Brisbane Gathering Oct 22-24, 2010 - The Program

[anat0l]

The Program

Click on the location names to read more information about them at the relevant websites.

Here is a Google Map with all locations noted

Friday 22 October

Pre-Dinner Drinks 5.30 pm - 7.45 pm
Bar Soma
4/22 Constance St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006

Casual bar on a split level with a small gallery on the lower level.

Cost of drinks will be that expected for an inner city bar.

A gap has been allowed for the walk to Oyama. Along the way, you can see Fortitude Valley light up.

Dinner 8.00 pm onwards
Oyama Japanese Restaurant (no official website)
115 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006

Here we will enjoy a Teppanyaki dinner, a Japanese culinary feast over a hot plate and performance all-in-one. Make sure you're awake, or you might just cop some flying food to the face! Vegetarians and those with allergies can be can be accommodated (chef will be advised).

Cost: $45 per person
This cost is for the cheapest Teppanyaki menu option (Sakura set), and does not include drinks. The Sakura set consists of:

• Salad
• Miso Soup
• Chicken Teriyaki
• Eye Fillet Steak
• Prawn
• Stir Fried Vegetables
• Fried Rice
• Fruits

Those who cannot eat the items above will have items substituted by the chef.


Saturday 23 October

Day Activity 10.00 am - 3.00 pm
Koala and River Cruise by Mirimar Cruises
Cast off: Cultural Centre Pontoon, outside Queensland State Library

Cruise down the Brisbane River on the Mirimar II to Lone Pine Sanctuary to cuddle a koala. Family and kids friendly.

Itinerary

• Boarding commences: 9.30 am - please be on time for boarding!
• Cast off from Cultural Centre: 10.00 am
• Arrive Lone Pine: 11.15 am
• Depart Lone Pine: 1.45 pm (i.e. 2.5 hours at Lone Pine Sanctuary)
• Arrive Cultural Centre: 3.00 pm

Cost: $55 / adult; $50 / concession (pensioner, senior, student); $33 / child (age 3 - 13)
Includes cruise ticket and entry to Lone Pine Sanctuary

Note that lunch is not included in the costs. There is a licensed restaurant on site.

Pre-Dinner Drinks 5.00 pm - 7.30 pm
The Groove Train
King George Square
100 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000

A table has been booked on an outside bench. The high / lack of roof should diffuse most noise, allowing everyone to talk without shouting.

We'll have tables inside if the weather turns ugly.

Dinner 7.30 pm onwards
Vapiano
Albert Lane, off the Queen Street Mall
191 Albert Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000

It's all Italian - order whatever you want. Split bills are very simple here thanks to their touch card billing system.

We'll be sitting upstairs near the herb garden.

Since there will be many people in our booking and in the restaurant, it is important that people that are really hungry get in line and get orders going ASAP...and collect some bread if you want it. Bars for drinks, coffee and desserts are located both upstairs and downstairs. See post below for details.


Sunday 24 October

Day Activity 6.30 am - 11.30 am
The AFF #4 Golf Challenge
The Brisbane Golf Club
Tennyson Memorial Avenue, Yeerongpilly, QLD 4105

Whether your blade of choice is pitch, iron or wood - or all of them - a call to the challenge is issued to you! Test your skill against your fellow AFFers and compete for the Australian Frequent Flyer Golf trophy. Spectators, caddies or walking enthusiasts are welcome.

There will be a prize for the winner (prizes gratefully supplied by munitalP and MAX_1).

Organisation thanks to MAX_1 and JohnK.

Note that all available spots for golf are now taken. Further participation will be granted on a waitlisting basis.

Cost: Contact JohnK for green fees. Spectators are free. Buggies will be paid on the day.

Please make sure you arrive on time - the tee-off times are very strict. There are also strict dress code requirements in place. Read the dress code from the golf club's website and avoid being disappointed.

Lunch 12.30 pm onwards
The Breakfast Creek Hotel
2 Kingsford Smith Drive, Albion, QLD 4010

In my opinion still one of the best places in Brisbane to get a great steak at a decent price.

