MSG Pre-Game

[jkahn]

Received this announcement that the classes of '70-'77 have organized a pre-game event for members of those classes:

Red Hot Hockey Pre-Game Event for the Cool Classes of 1970-1977
Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Cornell Big Red men's hockey team will take on Boston University's Terriers on Saturday, November 28 at 8:00 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Terriers were National Champions last year and Cornell was one game away from the Frozen Four, so this promises to be a great test for both teams. Come join your classmates for an evening of food, fun, and Big Red Hockey!
 
Festivities begin before the big game:

Location:     Mustang Harry's, 352 Seventh Avenue.

Time:         5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Heavy hors d'oeuvres and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Cash bar.  

Even if you don't plan to attend the game please join us for this opportunity to catch up with your classmates. Your classes have sponsored this event so there is no fee, but please be sure to register so that your classmates will know you will be there and you can see who's coming too!
 
RSVP: http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/index.cfm?e_id=21417
 
Who's Coming:  http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/registered.cfm?e_id=21417
 
GO BIG RED!!

[David Harding]

I received that e-mail, too.  Does this imply that there won't be an all-class event like the one two years ago?  Does anybody know what other parties there might be?

[Jacob '06]

[quote David Harding]I received that e-mail, too.  Does this imply that there won't be an all-class event like the one two years ago?  Does anybody know what other parties there might be?[/quote]

There was an e-mail I got for a general gathering, but I deleted it. It was from the alumni association so there may be info on their website or someone else probably has the e-mail and will post it here.

[jkahn]

Here's the general gathering email:
 
Rinkside Rally
 
 
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Expo Center, Madison Square Garden, New York City

Big Red Hockey is coming to the Big Apple! On Saturday, November 28, the rivalry returns as Cornell men's hockey faces defending national champion, Boston University. Cornell University invites you to join fellow alumni, parents, students, and friends for a pre-game Rinkside Rally at Madison Square Garden. This standing reception will feature remarks from President David Skorton and Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Hockey. The Big Red Pep Band will get you psyched up. There will be fun for the entire family.

Event details:
6:00 p.m.—Rinkside Rally
6:45 p.m.—Remarks by President David Skorton and Coach Mike Schafer '86
8:00 p.m.—Puck drop

The cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children aged 10 and under. The menu will include hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, pretzels, and non-alcoholic beverages. A cash bar will be available.

Advanced registration is required. Register online: www.alumni.cornell.edu/bigred

Please note: you must have a ticket to the game in order to attend the Rinkside Rally. To purchase game tickets, call 607-254-BEAR (2327) or visit www.ticketmaster.com.  Enter promotional code HPBIGRED to ensure seats in the Cornell section.

Purchase your limited edition RED HOT HOCKEY gear today: www.wearyourcolors.com/cornell

Questions? Contact Jessica Raha '99 at jessica.raha@cornell.edu or 212-986-7202.

[David Harding]

[quote Jacob '06][quote David Harding]I received that e-mail, too.  Does this imply that there won't be an all-class event like the one two years ago?  Does anybody know what other parties there might be?[/quote]

There was an e-mail I got for a general gathering, but I deleted it. It was from the alumni association so there may be info on their website or someone else probably has the e-mail and will post it here.[/quote]Good idea!  Here's the alumni event calendar  Several bands of classes '70-77, '78-'81, '82-'89.  Cornell Club of Washington.  ILRAA NYC.  Also a Rinkside Rally at 6:00 with Skorton, Schafer, Pep band.  That one sounds like the 2007 event.  Food.  $30.

[billhoward]

Here's some more information on the pre-game activities. I did some research for our class' possible gathering and checked out sites other classes may use. Your options:

* Cornell will host a Cornell-wide rinkside rally, $30 (plus you need a ticket), around 6 p.m. This could sell out.

* Class groups will host events offsite but within a couple blocks of Madison Square Garden. The map below shows some sites that are being used or were (by our class) considered. Some or all class events will be free admission, soft drinks and hors d'oeuvres, you buy your own drinks. (Class treasuries underwrite this.) Classes doing events or multi-year events are getting e-mail notices this week or early next. (No paper mail, I suspect. If Cornell doens't have your e-mail address on file, update your profile at http://wwww.alumni.cornell.edu)

* Do something on your own.

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN & CLASS GATHERINGS

MSG is between 31st and 33rd streets (the upper "32nd Street" is a typo and should be 33rd) between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue. This map shows from about 34th Street down to 27th Street. Class sites include Stout, Heartland Brewer, and Mustang Harry. (Irish Times and and Brother Jimmy's, pictured, were considered but are not being used officially.)

MUSTANG HARRY'S (CLASSES OF 1970-77)

Outside Mustang Harry's. Walk 1-1/2 blocks north (to right) to MSG.


Bar downstairs at Mustang Harry's


Reception area upstairs for class event, Mustang Harry's.

