OFCC Holiday MnG - Cincinnati

[bearkitty]

Time to get this rolling!!

I will scout a few locations this week, and try to get us in for Sat 12/1.

Please let me know if you are interested in attending, and feel free to offer suggestions on location and activities.

[Brian D.]

In the past we had good results with Golden Corral. In the plus column, being that the place is mostly self service, it makes things easier for the staff because by no means does everyone arrive at nearly the same time. If you pick a weeknight we can normally reserve the seperate conference room. Also, the menu is certainly varied enough to please most folks

On the downside, not everyone is enamored of the food there, nor do they all want to deal with buffet style dining. And, they typically won't let you book the conference room on weekends. Finally, there aren't as many GC's in existence as there were a couple years ago.

Some of the other regional M&G's seem to favor more traditional sit down restaurants, opting for places big enough that allow the group to be all together. Maybe not their own room, but at least their own section or corner. Otherwise having conversation with everyone at once becomes next to impossible.

I also recommend that someone bring 'Hell My Name Is...' stickers, helps greatly to identify fellow forumites who haven't met each other before.

Another thing that can be fun is to have a few door prizes and/or maybe some kind of contest. One time we had everyone write down their guess as to how many rounds of live ammo were in the room while we were all present. Closest to the actual total won some sort of tchotchke. (It was a three digit number as memory serves.)

[bearkitty]

Thanks Brian!

There is GC in Eastgate where I've done events in the past. I will check with them, and on other GC locations that may be available. I'm not personally a fan of buffets, but it works. There's also a Perkins here too - I think Youngstown is looking to do Perkins.

I have a very good IN with a restaurant in NKY (Newport) that would be fantastic, but I worry that's too far for some to go? It has a separate banquet room, and a diverse and affordable menu.

We could even cozy it up a bit by getting the clubhouse in my neighborhood (near Eastgate) and doing something a little pot-luck-ish.

I will definintely have name tags, some door prizes, and a couple of fun & simple games set up.

Stay tuned......and keep the ideas coming!

[Brian D.]

Thanks Brian!

There is GC in Eastgate where I've done events in the past. I will check with them, and on other GC locations that may be available. I'm not personally a fan of buffets, but it works. There's also a Perkins here too - I think Youngstown is looking to do Perkins.

I hope the Perkins out your way has better service than the last few I've tried to eat at around other parts of Cincytucky. At least three of them ahave gone belly up in our region, maybe more. Talk to people that used to eat at any of 'em and they all pretty much said 'good riddance'. It's like all the servers were sent to the same goshawful training facility or something.

Enough thread drift, sorry.

[fisher]

I'm interested. It has been a while for me.

[JediSkipdogg]

I was trying to plan one but haven't gotten around to working all the details out on here. I will say I spoke with the Bob Evans in Eastgate and with an advance notice they were more than willing to hold a section of a restaurant for us on a Sunday evening. They have a section that isn't totally isolated but has a wall semi-seperating it. They just wanted to know in advance and reminded about a week prior so they could bring in an extra server just for us.

I just wanted to throw that out as a possibility for us.

Perkins in Eastgate was the same way and has a wall separating the restaurant in half and was willing to put us on the second half. No guarantee they wouldn't sit others there, but they would do their best to keep others out.

I'm open for anywhere and have no problem checking out locations if needed. The first weekend of December I'm out for attending.

[mreising]

As Brian mentioned, it's difficult with a regular sit down restaurant because everyone needs to be there and seated at around the same time, otherwise the servers are taking orders everytime someone comes in and the orders often get "mixed up". I've got a class on Saturday the first but may be able to break away early if one of my partners stays for the late part.

[147Doc]

I'd vote for buffet, for the reasons given above - no set "get there" time.

We've done GC twice in M&Gs I've attended. Not great, not the worst.

Doing a quick Google search for "buffet restaurant CIncinnati" brought up a list of mostly "Chinese" places, but a couple of others, too.
There's a "Buffet Pizza" in West Chester - anyone know it? 4890 Duff Dr

[bearkitty]

There are Golden Corrals still in Colerain, Mason, and Eastgate. I will call around tomorrow and see what we can get for a weeknight event. That does seem to be the easiest and most flexible option so far.

If anyone likes the clubhouse idea, please let me know. I could do a big batch of something for an entree, but appetizers/sides would need to be volunteered. Drinks would mostly be BYO. A little more of a hassle than going to a restaurant, but a more private setting allowing for more conversation and freedom to come/go as needed. Just an idea.

[Lthrnck]

Well if you guys get it worked out... I would like to come.

[147Doc]

The clubhouse idea might work.

We could either make it potluck, or ask for donations and have some stuff catered or brought in from Costco or Boston Market or whatever. (You'd buy dinner at GC, wouldn't you?)

[JediSkipdogg]

Bearkitty, what community do you live in? Just curious as very few have a clubhouse (I guess most apartment places do) out by Eastgate and mine does. So kinda funny if we happen to live in the same community.

I think the clubhouse/potluck idea would be a little harder because then you have to arrange what food items someone can bring and well, that's generally a pain in the butt IMO.

Looking buffet style Golden Corral is about all that's left. There's Cici's Pizza as well, but that's not the greatest pizza in the world.

If someone needs me to check any places in the Eastgate area just let me know.

[Oakley-wannabe]

Thank you for taking this on, bearkitty. Whatever you decide to do, I will be there, if the date works.
~Laura

[MyWifeSaidYes]

As far as the date, I'd like to attend the Youngstown event to meet with Michael Porchien, a recently harassed OC'er. That date looks like Saturday, Dec. 1st, so far.

I'll be coming down from Columbus, so where doesn't matter.

[Oakley-wannabe]

Jedi, I am pretty sure the Eastgate Cici's is now Five Guys. I was just in there buying a gift card and it smells great, but is rather horribly florescently lit.
~Laura