Suggestions for Terre: Ideas and Suggestions for Future TRF Development

[Fenster]

What many of you may not realize is that all of the shops at TRF are individually owned and operated businesses.  The Hacienda San Jorge (Brazilian Restaurant)  is owned by Mrs. Giles who is also the owner of all of the food booths in the Spanish area where the Dove Meadow stage is located.  So it's not just that simple, turning it into a Viking themed eatery.  If a restaurant owner comes to the Festival and proposes such an eatery, then that would most likely be the way it would happen.  You want a Viking themed eatery?  Buy one of the shops that are for sale and start one up!  That's the way to go.  

I think most of us realize that the shops and eateries are individually owned and operated.  However, those businesses and what they do are subject to TRF's approval.  So, somebody in management approved a modern non-renfest themed restaurant. (I am also aware that there are other things that push the limits of a renfest theme, but they are at least close.  Dragons, fairies, etc were at least in the mythology of the time.)

The Brazillian place has been the one complaint that I've heard consistantly across the board from participants to paytrons.

[Riff Raff]

One other suggestion: bring back some sort of lake view.  It seems really strange to me that you have such a large lake immediately behind everything, which is no longer visible from anywhere in the faire (to my knowledge).

[Tudor-Diva]

I think most of us realize that the shops and eateries are individually owned and operated.  However, those businesses and what they do are subject to TRF's approval.  So, somebody in management approved a modern non-renfest themed restaurant. (I am also aware that there are other things that push the limits of a renfest theme, but they are at least close.  Dragons, fairies, etc were at least in the mythology of the time.)

The Brazillian place has been the one complaint that I've heard consistantly across the board from participants to paytrons.

If the dancers were costumed in more ancient Amazonian tribal wear, would that make a difference? 

[Fenster]

If the dancers were costumed in more ancient Amazonian tribal wear, would that make a difference? 

Maybe, but that would make them topless.   

To me the Brazilian restaurant is as much of a stretch as would be the inclusion of an American civil war camp.  It just doesn't fit and most people think the same way I do. Slippery slope this is starting down IMHO.

The viking idea was forwarded as a way to salvage something out of the place. 

[Sir Martin]

Stacy - thanks for stopping by and addressing some of the suggestions.  We are fortunate to have you and Terre interact with us here and you both do a fine job.  Speaking of fine jobs, the TRF Performance Company was exemplary again this season.  Your message explained why there weren't as many cast available to position throughout the jousting arena to sing the final song each night.  That's understandable due to the number of personnel available ... I just wish there were more of you because you all do such a fine job.  I was fortunate enough to interact with several of the cast.  They stayed in character and pleased throngs of patrons.  The long hours during faire season and additional hours of practice under the Texas sun prior to opening gate mandates that cast members be strong and resilient.  Thanks for all of the hard work.  When you get a chance, could you please post the results of the 2012 TRF Performance Company awards so that we may congratulate the winners?

As for specialty acts (like the Medieaval Baebes and others), I'm sure there are complexities involved in scheduling that the average TRF patron would not understand.  My suggestion was based upon our faire being larger and more successful than other faires that have booked these acts.  TRF has smart, dedicated management who have brought in 115,000+ more customers than last year (which was itself, a record-breaking season).  Even with comp passes, one could assume that there might be additional revenue for a special act.  Terre recently announced plans to renovate the Falconer's stage and other infrastructure improvements, so we know that he is planning for the future and the numbers show the management team is doing a fine job.

I havn't seen it mentioned, but I hope someone has reported that there was some vandalism (or accidental damage) in the Magic Garden.  It looks like someone broke the head/face off one of the camel statues (there is an array of three on the path leading from the privies at the entrance to Sherwood Forest).  It also looked like someone broke the tail on the larger of the two unicorn statues.  I hope at least the unicorn statue can be repaired properly (but people really shouldn't be sitting on the tail).

