65 Flett Not-toberfest
65 Flett Not-toberfest
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Information and Logistics Page
Sorry, no summary for impatient, vegetarian parents. And the party really starts at 4pm. If you're not planning on bringing children and just want to know when and where to show up to a party, no need to read further. I can be very longwinded without conveying much that is useful.
Lynn got really drunk last year
"Dan's late with everything. Frankly, I'm amazed he managed to throw the last two in October."- Joshua Koppelman
"'Not-toberfest'?! That's total bullsh*t."- Jeff Suarez
"I guess he'll keep throwing these until the trichinella spiralis larvae shut down his heart."- Erin Sawyer
"I have a very German sounding name. Daniel's mother always asks whether I'm single."- Heidi Schmidt
The official party start time is 4pm. All are welcome starting at 4pm, but some may choose to stay away until later.
If you plan on bringing young children, please consider arriving on the early side. The initial food offerings will include soft baked pretzels and other items better for young palates. Note that my apartment is not very childproof. I display my scissors collection at "young hands" height. (Fine. For the party, I'll store the collection at "drunk hands" height.) It's very likely that early attendees are willing to share child watch duty. Feel free to throw your kid into his or her Halloween costume to garner our oohs and ahhs and amortize the cost of that bumblebee onesie.
Also note that young children should be dressed somewhat warmly. I live on the first floor, and it's very hard to get the floor of my apartment warm. Since this is the latest in the year that I've thrown Oktoberfest, the house might be a bit cold.
Between 4pm and 7pm more food will be appearing.
During this time, I ask that guests maintain a child friendly atmosphere. No smoking, gambling, porn, drugs (well, the hard stuff, anyway), or murder. Please make an effort to watch your language. And absolutely no kickwalking.
After 7pm, I'll be okay with people loosening up into party mode and playing with fire, outlets, and household chemicals. Parental guidance is suggested.
Think of the first three hours as a playdate with some frantically eating single people mysteriously in attendance, the next three hours as feeding time at the pig farm (if the pigs were cannibals), and the last three hours as the antique-scissors-in-the-socket-ignited-ammonia-bomb party you always dreamed about overeating at.
I reserve the right to slink off to bed while others keep 'Festing. I'm not sure of my ability or desire to party for more than nine hours. Please do not burn down my apartment. Ignite ammonia bombs in the sink, bathtub, or yard only. Please do not rob me blind. Leave a note about what you're stealing so I know what to replace. Urinate in appropriate places only. (Sink, bathtub, or yard only.) Thanks in advance.
If you can give me an idea that you are attending and that you'll be bringing friends, that is appreciated. However, don't let lack of an RSVP prevent you from showing up or inviting people last minute.
If you choose to respond, I'd also appreciate an indication of whether you think you're going to eat dinner at the party or whether you'll have eaten before you arrive. I'm not sure whether this will actually affect how much I cook or not, but I'd like to have as much data as possible.
Any parents bringing young children, I'd very much appreciate a response, as that will help me decide about managing the first few hours of the party.
Feel free to pass the invitation along to others. No one has been purposely omitted, so the only potential faux pas to asking someone, "So, are you going to Daniel's Oktoberfest?" is my forgetfulness.
Invite anyone you think might be interested in joining us, except on duty police officers.
First, it's more than okay to show up empty handed.
Very little beer will be provided, and beer (or wine or other liquor) donations are encouraged. I'll have coolers and ice available.
Three comments:
"Party drinkable" beer can be considered a default contribution.
For those who wish to contribute food in the spirit of Oktoberfest, but don't know where to begin, bring sausages. Johnsonville brats from your local supermarket are fine. For the more epicurious, check out these sources:
If you have a favorite German dish, or even just feel motivated to contribute a party dish (egg rolls, fried plantains, whatever), feel free to bring it.
Also, an interesting mustard would be a good thing to contribute to the party.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be bugging friends for folding chairs, folding tables, coolers, and possibly some Saturday afternoon labor. If you have some of these things to volunteer, let me know.
Again, it's okay to show up empty handed.
Flett Road is off of Trapelo Road in Belmont, between Waverley Square and Cushing Square. There is a Belmont Savings Bank on the corner of Flett and Trapelo and a big CVS across the street from the end of Flett. I live near the far end of Flett Road from Trapelo.
Here is a Mapquest map.
On-street parking is available around the neighborhood. However, there is no overnight parking in Belmont. If you leave your car behind, there is some chance of a $15 parking ticket. On the nights the cops check, they check some time between 2am and 3am and again between 5am and 6am. A car that is there for both checks is considered to have parked overnight.
Carpooling and public transportation are encouraged.
The 73 bus runs from the lower level of Harvard Square T station past the end of Flett Road, but it doesn't stop right on our corner. Tell the driver you'd like to get off at Slade St. It takes about 16 minutes from Harvard Square. The bus will be traveling along Trapelo Road. When you get off the bus, keep walking in the direction the bus was traveling and cross Slade St. Flett Road is the next right, across the street from the big CVS. 65 Flett is almost all the way down Flett from Trapelo. The 73 Bus schedule can be looked at here. My apartment is located near the Waverley Square end of the route, so you can time your return trip based on being near Waverley. The last inbound bus is at 1:17am.
Also, the Fitchburg line of the commuter rail isn't too far away. 65 Flett is about a 15 minute walk from either the Belmont Center or the Waverly stop. Email me, and I can give you directions. See the Fitchburg Line.
The current menu is
If I get uber excited, I might add some of the following:
Again, if you respond to the invitation, an indication of whether you'll be eating is appreciated.
For the youngest, there will be soft pretzels and butter. For toddlers and above, no menu item is particularly spicy, so more adventurous young palates should be able to try just about anything.
There is a high probability that even the stuff one might believe is vegetarian is in fact not. For instance, the onion pie, cabbage, and potato salad are not vegetarian.
Depending on response, I may make vegetarian versions of those items this year, but I'm sure they won't be as tasty as the stuff consumed by people who don't care about their health, the environment, animals, or their own spiritual wellbeing.
Some things are, if there is such a thing, only slightly non-vegetarian. For instance, the potato salad contains chicken bouillon but is otherwise vegetarian.
The pretzels, Obatzter, and cucumber salad are the likely (lacto-ovo-)vegetarian options. I know that's not much (unless I make the vegetarian items listed above).
Also, vegetarians are welcome to contribute food items that they can eat.
Those who keep kosher are likewise rather restricted. Not only is there pork in all kinds of unexpected places ("Daniel, this cake is delicious! What's your secret?" "Lard."), but there is butter in all kinds of places, too, making the meat-dairy separation difficult: "Dan, great martini! What's in it?" "Butter. And a little lard." If you're keeping kosher, your best bet is to ask me at the party what's safe.
Vegans. So, the atomized butter and pork fat that have infused the walls of my apartment over the years may make entering my house like a re-enactment of the Amityville Horror: "Get out!" But vegans tend to be overwhelmingly young, white, not overweight people, exactly the demographic that does the stupidest things in horror movies. So, feel free to walk very slowly backwards into the party with a flashlight with dying batteries, and I'm sure that I can find you some crackers and peanut butter.
There are some birthdays that occur in pretty close proximity to November 1st. If anyone would like to put in a word about celebrating (or not celebrating) a particular birthday, let me know. By default, birthdays will not be mentioned.
Phone: 617-645-5737. That's 617-MILK-REP.
Email: danielwakabayashi AT gmail DOT com