[BALUG-Admin] BALUG 2008-09-16 meeting

[Michael Paoli]

Andrew,

Per our communications yesterday regarding BALUG 2008-09-16 meeting:

Web site tweaks.  Per your suggestion, - I did add Songbird (and link)
to the address where we have it show on our main web page.
Additionally, I tweaked the Google map URL slightly, so it does now also
show with a label for the location (giving date, time, event, etc.)
$10.00 (instead of $13.00) charged for dinner? - let me know if you
definitely want to (and can) run with $10.00 (instead of $13.00) and if
we're absolutely going with pizza, and I'll make those updates to the
web site too (see also details about pizza and cost estimates further
below).  If you want, can also mention in announcements something like:
$<price> for dinner (North Beach Pizza - "San Francisco's Most Awarded",
sodas, and some salad).

Announcements, etc. - "encouraging" RSVPs ... perhaps some wording
roughly* like:
If you're intending to come, *PLEASE* RSVP (to rsvp@balug.org) for our
2008-09-16 meeting (and if at all possible, by not later than 11:00 A.M.
that day), as we'll want to appropriately size our timely pizza
delivery, *and*, in the unlikely event RSVPs exceed capacity (this venue
has likely ample but somewhat less space than our regular meeting
venue), we'd like to be able to update folks if and when we might not
have the capacity to accommodate them.  If we encounter a resource/space
issue, PRIORITY will go to those who RSVP and SHOW UP ON TIME (meeting
starts at 6:30 P.M.).
*okay, so it could perhaps use some better marketing+"encouragement"
touches, but I did say "roughly" :-)

Sodas - another *possibility* occurred to me - that might work better
than you or someone from Untangle dragging a bunch of chilled cans to
the meeting from Untangle:
*IF*, by chance, Songbird happens to do free beverages (most notably canned
sodas) for their employees and regularly stocks such, perhaps with your
contacts there, it might be feasible to arrange:
o Have them stock up and chill a somewhat larger supply for BALUG
   2008-09-16 than they might otherwise stock and have chilled and
   on-hand (e.g. increase by whatever they would typically consume of
   sodas in a typically day multiplied by 75 and divided by number of
   employees they have at that location)
o BALUG folks there that are paying for dinner get sodas as they wish to
   consume there, from above mentioned chilled stock,
o "we" (BALUG) reimburse (and possibly even front an estimate) costs to
   Songbird of sodas or estimated sodas consumed by BALUG at some agreed
   upon rate (e.g. some set amount per can consumed (and count cans
   taken) based on Songbird's approximate costs, or based upon an
   estimated consumption (e.g. say 1.3 cans per BALUG paid dinner
   attendee)).
The above would have the advantages of avoiding having cans schlepped
from Untangle to BALUG meeting (and excess schlepped back or otherwise dealt
with).  Also, if Songbird's interested, could also ask them if they
would simply want to sponsor/donate the sodas.

Pizza(!) :-) ... I did call North Beach Pizza (1-415-433-2444), and do
some planning/estimation for an order.  My rough calculations have us
coming out at a bit under $10.00/head (over $9.00/head), including tax,
but not including tip or any beverages.  I got a ballpark recommended
estimate from them of 15 large pizzas for 50 people, plus a modest bit
of salad (much less than the recommended salad amount I got from them on
the phone - but I was guestimating between 75% and 80% of folks would
mostly to entirely skip the salad).  For salad estimate, I tossed in
one of their half tray "big" salads (says serves 10 to 12, but I'm not
sure if that amount is for the half, or full tray).  If we have more, or
less people, we can adjust order size for 6:30 P.M. / 6:45 P.M. delivery
as long as we get order adjustments to them before noon.  Manager wasn't
available when I called - can probably get hold of manager at some other
time, and refine food sizing and order lead-time (and order
change/adjustment lead-time) requirements a bit better - but those are
likely fairly accurate ballpark estimates.  At this time they've got my
name and (my work) number, and the event address, date, and approximate
delivery time (I told them between 6:30 P.M. and 6:45 P.M.).  We should
probably change the contact name/number as we get closer (e.g. so they
can call you on your cellular).  Pizza types - I'd recommend we keep it
fairly simple for us, our attendees, and the restaurant - they have
their "House Specials" pizzas - I'd recommend we pick among those
(they're probably much more familiar with cranking those out fairly fast
without confusion or error), and keep the number of distinct types we
get fairly small (somewhat less choice will be faster and more
efficient, as folks will pick and grab what they want more quickly, as
compared to mulling over 6 or 8 different types to pick from, less
choices also work better if we end up a bit crowded with people in our
space there and where and how we lay out the pizzas).
Among dietary considerations, reasonable accommodations, etc.,
we'll likely have moderate percentage of vegetarians,
others that come up frequently/occasionally and are fairly easy to
accommodate: allergy to mushrooms and allergy to black pepper (the
latter probably not an issue for these).  Most anything else that comes
up will either work with at least one of the pizzas we select (or
salad), or be too incompatible such that they'd typically not go for our
group dining arrangement anyway.
For approximately 3 or so types, I might suggest/recommend, and sizing
for 50 for now (can adjust quantities up to noon that day):
unless otherwise stated, all pizzas include mozzarella and tomato sauce,
numbers are qty. suggestions (for 50 people), pizza sizes large:
For the carnivores/omnivores:
8 North Beach Special
(Pepperoni, green pepper, sausage, mushrooms and onions)
   (or alternatively (and more carnivorously inclined):
     8 Coit Tower Special
     (Mushrooms, sausage, salami, and pepperoni)
   )
something different, likely pretty popular, and sans mushrooms:
4 Barbary Coast Special
(BBQ Sauce, Chicken, Bacon Pieces, Green Onions & Red Onions)
   (or alternatively:
     4 Aloha Special
     (Canadian bacon, ham, and pineapple)
   )
vegetarians (and omnivores can also eat it):
3 Vegetarian Special
(Fresh tomatoes, green peppers, onions, black olives and mushrooms)
and vegetarian and to round things out:
1 Half (or possibly Full?) Tray Big Salad (dressings on the side)
and also ask for (complimentary):
Parmesan and crushed red pepper condiments adequate for pizzas ordered;
paper plates, napkins for anticipated folks (non-sharable - round up)
utensils/bowls (e.g. for up to 25% to eat salad, random person that
wants to cut a slice of pizza in half, etc.)
Other random notes: their large pizzas are 16" (or so they claim),
they slice the large ones into 16 slices (at 15 pizzas for 50 people,
that's 4.8 slices (32% of a pie) average per person - likely a pretty
good ample, but not (too) excessive estimate (seems likely about right
for dinner, with alternatives being soda and salad with most folks
passing on the salad); I've had their pizza once before - pretty/rather
good quality (definitely pretty well above average! :-))), crusts are
fair thickness (not thin), topping quantities are rather generous (and
being rather good, generous quantities will disappear in front of a
hungry crowd a bit faster than one might guess, at least compared to the
more run-of-the-mill/average pizza delivered in a box).
http://www.northbeachpizza.com/
http://www.northbeachpizza.com/menu.htm

San Francisco Giants - schedule currently has them at away game on
2008-09-16 - so that's much better than a home game, particularly for
our meeting venue that day.