On we sweep with thrashing oar...

February 5, 2008 11:11 AM

Hail San Franciscans. I will be landing on your shores bringing you a message of goodwill from the Rhine delta people. Let's engage in the ancient ritual of raising glasses of beer to signal the friendly relations between our nations. Or to put it differently: I'll be in SF soon and I'd like to buy you a beer. And I'm sure you have plenty to catch up with each other too.

I'll do a bit of traveling around so I'd like to do the meetup on either thursday 21/2 or friday 22/2.

posted by jouke to MetaFilter gatherings at 11:11 AM (106 comments total)

Yeah, we've really grown apart in the past nine days, guys.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:22 AM on February 5, 2008

I'm all for a massage of goodwill.

Oh, I misread that. Darn.

Well, beer is nearly as good as a massage.

Yeah, we've really grown apart in the past nine days, guys.

Totally. I hardly remember what y'all look like anymore! Oh and hey, isn't cortex supposed to show up at this meetup now, since jessamyn was at the last one, and mathowie the one before that?

Either of those works for me. I'm not going to suggest a spot, though, because I'm bad at that.
posted by rtha at 11:28 AM on February 5, 2008

I will be landing on your shores bringing you a message of goodwill
good so far...
from the Rhine delta people.
Oh no! Allemani Germancii from beyond the Colonia! To the battlements!

... Wait, they've got beer. Let 'em in.
posted by boo_radley at 1:11 PM on February 5, 2008

Just come with me to the Teutoburg Forest boo.
posted by jouke at 1:24 PM on February 5, 2008

Hail San Franciscans.

For what it's worth, they prefer "Frisco-ites" or "Frisco-nauts."

Just wanted to give you fair warning so's you can get in good with the locals.
posted by dersins at 1:30 PM on February 5, 2008

Why not? I mean, what's the worst that could happen?
posted by boo_radley at 1:42 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

posted by dersins For what it's worth, they prefer "Frisco-ites" or "Frisco-nauts."

No, we don't.
posted by fandango_matt at 2:15 PM on February 5, 2008

Don't listen to fandango_matt. He is a known internet troublemaker who is trying to trick you into putting your foot in your handbasket when you get to the Gulf of Frisco area.
posted by dersins at 2:21 PM on February 5, 2008 [2 favorites]

I thought the designation was Fransciskers, or just Ciskers.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:23 PM on February 5, 2008

Where do you get your information, Burhanistan? 2004?
posted by dersins at 2:24 PM on February 5, 2008

posted by dersins Don't listen to fandango_matt. He is a known internet troublemaker who is trying to trick you into putting your foot in your handbasket when you get to the Gulf of Frisco area.

Ah, spoken exactly like a hipster who's never set foot in Baghdad-by-the-Bay.
posted by fandango_matt at 2:27 PM on February 5, 2008

Holy crap!
posted by aubilenon at 2:37 PM on February 5, 2008

don't listen to fandango_matt, HE DOESN'T GO TO MEETUPS. I skeer 'im.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:38 PM on February 5, 2008

I'm more likely to make Thursday. Friday is the double whammy of WonderCon and Jonathan Coulton. Sort of a WoCoJoCo kind of a thing.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 2:51 PM on February 5, 2008

Ok. Sensitive issue apparently.

Here's what I'll do: I'll leave out the San Franciscans bit and just say "Hail" and raise my palm in greeting like a roman to show that I am not carrying weapons and come in peace.
posted by jouke at 2:51 PM on February 5, 2008

And I'm a Berkeleyite. Although I think of myself more as a displaced Cruzeño.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 2:52 PM on February 5, 2008

Berkeleyite. Wasn't that Be₃₂₄?
posted by jouke at 2:55 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg: "Santa Crucian" has a nice ring to it.
posted by aubilenon at 3:22 PM on February 5, 2008

Lore - I was going to mention Coulton, but you beat me to it. I guess leaving the meetup midway to go the show would be dumb?

