Private Club
In today's New York Times coverage of testimony in U. S. Senate's investigation of possible fraud by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, I was amused to read about his attempt to join the Cosmos Club. Apparently he was so anxious to become a member and so insecure about his own actual qualifications relative to those of existing members that he tried to persuade his Rabbi to help him create a phony award with an accompanying phony academic title to list on his application.
You see, in Washington, DC, if you are in business, you simply have to belong to a private club. It works this way in other cities, but it is particularly true in Washington, DC--membership in at least one private club is a necessary and valuable business and social tool. In a city abundant with fine restaurants and interesting and/or showy meeting venues, entertaining in private clubs like the Cosmos Club still seems to have enormous cachet. Why is this? Having visited many of them, I have to believe that their prestige mostly comes from the fact that they are private, and from a questionable assumption that they are extremely selective aboout who they permit to pay their pricey dues.
I am a member of a private club, the Women's National Democratic Club (even though I am not certain that I am a Democrat). While it is headquartered in a beautiful, historic building, it is a somewhat modest operation with a modest initiation fee and modest membership dues. And while most members join after being recommended by friends, it is actually open to all comers--even men. In addition to the excellent twice weekly speaker luncheons, the Club has luncheon buffets and catering available daily for private events that members mght host. I have used the Club for business entertaining on many occasions and been pleased with the result.
Relying on the membership of a dear friend, I have also frequently used the Army Navy Club as a site for business meetings and business entertaining--with great success. Men and women alike have been delighted to have been invited to go there. They are impressed by its stodgy good looks and its tangible homage to U.S. military history. And, they love the Navy Bean Soup.
What's the point? I believe that joining and using a private club can be a sound decision, particularly for women in business or a profession. But doing so shouldn't require the Jack Abramoff approach to credentialing yourself.
More tomorrow, including a story about a private club I didn't join.
You see, in Washington, DC, if you are in business, you simply have to belong to a private club. It works this way in other cities, but it is particularly true in Washington, DC--membership in at least one private club is a necessary and valuable business and social tool. In a city abundant with fine restaurants and interesting and/or showy meeting venues, entertaining in private clubs like the Cosmos Club still seems to have enormous cachet. Why is this? Having visited many of them, I have to believe that their prestige mostly comes from the fact that they are private, and from a questionable assumption that they are extremely selective aboout who they permit to pay their pricey dues.
I am a member of a private club, the Women's National Democratic Club (even though I am not certain that I am a Democrat). While it is headquartered in a beautiful, historic building, it is a somewhat modest operation with a modest initiation fee and modest membership dues. And while most members join after being recommended by friends, it is actually open to all comers--even men. In addition to the excellent twice weekly speaker luncheons, the Club has luncheon buffets and catering available daily for private events that members mght host. I have used the Club for business entertaining on many occasions and been pleased with the result.
Relying on the membership of a dear friend, I have also frequently used the Army Navy Club as a site for business meetings and business entertaining--with great success. Men and women alike have been delighted to have been invited to go there. They are impressed by its stodgy good looks and its tangible homage to U.S. military history. And, they love the Navy Bean Soup.
What's the point? I believe that joining and using a private club can be a sound decision, particularly for women in business or a profession. But doing so shouldn't require the Jack Abramoff approach to credentialing yourself.
More tomorrow, including a story about a private club I didn't join.
posted by Kay Ballard at 12:16 PM
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