is a competition.” International adult video superstar, lead singer for Whatever, poet, novelist, aesthete and British dandy with or without clothes, Shaw is the author of several poetry collections and novels including Brutal, Boundaries and Wasted. His forthcoming memoir, My Undoing, will be published in 2006.
4.	Short story critique by writer Rick Moody Stop mulling over that short story and let one of the finest contributors to American arts and letters offer you his feedback. Moody is the author of six novels, including Garden State, The Ice Storm, made into a movie directed by Ang Lee, the memoir The Black Veil, and, most recently, The Diviners (Little Brown & Company). A graduate of Brown University and the MFA program at Columbia University, he is also a Guggenheim Fellow and a winner of the Metcalf Award. The winning bidder is invited to submit twenty-five pages work of prose for Moody’s professional review and handwritten critique.
5.	Tea with New York Observer columnist & Barney’s Creative Director Simon Doonan Sip tea while laughing uproariously and find yourself talking British after an hour. Simon Doonan is the creative director of Barney’s New York, columnist of “Simon Says” for the New York Observer and best-selling author of Wacky Chicks, Confessions of a Window Dresser and, most recently, Nasty: My Family and Other Glamorous Varmints. He also frequently contributes his clever observations and witty opinions as a commentator for VH1, the Trio network and Full Frontal Fashion.
6.	Two private yoga classes with teacher Urvi Dalal Learn how to maintain posture, breathe, smile on the inside, and assume the positions—and watch yourself get a whole bunch of compliments. The path toward enlightenment doesn’t come with a map. Thus, yoga. Certified Exhale yoga instructor Urvi Dalal incorporates pranayama and yoga philosophy in her vinyasa classes to leave you uplifted and refreshed. Equal parts yoga and therapy, Dalal creates a nurturing environment for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. The winning bidder receives two private classes. Three-person maximum.
7.	Private tour of MoMA with Tricia Paik, of the Drawings Department The new $850 million renovation by Yoshio Taniguchi is beautiful—and so still is the art. A treat for a party of four because those audio guides don’t stop to take your questions. You don’t need to be an art connoisseur to appreciate a Matisse or a Picasso. But are you a little puzzled by some of the more avant-garde pieces? Tricia Paik, a staff member of MoMA’s Drawings Department, will lead four lucky art appreciators on a private tour—worth $270—of the newly expanded Museum of Modern Art and demystify your aesthetic quandaries. 2-hour tour focusses on the permanent collection, the architecture of the new building and a lesson on the history of modern art. The winner of the bid will have one year to schedule the tour during the museum’s hours of operation.
8.	Manuscript feedback with literary agent Eric Simonoff Don’t get awash in the slush piles. Step straight to the front of the line and get advice from a top literary agent. One of the most successful, talented literary agents in contemporary literature, Eric Simonoff, an agent at Janklow & Nesbit, offers feedback, evaluation and advice on your manuscript-in-progress. Ask him what it takes to publish a novel or collection of stories, your chances of landing a book contract and how to get published in today’s marketplace. Eric Simonoff has been a literary agent at Janklow & Nesbit Associates since 1991. His clients include, among others, Pulitzer-prize winners Jhumpa Lahiri (The Namesake) and Edward P. Jones (The Known World) and ZZ Packer (Drinking Coffee Elsewhere), Vickram Chandra (Red Earth and Pouring Rain) and Geoff Dyer (Yoga for People Who Can’t Be Bothered to Do It). The winning bidder is invited to submit up to a hundred manuscript pages in advance to Simonoff who will offer a personal meeting and conversation in his office.
9.	Two-hour skincare, facial and makeup session with makeup artist Jason Paulson Hailing from the uncynical state of Oregon, thirty-one-year-old Paulson arrived in New York City three years ago with the intent to help make Gotham a more beautiful place—one face at a time. A makeup artist for actresses Brooke Shields and Kathleen Turner and supermodel Gisele, Paulson helps brides with private weddings and handles freelance beauty assignments for Pretty Pretty Cosmetics. His expertise and use of the finest line of skincare products, Jason Natural Cosmetics—100 percent natural, 70 percent organic—will help you look and feel 100 percent fabulous. The winning bidder will receive a personal consultation in Jason’s home on how to improve your skin as well as a professional facial and makeup session, complete with table, makeup, supplies and dietary suggestions.
10.	One-hour massage and bodywork session with Jake For all the sitting that most of us do in the modern age, it’s amazing how tired and stressed we get while doing it! So start working out those kinks and bring some balance into your mind and body. A favorite of those in the know, Jake is trained in Reiki, deep-tissue massage and acupressure and believes in holistic wellness. In this one-hour session, he will begin to un-do all the things you’ve been doing to yourself over the years. He’ll explain how massage therapy can improve your circulation, increase your flexibility and just make you healthier and happier.

