The Lost Penguin Café 2006
The Berg Guide

A Guide to life in the Lost Penguin Café*


Mission Statement:
Our emphasis returns to community and hospitality while relying on our positive Burning Man brand recognition. This includes entertainment for guests, group penguin activities and an environment that encourages comfort, companionship, trust and personal growth. We want TLP to be a group of friends converging on the playa to enjoy one another and the vibe that IS Burning Man, as well as a refuge for the weary traveler of Black Rock City.

The History:
 The Lost Penguin (TLP) was started at Burning Man 2001 by our founder, Nudey Man and a small group of friends, new and old. The camp slowly grew from a dozen or so members to more than 50.
 TLP is generally known for serving wine and chocolate and has always been a refuge for burners to be entertained and pampered.
 After recruiting efforts from 2004 grew the camp, committees were formed in 2005 to help delegate the many needs for a camp of this size and scope.
 TLP has always been on the Esplanade and enjoys high brand awareness not only with burners, but with the Burning Man organization. We intend to keep it that way.
 Our members tend to converge from around the world and the country.
 TLP utilizes a Yahoo message board to communicate and organize the camp since holding meetings is not possible. Members are responsible for keeping up with board messages. For this reason, we ask that personal information not of relevance to the group be done on a one on one basis. As we near the event, board messages greatly increase and it gets more difficult to distinguish mundane banter from important information. We also utilize a tribe on Tribe.net, which can be used for personal banter (www.tribe.net ; search for “the lost penguins” tribe).
 While the 24 different breeds of penguins make various sounds, we’ve come to adopt as our penguin call, the “ark ark ark..” If someone shouts out, “Ark ark,” it’s customary to return the call with another, “ark ark ark.” And when out and about with fellow penguins, this call is a good way to find those of the group who have gone missing. So please “ark” back when you hear the call.

The Look:
• Smaller than the past 2 years; again using the barn structure for the café. In the café is the bar for chocolate and wine prep, as well as the stage.
• Only 3 carports, not 7 (1 kitchen; 2 at the back of the café for executive use of penguins).
• Kitchen will be moved away from the café and will not be visible to the general public. (may be placed next to truck for convenience/wind support)
• Couches for guests in the cafe again- no more MOOP collection tables in the cafe.
• Convert the shower into executive tables for use in the penguin executive area.
• Create a new/smaller sign for use in conjunction with the lighted sign. This will also be used at other Burner events throughout the year.
• TLP shall be set up and decorated, as requested by Da Man, by Monday. All penguins must assist in this effort. No one can go off and play/explore until the work of setting up camp is concluded. To assist in this effort, the food run will be made on Friday while in Truckee and the penguins are expected to arrive on playa early afternoon on Saturday.
• There will be a penguin-only area in the camp area, away from the café.
• Decorated with penguins and with lights at night and our lighted sign.
• The café is set back 20 feet from the Esplanade to create a dance area/front yard. The café and penguin executive area is 40x30 feet, 3 sides of which will be walled. Behind this is the kitchen area and then our camping area.

The Feel:
• TLP is again a non-smoking camp.
• Café is open 24 hours a day, although there may not actually be anything “happening” there.
• No shifts to sign up for.
• Everyone should have a LITTLE work to do, not a lot. Work assignments/committees will be determined when joining up for 2006.
• Emphasis on community and hospitality. Notice that community is listed first. We feel it is vital for penguins to establish a strong sense of community first, in order to provide an appropriate level of hospitality. It’s our burn, too, after all, and we should be able to enjoy it with one another.
• We expect to have a membership of about 30 people.
• No membership limit so long as we have quality members. Members of lower quality will be run off by rangers with piss bottles in hand.
• Nightly meetings after dinner are mandatory for all members. You are free once the group has de-MOOPed the camp and street area, which follow the nightly meetings.
• Penguins serve wine and chocolate on the honor system- at will and leisure, and on demand by guests. We will most likely serve wine only from about 5pm until 2am.
• Daily “March of the Penguins” at specified time.
The “March of the Penguins” is modeled after the Pizza Sluts, who deliver hot pizza to camps on the playa. At least once a day (early afternoon/evening) penguins will meet, don penguin-ish attire, randomly select a location on the playa and deliver wine and chocolates to that location. (Sure wish we had an art car!) This does several things:
1. Gets us out of our camp to spread the penguin love to places on the playa that may not be familiar with us.
2. Allow us greater exposure.
3. Creates more TLP community by having group activities for us to enjoy with one another.
4. Provide more opportunities for penguin members to see more of Black Rock City.
5. Keep us in good graces with Da Man, as a result of less of a presence handing out chocolate on the Esplanade.
(While it is not expected that ALL penguins will be at any of the daily marches, we do ask that you attend as many as possible. We realize that on any particular day, some may not be up for a march, may have other plans, or need to stay in camp. And we don’t mean “march” literally, we can of course get art car rides or take bikes, or both.)

