MEETUP WOOHOOO

June 15, 2009 10:18 PM

DC area meetup this weekend?

Good morning!! There's been discussion of a pre-10th meetup meetup. (So we can be friends now instead of later and the 10th meetup will be even more awesome!!) Kinda short notice, but some people have prior obligations the following weekend, then we're into the holiday, so how about this weekend, Saturday or Sunday (20th, 21st)?

Let's say DC or Virginia depending on who wishes to attend, and the standard bit about We Like Places Near Metro.

posted by little e to MetaFilter Gatherings at 10:18 PM (54 comments total)

If Saturday, could do.
posted by zennie at 4:45 AM on June 16, 2009

I'm in. I prefer the Red Line, of course, but don't mind traveling for booze... and I guess company.
posted by Loto at 5:20 AM on June 16, 2009

I'm in for Saturday night. Maybe scope out Science Club (blue&orange) in advance of the 10th? Or, there's always the old Nanny's (red) standby...

(Though that place just hasn't been the same since they stopped flushing the urinals by filling them with kitchen ice)
posted by zap rowsdower at 5:21 AM on June 16, 2009

zap rowsdower: That's not to flush them, that's to keep them cold to keep the smell down.
posted by Loto at 5:23 AM on June 16, 2009

I hear you, Loto...I just worry. First indoor plumbing, then what? Bacardi mixer night?

There's only one way this can go.
posted by zap rowsdower at 5:34 AM on June 16, 2009

To be honest I was hoping we'd end up somewhere with portopotties.
posted by little e at 6:20 AM on June 16, 2009

Did you have someplace in mind? Forties at the Jefferson Memorial? MeFi camping trip?!
posted by Loto at 6:30 AM on June 16, 2009

Hell yeah! Let's go stumble around the Mall and yell at the tourists!
posted by little e at 6:35 AM on June 16, 2009

Of course I am always up for a camping trip. I'll bring the gasoline and matches if you bring the marshmallows.
posted by little e at 6:40 AM on June 16, 2009

I see absolutely nothing wrong with either of those ideas.

I'll bring the marshmellows, of course. Also, a suit made of meat. That's how you are supposed to store food in the woods, right? Out in the open and in the form of a suit?
posted by Loto at 6:52 AM on June 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yes, I am at this very moment stitching together a pair of baconpants.
posted by little e at 7:12 AM on June 16, 2009

The MrsMoonPie and I are going to Artomatic Friday night, to see the bellydancers at 8:00. There's food and beer there, plus, you know, a shit-ton of art. Might I suggest this as a meetup venue?
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:45 AM on June 16, 2009

Wait--bellydancers and drag kings.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:47 AM on June 16, 2009

Ooh! Yeah! That would be cool, I was thinking of checking out Artomatic anyway.
posted by little e at 7:49 AM on June 16, 2009

I can do any day but Sunday, methinks.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:32 AM on June 16, 2009

Dammit, now I can't decide which I like better as a band name - "Belly Dancers & Drag Kings" or "Baconpants."

Either way, I'm down for anything in DC.
posted by Someone has just shot your horse! at 8:41 AM on June 16, 2009

I could do something on Saturday evening. Bellydancing at Artomatic sounds fun.
posted by kaybdc at 8:49 AM on June 16, 2009

On Saturday night at 7 pm at Artomatic, they're doing a horror movie film fest - thespookymovie.com. don't know how anyone else feels about 2 hours of scary movies.

there's also burlesque at artomatic at 9

regardless, i am down for whatever on saturday, as long as it's close to a metro stop.
posted by kerning at 10:44 AM on June 16, 2009

I'm happy to donate my $25 Madhatter gift certificate from trivia at the election night meetup to the cause.
posted by djb at 11:17 AM on June 16, 2009

Alas: Indiebass will be in NYC this weekend, and forced to miss. Artomatic AND s'mores sound too awesome.
posted by indiebass at 12:30 PM on June 16, 2009

djb, I still have mine, too. I'm happy to throw it in the pot, too. I mean, the service kinda sucked there, but we're up to $50 in free food and drink, so that's a party. Make it a Tuesday (and relatively early), and we can all metro over to doctorschlock's Washington Psychotronic Film Society for some fine cinema.

We have a personal connection to one of Friday night's performers, and we're way too old to go out two nights in a row, so it's Friday or nothing for us. We'll be there regardless, so if you want company, you know where to find us.

That said, I would never try to dissuade anyone from two hours of horror movies followed by burlesque, either, so don't plan around us.
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:41 PM on June 16, 2009

MrMoonPie - Madhatter and WPFS on a Tuesday sounds good - perhaps later in the summer.

