Hurry, Hurry, Come Get Some Curry!

This week saw another mini milestone; my last formal/normal board meeting as president of New Dawn. There's another one in June before this term ends, but I'm sure we'll be able to celebrate that in a more relaxed fashion!
     It has been a good year and one that I have enjoyed.
     There are many reasons that many members cannot serve in the three or four main positions in the club, but take it from one who has been through the mill; the rewards are greater than the sacrifice one has to make.
     A highlight of the year has been the speakers we've managed to get to join us at 7am on Wednesday mornings and for that I have to thank Carol Stier.

Passionate about art ... Tara Weber of the Johannesburg Art Gallery spoke to the club last week

     Last week we had Tara Weber over, a great enthusiast for the Johannesburg Art Gallery.
     When Linda and I popped in at Joubert Park last year to join Jenine Coetzer and Steve du Plessis at the SABC sponsored charity event they have annually, we noticed that the main door on the railway side of the art gallery building was open and went to see if we could get in.
     There was a guy behind a desk in the entrance hall who confirmed that the gallery was closed over weekends, but he asked if we wanted to go and have a look in any case.

Carin Holmes, Linda Vink and Graham and Joan Donet listen to tales from the art world

     This we did happily and saw some of the treasures during a quick half an hour walkabout. After all, the gallery has works by Picasso, Dali, Degas, Monet, Manet, Henry Moore, Renoir, Pierneef, Irma Stern, Maggie Laubser and one of the finest collections of the works of Gerard Sekoto in the world. We saw quite a few of these.
     Tara Weber, who is the registrar of the JAG and therefore responsible for the wellbeing of the works, confirmed that the collection consists of more than 10 000 art works, collected since 1910 when Lady Florence Phillips, wife of the Randlord sir Lionel Phillips, started it all with a donation of 126 pieces.

Picasso's Harlequin, one of the JAG's most controversial works

     By the way, the Picasso's Harlequin is currently on tour in Reunion, while many of the Impressionists are in Monza, Italy in an exhibition entitled The Treasures of the JAG. There is also a current exhibition in Denmark.
     Quite a few club members have said they'd be interested in a visit once the more prominent works have returned to the country.

Steve du Plessis and Julian Nagy listen attentively

     The JAG faces two major current challenges; the first is that the the gallery itself has been closed down for quite a few months due to water damage from flooding, caused mainly by the theft of copper cables on the flat roof over the new wing of the building.
     A new exhibition by the Mozambican sculptor Angela Ferreira opened at the weekend, marking the permanent opening of the old section of the art gallery. Long may it last.
     The more serious problem is attracting people to the gallery, which is right next to a taxi rank in the middle of town, even though there is some parking available.
     There has been serious discussion about moving to a leafier suburb, but for now the JAG remains in the only building in South Africa to be designed by the Empire architect sir Edward Lutyens

Hurry, hurry, come get some curry!

Fifth Wednesday
     The 31st May is a fifth Wednesday this month and to lighten things up a bit, we're canning the breakfast that morning and going to Julian and Debbie Nagy for a curry (three ways) dinner!
     Julian has offered to make lamb curry, Steve du Plessis will make beef curry and yours truly will try his hand at chicken curry.
     Joan Donet will bring caulirice for those Banters who don't eat ordinary rice. Julian will also supply poppadoms and Linda will bring naan bread, Carin Holmes is responsible for the sambals.
     Carol Stier has promised a whole table full of desserts to cool things down after the mains.
     Bring a bottle or two with of what you like to 9 Roxburgh Ave, Craighall Park and we have the makings of a fiery party!

Graham Donet, twice over a proud grandfather, with the latest, Ava May. What a beaut!

Birthdays in May:
9th May (today): Sam Donet. It's been a busy year for Sam as she has just returned from honeymoon after her marriage to Rob Deverneuil on 29 April. And yesterday, a day before her birthday, her sister Kate gave birth to her and Graham Fenn's second child, Ava May. What lovely names!
10th May: John Vink, who has also just got married.
22nd May: Another Donet, this time Graham.
20th May: Katinka van Reenen.
     Congratulations to one and all.

A Thought for the Week: Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed. - Herman Melville (1819 - 1891).