Place
All winning bidders have until October 15, 2006, to complete their stays.
11.	Rhode Island summer home (6 nights, 7 days) - minimum bid $400 Escape that New York frame of mind as a New England dawn filters in through your bedroom window. A four-bedroom, two-bath contemporary home, with a full-size bar and outdoor shower in the Northgate section of Narragansett, RI. Conveniently located near the Narragansett town beach, Bonnet Shores and historic towns of Jamestown, Wickford and Newport. Feel like a Vanderbilt as you stroll the shores of the seemingly smallest state with a whole lot to offer.
12.	Barcelona, Spain, penthouse (6 nights, 7 days) - minimum bid $400 Spend six nights and seven days in a beautiful 1,000-square-foot penthouse, equipped with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and two terraces. The residence is located in the heart of Barcelona, on Carrerde Provenca and Paseo de Gracia, near three Gaudi architectural masterpieces and surrounded by the finest restaurants and shops. For more information click here.
13.	Chalet in the Catskills, New York (weekend retreat) - minimum bid $400 Located in the Catskill mountains, overlooking Hunter Mountain and a mere four minutes away from the Windham Ski Mountain slopes, the residence is a spacious four-bedroom chalet, equipped with a Jacuzzi bathtub. Ideal for large and small groups seeking a long weekend escape from the city (without sacrificing any of the luxuries of modern amenities). Click here for more information
14.	The Enclave Suites in Orlando, Florida (6 nights, 7 days) - minimum bid $400 The comforts of home meet the lavishness of a full-service resort at the Enclave Suites. It’s all centrally located in Orlando, one block from famous International Drive and surrounded by many culinary, commercial, as well as tourist attractions. The resort is equipped with outdoor swimming pools, kiddie pools, whirlpools, tennis court and fitness center. The deluxe studio suite features a queen-sized bed, a full-sized sofa bed, a fully equipped kitchen, bath, cable TV, in-room safe, and private balcony. Complimentary breakfast and newspaper delivery every morning. For more information Click here for more information.

