Vernal Equinox celebration March 8, 2009 11:17 PM   Subscribe

NYC Meetup. March 20th, 2009. Vernal equinox. Let's raise a glass of mead and celebrate in the grand Celtic/Pagan/Viking tradition!

The Ginger Man up on 36th has big comfy chairs AND they serve mead. I say we meet up there around 8 and celebrate the death of winter.

And don't worry about BSG. You can Tivo it.
posted by Afroblanco to MetaFilter Gatherings at 11:17 PM (98 comments total)

And if you stick around long enough (midnight) you can toast to my birthday in a "wish you were here" kinda moment. I sure wish I was there.
posted by schyler523 at 6:26 AM on March 9, 2009


You New Yorkers need to have weekend meetups so us along the Northeast Corridor can come by. Fridays, bah. Getting time off from Aperture is brutal.

but i love mead :(
posted by Weighted Companion Cube at 6:56 AM on March 9, 2009


Wow, I don't know the lower part of Manhattan did to peeve everyone, but I'm sure it's learned its lesson by now...

I'll most likely come and say hi.
posted by hermitosis at 7:31 AM on March 9, 2009


Hah! Actually, as the one person in my group of friends who hasn't yet emigrated to Brooklyn, I see nothing wrong with Lower Manhattan at all. However, The Ginger Man is the only place I know of that serves mead. Outside of Renfair, that is.

And schyler523, OF COURSE you will be a part of the festivities. I'll call you on my cell so that you can join us for the official toast.

(not kidding)
posted by Afroblanco at 7:44 AM on March 9, 2009


I said I wouldn't cut my hair or shave off my beard til the Vernal Equinox. If I came, y'all might get the impression I'm well-scrubbed and clean cut.
posted by The Whelk at 8:01 AM on March 9, 2009


And don't worry about BSG. You can Tivo it.

NO NETWORKED COMPUTERS.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:05 AM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Brandon, you just made me scare myself with how loud I laughed at that.
posted by The Whelk at 8:24 AM on March 9, 2009


I believe the Hop Devil Grill also serves mead. But it's very fruity flavored. But I'm not sure if that is normal or not. And by 3/20, I'll be in my new midtown digs instead of the east village, so I'm torn between which place I would prefer. I'm going to miss the East Village! Oh, and since I'm getting married on the 21st in Vegas, I unfortunately won't be able to make this one, so feel free to ignore my input. :-)
posted by Grither at 8:31 AM on March 9, 2009


How about raising a glass of shiraz to Nowruz?
posted by Pollomacho at 8:32 AM on March 9, 2009


Sorry, y'all. But in the interests of having people actually show up, the date/time/place of this meetup is immutable and shall not change. Furthermore, the meetup will not move on to a second location at any point in the evening.
posted by Afroblanco at 8:44 AM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Sorry, y'all. But in the interests of having people actually show up, the date/time/place of this meetup is immutable and shall not change.

That's how you do it, son.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:46 AM on March 9, 2009


I have another birthday party to go to that night. As CunningLinguist said in the previous thread, June is a big month for screwing.
posted by spec80 at 8:47 AM on March 9, 2009


(not to be a serious Rules Wizard here, just trying to avoid mistakes from earlier meetups)
posted by Afroblanco at 8:47 AM on March 9, 2009


Last meetup was Grither's birthday, next meetup will be his wedding. What's next?
posted by ocherdraco at 9:01 AM on March 9, 2009


Sounds fun, Afroblanco! I will make it if I can.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:05 AM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Hopefully it's NOT my funeral, ocherdraco!
posted by Grither at 9:06 AM on March 9, 2009


Heavens, I was thinking of celebrations, Grither. Maybe you'll win the lottery.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:22 AM on March 9, 2009


And if so, you better come to the meetup and buy us all drinks.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:31 AM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Haha that sounds much better. If that ends up being the case, all drinks will be on me!
posted by Grither at 9:39 AM on March 9, 2009


Hahah should have refreshed, I see...
posted by Grither at 9:39 AM on March 9, 2009


Mead? Maybe.
posted by unknowncommand at 12:03 PM on March 9, 2009


Outside of Renfair, that is.

