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A Super Mario Dinner!

CorakCorak Registered User regular
edited October 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
I was pondering this today when I realized there was perhaps no electronic place on earth better than this forum to ask for ideas.

Here's the deal. I am taking part in a weekend long retreat in a couple of weeks where I, with a small team, will be cooking and cleaning for the rest of the folks going through the retreat. One of the highlights of said retreat is a big dinner Saturday night that is centered around a theme. Sometimes serious, sometimes funny. We are going funny. In fact, we are making it a Super Mario theme! My team are great workers but I am by far the biggest geek among them, so while they are willing to work, much of the creativity lies on my shoulders. I would LOVE to hear ideas on things we could do. The dining room is quite small (I haven't even been there, sadly, but I have a picture I can post if people want/need), and probably serving 30ish people.

Idea's we have had so far (in no particular order).

Naturally Super Mario music running in the background. I've got to find that still.. any suggestions on where to buy a soundtrack?

We'd like to cover the walls in mario background! Meaning, brick ground, floating blocks, clouds in a clear sky, castle at the end... you know what I mean. Possibilities include hand drawning, printing at a huge size (what is that website? Rasterbate or some funny thing?), or just buying it... I've seen wall covering for Cars and other animated stuff, maybe video games too...

The wall could become 3D with the blocks actually attached to the walls... easily hand made with "?" on them...

Hanging from the ceiling... clouds, mushrooms, invincibility stars, etc..

Naturally we will all dress up in costume (Waluigi for me!).

The meal itself will be some sort of Italian fare. For center pieces I would love to create green sewer pipes with the killer flower coming out of it (not sure how I'd manage that).


Anyways, this thread is just to see what sort of creative ideas you guys can give. Any help at all is GREATLY appreciated, even just shops online, papercraft instructions, costume tips, etc!

I live!
Corak on

Posts

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    spaghetti with mushrooms. NOW.

    also video game pianist has some great mario tunes in classy piano-form.

    you can actually buy the wall stickers for mario here

    i think costumes will have to be custom made, good luck!

    Local H Jay on
  • WillethWilleth Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    There's a CD called Smashing Live that has the SSBM themes, including a fair few Mario ones, performed by the New Japan Philharmonic. That'd work quite well, I think.

    This is the Rasterbator. Maybe won't work quite as well as you're hoping, though - it's not really suitable for this kind of thing I don't think.

    If you really want to go whole hog, you can serve the meals on coin plates and bake a 1-up mushroom into the pudding instead of a silver coin. Instead of platters, ? boxes.

    Willeth on
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  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    you could do the centerpieces by cutting out those styrafoamish orbs that every kid who has to do a model of the solar system uses.

    make the pipes using cheap pvc or something (hit up a Lowes and look around).

    Xaquin on
  • DeathPrawnDeathPrawn Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Meal ideas:
    - Something with mushrooms, obviously
    - "Fire flower" - a salad with edible flowers, or something spicy, or both
    - Paint bowls to look like turtle shells, serve some sort of soup in them, and call it "Koopa Soupa"
    - Dry Bones baby-back ribs?

    DeathPrawn on
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  • DaemonionDaemonion Mountain Man USARegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Serve salads in PVC pipes (home depot, etc).

    Make some dish with an alcohol-base so you can set it on fire and serve it as such.

    Lasagna, spaghetti, meatballs, etc.

    Daemonion on
  • CorakCorak Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    DeathPrawn wrote: »
    Meal ideas:
    - Paint bowls to look like turtle shells, serve some sort of soup in them, and call it "Koopa Soupa"

    I just have to say I was literally bent over with laughter at this one. It WILL happen.

    Also... mushroom cupcakes!

    Corak on
    I live!
  • vonPoonBurGervonPoonBurGer Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Corak wrote: »
    Also... mushroom cupcakes!
    Idunno, my feeling is that the correct dessert element to a Mario-themed dinner would be a full-sized cake, served up by whoever's dressed up as Princess Peach ("Come to the castle Mario! I've baked a cake for you!" - Mario 64).

    vonPoonBurGer on
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  • TalTal Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I think super / 1up mushroom iced cupcakes would better support the theme, but that's just my opinion.

    Wall decorations, while awesome, may get out of hand very quickly. I would concentrate on food preparation / presentation first, costumes and simple decorations second, and elaborate decorations third.

    Tablecloths with some sort of 8 bit brick theme, centerpieces made of green pipes and piranha plants as was mentioned, music is easy enough (just make sure there's enough variety so you're not listening to the same 2 minute game tracks too often).

    Koopa Soupa sounds awesome.

    Maybe watching the old Super Mario Bros cartoons would give you some ideas? I'm thinking to think back, but I'm not sure I saw them eating anything besides spaghetti.

    Tal on
  • RainbulimicRainbulimic Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    For the centrepiece, if you do go with the Piranha plant, you could get a cheap plastic plantpot (straight edges pref), paint it green, make a piranha plant shape out of cardboard and stick it in the middle of the pot. It doesn't matter if it's flat, because the games are 2D ;]

    Rainbulimic on
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  • ChenChen Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Question blocks!

    As for party music, give Akihabara Electric Circus a go.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFo-FnaHjOY

    Chen on
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  • RipsawRipsaw Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Racoon.

    Now seriously. Calamari, poached or sauteed briefly with a lemon vinaigrette.
    Deep fried squash blossoms stuffed with roasted red pepper.
    Chocolate gold coins.
    Chicken under a brick.
    Fresh sea urchin/Hedgehog. (only half serious/figure out which one!).

    Ripsaw on
  • MrIamMeMrIamMe Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    koomba cake!

    MrIamMe on
  • BTPBTP Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    If there could be paintings on the walls, perhaps make some of the paintings used in Super Mario 64. The rasterbation idea would probably work just as well for this.

    For soundtracks, the only one that I know of that I can quickly link you to is Super Mario Galaxy's soundtrack. Probably not party music, but I'm just trying to give you more options.
    http://www.yesasia.com/us/super-mario-galaxy-soundtrack-japan-version/1005142851-0-0-0-en/info.html

    And let's get some other stuff from OCRemix in there as well. :D
    http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00544/
    http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00268/
    http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00081/

    Oh, and uh, Mario hats anyone?

    Edit: MAKE WHATEVER KIND OF CAKE YOU THINK PEACH WOULD MAKE FOR MARIO FOR SAVING THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM!

    Edit 2: Cake thing already suggested? Hmm........

    Make invitations for everyone based on the start of Mario 64 or something like that. Wasn't it like "Dear Mario, please come to the castle. I've baked a cake for you. Yours truly, Princess Toadstool. Peach."

    Didn't Galaxy have something like this for the comet festival?

    BTP on
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    Mario Kart Wii: 3136-6982-0286 Tetris Party: 2364 1569 4310
    Guitar Hero: Metallica: 1032 7229 7191
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  • brandotheninjamasterbrandotheninjamaster Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I think I speak for everyone here when I say: That if you don't update this thread with pics, we will hunt you down and force you to recreate the entire event.

    brandotheninjamaster on
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Gummi or Jello Star-bits.

    KalTorak on
  • Dunadan019Dunadan019 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Daemonion wrote: »
    Serve salads in PVC pipes (home depot, etc).

    Make some dish with an alcohol-base so you can set it on fire and serve it as such.

    Lasagna, spaghetti, meatballs, etc.

    umm.... PVC is NOT a good idea for a bowl. it is a health hazard to comsume it (stuff come off when you scrape a metal fork on it).

    so don't do that one.

    i think you might want to get some of those mint chocolate gold coins for desert or a mint.

    Dunadan019 on
  • Tucanwarrior13Tucanwarrior13 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Dunadan019 wrote: »
    Daemonion wrote: »
    Serve salads in PVC pipes (home depot, etc).

    Make some dish with an alcohol-base so you can set it on fire and serve it as such.

    Lasagna, spaghetti, meatballs, etc.

    umm.... PVC is NOT a good idea for a bowl. it is a health hazard to comsume it (stuff come off when you scrape a metal fork on it).

    so don't do that one.

    i think you might want to get some of those mint chocolate gold coins for desert or a mint.

    I thought the same exact thing.
    Definitely some sort of hand made mario, wario, luigi, Koopa hats, and masks would be really cool.

    Tucanwarrior13 on
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  • MandaManda Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    The Georgia Tech library has a Super Mario Bros area http://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com/the_ubiquitous_librarian/2007/01/super_mario_mul.html (this is the only website I could find with pictures)

    For dessert, I'd do cakes iced to look like coins.

    Manda on
  • Tucanwarrior13Tucanwarrior13 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Manda wrote: »
    The Georgia Tech library has a Super Mario Bros area http://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com/the_ubiquitous_librarian/2007/01/super_mario_mul.html (this is the only website I could find with pictures)

    For dessert, I'd do cakes iced to look like coins.

    The lamp shades are an awesome touch. I think the OP should try to incoorporate those into the theme somehow.

    Tucanwarrior13 on
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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    The Orchestral Game Concert albums had some good Mario arrangements.

    Tofystedeth on
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  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    mario costume
    luigi costume

    hot damn, that makes me want to be luigi for halloween so bad...

    Local H Jay on
  • CorakCorak Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    You guys are amazing. I am incorporating many of your ideas. I promise there will be pictures. There will certainly be Koopa Soupa, not sure on the rest of the menu yet. I'll keep updates coming. Desert will likely NOT be a cake, but we'll see. Cupcakes are a little more managable, and easy to make look like mushrooms. Perhaps... +1up Cakes? I think so.

    Just to clarify, everyone is here on a retreat, so there are no invitations (although maybe place cards). It's not for another few weeks so please feel free to keep ideas flowing, I still have time to get stuff and plan.

    Corak on
    I live!
  • WillethWilleth Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Just because you're all going to be there anyway is no excuse not to have invitations. I think making them like the opening to 64 is an awesome idea. Maybe pop them on people's pillows a few days before or something.

    Willeth on
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  • DeathPrawnDeathPrawn Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    How is the serving of food handled? Perhaps each table can have a little flagpole, and if they need help from a waiter/server they can put up a white flag with a green peace sign.