Unfortunately for vegetarians, your options will be limited here.

 

[anat0l]

Sign up Form for AFF Gathering #4

If you are coming to AFF Gathering #4,

:arrow: please CLICK HERE to sign up :!::!::!:.

The sign-up form covers:

• Where you are staying
• Your inbound and outbound flights (for our non-BNE / non-OOL residents)
• What events you will be attending
• Other info: kids attending, dietary requirements, etc.

You do not need to fill out the entire form at once, although the asterisked parts must be filled in:

• Your handle
• What events you will be attending

When you answer if you are attending an event, you need to say how many people are attending. For example, if you are coming to an event (and only you), you need to select the radio button for "1" in the row corresponding to that event. If you and a partner are coming, you need to select the radio button for "2". If you aren't coming to an event, select "0 (Not Attending)". Note that children under 13 years are not included in this count (there is a separate text box later where you can specify how many kids under 13 years of age are coming to certain events - you will need to supply their ages).

If you need to update any information (i.e. provide new information or change others), just fill out the form again. Your latest set of responses will be used (i.e. new submissions add data to blanks in old submissions, or update-replace existing data in old submissions).

The sign up link will also be added to the program sticky thread.

I hope this works - this is the first time I've used Google Forms....

 

[NM]

The posts above is copied from the general discussion thread on this topic. Its here for clarify so people don't need to search the entire thread to find the program. Please post comments regarding this program in the original thread.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....s/aff-gathering-4-brisbane-october-23243.html

anat0l can edit the post above if there are changes to the program.

 

[NM]

This post has been requested by alat0l:

Saturday Night Dinner - Vapiano

Since there will be a large group of us at Vapiano for Saturday Dinner, I thought you should know a few things about how Vapiano works, how it's organised, etc. This understanding will help everyone's expectations and hopefully have a good time.

Payment

Payment at Vapiano works by touch card. You bring the touch card with you as you order items (including drinks at the bar). When the restaurant staff ask you, you touch the card against the reader, where they then add the relevant items to your account. When you leave the restaurant, simply present your card and pay for everything there.

This makes split bills very easy.

Take one card for every paying "group", i.e. a couple may take one card since a couple would normally pay their account together.

Do not lose your card. The cost of a lost card is $75. And no, do not get ideas of running up a tab greater than $75 then "losing" your card.

Ordering Food

There are four wait stations in the restaurant:

• Drinks / Bar / Dessert
• Pasta (a few wait stations)
• Pizza
• Salads and Antipasti

All of them are located on the ground floor of the restaurant, but there is a bar upstairs.

To order an item, you need to line up at the station according to what you want. The staff will call you forward for your order, scan your card to add to your account, then you can watch your meal being prepared right before your eyes!

• Basic drinks can be ordered at the same time as meals. Alcoholic drinks must be ordered at the bar.
• You will generally wait for your order to be cooked before you taking it away and leaving. Take this opportunity to collect a tray and some cutlery. The exception is pizzas: when you order a pizza, you will be given a buzzer, which then buzzes when your pizza is ready to collect.
• When you order pasta dishes, you will need to select both the style/sauce (see menus) as well as the pasta you want (e.g. spaghetti, penne, tagliatelle, etc.). A small placard next to the pasta stations will tell you which pastas you can choose from.
• With all food items, feel free to request some bread (you will normally get 3 slices of ciabatta on a small plate). Bread is free of charge.
• Feel free to ask for changes to ingredients when you order, e.g. omission of allergic items. Note that addition of some ingredients will attract additional charges.
• A potted plant of fresh basil, a bottle of balsamic vinegar and a bottle of olive oil is provided at every table.

Vapiano Menus (with prices):

• Antipasti
• Salads
• Pasta
• Gluten Free Options
• Pizza
• Coffee, Desserts and Liqueurs
• Beer, Spirits and coughtails
• Sparkling and White Wines
• Red Wines and Rose