MeFi Meetup in Ottawa?

July 26, 2007 12:10 PM

When I used Ask Metafilter to learn about the housing situation in Ottawa, several people proposed a gathering of MeFites in this most bureaucratic of cities. Now that I am here, I would definitely be up for it. Is anyone else interested?
posted by sindark to MetaFilter gatherings at 12:10 PM (56 comments total)

Sure, sign me up.
posted by kmennie at 1:42 PM on July 26, 2007

contact these great people--we had a meetup when i went up there in the winter. : >
posted by amberglow at 3:04 PM on July 26, 2007

I'll keep an eye out, I'm in TO but go to Ottawa every 2 months or so.
posted by SassHat at 3:54 PM on July 26, 2007

Haha. amberglow and I had some great (if tiring) fun skating on the canal. I still owe him a lunch. I'm in Ottawa for all of August so depending on work and where and when count me in.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 7:35 PM on July 26, 2007

It'd be nice to have one that -- for once -- wasn't in the dead of winter.
posted by mcwetboy at 8:02 PM on July 26, 2007

Sweet. I was all upset about discovering Metatalk about two days after the last Ottawa meet, too. 3rd-10th August would be ideal?
posted by Phire at 10:29 PM on July 26, 2007

Actually, make that 6th-10th. Forgot I had plans.
posted by Phire at 10:30 PM on July 26, 2007

Sounds great (except for Aug 17-23)...looking forward to it.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 5:34 AM on July 27, 2007

Can anyone suggest a venue? I don't know the city very well yet.
posted by sindark at 10:17 AM on July 27, 2007

Lots of good places downtown/Bank street. I remember NaNoWriMo did a meetup at the Royal Oak on Bank once, that could work?
posted by Phire at 11:21 AM on July 27, 2007

Oh, god. Not the 'Dirty Oak'...!

Can I suggest Pub Italia? A wee hike out of downtown, but well worth it, I'd say.
posted by kmennie at 5:11 PM on July 27, 2007

The last meetup was on Preston as well, if I remember correctly. How about the Market this time around? I'll suggest a real tavern environment: The Dominion Tavern on York, particularly fun if it is a weekend night. Cheap beer and pool tables (unless there is a band) and darts. And if folks aren't into it there are any number of clubs/bars/pubs within spitting distance. Let's put this "bureaucratic" capital rumour to rest for good. ;-)

I'm open to any other suggestions but you'll have to talk to my people first.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 6:42 PM on July 27, 2007

Here's "The Dom's" website.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 6:46 PM on July 27, 2007

Heh. Would people be terribly opposed to somewhere open to an 18-year old? :P Clubs/bars/pubs tend to require ID.
posted by Phire at 7:06 PM on July 27, 2007

Would people be terribly opposed to somewhere open to an 18-year old?

Not at all, and let me top this up with 'non-dive, please.' I'm enormously pregnant (so, forgive any last-minute no-showing) and it's one thing to go sip wine in a restaurant, another to belly up -- har har! christ -- to a slummy bar. I shouldn't worry about appearances like that, but.

I recommend ottawafoodies.com as a place to browse for venues.
posted by kmennie at 2:07 PM on July 28, 2007

This sounds like fun. I'm going away on holidays soon, but if I'm in town when it happens I just might join you!
posted by aclevername at 8:53 PM on July 28, 2007

So how does Tuesday Night (the 7th) sound?
posted by Phire at 9:50 PM on July 29, 2007

So how does Tuesday Night (the 7th) sound?

That works for me. I will leave venue selection to people who know the city better.
posted by sindark at 10:38 AM on July 30, 2007

have fun you guys--and shout me out! : >
posted by amberglow at 4:29 PM on July 30, 2007

The thread is ded! DED! But I'm reluctant to email the people here who expressed interest in addition to the people from the previous Ottawa thread. Dilemma?
posted by Phire at 8:57 PM on July 30, 2007

don't be silly--email them all!
posted by amberglow at 10:30 AM on July 31, 2007

don't be silly--email them all!

I concur.
posted by sindark at 10:50 AM on July 31, 2007

Thanks for the mail, Phire. I'd have missed this otherwise. It really needs to be sidebarred on the metatalk main page too.
posted by bonehead at 7:31 PM on July 31, 2007

For sure and thanks for the email reminder, Phire. The Dom is not such a great idea given comments above but there is a great (all ages) wine bar/restaurant on the Market called Vineyards and they have free live jazz every night, usually a duo or trio. It is a clean, cool (in a basement with stone walls) and family-friendly atmosphere with good food and a great selection of wine and beer.

For me the Market is closer, but I'll grab a bus just to meet a few fellow MeFites even in Little Italy... Tusesday, August 7 is fine for me, wherever.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 10:03 PM on July 31, 2007

Vineyards sounds enjoyable and accessible.
posted by sindark at 6:21 AM on August 1, 2007

I'm pro-Vineyards...
posted by kmennie at 6:54 AM on August 1, 2007

I've never been there, but it looks like they have decent food.