The Kitchen:
 The kitchen is vegetarian this year. See KGD’s commandments below.
 Only one main meal per day to be served about 20 minutes after sunset to allow time for our nightly meetings. Sunset is when the sun hits the mountain top; when the city cheers.
 Continental breakfast provided in mornings (cereal, fruit, bread and peanut butter).
 No seconds until all have had firsts. (If meat is served, and you are a carnivore, don’t eat the veggie meal until the herbivores have eaten.)
 If you wish to cook breakfast for camp – it’s your gift to the TLP community. Please make sure to check with KGD about using the kitchen first.
 Kitchen is to be used by members. If you mess it, you clean it. Failure to clean up after oneself will result in further kitchen duties, up to and including pain and suffering. A fine may be imposed as well. And no more fish for you.
 No BBQ grill and only one reefer for chocolate. Instead of the grill, we will use the implement KGD is so fond of. Food placed in the reefer is subject to disappearance. Store food in TLP reefer at your own risk. If it’s especially tasty or hoppy, see Penguin for storage! (Yeah, like you’ll ever get it back!)
 Water will be provided by TLP for kitchen use only. This includes serving lemonade to guests. Members will provide their own water for daily consumption, hygiene and fish; it will not be provided by TLP.
 This year, the penguins will try to reduce the amount of trash we produce, while trying to preserve our environment. We ask that you consider bringing reusable plates, silverware and cups. We will not provide a space for you to clean your dishes in the kitchen. Remember, the motto in Black Rock City is radical self reliance.
 The Lost Penguin Cafe Group Kitchen commandments:
The better parts of being in a large theme camp are social interactions and comfort. These are easily achieved with the group kitchen. Several penguins will be volunteering to be the kitchen team. These penguins will prepare a really nice dinner for you every day of the burn. Here is an explanation on how you can best take advantage of this, what you can expect and how you can help.

1. There will be a meal available just as the sun hits the mountains in the west. There is a mandatory camp meeting following the meal each and every night, which ends with a 10 minute deMOOPing. Please do not miss this.

2. Bring your own plate/bowl and utensils. Everyone will be served first before seconds can be dished out. If you know that you will miss dinner, you must make other arrangements for food as we cannot save food. After all penguins have been fed we will serve leftovers to penguin friends. After they have been fed, any leftovers will be offered to TLP visitors and anyone we can find who is hungry. We will make every effort to get rid of daily meals. Food does not keep in the desert.

3. You are responsible for cleaning your own dishes. You may not do that in the kitchen as the kitchen crew has to clean up after cooking. You must have your own way of cleaning your dishes worked out. For example, you could use wet wipes to wipe your dishes in your tent. Or use paper plates, which can be burned throughout the week.

4. The kitchen is off limits for non-kitchen staff and visitors. The kitchen implements, burners, counter tops and propane are not to be used outside of preparing the daily meal. Impromptu cookouts are not allowed as that will deplete our propane supply and we will have to eat uncooked food for the rest of the week.

5. The kitchen crew is all voluntary. They have volunteered to cook and clean up on their desert holiday. Please respect that. Do not make their job harder than it is. Compliments instead of criticism would be a good start.

6. The kitchen is vegetarian only. In the past we have had meat in the kitchen. You may prepare your own meat in a separate area outside the kitchen. If you cook your meat you are responsible for cleaning the mess up. If you must eat fresh meat then make sure you have a good system to store your meat and take all precautions in its preparation to avoid poisoning yourself and others.

7. Fruit, cereal, bread and other things will be provided for breakfast. We will also make fruit and things like trail mix and granola bars available throughout the day for snacks.

8. The kitchen is entirely run by volunteers. If you would like to help please contact Kitchen God Dave (dmckay@nma.ca) and tell him how you would like to help. You can be a chef, souse chef or dish-doer. If no one volunteers then KGD will do it all himself. That might not be quite fair to him, so please help! (Penguin adds: it’s not wise to upset the man who prepares your food!)

9. There will be water for the food prep and cleaning, propane for cooking, burners, pots and pans, utensils and food for meals. All of these camp resources are for the group kitchen. Please do not take any of these without permission from KGD or you will jeopardize everyone’s food for the week.

10. Point ten is written so that the kitchen will have ten commandments.

Thanks KGD

The MOOP:
• TLP is a Leave No Trace campsite. Don’t let it hit the ground/pack it in pack it out/pick it up as you go, etc, etc.
• Camp MOOP station is NOT to be used for personal waste management. YOU packed it in YOU pack it out.
• Cans will be taken to recycle camp on a daily basis.
• Burnables will be burned nightly in one of our burn barrels.
• Members will be trained on composting guidelines and expected to follow them.
• Daily MOOP patrol of camp and street following nightly meetings.
• Grey water will be collected in a drum and sucked by JOTS. No evap pool. (This may change)
• TLP is a glass container-free environment. If you bring glass, you take it out. Burning Man does not recycle glass either. Please bring cans.
• Each member must spend at LEAST two (2) hours picking up MOOP around the city before leaving the playa.
• Before leaving the TLP campsite, the area will be raked and inspected for MOOP.

The Show:
• Starts no sooner than 9pm. 1-2 bands nightly.
• Other times to be filled with mixed music or open mic as moods dictate.
• During open mic, time limits or some method of removal of acts will be discussed in committee and enforced on the playa.
• Sound can be set up for acts by those qualified after meetings and prior to shows. There will be no one “assigned” to be there during the shows. If any problems arise, penguins on hand shall take the initiative to get the problem fixed.

The Committees:
• Kitchen – KGD
• Entertainment – Breakfast
• Health/safety/property – Pengu
• Power – J-Rad
• Leave No Trace/MOOPnot – Ra
• Art/décor – Rosie the Pyrostress
• Bike – Koyote
• Finance – Pengu
• Hospitality/Wine and Chocolate – Shahdi
• Loading – J-Rad

The steering committee shall consist of committee heads and will act to ensure that the vision of TLP is achieved. They will over ride bad decisions of committee heads and still place the blame on them, squarely.

A more comprehensive description of committee responsibilities is currently being worked on and will be disseminated after we’ve eaten more fish.
 Each member must serve on at least one committee and no more than three. All members must assist all committees as needed.
 No official TLP group shower or adult area committees. Members may create these as they wish in the camp area, and will be built and managed separately. (Like the rickshaw was last year.) (This may change)
 TLP ’06 will have more emphasis on committees and making chairs responsible. If a committee chair fails to follow through on their responsibilities to the camp and its members, their membership for the future will be in question. Do not volunteer for responsible TLP roles if you feel you may have difficulty in completing the tasks assigned. A whole camp of people are relying on our committees, chairs and penguins who take responsibility to finish tasks. Don't let us down or you won't be allowed to mate. Ever.

The Nitty Gritty:
• Dues will be $208 and are due by JULY 20. They will increase $25 after that point ($233). They increase another $25 after August first ($258).
• You have 2 options to pay TLP dues.
• Option 1 is to send a check to Penguin as follows: Pay to Scott Gibson; 335 Valverde Dr.: South San Francisco, CA, 94080
• Option 2 is paypal. Simply go to Paypal.com and use the address tlp@vermel.org to pay your dues. If you have questions about using this option, contact Ra directly.
• Once dues are paid, TLP will keep 15% if a refund is requested. No refunds of camp dues after Aug.1. We ask that you make sure anything bad that happens occurs before this date. After… it’s smooth sailing only.
• Currently, our plans are to load up on Thursday, August 24, and depart for Nudey Man’s Truckee Lodge. Here we spend 2 nights, leaving for BRC Saturday morning. There is no additional charge for this, other than a collection for food while in the lodge. Our time in Truckee is special, in that we get to know one another before hitting the playa. We work on various projects, do our food shopping, and soak in NM’s indoor hot tub and sauna. We realize some cannot make this part of the trip, but you will wish you had. Others will join us only for Friday night.
We also spend Monday night after the burn in Truckee, unloading the truck in Richmond on Tuesday afternoon. Even if you cannot stay at Truckee with us, you can still serve the loading committee if you can just show up in Richmond for the loads.
• New members must be sponsored by an existing member. Newbies who do not live up to TLP expectations or abuse their Burning Man privileges will be spoken to first by the sponsoring member. The steering committee will also deal with member’s social interaction problems when necessary.
• Remember, people at BRC are on inebriates and pushing new boundaries (not like that’s a bad thing). Please deal with people’s offenses at the burn and not stew about them and deal with them back in the mundane world. If you need, ask the steering committee for assistance.
• Penguins must respect people’s boundaries. No leering at the featherless birds; or bare breasted men and women for that matter. TLP will not tolerate sexual harassment, leering, jeering or drooling in public spaces, unless this behavior is specifically requested.
• TLP does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, religion or ethnicity. We expect ALL members to be open minded and accepting of other member’s right to exist as they are.
• TLP will not be a part of a village in ’06, but will request neighbors (Pink Flamingos, Totem and Image Node).
• TLP will have an account (either bank and or PayPal). Each committee will submit a budget to the steering committee for review and approval. TLP will operate in the black for once.
• Our bikes will need to be marked as TLP property. This will be done in Truckee.
• Keep your inebriates on the down low. Do NOT leave them out where they can be found and get others into trouble. Please keep them out of the Café. The code word for a heads up will be, “Someone play that tambourine!”
• Please be considerate of members sleeping in the camping area. If you are up late or early, keep your voice down when near other tents or campers..



* The Lost Penguins STONGLY suggest you read the current version of the Burning Man Survival Guide. If you purchased a ticket on line from Burning Man, one will be sent to the same address used to send your tickets. If you would like a copy, contact Burning Man and one can be sent, or ask to see a copy from someone.