[*Teach*]

Regarding mead...  I posted several weeks ago about the daily Mead Tasting in the Taverna di Vino.  We showcased 8 meads from around the US and Poland, and the show proved to be quite successful. We even sold out of some of the meads we were using in the show and had to scramble to make substitutions the last three weekends.  The goal is to make this show on par with our wine tasting and we are looking to have an even wider variety of meads available next year.  I believe we had 10 meads available in the shop this year and shop owners must have clearance to sell the items they do.  The Dragonslayer is not the only shop selling mead at TRF.
 

I am not a wine drinker or a mead drinker (I believe that should come as no surprise to anyone here).
Or at least I wasn't. I was coerced into going to the wine tasting (by coerced I mean my Lovely Lady asked me to go) and I was pleasantly surprised. I still don't like reds but I am discovering that there are more of the sweet wines that I like than I ever suspected. I enjoyed the show enough that we immediatly bought tickets for the mead tasting the next night. The happy surprises continued (Chaucers is still horrid BTW). I found several that were quite tasty.
So, the whole point of my making this post was... there is mead at TRF. Lot's of it. You just have to go get it.
And watch the show. It was great! Twice!
Lessons I learned at the wine tasting:
1- Go to the wine tasting every weekend if possible. It's worth it.
2- Do not drink equal amounts of rum between wines.
3-Do not go to POW and have a drinking contest directly afterwards.
It was a long walk to camp after that lol

*Never fear, Rum is still my all time fav. I just have new horizons*

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

*I wondered why you looked like death warmed over, Sunday...* 

[Tudor-Diva]

*I wondered why you looked like death warmed over, Sunday...* 

It's my fault.   

[Tudor-Diva]

If the dancers were costumed in more ancient Amazonian tribal wear, would that make a difference? 

Maybe, but that would make them topless.   

To me the Brazilian restaurant is as much of a stretch as would be the inclusion of an American civil war camp.  It just doesn't fit and most people think the same way I do. Slippery slope this is starting down IMHO.

The viking idea was forwarded as a way to salvage something out of the place. 

Ah, but Portuguese exploration of the Amazonian basin is contemporary with our time frame. The Norse occupation of England occurred over 600 years earlier.

[scarletnyx]

If the dancers were costumed in more ancient Amazonian tribal wear, would that make a difference? 

Maybe, but that would make them topless.   

To me the Brazilian restaurant is as much of a stretch as would be the inclusion of an American civil war camp.  It just doesn't fit and most people think the same way I do. Slippery slope this is starting down IMHO.

The viking idea was forwarded as a way to salvage something out of the place. 

Ah, but Portuguese exploration of the Amazonian basin is contemporary with our time frame. The Norse occupation of England occurred over 600 years earlier.

As long as we are still talking about tall, tanned, slightly ripped women with spears, I am game. Oh, so game.

[Fenster]

Ah, but Portuguese exploration of the Amazonian basin is contemporary with our time frame. The Norse occupation of England occurred over 600 years earlier.

Did they discover the dubstep music then too?  

It's clear you are happy with the fit of that place so I'll stop now as my opinion is clear.

[Singed]

If they played up Renaissance era Portugal with period costumes, music and food it could be a nice twist on TRF and a look towards a major power in that era who often stands in the shadows on England, France, etc.  As they do it now, it is a Las Vegas show (that one would likely have to be 18 to enter), with very expensive though merely OK food.  

No, I don't think a mead hall would be very period correct either, but at least it would fit in to the general ren / fantasy / barbarian character that TRF has taken on.

[Valeria Skyye]

  

Ah, but Portuguese exploration of the Amazonian basin is contemporary with our time frame. The Norse occupation of England occurred over 600 years earlier

I guarantee you they were not dressed like Las Vegas showgirls, nor were they dancing to the music these girls were dancing too. Defend the place all you like but that will not make it any less innappropriate. Perhaps they could indeed change the outfits they were wearing and have them dance to drums and flutes and such so that it would be a little closer to being in the general time period. It may alleviate the complaints.

[Tudor-Diva]

Did they discover the dubstep music then too?  

Is it sad that I don't even know what dubstep is?

[Fenster]

Is it sad that I don't even know what dubstep is?

I only know because I was told, so don't feel too bad.  Techno would be pretty close.