BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Kansas City - ECPv6.17.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Kansas City REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20230312T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20231105T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20240310T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20241103T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20250309T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20251102T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20260308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20270314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20271107T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260624T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260624T170000 DTSTAMP:20260622T155048Z CREATED:20260426T170531Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T155048Z UID:1677-1782316800-1782320400@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: America: Made in Virginia DESCRIPTION:With the Commander of the American Forces from Virginia\, four of the first five Presidents from Virginia\, the authors of the Declaration of Independence\, the Bill of Rights\, and the Constitution from Virginia\, an early Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from Virginia\, multiple signers of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia and\, indeed\, the very land on which Washington D.C. stands from Virginia\, it is safe to say that Virginia was indispensable in the creation of our country.  Ellen LeCompte\, President of the ESU Richmond VA Branch\, will share the people\, places\, and things that Virginia contributed to successfully establishing our democracy. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the Richmond\, VA Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link.REGISTER HERE \n\n\n\nAbout Ellen LeCompte \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nEllen LeCompte is president of the ESU Richmond Branch\, a former Regional Chair\, and an ESU SSE alumna. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and is a proud Virginian and an acknowledged expert on the UK listed by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of their top Advisors in the United States. She has co-authored two books on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s historic relationship between Virginia and Great Britain. In 2025\, Ellen was honored by King Charles III to be made a Dame of the Order of St John\, one of Britain’s oldest chivalric orders dating back to the 12th century.  \n\n\n\nCocktailIt should be a Mint Julep served in a pewter Jefferson Cup—preferably made with Bourbon from George Washington’s distillery at Mount Vernon! \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nIngredients8 mint leaves1/4-ounce simple syrup*2 ounces bourbonGarnish: mint sprigGarnish: Angostura bitters (optional)StepsIn a silver or pewter cup or rocks glass\, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.Add the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional).*Simple Syrup Ingredients1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup waterPrepare Simple SyrupAdd the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.Stir until sugar is dissolved.Let cool\, then pour into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid.Simple syrup will keep\, refrigerated\, for about one month. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-america-made-in-virginia/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/04/America-Made-in-Virginia-Vers.-2-FB-Event.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260415T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260415T180000 DTSTAMP:20260323T221612Z CREATED:20260323T221500Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T221612Z UID:1648-1776272400-1776276000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Adelaide Robineau: Breaking the Porcelain Ceiling DESCRIPTION:Adelaide Alsop Robineau\, (1865-1929) is considered one of America’s preeminent studio potters. She began her ceramics career as a china painter\, painting designs on porcelain blanks produced by other craftsmen. After moving to Syracuse with her husband in 1901\, Robineau started experimenting with making her own porcelain forms. \n\n\n\nShe quickly became a master of the medium\, known for decorative techniques that included intricate excising and carving away of clay. Robineau developed an innovative approach to glazing her ceramics\, experimenting with\, and perfecting complex crystalline glazes in greens\, blues\, ivory\, and gold. \n\n\n\nIn 1910\, Adelaide Robineau created The Scarab Vase\, a porcelain masterpiece that famously took 1\,000 hours of laborious hand-carving to complete. Garth Johnson\, the Everson Museum of Art’s Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics will explain how Robineau sparked a revolution in ceramics\, and why she deserves to be seen as a feminist icon.This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the Syracuse Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Garth Johnson \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nWriter\, curator\, and educator\, Garth Johnson is the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse\, New York. Before arriving at the Everson\, Johnson served as the Curator of Ceramics at the Arizona State University Ceramics Research Center. Johnson has also exhibited his work and published his writing nationally and internationally\, including contributions to the recent books Funk published by Natsoulas Press and Funk You Too: Humor and Irreverence in Ceramic Sculpture published by the Museum of Arts and Design.  \n\n\n\nJohnson is a self-described craft activist who explores the craft’s influence and relevance in the 21st century. His research interests range from 1960s and 70s artist-led movements in the field of ceramics to the intersection of clay\, video\, and performance. \n\n\n\nCocktail Old PalThe Old Pal is a Prohibition-era cocktail\, a variation of the Negroni\, made with equal parts rye whiskey\, Campari\, and dry vermouth\, typically stirred and garnished with a lemon twist. It is known for being drier and spicier than its cousin\, the Boulevardier (which uses sweet vermouth)\, with the rye providing a peppery kick.Ingredients1 oz Rye Whiskey\, 1 oz Campari\, 1 oz Dry Vermouth\, and Lemon peel for garnish.Use French vermouth to celebrate Robineau’s French husband\, Samuel\, plus Campari to celebrate Robineau’s triumph at the 1911 World’s Fair in Turin\, Italy.Combine all three liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well-chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass (with a large ice cube). Garnish with a lemon twist\, expressing the oils over the drink before dropping it in. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-adelaide-robineau-breaking-the-porcelain-ceiling/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/hh_adelaide.