• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large can pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple, well drained
• 1 - 8-ounce container Cool Whip (approximate)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup white miniature marshmallows

Use a clear glass bowl, if possible. Combine the pie filling and milk, stirring gently but thoroughly. Fold in the pineapple. Add the Cool Whip, mixing gently, using as much as desired. (I use about 2/3 of the container.) Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. Just before serving, fold in the pecans and marshmallows.

WELL WORTH IT
My husband, Emmanuel Lawrence, and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary with a quick getaway to San Diego. We arrived there on Saturday afternoon, tired from the week, and unconvinced that getting dressed up to keep our dinner reservation at the University Club Atop Symphony Towers could possibly be worth the energy. Nonetheless, we dragged ourselves there. ... I cannot begin to tell you what an extraordinary experience we had. The club is intimate and beautifully appointed, and we were treated like royalty. Darwin Johnson, the maître d’, greeted us warmly and gave us limitless attention. The view was breathtaking; the service, impeccable; the food, scrumptious; and the live jazz by the Mike Wofford (formerly music director for Sarah Vaughan) Trio, an unexpected pure pleasure. We now “get” what Signature Gold Dining is all about and will look forward to enjoying this and other member benefits in the year to come.

Jean Ford
Member, City Club on Bunker Hill
Los Angeles

KUDOS
My wife and I had the pleasure of hosting her parents at Tower Club Tysons Corner on a trip through Washington, D.C., on our way to Charlottesville, Virginia, for a family wedding. Dinner at the club was a last-minute thought, and I called the ClubLine for reservations. I can say that our experience was one of the most pleasant of any club we’ve visited. We have thoroughly enjoyed our Signature Gold Dining privileges and continue to recommend our club and dining to our friends.

Tommy and Cindy Lavender
Members, Capital City Club
Columbia, South Carolina

THANKS
I wanted Private Clubs to know how appreciative I am of the magazine as a vehicle to recognize people. Words can’t describe the service I receive from captain Robert Kosticak at the Metropolitan Club in Chicago. Having worked several months in the Chicago area last year and again this year, I had the opportunity to dine at the club several times, each time experiencing Robert’s friendliness and impeccable hospitality. His “making people feel at home” lessened the loneliness of being on the road. The Metropolitan Club will always be on my list of “must visit” during future trips to Chicago. Thank you, Robert!

Tamara Michael
Member, Piedmont Club
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

MEMORIES
My mother-in-law passed away last summer. That is hardly the opening for a letter praising the efforts of the ClubCorp family. In my case, it is highly appropriate. Marie Smith Wells, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away following a courageous battle with oral cancer. The aggressive course of treatment, including extensive chemotherapy and radiation, made one of life’s great pleasures, eating, very difficult and troublesome. On Mother’s Day, “Mom” and “Dad” joined their daughter, our three children, and me, along with my parents, for the brunch at my home club, Town Point Club in Norfolk, Virginia. Knowing Mom’s difficulties and concerns, I consulted with several members of the Town Point staff in advance. Club manager Ali Halatayi and his staff, including executive chef Danny Lane, went “above and beyond” to ensure that Mom’s needs were met and her experience was memorable. This consideration included a specially prepared entrée and dessert. Mom was truly touched that, on one of the busiest days of the year, the staff of the Town Point Club would go out of their way to cater to her. As I write this and reflect on the memories from that day, I have an even greater appreciation for the ClubCorp experience.

Greg Edwards
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Member, Town Point Club
Norfolk, Virginia

ANOTHER DARING-DO
My congratulations to Jeff Neuman for his daring-do [bungee jump] and on his honest take on the experience [“Leap of Faith,” May/June 2006]. I, too, wanted to do something on my visit to New Zealand that could be classified as thrill-seeking. But, as a woman approaching 60, I was going for prudent and manageable. So I chose to Zorb. Picture a large plastic ball (7 to 8 feet in diameter) filled with about five gallons of water and myself rolling down a hill. Afterward, I wished it had taken twice as long so that I could have had more time to focus on what I was doing. Unlike Jeff, I would do this again, but I’d choose the zigzag course.

Nancy L. Morris
Walnut Creek, California
Member, Crow Canyon Country Club
Danville, California

MENU ITEM
On a recent trip to Nashville, my wife and I entertained four guests at the Nashville City Club and couldn’t have been more impressed. We enjoyed a libation in the grill before being seated at a perfect table with very attentive staff, which served a perfect meal all around. A very special touch was the printed menu proclaiming the “Erben Party.” Our evening was spectacular and we hope all who visit Nashville will have the same experience.

Phil and Diana Erben
Members, Spring Valley Lake Country Club
Victorville, California


NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE BARTENDER
Who’s your favorite “mixologist” of beverages at your club? And why? Let us know via e-mail at privateclubs@clubcorp.com. Selected bartenders will be featured in the magazine with their signature drinks.

Your reactions to the magazine and your club and resort experiences are important to us. So please send your letters to: The Editor, Private Clubs, 3030 LBJ Freeway, Suite 350, Dallas, TX 75234. Fax us at 972.888.7338. Or send e-mail to privateclubs@clubcorp.com. For advertising information, please refer to the Internet at www.privateclubs.net.