# A Dopefest like no other, brother-The Spiffling, 2001 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548 "2000-12-28T19:49:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/121 "2001-03-07T20:50:14Z")
Okay, first snafu. Cheddar’s will not take reservations past 4 PM on weekends. This leaves us with a few options: [ul] [li]We go in at 4, and eat early. If people get hungry later and have rooms nearby, there’s a Hooters, an Outback, a Red Lobster, and various fast food dives in the immediate vicinity.[/li][li]We try someplace else. I’m open for suggestions on this, but the area near Cheddar’s is pretty ideal for what we want-hotels close by, other restaurants, blah blah blah. Plus, I think Cheddar’s is a pretty reasonable price range-I’m afraid Outback would be more expensive, with a much more limited menu.[/li][li]We go into Cheddar’s whenever we damn well please and wait it out.[/li][/ul] Any suggestions would be appreciated. The hotels are being a little titchy about this group rate thing. I’ll try back with them tonight, and I’ll post a list of ones nearby tonight or tomorrow. Sorry if I seem to be slacking off. Things are getting a bit hectic around here, so I’m not getting enough time to do things as I should. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/122 "2001-03-07T22:55:39Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Flypsyde \* **We go into Cheddar’s whenever we damn well please and wait it out.** This gets my vote. If they are stupid enough to not make accomodations for a very large party (hell, right now it’s at least 21 people!), let’s fuck their world up. I used to work in restaurants, and this is just silly on their part. I could see them not taking reservations for a smaller table, but party this bif in size? :rolleyes: Also, when we wait, we can invade their bar… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VileOrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9e8a1a/32.png) [@VileOrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VileOrb)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/123 "2001-03-08T15:37:38Z")
You can put me down as a definite maybe. I see nothing stopping me as of now, but life does happen. Please include me in any emails, especially directions. And if anyone who was hoping MikeG could give them a lift haven’t found an alternative yet, give me a holler. I’ll be at the ChiDope on Saturday if you want to just talk to me there. OTOH, if you need a ride Saturday you better give me a holler near darn quick (a bit faster than “darn quick” according to my cousin Cledus). I’ll let those who know the town argue out the logistics, but please let me know what you decide. ---
**Author:** ![Tiburon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/124 "2001-03-08T19:40:04Z")
Okee doke - I’m up for eating anywhere. I did call D’arcy’s - they do have a back room. It is further from the potential hotels, though - I don’t mean to push D’arcy’s because I really don’t care where we eat - but if we’re nixing the idea because we don’t think they have the room, well, that’s not the case 🙂 I’m willing to check on some more places - let me know if anyone needs directions, help, etc. Tibs. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/125 "2001-03-09T01:59:53Z")
Hey **Flypsyde** - Give Chesapeake a call. I think they have banquet rooms upstairs, and they’re not too far from that little dining/hotel district on Dirksen Parkway. It’d be fun to eat in that old mansion. Of course, Chesapeake isn’t the cheapest place to eat in this town, but I’m sure they have burgers or something. Otherwise, D’Arcy’s is looking better and better by the minute, now that we know they have a back room. I still don’t like the idea of parking at the Town & Country Shopping Center, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/126 "2001-03-10T02:26:28Z")
Just wanted to let everyone know that due to recent circumstances, I will not be able to attend Spiffled. I’m sure you guys can go on without me, though. Satan and Drain Bead wanted me to pass on the word that they will also not be able to attend. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2001, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/127 "2001-03-10T10:19:03Z")
**Sanibel Man** - I don’t really think that **Satan** ’s banishment should prevent you, him and/or **Drain Bead** from coming. After all, it was **Ed Zotti** who banned him, not **Flypsyde**. Either way, my offer to pick you up in St. Louis still stands. ---
**Author:** ![tiggeril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggeril/32/7234_2.png) [@tiggeril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiggeril)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/128 "2001-03-12T04:51:49Z")
I’m coming in REALLY late on this one, but I think I might be able to make it. Prepare to be licked. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/129 "2001-03-12T05:28:31Z")
I’m in. Probably travelling from Louisville, if anyone along the way needs a ride. ---
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/130 "2001-03-12T22:00:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by thinksnow \* > \*\*I’m in. > Probably travelling from Louisville, if anyone along the way needs a ride. \*\* Is Chicago “along the way?” 😃 I’m still waiting on Omni and Falcon to finish arm wrestling over who gets to be my ride. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/131 "2001-03-12T22:24:38Z")