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T160000 DTSTAMP:20260323T220653Z CREATED:20260222T183458Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T220653Z UID:1622-1774450800-1774454400@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Churchill's D-Day DESCRIPTION:Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe during World War II\, launched on June 6\, 1944 (D-Day). It was the largest amphibious invasion in history\, involving 160\,000 troops landing across five Normandy beaches. Winston Churchill\, while cautiously supportive\, initially held reservations about potential heavy losses but ultimately ensured its success as a key strategic architect.Allen Packwood\, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre\, will explore Churchill’s often neglected role in the planning and execution of Operation Overlord. He will use key documents from Churchill’s papers to tell the inside story.ESU members and guests are invited to this Happy Hour which gives an in-depth look at this pivotal moment in history as allied forces opened a “Second Front” in Europe\, ultimately liberating France.This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Allen Packwood OBE \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs Director of the Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College at the University of Cambridge since 2002\, Allen has dedicated his career to preserving and illuminating history. A qualified archivist and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society\, he oversees one of the world’s most significant collections of modern political\, diplomatic\, and scientific papers\, including those of Sir Winston Churchill and Baroness Thatcher.His expertise has taken him from curating exhibitions at the Library of Congress to organizing international conferences on the Cold War\, and from Bermuda to Hong Kong\, sharing Churchill’s life story and legacy.Packwood has a BA\, and MPhil (Cantab) and is a Fellow of Churchill College at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded an OBE for services to archives and scholarship in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours. His latest book\, Churchill’s D-Day\, The Inside Story co-authored with General Lord Dannatt\, was published for the eightieth anniversary of Operation Overlord in June 2024. \n\n\n\nCocktail:ManhattanIngredients Whiskey: 2 oz Rye or BourbonSweet Vermouth: 1 ozAngostura Bitters: 2 dashesGarnish: Maraschino cherry or lemon twistInstructions:Combine the whiskey\, sweet vermouth\, and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice.Stir until well-chilled.Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.Garnish with a brandied cherry or a lemon twist.Like so many cocktails\, their origins and history are lost to the vagaries of time\, leading to intriguing theories\, one including the mother of Prime Minister Winston Churchill as its possible inventor.A widely shared story suggests that the cocktail dates to the 1870s\, and despite being named after the New York City borough\, there’s a connection to the United Kingdom. This story has it that one Dr. Iain Marshall came up with the classic Manhattan recipe while attending a party that was held at the Manhattan Club for Lady Randolph Churchill\, the mother-to-be of the not-yet-born Winston Churchill.Of course\, as most legends do\, this story has been called into question because there are indications that Churchill’s mother was in either France or England at this time. Some dispute this and believe that a bartender going by the name of ‘Black’ invented the cocktail at the famed Hoffman House in New York City URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-churchills-d-day/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/02/hhr_churchill_dday.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250910T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250910T160000 DTSTAMP:20250713T164107Z CREATED:20250713T164101Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250713T164107Z UID:1406-1757516400-1757520000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth & Modernism DESCRIPTION:J.R.R. Tolkien was a towering figure in the world of twentieth-century English letters. His labors on Beowulf continue to shape the literary landscape\, his work on the Oxford English Dictionary still serves\, and his groundbreaking thoughts about the role and purpose of fairy stories gave focus to the thoughts of C.S. Lewis and other Inklings. The Rev’d. Andrew Lazo returns to speak to the ESU about Tolkien’s approach to myth and language in his own period—an approach that still speaks call on our age as well. \n\n\n\nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central Florida Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\nAbout Andrew Lazo \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Rev. Andrew Lazo is an internationally-known speaker and writer specializing in C.S. Lewis and the Inklings. Andrew earned his Master’s in Modern British Literature from Rice University where he was a Jacob K. Javits fellow in the Humanities. He is a frequent speaker around the U.S. and U.K. and has authored several articles on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In 2009\, Andrew published Mere Christians: Inspiring Encounters with C.S. Lewis. In 2014 he also was honored to transcribe\, edit\, and publish a previously unknown book by C.S. Lewis\, “Early Prose Joy\,” which was Lewis’s very first spiritual autobiography. For ten years he taught English and C. S. Lewis at St. Thomas and Houston Christian High Schools in Houston. After finishing studies for an M. Div. (with Honors) at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria\, VA in May 2022\, Andrew was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in January 2023 and serves as the Apprentice Rector at Church of the Messiah in Winter Garden\, FL. He is also pursuing his doctorate in Romantic Theology at Northwind Seminary\, where he serves as a Distinguished Lecturer. Andrew is married to author and speaker Dr. Christin Ditchfield Lazo. For more than fifteen years\, Andrew has been working on a long-awaited study of Till We Have Faces\, making groundbreaking discoveries all along the way. The results of his ongoing research have led him to give talks to the Mythopoeic Society in 2016 as Scholar Guest of Honor; in the summer of 2017\, Andrew served as a plenary speaker at the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s 2017 Summer Institute in Oxford and Cambridge. The talks in the Myth of Love series will be published as chapters of his forthcoming book. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-j-r-r-tolkien-myth-modernism/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/tolkien-myth.