Friday, 29 March 2024

Yuri’s Night Party, 2011

Let’s light this candle!

Summary from the Planning Thread for easy reference:

Who: Any MuseBloggers who wish to attend. If you wish to assume the persona of a technician, astronaut, or spy or just create some sort of backstory for yourself, you’re welcome, but it’s not mandatory.

When: March 21st to April 17th, 2011.

Where: On the Yuri’s Night thread. Aboard Space Station Odyssey.

Food:

-In general: Foods that use scientific equipment for cooking, like an aspirator, gelatin… freeze-dried “astronaut” foods. (Not that we don’t have gravity, it’s just traditional.)

-Appetizers:
Fruit, Steamed dough (little soft bread things, Chinese), bread, soup, bruschetta.

-Entrees:
Pasta, Salmon/crab/veggie/whatever else puffs (little dough balls with stuffing, kind of like dumplings), puffin puffs sushi…

-Desserts:
Cookies, flavored ice, gelato, astronaut ice cream, chocolate fountain…

-Drinks:
Made by a machine featuring lots of chemical equipment and tubing.

-Miscellany:
Food and drinks served by robots. All catering courtesy of Piggy’s Happy Bottom Riding Club. (AKA the Hare and Hedgepig)

Décor: 2001: A Space Odyssey is the general reference. 2011 as seen by 1961.

– The Ballroom: A large ballroom entered through sliding doors in the Star Trek fashion. Models and framed photographs showing the highlights of spaceflight and SF in the past 50 years decorate the room. (Yes, lots of gorgeous Hubble shots) We are aboard a rotating space station, and large floor-to-ceiling “windows” will show the rest of the station, the Earth below, the moon and stars, and every now and then, shuttles and cargo ships flying up to dock with the station. Periodically, there will be announcements over a PA system to announce the “dockings”.

– The Rooftop Garden/The Pleasure Dome: Like the regular rooftop garden, only beneath an immense geodesic dome through which outer space can be seen. There are ornamental plantings, fountains containing statues of the planets, and models of rockets at various fractions of their actual size to stroll amongst. Telescopes are set up to allow guests to view various celestial objects they may find interesting- all are computer controlled, just punch in what you want to see and the scope will orient itself.

Music: A live band, playing a mix of 60s classics, New Age electronica, and any other favorites requested. Any MBer who wishes to drop in and play with the band may. Some specific music featured will include Holst’s The Planets and the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Dress: Futuristic formal. Black suits and ties, glow-in-the-dark dresses, neatly pressed jumpsuits, shirtsleeves with pocket protectors and skinny ties, Starfleet dress uniform, and the like. Go for a 60s feel, but nothing too hippie.

The goings-on: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering spaceflight, and the completion of Space Station Odyssey, various distinguished employees from the space agencies of the world have been invited to enjoy a civilized evening of dancing, music, intelligent conversation, and Earthwatching. (Binoculars provided at windows by wungs.) But keep on your toes, as befits the anniversary of such a prominent Cold War event, espionage and intrigue are in the air…


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