Comments on: In my mind, I've gone to Carolina, and in May, I'll be there in person.

In my mind, I've gone to Carolina, and in May, I'll be there in person.

orange swan — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:26:00 -0800

So, I'm going to be in Raleigh, NC, May 22 to May 29. Do any MeFites in the the triangle want to have a pub night sometime that week, and if so, may I join you?

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:49:44 -0800

I could do something the evening of the 23rd. Alternatively, I host a couple of local bar trivia events--if any MeFites want to field a team, you all could come out the night of the 26th or 27th, play the game, then we could drink afterwards.

By: Stewriffic

Stewriffic — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:07:18 -0800

Aw CRAP! I'm going to be in DC at the beginning of that week (note that meetup!), but will be back in the RDU area by at the latest Tuesday. So y'all plan and hopefully I'll be in town and I'll for sure go.

By: msali

msali — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:00:48 -0800

I would love a meetup! I can do any of those days, but I will be sans vehicle over Memorial Day weekend, and since I live about a half hour away from Raleigh, that would make it tough for me to attend. Of course, my obvious suggestion is that everyone should just come to Carrboro.....

By: NoMich

NoMich — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:36:53 -0800

Are you a beer drinker? The Flying Saucer (cheesy bar, great beer selection) has a trivia night every Tuesday. There are games at 7:00 and at 9:30.
If you want to meet up for just beer, no chessiness and no trivia, there's always Horniblow's. They make and serve some the best beer you'll ever pour down your gullet. The tavern part is carved out of a warehouse office space and they brew their beer down in the warehouse itself. It's charmingly located in the middle of Raleigh's light industrial section.

By: Stewriffic

Stewriffic — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:37:03 -0800

C'mon msali, I go to Raleigh every. day. It's not as bad as it seems!

By: NoMich

NoMich — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:42:32 -0800

Oops, I thought that EarBucket's post was a sort of [more inside] by orange swan. Nix the Flying Saucer trivia suggestion.
EarBucket: where do you host a trivia night?

By: Stewriffic

Stewriffic — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:30:45 -0800

Yah, Flying Saucer has great beer selection, but the trivia (I'm really sorry if this is your place, Earbucket) is horrendous. The hostess can't pronounce the names.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:00:31 -0800

Sounds great! What nights during that week work best for you, orange swan? Also, if you're free on the weekend and want to do a day trip, we can probably plan something cool. Vollis Simpson's whirligig field is a half hour away in Wilson, e.g., and is worth every minute of the drive, or hiking the Eno River in Durham or whatever. I work Saturday but would be down for a picnic/hike/museum hop/etc on Sunday.

my obvious suggestion is that everyone should just come to Carrboro.....

The last Triangle meetup was in Chapel Hill, right? Let's do one in Raleigh this time. :)

By: Pater Aletheias

Pater Aletheias — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:17:51 -0800

I had to miss the Chapel Hill one, but I'll make this one if I can. Any night but Wednesday.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:58:35 -0800

I don't mind trivia (despite the fact that I suck at it), but I'm hesitant to commit to a night of trivia. We did it in Toronto once and I really didn't like the way it precluded actual conversation. I'd rather have the chance get to know people, it being common knowledge that you're all polymaths and the like.

By: yoga

yoga — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:15:58 -0800

I'm in, flexible, but a wednesday or thursday is preferred. Throwing the Times Bar into the watering hole suggestion hat.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:21:44 -0800

I don't really have a preferred night, but both Thursday nights are out. I'll be arriving on one and leaving on the other.

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:39:12 -0800

I do trivia Monday nights in Cary, Tuesday and Thursday nights in Raleigh. And my trivia's way better than the Flying Saucer's. Sounds like Tuesday night might be our best night--it's at Edwards Mill Bar and Grill, starting at 8, although someone would probably want to get there around 7:30 to make sure you can snag a table (or two, depending on how many people end up coming). It's free to play, prizes for the top three teams. Be fun to have the Metafilter crew represented.

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:42:03 -0800

Oh, didn't see orange swan's last post. I think it's a lot more low-key and less contest-focused than a lot of bar trivia games, with more time for conversation than you get in a lot them. If we don't want to do that, it's cool, though. Just throwin' it out there.