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250820T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250820T160000 DTSTAMP:20250601T171511Z CREATED:20250601T171509Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250601T171511Z UID:1393-1755702000-1755705600@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Battle of Britain DESCRIPTION:June\, 1940—In the past two months\, Nazi Germany has conquered Norway\, Denmark\, the Netherlands\, Belgium\, and France. Great Britain stands alone against the formidable German war machine. Now\, Germany decides to bring Britain to its knees. In order to do that\, Goering’s Luftwaffe must win air superiority over the English Channel and Southeast England. The Battle of Britain is about to begin. It is up to the outnumbered British Royal Air Force—”The Few”—to stop the Germans. \n\n\n\nPlease join Seattle’s Museum of Flight volunteer Bob Fishman for an in-depth look at a turning point in history—how the RAF defeated the Luftwaffe and saved Britain and perhaps the world from Nazi domination—the aircraft\, the strategy\, and the tactics including the first use of radar & ground control to manage an air battle. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Seattle Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\nAbout Bob Fishman \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBob Fishman has been a member of Seattle’s Museum of Flight and twelve years ago\, as a volunteer\, began giving tours of the Crew Compartment of the Full Fuselage Trainer. He also trained other volunteers. Bob has been an active member of the Museum Speakers’ Bureau\, giving talks on World War II\, aviation\, and space history. \n\n\n\nHe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and subsequently earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering. After eight years on active duty as a Naval officer\, he had a 40-year career in the electric power generation business as an engineer\, project manager\, and executive. In 2023\, Bob returned to the U.S. Naval Academy as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Engineering where he is teaching the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps leaders. \n\n\n\nBob attended the National Test Pilot School in Mojave\, CA and is an instrument-rated private pilot with over 3\,200 hours in fifteen different aircraft models. \n\n\n\nCocktail:Bob’s Favorite spirit:Glenlivet 12-year-old single malt\, served neat.Drinking whiskey “neat” means that it’s served at room temperature and without any mixers or anything that would dilute the serving\, like ice or water.In 1824\, a businessman named George Smith applied for one of the first licenses in the Speyside region of Scotland and opened the doors to The Glenlivet Distillery. Glenlivet\, translated from Gaelic\, means “valley of the smooth flowing one” and is most likely referencing the nearby River Livet. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-the-battle-of-britain/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/battlebritain.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250604T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250604T180000 DTSTAMP:20250518T172508Z CREATED:20250518T172505Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250518T172508Z UID:1385-1749056400-1749060000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Kansas City: Home of Disney’s Original Animation Studio DESCRIPTION:Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) was born in Chicago\, IL. The Disney family moved to Kansas City in 1911 where nine-year old Walt delivered newspapers with his brother\, Roy. Six years later\, Walt attended classes at the Kansas City Art Institute. Founded in 1885\, the Kansas City Art Institute is one of the oldest and most respected art and design colleges in the U.S. In 1918\, during World War I\, Walt served in France with the Red Cross. \n\n\n\nIn May\, 1922\, Disney founded his first professional film studio in Kansas City\, Missouri. He named it Laugh-O-gram Films. He rented an office suite on the second floor of the then-new building on 1127 E. 31st Street in Kansas City\, a building designed by noted Kansas City architect Nelle Peters. Walt and his young crew made inventive cartoons\, including several loosely based on classic fairy tales such as Cinderella and his first Alice comedy\, Alice’s Wonderland. \n\n\n\nDespite the short life of Laugh-O-gram Films\, it was the foundation of Walt Disney’s remarkable career and of The Walt Disney Company of today. Laugh-O-Gram was “the cradle of Hollywood animation.” Although animation has been produced for nearly 20 years on the east coast\, Walt Disney and the Kansas City animators who followed him to Hollywood were the first to produce animation there. \n\n\n\nThe Laugh-O-gram Films office is where Disney first met and befriended a real-life mouse scampering on the office floor. Before Walt moved to Los Angeles\, he made a point of taking his mouse companion into the countryside so he would not fall victim to the cats which lived in the restaurant on the first floor of the Laugh-O-gram building. It is said by some that this provided Disney with the inspiration for his most well-known creation: Mickey Mouse. \n\n\n\nDecades have passed since Disney moved to Los Angeles in 1923. The old building on 31st Street in Kansas City fell into decay. Then\, when the building was facing demolition\, local real estate developer\, Butch Rigby\, joined with Columbia\, Missouri\, attorney Dan Viets and others to form a non-profit corporation\, Thank You Walt Disney\, Inc. Through years of perseverance and fundraising efforts\, the old “Laugh-O-gram” building on 31st Street is now undergoing a massive\, multi-million-dollar renovation dedicated to the legacy of Walt Disney. \n\n\n\nOur guest speaker for this ESU Happy Hour is Dan Viets\, President of Thank You Walt Disney\, Inc. With photos and other images\, Dan will share his vast knowledge of Walt Disney\, the history of the Laugh-O-gram building and describe the services and activities planned for the building. The ESU Kansas City Branch sponsors this ESU Happy Hour. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. \n\n\n\nAbout Dan Viets \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nDan Viets is President of Thank You Walt Disney\, Inc. He joined Thank You Walt Disney shortly after it was formed in the mid-1990s. He has served on the TYWD Board for more than 25 years.Dan is co-author of the book\, Walt Disney’s Missouri: The Roots of a Creative Genius\, published by The Kansas City Star. He has also authored articles about Walt Disney’s Missouri history published by the University of Missouri School of Journalism\, Truman State University\, the Missouri Historical Society\, the Jackson County Historical Society\, and others. \n\n\n\nDan has lectured for many years about Walt Disney’s Missouri history on behalf of the Missouri Humanities Council/State Historical Society of Missouri. He has made presentations at the Walt Disney Boyhood Hometown Museum in Marceline\, Missouri\, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco\, as well as to Disney employees at Disneyland in California\, Walt Disney World in Florida\, Walt Disney/Pixar Animators\, and at the national convention of Disneyana Fan Club in Anaheim\, California. Dan has a degree in Philosophy and Psychology and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Missouri at Columbia. \n\n\n\nCocktail:Scotch Mist was Walt’s favorite drink for a reason. It’s complex yet refreshing\, the perfect cocktail to sip slowly on the patio at the end of a warm day.2 ounces of Scotch whiskey1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice1/2 ounce of simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water\, dissolved)Soda waterCrushed iceLemon twist URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-kansas-city-home-of-disneys-original-animation-studio/ CATEGORIES:Kansas City,Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/05/walt_disney.