(Also, Wondercon's then? And APE's in - November?! Gah!)
posted by Pronoiac at 3:33 PM on February 5, 2008

don't make "a message of givewell" joke. don't make "a message of givewell" joke.
damn.
posted by prophetsearcher at 3:48 PM on February 5, 2008

You do know that to come to a San Francisco meetup one is required to either be a Mefi mod, a TV star, or to bring us edible images of your god, right?

Oh, or buy us beer. You're all good then.
posted by gingerbeer at 4:05 PM on February 5, 2008

Hey jouke, just be sure to play some of those Rhine delta blues for the California people:

Woke up this mornin',
That ol' Rhine done flooded my tulip patch
Said I woke up this mornin' people,
You know that Rhine sho 'nuff flooded my tulip patch
I'm goin' to the station,
They's a train to Amsterdam, that I gots to catch.

You know the womens up in Amsterdam,
They sho do treat you right
I said the womens up in Amsterdam,
Lord knows they treat you right
That gouda cheese they serve you brother,
Man I could eat that stuff all night!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:38 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

I was going to propose a meetup over the long Dead Imperialist's Day weekend as I'll be visiting from LA, but I see I have been beaten to the punch. I may turn on the meetup signal regardless when I'm up there.
posted by the_bone at 4:40 PM on February 5, 2008

I'll try to come - Friday is better for me, but I can probably do Thursday as well. Please pick a venue that is BARTable or Muni-friendly!

Welcome to our lovely city; we'd love to hoist a beer in your honor.
posted by Quietgal at 6:40 PM on February 5, 2008

As a newly minted Palo Altasiean, I may come to this meet-up, depending on how far I have to schlepp.
posted by jeffamaphone at 6:40 PM on February 5, 2008

Santa Crucian? Cruzeño?

Just call me Cruzy. ;)
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 7:00 PM on February 5, 2008

I want to go! Someone remind me this time.
posted by alexei at 10:25 PM on February 5, 2008

I'll go out on a limb here, since no one has actually tried this yet, and propose the following

Friday 2/22 (or 22/2, for you for'ners), 7:00p.m., Place Pigalle at 520 Hayes St. in Hayes Valley. Good beer selection, decent music, relatively chill crowd, and you can usually find a place to sit a group of people. It's reasonably easy to get to by Muni (Van Ness & Market station, buses 71, 47, 49, 21, 5 all pass within reasonable distance) and about a 10-15 minute walk from Civic Center BART. If you take Cal-Train up to SF, the 47 bus will take you from the station to about 3 blocks from Place Pigalle.

Peninsula-dwellers welcome.

Seems split between people preferring Thurs and Friday. If there's overwhelming preference for Thursday, the same location still works.
posted by jewishbuddha at 11:59 PM on February 5, 2008

Hey jbuddah, that location sounds fine by me. But what do I know, eh?

Unfortunately I found out I really can't attend on friday. So for me it would have to be on thursday.

You know the womens up in Amsterdam,
They sho do treat you right
That's a mighty fine blues flap. Sounds more like The British Tourist Blues than The Rhine Delta Blues though.

one is required to either be a Mefi mod, a TV star, or to bring us edible images of your god
I could bring you katjesdrop as a sort of LOLCAT host. But you'd just go ghhpffooey after tasting our licorice. And that would be blasphemy.
posted by jouke at 10:38 AM on February 6, 2008

jouke, you can send me that licorice instead; it'll save me from having to re-order.
posted by cortex at 11:19 AM on February 6, 2008

Even if we're to be mod-less, this sounds groovy. What time on Thursday, then?
posted by rtha at 12:07 PM on February 6, 2008

Jouke, it'll be a pleasure to meet you. 7pm Thursday February 21 at Place Pigalle?
posted by wzcx at 12:13 PM on February 6, 2008

I can do Thursday Pigalle.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 12:14 PM on February 6, 2008

Sure. Send me an email with your address and whether you like
- salmiakdrop (scandinavian style liquorice. Pronounced pure salmiac taste)
- zoute drop (salt. also salmiac taste. But more rounded with liquorice root.)
- zoete drop (sweet. Mostly liquorice root. Low on salmiac)
- any of the mixin tastes of aniseed, mint/menthol or laurel
and I'll send you a batch of the better kind.
posted by jouke at 12:27 PM on February 6, 2008

I'll be there if I can persuade my dad to observe his birthday on Friday rather than the Thursday it actually lands on. Late, though, as usual -- probably no earlier than 8 or so.
posted by tangerine at 1:08 PM on February 6, 2008

I love ammonium chloride and I will be at the meetup!