By: Mr.Encyclopedia

Mr.Encyclopedia — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:22:33 -0800

I won't be anywhere remotely in the area, but I've had the pleasure of going to the Flying Saucer in Raleigh and recommend it highly as far as beer is concerned. Trivia I don't know about, though.

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:50:48 -0800

Yes, the beer at the Flying Saucer is awesome. They have a wonderful selection.

By: artifarce

artifarce — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:34:00 -0800

I'm up for a meetup. Trivia would be fine and I don't drink, but as long as there's something decent to eat I'm good. ;)

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:21:18 -0800

The Raleigh Times is a great spot, like yoga says, as is the nearby Borough - both locally owned by good people who are helping make downtown more active. The Borough has good food, too, with half-price appetizers from 4-7pm on weekdays. I'd be up for Friday or Saturday night, too, before the bar rush hits, but any day except Wednesday works for me.

By: greta simone

greta simone — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:28:27 -0800

I'll be out of the country. Next time ya'll.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:48:10 -0800

Okay, maybe I should just pick a date. I would have thought a weekend night would be best since people don't have to worry about getting up early the next morning, but it seems you're all open to going out week nights. Here goes — let's say, Tuesday, May 27th, because that seems to work for most of the people who've posted in this thread.

Now, for the venue... never having been to Raleigh, I don't know one bar from another. All I ask is that we pick a place where we won't be playing trivia *all* night and that is quiet enough to allow for some conversation.

By: yoga

yoga — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:39:44 -0800

I'm in! We could do the Borough, since there's a parking deck close by ($1 before 7pm, free after, but maybe the Borough validates?). And we could take advantage of the 4-7pm munchies like mediareport said. I'm poor at the moment, can you tell?!)

And I've never been to the Borough either, Orange Swan, so we can lose our virginity together. :D

By: artifarce

artifarce — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:01:26 -0800

Having never been to one of these before, any chance it'd still be going strong at 9 pm? (feel dumb for not saying anything on my first post about Tuesdays ;) ).

By: orange swan

orange swan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:55:34 -0800

I can't speak for the people who will attend this particular meetup, artifarce, but I know when I go to Toronto meetups they're just getting started at 9.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:35:44 -0800

Tuesday works for me (but I'd still be open to a weekend night if other folks like the idea). The Borough for pre-7pm food for the hungry poor and then Flying Saucer for its better beer selection later? They're just about a block apart.

By: NoMich

NoMich — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:04:18 -0800

I'll be rockin out at the X/Detroit Cobras show at the Cradle that night. Whoo!!

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:09:16 -0800

I'll be working that evening, but I'll come by after 10, if you all are still there.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:30:46 -0800

We could skip the early part and just meet at Flying Saucer at, say, 8:30, which gives us time to decompress after work before meeting, still be there at 10 for EarBucket and let folks who have to work early the next morning get home by 11.

By: artifarce

artifarce — Sun, 04 May 2008 18:45:11 -0800

Sounds good to me.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:53:51 -0800

Me too. Okay, let's say the venue is the Flying Saucer, at 8:30-ish.

By: yoga

yoga — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:06:54 -0800

See y'all there!

By: Pater Aletheias

Pater Aletheias — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:02:25 -0800

Barring emergencies, I'm in. See you there.
(P.S. How do we find each other at these things?)

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:29:55 -0800

Usually people make some sort of little sign to put on the table. Also there are often at least a few people who have met one another before, so that makes things easier. If you don't know anyone, just wander around looking curiously and expectantly at the various groups of people and looking for a sign. You'll see a group of wildly attractive people who are totally absorbed in each other and appear to be having an amazing time. THIS IS NOT THE MEFI CROWD. Keep looking until you see a table full of oddly assorted people who all pause to look curiously and expectantly back at you as you approach. You might see a sign or a Metafilter t-shirt, which will clinch things. If not, say, cautiously, "Metafilter?" If the group of people in question greet you enthusiastically, you have found the MeFites. Or a group of wily and opportunistic slave traffickers. Either way the odds are good that you'll wake up in an outfit consisting of leather straps, but them's the breaks.

Hope to see you there!

By: solipsophistocracy

solipsophistocracy — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:18:08 -0800

Hey folks. I'll be there but I have to work in Carrboro until 10:00 or so. I reckon things'll still be going on around 10:30-10:45.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Sun, 11 May 2008 19:17:12 -0800

Asheville will wave at you from across the mountains...