Philadelphia Meetup: April 2009

March 24, 2009 12:02 PM

Tired from all the MetaFilter Brotherly Lovin'? I'm not. Let's have another Philly meet-up.

We've done Fairmount. We've done Chinatown. Where shall we visit next? Will it be a snooty Rittenhouse tra-la-la? Will it be a funky West Philly adventure? A Dave-and-Buster's corporate bonding experience?

All suggestions welcome.

My contributions:

- A desuetude-hosted South Philly Pub Crawl.
- Philadelphia Film Festival viewing/post-movie hang-out sesh.

posted by greekphilosophy to MetaFilter gatherings at 12:02 PM (97 comments total)

Fishtown. Do it.
posted by The White Hat at 12:13 PM on March 24

As I do with all Philly meetups, I declare that I WILL make this one. ...and probably will back out at the last second..

I like the idea of Dave and Buster's. The one meetup I attended involved bowling, so I'm going to throw that out there again.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 12:28 PM on March 24

Northern Liberties has a few neat places that could accommodate a group. We went to Standard Tap a few months ago, and even though it was 9:00 on a Saturday night, the downstairs bar was packed but the upstairs was practically empty.

Also, the burgers fucking rule.
posted by shiu mai baby at 12:37 PM on March 24

I have completely misunderstood the purpose of this thread.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:02 PM on March 24

Unofficial of course but I think I'm gonna be spinning records at the Ugly Moose 1st saturday in April. I know, i know, it's in Manayunk, but it was written up in USA TODAY, and it's pretty big and it doesn't suck to hang out there and you're all invited of course.
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 1:16 PM on March 24

That's what you think Astro Zombie. That's what you think.
posted by greekphilosophy at 1:17 PM on March 24

Hey turntables, how close to public transit is ye olde uglee moose? If I can get there via train or (shudder) bus, without too much trouble, I'd be interested in hearing what you are spinning.

Unless you're doing a Rick Astley marathon, in which case I seriously do not want to take public transit just to get rickrolled in person.
posted by greekphilosophy at 1:22 PM on March 24

It's like 10 mins from the R6, so not too bad. I don't have rickroll on vinyl, but I have to admit I've been tempted to get it :)
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 1:43 PM on March 24

As I do with all Philly meetups, I declare that I WILL make this one. ...and probably will back out at the last second..

Ditto.
posted by amro at 2:07 PM on March 24

Oh, I've been egged on by piratebowling to meaning to post something for at least a week, so thanks, greekphilosophy.

My thoughts:

* I cannot go to Dave & Busters. I am too fucking cranky to listen to all that racket, and the food sucks. Sorry. /end grump

* I will be happy to host a beercrawl part II in South Philly whenever y'all wish. (Establishments included will feature good food to keep nondrinkers happy.)

* I would looove a Philly Film Fest something-or-another. (Ooh, do we need a widget to vote on films!)

* When the hell would have any good reason to visit Manayunk other than 31d1's gig? How can we pass this up?!

Incidentally, we need a place to archive our meetup locations besides sifting through the old threads. Can we do this in the wiki?
posted by desuetude at 2:11 PM on March 24

I vote for seeing 31d1's do his thing! We can always have more than one April meetup, right?
posted by lagreen at 2:54 PM on March 24

I am probably unable to go to Manayunk if I have to work Early in the morning, which I most likely will given the date.

I am hugely, HUGELY in favor of a South Philly pub crawl, since I would be able to comfortably stumble home after. Plus, South Philly is awesome.
posted by piratebowling at 3:03 PM on March 24

ok I didn't mean to derail or anything, but I've confirmed I'm definitely throwing some kind of party at the moose on the 4th so everyones welcome but should also not keep us from planning more stuff :) I think I scored a good beer special, and also want to note in case it matters that the moose is actually technically in roxborough not manayunk!
posted by 31d1 at 3:42 PM on March 24

31d1 + Moose: what's not to love?

(I've never been to the Ugly Moose, but I do like the moose diorama at the Academy of Natural Sciences exceedingly.)
posted by chihiro at 5:03 PM on March 24

Okay, I'm with lagreen and 31d1: there's no reason we can't plan more than one event. I'm just going to invoke revisionist history here and suggest we call 31d1's shindig the "March" meetup (and then asterisk it in the history books), and we'll go ahead and plan the April meetup here.