Mustang Harry's, 352 Seventh Avenue (between 30th and 29th Streets), New York, 10001, 212-268-8930, www.mustangharrys.com <http://www.mustangharrys.com>  
[Notes from a site visit] A short walk to the Garden, 2 blocks, up 7th Avenue. Reception will be upstairs. Upstairs allegedly holds 150 people, manager says. (That means about 20 people per class will fill it up.) I think for 150 it's gonna be crowded, hot, and noisy, which is okay if you're 25 and prowling, maybe less so for these classes that are getting to be old and doddering. Ask me how I know. But you can't beat the price: free food, softdrinks, pay only for whatever booze you drink. You need to register in advance and if you're in one of these classes, you should have gotten an e-mail.


THE IRISH TIMES  (UNOFFICIAL 1970-77 RESTAURANT FOR A QUIETER VENUE)

Irish Times


Main floor bar and restaurant at Irish Times. There's also an upstairs (railing upper right) that can be used for parties or possibly dining overfloor.

The Irish Times, 254 West 31st St, just east of 8th Avenue, NYC 10001, 212-216-9355, www.theirishtimesnyc.com  
[This is going to be an informal place (not on Cornell's official list) where some 1970s-1977s will be, certainly 1974, if Mustang Harry's is too hot-noisy-crowded or if you want sit-down dining in a nice setting, reasonable (for NYC) prices. I'm using it because we've got a pre-game group of a dozen ranging from 17 to 80. I think it's going to be a good spot to gather afterwards. My notes:]
Just opened in the past year, a large pub / bar / restaurant on the first floor with a loft / balcony overlooking the bar on the second floor front. It is in the building just to the left of Brother Jimmy's (left as you look across 31st Street from the Garden). I think this could be the place to gather afterwards to celebrate the Big Red's trouncing of BU. It also could be a place for dining before the game. An L-shaped upstairs loft holds 50-75, maybe it holds more. It overlooks the bar area. A bit of a low ceiling but not ultra-low.
Pros: The upstairs area adapts well to both standup mixing and sit-down dining. One building closer to the Garden than even Brother Jimmy's. First floor bar and dining area is very well finished and looks upscale. If we took over the upstairs the place could still be open for regular customers downstairs. I'm guessing the Irish Times may be more malleable about group arrangements upstairs since they still have room for a goodly number of diners downstairs. Men's and ladies' rooms (don't ask) are both very clean.
Con: Low ceiling (not ultra low) so it could get warm upstairs. Since it's new, if we use it, check back frequently to make sure it doesn't suffer first-year restaurant mortality. (Nothing I saw says it's on the ropes.) No bar upstairs.
 
 
ALSO
[The other sites considered and I believed used for Cornell gatherings are Heartland Brewery and Stout. They're also shown on the map at pagetop. My notes are brief  since that's not where our class is going:]
 
Heartland Brewery
http://www.heartlandbrewery.com/
There are six in New York. I'm assuming Cornell is looking at the Empire State Building HLB, 5th Avenue at 34th (there's also a Times Square HLB 43rd between 6th and Broadway, a block or two farther). Looks okay.
 
Stout  
http://www.stoutnyc.com/
133 W 33rd St, NYC, between 7th and 6th (a very good location)
I think the classes gathering here will have a good time. It's noisy.

Brother Jimmy's BBQ 416 8th Ave at 31st Street, NYC, 10001,  212-967-7603, http://www.brotherjimmys.com/
[As best I know, no class is having an event there, but it's pretty good and you'll find lots of unaffiliated Cornellians gathering upstairs. Notes:] A medium size first floor bar (no dining), with an upstairs for dining that seats 80 comfortably (counted that many chairs) and can hold 100, they say, for a buffet. Pros: Proximity, atmosphere, right size. All you do is stumble out the door, walk across 31st Street, and the Garden is there. Nice view of MSG from all the windows. Being one floor up and on a corner building up gives you some feel of looking out on one part of New York City. You'll feel more comfortable here in jeans and a Cornell sweatshirt than a skirt, sweater and pearls. You've probably been in a place like this in Key West or old Collegetown (think the Palms on its nicest day and then some), not the sanitized, doorman-service Collegetown we have today. Cons: To do a class event, you've got to take over the whole place, else share it with others.

Sorry there's so much on the really old classes of 1970-77, but that's the ones I know.

Cornell is probably going to do it all over again for the basketball games Dec. 20-21. For details, you'll probably want to Read His Blog.

[Rosey]

I intend to go to the ESB Heartland simply because it's a great brewpub with excellent beer.

[Josh '99]

This is good info, Bill.  Thanks for posting it.  A couple of comments...

-  When Bill says to walk right from Mustang Harry's to MSG, what he means is to the right from the perspective of the photographer who took the exterior shot.  When you walk out of Mustang Harry's, make a left to get to MSG.  (Not that there's much risk of confusion, since you can pretty much see the Garden marquee from the sidewalk there.

