Update from the organizer (rekoob) at 6 pm Eastern:
Thanks, everyone, for all your thoughtful and helpful responses. It appears my worrying about Quizzo was misplaced, and therefore I have booked a table for 8-9 people starting at 6:30p at The Abbaye:
The Abbaye, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia
637 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia PA 19123
It has the advantage of better access for those traveling by car (parking), roominess, and value. Quizzing will be a bonus!
As of 7:00p Eastern/blog time, I have the following attending:
Suzanne
brendancalling
zmulls
Ceci n est pas mon
gene108
Leto, Avalune (+ kid!)
rekoobI’ll bring the balloons! Again, the more, the merrier! If I’ve missed your nym, please say so.
Update from WaterGirl
I can reach rekoob by text in case of meetup emergencies – like being at the other place by mistake, or not being able to find everyone!
Also, Leto and Avalune can text me, too. Let’s hope you all find one another!
This should be a great meetup!
Update: I just added this post as a link in the sidebar for easy access as you guys are working out details! (WG)
rekoob sent me this update about the meetup in Philadelphia tomorrow. (Thursday!)
Many thanks to everyone for weighing in on ideas for a meetup in Philadelphia on Thursday, 15 June 2023.
Here’s my proposal — perhaps we can start at Monk’s Cafe around 6:30p (I’ll get there early with some green balloons):
It turns out that Thursdays are Quizzo Nights (fun!) at several locations in the city, including a couple recommended to us, namely, Fergie’s Pub and The Abbaye:
We can start at Monk’s Cafe, and those who wish can then migrate to Fergie’s (roughly a half-mile from Monk’s) or elsewhere.
How to spot me? I’m a nondescript, clean-shaven guy in his early-60s, and I’ll wear an orange Polo shirt and black trousers. Also, the balloons. If I get a chance to make a reservation, it will be in the name of Steve.
Objections? Other ideas? Please say so before 5:00p Eastern on 14 June.
Also, even if you already RSVP’d in a previous thread, can you chime in below if you are planning to attend? That will make it easy for me to assemble a list of people who plan to attend! (WG)
Cameron
Monk’s is (or was) divided into two parts. It’s a restaurant in the front and a bar in the back. Food and drink are available in both. Hope you folks have a good time!
zmulls
I am in. I thought we decided in the other thread to go straight to Abbaye? It is not going to be convenient to do a crawl from Monk’s down in Center City all the way up to Northern Liberties (especially with parking).
rekoob
@zmulls: The Quizzo activity at both Fergie’s and The Abbaye didn’t sound conducive to conversation, hence the suggestion of Monk’s Cafe, which doesn’t have any events tomorrow. That’s not to preclude those who wish to do some quizzing later, and Fergie’s is, apparently, within walking distance of Monk’s.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
Good choice! Haven’t been to Monks in years, since we met our daughter’s future in-laws there. My other memory of Monk’s is that they were closed for awhile once when a car crashed through their front window.
gene108
I don’t see much reason to go to multiple places.
If we’re starting at Monk’s no reason to go elsewhere. Same if we finalize on Abbaye or Fergie’s Pub.
For me, Monk’s Cafe or Fergie’s Pub would be more accessible by train, but I don’t have an issue driving in either.
suzanne
I am a YES! Putting Monk’s in my phone!
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: In case I wasn’t clear, I’m in. See you all at 6:30.
Also, my memory of the car crash was incorrect. It was a city bus, in 2010. And they only closed for a few days.
randy khan
Whenever I read something like “when people could disagree without being disagreeable,” I want to ask just when that was. The Civil Rights Movement was met not with polite statements of disagreement, but with dogs and fire hoses, mass arrests, beatings, and literal bombs, all of which make much of the hateful rhetoric pale in comparison. The antiwar movement in the 1960s saw much of the same. (I remember Chicago 1968 if nobody else does.) When gay men started dying from a new disease, the polite requests for research funding and treatment were ignored – the then-President couldn’t even bring himself to utter the word “AIDS” even as one of his supposed longtime friends was dying from it – or met with open hostility. And when we elected a Black President, the extent of the “disagreeable” (a word that does not remotely convey what it was like) response to him would have been mind-shattering except, of course, that history told us what it would be like.
And let’s not even talk about 19th century American politics.
WaterGirl
@randy khan: It’s fine here, but I think you may have intended this for John’s post, one post over?
zmulls
Monks it is then. My memory is that is it a pretty small area. Hopefully will not be too crowded (with unmasked people). But the beer is amazing and their mussels are legendary.