So comment with the deets, 31d1/turntables, and we'll go ahead and put a linky on the calendar for the 4th. Anyone want to ride the train with me out to Roxborough?

As for the April meetup, I have to admit that, like desuetude, I'm kind of allergic to Dave and Busters. I just put it up there in an effort to avoid being too my-interests-centric. (I suspected that I wouldn't attract too many people to an event that featured tea, cookies and watching Jeopardy! in my living room, which is what passes for fun in my life.) I would probably come down with ebola if the Philly hivemind decided on Dave and Buster's as the venue. Bowling, though, is a fun option. And there has been nothing in Northern Liberties in 2009, so Standard Tap could be fun.

And even if it doesn't make the meetup, here's the info on the Philly Film Fest with a schedule, for anyone who might want to go be artsy fartsy with me. My short list includes: Zift, The Sea Wall, Julia, Summer Hours, Before the Fall, Boy Interrupted, Moon, the Quay Sampler, Children of Heaven, and Surveillance. I'm almost certainly going to see Julia, because it is Tilda Swinton and I <3 her. The same goes for The Sea Wall, except it is Isabelle Huppert who I am busy loving in that one.
posted by greekphilosophy at 5:06 PM on March 24

I've missed the last couple meetups, but I'll be back after April 8th in Philly.

I agree about Dave & Busters, sorry folks. I went there with some out of town friends this winter for the first time, and except for the trivia game, I didn't really have much fun.

But alcohol and delicious food and bowling are all delightful ideas. It looks like I won't be back in time for the film festival, which saddens me.
posted by polexa at 5:50 PM on March 24

I think you all know how I feel about bowling. I'd be so down for that, and make you all look like pros, to boot!
posted by piratebowling at 6:00 PM on March 24

greekphilosophy, what passes for fun in your life sounds like heaven to me! Someday I will have a living room that's not filled with toys and will be allowed to watch what I want again while enjoying tea and cookies. ^_^
posted by chihiro at 6:05 PM on March 24

Actually, polexa may have hit on something important here: Why haven't we put together a MetaFilter Quizzo Dream Team yet? I fear we would dominate so thoroughly that we'd be asked not to compete in the future.

Also chihiro, you and I should totally have a Jeopardy! date. You can bring your fiddle and we can jam on some Telemann. :)
posted by greekphilosophy at 6:21 PM on March 24

greekphilosophy, you're on! I'll Facebook you. :)
posted by chihiro at 6:47 PM on March 24

Wasn't there a Philly meet up at some fancy swanky bowling alley a while back? Worth a second go?
posted by amro at 6:49 PM on March 24

I'm just going to invoke revisionist history here and suggest we call 31d1's shindig the "March" meetup (and then asterisk it in the history books), and we'll go ahead and plan the April meetup here.

Seconded!
posted by desuetude at 7:36 PM on March 24

I will brave the train to the borough of Rox with you, greekphilosophy.

I like tea, cookies and watching Jeopardy! in my living room; several of those film picks, bowling (though yes, we were at North Bowl what, last spring?), Quizzo...

piratebowling, what days are your weekend?

April is tough for me, though. I'm out of town for work from the 16th-22nd.
posted by desuetude at 7:46 PM on March 24

watching Jeopardy! in my living room

Um, I mean greekphilosophy's living room, not mine.
posted by desuetude at 7:48 PM on March 24

My weekends vary like craaaaazy. Sometimes they are (gasp) actually on the weekend. I will make it work one way or another, promise.
posted by piratebowling at 8:10 PM on March 24

Pick a date already.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:21 PM on March 24

Any official problems with April 25? It's a Saturday.
posted by greekphilosophy at 8:45 PM on March 24

I like the sounds of the 25th.
posted by piratebowling at 3:41 AM on March 25

Ohhh, dudes. Quizzo. Quizzo with this group would be un-freaking-beatable. I captained a Quizzo team last year out at the Whip Tavern (authentic English pub out in the wilds of Chester County, way awesome, btw), and we totally won the 8-week tournament. So yeah, I would be down like a rodeo clown witha MeFi Quizzo night.
posted by shiu mai baby at 5:17 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]

The 25th is empty on my calendar right now. I'm putting in an all-day Metafilter event so I don't forget.

