To recap: Five-star commentor SiubhanDuinne is currently visiting New England, and she’s saved next Saturday, September 13 (yes, I know) to meet up with her fellow BJuicers. So far, commentor EFGoldman (and his lovely spouse) and I (and my very patient spouse) are planning on being there.
She’s staying with old friends in Waltham, and so far we’ve got three venue suggestions:
Donahues’ Bar & Grill (which is actually in Watertown)
Conley’s Pub & Grille (also Watertown)
Since it’s a Saturday, my impulse would be to start around 4pm – 5pm… late enough that everyone can catch up with their errands, early enough to beat the Saturday-night dinner rush. But I’m totally open to other opinions about timing!
Anybody who’s interested, or who has suggestions about the place & time, either leave a comment below or email me — click on my name in the right-hand column, annelaurie (at) verizon (dot) net.
Central Planning
I would if I was going to be in Bean Town.
I’m still up for a Rochester (NY) get together. I don’t think we’ve had one.
dmsilev
I’ll actually be in the Boston area then, but won’t be able to attend unfortunately. Late Saturday afternoon is exactly the time at which my cousin is getting married, and I’m kind of obligated to attend…
raven
I had a really nice meetup with Mr and Mrs Tybee in Savannah this evening. First class folks.
Mnemosyne
My strong advice would be to double-check and make sure the venue isn’t going to have live music that night, even if they haven’t had it before. I picked out the perfect place in Burbank … until the band showed up and started playing frickin’ Irish folk music that we had to shout over.
(I like Irish folk music, as long as I’m not trying to TALK TO PEOPLE WHILE IT’S BEING PLAYED.)
lahke
Solea can get crowded on Saturday night, so early is good. Also, too, Jay Hunter Morris is singing that night at Jordan Hall in Die Tote Stadt, which is my only ever chance to see him, so early is even better.
Elizabelle
Siubhan is beyond charming and she can help you win a trivia contest.
— her (Northern) Southern admirers
PS: efgoldman and mrs. efgoldman are marvelous company too.
Elizabelle
@raven:
So glad to hear. I like this traveling to meet Juicers impulse.
Origuy
@Central Planning: I’m going to be in Rochester October 2-5 for the US Orienteering Championships. I could probably make a BJ meetup then.
GregB
Would love to come but I also have obligations starting 4 in New Hampshire.
You could also add a Sunday brunch to the agenda, that could be swung.
Tom Levenson
I’m going to try to make this, but parenthood of a 14 y.o. imposes….complications.
Not a huge fan of Solea. Donohue’s was in my old stomping grounds — about four blocks from where I lived for 14 years up to 2009. It’s OK — can get loud (not that early) but not a lot of atmosphere.
In Cambridge — more beers than you can shake a stick at, and loud when it fills up, you have Meadhall (over by MIT, something like 100 beers on tap). The Field in Central Sq. ain’t bad. People’s Republik between Central and Harvard Squares is pretty good too. Miracle of Science is echt MIT, but a bit loud. Never went to Conley’s. But don’t mind me — I’m really trying to free up the time, but can’t be sure.
lahke
@efgoldman: ‘
Urgh –Chateau. Sorry, I went right to THAT PLACE, but….Fried ravioli in red brocade rooms….
qkslvrwolf
I can’t recommend any watertown places, that’s in a black-ish hole for my experience. If you wanna talk Arlington, Lexington, Somerville, etc, I could throw out ideas. (Somervillein, here.)
Is Tom coming?
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
It was still a good place.
qkslvrwolf
Somehow I missed Tom’s comment. Tom, you should come. Also, you should host something at Meadhall sometime for the MIT/Kendall crowd. Which might just be you and me, but then I’d be in heaven. ;-)
qkslvrwolf
(Or CBC or Friendly Toast or A4 or whatever)
SP
@qkslvrwolf: I’d hit that. Lord Hobo?
Another Holocene Human (now with new computer)
I see that Sam’s Deli on Main St in Waltham is no more.
I have a sad.
Another Holocene Human (now with new computer)
Is there still a brewpub on Moody St near the river?
Another Holocene Human (now with new computer)
@qkslvrwolf: Used to have great Italian hole-in-the-wall’s, if you like Italian subs … there was a place on the central square that did fish and chips …
Watertown and Cambridge had gyro’s and souvlaki.
