AWA AMV Dinner

Coderjo · Post by **Coderjo** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 12:26 am

redwolf: I very much plan to attend again this year, provided my handlers let me off from setup to go.

Red Wolf · Post by **Red Wolf** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 8:53 am

SQ wrote:That leaves where we meet...

Hasn't been announced, waiting to finalize plans. Details will be posted on the forum and will be emailed out to those who RSVPed.

S.S.BROLY wrote:WELL I'M NEW HERE BUT, WERE IS THE HOTEL

Check out the AWA site.

Coderjoe wrote:redwolf: I very much plan to attend again this year, provided my handlers let me off from setup to go.

Cool, be sure you email me (red_wolf@mac.com). Depending on how plans go if you don't RSVP you might not eat

Red Wolf · Post by **Red Wolf** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:07 pm

Arrangements have finally been discussed with two locations for the AMV dinner. Carrabba's Italian Grill and Renaissance Waverly Hotel. I think I know where we are going to end up but I thought I'd at least see what other people planning on going thought.

Carrabba's Italian Grill

This is the restaurant I am most interested in myself. They were the most open to us and within walking distance of the con (~10 minutes). I did have to go through three different managers but I finally was able to get them to commit to, "Yes we can host your group." The food is great and the cost is decent (probably looking at a $20-30 check). They will do separate checks and a gratuity of 15% (required for groups) will automatically be added to your bill. While we are close to the con we will be away from the crowd so we will have the peace and quiet away from the con environment we want.

The biggest downside is the seating arrangements. Instead of being seated at a massive table we will be seated in a close nit group of 4 person booths. The booths will be back-to-back and side-to-side so conversation between booths will be very possible. By adding a chair to each booth they can handle 50-55 people which will more than meet our needs (34 people have sent in RSVP so far). They can't predict what the local patron count will be at 9:00 that night since it fluctuates so we may be seated in smaller groups for a few minutes. But they will get us all into one area and they are more than willing to stay open late for us (they stop seating at 10:00, they had no problem when I told them the dinner will probably last through 11:00).

So good food, affordable, away from the con, but less than perfect seating arrangements.

Renaissance Waverly Hotel

This was my Plan B until in case things totally fell through with Carrabba's. The Waverly can host a group dinner in a private banquet room. While at the con hotel it would be closed so for the most part we would be away from the con environment. This would give us a lot better seating arrangement that would be better for a large group socializing. They can handle a party our size and then some and I'm sure the atmosphere will be impeccable.

The downside to the Waverly is price and food selection. There are two basic banquet options: plate and buffet. The plate option has everyone eating the same meal (with the exception of certain dietary needs) and with tax and a mandatory 21% gratuity would cost $37.80 per person. The buffet would give us a themed buffet (Tuscan, Renaissance, Southern, etc) and with tax and a mandatory 21% gratuity would cost $50.40 per person.

So perfect seating arrangements but a choice of limited food selection or most expensive AWA meal ever.

My Thoughts

Personally I vote Carrabba's for a number of reasons. I like them and haven't seen there in a long time, they will be more affordable, they will be more friendly toward anyone who isn't ordering a full dinner, and the thought of getting 40 some AMV creators to agree to a single meal makes me want to go cosplay. That being said I know a group of booths is not the ideal group dinner some of you had hoped for. Believe me when I say these are our two best options considering we won't have enough vehicles to move everyone this year (dinner got kind of popular it seems) but I don't think they are horrible choices. Let me know what your thoughts are and we'll go from there.

Hitori · Post by **Hitori** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:32 pm

It doesn't matter to me man! 8)
I'll be with the majority on where everyone wants to eat at...

And so far it's Carrabba's!

Machine · Post by **Machine** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:54 pm

Hitori wrote:It doesn't matter to me man! 8)
I'll be with the majority on where everyone wants to eat at...

And so far it's Carrabba's!

Likewise!

Red Wolf · Post by **Red Wolf** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 4:59 pm

Nothing like having a non-caring majority to win an election

Bloodyfäng · Post by **Bloodyfäng** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:13 pm

Personally, Carrabba's all the way

I do plan on being there.

SQ · Post by SQ » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:59 pm

Carrabba's if fine.
Sure, they don't have the perfect seating arrangements, but I don't see a problem in walking from booth to booth to say hi to people.

FurryCurry · Post by **FurryCurry** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 10:26 pm

Carraba's sounds fine to me as well.

Hitori · Post by **Hitori** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 10:28 pm

I know it's a little early in the election.. err..

Looks like Carraba's won the vote! 8)