"[The conversation] ranges from history toarchaeology to poetry to the best novels in theworld," says Whitla, another Long Table regular.
Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C.Mansfield '53, who sometimes dines at the LongTable, says in addition to "idle chit-chat,"professors banter about more substantive issuessuch as tenure decisions.
Staff of the Faculty Club speak fondly of theLong Table regulars.
"I've known some customers for 20 years. I knowa few of them very well," Machado says. "I knowDean Epps well, and I used to know [former] Dean[of the College] Henry Rosovsky."
Comfort Over Grandeur
Between 600 and 700 patrons eat lunch at theFaculty Club daily, but younger Faculty memberssay they rarely have personal luncheons there.
"There was a department head dinner, and I hadlunch in the basement once," says Tom C. Braden,assistant professor of math. "I don't feel likepaying the money upstairs, and downstairs doesn'treally impress me."
Patrons who wish to have a more laid-back lunchmay choose to eat in the basement Theatre Room,where typical fare includes roast beef sandwichesand pizza priced between $5 and $7.
By contrast, the prix fixe menu in the statelyupstairs dining room, which includes beeftenderloin and tiramisu, is about double theprice.
Ann Pellegrini, assistant professor of English,says she uses the Club mostly for businessfunctions, but adds, "I tend to do my socializingelsewhere.