CAYA; Ribbon Cutting for the New Wing! . . . TNT Revisited

Dear Lost Souls,

After a bazzillion dollar investment, untold heartache, and herculean toil, we are pleased to open access to a completely uncharted wing of the Haberdashery's Hallowed Halls. This evening's ribbon cutting (at approximately 10pm) will mark yet another expansion in the breadth, depth, and scope of our sacred commitment to CAYA's weekly constitution . . . striving to make your Friday evening ever-so-slightly more enjoyable and regenerative . . . as you bask in the dim brilliance of eclectic starlight, scribbling love letters to the cosmos on the dark side of a waning paper moon. Last night's 'soft opening' was attended by a surly band of intrepid test pilots, and proved to be an unmitigated success, both in terms of the new wing's character and functionality, and as a reminder of the inherent wisdom behind CAYA's *Thursday Night Theory (TNT). 

Yes, my Selenian Scribes, CAYA in on for this Friday evening. Cocktails will be served at 7.30pm. As always, please feel free to slingshot by for a quickie en route to the evening's primary terrestrial destination . . . or to linger indefinitely.

Yours,
Los Cabañeros

*Thursday Night Theory (TNT): If you wait longingly all week for a Friday 'spiritual' liberation/libation, you are likely to 'over do it' and thereby feel too exhausted to fully enjoy an eventful Saturday evening; effectively curtailing your weekend to a single night out. However, if you begin the weekend on Thursday night, you are inclined to 'take it easy', in anticipation of remaining functional for a productive work day on Friday. Accordingly; then when Friday night rolls around, you will still be excited to start the weekend, but will revel in moderation; both because there is less anticipated buildup to Friday, and because you are a little tired from a Thursday evening out. Finally, since you did not 'over do it' on Friday night, you will be rested for a satisfying evening on Saturday. Conclusion: By going out on Thursday, you have effectively turned (what otherwise might be) a one-night weekend into a three-night weekend.

!!Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation !! . . . your well-being is our first priority! 

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to April 22nd, 2004; CAYA - Thursday Night Theory at McNally's

P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970

CAYA; Ode to the Star Man

"However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope.” - Steven Hawking

Dear Lost Souls,

Bound and blinded by our subjective glimpse of a vast intractable reality, we strive for individual meaning and belonging. With a pinhole camera's view projected on to a fleshy primate neuronet, we ride on waves of hope, desperation, triumph, and despair . . . all of our own creation. So why not enjoy the ride? . . . make popcorn and lemonade, and revel in the granulated cinema of the ephemeral human experience . . . embracing the projected spectacle of our hopes, dreams, and perfect delusions in an intelligible universe of our own creation.

Yes, my CAYA Cosmonauts, Cocktail Hour is on for this Friday evening. Cocktails will be served at 7.30pm. As always, please feel free to stop by for a quickie en route across your event horizon to your primary Friday evening singularity . . . or to linger in the infinite!

Yours,
Los Cabañeros

!! Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation !! . . . your well-being is our first priority!

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to March 21st, 2002: CAYA; The Eternal Struggle
P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970

CAYA; Beware The Ides of March

Friends, Haberdites, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to praise CAYA, not to bury it . . .

'Tis an evil season for emperors and despots,
But let not this dampen the irrepressible spirit of the noble and loyal Haberdite
who gathers with pure heart and open mind to toast the good deeds of our tribe;

Setting aside the petty differences and ephemeral burdens of our workaday lives,

we hoist a cup and nosh a nut it cheerful fellowship and collective good will;

The weekend is here, and let no man, emperor, or fool,
distract us from the fulfillment of or waking dreams;
stirred and shaken to harmonious balance with alchemical acoutremon! 

~

Oh yes, my Insatiable Senators, Cocktail Hour is on for this Friday evening. Cocktails will be served at 7.30pm. As always, please feel free to stop by for a quickie en route to your primary Friday evening coup d'état . . . or to linger indefinitely!

Yours,
Los Cabañeros

!! Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation !! . . . your well-being is our first priority!

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to March 14th, 2002: CAYA; The Laurel Harvest
P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970

CAYA; No Cocktail Hour this week - List Removal SPAM Check

Dear Lost Souls,

There will be no Cocktail Hour this evening . . . as your hosts are spread through hill and dale. We invite you as ambassadors of the Haberdashery to lift a glass in our name wherever you may find yourself . . . and we will do the same. 

