Holiday Dinner at the Cosmos Club

Ho, Ho, Ho, German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wines, it’s nearly time to hang the stockings and dream of delicious German wine!  We can gather in person again in Washington, D.C. amidst all the elegance of Embassy Row. 

So, please plan to attend the GWS Holiday paired dinner at the Cosmos Club, Saturday, December 7, 2024 for dinner starting at 7:00 pm, with registration and service of welcoming sekt and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6:00 pm.  We are very fortunate to have access to this elegant and festive venue again this year.  The Cosmos Club is no longer requiring proof of vaccination against covid-19 for all staff, members and guests in the mansion, and we have also lifted this requirement, though we still encourage guests to be vaccinated.

The paired dinner includes a variety of seven German wines, one sparkling, five whites and a red, among them two high-prädikat dessert selections, accompanied by a three-course meal preceded by hors d’oeuvres.   This year, we are offering a choice of three different entrees with different prices, beef, salmon and duck, as well as a vegan “Chef’s Choice” alternative.  Be sure to register for the one you want, and if there are multiple people on your order, register separately for each different entree choice and let the Secretary know by email who is having each choice for the place cards.

In addition, there will be entertainment – a holiday piano trio featuring Christine Kharazian on violin, Irina Ponomareva on cello, and Nina Willner on piano, with an opportunity to sing some German and other traditional songs together!   

Location:  The address for our holiday dinner is 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, just a few blocks from Dupont Circle.   Metro is near (Dupont Circle Red Line) and parking is available to the rear of the club.   The stunning venue is, as in past years, the wood-paneled Members Dining Room on the 2nd floor in this landmark building.  This year, both the opening reception and the dinner will take place in the same room – please come into the Members Dining Room when arriving to sign in rather than waiting in the Long Gallery outside.  With fireplaces lit, perfect for a special holiday wine event with family and friends!  There is a coatroom on the first floor free for members and guests – no need to bring heavy bags and coats upstairs to the event.

Safety Precautions:  While we are no longer requiring proof of vaccination as indicated above, if you contract or test positive for covid-19 or other communicable disease in advance of the event, we request that you not come for the safety of our other guests, and request a refund which we can provide if notified ahead of of the day of the event, to give us a chance to offer the place to another guest.  Mask use when arriving is optional.   

Menu:  The paired menu will be as follows:

Thai Curry Chicken Skewers with coconut sauce

Smoked Salmon Latkes – potato latke, dill creme fraiche, crispy capers

Goat Cheese Spheres, with salted candied pecans, apricot chutney

Seared Day Boat Scallops with smoked cauliflower puree, bacon lardon, celery, crispy prosciutto, and basil brown butter emulsion

(A custom starter alternative can be provided to meet dietary restrictions, request by email when registering)

Cosmos Club Popovers with sweet creamery butter

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with truffled potato puree, carrot, asparagus, red wine sauce

Coriander Duck Breast with grilled parsnip, kabocha squash, zucchini, blackberry-fig gastrique

Griller Atlantic Salmon with young carrots, roasted Yukon potato, rutabaga, parsnip, honey mustard sauce

“Chef’s Choice” Gluten Free Vegan Meal (specific dish to be determined)

Honey Citrus Creme Brûlée, with Vanilla Tuilles, Blackberries

Coffee and Tea Service

Parking:  Club parking is off Florida Avenue behind the club.  There is a small white sign showing the parking entrance.  Parking is included in the event price and there is no tipping at the club including the valet parking.  Parking is limited and club members have preference.  It is highly advisable not to arrive late in case there are other functions going on at the club that evening.

Dress Code:  The dress code for the Cosmos Club is strict – jackets and ties for men, comparable business or evening attire for women.  No jeans or tennis shoes are allowed.

Prices:  The dinner price, varying by entree selected, is:  

Grilled Beef Tenderloin $245 members/$255 non-members

Atlantic Grilled Salmon $235 members/$245 non-members

Coriander Duck Breast $235 members/$245 non-members

Vegan “Chef’s Choice” $225 members/$235 non-members

If you are not sure of your current membership status, please contact the Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, at carl.willner1@verizon.net before ordering to confirm.   Membership costs $35 annually for an individual or couple, and can be paid online using our website and PayPal, or by check, in the same way and at the same time as registering for the event.

When and How to Register:  The deadline for reservations is Saturday, November 30, 2024 so that we may provide the chef with an accurate count of total guests as well as the entrees chosen for each guest, and allow time for place cards for each guest to be made.   No late reservations can be allowed for this event due to these club requirements.   This promises to be a wonderful event so please make your reservations right away and don’t miss out!

There are two ways to join in the fun.   You can register on our website, http://germanwinesocietydc.org , and pay online for the event using PayPal.  If you do not already have an account on our website, you will need to set one up.  There are separate buttons to choose each entree menu option, and for members and non-members, to reflect the varying prices.  An email message to the Secretary at carl.willner1@verizon.net to let us know who is having each entree option is requested, if there are multiple guests on the reservation with different entree preferences – otherwise, we will need to reach out to you.  Or, you can submit a check for the event to our Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, payable to the German Wine Society, at the following address and using the form below, and making sure to note your entree preference for each guest.  Any member dues that may be owed can also be paid online or by check.  Please include names, number of guests, email and phone number.

Tours:  The Cosmos Club has advised us that tours of the historic club mansion for interested guests are once again possible, as in past years.  Availability of tours will depend on willingness of members who are also Cosmos Club members to conduct them, but we understand that one or more Cosmos Club members will agree to lead tours.  If you would like to participate in a tour, please reply to this message and let us know of your interest, and you will be advised at a later date when to arrive for a tour (usually either an hour before the event, or at the end of the event).

Questions about Event:  The event organizer is Carl Willner, who can be reached by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net, or at 202-674-9044.   Please contact him with any questions, including current membership status, or correspondence in response to this email.   

All Society Members and guests are reminded that drinking alcohol can lead to intoxication, and therefore Society members and their guests are expected to drink in moderation at Society events.  It is advisable to provide designated drivers or other alternative modes of transit to driving where available, or mostly to taste rather than fully consume alcohol where such drivers or alternative modes of transit are not available.   

If you no longer wish to receive our announcements, please reply to this email to our Secretary, Carl Willner.

If registering by mail, please cut and return the reservation form portion of the notice below – do not mail the entire notice.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Member Name(s) ______________________________________________________________

Guest Names(s) _______________________________________________________________

Total Enclosed ________________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone Number _________________________________________________________

Email Address _________________________________________________________________

Dietary Alternative Requested for Appetizer Course and Number_______  (if not requested, will receive scallops; indicate which guests to receive if multiple people on order)

Entrees and number of each chosen:  Beef  _____ Salmon _____Duck _____ Vegetarian ______