Also you got it wrong, the correct answer is "cortex can have some candy when he comes to the meetup"
posted by aubilenon at 1:40 PM on February 6, 2008

I think aubilenon has it right. Cortex, if you want any of that sweet, black foreign lovin', you're going to have to come to the meetup. If you want liquorice you'll have to order it online.
posted by ooga_booga at 1:48 PM on February 6, 2008

Yes, ammonium chloride.
I remember a great experiment in highschool: opening up both a flask of hydrochloric acid and ammonium, placing them next to eachother and watching the ammonium chloride cloud appear. Salmiac candy goodness appearing miraculously out of toxic chemicals!
posted by jouke at 1:49 PM on February 6, 2008

We have date, time, place and attendants. I have put the meetup on the sidebar.
Can't wait to meet you people.
posted by jouke at 2:57 PM on February 6, 2008

Added to Upcoming. See you all there!
posted by junesix at 5:48 PM on February 6, 2008

tangerine, why not bring your Dad to the meetup?
posted by Quietgal at 7:10 PM on February 7, 2008

Whaddya know? I just offered to work that night--like, minutes ago.

Of course, that's one of my normal nights to work anyways, but now I can't even request it off. Not that I could anyways, since we're short on coverage for the night shift to begin with and my my coworkers keeps calling off.

wHY DO I HAvE TO BE ThE RESPONSIBLE ONE?!?!

can i get some cheese to go with my whine?
posted by sambosambo at 1:52 AM on February 8, 2008

I'm comforted though, by the fact that the next meetup will probably only be a few days later. In fact, let's start planning it in this thread! I say Zachary's Chicago Pizza in Berkeley on Thursday March 6th.
posted by sambosambo at 2:13 AM on February 8, 2008

sambosambo, I think the canonical line is "I'm not even supposed to be here today." Though I guess it needs reworking for tense and time-of-day in this case.
posted by cortex at 7:55 AM on February 8, 2008

Full Moon!

I probably can't come, though- I'm busy til 9. I will come if I'm not wiped out.
posted by small_ruminant at 9:19 AM on February 8, 2008

sambosambo- is that the one on Solano in Berkeley? Or the Zachary's in Oakland?
posted by small_ruminant at 9:20 AM on February 8, 2008

Yeah, I meant the one on Solano. TASTY!!
posted by sambosambo at 9:55 AM on February 8, 2008

Oh, and time is open to suggestion. 7pm?
posted by sambosambo at 10:05 AM on February 8, 2008

wowow - a second meetup in the same thread?

admins: can you change sambosambo's Zachary's link to this one? Zachary's
posted by junesix at 12:20 PM on February 8, 2008

Done.
posted by cortex at 12:49 PM on February 8, 2008

Oh, hell, the Berkeley meetup is for reals? Okay, I'll be there. Hell, I could walk there.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 9:05 AM on February 10, 2008

I'll try to be there ...
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 11:22 AM on February 10, 2008

I'm going to try to make it to Place Pigalle.
posted by harrumph at 10:09 PM on February 12, 2008

I'm visiting the bay area (trying to move here, actually, if I find a sublet) and couldn't make it to the last meetup, so count me in for this one (Place Pigalle)...it's a shame there won't be dogs at this meetup, though.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:05 PM on February 15, 2008

it's a shame there won't be dogs at this meetup, though.

actually, i see dogs at place pigalle pretty regularly, so it's possible.
posted by jewishbuddha at 1:16 PM on February 16, 2008

yay!
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:40 AM on February 17, 2008

Just a bump to this thread to remind all of the Place Pigalle meetup on thursday 7 pm. See jBuddhas comment for more details.

I'll definitely be taking some drop/licorice with me. Not that it goes particularly well with having a drink but maybe you want to take a few with you or something.