LIST REMOVAL - if you would like to removed from the CAYA list, please simply respond to this email with "unsubscribe" in the first line of text . . . no questions asked. Your attendance is NOT / NEVER required to stay on the list, but we do NOT want to be a source of spam! Regardless of list removal, you are always welcome and can verify the Cocktail Hour for the coming Friday at: http://caya20.blogspot.com/ 

Yours,

Los Cabañeros

CAYA; Only 346 Days to Go! . . . Thank you All!

Dear Lost Souls,

There are only 346 days to go until Mardi Gras 2016! . . . start your training before it is too late! . . . beat the rush!

Many thanks to all of you for helping make Mardi Gras 2015 a big success. Particular thanks to the outstanding musicians who provided a full day, and practically endless variety, of great tunes and informal jams. You made an invaluable contribution and were the beating heart of the party. Special thanks to our core team and Board of Directors who provided critical financial and logistic support . . . including Billy, Bernie, Leonard, Zack, Andreas, Erin, Greg McCrea, and Jim Larson (provider of the keg!!!) . . . and a particular shout of gratitude to Bob Fukushima whose skilled help with the prep, cooking, and phasing of the food we could not have done without.

Oh yes, my Exhausted Epicureans, Cocktail Hour is on for this Friday evening. Cocktails will be served at 7.30pm. As always, please feel free to stop by for a quickie en route to your primary Friday evening fête . . . or to linger indefinitely!

Yours,
Los Cabañeros

!! Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation !! . . . your well-being is our first priority!

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to February 14th, 2002; CAYA - 362 Days to Go!! - Beat the Rush
P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970

Bon Ton! . . . Mardi Gras 2015 at the Haberdashery is tomorrow!

 
Dear Lost Souls . . .

The party is getting started! Yes, Cocktail Hour is on for this evening. If you'd like to learn the age old secrets of Cajun Cooking and help chop chop . . . please join us for the Taming of the Roux this evening! Otherwise we will hope to see sometime tomorrow . . .  when Haberdites from near and far will gather to celebrate Mardi Gras . . . CAYA Style! The shhhhhhedule:

Friday, Feb. 20th

• 7:30pm – 12:00am – The Taming of the Roux (CAYA Cocktail Hour, Saturday prep, and a Cajun cooking primer)

Saturday, Feb. 21st

• 11:00am – 10:00pm – all-day Mardi Gras Party including live music jams, DJ Mr. Fabulous, & plenty-o good food . . . plus Lagniappe!
• (3:00pm – 7:00pm) – Primary period of feasting!

Come Join the CAYA Gumbo!

Gumbo is not just a dish . . . it is a ménage of flavors, people and ideas. Come experience the Haberdashery's brand of social alchemy and Loooousiana hospitality first hand. Musicians, be sure to bring along your instruments! We are scheduling sunny weather and there will be lots of live music jamming in the back courtyard. DJ Mr. Fabulous will also be on hand to spice up the mix. WARNING: Please be prepared to shake your booty . . . this is not a drill.
DETAILED SCHEDULE:

• Friday evening, Feb. 20th: There will be Friday Night Cocktail Hour as usual. For those of you interested in the Festival of the Roux, and other cooking secrets from The Big Easy, this is the time to come. Chop, chop chop!! WARNING: Friday night can be detrimental to Saturday . . . and should be taken in moderation, particularly if your intent is a full-on Saturday.
• Saturday, Feb. 21st: This is an all day affair . . . give or take a day . . . so feel free to come and go as you please; children are more than welcome; particularly during the daylight hours (before  bedtime). In the morning, beginning whenever we crawl out of bed, there will be Mimosas, Screwdrivers and Bloody Mary's for those that venture out before noon . . . or whenever. We will start the primary serving of food in the mid-afternoon. There will be the usual fair of Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice, etc. . . . whenever they are ready . . . and of course, lagniappe . . . yea, yea . . . and there will be LOTS of bread pudding for the ladies.

WHAT TO BRING: . . . Hurricanes are in the forecast  . . . but your favorite beverage contribution is much appreciated, so please bring along beer or other libations to share (we will have coolers and ice on hand). There will copious amounts of food, beads, and Hurricanes. There will also be plenty 'o munchies, but if you are feeling particularly motivated, feel free to add a little something extra (lagniappe!)! . . . but, for GOD SAKE, please take home your beads!!! They are our Mardi Gras gift to you!!
Musicians! - Bring your instruments. There will be live music galore!
Amateur photographers! - bring your cameras . . . there will lots of colorful scenes to record!  

