From an email that John Sessions, the Grand Poo-Bah of Big D! Toastmasters ...

Greetings fellow Toastmasters.  As promised at the meeting at TI the other night, I am sending details of our Spring Party/Officers' Installation this Thursday, June 14.  We will observe our normal schedule of 6:30-8:30 (although we have use of the facility until closing time (11:00 p.m.) so that if any of you are having fun and want to stay later that will by OK).

The venue for the party will be the recently established Dallas winery Times Ten Cellars in the Lakewood area.  Our meeting will be set up in a large room immediately adjacent to the tasting room and the winery itself.  For a look at the room use the link:  http://www.timestencellars.com/events.html. (NOTE: The photo above is just a snippet of the one at this link)

We will have the complete run of the winery that night (except that we won't have exclusive use of it—the tasting room will be open for other visitors during our event).  In addition to the inside meeting room there is a nice outdoor patio there.  If we are lucky enough to have a mild June Dallas evening you may want to spend some time outside on the patio.  Personnel from Times Ten will also offer tours of the winery for any that are interested. 

Times Ten is located at 6324 Prospect Avenue, just west of Abrams Road on Prospect Avenue (across from Lakewood Country Club and the old Lakewood Minyard's store).  There is legal street parking in front of the winery, and at the time of our meeting on Thursday night I have been advised by winery personnel that we can also park at nearby business parking lots of businesses that will have closed for the day.  There is a medical clinic parking lot on the north side of Prospect just opposite the winery, and a plumbing supply company lot just south of the winery on Kidwell Street.  The one item of serious business we have to conduct is to ceremonially excuse our outgoing officers (ceremonial because they will actually preside over the meetings of June 21 and 28 before they are officially excused) and to install our new officers.  The rest of the evening will be devoted to the enjoyment of you and your guest(s).

Catering will be by a long-time Dallas institution Celebration Catering.  The entrée choices are 1) Artichoke Mushroom Chicken (grilled chicken breast topped with an artichoke hearts and mushroom sauce); 2) Grilled Pork Tenderloin (thick-sliced grilled pork tenderloin topped with mango relish); 3) Grilled Cajun Catfish (fresh catfish grilled with Cajun seasoning); or 4) Pasta Primavera (penne pasta with light cream sauce and julienned vegetables).

In addition to entrée, we will also have on the buffet oven roaster new potatoes, grilled mixed seasonal vegetables, garden salad with your choice of dressings, house-baked yeast rolls with butter, and seasonal fruit cobblers for dessert.  In addition, the winery will be making wine recommendations from their wines for food pairings.  The recommended wines, as well as their other offerings, will be set up around the room for your tasting throughout the evening.  Naturally, we will also have available our normal drink selections (beer, soft drinks, and bottled water) so that all of your drink preferences can be accommodated.

When you respond, please let me know whether you will be bringing any guests (guests are welcome) and, if so, the name of your guest(s).  Naturally, you should also let me know your guest's entrée choice(s) too.

This all shapes up as a most memorable evening, and it will be available to you at the ridiculously modest cost of $15 per member and guest.  The Club will subsidize the rest of the costs.

I hope that you will be able to make it.