News & Notes from The Lotos Club NOVEMBER 2008 Michael Tolan Ambassador for the World’s Oceans to Perform Will Receive Award of Distinction Members will be treated again to a Sylvia A. Earle , the best -known Reality,” will focus on the state of performance by their fellow Lotosian, marine scientist on the planet, will be the oceans today and our reliance actor Michael Tolan , on Monday, the guest of honor at a Science and upon them for a human-friendly November 24. Mr. Tolan’s dramatic Technology Evening on Wednesday, planet. reading of works by ten great poets – November 19. Dr. Earle’s talk, including Matthew Arnold, T. S. “Sustainable Seas: the Vision, the A botanist, biologist, conservationist, Eliot, Pablo Neruda, Federico Garcia explorer and entrepreneur, Dr. Earle Lorca and Langston Hughes – will be has followed whales in the open sea, accompanied by cellist Elizabeth fought sharks and lived for weeks at Means . (Cocktails, 6:30 p.m.; $30) a time on the floor of the sea, in a The music has been arranged by Lee Tektite undersea station. She has Norris , who was arranger/conductor walked untethered on the sea floor at for Diahann Carroll, conductor of the a lower depth than any other human Buffalo Philharmonic Pops Concerts being – 1,250 feet below the ocean’s and composer/arranger for the surface. She holds the women’s Canadian Brass. (continued on page 4 ) Actor, director and producer Michael Tolan needs no introduction. He has appeared in innumerable leading roles Film Screening in theater, in film and on television. He has directed and appeared in many An unusualat Artart exhibition, Show focusing events at the Lotos Club, the most Sylvia Earle (photo by Becky Hale) on a carnival town, will open with a recent being a reading of Walt cocktail reception on November 3 Whitman with actor Fritz Weaver and from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a Lotos member William A. Johnson. screening of an award-winning Members’ Dinner Ms. Means has shared her versatile th documentary by Lotos member artistry in some of the world’s leading on November 12 Loretta Harms , from 7 to 8 p.m. concert halls and has collaborated The annual Mark Twain Dinner, for Gibtown has been shown at with some of the most prominent members only, will be held on numerous worldwide festivals and Wednesday, November 12. The museums and on the Emmy Award- (continued on page 6) highlight this year will be the winning PBS series, Independent presentation of the new Lotos book, Lens . The event is complimentary, Members of The Lotos Club , 1870- but members are asked to call the Save the Date 2007, to all attendees (cocktails, 6:30 Club office if they plan to attend the p.m.; $65). reception. The exhibit will run through Thursday, November 13. Saturday, January 3, 2009 Both new and longtime members enjoy this event, which continues the Ms. Harms, the executive producer Twelfth Night Frolic tradition of honoring Samuel and installation artist, shares a brief Clemens, one of the Club’s earliest history of the documentary on the and most celebrated Lotosians, a Lotos Club website: member from 1873 to 1910. www.lotosclub.org. N E W S A N D N O T E S A Note to Members by John Sussek, Jr., Treasurer Welcome to If you have been a stranger to dining This all will pass and there will be the Club Louis Auchincloss (Honorary), in the Grill – and only you know who new problems to solve. Remember, novelist/historian/essayist, State you are – be a stranger no longer, as the crash of 1929-30 had no Dinner Honoree, New York City. there are good reasons to show up. A government bailout, and a year later newly constructed ladies’ restroom, the market recovered and rose 67% Susan A. DiCicco (Non-Resident adjacent to the men’s room in the from its depths. Hang in there – B), artist, Santa Barbara, CA. Grill Room, was completed over the don’t panic. Lotos will be needed Memberships: former trustee of summer months, much to the delight more now than ever. Windstar Foundation; supervising of almost half the membership. What producer of FOTUN (virtual makes this also exciting is that the United Nations). Proposer: Grill appears no different except that Michael Dolas; Seconder: Ann it seems more intimate. Every female Tanenbaum. member in the club should have dinner in the club ASAP, drink a lot Hollise Gersh (Resident), interior of wine and “test drive” the new designer, New York City. “john.” No RSVP is needed; just Memberships: Friars Club; Boca 5 East 66 th Street show up! Comments are welcome Raton Club. Proposer: Shelby M. New York, NY 10065 but, please ladies, no complaints! It Tauber; Seconder: Patricia (212) 737-7100 cost a fortune to build and literally Greenwald. (212) 737-9188 (fax) years to get implemented. www.lotosclub.org Carol Robinson (Resident), real Now, if that is not enough to lure you estate broker, New York City. to the Grill, we now have new styles News & Notes Memberships : Central Park in stemware. The previous wine glass Conservancy, Carnegie Hill has become a relic and the new wine Executive Editor Neighborhood Association. goblets that have replaced them are Stephenie Ralston Proposer: Michael Tolan; much more elegant. It appears that Design Editor Seconder : Silas R. Mountsier III. they hold more content so maybe Sharon Situ Lee Vandervelde (Resident), fine you’ll get more for your money. Try art consultant, New York City. them out. To add a further touch of Contributing Editors Memberships: NY Institute of class to our Grill Room dining, we Nancy Johnson Finance. Reinstatement. now have new leather-bound menu Margaret Diggory holders. Just to handle them makes you hungry, and the menu is three pages long! Order Gifts Now On a more serious note, the economic New on the holiday gift list this year Club Holiday meltdown we are experiencing does are white and red wine glasses, sold not exclude Lotos from its impact. in sets of six. Other popular gifts In observance of Over its history, our club has had its include official Lotos Club silk ties; Thanksgiving Day, ups and downs, and it will survive elegant cufflinks; navy cashmere Thursday, November 27 th , this global disaster. However, our scarves, sterling silver key rings; jade the Lotos Club will be closed bailout will not be provided by the crystal paperweights; brass and black on Friday, November 28 th leather coasters; and fragrance government. It will be provided by and Saturday, November 29 th . our membership and membership candles. Bedrooms are open usage. You will still need uplifting For more information, contact diversions from your labors – warm every day of the year. Margaret Diggory in the Club office, friendships, good food and drink – to (212) 737-7100 or keep you on balance. [email protected]. Page Two The Lotos Club N E W S A N D N O T E S In Memoriam Elmer E. Baker, Jr. 1922-2008 Reflections by J. Roger Friedman Elmer and Keora Baker were very dear friends. My wife, Pat, and I socialized with them at the Lotos Club, dined with them at three-star restaurants in London and shared the holidays with them at our home. Elmer became a member of Lotos in 1969. 2009 would have marked his 40 th anniversary as a member. For almost four decades, Elmer “served” at the Club. I use the word “served” because it is an English concept that in today’s world is out of fashion. Yes, Elmer was an Anglophile. From the top of his fedora hat to the bottoms of his well- polished shoes, he was British. Keora and Elmer Baker (“Mr. Lotos”) at the Twelfth Night Frolic in 1996 positions of responsibility that Elmer he meant six o’clock. And when Elmer held do not adequately describe his love said tie and jacket, he meant tie and for and contributions to the Lotos Club. jacket . Elmer Baker was our conscience. When you step into 5 East 66 th Street, For many years, Elmer was chairman of you will see the results of his labors and, the House Committee. Under his most importantly, when you talk to leadership, the entire clubhouse was fellow members of Lotos, you will feel redecorated. Many of the touches that his presence. one sees in our Club were the result of his and Keora’s refined taste. The red For those of you who knew Elmer, the English telephone chair on our second loss is monumental. For those of you floor landing is just one example. Elmer who did not know him, the loss is instinctively knew what a club should greater, as you missed an opportunity to look like and, more importantly, how the meet a wonderful human being. ambiance should reflect the history and Elmer Baker at Election Night 2000 When Lotos lost its longtime president, standards of Lotos. Yes, Elmer had high Frank R. Lawrence, in 1918, the Club At his death, Elmer was a Club director, standards, not only in terms of passed a resolution in his honor that a member of the Library Committee, a decorating, but in the qualities needed makes a fitting tribute to Elmer Baker member of the Long Range Planning for prospective members in his Club. He today: “A man who united in himself so Committee and on the board of The never deviated. many fine qualities, such distinguished Lotos Foundation. He was the recipient When Elmer was selected to be a ability and fidelity, that his long period of the Lotos Medal of Merit in 1984.