DRESS CODE: Well! . . . there is no dress code, and you can wear whatever the hell you want . . . but this IS Mardi Gras . . . so festive attire is appropriate! In general, this could mean carnival masks, and/or your favorite colorful wig . . . pull out that old sequined party dress (e.g. flapper style), a boa, feather tiara . . . a dapper hat or sport coat . . . Seersucker is always encouraged! HOPPE style! . . . or just show up in jeans and a t-shirt!!!! . . . the point is to relax and have a good time. We will have lots of beads and other parade trinkets on hand to accessorize! . . . which you WILL take home!
As always, please feel free to stop by for a quickie . . . on Friday or Saturday; or to linger indefinitely.
Yours!
Los Cabañeros

!! Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation!! . . . your well-being is our first priority!

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to February 6th, 2002; CAYA; Mardi Gras 2002
P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970

Bon Ton! . . . You are Invited to Mardi Gras 2015 at the Haberdashery - February 21st!

Dear Lost Souls . . .

The End is Nigh! . . . but in the mean time . . .  Mardi Gras 2015 at the Haberdashery is just around the corner!! This is your official invitation to join us on 2/21 for our annual Fête Extravaganza! Of course, Cocktail Hour is also on for this Friday evening; usual time and place ... but don't take your eye off the ball of next weekend, when the Haberdashery Community will gather to pay homage to the royalty of Carnival! Here are some details for you to ponder!

Friday, Feb. 20th

• 7:30pm – 12:00am – The Taming of the Roux (CAYA Cocktail Hour, Saturday prep, and a Cajun cooking primer)

Saturday, Feb. 21st

• 11:00am – 10:00pm – all-day Mardi Gras Party including live music jams, DJ Mr. Fabulous, & plenty-o good food . . . plus Lagniappe!
• (3:00pm – 7:00pm) – Primary period of feasting!

Come Join the CAYA Gumbo!

Gumbo is not just a dish . . . it is a ménage of flavors, people and ideas. Come experience the Haberdashery's brand of social alchemy and Loooousiana hospitality first hand. Musicians, be sure to bring along your instruments! We are scheduling sunny weather and there will be lots of live music jamming in the back courtyard. DJ Mr. Fabulous will also be on hand to spice up the mix. WARNING: Please be prepared to shake your booty . . . this is not a drill.

DETAILED SCHEDULE:

• Friday evening, Feb. 20th: There will be Friday Night Cocktail Hour as usual. For those of you interested in the Festival of the Roux, and other cooking secrets from The Big Easy, this is the time to come. Chop, chop chop!! WARNING: Friday night can be detrimental to Saturday . . . and should be taken in moderation, particularly if your intent is a full-on Saturday.
• Saturday, Feb. 21st: This is an all day affair . . . give or take a day . . . so feel free to come and go as you please; children are more than welcome; particularly during the daylight hours (before  bedtime). In the morning, beginning whenever we crawl out of bed, there will be Mimosas, Screwdrivers and Bloody Mary's for those that venture out before noon . . . or whenever. We will start the primary serving of food in the mid-afternoon. There will be the usual fair of Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice, etc. . . . whenever they are ready . . . and of course, lagniappe . . . yea, yea . . . and there will be LOTS of bread pudding for the ladies.

WHAT TO BRING: . . . Hurricanes are in the forecast  . . . but your favorite beverage contribution is much appreciated, so please bring along beer or other libations to share (we will have coolers and ice on hand). There will copious amounts of food, beads, and Hurricanes. There will also be plenty 'o munchies, but if you are feeling particularly motivated, feel free to add a little something extra (lagniappe!)! . . . but, for GOD SAKE, please take home your beads!!! They are our Mardi Gras gift to you!!

Musicians! - Bring your instruments. There will be live music galore!
Amateur photographers! - bring your cameras . . . there will lots of colorful scenes to record!

DRESS CODE: Well! . . . there is no dress code, and you can wear whatever the hell you want . . . but this IS Mardi Gras . . . so festive attire is appropriate! In general, this could mean carnival masks, and/or your favorite colorful wig . . . pull out that old sequined party dress (e.g. flapper style), a boa, feather tiara . . . a dapper hat or sport coat . . . Seersucker is always encouraged! HOPPE style! . . . or just show up in jeans and a t-shirt!!!! . . . the point is to relax and have a good time. We will have lots of beads and other parade trinkets on hand to accessorize! . . . which you WILL take home!

As always, please feel free to stop by for a quickie . . . on Friday or Saturday; or to linger indefinitely.

Yours!
Los Cabañeros

!! Please drink responsibly and arrange for safe transportation!! . . . your well-being is our first priority!

P.S. This week's Haberdashery Flashback takes us back to March 5th, 2003; CAYA; Mardi Gras 2003
P.S.S. Be sure to visit the CAYA blog, and register for email updates: http://caya20.blogspot.com/

The Haberdashery is located at:
2124 5th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

T: 510.229.2970