[T-PARTY12] Wonderland Homebaking Teaparty/ies

By Lowkey. 15/06/11, 03:09 pm

Wasn't sure where to put this, so...

Would anybody be keen for a Wonderland-themed national CNZ meetup styled after a teaparty, where everybody would be requested to bring some home baking or some tea / coffee / lemonade &c? I know there are tons of bakers on the forums (brownies especially, brownies and cupcakes...) and while mailing baked goods is possible, there's nothing quite like sharing your favourite cookie, sponge, or cupcake freshly iced and decorated.

We'd have to pick a location (I'd vote Wellington because it means it will be easier for me to organize a venue) and a date - probably next year since this year is full up and people probably won't have time or money. We could tack it to the end of Wellygeddon, possibly, to reduce the number of flights people have to make, or something.

I'd possibly see about getting the Wellington population to get together to make a centerpiece tiered cupcake display or cake, and then everybody would be requested to bring either a baked good of some sort, a tea or beverage, their spare mis-matched china, or some sort of cover fee. South Island would be excused baking duties on account of how challenging airplaning with food can be. If scheduled for summer, there could even be a picnic or beach-barbecue theme instead, with the appropriate design challenge attached: mad hatter in a swimsuit? With the right venue and proportion of cosplayers to plainclothes, it would also be a neat photoshoot opportunity, potentially.

Been bouncing the idea off of people and most of them have said "yes," or "i am not opposed," but while I'd still be keen to do this for a small group, I'm interested to see how much interest is out there. I'd organize the heck out of it from here so all most people would have to do is show up with a top hat and a basket of scones, really.

Thoughts?

By Tails. 15/06/11, 04:42 pm

I have to say I would definitely come along Very Happy

The trouble is everyone getting there if this is a nationwide CNZ event, but if you plan well ahead and time it right I think it could work. Good theme choice too btw, can't say I know many cosplayers that don't have something Wonderland themed in their closets!

By firecat70. 15/06/11, 04:52 pm

This sounds like a really cool idea!

I am not 100% sure if I will be able to make it but I'd like to try. Wellington is neat! If it was around Wellygeddon, would it be on the Monday or something? (Is that holiday time?! I have no clue... if not I guess it would be a challenge for people who go to school/uni, especially since those of us who live outside of Wellington would probably need to take an additional day for travelling back home)
Since it is far enough in advance I am sure people from other places could try to organise group transportation, hopefully for cheaper than normal.

By **seraphik**. 15/06/11, 07:36 pm

this actually sounds awesome! i would myself vote for it in the second half of the year, not the first half because it's just a cluster of too much now (chch, welly, hamilton, dunedin)... logistics shouldn't be too much of an issue if you give the community enough notice. but that's just me. :9
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By Pura. 15/06/11, 09:05 pm

It sounds fun!

If you put baked goods in your suitcase in a container they don't care Razz

. I've carted cookies to Auckland on the plane before.

By Lumissne. 15/06/11, 09:38 pm

This would be pretty cool! But personally it would just be a matter of flights, accommodation and all that jazz. Having a bake-off would be pretty awesome c:

By Lowkey. 15/06/11, 10:13 pm

Clearly it would be useful to take a vote on when people would be able to make it out.

What we need to know is:

How many people?
When?
Where?
What do people bring?
What do we provide?

But for now an idea of how many people would be keen and when they'd want to see it happen - and in which city; Wellington is easiest but I should have at least my restricted by then and if so I'd be happy to drive up to Auckland if that's more accessible - would be sweet so I can start the planning process and lock something in.

Would anybody want to see a picnic or beach-barbecue variation or would a cute indoor location be better considering the weather variability?

By Icarus. 15/06/11, 11:16 pm

I'm keen! Wellington sounds good for me

Picnics are always nice and yea back up location/plans are a must.
I can try my hand at baking something too

By brunetteyes. 15/06/11, 11:45 pm

super cool idea! i heard about a group of cosplayers who had a wonderland themed tea party and they got super original with someone dressed as the caterpillar/butterfly character and another as their own creepy version of the Cheshire cat.

though it would unlikely that i could fly over from Auckland, unless i was planning on going to wellygeddon and it was during a uni break.

If a lot of people are keen but cant fly over, could someone in Auckland organise the same event at the same time so its still sort of a nationwide event?

By TinTango. 15/06/11, 11:53 pm

I support brunetteyes and second the Auckland Motion, though might be better organized by someone who is there full-time, as I only pass through.
Depending on the timing I might even make Wellington. Outdoors is good, but there is the issue of furniture as well as weather. You might have to look at a venue that already has some kind of furniture setup.

By brunetteyes. 15/06/11, 11:59 pm

would tables and furniture be necessary?
I was imagining picnic blankets with trays (or hard flat boards) underneath the tea sets to stop them from tipping.

I'm sure a lot of Auckland dwellers would be keen. maybe Nadi would be keen to organise? or one of the Mods? though they're probably plenty busy.

or maybe we could make our ACP a wonderland themed picnic next year?

By Lowkey. 16/06/11, 12:01 am

There's a church in town I am 100% sure will let us borrow their conference room and kitchen (boiling water! fridges! ovens!) if I ask nicely -- it's a really boring room, but if the weather is good we could set up outside in their courtyard. A smaller gathering might be able to use the cottage. ZEAL would also be cool, as they have a kitchen as well, but I haven't been inside since the revamp and doubt how photogenic/atmospheric it'll be. The Botanical Gardens would be neat, but their facilities are costly buggers. Does anybody know if Staglands would have a facility we could use? 'Cause everybody knows Staglands is fun. Also, there is an emu farm / blueberry plantation / wildflower meadow / cute stream on the way there. But it's way out of the way of everywhere. If we are sure we can do it outside, we can just bring blankets to sit on?

There are versatile options out there, but I'll need an idea of attendance so I can scale, I guess it boils down to. I have people I can bug about help finding a place, so that won't be the problem. Tell your friends. Go vote. Optimistic guess 10-20 people?

Prizes for best dressed / best dish if we don't have to pay out the nose for a venue? LARP or some expansion on theme?

Location is an interesting thing. I'd love to bring everybody together in Wellington, but if that's too challenging we could host two simultaneously that might open up cool options about videochat between the two? Is there a mid-way point somewhere-- I imagine there are lovely scenic hotels or motels or, I don't know, wedding villages, halfway between Auckland and Wellington?

By TinTango. 16/06/11, 12:16 am

By brunetteyes. 16/06/11, 12:26 am

awah! those sound like fantastic venues Uthurial! now I really want to make it to Welly. hmm I'll see what I can do.

By **seraphik**. 16/06/11, 07:35 pm

can i just say... for events that are extra to the armageddons, i think wellington is a better choice of location-- it's a midway point in the country and is nicer (and less costly) for people in the south island to travel to. AGAIN JUST MY 2 CENTS. this all sounds very very awesome!
_________________

hetalia shoot: liechtenstein / auck: sun + mon - blue serpente elementalist [g.e.] (h.d. theory)

SUBVERSIVE GURGLINGS -- A COSPLAY BLOG || latest post: how to make a katamari head [katamari damacy]
LEVEL UP - a ke$ha's tik tok pokemon parody

h.d. theory.
'united we sew, divided we derp.'