Likely Small, Perhaps Difficult Meet-up in the Big Easy

July 15, 2008 4:22 PM

New Orleans meet-up on Thursday, July 24th featuring ColdChef, Afroblanco, Navelgazer and... maybe you?

Short notice, I know, but I'm open to ideas for where this may best be held. Let's live it up, and then in a year if the tenth anniversary ends up down here, we can all act like insufferable hipsters talkin' up how we were doin' meet-ups in this town before it sold out to the masses.

posted by My Bloody Pony to MetaFilter Gatherings at 4:22 PM (49 comments total)

Small and difficult? I'm there. We should probably decide what we want to do. Do we want to drink or do we want to eat? Or do we want to drink and eat?

(As for suggestions, we should look no further than MetaFilter's own chuq: So, where y’all wanna eat?.)
posted by ColdChef at 4:31 PM on July 15, 2008

I just moved to town. I'm in!
posted by umbú at 4:57 PM on July 15, 2008

Oh shit, do I wish I could come.
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:33 PM on July 15, 2008

Well, I'm down for any suggestions, but I might throw out Mimi's in Marigny as a good place to chill and get a few drinks.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:58 PM on July 15, 2008

Me too. But it's just too damn hot in New Orleans this time of the year for me to fire up the Cessna.

Sorry.
posted by yhbc at 5:59 PM on July 15, 2008

Damn, you guys scheduled this four days too late for me. I would've tried to find time out of Tales of the Cocktail for some mefite meetuppery.
posted by kkokkodalk at 7:12 PM on July 15, 2008

Ah, hell, I'd love to be there too. Sorry to sound cliché, but, I know what it means to miss New Orleans.

If I were part of this, I think I'd suggest you meet up at Tipitina's. That is, if it's still as cool and friendly a place as it seemed when I was there in the early 90's.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:46 PM on July 15, 2008

I'm game. I'll still be in town then.
posted by anifinder at 9:14 PM on July 15, 2008

Yaaay! This shall rock.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:21 PM on July 15, 2008

Oh, if this was this weekend, it would be great. No Tales of the Cocktail meetup?
posted by rush at 10:58 PM on July 15, 2008

Damn, it'd be worth the drive if I was in Memphis. But, I'm in the other Hemisphere. Damn yoooooooou!
posted by absalom at 11:16 PM on July 15, 2008

FWIW, I will be at the Carousel Lounge this Thursday evening, and I'd love to share a cocktail with some MeFites.
posted by rush at 11:44 PM on July 15, 2008

Now that would probably be fun.

But I'll be spending that evening and the following with the little lady's family on the northshore, which will probably not be fun because one mustn't attempt to have fun on the northshore.
posted by gordie at 2:04 PM on July 16, 2008

Man, y'all are making me jealous.

Seconding flapjax's recommendation of Tipitina's--I was there in January and can vouch for its coolness and friendliness still. Decently spacious, too. There are restaurants and such a couple blocks, up on (I think) St Charles.

Markey's, on Louisa in the Bywater, is lower-key than a lot of the little music bars, with a long bar and a couple free pool tables, if that sounds good.

If you meet on Frenchman, you can always just go next door if the place you're at gets boring.
posted by hippugeek at 2:25 PM on July 16, 2008

thursday is homegrown nite at tip's--'up & coming' bands. allegedly. the best thing about it is that it's free.

the other good thing about it is that it's close to cafe atchafalaya and dick & jenny's. no music at either place but the food sure is good. cheaper and more laid back is franky & johnny's.

i can do dinner but having a 4:15 am wakeup call i'm not ready for my close-up yet, mr. demille! makes me lousy for anything later. it also makes my next statement suspect, but second that the marigny is a good place to get plenty of music exposure. also the hi ho and saturn bar on st. claude in the bywater are known to hop, with the added attraction of being across the street from quintron & pussycat's place. if there's anything going on at either of those places. (no shows scheduled for p & q's club, the spellcaster lodge until september, though.)
posted by msconduct at 4:05 PM on July 16, 2008

I'm game. I'll set if I can get darainwa in on it too.
posted by radioamy at 8:53 PM on July 16, 2008

So personally I'd throw out The Columns as a good place to meet, but I am probably biased because I live 3 blocks from there :)
posted by radioamy at 8:56 PM on July 16, 2008

If there is room for a MeFi oldbie who doesn't post much anymore I'll be there.

I'd also second Dick & Jenny's but sadly they are closed until the 29th. Any place I don't have to talk over a band would be preferable to me, but I'll go wherever everyone else decides on.
posted by darainwa at 10:33 PM on July 16, 2008

Not that you need a reason to drink in New Orleans, but Friday is the birthday of MiguelCardoso, and if that's not a reason to raise a few, I don't know what is.
posted by ColdChef at 9:30 AM on July 17, 2008

Mimi's is the best suggestion, I think.

Markey's is dangerous. Tipitinas is 45 year olds in silk short-sleeves with embroidered palm trees/martinis. Columns is nice, but a little Uptown. The spellcaster/hi ho/saturn/saint conglomerate may be too underground/drugged out.

