Harvard - Pregame

To those of you heading to the Harvard game Fri 11/11/11, what is the consensus for pregame plans? Sounds like one will not be able to just walk into John Harvard's this year since CCOB has reserved the entire restaurant. CCOB is selling tickets to a reception for $18/person, but those need to be purchased in advance. "Admission to John Harvard's is by advanced reception ticket purchase only." Are people going to stick with JH's or go elsewhere?

[www.cornellclub.org]

Robin

Robin
To those of you heading to the Harvard game Fri 11/11/11, what is the consensus for pregame plans? Sounds like one will not be able to just walk into John Harvard's this year since CCOB has reserved the entire restaurant. CCOB is selling tickets to a reception for $18/person, but those need to be purchased in advance. "Admission to John Harvard's is by advanced reception ticket purchase only." Are people going to stick with JH's or go elsewhere?

[www.cornellclub.org]

Robin

"One does not simply walk into MordorJohn Harvard's!"

Some of your fellow eLFers got off the John Harvard's bandwagon some years ago, but I'll let them decide whether to post recommendations, lest I unintentionally start another bandwagon...

Robin
To those of you heading to the Harvard game Fri 11/11/11, what is the consensus for pregame plans? Sounds like one will not be able to just walk into John Harvard's this year since CCOB has reserved the entire restaurant. CCOB is selling tickets to a reception for $18/person, but those need to be purchased in advance. "Admission to John Harvard's is by advanced reception ticket purchase only." Are people going to stick with JH's or go elsewhere?

If it's anything like when Cornell corporatized Slope Day, I'll pass. (Why does this situation remind me of the saying, "Everything not prohibited is mandatory"?)

The problem is that JH's was the best local pub for such a large gathering: there are better pubs (like Cambridge Common), but they are farther away. The only two places that I can think of that might serve are Tommy Doyle's and Grendel's, but either one is a step down quality-wise.

Tommy Doyle's is more than one step down...

#OccupyMemDrive anyone?

ftyuv
Tommy Doyle's is more than one step down...

I was being charitable.

I might talk to the JH's management after this weekend and ask them whether they did better last year or this year. If last year, it might be worth suggesting that they tell CCOB to piss off next year. But I have no idea how this is going to turn out: how much of a cut of that cover is JH's getting?

I'm willing to walk farther, but I can definitely understand why people liked JH's: proximity. That it also happens to be a decent brewpub with good food was merely a plus.

Places not in Harvard Square, but along the red line, that might serve are:

Kendall: CBC, Meadhall
Porter: Christopher's
Davis: Foundry

and of course Cambridge Common (which is a 15-20 minute walk from the rink).

Too bad Harvard isn't in Brookline, because The Publick House/American Craft would be *perfect*. That's a drive, not a walk, unfortunately.

Robin
To those of you heading to the Harvard game Fri 11/11/11, what is the consensus for pregame plans? Sounds like one will not be able to just walk into John Harvard's this year since CCOB has reserved the entire restaurant. CCOB is selling tickets to a reception for $18/person, but those need to be purchased in advance. "Admission to John Harvard's is by advanced reception ticket purchase only." Are people going to stick with JH's or go elsewhere?

[www.cornellclub.org]

Robin

Wow, it's amazing how something can go from "lots of fun" to "entirely ruined" in such a short time. (See also Slope Day, as Kyle mentioned above.)

Kyle Rose
Kendall: CBC, Meadhall
Porter: Christopher's
Davis: Foundry

What about Charlie's?

ftyuv

Kyle Rose
Kendall: CBC, Meadhall
Porter: Christopher's
Davis: Foundry

What about Charlie's?

After your original reply re: TD's, I was limiting my suggestions to places with good food.

I'm skipping JH's this year as well. The cover charge is a stupid idea and they should've known better.

ajh258
I'm skipping JH's this year as well. The cover charge is a stupid idea and they should've known better.

I'm willing to bet that most people with a bureaucratic mentality are simply unable to understand how traditions arise and sustain themselves without central organization. I strongly suspect others simply want to profit off what they view as a captive audience. The former can be educated—that is, they can know better—but the latter are simply parasites and should be shunned. What proportion of the CCOB fits into each camp is unknown to me.

If CCOB is anything like all of the other CCs on the planet, this was well-meaning despite its inanity. CCs exist for networking and are run by Tracy Flick types. And while people like that may be soulless and/or sociopathic, they are distinctly goal-oriented and definitely respond (in their own way) to feedback, so deluging them with clear instructions concerning why this is A Bad Thing may help avoid it next time.

What about the parking lot where we played beer darts last year? Josh and RichH, I'm looking at you. I also support Christopher's or Foundry.

How is the Pizzaria Uno setup? Can't recall what it is like inside the Harvard location.

Robin
How is the Pizzaria Uno setup? Can't recall what it is like inside the Harvard location.

I honestly can't recall: I forgot the place was even there. I think the last time I was in there must have been close to ten years ago.

Kyle Rose

Robin
How is the Pizzaria Uno setup? Can't recall what it is like inside the Harvard location.

I honestly can't recall: I forgot the place was even there. I think the last time I was in there must have been close to ten years ago.

The ground floor has some booths on the right as you come in, and then a back section with around 10ish tables. It's something roughly like:

+-----------+
|oo  oo  oo |
|oo  oo  oo |
+----+      |
     |   oo |
     |   oo |
     |   oo |
     +------+

I think there's a basement, too, but I'm not sure I've ever been there.

Kyle Rose

ftyuv

Kyle Rose
Kendall: CBC, Meadhall
Porter: Christopher's
Davis: Foundry

What about Charlie's?

After your original reply re: TD's, I was limiting my suggestions to places with good food.

I agree the food's not great (good fries, though!), but I was referring more to the DB-ery that pervades TD's. Charlie's Kitchen is a bit higher on the hipster-per-capita metric, but overall I find the atmosphere much nicer. I hear the bathrooms are terrible, though.

cambridge 1 is a pizza place also next to the T stop. it's a bit fancier though and tough to get a table on a friday.

another option is fire and ice all you can eat mongolian grill, or mr. bartley's burgers (packed)

Hear, Hear!!!!!

Bartley's doesn't serve beer. We've got a couple hours before game time, that leaves plenty of time to get lubed up.

sawyer
Bartley's doesn't serve beer. We've got a couple hours before game time, that leaves plenty of time to get lubed up.

I don't have any particular feelings about any of the pregame venues being discussed, but strongly endorse this use of the phrase "lubed up".

If anyone is still looking, the Cornell Ticket Office still has tickets available.

In this Boston Globe article Donato has some interesting comments about the Ivy game limit and starting the season later than the rest of the teams.

Silly Ted. Having a good PWR ranking isn't important for your team. You're just going to lose the first game regardless.

KeithK
Silly Ted. Having a good PWR ranking isn't important for your team. You're just going to lose the first game regardless.

And don't forget the Beanpot. Those are lost too.