October 2020 Uclub Newsletter.Pub

October 2020

SSYLLABUYLLABUSS

A Roadmap to the News of the University Club of Rockford, Illinois

President’s Letter The renovation of the squash court is continuing to keep us happy and by Pete Rundquist in progress. The court area and locker healthy. Happy October! room are being updated so that you Summer has passed can walk into the court without having See you on the deck . . . for now. and we are into fall. to climb in and out. Thank you to The club closed out the members who have donated to summer with a new this project. event, an evening of dog fun (dogs swam Looking ahead, the board has been in our pool while their people dined planning our annual meeting in January nearby). We plan to repeat this next 2021. Due to Covid 19, it will probably year. Thank you to all who participated. be hybrid with limited in-person attendance and Zoom format to the Autumn is such a pretty time at the membership. Any thoughts you may club with our exclusive view of the have about this should be directed to relaxing river and the beautiful the board of directors. color changes. Please remember that the times and A big THANK YOU to Mary Caskey, guidelines for gathering with family and Helen Hill, Mary Ann Smith, and friends are a bit different now. We want Pete and Becky Rundquist who our membership and community to donated the new heaters for the deck. stay healthy. Please wear your face With those heaters and a new tent, coverings whenever you walk through outdoor dining should be possible for the club and when you interact with a few extra weeks. Let’s hope that staff indoors. Squash Court Renovation Mother Nature is agreeable to this. A new doorway makes our squash Then we will transition to limited As always, our staff and management court more convenient for members. deserve our thanks and courtesy for Thanks to all who contributed to indoor dining. the improvement.

Welcome, New Members! New Members Organization Sponsor(s) Alma Mater Barb & G. David Kohl Retired Rae Biesiadecki Simpson College Stephanie & Matthew Shuck All Saint’s Academy/Altamore & Assoc. Ela Bucko/ Indiana Univ./NIU Elder Granger II Condolences Member News The University Club of Rockford extends its deepest Best wishes to Julie Elliott upon her retirement from condolences to the family and friends of Charles John the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners “Chuck” Prorok. after seven years of elected service. GM Notes For members who are comfortable With the transition to inside and the eating inside, we are doing all we can limited-seating capacities, music Summer’s warmth made it easy to to keep safe distances between inside does not work. have most of our meals outside, but groups. We are seating parties in the now the nights are getting chillier card room, library, alcove/living Please remember that everything and darker earlier. Although we can room and even upstairs if needed. By on our menu can be ordered for have limited-inside dining, some using all our rooms, we should be carryout, including bottles of wine. members are not comfortable with able to accommodate everyone who Finally, we are rolling out a new dining inside. So, we have taken wants to join us each night. some steps to help extend our dinner menu starting October 8. outdoor dining season. For starters, Here’s an update on our Kids’ Please stop by to see what Chef O we begin serving dinner at 5 p.m. Christmas party. We may add an and his culinary team have created That’s a little earlier than usual for additional night to keep us within for you. some, but it does allow you to take capacity guidelines. And, we may See you at the club! advantage of the late-day warmth. have to modify each child getting to Kurt Schiffer, General Manager We have also added four patio sit with Santa and receive a gift. If heaters to the deck to help take the you have suggestions to help us with chill off the night. They also add annual events during Covid-19, ambiance to our deck dining. please give your suggestions to Kurt Another step to extend the outdoor or Kelly. dining season is a new tent that we can put over part of the deck to Speaking of music, we have shield us from the elements. suspended our live music series.

Club Notes October 1 | November’s book will In this cult classic, teenager Max Oktoberfest Dinner be Their Eyes Were Dennison (Omri Katz) explores Come celebrate Watching God by Zora an abandoned house in Salem, Oktoberfest with Neale Hurston. Massachusetts with his sister Dani us! Instead of the (Thora Birch) and their new friend, traditional Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After Oktoberfest buffet, October 15 | Two for dismissing a story Allison tells as Chef O has created a Oktoberfest $29.95 Dinner superstitious, Max accidentally frees menu with many of your favorites. A great and affordable way to treat a coven of evil witches (Bette Oktoberfest beer flights will be your friends and potential new Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy available as well. Dinner begins at members to the club is our Two Najimy) who used to live in the 5:30 p.m. Reservations help us serve for $29.95 dinner. Enjoy a salad, house. Now, with the help of a you better. coleslaw or soup with choice of magical cat, the kids must steal the entrée and a side dish. Dinner also October 8 | New Fall & comes with a choice of house wine witches' book of spells to stop them Winter Menu (cabernet, chardonnay, pinot grigio, from becoming immortal. Join us for dinner as Chef O begins merlot or white zinfandel). his new fall and winter Thursday and October 29 | Autumnal Five- Course Dinner, Friday night dinner menu. Yum! October 22 | Hocus Pocus, Reservations Required Movie Day! October 13 | Book Club Join us for a special five-course Make your reservations for Lunch & dinner created by Chef O. Please Book Club meets the second Tuesday a Movie, or Dinner & a Movie of each month at 7 p.m. place your appetizer Come order your lunch at 11:45 a.m. and dinner order October’s book is Say as the movie will begin at noon. Nothing by Patrick when making your If you would rather come for dinner, reservation. This will Radden Keefe. It won cocktails and dinner orders begin the 2019 National Book take the place of our at 5:30 p.m., the movie will start at Thursday night Critics Circle Award 6 p.m. for nonfiction. dinner menu. (Continued on page 3) Club Notes, continued October Wine Specials Orin Swift Trigger From Orin Swift Cellars in Finger, Grenache California’s Napa Valley. With a lucid ruby brick, the wine offers aromas of bright Orin Swift Blank Stare, strawberry, bing cherry, white Sauvignon Blanc pepper and candied rhubarb, A glowing pale straw with a if only! On the palate, the striking touch of chartreuse ripe red fruits carry though sits in the glass. Aromatically, along with notes of fresh the wine pops with lime zest, black pepper, river rocks and gooseberries, ripe passion- strawberry cream. Chewy tannins fruit, fresh-cut grass and close out the wine at perpetuating lemon bars. On the entry, length with a touch of fresh raspberry. the acidity acts like a belt, constraining the voluptuousness; Pairs well with U Club Prime Rib, similar taste profiles to the nose plus Braveheart Filet Mignon, or Bone-In crispy green apples and the faintest Pork Chop. hint of fresh sage abound. The finish is reminiscent of ripe kiwi and Available by the bottle only, $45 limoncello, teetering on a beam of lingering acidity.

