40 Plus Events

We are pleased to announce the details of our upcoming events:

Informal Dinner, Discussion and Book Party Hosted by John Oakes '83

The Torture Report Please join us for an informal dinner, discussion and book party hosted by John Oakes '83 at his loft in Chelsea on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:00 pm. John is co-publisher of OR Books (www.orbooks.com), a new company that is "culturally adventurous and politically progressive."

The dinner will include a discussion by Larry Siems, director of PEN American Center's Freedom to Write program. Siems is the author of the forthcoming THE TORTURE REPORT: What the Documents Say About America's Post-9-11 Torture Program, which he wrote in collaboration with the ACLU's National Security Project. On the surface an authoritative (and fascinating, chilling) discussion about what American forces did to whom and when, this book also asks fundamental questions about the nature of government–and what we expect it to do on our behalf.

WHEN: Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:00 PM
WHERE: The home of John Oakes '83 and Carin Kuoni on West 24th St (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 20 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: John will be ordering in. Please let us know about any dietary restrictions.
COST: $48; $44 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). No refunds can be made for cancellations after November 7.

We are constantly adding events, so check this page frequently. Here are details of our previous 40 Plus Events

Informal Dinner and Japanese Music Party hosted by Meg Fagan Schlefer '76

Yoko Nishi and James Nyoraku Schlefer Please join us for an intimate introduction to the shakuhachi (the traditional Japanese bamboo flute) followed by an early, informal dinner at the Park Slope home of Meg Fagan Schlefer '76. The event will include a brief performance by shakuhachi Grand Master James Nyoraku Schlefer S76, a talk about the unique history of the shakuhachi and Japanese music, and an optional group shakuhachi lesson at which participants will try to make a sound and discover basic shakuhachi notation.

Meg and James are the founders of Kyo-Shin-An Arts, an organization dedicated to the integration of Japanese instruments into Western classical music (www.kyoshinan.org). Attendees will also be offered preferred seating for KSA's 2011-12 chamber music series at the Tenri Cultural Institute in Manhattan.

If you are not yet a regular visitor to Brooklyn, come early and visit the Brooklyn Museum, the magnificent Botanic Garden or Prospect Park. All are within an easy walk from the event location.

James Nyoraku Schlefer is one of only a handful of non-Japanese shakuhachi players to have achieved the rank of Grand Master. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Tanglewood, and BAM, as well as multiple venues across the country and in Japan, Indonesia, Brazil and Europe. As a composer, Schlefer has written many pieces combining Japanese and Western instruments as well as numerous pieces solely for traditional Japanese instruments. James performs and lectures at colleges and universities throughout the United States and teaches a broad spectrum of music courses at New York City Technical College (CUNY). Beginning in 2011-12, he will also be teaching an accredited course in shakuhachi at Columbia University – the first of its kind in the US.

WHEN: Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 4:00 PM
WHERE: The Park Slope home of Meg Fagan Schlefer '76 (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 20 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: A buffet assortment of fabulous home-cooked food with plenty of vegetarian options.
COST: $32; $28 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). No refunds can be made for cancellations after September 26th.

Informal Dinner, Discussion and Book Party hosted by Mariko Gordon '83

The Blame Game Please join us for an informal dinner, discussion and book party hosted by Mariko Gordon '83 in midtown on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 6:30 pm. Mariko is CEO and founder of Daruma Asset Management, a $2B institutional money management firm.

The dinner will include a discussion by Ben Dattner Ph.D about his new book, The Blame Game, on the hidden rules of credit and blame in organizations and how they determine our success or failure. Ben will share how credit and blame play a central role in a variety of work places including hospitals, schools, nonprofits, small businesses, and large organizations.

Ben is an organizational psychologist and the founder of Dattner Consulting, a workplace consulting firm based in New York City. He has helped a wide variety of corporate and non-profit organizations sort through their credit and blame issues to become more successful. He is also Adjunct Professor at New York University, and though a Harvard man, is a swell guy.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 6:30 PM
WHERE: The mid-town office of Mariko Gordon '83 (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 30 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: Fabulous home-cooked Mexican food. Vegan options will be available. Please let us know about any dietary restrictions.
COST: $35; $30 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). The cost includes a signed copy of Ben Dattner's new book. No refunds can be made for cancellations after June 13th.

Informal Dinner, Discussion and Book Party hosted by John Oakes '83

WikiLeaks Please join us for an informal dinner, discussion and book party hosted by John Oakes '83 at his loft in Chelsea on Wednesday, April 21, 2011 at 7:00 pm. John is co-publisher of OR Books (www.orbooks.com), a new company that is "culturally adventurous and politically progressive."

