Please join us on Monday, August 22 at 7:30, at Erin Urban’s home (2663 Monterey Dr) for August’s book club meeting to discuss Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel, Eligible. Attention Jane Austen fans: this is a fun attempt at updating Pride and Prejudice. But even if (or perhaps especially if) the last thing you read was Good Night, Moon, please come for the laughter, food and drinks. I know this has been written often, but if you don’t have time to read the book please come anyway. Reading the book may be an easy way to create a common connection, but forming friendships certainly doesn’t involve required reading.
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July Book Club: The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street
July 25, 7:30 pm
Please join us at Stephanie Cooper’s home (161 Highview Drive ) for July’s book club meeting to discuss Susan Gilman’s novel The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street. Even if (or perhaps especially if) the last thing you read was Good Night Moon, please come for the laughter, food and drinks. I know this has been written often, but if you don’t have time to read the book please come anyway. Reading the book may be an easy way to create a common connection, but forming friendships certainly doesn’t involve required reading.
Ladies’ Night Out: Happy Hour
Tuesday, May 31
5:30-7:30 p.m.
End of the school year getting you down? Happy Hour at Houlihan’s never sounded better!
Come enjoy $3.95 Apps and ½ price bottles of wine to share with your newest, bestest Newcomer pals. No significant others, no kids, just bring your winning smile and your need to unwind.
Houlihan’s at the Galleria
1500 Washington Rd
So EASY, So CHILL, see you there!
Member Profile: Elise Logan
Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
To meet other people in the neighborhood. Other than my husband’s family, we didn’t know anyone when we moved here two years ago, and Newcomers seemed like a great way to start making new friends.
Where did you recently move from?
Washington, DC, where we lived for five years.
Where did you grow up?
North Florida, outside of Jacksonville, and south Georgia.
Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I went to Lee University, in Cleveland, TN, for my undergrad. My major was in political science. I also have an MS in Public Policy from Georgia Tech.
What do you do for your day job?
I work for Booz Allen Hamilton as a contractor at the National Energy Technology Laboratory. I’m an energy policy analyst. I write reports on things like the reliability of the electric grid, and how new or proposed environmental policies might affect energy markets.
Do you have any kids?
I have two daughters.
If so what are their names and ages?
Hope is six; she’s a kindergartner at Eisenhower. Naomi is 19 months.
Do you have any pets?
I have both a dog and a cat.
What do you like to do for fun?
Hang out with other Newcomers! Most of my free time these days is spent doing family activities with my husband and kids. We like to go hiking on nearby trails or visit the Strip District on the weekends. I read whenever I get a chance. I used to sew, too, but I haven’t even pulled out my sewing machine since my younger daughter was born.
What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
The next book on my reading list is Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I read her book Housekeeping a few years ago, and I loved it so much.
What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
Finding that elusive work/life balance. I’m always forgetting something on my to-do list.
What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
The progressive dinner. This will be my first one; I’m really excited about it.
What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
Is this the part where I share random facts about myself? I make a really good veggie lasagna, and one time I bought a manual transmission car because I thought being able to drive one would be a good life skill to have. Then I had to figure out how to drive it home.
2016-2017 Board Members Wanted
We want YOU on the board next year!
Are you interested in:
1. Having fun?
2. Forming friendships?
3. Getting involved in your community?
4. Contributing your ideas, time & talents?
5. Supporting local women?
USC NEWCOMERS’ CLUB is looking for chair and co-chair volunteers for the coming year. Thank you for considering lending your unique skills and perspective. No experience is required! Board members will need to possess a positive outlook, helpful can-do attitude and caring acceptance of others. If you’ve got it, we want it! Hop on board, ladies!
Treasurer:
This person is responsible for overseeing the club’s budget. Responsibilities include collecting dues throughout the year, overseeing the budget and working closely with the board with respect to how the money is assigned/spent/etc. as well as making sure that any financial burden assumed by a board member is re-paid.
Ladies’ Day Out Chair:
This person is responsible for the creation and execution of events during the year that take place during the day. Responsibilities include scheduling, finding creative events that will appeal to members, and promoting the event on the club’s website, Facebook page, etc.
Ladies’ Night Out Chair:
This person is responsible for the creation and execution of events during the year that take place during the evening. Responsibilities include creating events that appeal to members, scheduling and promoting the event on the club’s website, Facebook page, etc.
Community Affairs:
This person is responsible for coordinating a gift drive with an outreach organization in December and the Community Day Booth and Parade events in May. Responsibilities for the December event include communicating with the organization to obtain names for children who need gifts, assigning the names to club members that volunteer to provide said gifts, collecting the gifts and coordinating the pick up of the gifts (usually at their home). Responsibilities for Community Day include working with the township regarding the parade and the event booth as well as promoting the event, attracting volunteers to set up, take down as well as work the booth on the day of the event.
Contact Eva Yager at evayager@hotmail.com or 916-541-6714 for questions or to sign up.
Progressive Dinner
June 4
5-10 p.m.
