The Faculty Club Newsletter

May 06

           Dear Members! We are finally having some sunshine, and that bodes well for our spring wine tasting on the glade. Our members have been showing up at the various events put on for their entertainment over the past couple of months. This pleases the management and the Board. Remember to get suggestions to us if you would like to see some special kind of event, or a repeat of one you enjoyed especially. The Wine Tasting on the Glade and the Mother’s Day brunch are two of our most popular events. Reservations are still available for some times for the Mother’s Day lunch. The Spring Wine Tasting is also very popular, so reserve soon. You have probably seen that there is a new face at our front desk. Dolly Lego, our hotel manager, retired in April after eleven years with the Club. She has been replaced by Janet Mosick. I am pleased to have her aboard – she comes with experience in similar positions elsewhere. I personally am preparing to put on my chef’s jacket for the annual Indian dinner. Hope to see you there. As always, you should feel free to contact me or ask for help in any club related matter.

       Come to the Club on May 4th for another of our popular lecture evenings, this time dedicated to the art of political prediction. Philip Tetlock is Professor of Political Science here at Berkeley and author most recently of “Expert Political Judgment: How Good is it? How Can We Know?” (2005), Princeton University Press. We have heard in the past from people like Mervin Field of the Field Poll, but here is a chance to learn about the accuracy or inaccuracy of the prognosticators and their methods. Reception at 6 p.m., followed by lecture and dinner at 7 p.m. Cost: $25 per person.

       The Vintners of northern California are again ready to get your attention with their latest releases and old favorites. Gather a group of friends, repay all those social obligations, and enjoy the tasting on May 12th. The usual pattern: tasting from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., and dinner and dancing from 7 to 9. If you’ve never experienced a wine tasting evening on the glade, you owe it to yourself to try one. You will get hooked, as so many members have before you. Cost: $42 per person, all-inclusive.

       After a good turnout for the April meeting, we’re looking forward to the last meeting of the year for this lively group, on June 15th. All surviving spouses of Club members are eligible to join this welcoming group. Lunch costs $17, with an extra $5 charge for wine. At the last meeting Steve Finacom also displayed the beautiful oil painting of the Club by Eugen Neuhaus that we are in the process of acquiring. The group agreed to help raise the funds to cover the purchase of the picture and have already pledged donations to cover nearly half the cost! Next month’s Newsletter will have an article about the picture and details of how donations are to be made. Current members will receive notification of our next meeting and its program by mail. Others should not hesitate to call for more information: Phyllis Schafer at 510-704-9951

       Once again it is time for Felix to remove his tie and put on his chef’s whites. Members in the know recognize that his annual Indian dinner is a delight to the senses. On June 17th join your friends for a trip to the subcontinent, orchestrated by our manager and his loyal kitchen staff. More details on the menu in the next Newsletter. Reception at 6; dinner and entertainment, 7 to 10. All-inclusive cost: $40 per person.

       Come any weekday evening before 6:30 and enjoy a three-course dinner for the remarkable price of $13.99, including a choice of soup or salad, and dessert. This special is particularly convenient for those who are attending Cal Performances, Berkeley Symphony, games, and so on. It is so popular, in fact, that it is wise to make reservations at 540-5678 ext. 0.

       Our artist for the month will be Henry Vaux, Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics. He will be showing black-and-white photographs from the American Southwest and the Canadian Rockies. Two picture panels show photographs of glaciers in the Rockies – taken exactly a century apart by Professor Vaux and his grandfather! These images document graphically the extent of glacial recession in the past century.

       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. The new Bar menu is already in place – check it out. We are also introducing some new wines by the glass, with appetizers. Have a meeting with a friend, or enjoy some TV sports!

       At the annual meeting on April 5th the membership learned the results of elections to the Board of Directors: Ken Ribet and Catherine Koshland were elected to three-year terms. Welcome Aboard! Once again, we would like to congratulate our management team, especially Felix and Syed, for their work in helping to control costs and run at a profit. We are indeed fortunate to have a great Board of Directors and creative staff who work together for the benefit of our organization.

       The day of wine and roses approaches. Corsages and champagne. A delicious buffet. Delightful decorations. A strolling violinist. What better can you do for your mother (or the mother of your children, or your best friend’s mother, or your best friend who’s like a mother to you – or even- the ultimate guilt trip-for your children)? On May 14th the Club once again offers its celebration of maternity. There’s no place in town that offers the relaxed charm of this event. Reservation forms are included with this newsletter. Get your reservations in early – some popular hours fill up fast! Price: $40 per person.

       Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Your editor picked up the Louis Agassiz story from the Bancroft website and attributed both the fall of his statue and the witty aside to Berkeley. It actually happened at Stanford. I grovel. My only plea before the court is that my late husband (see the E.H. Schafer Memorial Telephone Booth in the Club’s back hall) was for years the Agassiz Professor of East Asian languages and literatures here at Berkeley. But that’s no excuse! Forgive me.

       The Club continues to serve a generous breakfast in the dining room every weekday. For $2.99 you can enjoy juice, coffee or tea, eggs, and toast. After the grim commute, unwind with your newspaper and get ready to fact the day. We don’t discriminate. You can eat the same breakfast even if you walk to campus!