AFF Gathering #3, Sydney, October 23-25, 2009

[Keith009]

Of course, it'd help v greatly if people came up with suggestions for alternative venues if they have strong objections to the ones already suggested.

 

[Keith009]

• Saturday post-dinner drinks (I assume this will happen? :shock:

Paging the SYD locals for suggestions - Febs and Alanslegal especially I'm looking at you.

 

[notzac]

Of course, it'd help v greatly if people came up with suggestions for alternative venues if they have strong objections to the ones already suggested.

In all honesty, it's a good opportunity to catch up with other friends in SYD - so it's not too upsetting for me to miss out on the group meals. There's also the small point that I wouldn't have the faintest idea of where or what is good

 

[munitalP]

In all honesty, it's a good opportunity to catch up with other friends in SYD - so it's not too upsetting for me to miss out on the group meals. There's also the small point that I wouldn't have the faintest idea of where or what is good

Din Tai Fung has meat free dishes - a friend who has eaten previously with us has stuck to the vege, chicken and tofu options - and loved it swearing he would return..

Anyway, we could go elsewhere - would be a shame for you not to come notzac, lets find somewhere else...

JK - if you are not coming along because you don't like the restaurants, thats cool - you too had the opportunity to put forward ideas, i think the travel to brighton from the city just wasn't appealing to most...

Shame...


Mr!

 

[JohnK]

JK - if you are not coming along because you don't like the restaurants, thats cool - you too had the opportunity to put forward ideas, i think the travel to brighton from the city just wasn't appealing to most...

Brighton in October is heaps better than the Rocks at any time of the year. By the way it didn't have to be Brighton just a restaurant that has a choice of meals like seafood or steak and not forced into ordering set menus. I may only want an entree or just a main meal. Unfortunately I have no interest in dumplings or German food.

Shame...

It is not a shame. The group made a decision and some people get left out. The same thing happened with Ozfest in Cairns. I prefer to eat in a good restaurant that is value for money rather than a restaurant which has a name and overpriced food. We are all different.

Same goes for drinks. Why not choose a pub that has reasonable priced beers, spirits and wines than a place that is "so-called" trendy bar and charges an arm and a leg for drinks.

 

[notzac]

Din Tai Fung has meat free dishes - a friend who has eaten previously with us has stuck to the vege, chicken and tofu options - and loved it swearing he would return..

Anyway, we could go elsewhere - would be a shame for you not to come notzac, lets find somewhere else...

I could be convinced to give it a go But, I'd rather not inconvenience the majority, so I don't mind either way. Hows about dumplings for lunch, I can have dinner with a mate of mine and meet everyone at the Loewenbrau beer place afterwards?

Same goes for drinks. Why not choose a pub that has reasonable priced beers, spirits and wines than a place that is "so-called" trendy bar and charges an arm and a leg for drinks.

Speaking purely for myself - because most pubs have cough gin and can't make a coughtail to save themselves if I feel like something fancier.

 

[oz_mark]

Here are the menu's and cost for Saturday night "Oktober Fest" dinner - please indicate the menu that most suits - should we poll this?

I vote for #3
​

 

[Keith009]

Speaking purely for myself - because most pubs have cough gin and can't make a coughtail to save themselves if I feel like something fancier.

Amen to that. Seeing that I don't really drink beer unless I absolutely have to. Some Belgian and German beers are ok though.

 

[oz_mark]

Of course, it'd help v greatly if people came up with suggestions for alternative venues if they have strong objections to the ones already suggested.

Anyway, we could go elsewhere - would be a shame for you not to come notzac, lets find somewhere else...

If anyone has any alternate suggestions for lunch would be happy to hear them...

 

[drewbles]

Count me in as a possible for Sat night and Sunday festivities. Whilst i'm not well known here, there's a large contingent of crossover members with another certain frequent-flyer related aviation forum

As i'm flying back from the US on the morning of the 24th, I won't be able to make the lunch, and the dinner doesn't really interest me (have eaten at both places suggested and the food is overpriced and not very good) but the Harbour Cruise and general BLounging sounds good.

Surely people have some other suggestions for food on the Sat night? It's Sydney. There's a slew of good places in Newtown and around the City with better food that's more reasonably priced (although if you're only in it for the beer, the originally mentioned venues are good for that).

*edit*
There's a place on Kent Street that does Mongolian "stir fry" called Genghis Khan. It's a lot quieter than the beer places (You can't hear a thing at either of them when it's busy) and its suitable for the vegos and meat lovers (it's put stuff in bowl, hand to chefs around a big hot plate). It's a big place and does group bookings. Just a random suggestions for somewhere that's accommodating to most dietary requirements and is only a few minutes from Town Hall - http://www.genghiskhanrestaurant.com.au/

*edits again*
Looks like they've moved to King Street Wharf. Still, it's not out of the way and a nice walk down there

 

[munitalP]

one person starts coughing about something then a whole band wagon joins in....

I throw my hands up in defeat

This is a joke - oz-mark has put effort into this, I have put effort into this and there's not a single gram of appreciation to the efforts so far. I spent hours yesterday on the phone and sending emails back and forth - I'm about to say stuff it and let one of the "others" who are so full of good ideas take over...

As for the last post - you could have had your say a month ago, in fact, a week ago even up to 2 days ago -

Originally Posted by QF009
Of course, it'd help v greatly if people came up with suggestions for alternative venues if they have strong objections to the ones already suggested.


