A Few Good Men Raise Money For NYC Marines Corps At MESS Night

Former Marine, food historian, author and businessman Agostino von Hassell as befitting the gyrene tradition is ready to follow that order down to the very last scrumptious, meaty morsel. He will prepare and recreate an extravagant meal prepared by the Marine Corps to honor Winston Churchill served in 1920! And he’s invited nearly 400 of his nearest and dearest friends, including NYC top cop police commissioner and former Marine Ray Kelly, to join him on the last day of June, 2009. The occasion is the second annual NYC Marines Mess Night dinner to be held at the celebrated New York Athletic Club overlooking Central Park. The iconic venue sports one of the rare city smoking balconies where cigars and cognac are served at the conclusion of the meal and diners can transport themselves back to a time when the city's pace was a little more leisurely and life perhaps a bit less complicated (or twittered).

So what is a Mess Night anyway? It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years where military and civilians partake in a ceremonial meal with many speeches, fines for violating rules like chewing gum, speaking out of turn, saying anything political or even going to the rest room without permission. In present times, this event, where the hosts serve their finest foods and wines is used as a fundraiser for worthy charity concerns and as a means of honoring individuals and organizations who have contributed to causes and philanthropies near and dear to the hearts of the U.S. Marine Corps. Because whether it is 1920 or 2009, a hero is still a hero.

Semper Fi

June 30, 2009 Annual New York City Marines
“Mess Night” Benefit Recreating a 1920
Mess Night Dinner in London
Attended by Winston Churchill

Green Tea Cocktails, a Historically Accurate Feast & Rousing Cheer

The NYC Marines will host the second annual New York City “Mess Night,” The event takes place from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm at the New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South, 9th Floor, with a reception from 6:00 – 7:30 and dinner served at 7:30. It will raise funds for the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation and the National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction.

Tickets: $700 per person; $7000 per table.$175 for the reception only (from 6:00 – 7:30 pm). Additional ticket price ranges are available. Active duty military sponsorships are accepted. Black Tie. Tickets may be purchased online at www.nycmcc.org. For additional information contact NYC Marine Council President Jeff Carusone at action@nycmcc.org.

Mess Night will honor:

- New York Police Officer Susan Porcello for demonstrating the best of the Marine Corps Spirit
- The Strassburger Family for consistent support for our fighting men and women
- Comedian Scott Kennedy for consistent and untiring support for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Detective Ming Li from the 5th Precinct in China Town for his outstanding humanitarian kindness to a former Marine

The Military Guest of Honor is Major General Anthony L. Jackson, USMC, Director or Operations and Logistics, United States Africa Command. Special Guests include Dan and Deb Dunham, Parents of Medal of Honor Recipient, Corporal Jason L. Dunham, USMC.

A rousing Marine Corps tradition dating from the 1500's that few civilians ever experience, "Mess Nights" encompass a cocktail hour, an opulent feast, and a range of $1-and-up fines for violating guidelines of the mess, which all guests are informed of at the onset (chewing gum, swearing and discussing politics, shop, money or religion among them). All fines are donated to the featured charities.

“Mess Night ’09 is a recreation of a mess night held Saturday, the 20th of March, 1920 at Oddenino’s Imperial Restaurant on London’s Regent Street. That dinner featured such classic dishes as “Poule au Pot Alexandra” and the famous “Culotte de Bœuf Imperial.” It was attended by Sir Winston Churchill, a veteran of the division with which he had fought in World War I and which was honored at the dinner. Oddenino’s Imperial Restaurant operated for almost 50 years as one of London’s “poshest” restaurants. Green tea cocktails created by Ito-En, the distinguished Japanese company, will add a contemporary libation.

Leading New York City food and wine companies are supporting Mess Night 09, including Ito-En, the world’s finest green tea purveyor; Librandi Red Wine from Calabria, Italy, donated by the Italian Trade Commission; Solera restaurant and tapas bar, which will be providing fine Spanish wines and Strassburger Meats, the legendary, five-generation family owned supplier.

The dinner has been recreated and adapted by the New York Athletic Club Executive Chef John S. Shirley and Chef Lucas Billheimer from the Parlor Steakhouse, New York City under the guidance of Chef Agostino von Hassell.

About The NYC Marines: The NYC Marines’ mission, simply summarized, is to support former Marines, sustain current Marines and secure future Marines. NYC Marines performs this mission through a critical networking and partnership role that empowers, synergizes and optimizes communications flow to a wide array of groups committed to helping our men and women in uniform. Among these groups are numerous Marine Corps oriented commands, organizations and associations throughout the greater New York City area. This vast networking capacity brings together an amazingly diverse group of powerful industries and interests representing areas such as Wall Street, Broadway and professional sports. The NYC Marines also raises money to support charities benefiting Marines and the communities in which we operate and live. The NYC Marines is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Contributions to the NYC Marines are tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. See www.nycmcc.org for additional information.