Let's Meet Up, Des Moines!

May 27, 2010 9:42 PM

Des Moines, IA: What we need round these parts is a meetup.

So, at least some of you Iowans met Jessamyn when she was in town last October. Problem for me was, I wasn't in town at the time. Now that I've moved back, am an adult who has actual interest in a social life, and new exciting locations are popping up left and right downtown, I think it's time for a semi-regular meetup. Thoughts?

posted by l33tpolicywonk to MetaFilter Gatherings at 9:42 PM (39 comments total)

Anywhere but the East Village plz. I come back from Vermont in another week and a half, I'll memail you when I return.
posted by Homeskillet Freshy Fresh at 6:56 AM on May 28, 2010

Wow! Never thought I'd see the day. I'd recommend The Lift on 4th if nothing else.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:51 PM on May 28, 2010

Oh, and I will be in NY June 12-20. Hopefully we can settle on a date that works for everyone.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:53 PM on May 28, 2010

The Lift is about three stores down from where the last one was. The only problem with The Lift is there's pretty much nothing for the non-drinker.

Not sure why Homeskillet Freshy Fresh has a hate on for the East Village, but OK.

I love Lift gimlets. I'd probably be game again if it was at a decent time. If it's too late I get grumpy.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:36 PM on May 28, 2010

Okay, so so far we're looking at some time after June 20 in someplace not the East Village.

How do people feel about the Des Moines Social Club?
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 6:43 PM on May 28, 2010

Social club would be fine with me.
posted by TrialByMedia at 7:38 PM on May 28, 2010

I've been meaning to check out "Des Moines Social Club."
posted by cjorgensen at 8:16 PM on May 28, 2010

Social club is fine.

Didn't mean to offend, cjorgensen, I just live in a very overpriced apartment in the same neighborhood and would love any excuse to go somewhere else.
posted by Homeskillet Freshy Fresh at 8:55 PM on May 28, 2010

Open mic is Thursdays at 9. Takers?
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 9:12 PM on May 28, 2010

I just live in a very overpriced apartment in the same neighborhood...

There are overpriced neighborhoods in Des Moines? :-)

I'm doing some traveling at the end of June, but if I'm in town, I'll probably be there. If someone can convince me that the Des Moines Social Club serves pizza with corn on it, I'll definitely be there.
posted by lewistate at 8:07 AM on May 29, 2010

Hmm...Pizza with corn....I think you'd have to head to Big Tomato for something like that.
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:18 AM on May 29, 2010

TrialByMedia: The last meetup was at Fong's Pizza and we got the "Iowan," which has barbecue sauce, corn, and four kinds of pork. Honestly, I'm not sure my body could handle another one—it's only been seven or eight months and I haven't fully recovered.
posted by lewistate at 8:48 AM on May 29, 2010

Homeskillet Freshy Fresh, I wasn't offended. I just thought if you wanted to discount someplace you could've said why.

I was sick at the last meet up (though I wasn't really telling people yet). It'll be nice to attend one where I actually feel somewhat mostly healthy.
posted by cjorgensen at 9:06 AM on May 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ergh, if only it was Iowa City. wish I could get out there to join y'all.
posted by saveyoursanity at 9:18 AM on May 29, 2010

I didn't get a chance to go to the last one due to car trouble. I'll definitely keep an eye on this thread to see what develops.
posted by delmoi at 5:19 PM on May 29, 2010

Since I opened the thread, let me make the first concrete proposal: Thursday, June 24 at about 8 PM at the Des Moines Social Club. Get there early, chat for an hour or so, rock out to the open mic (which has some pretty decent regulars - I'm not gonna say there's a guy who yells semi-humorous monologues off a clipboard, but there is ...), come and go as you please. What do people think?
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 9:59 PM on May 29, 2010

Bastards. Where were you when I lived there. For authenticity I'd say George the Chili King followed by Stormy's but that is impractical. My uh ex grandma in law works at the Des Moines Social Club and she is very nice up until you mention me so for the love of unadulterated fluids don't.
posted by vapidave at 2:29 AM on May 30, 2010

The social club is in my neighborhood- I'll be there!
posted by One Thousand and One at 1:02 PM on May 31, 2010

I would tentatively say that the date and time on the 24th should work. There's no telling how many overtime hours I'll be working at that point, though.
posted by TrialByMedia at 6:59 PM on May 31, 2010

Sounds like people are on board. Our first meetup will be Thursday, June 24th at 8PM at the Des Moines Social Club downtown - drinks and socializing with open mic to follow. I'll wear my awesome Jordan Jesse Go shirt so people can find me. And if you can't make it, no worries: I'm hoping we can do this a lot more often.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 9:11 AM on June 1, 2010

I'll see if I can make it!
posted by starman at 4:03 PM on June 3, 2010

The only issue I have is the time. :) I'm off work at 5. What will I do for 3 hours?

