Doesn't this sound like fun??

BLACK ORCHID WEEKEND

Yes, you read that correctly; we are planning a full weekend of Wolfean activities in 2006 to excite even the most jaded Neronians.

The festivities kick off on Friday evening, December 1, with a Book Discussion; this popular bi-monthly event is usually held the third Monday in November. We have moved the date to December 1 to make it part of the weekend. The book to be discussed is, of course, Black Orchids. While the venue is not finalized, we are looking at a site that will offer a private room with a buffet dinner with beverages (including wine) for about $20.

Saturday's activities commence with the Assembly, which features talks on various aspects of the books or related topics. The time is 20 p.m. And the venue is Bouterin Restaurant (420 East 59th St.) – the site of our fabulous 2002 Black Orchid Banquet.If anyone has an idea for a topic, please make contact with Ettagale Blauer. She can be reached at ettagale@aol.com, or through the Post Office Box.

Saturday night, Bouterin will host the 29th Black Orchid Banquet. In 2002, we had 120 attendees at the Banquet and this year we will cap the event at 85 to prevent overcrowding. The price has not yet been finalized but should be around $90 for the dinner and $10 for the Assembly. The banquet includes a dinner prepared from the Nero Wolfe Cookbook, toasts, quizzes, and presentation of the Nero Award for mystery fiction.

We are also delighted about the return of many Packers' favorite activity -- the Brunch Hunt. This will take place Sunday morning and be concluded in time for out-of-towners to catch a late afternoon plane home. The Brunch Hunt is akin to a treasure hunt; the difference is you have to find the restaurant. Teams search for the restaurant by answering various questions. Don't worry, we have not lost anyone yet, as we always provide a fallback clue.