The Faculty Club Newsletter

February 07

          Dear Members!
The New Year is now well under way. We had a good turnout at both January events – the Crab Feast and the Winemaker’s dinner. We continue to plan further events for the year, with two perennial favorites coming up in February (see left and below). We will soon be installing new light fixtures at the east entrance to the Club and in our smaller meeting rooms. A new table and chairs have been installed in the E room and new rugs have been bought for the Louderback, Popper and E rooms. Our chef has been implementing new healthy options for dinners and lunches in the Kerr Dining Room, using organic products purchased from local farmers. I’m sure you will enjoy the new additions. As always, I look forward to seeing you at the Club. The Board and Management are very pleased with the many responses to our member survey and I assure you that we’ll keep working on improving any areas of concern that were brought up. I personally appreciate your feedback, so please feel free to contact me at any time.

       Well, February 9th is a few days before Valentine’s Day. But who cares? We hope you’ve already decided on the one you are going to invite to this annual event – an elegant evening with a four-course dinner, with wine, and music and dancing for the rest of the evening. There’s still time, however! Get out your little black book and make that call now! Of course, there’s no rule that you have to come as a couple. Why not simply gather a group of friends and enjoy the evening, perhaps indulging in a few fond reminiscences? The reception will begin at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7. The all-inclusive cost is $50 per person.

       This month’s show is by Stanley Brandes, Professor of Anthropology at UC Berkeley. It consists of fourteen black and white photographs of Peru, taken over the course of two trips to that country in the late 1990s. In addition to teaching and writing about Latin America, Professor Brandes enjoys photography as a hobby and serious avocation. He increasingly combines photography with anthropological research and currently teaches a course on the uses and abuses of photography in anthropology. Professor Brandes shot all these images with film cameras and printed them using tradition darkroom methods.

       All of our food services are now back in full swing, including happy hour in the bar and meals before all home basketball games. We’re continuing our Early Bird Bargain Dinners from 5 to 6:30 – a great pre-show meal for only $13.99. Reservations at 540-5678, extension 0. Take advantage of the new heart healthy offerings at both lunch and dinner in the Kerr dining room, as well as the changing wine-by-the-glass selections in the bar. We are now offering the opportunity for informal, light meals in the Bar on weekday evenings. If you need a quick snack before returning to your department for an early evening meeting, you can now do it in the peace of the Club Bar. Breakfast in the Kerr Dining Room continues to be the best breakfast bargain in Berkeley. Our kitchens can also provide Take Out Lunches that may be ordered by phone or fax. With notice, we can arrange delivery on campus. Watch the Club notice board for the menu for the special Early Bird Dinners.

       On March 23rd we welcome back a Club favorite. Club members do not seem to be able to get enough of the work of Tom Bopp, popular pianist and song stylist. His repertoire ranges from the Gay 90s to – well, we’ve never really determined that! You can hear him in his appearances here at the Club, and at the Wawona Hotel in Yosemite, where you would pay a hefty sum to hear him perform. Another great Club bargain at $45 per person. Enjoy this evening of fine food and fun-filled music. Reception at 6; dinner at 7.

       This group continues to meet bimonthly throught the academic year. At the February 14th meeting, we’ll share some poetic memories of he ones we’ve loved. All widows of Club members are eligible to join this welcoming group. Lunch costs $17, with an extraa $5 charge for wine. Current members will receive notification of the meeting by mail. Others should not hesitate to call for more information: Phyllis Schafer at 510-704-9951.

       All Faculty Club members (many of whom are also members of the Section Club) are invited to join the University Section Club for its 40th annual Beehive Luncheon and Silent Auction fundraiser, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington, on February 27th. Included in the Auction are a week in Puerto Vallarta, theater tickets, dining opportunities, art works, gift baskets, and handcrafts. All proceeds will benefit the UC student community. By reservation only, $20 mailed to Julia Wenk, 734 Spruce, Berkeley, CA 94707. Questions? Call Martha Smith, 548-7682 by February 16th.