[CH] repost: Ohio Hotluck, Hearts on Fire

Alex Silbajoris (asilbajo@hotmail.com)
Wed, 10 Jan 2001 16:44:31 

Pods,

This is a second follow-up to some posts I made several weeks ago about 
having a central Ohio hotluck after the holiday season.  So far there has 
been only one response of interest from the list.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but here's what the plans are like now.

The time:
After the harvests, after the holidays, before the planting for the next 
season.  Mid-February, close to Valentines Day, and thus the Hearts theme.   
Tentative target date is the weekend of Feb 16-17-18 (I don't have a 2001 
calendar in front of me as I write this).  The earliest arrivals can show up 
on Friday evening to spend the night; the main event would begin around noon 
on Saturday and go through Saturday night into Sunday, as long as people 
felt like hanging around the second day.

The Location:
The Natural Learning Montessori Academy, in a former church building in 
Shawnee Hills, North of Columbus, very near the zoo.  There is a very large 
downstairs room with kitchen (no oven) and a large play area (more on that 
in a moment).  There is ample room for people to lay out sleeping bags on 
mats, heck, pitch tents for privacy, even camp in the big yard if you dare. 
Enough outlets for an army of crockpots, plenty of tables & chairs.  More 
room in classroom upstairs.  Young children are welcome as this is a K-6 
school at the moment, with play equipment.  Parking for maybe 30 vehicles.

The Activities:
Chile Twister, on mats.  Maybe a chile pinata.  Chile Bingo.  Cooking 
demonstrations by - you!  TV/VCR available.  Maybe some short excursions to 
local destinations such as the Columbus Zoo, Zane Shawnee Caverns, or just a 
picnic cruise through the lovely countryside of the upper Scioto valley. 
(Downtown Columbus is about half an hour's drive away.)  Weather permitting, 
a few smokers going out in the yard, maybe some strolls through the quiet 
neighborhoods, down to the lake and dam.  Maybe some artsy-fartsy craft 
projects, if we feel like it.  Suggestions are welcome.

Participants should bring:
Whatever chile products, foods, decorations, etc., that you want to show 
off, share, or sell.  Some kind of electric cooking appliance such as a 
crock pot, skillet, hot plate, or grill.  There is no oven or cooktop, but 
there is a serving area, refrigerator, and sink.  Bring your own sleeping 
gear if you don't want to use a local hotel.  We have bathrooms but no 
showers or bathtubs (unless you fit in the slop sink).

And a suggestion:
As a token of appreciation for the use of the facilities, I suggest we all 
chip in on the purchase of a $100 inscribed brick for the school's labyrinth 
project.  A labyrinth is like a maze, only flat so you can walk right across 
it.  The brick could have the name of the event inscribed in it, and it 
would become part of the history of the place.

So what do ya say?
Am I Cupid, or just stupid?  Do people have the free time to make it?  Or 
will everyone have their tongues frozen on to light poles?

The school has a web site with a locator map at

http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/natmontess/

RSVP to asilbajo@hotmail.com or else just make a celebration of happy noise
on the list if you have any suggestions.

Hasta La Ristra,

- A


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