WonderCon Pictures

[PovertyRow]

Next year we'll go to a place that will give us our own room (preferably with our own bar).

 

Scott - sounds like you have your finger on the pulse of the best Forum Dinner setup!

[Foolkiller]

Scott,

In planning the Philly dinner we're very fortunate because we were able to plan and get a separate room to ourselves at Maggiano's. At other places in Philly, the cost would be rediculously high, so to cut down on the segregated feeling, everyone being in our room was really good. We had a minimum per person food and drink we had to meet with the room, so I think that in order to do that, it gets to be a little pricey... but I also think that it's worth it.

 

I think your ideas for how doing a fixed price menu is smart, especially since I think that the way this year's National dinner in NYC at Shun Lee was run was excellent. It made it very simple collecting the bill.

 

The key for the private room is being able to guarantee a certain number of people though, so I think that there can always be add ons, but once you lock in, you're in and you have to go. I usually exclude dealers from this, because they're a little more spur of the moment... and also they're fairly reliable.

[BassGMan]

 

I agree. The two long tables thing made it more of a segregated event than last year. The fact that we didn't have a private room also stifled our ability to get up and walk around and talk to other people (though many people did anyway). Next year we'll go to a place that will give us our own room (preferably with our own bar). Last year's Chicago dinner should be the new model that we follow for dinners with 30 or more people -- private room, private bar, big round tables of ten, and of course, steaks as big as our heads. Dinner shouldn't be served until at least an hour to 90 minutes after the room opens to allow everyone time to get there, socialize, and relax a bit. With a private room, people can get up and walk around and be as noisy as they want and the private bar keeps the beverages off the tab.

 

I will probably do a fixed price menu in SF next year, with a few different selections from which to choose (steak, fish, and veggie). I will also probably work out dinner/tax/tip price with the restaurant ahead of time and have people pay a fixed price in advance to ensure fewer no-shows and to make collecting for the bill less of a hassle.

 

Sounds good Scott, but rest assured that you did a great job this year. I can see that arranging a dinner like this is a pretty big task that most people take for granted. It is very generous of you to take on the time and responsibility of such a task, like PedigreeMan did as well in Chicago. I think he almost had a nervous breakdown from the stress of it all. Unless it makes things more complicated, maybe next year you can recruit an assistant from the many Bay Area Forumites in the area, or in the least we can all chip in a few bucks more so that the host can eat and drink for free. ------Sid

[greaterfool]

 

I agree. The two long tables thing made it more of a segregated event than last year. The fact that we didn't have a private room also stifled our ability to get up and walk around and talk to other people (though many people did anyway). Next year we'll go to a place that will give us our own room (preferably with our own bar). Last year's Chicago dinner should be the new model that we follow for dinners with 30 or more people -- private room, private bar, big round tables of ten, and of course, steaks as big as our heads. Dinner shouldn't be served until at least an hour to 90 minutes after the room opens to allow everyone time to get there, socialize, and relax a bit. With a private room, people can get up and walk around and be as noisy as they want and the private bar keeps the beverages off the tab.

 

I will probably do a fixed price menu in SF next year, with a few different selections from which to choose (steak, fish, and veggie). I will also probably work out dinner/tax/tip price with the restaurant ahead of time and have people pay a fixed price in advance to ensure fewer no-shows and to make collecting for the bill less of a hassle.

 

 

Buca di Beppo, baby! they have big head-sized bowls of pasta, etc.

[PedigreeMan]

I think he almost had a nervous breakdown from the stress of it all.

 

Naw. I just like complaining.

[FlyingDonut]

I think he almost had a nervous breakdown from the stress of it all.

 

Naw. I just like complaining.

 

Well, start complaining again, because we've all decided that you are officially In Charge again.

[PedigreeMan]

I think he almost had a nervous breakdown from the stress of it all.

 

Naw. I just like complaining.

 

Well, start complaining again, because we've all decided that you are officially In Charge again.

 

 

Lousy, no good, , , rat-fink mother lovin' rotten Greggy lovers!

[FFB]

 

I agree. The two long tables thing made it more of a segregated event than last year. The fact that we didn't have a private room also stifled our ability to get up and walk around and talk to other people (though many people did anyway). Next year we'll go to a place that will give us our own room (preferably with our own bar). Last year's Chicago dinner should be the new model that we follow for dinners with 30 or more people -- private room, private bar, big round tables of ten, and of course, steaks as big as our heads. Dinner shouldn't be served until at least an hour to 90 minutes after the room opens to allow everyone time to get there, socialize, and relax a bit. With a private room, people can get up and walk around and be as noisy as they want and the private bar keeps the beverages off the tab.

 

I will probably do a fixed price menu in SF next year, with a few different selections from which to choose (steak, fish, and veggie). I will also probably work out dinner/tax/tip price with the restaurant ahead of time and have people pay a fixed price in advance to ensure fewer no-shows and to make collecting for the bill less of a hassle.

 

 

Buca di Beppo, baby! they have big head-sized bowls of pasta, etc.

 

Location-wise, it's ideal. I'll take a vote next year and see if people prefer a less expensive alternative like Buca to the more expensive (but much tastier) Bob's or similar steakhouse. I think we probably won't do Bob's again next year simply because the room setup does not lend itself well to a group of 30 or more.

[greggy]

I think he almost had a nervous breakdown from the stress of it all.

 

Naw. I just like complaining.

 

Well, start complaining again, because we've all decided that you are officially In Charge again.

 

 

Lousy, no good, , , rat-fink mother lovin' rotten Greggy lovers!

[FFB]

Next year we'll go to a place that will give us our own room (preferably with our own bar).

