From commentor Elizabelle:
DC area Balloon Juicers: Mark your calendar for a meetup this Wednesday night, June 11, in Alexandria, VA, probably near the King Street Metro station (or Old Town). Place TBC (or we could do a pub walk …)
Dee Loralei and her son will be visiting for 2 days; she’d love your suggestions too on what attractions they (and her father) should catch.
Previous post here, if you want to see who’s checked in.
Any suggestions / RSVPs / complaints, leave a comment here, or email me (click on my name in the right-hand column) and I’ll put you in touch with Elizabelle.
Elizabelle
And special for you — Wednesday is going to be the hottest day of the week!
But who said the Juicetariat is not tough. And thirsty.
WaterGirl
Wasn’t there talk of possibly doing wednesday and thursday? Or did I make that up?
Elizabelle
@WaterGirl:
Definitely talk of meeting up both nights, if enough Juicers are interested.
Thought was Wednesday night in Old Town, Alexandria as primary, and maybe DC on Thursday for those who couldn’t make it.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: Well, I’m in Illinois, so I can’t make it, but more meet ups means more photos and more stories for those of us who can’t be there. :-)
seabe
Was a place decided upon? If it’s old town I’ll probably cab over to wherever it is.
seabe
I saw someone suggested Bus Boys and Poets for Thursday. Great place and locally owned, but often crowded. I’d try and make that one too tho
Elizabelle
@WaterGirl:
Dang. Thought you might be local.
Talk was Busboys and Poets in DC for Thursday night, but we’ve not decided on a venue for Wednesday yet, although it will be in Alexandria VA so it’s convenient for visiting Dee Loralei (and, frankly, several local BJuicers).
Does anyone have a suggestion on a good pub for Wednesday? Joe Theissmann’s was mentioned, only because it’s close to Metro and convenient, and has at least two good brews on tap. Never been there myself.
Parking can be tough in Old Town.
Last, I’m not sure I can be there (50:50 chance now), but really would like to. Family issues.
SO I don’t want to be dictating any choices for us! But anything to facilitate a good meetup.
I’ll check the earlier thread in a few for latebreaking suggestions and meetuppers.
Citizen Scientist
Aw shoot. And I’m going to be in Alexandria on the 16th, darnit. They talked about this on infowars!
Madeleine
I might be able to make it after work, depending upon when it is.
ET
I can do Wed but not Thurs but my Old Town knowledge isn’t enough to suggest a place down that way.
I have a hard time thinking of a good/appropriate place on the Hill that isn’t more sit down restaurant. Barrel on Penn a block from Eastern Market Metro has an upstairs for whatever that is worth (pretty sure) but it is new and I haven’t been.
sharl
OK, except where noted, I don’t have much experience with the restaurant scene in and around Old Town Alexandria, despite my proximity. I go over there to walk around, check out the Torpedo Factory and/or the waterfront, and whatnot.
But there are a lot of places to eat over there, though I’m sure the number of feasible candidates will go down a bit when considerations are limited to accommodating a large crowd (not sure that’s what will show up from the B-J contingent, though…).
Here’s what looks like a pretty comprehensive listing, including even the Dunkin’ Donuts and the Ben-&-Jerry’s, for your perusal.
Here’s a comparable list put out by the convention/tourist folks.
Note that both of these lists are for the entirety of Old Town, not just near or on King St. It’s a pretty easy place to walk around, though. I suppose sticking close to King St. might be better if it looks like the sky might open up, which is quite possible in this muggy and very warm weather.
sharl
The rest of these are Yelp review pages for specific restaurants.
Some years ago a buddy and me used to go to Austin Grill fairly often, basically a tex-mex place. We liked the food, though once or twice IIRC the music was blasting pretty loud, making conversation difficult. I don’t know what kind of large crowds they can handle. Most of their dining is up a flight of stairs on the second floor.
Long ago we used do a lot of lunches for workplace retirements and departures at the Fish Market, and other than a (to me) creepyish lunchtime maître d’ who wanted to hustle us out of there pronto, I liked it alright. Looks like the Yelp ratings ain’t that bad.
Here’s the entry for Joe Theismann’s. I’ve eaten there a few times; ’tweren’t bad at all.
sharl
Chadwicks is near the waterfront. I took my parents there a couple times. The food was good as I recall, but the last time they really had the music cranked up, which irked the parental units somewhat. Trivia: you can tell when there have been heavy rains at the Potomac headwaters when Chadwicks is forced to deploy the sand bags (I don’t think that will be a worry this week).
I’ve never been in Gadsby’s, and don’t recall anyone around me offering any opinion about it, yay or nay, but it has a history going back to colonial days. It’s a short walk north from King St.
sharl
As I recall a commenter mentioned either Ireland’s Own or Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub. I think I was once in Ireland’s Own, but it was so long ago I cannot remember anything about the experience.
This has been your correspondent, reporting from the shallow end of the dining Pool of Knowledge.
sharl
Oh, and here’s stuff on parking in Old Town. If you don’t mind a walk of a few blocks or so, in my experience free on-street parking can be had after about 5pm* or so on Prince St. or further south, or on Queen St. or further north. [*that website says free on-street parking isn’t available until after 7pm]
Having said all that, if the consensus is to go into DC only, I’ll try to make that (via Metro).