For this time around, I'd prefer a Saturday.
posted by djb at 1:02 PM on June 16, 2009

This weekend is going to be crazy busy for me (going to London on Tuesday!) but I'll be at this at Artomatic on Sunday afternoon if anyone wants to say "hi".
posted by JoanArkham at 2:15 PM on June 16, 2009

i may be able but i may have band practice forever.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:43 PM on June 16, 2009

I can do Saturday night; otherwise I'm at work. Scary movies sound good!
posted by orrnyereg at 4:38 PM on June 16, 2009

Please tell me more about the bear orgy.
posted by mathlete at 7:06 PM on June 16, 2009

Saturday works for me (and the missus, who doesn't have an account but reads regularly.) We'd love to show up. Not for a bear orgy, though. We are devoted to our porcupine.

Will there be a mailing list of any kind for this? How do we determine when a plan is finalized?
posted by Scattercat at 7:35 PM on June 16, 2009

The Artomatic website says there are several bars and lounges. Would one of those make a good meeting place? If so, I'll volunteer to stake out some tables, be conspicuous, and stay put, so we can find each other.
posted by little e at 8:30 PM on June 16, 2009

And since I've met you, we hopefully won't be sitting down the bar from each other without realize it this time.
posted by Loto at 8:43 PM on June 16, 2009

There should be an identifying marker. Maybe a little beanie with a bobble on top?
posted by Scattercat at 2:43 AM on June 17, 2009

I usually just prominently display the Metagram.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:12 AM on June 17, 2009

My Saturday night just got hijacked, so I won't be there.

Will there be a mailing list of any kind for this? How do we determine when a plan is finalized?

Uh... if your'e unfamiliar with meetup scheduling, determine
1. time frame (e.g. 6:30pm-9:30pm)
2. venue
3. exact (as possible) place (e.g. 'second floor bar, probably at the back')
4. make a summary comment (if there isn't one)
5. post to MeTa here, so everyone can see there's a finalized meetup
posted by zennie at 6:45 AM on June 17, 2009

damn...i am on my way back from florida that weekend.

/sent from stolen wifi on the back porch...its f'in HOT. Feels like Balto/DC in Aug.
posted by ShawnString at 7:43 AM on June 17, 2009

little e sleeps while the rest of us are awake (crime fighter or something, I guess), but the plan is:

Artomatic, Saturday night. Meet at one of the bars. She'll post the when and where specifics later, here and to the actual meetup page zennie linked to.

(I like volunteering other people for work)
posted by zap rowsdower at 10:36 AM on June 17, 2009

If only I'd been sleeping! Then I would be refreshed and logical and capable of making this sort of decision. In fact having experienced epic nap fail this morning, I have not been asleep in, oh, something approaching thirty hours now. I am at this very moment sitting in a lawn chair in my living room drinking peach beer. SO, when we all end up in jail or married to each other this weekend (worse yet, in jail AND married to each other), you know who to blame--zap rowsdower, for placing this responsibility in these deliriously sleep deprived, tipsy, giddy hands.

That said, (although my reading compreshension is lacking at this point) sounds like more people like Saturday than Friday or Sunday, so I'll say Saturday, at Artomatic, at 7 pm. I will do some investigation and post a more specific location within Artomatic. I look like the photo in my profile except 15 years older with less Aquanet, and it will probably be too warm for the feather boa. But to make things easy I'll try to come up with some sort of signage, but I'm probably not sufficiently civilized to have access to a printer between now and then it will most likely be less like MrMoonPie's MetaGram and more like scrawled in magic marker by an uncoordinated first grader (no actual first graders harmed in the making of this post).

And we should totally do the Psychotronic Film Society sometime too! I'd been wanting to check it out but couldn't figure out if it was the sort of event where it would be okay or creepy if I showed up alone and started talking to random strangers.
posted by little e at 5:36 PM on June 17, 2009

tl;dr version: Artomatic, Saturday, 7 pm, a more specific location to follow.
posted by little e at 5:37 PM on June 17, 2009

Well, that explains why my car was broken into last night. Someone's falling down on the job.

See you all there.
posted by zap rowsdower at 5:57 PM on June 17, 2009

i can totally print out signs. nothing i like more than stealing printer ink from my workplace, drop by drop. also, uh, i like signs.
posted by kerning at 8:46 PM on June 17, 2009

Anyone fancy an earlier start time? I work nights, which would mean having to leave by ten PM at the absolute latest...
posted by Scattercat at 12:46 AM on June 18, 2009

Hmm I can do earlier, no idea about other people turning out earlier though especially with the nice weather I figure people have daytime plans as well...anybody else have thoughts? I am planning to get there 6:30ish at the latest if not a bit sooner if you want to come on out and wander around with me to find a spot.

Okay, I'll be happy to leave my box of Crayolas at home kerning!!

