Forest BB

Sorry I completely forgot about this. I've got a nasty cold and going back outside again didn't figure much in my thinking this evening. Hopefully other people didn't forget.

I haven't been able to get hold of my friend with bankruptcy auction contacts, so no fridge from that source. But it looks like we will be in this building for a little while longer, so I think that splashing out a bit less than a grand on a new fridge would be worth it.

What is the latest on the new menu, Alex?

Apologies again.

grand on fridge seems very wrong.

_________________
Maybe it could work? But it will be a kaleidoscopic blend of mysterious shadows and rainbow hued-dreams seen through compassionate tears.

did this meet happen?


I meant to write a post yesterday and forgot. shit.

There is this guy Steven, Alex kens him, and he spoke to Ryan... he has a proposal and has come to me to facilitate it. I will.

Steven needs to do an internship at a live music venue, doing 320 hours of Live Sound engineering before the end of November. that is a lot of hours. He seems competent, but I've never seen him behind the desk. He needs a decision ASAP.

I suggest we get him in for a 'trial shift' ..

anyone willing to 'mentor' him .. I will but as I am a bit busy at the moment maybe someone else can vollie? Alex has the contact details.


sorry for being lamearse and not coming in to town... see you guys soon!

just say yes!

he is doing a course in sound engineering, so probably knows more than us anyways.. also he helped loads on the the happening...

_________________
Maybe it could work? But it will be a kaleidoscopic blend of mysterious shadows and rainbow hued-dreams seen through compassionate tears.

yeah. I've already said i'd help make this happen and all he had to do was get the school to call me and i'd get him the credit. it seems really good.

_________________
-----
www.ryanvanwinkle.com

Stephen's project sounds good. He probably shouldn't just be relied upon to set the levels of mics every evening, or neither he nor the Forest will benefit much.

We've been thinking about a new fridge for a while now. Bryony has done quite a bit of research and found some contenders. We want one that is big enough, makes good use of the space we have, and provides a working surface. This is part of a bigger plan for redoing the kitchen. We'll be in the building for long enough to make it worth while, I think.

I know that when ever the kitchen wants to spend money, the price of the display fridge is brought up. No one who is working in the kitchen now had a hand in that decision, I would think. So it isn't a terribly good argument against getting some decent kit. I feel awkward mentioning the 'drawbacks' that our current fridge has, on a public forum. That is how bad it is. So spending 800 or so is justified.

The reasons why the kitchen isn't making so much money as usual are complex. But I think part of it is due to the way the kitchen looks, and a new fridge can only help with this.

regarding the sound: i dont think anyone is suggesting this.

regarding fridge: this would require fwg approval.

i'm doubtful that this would be money well spent, better would be to totally redo the kitchen (which needs doing). and that should be done as part of a proper plan involving understanding what food we want to make and how we want to prepare and present it. as part of all this it may be a good idea to get some kind of fridge or hot food servery, or oven or all these or whatever.. (however maybe this is all pointless due to the uncertainty of our presence in the building)

i would like to see or hear a proper plan from the kitchen explaining their plans, and needs, and budgets, and understanding of how much money they make (or lose).

My current confidence in the decisions currently being made by the kitchen is quite low. maybe i am wrong, but to my eye it is as though they are constantly bailing out water, when instead concentration should be placed upon understanding and fixing the holes.

i am doubtful right now of the kitchens ability to spend big bucks on a fridge and reap rewards! i think careful guidance is required - closer discussion with fwg.

Chris xx

_________________
Maybe it could work? But it will be a kaleidoscopic blend of mysterious shadows and rainbow hued-dreams seen through compassionate tears.

Minutes for Cafe and Events WG 1930hrs030908

Present: Sam, Ben, Jamie, Emi, Alex, Diana, and Dai towards the end.

Apologies: None

Agenda: Garden
Application Forms
Ida's calling idea
Games
Coffee
Implimenting New Menu
Volunteer Party

Garden: Sam - Sam is a new volunhteer in the Forest. He would like to take a good hand to the Garden. Fernando has been working on it for past while until he hurt his leg. Matthes and others are using The Happening's vegitation to make a shelter of kinds. Sam sees a lot of potential for growing things, maybe growing stuff that bears fruit.

AP Alex to ask Matthes what plans are, how long it will take etc. and to get Fernando and Matthes in touch with Sam so they can all organise something.


Application forms: Alex – wondering what the system is, who processes them? We need to start giving them to every volunteer we get from now on. Emi – If people fill out the form and leave it back in the drawer (silver drawers) and Emi will get in touch. She still thinks the form needs looked over again.

AP Kms and Nms to be made aware of this procedure. Alex will post about it.
AP Emi and Alex to go through Application form once more to streeeeeeamline it.


Ida's Calling Idea: Alex – Ida had an idea to make people aware their food is ready at times when we can't call out their name (too loud, when something quiet is on). This was to give people cards and have relating cards to clip up when their dish is ready. We all discussed this and similar ideas seen elsewhere.

AP Jamie to speak to Ida and make something happen


Games: Diana suggests we should have a chess table. The games chest is pointed out, filled with most or part of various games.

