April 24
...serving up your daily dish.
The Junior League Showhouse & Gardens is almost upon us and the Montclair-Newark ladies have scored a celeb. Ted Allen will speak and cook at the Showhouse on May 25. He'll also hawk his new tome, "The Food You Want To Eat."
Tickets for the evening event are $65.
Could someone explain to me why it's the "Junior" League? Is there a "Senior" League too, kind of like the National and American leagues in baseball? I never get this one and I'm honestly curious.
Posted by: cathar | Apr 24, 2006 2:03:27 PM
i thought i heard once that the junior league was for women 35 and under and then after that you joined the woman's club?
Posted by: Iceman | Apr 24, 2006 2:20:25 PM
History of the Junior League movement here: http://www.ajli.org/?nd=history
Posted by: Krys O. | Apr 24, 2006 2:51:10 PM
This just seems so 1950 and earlier. Who are these women? Who has time or interest for this kind of thing anymore?
Posted by: Max | Apr 24, 2006 3:07:05 PM
Having gone to that link that Krys O. provided about the history of the Junior League, it seems that Max above is being more than a bit unfair in his characterization of these ladies as "so 1950 and earlier." I still think it's kind of a dopey name for the group, but they certainly sound a lot more well-intentioned than - oh, let's be daring here - BlueWaveNJ.
Posted by: cathar | Apr 24, 2006 3:14:21 PM
I just had lunch at Marc & Eric's (today's smoked sirloin panini was delish!) and learned that they will be catering the Junior League home tour event. Enjoy!
Posted by: Jim | Apr 24, 2006 4:31:33 PM
While they're not exactly my cup of tea and there is still is a rich society housewife type reputation attached to them (possibly deserved), I do have to give them credit for raising lots of money for good causes. Working for a non profit that benefits from their efforts, I'm happy they're in existence.
Posted by: clc | Apr 24, 2006 4:36:14 PM
Cathar, how so unfair? My reference was to having the time for extensive volunteerism (and all the garden/society fundraising stuff). When women stayed home they had time. I don't know any women who don't put in more than an 8 hour day working for wages. So, who has time for this stuff anymore?
Posted by: Max | Apr 24, 2006 5:38:48 PM
Max, Can you imagine, some of us, many of us, despite working 10 hour days and delaing with family, manage to find the time to give to our community. We are out there, and some of us may belong to organizations like the Junior League or Assoc of University Women, or alumnae groups or church groups, or hopsital auxilliaries where the volunteer effort is coordinated and spread among many hands making light work. Women who work, generally do much more than work, we don't just go home and flop into the couch from exhaustion. Some of us make the time.
Posted by: bloomfieldcommuter | Apr 24, 2006 5:48:37 PM
Max: I suggest you look into organizations such as Rotary Club and Kiwanas. Their membership includes CEOs and all kinds of busy people who find the time each month to volunteer their time and services to community events. Many of us are busy, but only some of us make the determined effort to share our resources--for no wage and compensation--for the satisfaction of helping others and making the world a better place, one small token at a time. Not everyone is ready for that kind of calling.
Posted by: Jim | Apr 24, 2006 6:07:31 PM
Good for all you overachievers. I leave home at 6am (commute) get home at 7-7:30. I get to bed by 9:30 in order to get up by 5. Everything else fits into that extra time. I don't even have time to exercise regularly. There is always weekends of course but without weekend time I wouldn't have a boyfriend left.
Posted by: Max | Apr 24, 2006 8:34:47 PM
In that picture, Ted Allen looks much more professorial, or authorial, than he does in the show.
Posted by: Paul from OB | Apr 24, 2006 9:39:10 PM
Max I lead a volunteers for a living...folks who all work full-time jobs and have busy nyc lives, yet volunteer dozens of hours a month!
Posted by: Butch | Apr 24, 2006 10:20:46 PM
Don't consider myself an "overachiever". Have just made the decision that there are activities worth doing that I receive alot of good feelings from doing, ( and hopefully others receive good from me too)so I make the time to do them. Even after the commute, the job, the ailing mother and so on... You do have to choose what makes the most sense for you-
Posted by: Bloomfieldcommuter | Apr 24, 2006 10:21:15 PM
No "rich society housewife" here.
I was a member of the junior league for a time. Met a lot of good women doing a great deal of good works.
bloomfieldcommuter is right "where the volunteer effort is coordinated and spread among many hands making light work."
Max- don't look down on us for volunteering. It's not 1950's it's 2006- there are less and less funds to go around for good causes.
No one is saying that you have to volunteer it's your choice and if you don't have the time you don't have the time.
Posted by: badd_patti | Apr 24, 2006 11:15:48 PM
Yes, Please don't bash this group of very hardworking women. The organization contains woman from all walks: sure some socitey housewives, some working woman, diverse ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic backgrounds. They share a common commitment to volunteer in the community. Its absolutely not for everybody.
Its really not white gloves and pearls and honestly never was. You have no idea how much work it is to put together one of these showhouses.
Posted by: girl | Apr 26, 2006 1:39:14 PM