The dinner will include a discussion by author Micah Sifry '83, whose latest book-- WikiLeaks and the Age of Transparency— has just been published. As the co-founder and executive editor of the Personal Democracy Forum (where Assange has spoken twice), editor of its award-winning techPresident.com blog, and a senior technology adviser to the Sunlight Foundation, Micah L. Sifry is perfectly situated for this analysis, the first book-length discussion of WikiLeaks to appear in print. A former editor and writer at The Nation Magazine, he is the author of one book (Spoiling for a Fight, 2002), co-author of another (Is that a Politician in Your Pocket?, 2004) and co-editor of two anthologies: The Iraq War Reader (2003) and The Gulf War Reader (1991). He is also a member of the board of Consumers Union. His personal blog is at micah.sifry.com.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM
WHERE: The home of John Oakes '83 and Carin Kuoni on West 24th St (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 25 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: John will be ordering in. Please let us know about any dietary restrictions.
COST: $55; $50 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). The cost includes a signed copy of Micah Sifry's new book. No refunds can be made for cancellations after April 12.

Comparative Literature with Professor Leonard Barkan at the home of Alex Montagu '78

Please join us for an informal dinner and discussion hosted by Alex Montagu '87 with special guest Professor Leonard Barkan, at Alex's home in UES on Friday, March 4, 2011.

Dinner will include a discussion by Professor Barkan about his very recently published book Michelangelo: A Life on Paper and the Department of Comparative Literature at Princeton. Alex has generously underwritten all costs for this wonderful evening.

Leonard Barkan is the Class of 1943 University Professor of Comparative Literature at Princeton. He has been a professor of English and of Art History at universities including Northwestern, Michigan, and N.Y.U. Among his books are The Gods Made Flesh: Metamorphosis and the Pursuit of Paganism (Yale, 1986) and Unearthing the Past: Archaeology and Aesthetics in the Making of Renaissance Culture (Yale, 1999), which won prizes from the Modern Language Association, the College Art Association, and Phi Beta Kappa. He is the winner of the Morton Dauwen Zabel Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has been an actor and a director; he is also a regular contributor to publications in both the U.S. and Italy on the subject of food and wine. He is the author of Satyr Square (Farrar, Straus, 2006; pbk Northwestern, 2008), which is an account of art, literature, food, wine, Italy, and himself. His latest work is Michelangelo: A Life on Paper, which treats the artist's creative and inner life by considering his constant habit of writing words on his drawings; it was published by Princeton University Press in the Fall of 2010.

WHEN: Friday, March 4, 2011, 7:00PM
WHERE: The home of Alex Montagu '87 (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 8 guests, so please sign up early!
COST: $45; $40 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). No refunds can be made for cancellations after February 24. Please note that all costs for this event are being underwritten by Alex Montagu. Payments for this event will be treated as voluntary contributions to benefit PANYC.

Vegan Cooking Class (SOLD OUT)

It's a new year, and most of us want to be healthier and feel better in 2011. So why not kick it off with a strong start? Chef Ayinde will teach you how to incorporate a healthy, great tasting, meat-free meal into your weekly cooking routine. We will explore the herb kingdom and answer the most pressing question: "Without meat, where will I get my protein?"

Please join us for a participatory cooking demonstration and discussion led by Chef Ayinde, followed by a vegan dinner hosted by Pat Irvin ’76 at her home on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:00 pm. Pat is a former Princeton trustee, Wall Street law firm partner and Clinton Pentagon appointee.

Ayinde is a life-long vegan and executive vegan chef. He has appeared in the New York Times, Time Out magazine, New York Press, and The Seattle Times. Ayinde has taught a host of classes at Whole Foods and The Natural Cooking School.

I Eat Grass WHEN: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 7:00PM
WHERE: The home of Pat Irvin '76 at Fifth Ave. and 120th St. (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests). Convenient to the 2 and 3 train stops at 116th and 125th St., the 4, 5, 6 train stops at 125th St., and the 6 train stop at 116th St.
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 15 guests, so please sign up early!
COST: $66; $60 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests).

Japanese Classical and Contemporary Music Concert

Yoko Nishi and James Nyoraku Schlefer Please join us for a concert of Japanese classical and contemporary music featuring visiting koto virtuoso Yoko Nishi and American shakuhachi Grandmaster James Nyoraku Schlefer, S76. The event will feature a private wine and hors d'oeuvres reception for Princeton attendees. Yoko and James will demonstrate the koto (Japanese harp) and shakuhachi (bamboo flute), share some of the instruments' history and answer questions. This will be followed by the performance, which is open to the general public.

