People of the tri-state area and visitors from afar, mark your calendars! Hot on the heels of the successful meet-up that Ennis convened this past weekend in Chicago, we’re taking things to the next level with a New York City meet-up Saturday, November 18, co-sponsored by Vinod and myself. That’s right! With the two of us setting the edges, there will be room for all at this one: libertarians and leftists, old heads and young bloods, sushi snobs and beer swillers, geeks and freaks, lawyers and miscreants, wheatish and homely, cisgendered and transgendered, atheists and mystics. Caste no bar!
Now, we haven’t yet selected the location, but this will be a late afternoon/early evening meetup, so that all you macacas can stop by en route to whatever fabulousness your Saturday night portends. You have plenty of advance notice, so no typical New York prior-commitment bullshit. Expect a 5 PM start time, a centrally located venue that serves a decent glass of wine, and a gathering of sepia-toned luminaries the likes of which the world has rarely seen. Ya heard!
I was thinking more on the route of a bar or lounge. but that place would do, masala chai gotta have a kick to it
I thought he was Fofatlal 😉 Where is he ? Last heard he was tipsy in the bunker.
He and his band of Vijilantes have been dispatched to the motherland.
If we’re willing to make it 6pm, rather than 5pm, I would vote for Verlaine.
My suggestion : Moksha, located downtown on murray street, boasts the largest reclinig Buddha anywhere in the city.
Mr. Kobayashi is unmasked.
The hosts need to specify…it’s late afternoon/early evening and does it have to be desi and does it have to have food? Most lounges will not open until later on because it is Saturday.
I second that, I love that place but again it’s a bit exclusive in that non drinkers may not want to go.
Ismat I’m sure Nandini won’t mind opening her doors exclusively for SM for that evening if she knew. I can come up with a million suggestions but we need direction boys.
i was SOOO about to comment about this when i read … but i didn’t want to threadjack the meetup post …
damn u abhi!!!!
“Speed-gulps”? These fools trivialize my art.
Everybody relax. Who said it had to be desi? You macacas afraid to show your faces in mixed society? Not to worry. We’ll have a venue for you in due course. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated, but don’t limit them to desi joints.
Excellent….just makin sure 🙂
sushi samba?
Revival near Union Square’s not a bad space to meetup. There’s a bar downstairs, and a second floor lounge where you can actually just order/bring your own food. This way nobody feels pressured to drink, but if want one you can just get one from downstairs. It’s somewhat of a hole-in-the-wall, but a great vibe. Definitely not as trendy as Verlaine.
13 etc.
let’s have a baltimroe meetup. what??? why are u guys looking at me like that??? it’s only the 2nd most dangerest us big city. dc is #4 per the fbi. sure bmore’s not as nice and the public trans blows. it’ll be a change though hehe.
65
jk jk
I’ve seen similar sentiments expressed for other SM meetups and am a bit [naively] puzzled. Is this analogous to scheduling a date for the daytime so one can split [exit stage left] relatively easily and quickly if things aren’t going well? Or, do you guys really have evening plans for then already? I thought the L.A. meetup was quite a success (from reading about it here) and lasted well into the night.
If only I was cool enough to live in a place that actually had other SM readers, much less host a meetup…
Mr. Mitter, ouch. But yes, true.
What about Smooch in Brooklyn (Carlton and Dekalb Aves. close to the Atlantic Ave nexus and the A/C Lafayette and G at Fulton)? It’s a smallish lounge with a mellow, relaxed atmosphere, very comfortable mismatched seating, tremendous music and a very tiny stage–a recitation, perhaps, Mr. Kobayashi? They have a few beers–Brahma, Peroni, etc.–delicious wine, great coffee/tea and tasty food.
The proprietor is mutinous and flexible.
We could take the place over and he’d be happy for it.
And THAT is EXACTLY why I pick the locations I pick. Greco…Amma…there’s no pressure to leave those imperfect venues b/c they know me/us…and that’s important when a meetup is so sparkly-perfect that no one wants to go.
What about a Boston meetup?
Shruti (#31):
It especially sucks when one’s 2 a.m. is most other readers’ [relatively coherent] mid-afternoon…
I’ve been there (the last time I visited Brooklyn)! It really is lovely, and has the sweetest proprietors.
Even more reasons to be jealous of you east-coasters who get to meet up. 🙂
The next time you are in the neighborhood, visit Choice Market (Lafayette and Grand) for simple, hearty French-influenced food and masterful takes on American clasics. The burger does not fool around and the roast chicken can make you weep. Lots of veg options abound so no worries there. The coffee is amazing and they make their own sweet everything, including totally amazing pain au chocolat (after 5 PM they are $1.00 each so you can stuff yourself silly or buy a bunch and make crazy delicious bread pudding with congac to serve w/creme anglais.)
FYI: Did I mention the proprietors/chefs and many of the staff are French and Diasporic French men who are very attractive, friendly, obviously good cooks and stunningly sexy? And, the music is varied and fantastic–everything from Salif Keita to Billy Idol to Manu Dibango to Studio One classics and covers.
I’ve always wanted to go to a meetup since I started to read Sepia heavily, so definitely count me in. I will also, most probably, bring a friend – maybe even two?
Also, in terms of places, I adore Smooch. Plus, I feel like Manhattan gets infested with seasonal shoppers this time in November….
Cheers, SR
I am from SF.. now interning in NYC. I am so there.. first time too…!!
We’ll be announcing the location in the next day or so… Stay tuned!