I look forward to meeting you all.
posted by jouke at 1:31 PM on February 19, 2008

Jouke, I don't think the link goes where you want it to (unless you wanted an old thread in the blue).

I'll be there sometime after 8. See everyone then!
posted by gingerbeer at 8:38 AM on February 21, 2008

Well, now it does. Don't know why my computer sent me somewhere else. Never mind....
posted by gingerbeer at 8:39 AM on February 21, 2008

Ha! You're not crazy, gingerbeer. I fixed it, but jouke actually did something weird with the link originally, like so:

<a href="/15743/On-we-sweep-with-thrashing-oar#509379">

It's a relative link: there's no explicit definition of the site to which that path belongs, so the browser assumes at click-time that it means "go to that path on this site right here". The alternative (and best, in general on mefi) practice is to use an absolute path, a fully-qualified url, like so:

<a href="http://metatalk.metafilter.com/15743/On-we-sweep-with-thrashing-oar#509379">

But hey, no big deal, right? After all, jouke's comment is on http://metatalk.metafilter.com and so is the comment he's linking to.

Except then you went and saw the comment from the Recent Activity page and clicked there. And Recent Activity lives on http://www.metafilter.com/ . So the browser interpreted jouke's link as pointing to a thread on the blue (and a non-existent comment therein). Blammo!

Then, of course, you came in here to mention it; you checked it again; and because on re-check you were clicking from the metatalk domain, it worked just fine and you started to wonder if your computer was melting. Heh.
posted by cortex at 8:48 AM on February 21, 2008

Does anyone want a ride in from the North Bay or Marin? I'm driving.
posted by wzcx at 1:16 PM on February 21, 2008

cortex, that is the most sensible explanation of relative link/absolute links I've ever read. Thanks!

(And aren't you sad that you can't be at the meet-up to explain it to us in person? I am.)

See y'all tonight!
posted by rtha at 1:28 PM on February 21, 2008

If anyone is planning to come late, feel free to send me MeFiMail for my cell phone number, just in case we leave Place Pigalle for any reason (like to go across the street and grab some deep dish at Patxi's. Mmm. Tasty).

I should be able to check and reply up until about 5 minutes before the theoretical starting time of 7pm.
posted by jewishbuddha at 3:34 PM on February 21, 2008

I'll try to be there but I probably won't arrive until 8:00 or later, possibly with my dog.
posted by whir at 4:12 PM on February 21, 2008

As a reference for any newcomers, I'll be the one that looks approximately like this, though probably without signage and hopefully with eyes open.
posted by jewishbuddha at 5:43 PM on February 21, 2008

Great I'll be able to recognise you. I'm 6'6" and thin.
posted by jouke at 6:43 PM on February 21, 2008

I'm 6'6" and thin.

Just make sure you're not standing behind a tree!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:03 PM on February 21, 2008

I got to the city late, drove around looking for parking for 20 minutes, and gave up. Sorry I missed everyone! Jouke, I'd still like to go for a bike ride this weekend if you're available.
posted by wzcx at 9:27 PM on February 21, 2008

Sorry you couldnt' make it wzcx.

So nice to meet you people. And the licorice was unexpectedly popular. So that was rather satisfying to me.
posted by jouke at 11:08 PM on February 21, 2008

Good gracious, that was fun! I hope jouke thought so, too!

I reckon I'll be a little hungover tomorrow. Ah, well. I only took two pictures - I'll post them tomorrow sometime.

cortex, the liquorice-y goodness is indeed very very good.

Those present:
me
gingerbeer
whir
jouke
aubelinon
junesix
ooga_booga
Quietgal
needs cowbell
jewishbuddha
...and at least a couple of folks whose usernames I didn't catch, or who I've forgotten because I've had more beer than I should on a school night. Anna, we talked about biodiesel - very interesting!

Those who I missed, please post and tell me and us!

I blame the beer!

wzcx - so sorry you couldn't make it! But next time, look for parking for an hour! Yeah! Hardcore!

