My university sweatshirt says ELECTORAL COLLEGE

October 26, 2008 6:07 PM

Do any NYC folks have plans for election night? Imagining the possibility of hanging out at some place with a liquor license and a television to watch the numbers roll in...

I realize this would make for a 3rd meetup in a row (and being the workaholic anti-socialite I am, I was not/will not be present at numbers 1 and 2 :() but my wife and I were hoping to get sloshed and watch the election coverage, and preferably with other people involved.

Don't have any real suggestion for venue, but I'm hoping some other interested parties might have a good idea.

posted by cyrusdogstar to MetaFilter Gatherings at 6:07 PM (97 comments total)

I like the idea, but I have no ideas on venues, either.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:10 PM on October 26, 2008 [1 favorite]

There's probably an Obama party somewhere near. (Just guessing, but internet user + NYC + planning celebration on Election Night seems pretty clinch-like.)
posted by DU at 6:58 PM on October 26, 2008

DU, are you saying the venue should be at one of the official Obama election-watching parties? That might work, as long as it's easy for MeFites to find each other there. Looks like there's a whole lot of them in Manhattan so we'd still have to figure out which one we want to collectively crash.

I would say that going to an Obama party excludes any non-Obama-leaning MeFites, but then I realized mixed crowds on such an evening might not be a great idea to begin with...
posted by cyrusdogstar at 7:42 PM on October 26, 2008

Gotta miss the other two meetups so this sounds great to me. No idea about a venue though.
posted by muckster at 7:44 PM on October 26, 2008

I'm working. Stop by the middle island thing in front of the studio where they do Good Morning America. Wave hi.
posted by spec80 at 8:44 PM on October 26, 2008

I would come but I am going to be too busy taking sedatives and sitting perfectly still in sensory deprivation booth
posted by Damn That Television at 9:47 PM on October 26, 2008

There's a place near me in Brooklyn (Clinton Hill specifically) I was planning on going to -- I can post the address if any other Brooklynite is interested in stopping by.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:13 AM on October 27, 2008

I too am torn between going to a loud, drunken brouhaha or consuming every drug in the house and entering a week-long coma and pretending I've awoke in a new, better America.

Or a horrifying dystopia, anything is better than electron coverage at this point.
posted by The Whelk at 9:39 AM on October 27, 2008

I too am torn between going to a loud, drunken brouhaha or consuming every drug in the house and entering a week-long coma and pretending I've awoke in a new, better America.

Shoot, one of the reasons I'm heading out is because I'm hoping that with an Obama win, everyone will get all caught-up in the celebration and someone will end up grabbing me and reenacting the V-Day Times Square Kiss moment.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:51 AM on October 27, 2008

I'd definitely like to do something like this, but also don't have any great venue ideas popping into my head. I'm with EmpressCallipygos, though -- I'm hoping the bar will erupt into a drunken, fist-bumping madhouse with an Obama win.
posted by rachelv at 12:14 PM on October 27, 2008

Do more folks turn out to these NY meetups if they are in Manhattan or in Brooklyn? Barring hurricanes, I mean...
posted by Grither at 12:15 PM on October 27, 2008

Do more folks turn out to these NY meetups if they are in Manhattan or in Brooklyn?

QUEENS!
posted by jonmc at 12:41 PM on October 27, 2008 [2 favorites]

I'm hoping the bar will erupt into a drunken, fist-bumping madhouse with an Obama win.

We all watch the TV in anticipation; Me, You, The Jock, The Princess, The Big Crazy Fat Guy, The Crusty Old Dean. After the announcement, the whole bar goes wild and ballons drop from the ceiling. The band starts playing, and Hey! it's the Ramones! And they're all alive! They launch into "Do You Remember Rock And Roll Radio?" Everybody dancing! Everyone hugging! The Shy Boy gets a kiss from the Hot Babe! The Wild Couple falls out of the closet! The Big Crazy Fat Dude drops a bucket of water onto the Crusty Old Dean! Credits roll. Fade out.
posted by The Whelk at 1:24 PM on October 27, 2008 [2 favorites]

This terrible dread and anticipatory panic about the immediate future must be what devout Christians feel like EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIVES
posted by Damn That Television at 1:49 PM on October 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Some guy named Hitch was a gaffer.
posted by The Whelk at 6:51 PM on October 27, 2008

Do more folks turn out to these NY meetups if they are in Manhattan or in Brooklyn? Barring hurricanes, I mean...

Manhattan usually works best because it's centralized, so it's roughly equidistant for B&Ters like myself, people in Brooklyn/Queens, and of course the rich motherfuckers who live on Manhattan itself (kidding.)

