Chicago meetup

September 17, 2007 12:26 PM

Time for another Chicago meetup?

I propose a meetup in the Loop, after work, the first week in October. What does everyone else think?

posted by BuddhaBelly to MetaFilter Gatherings at 12:26 PM (58 comments total)

[Though I can't promise to attend, and would be loathe to suggest setting your meetup schedule by my caprices, I'll be in Chicago the weekend of 10/13, along with my lovely MeFite girlfriend and my striking MeFite father].
posted by klangklangston at 12:59 PM on September 17, 2007

Aww, I'd love to do it that weekend, but I have a trial training. I hope everyone else can make it, though, because it's not every day klangklangston comes to Chi-town.
posted by BuddhaBelly at 1:11 PM on September 17, 2007

I work in the loop and would consider dropping by...
posted by twiggy at 1:16 PM on September 17, 2007

I love meet-ups! Wednesday nights work best for me and right now I'm clear for the weekend of the 13th.
posted by crush-onastick at 1:16 PM on September 17, 2007

The day of October 13th and day or evening October 14th works for me. It'd be fun to have Klangklangston a part of the festivities.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 1:30 PM on September 17, 2007

10/13 Loop would be lovely.
posted by buriednexttoyou at 3:32 PM on September 17, 2007

I'd likely be there. If it's a weekend. The 13th is good.
posted by mai at 4:58 PM on September 17, 2007

Curse you weekend people! *Shakes fist* I vote for a Wednesday night. Any Wednesday night. Loop sounds great.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 5:04 PM on September 17, 2007

Baby_Balrog, I can do a Wednesday night - maybe we should have a double meet-up. Once on 10/13 and once on a Wednesday in October?
posted by BuddhaBelly at 5:20 PM on September 17, 2007

True story: I joined MeFi because I was on an internet date at Hopleaf about a year ago and saw a meetup-in-progress.
posted by HeroZero at 8:24 PM on September 17, 2007

This is perhaps obvious, but my relationship with MetaFilter has lasted much longer than anything else related to that internet date.
posted by HeroZero at 8:32 PM on September 17, 2007

Chicaogoan living in St. Louis. Would definitely come up for weekend meetup.
posted by MarvinTheCat at 1:42 AM on September 18, 2007

Okay, the 13th then (we'll miss you Baby_B; shall we do a Wednesday later in the month, too?). Are we sticking with downtown-ish? I have no suggestions for a good downtown meetspace.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:11 AM on September 18, 2007

I'm for doing a Wed sometime in the month. Weekends are usually iffy, so I haven't made it out yet.
posted by ejaned8 at 7:20 AM on September 18, 2007

I was suggesting downtown for a weekday meeting. I think outside of downtown is probably better for the 13th (which I can't make :().
posted by BuddhaBelly at 4:34 PM on September 18, 2007

Did anyone go to the last Chicago meetup at Rock Bottom?

I think the only possible problem with a weekend meetup is the danger of picking a place that is stuffed to the gills with tourists or other weekenders.

Then again the week is tough for some people, but I suppose if the distinction is made that its a happy hour (um, 6pm to 8pm?) then that would be fine.

In or around the Loop I recommend the more divey places like The Billy Goat, Old Timers, or Rossi's. All are super close to public transit.

In my experience the dive bars are better becuase a) no tourists, b) you can actually hear yourself speak and c) they are generally cheaper and full of more... ahem... "atmosphere" than your chain type places.

Pretty much each of the three places I listed above appear scary from outside (That pic of Rossi's - yikes - looks like a great place to catch a shiv between the ribs...) but are really tame on the inside (it is the Loop afterall...)

I'd caution against trying to "split" the meetup between a weekday and weekend event just because that seems to cause a lot of confusion, particularly among the MeFis who would be making a special trip for this. (Likewise, while there are many wonderful places outside of the Loop like the Maproom, etc, a central location would probably net the most attendees...)
posted by wfrgms at 8:23 PM on September 18, 2007

I'm intimately familiar with Rossi's. I wouldn't suggest starting there, but ending there might earn you a gold star in my book.
posted by eamondaly at 8:42 PM on September 18, 2007

I like this map room idea.
I'd be in.
posted by Sreiny at 9:31 PM on September 18, 2007

Old Timer's! I really dig that bar.
posted by smich at 9:51 PM on September 18, 2007

Hmmm. I've never been to a meet-up before.

Maybe I should change that.
posted by Windigo at 8:54 AM on September 19, 2007

So, are we looking at Oldtimers on Wednesday the 10th, happyhourish?

Or are we looking at the Maproom on Saturday the 13th?

eamon, can I have a goldstar? I just like shiney things..
posted by crush-onastick at 9:02 AM on September 19, 2007

Old Timers is nice because there is room to spread out and talk or at least circulate. The bar is usually populated by a handful of regulars, reasonably okay people. However, I haven't been there in nearly a year, so it may have changed a little...

On second thought Rossi's is a little small, and tends to fill up... and its noisy.

The Billy Goat can be daunting to find to the uninitiated and Lower Wacker has its own... um... challenges...
posted by wfrgms at 10:33 AM on September 19, 2007

Oy. You people keep picking dates where I'm busy and shit.

Maybe I should be less busy?

That said, I could make the early-evening/dinner time part of the Thing on the 13th, I think. Maybe.

