This year's Associates Dinner will be enlivened by a silent auction of "books and bottles" . Library supporters and board members have been searching their cellars and bookshelves to come up with just the right combinations for lucky bidders.
Matthew and Lydia McMahon have offered to recreate the famous 1976 blind tasting of France versus California wines as described in George Taber's book, Judgement of Paris. They will offer 14 wines, focusing on Chardonney, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Savignon and Syrah. Vineyards will include Aubert, Peay, Sea Smoke, Martinelli, Montelena, Beaucastle, Lynch Bages, Louis Latour, Patrick Rion and Ducru-Beaucailou. Each pairing will be accompanied by a scrumptious hors d'oeuvre. The top two bids will each be awarded four places at the tasting table.
Journalist and musician Andy Revkin has donated a dangerous looking bottle of Cachaca 51 Pirassununga Sugar Cane Spirit, Brazil's best selling Cachaca. Andy's even offered to provide the limes, cane sugar, and a reading from his included book, The Burning Season.
More is More, about American designer Tony DuQuette is paired with the award winning Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2005 Chetca De Beaucastel. This dynamic duo is selected by Cleaver White. Lovers of Rhone wines should plan to reach deeply into their pockets in bidding on this one.
Anne and Fred Osborn have offered to host cocktails for four aboard Petrol III, an 18" long Boston Whaler. It will be accompanied by Eldridges Tide and Pilot Book 2010.
Joseph Meisel has donated an autographed copy of his book, Public Speech and the Culture of Public Life in the Age of Gladstone, to be read while sipping a finely aged Macallan 12 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.
Bill Sadler and Bill Hicks have created four remarkable pairings:
Book collectors will be excited by a First edition of John Irving's The Hotel New Hampshire, signed by the author, which begins with a bear arriving at the Arbuthnot Hotel as a passenger on the sidecar of a motorcycle. The Viennese motorcycle driver is nicknamed Freud "for his abilities to soothe the distress of the staff and guests alike; he was an entertainer." It is paired with a pleasing, "entertaining" Austrian wine, Hirsch from Kammern/Kamptal, 2006 Gruner Veltliner Heiligenstein.
A classic star, Marlene Deitrich, Style and Substance, is paired with a fine German Riesling. Marlene would certainly approve.
Violet Bonham Carter was a close friend of Winston Churchill's. Read her intimate portrait of the Great Man while sipping a glass or two of Churchill's Tawny 20 year old port.
Visit the Agnelli Gardens (just north of Turin) while sitting in a good armchair and sipping from a very good bottle of 1997 Barbaresco.
In addition, Friends of the Library President Carol O'Reilly shares many items about Marilyn Monroe, Library Director Carol Donick offers a fine Armagnac in honor of her mother in law, and many other interesting books and bottles will be available.