Jekyll Island Club Hotel

Chef's Demonstration November 18, 1:30 pm Chef Rob Sartorio, who presides over the kitchen at the hotel's Courtyard at Crane restaurant, has planned three delicious courses for today's demonstration and provides generous tastings and printed recipes for each. He begins with Autumn Pea Soup with Salt Herbs, a delicate first course sure to please sophisticated tastes. Following this he combines unusual ingredients in his Pear and Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Cranberries. These prepare the taste buds for the entrée, Marjoram and Sage Roast Pork Loin, a seasonal specialty of Chef Rob. The three courses complement each other in a balance of taste, color and texture. His tips on efficiency and presentation are well worth noting. The atmosphere of Chef Rob's demonstrations is congenial and relaxed as guests enjoy each other's company and the pleasures of gourmet dining. For reservations call 912-635-2600. Click here for more information about Courtyard at Crane.

Home and Family Shoppers' Festival November 21 and December 12 With Christmas approaching, the hotel plans encore events Saturday, November 21st and December 12th, of the Home and Family Shoppers' Festival. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm --- with an even larger number of fashionable, home-based businesses showcasing their products --- guests are sure to find great ideas for holiday gifts. Home Accents and U Design Jewelry have been added to the boutique businesses that will be represented as well as Southern Living, Home Accents, Southern Belles Curiosity, and Gift Baskets of Brunswick. They join Mary Kay, Stampin’ Up, Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef and Tupperware in the beautifully appointed rooms off the hotel’s Hall of Mirrors."This is so convenient," said one October shopper. "I can get so much done in one place and in such lovely surroundings." Hotel shops, also open the day of the Festival, are the Signature Gift Shop, Club Collections, Love Knotts Florist and Riverview Gallery of photography. Shoppers may want to make plans for lunch in the Grand Dining Room, Courtyard at Crane, or Café Solterra before or after shopping. Afternoon Tea is served in the Grand Dining Room at 4:00 p.m. Reservations are encouraged but not required. A highlight of the day is the drawing for the Grand Prize. Shoppers are encouraged to enter a drawing for a chance to receive a collection of products from all the participating vendors. Congratulations to this month’s winner, Susan Robinson, Jekyll Island, Georgia

Thanksgiving Day Festivities There's a crispness in the autumn air on Jekyll Island in November that piques the appetite for bountiful Thanksgiving Day fare. The Grand Dining Room and the Courtyard at Crane Cottage each offer a lavish Thanksgiving Brunch, and the Grand Dining Room also has a Thanksgiving Dinner in the evening. Guests for brunch may enjoy an array of gourmet salads, appetizers, omelets and waffles, and several stations offer turkey, prime rib, red snapper and all the trimmings as well as traditional Thanksgiving desserts, an ice-cream sundae bar and a delectable assortment of pastries. To make reservations call us at 912-635-2400 or make Grand Dining Room reservations online.

Christmas Is on the Way! The wreaths are hung, the trees are trimmed, and in December the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is as beautiful as a Victorian Christmas card. It's the ideal setting for the happy times to come, and a parade of events is planned for the entire month.

Community Christmas Tree Lighting Festival November 28, 4:30 - 7:30 pm For the opening of the season, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel joins the rest of the island for the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Festival. On the front lawn of the Historic District, merrymakers gather for the magic moment when Santa arrives and the Christmas tree lights light up the night sky. To make the time fly, games for children, goodies, hay rides, and delightful entertainment add to the fun. The event is free. Also see Island News.

Candlelight Tour of the Hotel December 2, 4:00 pm Enjoy the Jekyll Island Club Hotel in all its Christmas finery as the guide takes you on a Candlelight Tour. The Grand Dining Room, lobby, and other public rooms each have a live tree with themed decorations. The Christmas Train Tree, the Wood Carvers' Tree, and the Victorian Children's Tree are the favorites of some while others are partial to the Nutcracker Ballet Tree or the Stars of the Night, or others. All the while the fragrances of gingerbread, chocolate, and fresh baked cookies set the appetites for the reception that follows. The event is free.

Gingerbread House Making Workshop December 5, 10:00 am The hotel's famous pastry chefs have all the parts ready ahead of time for this two-hour, family-friendly workshop. A place is set for each participant to put the gingerbread houses together, ice, decorate, and make gingerbread trees and flowers .ready for photos. Waiting on the side board are holiday treats and Christmas punch. Admission.

A Dickens Feast December 12, 7:30 pm Gather in the Boar's Head Lobby for a toast to "Christmas Present." Follow the merrymakers into the Grand Dining Room for a holiday feast and musical dinner theatre. Based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the Atlanta acting company revisits Christmas with Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and a host of other colorful characters. The interactive performance includes members of the audience in the show as one table says, "Bah, Humbug," another is ready to ring the bells at just the right time, and so on. It's a Dickens of a night! Admission.

The Grand Victorian Tradition December 12, 10:00 am Christmas cards came into their own during the Victorian era; handmade and beautiful, they were kept as mementoes by family and friends through the years. Come join this workshop and be part of the tradition. Learn from the instructor how to create a greeting card heirloom! Designed for adults and older children, the workshop lasts about an hour and a half. Admission.

Santa at Crane December 13, 11:30 - 2:00 pm Jolly Old St. Nick welcomes children to Crane Cottage with a great big "Ho-ho-ho" and an invitation to share their Christmas wishes. Seated on his own big chair in the cottage great room, he's hard to miss! A photographer is available to capture the moment (fee). Santa's visit coincides with Sunday Brunch at Courtyard at Crane restaurant. Reservations are suggested for Sunday Brunch.

The Christmas Bagpiper December 19-24, 4:00 pm It's one of our favorite Yuletide traditions! Scottish bagpiper Tim Akins heralds the season at the Club and then down by the Jekyll River. He begins near Crane and Cherokee Cottages, and as he advances the crowd grows a bit at each stop. Enjoy this special holiday treat each afternoon of Christmas week. The event is free and reservations are not required.

Family Carol Sing December 23, 5:00 pm This musical family event is outdoors, so don your hats and mufflers! Meet on the Riverfront Veranda ready to sing favorite carols at Crane and Cherokee Cottages, the Club and Sans Souci. Our enthusiastic song leader is ready to lead us merrily through "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls," and more. No need to worry about the words; Tom has songbooks for everyone. Cookies and punch afterwards. Free. To make reservations for these events, call 912-635-2600.

AND, WATCH FOR THIS! Murder Mystery Dinner Party January 17, 2010, at Half Past Six o' Clock The scene is the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel. It's a deliciously wicked combination of gourmet delicacies. with murder and mayhem. There you are in the middle of everything trying to solve the case, dressed in your character-appropriate finest. Ooooh, this will be some Murder Mystery Dinner Party! You don't want to miss this; make your reservations well in advance. For information or reservations, Email sandersson@jekyllclub.com

371 Riverview Drive Jekyll Island, GA 31527
1-800-535-9547