casual NYC-centric gathering

January 21, 2004 5:16 PM

So, uh, what's the etiquette for convening a casual-stylee NYC-centric gathering? I've been here two months already - it feels like it's time to meet the locals!
posted by adamgreenfield to MetaFilter Gatherings at 5:16 PM (57 comments total)

Suggest a good place, and pick a Friday, so people working in the city, but living outside can also make it.
posted by riffola at 6:12 PM on January 21, 2004

yup...how about mid-late feb?
posted by amberglow at 6:28 PM on January 21, 2004

Sounds fine to me. Friday the 20th enough lead time?

Also: someplace crazy like Republic, authentically gnarly like Veselka, or what?
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:15 PM on January 21, 2004

adamgreenfield, I like the word "stylee." I hope it was on purpose. I might come -- I don't live in New York, but I will soon.
posted by zpousman at 8:24 PM on January 21, 2004

think bar/lounge/pub maybe : >
posted by amberglow at 8:34 PM on January 21, 2004

Republic isn't really a good place for large groups to hang out.

What about Circa Tabac? It's one of the only bars in the city that allows smoking...
posted by bshort at 8:40 PM on January 21, 2004

works for me (completely!)
posted by amberglow at 8:44 PM on January 21, 2004

Have fun, then. Sigh.
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:49 PM on January 21, 2004

why adam?
posted by amberglow at 8:50 PM on January 21, 2004

I'm among the nonsmokingest of the nonsmokers.
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:52 PM on January 21, 2004

we can do a two-place thing--there must be 100 places on the same block.
posted by amberglow at 8:53 PM on January 21, 2004

is max fish still around?
posted by amberglow at 9:15 PM on January 21, 2004

Mmmm, maxfish. Let me find out. I had some goooooood times there way back in the Dawn of Man.
posted by adamgreenfield at 9:23 PM on January 21, 2004

The etiquette? Simply mention it. We're an easy bunch.

Let me cast a vote for non-smoking as well, as I'm really really allergic to cigarette smoke. (Cantcha just stand outside for ten freakin' minutes?) I'd also like to vote against Siberia.

Edge Bar wasn't bad. The Cherry Tavern is also nice and big (and cheap!), though even more downscale than Edge Bar. Perhaps the back room at Micky's Blue Room? 13 Lounge? The various Playwrights in Midtown are also reliable, albeit a bit dull.
posted by Vidiot at 12:24 AM on January 22, 2004

Max Fish still existed the last time that I wasn't checking for it.
posted by attackthetaxi at 12:52 AM on January 22, 2004

(Cantcha just stand outside for ten freakin' minutes?)
Sure, it's only 20 degrees or less, with lower wind chills every night : P

why don't we do stanton or orchard or something? max fish and tabac for those of us who don't want to freeze?
posted by amberglow at 4:43 AM on January 22, 2004

Count me in! I look forward to meeting you all!
posted by limitedpie at 7:06 AM on January 22, 2004

I could probably make a February 20 meeting--I live in Jersey, but I could come into NYC on Friday evening easily enough.

I vote for a nonsmoking venue.
posted by Prospero at 7:12 AM on January 22, 2004

How about a non-bar location? It would make it easier for me to come. And we all know it wouldn't be complete without me....
posted by jonmc at 7:15 AM on January 22, 2004

No NYC get-together would be complete without jonmc. How about Veselka (see above)? Pierogi! Borscht! Mmm, good...
posted by languagehat at 7:41 AM on January 22, 2004

My vote is for Veselka. Their veal goulash is great.
posted by bshort at 7:50 AM on January 22, 2004

Another possible meeting place is Cucina Stagionale. It's both a restaurant and bar, the food's tasty and reasonably priced, and the place is easy to reach for out-of-towners (just take the 1, 9 train down from Penn Station to Christopher St., then walk a couple of blocks).
posted by Prospero at 7:58 AM on January 22, 2004

I'm a Veselka man meself. And it's not impossible to do Orchard Street etc. afterward from there if sufficiently motivated.
posted by adamgreenfield at 9:23 AM on January 22, 2004

I can't come on the 20th - it's my birthday and festivities are planned :) - but I do want to make it to a NYC meetup one of these days. If the date changes I'm game (pending, you know, availability).
posted by widdershins at 9:42 AM on January 22, 2004

We can pick another date. How about Feb 27th? Also if we pick a place that has food, could we pick something where veggies like me can get something to eat too?
posted by riffola at 12:17 PM on January 22, 2004

What if we pick a Friday sooner than that?

