Club Calendar

Tuesday, December 5. Wine Tasting Party 6 p.m., Desert Falls Country Club. $27.50 per person NU Club member Norman Mark will present a wonderful sample of fine wines for your tasting pleasure. Then enjoy “Pasta Night” and entertainment by Italian songstress Christina. Space limited. Please RSVP by 12/01/06.\ to John Witous at 760.674.0955

Wednesday, December 13. NU Holiday Celebration

6 ;30 p.m., Home of Jane Treacy at Chapparal Country Club, Palm Desert

Celebrate the season with your NU family. We’ll provide a buffet dinner and libation. Please bring a wrapped item for our “gift swap” - no more than a $5 value and the funnier the better! And join our fabulous Jodie Miller for Carols at the piano! Friends and guests are welcome.

Thursday, January 11. Private Museum Tour

4 p.m., Palm Springs Art Museum

NU Alums will take a private docent tour of the outstanding collections of the PSAM, followed by a “no-host” barbecue at the Museum.

Thursday, February 8. An Evening with NU Professor William Reno,

Comparative Politics & Political Economy, Department of Political Science

6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner, Mission Hills Country Club. $42.50 per person (subject to change) RSVP by 2/5/07

Based on Professor Reno’s book manuscript, The Evolution of Warfare in Africa, he explain why we see warfare change from well organized insurgents who fought to advance programs and ideologies to the disorganized and much bloodier warfare of contending factions. These changes over the last several decades often occur in warfare in the same place. Prof. Reno find that shifts in international politics are important for explaining these changes but are not sufficient. The root causes of this important shift are found in the changing nature of domestic politics in many African states. The specific strategies of rule create the groups and the conditions that lead to the outbreak of factional violence and the persistence of violence. These developments point to the great difficulty of rebuilding these states, in creating conditions for the development of democratic societies, and serve more generally as a warning to optimistic forecasts that toppling violent authoritarian regimes will lead to easy gains in the quality of life in these countries. Prof. Reno will explore what can be done and survey the strategies that have worked in the recent past.

Sunday, March 11. House Party at the home of Norman and Grace Mark

6 p.m., 48431 Alamonte Court, Montera, Palm Desert

The Mark home is one of the Valley’s exceptional treasures – inside and outdoors! Enjoy cocktails, a marvelous buffet, entertainment – and a special showing of the 75th Anniversary Waa Mu presented last spring at NU.

Wednesday, April 11. Musical Chairs - The Best Things In Life Are Free!

7:30 p.m., Palm Springs Desert Museum Annenberg Theatre. $35 per person

By popular demand, we will end our season with a return visit to the Annenberg to enjoy Musical Chairs’ new production. The Best Things in Life Are Free! Celebrates the music of Tin Pan Alley with an outstanding professional cast. If you would like to join other NU alums for dinner before the show, we’ll meet at Liveri’s in Palm Springs at 5:30 p.m. (Please make your own reservations). Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets now! We’ll have sign up sheets at each of our other events, or call Jane Treacy at 469-3366.

December 9, 2005 Holiday Party at home of Jane Treacy at Chaparral Country Club. Tour the Wildlights Festival at the Living Desert followed by cocktails, buffet dinner and caroling. Call Jane at 760.469.3366 to reserve.

December 30, 2005 Sun Bowl Brunch at the home of Ying & Dougal Jones. Donation at door is $12.00. Join the Cats at 10:45 am at 72-995 Carriage Trail in Palm Desert.

January 13, 2006 Joint event with desert University of Illinois Alumni Club, Foreign Affairs Lecture by Morris Beschloss, Commentator and Journalist, entitled "A Focused Insight into America's 2006 Economy." Indian Wells Country Club, 6:00 PM No-Host Cocktails, 7:00 PM Dinner. Price is $39. Reservations deadline is January 9. Mail checks to "January Event", NUCVAC, PO Box 4286, Palm Desert CA 92261

February 15, 2006 John A. Kessler, MD, Boshes Professor of Neurology; Chairman, Dept. of Neurology; and Director, Neuroscience Institute, Feinberg School of Medicine, lectures on "Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do." The Thunderbird Country Club, 6:00 pm for No-Host cocktails, 7:00 pm dinner. Price is $39 for members and their guests and $44 for non-members. Reservations deadline is February 11. Mail checks to "February Event", NUCVAC, PO Box 4286, Palm Desert CA 92261.

March 8, 2006 "Too Marvelous for Words -- The Lyrics of Johnny Mercer" by Musical Chairs at the Annenberg Theater in the Palm Springs Art Museum (101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs CA). Time: 7:30 pm. Price $32.00. Make checks payable to Northwestern University Coachella Valley Alumni Club and mail to "March Event" Northwestern University Coachella Valley Alumni Club, PO BOX 4286, Palm Desert CA 92261. We cannot accept reservations without checks. Tickets from the block we have purchased will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. Tickets will be distributed to you at the door of the theater. If you are interested in joining a group of Wildcats for a no-host dinner before the performance, please call Jane Treacy at 369-3366 or e-mail to jtreacy@dc.rr.com. Many Wildcats plan to enjoy the post-performace reception in the Annenberg Art Garden which is hosted by the cast and included with your ticket.

December Wine tasting Party at Desert Falls Country Club, featuring lecture by radio talk show host and wine expert Norm Mark

January Theater Party at the McCallum Theater for performance of Broadway Big Band Years

February Golf Event and dinner at Indian Wells Resort featuring Mark Murphy & Pat Goss

April Lecture on the San Andreas Fault by Dr. Doug Tomson and dinner at Thunderbird Country Club