Alex

Ronnie, what does that 1 p.m. mean? I hope we'll have access to the church kitchen before then. With all the shopping and prepping and cooking, much of the meal itself won't be until well after that, I'm pretty sure. Is that the start of noshing time?

Dessert - of course - for me. Ah, but what to make. Perhaps a couple of apple or pear cakes, great with chantilly cream. Also we could make some creme brulee chocolates - a la Kee's. ← I had to look: Kee's Chocolates

This is scientifically incorrect. The air pressure inside and outside the bag are the same. ← Dave, could you explain your reasoning? I'm a social, not a physical, scientist, and my last college physics class was over 40 years ago, but it seems apparent to me that the air pressure is greater outside the bag. Think of a filled automobile tire at sea level, for example. The air pressure inside the tire is, say, 32 psi; outside the tire is the normal atmospheric pressure of ~14.7 psi. This is why a puncture can cause an explosive blowout. Conversely, then, if virtually all the air is removed from a container, the air pressure will be greater on the outside. Hence, the contents are "under pressure" from the atmosphere (and, technically, the water they're submerged in). I don't know if it was intended this way, but I think the title is a clever turnaround of the warning one often sees on aerosol containers: "Caution: Contents Under Pressure."

I'd definitely like to make something. What I have in mind is a cool (temperature-wise, although it's the other cool as well) tomato-watermelon-mint soup. I'm assuming that with all the food we're likely to have, folks would want smaller servings, perhaps 4-6 oz. With a couple of sous chefs and a food processor or two, I can make enough for all 90. I agree with your approach, Tammy. Also, as you mentioned a couple of days ago, some dishes would be fine plated, others family style (assuming we have enough servingware).

CHOCOLATE!!

Blackbird and TVH aren't close to each other (3 miles), so I assume you'd like to stay near TVH. There are a couple of B&Bs not far from there, but they usually require at least a two-night stay during the summer. The closest one, which is within walking (or staggering) distance, is Wicker Park Inn. You can try calling them to see if they'd make an exception. Rooms are $129 and up, with free parking. If that doesn't work out, several of us are staying at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. It's not at all close to TVH (~4¼ miles) and about 1¼ miles from Blackbird, but I'm sure there'll be folks to share a cab with. Parking is $36 per 24 hrs. w/o in-and-out privileges, $48 with. If you can catch a good rate on Priceline (see my post about this), it would be worth it.

The Best Western would be a good choice for someone arriving on Saturday or maybe Friday. I see you're in on Thursday, though, so I think that staying in or near central Chicago is a better option. You'll be centrally located for all the non-Saturday events, there's more to do and see during your non-eG time, plus it's an easy train or cab ride to Evanston. At least four of us, and possibly more, are staying at the Hyatt Regency Chicago because of a terrific deal via Priceline.com ($59/night for most of us). It's close to Michigan Ave and about a half-mile walk to the CTA trains (aka the "L"). If you want to try the Priceline route, select "Name your own price," then when you get to the Chicago page select "Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area" and "4-star Deluxe." Enter 59.00 as the bid and see what happens. Even 79/night would be a good price. It's a big hotel, so I suspect there'll still be rooms on Priceline. However, if that doesn't work out, you can try the "North Michigan Ave - River North Area" and see if there are any 4-star places there. That area is just north of The Loop, on the other side of the Chicago River. The Loop is generally thought of as the central section of downtown Chicago. The term "Loop" refers to the elevated train tracks and the earlier streetcar circuit. The Wikipedia entry has a more complete explanation. I've found the CTA maps ((like this one) to be very useful.

Speaking of specific courses and what people want to make, I've volunteered to head up organizing the food for the Saturday banquet. Our large size is going to require a different approach to logistics than we have typically taken. Look for a post from me this weekend to begin a discussion around that! ← I've been wondering about the logistics of cooking dinner for such a large crowd. The gatherings in Ann Arbor and Cleveland were much smaller than this one. I know that you, Randi, and NancyH have all cooked for big groups. I suspect that many of us will find the scale of the whole thing just a wee bit daunting. It's gonna be fun, no doubt! ← Keep in mind, though, that you don't have to cook for 90. I'm sure there will be plenty of contributors. Tammy's getting ready to post about this...

Yeah, she clued me in on that. (I love that "sleeping dictionaries" term -- I never heard that before.) In my first few months in Japan I taught at a juku in a newer and relatively affluent part of Hamamatsu. There was an excellent French restaurant down the street that was way out of my price range for dinner but had an affordable and excellent prix fixe lunch. After eating there a few times, the owner or manager started talking with me, but for the life of me I couldn't understand what he was asking, as his English was as pitiful as my Japanese. We finally figured out that we both knew some French, or so we thought. It turned out that he planned to pursue the English-speaking market, primarily Australian businessmen, so he wanted to know how to describe various ingredients or dishes in English.

There are so many variables it's almost impossible to give a general time frame. When I lived in Japan, I never worked at a restaurant but did eat out a lot. I learned most of my useful Japanese while hanging out in a local bar or from a Japanese woman I briefly was involved with. (And yes, you could consider both of those as pieces of advice.) By the time I moved back to the US, I still didn't know a lot of basic vocabulary but could order food and ask food-related questions pretty well. I also knew a modest amount of curse words and phrases. As in Germany there also are dialect issues in Japanese between the north and the south, but others are more knowledgeable than I about this.

