Food answers
Some people are still asking what they should bring for dinners. Here is the deal. The food matrices are finished.
Most people replied to our initial survey by the (unspoken) deadline. I sent those people an email with specific details of dish type, dish size, dish name, a recipe (if requested), and which night. We are pleased that almost everyone got exactly what they requested. (Some who volunteered to cook both nights were given both nights in the same email. The rest were asked to bring a beverage or specific item, such as ice.) If you got one of those emails, that is all you are asked to bring. Anything else you wish to bring will be enjoyed and appreciated by all.
People who did not send back an answer in time were sent email saying where are you? Some answered, later. It's okay really, some people check email often, others don't. I hope none of those people feel like anything went wrong, they were just OBE. These people were sent an email saying, please bring a double size dish of whatever you want to one meal and a couple 2-liter bottles of soda to the other night. I hope I said, please pick something Hawaiian/Tiki/Polynesian, if possible (my apologies if I forgot to). I asked those people to email me back what night they're cooking and what they're bringing. Some of those have emailed me back (thank you!).
Then there are a bunch of people who joined the rally after the food matrices were finished. Gus told them I'd email them about the food. Here's the message to all of you: please pick one night (Friday or Saturday) and pick a dish that's Hawaiian, Polynesian, luau oriented. It's amazing what you find if you google:
If everyone in the first group makes what they were asked to make, in the quantity requested, for the night requested, and if they also bring the other specific thing we asked, then from those people we will have everything critical (forks, ice, etc.) for each night. They are not bringing enough to feed everyone, but they are making sure both nights are a proper dinner and everything we really need is there.
Those few who are picking their night to cook and their dish will be "rounding it all out" making sure the total amount of food and beverages is enough. The only way this could turn out badly is if all the "your choice" people choose the same night to cook or all of them choose dessert. ["Survey says: Pineapple Upside Down cake was the #1 answer for 'what people initially volunteered to bring.'"]
Some people are still asking what they should bring for dinners. Here is the deal. The food matrices are finished.
Most people replied to our initial survey by the (unspoken) deadline. I sent those people an email with specific details of dish type, dish size, dish name, a recipe (if requested), and which night. We are pleased that almost everyone got exactly what they requested. (Some who volunteered to cook both nights were given both nights in the same email. The rest were asked to bring a beverage or specific item, such as ice.) If you got one of those emails, that is all you are asked to bring. Anything else you wish to bring will be enjoyed and appreciated by all.
People who did not send back an answer in time were sent email saying where are you? Some answered, later. It's okay really, some people check email often, others don't. I hope none of those people feel like anything went wrong, they were just OBE. These people were sent an email saying, please bring a double size dish of whatever you want to one meal and a couple 2-liter bottles of soda to the other night. I hope I said, please pick something Hawaiian/Tiki/Polynesian, if possible (my apologies if I forgot to). I asked those people to email me back what night they're cooking and what they're bringing. Some of those have emailed me back (thank you!).
Then there are a bunch of people who joined the rally after the food matrices were finished. Gus told them I'd email them about the food. Here's the message to all of you: please pick one night (Friday or Saturday) and pick a dish that's Hawaiian, Polynesian, luau oriented. It's amazing what you find if you google:
(hawaiian OR polynesian OR luau OR aloha) (cooking OR food OR recipe)
Make a double batch of that and bring it on the night you've chosen. On the other night (the night you don't cook), bring a beverage (whatever you like) -- two 2-liter bottles of soda or a gallon of tea, or a half gallon of fruit juice. If you can, please send me email telling which night you're cooking and what you're bringing. This is basically the same thing I asked the folks who missed the first deadline for whatever reason.
If everyone in the first group makes what they were asked to make, in the quantity requested, for the night requested, and if they also bring the other specific thing we asked, then from those people we will have everything critical (forks, ice, etc.) for each night. They are not bringing enough to feed everyone, but they are making sure both nights are a proper dinner and everything we really need is there.
Those few who are picking their night to cook and their dish will be "rounding it all out" making sure the total amount of food and beverages is enough. The only way this could turn out badly is if all the "your choice" people choose the same night to cook or all of them choose dessert. ["Survey says: Pineapple Upside Down cake was the #1 answer for 'what people initially volunteered to bring.'"]