THE IVY
DON’T BLINK. YOU MIGHT MISS SOMETHING
Things move fast at The Rainier Club, and that’s exactly how we like it. Whether you’re a long-time member or discovering the Club for the first time, this issue is your glimpse into everything that makes the season ahead so special.
From Mariners Playoff Watch Parties and Oktoberfest Quiz Night to French Blind Bubbles and the Gothic Halloween Ball, October proves there’s no better place to spend a downtown evening. And we’re only warming up.
November brings a time for reflection and celebration with the Veterans Day Breakfast, Wine Lab, Tabletop Gaming Night, and the Barbara Earl Thomas Laureate Induction Dinner.
Then comes December, when The Rainier Club transforms into a true holiday haven. The halls glow with decorated Christmas trees, garlanded bannisters, and the warmth of tradition. Santa’s Brunch, the Annual Member Appreciation Party, and the Wine & Scotch Soirée set the stage for a month filled with joy, connection, and celebration.
Whether your interests lean toward bridge, bubbles, or business, or you’re drawn to scotch tastings, art, and conversation, there’s always something at The Rainier Club that feels like it was designed just for you.
Members, your challenge is to choose one event ou’ve never attended and say yes. Bring a friend, meet someone new, and make a memory worth retelling. Because at The Rainier Club, the doors don’t just open, they open opportunities.
In this issue of The Ivy, see all we have in store for the holidays and discover how this season at The Rainier Club promises to be one to remember.
Interested In learnIng more?
Connect with our Director of Membership, Kari Cassidy-Diercks to learn more about Club life.
VETERAN’S DAY BREAKFAST
THE HERITAGE ROOM
THE CARROLLS
RAINIER CLUB MEMBERS SINCE 2022
For Jim and Cassie Carroll, membership at The Rainier Club is more than a downtown convenience — it’s a community that connects past and present, work and family, and a shared appreciation for history, hospitality, and belonging.
Cassie’s enthusiasm for the Club is contagious. “It is quite easy for me to promote and be enthusiastic about things that I care about!
Welcoming people to the Club and finding out about their interests comes pretty naturally to me,” she says.
That same energy led her to join the Membership Committee, where she now helps recruit new Ambassadors.
“The program is a fun way to connect with our newest community members, share the love and joy I have for the Club and hopefully help with member retention,” Cassie explains.
The members I’ve gotten to know are kind, smart, conscientious people and, as I often say, I like the Club’s members almost as much as I like the Club’s staff!”
That sense of belonging deepened when Jim discovered an extraordinary family connection to the Club’s history. During his board orientation, he learned that Cassie’s great-great-grandfather, Edward Henry (E.H.) Harriman, had stayed at The Rainier Club prior to the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition. “Garrett even found the Club guest register with E.H.’s signature!” Cassie recalls.
CASSIE & JIM
Jim shares her appreciation for connection, noting that the people are what truly define The Rainier Club. “As we’ve spent more time at the Club and gotten to know other members and the Club’s staff, we’ve discovered a much greater value in what the Rainier Club really is: not just a great building, but a great community.
The expedition included E.H.’s wife Mary, their son (and Cassie’s greatgrandfather) Averell, and notable
photographer Edward Curtis — who would later become a Rainier Club member. Given this connection, Jim and Cassie worked with the Mary W. Harriman Foundation to support the Club’s Catalyst Fund, resulting in a two-year grant that continues their family’s legacy of exploration, philanthropy, and curiosity.
For Jim, The Rainier Club first served a professional purpose. “As a solo business attorney working from
home, my initial interest in the Rainier Club was as a place to work and host meetings,” he says. “The Club has provided excellent co-working and meeting spaces, along with a well-provisioned gym, convenient discounted parking, and outstanding (and quite affordable) food and drink, so my membership has proved to be a great value as a workplace.”
But soon, he and Cassie found that the Club offered far more. “We discovered how much there was to enjoy beyond work,” Jim says, “holiday dinners with our family, game nights with friends, hosting our own events with the Club’s amazing events staff, club events learning about science, politics, fashion, literature, history, wine, scotch, cars, art and live performances, visits to reciprocal clubs, and fun conversations in the bar.”
Among their favorite Rainier Club experiences is the reciprocity program. “I serve on the Reciprocity Committee; this may be my favorite perk of
membership!” Cassie says. “Jim and I helped vet The Players Club in NYC and, with the board’s approval, it became our newest NYC reciprocal club. Jim and I have had a great time staying at the numerous reciprocal clubs in New York City, where we find ourselves often.”