TMI
posted by StickyCarpet at 12:15 PM on March 9, 2009


So was Galway Hooker an okay place? Besides the lack of 30 beers on tap, I mean.
posted by Evangeline at 12:18 PM on March 9, 2009


Those back rooms weren't too bad- they were a little hard to find and the music being piped in was a little on the loud side, but having room that was exclusively ours was nice.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:20 PM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Mead! I want to drink mead with a group again. But I have to work at 9 am on Saturday. Decisions ....
posted by timepiece at 12:25 PM on March 9, 2009


Well, the meetup does start at 8PM, so I'd imagine you could hang around for a little while and then get home in time to sleep....
posted by Afroblanco at 12:42 PM on March 9, 2009


9 am is 13 hours after the mead-drinking starts!
posted by Airhen at 12:46 PM on March 9, 2009


I was wandering around the neighborhood and stopped in here. They had a bready looking item that according to the sign above it's steam tray was called "Frank In A Blank." Inside the bready stuff was something vaguely sausagesque. A passing old attendant saw me looking and said "That turkey." I nodded and had some of the "Casino Clam," instead.
posted by jonmc at 12:53 PM on March 9, 2009


I nodded and had some of the "Casino Clam," instead.

Oh gosh - I'm just not sure about the wisdom of eating shellfish at a buffet.
posted by Evangeline at 1:00 PM on March 9, 2009


This is Queens, dude, we have no mead, just honey-flavored malt liquor.
posted by jonmc at 3:10 PM on March 9, 2009


Wait, isn't that Stynxno on the review page of that buffet?
posted by ocherdraco at 3:21 PM on March 9, 2009


yeah, that's him. I didn't see the review until after I came home, sadly. And my story's better than his. "Casino Clam?" I am now haunted by the mental image of a comped-cocktail-swilling mollusk at a roulette table yelling "Big Money! Big Money!"
posted by jonmc at 3:36 PM on March 9, 2009


This weekend's meet-up was super fun, as I plan to create a cabal of Mefites who know how to correctly pronounce "dour." I will try to make it to this one. Planning that far in advance is hard. And someone needs to call a meetup when the weather's nice so we can all trek to the patio at Sripraphai, Queens' holy grail of tongue-searing Thai food. Their curry at a level 7 is so spicy I hallucinated the faces of my ancestors.

Where was I? Oh, I will mark this on my Google calendar.
posted by zoomorphic at 3:49 PM on March 9, 2009


I am proud to be a member of said cabal (yes, I know, it's not The Cabal, but we've all got to start somewhere).

How was the GRE? (I'm glad to see that you survived.) I hope our approx. two minutes of flash card help aided you in some small way.
posted by ocherdraco at 3:58 PM on March 9, 2009


What the fuck? How many meetups do you guys need? New York isn't that big.

Wait...
posted by turgid dahlia at 4:38 PM on March 9, 2009


Winter is just ending here and we've all got cabin fever. WE NEEDS TO GET OUT AND SEE PEEPUL. Also, mefites are awesome, and why limit the amount of awesome in one's life?
posted by ocherdraco at 5:06 PM on March 9, 2009


Because it's like booze. You get home, pull off your coat, fix yourself a nice drink, and before you know it you're destitute and begging for nickels so you can get a pint of Thunderbird. Same with this: you jump on a website, get in a few discussions, next thing is you're meeting up in real life and propositioning one another for sex.

Awesomeholism. It's no joke.
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:22 PM on March 9, 2009 [2 favorites]


you jump on a website, get in a few discussions, next thing is you're meeting up in real life and propositioning one another for sex.

Dude, I know I'm cute, but I'm married.
posted by jonmc at 5:32 PM on March 9, 2009


That's never stopped your mayors.
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:37 PM on March 9, 2009


What the fuck? How many meetups do you guys need? New York isn't that big.