Tom levenson
@Another Holocene Human (now with new computer): think so. Cambridge brewing ain’t bad in 1 Kendal Sq. Audubon Boston on Beacon St. Near Fenway is ok too — not a brewpub but a decent bar-grill.
Anyone got a read on Bulowski’s either in Inman Sq. or Boston?
Cervantes
@Tom Levenson: Those are good places in Cambridge. Here are two places in Boston that have a political flavor: Doyle’s and the Eire Pub.
FlyingToaster
@Another Holocene Human (now with new computer):
Watertown still does. You have upscale (Aegean by the Arsenal) or downscale (anything near Coolidge Square). Or you can have Venezuelan seafood at Casa de Pedro (in the Arsenal) or Italian at Stellina’s in the Square or Porcini’s on School.
We still don’t have a taqueria (Acapulco doesn’t open till 5).
In Cambridge, the Greek Corner is still opposite the 77A turnaround on Mass Ave. I have no idea if Greek Corner II is still in Harvard Square.
@Another Holocene Human (now with new computer): Watch City is gone; it auctioned off its insides this summer. I believe that whole stretch from the river to Pine is being redeveloped.
grillo
Well I would definitely love to come. And since I live in Watertown I hardly consider it to be a black hole (to me Somerville seems like a black hole but I eat there sometimes anyway).
Solea seems an ungood idea to me because I think even early an upscalish place on Moody Street will be problematic but I am not going to be difficult since I mostly lurk.
Cambridge is well and good for me.
But really I am very agreeable.
Belmont Center also has a surprising collection of good things I would observe.
I will try to think of a few specific suggestions.
Tenar Darell
@efgoldman: Not true, not true. There are public parking lots in Coolidge Corner behind the movie theater, and off of Babcock Street. You do have to pay though, and unfortunately Brookline extended the hours until 8PM in some places. Of course, the best thing about Coolidge Corner is easy access to Brookline Booksmith if you are early, but the worst is most of the restaurants are on the small side. The Friendly Toast in Cambridge, that’s definitely large and with seating flexible enough. Waltham, I know nothing recent enough to be helpful.
Mnemosyne
@Tenar Darell:
I don’t know if you saw my post yesterday, but TCM was showing Within Our Gates (1920) last night, which was written and directed by legendary black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. If you have a participating cable company, you can sign it to WatchTCM and see it for the rest of this month — if not, you can probably ask for it at your local library since Micheaux is now considered a very important (if unheralded) figure in American film.
Mnemosyne
@Tenar Darell:
D’oh! I’m trying to alert you to a silent film that TCM showed last night, but I’m stuck in moderation. Check back when one of the front-pagers is able to release me.
Mnemosyne
test?
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
Everything was being moderated for a while.
Central Planning
@Origuy: I’m out of town for work that week and I get back on Sunday . But don’t let me stop everyone from getting together.
boatboy_srq
I keep getting PINGed for work in NYC and eastern Mass – so while I won’t be able to make this meet-up (waah!) I may be a lot closer for some later on.
Somebody please get the chowdah for me.
Orpho
@Another Holocene Human (now with new computer): True! But I’d like to recommend Moody’s in its place (Boston Globe review). Their service is slow, but their meat is amazing.
ThresherK
I may be able to make this, depending on other activities.
Mnemosyne
@Steeplejack:
I eventually figured that out. It’s frustrating to be trying to get information to someone and get thrown into moderation, though. :-(
qkslvrwolf
@SP: Lord Hobo is good too. I mean, I also love lots of places in Inman and Union if we’re going that far afield. Hit me up if you’d like to grab a beer in that region anytime (qkthrow, google’s mail shorted.)
@grillo: I just mean I don’t know much about watertown. There’s a great breakfast place there, and that’s the extent of my watertown experience.
@efgoldman: park at alewife or quincy, ride the T! ;-)
qkslvrwolf
@Tom levenson: I like Burkowski’s in Inman a lot, but I don’t get there too often. The Druid is also fun, and you can’t beat the app variety at hit wicket. Ole has great margaritas and gauc, but everything else is shitty.
Lots of other good places too. And Union has just gone insane.