-  Stout is a good bar, but my experience two years ago was that it was ridiculously massively crowded.

-  I've been told (by people who like Brother Jimmy's, even) that the one by the Garden (a new location opened within the past year or two) kind of sucks, so buyer beware.  But if you want to get together with friends and share a drink with straws out of a fish bowl, it's basically your only option in the area.  The wings are decent too.

-  And if you want to eat BBQ, don't go to Brother Jimmy's, it's really not very good.  There's much better BBQ in the area, but I'm not going to tell you where because I don't want it to be too crowded in case I want to go there.  :-}

-  If you want an Irish bar but Stout and Irish Times both fill up, I'm pretty sure there's another one near 32nd and 8th.

[jtwcornell91]

Just got this in the mail.  1990-1993 manages to miss a lot of people and leave, what, me and ugarte?

Red Hot Hockey Pre-Game Party for the Classes of 1990-1993
Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Cornell Big Red men's hockey team will take on Boston
University's Terriers on Saturday, November 28 at 8:00 p.m. at
Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Terriers were National
Champions last year and Cornell was one game away from the Frozen
Four, so this promises to be a great test for both teams. Come join
your classmates for an evening of food, fun, and Big Red Hockey!

Location:    Slattery's Midtown Pub, 8 East 36th Street (between 5th
Ave and Madison)

Time:          5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Cost:          $10 per person

Appetizers will be provided and there will be a cash bar with drink
specials. Even if you don't plan to attend the game, please join us
for this opportunity to catch up with your classmates.

Please register by clicking on the link below!

RSVP:
 http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/index.cfm?e_id=21592  

Who's Coming:
 http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/registered.cfm?e_id=21592

GO BIG RED!!

If you have any questions, please contact Karen McCalley '92 at:
 kjm34@cornell.edu

[ugarte]

[quote jtwcornell91]Just got this in the mail.  1990-1993 manages to miss a lot of people and leave, what, me and ugarte?[/quote]
And ugarte's pregame involves little more that reading a boring book to an infant and apologizing to his wife for all the books still to be read before bedtime.

[Todd R]

We sent out an email yesterday to all NYC-area alumni from the classes of 1990-93 with the details for our pre-game event.  In case any of you missed it, see below.

Todd Rethemeier
Class of 1993

------------------------------------------------

Cornell Ice Hockey vs. BU:  Purchase your tickets NOW!
Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey team will take on Boston University's Terriers on Saturday, November 28 at 8:00 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Terriers were National Champions last year and Cornell was one game away from the Frozen Four, so this promises to be a great test for both teams. Come join your classmates for an evening of Big Red hockey.

Red Hot Hockey Pre-Game Happy Hour for Classes of 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993
Saturday, November 28, 2009

Location:     Slattery's Midtown Pub, 8 East 36th Street (between 5th Ave and Madison)

Time:          5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Cost:          $10 per person

Appetizers will be provided and there will be a cash bar with drink specials. Even if you don't plan to attend the game, please join us for this opportunity to catch up with your classmates.

Please register for the happy hour by clicking on the link below!

RSVP:  http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/index.cfm?e_id=21592      
   
Who's Coming:  http://alumni.aad.cornell.edu/event/register/registered.cfm?e_id=21592    
   
GO BIG RED!!

If you have any questions, please contact Karen McCalley '92 at:  kjm34@cornell.edu

[Jim Hyla]

[quote Todd R]We sent out an email yesterday to all NYC-area alumni from the classes of 1990-93 with the details for our pre-game event.  In case any of you missed it, see below.[/quote]Hard to miss, since it was just posted 2 posts before.::doh::

[billhoward]

[quote Jim Hyla]Hard to miss, since it was just posted 2 posts before.::doh::[/quote]
Not sure whether to say that was cruel ... or you beat others to it. One of the payoffs from our choosing Cornell is how much the Cornell experience continues especially if you like sports. You don't see Harvard trying to fill MSG for hockey or send its lacrosse team to multiple final fours this decade and the Cornell puts on a free tailgate party before and after (for NCAA lax, not for the BU hockey). I think it's only going to get better as Cornell ponders dumping class dues and local club dues so there's no barrier to participation, or being charged a higher fee for non-members at an event. It seems as if all Cornell is matching up to the Cornell band alumni, who seem to have a tent at every football event I've ever been to.

[Todd R]

The classes of 94 and 95 have decided to join us at the pre-game happy hour at Slattery's Midtown Pub.  All the details and registration information are above - hope to see lots of you there.

GO BIG RED!!!!

[judy]

-  And if you want to eat BBQ, don't go to Brother Jimmy's, it's really not very good.  There's much better BBQ in the area, but I'm not going to tell you where because I don't want it to be too crowded in case I want to go there.  :-}

Oh oh! Did we eat there like 2-3 weeks ago and is like, my favorite BBQ eating place?