A Night to Remember
Marie Logothetis | PreTour Host Committee
You might make the case that a Haus und Garten PreTour dinner is the quintessential German Village event—delicious food and good wine in a comfortable, welcoming setting that one shares with friends and neighbors, all in support of a most worthwhile cause. Many years ago, my husband and I first experienced a PreTour dinner as guests at an evening inspired by the film La Dolce Vita and hosted by our neighbors. While one of the enduring memories of that evening was, undoubtedly, the strength of Barb and Ed Elberfeld’s limoncellos, we also remember it fondly as sparking our desire to trade the role of guests for that of hosts.
We have now hosted six PreTour dinners in all, from a culinary Greek odyssey to the Canadian-inspired “Northern Lights Over Schiller Park” to a Cajun and Creole-themed “Midsummer Mardi Gras” celebration. Hosting a PreTour dinner is one of the best ways to be involved and give back to our German Village community. The experience, from start to finish, is perhaps best characterized by a word we so often associate with this neighborhood…fun!
Along the way, you will find the enjoyment of hosting punctuated by a series of rewarding “moments”, the memories of which will last a lifetime. For instance, there will be that moment when your menu comes together, coalescing around that year’s PreTour theme. That exhilaration born of exercising your creativity and the sense of excitement and anticipation of formalizing the experience you have planned for your guests stands as a highlight of the hosting experience. Then, there will be that moment—that “golden hour”—on the evening of PreTour itself. The table is set, the food is ready, the wine and cocktails are chilled and German Village finds itself bathed in the soft glow of a glorious summer sunset. Your guests will begin to arrive. Some you will know, others you will not…but will soon. The evening is off and running. But perhaps most rewarding of all will be a moment a little later that evening. You’ll look around and see people thoroughly enjoying themselves and the food. You’ll draw that particular satisfaction as you see acquaintances and friendships literally form in front of you, all to the background of the clinking of glasses and silverware and the pleasant hum of multiple ongoing conversations and frequent peals of laughter.
At the end of the day, it is this combination of creativity, fun, and friendship joined with a palpable sense of community pride and philanthropic commitment that makes hosting a PreTour dinner such a rewarding experience and one that you and your guests will never forget.
If you are interested in learning more or hosting a Haus und Garten PreTour dinner, please contact this year’s PreTour Chairs Anthony Meyer and Tyler Mason.