Here's some more resources with potential venues. I can probably throw out my top 3 specific picks if people are seriously averse to having an opinion ;)

NYMag 'where to watch the debates' list - figure such places would do election-night too...
Citysearch's listing
Drinking Liberally's list (includes Rudy's, which has seen at least a few MeFi meetups)
posted by cyrusdogstar at 6:55 PM on October 27, 2008

Just an observation -- the rules as to "what's the best central location for everyone" may be different from a normal meetup, because on Election Night you have people who would have to go home after work to actually vote. I'm not gonna have a chance before work, so I'm gonna have to go after work - so it's a toss-up whether people in my situation would go from work in Manhattan, to spending an hour getting home and then going to vote, and then spending another hour on the train to go back to Manhattan again.

I do acknowledge that that does make me sound like a big baby. But I'm at least confident I'm not the only one in that particular day care. Goo.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:56 PM on October 27, 2008

how about hawaiian tropic zone?
posted by Stynxno at 8:51 PM on October 27, 2008

I'm gonna vote in Harlem in the afternoon (my primary residence), head back downtown (my other residence) to watch the returns, and if all goes as expected, head back up to Harlem around 9PM.

Because, and trust me on this, 125th street is going to be one of the most exciting places in the world to be at 9PM on Nov. 4th when the US finally elects its first African American president. You'll want to tell the grandkids about it.

I guarantee you that *the* party of the night will be on the street in front of the Apollo.

I really think people are not yet conceptualizing the force of the reaction worldwide, and in black communities in the US, when Obama wins this thing. It's going to make New Years' Eve seem like Purim.
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:21 AM on October 28, 2008 [2 favorites]

Here's hoping the parties - in NYC and everywhere else - on the 4th are a lot more fun than the one I attended the night of the last American presidential election. By the time my wife and I arrived in the early evening it was clear that things were already going south, and of course it only got more funereal as the night went on. We wound up turning the channel over to an airing of Election while we waited for The Daily Show special to start. And then *that* started it was clear that Jon Stewart was far too depressed to be funny.

I went home that night, got drunk(er) and listened to Ray Charles' version of "That Lucky Old Sun".
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:20 AM on October 28, 2008

I really think people are not yet conceptualizing the force of the reaction worldwide, and in black communities in the US, when Obama wins this thing. It's going to make New Years' Eve seem like Purim.

I live a stone's throw from Bed-Stuy, in the same neighborhood where Spike Lee first hung out his shingle for 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks.

that's the other reason I'm sticking around, my neighborhood's gonna be pretty nuts too.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:17 AM on October 28, 2008

(lightbulb)....Hey. I wonder if Spike'd have anything going on that night on-site.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:18 AM on October 28, 2008

Shoot, one of the reasons I'm heading out is because I'm hoping that with an Obama win, everyone will get all caught-up in the celebration and someone will end up grabbing me and reenacting the V-Day Times Square Kiss moment.

I'll bring Tic Tacs for everyone.

I forecast a Democratic baby boom in July/August.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:17 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

I live in the UES, where there may well be wailing and gnashing of teeth and horror and despair at an Obama win. I guess I could stick around for the schadenfreude.
posted by nowonmai at 6:30 PM on October 28, 2008

I live in the east village, so I don't think anyone will care, or they'll be too drunk/high to notice. That being said, if Obama doesn't win, I might just have to move back to Canada or Sweden so I can actually vote.

And since this is now on the "older posts" page, maybe someone *cough*cyrusdogstar*cough* should pick a place and sidebar it?
posted by Grither at 4:55 AM on October 29, 2008

I'm fairly sure a few friends and I are going to RSVP and go to this one:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/meeting/gprj8v

Anyone been to the upstairs area at Professor Thom's before? My only concern is that it will be too packed to be any fun, but I feel like a lot of bars in Manhattan will have that problem on Tuesday.
posted by rachelv at 8:31 AM on October 29, 2008

Grither -- yea, I'll do some thinking and go fill out the meetup form soon :)
posted by cyrusdogstar at 10:19 AM on October 29, 2008

OK, here's my shortlist based on my links above, will try to get some deliberation on this before I commit to one though. Afraid many of them are semi upscale but hopefully not too much and/or not all of them.

Village Pourhouse
Sweet & Vicious
Otto's Shrunken Head
Negril Chelsea
Mr Dennehy's
SideBar
posted by cyrusdogstar at 11:09 AM on October 29, 2008

Ms. cyrusdogstar here. Was shown these links over IM just before he posted them here, but Sweet & Vicious and SideBar look good to me (the Jamaican side of me likes the idea of Negril as well).