If anybody wants my phone number send me a message. (In case you can't find us, that is. I'm not simultaneously trying to pick up all of you.)
posted by little e at 4:15 AM on June 18, 2009

Sounds like a plan--I may make it Saturday, too, depending on how awesome (or not) Friday night's show is. I do want to be sure to state that the Metagram is not mine--it was created by the dear, departed fandango_matt.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:42 AM on June 18, 2009

I will come, with friends.
posted by phrontist at 8:35 AM on June 19, 2009

I am, indeed, about to head to Artomatic right now. I'll check out the scene, and see if there are any likely-looking bars around the monster movie venue, and report back.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:41 PM on June 19, 2009

Okey doke! We had a fine time this evening, and I scoped out the venue.

The movie theater is on the third floor. There's a nice lounge area right near the theater, with chairs and couches and such, that would be a good place to meet up and hang out. There's even a grass lawn with lawn chairs next to that.

There's also a bar on the 7th floor, and a Hard Times Chili stand with chili (duh), nachos, hot dogs, Frito pie, and chili mac. I think the nachos were the most expensive thing, at $7, but it's a pretty big damned serving, with chili and cheese and sour cream. Beers are $4 for Flying Dog, wine is $5 (IIRC), for a generous pour; there are also soft drinks and water, for $1, I think. There are also little satellite bar carts scattered around, including one on the third floor, but I couldn't tell how permanent they are. There's also an On The Fly truck outside with hotdogs and Julia's empanadas.

The Spooky Movie show starts at 7, and runs until 9. The theater is small and not too dark, so it wouldn't be too hard to find folks there if someone is running late. I'd propose seating the group to the right side of the room, since there are more seats on that side. It's a pretty informal set-up, with people trickling in and out. Burlesque is at 9 on the 2nd floor--we didn't make it down there, so I don't know the lay out.

It's a pretty funky scene, with people dressed anywhere from cocktail attire to goth/steam punk to shorts and flip-flops and t-shirts. A pretty young crowd overall, and quite well attended, compared to earlier incarnations of Artomatic. I think it'll be a fun time for all.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:48 PM on June 19, 2009

Okay, awesome! Then I will plan to be at the lounge/lawn area near the theater before 6:30ish. (And I will be on the premises well before that.) I'll have on a bright! yellow! dress! and lime! green! shoes! so I will be easy to spot in a crowd.

(Sorry Scattercat no distinctive millinery, although I did try. Goodwill disappointed me with both their hat inventory and their poor stock of sweatshirts with logos of high schools I've never heard of.)
posted by little e at 6:05 AM on June 20, 2009

Oh also I forgot to say for any latecomers, if people go watch the scary movies I'll still be outside lounging with whoever wants to lounge with me, because I'm not very good at sitting still and being quiet.
posted by little e at 8:58 AM on June 20, 2009

I may not be out tonight, after all. Surprisingly, Navy Yard is a bit of a hike from Gaithersburg...
posted by Loto at 10:31 AM on June 20, 2009

hey I am at the place!!! Wandering around upstairs for now
posted by little e at 2:37 PM on June 20, 2009

Hope everyone had a grand time! Inara and I were a little too hasty at learning the general location (Artomatic) and not the specifics (huge fucking place with no way to really find people who we don't know, though I was definitely wearing my Flag It And Move On shirt.)

We walked through every floor, some more than once, and sadly did not find you all (obviously) but that's a great space, and we had a great time anyway (even with the $30 parking ticket I incurred while inside.)
posted by Navelgazer at 7:13 PM on June 20, 2009

Sorry we missed you! Until about 9, we were in the lounge area on the 3rd floor--apparently, though, it was easy to miss us behind one of the temporary walls. We all kinda split up after the burlesque show (on the second floor) around 10, though I ran into another friend and stayed a bit longer. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:56 AM on June 21, 2009

DC peoples! Are you guys all okay?? I hope you don't ride the Red Line...
posted by orrnyereg at 2:56 PM on June 22, 2009

Well, I walk, so no problem here. I know that EmilyClimbs, who I met at the meetup Saturday, lives up that way.
posted by MrMoonPie at 3:47 PM on June 22, 2009

I'm fine, I've been biking today. My mom thought I lived on red line though, and called me in a complete panic multiple times before I bothered to answer because I didn't know anything had happened.

The meetup was awesome! Although before y'all got there two different dudes were just trying to hit on me and I asked them if they were from the internet. Uncomfortable. Anyway, very nice to meet you guys.
posted by little e at 6:17 PM on June 22, 2009

I'm fine, thanks! (Although I do indeed take that train past that spot every day.)

On a brighter note, it was wonderful to meet everyone (sorry we missed you, Navelgazer.)
posted by EmilyClimbs at 4:10 PM on June 23, 2009