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250108T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250108T160000 DTSTAMP:20241215T014638Z CREATED:20241215T014637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241215T014638Z UID:1217-1736348400-1736352000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Churchill’s Citadel DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Charlottesville\, VA Branch \n\n\n\nKatherine Carter\, longstanding curator of the Churchill family’s country home\, will present her pivotal new account of Churchill’s activities during the 1930s\, highlighting how Chartwell\, his rural residence\, became the epicenter of his anti-Nazi endeavors. During the 1930s\, as Europe edged closer to conflict\, Winston Churchill was politically sidelined. However\, it was during this period that his home\, Chartwell\, in Kent\, transformed into the command center for his crusade against the rise of Nazi Germany. He convened with esteemed colleagues and sources\, such as Albert Einstein and T.E. Lawrence\, who bolstered his efforts while he diligently warned of the looming war. \n\n\n\nIn her newly published book\, Churchill’s Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm\, Carter narrates the compelling tale of these significant yet obscure gatherings at Chartwell. She introduces an intriguing ensemble of individuals—from renowned figures to political heavyweights\, envoys to intelligence agents—who influenced Churchill’s insights and tactical approach. Utilizing Chartwell as his stronghold\, Churchill collected critical information on Germany’s militaristic advancements\, positioning himself to alter history’s trajectory. \n\n\n\nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Charlottesville\, VA Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. All Happy Hours take place on Eastern time.  \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\n___________________________________________________________________________________ \n\n\n\nAbout Katherine Carter \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nKatherine Carter is a curator\, historian\, and biographer who has managed the house and collections at Chartwell\, Churchill’s country home\, for more than a decade. A widely sought after commentator and adviser on the life and legacy of Sir Winston Churchill\, she lectures internationally and appears frequently in print and broadcast media. \n\n\n\n___________________________________________________________________________________ \n\n\n\nCocktail \n\n\n\nThough “The Churchill” cocktail is named after the famous politician\, Churchill himself would never have drunk one. He famously didn’t care much for mixed drinks and preferred his scotch heavily water downed. And one would think Churchill would prefer an expensive\, rare scotch. But he actually liked Johnny Walker Red\, an inexpensive one.However\, Pol Roger champagne holds a special place in history as the favored drink of Sir Winston. A legacy dating back to 1849 earning a reputation for producing exquisite sparkling wines synonymous with elegance and refinement. \n\n\n\n“The Churchill”1 1/3 oz Johnnie Walker Red1/2 oz Punt e Mes Carpano (red Vermouth)1/2 oz Cointreau2 drops of fresh lemon juiceInstructionsChill a martini or coupe glassFill a cocktail shaker with iceAdd the scotch\, sweet vermouth\, Cointreau\, and lime juiceShake until very cold\, about 15 secondsPour into the chilled cocktail glass URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-churchills-citadel/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/l64zuhrq.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241211T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241211T160000 DTSTAMP:20241112T052319Z CREATED:20241019T044757Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241112T052319Z UID:1188-1733929200-1733932800@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: History of Christmas Carols DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Central Pennsylvania Branch \n\n\n\nDuring this Christmas season\, Christmas carolers bring the holiday season to life. Join this special Happy Hour and learn how this Christmas tradition began and changed over time. Beginning with Roman times\, carols emerged from songs sung during the four seasons. During the Middle Ages\, minstrels played carols. The Tudor period\, brings a rich Tudor feast described in one carol. Carols were suppressed during the Cromwellian period. The eighteenth century saw many more carols written and composed. In the nineteenth century\, many carols came to England from the continent. Our guest speaker\, Adrienne Hesketh\, will perform her own carol with the Baptist Church band.  \n\n\n\nThis Happy Hour brings everyone into the holiday season\, and we welcome you to share with family and friends of all ages. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central PA Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Adrienne Hesketh\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nI always had an interest in music and history from when I was a child. I learned to play the piano when I was nine and started composing my own music. Before I married and had children I worked as a clerk/archaeological assistant in the Ancient Sites and Monuments Register of Devon\, County Hall in Exeter. I enjoy looking up history\, giving talks based on my findings and playing many concerts in the local area. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n Cocktail: Orange Clossom \n \n \n \n25 ml Great Glen Light or Zesty Highland Gin\n25 ml Sweet Vermouth\n25 ml Orange Juice\nOrange Flowers or a twist of orange\, to garnish\n\nAdd the ingredients to a shaker with ice and stir well. Gently strain into a rocks or martini glass. Garnish\, serve and enjoy! URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-history-of-christmas/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/Happy-Hour_Dec.