See y'all later, when I'm less tipsy.
posted by rtha at 11:58 PM on February 21, 2008

Hooray!
posted by aubilenon at 12:47 AM on February 22, 2008

AW! I missed meeting jouke AND talking biodiesel with rtha? Oh well, someday there will be another meetup that's not on a Thursday.

Not really sorry I missed the licorice, though, if it's anything like the Danish stuff. Those Pirate Coins are exquisite torture: unbearably salty while I'm eating them, but just enough lingering licorice flavor to make me feel like I should try again after a few minutes have gone by. Damn you and your cursed treasure, Danish Pirates!
posted by contraption at 1:02 AM on February 22, 2008

'Twas most excellent fun. Lessons learned:

1. How to implement polling and harvest more favorites at the same time.
2. Never mistake a dutchman for a german, especially when he's been so kind as to bring licorice.
3. Quonsar's back and so is Ethereal Bligh! MeFi gossip is strangely compelling.
4. If you're in Texas, you need to go out and vote in your primary and do so again in your caucus.
5. Hawaiians are badass.
6. There's a mouthy noob out there.
7. Ambrosia Voyeur/Contraption - where *were* you?
8. Aubilenon is really a robot. From the future.
9. Jewishbuddha knows why bears can't dance.
10. YOU'RE ALL FUCKING PUSSIES!

Oh, and there needs to be more hookups at San Francisco meetups. Apparently we're all too nice to each other and get along famously.
posted by ooga_booga at 1:11 AM on February 22, 2008

Hey ooga_booga - you forgot the most important lesson: You're full of shit!
posted by rtha at 7:01 AM on February 22, 2008

Photos are up. There are only two - I kept forgetting that I had the camera with me.

jewishbuddha - I'm going to have to go out and get some gatorade. And I really wish there was a good greasy-breakfast place near my office!
posted by rtha at 8:36 AM on February 22, 2008

Nice meeting y'all all of you. And I'll have to keep in mind that wearing a cow print sweater makes me look like a lawyer.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:20 AM on February 22, 2008

Well, rtha, let's take it to the floor, shall we?

If you think that ooga_booga is full of shit, favorite this comment.
posted by ooga_booga at 10:22 AM on February 22, 2008 [1 favorite]

If you think that ooga_booga *is* the shit, favorite this comment.
posted by ooga_booga at 10:22 AM on February 22, 2008 [3 favorites]

If you say DTMFA/Go get therapy, favorite this comment.
posted by ooga_booga at 10:23 AM on February 22, 2008 [4 favorites]

Oh, and thank you, Jouke, for the scrumptious licorice and for being the implement of our destruction!
posted by ooga_booga at 10:24 AM on February 22, 2008

Also, person holding the MeFi sign in the picture: what's your user name? I only caught your real name.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:24 AM on February 22, 2008

needs more cowbell - I do believe that's Junesix who's holding the MeFi sign.
posted by ooga_booga at 10:44 AM on February 22, 2008

Aw hell. I'm sorry I missed you all.
posted by tangerine at 11:30 AM on February 22, 2008

hey ooga_booga, nice to see that you're still as energetic as at the meetup.
posted by jouke at 12:24 PM on February 22, 2008

I'm going to have to go out and get some gatorade

quoted for truth!

that's Junesix who's holding the MeFi sign.

quoted for truth!

not bad for a rainy school night, kids. not bad at all. thanks to jouke for instigating this.

time to begin planning for the first official MeFi pancake brunch meetup.
posted by jewishbuddha at 1:02 PM on February 22, 2008

Pancakes!
posted by rtha at 1:09 PM on February 22, 2008

quoted for truth!
quoted for truth!

Nice to see you all. I am just now beginning to get the liquorice taste out of my mouth.
posted by whir at 1:22 PM on February 22, 2008

liquorice: the lover that lingers.
posted by cortex at 1:42 PM on February 22, 2008

Pancakes!

quoted for truth. and for butter.