Thing
The winning bidders for restaurant items will choose from a prix-fixe menu that does not include costs for drinks, taxes or tip. Free shipping for books except item #23.
15.	Dinner for two at États-Unis - minimum bid $100 242 East 81st Street (Between Second and Third Avenues) New York, NY 10028 (212) 517-8826 "A cozy culinary haven in a beautiful former carriage house." The regularly changing menu features innovative American creations fused with contemporary French cuisines from grilled quail salad with orange, walnuts and greens to rosemary-laced lamb with sweet figs and potato-broccoli rabe gratin. The daily menus are inspired by the freshest ingredients of the season. No meal is complete without a selection from the French and growing Spanish wine list or the signature [i.e.: rich] chocolate soufflé and original date pudding. For more information click here
16.	Dinner for four at Salt - minimum bid $100 58 MacDougal Street (Between Prince and Houston Streets) New York 10012 (212) 674-4968 "Ideal for a warm and intimate dining experience!" Salt is set in a dim, softly lit room, surrounded by walls of exposed brick, where clients can choose between the friendly ambiance of communal tables and the romantic privacy afforded by snug window seats. The dishes here are homey, seasonal American specialties such as caramelized onion risottos and veal saltimbocca with lettuce, prosciutto and cauliflower puree. For more information click here
17.	Dinner for two at Cendrillon - minimum bid $100 45 Mercer Street (Between Broome and Grand Streets) New York, NY 10013 (212) 343-9012 "Critically acclaimed as one of the best Pan Asian restaurants in NYC" Traditional Filipino food meets nouveau Pan-Asian fare at veteran chef Romy Donotan’s stylish SoHo bistro. His signature palate-pleasing creations include squash soup with crab dumplings, salt roasted duck with mango and tomatillo chutney, and ribs marinated to perfection in lime, honey, rice wine, minced shallots and ginger, cooked over moist heat in a Chinese smokehouse, served with mashed taro root, potatoes and yam along with sautéed mustard greens. Cendrillon’s desserts are also a must! For more information click here
18.	Light sculpture by artist Perry Mamaril - minimum bid $300 Exquisite geometric forms meet function in Perry Mamaril’s light sculpture designs. Reminiscent of famed surrealist Isamu Nogushi’s Akari (light sculptures made of mulberry paper and bamboo), Mamaril’s work reclaims elements of his Filipino heritage and integrates them with modern designs. Highly sought after by posh restaurateurs and chic homeowners, the pieces are aesthetically and functionally ideal for interior décor, and Mamaril crafts each one specifically based upon the dimensions and requirements of its intended environment. Sculptor, installation artist, theater production/lighting designer and film art director, Perry Mamaril is greatly influenced by the indigenous culture of his native Philippines. His bamboo light sculptures and installations comment on the convergence of the traditional and contemporary, first and third world, rural and urban environments. A founding member of the Baguio Arts Guild, Mamaril has held several prestigious art residencies and has participated in solo as well as group exhibitions all over the world. For more information click here
19.	Nine Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver cookbooks - minimum bid $100 Spice up your life (and your dinner parties) with four bestselling hardcover cookbooks by Nigella Lawson and five bestselling hardcover cookbooks by Jamie Oliver. Nigella Lawson, a successful journalist and freelance writer for a range of publications, has risen to the ranks of UK’s most celebrated food writers. The author of several bestselling cookbooks, Lawson is also the star of the popular television series Nigella Bites. Jamie Oliver completed his formal training at Westminster Catering College prior to working at the critically acclaimed River Café in London. An international culinary icon, Oliver was featured in the hit television series Naked Chef. A bestselling author, Oliver is also a food editor for British GQ, the Saturday Times Magazine and Marie Claire. How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking by Nigella Lawson How to be a Domestic Goddess features easy-to-make cakes, breads, jams and pies. Lose the hassle and gain the glory of quick and easy to make household goodies. Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson Taken from Nigella Lawson’s Style network cooking show, Nigella Bites is Lawson’s third cookbook. The book is divided into the following sections: comfort food, tv dinners, party girl, rainy days, trashy, legacy, suppertime, slow-cooked weekend, and temple food. Again Nigella offers a variety of different dishes without the hassle. Her simple and easy cookbook helps you put together a yummy medley. Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson Nigella’s ode to summer. Drawing from southern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Nigella combines a variety of different flavors to create delectable summer dishes. And again she makes it friendly to the non-professional chef with easy cooking methods. Feast by Nigella Lawson The daunting task of preparing a holiday feast for family coming from all over the world is no stress-free task. Nigella uses her easy, hassle-free method, and offers a range of feast foods, from Thanksgiving turkeys to Christmas cakes. And New Year’s and Easter are featured as well. The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver In the famous words of The Naked Chef, it is all about “stripping back to the bare essentials.” His recipes focus mainly on Italian cuisine with spices and ingredients that are easily found. The book is great for people who need quick recipes for exquisite food. And no, he does not cook in the nude, nor does he advise you to either. Naked Chef Takes Off by Jamie Oliver In this installment Oliver takes off by using the best ingredients and herbs available. Although his recipes do not follow traditional cookbook etiquette, it is ripe with tips. And it leaves room for your own improvisation! Happy Days with the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver This book follows in line with the rest of Oliver’s Naked books but adds flavors from New Zealand, Australia, America and Japan. The comfort food, quick fix, and kids sections will truly bring about happy days. Jamie's Kitchen by Jamie Oliver Yet another one of Oliver’s easy-to-follow cookbooks with big, beautiful pages. The new recipes are innovative creations not featured at his restaurant, the River Café. The personal collection of culinary chef d’oeuvres will entice you to cook for hours. Jamie's Dinners by Jamie Oliver Jamie Oliver introduces new ideas to revamp dinners for the family, as well as impromptu guests and kids. As always Oliver focuses on exquisite taste that any individual, however deft or inexperienced in the kitchen, can create.
