Chicago NW suburbs meetup January 11, 2009 7:22 AM   Subscribe

CHICAGO Northwest Suburbs Meetup! Calling mefites from Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Palatine, etc etc! (and anyone who feels like driving)

It's nearly impossible for me to get downtown in a timely manner for the regular Chicago meetups. I am pretty open as far as time/date/location, as long as it's in the evening. I haven't been in the area for too long and don't frequent bars, so please suggest some. Coffeehouses are great too!
posted by desjardins to MetaFilter Gatherings at 7:22 AM (30 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

I'm on the Far NW side of the city...just off Nagle. There are several nice pubs etc around the neighborhood. Might be a nice in between point/compromise between downtowners and suburbanites. Just a thought
posted by timsteil at 8:19 AM on January 11, 2009


I'm in. What time frame are we looking at here? If it's after the 26th, I can't do Tuesdays or Thursdays, but before that I'm pretty open. I don't drink a lot so coffeehouses sound fun, but that's negotiable, too.

Timstell, for some of us even getting to the far NW side of the city takes at least an hour coming and going, which totally eats into the meetup fun time.
posted by sugarfish at 9:54 AM on January 11, 2009


Nice, a meetup that I wouldn't have to drive an hour to get to. I don't really have any days that are bad as long as there's a fair amount of warning before it happens.

I tend to know more places further north, but if I had to pick a place in the Schaumburg/Arlington Heights area it would probably be Ram Brewery. It's a restaurant but they have a huge bar area. I mainly like it because they have good beer/food there though, rather than the atmosphere. I'm also open to pretty much any location as long as it's not too far south.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:36 AM on January 11, 2009


yeah, what sugarfish said. If it's a weekday, I'd be coming from Hoffman Estates, and traffic just SUCKS ASS going into the city.

sugarfish, I was thinking Thursday next week (Jan 22), around 7 pm. I'm fine with Wednesday or Friday that week as well. I'm totally down with coffee; delocator.net shows 10 non-Starbucks coffeehouses within 10 miles of Hoffman Estates (60192) and 27 Starbucks, jeez.
posted by desjardins at 10:42 AM on January 11, 2009


I'm down with beer too! I guess I'm just easy! Besides, this will be my first meetup.
posted by desjardins at 10:43 AM on January 11, 2009


burnmp3s, I live much farther north than Schaumburg, I was just tryin' to be nice and go with the flow re: population density. Let's see who else responds, and where they live. If it ends up being you, me, and sugarfish, we can find something closer to the 3 of us. She and I are spittin' distance from each other.
posted by desjardins at 10:45 AM on January 11, 2009


I might try to come to this, depending on the day. I'm in southern Lake County (Highland Park area). Mr. Kangaroo is traveling a lot these days so I can only come when he's home to watch our joey. But if he's around and I can get away, I'll join you!
posted by Kangaroo at 11:06 AM on January 11, 2009


This would have been great closer to the holidays. As it is, I'll be downstate as the Spring semester begins.
posted by washburn at 3:17 PM on January 11, 2009


and anyone who feels like driving

Too far!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:13 PM on January 11, 2009


Aw, Brandon, you mean that day next week when the temperature is supposed to get up to -2 isn't enough to get you to visit?
posted by sugarfish at 6:36 PM on January 11, 2009


Well, based on what ya'll let get into government....
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:38 AM on January 12, 2009


So is that everyone? Location-wise, I'm in Vernon Hills.
posted by burnmp3s at 7:11 AM on January 13, 2009


OK, so this tells me that the midpoint between Vernon Hills, Cary, and Hoffman Estates is Barrington. Is that area cool with everyone? Can anyone recommend a bar or coffee shop there? I know there's a Starbucks.
posted by desjardins at 8:32 AM on January 13, 2009


Barrington works for me. I don't have any good suggestions around there, though. I would prefer a bar to a coffee shop, mainly because I don't drink coffee, but really I don't care where we meet.
posted by burnmp3s at 9:36 AM on January 13, 2009


I'm in Mount Prospect, but Barrington shouldn't be too much of a problem.