    DeathPrawn on
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  • TalTal Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    DeathPrawn wrote: »
    How is the serving of food handled? Perhaps each table can have a little flagpole, and if they need help from a waiter/server they can put up a white flag with a green peace sign.

    This is awesome.

    And I'll second the idea of leaving invitations on pillows if at all possible. Will they know the theme before hand, or will leaving an invitation a couple days early give them a chance to figure it out and get excited?

    Tal on
  • Sir Headless VIISir Headless VII Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Just to trow it out there, Mushrom burgers are basically just large mushrooms that taste like hamburgers (roughly).

    Sir Headless VII on
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  • BTPBTP Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Tal wrote: »
    DeathPrawn wrote: »
    How is the serving of food handled? Perhaps each table can have a little flagpole, and if they need help from a waiter/server they can put up a white flag with a green peace sign.

    This is awesome.

    And I'll second the idea of leaving invitations on pillows if at all possible. Will they know the theme before hand, or will leaving an invitation a couple days early give them a chance to figure it out and get excited?

    Reading this had me imagine Toads as the waiters. Where are Toad costumes?!

    BTP on
    Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection & DS High Scores Thread
    I WILL NOT BE DOING 3DS FOR NWC THREAD. SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE OVER.
    Spoiler contains Friend Codes. Won't you be my friend?
    My Friend Codes!

    More Friend Codes!
    Mario Kart Wii: 3136-6982-0286 Tetris Party: 2364 1569 4310
    Guitar Hero: Metallica: 1032 7229 7191
    TATSUNOKO VS CAPCOM: 1935-2070-9123

    Nintendo DS:
    Worms: Open Warfare 2: 1418-7870-1606 Space Bust-a-Move: 017398 403043
    Scribblenauts: 1290-7509-5558
  • EvilBadmanEvilBadman DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Mario and Zelda Big Band CD is fantastic. Well, sans the Zelda.

    EvilBadman on
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  • HypatiaHypatia Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Another idea for a dessert rather than going with cake:

    - Get a plant pot/tube painted like the green pipe and if you're concerned about contamination from the container line it with a plastic bag/plastic wrap/foil/etc.
    - Fill the bottom half with cookies and cream ice cream
    - Get three packages (or however much you need) of Oreos and crush the crap out of them, then scoop them into the pot, if you want to get some gummy worms and mix them in. This should look like soil.
    - Make a cardboard cut-out or a model of one of those pipe chompy flowers and stick it on the top, then stick it in the freezer, when you're ready to serve, remove the flower then scoop the "dirt" onto peoples' plates.

    Another idea: Put some red food dye in cornbread and make "bricks"?

    Hypatia on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    It might take some work, but the Mario music on Smash Bros. Brawl is fantastic.

    I'm not sure where you can buy it, but if you have someone with the game handy, you could set it to play through the music options and just record it manually. Or maybe record off youtube somehow. The main remixes of the first two SMB stages are especially good:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_6OMgsEsB0

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enat-SW_Arw

    cloudeagle on
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  • DoxaDoxa Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    For the mushroom I suggest this:

    Take a portobello mushroom and scrape out the gills, be careful to keep the ridge in tact. Brush it with olive oil and start warming it up through low heat. Once it is warming up fill the part of the mushroom that had the gills with stuff, and finish cooking it up.

    I give you flexibility, It was a solid food item I made at a BBQ over a grill as a alternate to beef. I filled the mushroom with feta cheese and it was beautiful. I did the same thing on a frying pan and added tomatoes to the cheese and it was gorgeous. I've had suggestions to do it inside an oven and such but I haven't done anymore yet, was planning on getting some for the weekend and filling it up with something different.. Just do whatever is good with a portabello.

    I'm not sure about everything else.

    Doxa on
  • mtsmts Dr. Robot King Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    to easily record the music, just use audacity you can record anything playing through your soundcard, and then export as mp3. burn and tada

    mts on
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  • TarantioTarantio Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    http://scrollbar.dk/events/20080215.Mario.Bar/

    If it happens to be the sort of event where alcohol would be served.

    Tarantio on
  • ManonvonSuperockManonvonSuperock Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Mushroom cupcakes, one for each person iced to look like different mushrooms: red and white, green and white, blue and white, and the poison one.

    Use a plastic syringe to inject an undesirable filling into the poison one(s). It will be an excellent and suitable gag!

    remember to use white cupcake papers with the eyes drawn on.

    The salad previously mentioned with flowers (find what looks most like the fire flower and is edible in your area) with a spicy dressing would be totally money.

    I'm also imagining an opaque red liquid in a grey "stone" container. either soup or beverage to simulate the lava.

    Do you have access to a ceramics kiln, or know someone who does? If so, you can pay to have custom pipe tumbler cups made for drinking.

    Also, PVC pipe can totally used for food. It is increasingly replacing copper pipe for potable water usage. If you're concerned about shaving the pipe with metal utensils, use plastic or wooden ones.

    And the temptation to make turtle shell bowls and serve roasted cornish game hens in them on their back is great.

    ManonvonSuperock on
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