WaterGirl
@zmulls:
I can’t tell whether that’s a decision for the whole group, or if you are indicating that you think Monks is the best choice, given the new information?
zmulls
It sounds like that is the group decision, and I am going along with it? It didn’t sound like the topic was still open.
Monks is excellent in terms of food and drink. I was favoring the Northern Liberties ideas as a lot of the places tend to be larger (converted industrial spaces, etc), and Center City locations tend to be more crowded. I am less strict about my Covid protocols these days, as transmission rates are low (and more people are outside). But I’m still favoring larger and more open venues.
If it’s still an open point, I’ll just say that I favor the NoLib location for that reason (Quizzo starts at 8). But knowing this group, the conversation could go on all day, so I’m happy to meet at Monks if that is the consensus.
WaterGirl
rekoob just confirmed that input and feedback are still welcome, and that the final decision will be at 5 pm blog time.
Cameron
@zmulls: Monk’s takes COVID very seriously – check out the bottom of its home page.
zmulls
OK, then to finish my thoughts:
Bar area of Monk’s is pretty cramped. There will be outdoor seating (weather permitting). I am not familiar with the restaurant area in back, might be better there. Food/drink is A+
Fergie’s bar will probably be equally crowded. But Fergie’s also has an upstairs area, so maybe more room up there. Food is just OK. Quizzo starts at 8, not sure if that is downstairs or upstairs.
I have not been to Abbaye but looks more spacious based on pictures, less concern about masking. Quizzo at 8. My personal preference is Northern Liberties vs Center City. Will meet the gang anywhere.
WaterGirl
@zmulls: Thanks, seems like that will be super helpful information for the planners!
brendancalling
I’ll go anywhere but Fergies and Abbaye are also less expensive than Monks.
brendancalling
I’ll go anywhere but Fergies and Abbaye are also less expensive than Monks. Abbaye and Fergies have better subway/El access. Abbaye is easiest to get to from the highway and there’s typically OK parking in nearby Spring Garden Street.
Leto
Chiming in late, but Avalune and I will be there. We’re also bringing the kid, so it’s a festive trio!
rekoob
@WaterGirl: @zmulls: @brendancalling: @suzanne: Thanks, everyone, for all your thoughtful and helpful responses. It appears my worrying about Quizzo was misplaced, and therefore I have booked a table for 8-9 people starting at 6:30p at The Abbaye:
The Abbaye, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia
637 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia PA 19123
It has the advantage of better access for those traveling by car (parking), roominess, and value. Quizzing will be a bonus!
zmulls
Thank you, I look forward to it!
Everyone be cautioned about the road collapse on I-95 just a teensy bit North of the city. I’ll be driving in from the Western suburbs so won’t go anywhere near it. Highly recommend accessing the city from the west or south and letting your GPS get you from there.
suzanne
OK, Abbaye it is! See y’all at or around 6:30.
I’ll be coming from work and thus be hilarious.
zmulls
I don’t know if people are still monitoring this thread — I may send this to Watergirl just in case.
I’m looking into parking around the area. Mainly I am going into Google Maps and “driving around” and checking parking signs. It looks like the parking around the restaurant, especially on 3rd, is 2 hour parking only, from 8am to 12am — which is not conducive to a longer hang. But the parking on 2nd street look like it is from 8am to 8pm (and could be 3 hour parking). So anyone who is driving (like me) please read parking signs carefully and try parking on 2nd if the signs on 3rd are as I was seeing on Google. (This part of the city does not have the mobile apps going, so you can’t just add time)
There are parking lots at a few long blocks walk away — some on Front street (on the other side of the highway), and some a few blocks South of Spring Garden, around 5th and Callowhill.
zmulls
@zmulls: Adding…..Looks like 4th street, just below Spring Garden has the Parkmobile app. That is only a few blocks away.
I can’t tell if you can park by app (and add time on your phone) on Spring Garden — I’m going to swing that way first when I get into town.
Rekoob
@zmulls: Spring Garden is marked 3 hrs until 6:30p, no meter, so it should be fine. Spaces in front of the Social Security Administration. I found a space near 4th & Green that’s marked 2 hrs until 6:30p.
Rekoob
@Rekoob: ETA — Behind the bar on the first floor — look for the balloons!
zmulls
I don’t know if there has been any post-meetup conversation (or pictures??) But it was great to meet everyone and hope we can do it again sometime.
I have possession of the $25 gift certificate for Trivia, which can be used for nachos or similar next time around, if we go to the same place.