Book Talk: The Student Body
Friday, June 5
Author “Jane Harvard” is actually four former Harvard undergraduates (one
of whom, Michael Melcher, is also Stanford JD/MBA ’94) who decided to write
a novel together, The Student Body, “the first multicultural thriller.” The
novel, “…featuring a gutsy African-American heroine, depicts the diversity
of today’s campuses in an honest, entertaining manner, tackling racial, sexual
and class politics with wit and candor.” The book was published in May by
Villard Books, a division of Random House.
The Details:
Place: National Press Club, 13th Floor, 529 14th Street, NW
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm.
Cost: $5 at door, includes light refreshments and cash bar
Diebenkorn at the Phillips Collection
Thursday, June 11
We have arranged a visit to the most comprehensive survey of Richard Diebenkorn’s
work to date, now on exhibit at the Phillips Collection. The Phillips writes,
“California painter Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993) has long been regarded
as one of the most important American painters of his generation. He also
is recognized as being among the most influential of the painters who carried
the classical tradition of European modernism into the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s….”
Diebenkorn’s relationship with Stanford is significant: “In 1940, Diebenkorn
entered Stanford University, becoming versed not only in art, but in literature
and in the music of Bach, Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven, which he would later
say ‘poured into’ his painting and helped him to focus his work…At Stanford,
Diebenkorn also discovered Edward Hopper: ‘I embraced Hopper completely,’
he said. ‘It was his use of light and shade and the atmosphere…kind of
drenched, saturated with mood, and its kind of austerity…It was the kind
of work that just seemed made for me. I looked at it and it was mine’…In
1963, Diebenkorn accepted a yearlong residency at Stanford University, where
he made some of his finest figure drawings, and by the end of the following
year he received national recognition for both his abstract and figurative
work with a large show at the Washington, DC Gallery of Modern Art.”
Our visit will occur as part of the Phillips’s Thursday night Artful Evenings.
Stanford’s private, docent-led, introductory tour of the permanent collection
(which includes some gorgeous Renoir, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Degas oils)
will take place at 7 pm in the original house. We encourage you to arrive
at 5:30, however, in order to view the entire Diebenkorn exhibit at your
leisure (installed in all three floors of the Goh Annex), hear the special
lecture, “The Prodigal Son – Diebenkorn’s Return to the Human Figure as Subject,
1956-67” at either of the three times listed above, sip a couple of drinks,
and hear a little jazz.
The ticket price of $10/person includes admission to the Artful Evening events
(Diebenkorn exhibit and gallery talks), the private Stanford tour, and 2
beverage tickets. WDCSA has 30 tickets to this event. Tickets will be assigned
on a first-come basis according to when the checks are received by mail.
No telephone reservations accepted.
The Details:
Place: The Phillips Gallery, 1600 21st Street, NW (corner of 21st and Q Sts.,
NW)
Time: 5:30-8:30
Gallery Talk-5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 (20 min; repeated)
Private Stanford tour of the permanent collection-7:00 (20 min)
Cost: $10/ person
RSVP: Please send checks ASAP, payable to WDCSA, to Sherry Abel, 4101 Cathedral
Ave., NW #904, WDC 20016. Make sure to include your phone #s and return address.
Sherry will mail the tickets to you
Questions: Call Sherry at 202-244-4568
Middleburg Garden Tour
Picnic at Historic Blue Ridge Farm
Sunday, June 14
Middleburg blooms in June! The Middleburg Garden Tour is a self-guided driving
tour of four spectacular gardens and a lovely, landscaped stableyard. Located
in the village and the breathtaking countryside of the nation’s renowned
capital of horse and hunt country, this tour features some of the most beautiful
gardens in one of the most unique settings in the nation.
Perhaps of greatest interest to history buffs is the third stop on the tour,
Glen-Ora, often mentioned during the Kennedy years. Glen-Ora was surveyed
in 1747 by the 16-year old George Washington as part of a larger land parcel
owned by Lord Fairfax. In the 1960s, Glen-Ora became the country home of
President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, used often as a family getaway, and is
where Caroline and John-John first learned to ride. The landscaping is
particularly beautiful – honey-suckle covered stone walls, mature trees,
dogwoods, azaleas, and a variety of blooming annuals and perennials.