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241106T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241106T180000 DTSTAMP:20241009T043235Z CREATED:20241009T040320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241009T043235Z UID:1177-1730912400-1730916000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Four Award-Winning Poets Share Their Love of Poetry DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU New York City Branch \n\n\n\nPoetry tugs at our emotions and affects each of us differently. Listening to versus reading poetry can create different images and thoughts even for the same poem. Join this special ESU Happy Hour when we bring four award-winning poets together to share their love of poetry—Karen Karpowich\, Susana Case\, Meredith Trede\, and Peter Nickowitz. Our poets will be reading their own poems in a round-robin program covering topics such as love\, aging\, film\, travel\, art\, family\, food\, and elegy. These poems will inspire us\, give us emotional strength and perspectives on our lives. This is a Happy Hour you will want to share with the whole family. Invite your friends to this extraordinary ESU Happy Hour program. \n\n\n\nBe sure to read the bios on the four poets including our own ESU Executive Director\, Karen Karpowich. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU New York City Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Our Four Poets\n\n\n\n Karen Karpowich’s work has appeared in the Red River Review\, Mudfish\, In the Orange Room and in the anthologies\, An Eye for an Eye Makes the Whole World Blind and If the World Was Your Classroom What Would You Teach a Girl. Her poem\, In Central Park was featured at The Symphony Space event commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Her other works include\, A Poem Against the War that inspired the creation of a new symphony by the Dutch composer\, Harrie Janssen. Karen is the Executive Director of the English-Speaking Union of the United States. \n\n\n\n Susana Case has authored nine books of poetry\, most recently If This Isn’t Love\, 2023. She has won several book awards\, including multiple Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards\, and she was a Finalist twice and an Honorable Mention for the Eric Hoffer Book Award\, as well as Finalist for the American Book Fest Awards\, and the International Book Awards. The first of her five chapbooks\, The Scottish Café\, was re-released in an English-Polish version\, Kawiarnia Szkocka  and an English-Ukrainian edition\, Шотландська Кав’ярня\, was published in January\, 2024. Case co-edited\, with Margo Taft Stever\, the anthology I Wanna Be Loved by You: Poems on Marilyn Monroe. \n\n\n\n Meredith Trede has three poetry collections: Bringing Back the House ; Tenement Threnod\,y Field Theory and\, as a Toadlily Press founder\, a chapbook\, Out of the Book. Her extensive journal publications include Barrow Street\, The Feminist Wire\, Friends Journal\, Gargoyle\, A Gathering of Tribes\, and The Paris Review. She has held residencies at Blue Mountain Center\, Ragdale\, Saltonstall\, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Virginia and France. \n\n\n\n Peter Nickowitz is the author of a collection of poetry\, Cinema Vernacular which was a finalist for the National Poetry Series\, and a literary critical book\, Rhetoric and Sexuality: The Poetry of Hart Crane\, Elizabeth Bishop\, and James Merrill.  In addition to poetry\, Peter writes plays and screenplays.  His feature-length screenplay\, Jonathan\, was made into a film starring Ansel Elgort\, Patricia Clarkson\, Suki Waterhouse\, and Matt Bomer.  Jonathan premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival\, was released theatrically by Well Go Entertainment\, and is currently streaming on Netflix.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCocktail: Manhattan As a salute to New York City\, our Happy Hour cocktail is:The Manhattan:2 ounces rye whiskey1 ounce sweet vermouth2 dashes Angostura bittersGarnish: brandied cherry (or lemon twist\, if preferred)Directions:Pour the whiskey\, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice.Stir until the mixing glass is very cold to touch.Place ice and cherry in a rocks glass\, then strain the shaker over the fresh ice. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-four-award-winning-poets-share-their-love-of-poetry/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/Nov_HH.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241009T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241009T160000 DTSTAMP:20241001T035253Z CREATED:20240927T040144Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241001T035253Z UID:1163-1728486000-1728489600@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Courting the Virgin Queen: Queen Elizabeth I and Her Suitors DESCRIPTION:Her birth in 1533 came as a result of one of the most controversial marriages in royal history\, that of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Little Princess Elizabeth lost her status as legitimate heir to the throne before she was three years old when her father moved on to another wife. When Elizabeth became Queen of England at age 25\, public debate immediately turned to the prospect of her own marriage. From Parliament to the Privy Council in England\, and from monarchs and ministers throughout Europe\, many lobbied for their choice as the world waited for the queen to make a decision. Enter the world of royal romance\, where the personal is political and marriage is a matter of public debate. While Elizabeth I had many eager prospects\, in the end she was the only English monarch to rule as an adult and never marry. \n\n\n\nOur guest speaker\, Carol Ann Lloyd\, is a historian\, Shakspearian\, and acclaimed author. In her latest book\, Courting the Virgin Queen\, Lloyd tells us how Queen Elizabeth I’s decisions defied expectations throughout her reign\, frustrating her supporters\, and encouraging her enemies. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Sandhills Pinehurst Branch in North Carolina. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Carol Ann LloydCarol Ann Lloyd is a popular historian and Shakespearian with expertise in Shakespeare\, 16th century England\, women’s lives\, and leadership. She speaks globally for Smithsonian Associates\, Agecroft Hall\, Royal Oak Foundation\, and other organizations. She also lectures for Smithsonian Journeys and the Queen Mary 2\, and other cruise ships. Carol Ann delivers programs for business audiences about leadership\, focusing on how today’s leaders can use timeless leadership principles from Shakespeare and history to achieve success in the modern world. Carol Ann is the host of the popular “Royals\, Rebels\, and Romantics” podcast and is the author of books\, including The Tudors by Numbers\, Courting the Virgin Queen\, How to Build Relationships One Conversation at a Time\, and Meaningful Conversations. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Virginia and University of Utah and is doing additional postgraduate work with Oxford University. Carol Ann is a member of National Speakers Association and Past President of the Washington\, DC chapter. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCourting the Queen MocktailMix one part cranberry juice with two parts Fresca\, Sprite\, or other fizzy drink. Garnish with blueberries and raspberries. Best enjoyed on the deck. Note: you can substitute something stronger for the fizzy drink.   URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/courting-the-virgin-queen-queen-elizabeth-i-and-her-suitors/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/ESU_Happy.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240925T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240925T180000 DTSTAMP:20240905T205107Z CREATED:20240905T205105Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240905T205107Z UID:1144-1727283600-1727287200@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Life and Times of Margaret (Molly) Brown DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Denver Branch \n\n\n\nAn overview of the life and legacy of Margaret Tobin Brown\, activist\, WWI volunteer in France\, philanthropist\, and suffragist whose 1889 home\, shown above\, is an historic museum in downtown Denver\, CO. Though known to many as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” due to surviving the sinking of R.M.S. Titanic in 1912\, Margaret’s legacy is presented at her home with emphasis on her enduring legacy of social justice and public service. Guest speaker\, Pamela Mahonchak\, will trace Margaret’s life from her early childhood in Hannibal\, Missouri\, to Leadville\, Colorado\, where she met and married mining engineer James Joseph Brown\, to her days of glory in Denver and New York. The presentation will cover her accomplishments and her status as an icon in the fight for universal suffrage. There is a lot more to Molly Brown than the Titanic! This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Denver Branch. \n\n\n\nRegister Here\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Pamela Mahonchak\n\n\n\nPamela Mahonchak draws from her wealth of knowledge as a docent at the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver where she began volunteering in 1971. She still gives weekly tours when she is not traveling since retiring as an airline pilot. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCocktail: Bee’s Knees\n\n\n\nBee’s Knees — according to a newspaper article from April 22\, 1929 in The Standard Union\, Margaret Brown invented the “Bee’s Knees” cocktail: “The ‘Bee’s Knees’ is an invention of Mrs. JJ. Brown of Denver and Paris\, widow of the famous miner\, and is a rather sweet combination including lemon and honey.” Did she really invent it? We do not know but it is a fun story! \n\n\n\nBee’s Knees Recipe (Makes one cocktail) \n\n\n\n1/2 oz honey syrup \n\n\n\n1 oz fresh lemon juice \n\n\n\n2 oz gin \n\n\n\nLemon twist \n\n\n\n1. Make honey syrup: combine two tablespoons honey and two tablespoons water in a small bowl or saucepan. Warm in the microwave or on the stove until you can completely stir the honey into the water. \n\n\n\n2. Combine honey syrup\, lemon juice and gin in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until very cold\, about 30 seconds. \n\n\n\n3. Strain into a martini glass or cup. \n\n\n\n4. Garnish with a lemon twist. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-the-life-and-times-of-margaret-molly-brown/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/hh-sept-25-24-1024x536-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240904T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240904T170000 DTSTAMP:20240904T190042Z CREATED:20240904T190039Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240904T190042Z UID:1142-1725465600-1725469200@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Exploring Churchill's Public Service Through Period Memorabilia DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Savannah Branch \n\n\n\n2024 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill with events planned throughout the year which celebrate and explore his remarkable public service and enduring legacy. Brian E. Krapf\, is recognized internationally as an authority on the memorabilia made during Sir Winston’s public service\, which spanned over 65 years. Mr. Krapf has recently published A Churchill Treasury\, which is the first book to utilize period memorabilia to document Sir Winston’s public service in a biographical format. Mr. Krapf will discuss his book\, A Churchill Treasury\, and give us a rare tour of some of the Churchill pieces in his collection\, many of which have not been shown in public. In Antiques Roadshow fashion\, Mr. Krapf invites Happy Hour viewers to send photos of their Churchill memorabilia for show and tell. Upload photos here. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Savannah Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. All programs take place on Eastern Time. \n\n\n\nRegister Here\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Brian Krapf\n\n\n\nBesides being an accomplished civil trial lawyer in Savannah\, Georgia\, Mr. Krapf has avidly collected period Churchilliana for over thirty years. According to fellow collectors\, he has assembled the premier collection of Winston Churchill memorabilia in the United States. \n\n\n\nHe is an active member of the International Churchill Society and has served as ICS’s collection columnist and published a monthly Churchilliana column in the organization’s Churchill Bulletin for the past six years. Likewise\, items from his collection have been reproduced several times as cover illustrations for ICS’s Finest Hour quarterly journal. Additionally\, Mr. Krapf is an avid collector and conservator of American presidential campaign memorabilia. He formerly served seven years as the national President of the American Political Items Collectors. He has been honored with APIC’s highest award\, induction into the organization’s Hall of Fame. He is also a published political historian\, and has been a guest on CNN\, MSNBC\, and NPR. American items from his collection have been featured in History Channel documentaries and in major printed media publications. Mr. Krapf served as an advisor to Congress on proposed amendments to the Hobby Protection Act. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCocktail\n\n\n\nJohnny Walker black\, neat. This was also Churchill’s drink of choice. Truly a wise man with excellent taste!  URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/hh-exploring-churchills-public-service/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/sept-4-24-hh-1024x536-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240814T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240814T170000 DTSTAMP:20240710T004044Z CREATED:20240709T201736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240710T004044Z UID:1115-1723651200-1723654800@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: C.S. Lewis and the Powerful Predicament of Language DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Central Florida Branch \n\n\n\nC.