Quizzo sounds incredible; the only part of Dave & Buster's I like is the trivia game anyway. But who hosts Quizzo on Saturday night?
posted by sjuhawk31 at 6:33 AM on March 25

Count me in for the 4th and the 25th.
posted by lagreen at 8:26 AM on March 25

Hello I am commenting in this thread.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:05 AM on March 25

Oh yes? Did Comcast let you back on the interwebs ludwig_van?
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:50 AM on March 25

No I am using the neighbors' tubes and waiting for my jackass roommate to pay the bill :(
posted by ludwig_van at 11:06 AM on March 25

We're speaking the same film festival language, greekphilosophy...
posted by desuetude at 7:43 PM on March 25

Yo, put the turntables gig up as an upcoming Meetup while we reinvigorate this discussion. Helloooooo?
posted by desuetude at 4:29 PM on March 26

April 4 is up on the calendar.

Weeekends look pretty dark for Quizzo. Does meetup interest drop of precipitously if the meetup is scheduled on a weekday evening?
posted by greekphilosophy at 1:39 PM on March 27

Actually, a guy I know is trying out as a quizzo host at Local 44 in West Philly on Sunday, April 12. Quality 100% unknown, but it's definitely a weekend.
posted by Tomorrowful at 9:25 PM on March 27

I would totally do a quizzo any night of the week. I don't mind showing up to work exhausted if it means I had spent it being a trivia nerd. Fridays are the only shaky days, since it sometimes means I'm not out of work until 9 or so.
posted by piratebowling at 6:23 AM on March 28

Quizzo is a weeknight thing. I'm cool with that.
posted by desuetude at 10:39 AM on March 28

i'm confused. so we're having an april 4th meetup as well as another meetup? my addled mind cannot comprehend.

i am also up for a weeknight quizzo thing. whatever, really.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:05 PM on March 28

i'm confused. so we're having an april 4th meetup as well as another meetup? my addled mind cannot comprehend.

Yes. Yes.
posted by desuetude at 12:05 PM on March 29

I definitely can't make the April 4th thing, as a friend of mine is running a marathon in Honeybrook that day, and we're having everyone over here for an early-season, post-run pig-out.

Speaking of: if any hungry people are going to be in the wilds of Chester County on the afternoon of April 4th, drop me a line and I'll pass along the details of the BBQ.
posted by shiu mai baby at 4:02 PM on March 29

Is there a time for the Moose thing? I dunno what time people do social things out there in Roxborough.

shiu mai baby: waaah! I totally wanted to go, but I'm pretty sure that I can't get out of the city on the 4th.
posted by desuetude at 8:02 AM on March 30

so. quizzo. place suggestions? i really have no idea where they do that here. how's the week of the 20th for people?
posted by misanthropicsarah at 8:13 PM on March 30

Oh the dealie at the Ugly Moose, I dunno, I'll be there around 8-9 and prolly start tunes up by 10.
posted by 31d1 at 3:55 PM on March 31

Week of the 20th is NO GOOD for me -- I'll be out of town.
posted by desuetude at 4:00 PM on March 31

So we've heard good things about QuizMasterChris. And I just want to get a date set. So here it goes - if you've got firsthand knowledge that will lead us to a better Quiz Night, then speak now and we'll do it! But otherwise, I propose:

12 Steps Down
9th and Christian St.
7:30pm
April 29, 2009.

Nerds of the World Unite...and finance your drinking through cleverness!
posted by greekphilosophy at 4:03 PM on April 1

I am down for that! Yaaaaaay! I will bone up on my nerdy knowledge in the meantime.

EYE OF THE TIGER!
posted by piratebowling at 4:08 PM on April 1

And in Soufphilly, too! Yay!
posted by desuetude at 8:26 PM on April 1

I'm totally there, woohoo!

and i put it in my calendar, so really
posted by polexa at 1:04 AM on April 2

Oh nice. I'm going to tentatively say yes -- while downtown is usually impractical for us when it's mid-week, the 29th is a Wednesday, and I work from home on Thursdays, so it's doable!



Like your mom
posted by shiu mai baby at 4:17 AM on April 2

Okay, after the possibility of bailing, I'm back on for The Ugly Moose this Sat.

And I have a car.
posted by desuetude at 6:57 AM on April 2

Meanwhile, I AM totally bailing on the Ugly Moose (sorry 31d1!) in favor of going to NY on a date. Sorry: Bros before hoes. (And I mean that in the most homoerotic and least misogynistic way possible.)
posted by greekphilosophy at 8:26 AM on April 2

greekphilosophy, who are the bros and who are the hoes on this case? I would assume we are your bros, but you are putting the hoes first if that is the case! Is he your bro? My brain aspolodes.

