Vice Commodore’s Column
by Bruce Powell
January and February were exceptionally good months here at the club. The weekend Happy Hours continue to be popular and the Sunday Specials have been a runaway success.
SUNDAY SPECIALS
Our first Sunday Special on Jan. 25 was a great $12.25 Prime Rib dinner. The place was packed and there were a lot of happy diners. In fact, it was so popular, we'll do it again on Sunday April 18.
On Feb. 1 we had a great Superbowl Party and Chili Cook-Off which was very well attended. Club members enjoyed the game, sampled the great chilis, and enjoyed free chicken wings and $8 pitchers of beer. Even club members who weren't football fans had fun! I think this will become an annual club tradition.
The Superbowl was also followed with our second Sunday Special, which was a whole Maine Lobster dinner, served with a delicious wild rice pilaf and big family style salad for the bargain price of $13.75. Again, we had a full house. We'll be having another Lobster Sunday Special on May 2.
On Feb. 15 we had another very successful Sunday Special, delicious Barbequed Ribs. The ribs were succulent and tender, literally falling off the bones-just fabulous! The response was huge and we sold out of the ribs very quickly; next time we'll plan to stock up on more! We'll be having BBQ Ribs Sunday Special again on Opening Day, Sunday April 25.
Overall, the Sunday Specials seem to have struck a chord and are extremely popular, resulting in double or triple the typical Sunday dinners served. Have you missed out? We have more exciting Sunday Specials to come.check the Calendar of Events or the club web site. All these specials include a big family-style salad, and we'll also have the regular weekend menu available.
It's not just Sundays that are special, we're working hard to bring a variety of interesting and new menu items on Friday and Saturday as well. We have new menu items that are daring and adventurous, such as hot and spicy Thai / Asian dishes; these have proved to be popular.
ESPRESSO!
An espresso machine has been installed in the bar; this has been something akin to the search for the Holy Grail among coffee lovers here at the Club for the last several years. Now you can have a great espresso, cappucino, or latte at the club during dining and bar hours! We even have an honor bar sign-up sheet so you can self serve during off-hours.
THURSDAY NIGHT BISTRO BAR & DINING
Starting March 18, the Club will be open for cocktails and a casual dinner every Thursday evening in the Member's Bar! We'll have a unique Thursday menu of very reasonably priced bistro-style food: burgers, salads, filet mignon, seafood, chicken, pasta...check the web site for the exciting new menu.it'll really be something new and different. And of course the bar will also be serving happy hour discounted cocktails and espresso drinks on Thursdays. Come by yourself or bring a friend and join your fellow Corinthians for dinner and conversation at the family-style long table by the fire. Whether it's for drinks, a snack, or dinner, you'll find a new camaraderie at the Club on Thursdays. Mark your calendar: the inaugural night is Thursday March 18, we'll have a Piano Bar that evening!
JAZZ NIGHTS AND PIANO BAR NIGHTS
Twice per month, there'll be great live music at the Club for your enjoyment. We'll have a monthly Jazz Night, featuring a live band, dinner and dancing in Members' Dining. These events have in the past have been sellouts so be sure to make your dinner reservations early for Jazz Nights. The year's Jazz nights are the Saturdays of March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19, July 24, August 14, and September 18.
Also, at least once a month, we'll have a piano soloist in the Bar for Piano Bar Night. This will be a perfect evening to bring friends over for cocktails before, or after, dinner. The upcoming Piano Bar Nights will be Saturday March 13, Thursday March 18 (the inaugural night for Thursday Bistro) and Saturday April 10. This all adds up to a lot of great music at the Corinthian. Mark your calendar now!
ODOM RACES
Starting Thursday, April 22, ODOM racers will start holding their regattas in the Club harbor on selected Thursday evenings at 6 o'clock, about twice a month. "ODOM" is an acronym for "One Design One Meter", and it refers to one-meter long radio controlled sailboats that are raced competitively. If you look at our Club's charter, Article III states that the Club shall be dedicated to "modeling" of boats. I'm hoping this will be the start of a new Club tradition in fulfillment of that aspect of our charter. All Club members are invited to come to the Club to see this fun new activity in action on the water, and join your friends at the Club afterwards for Thursday Night Bistro cocktails and dining!
GAMES NIGHT
Come to the Thursday Night Bistro on Thursday, April 1st*, for games in the bar: poker, blackjack, bridge, backgammon, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit... Bring a friend or just show up solo and join in. The Bar and Thursday Night Bistro dining will be open and serving a really unique menu (it'll be posted on the CYC web site)*As a bonus, we'll hold a special April First raffle; we 'll be giving away the Golden Gate Bridge! (void where prohibited)
MOVIE NIGHT: MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
We're going to try out an experimental "Movie Night", on selected Thursdays in the bar. The first one on Thursday, April 8, will feature "Mutiny On the Bounty", the original 1935 classic, on our giant plasma screen, starring Charles Laughton, as Captain Bligh, and Clark Gable, as Fletcher Christian. Winner of the Oscar for Best Picture with three nominations for Best Actor, the film has been described by critics as "a solid seagoing adventure epic with breathtaking location photography, offering an unparalleled nautical authenticity--the ship photographed and the costumes worn were exact replicas of the 18th-century originals." Marj Bundschuh will host. We'll have special Polynesian drinks, snacks, and special dinner menu to go with the theme.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Before I forget, I just want to remind you of the importance of making reservations for dining at the Club as much as possible. We need to do a much better job. Not only for your benefit (to ensure you get a table), but also for the Club's benefit (so we know how much food and staffing will be required). Presently, most members don't make a reservation, which makes it very difficult for the kitchen. Can you imagine inviting guests for dinner to your house and not knowing how many will arrive?
Our Dining Room galley must deal with this guesswork every day. Not only do they have to project how many BBQ ribs to get, but also how many waitstaff and busboys. Then when a lot of members show up unreserved, the dining room might be understaffed (in that case your patience is appreciated), or the Dining Room might run out of a popular item (as happened with the BBQ ribs).
Please remember that, when you reserve, even if it's not necessary to ensure that you get your table, you're helping the Dining Room operations be more efficient and successful.
...As you can see, we're opening up a whole new realm of activity here at the Club with the new events; their success depends upon your participation, feedback, and input.
Is there anything you'd like to see at the Club? How about a Karaoke Night? Discothèque Dee-Jay Party? I need your feedback. Please plan to attend some of these new events, and send your ideas and suggestions to vicecommodore@cychistory.org.