As the special Stanford feature of this event, we have arranged for a private
picnic at Blue Ridge Farm (NOT on the garden tour), one of the oldest
Thoroughbred breeding farms in the nation. Unlike the garden tour, this is
open only to WDCSA members (& guests) courtesy of Cary Grayson, a Stanford
graduate himself. Blue Ridge Farm was established in 1928 by Cary’s father,
Admiral Cary T. Grayson, personal physician to President Woodrow Wilson.
The picnic is from 1- 2:30 pm — a box lunch (including beverage) will be
provided at the picnic spot for those who reserve by June 10. You may join
us without a reservation if you bring your own lunch (no alcoholic beverages,
please).
Ticket Distribution: For those whose reservation is received by June 10,
tickets and maps will be available on the day of the event, June 14, in
Middleburg on the front doorstep of Margaret New (our Middleburg contact
– directions below). Tickets after June 10 can be purchased on the day of
the event, June 14, for $15 each at the Middleburg Garden Market just behind
the Middleburg Community Center (from Rt. 50 in the center of town, head
west, turn right on N. Pickering Street and left on Stonewall Park Ave.).
Also available at the Middleburg Garden Market are restrooms, snacks, and
garden items for sale. Some of the area’s horticulture experts will also
be on hand to answer questions.
Directions to Middleburg: Drive west on I-66 to Exit 53 North going on Route
28 toward Dulles Airport. Go 5 miles to Route 50 turn-off toward Winchester.
Continue west on Rt. 50 to Middleburg — 18 miles.
Directions to Margaret’s: In the town of Middleburg, at the only traffic
light, turn South (left) onto Madison St. Proceed south on Madison Street
1 1/2 very short blocks (down hill), turn left into Meadowbrook Townhouses.
In front of the red door (on the right) Unit #5, will be a basket with each
group of tickets in a separate, individually labeled envelope. Sherry Abel
will be distributing tickets from 10:30 – 11:00 am. After 11 o’clock the
tickets will remain available, self-service, on Margaret’s doorstep.
Directions to Blue Ridge Farm (Stanford picnic site): From Middleburg, head
west on Rt. 50 (John Mosby Highway) approximately 8 miles. Look for Rokeby
Road on your left, turn left and proceed 2.8 miles (you will pass some rolling
pasture land, a portion of the Mellon estate, unmarked of course) to Blue
Ridge Farm, on the right. Follow the tree-arched entrance drive a few hundred
yards, then turn right into the driveway for the main house. Parking: The
first 4 cars can park in the gravel parking area in front of the house. All
others should park diagonally along the entrance drive, on the right next
to the wall. Picnic Site: Walk past the house and around to the right, to
the expanse on lawn in the back. Box lunches will be distributed there by
Sherry and Dell, and you may sit anywhere on the grass (bring your own blanket
or picnic cloth), beside the pool, or on the small patio. There will be a
few chairs. We may also use the first-floor restroom. In case of rain, we
may use the dining room for lunch. Exploring: Cary Grayson has graciously
invited us to look around the farm, fields, and stables to see their beautiful
horses. June is the last month of the foaling season and there are a number
of lovely mares and foals. They are friendly and approachable, he says. We
may also see the less-amenable stallions in their separate enclosures, but
Cary warns us to keep our distance – the stallions bite.
Our price of $21/ticket includes the tour (group rate) and the box lunch
at cost. Proceeds from the tour go to the Middleburg civic association,
Middleburg Beautification & Preservation, Inc. The majority of gardens
are located outside the village of Middleburg, on some of the most scenic
and historic roads in the area. Brief descriptions of historic points of
interest along the garden tour route will be provided. The tour is self-guided
of gardens only (no homes are open for viewing).
The Details:
Place: Town of Middleburg, Virginia, & Blue Ridge Farm (see above for
directions)
Time: Garden Tour, 11:00am – 5:00pm; Picnic, 1:00pm – 2:30pm (Rain or Shine!)
Cost: $21 per person for tour of 5 gardens and box lunch (sandwich, salad,
dessert, beverage, utensils)
RSVP: Send checks ASAP, payable to WDCSA, to Sherry Abel, 4101 Cathedral
Ave., NW #904, WDC 20016 by June 10. For questions call Dell Wilkinson at
703-838-8384 or Sherry Abel at 202-244-4568 or email
eabel@erols.com
Over 30s Singles
Friday, June 26
Columbia University is pleased to announce that the June Singles Ivy Event
will be held at the National Women’s Democratic Club at 1526 New Hampshire
Avenue, NW.
