On the first Friday of every month, a group convenes at the Law Society dining room on the second floor of Philip Street in Sydney.
The reason for the gathering is for a long-gone but not forgotten publication, Pacific Islands Monthly. The publication started in 1931 and ceased around 2000. The lunch originally started in their offices, around 1960 and was then sent "out to lunch" (something to do with noise and lack of work being done apparently).
When they first started, they were held at the Journalists Club in Surry Hills. When that closed it moved to a restaurant in Kings St (until it burnt down), then the Pioneers Club in York St (until it closed down), then some Greek restaurant that turned out to be unsuitable. It moved to its current oasis around 2002.
On reflection, we hope the Law Society survives!
The dining room and staff are wonderful. We usually lunch in the atrium among the plants, water features, etc depending on numbers of attendees. Otherwise we are moved indoors, which is pleasant, but we obviously enjoy the solitude of "our" private area when we can.
The food is delicious and at the last gathering we had a choice of grilled fillet steak with caramelised witlof, purple Congo potatoes and garlic butter; or whiting fillets on skordelia with green beans and caper sauce. We are greeted with a glass of champagne and the meal is accompanied with either red or white wine, plus coffee and petit fours to follow.
The staff have become a part of the group and are greeted, and greet, as such. Nothing is too much trouble, and they are genuinely pleased when you compliment them or the food.
The dining room is open to the public and gets a thumbs up from us all: www.lawsociety.com.au/dining
Now, about the group - the numbers vary from lunch to lunch, sometimes as sparse as 10, other times and especially the Christmas lunch, we swell to about 30 or more people.
We are made up of a variety of backgrounds, all with some sort of link to the Pacific Islands, such as being born there, or lived there - if you've dipped your toe in the Pacific, that counts too.
Some are in publishing, one couple's just sold their seafood company, while others still are a "Sir Humphrey" of the State Government, or own a travel agency, or are involved in nursing. So in other words, a very eclectic group and you often hear "so and so sends regrets as they are in Dubai, or Greece, or Fiji, or... " and of course, we all wish them well as we mutter quietly with envy.
A lot of networking can be achieved but it is also group of friends who gather to catch up and share their activities and future plans.
Everyone is asked to bring others into the "fold" so that we can keep this rather unique lunch going. We are wondering if any other group has such a unique premise - the publication/company folded, but the lunches go on and on and on...
If you would like to join the PIM lunches, contact Sonia Rousseau at sonia.rousseau@gmail.com; or Ken McGregor kmcgoo2844@bigpond.com