Then there is Molly's, of course.
posted by plexi at 11:59 AM on July 17, 2008

I'll also throw in a vote for Mimi's.
posted by honeydew at 6:13 PM on July 17, 2008

You know I like Miimi's I'll put a vote in for that too.
posted by radioamy at 6:44 PM on July 17, 2008

If there are no objections, I say make it Mimi's. I'm curious to check it out.
posted by umbú at 7:30 PM on July 17, 2008

I'm up for Mimi's too - or anywhere else, really. What's the time frame?
posted by mitzyjalapeno at 8:56 AM on July 18, 2008

Another vote for Mimi's. Shall we set a firm date/time?
posted by darainwa at 12:41 PM on July 18, 2008

Earlier is better for me.
posted by umbú at 12:37 PM on July 19, 2008

How about 7pm?
posted by darainwa at 12:50 PM on July 19, 2008

I'd like to go ahead and call it 7 p.m. at Mimi's in Marigny on Thursdays. Let me know of any objections, and I can't wait to see you all there.
posted by Navelgazer at 12:54 PM on July 19, 2008

Great. Done.
posted by umbú at 4:58 PM on July 19, 2008

I'll see you all in hell first.

(I'll be there, unless some tragedy befalls me.)
posted by ColdChef at 8:20 PM on July 19, 2008

darainwa and I will be there.

Not to be a total dork, but how are we planning on identifying ourselves at Mimi's? Any clever suggestions?
posted by radioamy at 9:42 PM on July 19, 2008

Any clever suggestions?

That's easy! You'll all be the 45 year olds in silk short-sleeves with embroidered palm trees/martinis.

Except plexi, of course. He's gonna look so astonishingly cool that, well, he probably won't wanna be seen with y'all anyway, so, whatever.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:55 PM on July 19, 2008

I figure that Afroblanco and I will set up shop first. Afroblanco's name should give you insight into what to look for.

When you think you've found the right group, simply walk up, quietly, and whisper into one group-member's ear, "What are you wearing?"

We, of course, will all know to respond with, "what do you want me to be wearing."

And that is how you will know us.

Any better suggestions?
posted by Navelgazer at 10:33 PM on July 19, 2008

Me. (Though I may not bring the shovel with me.)
posted by ColdChef at 7:30 AM on July 20, 2008

I'll be there at seven. But I think the shovel would make the entire group stand out, in a good way, so I'm hoping to see that.
posted by mitzyjalapeno at 7:38 AM on July 20, 2008

braaaains...
posted by ColdChef at 7:52 AM on July 20, 2008

We could all bring shovels...
posted by radioamy at 9:34 AM on July 21, 2008

Okay,

So Afroblanco will probably arrive closer to 8:00 (due to his flight coming into NOLA) but ColdChef's happy shovel should lead our way once we get to Mimi's
posted by Navelgazer at 5:23 PM on July 23, 2008

Wish I was there. <@:'(
posted by nola at 4:48 PM on July 24, 2008

Well there were no shovels involved, but tonight's meetup was loads of fun. Awaiting pix on Flickr - *ahem* ColdChef :)

Another vote for 10-year meetup here!
posted by radioamy at 10:37 PM on July 24, 2008

Last night was AMAZING. I enjoyed hanging out with you all.

And, ColdChef - you seriously need to write a book some day. I know that I would read it.
posted by Afroblanco at 6:33 AM on July 25, 2008

As previously noted, last night was a blast. Its a shame that Afroblanco and Navelgazer aren't here in NOLA on a regular basis, and that ColdChef (while a LA resident) is far enough from NOLA to make it a pain to come down. Umbú, it was great to meet you too, and I full well expect to see you around uptown in the coming year.

If any of you guys are ever back in NOLA (say for mardi gras, or MeFi 10) you should definitely hit me up.
posted by darainwa at 12:32 PM on July 25, 2008

Indeed, last night was awesome.

Now to move into the sinister phase II of operations...
posted by Navelgazer at 12:49 PM on July 25, 2008

Photos.

It was fantastic to meet all of you. I sincerely hope my terrible funeral stories didn't give anyone nightmares. Oh, and radioamy has invited all of MetaFilter to crash at her place next Mardi Gras...so, we got that going for us.

Say "Prada!"
posted by ColdChef at 2:21 PM on July 25, 2008

I am on my way to Columns for Happy Hour...and meetup part II?
posted by radioamy at 3:06 PM on July 25, 2008

Hoist a cocktail for me!
posted by ColdChef at 3:21 PM on July 25, 2008

Hey all. I had a lot of fun meeting everyone last night. It was a great way to feel welcomed in a new city. ColdChef, if we weren't completely captivated by your stories, we wouldn't have gathered round like we were around the campfire. Thanks for posting pictures.

I'll definitely see you around, radioamy and darainwa, even though I couldn't make it tonight.
posted by umbú at 9:27 PM on July 25, 2008

Folks, to get a shoutout at a New Orleans meetup, well, that warmed my heart, it truly did.

And if any of you happen to read this, and happen to have a little free time to fill in some blanks, I'd sure like to know your impressions of how N.O. is doing these days. How well (or not) it's getting back on its feet after 2005...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:37 AM on July 26, 2008

Even though I didn't make it to the meet-up, I can still give you an idea of how we're doing. The city is slowly returning to its pre-Katrina state: corrupted government, unbelievably tasty and varied foods, somewhat elitest residents, and, oh yeah, I almost forgot, it's hot. A huge bonus is that there are mexican restaurants almost everywhere now. Housing is still a bust, though. We have an oil-slick for a river, which, when combined with the blazing heat, creates a haze as you cross the river.

So, basically, it's New Orleans. Nothing new around here.
posted by mitzyjalapeno at 11:30 AM on July 28, 2008