Ottawa meetup

January 31, 2005 11:32 PM

There has been enough delay and debate! The time is ripe for a MeFi meetup here in Ottawa, Canada! I expect all three of us will have a great time.
posted by Jairus to MetaFilter Gatherings at 11:32 PM (61 comments total)

In all seriousness, how many of us Ottawa folk are there? What kind of notice will we all need to free us from our busy schedules? Will there be snow involved?

Pressing questions, indeed.
posted by Jairus at 11:33 PM on January 31, 2005

*waves* Ottawa here.

I don't need much notice. Other than work, eat, poop and sleep there isn't much I do.
posted by pookzilla at 3:46 AM on February 1, 2005

I'm there, but you knew that already. Things are busy but flexible lately. I heartily advocate Pub Italia.
posted by mendel at 4:37 AM on February 1, 2005

Ahem...I think you mean Ottawa, *Ontario*. You are obviously some kind of imposter :-)
posted by melimelo at 6:13 AM on February 1, 2005

I'm in. I'm only an hour out of town.

I was actually thinking of proposing this myself. Trouble is, I don't necessarily know where to do it -- I didn't get out much when I was living in the city. No objections to Pub Italia.

A couple of years back, I set up a mailing list, which has been used by those trying to set up Toronto and Montreal meetings, if I remember right.
posted by mcwetboy at 6:47 AM on February 1, 2005

*shakes fist enviously at fellow Canadian MeFites that live within a drivable distance of same*
posted by raedyn at 7:43 AM on February 1, 2005

Now I've heard that some form of prostitution is legal up there, no? I want a shoutout on a hooker's left cheek.
posted by scarabic at 8:20 AM on February 1, 2005

How far of a drive is Ottowa past Toronto? Ehh, nevermind, I probably can't make this one. But I'm THERE for the next Toronto Meetup. I ? Canada.

Somebody drink a chocolate stout for me. You'll love it, if you haven't tried it yet ;-)
posted by Shane at 8:24 AM on February 1, 2005

That's "I ♥ Canada," d'oh! No question about it.
posted by Shane at 8:28 AM on February 1, 2005

Shane, how dare you ? Canada!
posted by stonerose at 8:28 AM on February 1, 2005

you beat me to it!
posted by stonerose at 8:29 AM on February 1, 2005

I ♥ chocolate stout too. Overly hoppy pale ales, ya know, I ? them, stonerose.
posted by Shane at 8:31 AM on February 1, 2005

I ? shane.
posted by taz at 8:33 AM on February 1, 2005

?
posted by taz at 8:33 AM on February 1, 2005

Thanks a lot, taz. Don't I always ♥ you? Oh fickle friends, you pain my ♥!
posted by Shane at 8:37 AM on February 1, 2005

my hearts always seem to break in MeTa, but really and truly, I do *heart* you, Shane.
posted by taz at 8:46 AM on February 1, 2005

awwww
*sniff*
posted by Shane at 8:47 AM on February 1, 2005

my hearts always seem to break in MeTa

Ain't that the truth.

Right, then. We have a Jairus and a mendel and a pookzilla and a mcwetboy and probably a Menomena once she sees this. No-one's complaining yet about Pub Italia, and I'm pretty sure that Menomena would be fine with there too.

Let's start simple for scheduling: Midweek evening or weekend?
posted by mendel at 9:17 AM on February 1, 2005

*wave* I'm from Ottawa.

Heck, if I'm right, you (Jairus) and I worked together. Taima, right? I'm still in touch with Venk and Peter, although I don't think they have accounts.

I'd probably be up for the meetup. I'm mostly a lurker though, so no one knows me or cares :)
posted by splice at 9:38 AM on February 1, 2005

Some midweek evenings are better than others, though all are to some extent possible, so long as the start time is on or after 7:00 p.m. Weekends, including Friday evenings, are perfectly fine. You may also safely confirm my SO aedra, who's also a member here and who will also be game; I'll brief her when she gets home tonight.
posted by mcwetboy at 9:45 AM on February 1, 2005

All weeknights are equally good for me. Anytime Saturday is cool but Sunday is generally spent sleeping and recovering from the previous 6 days.
posted by pookzilla at 9:58 AM on February 1, 2005

I'm in. Weeknights are good though Tues/Thurs I'm at school until 7pm.

I'd been meaning to call this one for ages, thanks for doing it. Would it be alright if I invited the Monkeys along? We'd been talking of an Ottawa meetup there too.
posted by livii at 11:07 AM on February 1, 2005

Count me in....just be sure and put the message on the mefi mailing list since i spend no time in the grey.