Also, I can't make it up to Ugly Moose since I will be working early the next day. Boo.
posted by piratebowling at 8:41 AM on April 2

Yeah, that was def. the original meaning of the phrase. But being a little gay boy, I never read it that way. I always thought it had some homoerotic subtext: aka "boys over girls."

But I'm meeting up with a MeFite while I'm up there, so that counts for SOMETHING right?
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:00 AM on April 2

The MeFite you are meeting up with is a ho amongst hoes!

and tell him hi for me.
posted by piratebowling at 9:23 AM on April 2

piratebowling, this makes us greekphilosophy's hoes.

[falls over laughing]
posted by desuetude at 9:38 AM on April 2

ooh ooh, can i be a hoe too?

or maybe i'd rather be a bro.

gotta think about that one, depending on the level of homoeroticism
posted by polexa at 2:04 PM on April 2

Speaking of homoeroticism and trivia, the only quizzo I've ever won is Queer Quizzo. So if quizzo goes down at some point, I'll happily throw my knowledge of Teh Ghey into the hat. Moreover, I'm happy to ho the skreets of Philadelphia for any MeFite pimp who's filling out their ranks (no DP; $20, same as in Meta).
posted by youarenothere at 8:15 PM on April 2

What about Kinky Quizzo?
posted by polexa at 4:44 AM on April 3

A friend is hosting a trivia event on May 1. The subject "Sex, Stars and Social Change." 7-10 at UPenn. I'm going!

All bros and hoes welcome.
posted by greekphilosophy at 6:11 AM on April 3

What about Kinky Quizzo?

Is that like Naked Twister?
posted by desuetude at 8:25 AM on April 3

Or is it more like Strip Poker?
posted by desuetude at 8:25 AM on April 3

Looks like there's some sort of basketball game happening on saturday and I have a feeling music will be delayed until the end of that boring thing. but it will still be on!
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 8:35 AM on April 3

12 Steps Down
9th and Christian St.
7:30pm
April 29, 2009

acceptable for me.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 8:44 AM on April 3

I will definitely not be able to make it, sorry. Everybody wing chun, though.
posted by Deathalicious at 9:31 AM on April 3

So who's going to be there tonight and when? lagreen and I will be there at some point. :)
posted by chihiro at 7:55 AM on April 4

Hey, good to see lagreen and chihiro and Mefi's own [@I][:+:][@I]!! Your set was great, 31d1, even if the crowd was meh in their appreciation.
posted by desuetude at 12:00 AM on April 5

Thanks for coming out you guys, it was great to see you. And sorry about that crazy basketball stuff with th squeaky shoes and the delaying music :)
posted by 31d1 at 12:27 PM on April 5

Sorry we couldn't stay longer, 31d1, but what I heard was great. Let us know the next time you're spinning somewhere! :)
posted by chihiro at 6:16 PM on April 5

Hey, 31d1, remember to post those pics your lovely gf took.
posted by desuetude at 2:49 PM on April 8

I will come!
posted by Tufa at 10:59 AM on April 10

Question: how smoky is 12 Steps Down? I can never keep track of the smoking ban rules downtown -- is Philly completely smoke-free these days?

I ask only because, as an Impregnated-American, it's probably a good idea to avoid excessively smoky spots for the time being.
posted by shiu mai baby at 11:26 AM on April 10

I am receiving conflicting reports of whether or not they're smoking at 12 Steps these days. I will check it out and report back.

Philly is almost entirely smoke-free, but bars meeting certain criteria (criteria is pretty much strip clubs and old-man corner bars) could apply for exemption permits if they wished; a limited number were granted.
posted by desuetude at 11:52 AM on April 10

Wait, so is another meetup in the wings?
posted by Deathalicious at 11:54 AM on April 10

*rereads thread sheepishly* oh.
Um, probably can't make it, but I'll check with she.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:54 AM on April 10

So we're a week away. Just thought I'd pop in here to revive it in everyone's recent-activity feed and remind everyone to start pounding ginko biloba, put new batteries in your thinking cap, and start memorizing the order of Catholic popes. Ya know, just in case.
posted by greekphilosophy at 2:12 PM on April 22

I may be bringing a Mefite who has never been to a meetup before, so be kind!