I agree 100% QF009


:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[kpc]

As one of the longest members (not necessarily with a huge number of posts tho) on this site, it saddens me when I see what should be a fun gathering degenerating into a cough session about venues etc. I thought the main purpose of w/e's like this were to meet others like ourselves who enjoy travel, to swap travel tales, advice, schemes etc to maximise our travel experience; some of these we may prefer to discuss privately as opposed to placing it publically on such a travel forum; and such w/e's are ideal.

Whilst the venue is important, obviously with the varied backgrounds and tastes of the members here, what is finally chosen will never be acceptable to every one. We should applaud those like Oz_Mark and munitaIP and anyone else who have put their hand up to organise these things...I'm very grateful for that! I'm not a big fan of German food, but am willing to try it and will attend the Sat dinner (or whereever else is finally chosen!), but really am more interested in swapping travel tales, experiences with others as well as meeting other like minded travel souls.

We will never find a restaurant etc that EVERYONE is happy with!

 

[notzac]

This is a joke - oz-mark has put effort into this, I have put effort into this and there's not a single gram of appreciation to the efforts so far. I spent hours yesterday on the phone and sending emails back and forth - I'm about to say stuff it and let one of the "others" who are so full of good ideas take over...

Mr! All your hard work is most certainly appreciated.
I guess I'm just used to keeping my dietary prejudices to myself and eating elsewhere on my own time - it makes things easier for everyone - so I haven't bothered to say anything up to now. I also have no idea where to eat, so I can't add anything constructive to the conversation.

 

[oz_mark]

List of confirmed for Sat dinner

anat01
QF009 + 1
munitalP + 1
Hvr
Flashware
Bundy Bear
tuapekastar
kpc
serfty + 1
oz_mark + 1

plus, of course, our industry guests

 

[drewbles]

We will never find a restaurant etc that EVERYONE is happy with!

I was not intending to stir the pot, far from it.

I also appreciate the effort people put into finding somewhere.

I was also just offering suggestions of a venue with a broader option of menu items (rather than 2 that basically do meat, or nothing).

I'll bow out now and leave options to others.

Sorry if I riled anyone up :-|

 

[anat0l]

I haven't said anything because I'm not that fussy.

I'm going to this DO to meet people, have a good chat and a good time.

Maybe I can be charged as guilty for not being thankful to the organisers, so let me be a bit crass and rectify that now by offering my heartfelt thanks to oz_mark, munitalP et al.

I don't know SYD so I don't know of any good restaurants to recommend. I went to Bather's Pavilion once, but that is in North Shore and probably comes across as too expensive and too far (combination of those two reasons) for almost everyone involved here.

Personally, I'm glad with whatever comes out and I appreciate those that constructively aim to organise it. I will admit guilt right now in that I cannot be more helpful and I will plead ignorance and non-diligence as reasons. But I am coming to this DO and Saturday dinner to meet people, have a chat and a good time - food and drink merely facilitates this. I don't see it as the main reason. I don't care if the restaurant is a McDonalds-wannabe or a Michelin star venue, nor do I care whether a beer costs $3 or $13. These are obvious exaggerations, but for more reasonably smaller differences the squabble that is occurring right now is - IMHO - far detracting from the aims of the event.

 

[notzac]

*&$#&^$@#&*@#%@$!!!

I just called the hotel I was going to stay at to get rates etc and they're closing down. Sorry, just had to share.

 

[anat0l]

Just had a meeting with one of the people who I am working with for this case study I have in South Africa. Turns out that the "optimal" dates for me to be on site over there has an end date of..... 23/10....

I'm hoping to test the waters a bit on this one so I can still make this DO, particularly as all my fares are non-refundable ....

Wish me luck....

 

[Keith009]

As one of the longest members (not necessarily with a huge number of posts tho) on this site, it saddens me when I see what should be a fun gathering degenerating into a cough session about venues etc. I thought the main purpose of w/e's like this were to meet others like ourselves who enjoy travel, to swap travel tales, advice, schemes etc to maximise our travel experience; some of these we may prefer to discuss privately as opposed to placing it publically on such a travel forum; and such w/e's are ideal.

Whilst the venue is important, obviously with the varied backgrounds and tastes of the members here, what is finally chosen will never be acceptable to every one. We should applaud those like Oz_Mark and munitaIP and anyone else who have put their hand up to organise these things...I'm very grateful for that! I'm not a big fan of German food, but am willing to try it and will attend the Sat dinner (or whereever else is finally chosen!), but really am more interested in swapping travel tales, experiences with others as well as meeting other like minded travel souls.

We will never find a restaurant etc that EVERYONE is happy with!

Wot he said.

Having said that, if any Sydneysiders have any deeply held objections to the venues suggested or any alternative suggestions at all (because, funnily enough, you'd know better than non-locals) - can I ask you to *please* contact the organisers (oz_mark, munitalP or myself) whilst plans are still relatively amendable. The same goes for dietary requirements. As much as we won't find a restaurant that everyone is happy with, I want venues that will be satisfactory to most. Compromise and consensus.

I will scan the thread from the start for posts on drink venue suggestions but do please feel free to throw in ideas or guidelines (as i'm not familiar with the Sydney scene)! Or better yet, join in to organise!

 

[Keith009]

Just had a meeting with one of the people who I am working with for this case study I have in South Africa. Turns out that the "optimal" dates for me to be on site over there has an end date of..... 23/10....

I'm hoping to test the waters a bit on this one so I can still make this DO, particularly as all my fares are non-refundable ....

Wish me luck....

Oh no... Good luck!