26 November 2022 – Basel
The Cornell Club of Switzerland celebrated Thanksgiving this year in style at The Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, a landmark hotel in Basel! Our Thanksgiving event is not only a festive gala but also a weekend affair centered around our annual general meeting (AGM). It was the most anticipated event of the year!
Friday Evening
The weekend began on Friday night with an optional informal dinner at the Rebhaus, a restaurant in Kleinbasel that specializes in Swiss and Mediterranean cuisines. After dinner, our group was treated to a short concert of traditional music from the Basler Fasnacht (carnival). This was played by the Fasnacht club “Alti Glaibasler”.
The Tinguely Museum
Saturday afternoon we enjoyed a guided tour in English and German of the permanent collection of the Museum Tinguely. Jean Tinguely was a pioneer in kinetic machine art. He created sound and motion spectacles using everyday objects.
Creating a Tinguely
Our group participated in creating a Tinguely-inspired drawing with one of his machines. Volunteers would choose a colored pen while another would press a foot pedal for any duration to create the drawing. Christophe, our Club president, accepted the certificate of authenticity on behalf of our group. Maybe one day, it will be worth a small fortune on eBay or Ricardo – we can only hope! However, we leave with a lingering question to ponder… who is the true artist of this drawing – Tinguely from beyond the grave, or are we the true artist? It goes without saying that everyone immensely enjoyed the experience!
The Annual General Meeting
The AGM held at The Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois had strong attendance and participation of our active members. Christophe opened the meeting with enthusiasm and a great sense of humor! General Manager and Cornell hotelier, Philippe Clarinval, warmly welcomed us to his hotel and shared stories of his experiences there. We were pleased that Philippe could break free from his duties and join us for the occasion. We raced to finalize club business during the hour – no one wanted to be late for the grand event!
Champagne Aperitif
Following the AGM, we joined our families and other Club members for a Champagne aperitif where we toasted to the evening festivities in one of the elegant ballrooms of the Trois Rois.
The Gala Dinner
Our Thanksgiving gala dinner did not disappoint! The chef presented the whole turkey which was served with the traditional sides of stuffing and cranberry sauce. Every dish was exquisitely prepared.
During the dessert course, Christophe and his wife Maria surprised the group with a huge raffle of thoughtful Cornell-branded items! The youngest attendee (age 6) got to pick the winners.
We ended the evening in conviviality and a warm appreciation for our Cornell heritage that brought us together this special weekend.
Join us next Thanksgiving in the great city of Bern!
What a fabulous event! Great champagne, food and company!