Come view this historic mansion and have a good time talking with and meeting
people from Stanford, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Yale, Columbia, University of
Chicago, Princeton, Dartmouth, Smith and other schools. We will be serving
both hot and cold appetizers. We also have listened to your many complaints
about the high price of drinks and therefore have arranged to have an OPEN
bar. Yes, Drinks will be FREE.
The cost of this event will be $21 in advance and $25 at the door. Yes, it
is a bit more expensive than other events, however, this is because we are
having an OPEN BAR.
The Details:
Place: National Women’s Democratic Club
1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Metro: Near Dupont Circle
Time: 6:30-8:30
Cost: $21 in advance; $25 at the door
RSVP: Please send your check (payable to WDCSA) to Bill Pegram, 815 South
18th, Apt. 400, Arlington, VA 22202. (703) 486-0952 (h)
Over 30 Singles Celebrate Summer Picnic
Sunday, June 28, 1PM – ?
Lynne Cherry, an alumnus of Yale who is a children’s book author/illustrator
has invited the Over 30 Singles to picnic at her farm in the Camp David area
adjacent to Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mt. Park. Bring a swimsuit
to swim in the crystalline pond; bring sneakers for volleyball and badminton;
bring hiking shoes to hike through the park; bring marshmallows for the campfire
and musical instruments to play and bring a dog if s/he gets along with other
dogs.
The event is potluck. What you bring depends on the first letter of your
last name:
A-M Main Courses
P-S Soft Drinks, Juices, Ice (no alcoholic beverages), Napkins, Plates, Utensils
T-Z Desserts
Bring generously but at least enough to serve five. For questions about the
event, please call Bill Pegram at (703) 486-0952 (h) or email
dcstanalum@aol.com
Directions:
Pick up route 270N to Frederick Md. In Frederick, 270N divides into 70E (right
lanes and 15N (straight/left lanes). Take 15N for approximately 10 minutes
to Route 77 West. Follow Route 77 (a very winding road) for 2.4 miles (past
the visitors center) until you see a yellow diamond shaped sign on your right
for Tower Road (you will have passed two stone signs saying Catoctin Mountain
Park. Go left on Tower Road. It is a dirt road between a grey wooden shed
and a tree with 2 reflectors. Go 1 mile to Fox Tower Road where you turn
left. After a short distance, you will pass a small brown house on your right.
Go down an incline and look for a black mailbox on your right – Number 13949.
The Driveway is opposite the black mailbox. There is a locked Gate but the
lock is just draped over the hook. Take it off the hook and drive in. CLOSE
THE GATE BEHIND YOU. Drive to the end of the road and you are there. If you
get lost, Lynn’s phone # is 301-416-0492.
Legg Mason Tennis Tournament
Thursday, July 23
This is the annual men’s tennis tournament held each summer at the FitzGerald
Tennis Center (near Carter Barron Amphitheater) at 16th and Kennedy Streets,
NW. One of the top Wimbledon players is usually featured, as well as (in
years past) some players with Stanford degrees.
We have a block of 30 seats. There is likely to be one “name” player singles
match, followed by a doubles match. Tickets will be assigned on a first-come
basis according to receipt of checks. No phone reservations accepted. Tickets
will be mailed to you.
The Details:
Place: FitzGerald Tennis Center (near Carter Barron Amphitheater) at 16th
and Kennedy Streets, NW
Parking: Pay parking is available adjacent to the courts.
Metro/bus: Metrobus on 16th Street
Time: 7:00-10:00
Cost: $24/ticket
RSVP: Send checks, payable to WDCSA, to John Magnus, c/o Dewey Ballentine,
1775 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, WDC 20006. Phone 202-429-2337
Riverdance – The Show
Wednesday, July 29
After sellout performances in 1997, Riverdance returns to Wolf Trap in 1998.
Join the Washington D.C. Stanford Association on Wednesday, July 29 at 8:30
PM for a highly acclaimed evening of Irish music, song and dance at Wolf
Trap’s Filene Center. The Washington, D.C. Stanford Association has reserved
a group of box seats for the performance. Ticket prices are $58.50 per ticket.
To reserve, please send check–payable to WDCSA–to Dell Wilkinson; 6401
N. 27th Street, Arlington, VA 22207. Tickets will be mailed to you [as long
as you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with your check].
Wolf Trap is open for picnicking during daylight hours. The Filene Center
gates and lawn open 90 minutes prior to each performance. The in-house seating
area opens 30 minutes prior to each performance. Parking is free.