How far of a drive is Ottowa past Toronto?
5 hours or so...
posted by srboisvert at 12:13 PM on February 1, 2005

Usually only four hours on decent roads - it's usually five by bus.

Hmm, I have friends in Ottawa who have a few months-old baby I haven't met yet... I could take the bus up there, stay with them, check out the baby, check out the meetup...

[remembers the last time she took the bus to Ottawa, and the *six* hours of being trapped in a seat with a smelly, large-hipped person, reconsiders]
posted by orange swan at 1:15 PM on February 1, 2005

I just realized that weeknights aren't so great for nyxie (which is sort of embarrassing, since we live together, but she loves me anyhow). I'm guessing the weekend before Valentine's Day is a bad idea. 5th/6th? 18th/19th? Afternoon? Evening?
posted by mendel at 1:41 PM on February 1, 2005

er, that should be "5th/6th? 19th/20th?" although I suppose Friday nights are weekends too.
posted by mendel at 1:43 PM on February 1, 2005

Thank you mendel for pointing me to this thread!

Hello fellow Ottawa Mefites!

Alright, I cannot do Mondays, I'm available Sundays and Wednesdays after 7pm, I'm busy this Friday, but I'm available all other evenings with enough given notice.

I second Valentine's day weekend being a bad idea. I can do 5th/6th or the 19th/20th. However, I prefer it to be the 18th/19th because I'll have all of my midterm shit out of the way.

And Pub Italia is awesome, it should be there and there only. Maybe we'll get the confessional booth! I can almost taste the Trappist beers now...
posted by Menomena at 2:00 PM on February 1, 2005

Valentines would be great for me. I'd actually be out doing something instead of sitting home sulking. :)
posted by pookzilla at 2:37 PM on February 1, 2005

That should read:

I can do 5th/6th or the 19th/20th. However, I prefer it to be the 19th/20th because I'll have all of my midterm shit out of the way.

pookzilla: I would love to do V-day weekend if there wasn't a ball and chain to consider. :\
posted by Menomena at 2:53 PM on February 1, 2005

My girlfriend totally would kick my ass if I went to a group meeting of vile internet message board users.

Yes, I live in Ottawa. Yes, Pub Italia is awesome. I'm busy though. Almost all the time. I love short sentences.

Maybe I'll tag along, who knows.
posted by Kleptophoria! at 3:13 PM on February 1, 2005

Hahaha. I love the way that the world goes.

After longing for years for a meetup, here one is, and I move out of the country tomorrow. And Pub Italia is great!

Have fun without me.
posted by Marquis at 4:01 PM on February 1, 2005

Valentines would be great for me. I'd actually be out doing something instead of sitting home sulking. :)

Heh. My SO (mcwetboy) and I don't do anything on V-Day either...any weekend is fine with me! :)

(Just to confirm his assupmtion that I'd be OK with the whole meetup thangy!)

Don't forget to bring pens that work and paper for the callouts! ;)
posted by aedra at 4:43 PM on February 1, 2005

I'd like to join you all if I'm able. The evening of the 18th is best for me -- the 19th we (mendel and I) probably have friends visiting from out of town, and the 20th... well, I have an exam the next day at 8am, which is a performance exam. Meaning I have to pass for sane while I do it. heh.
posted by nyxie at 4:45 PM on February 1, 2005

There's way more of us than I thought!

I'm interested, but a little busy. The 18th or 19th would be best for me.
posted by bonehead at 4:52 PM on February 1, 2005

Friends fr... huh, so we do!

Any objections to Friday night, Feb 18th, at Pub Italia? Speak up if that doesn't work for you and you want to come, we've got lots of time to find something that works.
posted by mendel at 5:03 PM on February 1, 2005

Looks like Friday the 18th is emerging as our consensus. (My only problem with it is that it's the day after my birthday and aedra may get ideas into her head.)

I don't know Pub Italia; do any advance arrangements need to be made with them, or do we just show up?
posted by mcwetboy at 5:07 PM on February 1, 2005

*grinz evilly*

Anyone want to do anything "special" for mcwetboy that night? huh? huh?

Contact me by email if so! :)
posted by aedra at 5:09 PM on February 1, 2005

Oi! Stop that!
posted by mcwetboy at 5:09 PM on February 1, 2005

Anyone going down from Montreal?

I'd go if it were a weekend night and someone with a car planned to drive from Montreal.
posted by zadcat at 5:09 PM on February 1, 2005

I'm counting 11 so far (aedra, bonehead, Jairus, livii, mcwetboy, mendel, Menomena, nyxie, pookzilla, splice, srboisvert). That's not including the MoFi gang, out-of-towners, some of the older longer-term Ottawa MeFites we haven't heard from yet (e.g. danwalker, tranquileye) or other bloggers we might kidnap and drag along to the party.

Assuming we all show up, this could be one of the larger MeFi gatherings in years. Of course, that could be assuming a hell of a lot. We'll see. We've never had one before, so that makes it all the more interesting to attendees -- compare that with New York, which has two in one week (Feb. 6 and Feb. 12).
posted by mcwetboy at 5:18 PM on February 1, 2005

If we are that big of a party we should probably inform them when the numbers settle down.
posted by pookzilla at 5:22 PM on February 1, 2005

mcwetboy: Probably best to call ahead in any case. We'll see how many people are pretty sure they're coming and go from there. They've got 3-4 areas that could seat a dozen though.
posted by mendel at 5:35 PM on February 1, 2005

Shall we say 7 PM? Earlier? Later?
posted by mcwetboy at 5:44 PM on February 1, 2005

Yeah, 7 pm sounds good, that way people can grab food too, and people who want to show up later can.

I'm wondering if making this a mass-mefi-monkey-meetup might complicate things. Maybe make the first huge-attendance one mefi, and then subsequent ones (because this ought to be regular!) open to the monkey too? Pub Italia can handle a dozen people no problem, but if it's more like 16-20 it might not work as well.
posted by mendel at 6:13 PM on February 1, 2005

damn! if you were only having it in Hull ; >

(my first attempt at Canadian geography humor)

shout out to us in NY and we'll do the same.
posted by amberglow at 6:18 PM on February 1, 2005

I'm just going to sit back and enter the relevant data in the Palm as details get hammered out in the thread.
posted by aedra at 6:20 PM on February 1, 2005

The 18th at Italia is good for me -- if we settle on this date I can give them a ring once we have a better idea how many people are going to be attending. If the italia ends up being too small, we maybe could look at the Black Tomato or something like that?

The 19th doesn't work for me at all, as I'm already doublebooked to DJ a wedding and help out at a fashion show.
posted by Jairus at 6:22 PM on February 1, 2005

I posted on MoFi, so we'll see how many more we get from there.

7pm on the 18th sounds great, on my part. I might bring my husband too, he's not on MeFi but he blogs; does that count? ;)

On preview: eep, sorry if people don't want the Monkeys...I think there's only 4 or 5 of us, and so I don't think we'll swell the numbers too badly.
posted by livii at 6:41 PM on February 1, 2005

Bring on the monkeys; I suspect that not everyone who wants to come will be able to when the moment arrives. That frequently happens. I wouldn't worry about too many people. At least not yet.
posted by mcwetboy at 6:51 PM on February 1, 2005

BTW, Pub Italia
posted by bonehead at 7:39 PM on February 1, 2005

Well, amberglow, if it were in Gatineau, the fifteen-year-olds could buy rounds too. There's a definite upside there.
posted by bonehead at 7:41 PM on February 1, 2005

By the way, mcwetboy, I was looking at your flickr photostream, and you seem to have stolen my cat. Give her back. And stop calling her a him. She's quite clearly my cat. Heh.

(In further weirdness, I also went to UW. Freaky).
posted by livii at 7:50 PM on February 1, 2005

Jairus: Black Tomato won't take reservations on weekends anyhow, we'd never get a table. There's the Black Thorn, but food there can be pricy, they get fancy for dinner. There's always the Royal Oak, Clocktower, Darcy McGee's, that sort of thing. Any other locals have preferences for alternates?

livii: Eh, I don't have anything against monkeys. I'm just overplanning (and misoverestimating the number of folks over there, I imagine).
posted by mendel at 8:32 PM on February 1, 2005

If Italia rejects us there's always Patty Bolands in the market. Good pub with a fireplace and two floors - plenty of space to act like an ass.

(And their boxties are delicious)
posted by pookzilla at 4:09 AM on February 2, 2005

I'm in. Even though I live in Montreal. I've family in Ottawa so I could stay over. Weekends are best.
posted by kika at 11:04 AM on February 2, 2005

So is everyone down with the 18th @ 7pm, at Italia?
posted by Jairus at 1:50 PM on February 2, 2005

Works for me!
posted by pookzilla at 3:36 PM on February 2, 2005

The 18th is my birthday! You all have to buy me drinks!
posted by srboisvert at 9:15 PM on February 3, 2005

The 18th is my birthday! You all have to buy me drinks!

*buys srboisvert a Shirley Temple*

;)
posted by nyxie at 7:37 PM on February 4, 2005

Someone should post a new MetaTalk thread announcing the date/location. I can't, because I've posted one in the last week. :)
posted by Jairus at 1:45 AM on February 5, 2005

Done and Done

:)
posted by nyxie at 3:38 PM on February 6, 2005