AP Diana to sort through games box and make a poster making people aware we have games to play. Alex will have a look to see if there is any money in budgets to buy a couple more.


Coffee: Ben – The standard of our coffee could be improved. This is due to standard of volunteer traning on the coffee machine. Jamie – Our coffee, as in the beans, is actually really good quality. We could be known for making really decent coffee. Alex expained to Jamie how he trains volunteers, showing them a few examples then getting them to make them as we get the first individual customers. Alex – We get complaints now and again about heat of coffee. While we teach volunteers how to know when the milk is perfectly hot, some find this an easier concept than others. Should we get a temperature guage? Jamie – that may make things a bit difficult for people who find it tricky holding the mik jug in place. We should have smaller jugs to at least teach people with (they can see better) and it may reduce wastage. Ben – coffee machine needs to be flushed out at the end of every night. Alex – As EVS volunteers are here a lot, and usually one will be in the cafe at close, Alex will do a specific coffee making and flushing session when they are all free.

AP Ben to make a first draft for a coffee manual, containing all his top tips!
AP Jamie to get a couple of smaller milk steaming jugs.
AP Kms to keep an eye on people making coffee, esp. milk steaming.
AP Alex to do coffee making retrain specifically with EVS


Implimenting New Menu: Alex – Explains to new members we had a meeting about the new menu. Concept to get rid of Burritos, Falafel and Nachos. Bring in more Mezze/Tapas stuff. Make proper recipe instructions to avoid drastic inconsitencies. Keep Cheese and Beans on toast. Have a wider range of hot foods ready, curry, stroganofffffff etc. Discussions ongoing about getting a new fridge.

AP Jamie to some meet Alex 3pm on Friday to make a plan. Daily plan to try out recipies, costings, how long it takes to make things etc. Then we will have a menu to work with, avec prices.

Volunteer Party – People suggest that we go away, camping or something. Alex – we have a loarge budget to work with as Vollie parties haven't been happening every month past while. Alex knows of an awesome bothy in Tentsmuir in Fife. He's been before. It's an amazing space, with a bothy for a shelter, enough space to set up tents, a fire area, it's just over the dunes of a beach, it's amazing forest. Takes a train ride and a cycle if not a minibus.

AP Meeting for going away vollie party Tues 8th at 7:30pm in the Cafe. Come with your ideas. Alex to do a poster for it.


Any other business?: No.

And we all drank lemonade!

A*

_________________
Bohnenflaschen!

When the New Menu was discussed at the last meeting, Brony thought it would be impossible to impliment over the Fest. We thus decided to leave it till after.

Redoing the whole kitchen will cost a lot of money that may not reap benifits due to the uncertain nature of our premises. Buying a new fridge and redoing the counterface would reap benifits.

It hit me that we've never done advertising purely as a cafe. Once the new menu is in place we should take the opportunity to advertise a freash new menu. I also realised the cafe has been constraining itself working on functionality rather than thinking of creative and inventive ways to make the cafe happy. We need to do more special things and different things volunteers would like to go to. We should be making the cafe a really nice environment to hang out in, maybe dedicating certain nights to being quiet and chilled (as discussed before).

Jamie and I are meeting at 3pm on Friday to to a time scale plan. We're working on the menu as already decided.

Having the EVS peoples has been such a blessing to the functionality aspect, and now we have a better staffing we can dig our nails into making it better and better.

Also, it was great to have a few new faces at the meeting yesterday, willing to take on action points and be vocal in the meetings. Thanks!

A*

_________________
Bohnenflaschen!

ALSO, I've realised that I've been allowing myself to be constrained in the kitchen spending wise. We hardly spend any money on materials apart from stock. Being the people that try to reduce waste, cut the cakes into we can make money out of these sizes, have to constantly remind volunteers not to drink the cans, not to eat the cakes, that they get a little less food for a three hour than five hour shift, be strict on giving vollie price to volunteers and not their friends they may be buying for, have to be the ones to badger people for corkage etc. etc., then it's hard to get into the mindframe of spending that comes so freeley to others.

Just a thought,

A*

_________________
Bohnenflaschen!

yeah, you got the wrong mindframe. if spending money makes money then in 'moneyworld' it makes sense. if solving problems costs money, then think/talk about. dont just ignore the problems and hope they go away.

i think not much of spending, when i know the return will be good, for example recent parties.

_________________
Maybe it could work? But it will be a kaleidoscopic blend of mysterious shadows and rainbow hued-dreams seen through compassionate tears.

Spending lots of money on lasers was not approved by any WG that I recall. Spending some money on a new fridge was a decision taken by the C&E WG, this decision is well within the remit. For the kitchen to be effectively run and to make the new menu a success we need some equipment that actually works. We always make do and it is rare for us to buy new equipment, a new fridge is necessary, the display fridge is a health hazard and looks horrible.

I think Jamie has some ideas for the fridge. I'd be happy to spend money on a new fridge. But I'd like to see what Jamie has in mind first. The dishes on the new menu might benefit from a display style fridge - lots of little dishes of things - digging an anonymous white plastic tub out of a dark fridge, rather than being able to see exactly you want. And I suppose we want customers to be able to point at things and say 'I want that'.

Sounds good, I'll discuss with Jamie.