And, Veselka has lots of stuff that doesn't have any meat in it.
posted by bshort at 12:29 PM on January 22, 2004

No, bshort, riffola's not a vegetarian, he's a vegetable. He prefer to have the meetup in a greenhouse so he can photosynthesize. ;)
posted by jonmc at 12:39 PM on January 22, 2004

The 13th is probably not good for many, as it's the day before Valentine's Day and the first day of a long weekend. The 6th or the 27th both work for me (6th is better).
posted by widdershins at 1:19 PM on January 22, 2004

The 6th would work for me as well.
posted by bshort at 2:42 PM on January 22, 2004

20th or 27th will work for me, but not the 6th or 13th.
posted by Prospero at 4:37 PM on January 22, 2004

Veselka or Kiev would be good. (What's the Eastern European place on Avenue A, near-ish 6th St?) Or anyplace like that where we can hang out.

And I prefer nonsmoking, so I can breathe.
posted by Vidiot at 8:07 PM on January 22, 2004

OK, sounds like we're gravitating toward a Veselka experience. Can we consense on a date here? We have
Option A: 06 Feb
Option B: 20 Feb

Please cast yer vote. Majority in the next 24 hrs wins. I call ties.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:34 AM on January 23, 2004

B
posted by amberglow at 4:56 AM on January 23, 2004

B.
posted by Prospero at 5:37 AM on January 23, 2004

Q
posted by johnnyboy at 6:00 AM on January 23, 2004

Vidiot: are you thinking of the Odessa?
posted by jonmc at 7:10 AM on January 23, 2004

The Kiev has changed hands and sucks mightily these days.

B.
posted by languagehat at 7:38 AM on January 23, 2004

"Inhaling of Oxygen and Smoke: Free!"

Yes. Yes, it does. : . (
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:12 AM on January 23, 2004 [1 favorite]

B. (only half a vote, since I'm only 50% -- gotta find a ticket first)
posted by zpousman at 8:34 AM on January 23, 2004

A (but what happened to the option for the 27th?)
posted by widdershins at 8:56 AM on January 23, 2004

A.

Although B is fine as well.
posted by bshort at 9:57 AM on January 23, 2004

Odessa has a bar attached, for those that prefer to wash their pierogis down with a cocktail.
posted by liam at 11:18 AM on January 23, 2004

B and Veselka!
posted by limitedpie at 4:21 PM on January 23, 2004

Just as an aside...myself & better half are in NYC at the end of May & it would be good to meetup with folks that meet more than once per century ;-)
posted by i_cola at 7:53 PM on January 23, 2004

we'll do another meetup then, i_cola : >
posted by amberglow at 7:58 PM on January 23, 2004

B. Veselka on the 20th it is. Would everybody who seriously intends to be there and then please email me? Thanks!
posted by adamgreenfield at 10:38 AM on January 24, 2004

Would everybody who seriously intends to be there and then please email me?

Ahem... just went to your user page and found "Email: not anymore." Anyway, I'm currently planning to be there.
posted by languagehat at 2:07 PM on January 24, 2004

What happened to 27th? Methinks Adam doesn't like widdershins! ;)
posted by riffola at 5:10 PM on January 24, 2004

languagehat, my email is accessible via my site, which *is* linked from that page.

riffola, although it's true that I myself prefer deosil, I have nothing against widdershins.
posted by adamgreenfield at 5:16 PM on January 24, 2004

Phew! I was beginning to wonder myself, riffola!

Hope to meet you all next time, then.

PS: adam, I'm much more interesting than deasil, who just goes along with whatever everybody else is doing... ; )
posted by widdershins at 9:32 AM on January 26, 2004

I will be there in spirit.
posted by gen at 8:02 PM on January 26, 2004

Sorry if it's too late, just my .02$. Feel free to ignore.

Isn't veselka usually quite crowded? Especially on a friday night?

Pioneer bar (pioneerbar.com) has big open spaces and isn't loud.
posted by milovoo at 9:40 AM on January 27, 2004

KGB.
posted by plexi at 11:08 AM on January 27, 2004

Do any Jersey folks want to meet up beforehand and head in together?

I'll put in another vote for non-smoking. And food is always good. I can't pass up pierogi (good Polish girl that I am).
posted by MsVader at 7:13 PM on January 27, 2004

Hmmm.....sounds tempting.
posted by troutfishing at 8:06 PM on January 27, 2004

non-smoking?
It's nyc! Is smoking even an option?

(Isn't there only like maybe two places in the whole city that one can smoke indoors.)
posted by milovoo at 9:08 AM on January 28, 2004

You can only smoke at a handful of places.
posted by bshort at 6:18 AM on February 5, 2004