It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

May 25, 2010 9:30 AM

Searching for signs of sentient life beyond San Francisco. Mefites in the Marin/Sonoma/Napa areas - are you out there? And do you eat things, and/or occasionally drink things? If so: don't you think it's high time we threw caution to the winds and had a meetup?

Late spring/early summer is a grand old time for food and beverage related goings-on in the Northbay, and there is no shortage of groovy local places to get our grub and beer (or wine) on.

I'm in Santa Rosa but perfectly open to hijinks in other areas of the Northbay, if that would work best for others. The only real catch (and it is one) is that I work nights, and every other weekend. But I do have alternating weekends and Wednesday nights free and clear.

Any interest in this?

Hello? Does anybody read alllll the way up here?

posted by arachnid to MetaFilter Gatherings at 9:30 AM (33 comments total)

Hey hey! Fellow Santa Rosan here & I've never made it to a meetup yet, but I'd love to try again. My schedule is pretty flexible. Did you have any venues in mind?
posted by gofargogo at 10:00 AM on May 25, 2010

Yes, we're out here! How about somewhere in/near Petaluma, fairly equidistant from Marin/Sonoma/Napa, maybe Brixx, which serves awesome pizza and has a full bar? More or less flexible schedule after June 11....
posted by Lynsey at 11:01 AM on May 25, 2010

Yaaaay! :)

As far as venues, gofargogo - and as we're both in Santa Rosa, I'm thinking Third Street Aleworks, Russian River Brewing Company or perhaps Stout Brothers if we're of a mind to go the pub route? Alternately, we could try to gather at Rosso if pizza appeals (they've a lovely wine bar as well). El Michoacano in Roseland has amazing molcajete with a limited (but perfectly good) beer selection. And I keep hearing great things about the Delicias Elenita Taco Truck on Sebastopol Road, too.

But again, I'm totally down for suggestions outside the Santa Rosa city limits. What say you?
posted by arachnid at 11:13 AM on May 25, 2010

And on non-preview: d'oh! Hey Lynsey! Good point, Petaluma is a bit more centrally located, and I adore both Lan-Mart and pizza. :)

In looking over my craptacular schedule for the next month or so, I'd sort of forgotten that I have the 21st and 22nd of June off for a continuing education thingummy, but that takes place during the day, leaving Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of that particular week wide open, if that helps at all?

(May I just point out that here in this, my first Metatalk post, I'm pleased beyond words that I friggin' borked the tags? Argh.)
posted by arachnid at 11:23 AM on May 25, 2010

For the right event, I might drive up to the north bay. I will lurk until such an event is proposed.
posted by jeffamaphone at 1:21 PM on May 25, 2010

I too have been waiting years for a North Bay meetup. If anyone wants to make it a summery outdoor picnic-type event, I have a field (with a picturesque barn!) behind my house available. I'm in San Rafael. If not... well, I'll be inviting all of you to my birthday next month anyway.
posted by wzcx at 2:45 PM on May 25, 2010

Me me! Napa Valley. Actually just over the mountain from Santa Rosa!
posted by Swisstine at 3:45 PM on May 25, 2010

A picturesque barn?! Sign me up! Or Petaluma. Or really, any
where!
posted by Swisstine at 3:48 PM on May 25, 2010

I am also sort of up for a northbay meetup, lived up there for about 10 years, currently just across the richmond-san rafael bridge in richmond.
posted by iamabot at 6:28 PM on May 25, 2010

Aw man I wish I was there to meet with y'all! I'm originally from Marin (Go Giants!) - my mom now lives in Petaluma and my dad in San Rafael. I might be in town mid-June.
posted by radioamy at 8:20 PM on May 25, 2010

Huzzah, my Northbay peeps! :)

Right, so we have lots to work with here:

-We can drink and nom in Santa Rosa;
-We can drink and nom in Petaluma;
-We can drink and nom in San Rafael, in or around a picturesque barn, perhaps within the general vicinity of birthday cake;
-We can drink and nom in San Rafael, location TBD, so as to make it somewhat more accessible for Mefites wishing to join us from the East Bay or even - if I may be so bold as to suggest it - from San Francisco (provided they aren't having one of their 8 meetups a week already ;)

Any of the above works for me - are the rest of you more or less interested in any particular scenario here?

And in terms of dates? My weekends off in June are the 12th and 13th, and the 26th and 27th. I also have that three day block I mentioned earlier.

Thoughts?
posted by arachnid at 10:58 PM on May 25, 2010

I'm equally open to any of those. Brixx has awesome pizza. San Rafael has good pubs/restaurants and is nicely central to SF and those in the northern east bay as well as Sonoma County. If I'm reading the thread correctly, It seems like Petaluma is probably the most central to the most people who've chimed in, so my initial vote is for Brixx in Petaluma on the 12th. Any nays?
posted by gofargogo at 11:54 PM on May 25, 2010

I'll probably go if I can catch a ride with jeffamaphone.
posted by Afroblanco at 12:04 AM on May 26, 2010

12th in Petaluma would work for me too!
posted by Swisstine at 12:22 AM on May 26, 2010

The 12th in Petaluma works for me as well. Question about Brixx: they appear to have live music Saturday nights (woohoo! :). I've not been there so I'm wondering if anybody else can speak to how loud it gets? As in, too loud for conversation? If that's not felt to be a potential issue, I'm totally on board for the date and venue (and thanks Lynsey for suggesting it!).
posted by arachnid at 8:15 AM on May 26, 2010

I'll probably go if I can catch a ride with jeffamaphone.