OK, I am officially retracting my previous statement and I will be going now. These DopeFests are just too much fun. [sub] and if I can sleep on Veebs floor, I can sleep anywhere![/sub] I have tentative reservations for **Gaudere** and **Sapphire Bullet** in the MikeGmobile so I have room for one more depending on luggage…pack light, we won’t care if the clothes are wrinkled:) Still waiting for hotel info or maybe I was culled from the list and if so, can I please be reinstated? See y’all there and there were rumblings about a BBQ tasteoff in chat so if any of you visitors would like to bring a bottle for our judgement, lets talk about it. I am willing to bring a select few of Chicago’s finest Q’ sauces and I am confident they will reign supreme! Perhaps a Sat. afternoon cookoff at Flypsydes? Or someone else with a grill? I dunno, you natives figure it out! Cheers, Mike ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/132 "2001-03-12T22:27:57Z")
April 6th? A Friday? Put me down as a maybe; I’ll have to check our itenerary, and flight reservation info, but it sounds like more fun than the law allows. Naturally I’m all for it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/133 "2001-03-12T23:18:30Z")
All right, Flyppie. You may move me from the tentative to the definite column. I’ve just requested a vacation day for Friday, April 6, so I’ll be driving in that morning/afternoon. Tank, hope to see you there. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/134 "2001-03-13T01:29:21Z")
I think the “official” Dopefest is Saturday. Friday night is just for all us malcontents who have to drive in early. 🙂 And Nym…I already said I couldn’t beat Omni arm wrestling. However, if I drive, you get that BBQ sauce faster… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/135 "2001-03-13T06:28:55Z")
Alright, first things first. Apologies to David B, Uncle, and anyone else who has emailed me and not gotten a response. As Falc can attest, @Home has held random samplings of my email hostage lately, and last night I got a flood of mails from about the middle of February. Anyway, the larger this thing gets, the more reluctant I am to try to have it at Cheddar’s. They certainly have the room, but I seriously doubt anyone’s wanting to eat at 4. So Tibs, if you could call D’Arcy’s and check on the capacity of the back room, I would appreciate it. If needs be, I don’t think anyone’s made reservations yet, so we could probably move the thing to one of the hotels out on Veteran’s. It’s a drive, I know, but I’m not sure there’s much else we can do at this point. Plus, that Courtyard out at Parkway Point is right next to a 24 hr. Perkins. I’ve wreaked more than my fair share of havoc in that place at 4 a.m… ---
**Author:** ![typo\_mna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@typo\_mna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typo_mna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/136 "2001-03-13T07:25:45Z")
Hmmm… sounds interesting. How far is Springfield from Milwaukee? And, being a newbie, what sort of protective gear shall I pack, if I can make it? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/137 "2001-03-13T15:18:27Z")
I checked it out and found out some interesting things. First of all, it doesn’t look _anything_ like the main part of D’Arcy’s. It looks like one of those 20X20 meeting rooms at the Holiday Inn. Nice, but bare. There’s a bar in there, though. I talked with the manager babe and she said that they’ll gladly waive the charge if the occupants eat and drink enough. I assured her that there would be plenty o’ drinkin’. HOWEVER, the manager then told me something rather startling. She said that occupants of the banquet room aren’t allowed to order off the menu. :eek: She said that we would have to pay for _their_ catering and eat buffet-style. Fine by me, but I have serious issues about making 20-30 people eat buffet-style from a local place that most of them have never been to. And besides that, D’Arcy’s is all about horseshoes, baby, not catering. I’ll leave it up to our gracious emcee, **Flypsyde** , to decide what the next move should be. ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/138 "2001-03-13T16:24:08Z")
Most distressing. rasta, would you by chance be able to get in contact with them again? If you can, please ask them what their catering actually entails, and if they can be at all flexible on this. If not, I fear we’re back to waiting it out in Cheddar’s bar. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/139 "2001-03-13T17:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Friday night is just for all us malcontents who have to drive in early. And the true drunks; it’s been a while since I had a 48 hour binge. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548/140 "2001-03-13T18:52:40Z")
You got it, Unc…I’ll be getting in around 10:30 Friday. (Flight lands at 6:40, and then I have to drive down from Chicago.) Hopefully you drunks won’t have passed out yet… And yo FLYP! Any chance we could pick a hotel soon? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dopefest-like-no-other-brother-the-spiffling-2001/47548.md?page=8)