[DL] Origins Dinner

["Phalen, Pat" <Pat.Phalen@infores.com>]

Origins Dinner Information

Howdy Folks,

Please pardon the letter if it's an intrusion, or you've received duplicates
of the same information due to being involved with different online
communities. I'm casting my net wide to make sure no one is inadvertently
snubbed. Some of you have already RSVP'd (for which I am extremely grateful)
so consider this a scheduling reminder.

Saturday night at 8:00 PM, July 15th is Fire & Brimstout II, the 2nd Annual
Origins PEG Listserves/Friends of PEG Dinner.

It will be held (as last year) in the basement banquet room of Barleys
Brewpub, which is located on High Street, directly across the street from
the convention center. As a matter of fact, if you walk out of the dealer
room, keep on going out the doors of the convention center, and look
slightly right, you will see it.

If you would like to RSVP, or change your previous RSVP, please send me a
note at sandor_@hotmail.com by midnight of this Monday, July 10th.

I've put together a F.A.Q to answer some questions you might have. Please
feel free to email me if you require any more information.

Thanks,

Sandor

The F.A.Q.

1 )What's on the menu?

Appetizer
	Fresh Veggies and Dip tray

Salad
	Garden Salad

Choice of Entree (served buffet-style)
	Roast Pork Loin with Apricot Glaze
	Veggie Lasagna

Sides (served buffet-style)
	Oven Browned Red Potatoes
	Seasonal Vegetable Medley
	Rolls and Butter

Drink	
	Coffee
	Hot or Iced Tea

2) I'm a grown-up and want something other than coffee or tea!

Barleys is a brewpub with an excellent selection of drafts as well as a full
bar.
The banquet room will have a cash bar reserved exclusively for our use.

3) What's the cost for all this?

The price is $25.00 per person for the dinner "package." It is payable to me
either at the door, or beforehand at the con if you see me. I will have my
RSVP list with me at all times. This covers the dinner, tax, and mandatory
gratuity.
IT DOES NOT COVER THE BEER!!!  

4) But I got a free beer with dinner last year!

Yes, you did, but it was not "with the dinner." I personally bought a round
of beer for everyone who attended and ate dinner last year( and many who
didn't eat, too!). It was my way of thanking everyone for attending.
Depending on finances, I might do this again. 

5) I would like to pay in advance.

No problem! I have a payMe.com account setup which allows email billing. Let
me know when you RSVP that you would like to pay online with a credit or
debit card and I will send you an email bill. Please note that I will
consider payment received when PayMe.com says it is received. Be aware that
electronic payment takes a few days to register. If you show up at the door
Saturday night and tell me that you paid on Wednesday, I will have no proof
and be obligated to charge you cash at the door. However, I will immediately
issue you a refund through PayMe.com when I get home Sunday night. 

6) What's the schedule of the nights events?

  	8:00 The banquet room opens (Bar and appetizers available)
	8:45 Dinner begins with Salad
	9:00 Entrees and sides are served (buffet style)
	9:00 and onward: Drinking, music, mingling, chatting, etc, until the
night comes to a close.

7) This schedule conflicts with some of my other activities!

This is probably true. A convention as large as Origins has many wonderful
opportunities and events, more than anyone could possibly attend. We must
all make hard decisions as to how we spend our time. Dinner will be served
at 9:00 PM. It is served buffet-style which means that by 9:30 one or the
other of the entree choices may have been finished off. 

8) I showed up late last year and didn't get my choice of entree.

See #6.

9) I'm not interested in eating, just having a drink and hanging out.

All are welcome to have a drink and hang out. There is no "cover." The cash
bar is available, as well as the bar and restaurant upstairs. Be warned that
this is a Saturday night in a popular brew-pub, with a convention going on
next door. It will be extremely busy upstairs.

10) I have some complaints with last year's menu. I didn't think the veggie
platters or salad dressing were up to snuff.

I have appraised the Barley's staff of some of the patron's issues from last
year. They will accommodate us. Please let me know IMMEDIATELY if you are
unhappy with the food or service. I can't do anything about it after the
fact, except take it into consideration for next year.

11) I'm not sure if I'm comfortable talking to you about these issues,
Sandor. You're kinda mean.

It's true. I am a large intimidating man. I made a woman cry during Origins
last year, and slaughtered a whole party of schoolboys and their Sunday
School teacher at GenCON, for my own amusement. I'm over seven feet tall. I
have arms like oak trees and a mane of fiery red hair that I wear up in a
barbarian-style top knot. I eat puppies. I stuffed Graveyard Greg into a
trash disposal unit after he touched my dice.

12) I'm not scared of you. I'll talk to you.

During the dinner, I'll be the jovial impresario. It won't be hard to find
me. During the CON, I'll often be found running demos at the PEG booth, or
in the Big Bar.

13) How do I contact you until then?

I can be reached at sandor_@hotmail.com until Tuesday night, the 11th.