20.	First U.S. hardcover edition of The Mute’s Soliloquy by Pramoedya Ananta Toer (signed by author with bookplate) - minimum bid $100 In 1965, Pramoedya Ananta Toer was sentenced to imprisonment under harsh conditions and eventually exiled for his politically dissident views. Reminiscent of the work of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Mute’s Soliloquy is a poignant portrait of a colonial existence and a heartbreaking recap of life before it. Toer crafts a passionate tribute to the freedom of the mind and a celebration of the human spirit. Pramoedya Ananta Toer is an Indonesian novelist, short-story writer, as well as essayist and critic. Deemed an "anti-colonialist" by the Dutch government, Toer spent fourteen years serving hard labor in various places. His imprisonment, along with the Japanese occupation and the struggle for Indonesian independence provide the backdrop for many of his major works.
21.	First U.S. hardcover edition of This Earth of Mankind by Pramoedya Ananta Toer (signed by author with bookplate) - minimum bid $100 A compelling tale of love set against the backdrop of Java’s colonial society, as seen through the eyes of a young native. The first of four novels written by Indonesian author Pramoedya Ananta Toer during his period of imprisonment.
22.	Hardcover copy of Swann's Way, by Marcel Proust, translated by Lydia Davis, with private lecture by Harold Augenbraum, President of Proust Society (accompanied by homemade madeleines and tilleul) - minimum bid $100 "Petites madeleines soaked in lime blossom tea bridges the gap between grands esprits of the past and present." Born in Auteuil, France, Marcel Proust is considered a pioneer of the modern novel. Publishing most of his works in the early twentieth century, Proust became well known for his stream-of-consciousness writing style, causing a lengthy sentence to span several pages. He is most well known for his autobiographical novel A La Recherche du Temps Perdu. The French author died in 1922. A true homme de lettres, Harold Augenbraum served for fourteen years as the director of the Mercantile Library, during which period he founded the Proust Society of America, the Center for World Literature, the New York Mystery Festival and the Fadiman Medal for Literature. Fluent in Spanish and French, Augenbraum is also known for his literary accomplishments as a writer, an editor, a reviewer and a translator. He currently serves as the executive director of the National Book Foundation and is on the board of trustees of The Asian American Writers’ Workshop. The winner of this bid will receive a hardcover copy of Marcel Proust’s masterpiece Swann’s Way, a beautiful edition recently translated by Lydia Davis, along with a lecture by Augenbraum, accompanied by homemade madeleines (an iconic Proust favorite) and tilleul.
23.	$12,000 worth of Asian American books (including novels, poetry, anthologies and short story collections) - minimum bid $1,000 Seven-hundred Asian American books! This collection is composed of a decade of book selections from the creative leaders in Asian American writing. This astounding package consists of many out-of-print books, as well as rare titles published by small presses. Titles rang from literary fiction, poetry, anthologies, children’s and literary journals to nonfiction, including textbooks, memoirs, religion and language books. Multiple copies of some titles included. Click here for a complete list of titles.
24.	$1,000 worth of carpentry services with Trevor Mark Murphy - minimum bid $250 Let’s see you walk into a Home Depot and walk out with enough materials and wherewithal to build a house. There’s a paint problem, a hole in the wall, a door awry and things that go whizzy at night. Let carpenter extraordinaire Trevor Mark Murphy help. The winning bidder will receive carpentry services totaling $1,000. A list of what you can have fixed: doors straightened and planed, four 6-foot-tall bookcases with adjustable shelves, a newly painted one-bedroom apartment, an interior wall built (or taken down)…
25.	Three private training sessions at Definitions Gym - minimum bid $100 If you’re abs or upper arms just aren’t quite what they used to be, find out how to whip them into shape without having to do crunches while holding on to all 1,488 pages of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Boasting top-of-the-line cardio- and strength-training equipment, Definitions is essentially a private gym specifically designed for personal training. Booking no more than seven clients per hour per facility, there are no lines for those elliptical machines! More accommodating than your average bear of a gym, Definitions provides private showers, changing rooms and personal laundry service. For more information, see www.definitions.com.
26.	Two tickets to NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien“ – minimum bid $100 Entertainment Weekly called "Late Night with Conan O’Brien" as "the most cunning talk how around." It is a place where A-list guests chat up their latest blockbuster movies or hit television shows, innovative sketches, including “Triumph the Insult Comic Dog”, garner a loyal following, and television debuts by music superstars, i.e., Radiohead, Green Day and Sheryl Crow have been made. But what sets the award-winning “Late Night” truly apart from the other talk shows is Conan O’Brien’s “quick-witted” style. For more information click here.