As to venue: Yelp seems to like the Yankee Doodle Bar, though I have to admit I've never been there myself.
posted by Iridic at 5:43 PM on January 13, 2009


Barrington is totally fine with me. If we go somewhere close to the train station, my husband can stop by, too. (He's a mefite.)

Yankee Doodle Bar sounds good, and it looks like Wool Street Grill is close, too. I've never been to the one in Barrington but we eat at the one in Cary once in a while.

The 22nd?
posted by sugarfish at 7:48 AM on January 14, 2009


OK, here's the plan:

January 22nd at 7 pm
Yankee Doodle Bar
311 E. Main Street, Barrington, IL (map)
847.381.1098‎

twitter me at @desjardins if needed.

I'm really short with spiky hair, so that should narrow it down. Also, I am not desuetude. :) I'll make a table sign and pick up some nametags.
posted by desjardins at 9:53 AM on January 14, 2009


HEY CITY PEOPLE, THE METRA GOES TO BARRINGTON, YOU KNOW. THE BAR IS ONE BLOCK AWAY.
posted by desjardins at 9:22 AM on January 21, 2009


HEY CITY PEOPLE, THE METRA GOES TO BARRINGTON, YOU KNOW. THE BAR IS ONE BLOCK AWAY.

It's no use. I've lived in the burbs for 10 years, and I'm always the one who goes to the city events; city people never come to the suburban events. No amount of pleading, eye-batting, arguing, eye rolling, or cynical remarks helps, and believe me, I've tried.

That said, it's easier for me to get from Highland Park to the Goat than it is for me to get from HP to Barrington. ;) (I have family in Barrington so I know from experience.) Well, depending on traffic and weather factors, it can be about the same to get there. Getting home afterwards is always half the time from the city, though. But I enjoy driving so that's really not my problem anyway. But since I have a Tweetup to attend downtown tonight, I'll probably not make it out for another internet-type gathering tomorrow night. Have fun!
posted by iguanapolitico at 12:29 PM on January 21, 2009


I was going to make a surprise appearance, but it turns out I have a test on Saturday and the only night my tutor can meet with me is tomorrow. The thought was there, though!
posted by eamondaly at 3:37 PM on January 21, 2009


I'm sick today. Gene Wolfe lives in Barrington. Stop by and say hello to him for me.
posted by adamdschneider at 8:58 AM on January 22, 2009


Oh, feel better! And eamondaly, what's your test on? If I don't know the subject matter I'd be happy to make something up.

iguanapolitico, one of these days I'll just bite the bullet and take the El downtown from Rosemont or Cumberland (closest stations to Hoffman Estates, where I work).
posted by desjardins at 9:16 AM on January 22, 2009


After having so much fun at last night's Tweetup, I'm tempted to go out tonight to the Mefi meetup!

But then I remember how old I am and how much it would hurt on Friday.
posted by iguanapolitico at 12:01 PM on January 22, 2009


If it helps, I won't be drinking, and sugarfish says she's not drinking either. So don't feel like you have to. And OMG, you're only 2 years older than me, ferchristsake, so I don't want to hear it.
posted by desjardins at 12:54 PM on January 22, 2009


I forgot to make a sign. I'm wearing a red sweater with black pants and will have a gray North Face jacket with black scarf.
posted by desjardins at 3:37 PM on January 22, 2009


burnmp3s, Iridic, sugarfish and I met last night (plus two spouses) and had some good conversation and food. Iridic drank us under the table, though. I keed, I keed - it was water.

Anyway, it's a great location for anyone coming by train, as it's literally within sight of the Barrington station.
posted by desjardins at 6:05 AM on January 23, 2009


Yeah, that was a fun meetup. Glad I got a chance to meet some of my fellow Northern IL mefites in person. Thanks desjardins for setting it up and everyone else for showing up.
posted by burnmp3s at 7:42 AM on January 23, 2009


Don't forget how we relived burnmp3s TCP/IP joke. We all lol'd.

Fun times, indeed. Thanks for setting everything up, desjardins! It was nice to meet everyone.
posted by sugarfish at 7:55 AM on January 23, 2009


Glad y'all had fun! I might be in for the next one. :)
posted by iguanapolitico at 9:19 AM on January 23, 2009


Thanks, Desjardins!
posted by Iridic at 2:03 PM on January 23, 2009


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