*goes back to lurking*
posted by May Kasahara at 11:14 AM on October 29, 2008

(bustles in)

Brooklyn coming in to represent: I may stay in my hood, and would most likely end up at Maggie Brown's if anyone Brooklynites want to keep it local. Ish.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:17 AM on October 29, 2008

Ooo, let's go to the Village Pourhouse!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:41 AM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

I second village pourhouse.
posted by Stynxno at 11:49 AM on October 29, 2008

Oh, and if Obama wins, I'm going up to Harlem to experience it. :p
posted by Stynxno at 11:50 AM on October 29, 2008

How about SideBar? It's near Union Square, which seems to be pretty easy to get to for most parties involved (myself, TPS and I think Stynxno too). I'm thinking of putting that on the, er, sidebar form so we get stickied there...I reckon we can change plans in the next day or two if necessary.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 12:02 PM on October 29, 2008

Sounds good!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:20 PM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

What time do we want to meetup? 6:30, 7?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:01 PM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

I got this invite from www.norwoodclub.com, it's right near union square. RSVP if you'd like the option to drop by after.

Whoever you are supporting, come join us at Norwood for the most anticipated election of the century. We'll have cold beer, chicken wings and diverse entertainments to help you through election anxiety. With screens showing the action on the third and fourth floors, interventions like Protest Song Karaoke from Creative Time and insightful comment from opinionated Norwoodians, this is the place to watch history being made.

And bring friends – democracy is all about sharing.
8pm++++ TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH
R.S.V.P. [e-mail]
241 W. 14th St.
New York, NY 10011
[phone]

Did I just say that out loud?
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:22 PM on October 29, 2008

Nothing at that link anyway. Another.
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:24 PM on October 29, 2008

Is this someone from here? Otherwise it looks like there's an event already at Sidebar that night.
posted by cmgonzalez at 11:20 PM on October 29, 2008

Well, if that place is already booked, I will third the village pourhouse, as I know I can find it this time, since I've been there before.

Though looking more closely, this was at the bottom of the page that cmgonzalez linked to, so it might not be a problem:
"0 people have signed up to attend this event.
The capacity limit is 150 attendees. "
posted by Grither at 5:36 AM on October 30, 2008

I think I can make it out. In which case I'll have Zimbabwean dollars and you, Grither, sir, will owe me the first pour. Regardless of who I vote for.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:30 AM on October 30, 2008

Tentative yes. Depends on whether I feel inspired enough to come down from CT.
posted by smackfu at 10:09 AM on October 30, 2008

Cool! I'll be there with a few friends. Looking forward to meeting you guys.
posted by rachelv at 11:11 AM on October 30, 2008

Re: the official Obama fundraiser thing, yea, as Grither says there's no confirmed signups yet; and honestly I think it'll be hard to avoid some Obamaish crowd at any spot that's confirmed to show election coverage, they seem to be setting up just about everywhere.

I've been thinking of just calling SideBar and confirming that a bunch of non affiliated folks can still settle in and watch the election there...might do that in a bit, will update.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 11:28 AM on October 30, 2008

I was just trying to decide what to do on Election Night.... I'll probably swing by Maggie Brown's if i don't go to a friend's house.
posted by Julnyes at 11:29 AM on October 30, 2008

Just called Sidebar to see if they'll be open to the public on Tuesday night, and not only are they open to the public, but they're having a party! Featuring the following things:

*Pictures with cardboard cutouts of the candidates
*Specials on candidate-inspired bevages (Obama Mama was the only one I remember of the list she read off)
*Coverage on all of their TVs, of course.

So I think Sidebar is a good choice!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:30 AM on October 30, 2008 [2 favorites]

Sweet, thanks TPS!
posted by cyrusdogstar at 11:36 AM on October 30, 2008

Cool, I'm in, if I can find the place this time, haha. And you've got a deal, allkindsoftime! What time again? I'm down for anytime after 430pm...
posted by Grither at 12:16 PM on October 30, 2008

Sounds good then. I'm voting in Brooklyn, but if I can handle that early, I should be able to make it.
posted by cmgonzalez at 12:31 PM on October 30, 2008

I'll probably be there from about 6:30-7 on, so do we want to say 7ish, officially?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:03 PM on October 30, 2008 [1 favorite]

Yea, 7 is fine with me.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 1:11 PM on October 30, 2008

7 sounds good to me, too. Though I might be a bit on the early side, since I'm not sure how late I can stay....so if you're early too, look for the guy with the scant beginnings of a sad little moustache...
posted by Grither at 5:03 AM on October 31, 2008

look for the guy with the scant beginnings of a sad little moustache...

now that's a man i could vote for.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:19 AM on October 31, 2008

Sad Little Moustaches for President!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:34 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sidebar sounds good to me!
Missed the last few dozen? meetups, and may possibly successfully wrangle a couple other mefighters to show as well. Plus my roommate who, though Australian, wants to celebrate as well.
posted by Busithoth at 8:55 AM on October 31, 2008

Cool, I'm in, if I can find the place this time, haha.