I'm also working on which homemade baked good to bring.
posted by piratebowling at 7:47 AM on April 23

I just called 12 Steps Down, and they do allow smoking. Which means, unfortunately, that the mister and I are going to have to take a pass. Y'all think smart! I expect to hear about a trophy -- or at least free bar food -- from you brainiacs!
posted by shiu mai baby at 2:38 PM on April 23

fucking smoking. i hate that shit. now i have to wear ratty clothes so my "nice" clothes don't get all smoketacular. even when i WAS a smoker, i hated going to smoke-filled places.

if there are any questions about henry viii's wives, i've got it covered. or questions about cupcakes. or chicago style. other than that, i have lost all knowledge that i used to have or that could have been useful.

is there a cover charge for this thing?
posted by misanthropicsarah at 11:14 PM on April 24

I checked with a coworker who goes to this quizzo night frequently, he assures me there is never a cover.

Oh, and I already began trash talking him and trying to get my boss to say she thinks I'm smarter, so we better bring it.
posted by piratebowling at 5:30 PM on April 25

Will take my vitamins and see you there.
posted by desuetude at 7:30 PM on April 26

Boo on the smoking, but I will don my gas mask (gotta wear it anyway because of the pig flu) and trek down to the 12 steps. Perhaps with a friend in tow.

That's okay, right? Bringing the uninitiated, I mean.
posted by polexa at 7:49 PM on April 28

Absolutely, polexa. The more the merrier!

See everyone there:

12 Steps Down
9th and Christian St.
7:30pm
April 29, 2009

There will be nametags to assist with the MeFi/realworld crossover. If you don't know what any of us look like, don't be shy. Just listen for a joke about a wookie or for someone to say, "Christ, what an asshole."
posted by greekphilosophy at 11:09 PM on April 28

Sorry I had to bail...I just couldn't shake an evil sinus headache thanks to our abrupt change in weather.

Did we win?
posted by desuetude at 6:39 PM on April 29

We kicked a fair amount of ass, but did not win.

Still, turns out greekphilosophy knows a lot about viagra.
posted by piratebowling at 7:43 PM on April 29

> Still, turns out greekphilosophy knows a lot about viagra.

[guffaw]
posted by desuetude at 7:59 PM on April 29

I also knew the capital of Yemen, the family name in "Little Women" and Josh Groban's longtime girlfriend's first name. But noooooo, now I have to live in infamy for picking Viagra as the correct common name for sildenafil citrate...

Good to see everyone. I'd love to do this again - but next time we need to pick a non-smoky bar. The smoke is fail. I am home and I smell like a night out in 2005.
posted by greekphilosophy at 8:14 PM on April 29

I am home and I smell like a night out in 2005.

Like viagra and powdered adderal? Or that faint bleach-like smell...

It was great to (re-) meet everyone. Let's do it again soon!
posted by polexa at 9:09 PM on April 29

I'm glad to hear there was much ass that was kicked. Congrats! Did y'all place, or did the host even bother to rank the teams?
posted by shiu mai baby at 4:44 AM on April 30

We did place, I think 3rd or 4th? I wasn't paying the greatest amount of attention at that point. BUT! The quizmaster said specifically he'd love to have us back.
posted by piratebowling at 11:03 AM on April 30

No need to call it anything like an official meetup, but I think I'm going to Northern Liberties to his quizgame next Tuesday night at El Camino Real. (I can't pass up the opportunity to pwn the section on British Comedies.)

I'm also going to work on uploading the pictures once I get home tonight.
posted by greekphilosophy at 12:12 PM on April 30

Sorry I missed the Quizzo - I'd be up for it in a non-smoky bar!

Also taking a preliminary poll: how do we Philadelphia Mefites feel about the noble and ancient game of ping pong?
posted by chihiro at 3:22 PM on April 30

Northern Libs is so less convenient. Though recent sinus issues have forced me to limit my time in beloved Soufphilly smoky bars, too.
posted by desuetude at 3:46 PM on April 30

nolibs is inconvenient. i like to limit myself to a very small section of philadelphia. luckily, it's a town that lends itself to homebodyism and xenophobia.

also, polexa, bring your friend to other meetups, he was fun!
posted by misanthropicsarah at 8:01 PM on May 1 [1 favorite]

Finally added my photos from the evening.
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:03 AM on May 7