I'm not driving across any more toll bridges with you.

:)
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:45 PM on May 26, 2010

I'd love to meet up in Petaluma. If anyone wants to take the ferry or bus over here from SF, I'll also give a ride the rest of the way.
posted by wzcx at 10:30 PM on May 26, 2010

Awesome, wzcx! Sounds as if there are at least 4 of us who can do this for sure - so:

Brixx in Petaluma
Saturday, 12 June
6 or 7 pm-ish?

Do we have a meetup? Lynsey, will this work for you? iamabot, jeffamaphone, Afroblanco - hope you'll join us! And radioamy, would be happy to buy you a beverage of your choice if you do come to town next month. :)

(Since most of us are fortunate enough not to be Creatures of the Niiiight like myself, I'll check back noonish or so for further thoughts/comments. If there are no major objections, perhaps we can get this sidebarred later in the day, and my tiny Sonoma Countyian heart will swell with pride. :)
posted by arachnid at 12:17 AM on May 27, 2010

I am so glad I remembered to check this thread! I'm in town!!! I've actually never hung out with anyone even close to my own age in Petaluma, so I'm excited to see what it's like - and who better to lose my Petaluma night life virginity with than Mefites!!!

Just a warning - I'm actually in town dealing with major stressful family stuff, so I might be a little more high strung than usual. However I think by Saturday I will *really* need a drink!
posted by radioamy at 7:20 PM on June 9, 2010

Sounds fun! If I can get free that night I'll head up from Berkeley.

And if anyone wants a ride from Berkeley or nearby points north, let me know.
posted by zippy at 3:33 AM on June 10, 2010

Oh jeez you guys! I forgot to come back to this thread! I have a wedding shower and a girls night out both happening on that day. So sorry! Will have to miss the historic first Petaluma meet! Say hi to Jen and Noel at Brixx for me. Waaah!
posted by Lynsey at 8:50 PM on June 10, 2010

arachnid, how will I know who y'all are tonight? since I'm assuming you'll all be in your "normal person" disguises and not your mefi superhero unforms :)
posted by radioamy at 9:05 AM on June 12, 2010

Sorry to hear you won't be able to make it, Lynsey, enjoy your night out with the goils. ;)

radioamy, I reckon I'll bring a can of beans along and just try to set it somewhere conspicuously near me? Also, rather shockingly I'm sure: I wear glasses and have an iPhone, and will be using one to manipulate the other until folks arrive to blather at.

I'll try to get there around 6.30 or so - woohoo! Hope y'all can make it! :)
posted by arachnid at 12:01 PM on June 12, 2010

Cmchap, ChuraChura and I are in town and just saw this, so we'll be there to. Can't wait!
posted by jdherg at 3:20 PM on June 12, 2010

I hope everyone has a great time! I can't make it this time... boo!
posted by Swisstine at 5:19 PM on June 12, 2010

Ill be there prolly closer to seven. See y'all in a bit!
posted by radioamy at 5:30 PM on June 12, 2010

I'm coming. See you there!
posted by zippy at 5:38 PM on June 12, 2010

Hey guys, sorry for the late notice, but I'm not going to be able to make it - family shit came up. Have fun though!
posted by radioamy at 6:36 PM on June 12, 2010

Had to dash off early unfortunately (due to work related socializing of the type that, if I were to blow it off in favour of spending time with people FROM THE INTERNETS, would never be understood or much appreciated). Just home to grab a bottle of wine and head back out again, but wanted to say, what a pleasure to meet you, ChuraChura, CMChap, jdherg, and zippy! Loved the stories about the Berkeley taco truck, the utility of Twitter, the ColdChef puppet show and the dildo warz. ;)

I had a lovely time, and I hope to see you all again before the young'uns head back out of California. (Not sure how you'll explain the polygamy to your folks back home, but you're a clever lot, I'm sure you'll come up with something. ;)

(Oh, and college dudes? Route 66. Save the Mormons for your mature years. ;)
posted by arachnid at 9:55 PM on June 12, 2010

It was great to be an interloper in northern CA! Thanks :-)
posted by ChuraChura at 11:21 PM on June 12, 2010

It was great meeting you locals and interlopers. Arachnid has already spoused me

which may require some 'splainin' unless the rest of you do too

let S(x) be the number of spouses of x and T(S(x)) be the measure of trouble x will be in. T(0) = T(1) = 0. T(2) = ∞. T(∞)=0.)
posted by zippy at 12:09 AM on June 13, 2010

I'm sorry I couldn't make it, I seem doomed to miss metafilter meetups. Are there photos?
posted by gofargogo at 10:13 AM on June 13, 2010

'Twas a very good time made of good eats and good conversation. I spoused you all.
posted by cmchap at 5:23 PM on June 13, 2010