That’s a good-sized crowd, and with all those smiling faces, it looks like it was a lot of fun!
A note from excellent organizer, rekoob.
Last night, a group of Jackals met in Philadelphia. We were ably assisted by WaterGirl, who helped guide us all to Abbaye in Northern Liberties, not too far from Center City.
We had a delightful time getting to know each other IRL, and at least at my end of the table, we touched on woodworking, the student debt crisis, Artificial Intelligence, the Vision Pro, and our collective dismay at the mean-spirited nature of Republicans.
We also participated in the evening’s Quizzo (as the Jackals), and came in second! That gave us a modest gift certificate for a future visit to Abbaye. Perhaps we can get together again soon.
The green balloons are not in the picture, but served as a navigation point. I’ll out myself, since I gave a description in earlier threads — I’m the guy in the orange polo shirt.
rekoob
Baud
Whoa. You guys are young and fairly good looking.
Suzanne
I am white shirt/green jacket.
Baud
I thought gene108 was on the West Coast. Maybe that was gene107.
Suzanne
We had fun! Lots of discussion about Netflix shows, music and local bands, political and other viewpoints as turnoffs in potential romantic partners, and I am apparently the only person who has never seen an episode of Breaking Bad.
UncleEbeneezer
Cool to finally see some faces with names that I recognize. Were there cheese-steaks involved?
Looks like you all had a fun time. If we ever manage to move back East (likely Hudson Valley) I would be down for trying to join some Philly, NYC or Boston meet-ups. Lots of friends and connections in all three cities.
Suzanne
@UncleEbeneezer: No cheesesteaks. I ordered nachos to share.
Baud
@Suzanne:
I haven’t seen an episode either.
WaterGirl
@Suzanne: Your hair is longer than it was on the zooms we have had!
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I’m the farthest jackal from the camera in the first two shots. Two to the right of rekoob, black hair, gray beard, dark glasses.
I wish we could have been close enough that all 8 of us could hear each other. I could barely hear the conversation at our table.
I assume you solved all of the above?
You’re being too modest, not mentioning that we had a perfect score on round 1, the beer-themed round.
I left before round 2 was scored.
mali muso
Fun! I think I recognize at least a few faces from jackal zooms past. Sounds like a good time was had.
WaterGirl
@Baud: Me neither.
@Suzanne: Is there anyone here who would date someone who is still a Republican in the face of all this craziness and hate?
Suzanne
@WaterGirl: I probably just had my hair tied back in our zooms! I had a bunch chopped off a few months ago.
UncleEbeneezer
@Suzanne: Breaking Bad may not be to everyone’s tastes, it’s very, very, dark, but I think it’s a damn masterpiece and one of the few must-see/watercooler shows that actually managed to stick the landing in the finale. We just finished Better Call Saul (a spin-off) and it was great too, but still not as great as BB, imo.
Raoul Paste
We are doing the extended family vacation in Philadelphia in a few weeks.
Missed it by that much.
Jay
What a fine looking group. Next year, go for Gold, y’all have phones, asking a friend is not cheating in trivia.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: Sad, isn’t it?
Suzanne
@UncleEbeneezer: I haven’t seen it, but it’s not because I’m rebelling or avoiding it. I just rarely get to watch stuff. The kids or SuzMom or Mr. Suzanne usually get to control the TV. I tend to watch comedy specials because I can do some task and listen. I’m sure I would enjoy it.
UncleEbeneezer
@Suzanne: No cheesesteaks? Blasphemy!!! As a former Montgomery County resident, I hereby revoke all of your Philly cards! You’ve all been downgraded to Jersey Girls/Guys/People, lol!
zhena gogolia
@WaterGirl: Really? I thought she looked pretty much the same.
Everybody looks great.
UncleEbeneezer
@Suzanne: Just noticed that Roy Wood Jr. has multiple comedy specials on Netflix (I think). Next time you are looking for one, try some of his. He is absolutely hilarious.
Baud
@zhena gogolia:
I’m glad balloon juice has a good bench.
Suzanne
@UncleEbeneezer: I have had exactly one bite of a cheesesteak in my life. The nachos were pretty good, though! As a transplanted Arizonan, I talked about how I miss restaurants that end in -berto’s.
SiubhanDuinne
@Suzanne:
No. No, you are not.
Looks like a wonderful get-together! I recognised you, but fun to put nyms with faces for some of the others.
Suzanne
@Baud:
Elderly shut-ins, hello.
Lacuna Synecdoche
OT, but this is currently a headline at WaPo:
I assume we’ll be hearing later this week:
Because, you know, I’m sure tobacco companies are just as qualified to create medical guidelines as US bishops.
WaterGirl
@Suzanne: You’re just mad that he said “fairly” good-looking. :-)
satby
Nice looking group!
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@UncleEbeneezer: Shortly after moving here, around 2001-2, I once made the mistake of asking for swiss cheese on my cheesesteak. Fortunately the guy behind the grill was relatively forgiving and gently explained to me the error of my ways and I wasn’t banned from that place.
I think John Kerry made the same mistake on the campaign trail and I’m not sure Philly ever forgave him for it.
(The only correct choices are “provy” or “wiz”)
Suzanne
@WaterGirl: Hey, I was wearing pants, I expect effusive praise.
WaterGirl
@Suzanne: That’s fair!
WaterGirl
If anyone else has meetup photos, please send them to me and I will update with the new ones.
JPL
@Suzanne: I watched Breaking Bad until the second season, when I decided they were all bad.
JPL
Apparently a good time was had by all. Great pics.
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: Hence you know I wasn’t there.
kalakal
I recognize some faces from the zooms. Nice to see others. Looks like you had a fun evening 😀
Almost Retired
Looks wonderful! Maybe some day we’ll have a Los Angeles meet up where we can all get together and complain about traffic and real estate prices. And everyone would leave after 30 minutes to beat the return traffic. But it still might be fun.
Suzanne
Mr. Suzanne is a bit envious. Def need to make a Pittsburgh meet up happen at some point.
Suzanne
@Almost Retired: You know, I think that’s what everyone in every city complains about.
Nukular Biskits
Where’s Cole?
I’m not convinced he’s real …
/snark
dexwood
Nice.
Dorothy A. Winsor
That’s a lot of jackals in one place!
Dan B
Very good looking group and a high percentage of regular commenters.
Old School
Looks like a fun bunch. You have to get together again to avenge your loss and win next time!
Mr. Suzanne
@Baud: especially that Suzanne. Yowza!
-Mr. Suzanne
FelonyGovt
@Almost Retired: That would be cool! A bunch of us in the LA area.
RaflW
@Suzanne: I have never seen an episode of Breaking Bad. This could be said by me about many shows, though I’m not a TV boycotter or anything. I don’t put much time into it, but some.
I was on an architecture boat tour in Chicago yesterday (really just a skim of some building highlights), and the guide said at one point, indicating Lake Point Tower condominium, “this building was featured in HBO’s Station 11. Sometimes one or two guests on my tour have seen this underappreciated series.” On that boat, out of c. 200 guests, it was I who did the head nods.
UncleEbeneezer
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: I lived near Philly for five years and I never knew anyone who got wiz, except when taking their tourist friends/families to Pats/Genos. Honestly, if it weren’t for one trip I made to the city to Pat’s/Gino’s (can’t remember which) I probably never would’ve even known “wiz” was a thing. I ordered countless cheesesteaks at countless pizza/sub shops over the years and provolone was always the default. I don’t think anyone (aside from the guy at Gino’s) ever even asked or suggested it. It’s always weird when I see it mentioned as a regular thing, because I feel like I must’ve lived in some alternate universe version of Philly.
UncleEbeneezer
@Almost Retired: We did one at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena a few years ago. It was very fun! We should definitely do one again soon, now that things are a bit more Covid-safe.
Avalune
@UncleEbeneezer: SHE did not have a cheesesteak. I did. I’ll be taking that card back a thank you.
UncleEbeneezer
@RaflW: Do you like podcasts? An old friend/band-mate has one called Unfrozen that is all about Architecture and Urban Planning. Very smart and funny guy.
gene108
I’m in the striped maroon shirt next to rekoob
UncleEbeneezer
@Avalune: Careful, there’s probably cheesesteak grease on it (Homer’s voice: mmmm…cheesesteak grease…)
UncleEbeneezer
@Suzanne: Just curious: are you a SuzAHN like “Tron” or SuzAY’N like “can?”
Leto
Avalune and I had an excellent time. Great conversation (that was to be expected), good drinks, and we can’t wait to do it again. We’re currently at the Reading Phillies baseball game (local single-A club) enjoying ourselves. There’s a guy that just ran out in an ostrich costume and he’s throwing hotdogs. Idk what the hell I’m watching but it’s funny.
RaflW
@Lacuna Synecdoche: What I saw about this (which was brief) it sounds like guidelines are about how to not provide such care.
It’s a pipe dream, and with our awful ‘system’ of hospitals in the US, would have disparate impact on smaller communities, but no Catholic hospital should get a g.d. dollar of our collective tax money if they’re gonna rule out trans care, birth control, abortion, etc. on “faith” grounds.
You either swear the Hippocratic oath and offer care to all who need it, and respect the separation of church and state, or GTF outta my wallet, f-*k you very much, Bishops.
Leto
@UncleEbeneezer: eve though we’ve been here for about five years, idk if I’ve had a really good cheesesteak. Any recommendations for where to go?
Leto
@Suzanne: next time you’re in town, I’ll bring some limoncello:)
Nukular Biskits
I asked this before but, given I was late to the thread, no one probably saw it.
Any Jackals on the MS Gulf Coast?
Avalune
@Leto: what they really want is my watermelon vodka – they just don’t know it.
Suzanne
@Leto: ZOMG I am so in. #lemoneverything
Here’s that lemon cheesecake with Biscoff cookie recipe I was talking about.
Suzanne
@UncleEbeneezer: Sooz-ANN.
gene108
@Baud:
I’m a Jersey boy.
WaterGirl
@Mr. Suzanne: Welcome, Mr. Suzanne!
You made us laugh with your first comment. Well done!
Miss Bianca
@Suzanne: You are *not* the only one who has never seen Breaking Bad!
WaterGirl
@Avalune: @Leto: So jealous of you guys who attended the meetup!
Was the boy there?
Almost Retired
@UncleEbeneezer: Maybe a rooftop bar downtown. Mutually inconvenient for everyone – but with public transportation options. Plus we could significantly raise the average age of the bar patrons by our presence. To be fair, we’d probably also raise the average IQ of the bar patrons by our presence, but I’m not so sure about that!
Suzanne
@WaterGirl: LOL, it’s not his first comment. He’s a longtime lurker. I know he’s commented here before at least once.
Elizabelle
Good looking pack of jackals. Philly turned out a good group.
@Suzanne: OMG, that looks good. Biscoff crust would be fab. A riff on Three Cities of Spain cheesecake, hmmm?
UncleEbeneezer
@Leto: I lived 30-45 minutes outside of the city, so all my faves are out there. Pudges was always my fave. In Blue Bell, not far from King Of Prussia. It’s a GD heart-attack on a plate but damn they are delicious, imo!
UncleEbeneezer
@Almost Retired: Highland Park Brewery has a location in Chinatown right by Goldline station. In addition to solid beers, they also have pretty good food and outdoor seating.
Suzanne
@Elizabelle: I came across that recipe this week and instantly bookmarked it. I have to not make it. I will not be able to exercise self-control.
WaterGirl
@Suzanne: Should I take it back, then? I had never seen a comment from Mr. Suzanne before.
rikyrah
Law and Order: Special Trump Unit😂😂😂😂
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZT81ojqXr/
Steeplejack
@Leto:
One good place is John’s Roast Pork, 14 Snyder Avenue. Cheesesteaks and other sandwiches.
I am more of an Italian beef guy, and it has to be Old Original Nick’s Roast Beef, 2149 S. 20th Street.
(Note: “Nick’s Roast Beef” in Philly is analogous to “Tony’s Pizza” in NYC. There are like 50 of each, so you have to be careful which one you’re shooting for.)
Dopey-o
Don’t bother with the TV box. Most of it is poison, Roy Wood jr excepted.
Currently bingeing Barry, may need to purge soon.
Avalune
@WaterGirl: The boy bailed :( but that’s ok!
suzanne
@WaterGirl: Nah, it’s fine. I’m sure he made a new nym.
Ruckus
@FelonyGovt:
We’ve had a few meet ups in the LA area. One was a couple blocks from where I lived….
But it has been quite a while since the last one if I’m not mistaken.
Leto
@WaterGirl: no! I had him outside a few hours earlier doing yard work, where we came in, I told him he needed to get ready in a bit, and he declared: I’m tired, I’m staying home! Told him fine, he’s on dog babysitting duty. Hopefully next time.
schrodingers_cat
@rikyrah: That’s awesome!
Miss Bianca
@Suzanne: Ah, but is he Mr Suzanne customarily in his comments? >:>
My mother’s name was Suzanne, btw, so I think of her every time I see your nym.
UncleEbeneezer
@Steeplejack: Have you watched The Bear yet, on Hulu? Really excellent series centered around a Chicago, Italian roast beef shop.
Leto
@UncleEbeneezer: Avalune will be in Blue Bell this week, so I think I know what we’re having for dinner that day!
Spanky
Daniel Ellsberg is dead at 92 and yet …
Leto
@UncleEbeneezer: second season just started on Hulu.
HeleninEire
Looking GORGEOUS as all jackals do.
UncleEbeneezer
For beer drinkers here, Crowns & Hops Brewing has a Juneteenth Edition Hazy IPA, that is delicious (one that I may or may not be currently getting drunk on! ;)
UncleEbeneezer
@Leto: OH SHIT!! Thanks for the heads-up! We were just lamenting how we are waiting on several of our tv faves. Wonderful.
UncleEbeneezer
@Leto: Nice. I lived there for one Summer and then also lived in Ambler for a year or two.
Steeplejack
@UncleEbeneezer:
Not yet. It’s on the bottomless TBW (“to be watched”) list. Didn’t know it was a roast beef shop. That might move it up the list.
Leto
@UncleEbeneezer: next week Sam Jackson’s “Secret Wars” series starts on Disney+, and early next month the next season of “Foundation” starts. I got the kid hooked so I now have a watch buddy for it :)
Baud
The AMA maybe getting a strong new voice against the GOP. (Article goes into detail).
UncleEbeneezer
@Steeplejack: It’s seriously great. Episodes are short 25-40 minutes and almost every episode ends with a twist that changes how you see the situation/characters. And a KILLER soundtrack with a couple Wilco tunes.
zhena gogolia
@rikyrah: That’s great!
Leto
@UncleEbeneezer: we lived in Royersford for four years, and now in our home in Reading for almost 2. We def had much better reps when we were in MontCo. Our next door neighbor was an amazing state Senator, while our house rep was always at Avalune’s college promoting new programs.
HeleninEire
@JPL: I did the same. I gave up on it in season 2. And then 3 years later I woke up at 2am and couldn’t get back to sleep. AMC was showing a marathon so I turned it on and watched 5 shows in a row. It gets better. In fact it gets great. Trust me.
Ruckus
@Baud:
Well we do have some idiots who seemingly are not even human trying to bury science, humanity and bodies they don’t like, just because they have their heads up an orifice that normally works in the opposite direction.
HeleninEire
@UncleEbeneezer: Agree and disagree. Breaking Bad was a masterpiece and absolutely stuck the landing. Better Call Saul was better than BB but they totally missed the landing.
Maxim
@UncleEbeneezer:
I was always under the impression that beer was supposed to be liquid.
UncleEbeneezer
@Leto: I was still a clueless Independent back (because don’t box me in, man) when I lived there, lol! Paid zero attention to local politics. Then came the W administration which made me realize I def was not Republican or Independent any more. That was right around the time I discovered BJ.
Ruckus
@JPL:
I started and lost interest. But I think we were the ones that were wrong. The set up to get to the better stuff had to be seen to get to there. It seems it is a show that really doesn’t have a beginning, middle and ending in each episode. And that is different for TV, hell all entertainment. It’s a show that takes commitment.
rikyrah
Can you imagine sitting down with the wedding planner and telling them THIS is what you want?😂😂😂
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZT81ojKJR/
UncleEbeneezer
@HeleninEire: I really enjoyed BCS but was never as emotionally pulled in the way I was with BB. And didn’t have anywhere near the number of jaw-dropping twists (though it had some good ones.). And neither Jimmy/Saul or Kim were particularly likable. Whereas I really liked Jesse and Saul in BB (and Hank). But there was almost nobody I liked in BCS aside from Vargas. So much of the run, I just kinda hated everyone. And the ending was zzzzzzzzzz……
frosty
@Suzanne: I’m with you on Breaking Bad!!
Maxim
@rikyrah: One of my cousins had a SW-themed wedding. They didn’t have the budget to go all out, but her dad dressed as Vader to walk her to her place (also an outdoor wedding). And they worked some of the dialogue into their vows (“I love you.” “I know.”)
frosty
@Leto: Reading Terminal.
frosty
@UncleEbeneezer: OMG I think Pudges was my nephews’ favorite place. They’re in Lansdale. Great cheesesteaks! (If it’s the same place)
NotMax
@frosty
Ditto. Never seen; its concept unappealing to this geezer.
WaterGirl
@rikyrah: So awesome!
I am putting that in a post. :-)
*Assuming I can figure out how to embed TikTok, which doesn’t always play nice with WordPress.
Ohio Mom
So fun to see what all those nyms look like in real life. From now on, when I read your comments, I will picture your faces.
WaterGirl
@Avalune: oh, well, at least I don’t have to be jealous that everyone at the meetup got to meet him!
WaterGirl
@Leto: That’s what you get for putting him to work, I guess! :-)
HumboldtBlue
Look at all you mom-moms and pop-pops
mrmoshpotato
@Suzanne: Wanda Sykes
Mr. Suzanne
@Baud:
@WaterGirl: nah, I only pop in when there’s something Suzanne-related on the front page. It’s rare enough that every time might as well be the first!
I *did* introduce her to the site though! (I’ve been a reader since nearly the beginning)
WaterGirl
@Mr. Suzanne: Really? The story I heard was that you guys discovered on the first date (or early date?) that you both read Balloon Juice!
edit: So if we want you to comment, I am going to have to start putting up posts called Finding the Perfect Partner or I Married Up?
zmulls
Ach, somehow I never saw this post so I will futilely tag on the the end. Had a great time meeting everyone in Philly, and I am holding the $25 gift certificate (from our 2nd place trivia win) safe. We would have done better if I hadn’t missed the Norway question.