It was great to see you guys, as always, even if I only made it there for the dregs of the evening.
posted by gingerbeer at 2:03 PM on February 22, 2008

Pancakes!

quoted for truth. and for butter.

quoted for truth, and don't forget the maple syrup!
posted by rtha at 2:15 PM on February 22, 2008

Hee, I thought it was tonight! Good thing I checked!!
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 6:50 PM on February 22, 2008

Pancakes! There's an idea! And meetups that don't keep me up late on a school night! Had to bail out early because I get up at oh-dark-thirty ...

Anyway, nice to see current friends and meet new ones. Jouke, I hope you're enjoying your visit to San Francisco, and thanks for the Dutch licorice! Come back soon, with or without licorice, and have a good trip home.

Hope to see y'all again soon at a meetup.

needs more cowbell and I are qualified to say "y'all" because we've lived in The Armpit of the Universe Baltimore, which is south of the Mason-Dixon line. The rest of you Yankees will have to get by with "youse".
posted by Quietgal at 8:10 PM on February 22, 2008

Why is it I decide to drop in on MeTa the day AFTER the meetup? Why, I ask you?
posted by alexei at 1:41 AM on February 23, 2008

Licorice fans need not wait for jouke's return to satisfy the craving. Miette Confiserie has a large selection of imported licorice candies from all over Europe, including a bunch of salty and salmiac varieties. It's just around the corner from Place Pigalle, on Octavia. I stopped by there today after doing some investigative pancake research at Stacks'.
posted by jewishbuddha at 2:57 PM on February 23, 2008

Yes people do have to wait for my return since I'm the licorice messiah.
posted by jouke at 9:07 AM on February 25, 2008

time to begin planning for the first official MeFi pancake brunch meetup
Stacks is good but, oh man, Brenda's on a Saturday morning would be insanely yummy, nom nom nom. *high-fives jewishbuddha*
Just give the word and I'll be there at 8 in the morning to stand in line.

what's your user name?
ees me!
posted by junesix at 11:35 AM on February 25, 2008

The meetup's not dead yet! Anyone who wants to come for a mountain bike ride around China Camp with jouke and I should meet at the north parking lot/ranger station at 2:30 pm Tuesday. I'll take a couple of pics, and pretend I'm not crushed by missing the real meetup.
posted by wzcx at 12:31 PM on February 25, 2008

Our ride turned to a triathlon! We had a great bike ride, then hurry back to the ferry to discover it's ten minutes later than expected- just enough time to runover the footbridge to the Marin Brewing company for a beer and run back to get on the boat. Thanks jouke, I had such a good time I went and did the same ride again yesterday.
posted by wzcx at 12:45 PM on February 28, 2008

Haha, yeah wzcx, the beer run was awesome!

To state the obvious: SF is an amazing place. So much so that I'm lukewarm about being in NY/Manhattan for the first time. (shh, don't tell the NY mefites)
posted by jouke at 9:43 AM on February 29, 2008

? So is there a Berkeley meetup tonight?
posted by iamkimiam at 10:26 AM on March 6, 2008

I can't get enough delicious Zachary's or Mefites, so I'll be there.
posted by aubilenon at 11:17 AM on March 6, 2008

I was there are six, and there didn't seem to be any Mefites there. I asked the server if anyone had taken a table for an indeterminate number of people, and she said no. I waited a bit, then left. Sorry I missed those who were there, if any were.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 6:43 PM on March 6, 2008

Six! It says 7! I showed up a little after 7 and didn't see anyone metafiltery, so rather than wait around 20 minutes to eat pizza all alone I went home. So sad!

It didn't occur to me until earlier this evening that having a meetup at dinner time in a small but very popular restaurant that doesn't take reservations might not be the best idea.
posted by aubilenon at 7:52 PM on March 6, 2008

I showed up at about 7:10, didn't see anyone that looked blue and green and gray, and then it turned out they don't sell pizza by the slice past 4. I demand a rematch.
posted by duende at 9:38 PM on March 6, 2008

Hmm, I showed up at 9:15 and didn't see anyone and figured everyone wandered off to a bar or something. I second the rematch motion.
posted by small_ruminant at 10:18 PM on March 6, 2008

Okay, someone make a new thread and pick a different venue (one that we can sit in with an indeterminate number of people without a big wait).
posted by aubilenon at 10:57 PM on March 6, 2008