Presented by Arts at Tenri in collaboration with Kyo-Shin-An Arts and hosted by Meg Fagan '76. The evening will take place on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at the Tenri Cultural Institute, beginning at 7:00 PM. (Artist talk begins at 7:15 PM, concert at 8:00 PM.) Meg is the Producer of Kyo-Shin-An Arts and freelances as a strategic planning and development consultant for a wide array of artists and arts organizations.

Kyo-Shin-An Arts is dedicated to the integration of Japanese classical instruments - specifically shakuhachi, koto and shamisen – into Western classical music. It is developing, producing and commissioning new works and concerts that bring forth the outstanding virtuosity of these instruments within the context of chamber ensembles and orchestras. The effort is international in scale, with performing partners in the US and the UK, and with the intent to include other European locations, Japan and Australia as soon as possible.

WHEN: Saturday, December 11, 2010, 7:00PM. Discussion begins at 7:15PM.
WHERE: Tenri Cultural Institute. 43A West 13th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, Manhattan.
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 25 guests, so please sign up early!
COST: $38; $35 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). The cost includes the reception and a sample CD of koto and shakuhachi music including some of the selections that will be heard at the performance. No refunds can be made for cancellations after November 28.

Informal Dinner, Discussion and Book Party hosted by John Oakes '83 (SOLD OUT)

Program or Be Programmed Please join us for an informal dinner, discussion and book party hosted by John Oakes '83 at his loft in Chelsea on Friday, December 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm. John is co-publisher of OR Books (www.orbooks.com), a new company that is "culturally adventurous and politically progressive."

The dinner will include a discussion by new media theorist Douglas Rushkoff '83, whose latest book has just been published: PROGRAM OR BE PROGRAMMED: Ten Commands for a Digital Age. Doug is the award-winning author of a number of books on human interaction - how we react to each other and to our environment, with a particular focus on electronic media. He is widely credited with identifying and elucidating concepts such as "viral media," "social currency," and "screenagers," among other standards of the Digital Age.

WHEN: Friday, December 3, 2010, 7:00PM
WHERE: The home of John Oakes '83 and Carin Kuoni on West 24th St (exact address will be distributed to confirmed guests).
RSVP: Please email fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 25 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: John will be ordering in. Please let us know about any dietary restrictions.
COST: $45; $40 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). The cost includes a signed copy of Doug Rushkoff's new book. No refunds can be made for cancellations after November 24.

Sushi Dinner and Lecture hosted by Trevor Corson '91

Sushi Please join us for a sushi dinner and lecture hosted by Trevor Corson '91 at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the East Village.

Trevor is an East Asia scholar who has authored books on a variety of subjects, including The Story of Sushi. As a Food Network judge, he is one of the leading authorities on sushi outside Japan. Trevor works closely with a master sushi chef to create a highly authentic menu, and then walks you through the meal in person, revealing the secrets behind what you’re eating—the surprising history of the cuisine, the characteristics of traditional Japanese sushi fish, the unique skills and techniques of the chef, and the etiquette tips that will help you do the right thing at a sushi bar.

Unlike most of PANYC's events, please register directly with Trevor to pay for this event, by sending an email to info@sushiconcierge.com; he will then forward a PayPal link to you (credit cards are also accepted). Please copy the 40 Plus Committee (fortyplus@panycweb.org), so that we can keep track of who is going and manage the numbers and the waiting list.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30PM
WHERE: Bako, 239 E 5th St (between 2nd Ave & Cooper Sq)
RSVP: Please email info@sushiconcierge.com, copying the 40 Plus Committee at fortyplus@panycweb.org. This event is limited to 24 guests, so please sign up early!
MENU: Sushi. Please let Trevor know about any dietary restrictions.
COST: $110 for PANYC members; $105 for dues-paying PANYC members (payable by PayPal or credit card via a link sent to confirmed guests). The cost includes the lecture, dinner, tax, and wait staff gratuity (drinks are extra).

As we plan the series for this season, we could use help:

We are looking for ideas for other events or contacts to people who would provide provocative and topical lectures.
We are looking for venues of various sizes—conference rooms, auditoriums, lounges and people’s homes—that could be made available for an event. You can plan it alone or with others or let our committee members plan it for you.
We are looking for alums interested in working with our committee to plan these events. There are tasks of varying time involvement to accommodate any schedule, from participating in brainstorming the types of events to planning and executing an event.

Please contact the committee via email at fortyplus@panycweb.org.