 

Scott - sounds like you have your finger on the pulse of the best Forum Dinner setup!

 

It's easy. All I had to do was see how well the dinner that Alan planned in Chicago went, and incorporate some of the more successful and convenient aspects of the dinners that Brian and Dave M. did in Philly and NYC. If we are able to achieve the Perfect Forum Dinner™ in SF, it will be because we have "stood on the shoulders of giants," as the saying goes, by using what has worked well when others did it.

 

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

[Sharkey]

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

 

Kinks?

Shhhh. What happens at the Forum Dinner stays at the Forum Dinner!

[FFB]

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

 

Kinks?

Shhhh. What happens at the Forum Dinner stays at the Forum Dinner!

 

If that's true, then why do we post so many pictures and talk all about what happened there?

 

Someone needs to publish the Ten Commandments of Forum Dinners.

[Sharkey]

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

 

Kinks?

Shhhh. What happens at the Forum Dinner stays at the Forum Dinner!

 

If that's true, then why do we post so many pictures and talk all about what happened there?

 

Someone needs to publish the Ten Commandments of Forum Dinners.

 

Well, I was talking about discussing people's kinks.

 

Good idea on teh commandments. How's this?

 

1. Thou shalt show up!

2. Thou shalt consume a steak as big as thine own head

3. Thou shalt engage in merriment and storytelling

4. Thou shalt bust Steve B's balls over turnaround times

5. Thou shalt hear Steve say "Economy means Economy!!!"

6. Thou shalt not spill FFB's killer vino

7. Thou shalt not handle raw comics with greasy hands (uh, Steve B)

8. Thou shalt get hammered and roll into the con hungover the next morning

9. Thou shalt take pictures and post them so we can see what other forum members look like.

10. Thou shalt rave about what a great time was had by all so that the non-attenders want to attend the next one.

11. Thou shalt HAVE FUN!

[FFB]

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

 

Kinks?

Shhhh. What happens at the Forum Dinner stays at the Forum Dinner!

 

If that's true, then why do we post so many pictures and talk all about what happened there?

 

Someone needs to publish the Ten Commandments of Forum Dinners.

 

Well, I was talking about discussing people's kinks.

 

Good idea on teh commandments. How's this?

 

1. Thou shalt show up!

2. Thou shalt consume a steak as big as thine own head

3. Thou shalt engage in merriment and storytelling

4. Thou shalt bust Steve B's balls over turnaround times

5. Thou shalt hear Steve say "Economy means Economy!!!"

6. Thou shalt not spill FFB's killer vino

7. Thou shalt not handle raw comics with greasy hands (uh, Steve B)

8. Thou shalt get hammered and roll into the con hungover the next morning

9. Thou shalt take pictures and post them so we can see what other forum members look like.

10. Thou shalt rave about what a great time was had by all so that the non-attenders want to attend the next one.

11. Thou shalt HAVE FUN!

 

We have a winner!

[jbud73]

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF CGC FORUM DINNERS

 

1. Show up! unless your sick or recently deceased.

 

2. You may get drunk, or stoned - BUT NOT BOTH

 

3. You may only Bogart Borock for 30 minutes total, that is unless he introduced an initiative like Wizard 2nd, then all bets are off.

 

4. Onsite grading expires after CGC staff have had their 5th drink.

 

5. What happens at CGC forum dinners, stays at CGC forum dinners - .... for approximately 3 days. This gives you time to arrange a suitable bribe so any photos don't find their way to Red Hook.

 

6. Make sure you thank the host IE in SF it was Scott for putting the dinner together.

 

7. Try to be on time, or call ahead and infor the organizer if you are going to be late, that way people don't have to sit and starve waiting for you.

 

8. Get directions to the restaurant well in advance, or arrange to go there with a local forumite.

 

9. Last call for alcohol is a signal to carry the event to the after hours drinking portion of the CGC dinner. Take a cab.

 

10. If you bring some books, remember that they will be in the presence of 30 intoxicated people and an assortment of substances that could lead to disaster.

[Illiterati-migration]

Ah, pictures, and boy-oh-boy, they sure do help explain some things.

 

Wow, for such a short little guy, you sure are one big hole.

[Sharkey]

Honestly, despite a few kinks this year, the forum dinner was still far and away my favorite part of the convention this year and last year and in Chicago too!

 

Kinks?

Shhhh. What happens at the Forum Dinner stays at the Forum Dinner!

 

If that's true, then why do we post so many pictures and talk all about what happened there?

 

Someone needs to publish the Ten Commandments of Forum Dinners.

 

Well, I was talking about discussing people's kinks.

 

Good idea on teh commandments. How's this?

 

1. Thou shalt show up!

2. Thou shalt consume a steak as big as thine own head

3. Thou shalt engage in merriment and storytelling

4. Thou shalt bust Steve B's balls over turnaround times

5. Thou shalt hear Steve say "Economy means Economy!!!"

6. Thou shalt not spill FFB's killer vino

7. Thou shalt not handle raw comics with greasy hands (uh, Steve B)

8. Thou shalt get hammered and roll into the con hungover the next morning

9. Thou shalt take pictures and post them so we can see what other forum members look like.

10. Thou shalt rave about what a great time was had by all so that the non-attenders want to attend the next one.

11. Thou shalt HAVE FUN!

 

We have a winner!

 

[Currin Comics]

You have no idea how far off you are on that post, and beleive me, you missed by light years.

[Illiterati-migration]

You have no idea how far off you are on that post, and beleive me, you missed by light years.

 

How do you know?

[Currin Comics]

Correctly put-your interpretation of the post.