Join Williams Professor of Music W. Anthony Sheppard P’96 for the Metropolitan Opera’s presentation of Leos Janacek’s “The Makropolus Case”. While you dine, Williams Professor W. Anthony Sheppard will play excerpts from the night’s opera and give you an overview of the plot and musical highlights, locating the work in its artistic and historical context to enhance your experience of the performance. After dessert, you will be whisked away to Lincoln Center where your seats in the Dress Circle await you.

Based on Karel Capek’s play of the same name, “The Mokropolus Case” is Janacek’s penultimate opera, and premiered in December of 1926. It tells the tale of an enormously talented singer who has been blessed with the mysterious gift of extreme longevity. Her story is intertwined with legal battles, historical intrigue, and passionate affairs. The opera is noted for its intricate interplay between musical motifs and the complex emotions of its heroine, who is thought to be modeled after a married woman with whom Janacek was infatuated for much of his life. “The Makropolus Case” is truly one of Janacek’s enduring masterpieces.

Cost: $179 per person; includes 3-course dinner, lecture, ticket, and transportation to the Opera House.
Start Time: 6:00 pm
Date: 2012-05-11

Adam Gopnik (Paris to the Moon) muses on one of his favorite subjects – food – in his new book The Table Comes First: France, Family, and the Meaning of Food. Newsweek says the book “indulges gourmands everywhere…[is] personal and funny… [and his] take on what makes eating glorious is at once sweeping and intimate.” After the lecture, we’ll dine on a delicious 3-course meal created by Chef Michael with – naturally – wine.

Cost for Reception & Lecture only: Free for members; $10 for guests
Cost for Reception, Lecture & Dinner: $49++ for members; $59++ for guests.

Dinner is first come, first served. Gentlemen must wear jackets.

More on Adam Gopnik…

Attention! Foodies, Gourmets, Gourmands, lovers of good food, good eating, and good conversation about foo and wine-Adam Gopnik, a true Renaissance man and cosmopolite bon vivant will talk about his newest book, The Table Comes First –Family, France, and the Meaning of Food.

In Mr. Gopnik’s newest book he talks about his own passion for food. He brings together the history, philosophy and culture of food, primarily in France, along with his own passion for cooking, and eating and the shared pleasures of the table. He believes that what gathers around the dining table — family and friends and good conversation, is as important as what is on the table, which should always be delicious. We learn about the development of restaurants in and tales of gourmet adventure.

Mr. Gopnick is, the brilliant contributor to The New Yorker and is the author of several other books. Among his books are Angels & Ages: a Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln and Modern Life, Through the Children’s Gate, and Paris to the Moon.

Date: 2012-05-29

May – the perfect month for our WhistlePig Whiskey tasting and enjoying the terrace. The Brand Ambassador will lead you through a detailed tasting of the 10 year-old straight rye whiskey; then you’ll continue imbibing, sampling cocktails like High Balls and Manhattans, and chatting with members – so come wet your whistle!
Date: 2012-05-22

In this lively history of consumer debt in America, economic historian Louis Hyman demonstrates that today’s problems are not as new as we think. Borrow examines how the rise of consumer borrowing – virtually unknown before the 20th century – has altered our culture and economy.

Cost: Free for members; $10 for guests
Date: 2012-05-21

Your choice of:

Chef Michael’s Delicious Brunch Buffet
OR
TB&G Burger
Half-Pound Char-Broiled Burger, Muenster Cheese, Smoke House Bacon & Grilled Portobello Mushrooms on a Brioche Bun with Seasoned Fries
OR
Veggie Burger
Grilled Mushrooms & Chipotle Mayo on a Multi-Grain Bun
with a Side Salad

AND

Your Choice of Two: Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Assorted Juices

Coffee and Tea are complimentary.

All other beverages are a la carte.

Cost: $20++ per person

Date: 2012-05-19

Cost: $25 (includes 1 drink)
Pre-Register by Friday, February 17 and pay only $20

The Algonquin Round Table comes alive in the only New York walking tour devoted to the famed literary group. The lively walk celebrates Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, George S Kaufman, Harpo Marx, Edna Ferber, Franklin P. Adams, Heywood Broun, Harold Ross, Robert Sherwood, Marc Connelly, and the rest of the roundtable. The walk encompasses the Theatre District, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and Hell’s Kitchen. There are more than 40 destinations on the tour; among them are places associated with the Vicious Circle: speakeasies, theaters, offices, homes, and landmarks.

Please meet at the Algonquin Hotel to start; the tour will end with the group retiring for a drink in the TB&G.
Date: 2012-05-17

Cost: $75++ for members; $80++ for guests

Tonight we do it his way at our exclusive Sinatra evening. Enjoy a specially prepared menu of Frank Sinatra’s beloved dishes as Chef Michael collaborates with Sal Scognamillo, owner of Patsy’s, the one and only NYC Patsy’s and the restaurant made famous by Frank Sinatra. Sal will regale you with stories of Ol’ Blue Eyes as you dine on Italian specialties. You may want to bring your dancing shoes and take a swing on a star to our entertainment. All guests will take home a copy of Patsy’s Cookbook: Classic Italian Recipes from a New York City Landmark Restaurant. Please join us for this unforgettable evening.

** Please note that this meal also includes paired wines for each course!
Date: 2012-05-16

Milton Esterow is the editor and publisher of ARTnews Since he bought the publication from Newsweek in 1972, he has guided its growth into the most widely circulated art magazine in the world. Under his direction, ARTnews became the first publication to consistently apply rigorous standards of investigative report to the art world. Since 1975, ARTnews has won most of the major journalism awards presented to magazines, and its editors haev been honored 43 times for excellence in reporting, criticism, and design.

Cost: Free for members; $10 for guests

Date: 2012-05-14

Reservations available from 11:00am – 2:00pm

Please reserve by Wednesday, May 9. Cancellations after this date will be charged in full.

Cold Selections
Selection of Brunch Pastries, Muffins & Croissants • Chilled Green & White Asparagus with Mimosa Dressing • Poached Wild Salmon & Smoked Norwegian Salmon • Fresh Watercress & Citrus-Ginger Dressing • Tiny Marinated Mozzarella with Fire-Roasted Bell Peppers & Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes •
A Selection of Imported & Domestic Cheeses with Fresh Fruit • Mixed Local Farm House Greens with Endive, Goat Cheese, Watermelon, Radish Sherry Vinaigrette

Hot Selections
Pasta Station: Penne Pasta or Tortellini with Broccoli, Roasted Peppers, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Peas; Marinara, Alfredo or Pesto • Omelet Station: Mushrooms, Ham, Peppers, Onions, Spinach, Tomatoes, Cheddar Cheese • From Silver Chafing Dishes: Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast, Mushrooms, Leeks & Pearl Onions, Vermouth Chicken Jus • Roasted Wild Striped Bass, Fennel, Artichokes & Black Olives, White Wine Sauce • Parmesan-Herb Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes • Casserole of Spring Vegetables

Dessert
A Fabulous Selection of Cakes, Tarts, and Pastries

Date: 2012-05-13