How do your members communicate?

[jpat]

Our Club in Rochester, NY has been experimenting with different ways to communicate plans for the next get together - date, theme, who's bringing what, etc. So far we've used regular email, evite and a yahoo room.

We're still trying to find the best way to get the word out to each other and we'd appreciate hearing your ideas. Thanks!

[Grace]

We always plan our next gathering before we leave from the last one. We bring our current month's and next month's issues of CL with us (i.e., for the meeting we had just this past Wednesday night, we brought our August issues and the September's issue with us), and our calendars.

Our "theme" is always the same - recipes from that month's issue. That's it. It always turns out to be an eclectic menu, since things don't exactly "match", but for us, that's part of the fun.

Anyhow, after we've eaten, rated the recipes, gone through the current issue and talked about other recipes we've made, etc., we decide which date and who's house the next meeting will be at. We all decide on a date right then and there, so we rarely, if ever, have scheduling problems. We work them out right on the spot. Then we decide who will be hosting (we take turns), and then we decide which recipes (from the next month's issue) we will make. If someone can't decide right then and there what they want to bring, it's no problem, we just decide which course they will bring (i.e., salad, appetizer, dessert, etc.), and they can decide which specific recipe later. Sometimes people have said they will bring one thing, and end up bringing a different recipe (but still the same course). It always works out well and has never been a problem.

As we decide all these things, someone (usually me) writes it all down and keeps track of the date, time, and who's bringing what. I keep everything in a special Supper Club folder I made so I can find it easily. Then, typically, whoever is hosting the next meeting will send out a brief reminder e-mail a couple days before the meeting date. Then that's it! It's very easy, and there are no hassles with scheduling, etc.

However you decide to work out your club's details, I hope you have a GREAT time! We love our club, and no one ever misses. We've been doing it since June 2000, and we all love it so much, we actually talked about maybe meeting TWICE a month?!!! Nothing definite on that yet, but it just tells you how much we enjoy our group of girls and all the great recipes!

[SusanMac]

We do almost all of our planning via email. When we get together, we decide on a host for the next session, but that's it. Then it's up to the host to coordinate available dates, propose a theme, etc.

Last month, the host used an evite service (the one from Yahoo, although there are several) and it worked well. It's essentially a website where you can post event logistics, directions, etc. Then, as each person RSVPs, they can post what dish they're bringing. Very convenient.

[Peggy]

Like SusanMac, we do most of our planning by e-mail. The hostess for the month is in charge of getting the menu organized. Lately we have been cooking from the different country Cooking Class section. The hostess usually is in charge of planning for the main course. The rest are divided up equally amonhg the other members.

Peggy

[mstewart]

Our group has been meeting now for over a year and from what I can tell, we do things a little differently....

Since all of us are extremely busy, we have one person per month host the dinner and all communication is via email. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, so everyone already knows when the next dinner will be, but email reminders and RSVP's are sent using eVite (great site!). The host gives some details such as time to arrive, address and is responsible for the theme, menu, food etc. Everyone else just needs to show up, help prepare the food and eat! The host can check the evite occassionally to see how many people to expect or to send additional information.

This way, as a member of our group, you're only responsible for hosting 1 dinner per year. The rest of the year all you do is show up ready to cook with a bottle of wine! It's been very successful way for us to meet and minimizes effort for all.

Happy cooking!
Mindi
Silicon Valley Supper Club

[Molli526]

How many people are in each of your groups? We are starting one here in the Detroit area and it is still in the planning stages.

Thanks!

:D

[kathleen415]

Our group of 7 couples is in Monmouth & Ocean counties in NJ. We meet on a Saturday night, usually every other month, selected by the host couple, but based on everyone's availability. All our communication is on the bulletin board, except for directions to our homes, which have been emailed.
We started in September, 2000 with 5 couples and met at a restaurant. For each meeting the host picks a theme and decides the entree and then everyone else picks a course. Very few of the recipes have been from Cooking Light, though.
There's a previous thread on the supper club board that I wrote in late May which may be helpful. (I have no idea how to tell you where it is except by reviewing the archive).