65 Flett Oktoberfest
65 Flett Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 17, 2009
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.
This is a picture from some imitation Oktoberfest. She's drinking Mexican beer!
Unbelievable.
"If we're not on track, my team can't go."- Todd McClain
"It's my first weekend off the rock after five months. I'm hoping to find something better to do."- Jess Scott
"Do you know if the owner has fire insurance?"- Victor Preciado
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 particularly childproof. It's not like I store my household chemicals in brightly colored bottles with cartoon animal head caps, but I also don't have tricky closure devices on my cupboards and stuff. I tried that once. I kept having to order takeout because I couldn't get at the food. And because I couldn't figure out how to open the trash can, I had to leave the containers all around the apartment, getting moldy, gathering fruit flies. It was terrible! Finally, I had to give up, unscrew all that stuff, and get back to living my life. That was like four years ago. I have high aims to throw all those food containers out before the party.
Seriously, kids are welcome. I might play Kiki's Delivery Service or something similarly child-friendly on the DVD in the afternoon. If we have enough interest, I might run a "make your own pretzel" activity for older kids. Let me know if you think that would be a good idea.
Also note that young children should have some warm clothes for backup. I live on the first floor, and it's very hard to get the floor of my apartment warm. The temperature might be fine for a full sized, full height adult, but if your* only 30 pounds, all of which is within 30 inches of the floor, it might get cold.
* I'm part of the IT group, so I'm forbidden to spell any homonym of "yor" correctly.
There will be a baby monitor available in the afternoon, and kids can sleep in one of the quiet rooms. Later on, there won't be quiet rooms. But what kind of parent are you, taking you're infant to a beer-swilling, pork-chugging debauch?! Seriously, at 8pm, I'm calling child services on yor drunk *ss.
Between 4pm and 7pm more food will be appearing.
During this time, I ask that guests maintain a child friendly atmosphere. No cursing, no swinging golf clubs, no huffing. No pushing of children out of the way so you can get the food. (All the good stuff will be kept out of reach of those little terds who can't appreciate it anyway. One kid cried two years ago when we gave him stinky cheese. What a baby! You're two years old; act your age! You can eat the stinky cheese and the pickled cabbage like a big boy, or we can put the dirndl on you. It's up to you.) And absolutely no ostentatious enjoying of sweets while you keep a stiff arm on the forehead of a reaching child. That's just rude. Unless it's the last piece, and it's really good. Then it's perfectly acceptable. Around 65 Flett, we call that move "The Telis."
After 7pm, I'll be okay with people loosening up into party mode. I'll break out the paper bags, pull the cartoon animal heads off the spray cans, and we can have a good, old fashioned Oktoberfest, with lederhosen, oompah music, and paint smudged on our faces from our noses to our chins. Parental guidance is suggested.
As usual, 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 leave a note about what you're stealing so I know what to replace. Please put the sofa cushion back down when you're done urinating. 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.
A 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. Trader Joe's Hofbrau Brats are okay, too. (You know, if they can have a Trader Giotto and a Trader Ming, how about a Trader Johann? Where's the love? Hofbrau, my *ss.)
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 Google maps link.
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.
Alma and Tatiana are expected to be there. If you don't know them, I guess they're not all that special, but if you do know them, and haven't seen them in a while, come see them.
Our pledge of naming quality: "We will never call the event 'Rock-toberfest.'"
Phone: 617-645-5737. That's 617-MILK-REP.
Email: danielwakabayashi AT gmail DOT com