It's the urban jungle here. We're all alienated an' shit.
posted by jason's_planet at 5:45 PM on March 9, 2009


I joined Metafilter for the meetups.

I don't have any friends.
posted by Evangeline at 6:03 PM on March 9, 2009


Plus, I figure if I go to enough of them, jonmc might finally remember who I am.
posted by Evangeline at 6:04 PM on March 9, 2009


You're grumblebee's wife. You're blonde and IIRC at one point you wanted to be a nun.
posted by jonmc at 6:25 PM on March 9, 2009


That's funny. Every time I come to a meetup we have to be introduced all over again. Well good. I feel better now.

Ah, forever to be known only as grumblebee's wife... I'm going to start my own damn blog and not invite him.
posted by Evangeline at 6:49 PM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


Grumblebee lives in Brooklyn? Okay, I'm begging that he and Evangeline show for this one, then. And Jon, too. Surely your leg is fine now.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:45 PM on March 9, 2009


Yes, I personally request the presence of a Jonmc and a Pips. I miss you guys!
posted by Afroblanco at 7:55 PM on March 9, 2009


I would love to come, but it depends on rehearsal schedule, and also on The Bee. Sometimes my better half just needs to go home. He's not the extroverted, stay-up-all-night, highly-functioning alcoholic that I am.
posted by Evangeline at 7:58 PM on March 9, 2009


And Jon, too. Surely your leg is fine now.

Maybe. The saga of the leg has become complicated. Surgery may be involved. Of course, if all else fails, a wooden leg could fit into my dayjob fairly welll...."Yarrr, is it used books ye be sellin', matey...."
posted by jonmc at 8:13 PM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]


I remember from the meetup a few years ago that Spuyten Duyvil had mead.

Evangeline, the reason why I didn't remember you from the meetup when ColdChef was in NY was because I was jetlagged that night.

Yes, Gingerman and stay put. It serves food.
posted by brujita at 8:23 PM on March 9, 2009


Evangeline, you and Grumblebee TOTALLY need to come out. I haven't seen you two since the days of the Revival meetups! Y'all are the stuff of legend.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:15 PM on March 9, 2009


Oh hell yes, Manhattan meet-up.

I've been saying for the 3 years that I've lived in NYC that I need to get out to more MeFi meetups, and now this is my last chance before I move to England, so you guys can count me in.

I will attempt to get Bingo in on this (the user, not the game of old ladies).
posted by CRM114 at 9:36 PM on March 9, 2009


I'm not trying to make anyone feel guilty. I'm TERRIBLE at putting faces and names together, and in this case almost everyone has two names, so it's extra hard. A few people are easy for me to remember - like thepinksuperhero, jonmc and Afroblanco - because they were the first MeFites I met.
posted by Evangeline at 7:17 AM on March 10, 2009


I scoured their website and couldn't find mead anywhere.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:40 AM on March 10, 2009


I emailed them. This is the response:

Right now we only have the one, but we will have more coming in this week.

Lurgashall Winery, English Style Mead 375ml Bottle, UK

Dave

posted by Evangeline at 10:04 AM on March 10, 2009


I recruited a few more MeFites off-site. I hope we don't have to drink fermented honey to join in the carousing.
posted by zoomorphic at 5:27 AM on March 11, 2009


Mead and the vernal equinox....Jesus, I'm tempted to show up wearing Woad.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:16 AM on March 11, 2009


Jesus, I'm tempted to show up wearing Woad.

They call me .....Bootyicea
posted by The Whelk at 7:50 AM on March 11, 2009 [2 favorites]


Well, I'm coming, and to heck with the people who have to put up with me (and my hangover) Saturday morning. I can't lose but so much sleep, I have to catch the Metro-North back home, which ends my reveling at a maximum of 11:30 (the last train seems to be at 11:45).

Once in a while, living in Westchester sucks.
posted by timepiece at 2:56 PM on March 11, 2009


Westchester is the Best Chester.

But how far does that get one, really?
posted by ocherdraco at 3:02 PM on March 11, 2009


They call me .....Bootyicea

That's it, now I have to.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:03 PM on March 12, 2009


I'll come despite the fact that I have work the next morning. That's how dedicated I am to mead^Hmetafilter!
posted by Skorgu at 5:09 AM on March 14, 2009


I'll actually show at this one. :)
posted by NucleophilicAttack at 8:15 AM on March 14, 2009


Well, last meetup was Watchmen opening day, the meetup before I had a bridal shower. And the 20th is the wedding.

So, I guess I will have to meet you all in the spring sometime.
posted by cmgonzalez at 11:15 AM on March 14, 2009


Not MY wedding, by the way, a family wedding.
posted by cmgonzalez at 6:53 PM on March 14, 2009


Mefi meet ups are such fun. I might come to this one. I'll bring my own cigarettes to this one. Where are we meeting in the bar?
posted by fuq at 8:10 PM on March 14, 2009


I'm getting excited about this. (I think it may have something to do with the weather. It is just astonishingly gorgeous today, and I'm kind of excited about everything.)

Meeeeeeeet-uuuuuuuuuup!

fuq, it's going to be a lot of the same folks as last time. Do you have a good memory for faces? If not, I can always make another little sign.
posted by ocherdraco at 10:57 AM on March 18, 2009


Hey all -

Looks like we are GO on the meetup for tomorrrow. Yaaay! Lots of us will have no trouble recognizing each other, but first timers should look for a tallish guy with blondish hair and a grey shirt with pink guns and guitars. That will be me.

The fun starts at 8PM, with mead toast to commence at 9PM. See you all there!
posted by Afroblanco at 8:19 AM on March 19, 2009


Speaking of BSG - will anybody be Tivo'ing it, and would they be interested in having a small viewing sometime on Saturday? I don't have cable, and if I have to wait a week to see it on Hulu, by then it will be completely ruined by the inevitable spoilers.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:18 AM on March 19, 2009


.... actually, scratch that, I think I've worked something out ....
posted by Afroblanco at 9:44 AM on March 19, 2009


Anybody interested in hitting up the BootieNYC party after the meetup? I think we're going to get on the list and go before 11.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:03 PM on March 19, 2009 [1 favorite]


I am!
posted by ocherdraco at 6:26 PM on March 19, 2009


BootieNYC! Reduced cover of $5 before 11 if you e-mail rsvp@bootienyc.com. That's why we go early. Because we're not only old, we're cheap, too.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:58 PM on March 19, 2009 [1 favorite]


Equinox + mead + Bootie NYC = definite attendance. See y'all tomorrow.
posted by amicamentis at 8:32 PM on March 19, 2009


I'm coming!
See ya on the early side.
posted by rmless at 7:33 AM on March 20, 2009


...This just in for a future (i.e., JUNE) meetup: I've just gotten word that sometime this summer, there will be a by-God BEER GARDEN opening in my Brooklyn neighborhood. And said beer garden will be opening very near that one subway super-hub at Atlantic Avenue, so other boroughs have no excuses (hell, there's a LIRR station there too so we could even recruit from Long Island).

Just a thought.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:38 AM on March 20, 2009


MEAD UP! In approximately One and One Quarter Hours.
posted by ocherdraco at 3:48 PM on March 20, 2009


I'm about a 15-minute walk away. Will be there soon.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:37 PM on March 20, 2009


We are in the back to the right
posted by Optimus Chyme at 5:14 PM on March 20, 2009


Dear friends:

Yes, I am liveblogging from the Meetup. Skorgo, Nucleophilic Attack, and edupoet81 all think that is awesome -- so to Optimus Chyme, who was scoffing, I can only say, "THHHBBBFFFFPPPTTTT."