Is this one of those places where I wander around forever trying to find it?
posted by smackfu at 12:42 PM on October 31, 2008

I will try to be there. I haven't been to a meetup in a long time, and election night ought to be fun. I hope.
posted by A dead Quaker at 6:54 PM on October 31, 2008

Is this one of those places where I wander around forever trying to find it?

I don't think so, it's just a short ways off of Union Square and that area's still in the "grid", so it ought to be easy to find :) Google Maps says it's on 15th right near the corner with Irving Place (which is really south Lexington Ave), or put another way, just a block east of Union Square. Just gmaps "Sidebar NYC" and you'll find it.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 7:22 PM on October 31, 2008

Yay! Election meetup, and I've never been to a meetup before. I'll be in the neighborhood at another event, so I'll stop by Sidebar, too.
posted by dammitjim at 9:51 AM on November 1, 2008

Oh, that's like half-a-block from Irving Plaza.
posted by smackfu at 7:35 PM on November 1, 2008

This looks cool. If work allows, I'm definitely gonna have to come by and catch up with ya'll.
posted by NucleophilicAttack at 10:47 AM on November 2, 2008

Is this one of those places where I wander around forever trying to find it?
posted by smackfu

Hahah no, I'm just an idiot and couldn't find the place for the last meet-up, which was literally around the corner from my apartment... See you all at this one though!
posted by Grither at 12:36 PM on November 2, 2008

My apartment looks out onto 125th Street (far west end). If any MeFites want to venture uptown and have burgers and brews at Toast and watch the coverage, let me know.

Sidebar sounds like a good location, but I'd have to keep my drinking at a minimum so I can bike home with a level head.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 1:11 PM on November 2, 2008

Oh, mark me down too.
posted by GalaxieFiveHundred at 2:34 PM on November 3, 2008

Ok I am in. I'll be there around 7.
posted by rmless at 3:31 PM on November 3, 2008

Looks like the official Obama event has at least some folks now, it says 8 RSVP'd versus the 0 a week ago. And Gothamist just outed SideBar for the election partying too, so that'll also likely drive extra folks there.

Depending on how my day goes tomorrow I may try and get to the bar before 7 in a vain attempt to stake out some space so at least some of us can sit down. Some oldish pictures of me can be found here if you want to know what I look like (for those who don't already).
posted by cyrusdogstar at 4:51 PM on November 3, 2008

Okay, you got me, I will be within non-annoying subway distance with the Significant Bother nearby and ready to party. It will be my first meetup. Will there be rites?
posted by The Whelk at 6:50 PM on November 3, 2008

And if the place is now too crowded, I know a nearly-almost empty gay bar in the w70s with a liberal women and outside food policy. Plus it's on an express stop and near my house and has TVS.
posted by The Whelk at 6:54 PM on November 3, 2008

Hey cyrusdogstar, I'll be going earlier as well....and I'm outta work at 430pm the latest, so I can definitely get there pretty early....I can try and stake out some space for us if you'd like...
posted by Grither at 5:01 AM on November 4, 2008

Grither, that'd be greatly appreciated if you're up for it :) I'll MeMail you my cell so we can keep in touch, in case that's necessary.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 5:06 AM on November 4, 2008

Ok, so I'm thinking I'll aim to be there around 6pm...unless anyone thinks we should have someone there earlier?
posted by Grither at 6:15 AM on November 4, 2008

This is the kind of overplanning that results in someone standing outside the bar before it even opens. AKA, my kind of overplanning.
posted by smackfu at 6:41 AM on November 4, 2008

Hahahaha ok, so I'll be the guy standing outside the not yet open bar with the weensy moustache on my face. See you all tonight!
posted by Grither at 6:59 AM on November 4, 2008

Wooohoooooo! I got started on work early today (woke up early, like a kid on Christmas), so I'll probably arrive right around or before 7.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:13 AM on November 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm done at work at 5:30 so I might end up showing up early too.
posted by Stynxno at 8:33 AM on November 4, 2008