Couldn't make one on the 10th at all (Grizzly Bear!).
posted by sparkletone at 2:43 PM on September 19, 2007

I would look forward to the 13th as it stands now - Wednesdays I have a commitment with twenty 10-year-olds.
posted by readery at 7:05 PM on September 19, 2007

crush-onastick: absolutely... if you make it to Rossi's.
posted by eamondaly at 8:08 PM on September 19, 2007

eamon: if there's whiskey, I'm there.
posted by crush-onastick at 5:27 AM on September 20, 2007

Shouldn't this be on the sidebar?
posted by who squared at 8:19 PM on September 20, 2007

It should be, when there is a time and date and not a discussion!
posted by crush-onastick at 5:47 AM on September 21, 2007

Beginning of October in the Loop sounds good to me. Let's hammer out the details and get it up on the sidebar already! I've never been to a meetup and would like to change that soon.
posted by auntietennis at 4:46 PM on September 21, 2007

Just to update, and provide more info—I'm officiating an afternoon wedding in Chicago on the 13th, so unless the meetup is very late that night, it's dodgy on me making it. I will be in town through that Tuesday, however.

Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up.
posted by klangklangston at 5:04 PM on September 21, 2007

...are we still trying to decide on this?
posted by Windigo at 5:26 AM on September 23, 2007

Wed at Oldtimers? 3rd or 10th?
posted by crush-onastick at 6:24 PM on September 23, 2007

I vote the 13th. Looks like the date most people can make it.
posted by Windigo at 10:17 AM on September 24, 2007

Wednesday at Old Timers seems like its getting the most attention.

So - that would be the 10th then? Or the 3rd?
posted by wfrgms at 3:47 PM on September 24, 2007

Oh. We're doing the third.

Hooray!

I can totally make it.
posted by sparkletone at 1:37 PM on September 25, 2007

IME, 5:30 is a little early for the after-work MeFi crowd, but I get to work at 7:00, so it's about right for me.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:36 PM on September 25, 2007

Okay, I will try to come on a Wednesday if I am not too tired.
posted by mai at 7:01 PM on September 25, 2007

Next time let's do a weekend so I can really drink, though.
posted by mai at 7:01 PM on September 25, 2007

Wednesday, October 3rd, at Old Timers around 5:30. I'm in!


Does someone bring a sign, are we all wearing green, do we do the secret handshake, or.....?
posted by auntietennis at 7:52 PM on September 25, 2007

OTs is split between the bar and the restaurant. I'm not sure how late they serve food (or the restaurant side stays open) but when I was hanging there once a week or so only the bar was open after 8pm or so.

So meet in the bar. Unless things have changed drastically in the past year we'll likely be the only people in there.

Oh yeah, has anyone been there recently? I haven't been by that section of Lake in a while. For all I know OTs could be closed, or burned down, or converted to soup kitchen or something...
posted by wfrgms at 10:06 PM on September 25, 2007

Confirming OT is still there and open until 8:00PM. Chicago is a toddlin' town, eh?
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:10 PM on September 25, 2007

Only open until 8pm? We need an alternative!
posted by crush-onastick at 5:44 AM on September 26, 2007

Er... the bar is open later than 8pm, right? I think the kitchen closes at 8.
posted by wfrgms at 5:08 PM on September 26, 2007

Metromix says it's open till 2 am during the week.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:35 PM on September 26, 2007

I vote Maproom, free pool, 200 different beers
posted by lee at 6:42 AM on September 30, 2007

Can someone please make a widget to email all who comment the final time and destination?
posted by lee at 6:44 AM on September 30, 2007

Lee, it's Wed, the 3rd afterworkish at OldTimers.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:04 AM on September 30, 2007

I shall be there (hopefully)? What should I be looking for? A copy of "Fire in the Valley" with a rose in it? Or a big MeFi sign?
posted by ztdavis at 10:47 AM on September 30, 2007

Ignore that first question mark, by the way.
posted by ztdavis at 10:47 AM on September 30, 2007

I wish I could make it, but I'm way out in the boonies. Anyone in the far NW suburbs who is interested in hanging out, drop me a line.

Man, I gotta check out this Maproom place. Any place by that name has to be right up my alley. Which reminds me, y'all heard about the festival of maps?
posted by desjardins at 7:19 PM on September 30, 2007

I vote Maproom, free pool, 200 different beers

You'll have to forgive Lee - he's posting from last week.
posted by wfrgms at 7:03 AM on October 1, 2007

I'm 50-50 on making it. Getting downtown for me is a chore. Of course on the off chance that the NYT might be there.....Hmmm.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 1:53 PM on October 1, 2007

KevinSkomsvold, where are you coming from? OTs is close to every L line imaginable...
posted by wfrgms at 4:20 PM on October 1, 2007

It looks like I'll be able to make it, but I'll be a late arrival. (I don't even get off work till 5:30! And it'll take me about 90 minutes to get there.)
posted by sparkletone at 7:06 AM on October 2, 2007

wfgrms - I'm driving and I come from Skokie. Tonight was a nightmare with the Edens resurfacing (all side roads packed to the gills). I'll see about hopping the Brown line from Western.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:45 PM on October 2, 2007

No go for me tonight: too burnt out from Nationals. If the second thing still happens, let me know.
posted by eamondaly at 3:31 PM on October 3, 2007

There are only four of us here. The rest of you are all jive suckas.

Especially the people at that inferior Michigan meetup.
posted by sparkletone at 6:36 PM on October 3, 2007

Three of the four took off at nine for various reasons, and I didn't feel like waiting around at the place by myself.

So if there's a second, later group: You are all having a second meetup. Two in one day!

I've got the requisite shout-out pictures from us four. The rest of you are on your own!
posted by sparkletone at 7:22 PM on October 3, 2007