Yours in immaturity,

Empress "I think I have had too much mead already" Callipygos
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:26 PM on March 20, 2009


How lame is it that they ran out of mead? Jeebus, who do these people think they are?
posted by ocherdraco at 9:20 PM on March 20, 2009


So fun to see everybody!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:53 PM on March 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


Boo to not satisfying our passionate cries for mead! Yay to unexpected bootleg mashups! Overall, a good time!
posted by amicamentis at 11:29 PM on March 20, 2009


Where was my phone call? I had to turn 29 with just my local friends...none of my non-local friends called. :(
posted by schyler523 at 11:34 PM on March 20, 2009


I hope someone got a picture of the filled-out shoutout card.
posted by Skorgu at 2:41 AM on March 21, 2009


the date/time/place of this meetup is immutable and shall not change. Furthermore, the meetup will not move on to a second location at any point in the evening.

Arriving on the later side, in our search for Afroblanco, we were directed to an east village disco club, and I'll be honest with you, we found ourselves not at the same location at that point in the evening.

Nice to meet the man behind the Optimus Chyme legend, if only for a minute or two. Since there may not be many pictures, let me fill you in on the fashion news: TPS and stynxno were very unselfconsciously under-outfitted, like they were trying to fit in with the rest of the world, or else ironically commenting on the idea of fitting in with the rest of the world.
posted by StickyCarpet at 7:58 AM on March 21, 2009


Fear not, there were many pictures taken of the shout out card. And I think even a couple of the 'taters form a line here' sign that was stuck inside one of the picture frames on the wall.
posted by langeNU at 7:59 AM on March 21, 2009


Arriving on the later side, in our search for Afroblanco, we were directed to an east village disco club, and I'll be honest with you, we found ourselves not at the same location at that point in the evening.

That wasn't the meetup! It was just the after-party. That a good chunk of us found ourselves at. I was glad we went, I always enjoy the BootieNYC parties.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:37 AM on March 21, 2009 [1 favorite]


Hey, I'm not complaining, that place was a good sight more fun than the Ginger Man. BTW, did anyone get a look at the basement of that BootieNYC place? It was as big as the whole upstairs, with a pool table, tables, chairs, bar, and no one there. THAT should be the next meetup place.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:29 AM on March 21, 2009


Best meetup I've been to yet; although I'm sure part of that had to do with actually knowing most everyone's names finally. It was nice to meet you too, StickyCarpet, and I apologize for having to immediately bounce.

On the shit list for not coming: jon & Mrs. mc, grumblebee, Evangeline, hermitosis, HICST!, etc.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 1:47 PM on March 21, 2009


I tried to, but it was closed by the time I tried.
posted by Airhen at 4:57 PM on March 21, 2009


I meant I tried in reference to checking out the pool-table room. I should have performed the "paste" portion of "copy and paste."
posted by Airhen at 5:02 PM on March 21, 2009


StickyCarpet: Sorry I didn't get a chance to chat longer, and I fear I also may not have made the best impression. I have discovered that, for me, mead is a very, very powerful substance, and I'd had about half a bottle by the time you arrived...my apologies. I'm probably sticking to tea next time and may be more sociable should you show up then...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:54 PM on March 21, 2009


Ruh Roh.

Sorry guys - we had a late and exhausting rehearsal. How was Ginger Man? I like that place, but I've always found it to be too crowded on weekend nights. Sounds like you guys at least had a place to sit. That's half the battle.
posted by Evangeline at 7:01 PM on March 21, 2009


It wasn't as crowded as I imagined it was going to be, and thinned out as the night went on, allowing us to take over more and more of the couches.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:58 AM on March 22, 2009 [1 favorite]




You people are hot.
posted by Evangeline at 7:07 PM on March 22, 2009


I'm disappointed that Afroblanco's afro is not indeed white.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:42 AM on March 23, 2009


Boo, I'm so sorry I missed it! Looks like awesomeness commenced at the commencement of spring!
posted by Sweetdefenestration at 9:37 AM on March 24, 2009


« Older happily hairless.   |   There but for the grace of.... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments