WDCSA Newsletter – September 2017

Stanford Football Viewing Parties

Fall 2017

Ventnor Sports Cafe
2411 18th St. NW

Washington, DC

Come join WDCSA and fellow alumni to cheer on the Cardinal this season at our official bar, Ventnor Sports Cafe in Adams Morgan. Ventnor is accessible by public transit on the Red Line (DuPont Circle and Woodley Park) or the Green/Yellow Line (Columbia Heights and U Street).

September Schedule:

Sat, Sept 9 : Vs. USC- 8:30 PM ET

Sat, Sept 16 : Vs. San Diego State -10:30 PM ET

Sat, Sept 23 : Vs UCLA – TBD

Sat, Sept 30 : Vs Arizona State- TBD

For more information, contact Patricia Arty ’10 patriciaarty@alumni.stanford.edu

DC Book Club Discussion

Sunday, September 10

Bethesda, Md

The book group will discuss The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu.  All are welcome to join the discussion and participate in the potluck dinner.

This novel would be the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China’s most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin. Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

Reason why we should read it: Not only does the novel reflect current China literature with political overtones, but it also reveals some of the physics underpinning outer space. This novel won science fiction’s Hugo Award.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Presley, MA ’78, Ph.D. ’81 at Jenniferbpresley@gmail.com.

Baltimore Book Club Discussion

Monday, September 18               7:30 pm                  

Mother’s Federal Hill Grille

1113 S. Charles St.

Baltimore, Md

The September selection is A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles.  This New York Times bestseller is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by over 3,000 Amazon readers.  This is a story about an aristocrat who was sentenced by a Bolshevik tribunal to house arrest in a luxury hotel across the street from the Kremlin.  The November selection is Letters Home from Stanford by Alison Carpenter Davis, and Alison will be present at our November meeting!

Questions/RSVP: Helene Myers, Ph.D., P’14, at cedarhouse@comcast.net.

Ivy Singles Happy Hour

Friday, September 22     6:30-8:30 pm

The Arts Club of Washington

2017 I Street NW

Washington, DC

Join Ivy Singles at this charming historic landmark, the James Monroe House, just off Pennsylvania Avenue.

When Timothy Caldwell, a wealthy businessman from Philadelphia, decided in 1806 to build “the handsomest house in the Capital City,” little did he dream that it would one day serve as home for President James Monroe, ambassadors foreign and domestic, the nation’s first weatherman, and the city’s oldest club devoted to the arts.

Inspired by London’s Chelsea Arts Club and the National Arts Club in Manhattan, Washington artists created their own club in May 1916 and purchased the Monroe House as its home. With a focus on painting, sculpture, music, and drama, the Arts Club provided a contrast to Washington’s more traditional clubs. It was also the first club in the city to admit women as charter members.

Explore two floors of spacious rooms where monthly exhibits of paintings and photography line the walls

Relax with old friends and meet new ones.   A good selection of appetizers will be served, and happy hour drink prices will be available for the duration of our party at the cash bar.

Pre-paid reservations:  September Ivy Singles – Arts Club ($40.00)

online –https://cornellclubdc.org/event-2611668

Or send $40 check payable to Cornell Club of Washington to

Steve Piekarec

2535 West Meredith Drive

Vienna, Virginia 22181

postmarked by Tuesday, September 19th.  Please note your school on the check.  Walk-ins are $45 at the door;(cash or check).

RSVP to spiekare@verizon.net — even if you’re planning to pay at the door so we can order enough food for everyone.

Stanford at the Opera

Saturday, September 23        7-10 pm

Nationals Park
1500 South Capitol Street SE

Washington, DC

Join local Stanford alums as we enjoy a FREE live broadcast of  Verdi’s masterpiece ‘Aida’ at Nationals Park! Gates open at 5pm, so arrive early for pre-show entertainment and activities including a Costume Studio dress-up section for young and old. This is an opera for everyone. Bring a picnic and the whole family. There will be a special reserved Stanford section.  Greg Billings (billings.g@gmail.com) is the Stanford contact. Watch the Stanford Facebook page a few days before the event for the exact Stanford seating location or ask at the desk as you enter Ballpark.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more information on an upcoming May 2018 performance of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘CANDIDE’ including a private back stage tour.