What time? 7ish?
posted by bonehead at 7:05 AM on August 1, 2007

The 7th is ok with me
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 8:02 AM on August 1, 2007

Vineyards it is! :D 7 PM, August 7th. *sidebars*
posted by Phire at 10:30 AM on August 1, 2007

7:00pm on the 7th works for me.

Here is Vineyards on a Google Map.
posted by sindark at 2:26 PM on August 1, 2007

Great! I'll see y'all next Tuesday for some fine wine and jazz. I'll keep an eye on this thread in case things change. I hope we get a good turnout and that somebody brings a digital camera. :-)
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 7:58 PM on August 1, 2007

I'm sad I'll miss it, as I'll be out of town. But hopefully we have another relatively soon (hint).
posted by aclevername at 4:55 PM on August 2, 2007

I won't be able to make it until 9pm, but i'll be there.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 7:29 PM on August 4, 2007

What?! =\ is anyone else even coming? (Sindark, you'll be there, right? *mildly desperate*)
posted by Phire at 9:47 AM on August 5, 2007

I will be there.
posted by sindark at 6:09 AM on August 6, 2007

I will be there, at about 9:30.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 7:19 PM on August 6, 2007

I'm working until 9 but I will be close by so I'll be there just a little after the hour. See y'all tomorrow night! :-)
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 8:01 PM on August 6, 2007

For the benefit of anyone struggling to pick me out at Vineyards, here is a photo.
posted by sindark at 9:31 PM on August 6, 2007

I don't have a recent picture of myself, this is the only one I could find where I wasn't in a prom dress or graduation gear. My hair is way short now, mind you.
posted by Phire at 10:35 PM on August 6, 2007

Given current condition (qv 'enormously' etc), I'm being a jerk and bowing out at the last second.

Somebody please mail me when this happens again?

:-/
posted by kmennie at 9:47 AM on August 7, 2007

Awesome! Ill be there for 7.
posted by Binliner at 9:49 AM on August 7, 2007

Hmm... should have checked the calendar first. Ill try to be there but its 50/50.
posted by Binliner at 10:13 AM on August 7, 2007

I can't make this one, but I'm so up for the next!
posted by Meagan at 12:01 PM on August 7, 2007

I'm iffy. A work thing has come up.
posted by bonehead at 1:08 PM on August 7, 2007

*mumbles mutinously*
posted by Phire at 2:20 PM on August 7, 2007

I'm gonna knock off work early so I'll be there at 8.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 2:41 PM on August 7, 2007

I am just making dinner now and will head over afterwards (walking from Lebreton).

Perhaps this should be posted again, to catch anyone from Ottawa who missed the thread the first time?
posted by sindark at 2:57 PM on August 7, 2007

Technically we're not supposed to post reminder threads, since there's the sidebar.

Should I hold up a sign saying MeFi? (Might be 5 min late)
posted by Phire at 3:11 PM on August 7, 2007

(The Signage question in snark, FYI. Will wear sarcastic T-shirt.)
posted by Phire at 3:13 PM on August 7, 2007

I hope you are OK, sindark, and I'm glad that Phire is the patient type: I was a bit late and it was just she and I.

We had some excellent mussels and interesting conversation backed up by a fine guitar duo (coincidentally featuring an old friend of mine). Sorry y'all couldn't join us, and thanks for a very pleasant evening, Phire!
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 8:36 PM on August 7, 2007

Most people seemed to be aiming to arrive at 9:00pm to 9:30pm. I was originally aiming to show up earlier, but there was a family issue.

I got there at about 9:45 and missed the party. Had I known things would wrap up earlier, I would have been more determined to arrive sooner.
posted by sindark at 8:43 PM on August 7, 2007

Well, you missed us two, anyway: Phire was there just after 7 and I got there after 8 and we didn't leave until after 11. That's too bad, and I hope your family issue is OK.
posted by St Urbain's Horseman at 9:06 PM on August 7, 2007

Too bad you missed us, sindark, it would've been fun to have you there. I will upload the photo tomorrow, I'm mostly posting to say that despite the ineptitudes of OC Transpo, I'm home, and heading straight for bed. After checking AskMe.
posted by Phire at 9:34 PM on August 7, 2007

"we didn't leave until after 11"

I must have walked right past you several times. I was in a bright orange shirt and circled the restaurant awkwardly several times before deciding that everyone must have already left.

The family issue was just the sudden discovery that today is a relative's fiftieth birthday and that nothing was planned. With some suitable scrambling, that seems to have been rectified.
posted by sindark at 5:18 AM on August 8, 2007

We were the 18-year old girl + 37 year old guy duo sitting near the live Jazz setup. I do seem to remember someone who looked like they were looking for something, and I remember wondering if that was another MeFite... that's really too bad sindark. We should try and have another one, soon. It really was delightful.
posted by Phire at 9:20 AM on August 8, 2007

This time in August seems to be bad for planning anything, I've discovered. I definitely hope we try again, because I'd love to go to one!
posted by aclevername at 7:17 PM on August 9, 2007