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Our speaker for the January 3rd Women’s Circle Breakfast is James Welu, Director Emeritus of the Worcester Art Museum. His presentation is titled “Vermeer’s Mania for Maps.” No other painter from seventeenth century Holland expressed a greater interest in cartography than Jan Vermeer. His detailed depictions of maps and globes coincide with the great age of exploration and map making. As the leading authority on Vermeer’s use of cartographic material, Jim will demonstrate that all of the maps and globes in Vermeer’s paintings can be identified, though few originals still exist. These cartographic objects and the ways in which Vermeer used them not only add further meaning to his allegorical subjects and scenes of everyday life, they also shed light on Vermeer’s working method, including his possible use of the camera obscura. James Welu joined the staff of the Worcester Art Museum in 1974 as Assistant Curator and went on to serve six years as Chief Curator and 25 years as Director.

This harmonious quartet of bass, piano & saxophone with Nancy on vocals and light percussion is a crowd pleaser. This evening we take a musical journey with the “Composers of the Great American Songbook”.

The Impressionists were painters of light, painters of nature, and painters of human nature. Having little in common, except a common enemy, the Academy, artists like Monet, Renoir and Degas defied convention and changed the way the whole world looked at art. Like a stone dropped into a still pond, the ripples from this revolutionary style of painting spread out, influencing a whole new generation of artists.

This is a fun 6-session program for Chinese language and culture by GCF Foreign Language Center. It’s known that learning another language is one of the most effective and practical ways to improve intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and buffer your brain against aging. Come join us for a new experience that will open yourself up to a whole new world of culture and experience. Xin Xin, the Chinese instructor, has been teaching Chinese language and culture for over 25 years, in China, Japan, and the US. Previous registration was required.

Author Ted Reinstein returns to Southgate to share “the Quintessential New England Community Experience” with his book New England’s General Stores: Exploring an American Classic. The general store, as old as America itself, harkens back to a simpler time and a more innocent and rural nation. It was a place to pick up mail, the newspaper, and perhaps chat over a cup of coffee and a warm wood stove. And in tough times, it was a place that often treated customers like family, extending credit when no one else would. The general store was real-life Norman Rockwell—deeply woven into America’s cultural identity, an integral part of the nation’s self-portrait from its earliest days. Fact is, the general store is still very much here, and very much in business. What’s more, like the diner, it has seen a resurgence. In some places, it is even being reimagined for a new era. Ted Reinstein has been a reporter for “Chronicle,” WCVB-TV/Boston’s award winning— and America’s longest-running, locally produced—nightly news magazine since 1997. In addition, he is a regular contributor for the station’s political roundtable show and writes a weekly opinion column.

This 4 session course will present an overview of the Vietnam War including the 30-year span of time between 1945 and 1975 as well as the peace movement and domestic politics during the watershed year of 1968. Leo Sullivan holds a Master’s degree in American History from the University of Notre Dame. He is retired after a 35-year career in public education, including nine as a high school principal and 21 as a Superintendent of Schools. Please note location.

Beatles For Sale is an award-winning, New England-based Beatles tribute band that is committed to recreating the sounds of the Beatles live in concert. This ‘fab four’ has become a Southgate concert favorite and always deliver a first-rate class act performance! Join us for a “good day, sunshine” in the middle of winter!

Following our usual delectable breakfast buffet, our speaker is Michael Zeller whose program is entitled, “Internet Safety 101 Continued “. Mike spoke to our community in 2016 and has returned with updates! His topic explains a handful of ways individuals can protect themselves online, with an emphasis on safe behaviors as opposed to utilizing more advanced technology. Zeller is the Electronic Resources Librarian for the Shrewsbury Public Library, a role which tasks him with teaching its technology classes, overseeing the Library’s electronic databases, maintaining its PC hardware, and assisting patrons with technology questions among other duties. He holds a BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross and an MLIS from the University of Rhode Island.

Gary’s final installment of the “An American Sampler: Secretaries of State” Series profiles Henry Kissinger. As both President Nixon’s National Security Adviser and Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger exerted an enormous influence on American foreign policy. Issues such as the Vietnam War, relations with the Soviet Union, China and the threat of war in the Middle East all demanded his attention. His foreign policy models were Metternich and Bismarck. As foreign ministers, both of these men had practiced the diplomacy of realpolitik. For Kissinger, the balance of power, triangulation and personal diplomacy were the keys to American security.

This is a fun 6-session program for Chinese language and culture by GCF Foreign Language Center. It’s known that learning another language is one of the most effective and practical ways to improve intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and buffer your brain against aging. Come join us for a new experience that will open yourself up to a whole new world of culture and experience. Xin Xin, the Chinese instructor, has been teaching Chinese language and culture for over 25 years, in China, Japan, and the US. Previous registration was required.

Founded in 2014, The Sandy Ridge Boys, bring together a wide background of musical experiences and have become popular with fans of all ages. Following in the footsteps of the masters, The Sandy Ridge Boys play traditional, straight-ahead bluegrass as well as tunes from early country music, along with interesting twists on some familiar old favorites. The Sandy Ridge Boys will entertain you with their innovative arrangements and songs, as well as their between-song banter.

This 4 session course will present an overview of the Vietnam War including the 30-year span of time between 1945 and 1975 as well as the peace movement and domestic politics during the watershed year of 1968. Leo Sullivan holds a Master’s degree in American History from the University of Notre Dame. He is retired after a 35-year career in public education, including nine as a high school principal and 21 as a Superintendent of Schools. Please note location.

The tournament is heating up as we head into the 4th match! All are welcome to cheer on the three resident teams as they play for high stakes for charity!

In some form, Portrait In Jazz has been together since 1993 when Brad Ellenberg was working on his Master’s Degree in Jazz Composition at New England Conservatory. The group began as a trio of guitar, bass and trumpet and grew from there. As the gigs required, saxophone, drums and vocals were added to fill out the sound. Though the primary focus of Portrait In Jazz is performing jazz standards as well as original jazz compositions, they can easily and comfortably cover many Motown and rock classics. The band makes their Southgate debut tonight.