Empire of the Griffin

Boar's Head Banquet

Penny Hummel ’83 and other members of the Boar’s Head Ensemble break out the candles for the stately procession celebrating the annual Reed Alumni Holiday Party in December. Photo by Leah Nash

Boar’s Head Banquet

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More rapid than owls, his coursers they came.

And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name;

Now Diver! Now Doyle! Now Chittick and Ladd!

On Foster! On Scholz! On Quincy in plaid!

So up to the holiday party they flew

For dinner with friends and dancing, too.

(with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)

View photos of the festivities as well as individual glamour shots for download online.

Chapter Spotlight

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Chicago

August 2011 found the Chicago chapter visiting Fermilab, a high-energy particle physics research facility located in the western suburb of Batavia. Accelerator operator Cindy Joe ’08 led a group of 30 Reedies on an up-close and personal look at this scientific wonderland. Highlights included an eagle’s-eye view of the lab and surrounding restored native-prairie habitat from the 15th-floor observatory; an overview of the linear accelerator and the neutron-therapy cancer treatment facility; a visit to the main control room, where accelerator operators conduct their magic 24 hours a day; some time with the exhibits and souvenirs at the Lederman Science Education Center; and a peek at the lab’s own buffalo herd. An enriching and entertaining time was had by all (even, we think, the buffalo)!
 View a gallery of photos by Orin Zyvan ’04 online. —Cindy Joe ’08

Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian

Pictured are Bennett Barsk ’82, two guests, Leslie Overstreet ’71, guests (my son Sam Levy, his friend Nafisa Jiddawi), two more guests; partly hidden is Cynthia Erville ’71, and on the far right is Susan Belardi ’76. Photo by Orin Zyvan

In November, Leslie Overstreet ’71, the curator of the rare-book room at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, led Reed alumni on a tour of her domain. As in the past, this year’s event was vastly oversubscribed (to protect the rare books, there is a limit on the number of visitors who can be in the library at any one time), but Leslie accommodated all attendees by scheduling two separate tours. During the tour, focused this year on “reading” a book as a physical object, Leslie displayed a range of volumes dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, and discussed the means of producing the books as well as the manner of their display.  —Paul Levy ’73

Next Time You’re in Chicago . . .

Mars Gallery

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By David Perry ’73

Mars Gallery

Peter Mars ’82 explains the Fulton Street Vortex at his eponymous gallery in Chicago.
Photo by Molly Stankovsky

Situated in a gritty meatpacking district, in a building that once housed the Empire Butter and Egg Company, the Mars Gallery practically defines “off the beaten path”—the perfect location, in other words, for underground art.

The gallery, run by Peter Mars ’82 and Barb Gazdik, features work by Joey Africa, Michael Hedges, Kevin Luthardt, and, of course, Peter—a well-known pop artist in his own right, whose portraits of Elvis were recently featured at the Clinton Presidential Library.

Mars Gallery also boasts an exotic history. In the ’60s and ’70s, it was the legendary “Space Place” nightclub. It is also said to be located directly on top of a phenomenon known as the Fulton Street Vortex, a concentrated sphere of energy that is said to warp both sound and time.

Besides the factories, the neighborhood boasts art galleries, coffee shops, condos, and some of Chicago’s trendiest restaurants (Moto, The Publican, Next, and Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard’s Girl & the Goat). You can also rent the gallery for a party or a fundraiser (as Reed has several times).

Mars Gallery: 1139 West Fulton Market, Chicago; www.marsgallery.com; 312/226-7808; Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, noon–6 p.m. Thursday, noon–7 p.m. Email the gallery for other times.

Do you have a favorite “Reed” destination in your neighborhood? Send Reed a tip!