I am sitting outside Sidebar waiting for you all to get here.
posted by allkindsoftime at 9:04 AM on November 4, 2008

They gave us the day off work for the election (!), and I'm not meeting people at Prof Thom's till 8, and roundabout 4pm I'm going to need a serious infusion of liquor preferably in the form of a central line, so I can go to Sidebar and stretch out across seventeen chairs or something if you people would like me to...
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 10:42 AM on November 4, 2008

We'll drop by. Any of you guys tweeting in case plans change? I know Kate the Great is.
posted by muckster at 12:02 PM on November 4, 2008

TPS, is this still your cell?
posted by brujita at 12:22 PM on November 4, 2008

May swing by closer to 8. Hope to see you guys are still around if I do.
posted by jewishbuddha at 12:28 PM on November 4, 2008

Muckster, I'm bitprophet on twitter, added it to my MeFi profile this morning :) (Also noticed I haven't uploaded a single photo to Flickr in 3 years...christ...got some catching up to do!)

I am angling to get to SideBar sometime before 6. Dormant Gorilla, if you really want to go claim some SideBar space, be my guest =) the earlier someone gets there the better, I figure. Guess I'll have to just show up when I can and yell METAFILTER! and see who responds.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 12:30 PM on November 4, 2008

Yes, anyone can call my cell- 727.475.4373. Disclaimer: I use T-Mobile and get lousy reception sometimses. I won't be posting anything about location changes unless I can get WiFI on my iPod.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:21 PM on November 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oh so many lovey hearts to NYC MeFites and I look forward to seeing you there, hopefully by around 7:30! (yes, yes, i've been a bit of a lurker for years, just coming out of my shell)

Sdefenestration on twitter -- still gotta add to my MeFi profile.

Off to memorizing your pictures and busting out the sharpie to write "MeFite and Voted" on my forehead.
posted by Sweetdefenestration at 1:31 PM on November 4, 2008

I'm heading over now....so I should be there around 530 or so....if you want to see what I look like, down to the very shirt that I'm wearing, check out the second to last picture on this page. See you all there!
posted by Grither at 2:16 PM on November 4, 2008

I'm leaving too! See y'all there. Wearing a green top and brown pants. Pictures linked upthread.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 2:25 PM on November 4, 2008

I'm out! AHHH. I need a drink.
posted by Stynxno at 2:39 PM on November 4, 2008

Will one of you guys at the meetup in NYC give me a call so I can say hello?
posted by nickyskye at 2:46 PM on November 4, 2008

Will be there in an hour or so. I will be wearing the aforementioned green sweater vest. I will not be singing Leslie Gore tunes. Not unless asked. Or before the 4th Manhattan.
posted by The Whelk at 2:49 PM on November 4, 2008

Okay, about to go vote, and then possibly head over. I'm pretty tired, so it's a tossup at this point.

(I'm on the shy side with new people, so if you see a brunette in a pink coat lurking about looking indecisive or wallflowery, say hi. )
posted by cmgonzalez at 3:20 PM on November 4, 2008

Great meeting you all! Sorry I had to bust out so early, but having to work at 630am kind of puts a crimp in my weekday partying...hope the rest of the night goes well!
posted by Grither at 5:43 PM on November 4, 2008

Had to cut out early, I hope everyone is drunken and ebullient.


I mean OHIO? Seriously? Dude.
posted by The Whelk at 6:41 PM on November 4, 2008

Well, I was actually going to finally make it to a MeFi meetup -- when I realized that I'd forgotten my ID all the way home in Brooklyn. Perhaps next time.
posted by cmgonzalez at 8:14 PM on November 4, 2008

Yea, thanks to all who came, and I'm so sorry we were short on seats most of the time! Was great meeting all the new faces and seeing some folks I haven't seen in too long :) Looks like the Times just called for Obama...here's hoping!
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:14 PM on November 4, 2008

So nice to see all of you!!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:11 PM on November 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

Nice to meet the few of you I briefly met! Next one I'll hang around longer.
posted by rachelv at 9:25 AM on November 5, 2008

I'm not sure how I got from the Village Pourhouse to the Fairfield train station, but thank you to anyone who helped out with that.

(Regrettably, my car was not actually parked at Fairfield. Trains are hard.)
posted by smackfu at 12:27 PM on November 5, 2008

egads, i was totally late posting my election day pics. I didn't take pictures of everyone. Apologies.
posted by Stynxno at 9:47 PM on November 8, 2008