E-Newsletter Archive

E-Newsletter ~ February 28, 2006 ~ Vol. 6, No. 6

This is the sixth regular mailing of the USC University Club E-Newsletter
for the 2005-2006 school year. We want to keep you informed of special
events, new menu items, seasonal specials, recipes and any news that
we think will help you get the most from your membership.

This and past issues of our newsletter are available online all the time at:
http://www.usc.edu/bus-affairs/uclub/about/enewsarchive/index.html

Contents:

1. University Club Spring Break Schedule
2. An Intimate Evening with Midori Goto – You’re Invited!
3. Save the Date – Spring Musical Event at the University Club 4/7/06
4. Events in March at the University Club
5. Saint Patrick's Day
6. International Buffet Day on 3/23/06
7. Other Events on Campus in March
8. Reciprocal Club of the Month
9. Recipe of the Month

1. University Club Spring Break Schedule

To help you in planning evening dining and events, we'd like to keep you up to
date with the club's dinner schedule for the remainder of the semester.

The restaurant will be open for lunch only during spring break, March 13-17.

We will re-open for dinner on Monday, March 20 through Thursday, April 27
when we will begin our summer schedule.

2. An Intimate Evening with Midori Goto – You’re Invited!

The USC University Club is pleased to extend a very special, exclusive invitation to all of its members and their guests to enjoy “An Intimate Evening of Chamber Music,” on Friday, March 24, 2006, featuring students from the Thornton School of Music performing with Midori Goto. Midori Goto is a word-renowned violinist who, in 2002, celebrated the 20th anniversary of her stunning performing career, which has included appearances at the most celebrated concert halls all over the world.

The event will begin with a Champagne Reception at 4:30 p.m. in the Courtyard, followed by a 5:45 p.m. performance by Ms. Goto and her students of Brahms’ lively and romantic Quartet No. 3. Brahms himself described the Third Movement of this piece as one of the most beautiful moments in music. The quartet will offer additional insights about this piece during a presentation and Q&A session.

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. in the Main Dining Room. Ms. Goto and her chamber group will attend and answer any additional questions guests may have.

The evening’s three-course meal will include a French Bistro Style Steak Frites, Tarte Tatin and French Wines. A Vegetarian Option will be available as well. The price for this event is $36/person.

Please call (213) 740-2030 to make a reservation. Please note that a credit card or member number will be required to secure your reservation. A 48-hour Cancellation Policy will apply to this event.

3. Save the Date – Spring Musical Event at the University Club 4/7/06

The University Club, in conjunction with the USC Department of Theatre, is pleased to announce that our annual Spring Musical Event will take place on Friday, April 7, 2006. Enjoy dinner at the club and secure your tickets to “Company,” Stephen Sondheim’s witty, world-weary take on the troubled waters of love, commitment, fear and longing as it explores the relationships of five married couples,

The event includes a champagne reception at 4:30 p.m., followed by a special, exclusive performance by the cast of “Company,” dinner in the Main Lounge, and tickets to the production at Bing Theatre.

(The menu will be announced sometime in March but I can promise you that Roast Prime Rib will definitely be a an integral part.)

The cost for the evening, including dinner, a glass of wine and tickets to the show is $44.00 per person. Please call (213) 740-2030 to make a reservation. A credit card or member number will be used to secure your reservation. A 48-hour cancellation policy will apply for this event.

4. Events in March at the University Club

Cross-Campus Conversations Continue with “Talking the Talk” on 3/08/06

Please join us for a complimentary buffet lunch in the Pub Room at the University Club on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, for the second in the series of “Cross-Campus Conversations,” sponsored by the USC Office of Religious Life, Hebrew Union College and the University Club.

The speakers are USC’s Lanita Jacobs-Huey, assistant professor of Anthropology and American Studies and Ethnicity, and HUC’s Sarah Bunin Benor, assistant professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at the Los Angeles campus. Their topic is “Talking the Talk,” and the two esteemed scholars will discuss language socialization among African-American cosmetologists and newly-Orthodox Jews. To reserve your spot, please call Stephanie Helper at (213) 740-5208. Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first served basis.

Dr. Roberta Williams to Speak on 3/8/06

The Faculty Women’s Club, in conjunction with the USC University Club, is pleased to present a lunchtime talk by Dr. Roberta Williams, Keck School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Williams will discuss “Career Development of Women in Medicine: Confessions of a Recovering Introvert.” The luncheon will take place in the Banquet Room. Social hour is at 11:15 a.m., and lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m. The cost is $20 and includes lunch. To make a reservation, please call Stephanie Helper at (213) 740-5208.

Tickets with Dinner Reservations to “Jazz that Sings” on 3/23/06

Secure tickets for your entire party when you make dinner reservations at the club for Thornton’s “Jazz that Sings” at Alfred Newman Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Hear the Thornton Vocal Jazz Ensemble push the boundaries of vocal performance in a recital and open workshop.

To make a reservation for this event, please call (213) 740-2030.

5. Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day is Friday, March 17 and we will be celebrating with a tradional offering of Boiled Corned Beef and Cabbage on

the buffet at lunch. This year we will be reprising our homemade Irish soda bread and will have some Guinness Stout available as well!

So put on your green and join us for lunch!

6. International Buffet Day on 3/23/06

I recently read a wonderful book about restaurant kitchens called
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Given my own background in
the business, I related so much to his experiences that I found
myself laughing out loud more than a few times. And I won't tell
you which parts so don't ask ;-)

How does this relate to the International Buffet you wonder?