Mangia! Mangia!
Mark your calendars and reserve your babysitters. The 2016 Progressive Dinner, THE signature event of the Upper St. Clair Newcomers’ Club, will take place from 5-10 p.m. on Saturday, June 4.
This year’s theme, if you haven’t yet guessed, is Italian. Come hungry!
We will begin the fun-filled evening at one home for appetizers and cocktails. Break up into groups of 6 or 8 for dinner. And end the night all together at another house for dessert, coffee and more drinks.
The cost is $40/couple or $20/person. Please RSVP and send payments by Saturday, May 21. Make your check payable to the USC Newcomers’ Club and mail it to Lindsay Beck, 2666 Gloucester Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15241.
June Book Club: Before I Go to Sleep
New date! June 6
7:30 p.m.
Those of you on Facebook know we had to postpone because Julie’s daughter got sick. So now, please join us at Megan Watson’s home (1812 Tyburn Lane) for MayJune’s book club meeting to discuss S.J. Watson’s novel Before I Go to Sleep. Even if (or perhaps especially if) the last thing you read was Good Night Moon, please come for the laughter, food and drinks. I know this has been written often, but if you don’t have time to read the book please come anyway. Reading the book may be an easy way to create a common connection, but forming friendships certainly doesn’t involve required reading.
Member Profile: Frances Scher
Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
We had recently moved to Upper St Clair, into our fifth house in the last fifteen years. (Whenever my husband gets a promotion at his work instead of moving him down the hall to a new office, we get moved to a new state.) I wanted to get to know people and become more a part of the community, and joining the USC Newcomer’s Club was a great way to do that.
Where did you recently move from?
Our last stop was Chicago, IL. We also lived in Memphis, TN, and Detroit, MI.
Where did you grow up?
Huntington, WV. We now are only a four-hour drive from home, which is great. I am so happy to be back living in the mountains.
Where did you go to college and what did you study?
West Virginia University. My degree was Medical Technology (now called Medical Laboratory Science). I also later got a specialization in Blood Banking.
What do you do for your day job?
Manager for Product Quality Control Testing for ITxM, the parent company of Central Blood Bank.
Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
Nathan, age 12, and George, age 10. They are the reason we ended up living in USC when my husband was transferred to Pittsburgh. Both of them have some special educational needs, and the great school district here in Upper St. Clair was able to address them.
Do you have any pets?
A dog, named Luna
What do you like to do for fun?
My family likes to travel…everything from a week-long vacation during spring break (a dude ranch, this year) to a quick, one-day get away to see some random tourist
attraction (last one was the house from the movie A Christmas Story).
What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
I stop by the Upper St Clair or Mt. Lebanon library at least once a week to pick up something new to read. At the moment, I have on hold a memoir about a family living
in Rome for a year written by the author of All Light We Can Not See, Anthony Doerr. I just finished reading The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling, and I am slowly making my way through 10% Happier by Dan Harris. I am also always listening, while I run, to a Playaway that I pick up from the library …the ones by Janet Evanovich are my favorite since the person who reads the audiobook does great voices, and they are just fun stories to listen to.
What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
I am trying to be more organized. I started using a planner in January and that has helped me a lot with keeping track of things. Also, I want to get back into exercising more regularly. I made myself a goal of running a 5K this summer. (Not looking silly in front of a large number of people is a great motivator for me to lace up my
running shoes.)
What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
I will be at the next ladies’ night out. I like that several of those events have been in downtown Pittsburgh lately…it gets me out with a fun group of women and I get to discover new places. I also like to attend the Family events and Couple events. There have been some great activities planned this year.
What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
I am the membership chair for this year and next year. So I am the one sending out those welcome messages to those of you who recently joined…and reminding everyone
to pay their dues!
Member profile: Bethany Salmen
Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
I wanted to join the Newcomers’ Club, because I wanted to meet new people with kids that live in the area.
Where did you recently move from?
Before I was married I lived in Mt. Lebanon. When we got married we moved to USC.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a street away from my house now. I always lived in USC, and both of my parents grew up in USC.
Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I graduated from California University of PA with two degrees: Political Science and Criminal Justice
What do you do for your day job?
I am a landman in the oil and gas industry
Do you have any kids? If so, what are their names and ages?
I have one daughter, Natalie, 14 months
Do you have any pets?
We have three dogs, Holly(German Shepard Mix), Sydney (Red heeler), Nino( Chocolate Lab) and two cats, Clair and Winnie
What do you like to do for fun?
I am a golfer, work in the yard, do house projects and I love crafts.
What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
I have a couple of books I bought before I had Natalie and haven’t touched them yet but I do love reading to my daughter.
What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
Finishing our basement. It’s 95 % done.
What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
I am in charge of Ladies’ Day Out this year, and next month we are going to Sarris Candy and Ice Cream shop for Valentines Day.
Ladies’ Night Out at the Movies
Ladies’ Night Out at the movies did not happen Jan. 22 because of the snow. We’re planning to reschedule; watch this space.