When it gets closer to time I will know if I can make it our not. I may propose a pre-meetup meetup or something. Maybe food (an eatup).


The Papajohn sculpture park isn't that far from Des Moines Social Club if my map reading skills are right. I haven't seen the new Keith Haring yet, so I'd take a walk with a group (if I can make it).

Local Keith Haring controversy. (Disclosure: I know the writer of the last link.)
posted by cjorgensen at 11:06 AM on June 4, 2010

I may propose a pre-meetup meetup or something. Maybe food (an eatup).

I'd be game, especially for Fong's Pizza or whatnot.

For the record, the Social Club opens at 5 and the bartenders are super-entertaining.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:15 PM on June 4, 2010

I'm in, see you guys there!
posted by Homeskillet Freshy Fresh at 6:50 AM on June 7, 2010

Dammit again! I can't believe I missed this by one f*ckin day. Again. ARGH! Hope everyone had a fine time at the Social Club. Hopefully, 3rd time's a charm. Note to self: Check MeetUp list more often.
posted by webhund at 1:07 PM on June 18, 2010

You must be posting from the future webhund because the 24th is next week!
posted by One Thousand and One at 6:20 PM on June 18, 2010

webhund, you scared the shit out of me - I thought I missed my own meetup. Anyway, yes, the meetup is this Thursday. Is anyone (still) interested in food beforehand?
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 7:52 PM on June 18, 2010

Oh, that's embarrassing. I'm going to blame it on the rain. On the other hand, I did drive through Riverside today, so maybe I'm in some sort of timewarp. Will try to make it, if UAL stays on schedule getting me back to DSM Thursday afternoon.
posted by webhund at 2:24 PM on June 19, 2010

Crap, I completely missed this when it was posted. I will be in Des Moines this Thursday, but current plans are to go to supper and catch the I-cubs game. I might show up if the weather is rainy.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 11:46 AM on June 22, 2010

For everybody coming in, please be aware that there's a ton of road closures downtown tonight because of the Arts Festival. The Des Moines Social Club is at 14th and Locust just across the street from the sculpture garden. Given the road closures, your best bet is probably to park on Walnut or Ingersoll and walk down. I completely forgot about the Arts Festival and only realized now that the Social Club is literally in the center of the street closings - big apologies.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 9:52 AM on June 24, 2010

I'll probably not be making it. I kinda hate crowds (Arts Fest!). I did wear my blue metafilter shirt today though.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:07 PM on June 24, 2010

So, is anyone else going?
posted by delmoi at 4:46 PM on June 24, 2010

I'm still planning on going. It seemed like there were 2 or 3 RSVPs upthread.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 4:51 PM on June 24, 2010

alright, I'll probably be there.
posted by delmoi at 5:13 PM on June 24, 2010

Hey were here. Its a totally killer party. Sucks to be anyone who skipped.
posted by delmoi at 6:30 PM on June 24, 2010

delmoi: "Sucks to be anyone who skipped."

It did indeed sucked to be anyone who skipped. delmoi (he of many comments), One Thousand and One (the co-president of the Des Moines chapter of the You Look Nice Today fan club) and myself had a rip roaring time. We got a nice shout out from local performance artist and open mic regular Michael Tabor, who's either a lurker here or just doesn't want to reveal his user name. We're looking forward to another one soon.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 8:56 PM on June 24, 2010

Michael Tabor, who's either a lurker here or just doesn't want to reveal his user name.

Confession: Michael Tabor is neither a lurker nor a mefite, but my wife and I are lurkers and I just signed up this week for an account. She was the one who noticed the reference to Michael, who's a good friend of mine (we used to do No Shame together in Iowa City; I'm the guy who wrote the hip-hop math detective sketch) and we clued him in on the MetaTalk mention. Needless to say, he took umbrage at the "semi-humorous" remark. Hilarious umbrage.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:36 AM on June 25, 2010

Oh, man, and I didn't even make the connection ... now I feel as though I'm actually accountable for the stuff I write on the Internet. That'll take a while to wash off.

For the record, I think Tabor's hilarious. On the other hand, I know it can rub some people the wrong way and, having already lived through the awkwardness of taking a date to the social club and laughing uproariously while she didn't, I didn't want to make promises I couldn't keep. Alas, I get in trouble either way...
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 2:20 PM on June 25, 2010

Holy crap, Michael Tabor! That takes me back about 8 years. What a tiny, tiny world we live in.
posted by McBearclaw at 12:05 PM on June 27, 2010