How do I bid?
You can bid by telephone (212.494.0061), fax (212.494.0062), email, or online. Please include your name, address, telephone number and the dollar amount for the item you are bidding on. Please include the name of the item in your email and put "auction bid" on the subject line.

Do I have to live in New York to bid? Do I have to be a Workshop member to bid?
No. And no. All items on the list are open to anyone living anywhere, but you must live in (or be able to travel to) New York City for restaurant, carpentry, gym and Person bids.

Is my bid tax-deductible?
Yes, partially. If you win the bid for your item, you will receive a standard tax-deductible donation letter from the Workshop acknowledging the amount paid, less the estimated value of the item. So, if you win a $100 item on a bid of $215, you will receive a letter stating your donation as $115.

Can I bid on more than one item?
Yes.

How will I know you received my bid?
We will send everyone who submits a bid an email or telephone message as confirmation. If you must leave a message on our answering machine, please speak clearly and slowly when leaving your telephone number.

When is the last day to bid?
All initial bids must be in by October 13 at 5 p.m. EST

Can I bid more than once?
No (and yes). Only the top three bids in each category will get a chance to bid once more.

Can I still win an item if I'm the top bidder and the auction doesn't reach the minimum amount?
We are hoping it doesn't come to this, but if it does, it will be decided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the individual who donated the item. Remember, this support is part of an expanded effort to bring literature into the lives of young people.

What does this auction support?
In summer 2006, the Workshop will be launching "Where I'm Calling From: Youth at Home" an intensive summer seminar for youth of all colors, featuring creative writing workshops, theater training and a weekend festival of solo 10-minute performance/theater pieces.

How will I find out if I won?
The top three bidders for each item will be notified on October 13. He/she will then have 24 hours to turn around a best-and-final bid. The winner will receive a telephone call by October 15.

What if you never receive my bid?
All bids will be confirmed. If you bid and do not receive confirmation, then please call the Workshop directly.

Can I adjust my bid once I have made it?
No. Neither in the initial nor the final round can we allow you to adjust your bid.

How do I make the final bid if I am in the top three?
All three individuals bidding for an item in the final round will be asked to provide a credit card number and valid payment information. The winning bidder will be charged just after the last day of the auction, October 14.