Their daughters, Avie (22), a graduate of NYU now living in Brooklyn, and Callie (20), a junior at NYU, are also making the most of reciprocal club privileges. “In fact, last month, the Yale Club came through for Avie after her roommate tested positive
for the norovirus an hour before her best friend arrived for the weekend! The Yale Club checked them in at 11:30 p.m. and the club could not have been more accommodating and welcoming,” Cassie says.
“When the girls are home, which is rarer and rarer these days,” she adds, “they use the Rainier Club’s gym, share meals with us and, on occasion, invite friends to join in the fun.”
For Jim, the more time he’s spent at the Club, the more committed he’s become to giving back. “As one who is frequently at the Club enjoying its benefits (probably more than my share), I’ve found a few ways to reciprocate,” he says. “After a brief stint on the Club’s Board, I’ve been serving on the Rainier Club Council, working with its other members to support communications between the Board and the Club’s members and advise the Board as needed.”
That spirit of service also inspired Jim to help form the Veterans Affinity Group — a space for veterans and those with connections to them to build relationships and share experiences. “With support from the Club’s member leadership and staff, we formed the Veteran Affinity Group,” Jim says. “It’s been most gratifying to see veteran members, their family members and guests enjoying experiences together and building relationships.”
For the Carrolls, The Rainier Club is a place where the past and present come together — a community that honors tradition while inspiring connection and service.
As Cassie puts it, “Welcoming people to the Club and finding out about their interests comes pretty naturally to me.” And as Jim adds, “It’s those people and their care and effort that make the Rainier Club special.”
THE RAINIER CLUB COMMITTEES
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
CARD & GAMES
CULINARY HOMEROOM FASHION
ARTS FELLOWS
LITERARY
PUBLIC & GLOBAL AFFAIRS SCOTCH
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
WINE SCOTCH
A COMMUNITY OF CONNECTION
Whether you’re into wine, books, business, or the arts, there’s a group of members who share your interests—and a place to connect, learn, and have some fun along the way.
JOIIN A COMMITTEE
Connect with Membership to Learn More
GARDEN PARTY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6 AI OR DIE
CONFERENCE
TUESDAYS BUSINESS
LEADERSHIP 360 VIEW
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
TRADITION MEETS TOMORROW: THE BUSINESS OF TEA WITH KOSHAY
OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1
Cellar Stories: Your Favorite Steak Wine
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
RC Kids Club
Havana Nights at The Rainier Club
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6
AI or Die Conference
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7
Business Leadership 360 View
The Art of Healing: A Conversation on Creativity & Well-Being
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9
Oktoberfest Quiz Night
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
Awesome Women’s Lunch
Tabletop Gaming Night
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
Reimagining Seattle’s Parks, Seattle Parks Foundation, CEO Rebecca Bear
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
Tradition Meets Tomorrow: The Business of Tea
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
RC Kids Club
French Blind Bubbles
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20
Monday Night Football in The Beller
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Hospitality Hour: The Long Walk Home
Literary Happy Hour: Why War?
Business Leadership 360 View
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23
Casual Bridge Game
Spanish Tapas & Flamenco Featuring: Rafael Ramirez
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
Daytime Classic Book Club
Movie Night: Flight of the Phoenix
Banhez Mezcal Dinner
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
Jazz Brunch with Susan Pascal Quartet
Gothic Halloween Ball
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Business Leadership 360 View
Hospitality Hour: Kid’s Halloween
Event dates and details are subject to change and registration closes 72 hours prior to event.
OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS
Discover the perfect blend of comfort and convenience with our exclusive overnight accommodations at The Rainier Club.
Overnight Accommodation Rates
$195 Member
$275 Member Guest(s)
$150 'Night of' Reservations (based on availability) Rates are per night, plus all applicable taxes.
DECEMBER
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2
Annual Member
Appreciation Party, Tom and Jerry Event
RC Kids Club
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3
BizBuzz: Philanthropy and Funds
Cellar Stories
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4
Casual Bridge Games
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5
RC Kids Club
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
Awesome Women’s Night
Dinner at The HerbfarmHoliday Traditions
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9
Hospitality Hour
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10
Business Leadership Christmas Party
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11
Casual Bridge Games
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12
Awesome Women’s Lunch
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
Santa’s Brunch
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17
Annual Bridge Tournament and White Elephant
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18
Casual Bridge Games
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19
RC Kids Club
Annual Wine & Scotch Soirée
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
Christmas Dinner
Event dates and details are subject to change. Registration closes 72 hours prior to event.