One of Bourdain's heroes is a chef by the name of Howard Mitcham who
was chef at a very popular Provincetown restaurant back when Bourdain
was learning how to be a line cook. Mitcham wrote what is considered
by many to be one of the best seafood cookbooks ever written,
The Provincetown Seafood Cookbook. I am about half way through
and have to concur with Mr. Bourdain that it is an excellent
source of recipes and Provincetown lore.

Being that Provincetown was inhabited by so many Portuguese fisherman,
their influence on Mitcham was immense. So I thought a quick tour of
Portugal via Provincetown might be fun for our next International
Buffet on Wednesday, March 29.

Come with an appetite and a sense of adventure...

7. Other Events on Campus in March

Wednesday, March 1, 2006, 12:00 p.m.
What Matters to Me and Why featuring Julie Albright
Hear Dr. Albright explore her values, beliefs and motivations.
Location: Ground Zero Coffeehouse
Admission: Free; Light Lunch Served
For more information, please email: laemmle@usc.edu
Or call: (213) 740-6110

Monday, March 6, 2006, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Labor Market and Social Consequences of Hispanics’ Geographic Dispersal
Marta Tienda of Princeton’s University’s Department of Sociology and Public Affairs closes this series on “Latinization” by exploring issues of labor and geographic dispersal.
Admission: Free
For more information, please email: richard@usc.edu
Or call: (213) 740-8181

Thursday, March 9, 2006, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How Smart Is America?
Leaders from government, education, industry and NGOs testify at USC on the national importance of science and math education.
Location: Davidson Conference Center
Admission: Free
For more information, please call: (213) 740-2101

Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Paris Between the World Wars
As part of the Sidney D. Gamble Lecture Series 2005-20006, hear Derek Ostergard, a specialist in the history of decorative arts and architecture, discuss Paris as the scene of the last real triumph in decorative arts.
Location: The Neighborhood Church, 2 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena
For more information, please email: gamblehs@usc.edu
Or call: (626) 793-3334, ext. 16

Wednesday, March 22, 2006, 12:00 p.m.
Knight Lunch Forum featuring Professor Tanya Erzen
Hear this distinguished scholar from Ohio State University discuss “Media Coverage and Policy Implications of the Ex-Gay Movement.”
Location: Annenberg School of Communication, ASC 207
Admission: Free
For more information, please email: bakere@usc.edu
Or call: (213) 740-5732

Monday, March 27, 2006, 3:45 to 5:30 p.m.
Lost in Translation: Writing about Science for the General Public
KC Cole will discuss the complexities and nuances of writing about science for the masses.
Location: Stauffer Science Lecture Hall
For more information, please email: lisas@usc.edu

8. Reciprocal Club of the Month

Reciprocal Club of the Month

Your USC University Club is a member of the Association of College and University Clubs (ACUC). This means that you enjoy reciprocal privileges at more than 100 private university clubs across the U.S.A., and around the world, within the ACUC network. To bring this wonderful benefit closer to you, we will highlight a different ACUC club in each newsletter.

Featured Club: The Faculty House at Columbia University

Columbia University’s Faculty House is a quiet oasis in the heart of New York City. Established in 1923, this red brick and limestone building, designed by McKim, Mean and White in the original campus style, has strived to provide Columbia faculty and staff with dining, catering, and conference facilities that meet the social needs and a venue for intellectual interaction for its members. The Faculty House has small and large meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 300 guests. The Faculty House hosts more than 1,500 events per year, including small meetings to gala dinners to lavish wedding receptions

Contact:
The Faculty House
Columbia University
400 West 117th Street
New York, NY 10027 http://www.columbia.edu/cu/fachouse/ Dining Room Reservations: (212) 854-7199
Email: fachouse@columbia.edu

How to Visit a Reciprocal ACUC Club:

Please call the USC University Club Business Office at 213-740-8345 to request an ACUC identification card. Before visiting a reciprocal club, please remember to telephone ahead to introduce yourself as a member of the USC University Club, confirm the club's hours, services and make reservations. Individual clubs may have restrictions in the use of their facilities or in the frequency of visits. When you call, be sure to inquire about any restrictions that may apply.

To find out more about the ACUC network of clubs or to find a club in or near your travel destination, please check the ACUC website at www.acuclubs.org frequently for the most up-to-date information.

9. Recipe of the Month

I thought I had sent this recipe out some time ago but a search of the archives has revealed otherwise. I started making this soup about 15 years ago and love the way that every individual cook who makes it brings out different highlights. I always go for lots of a creamy, corn flavor that results from slowly roasting the corn and then gently boiling the soup. It's worth the extra little bit of time...

ROAST SWEET CORN CHOWDER

8 Ears of Fresh Sweet Yellow Corn, Roast and Cut from the Cob
1 Large Russet Potato, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes
4 oz. Smoked Bacon, diced fine
2 Stalks Celery, diced
1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
1 Large Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Roasted Green Anaheim Chile, diced
1 Clove Fresh Garlic, minced
2 Bay Leaves
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
6-8 Threads of Saffron
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
8 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Pureed Yellow Hominy
Dash Tobasco
Beurre Manie (equal parts butter and flour kneaded together until smooth)

In a large, heavy bottomed pan cook the bacon over a medium heat until slightly crispy. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Add the celery, onions, bell pepper and chilies and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the corn, chicken stock and all the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked. (Approximately 30 to 45 minutes)

Add the potatoes, cream and hominy and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and slowly add enough of the beurre manie to slightly thicken. Allow the soup to simmer an additional 10 minutes to finish cooking the flour and adjust the salt, pepper and tobasco. Serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

That about wraps it up for this issue.
Be sure to say hi next time you're in.