OK, one more -- Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times

Sweets & Savories hosted a special foie gras dinner on May 22 (I couldn't be there ) for $75 pp. (I haven't seen any reports here or on LTH yet. Anyone...?) Chef Richards is pretty accommodating, so I'm wondering he'd put together a foie tasting menu if you and perhaps three others request it far enough in advance. Worth a try...

OK, we now have two more, so let's consider any interested folks from here on in as tentative. I should have more information about that sixth spot a little later on this summer. ← Well, those two more are no more, so we're back to looking for two or three interested folks. ← We're now at four, possibly five, so there's still room for one or two more congenial companions. Also, instead of Lucia, we'll be going to Terragusto. (Here's the eG thread.) It's very close to the Addison stop on the Brown Line. After dinner it would entail a short walk (less than ¼ mile) to Damen then a brief bus ride down to TVH. Terragusto uses local ingredients whenever possible and their menu changes monthly. It's still reasonably priced -- $37.50 for the chef's tasting menu (required if we're six; optional otherwise) or for the three-course "The Italian Dinner," or possibly less if ordering à la carte. Plus it's BYOB for a $1 pp "recycling fee." Again, please send me a PM if you're interested.

Saved.

OK, we now have two more, so let's consider any interested folks from here on in as tentative. I should have more information about that sixth spot a little later on this summer. ← Well, those two more are no more, so we're back to looking for two or three interested folks.

OK, we now have two more, so let's consider any interested folks from here on in as tentative. I should have more information about that sixth spot a little later on this summer.

I've been thinking recently that rather than starting off the Gathering at Blackbird, I'd like to have a more intimate (and less expensive) dinner at a table of no more than six. As of today I have a commitment from two, possibly three, others, so I'm looking for two or three more like-minded eG'ers/guests. This would be on Thursday, of course, probably around 7:30-8:00 p.m. I'm thinking that Lucia would be a good choice. I like the looks of the menu, the write-ups are mostly good, it's BYOB (we can coordinate that later), and it's easy walking distance from The Violet Hour and the Damen stop on the Blue Line. If you're interested, please send me a PM.

Yes, definitely -- or the deli, depending on what kind of food strikes you at the moment.

For dinner in East Lansing, I recommend Restaurant Villegas. Unfortunately, their web site is being renovated, but there's some info on eG if you do a search. Detroit's a big city. Could you be more specific about what kind of food you're interested in, where in the city you'll be, etc?

Definitely the best aphorism I've run across in years!

I've never taken the MegaBus but I've heard great things about it from those who have. I imagine that Union Station would be fine at that hour because it's right in the heart of the city and I'm guessing that even at that hour, there will plenty of other traffic there. If you wanted, you could probably wait inside Union Station, by the train lines and go outside a few minutes before the scheduled arrival. So, you wouldn't have to stand out on the street if it's raining or whatever. =R= ← I agree with Ronnie. According to megabus.com, their stop is on the east side of Canal between Jackson and Adams. There's a cab stand on Jackson at Canal, just outside an entrance to Union Station, so there should be people around.

I'd also like to remind folks about Priceline.com. Courtesy of a heads-up from CaliPoutine (and, of course, William Shatner), I picked up a $59/night room at the four-star Hyatt Regency Chicago. Please PM if you're not familiar with how Priceline works.

I guess it's time to start buying those five-pound foodservice boxes. More seriously, though, the numbers you mentioned reflect about a 28% increase in the retail price. Do you think this is unreasonable given the ~80% increase in the cost of wheat futures since last summer, with a corresponding increase in the wholesale price of flour, plus the huge increase in the price of gasoline and other petroleum products?

Alex, I believe I could venture down the southern spur into Cadillac. What is your recommendation? Leelanau County wasn't originally part of my itinerary, but now that two of you have mentioned it, what's a 'must do' there? Also, thank you for the link to the MTRA's site. I have been there many times and the information they have is extremely useful. Thanks again, Melissa ← In Cadillac, I'd go to Hermann's European Cafe. Not high-end cooking, but good, reliable food and a decent wine selection. (Buy a bottle at the adjoining wine shop and pay just a $7 corkage fee.) Just a little ways from Empire is La Bécasse. "French Country Dining," as they say. Very nice. In Traverse City, I'm a big fan of Amical. Good food, local ingredients when possible, reasonable prices. Also just outside TC, at the Grand Traverse Resort is Aerie. I haven't eaten there, but eG'er Ted Cizma (although I haven't seen him post for a while now) was the executive chef at startup a year ago (I assume he's still there), so it's probably good. There are lots of wineries in the area; if you're interested I can recommend a few.

I can give you some suggestions for Leelanau County and Traverse City (and from there to Petoskey, but that's off your route), but east of that, I'm blank. I do have one recommendation for Cadillac, at the end of the southern spur of the trail. Let me know... Here's some horse-related info about the trail.