The Faculty Club Newsletter

June 2004

           As you start the summer I want to wish you safe and enjoyable travels – and a profitable summer’s work to those here in Berkeley. Remember the Club is here to serve you throughout the summer. Member’s events in May were successful, with the Mothers’ Day brunch and wine tasting on the glade. We also hosted many graduation parties. Thanks to all who supported our offerings, and a big thank you to all the staff for working very hard and doing a great job during this busy period. We will be busy during the summer with weddings, member events, and Club upgrades. As always my goal is to continue to serve you in better ways, including cooking you dinner later this month! If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to drop me a note or call me. Thank you.

        Felix is once again putting aside his collection of fine ties and formal jackets to don the whites of a chef. Those of you who have enjoyed one of his Indian dinners will know that this is a not-to-be-missed event. Reserve the evening of June 18th and bring some friends to the Club to introduce them to the varied talents of our Manager and the wonderful food he produces. Reception at 6, dinner at 7. The cost is $30 per person, all inclusive. Reservations at 540-5678, Ext. 224.

        Our artist for the month will be Angela Hunkler, of University Extension. Due to circumstances beyond our control we could not get details of her show for the Newsletter. But her show will go up on June 1, with full information on her artistic background.

        With generous donations from two sets of donors, Carol and Robert Clarke and the Franson family of Fresno, we have been able to renovate the suite (now the California Suite), tower room (now the Cal Spirit Room), and the adjoining rooms (one of which is now the Franson Room), along with corridors and stairway to the Seaborg Room. The House Committee worked on the selection of furnishings, with the unfailing help of Fred Yasaki and Sukhjit Johal, our hard working design consultants. Below is a cozy corner of the California suite, with the beautiful blue and gold rug, found by sukhjit, which became the anchor for the color scheme and design throughout the suite – suitably blue and gold. Furnishings echo the craftsman style of the building. A few finishing touches need to be put in place: pictures, some draperies, and portraits of the donors, but guests are already enjoying the luxury of the rooms.

       This month enjoy a choice of two continuing delicious entrées, or the daily chef’s special, at the bargain dinner in the Kerr Room. This is the biggest dining bargain in Berkeley. Come any weekday evening before 6:30 and enjoy a three-course dinner for the remarkable price of $12.99, including a choice of soup or salad, and dessert. These dinners are a great idea for evenings when you’re going to a basketball game or an event at Zellerbach.

       On July 16th join Jack Coons and a group of enthusiastic but not necessarily talented singers who will gather at the Club to show that members do not need to be entertained all the time. They can entertain themselves (and the waiters serving them dinner) with renditions of old favorites whose melodies are familiar to all of us. This year our leader and accompanist will be the talented Stan Fong, well known throughout the East Bay for his work with choral groups, both high and low. This will definitely be one of his more exciting assignments. Reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7, and singing till exhaustion sets in. The cost will be $35 per person, all inclusive. Reservations at ext. 224.

        Ebay has turned up another old image of the Faculty Club early in the century – a stereopticon picture of the newly constructed building. On the back there is an inscription: “Faculty Club House, University of California, Berkeley. The trees are oaks (Quercus lobata), known in California as ‘White Oaks,’ but showing but little resemblance to the White Oaks (Quercus alba) of the East.” This image seems to be even older than the one shown last month and may be one of the earliest surviving pictures of the Club dating from soon after its construction, maybe as early as 1903.

       Our summer winemaker’s dinner has now been set for August 13th. Spottiswoode Winery’s Lindi Novak will be presenting some of their finest wines for your enjoyment. Our chef will be planning a special dinner to complement the wines, and those attending will have the opportunity to purchase at highly advantageous prices. Watch for more details in next month’s Newsletter. The reception will be at 6 p.m. with the dinner at 7 p.m. Cost: $60 per person, all inclusive. Make your reservations at extension 224.

        Remember that you can enjoy the convenience of the Club’s morning breakfast special. From 7 to 10 a.m. you can come by the Kerr Room and for $2.99 enjoy juice, eggs, coffee, and toast. Pick up a newspaper on the way to campus and relax after that commute or uphill bike ride.