For more information, contact Betty Byrne at bettybyrne@verizon.net.

Stage Production of Native Gardens and Discussion with Stanford Playwright Karen Zacarias, ’91

Friday, October 20        8-10 pm

Arena Stage

1101 6th Street SW

(located 1 block from the Waterfront Metro Station (Green Line))

Join WDCSA at Arena Stage for a production of the comedy, Native Gardens, by Stanford Playwright Karen Zacarias, ’91. Karen, who was recently hailed by American Theatre magazine as one of the most produced playwrights in the United States, will meet with our group following the show to discuss the play, which has been billed as “the best stage comedy of the summer.”

Good fences make good neighbors … right? From the outrageous mind of playwright Karen Zacarías comes this hot new comedy about the clash of class and culture that pushes well-meaning neighbors over the edge. Tania, a very pregnant Ph.D. candidate, and Pablo, her rising attorney husband, move next door to Virginia and Frank, a deep-rooted D.C. couple with an impeccably trimmed backyard. But when a questionable fence line puts a prize-worthy garden in jeopardy, neighborly rivalry escalates into an all-out border dispute, challenging everyone’s notions of race, privilege and where to draw the line on good taste.

The discounted ticket price is $48 (regular ticket price is $64) for WDCSA members, young alumni (’13 – ’17), and guests; $55 for non-WDCSA members and guests. Reserve your tickets here: https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/events/details?event_id=24913.  We regret that no refunds will be given after September 18. Please contact Kevin Coyne at Kevin.coyne@stanfordalumni.org with any questions.

Stanford at the African American History Museum

Saturday, November 4               7-10 pm                  

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

1400 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC

Save the date! Join the Stanford community for a special night at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

The museum will be open exclusively for the Stanford community, so you will not want to miss out!

Registration opens Tuesday, September 19. Keep an eye on your inbox for an email inviting you to register. The event will be limited to the first 1,000 people and, as we expect high demand, registrants will be allowed to purchase a maximum of two tickets.

Tickets are $85 per person, $60 for young alumni (’08-’17 undergrad, ’13-’17 grad) and include dinner, unlimited bar (beer and wine), faculty talk, and full access to the galleries.

Questions?

Contact Claudia Knight knight50@stanford.edu.

Baltimore Book Club Discussion

Monday, November 13               7:30 pm                  

Mother’s Federal Hill Grille

1113 S. Charles St.

Baltimore, Md

The November selection is Letters Home from Stanford:  125 Years of Correspondence from Students of Stanford University by Alison Carpenter Davis, and she will be there to sign and discuss the book!  “This fascinating collection looks at the experience of young people undergoing the incredible intellectual and personal growth that occurs in college … from building resilience, to living in an intellectually vibrant community, to learning the challenges and opportunities of being an independent, thoughtful adult.  An exhilarating and insightful read!” (John L. Hennessy, 10th President of Stanford University, 2000-2016.)  Relive your time at Stanford through these pages, then come and reminisce with us.  The January selection is Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman.

Questions/RSVP: Helene Myers, Ph.D., P’14, at cedarhouse@comcast.net

Stanford In the News

  • Stanford University has begun reaching out to students and other members of the campus community who might be affected by Hurricane Harvey. Chris Griffith, associate vice provost for Student Affairs, emailed more than 250 students whose homes are in the areas most affected by the intense storm encouraging them to reach out to university officials should they need assistance in their transition to Stanford this fall.

Get Involved

WDCSA Social Media Chair Opening

 WDCSA is searching for a creative and dedicated alum to help enhance and manage its social networking and media activities. If you’re interested in learning more about this role, please contact Kevin Coyne at kevin.coyne@stanfordalumni.org.

This month’s newsletter is available for download in PDF format.