I have no idea how it got to be this late in the year, but here we are in November, with Thanksgiving barely three weeks away and Christmas close on its heels. That, of course, means it's time to start thinking about the Third Annual Northeast Blogger Winter Social! I checked back to last year's dinner and realized that I put out the call about this time, so here goes:
Here's the traditional format:
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? Typically sometime after Christmas, usually a Saturday evening for peak attendance; however this year Christmas (and New Years) are on Saturday, so that's out. I've got the entire week between Xmas and News Year's off, perhaps one night that week would work? We have historically started the dinner portion around 6 or 7 and go until the last person leaves (and at that, we're usually out in the parking lot yammering away for another hour or so...) Also, perhaps if we plan it right we can have Lissa and Mike join us if they're in the area for the holidays...
Where? TBD. I'll put in my plug for Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH, where we had the dinner last year. The food was excellent, they have free wifi, and after we eat we can shoot some pool for more informal chat.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
We've got some time to plan, but it will be roaring up on us faster than we realize with the crush of the holiday season. With the two Saturdays taken up by the holidays folks might want to pick one day during the week to take off and have the meet the night before (like, say, Thursday the 30th, perhaps) - we want to get those vacation requests in soon if that's what we decide! In any case, let's hammer out a day and location so we can get to planning!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again!
That is all.
Here's the traditional format:
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? Typically sometime after Christmas, usually a Saturday evening for peak attendance; however this year Christmas (and New Years) are on Saturday, so that's out. I've got the entire week between Xmas and News Year's off, perhaps one night that week would work? We have historically started the dinner portion around 6 or 7 and go until the last person leaves (and at that, we're usually out in the parking lot yammering away for another hour or so...) Also, perhaps if we plan it right we can have Lissa and Mike join us if they're in the area for the holidays...
Where? TBD. I'll put in my plug for Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH, where we had the dinner last year. The food was excellent, they have free wifi, and after we eat we can shoot some pool for more informal chat.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
We've got some time to plan, but it will be roaring up on us faster than we realize with the crush of the holiday season. With the two Saturdays taken up by the holidays folks might want to pick one day during the week to take off and have the meet the night before (like, say, Thursday the 30th, perhaps) - we want to get those vacation requests in soon if that's what we decide! In any case, let's hammer out a day and location so we can get to planning!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again!
That is all.
15 comments:
Jay,
I'll put in a plug for British Beer Company in Westford. Access is EASY as the place is a few blocks off the 495 exit. It has over 50 brews on draught, including a fave of mine . . "Monty Python Holy Grail Ale." Just my $0.02.
I wish!! So sorry, Jay, but we're coming up north for Thanksgiving and spending Christmas here. It's silly, I know . . . but it's our first house and I really wanted to spend our first Christmas in it! Thanks so much for thinking of us :) :) :)
in
Unfortunately, I'm banking vacation days for summer trips, so a non-weekend isn't doable. Lord knows I would love to do it....
I don't have time off between Christmas and New Year. Jillian's was a rockin' good time last year! I'm totally up for another round.
Awesomeness!
Oh,Jeez, I'm coming home on Dec. 29. If it's the 30th, I'm in. Finally. Been waiting, what, 3 years for our schedules to coincide? Oh, mais oui.
Heh, I'll vote for the 30th Just because I wanna hoist a few and talk sea stories with Paul.
Also I vote anywhere in New Hampshire, fuck Massachusetts!
Had a great time last year; I was fortunate that events conspired to put me in your area during the shindig.
This year, alas, the Winter Classic is in Pittsburgh, so 12/26 to 1/3 I'll be in SteelerTown.
I am sooooo bummed.
TBG
Well, the 30th would work, I think, because I have the 31st off (but getting up to NH on that night might be problematic for me, given that traffic is likely to be horrid with folks getting away for the New Year's Eve weekend...).
But having had the "food" at Jillian's Pub, I'd like to vote for someplace like, say, Ken's Steakhouse in Framingham - great steaks, great salads (I'm thinking of you, see, Jay??) and we might be able to get a private room so we can talk guns without scaring the sheep.
And there's a poolhall/gaming place across the highway, IIRC.
Anyway,
Count me in, exact date pending, but for the love of all things good, someplace outside of MA!
Jay -- I missed the one at Martha's in Nashua. Any interest? Jillian's certainly works for me as well.
In.
NH is probably better for our freedom loving folks up north.
Jillian's is acceptable, and MFL is close if anyone wants to partake of some recreational noisemaking prior to dinner.
Colin
British Beer Company in Westford would be awesome...if only I were actually going to be around :( It's like 5 minutes from my apartment. They have a ton of good beer there, but make sure you get a head count and get there early, they are crazy busy.
I told myself I'd show up to the next one of these things, but somewhere in a drunken haze I agreed to drive to Florida for Christmas/New Years. What's 25 hours of driving, right?
Of course, the best thing to do is probably do the shindig in NH, and not give any more money than you must to this fucking state.
Yeah, weekday would probably mean probaby taking 1.5/ 2 days off from work for us. :(
30th would help in that regard if Cher has the 31st off like I do. But like Ross said, traffic on the 30th will probably be a mess with people leaving for the long weekend. Last year's dinner was actually this year; it was the first Saturday after New Years, Jan 2, 2010. Perhaps the first saturday after would be good again?
I have December 27th off and I MIGHT be able to get out of work early on the 30th. I don't know what the actual schedule is for the New Year holiday is.
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