Doggone Cute Pairs well with Arugula-Crusted Huckleberry at the U Club’s inaugural Halibut, Cedar-Planked Salmon, and “Bring Your Dog to the Pool Day” on Sept. 21. Owner Mike and Kim Chicken Piccata. Gaffney said it was a great idea and they all enjoyed it! Available by the bottle only, $40

e Autumnal Five-Course Dinner f Appetizers Entrees Braveheart Sirloin Bruschetta Beef Wellington Toasted crostini, mozzarella and arugula chimichurri Braveheart prime angus tenderloin wrapped with prosciutto, mushroom duxelles and puff pastry sheet served with Dauphinoise potato and grilled asparagus Applewood Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Brussel Sprouts

Served with a balsamic reduction Lobster Tail

8-oz. cold-water lobster tail split, broiled, served with Soup lobster bisque risotto that’s enhanced with asparagus tips and sun-dried tomatoes Creamy Butternut Squash Topped with spiced pumpkin seeds Dessert Salad Tiramisu Espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with rich Arugula and Acorn Citrus Salad mascarpone, whipped cream and more. Citrus vinaigrette, roasted acorn squash, feta cheese and candied pecans University Club of Rockford 945 N. Main Street Rockford, IL 61103 Phone: 815.962.1730 (dedicated reservation line) [email protected] [email protected]

WWW. UCLUBROCKFORD . COM Here Is Your October Syllabus

October 2020 Calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Lunch & Dinner 1 2 3 Remember, Kids and Grandkids eat FREE from Kids’ Oktoberfest Dinner Fabulous Friday Fish, Menu with the purchase of a regularly priced entrée 5:30 pm 5–9 pm Hours on Thursday nights. Reservations allow us to serve · Blue Gill you better.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Homestyle Menu Taste of Tuesday Club Closes at New Fall & Winter Menu Fabulous Friday Fish, Lunch Service 5–8 pm Wings 2 pm 5–8:30 pm 5–9 pm Monday – Friday · Meatloaf 5–7:30 pm · Tilapia · Turkey & Dumplings 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Homestyle Menu Taste of Tuesday Club Closes at Early Bird Fabulous Friday Fish, Monday Night 5–8 pm Stir Fry Action 2 pm 5–8:30 pm 5–9 pm Homestyle Menu · Corned Beef & Station · 2 for $29.95 · Catfish Cabbage 5–7:30 pm 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. · Stuffed Peppers Book Club 7 pm Tuesday Night 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Taste of Tuesday Homestyle Menu Taste of Tuesday Club Closes at Hocus Pocus, Movie Day! Fabulous Friday Fish, 5–8 pm Chili & Baked 2 pm Lunch & Movie 5–9 pm 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. · Cabbage Rolls Potato 11:45 am Lunch orders · Walleye · Chicken Parmesan 5–7:30 pm 12:00 pm Movie Dinner & Movie Thursday Night Early Bird 5:30 pm Dinner orders 6:00 pm Movie 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. · New York Sinatra Strip Steak Fabulous Friday Fish · Red Snapper 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Homestyle Menu Taste of Tuesday Club Closes at Autumnal Five-Course Fabulous Friday Fish, 5–8 pm Maid Rites 2 pm Dinner 5–9 pm 5–7:30 pm Reservations appreciated as · Shepherd’s Pie (No Regular Menu) · Ocean Perch it helps us serve you better! · Beef Enchiladas 5–8:30 pm 815.962.1730 [email protected] Two for $29 Options: Hazelnut Chicken, Baked Roughy, 10-oz. NY Strip, or Eggplant Parmesan