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. Lewis wrote more than thirty books\, reaching a vast audience and attracting thousands of new readers every year. \n\n\n\nIn his last\, best novel\, C. S. Lewis gives voice to a potent and glorious challenge facing writers\, readers\, and lovers of language when a wise character suggests that\, “to say the very thing you really mean\, the whole of it\, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that’s the whole art and joy of words”. As a deeply-committed and famously-accomplished scholar\, critic writer\, and reader\, C. S. Lewis has much incisive wisdom to offer in such matters. \n\n\n\nIn his talk\, Lewis scholar and Episcopal priest the Rev’d Andrew Lazo explores a number of Lewis’s most insightful and helpful observations arising from a lifetime devotion to the powerful predicament of language. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central Florida Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. All programs take place on Eastern Time. \n\n\n\nRegister Here\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Andrew Lazo\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Rev’d Andrew Lazo is an internationally-known speaker and writer specializing in C.S. Lewis and the Inklings. Andrew earned his Master’s in Modern British Literature from Rice University where he was a Jacob K. Javits fellow in the Humanities. He is a frequent speaker around the U.S. and U.K. and has written several articles on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In 2009\, Andrew published Mere Christians: Inspiring Encounters with C.S. Lewis. In 2014 he also was honored to transcribe\, edit\, and publish a previously unknown book by C.S. Lewis\, “Early Prose Joy\,” which was Lewis’s very first spiritual autobiography. For ten years he taught English and C. S. Lewis at St. Thomas and Houston Christian High Schools in Houston. \n\n\n\nAfter finishing studies for an M. Div. (with Honors) at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria\, VA in May 2022\, Andrew was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in January 2023 and serves as the Apprentice Rector at Church of the Messiah in Winter Garden\, FL. He is also pursuing his doctorate in Romantic Theology at Northwind Seminary\, where he serves as a Distinguished Lecturer. Andrew is married to author and speaker Dr. Christin Ditchfield Lazo. \n\n\n\nFor more than fifteen years\, Andrew has been working on a long-awaited study of Till We Have Faces\, making groundbreaking discoveries all along the way. The results of his ongoing research have led him to give talks to the Mythopoeic Society in 2016 as Scholar Guest of Honor; in the summer of 2017\, Andrew served as a plenary speaker at the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s 2017 Summer Institute in Oxford and Cambridge. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-c-s-lewis-and-the-powerful-predicament-of-language/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/image002.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240727T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240727T170000 DTSTAMP:20240710T004135Z CREATED:20240709T202427Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240710T004135Z UID:1117-1722088800-1722099600@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Membership Mixer DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, July 27\, 2024 at 2:00 PM \n\n\n\nThe Board of the English-Speaking Union Kansas City Branch cordially invites members and guests to our annual Membership Mixer.  This year the Board will provide BBQ as the main course and asks that you sign up to bring an appetizer\, side dish\, or dessert\, and to bring your favorite beverage.  The Potluck Party begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday\, July 27\, 2024. \n\n\n\nThis is a free event but we ask you to RSVP. Please go to the separate “Punchbowl” email Ben Martin sent to all ESU members on June 29. Click on “Open Invitation” and follow the directions. Be sure to click on “Select Potluck Items” button under the “To-Do Items” list. If you didn’t receive the Punchbowl email from Ben or if you are not a member but would like to attend\, please click here to RSVP. Fill in “Join the Guest List” with your name and email address then continue with “Select Potluck Items.” \n\n\n\nWe will meet at Ron Worth & James “JP” Paszkiewicz’s clubhouse at Patrician Woods. The address is:  12532 Cedar St.\, Leawood\, Kansas.  It is a gated community\, but the gates will be open during this event.  Please enter off of Roe Ave. at 126th St.  The Clubhouse is facing you as you enter the community.  Parking is behind the clubhouse next to the swimming pool.  Please fill in the parking lot from the far end so that anyone needing assistance can park closest to the clubhouse.  Enter through the swimming pool gate and into the clubhouse. \n\n\n\nWe hope to see you all at this event\, and ask that you update your attendance if you are not able to attend by going to Punchbowl.com and signing in under the email you received this invitation with\, or downloading the Punchbowl app on your smartphone. \n\n\n\nIf you have any questions\, please call Ben Martin\, Events Chairman\, at 816-522-8387. \n\n\n\nLooking forward to seeing all of you. \n\n\n\nSincerely\, \n\n\n\nJulie Robinson\, President URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/membership-mixer/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/image001.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240626T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240626T170000 DTSTAMP:20240604T211720Z CREATED:20240529T063616Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240604T211720Z UID:1068-1719417600-1719421200@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: What Hemingway Left in Sloppy Joe's Bar DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Central Pennsylvania Branch \n\n\n\nShortly after Ernest Hemingway’s death in 1961\, his widow\, Mary Hemingway\, was contacted by the owner of Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West\, asking her to retrieve the materials that Hemingway had stored there since he moved to Cuba in 1939. With the aid of Hemingway’s longtime Key West friends Toby and Betty Bruce\, Mary sorted through mountains of papers and belongings\, took what she wished\, and left the rest to the Bruces in gratitude for their help. \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n These materials remained in the family’s possession\, stored on their property in Key West\, for decades until their son\, Benjamin “Dink” Bruce\, decided that they should be in a safer place where they could be of use to scholars. He asked the advice of Sandra Spanier\, whom he had allowed to study the collection on site in her work as General Editor of the Hemingway Letters Project. In 2021 the largest known collection of Hemingway materials in private hands came to the Penn State University Special Collections Library\, where it was opened for research in 2022. \nDr. Sandra Spanier will talk about some of her adventures in scholarship (including the discovery of Hemingway’s first short story\, written at age 10) and some of the other treasures in this trove of thousands of documents\, photographs\, and artifacts. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central Pennsylvania Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. All programs take place on Eastern Time. \n \n \n \n\n \n Register Here\n \n \n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n About Dr. Sandra Spanier\n \nSandra Spanier is Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of English at Pennsylvania State University and General Editor of the Hemingway Letters Project\, which is producing the authorized scholarly edition of the writer’s more than 6\,000 letters\, being published by Cambridge University Press in a projected seventeen volumes. She has a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago\, and an M.A. and PhD. degrees from Pennsylvania State University. \nSpanier serves on the Editorial Board of The Hemingway Review and was a consultant to the PBS documentary film series HEMINGWAY\, directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. She has been active in international collaborative efforts to conserve Hemingway’s papers in Cuba and restore his long-time home outside Havana and is a founding member of the Board of the Finca Vigía Foundation\, which works to preserve Hemingway’s legacy in Cuba. \nIn addition to Hemingway\, her research has focused on American women writers. Spanier’s Kay Boyle: Artist and Activist (1986)\, was the first book about the life and work of Kay Boyle (1902- 1992)\, a distinguished and prolific writer whose work merits wider recognition. She also edited and introduced Boyle’s Life Being the Best and Other Stories (1988) and Process: A Novel (2001) –Boyles long-lost first novel\, the manuscript missing since the 1920s until Spanier discovered it in an archive. Her authorized edition of Boyles letters\, Kay Boyle: A Twentieth- Century Life in Letters\, Selected Letters 1919-1992\, was published in 2015. \nSpanier has also written about journalist and fiction writer Martha Gellhorn (1908-1998)\, who did not wish to be remembered as Hemingway’s third wife. She worked with Gellhorn to bring into print her previously unpublished 1946 play Love Goes to Press: A Comedy in Three Acts (1995; revised edition. 2010)—a comic battle of the sexes set during World War II\, featuring two women war correspondents and the ex-husband of one\, whom she had divorced on the grounds of plagiarism. The play\, a hit in London in 1946 and a flop on Broadway in 1947\, was produced to critical acclaim in 2012 by the Mint Theater in New York. \nCocktail: Daiquiri\nTwo versions from which to choose: \nHEMINGWAY SPECIAL (Circa 1937) \n2 oz. white rum \n1 tsp. grapefruit juice \n1 tsp. maraschino liqueur \n½ oz. fresh lime juice \nFrappe (chip or crush) some ice\, add to shaker\, then add remaining ingredients. Shake well\, then pour into a chilled cocktail glass. \nPAPA DOBLE (THE WILD DAIQUIRI) (Circa 1947) \n3 ¾ oz. white rum \n2 oz. fresh lime juice \n2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice \n6 drops maraschino liqueur \nBlend well with ice. Serve in a large\, chilled goblet. \nSuggested reading: Islands in the Stream (“Cuba”) URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-what-hemingway-left-in-sloppy-joes-bar/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/05/hh-sloppy-joes.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240612T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240612T160000 DTSTAMP:20240604T183602Z CREATED:20240517T213055Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240604T183602Z UID:1001-1718204400-1718208000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Great Siege of Malta and the Fate of Empires DESCRIPTION:Sixteenth century European historians will find this ESU Happy Hour fascinating and one of tremendous significance. The Great Siege of Malta\, a four-month battle from May 18 to September 11\, 1565\, is considered one of the most ferocious conflicts in military history. Rarely have the odds been so unequal and the stakes so high. \n\n\n\nIn 1565 Malta was the key to Europe. And during the summer of that year\, the future of Western Civilization was decided. The Ottoman Empire had extended its control over most of the Mediterranean. If the tiny island of Malta could be captured\, it could become the staging ground for the invasion of critical ports in Europe. \n\n\n\nIt was an epic struggle\, a remarkable tale of resolve and leadership\, of disunity in command\, and disunity among allies. Historically\, the Great Siege of Malta was one of the bloodiest and most fiercely contested battles of the sixteenth century. \n\n\n\nDr. Wayne Bowen\, Professor of History and Associate Dean for the College of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Central Florida\, draws us into this four-month siege on the island of Malta. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central Florida Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-the-great-siege-of-malta-and-the-fate-of-empires/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/05/great-siege-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240522T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240522T160000 DTSTAMP:20240517T213605Z CREATED:20240517T213600Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240517T213605Z UID:1003-1716390000-1716393600@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Discovering Faulkner’s American South in 1990s Pakistan with Dr. Saima Sherazi DESCRIPTION:Sponsored by the ESU Central Pennsylvania Branch \n\n\n\nThe 1990s found agrarian societies in Pakistan undergoing profound transitions\, not unlike the American South in the first part of the twentieth century. William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury” captures the stark confrontation between waning Southern aristocracy (the Compson family) and the ascendant middle class represented by the Snopes family. \n\n\n\nDr. Saima Sherazi will take us through the experience of coping with societal change\, especially when that change occurs in a setting with entrenched social hierarchies and gender roles. That setting could be rural Pakistan\, or the American South of the 1920s. In either place there is upheaval – urbanization and industrialization collide with traditional dynamics of gender and class.  Dr. Sherazi will share her experience of teaching Faulkner in an all-girls college in a still conservative Pakistan – far removed from the American South\, but nonetheless undergoing similar social upheavals. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central PA Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. All programs take place on Eastern Time. URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-discovering-faulkners-american-south-in-1990s-pakistan-with-dr-saima-sherazi/ CATEGORIES:Virtual Happy Hours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/05/may-22-hh-header.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR